is by another from whom in some small things hee may dissent For if such censures may bee on all hands admitted as current proofs I fear wee shall finde few iâ— nocent through the whole Land Of contrary opinion its impossible to hold both and in matters of practice which are under debate wee must either do them 〈◊〉 leave them undone And thus we cannot avoid the appearance of being on one side which be it what it will the contrary part the most rigid of them at least will be apt to stile it a Sect and those Sectaries which adhere to it because not thorowly siding with them And how the most Catholick-spirited Christian can well please both is not easie to conceive displease them hee may far easier It is not my business now to enquire into the nature of those things wherein we differ so to attempt a dicision who is in the right and who is in the wrong and thence to infer the equitableness of Liberty to any sort of men upon supposition of their being in the right But it is enough for my design to suppose what methinks should not by any that are sober and charitable be denied me to wit 1 That at present the conditions of access to the Ministry are of that nature that it 's possible for good Men Conscientiously to dissent from them And 2 That there may lawfully bee such abatements made as these Dissenters will comply with 3 That notwithstanding the differences that may after this remain in opinion wee may live together in love and joyntly promote the Great ends of the Gospel From which premises I presume it is a very fair and natural inference That such who will sincerely apply themselves to the advancing of these Ends and will engage not to break the Peace about any inferiour points wherein they differ ought not to bee look't upon as Factious and Schismatical nor as such to bee hindred from imploying themselves to the best advantage for the honour of their Lord and the benefit of his People Let him then onely bee accounted Schismatically inclin'd who for the propagating of his own by-opinions and the advancement of his Party will neglect and contradict the weightier duties of Religion not looking so much to the saving of souls as getting himself Proselites undervaluing censuring and abusing all that are not 〈◊〉 his own way for such as these be they who they will and let them pretend what they will I open not 〈◊〉 mouth in their vindication but will rather heartily joyn with our Letany in praying that from all such Schisme in Opinion affection or practise the Lord would deliver 〈◊〉 and from those who are incurably tainted therewith the Good Lord deliver both this and all other Churches through the Christian World If it should be demanded by what farther note we shall know the Factious from those that are not so since fine words and fair pretences are a very fallible and insufficient Criterion To such I answer That Justice and Common Reason will tell us that the professions promises and oaths of men must be taken for the 〈◊〉 discovery of their hearts and intentions till they shall have utterly forfeited their credit and when it shall be evident not by general charges of whole parties 〈◊〉 by particuler proof that any have done so let them never more be trusted till their Penitence and Reformation may have redeem'd that forfeiture yet let not the Innocent suffer for their sakes nor let them be thought to agree with them in all their miscarriages who may agree with them in a particular Opinion which is the 〈◊〉 uncharitable censure that can be except it may be prov'd that those miscarriages are inseparable from thâ—â— Opinion If any man should attempt to murder 〈◊〉 Pope upon pretence that he is not Head of the Church the Guilt of his Fact is not chargeable upon all that 〈◊〉 of the same Opinion since this attempt was not the necessary consequence of that Opinion but of the weakness of his discourse or some carnal Motive Why theâ— should the peaceable bear the blame of other mens disorders which they could not help nor did contribute 〈◊〉 But if there should be any who whilst they zealous â—â—veigh against all parties shall yet be found so solliciâ—us for their own that they will admit of nothing as a â—est of peaceableness and Piety but the profession of compliance with them even in those things which are â—he grounds of difference I fear this their course will â—â—e so far from being serviceable to the recovery of the Churches Peace that it will prove one of the greatest â—â—structions of it that could be thought of And if such shall be jealous of all that refuse the conditions they offer them as if they went about to set up for themselves and will accept of no protestations to the contrary but â—ill endeavour as far as they well can to keep them out â—f a capacity of doing God service least they should undermine some interest of theirs they do too plainly â—â—ll the world that they have got something which they â—alue at an higher rate than the propagating of the Gospel and saving mens souls since by their good will nothing shall be done in this work but by those who will â—arry on those other ends of theirs This is such a Demonstration as meer pretences to the contrary are too weak to confute But happy will it prove for us all if â—nce we become so wise as to believe that there is no greater nor truer self-interest than to be faithful to the Cause of our Common Lord and diligent in his service according to our several capacities So that all â—hey who own themselves in Commission under him may desire and imploy their power to no other end than 〈◊〉 procure obedience to his Laws for which purpose alone his Servants are Authorized as the King Deputes Officers to see his Laws executed This is their Office and their Honor to be the happy Instruments of bringing many souls to know and accept of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour as it is the business and the honor of 〈◊〉 Embassador to accomplish those designs of his Prince for which he received his Commission and instructions whereas to neglect these for some private ends of 〈◊〉 own would speak him rather a Factor for himself 〈◊〉 a Minister of his Prince And when Christs Ministers do heartily believe this they will never have a jealous of knowledge and godliness by whomsoever they 〈◊〉 furthered and spread as if they could receive prejudice thereby since then it will be their only desire 〈◊〉 greatest delight that these may thrive and they 〈◊〉 will joyn their industry with them in this blessed worâ—â— cannot but be dear to them notwithstanding any lesser differences betwixt them Holy Paul rejoyc'd in that Christ was preacht even when it was done by some 〈◊〉 of no good principle and why was this but because 〈◊〉 that he propos'd to
should be stopt no sooner and both are so strange arguing a more than ordâ—â— providence that we may reasonably infer that he who said to the proud flame You shall come no farther did also say to them Hither to shall you come So that we may fuly allude to that of the Prophet Isa 66.15 The Lord is come with Fire and with his Chariots like a whirlewind to render his anger with fary and his rebukes with stâ—mes of Fire And if be granted that it was the Lord who brought this evil upon the City it will not then I hope be questioned but he hath justly done it with none I am sure but with Atheists will it be questioned For he who denies Gods Justice doth in effect deny him to be God that is a Being infinitely perfect Moreover such is Gods gracious and merciful nature that we may be assured he is not delighted in his Creatures sufferings which he never inflicts but for some just and weighty cause yea I may say which they scarce ever undergo but when they foolishly and wilfully pluck them upon their own heads Strange it is that Man to whom Self-love is a natural and inseparable property should contrive his own ruine or if you say it is not ruine that he purposely contrives yet as strange it seems that hee who is endowed with Reason whereby he is capable of knowing the nature and attending to the consequences of things should so greedily embrace the cause and will not be driven from it whil'st he hates the effect and would fain avoid it But as strange as this seems and as great a blemish as it laies upon humane nature yet most true it is and too strongly confirmed by daily sad experience Fain would men separate what the unalterable Law of the Creator hath joyned together Sin and Misery and though they know or may know that they cannot have one without 〈◊〉 other yet will they venture upon what they love the 〈◊〉 certainly attended with that which they cannot end 〈◊〉 and so most justly They eat the fruit of their own 〈◊〉 are fil'd with their own devices Thus it is in the present case with eagerness and delight have we procur'd 〈◊〉 our selves those evils which wee bitterly lament Weâ— that ran so earnestly to quench our burning houses with our own hands set them on fire We that are now in so perplext and destitute a condition have even wilfully plung'd our selves into these difficulties for in the settled course of Gods government of the world there is as great a connexion betwixt sin unrepented of and sore judgements either in this life or the next as betwixt throwing Granado's into an house and its being thereby burn't to the ground Yet mistake me not as if I thought that they who suffer most are the greatest sinners and that the City was so much more wicked than the Country as its sufferings are greater But only this I dare safely say that Sin is the great Incendiary of our Land the Traytor and Destroyer that hath done us so much mischief even the sins of all and therefore hath a Judgement besaln us wherein there are few but are concern'd either for themselves or relations or at leastwise as members of that Commonalty which suffers so greatly and those particular persons upon whom it hath faln heaviest though there may be many that have deserved as ill who perhaps fare better than they yet have they no reason to think that they have far'd worse than they deserv'd God himself directs us in our enquiries after the cause of such calamities Deut. 39.21 23 24 25. When any should ask why the Land was made like Scâ—â—me and Gomorrah Brimstone Salt and Burning the answer was to be returned because they had forsook the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers This Apostacy from God is the usual cause of the destruction of Kingdomes So Isa 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned for they would 〈◊〉 walk in his waies neither were they obedient unto his Law wherefore we may well say This evil is of our selves our own drings have procured all these things to us If now you ask mee What doings what sins those are which have provokt God thus speedily to repeat his â—ashes I answer They are even such as I have before made a rehearsal of and which I shall not now particularly enlarge upon but especially our continuance in and revolting to these sins as it were in despite of those remarkable Judgements which have been employ'd to turn us from them The Pride and Covetousness the Whoredomes and Drunkenness which have abounded amongst us our cruel Animosities and Divisions Uncharitableness and Oppression Contempt of God and Godliness prophanation of Lords-daies and neglect of his Ordinances and Worship such as these are the doings which have brought our miseries upon us But which is the grand aggravation of all After we had been â—â—ricken for these sins were we grieved and reformed Nay rather have we not revolted more and more Did we in our affliction acknowledge our offence and seek the face of God Did we return to him that had torn that he might real us to him that had smitten that he might binde us up Dr rather were we not like Jerusalem of whom God complains Zeph. 3. That being filthy polluted and an oppressing City she obeyed not the voice nor received correction being â—njust they knew no shame and therefore hee made their Streets waste that none post by their Cities were destroyed there was no Inhabitant Were not the fears we before mentioned of a return of all kinde of impiety too prophetical Where alas â—ould there be any thing seen amongst us after the heavy stroak of the Plague was somewhat lightned that deserved to be call'd a Reformation How few were put to a stand thereby and brought to consider and 〈◊〉 their waies Though they saw their neighbour 〈◊〉 friends cut off before them yet did they not still 〈◊〉 on in their former careless and prophane course Wâ—â—â— considerable notice was there taken of the hand of God Did not the most who out-liv'd the Plague shew 〈◊〉 their sins out-liv'd it too did they not fall in agâ—â—â— with the very same violence and unconscionable eagâ—â—ness they were wont to the pursuing of their worldâ—â— designs As if their greatest trouble was that they 〈◊〉 been so long interrupted in their gainful trading and well if the trade of sinning was even that while intemâ—â—ted Or if there were some who by the apprehension approaching death were frighted out of some grosâ— sins and into good purposes yet did they not soon turn to their old bent like streams whose course 〈◊〉 been for a while damm'd up Many it is to be fear'd who in their trouble sought God presently forgate 〈◊〉 when that was removed and forgot the promises the made to him of newness of life and better obedience in
and all other graces of the Spirit and in these it is the Life of Religion most of â—â—lies And lastly see that you do but keep up your heart and affections for external duties and you will find yâ—â— selves not so straitned of time be your imployment what they will but you will have leisure for the performance of them so far as God hath engaged you then to nor shall you find this performance any such his drance to your business in the world as carnal men 〈◊〉 wont to imagine Keep your hearts heavenly and earthly imployments will be no prejudice to you spend noâ—â— idlely and you may redeem time for Gods service with out any prejudice to your imployments And as for your incapacity of relieving the necessicous the same answer in a manner may shew that neither upon this account have you much ground of trouble For 1. So far as God by his Providence hath disabled you for works of Charity he requires them not at your hands nor will blame you for not doing them no moâ—â— than a lame man shall be blamed for not walking 2. Every condition hath its proper duty and you contentedness in a low estate will be as acceptable 〈◊〉 God as your liberality when in an higher and more pleatiful 3. You may notwithstanding your poverty maintain a charitable spirit your heart may be as large though your estate is not and if it be so you shall be never theless regarded nor rewarded by God What we 〈◊〉 in the Gospel of the Widows Mite may inform us that they who do what they are able and earnestly desire to do more shall be reckoned amongst the greatest Benefactors and dealt with as such otherwise it would go â—ll with the best of men since a Peter himself may sometimes truly say Silver and Gold have I none 3. You had need to look well to your hearts that they deceive you not in this case for so much of discontent â—s you find in the absence of riches so much selfishness â—here is in the desire of them since that proceeds rather from a love to the things themselves than from any â—ind to glorifie God with them For if this be that you â—im at why do you not glorifie him by acquiescing in his Providence that hath remov'd them You may best discover this by reflecting upon your carriage in the daies â—f your prosperity for they who did not then improve â—heir Estates for God desire them back again it s to be â—ear'd for their own ends rather than his glory but if â—ou were so wise as to honour God with your sulstance â—hilst you enjoyed it this may be abundant ground of satisfaction to you in the want of it For 4. You are to consider that you are but Stewards â—f the gifts of God whose business it is to keep a faithful account and make a diligent improvement of whatever Talents you receive and therefore you must wholly leave it to your Lords pleasure what you shall have â—nd how long it shall remain in your hands Why should â—â—e servant be concern'd how much stock his Master allows him to Trade with Be it little or much what 's the difference to him so he be but careful and faithful in that he 's entrusted with Nay lastly if in good earnest â—â—u regard your selves but as Stewards of all you posâ—â—st that must be accountable for the same methinks it should be but little trouble to you to have your charge â—â—d burden lessened Certainly its easier to give an account of a small Estate than a great one whatever 〈◊〉 may think of the matter And though we should refuse no pains for our Masters service yet so far as he thinks 〈◊〉 to ease us we have no reason to be displeased at it Object 3. Some again may tell me which is the laâ—â— Objection I shall here take notice of That the affliction they have met with have occasioned their repining and discontent and cast them into great despondencies and distrusts 〈◊〉 therefore according to my own arguing have been exceeding hurtful to them and given them very great cause 〈◊〉 sadness In answer whereto 1. I grant that sin indeed doâ— hurt to any soul where it s entertain'd and brings alâ—â— with it just ground of sorrow and so far as 〈◊〉 have given way to sinful passions you have cause for 〈◊〉 miliation which you are chiefly to manifest by ender vouring to repel and banish them from your breast and not go on overwhelming your selves with one grief 〈◊〉 ter another upon pretence of repenting for the former 2. But pray you fee that you pass your Censure 〈◊〉 right and then you 'l easily find that it is not of Godâ— dealings with you but of your own unsuitable carriage under them that you have ground to complain Whatever distempers of mind you have been cast into the have not so much proceeded from any outward cause 〈◊〉 from your own weakness and misapprehensions otherwise the same cause would produce the same effect in 〈◊〉 but you know there are many instances of such who hâ—â— undergone more than ever you did without any such 〈◊〉 sturbances in their breasts or irregularity in their behaviour Yea lastly So far have Gods Providences been frâ—â— causing the distempers which may now appear that thâ— have rather tended to their removal by discovering thâ— which were bred before but lay more secret and undiscerned till this occasion You will not say that the touchstone makes the Gold bad whilst it shews that is 〈◊〉 Nor do wars and dangers make men Cowards but manifest some to be such In time of prosperity the heart â—â—ten secretly cleaves to the Creature and yet is scarce â—spected to do so but when adversity comes and beâ—aves it of its Darlings then doth this immoderate â—â—e break out into immoderate grief as change of â—r sometimes stirs up those humors which before lay 〈◊〉 in the body Whilst the world was flowing in upon 〈◊〉 those spiritual distempers were hatcht and nouâ—â—t which may most of all shew themselves upon its â—ing out The excess of Creature-love which possesâ—â—h us soonest when the World smiles most upon us is â—â—t corrupt Fountain whence those many bitter streams 〈◊〉 unruly passions flow as love to God is the Source â—â—d Spring of all other holy affections Fitly may it 〈◊〉 said of you that stand mourning over the Funerals of â—â—ward comforts what the Jews said of Christ when he â—â—pt over Lazarus's Grave Behold how they loved them â—nd indeed the love we bear to children or friends is â—dome so much felt or exprest as at their Funerals The bitter and passionate lamentations which David â—â—kes for Absalom 2 Sam. 18.33 do very plainly reâ—al what kind of affections he had for him But now was not Absaloms death nor Joabs hand that slew him â—â—ch less the Providence that permitted both which was â—â—â—e accus'd as the cause of all this sorrow but his own â—â—dness which he
be saved in quietness and confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.15 Or if the outward afflictions should still remain upon you yet there is in some sense a way made to escape whilst you are thus made able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 Lastly Consider how by your unseemly dejection under the hand of God you may do very much to the prejudice of the Christian Religion which you profess heartily to believe and love What will the Atheist or what will the prophane scoffer say when they shall see this So sottish and malicious they are that if they do but see you in affliction they are straightway scornfully demanding Where is now their God But what will they say if they should hear you your selves unbelievingly cry out Where is our God Will they not be ready to cry This is the Religion they make such boast of which you see how little it does for them in a day of extremity They talkt of promiser rich and precious promises but where are they now Or tâ—â— what purpose do they serve They said they had a treasure in Heaven what ails them mourn so then if their riches bee there And carnal worldlings will bee drawn to think that whatever fine talk you might have about God and Heaven your hearts were most upon the same things that theirs were since your grief for their removal is as great as theirs They know by experience what a stay it is to the heart to have an able faithful friend to depend upon or to have hopes of a great estate shortly to fall to them and they 'l never be perswaded you have any such ground of comfort if they see you as much cast down as those that pretend to no such matter By this means the precepts of Christ to constancy and contentment in all estates will come to bee lookt upon like those of the Stoicks only as Magnifica verba Brave words but such as are impossible to bee practis'd and the whole of the Gospel will be taken for an Aiery notion since they that profess greatest regard to it are no more helpt thereby Oh what a shame is it that Religion should in this case make no more difference betwixt man and man That it should not do I say Yes surely it will where ever it is in truth and power For does not the essence of it lye in the souls being brought off from the world and self-will to the love of God and subjection to him Wherefore so much submission to his will so much holiness and religion there is in the soul Oh Sirs these though they make not such a noise and shew in the world are better differences of a godly man from a wicked than any outward profession and performances though these also may have their use and excellence Wherefore shew to the world what ever their common censures are that it is not so much your care to differ from them in some by-opinions and little strictnesses as in humility meekness contempt of the World and heavenly-mindedness And now let these graces display themselves by your chearful patient deportment under all your grievances And labour you to chear up your poor Neighbours and let them know what an unit and foolish thing it is to be so much concernd for these things whilst there are ten thousand times greater offered to their choice and above all see that your counsels are backt by your examples This will force an adoration from beholders and make them take knowledge 〈◊〉 you that you have been with Jesus Your belief and confidence in the promises of the Gospel being thus â—â—de manifest will honour them and him that made them and may put others upon enquiry what it is in Religion that produceth such notable effects As the brave â—â—d undaunted behaviour of Primitive Christians under 〈◊〉 hardships and cruelties drew many Heathens first 〈◊〉 admire after to search into and embrace Christianiâ—â— If these things bee well weighed you cannot but knowledge that the patience and calmness I am â—swading you to is much more for your interest both Soul and body than the contrary temper And if this granted need I say any more to men of common son to direct or exhort them which to pursue and brace And so much for the fourth particular 5. Farther reason for and help to this holy frame 〈◊〉 may finde If you will but take an impartial view of â—â—se many mercies which are still vouchsaft you the consignation whereof may instruct you how unreasonable and dis-ingenuous it is to have your eyes so fil'd with tears for and your mindes so possest with the thought of what you have lost that you should overlook and forget what you have left Especially when the mercie yet left are so very considerable as yours are both Temporal and Spiritual Is it nothing do you think that your lives are preserved though your livelihood be lessened This was promised to Ebedmelech as a great favour that his life should be given him for a prey Jer. 39.18 And doubtless Lot took it for such when the Angel rescued him from the flames that consum'd his City When he was bid to escape for his Life we read not oâ—â— any Goods that he carried along with him And thought this preservation was more signal to him as Noah's also was in that the rest of the Inhabitants were destroy'd yet is the mercie never the less to you for having maâ—â— more to partake thereof but you have cause administrâ—â— to blesse God not only for your selves but also on thâ—â— behalf of your neighbours friends and relations whereâ—â— as Lot himself did not altogether enjoy this priviledge his Sons in Law perishing in the fire and his Wife â—o looking back upon it Her fault it 's probable being that which I am wishing you to avoid viz. That she had longing minde after her House and Goods instead of thankful heart for her Life wherefore remember Iâ—â— Wife But yet you know some there were though blesse be God but a few that lost their lives in the late Conflagration and that neither you nor yours were of thâ—â— few you owe it to free mercie and owe for it the heartiest thankfulness If then it be true what Truth hiâ—â— self hath told us that the life is more than meat and 〈◊〉 body than raiment have you any reason to repine which the better is preserv'd though the worse should noâ—â— But farther I suppose there are very few if any of yâ—â— stript so bare as not to have food and raiment whâ—â— whilst you have you are commanded to be content and have reason to bee so you may see both 1 Tim. 6.8 Jâ—â—b's ambition went no higher than for Bread to eat and Clothes to put on Gen. 28.20 and have not you â—ese still What though they be plain and homely if they supply the necessities of nature and keep you fit for the works you have to do in the world what do you â—eed from them more Reason