A GLASSE AND SALVE FOR PROFESSORS Held to them By William Voile Minister of the Gospel James 1. 23 24. If any be a hearer of the VVord and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was Revel 3. 18. Anoint thine Eyes with Eye-salve that thou mayest see London Printed for the Author 1668. WILLIAM VOILE A Servant of Jesus Christ in the Ministry of his Gospel To all those of His Majesties Subjects that are called Professors because they do profess or practice the Protestant Religion in a way more or less differing from the most common way Greeting BEloved it is now above forty nine years since I was first a Preacher since which time I have had so much and such communion with the Professors of England and Wales that I have attained much knowledge of Professors of most wayes in the Protestant Religion and committed very many of my Observations to writing especially the faults of them I have preached to Professors and heard others preach to them and considered my own preaching and theirs what and how we have preached and the success of our preaching I have hearkened and heard and seen and considered who have preached aright or made such use as ought to be made of that which hath been preached and who hath repented and reformed Jer. 8. 6. The resu't whereof was this I looked on the sins of Professors as the procuring cause of their Troubles and Afflictions and the greatest let of their Prayers 〈◊〉 the liberty and Peace of Professors and judged it a work fit for Preachers to exhort Professors not only to humble themselves for their sins and failings but also to strive and give diligence to cease from them and to reform their wayes according to the word of God universally without any exception or reservation Which Truths I did also publish about two years since in an Eminent City and have now by this honest Treatise endeavoured to make them known to others and to shew you the ends and meaning of our heavenly Father in chastising you and me to the end that ye may hear his Rods with understanding and him who hath appointed them Mic. 6. 9. and so as to submit your selves to him unreservedly Jam. 4 7. to do and to leave undone altogether according to the Message which he hath sent you And I beseech you all by the mercies of God let me obtain these requests of you 1. Let me not be accounted an enemy to any of you because I judge rightly of the greatest and most perillous of your enemies your sins and because I tell you of them for I do this to warn you of your danger that you may judge your selves and abstain from your sins that ye may not be condemned with the World Gal. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 11. 32. 2. Strive in your prayers unto God for me as one of your faithful friends that whilst I live on earth I may be throughly willing and well able to do Jesus Christ and his Church service 3. For the honour of the most high God and the credit of his Gospel and your own good and the good of your Posterity Deut. 5. 29. and of all Christs people use the most effectual means ye can to perswade and induce every one himself and all those to whom I haâ—â— directed this Epistle to peruse this Treatise all over and that seriously and in the fear of God and in much Humility consulting with God and one with another about it and praying fervently unto God to give them a right understanding and a sound judgment and resolving with a strong resolution by Gods assistance to do the will of God unreservedly For this is the way to know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or not John 7. 17. Beloved I shall hope that this work of mine will in some measure help to open the eyes of the blind and to cause the lame to walk and the dumb to speak and that by my means among other good works very worthy men that are dead shall speak unto you words very good to the use of edifying which no man else will help them to speak unto you The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen A GLASSE and SALVE FOR PROFESSORS BEloved Brethren and Sisters rich and poor hearken Although the great God in whose hands the times of all the Creatures are Psal 31. 15. changeth not Mal. 3. 6. but is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. and albeit the darkness and the light be both alike to him Ps 139. 12. yet the Creatures are changeable and actually changed and their times are not all of one and the same sort To the posterity of Adâ—m there is a time to get and a time to lose a time to laugh and a time to mourn times of health and times of sickness a time to live and a time to die Eccl. 3. 1. c. Men and Women have good dayes 1 Pet. 3. 10. and evil dayes Eph. 5. 16. and perillous times 2 Tim. 3. 1. c. and in Solomons language Eccl. 7. 13 14. dayes of Prosperity and dayes of Adversity Where he counselleth us ver 14. To consider the work of God D. We ought to consider the works of God of all sorts and v. 13. In the day of Prosperity to be joyful D. Times of Prosperity do in a special manner call for joy and in the day of adversity to consider D. meaning that As we ought to consider in times of all sorts so especially in times of Adversity And such is this time to this Nation especially to them who are called Phanaticks and among them to us who have been Ministers of the Gospel Quest And what ought we to consider in this time of Adversity Answ These nine things 1. The severals whereof our Adversity consisteth Marg. 3. 2. That no part of it came upon us without God Mat. 10. 29 30 31. but every part of it according to his providence and the counsel of his will Eph. 1. 11. Marg. 11. 3. That our heavenly Father in giving way to men c. hath not dealt unjustly with us nor done us any wrong Marg. 16. 4. That in afflicting us he hath done wisely and therefore afflicted us for fit ends Marg. 18. 5. We must consider Why and for what ends he hath afflicted us Marg. 18. These five things we ought to consider that we may not despise his chastening Prov. 2. 11 12. nor harbour hard thoughts of him and that we may discern what course to take for the bettering of our Estate 6. We ought to consider what means we have used to better it or to prevail with God to better it Marg. 90. 7. We must consider the success and issue of those means how far we have prevailed by using them and how far not Marg. 92. 8. If our
and servants in the way wherein they should go Prov. 22. 6. as if they did believe the Devils old saying A young Saint and an old Devil O how careless many Professors be of preparing those who shall survive them to hold forth the name of Christ in a holy manner to his honour and the credit of his Gospel 2. Many Professors do suffer very much frothy vain idle foolish corrupt communication not tending to edification to proceed out of their mouths 3. Many Professors do profane and mispend much of the holy Salbaths For which sin and Idolatry especially as the Jews about two hundred years since have said the Lord did reject their Fore-fathers so that as they then said they could not take the Christians of those days to be the servants of the true Messias because they did live in those two sins 4. Many Professors be so full of pride under this Dispensation that by reason of it and the fruits of it men of knowledge can hardly get charity enough to think there is any fear of God before their eyes 5. It is a common thing with Professors to be silent at the sins one of another Which five things joyned together do amount to a foul heap of iniquity Part. 8. I come now to some down-right Reasons for this my belief that the greatest cause of the afflictions peculiar to Professors and the greatest impediment of their prayers for some good things expedient for them u the sins and iniquities of Professâ—rs R. 1. And first Gods Kingdom Wisdom and Power being such as it is and all mens hearts and times being in his hand Prov. 21. 1. Psal 31. 15. he might have established our King in all his Dominions and yet given us favour with him and his Parliaments as Gen. 39. 4 5 6 21 22 23. Dan. 1. 6. and bowed their hearts to confirm us in the places which we held 1659. with the means and liberty which we then enjoyed excepting the Kings revenue and some high Offices Neither hath it been at any time such a hard thing for God to better our Estates instead whereof notwithstanding Gods-love to his children which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 19 and that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much with him Jam. 5. 16. c. yet it hath pleased him in his infinite wisdom to afflict Professors in divers kinds wherein he hath not afflicted others yea to afflict us in our worldly Estates and to encrease the means of growing rich to others yea to augment the worldly Estates of others by diminishing ours to deprive us of our Benefices Offices and Preferments to make room for others yea ye know that since 1659. notwithstanding we have carryed our selves not seditiously but peaceably and quietly yet our condition is by degrees and steps grown from good to bad and from bad to worse Which sorry changes of our condition to what others may make a shift to impute them I know not but in my judgment they are to be ascribed to our sins who are called Professors of whom I believe many are not yet born again and many Sons and Daughters have and do by their sins provoke our heavenly Father to chastise and correct them For R. 1. Although the Lord scourgeth every Son and Daughter whom he receiveth Prov. 3. 12. Heb. 12. 6. yet he doth not afflict or grieve so much as one man or woman meerly for his pleasure Lam. 3â— 33. and when he judgeth and afflicteth any of his children his judgements are right he afflicts them in faithfulness Psal 119. 57. because according to his just and wise Method of making men meet to partake of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12 13. there is as Peter calls it 1 Pet. 1. 6. need either because they be not duly careful and diligent to find out their sins or because they be so far from hating sin as they ought as not to be throughly careful to humble themselves for and to cease from some of those sins whereof they be guilty Exod. 34. 6 7. or else for that they do not use due care and diligence to reach and attain some other end which they ought to seek if this clause doth contain any thing which the former clauses do not R. 2. A sinful agreement between Professors About forty years since if the Commonalty did mis-behave themselves and the Magistrates did not punish them for it nor the Ministers reprove them for it this they who were taught of God did look on as a fore runner of Gods wrath even as a sign that it was near at hand The reason of which opinion must of necessity be this that such a conspiracy is too like Jer. 5. 30 31. and doth provoke the LORD of Hosts unto great wrath Acts 5. 9. Which if it be true as I believe it is then we may well receive this for a truth that the nearer we Professors come to such a hellish consent the more probable it is that the wrath of God will seize upon us if it be not already upon us and if it be that this our consent hath brought it upon us or at least as much of it as is peculiar to us And the very truth is the sinful agreement which is between many of us is too like such a conspiracy as the holy Prophet Jeremy in that Chapter ver 30. calls a wonderful and horrible thing For 1. In the time of the Interruption I took notice wherein O. Cromwel and our Parliaments Armies Commitees Commissioners and Assembly of Divines and particular persons Round-heads c. did miss the right and did what they ought not to have done among other things over-recompensing their members for their losses one Father and Son as I have heard with 5000 l. for the pure loss of about or less than 5 l. 2. Since that time the Covetousness Pride and Iniquity of many Professors hath been very considerable 1. Whereof hath been no small part the Fashionmonging of Professors and particularly the gay Lady-like attire and ornaments of shop-keeping women in London But it is said concerning them that London doth allow what other Towns do not It may be so howsoever and although London hath been my Benefactor yet I shall not justifie the proudest of the Londoners in taking an Ell yea or half an Ell or a quarter of an Ell when they be allowed but an inch especially at such a time of Adversity as this is I had rather they would consider seriously concerning Apparel and Ornaments that which is written by Paul 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. and by Peter 1 Pet. 3. 3 4 5. praying and taking good heed lest they be weighed in the ballances and found wanting Dan. 5. 27. it may be to be nothing Gal. 6. 3. lest London be reduced to the state of some other Cities and that they fare as was prophesied Zeph. 1. 8. Es 3. 17. to the 24. 2. The children and servants of many religious Families
meer Formalists and wholly destitute of true godliness which therefore I believe see Marg. 125 126 127 128. 2. I believe God hath and doth afflict many godly persons for all the rest of the ends excepting the 21 and 22. And if any think God hath done it to drive pride out of very many of us I shall readily and chearfully subscribe to that but with this earnest request to every one that is of that opinion to consider as wisely as he possibly can whether he be one of them but whether we shall be exalted or no I know not To speak more plainly True it is speaking in a general manner the sins of the Nation in general may well be looked on as the cause of the common calamities of the Nation But As for the afflictions and grievances which are peculiar to us who are called Professors and Phanaticks the most forcible and prevalent cause of the beginning and continuance of them the strongest impediment of our Petitions for Liberty Peace and Prosperity the causa sine qua non the cause without which things would not be with us as they be and that hath the most considerable hand in with-holding good things from us is I believe the sins of Professors And because men be ap◠to look on the faults of others too much and on their own too little and to impute calamities common to themselves with others in too great a measure to the sins of others and in too small a measure or not in any measure at all to their own sins Therefore I beseech all you who are Professors to use great diligence to find out your sins and to know every one of you in particular what hand his or her sins have had in this evil work Now for the ends whereat our heavenly Father shoots in the Afflictions and Troubles which are peculiar to us I verily believe they be these 1. By them to exercise and try our Faith Zeal for Christ Humility Patience and other graces and our spiritual gifts Lam. 3. 39. c. Heb. 12. 11. Ps 11. 5. Jer. 20. 12. Dan. 12. 10. Zech. 13. 9. Job 1. 2. 1 Pet. 5. 6. that we may know whether our graces be true graces or not c. 2. To make us see the benefits and use of grace and of the assurance of Gods favour more distinctly and clearly than we have seen them in the times of our prosperity 3. To purifie and make us white Dan. 12. 10. Mal. 3. 2 3. 4. To work in us patience and experience of Gods love and gracious assistance and hope a well-grounded and solid hope whereof we shall not be ashamed For tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope c. Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Jam. 1. 3. and to stablish strengthen and settle us 1 Pet. 5. 10. 〈◊〉 we may cleave to our Saviour Jesus Christ with 〈◊〉 purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. and seek for glory and honour and immortality by patient continuance in well-doing Rom. 2. 7. following the Captain of our salvation through thick and thin whithersoever he goeth not being overcome by either fair words or frowns and to make it appear to the world that our Lord Jesus Christ hath such faithful servants which will be unto his praise and honour and glory 1 Pet. 1. 7. and unto the credit of the Gospel 5. By the Rods wherewith God hath been and is pleased to whip and scourge us he calls upon us Mic. 6. 9. To consider our wayes and hearts exactly to accomplish a diligent search to find out our sins and corruptions Lam. 3. 39. 40. Ps 119. 59. and considering what evil and bitter fruits they have brought forth to God and to us to humble our selves under the mighty and correcting hand of God 1 Pet. 1. 6. more particularly and more deeply than formerly and accepting the punishment of our iniquities with the whole heart Lev. 27. 41. 6. To reform our conversings with God and man and our behaviour universally without exceptions or reservations and especially to purge and drive away our pride all this unto the honour of God and the bettering of our spiritual estate and the encreasing of our consolation 7. To learn to use liberty and peace and all kinds of prosperity well Phil. 4. 12. to make better use of them than many of us have heretofore and altogether as we ought to use prosperity 8. To give due diligence which I fear many of us have not yet done to make our effectual Calling and Election unto everlasting life sure 2 Pet. 1. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. and to know assuredly that God is our Father and that those of us who have no true Holiness may exercise themselves more frequently and more seriously in the means to get some 9. It may be God exerciseth some of us by light Afflictions to prepare and fit us for greater and sorer sufferings 2. Tim. 3. 12. Acts 14. 22. Rom. 2. 7. or to press us to cry mightily unto God to prepare the called chosen and faithful spoken of Rev. 17. 14. that so we may have a hand in the ruine of Babylon or peradventure to prepare us or our Children to be members of the Church of Christ when its glory and splendor shall 〈◊〉 that of Heaven Hitherto of 〈◊〉 our Afflictions Now for this that Professors sins be 〈◊〉 greatest hinderance of Professors Petitions for liberty and peace c. I have thought good to shew the Reasons of my belief thus reserving to the last place those which some will look on as having most of reason in them 1. First consider I pray what I have already said Marg. 16. of the Birth iniquity and the unavoidable fruits of it to shew that God hath not dealt unjustly with us in afflicting us but consider further concerning sin in general 2. Every sin is a transgression of the Law of the most high God 1 John 3. 4. which Law because he made it cannot but be holy and just and good Rom. 7. 12. and all his precepts concerning every thing right Psal 119. 128. and for the same reason because he is the Lawgiver therefore whatsoever sin is committed against his Law is committed against him and if I may speak so as they speak of earthly Kings against his Crown and Dignity and the true God being no little God but infinitely great therefore although sins being compared one with another some of them be lesser than other yet the least of them is a great sin and a great evil because committed against a great God Yea beloved as wrongs done to men are judged to merit lesser or greater punishments according to the worthiness Authority and merit of the party wronged whether he be a Constable Justice of the Peace Privy-Counsellor or of some other Rank so whereas all the Nations of the earth compared to God be as a drop of water of a Bucket and as the small dust of the ballance yea as nothing yea as less
is 1 Pet. 1. 6. for a season very bitter pills and potions and very sharp corrosives to purge away the putrified dead and rotten flesh which is in our souls that is send them chastisements it may be sore afflictions and sharp temptations to make their sins and worldly lusts bitter and grievous to them that they may grow weary of them and more desirous to be rid of them and that they may vomit the love of their sins and base lusts out of their souls Rev. 3. 16. Psal 85. 8. Prov. 26. 11. 2 Pet. 2. 22. To make them take better heed to their wayes and reform their carriage more compleatly Psal 119. 71 59 75. 94 12. and to abstain from all the dainties of the wicked Psal 141. 4. and whatsoever is against the health of the soul that they may not need such unpleasing Medicinals c. 2. He is that Refiner of souls of whom it is said Mal. 3. 2 3. Who shall abide the day of his coming for he is like a Refiners fire and Fullers sope viz. to burn up and scoure the spiritual dross and filth out of mens souls and wayes and to make their souls white Mar. 9. 3. And he shall sit as one who will stick to his work to compleat and perfect it as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness Also Isa 48. 10 11. the Lord saith Behold I have refined thee I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction For my own sake even for my own sake will I do it c. And Zech. 13 9. I will bring the third part through the five and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tryed they shall call on me and I will hear them I will say It is my people and they shall say the LORD is my God See also 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. 3. As to fanning John the Baptist Mat. 3. 12. saith of Christ Whose fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner c. R. 3. As the rich man Luk. 16. being ungodly did receive all his good things in this world and godly Lazarus all his evil things in this world Luk. 16. 25. so all other ungodly persons shall receive all their good things in this world Psal 17 14. 73. 3 4 5 6 7. and all godly persons all their evil things in this world Rev. 14. 13. 4. It is more probable that judgment and affliction shall begin at the house and family of God than at those who are not of his family As a man whose great love toward his children is mingled with much heavenly wisdom although he will take care and pains and bestow time to reclaim from their evil wayes all that are under his authority and power yet he will take special care of his children to draw and if need be drive them our of their sinful and vain courses and begin with them as soon as they be able to endure stripes Prov. 13. 24. so the nearer men are to God the more likely he is to visit their sins upon them Amos 3. 2. and to begin with them as he did Jer. 25. 15. to the 29. and 1 Pet. 4. 17. and after they be duly humbled under his chastening hand in due time to cast the rods wherewith he hath corrected them into the fire unless they also do take notice of Gods judgement and cease from their sinful practises Obj. But here it may be many a Professor will say in his heart what is all this to me I hope my sins have had no hand in pulling down Gods wrath c. Answ To such and all other Professors I say If none of you have trespassed in those kinds of sin for which the Lord did punish the old wâ—rld and Hophni and Phineas and David and Solomon yet he may in his wisdom according to his method of humbling and reforming offendors see cause to punish or chastize you and that among other sins 1. For not sanctifying him according to the prescript Rules of his holy word when ye come nigh him As he did Nadab and Abibu sons of Aaron Lov. 10 2 3. 2. For your secret sins As he did those spoken of by Moses Psal 90. 7 8 9. And Achan Jos 7. And Ananias and Saphira Act. 5. 3. And for sins of omission for not doing those things which ye ought to do As he did King Saul 1 Sam. 15. 3. c. and one of the Herods immediately with a horrible death for not giving the glory of his Oration to God Act. 12. 12 13. And Eli a godly man with death by breaking his neck suddenly 1 Sam. 4. 18. for honouring his sons above the LORD 1 Sam. 29. 30. in not punishing and restraining them 1 Sam. 3. 13. for and from their evil practises And Asa a godly King for not relying on the LORD his God and not seeking to him 2 Chron. 16. 7. Our Saviour also in the time of his humiliation did look round about on many persons with anger for their sinful silence Mark 3. 4 5. And Paul did pray God that the sin of the Christians at Rome in forsaking him and not standing with him at his first answer might not be laid to their charge 2 Tim. 4. 16. And all the sins mentioned Mat 25. 42 43. as sins which shall be charged on the damned in the great day of Judgment are sins of omission as not visiting and not relieving it may be because so many do make so light a matter of such sins and because so many Professors do make so light a matter of them therefore I have thought good to speak the more of them 4. God may judge you for sins which are comparatively little and in the eyes of many of no very gross appearance As he did Moses against whom the anger of the LORD was kindled and ye see for what Exod. 3. 4. especially Chap. 4. 14. yea the LORD met him and sought to slay him Exod. 4. 24. and Numb 20. 10 12 24. Deut. 34. 4 5. Psal 106. 32 33. ye see why Moses and Aaron died and could not bring the congregation of Israel into the Land which the LORD gave them So also God dealt with Miriam Numb 12. and those who looked into the Ark of the LORD 1 Sam. 6. 19. and 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 6. 6 7. 1 Chron. 1. 3 9 10. and the Prophet which came from Judah 1 King 13. Mr. Walter Cradock who was a right godly man and an excellent soul-Preacher was of this opinion that of all the Professors which are damned the greater part are damned for little sons and the abuse of things indifferent 5. God may judge you for your old sins the sins of your youth suâ—h pâ—radventure as ye your selves have forgotten or think God haâ—h forgiven as he
doth punish wicked persons for the sins of their youth Job 20. 11. and as he made Job to possess the iniquities of his youth or childish age Job 13. 26. See Jun. Trem. and the Assembly men on those two places and Job 14. 17. Also David saw cause to pray unto God not to remember the sins and transgressions of his youth Psal 25. 7. 6. As God sent a famine of three years for a sin of King Saul long after his death 2 Sam. 21. so I believe he may chastize a man for the sins which he hath committed in the time of his unregeneracy long after the time of his second birth especially if he hath not searched duly for them or not humbled himself daily for them or doth not walk humbly with God 7. God may judge you for sins capable of such excuses as many of us possibly think to have a pretty deal of reason in them As he did not only King Saul 1 Sam. 13. 1. to the 15. Chap. 15. but also Moses Numb 20. Psal 106. 32 33. see before and Uzzah 2 Sam. 6. 6 7. and 1 Chron. 13. 9 10. and the Prophet which came from Judah 1 King 13. 8. God may deal severely with those of you who are really godly for your sins As he did with Moses Aaron and Eli see before and with David 2 Sam. 12. c. and with Heman who was afflicted and ready to die from his youth up mark that and while he suffered the terrors of the LORD was distracted Psal 88. 15. But read and consider al the Psalm 9. God may punish or chastize us for our sins notwithstanding upon admonition we do confess we have sinned against him as he did not only King Saul 1 Sam. 15. 24 25 26. but also David notwithstanding he did so confess 2 Sam. 12. and much more than that Psal 51. 10. God may judge us for our other mens sins I mean for the sins of others imputing them to us because we have not instructed connselled admonished and reproved them or not corrected them according to our duty not done what God called us to do and which we ought to have done to keep them from sinning For why is it said Jos 7. 1. that the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing when Achan only had trespassed personally Study this matter seriously I beseech you for there was a time when the number of faithful men was very small Psal 12. 1 2. Prov. 20. 6. Jer. 23. 28. Prov. 27. 6. And now I do testifie and say that notwithstanding this dispensatiâ— calls upon all professors especially those who take upon them as Ministers of the Gospel to deal faithfully yet I have not observed many signs of thâ—â— measure of faithfulness which the state of things calls for 11. God may judge us for our sins concerning things indifferent apparel hair c. As he did those Zeph. 1. 8. who were cloathed with strange apparel See the opinion of Mr. Cradeck a little before at 4. Do not Professors yet know that London is destroyed Consider I pray you whether the gay Lady-like apparel of Shop-women did not help to bring the pestilence into it to destroy thousands of the Inhabitants and afterward the Jesuit-like policy and too gallant fashions of those who were bound in a special manner above others to reprove the Lady-shopwomen and ought rather to have apparelled themselves with sackcloth or like plain Yeomen whether this did not strike the Ministers out of the gap Ezek. 22. 30 31. 2 Sam. 24. and keep it open for the fire to enter into the houses to burn them 12. I believe the Lord may afflict a very godly man in his worldly estate according to the proportion of the ill gotten goods which he possesseth although he himself hath not gotten any part thereof by sinful and indirect means nor knows that any of his friends did so get any part of it 13. I also believe many professors and some godly persons do either take little or no notice of some of their sins or else make too light a matter of them and hereby make them the more ugly in the most pure eyes of God and provoke him the more to scourge them 14. It is probable that our wise God when he purposeth to vouchsafe his people great prosperity or they do expect to be highly exalted that then he will chastize and scourge them if milder sufferings will not prevail sharply and not cease scourging them sorely till he hath wrought among them a great Reformation suitable to such an exaltation For it is a great absurdity for them to look for such a change without taking care to reform themselves and their inferiors accordingly One thing of another sort c. which peradventure may be of some good use God did send two She-bears out of the Wood to tear forty and two of those little children which mocked Elisha the Prophet with his bald head 2 King 2. 23 24. And thus I have shewn you in part the method after which God hath disciplined his people of old the greater paâ—t whereof I have declared by examples in the holy Scriptures Part. 4. Fourthly now I shall set before you an argument ab homine 1. This my opinion that Professors sins be the most powerful and effectual hindrance of the liberty and peace of Professors and of their prayers for it I have held at least two years during which time my God hath not so much as caused me to stagger concerning it notwithstanding my prayers unto him concerning my affairs and concerning this business in particular 2. Notwithstanding I have published this my opinion at divers meetings in Bristow yet none of the Professors of that City as far as I know or have heard have either first or last declared their dislike of it although they had time and opportunities enough before I left that City to do it 3. I think he was a godly Minister of Christ who from 1 Cor. 11. 30. did infer that where there is much sickness there is much sin and that he might as well have said where there is much Affliction c. 4. John Price a godly Citizen of London but a Native of Hereford being one of them who lost much by this Revolution since 1659. not long before his death it may be being then more sensible of his own failings and the â—ailings of other Professors than formerly did in his Letter unto me write of them who have been called Roundheads and of the change of their Estates and among other passages use these very words The truth said he is We have been full foolish froward and wanton and almost spoiled for want of correction So he verbâ—tine Heb. 11. 4. 5. An eminent Minister of Bristow who preached his Farewel Sermon in August 1662. called Mr. E. H. when I spake of the duty of reproving sins said It is generally neglected Which I think he would not have said if he
which hath been upon us and our Brethren by Nation and Religion the Pestilence the Sword the horrible burning of Houses and the losses and sufferings which are peculiar to professors as also the late prodigies are Messengers sent of God not only to warn men out of their sins but even to fear and drive them out Es 26. 9. 27. 7 8. 9. Psal 94. 12. 119. 67 71. which Messengers and him who sent them if we hear not this our turning of a deaf ear to our Creator and most bountiful Benefactor and to his Messengers whatsoever the sins be to which we cleave adds much to them and greatly provokes Gods wrath against us Quest But what if much of a mans disposition and behaviour under the rods of God be point blanck contrary to that which God calls for by them and even to that good whereof afflictions are not much less than a natural cause and which men in such cases are somewhat apt to do As if when men are cast out of a sufficient Estate into a very low Estate and without any certainty of a competent maintenance for them and their Wives and Children if then they should be very high-minded and full of mirth and jollity Answ Verily I cannot but think this cross carriage doth provoke the great God who formed all things greatly Beloved This is a day of trouble and of treading down and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of Hosts in one of the valleys of Vision wherein the Lord GOD of Hosts calls to weeping and to mourning the Prophet adds and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth And behold joy and gladness Es 22. 5 12 13. Plainly God hath brought many of us into a low Estate of whom some are not lowly they do not lie lowâ—â— it He hath deprived many of us of much of our worldly Estates and brought some of us out of a high and plentiful Estate into a very low and needy Estate without a certainty of worldly things necessary for us and our Wives and Children by which he calls not only for the humbling of the body but also for humbleness of mind and for mourning and weeping yea men are apt in such cases to mourn and weep and to speak as if their hearts were not haughty yea some of us have bewailed our low Estate to men it may be to God also and spoken of Imprisonments Oppression c. And yet notwithstanding all this behold joy and gladness in abundance smiling and laughing and jollity and pride as if they were sure of a very high estate to morrow Jam. 4. 13 14. Prov. 27. 7. And Non-conforming Ministers as if they had been counselled by Balaam a little before the burning of London apparalled and adorned instead of plain Yeomen like gallants and such a Ministers wife not vouchsafeing to take the pains to teach her own children Was that so because that part of hâ—r gown which did sweep the dust was longer than the whole tail of a Peaâ—hen or because she was proud 5. By transgressing a holy just and good Law and trespassing against the God of heaven and earth who gives us all the good things which we have by polluting his blessed Name and doing all the evil works before mentioned Marg. 60. for a very trisle as a very little profit peradventure not worth a half-penny or a very little ease or a very little pleasure unless our hearts be monstrous base or to please the company it may be profane wretches And this many of us do not duly consider how great an aggravation it is 6. By sinning without any occasion or any Tempter excepting our selves and the pride folly and naughtiness of our own hearts As that Minister who kept his stock of pride when he lost his Benefice although he had not learning enough of any sort for a wise man to be proud of it Occasions of sinning do call for milder dealing See the Geneva Tr. Gal. 6. 1. 7. By not making use of the power which we have in resisting evil examples and evil counsel and inward motions before they break out in our speeches and actions by not reforming those things which are in our power as our tongues and bodies by not abstaining from the sins which it is in our power to abstain from as vain idle foolish unseemly speeches and the like and by not doing the duties which it is in our power to perform as the instruction and correction of our children and servants and the like and although very much of this might be done without any considerable inconvenience Many of us do not so much of it as might be so done 8. By making a small matter of great sins and of small sins nothing 9. By making a light matter or nothing of our own sins because other folks be greater sinners than we 10. By slighting or worse than slighting the counsel admonitions and rebukes of God by his Preachers and our illightened and awakened consciences and by quenching the spirit 1 Thes 5. 19. Is this our making no good use of such things as these nothing Is thy keeping of thy sins against God's Word in the mouths of the Preachers and the checks of thine own conscience and the good desires and purposes stirred up in thy heart by the good Spirit of God is such a keeping of Gods enemies so near thy heart nothing How long shall he who is the Judge of all the earth stand at the door of thy heart knocking for admission Rev. 3. 20. 11. By the repugnancy opposition disagreement or whatsoever it should be called which is between our exorbitant behaviour and things whereby we should be moved to behave our selves better Of which things 1. One is the high and great dignities to which we are exalted especially to be children of God members of Christ's mystical body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5. 30. Christ's Friends Joh. 15. 14 15. and coheirs with Christ of the Kingdom of heaven Rom. 8. 16 17. For what said Nehemiah Chap. 6. 11 Should such a man as I flee Who is there that being as I am would go into the Temple to save his life I will not go in And so should we say should such as we are sin against our good God who is there that being as I am would sin to save his life By God's help I will not sin Qu. But what if we do but think we are such Ans Yet we should abstain from sinful practises the rather in regard of the high conceit which we have of our spiritual estate and if we do not that conceit doth exaggerate our iniquity 2. The promises vows covenants leagues and it may be oaths general and particular which we have made or entred into to God or men or both especially if without compulsion Deut. 23. 21. Eccl. 5. 4. Psal 66. 13 14. Psal 119. 106. Psal 50. 5. especially some of our covenants 3. Our specious and large forms of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5.
The Sermons of some are indeed too trim and gaudy Nimis pleni Flosculis c. and the prayers of some too long Mat. 7. 21. 4. Our words in prayer and conference savouring and making a shew of much holiness faith humility meekness mortification sobriety patience zeal courage heavenly mindedness and contempt of worldly things love of God affiance in God As Sauls 1 Sam. 14. 38 39 40 41 42 43. and Jehu's 2 King 10. 15 16. Many a professors conversation answers some of his speeches very poorly 5. Our being almost singular and alone in our zealous or earnest defence of the morâ—ality and perpetuity of the Lord's Sabbath This greatens the iniquity of our taking no more care to keep it wholly holy and to spend it wholly on God's service and the soul according to the Commandment 6. Our judging Governours of the Common-wealth and Church it may be with bitter and railing speeches for not using fit means to refâ—rm the whole and in the mean while doing the same things our selves Rom. 2. 1 21 22 23. viz. in not contributing to a universal Reformation what we might in seeking with due care and diligence to reform as to Religion and good manners and civility those small parts parcels and particles which are under our own power and government our own wives children and servants â—ea such as do not rule well their own families will blame others for not ruling well theirs 7. Our straining at a gnat and swallowing half a camel scrupling or making conscience of a very small matter it may be that which is nothing no sin at all and not abstaining from fâ—wler practisâ—s Mat. 23. 24. Mark 7. 1. to 6. Joh. 18. 28. yea I doubt some professors do pretend that this or that is against their coâ—science when â—n very deed it is not 8. The high esteem and conceit 1. Which every one of us hath of his own way in Religion O how excellent my way in Religion is in comparison of all other wayes whether thou beest called a Presbyterian or c. if thy way be the best of all wayes take heed thou be not worse than the worst Saint that walks in it Gal. 6. 3. 2. Which many of us have of our personal endowments graces and spiritual gifts prayers O how great a measure how high a height of grace faith c. some think they have attained Methinks I hear some speaking like the Pharisee Luke 18. 11 12. God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as yonder Cavalier or as yonder Conformist and others like the Wardens Omnia bene or the Christians of Laodicea Rev. 3. 17. I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing When indeed they be wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked at least in câ—mparison of many of their fellow-professors and their conversation very irregular 9. The strong and confident expectation which some of us have of an eminent and speedy exaltation I hope it is without a purpose to â—ebel against any King excepting that evil one who is mentioned Rev. 9. 11. which expectation calls to such Expectants for a suitable reformation of their behaviour and to use all good means to reform their wives and their sons and their daughters and their men-servants and their maid servants and the strangers who are within their gates Prov. 22. 6. Exod. 20. 10. that they also may be fit to partake of so great prosperity Prov. 22. 29. 10. Gods exceeding great condescension and humbling of himself Psal 113. 5 6. in waiting that he might be gracious to us Isa 30. 18. and not so long since in as it were stooping to us yielding to our prayers to preserve protect and deliver us yea in doing more than all this for us when very many of us were very great sinners and did not yield our selves to him and humble our selves before him so as to be throughly willing and duly careful to abandon all our sins universally And this hath greatened and doth greaten our iniquity 11. Our low estates do call to many of us for meekness and lowliness of heart and to some with a loud voice instead whereof there is much pride and stateliness 12. Our sins may be aggravated by returning to our vomit 2 Pet. 2. 18 19 20 21 22. Are not some of us like the Dog which is turned again to his vomit and to the Sow which is washed to her wallowing in the mire Have not some professors after they had escaped the pollâ—tions of the world and a considerable time abstained from them have they not after this turned again unto folly Psal 85. 8. Psal 125. 4 5. And do not very many of us in religious exercises especially Fasts by the mouths of the Speakers confess our sins and bewail our folly in committing them which is an inferior way of vomiting them up and afterward practise them as formerly And is this in your sight nothing Verily whatsoever it is in your eyes I think it to be a greatening of our sins and an addition to our provocations What said Mr. Walter Cradock at a private Meeting A Whelp coming into the Room vomited before us and after a while licked up again what he had vomited Whe eupon There is a Sermon for you quoth he And by all these Particulars the iniquity of Professors is or may be aggravated 13. The iniquity of some Professors is exaggerated by their unwillingness to see their sins or to have others to take notice of them Whence it is that they do not take due care and use due diligence to find out and take good notice of their sins As a Constable not being desirous to apprehend a Thief will either not at all search for him or search negligently But it may be some Professors do declare this their unwillingness to others by being displeased and angry with those who tell them of their sins And what is the cause of this their anger Sure the cause is naught For they ought to esteem a reproof a kindness as David did Psal 145. 5. 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. But men cannot endure to have their friends ill spoken of Therefore also it is that some when they see their sins yet will not seem to see them yea it may be when their consciences do tell them that the Preacher means them yet they will not seem to be of the same mind with their conscience Like Dr. Ferne who when it was intimated to him that he was aimed at would whine out He doth not mean me He doth not mean me And so sometimes it comes to pass that the Preachers words be heard in vain 1 Cor. 6. 1. 14. Our sins are also greatened by God's wrath and vengeance upon others Dan. 5. 18. c. but especially upon our selves and others at home and abroad by Sea and by Land in City and Country by the Sword Pestilence Fire c. We ought to hear Rods of
according to the Rules of Gods word which a godless man is not throughly content to do but would rather buy a pardon with one or two of his Children than to part with all his sins and the sweet fruits of them Which kind of liberal dealing with God how unacceptable it is to him and how unavailable the holy Ordinances which he hath commanded be with him without reformation of our wayes ye may also see if ye have hearts to understand in Es 1. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. Es 66. 3 4. and Am. 5. 21 22 23 24. I pray read and consider seriously all these Verses Friends I may well speak unto many of you in another â—ense as the LORD speaks to his people Es 58. 6 of letting the oppressed go free For ye do oppress some of the Truths which ye have received into your minds but not the love of them into your hearts Ye do hold them as those Rom. 1. 18. in unrighteousness ye do keep them in prison I beseech you let them all walk at liberty let them prevail in your words and deeds practice them in your houses in your shops in the streets and as there is occasion in all places and companies behave your selves according to those truths which ye know constantly Without this as ye may desire and not obtain bâ—cause ye ask not so ye may ask and not receive because ye ask amiss Jam. 4. 3. Yea without this Reformation ye may use all the holy Ordinances of God externally and that constantly and neither your persons nor your services be accepted with God For God will not receive bribes I cannot tell you of this too oft Phil. 3. 1. But fourthly to speak somewhat more punctually 1. Say in thy heart If the King of Saints be with us why are we thus For the fault is not in God he is rich in grace and abundant in goodness and truth Exod. 34. 6. and waiteth that he may be gracious Es 30. 18. nor in high Priests Intercession the father heareth him always and as for hâ—s protecting of us all power is given to him in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28. 18. Why then are not the Plowgears cut asunder or the Plows thrown to the hedge Why are we still under the rods of the Almighty Surely the fault is in us the cause is our sins it is by reason of our sins 2. Consider who they were that when they were imprisoned said we are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he be sought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress upon us Gen. 41. 21 22. and what woman when her Son was dead said unto Elias Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son 2 King 17. 17 18. and who said unto the Mariners Jon. 1. 12. I know that for my sake this tempest is upon you and who when our Saviour told his Apostles one of them would betray him said Lord is it I And who asked that question last That was Judas Mat. 26. 21 22. 25. Consider I say these persons and thy self What hand thou hast had in pulling down wrath on the Nation or on Professors Psal 19 12 13. and beg very earnestly of God to direct thee to judge rightly of this matter 3. Consider whether thou beest one of them that did heretofore as many Professors did abuse and not make such use as they ought to have done of their Liberty Peace Means Authority and opportunities of doing God and his people service and whether thou be one of them who in the time of their prosperity did not consider pity and shew favour to the sufferers of that time especially the conscientious ones as far forth as they were in duty bound so to do For it is probable God will chastise us for abusing and not making aright use of his blessings by depriving us of them 4. Because we have not Rules by which in all cases to discern clearly for what sins we are corrected therefore I counsel thee to search thy heart and ways all over and to call to mind and consider thy behaviour even from thy Childhood and that very diligently to find out the several kinds of sin wherein thou hast trespassed and thy trespasses in them together with their aggravations as particularly and fully as thou canst making use in this search of the holy Scriptures especially Psal 51. 5. Es 3. 16. to the end Ezek. 22. Eph. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. Tit. 1. 15. Mat. 5. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 28 34 35 36 37 38 39 44. 15. 19. Mark 7. 21 22. Rom. 1. 28 29 30 31 32. 1 Cor. 5. 8. 6. 9 10. 11. 14. 2 Cor. 20. 21. Gab. 5. 19 20 21 22 23 24. Eph. 4. 25 26 29 31 32. 5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 18 21 22 23 25 28 29. Phil. 22. 3 4 5. c. ver 21. Col. 3. 5 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20. 6. 1 2 3 4 5 6. 1 Thes 5. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. 6. 8 9 10 11. 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Tit. 2. 2 3 4 5 6 9 10 11 12 13. Heb. 13. 16 17 18. Jam 3. 10 13 14 15 16 17. 4. 1. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10. 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. 1 John 3. 18 17. Rev. 2. 4 5. 3. 1 2 3 15 16 17. 21. 8. Rom. 12. 2. 14. 21. 1 Cor. 8. 13. Why not also of By fields Catalogue of sins or the like books and of the exemplary behaviour of the best Professors that thou conversest with It may be sometimes it would be wisdom in thee to take their silence at thy words for a reproof of them And be sure because it is a very difficult thing for a man to understanding his errours Psal 19. 12. to imitate Job chap. 13. 23. requesting the God of knowledge to make thee know and understand thy sins and transgressions 5. Consider thy sins together with the afflictions which God hath sent thee either alone or joyntly with others for so we are to understand the considering of our ways Hagg. 1. 5 6 7 9 10 11. and thinking on our ways Psal 119. 59. viz. of considering our doings and the events of them and take good notice that that Commandment in Hagg. 1. is repeated and consider why it is repeated which I judge is because it highly concerns men to consider their doings and the success of them and that seriously that they may turn their feet unto Gods testimonies Psal 119. 59. and because many be so slow to consider them c. 6. I advise thee as thou findest out thy sins to confess them bâ—fore the Lord against thy self and that thou hast walked contrary to him and also that he hath walked contrary to thee and
this Luke 13. 1 2. 3. Mortifie all the members of the old man the flesh with all the affections and lusts even all thy ungodly lusts Col. 3. 5. Eph. 5. 24. For this work some of Dr. Prestons Sermons are of very good use 4. Give due diligence to be exercised under the chastening hand of God to the bettering of thy spiritual estate Heb. 12. 10. 11. 5. Draw near to God oft Psal 73. 28. Jam. 4. 9. viz. to hear his word by prayer but be sure when thou drawest nigh to him to sanctifie him I mean to testifie to thy own conscience the high account which thou makest of his Holinest by thy holy and reverend usage of the holy things which I take to be the sanctifying of the LORD Lev. 10. 3. See how they be like to fare that do draw nigh to the LORD and not sanctifie him v. 1 2 3. 6. Seek unto God to work for thee and thy brethren seek his favour and help but seek it according to his will revealed in the holy Scriptures that he may hear thee and thy brethren Hos 5. 15. 6. 1 2 3. 1 Joh. 5. 14 15. 7. Let thy heart be prepared unto this work Psal 10. 17. yea and thy wayes also But if thy heart be thy wayes will And here consider 1. When the peoples hearts were prepared then God hearkened to Hezekiahs prayer for them and healed them in respect of their discomforts fears and discouragements 2 Chron. 30. 18 19. 2. Jotham King of Judah became mighty because he prepared his way before the LORD his God 2 Chron. 27. 6. Remember this 3. If a man doth purge himself from his wood and earth he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 20. 21. All of you remember who said When the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth Luke 18. 8. Stir up faith in thy own heart and in the hearts of thy fellow-professors to look on and expect better times as if they were visible to the eyes of the body or coming within a few leagues of us and wait for them with patience Heb. 11. 1 13. Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21 22. 8. 25. and shew thy self resolute and couragious when there is cause as if thou wert in no danger Let it appear before the sons of men that thou trustest in God Psal 31. 19. I shall now speak of some things which I think may conduce more to the bettering of thy estate than some it may be think they do 1. Train up thy children and servants to the uttermost of thy abilities in the way wherein they should go Prov. 22. 6. 2. See that thou canst render a good reason for all the parts of thy Non-conformity 3. When thou prayest be sure to serve God in thy prayers and to pray for God Prov. 16. 4. I mean with due respect to his honour and glory and aiming at it Jam. 4. 3. 4. Apply thy self to God with earnest prayers and bearty thanksgivings for the Church of God the Nation the Governours of it the Parliament forreign Plantations the People of Christ in all Countreys converted and unconverted and enemies and persecutors if there be any It may be God doth not grant the requests which some make to him for themselves because they do not love and pray as they ought for others even their enemies Mat. 5. 44. Luke 23. 34. Act. 7. 60. And as for our King who knows whether he be come to these Kingdomes to do very much good for the Church of God 5. Receive no manner of person as a Brother because he is against some of the things of the Church of England but rather learn how to behave thy self towards Familists Ranters Triumphers Quakers Swenkfildians 2. Tim. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 10 11 12 13 14 15. 2 Joh. v. 10 11. Jude v. 10 12 13. 6. Think it more necessary to amend thy manner of praying and fasting than to make long prayer or to pray or fast ofener Friends I would gladly have you all amend your conversation and walk more accurately and precisely Give me leave to put you in mind among other things of that which may possibly move you so to do 1. What if ye knew good cause to be confident that ye should have liberty and peace and worldly prosperity and be freed from all grievances and that God would not at all punish or chastize you for your sins Would it then be to your hurt to amend your behaâ—iâ—ur upon the admonition or request of an old man and to fill his heart with gladness at the age of 72 For in the sight of God it is good so to do Mic. 6. 8. And the Proverb saith Every thing is the better for the amending and the wisdom which is from above is tractable easie to be entreated Jam. 3. 17. viz. to do that which is good in God's sight tending unto his honour or the good of any of hâ—s people Yea the Lord doth require of me and of all you to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3. 18. to make streight paths for our feet Heb. 12. 13. to walk circumspectly accurately precisely Eph. 5. 15. to cause our moderation and other graces to be known to all men Phil. 4. 5. and to let our light to shine so before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our Father who is in heaven Mat. 5. 16. What 's become of this Light where and when shines it Verily the light of many Professors is a very dim light and scarce visible in their conversings excepting the daily pract se of their forms of Godliness and a few other good words at times We had some not long since who were called new Lights of that kind of Lights I desire no more but such as John Baptist was burning and shining lights Joh. 5. 55. such as burn inwardly with true zeal and shine outwardly by and in good works Also the great God commands us to wash our selves so as to make our selves clean to put away the evil of our doings from before his eyes to cease to do evil and learn to do well c. Isa 1. 16 17. and our most dear Friend Jesus Christ teacheth us to do singular things more than others Mat. 5. 47. and tells us plainly that except our righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 19. And how must it exceed their righteousness chiefly by believing in Jesus Christ and by purging the heart from all spiritual 〈◊〉 and by judgment and mercy Mat. 23. 23. Why Friends the ungodly man in Mic. 6. 6 7. speaks of himself as content to purchase God's favour and a pardon of his sins at a very great price only he speaks not of leaving his sins and doing his duty beyond whom ye must go in being thoroughly content to part with your
what a day will bring forth Prov. 27. 1. Jam. 4. 13 14. I shall notwithstanding shew you as near as I can when the end of our sufferings will be I believe our most gracious and wise God will put an end to them 1. When that which letteth our prayers and deliverance is taken out of the way as 2 Thes 2. 7. Which I believe to be our sins See Marg. 30. c. 2. When we are taken in the snares which God hath laid for us Will a man take up a snare from the earth when he hath taken nothing at all Amos 3. 5. Now he who is one of Christs people is taken in his snare of affliction when he is by it and Gods word brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. and made willing to receive and follow all his counsel 3. God will do it for us in due time which is when he hath attained all the ends whereat he shooteth in afflicting us See Marg. 20. c. 4. When we hear the rod and him who hath appointed it Mâ—cah 6. 9. that is have taken notice of the message of the Rod and are fully resolved to do what God requires of us by it 5. When we are fittingly exercised by and under our Crâ—sses and do make such use of them as we ought so that they do yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness to us Heb. 12. 11. to Christ and to his Church 6. When God doth with our chastenings teach us out of his Law Psal 94. 12. 119. 59. that which by the voice of his chastenings he calls us to learn out of it so as to do it See Marg. 27. c. The cause ceasing the effect will cease 7. When it agrees with Gods faithfulness and justice to forgive us our sins which is when we confess and forsake our sins c. Prov. 28. 13. Es 1. 16 17 18 19. Es 59. 20. Hag. 2. 18. And for examples Noah being a just and perfect man found grace in the eyes of the LORD for himself and his Family when very many millions of of men were drowned Gen. chap. 6. chap. 7. chap. 8. Jacob and his Family having great cause to fear the wrath of their Neighbours and of God also God commanded them to go up to Bethel and to dwell there whereupon Jacob cleansed his house of Idols and then journeyed and the terror of God was upon the Cities that were round about them so that they did not pursue after them Gen. 35. 1 5. When the LORD had with much ado won Moses to undertake as many would have accounted it a very dangerous service then he comforted him with this that all the men were dead who sought his life Exod. 4. 19. And when the Israelites at Gods call went out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses and Aaron not a dog did move his tongue against any of them nor against any of their beasts Exod. 11. 7. And what did God promise Israel in Exod. 34. 24. even that not any man should desire their land when they should go up to appear before the LORD their God thrice in the year But Solomon speaks indefinitely saying When a mans ways please the LORD he maketh even his enemies 〈…〉 with him Prov. 16. 7. 8. God will put a period to our troubles when we are so humbled under the Almighty and chastizing hand of God as to resolve throughly to forsake all our sins and to cast all our care upon him being cotent to live at his finding and upon his allowance under his dispensations of prosperity and adversity Jam. 4. 10. 1 Peâ— 5. 6 7 10. A man is never fully humbled under the Kingdom and Power of the Almighty till he be so minded 9. When we are throughly well prepared and meet to receive of God what he hath in and at his right hand to give us See a little before For an exceeding rich man will not keep in his own hand a piece of silver which he purposeth to bestow on a very poor man a long time after he he sees he is come nigh him and in a fit posture to receive it c. viz. standing before him quietly with a sober countenance with his hat in his hand c. But if a poor man whom a rich man calls to him should come proudly dancing laughing and grinning and stand before him one while on his right leg another while on his left leg one while turning his face towards him another while his back playing with his Buttons and talking proudly saucily and malepertly to him it may be this kinde of behaviour would cost the poor man the learning of better manners before he should receive any Alms excepting sharp and chiding words of him Neither do I see wherefore we should expect to have the most high God deal more indulgently with us but for our good to reject our prayers till we have learned how to come unto him and how to behave our selves before him and that as touching both the outward and inward man for he knows all the secrets of the heart 10. God will ease us of our afflictions when according to his wise Discipline there is as Peters Language is no need of them 1 Pet. 1. 6. Now medicinals of the body when they have wrought that work in or on the body for which the Physician or Surgeon useth then then they cease to be needful Mat. 9. 12. And even so chastisements and corrections when God hath attained all his ends for which he sends them then they are needless But here we must know that God may seek his own honour and aim at the promoting of his own causes yea and the good as it were of his whole Church in afflicting one single person as ye may see in 2 Cor. 1. 3. to 12. and if ye study seriously in many other Scriptures 11. God will relieve and help us when the Holy Ghost hath burnt up or washt away or blown away the corruptions and ungodly lusts which are in our hearts Mat. 3. 11. John 3. 5 6 7 8. When God hath purged away our sins and iniquities and driven us out of our evil wayes by our chastisements and afflictions Es 27. 9. Zech. 13. 9. We must be rid of the naughty things which are in our hearts and wayes 12. When we are become throughly meet for the Masters use and well prepared for every â—ood work 2 Tim. 2. 20 21 22. 13. When we have learned to seek God duly and diligently and in the Faith of being raised up to turn from our sins and to exhort and encourage one another to turn unto the LORD Hos 5. 14 15. with 6. 1 2 3. Come now and let us reason together as it were face to face I shall speak to a few to many to all of you Why is there so little speech amongst us of reforming Professors Why do we who are Professors so seldom reprove Professors I assure you it is not through want
whole heart See Lev. 26. 41. 2 Chron. 12. 6. Ezra 9. 5. c. Neh. 9. 33. Mic 7 9. 6. Whatsoever good things thou hast or good works thou dost to give the glory with the whole heart to God 1 Chron. 29. 10. c. Act. 12. 21 22 23. But to get humility to make thee yield and stoop to God and to walk humbly with God and men 1. Consider seriously 1. The infinite dignity and worthiness of God his infinite greatness holiness wisdom and power and his perfect justice and his great bounty toward thee 2. Thy being dust and ashes and thy sinfulness and what thou hast deserved time after time by breaking his holy just and good Law 3. What I have already said of pride and humility 4. Look not too much on thy own good things graces and spiritual gifts nor further than thou hast good cause on the sins and defects of others 5. Look on the good things of others Phil. 2 4. 6. Know also and consider that to say within thy heart As things be or are like to be it will be a wiser part in me to keep this or that sin than to keep God's commandment wherein he forbids it to say this in thy heart at any time whatsoever is to make thy self as we use to speak wiser than God to prefer thy wisdom before the wisdom of God which is horrible pride And yet this thou sayest with thy heart and God hears its voice whensoever after considerable deliberation thou art resolved to transgress the Law of God Mark 6. 26. And if any man thinks his love toward God is great notwithstanding his dissolute conversation to such a man I say Go and learn for thy love is nâ— larger than thy obedience 7. Converse much with humble persons 8. Pray unto him who is able to cloath thee with humility 9. Decline no mans company for fear he should reprove thee for thy pride but if there be any man near thee who is likely to tell thee of it be sure to converse much with him Brethren the pride and I fear the proud Apparel and orâ—aments of some of our Intercessors at least Professors did hinder them from making up the Hedge and thrust and keep them out of the Gap so that they could not stand there before the LORD and that thereupon the Pestilence did enter into London and that the sinful dumbness Ezek. 3. 26. or silence and Gastant-like ornaments of some others did strike or keep them out of the Gap and that thereupon so many houses were fired in London If any of you do not understand my language let them consider together with the pride and other sins of Professors these Scriptures 1 Tim. 2. 9. Ezek. 22. 30 3. 1 2 Sam. 24. 1. c. Jer. 7. 18. Ezek. 13. 5. Ezek. 3. 36. Which fear of mine whether it be altogether right or not howsoever ye know that some men and women be of great power with God Gen. 32. 24. c. Hos 12. 3 4. Exod. 32. 10. c. Ezek. 14. 14 Jam. 5. 16 17. and that the Professors have not yet prevailed with God to destroy any of the Plows but only to stop the horses or Drivers c. Psal 129. 3 4. So that for ought ye know the Plows be not yet legally destroyed for lack of more Intercessors as Sodom was destroyed for want of a few more righteous persons at the most not above nine Gen. 18. 32. And would it be wisdom in us to suffer England to be destroyed or the Plows to be drawn over the backs of Professors again for want of more power with God Gen. 32. 24. Hos 12. 4. Not so Friends I pray you but as when the Harvest is plenteous and the Labourers few we must pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth Labourers into his Harvest Mat. 9. 37 38. So when there is need of great strength by which we may have power with God then it stands us upon even for our own sakes to turn as many as we can to righteousness and to wind up as many as we can to a very great height of faith and holiness that they may be Princes and men of great power with God that they may prevail with him for themselves and the houshold of Faith For we know not how much help we have need of and a little true strength will help somewhat But the truth is as in the Reign of Hezekiah the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves than the Priests 2 Chron. 29. 34. So some of our Jacob-like plain men Gen. 25. 27. may by their prayers prevail more with God than some of our fine-tongued men who to some seem to be Princes and Pillars Not very long since many Professors did slight and make small account of the Old-Testament-Saints and of the old Puritans of England I would to God we had many more such as many of them were For many are called but few chosen Mat. 20. 16. and of them who are chosen few are Princes with God Friends I have now in part shewn you what notwithstanding the free grace of God is the best way to kill the devil I beseech you therefore even all Professors by the mercies of God at all times in the day time in the night when ye are at home when abroad when alone when in company when alone with God remember the Reformation of Professors and to the uttermost of thy duty and opportunities do whatsoever thou canst I speak to every one of you in particular by instructing exhorting admonishing reproving encouraging in preaching in conference in prayer and by being a holy and good example to others to reform and amend thy domesticks children servants c. brethren and sisters parents near neighbours inferiors c. and universally all the Professors of England To enliven the dead and awaken them who sleep to open the ears of the deaf and the eyes of the blind to heal and strengthen the feeble legs arms and hands of the lame and lamish to lift up the hands which hang down to quicken slow-bellies and to stop the mouths of unruly and vain talkers Consider therefore your wayes Hag. 1. 4 5 6. that is what you have done and how and what you have left undone and the issue of all This consideration is required especially in a time of Adversity Eccl. 7. 14. And coâ—sider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Heb. 10. 24. and to dehort from unfit deeds and speeches For many do look on some of their own sins as no sins c. And do this for women as well as men for women have souls to save as well as men though many of them walk as if they had not If the Humiliation Reformation Prayers and Families of Professors generally were such as they ought to be their Humiliation real serious extraordinary their Reformation extended to all their doings their prayers effectual fervent prayers and their Families like
For some will be most likely to mind thee of thine when thou mindest them of theirs 12. When thou art so happy as to hear Christ speaking unto thee by such a Preacher as Mr. Wroth was do what thou canst to be where he may take good notice of thee that if there be any Fault in thy conversation he may mind thee of it For I remember upon a time when Mr. Cradock and I heard Mr. Wroth Mr. Cradock stood just before him and after told me he had done it because he knew if Mr. Wroth had taken notice of any Fault in his behaviour he would have minded him of it before he had ended his Sermon 13. When thou art rebuked for any sâ—n take good heed of justifying or excusing thy self further then thou canst shew some very sufficient cause lest thy Friend be discouraged from doing the part of a faithful Friend to thee another time Psal 119. 75. Prov. 27. 5 7. 2. Stir up in your hearts a comfortable expectation of better times and a holy desire of the Churches welfare and zeal for Christs honour This may move you to be the more serious diligâ—nt and in amending every one himself and others as many as he can 3. If thou dost desire to be exalted be humble and resolve strongly by Gods help to walk humbly when thou shalt be exalted How to get humility see before Marg. 185. 4. Acknowledge and bewail thy spiritual weakness and want of ability to reform thy self without the strength of Christ John 15. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5. and seek unto God for strength 5. Stir up your selves to trust in our Lord Jesus Christ for his assistance and for good success in seeking to reform Mat. 28. 20. and let prayer be joyned with every part of it Phil. 1. 19. and 4. 13. c. yea request others also to pray for the same 6. Hear gladly Ministers of reproving Ezek. 3. 26. I mean such as will reprove the sins of Professors c. 7. Hearken to the word of the Kingdom attentively and consider it seriously and be sure to take good notice of thy own portion especially if it doth concern the reforming of any part of thy behaviour 8. Use all good means to nourish Faith For that is of very great use and force in this business Acts 15. 9. Gal. 5. 6. 1 John 3. 3. and 5. 4 5. 9. Quench not the good motions which the Holy Ghost is pleased to stir up time after time in thy heart 1 Thes 5. 19. especially desires to have thy corruptions mortifyed and purposes to strive against them but do what thou canst by reading meditation conference and prayer to nourish augment and strengthen them 10. Pray unto the Almighty earnestly to strengthen thee with strength in thy soul Psal 138. 3. and to cleanse thee from secret Faults Psal 19. 12. 11. Compare thy wayes with the ways of the best Saints living and dead especially of Jesus Christ Mat. 11. 20. 1 John 3. 3. and set the Lord alwaies before thy eyes c. This may excite thee to imitate c. Consider well 2 Cor. 3. 18. Isa 6. 1. to 8. 12. Take heed continually to thy wayes according to the word of God Psal 119. 9. Be sober and watchful Luke 21. 34. 1 Pet. 5. 8. and when evil motions do arise in thy heart deny them speedily Tit. 2. 11 12 Practise this I pray thee 13. Make use of these Scriptures Heb. 12. 13. Eph. 5. 15 16. Mat. 5. 48. 2 Cor. 13. 11. 14. For the meaning and use of these Directions let such as doubt enquire of able Ministers 15. Of some special Meetings what is fit to be done at them c. 1 1. Let Ministers and some other fit persons meet sometimes apart by themselves 2. Let all these give due diligence to be exemplary in their conversation to be excellent patterns fit for other Professors to imitate 3. At those meetings let it be considered That the carriage of many Professors is so full of sins of Omission and commission that there is just cause of admonishing them thereof for their own good God's honour and the good of the Church that some of their sins do tend more than others to God's dishonour and more discredit Religion and more provoke God's wrath that some Professors be blind some lame or lamish some dumb or as it were tongue-tied some dull and heavy and slow some proud some too full of mirth and jollity some worldly and covetous some peradventure covetous three wayes some asleep or not thorougly awakened some stark dead in trespasses and sins meer Formalists and that for some of these evil qualities some Professors be affected with them in a greater measure than others Also at such Meetings let it be resolved what fit means shall God willing be used by this company to heal and reform such Professors but to deal with them all as their states require See 1 Cor 4. 21. Eph. 5. 14. 1 Tit. 1. 11 12 13. 2 Cor. 13. 2. and that special care shall be taken to find out and quell and beat down those sins which do most irritate the Almighty and most weaken and hinder prayers in regard of the sin it self or its aggravations and that every Professors heart may be set against his dearest sin which is that which he doth most favour and most spare and least or not at all strive wrestle and fight against To that effect Edward Green and rightly Gal. 5. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 11. which setting of the heart so against that sin is a sign of true grace Let it there also be concluded who of those that use to meet with this small company be fit to be reproved or admonished and of what fault and who of this small company shall deal with M. and who with N. c. and what tending to the reformation of Professors every one of them shall perform and by what times and that they will all of them hearken to hear and know the issue of their endeavours former and latter as Jeremy did Chap. 8. 6. that they may proceed as there shall be occasion Let it there also be concluded that due care shall be taken by this small company to destroy and remove the causes and occasions of the irregular conversation of Professors such as are I think ignorance unfaithfulness carnal and worldly fear diffidence not trusting in God carelessness and negligence not considering our selves and others c. pride covetousness voluptuousness not content with enough c. sinful silence and holding our peace at the fault sone of another luke-warmness and want of zeal for Christ and his Church These are part of the causes c. in Ministers and others Nay 't is true To which may be added preaching without due consideration of the Hearers that 's worthy to be mentioned twice and without due preparation And as to Ignorance my experience and charity tells me that even some Preachers be in part ignorant of the doctrine
for great faults yet he reproved her And so did God for one fault reprove Sarah Gen. 18. 15. c. and Jacob Gen. 35. 1. and Moses and Aaron and Jehu the Prophet Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19. 2. and Paul Peter Gal. 2. 11. c. and an Angel John Rev. 19. 10. and 22 9. Beside 1. It may be this or that Professor doth practise more sins than thou knowest of He may favour his secret sins 2. Being reproved for one sin that reproof may occasion him to take notice of other sins which thou knowest not of 3. Howsoever reproof and instruction concerning one sin is a good way to keep him from making a Trade of many sins yea of any one sin If thou thinkest thy self wiser than Jehu the Prophet and Paul yet take heed of making thyself wiser than Christ for thou must stand before his judgment-seat and he is a righteous Judge and will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts and condemn I fear many Professors for idle words and the like small sins which they do seldom or never particularly grieve for or confess and ask pardon of which is an Argument that they do in their hearts make small matters of them and the way if I may so speak to make God look on them as foul matters Which I hold very fit to be thought of and this also that it is a very wretched thing for a man who thinks himself wise to suffer any one of his fellow-Professors to be damned for one sin Another may say I do say nothing to such a Professor because he is a Dog or a Swine Mat. 7. 6. A. What a Professor and a Dog or a Swine Either of these is a very heavy charge with which we must not without a very good ground load any of those who have gotten the name of Professors no nor of them who have not neither Repl. If he be not a Dog or Swine yet if I should reprove him he would be angry with me and not receive the good counsel which I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him A. Art thou sure of that Who told thee so Did he himself at any time tell thee so Where is thy Charity or of what kind is it For Paul speaking of true Christian Charity saith that it hopeth all good things and thinketh no evil 1 Cor. 13. 5 7. to wit of others without a sound and sure ground Take heed of proving thy self nothing ver 1. 2 3. Verily if a man should tell me he would not receive instruction I think I should not absolutely believe him It may be he might be displeased and angry with me for a while and afterward his second thoughts might be better although I have known when I think a Captain and a Lieutenant have fairly endured my stout and blunt reproof in an Inn in London for swearing For I said unto them Gentlemen what are ye who thus transgress the Laws of God and the King by swearing We know not what success we shall have 180000 chosen Warriors of Judah and Benjamin being assembled together to fight against the ten Tribes yet when they understood it was the Lords mind that they should depart every man to his house and not fight against their brethren they hearkened to him and without any more ado returned to depart according to the word of the Lord 1 King 12. 21 22 23 24. Also when the people of Israel and the Priests and the Levites had mingled themselves with the Heathens c. although the hand of the Princes and Rulers were chief in this trespass yet Ezra the Priest prevailed with them to put away their strange Wives and their children born of them chap. 9. and 10. and Nehemiah prevailed with the Nobles and the Rulers and others to leave their Usury and Oppression and to make restitution chap. 5. Neither do we find that Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar were displeased with Daniel when he told them what would come upon them Dan. 4. and 5. Why then should not I and others hope that God will give us good success when we go in the fear of God and with an upright heart about this business Why not that very many will prove like David who if the righteous would smite him with wounds of reproof would receive them as a kindness and as a precious Medicine which would help to heal his soul so we are to understand Psal 141. 5. My charity tells me that Professors do trespasse in some sins and particularly concerning Ornaments of the body and other things indifferent ignorantly not knowing that they be sins or acting rashly without due consideration of which if they were admonished I cannot but hope a great part and it may be some who are thy near neighbours would receive instruction and reform Therefore pity Professors and do the best thou canst to awaken them and to open their eyes and to help the lame to walk Apol. But some of the offending Professors are my Friends and some my Benefactors I live by their Benevolence and good will and for that cause I do forbear their sins A. Do you so What are you Are you a Christian What is that then which you profess Is it carnal self-love and self-seeking If it be so then your silence doth not belie your profession But it may be you think you do love them who love you as the Publicans did Mat. 5. 46. And is this thy kindness to thy Friends Why man thou oughtest to minister spiritual things to them especially who minister carnal and worldly things to thee for that is one of the Obligations which are upon thee Yea Friend if thou seest the Ass of thine enemy lying under his burthen thou oughtest surely to leave thy business to help him and if thou meet the Ox or Ass of thy enemy going astray thou oughtest surely to bring it back again Exod. 23. 4 5. and canst thou see the soul of thy Friend who loveth thee and thou pretendest to love him canst thou see his soul going astray and not cake some care and pains to bring it back again and see the soul of thy Benefactor lying under a burthen of sin and forbear to help it Is this true love and true Christianity not to take so much care and pains to help thy Friends soul as thou oughtest to help thy enemies Ass Surely I know not where this is true Christian love unless it be beyond the Antipodes or where all the people be Heathens For as for Christians they ought to have more respect to the souls one of another than to the bodies But alas Friend all this while I have not remembred that which thou and I ought in all our dealings with Professors principally and above all other things to regard to wit the honour and interest of our most dear Friend Jesus Christ Mat. 6. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Canst thou perswade thy self to neglect him also whom thou oughtest to respect above all the Creation
and when Reproofs come entertain them with such a spirit To which end I counsel thee who art a Professor 1. To stir up in thy heart a real and earnest desire to know more of thy sins and of the dangers and evils of them 2. To request and entreat Professors Ministers and others to speak to thee of thy sins and to tell thee that they be thine and to reprehend thee for them Say in thy heart as David Psal 141. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness c. 3. When any man or woman reproves thee remember that it is his or her duty so to do So that thou mayest very well say as David said of Shimâ—i 2 Sam. 16. The Lord hath bidden him and who shall then say unto him wherefore hast thou done so 2 Sam. 16. 10 11. 4. Exercise thy charity in believing that he reproves thee out of true Christian love aiming at thy good and the other worthy ends before specified For this is one of the effects of charity 1 Cor. 13. 5 7. 5. Remember that it is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of Fools Eccl. 7. 5 〈◊〉 open rebuke is better than secret love and that the wounds of a friend are faithful Prov. 27. 5 6. To a wise man love hidden and not manifested is in most cases little worth O that there were such a spirit in all our Preachers as was in Micaiah 1 King 22. 23. and in all Professors as in David to take reproofs as he did Psal 141. 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. Then our Preachers would be far more frequent and bold in reproving than now they be and speak plainly not suffering Professors to proclaim themselves Gods enemies by going on still in their trespasses Psal 68. 21. and Professors would take a reproof as a kindness and for it love the Reprover which would be a sign of grace in the persons reproved and would be followed with a happy amendment of such Professors wayes Yea if Professors do request their fellow-Professors to mind them of their faults and really resolve to take a reproof as a kindness then if some of their fellows and friends shall neglect them it may be God will do them much good by the upbraiding harsh and bitter words of an enemy For he can bring good out of evil Howsoever a great Reformation would follow and that with humility would in due time bring a great exaltation much prosperity 1 Pet. 5. 6. Obj. But what said one unto me lately What said he if other Ministers will not become Reprovers Ans What if Lot were living again in Sodom yet he would be righteous and say I pray you brethren do not so wickedly Gen. 19. 7. What if the Israelites would serve false Gods yet Joshuah and his house would serve JEHOVAH Jos 24. 15. What if all flesh hath corrupted his wayes upon the earth yet Noah will be a just and perfect man and a Preacher of Righteousness and walk with God Gen. 6. 9 12. What if a Priest doth only see the man who is wounded and left half dead and a Levite doth only look on him somewhat more than the Priest but neither of them go unto him and seek to heal his wounds yet be thou like the Samaritan who went unto him and bound up his wounds poured in oyle and wine c. Luke 10. 30. c. Be thou I say like the Samaritan shew thy self a true neighbour to those Professors whom Satan hath wounded and who have wounded themselves have compassion on them and shew mercy to them If others will not do their duty yet do thou thine and do it thoroughly and God will bless thee Take courage I say and do thy duty and the Lord shall be with the good 2 Chron. 19. 11. Deo gratias July 26. 1667 FINIS The CONTENTS THe Exordium To margin 2. This being a time of some evils we are to consider marg 2. Point 1. What the evils of it be marg 3. to 6. A profitable Digression marg 7. P. 2. That none of them came upon us without God For he is Almighty and present in all places and knoweth all things and all our times are in his hands c. marg 11. to 15. P. 3. That in afflicting us he hath done us no wrong but punished us less than our iniquities deserve For we were born altogether flesh and all our graces are imperfect and our best works mingled with corruptions dwelling in us We do all offend in many things marg 16 17. and the least of our sins deserves Hell marg 30 31. P. 4. That God hath afflicted us in wisdom and for good and fit ends marg 18. P. 5. Why and for what ends he hath afflicted us marg 18. c. a. For what ends he afflicts men marg 19. to 25 b. For what ends he afflicts Professors c. marg 25. to 29. c. That the most prevalent cause of our afflictions and the strongest impediment of our petitions against them is our sins marg 26 30. to 54. and one of his ends in afflicting us to humble and reform us marg 28 94 124. I. What manner of Judge God is c. marg II. The method and severity which he useth in afflicting men marg 36. to 54 80. III. What sort of persons it is most probable he will punish in this world and where begin judgment marg 41. to 46. Reasons why we should impute our afflictions to our sins A. Our iniquity is great Psal 25. 11. 1. Before the Law under the Law and in the primitive times of the Gospel Gods Covenant-servants and even godly persons did trespass not only in little sins but also in gross sins marg 33. to 36 126. 2. Our spiritual enemies are as dangerous now or more dangerous than of old time marg 35 36 126. 3. This is part of S. Pauls perillous times of Formalists marg 36. 4. â—â—â— is probable that Churches of all sorts have corrupt members in them and that some godly persons have committed gross sins in our days marg 32. to 35. 5. A sore testimony concerning some Churches marg 85 86. 6. Many of us are 〈◊〉 Formalists whose behaviour cannot but be full of iniquity marg 58 96 97 125. to 128. 7. Five very considerable sins of Professors Ministers and not Ministers m. 80. 8. Other dangerous sins of Professors Ministers and not Ministers m. 84 to 87. 9. Sins relating to the Gospel m. 79. 10. Want of brotherly love and unity c. marg 11. Excessive drinking marg 240. 12. Partaking of one anothers sins a very dangerous consent between Professors marg 78 79 84. 13. Some of our sins are greater than many of us take them to be marg 35 53. 14. How our sins be aggravated marg 59. to 79. 15. Every sin is great and deserves Hell marg 17 30 31. 16. Our tempting of God marg 146 147 148. An Exhortation marg 149. 17.