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
are grieved they that touch them touch the Apple of his eye in all afflictions he is afflicted Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me Every blow that is given to them God bears a part of it himself As they are sensible of Gods dishonour so God is sensible of their sufferings it pains him to the heart to see his Children wronged and abused by a malicious world Seventhly He is with them by his sanctifying presence all their troubles are to do them good and to make them good and therefore the furnace it is but to refine them from their dross the pruning hook of affliction is but to cut off their luxuriant branches God takes the sharp knife into his hand and lances them but it is only to fetch out their corruption By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Eighthly God is with them by his quickening presence to make their Prayers more servent to make their requests to the throne of Grace more importunate The children of God cry most to him when they suffer most from men and their prayers are best when their condition is worst Prayer shortens affliction and affliction heightens Prayer God is with them to hear their Prayers Oh the Prayer of the afflicted that comes up to Heaven God hears the sighs and gâ—…ones of his oppressed ones their tears pierce the Heavens they call upon God in time of trouble and pour out their sorrows before the Lord and he doth hear them Ninthly God is with them by his raising presence to raise up their hearts higher to elevate their souls and bring them more near to himself Gods people when they meet with troubles in the world oh nothing so sweet unto them as the enjoyment of God then no life so sweet unto them as the life of faith then they relish a sweetness in the promise then every smile of God oh how welcome is it then all the affections of their souls center in God and run to God as in winter time all the sap of the tree runs to the root in summer time it spreads it self in the body but in the winter it goes to the root when a man is sick all the blood goes to the heart so in a suffering condition all the affections of the soul go to God But now what are the Reasons why God will not leave his people that thus desire to please him Why 1. God loves them therefore he will not leave them persons we love we cannot leave especially when they are in a distressed condition and as God hath set his love upon them so they have set their love upon God they love God Psal. 91. 15. you hâ—…ve there an expression Because he hath set his love upon mâ—… therefore I will deliver him he shall call upon me and I will answer him I will be with him in trouble God is â—… God of bowels of great pity and compassion and therefore he will not leave his people in a time of distress you know bowels how they stand in you towards them that are in misery it goes to the heart of a mercifull man to leave a person in misery Oh how great are the bowels and compassions of God Is Ephraim my son is he a pleasant childe Oh my bowels are turned within me I will have mercy on him 2. Such as please God shall have his presence under suffering because now they need God most if God will not leave his people as to temporal supplies because they need such and such things they need meat and they need cloathing surely much more God will not leave his children as to spiritual supplies under times of distress because then they need God Oh what can a Believer do or what can a Believer suffer when God leaves him his strength is in God his support is in God his comfort is in God his All is in God and therefore if God now leave him what will become of him he needs God at all times but never so much as when his condition is dark and troubled What was Sampson that man of so great strength when his hair was gone And what is a Believer when his God is gone 3. God loves to see his people chearfull in a time of suffering and therefore he is with them he loves not that they should walk dejectedly When God is present Paul and Silas can sing in prison the Apostles can rejoyce that God honours them to be reproached for him When God is present the people of God are not only cheâ—…rfull under tribulation but can glory their Cross is their Crown but if God be withdrawn what can there be drooping hearts and pensive sorrows 4. God will not leave them because they will not leave God God will not leave them because they suffer for his sake were they not tender of Gods glory and carefull to please him they might be free from suffering as well as others but it is for Gods sake they suffer For thy sake we are killed like sheep all the day long Lastly It is thus because God will make it appear to all the World that he puts a difference between them that desire to please him and other men God hath a value for such Do but see how Moses argues the case with God Exod. 33. 13. and so on where he comes to God with a great request that God should shew him his way that he might know it Why saith God to him My presence shall go with thee Moses said unto him It is well thou art pleased to promise so great a mercy If thy presence go not with me carry us not hence for wherein shall it be known that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight Is it not in this that thou goest with us Observe Moses pleads with God How his favour and love and mercy should be with them unless he were present with them And so God he walks with his people in trouble for how should the world see that God regarded them and did favour them unless he manifested his presence unto them in a time of trouble and affliction Dr. Iacomb's Afternoon 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 I Was upon these words in the morning having spoken something to them as they referre to Christ who spake them here of himself I then brought them down to his Members Believers and so propounded this Observation from them That whoever they are that desire to please God to do the things that are pleasing to him God will be with such end the Father will not leave such alâ—…ne especially in a time of suffering and trouble In the prosecuting of this point I spake to four things which I shal not now repeat but come to the mark which I intend at present that is to make some Application 1. Let me endeavour to prevail
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
slight of men and cunning craftiness that can cog the Die notable Gamesters there are in the World but you must stand steady in judgement you must be firm to your principles I would have you Stars not Meteors for Meteors are carried about with every blast of Wind. I hope better things of you I shall pray God would make you steadfast in Iudgement 1. Be sure to get good principles and secondly Be sure to stand in those good principles that you have got And though I cannot say but some Tares are sown among this Parish yeâ—… I bless the Lord for the generality I hope I may say I have an Orthodox Ministry 2. 'T is not enough to stand iâ—…â—…udgement but we must be steadfast to our 〈◊〉 1 〈◊〉 15. 58. Be steadfast immoveable such as stand firm on some Basis and foundation that doth not totter and stagger if they find you staggering to be sure the next moment they look upon you as falling Be as they say of one or both of the Poles of the Heavens though all the world turns the Poles are immoveable If I mistake not you may see a great turn in the World â—…nd behold at this day the greatest turn that ever was in England but yet you must not move you must not stir be true to your Resolutions be just to your first love go on in the Lords Work let nothing take you off If I have preached any false Doctrine among you witness against me at the day of judgement but if the things I have preached be true stand to the truths if you do not witness against my Doctrine mine 't is not but rather witnesse for it remember if you leave it that very Doctrine will witnesse against you at the day of Judgement Oh! that excellent Heroe Queen Hester thus and thus I will do and if I perish I perish You cannot imagine against how many thousand temptations a stadfast resolution will guard you 3. There 's a steadfastnesse of Faith too when we so believe as that we do not waver or do not hesitate Will you give me leave to propose to you my dear Friends though my Congregation I cannot call you that question which our Saviour did unto the Jews whom he hated though I love you The Baptism of Iohn whence was it from heaven or of men The doctrines you have heard have they been from Heaven or from men Answer me if from men abhor them man is a false creature man would make merchandize of your faith and souls but if from Heaven why then should you not believe them I blesse the Lord my conscience bears me witnesse I never did so far propose a doctrine to you I would have you believe without Scripture If the doctrines have been from God believe them if not abhor them and any of those that shall dare to bring a doctrine but dare not bring the authority of the Scripture to warrant them You may not be like those in Iam. 1. 6. that mavereth like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed The most godly man may stumble in his way i. e. tread awry but a wavering minded man is never settled concerning his way Blessed be God I am not now on this day that looks as like my dying day as can be in the world to begin to fix upon a Religion to fix upon my way I know my way If God will but keep 〈◊〉 steps and guide me in that way If God be 〈◊〉 I appeal to your consciences worship him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God worship him do not stand disputing and doubting do not say shall I shall I if the ways you have found be the ways of God follow them God hath but one way to heaven there is but one truth if Baal be God follow Baal do not stand wavering do not consult with flesh and bloud 't is an infinite mercie that God will give any of us to leave Relations Estates Congregations any thing for Christ 't is an infinite mercy we do not split upon a rock Be sure to be either for God or Baal a godly man many time halts in his way but never halts between two opinions 4. Steadfastness of Conscience Indeed the genius of my ministry hath lyen this way and here I could easily launch out but I must be short I would speak a word in season to those that are weak it becomes you to be steadfast in conscience then have a God decreeing a Christ redeeming a spirit quickning a gospel promising a heaven prepared a God infinitely more ready to save him then he can possibly be desirous to be saved by him Be steadfast in conscience against the guilt the filth of sin against the temptations of Satan c. Let us draw near with full assurance of faith you can never believe Gods love so much as Gods love doth engage you to believe c. I might adde 5. You must be steadfast in conversation 't is not the Running well but the Running out 't is not the sighing but the conquering that gives you title to the Reward for you to give a great deal of milk and to throw it down all at length with your foot may argue you to have a good dug but a bad foot Never give those beâ—…sts of Babylon occasion to say that a man may be a child of God in the morning and a child of the devil at night that we contradict that Doctrine by our conversation that we assert in our profession But why must we be stedfast Alas why would you have me marshal up all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me count the stars or number the sands on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is noâ—… an attribute in God not a precept 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 in the word not an ordinance 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 there is nothing in God or 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ourselves but all would give a conâ—…ribution of 〈◊〉 to prove the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I must but hâ—…nt at a few things First I would argue from Iesu Christ. Believers you love Christ and therefore you love the honour of Christ now the honour of Christ is highly engaged in your stedfastness We never cast a deeper blot on the honour of Christ then when we grow unstedfast I need not tell you so the Jesuits those meâ—…k Papists will tell you so those that delight in nothing more then in the milk of the Virgin Mary and in the bloud of Saints they have enough if you be unsteady 1. You dishonour Christ in his sufferings Pray tell me Believers why did Christ swear bloud why did he dye why did he undergo what the wrath of Devils could inflict but for this end to make you steady to give you the conquest of all spiritual Enemies and to make you stand in that conquest triumphing Thus I remember as Ioshuah Jos. 10. 24. Come put your feet upon the necks of these kâ—…ngs and they came near and put their feet upon the necks of them So Christ hath dy'd that you might live
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
rusted over with many infirmities is better then all the glistering shews of hypocrites A sincere heart is Gods currant coin he will give it grains of allowance Sixthly as you love your souls be not strangers to your selves be much and often in the work of self-examination among all the books that you read turn over the book of your own heart look into the book of conscience see what is written there Psal. 77. 6. I communed with mine own heart Set up a judgment-seat in your own souls examine whether you have grace or not prove whether you are in the faith be as much afraid of a painted holiness as you would be afraid of going to a painted heaven Do not think your selves good because others think so let the Word be the touch-stone by which you try your hearts let the word be the looking glass by which you judge of the complexion of your souls For want of this self-searching many live known to others and die unknown to themselves Seventhly keep up your spiritual watch Mat. 13. 37. what I say unto you I say unto all watch if it were the last word I should speak it should be this word watch O what need hath a Christian to be ever upon his watch the heart is a subtle piece and will be stealing out to vanity and if we are not careful it will decoy us into sin we have a special eye upon such persons as we suspect thy heart is a supicious person O have an eye upon it watch it continually it is a bosom-traytor Iob set a watch before his eyes Iob 31. 1. We must every day keep sentinel sleep not upon your guard Our sleeping time is the Devils tempting time Let not your watch-candle go out Eightly you that are the people of God do you often associate together Mal. 3. 16. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another Christs Doves should flock together one Christian will help to heat another a single coal of Juniper will soon die but many coals put together will keep life one in another Conference sometimes may do as much good as Preaching one Christian by good discourse drops holy oyl upon another that makes the lamp of his grace to shine the brighter It is great wisdom to keep up the trade in a Corporation Christians by meeting often together setting good discourse on foot keep up the trade of Godliness that else would decay and soon be lost Is not the communion of Saints an Article in our Creed Do not then live so asunder as if thìs Article were blotted out The Naturalists observe there is a sympathy in Plants they say some Plants bear better when they grow near other Plants as the Vine and the Elm the Olive and the Myrtle thrive best when they grow together It is true in Religion the Saints are trees of righteousness that thrive best in godliness when they grow together Ninthly get your hearts screwed up above the world Set your affections on things above Col. 3. 3. We may see the face of the Moon in the water but the Moon is fixed above in the Firmament so though a Christian walks here below yet his heart should be fixed above in Heaven in Heaven there is our best Kindred and purest Joy our Mansion-house O let our hearts be above it is the best and the sweetest kind of life the higher the birds flies the sweeter it sings and the higher the heart is raised above the world the sweeter joy it hath The Eagle that flies in the air is not stung by the Serpent those whose hearts are elevated above the lower Region of this world are not stung with the vexations and disquietments that others are but are full of joy and contentment 10. Trade much in the Promises the Promises are great supports to faith Faith lives in a promise as the fish lives in the water the Promises are both comforting and quickning they are mitralia evangelii the very breasts of the Gospel as the child by sucking the breasts gets strength so faith by sucking the breasts of a promise gets strength and revives The promises of God are bladders to keep us from sinking when we come into the waters of affliction the Promises are sweet clusters of grapes that grow upon Christ the true Vine O trade much in the promises there is no condition that you can be in but you have a promise the promises are like Manna that sute themselves to every Christians palate 11. All you that hear me live in a calling Ierome gave his friend this advice To be ever well employed that when the Devil came to tempt him he might finde him working in his vineyard Sure I am the same God that saith Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy saith also Six dayes shalt thou labour The great God never sealed any warrants to Idleness an idle professour is the shame of his profession 2 Thess. 3. 11. I hear there are some sayes the Apostle that work not at all but are busi-bodies such we exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that with quietness they work Solon made Laws to punish idleness and Seneca saith of an idle man Spiritum trahit non vivit He draws his breath but doth not live he is not useful but a good Christian acts within the spere of his own calling 12. Let me intreat you to joyn the first and the second Table together piety to God and equity to your Neigbour the Apostle puts these two words together in one verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus 2. 12. That we should live righteously and godly Righteously that relates to morality Godly that relates to piety and sanctity alwayes remember this every Command hath the same Divine stamp and authority as another Command hath I would try a moral man by the duties of the first Table and I would try a professor by the duties of the second Table Some pretend faith but have no works others have works but they have no faith Some pretend zeal for God but are not just in their dealings others are just in their dealings but have not one spark of zeal for God If you would go to heaven you must turn both sides of the Table the first and second Table joyn piety and morality together as we blame the Papists for blotting out the second Commandment let not the Papists blame us for leaving out the second Table 13. Joyn the Serpent and the Dove together innocency and prudence Mat. 10. 16. Be wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves We must have innocency with our Wisdom else our wisdom is but craftiness and we must have wisdom with our innocency else our innocency is but weakness We must have the harmlesness of the Dove that we may not wrong others and we must have the prudence of the Serpent that others may not abuse and circumvent us Not to wrong the truth by silence here is the innocency of the Dove not to betray our selves by rashness here
with every one of you so to carry your selves in your several places and capacities that whatever you do you may please God It was a blessed testimony that was given of Enoch Before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God Oh how happy will they be at the great day of Judgement who shall be singled out by Christ before Angels and Men and Christ shall say of them This was the Man or this was the Woman that pleased God! There is a great deal of pleasing in the World but there are 〈◊〉 very few that make this their business to please God therefore I would have you shun that which is sinfull and press after that which is matter of Duty 1. There are some that mind nothing but to please themselves to promote their own interest to love their own ease to indulge themselves in their own carnal delights but they never mind the good of others or the pleasing of God the Apostle speaks of and against these Rom. 15. 1 2 3. 2. There are others that look no further than the pleasing of men if they can but keep fair with men and shun the displeasure of men that is all they aim at but my Brethren what a poor thing is it to please man and displease God what a poor thing is it to have Man to be our Friend and God to be our Enemy to have the smiles of a poor dying perishing Worm and to lye under the frowns of the great God Indeed there is a good pleasing of men to please them for their Edification as the Apostle speaks Rom. 15. 2. and so the Apostle speaks of himself 1 Cor. 10. 32. Even as I please all men in all things that is in all things that are of an indifferent nature not simply civil nor simply good in all such things This Apostle was of a yielding and complying spirit that he might thereby the better insinuate himself into the affections of men and be more instrumental to the glory of God in the work of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 22. To the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and this I do for the Gospel sake But now in matter of Duty such things as are expresly determined by God and so are either good or evil in these things the Apostle would be no pleaser of men If I should please men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. It is good to please otherâ—… to their Edification but we must not please others to their own ruine and condemnation It is good to please men when we can so do and not grieve God Instead of pleasing men let it be your constant care best endeavour in all things to please God my Brethren this is a duty of so great importance that was I now to take my leave of you and should certainly know that I should never speak to you more as we are come very near to that for though I speak to you as a living man yet I speak to you as a dying Minister this I say is a duty of that weight and importance that I know not what to press upon you more material then this consult but two places of Scripture Col. 1. For this cause we do not cease to pray for you What was the thing the Apostle in this his constant Prayer did begg of God for them It was this That they might please God and when he was taking his leave in the winding up of his Epistle to the Hebrews Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus the great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight I need not go beyond the Text for Motives to stirre you up to these Endeavours For Motive 1. First Consider what that God is which I would have you endeavour to please He is that God which made Heaven and Earth that God before whom all this World is as nothing but as a little dust in the ballance and as a drop of water to the bucket that God whom Angels adore and worship that God who by a word from his mouth is able to bring the whole Universe into nothing Will not you study to please this God But further consider what this God is to you He is the fountain of your being he is the God of all your mercies he is your Creator and Soveraign he is your Maker Law-giver It is he that by a smile can make you happy and by a frown can make you miserable it is he that hath Heaven and Hell at his disposal who openeth and none can shut who shuts and none can open He that must iudg every one of you either to eternal blessedness or else to eternal torments it is he in whose hands your breath your life your soul your All is will you not endeavour to please this God as the Prophet argueth in point of fear Isa. 51. 12. Who art thou that art afraid of a man that shall die or of the Son of man that shall be made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy maker Oh poor Creature Who arâ—… thou that goest about to please a mortal dying man and dost not go about to please the Great God thy Creator and Soveraign 2. Consider that relation wherein you profess your selves to stand to God he is your Master you his Servants he is your Father you his Children he is your Lord you his Subjects You know all that are in close Relations will study to please them that are above them as the Servant his master the child his father the subject his Prince All persons that are in a state of inferiority will study to please their Superiours especially when they do depend upon them Oh! how infinitely is God above those Relations Alas there is but a very little distance betwixt you and your Servants and yet you expect they should please you will you not therefore please God especially considering your dependance upon him 3. You shall not lose by pleasing God that is enough to put us upon this He that pleaseth God profiteth himself in that very act wherein we please God we profit our selves Men can do but little for us and yet upon what they can do we study to please them Let me open this in a few particulars 1. If you will sincerely endeavour in all things to please God God will give you a gracious return to all your prayers Oh what a mercy is this for a man to have his prayers answered by God! 1 Joh. 3. 22. Whatever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandements and do those things that are pleasing in his sight Never expect that God should hear any Prayers if we do not endeavour to do those things that
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
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
withdraw us from that watchfulness and diligence that is necessary in taking care for our souls then the heart is overcharged Voluptuous living is a great sin it 〈◊〉 the seeds of piety so soon as planted in the heart so that they can bring nothing to perfection it brings a brawn and a deadness upon the Conscience and affections there is nothing that hardens the heart so much as the softness of carnal pleasure Iud. 19. sensual having not the Spirit Sensuality quenches our natural bravery and briskness of spirit that becomes a man much more doth it hinder the sublime operations of the Spirit of God Well then remember Christians you are not only Travellers by the way but Runners in a Race If we were to speak to you only under the notion of Travellers in a way this were enough to wean you from the delights of the flesh 1 Pet. 2. 11. As strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. The more you indulge these fleshly lusts the more you hearten strengthen the great enemy of your souls and starve the better part but you are as Runners in a Race by this Metaphor the duty is more bound upon you much more should you beat down the body and keep it in subjection the Apostle hath a notable word 1 Cor. 9. 27. I keep under my body and bring it in subjection c. I beat down my body you must either keep under pleasures or pleasures will keep you under for a man is soon brought under the power dominion and tyranny of evil customs and some bruitish pleasure by indulging the lusts of the flesh 1 Cor. 6. 12. Be but a little addicted to any one thing and you are brought under the power of it The flesh waxes wanton and imperious and slavery grows upon you by degrees The more you conquer carnal affections the more they increase upon you and therefore you must hold the reins hard exercise a powerfull restraint Solomon in his Penitentials gives us an account of his own 〈◊〉 and how fearfnlly he was corrupted this way Eccl. 〈◊〉 20. Whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from 〈◊〉 I with-held not my heart from any joy c. 〈◊〉 was that which brought him to such a lawless excess and at length to fall off from God When we give Nature the full swing and use pleasure with too free a license the heart is insensibly corrupted and the necessities of life are turned into Diseases and all that you do 't is but in compliance with your lusts your eating and drinking is but a meat-offering and drink-offering to lusts and carnal appetite I remember Solomon saith Prov. 29. 21. He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a Childe shall have him become his Son at length i. e. Allow a servant too much liberty and he will no more know his condition but grow contemptuous bold and troublesome so it is here We are all the worse for license natural desires unless they feel fetters and prudent restraints grow unruly and excessive And therefore it is good to abate the liberty of the flesh that the body may be a Servant and not a Master when you deny your selves in nothing but satisfy every vain Appetite a custom grows upon the soul and intemperance proves a Trade and an habituated distemper so that you cannot when you would upon prudent and pious respects refrain and command your desires And therefore 't is good sometimes to thwart and vex the flesh as David poured out the water of Bethlem that he longed for 2 Sam. 23. 17. not to deny our selves in what we affect and covet lust grows into a wanton and bold and imperious and so prescribes upon us and we are brought under the power of these things 2. The businesse and cares of this World For these immoderately followed and not in obedience to God are a sore burden and makes the soul heavie and allows no time and strength for God and his Service and those happy opportunities of private communion with him When we are incumbred with much service we neglect that one thing necessary Luke 10. 42. and therefore Christians must take heed that the lean Kine do not devour the fat that Sarah be not thrown out of doors in stead of Hagar that Religion be not thrust to the Walls which should be our prime and chief businesse while every businesse hath its time and course The Scriptures knowing the pronenesse of our hearts to temporal things deals with us as we do with a crooked stick we bend it so much the other way and therefore sometimes they forbid necessary labour John 6. 28. Labour not for the meat which perisheth c. the meaning is not chiefly but it bends the stick another way Set not your affections on things on the Earth A man must have some kind of affection to his Work here below but we had need to be bent the other way We may gather this from this Precept 'T is better to incroach upon the world then the world should encroach upon godliness In short Things are a burden and clog to us according as our delight and scope is If the pomp and encrease of the World be our end and scope then Religion will be looked upon as a burden that will be a weight and all duties of godlinesse as a melancholy interruption as they Amos 2. 8. When will the Sabbath be over The exercise of godlinesse will be a troublesome thing and we shall go about the Work of Religion as if we went about it not But on the other side if Heaven and Heavenly things be our scope then the World is a burden and then we shall use it in the way but not abusing as taking up our rest here 1 Cor. 7. 31 32. Man hath a body and a soul and he doth provide for both but for one in subordination the soul is the chief and therefore we must not so look after the interests and concernments of the bodily life as to forget the interests of the soul or to neglect them Many will not so grosly Idolize present things so as to renounce things to come I but they so often follow the things of the world that they neglect their eternal concernments The happinesse of a people lies in communion with God and therefore that must be looked after we must take heed that the cares of the world have not such a hand and power over us as either to divert us from or unfit us for these higher and nobler pursuits the enjoyment of God in Christ. This is the first thing the Apostle speaks to these spiritual Raâ—…ers to lay aside every weight i. e. the delights of the flesh and the cares of the world Secondly The next thing to be laid aside is sin which doth so easily beset us As we must guard against things without so we must mortifie our corrupt inclinations within or else it will soon make us weary of our heavenly Race
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
beloved in the Lord stand and so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved In the next place by way of observation from the words and if there be any wicked catchers here let them know that I shall speak no more then I shall draw from and is the mind of my Text I would not give occasion to be a greater sufferer then I am like to be But for the words First For the melting Compellation My Brethren my dearly beloved Paul was an Apostle and an high Officer in the Church of God and he writ unto the Philippians to all the Philippians to the poorest of them and see how he bespeaks himself unto them my Brethren From hence take this observation That the highest Officers in the Church of Christ though they are indeed by office Rulers over them yet by relation they are no more then brethren to the meanest Saint Here we have no such Rabbies to whom we must swear because they say we must swear it Paul calls them Brethren and so writes to them Col. 1. 2. and Iames a Scriptural-Officer one of the highest Apostles Christ ever made saith Hearken my beloved Brethren Iam. 2. 5. so Peter an Apostle of Christ Wherefore the rather Brethren and Iohn the beloved Disciple Brethren I write no new commandment c. 1 Joh. 〈◊〉 7. Well then 3. If this be so that the highest officer in the Church of Christ such as Christ approves of are but brethren to the meanest Saint then certainly they are but brethren to their fellow-Officers If no more relation to the toe in the body then no more to the eyes If there be any of a light spirit will bear rule that love to have the preheminence I would desire them to read two Scriptures the first is Luke 22. 26. the second Mat. 20. 26 27. doth Christ say Whosoever will be chief among you let him be one that will domineer over your estates over your persons over your consciences doth not Christ say so no but whosoever will be chief among you let him be your Minister let him be your servant Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many You have this also Luke 22. 25. And he said unto them the Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them i. e. over their slaves over their vassals but ye shall not be so but he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve Sure if Paul be but a brother to Philip then he is no more to Timothy 2. If the highest Officers in the Church of Christ be but brethren to the meanest Saint then it is not for those brethren to Lord it over their fellow-brethren Lord it over Gods heritage Remember 't is Gods Heritage I hope your consciences will bear me witness that I have laboured as much as in me lies to be a helper of your joy not to Lord it over your faith 2 Cor. 1. 24 to presse or cause you in believe this or that because I believe it if this be allow'd then may I turn Papist tomorrow Saith Christ to him that would have had him speak to his brother to divide the inheritance with him Man who made me a Iudge over 〈◊〉 Luke 12. 14. So say I Man who made thee a Tyrant a Lord over thy fellow-brethren 1 Pet. 5. 3. Neither as beâ—… Lords over Gods heritage c. 3. If the highest Officers in the Church of Christ be but Brethren and no more then there should be no discord between those brethren Behold how good and pleasont it is for brethren to dwell together in 〈◊〉 And truly I may comfortably speak that and it is one of the greatest comsorts I have in the world I hope we have lived together in love blessed be God Let us not fall out saith Abrahim the elder to Let his younger Cousin for we are brethren Beloved the discords between Pastor and people have made the best musick in the ears of the Jesuits 4. Are Pastors nay the highest Officers that Jesus Christ hath and doth own in his Church but Brethren Oh! then let those brethren if they will appear before the Bar of their Father in Heaven with comfort take care of offending the souls of their Brethren for at the hand of every Brother God will require the soul of his Brother Ezek 33. 6. His blood will I require at the Watchmans hand We that are called by some the dogs of the flock what shall we prove dumb dogs What a comfort will it be to my dying brethren this day if they can but say Lord we are clear from the blood of our Brethren The Officers of Christ should never behave themselves so that they should give their people occasion to say We are brethren to Dragons But Ier. 9. 4. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour c. I would commend one Scripture to all my Brethren in the Ministry 1 Cor. 8. 13. A Scripture that I would have writ in letters of gold on the lintel-posts of all Ministers doors Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world stands left I make my brother to offend Rather then to endanger his soul I 'le away with all these toys and gew-gaws 5 From the terms of dearest affection dearly beloved longed for c. Take this observation that It becomes the highest Ministers much more the lowest to bear a most tender vehement ardent strong melting affection towards that stâ—…ck or people that God hath committed to their change Thus Paul to the Philippians in the Text My Brethen dearly beloved c. You shall find Paul in all his Epistles in a thawing frame to his people melting in love unto them The Corinthiâ—…ns were so in his heart noâ—… only to live with them but if God called him to die for them so abundantly did he love them 2 Cor. 12. 15. That he would very gladly spend and be spent for them carried them in his heart and longed after them all As for the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2. 8. He as a Nurse tendreth and nourisheth them as children and is so affectionately desirous of them that he is willing to impart them not only the Gospel but his own soul because they were dear to him Then 1. Is this so ought the Pastors so to love their people Give me leave to bespeak you in the words of Iob in respect of those hundreds of Ministers that are to be plucked from their people Have pity upon me have pity upon me ohâ—…ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me Iob 19. 21. What will nothing serve but plucking out our very eyes our very heart being so much the objects of the Peoples love How sad is it for the Father to be plucked from the Childe the Shepherd from the Flock the Nurse from the Childe this is a Lamentation and
for ought we know fall unless thou dost support them What Lord dost thou complain of a flock of sheep that are scattered oh there 's no wonder in it their Shepherd is gone Do you look on it as a strange thing to see a poor Ship to be tossed here and there in the Sea when their Pilot is destroyed why Mother is it a strange thing for your Children to fall and knock their Arms Legs their Brains out why their Mother is taken from them oh poor people good God provide for this Congregation I and this City that let defacing abominable wretches say what they will is certainly one of the best Cities God hath in the world and therefore they hate it so desperately because God loves it and because they hate that God that loves it I bless God I can speak of my own people they are not a mad pestiserous people for the most of them How many thousands have their hearts at their mouthes now at this time before God in England alas alas that we should ever have our Seers carried away from us but what think you when poor people shall be exposed to greater temptations to an Ulcer in the very Kidneys to a Plague in the very Heart or Head you now fear it but when you feel it what then 2. By way of Exhortation Beloved I remember good Iacob when he was come into Egypt and ready to die calls his children together and before he dies blesseth his children I cannot say you are my children but I can truly say in the strength of God You are dearer to me then the children of my own bowels I remember what poor Esau said Hast thou but one blessing my Father Bless me even me also oh my Father Oh! beloved I have a few blessings for you I have a few words of Exhortation for you and for Gods sake take them as if they dropt from my lips when dying 't is very probable we shall never meet more while the day of Judgement what ever others think I am utterly against all irregular waies I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bless the Lord never had a hand in any change of Government in all my life I am for prayers ears quietness submission and meekness and let God do his work and thiâ—… will be the best done when he doth it Therefore be exhorted to stand fâ—…st in the Lord My own people hear me now though you should never hear me more be exhorted to stand fast in the Lord you are not a Schismatical Heretical people I do not know the lesst person among you enclining to Popeâ—…y Therefore be exhorted as ye have been a people that have waited upon the Ordinances of God that have not persecuted your poor Minister that have made it your design and business to live lovingly quietly and as it becomes Christians I am confident a Minister may live as comfortably among you as among any people in England So be ye stedfast unmovable alwaies abounding in the Work of the Lord for as much as you know that your lahour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Here I had prepared I confess several arguments to have moved you to this stedfastness 1. I could have told you that with drawing of any one of you back you will meet with great temptations which will very much unfit you for Heaven If any man or woman draw back my soul saith God shall have no pleasure in him I could have urged you with examples from the Heathens Alexander being in India bid them tell him the greatest rarity in their Countrey Sir go tell them say they when you come to Greece there are many here that cannot be forced by the prowess of Alexander to change their minds I know there are some here that cannot be easily perswaded to change their Religion Saith Lactantius our very women torment their tormentors I would never desire a more able disputant than a woman against a Monk 2. I could tell you of those enjoyments God hath put on you our miseries have been great but our mercies have been greater I could tell you of six troubles and of seven of six wherein God hath stood by and of seven wherein he hath not forsaken and the truth is he cannot forsake his people he may forsake them as for comfort he will never forsake them as for support let him lay on a burden he will be sure to strengthen the back 3. I hope 't is not dangerous if I tell you you are ingaged to God there are vows upon you Baptismal vows to say no more you have sworn to God you have lifted up your hands you are those that have undertaken that you would be true to God to your lives end if these vows have been any way strengthened Oh! remember Zedekiahs case Ezr. 17. 18. 19. Seeing he despised the oath by beeaking the covenant when lo he had given his hand and hath done all these things he shall not escape therefore thus saith the Lord God as I live surely mine oath that he hath despised and my covenant that hâ—… hath broken even it will I recompence upon his own head Remember it you may play fast and loose with man you must not think ever to carry it away by playing fast and loose with God 4. If you should not stand you loose all you have wrought all your prayers tears professions practises sufferings are all gone if you give out at last c. 5. While you stand by God God hath promised to stand with you and the truth is if I have but one God 't is no great matter for all the tyles in worms There be a 1000 devils but all those devils are in one chain and the end of that chain is in the hand of one God oh God will shew himself strong 2 Cor. 1. 69. For the eyes of the Lord run too and froâ—…through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him Quest. But what shall I do to stand Ans. 1. If ever you would stand if ever you would be firm standing Christians indeed take heed you be not light and proud Christians a feather will never stand against a whirlwind Errour and Prophaneness are most apt to breed in proud hearts The Proud and Blasphemers are put together 2 Tim. 3. 2. Be but humble Christians that 's the way to be standing steady Christians if ever you would be steady in your stations you must be low in your own eyes do not you go and judge And now we shall have another kind of Religion come up as we have had it a great while such a man cannot be an honest man alas he is a Presbyterian he 's an Independant he 's an Anabaptist c. Now all our great business will be such a man cannot be a good an honest man for he doth not conform on the other side he cannot be an honest man for he doth conform These are poor things I bless God I lay not