we can The pliant Willow is the Precious Man Whose Oaths of one day though of fair pretext Vail to an Inspiration of the next And it is well known what great occasion there had been then given to him and others to belâ—h out such Reproaches as these though this ought not to have been fastened upon all the Lords People there being many thousands of them that do abhor that Maxime That Integrity is no firm ground This Principle being firmly riviâ—ed in the Souls of the Lords dear Servants That Integrity and Sincerity and plain Dealing without any hypocrisie or complements is the most blesâ—ed Path that any People or single Person can walk in And it is well known that there are thousands that cannot be as the Willow bowed to comply with what men will bow them to No but they will rather break then bow And several blessed Servants of the Lord have chosen rather to be broken then to â—ow to lose their precious Lives then to comply unworthily with any thing that may tend to the Dishonour of the Lord Jesus Christ their glorious Lord and King It is not the pliant Willow the bowing complying Man that is the precious Man but such a one is a degenerate Plant of a strange Vine and it is not his Preciousness but his Baseâ—ess that is thereby discovered And there are also many thousands who having taken an Oath or Covenant dare not renounce it notwithstanding all the moâ—â—subtle charming Inspirations of the highest Episcopal or Aâ—chiepiscopal shain imaginable But rather then vail to the Promises or Threaâ—nâ—ngs of the most advanced Hierarchy of whose Promotions they might soon have a shaâ—e they will chuse with Moses to suffer Affliction though it should conâ—inue all the days of their lives rather then to enjoy the Pleasures of Sinful Complianâ—â— for a season But it must be acknowledged that though there be many thousands that never bowed the Knee to Baal that never did nor never would comply to take any Oath but such as they truly and conscionably intended to keep yet so it was that there were some who had the Name of being the Lords People who then were in Power and Authority who did very unworthily turn and wind like the Weather-Cock and comply basely with some things afterward which were contrary to a former Oath which they had taken and these gave the occasions of such Reproaches and Blasphemies to be cast upon others and caused the way of Truth to be evil spoken of But who ever they were that did it and were the chief Rin leaders in it though they were and are never so eminent and never so excellent in all respects and erâ—ed not in one point but this yea though they were as dear to the Lord as Moses and Aaron and though it may be he hath forgiven and will forgive their Iniquity yet he hath taken and may take Vengeaâ—ce on their Inventions because they have not so honoured the Lord before all People as they should have done in an inviolable observance of his blessed Precepts in a faithful keeping Oaths or Covenants though it should have been to their own loss or detâ—iment For the Righteous Man sweareth to his own huâ—t and changeth not V. Another great Sin which some of the Lords People have been guilty of V. PRIDE is PRIDE and Haughtiness of Spirit Though it may be theâ—e is but fâ—w of them that have a full sence of their guilt of this evil For it must be acknowledged that this evil doth not appear in the generality of them as it doth in some others who out of Pride and Haughtiness of Spirit if they be persons of Estate will scorn and despise the Company of them that are poor and mean in the World or scorn that such a one should go before them or such a one should take the Wall of them or sit above them in Feasts or in the Church-Meetings I say there are few or none of the Lords People whose Pride works in such gross and palpable things as these are But notwithstanding it is evident that too many are very guilty of that abominable Sin Pride and one clear proof of it is this That many of them are very unable to bear Reproof one of another when any evil or weakness hath appeared in them for which they are justly reproveable having taken that to be a slighting and an undervaluing of them So that though it hath not been so intended by the Reprover yet it hath been so interpreted by the Reproved But it is apparent that inability in persons to â—ear things of this nature discovers Pride for an humble man that is truly low and little in his own eyes and is not at all puffed up can with all conâ—entedness and patience bear Reproof whether it be justly or unjustly administred because another person cannot have meaner thoughts of him then he hath of himself and having mean thoughts of himself it is rather pleasing then displeasing to him that others see how mean and weak and unworthy a person he is rather desiring to be set in a low place in their thoughts then to be high as judging himself not worthy any high esteem in the thoughts of any considering how unworthy he is in himself before the Lord and how unworthily he hath carried himself in many respects to the Lord and how he deserves at the hand of the Lord rather to be despised and trampled upon by the worst of men then to have any eâ—eem among men and therefore if he be despised and counted poor and mean it is but as he deserves to be because he is but a polluted lump of Dust and Ashes as he is in himself And this we find hath been the way of the most eminent Saints and Servants of the Lord when they have had nearest Communion with God and have seen themselves in the clearest Light of the Spirit As the Propheâ— Isaiah when his Eyes had seen the King the Lord of Hosâ—s having the clearest Vision of the Lord then he most clearly saw his own uâ—done Condition and saw himself to be a man of unclean Lips Isa 6. 5. How many of the Lords People would be very little and very vile in their own Eyes had they clearer Visions of the Glory of God and more intimate Communion with him But it is an argument of the very great darkness and weakness and meanness of that Christian that hath not a very true and real sense of his own poverty and vileneâ—s and unworthiness When faithful Abraham stood before the Lord he was truly sensible of his own unworthiness being but Dust and Ashes Gen. 18. 27. And blessed Job when he had seen the clearest Vision oâ— the Lord then most abhors himself in the sence of his own Vileness Job 42. 5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth thee wherefore I abbor my self and repent in Dust and Ashes And as it is always so with particular
and hid his face from you so that you could hardly have so much as a glimpse of it from week to week It is no wonder that the Wife is unfruitful when her Husband is withdrawn from her It is no wonder that you have been baâ—ren and unfruitful and that the Fruits of the Spirit have not been brought forth by you but you have been as a barren Wilderness Your Lord is withdrawn from you for you have grieved his Spirit and he could take no pleasure in you and therefore you must needs be barren It is said of Believers in Christ That they are married even to him who is raised Rom. 7. 4 from the dead that they should bring forth fruit unto God You have been married unto him but you have left your first Husband and are gone to other Lovers and therefore have not brought forth Fruit unto God neither in your particular conversations neither yet have you been Instruments in converting others and bearing Children unto him The time was when it might be said of Sion This and that man was born in her But how few have been born in Sion of late But when you shall turn to the Lord again and cast off with a holy indignation all other Lovers and shall say I will return to my Hos 2. 7. first Husband for it was better with me then than now and shall be again betrothed and engaged to him so as never to depart from him any more Then you shall bring forth Fruit to him in another manner then you have done for these many years But in the mean time you are hereby told what your Sin is and what the reason of his great displeasure against you is for which he hath corrected you again and again even your Covetousness your love of Money is THE Sin that you have been generally guilty of as well those in the highest as those in the lowest forms And though some few Congregations or Churches one or two or more of you have exalted themselves up to heaven in their own imaginations and thought that they were excelling all others on the account of some peculiar Principles which they hold and have upon that account separated from all others as not worthy to have communion with them yet are they in respect of this Evil and the following Evils as vile and as wretched as others and some among those Churches are as great Lovers of the World as others and their Idolatries and Adulteries are as odious as others And there is no Church in England Scotland or Ireland found free but they have all provoked the Lord their God in a very high degree by this great Abomination But there are other Sins which the Lords People are guilty of also which are to be shewn to them with a SPARE NOT Cry aloud SPARE NOT shew my People their Transgressions and the House of Jacob their Sins are the Lords own Words II. Another sin which is a sin of the Lords People which is to be shewn to II. HARD-HEARTEDNES Job 42. 6. them that they may be ashamed and abhor themselves and repent in dust and ashes is the sin of HARD-HEARTEDNESS and shuting up the bowels of their Compassion from the Poor and Needy which hath sprung from that great Root of Evil Covetousness which hath been justly mentioned in the first place it being the spring and root of very much bitter Fruit according to that word of the blessed Apostle Paul who was cleer no doubt of that sin himself it being plainly demonstrated in his whole course of Life 1 Tim. 6. 10. For the love of Money is the Root of all Evil. Hard-heartedness and close-fistedness hath been I say another great â—â—n of many of the Lords people especially of them that are rich in this world and that have free and comfortable estates that they can call their own I shall the more briefly speak to this sin under this head having spoken to it in the former as it is one proof of that great sin of Covetousness But that this is a great and hateful sin appears thus The great Commandment of the Gospel is Love and it is the great Command not onely of the Gospel but also of the Law and therefore as it is called a New Commandment so it is called an Old Commandment also I say the great New Commandment which also is the Old is Love and it is the great Character of a Gospel-Saint especially Hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Now this Sin of Hard-heartedness and John 13. â—5 Jam. 2 8. Close-fistedness in them that profess to be the Disciples of Christ and the Lords People is a great blemish to their Profession and a great Evidence of their Disobedience unto the Royal Law of the Gospel unto the great Command of their great and glorious Lord and Master But this is the Sin of very many of the Lords People and though they do obey the Lord in many other things yet in this they do not Though this is that great Commandment of his that he did servently desire to be obeyed in and that he did so frequently inculcate again and again But you will say We do love one another we do love the Brethren we love them above all others as they are Brethren and as they are the Children of our Father and as the Image of Jesus Christ is in them they are very dear unto us To which the answer is Yea so you do in word and you will speak very kindly to them and you will wish them well and you will do kindnesses foâ— them if they cost you nothing But consider what the Apostle James says If a Brother or Sister be naked and destitute of dayly Food and one of you say Depart Jam. 2. 15 16. in Peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the Body what doth it profit If ye speak never so kindly and profess love and it may be have some love to them but if not so much as to communicate wherewith to supply their wants what doth it profit What doth it profit them or what doth it profit you Do ye think that love ye profess to have to them shall be taken notice of if ye have Estates and have not Hearts to manifest that ye have true love and true Bowels of Compassion by supplying their wants Whatever your Children need ye have bowels to them and supply their wants and ye cannot but supply them because ye love them and had you love to the poor members of Christ in necessity you would also supply their wants but your Hard-heartedness appears in your Close-fistedness and therefore consider what the lovely Apostle John speaks 1 Joh. 3. 17. But whoso hath this Worlds good and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his Bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him It is an evidence
their actions though it may be poor Souls they have not had the courage or the confidence to reprove it or if they had would it have been to any purpose They have appeared and do appear so fixed in their covetous ways and so settled upon their Lees and hardened in their ways that they could not bear Reproof and they have had devices to hide and cover their Covetousness but the Lord seeth and knoweth all their wickedness in their Covetousness which his Soul abhors And as for those called Quakers they also have among them many very covetous Persons which are eagerly pursuing the World in their several Callings and do hoord up Wealth plentifully but part with any thing very sparingly and yet some of these are men that are sometimes Speakers among them It is true some of them that are said to be of the Ministry among them have but little of the World and it may be do little mind the things of this World but there are but few such But others of them love Wealth and love Greatness and mind Earthly things in a shameful manner also and the time is coming when their Covetousness will be discovered and their hugging and close keeping the things of this world as if they were their greatest happiness will be made manifest and all their hidings and coverings of it with specious pretences will not serve their turns Some of them being Shop-keepers and some Merchants and others of other Trades that yet do preach among them sometimes but it may be will not be said to be of their Ministry because they will be more free to follow the World which they eagerly scrape up together with the expence of most of their time and strength and care as if their Life consisted in the abundance of the things they possess and if they do communicate I mean some of them yea most of them but not all they do nothing noble nor handsome nor any thing proportionable to their Estates nor so as to find acceptance with the Lord who loves to have his People liberal and noble and not nigardly nor base This that I speak to Ministers to Prophets to Elders to Teachers to Men of Gifts and Abilities for preaching the Word of God of the several understandings Presbyterians Independants Baptised and Quakers I do well know to be true I wish it were not so Though I also believe that some that I know well and it may be more that I know not though of several understandings are men that are very unblameable herein and they are very beautiful ones in Sion and the Glory of Christ but the number of these is very small compared with the others that are more or less guilty of this horrible Evil. And as the Ministers and gifted men of the several understandings so the people the generality of the people that are hearers of all these and Members of Churches and Societies among them are guilty veâ—y guilty of the same evil some very grosly so and some in lesser degrees but very generally more or less are they guilty Which appears in their several capacities thus Some that are eminent persons and worthy persons for gifts and parts and for Zeal and forwardness in many good things who having no trades but yearly incomes some of 500 l. per annum some of a 1000. l. per annum some more some less of which quality I know several that have no Trades but have such yearly incomes and so are not under temptations of neglecting Meetings and Lectures and private and publick performances who yet do appear to be as covetous as those that do as appears by their excessive backwardness to good works and their hoording up their Wealth and adding Wealth to Wealth as if all their happiness consisted in being wealthy and all blessings for themselves and Children if they have Children consisted therein Miserable wretched covetous persons are they and the Lord knows them to be so and they have very much provoked him although some of them have been very forward at Meetings and Lectures and very ready to every thing that was commendable except the parting with their Wealth Any service they would offer to the Lord that ye could desire that might cost them little or nothing Who more ready then they to many services But you must spare their Minion their beloved Darling the Wealth of this World but if they were tryed here then they were tryed indeed and though for shame they could not but do something yet have they done it sparingly enough and shall reap sparingly enough notwithstanding their other services What though they have been ready to preach and been forward at Meetings And what though they could speak with the Tongues of Men and Angels And what though they have hazarded their Liberties to come to Meetings And what though they have hezarded their very Lives Yet having another Beloved in their hearts having no heart to part with the Wealth of this World to supply the Members of Christ in Sickness and in Prison and in Nakedness and in Hunger the Love of God hath not appeared in them but the Love of the World hath had the chief place in their hearts How dwelleth the Love of God in that man or woman that shuts up the Bowels of their compassion from Christ in his Members Or if they have given to such they have done it sparingly grudgingly and nigardly But God loveth a chearful Giver But these covetous Earth worms must know that this hath been their great Sin and untill they reform herein they must expect no great Blessing from the Lord but rather a blasting Shew my People their transgression their Sin in not drawing out their Soul Isa 58. 2 to the Hungry and bringing the Foor that are cast out to their Houses and that they hide themselves from their own flesh and satisfie not the afflicted Soul Whereas if they did these things in that full and ample manner as became them and as were suitable and proportionable to their Estates then their Light might break forth as the Morning and their Health might spring forth speedily and their Righteousness should go before them the Glory of the Lord should be their Rereward they should call and the Lord should answer c. But this sin cleaves yet as close to them as the Skin to their Backs and when will they reform And some of them the Husband and the Wife both agree in a covetous humour and all their actions discover it And though Aldermen and Aldermens fellows for Estates yet they are as near and penurious in their way as their Taylor or Shoo-maker and as little Generosity in some cases appears in them for they that are covetous appear so every manner of way onely in some things for a name they will appear otherwise it may be their Houses and their Habits will be stately but they will be as sparing as any man in many other things even in poor ordinary things which
that all Bowels of Compassion are shut up when there is a with-holding of communicating of this Worlds Good to a needy Person by those that have it and what will such talk of Love He that shutteth up the Bowels of his Compassion how dwelleth the love of God in him What evidence of it doth he give He that loveth God loveth the Children of God whether sick or in Prison or in Hunger or Nakedness But what demonstrations of it do hard-hearted Persons give that have this Worlds good and shut up the Bowels of their compassion I was hungry and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye cloathed me not sick and in Prison Mat. 25. 42 43. and ye visited me not How dare ye say ye love me that were so hard-hearted Of this great sin very many Professors of Religion of all the several Understandings fore mentioned are very deeply guilty though they are accounted the Lords People and are Members of several Churches and Societies of them that fear the Lord. And their fig-leaf excuses will not cover this sore nor hide it from the sight of the Lord whatever it do from Men. And such hard-hearted persons as have not a heart to communicate but lay it up either for Children or for some Niece or other may live to see them all buried before them and themselves soon after may have their Souls taken from them and then what comfort will they have in the thoughts of such hardness of Heart and such unanswerableness unto the Law of God as hath been in them Now the Law as well as the Gospel discovers how displeasing this Sin is in the sight of God and how pleasing the contrary Vertue is unto him And if such hard-hearted Persons have any desire to reform and any love to the Truth and Law of God if they have any delight in it let them read often and read considerarely those several Passages in â—is blessed Word Isa 58. 5. to 11. Jer. 12. 15 16 17. Isa 1. 16 17 18. Jam. 1. 27. Jam. 2. 8. Mark 6. 8. Exod. 23. 11. Levit. 19. 9 10. Deut. 24. 19 20 21 22 23. Levit. 23. 22. In these three last mentioned places you may see how the heart of the Lord our God is bent to require Tenderness and compassion in us which is so plentiful and abundant in himself in that though we have many other precious Precepts of this nature besides yet this one is repeated three times in the same words And that we may see how well he takes works of this nature he tells us Deut. 24. 13. Do this saith he and it shall be Righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God But there is but few that have desired to be abounding in this Righteousness Compare with this place Psal 112. and 2 Cor. 9. 9 10. and consider how many such righteous Men and Women there be in England Some there are I do not doubt but they are rare to be found Read also Isa 32. 8. Prov. 19. 17. Job 31. 19 20. Ezek. 18. 7. Dan. 4. 27. Hos 6. 6. Psal 18. 25. Mat. 5. 7. Luk. 16. 9. Rom. 12. 8. 13. and 2 Cor. 9. from 5. to 15. Heb. 13 1 2 3 16. where we have a plentiful Testimony both from the Law and the Gospel of the blessedness of the Generous the Liberal the Bountiful the Merciful Man or Woman And to shew what the miserable the wietched and the unhappy case of others are I need mention no other place then that one Mat. 25. 41 42 43 46. And these hard-hearted persons shall go away into everlasting Punishment but the Righteous who have dispersed abroad and given to the Needy into Life eternal III. Another great Sin that those that are called the People of the Lord III. OMISSION OF HOLY DVTIES the Israel of God are guilty of is the Sin of OMISSION OF HOLY DUTIES of which Covetousness hath also been a great Root as well as of hardness of Heart For this hath been an evil Fruit of that bitter Root in many where Covetousness hath been though not in all that have been covetous For some have been very covetous and yet very frequent in Duties especially some that have great Estates coming in without a Trade by Lands and Interest-Money and Bank-Money For upon such there was no such temptation as upon others of neglecting Duties though they have been as covetous as I said before as others it being proved as I said before by their Close fistedness But this Sin of Omission of Holy Duties I cannot say hath alwayes sprung from Covetousness neither though for the most part it hath Duties â—hat have been omit â—ed are â— Solemn and constant Prayer in Families Now that this hath been a great Sin of many of the Lords People is too well known to themselves and others And the Duties that have been sadly neglected by many of them are these 1. Solemn and constant Prayer in their Families which ought to have been carefully and with great seriousness and fervency of Spirit performed twice a day at the least together with spiritual Praises to God for dayly and innumerable Mercies with some exposition dayly or at least reading of some part of the Scriptures for the Edification and Instruction of the Family in general which being done with great Fear and Reverence in a lively spritual manner is comely to be seen in the Tabernacles of the Righteous Psal 118. 15. Dan. 6 10. Josh 24. 14. Heb. 12. 28. Gen. 13. 4. Abraham Joshua Daniel and David did so Psal 92. 2. 2. Taking frequent opportunities particularly to instruct Children and Servants â— Partiâ—ular inâ—truction â—f Chilâ—ren and â—thers â— Closet-Performances one by one examining the state and condition of each Soul and applying particular Instructions or Reproofs or Consolations to them as the case might requite with a zealous and fervent and longing desire of doing good to every Soul appertaining to the Family or Acquaintance or Kindred or Neighbors as far as any opportunity might be had 3. Being constant at dayly Closet as well as Family Performances in Prayer and Praises in conversing with the Lord alone it being not possible to have so much freedom to pour out a Persons own Soul-Cases and to express iâ—s Soul-Affections to the Lord among others as alone and frequent private searching of and meditating on the Law of God the blessed Word of God day and night 4. The often visiting the Poor the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction â— Visitâ—ng of the â—oor c. and the Sick and Imprisoned in their Trials and Sufferings Wherein puâ—e and true Religion is manifested Jam. 1. 17. 5. Taking special care of the Souls of your Acquaintance whether you were Members of particular Congregations or not that you observed to be â— Watchâ—ng over â—he Souls â—f others under any sinful distempered diseased frame of
great and glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth the blessed Fountain of all manner of Loveliness Beauty Sweetness and transcendent Goodness then unto a barren Wilderness or a Land of Darkness into which no man desires to enter Do not such a People deserve to be cast into utter Darkness Yet such a People have you been O House of Jacob and ye that are called by the Name of Israel many of you that have refrained and abstained from coming unto the House of the Lord unto the Assembâ—ies of the Saints unto the Place where his Honour dwelleth upon every trivial and slight occasion and sometimes upon no occasion at all What reason have you to blush and be ashamed of these things that not onely as hath been said neglect the waiting upon the Lord in private but also in publick Wherein it is more visible to the World how slightly you serve the Lord and how little you prize an Opportunity of Worshiping him His blessed Servant David could say Psal 122. 1. I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the House of the Lord Our Feet shall stand within thy Gates O Jerusalem Psal 26. 8 And Lord I have loved the Habitation of thy House and the Place where thine Honour dwelleth But what do many of you say You draw back and keep off when you should go to the House of the Lord. You prefer your Shops before it going to Blackwell-Hall before it going to the Custom-House going to receive money on Bills of Exchange going aboard Ships any palâ—ry business before it O foolish People and unwife Do you not consider that Word Deut. 28. 47 48. Because thou wouldst not serve the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart in the enjoyment of the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serve thine Enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things and he shall put a Yoke of Iron upon thy Neck c. Did you not neglect the service of the Lord in the last twelve years in which you had a full liberty and a fulness of all things that a people could desire and therein in a high degree provoked the Lord to deprive you both of your liberty and of your fulness of riches together whereof some of you have been deprived to purpose And since you have been deprived of that liberty you then had have you not greatly neglected the Service of the Lord still though it may be there is a little Beformation among some of you though but a little And do you not provoke him yet more to anger by your negligent attending his Courts and the place where his Honour dwelleth So that you give him cause to deprive you both of all that liberty and plenty that yet he voâ—chsaâ—eth to you or any of you and to make you meer Servants and slaâ—es to your enemies even to Forreigners which seem to be preparing to come against you But I shall not in shewing you this publick sin viz. the sin of the Omission of the publick Worshâ—p of God mention more particularly then I have who are more or less guilty of this evil It is so visible and manifest to all of all sorts that I need say no more to shew those of the Lords People that have been guilty hereof that this is their sin in particular But let them all of them that have been guilty hereof know that the Lord takes it very unkindly at their hands and let them consider those complainings of his against a negligent People that do neglect the frequent and solemn waiting upon him in holy Servâ—ces Jer. 2. 31 32. and what expostulations he there uses with them Have I been a barren Wilderness unto Israel a Land of Darkness Wherefore say my People We are Lords we will come no more unto thee Can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Aâ—â—ire Yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number What can ye answer to these words Was the Lord a Wilderness unto you or a Land of Darkness You can make no answer to this but what will â—eturn shame and confusion of Faces upon you What can you say to your Actions in which you have said We are Lords we will come no more unto thee Hath not your careless and indifferent waiting upon the Lord manifested that you thought you were Lords your selves and independant upon the Lord and had no need of waiting on him or praying or addâ—essing to him or observing his Rules or his Commands but you were able to stand upon your own Legs and therefore would walk by your own Rules Poor miserable Worms And how many dayes have you past over your heads when God hath â—caâ—ce been in all your thoughts but you have forgotten him dayes without number The Heart of a young Girl hath been much moâ—e upon her Ornaments and of a Bride on her Attire then yours hath been on your God A Child hath more minded its daily Ornaments especially a Girl then you have your daily solemn waiting on your God for which cause that word may be justly taken up Ezek. 19. 14. This is a Lamentation and shall be for a Lamentation And O that it may be bitterly lamented by the Lords People indeed But of this Sin I must say that there are some here and there of the Lords People whom I do know though it may be but one of a thousand that are very clear of it in the generality of the course of their lives that may it may be be compared with David and Abraham and Daniel and Paul in their diligent and constant waiting upon the Lord whom their Soul loveth both in publick and private Worshiping of him and with Moses and Aaron and Samuel among them that call upon his Name Ps 99 4â— IV. Another great evil in some of the Lords People is that great and IV. COVENANT-BREAKING hainous Sin of the BREACH OF COVENANTS or Oaths solemnly taken and entered into wherein many of them have very much dishonoured the Name of the Lord though it may be it is a Sin that they are not so sensible of as they should be There was a Solemn League or Covenant entered into about twenty two years since But the Deeds of them that did wittingly and willingly break any part of that Covenant when it was in their power to have performed it were a very great dishonour to the Name of God whose People they profest themselves to be that were then swaying persons in the Parliament and Army And whatever their specious pretences were for their so doing by which pretences they deceived themselves and blinded the eyes of many simple honest people yet their sin therein was very great and they did thereby give great occasions unto the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme and the Name of God was thereby prophaned abroad in the World The entering into that Solemn Covenant was not a
men to go hitherto and no further but they shall follow him whithersoever he leads them for he hath promised Isa 42. 16. That he will lead the Blind by a way they know not and will lead them in Paths that they have not known and will make darkness light before them and will make crooked things streight These things he will do unto them and will not forsake them That we are at present in great blindness and darkness is very evident and there are Wayes that yet we know not and Paths that yet we have not understood namely the Wayes and Paths which we all shall know before we shall all walk in one Way But we shall all so clearly see the true Way in which we all ought to walk as that the wayfaring men though fools shall â—sa 35. 8. not err therein which Way we have not yet known and which Path we have not yet understood But the Lambs Followers shall be led by him purely and he will make darkness light before them and crooked things streight and his Sheep shall hear his Voice and shall not follow a stranger but shall follow him whithersoever he goeth and into whatsoever Way or Path he leadeth them Fifthly They are redeemed from among men They shall appear to be such as shall not walk according to their former vain Conversations not according to the wayes and customs of men but as men of another Principle and of another World as redeemed from among men whereas before they walked so and so and did so and so now they shall neither so walk nor so do It shall appear that they are not carnal and walk as men but as the Children of the living God They shall not be proud and passionate and froward as men but meek and lowly as the Son of God was They shall not be vain and worldly and hard-hâ—arted as men are but regardless of the World and Holy and full of Love and loveliness as the Son of God was They shall plainly appear to be redeemed from among men For Sixthly They are the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. They that shall be thus extraordinarily and beyond what men have yet been for these fifteen hundred years inabled to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth they shall be the first fruits unto God and unto the Lamb appearing very beautiful and lovely in Holiness and their Righteousness shall go forth as brightness according to the prophet Isaiah's Word great Splendor and Isa 62. 1. Glory shall appear in them worshiping the Lord in the Beauties of Holiness And as the first Fruits come before the full Harvest so is the time a coming and is also near at hand wherein these first Fruits unto God and unto the Lamb shall appear which shall be a â—â—rtain evidence of a Glorious Harvest presently following of a Happy a Pure and blessed State of the Church of Christ on Earth for as the first Fruits shall be Holy so the Lump shall be also Holy and Pure and without fault For Seventhly In their mouth was found no guile There shall be no Hypoâ—risie no Cheat no double-tongu'dness no Promise-breaking no Ingagement Oath or Covenant-breaking no Guile found in their mouths They shall be all thorowly principled in this Maxime That Truth and Plain-heartedness will never bring any to shame but Lies and Deceit and Guile will bring shame and dishonour and distress upon those that are exercised in them But in their mouths no kind of dissimulation or deceit or guile shall ever be found For Eightly They are said to be without fault before the Throne of God and of the Lamb. It will appear that they shall be very Holy and very Pure indeed when they shall so walk as they shall be found to be without fault before the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Men may have many faults and yet not â—e found faulty before the Thrones of Earthly Kings or Potentates becaâ—se they cannot search the Hearts and try the Reins Men can but judge according to outward appearance and according to the sight of the Eye and the hearing of the Ear. But if these shall be found to be without fault before tâ—e Throne of God and of the Lamb then they shall not onely be blameless and pure in all their outward Conversation and Actions that are visâ—â—le to the eyes of men but also in all their most secret Actions in all the inward motions and working of their hearts in all the aims ends and benâ— of their whole Souls they shall be Holy They shall be as Psal 45. 13. it is said of the Kings Daughter All-glorious within and her cloathing of wrought gold Ninthly The Lambs Followers Rev. 17. 14. are said to be Called and Chosen and Faithful By which it is plain that they are not as the common sort of People are but shall be persons that shall be called out from among others and were also chosen and elected unto that Honour and Dignity to be the Lambs Followers And it is also clear that they shall be truly faithful unto him and to his Service and Interest They shall never be unfaithful unto him none of them shall ever be as Judas to betray their Master or any part of his interest for the obtaining of pieces of Silver or bags of Gold or Estates of five hundred or a thousand or ten thousand per annum but shall be so faithful as to deny themselves all their worldly interest and their very lives also rather then betray any part of their Lords Interest They are Called and Chosen and Faithful And the seven Angels that are said to come out of the Temple Rev. 15. are said to be cloathed in pure and white Linnen having their Breasts girded with golden Girdles which signifieth very great purity and integrity and the beauty of Holiness appearing in them The like is said of those Followers of the Lamb that are mentioned Rev. 19. 14. And the like we have exprest Psal 101. being a Prophecie speaking in the Person of Christ of what he will do in the latter-day-dispensation when no unclean person shall be in Sion in these words I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the works of them that turn aside it shall not cleaâ—e to me a fâ—oward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked perâ— son Who so privily slandereth his Neighbour him will I cut off Him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the Land that they may dwell with me He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me he that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my House He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight I will eaâ—ly destroy all the wicked of the Land that I may cut off all wicked doâ—rs from the City of the Lord. The like Description is also given in the fifteenth and twenty fourth Psalms where the
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