A Pastors Legacy to His Beloved People, Sermon 7
SERMON VII. To the Enlightned and Convinced.
ARe there not many of us, that know the wayes of Truth in some good degree; love it, and long for it; yet leave our selves under the tyranny and power of Death?
How may most of us here be call'd the Illuminati, a sort of people enlightned, but not enlivened?
The first Word of Exhortation.
1. First, Do you know the value of the grace you have received?
Know you what it is to have the Sun of Righteousness shine upon your heads? The Gate of Heaven set open for you? The Spirit standing in the heat of the day, and the wet of the night, wooing of you?
All the treasures of infinite perfection, has been laid before thy feet & eyes.
Has God done so with every heart, with every people?
Remember, Heb. 2.3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great Salvation?
Consider, Rom. 10. last.
2. Secondly, Do you know the bitterness of having almost entred life, and from thence, falling into eternal death?
Hells edge will be sharp, according to the smalness of Heavens distance from us.
Every step of Heavens approach to us, will be a new sharpning of the teeth of Conscience.
The littleness of a thing for which we lose a good bargain, proves the greatness of our pain and folly.
How will [one step more, and all had been well] for nothing, (for nothing) bite to all eternity? No warning would serve; every vow must be broken, all promises come to nothing; these remembrances will be gall & wormwood.
3. Thirdly, How great will your anguish be in the perfection of Death, when you know how bad it is in the beginning thereof?
What woful lives do you now live on earth? What will your lives then be in Hell?
When did you enjoy a good hour? How is the wound of conscience Aloes in all your tasts? You be now weary of your lives, what will you be hereafter?
Now you figh, and groan, for a little ease, what will ease you then? Now you have many divertisements, then there will be none.
If the Lyon of Conscience be so terrible in his first month, what will he be in his full growth? Now you know not whither to turn you; where will you lodg quiet in those flames? Oh convinced, unconverted souls!
4. Fourthly, How great would your pleasure be in the perfection of life, when a little sight and taste thereof, has been so sweet?
Have not your eyes run down with tears for joy, in a little hope of eternal life? Has not a little glaunce of the beauty of holiness, raised your hearts into the Suburbs of Heaven?
How oft has the tasts of the world to come, for a little while transfigured thy soul?
Have not these things left such a tincture upon thy heart, as will never off for ever; and know, this will make thy Hell more sharp, thy everlasting longings for once-tasted life; the more taste here, the more fury hereafter.
If a few drops lost, can be thy Hell for ever; what a Heaven would an Ocean enjoyed be? If the breathings in the womb of time be so good; what is the Crown, and Throne, in the daies of Eternity?
Guess heavenly Canaan, by the clusters here; and if sensual delights be better, set thy face no more to the New Jerusalem.
5. Fifthly, How will you bear the Eternal Sounds of the Truths you have heard?
How bitter sweet have many of my words been to you here? How purely bitter will they be hereafter? Now have they caus'd you both to hope and grieve? then onelyonly grieve for ever.
How will the mention of King, Priest, and Prophet, sting for ever?
How will you hear this phrase? Enter into Covenant:
How will you ever hear this, vexing your souls? Oh, break the cords of death!
How will this sting? Say to thy companion, Oh! let me save my soul.
These are the sentences have been oft set (like battering Rams) at the door of your hearts: It's true, (what one expresses) in Hell there will be great Repetition of Sermons.
Sermons, here heard unprofitably, will be there heard intollerably.
How oft will Satan say? Son, remember, thou in thy life time wert thus and thus prest, and perswaded; whereas none of us had any grace offered.
How will Sacramental Exhortations, and offers, be all anew set before us?
How many unprofitable wishings, Oh that these dayes might come again! will burst in anguish from thy breast.
6. Sixthly, Avert the edg of the present Divine wrath.
I question not, but the suffering of many Ministers, are now as well Corrective for sin, as Testimonial to a good Conscience, and so requires Humiliation, as well as Thanksgiving; and in that sence I take the present chastisement to my self, and the Lord humble me throughly and deeply: But also, surely there is some sin in the Congregation; and if I know any thing, God is angry with England, yea, with Mells, for light without life, knowledge without power.
The edge of the sword, now in Gods hand, is set against this sin of this place, and Nation, viz. Unprofitableness by glorious Ordinances.
That's a serious place, Rev. 2.4, 5. where people are lukewarm, and grow cold under light, have a name to live, and are dead; he will come and remove the Candlestick.
Ezek. 33. from 31. to last, When men only notionally accept, but not sincerely obey the Word; then it shall come to pass, that men must by spiritual want & smart, and experienced truths of the threatnings, know, there hath been a Prophet among them.
Come, Let the Word be received in power, and thou wilt hide thy self in the day of God's wrath.
Remember, I say to convinced one, either Conversion or Reprobation (if not great outward judgements) will speedily be their portion.
Thou Convinced man, thou little thinkest how much thou hast provok'd the spirit of Grace by thy frequent rejections.
We have plaid enough with Truth, to make infinite Mercy angry.
Now thou seest the stroke coming, Oh! prepare to meet thy God; yet Conversion may deliver thee from Confusion.
Seventhly, Sin will never be of any worth unto thee.
Thou hast a pallat will ever taste wo with it.
Others leave God for pleasure, thou for pain.
Sin is a broken Cistern to thee, it will hold no water; it will ever be to thee a brook of Tema.
Sin will have no form or comliness to thee, why thou shouldst desire it: It will be like old age; tiresome pain, and little delight.
Eightly, Let not your light grow into darkness or death; but let me entreat you to keep the Candle alive.
My request to you is, Let not the damp of Hell put out your light, let not conviction fall into a spirit of reprobation.
Be assured, Satan-will be very busie upon this Change, to rock thee asleep.
At least, the way and manner of Exhortation will now be altered, and may be the design-will not be to strike at the Root, to cut in sunder the very cords of Death; and then Souls will be ready to nestle and take a nap, and say, Now I may be quiet, now I may be quiet; and if God say Amen, and hush thee too, thou art undone for ever.
Oh, never yield to have thy eyes put out! This enraged Sampson, above all things else.
This should enrage thee as it did the Gileadites, and Saul, 1 Sam. 11. from 1 to 7. Enter not into Hell alive, take not an eternal farewel of life, as men do in a reprobate sense.
My Friends, if you backslide, you are undone for ever; your backslide into Hell's irrecoverable prison, viz. The state of Reprobation.
Oh! If you will die, yet love not Death as the Reprobate do!
Oh! Let none of you turn pleaders for Hell, as back-sliders, from Conviction, use to do; therefore oft preach over to thy self the Truths thou hast heard.
Let thy memory be thy instructer, if thou hast no better.
Truths never convert but by the mediation of Gods Spirit and thine, and that may be done in thy Closet some years hence, (but put it not off now in hope of that).
Let thy Conscience apply the old Truths again and again, for thy poor immortal Souls sake. Oh! that when I am dead, I may yet thus speak! I may bring forth children unto Christ when I am perished in the grave! This may, my Old Sermons, bear upon your knees.
Cry mightily unto God that he would not suffer the Sun to go down in the morning.
Let thy woful Soul vent it self in mournful Prayer; A vent thy Soul will have, Oh, let it be upward!
Get piercing Books, such as Mr. Baxter's Call to the Ʋnconverted; Mr. Shepherd's Sincere Convert; Mr. Hookers Souls preparation for Christ: There are hundreds such in the World; enquire for them, according to thy ability buy, or borrow, and read; you may find some almost in every house, and will (I hope) more now than ever.
Let the Eye save the Soul, if the Ear may not.
Let not your Sabbaths pass, at least, without some such quickning.
Oh, the multitudes of Souls have been saved by good Books!
Let evening readings save your Souls; Remember Eternity, and read the Bible daily, and gain time for Holy books, as for Eternal blessedness.
Soul, lose not this Conviction, though it should never come into Conversion. But,
Ninethly, May not one Soul yet leap into life, before my mouth be shut for ever to him?
Friends, you have loved me, and delighted in my Doctrines: Come, let me present you to Jesus. You will never meet a She…eard w…ll be more glad for the life of your souls; Nor can any mourn more, t…ce any of your Countenances, cast and condemned at the last day.
Come soul, once he in good earnest for thy life; save thy self from wrath to come: Come, throw thy self into the Armes of Jesus; Endure the loss of thy vain delights, let thy Friend frown; Come, let thee and I go to God for ever. Come, make a Covenant before I go.
Be no more in the torments of an enslaved Conscience: All thy folly will bring home nothing but sad repentance: Let these my last words enter into thy Soul, I shall use them no more (its likely) to all Eternity; I shall never publickly plead with you for Conversion, after this day.
Oh Conversion of souls! thou hast bin the aim of my spirit, but I must here level at thee no more.
Must I take my leave, and leave thee in the arms of Satan? Oh that I could pluck thee from thence!
Oh remember, there are pains, I have oft told thee, thou canst not endure! Therefore, oh Half-Christian, remove sorrow from thy soul!
Convinced man, how will the word (Half-Christian) which thou hast here heard so often, pain thy heart hereafter.
I must leave thee, but, Oh! let the Father of Spirits, take thine into his own hands, and in his own time, and by his own means, bring thee from the power of Satan, into the Kingdom of his dear Son; Save thee from wrath to come (let me see thee smiling at the last) and give thee an inheritance, among the that are sanctified.
Oh! indeed may you farewel, my poor convinced flock.