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
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
attendant of this Affliction The Churches Lamentation is some mens Jubilee Israel is a derision to Moab and they even skip for joy Jer. 48.26 Enemies at such time are either Rabshakahs or Ishmaels God's People are at such times much lashed with the scourge of tongues When David is forced to leave Jerusalem then comes out Shimei with his stones and curses 2 Sam. 16.5 In such a time 1. The Masters of Assemblies are reproached So are Ministers called Eccles 12.11 They have shot many a keen Arrow of Reproof out of the Bow of Ordinances and now they shall find them shot back again in Reproaches When God's poor Servants are silenced there are many mouths opened against them much trampling upon the dead Lion Reade Rev. 11.8 9 10. where you find the dead Bodies of God's Witnesses are a sight that the world can never have enough of they look upon them with as much content as she did upon John Baptists head Jeremiah makes it part of his Lamentation The vengeance lips reproach of adversaries and that sitting down and rising up he was their Musick not a meal but his Head as it were was served up he was their Table-talk they used their teeth in gnashing upon him as well as grinding their meat Reade Lam. 3.60 61 62 63. In most times the Ministry is as the dung-cart but in such times they are the filth and off-scouring especially 2. The Members of Assemblies Despiteful minds make them a Derision The Jews when this calamity befel them bore the shame of the Heathen Ezek. 36.4 5 6. Consider and behold our Reproach Lam. 5.1 The holiness of God's Peoples lives have bitten bad men many a time and now they will pay them for it in talking to the grief of them whom God hath wounded 3. The Exercises of the Assemblies No Vessels will please Belshazzer to carouse in but the consecrated Vessels of God's Temple no Jest in such a time like that which jerks at Religion Psal 137.3 The Babylonians would make themselves merry with one of Zions Songs It was grievous to have a Song required but such a Song O this went to their hearts It may be in such a time the Actions of the Pulpit are brought upon the Stage this is the Vineger and Gall which the Church hath when it is upon the Cross 4. The Time of Assemblies Lam. 1.7 Her enemies saw her and did mock at her Sabbaths They did deride their former observation of a Sabbath and the present cessation of it but especially at their former religious observation of it as if it was lost time Now have we at any time sinned our selves into such a condition as makes our enemies laugh and shall not we weep Reade Psal 80.5 6. Have we so far provoked God to withdraw from us that enemies have occasion given them to say Where is our God and should not tears be our meat should it not be as a sword in our bones Reade Psal 42.3 10. Pray consider Is not Reproach a burden in it self But further this Reproach is and hath been most burthensome to God's People and a mighty breaking to their hearts Reade when you have leasure Nehem. 1.4 4.4 Psal 69.19 89.50 51. 123.3 4. you will find under this they have mourned with this their hearts have been broken this they have born in their bosom and with this their souls have been exceedingly filled And surely there is great reason it should be so for 1. the things that they immediatly reproach are things dear to God and such in which his Honour is much bound up God hath three things that are especially dear to him His Truth his People and his Worship and all these are under such Providences grievously reproached 2. The strokes that are immediately given them do ultimately reflect upon God cast dirt upon him Isa 52.5 My Name is continually every day blasphemed The Blasphemies against theâ— Ezek. 35.12 13. Mountains of Israel are called Boastings against God and words against God 3. These Arrows of Reproach will fall upon mens own head They now grieve God and his People but hereafter finally and in the end they will be poor mens shame and confusion The burden that now lies upon God's Saints shall rest on the wicked in the end God will reckon here with them They shall bear their shame Ezek. 36.6 7. God answered the reviling Letter from the King of Assyria in the blood of his Army but especially hereafter Jude 15. He will convince of hard speeches He that will not miss an idle word will surely call to account for bitter Sarcasms venemous Taunts and Devil-like Rejoycings in the Afflictions of God's Servants And so I pass to the third Reason Reas 3. Because this speakes thee to be a true Son of the Church a living real Member thereof Thou maist see a Christians face in these waters of sorrow There is a voice in tears such tears they speak to God and they speak to thee too I will gather them that are sorrowful for the Solemn Assembly who are of thee i. e. saith Junius on the Text Hi sunt tui veri O Ecclesia Germani partus This argues one an Israelite indeed It is an argument of a very profane heart to sin away such Mercies and then to slight what we have done As Esau is called Profane Esau and in this he shewed it that when he had sold his birth-right he eat and drink and went his way Gen. 25.34 To be left of Assemblies and left under insensibleness of it is compleat Misery Can you be born of God and not lament for these teats Can you be Babes of Grace and not desire the sincere Milk not cry for your breasts This Sorrow is that which tells you you have got good by the Ordinances whilst enjoyed They that see no evil in the loss of them got little good by the enjoyment of them Would we know what the Word did whilst we had it how do we carry under the want of it Are we as Rachel weeping because our Solemn Assemblies are not The Godly among the Jews are described not only as Mourners in Zion but Mourners for Zion Isa 61.3 Isa 66.10 Where is your Love to Ordinances if you mourn not Doth that woman love her Husband that parts with him without a tear Oh therefore as even you would approve your selves to have gotten Grace under the Means mourn for the withdrawment of the Meanâ— of Grace By this means whilst any of us shall want the visible tokens of God's Presence amongst us we shall have an unquestionable token of his Presence in us We shall see some token for good upon our hearts whilst we cannot see our signs This Sorrow is as that of a woman in travel it hath something of joy in it It is the mark of a Child of God Roas 4. Fourth and last Reason is Because God will gather such as are sorrowful for the Solemn Assemblies Which Promise hath much in it 1.
our minds Hearing and receiving Truths and Ordinances is not the All of a Christians duty There must be also as the Text tells us a remembring how we have received and heard In handling this Doctrine I shall observe this method 1. Prove the Doctrine from Scripture 2. Explicate it and therein shew both what it is to remember and what it is we are to remember 3. Give reasons of the Doctrine 4. Apply it First For the Scripture-proof of this Doctrine see this duty enjoyned to Israel Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. and the particular directions there given were in order to the furthering of this great Duty in the Text namely remembring how they had received and heard This duty is further pressed Prov. 6.21 Prov. 7.1 2 3. Isa 42.23 Who will hearken and hear for the time to come Now if men should hear for the time to come then they must remember what they have formerly heard for no more will be ours in the time to come but what we shall have at least a savoury practical remembrance of And as this is a duty commanded so it hath been conscientiously practised by the Saints of God See the great care of David in the discharge of this duty Psal 119.11 15 48 97. And so also the Virgin Mary Luke 2.51 and in many other places is said to have pondred and laid up the sayings of Christ in her heart The Memory is the storehouse and treasury of the soul in which her spiritual treasures are laid up There are three things saith * Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick one we should be very careful to keep in our remembrance former sins to make and keep us humble former mercies to make us thankful former Truths and Ordinances to make us faithful 2. The second general is to explicate the Doctrine and there first to shew what it is to rememâ—er That I shall but name First To remember is to recollect and call to mind This is our duty in reference to what we have received and heard We must recollect call to mind and ruminate upon Divine Truths formerly received we must as it were chew the cud This is the way to make sound and clean Christians It is the simisitude Chrysostom useth They were clean beasts under the Law at least that was one requisit to make them so that chewed the cud and he is like to make a holy spiritual Christian that delivers Truth to his Memory whilst he hears it and is able and careful to call it to mind again afterward Secondly To remember what we have received and heard is not only to recollect but also seriously to weigh and consider Truths and bring them home to our hearts by particular application 3. The third general is to shew to you what it is that Christians are thus to remember This I shall open under two heads First shew it is the duty of Christians to remember what they have received and heard for the matter 2dly how they have received and heard as to the manner First It is the duty of Christians to remember what Truths and Ordinances they have received and been made partakers of And if any ask what Truths should be remembred I answer That every Truth of God is precious and ought to be treasured up by us in our hearts No one Truth ought carelesly to be let slip The very fragments of Divine Truth should be taken up that none of them be lost The very dust of Gold is precious There is not the least Truth that ever any of you heard or received but may be of use to you at some time or other But there are some Truths which we should be most especially carefull to remember namely the main Foundation-Truths and such as are most necessary to Salvation 1. It is the duty of Christians and a special means both to keep and recover them from formality and deadness in Religion to be very careful to retain in their memories those Fundamental Doctrines and Principles of Religion they have received and heard that are contained in the Scriptures and have been opened confirmed and applied from them in expounding preaching catechising and such other Ordinances as you have enjoyed You must labour to remember old savoury-Truths that you have heard many years since Christians should chew them over again by meditation This is the course Christ directs his Church to in the Text to recover them from deadness in Religion He doth not bid them look after new Notions and high Speculations for these will but puff up the minds of men and not enliven them but he bids them remember how they had received and heard The like direction Paul gives to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.13 14. Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast received of me c. The vital Doctrines of Faith in Jesus Christ and concerning the Person Natures Offices and Benefits of Christ with the Truths depending on these Oh! these should never be forgotten by those who have received them And also the vivifical Doctrines of Repentance from dead works Love towards God and our neighbours You have heard these Truths opened confirmed and applied to you many and many a time both from the mouths of former Ministers now dead and gone and such whose labours you have occasionally enjoyed And I trust that we also whose Ministry among you is now towards a period may say as Paul when he was taking leave of the Ephesians Acts 20.20 21 26 27. though we acknowledge in great weakness and with many mixtures of sin Well beloved It is your duty to remember these Truths you have heard and the rather because time may come either by reason of the hand of God in a way of sickness upon you or God may send a famine or if not a scarsity of the Word upon a People for their sinful abuse of former plenty and then when you may not have so frequently and abundantly the Word afresh opened and applied to you it will be of great use to remember what and how you have received and heard If old Errors should be broached under the notion of new Truths Christians should bring them to the standard of God's Word according to that Isa 8.20 of what you have received and heard If any shall go about to cry up Doctrines of conditional decrees mans free-will falling from Grace or the like if you remember what you have heard you will be able to say We have not so learned Christ 2. It is the duty of Christians and a means to recover them from deadness and formality of Religion to remember as the Doctrines of the Gospel they have received and heard so also what they have received and heard in and from the Word of God concerning the Worship of God and the Administration of Gospel-Ordinances and to bring all things imposed and practised in Divine Worship to the Rule of God's Word to enquire whether they be such things as have the warrant of the Command of Christ or practice of
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
our duty which is a sin we cannot follow the dictate of Conscience here but we sin Nor can we go against Conscience though erring but we sin too And therefore wo unto them that call evil good and good evill that put darkness for light and light for darkness But this is one cause of halting in Religion Corruption of the mind and judgement When a man cannot well discern his way no wonder if he be oft turning aside 2. From an evil heart The corruptions of the heart are like a strong byass drawing the soul off from God Here 1. Unbelief An evil heart of unbelief is one cause of halting Heb. 3.12 Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God q. d. Would you not depart from the living God O then take heed of unbelief the cause of souls departing from him As it is by Faith that men come to God Heb. 11.6 so it is by unbelief that they depart from God In Heb. 10.39 They that draw back and they that believe are opposed to one another Pray mark what it was that kept the Disciples close to Christ when others fell off from him We believe and are sure say they that thou art the Christ Lord to whom should we go Thou hast the words of eternal life John 6.68 69. If we are halting in our course it would argue us full of unbelief That we do not believe the Word of God Do we believe God's promises and yet turn aside for the vain proffers of a deluding world Do we credit Divine threatnings when yet these are not of so much force to deter us from sin as the frowns and threats of men to drive us into sin Did men fully believe there is so much evil and danger in every sin as the Word of God declares there is they would immediately see cause to be more afraid of the least sin than of the greatest sufferings in the world Did men really believe what the Lord has said of such as obey him sincerely and follow him fully they must necessarily conclude thence that integrity is the best policy and Godliness the greatest gain But when men chuse either to decline a way of duty or to comply with a way of sin for fear of sufferings or in hopes of some worldly advantage this bewrayes abundance of unbelief Thus men really call in question the truth of what God hath spoken and interpretatively give him the lye And is not that a wicked heart that dares give God the lye Again Halting argues we believe not God that he is such a God as indeed he is So holy that he hates all sin so just that he will not acquit the wicked A gracious God rich in mercy to reward his faithful servants Infinite in Power to protect those that fear and put their trust in him but to destroy all those that forsake and rebel against him A God every-where present omniscient that eyes and observes us in all places companies employments Who would forsake or turn aside from the living God that believes him to be such a God But unbelief is the root of disobedience as in the Greek the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both This is the cause of inconstancy the root of Apostacy How is it possible that any other than bad fruit should spring from such a bitter and poysonous root 2. Hypocrisie is another cause of halting As Constancy is the daughter of sincerity so unstaidness is the natural off-spring and product of Hypocrisie Psal 78.37 Their heart was not right with him then it follows neither were they stedfast in his Covenant As on the other hand the upright in heart are opposed to such as turn aside into crooked wayes Psal 125.45 Hypocrisie makes men zealous about needless ceremonies but careless of the substance of Religion The Scribes and Pharisees who are therefore called hypocrites Matt. 15.7 were earnest for the observation of their traditions while they regarded not to go cross to known express commands of God They were not afraid in sundry cases to set aside God's command to hold up mens traditions Matth. 15.2 3. Mar. 7.8 Hypocrisie wil put men upon some duties while there is an allowed neglect of others and those more weighty Mat. 23.23 Hypocrisie will take men off from some sins while other sins are still retained As Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel but departed not from the sins of Jeroboam 2 King 10.28 31. It wil teach men to avoid open gross scandalous sins while they have no care to get cleansed from secret sins from inward heart-corruptions Matth. 23.25 c. Hypocrisie will allow men to condemn will put them upon speaking against the sins of former times while it teacheth compliance with the sins of the present times Hypocrisie will suffer men to live in those sins which they condemn in others Matt. 23.29 c. And what is all this but shameful halting Hypocrisie will teach men to make a fair shew sometimes to act a part in Religion for the compassing of some carnal end which being once obtained the Play is done and they are found other men than they appeared and personated before Hypocrisie is a paint that wil not endure the fire Let fiery tryals come and these soon marre its beauty lay open its deformity Hypocrisie is but the putting of the sheep-skin on a Wolf or Swine which if once it be shorn you would not expect it should grow again The last estate of the Hypocrite ordinarily is worse than the first Matth. 12.45 3. Base sinful self-love and inordinate love of the world Carnal self is a great hinderance and pull back to us in a Christian course Therefore Christ calls upon every one that would follow him to deny himself Matth. 16.24 Our base hearts will seem to comply with a Divine Command at one time but out of self-respect and dispence with the same command at another time out of self-respect Some that were constant in the performance of Family-duties seemingly strict in the observation of Sabbaths c. while these things have been in fashion can readily lay all religious duties aside when they become a matter of reproach Some that seem to stear their course Heaven-wards while they meet with prosperous gales who can soon tack about when the winds are contrary How should they do other than halt in Religion who have more respect to their Credit and Reputation in the world than to God's Honour See John 12.42 43. How can ye believe sayes our Saviour who receive honor one of another John 5.44 As the Apostle James Whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God â—am 4.4 Many love their carnal ease more than their work more than God's service These are only for the easie part of Religion and so halt in Religion Many have more love to their Estates their earthly possessions And these will be only for the cheap part of Religion
like manner David took his leave of Ittai 2 Sam. 15.20 Mercy and Truth be with thee Such was Christ's valedictory Prayer for his Apostles John 17. for Grace to be kept from the evil of sin ver 15. for Sanctification ver 17. for Unity c. Prov. 3.13 15. and 4.7 Wisdom i.e. Wisdom to Salvation Grace is the principal thing Reasons of the Point 1. Grace promoteth the highest end of man which is 1. the Glory of God to which end we were born and for which cause we came into the world 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Grace helps to serve God acceptably Heb. 12.28 Grace teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live godly c. Tit. 2.11 2. Reason teacheth to live as men Grace as Christians it enableth to every good work teacheth us to do our duty to God our neighbour to our selves It reacheth to pray acceptably to hear as the Word of God to keep Sabbath to shew mercy to forgive injuries to do all in obedience which maketh much to God's Glory 2. Reason Grace is the best thing for it promoteth the Salvation of the soul which is the best part Sin is the plague destruction of the soul 1 Kings 8.38 Grace healeth sanctifieth saveth the soul Sin infecteth every part faculty Grace sanctifieth all Sin blindeth the eye hardneth the heart poisoneth the affections corrupteth the life defileth deformeth the whole soul Grace enlightens the eyes softens the heart cleanseth beautifieth purifieth maketh lovely what Sin had made odious Eph. 2.5 By Grace ye are saved 3. Grace is the best thing for it makes a man better beneficial to others Riches honours prosperity render few better many worse Grace maketh bad Parents good and good ones better better Children better Husbands Wives better Ministers People Masters Servants better Neighbours Friends better in all Relations Without Grace a man is unprofitable hurtful Lions Bears are wicked men called in Scripture yea Dogs Swine for their brutish qualities Grace rectifies the crookedness of nature Emollit mores c. sweetens mens manners suffers them not to remain wild A heart taught by the Grace of God is full of pity and compassion sheweth mercy the hand helps relieveth the tongue speaks to comfort edification no corrupt communication is heard but gracious words from gracious hearts Col. 4.6 Paul wrought upon by Grace preacheth the Faith he once destroyed Gal. 1.23 Onesimus before Grace received was unprofitable but now by Grace converted is become profitable as his name imports Philem. 10. 4. The Excellency of Grace appears hence It renders a Christian acceptable to God as well as useful to man And that is the highest of a poor Christians ambition that he may find favour in the sight of his God that his services and sacrifices may come with acceptance before God Mal. 3.4 Parts gifts commend us to men only Grace giveth us favour approbation with God And this is the other branch of the Schools distinction Gratiae gratum facientes which they prefer to Gratiae gratis dâ—luâ—ta It is the prayer of the upright heart not of the voluâ—ble tongue that is God's delight Prov. 15.8 The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him that call upon him in truth Psal 145.18 But the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God Prov. 15.8 5. Grace is the best thing because it lasteth longest it endures for ever Riches are not for ever nor doth the Crown endure to all generations Prov. 27.24 Pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11.25 Carnal mirth is soon at an end like the crackling of thorns Eccl. 7.6 But Grace abideth 1 Cor. 13.13 And now abideth Faith Hope Charity 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 6. Grace is the best thing because it helpeth in time of most need Heb. 4. ult 1. Grace helpeth in time of affliction it comforteth quieteth the heart Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed Grace giveth interest in God who is a present help in trouble It interesteth in Gods Power Wisdom Mercy Goodness Grace can look up to God see him smile when men frown see him at peace in mans hatred Stephen looked up saw Heaven open Christ ready to receive him Paul saw the Lord encouraging Acts 23.11 Be of good chear Paul 2. Grace helpeth in the hour of death Prov. 14.32 The Righteous hath hope in his death When there is no comfort in Riches Offices Friends vain is the help of man Grace disarmeth the King of Terrors O Death where is thy sting Death is welcome to a gracious person as a messenger sent to conduct him to his Father's house to his own Country to his best Friends to Jesus Christ whom his soul loveth Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. 3. At the day of Judgement Grace will find favour will make the Judge our Friend our Advocate Grace will cloath the soul with Jesus Christ his Robes his Righteousness Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments Rev. 16.15 1. Use of Instruction 1. Take notice what a Blessing it is to enjoy the means of Grace to live in a valley of Vision to sit under a powerful Ministry to have the benefit of good Education religious Parents their Instruction and holy Example to have Bibles Catechisms Sabbath-dayes and Sacramental-dayes the Market-dayes for Grace by the blessing of God upon which the soul may be converted and â—e be made wise to Salvation Happy is that people that are in such a case yea thrice happy are they who improve the means to the Ends aforesaid happy we if we know in this our day the things that belong to our peace 2. Then the best pains labour cost that any of us can bestow is to lay out our selves in the getting of Grace that time is best spent which is spent for Grace With all thy getting get Understanding Prov. 4.7 saith Solomon And a greater than Solomon hath told us That Godliness is the best part Luke 20. ult Mary hath chosen the good part c. Whilest others are laying up riches that perish treasures that vanish away clothes that wax old gold and silver that rust Christians are storing their hearts with Grace Whilst others are making their Lands and temporal Estates sure Christians are making their Calling and Election sure Whilst others are laying hold on advantages for this present life Christians are laying hold on Eternal Life 3. The best portion Parents can lay up for their Children is not riches worldly greatness but Grace the favour of God interest in Christ and the Covenant of Grace The best Trade they can teach them is the fear of the Lord to keep holy the Lords Day to flie Vice to follow after Vertue to exercise them in Godliness The second Use is of Reproof To reprove the too slight esteem men have of the Grace of
Tokens into the midst of Egypt upon Pharoah and upon all his Servants Why did he smite great Nations and slay mighty Kings Sion King of the Amorites and Og King of Bashan and all the Kings of Canaan Psal 135.8 9 10 11. Was it not because he had chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure ver 4. And again I gave Egypt for thy ransom Ethiopia and Sheba for thee Since thou hast been precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore I will give men for thee and people for thy life Isa 43.3 4. God in his Love thinks nothing too good nothing too great to be done for his Church and People He not only gives famous Kings and potent Nations up to ruine for his Peoples temporal deliverance but in the stupendiousness of his Love hath given his Son for their eternal Salvation John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and in and by him hath made a full compleat and abundant provision all things needful for your Salvation He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 The faithful apprehension and application of this Love will steel you against all sufferings and make you Reproach-proof and Persecution-proof that you shall not be ashamed of a despised Gospel a reproached Religion and a persecuted Christ and Hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts Rom. 5.5 This Love will comfort you against all temptations concerning sin in doubtings concerning Gods presence perseverance in Faith and assurance of Salvation I am perswaded saith the Apostle that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jâ—sus our Lord Rom. 8.38 39. To these add the dearness strength constancy and inviolableness of God's Lewe unto his Children dearer than a mothers to her swâ—â—etest babe Isa 49.15 stronger than the mountains Isa 54.19 more constant than the courses of Heaven Jâ—r 31.35 36. 33.20 21. it is as sure as God him self is sure Psal 89.34 35. And for a People to be committed to such a Love is ground of security and comfort When Ministers are taken from you this will â—bide with you 2. To commit you to God is to commit you to the tenderest mercy Mercy is the best refuge to the miserable Whither shall the malefactor flee for pardon but to the mercy of his Prince whither shall the captive go for safety but to the mercy of his Conqueror The pity of an armed Conqueror is better safety than the flinty-heartednes of a naked captive Compassion unarms the Armed blunts sharpened swords enfeebles the strong and sinewy arms when an astorgy arms the unarmed sharpens the sword addes strength to weak arms and blocks up all wayes and means of securiâ—y and comfort A man's pity subdues him when the valour policy strength and weapons of his enemies cannot conquer him and makes him a security to his adversary This encouraged Benhadad to humble himself to Ahab whom and his Kingdom he had twice before attempted to destroy by two formidable Armies Behold we have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings let us we pray thee put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads and go out to the King of Israel peradventure he will save thy life and it was so 1 Kings 20.31 c. And shall the Kings of Israel have mercy to save their enemies and shall not the KING of the Kings of Israel have mercy on his Children Mercy makes the tender heart partaker of the misery of him that is distressed Misericordia quasi miseria cordi it translates the misery of another into the heart of the merciful and enclines them to relieve and succour them It is pity that makes you to bind up the wounds of the wounded to wash Lazarus his sores to cloath the naked to feed the hungry to refresh the thirsty Now the God to whom I leave you is the God of pity and Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 all the pity and compassion in the creatures is derived from him and were it all contracted into one yet it were but a drop to his Ocean and as the mercifulness of tender Parents causeth them to pitty their sick Children so God like a tender Father pitties them that fear him Psal 103.10 yea he sympathizeth with them in all their sufferings accounting their sufferings his Are they reproached so is he are they persecuted so is he are they imprisoned banished tormented put to cruel deaths he accounts it as done to himself and whatsoever Satan doth to you in tempting you to sin to dispair in buffeting you filling your hearts with heaviness your mouths with sighs and complaints your eyes with showers of tears he takes it as done to himself In all their afflictions he was afflicted Isa 63.9 And as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we from our own suffering learn more to pitty others in the like distresse so Christ's experiences of the worlds hatred and persecution of Satans rage and temptation doth cause Christ to pitty his suffering Members more We have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted as we are yet without sin and in that himself suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 4.15 chap. 2.18 Here is a rise of Compassion according to the degree of suffering How do the screechings of a sick Child the deep sighs and groans of a sick tormented Child make the bowels of the Parents roul within them and melt their affections into tears The Harlot whose the living Child was could not endure to suffer and see her Babe to be cut asunder but denied and acquitted her interest in him because her bowels yearned towards him 1 Kings 3.26 God's Pitty to his People is the most intensive when their Afflictions are the most increased His soul was grieved for the Misery of his People Israel Judg. 10.16 It grieves God to see his lie laden with Iron-fetters to lye in long and loathsome Imprisonments under cruel Tortures and Tormenting Deaths When you are buffeted with Satan bewailing your sins and miseries God's Bowels of Compassion are moved towards you Jer. 31.18 19 20. Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised c. After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Thus Ephraim bemoaned himself and God heard him and marked his expressions weighed the sorrow and burden of his spirit and pittieth him Is Ephraim my dear
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
when the whole harvest was gathered in Oh let God have the first and last of every day How shall your Families be distinguished from your Stables if you do not sanctifie them by Prayer The Creatures which God hath given us for our use they eat drink work and sleep now if we call not upon God daily what difference would there be betwixt our houses and our stables And so enter into your Closets Mat. 6.6 and pray unto your Father which seeth in secret Have you no secret sin to bewail no secret request to put up no particular Mercy to praise God for which you would not have others to know of Is it not a rare Priviledge that we may have liberty to prefer our private Petitions to the King of Heaven every day that we may confess our faults beg pardon ease our heavy hearts by laying them open before that God who will neither upbraid us for our weaknesses wants nor sins Brethren be constant spiritual and fervent in Prayer and it will prove like Sauls Sword and Jonathans Bow which never returned empty Do not hearken to the excuses of flesh and blood which are many but attend to God's Command the Example of Christ and his followers which will oblige you in point of duty and to the Sweetness and Benefit of it which may encourage and allure you 11. Think much of and live in preparation for death walk now and then amongst the Tombs live every day as dying men Get into such a Condition as would fit us for Death every hour Dye daily Deut. 32.29 Oh that you were so wise as to consider your latter â—â—d Dying thoughts would not be a little advantageous they would keep from sin What sin this hour when thou mayest die next they would keep us from doting upon the world from pride of life Why art thou proud of hair and beauty when both shall be turned into dust ere long Shall you and I idolize a coloured piece of clay who though now it proudly and haughtily treads upon the Earth within a few dayes shall it self be trodden upon as mire and dirt O get to be in the number of those servants whom Christ when he comes shall find so being and so doing The Prophet said to Hezekiah Set thy house in order I say to you Set your souls in order against the hour of dying The want of this is of ill consequence for hence it is that men go on securely in sin live as Atheists without God idolize the World and never look to the state of their souls 12. Prepare for Judgement make your Answer ready Put the case before-hand to your selves say with thy self I must ere long appear before the Tribunal of God what can I answer what can I say for my self at that day Who is it that will be Advocate or have I an Advocate that will speak for me how shall I come off shall I stand or shall I fall what will be my sentence Brethren be like him who thought he heard this voice alwayes sounding in his ears Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment The Apostle Paul thought seriously of it and lived as one to be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ to give an account of the things done in the body whether they be good or evil 13. Be often thinking of Eternal Death Walk now and then upon the brinks of Hell get your hearts affected with the reality and greatness of Hells torments Meditate with thy self what Hell is say with thy self Can I endure to lose the smiles of God how shall I endure the frowns of an infinite Majesty If God's terrors have distracted his Friends on Earth what will they do with me if I go to Hell Think what a torment it wil be to be shut out of the company of Saints to see Abraham Isaac Jacob Peter Paul and the rest of the Disciples and Servants of God in all ages in the Kingdom of Heaven and you your selves shut out and what a vexation it will be to be amongst none but damned wretches How canst thou endure to hear the Saints singing praises in Heaven and thou thy self roaring in the infernal Pit Often think of the Worm of Conscience How shall we endure to have Conscience alwayes setting our sins before our eyes It 's a burden now to lie under the gallings of an accusing Conscience O consider that Conscience will continually gnaw and fret in Hell It will be alwayes telling thee of thy sins the place where the time when the persons with whom and all the circumstances that aggravate thy sin Such a time remember thou wast overcharged with Drunkenness such a time thou blasphemedst the holy Name of God with Oaths and Curses Such a time in such a chamber with such a person thou wast wanton and impure Remember what means of Grace thou hast enjoyed what and how many Sermons thou didst or mightst have heard how many able Ministers lived and dyed in thy time Remember will Conscience say what Instruction Reproof and Corrections thou hadst from thy Parents Tutors and Covernours yea remember thou wast not far from the Kingdom of Heaven thou didst fully expect to have gone thither and now thou must be tormented in this flame Again think what a misery it will be to be there where is no mercy where there will be pain without ease sorrow without any joy despair without any hope eternity without end O Eternity Eternity Eternity Often to think of eternal death is the way to escape it If you would not descend into Hell really descend into it mentally If you would not be in Hell by possession be much in it now by meditation This would make us jealous and put us upon trying the state of our souls lest it should unexpectedly be our portion to be amongst the Devil and his Angels for ever 14. Begin betime to be Religious Put not off Holiness Righteousness and Sobriety till old age 1 Kings 18.12 It 's written in commendation of Obadiah that he feared the Lord from his youth It 's King Josiah's honour that while he was yet young he began to seek the Lord God of his fathers 2 Chron. 34.2 3. It 's Mnasons honour that he was an old Disciple Acts 21.16 he began betime and continued till old age Timothy knew the Scriptures from his youth Consider we know not whether old age will be granted us to be religious in be religious whilst ye may The sooner we set upon Piety the sooner we shall honour God and the better God will take it He will remember the kindness of religious youth And by minding Religion soon we may be secured from many sins which others run into and so be secured from the smart and torment of Conscience which old sinners find at Conversion 1. The longer we continue in sin and profaness the more sorrow contrition and humiliation we are like to meet with if ever we be changed Old Oaks must
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
Sun of Righteousness that will make our eyes run over Complain to him of the hardness of our hearts Did I ever think my heart could have stood under such a Blow as this O I see it is not the weight of my Afflictions but the working of thine own Grace that will humble I had thought I had had more love to Ordinances than I see I have that thy Concernments had lain nearer my heart than I see they do 3. Go about this Loss cast up and compute what it comes to mark well its Aggravations tell its Circumstances dissect it and you will find it big with many sore Evils It is a whip of many cords wherewith we are whipped out of the Temple Scourge our hearts with the Considerations that offer themselves to us when we sit down to think of it These Mourners remembred Zion they were oft handling the stones of Zion calling Jerusalem to mind Mercies or Judgments in the bulk and taken up in gross do little affect us till we take them in pieces Cordials are sweetest when kept upon the tongue and Pills most bitter when chewed Think of the Nature of the Affliction and think of the Cause of it and then of the Time in which it is fallen upon us and then of the Consequents and Concomitants of it and then of that Degree of it and each of these will shew you that this sad Providence like Ezekiels Roll is written within and without with Lamentation and Mourninig and Wo. 2. As to the manner how we should mourn take it thus 1. Be sure it be for the Solemn Assemblies Not for our reproach but their reproach It may be some of us are losers as to our wordly interest in the loss of our Spiritual advantages that may help to raise the waters but take heed it be not the Head and Spring Zech. 7.3.5 There were some of the Mourners and Weepers that God chargeth as doing it to themselves Did ye mourn unto me Diana was the Crafts-mens cry but Gain was aâ— the bottom Dear respects to God is as the Salt in these Springs Self is as Poyson in them 2. Be troubled but take heed of perturbation The dregs of carnal passion will mud these waters Passions are like Barm that sets affections a working and makes them work over but then they mud the sorrow much Be as Jesus at John 11.33 the occasion of Lazarus death He was troubled or he troubled himself Perturbation raises the soul and stirs up that corruption which was as sedement at the bottom of the Glass Perturbation makes even a Moses speak unadvisedly it makes us as the Sea cast out mire and dirt makes us chide with any body as the People with Moses at Marah Exod. 15.23 In all the occasions of sorrow that you may have be sure you fall upon sin be worthy of that Place but I am worthy of such a Minister O it is a bad Sermon that is not better than the frame of my heart hath been sometimes yea many times under a very warm Ministry 3. Keep the Nether-Springs of sorrow open whilst the Upper-Springs of Ordinances those heavenly Bottles seem to be stopped or as a Fountain sealed Pangs of sorrow upon such occasions are common things but it is as a frame only that is evidencing That sorrow that is but a dayes work is not the sorrow God hath chosen Isa 58.5 margent My Tears saith David have been my meat Psal 42.3 Think of your spiritual refreshments when you sit down to meat and make it appear that we esteem the words of his mouth more than our necessary food Job 23.12 The word here in the Text notes habitual grieving If the departure of Ordinances be grievous what is their long stay Surely the loss of Ordinances is like the loss of a good Husband or a good Wife least at first It is not like that you should weep so much as you did at first but you may mourn more you may have a deeper resentment of the loss you may encrease your displicency against your selves O grave your Assemblies upon the palms of your hands let their Walls be continually before you take in all remembrances that may renew your grief Let your eye affect your hearts when you see the stones of Sion poured out at the top of any streets conclude you are upon the losing hand in Grace when you are losing your sense of this loss People cannot but be growing strange with God when such losses grow familiar with them 4. Let our sorrow put us upon the lively exercise of Grace and the more diligent use of all private Helps that may in any measure compensate this loss 1. Set upon the too much neglected duties of personnal humiliations and family humiliations Our publick losses call loud upon us for secret and private duties If ever the house of Levi weep apart and their wives apart it should be at such a time Zech. 12.12 13 14. When Israel wanted their Smiths they must then with more diligence use their Files use all sharpning whetting wayes 2. Use all occasional Meetings better When the Disciples Luke 24.17 c. were sad upon the loss of their Master what profitable and edifying discourses have they Away now with impertinances and steal a word or two of God and Heaven in our occasional meetings and turn our Civil converse into Christian communion 3. Catch at all opportunities of private communion and be not willing to let them go without a blessing It is said of the Followers of Christ Acts 1.14 They continued in Prayer and Supplication Only manage all wayes of private communion not in opposition to but in subordination to the publick and likewise pray with the publick Worship much in your eye and heart Daniel hath his window in private devotions towards the Temple opened let us have our faces Sion-ward in all our private Supplication 4. Be warming the meat you have by meditation and beg the Spirit as a remembrancer John 14.29 Chew the Cud now love your Bibles peruse other good books bewail the slenderness of your store considering your mighty wayes of trading In a word in all private duties avoid that which we are apt to condemn in publick Worship formality driness saplesness Look upon it as a mighty engagement upon us to watch against that in private and secret Worship which we think makes the publick Worship less lovely in our eyes Look upon dulness and straitness now as a double sin being against the Precept of God and against the Providence of God we have many fewer hands then we had to help on our work and should ours be slothful Our sails are many of them taken down we had need to ply our oars 5. Sorrow into Humiliation but not to Dejection David wept but withall he reasons with his soul Why art thou cast down O my soul Psal 42.4 5 11. and 43.5 Sorrow not as those that are without present staies and future hopes 1. As for present Stayes