when the winde bloweth high and cross if the Pilot doth not wisely govern the helme the ship is in danger to be split at least much of the precious lading to be lost 2. That a sense of eminent preservations may stir you up to a careful suppression of sin and wickedness by a vigorous pursuit of such penal Laws as are now in force and by enacting more severe or adding to the former wherein they are defective that the Nation may not abound with oaths pride drunkenness thefts uncleanness oppression by depopulating inclosures and other abominations as it hath done and still doth nor mourn under a sad fear of that great controversie which the Lord may justly take up against it for them Hos 4. vers 1 2 3. That in order to this active and conscientious Magistrates may be placed in every County godly and stirring officers may be chosen and encouraged in every Town which affordeth persons meet for such a trust that the number of Ale-houses which have been the seminaries and seed-plots of vice and villanies may still be suppressed as they have lately been in great measure by the care of some worthy persons among us and that in order to both the Tables you may be a terrour to evill works not bearing the sword in vain Rom. 13. vers 3 4. having this inscription engraven upon all your Judiciary proceedings as was upon the sword of Charles the Great Decem preceptorum custos Carolus Charles is keeper of the ten Commandements and that upon account of your lenity and remisness to offenders that may not justly be said unto you by the Saints as was by the poor Smith to the Lantgrave of Thuring Duresce Duresce O infoelix Lantgrave 3. Improve your share in National mercies and personal yea Magistratical preservations to the comfort and countenance of the good people of the land though poor and inconsiderable upon any worldly account These all along have prayed for you and ventured all under you that you may speak those words Zech. 12. vers 5. The Governors of Judah shall say in their heart the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of Hosts their God Surely the people of the Land who have a Covenant-interest in the Lord of Hosts have been much your strength under God both upon the Mount by praying and in the valley by fighting when your straights have been the greatest Oh then what Rabshekah spake in a bad sense give me leave to speak with some change of words in a good sense Isa 36. verf. 9. How then will ye turn away the face of one Captain of the least of my Masters servants So just how then will ye turn away your faces from the complaints of the least of my Masters servants the Saints and subjects of the King of Zion or how then will you dis-ingage the least of them that they should turn away their faces from praying for you much less turn their prayers against you Oh remember they have been your strength in the day of battel your sleighting of such in their addresments unto you and not pleading their cause in case of wrong and oppression when their Adversaries have been too mighty for them and relief could only be had from a Court of Equity and in a course of equity hath been much complained of upon earth and will hear very ill in heaven in the ears of the Lord of Hosts their God Oh then be Eliakims to the poor of the flock and make good that Prophesie That upon you may be hanged all vessels of smaell quantity from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of flaggons Isa 22.24 Great vessels can stand upon their own bottoms And surely the fresh records of those glorious things which the Lord hath brought forth by you and for you will engage you to the things propounded yea to greater then these if set home by the Lord upon your hearts and that as returns for received mercies I shall apply this doctrine to my brethren of the Ministery suffer I beseech you a word of exhortation from one who is low in name and gifts in Israel yet your brother and fellow labourer in the Lords vineyard for the bringing in and building up of souls that I may give up my accounts with joy and through rich grace and free mercy in Jesus Christ may receive a crown of glory which fadeth not away when the great Shepherd shall appear 1 Pet. 5.4 whose glorious appearance we look for and long after and which according to Cronological computation and the opinion of some draweth near and indeed to believers ought to be ever at hand in the meditation and expectancy of it and mostly to the Ministers that we may be quickened up to duty and diligence That when our Lord cometh he may finde us doing his own works The elders therefore I exhort who also am an elder as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 5.1 though unworthy of that honor and office that you would improve the appearances of God which have been eminent and immediate in the day of his peoples distress Ah brethren hath a day of distress been upon us and hath the Lord stood by and strengthened us in all attempts which have been made against us Have we been stars and still are we in the hands Jesus Christ hath the Lord made us a fenced brazen wall unto the people of this nation when we have taken forth the precious from the vile in obedience to Gods command and Gospel-Order have they fought against us and not prevailed and whence was it that attempts against us succeeded not Why Because the Lord hath been with us to save us and deliver us Jer. 15.19 20. Oh brethren what have our returns been what sence have we of these mercies upon our spirits what apprehensions of our present standing 1. Oh Let us consider How deep a share we have had in all the National mercies and preservations if the ship had been wrackt we should hardly have escaped to land on broken boards if the enemy had prevailed that party had been conquered that interest dasht in pieces which we owned and adhered unto what quarter think ye should we have had however men of other capacities might have sped it would have been ill enough with us we should not onely have suffered in a common capacity as those who abetted the Parliamentary interest against the Royal Cause and Party but as Incendiaries as men in the sence of our adversaries who had blown the trumpet of rebellion and preach't up a spirit of Sedition amongst our people nay men of our own coat and many of our own charge would have helped forward our calamity But now through the appearances of a good God those storms of blood and war are scattered peace is restored and we enjoy as large a share as any in the safety and tranquility of the Nation 2. Consider what restraints were upon us as to the exercise of our gifts and callings
will of God and that not onely in the general duties of your general Callings as Christians but with a special eye to your particular standings and capacities as Magistrates Ministers or as Christians so and so related and qualified Three things are hinted in this verse 1. That the time of mans abode in the flesh is fixed and dedetermined by God That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and residue of time is stated in heaven I may here allude by way of resemblance unto a piece of cloath which as to the number of yards is laid in the warp so soon as brought to the Weaver and every hour he works in the woof he lessens the bulk of yarn that is wrapped upon the beam untill at length he finisheth the whole piece and cuts it off leaving nothing but the thrums behind the heathen had this in their three fatall sisters And Job alludes to it Chap. 7.6 My days are swifter then a Weavers shuttle before man is born into the world whilst his substance is yet imperfect in the wombe of his mother like raw yarn in the shop as all his members are in Gods book so the measure of life is fixed in the appointment of his great Creator and every day he lives Weaves off somewhat of his life until at length nothing is left upon the brain but the thrums of a crazy and putrid carcass which is cut off and thrown into the grave Hezekiah alludes to this Isa 38.10 12. I said in the cutting off of my days I shall go to the gates of the grave I am deprived of the residue of my years mine age is departed and is removed from me as a shepherds tent I have cut off like a Weaver my life 2. Whilest man lives to the lusts of men he lives not according to the Law of his Creator Ego te non Catelinae genui sed Patriae as he said to his son I begat thee not to serve Cataline but thy Country so speaks the Lord Jehovah to man I created thee not to serve man but thy Maker not to live according to thy own or other mens lusts but according to my laws now the lusts of the flesh and the laws of an holy God they are inconsistent and opposite each to other It is a sad thing to be a servant of men in many cases but in none so sad as in this It was the great English Cardinals complaint in the day of his distress If I had served my God with half that faithfulness as I have served my King he would not have left me now or to this sence Many men have rued it and will at the great day of accounts that they have been such slaves to the lusts of men their pride avarice ambition uncleanness c. And have so cast off the easie and noble yoak of Gods laws many servants have much to answer for the Lord give them timely repentance and masters too else their own and their servants sins will stand upon their score 3. He only lives up to the rule of his creation who lives up to the will of God this is the royal standard under which we all must march This is the maine wheel which must govern all our motions Obedience to this is that which denominates us both men and Christians and as our duty obligeth us to obey the will of God in the gross and general so far as it is revealed so our Allegiance to God as men and more as Christians binds us to observe our particular calls and cries as God revealeth things to be his minde and will there are indeed standing commands which run through all ages of the world without the least variation to obey which all men especially Christians stand equally obliged But the wise God is pleased to parcel out his will in particular commands to persons as to time manner and matter in many things as his own councels ripen and bring forth his pleasure into the world now a Christian must not onely observe the will of God as it speakes to him in common with other men but as it speaks unto him and calls for something from him in such a standing and capacity and not onely observe the will of God which hath been owned in all ages as the entertainment of his Son sanctifying his Sabbaths waiting upon his own appointments c. But also to act up unto it in our respective stations as he makes it known to us in the present providences and products of it Mr. Hamner in his preface to his excerbitations on confirm And therefore as a learned Writer lately observes That God committed the receiving and refining of truth from Antichristian power and mixture to the forgoing worthies of this and foraign Nations which were happily performed by them but discipline and order seem to belong unto us and which the Lord hath preserved for this period of time wherein the work of reformation is to be carried on to greater perfection this doubtless the late providences speak to be the Lords will and his expectation from the men of this generation Oh then ye servants of the Lord whom he hath ransomed from the grave in these late sickly times live the rest of your time in the flesh to the will of God in the advancement of Gospel-purity and the power of godliness let this be your return to the Lord observe his finger pointing to this as the especial work of your generation and believe that God hath brought you again from the dead that ye may give life to reformation national at least Congregational which for many years hath laboured under painful throes and pangs and yet is not delivered The Apostle Paul in that excellent Sermon of his preached at Antioch Act. 13. Speaking honorably of holy David verse 22. produceth letters testimonial under Gods own hand concerning him in these words I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart who shall fulfill all my wills 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gives this farther account of him vers 36. That after he had served his own generation by the will of God he fell asleep Whence I note in general that the best men and most eminent both for parts place and piety must dye Josh 1.2 God tells Joshua this news Moses my servant is dead what he was and how eminent the spirit of God fully declares And David full of days riches and honor died 1 Chro. 29.28 And go therefore work whilst it is day walk in the light whilst ye have the light bestir your selves for God for though eminent dye ye must as many of great eminency in this age of ours have dyed who are yet lamented by some now alive and will be more unless the Lord fill up their empty rooms with others of choice and noble spirits 2. In particular I shall briefly commend these few things unto you as 1. That the best and choicest of Gods saints are not exempted from service God exspects to
have work done by every servant he will not suffer idle drones to live in his family he will not allow any lazy loiterers to sleep within the walls of his vineyard he doth not keep any idle Serving-men in his house no he appoints them all to labour and 't was well if the patterne of God's house was observed if the Lawes of his family were executed by our Great Ones much sin would be prevented which is nursed at the breasts of idleness nay places of great eminency are no exemption from Gods work The nobles of Tekoah have a brand set upon them because they put not their necks to the work of the Lord Neh. 3. ver 5. And the Lord puts this as the highest mark of honour into the scutcheons of his greatest Saints that they were his servants Moses my servant my servant David c. Matth. 25. ver 20 21. He that received five talents traded and at the day of accounts his labour was not onely honourably accepted but gloriously rewarded entrance was granted unto him into his Masters joy 2. That Gods will is and must be the only rule of our work The Master expects as to have his work done so to have his own orders and directions observed in the doing of it to neglect the work of the Lord and to do it cross to divine order is equally sinful Vzziah died upon the place for touching the Ark and Vzziah was stricken with the leprosie for attempting to burn incense upon the Altar of incense both which expresly thwarted the appointment of God It was the peoples sin to eat the Passeover otherwise then it was written 2 Chron. 30.18 Therefore David in the person of the Lord Jesus joyns both together Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will yea thy law is in my heart as the standard by which I work and our Saviour writes vanity upon the forehead of all service which is performed to God upon the single authority of man without a warrant under Gods own hand for it Mat. 15.9 In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men what bundles of vain worships are layed upon Gods Alter by the Pontificians And how ought we to be humbled also for the vanity of many services which have been performed by us in this Nation 3. That the great God commands us not onely to work but to do the work of our own Generation David served out his own Generation he did the work which was allotted by the Lord to him in that particular age he lived in which was to fight the Lords battels to subdue the enemies of his Church settle the Nation in peace establish the worship of God provide for the service of his Sanctuary and prepare for the building of the temple these were the works of his Generation in those 2 capacities of Prophet and King and therefore the holy Ghost engraves this Epitaph upon his sepulchre which shall not be defaced so long as the world endures that David served his own generation by the will of God Instances of like nature the Scripture affords many Quest But the great Query is How shall we know what are the proper works of our Generation Answ I answer much of this nature hath been offered by learned and judicious Divines in severall Treatises and though they have not been so harmonious as was defired in their judgement as to the manner yet they have agreed in one as to the matter Indeed repentance toward God and faith towards our Lord Jesus with those generall duties of Religion which are comprehenhended under these two heads none deny or dispute except some of prophane or perverted spirits and judgements and that things of order and Government in the Church should be reduced to the Primitive Pattern and Practice few of sober and Orthodox principles do oppose yea most desire and surely that this is the generation which God hath called forth to act in these transactions may be spell'd if not legibly read in the dispensations of his providence towards us I do not set up providence as a standing rule to work and walk by when it is either crosse unto or receives not approbation from the written word for that was to perswade the Traveller to sleep all day when the sun shines bright and clear and to take his Journey in the night when the starres do onely twinckle and the wayes are dangerous and difficult to find mistakes have been sad and many of this kind Numb 14. ver 40 41. the mistake of Gods minde in that dreadfull message ver 39. occasioned the slaughter of many men for the people apprehending that God was offended with them for not going up to take possession of Canaan rose up early in the morning and gat them up unto the top of the mountain saying Lo we be here and will go up into the place which the Lord hath promised for we have sinned and what followed why their attempting to invade their enemies under this mistake cost them many of their lives Thus did Saul mistake the mind of the Lord 1 Sam. 23. ver 7. when it was told him that David was come to Keilah presently he infers that God had delivered him into his hand for sayes he he is shut in by entring into a town that hath gates and bars but it proved otherwise Yea Davids men would have put him upon the same mistake chap. 24. ver 4. when Saul came into the cave to cover his feet where David and his men lay hid they presently conclude behold the day of which the Lord hath said unto thee behold I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand that thou maist do to him as it shall seem good unto thee A like passage ye have chap. 26. ver 8. when David and Abishai came into Sauls army by night and found them all fast asleep not a Sentinell waking and Saul asleep also Abishai said to David God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the spear unto the earth at once and I will not smite him a second time but David durst not slay the Lords Anointed under the protection and warrant of this providence as the following verses declare because it would have been an expresse violation of Gods will Instances of this nature might be multiplied But now when the speakings of God in his works run in a paralell line with the speakings of God in his word when they fall in with his revealed will they do then safely interpret the mind of God and are a good glosse upon the text both as to the quod and quando of a duty shewing that it ought to be done and that then is the time for the doing of it thus Abraham when he had received a prohibition from heaven not to sacrifice Isaac and beheld a ramme caught in a thicket by the horns interprets the mind of God by that providence and offers up the ramme in
little ones their wives and their children I can sadly attest against this and so can many others Indeed when this late reformation first began Assemblies were numerous Churches were thronged Lectures much frequented but now how do the wayes of Zion mourn because few come to the solemn feasts Lam. 1. ver 4. How thin are Sabbath congregations and much thinner lecture-Assemblies How hath Saul slain his thousands and David his ten thousands How hath Popery and profanenesse weeded out many and heresie more in our dayes A third part almost in some places are carried off to by-meetings well may the river be low when so many by-brooks carry away so much of the water no marvell that so few answer to the muster-roul when so many have listed themselves under other Captains Oh that God would bring back the people of this Nation who have so much departed from the gates of wisdome Oh that the Lord would magnifie his Gospel and make it honourable amongst us in all its ordinances And Oh that heads of families would be the Sermon bell in their own houses and ring all their domesticks to Church with this peal arise and let us go up to Bethel Heaven and God's wayes are up the hill children and servants had need be handed up by their superiours or else they will ly still at the foot of the hill or else straggle into the vail of Sodom how can we think the child should grow and battle when it refuseth to take the breast How can we expect that knowledge should encrease at least savingly when so many run to and fro and few to the ordinances may not the Governours of Judah find out some expedient with safety of their own and without any violence done to the consciences of other persons whereby the ancient repute might be restored to the ordinances and our assemblies might be filled God grant they may for hinc illae lachrimae both to me and others 3. Observe it administers great hope of much good when inferi urs obey their superiours commands in their calls to religion and family-reformation there is a blessing power goes along with the pious endeavours of prudent Governours God very often if not alwayes appears and adds authority to their commands when their endeavours are serious and sincere to advance religion in their families Ye see here is a vote passed for God in a full house Nemine contradicente a motion entertained by all Jacob's people he did but propound a reformation and they readily consented to it the Text sayes Gen. 35. vers 4. They gave unto Jacob all the strange Gods which were in their hands to wit in their possession and all their earings which were in their ears Objection But ye will say They were Hebrews trained up in the fear and knowledge of the true God and possibly extraordinarily principled and moved at that time by an immediate impulse of the spirit of God it is not so with our Families Solution I Answer It is sadly to be lamented that any of this Nation grown up to years of maturity and in a rational way capable of teaching should be so ignorant and ill-principled as to oppose their Governours call and not submit to their commands when they command for God and call to those wayes which being walked in This Island hath the glory to be graced with the first Christian King hat ever raigned in the world which was Lucius Speed in his 6 Books Chap 9. Sub Lucio Britania omnium Provinciarum prima publicitus Christi nomen recepit Anton. Sab. lib. 5. Enned 7. lead to eternal blessedness and that considering what advantages this Nation hath yea of ancient times hath had in the light and Liberty of the Gospel this Nation being the first in all the world that embraced the Gospell by the authority of the supream Magistrate even by King Lucius about 170 years after Christ Indeed the Gospel was preached to other Nations before and many Churches were gathered out of many Pagan Cities and Nations when the Governours were Idolaters and onely tolerated the Gospel in their Dominions but here the chief Authority of the Nation was for the Gospel established the Profession of it by a civil Sanction yea made a Law that the Gospel should be owned and professed all the Nation over and now that the Gospel should have been in the Nation for almost 1500 yeares for certainly it was never quite extinct in the darkest times there was some glimmerings of light in the most gloomiest day and yet that ignorance and Atheisme should so generally prevail is very sad yet sadly true But where lies the blame of this much at the doors of parents and Masters of Families want of Education and of early seasoning of children both at home and at School is much the cause of that gross ignorance and generall profaneness which overspreadeth the Nation And truly Ministers remitting their care and pains in catechising is not the least cause of these forenamed evils Oh that the sence and experience of these things would awaken parents to a more carefull education of their children and that the Magistrates care might be to set up and encourage schools of learning in every Town As is with us by the bounty of his Highness that is considerable for number of Inhabitants at least such Schooles wherein the children of the poor might without charge to them be instructed in Scripture-Learning and the Principles of Religion How are the Protestants of the Valleys farre above us in this point The children of Merindol propounded and answered questions amongst themselves in the audience of the Bishop of Cavaillon Mr. Fox Act. and Monu pag. 195. King Hen. 8. and many others with such grace and gravity and so to the purpose that the Papists admired at it nay one of their adversaries professed that he had been often at the common Schools at Sorbone in Paris where he heard the disputations of the Divines but yet he never learned so much as he had done by hearing those children O that some good Nehemiahs would promote this work of encouraging Schools throughout the Nation and that the Ministers would own it more as their business to instruct children and younger people in Catechistical points and that an Act might be brought forth enjoyning under penalties Parents and Masters to bring forth their children and servants to a publick catechising for without this little good will be done in many places as some Ministers can speak by sad experience being forced to lay that necessary work down because no law of man enjoined neither would Governours of Families command their young people to attend upon it and hence it hath been that the children of Christians as to the general Profession have like the children of the Jews Neh. 13. ver 24. spake half in the speech of Ashdod Heathen-like and could not speak in the Jews Language to wit the pure Idiom of the Gospel But suppose your servants be bad
difference onely in the point insisted upon I do not I dare not But t is probable this Text of Daniel referres to some after priviledg or different estate of honour in heaven which they that turn many unto righteousness shall receive from the Lord from what they that are turned unto righteousness shall have for though every vessel shall be filled yet these may be more capacious then others unless we fit down with what sense is put upon it by a late godly Divine as to the first Resurrection and that in order to the personal reigne of Christ upon earth But suppose that Text should not speak fully to the assertion yet certainly to have a mediate hand in saving an immortal soul is a noble work and shall be honoured by the Lord with highest acceptation as that which brings the creature into some degree of conformity to the Lord Jesus who is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour Acts 5. vers 21. Besides there is much in that of our Saviour John 4. vers 36. And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto eternal life that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoyce together he quickens up his Disciples to diligence in Gospel work First By propounding wages for their work though not by way of merit yet of grace Secondly By that common joy which Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all the Lords servants who are instrumental in the conversion of sinners shall have in heaven Consider That bad men are very active and industrious to gain over others to their bad principles and worse practises The spirit of the world is a gaining spirit Wicked men are true to their own Interest and serviceable to their own Master Wicked men are the Devils fetters or like that little beast which hunts the prey for the old lyon Many persons of hopefull ingenuity and carriage are decoy'd by the sleights and subtilties of some old sinners See how the wise man sets them forth to the life Prov. 1. ver 10 11. 1. By their manner of deceiving expressed in their fair and flattering words they entice blanditiis phaleratis verbis decipiunt they deceive with their smooth tongue and fair speeches so the force of the word in the Hebrew implies hence it is rendered si te pellexerint referring to the fawning carriage and flatteries of an Harlot fully held forth Chap. 7. ver 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and is inticed as the silly fish is by the bait upon the hook Thus do wicked men like fishers and fowlers cunningly deceive the simple 2. Their manner of deceiving is expressed by their call unto sin come with us they call the tradesman out of his shop and the ploughman out of the field to querry and mate with them in their sinfull practices much of this language may be heard abroad in the world and some is upon record in the word as that ale-bench call Isa 56. ver 12. Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant This is the drunkards oratory and promise to toll in and enter their young quaffers with 3. They are set forth by their methods of deceiving by the artifices they use First they perswade those that they draw in that they will drive on such close designes carry things with such privacy that the guilt of blood shall never be charged upon their score implyed in these phrases let us lurk privily let us swallow them alive as the grace c. as if they had said we will manage our affairs with that secrecy that strangers may as easily know the dead by their faces and what deaths they died of whom the grave hath swallowed up and the pit hath covered as men shall know who did this murther and how it was done doubtlesse this hope of secrecy hath undone many Secondly they give great assurances of much gain and advantage we shall find all precious substance we shall fill our houses with spoil Alas thou art a poor fellow hast not a penny scarce to help thy self withall but come come with us we 'l help thee to money enough thou shalt be a rich man presently yonder is a booty will make us all men Thirdly they promise to be very honest to give him his full share cast in thy lot among us we will all have one purse Wee 'll divide the spoil thou shalt have thy lot nay more thou shalt never want while we have it we 'll have a community of goods a common stock these are winning wayes prevailing arguments gilded pills and tempting poisons where the heart is not in some measure antidoted by grace against them and doubtlesse the devil gains much ground in the world by such artifices catcheth many a fowl in his nets by means of these decoyes his servants are true to his interest they spare neither pains nor purses to advance it nor are his headservants I mean Hereticks and Impostours those that are the chief factours and head men among their brethren lesse industrious into how many shapes Proteus like will the Jesuite cast himself how many hazzards of his neck will he run and how many hard journeys will he take to reconcile a poor Protestant to the Church of Rome neither do some others fall short of the Jesuites either pains or zeal to proselyte men to their opinions we have seen that made good in our dayes which our Saviour spake of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 23. ver 15. Ye compasse sea and land to make one proselyte What wanderers among the Nations have some of our sect-Sect-Masters been what labours and hardships have some undergone what journeys tedious and dangerous by land and sea have some undertook what errand have they gone on what merchandizes have they exported but some old drugs and antiquated errours which the Saints in former ages and forreign parts have exploded but now being in-land commodities of the growth of our own Nation and being now put into a new dresse by men of English birth pretending hatred to the Romish Hierarchy are become vendible in most parts O what marts and markets have been kept by them in many of our towns to put off their stale and stollen wares and what sale have they had in some places who le towns almost in some places have come in to truck and barter with them the more is the pity that the spirit of delusion should gain so farre upon English ground O how should this provoke all that fear the Lord in truth to pursue salvation-work with utmost diligence to endeavour with much seriousnesse of spirit the winning over souls to God! How shall we answer the charge of our own consciences at a dying hour how shall we look our dear Redeemer in the face at the last day nay how shall we stand against the great accuser before the great tribunal when he
have arose out of the ashes of one dying Phoenix Indeed the Gospel is the white seed wherewith the Lord soweth the great field of the world having ploughed and prepared it by the law and here and there a Church groweth up in this and that Nation and here and there a Believer springeth up in this or that family and town Dedicator damnationis Christiancrum Tertuâ— This is the most usuall seed faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word preached Rom. 10. ver 17. Yet the Lord hath a red seed which sometimes he sprinkles the field withall and that 's the blood of the martyred Saints which also through a secret blessing-power is fruitfull both to the gain and growth of many souls Ecclesia totum mundum sanguine oratione convertit the Church converts the whole world with her praying and bleeding as the lilly is increased with her own juice that flow's from it so is the Church with her own blood Julian saw this which made him spare the lives of some Christians not out of mercy to them but out of malice to the Lord Jesus lest by cutting them off he should cast seed into the ground to bring forth a fuller harvest O did ye but work this consideration home upon your hearts how would it comfort you in an evil day How would it render you strangely willing not only to suffer joyfully the spoiling of your goods but also the spilling of your blood that so ye may minister seed unto the Lord and encrease his harvest what is it besides the glory of God and the discharge of duty with comfort and conscience which quickens up faithful Ministers to spend themselves and strength in the work of the Gospel is it not that they may gain over souls unto the Lord that they may bring sinners home to God and what encourageth to this doth not the hope and expectancy that they shall shine as the starres for ever and ever Dan. 12. ver 3. and not onely as starres of the lesser magnitude but even as the Sun in the kingdome of their father Matth. 13. ver 43. O! to what an height of glory shall a poor clod of clay be advanced How shall he be the object of divine love the wonder of Angels and the envy of devils to all eternity and that the saving of souls contributes much through grace to this glory that quotation in Daniel doth fully speak not to the attainment of it by way of merit but to the enlargement of it by way of mercy Now how much of argument is there in this consideration to perswade Ministers to breath and Christians to bleed out their lives to winne souls unto God give me leave to apply that passage Psal 126. ver 5 6. To this purpose though it hear another sence they that sow in tears shall reap in joy I know if ye die Martyrs in the presence of your relations ye will sow your bloud and lives in the tears of wives and children tears are a tribute that living friends do ow to the dead upon the account of nature and grace and if your death be a Martyrium cruentum a bleeding Martyrdome it will be a wet seeds-time with you I but ye shall reap in joy it will be matter of joy unspeakable and full of glory to you if the seed ye sow takes root to bring in souls to God There 's joy in heaven at the conversion of one sinner O if a blessed Martyr when in heaven and freed from that body of sin which hinders the soul in its purest acts of joy should know what a precious seed of grace through grace his bloud was to some poor sinners how they received life from his death what rejoycing would this bring forth in him if that fulnesse of joy in the presence of God will admit of any encrease however he that goeth away weeping bearing precious seed or his seed-basket with him shall doubtlesse come again with joy bringing his sheaves with him O the great day will be a day of solemn triumph untoyou when ye shall bring those Saints yea sheaves of Saints which were gathered in and rooted to life and fruitfulnesse in your bloud Come on brave souls let the sense of former deliverance fortifie your spirit against a day of persecution and adde to them this consideration we now propose and draw up gallantly after the pattern of your great Lord and master Heb. 12. ver 2. Looking unto Jesus the authour and finisher of your faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of God in glory or of the throne of God it is clear that the manhood of Christ or the man Christ Jesus considered in an abstracted notior from the Godhead feared death Heb. 5. ver 7. at least the ignominy shame and sorrow of the crosse therefore we hear him once and again praying that if it was possible that cup might passe from him Matth. 26. ver 39. and yet for the joy which was set before him he endured this crosse and despised the shame it brought along with it for malefactours of the highest rank were by the Roman Law nailed to the Crosse hence Isa 53. ver 9. the Prophet tells us he made his grave with the wicked that is suffered the death of the wicked the word imports ungodly lewd and turbulent irreligious towards God debauch't in manners and turbulent in the Common-wealth which sort of men David by the word of the Lord doomes to destruction Psal 9. ver 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell And now though the man Christ Jesus who is God blessed for evermore the Lord of glory feared death and was put to that shamefull and tormenting death the death of Hell-birds yet he endured it and despised the shame of it having his eye upon the joy set before him and what was that joy Sure much of that joy consisted in his compleating the work of his Redemption in bringing home the Elect unto God as Isa 53. ver 11. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied Hebr. shall sit down with acquiescence of spirit shall dwell there he shall receive joy and satisfaction from the saving of sinners as a man doth that dwelleth in his own house scituated with the best advantage of profit and delightfulness It was the saturity and satisfaction of his soul and the reason thereof may be gathered from John 12. ver 32. where he sayes and I if I be lifted up will draw all men after me he knew there would be such a magnetick vertue in his death which would attract all men to wit multitudes of men and women to believe in him The Spirit being to be sent forth and the Gospel being to be universally preached after his death O then ye believing ones look unto this Jesus and look unto this joy which in some measure will be given in unto you by the