The Last Sermon and Sayings, Sermon 1
The Laſt Sermon and Sayings Of that moſt Pious and Reverend Divine, Mr. John Oakes, Miniſter of the Goſpel in the City of London, who was ſtruck with Death in his Pulpit, in the Afternoon after he had preached this Sermon; to the admiration of all his Hearers. A Subject of great Account, worthy to be Written in Letters of Gold.
Being a Thankſgiving Sermon, for God's great Goodneſs in delivering this Nation from Popery, Slavery, and Deſtruction, by that Eminent Inſtrument of God's Glory, King William King of England.
Diſcourſed of from theſe words,
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the Spirits are ſubject unto you, but rather rejoice becauſe your Names are written in Heaven. Luk. 10. 20.
And having preached upon the firſt part of the Text in the Forenoon, of God's great deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery, &c. and coming to treat more fully in the Afternoon, What it is to have our Names written in Heaven, God took him to himſelf, and gave him a full Enjoyment thereof.
With a brief ſum of his Funeral Sermon preached the next Sunday after, by the Reverend Divine Mr. Williams.
To which is added two Godly prayers.
Printed for J. Conyers in Holbourn. 1689.
MR. Oakes His Laſt Sermon, &c.
Luk. 10. 20.
Notwithſtanding in this rejoice not, that the ſpirits are ſubject unto you, but rather Rejoice becauſe your Names are written in Heaven.
THis Text read unto you, may at the firſt view ſeem to be like Rain in the Harveſt, or Snow in Summer, very unſeaſonable, and may ſeem to contradict the loud Calls of the preſent Providence, which God's Providence at this day ſeems to call on us for, when we are called to Rejoice, for that ſignal Mercy and unparallel'd Deliverance which God hath wrought for us and this poor Nation at this time when God hath in ſo ſhort a time, and by ſuch unlooked for means and by ſuch an unexpected way ſo ſuddenly altered the Scene of our Affairs; when God hath broken the Snare the Wicked had prepared for us, and ſuffered them to be taken by the works of their own hands, and found out a way for the accompliſhing of ſuch a Delivrance as this is, which you will every day be more and more convinced of.
Surely the Lord calls for People at this day to rejoice, and yet my Text ſéems to put a check on this rejoicing.
Rejoice not in this, that the Lord hath thus delivered us; Why? The various Circumſtances as attends this marvellous Deliverance calls for Joy a…d Singing of Praiſes unto the Lord: Pſal. 126. 1, 2. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. So ſuddenly, and by ſuch unexpected means, God turned about the Captivity of England, and turned away from us that bondage we were like to be in; we were like them that dream. And what were the Conſequences of Ziors great Deliverance? Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with ſinging; then ſaid they among the Heather, the Lord hath done great things for them. The very wicked Atheiſts may take notice of this, and may ſay, the Lord is God, and he hath done great things for us, and ſhall not we ſay ſo? the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad, and have reaſon to be ſo This is that God calls for, But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice: ſ…ng unto God, ſing praiſes to his Name, Pſal. 68. 3, 4
And this is that which the generality of Proteſtants are diſpoſed for; now you cannot but expect every one you meet withal will have a ſmile in his or her face, except it be in the face of a Papiſt, who have cauſe for ſorrow: But whence is it God's People have cauſe to rejoice? It is a neceſſary duty to rejoice; praiſe is comely for the Saints; when God delivers Zion, we ſhould rejoice and be glad; yet ſays my Text, Rejoice not. Now how ſhall we reconcile theſe ſéeming contradictions, to put our hearts into a right frame? we muſt look into the Context, and ſee how theſe words are brought in, and what is the drift of them.
In the foregoing Chapter, you find our Saviour giveth commiſſion unto his Apoſtles, to go forth and work Miracles, and to preach the Goſpel; and to encourage them, he promiſes to protect them and to give them ſucceſs in it: And in this Chapter …e ſends forth other ſeventy, and they go forth, and afterwards they return to their Maſter, to give him an account of their ſucceſs, ay in the 17th. verſe, And the ſeventy returned again with joy, and ſaid, Lord, even the Devils are ſubject unto us through thy name. They returned to their Maſter with joy.
By the way let me tell you, We are Ambaſſadors ſent forth by our Lord and Maſter Chriſt, and in a little time we know not how ſoon we muſt return unto our Maſter, and give an account unto our Lord and Maſter, of our ſucceſs, what it hath been.
And Sirs, by the Call of God, I have been among you nigh Ten years; What ſucceſs ſhall I give account of unto my Maſter, as to you? what account ſhall I give of you to my Lord and Maſter at my return? ſhall my return be with joy? or ſhall I ſay to my Lord and Maſter, Lord, I went and ſtretched forth my hand to a gain-ſaying people, they would not be prevailed with, they would not hear, they would not hearken: This would be a ſad account as to you.
Well, but theſe Apoſtles return with joy, and had good ſucceſs, and amongſt the reſt, they tell their Maſter, that the very Devils were ſubject unto them: whereever Goſpel-Miniſters are ſent forth, the Devil raiſes all the force he can; if poſſible, he will raiſe all the power of Hell, that if he can help it, one Sinner ſhall not be gained to Chriſt. The Devils are ſubject unto us. This was the power the Devils then had; it was to torment the members of the body, but now it is very rare the Devils power is lengthened out ſo far; if he had power to torment our bodies, he would make ſad havock of mens bodies, but bleſſed be God, all the power of Devils is limitted, they are chained up now, they cannot go no further than God permits them: But then, it was a common trade for Devils to poſſeſs mens bodies, and to to: ment them.
The Proverb is, he will play at any Game; Now for wiſe ends God permitted the Devil to have ſuch encurſions upon mens bodies, ſo he had upon Job's body, he filled it with Diſeaſes, noiſome Diſeaſes, to try Job, but his aim is to poſſeſs the heart moſtly, there he doth the greateſt miſchief: but now God lets not looſe the Devil on mens bodies; O dreadful and ſad would it be if God ſhould let go the Devil to poſſeſs peoples bodies, he then would make them mad; and it would be a ſad judgment of God, but ſadder it is for the Devil to poſſeſs the heart, as he doth of thouſands, even of all who are in an unregenerate eſtate, the devils dwells in their hearts, there he rules and reigns, yet people, through their folly, are not ſenſible of it.
I do not quote this Text as an inſtance to quench or put a ſtop unto thoſe joys or rejoicings in God, on the account of that moſt aſtoniſhing Deliverance which God lately hath begun to work upon us; no, but to rectifie our joys and rejoicings,
We are not to reſt in Rejoicing in our Deliverance from our dangers, without we are now delivered from dangers within; but alas, Sirs, let me tell you, for us to be preſerved from our dangers without, and not to be preſerved from our dangers within, it all ſignifies nothing, all our temporal deliverances will ſignifie nothing.
From this prohibition I note,
Doct. That the beſt of Gods people are liable unto Irregularity in their Actings of their Affections.
Theſe Diſciples were ſo, our Saviour checks them here for it, and ſo are we too much prone to be irregular in the acting of our Affections: The Affections are the wings of the Soul, by which they do carry a kind of vehemency and readineſs to the Objects ſet before them, as they are diſtinct, Lode, Delight, Ioy, on one hand; Hatred, Fear, Sorrow on the other hand; Theſe God has planted in the Vnderſtanding enlightened, and in the Will rectified; ſo that theſe conſidered aright, are of great uſe to us. Theſe were rectified but when Man became depraved in his Affections, and roſe up in Rebellion againſt God himſelf: Theſe Affections became ruſtick and rude, and in rebellion againſt God, until God brought the faculties of the Soul into due order again.
Man in his imperfection, thoſe Affections, as unſanctified, doth a World of miſchief, but when rightly conſidered, they are of great uſe whilſt unfanctified, they are ſet on wrong Objects; as for inſtance: Mans Love being corrupted and depraved, his Love is liable to be ſet on ſuch things as he ſhould rather loath than deſire: Chriſt is lovely, yea, altogether lovely; yet ſuch is the corruption of man's Nature, that ſée not any form or comelineſs in Chriſt.
Thoſe Objects that are ſet before us and offered to us, as moſt deſirable and delightful in themſelves. the corruption of mans Nature is ſuch, that that which it ſhould love it loaths; it calls Evil Good, and Good Evil: Thus is mans Nature, till it is renewed, and when it is renewed, we have not ſuch Affections for Chriſt as we ſhould have. Alas, that diſeaſe of man's Affections is not fully cured. So, for worldly deſires, they are in many ſo immoderate, their Affections for the World are ſo immoderate, that they ſet their hearts on the world, they make a God of it; many will not have Idols in their Houſes, oh! but they will ſet up an Idol in their Hearts, they do not think of ſpiritual Idolatry, Covetouſneſs is Idolatry, which is ſet up in their Hearts
Solomon directs us in the day of proſperity to be joyful, &c. Eccl. 7. 14. 'Tis true, the very dawning of the day of our temporal proſperity, is great ground for our Rejoicing, if our joy be manag'd aright: In the day of proſperity be joyful, but in the day of adverſity conſider, God alſo hath ſet the one againſt the other, to the end that man ſhould and nothing after him; but there is a Generation who are not concern'd either the one way or the other for adverſity or proſperity. God in a way of Iudgment hath threatned to ruine us of this Nation, and that deſervedly enough, God knows, but now God in a ſtupendious way hath turned the Scene of his Providence, and ſmiled on this Nation, He now ſmiles on England, that hath not deſerved it, God knoweth.
But whether God ſmiles or frowns, it is all one with ſome, they are not concerned, they care not ſo they may thrive in their Enterprizes, they care not how it goeth with the Church of God.
But this is a ſinful life indeed to live thus.
Now, Sirs, how is it with you? you are not it may be concerned at this great turn of Providence in Gods ſo wonderful Delivering us, notwithſtanding our provocations of him. How is it with you? Did you take notice what God did this laſt week paſt, we were in fear we ſhould have been deſtroyed, and our Enemies deſignThe Prince of Orange's Arrival at St. Jame's. was, that we ſhould be cut off, but God ſent a Deliverer to this Nation, though unexpected. Notwithſtanding what God now hath done for England, for London juſt ſinking, and for the Proteſtant Intereſt, that was even gaſping for life, bleeding, yet ſome do not Rejoice in God for theſe temporal Deliverances, and on the account of theſe temporal Immunities, which are again reſtored, and in reſpect of thoſe Cockatrice-Eggs, which ſhall all be removed.
Certainly now the Heathen will ſay there is a God; I muſt tell you, there hath been a great deal of Atheiſm amongſt us, but now ſure the Atheiſt will own there is a God, for none but God could bring about ſuch a miraculous work.
Vſe. If theſe outward Deliverances be ſanctified, then have we cauſe to rejoice.
Theſe are great Bleſſings and Deliverances; but let me tell you, if they be not ſanctified, they will be great Plagues to us, therefore rejoice in them that God would ſanctifie them to you, as to lengthen out the Goſpel-Liberty, that Sinners who are ſtrangers to God, may be brought home to God, that God may ſmile upon us, that God may pardon our Sins; if this be, then you may joy and rejoice, and that abundantly, exceſs of joy is forbid, but herein we cannot be exceſs in our rejoicing. If your names are written in heaven, you have cauſe to rejoice in God that you are freed from thoſe ſnares and temptations that might hinder you in the Ioy of your Salvation; and if you are as yet ſtrangers unto God, you have cauſe to rejoice in God for this temporal Deliverance for the hopes you have of God's continuing the Goſpel, for the hopes you have of the means that you may be brought home to God, otherwiſe you are not to meddle with this Ioy; for it is true, you are delivered from Papiſts and their bloody deſigns, but let me tell you, if you are not brought home to God, you are yet brought into Slavery, the ſlavery of the Devil, and are dropping into Hell.
Let all rejoice primarily, not in this meerly, as it is an outward means of deliverance, but as it may be a means of Repentance, and of bringing the Sinner home unto God, as this outward means may be ſanctified, otherwiſe I know not what cauſe you have to rejoice.
Let us labour to get our Hearts into ſuch a frame as to joy and rejoice on account of this temporal deliverance. Now I ſhall ſhew you in four conſiderations the foundation of your joy, on the account of this our begun deliverance.
1. Conſider what Evils this Providence hath delivered us from; it hath delivered this Nation from Popery and Slavery; if God had not delivered us from Popery and Slavery, (both which coming in upon us like a Corent) if God had not prevented it, we could not have eſcaped.
1. God hath hereby delivered us from Popery.
Oh what a dreadful dangerous thing is Popery! It is that Religion which doth teach men to keep no Faith; it is a Religion which teacheth men to worſhip Stocks and Stones, and that on penalties too: Oh what a dreadful damning thing is Popery! that they may be Converts, they will cut your throats, ſo that it is not your Eſtates will ſerve them, but they would have your Lives too.
2. God hath hereby delivered us from Slavery too, even from ſerving an Idol: If God had not delivered us thus; then what would have become of us and our Children? Could you be content to have your Children brought up to fall down to a Crucifix, and to worſhip a Breaden God, to the ruine of their own ſouls; certainly, if any perſons were ever under ſuch a Character as in 2 Theſſ. 2. 11, 12. it muſt be Papiſts, And for this cauſe God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould believe a Lye; That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs. Oh the tyranny we are in part delivered from! we are delivered from their infringing upon thoſe Immu…ities and Priviledges of our Forefathers, which was from our Forefathers care, and to their great Coſt, that we might not be brought up into Popiſh Slavery.
2. Another foundation of joy and rejoicing for this begun Deliverance, is the time when God thus interpoſed between us and our danger, it was at the time when we were e'en ripe for our deſtruction Indeed we do not know yet what our danger was: Oh had not God juſt at that very time interpoſed ſo ſeaſonably, when the Knife was juſt at our Throats, in what a ſad condition had we béen in at this day, but the Lord was ſeen in the Mount.
3. Conſider the means God did make uſe of; this is a Foundation of our joy and rejoicing, that God ſhould put it into the Heart of a ſtranger, even of a Foreign Prince, and that God ſhould Spirit him for ſuch a Work, and put reſolutions and courage into him to run the hazard of his life, and ſhould make him of ſuch a publick ſpirit, which many Engliſh-men have loſt; that he ſhould come from that plenty, that ſplendour he was in, to bring about this our begun Deliverance.
4. This ſhould raiſe our hearts to rejoice from the manner of this begun Deliverance, that it was ſo ſuddenly, ſpeedily, & in ſo ſhort a time: Indeed God hath ſaid, As the Birds flying, ſo will I ſave Jeruſalem. That ſuch a work ſhould be done without the Effuſion of blood, whereas he might have anſwered the Prayers of his People in terrible things, as might make our hearts to quake; our ſtreets might been running with blood; our garments might been rowling in blood; & when the Sword was drawn▪ it might have eaten up much fleſh, and drank up much blood, but it pleaſed God to interpoſe all this. This might cauſe us to rejoice. I might ſuggeſt one thing more, to raiſe our hearts up to this frame: For whom was this wrought? what were we Proteſtants? Ay; But are we a reformed People? if not, we are for all this an undone People.
2. I now come to the ſecond part of the Text; But rather rejoice, becauſe your names are written in heaven. This is a precept or direction what we ſhould chiefly rejoice in. [But rather] Rather is a Note, ſometimes ſignifies the difference or inequality of the thing by a Figure. But rather rejoice; that is, rejoice more, let your joy be raiſed higher, let your hearts be enlarged wider, unto an higher acknowledgment of ſuch a thing: It ſhould be taken uppermoſt in all our thoughts; rejoice in nothing elſe abſolutely.
If thou béeſt one who art aſſured thy name is written in Heaven, whether this temporal Salvation came or no, you have grounds of rejoicing. Here are two things before us, 1. The Object.
1. What is that we are oblig'd ſo much to have in our thoughts and to have ſo much on our hearts? It is expreſſed, to have our names written in heaven. 2. The act or duty, with reſpect or relation unto the Object, it is in that one word Rejoice.
Doct. That a Chriſtian having evidence of his Name being written in the book of God in heaven, this affords him ſufficient matter for his continued joy, and rejoicing here on Earth.
I ſay, if a Chriſtian have good ſatisfaction in this point, it abundantly affords him juſt and ſufficient matter for his conſtant joy and rejoicing on Earth, let matters go how they will. Sirs, whatever circumſtances you may live to be under here in this world, if you have a ſatisfactory Evidence of your Names being written above, you may not only be reconciled unto, but may ſmile on every diſpenſation of Providence. There are three things lieth before me to be conſidered.
1. What it is to have our Names written in Heaven; that is one great thing wants to be explained.
2. What thoſe Evidences are which a Chriſtian may have, that he is in that bleſſed number of ſuch whoſe Names are written in Heaven.
3. On what account this affords ſuch matter of Ioy as continually to rejoice.
1. What it is to have our Names written in Heaven. It is a Metaphorical Expreſſion, which alludes unto the cuſtom of City or Corporation Communities, where perſons who are Members of that City or Corporation, are inveſted with ſome peculiar priviledge or immunity▪ that are not common to all perſons, but only unto thoſe peculiar Corporations where they are related; unto theſe Corporations particular Laws are proper unto them, and Frée perſons thereof have a propriety unto thoſe priviledges. Now theſe priviledges are recorded and regiſtred where theſe perſons may find out their Names: Thus Names are written.
1. There is God's opened Look, which is the revealed Will of God in the written word of God, wherein God reveals and diſcovers unto us his will, in order unto our Salvation.
Oh! this is a Book God hath put into our hands to be our daily ſtudy, and bleſſed be God, who hath delivered us from a Generation of men, who would have taken this book out of our hands, ſuch who will not enter into the Kingdom themſelves, and would ſhut you out, and hinder you alſo from coming there. Let me tell you Sirs, that a Bible wou'd been a precious thing in your hands, (however now you ſlight it) if God had ſuffered them to go on; but ſeeing God hath ſo priviledg'd us, as yet to continue this Book among us, let us ſtudy this Book often: There you have a diſcovery of the ſinful and miſerable condition we expoſed our ſelves to, which we have plung'd our ſelves into by our cauſeleſs Apoſtacy; and there we have a diſcovery, bleſſed be God, of that Eſtate we were reſtored to, of Life and Salvation, which God of infinite wisdom found out, and propoſed unto faln Man; and you know how you may be delivered from that woful and miſerable condition you were expoſed unto.
FINIS.