of the heart in that which is not corruptible 1 Pet. 3.4 In this also it is significant that the external cost and detriment that such vigorous attempts may bring upon us ought not to be drawn into the reckoning as worthy to be named or counted dear to our selves so we may bring him Honour bear up his Name serve our Generation finish our Testimony and hereby raise him a sweet savour in the midst of an adulterous age where we are brought forth The debate and resolution between two generous spirits David and Araunah about offering up a sweet savour to the Lord is very teaching 2 Sam. 24.24 I will surely buy it of thee for a price neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing Such as profess a perswasion of the necessity toward this confection of a rich access of the precious things of Heaven such as precious Bloud 1 Pet. 1.19 of a precious Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 apprehended by precious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 through precious Promises vers 4. in a precious Word 1 Sam. 3.1 answering to those precious things of Heaven c. Deut. 33.13 to 16. Such I say as acknowledge a necessity of these are much overseen to stick at and stand upon things of a lower value such as Father Mother Wife Children Brethren Sisters own Life Luke 14.26 to 33. Mat. 10.37 38 39. Mark 10.28 29 30. as though they were too costly or precious to be laid down upon this honourable account if the Lord have need of them 3dly The Oyntment she brought is in this respect teaching to us That the Application of it was very Manifest Liberal and Diffusive She did not only open pierce and give some vent to it sparingly and gradually but brake the Box pouring it out upon his head It bespeaks the business performed with such good will so throughly and effectually as intended neither secresie nor reservation as his head and all his other parts were filled with the Oyntment answering that Scripture Psal 133.2 so was the whole house intentionally filled with odour of it John 12.3 Christ is principally honoured with our affairs of this kind when we appear most openly and communicatively in sending forth the savour and shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 The excellency of this composition is best discerned in its contest with and conquest over opposition then smelling most when censured crushed bruised most holding forth the Word of Life as Lights in the World Phil. 2.15 16. to make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery Eph. 3.9 We only then answer the ends and expectation of Christ now pressed after when though in censuring perilous dayes we do in our several places and capacities do what we can by a publick Testimony bear witness to every Truth and Vertue of his and such especially as are most eminently striven against by the wickedness of the dayes and places we live in We come now to speak to the special Ingredients of the Confection which is only competent to preserve a sweet savour to Christ's dying Interest about which for the encouragement and direction of the meanest Saint to do what they can this must be considered That all of them that are a sweet savour unto God they are the Spices and Powders of the Merchants Cant. 6.1 Mark 16.1 brought from far and to be bought at Gospel-prices Rev. 3.18 I counsel thee to buy of me c. That which is of our own growth Phil. 3.8 9. begged or borrowed Mat. 25.9 will not serve the turn This though very precious yet they that have a mind to trade in it may have great penyworths Isa 55.1 2 3. Nor is it the less acceptable to the Lord or thank-worthy that they bring it with this acknowledgement 1 Chron. 29.14 15 16. What am I and what is this people that we should be able to offer so willingly For all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee all this store that we have prepared cometh of thy hand and all is thine own Moreover this should be an encouragement to the poorest weakest Believer That though spiritual gifts of deep knowledge and utterance may do much towards the raising and repute to a dying cause Yet have the graces of the Spirit shining in the hearts and conversation of a poor Believer an estimation of a greater price in the sight of God and a real and direct tendency to glorifie the Name of God in a standing way when the high and renowned gifts of Prophesie may fail and Tongues cease and Knowledge vanish away 1 Cor. 13. to the end The truth of which we have verified in our dayes and may yet further That the great learned famed men who would be thought the only Bulwarks and Champions for the Truth and Cause have shrunk from it and their Names rot and stunk whilest a few poor despised Saints that own themselves nothing and have no might have yet been preserved to abide with Christ in his temptations and having obtained a little strength do not deny his Name Thus hath it been in all Ages Not many Wise c. But God hath chosen the foolish things c. And I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth saith Christ that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father c. But more particularly 1. In all such Confections there is indespensibly necessary A lively Faith of the operation of God without which it is impossible to please him Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 This contributes strength savour and duration to all other ingredients as they say Ambergreese doth to all Perfumes is in the front of all others 2 Pet. 1.5 And though it be precious v. 1. yet must have vertue still diligently added to it By Faith Joseph when he died made mention of the departure of the Children of Israel gave commandment concerning his bones Heb. 11.22 Many are the excellent exploits recorded by Moses performed by Joseph's Faith yet the Spirit singles this one out doubtless for its exemplary eminency to abide upon this Gospel-File that his Faith at dying though the Light of Israel were for the time seemingly put out with him had such a singular regard to the assurance of the Promise of deliverance that on the single evidence thereof he gave commandment touching his bones What Commandment namely the same he had given touching his Fathers bones Gen. 50.2 That they should be embalmed the better to comport and be in fellowship with the design of the Promise in the truth of which he had so much confidence as he was contented his bones should be kept though imbalmed above ground and not reposed to their proper rest till his people also should be brought to rest in the Land of Promise his Faith preferred a Cave in Canaan before a Pyramid in Egypt
all they are apt to trust in of a fleshly carnal kind 2 Cor. 1.9 Again that day a Friend asking how he did He replyed Heavy heavy It was told him Earth would be so Yea saith he and the Sand weighty but the New Heavens and New Earth will not be so their make will be of a more transcendent nature by reason of the Spirit of Holiness and Righteousness that shall dwell in them It was answered Yes In those dayes the Righteous shall flourish Whereunto he quickly replied That the Righteous had their day a day that might be properly called theirs in which they should in some sort flourish But said he it 's said in his day entitling it to Christ principally the Righteous shall flourish Christ shall have a day for it in the world Being asked What think you shall you be returned to us again or not He said Truly he knew not what to think in that matter and when all thoughts about it were made it was hardly worth a serious consideration in regard of their uncertainty and the little of Christian concernment in such kind of knowledge for though sometimes it were very grateful to Flesh and Blood to be able to say hereby shall it be known I am a man of God by my coming to such a place or doing such a thing at such a season yet when Paul went bound in Spirit to Jerusalem under fullest gales that ever he went he must not know what must betide him there Acts 20.22 nor whether God would be glorified in him by life or death A Clyster being ministred that day which wrought not it was asked How he did He said Hastening home now apace What makes you think so sayes the Friend Why saies he the Lord hath usually made it his way with me when he works me up to settled perswasions of things they have usually come to pass accordingly now having had Clysters and such means administred that have wrought with my poor body long even to admiration but now it ceases to do so and all passages seem stopt for evacuation of the humors lodged in my body I conclude he intends to take me away It was told him It was but one Clyster had so miscarried with him another might operate and that such a conclusion could not well be drawn from no better premises than that Then he added God hath been many wayes bringing me to an acquiescence in his Will as to such an issue he seems to be putting and hath likewise been for this week or more taking you off from glorying in the flesh of such a poor creature any longer by bringing this poor body under such straightning circumstances as may make you all willing to part with me rather than to be continued under such sore pains to me as well as trouble to you that so you might let me go and he having dealt thus with me and also spoke and continueth to speak peace to my soul I am upon the whole perswaded I shall leave you and am helped to say in that matter The Will of the Lord be done The same day a Friend asking him How he did He said I am labouring that whether present or absent I may be accepted of the Lord. His Friend answered It became him to be so labouring eying him whose Soul hath travelled and laboured that such poor ones as we might be accepted and through whom God hath graciously witnessed his acceptance of you and also of your witness-bearing unto him in this your present suffering state not only from men but his own hand likewise as I am fully perswaded Then he groaned and said Alas this poor weak weary body To which his Friend replied It was made poor in order to enriching and seemed to be uncloathed in order to be cloathed upon with his house from Heaven There he fetch'd a deep sigh and said Ah! if in this life only I had hope in Christ I were of all men most miserable To which it was answered Blessed be God for that well-grounded hope in Christ for a better life even that hope that is as an Anchor sure and stedfast cast within the Vail where our Fore-runner is for us entred Yea said he that better hope by which we draw nigh unto God And bid him be of good chear Rest would be more sweet to him when he entered into it by all the toyle he met with in the way Then he groaned and said He was groaning after Liberty Yea saith his Friend a Liberty that tarrieth not for man nor waits for the sons of men No sayes he it is as a dew from the Lord 't is a glorious liberty On the same day attempting to repose A Friend seeing him very ill said Oh! my dear Brother Must we part He said Yes he thought so though it may be but for a little time to meet again with more advantage But said the Friend Alas how dark are the Providences still taking away the best and leaving the poorest and neediest for the day and duties of it To whom he answered Lay not much stress upon that the work is not yours but Gods he will provide only will vary his methods as pleases him look therefore to him and those that are with you Heb. 12.22 He then asked a Friends advice about some Physical administrations whereto was replied Oh! my dear Brother you know my weakness to advise in any case and much more in these I so little understand that should you practise any thing as my advice in competition with others and miscarry in â—t I should not be able to stand under it though I have this witness with me that the best advice I have I would gladly give and were it better I would more readily give it in any case but my weakness every way is not unknown to you He replied It might not be meet for us to speak of each other what might otherwise be said having both our fears each way lest we should speak more than is meet but he hoped we had both our witness in that matter since our coming together and that we have carried it to each other in uprightness of Spirit and truth of Affection for which we had both occasion to bless the Lord for favour therein afforded and for advice desired in the case propounded he should not further put any such burden upon him To another Friend about him He said Alas what care is there generally and particularly among persons to conform to the fashions of the world But Oh! let our eyes be upon Jesus in opposition thereunto and in that path of the Lord the God of Love and Peace shall be with us Then breaking out into holy Admonitions on that word 1 Cor. 2.9 of the greatâ—ess which Eye had not seen Ear heard nor had enâ—ered into the Heart of man to conceive And said Oh! as you love your souls press press on and after it with all your might and keep close to the Lord and his paths in pursuit
when they saw his anguish was exceeding great and their own was not very small The Interest of words meerly such can be of little signification while the things themselves spoken of are manifestly absent Perhaps we have spoken enough if not too much for our part now God is come to speak his part which requires much quiet attention the rather for that though it be very loud yet very mysterious and deep as are many of the Oracles of God those especially wherein he designs to manifest himself to his and not to the World I could for my own part also lay hold on the like exemption and silent retirement as most befitting my present state and frame altogether entangled and perplexed and presuming that you have at hand to help not only the presence of the great promised Comforter who can supply all your wants but also the secondary supplement of many worthy Ones who have received the Anointing and thereby the Tongue of the Learned to speak words in season From you we have hitherto received the accounts given of the gradual stâ—ps of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own Will in the several gradations wherein we have not been wanting as enabled to pour out our hearts before him who was able to help and are now enquiring why he hath appeared as being angry with the Prayers of his People covering himself with a Cloud that they could not get through If any distinct answer be given you may expect to hear of it In mean time that Isa 57.1 is before us as verified not only in the loose generation of Professors who seem greatly hardened and estranged from the Interest of their chiefest mercies but to true even among those who seem to be most tenderly touched with affectionate sense of present privations and pressures of all kinds right laying to heart and due considerations of such stupendous works of God both in their present weight and future warning is very rare and require extraordinary teaching and conduct that neither on one hand we despise or on the other faint when thus chastised by him Your cry for help hence must be returned with the same importunity ye also helping by Prayer to God for us who though at some personal distance are yet in some sort of Sympathy pressed if not above measure and beyond strength yet to the utmost degrees of what is hitherto received yet wisdom and strength are with him with whom we have to do who hath graciously put himself under promise that as the day is the strength shall be The Lord prepare us for learning harping singing the new song which is the peculiar melody of them redeemed from the Earth which admits of no interruption from Thundrings Earthquakes Tempests Voices though they proceed out of the Throne and are subservient to the Ends of it Yours heartily 4th of the 4th mon. 67. Another on the same occasion Garments of Gladness for the Spirit of Heaviness My dear Sister WHile there is a Spirit in Heaven influencing spiritual Believers upon Earth in their frail capacities that Word will have its verity among them though absent from one another in the body how great soever their distance and how dark soever their circumstances may be yet are they present in the Spirit joyning not only in rejoycing while order and stedfastness in the Faith are manifest but also in affliction and mourning where knowledge is imparted or though but supposed of the hand of the Lord touching and bruising especially in the most tender part and on spiritual occasions such hath been the fellowship of the Spirit through Grace I trust in my soul with you under the very heavy rebuke of the Almighty wherewith you have been exercised especially of late dayes on divers accounts both personal domestick in the Church of Christ where you walk in the whole Sion of God and as in the Nation it self having a right and relation to its welfare or desolations as I also am fully satisfied you have had with me in divers proofs that have been put upon my Faith and Patience as far as they have come to your cognizance and I hope the same Grace will not only teach us to be tender but mutually helpful each to other toward the understanding and complyance more fully with our Father's mind in these stupendous dispensations so as his ends upon us may be actually furthered in the promotion of the power and beauties of Holiness Unto which issues though godly sorrow working Repentance never to be repented of hath a very direct tendency and humbling our selves greatly under the mighty hand of God is the straitest step towards the best exaltation in due time Yet when I read the present temper and its tendency of my own heart and also observe in yours and others late lines upon this heart-breaking occasion to what excess of sadness fear discouragement and even dispondency we are apt to yield the Tempter advantage to triumph over us and hardly recover our selves to a jealous thought that there is any considerable danger in the excess on that hand but that it is a kind of vertue to refuse to be comforted I say in such observations my heart hath bin smitten with reproof and somewhat awakned to stand upon its watch against incursions on that quarter lest Satan should get an advantage on us who should not be ignorant of his enterprizes It 's true we have lost a Prince and great man in Israel this day But who was his Father 1 Sam. 10.12 was it not the Father of Spirits with whom the residue of the Spirit is and who can at his pleasure set a man over the Congregation Know we not where is the Lord God of Elijah is he not in Heaven and can do whatever he pleaseth Is not his Spirit in Promise Are not all the Promises of Christ Yea and Amen Doth not the time of the Promise draw nigh of that grand effusion of the Spirit of Elijah that shall raise the Witnesses revive the Works lift up the Standard break the Yoke have not some sprinklings of the Spirit been found up and down in our dayes and should it not be owned as a token for good and turned to us for a Testimony that the Harvest is not far off Are not these discouraging complainings of ours much of the same kind and go upon the same mistakes and may righteously issue in the same dismissions to us from further service as it was with Elijah in his fainting fit after he had acted in so full a gale of the Spirit just before that now he complains They have killed the Prophets c. and I even I am left alone and my life is sought also What am I better than my Fathers We know the Answer of God to him which I trust is true at this day There is yet a remnant according to the Election of Grace and Seed that shall serve him and shall be accounted with him for a Generation
and execute Laws which have direct threatnings and a present tendency that way toward such as you who stand in a profession of Christ's which testifieth that their works are evil This rage hath already invaded and uncovered some Families among you and multitudes in other places and all such as will live godly in Christ Jesus must expect the like not as if some strange thing hapned to them and therefore should be in daily preparation to make and leave their own such as are instructed and have learned to trust in God and to own and improve a Relation for themselves in him according to their capacity which may make an abundant supply to this lack or loss of your company and society which will turn to their great blessing and help to your confident and comfortable surrendring them up to the Lord in a way of folâ—owing him whithersoever he goeth and may call â—r dispose of you 2. These are times in which a more than ordinary disadvantage and danger is designed to spoyl and destroy both Infants and Youth not only in respect of their Schooling which must be carried on by such Tutors and under such Rules as tend to tempt and subject them to suck-in the Principles of that Apostasie and misery that the former years have been delivered from or else can hardly make any procedure in Learning requisite to accomplish them But principally are they exceeding liable to danger and destruction if the Lord wonderfully prevent not by means of their unavoidable company and converse with other youths of their growth and degree the which generally is become everywhere so wanton wicked debauched through the looseness of the times and the countenance that all filthiness finds where it ought to be punished and restrained that unless your Children and Servants be through a blessing on your Prayers and Endeavours in-laid with good Principles in awakened Conscience followed with constant Instruction and an exemplary Conversation with a wise moderated steady discipline it will be a marvellous thing if thâ—y be not utterly spoiled become a scourge and torment to you and at length repent that ever they saw you and perish in the gain-sayings of this wicked and adulterous generation 3. The dayes that have passed over you havâ— been dayes of the Lord 's wonderful Salvations and the stretching forth of his Arm in these Nations to dâ— marvellous things toward the getting himself a glorious Name The putting away the remembrance oâ— which from under Heaven and razing out of all thâ— marks and monuments thereof is the manifest design of the wicked men of this generation The memory whereof as it alwayes ought to be dear to you who have been blessed in those Salvations and have sung his praise So should it be your great care to preserve the same by teaching and instructing those committed to your charge therein and that not only in the History and Letter of them the very memory whereof will be famous in the ages to come but especially in the inward Principles Springs and Spirit of them as well as the issues whereunto they were by the Lord intended that yours may be able to tell the generations to come and the people uncreated may praise the Lord. Which things your off-spring will only be capable to understand and sutably to comply with the Lords motions and designs therein when they shall be spiritually instructed in and experimentally acquainted with the way and operations of the Lord on the Spirits of his People to which your utmost diligence is indispensibly required as ever you would glorifie God in your generation 4. Moreover you generally profess your selves to be such as expect glorious dayes to succeed the deep tryals that are or are coming on upon the heritage of the Lord and do you not wish so well to your own as to do what in you lies that they should have a share in that Salvation which your selves have professed longed prayed laboured suffered for And how think you will they be capable of bearing that glory or suppose there be yet a reserve of tryals for them that are to usher it in which will be very full of power and purity unless they be indeed brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord instructed in Christ as the Truth is in him and from a fellowship in his Spirit brought within the compass of the rich and glorious Promises which shall manifest and convey the blessed things unto the Ages to come that instead of the Fathers may be the Children 5. Add hereunto that the force and violence of this evil time is such as doth drive you frequently and may yet be expected to drive you more from your stated seasons on the first dayes of the Week and other times of following the Lord in those solemn publick Appointments and Institutions of the Gospel unto your Family retirements at least a great part of your time in those dayes the which affords you more enlarged opportunities than you had formerly to teach and instruct your own houshoulds great and small according to their capacity in the things of the Kingdom to the which you are concerned to give all heed diligence and indeavour not in any neglect of opportunities in the Assemblies of the Saints while they do continue or may be had but when there is an interval the solemn exercises in the Church being ended or when through force and fury they shall if the Lord shall permit them to be so utterly broken as you should be reduced again to that ancient way of the Saints being governed as in Abrahams and the Patriarchs time in Family-Worship You are I say so much the more concerned to set your selves vigorously to this work of endeavouring that your houses may become as so many Churches of Christ in respect of that Instruction reading the Scriptures Praying gracious Conference Discipline exemplary Walking in all holy Conversation and Godliness which ought to be professed and maintained in beauty set in majesty among them and in this sense to be setting your houses in order for you know not how soon these very staves of beauty and bands may be violently invaded disturbed and broken by the same spirit of hatred which now offers force to your more solemn Assemblings While therefore you have this price in your hand this undisturbed opportunity you should be doing this good I hope I need not largely follow these with other Arguments which might be drawn out at length from the inestimable value of their immortal souls the redemption whereof is precious which now are committed to your care and over-sight and will be strictly required at your hands in the day of Accompts that draweth nigh and that the rather for that now is their making or marring time which effects you may expect will and frequently do follow according as you either are found in the due and diligent discharge of your duty among them or are negligent and remiss therein Little it is considered and laid
such as neither Saints nor Sinners methinks durst adventure much upon yet many go on in the simplicity of their hearts to try if perhaps they may do the least service to help the desired work forward to its just issues I am apt to think you see enough of Lamentation in the divisions of Reuben that make such searchings of heart the same Cloud as I was saying last extends hither and the Effects are the same I suppose here and there They that have gone hand in hand in their mourning hitherto seem necessitated to part and yet neither sing nor weep mutually at parting but a spirit seems to sunder them that is not likely to carry them far without miscarriage But it 's no wonder to see a sinful Nation a People laden with iniquity fuller of passions than of compassions divided and lose one another in a season when it seems neither day nor night and about a work that is so fitted to set out thâ— manifold wisdom of God as if the Maker of Heaven and Earth had reserved his work his strange work his act his strange act till last and left this inscription on every footstep he takes Yet he will shew him greater works than these that ye may marvel Joh. 5.20 They of all have the crowning mercy who are thought worthy to have that Righteous man's portion to be called to the foot of God Isa 41.2 Deut. 33.3 A very holy Evangelical large Spirit is only fitted to comply with what our God is doing Blessed are all they that wait on him These Parts afford no Intelligence only Evil-men and Seducers wax worse and worse mens hearts are failing for fear and for looking for the things that are coming on upon the Earth while the Powers of Heaven and the Pillars of the Earth are shaking I find few seriously enquiring in any other than a superficial Spirit What must the Righteous do Our very Character seems to be a People void of counsel I am Yours in spiritual affection knit to you waiting to obtain relation to you in all the will of our King A. C. To a Friend with Arguments for Patient waiting The Lord be your shade upon your Right-Hand My Dear I Have sometimes had Instruction and conceived engagement from that word 2 Kings 3.16 17 to dig pits till the rain fill the pools Ye shall not seâ— wind neither shall ye see rain yet the valley shall bâ— filled with water that ye may drink c. The latteâ— dayes work hath Promises prepared and proportioned to a design of magnifying the Naked Arm oâ— God in the spoyling the Glory sealing up the hand and hiding pride of every man And this advantagâ— have we beyond our Predecessors that the Lord hath made eminent evident advances upon this Work iâ— our view and remembrance having given us as in a little Map a lively description and testimony of what he both can and will do for his Names sake and he having been at work in a way of Wonders nay proceeding to do very terrible things still he expecteth we should be following him in a Faith and expectation of great things Joel 2.21 That was a very good advice Job 5.8 c. I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause which doth great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number who giveth rain upon the Earth and sendeth waters upon the Fields to set up on high those that be low that those which mourn may â—e exalted to safety vers 16. So that the poor hath Hope and Iniquity stoppeth her mouth This is a day wherein the Lord 's great Contests seem to be drawing towards a determination and period all Interests and Preparations seem hastning their march â—oward the Valley of Decision Thither bring down â—hy Mighty ones O God! Ah! how should we be wakening up our selves and others to look about us that we be not found naked unclothed unwarnâ—d unarmed and the day over-take us as it may â—nd will do others at unawares How may we see â—n every quarter Idolatrous and Prophane persons â—trengthning and stretching one another to the utmost â—xtent of Abomimation and should not this yield â—n enforcing Argument to quicken us up for Christ â—o look and lay about us to engage as many as is â—ossible to be on the Lord's side lively valiant viâ—ilant with the Arm and Armour of God on the â—ight hand and on the left as those who are in an â—xpectation of following the Lamb on the Mount â—ion under those Virgin qualifications as bespeaks them Called Chosen and Faithful And that to this end we admit not impressions to be made on our Spirits to the abatements either of our Light or Life in following on to know the Lord from either our fear at the swellings of Jordan without or offence vexation or inordinate grief and dispondency at the discords and inconsistencies of the Saints within I must confess this Prison hath produced a fresh tryal of Spirit to me of late beyond what hitherto I have ordinarily observed and experienced it to see the abounding encreasing filthiness of this prophane Family the Governors and Governed in it being set upon the impudence of Abomination not only slighting and hating Reproof but daring us and Heaven with their Oaths Curses Singing Roaring Rageing c. insomuch as were not the goodness of God and of his Cause a relieving support the place would become a Prison indeed but this I take to be buâ— as a little Scheme of a great World of Wickedness How great is that Grace that gives ground to say We know we are of God while the poor World lieâ— thus in wickedness Ah poor England Oh thaâ— my head were waters Yours c. To a Friend encouraging to stedfastness Light arising out of obscurity and darkness My honoured Friend THe principal intendment of this is to let you know that through Grace I am preserved alive in the midst of many cooling and killing dispensations of Providence yet hath not the length nor strength of the pressures been hitherto admitted to draw my Soul into any dislike of the hand that layes them on or of the Cause for which at mens hand I endure this hard usage but the more I am led either to behold the true principles of this Cause or the gracious engagements and endearments of the heart of Christ in and to it and to those who in a spirit of Faith and faithfulness adhere to it and are the Confessors of it or to call over the gracious experiences that my self and fellow-sufferers in other places have had and testified the dearer hath it and every part and point of it been made unto me and the more confidently am I satisfied that the Lord will appear to the shame of those Prophane or Professors who are either the open enemies or secret betrayers of it and weakners of the Friends and Favourites thereof And truly I wish your soul may stand at due distance from any defilements and
to do were but to exchange and avoid the torture of my body and admit in the room of it a torture upon my soul and spirit They who will adventure to rush upon and run down the counsel comfort and judgement that Conscience sets up and would keep up in them they little think what an hazard they run Paul could stedfastly behold the Council and tell the High-Priest that was President of it that God would smite him as a whited-wall when he had this defence to make I have lived in all good Conscience to this day Acts 23.1 2 3. This makes Councils that persecute slight and despicable torments sweet and easie Though without there be fightings yet inwardly there will be peace whereas if our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things To have God and our own Consciences against us at once will not be countervailed by the friendship of this world that any obtain by stretching a good Conscience making shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience I have been sometimes awakned with the dread of that word Jer. 4.11 12. when a threatning is exhibited from the Wilderness and then to have God give sentence also against a People that is dreadful to have God against us our selves against us and many to one but we draw men against us too in such cases this is the worst of torments whereas all is rendred easie when we can say Psal 17.2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence If God be for us Conscience for us who then can be against us who can harm us We may reade in Cain Judas Spira and many others how fearful it hath been to undergo a wound in them A man may sustain his infirmities of other kinds but a wounded Conscience who can bear Object It s true I cannot quiet the clamours of Conscience as I would do but I find I am very ignorant and men tell me This I may do and that I may do very safely and I am bound to think of them better than my self and not to prefer before their judgment the dictates of my weak Conscience Answ It is a very dangerous thing to do any thing against the dictates of an erring Conscience provided thou knowest not at present that it is in this thing erring It is a question among many Whether the dictates of an erring Conscience do bind but sure I am that violence offer'd to an erring Conscience hath a direct tendency to terrifie him that doth any thing with a doubting Conscience He that doubteth is damned if he eat for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 Blessed is the man that condemneth not himself in the things that he alloweth Though thy Conscience may be erronious yet while thou knowest it not to be so it is the best friend thou hast under Heaven Take heed therefore by the force of others or the fear and treachery that is in thy self thou admit any violence done to it lest once stretching it beyond its staple it never do the offices of a good Conscience more to thee to counsel excuse witness toward thy peace more Object But I have seen other men accept of comply with and yield to that which my Conscience makes such a noise about and they good men too and yet they profess they have peace in it and why may not I adventure Answ For my part I durst not judge another mans Servant to his own Master he stands or falls Yet I have sometimes observed men who have adventured in this kind and though they have carried it with an high forehead and put a bold countenance on it yet there are times when one may discern them to have pale faces which may give intimation all is not well within such are under great temptation to keep up their credit till the Lord arrest them with a new Conviction as he did David with a Thou art the man and then they may as he be forced to cry out how long soever he had carried it stoutly All my bones are out of joynt Restore to me the joyes of thy Salvation and take not away thy Holy Spirit from me But suppose their Consciences do not smite them they may have a kind of peace that is but from security not the peace of God not the peace of the answer of a good Conscience by the bloud of sprinkling The Apostle tells us of a Conscience seared with a hot Iron 1 Tim. 4.2 Some sorts of violence done to Conscience are left by the Lord to the Devils curing who heals the smart of divers wounds by searing them but the cure is never the more desireable for all that It s with Conscience as it is with Cloth which sometimes the Fuller strains so much upon the Tenters till he break the very staple of it and then it s neither fire nor water will shrink it whereas being strained but in an ordinary way it would but though it shrink not you may be sure it will have no strength for service Take heed you offer not such force to Conscience lest you find it short of serving you as it should in time of need 3. If I cannot come at the good of Deliverance but I must betray or balk some Truth of God intrusted with me as a part of my Testimony I may not upon any terms touch with that Deliverance Every Truth of Christ committed to the care and custody of a Christian is of more worth and value than all his Comforts and Accommodations under the Sun And he that yields or betrays any Truth thus deposited as a pledge to his trust and care for the procuring any liberty to himself hath too hard a bargain of it You have an express direction Prov. 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not We are to buy it whatever it cost but not to barter it whatever it will yield That was a choice Spirit described 2 Cor. 13.8 We can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth The Glory of God may be so deeply engaged and imbarqued in one Truth as all my external comforts may not be named in one day with it It hath been an expression very taking with me Isa 43.9 10. God hath his times wherein most eminently he is put upon it to vindicate his Truth the question is brought upon the stage and tryal of the world who must either yield and say It is truth or else must endure the test of God's Evidences who are his Saints Ye are my Witnesses saith the Lord or his Son called his Servant whom he hath chosen who in the grand contest with all the powers of darkness hath by witnessing his good confession merited that name Rev. 3.14 The Amen the Faithful and true Witness a resemblance and proportion to him is every Christian required to keep in his being called forth to a witness-bearing to him As God values every Truth of his at an high rate especially in the day that it is to be spoken for
so should we There are divers Truths that in most Ages are not controverted these are not so properly the Truths under present consideration but such as the design of the Adversary is manifest to root out from being professed under heaven such are the Word of Patience which must be kept Rev. 3.10 the present Truth which must be had in remembrance and establishment 2 Pet. 1.12 Object Why is not every truth a truth now a present truth Answ Though that which is truth at any time abides truth at all times yet as hath been said those truths in a most eminent manner are called present truths which concern at present the vindication of the Glory of God and draw on the present tryals of the day upon the Assertors of it I note this the rather because in this shifting-day many that would be thought to be the Lord's Witnesses please themselves with this Blessed be God we hold to Fundamentals What Fundamental Truths have we yielded or denied and think themselves no way concerned to keep up a testimony for those truths which they call Circumstantial such as are not matters of Salvation whether it be held or practised this way or the other way Alas by such distinctions and evasions as these men have let go almost their whole testimony about the Royal right of Christ to set up Institutions of Worship that are to be maintained in his Authority only And I fear that such who can so easily relinquish their testimony to present Truths under this pretention They are not Fundamental Truths it will be found that when those Truths which they now call Fundamental shall be brought as they may speedily be brought to their tryal and so become present Truths there will other distinctions be found out to avoid the offence of the Cross concerning them also For an unconceiveable weakness in sticking close to every Truth is unavoidably contracted by yielding to the betraying of any Truth Hence Paul would not give place by subjection no not for an hour when there was great contention that the Truth of the Gospel might be continued Gal. 2.5 so vers 14. you see how eagerly he contended with Peter which might have endangered the Peace of the Churches meerly because he walked not uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel That Point which that Epistle handleth being the present Truth which was most assaulted and endangered to be lost in that day occasions him to be so jealous of it that he would and did run all manner of hazards rather than betray it Our case is the same now many glorious Truths hath the Lord brought forth asserted cleared and committed to his Saints and Churches to keep unrebukeable till the appearing of Christ especially those of his Dominion over his Saints and others these now being put upon a publick test upon the stage of the World and we as Witnesses Subpoenâ to give in Evidence to the truth and goodness of them We durst not accept of any overtures of Deliverance or otherwayes whereby our Testimony to them should be balked 4. When I cannot come at the good of Deliverance but I must bind up my hands from being capable of doing God that service in my generation which he requireth of me freely for the time to come when these are the terms Deliverance is too dear forme and may not be accepted We are called unto Liberty and withal required to stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and not to be entangled with any yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 Not to be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 For if we seek to please them we cannot be the servants of Christ Gal. 1.10 Now that thing which would bind up my hands from being serviceable to Jesus Christ when he calls for my service my yielding thereunto whatever it be is a betraying of my Christian Liberty which Christ hath purchased for me with his blood We are debtors unto Grace and may not violate that obligation or yield to any thing that incapacitates us to discharge it by any means or on any terms You reade frequently at what an high rate in several contests Paul stands upon his Romane Priviledges he would not when in Prison came out to the detriment or disparagement of those his humane liberties Acts 16.37 And shall Paul think earthly priviledges to be such as he would indure longer imprisonment rather than basely betray them and shall we who are called to Gospel-liberties bought at so dear a rate beyond his Acts 22.28 1 Pet. 1.18 sell them for a song God forbid You know when Moses was upon the Treaty with Pharaoh about the enlargement of Israel out of Egypt divers overtures Pharaoh makes according as the hand of the Lord pressed on him They should sacrifice in the Land Exod. 8.26 or they should go out so none but the Men might go leaving the Women and Children chap. 10.9 10 11. or They should all go but they should leave the Flocks and Herds chap. 10.24 But what is the resolution of Moses There shall not an hoof be left behind for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God and we know not with what we must serve the Lord until we come thither v. 26. Shall Moses and Israel stand on their Points to endure Bondage rather than leave an Hoof behind And shall we make such terms to have Locks and Fetters upon our Hands and Feet from serving Christ for time to come seeing we little know what he may require of us to serve him withal God forbid Can true Israelites endure to have Deliverance upon such terms as the thrusting out their right eyes and laying it for a reproach on all Israel Would not all the Lords people lift up their voices and weep if it should be so 1 Sam. 11.2 4. Object What would you have me do I am now perhaps a Prisoner They will give me liberty so I will engage to Preach no more to Meet no more c. If they keep me a Prisoner I cannot Meet or Preach c. And if I promise I will not I shall be but in the same capacity I am in now and am likely to be still in Answ This way of reasoning is very ensnaring for first if thou art in bonds thy great interest lies in this in giving diligence that the Word of God is not bound 2 Tim. 2.9 but rather as Paul saith Phil. 1.12 That the things that fall out of this kind fall out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel Such therefore as seek and get freedom on terms that leave the Word obstructed in that free passage wherein it should run and be glorified 2 Thes 3.1 they do but get the fetters off from their own feet and set them upon the Word of God which is but Deliverance with a mischief 2 Thy liberty obtained in such a way and on such reasonings is but a liberty and freedom to serve thy self feed and satisfie thy self and lusts