A PASTOR'S LOVE Expressed to a Loving People In a Farewell SERMON PREACHED At Stephens Walbrook, London. August 17. 1662.  
By Mr. THO. WATSON.  Acts 20. 38. Sorrowing most of all for the words that he spoke, that they should see his face no more. 
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1662.   

To the Reader.  
Christian Reader,  
HEre is presented to thy view, the last Sermon of Mr. Thomas Watson that he Preached to his loving and beloved people of Stephens Walbrook: the Reverend Author having no knowledge of its publication, I hope will be sufficient Apology for the Disparity that is in it from his other Works, it being not published by the same pen, nor adorned with Marginal Quotations suitable to his other Sermons, thou canst not but know there is great difference between preparing Sermons for the Pulpit, and for the Press, the wisest Master Builder sees it sometime expedient to beat often upon one and the same truth, that they may nail them not only to the ears. but the hearts of their Auditors, and therefore wonder not if thou meetest with any thing that may look like a Tautology, since I would rather be guilty of that then to take my own judgement for leaving out any thing delivered, I should be sorry, if the publication of this Sermon, which was intended for the satisfaction of all, should prove to the dissatisfaction of any, however I hope thou wilt be so candid to lay any fault in Printing or the like at the publishers door, not at the Preachers. I have but one request more, and that is, that the Reader would propound as honestends to himself, in reading it, as I did in transcribing of it, in so doing I shall be satisfied, and he will be edified,  
Thy Friend and Servant. R. M.   
2 Cor. 7. Chap. part of the 1. verse. Having therefore these promises, dearly Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves. 
IT is the Title I intent by the help of God to insist upon, this sweet Parenthasis in the Text (my dearly Beloved) wherein you have the Apostle breathing out his affections to his people; he speaks now as a Pastor, and to them as his spiritual Children, my dearly beloved. First, here is the Title, my Beloved; secondly, the Exhortation to holiness, let us cleanse ourselves; thirdly, the means how we should be cleansed and sanctified, having these promises; It is the first I intent: the Title the Apostle gives to the Corinthians, his people, his Children, his dear beloved.  
Doct. That the affections of a right Gospel Minister to his people, are very strong and ardent.  
There are two things in every Minister of Christ that are much exercised; his Head, and his Heart; his Head with labour, and his heart with love.  
1. His head with labour, the work of a Minister if done aright, is a work fitter for Angels then for Men. It is our work to open the Oracles of God, even these sacred and profound things, that the Angels search into. If God did not help us, we might soon sink under the weight of such a burden.  
2. As a Minister's Head is exercised with labour, so his Heart with love, and Its hard to say which of these two exceed, so it is in the Text, dearly Beloved.  
In these words we have St. Paul laying siege to these Corinthians, and labouring to make a happy Victory, to conquer them with kindness.  
St. Paul's heart was a spring of love, his lips were the pipes, the Corinthians were the Cistern in the which this spring did run. This holy Apostle was a mirror or pattern of love; to the sinning Corinthians, Paul's Tears did drop; to the praying Corinthians, his love did burn; holy Paul he was a Ceraphim, his heart did burn in flaming affections to his people, how many appelations do we find scattered in his Epistles, that are witness of his love, he tells his people to whom he sometimes wrote, sometimes preached, 2 Cor. 12. 14. I seek not yours, but you; he looked more after their souls, then after their silver; as a tender Nurse cherrisheth her Child with her breast, so did Paul cherish his people with the breast Milk of the word, 1 Thes. 2. 7. we were willing to impart to you our own souls, because you were dear to us, this man of God did not only Preach his Sermons to his people, but would part with his own soul to them; such was Paul's affection to his people, that without a compliment he loved them more than his life, Phil. 2. 17. If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all, as if he had said, if it be so that my blood be poured out as a sacrifice, and my death any way serviceable to you, if it may help forward the strength and comfort of your faith, I am willing to die; I rejoice to do it. So full of affection and bowels was this Apostle, that he could not choose but love his people, although the more he loved them, the less he should be beloved, 2 Cor. 12. 15. O how did Paul sweeten all his Sermons with love; If he reproved sin he was angry in love, he dipped the Pill in Sugar, Gal. 4. 9, 10. how turn you again to the weak and beggarly Elements— You observe Days and Monets and times, I am afraid of you; and see here how he chides their sins, and at the same time courts their souls; no sooner doth he launce the wound, but presently he pours in Wine and Oil into the wound, so well did Paul love his people, that he would not justly give any offence to the weakest beleiver, 1 Cor. 8. 13. If meat make my Brother to offend, I will never eat meat while the World standeth, St. Paul was like some tender Mother, who forbeareth to eat those meats she might, for fear of hurting the Child she giveth suck to; thus you see he was a spiritual Father made up of love.  
And surely Beloved, this affection in some degree is in every true Minister of Christ (they are full of sympathy and bowels, over whom the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers.)  
There are reasons (which I will but glance at) first, why it will be thus, and secondly, why it should be thus. First, It will be thus for two reasons.  
First, From that principle within, which teacheth love, grace doth not fire the heart with passion, but with compassion; grace in the heart of a Minister files off that ruggedness that is upon his spirit, and makes him lovely and courteous: Paul he once breathed out persecution, but when grace came, this Bramble was turned into a spiritual Vine, twisting himself about the souls of his people with loving embraces.  
Secondly, From that spiritual relation that is between him and his people, he is a spiritual Father, and shall we think him to be without bowels, 1 Cor. 10. 15. Though you have ten thousand instructers, yet have you not many Fathers, for I have begottten you through the Gospel; some he begat to Christ, others he built up in Christ; doth not a Father provide carefully for his child, can a Father see the bread taken from his child, and will not his heart be affected. Is it not a grief to a parent to see his child put to suck to a dry Nurse?  
Secondly, There should be this ardent love in every Minister for this reason; Because this is the most likeliest way to do most good, knotty and stubborn hearts will soon be wrote on by kindness; fire doth melt the hardest mettle, and the fire of love by God's blessing, is able to melt the obdurate sinner; a Barnabas or son of consolation, who comes in a spirit of meekness is fittest to do a piece of Gospel Chirurgery, to restore and put such a one in joint again, that is overtaken with a fault, Gal. 6. 1. so much for the Doctrinal part.  

Application in several Inferences.  
First, See here the right character of a Gospel Minister, he is full of love, he exhorts, he comforts, he reproves and all in love; he is never angry with his people but because they will not be saved, O how loath is a Minister of Christ to see precious souls (like so many jewels) cast over board into the dead Sea of Hell? A conscientious Minister would account it an unhappy day if he should gain the world and lose the souls of his people: He saith as the King of Sodom to Abraham, Gen. 14. 21. Give me the persons and take you the goods.  
Secondly, How sad then is it to have such put upon people as have no love to souls? The work of a Minister is a labour of love. O how sad is it to have such in the Ministry who can neither labour nor love? they look more at Tithes then at souls. It must needs be sad with any people in any part of the world who have such Ministers set over them, who do either poison them with error, or destroy them by wicked example. How can the Devil reprove sin? How can that Minister cry out against Drunkenness in his pulpit, who will himself be drunk? Rom. 2. 22. We read that the snuffers of the Tabernacle were to be made of pure gold, Exod. 37. 23. Those that by their calling are to reprove and snuff off the sins of others should be of pure gold, that is holy and spiritual. In the Law God did appoint that the lips of the Leper should be covered, he should not be permitted to speak the o acles of God, who though he be by office an Angel, yet by life a Leper.  
Thirdly, See here the happy condition of that Minister who is settled among such a people as gives him abundant cause to love them, happy is he that can say to his people, in the words of the Apostle, My dearly beloved.  
And here let me speak by way of encouragement to you of this parish. I find St. Paul commending the good he saw in his people, 2 Thes. 1. 3. We are bound to thank God always for you brethren, because your faith grows exceedingly. In imitation of this Apostle let me at this time speak a commendatory word to you; I have exercised my Ministry among you now almost this sixteen years, and I rejoice and bless God, that I cannot say, the more I have loved you the less I am beloved; I have received many signal demonstrations of love from you: though other Parishes exceeded you for number of houses, yet I think not for strength of affection. I have with much comfort observed your reverend attention to the Word preached; you have rejoiced in this light not for a season, but to this day. I have observed your zeal against error, and as much as could be expected in critical times, your unity and amity; this is your honour, and if for the future there should be an interruption made of my Ministry among you, though I should not be permitted to preach to you, yet I shall not cease to love you, and to pray for you.  
But why should there be an interruption made, where is the crime? Some indeed say we are disloyal, we are seditious. Beloved, what my actions and sufferings for his Majesty hath been is not unknown to a few of you; but how ever we must go to heaven through good report and bad report; 'tis well if we can get to glory though we pass through the pikes. I shall endeavour that I may still improve the sincerity of my love. I will not promise that I shall still preach among you, nor will I say that I shall not; I desire to be guided by the guidance of God's Word and his providence, my heart is towards you; you know that expression, than we shall be laid down shortly as if we were naturally dead; and if it must be so, let me leave some Legacies before I go hence. I cannot but give some counsel to your souls, and I hope there is no hurt in this.  
There are Twenty Directions I would leave with you, and I desire you would take notice of them.  
Direction 1. Keep your constant hours every day with God; the godly man is a man set apart, Psa. 4. 3. not only because God hath set him apart by election, but because he sets himself apart by devotion: Give God his hours every day; visit God in the morning before you make any other visit: wind up your hearts to heaven in the morning and they will go the better all day after. O turn your Closets into Temples, read the Scriptures, the two Testaments of the two lips by which God hath spoken to us, these will make us wise to salvation: The Scripture is both a glass to show your spots, and a laver to wash them away; besiege Heaven every day with prayer, thus perfume your houses, and keep a constant intercourse with heaven.  
Direct. 2. Get good Books into your house; when you have not the spring near you, you will get water into your Cisterns; when you have not that wholesome preaching that you were wont to have, good books are the Cisterns to hold the water of life to refresh you. When David's natural heat was taken away they applied warm clothes to him, 1 King. 1. when you find a chillness upon your soul, and that your former heat begins to abate, ply yourselves with warm clothes, get these good Books that may furnish you with such truth as may warm and affect your hearts.  
Direct. 3. Have a care of your company, take heed of having any unnecessary familiarity with sinners. We cannot catch health from one another, but may soon catch a disease: the disease of sin is very catching, Psal. 106. 35. I would be as much afraid to come among wicked men, as I would be to come among them that have the plague. If we cannot make others better, let us have a care they do not make us worse. Lot was a miracle that kept fresh in Sodom's salt waters. Take heed of the occasions of sin; evil company they are an occasion to sin. 'tis observable that the Nazeri●e in the old Law as he might drink no wine, so he was forbid to eat of the grape wherewith the wine was made, Numb. 16. to teach us that evil company is the Devils draw net by which he hath drawn millions to hell. How many in this City has been ruinated in soul and body by evil company, many go from a Playhouse to a whorehouse, and from a Tavern to Tyburn.  
Direct. 4. Have a care who you hear, 'tis our Saviour's caution, Matth. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets. Let me tell you the Devil hath his Ministers as well as Christ, we read in Rev. 12. 15. of a Scrpent casting waters out of his mouth as a flood, that is, as the learned expound it, Satan by his Ministers and Emissaries cast out floods of Arian Doctrine to drown the Church. There are some of that subtlety and wit that have learned the art to mix error and truth together, and to give poison in a golden cup: Take heed whom you hear, and how you hear. Be like those noble Bereans, Act. 17. that searched the Scriptures, your ears must not be like Sponges that sucks in the puddle water, with the purest Wine. But like the Fan that fans out the Chaff, whilst the solid grain abideth; you must do like those in Mat. 13. 48. they gathered the good fish into vessels, and threw way the other. Saints are called Virgins for their wisdom, they will not let every one defile their souls with error; they have a judicious ear, and a critical palate, they can distinguish between truth and error, they can put a difference between meat of Gods sending, and meat of the Devil's cooking.  
Direct. 5. Study sincerity, Psal. 51. 6. thou desirest truth in the inward parts; be what you seem to be; be not like the Waterman, that looks one way and Rows another; do not look Heaven-wards by a profession, and Hellwards by your conversation; do not pretend God, and love sin; counterfeit piety is double iniquity: O let the heart be upright with God; the plainer the Diamond is, the more richer; and the more plainer the heart is, the more doth God valule this Jewel. A little rusty Gold, is far better than a great deal of bright Brass, so a little true grace, though rusted with many infirmities, is better than all the glitterings of hypocrisy, a sincere heart is God's Coin, and he'll give grains of allowance.  
Direct. 6. As you love your souls, be not strangers to yourselves; be much and often in the work of self examination, among all the books you read, turn over the book of your own heart; look into the book of Conscience, and see what is written there, Psal. 77. 6. I common with my own heart, set up a judgement seat in your own souls, examine whether you have grace or no, prove whither you are in the faith; be as much afraid of painted holiness, as you would be of going to a painted Heaven. Do not think yourselves good, because others think so; let the Word be the touchstone by which you try your hearts; let the Word be the looking glass by which you judge the complexion. Of your souls for want of sincerity many that have lived known to others, have died unknown to themselves.  
Direct. 7. Keep your spiritual watch, Mark 13. 37. I say unto all watch, If it were the last word I were to speak, it should be this, Watch, O what need have Christians to be upon their watch, the heart is subtle, it will be stealing out unto vanity, and if we be not careful it will decoy us into sin, we have a special eye on such persons as we do suspect, thy heart is a very suspicious piece, have thy eye still upon it, watch it continually, for it is a bosom Traitor; job set a watch before his eyes, job. 31. 1. we must every day keep Sentinel, do not sleep upon thy guard, our sleeping time is Satan's tempting time, therefore let not thy watch Candle go out.  
Direct. 8. Do you often who are the people of God associate together, Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another. Christ's Doves should flock together; one Christian will help to heat another. One single Coal of Juniper will soon die, but many put together will keep them burning; conference sometimes may do as much good as Preaching▪ one Christian by good discourse, drops the holy Oil into another, and makes the lamp of grace to shine the brighter. It is great wisdom to keep up the trade in a Corporation. Christians by meeting often together and setting good discourse on foot, keeps up the trade of godliness, which else will decay and soon be lost. Is not the Communion of Saints an Article of our Creed? and yet do not many live as if this Article were blotted out. Natura lists have observed the sumpathy of Plants, they say some Plants will grow better when they grow together, as the Vine and the Elm, the Olive and the myrtle; this is true in Religion, Saints who are trees of righteousness, thrive best in godliness, when they grow together.  
Direct. 9 Get your hearts screwed above the World, set your affections on things above, Col. 3. 3. we may see the face of the moon in the Water, but the Moon is fixed above in the firmament; so though a Christian walks here below, yet his heart should be fixed above in Heaven; their is our best kindred, our purest joy, our Mansion house to have our hearts, above is the best and sweetest kind of life; the higher the Bird flies, the sweeter it sings; and the higher the heart is raised above, the sweeter are its joys. The Eagle that flies in the Air, is not stung with the Serpent. Those who have hearts elevated above this lower region of the World, they are not stung with the vexing vanities of the World, but are full of joy and contentment.  
Direction 10. Trade much in promises, the promises are great supports to faith; faith lives on a promise, as the fish lives in the Water; promises are both comforting and quickening, they are the very breasts of the Gospel: As a child by sucking at the breast gets strength, so faith by sucking at the breast of a promise will get strength as the Eagl. Promises are the bladders to keep us from sinking, when we come into the Waters of affliction: They are a sweet cluster of Grapes that grow upon Christ the true Vine; there is no condition we can be in, but there is a promise to it, the promises like manna suits themselves to every Christians palate.  
Direct. 11. Live in a calling: jerom gave this advice to his friend, that he should be always employed, that when the Devil came he might not find him idle; sure I am, the same God that saith remember the seventh day to keep it holy, saith, six days shalt thou labour, the great God never sealed any warrant to idleness; an Idle person is a shame to his profession, 2 Thes. 4. 11. Some we hear work not at all. Solan made a Law that Idleness should be punished, and Cicero saith of an Idle person, that he draweth his breath but doth not live, that is in a calling he is not useful, a good Christian acts within the sphere of a calling.  
Direct. 12. Join the first and second table together; piety towards God, and equity toward your Neighbour. The Apostle hath put these two together in one verse, Tit. 2. 12. that you should live righteously and godlily; righteously that relates to morality, godly that relates to piety and sanctity. Always remember that every commandment hath the same divine stamp and authority as the other have. I would try a moral man by the duties of the first Table, and I would try a Professor by the duties of the second Table, some pretend faith, but they have no works; others have works but they have no faith: Some pretend zeal to God, but they are not just; others are just, but they have not one spark of zeal. I beseech you, if you would go to Heaven, turn both sides of the Table, the first and second Table, join these two, piety and Morality. As we blame the Papists for blotting out the second commandment, let not the Papists blame us for blotting out the second Tables.  
Direct. 13. Join the Serpent and the Dove together, Innocence and prudence, Matth. 10. 16. Be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves; we must have innocence with our wisdom, else our wisdom is but craftiness; and we must have wisdom with our innocency, else our innocency is but weakness; we must have the harmlesness of the dove, that we may not wrong others; and we must have the wisdom of the serpent that others may not abuse and circumvent us: Not to wrong the truth by silence, here is the innocency of the dove; not to betray ourselves by rashness, here is the wisdom of the serpent; O how rare is it to have these two united, the Dove and the Serpent; the Dove without the Serpent is folly, and the Serpent without the Dove is impiety.  
Direct. 14. Be more afraid of sin then of suffering; a man may suffer and yet have the love of God, but cannot sin but presently God is angry; sin eclipses the light of God's face; in suffering, the conscience of a man may be quiet; as when the hail beats upon the tiles, there may be music in the house; so when there is suffering upon the body, there may be that music in the conscience; But when a man fins presumptuously he loses all his peace. Spira when he had abjured his Faith became a terror to himself, he could not endure himself; he protested he thought Cain and judas in Hell did not feel the terror that he felt. He that will commit sin to prevent suffering, is like a man that lets his head be broke to save his helmet.  
Direction 15. Take heed of Idolatry, 1 john 5. 21. Idolatry is an image of Jealousy to provoke God; It breaks the Marriage knot asunder, and makes the Lord disclaim all interest in his people. The popish Religion is not defended by strength of Argument, but by force of Arms. Keep yourselves from Idols, and beware of superstition which is the Gentleman-Usher to Popery.  
Direction 16. Think not the worse of Godliness because it is reproached and persecuted. Wicked men being stirred up by the Devil, do maliciously reproach the ways of God: Such were julian and Lucian. And I observe, though men would be godly on their Deathbeds, yet in the time of their living they revile and hate Godliness. But think not the worse of Religion because it is reproached by the wicked. Suppose a Virgin should be reproached for her Chastity, is Chastity ever the worse? If a blind man should jeer the Sun, the Sun is never the less bright. Godliness is the Angel's glory; and shall we be ashamed of that which makes us like Angels? There is a time coming when the wicked would be glad to have some of that Holiness which they now despise, but they shall then be as far from obtaining it, as they are now from desiring it.  
Direct. 17. Do not think the better of sin because you see it in fashion: Think not the better of impiety because most walk in this crooked way. The multitude is a foolish argument; I say it again, the multitude doth not argue the goodness of a thing. The Devil's name is Legion, which signifies multitude. Hell's road is at this day full of Travellers: Esteem not better of sin because most go this way. The multitude is erroneous saith jerom: The pleading of the multitude will not hold at God's Bar, when God shall ask you, Why did you profane my Sabbaths? why were you drunk? why did you break your oaths? Lord, other men did so? God will say, seeing you have sinned with the multitude, you shall go to Hell with the multitude. I beseech you be tender of your souls, and walk Antipedes with the times; if you be living fish swim against the stream, Ephes. 5. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.  
Direct. 18. In the business of Religion serve God with all your might, in Ecclesiastes 9 10. what so ever thy hand finds to do, do it with all thy might; for there is no work in the grave whether thou art going. This is the argument why we should do all we can for God, and serve him with all our strength, because the grave is very near, and there is no praying, no repenting in the grave; our time is but short, therefore do as David, who danced before the Ark of God with all his might; act vigorously for God in your spheres, you must not only say a prayer, or read a prayer, but pour out your prayers before God, do not only love God, but be sick with love to God, in Leu. 6. 13. God would have the coals put to the Incense, and why so? to signify the heart should be inflamed in affection to God, your prayers should go up with the flame of devotion. I confess Hell may be taken without storm, you may drop into Hell with ease, but it is all up Hill to Heaven; in the 11. of Mat. and the 12. the violent take it by force; heaven is not taken but by storm. Do not we see the wicked active for the Devil and their lusts▪ and shall they take more pains for hell than you do for Heaven?  
Direct. 19 Do all the good you can to others; God hath made every creature useful. The Sun has not its light for itself but for us, the fountain runs free, & the Myrrh drops from the Tree; every creature doth as it were deny itself for us, the Beast gives its labour, the Bird gives us its Music, the silk worm gives us its silk; has God made everything useful for us, and shall not we be useful to one another! O be helpful to the souls of others, and supply the wants of others. Jesus Christ was a publiqueblessing in the World, he went about doing good, Act. 10. 38. we are all Members of one body politic, nay are not we all members of one body mystical, and shall not every Member be useful for the good of the body! that is a dead member that does not communicate to the body. Be useful, that when you die there may be a miss of you when you are gone; many live so unfruitful, that their life is scarce worth a prayer, or their death worth a tear.  
Direct. 20. And so I have done; every day spend some thought upon eternity. O eternity, O eternity, all of us here ere long, it may be some of us in a few days or hours, must launch out into the Ocean of eternity. There is no prospective Glass, saith Boetius, by which we can see to the end of eternity; these sands can never be numbered, this line can never be measured; eternity it is a condition that is everlasting; you that are godly you shall be everlastingly happy, you shall always be sunning yourselves in the light of God's countenance, but the wicked shall be always suffering, ever lying under the scalding drooping of the wrath of the Almighty; eternity to the godly, it is a day that hath no sun setting; eternity to the wicked, is a night that hath no sun rising. The serious thoughts of eternity would be a great means to promote holiness, the fore-thoughts of eternity would make us be very serious about our souls. O my soul thou art shortly to fly into eternity, a condition that never can be reversed or altered. How serious would this make us about the heavenborn soul, Zeuxes being asked why he was so long in drawing a Picture? Answered, I am now painting for eternity. How fervent would that man pray that thinks he is praying for eternity? how holy and circumspect would that man live that thinks upon this moment hangs eternity?  
Secondly, the thoughts of eternity would make us slight and con●emn all the things in the World, what is the world to him that has eternity always in his eye; did we think solemnly upon eternity, we should not over value the comforts of the World, nor over grieve at the crosses of the world. First I say we should not over value the comforts of the World; comforts they are sweet, but they are swift and soon gone; the pleasures of the World are but for a season, just like Noah's Dove that brought an olive branch in her mouth, but had Wings presently to fly away. Secondly, as not to over value, so not to overgrieve at the loss of them; what are these sufferings, they are but for a while, 1 Phil. 5. 10. and what is that to eternity? our suffering may be lasting, but they shall not be everlasting; our greatest afflictions are not worthy of that Eternal weight of glory.  
And thus my Beloved I have given you twenty directions for your precious souls, I beseech you treasure them up as so many precious jewels in the Cabinet of your breasts, carrying these about you may prove an excellent antidote against sin, and to preserve zeal, and keep it flaming on the Altar of your hearts. I have many things more to say to you, and I know not if God will give another opportunity; but I beseech you let the things I have spoken abide upon you.   
FINIS.