waited for they made this their business to raise a good report and preserve a sweet savour upon the Promises which yet brought not forth as they expected they should but yet this they got by it the Promises left a good report on them Their Names by means thereof were as precious Oyntment Eccles 7.1 for that their conversation were as precious Oyntment to the Name of God Christ shews his acceptance of such by making known to such the most early discoveries of his further breaking forth of Glory beyond any other So it was in the case of the Text they that were at this early costly provision of Imbalm had the first Knowledg Evidence and Joy of the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and must be the first messengers of the blessed Tydings thereof John 20.1 14. to 18. Luke 24.10 Mark 16.9 10. They had not the first manifestation of it who were men of the greatest parts imployment or esteem Nothing is more obvious to frequent experience then the preventing Grace of Christ at least in keeping the spirits of such sweet quick lively and if any fore-tastes of approaching Glory be going such overcommers shall have the morning-star Rev. 2.28 Christ's acceptance is frequently signified this way They who do what they can to raise a sweet savour on the concerns of Christ shall be rendred the most useful blessed and a blessing of any others in their generations The blessings of the souls and bodies of them that were ready to perish shall come upon such Job 29.13 They shall be as dew frow the Lord and as the showers upon the grass that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sons of men Micah 5.7 Their love to Christ laying out its self for him thus is likened to the Oyntment on the head of Aaron and the dew of Hermon and Sion for there the Lord commanded the blessing Psal 133. The Families Neighbours Fellow-members of such shall rise and call such blessed Prov. 31.28 Ezek. 34.26 The distinguishing mark of acceptation is reserved by Christ till the day of recompence which hastneth greatly in the which not the value of a cup of cold water hath been given on this sweetning design but shall have its eminent reward Upon that enquiry of the poor Disciples Mat. 19.27 Behold we have forsaken All and have followed thee what shall we have therefore It was a great All a few Fishing-Nets and Boats and the like poor things Yea but it was their All they had done and were undone as far as they could for Christ and what remaineth to them Truly they having followed Christ in the Regeneration or as Luke 22.28 continued with him in his Temptations he appoints to them a Kingdom as the Father appointed him They must eat and drink with him in his Kingdom sitting on Thrones and judging the Tribes of Israel and every one that hath forsaken Brothers or Houses or Fathers c. shall receive an hundred fold c. From the words a few things more tending to a closer Application of the whole shall serve for a close Vse 1. This might be improved by way of Information thus If Christ do put such a real high value upon all attempts that are levelled toward this design to preserve a sweet savour on his concerns when they are by the world exposed to stinking Then 1. May we gather how the heart of Christ stands aspecting such as do what they can to render him and the things of his Name and Glory odious by laying contempt and reproach upon it what in them lyeth surely it will be a bad day for such when he shall plead with them and vindicate the quarrel of his abused Name and Interest If they that honour him shall be thus honoured then they who despise him shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.20 It 's worth consideration what requitals in kind Chtist hath in store for such indignities done to him what funerals he hath reserved for such enemies See Isa 14.9 11 18 19 20. Hell from beneath is moved at thy coming Thy pompe is brought down to the grave and the noise of thy viols the worm is spread under thee and the worms cover thee They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee c. All the Kings of the Nations all of them lie in glory every one in their own house but thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch as the rayment of those that are slain thrust thorow with a sword As a carkass troden under foot thou shalt not be joyned with them in burial because thou hast destroyed thy Land and slain thy people the seed of evil-doers shall never be renowned An Instance like unto this of the Lord's severity to such as have provoked him and abused his Glory we have Jer. 16.4 They shall die of a grievous death they shall not be lamented neither shall they be buried but they shall be as dung upon the face of the Earth These are some of the Lord's wayes that he can take and many times doth with such as are not tender of his Glory Consiâ—er this ye that forget God c. The funerals of Jezâ—bel that dreadful enemy to the Lord's Prophets and People may be a warning to such Persecuters 2dly It also lets us understand with what little savour he doâ—h and will regard those who have been pretenders to him in the dayes of Prosperity but in Adversity and under the passions and reproaches that â—ttend the Gospel they hide their faces as it were from him nay are ready to deal with him as the Pharisâ—es are condemned for doing Mat. 23.29 to the end Who built the Tombs of the Prophets and garnisht the Sepulchres of the Righteous and yet espouse and walk in the very spirit of thos that slew them see their doom and downfal in the same place 3dly It also shews how little thank-worthy they will be in the day of Christ and how much 't is to their loss of their comfort now and will be of their reward then who think every thing too much that they either actually lay out or put in hazard for the Name-sake of Christ. If a good wish indeed will do it or the blessing mentioned James 2.15 16. would be accepted that possibly might be spared but as for any thing that is costly or dangerous that cannot be adventured It 's an hard saying who can bear it Of such will not Christ say They that are ashamed of me and my Word before this evil and adulterous generation of them shall the Son of man be ashamed when he appears in his Glory and in the Glory of his Father and of all his Holy Angels Use 2. But I rather proceed to offer a few things that may tend to direct and ingage in this matter And here first some Cautions to prevent mistakes and miscarriages in the Preparation and Application of this Imbalm and then a few Directions and I shall conclude Caution 1. Take heed that you
of the relation wherein the Lord hath placed me in his House wherein you and others look on me and expect much from me as yours intimates who am so unsutable to a door-keeper there lest while much weight depends on such a worm that Word be fully and justly verified Isa 22.25 and so of being reared up a Monument for a living end as was his Pillar 2 Sam. 18.18 I prove but an heap of Infamy vers 17. But over against these faintings when they have ran in as a flood I have hitherto found the Spirit of the Lord lifting up a Standard and displaying a Banner in his Fear by which a seasonable rescue hath been offered in a time of need And that by keeping me upon and now and than succeeding me in some measure in this Three-fold work which I doubt not but you have arrived to a good degree and great boldness in the Faith of First That I do not satisfie my self in any ordinary and slight Evidences of an Interest in eternal Love but press toward that full Assurance of Faith founded on the New-Covenant and universally influential on the New-Creature I speak not as if I had attained much but this is with me by the Grace of Christ my soul is so much the more engaged to press after the riches of full assurance of understanding a fellowship in the mystery of God the Father and of Christ as I see the dayes are evil the glimmerings whereof in that degree the Father sees good to intrust me withal have been an unspeakable stay to me against the fears of what man can do unto me and through your Prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus I hope will continue so to be unto the end the powers whereof both to peace against the fears of this day Rom. 8.31 to the end and to purging against the filth of it 2 Tim. 2.19 1 Joh. 3.3 I need not insist to shew you who your selves are taught it of God Job 36.22 2dly Another main work which I find of great necessity and advantage is the setting up in my soul the dominion of the Cross of Christ in a daily mortification through spiritual aid and arguments of the affections and lusts of the Flesh to every thing that may or must suffer loss in the expected fiery tryal whether it be either corruptible things as Silver and Gold any under-Christ enjoyments or corrupted corrupting things as is all the filthiness both of the Flesh and of the Spirit The entanglements of one or other of these is the snare which so easily besets most of those who in this day are contriving how much Truth they may possibly sell or at least expel for peace who seldome treat upon these terms but Satan makes his market on them we are not ignorant of his devices To be therefore mortified by time to thâ—se things is a very great part of our best Interest not only that in this sense our sins go aforehand to judgement that we may not be judged in them and for them with the World when the Lord comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the Earth and ariseth terribly to shake it but also that our pleasant pictures costly coverings and all our detectable things may be so crucified to us and we to them in the love of them that it may be no hard thing when the Lord calls for them to glorifie him to say to them Get ye hence What profit is there in my Blood If the Lord his Name Cause Testimony hath need of it what is that between us and him 3dly I also am brought into an experimental observation how much of moment is the spirit of a sound mind to have real substantial and digested principles and to be in union with them concerning that Cause for which we are at the point to be throughly tryed Whether that part of it that concerneth Worship or otherwise to have our Faith in such a day as this to be only founded in the wisdom of man our own or others short of the power of God to build another man's foundation or boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand at a time when every man's work must be tryed and every man must bear his own burden and give such an accompt as this is of himself to God though the structure seem never so stately and to be founded on the highest resolution yet will that doom and out-cry sooner or latter attend it as did his Ax 2 Kings 6. And indeed as you observe backslidings at this time of day are very rarely and hardly repaired though I trust some will ere the door be shut Mat. 25.8 9 10. To have therefore our rejoycings in our selves and not in another Prov. 5.17 Gal. 6.4 is our great Interest That it may be your sweet portion is the prayer of him who being unexpectedly interrupted having nothing of moment to impart as tydings Rests Yours as ever To a Friend long kept close Prisoner under hard Circumstances and greater threatnings Everlasting joy upon your head while sorrow and sighing flee away Beloved and honoured by and for the Lord THis morning having obtained that mercy from the Lord of reading a Character of your heart drawn by your own hand wherewithal I and others were not a little refreshed and a safe hand presenting for the conveyance of this to you which I hope may reach you I thought my self providentially called and concerned to give you a testimony of my joy in the Grace of Christ which is engaged hitherto to uphold you with everlasting arms that neiâ—her the strength nor length of your Suffering is such to you as is accompted otherwise by you than â—ight and but for a moment being laid on the ballance with the Glory that is ready to be revealed in us In this way of reckoning while our eye is kept on invisible and eternal weights of Glory realizing and impropriating them Crowns of thorns are more easie and less dishonourable than at a distance they seem to be or than we sense and apprehend them while we are reasoning after the flesh Weights indeed they have and are and such as make the oppressed many times to groan earnestly none for the present being joyous but grievous and are tenderly thought upon by him who in all their afflictions is afflicted the Angel of whose presence also is with them but we know the End of the Lord and his Rest shall be glorious when his indignation ceaseth in their destruction but he rests in his Love and there also shall make the weary to rest I judge my self some-way rebuked from above and untaught what and how to pray as I ought if in any prayer of mine I forget the Sons of your noble Order and especially in seeking what you desire namely that you through the greatness of Faith may enter into rest and at this time of day while he hath taken business out of your hand he may the more abundantly
hearts for the inscriptions of the Spirit of the Living God and that the beauty of this Ornament be set in Majesty but doth frequently commend to me that observation which your last ere this some time since was hinting to me of the need we have who design such services to wait for power by the Spirit from on high to be his Witnesses and to expect according to his Promise That showers of the latter rain shall come down to furnish a people to bear his glory in the administrations of his House answering the Institutions of the New Testament although I am no way taken with that dilatory inference wherein some seem to stick as if upon the observation that Bryars and Thorns are come upon God's Houses in the joyous City and are likely to abide there till the Spirit be poured out from on high therefore it were best and our Interest till the manifest taking place of that promised dispensation not to put our hands to such Acts and Ordinances the beautious Majesty of which must needs be acknowledged to be very much wrapt up and concerned in the hoped issues of such a Glory stepping in There being blessed ends to be by us promoted in our present state by our dutiful obedience to every Institution of our King and through infinite Grace and Mercy are there such Gifts and Graces of the Spirit to be found on some as may yield help to sober humble enquirers to get over such stumbling-blocks and contribute toward their preparing in Body and Spirit as an adorned Bride to meet the Bridegroom who loves to find his keeping all his Commandements unrebukable and without spot to his appearing In which attire I earnestly desire your whole man Body and Soul and Spirit may be found ministring a practical convincing Argument by your standing compleatly perfect in the whole Will of God that there is as there indeed is a hidden excellency in fellowship with Jesus Christ in those wayes and appointments of his upon their souls who in Faith and Faithfulness are yielded up to him therein which hath admirable Vertue in it though at present not attended with those mighty Signs and Wonders by Gifts of the Holy Spirit the which were rather for the sakes of them who believed not than for such as through Faith are directed to judge of and close with such things answerable to their tendency by good pleasure to lead into the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ The Reason and Efficacy whereof lies not in any just proportion betwixt the thing commanded and the Mystery proposed to enjoyment no more than there did between washing in Jordan and Naamans clensing the cause of the scornful storming of his proud spirit but in the meer soveraignty of divine good pleasure who gives us a word of Faith to guide and prove our obedience and engage our humble expectation of his own presence who is Lord of Influences to conduct the Heirs of Promise into those secrets of his Pavilion by doors at the threshold of which the Children of this Worlds wisdom stumble either by sensual Formality sticking in the letter of things or by aiery Speculations rejecting the weakness and foolishness of Christ in his Institutions but Wisdom is justified of her Children All here are well love honour and salute you Yours in Soul-service To a Friend who after some Retirement was returning to pursue his Calling in Affairs of this World The Lord be your shade on your Right-Hand My very dear Brother I Perceive you are applying your self to something men call Business in the World and I have comfortable hopes that you have studied ere this hour that lesson Finally Brethren the time is short it remaineth c. For the fashion of this World passeth away Oh my dear Brother my soul is afflicted to observe the over-greedy Engagement of many whom I love and honour for their former eminency plunging themselves into business and there even drowning themselves in ruine and perdition losing the savour of their spirits the intimacy of their Communion with Christ in the Spirit and so grow dry careless prudent fearful omissive what not till there is hardly left so much as the uniform appearance of a soul that hath been the seat of such glorious discoveries and enjoyments as men have readily spoke of formerly It may well be asked of many now as the Apostle Where is the Blessedness ye spoke of Men discourse of their primitive applications of Truth and to it speak much and frequently of blessedness in the things of the Gospel it was blessed Praying and blessed Hearing and blessed Meeting and blessed Meditating because in all these they sought after and partook of blessedness But where is that now There is somewhat of Praying and Preaching c. but where is the blessedness of all these Is it not very much departed and what may be the cause is it not much from hence Men are gone deep into the spirit of the World and are grown carnal of the Earth earthy and savouring of the Earth and thereby losing their Love Zeal Faithfulness Insensibly but very dangerously I hope better things of you and that you both do and will watch your own Spirit and stir up others to take great heed to their spirits that they deal not treacherously Yours 7th 3d month 64. To an ancient Friend giving his Apprehensions concerning the multitude of Professors with some of his Experiences both in Bonds and Sickness Kind and very much respected THe posture of the Lord 's own People even of such who in dayes past with greatest intimacy and endearment went to the House of God in company hath of late years under these stupendous dispensations presented it self to me much after the similitude of a great Fleet of Ships outward-bound who set out of their Port beautifully equipped laden trimmed in consortship and under a very prosperous promising gale all spreading their very Top-gallant sayls to shew their celerity and make the best of their way A very beautiful and pleasant prospect to an eye delighted in such expeditions But having stood but a little way in this course out of sight of the Countrey from whence they set forth a dark night and dismal storm overtaking them they are dispersed all Sea-over a great number being mindful of the Port whence they came think they have a fair opportunity and plausible excuse to return again and draw up with design to adventure such storms no more Others and they not a few being confident and conceited of their own understanding do shape their course to and fro as the wind shifteth are cast upon Rocks and Shoals to the making shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience Many others fearing that course think yet by casting their Wheat and Tackling into the Sea they shall somewhat lighten their Ship and be the better able to weather it out and so dropping Anchors at the wrong end wish for day Few very few prefering the Interest of the
one sort of men against another so foolish have I been and as a Beast so ready to condemn the Generation of the Righteous so unbelieving and ready to cast away the Faith and Prayer of ten thousand Saints one of whose sighs shall not be lost but such fearful effects sometimes trouble disquietment disappointment and carnal fear will produce But certain it is none of the many cryes of the people of God shall be lost nor their Faith disappointed God hath a peculiar design in hand and we are to find it out that we may be able to answer them that make enquiries If you lay not this foundation of your procedures I shall not wonder if you err in your wayes it is your Pole-Star and will be so by which your whole course is to be steered your Shield which whilst it is safe though you die yeâ— your Glory abides And the same Author further discussing what this Work and Design of the Lord was results it mainly in this That Godliness and the love of the Lord Jesus be preserved protected and secured from a return of the hand of violence upon it What then may we now expect but after a little further fluctuating upon the deep to suffer shipwrack upon some Shelves or Rocks seeing we have ceased our steerage by this Pole-Star what may we expect but slaughter and extirpation since that Mighty Shield is vilely cast away as though it had not been anointed with Oyl considering also that if the hand of violence be returned its confederated with under the sacred ties of Oaths Covenants even whilst it manifestly opposes Godliness and bends the edge of all its power against such as love the Lord Jesus in sincerity I am sure it calls for deep lamentation that a People who had the Name of the Lord upon them are left to that wonderful and horrible thing Jer. 5. last Prophets prophesying falsely and Princes bearing rule by their means and both Prophets and People through a little present fleshly ease and prosperity waxing fat and shining love to have it so the holy Spirit then assures the end will be bitter and that enquiry What will ye do in the end thereof though slightly passed over now will have its resolve by their cry to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne when in the faileur of justice on Earth he will cause judgement to be heard from Heaven When he ariseth as certainly he will to judge the Cause of the Fatherless and Needy and to save all the meek of the Earth But I may not further thus proceed lest I exceed bounds nor is it needful that more be said of the Author only I am perswaded it greatly furthered him in the search after knowledge of divine mysteries that he never was entangled and disadvantaged by Academical Education which hath been over-fruitful in furnishing persons as worthy Mr. Rutherford on another occasion in his Letters expresses it with ill washen and foul distinctions to shift Christ this age hath over-plentiful testimony thereof this Servant of the Lord as by the account left of himself in the last two Pages of this Book was by his believing Parents otherwise nurtured who waiting at the foot of Christ keeping his precepts diligently became wiser than his Teachers giving occasion to many to renew that saying Whence hath this man letters for he was eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures adding much to such as conversed with him whether by word or Epistle If what is here presented prove of use to strengthen weak hands or to uphold them that are ready to fall by keeping in view the Resurrection and Blessedness prepared for those whom God guides by his Counsel they will know where to give the glory I earnestly wish and pray That those to whom in a peculiar manner he was sent amongst whom more especially he laboured who must give an account of so great a Talent and Price long trusted with them may do it with joy discovering by an obedience of Faith to the Lord Jesus under all tryals that he laboured not in vain and I hope however it may be to others what is here presented may be useful to them keeping in remembrance how holily justly and unblameably he behaved himself amongst them that following his Faith they may be saved from this Generation and be found amongst those who receive the End of their Faith the Salvation of their Soul Amen To the MEMORY of Mr. Abraham Cheare Anagram Ramah Baca here WAs there a voice in Ramah heard Jer. 31.15 Was bitter weeping there ' Cause Rachels children were not spar'd Mat. 2.18 Why should there not be Here Was Baca in time past a Well Psal 84.6 Although a place of drought Was it made so by Israel When journ'ing in the South Did th' one for Children thus lament The other for their Water Oh! how should Sion it resent Lam. 2.1 to 12. Psal 46.4 Amos 1.2 Lam 2.1 Mala. 3.17 Jonah 3.8 Ps 119.126 Mat. 9.38 Zech. 11.4 7 When God her Sons doth slaughter When he cuts off her pleasant streams Her beautious Branches wither When he shuts up her brightest Beams Doth home his Jewels gather Yea how should this increase her cry When in a time of need That Shepherds they should multiply The slaughter'd Flocks to feed That even then God should not spare To take hence in great numbers Isa 57.1 Ezek. 3.26 Job 37.23 The most laborious in their Spheare Place this among his Wonders Psal 36 6. Job 11.7 1 Cor. 2.9 Psal 32.8 Psal 73 24. Job 36.9 10 They wayes O God are in the deep To search them to perfection 'T is not for Mortals pace to keep With thee give thou direction Let 's ponder well thy wayes O Lord Give us thy hearing Ear Some teachings to us do afford Deut. 13.11 Ezek. 12.3 Mal. 3.17 Ezek. 14.16 Mala. 3.1 Jer. 12.1 Ezra 9.13 Lam 3.29 2 Sam. 24.17 Joel 2.17 Ezek. 9.4 Psal 85.10 Jer. 14.7 Job 19.21 Gen. 19.19 Jonah 3.10 Psal 11.17 Zech. 13.7 Lam. 1.15 Isa 40.11 1 Sam. 1.8 2 Cor. 12.9 By what we see let 's fear What this portends thou mak'st such haste To treasure up each Jewel Art minded Lord our Land to waste Must we for wrath be fewel If so 't should be thou wouldst be just 'T were but Sin 's recompence We must our mouths put in the dust We have giv'n great offence Yet spare O Lord spare thou our Land At least in it thy Mourners Thy Mercy will with Justice stand In pard'ning great offenders Make us the objects of thy pitty Thy Mercy magnifie Spare as of old an Heathen City Spare O spare let 's not die But if more Shepherds thou wilt smite And Mighty men must fall Feed Sheep thy self thy Battels fight Be thou in stead of all Amen Amen Another To the Memory of Mr. ABRAHAM CHEARE Anagram Ah me Rear Bacha WHo can but Mourn when men do scorn To Note
the Righteous Death Isa 57.1 Psal 84.6 Who can but Rear a Bacha here When such drop off the Earth When Circumstance shall Evidence In Judgement it may be Slight it who can make me the man O Lord may cry Ah me Amen To the Memory of Mr. ABRAHAM CHEARE An Acrostick Art gone Dear Soul Art fled Hast left the Earth Below thee 't was it answered not thy Birth Rare was thy Life choice was thy latter end At last for God and Truth thou didst contend Hast Overcome Hast got the Victory Ah! then let others say Why may not I Mercy Begate him Led him Fed him Kept Chear'd him did all until the time he slept Hath now enthron'd him enter'd him in Rest Each Soul that walks with God shall thus be blest Awake then Rouze faint hearts shake off distrust Rampant be Faith greatest of men are dust E'relasting's God and Worship him we must ANAGRAM Abraham Cheare Ah Arme a Breach TO Saints and Sinners God this day doth call To hear consider and to lay to heart What he hath done is doing and yet shall Be done amongst us ere this Cup depart Blessed are they whom Chast'ning he doth teach To hear and fear when he makes such a Breach O hasten Saints how is the Sun now setting The Light which on you sometimes brightly shone Away from you apace seems to be getting As if God's work amongst you now were done By treble stroaks God heretofore did Preach To you not hearing comes this fearful Breach And is there not a Cause Consider try What mean those bleatings everywhere so rise A worldly Spirit Pride Formality Bent to back-sliding as if 't were your life first-First-Love first-Works alas you do not reach No wonder then the Lord makes such a Breach Sayes to his chiefest Children Come away Remove the Candle and put out the Light These People eat and drink rise up to play Are not the Children of the Day but Night They hear indeed but do not what I Teach Wherefore in fury I will make a Breach Poor Church in Plymouth whom methinks I spy As men astonied stand and thus they speak The Lord hath dealt with us most bitterly Dear Cheare 's gone from us O behold a Breach 'T is so indeed a breach full sore and wide That is upon the choicest Mercies made And each of you are like now to be try'd Whether Religion be your chiefest Trade That you are driving Heaven for to reach Or fixt on Earth if so a sorer Breach Will yet attend you fully to discover Upon what ground you stand what ends you have Before this over-flowing Scourge pass over Look well about you Cheare 's gone to his Grave The Shepherd's smitten he no more must Preach Watch Warn nor Water Oh! this is a Breach Ah! Plymouth thou thy Shepherds that hast turn'd Out of thy Gates the men who sought thy good Against them cruelly thy wrath hath burn'd Thou suckst in poyson loathest wholsome food Hughs Martin Cheare all thy hand could reach Thou castest out wherefore behold a Breach And you poor Sinners living in that place Where God set up this burning shining Light And did display the Glory of his Grace Thereby your Souls to Christ for to invite Your Day is gone your Night its shadows reach Instead of Building now behold a Breach A sound of Gospel-Grace you may not hear Again till God have made your Souls to say Blest are those feet on Mountains that appear Bringing glad tydings of the joyful day Who coming in the Name of Christ shall Preach And thereby shall repair this woful Breach Poor outward inward Prisoners and Exiles Have lost a worthy sympathizing Friend So hath whole Sion within many miles She hath not any so able to extend Help every way Compassions he did reach And laboured till he died in Sion's Breach The day before he di'd when speech seem'd failing His Soul did travel groan and cry to God Most bitterly lamenting and bewayling Causes in Sion calling for the Rod The deep Apâ—stasies his Soul did reach And while hâ—â—v'd made on him many a Breach But Ah! the day is great 'mong Jacob's Seed Horsemen and Chariots swiftly flee away And none are rais'd to stand up in their stead When each choice piece goes to its House of Clay By whom shall Jacob rise Lord thou us teach And send Supplies sufficient to the Breach Which cannot be but by thy holy Spirit Giv'n forth amongst the Remnant that remain Who till then Places desolate inherit As men to be made free among the slain Without this who can Suffer Do or Preach Or stand this day in such a widened Breach Look up then Sion's Friends from things below To Jesus who was dead and is alive And hath in heart and hand for to bestow All that we need to make poor Sion thrive Though men of Might be gone Hee 's all to each Yea more than all to repair such a Breach He shall not be discouraged nor fail Till all in purpose purchase Promise true Be brought to pass also both head and tayl Of Beast and Whore receive their final due And Kings and Kingdoms out their hands shall reach Submissively to Him that heals the Breach ERRATA PAg. 8. line 24. for manifect r. manifest p. 20. l. 4. for or r. of p. 37. l. 18. for promises r. premâ—ses p. 59. l. 29. for salutations r. salvations p. 73. l. 27. for â—nd r. as p. 82. l. 31. for came r. come p. 93. l. 1. for promises r. premises p. 112. l. 26. for promises r. prophesies p. 114. l. 1. r. largeness p. 120. l. 1. for affait r. affaire p. 125 l. 1. for do ingage r. to p. 203. l. 32 for Admo r. Admi. p. 228. l. 13. f. you r. your p. 245. l. 33. r. lifegiving p. 279. l. 30. f. to r. too There are also several mis-pointings which the Judicious Reader will of himself amend FAITHS CONQUEST OVER THE TORTURES TENDERS OF An Hour of Temptation Heb. 11.35 latter part By Faith And others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection THis Chapter in the main scope of it is designed to set forth the Incomparable Excellency of Faith commending it self in the Example and Instance of many Worthies as answering to that description the Lord himself gives of it Mark 9.23 All things are possible to him that believeth the which Catalogue and Register of their Acts and Monuments is not intended meerly to preserve the memory of such men though their remeâ—brance is blessed Prov. 10.7 Psal 112.6 but mainly to recommend to the Saints and Ages to come the mighty Power of that Principle by vertue of which they believed things incredible attempted things impossible sustained things insufferable in the eye of sence and reason nothing therefore low or mean is attributed in this place nor should our aims or expectation be flat and indifferent in the contemplation thereof It 's most true this History of the famous
tryals Use 3. If from the Spirit that is in poor fallen man there be such ill fruits as those mentioned against the image people and heritage of the Lord let us not only prize that grace which hath delivered us from that power principle and interest to which all the former fierce Characters do naturally and necessarily agree But on the other hand be very conversant with the Lord for subduing in us the remains of that spirit that lusteth unto envy even in us and that towards them that persecute us there may be shewed forth our Dove-like innocency in pressing toward that Gospel-qualification of praying for them Mat. 5.44 45. Rom. 12.17 to the end 1 Pet. 3.9 and doing them good for all the evil they do to us that we may shew our selves to be the Children of another Father living in another principle and referring our selves in all the injuries done unto us to another judgment and if the Lord will bless it to that end we may hereby leave a powerful conviction that they hate and persecute us as they did our Lord before us without a cause I proceed to take some other Observations from the words Others were tortured Some were tryed otherwayes others this way some were tortured not all all are exercised some way or other every man's work must be tryed Whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 He chasteneth every son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 Whomsoever he loves he rebukes and chasteneth Rev. 3.19 But though every man must be tryed it is not appointed that they must all be this way tryed tryed by fire and water tryed by tortures Some were tortured where I note Doct. 2. That though the Lord hath provided tryals for all his Children yet he hath designed tortures but to some of them Thus Christ expresseth himself to his Disciples Some of you they shall put to death Luk. 21.16 The Devil shall cast some of you into prison Rev. 2.10 All Saints are some way tryed they be but some Saints are alwayes tryed All men are born to sorrows Job 5.7 yet but of some it is properly said they are men of sorrows Isa 53.3 Lam. 3.1 Psal 88.15 This is a plain case and obvious to frequent experience Yet because it may be seasonable and useful we may consider it by inquiring into these Two Things 1. Why some are Tortured 2. Why but some are Tortured For the former We now respect tortures as they are more immediately under the disposal and ordering of the Lord appointing more or less in point or measure to more or fewer subjects as it pleaseth him they being such bitter things as afore is described it is enquired Why the Father appoints it to any of his Children To this is answered 1. Negatively not from any love God hath to the Torments or from any lack or abatement of love to his Children he doth not take pleasure to see his precious believing People lie scattered up and down as they are described Psal 141.7 79.2 3. Lam. 4.1 2. as so many marks and monuments of the cruelty and butchery of the sons of men no saith the Psalmist Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints he esteems them precious in their lives and puts a value on them in their death It goes as we may speak with reverence near the heart of the Lord to see his Jewels thus dealt withal In all their Afflictions he is afflicted and the Angel of his Presence is with them Isa 63.9 He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 He doth not afflict willingly or grieve the children of men Lam. 3.33 much less the Children of God but rather like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him for he knoweth our frame and considereth that we are but dust Psal 103.13 14. nay he hath testified the greatest displeasure against such as have bin executioners of his rebukes when they have not performed them with pity Zech. 1.15 Isa 47.6 Psal 69.26 27. His Anointed Ones must be very tenderly handled and have no harm done against them Psal 105.14 15. wheresoever they wander Moab hath a charge to do so Isa 16.3 4. and in defect thereof his controversie is dreadful with the Nations Ezek. 25 throughout so chap. 26.2 3. c. 2. But positively and in general thus Though the Lord doth not assign these Tortures these fiery Tryals to his Children for want of love to his or from any delight he hath in such Tortures considered in themselves Yet many times the Lord hath higher and better ends to promote then their deliverance ends that have more of good in them than these Tortures can possibly have of evil and when it is so these dispensations are not only excusable but are to be justified Good is the Word of the Lord. As namely 1. Sometimes in giving his darlings thus to the power of the Dog he designs to bring to light the worth and excellency of some Truths of his which otherwayes would be much obscured if not quite excluded from among the children of men namely such Truths in the vindication of which his children are called and brought forth thus to suffer being wrought to a contentedness rather to endure torments than to let them go When a soul or people having obtained help from God continue witnessing to such Truths whatever it costs them There is reflected this honour upon Truth as was said of it of old Great is Truth and it shall prevail whereas if it should be as it is with the generality of Professors at this day when a Truth comes to be spoken for there is such a shrinking twisting shifting to evade the dint of the Tryal how would the World have too just cause to say What is there in your beloved Truth more than in our beloved Error What is your Profession more than ours your Religion more than ours If there were any excellent thing in it you would do and suffer somewhat excellent and extraordinary for it to take off this stumbling block and occasion therefore from them who seek or desire occasion the Lord is pleased to steel a people to this height We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 And then to shew a proof of Truth in them and the power and goodness thereof he puts them on a tryal proportioned to this design he hath some truth of the Gospel to shew in Paul and then must he be troubled on every side 2 Cor. 4.8 9 10. chap. 6.4 10 11. chap. 11.23 to 29. If the truth of Christ be in him no man shall stop him of his boasting none of these things move him or separate him from the love of God Truth shall be tryed in those vessels of earth though it be by fire seven times and the furnace seven times hotter than aforetime 2. Sometimes the Lord doth by these Tortures assert and
clear up the sincerity and inward value and excellency of those Virtues or Graces of Christ which are his own and his admirable workmanship in their Souls These pass up and down among men as meer delusions from the Devil and hypocrisie in the professors of them And now it is the interest of the Lord's honour and the vindication of the operation of the Spirit that these be put upon some tryal that may search their very root and bottom discover their foundation to the neck When God speaks of his Workmanship and Image in Job Satan undertakes if he could hâ—ve the stripping him of all his outward accommodations touch all he hath and he would curse him to his face That attempt failing he is confident that if he might have the torturing of him the touching and tearing his bones and his flesh he would curse him to his face and if he durst assert his confidence of his success in such an enterprize to the face of God may we think much of his confident imposing his suggestions on the projects and conclusions of his children He did attempt the green Tree and it s no marvel if he do the Dry. Now while he would bear God if possible and doth bear the World in hand so confidently that he hath instruments of Cruelty that would whip and kick the new-creature in any man to nothing and herein make God a Liar as in the former and an Imposture as in this the Lord delivers the dearly beloved of his Soul into the enemies hand though with sufficient restrictions Take him Torturer try him to the bottom and when all comes to all when he is tryed he shall come forth as Gold Job 23.10 And though till his word of deliverance came to his Josephs the word of the Lord tryes them while their feet are hurt with fetters and they be laid in irons Psal 105.18 19. They pass through fire and water yet he brings them into a wealthy place Psal 66.10 11 12. Men and Devils shall know that the Faith Love Zeal Patience Courage Holiness c. wherewith he hath endowed them have that of Truth Virtue and Worth in them as doth undeniably constitute them more excellent than their neighbours and that an excellent Spirit is found in them so as none of these tortures numbred up Rom. 8.35 to the end is able to separate betwixt them and their love to God and uprightness with and before him 3. Sometimes the Lord doth by these Tortures take occasion to heighten the honour of his own Power Arm and Influence which are day by day administered to bear up his children when it is manifest they have no external props to stay them up but are out of weakness made strong This brings out a more evident acknowledgement That the power of Christ rests upon them 2 Cor. 12.9 God is in them of a truth 1 Cor. 14.25 It s true as long as times and providences hold to keep off pains from the body chains from the legs stripes from the back famine from the belly other props and principles may be presumed to bear one up but when there is no fruit in the Vine no flock in the Field no herd in the Stall none shut up nor left yet then to rejoyce in the Lord to glory in tribulation to accompt it all joy to fall into divers of them and they great ones this is convincing that such are kept and kept up by the mighty Power of God underneath such must needs be everlasting arms What convictions came upon the two great Monarchs by the great support the three Worthies and Daniel ch 3. and ch 6. had from the Lord to yield their bodies to torment The former because they would not joyn with false worship the other because he would not cease practising the true they gave glory to the God of heaven and upon all occasions confess that an excellent Spirit was found in them 4. Sometimes the Lord brings about this end by it he hereby brings forth a more plain and naked discovery of the wickedness that is in the world through lust Many times men come in upon Dominions and the exercise of Power and Authority with most plausible insinuations protestations and declarations of their design and temper as if no other than the disposition of Lambs were in them whereon they raise a name and repute of benefactors Luke 22.25 or merciful Lords and reckon it no small part of their interest and business to raise and maintain in the spirits of people the supposition of some indelible marks of the nature and majesty of a Deity is stamped upon them and sutably to get a reverence of them as most sacred when many times to open and undeceive the minds of poor souls held in such blind devotion the Lord lets them alone and exposes the bodies of his dearest ones to their cruelty that no man may glory in men above what is written but that coming to a plain discovery of men and things in their own evidence as Psal 36.2 the sons of men as well as the children of God may breath after the Lords arising to rule the earth and become the Governor among the Nations Thus we see for high ends and unto glorious advantage some are tortured The Second Enquiry put is Why but some men would be gratified and if God be so honoured why not all tortured A few Reasons may be considered here also 1. There are but some tortured because God is pleased to accompt but some worthy to bear and wear the glory of being thus used for his Name-sake There are some of whom the Lord saith They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Who are counted worthy to walk in white Why they who are come out of great tribulations and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb Rev. 7.14 Though there be some points of honour of which it may be said this honour have all the Saints Psal 149.9 yet it holds not true in this that we speak of they who had the first stripes for the Name of Christ rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name Acts 5.41 They have marks of distinguishing favour who bear in their body the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 Alwayes carrying about in their body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the Life of Jesus may so much the more be magnified and manifested in their mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4.10 11. 2. All are not tortured because the Lord sees all of his Servants have not power to bear such tryals as all men have not faith so all good men have not the like strong faith though they may have the like precious Faith Their Faith may carry them to Heaven who yet may not have that degree and strength of Faith to carry them through Tortures to heaven not that they who have most have any thing to boast of above others as being better than they the differance
look after strength of faith 2. Be exhorted such of you as find that good work of Faith with any power in your souls that you do not let it lye by you as a Talent in a Napkin or as the Sword behind the Ephod since there is none to it to make you valiant to do exploits Oh! be much in this work of drawing it forth upon constant quick and lively exercise as namely 1. Improve your Faith against your Fears It hath a soveraign and excellent vertue that way in the experiences of all the Saints As perfect Love casteth out Fear so doth perfect Faith indeed it is Faith working by Love only doth it What time I am afraid I will trust in thee In the Lord I have put my trust I will not fear what man can do unto me Have Faith upon its principallity of exercise when the sloods of ungodly men are apt to make afraid 2. Improve your Faith against all your offences and murmurings that you meet withal in your souls occasioned and multiplied by the stumbling-blocks of the day Proper Doctrines cannot be preached proper Duties cannot be practised proper Truths cannot be professed but Satan raiserh up multitudes of Objections against them of which this usually beareth the mastery Spare thy self they resolve themselves into this usually as their bearing reason The fear of man In such a time how needful is that Character to be found Great peace have they that love thy Law and Nothing shall offend them Psa 119.165 When tribulation and persecution for the Word cometh how by and by men are offended Mat. 13.21 It was one great part of Christ's care at parting with his Disciples that they should not be offended at mens putting them out of the Synagogues and thinking they do God good service in killing them John 16.1 2. When John was in prison it is not easie to answer the questions nor to remove the offences that arise upon it Whether Christ be the Christ or no But blessed is he saith Christ that is not offended in me Mat. 11.6 Oh! improve your Faith against these stumbling offences 3. Improve your Faith unto a full conquest of the World and the things that are therein respecting all the afrightments and allurements of it as it presents and presseth you with its objects of love and fear Oh! in such staggering times the dirt that clogs the feet of a Believer the thick clay that either in act or desire he is busied to load himself withal is extreamly detrimental to taking streight steps to your feet How easily did the present evil World draw Demas Judas and divers others to a betraying denying deserting their high profession The victory that overcomes this you have heard is your Faith 4. Improve your Faith against all the filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit let such as name the Name of the Lord Jesus depart from iniquity a little sin will destroy a great deal of valour whereas holiness carried on towards its perfection in the fear of God will yield encreases of strength and security against the worst that man can do unto you for who is he can harm you if you be followers of that which is good Holiness will secure you from harm They who torture you if they cannot defile you cannot destroy you they may kill you but cannot hurt you you shall not be hurt of the second death And in as much as you are frequently shewed what power Faith improved hath to promote holiness the Lord make you faithful herein Thus far hath been spoken to set forth the excellent and admirable nature of believing considered in its encounters with and conquest over torments It remains that we now take into view its vertue and excellency as it conflicts with and gets success against another adversary no less difficult to be attempted than tortures be no less apt to over-come and that is the tempting tenders of Deliverance And herein is the greatness of the atchievment that the Faith which enabled them to bear tortures without grudging enabled them to refuse the tenders of deliverance without complying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redemptionem notat addita praeposito insinuare videtur perfectam redemptionem Leigh Cr. Sac◠They accepted not Deliverance The word we read Deliverance denoteth in the proper signification of it full Deliverance Deliverance very compleat and is here applyed to signifie such a deliverance as did not only consist in a meer relaxation of the torment as supposing them to be upon the Rack in such a case when the sinews begin to snap and the joynts to sever one from another if nothing more were offered in the deliverance but meerly to let down the rack and take off the creature from the extremity of torment though that may for a time seem to gain upon a meer man yet such may the case be that such deliverance may be worse than death its self You reade in Rev. 9.5 6. of a torment in which men shall seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and it shall flee from them Implying that such may be the torment on a poor creature as that to be killed out-right is better than to be spared Knock me in the head rather than let me live thus in Torture But the deliverance here is full deliverance a being reduced to a state of ease rest and quiet together with any other accommodations that can be desired to compleat it All this will I give thee Credit Trade Preferment Applause and what not They accepted it not They did not give it friendly entertainment such as one would shew to a stranger when he hath been long absent They were at such a pitch of raisedness that they would give such deliverance deliverance on such terms not any friendly welcome or entertainment that other men perhaps would gladly do they could not salute it bid it God speed could be in no fellowship with it That they might obtain The word doth not signifie any expectation that they had or could have of dealing with the hope of the Resurrection upon the terms of strict merit As if there were any equality or proportion betwixt their enduring tortures and their receiving the Resurrection nay when they have done all left all suffered all they are unprofitable servants but only thus in thus standing under torments thus withstanding deliverance upon unworthy terms they were in the Lord's path of expecting the comfortable foretastes now and assurances of a further glory A better Resurrection Paul pressed hard to obtain the Resurrection from the dead Phil. 3.11 which is not only a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust but that which is called the first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 for the dead in Christ shall rise first 1 Thes 4.16 They which are Christs at his coming 1 Cor. 15.23 For them that sleep in Christ shall God bring with him This is called the Better Resurrection not only better than their torments but
as a man not to serve Christ or do any thing for thy God as a Christian man 3 If thou art violently restrained by them the sin of any omission of Duty and Service lies at their door and to their peril be it when the King shall demand the reason of thy want of service but when thou acceptest of those terms thou becamest accessary with them art in conjunction with them it s thy sin as much if not more than theirs they think they do God good service 4 If thou art only bound by the hands of Violence the Lord looks on thee and reckons thee as his free man free in Spirit thou reservest the dominion of that for God Thou livest not dyest not as a Fool dieth but as a man falleth before wicked men 2 Sam. 3.33 34. Object Now there is little opportunity to do the Lord any such service but if ever an opportunity present I hope to be as ready as another may not such obligations be enervated repented of and a soul disobliged from them Answ It hath been and is still the crying sin of this day and of the years past That persons have thought it a very small matter to make and break these kind of Engagements according as interest presents them with an opportunity the iniquity and provocation whereof I shall only attempt to open in one Scripture Ezek. 17.12 13 to vers 20. where God expostulates the case with the rebellious House of Judah They and the King of Babylon make a Covenant and there is for ratification of it the Oath of God added The King of Babylons design was to make the Kingdom base that it might not lift up its self and in this exigency they make a Covenant The question is put Whether their taking an opportunity to shake off this yoke and break this Covenant might not be succeeded with prosperity This consequence the Lord disclaims with the highest indignation and that because of the Oath of God the quarrel and controversie of that Oath and Covenant should be required severely at the hands of such a treacherous people If thy hand have been lifted up in Truth Righteousness and Judgement already then take care how thou retract that and to whom thou lift it up the second time lest it prove a double provocation 5. If I cannot come at the good of Deliverance but I must intrench upon the Name Honour and Glory of God which he hath lifted up in the World I may not touch with that Deliverance There are some wayes and works of God wherein he hath more immediately and eminently in some generations concerned his Name than in others or than ever it was before God went to make him a Name of Greatness and Terribleness by Redeeming Israel out of Egypt and driving the Nations out of Canaan 1 Chron. 17.21 Isa 63.12 14. Sâ— by bringing Judah out of Babylon and will do by bringing his Sion from under Antichrist Toward the later whereof he hath made very glorious advances in our dayes and we have sung his praise in them so as it may be said of his Holy People at this day as of Israel of old Deut. 4.32 33 34. And all this he hath done to get himself a glorious Name Our zeal for which and love to which is now brought to tryal whether we will yea or nay deny his Name A faithful adhering to which though by a people that have but little strength is very acceptable to the Lord Rev. 3.8 9 10. And he will do great things for such in times and hours of temptation If therefore God be at this day so tender of his Name as he is that he will not give his glory to another we ought to be upon his side in this design and especially when this Name of his comes to be spoken about all our Deliverances ought to be brought to this test if they may be had with a saving to this Name they are welcome otherwayes they may not be accepted Object But whatsoever we can say was done in our dayes of that kind the Lord now appears plucking it down again leads that strength into captivity gives that glory into the enemies hand bestowes the marks of favour upon the other party who thrive and prosper and being advanced to the capacity we see them we do but follow Providence in joyning there Answ 1. The best of thy plea is God is angry with his People hath a great Controversie with them which he pleads with deep and bitter strokes and thou wilt be on his side angry with them too and plead against them In so doing thou mayest be right and safe but I must tell thee thou hast very much reason to take heed both of thy standing and frame of spirit lest his indignation take place on thee for being out of thy place the Lord is very jealous against such as offer their service to be the executioners of his rebukes upon his heritage Zech. 1.15 Psal 69.26 Isa 47.6 that was a sore word Obadiah vers 11. For thy violence against thy Brother shame shall cover thee in the day that thou stoodest on the Other side thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy Brother c. The Lord takes special notice on what side men stand when he is dealing with his own Children for their folly 2 Moreover the Lord's rebuke is not against his People for their Principle and testimony but for their unsutableness to that Testimony and Principle of theirs which they professed And now he is come in the way of this tryal to see whether we will cleave to him with our whole heart and with our whole soul what remnant they be who will cleave to him in principles of Righteousness of Holiness of Purity of Godliness of Gospel-worship of an Heavenly Conversation and underneath the feet of these subject their interest of Ease Rest Liberty Estates Limbs Lives his Voice is therefore now in this respect who is upon the Lord's side Psal 94.16 Here it s an exceeding mercy indeed to have obtained mercy to be faithful not to deny his Name whatever it costs 6. Deliverance is then to be dreaded not accepted when I cannot come at the good of Deliverance without giving just occasion of stumbling to many to fall and of grief and affliction to the bonds of many that stand Precious in the sight of the Lord are the lives and souls of the poorest Saints and ought to be tender to us that we do nothing whereby they be stumbled offended or made weak much less destroyed for whom Christ died Asaphs first conviction of his extravagancy Psal 73.15 was if he should speak thus he should offend against the generation of Gods Children As he was tender so the Lord is very jealous of this Ezek. 13.22 how the heart of the Righteous be made sad whom God hath not made sad and the hands of the wicked strengthned that they should not return from their wicked way c. I confess
herein that she deals not with him as with Lazarus but afore-hand anoints him and after he was in the Grave again prepares another Confection of choice Embalm to perfect what might be lacking in the former Luke 23.56 Mark 16.1 by which we may perceive that Faith and such as was not found in Israel ordinarily lay at the bottom and contributed aid and influence to all these great acts and to this particularly wherein she did what she could for Christ In just proportion hereunto and on the same reason is there need of Faith unfeigned even Faith of the operation of God to ingage souls to shew the like respect to the dying Cause Interest and Concernments of Jesus Christ Other men and they also good men in the main generally give it over when such distress and dying pangs come on it till Christ come in the clouds of Glory especially where the grounds of their carnal and creaturely expectations of its revival do perish and fail none have such engagements on them to lay out themselves in preparing proper imbalm for it of which mention is made hereafter but they who have upon Gospel and unmixed principles an insight into and a fore-sight of the design of God to give it an effectual reviving and Resurrection The Faith then of this Resurrection is the needful principle to enlarge souls in such a case to do what they can for Christ's sake 2dly There was also in the bottom of this famous censured act of hers fervent love in its lively operation which is a large and defusive principle actuating souls upon very noble and unparallel'd exploits its power and tendency to do so commends its self in that ample character and description the Apostle gives of it 1 Cor. 13. throughout We have a very particular account of this principle brought forth to evidence by our Lord himself in an act of like cost and signification in the beginning of her way of following Jesus Christ Luk. 7.47 she there v. 37. brings an Alabaster box of Oyntment and with it anoints his feet having as the chap. shews washed them with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head This perfume though it filled the house with its odour yet was little understood in its spring and principle by them that sate by but Jesus discovers it vers 47. Much was forgiven her therefore she loved much there was much love in her soul on work and hence she layes out her self much upon her Lord the love of Christ constrains her and this though it was to work so early yet was not soon expended but rather increased more and more neither was it clouded or abated by the expectation of an approaching death and funeral but herein also puts out its self doth what it could towards his burial Love makes her follow Christ not only in life but in death also at his death to see the utmost of him and do the utmost for him compare Luke 23.27 28 55 56. chap. 24.1 Joh. 19.25 chap. 20.1 Mark 15.40 41 47. you may perceive how Love led them from place to place where Hazard might seem to way-lay them and how unsatisfied they were with what others did tending this way It was not the fine linnen Joseph of Arimathea bought it was not the newness of the Sepulchre hewed out of a Rock in which never man lay but fitted it seems for himself Mat. 27.59 60. nay it was not the costly bed of Spices that Nicodemas laid him in John 19.29 40. could satisfie them but there must be more Spices bought to this end Mat. 16.1 Love is strong as Death all the substance of a mans house will be contemned in the pursuit of it Cant. 8.6 7. In like manner will it be where a soul or people have from the love of Christ shed abroad in their hearts a sutable reflexion on the things of Christ they being so apprehensive of and enamoured with the unalterable beauty of them as these deaths and burials they meet withal do not alter the complexion of them or abate of that dear love and streaming affection to them where it dieth they will die and there will they be buried nothing but death nay death it self will not be able to separate 'twixt it and them Ruth 1.16 17. their own lives will not be dear to them for its sake Phil. 2.30 Acts 15.26 chap. 20.24 Rev. 12.11 Secondly But let us proceed to consider the Effect of these noble and innobling Principles of Faith and Love in this affait in the Text and also in the like on the Children of God at this day where the work of Faith and Love with Power are produced this commends it self in the extent of such acts as are performed she did what she could the commendable latitude of her spirit and endeavour is a qualification well worthy a little enquiry When may a soul be said to have done what he could This and the like expressions when they are applyed to set forth the Lords acceptance of a souls inlarged endeavours after or for himself do not signifie such a perfection of intention or act as denotes perfection which is not capable of increase or addition The choicest Saints in their highest services and attainments this way have found cause to cry out when they have done all that they could at the best rate yet they are unprofitable servants Luke 17.20 here is no place for Pride boasting is excluded by the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 The expression it self however applied here to the commendation of this good Woman yet implies some degrees of imperfection and supposes the act in some respects to be short of absolute compleatness As for Instance 1. First Though she did and a Christian in his highest endeavours may have done what he could yet may it be very short of having done what he should there lies a very vast disproportion most times betwixt the perfection of the Law and the utmost attainments of our act such as may hide pride from us The Law of the Lord is perfect Psal 19.7 The Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good Rom 7 12. The Law is spiritual vers 14. Indeed the Holy God who is perfection it self can require nothing less than perfection for sutable converse with himself Mat. 5.48 Now between this perfect rule and our imperfect act what proportion can there be I am carnal sold under sin our unspeakable mercy lies in the new and living way of Gods own appointing to present our selves and services without spot and without blemish to himself not through the works of Righteousness that we have wrought but according to his own mercy and grace whereby he makes us accepted in the Beloved 2. Secondly Though she did and a Christian may be said to do what he could yet may there be and many times there is a great shortness of doing what he would as there is a disproportion betwixt the Act and Law of which a poor Saint often
Jabesh-Gilead for the funeral-Funeral-love they had shewed to one who had been the Lords Anointed 2 Sam. 2.5 6. Blessed be ye of the Lord that you have shewed this kindness to your Lord even unto Saul and have buried him and now the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you and I also will requite your kindness because ye have done this thing The blessing he gives them shews his acceptance to the uttermost the occasion thus There was a day when the men of Jabesh-Gilead were in unspeakable distress by means of the hard terms offered them by Nahash the Ammonite 1 Sam. 11. 1 2. they could have their peace upon no other terms than by espousing an irreparable mark of reproach and infamy on themselves and all Israel and in this nick of extremity Saul puts his life in his hand and rescues them seasonably and wrought a very great deliverance This kindness of Saul to them they were never in a capacity to requite till the day that the body of their Lord and instrumental Saviour was hanged on the Wall of a Garison of the Philistines as a mark of like reproach and ignominy on the whole Interest of God In such a day of death and danger when the body of their Lord and his dear Children is hung a stinking in the face of the Sun now is a time to prove and improve the kindness and ingenuity of their spirits toward their Lord and Israel by putting their lives in their hands and doing what they could to fetch him off from and give a check to that reproach of the enemies of the Lord on his Name and Interest They attempt it they succeed and bring off these dead bodies and mark it they came to Jabesh and burnt them there and took their bones and buried them and fasted seven dayes 1 Sam. 31.11 12 13. They not only buried but burnt them there which was the manner of Royal Funerals compare it with 2 Chron. 16.14 They laid Asa in a bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kind of spices prepared by the Apothecaries art and they made a very great burning for him See Jer. 34.5 With the burnings of thy Fathers the former Kings which were before thee so shall they burn odours for thee This perfumed Royal Funeral you see hath acceptance and recompence with David And shall Jesus Christ who laid down his life to take away the curse and reproach from us and hath set us free from wrath to come which we can never requite now call for a proof of our kindness and thankfulness by doing what we can to rescue the honour of his Name and Interest that is now exposed to contempt and to bestow a more perfuming funeral on it and lamentation over it than without danger we durst do and shall we stand upon the hazard and cost of it and in so doing shall not we lose the blessing of David The Lord shew kindness and truth unto you Nay shall not the men of Jabesh-Gilead rise up in judgement who did what they could to cover the shame and recover the honour of a wicked Prince who fell for his iniquity as if he had never been anointed and shall we refuse or come short of perfuming this service to the King of Glory who is put to an open shame in his Name and People God forbid This honourable act will find acceptable resentment and recompence from Christ as that did from David and as kindness to the dead hath alwayes done on ingenious spirits Ruth 1.8 2.20 Blessed be he of the Lord who hath not left off his kindness to the living and the dead But let us see how Christ doth manifest this his acceptance of such attempts 1. Christ is ready to shew forth his acceptance of this kindness by his being so willingly ingaged to plead the cause and vindicate the innocency and integrity of such a People as do what they can for him many are the ill instructions at home and the ignominies abroad that will be raised upon such an account But of this we may have assurance he stands ingaged to make good that word 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed As Christ stood not upon his own vindication when his Father's honour was in his eye but he committed his cause to him who effectually hath brought it about So should not we stand upon our own vindication when the Name of Christ lies at the stake See Psal 35.5 6. Commit thy way to the Lord c. And he shall bring forth thy Righteousness as the light and thy Judgement as the noon-day We see how effectual he doth it in the Text concerning this poor Woman in all her ignominies and hard speeches that she met withal and no less will he shew it at this day to be the high title of his honour Thus saith thy Lord the Lord and thy God who pleadeth the cause of his people Isa 51.22 He will thorowly plead their cause Jer. 50.34 and execute Judgement for them bring them forth to the light and their eyes shall behold thy Righteousness Micah 7.9 Marvellous have been the Lord's wayes and methods of asserting the integrity of his people from the midst of the clouds of ignominy 2. Christ sheweth his acceptance by ordering the issues of all the provision that a people makes for his Name and Glory that it proves the directest provision they can possible make for themselves and their best interest The liberal man deviseth liberal things and by liberal things shall he stand Isa 32.8 That course which the generality of people conclude according to rules of Providence is the way to ruine them proves the most effectual means to establish them of this Psal 112. gives a full testimony The good man is there brought in gracious full of compassion shewing favour and lending dispersing giving to the Poor and yet in all respects making the fullest provision for his own best blessedness in so doing That of Christ is the Paradox to prudent Professors in perilous times which they can by no means resolve He that will save his life shall lose it and he that will lose his life shall save it How evidently is this made good in the good Name of persons Men have generally reasoned that to cleave to such a Profession or Testimony or People hath been the high-way to be disgraced for ever whereas the Lord hath manifestly built up the Houses of such as it s said of the Midwives Houses in Egypt We reade in the first and last verses save one of Heb. 11. concerning the Worthies That by Faith they obtained a good report though they received not the Promise It was matter of reproach to them that they should imbrace and cleave to certain Promises from generation to generation owning them as their Interest which yet brought not forth in their day the great things they testified of and professed that as Pilgrimes and Strangers they
It was a brave spirit in Araunah when there was a â—ebate betwixt David and him about the price of â—he Sacrifice that was to be offered up for a sweet â—avour in an infectious nasty season As a King gave he to the King 2 Sam. 24.23 'T was hard to discern by their spirits if external badges had not â—een there to distinguish them which of them had most of the spirit of a King in him Such largeâ—ess of heart is exceeding proper and honourable â—n the case before us A little laid out in the power of this Principle will be highly enhansed in the value of it It was a notable Instance and evidence that Rispah though but the Concubine of Saul retained some tincture of a Royal mind that when the seven men of the off-spring of Saul were executed at the instance of the Gibeonites with that reproachful and cursed death yet she from her noble disposition and generous respect to that Royal off-spring doth what she could to keep them from those corrupting casualties that are apt to attend carkasses exposed as they were in the open air to be a prey to the Birds by day and the Beasts by night her sack-cloth was accepted as a noble pavillion spoken well of at Court till a more noble Funeral was provided for them 2 Sam. 21.9 to 14. Christians if you are as you profess made Kings and Priests to God a Royal Priesthood then you have another a nobler spirit than have others it concerneth and becometh you to stir up and improve on things that are most excellent It 's not for Kings Oh Believers It 's not for Kings and Princes to do less than the noblest things To open their mouth for the dumb in the Cause of all such as on this account are appointed to destruction Open thy mouth judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy 5thly Know for your encouragement That though Christ expecteth you should do what you can to imbalm his Interest yet the soveraign vertue of that which indeed doth and must preserve it from rotting and stinking depends upon the Lord 's own provision and preparation Though your good will be accepted and your work shall be rewarded yet it 's freedom from corruption flowes from the absolute dominion he hath over the Grave where he lieth and the purpose and ingagement that he hath made known in the New Covenant to give it a Resurrection It 's no small encouragement therefore to know and be insured that we are workers together with Christ in this design which must needs be succeeded with a good issue and therefore it 's good adventuring thereupon 6thly Lastly Resolve upon this That if you live not long enough to see its Resurrection yet you will be laid in the same Grave with it where it dieth you will die and there you will be buried The Spices then prepared and laid in to imbalm it will also perfume you The last Testimony of Friendliness the old Prophet could shew to the young Prophet 1 Kings 13.28 29 30 31. was to take up his dead caâ—kass though a Lion had slain him and stood by lay him in his own Sepulchre and give this charge When I am dead then bury me in the Sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried lay my bones besides his bones Joseph laies the body of Christ in his own new Tomb Mat. 27.60 Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebeka Jacob and Leah and Joseph also covet to be laid together Gen. 49. 29 31. A Cave in Canaan where they must be laid in the Faith of Promises which is more desireable than the chiefest Royal Sepulchres in Canaan Gen. 23.6 chap. 49.29 chap. 50.25 26. It was nobly resolved in Ittai the Gittite 2 Sam. 15.21 Surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or life there also will thy Servant be Such blessed Resolutions raised on true Principles Rev. 12.11 Acts 15.26 chap. 20.24 chap. 21.13 have their acceptation now and shall not miss of an early Resurrection in due time 2 Kings 13.21 Dan. 11.13 Isa 26.19 FINIS The gracious Author of the fore-going Treatises after full Three years Suffering under very hard circumstances enduring many inhumanities from merciless Goalers in Excester-Goal was continued Prisoner under Military Guards in the Isle of Plymouth where a violent Sickness in a few dayes seized upon him in which a Friend admitted to a constant Converse judged these following Passages worthy his Observation which may fitly be here inserted as a Discovery of the Grace granted in his various Changes and Abiding with him until by the Will of God having finished his Work he fell asleep A Friend giving him some Emulsion to drink he drank and said All passages are clear between Stomach and Belly Head and Heart and that and Heaven blessed be God A Friend then asking him if he had any thing to say to them in the Family with him in case the Lord should call him from them He replied I desire the blessing of the God of Heaven may be upon you and a full Reward from him be ministred to you for all the labour of Love you have shewed to me for the Lords sake and I beseech you continue stedfast in the Faith and Testimony to Christ and his Concerns who is as worthy as ever notwithstanding all the reproach cast on him and them and I desire earnestly you will take heed of being offended at Him his Word Works or Wayes but be careful to be found in his paths as ever you hope to have help to stand before him with peace and comfort at his appearing He further said Christ had a poor Remnant yet left that he was perswaded should be helped to stand and no more to be afraid of the worst that men can do than he through Grace was now afraid of what Death could do to him And said Though I may be rolled into my dust yet there is a promised approaching Glory that God will most certainly bring forth out of all these great deeps with which we are now encompast though saies he it may be you also may not live to see it but to die in the Faith of it will be enough and the Lord grant you may not stagger and that no cloud may be upon your Testimony to God nor unless clouds be good for you upon your Interest in him And as to the Church at Plymouth he said He had oft since his Sickness on his bed begg'd of God that the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh would set a man over that Church a man whom he should chuse to go in and out before them to feed them that so the Lords poor flock be not utterly scattered by those that carry or keep them Captive Numb 27. he referred to And further said to a Friend then present I desire you if God by his Providence or otherwise shall hereafter speak any such thing to you though but in a whisper you would
make up such a tryal as all things considered hath not been known in many generations It hath also a Dark-side and a Vail that God keeps upon it by reason of which many are offended at it but if I have not been left to mistake God and Gospel it hath also a Beautiful-side that this world is not worthy of and a time also appointed when its beauty shall be brought forth as the Light and shine as the Sun at noon-day though it seems yet to me that times may pass over it that may make some of those few stagger also but this remains sure upon the whole that though it be the day of Jacob's trouble and it 's very great so that none is like it yet he shall be delivered out of it wherefore let not your hearts nor any other upright ones be dismayed at what remains for though I cannot tell what comes next nor have attained to that distinctness of knowledge as were to be wisht and waited for as to times and seasons which God the Father hath very signally yet hid in his own hand Yet I am very much perswaded this Generation shall not pass away till the Lord appear to give signal Evidence of the Great Work he hath had and yet hath upon the wheel and also of his care of all that are concerned in it Oh! Love the Lord all ye his Saints the Lord preserveth the Faithful and plentifully rewards the proud doers At another time being asked Would he have any thing to Plymouth He said No for saving the Interest of the Lord in Plymouth the Town was now as little to him as this little Island where he was Being asked how he did He said I am a poor sick weak creature still Adding That the Tempter had been very busie this Night with him suggesting that it 's much to him that he should be a Creeple but the Lord he said had put the Tempter to shame and given him to know that though he was at present weak yet in the Lord Jehovah he had still everlasting strength At another season a Friend asking What doth your hard work continue still He said Yes I am labouring as it were in the fire which were not to be endured but in hopes of the Crown At another time being asked how he did He said Still in the Warfare but on the Conquerors side To which his Friend replied Blessed be the Lord that hath chosen you to be a Souldier and helpt you thus far as a good Souldier of his to endure hardships He replied Yea we account them happy which endure One comes to him and saith Poor Neighbour What of the Night He said The Lord had made it a Night of sore affliction to him And said He was now poor and needy indeed yet saith he my God thinks on me To which his Friend replied Yea he hath also greatly magnified Mercy to you in this your sickness by strengthning your Faith and lengthning out your Patience under such long sore visitations as these have been and I trust is signally teaching you Obedience by the things you suffer At which he sighed And said Ah! that word learning Obedience by the things we suffer is a great word and hath much in it when God rightly opens it and he doth teach Obedience much indeed by such things beyond what we think of our thoughts and wayes being far short of his in such things Another Friend that had been with him about the beginning of his Sickness coming now to see him again He said to him I remember I told you formerly I had no cloud on my peace and joy in the Lord since this Sickness but have seen cause since to change my voice in that matter the Lord having since that brought me under tryals and cloudings sometimes though blessed be God they have been day not night-clouds through which God hath shined and I cannot so much desire for my self or others that we might alwayes be without clouds as that our Holiness might might be promoted and carried on by them then all will be well A Friend asking how he did He said I have been this Night full of disorders It was answered The whole Earth was so and we while dwelling on it are like to participate in somewhat of the same kind in one sense or other all these disorders are but making way for that blessed orderly state of things by which he will manifest himself indeed to be the God of Order and not of Confusion not only in the Assemblies of the Saints but throughout the whole Earth The same day being asked by one How doth this valiant Souldier of Christ He shook his head at it and said A pitiful Souldier It was replied One great part of a Souldier was to endure hardships and this part God had helpt him to do at a blessed becoming rate thus far which was matter of thanksgiving to the Lord on his behalf and gave ground also to hope he would in like manner be helpt to the end Then those about him looking at one of his hands now bereaved of strength He said Come What see you What tydings Doth it rot Let it do so it must do so yet shall mortallity he swallowed up of life and this now poor perishing Carkass shall be brought up again into a more glorious state by the mighty power of God by which he is able to subdue all things to himself It was then told him We have no tydings more than ordinary only had little hopes as to men and means as concerning his case whatever the Lord might please to do It was then asked him What tydings he had in himself as to his case He said Nothing at any certainty But said He heard Friends in the Room whispering oft as if they saw or discerned some great change that were not fit for him to know But I bless the Lord said he I begin to be more mortified to all this state of things here below though Flesh and Blood hath sometimes its hopes and fears in exercise about them but when God knocks off their Wheels I see and then can say by these things men live Yea said a Friend they live indeed at a rate they could not live were it not for such dyings daily to all other kinds of living and thereby bringing out to that way of Life as to which way of Life it 's said it cannot be brought out but by dying it else remains alone To which he said Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God nor Corruption Incorruption yet Flesh is unwilling to hear of this To which it was told him No marvel that Flesh and Blood did boggle in such cases when 't is called to go in a way it knows not and a knife at the throat ready to kill all the way 't is therefore reckoned a great lesson to be learnt by all Christians not to trust in themselves but the Living God and is taught best by sentences of death past upon
Eye and Ear witness and the God that hath hitherto kept us alive to this day cause all those clouds to flee away and bring out your soul yet more fully not only to find pitty from him to escape the snares that others are catcht in to their hurt but grant also that you may come forth as one of those Palm-bearers cloathed in white Rev. 7.9 as having gotten the victory over all Enemies and made to sing with grace in your heart as they vers 10. Salvation to our God which sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb. And the love extended by you to me unworthy and in me to my Lord and Captain of my Salvation Oh! that streams of Salvation may come forth if it be his blessed will from him to you so also make you a blessed pattern of Piety Purity and Stability for him whom I desire to serve in the Gospel His Sister asked Will you have some Cordial He said Oh! when shall I drink of that good new Wine in my Father's Kingdom In a morning his Friend asked him What of the Night He said It hath been a long Night But saith his Friend The Morning comes Yea said he as a snare on it comes stealing upon the world but the Children of the Day and of the Light that have on the Armour of Light shall have no cause to fear He Exhorted a good Woman that watched with him with all earnestness to close walking with the Lord. His Sister said to him I hope Brother as your Tribulations abound your Consolations abound He said It was a hard question Consolations being very inward deep things She then asked how he felt his Heart He replied I feel the fleshly parts declining apace but I trust the spiritual renewing But saying further to his Sister Come are you wiling to part with me yet She answered Yes in some measure she hoped she was considering his pains on the one hand and the glory that should follow Then said he Be careful I charge you to walk close with God in your generation and take heed of departing from his wayes but walk as becomes a Christian that would be found to his praise After this through extremity of pains the exercise of his Understanding was at seasons interrupted but very sensible and spiritual in his Intervals One asked him How it was with him He said Vnder great rebukes from the Land by reason of sin Saying I have been a wretched sinner have perverted my way and my walks with God have been short and formal But Oh! that it may go well with Israel in the latter dayes though I be as reprobate silver because the Lord hath rejected me It was told him If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins Yea saith he through Faith in his Blood he is so and thither doth my soul flee He was also cautioned to take heed of casting away any his Confidence that hath great recompence of reward and of making a judgement of things in an hour of temptation and tribulation contrary to another judgement made and confirmed by the Lord again and again to him heretofore minding him how the Tempter waited such seasons to disturbe him and drive him from the strength he had laid up for him in Grace that is in Christ Jesus when Grace in us may be but at a low ebb Yea replyed he I would leave this Exhortation with you that when God bruises breaks treads down a poor soul and it lyes before him as ashamed and confounded and not able to open its mouth Oh! then to look up to the Lord for then will the Tempter be busie at such seasons for we are not ignorant of his devises but if God give another day and more strength I hope to speak more convincingly of these things The next day being asked How it was with him Whether all were clear within He said It was very tempestuous round about but yet the Lord is instructing and answering such a poor worm from the secret place of thunder And afterward sayes It will be better and there is hope in the end for all this And then broke out with admiration saying He is ever mindful of his Covenant Holy and Reverent is his Name he is a God near to those that fear him in the needful season Sometimes after one saying to him I hope you can yet say God is good and a strong hold in the day of trouble and knows them that trust in him Yes I can say so blessed be my God but not alike at all times can I say so but I remember the counsel and advise yesterday to wait on the Lord and keep his way and my place appointed me by God which I desire to do all the dayes of my appointed time till my change come though flesh and blood suggest this is hard work and would make haste out of it In the morning following being asked How is it now He said God had been at work closely with his Spirit in the three dayes past before this though this was left him for support That the foundation of God remains sure to all his sealed ones but sayes he I have been ready to say Why should I speak of sealed ones being such a one as might for mine iniquities be sealed up to a day of Wrath and be kept in chains of Darkness to the great day I have been so foolish to think my attainments were such as if I were got to the top and needed little more but the Lord hath laid Judgement to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet and hath not only thrown down the high raised Structure but razed the very foundations of all fleshly glory and excellency and the Lord hath delivered his glory into Captivity and his strength into the Enemies hand yet hath not left me without hope I trust good hope in mercy that all notwithstanding shall issue well in the end But Oh! the reproach that I have brought on the Name of God! might that be done away by all I feel and suffer inward and outward I shall rejoyce In the After-noon the same day it was said to him I have observed by some hints from you That you have in these few dayes past had some exercises on your Spirit I would be glad to know whence and what they were and the way of God with you in them He replyed He had indeed some such exercise occasioned by close searches made in his soul about the clear and certain right and title it had to a substantial well-founded Interest in Christ which though sayes he I have mentioned heretofore to you and others what it was and how it was the Lord had begot and carried on in me and thought it had been above questions yet had I some doubts and fears renewed of a very ancient date about if not above thirty years ago with many miscarriages since to promote the same matter and this
acquaint and refresh you with that dismission to rest as may secure you until the indignation be over-past You know his priviledge who Jer. 36.5 though he was shut up that he could not walk abroad about his Lord's business was nevertheless hid there by the Lord when the Courtiers did purpose to take him vers 26. But if in the Father's Counsel it appear best that out of these Store-houses he bring more of his precious boxes of Oyntment to be poured out upon the present Funerals of the Cause he is concerned in I make no question but the savour thereof will commend it self to all the Virgins in this and other generations and they shall have Robes and Rest till they stand again in their lot at the end of dayes and who believing and loving Jesus Christ in Truth would not put off his filthy garments in expectation of such change of raiment As for my part my Father graciously indulgeth me and the Lambs here giving us an undeserved Covert of which no reason can be given even where Satan's seat is while other flocks are dispersed and scattered Neer about us by my last I acquainted that some from our neighbouring parts are sent to that place of ancient experience where they have a stock of prayers and presence to begin upon they begin on straw as learning to endure hardness as good Souldiers the Lord make that word good to them which often hath been in that place sweet to me Exod. 23.25 and at length Eccles 4.14 I expect daily the same lot in the Lord 's with-holding his hand from which I fear nothing more than a Spirit apt to do as Agag 1 Sam. 15.32 putting off the evil day the least Sun-shine brought forth a manifestation that notwithstanding the ruine of his Nation and danger of himself he was not mortified to the delicacy of his life nor had escaped though he thought he had waved the bitterness of his death I need your Prayers and precious Exhortations tending to prevent slumber that I be not taken at unawares The Lord keep fresh and manifest before your eyes and mine the Captain of our Salvation not only as a leading pattern but as a life-giving Principle on which having our minds stayed we may still be trusting in him as kept in peace upon peace there with true respects to all your Family Rests Yours in the love of Jesus 26th 4th month 62. His judgement about continuing or forbearing Assemblies to Worship the Lord. Strength and Beauty as is in the Sanctuary Beloved in the Lord I Thought it best while it is yet day and opportunity offers that we attempt to make improvement so as may mutually tend to the strengthning each others Faith and Love in Christ Jesus with such intimations of occurrences as may direct to sutable sympathy and supplication as the Interest of the Lord may require in its present circumstances at their hands who have learned to approve themselves as true Sionists This place affords little save the continued series of divine goodness holding our souls in life and not suffering our feet to be moved where he with-holds not the tokens of his Fatherly care and provision to supply all our wants both outwardly and within to shew that he is good our Rock and no unrighteousness is with him We had rumours of being this week brought before the Deputy Lieutenant but that came to nothing Fear and fury fills many mens hands with work of their own occasioning so doth he make their own tongue to fall upon themselves the Righteous shall see it and flee away and all men shall see and consider the work of God for they shall wisely consider his doing They at our Island I hear are well and chearful but free access to them is denyed nothing else can be expected as times and jealousies are yet Heaven is open still David could form a song in the Cave when his Faith reached to this assurance He shall send from Heaven and save me Earth was block'd up but Heaven was open still And as long as Heaven holds he had no ground to mistrust a want of the Promises accomplishment to the uttermost Many thoughts of heart have exercised us as well in groans at the throne as in other sad conferences among our selves at the reasonings and resolves of your strong men who by drawing away the shoulder from the yoke and their hand from the Plough wherein they seemed so well skilled and blessed formerly have given way to the ceasing of their work in a time when their Faith and Love to Christ is brought to its tryal and that any poor souls should interpose with their lives in their hands to bear up the Name of Christ and to preserve a nail in his House in their absence it serves to signifie that there is something of reality in that Promise The last shall be first and the first last And touching your Question What ground a Church hath in times of Persecution to appear publickly If by publickly be meant only so far knownly as wherein with the best prudence and caution used as their case stands they may most effectually answer the ends of mutual edification and hold up the Glory of Christ in the practise of his Institutions It 's so far from being a Question What grounds they have to meet as we know not what grounds can well be held up to the contrary by any who pretend to so much profession as that any part of the Instituted Will of God is worth the suffering for or that Christ is worth the following in Gospel-Precepts when the Obedience of Saints therein is to be tryed as by fire If you be pleased to single out any Reasons that can pretend to satisfiâ— Conscience guided by the mind of God in Scripture they may have an examination Rests Yours many wayes oblieged 20th 7th month 62 To the same Friend and something further on the same Subject My very Dear THe Sea-Monsters they draw forth their brest and give suck to their young ones Ah! what shall the Lord's People who have received anointing to Preach the blessed Gospel become cruel as the Ostriches of the Wilderness that the young Children yea and old Disciples too ask Bread and none giveth it unto them nay are willing to seek their Bread with the peril of their lives because of the Sword of the Wilderness And shall such men as we who have known the Terrors of the Lord and felt the Love of Christ constraining us that pretend to know the worth of an immortal soul the joy for one sinner that repenteth that have had a dispensation of the Gospel committed to us and yet no necessity lying upon such no wo to such if they Preach not the Gospel no compassion at least no more compassion to the multitudes that are scattered as sheep that have no shepherd Alas where is the fellowship of that Spirit which of old enabled the publishers of this Gospel after they were shamefully intreated to wax
great Owner and Fraughter beyond their own Lives determine to stem the storm and press toward the Port unto which they are bound in the face of all difficulties and of these few Alas How rare is it that two keep in company with intents to strengthen and help each other as they can I need not make the Application particularly to spiritual things the day we live in gives sad evidence of the Truth of all these Instances and now the case being thus how desireable should it be to such who in disposition desire and endeavour are pressing forward to meet with good Neighbours who may keep company and yield if need be advice supply or assistance till we all come to drop Anchor within the Vale whither the Forerunner is for us entered If in this providential coming-up with one another it might be of any encouragement or advantage to you I could at large acquaint you That by the Grace of God I am what I am who have great occasion to exalt wonderful loving kindness that hath helped hitherto so as after five year imprisonment in more than five Prisons and in this last year above nine months sickness with divers tryals of Faith and Patience I have never yet seen the least reason I praise Christ my Lord never been under an hours temptation to relinquish or repent of my Testimony in Word or Deed to any one persecuted Truth of Christ for which I suffer and though my present lot be in a place where the salt sharp Air is manifestly ruinous to my health exposing me more than ever I was in my life to daily distempers and under a Sentence of Primunire and in a readiness on all occasions for threatned Transportation besides other threatning and straitning circumstances yet under all is Christ as precious to my soul as ever and so is his Cause Work and Institutions and faithful Children and every way as worthy of my All as I professed him to be in the greatest fulness or plenty of all things neither durst I for my life balk the least Truth of Jesus which is to be witnessed unto for the obtaining any health liberty or other accommodations whatever nor can I express the constant satisfaction and sometimes consolation that my soul is made to enjoy in following God especially when in my greatest sickness about this time twelve month and at other seasons when I have been ready to step into Eternity Thoughts and Pen cannot set forth the Peace passing understanding wherewith my soul was possessed in respect of the present Truths of Jesus Christ and his heart love to me therein which do to this day abide in their excellency and obligation engaging my soul to love and praise the Lord for his unspeakable gifts of Grace to me herein who have as fearful cowardly unbelieving slothful self-saving a poor heart as I think any poor Christian alive is pestred withal In the mention therefore of this or any part of it I would not be understood to intend the proposing my self to any high Thoughts that should be had of me as if I were better than others or had attained to any praise-worthy or exemplary degree of stedfastnest herein for I have much more to say in way of self-judging humbling and loathing before the Lord but my design in this liberty of speech is to engage you to a like freedom and to give you in part a Character how you may represent me to your self in your addresses before the Lord but principally that hereupon I may take occasion as from experience the more confidently and earnestly to beg you That you would be much in the searching and trying your heart and wayes examining to the bottom if that work have layen neglected as in too many it doth how it stands between the Lord and you in point of union and relation toward each other The dispensations that are over us are come to lay the Ax to the root of every Tree if the root be found to be rottenness the blossoms of an external Profession will go up like the dust Nothing short of true Interest in Jesus Christ laid in real Regeneration and the renewing of the holy Spirit will hold out to the end of this tryal to any purpose forms of Godliness will expose to man's wrath and where there wants the Power of it it will expose to Gods wrath whose fire is in Sion and his furnace in Jerusalem Nor will it suffice that Interest in it self in Christ be safe barely considered unless also Influences from him be obtained and Communion with him be improved unto a daily resignation to him and walking in the beauties of Holiness before him Any sinful shortness neglect abatements losses of this kind are very perilous in such a time as this it 's one to a thousand that is under decayes of this kind and proceeds in a path of it without early sense and repentance but that word is verified Men gather them they easily sink down into an earthly carnal sowre discontented fearful heartless posture of spirit and then are unable to make resistance to any temptation whether to sin or sinking They therefore have of all others the advantage who by the constraints of Faith and Love abide close serious spiritual faithful conscientious with and towards the Lord not slothful in business fervent in Spirit serving the Lord rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in Prayer That you may be found in this attire waiting for the coming of our King is the sincere desire for you of him who would be glad to hear from you and to serve your soul in any thing within the compass of Yours in true respects A. C. To a Friend advising to look well to his steps in some quick turns of Providence An Hiding-place in the Cleft of the Rock till the Indignation be over-past Desired for you Honoured and Beloved WHat a blessing beyond compare is it to be as those living things mentioned Rev. 4.8 Full of Eyes within and before and behind v. 6. Indeed so short are the turns that the Lord takes so mysterious are his works his way in the clouds and paths in the deâ—p waters that we must needs say as he Job 26.14 Lo these are part of his wayes but how little a Portion is heard of him the Thunder of his Power who can understand When I either look back and see what hath the Lord wrought Or forward and think what great things seem to hover over us in Promises The former things are come to pass and new things he doth declare truly I have many tremblings in my self Alas Who shall live when God doth this On what a single foot have I need stand both in point of Hope and Holiness that I may preserve a station undefiled and not be ashamed before him at his coming I was never more fearing my self and others than in this half-work that seems to be in a capacity of being done before us the bottom is
The Fathers where are they and do the Prophets the Worthies live for ever Why cry we out of loss God hath not lost them God took them they all live to God they are ever with the Lord. We have not lost them unless they that sleep in Christ are perished we shall go to them shortly though they shall not return to us We shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob they have not lost themselves they are found in Christ to die is gain to be with Christ is far better Death is theirs because they are Christs The work of God hath not lost them if we take it in its most capacious comprehensive acceptation God hath a Will to be done not in Earth but also in Heaven they are not dismissed from the King's business who are called from the Camp to the Court advanced from being Souldiers to be Privy Counsellors God hath a great Family in Heaven and Earth and many Vessels some above in honour some below in dishonour If God have fully purged any who can grudge them to be translated as Vessels unto honour sanctified and meet for the Master 's immediate use c. Besides look on the Work as it is below it must be granted That if it must alwayes proceed according to one measure or manner by a line that we have made ready to our Lord's hand then will the Work be deficient and suffer loss when those that we lay stress upon are taken away and others cannot be found presently to clap into their places but if the Work be the Lord's and receiveth various appearances and representations according to the counsel of his own Will and yet in all go strait forward then humbling acts passing on it changing its beautiful appearance laying it sometimes low in a low place making the fatness of its flesh lean and thin are not to be accounted loss or at a dead stand by such poor worms as we that can judge of such things only by appearance The wheel of divine Actings went alwayes streight forward Ezek. 1.9 12. and returned not when they went whither the Spirit was to go they went and yet that work that goes alwayes streighâ— forward hath not alwayes liftings up above the Earth nay many times standeth still vers 21. Yet God is not slack concerning his Promises nor Retrograde concerning his Work Gideon may have too many but God had never too few to do his work by there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by no might Well when Moses my Servant is dead Josh 1.2 and that at the straits of proud swelling Jordan what shall poor Joshua a Servant a slighted inferiour do Why he must be strong and of a good courage vers 6. Only be strong and very couragious vers 7. have not I commanded thee to be strong and of a good courage be not afraid nor dismay'd vers 18. So Deut. 31.6 7 8. such sweeping dispensations that fall upon the choicest men of Israel are apt to invade the courage of the Remnant that is left against which as Grace makes special provision to lay in matters for support it concerns us faithfully to draw it out Be of good courage and God shall strengthen your hearts all ye that trust in the Lord. Rests Yours affectionately for Christs sake To a Friend upon the Release of some who had been divers years Imprisoned Dear Friend I Am glad if those Friends come safe on shore if there be nothing of a Witness to be look'd at in such a lot it 's good to get to Land with all speed but if there be any thing of our being set for the defence or Apology of the Gospel Phil. 1.17 though but in the smallest point of it it may be very hazardous shifting places Acts 27.31 1 Sam. 22.23 1 Cor. 9.15 16. If God look for a man in the gap though but to defend a piece of Barley 1 Chron. 11.13 14. or though but of Lentiles 2 Sam. 23.11 12. If it be any part of the Heritage of Israel it will not be easie answering that question when found in a way of escaping What dost thou here Eliah It needs great care and caution to come out of Egypt well leavened when the most are making haste that they may not die in the pit When will that Roman greatness be out-shone by Christian Nobility of Spirit Acts 16.37 Yours 30th of the 9th mon. 67. Upon occasion of a Token of small value in Provisions sent to him and his fellow Prisoners Unto our Brethren and Friends in the bonds and bowels of the Gospel whose hearts have made them willing under the bounteous Influences of the God of Israel to comfort the hearts of the unworthy Prisoners of the Lord in Plymouth Island by a Côstly Present and to every one that hath contributed or helped therein to a tender groan or the value of a cup of cold water be a large recompence of Reward given in Grace and ascertained in Glory by him who is not unfaithful to forget such labour of Love shewed to his Name Beloved and esteemed as is meet in the Lord ALthough we are hitherto detained from the personal and particular knowledge of you by Name whâ—â—â— counsels and care have been concerned in this liberal expression of your Sympathy with a few poor undeserving creatures in which matter we could be glad to receive distinct information as far as such a desire might be thought modest in us to ask and be expedient for you to grant to the end that our Supplications for you and Applications to you might be more direct and particular Yet ere that come to hand and lest Matth. 6.3 may have influenced though we think the reason of it binds not in this case We thought it lay on us not to forbear the present acknowledgment such as it is at least as a fore-runner to what we should be willing to offer more particularly that hereby you might be informed that through the Lords Providence the whole of it came safe to hand and by his Grace we hope the heavenly voice in it hath and through your Prayers will yet have a more effectual access to our hearts to lay us under those obligations to a faithful chearful unwearied trusting in him and waiting on him at all times which we are satisfactorily perswaded was the design of your devising those liberal things for us Under which engagements we reckon our selves bound at least to give you some account of our selves in the present respect That if it may be our rejoycing each in other may be rendred more reciprocal we comforted together with you by the mutual Faith and Love both of you and us And first of all we wish you knew that under the varieties and vicisitudes of exercises wherewith our Heavenly Father hath seen good to prove and try us for some years together leading us in some paths and under some disappointments in our Creature-concerns and accommodations that we thought not of and