promote the Salvation of his Church in any eminent degree but it is in a way that is cross and contrary to the sense and expectation of flesh and bloud insomuch you know the darknesse of our condition has been the entrance upon deliverance as just before the day dawns it s the darkest of the night when God looked and there was none to help them saies he my arm brought salvation Thus it is with you that are effectually called you have received the sentence of death the entrance upon your deliverance is the darkest time of your condition 3. God can do great things Joel 2. Fear not thy God O Sion can do great things 'T is the disparagement that we offer to God we ascribe more to the Creature than we do to God when we give way to carnal fear◠fear not what man can do because of the power of God which was his shield and buckler Is any thing too heavy for God and when God does great things he usually goes on to do greater though he may seem to suffer his work to be thrown back to confusion and his people may be ready to say we thought he had redeemed Israel that degree of Reformation shall not be lost You know in Luther's time take any special degree of Reformation in the Church and it seemed to be opposed by the gates of hell when it was brought upon the stage to any hopeful degree then it was taken as it were utterly out of sight for a while but it was never lost thus God is but making way for his own glory to appear in these great works O but you will say what shall become of my particular It is enough God hath promised that we shall not want any thing that is truly good and that nothing that is evil shall fall upon us and lie upon us though we do not see deliverance it shall be whatever our sad thoughts and tremblings of heart may be yet give God the glory of his Word Take these few Directions 1. Strive to strengthen thy Faith Faith is that which layes hold on Christ and Christ is your strength therefore Faith is said to do that which Christ does let every day drive thee to a renewed act of Faith Take heed be not shaken in the faith of the Cause be not shaken in the Faith of Christ fides Causae fides Christ◠Be not shaken upon the Cause which upon utmost examination we find to be according to the word hold that Heaven and Earth shall passe away but not one jot and tittle of this Cause And then do not shake in the Faith of Christ that is in your laying hold in your applying your selves to him in your resting and setling upon him beg of God to strengthen your faith 2. Get more Self-denial we must forsake all we must not except any thing A man would part with his life as easily as with a pin off his sleeve if he had but some considerable growth in Self-denial 3. Get a great deal of love towards that Christ that loved us with a love stronger then death get love of that Christ that may be stronger then life Let nothing in the world be of any consideration with you so us Christ may be magnified in your bodies love will breed courage and cast out fear slavish fear before God carnal fear before men Get a true insight into an account of suffering and troubles whence they are they issue from the same love with redemption of your souls from Hell and your glorification God doth every thing in pursuance of the purpose of his love he doth every thing according to the platform and pattern of his thoughts towards us from eternity Consider what troubles are and to what end not to destroy but to try to wean from the world to fit for Heaven 5. Get an infight into the vanity of the creature you reckon the creature some great matter and that is the reason of your love and of your fear 6. Get the fear of God that may over-rule other sears Fear not him that can but kill the body but fear him that is able to cast body and soul into hell fire 7. Keep a clear conscience void of offence towards God and towards men by a heart abasing confession of what is past and the application of the blood of Christ and by mortification and watchfulnesse therein keep your selves from evil for the time to come 8. Get a better assurance of eternal life a glimpse and sight of this would make a man run through the very flames of hell How comfortable was Stephen when a shower of stones was about his ears to see Jesus standing at the right hand of God! I wonder how they dare to venter their life that have no ground of a better life but for those that have a well-grounded hope of the mercy of God they say We reckon these light affections which are but for a moment to work for us a 〈◊〉 more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Fear all any of these things which you shall suffer Pro. 7. Christ does limit Satan he hath him in a string him and all his Instruments The Devil shall cast some of you into prison c. Every word hath its weight Who shall do it The Devil What shall he do Cast you into prison How far Some of you How long Ten dayes For what use That you may be tryed Christ as he hath Satan in a chain of providence so he hath a chain of restraint it is Christ that puts a circle about him he cannot cause a hair of your head to fall he is in the hand of Christ and they are under him and his hand as they are against him If God lets alone his Enemies what shall they not do If God lets alone his People what shall they do 2. God has a special Providence about the things of his Church by way of eminencie by way of permission and ordination 3. You will not deny but there is power enough in God to destroy all that are against him and to limit all and all shall make to the praise of God and to his peoples good The Lord is exceeding merciful he cannot hold when the Enemy comes to insult to blaspheme and revile Now will I arise saith God and set him at liberty from him that puffeth at him There is not only a judging of their Enemies hereafter but a judging of them here the world shall say Verily there is a God that rewardeth righteousnesse verily there is a God that judgeth the earth 3. God has a special design in hand therefore just so far as he will carry on that design God hath towards his people which is alwayes a design of faithfulnesse just so far shall the Enemy go Isai 10 The Enemy means not so he means to cut off a people not a few but Gods end was otherwise and he will over-rule them this is the Comfort there is a set time there is an end
Phaâ—isees which is among you Oh that I had no cause to say the leaven of the Pharisees is among you I mean that there are many here that are but bare professors let me ask you that are only professors this one question Is Religion good or bad if it be not good what is the reason thou art not ashamed to profess it if it be good what is the reason thou dost but professe it by thy bare professing thou losest the love of man by no more then professing thou canst never gain the love of God so that on all sides thou art like to be miserable The world will hate thee for being so good and God will hate thee for being no better What a sad thing is it that thou losest thy comforts in this life by professing so much and thy comforts in the life to come by no more then professing Thus you have heard what I have to say by way of Caution I shall now speak to you by way of counsel The former ten were Negative these shall be Positive First I intreat you all that above all things you would mind the one thing necessary that you would not trouble your selves so much with many things of little concernment but mind the great thing for which you came into the world Oh my friends will you spend your time for that which will not profit you and your money for that which is not bread Look after Grace labour to get an Interest in Christ of which if you be unprovided you will be undone for ever and it will be better for you you had never been born Oh gain Christ and then you will be fitted for all times all troubles and all conditions that can happen unto you you will be endued with all wisdom and with all riches if you gain not Christ all that God doth to you and for you will nâ—ught at all avail you Secondly My second advice and counsel unto you is this That you would live as you would die live to day as if you must die to morrow Let me ask you would you be content to die in the state you are in if my soul doth not desire to be in a better state wheâ— I come to die then now I am in I may very well sit down satisfied if not then surely it greatly concerns me to look after a better would any man be content to die a Drunkard I ask you that are Drunkards I do believe you will answer no why then do you live in drunkennesse How know you that God will spare you when you are drunk until you are sober again we may read of many that have died in their drunken fits God doth not alwayes send his Herauld to warn thee before he sends his Serjeant to arrest thee how knowest thou but Death may strike thee on a sudden what will then become of thy Soul Oh Beloved I beseech you live not in that you are unwilling to die in Balaam waâ— not such a wretch but he could cry out Good Lord let me die the death of the Righteous are so bad husbands but will lay up for a rainy day I mean against a time of sicknesse comes wherein you will be unable to work are you thus careful to maintain your bodies and will you be carelesse of your souls Oh be careful to provide for stoâ—my weathers you have winter garmeâ—s for your bodies to preserve them from cold â—h let patience be your winter garment to preserve and keep your selves warm in afflictions I know that he that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution and that through tribulation and sufferings we must enter into the Kâ—ngdome of Heaven shall I not then provide for them but you may say what doth persecution attend all the godly a man may escape them as well as suffer them put case affliction should not come thou wilt be never the worse for the being provided for them for he that is fit to die is fit â—o live and that man that is fiâ— to suffer afflictions is fit to live without them It was Pauls exhortation to the Ephes 6.10 Finally my brethren put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand the wiles of the Devil And it is wisdome in a man to provide for a misery before is comes there is mention made of a Nation the Spartans I think that useth to chuse their King as we do our Lord May or every year and whilst they are in their annual Government they live in all abundance of state have all the sulnesse their hearts can wish but when their year is over all their pomp and glory is over too and they banisht into some obscure remoâ—e place for ever Where they spend the remainder of their lives in great want and misery One King knowing this being called to rule over that Nation made such use of his time wherein he reigned as King that by his provident living he heaped up so much treasure and sent it besore him to the place where he knew he should be sent as maintained him all his life time Thus it is God hath appointed to every one a time to live in and that but a short time too and in that time he hath appointed afflictions to attend us if we will live godly in Christ Jesus is it not wisdome in us then to provide for them Take heed then that to avoid suffering you do not commit sin â—o commit sin to avoid suffering is as if a man should run out of the mouth of a barking Dog into the mouth of a devouring Lion what is the wrath of man to the wrath of God Man can but destâ—oy the body and no more but God can destroy both body and soul into hell fire to all eternity Fourthly My fourth word of counsel and direction is this be serious in serious things when you come to perform serious things do â—â—em seriously I do not know that ever I saw a man fall a sleep while he was telling of mony for if he should how could he tell whether it were right or no Yet alas too too many sleep when they should be taking truth not only by natural sleep but also by spiritual sleep they are so caâ—elesse in receiving the word they hear and so laâ—y withal that rather then they will try the word they â—ear they will take all for truth their Ministers tell them Beloved I believe you will scarce put so much coufidence in a man as to receive a sum of money without telling it because he saith it is right and yet will you receive all that your Minister tells you is truth for truth without trying it you must not be sluggish in your working for God but put forth your selves to the utrermost You must make the Kingdome of Heaven suffer violence and take it by force but then Fifthly The fifth Direction which I shall give you is about hearing the Word how you must behave your selves when you
chosen rather then Suffering not in wicked men onely but in the best of men for as in water face answereth to face so the heart of man to man which lets mee into The fourth Sermon Prov. 27.19 As in Water face answereth to face so doth the heart of man to man IN this Proverb two things 1. The Proposition and that by a Similitude As in water face answereth to face 2. The Redition So doth the heart of a man to man Or in the words these two generals to be observed 1. A Glass 2. An Object to be seen in this Glass 1. A Glass a notable one that 's two fold A dead Glass Water A living Glass the Heart of Man 2. The Object to be seen in these Glasses In the dead Glass the face of man is to bee seen In the living Glass the heart of man There 's all the Species and Complections of the Sons nay of the Souls of the Sons of men to bee seen That as by looking into the water you may discern your own and other mens Countenances and that plainly and clearly So by looking into your own hearts if you could have a Casement into the hearts of other men there may you see of what Spiritual Complection Constitution and Make you are as clearly as a man may see his face in Water As in Water c. From these words this great Truth that the heart of every man in the world is a looking-Glass 'T is such a looking-Glass wherein he may see himself his Condition Constitution special Complection whether it be morally spiritually scripturally good or evil For the right improvement of this looking-Glass three things necessary which are optick principles but clear to those that have either phisical or natural light 1. There must be an Object that must bee seen And oh what visible objects are there in the hearts of men Man is call'd a little world a compendium of the whole world The heart of man is the man The heart of man is like the Ark of Noah which contains all sorts all kinds of clean and unclean Beasts 'T is an Epitomy of Heaven and Hell What is there in the heart of man Who but God can fathom the depth of it There are more objects in the hearts of men then Stars in Heaven or drops in the Ocean 2. There must be light to actuate this object If it were dark we could never see it There must be light both to actuate the eye and object Now this light that actuates the eye and object 't is either the natural light the light of Nature the light of Conscience the light of common Illumination the light of the Word or the light of the Spirit of God By all these lights we come to look into this looking-glass our hearts 3. There must be an Irradiation from the object i. e. a beaming forth from that object some Species or Ideas that carries the object to the eye and clearly makes out to the sence what that object is this beaming is by action from the heart mark it for it may be as necessary truth as was Preached among you that look what the stream is to the Fountain what the beam is to the Sun that the action is to the heart whether the act be manent or transient whether Internal in thought purpose election affection in joy in love in fear or External in the life in the practice and in the conversation So that look as a puddle stream alwaies declares a corrupt Fountain So all your humble holy faithful thoughts speak a clear spiritual heart within a holy Conversation speaks a holy Affection and a holy Affection declares a heavenly Constitution a new Nature Now for the Use of this is the heart of man a looking-Glass 1. See from hence of what concernment the actions of men are whether Internal or External The actions of men are like the streams you may certainly find the Fountain by them they speak the heart as the Root bears the fruit 'T is of infinite concernment 't is the Fountain of what principles within and conversation without descend but into thy own heart c. 2. This shews the sad condition of all natural poor souls your hearts are looking-Glasses but they are looking-Glasses in a Dungeon of darkness there be Toads Vipers and Devils there but thou canst not see them that hast no spiritual Light 4. Here is Consolation to Gods People Is the heart of man a looking-Glass What reason have they to rejoyce in their hearts that are the best looking-Glasses in the world not like our Gallants looking-Glasses that must not bewray their wrinkles sports c. But theirs will represent their Hearts Complexion Condition and Nature to them Nay in that Glass may be seen the face of a God Nay further because thy heart doth answer to another heart and his to his what ever Grace in any Beleevers it is there in thy heart semine there 's the seed 4. By way of exhortation Is the heart a looking-Glass then keep the looking-Glass very chary make much of it above all keepings keep thy heart and that with all diligence in all places at all times and in all things If any thing under Heaven will keep thee holy it is the keeping of thy heart There thou mayest see all thy spots defects desperate Hipocrisies Infernal Atheism all the deliques of thy Soul How prone to commit as vile sins as ever committed by the vilest of the sons of men once more keep it clean and keep it close Look into thy heart and thou shalt find it to bee a Coppy of the Role of Eternity where thou shalt see thy very name written in Letters of Gold or Blood for wee looking into our hearts may and do know that we are passed from death to live and that upon this ground because we love the Brethren And thus I advance to The Fifth Sermon 1 John 3.14 We know that wee have passed frâ—â— death to life because we love the Brethren IN these words five things 1. A supposed Estate in which we are all by nature and that is an Estate of death spiritual 2. A peaceable Recovery or mention of another state an Estate of life 3. A real Transition from this state of death to life we are passed c. 4. An inseparable property of all Regenerate souls in the world they do not hate but love the Brethren 5. A comfortable Conclusion that a Christian may make from that property he may know hee may be assured by this that he is passed from death to life because he loves the Brethren The observation thus a Christian may know his real Conversion and Transition to eternal life by this Character among the rest because he loves the Brethren This proposition was slipt into these two particulars 1. That every Beleever may have an assurance of his Transition from death to life 2. That love to the Brethren is one of the great eminent Symptomes of mans
Regeneration 1. A Christian may know his real Conversion and Translation to eternal life Such a great and real change is there wrought in every Beleever at his Conversion and this wrought by such a great efficient and infinite cause the Spirit of God and this cause working by such real and powerful means and instruments the great Word of God and this done notwithstanding the great opposition that is made by a poor sinner against the word and when wrought it hath such real and grand effects upon a Beleever that 't is impossible but a Beleever must needs know this his transition from death to life Secondly Love to the Brethren is the great symptome of mens Regeneration Love to the Brethren not taken solely singly as if this was the onely Character but concomitantly taken with others but beyond and above all others this is the privy seal of God on the soul if yee have inflamed it with love hee may know hee is passed from death to life The Use was of Confutation of the Papists those grand enemies to Gospel-Truths and Beleevers peace They abhor this Doctrine of Assurance by it their Purgatory would fall down their Popes Kitchin would grow cold They tell us Beleevers cannot attain Assurance in this world no. 1. Why hath God commanded us to make our Calling and Election sure and will God command impossibilities such as cannot be wrought by our or his own power 2. Other Saints have attained this Assurance this New Name and White Stone within them Obj. That 's by extraordinary Revelation Answ This is not upon proof was not the Assurance of Gods people in Scripture grounded upon general promises Had they many of them either extrinsecal signs or marks to assure them of it did it not spring from principles common to all Beleevers Obj. But suppose they have Assurance to day they may lose it to morrow man is a mutable creature hee may be a Childe of God in the morning and a brat of Hell in the evening Answ 'T is true man is a mutable creature yet is hee preserved by an immutable God man is a weak creature but yet is preserved by the power of God unto salvation man as a Creature is no less mutable in Heaven than upon Earth there preserved by God therefore why not here Obj. This is a doctrine that tends to looseness Answ Not so it did not work looseness in Paul Job c. I labour more than they all Nothing under Heaven so soveraign to stave off and preserve from lust as the assurance of Gods love to the soul Such assurance comes from the highest act of faith and one of the great things of Faith is to purifie the heart and life Such an Assurance must needs constrain the soul The love of Christ constraintâ—is Nay so far is it from inclining to looseness that it casts the soul upon its knees lifts up the souls hands sends him to Heaven continually constantly arms it with petitions resolutions never to let the Lord of Heaven and Earth alone gives him no rest begging of him as for other things so especially for this Lord as thou art pleased to give mee the priviledge of enjoying promises so give mee the power to perform duty Thus saith hee thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven And so I am come as far as The Sixth Sermon Matth. 6.10 Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven THere is a twofold Will of God 1. Preceptive to be done by us 2. Providential to be done upon us The Minister carried the words in the last sense the will of God be done upon us hence 't was observed Gods Children must not only do but submit to their heavenly Fathers providential will They must not onely do his will the will of his precepts but they must submit to his will the will of his providence Let God do what hee will they must lay down their head upon the block and with patience and resignation say Thy will be done There are two grand Instances wherein Saints ought to shew this submission First When God deprives them of spiritual priviledges and enjoyments they must submit now they must not murmure then and that upon these considerations 1. Suppose a deprivation of publick Ordinances yet the holy Scriptures are left 2. The holy Spirit too that shall bring home the Scriptures to the conscience 3. There are old experiences of former love to live upon 4. Yet none can detain or debar us from making secret addresses unto God 5. 'T is a most noble thing it becomes a Christian exceedingly to live upon pulse yet thrive 6. By the want of such publick Ordinances God thinks fit to convince his people of their folly in sinning away the Gospel Secondly When the Lord makes a breach upon our temporal comforts and estates now for submission and that upon these accounts 1. Come what will come yet no strange thing is or can happen to us no temptation but what is common to man 2. With what comely submission have those old Beleevers behaved themselves to the will of God Eliah Job Samuel Daniel and the Captain of our salvation our blessed Saviour not my will but thy will be done 3. There 's a glorious day coming when God will unriddle all his dark providences and shew you that there is love in the bowels of them 4. God hath made a breach upon some of thy comforts how many comforts hath hee yet left thee 5. Thou art now deprived of thy comforts thou hast enjoyed twenty years thou hast reason to be thankful it was continued so long and not to murmure that 't was taken away now 6. Thou hast some goods the best of goods there 's no plundring a man of his grace no putting of him out of Gods favour 7. God doth thee a kindness in this were it good for thee it should be continued to thee Hee with-holds no good thing hee takes away nothing but what is evil or would be so this life is a transitory vapour and hadst thou enjoyed it thou couldst not long 8. Compare thy self with thy self and others the other day thou was a pittiful poor brat and what shalt thou bee compare thy self with others wee are low how many thousands far beneath us 9. All outward things are not properly formally good or evil as wee fancy them to be good or evil so they are they are but fancies Use Labour after this submissive frame of Spirit get but this and this will evidence that though hee frowns yet hee favours thee this will make thy Faith appear to bee a glorious Faith it will shew that the Kingdome of God is not only come to thee but in thee and rules in thy heart to that end But what shall I do to submit 1. Let not a day of adversity take thee unawares 2. Do not over-value thy self do not think too great of thy self that the wind must not blow onthee 3. Retract the superlative of
Conspiracy of thy Thoughts and Passions against thy Peace Thou mayst be quiet within and yet have war with God because as in the world there may be a Truce when there is no Peace the War may still continue tho there be a Truces between 2 Princes Or rather there is not a Truce between God sinner but as a Town that is besieged for many days may not feel the Battery of their Enemy because he is undermining them to blow them up at once so God doth not many times make his Battery against sinners but he is undermining them and the Fall at the last will be dreadful if there be not a composition Vse 2. By way of Exhortation Let me press you all to follow Peace it is a Duty which the Gospel enjoyns with the greatest vehemency with the greatest force of words and expressions The Apostle when he is to seal up his affections to them he doth it with that Prayer 2 Thess 3.16 Now the God of Peace himself give you Peace always by all means What strange expressions First he gives you here the Title of the God of Peace and then he saith Himself The God of Peace himself There 's a great deal of force in that word Peace is so excellent a blessing and there is such an abhorrency in our corrupt nature to it that it is onely the Lord himself that is able to effect it As if the Apostle had said The Lord must bow the Heavens he must come down himself to create Peace among you and to express the greater vehemency of his desire he saith Give you peace always by all means So another Scripture Pursue Peace Follow Peace with all men a word that imports our pursuit after it though it run from us This is the strain and tenour of the Gospel and this becomes you as Christians When Christ came to purchase our Peace he came as a Lamb an innocent and meek Creature Behold the Lamb of God When the Holy Spirit descended to seal the priviledge of Peace to us he descended in the form of a Dove a gaul-less Creature in whom there is no rancour nor bitterness What a strong engagement should this be upon all of us to pursue and promote Peace And for your encouragement consider First That in the times of the Gospel all the Promises do as it were empty themselves into this blessing the blessing of Peace Thus Isa 11.6 you shall find there a gracious Promise respecting the times of the Gospel The Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them and the Cow and the Bear shall feed their young Ones shall lie down together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Oxe That which I observe from thence is this that God here promises to cause an universal Peace and Unity under the Gospel though it be as difficult as to perswade the most disagreeing Natures to a peaceable cohabitation For here the Scripture instances in those Creatures between which there is the most natural and therefore the most fierce Animosities The Lord will reconcile men though their differences he never so great What is too hard for the God of Peace to effect Is not God of infinite power of infinite love then it should quicken us to pursue Peace 1 By Prayer to him because he is able to effect it Certainly that God that was able to bring Order into the World when it was a meer lump and mass of Confusion is able to bring peace and to unite our spirits And it is observable the greater our differences and divisions are the more will the power of the God appear in reconciling them 'T is said in the Psalms That God's Throne is in darkness i. e. His ways of Providence are very difficult for us to trace and find out â— and therefore when our Divisions are at the highest he is able by one word to allay the storm This should encourage us in Prayer This is the course of God to glorifie himself by putting a stop to the greatest Troubles when nearest to us and to work out one contrary by another To give you some Instances that so we may encourage our Faith and quicken our Prayer to God for this blessing Consider how still God hath made difficulties the way for enjoyment for instance The Promises that Sarah should be the Mother of a Child but he made way for that by her dead Womb for all that numerous Progeny which like the Stars of the Sky descended from her That he first maimed Jacob and then gave him the blessing He brought Joseph from the Prison to a Princely Palace First David was harassed with Troubles and then his head was deck'd with the Imperial Crown So if you look into the Kingdom of Christ who would have thought that a few Fishermen should have advanced the Empire of Christ in the World had you lived to have seen those despicable beginnings when a few unlearned men were the Heraulds and Preachers of Christ how would this have caused you to fail and sink in your Spirits and yet the Gospel hath been preached in all the parts of the World and that by a few Fishermen The Providences of God are like those plated Pictures if you look one way upon them there is the appearance of a Serpent if you look on the other side there 's the appearance of an Angel So here many times God is pleased to suffer exasperations to go very high that so his power may appear more eminent in the composure of them He it is that enables the Faith of his people to draw Water out of the Rock when the Fountain is dry that makes meat to come out of the Eater as in Sampson's Riddle that is able to bring a peaceable harmony out of devouring differences and therefore it should quicken our Prayers to him Secondly To make us more serious in our endeavours after peace Consider what a dishonour it is to the Gospel that those that profess themselves Sons of the same God Members of the same Christ Temples of the same Spirit should be at deadly jars one with another It is strange and unnatural that Lillies should prove Thorns to one another that those who are Saints in pretence should be Devils in practice to one another that God's Diamonds should cut one another this is very strange yet thus it is But how especially it is most sad when Religion which should restrain and bridle our Passions is made fewel and insentives of them How for distant is it from the counsel of the Apostle Rom. 14.10 where he speaks concerning their lesser differences One values one day above another another esteems every day alike what 's his counsel He speaks as a person that was fill'd with bowels and compassion Oh saith he let not him that doth not esteem the day judge him that doth For we
changed your hearts renewed grace ratified and reconciled and your Conscience quieted How can you think of these things but must admire the love of the Father in giving this to you and the love of the Son in purchasing this for you All the grace and mercy that is given to us is by Christ purchased for us Grace and Peace are fruits of the redeeming bloud of Christ purchased Secondly Do not envy the conditions or possessions of the men of the world they have Riches and Honours Prosits and Pleasures but they neither have Grace nor Peace Therefore do not envy their happiness There is a story of a Romane that was condemned by the Court-Martial to die for breaking his ranke to steal a bunch of Grapes and as he was going to his Execution his fellow Souldiers laughed at him and others envyed at him that he should have Grapes and they none Now sayes he do not envy me for my bunch of Grapes for you would be loth to have them at the rate I must pay for them My Brethren You that are the Children of Grace and peace don't envy at the men of the world at their Riches their Comforts their Pleasures for I am sure you would be loth to have them at the price they pay for them for the end of these things are Death Thirdly Don't complain of the worst condition that the Providence of God shall cast you into in this world it may be you shall suffer hard things but remember so long as thy soul is secure never complain of hard things My Brethren As God your Father brought you into a state of Grace and Peace and thereby secured his love to your souls in Christ can you complain of hard things So let the joy of the Lord be your strength Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again I say Rejoyce Phil. 4.4 The second Use is to such as have neither Graâ—s nor Peace May I not say I speak to many suchâ— I would I might not Are there not many that are without Grace and therefore must needs be without Peace They may have the world's peace but they have none of this Peace let me beg of you to get out of this graceless condition if you love your Souls don't live one day nor one hour nor one moment longer in a graceless state Oh that you would believe the words of a dying man for so I am to you and such words use to be remembred Oh remember this as a Testimony I leave with you that the love of Sin and lack of Grace will ruin and destroy every Soul at last But you will say How shall I get a share in this grace and peace I answer First Break off all your fâ—lse peace we can never have true peace with God when we content our selve with false peace you will never seek that peace which Christ hath purchased for you while you content your selves with that cursed peace which the Old man has wrought in you Oh therefore break off all false peace which is not the fruit of Grace Secondly Labour to see and be convinced of the miserable and of the naked condition your Souls be in for want of the righteousness of Christ for a covering without this oh Soul thou art miserable wretched poor and naked Be convinced also what a miserable thing it is to have God our Enemy God is the sinners Enemy it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Oh be convinced of thy nakedness without Christs righteousness and thy emptiness without his fulness Thirdly Labour to go out of your selves to Christ for grace and peace surely in the Lord shall one say I have righteousness and strength I there it 's to be found Labour for a thirsty frame of Soul for the promises run farr to such that he will fill the hungry with good things Go to Christ oh Soul begg pray never leave God till he hath given thee an interest in Christ for none can come to me except the Father draw him there is no pardon for the least sin out of Christ but there is pardon for the greatest sin in Christ one sin will damn the Soul out of Christ but no sin can hurt the Soul in Christ Oh go to Christ Soul never give rest to thy eyes nor slumber to thy lids till thou hast made peace with God in the bloud of Christ one sting of the fiery Serpent was mortal without looking upon the brazen Serpent So one sin will damn a Soul out of Christ but no sin can damn a Soul in Christ Thirdly To such as have grace but no sense of peace this is the counsel I would leave with all such Be much in the exercise of grace pray much believe much use grace much for the exercise and improving of grace will produce peace There are ten duties which are to be the sphere of grace in activity and in performing of them we shall have peace First make Religion your business the main design of your lives be Christians to purpose be not only Christians by the bye but let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Phil. 1.27 Secondly Put forth renewed Acts of Faith 〈◊〉 Christ every day and remember it 's as much your duty to believe in Christ to day as if you had never believed before Oh live by Faith every day and this will bring peace to you Thirdly Maintain a constant Communion with God daily this Communion with God is manâ— chief good the happiness of a Child is in communion with his Father and the happiness of 〈◊〉 Wife is in communion with her Husband and this is the happiness of a Believers Soul communion with God the Father through Christ our Head and Husband The seed of peace its true it is lowâ— in the Soul in Union but then it takes root downward and brings forth fruit upward Spiritual peace will never be obtained if communion with God be not maintained that gives comfort in the midst of all sorrows and satisfies all doubts and recoâ—pences all wants Lo this is the fruit of communion with God Fourthly Be good at all times but of all best in bad times many Christians lose their peace by remitting of their grace and let loose their reins of Religion to avoid the censures of a crooked generation A Christians zeal should be like the Winter fire that burns the hottest when the Air is coolest or like the Lilly that looketh beautiful though among Thorns so should a Child of God though among sinners Fifthly In all conditions chuse sufferings rather then sinning If ever you would have peace choose suffering rather then sinning he that valueâ—â— peace with God or peace with Conscience he must make this his choyce thus Daniel rather chose to be castâ—o Lions then to lose the peace of his Conscience the three Children chose rather to burn in the Furnace then bow to the Image One said He would rather go to Hell free from sin
the World oh â— would there were not See that 1 Tim. 6.3 4 â— where the Apostle acquaints you with such men saith he If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which 〈◊〉 according to godliness the wholsome Doctrine thâ— healing Word what then in the 4th Verse 〈◊〉 he He is proud knowing nothing but doating â—bout questions and strifes of words whereâ—â— Wines enter strife-railings evill surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness or as most read it that godliness is a gain a meer Trade to get money by from such withdraw thy self If you be not baptized they will tell you you are not a Christion and baptized you shall not be unless you pay for it they will tell you eat flesh you must not at such and such times but if you will pay for it you may they will tell you you must not sin by no meanes but if you will pay for it you may and have a pardon for iâ— when you have done such a one as they can give Oh I beseech you when ever any make use of Religion to get money by take heed of them saith the Apostle from those that make godliness a Trade to get money by withdraw thy self and know that godliness with contentment is great gain Doubtless godliness is the best Trade in the world if closely followed but the worst if worldlily followed but to take up a Profession of the Christian Religion meerly for pomp and state and to get gain oh ruefull is Christian Religion made use of for such ends as this Oh take heed therefore as ever you would stand fast in the Faith and hold fast the Profession thereof take heed of all and every sort of men that make use of Religion to get money by Secondly Take heed of the errour of the wicked lest you fall from your own stedfastness this advice you have from the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore believed seeing you know these things before beware lest you also being led away by the errâ— of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness the 〈◊〉 â—our of the wicked is like to make one as wicâ—â— as they pray what was this errour of the wickâ—â— it was this there were a generation of wicked men that said It was in vain to serve God for say they where is the promise of his coming onely Beloved it was as much as to say there were no reward for godliness nor no wages for ungodliness Oh take heed of this error of the wicked it is a wicked â—â—rour and none but wicked ones hold it to wit The it is in vain to serve God therefore keep this still 〈◊〉 your hearts that Verily in keeping his Commandements there is great reward if there were no more but the very work it is a great honour to us that we may be servants to such a God but Beloved Be stedfast and unmoveable knowing that your laâ—â—â— shall not be in vain in the Lord. Mal. 3.13 there is the like instance Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord yet ye say what have we spokeâ— so much against thee this God is lwayes quarrelling with us and laying things to our charge what 〈◊〉 we said in the 14th Verse Ye sâ—id it is in 〈◊〉 serve God and what profit is it that we have kept 〈◊〉 Ordinances we have walked mournfully before 〈◊〉 Lord of Hosts and now we call the proud happy 〈◊〉 they that work wickedness are set up yea they 〈◊〉 tempt God are even delivered well now what 〈◊〉 lowes Then they that feared the Lord spake 〈◊〉 one to another as if they had said let not 〈◊〉 things take any thing off the edge of our affectiâ—â— or quench any flame of our love did God taâ—â—â—ny notice of this now that he had any such friâ—â— in the World yes saith he God hearkened and heard and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name and they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spares his own Son that serves him there is a time a coming the day will declare whether it be best serving God or the Devil well then Beloved as ever you would hold fast the Profession of your Faith take heed of the errour of the wicked never think it vain to serve God though you may loose by it for if you loose for him ye shall never loose by him Thirdly Would you hold fast the Profession of your Faith then lay up the word of Faith in a good and honest heart Luke 8.15 It is said there of the good ground they are they which having heard the Word keep it or hold it fast where do they lay it up now in a good and honest heart so that you must pull out his heart before that you can pull out the Word and will any man suffer his heart to be torn from him you will never hold it fast till you lay iâ— up in a good and honest heart if it be onely in the hands of a Bible is in your hands or in the head it will be gone but if it be in your hearts you will never let it go therefore observe saith he Having heard it they keep it and hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bâ—ing forth fruit with patience they had a great deal of sufferings to bring forth with patience for if they were not under suffering what 〈◊〉 were there of patience Well Beloved conâ—â—â—â—â— a little further as to this the connexion between the Verse preceding the Text and the Text saith he Let us draw near 〈◊〉 a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled with an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith the purity of the heart is the best preservative of the Faith 1 Tim. 3.9 holding the mystery of the Faith in a pure Conscience a good and honest heart will never part with the mystery of Faith Lastly Would you hold fast the Profession of your Faith then look much to and often consider Jesus Christ the Authour and finisher of your Faith David had got the faculty of walking with God and how was it saith he I will keep thy loving kindness before mine eyes that I may walk with thee Oh if we do but keep the loving kindness of God in Jesus Christ before our eyes we shall certainly keep the Faith saith the Apostle Having a High Priest over the House of God let us draw near and let us hold fast a High Priest that is Jesus Christ our great High Priest Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy Brethren be partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Professiâ—â— Christ
ever men call Truth or offer as Truth we must examine it by the un-erring Rule of Truth that is the Word of God In these things it is a clear Canon which we have 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good Prove them by the Word of God and if they hold Truth by that then receive them and hold them fast Divine Scripture-Truths we are to hold fast Thirdly Scripture-Truths Truths that are grounded and warranted in the Word of God they are either such as are immediately and expresly laid down in Scripture or such as are mediately contained in Scripture and by deduction drawn thence Now those Truths that are immediately and expresly laid down in Scripture we are with out dispute to receive and hold fast But those Truths that are drawn thence we may make use of our Reason to examine them by the Word and so far as we see them to be drawn from Scripture we are to receive them and hold them fast Fourthly Divine Truths from Scripture are of two sorts Either the great and weighty things of the Truth of God and of Religion which we call Fundamental Truths or else they are those things that are of less weight in Religion and yet Truths of God Now we are not onely to hold fast those Truths of God that are the Fundamental Truths as That there is a God and but one God and That there is a Trinity of Persons in Unity of Essence Father Son and Holy Ghost and that there is but one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus and that He is both God and Man in one Person and that he hath given full satisfaction to Divine Justice for all that by Faith close with him and the like These are the great Points in Religion these we must be sure to hold fast And not onely these but even the lesser Those Truths of Religion that comparatively are far less then these we must hold them fast You know what our Saviour says of the Commands There are some that are the first and great Commandements and there are others that are the lesser But whosoever shall break one of the least of God's Commandements and shall teach men so the same shall be least in the Kingdom of God So whosoever shall renounce the least Truth God will be eaven with him for it For those Truths of God which are 〈◊〉 and small comparatively they may be of great weight and consequence in their Sphere Lâ—ther said Let Heaven run together as a Scrowl râ—ther then one Filing of Truth should be parted with Surely those Servants of God the Martyrs were not so prodigal of their lives but knew what they did when they suffered for such Truths as men now call Trifles and not worth standing for the least Truths of God must be held fast Thus you see What we must hold fast DivineTruths Scripture-Truths whether greater or lesser we must hold fast what we have received I should but that I fore-see the time will prevent me answer an Objection Is there nothing to be held fast but Truth Doth not the Apostle bid the Thessalonians in the second of the Thessalonians the second Chapter and the fifteenth Verse Hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle The Papists make much of this Place for their unwritten Traditions In a word know this Though there were some Doctrines of Faith and Matters of Practice which when Paul writ this Epistle were not expresly to be found in Writing that had been Preached by the Apostles yet this will not in the least infer that now when the Canon of Scripture is compleated there should be such unwritten Traditions to which we are to give up our Faith I go on to the second thing and that is to shew How we must hold fast the Truths of God that we have heard and received First In our Judgments being fully resolved and settled in our Judgments concerning them not wavering about them nor suffering our selves by â—ny means and ways to be removed from our stedfastness in them Says the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.17 Seeing you know these things beware lest you also being led away with the errour of the Wicked fall from your own stedfastness Take heed you be not removed in your Judgments Hold fast what you have received and suffer not every Wind to blow you off from them Secondly We must hold fast the Truths we have heard and received in our Wills and Affections in our love to the Truth we must receive the Truth in the love of it or else we shall never keep the Truth Love is the strongest hold-fast in the World no man will part with that which he loves What makes â—he covetous man so unwilling to part with his Money but because he loves it What makes the lustful sinner so unwilling to part with his Lust he will part with Heaven rather then with his Lust Why it is because he doth so love it If men did love the Truth they would hold it fast Thirdly You must hold fast the Truth in the Profession of it Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the Profession of the Truth or of the Faith without wavering We must not onely believe with the Heart but confess with the Mouth if we would be saved When Teter denyed his Master with his Mouth and said I know him not I am perswaded he denyed him not in his heart It is a dangerous thing in words or outward Profession to renounce the Truth or any part of it Hold fast the Profession of the Truth Fourthly We must hold the Truths of God fast in our Life and Conversation this the Apostle calls Walking in Christ and holding forth the Word of Life in a blameless and harmless Conversation We must hold fast the Truth of God in our Lives Fifthly We must do all this Constantly Hold fast the Truth in our Judgment and Affection and Profession and Conversation constantly and at all times as David I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always even unto the end We must not onely in times of calmness and serenity when we may have all the peace and applause of the World hold fast the Truth and Profession of it but in stormy Times when Truth may burn a man's fingers if he hold it yet even then we must hold it fast Sixthly We must hold fast the Truths we have received Resolutely against all opposition whatsoever whether of Friends or Foes Paul would not bate an inch no not to Peter his Brother hâ—â— elder Brother in Christ and in the work of the Gospel he resisted him to the face and gave not place to him no not for an hour Thus should we hold fast the Truth that we have heard and received in our Judgment in our Will and Affections in our Profession and in our Lives and Conversations And thus hold them fast constantly and resolutely against all opposition on the right hand and on the
in sin that he is a stranger to the life of Grace hence ariseth all his spiritual troubles now the Spirit of God comes in and resolves the case comes into the soul by his bright Reflections and fills our souls with comfort Now 〈◊〉 have received not the spirit of the world but the Spâ—â— which is of God 4. The Spirit of God is a comforting Spirit as he openeth the vein of godly sorrow in the soul Truly this is the next way to spiritual comfort when a man can once spiritually mourn for sin Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Godly forrow opens the vein and le ts out the matter that hinders comfort and causeth inward trouble in the soul A gracious man takes a great delight in godly forrow Oh! it s a matter of marvellous comfort to a Child of God when he can kindly mourn for his sins 5. The Spirit of God comforts the soul as he is 〈◊〉 mortifying Spirit Thus he takes away that that is the ground and matter of Believers trouble mortifying that sin that is the cause of his sorrow pride unbelief inordinate love to the world 6. The Spirit of God works comfort in the hearts of his people by setting their own spirit to seek for comfort in Gods own wayes The last thing I did for the Explication of the Doctrine was to add some Propositions and they were 〈◊〉 as these 1. Many a gracious heart that hath fellowship with the Spirit of God in his sanctifying work may feel 〈◊〉 find none in his comforting work The Sun 〈◊〉 operate where it doth not shine A ma◠〈…〉 of salvation when he doth not feel the joyâ—â— of 〈…〉 Isa 51.3 You shall find those that fear the Lord and had the comforts of the Holy Ghost yet walked in darkness 2. Even those gracious souls that have the fellowship of the â—nnforting Spirit to day may want it to morrow This is not daily bread while the Saints are on this side Heaven The Solstice of a Christians comfort doth not last all the day long they are not feasted with this every day they have the night as well as the day there is a night as well as a day in the heart of a gracious soul as it is in natural in the common course of nature the Sun may shine to day but it may be clouded to morrow Thus it was with that holy man Psal 30.7 Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mount ain 〈◊〉 stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled And God doth this in infinite wisdom to put a difference between Earth and Heaven this valley of tears and that state of glory that so the hearts of Gods people may be kept in a frame of longing after the state of Heaven Godâ—wil have his people be groaning here that his people may groan after that condition when all sorrowing and sighing shall flee away God reserves perfect comfort to be the reward of perfect holiness while our graces are imperfect we most make account that our comfort will be so too Tears will be never wiped from our eyes til sin be quite takeâ— out of our hearts 3. Those that have had this spirituall comfort in their souls they may lose not only the impression of the Spirits comâ—nt but they may feel impressions of Gods anger Heman complaâ—â— that the wrath of God did hang upon him and that the 〈◊〉 of God had cut him off A gracious heart hath real grouâ—â—â—â— of consolation though he hath not present sensible comfort A child of God hath alwayes that that if he did see he could not be without comfort the Promises are his support he hath the first fruits of the Spirit and right to eaâ—â—nal life A child of God shall always have so much to keep upâ— hopes and affiance upon God a child of God in the daâ—est condition though he doth not see enough to make 〈◊〉 rejoyce in God yet he sees enough to make him trust iâ— God though he walk in darkness and see no light yet he trusts in God Job sayes Though the Lord slay him yet be would trust in him David was in great trouble while â—e was in that disquiet expostulation Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me trust in God 5 Those that have inward comforts from the spirit may at the same time have little comfort from Gods outward dispensations It may be dark without when it 's light within while Stephen sees nothing but blood here below he saw Heaven above And Christ tells his Disciples In the world they should have tribulation but in him they should have peace 6 And lastly Though this be one great work of the spirit of God to comfort the hearts of Christs Disciples yet there are some speciall seasons where in the Spirit of God gives out this comfort There are seasons of sadnesse there is a season of heavinesse there is need of it There is a time to weep and a time to laugh and a time to mourn and a time to dance I shewed you some of the Seasons 1 One special Season of the Spirits comforting the renewed soul is presently upon the souls first salvation After the Spirit is become a Spirit of Adoption presently it becomes a Spirit of Consolation after the Spirit hath come into the Soul in the Law it then nextly appears a Spirit in the Gospel 2 Another season when the Spirit gives out this comfort is just before the Lord layes upon his people any great afflictâ—â— on When was it that Christ was transfigured and his face did shinc as the Sun it was immediately before his blood passion Christ was first taken into the Mount before 〈◊〉 was up lifted upon the Crosse When was the 〈◊〉 heard This is my beloved Son in whom I am well 〈◊〉 but just before he was led into the wildecessâ— to be tempted When was Paul lifted up into Heaven it was immediately before Satan was sent to buffer him Thus God gives his people somthing before-hand to support their spirits that they may not faint the Disciples were full of comfort Acts 5.41 and when was this immediately just before they were carried before the Council and whipt up and down like Vagabonds Rogues for Preaching the Gospel 3. Another Season when the Spirit gives out this Comfort is in the time of suffering God comes in the nick of time especially if a man suffer for righteousnesse sake if his suffering be upon the account of Christ he seldome fails to send the Comforter for the relieving of his spirit 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy Bodily confinement and inward streights are the time of the Souls greatest enlargement John had his Vision iâ— the Isle of Patmos When a child of God is brought to a piece of bread then
when death affliction comes Jonas lay quietly asleep till the storm came O my Friends we must shortly lie a dying the Lord knows how soon O what wil you do for comfort in a dying hour all other comforts may forsake you before that time you may meet with sorrow heavy afflictions so that all your friends in the world wil not do you good your friends may fail your hearts may fail then no comfort but the comfort of the Holy Ghost will do you good the time may come that all your friends may prâ—â—â—â— miserable comforters when God comes to 〈◊〉 with the soâ—â— to set sin home upon the conscience to lay sin before us then what will you do We are all guilty of sins of omission and sins of commission when these come to be changed upon the soul what will you then do Then no plaister of comfort wil stick but those of the Spirits laying on unless the Spirit seal up the pardon of sin the love of God to the soul nothing will be quiet and comfort the soul however men may be merry for a time yet there is a time of sorrow that will come when they shall reflect upon their ways when they shall see nothing but sin behind them and terrors before them Oh! what amazement will seize upon their souls they have no interest in God in Christ they have no interest in the Promises there is nothing that will comfort you unless you have an interest in the Spirit But then what shall I do that I may get this comforting Spirit into my Soul First Thirst earnestly after it The promise is made to those that thirst after it Isa 44.3 Thirst after him in his convincings in his humblings in his sanctifying mercy Oh let the desire and longing of thy soul run out this way no matter for an Estate no matter for friends and outward comforts if thou hast the Spirit of God thou hast that is paramount to all outward comforts Secondly Pray earnestly for the Spirit You are not so willing to give your children what they want as God is to give his Spirit to them that ask it Cry mightily Lord give me thy Spirit and cry to the Spirit and say as Laban to Jacob Come in so pray the Spirit so come into thy Soul Thirdly If you would have this Comforter to come and abide with you You must resolve to become Christs Disciples It is only for such that Christ prays that God would send the Comforter you must hearken and obey him and follow him wheresoever he goeth You know the terms upon which you must be Christs Disciple Matth. 16 24. He must deny himself and take up his Cross and daily follow Christ He 〈◊〉 deny him-self There is two selfs in a man nay three selfs and they must be denied but however 〈…〉 two must be denied if you intend to be Christs Disciple 1 A mans righteous self If any thing that we are that we have or can do from our works or duties any thing of our own all must be denied in point of Justification 2 Sinful self A mans corruptions must be denied pride passion and love to the world 3 Natural self Friends Estates Relations Credit and Honor and outward comforts these may be denied you may be called to part with them but if they come in competition with Christ they must be denied 2 You must take up the Cross of Christ rather then forsake his honour or disobey his commands You must resolve to follow Christ wheresoever he shall lead you either in a way of active or passive obedience you must take up Christs load you must undergo his burden Now Christians are you resolved upon this now sit down and consider what it will cost you to be Christians and if you would have the best you must be contented with the worst and if you are resolved upon this then you are the true Disciples of Christ and you are under the promise of his comfort and Christ is praying the Father to send you another Comforter who shall abide with you for ever The second use of Exhortation 2 Use Is of Exhortation wherein I shall apply my self to the true Disciples of Christ those that have had communion with Christ in his sanctifying presence labour after communion with him in his comforting presence To all others that are without the Spirit of God I may say as Jehu to Jehoram What hast thou to do with these things Labour to be convinced of the need and want of Christ but such as have been partakers of the Spirit of Christ as a sanctifying spirit labour after communion with him as a comforting spirit and to this end I shall stir you up to this 1 By way of Motive 2 By way of Comfort First By way of Motive Though you have some comsort it is but little in comparison of what you may have and in comparison of what you may stand in need of though a Saint would not change the saddest hour of his life for the sweetest hour in his former condition If the Saints of God did enjoy the comforts that they might oh what blessed lives might they live but they are so full of trouble as if there were no holy Ghost the Comforter The people of God are oftentimes troubled without a cause as that holy man Why art thou cast down oh my soul He could not render a true account of his trouble he was sad but he could not tell why or wherefore 2 When there is cause they are apt to be troubled without measure In those cases where it is a sin not to be troubled at all the people of God are apt to be troubled overmuch as the Israelites in their bondage in Egypt It were a sin for them not to be troubled but they were so full of troubles that they could not hearken to Moses and Aaron and so the Disciples in the Text it were a sin for them not to be troubled for the absence of Christs body but so to be troubled as if God could not comfort them without him this was their weakness And to come to our case it were a sin to slight this Dispensation of God that is coming upon us if we should not be troubled for the loss of the Ministers of Jesus Christ but to mourn before God under the sense of this Dispensation to mourn so much as to think that when these are gone all is gone to be so much troubled as not to hearken to the words of the Text That we have a Comforter I remember an admirable expression of a child to his mother when his father was dead to shew That out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings God can manifest his praise Why Mother says the child though my Father be dead yet God is alive May I not say so to you Though your Ministers be as it were naturally dead yet is not God alive is not the Spirit of God alive Though you have some
comfort yet you have little in comparison of what you may have if you seek for it 2 Study the excellent nature of the comfort how little soever a man hath of this spiritual comfort it will sweeâ— his condition be it what it will be When a man hath communion with the Spirit of God he hath comfort in all conditions then though a mans condition be never so bad yet it is very good Hab. 2.17 Though the Fig-tree shall not blossome though the fruit be not in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall cease and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the stalls yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation He can fetch hope and ground his faith upon the Promises though the Providences and Dispensations of God be never so mysterious the comfort of the Spirit doth make up the want of all other comforts the comforts of Ordinances are sweet comforts Sermons-comforts are sweet comforts Sacraments-comforts are sweet comforts Ah but the comfort of the Spirit can supply the want of all these all outward crosses do not hinder these inward comforts a man that hath these comforts may have a feast with bread and water a little of this comfort is able to sweeten a whole Ocean of sorrow In the multitude of the thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Psal 94.10 So that when the hearts of Gods people are filled with sad thoughts what will become of themselves What will become of their Families what will become of the Church of God what will become of the Ministry of the Gospel and of the Ordinances of Christ they are full of sad fears and distracting thoughts when they have a multitude of thoughts in the midst of all these spiritual comforts can comfort and refresh the soul Oh labour after a greater share of this comfort God hath cast us upon sad times wherein we shall have need of more than ordinary comfort we are like to have troubles without if we have not peace within it will be very sad we are like to lose much of Christ bodily presence I mean in his Ordinances many of those Messengers that represent the person of Christ and stand in his stead if we should not enjoy the other Comforter our estates would be doleful If we have darkness without and darkness within how sad will that darkness be 3. Labour to get more communion from the Spirit of God This will raise and sublimate your natural comforts and turn them into spiritual comforts A man never relisheth these outward comforts till he come to taste the ravishment and sweetness of the holy Ghost till he taste the love of God these give them a higher lustre than the men of the world though they enjoy much comfort yet they do not enjoy half that a Child of God doth the litttle that the righteous hath is better than the great revenues of the wicked to a Child of God a Dinner of green hearbs is more savory and pleasant to him than the stalled Oxe because a Child of God hath better sauce with it Worldly men they smell to their flowers it is only the godly man that sucks out the honey that all things are given to him in love out of this he sucks comfort A gracious heart sees all these outward comforts that they are purchased with the blood of Christ and therefore these should do him good and he may take comfort that he hopes for what he hath not as well as for what he may have and he may take comfort in his condition be it what it will he sees all is for his good such a one believeth what he feeth not So he believeth Gods wayes are wayes of truth though some more sweet and some more bitter Labour after communion with the Spirit in his comforting work is another This is the best preservative against all intanglements of sin whatsoever It is a great hour of temptation and if our comforts do not lie above the world we shall be greatly ensnared by the world If a man 〈◊〉 sweet meats he cannot relish ordinary food so while these sweet comforts lie upon the soul he cannot relish these ordinary things in the world What do ye tempt me with these things sayes a Child of God what are these to the comforts of the Holy Ghost The heart of man will seek comfort one way or another and if he hath it not from the Spirit of God he will seek it some other way it he hath not comfort from the Spirit of God he will seek somâ— sparks of his own kindling rather then they will sit in darkness without comfort they will light their candle at the Devils sire And as he delivereth from temptation on the right so he delivereth from temptation on the left hand he that is filled with the comforts of the holy Ghost what are sufferings to such a man He hath that within him that wil carry him through all danger here is that comfort and that life by Christ which may ease us in our greatest crosses this will make a child of God speak of the sufferings of this World as a light matter Our light affliction which is but for a moment shall work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory they took joyfully the spoyling of their goods because in heaven they had a better and more enduring substance Heb. 11.35 Some were tortured receiving no deliverance because in heaven they had a better substance Oh if you would be kept from the snares of the world let your comforts be above the power and danger of temptation from any thing here below 3 By way of Direction How shall we have communion and act Faith upon the holy Ghost as our Comforter The holy Ghost is designed and appointed by God the Father to this Office Now you know none love to be slighted in their office and if we do not act Faith upon the holy Ghost we slight his Office therefore we should have recourse to him in a way of believing As we should act Faith upon Christ for the pardon of sin so we should act Faith upon the holy Ghost for a sense of that pardon 2 Go often to Jesus Christ and beg him and beseech him to intreat the Father for you Go to God the Father in the name of Christ and beg it upon the account of Christs prayer and intercession that he would send the Comforter and you have good argument to enforce the Petition the very same as the Disciples That Christ would when he wâ—â—â— away pray the Father and he should send you another Comforter Christ tells them that some there were that would kill theâ— and in so doing think they did God good service therefore Christ in compassion to them in the state that he left them in prayes the Father that he would send the Comforter So now we
1.19 Phil. 1.4 Col. 1.3 And I trust that I shall not only now at this solemn parture but as long as I live still recommend you into the hands of God though I shall not preach to you yet I still shall make mention of you in my prayers that God would stablish and comfort preserve you to his heavenly kingdom 4 Why doth the Apostle commend them to the Word of his grace For these two Reasons First because all the good that any people can look for is from God it is declared and laid up in the Promises and in the Gospel there is the Treasure of God it is in the Gospel The grace of God which hath appeared to all men bringeth salvation T it 2.11 We could never have known the glorious mysteries of salvation had it not been for the grace of God we could never have expected good but from the Gospel that is the great Magna Charta wherein God hath made over whatsoever concerns the eternal good of his people We have nothing to shew for grace and comfort and heaven and glory but his Gospel that is the great deed of gift that God hath given to his people poor sinners might look a Saviour if the word of God had not revealed it those people would have no ground to expect salvation if God had not declared it in his Gospel to bestow it upon them 2 The Gospel is the only instrument by which God brings and conveys all that good to the soul that it stands in need of all spiritual and temporal good that accompanies salvation God works nothing immediately upon the soul but by the Gospel First If any soul be converted to God it is by the grace of God And as Conversion so Sanctification that is effected by the word of God so likewise in Edification Salvation and Preservation Use and Application Use I come now to the Application It may be I have been too long already but God knows that it may be the last time that I may trespass in this kind and I have the Apostles Example who preached at Troas til midnight but I promise to have done in a great deal less time Use In the Application I shall in the Apostles Example Commend to you to the grace of God My Brethren and dearly Beloved and longed for now God by his providence is taking me away from you in the exercising of my publick Ministry I commend you to God and to the word of his Grace This I shall do First by exhorting and counsel and then by prayer Use of Exhortation First by way of Exhortation 1 In reference to God and then 2. In reference to the word of his grace First of all my Exhortation in reference to God is that you would commit your selves to God If it should be so much a Ministers care to commend his people to God its good reason they should commend themselves 1. All a Ministers commending you to God will be to no purpose if you do not commit your selves I shall always make mention of you in my prayer as long as God shall continue me in this valley of tears I shall pray that God should build you up and sanctifie you I shall pray for you but God will not hear my prayers if you do not hearken to my counsel To commit your selves to God 2. Consider If you can so commit your selvâ—es to God as to get God to take charge of you you are made for ever God will be an All-sufficient God in stead of all thy friends in the world you shall not need any that shall provide for you to protect you God will be all in all in stead of father instead of mother houses lands relations God will be better to you then ten husbands then ten Ministers Ah better then ten thousand Worlds God can sweeten all your enjoyments God can provide for you and make you happy in the midst of the wants of creature-comforts God is a Sun and a Shield he will give grace and glory And no good thing will he with-hold from them that fear him God contains all in himself Eminenter get God and you get all Let the World frown or smile let it turn upside-down though the Mountains be thrown into the midst of the Sea though the World be set on fire yet a soul that is in Gods keeping is happy God is a present help in time of trouble 2 As God is an all-sufficient friend so he is a firm and a fast friend to them My father and mother forsook me then the Lord took me up Psal 27.10 My flesh and my heart fails but God fails me not though my Minister and my friends leave me yet God will not leave me he is engaged by his own promise truth and faithfulness I will never never never c. leave thee nor forsake thee If you do not forsake God God will never forsake you if once you have so committed your selves to God as God accepts the charge he hath undertaken that you shall never depart from him It is part of the Covenant and he is engaged to all the Relations wherein he stands to his people as a Husband as a Father as a Master But you will say How shall we commit our selves to God that God may have a charge of us I will give you one direction for all 1 Take God to be your God and give up your selves to be his people if you will before you and I part heartily and unreservedly give up your selves to God to be his people it will be the comfortablest day that ever I saw though in other respects it may be the saddest as certainly God is your God so certainly he will keep you if you will avouch your selves to be Gods I will avouch God to be yours 1 You must take God to be the portion of your souls inheritance lay up all your happinesse in God for if you choose any thing else for your happinesse but God God will have nothing to do with you God will be all or nothing Your hearts must say as Davids Lord thou art my portion whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee He accounted all nothing for God God was his happiness God was his portion God was his All in All. 2. You must make God the center of all your love and delight God will have all from you or nothing you must not divide your affection between God and the world you must love nothing in comparison of him love nothing but in subordination to him as you would have God to be wholly yours so you must be wholly his 3 You must take God to be the strength and shield of your hearts if you would have God to take care of you you must cast your care upon God if you place your hope any where else there will be no sure hold the Anchor of your hope must be cast no where else if you lay your
come unto you this day as a dying man for you know when this day is gone I must no more preach among you and I know you are come to see what I shall leave you for your Legacy which that I may do take these Twenty things as Counsel and Advice from a dying man and O that they may remain with you when I am dead First I shall give you Ten by way of Caution and secondly Ten by way of Counsel my Cautions are First Beloved I beseech you as you tender the welfare of your Souls take heed of breaking the Sabbath day of Prophaning the Lords day it hath been observable that whereever Religion hath flourished among any people there they have ever been careful and conscientious of the Sabbath day and on the contrary side where Religion is gone to decay and people grown to prophanenesse there they are alwaies loose on the Sabboth day pray remember I hope you will remember for God calls upon you and commands you so to do Exod. 20. v. 8. Remember the Sabboth day to keep it holy do not you take so much liberty as some will give you whoever you are that refuse thus to do I will leave this assertion upon you thou wretched man hath God given thee Six dayes and reserved but one for himself and wilt thou Rob him of that too what if he had given thee but one kept six for himself would you be so vile as not to keep them how much more then when God hath given thee so much preheminency in time this is the first be conscious in keeping the Sabboth day Secondly Take heed and beware of Idolatry this was John's caution to his beloved Children 1 Epist 5. v. 21. Little Children keep your selves from Idols There is no sin to which nor no sin by which we are in more danger than Idolatry First there is no sin to which we are in more danger than Idolatry Moses's back was no sooner turned but the people made them a brazen calf and bowed down to it and worshiped it as their God Exod. 32. v. 4. Jehojada was no sooner dead but Ioash returned to Idolatry if we were not prone to this sin what is the reason all the world turns Antichristians so Universally Secondly As there is no sin to which we are in more danger so there is no sin by which we are in more danger than Idolatry I do confesse if you will keep your garments clean undefiled with the mark of the Beast it may be you may come under shrewd temptations yet I intreat you as a dying man as you love your Souls and for God's sake flee from Idolatry notwithstanding your temptations for God hath promised that under all the temptations that happens to you he will support you if you flie and withstand the thing you are tempted to 1 Cor. 10. v. 13. there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to men but God is faithful Will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear but will with the temptation also make way to to escape that you may be able to bear it now see what use the Apostle makes of this promise in the next verse he follows with these words my dearly beloved flee from Idolatry seeing God will uphold us let us withstand any temptations to this end that God may uphold us this is the second Caution Thirdly Take heed of Apostacy of a degenerating backsliding spirit that ye do not fall off from the truth and ground of the wayes of God which ye have known and professed it is true it may be for standing to your principles you may lose the love of man I acknowledge it may be so but hear what God saith If any man fall back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him if thou goest on mans Soul may have no pleasure in thee but if thou fallest back Gods soul wil have no pleasure in thee thou doest by Apostacy declare to all the world that thou hast made trial of the wayes of God and thou doest not find them to be as good as thou thoughtest they were nay not so good as others O take heed of scandalizing the wayes of God here how God complains of those that so do Jer. 2.10 Go unto the Isles of Chittim and behold and send unto Kedar and take diligent heed and see whether there be such a thing hath a Nation changed their God for those which are no Gods but my people hath changed their glory for that which will not profit Hear O Heavens and be astonished at this for my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and have hewed to themselves broken cisterns that will hold no water Whatever it is that would lead thee to Apostacy beware and flie it especially evil company of which I shall speak more anon let your love to Christ be augmented and love of your selves abased for unlesse you love Christ very much and your selves very little I cannot hope that you will stand to your principles Fourthly Beware of Covetousnesse it is Christs Caution Luke 2. ver 15. Take heed and beware of Covetousnesse here is a Caution with a double action take heed and beware believe me Brethren it stands upon us so to do for it steals upon us before we be aware of it there is no person will deal more injuriously with a Christian than a covetous man will he will betray his Life if it were in his hands into his Enemies hands for Money as Judas did A covetous man he will injure Christ in his Ordinances he will not come at them for the love he bears to the World will not suffer himstruly quoth he I have lost this or that while I was hearing a Sermon I 'le go no more I must stay at home and look after my businesse I could give you many instances of this but time will not give me leave I shall only touch this one what was it but the Love of this World that kept those who were bid to the Marriage Feast of the Great King of Heaven from coming One had bought a piece of Ground and he must needs see it another had bought Oxen and he must go to prove them a third had Married a Wife and therefore he could not come Of all persons in the world a covetous man cannot nor will not endure to bear the Crosse of Christ Phillippians 3. v. 8. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the Enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is destâ—uction who are these what manner of persons are they why they are such who make their Belly their God whose glory is their shame and who mind earthly things A covetous man he will lie with Ananias and Sarhira he will steal with Achab he will murther with Ahab he will betray with Judas what will he not do to attain his covetous
should be preserved 'T is necessary Religion should be advanced the power of Godlinesse preserved 't is not necessary I should be in this or that condition 9. Indulge not the least sin else thou wilt never be a Conquerour That man that will not lay down his Lust for Christ will never lay down his Life for Christ A man can never be resolved for Christs waies without if not resolved against all impurity within 10. Harden and anoint your selves with practical improvement of Christs sufferings in Christs death There was an inestimable price to purchase our conquest an infinite merit to strengthen to incourage our Conquest an all-sufficient vertue to cause our Conquest a pledge of our eternal Conquest we are Conquerours already we do but gather the Spoyle Make use of Christs death as the merit pattern and motive of your Conquest 11. Labouring for sincerity 12. Get well acquainted with Divine Attributes and Divine Promises and such especially as may be most suitable for your condition 13. Abhorre the Relicks of Superstition The very Nest the very Cage of the Bird is unclean Not a crum of that old Leaven 't will sower the whole Lump Antichrist is hugely like the Devil let him get in but one paw let him but get in his head hee will quickly get in the whole body If you would avoid the paw of Antichrist avoid as much as you can the very parings of his nails 14. Get an experimental knowledge of Gospel Truths They are your head Professors that turn Apostates 15. Let this be your first and chiefest care your first and last to seek and serve God Which if you do as all other things so this priviledge of Conquest shall be added unto you as your Crown Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you which opens the door to The Seventeenth sermon Mat. 6.33 Seek yee first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you FRom this Scripture you had a Remedy against Solicitous Thoughts and Fears given in this Proposition that a serious Inquiry and earnest Pursute of the Kingdome of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof is an excellent remedy against distracting cares and fears about Provision and safety Seek First and trouble your selves no more Seek first the Kingdome of God c. Two questions was proposed and answered 1. What is it earnestly to enquire after and seriously to pursue the Kingdome of God and his Righteousness In this Question three things included the Object the Act the Order 1. The Object the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of Heaven and its Righteousness The Kingdome of Heaven that is the Kingdome of Grace and the Kingdome of Glory the Kingdome of Grace as the means to the Kingdome of Glory The Righteousness of this Kingdome that is sanctification sincere holiness in heart and life which is the beginning or the way to and a sign or pledge of our interest in the Kingdome of Glory 2. The Act Seek i. e. bestir your utmost thoughts about your utmost time care and diligence upon these things 2. Seek i. e. set your choicest affections upon these things 3. Seek i. e. strive and labour go forth in utmost endeavours for obtaining of these things 3. The Order seek first seek it first in respect of time begin with God remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth seek it first with the greatest care acquired diligence industry with the greatest seriousness The Kingdome of God is the most necessary thing indeed that one thing necessary 'T is the most excellent thing eternal all other things are temporal get this and you get all you get above the terrours of the world The best way to have the things of this world sanctified is this seek first the Kingdome of God c. 2. How is this a remedy against distracting cares and fears Answ 1. It is a remedy by divertion 2. Present things seem little when acquainted with eternal things Vse 1. This reproves those that observe not our Saviours direction 1. Those that are drowned in earthly things give them Onions and Garlick take the Kingdome of Heaven and Righteousness thereof who will Let mee have my part in Paris what care I for Paradice 2. Others that are for the Kingdome of God but not for the Righteousness of that Kingdome they are for the end but they do not care for the way they would have the fruit but they will not climbe the Tree 3. Others that could wish they had a portion in it but in a slight and perfunctory way if Heaven could be obtained with a few prayers this they 'd do but further they will not go 2. Is this such an excellent way to cure our carnal fears and cares what advantage hath a childe of God above all other men in the world both in this life and that to come in this life under a watchful providence not a hair of his head shall perish but chiefly the priviledges of an everlasting Kingdome hee hath a bird in the bush and in hand too choice enjoyments in the hand and in hope much more but much more above and this hope of his shall not make him ashamed The vision of his appointed comforts is for an appointed time and it will come will come said I Faith looks out and sees it coming already let but Faith look to Heaven and hee sees his Judge coming which brings mee to The Eighteenth Sermon Revel 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with mee THe Observation from the words was this The Lord Jesus will certainly and speedily come to Judgement when hee shall give reward equal to every man These two Questions was answered 1. In what sense Christ comes quickly Answ In Gods account with whom a thousand years are but as one day In our account Faith sees him coming though sense cannot Faith makes future things present 't is the perspective of the soul Beleevers receive part of their reward at death and that 's quickly 2. Why doth Christ defer his coming at all Ans 1. To stop the mouths of the wicked they will not have one word to reply they had time and space to repent 2. Out of his dear love hee bears to his Elect There 's many of his Elect not yet born and though born not new born now these must be born and new born and brought all in and when that time is come then hee will come Vse 1. Will Christ come quickly and with a reward then certainly remember this Atheist 't is no vain thing to serve our Lord Jesus What profit is it if wee serve him c what profit infinite profit there 's a reward coming 2. By way of Exhortation will Christ come oh then 1. Prepare for his coming labour to be prepared by his spiritual coming into thy heart that 's the way to be prepared for his last coming get thy understanding enlightened in