1 Joh. 3. 16. own blood Well have our sinnes cost Christ his blood and shall they not cost us some teares think upon him how he bled upon the crosse and how he hung while all was finished and for shame let it doe something towards the breaking of our hearts It will wound the deeper if 4. In the last place we consider who it is we have Act. 17. 28 Mich. 7. 15 Ezech. 33. 11. Ezech. 18. 31. Jer. 13. 17. Luk. 15. 10. Luk. 19. 41. offended even this Christ who thus hath shed his blood upon the crosse for sinners that God in whom we live and move that makes our lives so sweet by many mercies that pardoneth iniquity and reteineth not his anger for ever because he delights in mercy that calls upon you with such tender bowells of affection why will ye dye and will ye not be made cleane when shall it once be that when you are converted unto life rejoyceth when you stand it out by unbeleefe weeps over you To you who are his people I may say that God who hath ingag'd himselfe to love you and to be your portion husband friend and father Well shall not all this love of his make us relent and mourne for sinne whereby we have abus'd him shall he weep for us and we not for our selves his Spirit grieveth when his people sinne what hearts have we that are so little moov'd for what we doe against him Thus have we dispatcht the first thing in the making of our peace this humbling of our selves I have stood the longer upon this because it is a principall and main part of the duty of this day and that indeed on which the rest will much depend You heard in opening of the Text there is no peace to an unbroken heart therfore we find it in the first place called Lev. 23 27 2 Chro. 7. 14. for by God in dayes of Fast and the first thing put in practice here by Israel his people The second is our fleeing unto Christ for pardon let Jer. 31. 32 33. Ps 89. 33 34. Ps 16. 5. Eph. 5. 32. Joh. 15. 15. Isa 9. 6. Act. 8. 36. this also be a part of this dayes worke Are we sensible in any measure of the misery of sinne and weight of Gods eternall wrath let us then stirre up our selves to take hold of his mercy which he freely offers let every one of us thus reason with himselfe as once the Eunuch said to Philip loe here is water what hinders me to be baptized so let us say see here is a Christ a Saviour a pardon offered why should not I beleeve a fountaine for sinne and for uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1 2 King 5. 13. what hinders me from stepping in had he commanded me some great thing to be done for life eternall should I not have done it how much rather when hee saith wash and be cleane believe and be saved and why should I deferre a work of such importance that may now be done more easily than ever should I live a thousand yeares since every day without repentance addes something to the hardnesse of my heart and why doe I neglect eternity and dote upon these transitory things below when Jesus Christ hath shed his blood for pardon why doe I refuse to sue it out thus let us plead and overcome our selves and runne to Christ for mercy and forgivenesse nor doe I speake this only unto such who are yet strangers to the life of God but even to all The Num. 28. 3. burnt-offering was the daily sacrifice morning and evening it was renew'd and it is the businesse of our morning and evening prayer to renew our peace from time to time with God repentance is the constant work of every believer especially it must be done upon a day of fast Thirdly give up your selves in Covenant with God that is the peace offering or thank offering he expects this day even your selves given up to him a living Rom. 12 1 Rom. 6. 13. sacrifice your members as instruments of righteousnesse to God to be possessed by his Spirit to be govern'd by his will give up your hearts into his hands and let him worke his will upon them let him bring what light he please into your understandings let him kindle what affections he desires in your hearts let godly sorrow have a perfect worke and let him bring into your soules the strongest cosolations of his Spirit doe not put them by however heretofore you have neglected this salvation yet now betake your selves to Christ and venture life and soule and all upon his mercy say if we perish we perish Jesus Christ shall be our stay his service our employment there we will set up our rest for ever we will be his servants he shall be our God Thus in these three things we see what must be done in making of our peace oh that the Lord would now perswade your hearts to doe it You especially that never tasted of the sweetnesse of a pardon God is about to doe great things for the Kingdom yea for the whole world it is a time of bounty with him put you in for mercy for your soules And why should any heart refuse what is the cause doe we doubt his willingnesse to pardon he is more ready to embrace than we to come Have you not consider'd what complaints he made about his casting off an unrepenting apostatizing people Hos 11. 8. How shall I give thee up O Ephraim sayes God how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim that is as the Cities which the Lord destroy'd with Sodom and Gomorrha My heart is turn'd within me my repentings are kindled together he sayes as much of you that stand demurring and pretending yeelding to the secret desperate misgivings of an unbeleeving heart whilst you cry out O how shall God accept of us he cryes as fast how shall I cast off such a people such a soule doth he not intreat you to be reconcil'd what can you desire more 2 Cor. 5. 20. We are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God Doe ye thinke ther 's no contentment in the wayes of God and you must live a sad uncomfortable life like those in Malachy that say It is in vaine to serve the Lord and what profit is it Is Mal. 3. 14. this the matter then what think you of all those glorious things the Scripture speakes of joy unspeakeable 1 Pet 1. 8. 1 Cor 2. 9 10. and full of glory that which neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor hath entered into mans heart to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him and reveales unto his people by his Spirit what thinke you of Christ did he dye to delude his people with Joh. 6. 55. a phansy no they know his flesh is meate indeed and his blood
have him in some measure at a distance as our Saviour had when hee said that hee had nothing in him or otherwise he 'l get into his heart and so insinuate himself and sway him by his lusts insenfibly untill he overthrows him quite and he repent of what he did for God Secondly As for sin ther 's no way to destroy 1 Cor. 15. 5 6. it but by a pardon the strength of sin is the law that is so long as the guilt of sin and so the curse of the law hath hold upon the soul the soul is weak and sin is strong Therfore the Apostle sayes Heb. 9. 14. that the blood of Christ doth purge us from dead works to serve the living God So long as God is look't upon as one not reconciled what heart can any man have to his service what man will suffer or will venture any thing for one whom he accounts his enemy the secret despaire of his acceptance or of ever doing good upon 't will lay him naked to the power of the sin of his own heart to keep him off and to ingage hâ—m quite the other way It is a pardon that destroys our sins Titus 2. 12. The grace of God which bringeth salvation appearing teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Vse 1 Thus have I finished the Reasons of the Point and so the clearing of it now what remaines but that by way of Application you be exhorted to the thing The cause wherein you are ingaged is just your call to this engagement is as cleare take heed the third thing be not wanting pardon of your sinnes and peace with God Thinke upon the point that hath beene opened God hath put into your hands a worke of his the greatest that hath been on foot for God in these Islands for many hundred yeares the safety peace and welfare of the Kingdome I may say the three Kingdomes nay in a great degree of all the Kingdomes of the world wherein the true Religion is profest and that not onely in respect of temporall things but even of such as have an influence into eternity the true Religion the Gospell of our Salvation God himselfe take away Religion and the Gospell and our God is gone 2 Chron. 15. 3. Israel was without the true God when he was without a teaching Priest and without the Law God hath call'd you to the purging of the Land of those Locusts and Caterpillars I meane the Romish factours now amongst us that would not have left so Joel 1. 9. much as a meat-offering for our God I may call them Locusts the Scripture puts that name upon them In the booke of Ioel there is a Prophesie Joel 2. 11 20. of a Northerne Army that should cause a Day of darkenesse and gloominesse of clouds and of thicke Joel 2. 2 3 darknesse and that the Land which was as Eden before should be as the wildernesse behind it This Army we see was a multitude of Locusts and such like things Joel 2. 25. I will restore to you the yeares that the Locust hath eaten the Canker-worme the Caterpillar and the Palmer worme my great Army which I sent among you This was verified in the Letter to the Iewes the fruits of their Land were for a season spoyl'd by such an Army but under the type of Joel 1. 6. 2. 2 3 4 5 6 8. Locusts it is a Prophesie of the mischiefe done to the whole world especially to Europe by Popish vermine as wee see Revel 9. where wee Rev. 9. 2 7 8 9 10. Occidenta les Locustae sunt monachi monia les frater culi numerosa câ—hors religiosorum Cardinales cum tota Hierarchia pontifiâ—ia Brigh Fox Pisc c. Rev. 9. 10. Joel 1. 4. have the selfe same Locusts with the same descriptions as they are set forth in Ioel compare the places and you 'l say they are the same which by Interpreters are applyed to the Saracens in the East and to the Monkes and Fryars and whole Popish Hierarchy in these Western Kingdoms it is true the time of thejr chiefest power is past as it is said Their power should continue for such a time yet multitudes we have amongst us still and the designe is that they may againe prevaile untill there be not left so much as a meat-offering for God 't is not long since we had experience how they grew upon us so as what the Palmer-worme left the Locust eat and what the Locust left the Canker-worme eat and what the Canker-worme left the Caterpiller eate And how slender was the meate-offering left for God when as so many burning and shining lights were quite put out such a famine of the word in most places of the Kingdom and such bondage layd upon mens souls This work I say the Lord hath call'd you to the cleansing of the land from these and blessed be his Name who rayseth up your hearts to undertake it The blessing of the GOD of Heaven rest on you your Families and Children unto all Posteritie Well would you prosper in this work then say not it 's enough that both your cause and call is good and thus and thus you are in strength faile not to make your peace with God this day take heed of Israels case against the Benjamites Me thinks I heare this sad example of Gods dealing with his people speaking to you as the voice of Ioel 2. 12. God in Ioel Turne ye even to me with all your hearts with fasting with weeping and with mourning and rend your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth of the evill Who knowes if he will returne and repent and leave a blessing behind him even a meate-offering and a drink-offering to the Lord your God I may say the same to you if you but doe the worke indeed that now you come about who knowes what God may doe What blessing hee may give to your proceedings what ruine he may bring upon your enemies Ps 56. 8. he 'l put all your teares into his bottle and they shall doe more against the rebells then so mâ—ny thousand bullets from the Cannon Or otherwise who knows what God may doe against you if you neglect the making of your peace with him this day alas it may soon cost many thousand men their lives and for a season it may lose the cause doth it not make your hearts to bleed the very thought of this what will those Egyptians say what blasphemies will they belch forth and what shall the Lord our God doe for his great Name much cost and care and Iosh 7. 9. travell hath been spent in making up of strength and it is well there hath God will reward you for it a thousand fold should your indeavours prove abortive God lookes upon them
18. that heaven from whence he is expel'd and because it is against the nature of lightning to go downward is he in his fall compar'd to that therfore also when he Mat 8. 29 Mat. 12. 43. was cast out he said himself he was tormented and our Saviour saith that being dispossest he walks in dry places seeking rest and finding none not but that the dry and wet are both alike to him but it is a phrase fitted to our apprehensions signifying that discontent and restlesse state wherein he is at such a time so the same is used Ier. 17. 5. Cursed be he that maketh flesh his arme he shall inherit the parched places of the wildernesse that is he shall have no content or satisfaction thus it is with Satan therfore it followeth seeking rest and finding none Therfore I say if any man be set on work for God all the power and subtilty of Satan and his wicked instruments are set against him Secondly He that is employed for God shall have the sin of his own heart against him sin hath reason for it because the works of God are ' its destruction where his work prospers woe to sin it fades and dyes The work of God is the advancement of Jesus Christ in the world and is not he the bane of sinne Christ is the light of the world sin is the darknesse of it the flesh therfore fights and strives for life against him because as he prevailes that is â—â—stroy'd Therfore is it said that when he comes into his Temple men will not abide his comming Mal. 3. 2. no even those that seek it and delight in Christ so farre as sinfull flesh prevailes will not abide it v. 1. The Lord whom yee seek shall come to his Temple that is to his Church and to the souls of men in his Gospell for they are his Temples also even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in but who can abide the day of his comming be it his comming into a Kingdom or into a Congregation or into our own souls we Rom. 7. 22. must say as the Apostle sayes in a like case I delight in the law of God after the inward man but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind so wee delight in Christ after the inward man the spirit indeed is willing the spirit Rev. 22. 17. and the bride say come yea come Lord Iesus come quickly but the flesh or that sinfull nature the remainders whereof are in the best will not indure the thing Even those that seek for reformation will be shie of entertaining Christ afraid of being reformed too farre thence are those pretences that are made against it that carriage of the Church to Christ Cant. 5. 2. seems to be ours at this day He knocks at the dore and cryes open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is filled with dew c. No she had put off her coat and how should she put it on she had washed her feet and how should she defile them so say we how shall we doe this and how shall we doe that and what distractions will this reformation cause c. Now whence is this is it indeed a truth that reformation of Religion will endamage common wealths was it ever known that strictnesse in Goâ—s service the most powerfull preaching of the word the truth and purity of worship ever hurt a nation what saith Christ By me Kings raigne and Princes degree justice No no beloved Pro. 8. 15. these are but excuses arising from the sin of the hearts of men what ever you would doe for God ye shall be sure to have all the strength of the sin of your own hearts against you in it You will say suppose all this be true that sin and Satan will oppose yet how is this a reason of the point in hand I answer yes because in both these cases such persons only who are pardoned and reconciled to God are able to withstand this opposition First for Satan 't is not every man can deale with him ther 's no resisting him without an holy heart there is no getting that without a pardon the selfe same faith that justifies the person purifies the heart Act. 15. 9. and makes it holy therfore the grace of Christ is said to reigne through righteousnesse unto life Rom. 5. 21. Where there is no righteousnesse that is no pardon the grace of Christ beares no sway in that soule and then that man who still is in the gall of bitternesse Act. 8. 23. and in the bond of iniquity however for the present he may in a manner be ingag'd for God what ever is that way pretended hee will be found at last to be of Satans party and though he goe exceeding farre in a good cause he 'l not be through in the work and when it comes up to the main and principall he 'l faile and that 's as much as Satan wishes or desires therfore is he said to stand at Iosuahs right hand to resist him though no doubt he wrought with both hands because his opposition principally lyes against the main and principall of the work he passes not if you heare Sermons so you come not neare to God in hearing which is the main thing in the duty or if ye pray and draw not near to God in prayer or if the Kingdome be reformed so Religion may be still corrupt he passes not so much now I say when once ye come unto the main in any kind that man will faile you there The Prince of this world commeth says Christ and he hath nothing in me Joh. 14. 30. If a man be unregenerate and hath no hold upon the covenant of grace Satan then hath something in him nay all that 's in him is his own and what ever the mans design is now Satan knows the man is his and that in time it will be seen yea that such a man shall doe him better service than another can and so much the more by how much he seemed at the first to be against him We see what use the Divell makes of mens apostasies whereby men sin away their consciences the tendernesse of their hearts the goodnesse of their natures blemishing themselvs in the eyes of God and men till they grow desperate in sin and all perfidiousnesse losing that very ingenuity which once they had And besides all this through their experience of the wayes of God becomming skilfull to doe mischiefe more than any as we reade of Iulian the apostate how he did more hurt to the Church of God then all the persecuting Emperours that were before him And there is no way for a preventing this but by building upon the Mat 7. 24. rock the house built upon the sand will surely fall and the fall thereof is great Let a man get into Christ get pardon get peace with God and as for Satan he shall
men unregenerate there is no Toad or Serpent so odious in the eye of man as such a man is in the eyes of God and this is every mans condition as he comes into the world as the Prophet saies no eye pitties us but wee are throwne out into the open field to the loathing of our Ezek. â—6 5 persons in the day that we are borne We are not objects of compassion but of detestation thinke upon it well and let it humble us is this a small thing in our eyes that we by nature are a lumpe of filthinesse and that the God of Heaven and Earth the righteous Iudge abhorrs our persons Secondly sinne being nature to us this also followes that it works exceeding powerfully in us so as we are the slaves of sinne it leades us captive what workes by nature workes with power therefore is it said that we are captivated to the Law of sinne that Rom. 7. 1. v. 23. is to the naturall working of it in us and that we find a Law that when we would doe well evill is present with us that is vve find an irresistible course of nature in us that way tending The courses of nature in Scripture are call'd a Law the naturall motions of the heavenly bodies are called Ordinances of Heaven Ier. 31. 36. The nature of every creature is the Law of it's creation therefore the new nature is expressed by that phrase The Law of God vvritten upon the heart Ier. 31. 33. and it is called the Law of the Spirit of life vvhich is in Christ Rom. 8. 2. So as this is our misery by nature we can as well forbeare to eate and and drinke or any duty that we owe to nature as forbeare to sinne shall not the thought of this abase and humble us What more unworthy of a man than slavery No slavery to that of sinne it sets us to the basest drudgery in the vvorld it keepes us alwayes at it and it gives us nothing for our paines What fruit had you in those things whereof yee are Rom. 6. 21 now ashamed It puts us to an endlesse toyle about a base imployment and the wages that it gives is shame and death Thirdly since it is our nature allbeit the misery be such it brings upon us farre beyond vvhat we are able to expresse yet we by nature are secure and feel no burthen nature is no burthen Wee may stand amaz'd to see how men indued with admirable gifts of reason able for to judge of matters in the world when they have heard how sinne vvill utterly destroy them soules and bodies how it vvill be bitternesse at last and sinke them into hell yet can goe on in vvickednes vvithout remorse or trouble nay can give up themselves to such notorious vvayes of sinne as they can see apparantly vvill ruine bodies and estates without an a king conscience I say vve may be well amaz'd at this but here is the reason sinne is our nature and vvhat ever nature gives us is no burthen to us of all mischiefes is not this one of the greatest to be most miserable and not to feele it this keepes a man in that his misery all the meanes of grace are fruitlesse by it to his soule and that which made our Saviour bleed upon the Crosse and brought him to his agony and sweat of blood cannot obtaine a teare from us but is despis'd and sleighted in our hearts and thus it 's vvith us all so farre as vvee are unregenerate and sinne prevailes O let the thought of this at least in this our day of Fast doe something towards the humbling of our selves before the Lord 2. Consider sinne in it's effects and Fruits it threw the Angels out of Heaven Angels of light they were Iob â—8 7. Iude v. 7. sinne entring once upon them made them heapes of everlasting darkenesse and confusion as for man it cast him out of Paradise stript him of his beauty bereav'd him of the right use of his reason and fills his heart Eccl 9. 3. with madnesse whilst he lives the wisdome of God is foolishnesse unto him it destroyes the tendernesse of 1 Cor. 2 7 14 Heb. 3. 12 Ro. 1. 31 Ioh. 3. 36. his heart and by degrees extinguisheth his naturall affection and eats out all good nature in him it layes him for ever naked to the wrath and curse of God and sinkes him downe to hell that which is worst of all it makes a man despise a pardon and to trample under foot the sonne of God how oft would I have gathered you saith Christ as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Who would nourish such a viper in his bosome this do we but shall it not afflict our soules whilst we consider how 't is with us and what miseries we have brought upon our selves thereby if all this will not make our hearts relent let us a little turne our thoughts upon the temporall afflictions that it brings there we have an object of affinity with sense which is a great advantage unto teares Looke upon the miseries of Ireland the blood which there is spilt by cruell blood-thirsty and deceitfull men the dolefull miseries we feare in this our Land from warre me thinks I heare the little children the infants now unborne to call for teares this day from parents trying if possibly the Lord will be intreated by us and such woe and misery may be prevented but what ever is already or hereafter comes upon us in that kind should it be which God forbid the ruine of our Cities destruction of the people corruption of Religion losse of all that 's dearest to us and the overthrow of Kingdomes all is the fruit of sinne Looke upon it therefore in the miseries and desolations it has caus'd in all the world and let it so provoke your soules to mourne before the Lord this day 3. Let sinne also be considered in the cure The pretious blood of Christ that surely will make our hearts to yeeld the blood of Abel cry'd against the wicked Cain much more the blood of Christ against our sinnes such is the vilenesse of it as no other sacrifice but Christ could pacifie the wrath of God all the creatures in the world Angells and men could not make up the price of mans redemption Psal 49. 7 8. None of them can by any meanes redeeme Rom. 5. 9 10. Gal. 3. 13 his brother nor give unto God a ransome for him for the redemption of the soule is precious but was not the holy life of Christ enough No he must dye and it must be a cursed death nor will his body's death suffice his soule must dye Isa 53. 10. His soule Mat. 26 38. was made an offering for sinne and v 12. He powred out his soule to death nor had all this been sufficient had not the blood of Christ been the blood of God Act. 20. 28. God purchased his Church by his
must be the bottome of your faith and all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye are brethren that is in point of being Masters over one an others faith and conscience ye are all equall and alike Three words our Saviour there useth in this matter 1 Rabbi that is Master Joh. 1. 38. 2 Father ◠Doctor or Leader in which he compriseth all such personall respects whcih might carry it with men and he forbids them all not that these titles are unlawfull but not lawfull in this way namely by any personall respects what ever either of learning in the first or of antiquity in the second or of example in the third to put things upon men in doctrine or in practice our Saviour determines that question how far the doctrine of the Pharisees should be regarded you see he is upon 't v. 1. he gives them that wch is their due as sitting in Moses chaire that is that the people should observe what they taught from Moses here he takes order they should not have too much authority they might be helpers to not masters of their faith Not that we are to make no difference of men learned and unlearned far be that from us give due respect unto the learned and the ancient doe not soon reject what such shall say if they goe crosse to our opinions let it be a strong inducement to examine and to search into the matter further too apt wee are to dote upon our owne conceptions but make them not the ground or bottom of your faith No if many learned mē agree upō a thing Rom. 14. 5 23. yet receive it neither to your practice nor beliefe because they say 't is so untill your selves are able to discerne it use councells as Counsellers and as helps use them not as Law-givers to your faith or otherwise if that were the way that God would have us take to pin our faith upon our teachers then he that is Mat. 15. 24. misled must be excused no sayes our Saviour if the blind leade the blind both shall fall into the ditch Nay it would follow that the Lord hath given to us in vaine our reason and abilities to judge the Apostle sayes the spirituall man judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. againe you have an unction from the holy one and ye know all things 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. Though we saith the Apostle Gal. 1. 8. that is the Apostles of Christ or an Angell from Heaven preach any other Gospell unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed how should they know what is preach't or whether it 's another Gospell if they try it not and if they ought to try it ought they not to judge it also Yea the Apostle sayes the Preacher shall be judg'd accursed nor doth it belong to Ministers alone the Apostle speakes it to the Churches of Galatia and to all beleevers as also that Gal. ◠2. command is universall 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God And 2 Thes 5. 8 Prove all things hold fast that which is good God hath cause to be offended with you if you faile in this this very thing hath done to him a world of injury already it is the pillar upon which the Popish religion stands take away that which they call the authority of their Church let men allow themselves Jud 16. 29. the use of reason and not be compel'd to see with other mens eyes and not their own it will be like to Sampsons removall of the pillar which brought down the house upon the Philistins the whole structure of that Romish Babel will fall at once Besides when things are taken upon trust from man suppose you hit upon the right yet you appeare not for it as the truth of God but as the opinion of such and such a man for that is all that you can say that you know such learned men doe say 't is his but whether it be so or no you cannot of your own knowledge say In case you suffer for the truth thus taken upon trust it is not formally for God or for his glory that you give your testimony 't is only for the credit and the honour of those men on whose authority and credit your faith is pinn'd therfore be exhorted as you would keep in with God in doing of his work take heed of this we condemn it in the Papists let us not fall into 't our selves I have bin something large in this because it is of such importance the other two I shall but name and so conclude 2. Take heed how you abate him any thing to save your selv◠saving is loosing in this case you loose what you think to save and loose him too when God shall bring you to an hower wherein by your estates or by your persons you may stand him insome stead say not so much father spare me from this hower spare me in this crosse dispence with me in that and let me step Ioh 12◠27 28. it over I 'le take up the next say as our Saviour did for this cause came I to this hower to these abilities to such a fitnesse to this opportunity that I might be his instrument to doe his worke to advance his Gospell the 〈◊〉 Christ the glory of his Name say Father glorifie thy Name thy Power in supporting Joh. 12. 27 28. thy Mercy in forgiving thy Wisdome in contriving all things for the best and let that suffice that such a God he is whom you serve so good so wise so powerfull so faithfull to his people 3. Doe no◠the work of God negligently or to halves it will provoke and grieve the Lord exceedingly and little comfort shall you have in what ye doe or have already done Cursed is he that doth the work of God negligently Jer. 48. 10. I speake not this to accuse but to warne you of a rock where many have and we are very apt to split and suffer shipwrack of that peace and comfort we desire for let me tell you God will have his work done as Mordecai once said to Hester so I may say should you be backward deliverance Hest 4. 14. will arise some other way and that may cost you deare You know what once was said of Caleb Num. 14. 24. My servant Caleb sayes God because he had an other spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the land and his seed shall possesse it accordingly we find he had a double portion given him Iosh 14. This had he whenas the people that neglected God and followed him to halves were all cut short and came not into Canaan would you have a Calebs portion in the comforts and the blessings which we hope for then do as Caleb did follow the Lord your God fully God hath not in the least neglected you how oft how many wayes hath he delivered you what great things hath he done for you and for the Kingdome I conclude all with that exhortation of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 8. Be ye stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. FINIS