sins and to do your duty or else suffer whâ—t ye are unwilling to suffer But the love of Christ in dying for poor miserable sinners when they were without strength to help themselves and unworthy to be pitied and helped constraineth those who live by and through him not to live to themselves but to him who died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. 2. Brethren ye ought to reform your conversings universally and unreservedly compleatly 1. That your sins may be blotted out c. Act. 3. 19. 2. That ye may attain that great salvation Prov. 28. 13. 2 Cor. 7. 10. 3. That ye may be vesseâ—s unto honour meet for the Masters use 2 Tim. 2. 21 22. 4. That ye may be blameless and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of the Nation among whom ye live Phil. 2. 15. 5. That ye may be able to pray as the Psalmist prayes Psal 119. 28 41 58 76. 107 116 154 169 176. 6. That your prayers may be the more effectual and of the greater force towards the near-approaching destruction of Babylon and the hastening of Christ's reign on earth if he shall reign here otherwise than now he doth either in person or by the Saints and the coming down of the holy City the new Jerusalem from God out of Heaven when the glory and and prosperity of the Church militant on earth shall be next to that of the Church triumphant in Heaven against which time we ought to be prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Eph. 5. 27. Rev. 21. 1 2. Do not these things require an exact and plenary Reformation even the cleansing of our selves from all filthiness both of the flâ—sh and spirit 2 Cor 7. 1. and the keeping of our selves unspotted from the world Jam. 1. 27. I think they do 3. But let me shew you wherefore I think that of the Professors in England many be meer Formalâ—sts and many born again who are one or more degrees too short of that exact and even walking which is called for Eph. 5. 15. Heb. 12. 12 13. First Solomon Prov. 16. 7. saith When a mans wayes please the LORD he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him If this Scripture be of no great force now to make us fear that the waies of many Professors do not please the Lord I pray God we may not be as it were enforced to fear it hereafter by the encrease of our afflictions Secondly it is something to my purpose which we read of the weakness and failings of the twelve Apostles in the Histories of the Gospel and of Paul or Barnabas Act. 15. 16. c. and of Peter and Barnabas Gal. 2. 11. c. and in the Scriptures of the failings of others whereof I have named many Marg. 32 33 34. The Scriptures do witness that God's Covenant-servants yea his holy servants have missed it in a considerable measure before the Law and under the Law and under the Gospel 2. The devils are as malicious as cruel as strong as cunning as industrious and watchful as they have at any time hitherto been and if they have not gotten some skill by experience as some think they have yet if this be part of the time prophecied of Rev. 12. 12. the devil is very wroth against the Church of Christ more wroth than he hath ordinarily used to be And for the flesh in us that is by nature in respect of Temptations the same in all men and there is some quantity of it in the best men Gal. 5. 17. And the world that also is as to the tempting of men with its baits and allurements speaking in a general manner the very same which it hath been from the beginning only it is much fuller of such traps and snares than formerly So that an understanding and impartial stranger may think we have been and be as likely to trespass against our God as his servants of old have been 3. Is not this part of the time concerning which the faithful and true witness foretold Mat. 24. 12. that iniquity should abound and the love of many wax cold I believe it is and part of those perillous times which Paul prophecied of 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. and that the Formalists there spoken of be many of them such as have a spacious and specious form of godliness yea that many of them be men and women of this Nation because it hath so huge a multitude of Professors For the fuller any Countrey is of such the more probable it is that there be among them many meer Formalists But 4. my own experience and observation in near 50 years the unfit words which I have heard with my ears and the actions which I have seen with my eyes and that which I have heard of credible persons and my rational conjectures these do tell me that it may be very truly said of many Professors which Moses spake of the Israelites Deut. 29. 4. that they have not a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day For many Professors do so behave and carry themselves as if the forsaking of some gross sins entring into an excellent way of the Protestant Religion a partial form at home and going to Meetings were the four integral parts of godliness Insomuch that when there was a report that the Act of the Ministers removal five miles was rerejected there came to my mind according to that which I feared would come to pass the word of the LORD Jer. 37. 10. Though yeâ— had smitten the whole Army of the Caldeans that fight against you and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise up and bâ—rn this City with fire 4. But let me speak somewhat more of the Holiness and prosperity of the Church of Christ before and after the fall of Babylon I cannot but expect a greater Reformation than I yet see of the conversings of Pâ—ofessors before the ruine of Babylon that their transgressions may not hinder their prayers for the destruction of it and as for the superlative tranquillity and happiness of the true Church on earth which shall be next to that of Heaven I believe the foregoer of it will be a very through and full Reformation and a more sinless and heaven-like life of the true Christians than that of any generation before it since the dayes of the holy Apostles Which degree of perfection if thou who readest or hearest read any part of this Book shalt not covet and endeavour diligently to attain it thou mayest fare as the nameless Lord 2 King 7. did who saw with the eyes of his body fine flour and barley sold in the gate of Samaria at easie prices but through unbelief did not eat thereof So thou possibly mayest foresee darkly with the eyes of thy mind what excellent things very many of the members of the Church shall be partakers of hereafter and thy self not partake
what a day will bring forth Prov. 27. 1. Jam. 4. 13 14. I shall notwithstanding shew you as near as I can when the end of our sufferings will be I believe our most gracious and wise God will put an end to them 1. When that which letteth our prayers and deliverance is taken out of the way as 2 Thes 2. 7. Which I believe to be our sins See Marg. 30. c. 2. When we are taken in the snares which God hath laid for us Will a man take up a snare from the earth when he hath taken nothing at all Amos 3. 5. Now he who is one of Christs people is taken in his snare of affliction when he is by it and Gods word brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. and made willing to receive and follow all his counsel 3. God will do it for us in due time which is when he hath attained all the ends whereat he shooteth in afflicting us See Marg. 20. c. 4. When we hear the rod and him who hath appointed it Mâ—cah 6. 9. that is have taken notice of the message of the Rod and are fully resolved to do what God requires of us by it 5. When we are fittingly exercised by and under our Crâ—sses and do make such use of them as we ought so that they do yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness to us Heb. 12. 11. to Christ and to his Church 6. When God doth with our chastenings teach us out of his Law Psal 94. 12. 119. 59. that which by the voice of his chastenings he calls us to learn out of it so as to do it See Marg. 27. c. The cause ceasing the effect will cease 7. When it agrees with Gods faithfulness and justice to forgive us our sins which is when we confess and forsake our sins c. Prov. 28. 13. Es 1. 16 17 18 19. Es 59. 20. Hag. 2. 18. And for examples Noah being a just and perfect man found grace in the eyes of the LORD for himself and his Family when very many millions of of men were drowned Gen. chap. 6. chap. 7. chap. 8. Jacob and his Family having great cause to fear the wrath of their Neighbours and of God also God commanded them to go up to Bethel and to dwell there whereupon Jacob cleansed his house of Idols and then journeyed and the terror of God was upon the Cities that were round about them so that they did not pursue after them Gen. 35. 1 5. When the LORD had with much ado won Moses to undertake as many would have accounted it a very dangerous service then he comforted him with this that all the men were dead who sought his life Exod. 4. 19. And when the Israelites at Gods call went out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses and Aaron not a dog did move his tongue against any of them nor against any of their beasts Exod. 11. 7. And what did God promise Israel in Exod. 34. 24. even that not any man should desire their land when they should go up to appear before the LORD their God thrice in the year But Solomon speaks indefinitely saying When a mans ways please the LORD he maketh even his enemies 〈…〉 with him Prov. 16. 7. 8. God will put a period to our troubles when we are so humbled under the Almighty and chastizing hand of God as to resolve throughly to forsake all our sins and to cast all our care upon him being cotent to live at his finding and upon his allowance under his dispensations of prosperity and adversity Jam. 4. 10. 1 Peâ— 5. 6 7 10. A man is never fully humbled under the Kingdom and Power of the Almighty till he be so minded 9. When we are throughly well prepared and meet to receive of God what he hath in and at his right hand to give us See a little before For an exceeding rich man will not keep in his own hand a piece of silver which he purposeth to bestow on a very poor man a long time after he he sees he is come nigh him and in a fit posture to receive it c. viz. standing before him quietly with a sober countenance with his hat in his hand c. But if a poor man whom a rich man calls to him should come proudly dancing laughing and grinning and stand before him one while on his right leg another while on his left leg one while turning his face towards him another while his back playing with his Buttons and talking proudly saucily and malepertly to him it may be this kinde of behaviour would cost the poor man the learning of better manners before he should receive any Alms excepting sharp and chiding words of him Neither do I see wherefore we should expect to have the most high God deal more indulgently with us but for our good to reject our prayers till we have learned how to come unto him and how to behave our selves before him and that as touching both the outward and inward man for he knows all the secrets of the heart 10. God will ease us of our afflictions when according to his wise Discipline there is as Peters Language is no need of them 1 Pet. 1. 6. Now medicinals of the body when they have wrought that work in or on the body for which the Physician or Surgeon useth then then they cease to be needful Mat. 9. 12. And even so chastisements and corrections when God hath attained all his ends for which he sends them then they are needless But here we must know that God may seek his own honour and aim at the promoting of his own causes yea and the good as it were of his whole Church in afflicting one single person as ye may see in 2 Cor. 1. 3. to 12. and if ye study seriously in many other Scriptures 11. God will relieve and help us when the Holy Ghost hath burnt up or washt away or blown away the corruptions and ungodly lusts which are in our hearts Mat. 3. 11. John 3. 5 6 7 8. When God hath purged away our sins and iniquities and driven us out of our evil wayes by our chastisements and afflictions Es 27. 9. Zech. 13. 9. We must be rid of the naughty things which are in our hearts and wayes 12. When we are become throughly meet for the Masters use and well prepared for every â—ood work 2 Tim. 2. 20 21 22. 13. When we have learned to seek God duly and diligently and in the Faith of being raised up to turn from our sins and to exhort and encourage one another to turn unto the LORD Hos 5. 14 15. with 6. 1 2 3. Come now and let us reason together as it were face to face I shall speak to a few to many to all of you Why is there so little speech amongst us of reforming Professors Why do we who are Professors so seldom reprove Professors I assure you it is not through want
10. If thou thinkest that thou hast performed the commandment of the LORD in destroying the Amalakites and all that they had 1 Sam. 15. 3 13. Take heed of What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep and lowing of the Oxen which I hear v. 14. For shall not he who planted the ear hear he who formed the eye see he who teacheth man knowledge know Psal 94. 9 10. Thy sins cannot make a beastly noise and God not hear it Yea it may be some of the godly Ministers will according to their duty Jer. 8. 6. hearken and hear the lowing and bleating of thy sins not only of the best and chiefest of them 1 Sam. 15. 9 15 21. the chiefest in thy estimation because by them as Demetrius said to the Craftsmen Act. 19. 25. thou hast much of thy wealth gettest and keepest much of it as by thy covetousness if thou wilt not have me think thou art covetous then let thy conversation be without covetousness Heb. 13. 5. covetous seeking and keeping worldly wealâ—h fraud over-reaching c. whosoever sees his Christian brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him such a man doth not love God Luke 3. 11. 1 Joh. 3. 17. I say not only of thy fat sins which thou keepest for filthy lucres sake Tit. 1. 11. but also of thy lean poor carrion-sins which do yield if any fruit at all very little and such as is not worth talking of as prating and foolish talking vain and idle words unseemly jesting and the like It may be also some of them who shall hear the noise of thy sins will shew themselves servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. to wiâ— faithful Prov. â—0 6. 2 Tim. 2. 2. in reproving thee for them and it may be shame thee if they can quite out of them that thou mayest not perish under the wrath of God Indeed such Ministers are your best Friends and do best deserve to have power over your purses 11. Take heed of being like Hophni and Phineas who hearkened nâ—t to the voice of their Father because the LORD would destroy them 1 Sam. 2. 25. For why will ye die or be destroyed O ye Professors of England Ezek. 18. 31. Can any of you shew any sufficient reason why they should desire to die If any man can yet it would be a wise part for them to make an even reckoning with God before they die and God may possibly take them out of this world within one or two dayes after they have read this or heard it read 12. Take heed of that sharp commandment concerning the Fig-tree which was fruitless three years cut it down why cumbereth it the more and then if it bear not fruit thou shalt cut it down v. 8 9. And it may be God hath heard the prayers of some eminent Christians and spared thee to the end of the sixth or seventh year or more Art thou sure he will spare thee six or seven moneths more or seven dayes more 13. Take heed of being assasinated or massacred after the manner of Paris and I. c. For I assure you the care and pains which some Professors take of and with their Families to educate them according to their duty and the rest of their behaviour do not give me cause to be confident that they will not be killed with some such kind of death and their chilâ—ren trained up in Egypt and Babylon Friends do ye use to pray and to pray for your selves whom ye think ye love What think ye of the prayers and petitions which ye put up for your selves What do ye aim at and seek to obtain in and by them Are ye content to ask for your selves and not to obtain If ye be not David tells you If he had regarded iniquity in his heart the LORD would not have heard him Psal 66. 18. And what is any of you that the Lord should hear him if he doth regard iniquity in his heart rather than David But what is it â—or a man to regard iniquity in his heart It is to regard some of his sins or the fruit of them so as to keep those sins as we use to speak at all adventures whether God will hear his prayers 〈◊〉 not which I fear many of you do Friends will ye now consider what I have said unto you For it is one thing to read or hear another to consider I pray dâ— and be perswaded by one who desires to do you good 1. To look on your sins as the greatest sorest and most dangerous enemies that ye have and on every sin as one of your enemies 2. To go beyond Micah's liberal Briber Mic. 6. and Pauls Formalist 2 Tim. 3. 3. To leave your sins all of them and all of them at once 'T is easier to endure the chopping off of five fingers at once than of five one after another 4. Especially and in any wise to abandon those sins which ye are well able to abandon as unfit language c. 2. Mr. S. Clark in his Epistle to the Reader before his Martyrology 〈◊〉 2. hath these very words One thing is very remarkable in this History that usually before any great persecution befel the Church the holy mâ—n of those times observed that there was some great decay of zeal and of the power of godliness or some mutual contentions and quarrels amongst the people of God or some such sin or other that provoked God against them and then God le ts loose c. and the History in page 56 61 100 160 166 209. mentioneth as fore-runners of several persecutions those sins and enormities following and in those Pagins I think only these The power of godliness much decayed few zealously bent to Religion unprofitable Gospellers Hypocrisie and Dissimulation void of simplicity and faithful dealing not walking in the way of the Lord nor observing his precepts as we ought keeping no Discipline pride delicates emulation dissention contending upon every occasion every man pleasing himself and displeasing others with railing words in a despiteful manner moving hatred and sedition one against another full of lucre renouncing the world in word but not indeed but all both small and great thinking deeply upon worldly matters and building them goodly Castles in the air by little and little men began to be so licentious in their lives and carnal security so increased that c. Also I have been credibly informed that one of the fore-runners of the enslaving of Rochel 1628. was the mispending and profaning of the afternoon of the Lord's day and the slighting or worse of the best Ministers and that one of the fore-runners of the late long War in Germany 1620. c. was very gross profaneness c. The same Mr. Clark p. 3. of the said Epistle saith That when God exposeth us to P. he expects our speedy and thorow Reformation if we desire the affliction to be removed c. 3. I believe were it not for our sins it would
But very many Professors do little think how many sins of others they be partakers of and how much their iniquity is encreased through their sinful silence Apol. But Sir will some say in their hearts I fear it is so with many although they speak it not with their Tongues Psal 14. 1. if I should reprove N. I should lose the help of his purse A. How long hast thou been a Professor that thou hast so little Charity For he ought to love thee the more for thy Faithfulness Prov. 27. 5 6. and the rather to make thee one of the Mrs. of his purse And why art thou so foolish and so slow to believe what the Scripture hath spoken Doth not the spirit of truth by Solomon say Prov. 28. 23. that He who rebuketh a man shall afterwards find more favour than he who flattereth with the Tougue and Prov. 16. 7. that when a mans ways please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him And will he then suffer thy Friends when thou dost thy duty to do them good to shew themselves unkind and as no Friends to thee Be not faithless but believing trust in God Howsoever the favour and loving kindness of God is better than life Psal 63. 3. Take heed God look not on thee as a man-pleaser and none of the servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. Obj. But is it not enough that I do frequently and earnestly pray for the Reformation of Professors A. That indeed is more than most Professors do I think so and that they do not judge that there is need of any great Reformation Yet that is but part of thy duty This thou oughtest to do and not to omit reproof And it may be God hath not heard thy prayers for them because thou dost not reprove them Apol. But peradventure one or two will say they be not throughly reformed themselves A. Whose fault is that Why dost thou delay to cleanse thy ways according to Gods rule Psal 119. 9. Neither do Christs words Mat. 7. or any other Scripture import that unreformed or poorlyreformed Professors be freed from the duty of exhorting and reproving others So that thy silence at other mens faults doth encrease thine iniquity It is indeed better to sweep before thy own door first but if thou be so foolish as not to sweep there necessity is laid upon thee to consider and reprove other Professors and wo may come to thee if thou dost not Obj. But if I do tell others of their faults then belike they will upbraid me with mine A. I could wish all thy near Neighbours and acquaintance would tell thee of them then it may be thou wouldst amend them which would be far better for thee than to suffer in Hell fire for them Vse 2. Receive then this Admonition reprove those Professors that are fit to be reproved and to move thee thereunto consider It is the will of God and thy duty therefore do it 1 Thes 5. 18. yea it is said Lev. 7. 19. 17. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him which words do import that we must do it as we say by all means and not suffer other affairs and matters to keep us from doing it Thou hast authority to do it Hath not God commanded thee It is a debt which thou owest to such as need it pay that thou owest withhold not good from them to whom it is due Rom. 13. 8. Prov. 3. 27. It tends to Gods honour and glory Do it for his sake And to the healing and good of the blind lame sleepy c. Do it also for their sakes Do it also for thy own sake that thou bear not sin for thy Neighbour So some render the last clause Lev. 19. 17. that is that thou be not punished for not rebuking him Keep thy self pure be not partaker of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5. 22. and partaker for certain thou art with him or her whom thou oughtest to reprove either of those trespasses for which thou oughtest to reprove them or of the trespasses in sins of the same kind which they commit after or of both One thing more some have inferred from the Coherence of the words Lev. 19. 17. viz. that not to reprove is to hate which inference whether it be right or not yet if he who spareth his rod doth in the Language of the Holy Ghost hate his Son as he doth for that 's the expression Prov. 13. 24. then in the Language of the Holy Ghost he who spareth words of reproof when he ought to reprove hateth those whom he ought to reprove his Neighbours Friends Benefactors Professors and of what sort soever they be And I would not that Professors should hate one another but reprove offenders as the LORD himself did Sarah Gen. 18. 12 15. the Son of God Martha Luke 10. 41 42. and the Angels the Churches of Asia Rev. 2. and 3. and the Holy Ghost doth the World John 16. 8 9. Nathan David 2 Sam. 12. and Paul his fellow Apostle Peter Gal. 2. In a word do ye desire to walk purely and wisely Tread then in the steps of Paul and other godly persons as they did in the steps of God and Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. Now that the fore-mentioned causes of our sinful silence may not be of force to destroy or weaken our holy Resolution to admonish reprove c. Consider what it is for a man to love himself aright 2. Stir up in thy heart very much love of God and much filial fear of God and a strong Affiance in God and much brotherly love toward Professors and the Church of God especially in respect of their spiritual welfare For if these five things be really in thee and do abound they will make thee that thou shalt neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 8. and particularly whatsoever more may be said of them they will move thee effectually to do what I would fain have thee to do to labour to reform to reprove c. and that as thy duty and also for the service and honour of God and for the good of Professors and Gods Church and of offendors and for thy own good And Affiance in God will drive away Affiance in man and the love of God and his people will drive away carnal self-love and the fear of God and Affiance in God will drive away carnal and worldly feats of men of the loss of the love of men of the anger and ill will of men of poverty of mens shutting up their bowels of compassion from us contrary to 1 John 3. 17. And what saith David Psal 31. 19. O how great saith he unto God is thy goodness which thou hast laid up in store Sure it is a very great measure of Happiness which he speaks of And for whom hath God laid it up in store Verily for them who fear God and for them who