You must not believe every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God When either Doctrine or Worship is corrupted in a Church the way to reform both is not to fly to humane Authority or Antiquity but to the golden Rule of the Word this is the only safe Rule Other rules may erre but this is infallible Vse 2. The second Use is of Reproof To reprove forgetful hearers such as seem very eager in hearing and receiving Divine Truths attending on Gospel-Ordinances but are not careful to remember what and how they have received and heard such who return not on the things they have heard but leave all behind them Such as a Divine expresseth it who come from Duties as from a Grave where they leave their dearest Friends behind them not as from a Dole from whence they carry somewhat with them Of such hearers as these the Apostle James speaks Jam. 1.22 23 24. Yet I speak not here of that forgetfulness which proceeds meerly from weakness which is bewailed and is the burden of their souls This is indeed an infirmity to be bewailed yet deserves rather pity and compassion from men than reproof but the forgetfulness this Doctrine reproves is that which proceeds from carelesness when men do not make conscience of the duty pressed in the Text namely remembring how they have received and heard Vse 3. But the third and last Use of this Doctrine which I shall further make and insist on is a Use of Exhortation To exhort all of you to the practice of the Duty in the Text. Oh labour to remember what and how you have received and heard I am like no more to speak to you publickly in the Name of the Lord. Let me therefore leave this Counsel and Exhortation with you as that which may be of great use to you in hours of temptation that may come upon you I beseech you Beloved by the mercies of God in the bowels of Christ and out of the respect you bear to your own precious and immortal souls that you would labour and endeavour to remember those soul-saving Truths and precious Ordinances you have received heard and enjoyed and those impressions you have felt upon your hearts from them Oh be not forgetful hearers let not the Truths of God slip out of your minds Beloved I may say to you there is scarce any Truth necessary to salvation but you have heard of it once and again from some or other of Gods Messengers that have been sent unto you though not without the mixtures of sin and weaknesse as to the instruments which God in mercy pardon You have heard what God is and how he will be worshiped even in spirit and in truth and not according to the inventions and traditions of men you have heard the Doctrine of God's Decrees and of his works of Creation and Providence opened and applied You have heard of the sinful and miserable condition of a man in a natural condition You have heard the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and of the means of our recovery by Christ alone You have had Christ set before you in his Person Natures Offices Obedience Sufferings You have heard many other both Theoretical and Practical Truths set before you in Preaching Expounding Catechising and by these you have been antidoted against Popish Socinian and Arminian errors and many others Oh labour to remember these keep them by you as a choise treasure lay them up in your heads and hearts that you may be able to bring out of your treasury things both new and old O! let not any of the Truths of God slip out of your minds or be as water spilt upon the ground Ministers must dye but let not the Truths of God dye in your hearts Ministers may be forcibly parted from you and have their mouths stopt as ours and many others are and are like to be yet let not the Word of Truth depart out of your minds when we are gone Let the Word of God even that Word of his we have spoken to you in his Name abide with you for ever Let it live with you and let it dye with you also Oh let truths be written on your hearts as with the point of a Diamond never to be razed out A stony heart is a grievous plague but an iron memory is a great mercy Oh therefore remember what you have heard in point of Doctrine and remember also the counsels and directtions you have had given to you as to the performance of publick family secret relative Duties Remember the warnings you have had against sin Sinners you have been warned against your sins Thou Drunkard Swearer Sabbath-breaker Vnclean person thou enemy to Godliness thou scoffer at and persecuter of Religion yea you Formalists Hypocrites that rest in civility morality or outside-performances you have been warned of the danger of your condition of the wrath of God hanging over your heads for these sins of the necessity of repentance for and from your sins and of faith in Christ if ever you be saved Remember the fore-warnings you have had of God's Judgments of the things you now fear yea feel Have you not been told many a time Christians what wantonnesses in opinion and practice the deadnesses worldlinesses decaies carnal policy divisions of Professors would bring upon them And you that are Saints remember what soul-refreshing comforts you have had in and from the Word of God Remember how plainly purely powerfully plentifully the Word of God hath been preached and Ordinances dispensed among you And remember also with what seriousness of spirit high estimation holy affection readiness of mind strong resolution powerful impressions you have heard and received the Word and Ordinances of God and what Gracious effects you have found of them Now to press this Exhortation as a lesson I would leave with you I shall first lay down some Motives 2ly Some Directions 3ly Helps to inable to performance of this duty The Motives shall be what I might have laid down as Reasons of the Doctrine Mot. 1. The first Motive to stir you up to this Duty of remembering how you have received and heard is this That the Truths you have heard and Ordinances you have partaken of they were not of use only for the time past or present while you were or are hearing or receiving of them but they are of use a great while after The Sermons you have long since heard and Sacraments you have received may do your souls good the longest day you live The vertue and use of the Word and Ordinances may and doth often put forth it self long after the participation of them and therefore you should remember them that you may bring them forth for use in the time to come which you cannot do if you let them slip out of your heads and hearts The Truths of God are as Treasuries and storehouses which are not onely for present use but for time to come for men to live on
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
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
faithful to preserve your Graces your Knowledge Faith Love Hope Patience Humility c. if God did not keep them they would soon wither decay and come to nothing Satan would soon rob you of them sin would soon wast and destroy them but he will not lose the least dust of this Gold He is faithful to preserve your Joy and Peace of conscience Our Comforts have need of his protection as well as our Graces How soon would temptations sin and persecution blow our Comforts away if not preserved by him In the world yee shall have tribulation but in me ye shall have peace John 16.33 Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you ver 22. Neither reproaches nor imprisonments nor persecutions shal quench your joy for he can make you sing in prisons and rejoyce in tribulation for his Name Acts 16. Rom 5. And though your Graces be weakened and your Comforts eclipsed yet he will revive and strong then your Graces he will restore your Comforts Though he cast down yet he is faithful he will not cast off though he may suffer your bodies to be imprisoned banished tortured burned yet he is faithful to keep them safe until the Resurrection the great and general Spring when they shall be raised and reunited to your souls and reflourish in a glorified manner to eternity And here is great security concerning temporal danger temptation Graces Comforts and all To which I commend you and your All for Protection and Comfort 4. This is to commit you to the greatest care and diligence Diligence is as necessary in those that will secure and protect others as well as Mercy and Faithfulness Sleepy Guards and Watchmen betray strong Castles and fortified Garisons as well as unfaithful Guards The men of Laish were a secure and negligent People and the men of Dan took their City and destroyed them with the edge of the Sword Judg. 18. Whilst Abner and the Army slept Abisha would have slain Saul their King if David would have permitted him 1 Sam. 26.11 12. How many famous and formidable Armies have been utterly routed and thousands of men slain by an handful of people through carelesness and negligence better is a weak defence with care and diligence than a strong fortified place with negligence But Jesus Christ is very diligent and watchful for the preservation of his Church and People even as the diligent Keeper of a Vineyard alwayes watcheth that none spoil his Vineyard that wild beasts break not in and spoil it so God watcheth and defendeth his Church I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Isa 27.3 He knows all the plots and contrivances of ungodly men against his Church Why do the Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain thing and the Kings of the Earth take counsel together against the Lord and his Anointed Psal 2.1 2. He knew all the devices of Senacherib against Jerusalem I know saith God thy abode thy comming in thy going out and thy rage against me Isa 37.28 Many are the devices of wicked men against God's Children and they know them not but God knows them when they are in their deep consultations God's eye is upon them he stands by and hears them God knows the confederacy of Syria and Ephraim against Judah and Jerusalem to take it and set up a King for themselves Isa 7.5 6. He knew the bloody design of Herod against Christ notwithstanding his pretence of worshipping him He saw the desperate Popish Gun-Powder Plot here in England God is very diligent to know all the designs of his Churches enemies He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Psa 121.3 4. Though the enemies of the Church are vigilent politick and strong yet the Defender of the Church is more vigilent more politick more strong he opposeth his Wisdom to their wisdom his Counsels to their counsels his Power to their power he out-wits them and out-powers them He bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought and makes the devices of the People of none effect Psal 33.10 He taketh the wise in their craftiness he maketh them to fall into the same Snare they have laid and into the same Pit they have digged for others Psal 7.15 16. He hangs Haman on the same Gallows he had raised for Mordecai And as he is diligent to discover the plots of his Peoples enemies so he is diligent to defend his People even as the Governour of a besieged Garison is diligent to look to every place and bring fresh aid and new supply where there is most need he encourages them that are fainting saves them that are in danger his care and diligence is a great security and comfort So God is every where with his People diligent to save them to refresh to strengthen them He is with his Josephs in Prison with his Jobs on the Dunghil with his Daniels in the Lions-Den with the three Children in the fiery Fornace Are they imprisoned banished sick pesecured in great dangers God is careful to save them The eyes of the Lord run to and fro upon the whole Earth to shew himself Mighty on the behalf of them that fear his Name 2 Chron. 16.9 He is diligent to preserve the souls as well as the bodies of his People from Satans temptations the allurements of the world and inward corruptions and though he suffers them to be tempted yet he is with them and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear He is diligent to preserve the Graces of his People even as the Goldsmith is careful and diligent to keep and save all the filings and dust of his Gold because the least grain of it according to its proportion is precious so the least of your Graces though weak and small in your account is precious and of great worth in the account of God and he will not suffer the least to decay He will not break a bruised reed nor quench smoaking flax God's People are very precious in his esteem they are his Jewels Mal. 3. as dear to him as the apple of his eye Zeph. 2. As a man when his house is on fire is wonderful diligent to keep and save from the flame whatsoever is dear and precious to him his Wife and Children his Silver and Gold and his Jewels So when the World or a Nation is on a flame God is wonderfully careful to preserve his People that are his Jewels his Spouse his Children they are dear to him Are you afraid that the Furnace will be heated too hot that the Temptation will be too strong or the burden of Afflictions too great to bear Let this be your comfort he is your Security and will proportion afflictions to your strength or give strength proportionable to the burden And if he give strength to bear a burden it is as if he laid no burden at all upon you he
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
In keeping Fasts especially making the dayes on which such a sad Calamity befals us Fasting-dayes As this People did Zech. 7.3 compare Jer. 52.12 The Fast of the fifth Month was for the burning of the Temple which with their solemn Assemblies were all consumed and buryed in its Ashes Secondly In abandoning or at least very much abating Joy in many other things continued to us during the continuance of this Cause of Sorrow Nehemiah though a chearful man droops and cannot be chearful as formerly Nehem. 2.1 2. he is heart-struck with the Churches condition and hath little joy in his own preferment a Prince's smile will not chear him whilst God frowns on his People Uriah will not enjoy honest and lawful delight whilst the Ark is hazarded 2 Sam. 11.11 He that denies proffered delights because the Ark is but hazarded how would he have disdained if not abominated such a Proffer if the Ark had been captivated The Wife of Phinehas sets not her heart on the Tydings of a Male-child when the Ark is taken 1 Sam. 4.21 22. There is little Joy in Children when we suspect whether we shall leave them a Gospel or no We may write Ichabod upon the Children born in our houses in a time when God seems to be breaking up house amongst us Oh who can tell what a want the want of Christ's School of Ordinances is to poor Children Thirdly Mentioning not or at least not accounting our own losses that do accompany this for such Calamities seldom come alone comparable to or worthy to be named with this Loss You may see the frame of this Prophets Spirit Psal 137. totum They cannot joy no though in Babylon they were seated in a fruitsoyl by the waters side but there they weep And what is it for it is for Zion no doubt but they had many a doleful thing to remember beside Zion and her concernments much Spoile and Cruelty The Famine that would fill them with many sad thoughts and the Sword and its Executions would mind them of grievous things but it is Zion that makes their heart bleed As this is their chief Joy so this is their chief Sorrow They did not so much miss the Comforts of their native Country as Jerusalem Oh that City of their Solemnities Oh Jerusalem they cannot forget David in his Exile wanted many things besides the Courts of the Lord but he speaks as if he wanted nothing but them nothing as them He breathes not after Sauls court but after God's Court. Some upon the 84th Psalm and the 4th verse do leave out the supplement Even that is in our Translation and reade it as an abrupt and pathetical Exclamation thus Thine Altars O Lord of Hosts q. d. Oh for thine Altars O my God when and where shall I be so happy Thine Altars thine Altars The Birds they have Nests where to lay their Young they have what is agreeable to their nature need and refreshings Oh why have I not where to lay my head Oh why am I kept from my Resting place David in his Exile seeing the Birds come and go to their Nests like a passionate Lover he takes occasion thence to bewaile his sad lot As sometimes Queen Elizabeth did in her Restraints Speed in the Life of Qu. Mary upon the sight of the Milk-maid out of her Prison Windows whose merry singing over her Pail put her into a pensive dump preferring a poor liberty before her Princely Captivity So that the words are an holy piece of Poetry expressing so zealous an Affection to the Ordinances that turned every thing it met with either into Fewel or Bellows Fourthly Lamenting after the Lord during the time of this Sequestration on us for our Delinquencies until the Lord take it off and put us into possession of these dear Liberties and precious Priviledges One of the Daughters of godly Sorrow is vehement desire As in the Creation out of the Waters were formed the winged Fowls 2 Cor. 7.11 And hence comes a sickness of heart until the Mercy desired be obtained No Mercy that is on this side Christ and Grace more panted after This is that which David will seek after Psal 27.4 this is that he thirsts for and longs for that he may see God's Power and Glory as he had seen him in the Sanctuary Psal 63.1 2. Oh that I may but behold those glorious Ordinances If it had not been for hopes of Restitution his heart would have fallen into a deadly swond Psal 27.13 You find the People 1 Sam. 7.2 lamenting after the Lord. We should lye in Tears whilst the Church lyes in its Ruines It is Junius his note upon the Text Pios qui tanto studio conventus sacri constringuntur ut tantisper dum a Deo absunt sint in maerore luctu The Spirit of a good man under such a want should be like that of Mephibosheth in Davids absence 2 Sam. 19.24 Whilst David was driven out he hath no mind of himself nor of any thing he hath And when David is returned he is so full of that that he cares not if he hath nothing else Surely brown bread and Gospel is good fare and a short allowance of Temporals will serve if God will restore and mend our spiritual Pastures Isa 30.20 And thus much of the first Question The second follows which is 2. Quest Why should Church Members be sorrowful for the want of them Answ The Text shall answer this Question that so I may at once more fully explain the Text and confirm the Doctrine and before I give the Reasons that are couched in the Text I shall only premise this That I take it for granted that by Solemn Assemblies are meant all the Appendices of them and takes in the want of the Word Worship Ministry and Ordinances which things do make them sacred and in a peculiar manner solemn Assemblies This premised I come to the first Reason Reas 1. Because they are Solemn Assemblies i. e. Holy Meetings for high and great Ends. The Testification of our duty in our attendance upon and approaches to his Majesty and the Communication of his Grace Mercy and Goodness so that in losing them we are prevented from doing that which is the main end of our being and are interrupted in the enjoying of that which is the means of our present and future well-being But because it is particulars that do affect singularia pungunt I shall a little open this Loss in two particulars First In the want of Assemblies we want the Publick Worship And Secondly We want the things to be enjoyed in Publick Worship and to be received in it 1. In the want of the Solemn Assemblies we want Publick Worship there the People are Psal 102.21 22. gathered together to serve the Lord. The service of God is reckoned among the Jews Priviledges Rom. 9.4 Publick Worship is one of the Jewels in the Jews Cabinet First Publick Worship is that which God loves and that God hath wrought in all
our Mercies Bona a tergo formosissima Virtutem incolumen odimus sublatam exocculis quaerimus invidi Give me leave to strike your Hearts as Moses the Rock with a few quickening Questions Quest 1. Did they mourn and should not we What were their Assemblies to ours Answ Surely the Spirituality Power and Blessing of our Assemblies far exceed theirs Though the Jew was the elder Brother it is the Châ—â—â—â—an that hath the Fatted-Calfe The double Portion â—ow far do Ezekiels measures exceed Solomons or Zâ—â—ubbabels work the Temple of the Christian Church â—â—rely he aimes at We may say of Gospel Ordinâ—â—â—es as Jacob of himself Gen. 49.26 The blessings of them have prevailed above the blessings of their Progenitors Theirs were but carnal ordinances comparatively Heb. 9.10 and the least Christian Assembly as Christ said of John the Baptist is greater than they Quest 2. Did they mourn that knew the set-time for the return of their Mercies and shall not we that are uncertain what God will do Have we any to tell us how long Answ There are many but too bold in their calculations it s well if they be any better than those in Jer. 27.16 that set a short period to the Captivity of the Sanctuary-Vessels but they lied and were good for nothing but to feed presumption it is said The time was long and they lamented after the Lord 1 Sam. 7.2 Mercies long ere they are attained little improved when they are compassed it may well be as one said of faithful Friends uncertain when they will return Quest 3. Is it likely they should return back any other way than by streams of Tears sent after them Answ Did not this Peoples Mercies come back swiming in their Tears Reade Jer. 31.8 9. and 50.4 They shall come with weeping and they shall come going and weeping There Tears of sorrow for their sins and calamities helped them now to weep Tears of ingenuity and so when the Tide is at highest they go forth towards their old enjoyments again The higher the Waters of sorrow do Rise the nearer Mercy is to Landing Psal 102.13 14. The set time is come How doth that appeare see ver 14. for thy Servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof When God's People can most tenderly weep over the Churches Ruines Râ—pairation is near Quest 4. Should they return and not find us in Tears for their absence would they not be joyless and comfortless Mercies Can the Harvest be joyful to any but them that have sown in Tears Answ God calls the Mourners of This People to rejoyce with her Isa 66.10 Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her but who all ye that love her and rejoyce for joy with her all ye that mourn for her God tells this People Zech. 8.19 that their several Fasts shall be turned into joyful Feasts the Women that are called to the Travel are bidden to the Up-sitting and to the Feast and indeed proportionably to the sorrow at parting wil be the joy at meeting again the Tide will be according to the Ebb. The tidings that Joseph was not was so lamentable that the news of Josephs being alive was abundantly more reviving No Mercy comes to us with such advantage as that of which we may say as the Father of the Prodigal This Ordinance was dead and is alive this Mercy was lost and is found The City Shushans perplexity made their Good Day a great deal better Quest 5. What are all our joyes that we seemed to have in them when we had them if we sorrow not at the loss of them Surely they were but seeming joyes Surely we did but seem to welcome the light surely our joy was but that or the stony ground or like that of John Baptists hearers Can we take the loss of things so upon which our hearts really are how should one measure the truth and degree of our affections but by the strength of our afflictions in the removal of a thing When I see a careless Soul or People under such a bitter dispensation methinks I have occasion to say to them as the Apostle to the Galatians chap. 4.15 Where is the blessedness you spake of you have sometimes seemed as if you could have plucked out your eyes and have given them to your Ministers and have you no Tears in your eyes when they are removing from you that have been as your eyes Where is the blessedness you spake of Quest 6. Are you fit for the improvement of them if God should gather you before you have got a sense of the want of them could it be in mercy Mercy is lost upon unhumbled hearts Could we be thankful could we be fruitful The returned Ark was a gladsome sight to the men of Bethshemesh 2 Sam. 6.13 19. but they not knowing how to use it it was almost as ill a neighbour to them as to the Philistines Probably they had the People after the Lord is not mentioned till the next chapter 1 Sam. 7.2 The Word to unhumbled hearts is as the Seed to unbroken ground it is thrown away and not sowed Winter time soaks and steeps the earth and so makes it fruitful in Summer Ground under water and much floated in Winter is most rich many times If ever our Winter be past they will make the best use of Summer that have bin under water No feet so fit to stand in Jerusalems Courts as theirs that in their wanderings have been putting Tears into God's Bottle as David did Psal 56.8 Tender-ey'd Leah was fruitful Truly tender-hearted blear-ey'd Christians are most like to be fruitful If ever God delight in us and our poor Assemblies be married again if ever Hephzibah and Beulah be writ upon us instead of Forsaken as I may allude to Isa 62.4 Quest 7. Are there not many things that may shame us for and O that they might shame us out of our senslesness upon this account As first Are there not those that mourn for want of their Idolatries Can we not find Women weeping for Tammuz Ezek. 8.14 Can we not reade of Micah taking on for the loss of his gods and his priest Judg. 18.23 24. and what no Tears for our present loss of Worship and God Will not a Fathers seeming to bid some of our places farewel make us mourn Do we not reade of those that have committed Fornication and lived Deliciously with Babylon that they shall lament and bewail her Rev. 18.9 and shall not we that have tasted of the fatness of God's House bemoan our loss 2 dly Are there not those to be found that have mourned for want of their wicked meetings what a prison is many a Drunkards house to him what lowings of heart after them under any restraints It is said in Isa 24.11 There is a cry for wine in the streets all joy is darkned the mirth of the Land is gone or as some translate is gone into Captivity Mirth is gone with the liquor And what shall