the Creatures 9. Hath the Law of the Lord been much in my mouth 10. Have I not sent Christ away without an Alms when I had it by me 11. Have I not lost an opportunity of doing or receiving good 12. Have I not neglected nor done any thing against my duty to my Relations 13. What have I done for God or my Soul this day have I not lost one day more 14. Have I been diligent and watchful Christians here is a course prescribed which by the ordinary assistance which the Lord doth not deny you may take up if you will and which if you conscientiously observe will be without doubt through the blessing of God attended with great sucâ—ess And those that do not take up this course or some other equivalent to it let them never think to ease their hearts by idle complaints I can't attain to such a holy even fruitful heavenly life as I desire I would but I cannot God will abhorr such lazy Complaints and look upon them as they are a meer device to keep you quiet under a sloathful heart Set your whole Duty daily before your eyes charge it upon your hearts take an account of your selves how you discharge it set upon it as that which is no other than you have vowed to thâ— Lord commit your selves and your waies to him for success and if this doth not mightily conduce to advance you in point of holiness and establish you in point of peace then say that both the Precepts and Promises of the Gospel have deceived you And thus I have set before you that holy Conversation which becometh the Gospel Take up this holy Course let this be your Life you mean to lead and let it be carried on In an holy Union In an United Contention In an Holy Boldness 1. In an holy Union So the Apostle there adds Stand fast in one sâ—irit with one mind Never look to thrive in Grace if you do not live in Peace The decayes of Christianity lye much upon the score of the divisions of Christian The Devil hath also taken up that Maxim Divide et Impera Rent them and Ruine them The reason why our love is so cold is because our differences are so hot The reason of so little zeal against sin hath been the great strife among Brethren The Combinations of Sinners have not so much prejudiced the power of holiness as the Contentions of Saints There are not a few who go under the name of Saints that have maintained disputes about Religion so long till they have disputed themselves out of all Religion their searching for Truth hath been the loss of both love and life Christians if ever you would be any thing be one be of one heart of one mind holding the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace It were greatly to be desired that the people of God were both of one heart and of one way But if this may not yet be if there cannot be Vniformity yet let there be Vnity betwixt all that fear the Lord in truth A few words I shall leave with you for your direction herein 1. Divide not from the Head to unite with any pretended Members hold not with them that hold not with the Head Sell not Truth clear fundamental Truth to buy Peace 2. Divide not from real Members lest you hereby prove your division from the Head Christ hath but one body if you be not in union with the body you are divided from the head 3. See the head in every member see Christ in every Saint 4. Prize Christ where ever you see him Love Christ and love his Image if you will not slight Christ slight not any Saint See'st thou an humble meek patient broken-hearted self-denying mortified Christian in whatsoever unpleasing form as to matters circumstantiall he appears despise him noâ— reject him not 5. Prize Peace and Union as the strength and honour of the Body 6. Pursue Peace and Union with the utmost strength of thy Soul And that you may obtain it 1. Let all parties that are named of Christ be humbled under former Divisions What Peace so long as God is angry Oh how have we provoked the Lord by provoking one another Let him only who hath been without sin in this matter be without sorrow and shame Sure they are hard hearts who are not broken under such breaches Let us not mistake our selves nor mis-call that Zeal for God which God will call Pride and peevishness I speak not against our being offended either with errour or iniquity we may not call evil good or darkness light for peace sake but at our unreasonable passions against whom we suppose erring Brethren If the Reproach of the Gospel the hardning of the perverse the stumbling of the weak if the hindring of Ediâ—ication the promoting of Confusion and every evil work which have been the sad Effects of our Divisions if Pride and Haughtiness if Vanity and Wantonness if Envy and Uncharitableness which have been the Womb from which our Contentions have sprung be matter of Humiliation then sure we had need be brought upon our knees We must be melted e're we can be moulded up into one 2. Let all parties unite sincerely in their ends Let the honour of Christ the advancement of practical Godliness the destruction of the interest of the flesh the edification of the whole body in Faith and Holiness be look'd at with a single Eye and pursued with a plain and honest heart Let not the interest of a party the affection of Superiority and Dominion the carrying on of selfish or fleshly Designs let the God or the Christ you are driving for unbyass your Spirits take the right mark and let your motions be sincerely level'd at it If we were once set right in our endsâ— an accommodation of all our differences about the means would be more facile and feisable Prov. 11. 3 5. The integrity of the upright shall guide him the Righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way Humble single honest hearts are most like to hiâ— upon the good and honest way if we had nothing 〈◊〉 do but to please the Lord we should not have much to do to please one another 3. Let all parties unite in this Rule Do as you would be done by that is as being well informed and advised and freed from evil and discomposed Affections for so the Rule is to be understood you would that Men should do unto you Allow to others what you challenge to your selves or would if you were in their Circumstances Deny not what you would demand The same Liberty the same Charity that you would expect from other Christians allow to them 4. No longer tie up Christ to a party Say not Loe here is Christ and not there Say of all Believers though of different Forms As we are Christs so they are Christs Of all the Subdivisions of Protestants that are considerable amongst us there 's no party the union with which makes us
Patience of the Saints By this time you see Christians that a suffering state is not so formidable nor patience under it so impossible nor your impatience so excusable as your hearts are apt to tell you Suffering you cannot avoid but you may abide them your carnal hearts will cry out I can't endure and therefore whatever shift I make I must avoid them The Gosâ—el tells you You may endure but if you will be Christians you can't avoid them All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution Well since it 's thus Gird up the loins of your Minds and follow your Lord. Consider him that endured such contradictions of Sinners and be not weary nor faint in your Minds The Captain of your Salvation was made perfect through sufferings and if ye will be patient so shall you his followers Turn to your strong hold ye Prisoners of hope Prove to the World that your Faith is no fancy nor your Rock a refuge of lies that your profession oâ— holiness is not a meer talk or vapour Fear not to bear yours and thankfully accept your Lords Testimony when the Lord hath fulfilled his sad Predictions let your faith and patience seal to the fulfilling his Promises Whenâ—ver the hand of the Lord touches to the quick and you feel in earnest that 't is hot service to be a Christian when your flesh begins to fly in your face and cryes out against your Soul either as Zipporah against Moses â— bloody Husband hast thou been to me or as Job's Wife to him Curse God and die chide it into silence Thou speakest as one of the foolish Women speaketh If it will still kick and fling and groan out to thee doest thou still retain thy integrity hearken not to it leave it to groan alone as thy flesh hath left thy Soul to groan alone under sin so let thy Soul leave thy flesh to groan alone under affliction While thy Soul is quiet there 's the glory of patience though extremity of torment make thy flesh to roar nay the more the flesh roars and the Soul yet keeps silence the more patience If your fears affright you and prophecy to you before hand oh I shall never be patient if the foresight be so dreadful what will the encounter be yet be not discouraged You say you could be content to suffer if you were sure you could be patient that is you would venture into the water if you had first learn'd to swim why when you are in then you will learn and not before Tribulation worketh patience where it findeth none when you are in the fight you 'l find your Weapons your very sufferings will learn you to bear 'T is the flesh that flings and frets but by that it hath been tamed in the house of affliction it will be quieter Be jealous of your selves while you will let not fore-hand presumption hinder fore-hand prepâ—ration But whilest you suspect your selves distruct not your God follow the Cloud of Witnesses and lean on the Rock of Ages and when you are put hardest to it let your Soul take Sanctuary here When my flesh and my heart faileth me God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for ever Lastly As that wherein I shall take in most of these former particulars Let your lives answer that Spirit of holiness which the Gospel hath powred forth upon you Let your lives be gracious and holy lives Particularly 1. Let the grace of the Gospel be visible and conspicuous in your lives shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Let your lives be the Image of that holy Doctrine or the holding forth of that word of life which you have received Admire that grace of God which hath appeared to you and let his Grace appear and be admired in you let Grace appear in you in its Purity Power 1. In its Purity represent your God and your Christ and your Religion in its holiness to the World Teach the World to love or at least to reverence holiness by letting them see it before their eyes Holiness hath such a glory in it that it will command respect and reverence when it is clearly seen Let your paths be pure as God hath separated you so separate your selves from the lusts of men to the Law of your God Keep your selves upright in thee sight of God keep your selves unspotted of the World if they will be spotting of you let it be onely with your beauty spots your Wisdom Truth Holiness Mercy Meekness Patience the Excellencies and Vertues of your god appearing upon you Let this that you are too pure too precise too tender too watchful too fearful of sin too zealous against sin be all they have to charge you with Keep thee from thine own Iniquities say not so much as this I am my beloveds and my beloved must be mine Kick out thy Dalilahs Thou must part with thy darling or thy God Let there be no secret league let there be no peace betwixt thy Soul and any Iniquity to which thou mayst either steal out to delight thee or turn in to hide thee let no iniquity be thy leisure or protection if when thou art pursued by a persecuter any sin as Jacl to Sisera should call to thee turn in hither and thou mayst escape remember the nail and the hammer let no iniquity find a corner in thee to lodge in quiet that thou mayst not think to find a corner with it where thou mayst lodg in safety say to all thy sinful delights and sinful hopes get you gone I will neither love you nor trust you however thy sin may please thee whatever it may promise thee be sure thou wilt find it a sting in thy Soul and a stain upon thy glory Keep your selves from the sins of others beware of the Leaven of the proud Pharisee of the formal and vain-glorious Scribe of the extorting Publican of the debauched Prodigal the ambitious Diotreâ—hes the virâ—lent Tertullus the backsliding Demas beware of all Epidemical Leaven the sickness of the Times you may live in Take heed lest you be dtawn away with the Errours of the Wicked and so swimming down the Stream you fall from your own stedfastness Let sinners come up to you go not you down to them Let them never say of any of you The Man is become as one of us our spot is become the spot of his Children Let your Lives be a rebuke to the ungodly World whil'st you live as the Children of GOD without rebuke in the midst of the World 2. In its Power Let the power of Grace be seen in its preserving its self in its Being and vigorous Exercise against all the Powers of Hell The stâ—ength of a Man is seen in this that he can bear Wind and Weather can live any where without impairing his Healâ—h The strength and mettal of a Sword is seen in this that Iron will not turn its edge True
12. The Meek will he guide in Judgment the meek will he teach in his way Psal 107. 7. He led them forth by the right way that they might go to a City of habitation Psal 5. 8. Lead me O Lord in thy righteousness because of mine Enemies make thy way strait before my face The Lord leads his people in their way chiefly by his Word which is a light to their feet and a lanthorn to their paths And sometimes also by his Providences hedging up all by-wayes and leaving but one way open to them that hath the least appearance of the way of God So ordering the matter that any other way that is before them look with too foul a face to leave any doubt upon them whether that be the way of God or not It 's never uncomfortable to the people of God while they see their way before them Doubts about their way are more perplexing than dangers in their way When they know what God would have them do they can chearfully trust him for any thing they are like to suffer Dost thou meet with Wolves or Lions in thy way thou mayst bless God 't is there thou meetest them 't would be ill meeting them elsewhere 2. Covering or Protection in their way Psal 31. 20. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavision from the strife of tongues Thou shalt hide them in thy presence or face thy light shall be their dark place to cover them Thou art my hiding place Psâ—l 32. 7. In the secret of thy presence the Saints hiding place is a secret Such where neither the pride of men can find them nor can they understand whaâ— it is Reproaches shall not find them persecutions shall not find them whose Souls are hid in God they are not found when they are found they are hid when they seem to lye most open and most exposed to mens will and lust Sinners do not understand what refuge the Saints have in God It is a great secret a mystery to them as the joy of the Saints the comforts of the Saints are a secret A stranger shall not meddle with his joy So is their safety or security they do not understand what kind nor how great security what sure nor what sweet repose the Saints find in God The secret of God's presence is a sure and a sweet resting place for all his Saints but how sure and how sweet no man knows but they that enjoy it The secret intimations of the care of God for them of his everlasting kindness to them of his governing hand in all that befalls them working it to their greater good the secret supports and refreshings darted in as the beams of his Countenance their secret sence that their head their main is in safety though they have bruises in their heel will yield such rest in the day of greatest adversity as men can neither see nor take from them The Pillar of the Cloud interposed did both hinder the Egyptians pursuit and hide from their eyes the comfort of that light which shined upon the Camp of Israel Moses knew what the comfort of God's presence meant when he said Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence go not with us carry us not hence 'T is if considered a great word Israel was then in a Wilderness among wild beasts among briars and thorns in a weary pilgrimage but they had God among them The Lord was carrying them to Canaan the Land of their rest a Land flowing wiâ—h milk honey but Moses prayes If thy presence go not with us carry us not hence We had rather be where we are in a Wilderness with God than go to Canaan and leave our God behind us If thy presence go with us we are willing to go when thou wilt whither thou wilt which way thou wilt though by the Tents of Edomites Ishmaelites Moabites Hagarens though through the Armies of Anakims Zamzummims wee 'l go any whither so God go with us The absence of God makes a Canaan worse than a Wilderness the presence of God makes a Wilderness better than a Canaan And this presence of God shall be the Lott of all his Saints Reas 2. If God be with you all shall make for you All Providential Occurrences and Events whatsoever all Difficulties Straits Disasters Disappointments whatsoever that may come upon you shall make for your good Rom. 8. 31. If God be with us who can be against us Who can be against us that is None can be against us Or if any be yet those that are against you shall be for you Gen. 42. 36. Joseph is not and Simeon is not said old Jacob and must Benjamin away too all these things are aginst me but yet as old as he was he lived to see all making for him Rom. 8. 26. We know all things shall work together for good to those that love God This is such a Promise as if it were throughly believed would set our feet on the necks of all our fears and dangers and will prove the truth of Sampson's riddle Out of the eater came meat and out of the strong sweetness Now because there is so great encouragement to godliness in it I shall spend the more time in inlarging upon it and shall shew 1. What those things are which are especially intended in that comprehensive term all things 2. What that good is which these things shall work to 3. To whom these things shall work for good 4. How these things shall work for good 5. That they shall undoubtedly work for good to them that love God 1. What those things are which are especially intended in that comprehensive term All things Some there are as Augustine with others who understand it universally of all things whatsoever whether good or evill extending it even to the Sins of the Saints It 's true God doth often bring good our of these evils making use of former sins to be forces against future as the thorn that did hurt in the Garden will be of use in the hedg sin often becomes its own death which was intended to be the death of the Soul There 's nothing that doth make the Sinner more weary and wary of sin than Sin it self the review of what we have done doth oftenest fright us from doing so any more When you look back on sin and see its face for sin carries its face in its back you 'l fear it the more when ever you meet it again There 's no argument doth more effectually humble and break the heart and make it more fearful and watchful against sin than the shame and the smart of those sins we have fallen by he that hath felt the wound will take heed how he playes with edge-tools This is true God doth often make this use of sin to be its own cure and therefore 't is not seldom seen that the chief of Sinners have come to be the chief
of Saints Yet besides that this is not the subject matter that the Apostle is here treating of let those that bring sin within the compass of this promise and make this to run into the sence of it that even all the sins of the Saints shall work for their good let such tell us how or in what way it 's imaginable that the sinful decayes of such who backslide from God and never recover to their former life and vigour but live and die in a languishing state of Soul let them tell us how such sins can be imagined to work for their good till then we must enter our dissent from this Interpretation This then is not the sence of the promise that all sins shall work together for good And yet if it were it would be but a poor argument to take the more liberty to sin because God will turn it to good this would be even as rational as for a man to tear his flesh break his bones pluck out his eyes burn his house c. because God will turn all his suffering to good he is little better than mad that would not conclude such a man out of his Wits Others restrain it to the evill things that befall the Saints not the turpia but the tristia their sufferings and afflications to that vanity and those vexations they are in bondage under and under which with the whole Creation they groan and travail in pain waiting for their redemption of which the Apostle had been treating in the former part of the Chapter And yet while they pitch the sence especially on such things as these they grant it may be extended to all other things sin only excepted ad omnes res creaturas eventus tum secundos tum adversos To all things and events whether prosperous or afflicting So Paraeus with others And these I take to have hit the right All heavy things all the sufferings and afflictions of the Saints and not only these but all things else whatsoever that in the whole course of Providence be their lot or portion all the dealings of God with them all the dispensations of Providence towards them shall all work for their good 2. What is that good which these things work to the Saints or in what sence all things may be said to work good to them The sence in generall is this They shall all work to their welfare they shall all happen to them for the better there shall nothing befall them but one time or other they shall have reason to say 'T was well for me that it was thus with me The wisdom and goodness of God did cut out suce portions continually for me did lead me thorow such a series and succession of cases and events which though I could not understand yet now I see that every condition every contingency and occurrence of my life through which Providence led me was useful and could not well have been wanted but it would have been the worse for me Thus in the generall Particularly for the fuller understanding what good it is that all things to consider That there is a Twofold good of the Saints Such as they obtain and enjoy whilest they are in via in their way or Course or such as they shall obtain when they are in termino when they are gotten to the end of their way when they are come to their place Or thus There is a Three-fold good of the Saints Temporall Spirituall Eternall 1. Temporall good or our bona corporis the outward good things of this life which may serve and please and delight us in these dayes of our pilgrimage which may abide with us and attend us to our graves but there will take their leave of us 2. Spirituall good or our bona animae and those are either 1. External as the Ordinances of God the Light Liberties and priviledges of the Gospel the Society and Communion of Saints and our peaceful and plentiful enjoying of them 2. Internal as spiritual Grace Faith Love Hope Patience c. 3. Eternal good or that glory and joy that everlasting rest and peace the possession of that Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that is reserved in Heaven for us Now here note these things 1. That our bona corporis our outward good things are only good for us as they are conducible ad bonum spirituale to the good of our Souls The bona viae are only good in the event when they tend to the bonum Patriae This World is but a Nursery for Eternity we are planted in this in order to our transplanting into the other World and whatever we have here is either good or evill according to the respect that it bears to hereafter As far forth as our immortal part is improved by these perishing things so far forth onely are they good for us He that hath this Worlds goods and is not hereby made more rich towards God he who prospers in this World and yet his Soul doth not prosper much more he whose worldly fulness becomes the emptiness and leanness of his Soul Are these good things good for him Is he in prosperity upon a true account whose Soul prospers not It is not ever good to prosper in the World it cannot be universally said It 's good to be rich it 's good to be in health it 's good to be in honour it 's good to be at liberty the contrary may sometimes be true it 's good to be poor to be sick to be in disgrace to be in bonds the necessity of our Souls doth not seldom require it Then alone is it good to be full and to abound when our outward abundance farthers our spiritual welfare Christians could we receive this truth That our outward good things are only good for us as far forth as they conduce to our spiritual good could we receive this truth and live under the power of it what a different judgment should we then have of all these worldly matters from what we have and how strangely would the course of this world be then changed Would there then be such violent and eager pursuing these carnal things Would there then be such whining and complaining and murmuring at every cross providence We would then say This may be good for me good for my Soul how sad soever it looks 2. That external spiritual good things the Ministry and Ordinances of the Gospel c. are so far good to us as they conduce to our internal spiritual good and they being ordinarily so it must be concluded That ordinarily it is good for us that we enjoy them and be not deprived of them God may see the cutting Christians short of those priviledges and Liberties to be sometimes needful for them and then even this also makes for their good Whereof more anon 3. That our inward spiritual good is good for us so far forth as it tends to our eternal good and therefore grace is ever good for us It 's ever
doubtless he will not be wanting in what 's absolutely necessary Psal 23. 1 2 3. The Lord is my Shâ—pheard I shall not want and so on throughout the Psalm Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord for ever Here we have the Psalmists conclusion and it's foundation or his confidence and it's ground his foundation or ground is the Lord is my Shepheard his conclusion and confidence is I shall not want that is neither for Body nor Soul as appears by the following part of the Psalm If Davids Logick and his Faith too does not fail him the conclusion is firm let the Lord be his Shepheard and he shall not know Famine or want Gods relation to his people is their security for a sufficient provision in all times If the Lord be their Shepheard he must see them fed he must either find them those that shall or do it himself He must either find them Pastors or be their Pastor He must either provide them or be their Pasture If ordinary means fail he must find extraordinary if both fail he must be instead of means to them Here two things 1. That God stands engaged as the Shepheard of his people where ordinary means fail either to provide them extraordinary or to feed them more immediately from himself 2. That extraordinary means or no means when God brings his People to it will be better than their ordinary means 1. That God stands engaged as the Shepheard of his People where ordinary means fail either to provide them extraordinary or to feed them more immediately from himself Feed them he must or he cannot be faithful and if means fail he must supply that want one way or other Now God is faithful and will not see his Sheep to starve Isa 41. 17 18. When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their Tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them I will open Rivers in high places and Fountains in the midst of the Vallies I will make the Wilderness a Poor of Water and the dry Land Springs of Water Oh what a good World is here for the poor Saints to live upon in hard times It is interpreted to have an immediate reference to the outward and yet a special respect also to the spiritual wants and distresses And it will appear if we compare it with the like expressions Chap. 44. 3. I will poure water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will poure my Spirit on thy Seed and my Blessing upon thine off-spring From the former Scriptures note 1. That the poor People of God may sometimes be as to the visible Soul-provisions but in a poor case Needy and hungry and thirsty their hearts fainting their tongues failing for thirst and their waters dryed up If they seek water and there be none 2. All the wants and straits of the Saints are before the Lord. I the Lord will hear Christians though those that should will not yet he that can will hear the cryes of your Souls all your faintings and pantings and longings for the water of life are before your eâ—es and come up into the eares of the Loâ—d of Sabbath 3. God hath more wayes than one to relieve the wants and refresh the bowels of his hungry ones He hath extraordinary means for extraordinaâ—y caâ—es If they can find no common Rivers he will open or make new Rivers 〈◊〉 high places the dry places the very Rock wilâ— yield a River when God commands it 4. Gods extraordinary Provisions shall not be scantâ— and penurious but rich and plentifull 'T is not some drops or now and then a draught a little to stay the longing or barely enough to keep them alive he prepares them Rivers Fountains Pools Springs of water I will open Rivers in the high places Fountains in the Vallies c. Whereever they be cast in the high places in the Vallies in the Wilderness in the dry Lands whereever they be cast I will cause Provision enough to meet them though they have neither Bag nor Bottle nor any thing to carry with them they shall not want the River shall meet them Springs shall arise and break forth to them 5. They are not the wanting but the thirsting the seeking Souls whom God will supply When the poor and needy seek water and there is none Oh Christians how many poor are there that sit down by their poverty who if they starve yet will not beg their emptiness hath taken away their Appetites These are sad Souls 't is a sad sight to behold a company of hunger-bitten Souls sit weeping and sighing seeking after the Bread and Water of life and finding none but to see empty and yet not hungry fainting and yet not panting Souls to see Souls even dying away for want and yet not desiring or craving a supply this is a much soreâ— spectacle A starveling thirstless Soul is next to a Ghost Well if ever such Souls find who never seek water 't is more than God hath promised them 'T is they that seek water to whom God will open a River 6. What ever difficulty there be to furnish the hungry Sainâ—s with a sufficiency of Provision yet one way or other it shall be done I the Lord will hear I the God of Israel will not forsaken them Upon me be all their wants I am God and can I am their God the God of Israel and will provide for them They must and shall be provided for whatever course I be put to take I must not see them starve The Lord will not be wanting to them if his Word be not heard his Works shall speak if Preachers cannot Providence shall preach to them if their fâ—iends cannot their enemies their stripes their wounds their rods shall instruct them Thy Rod and thy Staffe comfort me If they have no other the Sun Moon and Stars the Fouls of the Air the Beasts of the Field shall be their Prophets and Apostles If all should fail yet the Spirit of the Lord shall not fail to be their Teacher and Comforter 2. Extraordinary means have more in them than ordinary and no means more than means 1. Extraordinary meâ—ns when ordinary cannot be had are sweeter and better feeding for the Saints then ordinary would be The lâ—ss of the Creature the more of God the less of common Providence the more of special Grace Water out of the Rock was more pretious than out of the River the Manna of the Wilderness was to them that understood it better than the Milk of Canaan Elijah never made better meals than what he got out of the Ravens mouth I have heard of Woman in great distress of Soul who received comfort when the Word was brought her by the mouth of a child which she had failed of receiving from the mouths of many excellent Ministers 2. No
content that the first Bargain stand As to my interest I confirm the Bargain As for my Soul being sold to the Devil to the Devil let it go This is the voice of every wilful Refuser of the Terms of the Gospel Oh Wretch does not thy heart tremble does not thy hair stand on end do not thy knees shake and are not the Joints of thy Loins losed to consider what thou hast done and art still a doing Sinners I have but little more to speak to you but shall that little be nothing Hitherto you have stood it out and will not be perswaded by ought that God hath spoken by me But oh must I leave you thus Why may not a word at parting do more than all that hath been spoken Oh that it might Shall neither my first nor last words prevail with you What if my last should be your last If the lâ—st that I must preach be the last that you must must hear There is a day set that will be your last day There is a Sabbath that will be your last Sabbath There is a Sermon that will be your last Sermon There is a Warning that will be your last warning Oh what if this should be it If the Lord should take your this days deniall for your final Answer and never ask your consent again for ever But whether it be your last or no I must be henceforth silent to you And oh will you send me away with so sad an Heart with the sorrow and shame of the disappointed Will you break my Heart by persisting to harden yours Is this all that I shall have to return to the Lord that sent me unto you I have declared thy Name unâ—o them but they did not regard it I have invited them to come to thee but they would not follow me I have warned them to return from their sins but they would not hearken Are you willing that I shall give in this Answer and bear this Witness against you at the Great Day Sinners hearken Is there not one blind person among you that is yet willing to have his Eyes open'd Is there not one Captive to Lust and Vanity that 's willing to be set free from his Bondage Is there not one more that will be perswaded to be wise and to prefer an immortal Soul God Glory Eternity before his bruitish perishing pleasures Is there not one Drunkard more that will yet be perswaded to be sober Not one vain person that will be perswaded to be serious Am I making my last Draught among you and shall I take nothing Not one Soul more If you will not yet be prevailed with then hear the Word of the Lord Ezek. 3. 19. If thou warn the Wicked and he turn not from his wickedness he shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy Soul But if there be any few relenting Hearts among you who are brought but thus far to cry out Why what must I do I would leave with such these few words of counsel and oh that my counsel might be accepted by them 1. Get a deep sense of thy dreadful state What art thou sinner What is thy state at ease in peace out of fear in pleasure What and yet a sinner in the Bond of Iniquity Captive to the Devil without Christ without the Promise under the Curse Study these Scriptures Joh. 8. 34. He that committeth sin is the servant of sinne ver 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil 2 Tim. 2. 26. Held Captive by him at his will Act. 8. 23. in the galâ— of bitterness and the bond of iniquity 1 Joh. 5. 19. The World lyeth in wickedness Psal 11. 6. Vpon the Wicked he shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cry Psal 49. 15. Like Sheep they are laid in the Grave Death shall feed upon them Rise Sampson the Philistims are upon thee awake sleeper the Devil is upon thee Death is at thy back the Grin is at thy heel the Curse is over thy head thy very next step may be Hell Thou lyest in wickedness to day and mayst be in fire and brimstone before to morrow Sure thou art in a dead sleep that canst take thine ease in such a Lodging Is this the state thou art so loath to change Is this the state thou so boastest of and blessest thy self in When thine heart is merry with thy Wine swell'd with thy pride jolly amongst thy Companions put in such a serious Question But what am I all this while Let this Thought sawce thy sweet Morcel spice thy pleasant Cups and be the Burthen of thy merry Songs After this Hell Snares Fire and Brimstone the Vengeance of Eternal Fire Oh an Heaven a Paradice oh my dear pleasures oh my sweet Daughter oh my merry days what Mortal can part with you I but what comes after What is there at the bottom Look a little before thee and if that sight turn not thy stomach sure thou art sufficiently hardy Study thy case and tremble and when thou tremblest there 's hope thou wilt turn Think not of Repentance or escaping from thy sinful state till thou see and fear it We read Isa 42. 7. that Christ was sent to open the blind eyes and to bring out the prisoners out of Prison If the prisoners eyes be shut 't is to little purpose that the Prison doors be open Their Eyes must be first open'd not onely that they may see their way out but that they may see themselves in Prison Open thine Eyes sinner if ever thou wilt escape open thine Eyes and see where thou art Thy Fools Paradice wherein thou blessest thy self is thy Souls Prison where thou art like to be held under Eternal Bondage 2. Give a present Bill of Divorce to every sinne hug not Death one minute longer in thy Bosom If thou lovest thy Life say not of any one sinne Nothing but Death shall part thee and me No nor so much as this Yet a little while and I will let thee go To day to day if you will hear his voice hearden not your hearts 3. Dread it as Hell that thy hope in Christ should lessen thy fear of sin Let not the hope of a Saviour be thy damnation Make not Christ the Pandor of sin continue not in sin because Grace hath abounded 4. Break off from thy Companions in sin wilt thou love them to the death Christ and thy Soul can never be married till thy Soul and Sinners be parted Escape for thy life get thee up from the Tents of these men linger not Thou art held under the power of the Devil by cords and by knotts by the cords of thy sins and by the knots of thy Companions There 's no hope that the cords of sin will be broken till the knots of evil Companions be loosed Sinner these binding Cords will if thou look not to it become whip-cords to torment thee Oh take heed thou never come to be
lashed with such knotted cords Thy Companions in sin as they now heighten thy pleasures so will they hereafter sharpen thy plagues Sinners comfort their hearts with this thought That if they be damned they shall have store of company but let them know That the fire of Hell will burn just so much the cooler for the multitudes that are there as the fire of their Chimney does for the store of fewell When thou art charmed with the roaring of thy Companions in the Ale-house think what musick their roaring with thee will make when you shall all meet in your eternal Prison Away from evil company you will remember hereafter when 't is too late how much and with how little success I have laboured with you in this thing 5. Bafflle not Conscience once more Awakened Sinner charm not thy Conscience into silence nor dash it out oâ— countenance Thy Conscience is the only Friend that God or thy Soul hath left within thee Thy will and thy affections and thine appetite are all gone the Devil hath stoln them away and hired them all against thee thou hast nothing but poor Conscience left Thy Conscience hath been often upon thee pleading with thee for God and for pity to thy Soul It hath warned thee reproved thee and often whisper'd thee in thine Ear What dost thou mean whither art thou going when wilt thou return Away with thy sins have done with thy Companions no more of this drunkenness this riot this covetousness Thou art a lost man thy Soul is lost if thou go on Thus Conscience hath warned thee and thou hast sometimes hearkned to it and spoken it fair The throbs and the paâ—gs and the wounds thou hast felt and received from it have wrung from thee now and then a promise Well through the Grace of God I 'le hearken to Conscience I 'le be a new man Away from me ye Sinners I will keep the Commandments of my God And yet shortly after when thy Temptations return thy Companion come all 's forgotâ—en and along thou goest as a fool to the Stocks or an Ox to the slaughter and this hath been thy way and thy manner from time to time Now and then Conscience draws a sigh or a tear from thee and by and by receives a kick or a stab Beware Sinner Conscience will not alwayes be thus us'd If ever it speak again say it not Nay Its next word may be its last if ever thou weariest it into perpetual silence then farewell all for ever Conscience is the only Friend thou hast left Convinced Soul How wilt thou bear the revenges of an awakened abused Conscience all thy bafflings of it here will be repeated over in eternity How will all this look when it shall meet thee before thy Judge Save thy self from that hour Baffle not Conscience once more 6. Let not the greatness of thy sins nor the difficulty of Christ's terms hinder or discourage thee from making a present close with Christ Say not his Yoke is too heavy his Cross is too grievous for me to bear or my sins are too great for him to bear Set the Throne against the Yoak the Crown against the Cross infinite Merit and Mercy against mighty sins and go unto Jesus cast thy self on his blood and bowells and put thy self under his Yoke and Scepter If he will give Life to thee be content that he give Laws to thee and as ever thou expectest to live by him be resolved to live to him and no longer to thy self Go to Jesus and when thou goest take with these two Scriptures Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me and you shall find rest unto your Souls Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out 7. Fall close to Duties and keep close to Ordinances 1. Let secret and Family Prayer be thy daily exercise Count not thy self a Christian till thou give thy self to prayer 2. Let not reading the Word Catechising c. be strangers in thy house 3. Prize improve and sanctifie Sabbaths The Lord on those dayes comes down upon eis Mount to meet thy Soul to commune with thee to bless thee to feed thee and fill thee with whatsoever thy Soul desireth or wanteth Get thee up to meet thy God But remember when thou goest leave thy stuff behind thee 4. View often and take an account of thy self of the in-come and success of all thy Duties What is all my praying reading hearing c. come to What is brought forth Is the work done for which all these are Are my Sins and my Soul parted Are my Companions in sin abandoned Is Christ and my Soul united Beware you never make Praying and Hearing to serve you instead of Believing and Repenting But to help you on to it Remember these Seven Words when I am gone 1. Get a deep Sense of thy dreadful state 2. Abandon presently every sin 3. Let not thy hope in Christ lessen thy fear of sin 4. Shake off every sinful Companion 5. Baffle not Conscience once more 6. Make a present Close with Christ 7. Fall close to Duties and keep close to Ordinances These things do and the God of Peace shall be with you But remember There 's no peace saith my God to the wicked 2. There are others that are near the Kingdome of God Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God There are some that are like Ephraim Hosea 7. 8. cakes half baked like Agrippa almost Christians Acts 26. 29. Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast brought me within a little of Christianity They are come to the threshold of saving Faith within a step of sincere godliness They have been professing and praying and hoping and wishing themselves in and yet are short of it They have been enlightened in the knowledg of Christ have tasted of the heavenly gift have felt something of the sweetness of Christ have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost of many excellent and useful gifts have tasted of the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come They have set out after Christ have left the blind and prophane World much behind them have escaped much of the pollutions of this world left many sins taken up with many duties have a name among the Saints have suffered many things for the Name of Christ and notwithstanding all this here they stick they cannot give up themselves fully to Christ something or other either the World or their Companions or their pleasures or their ease or their sloth hath such hold on them that they cannot unreservedly resolvedly give themselves up to the dominion of Jesus Christ nay it may be they cannot tell wâ—y yet they cannot do it Though they can say I would be yet they cannot say I will be the Lord's these are near the Kingdom of God but
a Shield to yours and a Sword in your Enemies Souls Be patient and you have won the field and gotten the day They will have no hope to drive you to sin where they see you can suffer This was Job's Triumph and shall be yours In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly You may now make your boast in the words of the Apostle Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Naâ—edness or Perill or Sword In all these things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us 5. Your patient suffering will be the improvement of your Sanctification Heb. 12. 9 10. We have had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them Reverence Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live For they verily for a few days chasten'd us after their pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness The Fathers of our flesh correct us and so doth the Father of Spirits they at their pleasure he for our profit You 'l say it may be for what profit What profit is there in our Blood in our Bonds in our Poverty Why there is this profit we are hereby made partakers of his Holiness There 's seldom any towardliness in a Child till it be whipt into him God's School of Affliction is a Nursery for Heaven Were it not for his House of Correction Sion would quickly become as Sodom Seldom does any come out thence but their Complexion shews where they have been 'T is with them that feel the Hand of the Lord as 't was with him that saw his Face his Face did shine his very spitting in their Faces doth wash them the cleaner Of all Saints there are none raised so high towards the Third Heaven as those that have been in the Deep No Providences give such a lift to the Soul as those that most humble Christians What ever pains you travail under believe it the Births may be such as will make you forget your Sorrow I have heard of an Holy Woman who used to compare her Afflictions to her Children They both put her to great pain in the bearing but as she knew not which of her Children to be without notwithstanding her Trouble in the bringing forth so neither which of her Afflictions she could have wanted notwithstand the Sorrow they put her to in the bearing Heb. 12. 11. No chastning for the present is joyous but grievous but afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness to them that are exercised thereby Oh when you see the Fruit where then will your Sorrow be Joh. 16. 21. A Woman when she is in Travail hath Sorrow because her hour is come bue as soon as she is deliver'd of the Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a Man-child is born into the World If the Joy of the Birth will make you forget why should not the hope of the Birth make you to bear the pain Beloved Would you bring forth Fruit unto God and will you not bear the Plough and the Harrow Will you expect an Harvest and yet must God let you lye Fallow and still sow among Thorns Let me ask you and answer deliberately Would you be more holy than you are more fruitful than you are or would you not If you would not you are no Christian Si dixeris sufficit defecisti If you would is that Desire conditional You would increase so it coâ—â— you not overmuch labour and pain That desire comes to just so much as no desire at all Or is your desire of an increase absolute Would you be more holy whatever it cost you Do you so prize and love an holy and fruitful life that you are heartily content that God should take his own course with you should take any course that 's needful to bring you on to it Can you freely say Oh Lord I am weary of this Triâ—ling I am weary of this dead and barren life Lord quicken me Lord inlarge me Lord perfect thy work and fulfill in me all thy good pleasure of thy Will So thou wilt but hear me in this thing I freely put it into thy hand to take thine own way and use thine own means Use the Word or the Rod. Command me or chastise me spare not this flesh for all its crying strip me of what thou wilt inflict on me what thon wilt throw me whither thou pleasest let me not want the most bitter Pill that 's needful any thing any thing Lord I hope I can be poor if thou wilt have me so I can be in pain in disgrace if thou wilt have me But I cannot be unholy I cannot bear it to be such a starveling in the staâ—e of my Soul Lord for more holiness Lord for more life and care and zeal and fruit let me have it upon what terms thou pleasest onely let me have it Can you say thus to the Lord I hope you can what and yet be displeased if he take you at your word can you pray thus and yet repine and murmur that the Lord hears your Prayers Christian when the Lord comes to deal roughly with thee entertain his chastisements whatever they be with this thought Now the Lord is about to give me my hearts desire now is my day of hope This distress this sorrow and anguish the Lord hath brought upon me may be come to perform that work which I have long'd to see What the Word hath been so long a doing and yet is not done What Sacraments Prayers Mercies have been so long a doing and yet is not done Now is the time this may be the means to bring it about This bitter Cup hath health in the bottom this Plough and these deep furrows it makes look towards an Harvest The work is doing that I have been so long a begging This froward this senseless this sloathful this earthly barren heart which I feel to day I hope now in a little time I shall be rid of for ever If this be the meaning of my troubles I hope it is I will wait I will wait for this fruit and if this be the fruit oh welcome welcome this blessed Providence 6. Your patient suffering shall be the advance of your glory Remember what I have told you already Your suffering shall go into your reward according to your deep poverty so shall your riches be As 't was said concerning Babylon Rev. 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much sorrow and torment give her So shall it be said concerning you How much they have been abased and afflicted for me so much Joy and Glory give them As sure as the persecutings of the ungodly shall meet them in hell so certainly shall the Perfecutions of the Righteous meet them before the Throne of God This shall be written on their everlasting Crowns Here is the
or the seperation from which únmakes us Christians We had need to have more to shew for our Christianity than that we are Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Episcopal or Erastians and the Devil must have more to prove us no Christians than this that we are in union with either of these or in separation from them 5. In matters circumstantial be not over-hasty in stamping a Jus Divinum on Things disputable and doubtful Put no more weight nor a greater necessity on any thing than God hath evidently put on it and spend no more of your zeal about it than is proportionable to its weight and evidence 6. Allow for the imperfect state the Church is in we know but in part and till that which is perfect is come and that which is imperfect is done away we must bear with one another if in any things we be otherwise minded 7. Stretch not your Authority beyond your Line take not too much upon you Think not to bring all others in every thing to your Standard impose not your Consciences as a Law upon others 8. Put not Conscience to the ill office of being a meer Make-bate catch not up every Notion and presently charge it upon Conscience as that which must be maintained though to the greatest prejudice of the whole Interest of Religion and so rent and run away from all those that agree not with you Be not rash be not heady be tender but be wary be well instructed if you will be truly tender first carefully inform thy Conscience and then peaceably follow it Of what is that Conscience tender that is not tender of making Wounds and Rents in the Body of Christ 9. Beware of Censurings and Judgings of biting and devouring one another If ye bite and devour one another ye shall be consumed one of another Let him that is without fault cast the first stone at his Erring Brother Be not bitter against the bitterness of others if others sowerness offend thee yet let it not leaven thee Be not reviled into a Reviler scoffed into a Scoffer overcome Evil with Goodness 'T is not seldom that our Invectives against others Bitterness are more keen and cutting than what we complain of Justifie not what thou judgest Practise not thy self what in the same Breath thou condemnest in thy Brethren Throw not back thy Brother's Fire-balls in his face leâ—t in censuring him thou be also thine own Judge Pursue not matters in difference over hotly but learn modestly and meekly to differ where you cannot agree 10. Let your Conversation be so holy humble and heavenly carry your selves in such simplicity and godly sincerity towards God towards one another and towards all men that you may command each other to believe that however you agree not about your Mother yet you are all the Children of the same Father that you are of God and that the Spirit of the Living God dwelleth in you 11. Hold Communion in the Things wherein you agree and Charity where you differ May you not pray and fast and hear and hold Christian Conferences together Sure there is not overmuch of Gospel Spirit where this will not be granted 12. Impose not on each other any hard and unnecessity Conditions of your communion Suppose upon your differing Judgments there be in some things different practices which some of you iudge less warrantable whil'st the Consciences of others allow and use press not the relinquishing such questionable practices as the condition of your communion especially if they be not mingled with the Daties wherein you joyn but are used by any of you at other times or in other Assemblies Excommunicate not them from you excommunicate not your selves from them with whom Christ holds Communion Judge not that Christ withdraws from all those who are not in every thing of your Mind and Way Destroy not all communion by seeking after a purer than in this out imperfect state we shall ever attain According to this principle No Communion at all if not in all where shall we rest In all Societies something will offend 13. And lastly in your communion receive not one another to doubtful Disputations Let your Prayers Conferences and all Holy Exercises be studiously so managed that there may be a sweet Accord of your Spirits therein Come not together to strengthen Parties or propagate Opinions Let all matters of Controversie be waved and hereof let there be such mutual Assurance given aforehand that you may be together without fear of becoming Thorns or Snares one to another Which if it be not unanimously consented to and inviolably observed your communion will be impossible or dangerous Christians Are the clear and fundamental Truths of the Gospel and the more necessary and weighty Duties of Religion sufficiently understood and practised Are your Souls safe Is your Calling and Election sure Is the Love and Life and Zeal of God grown up to that maturity that you need not mutual help this way Have you any spare time from these things to spend in perplexing Controversies Build up one another in your most Holy Faith provoke one another to Love and to good Works encourage establish and strengthen one another in the known ways of Holiness and if you find not this both better work and work enough for you then take your Liberty These things do live in peace and love and the God of Peace shall be with you Hear oh all ye Friends of Christ by what oblique Names soever unhappily distinguished will you come and be Friends one with another Are you for peace Your God is the God of Peace Your Jesus is the Prince of Peace Your Gospel is the Gospel of Peace and will you not be perswaded to be Sons of Peace Your God is one your Mediator is one your Faith one your Baptism one your Hope one you are one Body one Spirit and will you not yet be one Soul Oh how hopeful would our Condition be were our Hearts generally set upon peace We should certainly obtain did we more resolvedly pursue it and what should hinder Have you not yet enough of your Contentions and Quarrellings Have not your Souls been sufficiently neglected your Lusts strengthned your Faith weakned your Love withered your Comforts wasted your Names blemish'd your Holy Profession blamed Hath not your God been sufficiently provoked and the Devil sufficiently gratified Are your Bellies so filled with Gall and your Mouths with Gravel and have you not yet enough of your Contentions Christians Slight not these Counsells and Warnings As you would prove your selves the Friends of Christ be ye followers of peace Study oh study these things that make for peace Follow peace with all men as much as in you is but especially with the houshold of Faith Let there be no longer strife betwixt us for we are brethren Yet alwaies remember I am pressing you to an holy Union whil'st I perswade you to follow peace I must still add and holiness I perswade you not to pursue peace
saving power and efficacy of it I am afraid there are too many I am afraid there 's many a blind Eye many an hard Heart many a Spirit still in Prison under the power of their Lusts and Bruitish Sensuâ—lity I am afraid there are many such among you and are not you afraid so to Oh that you were 2. I have a greater fear than this I am afraid of some of you that not onely all my past Labours but this last will be lost also Those that stand it out to their last day do usually stand it out in their last day Blessed be God that there are amongst you those over whom my Soul is comforted To whom I can speak in the words of the Apostle Rom. 6. 16. God be thanked that ye were the Servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine that hath been delivered unto you and being now made free from sin you are become the Servants of Righteousness Oh that I could thus speak Oh that I could thus rejoyce over you all But as the Apostle said to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12. 20. I fear lest when I come I shall find you such as I would not So must I say with a grieved heart I fear that now I am going I shall leave you such as I would not I would not leave one blind person one vain person one loose liver not one unbeliever or impenitent amongst you all Oh what a good day would this day of my departure be what Light would there be in this dark Evening were it thus with you If I might see you all recovered out of the Snares of the Devil every man's Eyes open'd every man's Fetters off every man's Prison broken and his Soul escaped from that deadly bondage if every poor deadly Creature among you who yet lies bound hand and foot in his Grave Clothes might now at last stand up from the Dead and live the Life of God this would be mine and your great rejoycing But oh I fear with this Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 21. My God will humble me and grieve me and afflict me to see in what an woful plight I must leave divers of you Oh ye Sons of the Night you poor ignorant and daâ—k Souls upon whom the Light hath shined but your Darkness comprehendeth it not Oh you poor obstinate and hardned Souls upon whom I have been ploughing as upon Rocks and hewing as upon Adamants who still remain under as great hardness as if no Dew nor Rain had ever fallen on you Oh you poor half-bak'd almost Christians that have taken up your stand in your present Attainments my Soul is under great fears and must weep in secret for you whil'st my Tongue must be henceforth silent Oh every Soul that is without fear of himself my Soul is afraid for you the fearless Soul is in a fearful state Sinners let my fears be your fears What is there such astonishing guilt upon you and yet not afraid Such a dreadful Roll writ against you and yet not afraid So many Sabbâ—ths Sermons Warnings lost and never to be recalled nor any Assurance left of one Sermon or Warning more and yet not afraid Such a subtil Devil such a deceitful Heart such a tempting World that you have to deal withall such a black and bottomless Pit into which you are falling and yet not afraid Oh what Stocks and Stones hath the Gospel to deal withall Beloved I have labour'd much with you both publiquely and from house to house to bring you under a due fear and jealousie of your selves but hitherto your hearts have been too hard for me Oh yet for trembling hearts tremble and sin not fear and pray fear and hope fear and repent Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Oh if my feaâ—s were once become your fears your fears would become my hopes Oh what a Day-spring of hopes would arise from the shaking of secure hearts These Fears would be as the thicker Darkness Fore-runners of Break of Day 2. My parting Wishes and Desires for you are 1. That the good Seed which hath been sown amongst you were well rooted in every heart I wish that my Twenty Yeaâ—s Ministry among you may not be lost Labour to any one of your Souls 2. I wish that your next Seeds man may be more skilful and successful that the good Lord will provide you a man that may teach you in Wisdom gain you in Love lead you on to Life by an Holy Example and if the Lord grant you this mercy I wish that such an one may be deatly priz'd and chearfully accepted by you God keep this Flock from a Ravening Wolf and a deceitful Shepheard 3. I wish that there may be no Root of Bitterness springing up amongst you that there be no Divisions or Contentions but that you may live in peace and love that the God of peace and love may be with you 4. I wish that this place where so much good Seed hath been sown may become a fruitful Field that the Fruits of Faith and Repentance the Fruits of Righteousness and Holiness may be in you and abound that you may be neither barren nor unfruitful that Religion in the power and practice of it may so visibly flourish in the several persons in the several Families of this Congregation that they that go by may see and say This is the Field which the Lord hath blessed 5. I wish that whatever Clouds may at any time gather over you may not fall down in a withering Storm or a sweeping Floud but may pass away in a Mist or dissolve into a fruitful Dew that no Persecutions or Temptations may ever carry you down the Stream with evil men nor blight any hopeful beginnings that are budding forth in any of your Souls If Tribulation should be any of your Lots I wish it may not be to you as the Hail of Egypt but as the Dew of Hermon 6. I wish you a joyful Harvest that you may reap in Eternity what hath been sown in Time may you now sow in Righteousness and hereafter reap in Mercy May every one that is now sowing in Tears for ever reap in joy May you that go on your way weeping bearing pretious Seed return with joy and bring your Sheavs with you May the Showers of this day be the watering of your Seed that it may spring up to Eternal Life Brethren My hearts desire for you all is that you may be saved and if there be any persons that bear evil will to me my particular wish for them is The Good-will of him that dwelt in the Bush be those Men's Portions for ever These are some of my Wishes for you will you joyn your Wishes with mine Will you turn your Wishes into Prayers and let this be your Prayer The Lord grant thee thine hearts desire and fulfill all thy Mind Brethren Do I wish you any harm in all this If not if it be to wished that the Word of Christ
were rooted in your Hearts and your Souls thereby rooted in the Grace of God if it be to be wished That your Lusts were rooted out your sins dead and dried up your foot gotten out of the Snare your Souls brought into the Fold your Fruits of Righteousness and Holiness abounding and growing up unto Eternal Life If all this to be to be wished then give in your Votes with mine wish and pray pray and press on press on and wait for the accomplishment of this Grace in you all I tell you again I wish you well and not onely I but the Lord God that hath sent me to you The Lord Jesus wishes you well he wishes and wooes wooes and weeps weeps and dies that your Souls might live and be belssed for ever He hath once more sent me to you even to the worst amongst you to tell you from him that he 's unwilling you should perish that he hath a kindness for you in his heart if you will accept it He hath Bloud and Bowels for you Bloud to expiate your guilt to wash away your filth and Bowels to offer you the benefit of his Bloud with this Wish Oh that it were theirs Oh that they would hearken and accept Onely I must add That the Lord hath two sorts of Wishes concerning sinners The first is Oh that they would hearken Oh that they would come in be healed and be saved Deut. 5. 29. This Wish is an Olive Branch that brings good Tidings and gives great hopes of Peace and Mercy His last Wish is Oh that they had hearkned that they had accepted Psal 81. 13. Oh that my people had hearkned to me Luk. 19. 42. Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that concern thy peace This Wish hath nothing but Dread and Death in it it is the Black Flagg hung out that proclaims Eternall Wars The sence is Israel had once a fair time of it a time of Love a time of Grace a time of Peace Oh that they had hearkned then that they had known the Things that concern their peace But woe woe to them 't is now too late the Door is shut the Season is over the Day is past But now they are hid from thine Eyes There are three deadly darts in this Wish oh that thou hadst it includes in it these three cutting words Thou hast not Thou mightest Thou shalt not for ever 1. There is this in it Thou hast not What have I not why thou hast not known the things that belong to thy peace Thou hast had the door of Glory the Gate of Heaven open to thee and hast been call'd for and invited in but thou hast lost the opportunity Thou knewest not when thou wert well offered nor would'st take notice what a day was before thee what a price was in thine hand thy peace the Gospel of peace the Prince of peace a Kingdom of peace was set open offered and brought home to thy doors but thou hadst so many other matters to look after that thou tookest no notice of it but hast let it slip There 's one Dart. Thou hast not known There 's a Gospel gone there 's a Christ gone there 's a Soul a Kingdom lost 2. There is this in it Thou mightest Oh that thou hadst why Might I yes thou might'st if thou wouldst thou mightst Thy God did not mock thee when he preach'd peace to thee he was willing and wish'd it thine if thou wouldst thou mightst have made it thine own but whilest he would thou wouldest not There 's another Dart I might have known I have none to thank but my self for the loss mine undoing was mine own doing There are no such torments as when the Soul flies upon it self and takes revenge on it self oh the gashes that such self-refluctions make Soul how camest thou in hither into all this misery oh 't is of my self my self that my destruction is The door was open and I was told of it and was bid come in but I would not That I am lost and undone was not my Fate which I could not avoid but my Fault and my folly It seems to give some ease of our torment when we can shift off the fault It was not I but the Woman said Adam It was not I but the Serpent said the Woman if that had been true it would have given ease as well as serv for an excuse This thought 'T was mine own doing tears the very caul of the heart Oh I have none to blame but my self mine own foolish and froward heart This is my ignorance this is my unbelief this is my wilfulness my lusts and my pleasures and my Idols that I was running after that have brought me under this dreadful loss 'T was my own doing 3. There is this in it Thou shalt not for ever Oh that thou hadst why may I not yet Is there no hope of recovering the opportunity not one word more not one hour more may not the Sun go one degree backward No no 't is too late too late thou hast had thy day from henceforth no more for ever There 's the last Dart Times past there 's the death the Hell the anguish the Worm that shall gnaw to eternity This one word Time 's past sets all Hell a roaring and when it s once spoken to a sinner on Earth there 's Hell begun Go thy way wretch fill up thy measure and fall into thy place The Gospel hath no more to say to thee but this one word Because I have called and thou refusedst I have stretched out my hand and thou regardedst not but hast set at nought all my Counsels and wouldest none of my reproofs I also will laugh at thy calamities and mock when thy fear cometh when thy fear cometh as desolation and thy destruction cometh as a Whirle-wind when distress and anguish cometh upon thee then shalt thou call but I will not answer thou shalt seek me early but shalt not find me Beloved my hopes are and I am not able to say but that you are yet under the first wish Oh that they would Christ is yet preaching you to faith and sends his Wish along with his Word Oh that they would believe Christ is yet preaching Repentance and Conversion to you and wishes O that they would repent that they would be converted and to this wish of my Lord my Soul and all that is within me sayes Amen Brethren will you yet again say your Lord nay shall Christ have his wish shall your Servant for Jesus sake shall I have my wish will you now at last consent to be sanctified and to be saved let me have this wish and I dare promise you from the Lord you shall have yours even whatever your Soul can desire Bâ—ethren this once hear this once be prevailed upon be content that your lusts be rooted out and your Lord planted into your Souls Be content to be pardoned content to be converted content to be saved This
once hear lest if ye now refuse ye no â—ore be perswaded with oh that they would but be 〈◊〉 ever confounded with oh that they had Lest all our wishes and wooings of you be turned into weepings and mournings over you this once hear oh that you would I heartily thank you for your good wishes and good will towards me for your willing and chearful entertainment of my person and attendance on my Ministry And particularly for your passionate desire of my longer stay among you Which desire if God had not my Soul could not have denyed you Though the Almighty to whose pleasure it 's meet that we all submit hath said Nay to that wish of yours yet let your Souls say Amen to this last of mine that the Lord God would dwell among you and in you both now and for ever And having thus finished my Labours among you I shall now close up with this double account 1. Of my discharge of my Ministry in this place 2. Of my deprivall And shall so commit you to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified 1. Of my discharge of my Ministry what my Doctrine and manner of life hath been is known to you and what my aim and intent hath been is known to God The searcher of hearts knowes that 't is the salvation of Souls that hath been the mark at which I have levelled My way hath been to use all plainness that I might be made manifest in your Consciences Weaknesses and infirmities both natural and sinful the Lord pardon it I have had many I am sensible that much more might have been done both in publick and in private had it not been for a weakly body and a sloathful heart I repent that I have had no more zeal for God no more compassion to Souls I repent that I have been no more constant and importunate with you about the matters of Eternity Oh Eternity Eternity that thou wert no more in the heart and Lips of the Preacher in the hearts and eares of the hearers But while I thus judge my self for my failings Blessed be God for any sincerity to his name and good will to your Souls that he hath seen in me Blessed be God I have a witness in my Conscience and I hope in yours also that I have not shunned to declare to you the whole Counsel of God Brethren I call Heaven and Earth to witness this day that I have set before you life and death good and evil and have not ceased from day to day to warn you to choose life and that good way that leads to it and to escape for your lives from the way of sin and death Oh remember the many instructions I have given you the many Arguments whereby I have striven with you the many Prayers that have been offered up for the guiding and gaining your Souls into the path of life and the turning your feet out of the way of destruction Oh might I be able to give this Testimony concerning you all at my departure they have troden in the right path they have chosen the good part that shall not be taken from them Brethren Beloved with whom I have travelled in birth that Christ might be formed in you I must shortly give up my account in a more solemn Assembly will you help me to give it up with joy by shewing your Souls before the Lord as the Seal of my Ministrie Every sincere Convert among you will be a Crown of rejoycing to me in that day So let me rejoyce and let my joy be the joy of you all What shall I say more If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love any bowels and mercies if the Glorie of the Eternal God the Honour of the everlasting Gospel the safety of your immortal Souls the incorruptible Crown the exceeding eternal weight of glory weigh any thing with you then once more let me beâ—eech you by all this to hearken to that word of the Gospel which God hath spoken to you by me 2. Of my deprivall The most glorious morning hath its Evening the hour is come wherein the Sun is setting upon not a few of the Prophets the shadows of the Evening are stretched forth upon us our day drawes our work seems to be at an end Our Pulpits and our places must know us no more This is the Lords doing let all the Earth keep silence before him It is not a light thing for me Brethren to be laid aside from the work and cast out of the Vineyard of the Lord and it must be something of weight that must support under so severe a doom I know there are not a few that will add to the affliction of the afflicted by telling the World 't is their own fault they might prevent it if they would whether this be so or no God knoweth and let the Lord be Judge Blessed be God whatever be this is not laid to our charge as the reason of our seclusion either insufficiency or scandall You are not ignorant what things there are imposed on us as the condition of our continuing our Ministration which how lawful and expedient soever they seem in the Judgment of many yet have the most specious Arguments that plead for them left me utterly dissatisfied in my Conscience about them I must profess before God Angels and men that my non-submission is not from any disloyalty to Authority nor from pride humour or any factious disposition or design but because I dare not contradict my light nor do any thing concerning which my heart tells me the Lord sayes do it not After all my most impartial Enquiries after all my seeking counsel from the Lord after all my considering and consulting with men of all perswasions about these Matters I find my self so far short of satisfaction that I am plainly put to this choice to part with my Ministry or my Conscience I dare not lie before God and the World nor come and tell you I approve I allow I heartily consent to what I neither do nor can but must choose rather that my Ministry be seal'd up by my Sufferings than lengthned out by a Lie Through the Grace of God though men do yet my heart shall not reproach me while I live If our heart condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things But however though I must now no longer act as a Minister I shall through the Grace of God endeavour peaceably and patiently to suffer as a Christian I should to testifie my Obedience to Authority have become all Things to all Men to the uttermost that I could with any clearness of heart But since Matters stand so that I must lose my place or my peace I chearfully suffer my self to be thrust off the Stage And now welcome the Cross of Christ welcome Reproach welcome Poverty Scorn and Contempt or whatever else may befall me on this account This Morning I had a Flock and you had a Pastour but now behold a Pastour without a Flock a Flock without a Shepheard This Morning I had an House but now I have none Thiâ— morning I had an Living but now I have none The Lord hath given and the Lord hath takes away Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Beloved I am sensible of many Weaknesses and Disadvantages I am under which may rendeâ— a suffering state the harder to be born help me by your Prayers and not me onely but all my Brethren also with whom my Lot must fall Pray for us for we trust that we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly Pray 1. That God would make our Silence speak and preach the same Holy Doctrine that we have preached with our Lips 2. That he would give Supports answerable to our Sufferings that he who comforteth those that are cast down will also comfort his Servants that are cast out 3. That according to our earnest expectation and our hope as always so now also Christ may be magnified in us whether it be by Life or by Death And thus Brethren I bid you all farewel in the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally Brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of Peace and Love shall be with you And that God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepheard of the Sheep through the Bloud of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ To whom be Glory for ever and ever AMEN FINIS