ways Here he finds a people walking wiâ—h him and therefore he promiseth them preservation Now if God do find any thing of excellence upon a people yet how often is it cold and dead and at a very low ebb if he finds faith How much of unbelief is there in the soul Also if he finds him walking with God how much turning aside And is it not great mercy that God is yet pleased to crown them with preservation because he finds but some small matter of excellency upon them You shall see how David speaks Psal 130.3 If thou shouldest mark iniquities Oh Lord who shall stand That is if thou comest to search us throughly and resolvest to do according to all that thou seest in us who then shall stand But it is the kindness of God that he doth not mark all iniquity and doth not look upon every miscarriage of his poor people he covers mâ—ny of them therefore in Lam. 3. how much are they there taken with Gods mercy It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not vers 22. 3. It is a great mercy if you consider Gods preservations are special kindnesses a great deal of love goes therewith Hezakiah when he was sick of the Plague God carryeth him through it he did not let him fall by it and what saith he Isa 38.17 Thou hast not let me fall but hast kept me and thou hast done it in love to my soul And to this add that 2 King 19.30 31. Mark it the Assyrian I think it was that did hardly bestead poor Israel who were greatly distressed by them well but saith God Out of Sion shall go a remnant and some shall escape but how Why the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform it That is his love and care shall be ingaged for a remnant so that it is great mercy to be preserved and that because God doth preserve in great kindness 4. It is a great mercy if you consider that God oft shews a great deal of mercy to the souls of them that do escape in Isa 4. you see what a mercy the Lord shews and what good he doth upon the souls of those that should remain in Sion in vers 4. The escaped remnant shall not carry their dross along with them but God will take away their dross and do away their filth this shall be the mercy of this escaping remnant and so Mal. 3.2 3. Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth Why what is it makes that day so terrible Oh this is it He shall sit as a refiners fire and as Fullers soap In vers 6. Oh saith he when I come in my dreadful calamities and judgements Jacob shall not be consumned Why not what shall then be done upon him He will take away their dross and their Tynn and purifie them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness and truely this is more then to escape to escape is not so much as to escape it and your corruption too to be out of trouble and freed from sin too this is a mercy of mercies 5. Great mercy to preserved in and through a common calamity in as much as it gives farther opportunity to get the soul into a better order to mourn over past miscarriages for the soul of the best and the frame of the best had need be better and he â—hat out-lives a calamity lives to a farther opportunity of getting his heart better prepared saith David Oh spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen Length of time is an advantage to getting more of strength and they that are wise whom God hath delivered they should improve it Ezek. 6.8 9. Yet will I leave a remnant c. This improvement shall the escaping remnant make of their escaping they shall mourn over theiâ— hearts and ways at a greater rate then ever So Ezek. 7.16 But they that escape of them shall escape and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity The best of Saints I am perswaded that God carries through common calamity they do there thence take opportunity of looking into their hearts more throughly and bemoaning them in the presence of God They shall mourn every one for his iniquity and is not this a mercy to have a reserve of time to mourn over their waies in the presence of God 6. It is a mercy if you consider the reserved people are a reconciled people usuâ—lly God is well pleased with them and pacified towards them as Hezekiah said in the text I quoted to you just now Isa 38.17 Behold for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back This is usually Gods method a people that he reserves through calamity to them he pardons all iniquity with them he is at peace and unto them he is pleased graciously to be reconciled So Jer. 50.20 I will pardon them whom I reserve I will not onely reserve them but I will pardon them that is a mercy and double mercy to be a reserved and a pardoned people 7. It is a great mercy to be preserved through publike calamities if you consider God often makes the issue of it the inabling the soul to be more for God and to walk more with him than ever at former times Isa 37.31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downwards and bear fruit upward It hath a spiritual as well as a litteral sence no doubt They shall be a rooted people and also a fruitful people it is a mercy when God makes the issue of these Dispensations the purging of us to make us bring forth more fruit the fire of affliction a means for their purging and consequently of their bearing more fruit to thâ— praise of God So Isa 10.20 21. And it shall come to pass in that day the remnant shall return even the remnant of Jacob to the mighty God We are apt to be running from God but there shall be an escaping remnant and what shall the issue of it be They that return unto the Lord God shall have more of their hearts then ever he had before This is a great mercy and doubtless the soul should admire it and seek it which leads me to the third thing in the Doctrine namely that it is that that gracious souls should put out hard after to be delivered and preserved in the times of publike calamities You shall find sometimes the people of Goâ— have been very earnest for the dive â—â—ng a judgement for the taking of it off if it might be that was the case of Abraham Oh how he pleads for poor Sodom And in times when that cannot be prevailed for how do
forth in such a judgement it seeth it is the hand of the great glorious mighty terâ—ible God and therefore the soul that knows who he is and what he is cannot but have an awe of his judgement resting upon him David was no Infidel yet a man of fear Psal 119.120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of all thy judgements David had this and it was no unbecoming fear he had a holy awe of God a dread of the judgements of God upon the soul is so far from being inconsistent with faith that it is a necessary concomitant of it Again 3. Faith cuts not the throat of the use of means but whilst thou believest for preservation thou art waiting on God in the use of that means that he directs thee to faith it puts upon the use of means but doth not call off from it You believe God for salvation What then you wait upon God in the use of Ordinances Now by these things ask your hearts whether you have faith or no. Two or three things more and I have done Is preservation such a mercy I would first say to you Labor then to be Saints in earnest for if you should be preserved and not be Saints you loose the mercy of your preservation Isa 15.4 His life shall be grievous unto him c. The case of evil men is such sometimes that the very living is a burthen to them and such may be the case of a sinner though he may not be cut off their life may be worse to them then cutting off Jer. 8.3 And death shall be chosen rather then life c. the life of a sinner is not worth the living 2. Above all things have as little to do with sin as you can that is one of the best preservatives Job 11.14 If iniquity be in thy tabernacle put it far away from thee 3. And lastly while you are in the world and distress is in the world especially remember and be sollicitous for the Sion of God Oh stand up and plead for the poor people of Sion Jer. 51.50 Let Jerusalem come into your minds Oh my friends while the distresses of this day lasts Let Jerusalem come into your mind If God preserve you I say while he pâ—eserves you think of Jerusalem plead with God for his poor people that that intereâ—t may be secured that the Lord would be to his people the shadow of a great rock in a weary land And thus I have dispatched the third Doctrine namely that it is a great honor and an especial mercy and that that Saints should put out hard for to be delivered in times of common calamity I shall now go on with the fourth Observation from the words That watchfulness and prayer are rare preservatives and excellent means for safety in the time of common calamities I dare not say they are never-failing means but they are the best means and that as seldom fail as any they are the best preservatives you can have and will do you most service of any thing if there be any safety to be had it is in the use of these means That is the note I would spend a little time upon the God of all our mercies knows how to make it of use to us I would treat a little distinctly on each of them and shew how far each of them serve to this design what part prayer hath in it and what part watchfulness I shall begin with the first viz. Prayer and in what I have to say to that I shall propound three things to be treated on 1. Consider a little what prayer is because if we mistake the thing it self we are out in the whole as if a skilful Physician prescribe one potion and it be mistaken and another taken for it instead of doing good it may do much harm therefore it is good to know what prayer is 2. Consider what prayer is wont to do When Physicians prescribe a remedy they will tell you what great cures such medicines have effected and therefore I shall shew you what prayer hath done and then how it comes to be particularly useful in this case of a common calamity For the first then what is Prayer we oft speak of going to prayer but what is praying Why prayer it may be thus described It is the breathing of a gracious soul in the help of the Spirit of Grace whereby it is inabled to go to God in a promise in the Name of Christ to begg suitable mercy as the case may require I will take this description in parts and confirm each part unto you that you may see it is a description consonant and agreeable unto the word of truth First of all I say prayer is the breathing of the soul heartless prayer is no prayer it is the work of the soul the work of the heart and that in which the heart is not is not prayer at all hence you have that expression in Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much it may be better rendred The Inwrought prayer of the righteous prayer it is an Inwrought thing it is first wrought in the heart before it is brought forth into petitions and if it be not first wrought in the heart before it is brought forth into desires and petitions it is not prayer The heart must go whatsoever is wâ—nting whether you pray with the voice or not you must pray with the heart such a thing you read of in the known case of Hannah 1 Sam. 1.13 Hannah she speaks in her heart onely her lips moved her voice was not heard she spake in her heart her heart was in the prayer and it was a sign it was by the good issue it had David Psal 119. 145. hath an expression that looks that way I cryed with my whole heart Oh Lord I will keep thy statutes If you cry it must be with the heart that must not be wanting for if that be wanting truely the best ingredient of prayer is wanting hence you have that expression in Psal 25.1 I lift up my soul unto thee the meaning is I pray unto thee I call unto thee but he doth express it by lifting up the soul because the soul was ingaged in the work I lift up my soul unto thee the like expression you have Psal 86.4 Now that is the first thing in the description it is the breathing of the soul 2. It is the breathing of a gracious soul it is not every heart but a gracious heart that knoweth how to pray the breathings of a gracious soul and therefore whatever name the desires of a wicked man may have yet alas it doth not amount to prayer Prov. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked it is an abomination unto the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight A wicked man may bring his sacrifice may think to put up his petition but what is it It is an abomination unto the Lord but the prayer of
enough with them also as you have it in the prophecy of Isaiah The sinners in Sion are afraid and fear hath surprised the hypocrite and who can dwell in everlasting burnings But 3. The Saints they are the people that shall have the especial kindness of God over them they are the people that God will look after and therefore I recommend this to you to make it your business to see that there be something of God in you in truth and that you may be found in a spirit suiting the providences of this day and then the Lord may make you partakers of this special mercy of being preserved in the time of common calamity Which leads me to the third Doctrine namely That it is a great honor and an especial mercy and that that Saints should put out earnestly for to be preserved and kept in times of common calamity In treating of which I shall endeavour distinctly to confirm these three things 1. That it is a great honor 2. A great mercy 3. That the Saints should put out hard for preservation in a time of common calamity For the first therefore that it is a great honor to be preserved when God cometh forth with desolating judgement Methinks that Scripture carrieth much of weight in it that you have Gen. 6.8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord What is that Noah found favour in the eyes of God that is he was a man that became a favorite of God he was one honored in the Court of heaven It is the known signification of the term in our common language such a one finds grace in the sight of his Prince that is he is his favourite and he is honored by him So Noah he was one that God put an honor upon and what was the honor it was to make him a preserved one in the time of that common calamity It may appear if we consider three things that it is a great honor to be preserved in a desolating calamity 1. If you consider this That usually such as the Lord preserves they are such upon whom there are some marks of honor found or mind what I add more if any other be preserved it is for the sake of them upon whom something is found very honorable and worthy I shall clear up this from many instances that there is some excellent thing found in and upon those whom the Lord usually preserves in a desolating judgement and my first instance is that of Noah and you shall find something in him very honorable and commendable Noah found favor with God and what was the reason that he should be marked by God for this special favour If you look Gen. 5.9 you shall find that Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation and he walked with God You must bear with me if I take up a little time in insisting upon this that I may shew you the design I have herein There were three excellent things found upon Noah upon which account God marked him out for the man â—hat should be preserved from this deluge 1. He was a just man an upright sincere single-hearted man he was a man that did in the truth of his soul follow God which is an admirable thing Hypocrisie and guile is one of the most dishonorable things under heaven I tell you souls a hypocritical professor is worse then a downright sinner and so the Lord himself accounts him Psal 51.6 Thou desirest truth in the inward part and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to uâ—derstand wisdom thou art saith David for simplicity for sincerity and integrity that is a thing that takes much with the heart of God Hypocrisie is one of the worst things and hath one of the saddest issues and consequences in the world and therefore hypocrites they are said to heap up wrath in Job 36.13 Hypocrites in heart they heap up wrath This jugling and false-heartedness is a most displeasing thing to God and is of most wretched consequence for they shall not onely fall under wrath but under heaps of wrath that are found in this frame they shall have the indignation of God heaped upon them now I conclude on the other hand sincerity is a thing of great worth and this was found upon Noah 2. He was a perfect man in his generation that is thus he was perfect in the sight of men among whom he lived and conversed he was such and so walked that none about him could tell how to accuse him he was a man that gave them no just offence nor laid a stone of stumbling before those that lived about him the world as wicked as it was could not say that he gave them any ill example but he was upright in that wicked world now this is a very honorable thing I tell you many professors do profession more hurt then good and it were well they were out of it for they carry it so wickedly and basely that they harden the hearts of sinners and make them think ill of the ways of God but it is an excellent thing so to carry it that they may be good examples is not this Christs command Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine as that others seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven carry it so in the world as that you may incourage all and discourage none that is the meaning of it that you may not be a hinderance unto any in their closing with and giving up themselves unto God Paul that servant of the Lord injoyned the same thing 1 Cor. 10.32 Give none offence neither to Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God carry it so that you may not justly cast a stone of stumbling in their way this was found in Noah and was a thing very honorable in him and it is commended in others in that Luk. 1. and the beginning it was the commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth that they walked in all the commandments of the Lord blameless as you have it in ver 6. Observe what is commended in these two persons what marks of honor were upon them they were righteous before God a righteousness they had that was so in Gods account and in their walking before men they were blameless as to commandments and ordinances Mark this text there is a great fault in many in the world two sorts of people especially are to blame by vertue of this Text some walk in commandments but are not for ordinances and some in ordinances and not in commandments whereas it is the glory of a people to walk both in commandments and in ordinances my meaning is the carrying of it so in the worship of God and in your conversations also among men that they may not have just occasion of offence Now this was found upon Noah he was just in his generation And the other thing is this And Noah walked with God that is the third honorable character upon Noah He walked with God What
that he doth preserve are usually such as he doth mean to honor with himself for ever or if he do honor others with this mercy it is for the sake of those that he intends to honor with himself for ever There was a kind of typâ—fying â—ut of this in the slaying the first-born of Egypt At that time who must be preserved Why Israel Now all Israel were Types of Gods own people and in that God did Typically foretell what he would do in aftertime especially in the latter times that his saved ones should be his true Israel There is a Scripture I will recommend to you make what use of it the Lord shall help you Isa 4.3 And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem Now what time doth this relate unto It was a time of great destruction as you have it Chap. 3.26 Her gates shall lament and mourn and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground and in vers 25. Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty men in war Now in this desolation some shall escape and who shall they be What sort of men shall they be Mark what he says and make of it as much as the Lord shall help you they that escape of Israel they that are left in Sion and they that remain in Jerusalem shall be called holy that is shall be holy for God calls things as they are or he will make them to be what he calls them And is that all No such as are written among the living or as the word may be rendred such as are written to life in Jerusalem written to life is the same with being written in the Lambs book of life such as he will make holy they shall be the escaped they shall be preserved I will give you another text Mat. 24.22 It speaks of the tribulations of the latter times most dreadful things And what then Except these days be shortned no flesh shall be saved They should be such as should cut off every soul from the earth but God hath an elect upon whom his heart is set and for their sakes it shall be shortned The meaning of the text I take to be this there shall be dreadful tribulations in the latter days such as if they were let run on their course would cut off every soul but they shall be so cut short that a people written unto life shall out-live them And if this be so surely it is a great honor to out-live common calamities especially in the latter days into which we are come or unto which we are drawing nigh apace But one thing more a third argument is this it is an honorable thing to have preservation in times of common calamity if you consider That such who are so preserved are preserved to very honourable ends God doth not preserve them for nothing but to very honorable ends the Prophet Isa 66. tells us of dreadful providences vers 15 16. For behold the Lord will come with fire c. Well shall any escape at that day Yes there shall if you look to vers 14. And when ye see this your heart shall rejoyce c. The hand of the Lord that shall be known to his friends for their preservation to his enemies for their destruction but to what end will he reserve them that he doth preserve That you have in vers 19. I will set a sign among them and I will send those that escape of them to the nations the escaped people what shall they be for They shall be to make known set up and advance the glory of God and to tell of his wondrous workings I confess that I conceive this text doth relate to the Jewish Nation but there shall be a remnant preserved and the reserved are reserved to honorable ends to make known much of God to reveal and speak of his glory To which add that Jer. 50. 28. you read of some that escaped theâ—e in that day of distress and what do they escape for It is to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord they are a remnant reserved to speak the praise of God to magnifie and admire him in the dispensations of his providence and therefore being reserved to honorable ends it is an honorable preservation That is the first thing in the Doctrine 2. As it is an honor so it is an especiall mercy to be preserved in times of publike judgements it is not like the honor of this world which is but an empty blast of breath but such as is a mercy as well as an honor and Oh how great is the mercy of surviving and out-living common calamities I shall briefly shew you it is great mercy and it will be evidenced in the consideration of six or seven particulars 1. It appears to be so from the thankfulness of those that have been preserved You shall find some souls have been much taken with the goodness of God and have admired his kindness in the delivering a people from common calamity David in his time under a common distress how doth he admire the grace of God that shined forth in his preservation What saith David they cut off and I alive What have I done these sheep what have they done Ezra 9.7 8. here was a reserved people a people bâ—ought back from Captivity and what doth Ezra say Oh saith he it is great grace there is abundance of mercy in it that we should be preserved that the Lord should keep us alive and hath not suffered us to fall in our bondage but hath given us a nail in his house Now the thankfulness of a people delivered from such calamiâ—y is a great ground to think it a great mercy Jer. 20.13 Sing unto the Lord praise ye the Lord for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evil doers Now that I say that the people of God are so thankful for and do praise God for certainly it is a great mercy 2. It is a great mercy to be preserved in common calamities if you consider this well that though God may find some honoâ—able things upon his people that he is pleased to honor with preservation yet if he would look throughly he might find something in them that might provoke him to let them fall with others It is true God when he doth preserve doth find something honorable upon those that he doth preserve it is so for the most part as he found faith in Jeremiah a relying and recumbency upon him and therefore honored him with preservation In Psal 91. the Lord found three things honorable upon a people to which he annexeth a promise of preservation one you have vers 9 10. He finds faith there and that he honors with a promise of preservation and in the 11 12. He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy
the goodness of God as almost any people have been guilty of greater breach of Covenant sinning against light despight done to the Spirit of Gâ—ace slighting of and neglecting of the Goâ—pel of Christ has scarce been found among a people for many years and by all this how iâ— God dishonored to have his Gospel slighted and turned out of doors and mens posts set up by Gods posts for him that departeth from evil thereby to make himself a prey Can you say for these things as the Prophet My eyes run down with tears and for these things youâ— soul mourneth in secret I would onely put it to your conscience and ask your souls the question you would I believe be glad to get on the other side of this storm that is now â—egun and have some assurance that you should out-live the present providence why if you would then labor to get some of the marks that are to be found upon those that God doth use to deliver from such calamities 2. What love have you for God Becaâ—se he hath set his love upon me saith God therefore will I deliver him Put the question home to your own souls and see what answer will be made Can you say you have set your love upon God and Christ I believe we may say most of us We see him lovely we have raised affections and desires after him but can we say we have set our love upon him that he is the center upon which our souls have fixed that we see no excellence in any thing that can satisfie our souls save onely in him Can you say you have lived up to that direction of the Apostle Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth Faith and Love are the two great things that distinguish a Saint and an empty professor Now what say you Do you love him If your heart be not onely running out after him but set upon him then he is yours and then you may expect he will look after your preservation onely this I would say soâ—e souls there are that dare not say they love God they have a great many doubts and feaâ—s whether they do truely love God or no and therefore if you should ask me But how shall I know where my heâ—â—t is and whether I have thiâ— lâ—ve or no I would onely say for present What desires are theâ—e in thee after acquâ—intance with God And what desires have you to be found doing the will of God If thou canst say Above all things oh I would know him and injoy him above all things in the world I am jealous lest I should dishonor him then I would say to thee that thou hast ground to hope the Lord hath circumcised thy heart in truth to love him But 3. How do you walk with God You must be in Gods way if you will have his preservation He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways that is in all his ways for we should have no way but Gods ways all our ways should be his ways There are some things inconsistent with the walking with God and it will be well if none of those things be to be found upon our souls 1. The harboâ—ing of bosom-sins if thou harbourest and allowest thy self in any secret sin thou art not one that walkest with God 2. If thou art not one pursuing the death of all sin if thou dost not lâ—bor to mortifie the deeds of the body I dare pronounce thee one that art walking after the flesh 3. This I add that if thou art not one that standest upon thy wâ—tch thou art none of those that walk with God a careless professor that minds not what he is nor what he doth will hardly ever be found in Gods way the path is too narrow for a soul to keep in without much diligence Ask your souls and examine what you have within you to witness to you that you are a people walking with God 4. Would you be of the escaping nuâ—ber pray what Faith have you how stands youâ— Faith examine that a little some there are that say I bless God I can trust him without any hesitation without any stumbling but I beseech you bear with me a little if I try your faith and help you so to do There be three things that expose men to the stroke of the judgement of God and cut them short of mercy many times viz. Unbelief Presumption and Secuâ—ity and any one of them doth it as well as the other 1. Unbelief I say that cuts short of a great deal of mercy particularly in such a day as this if you will be carryed through the wilderness watch against unbelief 2. Security a people not being affected with the judgements of God it lays them as much open to the weight of the judgement as any thing else Isa 5.11 And the harp and the viol c. a regardless sottish stupid people that are not affected with the judgements of God shall fall by them 3. Presumption also which they call Faith and that doth as certainly lay open the soul to misery as any other thing that hath been hinted Now consider a little how it is with you is your Faith true Faith or is it not Security Is it not Presumption Are you sure it is Faith if not it will do you no service You may think it is Faith when it may prove somewhat else it may prove security you think you have faith because you have not fear I tell you souls there may and should be an aw of God and yet be faith as I will tell you by and by You may think it faith because you are secure and not much affected but take heed lest it should disappoint thee if it be not faith it may lay you open to the judgement of God and cut you short of being one of the escaping remnant as well as any thing else whatever If you have true Faith you will know it by one or two things 1. You will be sensible of your great unworthiness to receive any thing at the hand of God or to be preserved by him that is the property of faith it is an humbling Grace a self-abasing Grace Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercy we are not consumed Here was faith at work and what effect had it upon their souls Oh it made them very sensible of their unworthiness to receive any mercy at the Lords hand It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed Call thy confidence what thou wilt if it have not some effect upon thee of this kind it is not true faith 2 If thou hast faith it hath an allay and mixrure of a holy aw of the judgements of God faith is not a thing that makes a man stupid but sensible and tender faith as it looks to the promise for preservation so it seetâ— God in the judgements and it is affâ—cted with that Glory and Mâ—jesty of God that shines
that you may escape these things As if he should have said My brethren my poor disciples with whom my heart is and for whose weal and welfare I am greatly ingaged it is true sad things must be in the world but I would take a little care of you and stand by you and be a help to you by what means I may that you may ride safe in and through that storm and when the world shall be in a flame and every corner of it full of trouble I would that things might then go well with you and your weal might go forward notwithstanding that is the second 3. But note this that the escaping of common calamity it is a great honor and great mercy and that that gracious hearts ought to put out earnestly for I gather this note thus that it is a great honor a great mercy from that expression That ye may be accounted worthy to escape I tell you souls those that God thus in a way of mercy shelters and preserves and carries through days of evil and times of common calamity it is a mark of honor that God puts on them and it is a mercy also that gracious souls should make after and put themselves forward for the attaining of that I gather thus Watch ye and pray always make out after this mercy put out earnestly for it look not upon it as an indifferent thing whether you escape or not but look upon it as a mercy worth the seeking after that is a third thing that lyeth plainly in the words Again 4. Note that watchfulness and prayer are the necessary mediums the proper means at least a part and great part of the proper means to which we are directed for preservation in times of common calamity 5. And then one thing more I would also recommend to you from these words and that is this that it is not the escaping common calamities only that we are to be solicitous about but also and above all and more especially how we may after all stand before the Son of man c. Alas my brethren what if God should satisfie and assure you or me and tell you from heaven you shall survive and out-live the distresses of your day but yet when this is done and you are past this storm you must stand before the judgement-seat of Christ every soul must appear at that great Tribunal from which there is no exemption by any means whatever and the presence and glory the dread and majesty of that day is more and another kind of thing then any dispensation upon earth can be supposed to be therefore how to hold up the head and stand with comfort at such a time is the great thing that we are especially to be solicitous about and that which our souls should be making out the hardest after Now I confess the two latter of these notes will be most spiâ—itual and that that the soul and its concernments lye most in and therefore I shall be much the shorter in the three former though it is requisite to spend sometime on them considering the dispensations of God at this day I shall begin with with the first and shall be brief in the speaking unto it viz. That some dreadful providence muâ—â— break in upon the world there are times and seasons when dreadful things must come upon the earth such as shall sink the souls of many of the inhabitants of the earth and there is a threefold reason of it 1. Because God hath spoken it and he must not be a lyer he is true therefore what he hath said must come to pass I tell you though it were the razing up the foundations of the earth or the most dreadful evil that the heart of man can imagine if God have said it his word must stand that must be effected rather then any reflection should be upon the truth and faithfulness of God therefore saith our Lord Jesus in Luk. 21.33 Heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away God stands so much upon his word that he will not give any on earth occasion to reflect upon him as unfaithful and wanting in his truth not the least Iota or tittle of the Lords word shall fail but shall be fulfilled to every letter of it and therefore Mat. 25.18 it is thus written I say to you Vntil heaven and earth pass away one jot or title shall in no wise pass from the law untill all be fulfilled The Law is taken here in a comprehensive sence for the whole book of Scripture and heaven and earth shall pass away but not one title of the mind and will of God that he hath revealed shall be made void but shall stand and be accomplished and it is sufficiently bound and confirmed in that the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it You shall find in Scripture that God stands greatly upon his word what he speaketh touching a particular people or person he will be sure to accomplish it whether it be good or evil and therefore in Gen. 18. it is said of Abraham that he will command his children to keep the way of the Lord c. that he may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him in verse 19. as if he should have said God hath spoken a great deal of good concerning Abraham now having spoken it he must bring it to pass Truely God hath been wont to do so he is accustomed to it he is used to confirm his word unto his servants and to do to them according to what word is gone out of his mouth and therefore when discreet Abigail comes to plead with David that he should not take revenge upon Nabal 1 Sam. 25.30 she tells him that when the Lord should have done according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning him it should then be a grief to him that he had shed blood causelesly she concludes that God would do David good as he had spoken And it is as if she should have said I know the word of God having gone forth he will do good unto David according as he hath said And therefore you shall find David doth wonderfully rejoyce in a word from God if God do but speak it David is comforted Psal 60. David is in the beginning of the Psalm under some kind of diffidence and distrust and a little discouraged but in vers 6. God hath spoken saith he in his holiness and I will rejoyce Why saith he it is true my condition is sad it was a time when David was in distress and trouble but now God hath spoken and given me a word that it shall go wel with me and in that I am satisfied in that I can bear up my heart I will rejoyce I will divide Sechem and mete out the valley of Succoth Judah is mine c. so when God hath spoken a word to a people he will make it good hence is that of Balaam Numb 23.19 You know he was sent
is thâ—t truely I think walking with God is the having friendship and acquaintance with God Can two walk together unless they be agreed saith Amos 3.3 Noah he had friendship and acquaintance with God and therefore he could walk with him he could keep company with him in walking together we have the company of one another this had Noah he was in Gods way he kept in his way Also the having and maintaining peace and communion with God is intended in this walking with God We are apt to account it a great happiness to have friendship with great men surely it is much more and a great deal better to have communion with the God of heaven to have it and keep it is the great glory of a Christian This Noah had and it was greatly his honor Saith 1 John 1.3 Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ as if he should have said Brethren we are a people interested in choice and excellent mercies and we would invite you to a part in them but pray what is this choice mercy Why it is this We have fellowship with the Father through his Son Jesus Christ A great honor to the souls that have it and these were the honorable marks upon this Noah Now he was the man that God pickt out to deliver and keep in this common calamity when all the world was drowned he and those that went upon his score for his family was taken in upon this account they must be preserved and that is my first instance My second is the instance of Lot a man preserved in a common calamity and a few others for his sake Well was there any honorable Character found upon him Yes there was look 2 Pet. 2.6 7. He delivered just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked Here is the honorable Character found upon Lot He was just Lot and just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked I shall onely a little insist upon that clause Vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked The sin of the world was a burthen to his soul and that that he could hardly bear up under You shall find that is an excellent frame and that that God is pleased much to honor saith David Psal 139.21 Do I not hate them that hate thee and am I not grieved with them that rise up against thee Oh saith he Lord thou knowest my heart and thou knowest that there is something in me that thou prizest that is his meaning now what is it Why saith he they that grieve God they grieve me too they that carry it so as that they are a burthen to the Spirit of Grace they are also a burthen to my spirit I cannot bear it And hence he cryeth out in Psal 120. 5. Wo is me that I so journ in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar that is that I dwell among a wicked ungodly people a people whereby God is greatly dishonored wo is me that my lot is cast among such a people This was the honorable character found upon Lot he was grieved with the filthy conversation of the wicked therefore God markes him out and would not suffer him to fall by that judgement My next instance is that of Caleb and Joshua upon them were also some marks of honor upon Caleb especially Numb 14.24 But my servant Caleb because he had another spirit and hath followed me fully c. Here was Calebs mercy his going into Canaan and the honor put upon him was his not falling in the wilderness among the many thousands that fell but he must go into the good land His honorable characters were these two First he was a man of another spirit Secondly He had followed God fully 1. He was a man of another spirit of a more excellent spirit then the rest of Israel I let me tell you a man of a more excellent spirit then some of the worthies of Israel To have some excellency of spirit is one of the most excellent things in the world a man is truely excellent according to the excellence of his spirit and that was found upon Caleb Moses was a man of a very good spirit yet it seems Caleb was of a more excellent spirit then he I say Moses was a man of a very good spirit Num. 12.3 Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men on the face of the earth he had great meekness of spirit which is one of the most excellent spirits in the world See what testimony God gives of such in that 1 Pet. 3.4 The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price Now I say Moses he had â—his excellence of a meek spirit and yet it seems Caleb had some greater excellency of spiâ—it then he for Moses dyeth in the wilderness and Caleb is carryed unto Canaan that was one of the marks upon him he was a man of a more excellent spirit And the other was he followed God fully What is the meaning of that It is this he he was for all sorts of work easie and hard and all together never made a difficulty where God made none whatever God called him to that he was for You shall find wherein he did discover his following of God fully Num. 13.31 When the bad spies came and brought an ill report on the good land and cryed there are great difficulties we shall never be able to encounter with them Now Caleb he discovers his excellency and shews that he was a man of another spirit saith he in Numb 14.6 7. It is an excellent good land and in Chap. 13.30 says he We are well able to overcome it in this he followed God fully resolving according to the call of God though the difficulty were ever so great a heart to follow God and following of him through all difficulties was the excellency of this Caleb Here is a man that followed God to purpose this excellence was upon him and he is the man must go to Canaan to possess the good land though Moses and Aaron must dye by the way In Ezek. 9.14 you have there an Angel commissioned to go forth and set a mark upon the foreheads of those that sigh and cry for the abominations that were committed in that day Here are some men must be spared Who are they pray They are a people sighing for the abominations of their day such a spirit as Lot had vexed for the abominations of their time therefore these must be preserved and this is what I shall say to the first head that it is an honor to be preserved it is so from this consideration that usually God preserves none in such a season but those upon whom there is something of excellence to be found or if others it is for the sake of those upon whom those honourable Characters are found 2. It is a great honor to be preserved from common calamity if you consider that those
the people of God sue for particular preservation That they may be the spared people the Prophet Jeremiah begs this mercy from God Jer. 17.16 17. As for me I have not hastened c. Oh saies he I have not done any thing toward the pulling down of these troubles I have not indeavoured to hasten them Lord let not me feel the dread and terror of them here I say the good man is begging for an immunity and freedom for a particular preservation in times and days of evil So David Psal 71.2 He is also lodging some requests in the bosom of the Lord Deliver me in thy righteousness cause me to escape let me be of the escaping side and in the number of those whom thou wilt preserve and so also in the prophecy of Joel such kind of counsel is given in Joel 2. There was a day of great distress and trouble in vers 1. Blow ye the trumpet in Sion c. Well but what musâ— we do at such a time why in vers 17. Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord stand between the Temple and the Altar and cry Lord spare thy people c. Whatever thou doest and whatever sad providences be abroad Oh saith he Spare thy people That was the thing they should seek and begg at the hands of God and truely could we pray more and seek more who knoweth what might be done In Isa 37. you find there King Hezekiah sends to the Prophet and bids him lift up a prayer for the remaining remnant at vers 4. It may be the Lord thy God will hear c. Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left Here are some escaped out of the hand of the King of Assyria Oh saith he Pray unto the Lord and beg hard that this escaping remnant may be delivered from the rage of the King of Assyria and may not fall by the stroke of his hand Thus we should beg for preservation in times of common calamity how and in what manner and at what rate this prayer is to be managed will be shewed in the next Doctâ—ine And if you would know the reason why we should beg this mercy much might be said but onely this shall suffice 1. Because it is a mercy of great worth and therefore should be greatly sought and also I might say it is the pâ—oper means to fetch down this and every other mercy and therefore if we would have it we must set to the seeking of it But here an Objection may be made against what I have said If we should beg preservation in times of common calamity what shall we say of David 2 Sam. 24.17 And David spake unto the Lord c. I have been shewing you that Saints should beg preservation in common calamities and David here he begs destruction And did he do well in it I say he begs he may be destroyed or at least it seems as if he did he doth not say Lord preserve me and my fathers house but Let thine hand be against me I pray thee and against my fathers house and therefore now shâ—ll we reconcile these and bring them together I answer therefore in two or three things plainly thus 1. David he speaks this because he supposed that a strictness of juâ—tice required it should be so he it was th t was the onely offending person it was the numbering the people that caused God to send this judgement and that David did and no body else therefore he could not but confess that in strictness of justice he should have dyed and the people have lived and therefoâ—e he could not but say Lord let thy hand be upon me but as for these sheep what have they done 2. This is to be considered that it is a pâ—rticular case we have not the like of it that I know it was the punishment of a paâ—ticular sin and David had chosen the punishment he had submitted himself to it and before-hand given himself up to the stroke of God for the Prophet comes unto him and tells him he had sinned and now he must fall under one of the three judgements sword famine or pestilence and therefore saith he Let us have the Pestilence it was his own sin and he chose the judgement and therefore he supposed it was his due to suffer because he had sinned And 3. It argues his great love to the people he would willingly have dyed if their lives might have been saved and I know not but another might say in such a case Lord if the hand of God being upon me might save many others let it be so Not that he did simply desire to fall under the stroke but conditionally if his life might save the lives of others But this was a particular case Now the judgement of God as it comes among us we know not who it is particularly pointed at it is our duty in the mean time to seek unto God that we may be his hidden ones in the day of his anger Thus I have dispatcht the doctrinal part the Application now remains Is it true that it is a great honor and a mercy much to be sought for to out-live a distreâ—s and common calamity Then what shall we say to the desperate wickedness of those that run themselves upon the judgements of God I mean that do the things and go on desperately in the sins that seldom find an escape under such judgements Ah my friends we are a people wiâ—h whom God is contending his hand is lifted up Oh that theâ—e were none found among us pertinaciously going on in those desperate ways of sin and â—ebellion that are usually attended with destruction and desolation My friends let me tell you the men that adhere to and are found readily going on in the ways of sin that provoke to desolation their case is very desperate Oh that we could all with brokenness of heart mourn over such a generation That we could lay their case to heart It is a dreadful thing to stand before the stroke of Divine indignation a dreadfull thing to dare the God of heaven to his face to bid defiance to him as if he ware not a God of power as if there were no dread in his judgements as if standing before his rebuke were an easie matter But you will say Are there any so despâ—rate in common calamities to dare God to his face I wish there were none But I shall tell you of six or seven things that God hath resolved those that be found under such sins they shall not be of the escaping remnant 1. Such as grievously corrupt the worship of God when he cometh forth in ways of judgement he sometimes determines against them that they shall not escape Ezek. 5.10 11. Wherefore as I live saith the Lord God because thou hast defiled my Sanctuary with thy detestable things mine eyes shall not spare c. Oh miserable how sad is the case of such a people I will follow thee without
great deal of efficacy that is in it it is a thing that hath a great deal of efficacy and power going along with it Mat. 7.7 Mat. 21.22 Jam. 5.16 But 2. It comes to be effectual in that it sues out and pleads the Promise the prayer of Faith it challengeth God with his word it pleads out the Promise in the presence of God it goes to that and takes hold of it and many pâ—omises I have heretofore quoted you that God hath given for preservation in common calamity Now it is the work of the people of God to go to God and sue them out to remember him of his promise 2 Chron. 20. Jehosaphat when he is at prayer there he remembers God of his promise vers 8 9 10. he goeth to prayer and there he pleads the promise Lord saith he at the dedication of this Temple didst thou not engage that if we stood by this house called by thy Name in a time of calamity didst thou not promise that thou wouldst be with us This is that that he remembers God of and the people of God they are called Gods remembrancers in the Prophesie of Isaiah Chap. 62. v. 6. You that make mention of the Lord it is in the margent You that are the Lords remembrancers Prov. 18.10 it is said The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous run thither and are saved this running is a running in prayer in a prayer of faith when the soul in prayer doth put the Lord in mind that he hath said he is a strong Tower and will be a Refuge and therefore beg of him to be according to his word that is a second thing it prevails for preservation in that it pleadeth the promise 3. It prevails in that it is Gods own Ordinance and appointment the means that he hath given us to prevail in any case and he is pleased to put that honour upon the head of prayer that it shall be a door to let in mercy to us When he had promised to do a great deal for Israel yet sayes he for all this I will be sought of them it is prayer fetcheth in the mercy Job 11.13 If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hand towards him c. And in vers 15. Thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear Mark particular preservation is promised to â—e given forth in a way of prayer 4. As it is useful to remove that that may pull on a calamity and may make the Lord strike us with such a stroke you know sin is that that brings all judgment now the prayer of Faith is very instrumental and serviceable in order to the taking away of guilt and removing of sin and by faith in prayer we go to Christ and take hold of him and leave our guilt upon him leave him to grapple with the Fathers displeasure This we do by Prayer David you know when he would be preserved himself from the Plague he goeth and offereth a Sacrifice I think I have hinted to you what that was 5. Thus it comes to do us service if it be right and as it should be we put up no petition but what God first puts into our hearts Now if prayer be right it is God's work and he is obliged to stand to his own act if God put me upon pleading for preservation it is a tye upon God to answer it for it is his own work and therefore he must not disown his own work Upon this account it is that prayer comes to be useful to our preservation I shal now proceed to shew you a litle the great use of watchfulnes in order to preservation 1. In that it helps to prayer prayer is a great means to our preservation and watchfulness is a hand-maid to prayer there is no praying well without it It is a furtherance and help to us 1. In that it finds out the most apt and fit season for prayâ—r there are certainly fit and apt and proper seasons in which the soul may do much more in prayer then it can do at other times and it is the part of watchfulness to spie and finde out those opportunities and therefore you have a notable expression in 1 Pet. 4.7 The end of all things is at hand be ye sober therefore and watch unto prayer that is let your watch serve you to find out the best fittest and aptest seasons and the greatest advantages to further you in prayer doubtless there are seasons in which the heart is best framed for the duty and seasons in which God seems to give some secret inclinations to the soul that he will please to be besought Now when the soul hath any great suit to go forward with and any great request to present at the Throne of grace the soul then watches to find out such a season and this doth further the duty of prayer exceedingly 2. It furthers prayer in that it keeps up the heart when it is engaged in that work and therefore you find them coupled together in Mat. 26.41 Watch and pray saith he Souls let me tell you if you pray and do not watch you will hardly get the heart to pray but if you do get the heart there you will hardly keep it there unless you stand upon your watch It is a truth much experienced that a soul is no longer kept to duty then a watchful eye is born over it consider it it may help you many times if it be remembred that watchfulness considers how the heart is how the Tempter deals with the soul what pains he takes to distract and get the soul out of a duty in which it is engaged sometimes you are dead it is watchfulness findes it out and therefore David being upon his watch as well as in the way of his duty he prays often in Psal 119. Quicken thou me sometimes the heart is distracted wandring and getting aside from the work that is before it it is watchfulness that makes this discovery it observes how Satan moves how the soul moves in a duty whether to God or no I may allude to that you have Gen. 15.9 when God comes to confirm the Covenant unto Abraham and bid him sacrifice and divide the Hâ—ifer and the Turtle-doves and young Pigeons in vers 11. When the fowls came down upon the carcases Abraham drove them away I may allude to it thus When you come to sacrifice fowls come down upon the sacrifice oft-times temptations divisions distractions attend you they are fowls upon the sacrifice that do spoyl it and it is watchfulness that must help you to keep off the fowls from the sacrifice and it is that that must observe how the case stands with you Now this is that which watchfulness doth in prayer it keeps the heart unto God 3. It helps to take in and improve answers of prayer the soul when it hath prayed hath not done all its work but it is to look after answers of prayers and that is the
that that watchfulness will help us against souls wherever that is found it is a grievous provocation God he delights to do good unto his poor broken humble souls He resists the proud but he gives grace unto the humble and therefore watchfâ—lness being an excellent means to keep us from these and other such like sins which lay a people exceedingly open to the stroke of Gods indignation it so becomes very useful and serviceable to our preservation And thus I have dispatched the doctrinal part Give me leave to conclude this Doctrine in a little Application and to inforce these duties of watchfulness and prayer Let me hence first take up a few things for information And if so be that watchfulness and prayer are means that have so great a tendency to preservation it may inform us of two things 1. How ill it is like to fare with poor sinners that can neither watch nor pray if the infinite over-flowing goodness of God prevent not they must perish they cannot make use of the means of preservation What can we expect but that they should perish Oh that we could put on bowels of pitty for such souls the sacrifice of the wicked what is it but an abomination unto the Lord sinners in the day of their prosperity they will not look after God nor his counsel neither will they mind his dealings if they do come in a day of distress and cry and howl and make much ado they may do so but yet God hath told them it shall be little to their comfort for Prov. 1.26 he hath told them that he wâ—â—l laugh at their calamities and mock â—hen their fear cometh 2. We may infer also that here is room for the fall of Saints whatever promise of preservation is made upright souls may fall and why so Why we mâ—y neglect the being found in our duty we may not watch and pray as we should and ought we may pray but it may be coldly and without any fervour of spirit we may not follow closely our duty with God and therefore missing in the means we may miss in the end also and that is my first Use a Use of Inference 2. It should stir us up to commune with our hearts a little what do we do we watch and pray are we in the Use of the Means whatever other means we use we should not let this be neglected it is not preservatives and removing from place to place that can do you that service that watchfulness and prayer can You will say you do pray let me ask you again do you watch unto prayer I hope you can say you do And if you should ask me how you may know watchful prayer I shall give you a few Characters of it 1. If it be watchful prayer there is an exciting stirring and calling up the heart unto the Duty Judges 5.12 Awake Deborah awake she calls up her self and stirs up her self to this Duty as you finde the Servants of God have done they stirred up all the faculties of their souls Psal 57.8 Awake up my glory saith David It is the Soul he calls his glory And Daniel in the ninth chapter he saith I set my face to the Lord God at the third verse the setting a mans self is the provoking and calling a mans self unto the Duty Now do you stir up and call up your hearts to the work of God If you be in a watchful frame you will do so Again if it be watchful prayer it is accompanied with much fervency if you watch at prayer it is not a cold lifeless Duty it is a Duty hath heat and vigor and life in it if you watch unto it the Rule is Not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord as it is in the Rom. 12.11 And if there be a watchfulness in the Duty there will be fervency going along with it It is said of Elias James 5.17 that He prayed earnestly you read also of an effectual prayer and if it be watchful it must be a fervent prayer 3. If it be a watchful prayer it is attended with much importunity you press God and wrestle with him Jacob watched all night at it and it was an importunate prayer I will not let thee go unless thou bless me The poor woman of Canaan hers was an importunate prayer she followed and pursued her request although she had some repulses Mat. 15.22 23 26 27. Now consider how it is with you for hereupon much of your safety may depend for ought I know If you would be preserved in this day of calamity as you pray for it so you must watch in prayer and see that there be that watchful frame of soul that is suitable unto this Rule and Counsel of Jesus that is the second Use Thirdly and lastly should we watch and pray always in every season I would then first say Make seasons for prayer spare them out of some other things rather then want them 2. I would say Take seasons for prayer when you may best attend the Work and hope most to prevail with God If you ask me what are the seasons a word or two of that and I shall come to the fifth Proposition from the words 1. I say your leisure-seasons when you are not engaged in business 2. The seasons when your spirits are most serious and least distracted it is not good to set to duty in a croud if you can help it 3. When the Spirit of God provokes you to come into the presence of God you that are experienced Christians can say that you have found sometimes your souls longing to be in his Presence You have hungred after Communion with God in Duty Oh take that time that is a fit season 4. When God hath warmed and refreshed thy heart in a Duty under any Ordinance with any tokens of love it is I say a fit season for thee to improve with the Lord God doth sometimes give the soul a look of love to incourage it to wait upon him Now take that season it is a great part of Wisdom to know a season and if you shall finde a season offering it self to you apt and fit and proper for your going to God take it and bless God for it and improve it with all your soul and might it is much Mercy and a great deal of goodness may come in to you at that door And thus now I have dispatced the fourth Observation namely that watchfulness and prayer are the best means and have the greatest tendency to preservation in times of common calamity I come now to the fifth and last Note from the words namely this That the escaping common calamities is not the only thing nor the chief thing that we are to be careful about but especially and above other things how we shall stand before the Son of man Alas to stand in a day of calamity is one thing â—ut to stand before the Son of man is another and a far more
to be owned and honored by Christ when they shall stand before him at his judgement-seat there are such in the world as the Prophet complains of Ezek. 13.22 Who strengthen the hands of the wicked many ways there are to do it but it is miserable work whoever is found in it we promote and incourage sin either when we provoke and intice unto it as Solomon warns his son Prov. 1.10 When sinners intice thee consent not to them there are such sinners that inâ—ice unto sin as the whorish woman Prov. 7.21 With many fair speeches she caused him to yeild that is a promoting of sin and much more do they promote it that by what means they can do constrain others to it Thus do the wicked great men of the earth that compell others unto their idolatry and to share in their abominations as Jeroboam did in 2 King 17.21 c. They also promote sin â—n others who do labour to extenuate and lessen sin and make people believe it is not what it is to the end they may less fear and dread it and go on in it with the more confidence such a kind of people as the Lord by the Prophet meets with in Mal. 2.17 Ye have wearied me c. when you tell people sin is not such a thing as some would have you believe and he will love you for all that this is an inticing unto evil I but what will become of them that will you see in Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgement c in which words you have both the sin and punisment that shall follow upon the sinner the sin is expressed that they sin and love to have others do so the punishment is implyed they that so sin are worthy of death and that they shall have they shall have their demerit not life from Christ nor shall they live with Christ but everlasting death is their demerit and that they shall have that shall be their portion and so that Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall break any of these little commandments and teach men so to do c. whoever shall sin and incourage others in it what shall become of him he shall be least in the Kingdom of Heaven the words are a figurative speech where less is spoken then intended least that is he shal be so little that he shall not be at all in the Kingdom of heaven That is the second sort that shall not stand before the Son of man Onely I would put in a caution That it is possible good souls even the Lords own people may sometimes prove a means of incouraging sin in others and that either by some ill example as such a case is intimated 1 Cor. 8.10 If any man c. The example of a stronger Christian may incourage a weak one to do things against his conscience things he is not satisfied in and so it may be a sin unto that weak one he may sin being led to it by the example of another or we may further sin in others when we do not restrain it according as we may and ought Thus did Eli who was a very good man but yet he did further the sin of his sons in that he did not restrain them he did onely give them a gentle and mild reproof when he should have put a restraint upon them as you may read 1 Sam. 2.22 and forward Now Eli was very old c. in a mild way he reproves them when as he was a Magistrate he should have put a restraint upon them and see how God punishes this upon him in Chap. 3.13 It is not enough to reprove a sin but where we can we ought to restrain it as Masters Parents Magistrates and the like that is their duty and they that are not faithful in the discharge of it may be thereby an incourager of sin in others only this note that though sinners may encourage sin and Saints may incourage sin too yet it is greatly different Saints may incourage sin eventually and accidentally but not intenâ—ionally it is not their design sinners do it designedly and Saints accidentally and that is a wide difference To proceed thirdly They may not expect to stand in the day of Christ that rush on upon ways of sin contrary to light and convictions received Rom. 1.21 Because that when they knew God c. in a due proportion to the light we have received such should our walkings and acting be and he that sins against his light sins greatly Many make dreadful havock of their light and great inrodes upon their conscience You read in Prov. 20.27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord the conscience of a man it is the candle of the Lord and we often sin against it untill we sin it out although this cannot be done at a cheap rate and yet how often do we do it Psal 125.5 As for such as turn aside the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity in which is implyed not only that God will leave them to sin as the wicked do but to the same punishment that doth attend and betide the workers of iniquity and also to this purpose take that text again Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the just judgements of God there is a great emphasis in that they that know that he that sinneth so and so what he doth deserve they are like to fall under his just judgement Luk. 12.47 The servant that knows his Lords will c. What shall he be rewarded No But he shall be beaten with many stripes A fourth sort of persons that shall never stand before Christ are they that turn the grace of God and Christ into wantonness they that from the kindness of God in the Gospel take occasion to strengthen their hands in ways of rebellion against God and Christ I tell you such souls will have a sad account to make in the day of Christ and will stand with much paleness of face and dejection of spirit in vers 4. of Judes Epistle we are pointed to such a people who turned the grace of God into lasciviousness that is Make use of the grace of God in the Gospel as an occasion to lasciviousness Oh it is sad indeed to make the greatest mercy a prop and fartherer of the greatest iniquity Paul tells us in Rom. 7.11 That sin took occasion by the Commandment that is there is such an enmity and contrariety in the heart of man naturally against God and the minde of God that the very command to holiness is a spur and furtherance unto wickedness such is the enmity that is in the heart unto God Now it is a very great sin that the Law that is intended to keep from sin should be an occasion of sin it is a great aggravation but it is much more a great sin when the Mercy and Grace of God that should be the greatest hindrance and let in the way of sin if that should become an occasion of sin and a means to
further it The Rule is 1 John 2.1 My little Children these things I write that you sin not And if any man sin we have an Advocate c. We have an Advocate we have a Christ to the end that it should keep us in from sin and not that it should be an occasion to sin and in Rom. 6.1 saies Paul What shall we say then shall we sin that grace may abound God forbid God forbid that the kindness of God in the Gospel should be a means to further us in any provocation that were a dreadful evil And yet this is the guise of some poor Creatures because God hath found out a way for Pardon and Reconciliation therefore some poor souls venture upon sin the more boldly And what will be the issue of this Oh such shall smart and suffer dearly for it they shall be punished after the Example of Sodom in the seventh verse of Judes Epistle 5. Such as neglect and slight the Gospel of Christ and the Grace of Christ in the Gospel They do not much minde it God he offers us fairly he offers us a great deal of kindness and mercy in the Gospel but we do not minde it and what will the result of it be Rom. 2.4 5. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness c. It hath been the Lot of the Gospel to meet with very course and rough usage Mat. 22.4 5. And Again he sent forth other servants c. They slighted the offer as a thing not worth the considering not worth the giving heed to let thy preparation and dinner go as it will they made light of it But what will the issue of this be what will this come to This is not the way to stand before Christ look to the Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation 6. Secret Hypocrites and Apostates will never be able to stand in the day of Christ Secret Hypocrites that profess to be for Christ but are inwardly against him their hearts are not with him such souls will come off with shame in the day of Christ Therefore you finde what is said Job 36.13 The hypocrite in heart heaps up wrath c. and Mat. 24.51 intimates to us that the portion of hypocrites shall be of all the most sad and dismal portion And also for Apostates that have begun in the spirit but do end in the flesh that have professed a love to Christ but really have their hearts at a distance from Christ such as Paul wishes the Galathians might never prove Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish having begun in the spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh Such souls as shall do thus they will finde their case sad at last such as Paul speaks of 1 Tim. 1.19 that make Shipwrack of faith and a good conscience That have professed the Faith and have had some light and tenderness of Conscience but have thrown off all how will it be with such Heb. 10.23 Hold fast the profession of your Faith without wavering c. and 25. vers Forsake not the assembling your selves together as the manner of some is For if you sin after the receiving the knowledge of the Truth it will be sad For saies he it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 7. Carnal and Formal professors that set out and keep up in a Profession but are without spirit and life that have nothing but a form and outside of godliness without the power Such souls there are in the world But alas such souls will sit down short of a comfortable enjoyment of Christ How many are there in days in which profession is crowned that attend diligently upon opportunity But how little is that considered in John 1.24 God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth How many poor creatures are there that onely minde a little lifeless heartless worshpiping of God Though the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea a Remnant shall be saved Though Professors be as the sand of the Sea a great many yet but a remnant shall be saved And why but a remnant it is because though they were Israel yet they were but formal they are spiritually Sapless professors And therefore because they are but so but a remnant shall escape 8. I might also add those moral men that carry things right between man and man yet that is not enough to bear up the soul in the presence of Christ 9. Faint seekers that have some faint desires and a hâ—lf-broken kind of willingness what will that come to Luke 13.24 Strive to enter c. He intimates that there should be some should put forth some few cold desires and endeavours but should not set to the work in earnest they should seek to enter but the Issue of such a seeking should be this They should not be able So Mat. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence c. The preaching of John had put another spirit into the people that they were even pressing into the Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence Many were pressing into the Kingdom of God and the violent they would take no denial they would take the Kingdom of Heaven by force These hot-metled souls they were hot upon the Kingdom of Heaven and there was no satisfying them without it but the Faint seekers will be denyed 10. It may be they that have some raised confidence though upon bad grounds and think to challenge Heaven with as much boldness as any among them there may be such that shall fall short Mat. 7.22 23. They shall come unto him and say Lord Lord c. They shall come and challenge an entrance with a great deal of boldness and confidence as if they doubted not of their reception and entertainment but yet he shall say unto them Verily I know you not Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Job 8.13.14 The hypocrites hope shall perish And thus I say these several sorts of persons are like to fall short of standing before the Son of man with comfort But then if these shall not stand who are they and what must they be that shall stand before him with joy That is the fourth thing There are souls that shall stand Christ hath not dyed in vain he shall sâ—e of the travel of his soul there are them that shall lift up their heads when the Son of man shall appear and that shall be the time of their redemption the time of their refreshing and who are they I shall give you this description of him that shall stand before the Son of man He is such a one who having denied and renounced his own righteousness hath put on Christs Righteousness is renewed in the Inner man and bound in spirit for God desirous to be found in the whole VVill of God both in doing and in suffering Of such an one I shall say as the Psalmist speaks in the Psal
the Description I told you the soul is renewed Old things must pass away Christ must be sanctification as well as Righteousness John 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God There must be a new Birth a new work of God must pass upon the soul that renewing work it is in all the powers and faculties of the soul The old Nature it is in some measure weakened in all the faculties of the soul though not wholly driven out of any of them There is something of God spread over the whole soul but yet not so but that there is room for the soul to complain as Paul did Rom. 7.3 Who shall deliver me from this body of death The soul it is brought to thoughts of God that once it had not and thoughts of sin that once it had not it is a real though but an imperfect work it is a work really begun upon the soul really wrought upon the heart though not presently perfected It is an earnest and pledge of that that shall be wrought out and compleated in the season thereof Now here is the question you are to put to your hearts What beginnings of this Work have you upon your souls Hâ—ve you thoughts of God you had not and thoughts of sin you had not and thoughts of holiness that you were once utter strangers unto 4. This is in the description the soul is made to be for Christ Titus 2.13 14. Who gave himself for us that he might purifie to himself a peculiar people c. Christ did purchase a people to himself Time was thou wert all for sin and Sathan but now thou art for Christ thy Vote is on his side though sometimes sin and Sathan may carry it against thee 5. The bent of the heart is for God the ship that is bound for the Indies a long voyage it meets with many cross winds and is often driven back but yet being bound for the same place it still sets out with the first fair wind and makes forward as much as it can It is thus with the soul that shall stand with Christ it is bound for God for heaven it meets with many cross winds the winds makes the waves of the sea boisterous and the soul is brought back again to as bad or it may be to its own apprehension a worse condition then at first when it set out for God yet bound for God it is and therefore it improves all its opportunities for God that is the bent and frame of such a soul Isa 26.8 The desires of our soul are toward thee c. 6. It is desirous to be found in the whole will of God not that it is always found in the will of God but yet the desires are after it that is the inclination of the heart to be found in the whole will of God in one part as well as another Caleb was a type of them that shall stand before Christ Num. 14.24 But my servant Caleb because he had another spirit and had followed the Lord fully c. He was to go to Canaan and he was a type of all that shall inhabit the heavenly Canaan that shall sit down in the land of rest they are persons of such spirits that they are willing to follow the Lord fully to be found in the whole will of God in the duties of the first Table in the worship of God with his people in their family Psal 4.3 Therefore called the godly man They are for the second Table-duties to do the duty of their places and relations towards God and all men therefore Tit. 2.11 The grace of God teacheth to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts c. Now see how is it with thee thou hast corruptions remaining sin dwelling in thee and thou art found but little in the way and work of God but which way is the bent of thy heart which way do the strongest desires of thy heart run 7. It is willing not onely to do but to suffer for God to be true to his name his honor and glory whatever it may cost him to submit his life liberty estate honor or whatever he hath to the will of Christ if the Lord wills me to suffer I will undergo it if I may but any way further and promote his glory that is the requirement of Christ in Mark 8.38 Whoever shall be ashamed of me c. he that will not own Christ and his way and work in the face of the utmost hazard that he can run he shall not be owned of Christ when he shall come so Rev. 2. Fear none of those things be faithful to death c. So consider and commune with your spirits in this matter are you willing to do his will and suffer his will is it the design of your spirits to stand perfect in the whole will of God It is good if so and such as I have here described shall be sure to stand before Christ whoever be rejected in that day And this brings me to the fifth thing to shew you what is the best frame that the soul should be most ambitious of and that will best fit it to stand before the Son of mâ—n What is the best frame â—o stand before Christ in the day of Christ There are these five things necessary if you would be able to meet Christ without any consternation of spiâ—it if you would be able to meet him with setled confidence boldness besides what I have already laid down Five things are needful 1. To have the love of God in Christ witnessed and sealed up to the soul It is a great mercy to have an interest in Christ to have taken hold on his righteousness but it is a further and greater mercy to have the love of God in Christ witnessed and manifested and sealed up to the soul by the Spirit of Christ souls this is that mercy which the Saints have been breathing after Psal 4.6 Lift up the light of thy countenance upon us this is that mercy which the Saints have prized above the dearest and best of all the mercies of this life Psal 163.3 Because thy loving kindness is better then life c. life is better then any other thing in this world but the love of God manifested to the soul that is better then life this is that that the Saints of God have travelled for and for which they are travelling for which they are waiting upon the Lord from time to time and from duty to duty this is that that their souls are set upon Psal 77.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord to behold his face c. Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee c. This is that the soul of the Psalmist was seeking after this is that that carries the soul couragiously and comfortably through the most rugged and unpleasing paths