they go Gen. 28.12.13 We read Ruth 4.5 At what time the Kinsman must have the inheritance he must have it at the hand of Ruth to allude hereto You can never inherit the Blessing unless you be espoused to Christ Ye shall not see my face said Joseph except your brother be with you So here no seeing the face of God with comfort nor prayer heard nor person accepted nor sin pardoned no souls reconciled no Blessing obtained but through Christ Prayers are but as howlings if they be not put up in the Name of Christ the only Mediator Read Heb. 12.18 c. you shall find the misery of souls without Christ but their happiness being come to the Mediator of the New-Testament Out of Christ we have to do with God from Mount Sinai in thunderings and lightnings in tempest and terrible voices but through Christ from Mount Sion whence better things are spoken than Abels blood spake So Ephes 2.12 c. Without Christ and afar off without God having no hope strangers to the promise But through Christ made nigh reconciled fellow-citizens with the Saints of the household of God the partition-wall broken down he is our peace God is a terrible Judg a consuming Fire to men out of Christ but in him a Gracious Father reconciling this world to himself not imputing iniquities Ephes 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings But how or for whose sake Why in Christ only on his account In him we have redemption the remssion of sin ver 7. God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Ephes 4.32 Jesus Christ is the Light of the world without which darkness horrour and perpetual confusion had been upon all mankind the onely Foundation to stand against Hell gates no other Name given whereby we can be saved The way by which we draw near to God with hope to speed is consecrated through his blood the grand encouragements we have in our addresses to God are Christ's Merit and Mediation Jesus Christ is the only door at which God giveth his dole of Blessings and by which we can enter into the Fathers presence and favour He is the gate of Heaven He is all in all My dear People The time of my departure from you not voluntary but constrained seemeth now at hand possibly I am speaking the words of a dying man and may see your faces no more in this place 't is my comfort I have not kept back any thing that is profitable for you nor shunned to declare to you all the Counsel of God But have to my ability taught you to observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded for so runs my Commission Mat. 28.20 And let me tell you I dare not exceed knowing that terrible Commination Deut. 18.20 The Prophet that shall presume to speak a word in my Name which I have not commanded him to speak even that Prophet shall die And Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and teach men so he shall be called the Least in the Kingdom of Heaven The Scripture tels me what things I must teach and exhort And if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine according to Godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doting c. 1 Tim. 6.1 2. Could I find the things which it is probable are shutting the mouths of many hundreds of learned consciencious Ministers expressed in or by good consequence to be drawn from the Scriptures which I am sure are sufficient to furnish the Man of God throughly to every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 I would not for a World divest my self of the Liberty of my Ministry nor bereave my self my wife and little ones of our Livelihood nay I would willingly practise them and teach you so to to I this day appeal to the most High with the Prophet Jer. 17.16 As for me I have not hastened from being a Pastor to follow thee O Lord thou knowest Most gladly would I have continued preaching Christ Jesus the Lord furthering your Faith and Joy and driving on the great Marriage between Christ and your Souls but sure I am my Lord needeth not my sinning to carry on his Work amongst you neither will I charge him with unfaithfulness nor his Word with deficiency in pretending to mine own faithfulness in the Ministerial Function but I 'le patiently commit my self to Him that judgeth righteously endeavouring to follow his steps who became poor that we might be made rich and suffered greater things for me than I can do for him On Him I desire to be found waiting and keeping his Way who hath the giving of the Opening of the Mouth and is thereby known to be the Lord Ezek. 29.21 He that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth can if he please restore our Liberties and pleasant things if not here am I let him do what is good in his fight The Will of the Lord be done Why should I part with you repining or murmuring at a churlish unkind World whilst it is evident the World hated him before it hated us and my Text tels us that Christ blessed his Disciples at his parting and Ascension Now the Lord Christ who went to Heaven blessing bless you this day with the best of Blessings the sure Mercies of David and lasting Benefits of the everlasting Covenant The Lord Jesus the good Shepherd who gave his Life for the Sheep be your Shepherd and cause showers of Blessings from Heaven on your Souls Bodies Children Families and Estates And God even the Father for Christ's sake grant that you and I who are this day parting with grieved hearts may at last meet with joy having all tears wiped from our eyes and every sad thought taken from our hearts to be ever with the Lord at whose right-hand are pleasures for evermore And God the holy Ghost abide with you and me to guide us into Truth to stablish us in the Truth and comfort our hearts unto the end of the world The Lord be with you all And are we parting Suffer I beseech you this word of Exhortation In the last day that great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cryed If any man thirst let him come to me and drink John 7.37 The Apostle at Troas ready to depart the morrow preached long at his parting with the Elders of the Church of Ephesus who must see his face no more how fervently did he preach and pray Acts 20. Two of Luthers wishes were That he might have seen Christ in the flesh and have heard Paul preach But my Brethren what tongue can express the worth of their Farewel-Sermons Though I be a weak earthen vessel a reed shaken with the wind yet shall not my mouth be open and my heart enlarged when I must preach to you no more And am I leaving you My Beloved and longed-for how gladly would
Son Is he a pleasant Child Since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him and I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord. And this tender compassion is not a bare pitty but an helping relieving succouring Pitty Many have compassion but want ability to help and succour others have ability to help but want compassion but God hath both Mercy to pitty and Ability to help and save his People and therefore we have frequently an Act of Deliverance joyned with an Act of Mercy When Hazael King of Syria oppressed Israel all the dayes of Jehoahaz the Lord was gracious unto them and had compassion on them and would not destroy them 2 Kings 13.22 23. And the reason why God did not destroy the Jews in the Wilderness was because of his Mercy But he being full of Compassion for gave their Iniquity destroyed them not Psal 78.38 Mercy steps in and pleades prevailingly against Justice for the preservation of a People And this Compassion of God God's People have pleaded with him for deliverance Look down from Heaven and behold from the Habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory Where is thy Zeal and thy Strength the sounding of thy Bowels and Mercies towards me are they restrained O Lord thou art our Father and our Redeemer Isa 63.15 16. This Mercy is a sin-pardoning-Mercy And this will be a refuge to fly unto when ye are pursued by an accusing condemning Conscience for sin committed this is a Cordial of greater comfort than sin a cause of sorrow a Plaister of a larger proportion than the wounds of sin upon your Conscience it as far excells thy Scarlet-dyed sins as the distance is betwixt East and West As far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our transgressions from us Psal 103.12 compared to the height of heaven above the earth As the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is Mercy to them that fear Him Psal 103.11 And again My thoughts are not your thoughts nor my wayes as your wayes for as the Heaven is higher than the Earth so are my Wayes higher than your wayes and my Thoughts than your thoughts and therefore he will abundantly pardon Isa 55.7 8 9. Compared to a Sea that can swallow and cover Mountains as well as mole-hills Mic. 7.19 This Sea of Mercy covered Noahs Drunkenness Lots Incest Davids Adultery and Murder Mary Magdalens Whoredom Peters Denial of Christ and Pauls Persecution and covers the mountains and multitudes of sins of all God's People in all ages of the world and will be a Refuge for your security against the guilt of sin if you flee unto it this is a Refuge to secure you against the violence of the proud Psal 86.14 15 16. This is a Mercy so lasting that is everlasting In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting Kindness will I have Mercy on thee saith the Lord Isa 54.7 8 9 10. Christ is so merciful a Shepherd as in the dayes of his flesh he had compassion on the multitude because they were sheep without a Shepherd and now he sits upon the Throne of Glory he hath not laid this tenderness to his Church aside but will either provide fresh supplies or support and preserve his People under want of ordinary means by an extraordinary manner And to this Mercy I commend you that as a shield will defend you from the Curses Divinations Inchantments Anathema's of your enemies that will destroy your Persecutors pitty you under all your pressures redeem you from your miseries â—ecure you against the guilt of sin committed and provide for your want and relieve you by some ordinary or extraordinary way 3. This is to commit you to the greatest fidelity They that will defend and secure others must be faithful as well as merciful Faithless defenders are worse than open pursuers they rob us of the safety we expected and expose us to the danger we least feared Jaels peace was Sisera's death And how often did faithless Dalilah attempt to betray Sampson to the Philistines Judg. 16. And David must not lodge in Keilah because the Inhabitants would deliver him up 1. Sam. 23.11 12. Ahabs Children lost their heads by the unfaithfulness of their Guardians 2 King 10. How many famous and strong Castles well-fenced Towns and formidable Armies have been destroyed by the treachery of faithless Guards Commanders Open fields have more security with Faithfulness than the strongest walls with Treachery Nothing safe committed to the custody of faithless persons Orphans wronged and defrauded your Estates imbezeled your Persons betrayed your Lives exceedingly endangered and what comfort or security can there be in such Guardians or Protectors But to be committed to such Keepers whom Favour cannot win nor Preferments corrupt nor Rewards bribe nor Fear nor Threatening nor Dangers discourage but remain resolute and faithful against all is great Security and Comfort And such an one is God He is the faithful God faithful to make good his Promises faithful to preserve whatsoever is committed to him The Apostle would not have committed the Ministers the Affairs and Concernment of the Church of Ephesus to God if he had not been a faithful God Christ when he dyed said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And Peter exhorts the afflicted Christians in his dayes to commit their souls unto God as unto a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 And how many Martyrs when they have become whole offerings to God have given their souls in charge to God Father into thy Hands I commit my spirit whatsoever is laid up in the hands of God is safe and secure He cannot be bribed by Promises Rewards or any other way to surrender any thing that is committed to his custody He is faithful to the least Beast of our Herds to the least hair on your heads Luke 21.18 And if he be faithful in the least he will not be unfaithful in the greatest He is faithful to keep your persons in dangers not to give you up to the rage and ruine of your enemies The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon the Earth and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his Enemies Psal 41.2 And David prayes that God would secure him against false Accusers Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies for false witnesses are risen up against me Psal 27.12 He is faithful to preserve you from Temptation He binds up Satan that he cannot tempt you when he would and when he gives Satan leave to tempt yet God will be your refuge in the temptation God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear but with the temptation will find out a way for your deliverance 1 Cor. 10.13 Thus he prayed that Peters faith failed not Luke 22.31 his Grace was sufficient for Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 he is
exercised your patience to the full and the time far gone yet give me leave a little more have patience for your dying Minister God knows whether ever or never I shall trouble you thus again the pains is mine I pray God the profit may be yours If the Word of God's Grace be such Security Comfort to a left People Be exhorted 1. To attend upon the Publick Preaching of the Word This is the ordinary and appointed means to get benefit for your souls Those that came to Christ were healed of their several infirmities and maladies Would you have your spiritual maladies healed your natures sanctified corruptions mortified Grace implainted Grace increased strengthned Wait on the Word for this is the standing and appointed means When Joseph and Mary sought for Christ they could not find him in the Company nor amongst their Friends nor in the City but in the Temple Luke 2.43 44 45 46. Think not to find God and Christ in sinful company in your houses nor in your fields nor flocks but in his Ordinances these are his Wine-Cellers and Banqueting-houses wherein he will feast your souls with spiritual dainties and varieties Cant. 2.4 2. Be frequent in reading it labour to understand and believe it The oftner you reade it the more you shall understand it the more you understand it the more you shall believe it and the more you believe it the more comfort and benefit you shall reap by it What advantage will all the excellencies be to us if we do not believe them and how can we believe them unless we understand them and how can we understand them unless we reade it and hear it preached Therefore be constant in reading every day some part of God's Word season your souls with it in the morning let it lock up your thoughts in the evening Here you have a prescribed remedy for every malady a plaister for every sore here is comfort for every sorrow and in all affliction here is counsel in all your straits Deprive not your selves of the benefit for want of reading studying the Word You feed every day your bodies with your daily food feed your souls with this food 3. Treasure up the Word in your hearts Let the Word of Christ saith the Apostle dwell in you richly in all wisdom Col. 3.16 Where there is a Malady there the Remedy must be applied Your Malady is within So many sins so many diseases so many sins so many wounds This will be Physick to cure your diseases A Plaister to heal your wounds Blindness is the disease of the understanding Vanity the disease of the mind Stuborness the disease of the will And the sin of each faculty of the soul and member of the body is the disease and wound of that faculty and member But this Word dwelling powerfully in you enlightens your understandings fils your minds with heavenly mindedness makes your wills obedient heals every faculty and every member though it be in part Physick doth not cure us Cordials do not comfort nor strengthen us unless we drink them Plaisters do not heal us unless we apply them Food doth not nourish us unless we eat and digest it No more will the Word of God be as Physick as a Cordial as a Plaister as Food to purge sin to comfort us to heal us to nourish our Graces unless it dwell within us How can a Souldier defend himself and beat his enemies when he is a naked man without his Weapons you are naked unarmed if the Word dwell not in you Well than Be well acquainted with God's Menaces against sin and his Judgments upon it Be well acquainted with his Promises that you have both in readiness when occasion requires 4. Walk according to it Make it a light to your feet and a lanthorn to your paths Psal 119.105 This is the way of peace And as many as walk according to this Rule peace be upon them and the whole Israel of God Gal. 6.16 It is the way of security read Isa 33.15 16. It is the way of blessedness Not the hearers but doers of the Word shall be blessed in the deed Jam. 1.22 23 24 25. I shall give you three or four instances First In sanctification of the Sabbath God hath given us six dayes to do our work in and hath taken himself but one in seven to be served in and it is a robbing of God not to keep his Day holy The Christian Sabbath is a weekly commemoration of Christ's arising from the dead and accomplishing the great work of our Redemption and in thankfulness for so great a mercy be sure you keep holy be strict in religious Duties publick and private Make conscience of performing duty and make conscience of a right manner of performing duty when others play sport walk abroad sleep or talk at home reade you the Word or good Books pray and sing praises to God Such as are not careful to sanctifie God's Day care not for God nor Religion any day Such as deny him publick Worship will deny private Worship Such as are careless in performing publick Duties are careless in performing private Duties and Cursed be they that do the work of the Lord negligently Mal. 1. ult Secondly Be careful to govern your Families according to the Word It was Joshuahs resolution That he and his house would serve the Lord Chap. 24.15 and David would suffer no wicked man in his house Psal 10â— Be careful to offer to God a morning and an evening Sacrifice reading some portion of God's Word Be careful and constant to instruct your Families your Children and Servants in principles of Religion in the fear of God season them while they are with you that they may be preserved from infection when they are from you Endevour that Husbands be holy that your Wives be holy that Children be holy that Servants be holy that your Families be as little Churches of God The holiness of a Family is the glory the safety the riches of a Family Thirdly Live in subjection to Supream Power and Authority of the Nation We are branded for Rebels Fomenters of divisions labouring to fire the Nation with civil Discord and engage it in another War but our Practice and our Doctrine shall witness the contrary to the world And therefore I charge you before God's holy Angles and God himself the great Judge of the world that ye be subject to the higher Powers Be actively obedient so far as you may keep peace and a good conscience within and when you cannot obey actively obey passively Fear not Josephs Prison nor Jeremiahs Dungeon nor Daniels Lions Den for a good conscience Praying for all in Authority that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in ALL godliness and honesty Labour I beseech you by your quiet and peaceable lives to vindicate the innocency of your Ministers and their Doctrine from those black-mouthed blasphemies and reproaches envie and malice and ignorance hath cast upon them and doubtless
believing hungry souls sake that are to be found in this place God may provide you in his due time with some such Teachers as may give you some wholsome food and not feed you with stones instead of bread For some such I doubt not will be found if God shall vouchsafe to you the mercy of a faithful Minister Though I dare not advise you actively to join in any thing that is in it self or in your judgement evil till you be satisfied about it yet I must advise you to take heed of separation from the Church or from what is good and God's own Ordinance If sound Truth be powerfully preached make use of and improve that though you cannot approve every thing the Minister doth I the rather add this because there are many that if Ministers do but mention the loss of Ministers are ready presently to accuse them of monopolizing all Religion to themselves and to their party But far be this from me and others I well know while the best of men are on earth there is likely to be variety of apprehensions and some men of sound judgements in the main of holy lives may satisfie themselves in the lawfulness of some things which others judge sinful And if God send such to you though I do not bid you approve their practice or justifie what they do yet bless God for them and improve their gifts and graces And yet at the same time you have just cause to bewail the laying aside of so many hundreds of Ministers Had so many hundreds of Ministers dyed a natural death in one day you would have looked upon it as a great judgement And sure it is no less when so many shall dye a civil death 2. A second means to enable you to hold fast what you have received is To be much in conference in considering one the other to provoke to love and to good works As this is a help to remembring so also to holding fast what you have received Heb. 10.23 24 25. 3. Hold fast the Word and Ordinances by prayer that God would continue them and that he would keep them in your minds and hearts 4. Be sure you hold fast God and Christ by faith It is God that vouchsafeth all these to you If the streams should fail be sure you hold fast the Fountain and you will be and do well enough 5. The fifth and last Counsel and Direction Christ gives to this languishing Church is To Repent Whence observe Doct. That Repentance is a soveraign means to repair decayed Religion and Godliness in a Church and in the souls of men Repentance is the souls Physick that purgeth out ill humors heals the souls distempers and restores it to a healthful constitution I intend not to handle this but to turn it into an Exhortation Let me leave this Counsel and Exhortation with all of you this day as that which probably may be the last and I am sure is the best Counsel I can give Oh Repent Repent both sinners and Saints Repent thou Drunkard Swearer Sabbath-breaker Unclean person thou Opposer of Godliness or what ever else thy sin be Remember thou hast been called on to repent this day O repent while it is called to day before the things that belong to your peace be hid from your eyes Repent even all both bad and good of those sins that have brought these Judgments upon us which this day we lie under More particularly 1. Repent of that Opposition against the Gospel and against the Ministers and Ordinances of Christ that any of you have been or aâ—e guilty of For this sin provokes God to take away gospel-Gospel-Mercies from a People 'T is true indeed that we may say and bless God for it that for the time we have laboured among you we have met with as little of this as any have done in a place of this bigness Yet some there have been that have been guilty of this though not many and they may have time enough to repent the hastning of their own calamities Repent of this sin Consider what God saith of such 2 Chron. 36.16 2. Repent of your Unthankfulness for the Gospel Repent of your not enough prizing Ordinances of your too much loathing or at least even by the best too little loving Spiritual Manna 3. Repent of your Barrenness and Unfruitfulness under and too little improvement of the Word Sacraments and Sabbaths you have enjoyed Bewail your sin that you have got no more good by all these that you have laid up no more in your years of plenty against years of scarcity 4. Repent of that too much Wantonness in Opinion and Practice that hath been to be found among Professors under choicest Gospel-enjoyments that you have played by the light and with the bread that God hath vouchsafed to you and not wrought by the one or fed heartily upon the other which may justly provoke God to put out your light and take away your bread 5. Repent of your decayes in Religion and Grace for which God threatens to remove the Candlestick from a Church and people Rev. 2.4 5. 6. Lastly Repent of that Deadness and Formality in Religion and in the Worship of God which you see to be in others but most of all of that you find and feel to be in your own hearts For for these and such like Sins it is that God comes as a thief on Churches or Persons And to stir you up to repent Consider First If you do not Repent God will come as a thief on you even suddenly unexpectedly when you least think of it and that to take away your Treasure your most Precious things which are so in themselves and should be so in your esteem even his Word Sacraments Sabbaths Ministers and all the tokens of his Gracious presence This will God do if you do not repent but remain hard-hearted and formal still contenting your selves with a name to live 2. Consider If you do repent of the evil you have done against God God may yea you have ground to hope he wil repent of the evil he is doing unto you He can find out ways agreeable to his Word and Will to continue or restore Ministers to People and People to Ministers He may yet return and leave a blessing behind Him O therefore Repent let us all set upon this work of Repentance And now Beloved I have finished what I at this time intended to speak upon this Text and probably with that my Testimony in publick among you Let me beseech you seriously to consider and set upon the practise of the Duties I have in the Name of the Lord from this Scripture exhorted you to Beloved It is no small grief and trouble to my self and Fellow-labourer to part with you It was in our hearts to have lived and died with you and among you if God had seen it fit But the will of the Lord be done We must acknowledge to the glory of God and â—our just
like manner David took his leave of Ittai 2 Sam. 15.20 Mercy and Truth be with thee Such was Christ's valedictory Prayer for his Apostles John 17. for Grace to be kept from the evil of sin ver 15. for Sanctification ver 17. for Unity c. Prov. 3.13 15. and 4.7 Wisdom i.e. Wisdom to Salvation Grace is the principal thing Reasons of the Point 1. Grace promoteth the highest end of man which is 1. the Glory of God to which end we were born and for which cause we came into the world 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Grace helps to serve God acceptably Heb. 12.28 Grace teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live godly c. Tit. 2.11 2. Reason teacheth to live as men Grace as Christians it enableth to every good work teacheth us to do our duty to God our neighbour to our selves It reacheth to pray acceptably to hear as the Word of God to keep Sabbath to shew mercy to forgive injuries to do all in obedience which maketh much to God's Glory 2. Reason Grace is the best thing for it promoteth the Salvation of the soul which is the best part Sin is the plague destruction of the soul 1 Kings 8.38 Grace healeth sanctifieth saveth the soul Sin infecteth every part faculty Grace sanctifieth all Sin blindeth the eye hardneth the heart poisoneth the affections corrupteth the life defileth deformeth the whole soul Grace enlightens the eyes softens the heart cleanseth beautifieth purifieth maketh lovely what Sin had made odious Eph. 2.5 By Grace ye are saved 3. Grace is the best thing for it makes a man better beneficial to others Riches honours prosperity render few better many worse Grace maketh bad Parents good and good ones better better Children better Husbands Wives better Ministers People Masters Servants better Neighbours Friends better in all Relations Without Grace a man is unprofitable hurtful Lions Bears are wicked men called in Scripture yea Dogs Swine for their brutish qualities Grace rectifies the crookedness of nature Emollit mores c. sweetens mens manners suffers them not to remain wild A heart taught by the Grace of God is full of pity and compassion sheweth mercy the hand helps relieveth the tongue speaks to comfort edification no corrupt communication is heard but gracious words from gracious hearts Col. 4.6 Paul wrought upon by Grace preacheth the Faith he once destroyed Gal. 1.23 Onesimus before Grace received was unprofitable but now by Grace converted is become profitable as his name imports Philem. 10. 4. The Excellency of Grace appears hence It renders a Christian acceptable to God as well as useful to man And that is the highest of a poor Christians ambition that he may find favour in the sight of his God that his services and sacrifices may come with acceptance before God Mal. 3.4 Parts gifts commend us to men only Grace giveth us favour approbation with God And this is the other branch of the Schools distinction Gratiae gratum facientes which they prefer to Gratiae gratis dâ—luâ—ta It is the prayer of the upright heart not of the voluâ—ble tongue that is God's delight Prov. 15.8 The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him that call upon him in truth Psal 145.18 But the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God Prov. 15.8 5. Grace is the best thing because it lasteth longest it endures for ever Riches are not for ever nor doth the Crown endure to all generations Prov. 27.24 Pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11.25 Carnal mirth is soon at an end like the crackling of thorns Eccl. 7.6 But Grace abideth 1 Cor. 13.13 And now abideth Faith Hope Charity 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 6. Grace is the best thing because it helpeth in time of most need Heb. 4. ult 1. Grace helpeth in time of affliction it comforteth quieteth the heart Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed Grace giveth interest in God who is a present help in trouble It interesteth in Gods Power Wisdom Mercy Goodness Grace can look up to God see him smile when men frown see him at peace in mans hatred Stephen looked up saw Heaven open Christ ready to receive him Paul saw the Lord encouraging Acts 23.11 Be of good chear Paul 2. Grace helpeth in the hour of death Prov. 14.32 The Righteous hath hope in his death When there is no comfort in Riches Offices Friends vain is the help of man Grace disarmeth the King of Terrors O Death where is thy sting Death is welcome to a gracious person as a messenger sent to conduct him to his Father's house to his own Country to his best Friends to Jesus Christ whom his soul loveth Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. 3. At the day of Judgement Grace will find favour will make the Judge our Friend our Advocate Grace will cloath the soul with Jesus Christ his Robes his Righteousness Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments Rev. 16.15 1. Use of Instruction 1. Take notice what a Blessing it is to enjoy the means of Grace to live in a valley of Vision to sit under a powerful Ministry to have the benefit of good Education religious Parents their Instruction and holy Example to have Bibles Catechisms Sabbath-dayes and Sacramental-dayes the Market-dayes for Grace by the blessing of God upon which the soul may be converted and â—e be made wise to Salvation Happy is that people that are in such a case yea thrice happy are they who improve the means to the Ends aforesaid happy we if we know in this our day the things that belong to our peace 2. Then the best pains labour cost that any of us can bestow is to lay out our selves in the getting of Grace that time is best spent which is spent for Grace With all thy getting get Understanding Prov. 4.7 saith Solomon And a greater than Solomon hath told us That Godliness is the best part Luke 20. ult Mary hath chosen the good part c. Whilest others are laying up riches that perish treasures that vanish away clothes that wax old gold and silver that rust Christians are storing their hearts with Grace Whilst others are making their Lands and temporal Estates sure Christians are making their Calling and Election sure Whilst others are laying hold on advantages for this present life Christians are laying hold on Eternal Life 3. The best portion Parents can lay up for their Children is not riches worldly greatness but Grace the favour of God interest in Christ and the Covenant of Grace The best Trade they can teach them is the fear of the Lord to keep holy the Lords Day to flie Vice to follow after Vertue to exercise them in Godliness The second Use is of Reproof To reprove the too slight esteem men have of the Grace of
given because Jesus was not yet glorified Whether we take the holy Ghost there for gifts and spiritual endowments or the Efficacy of the Spirit accompanying those gifts in neither sense was the holy Ghost given so plentiously before as after Christ's Ascention on the day of Pentecost and afterwards Eph. 4.8 When he ascended on high he gave gifts unto men God the Father reserved the â—aâ—â— donative of his Grace for honour of his Sons Ascention unto the last times as the Gospel-times are called whereby so many millions of souls have been converted to Christ So then it being our lot with Capernaum to be lifted up to Heaven in regard of spiritual enjoyments take heed with the same people lest we be cast down to Hell for want of good improvement of so high priviledges Take with us therefore these brief Directions that we may not fail or come short of Grace 1. Be sure thou have an high esteem of Grace for God will not cast his Pearls before Swine carnal people that prize them not We may easily over-value these sublunary things bestow more serious thoughts labour sweat time money on them than they are really worth But we cannot possibly set too high a rate on Grace which we are bidden to covet follow or pursue seek ask knock for strive for 1 Cor. 12. ult Heb. 12.14 2. This estimate we shall not set upon Grace except we be sensible of our want of it We need not seek a thing we have in our hands Most men perish through lack of Grace which they seek not labour not for because they perswade themselves they have it already Be thou poor in spirit destitute blind naked If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God who giveth liberally viz. to them that ask so in sence of want God is not like unto man in this respect Men send gifts and presents where is least need and so for them they that are poor may be poor still Semper eris pauper si c. God giveth Grace where most need is He feedeth the hungry he inviteth the poor Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth Survey the state of thy soul when thou goest to Prayer to the Word Saâ—â—ament As when you go or send to the Market you consider what is wanting that supply may be made When thou goest to God's Ordinances thy Spiritual Market enquire what is lacking and there pour out thy heart to God put up earnest cryes for the work of Grace and Conversion for a new heart God hath promised no less than the holy Spirit to them that ask Luke 11.13 i. e. that ask so as in that parable our Saviour teacheth with fervency and importunity 3. See thou hunger and thirst after Grace keep a continued desire and longing after it for so the Participle implyeth Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that are hungring and thirsting Psal 143.6 My soul thirsteth after thee as the thirsty Land How is that When the Earth is chapt and gapes through long drought it never ceaseth gaping and craving till the Heavens hear the Earth according to Hos 2.21 So let the thirsty soul do Psal 123.2 As the eyes of a servant c. so our eyes wait on the Lord until he have mercy on us 4. Delay not the time take the first opportunity slip not one Market-day to gain so excellent a Commodity Seek the Lord while he may be found call on him while he is nigh When Shops are shut up it is too late to make our Markets Many are afraid of having Grace too soon they are loth to be holy too soon to be sanctified too soon as if Grace were a burden But why not rather fear we lest we should come too late as did the foolish Virgins who dearly rued it as all shall who in this their day will not know the things of their peace 5. If thou wilt have Grace be content to buy it though without money without price in buying you part with one thing for another whereof you have more need so must thou here though heavenly commodities are not to be valued for Silver you know what Simon Peter said to Simon Magus Thy money perish with thee c. yet must thou part with that which it may be thou valuest above Silver i. e. thy lusts Isa 2.20 Idols of Silver costly sins must be parted with of them thou hast no need if thou part not with them they wil ruine thee if thou cast not them away they will cast thee away Sin and Grace reigning sin a way of wickedness is inconsistent with Grace God and Belial the Ark and Dagon will not agree under the same roof The Spirit of God is a holy pure delicate Spirit will be grieved and at last will be gone if that unclean spirit the Devil be entertained by a voluntary resignation of thy heart to the love of any course of sin or impiety If the blessed Spirit of Grace will vouchsafe to be thy guest O prepare him a lodging as Paul writes to Philemon ver 22. of that Epistle Purge thy self from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 6. Diligence in the use of means constant attendance on the Ordinances of Grace is necessary to the obtaining of Grace Frequent daily the Throne of Grace by fervent prayer wait duly at the posts of wisdoms house by attentive hearing the Word make conscience of sanctifying the Lords day be not thou absent from Gods house when he deals his dole of Grace and Blessing to his People use the society of Gracious persons whose communication is savory and their words minister Grace to the hearers and be constant in exercises of Godliness follow Pauls counsel to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate on these things continue in them give thy self much unto them that thy profiting may appear The diligent hand maketh rich when drowsiness clotheth a man with rags which is as true in spiritual as in temporal things 2d Branch of Exhortation If Grace be the best thing in the world let Christians that have Grace already labour for further degrees of it Grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3.18 Grace and sanctification is not perfect at once but hath its several ages and periods of growth We read of the Embrio or the forming the new man in the womb Gal. 4.19 The new-born babe 1 Pet 2.2 little children 1 John 2.13 young men ib. aged Christians ib. and Psal 92.14 shall bring forth more fruit in old age To this purpose are the commands in Scripture to abound more and more 1 Thess 4.1 that your love may abound Phil. 1.9 alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult They are likewise commended who are rich in Grace and fruits of holiness Matt. 15.28 O woman great is thy Faith Matt. 8.10 I have not sound so great Faith no not in Israel So on the contrary dwarfs in Christianity are blame-worthy Matt. 6.30 O ye of little Faith 1 Cor. 3.4 Are ye not yet carnal that is babes in
one glimpse thereof in the Transfiguration put Peter in a trance Christ ascended to be glorified 3. It was expedient for us that Christ should ascend Obj. O but how can these things be how much better had it been for us to have had Christs bodily presence still on Earth What a deal of good did he by his Life Doctrine Miracles Compassion on the Poor Blind Diseased that cryed for help for themselves children and servants Lord hadst thou been here my brother had not dyed said Martha So may poor desolate souls say Lord hadst thou been on Earth still this evil and that storm had not come upon the Church or particular members of it Expedient Christ go O leave us not Answ In general Saddest providences and most terrible things whereby God answereth his People often carry a great deal of sweetness and comfort in them which we through ignorance and unbelief hardly discern Christians often loose much by poring on present or imminent evils and not looking to the sweet Result and glorious issue thereof We walk too much by sence and too little eye by Faith the things that are not seen Thus the Disciples were loth to hear that Christ must be put to death When he was buryed We trusted say two of them Luke 24.21 it had been he that should have redeemed Israel Their Faith was low not considering that he came to give his Life a Ransome for many Such fools so slow of heart are we to believe Thus when Christ told the Disciples I go my way to him that sent me They asked him not whither goest thou and therefore sorrow filled their hearts John 16.5 6 7. they did not look to the sweet Fruit which they should reap of his Departure they would have found cause of joy had they seriously considered that Christ went to his Father and their Father to his God and their God But particularly You have Christ's Word for it which should silence all objections and questioning thoughts John 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away There were four Expediencies of Christ's Ascension in respect of us 1. It was expedient for us that Christ should ascend that he might in our nature as our Head and Surety take possession of Heaven for us Heb. 6.20 Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus He had purchased the Inheritance and paid the price and he went to have seizen and possession for us John 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you 2. Christ's Ascension was expedient for us that he might intercede for us in Heaven and now appear in the Presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 and that we might have that consolation 1 Joh. 2.2 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And Heb. 7.25 He ever liveth to make intercession We have a constant and skilful faithful Sollicitor in the Court of Heaven pleading our cause Is the Church militant oppressed Jesus the Angel of the Covenant pleadeth How long Lord wilt thou be angry Zech. 1.12 and he is answered with good and comfortable words I am returned with Mercies to Jerusalem as it follows ver 16. The Lord Christ standeth as with a golden Censer having much Incense which he offereth with the Prayers of Saints on the Golden Altar before the Throne the Smoak of which Incense with the Prayers of the Saints ascendeth before God out of the Angels Hand When his People pray on Earth He as their Sollicitor procureth a Grant in Heaven which he sometimes sendeth down by a swift Messenger So he did to Daniel and Cornelius So that now being ascended Believers may triumph Who shall condemn It is Christ that died is risen again is at the Right Hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 3. It was expedient for us that Christ should ascend that he might send the Spirit the Comforter Joh. 16.7 If I go away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him to you The sending of the Spiriâ— to lead Believers into Truth to convince the World to help Believers Infirmities to quicken to comfort to stablish them and to abide with them to the end of the World is the fruit of Christs Ascension 4. Christ's Ascension was expedient to assure us that he hath fully satisfied Justice for the sins of his Elect and left nothing undone of the great Work which he undertook Heb. 9.12 By his own Blood he entred once into the holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us His sitting at the Right Hand of God is an evidence that he hath obtained for us Eternal Redemption In his Ascension he triumphed over all Enemies He had spoiled Principalities spoiled them of their Prey having rescued his Elect spoiled them of their Dominion and Power over his Sheep He had cast out the Prince of this World the Accuser of the Brethren and He made shew of them openly Col. 2.15 Christ having overcome Death and Hell declareth his Conquest in ascending as a Conqueror into Heaven Take the Application in four Particulars briefly 1. Christ is gone to Heaven Be not deceived by false christ's Such shall come Mat. 24.24 O remember he is not here but ascended as he told his Disciples Seek not then a bodily presence in the Sacrament The Heavens must contain him Acts 3.21 The Martyrs who burned at the Stake not for ceremonies c. as some would have it but for denying Transubstantiation or the bodily Presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper however now-a-dayes some bespatter them had a sure Foundation to build on The Scripture makes it plain that Christ's Body is in Heaven 2. Christ is gone into Heaven Christians let your hearts be there Seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 Why do ye grovel on Earth when Christ your best Friend is in Heaven What on Earth can satisfie or what is to be desired when Christ is gone Well may Believers desire with the Apostle Phil. 1â— 23 to be dissolved and be with Christ which is far better 3. Let us prepare for Christ's Coming from Heaven Phil. 3.20 Behold He cometh quickly in like manner as he ascended but more gloriously attended more manifest every eye shall see him Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find watching Luke 12.37 We are left to trade with talents our Lord will come and reckon with us Mat. 25.19 Be ready for the Son of Man cometh in an hour when ye think not Luke 12.40 O let us watch 4. Lastly Be comforted Christ our Fore-runner is in Heaven He is gone but he went about our business This providence of Christ's departing looketh with a bitter aspect it is doleful to consider Christ is Gone But as Jacob's Spirit revived when he knew Joseph was alive so it is exceeding comfortable for drooping distressed souls to consider Christ hath taken possession of a
Calls his Sheep hear his Voice and know not the voice of strangers give him your eye look unto him and be saved give him your hand and feet to do what he commandeth and come when he calleth give him your knee to bow to him not meerly in a complement but to submit to his Laws and obey him as King and Lord especially give him your hearts let him be enthroned there Lift the everlasting Doors that the King of Glory may enter With the tongue you must confess and with the heart believe that you may be saved And take him for yours for ever abide for him for many dayes Beware of Apostacy by which Judas lost the Blessing and went to his own place You see Brethren al blessings are to be expected only through Christ I beseech you go home and work these things on your hearts by meditation wrestle for a Blessing say Lord Jesus who blessedst thy Disciples bless me even me also I will not let thee go unless thou bless me cry to him as the blind lame and diseased cryed when he was on earth Jesus have Mercy on us and believe that he is able willing and ready to bless you As for me God forbid I should cease to pray for you that the Lord would put his Blessing on you One thing further let me mind you of That you be much in blessing God for his Love and Faithfulness in giving his Son and ascribing Blessing and Praise to the Lord Jesus for all spiritual Blessings and for going to Heaven blessing his People Especially I charge you be careful to spend the Lords Day which is precious time which he hath sequestred and set apart for himself in a thankful Commemoration of Jesus Christ his Grace and Compassion to poor sinners and not in sports and past-times study what you shall render to him in lieu of such superlative and incomparable Love and in a due Sanctification of the Lord's Day endeavour that the Name of Christ may be remembred through out all Ages The third and last Use is Consolation for I would not leave you comfortless 1. Here is abundant Encouragement to poor sinners to come to Christ you that have trembling hearts and dare scarce look up to Christ by reason of your sins lest he call you Dogs and cast you out who are ready to say There is indeed Consolation in Christ and he hath Blessings enough to bestow but they are not for me let me tell you it is good to be humble and sensible of your own vileness but not to be faithless and unbelieving for unbelief is highly derogatory dishonourable to Jesus Christ and wrong to your own souls a rejecting of your own mercy I could also tell you it is the most unreasonable thing for you to question Christ's pitty and tenderness towards poor heavy laden sinners after that he hath from Eternity had his delights with the sons of men Prov. 8.31 And in Noahs time he was preaching to save souls would they have believed and obeyed He sent all his Prophets of old to testifie remission of sins to all that believe in Him Acts 10.43 The Prophets testifie his tenderness Consult Isa 55. the seven first verses Ho every one that thirsteth He will abundantly pardon Isa 40.11 He shall gather the Lambs and carry them in his bosome Isa 42.3 A bruised Reed shall he not break Isa 61.1 2 3. He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted Ezek. 18.23 Have I any pleasure that the wicked should dye Psal 72.12 13 14. He shall save the souls of the needy You have his own Testimony John 6.37 Them that come to me I will in no wise cast out You have the Experiences of the Saints recorded for your encouragement The Apostle Paul who was a Persecutor and confesseth himself the chief of sinners yet he obtained Mercy The thief upon the Cross though before he reviled Christ yet praying obtained a very gracious Answer Nay consider what Christ hath done to shew himself in good earnest to save souls He knew what a bitter Cup he must drink yet Loe I come he became our Surety and longed to have our debt paid and his People redeemed Luke 12.50 He was wondrously straitned till his Baptism of Blood was accomplished He hath sent his Apostles after such signal Manifestations of Grace to testifie it And in his Name my Beloved I am this day declaring to you That he is very willing and ready to receive any that will come to him and would gather you as a Hen doth her Chickens under her wings never did any find him backward nay He is more willing to bless you than you are to receive his Blessings It 's some satisfaction when men will come that he may see the travel of his soul Isa 53.11 He taketh it ill that we are so backward in coming He loved the young-man that came running kneeling enquiring Good Master what shall I do c. and had the young-man liked the terms the match had been made the breach was not on Christ's part Nay Luke 15. he sheweth there is joy in Heaven over one repenting sinner in three Parables Draw near then thou drooping dejected soul come and see not only the Hands and Feet of thy Saviour put not only thy hands into his pierced Side But behold the heart of thy Redeemer behold thy Lord lifting up his Hands and Blessing and see if there be not ground to cry out My Lord and my God Had you seen Him after sweating drops of Blood for you ascending with such Expressions of hearty Love could you have doubted Had you seen his Hands lifted up in blessing his People on Earth at his last farewel could you doubt of his willingness to bless you 2. Here is Comfort for the People of God amidst all the Curses and Persecutions of the world Be not afraid no matter who curse so Christ bless Psal 109. Let them curse but bless thou Christ's Blessing is your Pavilion from the strife of tongues For first Christ blesseth effectually Psal 37.22 when Christ will bless men cannot let Secondly Irrevocably When Christ blesseth men cannot reverse it Balaam could not curse Israel when God had blessed The Blessings of Christ are without Repentance Men now cry Hosanna anon crucifie but they whom Christ blesseth shall be blessed everlastingly Thirdly he blesseth such as bless his Servants and curseth them that curse them Gen. 12.3 Fourthly He blesseth his People for mens cursing 2 Sam. 16.12 Fifthly He turneth the Curse into a Blessing Deut. 23.5 Sixthly He hath variety of Blessings Blessings of the Dew of Heaven and of the Deep Esau cryed Hast thou but one Blessing bless me also O my Father But Christ's Blessings are an Ocean never exhausted He is a Sun full of Light after so many thousand years emanation of Blessings and irradiation of the World therewith he is as full as ever He is a Fountain always flowing and ever full He hath national Blessings pardon of sin
the Prophet said to Elisha 2 Kings 2.3 Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy Master from thy head to day So know you not that your beloved Minister is a going As they said to David Psal 42.10 Where is now thy God So to you Where is now your Minister whom you almost made a God of This will be a sword in your bones such Reproaches added to your loss will be ready to break the heart of those who prize their faithful Ministers as they ought to do to whom they are as Chrysostome to his People equally necessary as the Sun in the Firmament But it is your part to arm your selves with Courage and Patience and to observe that double Rule of Solomon Prov. 26.4 5. Answer not a Fool that is do not render Reproach for Reproach or Railing for Railing nor yet be put besides your Patience or Constancy which is his design Yet answer him according to his folly that is chide and rebuke him let him know that there is no such cause of rejoycing in the loss of a faithful Ministry that he shall one day know the worth of that Mercy which now he dis-esteems and undervalues 3. Though it must be acknowledged one of God's sadest Dispensations to take away a faithful Ministry to send a Famine of the Word yet this must not discourage us so as to make us desist from Holiness bless God that you ever had such a Mercy and got good by it bewaile sin that hath deprived you of it but take heed you do not upon this account turn aside as Joash when good Jehojadah was dead and as the Israelites when Moses was gone rather call to mind what we have spoken for your Confirmation give diligence when we are gone to have the things in remembrance which you have heard from us and as an encouraging Word with which I shall conclude assure your selves that even this sad Providence is within the compass of those things in the Promise which shall work for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 The loss of a Faithful Minister may be sanctified to effect that good in and for you which the Enjoyment hath not You mistake if you think we have done Preaching no we are only called to preach to you out of the Pulpit of the Cross and I hope it may be said of us as of Abel Heb. 11.4 though we are dead we yet speak And why may it not be hoped that our Preaching out of that Pulpit may be more effectal than out of this That 's a comfortable Word to those that can apply it 1 Cor. 3.22 Whether Paul all are yours i.e. they are ordained for your benefit all God's disposals of us whatever you may think are for your advantage and through Grace I shall in confidence thereof say with the Apostle Phil. 2.17 If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your Faith I joy and rejoyce with you all May but my Sufferings attain their end which is your Consolation and Salvation I shall through Grace bless God in making use of me to that purpose In the mean while that is a staying Word to my soul Luke 13.33 It cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem that is be taken away before he hath done his work I know God is not tyed to one way he can make our silence speak louder and more effectually than all our Sermons have done To conclude then let me resume my request to you all Let none of you stumble or take offence at our Sufferings Let me humbly use the Words of our blessed Saviour Mat. 11.16 Blessed is he that is not offended in us Let not our Enemies rejoyce or censure us let not our Friends sorrow as without hope but let all wait and observe the issue and I doubt not but God in his own time will manifest to the world that his intentions even in this thing were good towards his faithful Ministers and waiting People that this shall be as a Refiners Fire and Fullers Soap to purifie the Sons of Levi that this shall be the fruit even the taking away of Jacobs sin Isa 27.9 and that the Lord will not forsake his People nor cast away his Inheritance but Judgement shall return unto Righteousness and all the Upright in heart shall follow after it Psal 94.14 15. As for the third Doctrine That a gracious soul fears and prayes against the evil Influence that his Sufferings might have upon others I shall as God enables put it in practice on your behalf and shall take up the Psalmists Words Let not them that wait on thee be ashamed for my sake O Lord God of Hosts Let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake O God of Israel SERMON XII John 16.33 These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace in the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good chear I have overcome the world IN the begining of this chapter the Lord Christ telleth his Disciples what they shall suffer in the world that when sufferings came according to his prediction they miâ—ht not be offended at but rather confirmed in the Faith of the Gospel and telleth them the reason why they shall undergo these sufferings from the world from verse 1. to verse 5. 2. He acquainteth them with his departure out of the world and that they should want his company and counsel verse 5.6 3. Yet Christ telleth them it is for their advantage that he goeth away implying he should do them more good in Heaven than on Earth especially in sending the Comforter verse 7. And here he sheweth the Spirits Office as to the world from verse 7. to verse 12. Secondly to them from verse 12. to vers 16. and and in the 16th verse he bringeth his discourse to a conclusion 4. We have the Disciples enquiring after the meaning of this discourse of Christs from verse 17. to verse 20. To which he answereth in declaring the sorrow they shall have after his departure and that it shall end in joy yea such joy as they shall not be deprived of verse 20. to verse 23. I will see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce This coming again was by the Comforter and when he came they should have joy because a full return of Prayer ver 23. to verse 28. 5. Upon this discourse the Disciples profess their understanding of Christ's meaning verse 29 30. 6. You have Christ's discourse upon this foretelling their leaving of him at his passion and their sufferings in the world and the peace they should have in him from ver 31. to the end In the Text observe 1. Christ's Assertion That in the world they should have tribulation 2. His Exhortation To be of good chear 3. The Motive to this Christ telleth them he hath overcome the world Doct. 1. That Christ told his Disciples in the world they should have Tribulation Explicat 1. What is ment by Tribulation 2. What is meant
little before his death made his last Will and Testament and amongst other things he solemnly commended the tuition of his Seep to his Fathers care intreating him by all the dearness betwixt them that he would preserve them from the Devil and all his evil designs against them John 17.11 15. he had received them from the Father upon his commendation ver 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them me and he had kept them safe while he was with them Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them lost but the Son of Perdition ver 12. And being now to go out of the world intreats the Father that as he had kept them upon his commendation so he would upon his recommendation undertake the protection and tuition of them I Pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil ver 15. and again Holy Father keep through thine own Name those thou hast given me that they may be one as we are one ver 11. And now at my departure according to these great Patterns worthy of imitation I commend you to God When without my seeking for I had the unanimous Invitation and general cheerful Reception of the whole Parish I looked upon it as a demonstration that God intended to intrust me with your souls And according to that small Talent the Lord hath lent me I have been willing and ready to spend and be spent in the service of your souls and by soundness of Doctrine unblamableness of Conversation to win you to Christ and though I had no wheaten bread yet rather than your souls should starve according to the pattern of my great Lord and Master I gave you barley bread the nourishment and strength of which I leave to your experiences I did what I could while I was with you to keep you to fore-warn and fore-arm you and now having no more time to be with you I commend you and yours to the protection of the God of Grace and Peace Whatsoever there is in an infinite God that may make for your security and comfort I commend you unto it to his Mercy to pity and pardon all your sins to his Righteousness to plead for you to his Power to defend you to his Al-sufficiency to supply you to all the virtue of his Arm to all the affection of his Bowels to all the depths of his Wisdom and to whatever else in an infinite God that can make for your defence I commit you to it From Him I received you with him with his Love his Mercy his Faithfulness c. I leave you To Him 1. Because he is able to comfort you in all your sorrows who can and will shine upon you in the darkest nights and turn them into a bright day He is the Father of Mercies and God of all Comfort And as the Sufferings of Christ abound in you so your Consolation shall abound by Christ 2 Cor. 1.3 5. he will give you an assured and impregnable Peace within when you have Troubles and War without This was Christ's Legacy for his People Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you not as the world gives give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled let it not be afraid John 14.27 Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you John 16.22 This peace shall so keep and defend your hearts that all the beleaguering sufferings and afflictions shall not take nor vanquish them Phil. 4.7 And the Peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall keep your hearts as in a strong well-fortified impregnable Garison 2. To Him I commend you who is able to support under your greatest burdens Satan that great Leviathan would alwayes have more liberty to lay load upon load upon your backs he would load you with temptations and persecutions without he would have loads of corruptions and dissertions within to be heaped upon you he desires to winnow you and try your strength he would break you backs dash your hopes your comforts your joy and peace by accumulated miseries But this God can and will make his Grace sufficient for you and glorifie his Power in your weakness 2 Cor. 12. When you are weakest in your selves the Lord will shew himself strongest to you and for you and make those burdens easie which before appeared formidable and insupportable to you Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will take up one end of the staff and the heaviest part of the burden upon himself 3. To him I commend you who is able to establish you in the most shaking times Christians must not be as reeds bow with every wind of Doctrine nor moved away with every storm of Persecution but they must be like those two brazen Pillars in Solomons Temple called Jachin and Boas Stability and Strength You must be strong stedfast in the purity of the Doctrine in the simplicity of the Worship of the Gospel of Christ Now you are not able to stand by your own strength against storms and winds but God will stablish and strengthen you and make you like an house built upon the Rock that all the waves and floods of Persecution shall not be able to move you The God of all Grace after that you have suffered a while will make you perfect and strengthen and settle you 1 Pet. 5.10 You that are Christians indeed are built upon such a foundation Jesus Christ as conveyes life strength and stability to the superstructure As broken bones once knit are the stronger as trees shaken by the winds take deeper root So God by all shakings and stormy winds will make you more stable and setled It is your Security and my Comfort and stand not by your own strength but by the Power of God 4. To Him I commend you because he is able to provide strong and suitable supplies for you Should I commit you to men they would seek their own profits but never bestow their pains they would feed upon you but not feed you reap the fruit but never watch nor water nor manure the Vineyard But this God is the great the good and faithfyl Shepherd who when he removes one Instrument can raise another When he takes away one Minister he can provide you another that can send you an Elisha after Elijah one to whom he hath given a double portion of his Spirit 2 Kings 2.9 a man of greater parts learning and abilities of greater experiences and skill in the great things of Christ in the great concernments of your souls both a Boanarges and a Barnabas 5. To Him I commend you who is able to bless the smallest means and make them equally profitable and beneficial as the best Though in regard of men you may doubt of the former yet in God you may be confident of the latter All means are in God's hand Paul may plant and Apollos water but it is
God that gives the increase His blessing upon the smallest means makes them very beneficial to you when the want of this blessing makes the greatest and most likely means insuccesful his blessing upon the Pulse made Daniel and his Companions look fresher and fairer than those that were fed at the Kings Table Dan. 12.3 5. Barley loaves in Christ's hand and with his blessing is more beneficial than Wheaten Bread in the hands of man only John 6.9 This God by his blessing can make up the want of outward means That is the best Faith that is got by the weakest means You see poor children that are brought up with hard food brown bread and water to look fatter ruddier to be stronger than those who are fed with dainties and varieties God's blessing upon the weakest means makes fat and flourishing Christians when the want of his blessing upon the strongest means makes many lean Christians He fed Elijah by the black Ravens 1 Kings 17.6 6. I commend you to this God that can preserve your Graces when outward means fail I told you he is a God of Wonders what he doth by means he can do without means what he doth mediately by Instruments he can do it immediately by Himself Did not he sustain Moses without meat and drink forty dayes in the Mount Did not he sustain our blessed Saviour forty dayes without food in the Wilderness Did not he provide for and maintain the Israelites in the Wilderness for the space of forty years without plowing and sowing by an extraordinary providence so that they wanted not until they are of the old Corn of the Land of Canaan Did not he preserve the Widow's Meal in the Barrel and her Cruse of Oyl that they wasted and failed not until God sent rain upon the earth 1 King 17.14 15 16. So if God bring upon you a Famine of the Preaching of the Word yet God can and will preserve your Graces they shall not waste till God send supplies Doth God bring you into a wilderness where you have no Ordinances of God God can and will provide supplies till your Grace shall be turned into Glory He enabled the Prophet to travel in the strength of the Cake forty nights and dayes until he came to the Mount of God 1 King 19. And is the hand of the Lord shortned that he cannot help or are the bowels of his mercy shut up that he will not or is he more careful of the life of Nature than of the Life of Grace No! no! he is the same God still and he will enable you in the present strength of Grace if you want Means to travel on till you come to the blessed Mount of God 7. To him I commend you that can and will turn all to your good He can overshoot Men and Devils in their own bowes what they design for your hurt and destruction he can turn it to your great benefit Even as the Apothecary kills the destructive nature of poysonous Ingredients and makes them medicinal so God pulls out the Sting and Poyson of every suffering and affliction and makes them good Rom. 8. All things shall work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose Doth he suffer you to be under many and divers Afflictions he exerciseth you with divers Rods and Tryals with Reproach Blasphemy Sickness Imprisonments Poverty Buffetings with Satan God will bring good out of all these Several Diseases must have several Cures And several Ingredients make up one Remedy to cure a Malady It may be you have many Corruptions and strong Corruptions therefore you must have strong and divers kinds of Cure and by all this variety God aims at your good to wean and win you to purge and kill sin in you to prevent sin in the future Every twig of the Rod though bitter at the present will at last drop Hony into your Souls He will turn your water into Wine your wandrings in the wilderness shall end in Canaan all his Dispensations to his People come in Love and Mercy though Sickness yet in Love and Mercy though Poverty yet in Love though Affliction yet in Love A Cross in Love is better than a Comfort in Wrath. Wicked men have a Curse in their best things a Curse in their Honours a Curse in their Riches a Curse in their Health God's People have a Blessing in their worse things a Blessing in Poverty a Blessing in Sufferings a Blessing in Affliction and God's Love sweetens our sowrest Draughts when his Curse imbittereth and poysoneth the sweetest Enjoyments This God will sanctifie all Providences to you and sanctified Sickness is better than unsanctified health Sanctified Poverty is better than unsanctified riches Sanctified Afflictions are Blessings and Mercies and better than unsanctified prosperity I have done with the first part of the Remedy your Security and Comfort in your desolate condition I now come to the second part of the Remedy that is The Word of his Grace Before I come to prove it give me leave to shew you why it is called Grace or give you the Reasons of the title Grace given to the Word The Word of his Grace and it is so called 1. Because it is a Gift of Grace It was Gods free good Will why it was bestowed at all and why one Age or Place of the World should receive it rather than another and why God should discover the Mystery that was kept secret since the world began to those who were sinners of the Gentiles serving dumb Idols it is of Free-Grace We may say of all these Even so Father because it seemed good in thy sight 2. Because the subject matter of the Gospel is Grace all benefits contained in it flow from Grace whether they be blessings without us or blessings within us Election is of Grace and according to the good Pleasure of his Will Ephes 1.5 Our effectual Calling is according to Grace 2 Tim. 1.9 and our spiritual Birth our Regeneration is of God's Free-will Jam. 1.18 Faith is the Gift of God Ephes 2.8 Forgiveness of all our sins is according to the Riches of his Grace Eph. 1.7 Justification is freely by his Grace Rom. 3.24 And Life Eternal is the Gift of God Rom. 6.23 3. It is called The Word of Grace because it is an instrument to impart and bestow these Blessings upon us it is an Instrument through God's Blessing to work in us the Life of Grace Of his own Will he begat us by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.17 This enlightens our understandings and turns us from darkness to light Acts 26.17 18. This sanctifies us Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth John 17.17 All the Gifts and Benefits of Free-grace are imparted to us by it hence it is called The Grace of God that brings Salvation Tit. 2.12 It doth not only bring it to look upon but by the power of its Ordainer accompanying it doth make us partakers of it Now this Word of
there be no cry for Ordinances that have run the pure blood of the Grape shall true good-fellowship have no more mourners for the loss of it 3 dly Will not the want of trading fill many mouths with complaints and many houses with sorrow Deborah mentions Judg. 5.6 the not occupying the high wayes as a sad calamity T is said of Babylon Rev. 18.11 The Merchants of the Earth shall weep and mourn over her for no man buyeth their merchandize any more Will not some places want their weekly Market in season preaching and their extraordinary Fairs out of season preaching Are not some great traders for Heaven in some places shutting down their shop-windows and should not this affect us 4thly Cannot any of us bemoan men and things that are much missed Physicians Lawyers wise Neighbours faithful Friends O Sirs what can be more missed than Ordinances what Physitians Comforters and Counsellors have they been to us how many a time had we been at a loss if not the Ordinances to go to as David Psal 73.16 17. Ordinances are publick Advantages It is a bad Husband indeed that is not missed a bad Parent that is not missed but how are good ones missed Verily they that misse their Ministers least need them most 5thly Are we not apt to over-sorrow if we be crossed in our desires or lose our desirable things shame thy heart with such instances as Ahab can he go to his house heavy and displeased for want of a conveniency and I lose a thing so necessary without regret Can Amnon be sick for Tamar and pine away And can I carry as if I could be and do well enough without the loves of Christ in his Ordinances So much for this first part of my Errand I now pass on to the second part of my Errand and that is to those that have under this Losse special and singular cause of mourning c. 1. Mourn you upon whom the Ordinances have been lost whilst they were amongst you The best should mourn for who hath improved under Ordinances as they might But how should they mourn that have been almost in all evil in the midst of the Congregation and Assembly Prov. 5.14 Oh if any of us be yet on this side a Saving-change as how many are How sad is it to see the Womb of Ordinances shut up Oh to have the Bridge drawn up the Portcullis let down and thou not got within but left to the roaring Lyons mercy is a sad case Oh to have for any thing you know the Market done and they that have sold Oyl making their last calls to the Customers that have too long passed by shutting up shop and thy Oyl yet to buy Oh for God to seem to say to a place I have done with you they are joyned to their lusts let them alone The night of the Day of Salvation is to none so black and dark as to them that have not known the day of their Visitation Christ weeps over such a People Luke 19.41 42. How should such a People weep over themselves The passing of Harvests and the ending of Summers is of them most to be lamented that have cause to say we are not saved Jerem. 8.20 They have cause to use those words in Jerem. 6.4 Wo unto us for the Day goeth away for the shadows of the Evening are stretched out Mourn you from whom the Word is going in word before it is come to you in power 2dly Mourn you that may in a more than ordinary manner look upon your selves as the Forfeiters of such Mercies that have thrust them away Which of us can say in this case our hands are clean Who is not accessory to the death of God's Servants But there are some that are the principal and of whom it may be said This breach be upon you Give out the lot and you will find especially to sorts of men taken viz. 1. Slighters of Ordinances And 2. Such as have been slighty in them Therefore 1. O you slighters of Ordinances mourn How careless were you to feed besides the Shepherds tents have ye not been as those that turn aside have you not chosen corners rather than Assemblies have you not listened to any body that hath said Loe here is Christ Oh! have not many of you turned under pretence of Corruptions of the Church till you can see no Church at all in being How many little petty Congregations set up and Reforming Assemblies withdrawn from Is it any wonder if so many Churches come to none Is it any wonder if a Land in which there was so great a forsaking find a great forsaking in the midst of the Land Isa 6.12 'T is high time to draw the Cloth when the Table wants Guests and to break up School when the Scholars come not at it It was the manner of too many to forget the Assembling of themselves Heb. 10.25 Too many had lost the way to their Fathers House The Ministry that were your main burdens God is easing you of many of them God is by this Dispensation I think confuting that wild Generation that cryed down the Ordinances But Wo worth them that put the Almighty upon such a way of Confutation that may cost many their souls and hath cost many their livelihood But these men will not hear me the Lord speak to them Read and apply to this head 2 Chron. 29.6 7 8. 2. Oh you that have been slighty in them whilst frequenters of them mourn Oh you that have not come to them as Solemnities with serious hearts you that have made some stir in your approaches to God in some Ordinances as a Sacrament c. but have not put on the wedding Garment for all Ordinances O mourn We would not cloath our selves for them and so we are stripped of them We mocked God when we should have served him and so he will not be mocked we were but as a People and therefore not so much as a People we had but a Name to live and therefore we must not have so much as a Name our hearts have been elsewhere whilst in them and no wonder if such a People know they had Oh sad that it may be said they had a Prophet among them Ezek. 33.31 33. how have we lost our hearts in them how little have we fought to see Jesus by them and to touch him in them No wonder if an Ark go into Captivity when the Ark of God is looked at and after and not the God of the Ark. Oh how we have gloried in our Priviledges and have looked after the Power of them Oh our bare hearings Oh our barren receiving of Sacraments Oh our seeming desires after Church-Purity and our little care of Heart-Purity Oh our few out-cries against our corrupting of Ordinances by the sinful mixtures of Distractions base ends c. Oh how much of man how little of a Christian in our approaches to God! How much was the Price of the Gospel fallen even half in