Judgements Rev 13.8 and Rev. 17.8 How came men to be insnared with the Doctrine of Popery and carried away with that doctrine of devils they were given up in Judgement to it as an evidence of their reprobation for they worshipped the Beast and received his mark and his image whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life c. for as Spiritual blessings are pledges of election so spiritual Judgements are dangerous signs of a mans reprobation Secondly they are a fearful earnest of a mans damnation 2 Thes 2.12 He gave them up to believe that lye that all they might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Heb. 10.27 We read of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A receiving of a sentence an eternal judgement in a mans own soul when a man carries in his own heart the sentence of his own condemnation and there is not a greater earnest of it in the world then for a man to be given over by God unto spiritual Judgements for that is the portion that all the Heirs of Hell have from the Lord and as by the works of the spirit of adoption upon the soul there is an earnest of Heaven so by the work of the Spirit of Bondage on the soul in judgement there is an earnest of Hell the approaches of God are in the one and the desertions of God are in the other Thirdly consider what a great evil it is to be given up unto this judgement of a perpetual barrenness the sins against the Gospel must be especially requited by such judgements for the Lord will have the judgement hold a proportion unto the sin now the more spiritual sins are and the more spiritual Ordinances are the more spiritual must the judgement needs be now as there are no sins nor no Ordinances so spiritual as those under the Gospel so there are no judgements that are so spiritual and therefore as God is a spirit and hates spiritual sins most so it is most agreeable unto him the soul being a spirit and having the main hand in the sin to load that with spiritual judgements But why will the Lord punish the neglect of the Gospel with a perpetual Barrenness Why shall the marish places be given to salt The grounds are these First consider of all Spiritual Judgements this is the greatest of all judgements the greatest are spiritual judgements and of all spiritual judgements to be given up to barrenness is the greatest for it is that unto which all other Judgements tend and in which they all end and center There are many other spiritual Judgements as there is a Judicial blindness and hardness of heart a seared conscience a reprobate sense but what is all this for it is that we might bring forth no fruit to God and that nothing that is good might grow thereupon and therefore it is that the Devil doth catch away the good seed Matth. 13.19 That we might be as the high-way ground unfruitful we complain of a barren earth by reason of the curse Cursed be the ground for thy sake when thou tillest it it shall not yield thee fruit but there are three sorts of Spiritual Barrennesses which are far beyond this and are the fruits of a far greater curse and they are barren Churches barren Ordinances and barren hearts there was never a more terrible monument of temporal wrath then the Lord shewed upon Sodom and Gomerrah and those Cities of the plain which are now turned into the salt sea and their smoak ascends continually where nothing lives where nothing grows neither fruit nor grass Deut. 29.23 and therefore called the dead Sea as Jerom saith Ierome Quia nihil in se vitale habet unde nomen mortis sortitumest And if a fish be at any time carried out of Jordan into it Statim moriuntur nthâ—l utilitatis in se habet ut simplex sermo testatur the fishes presently die therein Now take an unregenerate man a barren soul and he is compared here unto the dead sea for it is said that fishers shall stand from Engedi to Eneglaim Eneglaim in principio est maris mortui ubi Iordanum ingreditur Engedivero ubi finitur atque consumitur As great yea a far greater monument of Judgement God gives unto a barren heart then is that of the dead sea which is nothing else but a barren land and barren waters as they bring forth nothing that is good of themselves so neither is there any thing that can live or thrive or grow in them but if it come into it it immediatly dies and so it is with any thing of God or the Spirit of God that comes into the barren heart it is like unto the dead sea what truths or motions soever are cast in they die immediâ—tly Secondly This is the greatest judgement because hereby thou losest the fruit of thy union with Christ and the comfort of it for the end of union with Christ is fruitfulness and it is a plain argument that he that brings forth no fruits to God was never married unto Christ for Rom. 7.4 We are said to be married unto Christ that we may bring forth fruit to God There is a double end of Marriage convictus proles Cohabitation and propagation and therefore there cannot be a greater evidence that thou art not yet married unto Christ then this thou art barren for the Spouse of Christ is fruitfull and he hath no further a delight in them then as they bring forth fruit for it was the very end of his coming That they might bring forth fruit and that more abundantly and that their fruit might remain Now to be much in fruitfulness to be rich in good works is a great mercy Si mihi daretur eptio eligerem unius Christiani rustici opus sordidissimum prae omnibus victoriis triumphis Alexandri Caesaris c. Quando fidelis es Deo placent etiam Physica corporalia animalia officia And how great a comfort is it to bring forth fruit to God because it is fruit abounding unto our accounts at the last and the great day now as fruitfulness is a certain evidence of our marriage to Christ so barrenness is a certain evidence that thou art not yet married unto Christ and to be given up in judgement to barrenness is an earnest thou shalt never be married to him and fruitfulness is an argument and a pledge unto a mans heart that Christ will delight in him as Leah said when she had born a son Now my husband will love me now he will be joyned to me now I have born him this son also So may a soul reason it out with Christ Now I shal have his love he wil love me he will delight in me he will dwell with me â—ow I have yielded him fruit for he doth delight in the fruits of his pleasant things Cant. 5.12 Thirdly there is nothing that stands between such a soul and wrath for Ioh. 15.2 Every
for us to deliver our flock well into the hands of the great Shepherd at the last day that he hath betrusted them with 1 Thes 2.19.20 This is our glory and Crown of rejoycing yea in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming c. to see their graces thrive their souls prosper Christ gloried in it he sees the Travel of his soul and is satisfied and it is a great satisfaction unto poor Ministers in this particular also and having given their charge safe into the hands of Christ they shall then lay down the burden of their office and they and their flock shall be made happy together and though the particular relation shall cease between them yet shall they take more special comfort and communion one with another as Saints in glory for ever their relation that they had to each other here will sweeten their glory hereafter Secondly Now to make up this Order of the Gospel also there is a duty that the Members do owe unto their Pastors that are in this manner chosen by them and they are these First it is the peoples duty to pray for them as those that God sets in authority over them if your Pastor prays for you as being over you you should also pray for him as being over you First pray for their gifts and abilities to go through their duty the whole compass of it Eph. 6.10 and for me saies the Apostle that utterance may be given unto me Secondly for their preservation Rom. 15.30 That you strive together in prayers that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea Thirdly pray that they may have a sanctified use of all their afflictions and of all Gods dispensations Phil. 1.19 I know that this also shall turn to my salvation through your prayers when the prayers of Pastor and people meet together at the Throne of grace each for other it is exceeding acceptable to God Secondly honour them in your hearts let it be answerable to the honour Christ hath given them in the Congregation 1 Thes 5.13 Know them and esteem them highly in love for their works sake they are to look upon themselves as your servants and to look upon you as the Lords heritage and that they are not Lords of the flock they are not to know in that respect their own honour as Moses his face did shine it was seen of others but not of himself but yet there is an honour that is due from you unto them also Thirdly submit unto them or be perswaded by them Heb. 13.17 Attend upon their ministrie as those from whom you may expect a special blessing though it may be they may not have such great parts and gifts as others yet they are those that God hath set over you and do you submit to them though they be in outward respects far inferiour unto you yet as they are Pastors so they stand in Christs stead for remember they are so by an Institution and so disobedience unto them speaking in the name of Christ is a disobedience unto Christ he that hears you hears me and he that despiseth you despiseth me it is a very dangerous thing for a people to have their Minister go to God against them and bewail the contempt that is put upon them and say Lord thou hast sent me to a rebellious and gain saying people Christ says to such a one Thou shalt kick the dust of thy feet against them it will be easier for Sodom then it will be for that man in the day of Judgement Fourthly encourage his labours strengthen his hands stand by him look upon your selves as concerned in all things that befall him Phil. 2.26 Epaphroditus was sick and they were very sensible of it though he were absent from them and he was willing to venture his life for the Churches service and indeed the labour is burdensom and continual do what you may to make it easie to him that he may undergo it with cheerfulness For if he give up his account with grief it will be unprofitable for you Heb. 13.17 So if he do his work with grief also it will be as unprofitable to you as uncomfortable to him Fifthly admonish him of what evil so ever you see in him if he do not walk with a right foot towards the Gospel or be negligent in the performing of his office say to him Take heed to thy Ministry Col. 4.17 It were a misery for the greatest officer to be exempted from that ordinance of admonition which is a mercy to the meanest member and yet be careful do not take up every flying report against him for there are no men so subject to the scourge of the Tongue as they are but God as he will wipe all tears from their eyes will also wipe off all blots from their name Sixthly there is a supply which you are to make to their wants and it is your duty to administer unto them of your substance according to your ability Gal. 6.6 You must make him partaker of all good things First you must do it in obedience as an Ordinance of God Secondly it must be given proportionably to a mans ability for it must be in all good things Thirdly not to think much of what you give them if the ministers of the Gospel sow spiritual things why should we count it a great matter if we let them reap of our carnal things these things which are the truths that the Gospel holds forth as the Lord hath enabled me I have endeavoured to give every one their portion both Pastor and people what remains further in relation to both as God gives opportunity I shall by his assistance set before you I shall now beg your prayers that the Lord would teach me how to go in and out before you that so I may be given you in mercy and not in Judgement Church-Officers According to Institution Preached at the Churches choosing of Officers HEB. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you THE Church of Christ is sometimes called The Tabernacle Rev. 11.1 c. And as in the Tabernacle all was by Institution done according to a pattern both Ordinances and Officers so it must be in the Church of God the spiritual Tabernacle of God amongst men 1 Cor. 12.4,5,6 There are three things that are by the Lord exceedingly differenced in the Church first there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all have not the same gifts but the Lord divideth them according as he will Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are diversities of Offices all the members in a Church have not one and the same office or ministery or labour Thirdly there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 different effects of those offices and gifts men labour in them with a different fruit and
together for good by their Covenant all things are yours whether life or death c. 1 Cor. 3.22 Now this dealing of God with men living in the Church under the same Ordinances and enjoying the same priviledges being so different there can be no reason given of it but meerly the different Covenants under which they stand for God hath been and is alwaies mindful of his Covenant and according to it doth alwaies dispence himself to the creature Vse Let it awaken every natural man to seek for a translation Thy misery by sin stands in two things First that thou art under Adams Covenant Secondly that thou bearest his Image now we many times see our misery by the one the evil of our waies but few are sensible of the other the evil of our state and that is the greatest for this makes thee a bond-man whilest thou livest for the Covenant genders unto bondage and it cuts thee off from all hope of an inheritance hereafter for the bond-woman must be cast out with her children This is the translation which the Apostle speaks of being translated into the Kingdom of his dear son Col. 1.1 this is the passage from death to life Iohn 5.24 In this passage a of man there must be a double change First mutatio moralis a Relative change as when of a bond-man a man is made a free-man of a servant he becomes a son Secondly Physica a natural change that is when of a sick man he is made sound the first is the change of a mans Covenant and the second a change of his Image the one is done in Justification and the other in Sanctification and by both these old things are past away all things do become new 1 Cor 5.17 This translation all the people of God that ever went to heaven had experience of and this is that I desire all men in a natural state may be awakened to seek after But you will say who be the men that stand under this first Covenant I hope there be none such amongst us You may judge your selves by these two rules First he that is under the second Covenant hath an interest in him who is the prince of the Covenant he that was given as a Covenant to the Nations Isa 42.6 for we heard before that the two Covenants were made with two different heads and it is union with them that brings a man under either Covenant it is being in Adam that makes a man stand under the one and being in Christ that gives a man interest in the other for a man must be in Christ as he was in Adam that is in him legally standing under his Covenant and in him naturally that is bearing his Image Now if a man would know whether he hath an Interest in Christ or no let him take the Apostles rule and lay it unto his own soul impartially 2 Cor. 5.17 he that is in Christ is a new creature he is not barely new dressed or hath gotten a new out-side but he is within renewed in the Spirit of his mind he hath a new understanding new apprehensions of persons and things and those things which before he counted foolishness now he doth know them to be his only wisdom and those persons that he looked upon as the scum and off-scouring of all things these they judge to be the excellent ones of the earth and those dark and carnal apprehensions of the waies of God and the mysteries of Godliness that he had before they are now done and past away they have no affection to them for it is not enough for a man to have new words and new actions there is many a man abstains from the practise of many sins that their hearts love and many a man for some respects takes up the practise of some duties that his heart hates but such a man now loves that which before he hated and he now hates that which before he did love that which before was to him the only matter of his joy now becomes the only object of his sorrow thus he that is in Christ is a new creature If so then surely they cannot take themselves to be new creatures that have not so much as renewed their actions that were drunkards and so continue were Sabbath-breakers and Swearers and Userers and Scoffers and so continue still the comfort of whose lives comes in by evil it is their meat and drink they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence Prov. 4.27 It s their cloathing Pride compasseth them as a chain violence covers them as a Garment Psal 73.6 and it is their recreation it is a pastime for a fool to do wickedly Prov. 10.23 and there be no recreations that have any pleasure in them unless they be sweetned by sin surely thus walking in their old waies it is impossible they should be new creatures and not being new creatures they are not in Christ and not being in Christ the Prince of the Covenant they have no interest in the new Covenant Secondly he that is under the first Covenant is a bond-man as Ismael whereas he that is under the second Covenant is the son of the free-woman and receives from the Lord by that Covenant a free Spirit Psal 51.12 First he is in bondage by earthly engagements he can have no engagement but it is a snare to him The false Prophets were honoured by some of the Kings of Israel therefore they could not speak the truth to him neither to reprove his sin nor to discover the mind of God I must do such a thing though it be against my conscience to give such a man content I must not reprove such a sin because it will displease c. the Prophet Michaiah had a dis-engaged Spirit in this respect Secondly in bondage unto sin and under the power of their own lusts that though they may see many evils in themselves and confess it yet when occasion and opportunity serves and the lust represents it self they are no more their own thy cannot resist Eyes full of Adultery that cannot cease to sin 2 Pet. 2.14 and as men use to say they cannot choose c. Thirdly in bondage unto the creatures under the power of them 1 Cor. 6.12 one man cannot live without his honour another without his minion another without such an estate and all the thoughts of their hearts run out about such things and are wholly busied about meat and drink and cloathes and money and play and this wholly drinks up their spirits Fourthly in bondage under the guilt of sin and slavish and servile fears they go all their life long with a galled conscience filled with fearful apprehensions of death and Judgement for they all their life long for fear of death are subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Consider seriously of these particulars and unto such men I speak as being as yet under the first Covenant and I exhort them to seek to be translated I speak not this to
bosom to mourn with them and have compassion over them and this he is to do not only for some of the great ones but he is to do it impartially over all the flock For God makes no difference in respect of any mans title or place but he that hath the best heart is the best man in Gods account and in Church members those should be esteemed by us that have the greatest graces not the greatest places Fourthly it is the Pastors duty if any man in the Church walk disorderly or inordinately he is to mourn for them Jer. 13.17 My soul shall weep in secret for your pride and Phil. 3.18 Now I tell you weeping c. Their miscarriage should be to him as the errors of a child unto a tender Father he should bewail them with bitterness to consider how they thereby go about to destroy themselves should exceedingly affect the Pastor as Christ when he beheld Ierusalems sins he wept over it and many times there is nothing left for a minister to do for a person but to shed tears Secondly he is to admonish them and that authoritatively â— Thes 5.12 Know them which labour amongst you and are over you and admonish you in the Lord that is by vertue of the authority that is commited unto me by Christ I do admonish you in the Lord and this is to do a thing in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 5.4 Yea reprove them sharply and so Paul doth propose it unto the Corinthians Whither he should come to them with the rod or in the spirit of meckness Thirdly if nothing else will do they must together with the Church in which they are have the main hand they are to stir them up to cast out such a person and to represent it to the Church according to the power that is committed unto them by Christ for the Churches edification Rev. 2.3 they must not bear them that be evil they must be cast out they should look upon it as their Burthen that any amongst them should deserve to be cast out from the Church yet they must do their duty this is the rule that they have over you in the Lord Heb. 13.17 Fifthly they must walk as examples to the flock 1 Pet. 5.3 Go before them in a holy life 2 John 10. it is said Christ is the Shepherd and he goes before the sheep and his sheep do follow him the meaning is he went before them in a holy conversation for he hath in all things given us an example a Copy to write after that we should walk as he hath walked Pastors should be a living Scripture and walking Bibles more then any other men and yet ye are to take this as a rule be you followers of us as we are of Christ and mark them who so walketh as they have us for an example Philip. 3.17 Secondly for the dispositions with which all these duties are to be done which I will lay down in six particulars First from a tender love and care God doth put this care of the flock unto those whom he calls to be their Over-seers in mercy and he doth give them graces sutable Pastors graces 2 Cor. 8.16 God did put the same care into the heart of Titus Phil. 2.26 Epaphroditus that was their Pastor he doth long for them exceedingly and his love was so great that he would not have them so much as grieved and therefore he was sorry that they had heard that he had been sick there was in the heart of our Lord Christ a Law of love written thy Law is in the middle of my bowels as there should be a love amongst the members so in a special manner in those that are Pastors and Fathers to a people their bowels should yern over them Secondly all this is to be done with the spirit of meekness in a way of Ministry and not in a way of Majesty For we are but your servants for Christs sake and we are not to rule as Lords over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 and therefore pride and imperiousness must be avoided for all that we have to do is by the word and we can rule no other way Thirdly all things must be done without self-respects and to make a gain of the people we must feed the flock not for filthy lucres sake that though the Pastor is to eat of the milk of the flocks and though it be the peoples duty 1 Cor. 9.14 God hath ordained that they should yet this is not to be the end propounded by the Minister or Pastor unto themselves for them to have such a low end as this put me into the Priests office that I may eat a piece of bread no we are to seek you and not yours and to expect our crown of glory at the appearing of the great Shepherd of the sheep 1 Pet. 5.9 Fourthly it must be with faith and an expectation that God will in a special manner bless their endeavours and labours unto that people over which God hath put them over which the holy Ghost hath made them overseers for with the call of God there doth go the blessing of God and if God do put a man into any office he may expect a blessing upon him in that imployment he doth call Christ and he doth promise him the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and Christ sends forth the Apostles and he promises to be with them to the end of the world Math. 28.19 the people are to expect a greater blessing by them because God hath put them over them Heb. 13.17 they watch for your souls So the Ministers also that go forth with faith to preach the Gospel the Lord will make them a blessing to the people where he sends them Fifthly it must be done as those that give an account for your souls that are the people committed to his care Heb. 13.17 there are great accounts that men have to give for talents and opportunities of doing good and of Riches that God hath entrusted them with and Honours and the day of grace but the greatest account is that of souls which are precious unto all those to whom their own souls are precious and as the Lord Jesus himself comes in at the last day before the Father Here am I and the children that thou hast given me Heb. 2.13 So also this will be the work of the Ministry at the last day they will give an account of your souls O what a great thing is it for a Minister to be able to say I prayed for such a soul I instructed such a soul he was blind before and God used me as an Instrument to convey light to him I watched over such a soul for it is your souls only that we have to do with all and its only with reference to your souls that we watch over you Sixthly the Pastors of a people do their duty as those whose crown of glory it will be at the last day
that hath known the terror of the Lord in himself it is a terrible thing unto him to give an account of other mens souls also Fifthly there is a different account that Officers will give at the last day some will give an account with joy and some with grief there is a double connexion First they watch for your souls obey that they may do their work with comfort watch for your souls with comfort Secondly that they may give up their account with joy for the obedience of a people is a ground of both the greatest joy of a faithful Minister of God is in this which was the great satisfaction of Christ Isa 53.10 To see the Travel of his soul the joy of harvest is the greatest joy one sows and another reaps to receive the fruit of a mans labour is as it were reaping it brings great joy 1 Thes 3.8 Now we live if you stand fast the great comfort of our lives comes in by it for it is a comfortable living to see the souls of men committed to our charge prosper 1 Thes 2.19 Ye are our glory and joy our Crown of rejoycing in the presence of the Lord Iesus Christ at his coming ye are our glory and joy next unto a mans interest in Christ and the joy that he hath at his appearance are the souls that he hath brought unto him on the contrary what they do if the people profit not they do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suspirantes its true that there shall be no sorrow of the Saints at the last day for there shall be no more sighing ou◠tears shall be all wiped away but yet there will be something that will be even matter of sorrow to them First that they have lost their labour Isa 49.45 I have laboured in vain and the labour of the officers is great it is the greatest labour 1 Thes 5.12 it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wearisom cutting labour and to look upon all this as lost in reference to the main end of it is a grievous thing Secondly that the souls of the people are lost which was the greatest care that they should dye in their sins though their blood be not required a◠their hands Oh it is sad for there is a great love in the Officers that are faithful unto the souls of the people and they ought to walk in a high degree of love towards them now to see those souls lost for whom I put up so many prayers and about whom I took so much pains it is grieving the Spirit of God to see men turn his grace into wantonness Eph. 4.30 And it will also exceedingly grieve them that are acted by the same Spirit Thirdly that I should be instrumental in their Condemnation and be a means to heighten it for it will be casier for Sodom in that day and the greater means men have had the greater will their condemnation be the greater pains any Minister hath taken with a people the greater will their Judgement be they that have been exalted up to heaven shall be brought down to Hell and in the day of Revelation when the secrets of God as well as the hearts of men shall be made manifest it shall appear how Ordinances did ripen sins and how God did make use of them to pour out spiritual Judgements by them the greatest curses come out of Sion as well as the greatest blessings Fourthly that I should be brought in as a witness against them at the last day Satan shall be the accuser but there will be three very dreadful witnesses against them First Christ then shall the King say c. Secondly Conscience a mans own thoughts will accuse him in the day that God shall judge the secrets of men Thirdly the Ministers when they that have been labouring for their good all their life time shall witness against them There is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom you trust when a man shall bring in his accusation against a disobedient and a rebellious people Mark 6.11 Shake off the dust of your feet for a testimony against them it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah then for them c. Sixthly From all that hath been opened we may plainly by way of use gather what manner of men Church-Officers ought to be First they must be gifted and it is this must be the ground of the Churches choice for as grace fits a man for communion with God so do gifts fit a man for the edification of the Church and who ever is chosen that is not gifted was never appointed by Christ for the Holy-Ghost doth gift men before he doth set them over any people therefore you are not to look only at the grace but at the gists of Officers every godly man is not fit for an office Secondly they must be humble men for they have a power put into their hands and an honour put upon them now it will be a snare to a proud man to be in honour and he will never use power well that is not humble the great care of officers should be that they might so walk as not to Lord it over Gods heritage they must not exercise a Lord-like authority but carry themselves in all manner of meekness and humility or else it is dangerous to put such a snare upon them it is a temptation for them to be in place Thirdly they must also be holy men such as have a care of their own souls and rightly judge of the price of a soul for they that have no care of their own souls will never have a care of yours Fourthly they must be faithful men that is faithful in labour Laying out themselves to the utmost without any respect to themselves or to their own ease for the business which they are to do concerns souls and they must be faithful in their account those that shall do all things that their office requires of them upon this consideration that we must give an account for the souls that are committed to us it is not an account unto the Church that will serve but our account must be unto him that shall Iudge quick and dead Fifthly he must be a man eminent in holiness for he must be a Leader Now there are many Saints that are not fit to lead their Officers are to walk holily before them that they may follow their example and he must also be couragious or else he will never dare venture in dangers to go before them and if he be not so he will be a man apt to mis-lead and pervert there is nothing more dangerous then to have a man of great parts and eminent place in the Church if he be a leader in an evil way men will be ready to follow him and therefore above all take heed of this that he be a man eminent in holiness and of an exemplary conversation Sixthly that he be well known and acquainted with you c. if he have not all these
electing love the Lord hath separated unto himself the man that is Godly Psal 4.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is in the Hebrew he hath gloriously and miraculously wonderfully separated to himself into fellowship not only to himself for service but to himself for communion and what is the ground because you are predestinated unto followship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Beloved when you all fell from God as well as the Apostate Angels might not the Lord have left you in the same condition with them and your doom should have been cursed and therefore cursed because you must depart but if the Lord had been pleased to have been reconciled if he had said to you as David did concerning Absolom bring the young man home but let him returne to his own house and let him never see my face if the Lord should have said I will not remember their evil against them to destroy them but they shall never see my face more they shall be estranged to me for ever you would have said this had been a mercie even your preservation but this doth not satisfie Electing love there is a double end that electing-love aims at 2 Luke 14. it is peace and good will not only Reconciliation but Communion that God may take the creature into fellowship with himself and empty himself as I may so speak with reverence into the bosom of the creature Be pleased now to consider you may then draw neer to God upon this ground of Gods electing love Secondly you may draw neer to God grounded upon the nature of the Covenant of grace under which you stand My Beloved God deals with all mankind in a Covenant-way and according unto the Covenant under which he standeth so are all Gods dispensations towards him and to that end the Lord hath made a double Covenant with a double head The first Covenant was made with the first Adam the second Covenant with the second Adam and therefore God looks upon all mankind as if there were but two men in the world 1 Cor. 15.47 The first man was of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from Heaven Heavenly God looks upon all mankind as coming under these two heads the first Adam and the second Adam Now the Covenant of grace which the Lord hath established it hath a double propertie First it is faedus amicitiae a Covenant of friendship the Lord doth take Abram as his friend Abram my friend James 2.23 Now the School-men tell us of two sorts of relations relatio disquiparantiae connotat dominium that notes subjection and dominion as between a King and a subject a master and a servant there is not so properly communion and relatio aequiparantiae quae denotat Communionem now the proper end of friendship is fellowship for a mans friend is as his own soul and the Covenant of grace is a Covenant of fellowship therefore they may draw neer unto him being taken by God into a Covenant of friendship 2ly the Covenant of grace is a matrimonial Covenant faedus Conjugale I betrothed her in Hos 2.9 you knowin this is the neerest Communion the surest oneness in this relation beyond al other in the world the greatest friendship by vertue of an Ordinance two made one One that was heretofore a stranger shall be dearer then Father or Mother and this voluntary relation by consent shall by vertue of the Ordinance of God be more powerful then a natural relation and a man shall leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife and if there be this power in an Ordinance of God that is but civil what efficacy shall divine Ordinances and this spiritual Covenant have Surely thou shall lie in his bosom and have the more intimate and full communion with him for ever Now when the Lord will set forth the neer Communion that his people may have with him by this Covenant this he calls a Matrimonial Covenant Thirdly you may draw neer to God grounded upon your union with the Lord Jesus Christ The Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 6.17 that he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and by that Spriit we have access to the Father Eph. 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle tells that our way to God is through him we have by Jesus Christ our manuduction he is the great Favourite that leads us in by the hand into the presence of the Father Eph. 2.18 through him we have an entrance to the Father by one Spirit Christ is not only medium reconciliationis but he is medium communionis also by his satisfaction the one by his intercession the other Jesus Christ my Beloved hath a double reference to us in the work of satisfaction he is the means of Reconciliation but in all our approaches unto God being reconciled Christ is the medium he it is by whom we have Communion with the Lord. Besides In the fourth place you may draw neer to God because of your conformity to him for we are made partakers of the divine nature 1 Pet. 1.4 and we live the life of God Eph. 4.18 and we have his Image restored 1 Cor. 15.49 Conformity is the ground of communion wheresoever it is Joh. 3.6 and the more Conformity the more Communion we have and when your Conformity shall be perfected so shall your communion be Take that place and it is a choice Scripture in that Zach. 3.7 If thou wilt obey my words keep my charge I will give thee places to walk in among those that stand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter stantes illos who are these Those interpreters conceive to be Angels So Drusius Post mortem anima tua in chorum recipietur c. the Angels and the Saints they are taken into neerest communion So Calvin so that the more Conformity there is the more a man obeyeth God and the more he keepeth Gods charges the more the Lord will delight to give him places to walk in amongst those that stand by Nay In the fifth place you may draw neer to God for though God be in Heaven you may ascend and the soul may be above in Heaven when the body is walking here below there is a double way of the souls assent either in contemplation or affection In contemplation the soul may ascend John in Rev. 4. said I saw a door opened in Heaven and a voice said Come up hither John in his body ascended not but John in contemplation of his heart was above Col. 3 4. A man is worth as much as his love is worth Ezekiel when he was in Babylon by the River Chebar yet he saith the Spirit of God carried him in the visions of God to Ierusalem Ezek. 8.3 in his contemplation at Ierusalem and yet notwithstanding in his body in Babylon by the River Chebar And the soul may ascend in its affection Mat. 6.21 Where a mans treasure is there will his heart be and surely where a mans heart is there is his happiness
first Rule for your drawing neer Be much in the use of all Ordinances But yet observe the spiritual presence or absence of God in them Secondly if you will draw neer to God Walk in a continual fear that God should withdraw himself from you That is another Rule of Communion Truly all people that know what belongeth to walking with God and drawing neer to him know they must be acquainted with such spiritual truths walk in a continual fear of Gods withdrawing of himself from you It was the Churches misery in Cant. 5. I opened and my Beloved had withdrawn himself my Beloved had withdrawn himself August Augustine I remember speaks of a chast and of whorish fear a sinful fear and he expresseth it by the disposition of a Wife and a Harlot both stand in awe of the Husband of the man but saith he Haec virum timet ne veniat illa ne descedat one fears least the Hushand will come the other fears least the Husband will depart these are the dispositions certainly of a soul that knows what belongs to Communion with God a man that hath once obtained Communion with God to approach but afterwards the Lord departs it is uncertain whether ever he shall obtain that approach of Communion again or no. Bernard I remember it was Bernards observation and truly it is a sad one speaking of those that did fall from their Communion saith he Perpaucos invenimus qui unquam redeunt ad gradum pristinum we shall find very few of those that ever obtained their former approach of fellowship again make this your business walk in continual fears least the Lord withdraw himself In the third place If you would grow in Communion and draw neer to God you must grow in conformity unto him for I have told you already that according as our Conformity is so shall our Communion be so I beseech you observe it in Iohn 15.10 Christ saith to his Disciples Keep my Commandments saith he and abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love abide in his love doth our abiding in the love of Christ stand upon our keeping his Commandments it is spoken here of abiding in the sense and the apprehension of his love walking in the light of his countenance there is a double love of Christ unto the Saints there is amor benevolentiae amor complacentiae there is a love of benovelence and that is the ground indeed it is free grace is the ground of all grace whatsoever this is not grounded upon our conformity to Christ for he loved us when we were enemies But there is a love of delight and that is grounded upon the image of God in us and our conformity unto his and the Lord so much the more delighteth in the creature as he sees the more of his image in it So then if you would draw neer to God grow into conformity and your communion shall grow In the fourth place Observe the times of fellowship I beseech you remember this There are peculiar times when God draws neer to you mollissima tempora sandi do you then draw neer to God call upon him while he is neer that is the expression the Spirit of God Tertullian observes Tertullian res delicata spiritus Christi is a delicate thing a delicate Spirit easily provoked to depart when the Lord knocketh and offers love and men will not entertain it Courtiers have their peculiar times of speaking when they may have Communion in all their requests with grace Observe these times the Lord thus draws neer you cherish as your life these seasons of times and these sweet warblings of the Spirit of grace observe when God draws neer to you That is a fourth Direction And in the last place Take heed of all those sins that may interrupt your fellowship it is true indeed every sin separateth between us and God and the smallest sin the smallest body hath its shaddow but yet notwithstanding there are some sins that in a more peculiar manner break a mans Communion and hinder a mans comfort And here let me give you to understand there is a sin that the Scripture calls a mans iniquity the sweet morsel that a man hides under his tongue and will not forsake a mans darling his minion lust for as in the new man though there be all grace wrought in a mans heart yet there be some graces that are a mans peculiar excellency that art more then others Abrams peculiar excellency was his faith in Ioseph his chastity in Iob his patience in David his spirituality Now so it is in the old man though there be all sins yet notwithstanding some lusts act more then others and the uprightness of a mans heart as David observes lies in this in Psal 18.23 I was upright before thee and I kept my self from mine iniquity Now there is no sin that ingrosseth the heart like to this therefore there is no sin keeps the heart so much from Communion with God as this therefore above all evils as you do desire to draw neer to God so take heed above all sins keep down the darling corruption for there is no sin I say that ingrosseth the heart so much there is no sin that casteth so much shame in the face and takes off the Spirit in all his approaches to God as this Then these be the Rules that I commend to your consideration if you would keep close Communion with God Be much in the use of all Ordinances walk in a continual fear least God should withdraw himself from them Grow in your conformity and you shall grow in your Communion Observe especially those times when God draweth neer to you And in a special manner take care to keep your selves from your own iniquity To enforce this exhortation take these few considerations First you may draw neer to God by reason of the neer Relations in which you stand to him the great promises of the Gospel be personal promises I will be thy God and give thee my Son and my Spirit Now when God makes over himself by Covenant unto the creature it s a great ground of our coming to him had he said I will be to thee a Father or a Husband c. it would have but carried with it all the comforts that could have been in such a relation but when he saith I will be thy God that is tant us quantus est what ever there is in God shall be as truly thine for thy good as it is his for his own glory my mercy to pardon thee my power to perfect thee my wisdom to direct thee my grace to heal thee my glory to crown thee and therefore David called him the God of my mercy and the God of my life and your interest in him may be a great encouragement to you to draw neer to him Secondly the more a man draws neer to God the more communion he hath with him
fallen upon all the Nations round about because they saw that God did fight for them the Lord hath gone before them and the God of Israel was their rereward and therefore he hath given them the necks of their enemies and no weapon formed against them hath prospered every tongue that did rise up in judgement against them hath he condemned but if this state shall now fall in love with her own beauty and greatness and shall say this is Babel that I have built and my hands have gathered the riches of the Nations if this state shall now trust in an arm of flesh and say wee 'l have no more care of the truths of God and the Ordinances of God they are upon Civil and Politick respects that we stand the Lord will surely depart from them if they shall say we are Lords we will come no more at thee their Rock will sell them their wonted presence will depart from them and the Lord will take pleasure to bring them down whom he hath before exalted and to destroy them after he hath done them good 3 Yet for the further opening of this point it is necessary that we discover what it is for a person or people to forsake the Lord and what it is for God to forsake them and when he is said in Scripture so to do First What it is to forsake God and when the Lord is said to be forsaken First they that forsake the Law and truths of God forsake God wicked men that live without God are described by Psa 119 5â— forsaking the Law of God the wicked that forsake thy Law Jer. 9.13 they have forsaken my Law which I set before them and have walked after the imaginations of their own hearts and after Baalim which their fathers taught them c. For it is God that we have to do with in the word the word is mighty Heb. 9.12 13. and all things are open and naked before him with whom we have to do therefore the word hath as it were the properties of God attributed unto it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a discerner of the secret thoughts and intents of the heart which belong unto God onely but it is not from the power of the word alone but from the presence of God therein for in the word it is him with whom we have to do therefore if in the word we have to do with God then they that do forsake the word of God forsake God and men do forsake the Law of God first when they depart from the foundation there is a twofold foundation that the Sâ—ripture holds forth fundamentum doctrinae personae its true a personal foundation can no man lay any other then what is laid Jesus Christ but there is also a doctrinal foundation which is called the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2.20 and this is that pattern of wholsome words that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that form of Doctrine and that which the Apostle mentions of the foundation which he himself hath laid Heb. 6.1 and this the Church of Christ in the purest times shall not depart from for Rev. 21.14 the walls of the City shall have twelve foundations and upon them written the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb c. that Antient standing of Truth let it be preserved and all superstructures let them tend to the cleering and establishment and not to the subverting of them let men build as high as they can so as they hold the foundation sit verè profectus fidei non permutatio Lyren And in this the people of God have been always fearful quo quis sanctior eo promtior novellis adinventionibus contraire c. we are now quite contrary the more holy any man seems to be the more open hâ—s ears are and the more ready he is to close with every novelty or call all into question Satans great design in this age is to keep all men in uncertainties two ways Satan hath one way in the time of peace and another in the time of persecution in the one cogit homines negare Christum in the other docet Austin he doth force them in the one he doth teach them in the other but his great aym is at fundamentals for there is such a connexion of these that a man cannot deny one but he overthrows all the rest It was the rule that Luther gave Spiritus Sanctus scepticus non est and therefore it is to be feared that under these great pretences of the Spirit there is very little of the Spirit of Christ in men when it tends to Scepticism not to Christianity Secondly Men forsake the Law by putting false interpretations for he that hath not the spiritual and true sense of the Law is without the Law Rom. 7.9 Psal 11â—… and so men are said to make void the Law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not Palam ex professo but it is fecretly under hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have unlorded the Law by your traditions and they that take away the mind of the Law they do destroy the Law and this is the greatest sacriledge in the world men are called by Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that do steale away the sense of the Scripture from the words of the Scripture and take them not according to the scope of the place or the intention of the spirit of God in them but in Allegories and mystical senses now this way and then another as it chimes into their fancies We blame the Papists for making of the Scripture a nose of wax if ever it were so it is so made by many of our Teachers at this day and by this means it shall serve to usher in and to patronage any invention that our own hearts can present unto us there are great pretences of love now held forth that men should love one another though they differ in opinion upon the point of saintship c. the same thing we also say and press that we love one another but let it be with the Apostles assertion 2 Ioh. 6. This is love that we walk after his Commandments and let it be also with the Apostles Injunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth it in love Eph. 4.15 steal not away Truth from us under the shews and pretences of love in vain have the endeavours of Conciliators been that have sought to unite men whose principles in respect of Truth were contrary It is a great honor to be as Nazian of Athanasius he was dissentientibus magnes c. but yet so as we are to consider that Truth is primo-primum in Religione without which all motives unto union though in a moral construction good and coming from a good intention will never prove in any measure effectual it is speaking Truth in love that will onely make men grow up into one body in the Lord and it was the dishonor of that great
day of their deliverance shall come to the astonishment and amazement of the Nations and there are many great reasons that it must be a great day but I cannot insist upon them Seventhly the time of their calling shall be when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in blindness so long is happened unto them when the four Monarchs are cast down to dust in the period of them Dan. 7.12.13.14 after the destruction of Antichrist when the little horn is slain and his body given unto the burning flame now he comes to receive a Kingdom of the ancient of days and it shall be when the seventh Angels Trumpet shall sound then the Kingdoms and Nations under the whole Earth become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ Rev. 11.16 which is from the setting up the abomination of desolation the 1290. days which shal be the year of the Iews redemption Dan. 12.11 which is to be finished four thousand year after which is 1335. daies but these are times â—hat I cannot now speak to Eighthly then shall be amongst them a glorious Church in which the presence of the Lord shall dwell Ezek. 37.27 I will set my Tabernacle among them for ever more And elsewhere Ezek. 48. ult the name of the City shal be Jehovah shammah the Lord is there Rev. 21.3 The Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and it is not in Heaven for it is new Jerusalem that comes down from God out of Heaven and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory to it and the glory of the Lord and of the Lamb shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of it and Rev. 21.12 twelve Angels at the gates and there shall be no use of the service of the Angels in Heaven they are sent forth as ministring spirits for the good of the Elect. But when they are gathered in as their Kindom begins with the Kingdom of Christ so shall it end also for he will put down all rule authority and power it is to be understood Etiam de principatu Angelico as well as of any other And they shall have the purest Ordinances Rivers of water of Life that is clear as Christal not running blood not mixed with fire Rev. 22.1 Not blood as is the Doctrine of Antichrist nor mixt with Fire either of affliction or contention as are the doctrines of the reformed Churches and then shall be the exactest discipline all that love and make a lye shall be without and the more of Gods order the more of his presence and his blessing for they shall see his face and his name shall bee written upon their foreheads c. Ninthly this Church of the converted Jewes shall be the Mother Church and shall be exalted above all the Gentile Churches the mountain of the Lords house exalted above the tops of the mountains Ezek. 16.61 then shalt thou be ashamed when I shall give thee thy sisters for daughters all the Gentile Churches shal know that they do receive as the Law from them at the first so now aboundance of light and nourishment great discoveries of God and of his grace for the light of the Moon shall be as that of the Sun and the light of the Sun seven-fold and the Temple shall be opened in Heaven and you may see into the Ark of the Testament all vailes shall be taken away both from the hearts of men and the mysteries of God and the Abdita the hidden things of God revealed the which should then be made fully manifest For he did not write the Word for the World to come but for the Life that now is and therefore there is nothing there hid that shall not be made manifest it shall appear unto the world that he wrote none of those divine mysteries in the word in vain Tenthly Then shall follow great peace and prosperity in the world all persecutions either from Enemies without or Tyrants within shall come to an end Ezek. 34.25.26 I wil make with them a Covenant of peace and wil cause evil beasts to cease out of the Land they shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods Esa 66.12 I will extend peace to her like a River that shall never be dryed up that when the enemies shall look when it will be dry it may be expected in vaine Labitur labetur Zach. 14.11 Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited persecutions from without for the four Monarchs shal bee destroyed and Satan shall be bound that he shall not stir them up to make war against the Saints Rev. 20. Ezek. 45.8 because their Princes before did slay them and not hold themselves guilty make nothing of oppression but now he saith my Princes shall oppresse my people no more a wall 12000 furlongs high Rev. 21.16 and for prosperity Esa 60.16.17 c she shall suck the milk of the Gentiles and the brests of Kings Eleventhly Over this people Iesus Christ shall in a glorious manner reign and that in a more eminent manner then he hath done over the Churches of the Gentiles for it is the Kingdom of David his Father which he is to sit on a Kingdom which he is yet to receive Ezek. 34.23.24 â—zek 37.25 Ezek. 21.26 David my servant he shall feed them and rule over them I will be their God and David my servant as a Prince amongst them when the dry bones are risen David my servant shall be their Prince for ever remove the Diadem c he will overturn overturn overturne and then will he come whose right it is The Scepter shal depart from Judah and they shall be many days without a King Any form of government of their own Hos 34. and what then they shall seek the Lord and David their King unto whom the Father hath committed all judgement Joh. 5.22 and in a special manner the Kingdoms and Nations over this people that from his presence their judgement is to go forth and therefore he shall in a more special manner be be King of the Jews as being his own people unto whom he hath a right of inheritance more then he has over any people of the world besides and yet I do confesse I do not see light from the Scripture to assert the personal reign of Christ upon Earth over them and the Saints reigning with him in his person I know Aliud est ChristuÌ„ regnare in Sanctis Aliud Sanctos regnare cum Christo both shall be in this life in some sense but yet whether Christ shall rule them by a personal residence upon earth is unto me still a doubt but this I say the Lord Iesus Christ hath a peculiar right unto the Kingdom of the Jews as he is of the seed of David And God will give him the Throne of his father David Twelfthly The people shall be exceeding holy in this Church walking in truth and sincerity there is a form of Godliness but there is little of the
wrongeth many a soul and an ignorant Magistracy undoeth many a cause Therefore that is the second It would be very honourable unto the Governors of this honourable and populous City that they would apply themselves much these waies that they may know the rules of their own judgements and not be acted barely by those that plead the cause God will judge by Law my Brethren when he comes to judge and so should you he will judge the secrets of all men according to my Gospel he will not judge by prerogative he will judge by Law Rom. 2.16 That is the second uphold the Laws and you uphold the Common-wealth Thirdly Magistrates are to uphold their own authority and in so doing they uphold the Common-wealth I say you are to uphold your own authority to what purpose is the Legislative power if there be not an executive power the Magistrate is to be the living Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If once the authority of God fall in the heart of a man the authority of his Law will quickly fall down So if once the authority of the Magistracy fall before men truly the authority of the Law executed by it will quickly come to nothing therefore it should be your business to uphold your own authority In Prov. 20.8 it is said that a wise Ruler scattereth the wicked with his eye It is the Magistrates duty to uphold their authority in the highest to scatter the wicked with their eyes There is a generation of men that are enemies to authority and they talk of Levelling all every day I desire that you would be pleased to consider support your authority in the execution of Laws for if you cannot do that if you cannot support your own authority you will hardly be able to support the Law which is in it self a dead letter true indeed it is no wonder that the men of Belial should be willing to be sine jugo without a yoak It is said 1 Sam. 10. there were Sons of Belial that brought him no presents it is no wonder I say for consider seriously this is that which comes to pass sometimes by the Sons of men and sometimes by the just Judgement of God Zach. 11 ult it is said the sword shall be upon the right hand of the Magistrate his ruling power shall be taken away he shall have no authority his authority shall come to nothing the sword shall be upon his right hand my Beloved if the Lord engage your hearts to uphold holiness among you there is nothing will strike that awe into the hearts of offenders of the proudest oppressors as that will when Magistrates bear a double image the image of God in them as men and the image of God upon them as Magistrates Uphold your authority that is the third Fourthly the Magistrate is to uphold the peoples liberty and in so doing he upholds the Common-wealth uphold the peoples liberties the liberties among the Romans were looked upon as sacred things and of very high esteem Acts 22.28 with a great price bought I this freedom but I was free-born saith Paul your liberties my Beloved have cost much more then his could cost what expence both of treasure and blood and therefore how great care what great care should the Magistrate take those that are Custodes libertatis it is your honours to be Keepers of the Liberties of your City it is your honour aliud est obedire aliud servire it is one thing to obey as a subject it is another thing to serve as a slave therefore I say the liberty of the people that in an especial manner should be preserved you must draw them with the cords of a man drawn from Law and Love or otherwise whosoever he be that thinks to ride a people as a Beast that Beast will with the first opportunity cast his rider and this is the true reason why so many stars have fallen from heaven this is the true reason why you see at this very day so many Princes walking like servants upon the earth for surely that Authority which entrenches on the peoples liberty is not lasting nullum violentum est perpetuum it s the liberty of the people that equal Justice be towards all and that all have equal access to it and that it be administred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without respect of persons or to servants or friends do not put a difference in the case out of partiality to any man for all men should have the same interest in the Magistrate as a Magistrate and all particular respects in Judgements should be put far away the most upright and wary Magistrates may sometimes distribute unevenly for the Ballances do seldom hang even when some personal respects are put into one end Consider that I beseech you That is the fourth particular In the last place and so I have done with this first Branch I am sorry the time hastneth so The Magistrate must uphold the propriety of the people and in so doing he upholds the Common-wealth he must uphold their propriety that every man may sit down under his own Vine and under his own figg tree Mica 4.4 That men may have something that they may call their own not only their own in reference to the Subjects but their own in reference to the Magistrate for we are to consider universa sunt in Regis imperio non in patrimonio though you come under the Magistrates command yet all is not the Magistrates patrimony he may not dispose of the subjects estates at his pleasure it is a dangerous thing when Magistrates prove Nimrods mighty Hunters before God when they hunt many for the estates of the people it was a sad complaint Hab. 1.14 Lord saith he why hast thou made men like fishes of the Sea that have no Ruler where the great ones shall devoure the less without controul These are sad complaints when they come up before God this is that that hath buried many a State in its own ashes that the propriety of the people hath not been preserved for Augustine complains of old August that mundi regna what were they saith he sed magna latrocinia the governments of the world what be they why truly but great Robberies Now I humbly desire you to consider then is the Nation then is a Common-wealth supported then do Magistrates prove the Corner when the Liberties when the Religion I say the Law the Authorities the Liberties the Proprieties of the people are preserved and remember the promise and we may look out for the time in Ezek. 45.8 My Princes saith God shall oppress my people no more my Princes they shall give unto their people their portion in my Land saith he they shall not take all to themselves but they shall be contented with their own portion they shal be contented that their Brethren shall take their portion My Princes shal oppress my people no more Now my Beloved then shal you that are Magistrates prove the