one glimpse thereof in the Transfiguration put Peter in a trance Christ ascended to be glorified 3. It was expedient for us that Christ should ascend Obj. O but how can these things be how much better had it been for us to have had Christs bodily presence still on Earth What a deal of good did he by his Life Doctrine Miracles Compassion on the Poor Blind Diseased that cryed for help for themselves children and servants Lord hadst thou been here my brother had not dyed said Martha So may poor desolate souls say Lord hadst thou been on Earth still this evil and that storm had not come upon the Church or particular members of it Expedient Christ go O leave us not Answ In general Saddest providences and most terrible things whereby God answereth his People often carry a great deal of sweetness and comfort in them which we through ignorance and unbelief hardly discern Christians often loose much by poring on present or imminent evils and not looking to the sweet Result and glorious issue thereof We walk too much by sence and too little eye by Faith the things that are not seen Thus the Disciples were loth to hear that Christ must be put to death When he was buryed We trusted say two of them Luke 24.21 it had been he that should have redeemed Israel Their Faith was low not considering that he came to give his Life a Ransome for many Such fools so slow of heart are we to believe Thus when Christ told the Disciples I go my way to him that sent me They asked him not whither goest thou and therefore sorrow filled their hearts John 16.5 6 7. they did not look to the sweet Fruit which they should reap of his Departure they would have found cause of joy had they seriously considered that Christ went to his Father and their Father to his God and their God But particularly You have Christ's Word for it which should silence all objections and questioning thoughts John 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away There were four Expediencies of Christ's Ascension in respect of us 1. It was expedient for us that Christ should ascend that he might in our nature as our Head and Surety take possession of Heaven for us Heb. 6.20 Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus He had purchased the Inheritance and paid the price and he went to have seizen and possession for us John 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you 2. Christ's Ascension was expedient for us that he might intercede for us in Heaven and now appear in the Presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 and that we might have that consolation 1 Joh. 2.2 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And Heb. 7.25 He ever liveth to make intercession We have a constant and skilful faithful Sollicitor in the Court of Heaven pleading our cause Is the Church militant oppressed Jesus the Angel of the Covenant pleadeth How long Lord wilt thou be angry Zech. 1.12 and he is answered with good and comfortable words I am returned with Mercies to Jerusalem as it follows ver 16. The Lord Christ standeth as with a golden Censer having much Incense which he offereth with the Prayers of Saints on the Golden Altar before the Throne the Smoak of which Incense with the Prayers of the Saints ascendeth before God out of the Angels Hand When his People pray on Earth He as their Sollicitor procureth a Grant in Heaven which he sometimes sendeth down by a swift Messenger So he did to Daniel and Cornelius So that now being ascended Believers may triumph Who shall condemn It is Christ that died is risen again is at the Right Hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 3. It was expedient for us that Christ should ascend that he might send the Spirit the Comforter Joh. 16.7 If I go away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him to you The sending of the Spiriâ— to lead Believers into Truth to convince the World to help Believers Infirmities to quicken to comfort to stablish them and to abide with them to the end of the World is the fruit of Christs Ascension 4. Christ's Ascension was expedient to assure us that he hath fully satisfied Justice for the sins of his Elect and left nothing undone of the great Work which he undertook Heb. 9.12 By his own Blood he entred once into the holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us His sitting at the Right Hand of God is an evidence that he hath obtained for us Eternal Redemption In his Ascension he triumphed over all Enemies He had spoiled Principalities spoiled them of their Prey having rescued his Elect spoiled them of their Dominion and Power over his Sheep He had cast out the Prince of this World the Accuser of the Brethren and He made shew of them openly Col. 2.15 Christ having overcome Death and Hell declareth his Conquest in ascending as a Conqueror into Heaven Take the Application in four Particulars briefly 1. Christ is gone to Heaven Be not deceived by false christ's Such shall come Mat. 24.24 O remember he is not here but ascended as he told his Disciples Seek not then a bodily presence in the Sacrament The Heavens must contain him Acts 3.21 The Martyrs who burned at the Stake not for ceremonies c. as some would have it but for denying Transubstantiation or the bodily Presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper however now-a-dayes some bespatter them had a sure Foundation to build on The Scripture makes it plain that Christ's Body is in Heaven 2. Christ is gone into Heaven Christians let your hearts be there Seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 Why do ye grovel on Earth when Christ your best Friend is in Heaven What on Earth can satisfie or what is to be desired when Christ is gone Well may Believers desire with the Apostle Phil. 1â— 23 to be dissolved and be with Christ which is far better 3. Let us prepare for Christ's Coming from Heaven Phil. 3.20 Behold He cometh quickly in like manner as he ascended but more gloriously attended more manifest every eye shall see him Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find watching Luke 12.37 We are left to trade with talents our Lord will come and reckon with us Mat. 25.19 Be ready for the Son of Man cometh in an hour when ye think not Luke 12.40 O let us watch 4. Lastly Be comforted Christ our Fore-runner is in Heaven He is gone but he went about our business This providence of Christ's departing looketh with a bitter aspect it is doleful to consider Christ is Gone But as Jacob's Spirit revived when he knew Joseph was alive so it is exceeding comfortable for drooping distressed souls to consider Christ hath taken possession of a
given Him the Tongue of the Learned to speak a word in due season to him that is weary anointed Him to comfort them that mourn and he giveth his Disciples a Cordial to keep them from swooning and fainting something to allay their grief and bear up their hearts they could ill let him go except he bless them and He giveth them a rich Legacy My Peace I give unto you John 14.27 and here a Blessing which proved very effactual to turn their grief into Joy For it followeth in the next verse after my Text They returned to Jerusalem with great Joy 5. Jesus Christ would have all his People know That He will pour down Showrs of Blessing on his Church and People to the End of the World This Blessing at his parting shall prevail on all Ages to the strong Consolation of Believers The Efficacy of it abideth and shall be on the head of Joseph on the top of the heads of such as are chosen out of the world Christ's good Will was not only to his Disciples but also to all that shall believe through their word John 17.20 6. Jesus Christ ascended Blessing that he might arm his Disciples against Persecutions and Difficulties which they must afterwards encounter He knew they must meet with much Contradiction in preaching of the Gospel that they must seal his Truths with their Blood and drink of the Cup which he drank And to animate them he will have them eye-witnesses of his Ascension and as Elijah let his Mantle fall on Elisha he lets a Blessing alight upon them 7. The Lord Jesus would declare That he hath taken away the Curse from his People and hath Authority to bless Gal. 3.13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us that the Blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles Christ by his Death and Sufferings hath turned the Curse into a Blessing blotting out the hand-writing against us and as Conquerours use to give gifts so He in his Ascension gave and pronounced Blessings among his People It was his Coronation Day the Day of the gladness of his heart he was entring into his Ivory-Palace with gladness where all the Host of Heaven must ascribe Glory to Him And He will have some of his Oyl of Gladness run down upon his Members here on Earth 8. Lastly Jesus Christ would well fill up all Relations in which he stood to his Disciples and be as good and better in point of Love and Faithfulness in such Offices and Relations than ever any was Four sorts of Offices and Relations used to bless especially at parting 1. Parents did bless their Children so did the godly Patriarchs and Job and David c. 2. Masters their Housholds and Servants Abraham blessed his Servant Gen. 24.7 3. Kings and Rulers blessed their People Moses Solomon Hezekiah and Esther prayed for their People Melchisedec King of Salem blessed Abraham Gen. 14.18 Blessed be Abraham of the Most High God 4. Ecclesiastical Officers Priests and Levites and Prophets under the Law Melchisedec Priest of the Most High God blessed Abraham And Ministers extraordinary and ordinary under the Gospel bless People Now Jesus Christ stood in such Relations to his People He is their Father Isa 9.6 Heb 2.13 14. and puts the Blessing of a Father on them their Master and blesseth the Houshold of Faith Their King and fulfilled that Type of Melchisedec's Blessing Heb. 7.1 6. As Prophet and Priest yea Apostle and High Priest of our Profession at his entring into Heaven he with hands lift up imparteth a Blessing on his People I come now to make some use of this point And first Seeing the Lord Jesus went to Heaven blessing his Disciples let us all learn of him to bless and not curse yea to bless them that persecute us Rom. 12.14 Here you have an exact patern the best Teacher follow his steps Render not railing for railing but contrariwise Blessing for ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a Blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 Here is a fair Copy to write after a good Lesson well becoming true Christians When Christ was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatened not 1 Pet. 2.23 His last farewel was Blessing Alas Christians we know not what spirit we are of for trivial injuries ready to be calling for fire from Heaven and to have our tongues full of deadly poyson and set on fire of Hell Therewith bless we God even the Father and therewith curse we man made after the similitude of God Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing My Brethren these things ought not so to be Jam. 3.8 9.10 O consider for the moderating of our spirits and tongues Jesus Christ suffered Contradiction of sinners was spit upon and had the highest injuries and greatest affronts offered him and though he could have commanded twelve Legions of Angels to have aided him yet he came as a Lamb to the slaughter and opened not his mouth nay he prayed Father forgive them Luke 23.34 His own Disciples shewed a great deal of unbelief and disobedience forsook him in the hour of darkness and had many ambitious thoughts and much selfiish discourse yet his Love covered a multitude of faults so as he blessed them at parting O let the same mind be in you that was in Christ be meek and lowly be courteous and pittiful forbearing one another and forgiving one another as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Let the Fruits of the Spirit Love and Peace and Meekness be found in you and abound 2. Use Christ going to Heaven solemnly blessing should teach us to expect all Blessings from Heaven only through Christ and that all the Blessings of the New-Covenant are dispensed by the hand of the Mediator only in him shall men be blessed Mens blessings are but blanks cyphers vain and of no value except Christ bless There is that blesseth himself in his wickedness saying I shall have peace Deut. 29.19 but in vain God's anger will smoke against that man There is no peace to the wicked The wicked flattereth himself Psal 26.2 but his iniquity will be found to be hatefull There are that bless the covetous but the Lord abhoreth them Psal 10.3 A sorry bargain to have mâ—n acquit and the Lord held guilty mans blessing will stand in little stead when the Lord shall say Depart ye cursed It is not in all the creatures to render him a blessed man whom Christ doth not bless To proceed There is no blessing to be had from God but only through Christ Christ is the Emmanuel through whom there is peace on Earth and goodwill towards men he is the true Mercy-Seat with the wings of the Cherubims spread over it whence the Lord will commune with his People He is the true Jacobs Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven from the top whereof the Lord declareth he is his Peoples God and will be with them in all places whithersoever
they go Gen. 28.12.13 We read Ruth 4.5 At what time the Kinsman must have the inheritance he must have it at the hand of Ruth to allude hereto You can never inherit the Blessing unless you be espoused to Christ Ye shall not see my face said Joseph except your brother be with you So here no seeing the face of God with comfort nor prayer heard nor person accepted nor sin pardoned no souls reconciled no Blessing obtained but through Christ Prayers are but as howlings if they be not put up in the Name of Christ the only Mediator Read Heb. 12.18 c. you shall find the misery of souls without Christ but their happiness being come to the Mediator of the New-Testament Out of Christ we have to do with God from Mount Sinai in thunderings and lightnings in tempest and terrible voices but through Christ from Mount Sion whence better things are spoken than Abels blood spake So Ephes 2.12 c. Without Christ and afar off without God having no hope strangers to the promise But through Christ made nigh reconciled fellow-citizens with the Saints of the household of God the partition-wall broken down he is our peace God is a terrible Judg a consuming Fire to men out of Christ but in him a Gracious Father reconciling this world to himself not imputing iniquities Ephes 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings But how or for whose sake Why in Christ only on his account In him we have redemption the remssion of sin ver 7. God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Ephes 4.32 Jesus Christ is the Light of the world without which darkness horrour and perpetual confusion had been upon all mankind the onely Foundation to stand against Hell gates no other Name given whereby we can be saved The way by which we draw near to God with hope to speed is consecrated through his blood the grand encouragements we have in our addresses to God are Christ's Merit and Mediation Jesus Christ is the only door at which God giveth his dole of Blessings and by which we can enter into the Fathers presence and favour He is the gate of Heaven He is all in all My dear People The time of my departure from you not voluntary but constrained seemeth now at hand possibly I am speaking the words of a dying man and may see your faces no more in this place 't is my comfort I have not kept back any thing that is profitable for you nor shunned to declare to you all the Counsel of God But have to my ability taught you to observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded for so runs my Commission Mat. 28.20 And let me tell you I dare not exceed knowing that terrible Commination Deut. 18.20 The Prophet that shall presume to speak a word in my Name which I have not commanded him to speak even that Prophet shall die And Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and teach men so he shall be called the Least in the Kingdom of Heaven The Scripture tels me what things I must teach and exhort And if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine according to Godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doting c. 1 Tim. 6.1 2. Could I find the things which it is probable are shutting the mouths of many hundreds of learned consciencious Ministers expressed in or by good consequence to be drawn from the Scriptures which I am sure are sufficient to furnish the Man of God throughly to every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 I would not for a World divest my self of the Liberty of my Ministry nor bereave my self my wife and little ones of our Livelihood nay I would willingly practise them and teach you so to to I this day appeal to the most High with the Prophet Jer. 17.16 As for me I have not hastened from being a Pastor to follow thee O Lord thou knowest Most gladly would I have continued preaching Christ Jesus the Lord furthering your Faith and Joy and driving on the great Marriage between Christ and your Souls but sure I am my Lord needeth not my sinning to carry on his Work amongst you neither will I charge him with unfaithfulness nor his Word with deficiency in pretending to mine own faithfulness in the Ministerial Function but I 'le patiently commit my self to Him that judgeth righteously endeavouring to follow his steps who became poor that we might be made rich and suffered greater things for me than I can do for him On Him I desire to be found waiting and keeping his Way who hath the giving of the Opening of the Mouth and is thereby known to be the Lord Ezek. 29.21 He that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth can if he please restore our Liberties and pleasant things if not here am I let him do what is good in his fight The Will of the Lord be done Why should I part with you repining or murmuring at a churlish unkind World whilst it is evident the World hated him before it hated us and my Text tels us that Christ blessed his Disciples at his parting and Ascension Now the Lord Christ who went to Heaven blessing bless you this day with the best of Blessings the sure Mercies of David and lasting Benefits of the everlasting Covenant The Lord Jesus the good Shepherd who gave his Life for the Sheep be your Shepherd and cause showers of Blessings from Heaven on your Souls Bodies Children Families and Estates And God even the Father for Christ's sake grant that you and I who are this day parting with grieved hearts may at last meet with joy having all tears wiped from our eyes and every sad thought taken from our hearts to be ever with the Lord at whose right-hand are pleasures for evermore And God the holy Ghost abide with you and me to guide us into Truth to stablish us in the Truth and comfort our hearts unto the end of the world The Lord be with you all And are we parting Suffer I beseech you this word of Exhortation In the last day that great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cryed If any man thirst let him come to me and drink John 7.37 The Apostle at Troas ready to depart the morrow preached long at his parting with the Elders of the Church of Ephesus who must see his face no more how fervently did he preach and pray Acts 20. Two of Luthers wishes were That he might have seen Christ in the flesh and have heard Paul preach But my Brethren what tongue can express the worth of their Farewel-Sermons Though I be a weak earthen vessel a reed shaken with the wind yet shall not my mouth be open and my heart enlarged when I must preach to you no more And am I leaving you My Beloved and longed-for how gladly would
Calls his Sheep hear his Voice and know not the voice of strangers give him your eye look unto him and be saved give him your hand and feet to do what he commandeth and come when he calleth give him your knee to bow to him not meerly in a complement but to submit to his Laws and obey him as King and Lord especially give him your hearts let him be enthroned there Lift the everlasting Doors that the King of Glory may enter With the tongue you must confess and with the heart believe that you may be saved And take him for yours for ever abide for him for many dayes Beware of Apostacy by which Judas lost the Blessing and went to his own place You see Brethren al blessings are to be expected only through Christ I beseech you go home and work these things on your hearts by meditation wrestle for a Blessing say Lord Jesus who blessedst thy Disciples bless me even me also I will not let thee go unless thou bless me cry to him as the blind lame and diseased cryed when he was on earth Jesus have Mercy on us and believe that he is able willing and ready to bless you As for me God forbid I should cease to pray for you that the Lord would put his Blessing on you One thing further let me mind you of That you be much in blessing God for his Love and Faithfulness in giving his Son and ascribing Blessing and Praise to the Lord Jesus for all spiritual Blessings and for going to Heaven blessing his People Especially I charge you be careful to spend the Lords Day which is precious time which he hath sequestred and set apart for himself in a thankful Commemoration of Jesus Christ his Grace and Compassion to poor sinners and not in sports and past-times study what you shall render to him in lieu of such superlative and incomparable Love and in a due Sanctification of the Lord's Day endeavour that the Name of Christ may be remembred through out all Ages The third and last Use is Consolation for I would not leave you comfortless 1. Here is abundant Encouragement to poor sinners to come to Christ you that have trembling hearts and dare scarce look up to Christ by reason of your sins lest he call you Dogs and cast you out who are ready to say There is indeed Consolation in Christ and he hath Blessings enough to bestow but they are not for me let me tell you it is good to be humble and sensible of your own vileness but not to be faithless and unbelieving for unbelief is highly derogatory dishonourable to Jesus Christ and wrong to your own souls a rejecting of your own mercy I could also tell you it is the most unreasonable thing for you to question Christ's pitty and tenderness towards poor heavy laden sinners after that he hath from Eternity had his delights with the sons of men Prov. 8.31 And in Noahs time he was preaching to save souls would they have believed and obeyed He sent all his Prophets of old to testifie remission of sins to all that believe in Him Acts 10.43 The Prophets testifie his tenderness Consult Isa 55. the seven first verses Ho every one that thirsteth He will abundantly pardon Isa 40.11 He shall gather the Lambs and carry them in his bosome Isa 42.3 A bruised Reed shall he not break Isa 61.1 2 3. He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted Ezek. 18.23 Have I any pleasure that the wicked should dye Psal 72.12 13 14. He shall save the souls of the needy You have his own Testimony John 6.37 Them that come to me I will in no wise cast out You have the Experiences of the Saints recorded for your encouragement The Apostle Paul who was a Persecutor and confesseth himself the chief of sinners yet he obtained Mercy The thief upon the Cross though before he reviled Christ yet praying obtained a very gracious Answer Nay consider what Christ hath done to shew himself in good earnest to save souls He knew what a bitter Cup he must drink yet Loe I come he became our Surety and longed to have our debt paid and his People redeemed Luke 12.50 He was wondrously straitned till his Baptism of Blood was accomplished He hath sent his Apostles after such signal Manifestations of Grace to testifie it And in his Name my Beloved I am this day declaring to you That he is very willing and ready to receive any that will come to him and would gather you as a Hen doth her Chickens under her wings never did any find him backward nay He is more willing to bless you than you are to receive his Blessings It 's some satisfaction when men will come that he may see the travel of his soul Isa 53.11 He taketh it ill that we are so backward in coming He loved the young-man that came running kneeling enquiring Good Master what shall I do c. and had the young-man liked the terms the match had been made the breach was not on Christ's part Nay Luke 15. he sheweth there is joy in Heaven over one repenting sinner in three Parables Draw near then thou drooping dejected soul come and see not only the Hands and Feet of thy Saviour put not only thy hands into his pierced Side But behold the heart of thy Redeemer behold thy Lord lifting up his Hands and Blessing and see if there be not ground to cry out My Lord and my God Had you seen Him after sweating drops of Blood for you ascending with such Expressions of hearty Love could you have doubted Had you seen his Hands lifted up in blessing his People on Earth at his last farewel could you doubt of his willingness to bless you 2. Here is Comfort for the People of God amidst all the Curses and Persecutions of the world Be not afraid no matter who curse so Christ bless Psal 109. Let them curse but bless thou Christ's Blessing is your Pavilion from the strife of tongues For first Christ blesseth effectually Psal 37.22 when Christ will bless men cannot let Secondly Irrevocably When Christ blesseth men cannot reverse it Balaam could not curse Israel when God had blessed The Blessings of Christ are without Repentance Men now cry Hosanna anon crucifie but they whom Christ blesseth shall be blessed everlastingly Thirdly he blesseth such as bless his Servants and curseth them that curse them Gen. 12.3 Fourthly He blesseth his People for mens cursing 2 Sam. 16.12 Fifthly He turneth the Curse into a Blessing Deut. 23.5 Sixthly He hath variety of Blessings Blessings of the Dew of Heaven and of the Deep Esau cryed Hast thou but one Blessing bless me also O my Father But Christ's Blessings are an Ocean never exhausted He is a Sun full of Light after so many thousand years emanation of Blessings and irradiation of the World therewith he is as full as ever He is a Fountain always flowing and ever full He hath national Blessings pardon of sin
Jacob to all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles to such as are the most Excellent of the Earth the Worlds wonder Angels delight the Chariots and Horsemen of the Nations the brazen walls and gates of the Kingdoms they live in Grace investeth us with the same priviledges as the richest Saints of the world ever have enjoyed the same Justification the same Reconciliation the same Adoption the same Life eternal and Glorification Secondly If true Christians be Brethren than this may exhort us to several duties 1. To live in love amongst our selves the very term bespeaketh affection and the affection should never cease so long as the relation endures Who should love more than those who are united in the same Head and Hope and cemented with the same blood of Christ It was an honour to Religion once and therefore the Heathens said Aspice ut se mutuo diligunt Christiani See how these Christians love one another But alas may we not say See how they hate one another O take heed of discreditting your Profession of opening the mouths and hardening the hearts of the wicked by envie hatred or want of love one to another It was the Exhortation of John to his People when he could preach no more in the Pulpit that they love one another and it shall be mine in these my dying words that you love as Brethren And as the foundation of this relation is more excellent than others so let our love be more fervent and intensive 2. Labour to maintain peace and unity This is good and pleasant to behold Psal 135.1 Let it not be said that a legion of Devils can live in one man in peace and unity and yet Christians cannot Let not inferiours go beyond the bounds of their duty and place neither let Superiors stand too much upon their Prerogatives but rather for peace sake to abate of what they might justly chalenge upon their superiority the richer the elder the nobler you are the more endeavor to be good examples to others condescending to the infirmities of the weak that the golden bond of peace be not broken we see this in Abraham who though he was elder yet for peace sake gave liberty to Lot his younger to chose which way he would go to feed his cattel And Abraham said to Lot Let there be no strife between me and thee between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen for we are Brethren Gen. 13.4 Labour to be of the same judgment in matters of Religion it is pleasant to see Brethren of the same mind in matters of Religion Consonant sounds upon Musical Instruments sweeten the melody there was no hammer nor ax nor any tool of Iron heard in Solomons Temple while it was in building neither should there be heard or seen discords in the House of God Divisions of judgments blunt the edge of Christians love abate the fervency of affection create distance and shiness of society amongst familiars gratifies Satan grieves the Spirit of God weakens Christ's Kingdom and exposeth a People to ruine A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand and if one member of the body should fight with another and each member of the body scratch tear and rend one another how deformed weak and near to ruine would that be Unapt sounds upon Musical Instruments spoyl the melody the divisions of the Church of Corinth sounded harshly in the Apostles ears some said they were of Paul others of Apollos others of Cephas If you would be comforts and helps one to another if you would be a credit to your Profession and comfort and rejoyceing to your Minister live in unity of judgment in matters of Religion contend not for the shadow and lose the substance Be not substantial about circumstances and circumstantial about Substances In the language of the Apostle I beseech you Brethren that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same judgment 1 Cor. 1.10 4. Be ready to help and succour one another Nature hath created a Sympathy and Compassion in every relation The mother pitties and abundantly tenders her sick child doth all she can to do it good to ease it under pain to recover it from pain and sickness One brother is ready to condole with the sufferings of another to supply his wants to defend him in danger As Moses the Israelite whom the Egyptian wronged Exod. 2.11 12. and how much more should Brethren in Grace the dearer the Relation the more tender Affection As Brethren sympathize ye one with another Succour such as are tempted reduce such as wander satisfie the scrupulous confirm such as are staggering and raise such as are fallen by Prayers for them by Counsels by Exhortations Improve your Gifts and Abilities your Graces and Experiences to relieve and succour them in spirituals as you would be ready to assist them in temporals with your estates 5. Ministers should not lord it over Gods Heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 they should not imperiously lord it over them nor lay greater burdens upon their Consciences than Jesus Christ hath impos'd We must do all things for their edification not any thing for their destruction We must further not hinder them in their progress to Heaven take away occasions not lay stones of stumbling before them How disgraceful and intolerable would it be to see one Brother to grow proud lordly and domineering over the other would not every one cry shame upon it And shall those whom Grace hath made equal usurp Authority and rule one over another when Christ hath not given such authority and jurisdiction And as Ministers must not lord it over the Consciences of their Flock so one Minister must not act Authority over another The Apostle Paul was a man extraordinarily called and qualified and so had an Authority over other Ministers but when this extraordinary Mission ceased the Superiority of Jurisdiction ceased also And though he was an Apostle yet he acted not imperiously over the Presbyters but called them Brethren neither had he Jacobs voice and Esaus hand he spake not as a Lamb and acted like a Lyon but his carriage and deportment was a comment upon the name Where Christ hath given no superiority of power and jurisdiction let no man claim it lest he be found an Usurper whom the Apostle calls in one place Bishops in another place he calleth Presbyters as in this place he calleth the Ministers of the Church of Ephesus Presbyters ver 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He called together the Presbyters of the Church And in ver 28. he calls them Bishops Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the flock over whom the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath made or placed you Bishops or Overseers And the same Apostle in his Epistle to Titus calls Ministers Presbyters Chap 1.5 and the same he calls Bishops ver 7. Now if Presbyters Bishops had not been one and the same but names of dinstict Office Jurisdiction and Power the Apostle's reasons
be commanded 2. It is to love him more than all other things to love him with a transcendant love John 21.15 Lovest thou me more than these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more than these Nets Gain Profits Pleasures Credit or Life it self or more than these persons thy fellow Disciples Luke 14.26 If any man come after me and hate not his father and mother wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple So Mat. 4.20 22. The Disciples left their Father Nets Ships they forsook all to follow Christ Abraham forsook his Country and his Father's house in obedience to God's Call Acts 19.19 Those Converts forsook their Gain and their gainful Trades for Christ and the Gospel 3. It is to love whole Christ Christ in all his Offices to love him as our Prophet to submit to his instruction Acts 3.23 every soul that will not hear that Prophot shall be destroyed from amongst the People It is to love him as our King to submit to his Goverment to be ruled by his Laws to live according to his Gospel to suffer no other Lord besides him to have Dominion over us Luke 19.27 Those mine enemies which would not that I should Reign over them c. It is to love him as our Sanctification to be as willing to save 〈◊〉 from our sins as from Hell 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made of God to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. 4. To love him for himself and not only for his benefits This is love of complacency love of delight when we love Christ as the Apostles and the good Women who loved him in disgrace in his poverty that ministred to him of their substance Luke 8.3 who followed him naked stripped condemned hanging on the Cross Luke 22.33 Lord I am ready to go with thee into prison to death That is Amor concupiscentiae Love of our selves when we love him only foâ— gaine for what he brings along with him as the People John 6.26 who followed him for the loaves who would needs have made him King when he fed so many thousands with a few loavs they thought him a fit man to victual a camp to maintain an Army with light charge to deliver them from their subjection to the Romane Empire This is not sincere love such love is not lasting when the hope of gain and advantage is gone this love will be gone Now follow the Reasons of the Point 1. It is the character of a right Christian to love Jesus Christ in sincerity Because he is altogether lovely In him concurre what ever is requisit to the object of love As 1. Goodness is lovely Non amatur certe nisi bonum c. What ever we love we look upon it as good It either is so indeed or it appears so to us Jonâ—â—han upon this account loved David for his Vertue his Valour Prov. 24.26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer Wisdome Learning Ingenuity and such like graces procure Love Mark 10.21 Jesus beholding him loved him for his ingenuity Therefore Saints love the Lord Jesus Christ for he is good goodness it self Psal 45.2 Grace is poured into thy lips Cant. 1.3 Therefore do the Virgins love thee There is none good but God and Jesus Christ he is eminently good infinitely good he received not the Spirit of Grace by measure but in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily He is the Fountain of all goodness the good in the creature is derived from his goodness a drop of his Ocean a beam from the Sun of Righteousness of his fulness we all receive 2. Beauty is amiable therefore Jacob loved Rachel Ahasuerus loved Esther Upon this account Jesus Christ is most lovely who is the brightness of his Fathers Glory the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 Though carnal eyes see not his beauty Isa 53.2 3. He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him But the Faithful who looked on him with spiritual eyes beheld his Glory The Glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth John 1.14 3. Similitude likeness of nature and manners procureth love except it be by accident as a proud person hateth one that is as proud as himself and so doth one of the same calling envy another of the same profession Non in quantum est similis sed in quantum est proprii boni impeditivus as Aquinas gives the reason Now in this respect Jesus Christ hath highly merited a Christians love because he took on him humane nature and became like to us in all things save sin Heb 2.16 For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Noah by falling into sin fell into shame and lay uncovered in his tent to the derision of his ungracious son Ham Sem and Japhet his better-natured sons took a garment and for grief went backward not enduring to look upon their Fathers nakedness Our First Parents by disobedience exposed themselves to shame and derision and all their Posterity to ruine remediless had not the Lord Jesus gone backward that is from Heaven to earth and so covered poor man with his skirt lest the shame of our nakedness should appear There is a Law Lev. 25.25 If thy brother be poor c. Our Father Adam was seized on a fair Possession but he sold it for no valuable consideration he was never able to redeem it nor any of his kin for it cost more to redeem a soul The good Angels though as friends they might commiserate lost man yet were they not able to recover for him his forfeited inheritance Gods Favour and Eternal Happiness and if they had been able yet by Law they might not do it being not in a capacity because they were no kin to man The Son of God therefore being able to do this unspeakable kindness for fallen man as being God blessâ—â— for ever mighty to save took on him our flesh that he might be of kin to us and so by right in Law redeem that possession which our Father sold O therefore love the Lord all ye his Saints For 4. He hath loved us Magnes amoriâ— amor Love bâ—getteth love We love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.10 Lord he is worthy Luke 7.5 much more is Christ worthy For he loveth our Nation Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me The tongue of men and Angels is not able to set forth the height and length depth and breadth of the Love of God in Christ God so loved the World c. Rev. 1.5 To Him that loved us and washed away our sins in his own Blood be Glory and Love Service c. I purposely spare to add more Reasons of the point it being of it self so agreeable to reason and a thing confessed by all Christians Use 1. Of Instruction If
like manner David took his leave of Ittai 2 Sam. 15.20 Mercy and Truth be with thee Such was Christ's valedictory Prayer for his Apostles John 17. for Grace to be kept from the evil of sin ver 15. for Sanctification ver 17. for Unity c. Prov. 3.13 15. and 4.7 Wisdom i.e. Wisdom to Salvation Grace is the principal thing Reasons of the Point 1. Grace promoteth the highest end of man which is 1. the Glory of God to which end we were born and for which cause we came into the world 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Grace helps to serve God acceptably Heb. 12.28 Grace teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live godly c. Tit. 2.11 2. Reason teacheth to live as men Grace as Christians it enableth to every good work teacheth us to do our duty to God our neighbour to our selves It reacheth to pray acceptably to hear as the Word of God to keep Sabbath to shew mercy to forgive injuries to do all in obedience which maketh much to God's Glory 2. Reason Grace is the best thing for it promoteth the Salvation of the soul which is the best part Sin is the plague destruction of the soul 1 Kings 8.38 Grace healeth sanctifieth saveth the soul Sin infecteth every part faculty Grace sanctifieth all Sin blindeth the eye hardneth the heart poisoneth the affections corrupteth the life defileth deformeth the whole soul Grace enlightens the eyes softens the heart cleanseth beautifieth purifieth maketh lovely what Sin had made odious Eph. 2.5 By Grace ye are saved 3. Grace is the best thing for it makes a man better beneficial to others Riches honours prosperity render few better many worse Grace maketh bad Parents good and good ones better better Children better Husbands Wives better Ministers People Masters Servants better Neighbours Friends better in all Relations Without Grace a man is unprofitable hurtful Lions Bears are wicked men called in Scripture yea Dogs Swine for their brutish qualities Grace rectifies the crookedness of nature Emollit mores c. sweetens mens manners suffers them not to remain wild A heart taught by the Grace of God is full of pity and compassion sheweth mercy the hand helps relieveth the tongue speaks to comfort edification no corrupt communication is heard but gracious words from gracious hearts Col. 4.6 Paul wrought upon by Grace preacheth the Faith he once destroyed Gal. 1.23 Onesimus before Grace received was unprofitable but now by Grace converted is become profitable as his name imports Philem. 10. 4. The Excellency of Grace appears hence It renders a Christian acceptable to God as well as useful to man And that is the highest of a poor Christians ambition that he may find favour in the sight of his God that his services and sacrifices may come with acceptance before God Mal. 3.4 Parts gifts commend us to men only Grace giveth us favour approbation with God And this is the other branch of the Schools distinction Gratiae gratum facientes which they prefer to Gratiae gratis dâ—luâ—ta It is the prayer of the upright heart not of the voluâ—ble tongue that is God's delight Prov. 15.8 The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him that call upon him in truth Psal 145.18 But the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God Prov. 15.8 5. Grace is the best thing because it lasteth longest it endures for ever Riches are not for ever nor doth the Crown endure to all generations Prov. 27.24 Pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11.25 Carnal mirth is soon at an end like the crackling of thorns Eccl. 7.6 But Grace abideth 1 Cor. 13.13 And now abideth Faith Hope Charity 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 6. Grace is the best thing because it helpeth in time of most need Heb. 4. ult 1. Grace helpeth in time of affliction it comforteth quieteth the heart Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed Grace giveth interest in God who is a present help in trouble It interesteth in Gods Power Wisdom Mercy Goodness Grace can look up to God see him smile when men frown see him at peace in mans hatred Stephen looked up saw Heaven open Christ ready to receive him Paul saw the Lord encouraging Acts 23.11 Be of good chear Paul 2. Grace helpeth in the hour of death Prov. 14.32 The Righteous hath hope in his death When there is no comfort in Riches Offices Friends vain is the help of man Grace disarmeth the King of Terrors O Death where is thy sting Death is welcome to a gracious person as a messenger sent to conduct him to his Father's house to his own Country to his best Friends to Jesus Christ whom his soul loveth Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. 3. At the day of Judgement Grace will find favour will make the Judge our Friend our Advocate Grace will cloath the soul with Jesus Christ his Robes his Righteousness Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments Rev. 16.15 1. Use of Instruction 1. Take notice what a Blessing it is to enjoy the means of Grace to live in a valley of Vision to sit under a powerful Ministry to have the benefit of good Education religious Parents their Instruction and holy Example to have Bibles Catechisms Sabbath-dayes and Sacramental-dayes the Market-dayes for Grace by the blessing of God upon which the soul may be converted and â—e be made wise to Salvation Happy is that people that are in such a case yea thrice happy are they who improve the means to the Ends aforesaid happy we if we know in this our day the things that belong to our peace 2. Then the best pains labour cost that any of us can bestow is to lay out our selves in the getting of Grace that time is best spent which is spent for Grace With all thy getting get Understanding Prov. 4.7 saith Solomon And a greater than Solomon hath told us That Godliness is the best part Luke 20. ult Mary hath chosen the good part c. Whilest others are laying up riches that perish treasures that vanish away clothes that wax old gold and silver that rust Christians are storing their hearts with Grace Whilst others are making their Lands and temporal Estates sure Christians are making their Calling and Election sure Whilst others are laying hold on advantages for this present life Christians are laying hold on Eternal Life 3. The best portion Parents can lay up for their Children is not riches worldly greatness but Grace the favour of God interest in Christ and the Covenant of Grace The best Trade they can teach them is the fear of the Lord to keep holy the Lords Day to flie Vice to follow after Vertue to exercise them in Godliness The second Use is of Reproof To reprove the too slight esteem men have of the Grace of
109.8 Though he had the honour to be one of Christ's Disciples dignified with gifts ordinary and extraordinary yet his Apostacy procured him that dreadful Curse Wo be to that man it had been good for that man he had never been born They that were the constant followers of Christ whom he led out they are his blessed ones 3. Here is the action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he blessed them and in blessing or while he blessed twice mentioned that we should well consider it 4. The circumstances of this Farewel and they are three the Place the Time the Gesture 1. The Place Bethany it was a Village about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem the Town of Mary and Martha and Lazarus where Christ raised Lazarus John 11.1 8 18. Bethany at the mount of Olives so it is called Mark 11.1 Reverend Beza upon Act. 1. 12. where the Ascension of Christ seemeth to be from Mount Olivet understandeth by Bethany not strictly the Village but the whole tract containing the Mount of Olives and that from the Mount near Bethany Christ ascended You see Christ could make a house of affliction or poverty as Bethany signifieth a place of blessing he is not tied to places but where two or three are gathered in his Name there is he amongst them where true Worshippers are worshipping him in Spirit and Truth there will he come unto them and bless them He preached and pronounced blessing in the Monnt The Disciples John 20.19 were met in a house and had the doors shut for fear of the Jews and Christ came and said Peace be unto you He might at his Ascension have Blessed his Disciples in the Temple or holy City but he led them out to mount Olivet where or nigh to which Bethany stood And why Some say lest being seen new troubles should arise but the main reason is because he would have a select number to be eye witnesses to testifie to the world that he ascended according to Acts 10.40 41. Him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly not to all the People but unto Witnesses chosen before of God even unto us so Beza on Acts 1.12 Historia ipsa The History it self sheweth that Christ would not ascend into Heaven from some place where there were many Inhabitants or other Witnesses of his Ascension but took only his Disciples into some part of the Mount Olivet to be Witnesses of his departure from us in respect of the humane nature till the last day 2. The Time when he blessed them Just at his Ascension he had blessed them before and doth it now solemnly with hands lifted up it was the last thing he did on Earth He was seen of his Apostles forty dayes after his Resurrection and now that they must see him no longer on earth he would shew them not only his hands and his feet as sometimes he did for the strengthening of their Faith but his heart enlarged in love and compassion his bowels yearning towards them he here kisseth them with the kisses of his mouth and his lips drop sweet smelling Myrrhe on them he speaks kindly to them Blesseth them and while he Blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he departed 3. The Gesture used in Blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He lift up his hands Where observe it is arrogance and great presumption in the Papists to say for the upholding of their Crucifixes and Crossings that its very like that Christ Blessed them with his arms cross as Jacob Blessed Joseph's Sons Gen. 48.17 See Rhem. Testam Where Jacob as is evident from the text laid his right hand on the head of the younger by a Spirit of prophecy fore-telling that he should be the greater and at not all in favour of any their superstitious use of the sign of the Cross whereof Valentinus the Heretick was the first that made any great account as Dr. Fulke relateth out of Irenaeus We have Christ's Blessing in the Text twice mentioned and the gesture not omitted of lifting up his hands but a total silence of the sign of the Cross We may then conclude it is a cursed addition of the Rhemists who presume to father that upon Jacob nay on the Lord Christ which is indeed but a Novel fancy not in any estimation with the Apostles nor the Godly in their time How can they reade and not tremble Rev. 22.18 If any man add God shall add to him the plagues Nor can Christ's using of this gesture warrant humane Inventions in the Worship of God nor the rigorous enforcing of a heap of Gestures Vestments and other unnecessary and ungrounded Ceremonies so as men must not worship at all nor enjoy their properties without them since lifting up of the hands is but a natural gesture of Reverence and Authority neither is there any consequence in arguing from things written to things Apocryphal But as bodily exercise profiteth little so large discourses about it are but little to edification of common hearers Only let me mind you that Jesus Christ was faithful as Moses and his Apostles kept back nothing that was profitable for us Scripture must not cannot be taxed with deficiency And little children keep your selves from Idols O be not tainted with Romish Superstitions when her plagues are so nigh at hand But the Doctrine which I would this day commend to you from these words is this Doct. The Lord Jesus Christ went to Heaven solemnly blessing his Disciples In this Doctrine you have two branches 1. Christ ascended into Heaven 2. Christ blessed his Disciples at his Ascension 1. Jesus Christ went into Heaven 1 Pet. 3.22 There are three Reasons why Christ ascended The first is that he might fulfill the Scriptures In his Ascension he fulfilled Scripture-Types and Scripture-Prophesies Christ was typified in the High-Priest's going into the second Tabernacle alone once every year not without blood Heb. 9.7 24. Christ is entred not into those Holy places made with hands which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the figure of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us It was prophesied of Christ Psal 68.18 Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive The Apostle Eph. 4.8 9. expoundeth this Text accomplished in Christ's Ascension 2. Christ ascended that he might be glorified He had glorified his Father on Earth and finished the work which the Father gave him to do and then went to be glorified with his Father John 17.4 5. He had been manifest in the flesh and then is received up into Glory He descended dwelt among men was a man of sorrows and again ascended and sate down at the Right-hand of the Majesty on high when he had purged our sins by himself Heb. 1.3 As it was impossible he should be held of Death so it was impossible he should be held in a state of Humiliation Ought not Christ to suffer and enter into his Glory Luke 24.26 The Vision of Christ's glorified Body is reserved for Heaven in mercy
and peace and plenty Zech. 3.8 9 10. The whole 72 Psalm sets out Christ's Blessings Would you have a Land rid of Idolatry and Heresie Zech. 13.2 After the Promise of Christ as a Fountain open the Lord engageth the names of Idols shall be forgotten and the false Prophet shall pass out of the Land Would you have blessings on a Congregatition Good Teachers and all their abilities and success are from Christ Eccles 12.11 Ephes 4.11.12 He hath a Blessing for the habitation of the Just Prov. 3.33 Riches and Honour are his Prov. 8.18 All fresh Springs are in him He hath plenty of spiritual Blessings being the store-house of his Church where it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell From him flow Acceptance Ephes 1.6 Justification and Pardon Mat. 9.6 1 Cor. 6.11 Sanctification Acts 3.26 Illumination Col. 2.2 All the Treasures of Knowledge are hid in Him and He openeth the eyes of the Blind He is the Author and Finisher of Faith full of Grace by Him we have Adoption of Children Ephes 1.5 These are rich Blessings Moreover through Christ we have interest in the Promises 2 Cor. 1.20 and right to all our Comforts and Priviledges 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All are yours and ye are Christ's Briefly Through Christ you have Everlasting Blessedness Heb. 5.9 Rejoyce then in Christ Jesus O ye Upright ye are the blessed of the Lord who went to Heaven blessing Read over your Charter Priviledges through Christ what is there wanting that heart could wish for your selves your Children this life or a better Yet consider further with me Christ went to Heaven blessing and Acts 1.11 In like manner will he come again How will Christ do you think bless his People at his second Coming What a joyful meeting will there be of the Lamb and his Spouse decked and adorned with Graces how will he welcome his Bride when he cometh again to receive her to abide with him who left her whilest full of spots and wrinkles so kindly he then took a few apart and blessed them but then at his second Coming Gather my Saints together Earth and Sea must give up their dead and never a Saint be lost but raised at the last day Christ blesseth Believers at death receiving their souls making their bodies rest in hope but at His appearing he will bless them with a glorious Resurrection making their vile bodies like his glorious Body Phil. 3.20 Saints bodies shall then be glorious spiritual strong and incorruptible 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. No more hunger and thirst nor cold and weariness no more crying nor saying I am sick nor pain nor death Christ will set them at his Right hand and bless them with a sentence of Absolution Come ye blessed of my Father Well may the afflicted Church on earth tossed with tempests cry Come Lord Jesus come quickly Oh! what a time of refreshing shall that be Act. 3.19 how shall the Saints then sing Halelujah Blessing Honour and Praise be given to the Lamb and to Him that sitteth on the Throne O joyful Day when our Lord Jesus who went to Heaven With his Hands lifted up in Blessing shall come to carry his People blessed triumphantly in Heaven Into the hands of this Lord Jesus I commit you my Dear People SERMON XI Psal 69.6 Let not them that wait on thee O Lord God of hosts be ashamed for my sake let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake O God of Israel The Psalm for the main substance of it is Davids prayer for deliverance from the grievous oppression of his cruel enemies yet it so relates to David that many passages do also respect Christ of whom David was an eminent Type so the 9th verse is applied part of it John 2.17 and the rest of it Rom. 15.3 and so may more passages in it be applied This Petition for deliverance whether you refer it to David or Christ is 1. Propounded in the beginning of the first verse Save me 2. Prosecuted and urged with divers Arguments whereof the first is drawn from the greatness of the calamity under which he lay ver 1 2. Secondly From his long waiting and earnest crying his throat dried his eyes fail ver 3. â— Thirdly From the number and nature of his enemies more than the hairs of his head and they very malicious and injurious hating him causelesly forcing him to unjust restitution Under which also is couched a 4th Argument viz. his own innocency as to the matter wherof he was accused and for which he was hated and persecuted ver 4. Notwithstanding which innocency of his as to the particulars wherewith he was charged by men â—e yet justifies God in permitting these evils to befal him for this I take to be part of the sense of the 5th vers O God thou knowest my foolishness and therefore I cannot justifie my self before thee nor accuse thee of injustice for permitting it to be thus with me Though the words may seem also to look another way viz. to be Davids appeal to God concerning his innocency in those particulars q. d. Thou Lord who knowest my foolishness from whom my sins are not hid knowest my innocency in the things whereof I am accused By the way take this Note Obs When men oppress and pesecute most unjustly yet there is cause to justify God in suffering it to be so God's Justice is executed upon us by their injustice if men falsly accuse us yet God can truly charge us When Job had to deal with men he will maintain his integrity against their accusations chap. 27.4 5 6. but when he hath to deal with God he acknowledgeth his sin will not stand upon his own justification he will not plead but supplicate chap. 9. throughout The Prophet Jeremiah grants the conclusion chap. 12.1 though he defiers to debate with God about the prosperity of the wicked and about God's permitting them to oppress and trample upon his People If any of God's People think they have hard measure from men that they are wrongfully and injuriously handled as to some particular yet let them eye God and confider their carriage towards him and they shall find cause enough to say as Ezra 9.13 Thou hast punished us lesse than our iniquities deserve It may seem hard that the poor Messengers of Christ who desired nothing more but libery to speak to fouls that they might be saved and have daily bread should be deprived of this liberty livelyhood upon such ground as were not necessary to be imposed by others of which themselves cannot submit to without losing the peace of their conscience and credit of their Ministry yet who so innocent that he cannot see reason enough to justifie God alas there is so much unfaithfulness luke-warmness negligence laziness and a thousand other miscarriages to be found in us as may abundantly justifie God in this dispensation though he seem to spit in our faces and to lay us aside as a vessel wherein there
convinced the Jews Acts 18.24 28. Do not therefore fear the weakness of your parts or learning This God to whom I commit both can and will make you baffle your learned adversaries as of old if he see it good But if he deny you ability to speak for it he will give you an heart will courage and strength to suffer for the Truth 2. Here is a fulness of the Gifts of Grace Gifts without Grace may adorn us but never sanctifie and save us Grace is of indispensable necessity no Grace here no Glory hereafter Holiness is the Suburbs Heaven is the City and as we pass through the Suburbs into the City so through Grace we must pass into Glory Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And without Holiness no man can see the Lord. Now here is a full and free Fountain to furnish you that want All the glorified Saints in Heaven were once by nature as empty of Grace and Holiness as any of you now are and from this Fountain they have been supplied and God is the same still in the freeness fulness and willingness to communicate his Grace to every hungring and thirsting soul There is nothing wanting but a spiritual sence of your want of it your misery without it and an earnest desire and endeavour after it Such are invited Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him come and take of the Water of Life God doth not only invite you but earnestly desire that you would come The full breasts of the mother are in pain until they be drawn by her babe And these full breasts seem to be in pain until you come and therefore makes an open and general Proclamation that every one that comes should have a full and free supply Here is a fulness of veriety without price Isa 55.1 Ho every one that is athirst come come ye to the Waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without money and without price Here is a Fountain full open and free to every thirsting soul for the Poor as well as for the Rich for the Mean as well as for the Noble for the Simple as well as for the Wise It is open and free to Parents and Children to Masters and Servants Here is a fulness of variety and all kinds of Grace He is the God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5.10 Here is Grace to enlighten your understandings Grace to bow and make obedient your stubborn wills Grace to soften your hard hearts and make your benummed consciences tender Grace to untie your tongues and make the dumb to speak for God and to God in prayers and praises to him Here is Grace for every condition for Liberty and Imprisonments for Peace and Persecution for Sickness and Health The fulness suitableness and freeness of this Fountain is not only security and comfort against your wants but your weakness and decayes of Grace also It may be many of you have upon your serious retirements and contemplations of your spiritual estate such perplexing and disponding thoughts as these complaining How shall my weak Graces be preserved from perishing in the midst of so many and strong corruptions within me how can my weak Graces endure the terrible assaults and furious onsets of Satan how can they hold out in these long temptations how can I a poor weak and bruised Reed stand in tempestuous winds when the tallest Cedars in God's Labanon have been sadly rent and broken how can this smoaking flax but be wholly extinguished when so many bright flames have been quenched by the floods of affâ—â—tions It is impossible that a spark of fire should be kept alive in the midst of a Sea And how much more will it be thus with me when for ought I know I may want the publick Ordinances of God from whence as from an Armory I was supplyed with Furniture and Armor against Temptations from whence as from a rich furnished Shop I was supplied with Sovereign Cordials to relieve and succour my weak and fainting Graces Can the babe live when the food is withheld or such given as is unsuitable not nutritive How shall I a weak Babe in Christ live when I want the sincere Milk of God's Word or husks given me instead of the bread of my Father's house True it is Sirs that Grace in the midst of many and strong Corruptions within and Temptations without is like a spark of fire in the midst of the Sea And when the means of spiritual life and growth are removed life and growth must decay but what is impossible with men is possible with God He is a Fountain of Grace to support and strengthen your weakness as well as to supply your wants He that suffered the towering Cedars of his Labanon to be broken with mighty winds can keep thy bruised Reed from being broken He that suffered the bright flames of Love and fervent Affection in others in part and for a time to be cooled can keep thy smoaking flax from being quenched He that creates something of nothing that brings good out of evil can and will preserve thy weakest Graces in a Sea of corruptions he that preserves the weakest Babes in Nature will preserve his smallest Babes in Grace Yea here is that God that will glorifie his Power in your weakness and after ye have suffered a while make you perfect strengthen stablish and settle you 1 Pet. 5.10 You nor your Graces are not in your own keeping they and you are kept by the mighty Power of God to Salvation 1 Pet. 1.8 God is stronger than all and no man nor any thing shall pull you nor your Graces out of his hand John 10.29 30. This Grace will sustain you in all your distresses and make the Twelling Jordan and Red Sea of Affliction foordable and carry you through He will send supplies in every siege and make his Grace sufficient for us in all our buffetings He will proportion his dealings to your strength or strengthen your shoulders according to your burdens Here is Grace to make the weak strong for strong corruptions strong temptations strong difficulties not only to encounter with them but to conquer and subdue them This Grace is Armour of proof Reproach-proof Prison-proof Tribulation-proof Death-proof this will make you to rejoyce in Tribulation that you are accounted worthy to suffer for the Name of JESUS In a word it is a Fountain of Grace both for supply and strength to bear your charges till you come to Glory 7thly To commit you to God for Comfort and Security is to commit you to him who stands in the fulness and sweetness of all Relations to his Church and People Relations are of the smallest Entity but of the greatest Efficacy The bowels of love tenderness and affection of an Husband a Wife of Parents and Children are of
Name the danger of a loose careless prophane and worldly life let them now speak let their own consciences say if I did not and yet they would not hear they would not obey Oh Sirs how would you be able to look Jesus Christ in the face Nay how would you be able to look me in the face at that day I beseech you think of this seriously before hand before it be too late I profess to you your souls are so dear to me that I would not for a thousand worlds be your accuser before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ but yet if you will not be advised your blood shall be upon your own heads and I shall be free I shall now conclude this Particular with that one word of the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.11 14. Seeing then that the Heavens and Elements and Earth and all the Works that are therein shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Wherefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of Christ in peace without spot and blameless 2. The second Word of Advice that I have to leave with you I shall likewise take out of my Text and that is That you would carefully redeem precious Time for God and your own poor souls A common understanding might easily suggest reason enough to follow this Advice Do but consider how little a time we have yet to live in this World how much time we have already spent in vain how sure an account we must give for our time as well as other talents remember that Eternity depends upon this moment we owe God all our time and we cannot lay it out better than for our poor souls Especially consider this grand Argument of the Apostle in the Text that the dayes are evil If it be bad Weather and an unseasonable Harvest and all the Corn upon the ground be like to be spoiled the Husbandman will be sure to raise the price of his good old Corn. Do but use the same Spiritual good husbandry for your souls You may perhaps think that you have many years to live in the world still that is very uncertain Oh but however consider that opportunities of doing and receiving good are few and like to be fewer still and by how much the more rare they are shall they not be the more precious with you God in mercy prevent our fears and jealousies but it is too suspitious that a good Sermon may be rare a good Exhortation or Reproof may be rare a good Minister may be rare an opportunity of Christian Friends praying together may be rare Therefore redeem time while you may lay hold upon every opportunity of good and labour to know in this your day the things that belong to your eternal peace before they be hid from your eyes When Death comes and Judgment comes it will then be too late and therefore in vain to cry out for a little more time for one more good Sermon for liberty of praying once more to God for Grace and Mercy I should have enlarged my Advice in some particulars of strict walking and improving precious time Pray hard set up that great duty of Christianity in your Families Keep Wickedness not only out of your hearts and houses but out of the Town too to the utmost of your power Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy What help you want in publick make up by your holy diligence in private Reade the Scriptures and other good Books much You that have learned your Catechism do not forget it Parents and Masters have a care of your Children and Servants Husbands and Wives watch over one another provoke one another to that which is good Neighbours exhort and admonish one another pray with and for one another and go before one another in an holy Example But I have not time to ennumerate all I have now given you my Advice and I pray God that you may follow it in truth and now I come in the last place to make my last publick Request unto you I bless God I covet no mans Silver nor Gold my Conscience bears me witness that I have not sought yours but you and now at last all that I shall beg of you is your prayers for me and that I hope none of you will deny me I have taken some pains among you I have often prayed for you and by the Grace of God shall never cease praying for you that the Lord would keep you from evil and furnish you with his Grace and afterwards bring you to Glory All the recompence that I ask of you is That you would not forget me at the Throne of Grace but let me have a share in your prayers In many respects I do earnestly and heartily beg your prayers but I must not now mention them all One is this That God would be pleased to pardon my great Unfaithfulness and Unprofitableness among you I beseech you Brethren do not think that I am now complementing with you Something I have done and God forbid that I should not have some ground to hope that God hath blessed my poor Labours to the doing of some good amongst you and perhaps my weak Labours have been acceptable yea and I bless God for that acceptance they have found with you yet truly Sirs God knows and mine own Conscience tells me that I have come much short very much short of that which was my duty to have done which if not pardoned in the Blood of Christ I should never be able to answer before God in the day of my Accounts and therefore I heartily beg your prayers on this behalf Another thing for which I beg your prayers to God for me is That it would please the Lord not to lay me aside as a broken vessel and an unprofitable creature upon the face of the Earth but that yet in what capacity soever the Lord sees good I may do him some service before I go hence and be no more seen I have but a little inch of time to live in this world and my great desire is that while I do live I may be useful for otherwise life will be but a sin or a burden I beseech you pray also that I may be delivered from or strengthened under temptations I am a poor weak creature and cannot stand but by the Grace and Strength of God and I know not what condition the Lord hath allotted for me Only this I have learn'd from the Word of God that they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Pray therefore that what sufferings foever the Lord shall at any time call me to I may be enabled by his Grace and Strength so to behave my self under them as that even by suffering I may glorifie his Name and bear witness to the Truth and practise what I have preached and give a good example to others and credit the Gospel and that Profession which I have made thereof My Brethren methinks I have much yet to say and I know not where to break off yet I must come to a conclusion Leave my Work in publick I must and leave you I must or else I must break with God and my own Conscience This is my great grief but yet it is my greatest grief of all that I must leave any unconverted sinners amongst you I profess to you seriously that if I know my own heart I could with chearfulness and joy forsake not only my Living and Livelihood but even my Life also so that I could but see every Drunkard and Swearer and Curser and Sabbath-breaker and Worldling and Prophane person among you converted to a life of Faith and Holiness I dare not not onely for fear of man but chiefly out of conscience I dare not open my lips to utter one word to encourage you to Faction or Schism or any unquietness but with the Apostle I exhort you to follow the things that make for Peace and to wait upon God for the mending of what is amiss But this I must tell you withall that if you do not follow after the things that make for Holiness also you shall never see the Face of God to your comfort Therefore follow after Holiness Follow not that which is evil but that which is good 3 John 11. In the midst of all my other griefs and troubles I shall have no greater joy than to see or hear that any of you walk in the Truth I have preached the Word of Truth to you according to that understanding in the Scriptures which God hath given me I beseech you remember what I have spoken to you in the Name of God and Christ and look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward Let me use the following words of the Apostle to you 2 John 8 9 10 11. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds I must conclude though unwillingly my Farewelwords to you shall be the same with the Apostle's last Farewel to the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Amen Amen FINIS
Glory by Christ Jesus make you perfect stablish strength settle and confirm you unto the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ I now come to make some improvement of the Point And because I want time and strength to speak more fully to it I shall limit my self onely to one branch of Application Vse And I beseech you Brethren suffer the word of Exhortation O that my Counsel might be acceptable to you this day That if indeed I should never have liberty of preaching to you more yet this Word this Exhortation of mine mine did I say nay this Exhortation of the Apostle might ever be fresh in your thoughts and as it were continually sounding in your ears O whatever you do or leave undone be â—ure to look after your main business to work out your Salvation And now what I might have brought in as Reasons of the Doctrine I shall offer to you here as Motives to enforce the Exhortation to press you to the duty 1. Consider there is no work you can set your selves about so necessary as this to work out your Salvation Either do this or you do nothing Leave this undone and you are undone for ever You know the wages of the slothful and unprofitable servant Cast him into utter darkness where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth If we are loth to be at any pains for Heaven this slothfulness shall be scourged at last with the endless insufferable pains of Hell Though there were never so many Lions in the way to Heaven yet should we resolve to go on and otherwise we are sure to fall into the Lions mouth that our souls shall be made his prey 2. Consider the work of our Salvation sticks no where if it stick not at us it sticks not on Christ's hand O how did he sweat at this work the purchasing of Salvation for us It drave him into a bloody sweat yet he went thorow with his work And now he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to him and he would be the Author of eternal Salvation unto all that obey him Heb. 5.9 This blessed work sticks not on the Father's hand who is willing all men should be saved first coming to the knowledge belief and obedience of the Truth God excludes none from Salvation who are willing to be saved in that way the Gospel sets forth He excludes none who exclude not themselves The work sticks not at the Spirit neither who is so oft moving and perswading yea striving with us to set about this good work How unreasonable a thing is it now if the work sticks on our hands who are most concerned to promote it Oh how strange if it should stick here 3. Consider this is the end of all the labours of God's Ministers They are sent from God to shew you the way of Salvation They are God's Stewards and Overseers to call you to and direct you in your work Ah Beloved it 's well if so many of them as are now like to be laid aside be not therefore taken off their work to punish the negligence of the most because Hearers have been too mindless generally of their work Verily this will be unprofitable for you that your poor Ministers should have bestowed on you labour in vain Though we would bless God for any the least success for blessing our endeavours unto any yet surely we should have had more comfort at this day could we have seen more good done that souls had less need of us 4. Consider that diligence in working out of your Salvation would not obstruct but rather promote and bring a blessing on other works you have to take in hand Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness let your main care be laid out that way take most thought for your souls and for the life to come and all these things shall be added unto you Believe it Sirs Godliness is the greatest gain for that it hath the promise both of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 See Deut. 29.9 5. Again have not many of us done something this way already If we would not lose the things we have wrought then let us go through-stitch with out work O let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not O my Friends how sad it is to faint and tire in the way to Heaven As it 's the portion of such to lie down in sorrow Let us therefore fear as the Apostle exhorts in Heb. 4.1 lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any should seem to come short of it That we should have been once in a fair way for Heaven but since we were not careful to hold on our way and therefore have fallen short at last O how would such thoughts eternally torment us Blessed be God I may say in reference to many of you as the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 5.12 That this is the true Grace of God wherein ye stand Wherein if you continue and persevere you shal ere long see the work of Grace in your souls crowned with Glory And I am perswaded am confident of this very thing that he which has begun a good work in many of your souls will perform will carry on the same unâ—il the day of Jesus Christ And therefore gird up the loins of your minds up and be doing for now is your Salvation nearer than when first ye believed 6. I add but this one consideration more The more pains you are at here in your life-time in working out your Salvation the more peace and comfort may you expect in the hour of death The rest of the labouring man is sweet They that now are taking most pains for Heaven when they come to dye enter into peace indeed O the vast difference betwixt those who in fear have wrought out their salvation here and those that have wrought out their destruction without fear We shall see a difference betwixt these one day And as I have told you often I tell you this once more It is better better a thousand thousand degrees to go toiling and sweating to go sighing and weeping yea or bleeding to Heaven than to go slugging and sleeping or to go singing and dancing to Hell Now perhaps some of you are ready to say These are weighty considerations and we are now convinced how much it is our duty and our wisdom to set about this work and therefore we resolve upon it if you would give us the best direction you can about it Here I would close up this subject with some directions but first let me give you two or three necessary cautions 1. Take heed of having your heads hearts and hands too deeply engag'd in the World They that make that their great study and business to be rich in this World take a ready way to destroy their souls 1 Tim. 6.9 Many in
their over eager desires to embrace this present World have let Heaven go have lost that for ever 2. Take heed of following mens examples further than you see them to follow the Rule of God's Word the world is ever ful of bad examples if we would walk safely we must walk by Rule If we think it enough only to do as the most there is little hopes of our working out our salvation Matt. 7.13 The word of Christ must judge you hereafter O let it guide you here As many as walk according to this Rule peace shall be upon them and mercy In matters of Religion of Salvation believe none follow none further than there is ground for their opinions and practices in God's written Word Were we to follow mens examples or mens traditions in matters of Religion besides the Scriptures then will not this follow viz. That the Scriptures are not a perfect Rule as the Papists teach that it must be eeked out with unscriptural traditions and the commandments or documents of men And do but once admit this and we shall have no certain Rule at all 3. Take heed of consultiâ—â— here with flesh and blood In the matters of our Salvation not the Flesh who is ever at that Master spare thy self but Conscience informed out of God's Word must be our Counsellor Our souls interest and our carnal interest are many times cross to one another Hence it is our Saviour so much insists on the duties of self-denial and taking up the Cross Yea he further tells us He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it You know great works are seldom perfected at a small charge A rich Mine it will cost a man something before he comes to it but when he has found it it soon recompenseth him for all his former pains and expences both Heaven and Salvation is such a Treasure though we should lose all our earthly comforts this would certainly repair all our losses and make and enrich our souls for ever 4. Take heed of delaying to set to this work Oh! have we not delayed too long Have we not lost time and lost special opportunities lost such advantages for carrying on this work as for any thing we know we may never enjoy again It is high time now to awake out of sleep to shake off Spiritual sloath to apply our selves to the work in good earnest who knows but the day of our visitation the time of our life and of God's patience may be very near an end It may be the eleventh hour However the longer it is ere we set to our work the more difficulty we shall find in it I now come to the Directions 1. See that you understand your work Be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is Yea study to be filled with the knowledge of his Will Rest not in good meanings My People are destroyed for lack of knowledge Hos 4.6 â—ee here though bare knowledge cannot save one yet many a one is destroyed for lack of knowledge Beloved though we may not be permitted to preach publickly yet I know not that it would be any crime for us to instruct such in private as repair to us for assistance and advice O that poor souls were as ready to make use of us as we are willing to afford them the best help we can 2. Be sure your Ground-work be good Build on the Rock Christ so indeed you need not fear but your Work will stand Other Foundation can no man lay If ye build besides this Rock or build partly on Christ and partly on your selves the work will come to nought We are quite lost and ruined in our selves that we must be taken off from our own bottoms brought out of our selves to Jesus Christ or we cannot be saved 3. Do all in Christ's strength Phil. 3.13 This way the Apostle Paul went to work Then the work of our Salvation is like to go forward when we have Christ the Saviour putting to his helping hand and joyning with us O as ever you would have your work to prosper be sure you take Christ along with you 4. As Noah being moved with fear fell to work and prepared an Ark to the saving of himself and of his house so let us work out our Salvation with fear We should have a reverent fear towards God to quicken us to duty and to awe and make us exceeding serious in duty Again we should have a jealous fear of Satan and our own sinful deceitful hearts to look narrowly to them who like Sanballat and Tobiah will do but what they can to hinder and take us off our work 5. Labour much with God in prayer Thus there were hopes the work would be going forward Observe what immediately follows the Text It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure When it could â—â—â—aid of Paul Behold he prayeth then was Ananias â—â—nt to confirm him that he might receive his sight and be filled with the holy Ghost Acts 9.11 17. The Work is great to work out your Salvation and it is possible you may want some helps you have had yea and meet with greater hindrances new difficulties in it O pray in strength to carry you thorow It may be you shall not have liberty to hear so much to quicken you the more to prayer You may have fewer hearing-opportunities that you shall have more time to pray 6. Up and be doing when you can find the Spirit at work in your hearts Attend to the motions of God's Spirit This is a special season not to be let slip when we have an offer of his co-operating Grace 7. Do all as in the sight of God Set the Lord ever before you Eye-service is a fault in our servants condemned Eph. 6.6 but a vertue in God's servants Indeed could we but ply our work while God's eye is on us we should never be idle or ill-employed 8. Let out the strength of your spirits in the weighty matters of God's Law and not about trivial unnecessary things Such things as God no where requires of which he sayes In vain do they worship me after the traditions of men If we make our selves busie in building hay and stubble on the Foundation our work shall be burnt and we shall suffer loss 9. Improve the day time God hath alotted to you wherein to work The day of Grace O that we had known our day we have had a large space and a fair season of working granted to us and yet I am afraid that as to the most of us little of our work is done The consideration of our former loss of time should cause us henceforward to double out diligence Now let not a day pass over your heads wherein you do not some way further thâ—â—â—â—â—rk of your salvation Especially improve the Lorâ—â— Day Sabbath-dayes are dayes of resting from outward labours from
secular emploiments yet not to be spent in idelness they are the harvest-time for our souls And when will ye work and bestir your selves if not in harvest The Lords Day is to be spent in such works as more directly tend to the promoting of our Salvation And the more you should see this work going forward the more would Sabbaths be your delight You would not be for those vain recreations that sinfull liberty you may see others take on God's Holy-Day 10. Sit down and count the cost So you might be prepared to go thorow with your work If you reckon right you will see let Salvation cost what it can it can never cost too much Rom. 8.18 I reckon sayes the Apostle and we need not fear to take his account here that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to follow I would have said a word more to this but have prevented my self in speaking to the third caution Therefore here I conclude my Sermon and Exhortation desiring that the Spirit of Truth may bring these things to your remembrance Beloved could I have thought of any word more profitable and generally useful for you you should have been sure of it It may now be expected I should speak something touching my Deprivation O that the Lord would lead Ministers and People each into their own hearts to find out the cause of this sad dispensation as we read of the Fathers in another sense He causeth us this day to pass under a cloud I know some think and will not spare to say that we wilfully bring this Obscurity on our selves But the Lord the searcher of alâ— hearts knows and will manifest to the world one day whether it was a meet humour or whether indeed it was not Conscience that would not suffer us to comply with the things now imposed The Lord knows we dare not adventure on the checks reproaches smitings of our own hearts and consciences though it follow that our mouths be stopt Beloved I cannot forget the respects you have shewn to me how you chose me at first under great bodily weakness and were willing to procure me assistance I have not wanted outward encouragement among you but above all I have oft thought when I have come to my publick work here unpreparedly enough God knoweth yet I have found the fruit help and benefit of your prayers for me That I must acknowledge those few years I have spent amongst you have been the best to me the most comfortable years I have spent in the Ministry That might I have liberty the Lord knows I would most gladly spend and be spent for you Nothing but death should part us And howsoever we are separated yet I pray we may live in one anothers hearts and that we may more earnestly than ever strive with God in prayer one for another More I would have said but strength and spirits fail and further I would spare you Now how glad should we be if those that shall follow us may do more good amongst you then ever we have or could have done The Lord carry on his own Work and though He quite lay us aside though He should never honour us so far as to make any further use of us yet we could rejoyce to see Gods Work prospering Religion and that not only in a form but in the life and power of it promoted and more and more set up in this place So I commend you to God and to the Word of His Grace who is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are Sanctified SERMON IV. 1 King 18.21 And Elijah came unto all the People and said How long halt ye between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him IT is not a thing indifferent what Religion men are of whether they are for God or Baal That is a pernicious opinion that affirms You may be saved in any Religion Again it 's not enough that we are of the true Religion but we must be true to it And so much we may learn from faithful Elijah both his Doctrine and practice When Israel went a whoring from God he was jealous for the Lord 1 Kin. 19.10 He continued to stand for God His Truth and Worship even when he could not see one more of his mind to be his second So here he durst plead for God when there was none found to take his part Note by the way that in the worst of times in times of most prevailing corruptions yet the Lord is not wont to leave himself without witness It 's further observable Israel had never degenerated more than in Elijah's dayes Yet never had they been priviledged with greater means Many Prophets at this time raised up amongst them see ver 4. of this Chapt. and Elijah among the rest Note Extraordinary means sometimes serve only to heighten and fill up the measure of a Peoples sins See Mat. 23.34 35. And now comes a dreadful Famine The Prophets shut up and the Heavens shut up together Elijah had foretold the drought Chapt. 17.1 And after three years he is sent with good news that rain was coming Chap. 18.1 Ahab seeing Elijah v. 17. when he should have acknowledged his own sin and guilt he wrongfully accuseth God's Prophet Art thou he that troubleth Israel Note It is no new thing for God's Faithful Messengers to be accounted enemies to the State As Elijah said I am not better than my Fathers Are we better than Elijah and other of God's Prophets who have been thus censured Why then should we look for better here Note Again observe Wicked men are very prone to mistake the cause of troubles and calamities See Jer. 44.18 20 21 22. where there is most guilt commonly there is least ingenuity or grace to see and acknowledge it It 's natural unto sinners we have it by kind from our first parents to transfer all blame as much as we can from our selves to others But how deeply soever Ahab is pleased to charge him Elijah is ready to clear himself and the Truth He desires that himself and the prophets of Baal might come to a fair tryal So he doubts not but to prove himself by a miraculous sign to be the Servant and Prophet of the most high God and shew them to be a pack of most wretched Impostors Ahab yeelds to a discussion of this business either out of curiosity expecting some strange discovery or through fear being awed with the present Judgment they lay under not knowing but upon refusal the Prophet might have some other dreadful Message to deliver or in hope and expectance upon his yeelding herein to have the Judgment removed Some such way he is perswaded and enclined to call the prophets of Baal and the Heads of the people together unto Mount Carmel where being assembled Elijah sets upon the people in the words read unto you How long halt ye
towards the Shechemites Ye have troubled me to make me stink among the inhabitants of the Land who will gather themselves together against me As David complained of Joabs baseness in falling upon Abner I am this day weak though anointed King The Kingdom of Christ is weakened and obstructed very much by His followers haltings and miscarriages Others are hereby kept off from Religion who otherwise might have been coming on Yea they that decline the profession of Religion for fear of Persecution and sufferings are not so far from the Kingdom of God as those who are cast off this other way These have a loathing of Religion it stinks with them whereas the other may be convinced in their consciences that it is the best Way the Way of the Righteous only they are discouraged from closing with it because of those hard measures the Righteous ordinarily meet with in this world But this shews us the great evil of mens halting in Religion this hindereth the progress of Religion this obstructeth the Truth and Kingdome of Christ that the Gospel cannot have so free a course and passage as otherwise it might Hence many look upon Religion as a way of deceit as if it taught men to play the hypocrites to be one thing in Profession and the contrary in Practice Which is as true as that the Sun is the cause of darkness Indeed God hath given a streight and perfect Rule to draw all the lines of our conversations by but when our hand shakes when we turn aside in our course keep not close to our Rule many foolish by standers are ready to censure the Rule it self and say that is crooked 2. In respect of the Godly For any that have entered into Religion to halt in Religion 1. It is a matter of reproach to the Godly in general Let not them that wait on thee be ashamed for my sake sayes the Psalmist O why should the Faithfull be put to shame for our sakes Indeed they will not think much to bear reproach for the Lords sake but Why should they be reviled evil-spoken of why should they bear reproach for our sakes As Nehemiah sayes of Shemaiah that False-Prophet Nehem. 6.43 therefore was he hired that I should be afraid and sin and that they might have matter for an evil report This the wicked wait and long for and ever ly at catch here to get any matter for an evil report To say These are your Professors 2. It 's an occasion of sorrow to the best of Gods People It greives them at the heart to see the Name of God thus dishonoured Religion discredited poor souls endangered Certainly the Apostle Paul was not a little moved greived at Peters halting Gal. 2. when he withstood him to his face Now is it nothing to make the hearts of the Righteous sad whom God would not have made sad 3. It 's an occasion of sin to those that are weaker Peters judaizing was a compelling of the Gentiles to do likewise Gal. 2.14 Thus some of the Jewish Converts yea Barnabas himself was carried away with the dissimulation ver 13. This is a teaching the Lords People to transgress We should fear to use our own liberty where weak Christians would be stumbling at it Rom. 14.13 21. 1 Cor. 8.9 12. We may be an occasion of wounding the consciences of our weak Brethren sometimes by our preposterous unadvised use of things indifferent and lawful in themselves And if it be sinful to use our liberty where we may know it will offend and scandalize our weak Brethren how much more to halt outright and lay the stumbling-block of our iniquity before them 3. In respect of sinners How sad are the consequences of this halting in Religion Wo to the world because of offences Wo to sinners 1. Hereby their minds are further prejudiced against Religion and Godliness And what a sad thing is it that any who profess to serve God should carry so as to prejudice others against his service True it is sinners have naturally a very great prejudice against God and Godliness The carnal mind is enmity against the Law of God No need to do any thing to increase this prejudice and enmity found in them But what is said of the Priests Mal. 2.8 Ye are departed out of the way Ye have caused many to stumble at the Law is true of halting professors Whereas they should be Guides to the blind lights to them that are in darkness by halting in Religion and walking unsutably to their profession they are Blinds rather and Stumbling-blocks before others But see Levit. 19.14 Thou shalt not put a stumbling-block before the blind And Deut. 27.18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way 2. Hereupon their mouths are oft opened against Religion Many set their mouth against Heaven seeing such halting in Religion It ought to be our care by wel doing by our strict circumspect and upright walking to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men We should be so wary that they that even watch for our halting would fain take us tripping might have no evil to say of us Our conversations should be winning at least convincing But uneven walking all halting in Religion will open the mouths of unruly talkers How sad to give the wicked any occasion to blaspheme 3. Hereby their hearts are further hardened in their own sin and wickedness and their hands more strengthened As is said of those lying Prophetesses Ezek. 13.22 Ye have strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way This is a great encouragement to sinners to go on in their evil wayes to see others miscarry Noah's being once overtaken emboldens many to go on in a course of Drunkenness David's once falling into that foul sin of Uncleanness Adultery makes some altogether shameless in sinning so that they no more regard how they wallow in the mire Bishop Gardiner one of the Marian Apostates and Persecutors cryed out on his death-bed That he had denied his Master with Peter but never repented with Peter Thus halting in Religion is very mischievous to sinners an occasion of their overthrow an hastening of their destruction as it puts them further and faster on in a way of transgression Now what a sad thing is it thus to have a hand in the sins and consequently in the ruine of the souls of others Instead of leading and drawing men towards Heaven to lye in their way and to be â—n occasion of their stumbling and downfall into Hell 4. In respect of ones self 1. Thus Conscience is defiled guilt contracted Such shall be found faulty Hos 10.2 As Peter was to be blamed Gal. 2.11 He was an holy man an eminent Apostle yet his Holiness his high Calling would not hide his miscarriage here but on the contrary was greatly blemished by it Men soil themselves shamefully by halting and turning aside into any crooked wayes See 2 Pet. 2.20 2. There is a cause
nothing can hurt them there Psal 46.1 2. God is our refuge and strength a present help in time of trouble therefore will we not fear though the Earth be removed and the Mountains carried into the midst of the Sea See how the Church encourageth her self in the Strength and Power of God even beyond all fear come what will we have a refuge to betake us to Isa 26.4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting Strength such Strength as can never faile Oh how may a Believer glory when he is inclosed within such Walls though he be compassed about with troubles yet his comfort is that everlasting Strength is engaged for him There is a threefold Comfort in this general Encouragement 1. This Power is sufficient for our deliverance be our distresses what they will though Believers may have many enemies yet God that is on their side is able to save them He is greater than all In this the three un-martyred Martyrs encouraged themselves against the burning rage of an angry King and his fiery Fornace Dan. 3.17 Our God whom wâ—â—serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Fornace The proud Heathen cries Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands Who why the God that made Heaven and Earth the living God he can deliver us The Believer knows that the powerful God is able to save him It was He that shut the hungry Lyons mouths and saved Daniel in the Den It was He that filed off Peters Chains and threw open the Iron-gate that he might escape He hath wrought Miracles for the deliverance of such as have trusted in him 2. All the power and strength the enemy hath comes from God and is limited by him the Devils themselves are led up and down in Chains by the hand of providence So that if the Believer be frighted by hearing the Lyon roar he is again encouraged by the gingling of the Chain he cannot fix a scab upon our body without a licence from God as appears in Job's story Our God hath his hook in the nose of the chief of our enemies he cannot go whither he would nor do what he pleaseth and so wicked men who are Satans instruments they have their power from God John 19.10 11. Pilaâ—e boasteth of his power to release or to crucifie Christ Jesus answers Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above But 3. From this Power and Strength the Believer receives strength to undergo his burthen 't is a strong God that makes patient sufferers a heavy burthen upon weak shoulders will make ill work but when the shoulder is made strong by strength from above then it can bear the burthen better Psal 138.3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul Believers count themselves to be strong in the Lord and the power of his might when in themselves they are low and weak through trouble and distress 2 Cor. 12.10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak then am I strong 4. The last thing I shall name in God whereby the Believer encourageth himself in his distress is the Faithfulness of God we have a God to go to in our troubles that never was known to faile any that came to him after a due manner He is a God of Truth keeping Covenant and Mercy whatsoever Promise he hath made to his People in troubles he will be sure to make all good Heaven and Earth shall pass away but his Word shall not pass away God in very faithfulness doth afflict when he sees 't is needful and he is faithful in over-ruling all our afflictions 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it We may encourage our selves in the true and faithful God He is faithful that hath promised who also will do it These things principally there are in God wherein the Believer may encourage himself when he is in trouble and distress For Application 1. This gives a check to the immoderate fearfulness of Christians who are ready to run out of God's Way to avoid troubles and are ready to cry out they are undone they shall perish by the hands of these enemies whereas they ought not to be dismayed with their own folly and weakness but to encourage themselves in the Power and Wisdom of God What ails thee O Christian that thou art more afraid of man whose breath is in his nostrils than of God that giveth life and breath and all things Think not the Lord's hand is shortned that it cannot help or his arm weakned that it cannot save 2. We see the vanity of the wicked man's confidence he encourageth himself in that which cannot save him but will vanish when he hath most need of it he encourageth himself in his sinful wayes in his own wisdom leans to his own understanding he encourageth himself in the arm of flesh but he hath no God to encourage himself in he is without God in the world God is not in all his thoughts there 's nothing below God and an interest in him wherein the soul can find encouragement therefore 't is that the wicked are so often at their wits end when they are in distress they have nothing to encourage themselves in when once their refuge of lies is swept away and their agreement with Hell is come to nothing 3. We are hence exhorted in all our troubles and distresses still to encourage our selves in the Lord our God in his Presence in his Wisdom in his Power and in his Faithfulness let us stay our selves upon these things God is the same now as he was in former Ages he will be the same to thee as he was to David to Habakkuk to the three Children to Daniel to Peter therefore let the thoughts of God and the Comforts that are in God stay up and delight your souls every thing that is good is contained in that Name let nothing amaze you so long as you have such a God to fly unto your condition may be low and sad but is it worse than David's was at this time therefore do as he did and for your direction take with you these two things 1. Be sure that the Lord be your God otherwise you cannot encourage your selves in him A man cannot rejoyce in an Estate which is not his own or in a great Man in whom he hath no interest be sure then to get an interest in God he gives no encouragement to strangers he is a consuming Fire to his enemies but to his Children and Servants he is a sure Defence Get near to God by the Blood of Christ beg of Him to take you into his Family amongst his adopted
that rest thou keepeth the Sabbath of the Ox. As in this so in Prayer though thou maist be under a kind of promise to one kind of Prayer yet all promises are made to all Prayer Obj. If thou replyest My Prayers should be perfect if I did like those publick Prayers Answ Observe this in publick Prayers let this parallel guide thee I have known Pillars in the Church who though they could preach ably and powerfully at home had the choice labours of the Learned by them yet durst not absent themselves from publick Preaching though the Minister accounted none of the wisest nor his Sermons free from light mixtures The sincere milk of the Word was that they desired and the publick instituted Ordinance regarded by them did silence them at their own houses they would walk with the Assembly upon the roof so long as the unmoved Foundations would bear them Prayer is tolerable for the manner when I go to the Father through Jesus Christ assisted by the Spirit Obj. I like not Prayers with such a mixt company Ans We may reade in David's Psalms of the constitution of the Church-visible in Saul's time Unsound hypocritical wicked Professors amongst David and others who were sincere In those times David wisheth to have occasion of publick worshipping again and accounts highly of what he did formerly enjoy having gone with the multiâ—ude to serve God in publick III. Publick Prayer First If thy All be only in publick 1. I must crave leave modestly to mind thee of my mistrust that thou hast thoughts that the place it self makes prayers efficacious and thou groundest the special promise of Audience on it and not upon Communion of Saints 2. I fear there is much of self in thee Thou mayest go for a good Church-man in the account of thy neighbours and mayest have that reward for thy service when in the account of God thou art an ill Christian Mat. 6.5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites are for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward 3. Admit the best as Isaac to his father Behold the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb Here is indeed Sacrifice and fat of Rams but where is Obedience and hearkning to all that the Lord hath given in charge Secondly But giving thee the allowance of that weighty duty of Family-Prayer and yet thou wantest weight Though thy house be a Church resembling it in this duty of Prayer Domum vestram non parvam Christi Ecclesiam deputamus as of Juliana to whom Augustine writ For thou wouldst take it ill to be told that thou prayest at the Church and swearest at home as Bernard reproves Eugerius that the Laws of Justinian made a greater noise in his Palace than the Laws of God Admit I say this yet thou art not altogether such an one as I would have thee For as in Faith when Charity is wanting we may call it right Faith but it is not right saving Faith So of thy Prayers It 's well thou prayest but thou prayest not well If thou shouldest withdraw thy belief from a Truth revealed in the Scripture thy Faith is partial So is thy Obedience when a duty is declared in the same and is neglected when all comes to all thou fallest short of that singular and necessary duty of secret Prayer 1. What if I be bold to say thou art nothing but what thou art in secret The Kingdom of God appeareth what it is when it cometh not with observation Luke 17.20 21. It 's not Spectability but Glory within which makes the King's daughter like her self Hidden ones under the Fig-tree are his indeed whom he especially eyeth 2. Let the truly practical judge whether I be too bold in saying that those that resolutely turn aside to crooked wayes of judgment of manners are such as enter not constantly into their Closets daily exercising themselves in this difficult differencing duty of Secret Prayer SERMON X. Luke 24.50 51. And He led them out as far as to Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them And it came to pass while He blessed them He was parted from them and carried up into Heaven IN the preceding Chapters the holy Evangelist Luke had by the guidance of the holy Ghost given account of the state of humiliation and in this Chap. holdeth out the Exaltation of Jesus Christ This he doth in declaring two great Articles of the Christian Faith The first is the first step and degree of Christ's Exaltation namely his Resurrection which is confirmed by Scripture by Witnesses who saw him handled him and saw him eat which the same Luke Acts 1.3 calleth infallible Proofs from ver 1. to the 50th The second is this in my Text He ascended into Heaven Wherein you have four parts 1. Christ leading out as a Captain or Shepherd his Diciples from Jerusalem to Bethany 2. You find him parted from them in respect of bodily presence 3. You have his Ascension He was carried up into Heaven 4. Here is his Valediction or Farewel to his Disciples And surely he who all the time of his abode with them spake kindly called them friends excused their failings and would not over-drive them nor put them on too harsh services lest the bottles should break and the garments rent He cannot be unkind at last He who began his first Sermon with nine Blessings Mat. 5. cannot conclude as the old Testament concludeth with a Curse He who was alwayes in the days of his flesh on Mount Gerizzim to Bless and Pray for his Disciples cannot be so changed as to ascend Mount Ebal to Curse at last No but having loved his own he loved them to the end here is a parting but neither height nor depth could separate them from his love When the time of his departing drew near he let out his love more abundantly and gave most signal expressions of entire affection that love that brought him from his Fathers bosome was not quenched nor abated by many waters He had paid dear and suffered deeply for his People he had given his life and shed his precious blood for them yet he is at further cost He lift up his hands and Blessed them In this last part Christs Valediction you have 1. An Agent and that is Jesus Christ who is blessed for ever to whom all power in Heaven and Earth was given who undertook no Office without Call nor exercised any without Authority he Blessed them and that not without Commission for God sent him to Bless 2. The persons blessed and they were a select number chosen out of the world given into his hand called to be Witnesses of Christ's Sufferings Resurrection and Ascension and to Preach the Gospel Observe here Judas who betrayed Christ was not amongst them but lost the Blessing and came under the Curse prophesied of long before Psal
glorious House incorruptible Inheritance and a biding Kingdom for us We have an Advocate with the Father our Redeemer liveth and we shall see him All his Enemies shall be made his footstool Christ is glorified his Members however vilified on earth shall be like Him and abide with Him and He will be admired in his Saints He is gone to prepare a place for us and will come again and receive us John 14.3 And thus much briefly for this first branch Christ Ascended The second is Christ blessed his Disciples at his Ascension But may some one say How did Christ bless them I answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To bless is to speak well So Christ alwayes spake well Never man spake like Him Grace was poured in his lips and gracious Words proceeded out of his mouth But it hath a more special Importance 1. To bless is to acknowledge the Blessedness and Perfection of another So the greater is blessed of the less So with the tongue we bless God even the Father and our Souls bless the Lord. 2. To bless is sometimes to pray for a Blessing So Isaac blessed Jacob when he prayed God give thee of the Dew of Heaven Gen. 27.27 And God Almighty bless thee Gen. 28. The 1st and 3d. Thus Jacob blessed Josephs Sons when he prayed The Angel that redeemed me from all evil bless the lads Gen. 48.9 16. 3. To bless is to pronounce a blessing and that either in the way of an ordinary Ministry Thus Aaron and his Sons were to bless the People saying The Lord bless thee and keep thee c. Numb 6.23 So Simeon Levi and Judah Issachar Joseph and Benjamin were appointed to stand upon Gerizzim to bless the People Deut. 27.12 Or else by an extraordinary Spirit of prophesie So Jacob blessed his Sons when he told them what should befal them in the last dayes Gen. 49. And Balaam prophesying the prosperity of Israel is said to have blessed them altogether Numb 24.10 4. To Bless is to make blessed to give as well as speak a blessing So Israel was blessed effectually Numb 22.12 Curse them not for they are blessed Thus there are Blessings spiritual and Blessings temporal Blessings of basket and store c. 5. To bless is to set apart from a common to a holy and spiritual use So Christ blessed the Bread when he set it apart to signifie his Body Mat. 26.26 Now when Christ blessed his Disciples the four last of these acceptions of Blessing may very well be comprized and intended The gesture used in blessing them lifting up his hands may well suit with pronouncing of a Blessing in way of prayer The Gifts and Graces poured on them soon after his Ascension speak the efficacy of his Blessing and that it was not empty words but Spirit and Life And it is evident that at his Ascension he set them apart and gave them a Commission to go and preach the Gospel Other Texts might be cited proving that Christ's Ascending did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak well to his Disciples as Mark 16.17 18 19. and Acts 1.8 9. But the Text so fully assureth us that Christ lifted up his hands and blessed just at his Parting and Ascension that we need no other Confirmation To come then to the Reasons why Christ Ascended blessing The two main springs whence his Blessing slowed are his Love and his Faithfulness which two were the reasons of his Humiliation and Transactions He loved his Elect and He was faithful to him that appointed him Heb. 3.2 Out of Free-grace and Faithfulness He laid down his Life a Ransome for many He loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood Rev. 1.5 His Father had appointed Him and promised Him to bless and he faithfully performed it He came to bless and went to Heaven blessing There are eight special Reasons or Ends which Christ had in his eye in blessing his Disciples so solemnly when he was leaving Earth to go to his Father 1. He would assure his Disciples that his affection to them was the same now at parting as they had found it from his first choosing them they might have thought it strangeness had he gone and not left a Blessing behind him after all his kindness and compassion And this is one end to which are directed all those gracious and comfortable Expressions recorded in the 12 13 14 15 16th Chapters of John with that pathetical Prayer John 17. shewing him as tender-hearted towards them at last as ever He displayeth his Banner of Love over them in this gracious Valediction going to Heaven Blessing 2. Jesus Christ would have his Disciples and all that should believe in his Name to know that he carried the same Heart to Heaven with him that he had on Earth so that though his bodily presence was removed yet his Love continued and he would be as mindful of them in his Kingdom as ever he had been on Earth And this is another End of his gracious Expressions at and a little before his Ascension He knew how ready they might be through weakness and temptation to question his care and doubt of his Love as the Israelites about Moses Exod. 32. As for this Moses we wot not what is become of him He would not have them think Now Jesus Christ is gone and his Mercy is at an end he hath forgotten to be gracious and so sink in despairing thoughts No He assureth them John 16.26 I say unto you I will pray the Father for you rest satisfied question not but I will remember you and set you as a seal upon my Heart as a seal upon mine Arm I will carry your names engraven on my Brest-plate and make intercession for you and here he would assure them of lasting Love in parting from them with the most notable expression of it He solemnly blessed them 3. Jesus Christ would have his People assured that he is the Messiah the promised Seed in whom all Nations shall be blessed Gen. 18.18 The Apostle mentioneth this Covenant with Abraham Acts 3.25 26. and sheweth that Christ came to bless in pursuit of that Covenant and to fulfil Scripture It was prophesied of Christ Psal 72.17 Men shall be blessed in Him And Blessing was his beginning and conclusion in his Ministry upon Earth the beginning of his first Sermon and the close of his Last 4. He blessed them that he might not leave them overwhelmed with grief nor swallowed up of sorrow at his departure John 14.1 18 27. I will not leave you comfortless let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid He knew the loss of his Presence might strike cold to their hearts The Children of the Bridechamber might mourn alas the Bridegroom is taken away they might cry after so good a Teacher and Master My Father my Father the Horsemen of Israel and Chariots thereof and sorrow most of all that they must see his face on Earth no more Well The Lord God had
and demolish the strong-holds of Satan The conscientious Physitian when he seeth thâ— health and life of the Patient committed to him how diligent is he in watching with and attending his Patient how curious exact in observing the pulse the symptomes workings nature and strength of the disease how careful and diligent to apply proper Remedies and Physick sometimes Corrosives sometimes Cordials and all to restore health and prolong life to his Patient How much more diligent should Ministers Physicians of souls be in observing the several Maladies and Soul-diseases of their People and to apply proper Remedies so many persons so many patients so many sins so many diseases some are brutish and unteachable some are weak others dull some perverse and many ungrateful How should they endeavour to make the brutish to understand to confirm the weak and make them strong to quicken the dull and make them zealous and fervent to allure the perverse and and make them tractable to win the ungrateful and make them kind what is the body to the soul or life temporal in a troublesome world to Life Eternal in unspeakable Happiness the Excellency of the object should heighten our esteem and double our diligence Pretious pretious Souls lie at the Stake One Soul is of more value than ten thousand worlds Jesus Christ shed his pretious Blood for the Redemption of souls but not for the honours dignitys riches of the world Now either Heaven or Hell And how should the joyes of the one and the torments of the other and the eternity of both add indefatigableness to our labours unwearied vigilancy to our perspective care invincibleness to our courage irrefragableness to our arguments â—â—d steep our perswasions in tears and all to keep you from lodging your selves in everlasting burnings and bring you to an Enjoyment of the beatifical Vision of the blessed God! In this decriped age of the world the Devils seem to be possessed with some spirits worse than themselves they turn every stone they improve the dregs of their malice the height of their power if by any means by secret perswasions by hostile invasions by strange delusions turning themselves into Angels of Light that they may drag one soul to Hell and shall not Ministers take much more pains to bring them to Heaven Paul was unwearied in his doing invincible in his suffering How many Cities and Countries did he enlighten with the Gospel Jerusalem Illyricum Damascus Arabia Antioch Arhaja Cilicia Cyprus Epirus Galatia Mysia Lycaonia Pamphilia Physidia Phrygia Selutia Syria Troas Ministers should make the Salvation of Souls their study their care their imployment their practice their whole business We must wait on our Ministry Rom. 12.7 give our selvs continually to it Acts 6.4 We must fulfill our Ministry Col. 4.7 The soundness fatness fruitfulness of the Flock is an honour to the Shepherd The recovered health strength life of a sick weak dying patient is an honour to the Physician It is the glory of Kings according to the rules of the great States-man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ease and heal their Cities and Kingdoms of those miseries and calamities they groan and languish under to secure their present peace and prosperity to enlarge their bounds and of small to make them great If the Roman Emperour gloried when he said of Rome Lateritiam inveni marmoream reliqui I found it built with Brick but left it built with Marble So it is a great honour for Ministers to do much good to their People to strengthen the diseased to heal the sick to bind up the broken to bring back that which was driven away and seek that which was lost Ezek. 34.16 When of Lead Brass Iron and Tin they make them Gold and Jewels for God when of Lyons they make them Lambs of Rebels they make them loyal Subjects beating their spears into pruning hooks and swords into plowshares when of a barren Wilderness they make them a fruitful Vineyard How exceeding great will that Glory be which God will give at the last day unto his faithful Ministers when they shall stand forth before God his Angels and all men Andrew bringing with him his Achaians whom by his Ministry he hath gained unto Christ John with his Asians Thomas with his Indians Peter with his Jews and Paul with his Gentiles and all the pious and faithful Ministers of Christ with all the Children God hath given them in their respective Ages and Generations and these shall be to them a Crown of Glorifying in the presence of Jesus Christ at his coming 1 Thes 2.19 and the time for the accomplishing of all this at the longest is very short Death if no other providence may sooner than they are aware of throw them into an incapacity of doing any more good unto their People how should they labour to do much in a little while the grand importance of the work the numerous and potent enemies that oppose and hinder it the uncertainty and shortness of time to do it in should make us wonderfully diligent say and do with Paul We seek not yours but you accounting the winning of souls to Christ our greatest gain and glory Sed heu Quantum distamus ab illo how many say in their practice We seek not you but yours seek the fleece and neglect the flock How do Ministers run and ride cap and cringe to get Ecclesiastical Dignities and Preferments to multiply to themselves Church-revenues heaping Steeple upon Steeple as the Gyants of old Pelion upon Ossa and upon both these Olympus to fill their Coffers to maintain their Pomp their full Tables to provide portions for their Children or which is worse to administer more abilities of greater sinning against God and this great and necessary work undone the diseased not strengthened the sick not healed the broken not bound up that which was driven away not brought back that not sought which was lost Wâ— to such Shepherds of Israel of England and of all Christian Kingdoms in the world that feed themselves that eat the fat and cloath themselves with the wooll but feed not the Flock but with force and cruelty rule over them Ezek. 34.2 3 4. How desperate and dreadful is that Charge God layeth upon the Priests of Judah his Watchmen are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down and loving to slumber yea they are greedy Dogs that can never have enough they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for gain from his own quarter Come say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Isa 56.10 11 12. Time will not suffer me to open and enlarge upon these words I leave them to your meditations and observations pardon my trespassing upon your patience the pains is mine the profit is yours 2. If Ministers are not certain of a continued
assures you are kept by the Power of God to Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 6. It is a Word to revive and quicken you in soul-deadning times and in soul-deadning sins The Faith of God's People begins oftentimes to stagger when the proud are called happy and they that work wickedness are set up and they that tempt God are delivered Mal. 3.14 15. This staggered Jeremiah Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal treacherously Chap. 12.1 And David when he saw the ungodly prosper in the Earth that they are not in trouble as other men that they are not plagued like other men said He had cleansed his heart in vain in vain had he washed his hands in Innocency Psal 73.5 12 13. but when he came into the Sanctuary of God and consulted the Word of God then he understood their end v. 27 28. Read to this end and purpose Psa 37. and consider it well and it will revive you under these dispondencies of soul When Afflictions like waters upon fire fall on you and deaden your Graces and Comforts this Word will revive you and them this is my comfort in my affliction Thy Word hath quickened me And again Unless thy Law had been my delight I should have perished in my affliction Psal 119.50 92. And sin committed will deaden your Comforts your Graces Great sins are like a great blow upon the head astonishes a man layes him in a swond so great sins lay your Graces Comforts in a swound but this Word will revive you be as Aqua vitae to you David's sins of Adultery and Murder laid him in a spiritual swound well nigh for the space of a year if not all out a year or more he repented not of his sins in all this time but when Nathan the Prophet came to him with the Word of God David then revived 2 Sam. 12. And so for comfort under sin 7. This Word is an Antidote of Sovereign Efficacy to preserve you in the worst of times When a man lives in an Air in a City in a Town in a Family that are infected with the Plague he will take a Cordial to fortifie himself against the Infection Infection of an house with the Plague is dreadful to the Inhabitants and to have the Plague-sore upon the body is a sad affliction but to be infected with the Plague in our souls is worse that brings temporal this eternal death unless cured or prevented Now you live in an infected and an infecting world amongst corrupting and corrupted persons and the danger is great but here is a word that will fortifie you against evil examples promises preferments threatnings and sufferings and keep you from sin make you good in bad times healthy and strong in a bad air I have hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119.11 8. This Word will edifie and build up in Grace As we by a constant feeding upon our food of infants a foot long we grow and increase to be men and women of a full stature So when we are babes in Christ new born this Word by a daily feeding upon it by Faith doth nourish us until we come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ our Graces grow and are increased and strengthned according to our feeding upon it Here is Milk for babes Wine for the faint strong meat for them that are strong Christians The builders of an house cut their timber and square their stones and add timber to timber and stone to stone until the house be built up So saith the Apostle this Word is able to build you up it cuts off the remaining knots of sin and polisheth you from the remainders of corruption until you be made fit for the Temple of God in the highest Heavens 9. It will give you an Inheritance amongst them that are sanctified It gives not by way of merit and purchase but it shews you not only the Kingdom of Heaven but points out the way and directs you to it It doth not only shew and lead you that way but fits you for Heaven Unless we be fitted for Heaven we cannot come thither The Lepers must not enter the Camp so long as the Leprosie was upon them And no unclean thing shall enter into Heaven Rev. 21. ult The Temple of Solomon was all squared and fitted in the field before it was brought together to be built up So you must be fitted in the field of Grace before you can be laid in the Temple of Glory This Word then sanctifieth you purgeth the corruptions the sins of Nature this Word strengtheneth and increaseth your Graces it makes you holy with Saints here and will make you happy with them hereafter it brings Heaven and Glory into your souls here and will bring you into Heaven and Glory hereafter and give a possession of that Inheritance which was prepared for you before the foundation of the World purchased for you by the Blood of Jesus an Inheritance far better than all the Crowns and Kingdoms of the World one corner of it is better than a thousand Worlds for firmness purity duration certainty and scituation An Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in the Heavens for you 1 Pet. 1.4 where you shall have the best society them that are sanctified Abraham Isaac and Jacob all the Prophets Apostles and Children of God both Minister and People shall be gathered as Wheat and safely reconded in the Garners of Glory There shall be no Ishmael to deride and scoff our devotion no Esau to pursue us no Pharoah to oppress us no Ahab to persecute us no Doeg maliciously and falsly to accuse us no Judas to betray us no Devil to tempt us no Sin to wound us All tears shall be wiped away from our eyes and we shall enjoy Him whom to enjoy is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Now my Brethren to this Word that is of such indispensible necessity such compleat perfection and of daily use and advantage as being abundantly filled with all suitable Excellencies and Remedies for your souls in every condition I commend you Here is Light to enlighten and guide you a Touchstone to manifest Doctrines what they are unto you Here is a weapon to defend your selves and conquer your enemies Here is Rain to cool you to soften you to refresh you Here is a Cordial to comfort you to revive and quicken you an Antidote to preserve you Here is Liberty to free you Fire to purge you Food to nourish you your Magna Charta wherein your Laws Priviledges and Immunities are enrolled a Treasury of Comfort a Testament full of Legacies your Souls preservative from Sin and preparative to Glory I have done with the Doctrinal part I come now to the Application And though I have spent my self and happily
perfect Rule see how they have agreed or disagreed Look your faces daily in the Glass of God's Word and then you shall see how many spots are upon them This very thing would make and keep us humble while we live and shew us the shortness of our own wayes and drive us to Jesus Christ who hath perfect Righteousness The Swan is a proud bird but when she looks at her black feet she mourns The reason why most are so self-conceited of their own goodness is because they look upon themselves in present abstinence from sin or in present good mood and never look back upon former sinâ—â—â— In a word Let your sins be ever before your eyes 4. Beware of earthly-mindedness Let it not be your only care to get the things of this life 1 John 2.15 16. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world VVe are prone by Nature to mind Earth and nothing else But consider that those that are earthly-minded are enemies to the Cross of Christ Phil. 3.18 19. There are many of whom I tell you weeping who are enemies to the Cross of God viz. those who mind earthly things Such persons frustrate Christ of the end of his dying He died to purchase an heavenly treasure for us he arose and went to Heaven that we should imitate him If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things that are above Col. 3.1 Earthly persons undervalue the death of Christ he died to purchase Heaven they care for Earth more than Heaven Again Earthly persons will have a sad end Their end is destruction Phil. 3.19 Seeing such men put away Salvation from them whilst on Earth at last they shall be put away from Salvation Again Things below are neither a suitable nor a satisfying portion Not suitable your souls being spiritual these earthly not satisfying your souls having infinite desires whereas these are finite your souls everlasting these fading 1 John 2.17 The World passeth away When we have got never so much it may leave us we must leave it Again Earthly-mindedness is Idolatry Col. 3.5 And Covetousness which is Idolatry That which men desire love and delight in most even so much as to make it their portion that is their God Now we know that no Idolater shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Be exhorted in the words of Christ John 6.17 Labour not so much or chiefly for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life Luke 10.41 42. Be not with Martha careful about many things so as in the mean time to neglect the one thing needful 5. Be convinced that God is the best portion and make him yours You are never in a safe condition till you can experimentally say Who is there in Heaven but God and who is there on Earth I can desire besides God Psal 73.25 26. Labour to say with the Psalmist Psal 31.14 I said thou art my God And with Thomas My Lord and my God To this end get an interest in Christ receive him by Faith He that hath the Son hath the Father also God promiseth it as a special priviledge to be the God of any person or People I will be their God Jer. 31.33 When God is yours Pardon of sin is yours I will remember your iniquities no more He wil accept and delight in your persons The Upright are his delight He will take pleasure in all your services Cant. 2.14 Let me see thy face and hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely Your Prayers Praises Alms c. shall come up before God as Incense Acts 10.4 Phil. 4.18 He will alwayes be with you in every place in every condition When you are in your own and when in a strange Country when you are in prosperity when in adversity Moreover all the Promises are yours When God is yours the Covenant is yours of which the Promises are so many branches If you be troubled with the sence of sin he can pardon you if assaulted with corruptions he can strengthen you If you be sad he will comfort you if you be sick he will be your Physician if weak he can strengthen you If darkness be upon your steps he can cause the Light to shine upon your paths If you are in wants he can supply you his is the Earth and the Fulness thereof if in Prisons he will visit you and cause you to sing with Paul and Silas He is an omnipresent Good and an omniscient Good a willing and omnipotent and a sure good Men may take away your Friends or you from them but they cannot take away your God your Estates but not your God your liberty but not your God your lives but not your God God will be a satisfying Good whilst you live a comforting and supplying Good when you dye an Everlasting Good after Death Above all things then get a share and interest in this God for he is the best Good none like him and as the Wise Man saith of Wisdom so let me say of God Get God get Christ God is the principal thing therefore get him and withal thy gettings get an Interest in Christ 6. Get your hearts possessed with an awe dread of Gods all-seeing Eye Walk with a constant fear of God upon your souls Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all day long whatever you think speak or do consider God stands by and sees and hears all he knows what thou thinkest and actest even in thy bed-chamber This consideration wrought mightily upon Davids spirit which made him express himself in this manner Whither shall I go from thy Presence whither shall I flee from thy Spirit there is not a thought in thy heart nor a word in thy tongue but lo he knows it altogether Psal 139. Per totum Many would be the advantages of such a temper it would keep us from many a sin we run into Prov. 16.6 By the fear of the Lord â—â—en depart from iniquity yea this is prescribed as a Remedy against all sin in general Exod. 20.20 That his fear may be before your eyes that ye sin not The reason why men do commit secret sins is Because they think no eyes sees them When Satan tempts thee saying Thou art alone the door is lockt the windows shut then say Oh but God sees me the darkness and the Light are both alike to him To this end beg of God he would maintain in your soul more of an actual sence of his Presence plead that Promise in which he saith I will put my fear in them that they may not depart frrom me Jer. 32.40 Unless God renew the fence of his Holiness and Omnipresence we shall groâ—â— atheistical and very secure 7. Serve God according to his Mind and Will neither add nor diminish in God's Worship do what he bids us all he bids us and no more Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe to do it add not to it nor
O mourning soul is it nothing that there is no change in the Covenant of Grace though it may be thou thinkest there is a great alteration as to the Means of Grace Thy Teacher is where he was though some of thy Teachers be removed It is he that taught thee by them and he can teach thee without them Thou hast before seen cause to magnifie him because he did All by the Instruments and now thou mayest see cause to omnify him that can be to thee instead of all Instruments Christ Jesus is in Office and in exercise of his Office as Prophet when some Officers may be discharged John 5.17 Christ works if some others may not can you not find all that you have lost in that one Title of Christ The great Shepherd of the Sheep Heb. 13.10 If you should be brought so low as to see no Temple yet may you find a Temple in the Lamb Rev. 21.22 Some think that Promise of God to this mourning People Ezek. 11.16 That he would be to them as a little Sanctuary is not only a Promise of protection but that he would from himself also make some supply of Temple-Ordinances I will be a little Temple to you I will be instead of your City-Walls and your Temple-Priviledges 2. As for future Hopes there is room for an If I shall find favour in his eyes 2 Sam. 15.25 The Prophet Ezekiel dare not conclude against dry bones living Ezek. 37.3 11 12. The Text is a promise of gathering a mourning People If it be asked May we apply such Promises I Answer Yes sure we may with giving God that liberty he hath reserved to himself That he will either give us the very thing or that which is equivolent The Promises are a cōmon stock What Peter saith of Scripture There is no Scripture of private interpretation I may with a little change say of Scripture-Promises they are not of private application Nay if that be true which some upon good grounds affirm That the Church then was typical and the times that passed over her then were typical of that state of the New-Testament Church in its latter age then I say these Promises are as much ours as theirs Act Faith therefore on this Promise if God hath pricked thy heart and fear not to conclude that either God will find us a room in his House on Earth or give us the Mansions that Christ hath prepared for us in Heaven Either we shall be gathered thither where we have enjoyed Ordinances or into Heaven where we shall need none which is best of all O let our scatterings unite us O let us be sowing Goodness and scattering Religion wherever we come compare Acts 8.1 4. with chap. 11.19 And pour out our hearts in those words with which the Jews conclude both in writing and in reading the Lamentations of Jeremiah in Lam. 5.21 wherewith I will conclude this mournful discourse Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned Renew our dayes as of old Amen SERMON XVII Ephes 5.15 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise Redeeming the time because the dayes are evil THe Apostle having in the former part of this Chapter given the Ephesians warning to avoid that Looseness Prophaneness and Disorder in their lives and conversations which would exclude them out of the Kingdom of Heaven In this verse he comes by way of inference to direct them what course they should take In which words we have several things well worthy our consideration As 1. The Duty enjoyned and that with a note of earnestness See that ye walk circumspectly q. d. have a care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accurate exactte be sure what ever ye do that ye walk exactly And this Duty he amplifies 1. Negatively Not as Fools And 2. Positively But as Wise 2. Here is a special part of the Duty particularized Redeeming the time 3. Here is a reason of the Command or a motive to the performance of the Duty Because the dayes are evil The words thus considered are very pregnant and will without much midwifery bring forth these very many useful and seasonable Observations Doctrine 1. That a truly Christian Conversation is an exact Conversation Doct. 2. That a loose Life is a Fools Life Doct. 3. That he is the wisest Man that lives most exactly Doct. 4. That specially in evil Times we have need of much spiritual Wisdom for the right ordering of our Conversations Doct. 5. That it is a special part of Christian Wisdom to redeem Time Doct. 6. That the worse the Times are wherein we live the more it concerns us to redeem Time and to live exactly and wisely Doct. 7. That to live loosely and lose Time and Opportunities of good when times are evil is the veriest Folly in the world Here are rich Materials for a large Fabrick and I would gladly make the best of them for your advantage but I am confined not self-confined as formerly but by a necessity imposed upon me I say I am confined to such narrow straits of time that though it be a Treasury of such precious Truths as deserves a long and serious view yet I shall be constrained to crowd much in a little room and to give you but an half-fight of these Jewels and so put them up again but this I 'le do I will open the Cabinet and shew them to you as I can and so leave them with you in hopes you will take a more full and considerable view of them afterwards And so I shall begin with the first Doct. 1. That a right Christian Conversation is a circumspect exact Conversation a strict and precise Conversation wherein a man endeavours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to go to the top and walk upon the very ridge of his Rule As Paul Phil. 3.12 13 14 15. who laboured not only to see at a distance but to hit the very Mark of Christianity While he was a Jew he was strict and precise in that way he was of the strictest Sect of Religion Acte 26.5 And so when he was converted to Christianity he did not throw off his strictness and preciseness but guided it by the Rule of Christianity and exhorteth the Ephesians and all other Christians in the words of the Text to do the like I should not doubt easily to convince your judgements and understandings of this Truth but because strictness is a thing that is every where spoken against the hardest task will be to perswade your wills and affections to embrace this Truth I shall endeavour both by this ensuing Demonstration 1. Christians have a Rule to live by and this Rule is the Word of God This is that Rule mentioned by the Apostle Gal. 6.16 God hath not left man like brute beasts in a Forest As soon as he made man in the world he gave him a Rule to walk and live by Gen. 2.16 17. And as an Emblem of this spiritual Enclosure he left not our