measure of grace oh help us by faith to relie upon God that thou mayst help us at last Bless with us all thine remember thy people from one end of the world unto the other thy people are very low this is a time of Jacob's troubles the bush is burning every day 〈◊〉 thou the hope of Israel and the Saviour thereof shew thy self in mercy to these nations We bless thee for all thy meroies that thy judgements do not feize upon us every day that thou dost not sweep us away that thou dost not rain fire and brimstone on England as thou didst on Sodom our sins cry aloud to Heaven for vengeance God is greatly provoked every day and it is a miracle of patience that yet thou hast not destroyed us God can pardon the sins of the Nation at once but we are not fit for pardon we dâ—… not humble our selves oh Lord humble us Give repentance to England from the highest to the lowest that we may return unto thee We desire to bless thee that our enemies have not had their wills over us they said they would pursue and overtake and satisfie their lusts but God did blow upon them and they did sink in the mighty waters and thou hast yet preserved thy Church we pray thee do not leave us nor remove thy Gospel whatsoever thou dost Pour down the best of thy blessings upon thy Servant and our Soveraign Charles by thy Grace of England Scotland France and Ireland King bless him with the blessings of Heaven and Earth make Him a blessing to all of us bless him in all His Relations the Lords of the Privy Council Look on them that have desired an interest in our prayers Known to thee are all of them know their souls in this time of adversity make their beds in their sickness give faith to them that complain of unbelief give the spirit of Prayer to those that complain they cannot pray Be a Counsellor to those that want Counsel in their affairs either by Sea or Land let thy blessing go with them whereever they go spare the lives of children if it be thy will Prepare us for thy good and holy Word let it be a savour of life unto life and let it come with power unto us Oh let us hear it as Thy Word nâ—…i as the word of a poor man but as the Word of God And all for the Lord Christ his sake for whom we bless thee to whom with thee and the Spirit of Grace be given Glory and Honour for evermore Amen Dr. Iacomb's Forenoon Sermon JOHN 8. 29. And he that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I do alwayes those things that please him THese are the words of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are spoken by himself they are spoken of himself though yet in a sober and modest sense they are applicable to all his members That which Christ here affirms is that the presence of God was alwayes with him and this is first propounded He that sent me is with me and then it is amplified and the Father hath not left me alone and then thirdly the reason of this is annexed for I alwayes do those things that please him I shall speak but very little of the words as they do refer to Christ he tells us his Father was with him he did not leave him alone in all the troubles and difficulties that he met withal in the finishing the great work of man's Redemption still God was with him It is true there was a time when Christ was without the sensible manifestation of his Father's presence when he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why but yet even then in truth and in reality his Father did not leave him for though he had not the evidences of his Father's presence yet he had the influences of his Father's presence It would take up much time to shew you how in all Particulars the the Father was present with Christ I will only speak this one word and instance in this one thing God's assisting presence was alwayes with him both in his active and also in his passive obedience and indeed he had that work to do and those miseries to suffer that if God had left him if he had not been mightily assisted by the Divine Nature Christ as meer man could neither have done nor have suffered what he did but the Father was with him to support him Isa. 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold You shall find that Christ did act faith upon this in Isa. 50. 7. The Lord God will help me therefore shall I not be confounded Ver. 9. The Lord will help me So to the same effect is Psal. 16. 9. And you shall find this made good to him in the Scriptures in his greatest necessities Take a Double Instance In the first place After he had been engaged in that Combat with Satan you read of in Matth. 4. The strongest Combat or Dueâ—… that ever was fought wherein you have the Prince of Peace and the prince of darkness the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah and the roaring lion that seeks how to devour both of them putting forth their utmost strength and endeavouring to overcome each the other Now I say in this Combat the Father did not leave Christ but he helps him for he sends an Angel for to minister unto him Mat. 4. 11. So in Christ's bitter Agony in the Garden just before his bitter passion and death upon the Cross the Father did not leave him alone for he sent an Angel unto him to strengthen him Mat. 22. 43. and so in several other places and in several other things I might instance but I shall pass this by I but now Why did the Father thus stand by Christ he gives you the reason of it in the Text because he alwayes did the things that pleased him This I shall open in a double respect First Christ's undertaking the Work of our Redemtion it was very well pleasing unto his Father that poor lost und oâ—…e sinners should be brought back again unto God and restored unto his love and favour I say the Father was infinitely well-pleased with Christ in this undertaking Isa. 53. 10. The pleasure of the Lrrd shall prosper in his hand the pleasure of the Lord that is the Work of our Redemption wherein God the Father took great pleasure or delight therefore when Christ was publiquely in â—…he eye of the world to enter upon this great Work the Father sends him out with this witness This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased He speaks not only of his well-pleasing to his Person but also to his well-pleasing as to his Undertaking Secondly as the Work it self was pleasing unto God so Christ's managing of â—…his Work was all along pleasing unto his Father and that doth appear in this that Christ in all things kept to his Father's Commission and to his
that they may rest from their labour for hera is not our rest Mich. 2. 10. there remaineth a rest for the people of God there is no rest in this world the word quiet wants the plural number Secondly The righteous must die that they may have their reward their Crown of glory that God hath laid up for them they must first fight the good fight and finish their course and then they shall receive a Crown of glory Thirdly They must die that they may be free from sin for they shall never put off the body of sin till they put off the body of flesh Fourthly They must die that mortality may be swallowed up of life that corruption may put on incorruption Fifthly They must die that they may be perfect in grace Lastly They must die that they may see God face to â—…ce and be for ever with the Lord which they cannot do till they die therefore blessed be God that the righteous must perish If a man should bring news to a righteous man That he should alwayes live on earth alwayes be young rich and healthful it would be unwelcome News for while we are in the body we are absent from the Lord and subject to sin and therefore when Peter asked Christ what should be done with Iohn Christ â—…ells him If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to â—…ee from henceforth there went a report abroad that Iohn should not die Iohn 21. 32. Now the Apostle himself was much displeased with this report looked upon 〈◊〉 as a geeat affliction that he should not die and therefore â—…e himself confutes it But yet Iesus said he said not â—…hat he should not die as if he had said God forbid that â—… should not die Before I come to the application of this Point give me leave to speak something to the second Point and â—…o I shall apply them both together The second Doctrine is this That the perishing of a righteous man is nothing but a gathering of him to God Christ and the blessed Society of Saints and Angels in Heaven This is contained in the second expression merciful men are taken away the word in the Hebrew is Colliguntur they are gathered it is exegetical of the former â—…hey did not perish but they are gathered to God and Christ there is a great deal of excellency and a Magaâ—…ine of sweetness in this expression They are gathered It â—…mplies two things First That the righteous are in a scattered condition while they are in this world and that three wayes First They are scattered among the wicked and ungodly of the world as Sheep among Wolves as Limbs among Lions rent and torn in pieces forced to wander up and down in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins Secondly The righteous are scattered in the world one from another and that two wayes 1. They are scattered by their different habitations for the godly are forced to separate one from another as Lot from Abraham 2. They are scattered one from another by the cruel persecution of wicked men and therefore you read Acts 8. that at that time when there was a persecution against the Church at Ierusalem that they were all scattered abroad Thirdly The godly are scattered in this life from the glorious presence of God in Heaven indeed they are never scattered from the gracious presence of God but sometimes they are scattered from the comforting presence of God and as long as we live in this world we shall be scattered from the glorious presence of God for while we are in the body we are absent from the Lord. Secondly This implies a bringing of Gods people out of this scattered condition it is a gathering of the righteous out of this world into another from a sinful persecuted world into a sinlesse glorious world from diversity of dwelling on earth to dwell altogother in one heaven it is a gathering them out of the reach of men and devils a gathering them not only to the gracious but to the glorious presence of God and Christ and to the souls of just men made perfect and to the general assembly of the first-born and to the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem where they shall live together never to be scattered again To understand this the better let me offer three things to you shewing you that the godly are gathered to God three wayes In this life at death and at the day of judgement First The righteous are gathered to God in this life and that is at their first conversion for by nature we are all Aliens and strangers to God scattered from any union or communion with God not only scattered from the glorious but from the gracious presence of God God made man at first to enjoy communion with himself but Adam lost this by his sin and now we are all Cains and Vagabonds scattered from the love of God and from union and communion with God but when God converts any of the Elect he gathers them home to himself for conversion is nothing but Gods gathering them to himself in the second Adam that were scattered from him in the first Adam the first Adam was a root of scattering a root of separation from God but the second Adam was a root of union and conjunction Christ is the head and all the Elect are all gathered together in him Ephes. 1. 10. that he might gather together in one all things in Christ so that conversion is nothing but a gathering of the Elect of God to Christ by faith and a gathering to one another by love and charity Secondly Gods people are gathered at death here they are gathered to Christ by grace but at death they are gathered to Christ in glory here they are gathered to God by hope but at death by fruition here Christ is gathered to us he comes down and dwells with us but at death we shall be gathered to him we shall go up and â—…e joyned with him There is a great deal of difference between esse cum Christo and esse in Christo esse cum Christo to be one with Christ is a Christians great security but esse in Christo to be one in Christ it is a Christians great felicity In this life we are gathered to God by â—…aith but at death by vision Lastly We shall be gathered to God at the day of Judgement it is called the day of the gathering of the Saints together a day when all the Saints that are have been or shall be shall all be gathered together 2 Thes. 2. 1. I beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him at the great day At the day of judgement we shall all be gathered together and shall be all taken up to Heaven I mean all the Righteous and be ever with the Lord And so much for the opening of the Doctrine But here it may be objected Are not the unrighteous gathered by death as well
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
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
dearly Beloved And here let me speak by way of encouragement to you of this Parish I find St. Paul commending the good he saw in his people 1 Thess. 1. 3 We are bound to thank God alwayes for you beloved because your faith grows exceedingly Here Paul is commending his people In imitation of this Apostle let me at this time speak a commendatory word to you I have exercised my Ministry now among you for almost sixteen years and I rejoice and bless God that I cannot say The more I love you the less I am loved I have received many signal demonstrations of love from you though other Parishees have exceeded you for number of houses yet I think not for strength of affection I have with much comfort observed your reverent attention to the word preached you rejoiced in this light not for a season but to this day I have observed your zeal against error and as much as could be expected in a critical time your unity and amity this is your honour and if for the future there should be any interruption made in my Ministry among you though I should not be permitted to preach to you yet I shall not cease to love you to pray for you but why should there be an interruption made where is the crime Some indeed say that we are disloyal and seditious Beloved what my actings and sufferings for his Majesty have been is known not to a few of you but however we must go to Heaven through good report and through bad report and it is well if we can get to glory though we pass through the pikes I shall endeavour that I may still approve the sincerity of my love to you I will not promise that I shall still preach among you nor will I say that I shall not I desire to be guided by the silver-thread of Gods word and of Gods providence my heart is toward you there is you know an expression in the late Act that we shall be now shortly as if we were naturally dead and if I must die let me leave some legacy with you before I go from you I cannot but give you some counsel and advice for your souls and I hope there is no hurt in that There are my beloved these twenty directions that I desire you to take special notice of which I would leave as advice and counsel with you about your souls First I beseech you keep your constant hours every day with God the godly man is a man set aparâ—… Psal. 4 3. not only because God hath set him apart by election but because he hath set himself a part by devotion Give God the Aurâ—…rae filium begin the day with God visit God in the morning before you make any others visits wind up your hearts toward heaven in the morning and they will go the better all the day after O turn your Closets into Temples read the Scriptures the two Testaments are the two lips by which God speaks to us these will make you wise unto salvation the Scripture is both a glass to shew you your spots and a laver to wash them away besiege heaven every day with Prayer thus perfume your houses and keep a constant intercourse with heaven Secondly get good books into your houses when you have not the spring near to you then get water into your cistern so when you have not that wholesome preaching that you desire good books are cisterns that hold the waters of life in them to refresh you When Davids natural heat was taken away they covered him with warm clothes 1 Kings 1. so when you find a chilness upon your souls and that your former heat begins to abate ply your selves with warm clothes get those good books that may acquaint you with such truths as may warm and affect your hearts Thirdly have a care of your company Take heed of unnecessary familiarity with sinners we cannot catch health from another but we may soon catch a disease the disease of sin is very catching I would be as fraid of coming among the wicked as among those that have the plague Psal 106. 35. They were mingled with the heathen and learned their works if we cannot make others better let us have a care that they make not us worse Lot was was a miracle he kept fresh in Sodomes salt-water My beloved take heed of the occasions of sin evil company is an occasion of sin The Nazarites in the old Law as they might drink no wine so they were forbidden grapes whereof the wine was made as you read in Numb 6. to teach us that all occasions of sin must be avoided evil company is â—…ellus animarum the Devils draw-net by which he draws millions to Hell How many families and how many souls have been ruined and undone in this City by evil company many there are that go from a Playhous to a Whorehous from a Tavern to Tyburn Fourthly have a care whom ye hear it is our Saviour Christs counsel Mat. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets that come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening wolves Let me tell you the Devil hath his Ministers as well as Christ Rev. 12. 15. The Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that is as the learned exponnd it Satan by his Ministers and Emissaries cast out the flood of Arrian doctrine to drown the Church There are some who by the subtilty of their wit have learned the Art to mix error with truth and to give poyson in a golden cup. Take heed who you hear and how you hear be like those noble Beroeans that searched the Scriptures whether the things that they preached were so or not Acts 17. 11. Your ears must not be like spunges that suck in puddle-water as wel as wine but your ears must be like a fan that fans out the chaffe but retains the pure wheat you must be like those in the Parable Mat. 13. 48. that gathered the good fish into vessels but cast the bad away The Saints are called Virgins for their wisdom they will not let every one defile their souls with error they have a judicious ear and a critical palate that can distinguish betwixt truth and error and put a difference betwixt meat of Gods sending and the Devils cooking Fifthly study sincerity Psal. 51. 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward part be what you seem to be be not like Rowers in a Barge that look one way and row another Do not look heaven-ward by your profession and row hel-ward by your conversation do not pretend to love God and not love sin Simulata sanctitas duplicata iniquitas Counterfeit piety is double iniquity Let your hearts be upright with God the plainer the Diamond is the richer it is and the more plain the heart is the more doth God value this jewel A little rusty gold is far better then a great deal of bright brasse a little true Grace though
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
please him 2. Do you please God and he will please you Mercy pleaseth us and Duty pleaseth God Now when we please God in a way of Duty he will please us in a way of Mercy If we order our wayes so as to please God he will order his wayes so as to please us 3. Great is the benefit of pleasing God even as to men and this Solomon sets before you Prov. 16. 7. When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him and he hath such another expression Prov. 22. 11. He that loveth pureness of heart the King shall be his Friend the meaning of this Scripture is this When we keep close to God and walk in complyance with his will and make it our great design to please him He will give us to find favour in the eyes of men He that maketh God his Friend God will make that mans Enemies to be his Friends Men are possibly full of anger revenge and exasperation be it so do you desire to please God God can turn their hearts towards you God can sweeten them in their spirits and take away that venome that is in them so you know he did in the case of Esau to his Brother Iacob 4. This is the way to Heaven and Happiness God will be pleased before the Sinner shal be saved Heb. 11. Enoch before his translation had this testimony that he pleased God there is no way to Heaven but by this way the Child pleaseth the Father and then the Father giveth him the Inheritance So it is here 5. Let me return to the argument in the Text God will never 〈◊〉 them alone that desire sincerely to please him 〈◊〉 this should be a very prevailing Motive to you 〈◊〉 now Please God and he will never leave you no not in a time of distress and trouble Here is the great difference betwixt a faithfull God and a false Man In time of trouble adversity men leave us forsake us in time of prosperity then they flatter as and pretenâ—… a great deal of friendship and kindness But as no man looks upon the Dial when the Sun is under a cloud so these very men that pretend so much of Kindness and friendship if so be we do but come under a frown or into trouble then their Friendship and Kindness is at an end as Paul said No man stood by him when he came to be tried before Nero all men forsook him but God did not forsake him The Wiseman hath an expression Prov. 17. 17. A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity But where shall we find such a friend and indeed where shall we find such a brother But now if you will please God God will stand by you when all men leave you When you have the greatest need of God he will then stand by you If you be in a Prison he will be with you If you be banished he will be with you If Sin doth not part God and you certainly no Affliction shall part God and you Study to please God Oh is it not a sad thing for God to leave you that is the saddest of all when we lose God we lose all Hos. 9. 12. Wo unto them when I depart from them What are all your mercies if God leave you no more than if a man should have a fair pleasant House and never see the Sun more Oh do the things that alwayes please the Lord and he will never leave you under mercies under afflictions he will be with you and then your mercies shall be very sweet and your afflictions shall not be very bitter You know how earnest Moses was Num. 10. 31. with his Father in law Hobab the Midianite Leave us not I pray thee forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness and thou maist be to us as eyes Oh keep God to you especially when you are entering into the wilderness of trouble God will be to you instead of eyes he will be your Counsellor your Comforter your Guide your Treasurer your Portion your All. I might add one thing more in the last place Study to please God because he is so easie to be pleased this is a motive to us to endeavour to please those persons who are easie to be pleased a Child that hath a Father that is easie to be pleased a Servant that hath a Master that is easie to be pleased will study to please them Sincerity pleaseth God though in the midst of much infirmity He is so gracious and merciful that whensoever a poor sinner doth but desire to please God he will accept of those desires If we can but please God it is no great matter whether we please men or not I shall conclude this branch with 1 Thes. 4. 1. We beseech you brethren and exhort you in the Lord Iesus that as you have received of us how you ought to walk and please God that you would abound more and more Use. By way of direction I should here shew you how you are to please God I told you in general in the morning this pleasing of God lieth in two things 1. In suitableness to his Nature 2. In subjection to his Law If you would please God in all your Actions look to this That what you do may bear some resemblance to his Nature and hold forth obedience to his Law Consult the Will of God and in all things act in conformity to that Will do not allow your selves in the Commission of any known sin for that will certainly displease God as it was said of David when he took Bathsheba to Wife but saith the Text The thing displeased the Lord. Do not bauk any known duty for that will displease God In a word be holy in all manner of Conversation This being too general I shall not insist upon it only in a word more particularly Do those things now make Conscience of those Duties which now lie upon you in the doing of which you will certainly please God And they are such as these Be stedfast in the good wayes of God in the midst of a backsliding and apostatizing age stand fast to the law of God Phil. 4. 1. Contend for the faith which is delivered to the Saints the 3d. Verse of the Epistle of Iude. Be not ashamed to own Christ before all the World if you be ashamed of him on Earth he will be ashamed of you in heaven and wo be to that Sinner whom Christ is ashamed to own Reckon Reproaches for the Name of Christ better than the Pleasure of sin that is but for season When God calleth you to it assert the purity and spirituality of Gospel-worship Do not place Religion in a few Shadows where the Substance is neglected but chiefly mind Self-denial Mortification Crucifixion to the World keeping up close Communion with God Love the people of God whatever the World say or think of thee for God is
Thus the water of life is freely tendered to all that are athirst and there is no more required but Come and drink Then there is two things implyed that are the immediate products of this saving Faith and inseparable from it i. e. trusting on him as the Redeemer and obeying him as a Lord. To rest upon him as a Redeemer Rom. 15. 12. And here as far as the soul feels entertainment and encouragement by Christ overcoming his doubts that Christ will reject him c. so far he hath quietness of soul in Christ and will trust his soul upon Christ. And then the obeying of him in order to our full recovery as a Patient must obey his Physitian in using his remedies and means he prescribes for killing our sins restoreing our souls to Gods love and being with him to eternity The nature of Faith is to receive Christ the sincerity of it lies in the suitableness of the act to the object that we receive him as He is Now in Christ there is something essential to this act that he be a Saviour and our Saviour c. And there is something makes unto the well-being and fuller attaining of the end The first are the objects of Faith it self as 't is of absolute necessity to Salvation The second sort are the objects of Faith as it is strong and makes to the well-being of a Christian. All that is essential to Christ as a Saviour and Redeemer is to be believed by him that will approve himself a true Believer And thus to receive Christ as the eternal Son of God made Man the Redeemer of the World ruling us upon the right of Redemption justifying us before God bringing us to God and interceding for us And thus Christ must be received according to his Offices and as those uses for which he is given to the soul do import and and imply For the Application of this point First let us begin with those that our business at present doth not mainly lye on Must men walk in Christ as they have received him What shall we say to those that have not will not receive him that stop us at the door that we can't bring in the Doctrine of Christ that will not receive the principles of Christ How can we bring them and build them up that will not suffer the Foundation to be laid the seed to be received Hast thou not received Christ Then thou hast refused Christ been a despiser of the Gospel of Christ which will prove thy great condemnation What is it for thee to bear the Name and not to have the Spirit of Christ Do not go upon conjectures It 's one thing to number thy self with those that are Christians as to outward appearance and another thing to open thy heart and deliver up thy self to Christ's Government and as a lost sinner to receive him to those ends a Saviour must be received And remember this was no small Work God's sending Christ into the World no small thing to fetch thee from Hell and Satan to wash guilty Souls from all their sins and to bring them to everlasting glory If these great things be rightly understood and believed by thee if Christ be understood well as Christ it must be done with a wakened humbled self-resigning heart making the greatest matter in the World of these things Hath thy soul been seriously taken up about thy own recovery And hast thou received Christ as a man that was ready to be damned as one that had a load on his soul heavier than all the Mountains of Earth to ease and deliver him As one that was under the frowns of God in an estate of enmity receives reconciliation Hast thou received Christ as if thou hadst received Heaven in him Believe it these are great Transactions and will affect thy heart and it is not a sleepy or jesting matter thus to receive Christ. Consider what it is to receive Christ. First If you have received Christ you have received the great Reconciler that binds up the broken-hearted quiets those that tremble under the threatnings of God for fear he should forsake and cast them off for ever Secondly If thou hast received Christ thou hast received a perfect enmity to all sin that will never let thee rest in sin but be perswading thee from it and conflicting in thee against sin in thy soul If thou hast received Christ thou hast not received a friend for sin that will plead for or give thee leave to commit sin but one that though he bear with thee in thy weakness yet abominates thy sin If thou hast received him as a Lord and Master to rule thee to be consented and subjected to him and to be ruled by none but in subordination to him who will break those in pieces that refuse his Government Obedience and not verbal Profession is the thing he requires Hast thou entertained Christ to be the Master of thy words thoughts and deeds whose Government thou livest under more than under any in the world Thirdly If you have received Christ you have then received the beginning of felicity and full contentment to your souls having found none in your sins you have it discovered to you where it is therefore with gladness you go on and so far as you have hopes of attaining it so far you have great contentment c. Fourthly In a word If you have received Christ you have fallen out with sin subjected pleasures profits and honors to him and you have received his Spirit and this Spirit hath made you new and maintains a War within you against the flesh c. If this be not thy case Oh that thou knewest what a case thou art in For then First What the better art thou for all his blood shed as yet if thou wert this day to dye What would Christs blood do to the cleansing and saving of thy soul Secondly How canst thou look thy sins in the face and think on what thou hast done and art How canst thou look inward into thy defiled heart and not tremble when thou hast no more shelter from the wrath of God Thirdly How canst thou look God in the face who is a hater of sin How canst thou read his Attributes think on his Threatnings c. Fourthly How canst thou think to have any duty accepted any prayer heard or rewarded c. Fifthly How canst thou think on the day of Judgement on the time when thou must receive thy final sentence if thou hast not received Christ Oh what a thing is a Christless heart c. Quest. What shall I do that I may receive Christ Answ. First Till Christ be thine and hath brought peace from Heaven to thy soul let no peace be there to keep him out I do not say Overwhelm thy self with sorrow but let sorrow dwell there and let holy cares and solicitousness about thy spiritual state be there till Christ come and quiet and reconcile thee to God Secondly Read and believe the
others die in horrour Mr. Jenkins's Prayer at Christ-Church Iuly 13. 1662. MOst blessed and holy Lord God thou art infinitely beyond our apprehensions who wast infinitely â—…ppy before the world was made and wantest none oâ—… thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their services 〈◊〉 make thee more excellent tâ—…en thou art in thy self we dâ—…ily wâ—…nt thee thou never wantest us thou a 〈◊〉 to make use of Ordinanceâ—… Ministers Sâ—…baths as thy Institutions to accomplish 〈◊〉 bring about the great work of thy glory and maâ—…s Sâ—…lvation yet Lord thou dost not need them thy Spirit is not made â—…fficacious by these things but it is that that makes these things 〈◊〉 though thou art pleased to tye us to them when we may 〈◊〉 them and duly enâ—…y them yet thou dost not tye thy self to them we desire in these our addâ—…esses tâ—… eye the happiness of Saints that depends â—…on him that depends upon none We are here in thy presence by thy goodness and grace Oâ—… whether should we go but to thee and how should we come but by thee oâ—… strengthen our saith kill ouâ—… corruptions inflame our love give us assurance of thy love to our souls oâ—… that God would teach us â—…ow to pray that we may tastâ—… and seâ—… how â—…ood the Lord is t iâ—… day that ouâ—… souls may be filled 〈◊〉 with marrow the we may by ouâ—… own experience be able to say it is good foâ—… us to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…o God and that a day in thy house is better thâ—…n a thousand elsewhere that there may be a commâ—…ion between us and God let there be a diâ—…union between us and siâ—… we confess we brouâ—…ht sin enough into the world with â—…s to cause theâ—… to withdraw thy bleâ—…ed self from us and to cast such unprofitable servants as we are into uttâ—…r darkâ—…ss we have bin 〈◊〉 long time in thy school and yeâ—… how dull are 〈◊〉 we migâ—… have bin teachers of others but we need our selves be tauâ—…ht wâ—…ich aâ—…e the fiâ—…st Principles of the Oracles of God we lâ—…ve less â—…en we know and we do less then we love we have neither done 〈◊〉 good nor received that good which we should or might have done and received we have been trees that have cumbered the 〈◊〉 iâ—… thy Orchard but we have brought foâ—…th no fruit â—…o unto us that we have not known the day of our visitation many of us have one foot in the grave and yet we have lived without God in the woâ—…ld we are wise in every thing but in our own salvation we live as if â—…ell were a priviledge those of us that have some knowledge of thee have great cause to repent that we have walked so unworthily of God which of us pray continually and fervently or live the life of faith we confess we nâ—…ither take our afflictions humbly nor our mercies thankfully nor â—…ant our comforts contentedly nor fill up our relations fruitfully we live as if hell were a scare-crow as if all the threatnings of thy word were an empty noise as if there were a either sâ—…ess in heaven nor bitterness in hell When we come into thy prâ—… 〈◊〉 are our hearts what earthly dispositions do wâ—… 〈◊〉 aâ—… with 〈◊〉 the sins of our prayers cry louder then the suppâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers what hypocrisie and formality cleaves unto us â—…f thou dost not look upon the iniquities of our holy things with an eye of pitty wâ—…t 〈◊〉 â—…ecome of us O Lord be pleased to smell a swâ—…t â—…avour of â—…est and peace through thy dear Son O Lord it is onely his precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can sprinkle our hearts and quiet our consciences and no other thing we do renounce all our own works and we cry in our selves unâ—…one undone It is through thy beloved Son that we are accepted and therefore to that end bring us to him by a saving operation on thy part and by our lively trust through the Covenant of thy grace on our part let there be such a unity between Christ and us that all the power of bell may not be able to separate us from thee speak peace to our hearts stiâ—…l our consciences 〈◊〉 I have received a sacrifice for you I shall befâ—…iend yâ—…u I will be just and faithful to â—…or â—…ive your sins my lawis â—…elly fulfilled by another though broken by you my justice is fully satisfied â—…y another though provoked by yâ—…u my wrath is ceased by the means of another though inceâ—…sed by you Oh Lord what a cordial would this be â—… caâ—…st not thou amongst this great multitude of people espy some that through the Spirit of thy Son would worship thee in â—…ine owâ—… way speak peace to every such soul. Is there any soul before thee O Lord to whom thou hast given the grace of desire O Lord give them grace according to their desire and thou which diâ—…t regard us when we were running from theâ—… do not reject us now we are drawing near thâ—…e and thou which bidst us believe by the command of thy â—…ord help us to believe by the operation of thy Spirit draw us that we may be able to follow thee thy loving kindness is better then life Some do say Who will shew us any good but Lord lifâ—… thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and that will glad our hearts more then in the time when increaseth Corn or wine or Oyl Let it be sâ—…ir above head when it is dirty below lâ—…t us see one contrary in another let us confute an eye of sense with an eye of â—…aith and when we come to see nothing here that can gratifie our senses let us have something to quiet our souls We would â—…ain be at war with sin that we may be at peace with thee though we cannot return as much as we have received yet help us to return as much as we can give us repentance unto life repentance from dead works a mourning far greater for the remembrance of sin then we had pleasure in the committing of sin those secret distempers in our souls that no eye sees but thine let us cry out wretched men that we are who shall deliver us from this body of sin And as the fear â—…f condemnation doth decrease so let the fear of transgression in crease and because O Lord that thou hast not made us to bleâ—… with thy greatness O Lord make us to blush with thy goodness let us as truly desire that heaven would enter into us in the way of holiness here as we desire to enter into heaven in the way of happiness hereafter Let us see that our kindness to sin is cruelty to our Saviour let not that live quietly one minute with us that would not let Christ live let us see there is nothing small by which thâ—… great God is 〈◊〉 and an immortal soul is damned we are to be in the wâ—…rld but â—…r a while to take a 〈◊〉 or two and bâ—… goâ—… oh that we miâ—…ht make it the business of our life
child sees that man come he will not love him and so if the father loves such a man the childe will love him too As now the Courtiers they follow the example of a King and whom the King favours they honour and cringe too why so whom God favours a godly man favours God doth not judge of men as men do by his gay apparel or gold ring or great birth alas he that wants bread is more highly esteemed of in Gods sight then such and so he is in a godly mans account A godly man is conformable to God and a follower of God as a dear child now you shall see what an estimate God puts upon his people God is more taken with one humble broken hearted sinner and one humble contrite breathing of a soul then with all the gold and silver in Solomons Temple not many noble not many mighty doth God set his heart upon but where he sees his Image he who hath the Image of God he hath the love of God there is the first reason in regard of the people of God that are beholders of others A second reason is taken from the people of God that are beheld and here I shall name you five or six Considerations 1. The people of God they that are truly such in the midst of all their present distresses let them be what they will yet their end shall be happy now men do not regard men according to what they have in present possession but according to what they shall have the poorest man here in the world that is rich in faith he shall be rich in glory and honour the people of God are heirs of glory and therefore they are said to be heirs of God and co-hâ—…irs with Christ 1 John 3. 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be The people of God are to be looked upon according to what they shall be not what they are here they are Princes though under a disguise they are coming though not come to their Crown those saith a Saint that are now scorned reproached and buffeted and libell'd shall shine in heaven when Christ shall appear they shall appear with him in glory they are heires born to great Estates The second reason is this They are for the present very useful and beneficial to the world they are those for whose sake the world was made they are the very pillars of the world to hold it from shattering about your ears they are the great common blessings of the world as the Sun and Stars are the common blessings of the world and fire and water so these are the common blessingâ—… of mankind for which he will spare the world those that are pulled down by the world are they that keep the world from being pulled down they are the soul of the world the wicked are but the carcass of it and if God had gathered in all the world of his people once the world should not continue one hour as Sodom was destroyed when Lot was taken out Third Reason is The highness and excellency of their performances and of all the good things they do there is a worth in every holy work in every supernatural employment in every holy prayer in every thing a godly man doth there is such a goodness in the work that all the wealth in the Indies cannot recompence and therefore saith Luther I had ratber do the least truly good work then obtain all the Conquests and Victoâ—…ies of Cesar and Alexander Now if their good works shine so before men is it possible a gracious heart should see it and not be taken with it There is nothing doth so much take with holy men as holy performances and therefore as a man that is learned when he sees another learned man make a learned Oration he wishes he could do so too so a godly man when he sees another man can pray and live holily Oh saith he that I could do so too and be so holy as he is 4. A fourth Reason is The present priviledges of the people of God not only what they have in reversion but their present priviledges Why but are the priviledges of the people of God so great Yea the very present enjoyments of the Saints and people of God the explanation of them would deserve many Sermons they shall be freed from all evil there shall nothing hurt them their lusts may be destroyed but their souls shall never be destroyed What a priviledge is this for a man to be shot-free do with him what you will you can never hurt him you may disgrace him you may torture him kill him but yet you cannot hurt him whatever befals them turns to their benefit they may be afflicted but not hurt by affliction the greatest hurt the world doth to them tends to their greatest good worldlings may take away their head but they cannot take away their crown there is nothing of evil can be evil to him that hath a good God this a Child of God hath for the present and not only so but there is the real communication of a saving interest in all that is good all that God is all that he hath and all that he doth is theirs Is not this a glorious priviledge The power of God is his to protect him his love his so as to be set upon him the righteousness of God his so as to acquit him from his sins the very righteousness of God is a very great blessing and happiness to the Children of God and they may not only appeal to the Bowels of Gods Mercy but to the Bar of his Justice So that now I say all that God is is his the faithfulness of God is his in keeping his Promises the care of God in defending and protecting of him and so all the providences of God all that he doth shall tend to the good of his people as he saith All is yours life is yours and death is yours and all these things shall do you good Psalm 25. 10. that is a rare Scripture All the wayes of God are mercy oh sweet and truth oh very comfortable to them that are in covenant with him Mercy so that they are enough Gods Providences shall do them good and Truth so as that they shall certainly do them good In one word Earth Heaven and God and all shall be laid out to do them good Is not this a great priviledge In this world they may go to God and tell him wherein they are troubled and pained or afflicted and they are never so welcome to God in their petitions as when they ask most from him when they come to ask riches and the like God will give them to them so far as they may be for their good but so great is the priviledge of a believer that God doth delight in him most when he doth ask most from him and he will give him whatever he desires that may make them good
indulgence therefore break the force of sin by a serious resistance check it and let thy soul rise up in indignation against it my businesse is not to pleasure the flesh but to please the Lord. 4. Bewail the involuntary lapses and falls with penitential teares as Peter went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26. 57. Godly sorrow is of great use for laying aside of sin as salt potions kill wormes when children are troubled with worms we give them salt potions so these bitter penitential tears are the means God hath appointed to mortifie sin that is the reason the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of 'T is not only a part of repentance but worketh persevering durable resolutions a walking closely with God 't is a means God hath blessed to this end and purpose 5. Recover from thy falls renew thy combate as Israel when they were overcome in battel they would try it again and again Iudges 20. 28. Take heed of ceasing for the present for though thy enemy seems to prevail though the flesh seems to prevail against the Spirit in the battel yet thou shalt have the best of it in the war by the power of grace thou shalt have the victory Thus I have gone over the privative part of our duty Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us I should have come to the positive Let us run with patience the race that is set before us there is the duty Let us run the Race that is set before us and there is the manner of the duty Let us run with patience I should have shown you That a Christian-life is like a Race from Earth to Heaven in a way of holiness and exercise of Grace This Race it continues as long as we continue in the world from our nativity to our death after death the strife is ended Now in this Race we must run and so run that we may obtain the Crown 1 Cor. 9. 24. Running is a motion and a speedy motion there is no lying sitting or standing but still there must be running We must make a further progress in the way to Heaven Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before Phil. 3. 1. 3. The Runner was not to enquire how much of the way already was past but to strain himself to overcome what was yet behind And so should we consider what sins are yet to be mortified what duties yet untouched almost untouched what hard conflicts are yet to be undergone and still to hold on our way without twining aside or halting because of difficulties discouragements stumbling-blocks And there are fellows and co-partners with us that run this Race with whom we may strive in a holy emulation who should go forwardest who should be most forward in the course of pleasing God Oh Christians there are many contentions amongst us but when shall we have this holy contention Heb. 10. 24. In a Race there is the Agonotheta the Judge of the sports so here God observes all no matter what the standers by say the Judge of the sports must decide who must have the Crown 1 Cor. 14. 3 4. And then at the end of the Race there is the Crown 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness c. In a race there are spectators so there are here God Angels and Men 1 Cor. 4. 9. We are a spectacle to the world to Angels and to men c. Thus for the similitude of our Race in our way to Heaven Now wherein it differs This is a Race not undertaken out of wantonness but out of necessity God hath called us to this course and if we run not in this Race we are undone for ever And in other Races but one had the Crown here all are crowned 2 Tim. 4. 8. though they be not so eminent as the Apostle here all are crowned that run in the manner God hath required Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day and not to me only but to them that love his appearing 2. For the manner with patience Let us run with patience Patience is necessary 1. Partly because of the length of the Race and the distance between us and the promised Reward Our Race cannot be ended but after some degrees of time long waiting is troublesome to the flesh and therefore we have need of patience 2. Because we meet with many impediments troubles and temptations by the way there are spiritual adversaries with whom we must fight for we go on we not only run but fight therefore run with patience c. 3. Because the spectators will be ready to discourage us We are set forth not only as a spectacle to God and Angels but to the world and they will be ready to deride scorn and oppose us for oâ—…r zeal to God and our forwardness in the wayes of God to discourage us by bitter mockings c. therefore let us run with patience the Race that is set before us Mr Lye's Prayer Iuly 20. 1662. at Allhallows Lombard-street O Lord our great God thou canst do all things for thou dost dispose and govern all the wayes and works and words of thy Creatures to thine own praise We thy poor Creatures the workmanship of thy hands the price and purchase of thy Sons blood do desire this morning to fall down and humble our selves at the throne of thy grace we desire to lift up an eye of faith to thee that thou mayst dart an eye of love to us since thou hast commanded us to come unto thee O bless us now we come Let it not be in vain for any of us from the highest to the lowest from the richest to the poorest that we have sought tâ—…y face this morning Blessed Father pour down a spirit of Prayer a spirit of Preaching a spirit of rejoycing a spirit of practising in the midst of us let us not only be enabled to know what to do but to do what we know Thou that didst cure the eyes of the blind with clay and spittle oh heal that natural dimness that is in the best of us thy rod in the hand of Moses brought water out of the rock oh do thou strike upon these rocky hearts that our adamantine hearts being softened may gush out into rivers of tears O drown our sins in the red Sea of our Saviours blood help us to sinite upon our thigh and to ask our selves what we have been and what we have done and humble us under the omission of any commanded duty and the commission of any forbidden sin sins of thoughts words and deed sins against the law against the Gospel of youth manhood and old age sins before under and since
an ear of corn full of fruit bowing down in thankfulness to God Thirdly another Jewel was the fruitfulness of his discourse for it may be said of him as it was of Christ he went about doing good wherever he went he scattered his goodness this all that knew him know to be true He was full of good discourse wherever he came When I was with him in his sicknesse he took occasion to complain much and not without just cause God grant his complaint may make impression upon our hearts he complained that it was a great fault among Ministers that when they met together they discoursed no more of Christ of Heaven and of the concernments of the other world and professed that if God should restore him he would be more careful in his discourse and more fruitful then ever yet he had been Fourthly another Jewel that beautified this righteous man was his mercifulnesse He was a merciful man which he manifested not only in his charity to the Members of Jesus Christ but in his frequent visiting of sick persons and persons that needed his spiritual Physick I know not any Minister in the City more careful in visiting the sick then he was Fifthly another Jewel was his prudence and spiritual wisdome he was not only a pious and godly but a wise and prudent Minister that had zeal for God but knew how to mingle his zeal with discretion discretion indeed without zeal is nothing but carnal policy but zeal without discretion is nothing but frantick fury discretion without zeal will quickly eat out the heart of religion and eat religion out of the heart Zeal without discretion is not a coal from the Altar but a coal kindled by the wild fire of passion that is able to set a Nation on fire but this Reverend Minister had zeal sweetly tempered with discretion Sixthly another Jewel was his patience God 〈◊〉 pleased to exercise him with long and great afflictions by reason of the Gout that did often especially of late years affix him to his bed and afflict him with great pain but God was pleased to put his everlasting Arms underneath him supporting him under all his pains and giving him a great measure of patience insomuch that in patience he did possesse his soul and patience had its perfect work in him The seventh Jewel was his high valuation of Jesus Christ a written copy for us to follow and for you his people also Being with him in his last sicknesse he exhorted me and other Ministers to preach much of Jesus Christ and to speak to him of Jesus Christ and he said When I consider my best duties I sink I die I despair but when I think of Christ I have enough he is all and in all I think these were his very words I desire said he to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified I account all things dung and dross that I may be found in Christ. To this effect he spake in the morning before the evening in which he died speaking much of Jesus Christ. Eighthly another Jewel was his diligence in preaching the Gospel in season and out of season in the time of his health he was a painful laborious Preacher one that did not preach to tickle the ear to wound the heart not to please but to profit not seeking the applause of the people but the salvation of their souls This all know to be true Ninthly another Jewel that did beautifie and adorn this Reverend Minister was his excellent gift in prayer and herein he was very eminent and did exceed many nay I may say most of his brethren As Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures so was he as you all know mighty in prayer he was a Iacob very skilful in wrestling with God like Moses he often stood in the gap and at â—…ost Fasts in the time of his health he was the Miniâ—…r that was chosen to conclude with prayer and this â—…rightens the losse that we sustain by the death of this godly Minister because we have lost the benefit of his prayers which is an invaluable losse for though I doubt not but he prays in heaven for the Church in general yet I believe he prays not for any in particular as not knowing what our condition is For Abraham knows us not for the Saints in heaven know not what is done upon earth The losse therefore is the greater because we have lost not only a preaching but a praying Minister And give me leave to add that this excellency in this Minister is sufficient to prove 1. That there is a gift of prayer which some against all reason do deny 2. That conceived prayers when uttered by one that hath the gift of prayer are not vain Toâ—…tologies or empty repetitions and a rate of non-sence as some unjustly charge men with but they are the breathings of Gods spirit that pierce not only into the ears and hearts of the hearers but into the ears and heart of God himself Tenthly the next Jewel was he had great acquaintance and communion with God for he was of a long standing in the School of Christ and a good proficient in that School Much acquaintance he had with God he was often in the Mount with God and came down with his face shining though he in his modesty did not see it and when he came to die he was able to say as Dr. Preston did when he lay a dying I shall change my place but not my company Eleventhly another Jewel was his comfortable passage out of this world dying with a great deal of calmnesse and serenity upon his Conscience The morning before he died I heard him say these words It is one thing to speak of Christ and of Heaven and another thing to feel the consolations of Christ and of Heaven as I do clapping his hand on his breast Another time I heard him say The comforts of a holy life are real soul-supporting and that he felt the reallity of those comforts and that by him we might know it was not in vain to serve God And I cannot forget his speech the morning before he died I am a little strained but I care no more for my life then I do for this fillip That which was said of old Simeon Luke 2. may be said of this Reverend Minister Mr. Simeon Ash who was a Simeon a just and devout man an old Servant of Iesus Christ one that waited for the consolation of Israel one that dyed though not with Christ in his bodily Arms yet with Christ in the Arms of his Faith and when he died could say as it is there Now Lord lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Lastly another Jewel was his constancy and perseverance he was not a Reed shaken with every wind but as firm as a Rock an immovable Pillar in Gods House he was unchangeable in changeable times in Religion he was a house built on a Rock not on the sand