ECCLES. 12.13.

I Am this day to take my leave, not only of you (my good people) but of the Pulpit alſo; To bid farewell to that High Calling, the great Harveſt of Heaven, wherein I have for theſe eighteen years, painfully and faithfully, and I bleſs my God, fruitfully laboured. I do not herein ſtrive to juſtifie my ſelf, God knoweth my heart; if there be any glory, it is the Lords, I know the Apoſtles Rule very well; Not he that commendeth himſelf is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth: 2 Cor. 10.18.

I know not well upon what account to commend this Sermon this day whether as a Farewel to you, or a Funeral to my ſelf; for ſo indeed it is: To impede the execution of that Calling wherein we are employed, and whereby we ſhould do God that ſervice for which he hath Commiſſionated us; To force the ruſting of the Talents, which our great Maſter hath commanded us to put to uſury: To ſtop our mouths, and put out our eyes, when our hands are at the Plough: What is it, but to bury a man alive, or to leave him like that wounded Pilgrim in the Goſpel, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ? Luk. 10.30. How bitter would this Cup be, if the lips of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt had not ſweetned it? What an excellent ſaying that is? The ſervant is not greater then his Lord, nor the Diſciple above his Maſter; If they have perſecuted me; they will alſo perſecute you, &c. And leſt they ſhould forget ſo neceſſary and uſeful a Doctrine, he puts a ſpecial Memento upon it, Joh. 15.20. Remember the words that I have ſaid to you, &c. What ever ſhall befall me, or any of my fellow Labourers, We ſhall ever pray that God may bleſs his Church; and I doubt not but he will in his good time reſtore her to her Purity, and her Peace.

Old Mercies, thankfully received, are ſtrong ingagements for new: Your ſpirit will witneſſe with me this day, what cauſe I have to bleſſe God, as much, I think, as any man that ever laboured in his Vaneyard. Firſt for my perſecutions; It is an excellent ſaying of St. Paul, 2 Cor. 12.10. I take pleaſure in perſecutions; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the words is a Goſpel Expreſſion, and ſignifies a willing, pleaſing Approbation, not without much inward contentment: The moſt precious thing that good Apoſtle ever deſired to receive, he expreſſeth by this word, namely, to be preſent with the Lord. 2 Cor. 5.8. And the moſt precious thing that ever he deſired to give, he expreſſeth by the ſame words, namely, The Goſpel of Chriſt, and his own ſoul, 1. Theſ. 2.8. and here he makes uſe of it to ſhew how well he was pleaſed, and how much he did approve of himſelf and his Doctrine, becauſe of theſe perſecutions, as being undoubted evidences of the truth of Chriſt. I ſhould for my own part have ſuſpected my ſelf, yea, and my Doctrine too, if both had not been perſecuted; I look upon my perſecutions as love Tokens from Heaven, Pledges of Gods love, and Badges of my own Sonſhip: Let me tell you (my good people) there is no condition in the world, ſo highly deſireable, as that of ſuffering for, and with Chriſt, Jam. 6.11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , this was Divinity in St. James his days; Was it not the minute of his ſufferings, wherein Steven ſaw the glory of God, and Jeſus ſtanding at his right hand? Shall we think our ſelves worthy to be ſtiled the Diſciples of Chriſt, and run away, or deny him, when he comes to the Crucifying? When ſhe who is the Mother of us all is abuſed, branded, and ſtruggles under pangs and agonies, with the moſt helliſh and unthankful children, that ever Mother bare; ſhall we therefore forget to be Sons, or be aſhamed or afraid to ſuffer? I mean, the Church of England, which every knowing and moderate Spirit, not biaſſed, with factions or ſelf-intereſt, muſt needs acknowledg to be the brighteſt, and moſt glorious reſemblance of Primitive purity, that ancient and holy faith, which for theſe twelve hundred years, any man ever had the honour of contending or ſuffering for: Tell me, have not I great cauſe to look upon it as a bleſſing, or have you any cauſe to be aſhamed of my troubles? What my perſecutions have been, and of what nature, in relation not to my perſon only, but my Doctrine alſo; (the proper work of Hell) with what bitterneſs, violence and injuſtice they have been carried on, your own eyes and ears can ſufficiently witneſs; I bleſſe God this day for the innocency of my own heart, and ſhall have another day more cauſe to rejoyce in my ſufferings, 2 Cor. 1.12 then my Perſecutors in their victory; Our rejoycing is this the Teſtimony of our Conſcience.

The ſecond Mercy I deſire we may take notice of, is the ſupport and conſtant ſupplies of the Spirit of grace, in and under all theſe ſufferings; a high and unexpreſſible Mercy! Pſal. 61, 2. When my ſoul was over-whelmed, he laid my hands upon a Rock, a Rock that was higher then I. The more my perſecutions grew, the more did the hand of the Lord appear, in, with, and for me: when the wickedneſs of my Perſecutors grew ſo high, and their ſin ſo ſhameleſs, that they durſt appear like thoſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , thoſe Noon-day-Divels, and declare their ſin as Sodom: when they durſt come into Bethel it ſelf, a Houſe of Prayer, a place ſet a part for divine Worſhip; and there with faces harder then flint, out-dare the God and Maſter of that Houſe, and being Whores, to out face Angels, the Attendants of that Place; when neither the ſacredneſſe, nor dreadfulneſs of the place, nor my own performance of publique Duties, could ſafe-guard me from their helliſh practiſes, (whoſe only capacity is like Machiavels undertakers, to be wicked enough) even then the Angel of the Covenant, whoſe I am, and whom I ſerve, ſtood by me; Then was the grace of the Lord with me, to uphold and ſupport me; What ſhall I render to my God for theſe his mercies? I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord:

The third Mercy to be remembred by us, is the continuance of mutual love, betwixt Miniſter and People; a Divine love doubtleſs, becauſe laſting unto the end: The reproaches and ſcandals dayly heaped upon me, could never alienate the heart of any one of my hearers, ſo far, as to a deſertion of me: Muſt we not needs ſay, this was the work of God? Love built upon human foundation, is as the foundation it ſelf, changeable. But here was more then the work of man, God himſelf herein owning my integrity, and approving my Doctrine: I look upon all this, as a fruit of that Sacramental love, wherein our foundation was laid at my firſt coming to you: I cannot, as I have deſired, longer ſerve you in my Preaching yet my Prayers ſhall never be wanting for you, to that God, who is love; that for thoſe Bowels of love wherewith you have refreſhed me, you may finde mercy in that day when you ſhall moſt ſtand in need of it.

But I muſt to my Text: My firſt entrance to you was in love, and the main end of my undertaking here, was this; That among this great people, I might be an Inſtrument of gaining ſome poor ſouls to God, (God is my Record, I lye not:) I cannot ſay but there were ſome other Conſiderations went along with it, but they were all ſubſervient to this: How far I was from that ſin of Covetouſneſs, wherewith the people too much brand the Clergy, and ſometimes deſervedly; I appeal to your ſelves, I never made any Compact or Covenant with you, upon that account; your offerings have been of free will, and God hath bleſſed them: What my Converſation, and Deportment hath been amongſt you, notwithſtanding the many provocations I have had, I refer to you all; I have not made the Pulpit (where the glory of God, and the riches of Chriſt, and the ſalvation of poor ſouls is concerned) a Stage or Theater to act my own parts and paſſions in: I have endeavoured to walk inoffenſively towards God, and towards man: This alſo was the Lords work.

Such was my Entrance, and ſuch hath my progreſs been, your Tears do abundantly witneſs this day, the ſad parting of a Miniſter and his people, God forgive them (if at leaſt it be lawful to pray for them) who have robbed us one of another, where there was ſo much love, and ſo much delight in each other, that we have found God delighting in us all, to do us good: We are now come to the Concluſion, and to that purpoſe I have made choice of a plain Text, and I ſhall ſpeak to it with as much plainneſs. You have it

ECCLES. 12.13.

Let us hear the Concluſion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his Commandments; this is the whole duty of man.

THat Solomon the Son of David, was the Penman of this Book, I think, is without diſpute; the Style is his, and there was no other Son of David, King in Jeruſalem, but he: The diſpute is of the Title Choheleth, which the Lxx. render 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : We, the Preacher: and concerning that, there is a double Query. Firſt, Why it is uſed in the Feminine Gender; ſome ſay the word Nepheſh is to be underſtood, and ſo it muſt ſignifie a Preaching ſoul: but how that can hold (it being a proper name, and never uſed but in this Book, as Druſius obſerves upon the place) I ſee not; Others tell us it is uſual with the Hebrews to put Feminines names upon men; ſo the Goſpel Preachers are called Mebaſeroth, Pſal. 68.11. The Lord ſpake the words, great was the company of Preachers or Publiſhers; Annunciatricum; But whether they did this to ſet forth the purity of the Preachers of Chriſt, Prov. 9.3. Where they are called Wiſdomes Maids; or thoſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to which the Apoſtle relates, Gal. 4.19. thereby making out, not only the great Throws, but the tender and motherly affection of a faithful Preacher to his people: I ſhall not now ſtand to enquire.

But the ſecond and main Query is, why it is called Sepher Choheleth, a Book of Gatherings or Congregations: Some will have it to be one of the names of Solomon; as Jedidiah, or Lemuel: Some ſay, becauſe it was publiquely delivered by Solomon himſelf to the Congregation; and ſo it is in his Fathers ſtile, giving God the glory in the great Congregation, Pſal. 40.10. We read of his bleſſings, prayers and ſacrifices, 1 Reg. 8. here of his preaching; Petagl. upon the words. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and thus Schindler ſeems to expound it, of a gathering of men; Others will have it ſo called, from Solomons being gathered, or re-uniting himſelf after his foul Idolatry and Apoſtacy from the Church; and the Book to be the words of a ſoul or perſon brought back to the unity of the Church, or Congregation of the Saints: But I rather think, without any ſtraining of the words, it relates to the ſubject or matter of the Book. It is a Book of Obſervations, experimentally gathered from Natural, Moral, Political, Domeſtical, and Divine things: Wiſdome is the ſouls great Endowment, nothing more precious, more ſweet, more coveted, Read Eccl. cap. 2. eſpecially ſuch as Solomon's was; it purſueth ſuch high objects as may improve, and not vitiate the intelectuals; yet he tells us what the fruit of of it frequently is; helliſh policy pride, violence, oppreſſion and cruelty, wiſedom to do evil: Pleaſures ſuite well with the inferiour and brutiſh part of man, but in the exact enjoyment of them, there is a mixture either of folly or want, they grow in time loathſome and tedious to the poſſeſſors; he tells you of buildings and Vineyards and Orchards, and Fiſh-Ponds, and Muſick, Vocal, and Inſtrumental; and he concludes upon the ſurvey, all is vanity: Riches, the great Idol of the world, the Gold and Silver, the mighty Herds of Cattel, which himſelf poſſeſſed in abundance; he tells us they are but Snares and Thorns, either to entangle or torment us; gotten with labour, kept with fear, and loſt with ſorrow: All external forms of worſhip, where Chriſt is not in the heart, or not met with in the Ordinance, is no more then a fools Sacrifice; or as the word carrys it, the ſervice of hypocritical, light, and unconſtant men: Theſe and many other gatherings he makes out from his own experience.

After theſe diſcoveries, he preſcribes many excellent rules for the ſettlement of the ſoul, in reference both to its preſent and future good: An humble acknowledgment under, and dependance upon, the providence of God, in all events; ſingleneſs and ſincerity of heart▪ in his worſhip and ſervice: The right uſe of wiſedom in diſcerning times, and judgments; contentedneſſe, and ſweet repoſedneſs of ſoul in every condition of life: Obedience and Loyalty to Superiors; Conſcientious walking in our particular Callings: Preparedneſs of ſpirit againſt all tryals and afflictions; Moderation in the uſe of comforts in this life; and preparation through the fear of God, and obedience, for death and judgment, in the words of my Text: Hence he may well be ſtiled a Gatherer, and his Book a Book of gatherings.

The grand enquiry of the whole Book, is that Summum Bonum, that puzzled all our blind Philoſophers; The Preacher here diſcovers that Stone, that turns all things into Gold, which they have long tired themſelves in ſeeking for, and could never finde to this day. Obſerve I pray you how he begins this Book, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and how he ends it; He begins it with Vanity of vanities; All is vanity: Idols, light, vile, things of naught, as the breath of ones mouth, or the bubble in the water, vapours ſoon vaniſhing: Vanity of vanities; vain vanity, or extream ſuperlative vanity: This our firſt Parents ſaw, and therefore called their ſecond Son Hebel, or vanity; David confirms it, Pſal. 144 4 Adam is as Abel, or man is like to vanity; there is an Alluſion in the Original to both their names: And herein he makes out the inſufficiency and diſability of the Creature, to confer any true happineſſe upon the Soul. And ſecondly, obſerve how he ends his book, Fear God, and keep his Commandments, methinks it is not much unlike to that of Chriſt to Martha; thou art troubled about many things, Luke 10.41, 42. but one thing is needfull, Mary hath choſen the good part, &c. He begins you ſee, with nothing, he ends with all things; he ſhews us what our firſt eſtate is, an obſervance of lying vanities, and forſaking our own mercies, he ſhews us what our beſt eſtate is; Fear God, &c. We begin at Idols, and vanity, and never know what our beginning was, till we come to this end, never know that we are vain, till we arrive at the true fear of God.

My dear people, whom I love and muſt ever love in the bowels of Chriſt Jeſus, and muſt ever call you ſo, though now unhappily torn from you, let not my words this day fall to the ground, lay them up in your hearts; let it ſuffice that you have ſpent your time paſt, in vanities and Idols, things of emptineſs and torment; let us not be like the people of thoſe countries, that whatſoever they chance to ſee firſt every morning, they worſhip ſolemnly all the day after; if ſin have had the morning, let the evening be Gods, it is time we ſhould come home to that only true happineſs the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Content not your ſelves with any outward bleſſings til you be ſure you injoy him to the Salvation of your ſouls: other excellencies may ſet you out in the eys of men, generoſity, obligingneſſe, wiſedom, learning, valour, &c. every one of theſe, is ſufficient to be a ſober mans Idol, render a man praiſe worthy, but it is Chriſt only that makes us bleſſed; other bleſſings you may injoy and periſh with them, but he that injoys Chriſt by true faith, Ioh. 3.16. ſhall never periſh, but hath everlaſting life.

The Text is Solomons 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , after a ſolicitous inquiry, or the treaſure of true happineſſe diſcovered; it is in it ſelf an exhortation or a duty, you may call it whether you pleaſe, the ſubſtance is the ſame: There is not any thing remarkable in the Preface, ſave that in the Original it begins with a Capital Letter, as pointing out ſome high ſubject, and ſtirring up the more ſerious attention to the matter in hand; which indeed, rightly weighed, is an Epitome of the whole Goſpel: Would you know after my long obſervations, what you are to truſt to? What is the ſum and ſubſtance of the whole matter; Where true and durable felicity may be found? It is in this, Fear God and keep his Commandments: without this, man is but as one calls him, praeſtantiſſimum brutum; which puts me in mind of that ſaying, Job 28.28. where the holy man concludes his ſpeech, as the Preacher here doth his book, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wiſedom, and to depart from evil, is underſtanding; man then becomes wiſe when he fears God, when Chriſt the wiſedom of the fatheres dwels in him.

We ſhall not need, neither did I ever love to name a Text, the concluſion riſeth plainly and naturally from it: To fear God and keep his Commandments, is the whole duty of man; or as it is in the Hebrew, the whole man, and ſo the LXX render it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; where the true fear of God is once planted, it carries the whole man with it, ſpirit, ſoul, and body, guides and directs the whole man, rectifies and reforms the whole man; it is all in all, and through all, ſets a price and worth upon the whole man in this life, and crowns and glorifies the whole man in the life to come.

There is a natural fear ariſing from the ſenſe of humane weakneſſe, which is not in it ſelf ſinfull; we have examples of it in the Saints, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . yea, and in Chriſt himſelf, Mat. 26.38. Heb. 5.7. he was heard in that he feared, which though the Rhemiſts tranſlate for his reverence, and charge us with the corrupting of the Text contrary to the verſion and ſenſe of Antiquity, and the ordinary uſe of the Greek words; yet I find it, ſignifying as well a natural as a pious fear, Acts 23.10. where a commotion being raiſed, the chief Captain or Tribune, is ſaid to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , afraid leſt Paul ſhould be torn in pieces, which could not be a pious fear in him that was a Pagan, but a natural civil fear, leſt a Roman, a Priſoner, and under his preſent charge ſhould have been violently and tumultuouſly murthered between the Phariſees and the Sadduces.

2. There is a carnal fear, I may call it a fear of diffidence, becauſe ariſing from unbelief, Apoc. 21.8 They are liable to the ſecond death, and joined with unbeleevers. the Apoſtles are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Mat, 8.26. carnally fearfull, ſo the word ſignifies, if you look Revel. 21.8. and why? becauſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they were of little faith; and this fear is directly ſinfull, when we fear the creature more then the Creator, bleſſed for ever. This is that fear the Lord ſpeaks of Iſa. 8.12. Fear not their fear; and our bleſſed Saviour, Luke 12.4, 5. Fear not them that kill the body, &c. And though this fear may have, and frequently hath, natural weaknes for its foundation, yet it is only then ſinfull, where nature outvies grace, and ſelf intereſts are more valued then the glory of God: I deny not but there is a fear due to man upon Gods account, Rom. 13.6. Fear to whom fear, &c. there is a reverence due to the perſons, and a regard to be had to the Laws of men: But God being alone the proper object of our fear, makes that fear which is due to man, due to him only, in, and for the Lord, whoſe image he beareth in a more high and eminent manner, by vertue of ſome Authority or dignity derived to him from God, who is the Fountain of honour, and whoſe ſole propriety it is to ordain powers, the words implying both invention and ratification, Rom. 13.1. the Powers that be, are ordained of God.

3. There is a ſpiritual fear, and that is a filial, reverential fear of God, ariſing partly from a ſenſe of want in our ſelves (which fear commonly ſuppoſeth) and partly from the apprehenſion of Gods excellency, not in his greatneſſe only, but alſo in its goodneſſe: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . This is that fear which keeps the whole man in a religious reſpect, a holy dreadfulneſſe, a ſweet dependance upon God, that commands him to walk as in the preſence of God, that his whole converſation ſeems one undiſcontinued holy and religious adoration; take that one example of Joſeph Gen. 30. This is that we call the grace of fear; the affection of fear is in all men naturally, but the grace of the fear of God, is a part of Sanctification, and is not found but in the elect: natural and carnal fear betray the ſuccours of the ſoul, but this ſtrengthens and confirms it: I call it ſpiritual, firſt from the Object, which is God; ſecond, from the efficient or working cauſe of this fear, which is the Spirit of God, called therefore the ſpirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord, Iſay 11.2. Thirdly, from the Subject, the inward or ſpiritual man, hence is the fear of God inward and ſpiritual, the worſhip of the mind, the heart, the conſcience, will, and affections, all hereby carried out to God. Fourthly, From that ſpiritual work or effect it hath upon the ſoul, ſpiritualizing and ſanctifying both our ſelves and our ſacrifices, changing the whole man, from a carnal, worldly, ſenſual, ſelfiſh intereſt, to a holy, heavenly, ſpiritual frame of heart.

Now this ſpiritual fear may either be taken generally, and ſo it includes all graces and gracious diſpoſitions of ſpirit: As faith includes all Evangelical graces in the New-Teſtament, ſo doth the fear of God in the Old, compare Prov. 13.14. with Prov. 14.27. Or elſe more particularly, for that ſingle grace, whereby the Soul is over-awed with the excellencies of God, the greatneſſe of God, working the fear of him, as a Judge; and the goodneſſe of God, working the ſame fear as a father.

It would be a task too large for the ſmall time I have to ſpend, to run through all the branches, properties, and effects of this fear: I ſhall now ſpeak only to a few of them, and thoſe the moſt uſeful for you, in reference to the preſent times, and your preſent wants; there are no words like thoſe in due ſeaſon, Pro. 25.11 or upon their wheels; you ſhall have them without niceneſſe or affectation (the common itch of the Pulpit) according to my wonted manner, with all plainneſſe; plain inſtructions beſt beſeem a dying father, and are the beſt remembred by his children; I ſhall now wave all other accounts, and preſent it to you as a New-years gift, a rich Ring ſet with precious ſtones, which I ſhall deſire may be continually worn, and carried about with you.

And firſt, to fear God, is to have faith in him; a precious ſtone: this is called by St. Peter precious faith; without this we can neither fear him nor pleaſe him. 2 Pet. 1.1 What the Apoſtle ſaies, Rom. 10.14. how ſhall they call on him, in whom they have not beleeved? the like we may ſay of other graces, how can we either love or ſerve, or fear, or glorifie God, except we believe in him? it was faith that made Enoch's work acceptable, and was the ground of the tranſlating there ſpoken of whether the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Heb. 11.5. mean exemption from death, as Elias is ſaid to have been under the Moral Law, or ſome other deliverance, it matters not, certainly it was through faith the Embleme of the Goſpel; it is ſometimes called the mouth and the ear, Crede & mandu caſti, Auguſt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . but moſt properly the eye of the Soul; hereby we ſee through the things of this world, and above them, we meet with an object worth our loving and looking on: we ſee Chriſt, and God in Chriſt, and in him mercy, peace, ſalvation; we look out of our ſelves, Heb. 12.2. and meet with Goſpel truth, righteouſneſſe, in another, a Surety, a Mediator; we ſee the brazen Serpent that cures out wounded ſouls, John 3.14. therefore the words here uſed for fear, is by the LXX. in the ſeventh verſe of this Chapter, rendred to ſee; noting, that to fear God and have faith in him, is to ſee God; and beyond reaſon to have an in-ſight into thoſe Myſteries, which were denyed to the Angels, 2 Pet. 1.12. As the eye in the body is the Organ by which we ſee things viſible, ſo is faith in the ſoul, to ſee the things of God; hereby we peep through the Curtains of earth and mortality, and take a view of Heavens Treaſures: Hence come our great priviledges, union with Chriſt, Eph. 3.17. and conſequently, an intimate and familiar communion with him in his promiſes, Sonſhip, Victories, Interceſſions: Faith is that ſpiritual Ligament that makes us one with Chriſt; Other graces, as Love, Patience, Meekneſs, &c may be the grounds of a moral Union; and make a man like Chriſt, but it is faith only that is the foundation of a myſtical Union, and makes a Beleever one with Chriſt.

I do not intend to inſiſt upon the Nature, Properties and Effects of Faith. I have heretofore made them out to you: My preſent Task relates to the preſent times, and your-both preſent and future benefit: There is not any grace more diſeſteemed and miſeſteemed ſlighted, and miſ-judged, then this branch of Divine fear: Let me therefore commend to you, two main Remembrances to be treaſured up by you, when your eyes ſhall be deprived of your Teacher.

And Firſt, I would adviſe you, ever to ſet a high eſteem upon this grace to look upon it as the moſt glorious Stone in the Ring: The reſt have their luſter, this is both reſplendent and medicinal, heals broken ſouls; It is no wonder if St. Jude give it the preheminence, ſince it is both the leading grace, and brings the firſt glad tidings of ſalvation; and alſo the Mother grace, whence all others have their birth and original: Without this what are all our works and duties, but as we ſay of the vertues of Heathens, Splendida peccata? Where faith is not layd as the foundation, all our devotions, acts of piety, charity, obſervance of Sabbaths, Ordinances; nay, that great performance of Prayer, are but like that ſtructure built on the ſand, Mat. 7.26. Without this we can no more appear before the Tribunal of Gods juſtice, then ſtubble before a conſuming fire: In the word, it is faith that muſt make us profitable, in obedience it is faith that muſt make us cheerful; in prayer it is faith that makes us ſucceſsfull; and in all performances it is faith that makes us acceptable: This is that wiſedome, Job 28.16, 17, 18, 19. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 1 Pet. 1.8. the price whereof is above Rubies, the Topaze of Ethiopia cannot equal it, it cannot be valued with pure Gold: This will give comfort, joy, and peace under all diſtractions, make the ſoul skip like a Lambe, leap and dance for joy: Other divine qualifications may make you confident, but it is faith only that muſt give you your aſſurance: There cannot be ſuch an abaſement where faith will not lift up the head, and render you victorious: Juſtice gives every man his own; temperance will reſtrain luſts; magnanimity will bear, and go through any hardſhip, prudence is an excellent guide to our actions, but it is faith that overcometh the world: in this Paul inſults and triumphs over men and Angels, Heaven and Earth, Rom. 8.38, 39. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I am confident or perſwaded That neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, &c. ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.

You will have a better heart, both to the price and the eſteem of it, if you ſeriouſly adviſe with theſe conſiderations: The Author: The Offices; and the Effects of it.

Firſt, Look upon it as Gods gift, from whom every good and perfect gift cometh, as a fruit of his Spirit, Gal. 5.22. This will make it excellent and lovely: Let us a little view it in that great intereſt of our ſouls, the high act of juſtification; we ſhall there finde it to juſtifie, Infundendo creat creando infundit. not as mans faith, but as the work of God in in the ſoul: It is an excellent place, Eph. 2.8. By grace ye are ſaved through faith, and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God; faith may be in us, but it is not of us; that is, not from any power of our own, but it is a meer gift of God, both in the habit, and in the act of it: Juſtification is is a free Act, of, and from eternity, without any condition on our parts: and that Evangelical righteouſneſs by which we are juſtified, is without us in Chriſt: It is the finger of God that works faith in the ſoul, and having wrought it, puts it upon acting, thereby to evidence juſtification to the ſoul. As a father having layd up for his ſon a great Treaſure, in ſome ſecret place, tells him of it, and beſtows it freely upon him, but wanting the poſſeſſion and enjoyment of it, the ſon is no richer for it, till the father lights a Torch, guides his ſon to the hidden Treaſure, and puts him into the actual poſſeſſion of it: Thus is Faith Gods Inſtrument, by which he diſcovers to our ſouls the unvaluable riches of Chriſt (which in the minds and purpoſe of the Donor was ours from Eternity) and evidenceth us to be freely juſtified, lending us that light of faith, whereby we apprehend, enjoy and apply Chriſt to our ſouls: It is called the evidence of things not ſeen, Heb. 11.1. Whoſe evidence? Gods evidence given us, by which he declareth and manifeſteth to our conſciences thoſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the inviſible things of our juſtification and ſalvation, and when given, it is our evidence alſo, by which we poſſeſs Chriſt, and pleads our actual juſtification againſt all the accuſations of the Law, ſin and Satan, then we have the witneſſe in our ſelves, 1 Joh. 5.10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Gods witneſs; ſo it is ſometimes read, witneſſing to our ſpirits, that we are the children of God, we are juſtified freely by his grace, Rom. 3.24: The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there, anſwering to the Hebrew Chinnam, excluding all, both hope of advantage on Gods part, and preceding deſert in man, upon any account whether of faith or works, excluding as well merit as rewards; hereby intimating, that all our works are the works of God in us; yea faith it ſelf in that great and high Act of juſtifying, is Gods gift: I have here made a little digreſſion to acquaint you with the excellency of this grace, that you may ſet a higher value upon it, not only becauſe it is Gods gift, but ſo high and precious a gift of his right hand, whereby he gives us an intereſt to Chriſt, and all his promiſes, and evidenceth eternal life to our ſouls.

2. Conſider the Offices of faith (which beſides union to, and communion with Chriſt formerly named) are theſe two: Firſt, acceptance; wherby we are made willing to receive Chriſt upon Chriſts own terms; what his terms are he himſelf tells you, Luke 9.23. If any man will come after me, he muſt deny himſelf and take up his Croſſe daily, and follow me: This is the receiving act of faith, and is therfore called the hand of the Soul, not for its working quality purifying the heart, reviving the dead ſpirit, working by love, carrying the Soul through all diſcouragements; theſe are indeed the works of faith, but for its receiving and accepting quality, accepting righteouſneſſe in Chriſt, receiving him as a gift of his fathers love, imbracing the promiſes afar off, and laying hold on eternal life: The working righteouſneſſe is Chriſts, the Office or act of faith, is accepting, applying, receiving, yeelding conſent to that righteouſneſſe.

The other Office or Act, of Faith, is reſignation, whereby we give our ſelves wholly up to Chriſt, ſpirit, ſoul, and body, to be guided and byaſſed by him, this is that ſpiritual marriage, Eph. 5.17. betwixt Chriſt and the Soul, by which, as the ſoul hath a propriety and right to the body, name, goods, table, poſſeſſions and purchaſe of Chriſt; ſo ſhe doth reciprocally become all his, by an unconſtrained reſignation of her will, ways, and deſires, unto his guidance and government; we become the ſervants of Chriſt to be ruled, as well as to be aided and protected by him; then doth Chriſt own us, and he ſtands ingaged to watch over and care for us: Then muſt the Soul have all Chriſt, and Chriſt the whole ſoul, no ſharing, no competition with any luſt, but Jeſus Chriſt becomes all in all to us, and we are made willing to follow the Lamb whither ſoever he goeth.

3. Conſider the admirable vertues or effects of faith, this alſo will help to put a high eſteem upon it. Faith diſſolves the Plots of all our ſpiritual enemies, it will give you a conqueſt over ſin, the Divel, and the World, it will quicken your ſouls, Gal. 2.20. Sanctifie and Purifie your hearts, Acts 15.9. hereby you ſhall obtain whatever you ſtand in need of, and God hath promiſed; it will bear you up in all dangers, diſcouragements, deſertions, deaths; hereby you ſhall ſtand, live, walk, be ſaved, &c. this will bring you to God, to whom no man comes but by Chriſt, nor to Chriſt, but by faith. I could be large in theſe things, if I had not formerly made them out to you: The Lord bring them home to the hearts of every one of you: This is the firſt main remembrance; To have a high and precious eſteem of Faith.

Secondly, I would adviſe you ever to have a right judgment of Faith; Every fancy in theſe days is pretended for faith and light; and the ſoul eaſily miſtakes preſumption or credulity for this great grace: therefore it will much concern you to know, and ever to remember, that is not a bare acknowledgment or aſſent to divine truths, and the promiſes of Chriſt, as the Socinians would have it, but an application or cloſing with Chriſt in thoſe truths and promiſes; for not the promiſes of Chriſt barely, but the perſon of Chriſt, is the object of faith: It is a reſting upon Jehovah, a rolling a mans ſelf upon God; as one tired under his burthen, caſts both himſelf and his burthen upon ſomething that ſuſtains it. Prov. 3.5. Iſai. 10.20. As Saul tired with fighting, leaned upon his Spear, 2 Sam. 1.6. I do not mean in this place, that inferiour Act of faith, the truſting God with our temporal well being (though even this be a beleevers prerogative, and makes all thoſe dreams and wiſhes of the old Philoſophers, the Scepticks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the Stoicks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; and the Epicures, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to become the reality and acquiſition of a Chriſtian, a holy Epicuriſm, which faith, and only faith furniſheth us with) but I mean that faith which cloſes with the blood of Chriſt, for eternal life and ſalvation: There is an excellent place in Rom 10.10, where man is ſaid to beleeve with the heart, noting that it is not a bare cloſing with divine truths in our underſtandings; Jews and Devils will do that, but a conſent or walking up to the goodneſs of God in Chriſt, whereby he is loved above all things, longed for, and truſted to above all things, becomes food, rayment, life, all things to us: And this you muſt look upon as Gods work too, None can thus cloſe with him, but they whoſe hearts the Lord openeth. Acts 16.

Before I paſs this Branch of divine fear, there is one thing I would put you in mind of; it will much help your judgment of faith, and it is this; That true faith is ever waited on with ſelf denial; where this is not, there is no faith nor fear of God; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Luke 9.23. Faith carries with it an Abdication, not only of natural but ſpiritual ſelf; the ſoul findes vanity and nothingneſſe, not in reaſon only, but in duty alſo without Chriſt: In Joſephs viſion, the Sun, Moon, Geneſis 37 and Stars, did obeyſance to him, and all the ſheaves in the field, bowed to his ſheafe: In the ſoul, life, way and work of a regenerate man, all moral abilities and endowments, all natural powers and faculties of the ſoul; nay, all ſupernatural gifts and graces proſtrate themſelves at the feet of Chriſt: Then will the ſoul follow Chriſt in the knowledge of his will, in the belief of his promiſes, in the love of his truth, in the obedience of his commands, then wilt thou lay aſide thine own wiſdom as an empty Lamp, thine own will as an evil commander; thine own reaſon as a falſe rule; thine own affections as corrupt Counſellors; thine own ends as baſe and corrupt marks to be aimed at: Not a hoof ſhall be left in Aegypt, Exo. 10.26 thou wilt empty thy ſelf, that thou mayſt be capable of Chriſt, go out of thy ſelf, that thou mayſt come to Chriſt: Chriſt will reign as that Centurion, Mat 8.8, 9. come or go, the poor heart is ready for him; take away this, your faith is no more then a pretence, a ſelf flattery; you muſt go quite out of your ſelves, before you can enjoy a Saviour: The LXX. have not caſt Adam into a ſleep (as the Hebrew Text) but into an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Gen. 2.21. a being hurried out of himſelf to make him capable of an helper; if you ſhall not meet with this upon inquiry into your own ſpirits, your faith is naught, and all your ſervice and worſhip of God, and affront to your Redeemer, or to give it the beſt language, plain Phariſaiſm and Hypocriſie, and God will one day caſt all your duties as dung and dirt in your faces and ſay, Who required theſe things at your hand? The Lord give you ſelf-denying hearts; The Lord encreaſe faith in every one of you: This is the firſt Jewel or Stone in the Ring: He that fears God, beleeves in him.

To fear God, is to wait on him and for him, an excellent and uſeful Lecture, frequently inculcated by the Prophet in the Pſalms, as a fruit of the true fear of God; he doubles his expreſſion, Pſal. 27.14. Wait on the Lord, wait I ſay on the Lord: He joyns waiting upon God, and keeping his way, Pſal. 37.34. Obſerve what high promiſes the Scripture makes to this waiting: Immunity from ſhame, Pſal. 25.3. The inheritance of the earth, Pſal. 37.9 Renewing of ſtrength, mounting up with wings as Eagles, &c. Iſ. 40.31 New ſupplies of ſpirit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 when they ſeem to be quite ſpent and loſt, a change to be better conditioned, flying over all difficulties they meet with; Iſa. 40.31. deliverance from enemies, Prov. 20.22. The fulfiling the deſires of our hearts, &c.

But how or wherein you ſhould wait upon God, and expreſs your true fear of him, is my task now to acquaint you: Much of this I ſhall from my own experience commend to you, and I hope you will not forget my words another day; They will be of great uſe to you: Wait upon God in his ways, and wait upon him in his time: I cannot commend any thing more advantagious to you, whether you look at the preſent diſtempers and diſtractions of the world, or the future comfort and ſettlement of your ſpirits upon all accounts.

Firſt, wait upon him in his own ways, the ways of his Ordinances, and the ways of his Diſpenſations: Firſt in the ways of his Ordinances, in hearing the word, attending at the Gates of Wiſdome, in the honour and uſe of the Sacrament, in prayer, and other Divine Inſtitutions: This is the way Chriſt hath preſcribed and in all ages wonderfully bleſſed to his Church: I have experimentally found it in my ſelf, and to my great comfort have had the acknowledgment of it from many of you, by, and under my Miniſtry: Theſe are the Channels of grace, the Conduit-pipes by which God conveys himſelf, and the waters of life to his people; here will your ſouls meet with God, and finde the enjoyment of him, and the due obſervation of them is a ſtrong Teſt of your obedience: I know that after my departure, you will meet with Foxes and Wolves, ſome crying down all Ordinances, as things carnal, and below a ſpiritual and raiſed eſtate; they will tell you they are weak and low adminiſtrations, no more then walking by Moon light; they will tell you that Seraphical men, are above: and beyond all Ordinances, and their Enthuſiaſms of greater concernment then the Ordinances of Chriſt: you will meet on the other hand with thoſe, who ſo far cry up Ordinances, that they make Idols of them, ſlighting him who is the ſubſtance, men of Phariſaical Spirits and Intereſts, who while they ſhould preach Chriſt and him crucified, will preach themſelves, their own parts, paſſions and intereſts, whereby you may probably be made weary both of them and their preaching: My ever dear people, let none of theſe things drive you from the Church of God, or deter or diſcourage you from following Chriſt in thoſe ways he hath preſcribed; let it be your care to wait on him: I have known ſome who taking offence at theſe things (wo in the mean time to him by whom the offence cometh) have in theſe times declined either to Popery or Atheiſm; I beſeech God bleſſe you: I hope better things of you, and ſhould be heartily grieved to ſee ſuch ſad failings in any of you: I have two things to commend to you in this Point, for your better ſatisfaction.

Firſt, Reſt not in a bare formal attendance upon the Ordinance. The Harlot can ſay, I have made my peace offerings to day, the Ordinance is but the means, the end is Communion with Chriſt, and fruition of him: The Jews promiſed themſelves much from the naked preſence of the Temple, Ier. 7.4. though they had but ſmall honour for the Lord of it: Iudges 17.13. Micah promiſed himſelf mountains when he had got a Levite to be his Prieſt, though he ſtill retained his Idols: The Phariſees boaſted they were the ſeed of Abraham, when they did the works of the Devil; Ioh. 8.33.44. How many poor ſouls have thus turned the means of ſalvation into the means of deſtruction, feeds upon busks inſtead of the true bread: nay turned their food into porſon, not finding Chriſt in the Ordinances, nor being led home to Chriſt by them? My good people, think it not enough that you hav • Geheza with his maſters ſtaff; that you have Chriſts Miniſter, and Chriſts word, but as that Shunamite, 2 King 4.30. lay hold on Chriſt himſelf, where every faithful ſoul ſees, caſts, receives, enjoys in theſe Ordinances.

Secondly, when thou haſt done thy beſt and pureſt ſervice, and met with Chriſt in the Ordinances, reſt not in the work done, loath yourſelves, with a ſincere acknowledgment of your ownunworthineſſe, and the unprofitableneſſe, imperfections and iniquities of your moſt holy things, ever reſting upon free-grace: Be ſo careful of duty, as if there were no grace to juſtifie you, and ſo reſt upon grace, as if no work were to be done by you.

And then ſecondly, wait upon God in the ways of his providence and diſpenſations, this is that excellent grace, a fruit of the ſanctifying ſpirit of God, whereby the ſoul freely ſubmits not to the will only, but to the wiſdom of God, in all the croſſe acts of Providence we meet with in this life, enabling us to bear our own burthens without inordinate ſorrow, or fretting diſcontent: As by faith we injoy God, and by love we injoy our neighbour; ſo through humble waiting, and ſubmiſſion to the wiſedom of God, we poſſeſſe our own ſouls; This is an excellent leſſon, but hard for fleſh and blood to learn, to beleeve that God can chuſe beſt for us, better then we our ſelves: Are not Abanah and Parphar Rivers of Damaſcus, better then all the Waters of Iſrael 2 R • g 5.12. Kinds of age, a few fatherly kiſſes and imbraces, a portion in my hand, this nature cries out for, and would be well pleas'd with; but the ſoul that fears God, hath learned with Paul, to be content in every condition of life, hath learned that ſublime Phyloſophy of ſubſcribing to Gods wiſedom, not to his will only (that he will force us to, and he is a kind of mad Atheiſt that ſhould deny it) but to his wiſedom, to acknowledge God the beſt chuſer for us, the ſtripes he ſends more ſuitable to us, then all the bleſſings we pray for, his denying our demands, the moſt divine way of granting them, reſolving whatever he impoſes upon us, is beſt for us: his thoughts are not like our thoughts, Heaven and Earth are not alwaies of one opinion; Good is the Word of the Lord, ſays good Hezekiah, when deſtruction was denounced to his whole family: It is the Lord Iet him do what ſeemeth him good, ſays old Eli, when beſides the loſſe of both his children in one day, God tells him, there ſhould not be an old man in his houſe for ever: All things (ſaith Paul) work together for good to them that love God: This ſubmiſſion to the Wiſdom of God, and the conſequent of it, Rejoycing in Tribulation, is that waiting upon God, which I would now inſtruct you in, that better days may teach you humbleneſſe, which is a part of this fear, Prov. 22.4. and worſer days may teach you that Chriſtian patience, whereby you ſhall be inabled to undergo the hands of heaven, to look after deliverance in the ways, and accept it upon the terms of God.

My dear people, you are my glory, and crown of rejoycing, let me commend the ſerious remembrance of this to your Spirit; It was never of more uſe then in theſe times of the Churches perſecution: You ſhall ſee men ſtrangely and ſeverally wreſtling and tugging under Gods Diſpenſations: In one man a ſupine ſtupidity; in another the relieving his melancholy thoughts in a cup of Lethe, a ſleeping Pill of good fellowſhip; like Sauls ſending to the Minſtrel when the evil ſpirit came upon him, or his ſecond addreſs to the Witch, to charm the judgment that was ready to invade him; you ſhall ſee a third multiplying his ſins as faſt as God his judgments, like the Elephants in the Maccabees, whom the blood of the Mulberies more enraged, hardning like Pharaoh under the rod; like Ahab, and Ahaz, growing worſe under the judgment: you will meet with more plauſible effects then theſe, in one, a contempt of the world, his experience having acquainted him with the vanity, and his miſeries with the vexation of it; In another, perhaps a contempt or wearineſſe of his life, like a diſcontented Jonah; Take, I beſeech thee my life from me; or Elias under the Juniper Tree, it is enough, &c. and this is ſometimes accounted a ſpecial piece of piety and mortification: A third falls to his prayers, oftner then uſual, and is importunate in the duty, as the tempeſt in Jonah caſt the Heathen Mariners upon their knees; A fourth making ſome progreſs towards reformation, wiſhings and wouldings, that he were a better man, but all theſe make not up this breach of divine fear, this true waiting upon God, and ſubmiſſion to his wiſdom: I ſhall now deſire for your future good to commend theſe Inſtructions to you.

1. Be ſure to eye God in all his diſpenſations, whether of mercy or judgement, for all mercies ſpiritual and temporal return thanks to him from whom every good and perfect gift cometh, as a Preſent both to humbleneſſe and thankfulneſſe; but that which I would now commend to you, is, the eying of God in the ſeveral diſpenſations of his judgements; whoſoever be the inſtrument, look upon him as the author of the puniſhment; there is the hand and counſel of God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Acts 4.28. All the ſin and furies, guilt and damnation of Hell, may be in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the doing or executing Gods Will (Satan alone having the Patent of perſecution, and every Perſecutor intrenching upon Hell for his Commiſſion) but then all the mercy, and all wiſedom, ſometimes the redeeming of a World in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the thing being done; Paul calls his ſuffering, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the brands or prints of Chriſt, not only the tranſcripts of his ſuffering, but the works of his hands alſo: I dare commend this to you from my own experience, I have found it a ſtrong ſupport to me under my ſad perſecutions, and I have cauſe to bleſſe God this day, that he made me a ſufferer, and puniſhed me immediately for my ſins (a faire ſtep to future Salvation) and not a Perſecutor, whereby adding affliction to Gods anger, my own helliſh ſpirit had wrapped me up to eternal deſtruction.

Secondly, That you may rightly wait on him, you muſt not only look upon theſe diſpenſations, as Gods hand, but as his right hand, the hand of love, look upon your afflictions, as cauſtick Plaiſters, preparatory to the incarnative, the Knife and the Lance reckoned by Hypocrates among the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the mollifying Preparations, which the Phyſitian muſt ever carry about with him; as your new Artiſts tels us of a Feaver, it is not properly a diſeaſe, but an indeavour or ſtrife of nature to cure her ſelf; ever look upon your afflictions, as deſigned for your good, for the humiliation of your untamed ſpirits, to bring you to a neerer ſight of your God, a neerer ſight of your ſelves, a ſtricter inquiry into your own hearts, to deal neer to God, to make your Peace with him and the like: Look not upon them, as things from chance or malice, thoſe two heathen principles of Theology, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but as ſent on purpoſe from love, and pondering from judgement and bowels, ſent not as a curſe to you for ſin, that is already ſatisfied, to, and for the elect in Chriſt, but as tryals and fatherly chaſtizements to bring you to himſelf.

Secondly, as we are to wait upon God in his ways, ſo it is a part of his fear to wait upon him in his times: It is recorded as an errour of Gods own people, that they limited the holy one of Iſrael, Pſalm 78.41. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they would ſign, deſign, circumſcribe God, write or determine for or inſtead of God, bring him down and confine him to their own times, and their own wayes; a folly we are all naturally inclined to, whether in caſe of judgement inflicted, or mercies promiſed and expected, we are all for the preſent time; but Gods times are not our times, My times are in thy hands, ſays David, Pſal. 31.15. as well the time of removing as aying on the burthen; we have met with evil times (God fit us for the worſt) and we are prone to murmur both at the weight and continuance of our Preſſures, and to expoſtulare with God, and charge his ways as unequal and unreaſonable; let me therefore commend this to you, wait Gods times in all events, learn to ſtand ſtill, and you will ſee the ſalvation of the Lord, you will reap in due ſeaſon, if you faint not, Gal. 6.9. though it be troubleſome, you will find it comfortable and uſefull to your ſpirits, when your rebellious hearts ſhall put you on to murmuring and impatience remember this, God hath his time to have mercy upon Sion, and he will aſſuredly come, when the ſins of his enemies are come to maturity, become impudent and incorrigible, when our own ſpirits are throughly humbled, and all hopes and helps in man ſo far removed, that we have neither hope nor help but in God, then may we look for him, in the mean time I will wait: Thus he that feareth the Lord, waits contentedly and calmly for his return, he beleeveth in the Lord, and his feet ſtand faſt; This is that time I would intreat you to wait for; and it is the ſecond precious ſtone in the ring, to wait God in his ways and in his times.

The third is to walk with him, which is here in the Text called, Keeping his Commandments. The word Schamar, ſignifies not only to Keep, but to lay up, and hide, or treaſure in the heart; as Jacob is ſaid to have obſerved, or laid up in his heart the ſaying of Joſeph: It is tranſlated to take heed, 1 King. 2.4. to obſerve or keep their ways, Pſal. 105.45. A compariſon taken from a Watchman in a City, or the Gariſon in a Fortreſs; all theſe expreſſing that care, diligence, and ſolicitude which all thoſe that fear God have in and about their obedience: This is that yoke of Chriſt I have often commended to you, an eaſie yoke, Matth. 11.30. all pleaſure and profit made up in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a yoke not like that of the Law, a weight and burthen, but fitted and ſmoothed by Chriſt to be an inſtrument of advantage, and make the burthen more eaſie and ſupportable; a yoke wherein Chriſt himſelf draws with and for us, that we may the better undergo it: I know this part of the fear of God will relliſh harſhly with ſuch ſpirits as are unaccuſtomed to this yoke, unacquainted with the ſweetneſſe of it: To take leave of our old acquaintance, to carry out the whole body of our luſts to their Funeral; it goes heavie with a heart under the power of ſin, to ſpiritualize the fleſh, rack it, fetch it from the lees, to put on the yoke, enter the traces, and harneſſe for the future race; theſe are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the child-birth pangs of dying to ſin; but to thoſe that fear God, the yoke is eaſie, and the burthen light: No life like that of dying to ſin, no way ſo pleaſant as that of walking with God, no treaſure ſo deſireable as to be rich in faith and good works, no comfort like that ſecret contentment a true Believer hath in his conſcionable walking with God: Remember this my good people, Hereby you ſhall much honour that Goſpel which I have taught, and you have received, it is that very uſe which the Apoſtle every where makes of the Goſpel of Chriſt, that we ſhould walk as becometh the Goſpel, that we ſhould in all things adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour, that we ſhould walk worthy of him who hath called us to his Kingdom, and to his glory, ſhew forth the vertues and praiſes of him who hath called us out of darkneſſe into his marvellous light, in all theſe making out the neceſſity of walking with God in all thoſe that fear his Name.

The laft Stone or Diamond in this Ring, is the ſincere love of God without hypocriſie, giving him what is his own, the whole heart, without any reſerve for Satan, Mammon, or our ſelves: No man can truly fear God, but he that loves him, nor can any man truly love God, whoſe ſoul is not firſt raviſhed with the apprehenſion of the love of Chriſt to him: We love God, becauſe he firſt loved us: This is that high heroical improvement and elevation of the ſoul, the want whereof, whether to God or man, is as great a puniſhment, as it is a ſin: There is as much of hell in the quenching of the one flame, as in the raging of the other. The Divel cannot poſſibly pick out, or deſigne to his moſt hated enemy, a greater curſe then the want of love: My ever dear people, let me intreat you to remember this, Amor non niſi donum amantis in amatum. Guil. Pariſ. you will find many heavenly and comfortable fruits of it, it will call you out of your ſelves, to the deſire of an union, viſion, and participation of the glory and preſence of God; the Soul will go to God, like Noahs Dove to the Ark, and with infinite ſweetneſſe and ſecurity repoſe it ſelf in him, it will cauſe you to reſigne the whole heart to God, to give up your ſelves wholly to him, to conform affections and actions to his Will, to love every thing wherein your ſouls ſhall find Chriſt, his ways, his words, his Ordinances, his Miniſters, when the root is thus ſeaſoned, you will find all corruptions and luſts falling off like dead branches: Timor tranſit in charitatem Greg. A good man is a good Angel, alwaies beholding the face of God, and the more he ſees him, the more he loves him; and the more he loves him, the more he fears him; he loves him in that fear, and fears him in that love. It is ſaid of the two Marys, Mat. 28.8. That they went from the Sepulcher with fear, and great joy: A rare compoſition of ſo different affections! All other fear being pain, the fear of God brings joy, and love with it.

That which I would principally at preſent urge to you, is that Chriſtian Brotherly love, which the Goſpel frequently makes out, and this Age hath almoſt forgotten, which ariſeth from, and is accompanied with our true love to God; Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him alſo that is begotten of him, 1 Joh. 5.1.2. How cloſe a connexion there is of the love of God, and the love of our Brethren? Be kindly affectioned Rom. 12.10; the word is very Emphatical, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . and ſignifies ſuch a natural binding love and affection, as is betwixt Parents and children, a real, compaſſionate, fervent melting love; The Lord Jeſus hath leſt this both to bee our duty and our reward, the loving of the Brethren: would you know the rule you muſt walk by, love them as your ſelves, thou wouldſt not be hurt, hurt not thy Neighbour, thou wouldſt not be reviled, revile no man, thou wouldſt not be ill ſpoken of, ſpeak not ill of others, thou wouldſt not be perſecuted, perſecute no man, this is the Golden Rule; whatſoever yee would that men ſhould do to you, Mat. 7.12. do yee even ſo to them, this is the Law and the Prophets, or on theſe two hang the Law and the Prophets Matth. 22, 40. This was ſure that fire in the Poet ſtolne from Heaven to inſpire and warme the Lower World with; It is ſaid to be a ſpeech of Chriſt, which the Nazarene Goſpel hath recorded, though our Bibles have it not, Nunquam laeti ſitis n • ſi cum fratrem in charitate videritis; There is no other badge to difference a diſciple of Chriſt from any other man but this, Ecce ut ſe invicem diligunt; nay, the Devil cannot ſo far be an Hypocrite, as to counterfeit this; All glorious Appearances without love are but empty ſhadows, hereby wee become like the Saints in Heaven, of whoſe bleſſed eſtate all wee underſtand is onely this, that they are happy and love one another, and in that eternally happy, that they eternally love one another, Charity never faileth, and ſo their bliſſe faileth not.

You ſee, my good people, what times wee are fallen into, what wrath, clamour, malice, bitterneſs, raylings, revilings there are among men, what diſaffections, diviſions, perſecutions of the Church, even by thoſe that profeſſe they have given up their Names to Chriſt. So far from being Chriſtian, that they walk as men, nay they have put off man in exchange for Wolves, Panthers, and Tigers, nay worſe then Wild Beaſts, who are not Beaſt enough to devoure thoſe of their own kind, as Eraſmus obſerves. So Act as if they had made a ſolemn Covernant with Hell and Death. Let theſe daily examples from the Father of malice provoke you to love and good workes, to follow God who is love, and to walk in love as Chriſt alſo hath loved us. It will be hereafter a great rejoycing to my Spirit, to ſee you have thus learned Chriſt, live in love and peace, and the God of love and peace ſhall be with you.

There are many more branches of this fear of God, every Religious Performance is a part of it, that of prayer eſpecially, as beneficial to the • oule as the reſt. But I have not long ago treated of it, and cannot ſtand now to make it out. I have already tyred you with Pre • ching that, I ſhould rather have prayed for you, that God would plant his fear in the hearts of every one of you. I have but two words more to ſpeak in relation to 2. extreams or rocks, upon which this fear of God may be in danger to be ſpſits, and I ſhall give them you by way of Caution.

Firſt in the defect, beware of carnal ſecurity in ſin, promiſing your ſelves mercy and impunity, upon falſe and empty bottoms, bleſſing your ſelves in your hearts, Deutr 27.19. till your iniquity be found hateful, it will bring you at laſt to that dead and dedolent diſpoſition of Spirit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Eph. 4.11. that being paſt feeling, ye ſhall work all uncleanneſſe with greedineſſe, if wee ſhall thus out dare God in his threatnings, and like that Behemoth, eſteem thoſe iron weapons as ſtraw, or as they ſay of the old Italians, ſhoot off our great Ordnance, and Ring our bells, to drown the noiſe of Heaven's thunder, if wee thus preſume, Deut. 29.20. God will not ſpare us, but the anger of the Lord and his jealouſy ſhall ſmoake againſt us, &c. remember that ſaying Eccl. 8.12. Though a Sinner do evil an hundred times, and his dayes be prolonged, yet ſurely it ſhall bee well with them that ſeare the Lord. This is a dangerous and common rock, upon which many a poor ſoul ſplits it ſelf, and the more common it is, the more let it bee your care to avoid it.

The other is in the exceſſe, and that is a ſervile infernal fear of God as a Judge or Tyrant, whence ariſe in the ſoul hard thoughts of God, Quos mctacule odcrint. hatred of him, a ſecret riſing up againſt him, a wiſhing there were no God, and the like. This is that great Engine wherewith Satan labours to batter our faith, when he cannot robb you of grace, and make you wicked, he will endeavour to robb you of comfort and bring you to deſpaire, make you miſerable. Hee will aſſault you with doubts and feares, touching your Election, converſion, adoption, perſeverance, with the greatneſſe and number of your ſins, with the Curſe and horror of the Law, the Majeſty and Juſtice of an offended God, who is a conſuming fire. In all theſe and ſuch like temptations, let your eyes ever be fixed upon Chriſt and his blood, the ſatisfaction given to the Juſtice of God by his death, that redemption from the Curſe of the Law, himſelf being made a curſe for us; then will your ſouls ſay, Let the Lord live; then will your deſires be to the remembrance of his name; then will your hearts love him, and ſay, I will ſing unto the Lord becauſe he hath dealt bountifully with me, Pſalm 23.6. This is the foundation againſt which the Gates of Hell ſhall not prevail, when there is no light nor iſſue, nor poſſibility to eſdape, here will a doo, of deliverance flie open to you. Remember this alſo, I pray you, if once you come to ſlight or undervalue this great mercy to tread under foot the Son of God, there remains no more, no other ſacrifice for you; you may as much offend God by deſpairing, as by preſuming of his mercy, Heb. 10.29 both are deſtructive to the true fear of God: lay theſe things up in your hearts, the Lord of his mercy bleſſe them to you.

To all you that thus fear the Lord, Mal. 4.2. ſhall the Sun of righteouſneſſe ariſe with healing under his wings, joy in that day when all the Elect ſhall behold their King and Redeemer in his Majeſty and Glory. For all thoſe that thus fear the Lord, there is a book of remembrance written: It is ſaid of Tamerlane the Scythian, that he had alwaies by him a Catalogue of the names and good deſerts of his ſervants, which he dayly peruſed, and whom he duly rewarded; Mal. 3.16. how much more ſhal the Lord, who bottles up the tears of his people, puts their Prayers as upon the File, and records all their devotions. All thoſe that thus fear the Lord, he will own in that day when he makes up his Jewels, makes them up for himſelf, and takes them away from the miſuſages and malignities of the World. When one deſired to ſee Alexanders Treaſure, ſhew him (ſaid he to his Servant) not my Gold or Monies, Plate or Jewels, but my friends: Henceforth, ſays Chriſt, I call you not ſervants, but friends, John 15.15. Theſe are Gods Jewels, his deareſt friends, his chief Treaſure; none can plunder or pluck them out of his hands: They are called, the dearly beloved of his Soul, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Jer. 12.7. the LXX read it, his dearly beloved Soul, noting Gods Saints to be as dear to him, as a mans life or his Soul is: All theſe, and theſe only, wil the Lord pity and ſpare at that day, as a father ſpareth his own ſon that ſerveth him.

I have now done both with the Text and the Times; I have preſented you with a New-years-gift of an ineſtimable value and worth, All I require from you is but this, That I may ſee you wear it; that as great Perſonages are known by their Rings and rich Jewels; ſo you may be by the fear of the Lord: This Ring truly worn, will ſeal to your ſouls aſſurance of ſalvation in this life, and be to every one of you at your death a wedding Ring to marry you to the Lamb for evermore: Your tears at this time ſufficiently witneſſe, how ſadly you receive it from my hands; God wil I hope put your tears into his bottle; and that Fountain which he hath opened in your eys this day, ſhall ſwell into Rivers of comfort and ſalvation at that day, when God ſhall wipe away all tears from your eys: All I can do, is to pray for you, ſince I muſt no longer Preach to you; I pray God bleſſe his Church; I pray God bleſſe you all, and that God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jeſus, that great Shepheard of the ſheep, through the blood of the everlaſting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well pleaſing in his ſight, through Jeſus Chriſt, to whom be glory, and honour, now, and evermore.

FINIS.