God doth go to deceive thee far be it from thy thoughts Believer 't is so of a truth Christ is thine thy husband and thou mayst boldly lay claim to him Consider what a husband Christ is is not he the King of the Kings of the earth This is he unto whom Angels and authorities and powers are made subject This is he whom all the Angels of God do worship Heaven and earth are at his beck he is exalted above all heavens and hath a name above every name that is named this is thy beloved and friend O should not thy faith triumph in him Fourthly By way of resignation in giving up your selves to Jesus Christ. Faith as it takes Christ so it delivers up the soul to Christ. Faith makes a happy exchange for us giving away the man to Christ and receiving Christ for us Thus between Christ and a believer there is a mutual delivery of themselves over to one another As faith receives Christ so it gives up the soul to Christ and all that it hath Lord saith faith I here resign to thee I quit all claim to my self I am not my own and will own it henceforth that I have no right to my self I give up soul and body to thee I will hold back no part of the price And as faith takes first the person of Christ and then the benefits of Christ so it gives away the person of the man to Christ and then with the person it gives all the rest the estate interest and all to Jesus Christ thus you should be exercising your faith Fifthly By way of Adoration thus saith should put forth its self upon Christ casting our Crowns before him setting up the Lord Jesus Christ in the throne of his own excellency and we should admire nothing but him breaking in pieces all our Idols and pulling them down that Christ alone may be exalted Sixthly By way of Appreciation prizing and esteeming of Christ debasing self and all other excellencies in comparison of Christ accounting all things but dung for Christ such was Pauls faith Seventhly By way of Appropriation so your faith should put forth it self It should not only put forth it self in a way of Affiance onely leaning upon Christ but in a way of assurance You should labor to come up to this not only to believe that Christ dyed for his people in general but to believe his death was intended for you in particular to appropriate him to your self Thus faith acts upon Christ. This was Thomas his faith when once it was stirred up My Lord and my God Applying Christ to himself as his Lord saith faith I am weak but thou art my strength I am a sinner but thou art my righteousnesse I am unclean but thou art my sanctisication I am miserable but thou art my redemption A SACRAMENTAL Speech grounded on Mark 1. 15. Repent ye and beleive the Gospel MY dearly beloved brethren you have often heard our Savior preaching to you by his Ambassadors but now he is come to preach to you as it were in his own person What was said of Abel is true of Christ he being dead yet speaketh Christ being dead yet preacheth to you But what doth Christ preach to you now he is dead Why he preacheth no other thing to you now he is dead than he did in his life Repent and believe the Gospel That Christ preacheth to you faith and repentance repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. First Repentance towards God see here Christian what thy sins hath done Now is a time to have your hearts filled with sorrow and your faces with shame to see what you â—…ave brought upon Jesus Christ. Look upon him every wound in his body and thorn in his head calls upon the to repent The wounds in his side and the blood that flowed from thence calls upon thee to repent Now let thy repentance by stirring seeing he calls thee to repentance what shall stir thee up to repent if this shall not here you may see the Lords severe wrath against sin See it here in the beloved Son of God who is slain before your eyes for your sins Ah Christian if thou hadst stood with Abraham and seen the fire of Sodom Or with Adam and seen God commanding and then thrusting them out of the garden If thou hadst been in heaven and seen what the wrath of God did there what work it made when the Angels sinned Or if thou hadst been in hell and seen and heard the damned there how wouldst thou look upon thy sin O see here more than all this Gods wrath burning against his own Son for thy sin O see here the love of Christ in vain were all thy tears and sorrow had not Christ made way for thee O see him and hear him speaking from the crosse my wounds shall heal thy soul if thou wilt but repent These hands shall work out thy salvation if thou wilt but return and repent Ah sinner what is not thy soul melted yet methinks I should hear thee making thy submission and return to the Lord as one that melteth at the word of his Lord. Lord is thy mind thus shall I have all this if I will but repent behold I cover my head with sackcloth I am the offender as for this lamb what hath he done O Lord it repenteth me of my rebellions I lay down my w pons I swear I will be a resolved enemy against sin as long as I live Secondly Another thing that Christ in his costly death preacheth to you is faith Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ he calls upon you to believe now he is upon his crosse Methin 〈◊〉 hear him calling upon you from the crosse Believe the reality and greatness of my love Believe the infiniteness of my power The full expiation of all thy sins The truth of all Gods threatnings The certainty of all my promises Thy unquestionable right and title to the Kingdom of glory First Believe the reality and greatness of my love Methinks he speaks thus to thee O man what should I have done more to testisic my love to thee than I have done read all the Antiquities and see whether there was any love like mine thou canst not believe but that thy parents love thee when they take eare of thee but whose love is like mine did these ever suffer for thee or do for thee what I have done what are all these sufferings that I have suffered for thee did I despise my fathers glory and leave it for thâ—… did not love 〈◊〉 O slow of heart to believe all that I have done and suffered for thee if I did not love thee what should move me to dye for thee did any thing in thee no did any profit from thee move me no I knew that man is not profitable to God Was it any returns from thee no I knew how thou wouldst be how unkind thou wouldst be to me O Christian doubt not of my love
to thee Doubt not of my help dost thou think that I would give my self for thee and will not give my hand for thee do not doubt that I will cast thee off dost thou think that I have suâ—…ered all this for thee and that I will cast thee off at last no no. Secondly Believe the infiniteness of my power This is the language of Christ from his crosse believe the exceeding greatnesse of my power He speaks thus O man what if thou shouldst have no friend but I cannot I uphold thee These shoulders that did bear up under all that Hell could invent against me shal not they uphold thee fear not to commit thy self with considence to me See I am able to keep what thou committest to my trust Thirdly Believe the full expiation of all thy sins I am here a satisfaction for thy sin Fear not I am thy atonement thy peace thy propitiation of thy sins what though thou art empty behold the fulness of my satisfaction what am I here for I am cut off but not for my self 't is for thee This is my meaning in my death this is the end why I am upon the crosse to make expiation for sin and bring in everlasting righteousness All you like sheep are gonâ—… astray and God hath laid on me the iniquities os you all Believe it God will not require the debt of the principal and surety too Doth 〈◊〉 trouble thee at any time sprinkâ—… it but with this blood and it will be at peace Art thou afraid to come into the preâ—… of God do but carry me with thee and thou shalt be safe Fourthly Believe the truth of all Gods threatnings here thou seest all the threatnings of God executed upon me See here and believe what God will do to those that go on in their trespasses If he laid so much on me what will he do to them believe also his threatnings of correcting you 〈◊〉 you sin for he will punish your sins with rods and your iniquities with chastisements Fifthly Believe the certainty os all my promises this is another word that Christs crosse and death speaks to you what 〈◊〉 the meaning of this death of mine and of this blood and satisfaction of mine but that the covenant might be ratified and all the promises sealed and nothing diminished but all my Testament and covenant might he ratified for ever Behold this blood that flows from my wounds is sprinkled upon the people for the purifying of them All is as sure as my death and blood can make them Here thou seest all ratisied in my blood Man thinkest thou that I would dye with a lye in my mouth dost thou think that I would suffer all this for thee is I meant not to do thee good Sixthly Believe thy unquestionable right and title to the Kingdom of glory Why here thou dost see the price and ransome the money paid down and what meaneth all this thinkest thou but to buy in thy name into the inheritance Now Christians where is your faith O methinks your sails should be up Methinks you should be triumphing though you are here in the world As Paul Who is he that condemns it is Christ that died Why what objections can be made what can unbelief say that cannot be answered here in the death of Christ shall I muster up all its force tell you what the death of Christ doth speak to it give me leave to touch upon some of them First methinks I hear unbelief objecting from the terribleness of Gods threatnings O sayes the soul my heart melteth within me while I hear the wrath of God threatned against sin methinks I come lately from Mount Sinai wher I heard the Law given withthe Trumpet a shout and a curse pronounced upon all that kept not the words of this Law O how can my soul bear up against all these curses But now how sweetly doth the crosse of Christ and death of Christ answer thy fears Hear thy Saviors language O soul be not afraid do not thou fear and flag all these threatnings were intended against me all wer fulsilled upon me Justice hath nothing to say to thee all the curses are met together upon me That is the meaning of it that thou mayst be free though I take in the wrath of the Lord into my own body Oh! behold me behold me see how full I am of the wrath of God in body and soul my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Methinks I should hear thee say now Lord I see my liberty in thy bonds My salvation in thy torment and pain I have seen thy sorrow and out-cry and understood the meaning and intent of all that it was to remove the curse from me Now arise O my soul and inherit the blessing Therefore was Christ made a curse that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles What was the blessing of Abraham I will bless thee and make thee a blessing I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee And again I establish my Covenant between me and thee Rejoyce O my soul rejoyce and let my soul rejoyce in God my Saviour O my soul God hath blessed thee and shall bless thee Feâ—…r not now the mouth of the Law is for ever stopt thou shalt never hear one curse more of the flaming mouth of the Law O soul what canst thou wish for that is not laid up in the everlasting covenant he hath said he will be a God to thee Canst thou be able to know the immensity of his covenant all is made over to thee Second Object But sin begins to rise up The soul begins to cry out of his sins O the multitude multitude of my sins they are gone over my head and I am sore afraid I have nothing to pay my debt But hear now what Christ speaks to thee This is the language of his death and wounds fear not sin Have I been so long with thee and dost thou not know me Philip so saith he to thy soul what been here so long with me and conversed with me so long and dost thou not know me yet are thy sins infinite and are not my merciâ—…s infinite are thy sins great and am not I God above all equal with the father O look unto me and rest in the fulness of my satisfaction I am thy surety All thy debts be upon me all thy wants are upon me what if thou hast nothing to pay I have enough for me and thee I am the Scape-goat that have carried away thy sin into a land of forgetfulness I have slain the enmity of sin upon the crosse and have reconciled you to my Father Here is redemption full redemption plentiful redemption behold my blood speaketh peace to you Wilt thou not believe the voyce of my death and blood to thee thus Christ's death can speak sufficiently to all that thy sins can say ' against thee Now doth not thy faith stand upright yet
Christian methinks I should hear thee say Lord 't is enough thou hast laid down thy life for a ransome I see my cure in thy wounds I doubt not butthy blood is sufficient to cleanse me from all my sins And who now shall appear-against me Ah Justice once a terrible word now I can see thy face with comfort Once Justice was so terrible as never was the face of a judge more terrible to the prisoner at the bar than that to me but now 't is pleasing to me Once I had rather have fallen into the lions mouth than to come to it O how did my soul grow pale and my heart ready to dye like Nabals within me when I saw the ballance held up in one hand and the sword in the other but now I see that the death of Christ and his blood shall be put into the ballance with me I am not afraid Here now see a great wonder the pure holyness of God taking pleasure in a sinner and the strictest justice shaking hands with the offâ—…nder now the justice of God is become my friend Third Object O but unbelief seems yet to object from the multitude and strength and policy of the enemy Methinks I see the trembling soul in the posture of the prophets man who beheld the mountain beset with Charriots and Horses and crying out O Master what shall we do If it were but flesh and blood it were not altogether so much but 't is principalities and powers who can break thorow the host of these Philistines But Christian look to this crosse look to a dying Christ look what his death speaks to thee wherefore art thou ready to fall with these fears and ready to sink under them methinks I see him taking thee by the hand as he did Peter O thou of little faith why didst thou doubt look here by my cross and see all thine enemies lye slain by my death and what wilt thou be afraid that thy slain-enemies will rise again and pursue thee methinks soul I should hear thee triumphing and crying out what can you do O my enemies I have seen captivity led Captive and for whom did he overcome but for me as for me now I will throw out the gantlet and bid defiance to my enemies Who is he that condemns It is Christ that dyed who shall seperate us from the love or death of Christ shall tribulation or distresse c. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors c. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I see now all overcome in the death of Christ. Devils I fear you not I behold all your legions in chains and made captives by Christ. Death I fear thee not for I know that thou art slain by him that had the power of death and devils I know that thy commission is altered and thou comest not with authority to arrest me but with an invitation to invite me to feast with the Lord. And thanks be to God who hath given us the victory To the most beloved people the flock of Christ in Taunton Salvation Loving and most dearly beloved I have lately received your affectionate letter and though I never question your affections to me and need no verbal testimony yet I cannot but take it thankfully and read it delightfully when I see it attested under your own hands And I cannot but tell you you are the people of my cares the desire of my eyes the people of my delights of my prayers My labors with you for many years though some time attended with difficulty and danger yet were not tedious but my time passed like Jacobs when he served for Rachel and my sufferings for you are not irksome through grace because I trust they are for your edisication and are a seal of my love to you and more especially of the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ which I have long preached among you The Lord God teach me with humility and thankfulness to bear such honor that I should be set for the defence and consirmation of the Gospel And now my dearly beloved though you should not be insensible of Gods great visitation upon you yet I would not have you inordinately disquieted that I am removed from you to a prison for a season but rather imitate the Heroick vertue of that most gracious mother in the Martyrologie who when the Son of her bowels came not to a prison but to a stake to be sacrificed in the flames for Christ fell down on her knees and blessed the Lord that ever she should be so happy as to have a Son to suffer for Jesus Christ. Ah my dear flock how glad should 〈◊〉 be if God would send me forthwith among you again to feed you as in the dayes of old and to go in and out before you that you might find pasture yet be not dismayed fear not little flock though you are little and despised and hated of all men for Christs name sake Christs relation to you and tenderness of you is such that you cannot miscarry He liveth and his care liveth The Godly wife of that worthy Cornish Divine Mr. Vincent being left in great want with many little Children would often answer them when tâ—…y came crying about her for bread and she had none to give with this gracious expression be quiet children our God 〈◊〉 And surely that my brethren may be a quieting comforting consideration both for you and me though the bread do 〈◊〉 fail But at length this gracious woâ—… being left quite destitute and her children calling upon her when she had neither bread nor money breaks out into a bitter weeping which one of the littleones observing he comes and puls his mother by the Apron saying Mother why do you weep thus Is God dead now such a rebuke did the Lord send her by the mouth of a poor babe Brethren be not dismayed Christ liveth and therefore let your hopes live let your courage live let your faith live also Christ liveth ever therefore let your hearts live for ever Psal. 22. 26. He liveth to make intercession sor you and from his living you may be assured of life John 14. 19. of your Jastification Rom. 8. 34. Of your Salvation Rom. 5. 10. Beloved do but seriously think of Christ's relation to you and you cannot want comfort Why he is not ashamed to call you Brethren Even when he was entred upon his state of exaltation risen from the dead far above the state of mortals he own'd poor weak believers for his brethren John 20. 17. Go to my Brethren Math. 28. 10. Go tell my Brethren Yea when he cometh with all his holy Angels with him and sits upon the throne of his glory he will own the very least and lowest among poor believers before all the world for his Brethren Math. 25. 31. with ver 40. keep this my
of this that made this rich worldling to be branded for a fool Give Alms plentifully and provide for your selves Bags that wax not old be sparing as to your selves but lay out and spare not upon the Service of God Give your selves unto prayer let reading the Word Meditationâ—… Self-examination be your daily exercises do good to all men serve your generation with diligence study to be useful sill up your relations with duties and when you have done all go out of your selves look wholly unto Jesus and live by faith this do and you shall have treasure in Heaven and let death come when it will it will but set you in possession of glory But woe to them that have laid up nothing on the other side the Grave Death will break them for ever and will prove their eternal undoing 4. Be the death of your sins that they may not fasten like Hell-hounds upon you when you are most helpless Mortifie your corruptions and then the bitterness of Death is past Sin is the sting of Death that makes it dreadful that makes it hurtful O do not arm your enemy against you death cannot hurt you but by the weapons that you put into its hands by your sins if Sin be dead death is conquered This is the top of misery when sin and death shall sly upon a poor creature together when death as the unclean Spirit taking with him seven other Spirits worse than himself shall set a man's Sins all upon him and besides the terrour of its own apaling looks shall shew him the more ghastly and affrighting faces of those Fiends and Furies his unpardoned sins this is the sting of death and makes that the King of terrours 5. Observe the approaches of your enemy daily and remember that you are for ought you know more than half dead already Let not gray hairs be here and there upon you and you know it not observe all the warnings of death and consider in all your pains and insirmities that these are but twitches and items from death How often is death knocking at your doores Death hath a great part of you already in possession whatsoever is past is death's and how little how very little is to come God knows sure I am nothing is yours but the present time Christians shall Death get ground upon you every day and be marching up towards you and will not you provide accordingly and make preparations for it every day as Death comes daily towards you do you labour to make it good against Death Let your fortifications go on daily let some breach be made up let somewhat be mended every day forget not that holy Counsel to meditate every evening that seeing thy dayes are numbred there is one more of thy number spent and thou art now nearer to thy end by a day 6. Dare not to live in such a case or course that you would not dare to dye in How know you but your next step may be into the grave and would you be found in your sins how do you know but death may meet you at the next turning and O how unwelcome a meeting will it be if you be found by it laden with the gains of unrighteousness or with lusts and pleasures would you have Death to find you out of your harnesses would you meet your enemy without a weapon or be found by him in a careless secure and sleeping posture If not how dare you live at such a rate are you at an agreement with Death 7. Be alwayes in your Fathers business that Death may not be able to find you doing evil or doing nothing the holy Calvin would not sorhear his labours in his dying Sickness but when perswaded to give over replyed what shall my Lord come and find me idle it was said of the laborious Willet who was alwayes very early at his work that he was half way on his journey before others did set out Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Remember in what you undertake that Death may overtakq you before you have ended therefore see that you do nothâ—…ng without Gods warrant carry this with you and you need not fear Death's surprisal Woe unto you if Death find you with your work to do How holily how happily ended that Blessed Saint Mr. Lovo who could dare to say in his last Prayer Father I have glorisied theâ—… on Earth I have sinished the work which thou gavest stâ—…ma to do and now O Father glorifie me withthy own self Surely the end of that man was peace The last words that ever he spake were Blessed be God for Jesus Christ. Blessed be God for peace of Conscience He lived a life of exemplary diligence and the comfort of his death answered the holy painfulness of his life This was Paul's joy I have fought a good sight I have sinished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me tâ—…e Crown of life 8. Get Conscience to be your friend least that should set Death upon you to worry you when yóu come to dye Beware you mistake not the slumber of Conscience for a setled peace the Serpent may be but frozen in your bosoms when you think him dead Death will rouze the sleeping Lyon and then Oh fearful work that he will make his roaring will shake the heart of Rock and apale the countenance of Kings and loose their joynts and break all their bones If you be wise get and keep a good Conscience carry it to the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness get it sprinkled with the blood of Christ. Exercise your selves to keep a Conscience void of osfence towards Goâ—… 〈◊〉 towards all men In all your undertakings let Conscience have the casting voice ask counsel of it diligently hear its rebukes patiently thankfully as a precious balm that will not break your heads make it to give in its judgment about your Estates If it be confident be sure it be upon Scripture evidence if it be doubtful get it well setled in time if it condemn you away with speed to your Redeemer sue out your pardon get it purified and pacified Follow after peace and holiness but accept of no peace but of God's speaking Please Conscience rather than all the world keep her and she shall keep you they that are careless of defending Conscience are preparing for their own torment at death 9. Remember your Sick-bed resolutions and set a mark upon those things that did make death look most ghastly Woe to you if Sickness find you again in the same sins which formerly stung you what will you say to Conscience or how will you look Death in the face if you be found at last to have been false to your Sick-bed vows Alphonsus King of Aragon sent to the Bishop to know how he should do to become a good man he answered he should be the man he promised to be when last sick of the Gout 10. Keep no
not be surprized by Death with these uncertainties put all out of question now without delay in your health and strength PSAL. 4. 4. Commune with your own heart upon your Bed Doct THat it is the great duty of every man to be often conferring with and taking an account of his own heart 2 Cor. 13. 5 Examine your selves prove your selves know you not your own selves It is the duty of a man not to take the Report of his heart but he must search his heart he must be often putting questions to his heart The heart cannot be easily found out The Reasons of the point are these two First Reas. 1. Is taken from the dissiculty of coming to know our own hearts Therefore 't is a necessary duty because it is so hard to know our own hearts Now this appears First Because men are so generally mistaken in their own hearts and that both bad men and good men Bad men how osten do they boast of their good hearts And though our Saviour tells us that out of the heart proceed evil thoughts c. yet all this while they think their hearts are good they see nothing of these things in their hearts When Hazael heard of his heart he wâ—… dred that he should have such a heart 〈◊〉 would not believe that there was such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nature in his heart He thought it wâ—… 〈◊〉 Dogs and Tygers to do this and yet aâ—… wards he did all this And so for Good mâ—… how did Peter fail in this that he would 〈◊〉 for him And Christ could scarce put him out of this conceit And it is like that he did intend what he spake yea he did try sarther than the rest did sor he only did draw his sword And who would have thought that there was that swearing and cursing in his heart as there was And so of David's Adultery 2 Sam. 12. Secondly It appears in that it hath cosâ—… men so dear to know their hâ—…ts 1 It hath cost them sharp tryals Deut. 8. 2. God led thee these forty years in the Wilderness to know what was in thine heart That is to make you to know One would have thought that they had never been guilty of such horrid unbelief to distrust God when they did feed upon and weared miracles 2 It hath cost them many sad falls to know them 2 Chron. 32. 31. Hezekiah nor no body else would have thought that there could have been that in his heart after God had wrought a miracle for him And yet God left him that he might try what was in his heart Brethren take heed that you be not too sure of your own hearts be often fearful of your own hearts 3 It hath cost them many tears and Prayers to know them Though some of Godâ—… people have been Students of their own hearts twenty or forty years yet after all this they do find sometimes their hearts be too hard for them Thirdly The difficulty of this appears Because the Saints have called in the special help of God without which they could not come to know it So did David Psal. 139. 23. Search me O God c. Our own hearts are too hard for us unless we take God ' s special assistance with us Our hearts will deal with us without this as a bad neighbour will do when we come to search for our Goods they will not let you in except you come with the Kings Officer Now the difficulty of this lyes 1 In that the heart of man is so deep Eccl. 7. 24. That which is exceeding deep who can find it out Now so is the heart of man for so Psal. 64. 6. And the heart is deep The heart of man is deep as earth yea as Hell â—…m 3. that is the hell that is in the heart â—…2 The heart is very dark Eph. 4. 18. Having the understanding darkned c. There â—…ou have two parts of the misery of man in his natural estate 1. He is a stranger to God 2. To Himself He cannot see a jot into his own heart till the Lord do spring into the soul with a new light as he did into the Prison they cannot see what there is in the heart And we need not any further evidence for this than that common good opinion that men have of their hearts Though their hearts are full of odious poyson and the like yet they cannot see it till God open their eyes by conversion and then they can see it But yet it is but candle-light that the best of us have here of our hearts 3. Because the heart is very deceitfull above all things There have been great deceits in the world yet put all together none in the world is so cunning as the heart there is no comparison You would think if a man were told before-hand there is a known Cheater come to deal with him therefore he should take heed of dealing witâ—… him such a man would think sure that hâ—… should not be too hard for him but yet thâ—… Saints have known this that the heart is so de ceitful and they have been twenty or fortâ—… years learning it yet their hearts are too harâ—… for them Reas. 2. Secondly Because the knowledg of the heart is so exceeding necessary If a maâ—… turn over all the Books in the world and bâ—… not learned in his own heart it is nothing Use. The use is to stir us up to know oâ—… own â—…rts I beseech you what ever you nâ—… lect neglect not this duty Now there be sundry ways of Communing with our own hearts Sometimes by way of Consolation Return to thy Rest O my Soul c. Psal. 116. 7. Sometimes by way of expostulation Why art thou cast down O my soul c. Ps. 42. Sometimes by way of Exhortation to quicken and excite our hearts Psal. 62. 5. My soul wait thou onely upon God Here he stirs up his heart in believing in God So awake up my Glory that is my heart or soul. The soul of man that is his honour Gen. 49. 6. And see how David doth exhort his soul up my heart my Glory He found his heart it may be somewhat dead and dull and therefore he stirs it up sometimes by way of Instruction Psal. 16. 2. 7. But sometimes by way of Examination and Inquiry that is the principal on which all the rest do depend and therefore I intend to insist on that and I beseech you to stir up your selves to this duty My Brethren you should be often questioning with your own hearts It is sad to think how Papists yea Pagans do out-pass us in this and what a shame is it that we should be such strangers to this duty After we have been told of it and have confessed that it is a duty Now you must know there is a double Communication Ordinary and Extraordinary Ordinary and that is either Transient or more solemn The first we should be in continually every hour in the day The want of
heart wouldst thou live in heaven wouldst thou walk in the light of Gods countenance grow in grace have thy corruptions overcome and subdued Behold a most excellent receipt the best that ever was prescribed Seventhly Consider with what face wilt thou be able to go to God and beg of him to subdue thy corruptions and to strengthen thy graces when thou wilt not use the means Think upon it with what face wilt thou be able to look up to God and put up such a petition Eighthly How wilt thou be able to excuse thy self from hypocrisie if thou neglect this duty When thou dost hear it laid down as a Character of sincerity not to live in the neglect of any known duty Ninthly Consider what base ingratitude you will be guilty of both to God in sending his servant among you and to his servant for all the care and pains that he hath taken for your souls Tenthly Consider what answer will you be able to make to God or how you will be able to look his servant in the face another day when he and you must stand together and give up your accompt he of his doctrine and you of your obedience to it Eleventhly Consider how conscience will sting thee for this neglect when thou comest to dye Ah Christian when thou shalt be ready to leap into eternity and shalt want assurance not knowing whether thy lot shall fall either in heaven or hell And conscience shall tell thee if thou hadst taken such a course thou mightest have had assurance when thou shalt with grief of soul remember this and the other miscarriage and that if thou hadst taken this course thou mightest have prevented this trouble O how will this adde to thy sorrow and break thy heart I come now to give some directions for the constant conscionable easie performance of this duty First Set about this course speedily The longer thou dost delay the work the more difficult thou wilt find it VVhat is said of repentance is true here he that is not fit to day will be less fit to morrow Secondly Be deeply humbled that thou hast neglected such a duty so long Hath it been out of ignorance bewail thy ignorance Hath it been out of laziness bewail that when men would make the building strong they will lay the foundation low It is a good way to be constant and successful in any duty to begin with sorrow and humiliation Thirdly Do it out of a principle of conscience in obedience to Gods command because it is thy duty and God commands it Fourthly Bless God for making known this duty and prescribing to thee so easie away for the performing of it Bless God for making known the duty aâ—…d God will bless thee in the doing of it Fisthly VVhen you come together let this duty be the matter of your conference or at least be osten speaking one to another of it Doubtless it will be good for the carrying on of this work to choose out a Christian friend and for these to agree together and unbosome themselves each to other what doth hinder the work and what benefit they find c. and engage one another to take up this course and be constant in it whatsoever times may come Sixthly Take heed of formality or keeping on a round in the duty without a due regard of the end of the duty Take some time once in a week or fortnight and call thy heart to an accompt how thou hast sped what thou hast got Seventhly Take heed of resting in the duty If thou do 〈◊〉 make an Idol of the duty God will make nothing of it God will curse the work and blast thy design Eightly Be careful to live up to those Rules by which thou hast engaged to examine thy self As he said of prayer If thy praying do not make thee leave off sinning thy sinning will make thee leave off praying So here if thy examining thy self do not make thee to leave off thy remissness thy remissnesse will certainly make thee leave off thy self-examination VVhen a man hath been careless in the day and come to read over these questions and conscience shall answer guilty in most of these things this will make the work so tedious that thou wilt never long bear the trouble of it Unless thou art able to live up to these rules thou wilt never be able to hold on in it long And therefore remember this if at any time you find that you have been carelesse â—…n the day foregoing be sure in the next morning to set up a new resolution to stick close to these rules Undo all that you have done before as it were and begin again Try in the strength of God what you can do this day how exact you can be this day Ninthly Let us set about the work with some shore ejaculation to God for his Assistance in it and his blessing upon it Tenthly Solemnly engage to God that you will take up this course and be constant in it and never lay it down what ever times may come and temptations may assault you When God doth enjoyn any duty he requires all the means that tend to the performing of that duty Now this is the best means that can be thought upon for every one to engage to God that he will set upon it and be constant in it I know that the deceitful heart will be very backward they are very shy of such engagements But if they are remember this that there is something in the bottom which you will do well to look out And when you have found it out to cast it forth with indignation VVhy should we be backward to do that between God and our selvs which we have done publickly before many witnesses and I believe shall be called to do again To set about this work is no more than you have done already when you sate under that great ordinance and set your seals that you would perform all the duties of the new Covenant And did you except this You will find this engagement a great help to the work Let us this night before we sleep put this direction in practice engage your selves to God in some such words as these O eternal God thou that searchest the heart and wilt not hold them guiltless that take thy name in vain especially in solemn Covenants made with thy self I do here solemnly promise that I will set upon this duty of daily self-examination and in this practise to live and dye Such engagements God is well pleased with Jerem. 30. 21 Who is this that engageth his heart to draw nigh to me As if the Lord had said come thou art welcome I take this kindly from thee A serious call to Christians to win Souls to Christ with helps thereunto Prov. 11. 30. And he that winneth Souls is wise IN this verse we have set forth unto us the excellency of a Righteous man and that in two things First He is more useful than
others Secondly He is more skilful than others First He is more useful than others The fruit of the Righteous is a tree of life The Righteous is not a barren tree but he is a fruitful bough as Joseph was And he doth not bring forth his fruit unto himself His fruit is a tree of life As the tree of life would give life to them that should eat thereof so the fruit of the Righteous is such that those thâ—…t will hearken to his Counsel shall partake with him of eternal life When others are as thorns and brambles fruitless unuseful of no value in Gods world the Righteous is a fruitful tree and as a tree of life in the midst of the world Secondly He is more skilful and â—…wise than others And would you know wherin his wisedome lyes It is in winning of Souls Doct. That it is a chief part of a Believers duty and the chief point of a Believers wisdom to gain Souls unto God First 'T is the duty of a Believer to gain Souls Though he must begin at home with his own soul yet he must not Terminate there but he must look abroad after others Souls He must not be as a tree that bringeth forth fruit to himself alone but he must be a tree of life that whosoever plucketh of his fruit to make use thereof shall live And then Secondly 't is his wisedom As in the text so Daniel 12. 3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever They be the wisemen that turn others to Righteousnesse Here I shall shew you First That 't is 〈◊〉 chief part of his duty Secondly That 〈◊〉 a chief point of his wisedome to gain Souls Firstly That 't is a chief part of his duty and this appears First Because this is one chief point of 〈◊〉 love to Jesus Christ. Wherein did Paul discover his love to Jesus Christ in any thing as 〈◊〉 this in his zeal and industry to save Souls Rom. 9. 1 2 3. And thus doth Moses evidence his love Exo. 32. 31 32. If you would shew your Love to Jesus Christ this is the best way in all the world to evidence it Math. 25. You may see how carefully Christ takes notice of any kindness done to the bodies of his elect but O how much more will he take notice of the love to the Souls of his Elect Secondly Because this is the chief point of our love to our Brethren You know that Christ tels us that all the Law and the â—…phets hang upon this thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. And thy Neighbor as thy self If the Law doth bind thee to preserve the Chastity and estate of thy Neighbor how much more doth God require of thee that thou preserve the Soul of thy Neighbour This is the principal point of love Jam. 5. 20. He that converteth a sinner from the error of his wayes shall save a Soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins If God requires that thou help thy Neighbours Ox and his Ass how much more must thou help thy Neighbors Soul from hell Thirdly Because this is the principal means of bringing glory to Christ. Every soul that is brought in to Christ is a Jewel put into the Crown of Christ. And wouldest thou not be ambitious of such a service as this Every soul thou bringest into Christ is an eternal Monument set up by thee to the name of Jesus Christ. Wouldest thou have much service done for Jesus Christ O then labor to bring in Souls to him that may do his work here in the world Wouldest thou have much praise to the name of Christ O then labor to bring in Souls to Jesus Christ. Every Soul brought in to Jesus Christ is a Trumpet of his praise The glory of a King is in the multitude of his subjects And so 't is of Christ. This is the great way wherein we are capable to further the glory of Christ in the world to bring in many Souls to Jesus Christ. Fourthly Because this is a principal subject of our prayers This is one grand petition Thy Kingdome come In which petition we pray that the Kingdom of grace may be advanced our selves and others brought into it and kept in it Now 't is a great part of a Christians business to live sutable to his prayers Secondly That 't is the chief point of a Christians wisdome to gain Souls unto Christ. This appears First Because Souls are the goodly pearls that are of great price with Christ. O there is no Merchandise like to that of Souls No gain like to the gain of Souls One Soul is of more worth than all the world You may see of how great price Souls are with Jesus Christ by the great price that he laid down for Souls Did Christ spend his blood for Souls and wilt thou not spend thy breath for Souls This is a principal part of wisdome to deal like wise Merchants in goodly pearls A wise man will not spend his time for trifles that is Childish but his wisdome doth appear in the weight of those things that he layes out his time and pains upon Oh if you would appear to be wise lay out your time and strength for Souls If thou couldest gain but one Soul what a happy gain would that be Secondly Because Souls will be the most glorious Crown in the day of Christ. No Crown like to this the Crown of Souls The time is coming when a Crown of Soulâ—… will be found to be of another manner of value than a Crown of gold What was the Crown that Paul wishes for It was for the Souls that he had converted 1 Thes. 1. 19. What is our hope or joy or Crown of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming Why were these Pauls Crown because he had converted them by his Ministry upon the same account he cals the Phillipians Phil. 4. 1. My joy and Crown of rejoycing Thirdly Because we shall most effectually promote the good of our own Souls by endeavoring to gain others Souls By teaching of others thou shalt teach thy self By exhorting others thou shalt excite and stir up thy self And nothing will redound to thy advantage so much as thy laboring to gain Souls though Israel be not gathered yet shall I bé glorified Fourthly Because this will be an evidence of our own sound conversion if we lay out our strength and time to convert others In John 1. 41. We shall see those young converts when they were but touched they labor to bring in others presently So that if thou wouldest evidence thine own sincerity to thy Soul thou shouldest lay out thy endeavor for the good of others Souls First Use Is it so that 't is a chief part of a Christians duty anda chief point of a Christians Wisedom to gain Souls to
Christ Then here is matter of Reproof to reprove those that profess the name of Christ that lay out their zeal no more this way That lay not out their strength to gain Souls Yea that do not long for nor endeavor after the conversion of Souls Surely this speaks sadly to those that wholy neglect this duty But how exceedingly are many of the people of God themselves to be blamed for their Negligence in this doth not thy heart know that there is a brother of thine doth live in such a sin and yet thou never tel him of it What a great evil is this and unsutable to the pattern of the Lord Jesus Christ How did he go up and down doing good and so taken up with Souls that he could scarce spare time to eat his bread insomuch that his carnal friends began to take hold of him and thought that he had been beside himself O how far art thou from this that thy friends may live in their sins and dye in their sins before thou wilt labor to save their Souls The devil he laboreth to destroy Souls and how few be there that do labor to save Souls He may carry away the poor soul and none labours to take the soul from him We should be watchful and vigilant for souls for our own souls and others souls because this enemy is always taking opportunities to destroy souls Sure it argues that you have very little Lovâ—… to Jesus Christ that you do no more for souls That you have little zeal for Jesus Christ and that you have little Love for your Brethren that you take no more care for their souls It may be you are careful for the bodies of those that are under your charge but how little do you for their souls How many live without the worshi of God in their Families Without Catechizing their Children or instructing them And think they have done well if they provide for their bodies Oh but man God will find out thy neglects it was their souls that was thy charge also If you look onely after their bodies this you will do for your swine And will you do no more for your Childrens souls than for your swine many are ready to say as Cain am I my Brothers keeper If this be not the language of thy tongue is not this the language of thy Life What dost thou do for thy brother to save his soul from death Second Use is of exhortation To stir you up to perform this duty to labor to be skilful in this duty to win souls to Christ. Brethren if you would be wise indeed and if you will gain indeed labour to gain souls Oh look upon the woful condition of perishing souls How few of thy friends and acquaintance hast thou good grouâ—…ds to think they have a share in Jesus Christ What wilt thou have no compassion of thy Brothers soul Thou wouldst have compassion on the body of thy Neighbor If thou sawest the house on fire about them and they asleep wouldest thou not be stirred up and with zeal forget thy self and labor to call upon them and awake them O how many of our carnal friends do remain in a carnal state and we sit stilland let them alone I beseech you stir up your souls to relieve the souls of others This is the best Charity and best pleasing to Christ. It may be many of you have not wherewith to shew your Charity to the bodies of your brethren but this way thou mayst shew it in shewing kindnesse to their souls Exhort them and strengthen them in their duty comfort them support them If thou canst not give them an alms give them an exhortation But you will say what should we do or what means must we make use of to do good to to souls I answer you must do it First By Scripture demonstration When thou goest to deal with souls be sure to make use of Gods weapons Bring the word of God with thee Go forth in the name of God Pour out thy supplication to God to prosper the work And then shew thy brother the Scripture to convince him out of the Scripture as Apollos did Thou canst never throw down the devils strong holds but by the use of Gods own weapons No Cannon but this will batter down the strong holds of sin and Satan Therefore bring the Scripture with thee to him Secondly By earnest supplication This was Pauls course who did so earnestly thirst for the salvation of his brethren He strove mightily with God in prayer for them Rom. 10. 1. My hearts desire and prayer is that Israel may be saved Carry thy friends to God and go to God by prayer and weep over their carnal and unsanctified state Bring thy dead Husband and child c. to God and put up thy Request to God for them as Abraham did Ishmael O That they might live before thee How did the prophet prevail l y his prayers for the restoring the dead child As the prophet did pray in life into the dead child so thou shouldest strive with God in prayer for dead souls If thou didst but wrestle with God for thy dead wife or child or neighbor What dost thou know what God might do for them What knowest thou O man but thou mayest save thy Wife c. Thus we are taught by our Lord in that great petition Thy Kingdom come Thus if thou strive by the word of God and prayer then thou mayest be like to prevail mightily for the good of souls thou dost converse with 3. By kind Obligation This is another way by which thou shouldest labor to gain souls Observe that great rule of the Apostle be pittiful be courteous t is the Rule that he gives Labor by kindness and courtesie to gain upon all thou dost converse with that thou mayst get within him that thou mayst be in a capacity to do good to his soul. Shâ—…wing all meekness to all men And when thou art thuâ—… kind to all men this will be a means to do good to them by what thou dost If they be such as stand in need of thy Charity open thy hand to relieve their necessity and that will be a way to open their hearts to thee to receive in thy counsel Fourthly By faithful reprehensions Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbor and not suffer sin to rest upon him Observe that 't is quite contrary to Christian Lovo to suffer sin to lye upon him for 't is câ—…lled hating of him Oh Brethren shew your Love to the souls that you are among by this by the faithful rebuking of their sins that they fall into Manifest it not as a token of your displeasure but as an ordinance of God Deal with him in all gentleness and meekness Not gentle with their sins you must be plain and saithful with their souls You must shew them the danger of such a way but you must do
burning so 't is here 't is Christs coming hath sayed us from burning in this 〈◊〉 surnace How terrible this furnace is you may see Rev. 14. 10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of hâ—… indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb and the smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever And they have no rest day nor night O methinks the very sight of this surnace at a distance should startle our Souls and make us list up our hands and eyes and souls and praise the Lord. O methinks we that are the redeemed of the Lord we should stand together about the pit and look down and list up our hearts and praise the Lord. Fourthly From the King of terrors He hath saved you as from the Devil so from Death You know death is the mortal enemy of man 't is his great and last enemy and now this enemy hath Christ destroyed and delivered us from And that both from the sting and victory of it First From the sting of death He hath not delivered us from the stroke of death but he hath from the sting of death When the sting is out the serpent may hisse but he cannot sting Death will put you into the possession of that which Christ hath provided for you so that death now is become desirable now there is beauty in it There is no friend can do that for you that death can do It will at once deliver you from sin and Satan and give you a possession in heaven The Apostle looking upon death through Christ longs for death having a desire to depart c. Phil. 1. 23. This great robber through Christ is become our greatest gain That which would have marr'd us for ever will now make us for ever O that this King of terrors should become desirable what a mercy is this O my beloved did you know what the terrors of death be to an enlightned sinner you would account it a great priviledge to be sree from the sting of death When all his comforts are taking their everlasting farewell of him you would account it a great salvation then When he shall feel death putting in his cold hands and pulling out his heart when he sâ—…ail see his house of his body falling down about his ears and he cannot stay there any longer and he sees the hell-hounds stand about him and waiting upon him to carry him to Hell O what horror doth this work upon his heart this hath Christ delivered us from Death hath lest its sting in Christ it can hurt us no longer Secondly From the victory of death It is true we must lye in the grave for some time yet Christ will fetch us thence in John 6. He promiseth no lesse than four times I will raise them up at the last day And this is the fruit of his purchase 1 Thes. 4. 14. Christs resurrection is a certain pledge of ours so 1 Cor. 15. Therefore let us not fear death but embrace it with comfort for death cannot touch our souls it cannot deliver us over into the second death He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death Therefore let us not fear death but let our slesh rest in hope When we dye we may commit our bodies to the dust with comfort it cannot hurt our souls and it shall keep our bodies but a little while neither God will receive our souls immediately our bodies after a little while How doth Job comfort himself in this I know that my redeemer liveth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my slesh shall I see God c. Thus may we triumph over death that in this flesh we shall see God And though death for the present do make such work upon us and cast us into the grave yet the earth will be but the mould wherein we shall receive a glorious body so that death shall conduce to our great advantage This is no little victory to be able to triumph with the Apostle O death where is thy victory This is no small priviledge Bless your redeemer for this priviledge VVhat a priviledge well this be when all the Sons and daughters of God shall be brought sorth and made to stand up before him then it shall appear that the grave was not able to hold them Then will they triumph and sing songs of salvation when they shall set their feet upon their last enemy death Secondly It will appear what blessed news this is if you consider how he hath saved you He hath saved you two ways by might and by merit â—…irst By merit Brethren your salvation cost your redeemer dear no less a price than his own invaluable blood O believer look upon thy self art not thou a worthless thing to be redeemed with the price of Christs blood O how should we admire the goodness of Christ here we are not worthy that Christ 〈◊〉 sâ—…end one of his thoughts upon us much less that he should spend his blood for us Seconly By might my brethren it was absolutely requisite for our salvation that our redeemer as he should be of infinite merit so of infinite might If he had not been of infinite merit he could never have been purchaser of heaven for us The soul of one man is more worth than a whole world and then what worth or value must that be of that is able to buy a world of souls and yet this purchaser must be able to buy heaven too and this hath Christ done for us Could heaven and earth have done this no no it would have broken them all if they had done it But now Christ hath done all for us and therefore he must be of insinite merit And not infinite in merit onely but might too for he was to bear all the wrath of God and to bring us off with victory If the wrath of Gods finger be so intolerable that it makes poor creatures to cry out under it what is the wrath of his loins and if the wrath of God against one man is so great what is his wrath against so many men VVhen the price was laid down the devil would not yield up his hold till Christ must come and cast him down and pluck us from him And therefore it was necessary that our redeemer should be of infinite power He hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil Ah brethren we may behold the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross bowing himself as Sampson did and pulling down the house about his enemies and carrying away the posts and all and setting us free This is our Sampson that hath carryed all away and destroyed our enemies for us The price was sufficient to satisfie the justice of God for us but when the price was paid and paid to God then
Satan would not let us go and therefore he must be overcome too First Use Is it such blessed news that to us is born a Savior then my brethren let this stir you up to Joy and thankfulness for this salvation O let me hear you say with Mary my soul doth magnifie the Lord my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Savior Luke 1. 46. Brethren methinks you should now meet your redeemer with songs of salvation Methinks you should come forth to meet him as they did Saul and David when they returned from their victory the women came out singing and dancing c. and they answered one another as they played saying Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands Thus should you meet your Redeemer You should go forth to meet him as Miriam and the women with her with timbrels and with dancings and sing unto the Lord Exod. 15. 20. 21. Oh brethren with what joyful heart should you welcome Jesus Christ your Savior this is glad â—…idings to all them that are saved by him Blessed be God that giveth us cause to triumph in him 'T is true in many other things it goes sad with us but here is cause always for us to â—…o triumph in Christ for the Spiritual deliverance that he hath wrought for you which is a sure pledge that Christ will deliver you in outward respects How blessed a time was the year of Jubile to the slaves that were in bondage how did they reckon every day and week till it came how glad was that sound that sounded their deliverance methinks I see the prison doors open and the prisoners running out and crying salvation to our God O methinks nothing but the songs of salvation should be heard in your tabernacles O let not complaining be heard for outward calamities VVhat are those outward flea-bitings to that which our Savior hath delivered us from go home and blesse the Lord and what ever ill news you hear let this comfort your heart that Christ hath made such a deliverance for you Second Use Is it such blessed news c. then this reproves our unthankfulness for Christ and the news of Christ in the Gospel Oh brethren how is it that the praise of our redeemer is no more in our hearts and no more heard in our mouths how is it that we can be so unmindful of and â—…thankful for this Saviour hath God sent usâ—… Saviour and shall not we be thankful for him It is a great sin to be unthankful for his creatures but how much more to be unthankful for his Christ he hath given you Christ and what can he give you more how is it that you are so seldome in blessing the Lord for this mercy bless the Lord O my soul saith David and forget not all his benefits that is none of his benefits If God had given you all this worlds goods and had not given you Christ what would it have done for you what had it been but a smooth and pleasant way to hell what if the Lord had given you honor and made your brethrens sheaf to bow before yours and had not given you Christ what good would it have done you if a man were condemned at London to be hang'd drawn and quartered and were to be brought down into the Country to be executed and all his way should be strowed with rushes and he attended with Musicians what would all this have done him O what should we have done if Christ had had not step'd in and sâ—…ved us none could have redeemed man but Christ. Heaven and Hell and the Earth and the Sea would have said it is not in me all the things in the world could never have satisfied for our sins Wilt thou look to thy brethren wilt thou look to the angels they could not do it The Spirits of just men made perfect could not save themselves none could do it but Christ and can you be unmindful of this the Heavens and the Earth will be astonished at this if you are not thankful for it There are two things that will heighten this â—…in First Because Christ hath given you so many helps to it Secondly Because thankfulness is all that he expects from us First Because he hath given us so many helps All the calls and invitations of the Gospel are as so many helps to this duty But more than these he hath appointed a special day and a special ordinance First A special day The Sabbath day Wherefore was this day changed but that you may be mindful of this mercy Secondly A special Ordinance The Saâ—… of the Supper is appointed upon this account that we might remember this mercy to our souls Secondly It is much aggravated by this because this is all that he expects from you for all that he hath suffered for you Christ hath done and suffered beyond all you can conceive or I can expresse to you and what Homage doth he now expect from you nothing but that you should be thankful to him And will you be unthankful now for this mercy This is that he expects by way of requital and return that you be thankful Had the Lord required some great thing of you or some hard condition if he would have dyed for you and redeemed you would you not have done it and how much more now he hath done it and and requires no more but this that you be thankful had you lain but one million of years in hell with what gladness would you have heard that sound that he would have redeemed you would you have stood upon the terms no no any terms then should have served Third Use Then prepare to receive your Saviour Oh if he be come take heed that you receive him in Let him not complain of you as he did of his native Country-men the Jews that he came unto his own and his own received him not When this news come that there was a Savior born one would have thought that all the world should have received him with triumph but there was no room for him in all the world but he was thrust out in the mâ—…nger Let it not be so with you Question But how shall we receive him I shall shew you whither and how First Whither you shall receive him receive him into your hearts not in your stal as he was at first but into your parlour into your hearts Your parlour is but a stable Thou mayst wonder that Christ will accept of thy heart send the key of your hearts to Christ let him take his choice where to lye give him the upper room in your hearts Secondly How or after what manner you should receive him First As the Centurion did humbly I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof So should you receive him with a deep sence of your everlasting unworthiness Receive him with a lively sence of your sins that you have wronged him This is a right receiving of Christ when he is received
Where envying and strife is there is every evil work Oh blesse the Lord that the hearts of believers have been made one in this place Psal. 133. 1. How good and beautiful is it to see Brethren dwell together in unity blesse the Lord you his people because the Lord hath blessed his people with peace Fourthly In the plenty and variety of its provision Oh remember this this day and forget not how God hath provided for you all along and that at that day when you did account that all was cut off How little did we dream of such a mercy had any told us then of these things we should have replied as that Lord did behold if the Lord would make windows in heaven might this thing be Ah Brethren should it have been told you before-hand that for so many years after that fatal day you should spend so many Sabbaths in the worship of God and so many Sermons in one Sabbath and so many Ministers sent to you and so many Sacraments to feed you as you have had you would have been ready to say if the Lord should open windows in heaven could this thing be and yet all this God hath done for you Oh blesse the Lord for this mercy Fifthly In the strange preservation of your Liberty Herein hath God been singular in his mercy to you hath not Christ fulfilled his word to you he that loseth his life for my sake so he that loseth his liberty for my sake shall 〈◊〉 it you have hazarded your liberties and have â—…ept them Many have declined their duty to preserve their liberty but blessed be God that you have adventured your liberty and God hath kept you in safety Indeed I can give you no time of your liberty but I can assure you that if you lose it sor him you shall 〈◊〉 by your losse Methinks Christ says to us as to his disciples whâ—… I sâ—…nt you sorth without shooes or scrip 〈◊〉 ye any thing and they said nothing so here when you have gone sorth adventuring your liberties for Christ have you lost them you 〈◊〉 say no. Sixthly Iâ—… sâ—…rving you by your 〈◊〉 Counsel â—…ow visibly hath God turned what the enemy intended sor â—…vil to be good to us so we may say as Joseph to his Brâ—…thren as for you you thâ—…ght â—…vil to me but God meant it for good You know how they have despightfully removed the Magistracy of the place but behold how much the Lord hath turned it for your good had they set up a Magistracy it had been the losse of your liberty They had a spightful eye upon you and it was thought that 〈◊〉 long agone would have been too hot for her inhabitants yet behold what freedome and liberty we have lived in behold men curse but God hath blessed us the more Oh how strange a thing is this that you should eat and drink in peace and go forth and come in in peace that you should attend the ordinances in peace Seventhly In eminent and gracious returns to your prayers Brethren this is not to be forgotten this day Returns of prayer do certainly call for great returns of praise It hath been observed by those that have bin longer with you than I that they never remember that God was earnestly sought unto sor any particular mercy in this place but he did sâ—…d a visible return except once when if God had sent you an answer according to your prayer it had been the hazzarding of the people of God in this place So that I may say to you what people is like to you who have God so near unto you in all that you have 〈◊〉 upon him sor Eighthly In keeping you â—…om the â—…astical Courts This is a mercy that we should be mindful os Indeed all along the Churchmalignant have been one os the persecuting enemies of the Church oâ—… God Witness the Scribes and Pharises Witness the 〈◊〉 who were all a long the stirrers up os men against the Church And so in divers 〈◊〉 men of late Nay and at this day through the rigour of these Courts especially in óther Counties many stand excommunicated many are threatned with Writs and some taken and cast into prison for term life unless God raise som unexpected means Now of all places one would have thought that we should have been dragged to prison by them And yet you see how God hath preserved us Ninthly In your glorious Salvations and dâ—…liverances Oh my Brethren remember and forget not the dealings of God with this place Let God hear of it throughout your praises now â—…his day what he hath done for you in saving youwith such wonderful Salvation The Sword and Famine and Plague and Fire have been upon you to consume you and yet you are here to blesse the Lord at this day methinks the Lord cals upon you as in Micah 6. 5. O my people remember now what Balaak King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the Son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that you might know the rightcousness of the Lord. Such is the Language of the Lord to you Remember now what thine enemies consulted against thee howthey had gathered themselves against thee and besieged thee and did resolve to devour thee with thy children and not to leave thee one stone upon another O remember my people when your houses were on fire and the Plague in the street and the widdows crying and the children fatherless crying Ah! pittiful condition O remember now how I have helped thee that thou mightest know that I am the Lord thy Savior Thirdly If we come yet nearer and look upon our selves with reference to our particular persons as we are Christians and so God hath done more for us than he hath don for any others beside therefore praise you the Lord. And here I am in such a field that I know not the way out you are the members of Christ the children of your father which is in heaven what hath God done for you O you that fear the Lord praise the Lord. You may stand amazed to see what the Lord hath wrought â—…or your souls This is the Life of all when you can remember the everlasting loving kindnesse of God to you O friends consider now you that are the Lords peculiar people consider what God hath done for you above all other people Consider he hath made you the people of his choice The pillars of his name The vessels of his glory The Temples of his presence The Trumpets of his praise The men of his Counsel The Jewels of his Crown The Inheritors of his Kingdom Herein God hath done more for you then for others and should not you do more than others look upon these things and see then whether you should not do more for God than others First You are the people of his choice when others are but the refuge You are the pillars of his name when others are but broken and uselesse pot-sheards You are the
vessels of his glory when others are the vessels of his wrath You are the Temples of his presence when others are the styes of uncleanness You are the Trumpets of his praise when others are the instruments of unrighteousness You are the men of his Counsel when others are strangers and Aliens You are the Jewels of his Crown when others are but the drosse and lumber You are the Inheritors of his Kingdom wheâ—… others are the Sons of perdition Look over these things and see what God hath done for you more than he hath done for others But methinks I see something that will spoil and damp all Oh says the poor soul I am afraid that this is not my right I should bless â—…he Lord indeed were I sure that all this were mine How shall I know that this is my condition Now lest unbeleif and distrust should damp your Joy and spoyl your work of praise let me shew you to whom I speak and let you know how you may know that you are those that I speak to Let me shew you in two marks whereby you may come certainly to know it you may know it by your Carâ—… and by your Comforts What is your chief care and your chief comfort look upon your selves and judge of your selves by these two marks First By your Cares Brethren what is the chief care of your heart what is it that lies with most weight upon your heart or that you do prosecute with most care in your life you are the people of God if this be your great care to please God eschew sin and save your selves If this be your great care then you are the men Methinks this should not be so hard to be discerned Dost thou not know what is the main scope and drift of thy life First To please God If this be your great endeavour whether you are present or absent alone or in company that you may please God this is the true disposition of Gods servants Do you study to watch over your hearts as in Gods sight and carry it in your lives as of sincerity and in the sight of God 2 Cor. 1. 12. and 2. 17. Is your labor of love and work of saith that is working faith and your patience of hope in bearing the Crosse not in vain-glory but in sincerity do you study so to walk as to approve your hearts to God that you endeavor to please him that you might do those things that are pleasing in his sight then know and be assured that you are the people to whom this doth belong If God say well done you have your hearts desire let the world say what they will to you Secondly To â—…chew sin This was Jobs character that he was a man fearing God and â—…chewing sin Job 1. 8. This was Davids mark that he did not regard iniquity in his heart Psalm 66. 8. This was that did comfort Paul as the sure evidence of his sincerity though he did evil many times being overtaken with temptation yet he allowed it not Rom. 7. 18. Brethren what is your greatest fear do you study duty more than safty do you fear sin more than danger do you keep up a constant watch against sin all sin little sins secret sins heart sins especially are you afraid of your constitution-sin your sweet sin And do you prosecute against this with double diligence Thirdly To save your souls This was Pauls care 1 Cor. 9. latter end I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beâ—…eth the Air but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast away He was one that was in good carnest he did run as one in a race and fight as one for his life and all lest he should come short of that salvation that he had preached to others So Phil. 3. 13 14. One thing I do I press toward the mark for the price of the high-calling His eye was upon the Crown of Life And this is so far from sinful mercenariness that 't is made the condition of eternal Life that they are such who by patient continuaâ—…ce in well doing seek for glory honor immortality eternal Life Rom. 2. 7. Now Brethren what say you to this what is your great care and what is your great enquiry that you enquire after Is it what shall I do to be rich or great Is it with the carnal company who will shew us any good any outward good a good bargain or the like or with him Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us And with the convert in the Acts Sir what must I do to be saved howshall I secure my soul what can you say to this Do you first and above all seek the Kingdom of God Secondly As you may know it by your cares so by your comforts Is it the great comfort of your lives to converse with God and is he your portion and treasure a mans treasure may be known by his heart Is it that that doth yeild the sweetest comfort and content to your hearts are your sweetest hours the hours that you spend with God do you never more enjoy your selves than when you most enjoy God And is this your ordinary frame except in a time of temptation or under desertion and when 't is otherwise are you out of your center and cannot be quiet till you be otherwise Is God your refuge and riches your portion your principal choice your Treasure and do you bless your selves in him can you say there is more gladness in your hearts in the favor and enjoyment of God than when the Corn and Wine and Oyl increaseth do you indeed prefer a day in his Courts before a thousand in the pleasures of the wicked and tents of wickedness If it be thus with you habitually then you bear upon you the certain characters of Gods people And rejoyce you with joy unspeakeable and full of glory and boast your selves in him for all the things that I shall speak of belong to you And now if you find it thus with you then apply to your selves these following comforts And blesse your selves in your God he hath done more for you than for any others First You are the people of his choice when others are but the refuse O my Brethren I may say to you as God said to Israel by Moses Deut. 7. 6. For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people to himself above all people of the earth This is your case I beseech you Christians erect you faith and let not your consideration be idle Hear him speaking thus to you as in Exod. 19. 5. You shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine Ah beloved I must call upon you to rejoyce in the Lord and again must I call upon
c. Ah brethren this is good news for Zion and this is the news God hath sent me with behold the deliverer the Saviour is come O with what a welcome should such as this be received when he comes how welcome was the news to the captives that brought the news of their liberty why such should be the welcome that you should give to the news the Gospel brings you of a deliverer Now is your Jubilee blessed are the people that hear the joyful sound Psa. 89. 15. He alludes to the sound of the Trumpets in the time of the Jubilee but it is to be understood of the joyful sound of the Gospel It is blessed news that Christ the deliver is come Secondly I am to shew you how he is come There is a two fold coming of Christ his gracious and his glorious coming His glorious coming is not till hereafter at the last day This is the coming that he speaks of Rev. 1. 7. He speaks of it as if it were present because 't is as certain as if it were present Every eye shall see him But then there is his gracious coming and that is two fold corporal or spiritual His corporal coming in his admirable Incarnation his spiritual coming in the Gospel Invitation First His corporal coming in his admirable incarnation And this is blessed news to the world at this his coming there were a quire of angels to celebrate his praise Luke 2. 13 14. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God saying glory to Godin the highest and on Earth peace good will towards men We read that the great and glorious works of God they are celebrated by the angels And there are these four great works celebrated by them First The work of Creation So that 〈◊〉 Job 38. 7. When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for Joy It is spoken with reference to the Creation the angels did list up their voices and sang the praise of their Creator Secondly The work of conversion Luke 15. 10. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth The work of conversion is a great and admirable work and therefore celebrated by angels Thirdly At Christs incarnation so Luke 2. 10 11. Fourthly At the resurrection Then all the angels of God shall appear then shall be a most glorious and general appearance of the angels to celebrate that work heaven shall empty it self of all its glorious inhabitants Secondly There is the spiritual coming of Christ and this is in his Ordinances This is his Chariot wherein he rides on conquering Psa. 45. 3 4. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh and in thy Majesty ride prosperously This is to be understood of Christs going forth in the sound of the Gospel which is his sword whereby he rides on to conquer the world Now in this respect Christ is come exhibiting himself in the voice of the Gospel there Christ doth shew himself and impart himself to his people Thirdly I am to shew you whence he is come He is come from the throne of his glory From the court of his Angels From the hosome of his Father First From the Throne of his glory O what a wonderful descent was this that he should come from the Throne of his glory to the manger among the beasts from the company of the angels to be crucified among the theeves he came among the beasts the world would not receive him but he was thrust out among the beasts Man by his Apostacy had brought himself among the beasts and hither did Christ come to find him But he was humbled more yet from the throne to the cross From the height of his glory to the extremity of shame O how should we think of the strange abasure of Christ that he that was heir to the Crown of glory should become man and viler then any of the Sons of men in some respect this should have your great admiration Secondly From the Court of his angels The Lord Jesus Christ he was the brightness of his Fathers glory the express image of his person that made his angels spirits and his Ministers a flaming fire All the angels you must know were his Messengers And what abasure was here that he should come from the company of angels to be contemned by the basest of men Thirdly From the bosome of his Father The Lord Jesus Christ he was the Son of Gods delight his darling the beloved object of his soul Math. 11. 27. Christ is he that lyes in the bosome of the Father and he alone is able to reveal the secrets of the Lord to the world so John 1. 18. Now that the Lord Jesus Christ should come from the bosome of God to the belly of hell that he should leave the glory of heaven for the torments of hell and all for our sakes what a strange wonder of Love was this hence was it that Christ came for us This is the bread that came down from heaven that a man may eat of and not dye Fourthly I shall shew you why he is come And that is To seek and to Save First To seek That is one end of his coming so Luke 19. 10. And who do you think that he is come to seek It is us that were lost All we like sheep have gone astray now Christ is that great good sheapherd that came to seek and to save that which was lost in Luke 15 you read of the lost groat the lost sheep and the lost Son and who do you think this was this was the lost sinner ver 32. who was it think you that sought us and found us when we were lost It was Jesus Christ it was he that sought us We had never found him had not he sought us I am found of them that sought me not 〈◊〉 65. 1. If Christ had stayed for us till we sought him our salvation had never been wrought The Lord Jesus Christ he sought us not and laid hold on us He took not hold of angels but of the seed of Abraham In effectual calling there he takes hold of the sinner he is fain to run after them and stop them or else they would run into perdition Secondly He is come to save so the Apostle to Timothy 1 Tim. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief He puts in for one Oh brethren this is that should make the coming of Christ welcome to you he came to seek and save you O therefore welcome him at his coming Use. Is it so that Christ is come then go you forth to meet him Math. 25. 6. That was the cry there this is that which God sends his Messengers to call upon you for that you may go forth to meet him But how should you go forth to meet him First as a Bride doth her
Conscience accuse thee shew it thy pardon and that will quiet it Secondly He hath sent thee a Patent for heaven this hath Christ given you that are believers he hath made over to you in his Gospel a sirm conveyance of heaven So that I may say a believer hath as true a right to heaven as Christ can make him yea as Christ hath himself You are they that have endured in my temptations and I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed me c. Now believers can you tell the worth of this token can you cast up the worth of endlesse glory can you tell what God and heaven is worth then you may tell me what this token is worth never was there such a token sent as this is Thirdly He hath sent thee the golden chain of the Jewels and bracelets of thy graces As when the servant of Abraham went to take Rebeckah for wife to Isaac he gave her bracelets c. So hath Christ to you he hath given you the chain of all the graces These are the Jewels he hath adorned you with Dost thou find any faith love c. in thee though it be like a grain of Mustard-seed and like a spark on the hearth O blesse the Lord Christ upon the bended knees of thy soul that he hath given thee this He hath done more for thee in this than he hath done for all the world beside O how thankful should you be that have received such a token from him Christian when ever thou dost feel the operation of the spirit of Christ within thee let this mind thee of the love of him that hath sent thee all this Fourthly He hath sent thee the seal and testimony of his spirit Hast thou received the spirit of adoption teaching thee to cry Abba Father It was he that sent it Hast thou so sure a guide as the sweet compassionate spirit so loving a Counseller as the spirit of Christ in thee O take notice of the love of Christs in sending him to thee Fourthly His testament is the evidence of love beloved it is impossible for me to utter or you to conceive the riches of Christs love expressed to you in his testament his Covenant herein Christian thou mightest read the strange love of Christ to thee in that he hath given thee his testament and delivered it to thee as his act and deed sealed with his own blood O how much did David make of this It was the last words of that sweet singer of Israel Although my house be not so with God yet be hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure and this is all my sa'vation and all my desire 2 Sam. 23. He had all that heart could wish sor in this Covenant O Christian hath Christ given thee his covenant O make much of this covenant 't is a sweet token indeed O the great priviledges and sweet immunities that are conveyed to believers here freedome from sin from the guilt and power of sin Freedome from misery from the wrath of God the curse of the law from the sting of death from the evil of the world from the danger of hell And beside all this what legacies hath he given thee in the covenant God for thy Father himself for thy Saviour his spirit for thy comforter and sanctifier his Ministers for thy teachers his ordinances for thy furtherance in grace there he hath given thee thy adoption and assurance for heaven Do but look over this and say if thou canst that Christ hath not loved thee Fifthly His Blood is a stream of love dost thou doubt of the love of Christ do but look upon him on his crosse how his feet and hands and heart are pierced thou mayst see the love of Christ flowing out of every part Use Now since Christ hath so loved you you that are his people do you love him again O where should you bestow your love place your affections fix your hearts but here I shall give you two motives He desires your love and he deserves your love First Consider he desires your love You have seen a little how Christ doth love you and what doth he expect but that you should love him again and can there be any thing less that he could require O methinks thou shouldest give up thy heart to Christ. This is all that he expects for this love that you should love him again This Christ will accept and nothing short of this will he accept Love cannot be satisfied but by love again It must be paid in its own coyn Cant. 8. 7. If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would be utterly contemned As no Treasure in the world can buy love purchase love so no sufficiency in the world will be sufficient for love unlesse you give love your love again 1 Cor. 13. 3. Now Christian be perswaded then to give away thy heart out of hand to Christ. O bestow thy love upon him wherehast thou such a thing in thee but that thou shouldst love Christ doth any man plant a vineyard and not expect to eat of the fruit of it hath he put love into thee and doth not he expect that thou shouldest love him Secondly He deserves your love I may say of him as they of the Centurion he is worthy thou shouldst do this thing for him for he loveth our nation Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive honor and strength c. He is worthy to receive all that you can give unto him If there were any thing else that were worthy of your love there might be some excuse that you did not bestow it upon Christ. But alass there is nothing here that doth deserve your love As Paul said was Paul Crucified for you c. so may I say were these things crucified for you but Christ was crucified for you he hath deserved your love This is he that came in to the world to seek and to save That came and found you naked and dead and wounded and then let out his blood and cured you This is he that when he came you spit upon him and refused him yet he would not be put off from you so but he would do you good How often hath he come and refreshed you with the refreshings of his love how often hath he taken you into his galleries and filled you with his secrets you that are believers may remember the places where he hath given you visits and made you tast of the powers of the world to come A SACRAMENTAL Speech grounded on Math. 15. 28. O woman great is thy faith WE have read many noted and remarkable stories of sundry great exploits that have been done by the renowned worthies of the world but there are no exploits nor atchievements so renowned as those that been done by faith The Scripture give us many instances of this kind and shews us how greatly the Lord Jesus Christ was pleased
every one of your hearts be all on fire with strongest burning love to the name of Jesus and offered as a flaming sacriâ—… to him Beloved I am affraid almost to tell you what Christ looks for from you I think of his mercies to you with fear and great joy Know my beloved and remember that he Looks for great things from you you have received much and God will 〈◊〉 much I beseech you be not as other people My mouth is open to you my heart is enlarged but my time is very streight Sleep hath departed from my eyes to write a few lines unto you but I am upon your service when you know it not yet I cannot end without telling you that you had need look to it that you be in all things more than ordinary because the Lord looks for extraordinary prosiciency from you Brethren let your hearts be entire with God be abundant in secret Duties Prayer Meditation Self-examination Watchfullness Self-denial Let none of you be another thing in your Families or Closets from what he is in the Assembly and the open profession that he makes Look to the heart-work See that you be truly thorowly and unreservedly the Lords Beware lest with any of you a secret root of Hypocrisie should spoil a forward and goodly profession Care above all things in the world to approve your hearts to the piercing eye of the â—…lous God Let your good works shine besore men but reckon your selves to be no more than what you are in secret Maintain a holy jealousie of your selves till upon much prayer and tryal and self-observation you have found out by Scripture-marks the certainty of your state But I intrench on other things to wade thus far To my keeper I commend you and with dearest loves to you all in the Bowels of our Lord I remain Your Ambassador in Bonds Joseph Alleine My dear father and brother Norman remembers you tenderly desiring you to hold fast what you have received and heard and that you be holy harmless exemplary and without offence in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation A Practical CASE on Phil. 3. 13 14. This ONE thing I do I press toward the Mark. Q. HOw may we come to make Religion our business Rule 1. You must throughly acquaint your selves with the rule and the compass that Religion steers by Unless the Mariner know every point of his Compass he is like to make but foul work of it The word is a believers Compass Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to This rule c. A believer walks by Rule and by this Rule the Rule of the word you can never mannage the business of Religion except you do throughly know and often eye your Rule and put the rule to your work How can you trade religiously unless you know the Rules you are to deal by Or pray rightly if ignorant of the Rules you are to pray by Beloved the commandement is exceeding broad and prescribes you Rules for your whole Man and sor the right behaving of your selves in every part of your conversation Oh hide the word in your hearts lay up the Rules you are to work by and the Rules that you are to give by the Rules that you are to speak by and the Rules that you are to hear by and the Rules that you are to examine your selves by Be sure there be no part of your conversation but that you have some Rules that you doe set to your selves about it How can you carry your selves Religiously in your Relations unless you doe conscienciously observe the Rules that you are to carry your selves by If wives do not know their Rules and husbands their Rules and servants their Rules and children their Rules how can you bring your profession to any thing beloved as ever you would make any thing of Religion know the Rules of your places set it down with your selves you husbands you wives you children you servants these be the Rules that I will walk by and wherein I sail of these Rules I will seé my errour and study to come up to what is lacking Resp. 2. You must have the whole lump of the heart leavened and seasoned with Religion Matth. 13. 33. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven which a woman hid c. The word is this leaven The heart is this lump in which this leaven is hid now when the whole lump is throughly seasoned then their will be such a suitableness between the heart and the work that Religion will become a pleasure A true Christian hath the law of the Spirit of Life within him he hath a transcript of the word in his soul. Now where the law of Religion is in the heart there will be a love of delight in and propensity to the work of Religion Rom. 8. 2. Heb. 8. 10. I delight to doe thy will thy law is within my heart Psal. 40. 8. who naturally careth for your state Phil. 2. 20. where Religion hath taken deep root in the heart the concerns of Christ will become its natural care Now that which is natural is delightful and when a man loves his work he will be much in it Again that which is natural is constant so that when the heart is naturalized and habituated to Religion the man will constantly follow it To a heart throughly sanctified Religion is the very Element it lives in whereas a carnal heart in holy exercises is like a fish out of the water it cannot away with the strictness of a holy self-denying life when the heart is renewed and made spiritual t will naturally mind the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. Joh. 3. 6. Rule 3. You must have these six Principles inwrought and deeply engraven into your souls Prin. 1. That Religion is the very end of your being that you were made and maintained for This is the end and use of all your powers and faculties That you may serve and glorisie the God that made you He made you for himself Prov. 16. 4. For his pleasure you are and were created Rev. 4. 11. Oh man look upon thy self think whence thou art and for what a little while since thou wast not how camest thou to be hath not the hand of God framed thee Think with thy self wherefore serve all these powers and faculties To what end were they given me what to eat and drink and sleep and sport If I had been a brute I could have done this why should it repent the Lord that he hath made me a man that he hath given me an understanding soul wherefore have I reason above the rest of the Creatures but that I should understand the Law of my Creation and the end of my being and know my makers ends and doe his pleasure Better I had never been born than not to answer my end Better I had been a Brute than a Man unless I glorifie God with my understanding and imploy my powers and faculties in his service