those that wait upon thee shall renew their strengths we have no might the Devill bâ—…ffles us our own hearts are treacherous to us the world intâ—…ces us to sin against God Oh! deliver us from all these Enemies and especially from the plagues of our hearts that we may perfect holyness in the fear of God give us Spiritual blessings whatsoever thou givest us or whatsoever thou denyest us thou knowest thou artrather willing to give us Spirituall blessings then any other mercies and we want spiritual mercies most oh give us spiritual mercies that we may say This is the way of God in his Sanctuary Where Grace is not wrought work it where it is begun encrease it Dear Father convince those that are yet not convinced make thy Word a quickning word an ingrafâ—…ed word to the saving of our souls help us to hear as for our lives and as those that long after God Hear Prayers for the King blesse him in his Royal Relations and grant under him we may live a quiet life in all Godlinesse and honesty Bless the Magistrates and help them to remember that causes one day must be heard over again help thy Ministers to keep close to thee in wayes that are well pleasing Be with us at this time Lord assist the meanest of thy Servants let our souls now find that thou dost magnifie thy Word above all thy Name do us good recâ—…ive us quicken us that we may live in Heaven upon Earth that we may know what it is to be filled with the fulnesse of God and know the heighth breadth depth and length of thy love that passeth knowledge Communicate thy selfe to us as thou usest to do to thy people let us feel thy presence let us not think of any thing but the business we are about let us with singlenesse of heâ—…t set our selves to mind the concernments of our immortal souls And all we beg for Christ his sake who has taught us thus to pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. Mr. Cradockt's Prayer at Saint Sepulchres August 10. 1662. MOst glorious and most gracious Lord God who art God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hast put thine own name and stamp upon this day wilt thou be pleased to appear now and prepare and dispose â—…r unprepared and indisposed souls for holy observation of this thine own holy day will the Lord vouchsafe us the incomes of his spirit and influences of his grace whereby we may be unabled to offer up spiritual sacrifices which may be acceptable to Iesus Christ. Lord thou requâ—…rest praying hearts but thou hast not commanded us to use Prayer-books and if thou wilt give us the spirit of Prayer we shall not need them Lord give us praying hearts at this time let us find by experience that thy Subâ—…ath is a day of souls opportunity that thine Ordinances are full of marrow that thou hast not said unto thy children the seed of Jacob seek my face in vain We acknowledge we are unworthy to lift up our eyes to Heaven we have cause enough to cry out God be mercifull to us sinners undeserving ill-deserving men and women we acknowledge our natures are blots of all wickednesses we are by nature enemies to thy Majesty heirs of dâ—…ath children of darknesse slaves to sin captives to lust dead to sins and trespasses how are our understandings darkned and our hearts hardned what are our hearts but a store-house of â—…licious thoughts a brothel-house of adultery a Pallace of pride we are by nature wholly flesh totally opposite to the holy Lawes of thy Majesty and were it not for thy renewing or restraâ—…ning grace we should break forth into as vile abominations as the vilest of men Our lives have been a continual piece of rebellion against God who didst make us and dost feed and cloath us all thy paths have been paths of mercy to us but we have requited thee evil for thy good and hatred for thy love O foolish men and women that we have bin we acknowledge our Gospel sins are of a deep eye thou hast not bin a wildernesse or a Land of darknesse to us we have been exalted to Heaven in the meanes of salvation but oh how short do we come of knowledge to the time and meanes we have enjoyed and our obedience comes short of our knowledge we have not walked up to that light which thou hast given us We desire to lay our selves low before thee oh do thou open our eyes and presentus to our selves shew us the vilenesâ—…e of our lives Blessed be thy name that thou hast laid help upâ—… 〈◊〉 that is mighty to save all that come to thy Majesty by him and thou hast promised all that beleive on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Oh help us to receive him in all his offices in our hearts help us to give him the keyes of our hearts and help us to live and die to him that dyed for us and let our soules be united to thee by him that his death may be ours and his life ours and his intercession ours Oh let our unity to Christ be demonstrated to us by our communion with him and conformity to him in grace and holiness And we pray thee dearest Lord pardon our sins in the Court of Heaven and in the Court of our own consciences besprinkle our consciences in the blood of Christ and say to all before thee at this time that desire to fear thee more and serve thee better Sons and Daughters be of good cheer your sins are forgiven you And do not only justifie us but sanctifie us purge our consciences from dead workes informe our understandings conforme our wills to thine holy will let our hearts and lives be conformed to the Image of thy Sonne that beholding thereof we may be changed from glory to glory and let us have more knowledge of thy will that we may do thy will and suffer thy will with more patience and be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are to the glory of God Let us not be empty Vines that bring forth fruit to themselves but let us bring forth fruit to God whereby thou mayest be glorified Oh plant that great grace of selfe-denyal in our souls and let us take the Crosse of Iesus Christ and follow him wheresoever he goes Remember all thine extend thy favour to those thou hast cast on Beds of sicknesse and let there be a saving change wrought in them before that change by death shall come And that are drawing nigh their time of Travel let the arms of the All-sufficient God be under them and be better to them thâ—…s their Faith or our Prayer And look graciously upon poor Children intitle them to an inheritance that fadeth not away make them a blessing in themselves and a blessing to their Parents And those that desire the conversion of Relations that walk in wayes of perâ—…ition do not let them find peace in any way against thy Majesty and let them know that sin will be bitter in the latter end Look upon us that are before thee at this time before we go hence and shall be here no more make thy face to shine upon us let our coming together be for the better and not for the worse to any of us Let thy poor Servant be able to deliver thy message plainly and powerfully and give thy people hearing ears obedient hearts and let us rejoyce that we did wait upon thee in thy worship this day and all for Christ his sake in whose Name and words we call upon thee Our Father c. FINIS
contribute your utmost endeavour to keep the Ark of God from being taken and here I shall shew you 1. What the Magistrate should do 2. What the Minister should do 3. What the People should do First What the Magistrate should do I shall say but little of them because I am not now to speak to them They are to use their Authority for the setling of the Ark for the Ark of Covenant will be like the Ark of Noah always floating upon the waters until the Magistrates settle it Thus David 2 Sam. 6. 1 2. he gathered together all the chosen men of Israel thirty thousand to fetch home the Ark. So Solomon he assembleth the Elders of Israel and the heads of the Tribes the Nobles the chief of the Fathers of the children of Israel unto Ierusalem with a great a deal of pomp to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord into its place O that God would incourage our Nobles and Magistrates that they might be solicitous to settle the Ark Magistrates must not do as the Philistines they had the Ark but what did they do with it They set it up in the house of Dagon but Dagon and the Ark could never agree Where false Religion comes in at one door the true Religion goes out at the other you must not put the Ark and Dagon together Secondly What must the Ministers do to keep the Ark from losing They must endeavour after holiness the Ark will never stand steddy nor prosper upon the shoulders of Hophni and Phinehas A wicked prophane drunken Ministry will never settle the Ark it must be the sober pious godly ministers that must do it How holy must they be that draw nigh to the God of holiness Thirdly What must the people of God do that the Ark may not be lost There be five things I shall commend unto you and then commend you to God 1. You must not Idolize the Ark. 2. You must not undervalue the Ark. 3. You must not pry into the Ark. 4. You must not meddle with the Ark without a lawful cal 5. You must keep the Covenant of the Ark. First You must not Idolize the Ark that was the sin of the people in the Text they thought the very presence of the Ark would excuse them and keep them safe and therefore they carryed the Ark into the Camp though they reformed not and repented not yet they thought the Ark would save them So many there be that think the Ark will save them though never so wicked but nothing will secure a Nation but repentance and reformation Secondly Do not undervalue the Ark this was Michals sin 2 Sam. 6. 14 15 16. When David danced before the Ark and Michal mocked him and despised him in her heart but saith he it was before the Lord and if this be vile I will be more vile Some men begin to say What need we any Preaching will not Prayers serve Others say What needs so much Preaching will not once a day serve Now this is to undervalue the Ark therefore let us say as David If to Preach the Word if to fast and pray for the Nation If this be vile then I will be more vile Thirdly We must not pry into the Ark this was the sin of the men of Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6. 19. They looked into the Ark and God smote them and cut off fifty thousand and threescore men Be not too curious in searching where God hath not discovered or revealed For example there be great thoughts of heart when God will deliver his people and set his Churches at liberty And many men talk much of the year 1666. that shall be the year wherein Antichrist shall be destroyed And there are strange impressions upon the hearts of many learned men as to this year some go to the year 1669. and others pitch upon other times but truly if you will have my judgement and I am glad of this opportunity to tell you This is to pry too much into the Ark Remember the Text Act. 1. 17. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power And thus to conclude upon any particular time if you find you are deceived it is the way to make you Atheists and that afterwards you shall believe nothing And those Ministers do no service or rather ill service to the Church of God that conclude of times and seasons A Popish Author saith that in the year 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was a general belief over the Christian world that the day of judgement should be that year but when they saw it hapned not they fell to their old sinning again and were worse then before and believed nothing Well Gods time is the best therefore let not us pry too much into the Ark. Fourthly you must not meddle with the Ark unless you have a lawful Call to meddle with it This was the sin of Uzza 2 Sam. 6. 6 7. the Ark was in danger of falling and the goodman meaning no hurt to keep up the Ark took hold of it but he destroyed himself and made a breach and hindred the carrying of the Ark. We had a great disorder heretofore abundance of well-meaning people usurped upon the Ministerial Office they were afraid the Ark was falling and therefore they touched the Ark they laid hold on the Ark but their touching the Ark hath undone the Ark and themselves too O take heed of touching the Ark. Fifthly If ever you would preserve the Ark then keep the Covenant of the Ark keep the Law which the Ark preserves the Ark was a place wherein the Law was kept the two Tables keep the Law and God will keep the Ark but if you break the Law you will forfeit the Ark The Ark was called the Ark of the Covenant keep Covenant with God and God will preserve the Ark but if you break the Covenant of the Ark the Covenant made in Baptism and that Covenant often renewed in the Sacrament if you break Covenant God will take away the Ark. Mr. Watson's Prayer at Walbrook O Lord God All our springs are in thee It is good for us to draw â—…igh to thee through Iesus Christ Thou art all fulness the quintessence of all sweetness the Center of all blessedness thou art the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our Father thou art our light thou givest us these blessed opportunities of enjoying communion with thy self God blessed for ever These mercies are forfeited mercies we have abused the blessings of thy house we have grieved thy blessed spirit therefore it is just with thee to deprive us of these comforts and to make us know the worth of these mercies by the want of them Lord we desire to judge our selves that we may not be condemned with the world righteous art thou O Lord and just in all thy judgements we confess we are unworthy to have any converse with so holy a God we are polluted
that you might stand and what dishonour to the eternal Saviour of the world to a dying Savâ—…ur to see a flying Christian. 'T was never heard of that souldiers should â—…lye before a conquered enemy whose legs were cut off whose arms were broken whose sword taken from them 2. 'T is a dishonour to the spirit of Christ The same spirit that was with Christ in all his Agonies this very spirit he hath given to believers that he might bring them through with some victory therefore when we stand not 't is a high dishonour to Christ's Spirit 3. 'T is a dishonour to Christ's truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what a dishonour doth it bring â—…o the Truth 〈◊〉 but thought of some late experiments of poor 〈◊〉 that I hâ—…ve heâ—…rd of carried about in triumph look here 's the man here 's the man that hath done this that and tâ—…other thing and now look here 's his I cannot excuse Noah from his drunkenness yet me thinks 't is the part of a Cham to shew his fathers nakedness I remember that one hath told me 't is a great Truth That Religion never sâ—…ffers greater wounds then by the hands of her professed friends Oh? what advantage have the wicked Papists taken against us by the falls of English Professors both in principles and practice 4. ' I is a very great dishonour to Christs all-sufficiency Tell me man is thy Christ able to protect thee against all evil and is he able to supply thee with all good or is he not if he be not then deny him and whatever thou hast said concerning him if he be then stand close to him in the mount he will be seen 2ly I would argue from Saints the infinite advantage that at a long run I do not say presently will redound to those that are steady in judgment in resolution in faith in conscience in practice so far as all these are conformable to the word of God and no further The greatest advantage appears upon these four grounds 1. Whatever thou thinkest a steady condition is the safest condition 2. The fullest condition 3. The strongest condition 4. The freest condition Oh! that I could beat this into my heart as well as â—…tis in my head The safest condition in the midst of dangers the fullest condition in the midsâ—… of wants the strongest condition in the midst of assauts and the freest condition in the midst of straights I profess in the presence of God I have felt these things and knew them to be true many years ago 1. It is the safest condition never do the Saints take hurt but by declining moving from their center while at their center the Devil cannot touch them departing thence is like the poor Bird from her nest every one hath a fling at them Remember this let but a man once leave his Scriptural station and what temptation is he able to stand against it is just like a man thrown down from the top of an house no stopping till he come to the bottom 1 Joh 5. 18. He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not 2. It is the fullest condition Oh! my Brethren Saints living steadfastly on their foundation are continually supplied by God as the fountain doth continually issue out it self into the streams I know 't is best living upon a single God How many thousands be there yet living in England that can tell you they never enjoyed more of God then when they enjoyed least of the Creature Some have professed to me their prison was to them as a palace that were troubled more with these things then ever you were and the God of heaven grant you never may 3. 'T is the strongest condition A man that stands steadfast is like a man on a Rock the waters come they may dash themselves in pieces but never shall be able to dash him in pieces he is fixed on a Rock and therefore stands A man that stands steady to his Scriptural principles is like Sanpson with his Locks about him let all the Philistines come what cares he he is able to conquer them all 4. 'T is the freeest condition A man that deserts his principles is a slave to every condition afraid of every humour of every Aspine leaf in the world thinks all those are informers that converse with him is afraid of some promooter or other But he that stands fast where the Spirit of God is there is liberty and freedome such a man in chains as Paul at Rome is in a far freer condition then others not in that restraint Well then 't is rational that you stand but it may be your lâ—…st and interest can hardly swallow these things if we stand we shall not fall nay if you do not stand be sure you shall fall at last The next thing I would do is to apply this truth Is it the most important duty of all sincere professors in the most shaking seasons to stand stedfast in the Lord then First by way of Lamentation and that 1. Over our own souls 2. Over hundreds of Congregatioâ—…s Lord must do we say hundreds nay thousands of Congregations that are this day though they do not accompany us in person yet mingling tears with us and especially as I hear on the West of England 1. Over our own hearts We must stand that 's our duty oh how should it cause us to lie low by reason of the instability of our hearts and their cursed declining from the true foundation every day Alas Beloved this is that that God complains of they are a generation whose spirit is not stedfast with God and therefore we have very much reason to complain of it oh that this sin might be forgiven oh what an unsetled people have we been to day we have been apt to cry Hosanna Hosanna to the Son of David to morrow our note is changed crucifie him crucifie him give us Barabbas to day the Lord is God to morrow Baal any thing is God provided we may keep our Estates Oh Lord what wâ—…lt thou do with such a people as this certainly it is a lamentation and ought â—…o be a lamentation Believe it Beloved I can now count seven years if not something more wherein I have most clearly expected the daies I now see no way but the severest waies to be taken with such a false people as we have been Judge in your own thoughts whether we have been true to God or Man to Saints or Sinners to the Churches of God at home or abroad whether or no this be not matter of lamentation 2. With respect to our Congregations 't is not against the Law yet to call them our Congregations This I confess I can rather weep then speak to I cannot speak my heart is too big for my head here Lord is it the duty of people of Saints to stand to be stedfast how then should we mourn over those poor souls that because their pillers are taken away must needs
The Farewell SERMONS of Mr. Calamy Mr. Watson Mr. Sclater Dr. Iacomb Mr. Case Mr. Baxter Mr. Ienkins Mr. Lye Dr. Manton Mr. Ashes funerall Mr. Collins An EXACT COLLECTION OF Farewel Sermons PREACHED By the late London-Ministers VIZ. Mr. Calamy Mr. Watson Dr. Iacomb Mr. Case Mr. Sclater Mr. Baxter Mr. Ienkin Dr. Manton Mr. Lye Mr. Collins To which is added Their PRAYERS before and after Sermon AS ALSO Mr. Calamy's Sermon for which he was Imprisoned in Newgate His Sermon at Mr. Ashe's Funeral And Dr. Horton's at Mr. Naltons Funeral The last Edition being much Enlarged and more Perfect than any yet Extant 2 SAM 23. 1. Now these are the last Words of David the sweet Singer of Israel Printed in the Year 1662. THE PUBLISHERS TO THE READER THE words of dying men usually are very serious weighty and much regarded The ensuing Notes being the Preachers last Legacies to their several Congregations a little before their Civil though Voluntary Death by reason of the great Concourse of people that were then assembled in all Churches to hear their dying Pastors preach their own Funeral Sermons whilest they were yet alive many being too distant from them or too much disturbea by the crowd fell short of their share and portion in them others having lost much of what they committed to their memories addressed themselves to their friends that writ But it being found too tedious a work to satisfie the desires of all by Transcriptions some who had taken after them as followeth by the importunity of many have been prevailed with for the satisfaction of their friends to expose their Notes to publick view It is not to be expected though all care and faithfulness hath been used that the Picture should answer the Person in all things what defects therefore in any kind may be found herein we humbly pray may not be imputed to the Reverend Authors but unto the Publishers hereof We conceive we need not adde any thing to take off that clamour that is cast upon them as if out of an humour faction or which is worse disobedience to Authority they refused to conform Enough is said by themselves to give an account why they chose to take up their Cross and follow Christ in a way of conscience and fidelity Reader we will detain thee no longer from partaking of the fruit we here present thee with but conclude praying that the Lives of these worthy Ministers Hearers may be their legible Epistles seen and read of all men and that their Conversations may be such as becomes the Gospel of Christ that whether they yet again come and see them or else be absent they may hear of their affairs that they stand fast in one spirit striving together for the Faith of the Gospel Farewell Mr. Calamy's Prayer at Aldermanbury OH most Holy and ever â—…lessed Lord God! thou fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence we pray thee fill all our hearts with the presence of thy Grace and let it appear that thou art in the midst of us with that powerful assistance of thy Spirit that we may receive a token of love from thee at this time It is a singular favour that the doors of thy Sanctuary are open to us and that yet we may meet together in thy Name we pray thee continue it to us and sanctifie it to us that every Sabbath may add to our Staturâ—… in Iesus Christ. We confess we have forfeited all our mercies we have heard much of God and Christ and Heaven with ouâ—… ears but there is little of God Christ and Heaven in our hearts We confess many of us by hearing Sermons are grown Sermon-proof we know how to scoff and mock at Sermons but we know not how to live Sermons It is a miracle of free Grace that thou hast not taken thy Gospel from us ere this time but thou art a merciful God and though we cannot please thee yet Mercy pleaseth thee and we have no argument to bring along with us to beg thy â—…avour but thy mercy in Iesus Christ. We pray thee that thou wilt glorifie thy Sovereignty in being gracious to us and pardon our many and great transg essions Thou makest use of the malice of men for thy glory thou killest Goliah with his own sword oh help us to put our trust in thee thou that canst kill and cure by killing Bless these Nations of England Scotland and Ireland and find out yet a way to save us pour down thy blessings upon the head and heart of our Sovereign CHARLES by thy Grace King of Great Britain thou hast done great things for him let him do great things for thee bless him in his Royal Consort in his Royal Relations in his Council bless the Magistrates and Ministers oâ—… this Realm Lord forgive us for we live as if we had been delivered to work wickedness we cannot sin at so cheap a rate as others do we pray thee humble us under our great and grievous sins give us Repentance unto Salvation and a lively faith through the bloud of Jesus Christ quicken our graces forgive our sies make alive our souls let us be such as thou wouldst have us to be make us Christians not only by an outward profession but an inward conversation that we may live in Heaven while we are on Earth and come to Heaven when we shall leave the Earth To that purpose bless thy Word unâ—…o us at this time and give us all grace to make conscience what we hear and how we hear And all for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thy blessed Self and Spirit be all glory and honour Amen Mr. Calamy's Farewell Sermon August 17. 1662. 2 SAM 24. 14. And David said unto Gad I am in a great strait let us fall now into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of man IN which words we have three Parts 1. Davids great perplexity and distress I am in a great strait 2. Davids resolution 1. Affirmative Let us fall into the hand of the Lord. 2. Negative Let me not fall into the hand of Man 3. We have the Reason of Davids choice for the mercies of God are great The mercies of wicked men are cruel therefore let me not fall into the hands of men But the mercies of God are many and great therefore let uâ—… now fall into the hands of God 1. For the first that is Davids great Distress wherein we must speak 1. To the distress it self Then â—… To the person thus perplexed I am in a great strait David a great man David a godly man 1. In the perplexity it self we shall consider 1. The reality of this perplexity 2. The greatness of it 1. For the reality of it after David had sinned in numbring the people God sends the Prophet Gad to him and puts three things to his choice as you may read in vers 12. God was determined to make David smart for numbring
When the Ark of God is taken then the souls of many are in danger when the Gospel is gone your souls are in hazzard There is cause of sadness 4. Then do the Enemies of God Blaspheme and are ready to say Where is your God then do the Enemies of God Triumph Psal. 42. 10. As with a Sword in my Bones mine Enemies reproach me while they say dayly unto me Where is thy God 5. Then is Iesus Christ trampled under foot and the Ordinances of God defiled and trampled on and then Blasphemy and Atheism comes in like an Armed man 4. The people of God must needs tremble when the Ark is in danger because of their accessariness to the losing of the Ark and this was that which made old Ely so much troubled because he knew it was for his sin that God suffered the Ark to be taken He knew that his not punishing his two Sons was one great cause of that great slaughter the people of Israel met withall and that made him tremble There is no person here in this Congregation but his heart will tell him he hath contributed something towards the loss of the Ark. None of us so holy but our consciences must accuse us we have done something that might cause God to take the Ark from us And therefore Mr. Bradford that blessed Martyr said in his Prayer Lord it was my unthankfulness for the Gospel that brought in Popery in Queen Maries dayes and my unfruitfulness under the Gospel that was the cause of the untimely death of King Edward the Sixth And those that fled in Queen Maries dayes sadly complained that they were the cause of Gods taking away the Gospel from England O Beloved it is for thy sin and my sin that the Ark of God is in danger and therefore the Lord give us trembling solicitous hearts what shall become of the Ark. I come now to Application Use 1. If this be the property of a true child of God to be solicitous when the Ark of God is in danger and to have such a trembling heart for fear of the Ark then this is a certain sign there are but few that are the children of God in truth O where is the man and where is the woman that like old Ely sits watching and trembling for fear of the Ark And that will appear by these Reasons First In reference to the many sins in this Nation for let me tell you there is not one sin for which God ever took away the Ark from any people but it is to be found in England Did the Church of Ephesus lose the Candlestick because they had lost their first love And have not we lost our first love to the Gospel and to the Ordinances And did the Church of Laodicea lose the Candlestick because of lukewarmness and are not we lukewarm Did the people of Israel as here in the Text lose the Ark because they abhorred the offering of God and do not we do so Are not the sins of Israel amongst us the sins of Germany and the sins of all other Nations about us And can any man here before God this day in this Congregation that considers the great unthankfulness of this Nation and the great prophanesse and wickednesse of this Nation but they may conclude the Ark is in danger and God may justly take the Ark from us I might tell you of the drunkennesse adultery covetousness injustice and uncharitableness c. that doth abound amongst us and I might tell you of Sanctuary sins prophanation of Sabbaths and Sacraments out unthankfulnesse and unfruitfulnesse and unworthy walking under the Gospel And you of this place God may very well take the Ark even from you And indeed it was the great interest I had in you the which while I live I shall ever own and that great affection and respect I had to you that I would not send you home this day without a Sermon and let you go without a blessing Now can any of you in this Parish and this Congregation can any of you say God may not justly take the Gospel from you Secondly Shall I adde the discontents and divisions in the Nation as Christ saith A Nation divided against it self cannot stand but I leave these things to your considerations I do believe there is none here but will confesse the Ark of God is in danger to be lost But now where are our old Elys to sit watching and trembling for fear of the Ark Where is Phinehas his Wife that would not be comforted because the Ark of God was taken Where are our Moses's our Elijah's our Uriah's Where are they that lay to heart the dangers of the Ark You complain of Taxes and decay of Trading of this civil burden and that civil burden but where is the man or the woman that complains of this misery the losse of the Ark Most of you are like Gallio he cared not for these things if it had been a civill mâ—…ter then he would have medled with it but for Religion he cared not for that every man is troubled about meum and tuum about civil concernments but who laies to heart who regards what shall become of Religion There is a strange kind of indifferency and lukewarmnesse upon most peoples spirits so they may have their Trading go on and their civill Burdens removed they care not what becomes of the Ark. There is a Text of Scripture I shall not spend much time in opening it but I would have you well consider it Hos. 7. 9. Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray hairs are here and there upon him yet 〈◊〉 knoweth not Shall I say gray hairs are upon the Gospel I come not hither to prophecy I say not the Gospel is dying but I say it hath gray hairs for you have had the Gospel a hundred years and above and therefore it is in its old age and I dare challenge any Schollar to shew me an example of any Nation that hath enjoyed the Gospel for a hundred years together Now that gray hairs is at a hundred years is no wonder well gray hairs are here and there and yet no man layeth it to heart Now shal I spend some time to shew you what a great sin it is not to be affected with the danger that the Ark of God is in Consider but three particulars First it is a sign you do not love the Gospel if you had any love to it you would be troubled more for the danger of the Ark then for any outward danger whatsoever Secondly it is a sign you have no interest in the Gospel for interest wil stir up your affections it is a sign you are not concerned in the Gospel for if you were concerned in it you would be affected with it as those that were interessed in those persons in that lamentable fire the last week it is impossible but they should be affected â—…nd so it is asign you have no interest in
dust and ashes not worthy to tread thy Courts and it is of thy mercy that we are not consumed How often have we pluckt fruit from the forbidden tree We have sinned presumptnously against the clearest Light and the dearest Love always have we sinned thy footsteps have dropt fatness thou hast shown mercy to us but the better thou hast been to us the worse we have been to thee thou hast loaded us with thy mercies and we have wearied thee with our sins when we look into our selves oh the poison of our natures what ever the Leper did touch was unclean thus do we by our spiritual leprosiâ—… infect our Holy things our Prayers had need have pardon and our tears had need have the blood of sprinkling to wash them how vain are our Vows how sensual are our affections We confess we are untuned and unstrung for every Holy action we are never out of tune to sia but always out of tune to pray we give the world our male affections and our strongest desires we should use this world as if we used it not and alas we pray as if we prayed not and serve thee as if we served thee not there is not that reverence nor that devotion nor that activeness of saith that there should be Lord if thou shouldest say Thou woulâ—…st pardon all our sins to this time only judge us for this prayer we unto us what breathingâ—… of unbelief and hypocrisie is there now when we approach unto thee we pray thee pardon us for Christs sake Who can tell how oâ—…t he dotâ—… offend we can as well reckon the drops of the Ocean as number 〈◊〉 sins we have filled the number of the Nations sins but have not fillâ—… thy bottle with our tears This is that that doth exceedingly aggravate 〈◊〉 sins that we cannot mourn for sin we can grieve for our losses but 〈◊〉 cannot mourn for our unkindnesses we have crucified the Lord of life sin has not only defiled us but hardened us nothing can melt us but the love of Christ nothing can soften us but the blood of Christ oh withold not thy mercies from us oh help us to eat the Passeover with bitter herbs let us look on Christ and weep over him let us look on a broken Christ with broken hearts and on a bleeding Christ with bleeding hearts let us mourn for our dis-ingenuity that we should grieve that God that 〈◊〉 â—…wayes doing us good Oh humble us for our unkindness and for 〈◊〉 sake blot out our transgressions they are more then we can number 〈◊〉 more than God can pardon Though we have lost the duty of Children thou hast not lost the goodness of a Father let us be held forth as patterns of mercy so shall we trumpet forth thy praise to all eternity whatever afflictions thou layesâ—… upon our bodies let not our sins be unpardoned let not sin and affliction be together upon us let there be peace in Heaven and peace in the Court of Conscience we have found this part of thy word true In the world we shall have trouble let us find the other part true In Jesus Christ we shall have peace Oh let peace and holiness go together make 〈◊〉 new creatures that we may be glorious creatures without faith Christ will not profit us when we can call nothing in the world ours let us call Christ ours Lord draw thine Image every day more lively upon us a more lively hope and a more inflamed love to Christ. Let us have a spirit of courage and resolution keep us from the fallacies of our own hearts keep us from the defilements of the times make us pure in heart that we may see God that we may have Gospel-spirits humble spirits meek spirits As Christ did take our flesh let us partake of his Spirit Why dost thou imbitter the breast of the creature to us but that we should find the sweetness of the promises There is as much in the promises as ever let us live upon God let us cast anchor in Heaven and we shall never sink Showr down thy blessings even the choisest of them upon the head and heart of our dread Soveraign Charles by thy appointment of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith Let Him see wherein His chiefest interest lies let Him count those His best Subjects that are Christs Subjects Bless Him in His Royal Consort iâ—… His Royal Relations the Lords of his privy Council let them be a terror to evil doers and encouragers of those that do well Bless all thine Ordinances to us make them to be fulness of life to every one before thee we are come this day to partake of them oh pour in wine and oyl into our souls let us be as a watred Garden let this blessed Sacrament be a poison to our lust and nourishment for our grace Hear â—…s be our God follow us with mercy crown us with acceptance and all for Christ his sake whom not feeing we love in whom believing we rejoyce To Christ with Thee and the holy Spirit be glory honour and â—…raise now and for ever Amen Mr. Watson's Farewell Sermon 2 COR. 7. 1. Having these promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves IT is the Title that I intend now by the help of God to insist upon that sweet Parenthesis in the Text Dearly beloved wherein you have the Apostle breathing forth his affections unto this people he speaks now as a Pastor and he speaks to them as his spiritual Children Dearly beloved where you have First the Title Beloved Secondly The Exhortation to Holiness Let us cleanse our selves Thirdly The Means how we should be cleansed and sanctified Having these promises It is the first of these that I intend the Title that the Apostle gives to his children Dearly beloved From hence observe this Doctrine That the affections of a right Gospel-Minister towards his people are very ardent Dearly beloved there are two things in every Minister of Christ that are much exercised his head and his heart his head with labour and his heart with love his head with labour in the work of the Ministry Iâ—… done aright it is a work fitter for Angels than for menâ—… it is our work to open the Oracles of God even thosâ—… sacred profound things that the Angels search into and if God did not help us we might soon sink under the weight of such a burden and as a Minister's head is exercised with labour so his heart is exercised with love and it is hard to say which of the two exceeds his Labour or his Love Thus is it here in the Text my dearly beloved In these words we have Saint Paul laying siege to these Corinthians and labouring to make a happy victory to conquer them with kindness dearly beloved Saint Paul's heart was the spring of love his lips were the pipe the Corinthians were the cistern into which this spring did run This holy Apostle was a mirror and pattern of love
them ill with them in life in death and after death A wicked man lives cursed and dies damned Sinners are Gods standing mark that he shoots at and he never misseth the mark You know what the Scripture saith There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth It is a saying of Latimer That is very sad fare where weeping is the first course and gnashing of teeth is the second But whence may this gnashing of the teeth come 1. It ariseth from the extremity of the torments that the damned suffer this makes them gnash their teeth with horrour they are not able to bear it and yet they know not how to avoid it 2. The Wicked gnash their teeth out of envy to think that the godly are happy and blessed those whom they reproached hated and persecuted they are happy in glory and they themselves are thrown down into Hell this cuts them to the heart to think of it and makes them gnash their teeth Luke 10. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you shall see Abraham and Isaack and Iacob in the Kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out And this is the first use shewing the misery of a wicked â—…han if all the curses in the Bible will make him miserable he shall be miserable God will make his Arrows drunk with his bloud Secondly Take heed that none of you here be found in the number of the Wicked Take heed of being of this black Regiment beware of the Devils colours fight not under this Banner It shall be ill with the Wicked the Sinner and the Furnace shall never â—…e parted In a word I beseech you take heed of those sins that bring to Hell fire There are saith St. Bernard fiâ—…ry sins that bring men to hell fire What are these fiery sin Why they are the fire of Malice the fire of Passion the fire of Lust the fire of Concupiscence and the fire of Revenge these fiery sins bring men to fiery plagues to Hell fire When you are tempted to any â—…in think with your selves How can I bear the lying in the fierceness of the Wine-press of Gods wrath for ever I have read a story of a Virgiâ—… that being tempted by a young man to commit folly sayes she to him If you will grant me but one request I will do what you desire What is that said he Why do but hold your Finger one hour in this burning Candle No he would not do that Said she to him Will not you for my sâ—…ke hold your Finger one hour in the Candle and would you have me lay my Soul burning in Hell for ever for the satisfying of your Lust and thus she refuted that temptation Why Doth Satan tempt you to Wickedness hold up this Text against the Devil as a shield to quench his fiery darts Satan it will go ill with the wicked If I embrace thy temptation I must be under thy tormenting for ever O therefore learn to be Righteous It shall be well with the Righteous Take heed of living and dying in sin It shall be ill with the Wicked the God of Heaven hath said it I will conclude all with a saying of Austin sayes he When a man hath been virtuous the labour is gone and the joy remains when a man hath been wicked the pleasure iâ—… gone and the sting remaineth Dr. Iacomb's Prayer at St. Martin's Ludgate BLessed God thou art a God blessed for ever thou givest mercy to all returning and repenting sinners Thou art worthy to be praised by all that draw â—…igh unto thee Thou hast vouchsafed to us one Sabbath more oh that we might all of us be in the spirit upon this Lord's day that whatever we do we may do it in the strength of God that we may offer spiritual sacrifices to God this day through our Mediator the Lord Iesus It is a very great condescention that thou shouldst suffer such as we are to come unto thee O Lord we are unclean we are unclean from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot we are overspread with the Leprosie of sin all the faculties of our souls are defiled our understandings are darkned our wills are corrupted We have affections but they are Carnal we have hearts but they are impure we have consciences but they are seared And as our inward man so our lives are unholy as the fountain is so is the stream besides that our general guilt that we brought into the world we are guilty of innumerable actual transgressions against thy holy Law We think oh Lord there are not greater sinners in the world than we Our sins are attended with many aggravations We have sinned against prayers against vows and promises we have had as much light shining before us as any in the world have had Great is our unbelief Oh that we could â—…ay these things to our hearts We do râ—…fuse to come to Christ we go about to establish a righteousness of our own and neglect the righteousness of God by faith in Iesus Christ how are our hearts glewed to the present things of this world oh what do we do for thy glory how uâ—…reformed are we under all the ways of God that he has taken to make us a holy people Give us a sight of our sins oh Lord we confess sometimes we do make some formal confession but we do not find our hearts melted for sin as they should Oh take away from every one of us this heart of stone and give a heart of flesh give us tender hearts make us sensible of all our departing from thee Oh let us look upon Him whom we have pierced and let us mourn that the water of penitential sorrow may â—…low from us we are strangers to our selves we do not see what a Hell there is in our natures oh how should we put our mouths in the dust and loath our selves if so be there might be hope Oh Lord convince us of sin give us such a sight of sin as may make us fly to thee give us such a sight of our own guilt that may prepare us for the grace of God now we are stung with the fiery Serpent help us to come to Iesus Christ our hrazen Serpent give us thy holy Spirit to bring us out of the state of nature oh let that God that made us creatures make us new creatures oh Lord we are thine own work but we are dead in tréspasses and sins give us grace and speak a word to them that are dead put out thine almighty power and draw some sinner to Christ this day and those that have any breathings after thee oh thou that gavest them that desire carry on thine own work in them where thou hast begun a good work carry it on let sin as the house of Saul grow weaker and weaker and grace as the house of David grow stronger and stronger Oh increase our faith oh Lord in this time we do not only stand in need of grace but of a great
all his people in these three Nations should lay to heart and repent of before the Lord. I gave you in a list eleven special sins that we should repent of and humble our selves for before the Lord. As 1. Omission of duty Prayer reading the Word Meditation c. Any thing will be for excuse to lay by duties and we are secretly glad of an excuse 2. Remisness in duty In things of the world we are all in all and all in every part a man cannot thrust another thought into us but in Prayer how many things are we doing 3. Hypocrisie How unlike are we at home to what abroad and in company to what in secret 4. Pride In apparel houses parts bloud birth-right yea of grace it self of humility Ministers Ordinances c. 5. Covetousness Never did covetousness invade the professing party as now The more goods men get the less good they do 6. Sensuality Voluptuousness wantonness Christians let themselves loose to the Creature lay out their affections on things below as if that part in the Serpents curse to lick the dust of the earth were theâ—…r own ss well as his 7. Animâ—…sities and divisions amongst Christians many have been active to kindle but few to quench divisions 8. Uncharitable censuring one anothâ—…r 9. Formality in duty Witness 1. Unprepared coming 2. Unsutableness of spirit to And 3. Want of reflection after duty how we have sped what we have got Sabbath Sacraments come and goes Monday morning finds us the same as before Misspent-Sablaths Some prophane others idle away the Sabbath c. 11. Neglect of our Bibles in our 〈◊〉 and Closets I pray God it forego not some great evil coming upon you as before the massacre in Germany it was observed c. I proceed 12. The want of mutual forlearance among Christians Alas Christians know not how to bear one with another in the least kind of measure Oh the short-spiritedness amongst Christians they cannot bear one anotherbâ—…rdens they cannot bear with one another 'T is very sad that we that stand in need of so much forbearance should express so little to our Brother 'T is an Argument we know not of what spirit we are of as Christ told his Disciples Oh! how unlike to are we that God whom we profess to be our God He is long-suffering patient full of goodness gentleness mercy c. we can bear nothing we can suffer nothing one from another 13. Our great murmuring against Reformation and Reformers God hath heard the voice of our Murmuring Exod. 16. As if there had been nothing that would have undone us but Reformation and truly God seems to speak such a word as that was Numb 7. 5. in displeasure and anger I will make your murmurings to cease I will take away the cause of your murmuring I would have reformed you and you would not be reformed As Christ to Iernsalem I would but you would not Mat. 23. The time may come when we would and God will not when we shall cry Other Lords have had dominion over us c. Isa. 26. 13. but thou Lord set up thou thy government rule thou over us and God may say No 't is too late I would have healed you and you would not be healed 14. The great neglect of the care of our Families Truly 't is not the least sin that threatens the removal of our Candlestick How generally have the duties of Religion been let fall in our Families reading the Word singing Psalms c. Time was when one could not have come through the streets into London on an evening in thee week-day but we might hear the praises of God singing of Psalms now it 's a stranger in the City even upon the Lords own day Oh! how have Governours of Families cast off the care of the souls that God hath committed to them How careless are they of the souls of their yoak-fellows that lie in their bosoms of their children the fruit of their loins Masters of their servants c And in the mean time are ready to stand up and justifie themselves with the boldness of Cain to say to God Am I my brothers keeper Am I the keeper of my yoak-fellow children servants souls yes thou art the keeper c. God hath put them unto thy trust and if they perish through thy fault they may die in their sins but their bloud shall be required at thy hand God will say to thee as he did to Cain Thy brothers blood cryeth in my ear 15. Our indifferences as to matter of faith and doctrine That we have not been more zealous for the truth of Christ that great trust and depositum which hath been committed to us We have accounted it no matter of what opinion or judgment men be in these latter times 'T is an universal saying No matter what judgment men be of so they be Saints as if truth in the judgment did not go to the making up of a Saint as well as holiness in the will and affections As if Christ had not come into the world to bear witness of the truth which was his great design as if it were no matter if God have the heart so the Devil be in the head as if no matter that be full of darkness so the heart be for God 16. The unsutableness of our conversations to the Gospel of Christ 'T is the only thing the Apostle puts the Philippians in mind of and commits to their care Phil. 1. 27. And truly in these unhappy dayes it hath been the only thing men have neglected and despised How little care that our conversations should honour the Gospel c. 17. Our living by sense and not by faith Surely my Brethren among all the sins in England that the people of God have cause to be humbled for there is not any whereby we have more provoked God than by that sin of Unbelief Murmuring and Infidelity have been our two great sins for which it is the wonder of Gods mercy that he hath not caused our carcasses to fall in the wilderness He may take up that complaint of us that he did of Israel Numb 14. 22. Because all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkened to my veice surely they shall not see the land c. And this is the lamentation we may take up that truly to this very day we have not faith enough to carry us from one miracle to another from one deliverance to another from one salvation to another let one deliverance pass over our head and no sooner one wave rises higher than another but we are ready to cry out with Peter Lord save mâ—… I perish and well were it if our fears did issue into tears and cryes after Christ we rather are ready to cry out as those in Ezek. 37. 11. Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost we are cut
this upon us in the thirteenth verse of this Chapter These things have I written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have Eternal Life Here is your duty according to what the Text it self doth charge upon you if you be such as by grace are brought over to a Gospel-believing the Apostle Iohn that did write this Epistle and I from it preach unto you into the Name of the Lord and by authority from him thaâ—… this is your duty to know that you are Persons that have Eternal Life that you are such as Christ by his blood hath made a purchase of Eternal Life for that he hath by his blood once for all entred into the Holy place that is not made with hands that he might prepare for you and that youmight have the possession of those blessed mansions that he hath made preparation of Eternal Life it is yours and you may be bold to claim it and you are bound to hope and rejoyce in the expectation of the full enjoyment of it and not to be alwayes upon the question and disputing point but to go on with a holy confidence towards God according to what the Apostle expresses 1 Câ—…r 2. We know that when this Earthly Tabernacle shall be dissolved we shall have an house not made with hands c. But then a second thing that I have to charge upon you is this That you would acknowledge with all thankfulness and enlargedness of heart to God the riches of his mercy and grace to you that hath been pleased to cull you out of an unbelieving world and bring you over to the Gospel and to the participations that are by Christ according to the Gospel Oh! This you should set your hearts upon by admiring the riches of God's grace and say Lord Why shouldst thou manifest thy self to me and not to the world That many thousands should live and die in the total ignorance of Christ and the Gospel-mysteries or else live and die in an empty profession and yet that God should be pleased to pitch upon me This is that that the Text doth hint unto us in the nineteenth verse of this Chapter Oh! saith he in a triumphing manner We know that we are of God and that the whole world lies in wickedness Oh! our mercies and the riches of grace that hath appeared to us while the whole world that lies in wickedness is put into the Malignant evil One lies in the Devil for he is the malignant evil one while the whole world lies in the Devil in malignity Oh! It is a sad condition infinitely more sad than for a man to lie in the most noisomest stinking ditch or in the loathsomest kennel why this is that that heightens the mercy to poor souls that are called by grace according to the purpose of God that while the whole world lies in wickedness and so are like to lie yea and to lie in hell to all Eternity that God should please to lay you in the bosom of his Son and to take you into the arms of his mercy this is that that should heighten our thankfulness I may make use of that expression which we find in Acts 14. when Paul and Barnabas came unto a company of Heathens and they saw what great things were done by them and took notice of the gracious spirit that they discovered sure say they The Gods are come among us in the likeness of men Considering the state of times and what an height of wickedness many at this day are grown up unto the dreadful swearing blaspheming of God and his ways Truly judge of it your selves Whether we may not say The devils are come among us in the likeness of men Why now oh How should we heighten our love and thankfulness to God that should please in free grace to bring us over to close with Jesus Christ But then fourthly As many as are brought over to Gospel-believing this is your duty To study and endeavour what you can your advantages in Faith and so the Apostle gives it in charge here in the Chapter in verse 13. These things have I written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the Son of God This is that you should set about If God hath brought you over to a closing with Christ and an embracing of the testimonies concerning him believe more and more labour for your advancement and let it be your Prayer Good Lord increase our Faith Labour that you may be clear in your apprehensions of Gospel-mysteries and that you may be more strong in your adherence to Christ of whom those Gospel-testimonies are given and that you may not only come to have an adhering-faith but to an assuring-faith that you may not be like waves tossed and tumbled up and down but that you may come to be rooted and established and grounded in your faith that you may not come to be unsetled by Heresie corrupt Doctrines or the Apostacy of others but that you may be stedfast and unmoveable Yet further fifthly This is to be given in charge to such as do believe according to the Gospel that they carry it sutably to a believing state as in those particulars that I have insisted upon so in a deportment congruous and sutable to the priviledges which belong to believing You are born of God carry it as men and women that are so indeed What! Born of God the Sons and Daughters of God What! and not live according to God and not study conformity to God I remember what he speaks there concerning Amnon How is it that thou being the Kings Son art lean from day to day How is it that we that profess to be the Sons and Daughters of God are lean and lank not more improved that we do not shew forth God and express Christ This lies in the beginning of the Chapter If you be born of God remember that you be born of him that is the God of Love And therefore you are to manifest this birth and your believing and your being born of God by loving God and by loving them that are born of God He that believeth is born of God and he that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him The God of Love doth beget a People of Love a loving God a loving People And this is that that you should express your Believing by and your Adoption by by the Love you bear to God and the children of God A hatefull spitefull spirit where it doth discover it self speaks those persons not to be born of God but of the Devill carry it as Believers as persons of God by studying a conformity to God and by keeping his Commandments subjecting your selves to his Authority not living according to your own Lusts but according to the Lawes and Rules which God hath given you saith the Apostle
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
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
baseness in advanced wickedness a poor minister of Jesus Christ when he is cast out by the world and thinks he shall be counted the scum of the world yet let him not be troubled as it was with Christ it is with the servants of Christ the Lord Jesus when he was here upon earth no man under so much ignominy and reproach and persecution yet all this while Jesus Christ had a secret glory that shined through all these ignominies and disgraces you read he was laid in a manger but then he was worshipped sometimes you shall read he had no money but yet then he could command that a fish should be caught and he could have money somtimes a weary and yet at that very time converts a woman Look through the whole course of his life there was a secret glory under all his ignominy when he was brought before his enemies yet then they fell down before him take heed of dishonouring God Thus it is with the people of God they are in distress and poverty but there is a secret dignity that beams forth as the Apostle saith the Spirit of God and glory rest upon you If you be persecuted for righteousness sake blessed are you on the other side when rich men are in high esteem is there not a secret disgrace to be in a high place and yet to be a swearer a drunkard a whoremaster 4. You see the way of it how a man may get a good name would you be as those holy men are said to be that obtained a good report through faith I will tell thee the way be a holy man take heed of sinning take heed of dishonouring God this will make thee that thy name shall never rot and God will have thee in everlasting remembrance 5. I note from hence the certain happiness of those beholders that do see this excellency and worth in the people of God under worldly contempt and under worldly ignominy and disgrace for the comfort of these let me tell them if there be any thing in the world a sign of a gracious heart it is this to love holiness for holiness sake when it is advanced is good but to love holiness when it is upon a dunghil and is spit upon and persecuted that man shows the truth of grace and the strength of grace too It is a sign not only of a true sight but of a strong sight to pierce so as to see a godly man beautiful in sufferings and remember this for certain the Lord will have an eye to thee There is a great deal of comfort may come to thy soul in all thy distresses here is a ground of comfort First In thy infirmities Dost thou love holiness when it is compassed about with sorrows and troubles and persecutions Certainly Christ will see the truth of thy grace in the midst of all thy infirmities and he will know a little of his own in the midst of a great deal of ours but then in our outward trouble there is comfort Do you think if you regard not Gods people in their sufferings that he will regard you in your sufferings If you remember the godly poor God will make your bed in your sickness God will remember what you did at such a time such a visit thou gavest to such a one of mine in priâ—…on and such a time thoâ—… didst so â—…nd â—…o those that have kâ—…pt close to â—…od in their outward highness he will never câ—…st them off for their lowneâ—…s you â—…an see nothing of grace in our selves nothing but hypocrisie yet câ—…st â—…ou say Lord I love thee in thy Image I love the Lord Jâ—…s Christ in his woâ—…st 〈◊〉 I love him in his Members this hath brought many a servant of God comfort in the â—…wangs of his conscience But then there is abundant comfort to the people of God at the last day when they shall appear before all the world when they that have persecuted Christ and his Church and â—…eople do fear and tremble yet then mayest thou say Remember Lord what I have done it is a token I am one that thou inâ—…endest good too because thou hast kept me faithful to thee and thy cause Do you think a Judge will condemn that man that hath saved the life of his dear Wâ—…fe but when you shall appear before the Judgement seat at the great day and every pot of water and every rag that thou hâ—…st given to the Spouse of Christ shall be remembred do you think he will not reward it To conclude all let me note but this one thing that now the people of God from hence should learn and that is not to be discouraged in any outward reâ—…roach or trouble that can befal them in this world remember at that very time God hath a good opinion of you though you be never so mean and low in 〈◊〉 account of the world yet the Saints of God who are the only wise men in the world these have a good opinion of you and love you and pray for you and pitty you I profess the love of one Saint is that that makes amends to a gracious heart for all the hatred and persecution that he endures from all the sinners in the world and then remember that even the wicked themselves will have a good opinion of you when you do not comply with theiâ—… superstitious wayes and practises and if all this will not comforâ—… you remember your own consciences which is as a thousand witnesses will one day comfort you and though you are under disgrace and contempt and reproach from wicked men yet remember no man is a miserable man for any opinion another hath of him so long as God keeps thee close and faithful to him either thy conscience doth comfort thee or it shall and it is a good conscience that will give the best acquittance And then to conclude all for thee to have the whole number of Godâ—… people to look upon thee to be an unworthy and vile man I look upon it to be a greater disgrace then to have all the ignominy and disgrace that the world can lay upon you remember when godly men are â—…fraid of you you have very much cause to be afraid of your self and remember there is much reason for you to put you upon the looking and narrow enquiry into your own hearts and wayes when the people of God that God hath given his Spirit too stands at a distance from you and are afraid to come nigh you Mr. Jenkins's Afternoon Sermon Exod. 3. 2 3 4 5. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a Bush and he looked and behold the Bush burned with fire and the Bush was not consumed And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the Bush is not burnt And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see God called unto him out of the midst of the Bush and said Moses
conversion sins against prayers vows promises covenants and oaths O Lord if thou didst prefer thy bill against us we could not stand if we were weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary we should be sound too light But holy Father remember not against us our former sin â—…t rather have mercy upon us according to thy loving kindness cross and blot out our iniquitres blot them out so fully and wholly that it may be to us as to Judah in the promise that the sins of Judah should be sought for and not found Oh bathe our souls in that fountain that was set open for Judah and Jerusalem though our sins have been as scarlet let them be as white as snow though they be red like crimson let them be like wool We have read that a flood of sin brought down a deluge of water that they covered the tops of the mountains O let thy deluge of mercy cover the tops of the mountains of our sins It is the glory of a God to pardon great sins we desire to turn unto thee with our whole hearts do thou subdue our iniquities let us be not only cleansed but let us have the efficacy of the Spirit of Christ to wish us from the guilt of sin because we boast we are not under the law but under grace Be gracious to our Soveraign Lord Charles King of England Scotland France and Ireland it is thy promise that Kings shall be nursing fathers to thy children grant that under the shadow of his Majesty thy people may be protected that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty oh let thy people possess the land from Dan to Bersheba oh give us Scripture-Magistrates and Gospel-Ministers as long as the Sun and Moon endures Let thy Word be sanctified to us let it not be only as water to get out our spots but as a refiners fire to purge our dross take away our tin And Holy Father where thou hast begun a good work do thou go on and bring it to perfection let not the light that is in us be like the glimmering light of the evening but as the light of the morning that shineth more and more to the day Let our best wine be kept till the last let the end of our lives be the end of sinning Thou hast cast our lot in the midst of temptations of all sorts thou hast brought many of us through the red Sea but yet we are in the wilderness with Zeba and Zâ—…lmunna and those that dwell at Tyre the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir and all the forces that Hell can make against us oh put upon us all the whole armour of God Now in these dayes of error gird us with the girdle of truth oh now in these dayes of falsily give us a â—…etmet of hope Now the devil darts at us give us the shield of faith oh give us the sword of the Spirit of the Word of God that it may enable us to confute the gain sayings of foolish men Oh help us to pray with all manner of prayer constantly servently faithfully feelingly that we may stand and not fall and that not in our strength but in Gods To this end be with us upon this thine own day our Manna falls every day and is doubled upon the Lords day oh let us be as thy servant John in the spirit upon thine own day let God by his spirit come into our spirits understandings consciences wills memories and affections that all our conversations without and affections within may be obedient to thy word Enable thy servant to deliver thy word faithfully God forbid thy servant should stand upon so sandy a foundation as the wisdom of man one Iota of thy word has more wisdom in it then all men and Angels have Good Father give thy people a hearing ear it is too much they have played by the light of thy candle and slighted thy Manna so long oh now therefore to day give us to hear and know and believe and do the things that concern our everlasting peace hear us for Christ his sake to whom with thy blessed self and Spirit be glory now and for ever Mr. Lye's Forenoon Sermon Phil. 4. 1. Therefore my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved MY Beloved I do very well remember that upon the four and twentieth day of this instant month 1651. I was then under the sentence of Banishment and that very day did I preach my farewell Sermon to my people from whom I was banished because I would not swear against my King having sworn to maintain his just Power Honour and Greatness and now behold a second tryal Then I could not forswear my self the God of Heaven keep me that I never may I am apt to think I could do any thing for this loving Congregation only I cannot sin But since beloved there is a sentance gone out against us that we that cannot subscribe must not subsist this is the last day that is prefixed to us to preach I shall now speak to you God assisting me if my passion will give me leave just as if I would speak if I were immediately to die therefore hearken my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my Ioy and Crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved Paul was now a Prisoner at Rome for the Gospel of Christ it was his second imprisonment and he was not far from being offered up a sacrifice for the Gospel he had preached This Gospel the Philippians had heard him preach and the godly Philippians having heard of his imprisonment they sent from Philippi to Rome to visit him and to supply his wants a gracious temper which I hope the eternal God hath given the Saints in London and for which if for any thing God hath a blessing in store for them Paul is not so much concerned in his own bands as in the Philippians Estate Epaphroditus tells him that there were Heresies and false Doctrines got in amongst them but yet the Philippians stood fast and herein Paul rejoyces writes this Epistle bids them go on stand fast keep their ground and to be sure not to give an inch but to stand fast knowing that at a long run their labour should not be in vain in the Lord. A most melting Compellation and a most serious Exhorâ—… 1. A melting Compellation My Brethren dearly beloved c. 2. A serious Exhortation and in it 1. the matter of the duty stand and stand it out and stand fast 2. The manner 1. So stand so as you have stood stand fast 2. In the Lord stand so and stand in the Lord in the Lords strength and in the Lords Cause to stand in your own strength would be the ready way to fall and to stand in your own cause for your own fancy would be the ready way to expose your selves to all manner of temptations Therefore my Brethren dearly
my strings are broken there is yet one holds there is a spirit of prayer remember Atheisâ—… among the Saints of God I can pray yet and I had rather stand against the Canons of the wicked than against the prayers of the righteous Oh! pray that you enter not into temptation or if we enter into temptation Lord let not the temptation enter into us Pray If possible let this Cup pass from me but if not let it not poyson me but let me be bettered by it and in due time deliver me from it I believe it would be a great temptation to you if it should be said to you you shall trade with no man any more c. you have enjoyed these and these comforts bid them 〈◊〉 for ever you shall have no more to do with them this would be a temptation Temptations and trials are great and certainly where they are so prayer should be strong There 's no relief to be expected on earth all our relief is to be expected from God and that is to be obtained by prayer Pray that God would be pleased above all things in the world to make you sincere would you be stedfast in your profession you must be sincere in your practice To him that hath shall be given that is a comfort to him that hath but truth of grace to him shall be given growth of grace 9. Would you be steady Christians then make it your great work to attend the Ordinances that God hath prescribed to make you steady Christians You were told of this many years ago concerning attending the Ordinances of God Quest. Pray what are those Ans. 1. There are secret Ordinances It may be thou canst not be so much in the Pulpit as thou wouldst Oh! be more in thy Closet it may be thou shalt not have so many opportunities to hear so many Lectures be more consciencious in thy meditations in secret it may be thou shalt not have that freedom with God in publick be more earnest with God in private 2. Mind your Families more then ever you have your Children and Servants call aloud upon you How many grave faces do I see at this time that can tell me Sir I remember some twenty or thirty years ago you could not pass the streets but here was one Family repeating the Word of God another singing the praises of God another praying to God another conferring concerning the things of God at that time we had not so many foolish absurd excursions into streets and fields as now O for the Lords sake begin to take them up now Let the Amorite Perizite and Iebusite do what they will but oh for you and your children and your servants do you serve the Lord up again with those godly Exercises when we cannot hear a Sermon then read a Sermon if we cannot hear a Sermon well preach'd our godly Parents would engage us to read Sermons well penn'd if nothing new let the word be repeated and meditated call to mind what you have heard oh reduce your selves to your Christian frame let the debauched Athiests know they have something among you that is to be feared that is your prayers let them know that though you have not those opportunities you have had yet you will improve those you have And you Masters of this Parish for Gods sake keep in your servants on this day more then ever you are to be accountable for their souls and they will give you a thousand thanks when they come to age especially at the day of Judgement Oh then blessed be God I had such a Master blessed be God I had such a Mistress blessed be God I had such Parents Quest. But then for publick Ordinances what would you have us do Ans. 1. Wherever Christ doth find a tongue to speak I am bound to find an ear to hear and an heart to believe I would not be mistaken I bless the Lord I am not turned out of my Ministry for being a Schismatick I know Schism is a sin nor know I any of my Brethren that are so do not mistake us therefore do not go and tell the Iesuits we are Schismaticks for we are none but this I would advise I speak as though I were dying do whatsoever lies in your power to hear such whom you think to be godly beg of God be earnest with him that he would give Pastors after his own heart and whom God hath sent not such as may daub with untempered morter and not such as may prophesie lies in the Name of the Lord not such as may be clouds without water but such as may be guides of the blind burning and shining lights faithful Stewards What shall you do what did you do twenty or thirty years ago What did the good old Puritans do they were not Schismaticks But as much as lies in you possible hear them whom in your conscience you judge God doth hear Oh! then expect the Word of God should come to your hearts when you have ground to believe that it comes from your Pastors heart I must confess I intend to do the fame when put into the same condition with you I acknowledge I am bound in conscience to hear the Word of God but I must take care whom I hear hear those by whom God speaks I hope God will grant several such Take but this advice more and I have no more to say Whatever abuse you find either in Pastor or people or where-ever you find it do not you go as your old use hath been to rail calumniate back-bite and speak behind their backs this is wicked and ungodly but do every one according as God prescribes us that are members of any visible Church what is that if I know any thing against my brother do not go and make a sputter and noise and back-bite but take the rule of Christ If thy brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him of his fault between him and thee alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother but if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more and if he neglect to hear them tell it to the Church and leave the blood at their door thou hast freed thine own soul. I hope by Gods grace I shall do so Thus I have spoken something from this Scripture I cannot speak what I desire for besides the exhausting of my spirits there is something to be done after viz. a Funeral Sermon I shall say no more but only this The God of Heaven be pleased to make you mind these plain things I can truly say this I have not spoken one word that I remember which I would not have said to you if I had been just a dying and been going to God as soon as gone out of the Pulpit and the God of peace â—…e with you only mind that one thing When God doth not find a tongue to speak do not you find an ear to hear nor an heart to believe Mr.
the Scripture the Churches power is not Authoritative as to give Laws against the Laws of Christ it 's only Ministerial we do believe the Scripture for it self and not because of the Church we receive the Scripture by the Church Hence therefore when we set up the name of a Church let us see whether that Church walks in the way of Christ whether she be his Spouse or no whether she doth act according to his Institutions whether they bring his light yea or no then submit for it is not what a Church practises but what they are warranted to practise not what they hold for a truth but what they are warranted to hold as the word of truth The word was written afte the Church but as it is the word of God it s before it This therefore will break the snare if you be set upon by the specious name of the Church look that the Church hath warrant from Scripture Institution and then submit to Church Institution A second Rule I observe men would set up to betray poor souls from the faith once delivered to them is Ancient Custome Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain when they would hold forth that which the Scripture is short in they will send us to such and such Customes of so many hundred years standing It is to be bewailed that the date the standing of false Doctrines and false Worships is so ancient for though at first they were but Invocations yet to succeeding Generations they become old And 't is a very great truth that That is the most ancient is the most true and therefore there lies a great snare in this Therefore when Antiquity is pretended if you find not their hoary heads in the way of Righteousness there is little reason for you to reverence them or comply with them no more then there was reason so suddenly to be taken with the Gibeonites mouldy bread and clouted shooes When matters of Antiquity are pretended say as Ignatius Iesus Christus est mea Antiquitas Jesus Christ is my Antiquity so say Truth is my Antiquity for though an opinion have been practised a thousand years yet men may have the word of truth in their hearts that is ancienter then all A third Rule that men would set up is The general course of the world or place the generality of those where they live This was that the Popish Party did often mention to the Witnesses of Jesus Christ what will you be wiser then others can't you do as others do must you be singular And this is a taking rule for to make you conformable to those things possibly the word of God will not warrant if you bring not this custome to the word of God 't is not what the most do but what we may do 't is not what is the practise of all in general but what ought to be the singular care and strict holiness of Christians in particular that the word of God will allow Christians are not to be conformable to the present world Rom. 12. 1. The word will tell you it is no more safe to follow a multitude to do evil then it will be sweeter to be in Hell with a great company The word will let you know the secrets of the Lord are with a very few and those them that fear him as for the whole world it lies in wickedness The word will tell you The waies of Jesus Christ and the profession of Jesus Christ is commonly called a Sect it is every where spoken against and men hate it every where Therefore set up this Rule in your hearts in your houses in your meditations in your practise Rule 2. Be very well rooted and established in the faith that hath been delivered to you I observe it 's one of the great reasons why Christians so easily let go the profession they have made is because they were never well built upon it nor established in it There are many Christians that through their own itching ears heaping up Teachers to themselves have never been rooted or established in the truth the Lord pity them and keep them this day Many Christians that have attended to establishing means yet never seriously considered nor laid things to their heart but are like those the Apostle speaks of Heb. 5. 12. that had need to learn the first Oracles of God How many among us profess with the highest but have little ground for their faith only with the Jews the Traditions of the Elders the custome of the place Education and because such a party of men say so because no body denies it because Ministers commonly preached it but to take any solid and serious ground they are yet to seek 'T is not wiâ—…h the things of God as with other Arts as Logick Rhetorick Astronomy in these Arts the principle is presupposed to be proved no man goes about to prove there is Reason that there is Number that there are Heavenly bodies because sense and experience shews it But 't is quite otherwise in the things of God for you are not only to run away with the notion that there is a God that this God is one and that these are his word and his works but you are to know this by experience because the knowledge of these things comes in by infusion by faith by a belief that God is For by Faith we believe the worlds were made by the word of God Heb. 11. 2 3. It is that therefore I would press you to that you would labour for an established spirit Do not only hear the things of God but see them the first will but blind you or at best leave you at great uncertainties the last will settle you What was the reason of the holy Apostles zeal when they were under the greatest threatnings of the High Priests and were forbid to speak in the name of Christ and to speak of Justification by faith and the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and forgiveness of sins by him things that are furthest remote from sense and reason the Apostle will tell you Act. 4. 20. We cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard Hence it is that poor silly women that in respect of their Imbecility and Infirmity of sex the terrours of the fire and faggot might have been such to have brought them to Apostacy yet they confounded the great Doctors and Rabbies when they were brought before them they were able to burn though they could not dispute they beheld things that were invisible It is an excellent thing not to take up the word upon notion upon opinion but to have an established heart through grace I shall direct you in two words 1. Get the Lord by Prayer to teach you every truth what Jesus Christ teaches once is everlastingly taught no word is abiding but what the Lord Jesus teaches himself Look as it is with Satan when he comes to seduce men from the truth he will present such a fine notion without and commonly he
others also Hath God committed any thing to you a treasure of Learning or Grace commit it to young Ministers that they may commit it to others that so there may be a succession of gifts and graces Do as Physicians do that labour to communicate their skill to their children and to others so should we that so there may be a succession of godly ones that godliness may be entailed upon us and our Relations Thirdly and lastly Let us all labour to be such that when we dye when we come to be gathered we may be gathered to Christ and his Angels and not to the Devil and his Angels And for that purpose let us labour to be merciful and righteous and let us be gathered to Christ by faith and to one another by love and dear affection and then we shall be gathered at the great day to Christ and the blessed company of Saints and Angels There are four observations yet behind but I must wave them at this time I have now another Sermon to preach and I cannot without injury to you that are alive and without wrong to the memory of my dearly beloved Brother but speak something of him at whose Funeral we are met this evening not so much for his commendation he needs it not but for our imitation it is pitty great pitty something should not be said that this Reverend Minister though dead may yet preach this night and I have so much to say of him that I know not where to begin and when I have begun I hardly know how to make an end I must confesse the little time allotted me for the providing for this solemn Work and the necessary avocations in this little time have hindered me from informing my self about his breeding and manner of education at Emanuel Colledge under Mr. Stooker and his excellent carriage and converse with Mr. Hildersam Mr. Dod Mr. Ball Mr. Langley and other Ministers famous in their generations and the many pressures and hardships that he suffered in those parts and times for the keeping of his Conscience pure from that which he counted sin and therefore I must draw a vail over that part of his life and confine my discourse onely to the time since his coming to live with us in London which is about the space of twenty two or three twenty years all which time I have had the happinesse to be intimately acquainted with him insomuch as that I can freely and clearly professe and that with a sad heart that I and many others have lost a real wise and godly friend brother and fellow-labourer in the Lord j the Church hath lost an eminent member and choice pillar and this City hath lost an ancient faithfull and painfull minister who by his prayers and holy life did seek to keep off the Judgements of God from falling upon us and the lesse sensible the City is of this losse the greater is the losse I fear we may too truly repeat the words in the Text The righteous perisheth and no man layes it to-heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come I have read of Philo the Iew and by chance met with the same in the life of S. Ambrose that when they came to any City or Town and heard of the death of any godly man though never so poor they would both of them mourn exceedingly because of the great losse that place had by the death of that godly man and because it was a warning-piece from God of evil approaching But we have had many godly men and godly ministers taken away of late and yet I fear me but few lay it to heart and therefore as I said the loss is the greater to this City because it is so little sensible of it It is a great loss also to his relations his wife hath lost a dear and loving husband his sister a dear brother his parish and congregation a faithful pastour The ministerial excellencies of many ministers were collected and concentred in one Simeon Ash he was a Bezaleel in Gods tabernacle a master-builder an old disciple a Polycarp a Christian of long standing in the school of Christ a burning and a shining light one whom many ministers and other good Christians called father insomuch that it was a common proverb in this City father Ash and I believe many experimentally lament over him as the King did over the Prophet Elisha My father my father the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof For he lived desired and died lamented not only in the City but I believe in very many places in the Countrey where he was known But more particularly there were twelve excellencies that I observed in this Reverend Minister and my dear brother that were as twelve Jewels or precious pearls in that crown with which God had crowned him I shall name them for your imitation and benefit he needs them not for he is above our Eulogy The first and chief Jewel that did beautifie and adorn this our brother was his sincerity and uprightness of heart which indeed is not a single grace but the soul of all grace and the interlineary that must run through all grace for what is faith if it be not unfeigned what will love to God profit you if it be not without dissimulation what is repentance worth if it be not in truth as the body without the soul is a rotten carkass so is all grace without sincerity this is the soul of all grace this is the girdle of truth Sincerity is that which girts all our spiritual armour together and makes them useful what advantage is it to have the brest-plate of righteousness the shield of faith the helmet of hope if they be but painted things it is the girdle of sincerity that makes all the other parts of our armour useful Now this excellent grace of sincerity was eminent in this our dear brother he was a true Nathanael in whom there was no guile I mean no allowed hypocrisie and this was that which carried him throuoh the pangs of death with a great deal of comfort for he was able to say with Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart He could say with Paul This is my rejoycing the testimony of my conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity I have had my conversation in the world Secondly another Jewel was his humility this is a grace that he was cloathed withall and it is a rare grace for God dwels with the humble he resists the proud but he gives grace to the humble This reverend Minister was low in his own eyes and therefore very high in Gods eyes he had a mean esteem of himself and therefore he was in high esteem with God He was as Iacob said of himself less then the least of Gods mercies and therefore he was made partaker of the best of Gods mercies He was like
point of conviction in Foelix the Apostle Paul preached to him of righteousness and judgement to come c. He trembles The Judge on the Bench trembleth at the word delivered by the Prisoner at the Bar So powerful is the ministry of the Word as to discover our sinfulness So the Disciples going to Emaus their hearts burnt within them when our Saviour opened to them the Prophets c. So it was with St. Peters Auditors Acts 2. they were pricked in the heart when they heard this he did preach to them in the power and demonstration of the Spirit and plainly discovered that sin that they were more especially guilty of and when they heard that they were pricked in the heart c. 2. It is a word of Conversion also Conviction is one thing and Conversion is another Sometimes men may be convinced but yet have no change wrought in them therefore conversion is another work it is a turning men from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God c. to receive an inheritance among them that are sanctified Herein is the Word powerful viz. in regeneration I have begotten you by the Word to a lively hope c. of his own will hath he begotten you c. 4. It is a word of comfort and consolation it is a powerful word and able to comfort the heart and the Ministry is very effectual herein when set on by the Spirit to quiet satisfie and pacifie the consciences of men which declareth the remission of sin and whosoevers sins are forgiven must needs be comforted Indeed it is not in the power of men to forgive sins yet they can speak a word of comfort in season by the administration of the promises the Spirit of God going along with them and then they are not only declarative but operative Where I say it pleaseth God to blesse and sanctifie the Word it is effectual for quieting of the mind for pacifying of the conscience and setling of the troubled soul. Thus you see how powerful the ministry is and seeing it is so this should teach us how to behave our selves under it it is powerful in it self and powerful in its dispensation and hath none of that weaknesse mentioned before of the dispenser of it I was with you saith St. Paul in much weaknesse and in fear and in trembling 1 Cor. 2. 3 4. and my speech was in demonstration of the Spirit and of power These may seem to be contradictory but 't is answered the Word is powerful in the demonstration of the Spirit though delivered by one of humane weakness as before is declared This spiritual power we should look at and labour after which power doth not consist in matter of elocution the inticing words of mans wisdome nor in matter of voice which indeed is a good thing and sutable to the nature of the Matter a quick and powerfull delivery is of great efficacy and power for the setting home of truths Yet this doth not make a powerfull Ministry for a whisper in the ear may cause a thunder-bolt in the conscience the power lyes first in the nature of the matter the matter consists in the nature and condition of mankind the certainty of Judgement the necessity of Christ the covenant of Grace and the Graces and priviledges thereof c. These carry a great deale of power and efficacy with them when they are carefully and frequently dispensed and Gods spirit going along with them so they become powerfull for the Ministry consists not in empty notions and speculations that will onely tickle the fancy but never reach the conscience Morall discourses though they be of great use yet if we rest in them they leave us as they found us Evangelical truths which are manifold are to be delivered in the Ministry Now as the matter of the Ministry must be powerfull so the expressions must be powerfull there should be sutablenesse of expression to the matter h. e. with gravity sobriety and affection c. Strong lines make but weak preaching and take away the efficacy but delivering truths in the demonstration of the spirit and in power that is most effectual when we speak feelingly and from our hearts it comes then through the blessing of the Lord with it with power This is then to learn us of the Ministry viz. 1. Use. Let us be careful that the matter of our Ministry be powerful so that the handling and dispensing thereof be powerful that so it may come home to the conscience thus we should deale with all the words of the wise are as good and as nails fastned by the Masters of Assemblies c. Eccle. 12. 11. So our words should have a force and power in them This as the Apostle sayes is mighty and powerful to the beating down of strong holds c. Use 2. Secondly in reference to hearers seeing the Ministry is powerful you must then submit your selves to the power of it Many people are Sermon-proof and think to stand it out against the power of the Word but if it comes in power to the conscience they will not be able to resist it as it is said of them in the Gospel they were not able to resist the spirit by which he spake viz. Steven And for those that desire the conversion of others what course should be taken by them for that end but by good counsel instruction prayer and good example to endeavour to convince them and more especially to bring them to the Word and administrations thereof which God hath sanctified for this end So much for the excellency of the Gospel viz. The excellency of the power c. I come to the second 2. The Author of it 1. Positively it is of God And 2. Negatively it is not of us First Positively it is of God and that in all the considerations of it in the full extent of it it is of God So the ministerial gifts the performances of it and the success of it are all from God First Ministerial gifts are from God it is lie that makes us able Ministers of the New-Testament there are saith the Apostle Paul diversity of gifts to one is given the Word of wisdome to another the Word of knowledge by the same spirit c. 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6. It is God that bestows every good gift Secondly The performance also is from God his grace concurs and assists therein the habit and the act are both from him God gives gifts to men and he enables them to dispence them Ministerial employments are not onely for generall but particular applications and so need not onely general but particular assistances That I might be enabled saith St. Paul to fulfill the work c. the Lord stood by me and strengthened me that my preaching might be fully accomplished It is God that makes the work powerful efficacious and successful Alas when we have used our best endeavours all the success is from him he must make it effectual it
have we taken thy name in vain while we have been confessing our sins how often have we run from confessing our sins to the committing of sin and from committing sins to the confessing sin again as if we had but mocked thy sacred Majesty though we know thy favour is better then life we have parted with it upon easie terms Oh! the pride and stubbornnesse that is in our hearts All the mercieâ—… thou hast bestowed upon us have not melted us into teares for our unkindnesse and all those blows that have fallen upon our backs have not beat folly out of our hearts we have been unprofitable all our dayes some have done thee more service in one year then we in all our time we have forgotten thee in the day of prosperity and sung a â—…ullaby to our own souls oh that we could speak these things with broken and bleeding hearts but as in the time of our ignorance we could sin without reluctancy so now we can sin without repentance oh that thou wouldst smâ—…te the rock that there may flow out teares We can do nothing by way of expiation if we could weep out our eyes nothing but the blood of Christ can take away our guilt O that there might be a spring of that blood upon our souls at thâ—… time Oh that that blood may at this time bring a report of love and a message of mercy to us Do we beg any more then thou hast promised oh hast not thou accepted of that satisfaction that Christ hath made in his own person if we had suffered the torments of hell it could not have made that satisfaction that Christ has made give us the witness of the spirit and thy love and we will say we have enough give us hearts of flesh crush the head of the serpent in our soules O Lord Christ thou camest into the world to destroy the works of the Devill in our hearts and to build up the Kingdome of the Spirit in us oh when shall we see the old man decay in us and the old man to live more and more Oh be wisdome to guide us and righteousnesse to cleanse us from guilt and redemption to deliver us from the wages of sin let us be nothing in our selves that we may be all in thee our Saviour oh honour us so far that we may honour thee We pray thee strengthen our weak faith quiet our consciences we would not live a day longer then that we may honour thee tread Satan under our feet sit us for our places and employments let not our conditions be so low but that our hearts may be lower we are pâ—…sting to death oh let sin dye before we die let us know our names are written in the book of life before thou take away our life Look upon thy Servant our dread Sovereign CHARLES of Great Brittain France and Ireland King oh inrich his Royall heart with all those saving Graces of thy Spirit in order to a wise and happy Government of these Kingdomes Look upon his Royall Consort his Royall Relations the Lords of his Privy Councill and make them blessing to this Nation Oh sanctifie thy good word oh give thy gracious assistance to us both in speaking and hearing let us hear it as that word by which we must be judged that we may be convinced by it and say it is the power of God to salvation to every soul of us Let our meeting â—…e for the better to all of us that we may be built up in the most holy Faith and let us know we have not sought thy face in vain for Iesus Christ his sake our dear Saviour for whom we blesse thy Majesty to whom with thee and the Spirit be praise for ever Amen Dr. Anesleye's Prayer at Giles-Cripplegate HOly and great God of Heaven and earth such is the condesâ—…nsion of thy grace that thou art pleased to manifest thy speciall presence to thy poor Creatures though thou hatest sin with a perfect hatred yet thou lovest sinners with an infinite love though thou art of purer eyes then to behold iniquitie yet thou art pleased to manifest thy love to sinners that approach to thy service O Lord when shall we admire enough thy grace and love how thou art pleased to communicate thy self to a poor man Dear Father raise and fix our hearts help us â—…o mind the business that we come about and â—…o deal very faithfully with our own souls in the matters of eternall moment O that we could pray so that our prayers through grace might be returned upon us with a blessing O that we could wait upon thee to hear thy Word as the Oracles of God let us hear what Christ will discover to us for our spiritual benefit Lord grant that our Soules may know what it is to be in the Spirit upon the Lords day dear Father thou canst deal with such hearts as ours for the curing of them we pray thee to do iâ—… we must needs acknowledge had'st not thou laid help upon one that is mighty that is able to save to the uttermost we must have perished to all eternity for we do not know any upon the earth more vile then our selves The very aggravations of our sins do render us monstrously abominable the means of grace we have afforded us the stirring of thy Spirit in us the patience and goodnesse of God towards us makes it a wonder that our hearts do remain so blockish But dear Lord we do find by experience that our immortal souls are much debased all the faculties of our Souls are out of tune our understandings are so dark our conceptions of God are so low our consciences are so benummed that the stirrings of them are scarce discerned or perceived our affections are spentupon the creature that we cannot gather them up again our wills are perverse our memories are apt to retain the drosâ—… and let out all that is good we pray thee for Christs sake make an experiment upon our Soules what thou canst do what sinners Christ can save what corruptions the Spirit of God can subdue in our soules teach all our hearts do not stand behind the wall and look through the â—…attice do so much as may leave us without excuse but good Lord put in thy hand in at the whole of the Door and let thy fingers drop hony upon the handle of the Lord. And oh set open these everlasting Doores that the King of Glory may enter in subdue us intirely to thy self do not ask our wills whether we â—…e willing or no but make us willing do not ask us what we would have but give us what thou knowest is good for us Dear Lord we pray thee deliver us from sin according to thy batred of it and pour out thy grace upon us according to thy love of grace that our Souls may be refreshed that we may find thy thoughts are above ours as high as Heaven is above the Earth Dear Father it is thy promise that
accordingly 5. Love the holiness of the living members be not so much in love with the holiness of wood and timber bricks and stones but wheresoever you see the Image of Christ be in love with that soul whereever the presence of God shines and whereever thou seest one that gives up himself to God in holy duties do thou say Oh! my soul delight to come into the company of these men The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour If there be a heaven upon earth I tell you it is in the company of godly men I remember a famous man hath this expression saith he When I was in the company of the Saints and people of God I was as a living coal but when I was separated from them and was among the wicked swearers and drunkards me-thoughts there was a spiritual coldness and frozenness went over my soul. Though the people of God are best companie in heaven yet they are very good companie here on earth And Christians should stir up one another and be provoking one another to love and good works and where ever you have grace be sure to impart it Endeavour to love the holiness of Saints and be willing to impart your experiences to others for this is your duty Do not make a Monopoly of holiness but carry company with you to Heaven Lastly to name no more labour to preserve the holiness of Gods true Institutions those things which are of a divine consecration What is humane consecration without divine institution The Sabbath day is of divine institution labour to keep it holy this is a holy-day indeed and this labour to keep your families from profaning of but for other holy dayes and holy things they are much alike for holiness The Lords day is a holy day indeed and for shame do not let your children gad abroad on this day Truly I do verily believe that though here be a great company of people in the Congregation yet they are but a handful in comparison of what are drinking in Ale-houses and whoring and walking in the field that one can hardly get home to their house for the crowd of people that are going thither For shame let not this be told in Gath nor published in Askelon What! shall we stand up for the holiness of places and yet oppose the holiness of the Lords day which God hath enjoyned and instituted Oh! that the Magistrates of London Oâ—… that Englands King Oh! that Englands Parliament would do something for the reformation of this to oppose wickedness and prophanesse which will otherwise bring upon us the judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah and make us guilty and worthy of a thousand punishments And labour by prayer in your families to overcome that flood of prophanesse which you cannot by your strength prevent And then for the Sacraments of Christ Baptisme and the Lords Sâ—…pper these are Ordinances of Gods appointment they are holy and therefore should not be given to those that are unholy and yet those who are so much for the holinesse of places do not care who come to the Sacrament if they have but a nose on their face they shall come and partake of the Ordinances let them be what they will this is to prefer mans institution before Gods institution And then for the Lords Message and Word that is a holy thing and therefore love his Messengers the Messengers of God delivering his Message with fear and reverence you are to hear them with the same fear and reverence and resolution to be holy as if Christ were present And for the Word of God it is not enough for you to have a choice Sentence written upon the walls of your Churches but let Gods Law be written in your hearts and consciences and practised in your lives that all the world may see you live as men dedicated to the true God in all the duties of his wayes and obedience Many of these things might have been inlarged What I have given you with the right hand I pray you Christians do not take with the left for if you do you will make your selves guilty of a double sin First Because you do not obey the truth you hear And secondly For putting a wrong construction upon it But I have better hopes of you my Beloved Hearers and hope that the Lord will be better unto your souls then his Ministers Word or any thing else can be God blesse you and his Ordinances and discover his mind and will at this time to you Mr. Jenkins's Prayer after Sermon O Lord our God thou art never weary of doing us good if we either consider the mercies thou givest to us or the miseries that thou keepest from us that yet we have another opportunity of drawing nigh to thee we beseech thee O Lord let not our mis-interpreting of such opportunities as these are cause thee to take them from us or thy self from them if thou dost Lord we cannot but justifie thee and abase our selves and lie low before thee because we have sinned against thee O Lord we bless thee that we are yet alive to bless thee that yet we have not sinned our bodies into a cold grave nor our souls into a scorching Hell thou givest us our beings if thou withdraw thy self we cease to be and shall return to our first nothingness from whence we came the living the living they praise thee as if we know our own hearts we desire to do at this time Praised be God for Iesus Christ that he died and rose again and is now a pleading at thy right hand for poor sinners Praised be God that he is offered to us for his sake O God pardon all our sins let our lusts die that would not let the Lord of life live let not any one of them live one quiet moment in these hearts of ours let us give up our selves and all that we are or can do to the purpose of thy praise we beseech thee prepare us for a blessed eternity that we may not be ashamed before thee nor ashamed of thee nor thy wayes in the midst of a crooked perverse unclean idolatrous generation Dear Father we most humbly pray thee prepare us for communion with thy self assist us in the ensuing duties of this day let all the work be done by thee let all the praise redound unto thee prepare us by hearing for prayer by both for practice by all for glory Lord set up thy truth ruine Babylon build up Sion delight yet to dwell in the midst of us and do us good though we are a sinful back-sliding God-provoking Nation Mayest thou not say of us as of old what couldst thou have done more for us then thou hast done yet how ill have we requited thee for all thy benefits Poure down the richest showers of thy choicest blessings upon the head and heart of our Dread Soverain Charles the Second by thy especial grace of England Scotland France and Ireland King as follows in his Royal
Title inrich his noble Soul with all the graces of thy most holy Spirit the Lord make him as holy as high that he may as much exceed in goodness as in greatnesse O Lord give him a Spirit of Wisdom to know how to go in and out before this great people and be able to discern between friends and flatterers O that he may be a true friend to thy friends and a real enemy to thy enemies the Lord make him the most glorious Instrument for promotion of the power of godliness that ever sway'd the Scepter in these Lands that under him we may live a peaceable and holy life in all godliness and honesty O Lord bless him in his Royal Consort Queen Katharine the Illustrious James Duke of York the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council the God of all grace give them graces suitable to that high and honourable imployment thou hast intrusted them with do thou rule our Rulers and teach our Senators wisdom any that are in authority over us give them to improve their power for thee blesse the Nurseries of learning Cambridge and Oxford Dear Father bless all thy faithful Ministers thou that art the Lord of the Harvest send forth Labourers and keep out loyterers preserve those that are that they may be faithful to thee and to those over whom thou hast made them Overseers that they may neither be ashamed of thee nor thy ways truths worship however stiled and disowned by men O remember thy ancient people the Iews call in the fulness of the Gentiles that we may be all one Sheepfold under thee the great Shepherd of Souls In mercy look down upon this great City bless the Governour and Government thereof that thy Sabbath may be more strictly observed that piety may be more encouraged and profanesâ—… discouraged in the midst of us Blesse this great Congregation let them be all taught of God and more truly find that thou wert speaking to the heart when that a poor worm was speaking to the ear Bless them in their basket and their store but especially in their souls let them grow heaven-ward every one that hath spread a Bill before us do thou read them over and be a present help according to their several wants and necessities O God pardon all our sins bottle our tears rebuke the Tempter reform our lives and save our souls that by all these enjoyments we may be the more fitted for an immediate un-interrupted enjoyment of thy self in glory whereas there shall be no more tears in our eyes neither shall there be any more sin in our souls these and whetever else thou in thy wisdom sees necessary and good for us we most humbly beg in the Name and for the sake of our dear and blessed Redeemer Iesus Christ the righteous for whom we bless thee to him together with thy self and God the Holy and ever blessed Spirit the Comforter we desire to be inabled to render as we acknowledge to be most due all honour praise power might Majesty and dominion from us and all thine now and for evermore Amen Dr. Manton's Prayer at Covent-Garden OH Lord God all that we can do is-nothing of our selves we can do nothing oh let us have the gracious assistance of thy Spirit at this time let thy love constrain us say unto us thou art our salvation Do not say that we shall fill up the measure of our iniquities and there shall be no hope for us Oh Lord we are ashamed that we have waited so long in thine Ordinances and have got no more profit to our poor souls but we have given up our heart to the pleasures and vanities of this world that are but for a season even those that thou hast drawn out after thee do not walk worthy of thee answerable to that blessed hope of future happiness in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Iesus Christ is to many of us become a stumbling-block and a rock of offence while our hearts are carried out after the world with such strong affections Oh when shall we carry our selves so as those that profess themselves to be seekers of a better life we come into thy presence now for strength do thou manifest thy self to us thou hast promised to pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh oh let it be unto us according to thy promise Oh Lord our hearts naturally are averse to thee so that of our selves we shall never be able to do any thing that may be well pleasing to thee but do thou regulate us by thy blessed Spirit that we may observe thy Statutes and do them and that thy Commands may not be grievous to us that it may not be burdensom to us to do the work of God O Lord when shall our hearts be made sound in thy Statutes we wait upon thee in the use of thine Ordinances that we may have a new supply from thee that at length we may come to see that thou art at work with us to save our souls O help us to be followers of them who with faith and patience do follow thee and to do nothing unbecoming our holy call suffer us not to swerve from thy Commandments but let us have a constant and earnest desire after thee Let the choicest of thy mercies come down upon our Soveraign CHARLES King of England Scotland France and Ireland let his heart be guided by thee and let him alwaies set thee before his eyes that under the shadow of his Government we may have peace in all godliness and honesty Blese him in his Relations in his Councels teach our Senators wisdom bewith all thy faithful Magistrates and Ministers let them be a terror to evil doers and an encouragement to them that do well Be with us in the way of thy worship we are here met together to hear and handle thy holy word oh do thou command it to light upon all our hearts let it come in the evidence and demonstration of thy Spirit and all for Christ his sake for whom we bless thee to him with thee and thy holy Spirit be praise glory for evermore Dr. Manton's Farewell Sermon Heb. 12. 1. Therefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the Race that is set before us IN the former Chapter you have a Spiritual Chronicle or a Catalogue of the Lord's Worthies and all the emiâ—…ent effects of their Faith and now the Apostle comes to make use of this History that he had produced through â—…o many successions of Ages of all the holy men of God â—…at excelled in Faith Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses c. The Text is wholly Hortatory In it observe 1. The premisses or principle the Apostle worketh upon seeing we are compassed c. 2. The practical Inferences which are deduced from â—…ence and