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 3(ith chapter and the 15th verse to the end, God sent his messengers early and late; they abused, and slighted, and scorned them, till there was no remedy. So in the 35th of Jeremiah from the 1st to the 12th; it is a famous text for this. So in the 13th chapter of the Acts and the 45th, 4Gth, and 47th verses, ' Because you have thought yourselves 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 Avilling 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 con- fidence.
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 meltings and mourn- ings, 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 an hungering, thirsting, and long- ing after the great concerments of eternity. I would, upon these grounds, with 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, 2 Cor. i. 2J, ' 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 c-lory; and yet there may be a sunshining day ready to tread on the heels of it. And so much for the resolution of those queries.
I shall proceed, as I said, and leave some legacies with you, which may, by the finger of the Spirit, be made advantageous to you, whom we are not advantaged to speak unto you.
Legacy 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.
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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 privilege. They cried out, ' 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 unattempted 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 saith, 1 Cor. iii. 11, ' Other foun- dations can no man lay than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ.' Isa. xxviii. 6, ' Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a corner stone, a precious stone, a sure foundation,' Eph. ii. 10. Since it is a very dangerous thing, as much as your souls and eternity is worth, for you to build on anything beside Jesus Christ, many will say, Come, build on this authority and that, on this saying and that ; but take heed.
Leg. 3. In all places and company, be sure to carry your soul pre- servative with you : go into no place or company, except you carry your soul preservations with you, that is, a holy care and wisdom. You know, in infectious times, men will carry outward preservatives with them ; you had need to carry your preservatives about you, else you will be in danger of being infected with the ill customs and vanities of the times wherein you live, and that is a third.
Leg. 4. I would leave with you is this : Look that all within you rises higher and higher, by oppositions, threatenings and sufferings, that is, that your faith, your love, your courage, your zeal, your resolu- tions, and magnanimity rises higher by opposition and a spirit of prayer. Thus it did, Acts iv. 18-21, 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 v. 40-42, they looked on it as a grace to be disgraced for Christ, and as an honour to be dishonoured 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, to 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 yourselves from the evil of sin than the evil of punishment, from the pollutions and corruptions of the times than the sufferings of the times : Acts ii. 40, ' Save yourselves from this untoward generation.' Philip, ii. 15, 'The children of God must be harmless and blameless, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.' Heb. xi. speaks full to the point in hand. Rev. iii. 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 nobles, which imports the honour that God will put on those that keep their garments pure in a defiling day. Rev. xviii. 4, ' And I heard another voice 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 Babylon's cup, you must resolve to receive more or less of Babylon's plagues.
Ixiv APPENDIX TO MEMOIR.