Sermon Preached 1 August 1676, Application
The Application.
And now Honoured and Beloved! I have but one Use to make of the whole: but it calleth for the utmost seriousness at all our hands.
Such (as you have heard) such is the riseness, such the contagiousness, such the destructiveness, of Sin. In Gods most holy Name, let us fear and tremble, lest we also fall under this sad infection, and so iniquity become…h our ruine.
If sovereign Antidotes be so greatly esteemed in times of common Pestilence; (unless we do most wretchedly prevaricate in the whole profession of Religion) thus highly must we value, thus heartily must we seek Gods Grace, as the souls divine, and only true Antidote in evil times.
And blessed be God, a holy watchfulness (duly kept up) may preserve us, while security and carelesness would most certainly betray us into danger. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into Temptation.
Diogenes Laertius reporteth of Socrates, though he lived in Athens, where the plague often raged, even to extremity in his time: yet by his strict Temperance he kept himself in perfect health through all those dangers. Such is the world likely enough to be; An infected Athens, Oh that we may be found as Socrates, in a state of better health, untouch't of all the evils of it.
Our Duty herein 'tis truly great, such as may prove a full employment for the whole soul: but still such, as approveth it self to every mans Conscience in the sight of God.
We may freely say (as once Moses,) What doth God the Lord require of us, but to keep our selves inoffensively clear from the sins of these last days? not waving the good offices of love or kindness due to the persons of any: and yet pertaking in evil with none.
Like Cassianus his Jewel-signet; Universa quae occurrunt ad sui statum transformat; nullius vero incursibus insigniri potest. Such should every one of us likewise be. As a seal of Diamond, giving fair impressions of virtue (upon every occasion) to others: but (of that firmness, as) not to suffer the least impressions of vice to be made by any means upon our selves.
How happy, oh how lovely were it! could men be truly brought to this good consistency, rais'd to this harmony with Heaven, settled in this excellency of Spirit, this steadiness of Life! neither superciliously forward, nor yet sinfully facile: but discreetly Religious. Then neither should Iniquity abound, nor Piety decay; then neither should our welfare fly from us, nor those miseries which are the common attendants on sin, hover with such frightful wings about us.
The general mending of bad times (we must all confess) 'tis a great work; it may be too great for particular persons, and beyond their Sphear. Abi frater in cellam, &c. (as he said) Our private prayers and tears may better become us, then excentrical agitations. But still 'tis very much, that every one might truly do in his place, so much, that could all be fairly perswaded, the whole might soon become happily redressed. However at the lowest ebb, Noah, Daniel and Job, (all good men) may yet deliver their own souls, when they cannot prevail to save the land.
But why speak we thus dejectedly? Be of good cheer all ye that fear God, Dabit Deus his quoque finem. I am prone to hope, it might be safely said; Atheism, and giddiness (those hateful short liv'd things) will quickly run themselves out of breath, and the serious fear of God shall yet become a praise in the land
Religion is an ancient weather-beaten Ship, that hath successfully out-ridden many a hard Sea-storm, and behold it is still above water: or like those Witnesses in the Revelation: Prophane men may rant and huff, they may deride and insolently run over it, supposing that they have dispatcht and slain it: But this kinde of crucifying effecteth little; it hindreth not the promised Resurrection. Our Saviour after his sufferings, and the Witnesses after their slaughter, they both presently revive. And thus Religion after all these rude affronts, after all these vain attempts to eclipse it, usually shineth forth (to the joy of all good men) as the Sun out of a dark cloud with much brighter rays.
To draw to a Close; The Ends of the World are come upon us; evil Days. Days full of Sin, full of danger, as an holy man said, Omnia periculis plena, plena laqueis, All things, all places are (as it were) filled up with Temptations and snares: Pude… non esse impudentem, as St. Austin so pathetically cried out. It is come (saith he) to that height of impudence, that a virtuous person is p… almost to blushing, if he be not as shamelesly forwa…d in evil as the worst.
Now (if ever) may we say as the Apostle, (only, Oh that it may be conducted with all due circumstances of candour!) Save your selves from this untoward generation: Partake not with wicked men in their sins, that you partake not with them in their plagues.
This good care we owe to our selves, and our own preservation; But that is not all; There is somewhat more we still owe to God; A striving against sin, Hebr. 12. 4. foreign, exerting our utmost strength and spirits even to an Agony, in this Sacred Combat, to foil and bring down the Enemy.
Upon these terms we became initiated into Christian Religion. Thus to renounce the Devil and all his works; Thus to bear up (as Israel against Ama'ek) a perpetual hostility against evil. We …a…e opened our mouth to the Lord (as Iephthah) and …nnot go back.
…his is that Holy War, to which we are all called, (that harml…ss war which alone aimeth to save, not to destroy;) And happy are those that are found Gods Worthies in it. Such virtuous Cato's did the Romans account as needful to contend against the vices of peace at home, as their most valiant Scipio's to fight their enemies in times of war abroad.
We may slothfully meditate many foolish excuses: but certainly while there is so much of sin up and down the world; Every true Christian must hold himself very highly concern'd, to appear so much the more visibly for God, and goodness in his place. Christianity 'tis not the bare acknowledgment of that worthy name by which we are called; but the practical exhibiting of such a Conversation as may be fairly presidential, a real Patern, and Copie to all.
And praised be God, 'tis possible; (as he said in the Poet) Exemploque suo mores reget. The strength of solid good Examples may very far stem the stream of Vice; and by degrees recover men from the errour of their ways, to the love and acceptance of better things.
Goodness of Life 'tis an Argument will be resented, and heard, when (it may be) the lowdest words are not. Conversation best winneth Conversation; and is always the most prevailing Oratour in this case, that may gain many happy converts; where other means (though truly righteous) may yet prove abortive, and miscarry.
And now could this desirable effect, this pious conquest be attain'd; we should soon finde the consequence like that rare passage, that religious Close between Caecilius, and Octavius in Minutius Felix; Both joy'd, neither griev'd. Both Victors and yet neither Captive. Such might our case also be; a mutual mercy, a general Triumph, an universal joy, satisfaction, and honour on all hands.
Our stations may be different, (as the Occasion which we this Day wait upon, sheweth) but our Duty it is to all of us (at least for substance) but one; An unfeigned, upright approving our selves to God in all well-doing.
May we so resolve, and so practice; we have this just comfort, that none can take from us; whoever falleth, this man standeth; whoever is found a curse or shame to the place or times he liveth in, loe! here is one whom Posterity shall freely acknowledge, both a Blessing and Honour to his Countrey.
We may cheerfully say, as the spirit of God to the Churches in the Revelation; They that defile not their Garments, shall walk with God. Or as our blessed Saviour in the Consolatory Promise, immediately added, to allay the sad tidings of the Text; Though iniquity should abound, and the love of never so many wax cold; yet He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
Which God of his Mercies vouchsafe to us.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Crossman, Sermon Preached 1 August 1676 (1676)