Preservation in dispersions God sets his Mark not only on them that mourn for the evil done in Sion but them also that mourn for the evil done to Sion Brine preserves meat God keeps his People in brinish salt tears There were many that lived to see the Temple ruined and repaired as you see in Ezra 3.11 but it appears by their tears and weeping that they had their hearts much upon the former Temple and it upon their hearts not as if all the mourners were preserved but many mourners were and none but such have any ground to expect it 2. It notes Restauration after their Dispersions 1. They shall meet in their own place and places again No matter how far removed though cast out to the uttermost part of Heaven God will gather thence Nehem. 1.9 He will bring them from the East and gather them from the West he will say to the North Give up c. Isa 43.5 6. No matter who lies in the way nor how strong they are that holds them Jer. 31.10 11. He that scattereth Israel will gather and ransome him from the hand of him that is mightier than he 2. They shall meet in their Solemn Assemblies again I will gather and bring to their Folds Jer. 23.4 I will feed them upon the Mountains of Israel in a good and fat Pasture Ezek. 34.12 13 14. God will build Jerusalem and gather together the Out-casts of Israel Psal 147.2 They shall take down their Harps and have a naile in God's holy place 3. Nay this Gathering implies some Restitution for the losses of their Mercies I will settle you after your old Estate and do better to you than at the beginning Ezek. 36.11 As 1. There shall be more purity in Ordinances than formerly They shall not defile themselves any more with their Idols nor detestable things Ezek. 37.23 11.16 17 18. 2. More Glory Hag. 2.7 9. I will fill this House with Glory The Glory of this latter House shall be greater than the former 3. More Power and Efficacy I will assemble her that halteth and gather her that is driven out and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth even for ever Mich. 4.6 7. 4. More Condescention and larger Testimonies of his Acceptation I will accept you with your sweet Savours when I bring you out from the People and gather you out of the Countryes wherein you have been scattered Ezek. 20.40 41. Neither will I hide my face any more from them Ezek. 39.29 5. More Unity I will gather them and make them one Nation and they shall be no more two Nations Ezek. 37.21 22. And I will give them one heart as in Ezek. 11.19 I will gather them and give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and their Children after them Jer. 32.37 38 39. 6. More security Be no more a prey to Heathens but dwell safely as in Ezek. 34.27 Then will God undoe all that afflict them Zephan 3.19 God will raise up his Hedge of Protection much higher 7. More Honour and Reputation He will get them Praise and Fame in every Land where put to shame Will make them a Name and a Praise among all people of the Earth Zephan 3.19 20 For your shame you shall have double Isa 61.7 Oh what Sheaves are here what a rich Harvest for them that under such Dispensations do sow in Tears Psal 126.5 6. What Wine will God brew his People out of these Tears Fill your Water-pots to the brim they shall be turned into Wine I will but hint one distinction which shall be as my Porch to enter upon Application and that is this The want of Solemn Assemblies is either a total want when God removes the Candle-stick such through Mercy our want is not Bread is something more scarce in some places but through Mercy it is not a Famine in all places or 2. a partial want when God by death natural or civil puts out or whelms many Candle-sticks under Bushels And this is the condition of divers Assemblies in these three Nations Now though the first be naturally meant in the Text and Doctrine and that which calls for most tears yet the latter may consequently be taken in as that which being some degree of the former want doth call for some yea great sorrows Scarsity is sad though Famine be most grievous APPLICATION Having thus far at some distance opened and confirmed this Truth I shall come a little nearer to you that are more especially concerned in it and first I shall tell you what errand it doth not come upon and then secondly what errand it doth come upon to you First The errand of this Truth my dear People is not to alarm you into Sedition or to gather you into any unlawful Assemblies upon the account of the loss of your Solemn Assemblies of Conventicles truly so called i.e. Meetings to plot Disturbance to the State I would say and have every one of you to say as Jacob Gen. 49.6 7. O my soul enter not into their secret and to their Assembly mine honour be thou not united If I may not be a Trumpet to call you to the Assembly I will not be a Trumpet of Rebellion to sound an Alarm If I may not call you to the Mountain of the Lord I will not say To your Tents O Israel If I may not have Aarons Bells I will not take Peters Sword The scars that the Sword hath given Religion are but too conspicuous If I may not warm you and be as an heavenly Spark I will not be an hellish Incendiary I had rather give no light than appear in a flame and be a fire-brand As Paul saith in another case 2 Cor. 13.6 So I with changing one word in the Text I trust yeâ— shall know we are not seditious Though we cannot do all that man requires we dare not do what God forbids We have minded you in our Doctrine amongst you to be subject to Principalities Powers and we hope in our Practice never to teach you to forget it God admonished this People against all discontented and seditious Practices during the Captivity But let God alone to bring about his good Thoughts Reade Jer. 29.7 And so do I you Do not smite others with the tongue but smite on your own thigh In your want of spiritual Bread throw stones at none but your selves Be not as those Desperadoes in Isa 8.21 that when they are hungry fret themselves and curse their King and their God Do not call for fire upon others heads but for Springs of Water in your own hearts Oh that God who hath stopped the upper Springs would open the nether Springs It is for our Rebellions that we dwell in a dry Land Psal 68.6 Do not smite with the hand This Doctrine bids you shed tears not blood it bids you not draw blood but draw water and pour it out before the Lord Not make places Acheldama's
modesty by the woful experience of his false heart answers not to the degree of love but only that he loved Christ 4. It is possible that many Christians may hate Christ as much as we doâ— the memory of those Jews that crucified him albeit we be strongly perswaded that if we were called to formal trial we would rather dye than openly deny him or his Gospel Do we from our hearts detest the mention of Annas Caiaphas Judas and that rabble which conspired the death of the Lord of life In like manner did those Jews abhor the memory of Korah Dathan Abiram and the rest of those that rebelled against Moses Do our spirits rise in indignation against them that stoned Stephen persecuted the Apostles forbiding them to Preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved 1 Thes 2.16 With no less displeasure were they moved against the memory of Ahab and Jezebel and those though their own Princes who slew the Lord's Prophets Matt. 23.30 If we had been in the dayes of our Fathers c. The name of Abraham they had in high esteem he being the prime person of their Progenitors with whom God Almighty made that glorious Covenant wherein they had the priviledges of the First-Born The memory of Moses was amongst them very precious with whom God was pleased to talk face to face who received the lively Oracles to give unto them Acts 7.38 To have upbraided the softest spirit in that Rebellious people with treachery or disloyalty against the Messias when he should be revealed would as much have moved his choler as to tell some forward professor amongst us he would betray his Lord were he now on the earth for half the money that Judas did yet these men brake first in their love to Abraham so our Saviour telleth them John 8.39 then in their fidelity to Moses John 5.45 46. and the Prophets Matt. 23.35 No marvel then if they took offence at our Saviours life his carriage and conversation amongst them and afforded him such entertainment as they did Let not then Hypocrisie deceive us by suggesting these or the like suppositions they are the words of Dr. Jackson if we should be urged by the Turk or Jew to deny him we would sooner dy the death he did then do it or were he present in person to exhort us to such duties as his Messengers enjoyn us we should sure be as forward as any man living to do them these or the like imaginations do but foretoken our need of that apology and argue our inclination to use it though alas it cannot stead any in that day of tryal Lord when saw we thee naked or an hungred When in the Pulpit or preaching in our streets deterring us from evil and exhorting us unto good Much more to this purpose see in Dr. Jackson of Justifying Faith That we may not therefore deceive our selves with vain pretences of love let us try the sincerity of it and weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuary Notes of sincere love to Christ. 1. The first shall be that which you have in Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil Lovers have enemies and friends in common Gen. 12.3 I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee God will be a Friend to Abrahams friends an Enemy to his enemies Who love Christ unfeignedly hate sin which he hateth Rev. 2.6 Sin is evil the greatest of evils The work of the Devil which Christ came into the world purposely to destroy 1 John 3.8 If thou art a friend to sin any way of wickedness If thou love Ignorance superstition If thou love a false oath Zech. 8.17 If thou love flaggons of wine Hos 3.1 If thou delightest in scorning Prov. 1.22 if thou make a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 If thou hate knowledge despise duty scoff and scorn at Holiness which Christ commandeth thou lovest him not If thou regard iniquity in thy own heart if thou allow of it in thy children thy friends if thou plead for sin undertake the patronage and defence of it thou proclamest thy enmity and hostility to Jesus Christ But if thou hate and abhor the way of lying Psal 119.163 If thou hate every evil way Psal 119.128 in thy self first then in others as he that hates a Toad hates it most in his own bosome as saith D. Sibbs if thy hatred of it be universal against the whole kind if thy hatred be rooted irreconcilable so as there is no appeasing of it but by the crucifying and abolishing of thy hated corruptions this is right hatred of sin which argueth thy conversion to be sound and thy self an unfeigned lover of Jesus Christ Note 2. Who love Christ in sincerity love what ever hath relation to him As 1. His House and Worship there performed Saints love Communion with Christ love to be where he is The Lord loveth the gates of Zion his People love the threshold of the Sanctuary Psal 120.14 Thy servants take pleasure in her stones they favour the dust thereof Psal 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thy Honour dwelleth Psal 122.1 I was glad when they said Let us go up to the House of the Lord. Our feet shall stand in thy gates O Jerusalem 2. Saints dearly love the Truth and Word of the Lord. As their voice is sweet to him in prayer Cant. 2.14 So his voice in his Word is sweet to them Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my tast Yea sweeter then honey to my mouth vers 72. The Law of thy mouth is dearer to me then thousands of Gold and Silver The very reproofs of Christ are precious to them Psal 141.5 Our love to Christ is not right if we be impatient of admonition if we cannot endure reproof for sin but swell against it it is a sign we love sin which cannot consist with unfeigned love to Christ 3. His Messengers are welcom their feet beautiful Rom. 10.14 Because they are the servants of Christ and shew us the way of savation therefore we have them in reputation Phil. 2.29 Because they are over us in the Lord and admonish us therfore we esteem them highly in love for their works sake 1 Thes 5.13 But if we repine stomach or maligne his Embassadors taxing our crimes though in sharpest terms or if we neglect to examine our hearts and consciences at their request or instance it is a sure token our perswasions of Faith and love unto him are but fancies that we are still in the gall of bitterness enemies as cruel to him as these Jews were c. Dr. Jackson 4. His Day the Lords Day Rev. 1.10 is to all sincere lovers of Christ a joyful Day a Day of delight Isa 58.13 On this Day Christ appeared to his Disciples after his Resurrection upon this Day he still appeareth to his People making neer approaches to their souls in his blessed Ordinances teaching them inlightning them comforting their hearts
relations Satâ—n and corrupt nature would soon cut the cords of amity dissolve bands knit angry looks weave vexations gestures contrive evil surmises hinder domestick Prayer c. 2. Manner Secret Prayer is elbow-room-Duty The knoâ—s in the Actus exerciti quoad indivuum cut No Act of Vniformity takes place here In a word Thou maist be what thou wilt be if ipse locus sis as Bernard I leave thee with thy Bridegroom in secret U S E. Let me hear my Will read give leave to the impropriety of speech what I have bequeathed to you Your deeds are good if you have every parcel You count right as we say in Arithmetick if you answer the total or All. 1. My eldest Son in the Closet Read 1 Cor. 11.22 though in another case What have you not houses to Pray in or despise you the Church I mean forsake you the assembling of your selves together for one duty to swallow up another it spoiles All. The whole City to be in the Gates is not good 2. My second Son in the Family You have your House well adorned but there 's something wanting A man is a man though he want an arm or a leg but is not integral Your Prayers are not Mathematically total but when they are then are you 3. My third Publick Prayer is good when there is a concurrance of Family and secret You do well when you believe the History but to rest in Historical faith is not that I commend I give to every one of you an allowance and yet you are found too light Ment mene tekel But first What light peeces without allowance Secondly With allowance First We consider secret Prayer 1. It may be thou makest thy closet but a creep-hole hiding thy self from reproof pleading that thy heart is as good as those that make the greatest shew Though I make not that appearance in the Church nor that noise in my house yet I pray in secret Pardon my mistrust I fear thy prayers are not constant Again thou wilt say I pray alwayes I answer As it is in point of Sabbath when men plead every day ought to be kept a Sabbath and then no Sabbath is kept So thy praying alwayes is not to pray at all 2. Admit thou prayest in secret Dost thou perform Duty out of Conscience to the Command If not thy sacrifice is not accepted 1 Sam. 15.22 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the Voice of the Lord Behold to Obey is better than Sacrifice and to Hearken than the fat of Rams For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft c. If thou say out of Conscience of Command then what answerest thou to God who commands all Prayer James 2.11 For he that said pray in secret said also pray in family now if thou prayest in secret and not in family thou art become a transgressor of the Law 3. Thou being a Master of a family contentest thy self with secret prayer 1. My Family will not be subject to House-duty Art thou a King in thy House as Jezebel in a far different case said Dost thou now govern the Kingdom Dost thou give up thy Lordship Lose not thy Authority O King say I and my House will serve the Lord. 2. Wilt thou say I am ashamed to appear in publick If Prayer be a black deed than let red cover thy face Art thou afraid of children or fools even such are scoffings Michals think it not much to be vile in their sight and thine own sight too Be not ashamed of Christ who is not ashamed of thee his Brother but fear lest be be ashamed of thee when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8.38 3. My thronging family business will not permit Answ As we are to pray with all Prayer so to watch with al Watchfulness not only to watch in prayer and after to hear God's answer but unto Prayer He is a strange God who gives thee Lands Labourers c. and gives thee no time Why hath God given thee two Oxen together two Horses two Servants together but thy hours not two together but minutatem this certainly to index to thee and to give thee warning that time is to be improved and weighed very strictly and more regarded than thy Horses c. Let me perswade thee to look after Blessings in God's Way Dayly bread is sweetest that is got by Prayer and Labour Secondly Light with allowance Though I give thee the allowance of that weighty duty of Family-Prayer yea if thou couldst truly say with the young man Thus have I prayed from my youth up what lack I yet I must answer thee One Prayer more is wanting i. e. Publick Prayer As it is in Petitions to ask daily bread and not hallowed be thy Name is but a lame prayer and to pray for Justification in that Petition Forgive us our trespasses but not for Sanctification in that following and lead us not into temptation it measures not out the blood of Christ rightly which reacheth to the purifying of his People as well as pardoning because of something wanting the foresaid Prayer is but a mutile halting prayer So when one limb is cut off all Prayer is maimed thy Deed is imperfect Thou hast both House and Land but not the Commons thereunto belonging II. Family Prayer First If there be nothing but this Family-Prayer it is not one half of All. 1. I mistrust that something besides the glory of God moves thee to it may be thou wast brought up in a praying Family and custom puts thee upon duty or else the sought applause of thy Family or Neighbours thou art desirous to seem â—o be a good Christian rather than to be so and seekest after the gift of Prayer rather than the grace of Prayer 2. I mistrust thou art not constant in duty may be upon the Sabbath but not in thy six dayes may be at night when thou hast time but not in the morning may be when business is not throng but seed-time and harvest or strangers will easily put thee by 3. Admit a constancy it 's not obedience to the Law-giver for he that hath commanded thee to attend him in thy Parlour hath said the like of the Closet Obedience must be copulative and connexive The Soveraignity of God is alike in all kinds of Prayer The disregarding of secret Prayer is the disregarding the Soveraignity of him who is Unicus Praeceptor Mat. 6.6 Secondly But though I give thee an allowance of one weighty kind viz. secret Prayer Yet for all this thou art not currant For as it is in the Commandments to respect one and not another shews a want of sincerity and thou mayest be ashamed when the wicked call thee an Hypocrite Psal 119.6 So as it is in the parts of a Commandment the negative part of the fourth Commandment it is good not to labour but when thou hast no respect to the positive the sanctification of
diminish from it we may not close with added substantial parts of worship Whatever power a Church hath about natural Circumstances they have none about the substance of worship either to add or take away by putting in or putting out To add new Ordinances or parts of Worship is a breach of the second Commandment The Pharisees ered on this hand Mat. 15.19 teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men they pressed Gods Commandments as indifferent and mens Traditions as necessary God commanded to Honour Father and Mother they teach contrary to this ver 4. this was a diminishing They teach that the washing of hands before meat the cleansing of cups c. as necessary to Salvation this was to err by addition See Rev. 22.18 To add in God's Worship is to make our selves wiser than God and to accuse Christ of unfaithfulness in God's House Moses was a faithful Minister in God's House much more was he who was Mose's Master Well be sâ—re in all your worship that it be according to the Parâ—â—â— shewed in the Mount viz. according to â—he â—â—â—script and Standard of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 very dangerous to offer strange fiâ—â— such as God commands not Levit. 10.2 Give not God cause to say to any of us Who hath required this at your hands 8. Be spiritual and zealous in God's Service Take not God's Name in vain either by vain praying hearing or reading Bring your hearts to and keep them at prayer I will pray with my spirit Psal 25.1 Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Prayer consists more in the elevation of the understanding and desires than in the lifting up of the eyes and hands and so bring your hearts to the preaching and hearing of the Word Rom. 1.9 Paul served God with his spirit in preaching and we should serve God with our spirits in hearing When Paul preached Lydia's heart was opened that she attended to the things spoken by him Acts 16.14 When God's Embassadours deliver their Embassy imploy your understandings to discern your memories to retain your wills to choose your affections to love and delight in your consciences to apply what you hear And so sing Psalms with your heart as well as with your voice Col. 3.16 Singing with Grace in your hearts to the Lord. God complains of those who bring their bodies before him but leave their hearts behind them Isa 29.13 They draw near me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their heart is removed far from me this is a mocking of God Therefore be fervent in spirit when you serve the Lord rest not in bare enjoymment of the Means but get Grace by the Means Labour to enjoy the God of Ordinances in the Ordinances of God God is much displeased with eareless heartless and superficial worship If we offer ignorant heartless and distracted prayers will he accept them Cursed be the Deceiver that hath in his flock a Male and voweth and facrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Mal. 1.13 14. Well then rest not in a formal customary way of serving God serve him out of Conscience and give him your heart in every duty 9. Maintain an high esteem and make great Conscience of the Lords-Day Keep the whole day holy morning and evening It 's not said remember to keep part of the Sabbath Day But keep the Sabbath viz. the whole Sabbath holy sanctifie it in private as well as in publick in your own houses as well as in Gods House in your Closets as well as in your Families do not only keep a Rest but sanctifie that Rest How By Meditation meditate on the Sabbath of that Sabbatism that remains for the People of God Heb. 4.9 Muse upon the Joys of Heaven which are pure spiritual constant and perpetual Think of the sweet Company you shall have even Angels and Saints besides God and Christ whose Presence makes Heaven Dwell upon your Immunities and Freedom from Sin Temptations of Satan and the World from troubles as Sickness Poverty Crosses and every thing that makes your life uncomfortable Imitate the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ by raising your hearts from Earth and ascending into Heaven by spiritual Comtemplations Moreover continue the day by reading and singing of Psalms attend upon God in publick also let not private duties hinder you from publick neither strive to attend so much upon publick Ordinances as to abridge your selves of private secret Opportunities I think those Christians do much wrong themselvs who spend all the day in attending upon publick prayers and hearing I would not have you strive to hear four or five Sermons a day unless you can take so much time besides as is necessary to meditate of and apply what you hear so order the day that secret Communion with God may fit you for publick and publick Ordinances fit you again for private and secret converse with God It is not much eating but eating moderately and digesting what we eat that encreaseth strength Two or three Sermons seriously heard and ruminated upon in secret do more good than ten Sermons heard without meditation Brethren what shall we think do those sanctifie a Sabbath to the Lord who hear a Sermon and a few prayers and then go to the Alehouse they who drink sleep sport walk or work away the Sabbath all these are forbidden Isa 58.13 Thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight not finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words nor doing thine own works Again Christ and his Disciples did not spend this Day partly in religious Exercises and partly in Recreations or Workings John 20.18 and Acts 20.7 we find there that Christ came amongst the Disciples on the First day and that Paul and the Christians used to spend this Day in Prayer preaching and receiving of Sacraments Moreover God will bless us inwardly and outwardly if we conscienciously observe it Isa 58.14 He will curse us inwardly and outwardly in soul and body if we prophane it See Jer. 17.27 Well then my Brethren do not prefer a Holy-day before the Lords-Day It s sad to think that hundreds should more scruple to work on a Saints-day which is of humane institution than on the Sabbath which is of God's Sirs you of this place have got shall I say an undeserved name of more than ordinary piety but I assure you that if you fall to neglect and prophane the Sabbath as some of our neighbours do you shall lose your very Name I should be very sorry to hear when I am gone that you should prove a Sabbath-breaking-People 10. Make great Conscience of Prayer family and secret Let your houses be Houses of Prayer Those families are called Heathenish Families that call not upon God Psal 79.6 Power out thy Fury upon the Heathen the Families that call not on thy Name Let God have a morning and an evening Sacrifice from you Under the Law God called for the first Fruits and there was a Feast of Ingathering or of the Last Fruits
but Bochim's Humble your selves under the mighty Hand of God in your Debasements Do not rise against them whom the mighty Hand of God hath exalted lest haply ye be found sighters against God Plotting and Fighting will not bring Mercies again that a People have sinned away God needs none of our sins to advance his Sons Kingdom When God hath softened our hearts by his sweet Grace he can and will if he see it best tender the hearts of our Superiours to pitty us by his most powerful Providence How did these Mourners at last find an heart touched by a mighty Hand that called them out of their Graves and made open Proclamation for their return as you read 2 Chron. 36.22 23. Secondly Neither is it any part of the business of this Doctrine to embitter you into Schism and sepation from the Assemblies that through Mercy are yet continued which I for my part dare not but call or at least some of them Solemn Assemblies Church Assemblies though perchance in my eye they may want something of that Solemnity Majesty Purity and Power which I and you could desire they had If you may not hear me yet it is some mercy that you and I may hear some others I would not so mourn for what is not as to forget to bless God for what yet is I hope there are yet them to be found that preach Christ of good will and in the simplicity of their hearts continue in their work though many of God's willing Servants have not freedom so to do Take heed of extreams It is the ordinary temptation in a time of Differences to think we cannot run too far from them we differ from and so whilst we decline one Rock we split our selves upon another Remember the old Non-conformists were equal enemies to Superstition and Separation Maintain I beseech you sober Principles such as these are that every defective Ministry is not a false Ministry That sinful Super-additions do not nullifie Divine Institutions That Impurities do not make Ordinances Nullities no more than Leprosie doth unman him that hath it That sinful defects in Ordinances do not hinder the saving Effects of them The seed may come up that is sown by a leprous-hand That there is a difference betwixt directing a Worship prescribing things simply evil and manifestly Idoltrous and directing about Worship things doubtfully good being enjoyned but the unquestionable substance of Worship being maintained This latter doth not justifie separation If Corruptions in Worship I mean such do unchurch a Church it will be hard to find when there was a true Church or where one will be found That the Church of England was a true Church a true reformed Church though not a full compleatly reformed Church is acknowledged by most sober Spirits A man of name amongst the Brethren of the Congregational Perswasion speaking of the Church of England and its first Reformation hath these words As for the great things of the Gospel matters of Faith or Doctrine the Reformers had so happy an hand therein that there is to be found little if any hay and stubble therein But in matters of Order which concern Worship and Discipline let it be enquired into whether they were so exact therein Although this must be said that God did take care for all fundamental Ordinances of Worship And it is a bitter Error and full of Cruelty to say That we have had no Churches no Ministers no Sacraments but Antichristianal So far Dr. T. Goodwyn Fast Serm. before Parl. on Zech. 4.6 7 8. Now me-thinks if it was a True Church notwithstanding some supposed Corruptions retained it should be to still notwithstanding those by some reputed Corruptions returned for if the Disease do not unman a man his Relapse into it after a recovery cannot We have still that Doctrine professed we have still those fundamental Ordinances maintained And methinks where a Church as to the main keeps the Form of found Words and the Substantials of that Worship which is Christ's some adjudged defects in order cannot justifie Separation I dare not dismember my self from that Church that holds the Head I think whilst Doctrine is for the main sound Christ stayes with a Church and it is good staying where he stays I would follow him and not lead him or go before the Lamb. That speech of the beloved Disciple 2 John 9. may without wrong be applied to a Church He that abides in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father the Son It may be some may think that these Times that are gone over us have left an obligation upon us in an orderly peaceable way to endeavour Reformation I have no call here to debate that but this I am sure of they have withal brought forth many sad warnings against separation in the sad Apostacies both in judgment and practise which many of that generation of men have been left unto Therefore 1. Maintain communion as far as you can 2. Crave indulgence where you cannot 3. Mourn in secret over what in pulick you cannot help let that which upon good grounds you judge a corruption have that work upon you which Peninnahs provocations had upon Hannah make you weep sore and pour out your hearts before God if there be any smoak in God's Temple let it be smoak to your eyes 4. Enlarge your care and pains in your preparations a right stomach makes good nourishment of an indifferent meal You may be warm though in a colder air and room than you have formerly been if you will but put on more cloaths before you come 5. Watch your hearts more narrowly and speak you things to your hearts more than ever you have done you will not so well know what to do with your hearts if you do not increase own your watch and pains It is the wise man's speech Eccl. 10.10 If the Iron be blunt and he doth not whet the edge then must he put to more strength Now 3. I come to tell you what the errand of this my Doctrine is And it is an exhortation first to all upon whom at this day any measure or degree of this affliction lies And then secondly to some who have a larger share in this affliction than others First then You that are losing or have lost your Solemn Assemblies know that you have a loud call unto mourning The Wayes of Zion mourn after a manner Lam. 1.4 let us mourn after a Godly manner who are the Inhabitants of Zion because the channels of comfort that have releived our souls are gon or going far from us Such dews should fall at or after Sun-setting Jeremiah puts this into his Lamentation that God had violently taken away his Tabemacle as of a garden He hath destroied his places of Assembly The Lord hath caused the solemn Feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion Lam. 2.6 Mercies use to be most lovely when they have their backs upon us and we best see the worth in the want of