There is a difference between the afflicting of Gods people and judging their enemies In the intention and extension one is for ruine the other in proportion one is a light affliction the other a load And then for extention one is for ever and the other is for time for ten dayes Then our afflictions shall have an end I and a comfortable end Are not these two ends comfortable the end of our sins and the end of our sorrow God will restore comfort to his mourners let us be mourners during the time of mourning God will quickly cloath us with garments of praise there shall be an end of our sufferings never an end of our joy and glory Pro. 8. To conclude in a word Be faithful to the death Be faithful in your promises in your vows and purposes your covenants of obedience and reformation persist in the doctrine of the Gospel and the worship of the Gospel and the Ministry of the Gospel and office Christ hath fixt in his Church be faithful by your most earnest zealous desires before the Lord Be faithful to the death He will never let you see death till all your fears are conquered He can presently take them away He will certainly be present with you in all your trouble And remember God in tender mercy and faisfulnesse for the present accepts the unfeigned purpose to be constant and saithful to him to the death Mr. Beerman's Farewell Sermon At St Thomases in Southwark August 17. 1662. BEloved I know you are not ignorant that I am called by Authority to depart from you which for Conscience sake we must obey and were it not for the breach of Conscience I think I could be content to undo my self to stay with you I shall now in love and tendernesse take my leave of you all with that large portion of Scripture in the twentieth of the Acts from the seventeenth verse to the end they were Paul's parting words to the Ephesians Ver. 17. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church and when they were come unto him he said unto them Ye know that from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I have been with you serving the Lord with all humility of mind with many tears and temptations which befell me through the lying in wait of the Jews and how I kept back nothing that wâ—â— profitable unto you but have shewed you and taught you publickly and from house to house testifying to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ and now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things thâ—â— shall befall me there save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide â—e but none of these things moveth me neither count 〈…〉 life dear unto my self so that I might finish my 〈◊〉 with joy and the Ministry which I have received of 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God and now behold I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of Heaven shall see my face no more Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the Counsel of God Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those that are sanctified I have coveted no mans silver or gold or apparel Yea your selves know these hands have ministred to my necessities and to those that were with me I have shewed you all things how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak remembring the words of our Lord Jesus how he said it is more blessed to give then to receive And when be had thus spoken he kneeled down and prayed with them all and they all wept sore and fell upon Paul's neck and kissed him sorrowing most of all for the words which be spake that they should see his face no more and they accompanied him unto the Ship BEloved I have read unto you the words of a departing Minister to his Hearers The case being my own I thought I could not pitch upon a more fitter place to take my farewel withall I shall not stand to open all these words only speak a word or two at parting as Paul did to the Ephesians and I shall only hold forth something to you by way of Analysis to it and thereby you may judge of the Analogy of it In this parting speech of Pauls you have two parts First Pauls theirs carriage to them Secondly Pauls theirs carriage to him First Pauls behaviour towards them that was very pious as you may read from v. 17. to v. 37. Secondly the peoples behaviour towards their departing Minister which you have in the two last verses Wherein is observable First their love Secondly their sorrow First their love expressed by kissing him and accompanying him unto the ship Secondly their sorrow expressed by their weeping they could not part with such a Minister with dry eyes but saith the Text They all wept sorely sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more They wept and they all wept and they all wept sorely a sore weeping when this Minister and this people parted From whence I note this That there is occasion and matter of great sorrow when people loose a godly Minister Paul was not the first Minister that ever parted with a people nor the Ephesians the first people that ever lamented the losse of a faithful Minister See how the people lamented Samuel 1 Sam. 25.1 And Samuel died and all Israel was gathered together and lamented Samuel O that brave that powerful preaching Samuel is gone How did Elisha lament Elius catching hold of his garments and crying out My father my father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof Christ himself when he saw the Children of Israel scattered abroad upon the mountains as sheep without a shepheard how did his bowels yern towards them but to name no more take St. Stepen Acts 8.2 when Stephen was departed dead and gone devout mâ—â— carried Stephen to his grave and made great lamentations over him they could not but lament to think that that noble couragious and heart-daunting Minister should never preach more before them
should be preserved 'T is necessary Religion should be advanced the power of Godlinesse preserved 't is not necessary I should be in this or that condition 9. Indulge not the least sin else thou wilt never be a Conquerour That man that will not lay down his Lust for Christ will never lay down his Life for Christ A man can never be resolved for Christs waies without if not resolved against all impurity within 10. Harden and anoint your selves with practical improvement of Christs sufferings in Christs death There was an inestimable price to purchase our conquest an infinite merit to strengthen to incourage our Conquest an all-sufficient vertue to cause our Conquest a pledge of our eternal Conquest we are Conquerours already we do but gather the Spoyle Make use of Christs death as the merit pattern and motive of your Conquest 11. Labouring for sincerity 12. Get well acquainted with Divine Attributes and Divine Promises and such especially as may be most suitable for your condition 13. Abhorre the Relicks of Superstition The very Nest the very Cage of the Bird is unclean Not a crum of that old Leaven 't will sower the whole Lump Antichrist is hugely like the Devil let him get in but one paw let him but get in his head hee will quickly get in the whole body If you would avoid the paw of Antichrist avoid as much as you can the very parings of his nails 14. Get an experimental knowledge of Gospel Truths They are your head Professors that turn Apostates 15. Let this be your first and chiefest care your first and last to seek and serve God Which if you do as all other things so this priviledge of Conquest shall be added unto you as your Crown Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you which opens the door to The Seventeenth sermon Mat. 6.33 Seek yee first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you FRom this Scripture you had a Remedy against Solicitous Thoughts and Fears given in this Proposition that a serious Inquiry and earnest Pursute of the Kingdome of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof is an excellent remedy against distracting cares and fears about Provision and safety Seek First and trouble your selves no more Seek first the Kingdome of God c. Two questions was proposed and answered 1. What is it earnestly to enquire after and seriously to pursue the Kingdome of God and his Righteousness In this Question three things included the Object the Act the Order 1. The Object the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of Heaven and its Righteousness The Kingdome of Heaven that is the Kingdome of Grace and the Kingdome of Glory the Kingdome of Grace as the means to the Kingdome of Glory The Righteousness of this Kingdome that is sanctification sincere holiness in heart and life which is the beginning or the way to and a sign or pledge of our interest in the Kingdome of Glory 2. The Act Seek i. e. bestir your utmost thoughts about your utmost time care and diligence upon these things 2. Seek i. e. set your choicest affections upon these things 3. Seek i. e. strive and labour go forth in utmost endeavours for obtaining of these things 3. The Order seek first seek it first in respect of time begin with God remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth seek it first with the greatest care acquired diligence industry with the greatest seriousness The Kingdome of God is the most necessary thing indeed that one thing necessary 'T is the most excellent thing eternal all other things are temporal get this and you get all you get above the terrours of the world The best way to have the things of this world sanctified is this seek first the Kingdome of God c. 2. How is this a remedy against distracting cares and fears Answ 1. It is a remedy by divertion 2. Present things seem little when acquainted with eternal things Vse 1. This reproves those that observe not our Saviours direction 1. Those that are drowned in earthly things give them Onions and Garlick take the Kingdome of Heaven and Righteousness thereof who will Let mee have my part in Paris what care I for Paradice 2. Others that are for the Kingdome of God but not for the Righteousness of that Kingdome they are for the end but they do not care for the way they would have the fruit but they will not climbe the Tree 3. Others that could wish they had a portion in it but in a slight and perfunctory way if Heaven could be obtained with a few prayers this they 'd do but further they will not go 2. Is this such an excellent way to cure our carnal fears and cares what advantage hath a childe of God above all other men in the world both in this life and that to come in this life under a watchful providence not a hair of his head shall perish but chiefly the priviledges of an everlasting Kingdome hee hath a bird in the bush and in hand too choice enjoyments in the hand and in hope much more but much more above and this hope of his shall not make him ashamed The vision of his appointed comforts is for an appointed time and it will come will come said I Faith looks out and sees it coming already let but Faith look to Heaven and hee sees his Judge coming which brings mee to The Eighteenth Sermon Revel 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with mee THe Observation from the words was this The Lord Jesus will certainly and speedily come to Judgement when hee shall give reward equal to every man These two Questions was answered 1. In what sense Christ comes quickly Answ In Gods account with whom a thousand years are but as one day In our account Faith sees him coming though sense cannot Faith makes future things present 't is the perspective of the soul Beleevers receive part of their reward at death and that 's quickly 2. Why doth Christ defer his coming at all Ans 1. To stop the mouths of the wicked they will not have one word to reply they had time and space to repent 2. Out of his dear love hee bears to his Elect There 's many of his Elect not yet born and though born not new born now these must be born and new born and brought all in and when that time is come then hee will come Vse 1. Will Christ come quickly and with a reward then certainly remember this Atheist 't is no vain thing to serve our Lord Jesus What profit is it if wee serve him c what profit infinite profit there 's a reward coming 2. By way of Exhortation will Christ come oh then 1. Prepare for his coming labour to be prepared by his spiritual coming into thy heart that 's the way to be prepared for his last coming get thy understanding enlightened in
it were but it hath a certain skum why then in the face of some who through grace are free from these miscarriages take heed and beware of being leavened with prejudice against all Ministers because of the vileness and miscarriage of some Sixthly Be earnest with the Lord for a godly faithful Ministry whose labour and pains among the people the Lord useth to blesse The Lord Jesus Christ is the great Patron of all Livings as a Reverend man now in Heaven once said He can present whom he will to a Parish and he can restore whom he will to their people as Acts 12.5.6 7. As he did Peter out of prison by the peoples prayers And thus when Paul was in prison at Rome observe how he writes to Philemon in Ver. 22. of his Epistle And thus when the Author of the Hebrews was restrained from preaching observe what an Exhortation he useth Heb. 13.18.19 Oh pray therefore pray for godly faithful Ministers their pains their labours the Lord useth to blesse among a people as Malachy 2.6 we read that the Lord blessed the labours of Levi so that he was an Instrument in the Lords hand to turn wicked men from their iniquity and Verse 5. Lo it was said of Barnabas that by his Ministry much people were added to the Lord. Acts 11.24 And if we would have godly faithful Ministers as we must pray for them so we must first repent us of our sins Jer 3.14.15 Repent we must of our sins and particularly our contempt of the Ordinances and Worship of God Secondly We must prize the Gospel more then we have done the Gospel loves to come and to stay where it is welcome Of all the seven Churches of Asia â—he Church of Philadelphia was the best that Church used the Word best and that Church enjoyed the Word longest Be earnest with the Lord for godly faithful Ministers whose pains and labours among the people the Lord useth to bless and prosper 7. Be earnest with the Lord that the refining work of a National-Reformation a City a Countrey a Family Reformation a Personal-Reformation may begin at the refining and purging of Ministers None will deny but that there is great need of Reformation there is none of you but will confesse that the seed of leaven had need sometimes to be winnowed out from among us as 2 Chron. 29.48 Hezektab began at the Priests and Levites Hezekiah began his Reformation at them and thus at our first Reformation the Protestants did then affirm that there could never be any good Reformation unlesse they began at the Court of Rome And it is very observable that when the Prophet speaks of the Lord Christs coming as a refining fire and as Fullers soap this also is prophesied of refining the Sons of Levi Malachy 2.2 When he shall purifie the Sons of Levi when he shall purge them as gold and silver As it was in Judah in that good Reign of that good King Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29 34. The Priests were too few there And as it was in Judah then whether it be not so in England now I affirm not but leave you to judge But a Minister soundness in Doctrine and holiness of life and conversation should lay a great obligation on a people duly and conscientiously to practice every command to duty And this may suffice for the second Doctrine Come we now to the third Doctrine deducible to be handled from this Text and that is this That in the due practice of commanded duties Gods people may warrantably and confidently expect much of the gracious presence of the God of peace even in the worst of times These things think on saith the Apostle Ver. 8. These things doe saith the Apostle in the Text and what then the God of peace shall be with you In the due practice of commanded duties Gods people may confidently expect much of the gracious presence of the God of peace in the worst of times Then take counsel fron this Doctrine that you may have the gracious presence of the God of peace with you and if this pulpit were my death-bed I should give such counsel as these following to you First Crown the Prince of peace the Lord Jesus Christ in your hearts and lives I say Crown the Prince of peace the Lord Jesus Christ in your hearts and lives receive him as your Lord and King set a Crown on his head here in your hearts and lives and he will Crown you with peace in this life and set a Crown of glory a Crown of immortality on your heads in the life to come If you have Christ you have all things all heavenly graces all spiritual comforts all temporal blessings if you have Christ God will God can then give you all things that are good for you without Christ you are not and you can do nothing that is acceptable with God Therefore this is my first counsel to you Crown the Prince of peace the Lord Jesus Christ in your hearts and lives Secondly Then maintain a constant and conscientious intimate communion with the God of peace It was good counsel which Eliphas gave to Job Job 22.21 Would you have much of the presence of the God of peace Oh then frequently fall down and lye at thâ— foot-stool of the Lords Throne for grace and for peace and when you do so be not unmindful of us who have often been your mouths to God and Gods mouth to you And to engage and encourage you herein consider First The Lord Jesus Christ hath promised to be with his poor Ministers always even to the end of the world Mat. 28. ult If alwayes not in the Pulpit only no the Lord hath promised to be with his faithfull servants out of the Pulpit as well as in the Pulpit in the Prison sealing the truth as well as in the Pulpit preaching the truth Oh then will you put this in suit by prayer that the Lord Christ will be with his poor Ministers to the end of the world 2. We shall not sail to pray for you 1 Sam. 12.23 Our sequestring from our preaching work from you will give us advantage to lay out more time to fetch sighs from our hearts in praying-work for you and I trust the Lord will give us hearts so to improve our time for you as Samuel said so God forbid we should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you As Peter did to the people with a promise as 1 Pet. 5.10 And not only for you but Secondly Even for such as have treated us somewhat uncivilly and unkindly to say no more of them although the number of them are very inconsiderable but for such I trust we shall not forget in our prayers As Moses fell down on his face for the Children of Israel when they treated him very unkindly and spit in his face I trust we shall not forget Moses's prayer for the people And so when they danced before their Idol Jeremiah wept for those in his time
then to live in Heaven with guilt on his Conscience My Brethren let me a little enlarge because suffering may overtake us for Persecution is the genius of the Gospel therefore let me leave 4 short Rules with you concerning sufferings See that your Cause be good your Call be clear your Spirit meek and your End right Sufferings cannot bring out peace without either of them but with them all our sufferings shall be peace First Let your Cause be good it s not the bloud but the cause that makes a Martyr it s not for every cause a Christian should engage to suffer every cause will no more bear suffering then every little stream will bear a Ship nor will Christ let go swee ness to every suffering 1 Pet. 4.15 Let none of you suffer as a Murderer or as a Thief or as an Evil doer or as a busie-body in other mens matters To suffer thus is neither Christian-like nor comfortable Some suffer rather as Malefactors then as Christs Martyrs Secondly Let your Call be clear it s amiss to have a good cause without a call Some may suffer for the cause of God and yet sin in suffering for want of a call Christ calls not all to suffer to some it is given to others it is not If thy call be clear thy peace will be sweet though thy sufferings be never so great But you will say How shall I know when I am called to suffer I answer First when Truth suffers by our filence then are we called to suffer Secondly when our lives will be the denyal of Christ then are we called to deny our lives for Christ Thirdly When sin and suffering surrounds us that we cannot get out but we must either run through sin or sufferings then I may safely conclude that Christ called me to suffer and in this cause we may expect the peace and sweetness of his presence Thirdly The third Direction for suffering is this Our spirit must be meek so was Christ he went as a Lamb to the slaughter It s possible a man may be right in his cause and yet sinful in his carriage and if so no wonder if Christ be not sweet to us To be fierce and raging and reviling in suffering it s not becoming humanity and therefore much lesse like Christianity A Christian should be like Christ Acts 45. And they departed from the presence of the Councel rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name It becomes those that are found in the Spirit to give blessing for cursing the more of Christs spirit is in us in our sufferings the more comfort and joy we shall receive from our sufferings Fourthly See that your end in suffering be right if it be Self or singularity or schism then Christ cannot be sweet to thee Some have died that their nameâ— might live Socrates died in the defence of the truthâ— and to prove that there is but one God but whether he died for honour applause or for Gods sake I think it is no hard thing to determine But 〈◊〉 thy cause be good thy call clear thy spirit meek and thy end right and then you shall have peace in all your sufferings that is the fifth thing Choose suffering rather then sinning Sixthly If you would have peace be much in studying the Scriptures for as God is the God of peace and Christ the Prince of peace so the Gospel is the Gospel of peace which God hath given thee to lead thee in the wayes of peace Great peace have they that love thy Lawes Seventhly Take heed of Apostacy either in Doctrine or Principles Though a Believer is freed from Apostacy in the state of grace yet he is not freed from Apostacy in the degrees of grace He may fall sinfully though he cannot fall finally Demas fell by one St. Peter by the other Pray with David Psal 17.5 Hold up my goings in thy path that my foot-steps slip not Eighthly Make the Word of God your Rule in all things be sure you have a Scripture-warrant for all your practises But especially keep close to Scripture in matters of Gods Worship There are endless Discourses about the Mode of Gods Worship I have no disputing-time It is good in difficult cases always to take the surest side For Instance If I follow the Traditions of man for the worship of God I may sin but if I keep close to the directions of God in the Scripture I am sure I cannot sin for this is the sure word of Prophecy to which you do well to take heed therefore in such a doubtful case Gods will is that we take the surest side go to the Law and to the Testament Labour to be fruitful and grounded Christians Ninthly Keep up the power of godliness do not let Religion down into a life-less formality The Righteous shall flourish like a Palm-tree He shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon those that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God Psal 92.12 13. My Brethren it is as much a duty in them that have grace to improve it as for them that have no grace for to get it If you sit under the daily means the daily waterings of God and do not grow do you think this will be peace in the latter end surely no my Brethren your fruitfulness under the Gospel is of very great concernment It is unfruitfulness that makes God lay his Vineyard waste It s fruitfulness that procures the forwarding your account in the day of grace Tenthly Observe that excellent rule of the Apostle in Phil. 48. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are â—ust whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be an prayse think on these things And now my Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace that is infinitely able to make you wise to saâ—vaâ—ion with this Benediction which I shall makâ— my Valediction Grace be unto you and Peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ Master JOSEPH CARIL His Farewel SERMON UPON Revel 3. Ver. 4. the latter part of that Verse And they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy IN the former part of this Verse you heard the commendation of those few names in Sardis It was this They had not defiled their garments In this latter part you have their encouragement in their Reward They shall walk with me in white In which encouragement I told you we might consider two things or take it into two parts First That they should walk with Christ Secondly They should walk in White I have spoken to the former of these They shall walk with Christ and that the Scripture holds forth under a two-fold notion First As matter of duty It is a duty to walk with Christ Secondly It is a matter of Promise They that
White wherein we shall walk with Jesus Christ I is an Angelical Happinesse so much Heaven is come down upon you while ye have this White 'T is Heaven before Heaven Matth. 28.3 the Angel that came down to the Sepulchre of Christ his Raiment was white as the Light The Martyrs when they had Angelical Apparitions they alwayes appeared to them in white as one upon the Rack thought he felt an Angel supplying him while his enemies tormented him Christ calls the Pharisees whited Sepulchres they were not white but whited Sepulchres that is a wofal condition to be whited like a Sepulchres Thus it is with those who defile themselves they are whited walls and whited Sepulchres They that keep themselves white shall walk in white shall have Angelical Glory Secondly Consider This white or walking in white is such as conquers all the blackness of this world t is not possible for the world to alter the coulour of this white how much dirt soever they put upon it this white will be white still they cannot turn it to be black they cannot take away this peace this joy from us they cannot strip us of this habit they may pull off our fine garments but you cannot be stript of this white Your 〈◊〉 shall no man take from you 2. Cor. 6.20 As sorrowfull yet alwayes rejoycing as poor yet making mamâ—rich as having nothing yet freely possessing all things The world may put us into a sad estate as to the world yet we are not out of our White garmenty alwayes rejoycing Haba 3.13 Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat and the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shalt be no herd in the stalls this cannot take away the White garments no saith the Prophet Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of my salvation 'T is a conquering joy turns all sorrow into joy and blacknesse to white therefore keep clean Thirdly consider this This White of peace and joy as 't is a joy unconquerable so 't is that will be with us most when we most need it when wordly joyes are farthest from us then this joy will be near-to us that is a marvellous comfort to have comfort in its season The Martyrs who have kept themselves white have had this White and walkâ— in this white but when they had most need of it and came actually to suffering then they have had most of it This is a blessed thing This the Martyrs of Jesus Christ have given witnesse of although they have had peace and joy in their consciences at other times yet never so much as in the hour of temptation When they have been call into the Cole-house they have had white â—â—â—ments when they have been cast into prisoâ—â— and dungeons how have they rejoyced 'T is said of Paul and Silas they were men that kept their garments undefiled and they had a great deal of peace and joy when they were put into the Stocks and Dungeons then they sung at midnight What an enlargment of heart had they at that time So in the Stories of ancient and latter Time how have they rejoyced and gon triumphing to Suffering For then Christ gives most of this White It hath been the use of Persecutors to put filthy garments upon the Martyrs drawing pictures of Devils upon them and as their malice hath risen to the hight in that time of sufferings to make them look like Devils then the love of Christ hath risen to the hight and they have been full of peace and joy at that time therefore be encouraged to walk with Christ in this White This white is an Angelical Habit 't is an unconquerable Habit and 't is that will be with us most when we have most need of it I should have added a third As walking with Christ is an honour and 't is walking in the white of peace and joy So thirdly 't is a truth of walking with Christ in the white of glory as in the Tran figuration which was a Type of Heaven Christs rayment was White so as no Fuller on earth was able to whiten it and that is it which I might have spoken of to you that they who keep their garments undefiled here shall be sure of that to walk with Christ in glory hereafter If we should misse of the white of Honour and have not much of the white of Joy yet be sure we shall walk with Christ in the white of Glory I would only say this to you That as I have from this Text and many more laboured to bring port Souls into a white state to a state of Justification to a state of Holinesse And as I have been pressing you to keep your garments white that you may be in the habit of White as your Reward so it shall be the desire and prayer of my heart that if I should have no more opportunities among you that as you have been stirred up to get into this white of Grace that you and I may meet in the white of Glory where we shall never part Here are three whites The white of Honour is good the white of Peace and joy is very good the white of Glory is best of all That is the answer of all our Prayers and that is the issue of all our Working then we shall have as much as we can hold for ever Mr. VENNING His Fare-wel SERMON Heb. 10. Verse 23. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithfull that promised THat Christians are greatly concerned nor onely to believe 〈◊〉 to make Prefession of their belieâ—◠〈◊〉 hold fast their faith and the Professâ—â— it is that which I have already proved unto you the several Obligations that lie upon Christians hereunto have been in one or two Sermons handled among you the great Obligation here annexed is for he is faithful that hath promised From whence and from other places of Scripture I have deduced seveâ—â—l Arguments and propounded them unto you the the last of which was this None can promise us better then God can none can threaten us worse then God can and therefore it concerns us to hold fast If any body can do more for you or against you then God can leave God and cleave to that Person But seeing that is impossible let it be as impossible for you to leave God Can any body promise you better then Heaven and that God hath promised to them that do believe Can any threaten you with worse then Hell and that God hath threatned to them that do not believe I shall now proceed to touch the remaining Arguments that are yet behind and give you a few helps with which I shall conclude this Discourse aâ— this time I pray God I may not say Preaching too There are several Arguments to be drawn First From the Subject concerned Vs Secondly
From the Object the Profession of our Faith And Thirdly From the Act with the Qualificationt Hold fast without wavering First From the Subject concerned Us Let us hold fast whatever others do if they let go Faith and God and 〈◊〉 and Souls and allâ— yet let us hold fast 〈…〉 the Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 to Believers theâ—â—â—â— a very great Emph sis in the word We or Us as in the 〈◊〉 of Tim. 6.8 saith â—e Having food and rayment let us be content Indeed he might have said Let every man be content but the emphasis lyes upon the us If no body else will be content yet let us for a Christian lyes under more obligations to all manner of vertue hen any other man doth If Nature will not be content with little yet let Grace Let us be content So here let us hold fast our Profession It may be others will let it go I but let us hold it fast let us among whom let us upon whom let us in whom such mighty things have been done by God let us hold fast or else it will be an intolerable upbraid and condemnation to us That it will be both see but two Texts of Scripture The first is in the 11th of Matthew vers 20 21. Then began he that is Christ to upbraid the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not Wo unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in Sackcloth and Ashes but I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the Day of Judgment then for you And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto Heaven shalt be brought down unto Hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained untill this day But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom at the Day of Judgment then for thee Pray do but mark what an upbraid there is and upon what ground Because mightier works had been done among these then among others Now it seems to be a little excusible that they where these mighty works had not been done did not repent and therefore their punishment shall be the more tolerable But it will be more inexcusable for them among whom less mighty work have been done If they do not comply with the design of God their condition will be far more intolerable They that have been lifted up to Heaven as it were that have as it were seen Christ crucified before their eyes for them to apostatize and turn away from Christ of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy Certainly those very persons that have great and mighty works done among them and upon them too great Convictions and strong Resolutions and yet they shall apostatize oh how will God upbraid these persons Now see that other Text that speaks as dreadful as this Heb. 6.4.5 and 6 verses For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again to repentance Seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame It is the greatest disgrace and affront that man can put upon Christ to apostatize from him it is not half so much not to own him for by that they crucifie him again and put him to an open shame it is as if they told all the World that this Christ is not worth the believing in and it were but to throw away their time and happiness to believe in him Well then let us that pretend to such enlightnings and say We have tasted of the Heavenly gift and of the good Word of God and of the first-fruits of Heaven let us hold fast lest we come under this upbraid and this condemnation But more particularly let us hold fast as we are concerned to do if we consider First What we were before Faith Secondly What we are by Faith Thirdly What we shall be at the end of Faith First What we were before Faith What were we Before Christ was Preached and before we believed what were we Why much worse then if we had not been considered in our case and state it is better not to be at all then to be a sinner it were better not to be a people then not to be the people of God Now what were we before Faith Why truly we were not a people so the Scripture tells you They that were not a people are now the people of God so that if we are not the people of God we are as if we were not a people We were What were we before Faith Dark We were the Darkness it self as the Apostle's expression is in Ephes 5.8 saith he Ye were sometimes Darkness The very Light that was in us was Darkness corrupt in our Understandings and Imaginations the Understanding dark We were dead yea under the worst of Deaths dead in sin You saith he that were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickned How were they dead in sins Did they not live in sin Yes saith he wherein you walkt Why What is their Death To live in sin is to be dead in sin all the while the Prodigal lived in his sin the Father said of him He was dead My Son that was dead is alive We were What were we before Faith Why we were Children of what of Wrath as well as others Now Beloved consider how many abide thus to this day in Darkness Dead in sin and Children of Wrath When you are or pretend to be translated out of this darkness into his marvellous light will not You hold fast You that were dead as well as others and now you live is this your requital to God that you will now let it go Oh! I beseech you have a care of that Secondly let us consider what we are by Faith and that will be another Obligation upon us We were not so bad before Faith but we are better by Faith We were not in so miserable a case before believing but we are in as happy a case when we do believe Why what are we We are alive and Children of Light and Children of God We are alive You hath he quickned saith he or made alive and My Son that was dead is alive Now what is the work of the Living It is to praise God The Living the Living they shall praise thee as I do this day Now if this be the work of the Living then consider if we hold not fast our Faith if we apostatize we are so far from doing the work of the Living that is of praising God that we do all the dishonour we can to God we do the work of dead
Jesus Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that ye have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavenâ— Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our Profession Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Authour and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was 〈◊〉 before him endured the Cross despised the shamâ— and is set down at the rigâ—â— and of the Throne 〈◊〉 God Oh let us be thinâ—ing of and looking 〈◊〉 this Jesus You will say what shall we think of him Oh think of this condescention in the world of that vouchsafement which as was never the like of his how he humbled himself and suffered from God and man Think how he became poor that was rich that we that were poor might become rich Think how he became a curse think how he became sin for us think what a good Confession he made before Pontius Pilate even to the death and was obedient to the death Think how he conquered death by dying and how he rose again by his Almighty Power and is ascended into Heaven and ever lives to make intercession for those that come to the Father through him Think how he lived here on Earth in a sad condition and joyed in it to that it might be for our good and shall we leave such a Christ as this Oh can you look upon Christ and leave the Profession of your Faith it cannot be keep Christ before your eyes make him your pattern and you will not you cannot do amiss He that saith he abides in him ought to walk as he walked He walked in obedience all his dayes and was obedient to the death So must we we must walk in obedience all our dayes though we dye for being obedient You see now how many Arguments there are for your holding fast the Profession of your Faith There are many now that might be added but the time is past therefore I shall shut up all the words of Jude from the 20. Verses of his Epistle to the end But you Beloved building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life and of some have compassion making a difference and others say with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the Garments spotted by the flesh Now unto them that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God and Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen Mr. Matthew Newcomen His Farewel SERMON Preached at Dedham in Essex Aug. 20. 1662. REV. 3. Vers 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent I Began this Scripture the last Lord's-Day in this Congregation I told you then there were three Doctrines obvious in the Text The first was Doct. 1. That it is the Duty of Christians To Remember those Truths that they have heard and received Doct. 2. That it is the Duty of Christians to hold fast the Truths that they have heard and received Doct. 3. That continued Repentance is the Duty of Christians as well as initial Repentance Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent The first of these Doctrines I applyed my self to and applyed to â—he People the last Lord's-Day and shall not now say any thing of it but proceed to the next Doctrine That it is the Duty of Christians To hold fast the Truths that they have heard and received That which the Apostle enjoyns on Timothy is in proportion the duty of all Christians 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus The whole intire Body of Divine Truth Hold it fast against all opposition whatsoever Now if they that are themselves Teachers of the Truth to others must hold fast the Truth according to the Plat-form that hath been delivered to them then much more is this the duty of private Christians who are supposed not to have that latitude of parts and gifts that Teachers have And therefore you shall find that Christ requires this not onely of the Pastors but of the Members of his Church Rev. 2.24 speaking not onely to the Angel but to the Body of the Churchâ— But to you I say and to the rest in Thyatira as mâ—ny 〈◊〉 have not this Doctrine and which have not known the depths of Sathan as they speak I will put upon you none other burden but that which you have alreadyâ—â— hold fast till I come As if he should say This is all I require of you my People keep your selves and hold fast that which you have till I come And so in the 3d of Rev. 11. Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take away thy Crown As if he should say That Divine Truâ—â— that thou hast heard and received it is thy Crown thy excellency therefore hold it fast This Duty of holding fast the Truth is urged in many other places of Scripture under other expressions as that of continuing in the Word of God Christ says If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed And continuing in the Faith Act. 14.22 Paul and Barnabas visiting the Churches exhor ed them to continue in the Faith And so those terms of being rooted in the Truth of standing and standing fast and many others they all inforce this Duty Now for the better handling of this Point I shall do these four things First I will shew you What Christians are to hold fast Secondly How they are to hold this fast Thirdly Why they are to hold fast that they have heard and received Fourthly I will apply it First What Christians are to hold fast The Doctrine says They are to hold fast the Truths they have received Now Truths are of two sorts 1. Some are Natural and Moral 2. Some are Supernatural and Divine Truths Called Truths of God because they come from God and conform the Mind and Soul that receive them to the Image of God Now though it is true it is good for a man to be right in Moral things and to know and cleave to that which is Truth in Morality yet the Truths that we are here called upon to hold fast they are Divine Truths Supernatural Truths Truths in Religion Truths in the things of God Secondly Again Religious and Divine Truths Truths of God they are either such as are so in name and in the estimation of some men or else they are such Truths as are Truths of God in the truth and reality of the thing Now when I say that Christians are to hold fast the Truths they have received the meaning is not that what ever any man or company of men offer as Truths should be received and held fast for then we must hold fast many Errours But what
must go to God those Ministers that were wont to comfort us are now to be taken from us our Barnabaâ—'s Sons of consolation their mouths are to be stopped though Ordinances are now to be dammed up the houses of God made places of defilement our Teachers are removed into corners our troubles increase and we have none to tell us how long the light of our eys the comfort of our hearts in respect of the outward means are going from us whither shall we go we want bread for our souls we want cordials for our hearts blessed Saviour pity us and since thou wilt not come to us in thy own presence as thy Ambassadors do come to us by thy Spirit do now in heaven as thou didst on earth pray the Father for us do not leave us as so many Orphans without father or mother but send thy Spirit to refresh our souls see how we are hated and reviled and we must suffer these things now Let us have thy spirit 3 If you would have communion with the Spirit of Christ in his comforting work Take heed that you do not lay up your comforts in the creature This is for to seek for the living among the dead those that rejoyce in the creature rejoyce in a thing of nought and you that have an interest in God God will not take it well at your hands to seek it any where else no not in Ordinances though God would have you to seek comfort in Ordinances yet he would not have you to seek comfort from Ordinances 4 Sit down and be much in duty Psal 63.5 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches If you look at the beginning of the Psalm you shall find this Psalm was penn'd when David was deprived of the Ordinances of God Many a man complains that he lives uncomfortably no wonder when he little thinks on Christ 5 Be much in the exercise of grace Then they walked in the fear of the Lord when they walked in the comfort of the Holy Ghost 6. Take heed of quenching and grieving the Spirit your Comforter by neglecting his motions or by acting any thing against the mind of the Spirit Do not sin against him as your enlightning Spirit that will hinder him as your Comforter I close with a word of Comfort to the people of God If it be one of the great works of the Spirit of God here is matter of great comfort to those that stick close to Jesus Christ 1. Sure your comforts will be satisfying Comforts sufficient because they are comforts of the Spirits working The Lord Jesus hath promised to make up the want of his bodily presence by sending his Spirit He was now going from them and tells them That he could not stay and this was sad newes to the Disciples who where ready to break their hearts and the best comfort that he could afford them was to tell them That he would send the Comforter If Christ can comfort his people in the absence of himself surely he can comfort them in the want of all other comforts that relate either to soul or body and so in the want of mercies in the want of outward Ordinances he can comfort the soul It is the Spirit of God that can comfort in the use of these and if he will he can do it in the want of them he can comfort us in the wildernesse where no water is when he doth deny the meanes he can cumfort us without where he denies the stream he can make us drink out at the Fountain 7. And Lastly The people of God find hereby that their comforts are abiding Your liberty your friends ah Ordinances and Ministers may be taken from you your Ministers may be banish'd your Ministers may be imprison'd but here is a Comforter that abides for ever And though they may keep your Ministers out of the Pulpit yet they shall not take the Comforter out of your hearts So that when I shall not Preach any more to you I shall Pray the Father that he would send you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Mr. Bull of Newington-Green His Farewel Sermon in the afternoon Acts 20.32 And now Brethren 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 them that are sanctified THe words are part of S. Pauls Farewel-Sermon or discourse to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus one of those famous seven Churches of Asia that we read of in the book of the Revelations It is not to be doubted as Calvin doth Comment upon the place that though the Apostle speaks immediately to the Elders yet he doth comprehenâ— the whole Church in the Speech Our holy Apostle had been a long time with the Church preaching among them taking pains with them both in publick and private as you may see in the 20 verse and declares to them the whole Counsel of God verse 27. and now being called away taken off by divine Providence by the will of his Master the last and best office that he thought he could do for them was to commit them to the care of God and to leave them in his arms and to recommend them to his Grace It would be more then the time would permit to look over the whole Apostles Sermon which is partly Narrative and partly Consolatory Narrative to put them in mind in what manner he had preached to them from verse 17. to verse 27. And it s partly Consolatory from the 27. to the Text wherein the Apostle could hold no longer but his love constrains him and makes him to break forth into this pathetical wish or rather prayer And now Brethren I commend you to his grace As if he had said I am just now going 〈◊〉 you not knowing that I shall see your face any more now I am a dying man as to my conversing with you anâ— more now I am departing this is the best Legacie I can bequeath unto To commend you to God and to his grace And he speaks to persons as standing in the same relation with God and Christ and having the same Father and the same elder Brother As if he should have said you are as dear to me as my own flesh as if you were my brethren by consanguinity and it is my sorrow that I must leave you but as it is my greatest grief to part with you yet I must leave you and this is the comfort that I shall leave you in safe hands I do not leave you to the wide world I do not leave you as Orphans without a Father as Sheep without a Shepherd but I commend you to God and to his grace O happy word Though I must leave you yet I trust God who is able will keep you as God is present every-where
come unto you this day as a dying man for you know when this day is gone I must no more preach among you and I know you are come to see what I shall leave you for your Legacy which that I may do take these Twenty things as Counsel and Advice from a dying man and O that they may remain with you when I am dead First I shall give you Ten by way of Caution and secondly Ten by way of Counsel my Cautions are First Beloved I beseech you as you tender the welfare of your Souls take heed of breaking the Sabbath day of Prophaning the Lords day it hath been observable that whereever Religion hath flourished among any people there they have ever been careful and conscientious of the Sabbath day and on the contrary side where Religion is gone to decay and people grown to prophanenesse there they are alwaies loose on the Sabboth day pray remember I hope you will remember for God calls upon you and commands you so to do Exod. 20. v. 8. Remember the Sabboth day to keep it holy do not you take so much liberty as some will give you whoever you are that refuse thus to do I will leave this assertion upon you thou wretched man hath God given thee Six dayes and reserved but one for himself and wilt thou Rob him of that too what if he had given thee but one kept six for himself would you be so vile as not to keep them how much more then when God hath given thee so much preheminency in time this is the first be conscious in keeping the Sabboth day Secondly Take heed and beware of Idolatry this was John's caution to his beloved Children 1 Epist 5. v. 21. Little Children keep your selves from Idols There is no sin to which nor no sin by which we are in more danger than Idolatry First there is no sin to which we are in more danger than Idolatry Moses's back was no sooner turned but the people made them a brazen calf and bowed down to it and worshiped it as their God Exod. 32. v. 4. Jehojada was no sooner dead but Ioash returned to Idolatry if we were not prone to this sin what is the reason all the world turns Antichristians so Universally Secondly As there is no sin to which we are in more danger so there is no sin by which we are in more danger than Idolatry I do confesse if you will keep your garments clean undefiled with the mark of the Beast it may be you may come under shrewd temptations yet I intreat you as a dying man as you love your Souls and for God's sake flee from Idolatry notwithstanding your temptations for God hath promised that under all the temptations that happens to you he will support you if you flie and withstand the thing you are tempted to 1 Cor. 10. v. 13. there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to men but God is faithful Will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear but will with the temptation also make way to to escape that you may be able to bear it now see what use the Apostle makes of this promise in the next verse he follows with these words my dearly beloved flee from Idolatry seeing God will uphold us let us withstand any temptations to this end that God may uphold us this is the second Caution Thirdly Take heed of Apostacy of a degenerating backsliding spirit that ye do not fall off from the truth and ground of the wayes of God which ye have known and professed it is true it may be for standing to your principles you may lose the love of man I acknowledge it may be so but hear what God saith If any man fall back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him if thou goest on mans Soul may have no pleasure in thee but if thou fallest back Gods soul wil have no pleasure in thee thou doest by Apostacy declare to all the world that thou hast made trial of the wayes of God and thou doest not find them to be as good as thou thoughtest they were nay not so good as others O take heed of scandalizing the wayes of God here how God complains of those that so do Jer. 2.10 Go unto the Isles of Chittim and behold and send unto Kedar and take diligent heed and see whether there be such a thing hath a Nation changed their God for those which are no Gods but my people hath changed their glory for that which will not profit Hear O Heavens and be astonished at this for my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and have hewed to themselves broken cisterns that will hold no water Whatever it is that would lead thee to Apostacy beware and flie it especially evil company of which I shall speak more anon let your love to Christ be augmented and love of your selves abased for unlesse you love Christ very much and your selves very little I cannot hope that you will stand to your principles Fourthly Beware of Covetousnesse it is Christs Caution Luke 2. ver 15. Take heed and beware of Covetousnesse here is a Caution with a double action take heed and beware believe me Brethren it stands upon us so to do for it steals upon us before we be aware of it there is no person will deal more injuriously with a Christian than a covetous man will he will betray his Life if it were in his hands into his Enemies hands for Money as Judas did A covetous man he will injure Christ in his Ordinances he will not come at them for the love he bears to the World will not suffer himstruly quoth he I have lost this or that while I was hearing a Sermon I 'le go no more I must stay at home and look after my businesse I could give you many instances of this but time will not give me leave I shall only touch this one what was it but the Love of this World that kept those who were bid to the Marriage Feast of the Great King of Heaven from coming One had bought a piece of Ground and he must needs see it another had bought Oxen and he must go to prove them a third had Married a Wife and therefore he could not come Of all persons in the world a covetous man cannot nor will not endure to bear the Crosse of Christ Phillippians 3. v. 8. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the Enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is destâ—uction who are these what manner of persons are they why they are such who make their Belly their God whose glory is their shame and who mind earthly things A covetous man he will lie with Ananias and Sarhira he will steal with Achab he will murther with Ahab he will betray with Judas what will he not do to attain his covetous
desire this is the Fourth beware of covetousnesse Fifthly You that have not taken warning yet I beseech you take warning now have a care and avoid evil company Ephes 5.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknesse but rather reprove them come out from among them and be serarated from them Never go into a wicked mans company if before you go you have not a probability of doing good or getting good Consider with thy self is there any likelyhood that thou by thy wholesome reproofs may do him any good if there be then go onâ— if not draw back avoid them fly from them for their steps tend to perdition By wicked company those two things have been effected Good men made bad Bad men made worse Good men have been made bad by wicked company Jehosaphat that good King is in an example of this who by the company of wicked Ahab was drawn to fight against those whom God favoured and to help Ahab in his wicked enterprise Bad men have made those worse by evil company Ahab was made worse by the instigation of his wicked wise Jezabel Oh can you bear when you are in their company to hear them blaspheme the holy name of God and not repove them Truly if you can it is a sign you are not so good as you should bâ— Sixthly my sixth Caution is this Oh have a care of having the least finger on your hand against a Saint it is dangerous to have a thought word or act against the people of God it is dangerous to have a thought amisse of them Psal 62.3 They imagine mischief against a man that is against a Saint therefore they shall all be slain for their bare imagination they shall be cut off It is dangerous to speak against them How durst thou saith God to Miram to speak against my servant Moses and immediately he smote her with leprosie as white as Snow It is dangerous to act against them and it is forbidden by God Psal 105.5 Touch not my anointed nor do my Prophets no harm Perhaps you would say you would not do them any harm if you thought they were Gods people Oh but take heed lest they prove Gods people and then it were better for you if a milstone were hung about your neck and you cast into the Sea than to offend the least of them Seventhly Let me beseech you all to take heed of complying with this sinful world whoever doth do not you but take up that good resolution of Joshua's As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. Though all else forsake God yet will not I yet let not us I beseech you saith he that you would not conform your selves to the fashions and manners of this wicked world Oh take heed of conforming your selves to the Conversation of this world but walk harmlesse and shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation if we will comply with the world I mean to be as most of the world are that is temporizers timeâ—servers preferring the pleasing of a man before the pleasing of God then we must lie in wickednesse as all the world doth 1 John 2.10 for all that in the world is either the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye or the pride of life and these are not of the Father but abideth in the wicked one the Prince of the power of the air after whom the men of the world walk This is the seventh take heed of Conforming your selves to this world Eightly Take heed of a hasty spirit when you are under sad dispensations when you are under sufferings you are apt to seek and 〈◊〉 with relief come it which way it will and on what terms it will 〈◊〉 spirit Esay 26. v. 18. He that believeth maketh not haste hat is he maketh not haste to get out of his afflictions the people of Israel was of hasty spirits and murmured because they were kept so long in the wilderness for which God slew an innumerable company of them Saul was of a hasty spirit and by it lost his life and Kingdom Jacob's Mother no sooner told him his Fathers intent but he was resolved to have the first blessing though he cheated his Brother and lyed for it and so told his Father that he was his eldest Son but he himself was afterward deceived by a lye with having the eldest daughter given him instead of the younger Take David for your example he waited Gods time the Kingdome was promised to him after Sauls death and when Saul persued him you know David had him twice in his power and with ease might have destroyed him but he would not â—ar be it from me saith he that I should touch the Lords annointed Let God smite him by the hands of his enemies I will not it is far better to be Gods Bond-stave then the Devils Free-man do not use any the least action whatever in an indirect way to deliver thy self but patiently set down and wait Gods good time which when once come thy deliverance will assuredly come with it Take heed then of a hasty and suâ—len spirit under afflictions Some men when God takes away any comfort from them are of so sullen a spirit there is no pacifying of them God will now this day take something from you which I believe you would willingly keep will you therefore be of so sullen a spirit that because you cannot enjoy all you will not enjoy any but will rob your selves of all what though you cannot enjoy your Minister any longer will you not make use of the Ordinances of God I beseech you refrain this spirit and let the deprivation of one mercy be a means to make you make better use of those that are left Ninthly My ninth Caution is this take heed of an ungodly Minister I speak not to any mans person in particular neither can I because I know not as yet who will succeed me but whosoever he be if he be wicked beware of him for if he be ungodly the people will follow him for like Priest like people and I pray God deliver you from such Ministers as for doctrine do teach the traditions of men and cry peace peace when sudden destruction hangâ— over their heads such Ministers may please you but believe me they will never profit you but at last you will find that through the â—ale of Security you are led to the pit of Perdition They will tell you you need not be so strict and diligent in your conversations nor Heaven is not so hard aâ—d difficult to gain as some would make you believe believe them not but remember that without holiness none shall see God and that neither Fornicators Adulterers Idolaters Thieves Murderers Covetous persons Drunkards Reviâ—era nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Gospel only Christ when he was preaching to a throng of People as I am here this day said unto them Take â—eed and beware of the leaven of the
Phaâ—isees which is among you Oh that I had no cause to say the leaven of the Pharisees is among you I mean that there are many here that are but bare professors let me ask you that are only professors this one question Is Religion good or bad if it be not good what is the reason thou art not ashamed to profess it if it be good what is the reason thou dost but professe it by thy bare professing thou losest the love of man by no more then professing thou canst never gain the love of God so that on all sides thou art like to be miserable The world will hate thee for being so good and God will hate thee for being no better What a sad thing is it that thou losest thy comforts in this life by professing so much and thy comforts in the life to come by no more then professing Thus you have heard what I have to say by way of Caution I shall now speak to you by way of counsel The former ten were Negative these shall be Positive First I intreat you all that above all things you would mind the one thing necessary that you would not trouble your selves so much with many things of little concernment but mind the great thing for which you came into the world Oh my friends will you spend your time for that which will not profit you and your money for that which is not bread Look after Grace labour to get an Interest in Christ of which if you be unprovided you will be undone for ever and it will be better for you you had never been born Oh gain Christ and then you will be fitted for all times all troubles and all conditions that can happen unto you you will be endued with all wisdom and with all riches if you gain not Christ all that God doth to you and for you will nâ—ught at all avail you Secondly My second advice and counsel unto you is this That you would live as you would die live to day as if you must die to morrow Let me ask you would you be content to die in the state you are in if my soul doth not desire to be in a better state wheâ— I come to die then now I am in I may very well sit down satisfied if not then surely it greatly concerns me to look after a better would any man be content to die a Drunkard I ask you that are Drunkards I do believe you will answer no why then do you live in drunkennesse How know you that God will spare you when you are drunk until you are sober again we may read of many that have died in their drunken fits God doth not alwayes send his Herauld to warn thee before he sends his Serjeant to arrest thee how knowest thou but Death may strike thee on a sudden what will then become of thy Soul Oh Beloved I beseech you live not in that you are unwilling to die in Balaam waâ— not such a wretch but he could cry out Good Lord let me die the death of the Righteous are so bad husbands but will lay up for a rainy day I mean against a time of sicknesse comes wherein you will be unable to work are you thus careful to maintain your bodies and will you be carelesse of your souls Oh be careful to provide for stoâ—my weathers you have winter garmeâ—s for your bodies to preserve them from cold â—h let patience be your winter garment to preserve and keep your selves warm in afflictions I know that he that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution and that through tribulation and sufferings we must enter into the Kâ—ngdome of Heaven shall I not then provide for them but you may say what doth persecution attend all the godly a man may escape them as well as suffer them put case affliction should not come thou wilt be never the worse for the being provided for them for he that is fit to die is fit â—o live and that man that is fiâ— to suffer afflictions is fit to live without them It was Pauls exhortation to the Ephes 6.10 Finally my brethren put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand the wiles of the Devil And it is wisdome in a man to provide for a misery before is comes there is mention made of a Nation the Spartans I think that useth to chuse their King as we do our Lord May or every year and whilst they are in their annual Government they live in all abundance of state have all the sulnesse their hearts can wish but when their year is over all their pomp and glory is over too and they banisht into some obscure remoâ—e place for ever Where they spend the remainder of their lives in great want and misery One King knowing this being called to rule over that Nation made such use of his time wherein he reigned as King that by his provident living he heaped up so much treasure and sent it besore him to the place where he knew he should be sent as maintained him all his life time Thus it is God hath appointed to every one a time to live in and that but a short time too and in that time he hath appointed afflictions to attend us if we will live godly in Christ Jesus is it not wisdome in us then to provide for them Take heed then that to avoid suffering you do not commit sin â—o commit sin to avoid suffering is as if a man should run out of the mouth of a barking Dog into the mouth of a devouring Lion what is the wrath of man to the wrath of God Man can but destâ—oy the body and no more but God can destroy both body and soul into hell fire to all eternity Fourthly My fourth word of counsel and direction is this be serious in serious things when you come to perform serious things do â—â—em seriously I do not know that ever I saw a man fall a sleep while he was telling of mony for if he should how could he tell whether it were right or no Yet alas too too many sleep when they should be taking truth not only by natural sleep but also by spiritual sleep they are so caâ—elesse in receiving the word they hear and so laâ—y withal that rather then they will try the word they â—ear they will take all for truth their Ministers tell them Beloved I believe you will scarce put so much coufidence in a man as to receive a sum of money without telling it because he saith it is right and yet will you receive all that your Minister tells you is truth for truth without trying it you must not be sluggish in your working for God but put forth your selves to the utrermost You must make the Kingdome of Heaven suffer violence and take it by force but then Fifthly The fifth Direction which I shall give you is about hearing the Word how you must behave your selves when you
hear I take it for granted you will hear I hope you will for brown bread is better then none and a little is better then none at all yet I intreat you take these two words of Direction First Try the word you hear by the Truth Secondly Try your selves by the Truth First Try the word you hear by the Truth if it be not consonant to that believe it not let who will preâ—ch it Paul exhorteth the Galatians so to do Chap. 1.8 9. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other doctrine unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him he accursed How Paul accursed sure you speak too high what if an Angel must he be accursed Sure you will câ—ll in your words again nay instead thereof he repeats them over again as we said before so I say again if any one preach any other Gospel then that which you have received let him be accursed If any man pretend a Revelation from Heaven and cannot bring Scripture for what he saith do not believe one syllable Take the noble Bereans for your example they would nor believe Pauls doctrine until they had searched to see whether it were so or no but then as you are to tâ—y the word you hear by the truth so try your selves by the word you hear as a truth that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Now try your selves by this truth and see whether or no you walk after the flesh or after the Spirit I have likewise two Directions about the preaching the Word First Do not you receive the Word for the persons sake that brings it I am apt to think that many of you will receive a Truth of one mans bringing which you would not receive of anothers and thus ye receive the Word of God with respect of persons which you ought not but first receive the Word for its own sake and secondly receive the person for the Words sake 1 Thes 5.12 13. we beseech you brethren to know them which are over you to 〈◊〉 monish you and labour among you in the Lord and to esteem of 〈◊〉 very highly in love for their works sake Sixthly My direction in the sixth place shall be concerning 〈◊〉 times we live in and I shall tell you how you ought to behave 〈◊〉 selves in two particulars First Blame thy self most that the times are so bad there is a general complaint about the sadnesse of the times but no particular every one puts the cause away from him and instead of accusing themselves are alwayes accusing others Ahab he said to Elisha Thou art he that troubled Israel Elisha said to Ahab Thou art he that troubled Israel Adam said to God The Woman which thou gavest me did give to me and I did eat The woman she said The Serpent beguiled her Thus do we put it off from our selves to others No man saith with Jonas for my sake is this come upon you I am the cause of all this No man saith what have I done would you have the times mend Oh then every soul of you condemn your selves and amend your wayes the times would not be so bad if we were not so bad would you have the effect cease then seek to remove the cause But then Secondly Pray not so much for better times as better hearts for had you never so good times and not good hearts your blessings would be cursings good times without good hearts will but fatten you the sooner to the slaughter Seventhly If you cannot do the good you would then do the good you can many people are so sullen that because they cannot do all they would do they will do none at all I beseech you be not of this temper what though you cannot serve God in publick will you not therefore serve him in private why may you not do as S. Austin was bid to do tolle legit take up and read this will be a reading and praying time with you and now you cannot hear as formerly you have done oh pray more and read more and the less you have in Publick the more you may have in private you may read and pray we are not forbidden that yet let us then make use of them Eightly My intreaty is unto you all that you would be careful and circumspect in your conversation Ephes 5.15.16 See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are evil Walk as becometh the Professiors of the Cospel and labour to be blameless towards God and man Oâ— what notice will there be taken when any Professor doth but 〈◊〉 aside and do any thing amiss it is the joy of wicked mens hearts to see it and how diligently do they watch for it and often wish iâ— We have a Proverb That one man may better steal a Horse then â—â—â—ther look on I am sure a wicked man may better commit sevon sins then a Professor one for it is the failings the bad lives of Professors that makes Religion ill spoken of and hinders many a weak soul from closing with it sure think they their Religion cannot be good their conversations are so bad let us therefore be wary and careful in all our actions Ninthly Mourn and lament for the sin you cannot hinder it was â—â—id of Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 that his righteous soul was vexed with the wicked conversations of the Sodomites Oh that we were but so good as we should be then sure it would grieve us more then it doth to see the wicked and abominable lives of those among whom we live though thou dost not blaspheme God thy self yet it is thy God that is blasphemed and shall not that trouble thee how canst thou but reprove them whoever they be When a sick man seeth his Wife Children Friends and Physician lamenting his condition sure it will make him think his condition is worse then he thought iâ— or very bad at least or else why do they take on so if there was no cause of fear Thus it may be thy reproof may work upon a wicked man if when thou hearest him blaspheme God thou lamentest his condition and puts him in mind of his sad estate it may make him lay that to heart then which he never did before Tenthly The last thing that I have to beseech of you is That you would love one another I have not at all sought to proselyte you to my way but whatever you see in whoever it be that is of God oh love it be he of what profession he will he is a godly man Oh then love him you cannot love God if you do not love his people let brotherly love continue your Minister must not continue oh then let brotherly love continue 1 John 1.20 If any man saith he loveth God and hateth his Brother he is a lyar and the truth is not in him for if he
chosen rather then Suffering not in wicked men onely but in the best of men for as in water face answereth to face so the heart of man to man which lets mee into The fourth Sermon Prov. 27.19 As in Water face answereth to face so doth the heart of man to man IN this Proverb two things 1. The Proposition and that by a Similitude As in water face answereth to face 2. The Redition So doth the heart of a man to man Or in the words these two generals to be observed 1. A Glass 2. An Object to be seen in this Glass 1. A Glass a notable one that 's two fold A dead Glass Water A living Glass the Heart of Man 2. The Object to be seen in these Glasses In the dead Glass the face of man is to bee seen In the living Glass the heart of man There 's all the Species and Complections of the Sons nay of the Souls of the Sons of men to bee seen That as by looking into the water you may discern your own and other mens Countenances and that plainly and clearly So by looking into your own hearts if you could have a Casement into the hearts of other men there may you see of what Spiritual Complection Constitution and Make you are as clearly as a man may see his face in Water As in Water c. From these words this great Truth that the heart of every man in the world is a looking-Glass 'T is such a looking-Glass wherein he may see himself his Condition Constitution special Complection whether it be morally spiritually scripturally good or evil For the right improvement of this looking-Glass three things necessary which are optick principles but clear to those that have either phisical or natural light 1. There must be an Object that must bee seen And oh what visible objects are there in the hearts of men Man is call'd a little world a compendium of the whole world The heart of man is the man The heart of man is like the Ark of Noah which contains all sorts all kinds of clean and unclean Beasts 'T is an Epitomy of Heaven and Hell What is there in the heart of man Who but God can fathom the depth of it There are more objects in the hearts of men then Stars in Heaven or drops in the Ocean 2. There must be light to actuate this object If it were dark we could never see it There must be light both to actuate the eye and object Now this light that actuates the eye and object 't is either the natural light the light of Nature the light of Conscience the light of common Illumination the light of the Word or the light of the Spirit of God By all these lights we come to look into this looking-glass our hearts 3. There must be an Irradiation from the object i. e. a beaming forth from that object some Species or Ideas that carries the object to the eye and clearly makes out to the sence what that object is this beaming is by action from the heart mark it for it may be as necessary truth as was Preached among you that look what the stream is to the Fountain what the beam is to the Sun that the action is to the heart whether the act be manent or transient whether Internal in thought purpose election affection in joy in love in fear or External in the life in the practice and in the conversation So that look as a puddle stream alwaies declares a corrupt Fountain So all your humble holy faithful thoughts speak a clear spiritual heart within a holy Conversation speaks a holy Affection and a holy Affection declares a heavenly Constitution a new Nature Now for the Use of this is the heart of man a looking-Glass 1. See from hence of what concernment the actions of men are whether Internal or External The actions of men are like the streams you may certainly find the Fountain by them they speak the heart as the Root bears the fruit 'T is of infinite concernment 't is the Fountain of what principles within and conversation without descend but into thy own heart c. 2. This shews the sad condition of all natural poor souls your hearts are looking-Glasses but they are looking-Glasses in a Dungeon of darkness there be Toads Vipers and Devils there but thou canst not see them that hast no spiritual Light 4. Here is Consolation to Gods People Is the heart of man a looking-Glass What reason have they to rejoyce in their hearts that are the best looking-Glasses in the world not like our Gallants looking-Glasses that must not bewray their wrinkles sports c. But theirs will represent their Hearts Complexion Condition and Nature to them Nay in that Glass may be seen the face of a God Nay further because thy heart doth answer to another heart and his to his what ever Grace in any Beleevers it is there in thy heart semine there 's the seed 4. By way of exhortation Is the heart a looking-Glass then keep the looking-Glass very chary make much of it above all keepings keep thy heart and that with all diligence in all places at all times and in all things If any thing under Heaven will keep thee holy it is the keeping of thy heart There thou mayest see all thy spots defects desperate Hipocrisies Infernal Atheism all the deliques of thy Soul How prone to commit as vile sins as ever committed by the vilest of the sons of men once more keep it clean and keep it close Look into thy heart and thou shalt find it to bee a Coppy of the Role of Eternity where thou shalt see thy very name written in Letters of Gold or Blood for wee looking into our hearts may and do know that we are passed from death to live and that upon this ground because we love the Brethren And thus I advance to The Fifth Sermon 1 John 3.14 We know that wee have passed frâ—â— death to life because we love the Brethren IN these words five things 1. A supposed Estate in which we are all by nature and that is an Estate of death spiritual 2. A peaceable Recovery or mention of another state an Estate of life 3. A real Transition from this state of death to life we are passed c. 4. An inseparable property of all Regenerate souls in the world they do not hate but love the Brethren 5. A comfortable Conclusion that a Christian may make from that property he may know hee may be assured by this that he is passed from death to life because he loves the Brethren The observation thus a Christian may know his real Conversion and Transition to eternal life by this Character among the rest because he loves the Brethren This proposition was slipt into these two particulars 1. That every Beleever may have an assurance of his Transition from death to life 2. That love to the Brethren is one of the great eminent Symptomes of mans
the World oh â— would there were not See that 1 Tim. 6.3 4 â— where the Apostle acquaints you with such men saith he If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which 〈◊〉 according to godliness the wholsome Doctrine thâ— healing Word what then in the 4th Verse 〈◊〉 he He is proud knowing nothing but doating â—bout questions and strifes of words whereâ—â— Wines enter strife-railings evill surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness or as most read it that godliness is a gain a meer Trade to get money by from such withdraw thy self If you be not baptized they will tell you you are not a Christion and baptized you shall not be unless you pay for it they will tell you eat flesh you must not at such and such times but if you will pay for it you may they will tell you you must not sin by no meanes but if you will pay for it you may and have a pardon for iâ— when you have done such a one as they can give Oh I beseech you when ever any make use of Religion to get money by take heed of them saith the Apostle from those that make godliness a Trade to get money by withdraw thy self and know that godliness with contentment is great gain Doubtless godliness is the best Trade in the world if closely followed but the worst if worldlily followed but to take up a Profession of the Christian Religion meerly for pomp and state and to get gain oh ruefull is Christian Religion made use of for such ends as this Oh take heed therefore as ever you would stand fast in the Faith and hold fast the Profession thereof take heed of all and every sort of men that make use of Religion to get money by Secondly Take heed of the errour of the wicked lest you fall from your own stedfastness this advice you have from the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore believed seeing you know these things before beware lest you also being led away by the errâ— of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness the 〈◊〉 â—our of the wicked is like to make one as wicâ—â— as they pray what was this errour of the wickâ—â— it was this there were a generation of wicked men that said It was in vain to serve God for say they where is the promise of his coming onely Beloved it was as much as to say there were no reward for godliness nor no wages for ungodliness Oh take heed of this error of the wicked it is a wicked â—â—rour and none but wicked ones hold it to wit The it is in vain to serve God therefore keep this still 〈◊〉 your hearts that Verily in keeping his Commandements there is great reward if there were no more but the very work it is a great honour to us that we may be servants to such a God but Beloved Be stedfast and unmoveable knowing that your laâ—â—â— shall not be in vain in the Lord. Mal. 3.13 there is the like instance Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord yet ye say what have we spokeâ— so much against thee this God is lwayes quarrelling with us and laying things to our charge what 〈◊〉 we said in the 14th Verse Ye sâ—id it is in 〈◊〉 serve God and what profit is it that we have kept 〈◊〉 Ordinances we have walked mournfully before 〈◊〉 Lord of Hosts and now we call the proud happy 〈◊〉 they that work wickedness are set up yea they 〈◊〉 tempt God are even delivered well now what 〈◊〉 lowes Then they that feared the Lord spake 〈◊〉 one to another as if they had said let not 〈◊〉 things take any thing off the edge of our affectiâ—â— or quench any flame of our love did God taâ—â—â—ny notice of this now that he had any such friâ—â— in the World yes saith he God hearkened and heard and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name and they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spares his own Son that serves him there is a time a coming the day will declare whether it be best serving God or the Devil well then Beloved as ever you would hold fast the Profession of your Faith take heed of the errour of the wicked never think it vain to serve God though you may loose by it for if you loose for him ye shall never loose by him Thirdly Would you hold fast the Profession of your Faith then lay up the word of Faith in a good and honest heart Luke 8.15 It is said there of the good ground they are they which having heard the Word keep it or hold it fast where do they lay it up now in a good and honest heart so that you must pull out his heart before that you can pull out the Word and will any man suffer his heart to be torn from him you will never hold it fast till you lay iâ— up in a good and honest heart if it be onely in the hands of a Bible is in your hands or in the head it will be gone but if it be in your hearts you will never let it go therefore observe saith he Having heard it they keep it and hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bâ—ing forth fruit with patience they had a great deal of sufferings to bring forth with patience for if they were not under suffering what 〈◊〉 were there of patience Well Beloved conâ—â—â—â—â— a little further as to this the connexion between the Verse preceding the Text and the Text saith he Let us draw near 〈◊〉 a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled with an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith the purity of the heart is the best preservative of the Faith 1 Tim. 3.9 holding the mystery of the Faith in a pure Conscience a good and honest heart will never part with the mystery of Faith Lastly Would you hold fast the Profession of your Faith then look much to and often consider Jesus Christ the Authour and finisher of your Faith David had got the faculty of walking with God and how was it saith he I will keep thy loving kindness before mine eyes that I may walk with thee Oh if we do but keep the loving kindness of God in Jesus Christ before our eyes we shall certainly keep the Faith saith the Apostle Having a High Priest over the House of God let us draw near and let us hold fast a High Priest that is Jesus Christ our great High Priest Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy Brethren be partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Professiâ—â— Christ