Comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work HAving already treated of the freeness of the grace of God in reference to our Imployments and sufferings I do intend to shew you also the freeness of the grace of God in reference to our Comforts and Consolations and this Text you see saith God hath given us Everlasting Consolation and tells us surther that God hath given us this everlasting Consolation through grace Therefore without any further explication you see that free Love is written upon all our spiritual Comforts For what is more free than gift Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father hath given us everlasting Consolation and hope through grace Therefore it is by the grace by the free grace of God that we are truly comforted There is much of the freeness of Gods grace and love laid out in our spiritual comforts and consolations For the opening of this Argument 1. I shall shew you that it is a great mercy to be truly Comforted 2. That it is possible for Gods own people to live a great while without any considerable Comfort 3. That it is not in the power of any Creature or any thing on this side God or Christ to comfort a poor distressed drooping soul 4. That when God doth give or bestow comfort upon any he gives and bestowes it in a way of free grace 5. To shew wherein the grace and love of God is manifested in the matter of our spiritual Comforts 6. Why God will deal with us in the way of free grace and love in the matter of our comforts 7. When a man may be truly said to be comforted in a way of free grace and love 8. What a poor drooping soul must do that he may be truly comforted in a way of free love and in case he be so comforted what returns he should make Of these in order First I say it is a great mercy to be truly comforted For it is a promised mercy and promised mercies are no small mercies now this is a mercy promised Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Secondly As this is a mercy promised so it is the proper birth fruit and effect of the holy Ghost Gal. 5.22 But the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith Joy and peace are the proper fruits of the holy Ghost and therefore no small mercies Thirdly As this comfort is the proper birth fruit and effect of the holy Ghost so it is the main part of the Kingdom of God Rom. 14.17 For the Kingdom of God is not meat nor drink but righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost It is a main part of the Kingdom of God and if so no small matter Fourthly This comfort is reward also as well as a main part of the Kingdom of God Comfort and Joy in the holy Ghost is both duty and reward so it is promised in the forementioned Scripture Matt. 5. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted and if so then surely it is no small thing Fifthly As it is duty and reward so it is that grace whereby you are inabled to read your other graces When a man is under great Temptations Sorrows and Afflictions it is a hard thing to read his graces but now this helps us to read our Graces some will say they cannot read their graces they lie at the bottom As to explain it take this plain comparison There are many Fishes in a Fish-pond but now in rainy and foul weather the fish lye all at the bottom and are not to be seen but in fair weather the fish swim and are visible So if it be foul weather upon a soul if it be dark and gloomy weather the soul cannot read his graces but now when God shines upon him then he is inabled to read them yea though his graces lye at the bottom as I may say yet the poor soul is ablâ—â—o read them and if it be so it is no small thing 't is no small matter to read our graces our other graces Sixthly As it is that grace whereby you are inabled to read your other graces so it is that whereby you joy in all good things Grief and sorrow streighten the soul streighten the heart but joy and comfort dilate the soul widen and open the heart Psalm 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart Seventhly As by this grace you are inabled to joy in all good things so it is also that grace whereby you are inabled to bear up against every evil thing to bear up under all afflictions Are you reproached by this comfort you are inabled to bear up against reproaches for saith the Apostle Peter If you be reproached for the name of Christ happy are you Are you reproached Comfort will turn that to your benefit and blessing Are you persecuted Blessed are you when men shall revile and persecute you rejoyce c. Are you not only persecuted but beaten too Comfort will bear up your hearts under all stripes and afflictions for we find Paul and Silas sung in the Stocks well but this is not all Eighthly This is that grace that will strengthen and establish you in the good waies of God Mark how they go together in 2 Thess 2.16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work Comfort and establishment go together and if it be so it is no small matter Lastly This is that grace that will give a beauty and lustre to your profession The comforted Christian is the truly beautiful Christian If a man have never so much beauty in his face yet if his face be wrinkled with grief and blubbered with tears the beauty of his face is not seen but when joy and comfort comes that wipes off all and his beauty then is seen So here comfort doth not only take away reproach from your profession but it gives a lustre a beauty to your profession the comforted Christian I say is the truly beautiful Christian and if so surely it is a great mercy to be truly comforted That is the first thing in general that it is a great mercy to be truly comforted 2. As it is a great mercy to be truly comforted so it is possible for Gods own servants and dearest children to live a long time without any consideraable comfort any fundamental comfort their hearts may faint My heart and my soul fainteth saith the Psalmist and you know how it was with Daniel Dan. 10.17 You may see how he was bowed down he complains there was no strength remained in him till there came one and touched him and set him upon his legs again a good man may faint and want comfort and all the former comforts that he hath
come and help up a poor fallen Cripple would it not be looked upon as an act of very great favour Yet thus God does when he comes to comfort the great high and lofty One comes down from his Throne as it were to lift up a poor drooping soul O what free grace is this But 2. The more God doth cross hands understand me the more I say that God doth cross hands in the matter of our comforts the more doth the free grace of God appear in our comforts when Jacob blessed Josephs two children he crost his hands and he laid his right hand upon the younger and his left hand upon the elder not so father says Joseph now what doth this shew but only the freeness of his love and so if God shall cross hands in the matter of our comfort what doth this argue but the freeness of his love and grace and God doth sometimes do thus when he comes to comfort he doth cross hands Sometimes two men have been in the same transgression and the one hath been comforted and the other not what shall we say of Peter and of Francis Spira Spira having professed the Truth and being called to witness to it did deny it so did Peter he denied Christ yet Peter was comforted but Spira never comforted but lay despairing and roaring out to his death I am a reprobate I am a reprobate no hope for me no hope for me Peter was comforted Spira was never comforted What do you think of David and Cain Cain murders his brother Abel a godly man David murdered Vriah a godly man too Vriah had been with him in all his troubles and was a very good man but though David was an adulterer also yet a messenger is sent to him that says thy sins are forgiven thee but Cain not comforted but driven out from the presence of the Lord. So that I say there may be two in a transgression and the one may be comforted and the other not Look into the Scriptures and into your own experiences and you will find great sinners comforted and lesser sinners not comforted and great sinners converted and comforted sooner than others Zacheus was a great sinner and yet was comforted the Jaylor was a great sinner and yet comforted and yet many that have walked very closely with God have not been comforted Psalm 88.15 Hemau complains sadly in verse 14. Lord why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted and yet he walked close with God as you may find in the former part of the Psalm Yet we find sometimes I say the greatest sinners converted and soonest comforted Now what is this but crossing of hands in the matter of our comforts and this is only to shew forth the freeness of the grace of God and the free grace and love of God is most abundantly most eminently manifested to the soul by this crossing of hands 3. The more unbelieving any man is that is comforted the more doth the freeness of the grace of God appear Dearly beloved Brethren it is with our consolation as it is with our justification and our sanctification when God comes to justifie a man he finds him ungodly yet He justifies the ungodly and not only the ungodly but the unbelieving also and therefore the Lord said Go and compel them to come in They were unbelieving persons yet God calls them And so it is also in the matter of our sanctification when God comes to sanctify men He finds them unwilling to be sanctified but as God justifies them though unwilling because he doth it freely so He sanct fies them too though unwilling because he sanctifies freely And so it is also in the matter of our comforts when God comes to comfort he finds the soul unwilling many times my soul refused to be comforted saith the Psalmist Psalm 77.2 and so again Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psalm 119.49 I was unwilling but thou causedst me to hope whether I would or no. When God comes to comfort He doth it though men are unwilling to be comforted It is very strange that it should be so and yet such is the unbelief of mens hearts that as before conversion they are unwilling to be turned so after conversion they are unwilling to be comforted Now this is that I say that the more unwilling any man is to be comforted yet if God doth comfort him the more free doth the grace of God appear in it God doth comfort though souls are unwilling O the freeness the freeness of the grace of God in the matter of our comforts Thus you see how and wherein the free grace of God appears and is manifested in our spiritual comforts and consolations That is the fifth particular 6. Why will God deal with us in a way of free grace in the matter of our comforts and consolations would it not be better in a way of settlement in a constant way would not that be best No take notice of this that there is no way to make a mercy sure like this I know no mercy that is so sure as that which is wrought and given in a way of free grace and free love they go together in the Text Everlasting Consolation through Grace The only way I say to make a thing sure is to receive it in this way in which God gives it that is in a way of free grace Pray tell me did not God chuse David freely and his house Yea it was freely in opposition to the house of Saul 2 Sam. 6.21 Says David to Michal Sauls daughter It was before the Lord which chose me before thy Father and before all his house to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord over Israel c. God chose him freely also in opposition to his own brethren And was not his house sure the covenant was sure 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire God hath made me his chosen and his mercies to me are sure God will deal with us in a way of free grace that our mercies may be sure By grace ye are saved and if so what a comfort is it that God will so order and dispose of it that we may be sure of it and depend upon it for God will have us depend upon him for our spiritual comforts and what will make us more depend upon him than to know that he gives all in a way of free grace we must depend upon God both for our spiritual and our outward comforts seeing what He doth He doth freely we must freely depend upon him for comfort But 7. When may a man be said to be truly comforted in a way of free grace I cannot deny but
through him So I say if there was as I may speak with reverence somewhat of the good pleasure of God in the old worlds condemnation why then should there not be free-grace in the souls Salvation Rom. 5.15 But not as the offence so also is the free-gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift of grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many Thirdly God would have Heaven and Salvation to be of one peice he would have the work of heaven to be all the same Now there were many Angels that fell and many thousands that stood why how came they to stand that did stand more than the others that fell it was only by free grace they were Elect Angels Now men and Angels in heaven are of the same Quire and sing the same song and therefore those men that are fated O who are they why they are the Elect and they have great cause to glorifie the grace the free grace of God Fourthly God saves men in a way of free love and grace because none shall miss of Salvation As God will punish and condemn all the proud all the wicked that none shall escape So he will also save all that he hath a mind to save by free grace because they shall not miss of Salvation Fifthly God will save men in such a way as whereby he may be glorified to all Eternity and therefore he saves them in a way of free grace and love For what have we to praise God for in heaven but only for free grace free grace to glorify his name for that therefore I say God will save men in this way of free love and grace that he may be thereby glorified hereafter to all Eternity and thus I have done with the Doctrine Now go along with me a little by way of application First If we be saved by free grace if free grace and love be the foundation of our Salvation why should we not then stand cleer from all our own works as to the meritorious ends of them for grace and works are opposed and therefore faith as a work can neither Justify nor save I confess the Apostle saith work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling but what follows for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.12 13. Secondly If we be saved by grace why should we not be tender of the grace of God of the name of God of the free grace of God and of the great name of God Are you saved by grace and will you turn grace into wantonness Oh my friends I say if you be saved by grace and by grace alone how tender should you be of the name of God and of the free grace of God Thirdly If we be saved by grace then we may here see the reason why many do take so much pains as they think for heaven and yet fall short of it and go to Hell why it is because Salvation lies under the conduct of free grace Some men abstain from sin that they may not be damned others perform holy duties read and hear c. That they may go to Heaven yea many strive and shall not enter because salvation is of free grace Fourthly If by grace ye are saved and that there is much of the free grace of God in our salvation why then should you doubt of it I confess it is a hard thing to have Assurance of your salvation and if you have it it is free grace to you more than to another and free grace is the founder of it if you have it But yet O soul if by grace we are saved let us not then doubt of it for it is most sure if you are saved by grace I say why doubt ye then O ye of little faith O Christians comfort your selves with these words It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Luke 12.32 It is his good will and pleasure it is in a way of free grace and love But you may say though it be in a way of free grace and love yet it may not be for me it may none of it be mine saith the soul Nay say not so but mark what an Inference the Psalmist makes and draws up from this General Psalm 130.4 5. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope and so in Psal 103. Speaking at large of the grace mercy and goodness of God in the 8. verse he saith The Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy but what is the conclusion Bless the Lord all ye his hosts bless the Lord all his works Bless the Lord O my soul The very last words are bless the Lord O my Soul from the consideration of the freeness of the grace of God in general he draws up this Conclusion bless the Lord O my Soul But you may say Though God will save by grace yet surely all shall not be saved by grace shall all men be saved is God so free No all men shall not be saved for saith the Apostle Gal. 5.15 We through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith for in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but the new creature but shall not all be saved No saith the same Apostle Eph. 5.6 Let no man deceive you for no whoremonger nor unclean person c. hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God There is no place for unclean things in Heaven you know what the Apostle saith to the Galathians The inheritance is not to the bondwoman nor to her children So that I say that God doth not save all but those he doth save are saved by free grace But you would know who those are that are saved or that shall be saved for ever why thus briefly only to name things First Look who those are that are justified they shall be certainly saved Secondly Those that are willing to part with all for Christ and for the service of Christ they shall certainly be saved Mat. 19.29 And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life Thirdly They that stand at Christs right hand here they shall be sure to stand at Christs right hand at the day of judgement and so be saved 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of his spirit he that hath wrought us for the self same thing it is the very same word which is used for work out your own salvation c. So that there is a working up of the soul unto eternal glory and if Christ hath wrought
shall be filled with joy in the midst of sufferings They went away rejoiceing that they were counted worthy to suffer Fourthly Is it not a great mercy that some shall stand that are likeliest to fall when others fall that were likely to stand Fifthly Is it not a great mercy that those whom the adversaries think shall dishonour and marr the work of God that they should bring more honour to God and suffer more powerfully and strongly for him than others and that they should be used most for God Sixthly Is it not a great mercy that when God seems to have most displeasure against us his Love should be then most set upon us as it is in sufferings Who would but think that when we are given into the hands of wicked men it is from the displeasure of God against us when yet it is from the free grace and great love of God unto us Seventhly Is it not a great mercy to consider that what is our greatest misery seemingly that that should contribute to our greatest mercy Thus it is in our sufferings for the Name of God You see what great and wondrous things were done by the death of Christ and so also what wonders were done by Joseph in Aegypt when he was sold thither by the malitiousness of his Brethren It is the way of God unto his people that the more others work to do them harm the more God doth order it to prove for their good which is only from the free grace love and favour of God We never did any work yet but free grace paid us for it even the work of suffering God payes us for that He was a Preacher to day yet carried to Prison that paid him for it Yea Christians are paid for the work they never did and what is the Reason of it but only the free grace of God Thus you see wherein the free grace of God appeares and shines forth Fifthly Why will God carry on the work of our services and sufferings in the way of free grace Why God will order our employments and sufferings in a way of free grace that we may not be proud of them We are apt to be proud of our employments and sufferings and therefore God will carry on his work so as that he may keep us from the sin of pride and haughtiness when we shall consider it is the free grace of God to single us out to service or sufferings Why should we be proud God loves to confound the wicked and ungodly in the world by making those that are the most unlikely to be serviceable to himself and by ordering their services and sufferings in a way of free grace This God doth to confound the Wisdom and Reason of worldly men Many are called but few chosen God hath set the weak to confound the strong Again God doth dispose of his work in a way of free grace that none may be discouraged from his service or suffering for him If none but great and mighty and holy men were to be used in Gods service then the weak would be discouraged and despised and we should be ready to say I am not worthy Now God doth so order and dispose of his work as not to discourage the weak but to give encouragement to all Well then if so A word for Application Is this a Truth that we have heard that all that God doth either as to the ordering of our services or sufferings is in a way of free grace What have we then to say but as Job The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be the Name of the Lord You say that God chooses whom he pleases to serve him or to suffer for him and that it is out of free grace if so why should not all suffer But you hear it is not all but some that God doth graciously single out to suffer for himself But here some may say I am weak and do not any work for God But give me leave Is Family work nothing The Apostle insists much upon that in his Epistles he calls much upon Parents Children Masters and all to do their duty Reformation work is a great work or else the Apostle would never have spoken so much of it and exhorted so much to it Secondly Is it nothing to do the work of your generation to do the work that is suitable unto your condition All men are not called to all works there is a peculiar work to every man Now is comforting work nothing Is supporting work nothing Is relieving work nothing This comforting work it is Angelical work Is it nothing to improve the Talent that God hath given thee This will be the great Question at the day of Judgement Faithful or not faithful There are none but have Talents more or less which they must then answer for But you may be ready to say I have no work That is a mistake for there are none but have work therefore look unto that which is your work But you may say again Though I have work and service yet my service may be a judicious service or a mercinary service or a providential service Now how shall I distinguish my service Whether it be a providential a judicious a mercenary service or whether God hath graciously singled me out to serve him in a way of free grace and love In answer to this take these two or three things First If it be a work or service given you by free grace then God will lead you more and more and bring you to be acquainted with the design of his work When Peter was called to open the door of the Temple at first he did not know the design but afterwards he was told it So thus it is with thee If God do call thee to work he will acquaint thee with the design of the work Secondly If you serve God in a way of free grace then you will be contented with your work yea you will be contented to be used for God to be laid out for God you will say I am contented because God hath called me Thirdly When God doth make use of a man in a way of free grace then that man doth not make any great bargains for himself they that serve God any other way will make great bargains for themselves make use of his service to encrease their estates But now they that serve God out in a way of free grace will not do so Therefore now you that are at work do you pocket up at work Do you make great bargains for your selves If so this is no free grace work But you will say I am afraid I do not serve God in a way of free grace because I have no success in my work But you may observe in the Scripture that sometimes a man may be called to work by free grace and may have success at the beginning as Joseph had many years and yet the success may leave him As now there are them that preach
many years and never convert one soul yet this should not discourage them for free grace may call you to a work and yet you may not find that success in it which you expected But then again here is the great Question yet behind Suppose God doth deal with the children of men in a way of free grace and love then what is my duty and what shall I do that I may so serve and suffer as to serve and suffer under the conduct of free grace In answer to this you may take it in these following particulars First then if you would serve and suffer under the conduct of free grace then serve your call fully and go to the utmost of the thing called unto leaving God to do his work Do your work to the utmost and leave God to do his When God called Joshuah to do a work fully and he did it God shewed mercy to him and to his posterity after him And so when John was called to a work and he did it by halves God blew upon him and upon his posterity after him Therefore I say when God calls us to a work let us do our work fully and leave God to do his work Secondly If you would serve God under the conduct of free grace then when you find any warmth or heat upon your affections take the hint of this opportunity for the doing of that work God calls you to Thirdly If you would serve God under the conduct of free grace then do not envy others that are more employed that have better success and are better paid than your selves observe how it is with two Servants in a great Shop the one at one end the other at the other end the one may take more money than the other yet they do not envy one another and why but because they both serve one Master Thus it should be with the Saints and servants of God they all serve one Master and therefore one should not envy another because he is more employed or hath better success Fourthly If you would serve God under the conduct of free grace then be sure you do not serve for wages be not mercinary in your service It becomes those that serve under free love to be very free in their service saith one I have been wrought upon by my Neighbour and ever since I have endeavoured to do him good Now it is God that hath wrought upon us by his free grace and if so let us freely serve him and labour to do him all the honour we can When the Prodigal first thought of returning home unto his Fathers house he saith first Let my Father make me as one of his hired servants This was a Legal expression I will be hired Let him make me as one of his hired servants but when he saw his Fathers love he talked no more of his hired service Inheritance is not of the Bond-woman but of the free I do confess indeed it is not unlawful to look unto the recompence of reward yea it is lawful for us to do it But now do you desire to serve under the conduct of free grace then look not for wages do not do as an hireling as the labourers of the Vineyard no do it freely in a way of love thankfulness and believing Fifthly If you would serve under the conduct of divine love then serve God with fear upon the account of his goodness Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure If you do serve and work then fear upon the account of Gods goodness to you And to conclude this Application If you would serve as those that serve under the conduct of free grace and love then have a care that in all your workings you depend upon nothing but the free grace of God in reference to your call and if so why then should you not willingly suffer for the Name of Christ would you know whether you are called to suffer why this is a certain Rule when the case is so with you that you must either suffer or sin But then a second word of Application may be this Is it so that so much of the free grace is laid out in reference to our services and sufferings Then First Let us freely and willingly suffer for the Name and Cause of Christ Secondly Is it so that so much of the free grace of God is laid out in reference to our services and sufferings then why should we not be contented with our sufferings not only contented in suffering or contented upon suffering but contented with sufferings Our Saviour tells us that they that will be his Disciples must deny themselves take up the Cross and follow him Not only take up the Cross but follow him yea and deny themselves Some will deny themselves in this or that but will not take up the Cross but saith our Saviour If any man will follow me let him take up the Cross and follow me Thus now if Christ calls us to suffer let us suffer freely because his grace is free Thirdly If you would serve under the conduct of free grace then take heed of any Legal therefore upon your sufferings Matth. 9.27 Then answered Peter and said unto him behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore This was a Legal therefore Christ answered and said You shall have your reward but many that are first shall be last and the last first The only way to take away this Legal therefore is to look more and more upon the free grace of God either in your services or sufferings for him for thus all must do that either serve God or suffer for him under the conduct of free grace Do you desire to serve God either as to employments or sufferings under the conduct of free grace and love then look more and more upon his free grace and depend upon it in reference to your call in reference to your assistance in reference to your dependance and in reference to your reward seeing all is of free grace bless the name of the Lord. Thus it is both in suffering work and in service the first shall be last and the last first Therefore as you would desire to serve or suffer under the conduct of free grace rejoyce and bless God for his free grace remember this that whether we serve or suffer it is of free grace Thus you see how the free grace of God shines forth both in our services and sufferings Is it not Lawful for me to do what I will with my own is thine eye evil because I am good so the last shall be first and the first last because many are called but few chosen The end of the first Sermon SERMON II. 2 THES 2.16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us Everlasting Consolation and good hope through Grace
had may be Eclipsed Restore to me the joy of thy salvation Psalm 51.12 saith David his glory and comfort was eclipsed yea possibly a gracious soul may live a long time without comfort How long wilt thou forget yea forget me O Lord what for ever Psalm 13.1 I say a man may live a long time without any considerable comfort There is a time when God will try his people and see whether they will take comfort from his hand or from another hand it may be it may be so with you sometimes God may try whether you will wait upon him and believe in him and rest upon him for comfort 3. As a man may live long without comfort so it is not in the power of any thing on this side God and Christ to give comfort to a poor drooping soul this is the Lords prerogative I am the Lord that comforteth This is his name Father of mercies and God of all comfort and consolation and 2 Cor. 7.6 Nevertheless God that Comforteth those that are cast down comforted us c. It is Gods prerogative only to do it comforting work is creation work it is not in the power of the creature but of the Creator Isa 57.19 I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him It is Gods work to comfort and not in the power of any other Man may be instrumental to comfort but it is none but God alone that can do the work But some may object and say can none but God alone comfort No none but God alone can rate off Satan If a great dog or mastiff be worrying a child or a sheep a stranger comes and strikes him and calls him off but the dog takes no notice of him but when the Master comes he rates him off presently none but the Master can do it So here it is none but God that can rate off Satan from worrying the poor drooping soul when it is under temptation none but God the Master It is not in the power of any creature but in the power of God alone it is in the power of none but the third person in the Trinity the spirit of God what needed the third person in the Trinity to have come into the world as he is now if any other could comfort As none can redeem but Christ the second person of the Trinity because the second person came from Heaven on purpose to redeem So none can comfort but God and his spirit because the third person came from Heaven to do it there is none but God alone that can comfort a poor soul That is the third particular 4. When God doth bestow comfort he bestows it and gives it in a way of free grace in a way of free love and grace See but how they go together in the Text Who hath given us everlasting consolation through grace I will give you one Scripture more to prove it and consider it well Job 33. you have there the draught of a mans Conversion First he goes on in his sin and all on a sudden God gives in a word to him at 14 15 verses For God speaketh once yea twice but man perceiveth it not In a dream in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumberings upon the bed Then He openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction and then the soul is filled with horror of conscience as in verse 19. He is chastned also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain And when God hath done thus then he justifies him and gives him faith and shews him true righteousness as in verse 23. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness This is justification and when this is done then the Lord comforts him as in verse 25. His flesh shall be fresher than a childs he shall return to the days of his youth You see God comforts him in a way of free love and in the 26. verse He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable unto him and he shall see his face with joy for he will render unto man his righteousness God comforts in a way of free love he comforts how he pleaseth and as far as he pleaseth but whensoever he comforts it is still I say in a way of free love You may see it in Isaiah 65.14 It is said Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but you shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howl for vexation of spirit and thus also saith the Lord in the former verse Behold my servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry behold my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed God comforts whom he pleases and as far as he pleaseth and it is all free out of free love John 14.20 At that day you shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and at verse 16. And I will pray the Father and he will give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever This work of comforting is properly the work of the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost breathes as the wind where it listeth and therefore I say comforts whom and how he pleaseth and all in a way of free love and free grace That is the fourth particular 5. Wherein is the love the free love of God manifested to us in the matter of our comforts I answer in many things I will pitch but upon three only 1. The greater he is that giveth and the greater the thing is that is given and the lesser or meaner the person is that the thing is given unto the more free is the love of him that gives and bestows the thing Now this comfort and consolation is a great thing it is a very great matter it is a birth of the Holy Ghost Is that a small thing It is part of the Kingdom of God Is that a small matter It is both duty and reward Is that small It is that which exceeds all the Joy of the world Lift up the light of thy countenance upon me Thou hast put more gladness into my heart more than in the time that their oyle and their wine Increased Psalm 4.7 Ask a poor drooping soul and he will tell you that it is a great thing for it comes from a great God Isaiah 57.15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I will dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite Ones Unto that soul that trembles unto that soul will God bring comfort and will be nigh unto him Now if a Prince should rise from his Throne to
I am comforted saith a poor soul but I know not whether it be in a way of free grace and free love now how may I know that I am comforted in a way of free grace I shall speak to this Negatively and Affirmatively First Negatively There is a comfort that is the daughter of time a man or woman is sorrowful but time wears it out time comforts him this comfort that springs from and ariseth out of time is not true comfort neither is that man truly comforted by free grace But when the soul is truly comforted in a way of free grace then he is comforted by the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost bearing witness that he is the Child of God Secondly There is a comfort that ariseth from the satisfaction of a natural conscience A man knows by nature that there is a God and that this God is to be prayed unto and therefore he prayes accordingly and when he hath done his natural conscience is satisfied and he is then comforted but noâ— if a mans comfort arise only from this â—â—m the satisfaction of a naturall conscience that man is not truly comforted for he that is truly comforted is comforted by joy in believing in whom believing ye rejoyce Rom. 15.13 Thirdly There is a comfort that ariseth from a mans non-attendance to his own condition Men may be comforted Why Because they never look into their condition how it stands between God and their souls There is a comfort arising not only from a mans conscience but from the non-attendance to his own condition and hereupon he is secure but this is not the comfort that ariseth from free grace and free love Fourthly There is a comfort that doth arise from the use of the creature men are troubled in their minds and they run presently to the Tavern to their Musick or merry Company to put it off and so it may be are comforted but if a mans comfort arise only from the creature he is not truly comforted not comforted with the comfort of free grace and love he that is comforted in this way it is but a diversion to him and not true comfort as straw when set on fire will make a flash and a flame but black ashes remain behind so when men are troubled and they run to the Tavern or to Musick and merry Company all this is but a flash black Ashes remain behind provoked trouble will be angry trouble and angry will be most troublesome when men run to merriment to divert trouble they provoke it Fifthly There is a comfort that doth arise from the common work of the Holy Ghost Some who have tasted of the Heavenly gift and are made partakers of the Holy Ghost and yet fall away Heb. 6.4 The false ground received the word with joy Now if a mans comfort ariseth from these common workings of the Holy Ghost it is not true comfort for he that is truly comforted is comforted in a way of free love his comfort is unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen you love in whom though you now see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Thus you see Negatively when a man is not truly comforted in these five particulars a man is not truly comforted from time nor from the satisfaction of a natural conscience nor from a non-attendance to his condition nor from the use of the creature nor lastly from the common workings of the Holy Ghost But Secondly Affirmatively we have heard when a man may be said not to be comforted Now when may a man be said to be comforted truly comforted in a way of free grace Beloved in the Lord are you willing to have your comforts tried false and counterfeit things do not love trial now if you be willing to be tried to have your comforts tried it is a sign and a hope that your comforts may be true but I shall not insist on this There are two or three things I shall speak to here First If you have been comforted by the word of promise set on upon your souls by God then are you truly comforted in away of love and free grace for what is the promise but the word of grace But some may say I have had a promise but I fear it may be from the Devil for the Devil may bring a promise did he not bring a pomise unto Christ Mat. 4.6 Saying He shall give His Angels charge over thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up This promise was brought to Christ by the Devil and it may be my promise may be handed to me by Satan and set on upon my soul by him But do but mark this I will only say this one thing to thee poor soul to ease thee of this objection If Satan bring a promise to you it is to lead you into sin to draw you into sin and to that which is evil as this to Christ here He will give His Angels charge concerning Thee cast thy self down He brought a promise to do evil cast thy self down but now if God hand a promise to you it is for your doing of good therefore says Christ to Satan It is written I have a word and a promise too It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God The Devil brought this that he might do evil and God gave Christ a word to keep him from evil and so when you are brought into temptations great temptations if you have a word of promise brought home to your hearts to bear you up under temptation it is not the Devil that gives it in to you that hands it to you No for the Devil is no friend to faith no friend to stay you up for the Tempter will not act against the Temptation saith Luther though the Devil be Magnipotent yet he is not Omnipotent though he be Mighty he is not Almighty And therefore I say if you have a promise comes to you to help you to do good it is not of Satan but of God for he is Almighty he is able to comfort That is the first Secondly Would you know whether you be comforted in a way of free grace and love you may know it by the ebbing and flowing of your comforts which will ebb and flow according to the cause They say the Marygold opens and shuts with the Sun when the Sun shines it opens when the Sun withdraws it shuts it opens and shuts according to the withdrawing and shining of the Sun and so if your comforts be true the more the righteousness of Christ opens before you the more the Sun of righteousness shines upon you the more you will be comforted If your comforts be true the more the freeness of the love of God is opened to you the more will the comfort of the soul be enlarged if your comforts be true the more God shines with his countenance the more is the soul comforted Lord saies David in Psalm 4.6 Lift up the light of thy
they do not receive an answer presently they are gone but be sure you do willingly stay Gods leasure Thus I say would you have comfort you must observe these things to go to Gods Office to shut your eyes and to cast your selves at adventure upon the free grace of God and then you must stay Gods leasure Thus doing you shall be truly comforted and when you have obtained this comfort and are thus truly comforted Then take these few rules with you and so I conclude First Take as much pains to keep your comfort as ever you did to get it Secondly Labour more and more to increase it for if it do not increate it will certainly decrease Thirdly Be comfortable to and comforting of others for how do you know but that God hath comforted you to this very end that you might comfort others Paul was so and be sure to shew comfort for comforts sake Brethren and Beloved in the Lord Do not receive this grace in vain But go all you that have this comfort and magnify the riches of Gods grace the freeness of the grace of God that hath comforted you and say What such a one as I comforted Others of thy Children Lord have walked closely with Thee but I have walked loosely and shall I be comforted and not they O what free grace is this I have been a great sinner Lord and what am I comforted O what free grace is this There are some that have walked in the light and they are now in darkness but I have walked in the dark and yet am now in the light O what free grace is this Go away therefore and magnifie the riches of Gods grace in the matter of your comforts Thus you have heard how the freeness of the grace of God is written upon all your comforts your comforts and consolations are all deeply inamelled with the free grace of God and that much of his free love is laid out in your comforts and consolations And thus I conclude with the words of my Text Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us Everlasting Consolation and good hope through grace Comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work SERMON III. EPHES. 2.8 For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God IN the former exercise I have been shewing you the freeness of the love and grace of God in the matter of our comforts and divine consolations I shall now in the third place shew you the freeness of the grace of God in reference to our salvation and eternal glory and therefore follow these words which the Apostle speaks at the latter end of verse 5. By grace are ye saved and so you see the same in verse 8. For by grace are ye saved and that not of your selves it is the gift of God But why should he say the same words again in so short a compass Why it was to shew not only that his heart was full of the free grace and love of God but to shew also that he thought he could never speak enough of it and therefore he repeats it by grace ye are saved For by grace are ye saved that is to say from first to last you are saved by the free grace and love of God From whence then I take up this Doctrine Doct. That there is much of the free love and grace of God laid out in the matter of our salvation and eternal glory For the clearing of this point I shall endeavour to shew you First That it is a matter of infinite happiness and of great concernment to go to Heaven and to be saved for ever Secondly To shew you how this mercy is obtained this mercy of salvation and eternal glory I shall shew it is of free grace and free love Thirdly I shall answer two Objections Fourthly I shall shew you wherein the free grace and love of God appears in the matter of our salvation Fifthly Shew you why God chuseth to save the children of men in a way of free love and grace 1. I shall speak a little by way of Introduction It is a great matter and of infinite concernment to be saved and to go to Heaven forever For First You are thereby saved from wrath to come you count it here a great matter to be delivered from the wrath of man but it is a far greater mercy to be delivered from the wrath of Devils to be delivered from their fury and malice and not to lye at their mercy to all Eternity Yea Secondly You shall be delivered from all sorrow both inward and outward and if so how blessed and happy are you for you shall die in the Lord And blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours c. Rev 14.13 It is a mercy to have meat and drink and a bed to lye on but it is a greater mercy not to need them in Heaven you shall be freed from these needs and necessities You walk here but it is with a burden you hear now but it is with a burden you repent now but it is with a burden But in Heaven you shall be freed not only from the guilt of the neglect of duty but from the burden of duty also Heaven knows of no duty that hath a burden with it Thus you shall be freed Again Thirdly You shall not only be freed from these troubles but you shall also be brought into a possession into an inheritance that is incorruptible that fadeth not away where you shall enjoy the company of Saints and Angels and that without suspicion or jealousie one of another here you have the company of Saints but either you suspect them or they you either they are jealous of you or you of them but Heaven knows no suspicions no jealousies Saints live there without suspicions Fourthly If you go to Heaven and be saved you shall then be filled with glory if you have but a little taste of glory here you are ready to break under it under a little glory but the time will come when you shall be filled with glory and your hearts shall bear up under it your bodies shall be changed your vile bodies shall be changed and made like unto Christs glorious body you shall be filled with glory soul and body both Yea Fifthly If you be saved your graces shall be alwaies in Act alwaies in exercise your understandings shall be fully inlightned your difficulties shall be renewed and you shall see them all little and easie unto you and your wills hearts and affections shall be drawn out to God with infinite satisfaction and infinite delight I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psalm 17.15 All delight ariseth from enjoying things suitable now what is more suitable for a rational creature than to enjoy his ends when a Husband hath been at sea from his wife half a
you unto the self same thing whilst you live here then you are at his right hand now and then you may be sure to stand at his right hand at the day of judgement and so shall be sure to be saved for ever to all eternity Fourthly Those that are tender to Christs little ones that are tender to those that are despised in this world and ready to help and assist them according to their wants they shall surely be saved for ever Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in I was naked and ye cloathed me sick and ye visited me in prison and ye came unto me And the righteous answer Lord when did we see thee sick or naked or hungry and fed thee and cloathed thee why saith he In as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Mat. 25.35 So I say look who these are that are tender of Christs little ones and are ready to help them and to relieve them according to their wants and necessities those are they that shall be saved to all eternity Fifthly Those that strive together for the Faith in times of affliction those are they that shall be saved for ever Phil. 1.27 That ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel So I say look who those are that in the time of persecution strive for the faith they shall surely be saved and that to all eternity Yet one thing more Sixthly Those that come to Christ in time of Temptation they shall be saved freely to all eternity for saith our Saviour Christ John 6.39 And this is my Fathers will that hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day in verse 37. saies Christ him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out and I will give you the reason saith he For it is the will of my Father that I should lose none which he hath given unto me but that they should rise at the last day How is it therefore with you Holy and beloved brethren in the Lord Do you come to Christ in your Temptations Do you strive together in love for the faith in time of persecution Are you tempted Are you brought low Remember this that Christ is able to raise you up and to save you to all eternity and therefore O soul doubt not of your salvation But some may say I am guilty of this doubting what shall I do that I may not doubt of my salvation This is too large a subject to speak to now I shall only say this to it Let me desire you to study much the freeness of the grace of God in general and consider also much and frequently the particular instances of grace and mercy that God hath shewn to others and you will find it is all of free grace yea and this scripture shews you that all is of free grace and therefore though it be a hard thing for us to get assurance of our salvation yet the particular instances and examples of the mercies that God hath bestowed upon others should much incourage us and bear us up and should stir us up to get assurance Grace and mercy being shewn to others doth not only shew that it may be had but that mercy hath been had When you see the Ice trodden then you say you will venture So say such a one was unworthy such a one prophane and yet he hath obtained mercy and why may not I Therefore if you would have assurance of your salvation think much of the freeness of the grace of God and withal consider the particular instances and examples of others that have obtained this mercy and that in a way of free grace and love too Fifthly And lastly to conclude Is it so that God saves the soul freely and that our salvation is only by the free grace and love of God Why then should we not come with boldness for salvation since it is so free O let none be discouraged but let it stir us up to come with boldness and to plead for it if it be free Is salvation free and will not poor sinners come to receive it Come O come freely for salvation Christ Jesus is willing to make good his own name and this is his name he is called Jesus and he shall save his people This is the will also of my Father that you should come unto me John 6. Christ Jesus hath now salvation in his hands and will you not come and ask for it But methinks I see salvation in your faces methinks I hear a voice among you saying What shall we do to be saved In answer to which thus Believe in the Lord Jesus and venture your salvation upon him And then if you will be saved you must become as little children for saith our Saviour unless you become as little children you cannot be saved Mat. 18.3 You cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven As little children how Why not seeking great things Little children do not seek great things you must become as little children low and humble not seeking great things for great things become not little children You must be willing to part with all at Christs command and for his service and for want of this the young man went away without eternal life Go and sell all that thou halt and follow me and he could not do it and he lost Heaven by it he would keep Earth and he lost Heaven by it But once more Be not only willing to part with all for Christs sake and at his command but go and cast your self at adventure upon his free grace and love and then go and work and perform duties and pray and use indeavour work as if there were no grace to be saved by and bear thy sâ—â—â— still upon free grace work as if theâ—â— were no grace and build upon the grace of God as though there were no works Thus do and you shall be freely saved to all Eternity for ever and for ever SERMON IV. NEHEM 5.15 The latter clause of the Verse But so did not I because of the fear of God IN this Chapter there are three things most considerable First The voice or cry at the beginning of the Chapter And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their Brethren the Jews And then Secondly You have made known to you what Nehemiah did in this case in the 6 and 7 verses And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words then I consulted with my self and I rebuked the Nobles and the Rulers c. Thirdly You hear more of Nehemiahs acting at the 14 and 15 verses Moreover from that time that I was
THE FREENESS OF THE GRACE and LOVE OF GOD TO BELIEVERS DISCOVERED In reference to 1. Their Services and Sufferings 2. Their Consolations and 3. Their Salvation and Eternal Glory Together with The Excellency of the fear of God The Goodness and Pleasantness of Brotherly Love The Wisdom of Hearing the Voice of the Rod. Repentance the only way to prevent Judgements Delivered in several Sermons by the late Reverend and faithful Minister of Christ Mr. William Bridg sometime Preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth London Printed for Nath. Crouch in Exchange-Alley over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1671. The Reader is desired before he begin to correct these material faults besides some literal ones which he is desired to pardon IN pag. 9. 10. and in several places for Judicious r. Judicial p. 11. l. 10. blot out the door of p. 18. l. 17. for Judicious r. Judicial p. 61. l. 1. for renewed r. removed p. 99. l. 19. r. humbled for the want of Faith p. 114. l. 2. r. as he increaseth in Godliness p. 129. blot out the first line To the Reader THE Labours of this Reverend Author now with God both in Print and in Preaching have already praised him in the Gate and make his name and memory still remain and continue like a precious Oyntment notwithstanding the vain endeavours of some to make both himself and Writings ridiculous in which kind though they may be abundantly repayed since a late Author makes some on all sides guilty of the like yet there is cause to fear whatsoever innocent design may be pretended by those Witty men that Religion it self may be contemned and slighted by such Practices It is hoped that these Sermons will give no occasion for such Cavills but that they may be of use to some persons to direct and confirm them in the good old wayes of God though they may want much of those advantages which it may be the Authors own hand would have bestowed upon them And upon that Account the Reader is desired not to be offended though some things may not be so exact or plain as might be wished nor to impute it to the Author in the least but to look upon it only as the fault of the Transcriber or Publisher Yet hoping that notwithstanding these disadvantages some may through the blessing of God reap profit and benefit by them they are here published and submitted to the Judgement of the Candid Reader J. O. Upon the Death of Mr. William Bridg a faithful and painful Labourer in the Lords Vineyard EVen as a Lamp that spendeth liberally It 's Oyle that we may do our work thereby Or as a sparkling Star which shineth bright Thereby directing Travellers by night Or as the Sun that by his cheerful rayes Disperseth darkness and his beams displayes On the cold Earth whereby he makes it spring With fruitful crops which joyfulness doth bring So Bridg dispers'd his fruitful beams whilst here But now he 's fixed in a higher Sphere You that have skill sorrow and joy to blend Somewhat of both upon this Prophet spend Grieve for your loss and yet rejoyce in this He 's gone from trouble to a place of bliss Mourn that you did no more improve his pains And yet rejoyce that he now reaps the gains Weep that so bright a Lamp no longer shin'd Yet joy in those choice works he left behind Mourn that such Lights do set and when ye 'ave done Joy that he 's there where needs not Moon nor Sun Which never shall be stained with a night But hath eternal Glory for its Light And let those darkned intervalls you see Increase your longing in that place to be For here are changes Prophets too must dye Yet let me that expression mollisie If the Philosopher of old could say All of me shall not dye then sure we may Transcendently affirm of Bridg that he Yet lives and shall live to Eternity He lives in Heaven on Earth he doth the same There in his Soul Here in his Works and Name And though his Body now be turn'd to Dust Yet at the Resurrection of the just Each Atom shall be gathered so to raise A glorious fabrick to his Masters praise And Soul and Body jointly then shall sing Grave where 's thy Conquest Death where is thy sting And then in Triumph shall ascend on high Having obtain'd through Christ the Victory SERMON I. MATTH 20.15 16. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own Is thine eye evil because I am good So the last shall be first and the first last for many be Called but few Chosen I DO intend God willing to shew you the freeness of the Grace of God in reference to mens Employments and Sufferings and therefore have made choice of this Scripture wherein you have the Parable of certain Labourers in the Vineyard the Parable is propounded and applyed propounded from vers 1. to vers 16. For the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that is an Householder which went out early in the morning to hire Labourers into his Vineyard and when he had agreed with the Labourers for a penny a day he sent them into his Vineyard and he went out about the third hour and saw others standing in the Market-place and he said unto them go ye also into the Vineyard and whatsoever is right I will give you and they went their way and again he went about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did likewise and about the eleventh hour he went out and saw others idle and he said unto them Why stand you here all the day idle And they said unto him because no man hath hired us he said unto them go you also into the Vineyard and whatsoever is right that shall you receive So when Even was come the Lord said unto his Steward of the Vineyard call the Labourers and give them their hire beginning from the last even to the first and when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour they received every man a penny but when the first came they supposed that they should have received more and they likewise received every man a penny and when they had received it they murmured against the good man of the house saying these last have wrought but one hour and thou hast made them equal to us that have born the burthen and heat of the day But he answered one of them and said friend I do thee no wrong didst thou not agree with me for a penny take that thine is and go thy way I will give unto this last even as unto the first Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own Is thy eye evil because I am good so the last shall be first and the first last because many are called but few chosen And thus far the Parable goes to shew that all is of free Grace both for service and for suffering Now if you mind the first
Verse of the Parable you will find it brought in with a for For the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man c. The former Chapter saith For we have forsaken all to follow thee and what shall we have But Jesus saith he that hath forsaken Father or Mother Wife or Children Houses or Lands for my sake shall receive a hundred fold and inherit eternal life and they that are last shall be first and the first shall be last Thus shall it be in suffering many that are first shall be last and so it shall be in service in employment and in labour For after he had spoken this Parable of the Labourers he concludes the last shall be first and the first last concluding for suffering and for service and he gives the Reason of it from our Election for many are called but few chosen and shews the grounds of it that it is of free grace the first shall be last and the last first So that as to service and as to suffering all is of free grace Now take these words as they are in relation to the former and they will afford us this Doctrine Doct. That there is much of the freeness of the grace of God laid out both in our services and sufferings Free grace in the matter of our services and labour and free grace in the matter of our sufferings The first shall be last and the last first for many shall be called but few chosen For the prosecution of this Doctrine I shall First Labour to shew you That it is a great mercy to be used for God and by God either in a way of service or sufferring for his Name Secondly That there are some that God doth especially single out to serve him or to suffer for him Thirdly That it is the free grace of God that one serves above another Fourthly I shall shew wherein this free grace of God doth appear or shine forth in the matter of our employment and sufferings Fifthly I shall shew why God will order and dispose of our services and sufferings in the way of free grace or free love First I say it is a great mercy to be used for God or by God in the matter of service or sufferings it is a great mercy to be employed in any work for God For First The more serviceable any man or woman is for God the more they honour God and the more they honour God the more will God honour them when I testifie of any excellency in God then I honour God when God testifies of any honour in me then God honours me as now when God calls me to any service then God testifies an excellency in me then God honours me when a Governour puts any honour upon a common Souldier he calls him forth to special service so it is an honour for a man to be serviceable to God This was the honour of Moses Moses the servant of the Lord and when the Holy Ghost puts an honour upon David he sayes The Psalm of David the servant of the Lord Not the Psalm of David the King of Israel no the Psalm of David the servant of the Lord. So in the New Testament this was Pauls honour Paul the servant of the Lord. Now is it not a great honour to honour God and to be owned by God Thus it is with them that serve the Lord. Secondly The more serviceable any man is for God in his Generation the more apt God is to accept of his work though there be failings in the work observe what great failings there was in Aaron yet God accepted of the work Thirdly The more serviceable any man is whilest he lives the more comfortably he will dye when he comes to dye what is a mans comfort upon his death-bed but that according to his measure he hath served God saith Christ Glorifie me Oh Father for I have done the work that thou hast sent me to do And so it is a mans comfort to do the work that God gives him to do yea it will be his comfort at the day of death Fourthly The more serviceable any man is whilst he lives the more he shall speak when he is dead there are them that being dead yet speak why what speaks Abell but Faith good Works good Examples He offered a better Sacrifice than Cain he was truly serviceable to God in his day and now he speaks when he is dead Thus Abell did and thus it is with a serviceable man Look how it is with a wicked man that is serviceable to the Devil and that writes wicked and wanton Books that speak when he is dead so is it with a man that is serviceable unto God This honour is in the service of God above all others and to say no more this is the thing that is desired more in some respects than the enjoyment of Heaven I desire saith the Apostle to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all yet nevertheless for your sakes and the service of the Churches I desire to live So that I say in one respect this is more desirable than Heaven for no such work is to be done in Heaven And is it not a great matter very great to be serviceable unto God to be used and employed by God either in service or suffering Secondly As it is a great mercy to serve for God so is it not a great mercy to suffer for God to be called out to suffer for the Name of Christ For saith the former Chapter We have forsaken Father and Mother Wife and Children Houses and Lands for the sake of Christ but saith Christ he that forsakes so much for me shall receive a hundred fold and eternal life yea he that suffers for me shall reign with me You carry a burthen but Christ carries the heavy end and you have communion with Christ also thereby and thereby also your heart shall be filled with comfort yea even the comfort of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God dwells in every believer and that man that suffers for God the Spirit of God rests upon him as the Dove rested upon the Earth and so saith Peter the Spirit of God and of glory resteth in you A man is never more glorified than when he suffers for God remember that When our Saviour Christ was upon the Cross he was then glorious before the eyes of Heaven and never more glorious than then for now is the Son of man glorified so may you say when in sufferings Now am I glorified Oh the glory of a Christian Nay sayes the Martyr when going to the Stake Now I begin to be a Christian And thereby he is assured of eternal life and salvation Our present light afflictions saith the Apostle works an eternal and exceeding weight of glory And sayes our Saviour If ye be reviled and reproached for my sake happy are you And if you look into Philip. 1.28 you will find that sufferings are an evidence to us Thus
now you see it is a mercy yea a great mercy to suffer for the Name of Christ That is the first thing But then Secondly There are some that God doth graciously single out to service or to suffer for him this honour all the Saints have not but some God doth graciously single out not only to service but to suffer for him Now there is a providential service and there is a mercenary service there is a judicious service and a gracious service some that God doth single out graciously possibly a man may be providentially used in the service of God thus Naaman had a servant in his house that was providentially made use of for his Conversion So I say a man may be made use of providentially and also mercinarily and judiciously so the Devils have been Whom shall I send to be a lying Spirit in the mouth of the Prophets Send me and he went This is a judicious service and thus the Devils do serve for wages and them also that are the Instruments of the Devil Persecutors are judicious servers they are them that make clean the dishes so that I say there are them that may serve God providentially mercenarily and judiciously Providentially and so all the creatures serve him Mercenarily so they served him that said Lord Lord have we not done many wondrous works yet Christ sayes he never knew them depart from me And then there is a Judicious Service as when God gave licence and power to destroy the ten Tribes but then as there is a Providential service a Mercenary service and a Judicial service so there is also a Gracious service There are some that God doth graciously single out to serve him and to serve him in suffering for him Did not God graciously single out Caleb to serve him For it is said he followed God fully and did not God in the New Testament single out Paul Go thy way to Ananias Acts 9.6 And he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do And the Lord said arise go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou shalt do So I say God doth graciously single out some not only to serve him but to suffer for him Thirdly What is it that makes the difference that some are employed in the work and service of God when others are not It is only the free grace of God It may be you may think it is from men that the providential hand doth fall upon one more than upon another or that it is the will of men to single out whom they will for sufferings but it is only the free grace of God Look what the Soveraignty of God doth in a way of judgement and affliction that the free grace and love of God doth in a way of mercy As now suppose two men be together in a transgression one is singled out to judgement the other is not Why The Soveraignty orders it so Think ye that they on whom the 〈◊〉 â—f the Tower of Siloam fell were greater sinners than others No a man may be wrapt up in great afflictions and calamities as Job was and why so It is the Soveraignty of God I will do what I will with my own so look what Gods Soveraignty doth in a way of judgement the same the free grace of God doth in a way of mercy Oh! Is it not a great mercy to be singled out to suffer for the name of Christ Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given not only to believe but to suffer for Christ So I say it is not only to believe but to suffer and so God doth graciously choose some and not others for this great work But Fourthly Wherein doth the free grace of God shine forth and appear in the matter of our services and sufferings I answer In many things Will you begin with your own employments What is reason one man is called forth to an employment and not another It is only the free grace of God What is the reason one man hath success in a work and not another It is only the free grace of God But to clear it the more unto you the more unlikely any person is to serve or suffer for God the more the free grace of God shines forth in that person Now who are those that God doth generally make use of in his service but those that are the most unlikeliest persons As now will you instance in matter of mens places Estates Callings there was two servants concerned in the conversion of Naaman the servant of the Prophet and Naamans own servant Who is most likely now certainly the servant of the Prophet yet you see the other doth it so that I say the unlikeliest oftentimes God makes use of which is to shew forth the freeness of his grace Will you instance in the matter of ability as to the Ministry who more unfit and unlikely to be used in the Gospel than a company of Fishermen poor Fishermen for it is said they perceived they were unlearned and yet you find them made use of by our Saviour for the promulgation of the Gospel Will you instance in the matter of free grace Who was so commended as Nathaniel that caâ—â— to Christ Behold an Israelite indeed In whom there is no guile Who more unlikely to be used in Gods service than Paul Was it likely Paul should bring any honour to God who was whipt and scourged up and down Town like a Malefactor yet this man preached and do you think he was like to do any good by his preaching yet you find it is said he did more than they all and God blessed his Ministry and he converted the Gentiles Why is this but to shew that God will make use of them that are most unlikely to do him service For they that are first shall be last and this only to shew the freeness of his grace But wherein doth the grace of God appear as to our sufferings for the great thing is to stand our ground To this I answer First Is it not a great mercy that the great God of Heaven and Earth should call us worms to bear witness to his Name his great Name yea to suffer for it Secondly Is it not a great mercy and favour that God will take notice of all the injuries that are done unto them that suffer for him as done unto himself I know thy works saith God do men jeer thee and reproach thee for the sake of Christ then happy art thou What wrong is done unto them that suffer for God he takes it as done unto himself So that I say it is a great mercy and favour that the God of Heaven should take those injuries as done unto himself that are done unto us Nay saith God I will give you a mouth and tell you what you shall speak when you come before men Take no thought for what you shall speak for it shall be given you Thirdly Is it not a great mercy that your hearts
countenance upon us Thou hast put more gladness in my heart than in the time that their Corn and their wine increased Now according to the opening and shutting of these things so will your comforts be How is it therefore with you Is there any ebbing and flowing How is the righteousness of Christ How is the light of Gods countenance discovered to you Are they laid open to you Then are you truly comforted in a way of free grace and love That is the second Thirdly If you be comforted in a way of free grace and love then your comforts are true friends to holiness of life That comfort that is wrought by the grace of God without you is the greatest friend to the grace of God within you and to holiness in your lives False comfort is a friend to sin a neighbour a guard to sin but no friend to true and gracious comfort yea those that have this false comfort can indure sins against conscience But now where there is true comfort and comfort from the grace of God there conscience is as the Apple of the Eye and the man cannot indure the least sin he cannot bear the least Mote of sin to lie upon his conscience How is it therefore with you is your comfort a friend to holiness of life and can you say the more comforted I am the more holy I am Then you are truly comforted But suppose I want comfort now and that I am one of a drooping trembling spirit and of an afflicted heart what shall I do that I may be comforted and comforted in a way of free grace I Answer First Go away and be sensible of your unbelief for it is want of believing that hinders our comfort and when the comforter comes he will convince the world of sin and especially of unbelief would you then be comforted in a way of free love Go then I say and be sensible of your unbelief and be humbled for it Secondly Observe what those things are that hinder your spiritual comforts and take heed of them They are many I will only name some of them As First Worldly fears and worldly delights these are enemies to true comfort Secondly Sins against conscience they that sin against knowledge will hardly have peace of conscience nay it is pitty they should have peace lest they be ingaged and incouraged thereby to sin those that sin against Conscience will hardly have peace Do you think to have the Spirit to be your friend whom you grieve so often if then you would be truly comforted you must have a great care of sinning against conscience and thereby grieving the spirit that spirit whereby you are sealed to the day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 would you then be truly comforted Observe I say these things that hinder your spiritual comfort can you think that what you grieve most should comfort you most Therefore as you expect true comfort have a care of grieving the spirit of God Thirdly If at any time God make a tender of grace or offer a word of comfort and peace to you be sure you do not refuse it We are apt to refuse to be comforted but be sure you accept of it especially in a time of Temptation Fourthly Be sure you do not rest upon your own performances in reference to your comforts Brethren and Beloved think on these things and compare them with your own daily experiences I say if you would be truly comforted do not rest on your own performances As we are apt to rest upon our own Righteousness in reference to our Justification so we are apt also to rest upon our own performances in reference to our comforts O take heed you do not go about to establish your own comforts upon the bottom of your own performances for if you do you will not submit to the consolations of God Fifthly If you would be comforted in a way of free grace and love then study much the freeness of the grace of God What is the reason people are no more comforted It is because they see no more of the grace of God the free grace of God the more you look into the riches and freeness of Gods grace the more you will be comforted Sixthly If you want comfort at any time walk graciously in the want of it When you want comfort go to God and say Lord although I cannot see thee yet will I serve thee and although I cannot enjoy thee yet I will obey thee and although I cannot see thy face yet I will follow after thee if by any means I may obtain thee Walk graciously in the want of your comforts Seventhly Set your self to rejoyce in him that gives you comfort Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies and again I say rejoyce saith the Apostle Phil. 4.4 He doth not only say humble your self for sin which is a duty and a great duty but he saith Rejoyce and again I say rejoyce in the Lord Rejoyce in the Lord who gives you comfort freely As much as you have been humbled for sin formerly so much should you now rejoyce that you have been comforted and freely comforted by the grace of God Rejoyce so much in the Lord of your comforts Eighthly To name them only If you would be comforted in a way of free grace and love then be thankfull for your comfort He that is thankfull for a little shall have much be thankfull therefore to God for your comfort Lastly Would you be comforted in a way of free grace and love then go to God for that comfort Friends and Beloved God is willing most willing to comfort and what will you not go to him God is willing to make good his name and his Title now this is one of his Titles I am the Lord that comforteth He is willing to do what Christ was sent to do the spirit of the Lord is upon me to comfort all that mourn Isa 61.2 Is not God willing to do it He hath sent the comforter also to comfort you yea he hath given his Ministers charge to comfort you Comfort ye comfort ye my people Isa 40.1 and are not you willing now to receive what God hath promised I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you John 14.15 You will be troubled and reason with your selves yet I will not leave you comfortless As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted Isa 66.13 Therefore now O poor drooping soul go to God for he is willing to comfort thee if thou be but willing to go unto him Only in your going to God observe these two or three directions First When you go to God for comfort go to the Office which he hath set up for comfort the Office of the Holy-Ghost Secondly When you go to God shut your eyes and cast your self at an adventure upon the free grace of God Thirdly In going to God for comfort you must stay Gods leasure some come and ask of God and because
year or a year what joy is it to her to see him come home again So for a poor soul to see Christ what joy is it after he hath withdrawn himself a great while here we have communion with Christ but in part and interrupted but then you shall be ever for ever with the Lord and have communion with him without interruption Now we see joy and glory but darkly and if there be so much sweetness to see Christ in a glass O then what sweetness will it be to see him face to face and enjoy him for ever And to say no more Lastly If you be saved you shall have the knowledge of the continuance of this condition Though a mans condition be never so happy in it self yet if he think it will not continue that man is unhappy in the midst of his happiness this is the unhappiness of Hell men shall know and be assured that they shall never be delivered out of it never never never and this is the happiness of Heaven that men shall alwayes rejoyce and shall be assured that they shall so continue to do ever ever ever But 2. In what way does a man come to this attainment how and in what way is a man saved Why in a way of free love and grace for if God bestow any thing in a way of gift it is free for what is more free than gift now do but consider what those things are which are called in Scripture Salvation and you may observe that they all come in a way of gift 1. Sometimes Salvation is put for the Author of Salvation Jesus Christ Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Luke 2.29 30. That is Christ the Author of our salvation and so saith Christ to Zacheus This day is salvation come to thy house That is Christ Now this salvation is obtained in a way of gift Saith Christ to the woman of Samaria if thou hadst known the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee give me to drink c. John 4.10 He calls himself the gift of God Secondly Sometimes Salvation is put for the means of salvation for the Gospel How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2.3 that is the means of salvation the gospel this salvation is also called the gift of God unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 13.11 Thirdly Sometimes salvation is put for eternal glory who would have all men to be saved Jew and Gentile and this salvation is the gift of God too Rom. 6.23 But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Now salvation as to the Author of it as to the means of it and as to the salvation it self it is all of free grace all given in a way of free love and grace and therefore it must needs be that much of the free grace and love of God is laid out in our salvation But you will say if it be so that by free grace we are saved then what need we use the means of salvation you say we are saved by grace by free grace wherefore then need we indeavour First Yes we are to indeavour do you not use your indeavour to get your daily bread and yet that is the gift of God your livelihood is the gift of God for you say give us this day our daily bread it is then the gift of God and yet we are to use the means and so we are to do what we can although not what we should in the matter of our salvation because by our endeavour and using the means we shew our dependance upon God and our obedience to him because he hath commanded it For Secondly Although I say with the Apostle by grace ye are saved and not of works yet works are necessary good works are necessary in regard of our thankfulness to God and necessary as they are an evidence of our salvation saith the Apostle although I say by grace ye are saved yet you are to be in the performance of good works Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works the same word good works that is the third general But. Fourthly Wherein doth the freeness of the grace of God appear in the matter of our salvation First There is a great deal of free grace in this that God should ordain us to eternal life and salvation 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Again Secondly To name them Is it not great grace mercy and favour that God should send his own Son from Heaven to dye for us and to purchase our salvation yet so he did Ye are bought with a price what price the blood of Jesus Christ who gave himself a ransome for you 1 Tim. 2.6 Thirdly Is it not a great mercy a very great favour that we that had broken the first Covenant and had not performed the conditions of it that we should be set up again as I may say That God should set us up again under another Covenant that runs without any condition and yet so he did Heb. 8.10 For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Law into their mind and write them in their heart and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people Fourthly Yet further It is in the matter of our salvation as it is in the matter of our consolation and comfort and as I said of that so I say also of this That the greater and the more glorious any mercy is the more worthy and great the person is that giveth it and the more unworthy the person is that receives it the more doth the grace of him appear who giveth it now what greater mercy what more glorious mercy than Heaven and salvation It is called the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of Heaven it is called the Kingdom of glory and Eternal glory it is called Joy Enter into the Joy of our Lord and great is the Joy of our Lord That Joy which was set before Christ that is the Joy of the Saints in Heaven It is such as eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Paul was wrapt up to Heaven but when he came down he was not able to declare the glory thereof Those that are in a war are better able to declare the passages of it than those that write it but yet they are not able to declare all So the Apostle could speak something of this great and infinite glory but was not able to
declare it all There was one who was asked by his Prince what God was he desired first two dayes to answer when they were past he required four dayes and after four dayes he asked eight dayes to answer So if you should ask me what glory that is which is in my Text I must take two dayes and then four dayes and then eight dayes to answer and yet then I should not be able to declare nor be able to express this glory which is wrapt up in this one word Salvation But it may be this blessed Estate is bestowed only upon those that are worthy No not so this is most commonly bestowed upon those that are most unworthy what is more unworthy than a Dog why was not Stephen looked upon as a Dog yea were not the Gentiles looked upon as Dogs saith Christ Why cast ye the Childrens bread to Dogs Now though Salvation was of the Jews for Christ came of the Jews yet Salvation is now for the Gentiles and among the Gentiles who was more unworthy than a blasphemer and a persecutor of the Saints and Servants of God and such a one was Paul and yet he was saved though he was not only undeserving of it but deserving the quite contrary now who more undeserving than those that deserve the contrary yet by grace even they are saved therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 8.3 When I consider thy Heavens the work of thy singers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him c. So I say that the more glorious any mercy is and the more unworthy the receiver is and the greater he is that gives the more free is the thing given and thus it is with our Salvation Salvation is a great and glorious mercy and this Salvation is given and that is great and glorious too and it is given unto man who is most unworthy and 't is given by God who is most infinite and excellent above us But again Fifthly The more God doth cross hands in the matter of our Salvation the more free is his grace in his bestowing of it upon us for as I shewed you before that God doth cross hands in the matter of our comforts so I say now that God doth cross hands in the matter of our Salvation also For he doth often save them that are most unlikely to be saved as Paul and Matthew the Publican and who more unlikely than Zacheus or the Thiefe on the cross or the Jaylor yet were these saved though very unlikely to be saved And so on the contrary who more likely to be saved than the young man in the Gospel that came to Christ yet you know he was rejected the young man he comes unto Christ and says Matt. 19.16 Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life says Christ keep the commandments all these things have I kept saith he from my youth upward then saith Christ Go sell all that thou hast and then thou shall have treasures in heaven and it is said he went away sorrowful Mark now was not this a forward young man a very forward man all these saith he have I kept from my youth upward and Christ doth not contradict him and yet notwithstanding this man could not do what Christ commanded him he could not sell all he had it was too hard for him to learn that lesson which Christ set him for it is said he went away sorrowful and and therefore saith Christ a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And what is this but only to shew that God doth often cross hands in the matter of our Salvation to shew that the first shall be last and the last first for God loves to cross hands in the matter of our Salvation and therefore we find in Scripture that there are some that come to Christ and say as the Scribe in Matt. 8.19 Master I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest and Christ seems to put him off and yet in the next verse almost he puts one forward and he excuses himself and sayes suffer me to bury my Father but Christ saith follow me c. Thus you see what crossing of hands there is in matter of our Salvation to shew the first shall be last I say and the last first Friends stay but a little while until the day of Judgement and then you will see what crossing of hands there will be then you shall see some men at the right hand of Christ whom you thought would never have been saved and then also you shall see some on the left hand of Christ whom you would have thought would never have been there God I say will cross hands in the matter of our Salvation and the more he doth so the more doth the freeness of his grace appear to them that are saved Again Sixthly Yet one thing more The more our Salvation is layd upon the Arch or Pillar of grace and love the more free is the grace of God and the more free it doth appear in the bestowing of it Now what are the Arches and Pillars of free grace and love upon which our Salvation under Christ is layd I shall name some 1. The absoluteness of the Covenant 2. That God justifies the ungodly 3. That our righteousness is not in us but in Christ 4. That the guilt of our sins by which we lay lyable to condemnation is removed 5. That a little sincerity covers a great deal of Infirmity 6. That what God calls ours is not indeed ours but Gods as our graces our duties which are not indeed ours but Gods 7. That God will in due time glorisy us and honour us Sin doth provoke God and causeth him to be angry with us but grace doth provoke him to love us and therefore the Pillars of our Salvation are layd under Christ upon grace upon free-grace and love and thereby the freeness of the grace of God doth the more appear in the matter of our Salvation and that is the fourth General But then Fifthly Salvation is a work of grace and seeing we are saved by grace alone why then doth God chuse to save men in this way of free-grace I Answer First It is because this is the most honourable way unto God the Papists are not ashamed to say that it is most honour to a man to be saved by his works but I am sure it is more honour and more honourable unto God to save by his free-grace Secondly If there was somewhat of the good pleasure of God in the worlds condemnation all the reason in the world then that there should be free-grace in the way of Salvation Pray how came Adam to stand for the whole world He was not chosen by us why it was the good pleasure of God that he should stand for the whole world and that he sinning we should all be guilty of sin by and
and more one toward another But you may say further suppose there be a difference in the matter of our Judgements or opinions what shall we do to remove it Why First Be sure of this that you do not mistake the meaning of that Scripture which your judgement is founded upon It is said There was a division among the people because of Christ why for what was it what was the reason of it It was because of misunderstanding and for want of a right understanding of Christ So I say this division may come for want of a right understanding of the Scriptures upon which our judgement is grounded and founded But Secondly Consider O man whether you do not settle your judgement upon the judgement or opinion of any or upon the knowledge of another Hast thou faith saith the Apostle have it to thy self before God Rom. 14.22 But is not a man then to confess his faith before others when he is called to it Yes But the Apostle speaks here of lesser things if thou hast faith have it to thy self in little disputable things and do not rely upon others but look to thy self and give things a time in due time God will reveal saith the Apostle Thirdly if you desire this holy agreement then do what you can to keep union in the Ministry and between the Ministry It was not for nothing that our Saviour prayed John 17.11 21. Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us It is not good for people to cry I am for Paul and I am for Apollo and I am for Cephas and the like this is the way to make division therefore do all you can to live in love and unity for love is of God and the contrary is of the Devil Fourthly Take heed of disputation what have we got this many years by disputation those that are weak are sooner brought in by humiliation than by Disputation Fifthly If after all this there do remain division among you by reason of your judgements or opinions then remember the Apostles rule and be sure to walk by it for saith he as we instanced before Let no man think more highly of himself than he ought to think but to think soberly as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith The Apostle directs us to live humbly and walk meekly one toward another and not to be rash or to think highly of our selves But further Sixthly If we would live in love and unity then let us look upon other mens infirmities in conjunction with their excellencies and their excellencies in conjunction with their infirmities and thereby the one will take away or hide the other Let us not pore only upon a mans infirmities upon his Euts as I may say he is a godly man but therefore if you would agree joyn his infirmities and his excellencies together and then look upon him Seventhly If you should meet with any provocation that may weaken your love one toward another then be sure to take that as an opportunity to exercise your patience and your love when you meet a beggar in the streets full of sores then you think you have an opportunity to exercise your charity to give something And so you should say when you are provoked by another to debilitate your love and affection you may say why now have I an opportunity to exercise my patience Again Eighthly If you will live in love and unity then you must resolve with the grace of God to love where you are not beloved let love rise above all difficulties labour for a Gospel spirit to love though you are not loved A Legal spirit is a fretful spirit saith Christ you know not of what spirit you are of labour I say after a Gospel spirit yea the spirit of Christ who was as a Lamb he opened not his mouth if you would live in love and unity then take heed of a Legal spirit and labour after this Gospel spirit Again Ninthly If you would agree together and live in love and unity then be humbled for the want of love to one another and take heed for the future of those things that hinder your love one toward another there are four or five of them observe them and take heed of them First Pride A proud man is much given to contention Secondly Passion For though a man dislikes and is sorry for what he hath done in his passion when it is over and though what he doth in his passion be one thing and what he doth in his serious consideration is another thing yet we are to take great heed of passion Thirdly Another enemy to love is strangeness strangeness ends in enmity when brethren and friends grow strangers one to another then they surmise things one of another and that destroys love and unity Fourthly Another is designing one against another true love knows no designs upon others no man can endure to have designs laid against him designing causeth anger enmity and hatred and hinders true love one toward another Fifthly Another is whispering a whisperer separateth true friends Pro. 16.28 But now if any one should come to me and tell me any thing against a brother I would not believe the whisperer till I had spoken with the other for a cause can never be truly known nor judged of till both parties have been heard speak Thus you may see the five things that hinder love that is Pride Passion Strangeness designing one upon another and hearkning unto whisperers Now as you desire to live in love and unity observe these things and take heed of them Tenthly Let me say to you holy and beloved brethren if you would love one another then forgive one another and live more unto God who loveth you live more to God lest he should turn his love to hatred and wrath against you 11. Strengthen your love to God himself the more love you have to God the more will you love others 12. If you would live in love and Unity then you must willingly take wrong and give up your right for peace sake and for agreement saith Abraham to Lot Let there be no difference between my heardmen and thy heardmen for we are brethren Now Abraham was the elder and therefore it was his right to have the choice but yet for peace sake he gives up his right and sayes to Lot Take what you will the right hand or the left there was a division between them and the Cananites were in the land and therefore it was no good time for them to be at difference one with another when the Cananites were in the land it was no good time then for good men to strive and therefore Abraham for peace sake gives up his right so I say for peace sake and for a holy agreement you should
willingly give up your right and render up your own right to preserve peace and Unity one with another O friends love one another that you may declare your selves to be heavenly children to be children of your heavenly Father consider Phil. 1.27 Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come or be absent I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel O friends let me beseech you to love one another and to take all advantages that may increase your love how can you shew your face before the free love and grace of God if you do not love one another with what face can you go to God for free grace and love when you your selves have no love for your brethren If a poor man should do a rich man a great deal of prejudice and if this rich man should nevertheless invite this poor man to a feast and welcome him and do him abundance of good would you not say that this is wonderful love and kindness because the poor man is no way able to gratify him or to make any requital for what he receives but only by thankfulness it may be he may be thankful to him why thus it is with us now this is our own case for we have done great injury to God and yet God hath loved us and hath given us blessings and riches and what doth he expect for it all surely no reward from us for he knows we are poor and not able to gratify him no he expects nothing but only that we should love one another saies God you can do nothing for me all that I desire is that you would love one another in Truth How then I say will you be able to shew your faces before the God of heaven if you love not one Another O look after this love which is so much commended in this little Psalm O how sweet and perfuming it is it is as sweet as honey is is like unto the Oyl that ran down Aarons beard like the dew upon Hermon and as the dew that fell down upon the mountains of Zion yea this is that which is sweet and profitable that which will perfume you now if you do desire that Gods perfumes may come upon you and that the dew of Gods blessings may fall upon you labour more and more to love one another and let not love be wanting I cannot tell how it may be with you yet let me desire you as you would honour your selves now and as you desire happiness in this life and also to be blessed hereafter to all Eternity observe this new Commandment to love one another and as you do desire to declare that you have received free grace and that you have that seal with which God seals the soul for his own to live with him for ever be exhorted to be of one mind and love one another Rejoyce in the Lord and be of one mind be united one to another and let your hearts abound in love more and more one toward another SERMON VI. MICAH 6.9 The Lords voice cryeth unto the City and the man of Wisdom shall see thy name hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it MEthinks I see a great rod ready to be layd upon the back of this Nation and I would therefore at this time endeavour to inform you what the voice of this Rod is and have to that end chosen this Scripture to speak unto In this Chapter then you have Gods controversy with his own people set down at the end of the 2. verse For the Lord hath a controversy with his people and he will plead with Israel And then he chargeth them with First Unthankfulness for many years in the 3.4 5. verses O my people what have I done unto thee and wherewith have have I done unto thee and wherewith have I wearied thee testifie against me for I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt c. Secondly He Chargeth them with formality and shews them the evill of it in the 6. and 7. verses Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams c. And then Thirthly He pleades against them in the 8. verse He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God And then Fourthly He seals up the Sentence in this verse of my Text. The Lords voice cryeth unto the City and the man of Wisdom shall see thy name hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Wherein you have three things especially remarkable First The people the Lords voice cryeth unto and that is unto the City the Lords voice cryeth unto the City Secondly You have en exhortation to hear the voice of the Rod. Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Thirdly You have an Argument to press you so to do It is your wisdom the man of wisdom shall see thy name The Lords voice cryeth unto the City that is unto Samaria and Jerusalem the Chief Cities And the man of wisdom shall see thy name The dispensations of God in the way of his mercy or Justice are his name As a man is known by his name so God is known by his dispensations which though they be dark to the world yet the man of wisdom shall see them and discern them Therefore hear ye the Rod and who hath appointed it the Rod that is the Rod of Correction Now there is First The Rod of power and dignity He shall send his rod out of Zion Secondly There is a rod of Discrimination Ezek. 20.37 I will cause you to pass under the Rod and I will bring you under the bond of the Covenant Thirdly There is the rod of direction Thy rod and thy staff they shall comfort me Fourthly There is a rod of Government both Ecclesiastical and civil As for Ecclesiastical saith Paul shall I come unto you with a rod and as for civil he that spareth the rod hateth the Child Fifthly There is a rod of Destruction thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them to peices like a potters vessel Psalm 2.9 Now it is a rod of Correction that we are to understand here from whence I take up this Observation That when God visits the transgressions of his people with a rod it is their best wisdom to hear the rod and who hath appointed it It is their true Interest and best wisdom so to do For the opening and cleering hereof I shall speak to these 4. or 5. Propositions First That God doth not steal upon a people with his Judgements but he first warns them before he smites them Secondly When God smites his own people he deals with them in the way of rod. Thirdly That Gods Rod is a teaching Rod. Fourthly That the message of the Rod is commonly sent to the