The Pastors Valediction, Sermon
THE PASTORS VALEDICTION. OR, A Farewell Sermon, PREACHED AT SEPULCHRES, LONDON.
By Mr. MATTHEW MEADE.
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1662.
To the READER.
Chriſtian Reader,
I Shall not need to uſe any Epiſtolary Commendations of the Author, if ever any Preacher had both Urim and Thummim, the one in his Word, the other in his Example, unreprovable in his Doctrine, and unblamable in his Life, then this Excellent Divine Mr. Matth. Meade is the man, whoſe enſuing Notes being this Preachers laſt Valediction to his Congregation, a little before his Civil, though Voluntary Death, are here preſented to thy view.
But it may be God withdraws his excellent Servants from his People, to admit them nearer to himſelf, that they may have none in Heaven but himſelf, and none in Earth beſide him.
The enſuing Sermon was taken by the carefull hand of a ready Writer, & a very good Friend of the Reverend Authors, to prevent Abuſe by Imperfect Copies, which we hear are comming forth and made Publick; We ſhall not mention the vaſt Difference betwixt Hearing and Reading, or the Power loſt in Printing, which words had in Delivering, neither how neatly they might have been Clothed by the Author. All that we ſhall ſay is, thou haſt them in ſuch a dreſſe as they were clad with in their first delivery, and be they Read with as good Affection as they were Preached & Heard, and through the Spirits Aſsistance, will not prove a dead Letter.
Farewell. N. D.
The Paſtors Valediction. BEING The Farewell Sermon of Mr. Matthew Meade, late of Sepulchers, LONDON.
1 COR. 1.3.
Grace be unto you, and Peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
YOu will wonder, poſſibly, that I ſhould pitch on the Apoſtles Salutation for my Valediction, and make that the Concluſion of my Preaching, which he made the Beginning of his Writing, and therefore I have made a double Plea for it. I find that this was a form of Bleſſing peculiar to this Apoſtle both in the beginning and end of this Epiſtle; for as there is ſcarcely one Epiſtle but begins with it, ſo many end with it like wiſe: as in Eph. 6. ver. ult. The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with your ſpirit. So in the 2d of the Theſſalonians, the laſt verſe of the laſt Chapter, The grace of our Lord Christ be with you all: So that I finding the Apoſtle to uſe it frequently at the beginning and ending of his Writing, I thought as I made it the matter of my prayer for you in the beginning, ſo I might make it my farewell to you in the ending; and therefore Grace be unto you and Peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Beſides this, as Jacob ſaid to his Benjamin concerning his veniſon, when his Father asked him, How he found it ſo quickly? he Anſwered, becauſe the Lord thy God brought it to me: The ſame I may ſay of this Scripture, for Conſidering of what ſubject I ſhould ſpeak in my laſt Labours here among you, this Scipture came to my thoughts, and opening the Booke, came immediately to my ſight; and therefore I may ſay God brought it to me: Which I no ſooner looked upon, but methinks I ſaw the Apoſtle on Mount Geriſim, and his mouth filled with bleſſing; for what greater bleſſing can a man wiſh, then that which comprehends all bleſſings, and that is, Grace, and Peace. Being therefore now to part, I thought to go to the top of the Mount, and leave with you Grace, and Peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. In which words there are two generalls.
1. A double Bleſſing deſired,
2. A double Spring diſcovered.
1. A double Bleſſing deſired: and that is, Grace and Peace. Grace is of all Bleſſings the richeſt, Peace is of all Comforts the ſweeteſt: both theſe the Apoſtle beggs for the Corinthians, and ſo do I for You. Beloved, Grace be unto you, and Peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
2. Here is a double fountain diſcovered: and that is the Father and the Son, God and Chriſt. The Father is called the God of Grace; the Son is called the Prince of Peace, not that Grace is from the Father without Peace, nor Peace from the Son without Grace, but both Grace and Peace are from God the Father through the Lord Chriſt.
The Order of the words is worth noting, Grace be to you and Peace: Firſt Grace, then Peace, for there can be no Peace without Grace, nor Grace but there will be Peace, but there can be no true Peace but from God, nor from God but as he is a Father, not from God as a Father, but as our Father, and he cannot be ſaid to be our Father, but through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and therefore he ſaith, Grace be unto you, and Peace from God our Father through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: both are manifeſt as a Golden Chain linked together, not Grace without Peace, nor Peace without Grace, but both conjoyned together, to cram the Believers Soul with Grace and Peace. Now from the Order of the words we might raiſe ſeverall Obſervations.
1. That Peace is the fruit of Grace.
2. That Grace and Peace are both from God.
3. That Love which is the ſpring of Grace and Peace, is from God as a Father.
4. That we ſhare not in this Love, but only as he is our Father: All is from propriety,
Firſt, Our Father, then Grace and Peace from God our Father.
5. That God is our Father only through Chriſt.
But before we draw any thing from the Text by way of Obſervation, we will ſpeak to the termes by way of Explication. Grace be to you: What is here meant by Grace? This is a ſweet word, it perfumes the Breath, it cheriſhes the Conſcience, it warms the Heart, it raviſhes the Soul, as the Spouſe was raviſhed with the rayes of Chriſts glory, ſo Chriſt revives the Soul with one of his gracious rayes diſcovered to the Heart; Grace is the life of the Soul, thou art dead till Grace quickens thee, thou art loſt till Grace finds thee, undone till Grace ſaves thee; Grace is the Manna of Angels, the ſpiritual Bread which thoſe that are holy in being are nouriſhed with, and ſubſiſt by; Angels live on Grace, and ſtand by Grace; Man that ſhares in the Grace of God, is made fellow Communiors with Angels, eats Angels food, and ſhare in Angels bleſſings; Grace is the ſubſtance of the Scripture, the end of the Law, the fulneſſe of the Goſpel, Gregory calls it, the Heart and Soul of God; I am ſure Grace is the Heart and Soul of the Word; its a little word, but if comprehends all good; here is more then Homers Iliads in a Nut-ſhell, its the Epitome of all the good in Heaven and Earth; name any word that ſignifies good to the Soul here or hereafter, but if it is found in the Index in this little word Grace; Grace comprehends Gods love to us, and our love to God; and as Gods love to us is the ſum of all Mercy, ſo our love to God is the ſum of all Duty; Grace is the new birth of the Soul, whereby it takes up another Nature, a new Nature, a ſpiritual God-like Nature; as Chriſt was born, and thereby took on him the Nature of man, and was made fleſh, ſo man is born by Grace, and thereby takes upon him the Nature of God, and is made Spirit; and here you have at once the great myſtery of Grace in the loweſt debacement of a Saviour, and the higheſt advancement of a Sinner; for the Lord Chriſt could not be more debaced then to be born, it was nothing ſo great an abatement for Chriſt to dye, as for him to be born, for being once made man, it is no wonder for to dye, but being the great God, its a wonder that ever he ſhould be made man. Lo here is the debacement of Chriſt: Yet if he had been born to a Crown, to Honour, it had been ſomething, but he was born to ſhame, to ſorrow and death, but man by Grace is born to a Crown, to a Kingdom, he has a title to all the glory and bleſſedneſſe of Heaven, from the firſt moment of his new birth: So 'tis in the Text, Grace be unto you, and Peace.
Peace in Scripture, is a very comprehenſive terms, it carries in it all happineſſe. It was the common greeting of the Jews, Peace be unto you; Thus David by his Proxy ſalutes Nabal, Peace be to thee and thy houſe, and the Apoſtle here alludes to this form of ſalutation, that he might mix new Teſtament mercy, to old Teſtament manners; he firſt ſtiles grace before peace; as Jacob did with his Veniſon, he made it a ſavoury meat, ſuch as Iſaack loved. Peace is the glory of Heaven, in the Boſome of God, and brought into the world in the Arms of Angells; The firſt peace you read of in the Goſpel, was peace by the adminiſtration of Angels. Luke 2.13, 14. And ſuddainly there was with the Angells, a multitude of Heavenly hoſt, praiſing and ſaying, Glory to God in the higheſt, and on Earth peace, good will towards men. And when our Lord Chriſt firſt ſent out his Diſciples, this was the Doctrine that he bid them preach, Math. 10.12, 13. When you come into a houſe, ſalute it, and if it be worthy, let grace, peace come upon it. Mark here by the way, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is no enemy to good manners, He would not have Chriſtians to be Clowns: which is the uſe of ſome among us, who would have their Religion quarrell with good manners: No, but in whatſoever City or Town you enter, ſalute it, and let grace, peace come upon it: that is, wiſh peace to them, ſaying, the peace of God be upon this place, upon the heads and hearts of all in it: So that Peace is both a Goſpel-ſalutation when Miniſters and people meet, and it's alſo a Goſpel-valediction when the Miniſter and the people parts. So did the Apoſtle, and ſo do I now, Grace be with you and peace.
I obſerve in Matth. 10.13, 14. our Lord bids his Diſciples when they enter into a houſe, if the houſe be worthy, to let their peace come upon it, but if they be not worthy, let grace, peace return to you. In ſtead of leaving peace with them, to ſhake off the duſt of their feet againſt them: that is, to ſhew that God will ſhake them off as duſt, and tread them under feet as fuell. My Brethren, your diligent attendance on the Word at this place, hath comfortably prevented the part of my charge, to ſhake off the dust of my feet; for, how beautifull have the feet of a poor worm been to you, being ſhod with the preparation of the Goſpel of Chriſt? And therefore ſeeing our Lord Chriſt ſaith, if they be worthy of their peace abide with them, on this accompt I wiſh to you Grace and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jeſus Christ. But what is this peace? It's the beauty of Union, the harmony of the Creation, the pleaſure of Life, the feaſt of a good Conſcience; its that which makes Life ſweet, and Death eaſie: Peace ſweetens all our poſſeſſions, and all our afflictions; without this, the fullneſſe of the World is a burden; with this, poverty and emptineſſe is a pleaſant companion; without this, our bread is gravelled with ſowreneſſe, and our water mingled with bitterneſſe; with this, green herbs become a Feaſt, and our Water is turned into Wine: Peace, its the moſt beautifull Creature in the world, and therefore its beloved of all, courted of all, many ſeek her, but few there be that enjoy her, they do not go the right way to find her: for, in the wayes of righteouſneſſe is peace. Peace is the ſeminary of all bleſſings Temporal, as Grace is of all bleſſings Spiritual: in Grace you have imployed all holineſſe, in Peace all happineſſe; in grace all inward, in peace all outward bleſſings: grace and peace are the Alpha and Omega of all Bleſſings, as God is of all Beings, no bleſſing comes before Grace, and no bleſſing laſts longer: Then ſee in this phraſe of ſpeech the Apoſtle wiſhes upon them, as I do upon you, all the bleſſings both of Time and Eternity, and yet he wiſhed no more to them then God promiſed to give them, 1 Tim. 4.8. For godlineſſe hath the promiſe of this life, and that which is to come, Grace be unto you and peace, &c. not one without the other: though a man may have grace without peace, as in a time of diſertion or temptation, and a man may have peace without grace, as in a ſecure and unregenerate condition; grace without peace is often found in a troubled conſcience, and peace without grace is often found in a ſeared conſcience: as grace without peace is very uncomfortable, ſo peace without grace is very unprofitable: like Rachel, beautifull, but barren; therefore the Apoſtle deſires ye ſhould have both grace and peace: and we ſay, the Sun and Salt are the moſt uſefull Creatures in the world; the one for ſhining, the other for ſeaſoning. (My Brethren) Grace and Peace are the Chriſtians Sun and Salt, Grace is the light of their ſouls, and Peace is the ſavour of their comforts; Grace ſhines through all their faculties, and Peace ſeaſons all their mercies. The bleſſings of God are become as twins, as Chriſt ſaid of the Spouſe, Cant. 4.2. She is like a flock of ſheep that are even ſhorn, which came up from the waſhing, whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them: Grace and peace here are knit together by the Spirit of God in a ſacred knot not to be untied: As Caſtor and Pollux when ſeen together portend happineſſe to the Mariner: ſo when grace and peace are found in a Soul together, they portend the higheſt ſecurity and bleſſing to the Believer: they are ſaid in Scripture to be bound together; where God gives the one, he never denyes the other. If he gives you the Upper Spring of grace, he will give you the Other Spring of peace, for they go both together. If he gives you the dew of heaven, you need not queſtion the fatneſſe of the earth. If his right hand be full of mercy, his left hand ſhall not be empty: Therefore Grace and Peace be with you from God the Father, and from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Grace has a double ſenſe, either for the grace of God to us, that juſtifies us, or the grace of God in us, that ſanctifies us: Now there is a diſtant peace flowing from each of theſe, but ſtill its grace and peace.
Firſt, juſtifying grace has a peace attending that, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. So far as we have confidence in juſtifying grace, there remains no conſcience of condemning ſin: As there can be no bitterer War, then between conſcience and the cure, ſo there can be no ſweeter peace, then when mercy and peace meet together, and when conſcience and peace kiſſeth each other: The former is the taſt of Heaven, the latter is the perambulation of Heaven, both which the Believer ſhares in upon his Juſtification by Faith. If Chriſt had peace who was made our ſin, needs muſt the Believer have peace, who is made the righteouſneſſe of God in him.
Secondly, Sanctifying grace has a peace attending it, and this peace differs from the former, as the root from the fruit. The peace of Juſtification is a radical peace, the root of peace; but the peace of Sanctification is the bud, the bloſſom of the tree: the former flowes from the bloud of Chriſt ſprinkled on the Conſcience; the latter from the conformity that is between the Word and the will, between the commands and the Conſcience; As many as walk according to this rule, grace be unto them and peace, Gal. 6.16. So that peace is the fruit of Sanctifying grace. Now as the bloud of the Paſcal Lamb (which was a token of peace) was not to be ſtruck on the poſts of the Egyptians, but upon the poſts of the Iſraelites, ſo neither is the bloud of ſprinkling, which brings perfect peace, to be ſtruck on the poſts of the carnal ſinner, but on the poſt of the true Believer, an Iſraelite indeed in whom there is no guile; no grace, no peace, that is Gods Law. How can a ſinner have pence in a ſtate of ſin, when God and Conſcience, when Word and Conſcience, when Law and Conſcience, and all the Attributes of God are againſt the ſinner? No peace ſaith my God, to the wicked. Pray mark that Chapter, it begins with the peace, and ends in no peace. In ver. 2. its ſaid, He ſhall enter into peace, that is, the righteous: In the laſt verſe, There is no peace to the wicked. Its the ſtate of grace that's the only hate of peace. And thus I paſſe from the double grace deſired, grace and peace, to the double Fountain diſcovered, God our Father, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
But here's a Queſtion to be anſwered: If Grace and Peace be from God the Father, then how is it ſaid to be from Chriſt? and if from Chriſt, how then from God the Father?
Anſwer. Its a known rule that the tranſient, external works of God are Attributed to all the 3. Perſons in the Trinity, the ſame works that are Attributed to the Father, are alſo attributed to the Son; and the ſame works attributed to the Son, is aſcribed alſo to the Father, ſo grace and peace are here aſcribed both to God the Father, and to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; that is, they are both from mercy, and from merit.
From mercy on Gods part to us, from merits on Chriſts part for us; they are from God the Father, becauſe he wills them to us, from God the Son, becauſe he works them in us; they are from God to Chriſt, from Christ to Us; they are from God the Father originally, and from Chriſt derivatively, and to us actually; God the Father is the fountain of all grace and peace, Chriſt as Mediator is the Conduit of all grace and peace, Man in Union to Chriſt, is the Ciſtern into which theſe ſtreams of grace and peace runs; God wills grace and peace to us, and Chriſt works them in us; God gives grace and peace to be applied to the Creature, this is from the love of the Father, but the Application of this peace to the Soul, is from the merit of Chriſt the Redeemer: Thus you ſee there's a double ſpring of this double bleſſing, Time will not ſerve me further: the only Obſervation is,
That all the grace and peace which believers ſhare in, is derived from God the Father, through our Lord Jeſus Christ: theſe three things opened, will clear this: Firſt, that grace and peace are the Believers priviledge: Secondly, that the fountain of this grace and peace is from God the Father: Thirdly, that it is not given out from God the Father, but through Chriſt.
Firſt, that grace and peace are the Saints priviledge; If grace is, then peace is; But grace is the priviledge of every Believer, and that whether you look upon it as taken from the Love and Favour of God to us: This is the Believers priviledge, God can as well forget Chriſt at his right hand, as ceaſe his love and favour to the Soul of a Believer; The Believers title to all their bleſſings, ariſes out of this never-failing Love of God: Or if you take grace for the fruit of Gods love to the ſoul, ſtill it falls to the Believers priviledge; Vocation, Juſtification, Adoption, prudence of Sin, purging from Sins, ſtrength againſt Sin, Holyneſſe, Love, Faith, Obedience, Perſeverence, all theſe are the priviledges of every Believer, nay a man cannot be a Believer without any one of them, they are as eſſentiall to the being of a Chriſtian, as reaſon to the being of a man.
Secondly, as grace, ſo peace is the Believers priviledge; There is peace External, peace Supernal, peace Internal, and peace Eternal: There is peace External, this is peace with men; there is peace Supernal, that is peace with God; there is peace Internal, that is peace with Conſcience: All theſe three are to be had upon Earth, and then there's peace Eternal, and that is only to be had in Heaven. The Apoſtle here doth not exclude the former, but chiefly intends the latter: peace with man is a good thing to be deſired, but peace with God, and Conſcience, is much more to be deſired. Peace with God is the ſpring of all things both within and without, both below and above, both in time and eternity: ſo ſayes Job, If he gives peace, who then can make trouble? Now this peace is the Saints privilege. It is a Legacy left to every Believer by the laſt Will and Teſtament of a dying Redeemer. Will you ſee a copy of his Will, then look in John 14.27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. There is it ſeems a peace in the worlds power to give, and there's a peace of Chriſt's beſtowing. Now Chriſt would have us here not to miſtake the world's peace for his, for the difference is very great; for firſt, the worlds peace is a falſe peace, it is a counterfeit coyn, it han't the currant ſtamp of Heaven on it; but the peace that Chriſt gives to a Believer, is true peace, and perfect peace; Thou wilt keep in perfect peace whoſe minde is ſtayed on thee.
Secondly, the Worlds peace is an outward peace. It is but skin deep, it wets the mouth, it cannot waſh the heart: Prov. 14.13. In laughter the heart is ſorrowfull, and the end of the mirth is heavineſſe. The worlds peace in but the ſhell of peace, their Conſcience lowers when their Conſcience laughs; But the peace that Chriſt gives is an inward and ſpiritual peace, Pſal. 4.7. Thou haſt put gladneſſe in my heart, more then in the time that their corn and their wine increaſed; [Thou haſt put gladneſſe in my heart; Peace is that gladneſſe, other peace ſmothes the brow, but this fills the breaſt: as the Sinner has trouble within, in the midſt of all his Peace without, ſo a Believer has Peace within, in the midſt of all his troubles without: In the world you ſhall have trouble, but in me you ſhall have Peace.
Thirdly, the Worlds peace has only a neather Spring ariſing out of the Creature, out of worldly comforts, therefore it muſt needs be unclean, for an unclean Fountain cannot bring forth clean water: But the peace of Chriſtians has an upper Spring, it flows from the manifeſtation of the love of God in Chriſt, its from the ſprinkling of Chriſts Blood on the Conſcience, it flows upon the workings of Chriſts Spirit upon the Soul, which is firſt a Councellor, then a Comforter: Oh how pure muſt this peace be in a Believes Soul, that flows from ſo pure a Spring?
Fourthly, the Worlds peace is a peace given to Sinners, it is a peace in ſin, and its a peace with ſin, as the Prophet Iſaiah tells us, Its a Covenant with Hell, and an Agreement with Death, (God deliver us from that peace.) Again, Chriſts peace is given to none but Believers, its their priviledge only, a Stranger dont intermeddle with this Joy, Prov. 14.10. The heart knoweth his own bitterneſſe, but a Stranger doth not intermeddle with this Joy.
Fifthly, the Worlds peace is a fading, dying, tranſitory thing, it withers in the Sand, The triumphing of the Wicked is but ſhort, and the Joy of the Hypocrite is but for a moment, Job 20.5. Solomon does elegantly liken it to the crackling of Thornes under a Pot, which is but a blaze and is gone, Ecceſ. 7.6. So is the Sinners peace, it is for a Spurt, and is ſoon gone, but the peace that Chriſt gives to Believers, is a durable and abiding peace: Your Joy no man ſhall take from you, it appears in Life, in Death, and after Death: Firſt, its our peace in Life, grace brings forth preſent peace. Its ſaid of the Primitive Chriſtians, They walked in the Fear of the Lord, and in the Comforts of the Holy Ghoſt, Acts 9.31. Its a remarkable expreſſion, Pſalm. 19.11. In keeping thy commands there's great reward, He dont ſay, for keeping them, which reſpects the end of the Work, but in keeping of them which look at the Work it ſelf; (My Brethren) Every duty done in ſincerity, reflects a peace in conſcience, as every flower carries its own ſweetneſſe; Its poſſible, I grant a Believer may not allwayes find and feel this peace, few do, ſome ſeldome find it, few find it ſo alwayes; the remains of corruption breaking forth to interrupt, or temptations to hinder: And Gods diſertion may darken and hide it, and a Believer may ſeem to be totally loſt, yet in this condition, which is the worſt a Child of God can be in, he hath a double peace. Firſt, a peace in the promiſes in this very Condition, and what you have in Bonds and Bills, you account as good as money in your Pockets. Secondly, he has it in the ſeed, Light is ſown for the righteous, and gladneſſe for the upright in heart, Pſal. 97.11. Grace is the ſeed of Peace, which Chriſt has ſoon in the furrows of the Soul, and therefore peace ſhall Spring out of the furrows of the Soul; indeed this ſeed ſprings up ſooner in ſome, then in others, yet every Saint ſhall have a reaping time ſooner or later, Pſal. 126.6. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious ſeed, ſhall doubtleſſe come again with rejoycing, bringing his ſheaves with him: If he ſtayes long for the fruit, he ſhall have a greater crop at laſt, if he reaps not now, he ſhall be ſure to reap hereafter; Pſal. 37.37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. Secondly, by this peace which is the peace of a Child of God, its a peace at Death; Grace will miniſter to us then, and that miniſtration ſhall be in peace: The Sinners peace leaves him when he comes to the Grave; though in Life it fills him, yet in Death it leaves him. A Believer has a two fold ſpring of Peace, the firſt is from above him, the other is from within him: That ſpring that runs with peace above him, is from the bloud of Chriſt, ſprinkled on his Conſcience; The other that is from within him, is from the ſincerity of his heart, in the wayes of obedience. My Brethren, when we lye on our Death beds, and can reflect on our ſincerity in all Gods wayes, this will be peace at laſt, ſo it was in Hezekiah, Iſaiah 38.3. Remember now, O Lord, I beſeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which was good in thy fight. There's nothing makes a Death bed ſo hard, and ſo uneaſie, as a life ſpent in the ſervice of ſin and luſt; and nothing makes a Death bed ſo pleaſant, as a life ſpent in the ſervice of Chriſt. Grace will bring forth Peace, if not in this life, yet; Thirdly, it will to be ſure after Death; if Time brings not this fruit to ripeneſſe, yet Eternity ſhall; Grace in Time, will be Glory in Eternity; Holineſſe now, will be Happineſs then; whatever it is a man ſows in this world, that he reaps in the next world: Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatſoever a man ſoweth, that ſhall he alſo reape: He that ſoweth to the fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reape corruption; but he that ſoweth to the Spirit, ſhall of the Spirit reape life everlaſting, Gal. 6.7, 8. When Sin ſhall end in ſorrow and miſery, Grace ſhall end in peace, in joy, in glory; well done thou good and faithfull Servant, enter into the joy of thy Maſter, Mat. 15.21. Whoever ſhares in the grace of Chriſt in this world, ſhall be ſure to ſhare with the joy of Chriſt in the next world, and that joy is joy unſpeakable, and full of glory. I will wynde up all in a threefold Application, by way of Exhortation to three ſorts of perſons.
Firſt, To ſuch as have this Grace and Peace.
Secondly, To ſuch as have this Grace and no Peace.
Thirdly, To ſuch as have neither Grace nor Peace.
Firſt, To ſuch as have both Grace and Peace; I'le ſpeak to them in two or three things. Firſt, Admire thankfully the Father and the Son, the Fathers Grace, and the Sons Love, for both had a hand in this, therefore bleſſe both the Father for willing it to us, and the Son for working it in us: Grace and Peace are the fruits of Gods Eternal Election, for this bleſſing the Father gives but the Application of it, to us is the fruit of Chriſts Redemption and Interceſſion: How can you think of Hell and damnation, and ſee your ſelf freed from it? And how can you think of the dreadfull fury and vengeance of God, your ſelf not under it? How can you look on your ſtate changed, your hearts renued, grace ratified and reconciled, and your Conſcience quietted? How can you think of theſe things, but muſt admire the love of the Father in giving this to you, and the love of the Son in purchaſing this for you? All the grace and mercy that is given to us, is by Chriſt purchaſed for us: Grace and Peace are the fruits of the redeeming blood of Chriſt purchaſed.
Secondly, Do not envy the conditions or poſſeſſions of the men of the world; they have Riches and Honours, Profits and Pleaſures, but they neither have Grace nor Peace, therefore do not envy their happineſſe. There is a ſtory of a Romane that was condemned by the Court Martial to dye for breaking his rank to ſteal a bunch a grapes; and as he was going to his Execution, his fellow Souldiers laughed at him, and others envyed at him, that he ſhould have grapes and they none: Now, (ſayes he) do not envy me for my bunch of grapes, for you would be loath to have them at the rate I muſt pay for them. (My Brethren) You that are the Children of grace and peace, dont envy at the men of the world, at their Riches, their Comforts, their Pleaſures, for I am ſure you would be loath to have them at the price they pay for them, for the end of theſe things are Death.
Thirdly, Don't complain of the worſt condition that the providence of God ſhall caſt you into; in this world it may be you ſhall ſuffer hard things, but remember, ſo long as thy ſoul is ſecure, never complain of hard things. (My Brethren) As God your Father brought you into a ſtate of grace and peace, and thereby ſecured his love to your ſouls in Chriſt, can you complain of hard things? So let the joy of the Lord be your ſtrength; Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes, and again I ſay rejoyce, Phil. 4.4.
The ſecond Uſe is to ſuch as have neither Grace nor Peace: May I not ſay, I ſpeak to many ſuch? I would I might not; Are not there many that are without Grace, and therefore muſt needs be without Peace? They may have the worlds Peace, but they have none of this Peace; let me beg of you to get out of this graceleſſe condition; if you love your Souls don't live one day, nor one hour, nor one moment longer in a graceleſſe ſtate. Oh that you would believe the words of a dying man, for ſo I am to you, and ſuch words uſe to be remembred. Oh remember this as a teſtimony I leave with you, that the love of Sin, and lack of Grace will run and deſtroy every Soul at laſt: But you will ſay, How ſhall I get a ſhare in this Grace and Peace?
I Anſwer, Firſt, Break off all your falſe peace, you can never have true peace with God, when we content our ſelves with falſe peace; you will never ſeek that peace which Chriſt has purchaſed for you, while you content your ſelves with that curſed peace which the Old Man has wrought in you: Oh therefore break off all falſe peace, which is not the fruit of grace.
Secondly, Labour to ſee and be convinced of the miſerable, and of the naked condition your Souls be in for want of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt for a covering, without this Soul thou art miſerable, wretched, poor and naked; be convinced alſo what a miſerable thing it is to have God our Enemy; God is the Sinners Enemy; its a featfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God: Oh be convinced of thy nakedneſſe, without Chriſts righteouſneſſe, and thy emptineſſe without his fullneſſe.
Thirdly, Labour to go out of your ſelves to Chriſt, for grace and peace, ſurely in the Lord ſhall one ſay, I have righteouſneſſe and ſtrength, I there its to be found. Labour for a thirſty frame of Soul, for the promiſes run farr to ſuch, that he will fill the hungry with good things. Go to Chriſt ſoul, begg, pray, never leave God till he hath given thee an intereſt in Chriſt, for none can come to me except the father draw him; there is no pardon for the leaſt ſin our of Chriſt, but there is a pardon for the greateſt ſin in Chriſt, one ſin will damn the ſoul out of Chriſt, but no ſin can hurt the ſoul in Chriſt. Oh go to Chriſt ſoul, never give reſt to thy eyes, nor ſlumber to thy lidds, till thou haſt made peace with God in the bloud of Chriſt, one ſting of the fiery Serpent was mortal, without looking upon the brazen Serpent. So one ſin will damn a ſoul out of Chriſt, but no ſin can damn a ſoul in Chriſt.
Thirdly, To ſuch as have grace, but no ſenſe of peace, this is the counſell I would leave with all ſuch, Be much in the exerciſe of grace, frame much, believe much, uſe grace much, for the exerciſe and improving of grace will produce peace: There are ten duties which are to be the ſphere of grace in activity▪ and in performing of them, we ſhall have peace; Firſt, make Religion your buſineſſe, the main deſign of your lives, be Chriſtians to purpoſe, be not only Chriſtians by the bye, but let your converſations be as becometh the Goſpel of Chriſt. Phil. 1.27.
Secondly, Put forth renewed Acts of Faith on Chriſt every day, and remember its as much your duty to believe in Chriſt to day, as if you had never believed before. Oh live by Faith every day, and this will bring peace to you.
Thirdly, Maintain a conſtant communion with God daily, this communion with God is mans chief good; the happineſſe of a Child is in communion with his Father, and the happineſſe of a Wife is in communion with her Husband, and this is the happineſſe of a Believers ſoul, communion with God the Father, through Chriſt our Head and Husband: The ſeed of peace, its true, it is ſown in the Soul in Union, but then if takes root downward, and brings forth fruit upward: Spiritual peace will never be obtained, if communion with God be not maintained; that gives comfort in the midſt of all ſorrows, and ſatifies all doubts, and recompences all wants. Lo this is the fruit of communion with God.
Fourthly, Be good at all times, but of all be beſt in bad times; many Chriſtians loſe their peace, by remitting of their grace, and let looſe their reines of Religion, to avoid the cenſures of a crooked generation. A Chriſtians zeal ſhould be like the Winter fire, that burns the hotteſt when the Aire is cooleſt; or like the Lilly, that looketh beautifull though among Thorns, ſo ſhould a Child of God though among Sinners.
Fifthly, In all conditions, chuſe Suffering rather then Sinning; If ever you would have Peace, choſe Suffering rather then Sinning; he that values Peace with God, or Peace with Conſcience, he muſt make this his choyce: thus Daniel rather choſed to be caſt to Lions, then to loſe the Peace of his Conſcience; the three Children choſe rather to burn in the Furnace, then to bow to the Image: One ſaid, He would rather go to Hell free from ſin, then to live in Heaven with guilt on his Conſcience. (My Brethren) let me a little inlarge, becauſe ſuffering may overtake us, for Perſecution is the genius of the Goſpel, therefore let me leave four ſhort Rules with you concerning ſufferings.
See that your Cauſe be good, your Call be clear your Spirit meek, and your End right. Suffering cannot bring out peace without either of them, but with them all our ſufferings ſhall be peace.
Firſt, Let your cauſe be good, its not the bloud, but the Cauſe that makes a Martyr; its not for every cauſe a Chriſtian ſhould engage to ſuffer: every cauſe will no more bear ſuffering, then every little ſtream will bear a ſhip; nor will Chriſt let go ſweetneſſe to every ſuffering, 1 Pet. 4.15. Let none of you ſuffer as a Murderer, or as a Thief, or as an Evil doer, or as a buſie body in other mens matters. To ſuffer this is neither Chriſtian-like, nor comfortable. Some ſuffer rather as Malefactors, then as Chriſts Martyrs.
Secondly, Let your call be clear; its not amiſſe to have a good cauſe without a call: Some may ſuffer for the cauſe of God, and yet ſin in ſuffering, for want of a call. Chriſt calls not all to ſuffer: to ſome it is given, to others it is not. If thy call be clear, thy peace will be ſweet, though thy ſufferings be never ſo great. But you will ſay, How ſhall I know when I am called to ſuffer?
I Anſwer Firſt, when Truth ſuffers by our ſilence, then are we called to ſuffer.
Secondly, when our lives will be the denyal of Chriſt, then are we called to deny our lives for Chriſt.
Thirdly, when ſin and ſuffering ſurrounds us that we cannot get out, but we muſt either run through ſin or ſufferings, then I may ſafely conclude that Chriſt calleth me to ſuffer, and in this cauſe we may expect the peace and ſweetneſs of his preſence.
Thirdly, the third Direction for ſuffering is this: our Spirit muſt be meek, ſo was Chriſt, he went as a Lamb to the ſlaughter.
Its poſſible a man may be right in his cauſe, and yet ſinfull in his carriage; and if ſo, no wonder if Chriſt be not ſweet to us. To be fierce, and raging, and reviling in ſuffering, its not becomming humanity, and therefore much leſs like Chriſtianity. A Chriſtian ſhould be like Chriſt, Acts 5.41. And they departed from the preſence of the Council, rejoycing that they were connted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for his name. It becomes thoſe that are found in the Spirit, to give bleſſing for curſing; the more of Chriſts ſpirit is in us in our ſufferings, the more comfort and joy we ſhall receive from our ſufferings.
Fourthly, See that your end in ſuffering be right, if it be ſelf, or ſingular, or ſchiſm, then Chriſt cannot be ſweet to thee. Some have died that their ends live. Socrates died in the defence of the truth, and to prove that there is but one God, but whether he died for honour, applauſe, or for Gods ſake, I think it is no hard thing to determin. But let thy cauſe be good, thy Call clear, thy Spirit meek, and thy end right, and then you ſhall have peace in all your ſufferings, that is the 5th thing. Chooſe ſuffering rather then ſinning.
Sixthly, If you would have peace, be much in ſtudying of the Scriptures: for as God is the God of peace, and Chriſt is the Prince of peace, ſo the Goſpel is the Goſpel of peace, which God hath given thee to lead thee into the wayes of peace. Great peace have they that love thy lawes.
Seventhly, Take heed of Apoſtacy, either in doctrin or principles. Though a beleever is freed from Apoſtacy in the ſtate of grace, yet he is not freed from Apoſtacy in the degrees of grace. He may fall ſinfully, though he cannot fall finally. Demas fell by one, St. Peter by the other. Pray with David, Pſalm 17.5. Hold up my goings in thy path, that my footſteps ſlip not.
Eightly, Make the word of God your rule in all things, be ſure you have a Scripture warrant for all your practiſes. But eſpecially keep cloſe to Scripture in matters of Gods worſhip.
There are endleſſe diſcourſes about the Mode of Gods Worſhip; I have no diſputing time. It is good in difficult caſes, all wayes to take the ſureſt ſide, (for inſtance) if I follow the Traditions of man, for the worſhip of God, I may ſin, but if I keep cloſe to die directions of God in the Scripture, I am ſure I cannot ſin, for this is the ſure word of Prophecy, to which you do well to take heed, therefore in ſuch a doubtfull caſe, Gods will is, that we take the ſureſt ſide; go to the Law and to the Teſtament; Labour to be fruitfull and grounded Chriſtians.
Ninthly, Keep up the power of godlineſſe, do not let Religion down into a lifeleſſe formality: The righteous ſhall flouriſh like a Palm tree: He ſhall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon, thoſe that be planted in the houſe of the Lord, ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God, Pſal. 92.12, 13. My Brethren, it is as much a duty in them that have grace, to improve it, as for them that hauehave no grace, for to get it. If you fit under the daily means, the daily waterings of God, and do not grow; do you think this will be peace in the latter end, ſurely no (my Brethren) your fruitfullneſs under the Goſpel is of very great concernment. It is unfruitfullneſs that makes God lay his Vineyard waste. Its unfruitfullneſs that procures the forwarding your accompt in the day of grace.
Tenthly, obſerve that excellent rule of the Apoſtle in Phil 4.8. Finally, brethren, whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are houest, whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praiſe, think on theſe things. And now, my Brethren, I commend you to God, and to the Word of God, that is infinitely able to make you wiſe to ſalvation, with this Benediction, which I ſhall make my Valediction, Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
FINIS.
ADVERTISEMENT.
The God People, among whom the Name of this Excellent man is deſervedly precious, may take notice, that his laſt Sermon upon the five a Clock Lecture at Sepulchres, will ſuddainly be Publiſhed for their Uſe: Who hold the words of Gods Patience in the Hour of Temptation, that is come upon the whole Earth.
End of the text · Matthew Mead, The Pastors Valediction (1662)