23. Mr. Brooks Farewell Sermon

23. Mr. Brooks Farewell Sermon
"All that I shall do, shall be to answer two or three Queries, and then I shall leave a few Legacies with you, that may speak when I am not advantaged to speak to you."
The first Query is this; What should be the reason that men make such opposition against the Gospel, against the plain, powerful, conscientious preaching of it? This is not the principal thing that I intend, and therefore I shall only touch upon the reason of it.
1. Mens hatred and opposition ariseth against the Gospel, because it doth discover their hidden works of darkness, John 3. They hate the Light, lest their deeds should be removed: the Gospel brings their deeds of darkness to light: and this stirs up a spirit of hatred and opposition against the Gospel.
2. Ground is this; Because sinners under the Gospel cannot sin at so cheap a rate, as otherwise they might do. The Drunkard cannot be drunk at so cheap a rate; nor can the opposer and persecutor oppose and persecute at so cheap a rate as they might do, where the Gospel doth not shine in power and glory.
3. Because the Gospel puts persons upon very hard service, upon very difficult work; pulling out a right eye, cutting off a right hand, offering up an Isaac, throwing over board a Jonas, parting with Bosom Lusts, and darling sins. Herod heard John Baptist gladly, till he came to touch his Herodias, and then off goes his head. As they say, John 6. This is a hard saying, and who can abide it? and from that time they walked no more with him; this is a hard Gospel indeed, and at this their blood riseth.
4. Because of the differing and distinguishing work that the Gospel makes among the Sons of men, it softens one, and hardens another that sits next to him; enlightens one, and strikes the other blind; it wins on one, and enrageth another. The same Sun hath different effects on the Objects on which it shines. The Gospel puts a difference between the precious and the vile, and this the vile cannot bear. It was never good dayes (say they) since such and such must be Saints, and none else; we have as good hearts as any, and this enrageth them.
Lastly, it is from Satan; Satan knows that the very tendency of the Gospel is, to shake his Kingdom about his ears; Satan and Antichrist know that their Kingdom must down by the power and light of the Gospel; and therefore Satan and men of an Antichristian spirit, do all they can to oppose, and shew their hatred against the everlasting Gospel; and this makes them to be in such a rage against the Gospel.
Quer. 2. When the Gospel goes from a People, what goes? I shall give but a touch here.
1. When the Gospel goes, Peace, Plenty, and Trading goes. 2 Chron. 15:3, 5. and 6. compared. Now for a long season Israel had been without the true God, and without a teaching-Priest. Why? They had Priests, but they were Jeroboam's Priests, as you may see, chap. 13. verse 9. Have you not cast out the Priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you Priests after the manner of the Nations of other Lands? so that whosoever comes to consecrate himself with a young Bullock, and seven Rams, the same may be a Priest of them that are no gods. A little business will buy a Priesthood, and so they are said to be without the true God, without a teaching-Priest, and without Law. Mark what followes, and in those times, there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Country; and Nation was destroyed of Nation, and City of City, for God did vex them with all adversity.
3. Safety and security goes, when the Gospel goes; so in the Text but now cited. The Ark was taken away, their strength and safety was gone. When the Jews rejected the Gospel, the Romans came and took away both their place and Nation, John 11:48, If we let him thus alone the Romans will come, and take away both our place and Nation. About forty years after, Titus and Vespasian took away their City; they cried, if we let this man alone, the Romans will take away our Nation; and this was the ready way to bring the Romans upon them.
4. When the Gospel goes, Civil liberty goes; when the Jews slighted the Gospel; and turned their backs upon it, they quickly became Bond slaves to the Romans.
5. When the Gospel goes, the honour and glory, splendour and beauty of a Nation goes. It is the Gospel that is the honour and beauty of a Nation; and when that goes, all the glory goes: As old Eli said, when the Ark was taken away, the glory was departed from Israel, 1 Samuel 4:22, Jeremiah 2:11-13. Hath a Nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit; that is, the Worship of God into the Traditions of men. What is it that lifts up one Nation above another, but the Gospel? Above all Nations of the Earth, England hath been lifted up to Heaven.
6. When the Gospel goes, all soul-happiness and blessedness goes. The Gospel, you know, is the means appointed by God to bring Souls to an acquaintance with Christ, to an acceptance of Christ, to an interest in Christ, to an assurance that he is theirs, and they are his. Now when this goes, all soul-happiness and blessedness goes.
7. When the Gospel goes, the spiritual presense of God goes, for that still goes with the Gospel. There is a general presense of God, as the Psalmist speaks, Psalms 139. Where shall I go from thy Spirit? Whither shall I fly from thy presense? This presense of God reacheth from Heaven to Hell; in that sense God is included in no place, nor excluded out of any place. But alas! What is this general presense? When the Gospel goes, the special presense of God goes. This leads me by the hand to the third Query.
Query 3. And that is this; Whether God will remove the Gospel from England, or no?
It is the fear of many, but I humbly suppose, no: whatsoever darkness may be upon it, yet that God will not remove it; if you please, I will offer a few things that signifie something as to my own satisfaction, and it may be so to you.
1. The rooting that it hath got in the hearts of sinners and Saints, in the Judgment, Affections, and Consciences both of sinners and Saints. Certainly, it hath got so deep a root in the hearts of many thousands of Saints and sinners, that it shall not be in the power of Hell to raze it out.
2. The glorious anointings that are to be found upon many thousands of Gods servants in this Nation, to preach the everlasting Gospel, and who would be glad to preach upon the hardest terms, keeping God and a good conscience, to preach it freely, as the Apostles of old did. And certainly, God hath not laid in the Treasure, that it should be turned into a heap of confusion, but that it should serve to the end for which he laid it in.
3. The ineffectualness of all former attempts and designs to destroy the Gospel. You know what endeavours of old there hath been to darken this Sun, to put out the light of Heaven, in the Marian dayes, and in other dayes since them; and yet it hath not been in Prisons, Backs, Flames, Pillories, nor anything else to extinguish the glory of it. And then,
4. All Designs and Attempts to extinguish the everlasting Gospel, have turned to the advancement, flourishing, and spreading of the Gospel.
5. God never takes away the Gospel from a people, till the body of that people have thrust the everlasting Gospel from them. When, indeed, they have been so bold, as to thrust away the everlasting Gospel, God hath been severe unto them: But till the body of a people have thrust away the everlasting Gospel, God hath not taken it away from them, 2 Chronicles, the 36. Chapter, from the 15th verse to the end, God sent his Messengers early and late; they abused, slighted and scorned them, till there was no remedy. So in the 35. of Jeremiah, from the first to the twelfth; it is a famous Text for this. So in the thirteenth Chapter of the Acts, and the 45, 46, and 47. verses (Acts 13:45-47); Because you have thought your selves unworthy of Salvation, Lo, we turn to the Gentiles; till the Jews came to thrust away the everlasting Gospel, the Lord continued it to them.
6. The spreading of the everlasting Gospel, is the special means appointed by God, for the destruction of Antichrist: First he is to be consumed by the spirit of his Mouth, then destroyed by the brightness of his coming; the spirit of Faith and prayer in them that would be willing to lay down anything rather than part with the Gospel, God will not put his blessed Church to the blush, he will not make them ashamed of their confidence.
7. Are there not multitudes of the Children of Believers that fall under many promises? And will not God make good his engagements to them? I will circumcise your hearts, and the hearts of your seed; and the seed of the Upright shall be blessed, &c.
8. The strange and wonderful affections and tenderness, that God hath wrought in his children to the Gospel: What melting's and mourning's, and what a spirit of prayer hath God put upon his people?
9. There are many young tender plants and buds of Grace; such in whom the spirit of God hath stirred a hungering and thirsting, and longing after the great concernments of Eternity. I would, upon these grounds, and others of the like import, hope and believe, that the Lord will not remove his everlasting Gospel, however he may correct his people for their trifling with, and slighting the glorious Gospel. I have several times thought, what a day of darkness was upon the World, in respect of sin and superstition: When Christ brought the everlasting Gospel, what a day of darkness and superstition was on the whole Earth? But you know what the Apostle speaks, 1 Corinthians 1:21. For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God; it pleased God, by the foolishness of Preaching, to save them that believe.
When it is nearest day, then it is darkest. There may be an hour of darkness, that may be upon the Gospel, as to its liberty, purity and glory; and yet there may be a Sun-shining day, ready to tread on the heels of it. And so much for the resolution of these Queries.
I shall proceed, as I said, and leave some Legacies with you; which may, by the finger of the Spirit, be made advantagious to you, when we are not advantaged to speak unto you.
Leg. 1. The first Legacy I would leave with you shall be this, secure your interest in Christ; make it your great business, your work; your heaven, to secure your interest in Christ. This is not an Age, an Hour, for a man to be between fears and hopes, between doubting and believing.
Take not up in a name to live, when you are dead God-ward, and Christ-ward. Take not up in an outward form, and outward privileges. They cryed, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, that had no interest in, or love to the Lord of the Temple. Follow God, leave no means un-attempted, whereby your blessed interest may be cleared up.
Leg. 2. Make Christ and Scripture the only foundation for your souls and faith to build on: as the Apostle said, 1 Corinthians 3:11. Other foundations can no man lay than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ. Isaiah 28:16. Behold, I lay in Sion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a corner stone, a precious stone, a sure foundation, Ephesians 2:10. Since it is a very dangerous thing, as much as your soul and eternity is worth for you to build on this authority, and that; on this saying, and that; take heed.
Leg. 3. In all places and company, be sure to carry your soul-preservatives with you: go into no place nor company, except you carry your soul-preservatives with you; that is, holy care and wisdom. You know in infectious times men will carry outward preservatives with them; you have need to carry your preservatives about you; else you would be in danger of being infected with the ill customs and vanities of the time wherein you live; and that is a third.
Leg. 4. I would leave with you, is this; Look that all within you rise higher and higher, by oppositions, threatnings, and sufferings; that is, that your faith, your love, your courage, your zeal, your resolutions, and magnanimity rise higher by opposition, and the spirit of Prayer: thus it did, Acts 4:18-21; Acts 4:29-31. compared. All their sufferings did but raise up a more noble spirit in them; they did but raise up their faith and courage: So Acts 5:40-42. they looked on it as a grace, to be disgraced for Christ; and as an honor, to be dishonored for him. They say, as David, If this be to be vile, I will be more vile. If to be found in the way of my God, to act for my God, be vile, I will be more vile.
Leg. 5. Take more pains, and make more conscience of keeping your selves from sin than suffering; from the pollutions and defilements of the day, than from the sufferings of the day: this Legacy I would beg that you would consider, take more pains, and make more conscience of keeping your selves from the evil of sin, than the evil of punishment, from the pollutions and corruptions of the times, Acts 2:40. Save your selves from this outward generation. Php_2:15. The children of God must be harmless, and blameless, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Hebrews 11. speaks full to the point in hand. Revelation 3:4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, that have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. White was the habit of the Nobles, which imports the honour that God will put on those, that keep their garments pure in a defiling day, Revelation 8:4. And I heard another voyce from Heaven, saying, come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. If you will be tasting and sipping at Babylons cup, you must resolve to receive more or less of Babylons plagues.
Leg. 6. I would leave with you, is this, be always doing, or receiving good: Our Lord and Master went up and down in this world doing good, be was still doing good to body and soul, he was acted by an untired power; he still doing or receiving good; this will make your lives comfortable, your deaths happy; and your accompt glorious in the great day of the Lord. Oh how useless are many men in their generation! Oh that our lips might be as so many Honey-combs, what we might scatter knowledge!
Leg. 7. I would leave with you, is this; Set the highest examples and patterns before your face of grace and godliness for your imitation: in the business of Faith, set an Abraham before your eyes: in the business of Courage, set a Joshua: in the business of Uprightness, set a Job; of Meekness, a Moses, &c. There is a disadvantage that redounds to Christians, by looking more backwards than forwards. Men look on whom they excel, not on those they fall short of. Of all examples set them before you that are most eminent for grace and holiness, for communion with God, and acting for God: next to Christ, set the pattern of the choicest Saints before you.
Leg. 8. Hold fast your integrity, and rather let all go, than let that go: A man had better let liberty, estate, relations, and life go, than let his integrity go; yea, let all Ordinances themselves go, when they cannot be held with the hand of integrity, Job 27:5-6. God forbid that I should justifie you till I die; I will not remove my integrity from me, my righteousness I will hold fast, and I will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live: look as the drowning man holds fast that which is cast forth for to save him; as the Soldier holds fast his Sword and Buckler, on which his life depends: So (saith Job) I will hold fast my integrity, my heart shall not reproach me; I had rather all the world should reproach me, and my heart justifie me; than that my heart should reproach me, and all the world justifie me: That man will make but a sad exchange, that shall exchange his integrity for any worldly concernment: Integrity maintained in the soul, will be a feast of fat things in the worst of days; but let a man lose his integrity, and it is not in the power of all the world to make a feast of sat things in that soul.
Leg. 9. That I would leave with you, is this, let not a day pass over your head, without calling the whole man to an exact accompt. Well, where have you been acting today, Hands? what have you done for God to day, Tongue? what have you spoke for God to day? This will be an advantage many ways unto you: but I can only touch on these Legacies.
Leg. 10. Labour mightily for a healing spirit. This Legacy I would leave with you as matter of great concernment. Labour mightily for a healing spirit: away with all discriminating names what-ever, that may hinder the applying of Balm to heal our wounds: labour for a healing spirit; discord and division becomes no Christian. For Wolves to worry the Lambs, is no wonder: but for one Lamb to worry another, this is unnatural and monstrous. God hath made his wrath to smoak against us for the divisions and heart-burnings that have been amongst us. Labour for an oneness in love and affection with every one that is one with Christ, let their forms be what they will: that which wins most upon Christs heart, should win most upon ours; and that is his own grace and holiness. The question should be, What of the Father? What of the Son? What of the Spirit shines in this or that person? and accordingly let your love and your affection run out: this is the tenth Legacy.
Leg. 11. Be most in the spiritual exercises of Religion. Improve this Legacy; for much of the life, and comfort, joy, and peace of your souls is wrapt in it. I say, be most in the spiritual exercises of Religion: There are external exercises, as hearing, preaching, praying, and conference; and there are the more spiritual exercises of Religion, exercises of Grace, Meditation, Self-judging, Self-tryal, and Examination. Bodily exercise will profit nothing, if abstracted from those more spiritual. The glory that God hath, and the comfort and advantage that will redound to your souls, is mostly from the spiritual exercises of Religion. How rare is it to finde men in the work of Meditation, of Tryal and Examination, and bringing home of truths to their own Soul?
Leg. 12. Take no truths upon trust, but all upon trial, Thes. 5:21. So 1 John 4:1, Acts 17:11. It was the glory of that Church, that they would not trust Paul himself. Paul that had the advantage above all for external qualifications; no not Paul himself. Take no truth upon trust, bring them to the balance of the Sanctuary; if they will not hold water there, reject them.
Leg. 13. The lesser and fewer opportunities and advantages you have in publick, to better, and enrich your Souls, the more abundantly address your selves to God in private. Malachi 3:16-17. Then they that feared the Lord, spoke often one to another, &c.
Leg. 14. Walk in those ways that are directly cross and contrary to the vain, sinful, and superstitious ways, that men of a formal, carnal, lukewarm spirit, walk in; this is the great concernment of Christians. But more of that by and by.
Leg. 15. Look upon all the things of this World, as you will upon them when you come to die. At what a poor rate do men look on the things of this world when they come to die? What a low value do men set upon the pomp and glory of it? Men may now put a mark upon them, but then they will appear in their own colours. Men would not venture the loss of such great things for them, did they but look on them now, as they will do at the last day.
Leg. 16. Never put off your Consciences with any plea, or with any argument, that you dare not stand by in the great day of your account. It's dreadful to consider, how many in these dayes put off their conscience. We did this and that for our families, they would have else perished: I have complied thus, and wronged my conscience thus, for this and that concernment. Will a man stand by this argument, when he comes before Jesus Christ at the last day? Because of the Souls of men, many plead this or that. Christ doth not stand in need of indirect wayes to save Souls, he hath ways enough to bring in Souls to himself.
Leg. 17. Eye more, mind more, and lay to heart more, the Spiritual and Internal workings of God in your Souls, than the External Providences of God in the World. Beloved, GOD looks that we should consider the operations of his hand; and the despising the works of his hands is so provoking to him, that he threatens them to lead them into Captivity, for not considering of them. But above all, look to the work that God is carrying on in your Souls: not a Soul, but he is carrying on some work or other in it, either blinding or enlightning, bettering or worsening; and therefore look to what God is doing in thy Soul. All the motions of God within you are steps to eternity, and every soul shall be bless'd or curss'd, saved or lost, to all eternity; not according to outward dispensation, but according to the inward operations of God in your Souls. Observe, what humbling work, reforming work, sanctifying work, he is about in thy spirit, what he is doing in that little world within. If God should carry on never so glorious a work in the world, as a Conquest of Nations to Christ; what would it advantage thee, if Sin, Satan, and the World should triumph in thy Soul, and carry the day there?
Leg. 18. Look as well on the bright side, as on the dark side of the Cloud; on the bright side of Providence, as well as on the dark side of Providence. Beloved, there is a great weakness amongst Christians, they do so pore on the black side of Providence, as that they have no heart to consider of the bright side. If you look on this black side of the Providence of God to Joseph, how terrible and amazing was it? But if you look on the bright side, his fourscore years reign; How glorious was it? If you look on the dark side of the Providence of God to David, in his first years banishment, much will arise to startle you; but if you turn to the bright side, his forty years reign in glory, How amiable was it? Look on the dark side of the Providence of God to Job; Oh! how terrible was it, in the first of Job? but compare this with the last of Job, where you have the bright side of the cloud, and there God doubles all his mercies to him. Consider the patience of Job, and the end that the Lord made with him: do not remember the beginning only, for that was the dark side; but turn to the end of him, and there was his bright side. Many sins, many temptations, and much affliction would be prevented by Christians, looking on the bright side of Providence, as well as on the dark.
Leg. 19. Keep up precious thoughts of God under the sowrest, sharpest, and severest Dispensations of God to you, Psalms 22:1-3. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not, and in the night season, and am not silent; There was the Psalmist under smart dispensations: but, what precious thoughts hath he of God under all? But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praise of Israel: though I am thus and thus afflicted, yet thou art holy. Psalms 65:5. By terrible things in Righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation.
Leg. 20. Hold on, and hold out in the ways of well-doing, in the want of all outward encouragements, and in the face of all outward discouragements. It's nothing to hold out, when we meet with nothing but encouragements; but to hold out in the face of all discouragements is a Christian duty, Psalms 44. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death; yet have we not dealt falsly in thy Covenant; our heart is not turned back, neither have we declined from thy ways; 'tis perseverance that crowns all. Be thou faithful to the death, and I will give thee a Crown of life, Revelation 2:10. And he that endureth to the end shall be saved, Matthew 24. It's perseverence in well-doing that crowns all our actions. If you have begun in the Spirit, do not end in the flesh: do not go away from the Captain of your salvation; follow the Lamb, though others follow the Beast and the false Prophet.
Leg. 21. In all your natural, civil, and religious Actions, let divine glory still rest in your souls, Romans 7:8, 1 Corinthians 10, 11. In all your hearing, in all your prayings, let the glory of Christ carry it: in all your Closet-duties, let the glory of Christ lye nearest your hearts.
Leg. 22. Record all special favours, mercies, providences, and experiences. 'Tis true, a man should do nothing else, should he record all the favours and experiences of God towards him; and therefore my Legacy is, Record all special favours, peculiar experiences. Little do you know the advantage, that will redound to your souls upon this account, by recording all the experiences of the shinings of his face, of the leadings of his Spirit; many a Christian loseth much by neglecting this duty.
Leg. 23. Never enter upon the trial of your estate, but when your hearts are at the best, and in the fittest temper. 'Tis a great desire of Satan, when the Soul is deserted and strangely afflicted, to put the Soul on trying work: Come see what thou art worth for another world, what thou hast to shew for a better state, for an interest in Christ, a title for Heaven: this is not a time to be about this work: thy work is to get off from this temptation, and therefore to pray and believe, and wait upon God, and be found in all those ways, whereby thou mayst get off the temptation.
Leg. 24. Always make the Scripture, (and not your selves, nor your carnal reason, nor your bare opinion) the Judges of your spiritual state and condition. I cannot see my condition to be good. I cannot perceive it. What? must your sense, and your carnal reason be the Judge of your spiritual state? Isaiah 8:20. To the Law, and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to his rule, it is because there is no light, no morning in them. John 12:24. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge you at the last day: The Scripture is that which must determine the case in the great Day: whether you have grace or no, or whether it be true or no.
Leg. 25. Make much conscience of making good the terms on which you closed with Christ: You know the terms, How that you would deny your selves, take up his Cross, and follow the Lamb wheresoever he should go: Now you are put to take up the Cross, to deny your selves, to follow the Land over Hedge and Ditch, through thick and thin, do not turn your backs on Christ: the worst of Christ is better than the best of the world: make conscience of making good your terms, to deny yourself, your natural self, your sinful self, your religious self; and to follow him: and if you do so, oh! what an honour will it be to Christ, and advantage to your selves, and a joy to the upright!
Leg. 26. Walk by no rule but such as you dare die by, and stand by in the great day of Jesus Christ. You may have many ways prescribed to worship by: but walk by none but such as you dare die by, and stand by, before Christ Jesus: walk not by a multitude, for who dare stand by that rule, when he comes to die?
Make not the example of great men a rule to go by: for who dare die by, and stand by this, in the great day of account? Do not make any authority, that stands in opposition to the authority of Christ, a rule to walk by: for who dare stand by this, before Jesus Christ? Ah! Sirs, walk by no rule, but what you dare die by, and stand by, at the great Day.
Leg. 27. And lastly, sit down, and rejoyce with fear, Psalms 1. Let the righteous rejoyce, but let them rejoyce with fear: Rejoyce, that God hath done your souls good by the everlasting Gospel: that he did not leave you till he brought you to an acceptance of, to a closing with, and a resignation of your souls to Christ, and the clearing up of your interest in him. Rejoyce, that you have had the everlasting Gospel in so much light, purity, power, and glory, as you have had for many years together. Rejoyce in the riches of grace, that hath carried it in such a way towards you. And weep that you have provoked God to take away the Gospel, that you have no more improved it, that you have so neglected the seasons and opportunities of enriching your souls. When you should have come to Church-fellowship, anything would turn you out of the way. Oh! sit down and tremble under your barrenness, under all your leanness: notwithstanding all the cost and charge that God hath been at, that you have grown no more into communion with God, and conformity to God, and into the lively hope of the everlasting fruition of God. Here are your Legacies, and the Lord make them to work in your Souls, and then they will be of singular use to you, to preserve you so, that you may give up your account before the great and glorious God with joy. Labour to make conscience of putting these Legacies into practice, of sucking at these breasts, which will be of use to us, till we shall be gathered up into the fruition of God, where we shall need no more Ordinances, no more preaching, or praying.