the wheel how would people be frustrated of their expectations that have such thoughts of London Be pleased to suffer these things to enter into your most serious thoughts and make it appear that love does spring and that you do not over-love your own Priviledges or any thing that is your own when it comes in competition with the Publique I love every man should love that that is to be loved in a due proportion according to its share with reference to Christ and his Cause There are now great things on foot and blessed be God we have heard some welcom news this day Is not this very comfortable to hear good news in our worshipping of God and seeking for peace as if God would incourage us to pray and endeavor more after it What news is it Seven thousand persons in Taunton relieved where were so many precious souls of the countrey got together and that now when Heaven was besieged with Prayers of the Saints God himself hath been pleased to be overcome and to raise the Siege of the Enemy Here is rich encouragement for the Generation of true Jacobites You have an Army on foot and a great deal of prudent and speedy care is required to consider how it should be maintained and how to manage these publique Affairs most dexterously when there comes a winter season when there is no such time nor need for such vigorous motion in these Enterprizes then dispute your Priviledges and then write Books and then debate what is between the Common-Councel and Court of Aldermen and then enter as serious and deliberate consultation as you will and set the saddle upon the right horse and let every man have his due but take heed now you let not in your Enemy by making a Breach amongst your selves when you keep Court of Guards that costs you so many thousands a year neglect not the Guard of Peace and mutual Love If you give up the City this famous flourishing City into their hands by your division how will Rome and Spain and all the World that are Enemies to the Cause of God Triumph that they have got a Victory over those that they counted their greatest Enemies to their grand Design Where is your love worthy Citizens get this self-absolving heart The Lord grant this may be such a Uniting day that this Church may be a grave to bury all the beginnings of Division and that you may go out of Gods presence glewed together And why should not we expect it though there be so many defilements that may provoke God to blast all he being a God hearing Prayers but all our work is not done when our prayers are done we will observe what good fruit is come of our prayers you will have it in every Book The City had such a meeting and they met together And for what some will say For to humble themselves and to pray to God that they may be United Then the next week the question will be What news of it how we bless God for it If now the Court of Aldermen and Common-Councel might joyn as one man then they should conclude God hath heard their Prayers and accepted of their endeavours Certainly this is a blessed design and most proper for this days work It will not be unseasonable to acquaint you with the prudent carriage of Menenius Agrippa who by a witty Parable no wonder our blessed Savior delighted so much in Parables they being so prevalent to perswade composed the great Distractions amongst the Romans The chief Magistrates were agrieved thinking the inferior Commons had too many advantages Upon a time saith he the other parts of the natural body complained that all their care and industry must be to make provision for the stomack whilest that sits quiet enjoying the pleasures we bring in to it Hereupon the other party combine to tame the stomack by hunger so that the hand would not reach meat to the mouth nor the mouth receive it which suddenly brought the whole body to an extreme Consumption Hence the necessary use of the stomack did most clearly appear that as it received strength from their care so by a reciprocal influx it helped to convey nourishment to the whole There needs no Application In the Body Politick whether of City or Kingdom mutual Help is as necessary let it be as acceptable lest by your jarring you breed a Consumption in the whole Give me leave to subjoyn that which I thought of that in that holy man Ezra He proclaims a Fast at the river Ahava that they might seek of God a right way for themselves and their little ones and all their substance And what was his reason A very pious and worthy one and I would gladly think so well of this worthy City that you had as good a reason for this meeting Because we says he had spoken to our King saying The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him I was ashamed to require of the King a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy Here was a good man had spoke great things of his God and now if he should have gone and desired the King that was but a Heathen Pray Sir let us have a party to guard us through the Countreys what would he have thought of them what have you said such great things of your God that he hath sought you out and what need you my men to guard you He thought this would blemish them and therefore he seeks God that they might finde out a way and not bring a scandal upon him nor give advantage to the bloody enemy that stood watching against them I hope this was the Design of the Right Honorable the Lord Major and the Common-Councel and whoever were Agents in this business you begin to be afraid of some heart-burnings and jealousies and you thought if it should break out how the enemy would triumph therefore you will seek God by Fasting and Prayer for a right way to unite you The Lord be blessed for putting this into your heart surely the Scripture-way is the best way to conquer all those jealousies that have been among you namely Real love one to another and I hope you will have a good fruit of this days prayer in some more sweet harmony of Spirits in the two grand points of Difference amongst you 1. In Church matters 2. In Civil matters First for your love in Church matters there is a great deal of need to preach this Doctrine to London you have had much said to you already concerning unsetledness in Opinion truly it is a sad condition yet I would not have people discouraged at it for it was always so in Reformation-time in Luthers time and others As when the Sun arises in its lustre there are drawn up a great many fogs and vapours so it is when the
and fitter for the work of the Publique then he is he would rejoyce that such a one is called to it this would argue love indeed And then that there is such a deal of censuring Oh! that argues defect in love too How do Brethren censure and tear one another The Lord knows it is too much amongst Ministers I wish All whom it concerns may be humbled for it And people censure their Minister and one another because they do not all concur and comply some are of different Judgements some are of one minde some of another in things of lesser consequence who condemn one another I 'le not say as much as Papists and Protestants but truly it is in danger to grow to it As it is abroad now Lutherans and Calvinists both pretend to be for Religion and Reformation but it is a cause among them that Religion much suffers and the progress of the Gospel is very much obstructed by it Take heed of censuring this is want of love Further here is another Argument not onely from Envy not only from Censuring but indeed from your oppressing others in Taxes and Levies and such kinde of ways when things are carried on with extreme partiality and with unjust indulgence to some and severity unto others what call you this now it is want of love Because didst thou love thy Neighbor as thy self thou wouldst do nothing to thy Neighbor but what thou wouldst have thy Neighbor do to thee in the same posture in the same juncture and concurrence of circumstances which our Savior makes the rule and expression of real love And then likewise when you are so selfish in your designs and undertakings and so far prefer your self-ends before the Publique this is still want of love The Apostle was a Prophet in 2 Tim. 3. beginning In the last day shall be perillous times Why Men shall be lovers of themselves I know not any thing that this day does indanger the Parliament party in England the City party those that are hearty for God and his Cause then the predominancy of self-self-love for men now love themselves better then the Kingdom better then the Church better then the State love their own Estates their own advantages more then all and this exposes them to abundance of snares because they love themselves inordinately O therefore steer all Publique Councels even according to this very rule I beseech you you that are of the Court of Aldermen and Common-Councel-men consider That the less self-love you bring with you to your City Transactions the better you are to manage all your Affairs Oh! it were a happy thing that every time you come to appear in your Senate-house you could leave self-love behinde you and say I will go now not as such a man and such a man and as I am at home but I 'le go as one of the City and as one of the Representative Body and if Self would step up and put in it self Stand by Self the City must first be concerned and the Publique must first be minded The Lord put this into the hearts of them in Government thus indeed to prefer the Publique good before themselves we should have more cause to rejoyce in that then for any Victory that ever yet the Citizens had And I am confident in this If the Lord would help Parliament and Kingdom and Assembly and Armies to conquer this Bosom Enemy this that leads the Faction here this predominant self-love it would be a greater cause of triumph then ever we had yet for any Victory though we have had many glorious ones as long as ever you are full of Envy or full of Oppression or full of Censuring or full of Selfishness it argues you want love Then give me leave in the next place to bespeak your love it is the work of the day and as you would Approve your selves indeed to God and as you would have confidence in God and as you would expect acceptation to God and would be welcom to the Throne of Grace when you go to Prayer and finde favor with God Then labor to take out this Lesson get a self-absolving heart in this particular that you are sure you have love to the Brethren If there were more love amongst all persons of quality if Common-Councel-men and those in place of Power did often meet together not to nourish prejudices one against another nor foment differences these things would be signs of love and incentives to it You have heard sometimes talk of differences between the Houses Oh! what a sad thing were this as that the House of Commons may be should have some jealousies of the Peers and the Peers sometimes of the House of Commons if there have been any such jealousies or misunderstandings then you know Publique things have not gone on so well And now truly men begin to speak of the City you had better hear of it in this place then from other men who love you not There is difference so between the Court of Aldermen and Common-Councel-men and now they begin to dispute about their Priviledges and there grows Debates and Contentions The Lord if it be his good will hear our Prayers this day Oh! that there might be a spring opened this day that might wash away all prejudices and jealousies and suspitions that both Court and Councel might be made one in reference to the Publike I know not any thing would joynt you and soder and cement you together better then a Spirit of Love If there were but a Spirit of Love to act the Common-Councel and to act the Court of Aldermen you would sweetly imbrace one another And I beseech you take a word though it be out of my Sphaere yet from a Minister of the Gospel take it who desires to be faithful to your souls and to the City It is plain and wholesom advice When there was some small divisions betwixt the Houses of Parliament Oh! says one Citizen would to God they would leave disputing of their Priviledges and joyn against the Common Enemy And when there hath been any clashing in the Armies Oh! would the Commanders would let them alone till they come to their Garisons in the winter and then let them debate it onely now let us go on vigorously against our Enemies I beseech you worthy Citizens do so too If there be any disputes about your Court and Councel let them sleep God forbid you should betray or prostitute any of them onely be so wise as to take the seasonablest time to dispute them if your disputing of them in this nick should set all on fire when you should joyn purses and hands and all against the common Enemy for you to fall all to pieces amongst your selves surely you will disparage your selves and deceive the world that expects so much wisdom and zeal and courage and faithfulness to the publique Cause from London that if now jealousies and misunderstandings should creep in and scotch
a worm as never dyes In Mark 9. 44. you hear there of a worm that dyeth not and a fire that never will be extinguished I believe some of you know what the head-ake or the Tooth-ake or the Gout or a fit of the stone means suppose Eternity should be added to one of these if you should have an eternal Tooth-ake or an everlasting fit of the Stone would not this be a sad thing Adde eternity to an evil and it makes it infinitely evil What will it be to have an everlasting stinging Conscience a fire flaming in you that never will be extinguished Oh! this will be the woful fruit of such a bad Conscience and therefore take heed of such a self-condemning heart If our heart condemn us not then have we considence towards God To have a self-approving a self-absolving heart before God is a pledge of our acceptation from God When thou shalt come to read over the story of thy life and finde that God hath wrought this grace in thee and that God hath likewise taught thee to walk conscionably before him and to love the Brethren and to love them in deed and in truth Oh! here is a pledge of Gods acceptation of thee for that argues indeed That God is thy God if he have given thee a self-approving heart a self-absolving heart He hath made some impression upon thy heart something of himself there given something that is an evidence of thy sincerity and of his accepting of thee in Christ and that he owns thee in him who by his blood hath satisfied Divine Justice for thy sin and then hast thou grounded confidence towards him Why confidence towards him He is thy God For doubtless as I intimated before if God hath given thee a self-absolving a self-approving heart a heart approving thy self to him according to the rule of the Word God is thy God and God being thy God thou hast confidence in him and mayest go and pray to him as to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ and in him thy Father and doubt not but God will hear thy Prayers I must forbear the further Confirmation and Explication of this this being the third Exercise and the season hot and divers ancient Citizens present whose chearful patience should not be discouraged And the first Use that I will make of it is this You may please to look back to the former Observation because we shall have occasion they having so great affinity to link them both together a little in the Application A self-condemning heart that argues undoubted condemnation from God A self-absolving heart does intitle us to acceptation with God 1. Take heed then in the first place that you do not rest in such a condition wherein you have not your own hearts to approve you and to absolve you And not to instance in any other particular or to return to those generals we mentioned before I will keep to that that seems to be the Apostles intention here principally speaking of their heart condemning of them for want of love to the Brethren As you profess your selves Christians take heed that you be not found such that your heart does not condemn you as indeed not loving one another in truth not loving one another in reality This day it is an Uniting day as well as a Praying day so far as I understood the intent of it it was in part as to seek God so to prevent and remove all Jealousies and all Obstructions or whatever might hinder a happy Union betwixt the Court of Aldermen and Common-Councel that you might preserve Love and Peace in the City Oh! therefore I beseech you Take heed of any thing that may give occasion to your own hearts to condemn you I have some Arguments to prove I should be glad if you will be well able to answer them that some are in a guilty condition and that however you may complement and bear it out that your hearts are full of self-condemning even in this particular that there is no more true love among you My two Reverend Brethren and Fellow-Laborers have commended Stedfastness Activity and Unity Give me leave now to adde a plain Emphasis to all that to endeavor as God shall enable me to drive this Nail to the head that it may be fastened in every one of your hearts and to put you upon a self-examining and self-considering whether you are able now to approve your selves thus to God That you have Spirits settled and composed and effectually combined in this happy Unity that this might be the glory of London to be a City compact within it self which was the beauty of Jerusalem You have had Zeal for the Publique and have let go your Money blessed be God that hath put it into your hearts to be so zealous yea have lost much Money and many of your Friends and God forbid now you should lose your selves for want of love A great Politician saith That England is a huge mighty Animal he tells you also what he thinks of France and Spain but he gives this Character of England That England is such an Animal that will never dye unless it kill it self Truly I hope the same of London that it will never dye to speak as men unless it kill it self And I know no more compendious method to stifle and undo your selves then for want of love Oh! what a victory would this be to the Blood-thirsty Adversaries when all their plots could not break you you should break one another through your Divisions What a triumph would there be at Oxford how would they insult if that when they could not reach you you should bite and tear one another Blessed be the Lord that hath put it into your hearts to extinguish what sparks there are before they come to flame Too many Citizens I doubt herein do over much resemble their Gardens which are full of goodly Tulyps beautiful to the eye but neither good for pot or smell so they have a pompous love a specious kindeness in exchanging some Visits and Invitations but little or no conference to the good of one anothers souls little or no usefulness to one another in reference to the Publike This appears 1. Because there is so much Envy in the City Now certainly Envy proceeds from want of love for if you did love one another indeed you would heartily rejoyce in one anothers good But alas that such a one should have a Place rather then I and such a one should have more Power and more Influence then I have Oh! many men cannot bear it What call you that truly it is want of love such a man wants love to his Neighbor that he envies and he wants also love to the Publique if he envies another man that is abler to do the Service of the Publique then he is were there love to the Publique if there were any man in the City more active