have committed two evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters and have hewed them out Cisterns bâ—oken Cisteâ—ns that can hold no water My People have changed their Glory for that which doth not profit What a hoâ—rible thing was this That you that are called the Loâ—ds People that yoâ— that once professed that the Love and Favour of God was more desuable to you then ten thousand worlds and that you could trample upon the Worlds Wealth and Honours and Profits and Pleasures and count them but as dung in comparison of enjoying but one days communion with your God and that though you should always be an afflicted and poor People yet if you could but have the happiness and the priviledge to be in the house of God and in the Assemblies of his Saints and to hear his Word and enjoy communion with him in Prayer you would reckon your selves exceeding happy yea in better case then the highest Emperour upon Earth How horrible and astonishing a thing was this that those that once made these great professions that they should so extravagantly set their hearts upon this World as to forsake their God their King their Rock their Shield and their exceeding great Reward their Father and the Guide of their youth their Strength their Glory their all in all to dig and hew them out the vain perishing things of this World which cannot afford them one drop of true comfort Would not this make the glorious and beautiful Angels in Heaven to blush to think of it and the blessed Saints that shine as the Sun to be astonished and all the Hosts of Heaven to be horribly afraid at such unworthy such mad and distracted deeds of the Sons of men ten thousand times worse then him that is so bewitched with a painted Strumpet that is a filthy Harlot as to forsake a truly beautiful and faithful Bride O consider this all ye that have so much forgotten God Consider how he disgusts this Sin of loving this World this Sin of Covetousness Consider what title he gives it by his Servant and Apostle Paul Col. 3. 5. he tells you it is Idolatry So that in loving this World you have set up an Idol in 1 John 2. 15. Matth. 6. 24. Luk. 16. 13 1 Tim. 6. 10. your heart And you are also told by his Word that If any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him and ye are told by his Son himself That ye cannot serve God and Mammon But O what gross Idolaters have ye been that have so served the World as you have done and so much neglected the service of your God O consider how that Word hath been verified in you that the love of Money is the Root of all Evil You have so loved and adored and admired and set up the World in your hearts as it hath been the root of all your neglect of publick service to God and to his People for his sake even of your neglect of visiting the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction of your neglect of visiting the Lords Prisoners of the neglect of Family-Duties two or three times a day of neglect of taking pains with Children and Servants and other Relations to bring them up in the nurture and fear of the Lord of neglect of Closet-performances and of enjoying many sweet and blessed seasons in secret of conversing with your God that should have been your chief Joy Consider how this love of Money hath been the Root of all your sparing to deal your Bread to the hungry and to cloath the naked and to bring the poor that were cast out to your Houses of neglect of drawing out your Soul to the hungry and satisfying the afflicted Soul Consider how the love of this World and coveting it hath almost estrarged you wholly from God and from every good Work wherein he might be glorified and ye might have Peace O consider ye Lovers of Gold and Silver what Moses speaks of such as you Exod. 32. 31. O this People have sinned a great sin and have made them Gods of Gold Did they sin a great Sin You have much more They made them Gods of Gold but it was a sudden Temptation and an Evil of a short continuance and it appears not that they set their hearts and affections upon them But you have set up your Bags of Gold and Silver your Land and your Wealth so in your Hearts as to forsake your God and to love your Gold more then your God and if it were not so your actions would witness the contrary but your actions have testified and do testifie to your Faces whom you love most O foolish People and unwise Do ye thus requite the Lord Is not he thy Father Deut. 32. 6. that hath bought thee Hath he not made thee and established thee O this People that are called by the Name of Isâ—ael they have sinned a great sin they have made them Gods of Gold and their very Hearts are set upon them so as they have forsaken the Fountain of Living Waters they Deut. 32. 15 16. have lightly esteemed the Rock of their Salvation they have provoked him to Jealousie with strange Gods Of the Rock that begat them they have been unmindful and have forgotten God that formed them Now consider O House of Jacob and ye that profess to be the Lords People whether this great Sin of yours be not as great if not greater then the Sin of the prophane wicked Worldlings Are they Idolaters So are you They have made themselves Idols For as Paul speaks of some They made Phil. 3. 19 their Bellies their Gods so it may be said of their Lusts after other things even the things of this World their Gold and Silver and Treasures they have made them their Gods also but in that you have made you Gods of Gold your Sin is greater then theirs because it is against greater Knowledge and greater Light and against greater Grace O what great aggravations have your Idolatries beyond theirs Your Sin is verily double to theirs for you have in this committed two Evils You have forsaken your true Glory your dear and gracious and glorious Lord the Fountain of all Good of all that 's lovely and precious of durable Riches and substantial Good for a Shadow for a Trifle for a fading Leaf for that which hath no substance Who would part with a substantial good thing for a shadow of it What is a shadow A shadow is nothing as soon as the light surrounds a thing the shadow is vanished and is not but appears to be nothing So are all your Idols whether Bags of Silver or Gold or Merchandizes or Stocks in Bank or at Interest or Houses and Lands and Gardens and Orchards and pleasant Walks Are they any more then a shadow of true Riches of durable Riches and Substance Are they so much Can there be any kind of shadow of that Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and
of thy Children for thy great end in chastising thy Children is to make them partakers of thy Holinesse And O Righteous Father be pleased therefore if I yet see not mine own particular Iniquities to shew them me either by this published Declaration of the Transgressions of thy People or by any other means thou pleasest and leave me not until thou hast accomplished thy great designs upon my Spirit and grant the same Grace unto all thy People in general and leave us not until Sion become the Praise of the whole Earth I say not doubting but that such as these will be the Supplications of the many thousands of Israel that are Israelites indeed I shall leave Ingenious Reader the following Discourse unto thy most serious and most diligent consideration as that which eminently and evidently concerns thy Peace in this thy Day And the God of Israel shower down his Holy Spirit upon thee and upon whole Sion in an abundant manner and measure To the Praise of his most Blessed and most Glorious Name Amen April 30. 1667. Holy David the Man that was after Gods * own heart said My 1 Sam 13 14. Psal 119. 129. †flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgements And Proverbs 28. 14. It is said Happy is the man that feareth alway But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief And now even NOW in an especial manner what great reason have we to be afraid because of Gods Judgements Considering what dreadful judgements have already come upon us in these Nations and what terrible and astonishing Judgements seem to be hanging over our heads but as it were by a fine spun thread and may come suddenly with dreadful thunderings down upon us so as none may be able to resist It therefore greatly concerns all Persons vvhatsoever to be afraid of nourishing any Evils vvhatsoever in their bosoms lest they prove as so much Gunpovvder vvithin them that vvhen the fiery Indignation comes dovvn upon them may tear †Psal 50 22. them in pieces and there be none to deliver them But it is a sad sign when persons are grown Preaching Proof and Printing Proof and Judgement Proof A gracious Soul when it hears a convincing Sermon desires as those Acts 13. 42. that those words may be Preached to them again the next Saboth or wishes they might have it in Writing or have it in Print or if they meet with persons that deal plainly with them they desire more of that kindness from them But hardened Souls care little for such company and regard not any reproofs Prov. 13. 1. A Scorner heareth not rebuke Prov. 12. 1. Who so loveth Instruction loveth Knowledge but he that hateth reproof is bruitish Prov. 1. 20 23. Wisdom cryeth without she uttereth her Voice in the Streets Turn you at my reproof Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my Words unto you ERRATA REaders though there be some small Errors in the Printing that have escaped the Press by reason of the Authors being some time absent yet there is but one considerable word which you are desired to amend with you Pen it is page 78. line 29. where for unreasonableness write unanswerableness A Voice lifted up like a Trumpet With a Loud and Full Sound Declaring without Flattery or Partiality to all that fear and love the Lord small and great in England Scotland and Ireland that truly are of the House of Jacob whether they are Presbyterians so called by way of distinction or Independants Anabaptists or Quakers or any other that pretend to have Interest in or Relation to the Lord JESUS CHRIST what their Sins are To the end they may wash their Hearts from Wickedness that they may be saved Beloved and honoured if You fear the Lord Ps 15. 4. THe Lion hath roared who will not fear The great and Amos 3 8 glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth hath discovered his great displeasure against us who will not tremble Our Num. 12. 14. Amos 3. 8 Isa 58. 1. Father hath spit in our Faces should we not be ashamed The Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie The Lord hath said to his Prophet Cry aloud spare not lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet and shew my People their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins O House of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the light of Isa 2. 5. 2 Chron. 20 20. the Lord Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established believe his Prophets so shâ—ll you prosper Believe all the words of the Lord all the words of Truth and of the Prophets of the Lord that are written in this Book shewing you YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS discovering YOUR SINS which if you hide you shall not prosper but if you confess and forsake you Prov. 28. 13. shall surely find mercy and be establisâ—ed Your Sins O House of Jacob have been manifold and great you have been great Sinners and you have greatly given occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme and you have greatly provoked the Eyes of his Glory And O House of Jacob that your Sins have been very great is clear by that Voice of the Lord by his Prophet Isa 42. 24 25. Who gave Jacob to the spoil and Israel to the robbers Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned For they would not walk in his ways neither were they obedient unto his Law therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel and it hath set him on fiâ—e round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart Did the Prophet Isaiah prophesie and declare this for the People of the Lord that were in his own time or days onely Doth not this Prophecy concern all the House of Jacob in all times to whom it may be as fully applicable as unto them Was it not written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come If so then O House of Jacob KNOW YE that the Lord against whom you have sinned hath given his Jacob to the spoil and his Israel to the Robbers and it is of the Lord you are given to them For your sins you are a People Isa 42. 22 robbed and spoiled and snared in holes and hid in Prison-Houses and ye are for a prey and none delivereth and for a spoil and none saith Restore And he hath poured upon you the fury of his anger and the strength of battel and added to this that sore Judgement of the Pestilence that walketh in darkness and the Destruction that wasteth at noon day Because ye would not walk in his ways neither were obedient to his Law But if you should say We have walked in his Ways and we have been obedient Isa 42. 24 unto his Law in some measure We have frequented the Assemblies of his Saints we have gone to the
so much as shewn the way into it or be instructed in the Path in which they ought to walk in his House and City which yet is much hid from them But if theâ— be truely and unfeignedly humbled truely penitent and tâ—uly ashamed of all that they have done then it may please the Lord to send forth such a Prophet or Prophets as may be inabled in plainness and demonstration of the Spirit and Power so as it cannot be denyed to shew them such a Pattern of the House of the Lord as whereby they may all serve the Lord with one Shoulder one Mind and one Heart and then Ephraim shall not envy Judah nor Judah vex Ephraim any more For thus the Lord expresses himself by his Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 43. 10 11 12. Thou Son of Man shew the House to the House of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquities and let them measure the Pattern of the House and if they be ashamed of all that they have done shew them the form of the House and the fashion thereof and the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof and all the Forms thereof and all the Ordinances thereof and all the Forms thereof and all the Laws thereof and write it in their sight that they may keep the whole Form thereof and all the Ordinances thereof and do them This is the Law of the House upon the top of the Mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most Holy Behold this is the Law of the House Now if the House of Israel from the consideration of the greatness of their iniquities which have been shewed to them and of their lamentable unreasonableness to what the Lambs Followers shall be and to what some few particular Followers of the Lamb now are and some few of them have been in all Ages and of their unfitness to dwell in the House of the King in the City of the Lord shall be ashamed of their iniquity then may they obtain the favour to be shewed to the full all the Forms of the Lords House and the Fashion thereof and the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof and all the Foâ—ms thereof and the Ordinances thereof and all the Laws thereof even of that House upon the top of the Mountain the whole Limit whereof round about shall be most Holy even of that House which hath this Name THE LORD IS THERE IV. Another great and weighty Consideration to provoke the Lords People Consideration IV thorowly to amend their Wayes and thorowly to walk in the Paths of Holiness is this That they do by their Iniquities not onely make themselves uncapable of being accepted of God in the performances of their most solemn Duties and uncapable of being the Lambs Followers and uncapable of being shewed the perfect Pattern of his House in all which they do very greatly wrong themselves but they do also which is more then all that greatly prophane and pollute the Name of the Lord their God as appears Ezek. 36. 22 23. Therefore say unto the House of Israel Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O House of Israel but for my holy Names sake which ye have prophaned among the Heathen whither ye went and I will sanctifie my great Name which was prophaned among the Heathen which ye prophaned in the midst of them And Ver. 17. â—t is said When the House of Israel dwelled in their own Land they defiled it by their own way and by their doings their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed Woman The â—inful and unclean wayes of this People defiled and prophaned the Name of the Lord and not onely so but defiled their own Land when they dwelt in it The House of Israel do prophane the Name of the Lord by the sinfulness of their wayes moâ—e then others do by their abominations for the House of Israel are nearer unto God and are more under his teachings then others having his Oracles committed unto them and they profess to be a People near unto him but others do not and they pass in the World for a People that have chosen the Lord for their Lord and their God Now when these do break his Law and behave themselves like the Heathen and when their Conversation is sinful They do greatly dishonour their Lord when they are as the men of this World are When as the men of the World that have their portion in this World and have no better thing to set their hearts upon having no interest in God nor Christ nor having any asâ—urance of that inheritance uncorruptible and undefiled and that faâ—eth not away that is reserved in Heaven for Saints As these are Covetous so are they that profess to be the Lords People as these do spend the greatest part of their time and strength and parts and abilities to get wâ—â—lth though they have no necessity so to do for they that have but from hand 〈◊〉 mouth and must work for Bread before they can have it have a necesâ—â—â—â—o spend most of their time so so do many of those that proâ—ess to be the Lords People Again as these are close-fisted and hard-hearted and have not bowels of compassion unto their Brethren so it is with them as they are negligent and remiss in that which they account to be the Worship and Service of the Lord though some of them are zealous of it in their way so are many of the Lords People and as these are Proud and Passionate and Covenant-breakers and spend much time in pratling of needless things when they come together and take no care to remember the Word when they hear it so it is with many of them that proâ—ess to be the People of the Lord. Now when the Lords People do thus then they do greatly prophane and pollute and wound and reproach the Name of the Lord. For if there be a man that is a discreet man that is a good and a just man and a man of port in the World if he have under Servants in his Family that are Idle Drunken Sottish Persons that are Wâ—oremongers and Swearers which things he hates If such be in his Family Are they not a dishonour and a reproach unto him But it would be more a reproach unto him if those Servants that were near his Person were such but much more would it be a dishonour to him if his Children were so and much more would it be a shame and a blot and a dishoâ—our to him if the Wife of his Bosom should turn a Strumpet a lewd Person a Drunkard a Sot So is it with respect unto the most High Those that are in the nearest Relation to him are the greatest dishonour to him and do most of all blot and wound and reproach his Holy Name if their Conversations be irregular uncomely unworthy of bearing his Name And the nearer persons are to him the greater reproach do they bring unto his Holy Name They
that are Professors at large and profess to be his Servants though far off from him do by their sinful wayes dishonour him more then others but they that seem to be Servants that are nearer to him being very sinful dishonour him more but they that pretend to be in a higher state and call themselves his Children and call him Father These by their iniquities dishonour him much more But that those are yet nearer and are accounted Gospel-Churches which the Scriptuâ—e stiles and which if truly constituted are indeed the very Spouse the very Bride of the Lord Jesus for these to play the Haâ—lot and imbrace other Lovers for these to be drunken with the cares of this Life for these to be drunk with passion and frowardness of Spirit for these to be proud and haughty which vice he haâ—es for these to be wretched perfidious Covenant-breakers which God and man abhors for these to be hard-hearted stony-hearted Creatures and to be regardless of holy Duties which they should be more diligent in then any for these to be regardless of his Counsels and Love-Letters and not to meditate on his Word as if it were not worthy to be regarded is the highest reproach and dishonour and the greatest grief and wounding to him that can be imagined O what cuts and gashes to speak after the manner of men do these make in the very heart of Christ O what a dishonour are these to him What a blot and reproach do they bring upon his most Glorious and most Holy Name Therefore saith the Lord by Ezekiel I will sanctifie my great Name which Ezek. 36. â—3 was prophaned among the Heathen which ye the House of Israel prophaned in the midst of them And on the other hand when the Lords People do walk in all his Laws and Ordinances blamelesly when they cannot be blamed for Covetousness nor Pride nor any other Evil but they do in all things observe the blessed Commandments of the Lord Jesus Then saith our Lord Jesus Men may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. And â—erein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit So John 15. 8. that it is undeniable that the good Works the Holy and Heavenly Conversations of his People do glorifie the Lord are to his Praise and to his Honour and that the sinfulnesses of their Conversations are a great dishonour reproach and blot unâ—o his great Name And therefore Naâ—han tells David That he by his sinfulness in the matter of Vriah had caused the Enemies of the Lord to blasphâ—me And the Apostle James speaking of some that were rich that did despise the poor having the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory with respect of Persons respecting the Man in rich Array more then a man in mean Apparel sayes thus Do not they Blaspheme that worthy Name by which ye are called Jam. 2. 7 And that the unrighteousness of Saints do greatly prophane and dishonour that worthy Name by which they are called appears thus To instance but in one particular Evil of theirs viz. That sin of Covetousness When they that are the Lords People who profess that he is their Portion are as 〈◊〉 sâ—eking for themselves and theirs the things of this World though they therein break many of his blessed Precepts and Instructions and neglect many Duties as any others as if they would give the World thereby to understand that there is no such satisfaction in the Lord for their Souls as is declared as if there were more sweetness in the World then in Him as if that were an untrue Character of him that the Spouse gives Cant. 5. from 9. to 18. verse As if Habakkuk had not reason to say Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall Fruit be in the Vines The labour of the Olive shall fail and the Fields shall yeeld no Meat The Flock shall be cut off from the Fold and the Herd shall be cut off from the Stalls Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation As if that were not fit to be said that David sayes Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire beside thee I say when they that are the Lords People do this How horribly do they herein reproach their Lord and wound and prophane his most holy Name The like may be said of all or of any of the other Evils that any of them are guilty of And such as continue in these or any of those Evils will not 1 Pet. 1. â— be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ But happy are they that so walk as that God in all things may be glorified by them through Jesus Christ our Lord. Happy are they that so use the World so labour foâ— things convenient for their Families so eat and drink and injoy all outward Comforts as onely to fit them for the Service of their Lord and King and are not Servants to the World or any thing that they injoy but the Servants of their God only that Whether they eat or drink or whatsoever they do do all to the Glory of God and do not dishonour him in their seeking after earthly things nor in eating or drinking or injoying 1 Cor. â—â— 31. any Creature-Comfort but have their moderation so to all those things as it shall appear to all men that God is the great delight and joy of their Souls and none of these things do steal their hearts from or weaken their affections to him Happy are they that are so overcome by the Mercies of God as they present their Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is their reasonable service And happy are those that so Rom. â—â— â— walk in all things that God may have glory in them and they may indeed be the glory of Christ But O how few are of this Stamp and what great reason have we to pray and say Our Father which art in Heaven sanctified be thy great Name And oh that the consideration of this how greaâ—ly the Lords People have prophaned and do prophane his holy Name might be so deeply fixed on all their hearts as that they might be greatly drawn to look on his precious Name which they have prophaned dishonoured wounded and reproached and mourn and be in great bitterness as one mourneth and is in bitterness for his only Son or for his First-born Zach. â—â— 10. There might be several other Considerations added to these as inducements to the Lords People to induce and provoke them to that thorow-amending their wayes and turning to the Lord from all their Evils with their whole heart and cleaving to him with full purpose of heart but these four are of so great weight and force as if these prevail not twenty more may not But through the Lords Blessing these may be
and I will cure them and I will reveal unto them the abundance of Peace and Truth And I will cause the Captivity of Judah and the Captivity of Israel to return and will build them as at the first And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me And it shall be unto me a Name of Joy a Praise and an Honour before all the Nations of the Earth which shall hear all the good that I do unto them And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it In which Scripture we find that the Lords People had sinned and greatly provoked him And therefore the Houses of Jerusalem and the Houses of the Kings of Judah were thrown down by the Mounts and by the Sword and the places were filled with the dead bodies of the men whom the Lord had slain in his anger and in his fury and for all whose wickedness the Lord had hid his face from that City which doth manifest that their sins had been very great against the Lord and yet notwithstanding the greatness of their sins doth not hinder but the Lord who is rich in mercy and abundant in goodness and truth graciously promiseth that he will bâ—ing it Health and Cure he will heal all their Soul-Diseases all then Wounds and â—ruisâ—s and puâ—ifying Sores and cure them effectually and wiâ— cleanse tâ—em from all the iniquities whereby they have sinned against him and when â—e hath cleansed and healed them then he will â—eveal unto them the abundance of Peace and Truth So that it is clear and unquestionable that though a People have been great back-sliders and have â—â—â—atly reâ—olâ—ed from the Lord yet there is hope concerning such The Lorâ— can heal such and the Lord will heal such for he hath promised it and when he hath healed he will speak Peace unto them yea he will reveal unto them the abundance of Peace and Truth and such shall be unto him A Name of Joy a Praise and an Honour before all the Nations of the Earth which shall hear all the good that he will do unto them and shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that he will procure unto them PSAL. 81. from 8 to 16. Hear O my People and I will testifie unto thee O Israel if thou wilt hearken unto me There shall no strange God be in thee neither shalt thou worship any strange God I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt open thy mouth wide and I will fill it But my People would not hearken unto my Voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own Counsels O that my People had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my wayes I should soon have subdued their Enemies and turned my hand against their Adversaries The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him but their time should have endured for ever He should have fed them with the finest of the Wheat and with Honey out of the Rock should I have satisfied thee MAT. 5. 18 19. For verily I say unto you Till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven POST-SCRIPT THere are two or three things in this preceeding Discourse that may possibly be mistaken and mis-understood by some to prevent which I thought good to add this Post-script before it comes forth to publick view The first is page 14. in these words As to be able to give great Portions to their Daughters great Estates to their Children Which words I do not recal by no means but as they are exprest with the words that next follow them in the same and in the line following them they are for just reproof to those covetous Sheepherds those * Isa 56. 11. greedy Dogs that scrape up all that ever they can of this World and â—oard it up covetously and currishly not communicating freely to the Members of Jesus Christ that are in distress or if they part with it do it spareingly and grudgingly and not of a ready mind But that I may not be mistaken in the recited words I must declare that I do by no means condemn those worthy and blessed Preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that have good and plentiful Estates and that are of a generous and bountiful Spirit as I know some are and that do make it manifest that they have the quallifications of Elders of Churches mentioned 1 Tim. 13. 2. and Tit. 1. 8. and that are inabled both to be liberal and bountiful and have wherewith to give good Estates to their Children for they are left at the same liberty therein that all other Servants of the Lord are that have large Estates whose duty it is to give largely to his Saints of what God hath given them and who may withal give large Estates to their Children and it cannot be said to be their sin so to do for it is unquestionably the duty of them that hear the Word to †1 Cor 9 from 6 10 14. communicate so plentifully to them that Preach it if they have it not otherwise that they may have wherewith to do both and it is the sin of their †That are rich in this world 1 Tim. 6. 17 18. Hearers if they do not so do For ordinarily many that Preach the Gospel are men of as good Parts and Abilities to mannage a Trade or Merchandizes or any Office that may bring in a good Estate for the supplies of their Families and large supplies also as any other men that do by such wayes get great Estates in the World And if by giving up themselves to this Service of the Lord they are taken off from so doing they â—â— consider it not and administer not to them accordingly are vâ— disingenious and unworthy people Secondly Another passage in the preceeding Discourse in whiâ—â— I would not be mistaken is that though I do not particularly meâ—tion any other Oaths Ingagements Protestations Vows or Pâ—mises that have been solemnly made but the Solemn League aâ— Covenant that was entered into about 22 years since that yet tâ— breach of any other Oath Vow or Covenant is as much condeâ—ned as the breach of that And wo is me that I must say it Thâ—â— Land mouâ—ns because of Oaths of Oaths that have been wickedâ— and sinfully broken by those that have profest the Fear of the Loâ—â— And I am perswaded that nothing but unfeigned Humiliations aâ— deep Contritions of those that have been guilty of this Sin for thâ— Sin or the taking away their lives from the Earth will pacifie thâ— Lords Wrath or stay his dreadful Judgements from coming doâ— upon these Nations Thirdly Whereas it is said page 73. That the Lambs Followâ— shall be of the disposiâ—ion of faithful Abraham Thereby is ment Thâ— they shall by no means take when it is offered to them the Worâ—â— Wealth from any of the World no more then Abraham took of thâ— King of Sodom But yet may the Lord give them some other waâ— plentifully of these things as he did to Abraham But the Worâ— shall have no cause to say That their Wealth hath made them ricâ— Christian Reader whoever thou art thou mayest be assured foâ— the Lord knoweth that I speak the Truth and lie not I. That this whole Work is done in obedience to the Lord whâ— laid it with a strong hand upon me though I †As Jeremiah pleaded and not otherwise Jer. 1. 6. pleaded to be eâ—empted from it and though to flesh and blood it was a hard tâ—â— for several Reasons And II. Thou mayest be as well assured also that this whole work iâ— done in true love to every Soul that is reproved therein whethâ—â— they be known or unknown to me for it may reach the Souls oâ— many thousands whose faces I never saw and of whose Nameâ— much less Conversations I never heard And the God of Isrâ—â— grant his Blessing to it Amen FINIS