A Pastors Legacy to His Beloved People, Sermon 1
A PASTORS LEGACY, To his Beloved People: Being THE SUBSTANCE Of Fourteen Farewel-Sermons.
By a Somersetshire Minister.
Taken from his mouth by one of his Hearers.
Now Revised, and Published at the entreaty and charge of his Parishioners.
LONDON, Printed, MDCLXIII.
The Contents.
I. SErmon. To the poor and ignorant. Page 1
II. Serm. To the Rich and Worldly. p. 14
III. Serm. To the furiously Voluptuous. p. 24
IV. Serm. To the Proud and Contentious. p. 33
V. Serm. To young People. p. 40
VI. Serm. To old People. p. 49
VII. Serm. To the Enlightned and Convinced. p. 61
VIII. Serm. To the Hypocritical and Deceived. p. 72.
IX, X. Serm. To the true Christian. p. 84
XI, XII. Serm. To Domestical Relations. p. 99
XIII, XIV. Serm. Containing general Directions, and his Valediction. p. 119
TO THE READER.
Reader,
IF thou wouldst have any profit by these Notes, take these two Directions. 1. Read them all. 2. Weigh and consider every Sentence as thou readest it.
SERMON I.
2 Cor. 13.11.
Finally brethren farewel, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of peace shall be with you.
BY the reading of this Text, I suppose you all believe, I expect but a short continuance with you; And it may be, some desire a double account from me, 1. Why I must depart? 2. Why I chuse such a Text, so long before my appointed parting day.
But this account is not sit here to be inserted.
These words are Pauls valediction to the Corinthians, consisting of two main parts, Exhortation & Benediction.
Exhortation, Be perfect, &c. Benediction, Farewel, the God of peace shall be with you. I shall first raise some Observations, and then make particular Application.
The Observations very briefly:
Doct. First, An Apostolical Spirit is an uniting affectionate Spirit: He calls them Brethren.
This Spirit you see exprest, Mark 10. from 42. to the 45. verse.
An Apostolical Spirit doth not trample over others blood, but cements the Church by its own blood.
Doth not ride over other mens heads to serve its own pride and lust, but layes it self under other mens feet to save their Souls.
Though free from all, yet servant unto all, that they may gain the more, 1 Cor. 9.19. 1 Thes. 2.7, 8.
The Apostles, as Nurses among Children, could have imparted their own Souls.
2 Tim. 2. from 23. to the last.
The first verse I am sure I have practised, the other I have laboured for.
Ʋse. Then earnestly pray, that he whom God sends among you, be according to this Doctrine.
Doct. 2. Secondly, Every action and fruition of Mortality, must come to its finally.
Methusalah, had his last hour; the Egyptian Piramides shall not have one stone left upon another.
Ʋse 1. First, let's labour for immorcality, when every moment will be as far from finally, as the first; when no friends shall part, no joyes shall end.
Ʋse 2. Secondly, Remember finally in every firstly here.
So close, as remember thou must part: Let God lie alwaies betwixt thy heart and thy love, and then no parting will rend thy heart: Have a Cabinet alwaies safely to repose thy self and thy friends, and that the bosom of thy God; and then, though thou seest him not, your couch is alwaies one.
Doct. 3. Thirdly, It was the manner of the Apostles, to take Emphatical partings.
I told you, an Apo…lical Spirit, was an affectionate Spirit; and all affections have two sharp ends, the first and last.
In them the Spirits of affection are condensed and doubled.
Of this, Acts 20.21. give eminent instances, Chapt. 20, vers. 7. He Preacht at Tr…s all night, being to depart on the morrow, vers. 11. till break of day, v. 17. He sent for the Elders of the Church, and his parting is set down, ver. 18. to the 20, 25, 27, 36. and to the last. Chap. 21.5, 6. At Tyre all accompanied him at his departure Peters care we may see, 2 Per. 1.12, 15. He had great care then, to leave thing, in their remembrance.
Yea, it is a Divine Spirit: Thus Christ took his leave of Jerusalem, Mat. 23.37. to the end. Thus he takes his leave of his Disciples, John 14.15.16.17. chap. Yea, such a spirit God himself expresses, Hosea 11.8. He was loath to give up Israel, and came back many a time when he was going away.
Ʋse. Then the seriousness of my parting from you, is not without good example and president.
Doct. 4. Fourthly, For peoples felicity, is the Pastor anxiety.
Farewell: Oh! that the God of love and peace may be with you, sayes Paul here.
S…. Pauls affection is almost incredible, to remember multitudes in every prayer, even by name, living, and dying for their sake…, as he oft expresses in his Epistles, Phil. 1.7, to 11. He greatly has them in his heart, and longs for them, that they may grow and increase.
Ʋse. The only inference I shall make from this, is, I believe, I shall feel the reality of my office, by the pain of my heart.
I never expect to have a heart, without many cutting thoughts, and a very heavy weight on me, on the consideration of your souls, when I shall be made much uncapable to help you.
The defect of my own earnestness when I had liberty with you, and the fear of your want of spiritual Mercies, when I am absent, will make me know, what it is, once to have had a care of your souls.
Doct. 5. Fifthly, They are blessed that have the God of love and peace abiding with them.
Where God is, there can be no want; where the God of love is, their Souls can want no company; where the God of peace is, there can want no rest nor joy.
Ʋse. 1. First, Pray take care that he may be with you, what ever become; of me.
Ʋse. 2. Secondly, It is my joy, I hope I shall leave him with divers of you.
Ʋse. 3. Thirdly, Do me the duty and favour, to beg him for me also, what Land soever I may live in.
Doct. 6. Lastly, Perfection, Consolation, and Union, is the way to Divine fruition. The more height of holiness, love and joy, the more of God.
Ʋse. Oh, that your souls would but labour for it!
And to the end, that God may be with you, that you may be perfect, comforted, and united; shall I now speak a word of Exhortation to divers sorts of you, that may be useful, and possibly you may remember when I am gone.
First and last things stick in memory.
I would fain leave some memorial for God in every heart; something that shall live and speak when I am gone.
I would sow a seed that may prove a binder, 'twixt God and your souls.
And First, Let me speak to you that are poor and ignorant; pray hearken, I am giving you your last lesson, hear me this once more, if you never heard me before, yet hear me now, else you will be as Josephs brethren; time may come, you may remember; you would not hear your brother, when he speak in the anguish of his soul unto you.
The first word of Exhortation.
First, Thou wilt be lamentably confounded, when God shall shew thee, thy soul was worth ten thousand of thy body.
For what is all this regardlessness of Soul, for thy poor body? Thou thinkest thou dost wisely, and I pitty thee with all my heart; and the hundred part, God will accept of thee, that he will not of the rich.
But thou must love God above all, thou must know the nature of the fall, the nature of the Gospel of Faith, Repentance, Obedience, and a new Creature.
Thou shouldest of the two, chuse rather to save thy soul then thy body. God will make thee understand that Text, Mat. 16.26. The whole world, much lesse a poor wretched life, will not make up the loss of thy Soul. Behold thy case, Mat. 25.24, 30. Thou thinkest God is hard, thou takest heed thou dost no hurt, and dost no good: Remember, all will be retorted on thee, and being unprofitable, thou wilt be cast into utter darkness; I would have none of Mells, or Leigh, be ever there. Thou wilt tell God, I was very careful to save the Cabinet, but what became of the Jewel? Thy Childs cloaths; but what became of the Child?
God will say, didst thou never hear, thy soul was better then thy body? why didst not thou look after it?
Consider, Luke 14.21. the poor were compelled to come into a sence of the Gospel.
But Mat. 22.11, 12, 13. the poor man without a wedding garment, was speechless, when cast into everlasting woe.
2. Word. Secondly, Love will have time, 1 Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Christ, he's left to the Curse at Christs last coming: And Cant. 8.6. Love is as strong as death, and will break through all impediments.
She loved, that gave her two Mites into the Treasury, Mat. 12.43.
Remember, Psal. 132.15. God is engaged to thee; if thou lovest, thou wilt trust God to keep thee alive, but if he will kill thee, thou wilt follow him. She (among you) loved, that (being poor) burnt the thatch of her house to read the Bible by, and died a glorious Christian.
If thou lovest, thou wilt sleep but a little; live by the word of God, beg to live whilst thou dost hear the Word; wilt cry to all thou meetest, men and brethren, what shall I do to be saved?
Not lack of mony, or time, but it's lack of love, that damns poor mens souls.
3. Word. Thirdly, What kind of creature art thou, who thinkest, God, Soul, and Eternity, may be put off with a little regard?
Art thou a man, or art thou a creeping thing? wert thou bred in the field among Cattle, or hast thou heard of a Soul? Is it possible a Jewel should be no more to thee then a pebble; a King then a worm?
Look on the Heavens, think what he deserves that made them; compare Eternity and time; consider the difference:
Thou that art thus senceless, art but a bruit, without being all hairy; pitty thy self, arise and be a man; thy eyes are even out, thou art buried alive.
Art thou content to be a fly, a worm, a dog, a swine? be not so poor, as to be none of mankind.
4. Word. Fourthly, Be sure, who ever thou art, thou wilt be damned, unless thou valuest God and Eternity infinitely before this world and life.
How is it with thee? Do these glorious objects fill thine eyes, or art thou closed from them? Are they as food to thee, thou hast no mind to?
Remember, 2 Thes. 1.8. He will come in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that know him not.
Dost thou know God, or long to know him? Or think a little will serve turn? Oh! mind this place, let me intreat thee.
Consider that in 2 Cor. 4.4. The God of this world, hath blinded the eyes of them that are lost. Must I say so of the Gospel here? 2 Thes. 2.12. All shall be damned that believe not the Truth; but have pleasure in unrighteousness. Read seriously, Prov. 1.23. to 27. What does thy soul long for, what does thy tongue chiefly enquire after?
I would not have thee damn'd; oh! lift up thine eyes.
5. Word. Fifthly, Of all persons, 'tis madness for thee, not to look after the other world.
Thou art now poor, must thou ever be a wretch, ever the tayl? Come, get the start of rich men: Remember Gods choice, Jam. 1.5. You are to be rich, and have Kingdoms.
Come poor man let thee and I be glorious persons in the other world.
6. Word. Sixthly, Great will be thy confusion, when God shall give thee a review of the Manna that hath fallen about thy Tents, and thou starve for hunger.
Thou that art poor, mightest not thou have learnt (many hundred times) what it is to believe in Jesus? Had a way shewed thee to break the cords of Hell? Hath not the Boat and the Gale, come many a Sabbath and stood at thy doors?
Has not Heaven and Hell been set open before thee, while God may say, thou idlest at home, or sleepest at Church, or thought of something else?
Must God hear thee? Thou wouldest not hear him.
How should a condemn'd Malefactor expect the Prince should hear her, whom he has oft woed as for his life, without regard?
Thou that art more rich, but ignorant, what wilt say to Expositions, and Catechise for so many years?
What wilt say, that the Gospel was brought home within thine own wall? But, O Lord, I had no mind to thee.
The time and degree of the means of Grace is remembered.
The time, Luke 13.7. These three years have I come, expecting fruit. So Acts 20.31. These three years have I warned you. You here have had three, and three, and three, above five threes of years: It's within five weeks of sixteen years, that I have laboured to my utmost ability, to declare the Gospel of God unto you; and God grant that you may not now be cutting down.
So the degrees of the Gospel, Gal. 3.1. Christ evidently set forth.
Your degree of means, is recorded with God in Heaven.
Do you think God will forget those solemn dayes, wherein for many years, the chiefest Labourers in Gods Vineyard, have met to dress your souls?
In that respect, I may say, thou hast been Capernaum; take heed of thy fall.
Thou hast had Sacraments, able to have moved a Rock, when others have been excluded; Thinkest thou, thou shalt never hear of them?
What wilt say, if thou wilt starve, when thou didst every day tread on the fruit of the tree of life?
7. Word. Lastly, Suck the pipes of knowledge now, as thou would'st hereafter draw the breasts of mercy, for Eternal life.
Shall God betrust thee with another pipe of Truth, and Grace, and wilt not draw harder?
Oh! be thou anothers Crown, love another better, and receive more from him.
Let thy spirit accompany him, when he prays; let every syllable he speak, enter into thy heart; let it be esteemed my fault, that thou wert not saved before.
Let not the Bibles lie like old shoes about the house, eaten up with dust; wouldest thou use thy evidence for a Cottage, or a Kings pardon? So,
Let the Name of God daily sound in thy house, and let thy soul hearken to it.
Fetch life from thy neighbours lips.
Fetch Heaven from his Christian house, especially, if thou should'st want it in publick here.
Thou wilt draw hard for mercy hereter, cry every day for a spirit of knowledge now.
Let not my labours laie an Eternal weight upon thee.
I have sighed to help thee, do not thou at last groan, because thou would'st not be helpt.
Oh ignorant heavy soul! let me see thy awakened eyes, and flaming heart, at the last day, that I may then praise our God, and bless thy lot for ever.
And so I take my leave of thee, remember what I have said, Oh poor and ignorant.