dust and ashes not worthy to tread thy Courts and it is of thy mercy that we are not consumed How often have we pluckt fruit from the forbidden tree We have sinned presumptnously against the clearest Light and the dearest Love always have we sinned thy footsteps have dropt fatness thou hast shown mercy to us but the better thou hast been to us the worse we have been to thee thou hast loaded us with thy mercies and we have wearied thee with our sins when we look into our selves oh the poison of our natures what ever the Leper did touch was unclean thus do we by our spiritual leprosiâ—… infect our Holy things our Prayers had need have pardon and our tears had need have the blood of sprinkling to wash them how vain are our Vows how sensual are our affections We confess we are untuned and unstrung for every Holy action we are never out of tune to sia but always out of tune to pray we give the world our male affections and our strongest desires we should use this world as if we used it not and alas we pray as if we prayed not and serve thee as if we served thee not there is not that reverence nor that devotion nor that activeness of saith that there should be Lord if thou shouldest say Thou woulâ—…st pardon all our sins to this time only judge us for this prayer we unto us what breathingâ—… of unbelief and hypocrisie is there now when we approach unto thee we pray thee pardon us for Christs sake Who can tell how oâ—…t he dotâ—… offend we can as well reckon the drops of the Ocean as number 〈◊〉 sins we have filled the number of the Nations sins but have not fillâ—… thy bottle with our tears This is that that doth exceedingly aggravate 〈◊〉 sins that we cannot mourn for sin we can grieve for our losses but 〈◊〉 cannot mourn for our unkindnesses we have crucified the Lord of life sin has not only defiled us but hardened us nothing can melt us but the love of Christ nothing can soften us but the blood of Christ oh withold not thy mercies from us oh help us to eat the Passeover with bitter herbs let us look on Christ and weep over him let us look on a broken Christ with broken hearts and on a bleeding Christ with bleeding hearts let us mourn for our dis-ingenuity that we should grieve that God that 〈◊〉 â—…wayes doing us good Oh humble us for our unkindness and for 〈◊〉 sake blot out our transgressions they are more then we can number 〈◊〉 more than God can pardon Though we have lost the duty of Children thou hast not lost the goodness of a Father let us be held forth as patterns of mercy so shall we trumpet forth thy praise to all eternity whatever afflictions thou layesâ—… upon our bodies let not our sins be unpardoned let not sin and affliction be together upon us let there be peace in Heaven and peace in the Court of Conscience we have found this part of thy word true In the world we shall have trouble let us find the other part true In Jesus Christ we shall have peace Oh let peace and holiness go together make 〈◊〉 new creatures that we may be glorious creatures without faith Christ will not profit us when we can call nothing in the world ours let us call Christ ours Lord draw thine Image every day more lively upon us a more lively hope and a more inflamed love to Christ. Let us have a spirit of courage and resolution keep us from the fallacies of our own hearts keep us from the defilements of the times make us pure in heart that we may see God that we may have Gospel-spirits humble spirits meek spirits As Christ did take our flesh let us partake of his Spirit Why dost thou imbitter the breast of the creature to us but that we should find the sweetness of the promises There is as much in the promises as ever let us live upon God let us cast anchor in Heaven and we shall never sink Showr down thy blessings even the choisest of them upon the head and heart of our dread Soveraign Charles by thy appointment of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith Let Him see wherein His chiefest interest lies let Him count those His best Subjects that are Christs Subjects Bless Him in His Royal Consort iâ—… His Royal Relations the Lords of his privy Council let them be a terror to evil doers and encouragers of those that do well Bless all thine Ordinances to us make them to be fulness of life to every one before thee we are come this day to partake of them oh pour in wine and oyl into our souls let us be as a watred Garden let this blessed Sacrament be a poison to our lust and nourishment for our grace Hear â—…s be our God follow us with mercy crown us with acceptance and all for Christ his sake whom not feeing we love in whom believing we rejoyce To Christ with Thee and the holy Spirit be glory honour and â—…raise now and for ever Amen Mr. Watson's Farewell Sermon 2 COR. 7. 1. Having these promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves IT is the Title that I intend now by the help of God to insist upon that sweet Parenthesis in the Text Dearly beloved wherein you have the Apostle breathing forth his affections unto this people he speaks now as a Pastor and he speaks to them as his spiritual Children Dearly beloved where you have First the Title Beloved Secondly The Exhortation to Holiness Let us cleanse our selves Thirdly The Means how we should be cleansed and sanctified Having these promises It is the first of these that I intend the Title that the Apostle gives to his children Dearly beloved From hence observe this Doctrine That the affections of a right Gospel-Minister towards his people are very ardent Dearly beloved there are two things in every Minister of Christ that are much exercised his head and his heart his head with labour and his heart with love his head with labour in the work of the Ministry Iâ—… done aright it is a work fitter for Angels than for menâ—… it is our work to open the Oracles of God even thosâ—… sacred profound things that the Angels search into and if God did not help us we might soon sink under the weight of such a burden and as a Minister's head is exercised with labour so his heart is exercised with love and it is hard to say which of the two exceeds his Labour or his Love Thus is it here in the Text my dearly beloved In these words we have Saint Paul laying siege to these Corinthians and labouring to make a happy victory to conquer them with kindness dearly beloved Saint Paul's heart was the spring of love his lips were the pipe the Corinthians were the cistern into which this spring did run This holy Apostle was a mirror and pattern of love
those that wait upon thee shall renew their strengths we have no might the Devill bâ—…ffles us our own hearts are treacherous to us the world intâ—…ces us to sin against God Oh! deliver us from all these Enemies and especially from the plagues of our hearts that we may perfect holyness in the fear of God give us Spiritual blessings whatsoever thou givest us or whatsoever thou denyest us thou knowest thou artrather willing to give us Spirituall blessings then any other mercies and we want spiritual mercies most oh give us spiritual mercies that we may say This is the way of God in his Sanctuary Where Grace is not wrought work it where it is begun encrease it Dear Father convince those that are yet not convinced make thy Word a quickning word an ingrafâ—…ed word to the saving of our souls help us to hear as for our lives and as those that long after God Hear Prayers for the King blesse him in his Royal Relations and grant under him we may live a quiet life in all Godlinesse and honesty Bless the Magistrates and help them to remember that causes one day must be heard over again help thy Ministers to keep close to thee in wayes that are well pleasing Be with us at this time Lord assist the meanest of thy Servants let our souls now find that thou dost magnifie thy Word above all thy Name do us good recâ—…ive us quicken us that we may live in Heaven upon Earth that we may know what it is to be filled with the fulnesse of God and know the heighth breadth depth and length of thy love that passeth knowledge Communicate thy selfe to us as thou usest to do to thy people let us feel thy presence let us not think of any thing but the business we are about let us with singlenesse of heâ—…t set our selves to mind the concernments of our immortal souls And all we beg for Christ his sake who has taught us thus to pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. Mr. Cradockt's Prayer at Saint Sepulchres August 10. 1662. MOst glorious and most gracious Lord God who art God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hast put thine own name and stamp upon this day wilt thou be pleased to appear now and prepare and dispose â—…r unprepared and indisposed souls for holy observation of this thine own holy day will the Lord vouchsafe us the incomes of his spirit and influences of his grace whereby we may be unabled to offer up spiritual sacrifices which may be acceptable to Iesus Christ. Lord thou requâ—…rest praying hearts but thou hast not commanded us to use Prayer-books and if thou wilt give us the spirit of Prayer we shall not need them Lord give us praying hearts at this time let us find by experience that thy Subâ—…ath is a day of souls opportunity that thine Ordinances are full of marrow that thou hast not said unto thy children the seed of Jacob seek my face in vain We acknowledge we are unworthy to lift up our eyes to Heaven we have cause enough to cry out God be mercifull to us sinners undeserving ill-deserving men and women we acknowledge our natures are blots of all wickednesses we are by nature enemies to thy Majesty heirs of dâ—…ath children of darknesse slaves to sin captives to lust dead to sins and trespasses how are our understandings darkned and our hearts hardned what are our hearts but a store-house of â—…licious thoughts a brothel-house of adultery a Pallace of pride we are by nature wholly flesh totally opposite to the holy Lawes of thy Majesty and were it not for thy renewing or restraâ—…ning grace we should break forth into as vile abominations as the vilest of men Our lives have been a continual piece of rebellion against God who didst make us and dost feed and cloath us all thy paths have been paths of mercy to us but we have requited thee evil for thy good and hatred for thy love O foolish men and women that we have bin we acknowledge our Gospel sins are of a deep eye thou hast not bin a wildernesse or a Land of darknesse to us we have been exalted to Heaven in the meanes of salvation but oh how short do we come of knowledge to the time and meanes we have enjoyed and our obedience comes short of our knowledge we have not walked up to that light which thou hast given us We desire to lay our selves low before thee oh do thou open our eyes and presentus to our selves shew us the vilenesâ—…e of our lives Blessed be thy name that thou hast laid help upâ—… 〈◊〉 that is mighty to save all that come to thy Majesty by him and thou hast promised all that beleive on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Oh help us to receive him in all his offices in our hearts help us to give him the keyes of our hearts and help us to live and die to him that dyed for us and let our soules be united to thee by him that his death may be ours and his life ours and his intercession ours Oh let our unity to Christ be demonstrated to us by our communion with him and conformity to him in grace and holiness And we pray thee dearest Lord pardon our sins in the Court of Heaven and in the Court of our own consciences besprinkle our consciences in the blood of Christ and say to all before thee at this time that desire to fear thee more and serve thee better Sons and Daughters be of good cheer your sins are forgiven you And do not only justifie us but sanctifie us purge our consciences from dead workes informe our understandings conforme our wills to thine holy will let our hearts and lives be conformed to the Image of thy Sonne that beholding thereof we may be changed from glory to glory and let us have more knowledge of thy will that we may do thy will and suffer thy will with more patience and be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are to the glory of God Let us not be empty Vines that bring forth fruit to themselves but let us bring forth fruit to God whereby thou mayest be glorified Oh plant that great grace of selfe-denyal in our souls and let us take the Crosse of Iesus Christ and follow him wheresoever he goes Remember all thine extend thy favour to those thou hast cast on Beds of sicknesse and let there be a saving change wrought in them before that change by death shall come And that are drawing nigh their time of Travel let the arms of the All-sufficient God be under them and be better to them thâ—…s their Faith or our Prayer And look graciously upon poor Children intitle them to an inheritance that fadeth not away make them a blessing in themselves and a blessing to their Parents And those that desire the conversion of Relations that walk in wayes of perâ—…ition do not let them find peace in any way against thy Majesty and let them know that sin will be bitter in the latter end Look upon us that are before thee at this time before we go hence and shall be here no more make thy face to shine upon us let our coming together be for the better and not for the worse to any of us Let thy poor Servant be able to deliver thy message plainly and powerfully and give thy people hearing ears obedient hearts and let us rejoyce that we did wait upon thee in thy worship this day and all for Christ his sake in whose Name and words we call upon thee Our Father c. FINIS
that man Forgiveness of sin in Scripture is called The lifting off of sin so it is in the Hebrew Iob 7. Lord why dost thou not lift off my sin It is a Metaphor taken from a weary man that goes under a burthen ready to sink under it and another man comes and lifts off this burthen so doth the great God when the burthen of sin is ready to sink the Conscience Gods lifteth off this burthen from the Conscience and lays it upon Christs shoulders and he carries it now he that hath his burthen thus carryed it is well for him however things go Pardon and forgiveness of sin it is a crowning blessing it is a Jewel in a Believers Crown Pardon of sin is a multiplying mercy it brings a great many mercies along with it whom God pardons he adopts whom God pardons he invests with holiness and with glory Pardon of sin is such a mercy that it is enough to make a sick man well Isa. 32. 24. The Inhabitants shall not say They are sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity The sense of pardon takes away the sense of pain it must needs then be well with the righteous his greatest evil is removed Secondly However things go It shall be well with the righteous because God is his portion Psal. 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places In God all things are to be found and all that is in God is engaged for the good of the Righteous His power is his to help him His wisdom is his to teach him His spirit is his to sanctifie him and His mercy is his to save him God is the righteous mans portion and can God give a greater gift to us than to give Himself to us God is a rich portion the Angels riches God is a safe and a sure portion for his Name is a strong Tower He is a portion that can never be spent for he is infiniteness and he is a portion can never be lost for he is Eternity Thou art my portion for ever Psal. 73. 26. And surely it is well with them that have God for their portion Is it not well with them that are happy Why if God be our portion we are happy Psal. 144. 16. Happy is the people whose God is the Lord. And so much for the Doctrinal part The Application of this point may afford abundancâ—… of comfort to every godly man to every person fearing God in this Congregation God hath sent me this day with a Commission to comfort you O that I might drop in the oil of gladness into every broken and troubleâ—… spâ—…rit Say to the righteous it shall be well with him Here'â—… good news from heaven however things are yet still iâ—… is well with the righteous But here 's a great question to be answered How dotâ—… it appear that it is well with the righteous for we ofteâ—… see it is worst with him he is deprived of his comforts he is made the reproach of the world for Christ yeâ—… many times he loseth his life how then is it well witâ—… the righteous I answer yet still is it well with the righteous thougâ—… he meet with trouble in the world and one wave riseâ—… upon the neck of another yet is it well with the righteous as appears in these following particulars First All the troubles that a righteous man meets with turn to his good and so it is well with him That 's a famous Scripture Ier. 24. 5. Whom I have sent out of this place into the Land of the Chaldeans for their good Gods own Israel were transported into Babylon among their enemies for their good The troubles of the righteous are only a means to purge out their sins and that 's for their good I have read a story of one Peleus who running at another with a sword to kill him by accident the sword only run into his Impostume and broke that Thus all the evils and troubles of the righteous do but serve to cure them of the Imposthume of pride and to make them more humble When the body of a Saint is afflicted his soul that revives and flourishes in grace like two Lawrel trees that I have read of that when one withered the other flourished so when the body is afflicted yet grace flourishes God doth distil out of the bitterest drugs his glory and our salvation That that the world looks upon as a punishment that God makes medicinal to heal the soul. Well then may it be well with the righteous the rod of God upon a Saint is but only Gods pencil whereby he draws his Image more lively upon the soul. God never stretcheth the strings of his Viol but to make the musick so much the sweeter Secondly In the midst of all the troubles that befal the righteous yet still it is well with them in regard of those inward heart-revivings that God gives them we see a godly man in misery but we see not his comforts we see his prison grates but we hear not that sweet musick that he enjoys in his Conscience God sweetens to his people outward troubles with inward peace It is the title that is given to God 2 Cor. 6. 7. The God that comforteth them that are cast down The Bee can gather Honey as well from the Thiâ—…tle and bitter Herb as from the sweet Flower and a Child of God can gather joy out of his sorrow out of the very Carcass sometimes he fetcheth Honey When the body is in pain the soul may be at ease as when a mans head akes yet his heart may be well Thus it is well with the Righteous God gives him inward comforts that revive him and sweeten his outward pain 3. In times of calamity and trouble yet still is it well with the Righteous because many times God hears his people in the time of trouble in a storm God will have a care of his Jewels he will hide them and suffer them not to be carryed away and thus he makes good that Scripture literally Psal. 91. 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust no evil shall touch thee God oftentimes verifies this Scripture literally he makes his Angels to be his Peoples Life-guard to hide them and to defend them When a Flood was coming on the World God provided an Ark to hide Neah in When Israel was carryed and transported into Babylon God hides Ierâ—…my and gives him his life for a prey Iâ—…r 39. 11 12. And in this sense the Saints of God are called his hidden Ones Psal. 83. 3. Why so not only because they are hid in Gods decree and hid in Christs wounds but oftentimes God hides them in time of common danger and calamity they are hidden Ones Thus God reserved to himself seven thousand that had not bowed the Knee to Baal the Prophet knew not of any but God knew of seven thousand that he
had hid and in this sense it is well with the Righteous in time of publick misery But you will say Sometimes it is worse than all this with them sometimes the Righteous dye and perish and are carryed away with a tempest How is it well with them then Yes yet still it is well with the Righteous though their Life be taken away yet still it is well with them and that in a two-fold sense First Many times God takes away the Righteous by death in great mercy he takes them away that they shall not see the miseries that are coming upon a Land as Virgil the Heathen Poet said They were happy that dyed before their Countrey meaning before they saw the ruins of their Countrey And truly many times God takes away his Children in mercy that they shall not see the miseries that are coming on a Land you have a pregnant and clear Scripture for this 1 King 14. 13. He only of the House of Jeroboam shall come to his grave it is spoken of Aâ—…ijah his Son He only shall come to his grave because in him there was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel God would put this man into his grave betimes in mercy because he should not see the evil that was coming upon the Land You have a parallel Scripture to this 2 King 22. v. ult It is spoken of Iosiah I will gather thee to thy Fathers thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace and thine eye shall not see the evil that I will bring upon this place Why Iosiah died in battel How is it said then that he went to his grave in peace the meaning is this because Iosiah was an holy man he had made his peace with God and so went to his grave in peace and because he should not see the evil approaching therefore God gathered him to his grave in peace Ierome speaks thus of Nepotian itseems Ierome lived to see some troubles before he died Meeting with some storms Now said he how happy is my friend Nepotian that sees not these troubles happy is he that is gotten 〈◊〉 of the storm and is in the haven Thus Luther died in mercy before the troubles of Germany began to break forth Thus it is well with the Righteous though they do die God takes them away in mercy that they may not see approaching evils Secondly Though the righteous do die are taken away and perish in astorm yet is it well with them because death cannot hurt them it can neither hurt their Bodies nor yet their Souls the Body is safe it doth not perish though it doth die the bodies of the Saints are very precious dust in Gods account the Lord locks up these Jewels in the Grave as in a Cabinet the bodies of the Saints lie mellowing and ripening in the grave till a blessed time of resurrection How precious is the dust of a Believer though the World mind it not yet 't is precious to God The Husbandman hath some Corn in the Barn and other Corn in his ground the Corn in the ground is as precious to him as that in the Barn Why the Bodies of the Saints in the grave are Gods Corn in the ground and God makes a very precious account of this Corn the bodies of the Saints shall be more glorious and blessed than ever at the resurrection Tertullian says the Bodies shall be then Corpora Angelica the Body shal be angelified in regard of that beauty and lustre which shall be put upon it As it is with a piece of silk or cloth that is died of a Purple scarlet colour it is made more bright and illustrious than it was before Thus it is with the bodies of the Saints they are dyed of a brighter colour at the resurrection they are made like Christs glorious body Phil. 3. 20. Thus shall it be well with the righteous in their bodies they shall not perish Secondly At death it shall be well with the righteous as to their souls O it shall be a blessed time Methinks it is with a Saint at the time of death just as it was with Paul in his voyage to Rome the ship did break into many pieces but yet he got safe to shore so it is with a believer though the ship of his body may be snap't and broken at death yet the passenger is safe the soul gets safe to shore even to the heavenly Ierusalem then surely it is well with the righteous at his death the day of a believer's death is the birth-day of his blessedness it is his ascension-day to heaven his death-day is his mariage-day with Jesus Christ faith doth but Contract us here but at death the Nuptials shall be solemnized in glory and shall it not be well with the righteous they shall see God face to face And says Austin Ipse Deus sufficit ad praemium It will be heaven enough to have the â—…ight of God The Saints shall then enter into joy joy now enters into them here but then they shall enter into joy they shall drink of that pure river that runs from God the ever lasting Fountain Thus you see it shall go well with the righteous however things go though troubles come though death it self come and therefore let those that are the people of God comfort themselves with these words To conclude this first point what encouragement is this to all you that hear me now to begin to be righteous This Text may tempt us all to be godly Say to the righteous It shall be well with him when things go never so ill with him yet still it shall be well with him Grant that all things are ill with you in your estate in your relations yet then if you are righteous all things shall be well with you your pardon is sealed you are an Heir of Gods Promises all things shall work for good you have God for your Father you have heaven in reversion for your inheritance and is it not well with you how may this make us all in love with godliness how may this tempt us to be godly For if ever we would enjoy happiness we must espouse holiness Say to the righteous it shall be well with him And so much for the first proposition The godly mans comfort in life and death Now if this will not prevail with men to make them leave their sins and become righteous I must passe in a few words to the next branch of my Text to scare men out of their sins to affright them out of their wickednesse Wo to the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him This my beloved is the dark side of the cloud and it may cause in every wicked man that hears me a paâ—…pitation and trembling at the heart Wo to the wicked it shall be ill with him And so the Proposition is this That when things seem to be well with wicked men it shall be ill with
might not go that way But they must go that way even to prison yea to hell Luke 16. 23 24. In hell he lift up his eyes Hell is the very center of Misery the spirits of torments stilled out The Scripture tells us in Hell there are three things 1. Darkness 2. Fire 3. Chains 1. Hell is called a place of Darkness In Iude v. 13. To them is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Darkness you know is the most uncomfortable thing in the world A man that goes in the dark trembles every step that he goes Hell is a black Region there is nothing but blackness of darkness It must needs be a dark place where there shall be a separation from the light of Gods presence Indeed Austin thinks that there shall be some little sulphureous light But suppose there be that light shall only serve the damned to behold the tragedy of their own misery to see themselves tormented 2. In Hell there is Fire it is called a â—…urning Lâ—…k Rev. 20. 15. Whosoâ—… was not found written in the bock of Life was cast into the lâ—…ke of fire You know Fire is the most torturing Element it makes the most dreadful impression upon the flesh Why Hell is a place of Fire It is disputed among some of the learned what kind of fire it is I wish we may never feel what kind of fire it is Austin Peter Lumbâ—…rd and others affirm That it is a material Fire but far hotter than any culinary fire the fire on your hearths is but painted fire compared to this But I rather think the fire of the damned is partly material and partly spiritual Partly material to work upon the body and partly spiritual which is the wrath of God to torment the Soul This is that Lâ—…ke of burning fire Oh! Who knows the power of Gods anger Who can dwell with these burnings It is intolerable to bear these scorchings and it is impossible for the damned to escape them 3. In Hell there are Chains of darkness In the 6. ver of the Epistle of Iude Those sinners that would not be bound by any law of God shall have chains of darkness to bind them But what is the meaning of this phrase Chains of darkness I suppose it may be this to intimate to us That the wicked in Hell shall not have power to walk up and down which perhaps would be a little ease to them though a very little yea but they shall not have so much as that little ease but shall be chained tyed and staked fast with chains of darkness that they shall not stir And this is very terrible Suppose a man did always lie upon a down-bed if he might not stir off the place it would be very painful to him though on a bed of down How terrible then will it be to the damned that must lie under the scorchings of Gods fury chained down and not be able to move And thus shall it be to the wicked And to add to the torments of Hell there are two things which shew it shall be ill with the wicked let them die when they will 1. There is the Worm 2. There is the Serpent 1. There is the Worm â—…o torture the spirit and this is no other but the worm of Conscience Mark 4. 44. Where their worm never dies How dreadful will it be to have this Worm gnawing continually Melancthon called it a hellish fury Conscience will be just as if a Worm full of poyson were gnawing the heart of a man Those sinners that would never hear the voice of Conscience shall for ever feel the worm of Conscience 2. There is the Serpent and that is the Devil called the old Serpent Revel 4. As there is the biting of the Worm so there is the stinging of the Serpent The damned in Hell shall be forced to behold the Devil that damned Monster I remember what Anselm saith I had rather endure all the torments of this life than see the Devil with bodily eyes But this sight of the Devil the wicked shall see whether they will or no and not only see but shall feel the stingings of this old Serpent Satan is full of rage against Mankind and he will shew no mercy as he puts forth all his subtilty in tempting men so he puts forth all his cruelty in totmenting men And this is not all there are two things more that aggravate the torments of hell to shew that it shall be ill with the wicked 1. These agonies these hell-convuâ—…sions shall be for ever Rev. 14. 11. The smoak of their torment â—…scended for ever and ever and they shall have no rest day nor night Thus is it in hell they would die but they cannot Mors sinâ—… morte the wicked shall be alwayes dying yet never dead alwayes consuming yet never consumed the smoak of their furnace ascends for ever and ever Oh! who can endure thus to be for ever on the wrack this word Ever breaks the heart of the wicked They think a Sabbath long and a Sermon long and a Prayer long they cry out When will these be over Oh! how long then will it be to lie in hell-torments for ever and ever After the wicked have lain there millions of years their torments will be as far from ending as they were the first hour they came there 2. The damned in hell shall have none to pity them It is some comfort and ease to have friends pity us when we are on our sick beds or under any affliction but the damned shal have none to pity them Mercy will not pity them that is turned to fury Christ will not pity them he is no more advocate for them Angels will not pity them for they rejoyce to see the vengeance they insult and glory to see the justice of God executed upon them Oh! how sad is it to lie in the scalding furnace of Gods wrath and to have none to pity us Gods bowels will be locked up and his heart will be hardened to damned sinners then they shall call and God will laugh at them Prov. 1. 26. I will laugh at your calamity Hear this all you that go on in sin It will be ill with the wicked O therefore turn from your sins lest God tear you in pieces aâ—…d there be now to deliver or help you For the Application of this point First What a confounding word is this to all the wicked that go on desperately in sin that add drunkenness to thirst Never was there such an inundation of wickedness as there is now adayes Men sin as if they would sin to spight God as if they would dare heaven to punish them men sin so greedily as if they were afraid Hell-gate would be shut up ere they could get thither How many are there that sin manfully that go to Hell stoutly in their wickednes as Seneca speaks These are in a sad condition Remember what the text saith Wo to the wicked it shall be ill with
measure of grace oh help us by faith to relie upon God that thou mayst help us at last Bless with us all thine remember thy people from one end of the world unto the other thy people are very low this is a time of Jacob's troubles the bush is burning every day 〈◊〉 thou the hope of Israel and the Saviour thereof shew thy self in mercy to these nations We bless thee for all thy meroies that thy judgements do not feize upon us every day that thou dost not sweep us away that thou dost not rain fire and brimstone on England as thou didst on Sodom our sins cry aloud to Heaven for vengeance God is greatly provoked every day and it is a miracle of patience that yet thou hast not destroyed us God can pardon the sins of the Nation at once but we are not fit for pardon we dâ—… not humble our selves oh Lord humble us Give repentance to England from the highest to the lowest that we may return unto thee We desire to bless thee that our enemies have not had their wills over us they said they would pursue and overtake and satisfie their lusts but God did blow upon them and they did sink in the mighty waters and thou hast yet preserved thy Church we pray thee do not leave us nor remove thy Gospel whatsoever thou dost Pour down the best of thy blessings upon thy Servant and our Soveraign Charles by thy Grace of England Scotland France and Ireland King bless him with the blessings of Heaven and Earth make Him a blessing to all of us bless him in all His Relations the Lords of the Privy Council Look on them that have desired an interest in our prayers Known to thee are all of them know their souls in this time of adversity make their beds in their sickness give faith to them that complain of unbelief give the spirit of Prayer to those that complain they cannot pray Be a Counsellor to those that want Counsel in their affairs either by Sea or Land let thy blessing go with them whereever they go spare the lives of children if it be thy will Prepare us for thy good and holy Word let it be a savour of life unto life and let it come with power unto us Oh let us hear it as Thy Word nâ—…i as the word of a poor man but as the Word of God And all for the Lord Christ his sake for whom we bless thee to whom with thee and the Spirit of Grace be given Glory and Honour for evermore Amen Dr. Iacomb's Forenoon Sermon JOHN 8. 29. And he that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I do alwayes those things that please him THese are the words of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are spoken by himself they are spoken of himself though yet in a sober and modest sense they are applicable to all his members That which Christ here affirms is that the presence of God was alwayes with him and this is first propounded He that sent me is with me and then it is amplified and the Father hath not left me alone and then thirdly the reason of this is annexed for I alwayes do those things that please him I shall speak but very little of the words as they do refer to Christ he tells us his Father was with him he did not leave him alone in all the troubles and difficulties that he met withal in the finishing the great work of man's Redemption still God was with him It is true there was a time when Christ was without the sensible manifestation of his Father's presence when he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why but yet even then in truth and in reality his Father did not leave him for though he had not the evidences of his Father's presence yet he had the influences of his Father's presence It would take up much time to shew you how in all Particulars the the Father was present with Christ I will only speak this one word and instance in this one thing God's assisting presence was alwayes with him both in his active and also in his passive obedience and indeed he had that work to do and those miseries to suffer that if God had left him if he had not been mightily assisted by the Divine Nature Christ as meer man could neither have done nor have suffered what he did but the Father was with him to support him Isa. 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold You shall find that Christ did act faith upon this in Isa. 50. 7. The Lord God will help me therefore shall I not be confounded Ver. 9. The Lord will help me So to the same effect is Psal. 16. 9. And you shall find this made good to him in the Scriptures in his greatest necessities Take a Double Instance In the first place After he had been engaged in that Combat with Satan you read of in Matth. 4. The strongest Combat or Dueâ—… that ever was fought wherein you have the Prince of Peace and the prince of darkness the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah and the roaring lion that seeks how to devour both of them putting forth their utmost strength and endeavouring to overcome each the other Now I say in this Combat the Father did not leave Christ but he helps him for he sends an Angel for to minister unto him Mat. 4. 11. So in Christ's bitter Agony in the Garden just before his bitter passion and death upon the Cross the Father did not leave him alone for he sent an Angel unto him to strengthen him Mat. 22. 43. and so in several other places and in several other things I might instance but I shall pass this by I but now Why did the Father thus stand by Christ he gives you the reason of it in the Text because he alwayes did the things that pleased him This I shall open in a double respect First Christ's undertaking the Work of our Redemtion it was very well pleasing unto his Father that poor lost und oâ—…e sinners should be brought back again unto God and restored unto his love and favour I say the Father was infinitely well-pleased with Christ in this undertaking Isa. 53. 10. The pleasure of the Lrrd shall prosper in his hand the pleasure of the Lord that is the Work of our Redemption wherein God the Father took great pleasure or delight therefore when Christ was publiquely in â—…he eye of the world to enter upon this great Work the Father sends him out with this witness This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased He speaks not only of his well-pleasing to his Person but also to his well-pleasing as to his Undertaking Secondly as the Work it self was pleasing unto God so Christ's managing of â—…his Work was all along pleasing unto his Father and that doth appear in this that Christ in all things kept to his Father's Commission and to his
instead of many Isa. 43. 2. When thou passest through the water I will be with thee through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee And you shall find too that the Saints have experienced it in all ages God hath made it good Iacob was a man that met with many sharp trials God exercised him with many troubles you shall find that when he was going to Padan-Aram and was in a very afflicted condition Gen. 28. 15. God comes unto him and saith Behold I am with thee Gen. 31. 5. His father frowned upon him but the God of his fathers helped him Ioseph Gen. 29. 20. his master took him put him into prison a place where the Kings Prisoners were bound he was in the prison but the Lord was with Ioseph The Prophet Ieremy was thrown into a dungeon but the Scripture saith God was with him The three Children were thrown into the Furnace of fire but there was a fourth with them and that was the Son of God Dan. 3. 25. Paul when he was brought to his trial all men forsook him but God stood by him 2 Tim. 4. 16. So the Christians in all their sharp sufferings 2 Cor. 4. 9. they were persecuted but not forsaken persecuted by men but not forsaken by God God hath abundantly made out this and doth so still that he will never leave those alone in a time of suffering who desire unfeignedly in all things to please God Now the third thing is to shew you in what respects God is with such why this presence of God is an active presence God is not meerly with his people but he is with them in an active way for this is a certain truth God is working when the Saints are suffering I will open this in several particulars First God is with such in his teaching presence Gods correction and Gods instruction they usually go together and where there is the chastening of Gods hand there is also the teaching of Gods Spirit Psal. 90. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and whom thou teachest Christ though he were a Son yet learned obedience by the things that he suffered God teacheth his upright ones many lessons in a time of adversity which they never learned in a time of prosperity For we are like idle boyes or bad Scholars that learn best when the rod is over us In a prosperous condition Gods speaks to us and we mind him not Ier. 2. 21. I spoke to thee in thy prosperity but thou wouldest not hear and this hath been thy manner from thy youth upwards In prosperity God speaks once and twice as Iob speaks but we will not hear but in the time of adversity God opens the ears Iudg. 8. 16. As Gideon taught the men of Succoth with thorns and briars so doth God teach his people by afflictions and oh the many blessed truths that they learn when they are under the rod. When they want liberty Oh what a mercy is it to have liberty then When they have not Ordinances as before what a mercy is it to have Ordinances then Oh what an evill thing is it then for them that they have departed from God God teaches them these things then sin is never so bitter mercy is never so sweet as in a time of suffering Oh how vain and empty is the creature then Oh how sweet is communion with God then I say such things as these God teaches then Secondly God is with such in his guiding presence Psal. 73. 24. Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me unto glory When Israel was in the Wilderness then they had the cloud to guide them It is a blessed thing to live under the conduct and direction of the wise God we never have so much of this as in an hour of travel indeed the people of God never flie so much to God for direction as at such a time as Saul when he was in distress then he calls for the Ephod And thus it is with us under affliction then we look to God Thirdly God is with them in his preserving and hiding presence God is the Saints hiding-place their Shield their Buckler their Rock their Defence the Scripture-expressions are many to hold out Gods protection as to his people God hath a constant care over them to preserve them and save them oh but especially in a time of trouble as the Mariner is never so careful of the Ship as under a storm So God is never so careful of his Church and people as under an affliction Ieremy is in the Dungeon now God saves him Daniel is in the Den now God saves him The three Children in the Fire now God saves them Peter is in Prison now God saves him The Mother never tends the Child so carefully as when the child is sick and Providence is never so tender to the people of God as under a suffering condition Fourthly God is with them in his comforting presence 2 Cor. 4. 1. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation and usually we have most of consolation from God when we have most of tribulation from without as our sufferings do abound so our consolation doth abound much more The Child that is beaten when it is well is cherished when it is ill when persons are sick then you give them Cordials God gives the best of comforts in the worst of times when the burden is heavy upon the back then the peace of Conscience is great within the worse it is without the better it is within when men discover most of anger then God discovers most of love Fifthly God is with such in his strengthening presence to enable them and to support them to undergo whatever he is pleased to call them unto this is the way of our good and gracious God he alwayes gives ouâ—… strength as he lays on affliction he never leaves his Children alone in this respect he will be with them to support them though it may be not to deliver yet he will cerrainly be with them to support the rod and the staff they go together Psal. 23. 4. the afflicting rod and the supporting staff when one hand is upon the Saint to afflict then the other hand is underneath the Saint to support Isai. 41. 10. I will uphold thee I will strengthen thee fear not I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness This David found I cryed unto the Lord in my distress he answered me and strengthened me in my inward man Psal. 138. 3. Oh when men afflict God supports when men put the Children of God into deep waters then God takes them by the chin and holds them up that they shall not sink and be drowned Sixthly God is with them in his sympathizing presence Oh he hath a tender sense of all the sorrows and calamities of his people Oh it grieves him when they
and God must needs lay that upon them Lam. 1. 12. 3. 1. 5. 10. 2. Sometimes of instruments thus Esau complains of his brother Is he not rightly called Iacob a Supplanter of his Father Hast thou but one blessing c. Gen. 27. 3 4. of any thing rather than of himself he doth not say Am I not rightly called Esau What a wretch am I that have despised and sold my blessing Mostly we complain of that which deserves no blame the guilty of the innocent 1 King 18. 7. Isa. 10. 5. Ier. 8. or we pore too much upon second causes or complain of instruments not of our selves or of wicked men not of wickedness of their Cruelty more than of their Blasphemy of their injuries against us more than as Gods enemies or more of revenge in our Complaints than murmuring our complaints concerning their afflicting us not accompanyed with our Prayers for their Conversion c. 3. Sometimes of God himself not as one of his children who complains 1. To God not of God thus Christ My God my God c. 2 With a holy Considence My God my God two words of faith for one word of fear c. 3. In his complaints is very tender of Gods glory affraid to think or speak a hard or uncomely thought or word of God 4. Carefully distinguishes between what God doth and what man doth observes and separates the unrighteousness of men from the righteousness of God 5. With humble inquiry what cause there may be of this dispensation Iob 10. 2. 34. 31. 6. With a disposition to bring up his will to God not that God should bring down his will to him if it be possible let this Cuppass however glorifie thy Name provide for thy own glory and do with me as thou pleasest But a sinful Creature is sometimes ready to call Providence in question Ezra 8. 12. or to break forth and charge God foolishly either of too much severity Ez. 18. 2. 25. or of too long delay Isa. 49 14. or their mournings are turned into murmurings Numb 14. 27. or their complaints are mixed with unbelief Psal. 78. 19. or their punishment not for their sin and nothing will satisfie them but deliverance Now this is not the way for this way of complaining is 1. Fruitless a House on Fire is not quenched with tears Murmuring will not scatter the Clouds 2. Causeless Thou hast thy life for a prey Ier. 4. 5 6. What a living man and complain and that when 't is for the punishment of his sins This kind of complaining is causeless if you compare sin and punishment together there 's no proportion for sin is a transgression against an infinite God punishment but an affliction upon the finite Creature Sin is an evil-against God punishment an evil against the Creature Or if you consider what sin is in its nature 't is a contrariety to Gods natureâ—… God is holy Sin impurity A contradictiou to God's will God saith Do this the Sinner saith I will not God saith Do not this abominable thing which I hate the Sinner saith I will It is the transgression of God's pure and holy Law nay it is a practical blaspheming against all the Names of God the rape of God's mercy and the dare of God's Iustice the challenge of God's Power Sin gives the lye to God's Truth and the fool to God's Wisdom And what can Sin do more than to take away God's good Name God's Being and that Sin would do Or 't is causeless if you consider against whom sin is i. e. God himself who is a jealous God now a Sinner takes another Lover into his bosom before his eyes yea he is a holy righteous omnipotent almighty living God Thoughts of this may well keep us from complaining Indeed whatever our affliction be we have as much cause to give thanks as to mourn whether you consider whatever the punishment be it might be worse or do but look well into it you will see more Mercy than Affliction Psal. 119. 75. 3. Sinful There is in it 1. Unthankfulness while we complain of one Affliction we overlook a thousand Mercies whereas true Grace is ingenuous and can see a little Kindness mingled with a great deal of Severity The Church of God in captivity comparing her afflictions with her mercies breaks forth It is of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed Lam. 3. 22. Blessed be God it is not yet so bad but it might be worse 2 Cor. 4. 8. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed though laid wait for beset on every side put to strive aud struggle yet we escape God gives an issue in the Temptation we are perplexed but not in despair we are not so helpless that we know not whither to turn our selves we have a God to go to as bad as things are the name of the Lord is a strong Tower persecuted but not forsaken we are shaken out but not to shivers persecuted but not conquered our God hath not utterly forsaken us Cast down but not destroyed Ps. 118. 13. we are cast down but not cast off Thus Luther They may thrust me back but they cannot thrust me down they may crush me but they cannot kill me or they may kill me but they cannot hurt me they may shew their teeth but they cannot devour Is it a Feaver it might have been eternal flames Is it Scarcity it might be universal famine Is it the danger of losing the Gospel 't is the mercy of God it is not gone already Are we in Captivity we might have been in Hell Are we in Prison it might have been Tophet The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not given me over unto death Psal. 118. 18. Though men have lost their Bowels Gods compassions fail not God's as faithful as ever he hath taken away some of our mercies but he hath not taken away all he hath left us more than he hath taken They are new they are renewed every morning when old mercies are spent God sends us new he is the Father of Mâ—…rcies begets new mercies every moment Who can number or measure his mercies of one day whatever our Fears are Oh blessed be God he loads us with mercies Now the Complainer over-looks all these there 's much unthankfulness in it and that 's a kind of Atheism She knew not that I gave her corn and wine c. Hos. 2. 8. 2. Pride Only by pride comes contention men never quarrel with God about their Condition but 't is long of the pride of their heart Proud man would fain sin and not hear from God would take liberty to sin but would not have God take liberty to punish I say 8. 3. God must take notice of our Duties not our Sinâ—… God shall hear of it if he take not notice of our prayers but it shall be by complaining if he take notice of our sins A proud man whatever he hath it is no more than his due and
whatever he wants God 's his debtor Hos. 6. 13. The want of a Complement undoth them in the midst of honour If we want but one thing our hearts would have surely Nature is proud and ready to pick quarrels with God on the least occasion nay if he will not give that mercy we would take all c. 3. Rebellion God strikes him for sin he strikes against God Ier. 31. 18. God draws one way and he another c. 4. Unbelief He that complains of his punishment never believed sin to be so great an evil or God to be such a One as revealed in the Word 5. Interpretative Blasphemy 1. While we dispute our afflictions and wrangle with the present dispensation what is it but to make our selves wiser than God We seem to tell God how it might have been better and so we do as it were give God Counsel When he calls for Obedience is not that Blasphemy to set up our wisdom against God's 2. While we complain of Punishment we take Sin 's part against God we do as it were justifie sin and judge God God is unrighteous to punish such a sin as this with such grievous Afflictions 3. By complaining we do as it were summon God to our Bar to come give an account of his actions at our Tribunal What poor miserable Creatures are we that in our Afflictions are so far from helping our selves that we commonly add to our own misery No Affliction is intolerable till Sin come in it The yoke God hath made easie we make intolerable and make God to be our enemy while he by Affliction would become our friend Now this being found not to be the way that which God counsels and advises is 1. Self-Examination Let us search and try our wayes Sin and Hypocrisie lies close and deep therefore we must take pains dig to the bottom set up a Tribunal in our own Conscience summon try judg our selves over and over in Gods presence He stands at our Closeâ—… Doores to hear what we will say Ier. 8. 6. before execution what Indictments we will bring in against our selves We can tell what such a Drunkard such an unclean person c. hath done but no man saith What have I done My pride my unthankfulness my unfruitfulness c. 2. Reformation and turn again to the Lord. Sin is aversio à Deo conversio ad creaturam Reformation is a turning again from the creature to God 3. Frequent and fervent Prayer Let us lift up There 's the frequency let do nothing else but pray le ts be continually lifting up our Prayers make your houses houses of Prayer Thus David Thou foughtest against me without a Cause Did he take Counsel against Princes to be disloyal To take up Arms No. But I gave my self unto Prayer Psal. 109. 4. Therefore if you prayed before now do nothing else it notes habitual and constant Prayer our hearts with our hands to crave and as it were to pull down mercy as if we would wrestle with God and say Nay I will not let thee go until thou bless me Gen. 32. 26. it notes our fervency And for our encouragement it is unto God in the Heavens which expresses his Soveraignty Omnisciency Omnipotency Everlastingness c. 4. Judging our selves or Confession of sin We have transgressed 5. Aggravating our sins and have rebelled i. e. we have turned sin into Rebellion Rebellion hath been the aggravation of our sins we have sinned against the clearest light dearest love c. Nehem. 9. Ezra 9. Dan. 9. 6. fastifying God thou hast not pardoned A word not of murmuring complaining or accusing God of hard dealing but by way of justifying God we have transgressed therefore thou hast not pardoned Why should'st thou repent of the evil of punishment when we have not repented of the evil of sin Thou hast punished us less then our Iniquities deserve So in the Text Do the first works Sin is a departure from God Repentance a coming back again to God Turn thou to him from whom the Children of Israel have deeply revolted The soul hath many turnings and windings but that 's the best motion of all when the Soul with the Dove returns to God from whom it came Apostacy is the loss of our first love Repentance is the Recovery of it and Reformation is the doing of our first works I have not time to enlarge as I desired I shall only offer a few things that may help to quicken you to this great duty My Brethren we have no great cause to boast of Englands first love Never so good as it should be yet many can remember when England hath been much better then ' t is Time was when Doctrines have been more sound Discipline more exercised for the suppressing of sin and profaneness Ordinances kept more pure from sinful mixtures when London kept Sabbaths better then now loved their Godly Ministers more then now honoured them that were set over her for their works sake would have thought nothing too good for a faithful Minister when Christians loved one another with a dear hearty fervent love when there was less Complement but more real love and affection among Christians when Christians improved their meetings converse Christian Conferences and other soul-duties to better purpose then now not to foolish disputations or wanton sensual excesses but to their mutual edification when they improved their time for comparing their evidences communicating their experiences and building up one another in their most holy faith when there was more industry in Professors than now to bring in Converts when private Christians thought it their duty to be subservient to the work of their Ministers to bring in others to Christ especially their Family Time was when more care of Young Converts then now when none could have looked out after Religion but some or other ready to lend them their hand and shew them the way explaining it clearly to them but now Young Converts may be snapt into separations and errour and none looks after them Time was when more care of the truly godly poor when errour was more odious when Popery was more hated then now when the name of a Toleration would have made Christians to have trembled when Christians were better acquainted with their Bibles when more time spent in secret Prayer when more tender of one anothers Names and Honours would heal one anothers Reputations and would spread the lap of Charity over those mis-reports and scandals that might be cast upon them when Christians rejoyced more in one anothers good and mourned in one anothers sufferings when Christians did more earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints c. Oh do you not onely your first works but our fore-fathers first works Be as zealous for God and his truths as tender mutually careful of one another as they Our fears be very great but truly our provocations be greater our dangers are great but our sins greater yet here is
a word here is matter of encouragement that yet there is Balm in Gilead Physick of Christs own composition for the reviving and healing of a back-sliding people Christians Christ Jesus is become your Physitian he hath prescribed you a potion made up of these 3. ingredients Self-Reflection Holy Contrition Thorow Reformation Christians now take this Receipt Christ advises you if you will not there is no way but one Or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick There is yet a means or two I find in Scripture for the preventing of threatned ruin that hath been very near that God hath prescribed for a people or person in great danger when ready to be cut off and destroyed Now that which I would commend unto you in reference to what you should beg of God for England is First In your addressing your self to God for that mercy your souls are set upon and you wrestle with God for that you would make some special Vow to God I find the Saints have done so when reduced to great Straits not knowing what to do Thus Iacob vowed a Vow saying If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God And this Stone which I here set for â—… pillar shall be Gods house Gen. 28. 20 21 22 The specialed thing Iacob vow is that he would continue in the pure worship of his forefathers that he would still honour God as his God in that way he would be worshipped the special thing is that he would build a house for the worship of God here he would erect a place of publick worship And thus Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord and said if thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand then I will utterly destroy their Cities Numb 21. 2. They vowed a vow they would not spare any of the enemies of God it he would deliver them into their hands Thus Iepthah Hannah David c. Iudg. 11. 30. 1 Sam. 1 11. Psal. 132 1 2. Certainly in times of great distress 't is not improper or uncomely but that which God may expect and take well that you make some special Vow if God would prevent your fears if God would continue forfeited mercies dearer to you then your lives you would set apart some special thing for God something for the propagation of the Gospel abroad for the maintenance of a godly Ministry at home for setting up the preaching of the Gospel in the dark coâ—…ners of the Kingdom c. This must have some cautions with it as 1. We must be sure our Vow be of what is in our own power we must not make vows of that which is none of our own I hate Robbery for burntâ—…offerings We must not make a vow to God of that which hath been unjustly or untighteously taken away or withheld from any 'T is Sacriledge instead of a Sacrifice 2. It must be of things warrantable and justifiable by the Word 3. It must be of such things that we are not bound to do before vows by the standing obligation of Religion and of our Profession but of something that is in our own choice that we will voluntarily make a free-will offering to God 4. We must take heed that we do not entertain a fupeâ—…itious thought of our own Vows as if we had merited a mercy at Gods hands by our vowes God looks for some special vow at our hands that we may shew how much we prise and value the mercy we would have that we would be content to part with any thing though to the half of our Estate for it 2. Another thing I find is that in the mean time we should do something by way of extraordinary bounty and charity to the relief of Gods indigent Servants Thus the Prophet Daniel Wherefore O Kingâ—… let my counsel be acceptable to thee Breakoff thy Sins by Righteousness and thine Iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity Dan. 4. 27. The Prophet advises him to break off his sins by righteousness there 's Reformation besides Reformation that he would do something in an extraordinary way to the relief of the poor Mercy to the poor what 's that Interpreters conceive by the poor here he understands Gods poor i. e. the poor Iews that were now in the Babylonian Captivity he advises he would do something by way of sympathy to the Iews to ease their yoaks and oppressions break off thy iniquities by pitying shewingâ—… mercy to thy poor Captives under thy power now at this time take off their yoak ease their burdens and restore them to their liberties again Thus do ye to those that have been the instruments of your Conversion or Edification set apart something extraordinary for their relief and supply The Prophet Daniel seems to advise this to the King as it were by way of satisfaction Theâ—…e be two things in Repentance in wrongs we have done there must be Confession and Satisfaction or Restoration He seems to advise this to make up compleat Repentance namely to make Restoration and Retribution of what he had injuriously taken from the Iewes Oh then let me say without breach of Charity that whatsoever except it be in this case of extraordinary supplyes for his poor it will be found but making Restitution and Satisfaction It may be upon a two-fold ground 1. With some it may be truly Restitution and Restoration of what he hath taken away by unjust means God knows how that 's between God and their own Souls what unlawfull means hath been used to augment the heap and swell their Estate If there be any that hears me this day whose Consciences shall tell them that they have increased their Estate by undue and unwarrantable means Oh Restoreâ—… Restore break off your Iniquities by shewing mercy c. by making Reparation as you can it will be but like Zacheus giving half his goods to the poor and restoring four fold c. in a liberal Contribution to the poor 2. It will be Restitution in another sense in reference to an unjust withholding some have got injuriously and I am afraid too too many have kept injuriously Have we not rob'd the poor by an unjust denying of what God hath commanded us to distribute to their necessities There is that withholdeth more then is meet c. Prov. 3. 17. 11. 24. It may be God hath given you so much there 's God's share there 's the Ministers portion c. Now all that you have withheld beyond the Rule of Scripture is all stoln goods and like a Wheat-sheaf on fire will burn down the whole baâ—…n of Corn. That which I would exhort you to is Every one to set apart some considerable part of your Estate and account it as a hallowed thing dedicated
Gospel see there what Christ is and thy necessity of him Believing will open the door to entertaining of him assent will procure thy consent Thirdly Keep up no Idol in thy heart against him Turn out that that keeps out Christ. How dear soever it seems now at last thou wilt see it more necessary to detest than keep it I come now to exhort all poor weak Christians that they would make after confirmation and grow to a greater measure in Grace as they have received Christ. It is not enough to be conceited that you have been converted and it will not be enough to the assurance of your conversion or safety of your souls that you think you are converted and sit down there he that is content with the opinion that he hath Grace and therefore desires to have no more because the promise of salvation is made to the Truth of Grace it 's a sign he never had Grace strength in Grace is your own felicity 't is part of your happiness Your eternal happiness will partly consist in your personal perfection and without personal perfection all heavenly glory will not be a perfect felicity If you have fixed your Anchor in Gods Promises this engages you to look up make after and proceed c. Take these Motives First Consider there is the same reason to move thee to grow and proceed as there was to move thee to thy first believing Why did you become Christians but because of the necessity of the riches and excellencies of Christ and that there was better things in Christ than in the World And are they not so still Is the case changed If Christianity was reasonable then it is reasonable now if it was necessary to begin it is necessary to hold on and proceed in your Race till you have obtained the Crown Secondly Your receiving Christ essentially contains in it an obligation to proceed and go further actually to trust and obey him whom you have taken for your Lord and Saviour from the very offices and relations of Christ received If I be a Father where is my fear If I be a Master where is my Honour If I be a Saviour where is your Confidence in me Submission to my saving-work Obedience to my healing Precepts If I be your Lord and Master why do not you learn of me as your Master c Your first Covenant engages you to proceed in fulfilling the things promised in your Covenant c. Better not to have promised to be his people than to promise and break this promise The very Mercies also you received from him pardoning your former sin entertainment in his Church and all the blessings there found are as so many obligations to proceed 3. Ever since we came home to Christ we have had an addition of Reasons besides the first Reason we had to believe Every day brings in new c. Certainly if a little were desirable more were more desirable If the people that stood afar off and never tried what Christ and Grace is were bid to come in those that have tried and tasted are bound to proceed much more You have the Spirit of God experiences of his love tasted the bitterness of sin have had some trial of the truth of such things of which we speak when others have eyes and see not c. And will you turn back that have tasted c. 4. Consider how much hath been lost upon many a soul for want of care to take rooting and to proceed How much labour of the Ministry mercies of God pains and care of their own I speak of those that have seemed sincere not been indeed so that have many times comforted the hearts of their Ministers and Friends and have had some kind of comfort to themselves in that taste they have had of the good Word of God How many times hath the Preacher been gladded to see such a one come to him seemingly with a broken heart seeming to set himself in the way of life yet the flesh prevailed for want of Confirmation How many years have some spent in duty in hearing prayer gracious society profession of Religion yet afterwards the World hath drown'd all What cause have you to see you lose not the things you have wrought 5. Consider how much of the Work of your own salvation since you are converted is yet undone Though you are sure your conversion is true how many temptations to resist enemies to conquer duties to perform and Heaven to be taken upon all those terms as is the tenour of your Christianity therefore you had need to stand fast and having done all to stand you had need not only to believe but to wait and be patient in believing and to proceed in the way you have chosen 6. The want of strength and building up makes the lives of many full of lamentable languishingweaknesses scandals unto others pain calamity and trouble to themselves How long in healing And how much smart and pain while the fruit of their own folly is cured How easily and how frequently do temptations prevail And hence as in a Wilderness they are going one step forward another backward no evident keeping in God and all through the fruit of their own languishing weakness The fruits of the sins of Professors have been such that it should make you do all you can possibly to escape the troubles at home and reproaches abroad 7. A life of spiritual weakness is usually a burden unto him that hath it it doth not only occasion his falling into sin and so renews the wounds of his soul but is a constant burden to him not that any measure of Grace is troublesome but that which consists with so great a measure of remaining corruption this is the burden Sickness is burdensome though there be life Methinks you should not then be reconciled to your fears you should methinks see so great a difference between the sick and well that for your own peace-sake you should seek after confirmation Every duty they do is their pain which is anothers pleasure prayer c. their burden sometimes tired wearied dull c. presently overwhelmed with temptation every duty is a grievance to them through the weakness of their grace and by their corruption 8. Christians that are weak and not confirmed lose abundance of the fruit of Gods Ordinances that are improved by others How many a truth that tasts exceeding sweet to others hath no great relish to them nor growth by it A healthfull man hath more relish in ordinary fare then a sick person in varieties The full stomack loaths the Honey-comb 9. The weak and unconfirmed Christian is unprofitable comparatively unto others not that the Church would wish the weakest Member out but comparatively unconfirmed Christians are very unprofitable unto others like little children in the family that must be looked to make work for a great many more about them What doth a sick person but the work of others is to feed support and be
a help to him The Church of God hath need of strong Christians that can pray in faith fervency for others and you can scarcely pray for your selves Consider when the Church needs a great deal of help will you sit down with low attainments and little things when so many hundreds about you need so great assistance 10. Weak persons are many times the troublers and very dangers of the Church many calamities have been occasioned by them The sinnes of Professors have occasioned the displeasure of God on the Church their Errors hindred Truth and made Divisions When Christians have not so much strength as to know Truth from Error that hearken to every one that speaks with likeness What have these Christians done in the Church What mercies have been driven away so far that I think the Church of God since the Apostles dayes till now hath suffered more by the sins of Professors then by the malice of their enemies And how canst thou expect God will save thy soul when thou hast set the Church on fire and been so great hinderance to others that many should perish occasionally by thy example c. The greatest sufferings of the Church have come from the miscarriages of the Church 11. Such have been the great dishonourers of Christ and the Graces of ancient Christians The glory of their profession their charity self-denial heavenly-mindednesse patience c. preached the Gospel to the World more effectually then ever their words could doe God expects your Lives should be a considerable means for the Conversion of wicked men the same God that hath commanded Ministers to teach others by their Doctrine hath commanded you should live for the conversion of the World that your zeal humility patience charity self-denial should win souls to God And if it be a sin to give over preaching when we may surely so to give over living c. If woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel then wo unto you if by your lives you preach not the Gospel How many sinners have you about you and how do you wrong and rob the ungodly of that Ordinance God hath appointed for their conversion and salvation You are persons that take the bread out of their mouths the means that should save them out of their hands while you deny them one of the commanded means of salvation i. e. the eminent example of your lives And if it be so great a sin to stop Preachers mouths how great a sin to neglect this Ordinance Nay are you not a dishonour to the Church Is it not because of Professors ill lives that the prophane deride Religion while they see not that glory in it that should over-power an unbelieving and denying soul and should indeed effectually manifest it's excellency Are these the Professors that are proud stubborn passionate censorious self-conceited as contemptuous and envious as any others I know the World is apt enough to slander and the Servants of God bear a world of unjust reproaches but oh that there were not this occasion c. 12. Those that are not confirmed and established in grace the Devil when he hath prevailed by a temptation on themselves can easily make them his Instruments to draw and tempt others from their duty to discourage them in their Religion and to do that mischief in the world he hath done by temptation on their own soul. 'T is ordinary for Satan to make use of lapsed distempered Christians to be the instruments of his temptations to those that are better c. An honest Christian will not so easily hearken to a drunkard or swearer as to a Professor he had good thoughts of Gal. 2. 13. 13. For want of strength and establishment in grace poor weak Christians are a very great encouragement to the carnal hopes of wicked men I think scarce any thing in the world hinders our preaching more then this when the wicked see those that make the greatest profession no better then themselves and in some things worse this hardens him against all the convictions that can be brought against him Tell him he cannot be saved without conversion he looks upon Professors sees them contentious worldly peevish passionate c. sees some sin or other this makes him think he is as well as they Must there be so much ado to bring men to this state Is this the difference say they c. 14. Methinks it should be some trouble to an honest heart that yet we must be so like to the children of the wicked One and the weakest christians are the likest to the wicked I do not mean weaknesse in gifts or knowledge c. but a weakness in practical saving knowledge love of God self-denial mortification heavenly-mindednesse c. they that are in these the weakest Christians are the next and likest to the wicked And doth not this grieve thee that though thou art not a child of the Devil thou art so like one We should not be conformed to the World nor like to them in any thing no not in outward vanities but to imitate the fashion of the World as to inward corruptions to go in their garb when a palpable vanity to have so much of their pride peevishness malice worldlinesse Oh look upon thy heart with humiliation 15. Consider what a dangerous and lamentable standing those have that be not established c. You stand but it is as unrooted plants or trees that stand shaking in the wind beholders are alwayes looking when they fall you stand but it is as a sick man wavering reeling like Lot's wife looking back and alwayes upon every occasion ready to repent You have been Believers little things perplex and trouble you little tribulations and afflictions discompose and disturb you little temptations make you question the Scripture the Providence of God his love and care of his people and the great foundations of Religion Foundations seem to shake because you are shaking and tottering c. And what is like to become of such a soul If thou stands shaking under small temptations for want of confirmation what wilt thou do when a Papist or Quaker c. shall so speak concerning Religion which thou art not able to answer and so the surest foundation seems nothing when thou hast so weak hold Our greatest afflictions next to the misery of the ungodly is to think of our weak ones what will become of them and â—…e ily we do expect a considerable part of our Congregations should be carried away those that are Christians and know not why yet have not humility enough to make use of others and to keep close to those that should assist them Remember when you see such times when seducers are able to say the worst shall make the strongest assaults on the weak ones how many will be like to fall Again sichness death dying times will come when you shall find a little grace will not easily do your work and though you perish not yet you may faint
and to your sorrow finde the want of confirmation You cannot but know how the strongest are put to it in trying hours or at death Will slack and unsetled hopes of another life such distempered hearts fight and encounter with such tryals Never think of dying comfortably if you follow not after confirming grace 16. It should humble you the more that you have been so long so many years in the School of Christ and love God c. no better Should not you in this Apprenâ—…iceship have learned better your Religion and been â—…eachers of others when perhaps if in the principles you are assaulted you will show your weakness as soon as any May not Christ say Have I been so long time with you and yet have you known liv'd c. no better reached no higher attained no further weaklings still Nay consider in this time what advantage have you had for growth A tree planted on a barren wilderness may not grow so much as in a fruitfull place but you have had the plenty and power of the Ordinances of God the choisest of the means and helps of salvation 17. Consider the nature of true grace tends to this will you cross the nature of it shall we be such weaklings in Religion which crosse so the nature of grace For grace the more it 's exercised the more it encreases 18. Heaven it self is perfection and the work of a Christian is to press towards heaven and therefore 't is to press towards perfection You should make towards the end in a manner and way that is suitable to the end Persons that enjoy so much already and hope for so much greater should not put off God with such little things 19. Little grace shall have but little glory You know not how great a difference there is between the least and highest in the Kingdom of God Nay 't is not only for a Christian to desire to be glorified but to enjoy the highest degree in glory to serve God with the best and improve his Talent to the utmost that his heavenly reward may be according A Christian should not slight it when 't is tendred to him and in his eye Quest. But how shall I know I have attained this confirming grace Answ. These signs following shew a Christian confirmed and strong in grace which I will name that you may know what to aim at and what to desire There is not so great a difference between a King and a Beggar between the greatest health and sicklyest man as between a strong usefull Christian and a poor lâ—…nguishing soâ—…l c. 1. A confirmed Christian is one that can resist many subâ—…il and strong temptations not only a single temptation but when Satan assaults on every side with errors on both extremes with importunities of several parties with temptations of prosperity offered of adversity felt or feared strong temptations that seem to lay a necessity of yielding on a weakling that makes him say I must do it to save my liberty family life c. A strong Christian can say there is no necessity he can make light of those temptations that seem to be a necessity to other persons he can confute a subtil Sophister and deal with a cunning Adversary Satan cannot so easily go beyond and out-wit him 2. He can do great excellent and useful works is serviceable to God if he have opportunity in business of greatest consequence he doth not serve God only in some little and inconsiderable things but in his place sets himself to the Work of God doth the great Work of his Majesty faithfully The service of God to him is more easie and delightful as to go ten miles is more easie to the healthful than one to a sickly person he can go through God's service with pleasure ease and delight without tyring fainting siting down or giving over 3. He can digest the hard Truths aud Providences of God that are ready to puzzle perplex and overset the stomach of a weak Christian He hath laid his foundation to which he reduces all things of difficulty and by the help of those great truths he hath received he can easily see through the difficulties of all that are yet before him He can tell how to reconcile those things in Scripture that seem contradictions where he meets with a difficulty he can easily discern the cause is in himself and that there is an undoubted way of reconciling them though he hath not attained to it He can easily quiet his soul under the most difficult providences and interpret them so as is consistent with the truths of God which must expound them he reconciles Promise with Providence and Providence with Scripture whereas a weak Christian is ready to say A hard saying who can â—…ear this and that And it is the difficulty of these kinds of Truths that make so many turn their Religion because not able to digest the hardest Truths of God Cross providences makes them question God's love c. 4. He is one that can exercise various graces without setting one against another destroying or contradicting one another He can do many works believe many Truths perform many Duties at once He can rejoyce and sorrow at once and make his sorrow an help to his joy and his joy an help to his sorrow and so exercise both in that nature as will not directly hinder or weaken one another He can tell how in such a time as we are in to rejoyce yet to be humble to be cast down at God's feet in the sense of the sins we have committed and of God's displeasure c. yet to rejoyce in the mercies we have and do expect to possess He doth not look all upon sin all upon affliction or all upon mercy but can eye every thing and give every thing its part can exercise graces methodically gives truths and providences their proper place in his meditations and affections and this makes his life orderly beautiful regular and useful whereas a weak Christian let him set himself against one temptation he is taken in another if he humble himself in soul he can do nothing but humble weep grieve fear and be ready to cast away all comfort all sense of the love of God if he set himself to the consideration of the grace of Christ he is apt to forget Humiliation and to be puffed up with spiritual Pride c. Thus he hath not skill strength and ability to carry on all the whole work of grace together 5. A strong Christian sinks not under those burdens that would press down and overwhelm a weak Christian he can bear heavy burdens and more easily away with them making it a recreation to bear some things that another would sink under and cannot bear It is thy weaknesse that makes thee make such a stir when God layes on thee personal family publique afflictions that makes thee shrink under them strength of grace would enable to see God and glory in the midst of them and
others die in horrour Mr. Jenkins's Prayer at Christ-Church Iuly 13. 1662. MOst blessed and holy Lord God thou art infinitely beyond our apprehensions who wast infinitely â—…ppy before the world was made and wantest none oâ—… thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their services 〈◊〉 make thee more excellent tâ—…en thou art in thy self we dâ—…ily wâ—…nt thee thou never wantest us thou a 〈◊〉 to make use of Ordinanceâ—… Ministers Sâ—…baths as thy Institutions to accomplish 〈◊〉 bring about the great work of thy glory and maâ—…s Sâ—…lvation yet Lord thou dost not need them thy Spirit is not made â—…fficacious by these things but it is that that makes these things 〈◊〉 though thou art pleased to tye us to them when we may 〈◊〉 them and duly enâ—…y them yet thou dost not tye thy self to them we desire in these our addâ—…esses tâ—… eye the happiness of Saints that depends â—…on him that depends upon none We are here in thy presence by thy goodness and grace Oâ—… whether should we go but to thee and how should we come but by thee oâ—… strengthen our saith kill ouâ—… corruptions inflame our love give us assurance of thy love to our souls oâ—… that God would teach us â—…ow to pray that we may tastâ—… and seâ—… how â—…ood the Lord is t iâ—… day that ouâ—… souls may be filled 〈◊〉 with marrow the we may by ouâ—… own experience be able to say it is good foâ—… us to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…o God and that a day in thy house is better thâ—…n a thousand elsewhere that there may be a commâ—…ion between us and God let there be a diâ—…union between us and siâ—… we confess we brouâ—…ht sin enough into the world with â—…s to cause theâ—… to withdraw thy bleâ—…ed self from us and to cast such unprofitable servants as we are into uttâ—…r darkâ—…ss we have bin 〈◊〉 long time in thy school and yeâ—… how dull are 〈◊〉 we migâ—… have bin teachers of others but we need our selves be tauâ—…ht wâ—…ich aâ—…e the fiâ—…st Principles of the Oracles of God we lâ—…ve less â—…en we know and we do less then we love we have neither done 〈◊〉 good nor received that good which we should or might have done and received we have been trees that have cumbered the 〈◊〉 iâ—… thy Orchard but we have brought foâ—…th no fruit â—…o unto us that we have not known the day of our visitation many of us have one foot in the grave and yet we have lived without God in the woâ—…ld we are wise in every thing but in our own salvation we live as if â—…ell were a priviledge those of us that have some knowledge of thee have great cause to repent that we have walked so unworthily of God which of us pray continually and fervently or live the life of faith we confess we nâ—…ither take our afflictions humbly nor our mercies thankfully nor â—…ant our comforts contentedly nor fill up our relations fruitfully we live as if hell were a scare-crow as if all the threatnings of thy word were an empty noise as if there were a either sâ—…ess in heaven nor bitterness in hell When we come into thy prâ—… 〈◊〉 are our hearts what earthly dispositions do wâ—… 〈◊〉 aâ—… with 〈◊〉 the sins of our prayers cry louder then the suppâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers what hypocrisie and formality cleaves unto us â—…f thou dost not look upon the iniquities of our holy things with an eye of pitty wâ—…t 〈◊〉 â—…ecome of us O Lord be pleased to smell a swâ—…t â—…avour of â—…est and peace through thy dear Son O Lord it is onely his precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can sprinkle our hearts and quiet our consciences and no other thing we do renounce all our own works and we cry in our selves unâ—…one undone It is through thy beloved Son that we are accepted and therefore to that end bring us to him by a saving operation on thy part and by our lively trust through the Covenant of thy grace on our part let there be such a unity between Christ and us that all the power of bell may not be able to separate us from thee speak peace to our hearts stiâ—…l our consciences 〈◊〉 I have received a sacrifice for you I shall befâ—…iend yâ—…u I will be just and faithful to â—…or â—…ive your sins my lawis â—…elly fulfilled by another though broken by you my justice is fully satisfied â—…y another though provoked by yâ—…u my wrath is ceased by the means of another though inceâ—…sed by you Oh Lord what a cordial would this be â—… caâ—…st not thou amongst this great multitude of people espy some that through the Spirit of thy Son would worship thee in â—…ine owâ—… way speak peace to every such soul. Is there any soul before thee O Lord to whom thou hast given the grace of desire O Lord give them grace according to their desire and thou which diâ—…t regard us when we were running from theâ—… do not reject us now we are drawing near thâ—…e and thou which bidst us believe by the command of thy â—…ord help us to believe by the operation of thy Spirit draw us that we may be able to follow thee thy loving kindness is better then life Some do say Who will shew us any good but Lord lifâ—… thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and that will glad our hearts more then in the time when increaseth Corn or wine or Oyl Let it be sâ—…ir above head when it is dirty below lâ—…t us see one contrary in another let us confute an eye of sense with an eye of â—…aith and when we come to see nothing here that can gratifie our senses let us have something to quiet our souls We would â—…ain be at war with sin that we may be at peace with thee though we cannot return as much as we have received yet help us to return as much as we can give us repentance unto life repentance from dead works a mourning far greater for the remembrance of sin then we had pleasure in the committing of sin those secret distempers in our souls that no eye sees but thine let us cry out wretched men that we are who shall deliver us from this body of sin And as the fear â—…f condemnation doth decrease so let the fear of transgression in crease and because O Lord that thou hast not made us to bleâ—… with thy greatness O Lord make us to blush with thy goodness let us as truly desire that heaven would enter into us in the way of holiness here as we desire to enter into heaven in the way of happiness hereafter Let us see that our kindness to sin is cruelty to our Saviour let not that live quietly one minute with us that would not let Christ live let us see there is nothing small by which thâ—… great God is 〈◊〉 and an immortal soul is damned we are to be in the wâ—…rld but â—…r a while to take a 〈◊〉 or two and bâ—… goâ—… oh that we miâ—…ht make it the business of our life
child sees that man come he will not love him and so if the father loves such a man the childe will love him too As now the Courtiers they follow the example of a King and whom the King favours they honour and cringe too why so whom God favours a godly man favours God doth not judge of men as men do by his gay apparel or gold ring or great birth alas he that wants bread is more highly esteemed of in Gods sight then such and so he is in a godly mans account A godly man is conformable to God and a follower of God as a dear child now you shall see what an estimate God puts upon his people God is more taken with one humble broken hearted sinner and one humble contrite breathing of a soul then with all the gold and silver in Solomons Temple not many noble not many mighty doth God set his heart upon but where he sees his Image he who hath the Image of God he hath the love of God there is the first reason in regard of the people of God that are beholders of others A second reason is taken from the people of God that are beheld and here I shall name you five or six Considerations 1. The people of God they that are truly such in the midst of all their present distresses let them be what they will yet their end shall be happy now men do not regard men according to what they have in present possession but according to what they shall have the poorest man here in the world that is rich in faith he shall be rich in glory and honour the people of God are heirs of glory and therefore they are said to be heirs of God and co-hâ—…irs with Christ 1 John 3. 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be The people of God are to be looked upon according to what they shall be not what they are here they are Princes though under a disguise they are coming though not come to their Crown those saith a Saint that are now scorned reproached and buffeted and libell'd shall shine in heaven when Christ shall appear they shall appear with him in glory they are heires born to great Estates The second reason is this They are for the present very useful and beneficial to the world they are those for whose sake the world was made they are the very pillars of the world to hold it from shattering about your ears they are the great common blessings of the world as the Sun and Stars are the common blessings of the world and fire and water so these are the common blessingâ—… of mankind for which he will spare the world those that are pulled down by the world are they that keep the world from being pulled down they are the soul of the world the wicked are but the carcass of it and if God had gathered in all the world of his people once the world should not continue one hour as Sodom was destroyed when Lot was taken out Third Reason is The highness and excellency of their performances and of all the good things they do there is a worth in every holy work in every supernatural employment in every holy prayer in every thing a godly man doth there is such a goodness in the work that all the wealth in the Indies cannot recompence and therefore saith Luther I had ratber do the least truly good work then obtain all the Conquests and Victoâ—…ies of Cesar and Alexander Now if their good works shine so before men is it possible a gracious heart should see it and not be taken with it There is nothing doth so much take with holy men as holy performances and therefore as a man that is learned when he sees another learned man make a learned Oration he wishes he could do so too so a godly man when he sees another man can pray and live holily Oh saith he that I could do so too and be so holy as he is 4. A fourth Reason is The present priviledges of the people of God not only what they have in reversion but their present priviledges Why but are the priviledges of the people of God so great Yea the very present enjoyments of the Saints and people of God the explanation of them would deserve many Sermons they shall be freed from all evil there shall nothing hurt them their lusts may be destroyed but their souls shall never be destroyed What a priviledge is this for a man to be shot-free do with him what you will you can never hurt him you may disgrace him you may torture him kill him but yet you cannot hurt him whatever befals them turns to their benefit they may be afflicted but not hurt by affliction the greatest hurt the world doth to them tends to their greatest good worldlings may take away their head but they cannot take away their crown there is nothing of evil can be evil to him that hath a good God this a Child of God hath for the present and not only so but there is the real communication of a saving interest in all that is good all that God is all that he hath and all that he doth is theirs Is not this a glorious priviledge The power of God is his to protect him his love his so as to be set upon him the righteousness of God his so as to acquit him from his sins the very righteousness of God is a very great blessing and happiness to the Children of God and they may not only appeal to the Bowels of Gods Mercy but to the Bar of his Justice So that now I say all that God is is his the faithfulness of God is his in keeping his Promises the care of God in defending and protecting of him and so all the providences of God all that he doth shall tend to the good of his people as he saith All is yours life is yours and death is yours and all these things shall do you good Psalm 25. 10. that is a rare Scripture All the wayes of God are mercy oh sweet and truth oh very comfortable to them that are in covenant with him Mercy so that they are enough Gods Providences shall do them good and Truth so as that they shall certainly do them good In one word Earth Heaven and God and all shall be laid out to do them good Is not this a great priviledge In this world they may go to God and tell him wherein they are troubled and pained or afflicted and they are never so welcome to God in their petitions as when they ask most from him when they come to ask riches and the like God will give them to them so far as they may be for their good but so great is the priviledge of a believer that God doth delight in him most when he doth ask most from him and he will give him whatever he desires that may make them good
conversion sins against prayers vows promises covenants and oaths O Lord if thou didst prefer thy bill against us we could not stand if we were weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary we should be sound too light But holy Father remember not against us our former sin â—…t rather have mercy upon us according to thy loving kindness cross and blot out our iniquitres blot them out so fully and wholly that it may be to us as to Judah in the promise that the sins of Judah should be sought for and not found Oh bathe our souls in that fountain that was set open for Judah and Jerusalem though our sins have been as scarlet let them be as white as snow though they be red like crimson let them be like wool We have read that a flood of sin brought down a deluge of water that they covered the tops of the mountains O let thy deluge of mercy cover the tops of the mountains of our sins It is the glory of a God to pardon great sins we desire to turn unto thee with our whole hearts do thou subdue our iniquities let us be not only cleansed but let us have the efficacy of the Spirit of Christ to wish us from the guilt of sin because we boast we are not under the law but under grace Be gracious to our Soveraign Lord Charles King of England Scotland France and Ireland it is thy promise that Kings shall be nursing fathers to thy children grant that under the shadow of his Majesty thy people may be protected that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty oh let thy people possess the land from Dan to Bersheba oh give us Scripture-Magistrates and Gospel-Ministers as long as the Sun and Moon endures Let thy Word be sanctified to us let it not be only as water to get out our spots but as a refiners fire to purge our dross take away our tin And Holy Father where thou hast begun a good work do thou go on and bring it to perfection let not the light that is in us be like the glimmering light of the evening but as the light of the morning that shineth more and more to the day Let our best wine be kept till the last let the end of our lives be the end of sinning Thou hast cast our lot in the midst of temptations of all sorts thou hast brought many of us through the red Sea but yet we are in the wilderness with Zeba and Zâ—…lmunna and those that dwell at Tyre the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir and all the forces that Hell can make against us oh put upon us all the whole armour of God Now in these dayes of error gird us with the girdle of truth oh now in these dayes of falsily give us a â—…etmet of hope Now the devil darts at us give us the shield of faith oh give us the sword of the Spirit of the Word of God that it may enable us to confute the gain sayings of foolish men Oh help us to pray with all manner of prayer constantly servently faithfully feelingly that we may stand and not fall and that not in our strength but in Gods To this end be with us upon this thine own day our Manna falls every day and is doubled upon the Lords day oh let us be as thy servant John in the spirit upon thine own day let God by his spirit come into our spirits understandings consciences wills memories and affections that all our conversations without and affections within may be obedient to thy word Enable thy servant to deliver thy word faithfully God forbid thy servant should stand upon so sandy a foundation as the wisdom of man one Iota of thy word has more wisdom in it then all men and Angels have Good Father give thy people a hearing ear it is too much they have played by the light of thy candle and slighted thy Manna so long oh now therefore to day give us to hear and know and believe and do the things that concern our everlasting peace hear us for Christ his sake to whom with thy blessed self and Spirit be glory now and for ever Mr. Lye's Forenoon Sermon Phil. 4. 1. Therefore my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved MY Beloved I do very well remember that upon the four and twentieth day of this instant month 1651. I was then under the sentence of Banishment and that very day did I preach my farewell Sermon to my people from whom I was banished because I would not swear against my King having sworn to maintain his just Power Honour and Greatness and now behold a second tryal Then I could not forswear my self the God of Heaven keep me that I never may I am apt to think I could do any thing for this loving Congregation only I cannot sin But since beloved there is a sentance gone out against us that we that cannot subscribe must not subsist this is the last day that is prefixed to us to preach I shall now speak to you God assisting me if my passion will give me leave just as if I would speak if I were immediately to die therefore hearken my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my Ioy and Crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved Paul was now a Prisoner at Rome for the Gospel of Christ it was his second imprisonment and he was not far from being offered up a sacrifice for the Gospel he had preached This Gospel the Philippians had heard him preach and the godly Philippians having heard of his imprisonment they sent from Philippi to Rome to visit him and to supply his wants a gracious temper which I hope the eternal God hath given the Saints in London and for which if for any thing God hath a blessing in store for them Paul is not so much concerned in his own bands as in the Philippians Estate Epaphroditus tells him that there were Heresies and false Doctrines got in amongst them but yet the Philippians stood fast and herein Paul rejoyces writes this Epistle bids them go on stand fast keep their ground and to be sure not to give an inch but to stand fast knowing that at a long run their labour should not be in vain in the Lord. A most melting Compellation and a most serious Exhorâ—… 1. A melting Compellation My Brethren dearly beloved c. 2. A serious Exhortation and in it 1. the matter of the duty stand and stand it out and stand fast 2. The manner 1. So stand so as you have stood stand fast 2. In the Lord stand so and stand in the Lord in the Lords strength and in the Lords Cause to stand in your own strength would be the ready way to fall and to stand in your own cause for your own fancy would be the ready way to expose your selves to all manner of temptations Therefore my Brethren dearly