Gospel Grounds 'T is not a natural hardiness or apathy 't is not the Spirit of a man that does sustain his infirmities 't is upon the everlasting Gospel that he stands There are three Things especially that bear him through His viewing The Hand of the Lord. The End of the Lord. The Help of the Lord. 1. He sees the hand of the Lord in all that befalls him Whence was Davids patience Psal 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth Because thou Lord didst it Whence was Eli's patience 1 Sam. 3. It is the Lord let him do what seems him good Whence was Job's patience Job 1. 21. The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. By the way note That a godly man is not only patient under his afflictions but thankful He is not only thankful for Mercies but for Chastisements 'T is not only the Lord hath given blessed be his Name the Lord hath built me up the Lord hath filled me the Lord hath hedged me blessed be his Name but also The Lord hath taken away the Lord hath humbled me broken me undone me left me naked left me nothing blessed be the Name of the Lord. This by the way 2. He sees the end of the Lord that God intends his good by all that comes upon him He knowes that all things and therefore this which is upon him whatever it be shall work to him for good 3. He feels the help of the Lord. When the hand of the Lord is upon him he feels also the hand of the Lord under him underneath the everlasting Arms Deut. 32. 27. The Gospel as it hath allotted him many Tribulation◠so it hath allowed him mighty supports A mighty God who is the Rock of Ages Isa 26. a merciful High-Priest who being tempted himself is able also to succour those that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. Precious Promises 2 Pet. 1. Gracious experiences Rom. 5. 4. Patience worketh experience This last support experience hath all the rest in it Experience is the whole Gospel proved A patient experienced Christian hath proved all things what they are hath proved the World and what it is and the worst it can do hath proved the Word and what there is in it hath proved what God is what Christ is what grace and peace and a good Conscience are Tribulation often takes away God and his Gospel and we never so well prove what God is as when we have him alone what grace is what a good Conscience is as when we have nothing else left us Our Religion never shews so much what is in it as when it 's most put to it When the Adversary hath gotten the greatest advantage of us of the Sun of the Wind of the Ground when he presseth with most violence with most fury upon us then we best know what the weapons of our Warfare are The comforts and supports of Religion are not known either of what strength or of what sweetness they are till they are thus proved Hezekiah had never such a tast of his integrity as when he received the Message of death Stephen had never such a sight of Heaven as through a storm of stones Christ is never so sweet as in a prison When God meets his Saints in a Wilderness then he speaks comfortably to them A patient Christian hath more or less experience of all this and hence is he supported keeps quiet under all his sufferings and carried with courage on in his way Be patient therefore Brethren unto the coming of the Lord. You have need of patience and no excuse for your impatience The sufferings of the Gospel call for patience and the supports of the Gospel will condemn your impatience If you will be godly count upon it that you have a great fight of afflictions to endure Venture not into the fight without your Armour An impatient creature is a naked Soldier How easily will Sathan destroy whom he hath once disarmed The more you can the less you shall suffer Secure your spirit and you save your self from harm There 's no Dart shall hurt you that does not hit your heart Keep your heart whole and the Devil loses all his shot Be patient and you possess your Souls keep your Souls and the enemy loses the day Christians 'T is of great consequence to you to be of a patient spirit and 't is a great Duty there 's much more in it than every eye observes When I perswade you to Patience know That 't is no small thing that I am perswading you to 'T is no less than 1. To the whole of Christianity 2. To the height of Christianity 1. To the whole of Christianity To be truly Patient hath as much in it as to be a Christian To be holy humble meek mortified self-denying crucified to the world heavenly minded all this you must be or you cannot be patient Patient and proud patient and peevish patient and unmortified earthly minded a self-seeker This is as great a contradiction as to be proud and humble fleshly and spiritual earthly and heavenly a Christian and no Christian If ever you will be possessors of this grace you must be partakers of all grace Get a believing broken self-denying heart get your spirits furnished with the love of Christ the hope of the Gospel the contempt of the World live above in the other World Let Christ Glory Honour Immortality be the portion of your Souls and the pleasure of your lives if ever you would be truly patient 2. To Christianity in the height of it In pressing you to patience I am herein pressing you to get Assurance Without assurance though patience be possible yet you 'l find it both difficult and very imperfect What Patience when I question whether my sins be forgiven whether God be reconciled and be not dealing with me as an enemy What Patience when I doubt whether my afflictions be not the pension of a bastard rather than the portion of a Son when I am not sure but my present sufferings are sent to carry me down to eternal sufferings I am in misery and perpetual torments never a day without 〈…〉 it may be never shall this or worse may last for ever 〈◊〉 if I were sure it would be well at last I could be quiet but for ought I know the Furnace I am in may be the very mouth of Hell The diseases the wounds I am under may be sent to let out my Soul into everlasting burnings how can I be patient under such doubts and fears Make God sure Christian make Heaven sure once and then thou may'st set thine Heart at rest then thou may'st almost as easily exercise as thine Enemies find thee Exercise of thy patience Christians if you will be patient you must be painful give diligence be diligent in making your Calling and Election sure be diligent in duty be vigilant against iniquity If you will be patient be impatient of sin and you will be
patient of sorrow make sin sure get it slain by the cross and buried in the grave of your Lord sealing the stone and setting a watch have nothing to conflict with in the day of your affliction but your affliction beware of carrying guilt with you up upon the Cross Let not the gall of guilt be mingled with the vinegar of affliction A mortified spirit will deaden all our pains and a pure Conscience will bear all our burthens Till this be done I must tell you you will find suffering to be hard service T is an easie matter to talk of the sufferings of the Gospel and to boast great things afore-hand as you know who did once and what came of it Though I die with thee I will never deny thee But when it comes to the pinch when Troubles come upon us when the hand of the Lord touches us and touches where it 's most tender brings those calamities on us which are most contrary to us strips us of those comforts which are most dear to us takes away all from us and leaves us naked when we feel the smart of the rod when every stroke fetches blood when the feet are hurt in the Stocks and the Iron enters into the Soul when the vinegar and the gall comes when the thorns and the nails of the Cross are struck in when shame and reproach when scorn and contempt when hunger and thirst when cold and nakedness when bodily torment and pain are all measured to you for your portion and mingled in your cup If ever God should call you out to take your part with that Cloud of witnesses Heb. 11. who were tortured had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings of bounds and imprisonment who were stoned were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the sword wandring about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented wandring in desarts and mountains in dens and caves of the earth If ever this should be your case then you will know how much there is in Christian patience and how necessary self-denial mortification living in the faith and fellowship of God and the power of his Spirit and assurance of his love are to your patient possessing of your Souls Believe it Christians the Gospel hath not furnished us with such large provision of Graces Comforts Promises Hopes for nothing you will find need enough of them all Such amazing astonishing trials you may be called out to as nothing less than the rickest stock of promises the greatest treasure of Experiences the highest pitch of spiritual Graces your greatest conquest over Lust and the World your living under the fullest influences of Divine Power and the clearest Sense of Divine Love will furnish you with an enduring spirit nothing less will but this will do it Get sin and the World under make God sure make the Promises sure live in a daily conflict with Sin contempt of the World and exercise of all Graces Live in the obedience vision and fruition of your God and then you are ready for the Enemy Let your Sufferings be what they will come when they will your Souls are at Anchor and shall have a continual Calm within how Tempestuous soever the Weather be As a farther Encouragement and Help to this great Duty consider that your patient suffering will be 1. Your witness to the Gospel 2. Gods witness to your Adoption 3. The cure of your Corruption 4. Your triumph over Temptation 5. The improvement of your Sanctification 6. The advance of your glory 1. Your patient suffering will be your witness to the Gospel Who were that Cloud of Witnesses mentioned Heb. 12. 1. but the suffering Saints that Army of Martyrs recorded Chap. 11. whose patience is set forth as a partern to those that should come after These are witnesses What was it by which they bare witness but by their patient suffering To what did they bare a witness but to God and his Gospel What witness did they bear Why That the Gospel is true The sufferings of the Saints are their Seal to the Gospel As he that believeth so much more he that suffereth in Faith hath set to his Seal that God is true In the Faith and patience of the Saints may be seen as the Seal in the wax the prints and impressions of the Truth and Faithfulness of God God hath said he will uphold he will not forsake them and their Patience shews he doth uphold he hath not forsaken them 2. That the Gospel is a glorious Gospel That God is a good Master that its good being with Christ any where That they are no losers by their Religion but that it's wages are above its work and it's pay above its pain It were not possible when they prove how much the Gospel costs them but they should be weary of it and repent of their Faith and renounce their profession if they did not find the Lord a good paâ—â— master The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. 3. that Christians are the Epistles of Christ or his Letters of commendation to the World in whom may be read his Excellencies and Glory and the incomparable advantages of his Service And as all Christians so especially suffering Christians The Character of Christ is never so visible and legible as when 't is written in Blood The Bowels and Bounty and kindness of God our Saviour never appear'd in more Glory than upon his Cross and there 's no such lively Transcript of them as upon our Cross On his Cross his Blood on our Cross his Spirit and the precious grace comforts of it are most plentifully shed forth 1 Pet. 4. 14. If ye be reproached that is and endure it the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you The spirit and influences of a crucified Jesus do never shine forth to such advantage as in his crucified Saints Upon the patience of a Saint under the sufferings of Christ he that runs may read this written I serve a good Master Our patient suffering is our witness to Christ and his Gospel Christian when God sends thee to Calvary he sends thee thither as a chosen vessel that thou shouldst there bear his name before the world Art thou impatient at this what canst thou not bear this honour thy God hath laid upon thee Hath God chosen thee thee amongst all thy brethren to do him this honour wilt thou be angry that he did not rather choose some other 'T was an unworthy answer of a good Man Moses when God sent him to Egypt to appear for him before Pharaâ—h and to be the deliverer of his people Exod. 4. 13. Send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send Send whom thou wilt any body but me But by our sinful shifting our selves of trouble or our murmurings under them we say the like Send whom thou wilt to witness for thee but let me go free Let me have my ease and my quiet and my liberty and take this honour who will for me
himself from the Fellowship Fashions and Lusts of the World and denying himself the sinful Liberties thereof doth exercise himself to keep a good conscience towards God and men This is the person against whom the great hate and envy and severe censures and calumnies of ungodly men are chiefly intended under what colour or disguise soever they are carried the enmity is not betwixt sinners and Hypocrites but betwixt Sinners and Saints the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman not the pretended but the true seed Israelities indeed are the Men whom the Ishmaelites persecute Gal. 4. 29. He that was born after the flesh persecuted him not that pretended to be but was born after the Spirit Of this Person or of this sort of people I shall give you a more full description in these two Particulars 1. By their Make or Constitution 2. By their Way or Conversation 1. By their Constitution they are made and cut out exactly according to the pattern they are born of the Spirit born of God and they bare the express Image of their Father upon them Col. 3. 10. Renewed after the Image of Him that created him they are of a new Make from what they were there is a mighty change wrought in and upon them 2 Cor. 3. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are changed into the same image In our first birth we were brought forth in the Image of our first Father Genesis 5. 3. Adam begat a Son in his own Image that is a fleshly and earthly Image The first man was of the Earth earthly and such are all his natural Progeny an earthly seed an earthly Generation he that is born of the Spirit is brought forth in a spiritual frame John 3. 6. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit He that is born from above is of an Heavenly Nature as well as Original The change that Religion makes on men is not such a low and inconsiderable thing as some Men make it standing only in some little Reformation of the Life but it consists chiefly in the renewing of the Sonl after the Image of God the forming of Christ upon the heart of Inner Man As that second change which shall be at the Resurrection will be the transforming of our vile bodies into the likenesse of Christs Glorious Body so this first change is a transforming of our vile souls into the likenesse of his glorious Spirit Christians are the Temples of the Lord and as Moses made the Tabernacle exactly according to the pattern shewed him in the Mount so these spiritual Temples are made exactly according to their pattern 2 Cor. 3. 3. They are the Epistles of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in fleshly Tables of the heart Carnal Men plead hard for their Christianity they are all Christians all Disciples all the people of God though they be ignorant Unbelieving Earthly Sensual yet some kind of Profession such as it is there is among them a profession of Faith a profession of Repentance which though it amount to little more than bare saying I believe I repent I am sorry for my Sins yet this must passe for Christianity But as Christ once said to the tempting Jews whose is this Image and superscription Where is the Divine Stamp and Impress Where is your likenesse to Christ Is there not still the Visage of the Old man Is there not the old Pride the old Envy the old Enmity against Holinesse the old Guile and Falshood and Lust still spread over you Is this the Image of Christ Christians that are truly such are precisely formed according to this pattern they have Face for Face Limb for Limb Grace for Grace all the Grace that is in Christ is truly though not yet perfectly coppied out upon them though the Characters may be something blotted and obscured by reason of the remainders of corruption yet there they are the same mind the same heart that was in Christ is in them A true Christian is a Transcript of Christ As he is so we are in the World This inward change this forming of Christ upon the heart is the very Soul and Life of Christianity you may as well call him a Man whose Soul is not in him as you may call him a Christian who hath not the Spirit of Christ in him Let no man count himself a Christian from any outward priviledges much less from any outward Paint of Christianity but from the inward Prints of it upon his heart Thou hopest thou art a Christian but where is the Image and superscription of Christ upon thy heart Dost thou not find not only an unlikenesse to Christ but a dislike of Christ an inward loathing of the holinesse of Christ and a rising of heart against the strictnesse of that holy life which he requires Dost thou not find a favour of earthlinesse and fleshlinesse beating the sway and rule in thine heart Dost thou not find principles tending altogether to loosenesse and licenciousnesse Is this thy likenesse to Christ Dost thou not find an emptinesse of the Light Life Love Grace of Christ in thy Soul Whatever thou hast of Christ without thou hast nothing of Christ within Deceive not thy self God is a Spirit and his eye is first upon the spirits and souls of men he loves truth in the inward parts he loves holinesse in the inward parts He is a Jew which is one inwardly and he is a Christian which is one inwardly He is not a Christian who is only outwardly so Nay further as he is not a Christian which is not inwardly so so neither he that hath something of the inwards of a Christian and hath not radically all the Graces of Christ in him he that hath faith and hath not Charity he that hath the light of a Christian and not the love he that hath the desires of a Christian and not the conscience of a Christian he that wants any one of the vital parts of Christianity hath nothing at all a thorow Christian is throughout conform to the pattern And thus you have a description of Scripture Precisians by their Make or Constitution II. I shall describe them by their Conversation and that 1. By the end of their Conversation 2. By their course or Motion to this end 1. By the end of their Conversation What is it that these Men would have or whither are they bound They cannot be content to go along with their Neighbours to live and do as others whither is it that they are going or what is it that they would have Why this is it they are travelling Heaven-ward trading to another Country they are bound for the holy Land for the holy City they are going towards Sion or Jerusalem which is above Jerem. 58. 5. They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward Sion was the ancient seat of Gods residence among his People the place of Gods solemn service
lodge within them 2. As there are outward duties to be performed as praying hearing works of mercy c. so there are spiritual duties purely spiritual as the internal acting of faith and love and hope and the fear of God the souls choosing of God cleaving to God rejoycing delighting in God meditating of him c. Exact Christians have a special respect to those spiritual duties in the exercise whereof stands chiefly their living in a holy fellowship communion and acquaintance with God and for outward duties their care is to perform them spiritually they pray with the mouth and pray with the spirit they praise the Lord with their lips and offer up their hearts as a spiritual sacrifice they hear with their ears and with their understanding also they labour to bring their souls under the Word to pour forth their souls in prayer to draw forth their souls in their very alms Isa 58. If thou draw forth thy soul to the hungry Psal 69. 10. I chastened my soul with fasting Oh Brethren if this be to walk exactly then how much loosenesse doth this â—iscover in us loosenesse in our very Duties men do not only 〈…〉 like Libertines and swear like Libertines aud neglect duties like Libertines but perform duties like Libertines thou that usest to pray in thy Closet or in thy Family or in the Congregation in an outward formal way and dost not pour out thy Soul in prayer thou prayest like a Libertine thou that fastest and doth not chasten thy Soul with fasting thou fastest like a Libertine thou that hearest and dost not bring thy soul under the word thou hearest like a Libertine this is loose praying and loose hearing loose from the Rule which requires the exercising of the inner man as well as the outward 3. In observing the command to the utmost and here I shall give a fourfold further description of them 1. They endeavour to get up their hearts to the highest pitch of affection care and activity They would be the best Christians the most humble the most mortified the most patient the most exemplary and active Christians not slothful in businesse but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. 2 Cor. 7. Yea what care yea without clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what vehement desire yea what zeal c. A sincere Christian would be a zealous Christian in his sincerity stands the height of it Zeal is not a distinct grace but the height of every grace Love in the height of it Desire in the height of it Care and Resolution to follow God in the height of it A zealous Christian exercises every grace performs every Duty and doth it with all his might he is not willing to spare or to favour himself but will spend and be spent in the work of the Lord the flesh will be pleading for a little ease for moderation it will be solliciting the Sobl as Peter did Christ Pitty thy self favour thy self thou wilt never hold out at this rate thou wilt pull all the Country about thine ears if thou beest thus hot and forward but the Soul returns the same answer as Christ did to him Get thee behind me Satan hold thy peace slothful heart let me alone for I will speak for God while I have a tongue to speak while I have an heart while I have an hand while I have an eye while I have a soul while I have a being I will follow on after the Lord I will serve him I will praise him I will sacrifice all I am and have to him and then come on me what will 2. They are studying and seeking out opportunities for service Such Christians are of strict lives but of large hearts of strict consciences but of large desires and aims Grace sets limits to their consciences but none to their holy affections they never do so much for God but they are studying how they may do more Isa 32. 8. A liberal Man deviseth liberal things a merciful man deviseth merciful things a righteous man deviseth righteous things he doth not only exercise Liberality and Mercy and work Righteousness when he hath an opportunity put into his hands but he sits down and considers what great things the Lord hath done for him what marvellous loving kindnesse the Lord hath shewed to him and thereupon studies and casts about what greater things then yet he hath done he may do for the Name of God as it is said of the wicked Proverbs 6. 14. He deviseth mischief continually And Psalm 64. 6. They search out iniquity they accomplish a diligent search search out for every opportunity to work wickednesse to satisfie their lust So Righteous men search out and make a diligent seach after opportunities to work Righteousnesse 2 Sam. 9. 3. Is there not yet a man left of the house of Saul saith David to whom I might shew the kindness of God Is there not yet a poer Sool in distresse to whom I might shew kindness for the Name of God Is there not yet a poor Family in misery to whom I might shew mercy Is there not yet a poor sinner to whom I might give counsel Is there not yet a poor Saint to whom I might administer comfort for the sake of my God As it is said of the Devil He goeth up and down seeking whom he may devour So may it be said of such they go up and down seeking whom they might save and recover out of the snares of the Devil other men what good soever they do it is as little as may be their consciences will not let them be quiet but something must be done when they have done so much as will but keep conscience quiet thy have done A sincere Christian hath his love to satisfie his desires to satisfie as well as his conscience he loves much and it is not a little duty that will satisfie strong love 3. They shun occasions and temptations to sin they would keep at as great a distance from sin as possible they are careful to keep far enough within their line they dare not venture to their utmost border lest they go beyond it ere they are aware A wary Christian having observed what things have proved snares and temptations to him and have drawn him aside to iniquity formerly will take heed how he comes nigh them again If carnal society hath cool'd and damp'd his heart and left a fleshly savour upon his Spirit he will take heed how he comes into such company again If going to his utmost liberty in the use of the Creatures either Meat Drink or Apparel hath inticed him beyond his bounds he will be wary how he allows himself the like liberty and will deny himself the freedom he might use rather than again run himself upon danger he is sensible of his weaknesse to stand against a temptation and thereupon is the more watchful that he run not into temptation men that are bold to venture into temptation to venture into
of the soul Reading of the word is not the exercise of the eye onely but of the understanding Prayer is not an exercise of the tongue onely but of the heart it sets all the faculties of the soul on work it sets the several graces on work iâ— sets faith on work it sets hope and holy desires on work and grace kept in action will be by so much the more active and powerful in the whole course 2 In Duties we have an intimate converse with God Therefore they are sometimes called Our drawing â—igh to God Lev. 10. 3. I will be sanctified in them them that come nigh me Sometimes Our meeting with God Amos 4. 12 Prepare to meet thy God O Israel to meet with a Present as Jacob met his angry Brother to meet him with a Prayer and supplication Exod. 25. 32. There will I meet thee when the Saints go up to meet the Lord the Lord comes down to give them a meeting Sometimes Our visiting of God Isay 26. 16. In their trouble they have visited thee When God visiteth his people with a Rod they visit him with a Prayer when we come to Duty as we ought we put our selves under Gods eye we set the Lord before our face it 's necessary to the right performance of Duties that we have right and clear apprehensions of God deep impressions of the Majesty of God of his Omnipotence Omnipresence Holiness Goodness and Faithfulness upon our hearts This is required in that forementioned expression I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me Now what an influence will this have upon the upholding and carrying on the life of God in us to have daily such a sight of God before our eyes and such a sense of God upon our hearts 3 In Duties we obtain new supplies and fresh influences from God The flourishing state of a Christian is set forth Isay 58. 11. by a well-watered Garden and Jer. 31. 12. it is promised They shall come and flow together to the goodness of the Lord for Wheat and for Corn and for Wine and for Oyl And their soul shall be as a well-watered Garden Where observe these three things 1 That the watering of the soul is from the goodness of the Lord all the dews and showers of Grace are from above our Springs do not rise in our own Gardrns All my Springs are in thee 2 All the influences of the grace and goodness of the Lord are gotten down by your applying your selves to him in duty That is the meaning of that expression They shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord they shall assemble and come together to seek the Lord. 3 The People of God in their addresses to him in Duty though it be but for a supply of things temporal do get something for their souls They shall come for Wheat and for Wine c. And their souls shall be as a well-watered Garden We never come to pray for any temporal mercy and pray as we should but our souls are gainers thereby A Christian cannot come near the Throne of Grace for any thing bot his heart hath a share in the Blessing And there are three Reasons for it 1 A Christian never prays for temporal mercies but he hath some words or other to speak for his soul 2 Prayer whatever it be for is the souls drawing nigh to God and exercising it self on God And the soul never goes to God but it brings back something of God upon it even then when it may be denied the temporal mercy it seeks As when a Saint is praying for a Sinner and God will not hear him for that Sinner yet he loses not that Prayer but hath it returned into his own bosome So when the soul is praying for the concernments of the outward man though it be denied in its particular request yet its prayer shall not be lost to it self 3 Temporal merâ—ies obtained as a return of prayer are soul-blessings But now when the matter of our requests is particularly for our souls When Grace is that we come for when love and life and zeal and spiritual strength is that we come for when the watering of a dry and barren and the refreshing of a weary heart is that we seek for shall our souls then be sent bâ—rren and weary and empty away Our hearts are as Cisterns which however sometimes they may be full of water yet if there be not a supply from the Well the waters and the Cistern will waste and mud and at length dry away Duties are our labouring at the Pump which will keep the Cisterns full Isa 12. 3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the Wâ—lls of Salvation Christian thou complainest thy heart is barrâ—n and dead and dry and fit for nothing Why is there not a Well by thee where there is water enough to refresh and fill thee Why doâ—st thou no oftner let down thy Pitcher or labour at the Pump why art thou no oftner with thy God Thy heart wants watering get thee oftner to the Well more praying more fasting more conversing with Christ studying the Gospel searching and sucking the Promises would quickly get thee into a better plight He that is much with God is rich in grace Thou art not so much straâ—â—ned thou canst not be brought so poor and Iean and out of case but thou knowest where there is enough to fetch thee up again thou knowest where there is a Well that hath not onely water enough healing water but Wine and Milk and Honey enough but thou must go oftner for it if thou wilt have the benefit of it Go therefore and let down thy Pitcher and thou needest not fear its coming up empty Onely in exercising thy self in duty take heed thou mistake not the Pitcher for the Well take heed thou fix not thine eye on duty as if this were thy Christ thy Fountain out of which thou mayest be supplyed Duties are but the pipes it is the Lord that is the Fountain from whence all the water comes 4 Duties are our conflicting with corruption or striving against sin When ever we are striving with God we are thereby striving against sin Duty and sin contend for the Victory whilest Duty holds up sin goes down when Duty flags sin gets up Holy Prayer will make us weary of iâ—â—quity or our iniquity will quickly make such praying a weariness unto us it is not for the interest of the flesh to suffer the heart to be much in prayer or other duâ—ies and therefore we find for the whole Generation of carnal men a little of it must serve their turn There is no such way for Christians to be revenged on sin and to see their desires on this Enemy as to bring it before the Lord. They never fight against it with greater zeal or with more success then upon their knees When the sinner kneels in earnest before his God his lusts must quickly kneel to him our confession of sin
testimony of their own Consciences This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Consciences 2. A witness in the world Ye are witnesses your eyes have seen what our lâ—fe hath been be but true witnesses and then be you witnesses speak but what you have seen and speak the worst among you that believe the world will be ready to say you are too crafty to let us know what you do in secret when you are amongst your selves I but says he let them that believe speak those that have been with us publickly and privately what our conversation hath been if it be said they are of your own party and will not speak all they know then he appeals to a third witness a Witness in Heaven and God also he that seeth things before whom are all our ways he that seeth all things seeth our integrity and blamelesseness But here that I be not mistaken I must distinguish betwixt their aims or what they are pressing and reaching towards and their attainments or what they have reached to The aims of these cricumspect Christians in their whole course are at perfection Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the mark they would keep their way without the least wandring they would not tread one step awry they would not speak one word amiss they would not think one thought amiss they would not neglect any one duty nor commit any one sin but would be what the Apostle would have them to be Holy and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation These are their Aims and as to their Attainments though they fall short of their desires they cannot do as they would The good that I would I do not yet they do their best they follow the Lord with the best of their understanding serve the Lord with the best of their strength and when they have done their best they mourn and grieve that 't is no better That I may more distinctly open this exact and upright walking in the way of the Lord which their hearts are set upon I shall consider it 1. As it hath respect to the Commandment 2. As it hath respect to Conscience 1. Their exact walking as it hath respect to the Commandment stands 1. In having respect to every Commandment to the whole Word of God Psal 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you The life of a Christian is a busie life the Words of God finds us much work to do we have work for every faculty and member our understandings have their work our wills affections consciences tongues ears eyes hands have all their particulars works assigned them every grace hath its work faith hath its work love hath its work patience hath its work every lust makes us work to restrain deny watch crucifie them these are weights and clogs that will hang on and will hinder us from all other works if we let them alone these are working against us continually and apt to set us on work against our selves a working mischief and ruine to our souls if they be not continually looked to and kept under We havâ— work against us for every condition our prosperity finds us much work to keep our selves humble heavenly watchful in an holy fear and jealousie lest the contentments and pleasures of this life make an invasion and inrode upon our hearts and spoyle us of our graces and comforts Our afflictions find us work to keep our spirits from sinking and fainting from murmuring and envying at those whose way doth prosper We have all the set and solemn duties of Religion to attend upon we have praying work and hearing work and Sacrament work and reading work and heart-searching work and meditating work We have work to be done for others our neighbours and acquaintance our friends and our enemies our families our servants our children we have not only work to do for them as men but work to do for God with them God hath work for us to do among our neighbours God hath work for us to do in our families and for our friends and enemies instructing work reproving work praying work works of mercy and charity c. we have a continual succession of work every day hath its businesse Christians must have no sleeping dayes their very Sabbaths must be working dayes we must be at work for our souls even on those dayes wherein we must do no bodily work There remains a rest for the People of God such a rest wherein they shall work no more nor be weary any more wherein all their work shall be to eat of the fruit of their doings but on this side that rest there is no rest but we must be full of labour You see the Word hath provided much work for Christians now those that are circumspect and upright and in the way will be through pac'd and stick at nothing the Word requires they 〈◊〉 for any service ready for every good work they will not pick and choose they will not halt or baulk with God but as the Apostle Col. 4 10. Endeavour to stand compleat in all the Wills of God Those duties that have most pain in them those duties that have most hazard attending them those duties that have the greatest contrariety to their natural temper and dispositions if they be duties if the word sayes This must be done this is that which the Lord requires an upright heart will yield and stoop to them Brethren if there be any one thing required in the whole Book of God that you cannot consent to but allow your selves in the ordinary neglect of concerning which you say with Naaman The Lord spare me in this one thing whatsoever else you do you can have no comfort that your hearts are upright 2. In having respect to the most spirituall and inward part of the Commandment the Commandment contains fugienda and facienda sins to be avoided and duties to be performed and both these are either outward or spiritual 1. As there are outward sins to be avoided sins of the mouth sins of the eyes ears hands so there are inward sins spiritual wickednesses evil thoughts Jer. 4. 14. unclean lusts Mat. 5. 28. inordinate affections an evil conscience and the like now sincere Christians have an eye to and hold a strict hand upon these spiritual wickednesses 〈◊〉 to have their consciences purged their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience their affections and lusts mortified Gal. 5. 24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections an lusts their care is not only that they be no drunkards or swearers nor lyars nor railers nor oppressors nor of proud froward fretful impatient carriages and behaviours but they would not covet they would not lust they would not be of proud impatient fretful envious unpeaceable hearts they would not that an evil thought not a vain thought should
understanding we are not now discoursing of natural Fools but of those that are such upon a moral account a man void of true wisdom Wisdom is of Two sorts 1. Fleshly Wisdom a Carnal Policy which consists in an understanding where the interest of the fleshlies in the ordering managing of our selves and our affairs so that we may advaâ—â— and secure this interest By the interest of the flesh I mean all those things which please and gâ—atifie the flesh and wherewith the fleshly â—inds of men are most delighted and place their content happiness in as outward peace and quiet outward ease security outward pleâ—â—â— prosperity outward credit and reputation he that can order his affairs and steer his course so as will most advance and best secure these his outward concernments that which way soever the world go he may live in peace and quiet credit and plenty and pleasure this is a fleshly wise man Concerning this wisdom the question is not in this it will easily be granted That the chilren of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light can make a better shift to live in the world to keep themselves whole in all changes and casualties the Apostle disclaims this wisdom 1 Cor. 1. 12 we had our conversation in the world not in fleshly wisdom but in the Grace of God and in simplicity and godly sincerity 2. Spiritual wisdome which consists 1. in the understanding where our main interest lies which is not in things temporal meat drink and cloaths money and house lands and pleasures and honours but in things Spiritual in the love favour of God in a good Conscience in Righteousness Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and in things eternal in that Glory Honour and Immortality which shall be given of God 2. In ordering our selves and waies so as to make the best provision for securing of this our great eternal interest that whatever miscarriages there may be in things of lower value and least durance that wherein our eternal happiness stands may be secured to us this is called in Scripture The wisdome which is from above wisdome to Salvation and this is the only true Wisdome God hath made and will make all fleshly wisdom appear to be folly concerning this true Wisdom this Spiritual Wisdom it is that I shall now make good That circumspect precise Christians are no fools but the only wise men and that from these Reasons 1. God accounts them no fools 2. They will not be counted fools at last neither by God nor men 3. The properties of wise men are found in them 4. The Treasures of Wisdom are found with them Reas 1. Cod counts them no fools they are no fools upon a true account whom the world counts fools but they only are such whom God counts fools as the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. Not he that commends himself is approved but he whom the Lord commends so not he that condemneth himself or is condemned of men for folly or simplicity is disapproved but whom God condemneth Beloved whose judgment will you take will you stand to the judgment of God in this case His judgement we have plain Job 28. 28. Vnto man he said the fear of the Lord this is wisdom and to depart from evil this is understanding Ps 211. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdoâ— a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments The beginning of wisdom that notes either 1. The entrance of Wisdom men never begin to be wise till they come to be godly Look how long thou hast lived a stranger from God in a carnal unconverted state so long thou livedst a fool thou never camest near the theshold of true wisdom till thou learnedst the fear of the Lord. When the repenting Prodigal came to his Father he came to himself his understanding returned to him he was besides himself before but then he came to himself 2. The top or height of Wisdom Caput sapientiae the word signifies a godly man for tâ—ue wisdom is the head and not the tail excellent wisdom is found in him In these and multitudâ—s of other Scriptures you have the judgment of God concerning these men God is infinite in wisdom and knows all things and persons what they are and God is true and all things and persons are certainly what he sayes they are Are you wiser than he Will you belieive your own conceits and apprehensions before the word of the All-wise and true God Either you must make sinners fools or God a lyar Reas 2. They will be accounted no soâ—â—ls at last neither by God nor men They only are to be accounted fools now that will be accounted such at last at present mens eyes are blinded they cannot discern betwixt light and darkness betwixt wisdom and folly and so are subject to great mistakes but at last mens eyes shall be opened this blind world shall then see and look upon all the wayes and transactions of men here below and all the various states and conditions of the several sorts of persons to the world with another eye than now they do When the designs and wayes and actions of men shall be brought to their issue when all vizards shall be pulled off and all faces and hearts shall be made bare and naked and open then every one will see who have behaved themselves â—isely and who have plaid the fool 1 Cor. 3. 13. Every mans work shall be made manifest and thereby every man shall be made manifest the day shall declare them If you ask what day I answer â—he last day when every man shall have finished his work the day of Judgment which is both a day of tryal when all shall be proved and examined what they are and a day of recompence when every man shall be rewarded according to his work Let this now determine the question let those persons who will be by both God and Men by good men and evil men accounted fools at that day let them be accounted fools now and let those men be accounted wise now whom God and all the world will acount such in that day of tryal Now the world are divided in their judgments some think Christians fools others think them wise but at last all the world shall be agreed and of one minde and those that shall be judged fools then by the common judgement of all let them pass for such now But you will say what is this to the satisfying our present judgment how can we tell now who shall then be accounted wise or fools I answer besides that the VVord is before you which is the law by which that judgment must proceed from which you may easily learn what Mens judgements shall be besides this let every man appeal to his own conscience Here are two sorts of persons in the world one sort are such as own God in the world and follow God and follow the
Scripture and withdraw themselves from the loose and vain wayes of the wicked spending much of their time in praying and hearing and meditating of God exercising themselves in holy watchfulness over their hâ—â—rts and all their wayes labouring in all things that both here and hereafter they may be accepted and approved of God The other sort live at their ease and their pleasuâ—â— minde their Farms and Oxen and bellies hope they shall do well enough here-after but do not much trouble themselves nor take any care or pains about it Let every man ask his own heartâ— thus Which of these two sorts do I think in my conscience will be found fools and which wise in the day of Judgment Beloved will you speak your consciences in this thing if it were put to your choice amongst which of these two sorts you would be found and take your portion at last what choice do you think you should make whether would you be found amongst those that spend their dayes in ignorance or those that seek after the knowledge of God amonst those that labour and strive to make sure the love and favour of God or amongst those that take no care about it but leave it at uncertainties Amongst the vain or the serious the diligent or the sloathful the heavenly minded or the earthly minded Dare any of you say let my soul stand amongst the drunkards and gluttons and gallants and good-fellows among the covetous and proud and loose and careless ones of the earth Among the formalists the mockers and scoffers at the pure wayes of the Lord let my portion be with them my place be with them let my sentence be according to their sentence If you dare not make this your choice or desire to be found amongst such at that day you thereby may perceive what the verdict of your own conscience is in this case whatever you say of them now your conscience tells you that these will be found the only fools in that day and those only wise amongst whom you would choose to stand Reas 3. The properties of wise men are found in them I shall instance but in two 1. They understand themselves a right 2. They build sure 1. They understand themselves aright for 1. They understand wherein their interest lies we say of a wise Man the is a Man that understandâ— himself that understands what he hath to do Christians are men of understanding they understand what that one thing is for which they live in the pursuit and security whereof if they prosper they know they shall be happy whatever else they miscarry in and upon their miscarriage wherein they know they are undone whatever else they prosper in they know there is but one thing needful and that that one thing is their eternal interest the blessedness to come the happiness of the other world the obtaining and enjoying of God for the portion of their Souls be thou mine and I have what I look for either in Heaven or Earth Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and in Earth there is none that I desire in comparison of thee Psal 4. 6. There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired Phil. 3. 13. This one thing I do Christians have but one thing wherein they are concerned God is all they have to regard this one thing they have in their eyes they see before them where their happiness lies and they are able to say Whom have I or what have I but thee This one thing is in their hearts one thing have I desired That I may dwell in the House of the Lord for ever and this one thing is in their hand too the work and the business they mind to carry oâ— This one thing I do forgetting that which is behind and reaching forth to that which is before I press to the mark for the price of the â—high calling of God in Christ Jesus Sinners you that take your selves to be so wise you are a company of poor mistaken Creatures mistaken in your interest you are in the world you know not for what you know not what you have to do here you are those men upon whom God is said Psal 14. To look down from Heaven to see if there were any among them that did understand and seek God That did understand that is that knew that their great business they had here to do and their only happiness which they had to seek lay in God and that thereupon applyed themselves to the seeking of God but behold they were all out of the way there were none amongst them that understand this that this was their great concernment and thereupon they were all out of the way quite off from that work that they were sent hither about it is no wonder you shoot so wide when you mistake your mark it is no wonder you do you know not what when you know not what you should do Is this the work you came into the World for to Eat and Drink and Sleep and Buy and Sell and Marry and bring forth Children and load your selves and them with burthens of thick Clay to Sport and Play and Riot and Laugh and spend your dayes in meer Vanity and Foolery are there no higher things than these which God hath set before you and more worthy your choice and labour Have you no Souls to mind that are of an immortal being and are there not lasting Riches abiding Pleasures an enduring substance that may be had that must be had for these souls of yours tâ—â—ive upon or else they will be eternally miserabâ—â— and do you noâ— understand that your souls are of more value than your perishing Carkasses and that the making provision for your souls is of far higher consequence than the pampering of your bodies Will the loss of your souls be recompenced by all your bodily pleasures and plenty VVill not the saving your souls ballance and make amends for any losses crosses miscarriages in your fleshly interest If you do not understand this yet do not judge them fools that do 2. They understand their way Prov. 14. 8. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way The wisdom of a Merchant lies not only in his skill to choose and deal in the right and richest commodities which will bring in the greatest and most certain gain but in his understanding the mystery of his Trade whereby he may upon the best and surest terms procure these commodities to know the best way of dealing and traffiquing for them Christians by their being acquainted with the Scriptures and having been trained up in the School of Christ are come to understand their Trade the mystery of godliness they have not only learn'd to prize the salvation of God and the glory and blessedness of the world to come but are well acquainted with the way that leads to it
evil men If they be hypocrites any of them and you know them to be such call them hypocrites but do not take the name of Saint or Precisian or holy Brother and put them as marks of disgrace and scorn upon them he that calls a Saint hypocrite reproaches the Christian he that in scorn calls an hypocrite Saint or holy Brother reproaches Christianity it self Vse 2. But I have yet a greater request unto you then to have a good opinion of these men and no longer to reproach them my request to you farther is That you would come in and be of this number Some of you it may be will be ready to reply he shall have hard work that will perswade me to be a Precisian and truly I am afraid so too if all that the Devil can do will hinder it if all that your carnal reason and fleshly lusts can do if all that your sinful companions can do will hinder it I shall be sure enough not to prevail with you yet know that the motion which I make to you is from the Lord and if you deny me you therein deny him and if you deny him you must come upon it there 's another day coming when he will deny you You say you will not be perswaded but what is it you will not be perswaded to Why this is it you will not take the Yoke of Christ upon you you will not be advis'd nor be rul'd by him so as to live as he would have you live but you will have your liberty still to walk according to your own mind and hâ—â—rt that is you will not be Christians Will you not Are you in good earnest Are you content that the Lord should take you at your word and for ever give you up to your hearts lust and let you alone to walk in your own counsels Are you content from henceforth to give up your hope in Christ are you content to be damn'd Brethren this is the choice you are put to either an holy Life or everlasting Death either you must submit to the Yoke of Christ or you can have no benefit by the Cross of Christ either you must kiss his golden scepter or be broken in pieces with his Rod of Iron refuse to follow him in his Kingdom of Grace and you thereby shut your selves out of the Kingdom of Glory Whereof that I may the more effectually convince you I shall yet farther prove to you both by Scripture and reason that this strict and precise way of life is so undoubtedly and absolutely necessary to salvation that whosoever doth not thus walk cannot escape the damnation of hell I know carnal men are confident that they shall be saved without so much ado and this is that which hardens them in their sins their strong conceit that the way is not so strait and narrow as many would make them believe they doubt not but they have found out a shorter and easier way than this and what is this easier way Why 't is but call upon God for mercy keep thy Church do no body any wrong be no drunkard no swearer no adulterer or if thou be sometimes overtaken ask God forgiveness cry God mercy and then hope well never despair of Gods mercy fear not thou shalt be safe enough Now I shall make it plain to you that this loose and easie way of Religion will certainly leave every soul that goes no further to perish everlastingly and that this strict holy life which hath been described is indispensably necessary to salvation Beloved the matter I am upon is weighty a mistake in your Religion is mortal if that which you have taken up for the way of life be not so you are undone for ever and that this your easie way is not it I shall now make evident 1. From Scripture Let us but seriously examine and weigh those many high expressions which we find in Scripture in the Commands Exhortations Instructions Instances Promises and Prayers recorded in it in all which the one way of life is described and then let any reasonable man judge if all this amount to no more than that poor and pitiful and empty thing which carnal men count their Religion 1. For Scripture-commands consider these Strive to enter in at the strait gate looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God Work out your salvation with fear and trembling not sloathful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Put off concerning the conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Wash thine heart from thine iniquities that thâ—â— mayst be saved How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee â—et no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but speak ye that which is good to the use of edifying that may minister grace to the bearers Walk in love love one another love your Enemies bless them that curse you pray for them which persecute you render to no man evil for evil but overcome evil with goodness mortifie your members which are upon the Earth walk in the spirit abstain from all appearance of evil be watchful stand with your loyns girded and your lights burning 2. For Scripture-instructions consider these The Grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live righteously godly and soberly in â—his present World pure Religion and underfâ—led before God and the Father is this To visit c. and to keep himself unspotted of the World They that be Christs have crucified the flesh with affections and lusts He that is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement He that looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart Of every idle word men shall give account at the day of Judgment If any Man seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue that Mans Religion is vain 3 For Scripture-instances David is said to be a man after Gods own heart did that which was right in the sight of the Lord turned not Aside from any thing that the Lord had commanded him all the dayes of his life save only c. Of Josiah it is recorded That his heart was tender and perfect with the Lord his God and that he turned not aside to the right hand or to the left Paul professes that he served the Lord instantly night and day that forgetting those things which are behind he reached forth to the things that are before pressing to the mark c. The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God To me to live is Christ to dye is gain I so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the air but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest
by the soul there is the light of the Word shining in every Christian Secondly It is embraced approved consented to there is the love of the Law in the heart of a Christian the heart closes with it and all that it requires as a good word and worthy of all acceptation A Christian doth not only accept the Promises of the Gospel as good words and comfortable words but can heartily write Good is the Word of the Lord upon every precept he likes his Duties as well as his Priviledges his work as well as his reward This cowardliness of heart is set forth in those expressions of a willing mind a ready mind a forward mind And as his heart is towards his works so is it for any work the Lord calls it to he hath respect to all the Commandments he would not be without one leaf no nor one line of the whole Word of God he is ready to every good work he would not have one duty abated to him of all that God hath required he would not have one sin allowed to him of all that God hath forbidden him He that sayes concerning any one word in the whole will of God This I must have struck out or be dispensed within it ere I can be a Christian his heart is not upright He that would have any one sin to be no sin any one duty to be no duty any one sin to be allowed him or any one duty to be abated him is no Christian 4. This inward habitual Holiness is such as beares the sway and hath the perheminence in the heart though sin be there still yet where there is true Grace sin is an underling and brought into captivity it hath lost that power and interest which it had in the Sould before and the heart is now given up to God the stream runs Heavenward the stream of the thoughts the stream of the affections run that way God and the way of Holinesse hath a greater share and greater power in the heart than all the world there is more love to God stronger resolutions for following God than can be ballanced by the highest interest of the flesh God and the World stand as two suâ—tors for the heart but God carries it from the world so that as before it followed the world with the neglect of God now it will follow God with the neglect of the World before it would it may be mind God and godliness as far as it could without prejudice to its worldly interest so far as it could with honour or ease or safety but now it will mind the world and its â—leâ—hly interest so far only as is consistent with godliness and a good conscience this is sincerity and the clearest and most certain evidence of it Can we imagin that we love God sincerely when we love the World better wheâ—â— we love our ease or credit or pleasures or carnaâ—â— friends better When these can do more with us and command farther than God and golry Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Luke 14. 33. Whosoever he be of you that forsake not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple If there be any certain unquestionable Truths in the whole Doctine of the Gospel this is one of them That whosoever hath true saving Grace hath more love to God and holiness than to all things else whatsoever Though it be controverted Whether common grace and saving grace do not differ more than indegree yet this is without controversie That saving grace doth contain in it an higher degree of love to God than to all things else 5. This inward habitual prevailing holiness where ever it is will infallibly bring forth this strict precise and holy life For First That holiness in the heart will bring forth holiness of life is as naturally certain as that he that hath the life and reason of a man will act as a man as that a root will bring forth such branches and fruit as partake of the kind and nature of the root as that a fig-tree will bring forth figs that an olive-tree wil bring forth olives Secondly It is as certain that according to the proportion of holiness in the heart such will be the proportion of it in the life if holiness bear the sway in the heart it will bear the rule in the life if that little good that is in the heart be held as an underling in the Soul thereafter will the â—ife be this is as certain as that the Soul governs â—he Body Thirdly It 's no less certain that the lowest deâ—ree of prevailing holiness in the heart will â—â—ring forth this precise holy life In the sense I â—ave described it that is though there be not â—erfect holiness brought forth though he that â—ath a lower degree of true grace fall much shorâ—er of that perfection than he that hath an highâ—er degree though there be many failings and wandrings and weaknesses and turnings aside to â—niquity through corruption and temptation yet thus far the lowest of Saints have arrived That his â—ims desires endeavours are after a perfectly holy â—ife he hath a respect to every Commandment â—o every Duty he doth not habitually allow himself in any iniquity there is some change in his course actually appearing and this he purposes to himself and sets his heart upon it to grow up dayâ—y to a more thorow and universal conformity to all the principles of godliness laid down before him â—n the Scriptures and made manifest in his consciâ—nce This is as certain as the two former He that is â—incere would be perfect in the true love of holiness is necessarily included a love and longing for it in the perfection of it He that loveth holiness for it self will love it most when it is most it self in its perfection and love and longing will infallibly bring forth labouring and following after Therefore 6. Whosoever is not truely a person of a precise life is certainly in the state of damnation This so clearly follows from the former Propositions that it needs no further proof He that is not inwardly habitually universally sanctified he that loves any thing more than God or godliness that is he that is not converted and new born and so beâ—come a new Creature is actually in the state of damnation and he who is not a precise walker is not thus converted new born or sanctified for whoever is made this new Creature will infallibly make it appear as hath been proved by this newness of life You see Beloved to what issue this matter is brought either you must take up this strict way of holiness or be reprobates from God Whosoever there be amongst you that have the most rooted enmity in your hearts against this holiness of life and have cast the greatest slight and contempt on it and those that thus live and as Michael did David do despise them in your hearts whoever among you are most
it rather than faith You that are ignorant idle profane and unsanctified and yet believe you shall be saved you believe a lye you believe that which God hath never said shall be nay you believe that which God hath said shall never be Jer. 27. 11. They are a people of no understanding therefore â—e that made them will not save them 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such shall never inherit the Kingdom of God Hear sinners hear God must be a lyar or your faith a lye But the faith of God's Elect such as hath been before described this is that precious tryed faith by which whosoever believes shall not be confounded Christians you that have obtained such precious faith a Christ-imbracâ—ng faith an heart-purifying a flesh-mortifying a world-conquering faith you may venture safely upon it if ever this faith deceive you God hath deceived you the Scriptures have deceived you Christ hath deceived you who hath prayed and we may be bold to turn Christ's prayer into a promise that this faith fail not let the Phanatick world laugh and mock and call your consolations delusions your confidence conceit or what they will let them alone you must give losers leave to talk and laugh yet cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of toward 6. The Doctrine concerning Good Works is a certain truth In this I shall shew First What we are to understand by Good Works A good work in general is an holy or gracious action to the making up whereof thâ—se four things are necessary 1. The principle must be good from which it proceeds it must be from an honest and upright heart for a pure conscience from faith unfeigned c. Mat. 12. 35. 1 Tim. 1. 5. 2. The matter must be good something that is commended Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee Isa 29. 13. Their fear towards me waâ— taught by the precepts of men 3. The form or manner of doing must be good it must be well done this takes in the conâ—ideration of all its circumstances of time place c. 4. The end must be good it must be done to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. As to the particular kinds of Good Works they are not easily to be reckon'd up The Papists talk little of any good works but the exercises of bounty and liberality in giving Alms feeding the hungry cloathing the naked visiting and relieving the afflicted building of Almes-houses Colledges and the like upon which they â—ufist so much as if there were scarce any other good works but such as these but we may not confine them within so narrow a compass Good works do signifie the same with a good life or a godly life the doing and observing all things which God hath commanded us Our living holily honestly circumspectly fruitfully imports the same with our doing good works the exercising of all the graces of Christ faith love hope c. The subduing and mortifying of lust and corruption the governing our hearts the governing our tongues the ordering of our carriages towards God and towards men all acts of Religion Righteousness Mercy Charity Praying Fasting Hearing Sanctifying the Sabbath Lending Giving Forgiving Peace-making Instructing Exhorting Reproving Denying our selves taking up our Cross following Christ Fighting the good fight of Faith laying up treasure in heaven and the like these are good works every thing is a good work concerning which God will say at last Well done good and faithful Servant In all these the Lord requires 1. That we act Ad extremum virium to our utmost Eccles 9. 10. What thine hand findeth to do and so what thy head or thy heart findeth to do do it with thy might Tit. 2. 14. Zealous of good works Rom. 12. 14. Not sloathful in business but servent in spirit serving the Lord Col. 1. 10. Fruitful in good works 1 Cor. 15. ult Abounding in the work of the Lord. 2. That we act in these Ad extremum vitae to the end of our dayes Deut. 6. 2. Fear the Lord thy God and keep all his statutes and his Commandments all the dayes of thy life 3. That we be doing Per totum vitae cursum without intermission there must not only be well-doing but a continuance in well-doing Rom. 2. God will not have any Chasms or vacuities in our lives but every day must be filled up with the duties of it Christians must not thin of getting to heaven persaltum they must not leap but walk they must not leap over a duty nor leap over a day nulla dies fine linea The Law of God doth not allow a day to sin not abate us one dayes work To demand a breathing time from the service of God is to desire so much time for the service of sin We are ever serving one Master or the other we are certainly serving sin when we are not in one way or other serving the Lord. Secondly That goâ—d works are necessary Necessary to salvation a so as though we are not like to be saved by our works yet we cannot be saved without them He that works not shall not eat bread in the Kingdom of God The everlasting Rest is not for loyterers but for labourers Mat 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in heaven Faith cannot save us without works The Apostle tells us Jam. 2. 26. Faith without works is dead and a dead faith cannot bring us to life Therefore the Apostle Paul so vehemently charges Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works for these things are good and profitable to men Where observe the Preface to the chaâ—ge This is a faithful saying that is a true saying and a great truth a worthy saying worthy to be delivered worthy to be received And these things I will that thou affirm constantly or teach constantly or strenuously or resolvedly be not beaten off from it Why what is this great truth Why â—his is it That they which have believed in God as ever they would that their faith should stand them in any stead must be careful to maintain good works not only to do good works but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to maintain or to excel and abound in good works these things are good and profitable to men Now let me demand of all the world where lies the Phanaticisme in any of all this Which of these Doctrines is it that is but a conceit Is it this that Christians must not onely be believers but must do good woâ—ks Is it this That they must work with all their might that they must be doing to the end of their dayes that they must continue at their work withoâ—t intermission that is that they must bestow noâ—e
Heart thine own Soul and according to it remember me 2. His glorious Name The Lords Nature is to be gracious and according to his Nature such is his Name Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth This is an Argument which the Lord puts into the mouths of his People telling them Ezek. 36. 21 22. I had pity for my Holy Name this I do not for your sakes but for â—y Holy Names sake And upon this we find them frequently pleading with him Psal 31. 3. For thy Names sake lead me and guide me Jer. 14. 21. Do not abhor us for thy Names sake do not disgrace the Throne of thy Glory remember break not thy Covenant with us Go you and do likewise 2 On Christ And there are four things from which you may plead with God upon this account 1 The Lords giving of Christ to you as your Lord and your Saviour Upon which gift you may call him your own 2 The Purchase of Christ who hath bought from the hands of the Father all that you stand in need of He hath bought your Lives 1 Cor. 6â— Ye are bought with a price He hath bought you a livelihood hath purchased an Inheritance and Possession for you 1 Pet. 1. 3 The Interest that Christ hath in the Father being the Son of God the Son of his Love the Servant of God in whom his soul delights Isa 4â— 1 Behold my Servant whom I have chosen mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth whose Name is so precious and powerful with the Father that it will carry any suit obtain any request Job 16. 23. Whatever you ask the Father in my Name he will give it you 4 The Interest that you have in Christ As he is precious to his Father so you are precious to him as the Father can deny him nothing so he can deny his nothing John 14. 13 Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name I will do it He gives you Commission to put his Name upon all your requests and whatsoever prayer comes up with his Name upon it he will procure it an answer Now when you are praying for any mercy especially for any Soul-mercie make use of all these arguments Lord Hast thou given Christ unto me and wilt thou not with him give me all things I stand in need of Hast thou given me the Fountain and wilt thou deny me the Stream When I beg pardon of sin when I beg power against sin when I beg Holiness c. Is not all this granted me in thy gift of Christ to me Is Christ mine and is not his bloud mine to procure my pardon his Spirit mine to subdue mine iniquities Are these mine and wilt thou with-hold them from me Oh shall this guilt lie upon me these sins live in me these losts rule over me when by giving me in hand that whereof thou hast already given me a grant all this would be removed from me Look upon Christ Lord Thou hast said to me Look unto Jesue and give thy servant leave to say the same to thee Look thou upon Jesus and give out to me what thou hast given me in giving of him to me Look upon the purchase of Christ Do I want any thing or desire any thing but what my Lord hath bought and paid for and thou hast accepted of the price Look upon the Name of Christ which thou mayest behold written upon every prayer I make Though thou mayest sâ—y for thy own sake thou shalt have nothing not a drop not a crumb yet wilt thou say nor for his Name sake neither Is not that Name still a mighty Name a precious Name before the Lord c. By these hints you may learn how to plead with God from any other arguments drawn from his promises your experience c. Quest But of what use is this our pleading with God and in what stead doth it stand us in order to our prevailing with him Ans 1 It is not of use to change the purpose of God to prevail with him to do that for us which before he resolved not to do but to bring forth his purposes into performance We may say concerning the purposes of God what himself says concerning the accomplishing of his Promise Ezek. 36. 37. Yet will I be euquired of by the House of Israel to do this for them Such praying fetches out those mercies which were in the heart of God and puts them into our hand 2. By pleading with God for audience we plead our selves into credence or the more firm belief the Lord acceps and will answer And if by all these Arguments we can plead our selves intoâ—a stronger faith our faith will certainly bring us down a fuller answer Quest 2. These Arguments the Saints may use In Prayer but is there no plea for poor natural men that are yet in their sins to make use of What may they say themselves when they come before the Lord Have you never a word to put in their mouths They have more need of Arguments then any What shall they say Answ 1. I shall premise That its the duty of meer natural men to pray For 1. Prayer is a part of Gods Natural Worship If there were no positive Law requiring it yet the Law of Nature enjoynes it and no man is exempted from the Obligation of the Law of Nature 2. Otherwise it were none of their sin to neglect and restrain Prayer where no Law is there is no Transgression Now we finde in Scripture that neglect of Prayer is reckoned up amongst wicked mens sins Psal 14. 3. 4. They are altogether become filthy c. they call not upon God Sin though it doth disable yet it doth not disoblige to Duty Object That which is usually objected against this is God heareth not sinners The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Now no man is bound to offer up to God an abominable thing better offer up nothing than an abomination Sol. In answer to this consider There are two sorts of sinners Resolved Sinners and Returning Sinners and accordingly there are two sorts of Prayers made by Sinners 1. Dissembling prayers mocking and lying Prayers Hos 11. 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lyes lying Sacrifices lying Devotions makes as if he had a minde to know me and serve me when it is not in his heart and such prayers are made use of either as râ—vail to hide and cover their wickedness and to make them appear to men to be righteous or else as an Engine or Device to quiet and pacifie their consciences in a course of sin They make confessing of sin to serve instead of forsaking of sin praying to serve instead of repenting their prayers help them to sin the more freely They think they may go out with any thiâ—g if when they have done iniquity they do but pray for forgiveness Such prayers are an abomination to God and a desolation
to be feared believed in and chosen for my portion and trust Some chuse riches for their portion some pleasures some put their trust in worldly friends but will it not be well with me if I can bring my heart to chuse and can obtain the Lord to be my friend my refuge and my portion Quest 2. Is it not good for me to draw nigh unto God To get acquaintance and intimacie with God to dwell in his Presence and to live in the light of his Countenance is there any life so full of true pleasure and satisfying delight as to enjoy and behold the Face of God in Righteousness Quest 3. Is the Lord mine Is he reconciled to me is his love and mercie made sure to me Some are confident the Lord is theirs but they are mistaken Am not I mistaken Is the Lord mine indeed My God and my Portion and my Friend indeed If he be not then Quest 4. How may I obtain the Lord to be mine What pains should I refuse What course should I count too hard what price too great to lay out for such an inheritance Oh how happily were I provided for what a sufficiency had I laid up for me for my body for my soul for this life for everlasting were the Lord once sure to me What shall I do to obtain him if he be mine then Quest 5. What shall I render to the Lord Oh the height and depth and length and breadth of the Love and Goodness of God to my Soul that he should bestow himself on such a worm 'T is much that he should give me a being in his sight that he should give me bread or cloaths that he should feed me with the crumbs that fall from his Table 'T is a wonder he should not feed me with Ashes with Gall and Wormwood with Fire and Brimstone that he hath not cloathed me with flames with fury and vengeance 'T is a wonder he should give any of his good Creatures to comfort me his Earth to be mine inheritance and my portion but that he should give himself to me that ever a poor Creature should be so provided for as to feed upon his God to live upon his God to possess his God for a portion Oh come unto me all ye that fear the Lord come unto me and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul He that is mighty hath done for me great things and holy is his Name Oh that I could love thee more Oh that I could please thee and praise thee and honour thee and rejoyce and triumph and make my boast of my God and speak good of thy Name while I have any being The Lord is my portion the lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place and I have a goodly heritage II. Head concerning Sin Direct 1. EXercise your thoughts on the evil nature of sin and consider what the Scriptures speak concerning 1. The Malignity that is in Sin 2. The Guilt of Sin 1. Concerning the malignity which is in sin calling it by the name of plague leprosie gangrene poison death hell enmity treachery rebellion filthiness rottenness vomit c. All which are Scripture expressions which also tell us that it hath made us in Gods account fouls beasts dogs swine serpents vipers devils c. What a Monster is sin that must have so many and such names to express the malignitie that is in it 2. Concerning the guilt of sin Rom. 3. 19. All the World is become guilty before God Mat. 5. 22. Guilt hath two things in it First A merit of everlasting wrath Every sinner is worthy to die worthy to be damned Secondly An Obligation or binding over to wrath Act. 8. 23. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and the bond of iniquity Sinners are bound under a curse bound over to eternal vengeance Direct 2 Consider your own particular sinnes both the special prevailing sins of your Hearts as ignorance unbelief stubbornness obstinacy pride passion covetousness malice c. And the evils of your practice lying swearing drunkennesse oppression Reckon up as near as you can and write down in a Roll or Catalogue all the several wickednesses you have been guilty of and can remember together with your sins of Omission neglects of Prayer Hearing c. your neglect of Christ and the Gospel c. Direct 3. Ask thy heart these Questions Quest 1. Am I not a sinner Quest 2. Is all this which the Scriptures speak of sin and sinners in general true of me Am I by my very nature such a serpent such a viper such a dog such a beast in the sight of God Is there all this enmity and treachery and rebellion rooted in my nature Am I this guilty creature worthy to die Am I in this gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity If this be my case oh how can I lift up my face in the presence of God without shame and blushing and self-loathing and self abhorrence Quest 3. Is my filth and guilt done away This was once my condition is it not still Is the Enmity slain is my corruption subdued is my conscience purged my soul washed are my sins pardoned is my guilt removed If not then Quest 4. What if this corruption should never be purged this guilt never be removed What if I should die in this case If all this sin and this guilt should stand and stare me in the face when I come to look death in the face What if I should appear in this woful plight before the Judgment Seat May I not fear it may be so My sin hath been so long growing and rooting in my heart I have stood it out so long against the Gospel I have had so many warnings so many convictions and yet mine iniquitie remains unpurged that I have reason to fear that it may never be purged And Oh what if it should not Quest 5. What must I do to be saved from my sins I see I am in an evil and woful case buâ— is there no Balm in Gilead is there no Physitian there that can heal such a desperate disease Is there no ransome to be fonnd that may redeem such a captive Is there no blood shed that may cleanse me even me from all my unrighteousnesse Is not Christ exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to this very purpose that he might give Repentance and Forgivenesse of Sinnes Wherefore is the Gospel preached to me Doth not Christ therein call to me and bid me come to him and be saved Is such an opportunitie to be slighted Is Redemption from such a state worth the making after May I obtain Redemption by Christ whether I seek it or not whether I repent or not Must I not believe or be damned repent or perish Is it a time for me to delay or linger in a matter of such importance Awaken O my Soul put away thy sloth lay aside thy excuses and be think thy self what thou wilt do
The Lord calls thee this day calls thee to return and repent that thine iniquities may be blotted out bethink thy self what answer thou wilt return Wilt thou hearken or not III. Head concerning Christ Direct 1. FIrst Consider what the Scriptures speak 1. Concerning the Excellencie of his Person John 1. 14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Heb. 1. 3. Who being the brightnesse of his Glory and the expresse Image of his Person 2. Concerning the Glorie of the Mystery of Christ Crucified Isa 53. throughout He is despised and rejected of men a man of Sorrowes and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him He was despised and we esteemed him not Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrowes yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God But he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisements of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like Sheep have gone astray and have turned every on to this way and God hath laid on him the iniquities of all He was oppressed and afflicted yet he opened not his mouth Col. 1. 27. To whom God will make known what is the riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of Glory Phil. 2. 6 7 8. Who being in the Form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the forme of a Servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross The Gospel is a Mystery full of wonders 1. There is a wonder of Righteousnesse and Severitie That God should not spare but punish Sin though upon his own Son 2. A Wonder of wisdome That God should being Light out of Darknesse Life out of Death that God should bring about the Rising of the World by the Fall of the Lord the Riches of the Word by the Povertie of their Lord the Fulnesse of the Saints by the emptinesse of the King of Saints 3. A Wonder of Mercy That God should harden his Heart against the Crie of his Son and open his Bowels to the cry of Sinners 4. A Wonder of Love Love in the Father in giving his Son Love in the Son in giving himself his blood his life his Soul a Ransom for sin and all this for Worms Traytors Enemies Direct 2. Ask thy heart these Questions Quest 1. Oh what monster is sin What an Hell what a bottomless pit is it of malignity and wickednesse that none but God can expiate or purge it away that God cannot do it but by taking flesh that God manifested in the flesh could not purge away sin but by suffering that no suffering would serve but Death that no death could serve but such a cruel and cursed death Oh what a Monster is Sin that must have such blood the blood of God to take it away Quest 2. What strange Love is the Love of Christ 1. Strange in regard of the fruit and benefit of it All that Holinesse and Beauty that my Spirit is cloathed with all that peace and joy that possesses my heart all my glorious hopes and expectations for hereafter all that difference that is betwixt my state and the state of Cain Judas and the whole reprobate World this is the Love of Christ Where had I now been had it not been for the Love of Christ 2. Strange Love in regard of the fervency and ardency of it and that not onely to the whole generation of the Elect but to my Soul in particular To expresse this ask this one Question farther What if Christ had done and suffered all this for me alone What if there had been but one Sinner in the World and I had been that Sinner and Christ should have come down from Heaven cloathed himself with flesh giving himself to death given such a glorious Gospel sent forth such a multitude of Ambassadours to preach to to convert and save this one Soul this my Soul this had been strange love Such is the love of Christ to every Elect person that if there had been but one Sinner Christ would have done and suffered all this for one sinner rather then he should have perished Quest 3. Is Christ mine Have I a share in the Gospel is my name written in the Lambs Book All are not Israel though Christ died for all yet all are not made alive by him There are many from whom the Gospel is hid there are many that have rejected the Gospel that have put from them the Word of Life Whilest there are such multitudes that are lost and perish for ever is my Soul found found in Christ Hath he that hath died for me drawn me to himself Hath he that hath given me a liberty to lay hold on him given me a heart to lay hold on him Hath he given me his Spirit in my heart to sanctifie and cleanse me from my sins If I have not the Spirit of Christ in me I am none of his Vnless I wash thee thou hast no part with me If he be not mine then Quest 4. What may I doe to get Christ to be mine May I have him without seeking him Can I live by Christ without coming to Christ believing repenting and following of Christ is this ignorance this idleness is this earthly this Carnal course I take is this loose and vain life I live is this the way to get an interest in Christ if Christ be mine then Quest 5. How may I walk worthy of Christ Is it not by being made conformable to him Conformed to his image by being holy humble and meek Conformed to him in his obedience chearfully and readily doing the Will of God Conformed to him in his sufferings by being content to be brought down and laid low and made vile for his Name Conformed to his Resurrection and Ascension that this poor Soul which hath descended with Christ may also ascend with him Ascend in holy desires and affections ascend in holy praises and acknowledgements confessing to him Worthy is the Lamb that waâ— slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing for thou hast redeemed my Life from Death and Crowned me with loving Kindness and tender Mercies IV. Head concerning the vanitie and miserie of a worldlie life BY a Worldly life understand any course or way of life which is short of a godly life That which the Apostle calls Ephes 2. 2. The course of this World Such a life the main business care and delight whereof lies in the managing our Worldly affairs and interests in buying selling working trading to get together this worlds good The main comfort whereof stands in
all its advantages preferments pleasures in its greatest Sun-shine of outward prosperity and glory And he is not a godly man he is not of the Psalmist's Spirit that is not able to say Give me this poor despised godly life before the most flourishing life of worldlings 3. Mark 3. Whosoever hath true Grace doth actually live a godly life The tree is best known by its fruits the sincerity of our purposes by our performances If you think you have chosen a godly life and yet do not live a godly life it is a sign you are mistaken and have not sincerely chosen it 1 John 3. 7 10. He that doth righteousness is righteous he that doth not righteousnese is not of God There is a two-fold Righteousness and there is a two-fold doing Righteousness First There is a two-fold Righteousness Righteousness is taken 1. In a strict sense for Justice properly so called which stands in the due observation of that Rule Whatsoever you would that men should do to you do you eâ—en so to them 2. In a larger sense for Holiness or an universal rectitude of all our actions To live according to our Rule the whole Word of God is to live righteously In this Scripture it is taken in this latter and larger sense He who carries himself holily and unblameably both in the things pertaining to God and also in the things pertaining to men he doth righteosness Secondly There is a two-fold doing Righteousness 1. In a Legal sense which stands in an exact obeying and fulfilling the Law And thus there is none righteous no not one because thus there is none that doth righteousness 2. In an Evangelical sense A walking uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel A sincere endeavour to observe all things which the Lord hath commanded us For the further clearing whereof I must make use of a two-fold distinction 1. I must distinguish betwixt a single good action and a series of good actions It is not one or a few single good actions but a continued course of holy actions that denominates us holy As there is no man so holy who doth not sometimes fall into sin so there are few men so wicked who do not sometimes fall in with that which is good and as every sin which a godly man through infirmity falls into doth not presently denominate him ungodly so neither will a few good actions done by another man prove him godly 'T is what the course and tenour of the life that must be diligently observed A godly man makes godliness the business of his Life Religion is a Christians trade and you may well call it his trade upon a double account 1. It is his living and livelihood men live upon their trades a mans trade is his maintenance his bread and his cloaths and his lodging all comes in from his trade Godliness is a Christians whole living he prayes and he lives by praying he believes and he lives by faith he loves and he lives by love all the supports succours comforts of this life come in this way A Christians livelyhood is all laid up in Christ and in the exercises of godliness he gets it down into his Soul Take away from a Christian his Religion take away Faith and Prayer and Hope and Love and the Labours and Exercises of them and you leave him a poor man indeed take away his house and his means and yet he lives take away his bread and yet he lives but take Faith and Hope and Prayer c. from him and he dies 2. Godliness is the business of his life A mans trade is his constant work not the exercise of now and then a day or an hour upon occasion but it is his every dayes work Godliness as it is a Christians daily bread so it is his daily work Judge not thy self by what thou art in some few Holy dayes of thy life when perhaps by falling into affliction or into some good society or being present at some good Duty or Ordinance thou seemest for a fit to be another man than thou art at other times Judge not thy self to be what thou art when thou art not thy self when thou art but in a fit but see what the trade and ordinary way of thy life is he that in his ordinary course does righteousness he is righteous 2. I must distinguish betwixt a Christians actions and his care about his actions the Holy actions of some that are really Godly especially of young beginners may be but few in comparison but their care is more continued what the Apostle saith of unmarried persons is true of all Christians every soul that is married to the Lord careth how to please his Husband though I do nor say that all carelesness doth conclude we have no grace yet this I say it is more than careless Christians can tell whether they have any grace or no though such may have grace yet they can have no assurance He that finds that the great care of his life is how to please the Lord is of God Try your selves by this Mark also do not enquire only about your affections what your desires are or what your joyes are what your comforts are or what your peace is but what your paths are when all comes to all this is the surest mark He that doth Righteousness is Righteous he that doth not Righteousness is not of God Put all these together and whosoever there is of you that is thus willing to part with sin doth thus esteem and hath thus chosen a godly life above all other lives and hath this attested by his actual care in his ordinary course to please God Oh! be thankful and bless God for ever there is that work of Grace begun in thy soul that doth undoubtedly prove thee to be of God and in the State of Salvation Having faithfully tryed your selves by these certain and infallible marks and proved your selves to be in the state of Grace for I would advise you to bring your trial to a clear judgment then proceed in the next place to examine 2. Whether you be in a thriving and flourishing estate or no whether you have made a comfortable progress in holiness or whether you be at a stand or behind hand To help you in this I shall only give you these two or three short directions 1. Compare your selves with your selves your present state with your former state Look back and consider what you were or have been at any time since you first believed and then see what ground you have gotten or lost 2. Compare your state with your time that you have had and your means and opportunities and the several talents that you have received See if your stature in grace be answerable to your standing if you are of seven or ten or twenty yeares standing in the Vineyard of the Lord consider if you also be of so many years growth See if your reckonings you have to bring in be answerable to your receipts
leave these evil fruits to grow only on evil trees where we can expect nothing else Whilst we cannot look to gather Grapes of Thorns or Olive-berries of Thistles let not the fruit of the Bramble or the â—rickles of the Thistle be found sprouting out of â—he root of the Olive Let the Saints still be found what they were of old Doves Lambs Lillies â—mong Thorns Let there be nothing that hurts or â—ffends in all the Mountain of the Lord. Let the â—ricking briar and grieving thorn be rather in our sides than in our mouths Let blessing and praising and praying and intreating take up all the room that there be no place left for wrath and contention And whilst we take this care about our words let us take as great a care about our works Let there be no virulence in our â—ongues nor violence in our hands Let there be no deceit in our Lips nor falshood in our dealings Let us speak the words of truth and sobernesse and let us keep the way oâ— righteousnesse and peace Let us walk humbly with God and let us do justly and love mercy and live peaceably with men Let good words and good works meet together let Religion and Righteousnesse kiss each other let peace spring up out of the Earth as Grace hath looked down from them Let us add to our Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge to Knowledge Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godlinesse to Godliness brotherly Kindnesse to brotberly Kindnesse Charity Finally whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely what so ever things are of good report if there be any Vertue if there be any Praise think on these things Brethren so speak ye and so walk these things do live in peace and love and the God-peace shall be with you 2. In special Carry your selues well in anâ— towards your Families You that are Governour of Families you have more souls than your own to look to You have curam animarum the chargâ— of souls lying upon you You are not only to look to your Families in matters civil but in matters of Religion In the Law the Master of the Family was by the appointment of God to circumcise all the males in his house In the fourth Commandment the Master of the Family is charged not only to keep the Sabbath himself but to see that his whole Family kept it Thou shalt do no work therein and no only so but neither thy Son nor thy Daughter c. Parents are required Ephes 6. 4. To bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord to nurse them up for God to nourish them up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine to suckle their souls with the milk of the Word as well as their bodies with the Milk of the breasts Now where there is a charge of Souls there must be an account given of Souls When there is a Child brought forth or a Servant brought into thy Family God sayes to thee as the man in the Prophets parable 1 King 20. 39. Keep this man look to this man if he be lost Thy Life shall go for his Life If any in the house perish through thy neglect thy Life shall go for his life thy Soul shall go for his Soul This is thy charge and if thou be not faithful so shall thy Judgment be But what must we do for the right ordering and governing our Families Why 1. Instruct your Families teach them the way of the Lord dwell in your Houses as men of knowledge and make God known to all yours by reading and acquainting them with the Scriptures which are able to make them wise unto Salvation by Catechizing them c. 2. Endeavour their Conversation to God by speaking often to them of the faithfulnesse and misery of their natural state of the nature and necessity of conversion by enquiring often into the state of their Souls 3. Bring them into Covenant with God as you have already done it vertually in bringing thâ—m to be baptized so when they are grown up and well instructed in the principles of Christianity and made sensible of their baptismal Engagement endeavour to bring them to an express dedicating and engaging themselves to the Lord according to those directions that have been formerly given to Christians in general 4. Teach them to pray and call upon them often and see to it that they neglect it not 5. Pray for them and pray with them 6. Dispense your favours and frowns your corrections and encouragements not only as they are more or less towardly to you-ward but as they are more or less tractable and careful in the matters of God 5. In your disposal of them either to callings or in marriage have a special regard to the advantage of their Souls I can now but name these particulars which I have formerly more largely insisted on and pressed upon you 8. Be examples of holinesse to them walk in the midst of your house with a perfect heart do not unteach them by your practice what they have learned from your instructions do not teach them to slight your words by the unsuitableness of your wayes to them For a conclusion of the whole observe farther these four general directions 1. Be Sincere 2. Be Steady 3. Be fruitful 4. Be Stedfast I. In your whole course and all the particular actions of it be sincere Sincerity is not a distinct grace but notes the truth of every grace and gracious aicton There is a sincerity of Our State Our Actions 1. There is a sincerity of our state That notes the uprightness of our hearts in the main and hath been already desoribed in the directions I have given in the duty of self-examination 2. There is a sincerity of our actions This is two-fold either such as respects particular and single actions or the series of our actions our whole course 2 Cor. 11. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Conscience that in all simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the world in all simplicity and godly sincerity There is a natural sincerity and a godly sincerity natural sincerity imports no more but simplicity or plain-heartedness when there is no guile or deceit in any action no purpose to deceive no pretence of what is not intended no Conscience of any evil in what we do nor any evil intent in it In this sense God bears witnesse of Abimelecks integrity Gen. 20. 6. Testifying concerning his taking Abrahams Wife that he did it in the integrity of his heart that is he knew no evil in it He knew not that she was another Mans Wife nor intended any wrong to her Husband in it Then there is also a godly sincerity this supposes the sincerity of our state He cannot have his conversation in godly sincerity that is not first a godly man It concludes in
true heart Heb. 10. Let us be undâ—filed or upright in the way of the Lord Psal 119. 1 Let our works be found perfect before him Let us love in truth let us speak the truth in love let all our paths be mercy and truth Let our hearts be in every word in every step of our lives let the heart do all let the heart pray let the heart hear let the heart give and lend and forgive Let the grace of our hearts do all Let Faith pray and Obedience hear and Repentance celebrate our Fasts Let wisdom guide let Truth speak let Mercy give let Love forgive let Patience bear and Long-suffering forbear let Temperance feed us Humility cloath us and integrity preserve us Let Grace do all and let God have all let Pride have nothing Covetousness nothing and Envie nothing let Lust neither bear a part in our doings nor eat any of the fruit of our doing Let there be written on all we have or do Holiness to the Lord. Let us be more desirous to be holy than to be acounted so to be merciful and just and humble and patient than to be accounted such to have a good conscience in the sight of God than to obtain a name amongst the best of men If we be not reckoned amongst the ablest Christians for Gifts for Parts and Endowments let it content us that we are Christians If we be not the most skilful Christians if our fruits be not the fairest and most beautiful yet let them be fruits brought forth unto God the right fruit sound fruit If what we do be weakly done yet let it be â—onestly done Let us be Nathaniels Israelites indeed in whom is no guile So plain-hearted and single-hearted in all our ways that though our Adversaries do yet neither our God nor our consciences may call us Hypocrites Let us be able to appeal to God as the witness of our integrity Lord thou knowest that I love thee thou knowest that my heart is with thee Let us be able to commit our selves and our waies unto the Lord as he that shall plead for us against all the slights and censures of men My God shall plead my cause my God shall answer for me Brethren Sincerity will give us boldnesse before the Lord We shall be able to lift up our faces in his Presence and look in his Face in peace and he that can be bold with God may be bold with all the world He that can look God in the Face may look his accusers in the face his Despisers and Persecutors in the face He that can freely appeal to God can boldly appear before men The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness surprizeth Hypocrites The sense of their guilt and guile sides with every danger that they are in strengthen 〈◊〉 very feer that comes upon them makes their own hearts to fall upon themselves puts a sting into every cross starves them out of all their comforts To God they dare not look to Conscience they dare not remember they are forsaken of all their supports and left to shake and sink under every trouble that comes upon them 'T is innocency that hath boldness dare to be upright and fear nothing Go thy way ear thy bread with joy drink thy wine with a merry heart for God accepteth thy works II. Be steady and even in all your goings Be not off and on in and out Prov. 4. 24 26 27. Prov. 33 17. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Alone in company at home abroad in thy duties in thy business in thy recreations all the day and every day let tomorrow be as this day and next day as to morrow In this evenness and equality of our lives stand the beauty and comlinesse of them when all the several parts of them bear their due proportion each to other Let your wayes be conform to the Canon and let them be uniform be like unto God and then be ever like your selves be unchangeable We appear almost so many men as we live daies or come into companies We have more of the Moon than of the Sun little light but many changes and spots Let not your conversation be so checker'd let not Christians be speckled birds let there not be so many black among your whites sometimes something of God sometimes as much of the flesh What a deformitie is it to a new Garment to have here and there a companie of old rotten patches Now a little of God and then as much of the Devil now serious in the Spirit and then in the flesh now serious and savourie by and by frothie and vain this hour in a Divine Rapture and the next in a fleshly frolick now a little of Godliness and then a patch of sensualitie Be Christians â—â—nd be ever your selves do not change your Hearts with your Companie Be not of those vain ones who can cast themselves into any shape can suit themselves to any Times or Companies Who can weep with those that weep and mourn with them that mourn and pray with them that pray and can also laugh and be merry and jolly with those that are so Let all your goings be established be ever in the fear of the Lord. III. Be fruitful That ground is counted fruitful which bringeth forth good Fruit and which bringeth forth much Fruit. I have alreadie directed you how to bring forth good Fruit now let me presse you to see to it that your Fruits do abound 1 Cor. 15. 58. Alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. Jam. 3. 17. The wisdom which is from above is pure and peaceable c. and full of good fruit John 15. 18. Here in is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit Rom. 6. 19. As you have yeilded your members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to Righteousnesse unto Holiness You have been the servants of sin be ye now the servants of Righteousnesse and be ye as free and as forward and as fruitful in the service of righteousnesse as ever you have been in the service of sin You have added sin to sin unrighteousnesse to uncleaness iniquity to inquity A sin hath abounded and multiplied its fruits sâ—â— let grace also abound and bring forth its fruits abundantly Let your lives be as much filled up with the works of righteousnesse and mercie and holinesse as they have been with the works of the flesh Brethren time was when a little sin could not suffice you a little sporting a little pleasure would not serve your turn you thought you would never have enough of the world and the lusts and vanities of it why prove your selves now to be as heartily the servants of Christ as ever you were the servants of sin by being fruitfully his as ever you were fruitful to sin If Christ be a better Master and a better Pay-Master let him have more and more chearful services Bring forth good fruits and
parting prayer The Lord be with you the God of peace be with you yet I cannot turn this prayer into a Promise nor give you any assurance that the God of Peace will be with you These things premised I shall now give you the full proof of the Doctrine in the following Reasons The Doctrine you remember is Those that obey the Gospel whatsoever or whomsoever they want shall ever be in a peaceful and blessed Condition The Reasons are 1. The God of peace shall be with them 2. If God be with them all things whatsoever befall them shall make for their good Reas 1. The God of Peace shall be with them these things do live in the obedience of the holy Doctrine which you have received and the God of Peace shall be with you This glorious Promise is pregnant with all the blessings that Heaven and Earth can afford If you ask why what is there in it I demand of you What is there in God God is in the Promise all that is in God is here assured to the Godly The Philosophers of old attained to some glimmerings of the excellencies that are in God by these 3. wayes 1. Per viam Negationis conceiving of him as a Being removed from all things signifying imperfection as ignorance impotence iniquity corruptibility composition alteration or any limits or bounds of this Essence Power and Glory 2. Per viam causalitatis conceiving of him as the Fountain of all other Beings and thence concluding that whatsoever Excellencies or perfections are scattered up and down in the whole Creation are all united in him from whom they had their Originall 3. Per viam eminentiae by way of Excellency so that whatever perfections whatever goodness is to be found in any Creature though it be not to be found in God formaliter yet there is that in him he being the first cause of all that doth infinitely superabundantly answer them all Though there be not the same Specifick Excellencies in him nor those very pleasures and delights issuing from him which the creatures yield yet there are such Excellencies such perfections as transcend and surpasse them all The Scripture tells us more positively and plainly that God is Almighty Omniscient Omnipresent Infinite Eternal Unchangeable All-sufficient Holy Righteous Gracious the Portion the Protection the Rewarder yea the exceeding great Reward of them that diligently seek him And this is he that is in the promise God is in the promise I must not enlarge in this spacious Field I shall keep nearer the Text and shall confine my self to these four particulars 1. God is in the Promise as the God of Peace as the Authour and bestower of Peace The greatest of Blessings is the Blessing of Peace Peace hath all blessings included in it It hath possession fruition and security it hath plenty pleasure and safety where there 's no peace there 's no security for the holding nor opportunity of enjoying what we have Whatever we have we have it as if we had it not Peace is the greatest of Blessings Peace with God is the most glorious of Peace What is there that 's excellent what is there that 's desirable that is not comprehended in this Peace with God Where there 's Peace there 's Pardon guilt cannot consist with this Peace being justified by Faith we have peace with God Where there 's Peace there 's Grace and holiness there 's no Peace saith my God to the wicked Where there 's Peace there 's Love and good will As love so peace is the union no lesse then this the Almighty God bears you good will These two peace and good will are Twins On earth peace good will towards men Where there 's peace there 's life everlasting ife Internal is the seed of eternal peace This peace is a Portion peace with God is our possession of the God of Peace This Peace is a Sanctuary if the God of Peace be with us the Peace of God will keep our hearts Christians in the World you must have trouble suppose you have yet in him you shall have peace who hath overcome the World Isa 26. 5. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace in peace peace as 't is in the Original whose mind is stayed on thee Psal 85. 8. I will hear what the Lord God will speak he will speak peace to the People and to his Saints What a clattering is there in the World what tumults and commotions are raised about the followers of Christ as if the World were falling about their eares The Devil speaks wrath evil men speak death and bonds to them breathing out threatnings reproaches persecutions against them In the midst of all this fearful noise I 'le hearken saith the Psalmist what the Lord God will speak Whatsoever men or Devils speak I 'le hearken if the Lord God speak at the same rate Oh no he will speak peace to his Saints Let the Sons of contention do what they can the Sons of God shall be the Sons of Peace they shall live in peace they shall dye in peace they shall dwell in peace for ever Isa 32. 17 18. The Work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness shall be quietness and assurance for ever And my People shall dwell in a peaceable Habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places Oh how great is the peace that they have who love thy Law Christians fear not to follow God let not that sad word nor the fulfilling of it scare you out of your duty All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution What if they do whilst you are able to say I am persecuted but I have peace I am poor but I have peace In a Prison but I have peace in a Wilderness but I have peace though all the World be against me God is at peace my Soul is in peace what discouragement should all that be to you 2. He that is the God of peace is the God of power He promises peace and he promises no more than he can perform He can create peace he can make their enemies to be at peace with them He can make a league for them with the Beasts of the field with the Lions with the Wolves with the most brutish among the people He can say to the proud Winds and Waves peace be still and they obey him He can give them rest from the dayes of adversitie he can give them rest in the dayes of adversity he can give his Beloved sleep upon the points of Swords and Spears 3. He that is the God of peace is the God of patience This is my great fear that though God gives yet I shall break my peace The God of peace with me oh this is he whom I dishonour and disoblige daily by my distrusts discontents impatiencies murmurings and what peace to such an hearr what peace so long as such unbelief so much iniquity as I find daily within me remaines upon me
Will he with whom no iniquity can dwell dwell in that heart where there is so much iniquity by which he is provoked every day but he that is the God of peace is also the God of patience who though he will not bear the iniquities of his adversaries yet he will bear much with the infirmities of his People Psal 89. 30. c. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgements if they breake my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgressions with a Rod and their iniquities with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail 4. He that is the God of peace is the God of hope I have not peace in possession whatever there be in the promise I live in the fire am born a man of contention What likelyhood is there that I should ever live to see a good day my comforts are broken my Estate is lost my libertie is gone friends I have none enemies I have many and mighâ—ty I dwell in Mâ—sech I have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar I am for peace they are for War whither ever I look round about me before me behind me on the right hand or on the left all speaks trouble and terrour to me I have no peace What noâ— no hopâ— of peace neither where is thy God maâ— hast thou a God in thee and yet no hope in thee the God of peace and yet no peace the God of hope and yet no hope the God of hope will yet fill thee with joy and peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. Why art thou cast down oh my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God Psal 43. 11. The God of hope will open a Window of hope in the darkest times a door of hope in the most desperate cases The God of hope will bear up the spirits of his Saints in hope against hope and this hope will never disappoynt them It shall never be said there is no peace there is no hope till it can be said there is no God in Israel But how or in what sence is it to be understood that this God of peace will be with us I answer in three particulars 1. The heart of God will be with you Joseph's blessing the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush will be thy portion Deut. 33. what was the Bush the Church or Israel of God What case was the Bush in 't was all in a light fire 't was all in a flame VVho was it that dwelt in the Bush God was in the Bush and that kept it from consuming though not from burning The good will of this God shall be with thee his love his favour his care I love them that love me Prov. 8. 17. The Lord loveth the Righteous Psal 146. 8. The Love of God is the womb of all good Hence sprang the morning Star from the love of God came the Son of God hence came that womb of the Morning the blessed Gospel which is so big with glorious grace with Light Life Pardon Peace Glory Immortality from the love of God came the glorious Gospel of God The upper Springs all spiritual and heavenly blessings the neither springs all earthly and outward blessings do all rise and bubble up out of this Fountain the love of God The precious things of Heaven the precious fruits brought forth by the Sun the precious Fruits put forth by the Moon the chief things of the ancient Mountains the precious things of the lasting Hills the precious things of the Earth and the fulness thereof All these flow in with the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Love is all the Apostle tells us Rom. 13. our love to God is the fulfilling of the Law that is it will bring forth all that to God all that duty and obedience which the Law requires I may tell you that Gods love to us is the fulfilling of the Gospel that is it will powre down all that upon us it will do all that for us which the Gospel promises Look over the whole Gospel read and study every precious leaf and line of that blessed Book and if there be enough in all that to make thee blessed and to encourage thee on in thy holy course all this is thine Thou hast that love of God with thee which will fulfil the Gospel there shall not one jot or tittle fail thee of all that the Gospel promises The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this Isa 9. 7. 2. The help of God will be with you the Lord will be your helper in the day of your distresse Heb. 13. 5 6. He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me He hath said I will not leave thee and therefore we may say I will not fear He hath said I will be and therefore we may boldly say the Lord is my Helper He hath said he will not forsake he will help and who is he that shall say There is no help for thee iâ— thy God There 's no man whose Case may not be so desperate as to be above all humane help If he should cry out as the woman to the King of Israel Help O King the King must answer If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee If he should cry out Help O Man of God the Man of God must answer If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee If he cry out Help O my Friends my Wit my Policy my Purse all these must answer If the Lord do not help thee whence shall we help thee But what case is there wherein an Help Lord will not do Foolish men count their case desperate when they come to their God help that 's an usual expression to set forth the extreamity and helplesness of any mans case When we see men even lost in any misery and their case even utterly hopeless then to signifie our sense of such mens lost condition we cry out God help that man God help that woman they are lost Creatures I but if men did understand and consider what the help of the Lord is they would see there could be no case so desperate but an Help Lord might recover all 1 Sam. 30. 6. when David was greatly distressed and all was gone He encouraged himself in the Lord his God Consider here two things 1. What his Case then was he was in great distress he had lost all that ever he had his spoyls that he had taken were all gone his Corn and his Cattel his Wives and his City were all lost he had not an habitation in all the World he had nothing left him but a poor Army and these were worse than
the Palms of thine Hands and in the very prints of thy Feet whose Malice against God and his Holiness may be read in every look in every word in every Line of thy life needest thou any further proof that thou art not of God Thou mayst as well put me to prove that Hell is not Heaven that the Devil is no Saint as that thou art no Christian Dost thou love God art thou under the hope of the Promise Ask thy ways man and let these tell thee 2. Doest thou mean to keep at this distance from God to the Death Doest thou in earnest Is there nothing in those rich Promises that have been laid before thee which thou canst with 't were thine Is there no such word in thine hearâ— Oh that my Lot were here Art thoâ— content thy name should be left out for ever Is there so little in the peace of God that thou canst fell it for the pleasures of sin Art thou content that nothing should prosper with thee but that every thing should be a Gin and a Snare and a Curse to thee Art thou content that the Piâ— should be thy place Eternal Wrath thy Portion and that every Creature every Comfort every Cross that comes should give thee a pluck down from Heaven and a kick towards Hell canst thou think they mean thee any thing else when all does but harden thee in thy sin and make thee kick against thy God Art thou so unwilling to leave thy sins for the hope of the Promise of God that thou art content to give up thy hopes for the love of thy sins Darest thou say Let me have my part in the pleasures and contentments of this life and I am contented to relinquish my part in Christ Let God let me alone in my sins and let him damn my Soul Let me live at my ease and my liberty and let my name be blotted out of the Book of Lifo I am content to take my place and my lot among the damned in another world so I have my pleasure with them in this World And dost thou say less or other than this whilest thou refusest or resolvest against following thy God He that refuses to accept of the Redemption of Christ upon the holy Terms upon which 't is offer'd says in effect I am lost I am sold for a Captive to the Devil my first Father sold me for an Apple Christ would now buy me back again to my self but for my part I am contâ—nt that the first Bargain stand As to my interest I confirm the Bargain As for my Soul being sold to the Devil to the Devil let it go This is the voice of every wilful Refuser of the Terms of the Gospel Oh Wretch does not thy heart tremble does not thy hair stand on end do not thy knees shake and are not the Joints of thy Loins loosed to consideâ— what thou hast done and art still a doing Sinners I have but a little more to speak to you but shall that little be nothing Hither to you have stood it out and will rot be perswaded by ought that God hath spoken by me But oh must I leave you thus Why may not a word at parting do more than all that hath been spoken Oh that it might Shall neither my first nor last words prevail with you What if my last should be your last If the last that I must preach be the last that you must hear There is a day set that will be your last day There is a Sabbath that will be your last Sabbath There is Sermon that will be your last Sermon There is a VVarning that will be your last warning Oh what if this should be it If the Lord should take your this dayes denial for your final Answer and never ask your consent again for ever But whether it be your last or no I must be henceforth silent to you And oh will you send me away with so sad an Heart with the sorrow and shame of the disappointed Will you break my Heart by persisting to hearden yours Is this all I shall have to return to the Lord that sent me unto you I have declared thy Name unto them but they did not regard it I have invited them to come to thee but they would not follow me I have warned them to return from their sins but they would not hearken Are you willing that I shall give in this Answer and bear this Wiâ—ness against you at the Great Day sinners hearken is there not one blind person among you that is yet willing to have his Eyes open'd Is there not one Captive to Lust Vanity that 's willing to be set free from his Bondage Is there not one more that will be perswaded to be wise and to prefer an immortal Soul God Glory Eternity before his bruitish perishing pleasures Is there not one Drunkaad more that will yet be perswaded to be sober Not one vain person that will be perswaded to be serious Am I making my last Draught among you and shall I take nothing Not one Soul more If you will not yet be prevailed with then hear the Word of the Lord Ezek. 3. 19. If thou warn the wicked and he turn not from his wickedness he shall dye in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul But if there be any few relenting hearts among you who are brought but thus far to cry out Why what must I do I would leave with such these few words of counsel and oh that my counsel might be accepted by them 1. Get a deep sense of thy dreadful state What art thou sinner What is thy state at ease in peace out of fear in pleasure What and yet a sinner In the bond of iniquity Captive to the Devil without Christ without the Promise under the curse Study these Scriptures Joh. 8. 34. He that committeth sin is the servant of sin vers 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil 2 Tim. 2. 26. Held captive by him at his will Act. 8. 23. In the gall of bitterness and in the Bond of iniquity 1 Joh. 5. 19. The world lyeth in wickedness Ps 11. 6. Vpon the wicked he shall reign Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Psal 49. 15. Like Sheep they are laid in the Grave Death shall feed upon them Rise Sampson the Philistims are upon thee awake sleeper the Devil is upon thee Death is at thy back the Gin is at thy heel the Curse is over thy head the very next step may be Hell Thou lyest in wickedness to day mayst be in fire and brimstone before to morrow Sure thou art in a dead â—leep that canst take thine ease in such a Lodging Is this the state thou art so loath to change Is this the state thou so boastest of and blessest thy self in When thine heart is merry with thy Wine swel'd with thy pride jollity amongst thy Companions put in such a
at last have a TEKEL written for your doom and hear that cutting word pronounced upon you Thou art weighâ—d in the ballance and art found wanting With you also would I leave a few words 1. Lose not both Worlds this World thou hast lost already by leaving them so much behind thee lose not that which is before for want of coming on a little farther think not of hanging always betwixt Heaven and Hell In the other World there 's no middle either go back or come on turn thee to the right hand or to the left 2. Mistake not almost for altogether such a mistake may be mortal Do not too â—â—ily conclude thou hast already attained if thou takest something of Christianity to be all thy all is nothing 'T is a wonderful thing to see how easily men satisfie themselves in a matter of such weight and intricacy Thine heart is deceitful try it thoroughly before thou trust it One grain too light and thou art undone God Glory Soul Eternity all lie at stake one tittle short of sincerity and all lost Be jealous of thy self never give over suspecting thy State till thou hast put it past suspition Conclude not till thou hast thoroughly disputed the case give not over the dispute till the matter be no longer disputable Canst thou be too sure the least mistake is as wide as Heaven and Hell the bottomless Gulf reaches home to the Threshold of glory thy tantum non will be as much as the Devil looks for only not in though never so near will be thy eternal perdition 3. Beware that this thought one time or other I shall have more power slacken not thy present care and labour Let not thy hopes undo thee Lose not a present opportunity in hopes of future ability Labour each day to bring the matter to a present Issue and that with no less earnestness than if this day were to give a final determination and thou wert sure that thou wert just come to thy now or never 4. Let not a small matter part Christ and thee Heaven may not cost thee half so much more as it hath cost thee already Art thou come within one peny of thy Lords price and shall that break the bargain 5. Let not thy Oyl thou hast gotten serve only for fewel for thy fire Let not thy common grace thou hast obtained here be of no other use but to add to thy confusion hereafter every beam of light that hath shined to thee here will add to the horrour of thine everlasting darkness Every drop of Honey thou hast tasted in Religion will be thy Gall and Worm-wood in the day of thy condemnation Be not more miserable hereafter for that thou hast been less wicked here the remembrance how fair thou wert once for Glory will be one of the sharpest Teeth of thine everlasting Worm 6. Lastly Be all or nothing come up hither or get thee down to thy lot particularly 1. Be all unto Christ 2. Let Christ be all to thee 3. Let all Christ be accepted and improved by thee 1. Be all unto Christ have none to please but Christ and for Christ have nothing to seek but Christ and for Christ resolve against Reserves and limits give up all and keep back nothing say not thus much I can spare and no more hitherâ—o I wiâ— go and no farther Divide not thy self thy love thy care thy aims betwixt Christ and any thing else Let thy whole Soul run in one Channel Rest not short of a full resignation and when thou hast resigned repent not 2. Let Christ be all to thee say not I must have an Estate too my Friends too my pleasures and my ease too let Christ be enough and all to thee Father Mother House â—â—nds Portion say conâ—â—ing all thou hast else Be thou mine Lord and let these go their way 3. Let all of Christ be accepted and improved by thee Divide not thy self and divide not Christ leave not any thing of thy self for any but Christ refuse not any thing of Christ for thy self Think not thy all too much for thee to give nor Christ's all too much for thee to embrace Thy half will not satisfie Christ nor will half of Christ suffice thee Thou must give and have and therefore resolve to give and take all or none Let all Christ be accepted and improved by thee 1. The merit of his blood 2. The light and Authority of his Law 3. The Power of his Spirit 1. Accept the merit of his blood renounce thinâ— own and rely on his righteousness as God hath so do thou lay on him all thine iniquities Think not of Sanctification without satisfaction Think not to satisfie in the least by ought that thou canst do let that lye upon him Judg thy self but seek to be justified alone through Faith in his blood Say unto the Lord what I owe to thee put it upon his account my Christ must answer for me 2. Accept and submit to the light and authority of his Law Think not he is thy Priest unless he â—e thy Prophet and thy King If he must answer for thee let him instruct thee and be thou willing to learn of him since he hath bought thee let him govern thee say not of any thing he requires this is too much to do since he said not to thee 't is too much to dye Count not thy self Christian whilst thou art unwilling to receive the utmost light or to submit to the utmost of thy duty say not of any one thing of all that Christ requires This I must have abated and then I will be his 3. Accept and exert the power of his Spirit the Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of Power The same Argument which the Apostle uses to prove himself a Minister of Christ is necessary to prove thee a Christian 2 Cor. 13. 3 4. Since ye seck a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you ward is not weak but is mighty in you Though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God for we also are weak in him but we shall live with him by the power of God Ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me ye put me to prove that I am a Minister of Christ why here 's the proof of it My preaching hath not been weak but mighty in you It hath been followed and attested by the power of Christ which hath wrought mighâ—â—ly in you as weak as we are yet the power of Christ hath been manifested and magnified in us Doest thou seek a proof of thy Christianity why here must be the proof that though thou art weak of thy self yet thou livest in the power of God which is mighty in thee Though thou canst do nothing of thy self yet thou art able to do all things through Christ which strengthens thee Thou sayst thou art willing but thou art weak thou desirest to be and to do what God would have thee but thou canst not perform
things He that hath the son hath not only with him but in himâ— all things Are all things nothing with thee What wouldst thou have more than all Thâ— Heathens acknowledged That vertue is sufficient Iâ— was a Maxime among the ancient Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertue is self-sufficient A vertuous Man hath no need to be beholding either tâ— Friends or Fortune He hath enough in himself The Apostle tells us That Godliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with its self-sufficiency is great gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. Solomon tells us Prov. 14. 14. A good man is satisfied from himself He hath that within him out of which his satisfaction grows A Christian hath the whole Gospel within him He hath Christ the Promise the everlasting God Heaven Glory within him As rich as he is he may truly say Omnia mea mecum porto He carries his All in his heart and can thence get out a living a Sufficiency for all Times Cases and Wants Cast him naked out of his Habitation out of his Countrey yet he carries all with him he leaves not an Hoof behind him Christians leave it to the poor of the Earth to carnal men the Riches of them is poor enough leave it them to be discontent A carnal Man hath so many to be beholding to to parch up his contentment that 't is no wonder he falls short of it the Sun the Clouds his Fields his Folds his Friends his Enemies his Honours his Pleasures his Meat his Drink his House his Mony yea the Devil all his lusts every Creature must come in with their part to contribute to his contentment if but one thing fails him there 's somthing wanting to make it up Nay if none fail but they all do their best to please him yet all will not do in the fulness of his sufficiency he is in straits When he hath all he can have his still hungring Heart cries out of what it hath Vanity of Vaâ—â—ties all is Vanity Leave it to these Christians who â—ave nothing but emptiness to fill their Souls withâ—â— leave it to them to be discontented Will you â—ay the same imputation upon the God of Glory The Discontent of a Christian is a kind of Blasphemy it proclaims concerning God also and all the Glory of the Gospel This also is Vanity Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity Christians study your Riches more count over your Treasures dwell more in your God and his Gospel Read over your Priviledges Promises and Hopes feed more on that Bread of Life drink more freely of those Living Springs which are broken forth to you Prove more what Godliness hath in it Get out the sweetness and the Pleasure of it none in the World live such a voluptuous Life as he that lives mâ—â—t with God get out the pleasure of Godliness lie more at the Breasts suck harder press the Clusters and the Wine and Milk will come make the most of Religion and you will have enough never blame it for empty or unsatisfactory while there is more to be had Gad not into other Pastures run not from Flower to Flower keep you Home Let not your God find you in another Field If you keep with God the less you have of Creature-vanities the more full will your Contentment be Christian Honour thy God and his Gospel let his Breasts satisfie thee and err thou alwayes in his Love Let the World read the Gospel-sufficiency in thy Souls pleasure and satisfaction with it alone 5. Let your Conversations answer the supports of the Gospel and its succours Live a patient life Jam. 5. 7. Be patient brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Patience is a Grace suited to our present Gospel state I will call it a Friend that 's born for the day of adversity If you are Christians you have need of Pâ—tience and if you have Patience you need no more Jam. 1. 4. Let Patience have her perfect work that you may be entire lacking nothing Patience is a submitting sedate and calm frame of spirit whereby a Christian from Gospel grounds it born up under all his Troubles and born through all his Duties Betwixt Patience and Contentedness there is this difference Contentedness is the quiet of the heart and its satisfaction with its smallest portion of good things Patience is the quiet of the heart under the greatest pressure of evil things A patient spirit is a submitting spirit It s heartily content that God should have his Will With whatsoever God is pleased it will not be displeased It 's the Lord lâ—â— him do whatsoever seems good in his Eyes What seems good in God's eyes shall not seem evil in mine It is a Calm and quiet spirit It will not strive noâ— cry nor lift up its voice in the streets it can mourn but it does not murmur it can feel but it will not fret at the hand of God A patient person is ever compos mentis has the command and government of his spirit keeps it sober and in due order doth not rave and rage Impatience is a kind of frenzy such persons are besides themselves In our patience we possess and by our impatience we lose our Souls we lose the rule and government of them the peace and the use of them An impatient man is besides himself both as a Man and as a Christian 1. He is besides himself as a Man Impatience turns Reason out of doors and for the Affections they are all in an uproar and will know no command or government 2. He is besides himself as a Christian turned quite out of course Duties Comforts Experiences Hopes all are laid aside Keep you quiet keep the peace in your heart and you keep your heart In this calmness and quietness it bears up under troubles Patience hath Fortitude in it it neither frets nor faints under all its burthens Christians must bear and patient Christians can bear any thing that comes on them The proper exercise of patience is enduring he endures not that suffers only but that can bear what he suffers It bears through its Duties The passion of a patient person doth not hinder his action He holds his course keeps on his way whatever load he hath on his back He runs with patience the race which is set before him he is not discouraged nor diverted from his holy course by any suffering it costs him And indeed Christian Patience stands not in a bare forced quiet in a biting in or keeping down our fretting aestuations from venting themselves in word or carriage or in a sullen silence or stupidity but in the maintaining such a tranquility of spirit under all we suffer as that we can still both enjoy and serve the Lord. He is a patient Christian that is as much a Christian in a storm as in a clam that can pray believe love bless God follow God and keep his way when he smites as when he smiles Lastly in all this a Christian is upheld and carried on from
Unworthy Spirits Oh me-thinks Christians we should rather step one before another and when our Lord demands Who will go with me Who will bear my Cross Me thinks we should readily answer I will go let me bear it Lord and not grudge as we do that he puts us to it Our impatience bears false witness against God and his Gospel what is the voyce or the meaning of impatience less than this What-ever is said in honour of the Gospel what a blessedness what an ineffable advantage 't is to all that heartily own it yet having proved it I find it even as much as nothing by that all the costs and charges of it are cast up The comforts of it will never ballance them set one against another the bad against the good the bitter against the sweet Set one against another and I have made but a bad bargain by becoming a Christian This is the voice of impatience Christian thou passest over thy Murmuring as a light evil as if thy pain might excuse thy pettishness As if it were because 't is so common a very small thing but is it nothing to bely God to bear false witness against his Gospel thy repining that ever thou wert a Christian Brithren Let us do the Lord this Right by the patience of our spirits to confesse before the world That all the sufferings of this Life are not worthy to be compared to the Glory that shall be revealed And looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith Let us learn of him for the Joy that is set before us to endure the Cross and despise the shame that we may sit down at his as he is set down at the right hand of the throne of God Secondly Your patient suffering will be God's Witness of your Adoption Heb. 12. 7. If you endure chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons The LORD doth not use to deal so with strangers Afflictions are Gods Family Discipline Yet mark 't is not the suffering alone will prove our Sonship the Rod is for the fools back as well as the childs but patient suffering will for 1. Patient suffering is it self an evidence of our adoption it is the mark of the Lord Jesus upon us If thou hast both the same lot and the same spirit that was upon Christ there 's thy Lords mark upon thee whereby he marks thee out for one of his own Men had need of other marks to prove them Christians than what the Rod hath made on their backs 't is our quiet submitting to it and that upon Gospel grounds as hath been before shewed that must do it and this will be evidence enough None but a Son will thus submit 2. The suffering state of Christians is ordinarily attended with other evidences Sufferings will set patience on work and patience will set every other grace on work Whatsoever it be that finds work for patience will therein find work for faith and love and hope and self-denial Christians never appear so much believers so humble so mortified as under the Cross If there be any faith or love or hope in the heart 't will appear in the day of adversity If there be any fire under the ashes throw on water and then you shall hear it when it may be before you could see none there As Solomon sayes folly so we may say wisdom grace is bound up in the heart of a child but the rod of correction will fetch it out We seldom know either how bad or how good our hearts are till they are thus proved This I did to prove thee and to know what was in thine heart Besides this is the season when ordinarily there are most plentiful illapses and incomes from above God seldom sends such tokens of his love as to his Children in prison The light of his countenance he often reserves for their darkest estate he sets to his Seal when the wax is on fire There have been Christians that would never believe that they were such till God hath told it them at the stake the highest joyes the fullest sence of everlasting kindness have been most ordinarily the portion of Gods Martyrs When Hell is let loose upon them then Heaven is most open Many Christians have met with such refreshings in their Bonds that their enlargement hath been their Prison If this be so Christians who would fear sufferings who would not be patient would it comfort you to know that God is your Father Be patient and you shall know it What would you not bear so you might be sure you are the Lords It may be you have been held under doubt and fears and sad uncertainties hitherto all your dayes you have gone about from duty to duty from Ordinance to Ordinance from Christian to Christian enquiring and mourning and complaining and crying our Oh if I were sure that Christ were mine that my faith and my love and my hope and my obedience were sound and sincere such as would prove my adoption then could be I quiet Why if ever God calls thee to Sufferings follow him chearfully He calls thee out to prove to thee that thou lov'st him Fear not to go up with him on the Cross Assurance is a fruit that most â—â—dinarily grows on that Tree Let hypocrites only fear sufferings 't will be sad indeed to them there 's many a self-deceiving Professor that never suspected himself to be an hypocrite till persecution made him an Apostate that 's a woful case to have sufferings come upon him for the Gospel's sake only to tell him That he hath no part in Christ nor his Gospel Let hypocrites be afraid and unquiet but let Saints be patient The same trials which will prove them bastards will prove you Sons Your patient suffering is the cure of your Corruption Sufferings are our medicine for corruption and patience our cure To what degree of patience a Christian hath attain'd that degree of power hath he gotten over iniquity Till lust be conquered there 's no patience If there be but one unmortified corruption remaining and an affliction comes and grates upon that this will provoke there 's no beating it Whence is impatience but from this for the most part that we cannot bear any violence that 's offered to lust what is patience but this that we can bear that pain that lust when pinched will put us to quietly to suffer our pride our envy our passion our sensual appetites to be cut short of what would gratifie them and freely to leave them under that which comes to kill and crucifie them to be able to want that fuel that feeds and endure that water that doth quench these fires this is Patience VVhen our pride is strip'd of its ornaments our appetites deprived of their delicates our covetousness of its substance our flesh of its ease and we either feel no smart or can bear the smart of it then we are Patient And when we can thus leave our Corruptions to whatever sufferings
too precise too tender too watchful too fearful of sin too zealous against sin be all they have to charge you with Keep thee from thine own iniquities say not so much as this I am my Beloveds and my Beloved must be mine Kick out thy Dalilahs Thou must part with thy darling or thy God Let there be no secret league let there be no peace betwixt thy Soul and any iniquity to which thou mayst either steal out to delight thee or turn in to hide thee let no iniquity be thy leisure or protection if when thou aâ— pursued by a persecuter any sin as Jael to Sisera should call to thee turn in hither thou mayst escape remember the nail and the hammer let no iniquity find a corner in thee to lodge in quiet that thou may'st not think to find a corner with it where thou mayst lodg in safety say to all thy sinful delights and sinful hopes get you gone I will neither love you nor trust you however thy sin may please thee whatever it may promise thee be sure thou wilt find it a sting in thy Soul and a stain upon thy Glory Keep your selves from the sins of others beware of the Leaven of the proud Pharisee of the formal and vain-glorious Scribe of the extorting Publican of the debauched Prodigal the ambitious Diotrephes the virulent Tertullus the backsliding Demas beware of all Epidemical Leaven the sickness of the times you may live in Take heed lest you be drawn away with the errours of the wicked and so swimming down the stream you fall from your own stedfastness Let sinners come up to you go not you down to them Let them never say of any of you The man is become as one of us our spot is become the spot of his children Let your lives be a rebuke to the ungodly World whilst you live as the Children of God without rebuke in the midst of the World 2. In its Power Let the power of Grace be seen in its preserving it self in its being and vigorous Exercise against all the Powers of Hell The strength of a man is seen in this that he can bear wind and weather can live any where without imparing his health The strength and mettal of a Sword is 〈◊〉 in this that Iron will not turn its edg True Grace is such a Plant that all the weeds of the Field and Thorns of the Forrest are not able to choke That will endure not only the Summers Heat but the Winters Frosts Christians prove your Grace to be a right plant the right Seed the Seed of God let it bear up against all the world Let not the winds of persecution put out your Light nor the waters cast out of the Serpents mouth quench your love nor so much as cool your zeal especially take heed that the Dragons Tail do not draw you down among the Falling Stars You know what a World you live in You know the old Quarrel betwixt the Seed of the Woman and the Serpent both what it is and that it hath been kept on foot through all ages to this day You know the White at which Sathan and all his Archers have been so long Levelling and so hotly discharging the White stone in your Breasts the White Robe on your backs A good conscience and a holy Life are the mark upon which all the Fury of Earth and Hell is spent Oh now prove your Grace to be Grace by its preserving it self against all this violence Let the Devil see you will be Holy whether he will or no Let the evil world see you will be godly do what they can though they may make you poor and destitute and naked yet leâ— them despair of ever making you ungodly let grace hereby appear to be Grace and the mighty power of God in you which that it may do 2. Let Grace ripen towards Glory let not the scorching Sun wither your Blossoms but ripen your Fruit. If you would hold out get you on If you would not have your something to come to just nothing increase your Store Let your spark grow up into a Flame your Grain of Mustard-seed into a Tree I tell you a Mystery The tallest Cedars on God's mountain will best escape the wind whilst the lower Shrubs are in greater danger of being overturned if you will stand sure get you up on the higher ground Christians befool the Devil let him see himself a Loser by all his stirs he makes against you It is not the first time that his cross Winds have prov'd the most auspicious Gales to put the Saints the sooner into Harbour What he hath intended for a withering Storm hath often prov'd a fruitful Dew those very Clouds he expected should rain down Snares have often dropt down fatness If you will go on Hell shall help you forward the Devil's Rods on your back shall but help to mend your pace his thorns shall be Spurs in your sides By stripping you of your fleshly Delights he shall but starve your Lusts his Friends his Burthens shall be your Ballast to make your course more steady Christians are seldom in such a thâ—iving and prosperous state as when they are just come out of the hands of a persecuting Devil Christians grow in Grace there 's no season but may be a growing Season Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Let that living spring which is broken forth in you be like the waters of the Sanctuary Ezek. 4. 7. Which at their first rising were but up to the Ankles but a little further were up to the Knees a little further they were up to the Loins and at length they grew up to a great river waters to swim in the bottom whereof could not be felt It may be the waters of Grace do yet run low with thee a little Bay will stop or turn the stream thou art yet gotten but to ankle deep or knee deep get thee on stay nor till thy Spring become a River let every day every Duty every experience yea every affliction add to thy streams that as the accession of every little brook to the main Channel raises the water as it passes along so it may be with thy Soul that the farther thou goest on the fuller thy Banks may be till thou comest to be like Jordan in the Harvest whose waters fill all its banks To quicken thee on in this growth in Grace consider 1. That a little Grace will make but poor work with thy mighty sins where Grace is low Lust is high and how is an Infant like to stand before a Man of War 2. That a little Grace will not suffice to bear thee up in great Afflictions that which thou maiest make a shift with in a Calm will not serve thee in a Storm 3. That a little Grace will be sadly put to it if ever thou come to have but little means of Grace 4. That he that hath but little Grace is like
compassionately that I might the better win upon them 3. Concerning Providences Q. 1. Have I diligently observed all the remarkable Providences of God towards me especially such as have come in as the returns of Prayer 2. Have I been thankful for my daily mercies 3. Have I born this dayes crosses 14. Concerning the use of your Liberty Q. Have I kept my self far enough within my bounds In Sum Q. 1. What have I done for God or my Soul this day have I not lost one day more 2. Have I led this day A Diligent Watchful Self-denying Life Directions for the Morning 1. If through necessity or carelesness you have omitted the reading and weighing these Questions in the Evening be sure to do it now 2. Ask thy self What Sins have I committed What duties have I omitted Against which of these Rules have I offended the day fore-going And renew thy repentance and double thy watch 3. Examine whether God were first and last in thy Thoughts Morning and Evening 4. Be careful to set thine ends right for all the day An Advertisement If you want time to make daily enquiry upon every one of the fore-mentioned particulars they being so many set a mark upon or write out such of them as most especially concern your case and let not them be forgotten Think not thy self excused from this course because 't is too long when if need be thou mayst thus make it shorter Better cut short than wholly give out For the help of the weaker I shall gather out these few of the chief Interrogatories which when they are straitned for time they may only use and to which they may add more as they have occasion and opportunity Q. 1. Was I serious and had I any sensible Communion with God this day in my secret and Family Duties 2. Hath it been my care to keep mine heart in an holy Frame from Duty to Duty 3. Have I been much in holy Ejaculations 4. Have I not given liberty to the working of Pride sinful Anger Discontent or Impatience nor so much as to vain thoughts 5. Have I not inordinately minded earthly things 6. Have I kept me from Mine iniquity and not lived in any known sin 7. Have I wronged no man in word nor deed 8. Have I been temperate and self-denying in the use of the Creatures 9. Hath the Law of the Lord been much in my mouth 10. Have I not sent Christ away without an Alms when I had it by me 11. Have I not lost an opportunity of doing or receiving good 12. Have I not neglected nor done any thing against my duty to my Relation 13. What have I done for God or my Soul this day have I not lost one day more 14. Have I been diligent and watchful Christian here is a course prescribed which by the ordinary assistance which the Lord doth not deny you may take up if you will and which if you conscientiously observe will be without doubt through the blessing of God attended with great success And those that do not take up this course or some other equivalent to it let them never think to ease their hearts by idle complaints I can't attain to such a holy even fruitful heavenly life as I desire I would but I cannot God will abhor such lazy complaints and look upon them as they are a meer device to keep you quiet under a slothful heart Set your whole Duty daily before your eyes charge it upon your hearts take an account of your selves how you discharge it set upon it as that which is no other than you have vowed to the Lord commit your selves and your wayes to him for success and if this doth not mightily conduce to advance you in point of holiness and establish you in point of peace then say that both the Precepts and Promises of the Gospel have deceived you And thus I have set before you that holy conversation which becometh the Gospel Take up this holy course let this be your Life you mean to lead and let it be carried on In an holy Union In an United Contention In an Holy Boldness 1. In an holy Union So the Apostle there adds stand fast in one spirit with one mind Never look to thrive in Grace if you do not live in peace The decays of Christianityly much upon the score of the divisions of Christians The Devil hath also taken up that Maxim Divide Impera Rent them and ruine them The reason why our Love is so cold is because our Differences are so hot The reason of so little zeal against sin hath been the great strife among Brethren The combinations of Sinners have not so much prejudiced the power of holiness as the contentions of Saints There are not a few who go under the name of Saints that have maintained disputes about Religion so long till they have disputed themselves out of all Religion their searching for truth hath been the loss of both love and life Christians if ever you would be any thing be one be of one heart of one mind holding the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace It were greatly to be desired that the people of God were both of one heart and of one way But if this may not be if there cannot be Vniformity yet let there be Vnity betwixt all that fear the Lord in truth A few words I shall leave with you for your direâ—â—on herein 1. Divide not from the Head to unite with any pretended Members hold not with them that hold not with the Head Sell not Truth clear fundamental Truth to buy Peace 2. Divide not from real Members lest you hereby prove your division from the Head Christ hath but one body if you be not in union with the body you are divided from the Head 3. See the Head in every Member see Christ in every Saint 4. Prize Christ where-ever you see him Love Christ and love his Image if you will not slight Christ slight not any Saint See'st thou an humble mâ—â—â— patient broken-hearted self-denying mortified Christian in whatsoever unpleasing form as to matters circumstantial he appears despise him not reject him not 5. Prize Peace and Union aâ— the strength and honour of the body 6. Pursue Peace and Union with the utmost strength of thy soul And that you may obtain it 1. Let all parties that are named of Christ be humbled under former Divisions What peace so long as God is angry Oh how have we provoked the Lord by provoking one another Let him only who hath been without sin in this matter be without sorrow and shame Sure they are hard hearts who are not broken under such breaches Let us not mistake our selves nor mis-call that zeal for God which God will call pride and peevishness I speak not against our being offended either with errour or iniquity we may not call evil good or darkness light for peace sake but at our unreasonable passions against whom we suppose erring Brethren If
within me says Amen Brethren will you yet again say your Lord nay shall Christ have his wish shall your Servant for Jesus sake shall I have my wish will you now at last conâ—ent to be â—anctified and to be saved let me have this wish and I dare promise from the Lord you shall have yours even whatever your Soul can desire Brethren this once hear this once be prevailed upon be content that your lusts be rooted out and your Lord planted into your Souls Be content to be pardoned content to be converted content to be saved This once hear lest if ye now refuse ye no more be perswaded with oh that they would but be for ever confounded with oh that they had Lest all our wishes and wooings of you be turned into weepings and mournings over you this once hear Oh that you would I heartily thank you for your good wishes and good will towards me for your willing and chearful entertainment of my person and attendance on my Ministry and particularly for your passionate desire of my longer stay among you Which desire if God had not my Soul could not have denied you Though the Almighty to whose pleasure it 's meet that we all submit hath said nay to that wish of yours yet let your Souls say Amen to this last of mine that the Lord God would dwell among you and in you both now and for ever And having thus finished my Labours among you I shall now close up with this double account 1. Of my discharge of my Ministry in this place 2. Of my deprival And shall so commit you to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to huild you up and to give you an Inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified 1. Of my discharge of my Ministry What my Doctrine and manner of life hath been is known to you and what my aim and intent hath been is known to God The searcher of hearts knows that 't is the salvation of Souls that hath been the mark at which I have levelled My way hath been to use all plainness that I might be made manifest in your Consciences Weaknesses and infirmities both natural and sinful the Lord pardon it I have had many I am sensible that much more might have been done both in publick and in private had it not been for a weakly body and a sloathful heart I repent that I have had no more zeal for God no more compassion to Souls I repent that I have been no more constant and importunate with you about the matters of Eternity Oh Eternity Eternity that thou wert no more in the heart and Lips of the Preacher in the hearts and ears of the hearers But while I thus judge my self for my failings Blessed be God for any sincerity to his name and good will to your Souls that he hath seen in me Blessed be God I have a witness in my Conscience and I hope in yours also that I have not shunned to declare to you the whole Counsel of God Brethren I call Heaven and Earth to witness this day that I have set before you life and death good and evil and have not ceased from day to day to warn you to choose life and that good way that leads to it and to escape for your lives from the way of sin and death Oh remember the many instructions I have given you the many Arguments whereby I have striven with you the many Prayers that have been offered up for the guiding and gaining your Souls into the path of life and the turning your feet out of the way of destruction Oh might I be able to give this Testimony concerning you all at my departure they have trodden in the right path they have chosen the good part that shall not be taken from them Beloved Brethren with whom I have travelled in birth that Christ might be formed in you I must shortly give up my account in a more solemn Assembly will you help me to give it up with joy by shewing your Souls before the Lord as the Seal of my Ministry Every sincere Convert among you will be a Crown of rejoycing to me in that day So let me rejoyce and let my joy be the joy of you all What shall I say more If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love any bowels and mercies if the Glory of the Eternal God the Honour of the everlasting Gospel the safety of your immortal Souls the incorruptible Crown the exceeding eternal weight of glory weigh any thing with you then once more let me beseech you by all this to hearken to that word of the Gospel which God hath spoken to you by me 2. Of my deprival The most glorious morning hath its evening the hour is come wherein the Sun is setting upon not a few of the Prophets the shadows of the evening are stretched forth upon us our day draws our work seems to be at an end Our Pulpits and our places must know us no more This is the Lords doing let all the earth keep silence before him It is not a light thing for me Brethren to be laid aside from the work and cast out of the Vineyard of the Lord and it must be something of weight that must support under such a severe doom I know there are not a few that will add to the affliction of the afflicted by telling the world t is their own fault they might prevent it if they would whether this be so or no God knoweth and let the Lord be Judge Blessed be God whatever be this is not laid to our charge as the reason of our seclusion either insufficiency or scandal You are not ignorant what things there are imposed on us as the condition of our continuing our Ministration which how lawful and expedient soever they seem in the Judgment of many yet have the most specious Arguments that plead for them left me utterly dissatisfied in my Conscience about them I must profess before God Angels and Men that my non-submission is not from any disloyaltie to Authoritie nor from pride humour or any factious disposition or design but because I dare not contradict my light nor do any thing concerning which my heart tels me the Lord says do it not After all my most impartial Enquiries after all my seeking counsel from the Lord after all my considering and consulting with men of all perswasions about these Matters I find my self so far short of satisfaction that I am plainly put to this choice to part with my Ministry or my Conscience I dare not lie before God and the World nor come and tell you I approve I allow I heartily consent to what I neither do nor can but must choose rather that my Ministry be sealed up by my Sufferings than lengthned out by a Lie Through the Grace of God though men do yet my heart shall not reproach me while I live If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things But however though I must now no longer act as a Minister I shall through the Grace of God endeavour peaceably and patiently to suffer as a Christian I should to testifie my Obedience to Authority have become all Things to all Men to the uttermost that I could with any clearness of heart But since Matters stand so that I must lose my place or my peace I chearfully suffer my self to be thrust off the Stage And now welcome the Cross of Christ welcome Reproach welcome Poverty Scorn and contempt or whatever else may befall me on this account This Morning I had a Flock and you had a Pastor but now behold a Pastor without a Flock a Flock without a Shepherd This Morning I had an House but now I have none This Morning I had a living but now I have none The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Beloved I am sensible of my Weaknesses and Disadvantages I am under which may render a suffering state the harder to be born help me by your Prayers and not me only but all my Brethren also with whom my Lot must fall Pray for us for we trust that we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly Pray 1. That God would make our Silence speak and preach the same holy Doctrine that we have preached with our Lips 2. That he would give Supports answerable to our Sufferings that he who comforteth those that are cast down will also comfort his Servants that are cast out 3. That according to our earnest expectation and our hope as always so now also Christ may be magnified in us whether it be by Life or Death And thus Brethren I bid you farewel in the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally Brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of Peace and Love shall be with you And that God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever AMEN FINIS The Terms of our Communion are either from which or to which The Terms from which we must turn are sin Satan the World and our own Righteousness which must be thus renounced The Terms to which we must turn are either ultimate or mediate The ultimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who must be thus accepted The mediate terms are ei-Principal or less principal The principal is Christ the Mediator who must thus be embraced The less principles are the Laws of Christ which must be thus observed