hearts for the inscriptions of the Spirit of the Living God and that the beauty of this Ornament be set in Majesty but doth frequently commend to me that observation which your last ere this some time since was hinting to me of the need we have who design such services to wait for power by the Spirit from on high to be his Witnesses and to expect according to his Promise That showers of the latter rain shall come down to furnish a people to bear his glory in the administrations of his House answering the Institutions of the New Testament although I am no way taken with that dilatory inference wherein some seem to stick as if upon the observation that Bryars and Thorns are come upon God's Houses in the joyous City and are likely to abide there till the Spirit be poured out from on high therefore it were best and our Interest till the manifest taking place of that promised dispensation not to put our hands to such Acts and Ordinances the beautious Majesty of which must needs be acknowledged to be very much wrapt up and concerned in the hoped issues of such a Glory stepping in There being blessed ends to be by us promoted in our present state by our dutiful obedience to every Institution of our King and through infinite Grace and Mercy are there such Gifts and Graces of the Spirit to be found on some as may yield help to sober humble enquirers to get over such stumbling-blocks and contribute toward their preparing in Body and Spirit as an adorned Bride to meet the Bridegroom who loves to find his keeping all his Commandements unrebukable and without spot to his appearing In which attire I earnestly desire your whole man Body and Soul and Spirit may be found ministring a practical convincing Argument by your standing compleatly perfect in the whole Will of God that there is as there indeed is a hidden excellency in fellowship with Jesus Christ in those wayes and appointments of his upon their souls who in Faith and Faithfulness are yielded up to him therein which hath admirable Vertue in it though at present not attended with those mighty Signs and Wonders by Gifts of the Holy Spirit the which were rather for the sakes of them who believed not than for such as through Faith are directed to judge of and close with such things answerable to their tendency by good pleasure to lead into the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ The Reason and Efficacy whereof lies not in any just proportion betwixt the thing commanded and the Mystery proposed to enjoyment no more than there did between washing in Jordan and Naamans clensing the cause of the scornful storming of his proud spirit but in the meer soveraignty of divine good pleasure who gives us a word of Faith to guide and prove our obedience and engage our humble expectation of his own presence who is Lord of Influences to conduct the Heirs of Promise into those secrets of his Pavilion by doors at the threshold of which the Children of this Worlds wisdom stumble either by sensual Formality sticking in the letter of things or by aiery Speculations rejecting the weakness and foolishness of Christ in his Institutions but Wisdom is justified of her Children All here are well love honour and salute you Yours in Soul-service To a Friend who after some Retirement was returning to pursue his Calling in Affairs of this World The Lord be your shade on your Right-Hand My very dear Brother I Perceive you are applying your self to something men call Business in the World and I have comfortable hopes that you have studied ere this hour that lesson Finally Brethren the time is short it remaineth c. For the fashion of this World passeth away Oh my dear Brother my soul is afflicted to observe the over-greedy Engagement of many whom I love and honour for their former eminency plunging themselves into business and there even drowning themselves in ruine and perdition losing the savour of their spirits the intimacy of their Communion with Christ in the Spirit and so grow dry careless prudent fearful omissive what not till there is hardly left so much as the uniform appearance of a soul that hath been the seat of such glorious discoveries and enjoyments as men have readily spoke of formerly It may well be asked of many now as the Apostle Where is the Blessedness ye spoke of Men discourse of their primitive applications of Truth and to it speak much and frequently of blessedness in the things of the Gospel it was blessed Praying and blessed Hearing and blessed Meeting and blessed Meditating because in all these they sought after and partook of blessedness But where is that now There is somewhat of Praying and Preaching c. but where is the blessedness of all these Is it not very much departed and what may be the cause is it not much from hence Men are gone deep into the spirit of the World and are grown carnal of the Earth earthy and savouring of the Earth and thereby losing their Love Zeal Faithfulness Insensibly but very dangerously I hope better things of you and that you both do and will watch your own Spirit and stir up others to take great heed to their spirits that they deal not treacherously Yours 7th 3d month 64. To an ancient Friend giving his Apprehensions concerning the multitude of Professors with some of his Experiences both in Bonds and Sickness Kind and very much respected THe posture of the Lord 's own People even of such who in dayes past with greatest intimacy and endearment went to the House of God in company hath of late years under these stupendous dispensations presented it self to me much after the similitude of a great Fleet of Ships outward-bound who set out of their Port beautifully equipped laden trimmed in consortship and under a very prosperous promising gale all spreading their very Top-gallant sayls to shew their celerity and make the best of their way A very beautiful and pleasant prospect to an eye delighted in such expeditions But having stood but a little way in this course out of sight of the Countrey from whence they set forth a dark night and dismal storm overtaking them they are dispersed all Sea-over a great number being mindful of the Port whence they came think they have a fair opportunity and plausible excuse to return again and draw up with design to adventure such storms no more Others and they not a few being confident and conceited of their own understanding do shape their course to and fro as the wind shifteth are cast upon Rocks and Shoals to the making shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience Many others fearing that course think yet by casting their Wheat and Tackling into the Sea they shall somewhat lighten their Ship and be the better able to weather it out and so dropping Anchors at the wrong end wish for day Few very few prefering the Interest of the
Words in Season From that late Worthy Sufferer and Servant of the Lord Jesus an able Minister of the New-Testament according to that Character 2 Cor. 6.4 5 c. Mr. Abraham Cheare VIZ. I. Faith's Conquest over the Tortures and Tenders of an Hour of Temptation on Heb. 11.35 II. The Embalming of a Dead Cause on Mark 14.8 III. Remarkable Discourses on his Dying-Bed with Copies and Extracts of Letters on several occasions Useful for those whose Hearts are engaged to serve the Will of God in this Generation London Printed for Nathan Brookes in Bartholomew-Close 1668. The Publisher to the READER I Doubt not but the following Discourses carry so much evidence of Truth and Holiness as will sufficiently commend them to the Hearts and Consciences of the upright as proceeding from one who believed and therefore spake delivered what he received as a Scribe instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven the Fear of the Lord being evidently his treasure wherein he walked all the day long and by which he was enabled to bear those hard things which a constant Spirit in keeping the Commandments of God and Faith of Jesus holding fast the Word and Works of God drew upon him bringing him into fellowship with tryals and sufferings upon the Wayes Truths Interest and People of the Lord in this Generation It may highly concern the living to lay to heart the removal of Prophets and holy Ones true mourners that sought to stand in the Gap to turn away wrath that it might not come to the utmost I am sure it hath a sad aspect when even a Professing but too much complying People stand as on the other side or at a distance from those who earnestly contend for the Faith holding fast what they have received and are far from right laying to heart That through the hatred of the world righteous men perish and merciful men are taken away I doubt not but there remains a remnant whose minds by such providences are deeply impressed well-nigh to over-whelming further than help is given and the hand stretched forth to lead to the Rock that is higher than we when in all parts and corners the beauty and glory is cutting off as a fading-flower and how hard is it to speak and do as becometh under such astonishing stroaks and with him Ezek. 24.18 to hold on doing as the Lord Commands I am perswaded that sigh often goes up Ezek. 11.13 with Amos 7.5 O Lord cease I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small The reviving and desired issues of that work falling under great distrusts even with those that are the Friends thereof when if I may allude to it Luke 24.19 c those who are as Prophets mighty in deed and word before God and all the People Instruments polished to carry it on to an expected end are cut off and laying aside daily so hard is it for us to understand that thus it ought to be that so the excellency of the power may be acknowledged to be of God and not of men that all may see his Work is perfect his Word is tryed with whom is no restraint for he sendeth by whom he will the residue of the Spirit being with him who will in due time raise up and furnish Instruments for every service and if at this time men think that by cutting off and wearing out Saints and faithful Ones their nest is set on high they shall be delivered from the power of evil none remaining to cry out of their violence and spoyl to detect the unrighteousness of their wayes and doings the very stone shall cry out of the Wall and the beam out of the Timber shall witness against them I humbly pray and wish that the cast-out scattered peeled people in whose heart is the Fear of the Lord under all amusing dispensations may yet increase in the Faith that stands in the Power of God and is of the operation of his Spirit in the exercise thereof which judgeth not after appearances they may understand all these deaths passing over persons and things but needful and preparatory for the Glory that is to follow when their filth and defilements by the Spirit of Judgment and by the Spirit of Burning shall be put away the slow progress of which work with the discovery made of so great a defection from professed Light and Principles ought greatly to be laid to heart how many by reason thereof turn from the Truth and are confirmed in Athiesm even by the deceitful working of those who in the failure of outward advantages and exposal to necessities bonds and death set themselves at such a distance from the works of God our eyes have seen the begining of fulfilling Prophesies Threatnings and Promises to the last dayes as if either there was no Holiness or Righteousness in them or that they were unacquainted with the inward Life and Spirit of them so deeply hath corruption the spirit of the world mingled it self with those who not long since in greatest seeming Light and Zeal professed to seek after a better state of things Even looking for and hastning to the new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwells Righteousness but the Works of God being forgotten no wonder his Word is so little believed or his counsel waited for It was a worthy Expostulation but a few years since before some then in the exercise of Authority of one who I fear hath out-lived the force of it which though large hoping it may be of use I take leave here to transcribe If you will be able to steer your Course a-right if you would take one streight step have in a readiness an acquaintance with the work of God what it is that he aims at by which you may be guided in all your undertakings Suppose now a man or men should come and ask of you What God hath done in these Nations What he hath wrought and effected What is brought forth Have you an answer in readiness Certainly God hath done so much as that he expects you should be able to give an account of it take heed that every one of you be not ready to speak the disquietments of your own Spirits and so cast contempt on the Work of God something else is required of you I have sometimes in darkness and under temptations my self begun to think that what hath been is the thing that is and there is no new thing under the Sun as it hath been among the Heathen of old so it hath been amongst us or as it was with Israel 1 King 16.21 22. Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath to make him King and half followed Omri but the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath so Tibni died and Omri reigned That a common thing and frequent in the World had befaln us wherein God had no hand but that of common Providence in dashing
one sort of men against another so foolish have I been and as a Beast so ready to condemn the Generation of the Righteous so unbelieving and ready to cast away the Faith and Prayer of ten thousand Saints one of whose sighs shall not be lost but such fearful effects sometimes trouble disquietment disappointment and carnal fear will produce But certain it is none of the many cryes of the people of God shall be lost nor their Faith disappointed God hath a peculiar design in hand and we are to find it out that we may be able to answer them that make enquiries If you lay not this foundation of your procedures I shall not wonder if you err in your wayes it is your Pole-Star and will be so by which your whole course is to be steered your Shield which whilst it is safe though you die yeâ— your Glory abides And the same Author further discussing what this Work and Design of the Lord was results it mainly in this That Godliness and the love of the Lord Jesus be preserved protected and secured from a return of the hand of violence upon it What then may we now expect but after a little further fluctuating upon the deep to suffer shipwrack upon some Shelves or Rocks seeing we have ceased our steerage by this Pole-Star what may we expect but slaughter and extirpation since that Mighty Shield is vilely cast away as though it had not been anointed with Oyl considering also that if the hand of violence be returned its confederated with under the sacred ties of Oaths Covenants even whilst it manifestly opposes Godliness and bends the edge of all its power against such as love the Lord Jesus in sincerity I am sure it calls for deep lamentation that a People who had the Name of the Lord upon them are left to that wonderful and horrible thing Jer. 5. last Prophets prophesying falsely and Princes bearing rule by their means and both Prophets and People through a little present fleshly ease and prosperity waxing fat and shining love to have it so the holy Spirit then assures the end will be bitter and that enquiry What will ye do in the end thereof though slightly passed over now will have its resolve by their cry to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne when in the faileur of justice on Earth he will cause judgement to be heard from Heaven When he ariseth as certainly he will to judge the Cause of the Fatherless and Needy and to save all the meek of the Earth But I may not further thus proceed lest I exceed bounds nor is it needful that more be said of the Author only I am perswaded it greatly furthered him in the search after knowledge of divine mysteries that he never was entangled and disadvantaged by Academical Education which hath been over-fruitful in furnishing persons as worthy Mr. Rutherford on another occasion in his Letters expresses it with ill washen and foul distinctions to shift Christ this age hath over-plentiful testimony thereof this Servant of the Lord as by the account left of himself in the last two Pages of this Book was by his believing Parents otherwise nurtured who waiting at the foot of Christ keeping his precepts diligently became wiser than his Teachers giving occasion to many to renew that saying Whence hath this man letters for he was eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures adding much to such as conversed with him whether by word or Epistle If what is here presented prove of use to strengthen weak hands or to uphold them that are ready to fall by keeping in view the Resurrection and Blessedness prepared for those whom God guides by his Counsel they will know where to give the glory I earnestly wish and pray That those to whom in a peculiar manner he was sent amongst whom more especially he laboured who must give an account of so great a Talent and Price long trusted with them may do it with joy discovering by an obedience of Faith to the Lord Jesus under all tryals that he laboured not in vain and I hope however it may be to others what is here presented may be useful to them keeping in remembrance how holily justly and unblameably he behaved himself amongst them that following his Faith they may be saved from this Generation and be found amongst those who receive the End of their Faith the Salvation of their Soul Amen To the MEMORY of Mr. Abraham Cheare Anagram Ramah Baca here WAs there a voice in Ramah heard Jer. 31.15 Was bitter weeping there ' Cause Rachels children were not spar'd Mat. 2.18 Why should there not be Here Was Baca in time past a Well Psal 84.6 Although a place of drought Was it made so by Israel When journ'ing in the South Did th' one for Children thus lament The other for their Water Oh! how should Sion it resent Lam. 2.1 to 12. Psal 46.4 Amos 1.2 Lam 2.1 Mala. 3.17 Jonah 3.8 Ps 119.126 Mat. 9.38 Zech. 11.4 7 When God her Sons doth slaughter When he cuts off her pleasant streams Her beautious Branches wither When he shuts up her brightest Beams Doth home his Jewels gather Yea how should this increase her cry When in a time of need That Shepherds they should multiply The slaughter'd Flocks to feed That even then God should not spare To take hence in great numbers Isa 57.1 Ezek. 3.26 Job 37.23 The most laborious in their Spheare Place this among his Wonders Psal 36 6. Job 11.7 1 Cor. 2.9 Psal 32.8 Psal 73 24. Job 36.9 10 They wayes O God are in the deep To search them to perfection 'T is not for Mortals pace to keep With thee give thou direction Let 's ponder well thy wayes O Lord Give us thy hearing Ear Some teachings to us do afford Deut. 13.11 Ezek. 12.3 Mal. 3.17 Ezek. 14.16 Mala. 3.1 Jer. 12.1 Ezra 9.13 Lam 3.29 2 Sam. 24.17 Joel 2.17 Ezek. 9.4 Psal 85.10 Jer. 14.7 Job 19.21 Gen. 19.19 Jonah 3.10 Psal 11.17 Zech. 13.7 Lam. 1.15 Isa 40.11 1 Sam. 1.8 2 Cor. 12.9 By what we see let 's fear What this portends thou mak'st such haste To treasure up each Jewel Art minded Lord our Land to waste Must we for wrath be fewel If so 't should be thou wouldst be just 'T were but Sin 's recompence We must our mouths put in the dust We have giv'n great offence Yet spare O Lord spare thou our Land At least in it thy Mourners Thy Mercy will with Justice stand In pard'ning great offenders Make us the objects of thy pitty Thy Mercy magnifie Spare as of old an Heathen City Spare O spare let 's not die But if more Shepherds thou wilt smite And Mighty men must fall Feed Sheep thy self thy Battels fight Be thou in stead of all Amen Amen Another To the Memory of Mr. ABRAHAM CHEARE Anagram Ah me Rear Bacha WHo can but Mourn when men do scorn To Note
acts of Beleevers is drawn out of the Old Testament and calculated as I may so express it to that meridian These all died in faith obtaining a good report but received not the Promise vers 13. 39. yet serveth not only indifferently for the Gospel-dayes wherein we are but indeed commends it self the more transcendently to us by how much God hath provided some better things for us having opened more fully the obiect of believing the Lord Jesus in the Gospel and poured out more plentifully the holy Spirit of Promise than it was ordinarily in those dayes which Consideration may serve to afford both mighty Aid and Argument to Believers now to encourage Christians to trust upon the Lord to do for them more than they can ask or think according to the power which worketh in them in their faithful following him Not to stand upon the opening particularly of these words nor on the exact time when they were fulfilled very likely this and some other here about had reference to the cruel sufferings in the times of the Maccabees which the Hebrews to whom this Epistle was written had reason to have a particular knowledge of although the History to us be Apocrypha it may suffice us that the Spirit of the Lord hath here infallibly determined such things were done and that the Conquest was truly attributable to this believing as it dealt with and drew vertue from the power of God So that without more a-do in the words are Four things observeable 1. Here is the Noble and Glorious Principle in which all these rare exploits are wrought on the commendation of which the whole Chapter insisteth By Faith they did it whether in all the subject mentioned it was a Faith that was saving will not be here disputed this is plain it was such Faith at least as falls within the Word of God and builds upon the Authority thereof in the business they were concerned in upon which foundation they went through and under-went what was before them in following God in their generations 2. We have here the subject or seat of action upon which this great Experiment is tryed and that is a tortured butchered massacred harmless weak Believer Others were Tortured a particular Inventory whereof made and taken in the verses following 36 37 38. such cruel usages as were beneath humanity to inflict and above humanity to sustain were exercised on and invincibly endured by these poor souls under the aid and influence of that Faith of theirs 3. Here is the magnanimity and excellency of spirit described unto which their faith raised them putting its self in the noble denyal repulse given to the tender of deliverance upon any unworthy terms They Accepted not Deliverance though their Persecuters came with torments in one hand and tenders in the other in as much as both were manifest Artifices and Engines to accomplish the same design as they slighted the threatnings of the one so they scorned the allurements of the other Deliverance in it self and as it may be considered is a mercy and the acceptance of it is a duty and consequently the refusal of it would have been their evil But if Deliverance cannot be had but upon terms dishonorable to the Lord if deliverance be a snare then to accept of such deliverance is a sin at least a great blemish to beleeving of which more hereafter 4. We have the powerful Motive and blessed Prospect that Faith took in view from whence strength was gathered to bear the tortures and forbear the deliverance and that was The obtaining a better Resurrection they had their eye and heart set upon a way of deliverance for which they would be beholding to the Lord only and this is called A better Resurrection that is not only better than their tortures but better also than any deliverance that could be offer'd to them this fixed expectation of their Faith carried them above any base or unworthy cringings to the sons of violence If you consider the words in their Connexion and dependancy on the former part of the verse you have this observable Women received their dead Children returned to life again this was verified 1 King 17.23 2 King 4.36 Others viz. other Women were tortured i. e had their living children tortured not accepting deliverance for them this is storied 2 Maccab. 6. If we consider Women as the subjects of this strong Faith who are stiled 1 Pet. 3.7 the weaker vessels Widows perhaps and desolate yet trusting in God hardly any faith out-went theirs Oh Woman Great is thy Faith we might by the way gather this Observation ☞ That the weaker vessels may be capable of exercising the strongest Faith Out of weakness they were made strong when I am weak then I am strong this treasure as well as the discoveries of the Gospel is put into earthen-vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us that as the strength of Flesh may not glory in his presence so neither may the weakness of a poor Saint occasion him to sink or dispond but he that glorieth may glory only in the Lord. But I shall not stand here but proceed to draw forth and make a brief improvement of some of the Observations that lie most plain in the words themselves one of which is plainly thus Doct. 1. That the most cruel tortures that have been invented by the vilest sons of men have by divine permission been vented upon the choicest sons of God They of whom in Gods accompt the world was not worthy the best of earth was not good enough for them vers 38. in mans accompt the worst of earth was not bad enough As they are made the filth of the world and off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4.13 so no instruments of cruelty can be enough vile or forcible in their thoughts to rid and deliver it of them The lust and rage in all generations hath been fruitful in inventions of this kind they were stoned they were sawn asunder c. the innumerable variety of particulars are reducible to this general They where Tortured I shall only attempt to pursue this Point to an issue by speaking briefly to these two enquiries 1. What is meant by these Tortures 2. Whence hath it sprung that they such an harmless People as they have had this for theit lot or why have they been tortured thus As for the former thus The word here rendered torture is observed no where else to be used in the New-Testament and in strictness of speech signifieth to be used and dealt withal as men do with a Drum viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which figurative expression directs us for its meaning either to the manner or end of mens cruel dealing with them If the former be lookt on as intended then the resemblance is taken from the manner of their torments answering either to the violent stretching out or distending the head of the
tryals Use 3. If from the Spirit that is in poor fallen man there be such ill fruits as those mentioned against the image people and heritage of the Lord let us not only prize that grace which hath delivered us from that power principle and interest to which all the former fierce Characters do naturally and necessarily agree But on the other hand be very conversant with the Lord for subduing in us the remains of that spirit that lusteth unto envy even in us and that towards them that persecute us there may be shewed forth our Dove-like innocency in pressing toward that Gospel-qualification of praying for them Mat. 5.44 45. Rom. 12.17 to the end 1 Pet. 3.9 and doing them good for all the evil they do to us that we may shew our selves to be the Children of another Father living in another principle and referring our selves in all the injuries done unto us to another judgment and if the Lord will bless it to that end we may hereby leave a powerful conviction that they hate and persecute us as they did our Lord before us without a cause I proceed to take some other Observations from the words Others were tortured Some were tryed otherwayes others this way some were tortured not all all are exercised some way or other every man's work must be tryed Whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 He chasteneth every son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 Whomsoever he loves he rebukes and chasteneth Rev. 3.19 But though every man must be tryed it is not appointed that they must all be this way tryed tryed by fire and water tryed by tortures Some were tortured where I note Doct. 2. That though the Lord hath provided tryals for all his Children yet he hath designed tortures but to some of them Thus Christ expresseth himself to his Disciples Some of you they shall put to death Luk. 21.16 The Devil shall cast some of you into prison Rev. 2.10 All Saints are some way tryed they be but some Saints are alwayes tryed All men are born to sorrows Job 5.7 yet but of some it is properly said they are men of sorrows Isa 53.3 Lam. 3.1 Psal 88.15 This is a plain case and obvious to frequent experience Yet because it may be seasonable and useful we may consider it by inquiring into these Two Things 1. Why some are Tortured 2. Why but some are Tortured For the former We now respect tortures as they are more immediately under the disposal and ordering of the Lord appointing more or less in point or measure to more or fewer subjects as it pleaseth him they being such bitter things as afore is described it is enquired Why the Father appoints it to any of his Children To this is answered 1. Negatively not from any love God hath to the Torments or from any lack or abatement of love to his Children he doth not take pleasure to see his precious believing People lie scattered up and down as they are described Psal 141.7 79.2 3. Lam. 4.1 2. as so many marks and monuments of the cruelty and butchery of the sons of men no saith the Psalmist Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints he esteems them precious in their lives and puts a value on them in their death It goes as we may speak with reverence near the heart of the Lord to see his Jewels thus dealt withal In all their Afflictions he is afflicted and the Angel of his Presence is with them Isa 63.9 He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 He doth not afflict willingly or grieve the children of men Lam. 3.33 much less the Children of God but rather like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him for he knoweth our frame and considereth that we are but dust Psal 103.13 14. nay he hath testified the greatest displeasure against such as have bin executioners of his rebukes when they have not performed them with pity Zech. 1.15 Isa 47.6 Psal 69.26 27. His Anointed Ones must be very tenderly handled and have no harm done against them Psal 105.14 15. wheresoever they wander Moab hath a charge to do so Isa 16.3 4. and in defect thereof his controversie is dreadful with the Nations Ezek. 25 throughout so chap. 26.2 3. c. 2. But positively and in general thus Though the Lord doth not assign these Tortures these fiery Tryals to his Children for want of love to his or from any delight he hath in such Tortures considered in themselves Yet many times the Lord hath higher and better ends to promote then their deliverance ends that have more of good in them than these Tortures can possibly have of evil and when it is so these dispensations are not only excusable but are to be justified Good is the Word of the Lord. As namely 1. Sometimes in giving his darlings thus to the power of the Dog he designs to bring to light the worth and excellency of some Truths of his which otherwayes would be much obscured if not quite excluded from among the children of men namely such Truths in the vindication of which his children are called and brought forth thus to suffer being wrought to a contentedness rather to endure torments than to let them go When a soul or people having obtained help from God continue witnessing to such Truths whatever it costs them There is reflected this honour upon Truth as was said of it of old Great is Truth and it shall prevail whereas if it should be as it is with the generality of Professors at this day when a Truth comes to be spoken for there is such a shrinking twisting shifting to evade the dint of the Tryal how would the World have too just cause to say What is there in your beloved Truth more than in our beloved Error What is your Profession more than ours your Religion more than ours If there were any excellent thing in it you would do and suffer somewhat excellent and extraordinary for it to take off this stumbling block and occasion therefore from them who seek or desire occasion the Lord is pleased to steel a people to this height We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 And then to shew a proof of Truth in them and the power and goodness thereof he puts them on a tryal proportioned to this design he hath some truth of the Gospel to shew in Paul and then must he be troubled on every side 2 Cor. 4.8 9 10. chap. 6.4 10 11. chap. 11.23 to 29. If the truth of Christ be in him no man shall stop him of his boasting none of these things move him or separate him from the love of God Truth shall be tryed in those vessels of earth though it be by fire seven times and the furnace seven times hotter than aforetime 2. Sometimes the Lord doth by these Tortures assert and
clear up the sincerity and inward value and excellency of those Virtues or Graces of Christ which are his own and his admirable workmanship in their Souls These pass up and down among men as meer delusions from the Devil and hypocrisie in the professors of them And now it is the interest of the Lord's honour and the vindication of the operation of the Spirit that these be put upon some tryal that may search their very root and bottom discover their foundation to the neck When God speaks of his Workmanship and Image in Job Satan undertakes if he could hâ—ve the stripping him of all his outward accommodations touch all he hath and he would curse him to his face That attempt failing he is confident that if he might have the torturing of him the touching and tearing his bones and his flesh he would curse him to his face and if he durst assert his confidence of his success in such an enterprize to the face of God may we think much of his confident imposing his suggestions on the projects and conclusions of his children He did attempt the green Tree and it s no marvel if he do the Dry. Now while he would bear God if possible and doth bear the World in hand so confidently that he hath instruments of Cruelty that would whip and kick the new-creature in any man to nothing and herein make God a Liar as in the former and an Imposture as in this the Lord delivers the dearly beloved of his Soul into the enemies hand though with sufficient restrictions Take him Torturer try him to the bottom and when all comes to all when he is tryed he shall come forth as Gold Job 23.10 And though till his word of deliverance came to his Josephs the word of the Lord tryes them while their feet are hurt with fetters and they be laid in irons Psal 105.18 19. They pass through fire and water yet he brings them into a wealthy place Psal 66.10 11 12. Men and Devils shall know that the Faith Love Zeal Patience Courage Holiness c. wherewith he hath endowed them have that of Truth Virtue and Worth in them as doth undeniably constitute them more excellent than their neighbours and that an excellent Spirit is found in them so as none of these tortures numbred up Rom. 8.35 to the end is able to separate betwixt them and their love to God and uprightness with and before him 3. Sometimes the Lord doth by these Tortures take occasion to heighten the honour of his own Power Arm and Influence which are day by day administered to bear up his children when it is manifest they have no external props to stay them up but are out of weakness made strong This brings out a more evident acknowledgement That the power of Christ rests upon them 2 Cor. 12.9 God is in them of a truth 1 Cor. 14.25 It s true as long as times and providences hold to keep off pains from the body chains from the legs stripes from the back famine from the belly other props and principles may be presumed to bear one up but when there is no fruit in the Vine no flock in the Field no herd in the Stall none shut up nor left yet then to rejoyce in the Lord to glory in tribulation to accompt it all joy to fall into divers of them and they great ones this is convincing that such are kept and kept up by the mighty Power of God underneath such must needs be everlasting arms What convictions came upon the two great Monarchs by the great support the three Worthies and Daniel ch 3. and ch 6. had from the Lord to yield their bodies to torment The former because they would not joyn with false worship the other because he would not cease practising the true they gave glory to the God of heaven and upon all occasions confess that an excellent Spirit was found in them 4. Sometimes the Lord brings about this end by it he hereby brings forth a more plain and naked discovery of the wickedness that is in the world through lust Many times men come in upon Dominions and the exercise of Power and Authority with most plausible insinuations protestations and declarations of their design and temper as if no other than the disposition of Lambs were in them whereon they raise a name and repute of benefactors Luke 22.25 or merciful Lords and reckon it no small part of their interest and business to raise and maintain in the spirits of people the supposition of some indelible marks of the nature and majesty of a Deity is stamped upon them and sutably to get a reverence of them as most sacred when many times to open and undeceive the minds of poor souls held in such blind devotion the Lord lets them alone and exposes the bodies of his dearest ones to their cruelty that no man may glory in men above what is written but that coming to a plain discovery of men and things in their own evidence as Psal 36.2 the sons of men as well as the children of God may breath after the Lords arising to rule the earth and become the Governor among the Nations Thus we see for high ends and unto glorious advantage some are tortured The Second Enquiry put is Why but some men would be gratified and if God be so honoured why not all tortured A few Reasons may be considered here also 1. There are but some tortured because God is pleased to accompt but some worthy to bear and wear the glory of being thus used for his Name-sake There are some of whom the Lord saith They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Who are counted worthy to walk in white Why they who are come out of great tribulations and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb Rev. 7.14 Though there be some points of honour of which it may be said this honour have all the Saints Psal 149.9 yet it holds not true in this that we speak of they who had the first stripes for the Name of Christ rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name Acts 5.41 They have marks of distinguishing favour who bear in their body the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 Alwayes carrying about in their body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the Life of Jesus may so much the more be magnified and manifested in their mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4.10 11. 2. All are not tortured because the Lord sees all of his Servants have not power to bear such tryals as all men have not faith so all good men have not the like strong faith though they may have the like precious Faith Their Faith may carry them to Heaven who yet may not have that degree and strength of Faith to carry them through Tortures to heaven not that they who have most have any thing to boast of above others as being better than they the differance
stayed He bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought and maketh the devices of the people of none effect Psal 33.10 11. It s not unusual that they fall into their own net whilst we escape Psal 141.10 Use 2. If it be but some that are Tortured and they stand distinguished by the absolute sovereignty and gracious disposal of the Lord who appoints their call anointing and season as it pleaseth him on whose will also the with-drawment of influences hereunto doth depend Then it may caution you and me to take care how we judge of men that are assisted or not assisted in point of enduring tortures It s not the smallest infirmity of this day there is a present over-valuing and under-valuing men and parties according as there appears or dis-appears an ability to endure the tortures that attend the tryal of their profession The persons of some are had in admiration because of advantage above what is written and the persons of others so dispised as if God were not able to make them stand that is a needful counsel in a case not very different Rom. 11.18 Boast not against the branches for if thou boastest thou bearest not the root but the root thee and the teaching therein hath been oftentimes enforced on me by that determination of our Lord which is admitted frequently to take place at this day Many that were last shall be first and the first last And it falls frequently under observation That men as well as things do very speedily and often countermarch and shift places Many tall Cedars who did run well suffer many things gave great ground of perswasion that they would have gone thorough have notwithstanding at one point or other faultred deserted their station and as Sampson grown weak as another man when perhaps on the same ground a poor weak believer over-looked and dispised by most hath obtained grace and strength from on high to make good that post and to walk from strength to strength in the Name of the Lord his God So that all glorying or being puffed up for one against another is excluded here Let not him boast that putteth on his Armour Use 3. Must some be tortured must all be tryed is not the day of the expectation of greater things than these yet over Then let us learn to prepare our Faith and Patience get on our Armour and gird it on take heed how you be drawn into a sleep of security from the present interval of Calm and Rest which the Lord is pleased hitherto to continue to you in a very wonderful manner Some are if not tortured yet sorely tryed and tempted while you have your mercies and opportunities so peaceable about you you should be reckoning this is a space allowed you to gather courage not to contract rust by rest but laying up a store against the evil day that question should be still with us in a way of endeavouring its resolution Seeing we look for these things what manner of People should we be standing on our guard expecting to be drawn forth and ready to comply with that Call Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity Psal 49.16 in a faithful humble Lamb-like readiness to follow Jesus Christ and witness for him though it be in tortures temptations or wherever he goeth But to proceed to some farther Observations in the words Others were tortured c. It is implyed to make up the sense at every sentence by Faith they were so although it be not so expresly named By Faith they were tortured by Faith they accepted not deliverance by Faith they looked for a better Resurrection all the famous doings and fearful undoings recorded in this Chapter are to the honour of Faith This expression therefore that comes first to hand By Faith some were tortured may be considered two wayes 1. It hath a great truth in it if we thus understand it by Faith that is by means of their Faith upon this occasion and for this reason they were tortured even their Faith This was the quarrel the Devil and World had with them viz. They were men of Faith Or else 2. The expression may be thus understood By Faith they were tortured that is they were supported in and carried through their Tortures living or dying by their Faith This was the victory that overcame the world in all these tortures even their Faith I take this latter to be most immediately aimed at in this place and sutably is my eye to prosecute it Though I take the former not to be excluded or at least we may draw some useful considerations from that sense By Faith that is upon occasion of their Faith they were quarrelled with singled out and tortured by Satan and his instruments Great Faith exposed them to great sufferings And so it is now and may afford us this Observation Doct. 3. That a lively Faith possessed and professed is that which will enrage and engage the worlds highest violence and cruelty on him that hath it I intend a very brief dispatch of this not being so immediately perhaps intended in the words and that by considering Faith as contracting and incurring this rage in a two-fold sense or respect 1. Consider we this Faith unfeigned as it is possessed or respecting its inward root and principle as it dwelleth in the hidden-man of the heart in that which is incorruptible against this and as such doth the Prince of Darkness mainly bend his batteries It s true he brings his torments to bear upon the limbs and members of the Body the sensitive part but nothing is more evident than that his design lies farther as appears by this That if by the frights or feeling of these tortures he can but get in pollution and defilement upon the soul of a poor Saint if he can but corrupt that from the simplicity or debauch that of the virginity it hath with Christ then is the offence of the Cross ceased the torments are all called off the work is done He is mad to see any soul delivered from his dominion and translated into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God and there lives by this Faith on comforts that he cannot intermedle withal derives strength and influence which he cannot obstruct is acted in a life and on principles and reasonings which have a fixed and unalterable antipathy to his former courses nay have vertue and success to make resistance to Satan oftentimes to put him to flight 1 Pet. 5.9 Jam. 4.7 And this is the Victory that so frequently overcomes not only the World 1 Joh. 5.4 but the Prince of the World 1 Joh. 4.4 Now there is little reason that we should wonder to see Satan rage and in a rage to bring his instruments of greatest cruelty to bear upon a soul that lives by Faith above him and in such an advantagious way of conquest over him as the Gates of Hell cannot prevail to do him real
look after strength of faith 2. Be exhorted such of you as find that good work of Faith with any power in your souls that you do not let it lye by you as a Talent in a Napkin or as the Sword behind the Ephod since there is none to it to make you valiant to do exploits Oh! be much in this work of drawing it forth upon constant quick and lively exercise as namely 1. Improve your Faith against your Fears It hath a soveraign and excellent vertue that way in the experiences of all the Saints As perfect Love casteth out Fear so doth perfect Faith indeed it is Faith working by Love only doth it What time I am afraid I will trust in thee In the Lord I have put my trust I will not fear what man can do unto me Have Faith upon its principallity of exercise when the sloods of ungodly men are apt to make afraid 2. Improve your Faith against all your offences and murmurings that you meet withal in your souls occasioned and multiplied by the stumbling-blocks of the day Proper Doctrines cannot be preached proper Duties cannot be practised proper Truths cannot be professed but Satan raiserh up multitudes of Objections against them of which this usually beareth the mastery Spare thy self they resolve themselves into this usually as their bearing reason The fear of man In such a time how needful is that Character to be found Great peace have they that love thy Law and Nothing shall offend them Psa 119.165 When tribulation and persecution for the Word cometh how by and by men are offended Mat. 13.21 It was one great part of Christ's care at parting with his Disciples that they should not be offended at mens putting them out of the Synagogues and thinking they do God good service in killing them John 16.1 2. When John was in prison it is not easie to answer the questions nor to remove the offences that arise upon it Whether Christ be the Christ or no But blessed is he saith Christ that is not offended in me Mat. 11.6 Oh! improve your Faith against these stumbling offences 3. Improve your Faith unto a full conquest of the World and the things that are therein respecting all the afrightments and allurements of it as it presents and presseth you with its objects of love and fear Oh! in such staggering times the dirt that clogs the feet of a Believer the thick clay that either in act or desire he is busied to load himself withal is extreamly detrimental to taking streight steps to your feet How easily did the present evil World draw Demas Judas and divers others to a betraying denying deserting their high profession The victory that overcomes this you have heard is your Faith 4. Improve your Faith against all the filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit let such as name the Name of the Lord Jesus depart from iniquity a little sin will destroy a great deal of valour whereas holiness carried on towards its perfection in the fear of God will yield encreases of strength and security against the worst that man can do unto you for who is he can harm you if you be followers of that which is good Holiness will secure you from harm They who torture you if they cannot defile you cannot destroy you they may kill you but cannot hurt you you shall not be hurt of the second death And in as much as you are frequently shewed what power Faith improved hath to promote holiness the Lord make you faithful herein Thus far hath been spoken to set forth the excellent and admirable nature of believing considered in its encounters with and conquest over torments It remains that we now take into view its vertue and excellency as it conflicts with and gets success against another adversary no less difficult to be attempted than tortures be no less apt to over-come and that is the tempting tenders of Deliverance And herein is the greatness of the atchievment that the Faith which enabled them to bear tortures without grudging enabled them to refuse the tenders of deliverance without complying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redemptionem notat addita praeposito insinuare videtur perfectam redemptionem Leigh Cr. Sac◠They accepted not Deliverance The word we read Deliverance denoteth in the proper signification of it full Deliverance Deliverance very compleat and is here applyed to signifie such a deliverance as did not only consist in a meer relaxation of the torment as supposing them to be upon the Rack in such a case when the sinews begin to snap and the joynts to sever one from another if nothing more were offered in the deliverance but meerly to let down the rack and take off the creature from the extremity of torment though that may for a time seem to gain upon a meer man yet such may the case be that such deliverance may be worse than death its self You reade in Rev. 9.5 6. of a torment in which men shall seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and it shall flee from them Implying that such may be the torment on a poor creature as that to be killed out-right is better than to be spared Knock me in the head rather than let me live thus in Torture But the deliverance here is full deliverance a being reduced to a state of ease rest and quiet together with any other accommodations that can be desired to compleat it All this will I give thee Credit Trade Preferment Applause and what not They accepted it not They did not give it friendly entertainment such as one would shew to a stranger when he hath been long absent They were at such a pitch of raisedness that they would give such deliverance deliverance on such terms not any friendly welcome or entertainment that other men perhaps would gladly do they could not salute it bid it God speed could be in no fellowship with it That they might obtain The word doth not signifie any expectation that they had or could have of dealing with the hope of the Resurrection upon the terms of strict merit As if there were any equality or proportion betwixt their enduring tortures and their receiving the Resurrection nay when they have done all left all suffered all they are unprofitable servants but only thus in thus standing under torments thus withstanding deliverance upon unworthy terms they were in the Lord's path of expecting the comfortable foretastes now and assurances of a further glory A better Resurrection Paul pressed hard to obtain the Resurrection from the dead Phil. 3.11 which is not only a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust but that which is called the first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 for the dead in Christ shall rise first 1 Thes 4.16 They which are Christs at his coming 1 Cor. 15.23 For them that sleep in Christ shall God bring with him This is called the Better Resurrection not only better than their torments but
hitherto saith David 2 Sam. 7.18 It traceth out and owneth the footsteps of divine good-will in every little thing and much more when it sees such salutations Life is a mercy Liberty a mercy exemption from Tortures a great mercy Deliverance out of them a greater mercy Hence the Soul is compassed and compasseth his God about with songs of Deliverance 2. None knows how to improve a Deliverance how to use it when he hath it as a Believer If he have Life on this side Death Liberty on this side Bonds Ease on this side Torment he is taught to acknowledge and reckon he is not his own in it 1 Cor. 6.19 20. but must use it to the glorifying God in soul and body which are his None is under such obligations none hath such objects and opportunities to make an high improvement of them as he hath who by believing looks into them others bestow them on their lusts 3. None as he knows what account he must give to God for such Deliverances as he must reckon for every idle word and all the deeds done in the body so he must yield an account of all his receipts whatever they be and therefore must so receive and improve as one that must be judged by the Law of Liberty and hence durst not say of any Mercy as they Our tongues are our own who is Lord over them Psa 12.4 On these accompts and others that might be mentioned the Believer hath reason to know deliverance the worth that is in it and his duty about it more than any other Now as none can deal with deliverance as they so is it a very high duty incumbent on such to receive deliverance at the hand of God then to accept deliverance is his duty and to give it such acceptance and entertainment in Truth as he expressed in Complement and in a strain of Oratory Rhetorick Acts 24.2 3. the terms only changed the Believer may thus express himself to the Lord Seeing I enjoy great quietness great deliverance great preservation and that very worthy deeds are done to such a worm as I by thy Providence I accept it alwayes and in all places my dear Father with all thankfulness None do and can give it such acceptable entertainment as the Believer of whom we treat The matter therefore thus stated and considered he doth not he durst not refuse such deliverance For if he should not thus receive it 1. He were in this refusal a meer destroyer of himself a thing abhorrent to godliness he were I say accessary of the violence done upon himself Saul is as guilty of his own death if his Armour-bearer thrust him through as when he falls upon his own Sword If Life Liberty or any Mercy may be had in God's way the refusal of it is the destroying our selves so far as that Mercy extends Though we are required to hate Father and Mother and our own Lives in a sence yet it is far from the intendment of the Spirit we should carelesly run them upon hazard no such know their bodies are the Temples of the Holy Spirit and they ought to use them well for his sake who dwells in them He that abuseth the Temple of God him will God destroy 2. Such a refusal of Deliverance when it may be had in the Lord's way is a manifestation and an act of the highest ingratitude and unthankfulness to the Lord that can be thought on To scorn or set at nought his favours is very much beneath the ingenuity of a Believer who ought to imbrace all occasions to shew forth the high praises of the Lord which are due unto his Name Blessed are such as dwell in the Lord's House they have frequent such occasion to be praising him and it is comely for the upright 3. Should he not accept Deliverance when it may be had in the Lord's way it would be found an act of high violence and injustice towards others who may be involved and concerned equally with themselves Some have Wives and Children or other Relations in the flesh now as if he provide not for his own and especially for them of his own houshold he were worse than an Infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 So if he draw them into sufferings from whence he might have deliverence in a way honourable and acceptable to the Lord he is accessary of their misery their wrong will be upon him More of this kind might be spoken but I fear too much of it is ready to be alledged on the common principle which is fruitful in such kind of reasonings Save thy self spare thy self this harm shall not come unto thee as Mat. 17.22 I shall only draw this Consideration into sutable Improvement in a few Inferences 1. If this be so then may we take up this Instruction That Godliness and the profession of it doth not inevitably run and necessitate a Christian upon the hazard and loss of every thing he hath or induce him to cast away all Though it doth indeed require him to prepare his stuff for removing to stand crucified in his affections unto them and ready to make surrender of them whenever the Lord needs them as was said of the Colt or is pleased to call for them yet it also directs to an excellent way of receiving enjoying and using them buying as if he bought not having and using all these as not abusing them 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. Do not therefore take up hard thoughts of Godliness because of the Doctrine of Self-denyal the Cross at entrance or the Tryals and Tribulations that are appointed to attend the Professors of it 2. Hence it will also follow That false and wrong Principles are not to be accompted good because persons do upon them run all they have upon ruine As there is a kind of respect and pity kindled in tender and ingenious hearts toward a people who suffer under the profession of principles that have an appearance of Holiness in them So doth a kind of stedfastness to those principles and resolution to run all things to ruine on them very much tend to raise admiration and applause to such a people and their profession whereas on the contrary I desire you to take this as a standing Rule ☞ That the goodness of a Principle is not to be tryed and determined by the resolution of the Sufferer but the resolution of the Sufferer by the goodness of his Principle Good-men may be very weak under good Principles and Bad-men may be very heady and resolute under bad principles and this well considered would lead off our eyes from gazing on and having mens persons in admiration upon one hand when we see them stand or being apt to judge them and their cause if we see them insident in hours of temptation to shake and totter I confess its very beautiful and desireable to see stedfastness of Soul as the off-spring of Truth fixed there in Gospel-evidence and the contrary hereunto hath given not a little advantage and
as a man not to serve Christ or do any thing for thy God as a Christian man 3 If thou art violently restrained by them the sin of any omission of Duty and Service lies at their door and to their peril be it when the King shall demand the reason of thy want of service but when thou acceptest of those terms thou becamest accessary with them art in conjunction with them it s thy sin as much if not more than theirs they think they do God good service 4 If thou art only bound by the hands of Violence the Lord looks on thee and reckons thee as his free man free in Spirit thou reservest the dominion of that for God Thou livest not dyest not as a Fool dieth but as a man falleth before wicked men 2 Sam. 3.33 34. Object Now there is little opportunity to do the Lord any such service but if ever an opportunity present I hope to be as ready as another may not such obligations be enervated repented of and a soul disobliged from them Answ It hath been and is still the crying sin of this day and of the years past That persons have thought it a very small matter to make and break these kind of Engagements according as interest presents them with an opportunity the iniquity and provocation whereof I shall only attempt to open in one Scripture Ezek. 17.12 13 to vers 20. where God expostulates the case with the rebellious House of Judah They and the King of Babylon make a Covenant and there is for ratification of it the Oath of God added The King of Babylons design was to make the Kingdom base that it might not lift up its self and in this exigency they make a Covenant The question is put Whether their taking an opportunity to shake off this yoke and break this Covenant might not be succeeded with prosperity This consequence the Lord disclaims with the highest indignation and that because of the Oath of God the quarrel and controversie of that Oath and Covenant should be required severely at the hands of such a treacherous people If thy hand have been lifted up in Truth Righteousness and Judgement already then take care how thou retract that and to whom thou lift it up the second time lest it prove a double provocation 5. If I cannot come at the good of Deliverance but I must intrench upon the Name Honour and Glory of God which he hath lifted up in the World I may not touch with that Deliverance There are some wayes and works of God wherein he hath more immediately and eminently in some generations concerned his Name than in others or than ever it was before God went to make him a Name of Greatness and Terribleness by Redeeming Israel out of Egypt and driving the Nations out of Canaan 1 Chron. 17.21 Isa 63.12 14. Sâ— by bringing Judah out of Babylon and will do by bringing his Sion from under Antichrist Toward the later whereof he hath made very glorious advances in our dayes and we have sung his praise in them so as it may be said of his Holy People at this day as of Israel of old Deut. 4.32 33 34. And all this he hath done to get himself a glorious Name Our zeal for which and love to which is now brought to tryal whether we will yea or nay deny his Name A faithful adhering to which though by a people that have but little strength is very acceptable to the Lord Rev. 3.8 9 10. And he will do great things for such in times and hours of temptation If therefore God be at this day so tender of his Name as he is that he will not give his glory to another we ought to be upon his side in this design and especially when this Name of his comes to be spoken about all our Deliverances ought to be brought to this test if they may be had with a saving to this Name they are welcome otherwayes they may not be accepted Object But whatsoever we can say was done in our dayes of that kind the Lord now appears plucking it down again leads that strength into captivity gives that glory into the enemies hand bestowes the marks of favour upon the other party who thrive and prosper and being advanced to the capacity we see them we do but follow Providence in joyning there Answ 1. The best of thy plea is God is angry with his People hath a great Controversie with them which he pleads with deep and bitter strokes and thou wilt be on his side angry with them too and plead against them In so doing thou mayest be right and safe but I must tell thee thou hast very much reason to take heed both of thy standing and frame of spirit lest his indignation take place on thee for being out of thy place the Lord is very jealous against such as offer their service to be the executioners of his rebukes upon his heritage Zech. 1.15 Psal 69.26 Isa 47.6 that was a sore word Obadiah vers 11. For thy violence against thy Brother shame shall cover thee in the day that thou stoodest on the Other side thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy Brother c. The Lord takes special notice on what side men stand when he is dealing with his own Children for their folly 2 Moreover the Lord's rebuke is not against his People for their Principle and testimony but for their unsutableness to that Testimony and Principle of theirs which they professed And now he is come in the way of this tryal to see whether we will cleave to him with our whole heart and with our whole soul what remnant they be who will cleave to him in principles of Righteousness of Holiness of Purity of Godliness of Gospel-worship of an Heavenly Conversation and underneath the feet of these subject their interest of Ease Rest Liberty Estates Limbs Lives his Voice is therefore now in this respect who is upon the Lord's side Psal 94.16 Here it s an exceeding mercy indeed to have obtained mercy to be faithful not to deny his Name whatever it costs 6. Deliverance is then to be dreaded not accepted when I cannot come at the good of Deliverance without giving just occasion of stumbling to many to fall and of grief and affliction to the bonds of many that stand Precious in the sight of the Lord are the lives and souls of the poorest Saints and ought to be tender to us that we do nothing whereby they be stumbled offended or made weak much less destroyed for whom Christ died Asaphs first conviction of his extravagancy Psal 73.15 was if he should speak thus he should offend against the generation of Gods Children As he was tender so the Lord is very jealous of this Ezek. 13.22 how the heart of the Righteous be made sad whom God hath not made sad and the hands of the wicked strengthned that they should not return from their wicked way c. I confess
the World and the glory of them and that in a moment of time with this offer All this Power will I give thee and the Glory of them Luke 4.5 6. To Asaph with a condition of men that have no bands in death their strength firm are not in trouble as other men nor plagued as other men eyes standing out with fatness they have more than heart could wish Therefore God's People often turn in hither Psal 73. beginning The first temptation was by a Tree good for food pleasant to the eye and to be desired to make one wise Gen. 3.6 He never wants high and fair profers to make up a temptation effectual to allure You shall buy and sell be free of the great City that made rich all her Merchants Rev. 18.10 to 19. so you will receive the mark in the forehead or right hand you may admit it secretly if you will not openly chap. 13.16 17. 2 The Tempter also insists much and gains much advantage by representing and imposing the Presentness of Deliverance you shall have this presently The Resurrection you speak of is a great way off a long time to come and will you tarry till the Heavens be no more for such a thing and in mean time overlook that Deliverance which is in hand A Bird in Hand is worth two in the Wood. Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandring of the desire Eccles 6.9 This offer of things that are seen hath great prevalency with a soul who lives more by Sence than by Faith this was the snare of Demas he forsook that way of the Lord having loved the present world 2 Tim. 4.10 To be delivered from the present world Gal. 1.4 is an extraordinary salvation it being so apt to take with us when we begin to grow weary and can wait on the Lord no longer and reckon as was noted of Esau I am at the point of Death and what good can this Birth-right this hope of a Resurrection and another World to come do to me Give me Deliverance will such a one say or I die Thus the Captive Exile hasteth lest he die in the Pit and his bread should fail Secondly But consider we the Resurrection and here if we will improve the thoughts of it to advantage we should admit to our thoughts about it those Objections that may make it seem less taking there are Three of them that we may easily conjecture might rationally arise in the spirits of these poor tempted tortured ones against their adhering to the Resurrection in the neglect of present Deliverance 1. About the very truth of this Notion of the Resurrection there is the appearance of a very great impossibility Flesh and Blood Sence and Reason object How can these things be If a man die can he live again Of all living there is hope a living Dog is better than a dead Lyon the living know that they shall die but the dead know nothing at all Eccles 9.4 5. These are the Reasonings of a rational mind that admits only of humane demonstration When Paul was making his Defence before Agrippa one who was expert in all Customs and Questions among the Jews yet reasons on this Supposition That it was thought a thing incredible with them that God should raise the dead Acts 26.8 with vers 3. If the question be put Can these dry bones live Sense Reason Learning hath no better than this astonished answer Lord thou knowest Ezek. 37.3 This now is a great disadvantage unto a rational choice as our case is But here steps in Faith which acts upon dead things a dead Womb in Sarah dead Loins in Abraham a Sacrificed Isaac a Crucified Christ the slaughtered Witnesses a betrayed Cause are subjects proper to a living Faith to exercise its self upon when it hath a word of Promise Faith thinks it not incredible that God should raise the dead it lives upon that great Power that raised Jesus from the dead So that though the bones be scattered about the Graves mouth as when one cutteth and cleaveth Wood Psal 141.7 though the bodies of the Saints are given to be meat to the Fowls of the Heaven and their flesh to the Beasts of the Earth their Blood shed like water and there be none to bury them Psal 79.2 3. though Limb be torn from Limb and Quarter set at the greatest distance from Quarter though the fire devours the Bowels and the Dogs lick the Blood yet Faith is not hereby lost in a certainty of Conclusion This is Dust in Covenant with the God of Abraham of Isaac Jacob and though it be dead to us yet all live to him Luke 20.37 38. 2. If there should be a yielding to the possibility of it yet it might be objected The demonstration of the Point and its determination in Scripture-evidence was not apparent and manifest in that day Life and Immortality being reserved to be brought to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 and the way into the Holiest of all being not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing Heb. 9.8 Not but that there was a sufficient Testimony in the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets to this Truth to guide Believers in the Hope of Glory but so far was there a Vail on this as well as other Truths that the Sadduces a Sect of no mean Repute and Authority in the Jewish Church not only questioned but utterly denyed any such thing to be founded in the Old Testament at all Mat. 22.23 Acts 23.8 Nay under the clear manifectations of this Truth in the Testimony of Christ and the Apostles in the New Testament you see a generation who affirmed That the Resurrection is past already and overthrew the Faith of some against whom the Apostle disputes at large 1 Cor. 15. Nay notwithstanding all this we see in all Ages there have been some who by weakning the Authority of the Scriptures in geneeal or by a lawless wanton allegorizing the Scriptures that refer to this and other precious Truths in particular do satisfie their reason in rejecting the truth of the Lord's Testimony herein If it may be supposed that these souls of whom the Text makes report should be assaulted with any part of this temptation about the obscurity of the revelation of this Doctrine in the Scriptures it must needs magnifie the excellency of their Faith that conquered this disadvantage and through this cloud also conclude the preferency of the Resurrection to their tendered Deliverance 3. But supposing the possibility and probability of this Doctrine be acknowledged to have been undoubted to them yet this might remain a very considerable remora in their way it was a thing a great while to come many thousand years have passed since the assertion of it and yet no appearance of it and many thousand years may yet be ere it take place as was their reasoning Ezek. 12.27 and as the Scoffers of the last dayes object 2 Pet. 3.4 Now as was
bring us together again and make amends for all the loss herein sustained Then we shall be ever with the Lord in that triumph of which the stranger cannot intermeddle with the Joy Comfort one another with these words and the God of all Consolation be with you Amen FINIS THE EMBALMING OF A Dead Cause OR Christ's kind acceptance of sincere though weak attempts to preserve a sweet savour upon his Concerns in the World under those many deaths he is pleased to draw on them until their promised Resurrection Heb. 12.22 But ye are come to Mount Sion and unto the City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels Gen. 50.26 So Joseph died being an hundred and ten years old and they embalmed him and he was put in a Coffin in Egypt Isa 26.19 Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the Earth shall cast out the dead Job 14.14 If a man die shall he live again All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come Printed in the Year 1668. THE EMBALMING OF A DEAD CAUSE Mark 14.8 She hath done what she could she is come aforehand to anoint my Body to the burying THese words are part of Christs own Vindication of and Apology for a very acceptable work of an Holy Woman which nevertheless through their great mistake came under a very severe censure at the hands of the very Disciples of Christ themselves Mat. 26.6 who taking knowledge only of so much therein as occured to their sense and carnal reason admitted thereby not a little disquiet on their own spirits they had indignation vers 4. they murmured vers 5. and reflected much trouble upon hers vers 6. Even such high-raised and Heavenly actions of Saints as have the most choicest esteem and acceptance with the Lord may yet meet with very undue representations and procure very strange reflections from the hands of others truly dear to Christ It should therefore be no greater strange thing to us to be judged by mans judgement it s well we stand or fall to another Master But so well was the integrity of her spirit and the noble principles and springs of this action known to Christ and approved by him that himself undertakes her defence when perhaps her trouble at their hard measure might stop her own mouth and appears to plead her cause not only so far as to give a present check to their rash conclusion and a testimony to the goodness and acceptableness of her work but withal takes order by an unalterable appointment for perpetuating the praise thereof vers 9. That where ever the Gospel of Grace should be Preached throughout the world this that she had done should be declared for a Memorial of her Christians under cloudy censures lose nothing at last by leaving their censured selves and actings to be vindicated by the Lord to whom their integrity is known and their cause committed Micah 7.9 10. Where ever the Doctrine of the Grace of Christ should be proclaimed this should be produced as a lively instance pattern and example to illustrate and confirm the power and prevalency thereof in that it is of power to beget on so contemptible a weak vessel as this poor Woman was such exceeding largeness nobility and ingenuity of spirit as was beyond what the gallantest principles or endeavours of meer Man could arrive unto and yet when the memorial hereof was to be mentioned when the Gospel should be Preached either to Nations abroad or Generations to come the principal intendment was not meerly to affix a mark of honour upon this individual person or this single act for her very name is hid both here vers 3 and in Mat. 26.6 7. but to commend and advance the value of the principles and motives she went upon to the encouragement and admonition of us and others upon whom the ends of the World are come 1 Cor. 10.11 Rom. 15.4 I purpose not to mention or stay upon the profitable deductions and inferences that would commend themselves from the coherence of the words or matter round about them intending but a present brief Comment on them In the words first read we have a double Character of her noble spirit set forth First In the extent of her act She hath done what she could Secondly In the intent of it She is come aforehand to anoint my body c. She hath done what shâ— could The word doth not meerly signifie that she had stretched her self to the utmost bounds of her estate and ability that way to purchase so costly a confection as this was for the greatness of the cost manifested it self to their offence and it could no way mitigate their disquiet to tell them how much she had expended in that respect but hereby I understand Christ would have them know that a certain raisedness and greatness of spirit had acted her to the utmost beyond the ordinary sphere of Beleevers to devise and practise liberal notable things so that she was not capable of being restrained and circumscribed within a narrow compass she did what she could for she could not but do what she did She is come afore-hand to anoint By what impulse or instinct of spirit or with what distinct and evidence her understanding was assisted to receive the Doctrine of and to make provision for the Funeral of her Lord is not expresly mentioned This is evident that the Disciples generally were very dark nay averse to notions of this kind their expectations being very earthly carnal of being advanced with him to some external Pomp and Glory which his Death and Burial so suddenly was inconsistent with by reason of their weakness and readiness to be offended wherein the Lord was very tender of propounding the Doctrine and distilling the Notions of his Death among them whilst he was with them John 16.4 And what he delivered of this kind was hardly regarded or remembred till afterward John 2.22 12.16 Luke 24.8 But this good Woman had early impressions made upon her heart of this blessed Truth Shâ—â—as afore-hand not only with the dispensation it self but also with the most forward of the Disciples themselves expecting it and preparing for it To anoint my Body to the burying This was the manner of the Jewes to bury John 19.40 especially where a reverend and honourable estimation or singular affection were to be expressed What might be extraordinary in her eye will hereafter be spoken to only towards the drawing this act of hers into a way of improvement for common use it may not be amiss to consider the body of Christ not only litterally as was immediately intended in her act but in a figurative acceptation as other Scriptures may help and warrant to consider it and our concerns about it Thus sometimes by the Body of Christ is intended his Church
and People considered in their capacity of conflicting with many deaths and dangers wherein they need and depend upon him for aid and influence as their Head 1 Cor. 12.27 Colos 1.18 24. Eph. 1.23 The Body of Christ may also be applied to signifie sometimes the whole Oeconomy or administrations of the concerns of Christ in the World for the peculiar good of his Church especially with respect to the Institutions of the Gospel according as the Legal Institutions Ordinances and Administrations of Moses are called the body of Moses Jude vers 9. compared with Zech. 3.2 where the contest was about the restitution of the Ordinances of the Lord according to the Mosaical Institution after the captivity I say as the administrations of the Law are called the body of Moses about which Satan had a contest then so may by just analogy the Institutions of the Gospel be called the body of Christ against which Satan hath not only many conflicts with them that are anointed and honoured to be a Royal Priesthood but in the infinite Wisdom of God and for the bringing about and perfecting of his designs with greater glory he hath designed manifest deaths and burials thereunto that his Resurrection-Power may be the more fully manifested Hos 6.12 Isa 26.19 Rev. 11 9 10 11. Unto this his Body mystically and figuratively considered there being such promises of a Resurrection there is also a spiritual embalming to be performed to it compleat to the capacities of the Lords dear Children all essayes and offers hereunto in such â—argeness of heart and preventing forwardness as was found in this Handmaid have a very singular resentment and acceptance with the Lord as shall hereafter be shewed the which I hope may be treated of and applied to our case without stretching the Metaphor beyond the bounds of Scripture allowance or digressing from the Spirits intendment concerning us in this place The words thus opened afford us this Observation Doct. That the Lord highly prizeth all vigorous attempts of his weakest Children to preserve a sweet savour on the concerns of Jesus Christ when they are exposed to death and burial All Nations where the Gospel comes must expresly take notice for a pattern to all that shall believe what a value and estemation Christ had of and an apology for a censured act of a glorious soul laid out early and nobly upon what concerned him when under a sentence of death and burial by the wise appointment of God though to be executed by the hands of wicked men so that if it might not be preserved from rage and scorn yet should from stench and an evil savour as much as lay in her till its hoped-for Resurrection should set it above either what she could do for it or the enemies against it may we therefore in our capacities learn that lesson Go and do likewise Luke 10.37 In handling this Point I shall not confine my self to any other method than will offer it self in considering this lively instance and pattern to Believers in the Text what was the peculiar excellency of her act indiscernable to good men that were standers by and wherein the acceptableness lay and thence by way of proportion where the cogent reason and influence of it lyes respecting us at this day First Then we may consider the inward springs and motives of her action that lay hid from ordinary observation upon which her spirit was raised and her endeavours extended to this degree mentioned in the Text. Secondly We may consider the effect of these lively and ennobling principles manifesting its self in the dimentions of her activity or how it was said of her She did what she could Thirdly The business or affair it self about which she was conversant a very thankless office in the thoughts of those that were lookers on though they were the Disciples of Christ and men honourable in many other respects above her Fourthly The estimation and acceptance that it finds with Christ notwithstanding the hard measure and severe censures at the hands of men I shall only speak of all these in her so as is immediately applicable to our own case as we go along First As for the first of these namely The hidden principles and springs of motion that were open to the Eyes of Christ with whom she had to do though mistaken and miss-judged by those spectators Not to enlarge in that variety as the matter will bear there are these two that offer themselves by Christs discovery to our view and learning as being needful indeed to all generous and noble actions that are wrought 1. There lay at the bottom of her act a lively faith strong and operative in this very matter not only in receiving the discoveries of the death and burial of her Lord whereunto the Disciples were so generally unacquainted but also the assurance of his speedy Resurrection not only in the hints that himself had given of it but also from the testimony that the Spirit had long since born Psa 16.10 that he should not see corruption in the grave his early witness whereunto we have John 2.19 speaking of the Temple of his body vers 20. he saith Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up again Till he was risen from the dead this was not understood or at least not regarded and remembred vers 22. by the Disciples only such and so great apprehensive and active was the Faith of this good Woman that she receives the Doctrine of the Death and Burial and quick Resurrection from the Grave of her dear Lord and accordingly put her self to this great Cost to signifie her complyance with the Promise that he should be buried but not subjected to that corruption and putrefaction that attends that state and condition of all others We reade of the same Mary Joh. 11.2 in conjunction with her Sister Martha that when they were concerned in the burial of their Brother Lazarus though there was no want but rather a superabundance of love to him living and dying Christ loved him Joh. 11.35 36. The Disciples loved him for they could be content to go and die with him vers 16. His Sisters loved him to some excess vers 31. and yet because they had no expectation of his Resurrection till the general Resurrection vers 24. they yielded him up to corruption Joh. 17.13 14. so that when he had been dead four dayes they concluded by this time he stinketh vers 39. plainly shewing that having not any faith or fore-sight of his return to life again so speedily they were at no cost to embalm or perfume him against the stench of the Grave but touching him whom God would raise up from the Grave not to see corruption wherein he transcended David who wrote that Psalm who having served his generation by the Will of God fell asleep was laid to his Fathers and saw corruption Acts 13.34 to the 37. Acts 2.24 to the 32. So true and strong was her Faith
busieth them with Martha's lot in many things and then they think they have as good excuse for their neglects as had she that doing as much as nothing it must pass because they do what they could This is very lamentable though frequently spoken to it remains the guise of many Professors You know my business what a deal of work I have saith one What a deal of care and destraction I have saith another Just as they that were bidden to the Wedding-Supper one had bought a Farm and he must go and see it another had bought a yoke of Oxen and he must go and try them another had married a Wife and therefore he cannot come all desire Pray have me excused all begin to make excuse with one consent Luke 14.18 You may reade one word and see how badly such excuses will stand in the day of Christ when not one of those that were bidden shall taste of the Supper v. 24. Oh! when mens hands are so full of business and that most times greedily and unnecessarily sought after and pursued that they cannot come or at least their hearts so over-charged with the cares and pleasures of it that they cannot come to any purpose what doth this portend but some swift stroak at hand on such a foolish people to make up that lamentation Jer. 9. 3. Thirdly A third advantage Satan gets on many by which he incloseth them within their spiritual benumedness That they can do very little for God and yet please themselves is the old usual complaint and that not without cause though most times without sense of a bad dead cold heart when this seems to be the Religion of people and that from whence they get or would get not only excuse for their shortness but a supposition that they are very humble tender ingenious watchful experimental because they are so able and apt to tell of and mourn over bad hearts but hardly have I ever observed a people so inclinable to the deepest hypocrisie and palpable neglect of any spiritual means to make them better but as the door turns upon the hinges so do they upon such complaints till what they artificially complain of at first spring up at length as a Leprosie in their foreheads to be seen and read of all men 4. Fourthly Another sinful boundary wherein Satan wraps many and disableth them from doing any thing excellent for Christ and then they think it well enough if they do what they can within their compass is The offence of Spirit that is apt to grow either at the ways or people of Christ because of the imperfection they espie or suppose to be found in them But blessed is he that is not offended in Christ Mat. 11.6 Such distemper is dangerous especially in such a dark state of things wherein that word seems verified Mat. 26.31 This night shall ye be offended because of me When Professors are apt on all hands to stagger and fall into sin providences frown opportunities of serving God cannot be come at without apparent hazard spirits of people grow froward apt to catch at advantages glad to find excuses for departure from Relation to one another hard to be reconciled this is a bad season for souls apt to stumble at the stumbling-stone It begins with this I am not free to meet pray with hear joyn with such a one although all acts of Christian duty for removing offence are neglected and at length it appears that of whom one is overcome of him he is brought into bondage Oh! study to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Great peace have such as love the Law of Christ and nothing shall offend them 5. Fifthly To name no more at present Satan gets hold on many by pleasing them under a slothful sinful abuse of this notion We can do nothing without we have help from the Lord The which way of reckoning as it is most commonly abused hath this signification All the idle neglects of Professors shall be as much as they durst for modesty express themselves fathered upon God As the first way of Satan to cover the mans iniquity was The Woman that thou gavest to be with me she gave me c. as if he had said Hadst thou not given me a Woman I had not sinned the evil lies at least between us but from all such excuses God will be clear when he is judged This may serve as a taste That it s not every I can do no more will serve the turn to excuse us much less obtain for us this blessed Testimony Christ gave of this Woman She hath done what she could she hath come aforehand to anoint my Body to the burial You may do more than you do all of you nay all things considered must do more than this perfuming-work of which I shall speak a little more particularly to shew its special nature when I have first offered a few Considerations shewing what engagements do lie on us to do what we can for Christ especially in this business of begetting a good savour on his things in this day when they are exposed as much as may be to stinking 1. First We are concerned to do what we can for Christ in this respect because Christ hath done what he can to put a sweet savour upon us when we stank to purpose and doth not ingenuity require that we put the question the Prophet did 2 Kings 4.13 Thou hast been careful for us with all this care what is to be done for thee Or as the Psalmist Psal 116.12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits especially when he looks for nothing but our returning on his Name the reflection of the sweet savour that he hath bestowed on us let 's but consider what great things of this kind he hath done for us 1 Sam. 12.24 What were we when he cast a look of Love upon us Our navel was not cut nor washed in water at all not salted at all nor swadled at all cast out in the open field in our bloud to the loathing of our person troden under in bloud c. Ezek. 16.4 5 6. The stench of a soul in such a plight may be read Psal 38.3 4 5 6 7. Well to take away this evil savour What hath Christ done in his Oblation Eph. 5.2 Gave himself an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour What doth he by constant Intercession Rev. 8.2 3. stands with much Incense to offer up the persons and services of Saints with acceptation as a cloud of perfume ascending up before God out of his hand All the offerings under the Law both on the Brazen Altar for Sacrifice and on the Golden Altar of Incense are only figurative of what Christ doth this way of all which it s so frequently signified It s an offering made by fire of a sweet savour before the Lord. What doth he by bestowing his Spirit in the work of regeneration but anoint
indignation be overpast Dan. 12.13 It was indeed the distinguishing honour of the Captain of our Salvation that in his contest with death and the grave he saw no corruption Acts 2.25 to the 31. chap. 13.34 to the 37. In all things he hath the preheminence of David to whom this Word of God came Psal 16.11 who doubtless sucked much consolation from it it is signified he saw corruption in this sence that what of him is corruptible is subjected to that way of refining It s sown in corruption but shall be raised in incorruption His better and noble part being preserved in an excellent way of living to God Luke 20.37 38. his flesh also rests in Hope The corruption then or any ill savour that may arise upon the interest of Christ thus considered is not such as tends to annihilation or utter dissolution the everlasting purposes covenant and faithfulness of God with Christ secures it in a state of Hope neither doth this only and singly refer to the final Resurrection of the whole in a way of compleat glory at the last day which was Martha's narrowing mistake about Lazarus Joh. 11.24 but shall be manifestly verified in such eminent appearances of God to get himself a glorious Name antecedently to that consummating Glory as shall answer and accomplish a system of blessed Promises and promises of the Glory of the latter dayes that shall be raised in the ruine of Babylon and Resurrection of the Witnesses of Christ tending to prepare his people for his glorious appearing as a Bride adorned to meet the Bridegroom It s not such a rottenness or stinking as Martha concluded Lazarus to be which would consume and eat him out not be prevented resisted and cured till the Heavens be no more Job 14.12 There is hope in its end Jer. 31.17 1 Thes 4.13 Though the Lord shew us great and sore troubles he will quicken us again and bring us up again from the depths of the Earth Psal 71.20 Though we walk in the midst of troubles yet he will revive us Psal 138.7 The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it those precious Promises are of mighty efficacy to embalm it Nevertheless there is an ill savour on several accounts that is apt to be brought upon this body or interest of Christ at such times under such deaths as we speak of against which the embalm we treat of is to be prepared As namely 1. There is a stinke apt to betide it the occasion of which is meerly from without arising from the rotten and corrupt disposition of such as are instrumental in bringing such deaths upon it who usually account it their interest to expose it to all the ignominy and contempt imaginable that in the abomination thereof a foundation may be laid for the excusing and commending themselves in delivering the world from such a loathsome burthen Thus they did with the green Tree and no marvel if they do so with the dry When they had in design to put the Lord of Glory to an open shame what artifices had they to load him with all manner of ignominy both before and at his death foretold by a spirit of prophesie Psal 22.6 7 8. exactly fulfilled Mat. 27. He was scourged vers 26. Stripped vers 28. Mocked vers 29. Spit upon his head smitten vers 30. Scoffed and led to be Crucified vers 31. Scornfully inscribed vers 37. Reviled by them that passed by wagging their heads vers 39. Mocked by the Chief Priests Elders and Scribes vers 41. Had the same cast in the teeth by by the theeves vers 44. Reproached with his God his Trust his King-ship his Doctrine his Prayers as with a sword in his bones thus they assailed him Oh! how irksome was the stench that the spitting and disgorging of a filthy generation upon him drew him under in this dying dispensation And as they have done to him in his own person who hid not his face from shame and spitting so do they to those that go forth to him without the Camp bearing his reproach They are made a spectacle to the World to Angels and to Men Fools weak despised hunger thirst naked buffetted pilgrims reviled persecuted defamed made the filth of the world and off-scouring of all things to this day 1 Cor. 4.9 to 13. The word notes the * Mr. Burroughs Moses Choice filth scraped off shooes or from the pavement or the dung-cart that goes through the City into which every one brings his filth and casts in Every one had some filth to cast upon Paul and the rest of the Apostles So it was Jer. 15.10 This stench had need to be provided against by such as would have his Name be as a precious Oyntment Divers mistake the right way of performing this supposing that the best way of resisting this is by repelling and retorting it with the same measure into their faces who lay it on Christs method of imbalming is quite otherwise namely by bearing it with all patience meekness and holy resignedness of the judgment to God who knows how to make their own tongues to fall upon themselves and their violent dealing upon their own pates We have the high Instance and Example of Christ himself 1 Pet. 2 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Isa 5.6 Mat. 26.67 Isa 53.7 So did they who followed his steps 1 Cor. 4.12 Praying for the worst of our Enemies Mat. 5.44 Acts 7.60 and over-comming evil with good Rom. 12.19 20 21. tender bearing in our bosome these rereproaches Psal 89.50 51. to be affected deeply with them and melt under them Psal 69.7 9 19 20. Psal 120.3 4. Zeph. 3.18 and quietly to wait on God till he role it away is what concerns us in this matter and happy are we if herein we lay out our selves to do what we can for Christ 2dly There is an ill savour frequently contracted upon occasion of the corrupt flesh that adheres to many Professors of it and pretended friends their unsteady walking and manifest back-sliding do procure a stinking savour to the whole especially in such a season as we are speaking of The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles by means of such Rom. 2.24 Tit. 2.5 great occasion is given to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 It was not a small matter of ill report that doubtless was raised at this dark time whereof the Text speaks If you suppose the enemies to scorn at this rate What is become of your King Why he is hanged for a Traytor and Blasphemer And What is become of the Deacon of that new-gathered Church that was intrusted with the treasure Why he sold himself to the Devil for thirty pieces of silver betrayed his Master and then hang'd himself falling headlong and then all his bowels gushed out and this is known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem Acts 1.19 What became of Peter the
that which threatens its destruction and it must needs be irksom to it to be following God in wayes it knows not whence they come or whither they lead but yet notwithstanding it must be brought down for a corn of Wheat cast into the ground is not quickned except it die and so in this case precedent to the quickning that is to be brought out on the proper subjects of it Death in one respect or other must be brought on upon all fleshly glory and excellency even in its perfection Whereunto he replied Yes it must so for unless it die it remains alone and cannot be brought out in its glorious state of the manifestation of the sons of God but by cracking the shell of this earthly tabernacle and so coming out to it A Friend coming to have felt his Pulse He said I have not askt your observations in my case it may be thought possibly it might adde some impressions of hopes or fears if I should know what it is The Friend replied His Observations in such cases vere not very material to acquaint him with but saith the Friend What are your own Observations in the case He answered His Hope was on high yet Flesh he found hankering in his Musings at some seasons suggesting there was much desirable work to do some of one sort some of another at this and the other place making him ready to desire to stay and loth to be gone but when looking up and considering the state of things then he is made to say to his soul Oh! haste away to thy Mountain And Oh! that I had wings as a Dove then would I flee away and be at rest I would not live alwayes and am ready to say sometimes as he Take me away for thou knowest my dayes that they are vanity But Oh! I am much more cumbred on the other hand with crying How long Lord And sometimes am ready to wish an end which way ever it be by recovery or death To which it was told him That argued him a man Yes said he a poor man It was told him again All our Poverty Weakness and Unworthiness in the day approaching shall but make matter for a song the more to the praise of rich Grace and Mercy in the Lord 's remembring us in our low estate because his Mercy endureth for ever On the same day in the afternoon a Friend asking him how he did He answered Coveting to overcome referring to a word had been spoken that day in the Family from Rev. 2.26 of which one had given him some account It was replied to him That was a good work and good in it to be eying him that had overcome by whom only we can be helpt to overcome He replied Yes to be able to say I have fought a good fight I have kept the Faith is a great word and work And further said He had had his reflections and he thought some injections also that day of his neglects of service for the Lord that he might better have improved in times past though in the main the Testimony I have born to Christ in my day is a quieting comforting Consideration through the blood of Christ though not the bottoming Consideration on which my peace is built yet 't is of great use in a secondary sort at such a season and I mention it to you that you may do much suffer much shrink not nor neglect no work for God it will be no grief of heart to any that have spent and been spent for God his Name and Interest for dayes to come Being verâ— ill and in the apprehensions of those about him like to leave them he was asked Had he any further word to them or any of the Lord's People before he left them To which he answered I have spoken to you and them already the whole Counsel of God according to what I have received and was under no temptation to keep back any thing through fraud I cannot now speak much and if I could unless the great Remembrancer set home with Power and Efficacy what is spoken upon our minds and spirits it will signifie but little and to add many words would be but a vanity but for you and them and all Saints I pray that you may abide with God and never be ashamed or tempted with fear or cowardize or unbecoming complyances with base Earthly Worldly Interests to let go your holdfast on any Truth you have professed as Truth is in Jesus I have delivered to that poor Church I appertain unto the Doctrine of a Free Gospel of Grace wherein a foundation is laid in the blood of Jesus of Peace with God through him and they also have witâ— hands lift up to the most High professedly accepted 〈◊〉 that Grace tendred to them and I being I think about to leave Earth and to go to my Father and give 〈◊〉 account of my Stewardship therein I do go in fâ—â— assurance that it is the true Grace of God wherein they stand and I do lay it before them with the utmost ability such a poor worm as I can do that they be not by Doctrine Word nor Spirit soon shaken from their stedfastness hither or thither for life or salvation but as they have been taught He farther said I also have been engaged in a witness to the Royal Soveraignty of Christ in his Institutions against the Inventions of men opposed thereunto which Testimony hath been born up against blindness and ignorance in a poor dark world that lies in ignorance and wickedness and their Testimony in fellowship with this of mine hath flourisht in former dayes under those more promising propitious Prospects we were then encompest and encouraged with it had then by them and others Hosanna's ascribed to it but since God hath seen good to try this Testimony and Spirits of such as profess it with a day of adversity that many looked not for and they have hereby been tempted basely and unworthily to throw away the Shield as if it never had been anointed the thoughts whereof hath many times almost broken my heart in pieces But let all such know I go away in this firm perswasion as to the things we have together professed as aforesaid that they are the true sayings of God and that such as in this hour of temptation have deserted their Profession of â—hem God will meet with all such if he love them to â—waken and recover them from such paths and postures â—f back-sliding or else to make them know to their â—hame and confusion of face that they have dealt disâ—onourably with Christ and his Concerns and dangerâ—usly with their own souls which I desire they may â—nd Mercy to repent unfeignedly of before it be too â—ate I have been also concerned in a Testimony with divers Churches as to a work God hath had on the wheel among us in our dayes very mysterious in many parts of it there have also many tryals been upon it and to try it and to
make up such a tryal as all things considered hath not been known in many generations It hath also a Dark-side and a Vail that God keeps upon it by reason of which many are offended at it but if I have not been left to mistake God and Gospel it hath also a Beautiful-side that this world is not worthy of and a time also appointed when its beauty shall be brought forth as the Light and shine as the Sun at noon-day though it seems yet to me that times may pass over it that may make some of those few stagger also but this remains sure upon the whole that though it be the day of Jacob's trouble and it 's very great so that none is like it yet he shall be delivered out of it wherefore let not your hearts nor any other upright ones be dismayed at what remains for though I cannot tell what comes next nor have attained to that distinctness of knowledge as were to be wisht and waited for as to times and seasons which God the Father hath very signally yet hid in his own hand Yet I am very much perswaded this Generation shall not pass away till the Lord appear to give signal Evidence of the Great Work he hath had and yet hath upon the wheel and also of his care of all that are concerned in it Oh! Love the Lord all ye his Saints the Lord preserveth the Faithful and plentifully rewards the proud doers At another time being asked Would he have any thing to Plymouth He said No for saving the Interest of the Lord in Plymouth the Town was now as little to him as this little Island where he was Being asked how he did He said I am a poor sick weak creature still Adding That the Tempter had been very busie this Night with him suggesting that it 's much to him that he should be a Creeple but the Lord he said had put the Tempter to shame and given him to know that though he was at present weak yet in the Lord Jehovah he had still everlasting strength At another season a Friend asking What doth your hard work continue still He said Yes I am labouring as it were in the fire which were not to be endured but in hopes of the Crown At another time being asked how he did He said Still in the Warfare but on the Conquerors side To which his Friend replied Blessed be the Lord that hath chosen you to be a Souldier and helpt you thus far as a good Souldier of his to endure hardships He replied Yea we account them happy which endure One comes to him and saith Poor Neighbour What of the Night He said The Lord had made it a Night of sore affliction to him And said He was now poor and needy indeed yet saith he my God thinks on me To which his Friend replied Yea he hath also greatly magnified Mercy to you in this your sickness by strengthning your Faith and lengthning out your Patience under such long sore visitations as these have been and I trust is signally teaching you Obedience by the things you suffer At which he sighed And said Ah! that word learning Obedience by the things we suffer is a great word and hath much in it when God rightly opens it and he doth teach Obedience much indeed by such things beyond what we think of our thoughts and wayes being far short of his in such things Another Friend that had been with him about the beginning of his Sickness coming now to see him again He said to him I remember I told you formerly I had no cloud on my peace and joy in the Lord since this Sickness but have seen cause since to change my voice in that matter the Lord having since that brought me under tryals and cloudings sometimes though blessed be God they have been day not night-clouds through which God hath shined and I cannot so much desire for my self or others that we might alwayes be without clouds as that our Holiness might might be promoted and carried on by them then all will be well A Friend asking how he did He said I have been this Night full of disorders It was answered The whole Earth was so and we while dwelling on it are like to participate in somewhat of the same kind in one sense or other all these disorders are but making way for that blessed orderly state of things by which he will manifest himself indeed to be the God of Order and not of Confusion not only in the Assemblies of the Saints but throughout the whole Earth The same day being asked by one How doth this valiant Souldier of Christ He shook his head at it and said A pitiful Souldier It was replied One great part of a Souldier was to endure hardships and this part God had helpt him to do at a blessed becoming rate thus far which was matter of thanksgiving to the Lord on his behalf and gave ground also to hope he would in like manner be helpt to the end Then those about him looking at one of his hands now bereaved of strength He said Come What see you What tydings Doth it rot Let it do so it must do so yet shall mortallity he swallowed up of life and this now poor perishing Carkass shall be brought up again into a more glorious state by the mighty power of God by which he is able to subdue all things to himself It was then told him We have no tydings more than ordinary only had little hopes as to men and means as concerning his case whatever the Lord might please to do It was then asked him What tydings he had in himself as to his case He said Nothing at any certainty But said He heard Friends in the Room whispering oft as if they saw or discerned some great change that were not fit for him to know But I bless the Lord said he I begin to be more mortified to all this state of things here below though Flesh and Blood hath sometimes its hopes and fears in exercise about them but when God knocks off their Wheels I see and then can say by these things men live Yea said a Friend they live indeed at a rate they could not live were it not for such dyings daily to all other kinds of living and thereby bringing out to that way of Life as to which way of Life it 's said it cannot be brought out but by dying it else remains alone To which he said Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God nor Corruption Incorruption yet Flesh is unwilling to hear of this To which it was told him No marvel that Flesh and Blood did boggle in such cases when 't is called to go in a way it knows not and a knife at the throat ready to kill all the way 't is therefore reckoned a great lesson to be learnt by all Christians not to trust in themselves but the Living God and is taught best by sentences of death past upon
of it though these wayes be every where spoken against Upon a First-Day of the Week in the morning he began to speak to all in the Family with him one after another as follows Ah! Sister A. the Lord gave you a heart to own and profess him his Name and Wayes early when they were wayes every where spoken against and since you have held up and out the Profession thereof in a flourishing day and now are concerned in and with the same in this hour of temptation which I beseech you be not affrighted nor offended at You know how it fared with our Lord and Master whom the Religiou◠as well as the Prophane world persecuted and expelled their Coasts the Servant is not above his Master It is true you have had the Name of a Gentlewoman and of being descended of great Parantage and raised to great things in a worldly account but keep these al◠under-foot as you ought and let that be the song still Worthy is the Lamb to receive Power and Riches Wisdom and Strength Honour and Glory and Blessing Oh! give up all to him as Auranah of old as a King to a King so let the Offering be given up cheerfully and resignedly intirely to him I bless God I have learned something of this in conversing with you of your readiness and freeness heretofore and now to lay out for the Lord and though 〈◊〉 now go the way of all flesh yet you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that we have none of u◠cause to be sorry or repent for what we have laid ou◠for the Lord. And you for your part have heretofore entertained Saints yea it may be Angels unawars the Lord reward you for it and the God under whose wings you are come to trust be your great reward but Oh! take heed your Good be not evil spoken of and that your Table become not a trap nor what was provided for good turn to your hurt I desire the Lord Jesus may teach you to look carefully about you that you lose not the things you have wrought but receive a full reward I remember it 's said of Abel who though dead he yet speaketh and have thought that word in a bad sense looking at me and many others who while living have been but dead Speakers but I am now hastning to another kind of death where after Worms have consumed this flesh and bones yet I may be brought forth as a living speaking Witness in these words of mine against such as slight the instruction of them Then said I bless the Lord for ever that he hath kept me from Hell horror to hope of Salvation eternal Salvation by Jesus Christ and that I shall be helpt in my poor measure to shew forth his praise in this Generation as well as to every one that is to come Oh Friends you are like yet to have opportunities amongst living Saints that speak livingly and audibly Oh! take heed take heed this present dispensation that you yet are and I have been trusted with be not as the Lord's Trumpet sounding an Alarum against you on the behalf of the Lord of Hosts whose words have not been received by you Then speaks of England and sayes Oh! poor England sinful England who stonest the Prophets and choice men that are sent unto thee but wouldest not hear in this thy day the things that appertain unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Thou hast had an Iron Sinew and brow of Brass and wouldst not be gathered to the great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls Ah England England What would many Kings and Princes and Righteous men have given to have enjoyed one of those blessed dayes of the Son of God which thou hast sinned away and rendred thy self unworthy of Oh! how art thou become a place of Persecution treading and trampling down God his Name and Concerns as much as in thee lyes But Oh! there is yet a Remnant according to the Election of Grace whom the Lord hath yet seen good to winnow till he hath driven each grain of Corn from other yet be of good chear you that are wholly a right Seed abide with God and know assuredly you are more precious in his sight than Gold of Ophir and lay this Cordial by it that the World is not worthy of you yet judges you unworthy of it but there is a day coming even the day of Jezerel the seed of God shall have a day for it in which the Righteous shall flourish and abundance of Peace as long as the Moon endures That word hath been sweet to me many times Psal 72.19 And let the whole Earth be filled with his Glory Amen and Amen The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended Oh! methinks here is an ending of Prayer indeed Comprising the whole Glory of the great David in this short request that is the compleat end of all Prayer calling worthily for Amen and Amen to close it up Then speaks to all in the Room saying I charge you all in the Name of the Lord Jesus and as you will ever answer it at that great day that you make Religion your business and that you make not Godliness a slight thing nor walking with God a small matter as ever you hope to stand with boldness before God in the judgement Then he said God indeed hath took strength from these Arms of mine I speak it not as if I murmured at it or by way of discouragement as if he could not if it please him raise dead bones and of stones make Children to Abraham desires that they would lift up his arms which they did and then he layes this solemne Charge upon them and desires they would by lifting and holding up his hands be witness to it as his Charge to all of them That they make it their great business the remaining part of their dayes to walk to the praise and glory of the Lord Jesus in all the paths of his pleasure His Sister being troubled to see how he spent himself in speaking He said to her Come Sister is this becoming to cry over a dead Dog when by dying he may glorifie God the more And added I am here yet among the Living though with many marks of death upon me yet nothing with infallible certainty with me that I shall die at this time but Oh! look up from me to the Lord that so that whether I live or die your Interest may be sure in the Lord Jesus and now the Lord watch between me and every one of you when we shall be apart one from the other Then speaking to his Brother A. said My dear Brother the God of Jacob the restorer of the dry scattered bones of Israel shine forth from between the Cherubims of Glory on thy dear soul dispersing and dispelling all Clouds Foggs and Feares under which thou hast been long serving God with many tears and temptations many a day of which I have been
coming in a time of such weakness and when by the working of my Spleen which sent up dark and disturbing vapours clouding my imagination and made sore work within but the Lord made me see much of my own fleshly gloryings as also others in me and in my flesh which God would take down in this day of tryal when every ones work must he tryed of what sort it is even by fire and truly I was made to see to my shame much hypocrisie and formality in my converse with the Lord in one respect or other and that the Practical part of Religion I had yet arrived to little acquaintance with to what I had in dayes past but this brought me in the issue to see that I was what I was that was good only by grace and no room for flesh to glory but was brought through grace to experience this Truth that when I am weak then am I strong and that however it be yet the Lord forgetteth not his poor nor despiseth not his prisoners this is a brief account of the Way God led me in in this matter and hath so issued it that I trust through grace I shall yet come to lay down my weary head and heart in the peace of Gods speaking that will keep and carry me to the end His Friend told him here somewhat of the danger of attempting such great works under such disadvantages as these seasons and circumstances he had in these dayes past been under for such works as these minding to him That every season was not a fit season for judgement especially to be calling in question things so long and often under more clear light and leadings confirmed formerly and however that be a great Truth that every day will yet more demonstrate that we are but yet Children in Christianity far short of that manly state of things to which the present dispensation of God both publick and personal have a proper and true tendency towards which more excellent way 't is our duty to be pressing yet so to be pressing towards it as to remember both how we have heard and received and hold fast the beginning of our confidences firm unto the end that so the Tempter get not advantage against us as he doth or may do against persons ignorant of his devices But he being still weak either to speak or hear more was not said but that he his Friend was glad to see the Lord had issued the matter so well to the Preventing the Tempters design and giving his poor Servants to see how great that mercy is of all the Saints and their concerns being in Gods hand when the strength of our own hands heads and hearts fails so frequently as they do yet he remains the same for ever and in such seasons secretly succours and supports and at last brings out into a wealthy place to his own praise and encouragement of the poor and needy to trust in him at all times In the morning supposing him drawing near his end a Friend was called to him who finding him discomposed again in his head and convulsive motions renewed with shortness of breath yet soon after asking how he did He said He was a wonder unto many by reason of the rebukes of God upon him but the Lord was and he hoped would be his strong refuge to the end His Friend told him He had made know himself to him as a strong hold in this day of trouble hitherto else he had sunk under his afflictions but to â—e kept up and carried on under such great long exâ—rcises justifying God still and blessing him in giâ—ing as well as taking spake much of divine support â—iven in Yea sayes he I would not only justifie but 〈◊〉 have great reason to glorifie God as the God of my â—alvation It was answered His present posture of submission and subjection to him as the Father of Spirits was a notable way of glorifying God in the fire and giving praise to him in the Isle of the Sea And after a little pause He added He had now but a few steps more to go which he desired the Lord would also so order as he might not be left to sin against him and blessed the Lord that he had given him and yet maintained such good hope through Grace in him that he was not and hoped he should not fear to follow him through the valley of the shadow of death to which he now seemed hastning A Friend coming to him and asking him How doth this honest Watch-man Honest Watch-man saith he hath much in it to be a Watchman indeed looking out for the morn as the Watchman of Ephraim that was with his God when other watchmen are as the Prophet is said to be Hosea 9.8 A snare of a Fowler in all their wayes and hatred in the house of their God as is too evident of the Watchmen of our day by reason of deep defilements found amongst them wherefore the day of the Watchman cometh yea maketh haste now shall be their perplexity and thâ— dayes of their visitations are come the dayes of recompences are come Israel shall know it for the Lord dispensations are now very swift Being asked How he had done to Night Hâ— said I laid me down to sleep and waked again 〈◊〉 the Lord sustained me and hath not made this night night of terror by affrightning dreams and imagâ— nations as sometimes but I seem to be going on as weary traveller his way Sometimes after being asked How he did Hâ— said A poor weak creature It was answered But trust in the Lord you have strength Yea said he blessed be God everlasting strength and they that indeed trust in him shall be as Mount Zion that cannot be moved but abideth for ever for as the Mountains are round about Jerusalem so is the Lord about his People for ever A Friend telling him There was an acquaintance of his come to see him who was going to Preach amongst the poor Saints abroad He wished him prosperity in that good work saying He never found cause to repent of any of his working dayes for Christ in his life-time At the same time one coming from far to visit him and telling him He had dear Remembrances from many Friends of his who in a way of supplication with humble submission were looking to the Lord the God of all Consolation concerning him and his case He replyed He is indeed the God of all Consolation of strong Consolations which were sealed up to his soul And then added I am very much affected with this surprising visit of yours And soon after said to â—he same Friend He had in the two Nights past been graciously led and let into the understanding of that Word Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold â—he upright the end of that man is peace So as he â—as never let into it in like manner before A Friend saying How doth my Brother He â—eplyed I cannot say of you as he of old
You took our Brother by the heel in the womb but hope we shall â—â—ke one another by the hand in Heaven and that both 〈◊〉 you intending the Friend that came to visit him â—ill live love as Brethren or words to this purpose 〈◊〉 near as could be gathered for now speech failed Then speaking of the pressures that were upon him he was advised to look to the Lord who in depths of Wisdom administred them managing all Circumstances about them as also to eye Christ the Captain of our Salvation who endured sore travel yea bruising from his Father also as knowing he ought to suffer such things and so to enter into glory and the Spirit spake of the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow He replyed Oh! that Glory that Glory on the other side Calling for drink and the Maid bringing it him he desired a Friend present might give it who coming to him said You appear now as one that is shortly to drink new Wine in the Kingdom of the Father He answered Though many have greater marks of Faith than I have yet I am assured I shall be received into fellowship with the Father Son Spirit and all Saints And looking earnestly on the Friend said If it please God to renew strength he should give good evidence that he loved that Friend dearly and all Saints A little after the same Friend acquainted him of two dear Friends of his in London that desired particularly to be remembred to him and were much exercised in fellowship with his present tryal He being very weak replyed I can say little but I pray God they may be strengthned with all might and power in the inward man to hold out to the end according to his glorious power Being asked by another How he did He said My heart begins to fail I now feel But after said Blessed be God for Christ's Grace and eternal Glory Soon after he broke out into fervent earnest Prayer 1st Deeply lamenting Israel's dealing falsely with Goâ— in his Covenant 2dly Speaks forth with great clearness his faith that God would make the decision between real and pretended Saints and that God would abide with those that abode with him greatly encouraging such as found grace to stand in this hour of temptation Concluded committing himself Soul and Body to the Lord for keeping and carrying to the end At another time in like manner in great zeal and fervency implored the Lord to make the decision between the true Seed of Israel and pretenders who had dealt falsely with the Lord under shew of much love Then beggs If God had any thing for him to speak he would communicate and enable to it and that if Abraham's work were done that he would say to him with that clearness and evidence as he might understand it Thou hast fought a good fight hast kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for thee a Crown which God the Judge of all shall give thee A while after and but three hours before his dissolution a Friend perceiving him under great pressures spake softly to him They looked unto the Lord and were lightned A right look will bring down relief under all difficulties Yea replyed he with strength and earnestness And their faces were not ashamed Thence forward he spoke not but in a few hours after it being the 5th day of the first Month 1668. yielded up his Spirit falling asleep without pang or considerable groan FINIS Copies and Extracts OF LETTERS Written on several occasions BY That Deceased Servant of CHRIST The Author of the fore-going Discourses Printed in the Year 1668. A Book that he approved being the work of an other containing Instructions for Children he sent several of them to some of his Acquaintance accompanied with this Letter to their Parents Vnto my dearly beloved Brethren Sisters and Friends whom the Lord hath intrusted with the oversight of Families Children and Servants abundance of the Spirit of Glory and of God is desired Endeared in the Lord UNder the strong obligations of bounden duty which my Father hath been pleased to lay upon me of serving the Interest of your Souls and theirs whom God hath given you to my uttermost it hath been not the least part of my study in this School of Instruction unto which he hath sent me how I might at this distance most effectually attend and be found therein as one â—hat must give an account not only of the Law of my Relations but also of these fruits thereof on your hands which have extended and abounded to me-ward in un-interrupted tender love and sympathy as well in this my chain â—s in the many years of my weak endeâ—vours to serve Christ among you in liberty in requital whereunto as I can do little at most so am I often inwardly checked and rebuked for my sinful shortness toward you both in general and particular from soul to soul and very lately it hath been with more than ordinary weight on me to exercise pitty and compassionate thoughtfulness on those Families of yours both Children and Servants many of which the Lord hath multiplied like a Flock whose particular affections as far as they have been capable to express them I have been at a loss how to recompence or improve to their advantage but having been advising with some of my Companions here as well as laying the matter before him who is able to give seed to the sower and multiply with blessing the seed sown I have herewithal attempted to make an Essay for enterance with them in presenting to them this upright plain Address prepared to my hand by some one of the Lord's Prisoners full of bowels toward such young subjects consisting of such proper matter and brought forth in such a condescending Spirit and Language as I trust by the blessing of the Lord will find good acceptance and success among such souls My present Writing therefore with it is not so much to crave its acceptance in good part by them for of that I have much assurance buâ— to lay hold of this opportunity to desire your faithful following the design of it by stirring up your selves and zealously and unweariedly doing your endeavour with all your wisdom interest and might behaving your selves among them as Men and Women of knowledge that your account of their souls as mine account of yours may be given up with joy and not with grief Here am I and the Children and Servants which thou hast graciously given me unto which faithfulness of yours besides many other weighty Arguments that might be urged the very remembrance of the dayes being so very evil may afford you as it hath me many forcible motives 1. These are dayes wherein you know not how suddenly you may be hurried pluck'd and separated from them not only by death which climbeth up at the windows in most Families this sickly season but by the violenee of the Sons of Men through the wise ordering of God who are permitted to make
and execute Laws which have direct threatnings and a present tendency that way toward such as you who stand in a profession of Christ's which testifieth that their works are evil This rage hath already invaded and uncovered some Families among you and multitudes in other places and all such as will live godly in Christ Jesus must expect the like not as if some strange thing hapned to them and therefore should be in daily preparation to make and leave their own such as are instructed and have learned to trust in God and to own and improve a Relation for themselves in him according to their capacity which may make an abundant supply to this lack or loss of your company and society which will turn to their great blessing and help to your confident and comfortable surrendring them up to the Lord in a way of folâ—owing him whithersoever he goeth and may call â—r dispose of you 2. These are times in which a more than ordinary disadvantage and danger is designed to spoyl and destroy both Infants and Youth not only in respect of their Schooling which must be carried on by such Tutors and under such Rules as tend to tempt and subject them to suck-in the Principles of that Apostasie and misery that the former years have been delivered from or else can hardly make any procedure in Learning requisite to accomplish them But principally are they exceeding liable to danger and destruction if the Lord wonderfully prevent not by means of their unavoidable company and converse with other youths of their growth and degree the which generally is become everywhere so wanton wicked debauched through the looseness of the times and the countenance that all filthiness finds where it ought to be punished and restrained that unless your Children and Servants be through a blessing on your Prayers and Endeavours in-laid with good Principles in awakened Conscience followed with constant Instruction and an exemplary Conversation with a wise moderated steady discipline it will be a marvellous thing if thâ—y be not utterly spoiled become a scourge and torment to you and at length repent that ever they saw you and perish in the gain-sayings of this wicked and adulterous generation 3. The dayes that have passed over you havâ— been dayes of the Lord 's wonderful Salvations and the stretching forth of his Arm in these Nations to dâ— marvellous things toward the getting himself a glorious Name The putting away the remembrance oâ— which from under Heaven and razing out of all thâ— marks and monuments thereof is the manifest design of the wicked men of this generation The memory whereof as it alwayes ought to be dear to you who have been blessed in those Salvations and have sung his praise So should it be your great care to preserve the same by teaching and instructing those committed to your charge therein and that not only in the History and Letter of them the very memory whereof will be famous in the ages to come but especially in the inward Principles Springs and Spirit of them as well as the issues whereunto they were by the Lord intended that yours may be able to tell the generations to come and the people uncreated may praise the Lord. Which things your off-spring will only be capable to understand and sutably to comply with the Lords motions and designs therein when they shall be spiritually instructed in and experimentally acquainted with the way and operations of the Lord on the Spirits of his People to which your utmost diligence is indispensibly required as ever you would glorifie God in your generation 4. Moreover you generally profess your selves to be such as expect glorious dayes to succeed the deep tryals that are or are coming on upon the heritage of the Lord and do you not wish so well to your own as to do what in you lies that they should have a share in that Salvation which your selves have professed longed prayed laboured suffered for And how think you will they be capable of bearing that glory or suppose there be yet a reserve of tryals for them that are to usher it in which will be very full of power and purity unless they be indeed brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord instructed in Christ as the Truth is in him and from a fellowship in his Spirit brought within the compass of the rich and glorious Promises which shall manifest and convey the blessed things unto the Ages to come that instead of the Fathers may be the Children 5. Add hereunto that the force and violence of this evil time is such as doth drive you frequently and may yet be expected to drive you more from your stated seasons on the first dayes of the Week and other times of following the Lord in those solemn publick Appointments and Institutions of the Gospel unto your Family retirements at least a great part of your time in those dayes the which affords you more enlarged opportunities than you had formerly to teach and instruct your own houshoulds great and small according to their capacity in the things of the Kingdom to the which you are concerned to give all heed diligence and indeavour not in any neglect of opportunities in the Assemblies of the Saints while they do continue or may be had but when there is an interval the solemn exercises in the Church being ended or when through force and fury they shall if the Lord shall permit them to be so utterly broken as you should be reduced again to that ancient way of the Saints being governed as in Abrahams and the Patriarchs time in Family-Worship You are I say so much the more concerned to set your selves vigorously to this work of endeavouring that your houses may become as so many Churches of Christ in respect of that Instruction reading the Scriptures Praying gracious Conference Discipline exemplary Walking in all holy Conversation and Godliness which ought to be professed and maintained in beauty set in majesty among them and in this sense to be setting your houses in order for you know not how soon these very staves of beauty and bands may be violently invaded disturbed and broken by the same spirit of hatred which now offers force to your more solemn Assemblings While therefore you have this price in your hand this undisturbed opportunity you should be doing this good I hope I need not largely follow these with other Arguments which might be drawn out at length from the inestimable value of their immortal souls the redemption whereof is precious which now are committed to your care and over-sight and will be strictly required at your hands in the day of Accompts that draweth nigh and that the rather for that now is their making or marring time which effects you may expect will and frequently do follow according as you either are found in the due and diligent discharge of your duty among them or are negligent and remiss therein Little it is considered and laid
to heart how much of the interest of your present peace and the comfort of your lives is laid up in your wise constant gracious endeavour of this kind and the Lord's blessing thereupon Whereas on the contrary it were well if the common reproach upon the Name of the Lord were altogether groundless and that it were not too evidently to be seen in many Families of Professors that their Children and Servants are as rude untaught incorrigible wanton wicked unruly as any others as if the only care upon those entrusted with the Headship of Families were and that hardly performed as it ought to be to have them brought forth and brought up to Adam or to Earth rather to learn their Books Complements Manners and Trades but to understand themselves to learn Christ to know the Lord God of their Fathers to be instructed in the Holy Scriptures from their youth up to know themselves miserable without a Saviour and to be led as by the hand unto him Oh! how rare are these attainments and that because endeavours are so slack in order thereunto I pray you examine your selves your prayers your practices your conversations where are the bowels of Christ towards your own Do you travel in birth again for them till he be formed in them Should it not be much more your care to see them Saints than to see them men and women Alas if you Families who would bear the World in hand that there is some excellent thing among you more than others be not taught the fear of the Lord where do you think a Seed should be reared up to serve him that in the stead of the Fathers should be the Children accounted with God for a generation Among worldly men it may not be expected whose Children are ordinarily the off-spring of their lust the painted Idols of the rich and pinching burdens of the Poor and their Servants the meer drudges to promote the Interest of their ease gain and covetousness few enquiring or caring what becomes of their immortal precious souls The manifest ruines upon whom unless the Lord work extraordinarily upon them should provoke us to pitty them and be the more jealous over our own concernments herein in order hereunto suffer this further word of Exhortation Make it I beseech you your main business to set before them the pattern of a standing even serious holy conversation Fâ—milies do usually receive faster and deeper the impression of the similitude of their dispositions and behaviour who have the over-sight and government of them than of their meer precepts and exhortations The Majesty and Authority which God hath entrusted and invested you with among them is only held up in its enamouring beauty and convincing power while you improve it much in the fear of God neither debasing it on the one hand by a vain fond frothy lightness in your spirits and carriage toward or before them or exercising it by a proud furious imperious domineering over them on the other hand Much spiritual wisdom lyes in your tempering and mixing a sweet affable behaviour without vanity with a grave reproving demeanour without fierceness and this not in an affected appearance but in truth nor only at uncertain fits and flashes but in a constant fixed frame within doors and without Consider also you have in their sight taken up an high and holy Profession of the Cause and Institutions of Christ and those about you are likely to be someway interested in the sufferings you are threatned to sustain for your adhering faithfully thereunto in respect whereof it will be their happiness that you hold fast in their eye and as their example these truths in a pure Conscience to which you have begun to witness not only for the Truths sake themselves which deserve that you should deliver them to the next generation unmixed and unbetrayed by you but for your own dear Relations sake also before whom it would be sad should you lay such a stumbling-block in the beginning of their way as doth bespeak so loud as you can proclaim it that there is no such thing as Truth worth your adhering to in a day of tryal and consequently worth their enquiring after imbracing or engaging themselves in in times of such persecution I hope better things of you and such as accompany Salvation though thus I write trusting that you either do or will do the things which I desire or rather the Lord requires of you to whom I leave you and rest Yours many wayes obliged to love and serve you for Christ's sake To a Friend in a time of Great uncertainties as to publick Transactions A spiritual understanding of the times and what Israel ought to do be granted largely to you Holy and Beloved I Think yours of the 9th and 16th instant are both of date later than my last to you by which you may easily perceive my aptness to tire in prosecuting divine advantages At present I was willing to have followed you closer but that my frequent little Journeys have of late prevented me How faithful is that Word and verified to a thousand generations Whoso is wise and shall observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. And that none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand If ever there was a time to have the eye of Saints kept very intent upon the Lord to trace out his footsteps it seems now to be such a time when his Pavilion is darkness and fire enfolding it self to be then divinely enabled to read not ony particular loving kindness sealed up to the observer in special but to see the Salvation of Israel carried on in a strait path and that he that buildeth Sion worketh still by line and plummet is a grace bestowed not in common in the House of God but is methinks one of the special love-tokens by which he will shew among all his Disciples who is the Beloved One that leans on his bosom and that have the favour to ride in the Chariot the midst whereof is paved with Love for the Daughters of Jerusalem I may take up a just mournful Lamentation of my own short-sightedness and incapacity I had almost said impossibility to discern with any distinction of apprehension the Temple of God open in Heaven and in it the Ark of the Testament while there proceedeth out of the Throne and by means of the Censor cast into the Earth such lightnings and thundrings and voices and earth-quakes and great hail Only I durst not say short of this the Lord giveth me now and than a glimps of the King in his Glory and the Land that is very far off And ah then how good is a Pisgah-sight of Canaan It 's even as the Chariots that Joseph sent that revived fainting Jacob what life and signification it manifests to lie hid in such a word as this Yet God is good to Israel Yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God
that fear before him With what a different power is a soul acted then in such a request Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done from what it is when only in an usual formal way it breatheth it out Such transfigurations may well constrain an out-cry It 's good to be here though many times one knowes not what he sayes But alas why speak I think I long I so much for such sights and tastes which indeed though precious yet are transient mean while not valuing as I should that substantial feeding and living upon Sions lasting foundations such as remain unshaken though he bring us into the place of Dragons and cover us with the shadow of death though there be no fruit in the Vine and the labour of the Olive cease yet then to live above hope under hope c. have the Lord's joy remain in us and our joy be full Methinks all the Lord's footsteps point to us that as our proper lesson To be securing all that which concerneth us upon such Foundations as cannot be shaken when Heaven and Earth is moved Foundations are destroyed the Earth and all its Inhabitants dissolved before the Lord when he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth with Righteousness and his People with Equity Yours in special Relation and Affection To two of his Acquaintance Imprisoned Direct leadings to living Fountains of Water and wiping all tears from your eyes is desired Much Beloved I Salute you both in the same bowels and with the same respect although I have not much that I know of to communicate that can add any thing to either of you trusting and in a measure tasting that you are as on Eagles wings carried beyond what my poor dark confused heart or hand can contribute to you in the force and fellowship of that blessed Word 1 Pet. 4.13 14. And as I trust you in a good measure are so I am by Grace helped with many others in every Prayer of ours to desire you further may be advantaged with those walks with God in the perfect liberty of Grace and Peace that may make up abundantly your blessedness not only in equality with but in a way of surpassing and transcendency to their present priviledge that have as yet opportunity allowed them to walk up and down about their Father's business It is not a little or low ground of Consolation for you and I pray that the power of it may still remain with you which one was mentioning that you are as really in the Cause and Business of the King though you can do nothing but make Prayers for him and bewail the dishonour done to his Majesty as if you were in Field or Council for him It is to one of you a state not unusual I hope it s to neither of you strange or unexpected it cannot be but a little while at the longest run ere that Word will be made good on you in a most blessed sense Eccles 4.14 and ere that be I am by Grace perswaded that as you share in many more Prayers and direct personal remembrances than formerly so also that experience of Pauls will redound to your real Consolation Phil. 1.12 13 14. as verified and is in part upon you The dreadful and unexpected issue to which all things in appearance are reverting beyond what we were willing to suppose the former Apostacy should or indeed could extend unto nay beyond the hopâ—s of those poor worms that are everywhere wallowing in the vomit of their own druâ—â—â—nness and belch out blasphemy I trust will have with many as I hope the consideration of it hath begun to have with me its effects to lead the Lord's people into a deeper search after and greater sense of the Idols of Jealousie that have provoked to this exceeding Jealousie in which the Lord seemeth not pleased to spare the giving his own Name together with the memorial of all his Wonderful Works to be reproached and as a by-word to the vilest of men and no one left that can say Restore Surely though the personal iniquities be great and manifold that have been found in the skirts of the Lord's People under their Profession that they are Saints yet do I believe there lies more combined united provoking guilt upon them unpurged unrepented of vindicated and pleaded for considered as they are Sionists and in their publick Relations Ah! these other man's sins are such eating evils to such as are in a sort related to them and yet in a seeming tolerable and excusable sense free from them as for which I am perswaded not only the Land mourneth but even Sion languisheth and her Children faint in the streets and yet few consider where is the malignity of the disease or declare the causes of banishment True it is some that I think honourably of have profest the discovery and a means for recovery of it but truly I think with such an hard and uneven hand have been the application that I fear though their good-will may be accepted of the Lord yet in the issue they will prove Physitians not of that value as may be expected from their Profession in that respect I am also in some hopes that the Lord is more effectually weaning his little Children from every Idol to which one after another they are so apt to apply themselves though guilt and unholiness be in the bottom of it how many a pitiful piece hath the Lord made manifest to be as Coniah Jer. 22.28 a dispised broken Idol a vessel wherein is no pleasure and yet such hath been the carnality of many that they have been concluding as they of this Coniah Lam. 4.20 When I have remembred all along that holy escape that the Lord helped you unto when many other good men were entangled and came not off till their bones were broken I have been made to rejoyce in that love and favour to you that hath preserved and I hope reserved you in a waiting Spirit till he should bring you forth among the sons that shall comfort Jerusalem when she sees their wayes and doings concerning all the evil that hath been brought upon her Ezek. 14.22 23. a passage that I read this morning which it may be I understood not that desired Prayers might be made to the Lord in that behalf encreased with holy jealousie my cry lest any influence of that Word Isa 51.14 which God forbid should light upon any of the dear Children of God that are this day in bonds I trust the grace of Jesus Christ will keep guide bless and sanctifie you both and all that are as you and when ever he lifts up your heads it will be to see his reserve of Wonders that shall glorifie his Holy Name I am cut short of enlargeing unless my opportunity of Conveyance were a little better known to me for a most plentious supply of this defect I shall return again to my travel in your behalf that the Shepherd and Stone of Israel may undertake for you
to keep you in perfect peace Now to him that after you have suffered a while is of all power to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen 7th 3d month 60. Upon the death of some whom he honoured to two of his Acquaintance then fellow-Prisoners The Lord send you help from his Sanctuary and strengthen you out of Sion Greatly Beloved I Salute you both as is meet in the Lord. These two last Posts I have not written any Letter to you partly for that I have been out of Town some little journies but principally having been much under the surprize that those were Job 2. ult The voice indeed is loud and as if seven Thunders had at once uttered their voices the terribleness of it makes many shrink as Eliah into his den When Oh when shall we hear the still soft Voice and as men of understanding see his Name We may well cry out he hath shewn us hard things and given us to drink the Wine of astonishment which falls the heavier in that such who have obtained favour to lay nearest to heart the concernments of Sion and to be therein aided with greatest boldness and sweetest intimacy near to the heart of Christ and have had their Affections enflamed most with what they have sought and seemed to themselves and others to have been of those bosom intimates that know all that their Friend doth and have hereupon spoken openly and without clouds or reservations their confidence of things that have appeared in the issue to be mistakes how some of them bear it I do not well know but sure I am the hand is very sorely turned upon the little ones that believe in Christ great is their astonishment like that Isa 51.17 to the end I have often thought of them Acts 21.4 Who said to Paul by the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem How like the language of our spirits heightned by fervent affection and attended with providential bringing to remembrance of sutable Scriptures and all this on a soul enjoying clear access to the Lord is to the voice of the spirit in truth as he fulfils that Promise He shall take of mine and shew it unto you and shall shew you things to come And if it may please the Father after he hath graciously allayed the storminess of these perplexing waves that at present doubtless discompose for any thing to lead his holy ones into a more perfect discerning of things which in this kind do differ and in mean time instruct to think more soberly of themselves and judge more tenderly of others I shall yet hope this sharp dispensation may bring out meat and sweetness that we thought not of As for the poor Martyrs themselves when I review what was of late said of their particular perswasions and how when their departure was hid from them they enjoyed such un-interrupted joyful communion with the Lord I cannot but admire the wisdom and goodness of the Father that took that course with them to anoint them for their burial but alas they had no burial But much more grace to admiration appears to me in it that when their perswasions and expectations from the Lord in that point gave way to his determinations yet that at that very time the Tempter should be bound up who doubtless desired to have them that he might have winnowed them as Wheat and would have made a great market of the least discouragement upon them over the whole Antichristian World Oh! how unsearchable are his wayes and his works past finding out The deadly Treacle that you speak of will doubtless swiftly become a Cup of trembling to this wretched generation and entayl the guilt of all down along from Abel c. A very strange efficacy that it hath to cry and to prevail at length though it tarry long first That Abels was not answered and expiated in the Flood that destroyed the World of the ungodly nor that of Zacharias if it was his who said The Lord look upon it and require it 2 Chron. 24.22 But they both must cry against that generation that put to death the Lord of Life and neither of these cryes expire at the ruines of them and their devastation to this day but shall be found as fresh in out-cry against that great City where also our Lord is crucified Rev. 18.24 And though it 's hard to discern yet great is the pravalency of those cryes of Saints that night and day follow the Lord herein though he not only tarry long but even seem to be angry with the Prayers of his People that word hath sweetly stayed me in this hour of temptation Thou tellest my wandrings put my tears in thy bottle are they not written in a Book by thee If their wanderings staggerings be tenderly numbered and their tears bottled and their grouns booked and all this by thee a Book of remembrance before the Lord We need not be so sollicitous what becomes of them though they are above out of our sight doubtless when it comes to much Incense in the Angels hand the Censor will be cast into the Earth Rev. 8.3 4 5. Rests Yours in tears 24. 8. month 60. Unto one who had acquainted him with the departing of some from their holy Professions The early visits of the bright and morning Star be a light in your dark place till the day dawn and the shadows flee away Beloved in and of the Lord SInce my last I have received yours wherein you were pleased to remember and send such a rich Token to your poor Friend whom you are pleased to describe by that merry title of your Father who blesseth God for grace and support ministred by tracking the footsteps of the Father of Spirits in those paths of peace and pleasantness wherein he pleaseth to lead you and others of his suffering ones so contrary to the methods and expectation of men whose breath are in their nostrils Job 22.29 Psal 41.8 12 13. unto which I account it no diversion that he is pleased as your last intimates to keep you in an humble sense of the shortness of self-sufficiency for bearing you up against the hour of temptation the very fear whereof hath already cast down so many stars from their excellency on whom this inscription is manifestly engraven as a caution to us though a by-word to scorners Lo this is the man that made not God his confidence Over whom as I have little ground to glory 1 Cor. 10.12 Rom. 11.18 20. so neither is there just occasion to be greatly offended Isa 2.22 2 Tim. 4.16 17 18. Joh. 6.66 67. chap. 16.13 32. Although I find it somewhat difficult to draw the memorial of their slips into a gracious perpetual remembrance without some mixtures either of wrath or doubting I confess it makes me many times tremble to think
acquaint and refresh you with that dismission to rest as may secure you until the indignation be over-past You know his priviledge who Jer. 36.5 though he was shut up that he could not walk abroad about his Lord's business was nevertheless hid there by the Lord when the Courtiers did purpose to take him vers 26. But if in the Father's Counsel it appear best that out of these Store-houses he bring more of his precious boxes of Oyntment to be poured out upon the present Funerals of the Cause he is concerned in I make no question but the savour thereof will commend it self to all the Virgins in this and other generations and they shall have Robes and Rest till they stand again in their lot at the end of dayes and who believing and loving Jesus Christ in Truth would not put off his filthy garments in expectation of such change of raiment As for my part my Father graciously indulgeth me and the Lambs here giving us an undeserved Covert of which no reason can be given even where Satan's seat is while other flocks are dispersed and scattered Neer about us by my last I acquainted that some from our neighbouring parts are sent to that place of ancient experience where they have a stock of prayers and presence to begin upon they begin on straw as learning to endure hardness as good Souldiers the Lord make that word good to them which often hath been in that place sweet to me Exod. 23.25 and at length Eccles 4.14 I expect daily the same lot in the Lord 's with-holding his hand from which I fear nothing more than a Spirit apt to do as Agag 1 Sam. 15.32 putting off the evil day the least Sun-shine brought forth a manifestation that notwithstanding the ruine of his Nation and danger of himself he was not mortified to the delicacy of his life nor had escaped though he thought he had waved the bitterness of his death I need your Prayers and precious Exhortations tending to prevent slumber that I be not taken at unawares The Lord keep fresh and manifest before your eyes and mine the Captain of our Salvation not only as a leading pattern but as a life-giving Principle on which having our minds stayed we may still be trusting in him as kept in peace upon peace there with true respects to all your Family Rests Yours in the love of Jesus 26th 4th month 62. His judgement about continuing or forbearing Assemblies to Worship the Lord. Strength and Beauty as is in the Sanctuary Beloved in the Lord I Thought it best while it is yet day and opportunity offers that we attempt to make improvement so as may mutually tend to the strengthning each others Faith and Love in Christ Jesus with such intimations of occurrences as may direct to sutable sympathy and supplication as the Interest of the Lord may require in its present circumstances at their hands who have learned to approve themselves as true Sionists This place affords little save the continued series of divine goodness holding our souls in life and not suffering our feet to be moved where he with-holds not the tokens of his Fatherly care and provision to supply all our wants both outwardly and within to shew that he is good our Rock and no unrighteousness is with him We had rumours of being this week brought before the Deputy Lieutenant but that came to nothing Fear and fury fills many mens hands with work of their own occasioning so doth he make their own tongue to fall upon themselves the Righteous shall see it and flee away and all men shall see and consider the work of God for they shall wisely consider his doing They at our Island I hear are well and chearful but free access to them is denyed nothing else can be expected as times and jealousies are yet Heaven is open still David could form a song in the Cave when his Faith reached to this assurance He shall send from Heaven and save me Earth was block'd up but Heaven was open still And as long as Heaven holds he had no ground to mistrust a want of the Promises accomplishment to the uttermost Many thoughts of heart have exercised us as well in groans at the throne as in other sad conferences among our selves at the reasonings and resolves of your strong men who by drawing away the shoulder from the yoke and their hand from the Plough wherein they seemed so well skilled and blessed formerly have given way to the ceasing of their work in a time when their Faith and Love to Christ is brought to its tryal and that any poor souls should interpose with their lives in their hands to bear up the Name of Christ and to preserve a nail in his House in their absence it serves to signifie that there is something of reality in that Promise The last shall be first and the first last And touching your Question What ground a Church hath in times of Persecution to appear publickly If by publickly be meant only so far knownly as wherein with the best prudence and caution used as their case stands they may most effectually answer the ends of mutual edification and hold up the Glory of Christ in the practise of his Institutions It 's so far from being a Question What grounds they have to meet as we know not what grounds can well be held up to the contrary by any who pretend to so much profession as that any part of the Instituted Will of God is worth the suffering for or that Christ is worth the following in Gospel-Precepts when the Obedience of Saints therein is to be tryed as by fire If you be pleased to single out any Reasons that can pretend to satisfiâ— Conscience guided by the mind of God in Scripture they may have an examination Rests Yours many wayes oblieged 20th 7th month 62 To the same Friend and something further on the same Subject My very Dear THe Sea-Monsters they draw forth their brest and give suck to their young ones Ah! what shall the Lord's People who have received anointing to Preach the blessed Gospel become cruel as the Ostriches of the Wilderness that the young Children yea and old Disciples too ask Bread and none giveth it unto them nay are willing to seek their Bread with the peril of their lives because of the Sword of the Wilderness And shall such men as we who have known the Terrors of the Lord and felt the Love of Christ constraining us that pretend to know the worth of an immortal soul the joy for one sinner that repenteth that have had a dispensation of the Gospel committed to us and yet no necessity lying upon such no wo to such if they Preach not the Gospel no compassion at least no more compassion to the multitudes that are scattered as sheep that have no shepherd Alas where is the fellowship of that Spirit which of old enabled the publishers of this Gospel after they were shamefully intreated to wax
great Owner and Fraughter beyond their own Lives determine to stem the storm and press toward the Port unto which they are bound in the face of all difficulties and of these few Alas How rare is it that two keep in company with intents to strengthen and help each other as they can I need not make the Application particularly to spiritual things the day we live in gives sad evidence of the Truth of all these Instances and now the case being thus how desireable should it be to such who in disposition desire and endeavour are pressing forward to meet with good Neighbours who may keep company and yield if need be advice supply or assistance till we all come to drop Anchor within the Vale whither the Forerunner is for us entered If in this providential coming-up with one another it might be of any encouragement or advantage to you I could at large acquaint you That by the Grace of God I am what I am who have great occasion to exalt wonderful loving kindness that hath helped hitherto so as after five year imprisonment in more than five Prisons and in this last year above nine months sickness with divers tryals of Faith and Patience I have never yet seen the least reason I praise Christ my Lord never been under an hours temptation to relinquish or repent of my Testimony in Word or Deed to any one persecuted Truth of Christ for which I suffer and though my present lot be in a place where the salt sharp Air is manifestly ruinous to my health exposing me more than ever I was in my life to daily distempers and under a Sentence of Primunire and in a readiness on all occasions for threatned Transportation besides other threatning and straitning circumstances yet under all is Christ as precious to my soul as ever and so is his Cause Work and Institutions and faithful Children and every way as worthy of my All as I professed him to be in the greatest fulness or plenty of all things neither durst I for my life balk the least Truth of Jesus which is to be witnessed unto for the obtaining any health liberty or other accommodations whatever nor can I express the constant satisfaction and sometimes consolation that my soul is made to enjoy in following God especially when in my greatest sickness about this time twelve month and at other seasons when I have been ready to step into Eternity Thoughts and Pen cannot set forth the Peace passing understanding wherewith my soul was possessed in respect of the present Truths of Jesus Christ and his heart love to me therein which do to this day abide in their excellency and obligation engaging my soul to love and praise the Lord for his unspeakable gifts of Grace to me herein who have as fearful cowardly unbelieving slothful self-saving a poor heart as I think any poor Christian alive is pestred withal In the mention therefore of this or any part of it I would not be understood to intend the proposing my self to any high Thoughts that should be had of me as if I were better than others or had attained to any praise-worthy or exemplary degree of stedfastnest herein for I have much more to say in way of self-judging humbling and loathing before the Lord but my design in this liberty of speech is to engage you to a like freedom and to give you in part a Character how you may represent me to your self in your addresses before the Lord but principally that hereupon I may take occasion as from experience the more confidently and earnestly to beg you That you would be much in the searching and trying your heart and wayes examining to the bottom if that work have layen neglected as in too many it doth how it stands between the Lord and you in point of union and relation toward each other The dispensations that are over us are come to lay the Ax to the root of every Tree if the root be found to be rottenness the blossoms of an external Profession will go up like the dust Nothing short of true Interest in Jesus Christ laid in real Regeneration and the renewing of the holy Spirit will hold out to the end of this tryal to any purpose forms of Godliness will expose to man's wrath and where there wants the Power of it it will expose to Gods wrath whose fire is in Sion and his furnace in Jerusalem Nor will it suffice that Interest in it self in Christ be safe barely considered unless also Influences from him be obtained and Communion with him be improved unto a daily resignation to him and walking in the beauties of Holiness before him Any sinful shortness neglect abatements losses of this kind are very perilous in such a time as this it 's one to a thousand that is under decayes of this kind and proceeds in a path of it without early sense and repentance but that word is verified Men gather them they easily sink down into an earthly carnal sowre discontented fearful heartless posture of spirit and then are unable to make resistance to any temptation whether to sin or sinking They therefore have of all others the advantage who by the constraints of Faith and Love abide close serious spiritual faithful conscientious with and towards the Lord not slothful in business fervent in Spirit serving the Lord rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in Prayer That you may be found in this attire waiting for the coming of our King is the sincere desire for you of him who would be glad to hear from you and to serve your soul in any thing within the compass of Yours in true respects A. C. To a Friend advising to look well to his steps in some quick turns of Providence An Hiding-place in the Cleft of the Rock till the Indignation be over-past Desired for you Honoured and Beloved WHat a blessing beyond compare is it to be as those living things mentioned Rev. 4.8 Full of Eyes within and before and behind v. 6. Indeed so short are the turns that the Lord takes so mysterious are his works his way in the clouds and paths in the deâ—p waters that we must needs say as he Job 26.14 Lo these are part of his wayes but how little a Portion is heard of him the Thunder of his Power who can understand When I either look back and see what hath the Lord wrought Or forward and think what great things seem to hover over us in Promises The former things are come to pass and new things he doth declare truly I have many tremblings in my self Alas Who shall live when God doth this On what a single foot have I need stand both in point of Hope and Holiness that I may preserve a station undefiled and not be ashamed before him at his coming I was never more fearing my self and others than in this half-work that seems to be in a capacity of being done before us the bottom is
such as neither Saints nor Sinners methinks durst adventure much upon yet many go on in the simplicity of their hearts to try if perhaps they may do the least service to help the desired work forward to its just issues I am apt to think you see enough of Lamentation in the divisions of Reuben that make such searchings of heart the same Cloud as I was saying last extends hither and the Effects are the same I suppose here and there They that have gone hand in hand in their mourning hitherto seem necessitated to part and yet neither sing nor weep mutually at parting but a spirit seems to sunder them that is not likely to carry them far without miscarriage But it 's no wonder to see a sinful Nation a People laden with iniquity fuller of passions than of compassions divided and lose one another in a season when it seems neither day nor night and about a work that is so fitted to set out thâ— manifold wisdom of God as if the Maker of Heaven and Earth had reserved his work his strange work his act his strange act till last and left this inscription on every footstep he takes Yet he will shew him greater works than these that ye may marvel Joh. 5.20 They of all have the crowning mercy who are thought worthy to have that Righteous man's portion to be called to the foot of God Isa 41.2 Deut. 33.3 A very holy Evangelical large Spirit is only fitted to comply with what our God is doing Blessed are all they that wait on him These Parts afford no Intelligence only Evil-men and Seducers wax worse and worse mens hearts are failing for fear and for looking for the things that are coming on upon the Earth while the Powers of Heaven and the Pillars of the Earth are shaking I find few seriously enquiring in any other than a superficial Spirit What must the Righteous do Our very Character seems to be a People void of counsel I am Yours in spiritual affection knit to you waiting to obtain relation to you in all the will of our King A. C. To a Friend with Arguments for Patient waiting The Lord be your shade upon your Right-Hand My Dear I Have sometimes had Instruction and conceived engagement from that word 2 Kings 3.16 17 to dig pits till the rain fill the pools Ye shall not seâ— wind neither shall ye see rain yet the valley shall bâ— filled with water that ye may drink c. The latteâ— dayes work hath Promises prepared and proportioned to a design of magnifying the Naked Arm oâ— God in the spoyling the Glory sealing up the hand and hiding pride of every man And this advantagâ— have we beyond our Predecessors that the Lord hath made eminent evident advances upon this Work iâ— our view and remembrance having given us as in a little Map a lively description and testimony of what he both can and will do for his Names sake and he having been at work in a way of Wonders nay proceeding to do very terrible things still he expecteth we should be following him in a Faith and expectation of great things Joel 2.21 That was a very good advice Job 5.8 c. I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause which doth great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number who giveth rain upon the Earth and sendeth waters upon the Fields to set up on high those that be low that those which mourn may â—e exalted to safety vers 16. So that the poor hath Hope and Iniquity stoppeth her mouth This is a day wherein the Lord 's great Contests seem to be drawing towards a determination and period all Interests and Preparations seem hastning their march â—oward the Valley of Decision Thither bring down â—hy Mighty ones O God! Ah! how should we be wakening up our selves and others to look about us that we be not found naked unclothed unwarnâ—d unarmed and the day over-take us as it may â—nd will do others at unawares How may we see â—n every quarter Idolatrous and Prophane persons â—trengthning and stretching one another to the utmost â—xtent of Abomimation and should not this yield â—n enforcing Argument to quicken us up for Christ â—o look and lay about us to engage as many as is â—ossible to be on the Lord's side lively valiant viâ—ilant with the Arm and Armour of God on the â—ight hand and on the left as those who are in an â—xpectation of following the Lamb on the Mount â—ion under those Virgin qualifications as bespeaks them Called Chosen and Faithful And that to this end we admit not impressions to be made on our Spirits to the abatements either of our Light or Life in following on to know the Lord from either our fear at the swellings of Jordan without or offence vexation or inordinate grief and dispondency at the discords and inconsistencies of the Saints within I must confess this Prison hath produced a fresh tryal of Spirit to me of late beyond what hitherto I have ordinarily observed and experienced it to see the abounding encreasing filthiness of this prophane Family the Governors and Governed in it being set upon the impudence of Abomination not only slighting and hating Reproof but daring us and Heaven with their Oaths Curses Singing Roaring Rageing c. insomuch as were not the goodness of God and of his Cause a relieving support the place would become a Prison indeed but this I take to be buâ— as a little Scheme of a great World of Wickedness How great is that Grace that gives ground to say We know we are of God while the poor World lieâ— thus in wickedness Ah poor England Oh thaâ— my head were waters Yours c. To a Friend encouraging to stedfastness Light arising out of obscurity and darkness My honoured Friend THe principal intendment of this is to let you know that through Grace I am preserved alive in the midst of many cooling and killing dispensations of Providence yet hath not the length nor strength of the pressures been hitherto admitted to draw my Soul into any dislike of the hand that layes them on or of the Cause for which at mens hand I endure this hard usage but the more I am led either to behold the true principles of this Cause or the gracious engagements and endearments of the heart of Christ in and to it and to those who in a spirit of Faith and faithfulness adhere to it and are the Confessors of it or to call over the gracious experiences that my self and fellow-sufferers in other places have had and testified the dearer hath it and every part and point of it been made unto me and the more confidently am I satisfied that the Lord will appear to the shame of those Prophane or Professors who are either the open enemies or secret betrayers of it and weakners of the Friends and Favourites thereof And truly I wish your soul may stand at due distance from any defilements and
had not trod with our feet in dayes past Yet hitherto hath his bountiful Provision and tender Care over us exalted it self in a distinguishing manner and many times to our admiration so as hitherto our Bread hath not failed but hath been given to us in due season and our Waters have been sure so that knowing how little we are yet fitted to bear as a Father pittieth his Children in their low estate he hath not proved us with hunger or with straights nor called us up to approve our selves his Witnesses in necessities in distresses c. but our lot hath rather been to partake of the fat and sweet and soft insomuch as if he put that Question to us to be resolved according to that express literal sense of it When I sent you forth on the Services and Sufferings that attend your Testimony and you knew not whither you went Lacked you anything We must answer Nothing Lord but in that respect have in hand or we trust in some degree of sweet satisfaction we have all and abound and are full by the favour of him who giveth us all things richly to enjoy and is we would humbly hope teaching us in whatsoever state we are therewith to be content So that at many of the strange preventions of loving-kindness even in things of this sort we are often made with admiration to cry out What is this to us Lord Is this after the manner of men O God! Is this a Prison If we should have sought a Prison in a Prison these six or seven years Have we yet found it Whatever others in the same fellowship of bonds with us have found we must say for our parts That as we have escaped the Sword and we hope the Polutions of the Adversary so we have found great Grace in the Wilderness for his People his Chosen The which we mention not only that we may praise the Lord together while ye observe that we receive not nor accept not so thankfully your Present in respect of need through that unspeakable gift and care of his who hath hitherto continued the Bread of the day in its day but that herewithal we might take hold of an apt occasion to take you by the hand and lead you with a little the more encouragement up and down in those wayes of the Lord wherein we must sing Great hath been the goodness of our God even in the experiences that we have passed practically through in the Doctrine and Profession whereof we had been trained up in our years of plenty and prosperity so that we must say The Land that we have been sent to spy out even in the straitest passages of it as far as our Father assigned us to follow him in is a very good Land and if we rebel not against the Lord but abide with him those very circumstances that at a distance seem like sons of Anak and walls reaching up to Heaven apt to eat up the Inhabitants are well able to be overcome and will be found Bread for us while we stand and feed in the strength of the Lord and in the majesty of the Name of the Lord our God so that these Serpents at a distance from which we are apt to flee are found to believing but a rod and that a rod of God too when taken in the hand And could we come forth to you in Truth and Evidence as wise and right improvers of the sensible experiments we have actually found tasted seen and handled hitherto of this sort and that the savour of these excellent things had not been diminished in these souls of ours through too much an in observent careless earthly disposition bringing us down from our advantages of excellency we might speak more loudly to you than now we can Oh! taste and see that the Lord is good blessed are they that put their trust in him The Lions among whom we dwell do want and suffer hunger but they that fear the Lord lack nothing that is good In the midst of their sufficiency they are in straits while in the straits designed to wear out the people of the Saints of the most high there is a provision made of sufficiency be ye therefore strong and very strong and very couragious and God shall strengthen your hearts And now for a thankful acknowledgement though it may not be interpreted as any requital of your holy liberality What shall we farther say than that we do as we are able bring the matter in our requests and thanksgivings unto him who is able to make all Grace abound toward you All-sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness which causeth in us thanksgivings unto God And this we beg on your behalf not as if we desired a gift or that it should be so again done to us knowing that there are many watery faces everywhere requiring Bread to be cast upon them as under far greater necessity than our selves But as hâ—ving perswasion and some small experience what a great recompence it is in such case to have the mouth and hand opened from the hearts being enlarged with those expatiating Graces and Vertues of the Spirit of the New Testament that constitute a true largeness of heart like the Sand on the Sea-shore and to encrease that greatness that is proportionate to the large discoveries of believing doing suffering-Grace and Preparations for expected Glory In order to it we desire for you all and intreat you to press and pursue after 1 Greater advances toward newness of heart the old heart will be as old bottles and an old garment that will not comport with the new Wine which is yet in the Cluster and a blessing in it though men attempt to destroy it And this is not only a newness of state but a newness also of frame by means whereof the inner-man may pass under experimental renewings day by day even the renewings in the Spirit of your minds by which the Truths Wayes and Works of the Lord the King may have an intimate access and abundant enterance into your own souls and you into them in their vertue dominion and power 2 Greater approaches in a way of heavenliness and nearness to the Lord at distance from the spirit of this evil World where the World is set in the heart the God of this World will be quickly filling it narrowing and enclosing it for earthly service and this not only in men of Earth who have their portion in this life but also in those that are by the Blood of Christ delivered from the gross pollutions of this prâ—sent evil World through lust but yet much concerned in the business cares and intricating-affairs of its many things which though lawful in themselves to be diligently prosecuted yet as lying under the influence and advantages of the Prince of it having a notable tendency to bring souls down from their excellency and to eat out insensibly the liveliness and sweetness of our spirits longer and further than the Victory that overcomes it in the vertue of the Cross of Christ by which we are crucified to it and it to us be kept up on fresh exercise 3 Right waitings for and waitings on the Spirit of Promise who is of power to quicken dry bones raise dead Witnesses and do great things in and for us which shall not be resisted nor need not be assisted with might and power though for a time the work about it may be made to cease with force and power We shall say no more at present but with the representation of our oblieged respects to every one of you as if known by Name leaving you in the blessed arms of our Beloved we remain 22th of the 9th mon. 67. Your Brethren waiting for the Consolation of Israel POST-SCRIPT IF any inquire what might occasion so much severity as to detain the Author so many years and until death a Prisoner It may suffice to insert here for the Readers satisfaction That in the state of his case left under his hand setting forth the illegality and unrighteousness of proceedings against him He concludes it thus If it should be suggested Perhaps he is a Ring-leader This true Character of the Person may alleviate jealousies of that kind He was born at Plymouth of mean yet honest Parentage is not by Kindred or any Alliance related to any Person or Family of any Note at all was not bred up to Learning at any University or sent any where to Travel for Education or Experience but contrariwise brought up and kept diligently by his Parents to Work in the poor yet honest Trade of a FVLLER never lived out of that Town a Month together all his life except in a Journey some Weeks on occasion about sixteen years since to London besides what he under-went by constraint in Prison Never in the former Wars was enlisted in any Troop or Company under Pay and in the Trained-Bands of the Town where he served never was accounted worthy of Promotion to so much as a Corporal nor in the Corporation whereof he was a Member ever advanced so high as a Constable never bettered his Estate one farthing by all the propitious advantages that might have given him opportunity for so doing nor is conscious to himself of the least desire of adding to what he hath by any present or future advantages that any favourable overtures of the times may tempt him with never was advanced to or improved in any Place or Office of Trust or Profit Civil Military or Ecclesiastical save only for some few weeks unknown to him and against his will he was Mustered a Chaplain to the Fort but quickly got himself discharged of that again Never was concerned in nor truly charged with any Plot Mutiny or Tumult giving the least disturbance or occasion of Fear or Jealousie This one thing then only can remain to give colour to such proceedings That about eighteen years since he being convinced of his Duty to the Lord by evidence of Scriptural Light joyned himself in an holy Covenant to walk in all the Ordinances of the Lord blameless to the best of his Light and Power in fellowship with a poor and despised People FINIS
there is a great latitude of Liberty wherein a Christian may walk in lawful things among which the obtaining Deliverance is a branch of priviledge but if it be attempted as by many 't is to the offending wounding destroying of many of Christ's little ones a Milstone hung about the neck c. is more tolerable than the consequence of such attainments Object But say some The different tempers and distempers of people and of professors is become such that there is no walking by this rule in this case for there are divers Saints will come and tell me if I do such or such a thing I shall sin and wound them encourage others to follow me to their hurt Others no way inferiour to the former in Wisdom Parts Piety tell me If I do not such a thing I ruine my family am worse than an Infidel run them as well as my self upon danger and temptations so that in my omission and refusal I shall grieve and offend them and what may I do in this case when I am likely to offend Saints either way Answ When this is really so it is a strait case though I think somewhat rare in all the straitning circumstances in the Objection but put the case it be so this is a ruled case with me If I can bring the matter into this plain evidence that in my doing it I shall really endanger the one party to sin and in my not doing it I shall but endanger the other party to suffer being necessitated to a choice I am to take that course whereby I may prevent the ones sinning though I cannot prevent but really endanger the others suffering For as I may not commit any sin my self to prevent my own suffering so I may not run any one upon sin to prevent another from suffering for betwixt sin and suffering there is no comparison Indeed I may not chuse any sin or suffering in my self or another if it may righteously be avoided but when I am driven to this Dilemma though it be an hard yet it is a clear case what I am to do and cast the care of the issue upon the Lord. We have a very high instance of this in the case of Haman and Mordecai Esth 3. throughout You have Haman advanced by the King to exceeding dignity and a Royal Commandment that all should bow and do him reverence a small matter just and requisite one would think for Mordecai to have done as well as others rather than break the Kings Commandment incur Hamans burning rage and revenge and endanger the destruction of the whole people of Israel which yet he adventures to do and to stand in and cannot be by fair means or foul removed from it What would have been said of him now think you to have run so many thousands both Estates and Lives upon immediate hazard rather than to yield a Civil token of subjection to such a Magistrate What can be conceived to justifie him Why his Justification lies in the due consideration of the two denominations these two men have in the first and fourth verses What was Mordecai why he was a Jew and he told them that enquired about the reasons of his contempt That he was a Jew vers 4. a Person of no mean Quality Pedigree and Accompt see Esth 2.5 Ezra 2.2 Neh. 7.7 And what was Haman Why vers 1. he was the Son of Amadatha the Agagite What was Agag whence Haman descended He was the King of Amalek the relict of that destruction about which God had not only expresly determined Exod. 17.14 16. Numb 24.20 Deut. 25.17 18 19. but given a very strict charge to Saul to make utter riddance of him from under Heaven 1 Sam. 15.2 3. Now as this indispensible Commandment lay for the destruction of Amalek in general and such indignation was provoked for sparing Agag in particular in that Chapter So had the Lord expresly determined Numb 24.7 His King should be higher than Agag and his Kingdom should be advanced This Controversie was to stand unreconcileable from generation to generation Exod. 17.16 nay when Israel was at the lowest and the branch of David as a root out of a dry ground as it was in that day they being in Captivity yet was there preserved a Root against Amalek according to Judg. 5.14 This wicked Haman was the Jews enemy Esth 3.10 7.6 the wretched root of enmity abode in him that he derived from the stock of Amalek Unto him in this character spirit and capacity faithful Mordecai cannot bow he remembers the Lords Controversie Prophecy Providences formerly against Amalek and hence he cannot bow or yield in the least whatever it cost the issue as well as the interest of this Controversie was not unknown to his Wise-men and Wife before the final decision of it Chap. 6.13 If Mordecai be of the Seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevail against him but shalt surely fall before him Mark here is an Interest against which God had a stated Controversie yet in one of the Branches of its Royal-line in a Rising way the not bowing and yielding to which is the high-way to endanger presently the Lives and Estates of all the Israel of God yet being Mordecai hath that foundation to stand upon and is as the Lord's Root against Amalek it s safer he judgeth to adventure the losing all that could be lost in a way of suffering both his own and others than betray the Lord's Interest close up thus the Lord's Controversie step aside from the Lord's Precepts and make invalid the Lord's Promises and by his publick example encourage and involve others in the like iniquities The Consequences of this faithful abiding with God is well known The accommodating it is left to serious consideration This Point in hand stands clearly witnessed to in it When the sufferings only of Saints lye endangered if I take one way and their sinning be endangered if I take the other I am to resist to blood striving against sin much more to bonds or any other tortures or sufferings I do not deny but the case above had many extraordinary circumstances clothing it but yet many excellent noble lessons may be safely deduced I shall from the whole of what hath been delivered under this head of Doctrine draw a few Inferences and proceed 1. If in so many cases Saints are not to accept Deliverance but it s the interest and excellency of their Faith rather to endure tortures Then I beseech you to be very tender how you judge others for that upon tryals they do not accept of Deliverance on such terms as may seem very plain and easie unto you It s the ordinary censure of some This is but their humour and self-willedness because they would seem to be something c. I say though you cannot make a judgment upon what bottom such a Christian stands in not accepting Deliverance yet do not presently conclude against him it may
Eye and Ear witness and the God that hath hitherto kept us alive to this day cause all those clouds to flee away and bring out your soul yet more fully not only to find pitty from him to escape the snares that others are catcht in to their hurt but grant also that you may come forth as one of those Palm-bearers cloathed in white Rev. 7.9 as having gotten the victory over all Enemies and made to sing with grace in your heart as they vers 10. Salvation to our God which sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb. And the love extended by you to me unworthy and in me to my Lord and Captain of my Salvation Oh! that streams of Salvation may come forth if it be his blessed will from him to you so also make you a blessed pattern of Piety Purity and Stability for him whom I desire to serve in the Gospel His Sister asked Will you have some Cordial He said Oh! when shall I drink of that good new Wine in my Father's Kingdom In a morning his Friend asked him What of the Night He said It hath been a long Night But saith his Friend The Morning comes Yea said he as a snare on it comes stealing upon the world but the Children of the Day and of the Light that have on the Armour of Light shall have no cause to fear He Exhorted a good Woman that watched with him with all earnestness to close walking with the Lord. His Sister said to him I hope Brother as your Tribulations abound your Consolations abound He said It was a hard question Consolations being very inward deep things She then asked how he felt his Heart He replied I feel the fleshly parts declining apace but I trust the spiritual renewing But saying further to his Sister Come are you wiling to part with me yet She answered Yes in some measure she hoped she was considering his pains on the one hand and the glory that should follow Then said he Be careful I charge you to walk close with God in your generation and take heed of departing from his wayes but walk as becomes a Christian that would be found to his praise After this through extremity of pains the exercise of his Understanding was at seasons interrupted but very sensible and spiritual in his Intervals One asked him How it was with him He said Vnder great rebukes from the Land by reason of sin Saying I have been a wretched sinner have perverted my way and my walks with God have been short and formal But Oh! that it may go well with Israel in the latter dayes though I be as reprobate silver because the Lord hath rejected me It was told him If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins Yea saith he through Faith in his Blood he is so and thither doth my soul flee He was also cautioned to take heed of casting away any his Confidence that hath great recompence of reward and of making a judgement of things in an hour of temptation and tribulation contrary to another judgement made and confirmed by the Lord again and again to him heretofore minding him how the Tempter waited such seasons to disturbe him and drive him from the strength he had laid up for him in Grace that is in Christ Jesus when Grace in us may be but at a low ebb Yea replyed he I would leave this Exhortation with you that when God bruises breaks treads down a poor soul and it lyes before him as ashamed and confounded and not able to open its mouth Oh! then to look up to the Lord for then will the Tempter be busie at such seasons for we are not ignorant of his devises but if God give another day and more strength I hope to speak more convincingly of these things The next day being asked How it was with him Whether all were clear within He said It was very tempestuous round about but yet the Lord is instructing and answering such a poor worm from the secret place of thunder And afterward sayes It will be better and there is hope in the end for all this And then broke out with admiration saying He is ever mindful of his Covenant Holy and Reverent is his Name he is a God near to those that fear him in the needful season Sometimes after one saying to him I hope you can yet say God is good and a strong hold in the day of trouble and knows them that trust in him Yes I can say so blessed be my God but not alike at all times can I say so but I remember the counsel and advise yesterday to wait on the Lord and keep his way and my place appointed me by God which I desire to do all the dayes of my appointed time till my change come though flesh and blood suggest this is hard work and would make haste out of it In the morning following being asked How is it now He said God had been at work closely with his Spirit in the three dayes past before this though this was left him for support That the foundation of God remains sure to all his sealed ones but sayes he I have been ready to say Why should I speak of sealed ones being such a one as might for mine iniquities be sealed up to a day of Wrath and be kept in chains of Darkness to the great day I have been so foolish to think my attainments were such as if I were got to the top and needed little more but the Lord hath laid Judgement to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet and hath not only thrown down the high raised Structure but razed the very foundations of all fleshly glory and excellency and the Lord hath delivered his glory into Captivity and his strength into the Enemies hand yet hath not left me without hope I trust good hope in mercy that all notwithstanding shall issue well in the end But Oh! the reproach that I have brought on the Name of God! might that be done away by all I feel and suffer inward and outward I shall rejoyce In the After-noon the same day it was said to him I have observed by some hints from you That you have in these few dayes past had some exercises on your Spirit I would be glad to know whence and what they were and the way of God with you in them He replyed He had indeed some such exercise occasioned by close searches made in his soul about the clear and certain right and title it had to a substantial well-founded Interest in Christ which though sayes he I have mentioned heretofore to you and others what it was and how it was the Lord had begot and carried on in me and thought it had been above questions yet had I some doubts and fears renewed of a very ancient date about if not above thirty years ago with many miscarriages since to promote the same matter and this