A GOSPEL-GLASSE Representing the MISCARRIAGES OF English Professors BOTH In their Personal and Relative Capacities for which God is contending with them by the Sword Plague c. and since the writing of the greatest part of the following Treatise for the Press by the dreadful Fire in London OR A CALL FROM HEAVEN To SINNERS and SAINTS By Repentance and Reformation to prepare to meet God Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him Jer. 2.35 Yet thou sayest Because I am innocent surely his anger shall turn from me Behold I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have not sinned LONDON Printed in the Year MDCLXVII THE Authors PREFACE WHEN it is a day of darkness and of gloominess a day of clouds and of thick darkness then saith the Prophet Blow ye the Trumpet in Zion Joel 2.1 2. and found an Alarum in my holy Mountain Let all the Inhabitants of the Land tremble Lam. 2.1 How hath the Lord covered the Daughter of Zion with a Cloud in his anger and cast down from Heaven unto the Earth the beauty of Israel and remembred not his Foot-stool in the day of his anger He hath violently taken away his Tabernacle as if it were of a Garden V. 6 he hath destroyed the Places of the Assembly The Lord hath caused the solemn Feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion and hath despised in the indignation of his anger his Priests V. 7 Yea the Lord hath cast off his Altar he hath abhorred his Sanctuary the Law is no more her Prophet also find no Vision from the Lord. O that now mine eyes could fail with tears V. 9 and my bowels were more troubled within me O that my Liver were poured upon the Earth for the destruction of the Daughter of my People V. 11 because the Children and the Sucklings swoon in the streets of the City We see not our Signes there is no more any Prophet Psal 74.9 neither is there among us any that knoweth How Long. When we 2 Sam. 6.1 2. like David were restoring the Ark of God I mean the presence of Christ in his Worship and Ordinances what Stumblings of the Oxen have we seen What miserable Disappointments have we met with And what sad breaches have there been made How hath God stopt our way and branded our Enterprises with wonderful remarks of his sore displeasure Hear therefore the word of the Lord Hos 4.1 ye Children of Israel for the Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land We poor Ministers have pleaded with you till we can plead no more the Lord hath bid us stand by whilest he himself takes up the Controverste O is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Hebr. 10.31 Are you not sensible what Arrows God hath begun to shoot amongst us How many thousands Psal 58.9 Isa 5.25 and ten thousands hath he taken away as with a whirlwind by the Pestilence For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still How hath God shaken our Heavens Hag. 2.6 and our Earth the Sea as well as dry Land How doth he contend still by the Sword And how much precious blood hath the Earth and Sea drunk up For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still O! Come Psal 46.8 Behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the Earth Every Providence of God especially his more notable Acts hath a reason written upon it could mans eye read it When the Church complained that God was as a stranger in the Land Jer. 14.8 10. and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night The Lord replyes to them Thus have they loved to wander c. The Controversie began on their side they may see their Sin in the Punishment as in a Glass Do they winder I grow strange to them The estrangement began on their part Nothing appears more our instant Duty than to enter a serious scrutiny What have we done Wherein have we offended Lam. 3.40 41 44. Let us search and try our wayes saith the afflicted Church of Judah upon this very occasion of the Lords covering himself with a Cloud that their Prayers could not pass through and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the Heavens O! Hag. 1.5.7 Consider your wayes The Lord doubled it Your iniquities have seperated between you and your God Isa 59.2 and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear I find men will easily subscribe to this that Sin is the procuring cause of all misery but I find an aptness to transferr the guilt from one to another from one party to another and though people do even sell themselves to work wickedness yet so predominant is Self-love that it sees no spots in it self Ahab is not the troubler of Israel but Elijah Nay a good man Aaron excuseth himself Exod. 32.22 and layes the blame on others The Sin is theirs not mine Men have a natural desire to justifie themselves and their desire is so strong that they care not whom they bespatter or burden so they may but ease and acquit themselves And indeed Sin is such an ugly Monster that no man will own it if he can choose but had rather lay this Child of Darkness at any mans door yea at Gods than Father it himself My Design in this Enterprize is to obviate this Distemper and to bring you all of you to own your iniquity that you may say resolve upon it that you will confess your iniquity Psal 32.5 that so God may forgive the iniquity of your sin My Place and Duty as a Minister though wholly unworthy of that Relation to God and you binds me to cause Jerusalem to know her abominations Ezek. 16.2 and therefore I have descended to Particulars that if it be the will of God I might hit the humour 1 Kings 8.38 and shew to every man the plague of his own heart The Lord knoweth I take no pleasure to rake in these Dunghills I dread the ill uses that the Sons of Belial may make of this Enterprize I expect various Censures from them who should be otherwise minâ—ed but my record is on high that the great Design of this Publication is to reduce Professours to a more aweful humble serious Repentance towards God and singular Conversation before men I thank God for the freedome that a Reverend Brother hath taken with the ejected Ministers Vox clamantis in Deserto and I must profess that since the perusal of that most seasonable Piâ—ce I have had no quiet in my Conscience till I entred upon this Labour Though my bodily Distempers pleaded loud for my silence though I was
short-sighted men yet you are but Devils in Christs account So was the arch-Hypocrite Judas One of you is a Devil Of all Devils none so bad as the Professing Devil Remember the vengeance which fell on Belshazzar when he carouzed in the Bowls of the Sanctuary 2 Pet. 2.3 Their damnation slumbereth not who through covetousness make use of the covering of faigned words O! When will ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and True holiness Eph. 4.24 Believe it if thou art a whited wall God will smite thee Though thou get some present glory or profit by thy outside holiness yet God more abhors thee than the bleer and imperfect observing World can applaud thee Will a King indure it that thou take his Robes and cloath a Swine with them or that thou take his Crown and set it on the head of a base Varlet God is coming against the Hypocritical Nation And he accounts it a disgrace for thee to voice thy self to be the Son of so great a Prince whilst thou art a Slave to Hellish lusts All you do for God will not profit you you lose all you have wrought whilst acted by self and corrupt in your ends and aims Though you trust in lying words Jer. 7.8 Isa 57.12 in your outward shews yet I will declare thy righteousness and thy words for they shall not profit thee What shall I say There is no acceptance for you to be had without the Benjamin of sincerity with you A day of trouble is hastning and you think then to pray but will God hear your cry when trouble cometh upon you Job 27.9 Psal 106.15 Psal 51.6 If you deny God your heart never expect his ear Quails you may have but with a vengeance with leanness in your souls That which God desireth and looketh for is truth in the inward parts God and Religion have received so much dishonour by pretenders to Christ and Truth and so many Atheists have been made confirmed and hardned in England by the Observations they have made on Professours hypocritical pretensions that I fear the stains will hardly be wash'd away without blood and some probably will be called forth to seal to the Truth of Christ by their death to convince men that there are some real Christians who will spend and be spent for Christ and that whilst many have but a Name to live yet there are a few in our Sardis who are not defiled with hellish Hypocrisie but love Truth in their inward parts CHAP. XIX Their Sabbath-Sins Lastly WHen you remember the evil of your wayes Professors Sabbath-Sins of your ungodly wayes you may not omit your Sabbath-Sins God hath appointed the Sabbath He hath sanctified it for special and entire communion with himself The Law of the Sabbath was given before the Fall because man was to labour and dress the Garden on the six dayes and therefore could not have that compleat and indistracted communion with God even in his estate of innocency which he might enjoy by a total seperation from all earthly and heterogeneous employments But since the Fall this Rest is of more absolute necessity for that we cannot now apply our minds entirely to matters of so different a nature as heavenly and earthly things are The Sabbath is many wayes honourable it was antiently set apart by God it was written with Gods own finger in the Tables God rained Mannah on that day it 's called an Everlasting Covenant by way of eminency as if nothing of Gods Covenant were kept if this were not Yea God puts a Remember on this day and no other Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day If a Friend sendeth to you that he will come and solace himself in your company such a day and tells you the set time when he will come will he not take it ill if you neglect him then If you are full of employments and other guests and have no leisure to attend communion with him Thus saith God Remember such a time I will set it apart on purpose to enjoy you and feast you I will then take you into my Cellars my Wine Cellars and after an holy manner inebriate you with Divine comforts You are on your other dayes clogg'd and cumbred with earthly affairs so that I can have therein but broken communion with you but pray Remember to lay aside all other business to rest from all your other works that I and you may freely converse together But instead of this How little Preparation do we make for the observing of this day unto the Lord Their not preparing for it Though Remember be a Watch-word of solemn Preparation for it Remember it think of it before it come that so thou mayest be ready to sanctifie it without any distraction by worldly business Which of us dispatcheth his worldly business seasonably on the six dayes Nay is it not a wicked custome to engross more business into our hands and hearts the day before than on any other day of the Week Do not greedy Professours sit up later on Saturday Night than any other Night Hereby their hearts are cumbred with the World and their natural strength and spirits wasted and spent so that they cannot with a free Spirit wait upon God Such is the reverence that is due to the solemn and publick Duties of Devotion that they require not only a surcease from other works and thoughts for the time of the performance but also a decent preparation before-hand that we look to our feet c. that so our thoughts and affections which are naturally bent upon the World and not easily withdrawn from it may be raised to a disposition becoming the day God alone knows how oft the Devil and our own hearts have intangled us with occasions on the Saturday whereby our minds have been distracted on the Sabbath Yea have we not at times even secretly wished that the Sabbath were over or might be adjourned that we might pursue some worldly design which is obstructed by its interposal The Sabbath is the Saints Market-day or Fair-day You know what preparations are made by Worldlings for their dayes of gain would to God we had learned wisdome from carnal men so to fit and prepare for the advantages to our Souls we may reap upon Gods day Their curtailing it Amos 8.4 How have we curtailed the Sabbath Have not we risen later on the Lords day than on any other and gone sooner to bed on that day than on any other When will the Sabbath be gone Do not we make it the shortest day of the Week O! If God had reserved all the dayes to himself save one how diligent would you have been to take all the day to your worldly business This is a clear evidence that your minds are more on your Profits and Pleasures than on the Service of Christ How lowring are our countenances Being sad when the Sabbath begins and glad when it
ends and how lumpish and heavy are our hearts in the beginning of a Sabbath much more than upon any other day Doth not this prove the day to be no way pleasing to us And how chearfull are some of us when the Sabbath is ended The heart is not so well pleased all the day as then yea do not some cheat and delude themselves hereby as if they had joy in the Lord and had received comfort from the Word and other Ordinances whereas they are glad that the yoak of Ordinances the burden of the Word of the Lord and the burden of the day of the Lord is taking off their Shoulders Being hindred from profaning it only by external motives How many are there who would profane Gods Sabbaths and wholy neglect the Ordinances of them were it not for the Laws of men and the eyes of their Relations How quieted are some when they have attended the publick service Satisfied with worshipping God publickly and do they betwixt and after those solemn duties refrain their lips from worldly talk from impertinencies from such discourse as bears no proportion with the holiness of the day When works of Necessity and Charity happen out beyond our expectation or forecast Glad to be hindred from works of piety are we at all troubled at them Do not we rather rejoyce because we have thereby a dispensation to withdraw from the immediate worship of God And how many neglect to do all their works on the six dayes Exod. 20.9 though the Lord so expresly chargeth them so to do that they may have a pretence of necessity to do much servile work on the Sabbath How common is it to dress meat on the Sabbath more than on any other day when there is not the least pretence of weakness c. Hereby not only Servants but the whole house are too much in labour and destraction and hindred if not from the solemn Assemblies yet from Family and Closet worship How do many gossip complement Eating too much on the Sabbath and feast away abroad the day of the Lord or else eat to an excess at home and thereby make themselves fitter for a bed than to wait on the Sanctuary to hear Christs voice to meditate on his love and to feed in his pleasant pastures How carefull are we to keep our selves Stealing Gods time and ours from pilfering from our Neighbour but not from stealing from God his time yea are not some Governours so ungodly unmercifull that they will allow their people no time but the Sabbath to recreate themselves from their labours If they need recreation you have more time than God hath reserved sure you should not steal from God to pleasure them In the discharge of the works of mercy to Man and Beast Not performing duties of mercy aright Do not we respect more our own commodity than the will of God than the dispensation of God and the creatures necessities Are these works of mercy attended with such spiritual meditations as they do afford us if our hearts were holy How few bless God for giving them one day Not blessing of God for the Sabbath wherein they may lighten their hearts of all worldly cares and throw off all griefs and secular cumbers and may seek for relief and comfort in their God Perhaps the Master observes a day unto the Lord Careless whether those under them observe the Sabbath but how careless is he that his Sons and Daughters and all within his gate honour the day of the Lord Do not many Professing Governours of Families let them sleep away the Sabbath that they may be the fitter for their drudgeries the following week O! when will Governours be as diligent that their Servants and Houshold serve the Lord as that they serve themselves You have been carefull that your work were done on the week but careless whether Gods work were done by them on the Sabbath careless whether your Servants profited by the Sabbath yea or no When will Gods glory and the good of your peoples Souls be nearer to you than your worldly advantages You ask your Servants what work they have done for you every day and call them to frequent accounts for your gains-sake and what never reckon with them about their Spiritual Soul-work O! how little is the love of God shed abroad in your hearts How justly may God be angry with us till he hath consumed us for our desiling the day of the Lord It was Gods express Law Exod. 31.14 that every one that desileth it should surely be put to death When the people were weary of the Sabbath when they said Amos 8.5 v. 7. When will the new Moon be gone that we may sell corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat c. v. 7. The Lord swore by the excellency of Jacob Surely I will never forget any of their works v. 8. Shall not the land tremble for this and every one mourn that dwelleth therein and it shall rise up wholly as a floud and it shall be cast out and drowned as by the floud of Egypt v. 9. And it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord God that I will cause the Sun to go down at Noon and I will darken the Earth in the clear day v. 10 And I will turn your Feasts into mourning and all your Songs into lamentation c. v. 11. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord God that I will send a Famine in the land not a Famine of Bread nor a thirst for Water but of hearing the Word of the Lord. v. 12. And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it CHAP. XX. Their miscarriages about Heart-examination THe more that the Lord of Heaven chargeth us with a Duty Professors miscarriages about Self-examination the more inexcusable are our neglects of it There are few things more commanded us than to try and examine our hearts and lives 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves c. Prove your selves c. We are apt to be strangers to our selves to cheat our selves with vain presumptuous hopes to rest in notions therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Examine your selves take an experimental knowledge of your selves We are apt to prove others and censure them therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prove your own selves begin at home try your state try your actions bring the mettal to the touchstone see whether it be sound or counterfeit try your Faith whether it be temporary or saving prove your Repentance whether it be through or superficial examine your Love whether it be sincere or hypocritical and your Obedience whether it be universal or partial Deut. 4.39 Know therefore and consider it in thine heart make a return or answer to thine heart Commune with thine own heart
that it would please God to make my words as an Hammer Motives to let our hearts be broken for and from our Sins to break the Rocks O that I may be thus usefull to your Souls O that somewhat at last may be hinted that may through the blessing of Goâ— break your hearts for and from sin that may promote your Repentance for your own and your othermens sins And indeed unless your hearts be broken for sin they will never be broken from sin But the more bitterness of Spirit you are in for sin the more probability there is you will not return unto sin When men have furfetted upon a Dish and are greatly afflicted and pained by it the more unlikely they are to return again unto that Dish That is certain saith Mr. Burroughs either a mans sin will make an end of his mourning or his mouâ—ning will make an end of his sin Yea if your hearts be not broken for other mens sins they are not kindly broken for your own sins You will never put it out of all doubt that your sorrow is right and genuine unless you mourn for others as well as your own sins for it will alwayes be objected that if Sin as Sin were your Burden if Sin as dishonouring God as wounding Christ as grieving the Spirit then other mens sins being reslexions on the Authority and Will of the great God Father Son and Spirit should have some considerable weight upon your Souls The truth is others sins become thine if thou knowest them and mournest not for them O then In what a case are all the hardned jolly Professours who can make a sport of Drunkeness Uncleanness Superstition Perjury c. in others Consider therefore by the Help of this Glass others sins as well as thine own to help on thy brokeness of heart for and from sin Psal 119.158 Behold with David the transgressour and be grieved because they keep not Gods word Let your Souls with Lot be vexed there are greater sins found among Professours in England than were in Sodom Let thy Soul be as his was as in Hell as upon the Rack How can you evidence that you are translated from death to life because you love the Brethren whilst you are not troubled to see them wounding and damning their souls by their sins you are grieved to see any Friends of yours in great hazards and dangers by the Sword by Sickness by Fire but the Souls of your Friends are in the greatest danger yet you lament not the sight of these deplorable spectacles God forbid that any of you should have grounds of hope to gain Liberties and outward Privileges by others provocations whilst all their sins become yours whilst you are not humbled for them But to lay before you some Considerations that may set home by the Spirit draw water out of the Flint 1. God is greatly incensed Should not your hearts be broken for and from sin seeing sin hath so incensed God against the Land of your Nativity Can you retire from the World and seriously consider the Prints of Gods displeasure against poor England and yet remain impenitent Is it nothing to you that God hath for many years been withdrawing from his Sanctuary in England O! Your Ministers have had miscarrying Wombs and dry Breasts Though they rose early and sate up late were much in watchings and in labours for the Conversion and Edification of Souls yet how seldome have any been under the Pangs of the New Birth How seldome were any pricked at the heart How seldome have any cryed out What shall we do to be saved And for others concerning whom we hoped better things How have they shed their Leaf How have they pined and withered away as to Practical Godliness How have they lost that Seriousness that Heavenlyness that Power of Godliness which before they seemed to have had Your Ministers saw this and lamented it they acquainted you with it invited you to remember from whence you are fall'n to repent and do your first works But yet You returned not unto the Lord. Should not this pierce your very hearts Is it nothing to you that not only your selves but so many Professours in England should lose their faithful and painful Ministers Is it nothing to you for God to call home by Death and otherwise so many of his Embassadours whom you have grieved whom you have despised and affronted and who have been more burthened with your Pride Earthliness Divisions Sensuality c. than they are with their present Poverty and Dishonours under which they lye What doth it portend save War and Hostility when Embassadours are called home And may not you fear that the wrath of God is and will be against you till there be no remedy They mocked the Messengers of God 2 Chron. 36.16 and despised his Words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy If God will treat with you no more believe it he will fight with you And O! O! O! Who will set the Bryars and Thornes against him He will goe through them he will consume them in his wrath Is it nothing to you that there is yet such a Spirit of Division in the Land O! What heats and heart-burnings what animosities and jealousies are there so that a Brother cannot trust a Brother Is it nothing to you that God hath been so long contending with the Land by the Sword and by the Pestilence and so lately by Fire Is it nothing to you that God permitted that dreadful Fire in London to break forth about Three of the Clock on a Lords Day morning Did he not thereby cause his Sabbath in a manner to cease in London Did not he make his holy Day of Rest a Day of labour and disquiet Did not he hereby as it were anticipate his Peoples conventions to expiate him and so drew them as it were off from the Remedy that his hands being loosened he might punish 2 Chron. 7.12 Deut. 9.14 Jer. 2.2 and not be prevailed with to pardon May we not say with Jeremiah even upon this account The Lord hath swallowed up all the Habitations of Jacob and hath not pittied he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong Holds of the Daughter of Judah he hath brought them down to the ground Is it nothing that at the same time God should send forth such a boysterous Wind to fann and blow up the Fire East West South and North God therein executing the Judgement threatned against Elam Jer. 49.36 of bringing the four Winds from the four Quarters of Heaven c. If the punishment of one Element saith a late Writer be dreadful as the Water was to the old World and the Air is in Pestilential Infections and the Earth was when it opened its mouth to swallow up Corah and his company how dreadful is Gods punishing a Land or Person with double and treble Judgements in one
What vengeance is that like to prove which hath Gods Armies of Fire and Wind united Is it nothing that the Fire burned at some time contrary to the Wind and as it were in opposition to it and was then as uncheckable as when it had the Winds raising and chasing it Is it nothing that in the drought of the season and the want of water God seem'd to hinder the application of Remora's to both Wind and Fire Was not therein the Judgement executed upon England in its heart which God threatned against the Chaldeans a drought is upon her Waters and they shall be dryed up Jer. 50.38 for it is a Land of graven Images and they are madd upon their Idols Is it nothing that the rational and probable anticipations of the constagrating progresses of the Fire which might have been were hid from the eyes of those whose interest it would have been to have improved them Did not God at that time take courage from the mighty and wisdome from the wise Is it nothing that London the great Bulwark of the Reformed Religion against the assaults and batteries of Popery and Prophaness is in a great measure destroyed But above all Is it nothing that generally there is so little sense of any of these Judgements The Wine of Astomshment is given us to drink and we reel to and fro like Drunkards But alas 2 Chron. 7.14 Who humbleth himself and prayes and seeks Gods face and turns from his wicked wayes that God may heal our Land 2. The sins of any one of us may be the Incendiâ— aries Should not your hearts be broken for and from your sins seeing the sins of any one of you in particular may have been the great Incendiary This is certain God hath for the delinquency of one man yea for one sin brought Plagues upon many If any thing will move thine heart this will but nothing will without Gods concurse The Lord fasten this nayl the Lord fix this upon thy Soul and let it be as Frontlets between â—â—ine eyes day and night When Achan was guilty of one sin and that a secret one when he had stoln a wedge of Gold when he had impropriated it to his own use which God had destined to another he troubled the whole Church of God the Armies of Israel fell before the men of Ai the generation of Gods curse yea Joshua their Prince became dejected and his communion with God was thereby for a while broken And the Lord said unto Joshua get thee up Josh 7.10 11 12 c. 22.20 wherefore lyest thou on thy face Did not Achan the Son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing and wrath fell on all the Congregation of Israel And that man perished not alone in his iniquity The iniquity of Peor though committed long agoe yet raised a cloud of wrath which was ready to empty it self upon the whole Church of God for it many years after Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us Josh 22.17 from which we are not cleansed to this day although there was a Plague in the Congregation of the Lord The Gibeonites who had craftily secured their Lives by an exchange for their Liberties got an Oath from Saul and almost 500. years after when this Covenant was broken in the slaying of many of them and Saul was dead the flourishing Church of God suffered three years Famine for this Perjury Then there was a Famine in the dayes of David 2 Sam. 21.1 three years year after year and David enquired of the Lord And the Lord answered It is for Saul and for his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites Manasseh sinn'd and that cost the Liberties and Lives of many good as well as bad Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great anger 2 Kings 23.26 wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah because of all the Provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withall Pharaoh refused to give liberty to Gods Church to worship their God and this brought unparallel'd Judgements and Plagues upon the whole Land of Egypt Amalecks abuse of Gods people was not forgotten for an hundred years but God took up an everlasting quarrel with them till he had rooten them out of the Earth Thus saith the Lord of Hosts 1 Sam. 15.2 I remember that which Amaleck did to Israel how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt Yea the Sins of one good man have brought down Plagues upon many David whether out of curiosity or vain-glory or confidence in an arm of flesh would needs number the people a little sin in comparison of what we are guilty of yet it cost the lives of 70000. by the Pestilence So the Lord sent a Pestilence upon Israel c. 2 Sam. 24.15 and there dyed of the people from Dan even to Beersheâ—a seventy thousand men Solomon was a good Prince and yet by his sins he brought miserable confusions on the most considerable part of the Church of Israel by that great revolt which it occasioned Wherefore the Lord said to Solomon 1 Kings 11.11 For as much as this is done of thee and thou hast not kept my Covenant and my Sâ—atutes which I have commanded thee I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy Servant Eli a good man and a good Magistrate yet because too indulgent to his Children a Vice common but seldome considered and bewailed what a fearful Plague brought he upon his Posterity as well as himself And the Lord said unto Samuel Behold I will do a thing in Israel 1 Sam 3.11 12 13 14. at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his House When I begin I will also make an end for I have told him that I will judge his House for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not And therefore I have sworn unto the House of Eli that the iniquity of Elies House shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever Luk. 11.50 51. Mat. 23.35 36. The blood of all the Prophets saith Christ which was shed from the Foundation of the World shall be required of this Generation from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the Altar and the Temple Verily I say unto you it shall be required of this Generation And yet who holds up his hand to Gods Barr and cryes Guilty Guilty Who saith as David when the Angel forraged among the People 2 Sam. 24.17 Let thy hand be against me for these sheep What have they done We are quick-sighted enough yea too much to espye and aggravate the sins of others We expect fearful Plagues for others Adulteries Drunkennesses Swearing and Blaspheming But the Lord hearkeneth when we will
insufficiencies he sees not his unworthiness to goe to Heaven and Glory he sees not his inability to think a good thought he hopes without a Christ he can do something If he did judge his condition hopeless he would tremble and have no rest in himself till God hath delivered him he would see an absolute necessity of obtaining Christ and his righteousness and he would be put off with nothing else But O! how hard a work do Ministers find it first to take off men from their sins and then from considence in their duties We tell men Christ will have no sharer in the glory of saving lost man but people will at least have their works and Christ to divide the spoyles to share in the glory of bringing back lost Souls to God We advise men to lay no weight on their duties bâ—t to lean alone on Christ's merits but in vain Christ saith If yee seek me let these go their way these duties as well as these sins but the deaf eare is turned and we find it much easier to perswade men their sins will damn them then their duties whilst Christ is thereby neglected CHAP. IV. Their miscarriages about their Soul-troubles IF the Spirit of the Lord have convinced men of their danger by their sins Miscarriages about Soul-troubles and their own righteousness that they still see God angry with them and if their Souls remain under trouble and disquiet yet are they not guilty of some if not all of the following miscarriages 1. Few iustifie God How few are there that justifie God Few accept of the punishment of their iniquities they do not clear God as they should from all unrighteousness Commonly proud hearts swell and fume against these methods of God Though the filthiness of their hearts be laid open before them yet they fall not down upon their faces in the acknowledgement of their unworthiness of mercy few charge themselves and acquit God They cannot be brought to give God the glory of his righteousness if he should condemn them to the pit of hell they do not willingly and uprightly own the desert of damnation and charge themselves with it as their due portion and most just inheritance Lam. 3.30 Mic. 7.9 Ezra 9.13 Dan. 9.7 8. Few give their cheeks to him that smiteth as the Church did they do not say I will bear the iudignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him or with Ezra thou hast punished us lesse than our iniquities have deserved or with Daniel O Lord Righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face How seldome do you hear Professours with this Confession in their mouths Lord I am thy creature and thou mayst do with thy creature what pleaseth thee It pleased thee to put thine image on me Eccl. 7.29 Isa 52.3 to create me upright but I have sought out many inventions I have sold my self for nought I have preferred the Devils work before thine and therefore thou mayst abhor me and give me my portion among the damned crew and if I feel some sparks of hell fire in thy wrathfull present frowns it is of thy rich patience and mercy that they are but sparks if thou cast me off for ever it is but what I have deserved long ago it is of the Lords mercy that I was not hurled from the womb or cradle to hell because of my native sinfulness but wo is me I have provoked the pure eyes of thy glorious Majesty dayes without number I have been a Rebel of a long standing against thee my will hath been justling and quarrelling with thine these many years and therefore if I be sent to hell thou art righteous and clear when thou judgest Psa 51.4 I can blame none save my self if I perish everlastingly though I have many fears and sorrows on me yet blessed be God they are not the sorrows of hell thanks be to the Lord that I am not yet among the damned ones roaring in the Pit of hell Few believe they deserve damnation hence Souls are murmuring at any affliction at the loss of an Husband Child Estate c. as if God had dealt hardly with them in depriving them thus How few Professours Few willingly under Soul-trouble Hos 2.6 Rom. 8.15 when under Soul-troubles are willingly under them They see not the advantage of having their way hedg'd up with these thorns They do not receive the Spirit of Bondage They do not accept this punishment They take it not kindly at Gods hands Their troubles are involuntary few kindly works that I meet with among awakened and startled Professours they are held in the chains against their will How many are afraid of sorrow for sin Some think it will spoyl good faces and their beauty may he lost through their troubles but others think it will bring them to despair and therefore farewell to such a Preacher he is too terrible for their Souls Hence Saul must have his harp to divert him the Cards must be taken up again some merry Books some Romances must be read perhaps a Play may be seen jovial frothy Company must be called in and all this to divert the Soul from minding its danger lest it be swallowed up of grief or some unskilfull and unfaithfull Emperick shall be sent for to sow pillows under him that he may sleep the quieter Few Daniel-like when their cogitations much trouble them Dan. 7.28 so that their countenances are changed in them keep notwithstanding the matter in their hearts How few are active in their Soul-troubles Retire and go alone that they may search the Scriptures and ransack their hearts in order to contrition and humiliation of their hearts How few are gladded by any portion of Gods word that brings their sinfulness and self-fulness to remembrance and causeth any meltings of heart and humblings of Souls under it How do some Professours quarrel with their Ministers and snarl at the Books that give them trouble of Spirit 3. Few mourn on spiritual accounts How few mourn for Sin upon Spiritual accounts That their God is dishonoured their good and gracious God who hath done so much for them c. doth not chiefly cut their hearts Against thee Psal 51.4 thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight but perhaps they are troubled for wronging themselves endangering themselves c. They cry as dogs when they have done a fault they fear the whip and so they houle 4. Few reforming and believing mourners How many Professors mourn for their sins yet live in the continued practise of them Notwithstanding their tears yet their hearts are in league with their lusts Thus like the Scolds at Billingsgate they are soon out soon in again with their lusts but few whilst mourning for their sins are sollicitous and carefull which way God may have satisfaction for the injuries that have been done unto him The mourning of many Professours last no longer than the trouble of
but questionable yea which have been found in unsound Hypocritical hearts and so deceive themselves Their groundless Pleas that they have closed with Christ as if they had a Christ and real Grace within them How do they live upon these Signes comfortably all their dayes without a Christ Excuse me if I bring in their Pleas and answer them briefly 1. I am changed from what I was nay changed inwardly So was Saul And it was so 1 Sam. 10.9 that when he had turned his back to goe from Samuel God gave him another heart Thou mayest have another heart and yet not a new heart 2. I have extraordinary Gifts I was dull unable to speak of God tongue-tyed among the Saints but I can now hold a discourse with them and manage some of the highest services as well as they Might not Saul say so much for himself had not he the Spirit of Prophesie to admiration When a company of Prophets met him 1 Sam. 10.10 11. the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied among them Then the people said one to another What is this that is come to the Son of Kish Is Saul also among the Prophets The Spirit of God was upon him also at another time 1 Sam. 19.23 24. and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah and he stript off his clothes also and prophesied before Samuel in like manner and lay downnaked all that day and all that night He was so great a Proficient that as one observes As soon as he was admitted into the Society he commenced Doctour and prophesied with the best of them They stood and prophesied he went on he could run and prophesie yea he was so full of the Spirit of Prophesie that he neither eat nor drank nor slept nor rose but lay down naked all the day and all the night he was as in a traunce all that while and wanted neither meat nor drink nor clothes nor sleep 3. I was full of revenge but now I am come to such a pitch of Religion that I can pass by Offences yea pass them by when I have an opportunity of punishing them that affront me Had not Saul so much Religion The Children of Belial said 1 Sam. 10.27 How shall this man save us and they despised him and brought him no Prosents but he held his peace He bears much that can bear being derided 4. Though I am meek in mine own Cause yet when the Name of God and the Church of God suffer I can be very much inflamed So was hypocritical Saul 1 Sam. 11.2 6. When Nahash the Ammonite told the men of Jabesh On this condition will I make a Covenant with you that I may thrust out all your right eyes and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tydings and his anger was kindled greatly 5. I am merciful to men to mine Enemies because God hath shewed me mercy So was Saul And Saul said 1 Sam. 11.13 There shall not a man be put to death this day for this day the Lord hath wrought Salvation in Israel Though he was incited to revenge yet he would not 6. When I have any Mercy from God I see God in the Mercy and is not this a good Sign Truly no better than Saul had 1 Sam. 11.13 To day the Lord hath wrought Salvation in Israel 7. I engage God with me before I set upon any considerable Undertakings Did not Saul so much Then said I the Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal and I have not made Supplication to the Lord 1 Sam. 13.12 I forced my self therefore and offered a burnt Offering And Saul said unto Ahiah Bring hither the Ark of God c. And Saul asked counsel of God Shall I goe down after the Philistines 8. When I Pray I look what becomes of my Prayer and I suspend many of my Motions till I have an Answer Saul the Hypocrite went so farr he look'd after his Prayer and would not goe down after the Philistines 1 Sam. 14.37 because God answered him not that day 9. If I have no Answer to Prayer I examine the Reason and I am sure this is more than most Professours do But not more than Saul did When God answered him not that day 1 Sam. 14.37 38. Saul said Draw ye nigh hither all the chief of the people and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day 10. I am troubled for other mens sins and cannot but reprove sinners Is not this a Sign of Sincerity I answer No unless Saul were sincere When he was told the People eat the blood he was troubled and reproved them too 1 Sam. 14.33 He said Ye have transgressed 11. My Zeal against Sin is such that I punish it where-ever I find it I am impartial in my rebukes of sin my Children as well as my Servants are corrected if they trespass against the Lord. Hence I conclude mine estate is good And so might Saul 1 Sam. 14.29 As the Lord liveth who saveth Israel though it the sin be in Jonathan my Son he shall surely dye 12. I conclude God loves me from a constant series of smiling Providences that followeth all that I take in hand I find that the Lord blesseth me in my goings out and comings in whatsoever I do doth prosper And had not Saul strange Successes and Victories When Israel was so low that they had no weapons for Warr nor Smiths to make any Saul took the Kingdome over Israel 1 Sam. 14.47 and fought against all his Enemies on every side c. and whither soever he turned himself he vexed them 13. I find a readiness to confess others better than my self so did Saul with tears in his Eyes And Saul said 1 Sam. 24.16 17. is this thy voice my Son David And Saul lift up his voice and wept and he said to David thou art more righteous than I. 14. I continue my duties when I fear God hath rejected me even in desertion I keep on worshiping So did Saul when Samuel told him God hath rejected thee 1 Sam. 15.25 30 31. he desired Samuel to turn again with him that he might worship the Lord and he prevailed with Samuel to turn again and Saul worshiped the Lord. 15. I see a beauty in the Church and People of God So did Balaam How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel As the Valleys are they spread forth Numb 24.5 6. as Gardens by the Rivers sides as the Trees c. which the Lord hath planted and as Cedar trees besides the waters 16. I cannot for the greatest advantage be brought to sin against God Neither could Balaan Numb 24.13 If Balak would give me his house full of Silver and Gold I cannot go beyond the Commandement of the Lord c. 17. I live up to the dictates of
few Professours are the Promises of God exceeding great and precious 2 Pet. 1.4 Not admiring Gods condescention therein 3. How little do we admire at Gods stopping so low as to oblige himself by promise to such varlets as we God might have dealt with us by way of absolute Soveraignty and Dominion imposing only upon us commands to do our duty without adjoyning any promise of a reward he being our Creatour and we his Creatures It is his great condescention to deal with us by way of Promise which is not only an insinuation and signification of what he will do but a laying a bond or obligation upon himself to do so and so Herein God did more condescend unto Man than unto the fallen Angels they have not any one not the least Promise of any good made by God unto them And yet how little are we in admiration Not blessing God for them 1 Jo. 2.25 4. How little do we bless the Lord for those Jewels that are wrapt up in the Promises for the Fruit that hangs on this Tree of Life This is the Promise that he hath promised us even eternal Life A Crown is promised Jam. 1.12 He shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him A Kingdome is promised Hearken Jam. 2.5 my beloved Brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith and heirs of the Kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him Yet how unthankfull This doubtless proceeds from our diffidence of the reality and faithfulness of the Promiser and therefore that shall be another Question 5. How little do we relye upon God Not relying on the Promiser to make good his Promises How many think God the Promiser as changeable as themselves Men in Boats being in constant motion upon the Waters are apt to fancy that the Land and Trees move as they themselves do So many Christians think as oft as they fail in point of strict duty God will fail too Who layes all the stress upon the faithfulness of him that hath promised Do not we lean partly to the Promises and partly to our own endeavours and the means we use and so divide our dependencies betwixt the Promises of God and our own Duties to bring in pardons peace holiness or any outward comforts 6. Do not we eye Promises Not eyeing Christ in them without eyeing Christ Do not we dote on the Bracclets but neglect the Friend Do not some set a greater value on the Promise than on Christ's Person Though the Promises are only the Chrystal Streams of that River of Life Rev. 22.1 which proceedeth out of the Throne of God and the Lamb yet do not we make them the Primary and not the Secondary Object of Faith Who look upon Promises only as Instruments to bring Christ and the Soul together 7. Not hoping for the good of them How little do we hope for the good laid up in the Promises What fearful expectations have many Prosessours though they walk close with God though they abstain from that which is evil though they fulifill after God to the utmost of their power though they design which way to walk in all well-pleasing being fruitful in every good word and work yet how cast down how discouraged are they how do they pine away and their hearts dye within them how are they as Reeds shaken as Ships driven and cannot cast anchor within the Vail Moses himself was shaken when a deliverance of Gods own promising met with opposition And Moses said Lord wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this people Exod. 5.22 23. why is it that thou hast sent me For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name he hath done evil to this people neither hast thou delivered thy people at all It is Gods wonted course to bring signal mercies under a sentence of death before we enjoy them and yet how prevailing is unbelief when God deferrs and the Promise is obstructed How faint are we Our hope is not lively 8. Noc waiting for the good of them Heb. 10.36 How little do we wait till that good which is in the Promises be given out to us I may truly say to many yea to most Ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may receive the Promise Sure The Vision is for an appointed time Hab. 2.3 and God would have us to wait though it tarry because it will not tarry beyond the time appointed by the wise and saithful God But though God never fail of his own time yet he seldome comes at ours and then we run into unbelief if not impatiency of spirit How oft do we Antedate the Promise and set it a time before Gods time Jam. â— 4 Patience hath not its perfect work so that if God save us out of our miseries we shall not be able to say as the Church Loe this is our God Isa 25.9 we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation This limiting the holy One of Israel either as to means when we tye up the Lord to work by wayes and causes of our own or to dayes and hours of our own bold and impudent prescription is no small provocation Psa 78.40 41. How oft did they provoke him in the Wilderness and grieve him in the Desert Yea they turned back and tempted God and limited the holy One of Israel Some will wait a month or two for the Promise of Pardon that they may have peace in their Consciences and for Promises of outwards but when they see nothing comes of their waiting 2 Kings 6.33 then there is no hope why should I wait on the Lord any longer That Wretch waited a little but not long enough We allow time to the Physician to cure us we yield that he knows the fittest time to apply cordialls but we yield not so much to God We would have the smarting Plaister pulled off before the Wound be healed whereas it is best for us to have it kept on David's foot was almost slipt when he saw the Promise of the Kingdom deferred he makes a bad inference from the delay One day I shall fall by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 We do not stay our selves on the Promises till the thing promised be given into our bosomes David waited patiently but so do not we Our hearts are not at rest but we stagger like Drunkards we reel this way and that way but are not established and setled In this we are not consident that God who hath promised cannot lye and therefore will perform the word that is gone forth from an unfeigned lip We are too hasty in our desires whereas God knows the fittest season for the Promise to bring forth We shall have it when the time is come but we
our Profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse Can we fume at the Physician for prescribing a dyet or bitter pills and potions if he provides these for the purging away diseases that threaten our ruine Shall we fly in the face of him that binds us in order to the Saving us and yet what murmurings have we whilst in the hands of the Physician Prov. 19.3 The folly of a man perverteth his wayes and his heart fretteth against the Lord. How should we honour God if we did believe that in his hand our breath is How carefull are we to please them that have power over our lives And carelesness to please God Dan. 5.23 and to whom we are beholding for every breath we breath O! study how much you labour to comply with men and how little with the Lord and you will find your distrust of Providence that you do not believe that God sitteth upon the flouds 3. Justifying their actions and states by Providence How oft have we made Providence an argument to justifie our actions and states That because God doth not punish us but tolerate us therefore he loves us and approves of our way Whereas the Scriptures and Experience shew that there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in wickedness The Lord sometimes puts his Hoggs into the fattest pastures in order to the Slaughter yea sometimes his not punishing is the greatest punishment Hos 4.14 I will not punish your Daughters for their Whoredomes God lets Adulterers and Adulteresses to prosper and thrive Hierome observes that God deals with us as Parents with Children whilst there is any hope of reclaiming them Vae illi ad quorum peccatae connivet Deus Luth. they are corrected but otherwise they are let alone to do as they list Or as Physicians continue their applications whilst there is any hope of the Patients life otherwise they let them alone How do some bless themselves that they never fasted and prayed as others and yet they ride on horseback whilst others foot it out But what saith Hierome to there Quando videris c. When thou leest a sinner flow with wealth and braving of his power when thou seest him very healthful and to have a company of brave Children bravely arrayed then say the threatning of God by the Prophet Hoseah is full filled upon that man Dives had his good things here and Lazarus evil Dives fared deliciously every day his misery is reserved to hereafter as Lazarus his comforts are reserved till death Mark the perfect man Psal 37. and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace i. e. a confluence of all good What said one of the late English Bishops It is the common lot of the true Children of God because they have many out-flyings wherewith their holy Father is not well pleased to come under the scourge oftner than the Bastards do If they do amiss they must smart for it either here or hereafter now God meaneth them no condemnation hereafter and therefore he giveth them more chaslning here 1 Cor. 11.32 It is a considerable passage of a very learned man in weakning the late position of some that God had borne Testimony to their cause by the many Victories which he had given them saith he This concluding of yours will by the same reason infer that Christianity is not and that Mahumetisme is the true Religion because when the Turks asserted one and the Greek-Church the other and that difference begat a War betwixt them it is clear that the Turks were successful and the greek-Greek-Church was sadly wasted and subdued by them and so remains to this hour in that un-returned Captivity Doe not all things comâ— alike to all Eccles 9.2 And yet good men some of the best that ever breathed have been stumbled at these dispensations Lord saith the Prophet Jeremiah thou art righteous Jer. 21.1 yet let me reason with thee Why doth the way of the Wicked prosper Thou art of purer Eyes saith the Prophet Habakkuk than to behold evil Hab. 1.13 and canst not look on iniquity Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holdest thy tongue when the Wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he The Saints also of the New Testament were apt to stumble at the Cross at Gods Providences towards his Saints and favourites that they should suffer such hard things so that the Apostles were forced to counsel them and to rectifie their thoughts in this particular My Brethren think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal 1 Pet. 4.12 1 Thes 3.3 4. And the Apostle Paul sent Timothy on purpose to comfort them and to establish them that no man should be moved by these afflictions Yea our Lord himself knowing how apt his Disciples were to stumble hereat preacheth on purpose on this subject These things have I spoken unto you that ye be not offended What things were these They shall put you out of the Synagogues excommunicate you cast you out like dogs Yea the time shall come that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service Good men when they see the wicked thus walk on every side go where they please and do what they please they are apt either to doubt of Gods Providence Whether he governs the World or to call in question whether they have any relation to Gods special care But do not we know that the Child is oft beaten whilst the Servant or stranger is spared Doe not we know that judgement begins at the House of God yea 1 Pet. 4.17 yea and stays long there and all that while the tents of ungodliness may be free these may wash their steps in butter and the Rocks may pour them out Rivers of Oyle they may wax old and grow in a wealth Job 21.7 ad 15. their seed may be established the Rod of God may not be upon them they may rejoyce in in the sound of the Organ c. and yet wicked enough All this they may have with the Curse of God for they say unto God depart c. 4. Censuring others and themselvs upon the accountâ— of outward Providences How oft have the generation of the Just been censured for Hypocrites and ungodly meerly because of outward Providences Thus was Job censured by good men because he sate on the Dunghil who was wont to sit with Princes Let a man be under grievous losses by Sea or by Land yea let but a Viper hang upon the hand and what then This man say they surely is a murtherer Acts 28.4 who though he hath escaped the Seas yet vengeance suffereth not to live Mens outward conditions is made by Barbarians yea by Christians the line to measure Mens relation to God by they interpret love by prosperity and hatred by adverlity whereas the Lord tells us that through many tribulations we
and neglect the one thing necessary Fool that I was to set my thoughts and affections on things below none of which now give me a drop of water to cool my tongue and to neglect the things above O! If I had never heard of Christ and Glory I had been more excusable for my earthly prolings Psal 69.6 O! How have I disquieted my self in vain I have heaped up riches and know not who shall gather them Had I been as faithful to Christ as I was to Mammon O! with what joy might I have removed hence What abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdome might I have had O! Labour to prevent the horrours of Death and the gnawing Worm of Conscience It is sad when the Sting of Death and the Worm Conscience Prov. 11.4 bite the man together Riches avail not in the day of wrath but righteousness delivereth from death Believe it it will cut you to the heart to think that less pains might have served for eternal Life than you have bestowed for temporal Goods This plague attends the covetous man the more he desires and heaps up the less he is desired and the less he is lamented when he dyes He is like a Swine that is good for nothing whilst he is alive not good to bear and carry as the Horse nor to draw as the Oxe nor to cloath as the Sheep nor to give milk as the Cowe nor to keep the house as the Dogg but ad solam mortem nutritur fed only to the slaughter So the covetous man doth no good with his riches whilst he liveth but when he is dead his riches come to be disposed of Prov. 13.22 The riches of a sinner are laid up for the just How can you choose but tremble at Dooms-day You cannot desire the comming of Christ If the Church cries Come Lord Jesus come quickly you cannot joyn in that Prayer for that your hearts are glued to this present World You preferr Paris before Paradise It is to the Saints loss to be kept so long from Heaven but you count it not so You cannot say Thy Kingdome come What will you do in that day when all the Estate and Friends of Dives cannot relieve with a drop of cold water Riches are like bryars and thornes good to stop gaps but not to lay in our beds and set our hearts upon lest we lye down in sorrow Few remember the Devil's offer All these things will I give thee is the last temptation that old Professours are baited with Take heed therefore and beware of Covetousness CHAP. XXVII Their Envy ENVY is a Sin seldome confessed Professoss Envy James 4.5 but yet much diffused among Professours The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to Envy And indeed Covetousness and Envy are never asunder they are sins against the same command Such as long that what is their Neighbours should be theirs envy to him that which is his and such as envy to him that which is his long to have it to be theirs How desirous are Professours to grasp all to themselves And therefore how apt are the very best to be envious at the power greatness riches if not goodness of others Doth not the experience that you have of your own hearts if you be not strangers at home testisie that this Spirit is stirring and acting in you The poor envy the rich the base the honourable as if they had the less because others have so much Some think that this was the sin that threw down the Angels from Heaven that they envied Adam's glory in that he was made after Gods image and that they relinquished their glory to divest Adam of his To be sure the Devil was restless till he had implunged Adam in the same sin and misery that he was brought into Sure maligning the prosperity of others is not from the Spirit of God He that giveth freely to all would not have us to envy those to whom he gives more freely than to our selves and he that giveth us more doth not envy us for what we have If you have not so much as others it is because you are unfit to receive not because God is unwilling to give Do not we see how this poyson diffuseth it self An early sin it was if not in the Angels as some think yet it was in Eve She envied the all-knowledge of God and must forsooth have at least an equality with God himself It was also strong in the first man that was born of a woman and we still suck it in with our Mothers milk and it seldome dyes till we dye This sinne is commonly among people of the same Profession One Mechanick envies another one Merchant another one Scholar another one Gentleman another one Commander another as Saul envied and hated David because the Women sang that Saul slew his thousands and David his ten thousands one Minister another as those in Paul's dayes that envied him and affected an high strain of eloquence on purpose to obscure that reputation which Paul had got among the Churches And happy had it been if this cursed sinne had dyed in that age but it hath been still working in all ages of the World Is there not a greater promptitude in us Evidenced in detracting from others worth to detract from mens worth than to credit and exalt them To write down their blots and imperfections than to set forth their due vertues and graces If we cannot reach others by imitation we will by calumniation and therefore Luther saith Envious men feed upon the dung of other men They are like flies that love to be upon sores It is admirable to see how dull sighted we are as to the vertues and graces of our Brethren but quick sighted as Eagles to discern their imperfections Mat. 7.3 The beams of Vertue are not seen i. e. not taken notice of but a mote in a Brother's eye is soon espyed Are we not more greedy to receive and spread any thing Readiness to receive and spread defamations whereby our Neighbour is infamed and obscured than we are to entertain and diffuse what tends to his praise and glory And is not this the reason hereof viz. the great desire we have to shine alone and that we would none to vye with us in glory much less to excell us therein Is there not oft-times a secret gladness in our hearts Gladness in their being brought lower when some sad Providences afflict others in their Names Goods Health and Relations that thereby they may be brought to a level with us or to an inferiority in a lower estate When you have seen some Congregation wedged in with a concourse of hearers and yours thin and naked and when some have been cryed up for their purity gravity activity and zeal and when others have greatened their parts or estates and yours rather have been impaired have ye not been ready even to burst with Envy Have you not been glad when some blot hath
try to live unmarried though the Apostle told them of the advantages of serving Christ thereby 1 Cor. 7.32 He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord. Severally The Husbands sins in not loving as Christ Husbands ye have not loved your Wives as Christ the Church though the command be express Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church Christ is faithful to his Spouse I will abide for thee Thou shalt abide for me many dayes thou shalt not play the Harlot Eph. 5.25 Hos 3.3 and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee But though you have not been Adulterers in any gross act yet how oft have you wish'd the bond of marriage were broken and have not you had eyes full of Adultery hath not your love to others degenerated into secret lust Christ is patient to his Church but hath your love suffered all things upon light matters what frowns I will not say what blows Hath not family-prayer been neglected through your wrath Christ gives no occasion of jealousie but have not some of you The Lord searcheth hearts Christs love is bountifull how short have you kept your Wives contrary to your engagements to endow them with all your worldly goods Christ keeps company with the 〈◊〉 of his bosome but have not some of you been more abroad than at home Christ edifieth his Church Do ye dwell with your Wives as men of knowledge Christ doth communicate secrets to his Spouse Are not ye strangers to the hearts though perhaps not to the bosomes of your nearest Relations Christ doth confer often with his Church about the mysteries of God I wish you did so I fear some of you are silver tongued abroad to get you a name forward to speak of Christ but dumâ— at home even to your Wives as well as Children The Woman learns not 2 Cor. 14.25 though she ask her Husband at home Christ gives the sâ—â—â—pest rebubes to his offending Spouse privâ—â—ely and when he gets her alone But do not you râ—broâ—e before Servants and Children Hereby they learn frowardnesse when brought into this relation and at present slight the Wives of your bosomes Christ doth not blaze his Wifes infirmities but so have ye Christ puts the best construction on what his Spouse doth The spirit is willing though the flesh be weak But do not you put the worst When your lusts are quenched your love is gone Christ doth pitty his Church as the weaker vessel if ye did so the family would be the better governed Christ doth sympathize with his Church In all her afflictions he is afflicted but how fretfull churlish and Nabal-like are you when the hand of God is heavy on your nearest Relations Christ doth vindicate his Spouse and is greatly displeased when she suffers from the world but cannot some of you help to deride your Wives 〈◊〉 and not frown when they are wronged and abused Christ doth not upbraid his Spouse with her low condition before he he put honour on her but alas How oft have ye cast into the dish what the condition of your Wives was before you cast your eyes upon them Christ gave his life for his Church what hast thou done and suffered to save the Soul of thy Wife Christ rules his Church not with a rod of Iron but with a Scepter of Love Is your dominion exercised with discretion and love Are all things done in Charity Is she to thee 〈◊〉 a loving Hind or Roe Prov. 5.19 Christ doth not count his Spouse as a Servant but a Friend he doth not domineer over his Church but hath high thoughts of her but how many husbands use their Wives hardly better than Servants Christ notwithstanding keeps up his authority over his Church but do not many Husbands loose it through too much uxoriousness and make themselves contemptible by yeilding to their Wives as Adam to his whence came at first all sin disorder and misery into the world How did Solomon fall Christ yeilds to many of his Wives petitions and suits to him but many are worse than the Heathen was to his Wife He said unto her What wilt thou Queen Esther Esth 5.3 and what is thy request it shall be even given thee to the half of the Kingdom The poor Wife must use the mediation of others to have her desires accomplished When Christ doth command his Wife his Church he doth it mildly We pray you in Christs stead But many Husbands imperiously enough too much God knoweth Philem. v. 9. when for loves sake they should rather intreat Christ doth love his Spouse though he gains nothing by her but alas How many are severe enough to their Wives when they fail of that Estate c. that they expected from them As Husbands fail so do Wives Wives miscarriages in not loving their Husbands as the Church Christ Eph. 5.24 Psal 73.25 even as the Church is subject unto Christ so should ye have been to your own Husbands in every thing But how have ye affronted your Light The true Church of Christ loves him inwardly as well as outwardly so should ye have loved your Husbands but alas How little have ye shewed the union betwixt the Church and Christ by your affections The Church loves Christ more than Angels Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee But how many Wives are commending others Husbands more than their own If my Husband were thus and thus c. Thy Husband should be to thee the most precious of all persons the most lovely in thine eyes Not parts and gifts but the good pleasure of God should be the ground of this special love The Church honours Christ above all other persons in the world but have not some of you mean low and base thoughts of your Husbands The Church is subject to Christ in all things but will not some of you wear what you please goe where you please eat what you please and employ your selves in what you please Yea though contrary to your Husbands just commands and meek entreaties The Church fears Christ so should Wives I say not either should with a slavish but both should with a reverential fear Remember Michal 1 Chron. 15. ult She despised her Husband in her heart She did not exprefs her slighting of him as many do in words and she had no Child unto the day of her death God took the Husband's part and put a remark of displeasure upon that her saâ—ciness For slighting the Ordinance of God her Head though but in her heart God plagued her in her Womb with barrenness The Church loves Christ more and more but O the decayes of Womens affections to their Husbands Partly through levity and partly through age and partly through cross Providences Prov. 2.17 Whereas thou shouldst have kept the Covenant of thy God The
affect your hearts as it ought Some there were but very few would say Brown Bread and the Gospel is a Feast Few like the Christians at Constantinople cryed out Better the Sun not shine than Chrysostome be silenced You could bless God for Health Estate c. but not for these great Luminaries of Glory who were appointed to conduct and guide you unto the Heavenly Jerusalem 4. Not praying for 〈◊〉 How little did you Pray for them How little have you prayed for gifts and abilities to goe through their whole work for preservation for them and for a sanctified use of all Gods dispensations toward them How little did you deprecate the stopping of their mouths and supplicate that their mouths might be kept open Eph. 6.19 and that utterance might be given unto them that they might open their mouths boldly to make known the Mystery of the Gospel Have not they oft begg'd your Prayers in the words of Paul I beseech you Rom. 15.30 31. Brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your Prayers to God for me that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea in England and yet have not you neglected to call upon God for their deliverance How can you tell but their mouths had still been opened had not you neglected Prayer Mat. 7.7 8. Hath not Christ promised Knock and it shall be opened unto you To him that knocketh it shall be opened 5. Making Excuses for not hearing them Have not you made sorry Excuses for not hearing them How little have you believed that Word He that heareth you heareth me And by consequence that not-hearing of them was not-hearing of Christ himself What slight excuses have been deemed sufficient to keep you from the Shepheards Tents The Apostle would have us Swift to hear James 1.19 Swiftness notes diligence in taking the first occasion but how have you to complement with a Friend to indulge to the flesh for fear of a little rain for fear of wetting your feet for fear of losing a six-penny yea a penny-Customer declined several opportunities of attending the Embassadours God sent you For these things the wrath of God is breaking out upon you the day is come or coming Amos 8.12 Cant. 5.3 6. Their miscarriages before in and after hearing Before Hearing without antecedent meditation when ye shall wander from Mountain to Hill from Sea to Sea and seâ—k bread and find none This very excuse the fear of defiling her feet would not serve the Spouse 6. How did you miscarry both before and in and after hearing How slender was your preparation to attend upon these Deputies of Christ How little did you meditate on the Word you were to receive at their lips Did you thus consider The Gospel that I am about to hear wil be the savour of life unto life or of death unto death I shall be nearer Heaven or Hell by this Sermon I am going to If the Gospel be alwayes hid I am a lost Soul and shall perish is my Soul hungry This is the bread of Heaven Is my Soul thirsty this is the water of life this is the milk whereby I must grow up unto eternal life this messenger of Heaven will be for the fall as well as the rising of many in Israel If he be not instrumental for my Salvation he will be for my Damnation Isa 55.10 11. As the rain cometh and watereth the Earth and returneth not thither c. So shall Gods Word that goeth forth out of this Ministers mouth not return unto him voyd How little did you consider the excellency and necessity of the Word that you were to partake of What â—reasure was afforded you in an earthen vessel That the Truths and Doctrines that your Ministers taught you were of as much worth as your Souls as Heaven as Salvation How little did you pour out your Souls in Prayer unto God before you went to hear your Prayer Ministersâ— Eâ—â—her 〈◊〉 your Ministers that God would open their mouths to speak the word truly sincerely powerfully and seasonably and suitabty to your condition or for your own Souls that God would open your hearts to enteâ—tain the word so as to profit by it that you might not have open ears and shut hearts that you might not have ears Prov. 20.12 and yet hear not as knowing that the hearing ear and seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them How careless were you to purge your Souls before you came to hear the word Putting off the shooe Moses before he was to hear God speaking put off his shooe to intimate that you should put off your carnal and earthly affections before you come to hear Gods word But have not you rush'd out of your worldly employments to many a Sermon How careless were you to lay apart all filthiness Jam. 1.21 and superfluity of naughtiness that you might receive with neekness the engrafted word Eccles 5.1 which is able to save your Souls If you have not come without habitual have you not neglected actual preparation When you have been actually under the Ministry Have not you heard irreverently In hearing irreverently without awfull apprehensions of Gods Majesty and presence Have you said of the place where any Minister of Christ hath preached unto you as Jacob of Bethel how dreadfull is this place Have you in your hearing Sermons set your selves in the presence of God Acts 10.33 as Cornelius did when Peter was preaching unto him The King of Moab will rise up in judgement to condemn the irreverence of many of our Professours when Ehud told him Judg. 3.20 I have a message to the from God the King arose from his Throne and bowed himself Have not you evidenced your irreverence in hearing carelesly Carlesly dully drowsily sleepily c. Have not you lent a more attentive ear to a Tale to a Fable to a Romance to a Ballad to a Stage-Play of several hours length than to a Sermon of an kour Have not you come to Church as to an Apothecaries Shop for a recipe to sleep Hath not the Gospel come unto you in word only and not in power When the Minister threatened you from the Lord could you say My slesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy righteous judgements How many months and years did Gods Servants threaten you with a Famine of hearing the Word of the Lord but did this Judgement fright you and humble you whilst it lay in the cloud of the threaâ—ning as the least appearances of an outward Famine have awakened you When your Ministers came with the tydings of Peace to you were their feet beautiful May not your Ministers complain of you as Christ of the Jewes John 8. â—â— My Word takes no place in you So careless have you been of any thing that hath been spoken
sword in the house of their Sanctuary and had no compassion upon young man or maiden old man or him that stooped for age he gave them all into his hand Have not you cause to fear lest you shall also be so given into the hands of worse Babylonians You can judge what is a Ministers competency but when have ye a competency You can add field to field house to house hundreds to hundreds and yet the Horse-leach cries Give Give Yet do not you judge a small stipend that will hardly keep body and soul together a competency for a Minister What is that great service you do for God above the Minister that you should think it reasonable to leave hundreds yea thousands to your Children and that the Minister should be kept so short that he cannot leave them a groat What shall I say to you Let me borrow the words of God by the Prophet Will a man rob God Mal. 3.8 9 10. Yet ye have robbed me But ye say Wherein have we robbed thee In Tythes and Offerings Ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me even this whole Nation Bring ye all the Tythes into the Store-house that there may be meet in mine house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it O! Restitution to be made by such as have not given what was due from them to their Ministers Do not any longer detain what is due to your former Ministers make restitution of unjust gain as ever you hope to be saved It is not enough to say Lord forgive me I thought it not my duty but thou must reckon how many years thou hast reaped Spirituals and pay what thou owest or Judas will condemn thee for he thought it unsafe to keep what was unjustly got Remember Zacheus he thought it not enough to give over his oppression but when converted he made conscience of making restitution Let the Elders that rule well 1 Tim. 5.17 18. be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine For the Scripture saith thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn and the Labourer is worthy of his reward Here you see double honour honour of reverence and honour of maintenance was due unto your Ministers Here is an allusion to the right of the first-born who were to have a double portion Their maintenace was due from you neither should their maintenance have been ordinary mercenary wages but such as is given by way of honour as well as by way of reward Have not you lived in the contempt of an Ordinance of God 1 Cor. 9.14 The Lord hath ordained c. as before Do not any longer delude your Consciences by crying against Tythes as Antichristian as Jewish Did not Abraham before the Jewish Laws pay Tythes to Melchisedech And are there not from thence arguments drawn that you cannot answer Why do ye not fear lest through the prevalency of Self you should be too base covetous and partial in your own matters O! Give to God what is Gods Deny not your Ministers their dues You owe vaste summs to them which if you detain in this day of their wants God will call you to a speedy account for the grinding of the faces of these poor yea he will make you vomit up such sweet morsels with all the rest of your substance Jam. 5.4 if not with your blood Behold the hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by fraud crreth and the cryes of them which have reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath Lydia even enforced the Apostles to accept of her gift The Macedonians beseech'd Paul with much entreaty to accept of their bounty If thou wert converted by one of them thou didst owe to him no less than thy self What thou art and hast should not have been counted too dear for him who was Gods Instrument to pull thee as a brand out of the fire even when thou wast half burnt Say at length with David I will not serve my God with that which cost me nothing I shall conclude this head with the saying of a Reverend man It is a plain argument of a base esteem of God of Grace of the Kingdome of Heaven that a Servant a Factour should have twenty times the alloance of Heavens Factour for your Souls You are not come up to the honesty of the Pharisee Mat. 23.23 He gave Tythes of all that he possessed even of the smallest things of Mint and Annis and Cummin Luke 11.42 And doth not Christ say These things ye ought to have done What were your Ministers more unworthy than the Priests of that Age Their regardlessness of the Widdons and Children of their dead Ministers 13. If you have not been niggardly toward your Ministers whilst alive with you have not you been niggardly towards their Wives and Children after their deaths Verily not minding the Widows and Children of deceased Ministers is a sin that God will remember in the day of accounts David enquired after the seed of Jonathan he evidenced his true love to the Father in remembring the posterity O! when shall love be without dissimulation 14. Their grieving their Ministers Have not you been a very great trouble to their Souls Your Ministers were so affectionately desirous of you that they were willing to have imparted to you not the Gospel only but also their own Souls because ye were dear unto them And is this your kindness to your Friends to break even their hearts who were glad to spend and be spent for you How proudly have you carried it toward them God threatned the Israelites that the Cananites should be pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides Surely it better became Cananites to be thorns to the Israelites than for you to be thorns to your Ministers How oft have you grieved them to see your stoutness and rebellion against all their Counsels May not your Ministers say as David Psal 119.158 I beheld the Transgressours and was grieved because they kept not thy Word May they not say We have seen your lukewarmness your sloth your earthliness c. and our Souls were troubled You should have been like the Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.19 the crown of our rejoycing but you have been crowns of thorns which have pierced not our heads but hearts You should have refreshed our Bowels been as Cordials and sweet refrectives after all our wearisome labours but have not you dealt unkindly with us and the more we have loved you have not we had the less love from you Have not you beâ—â— more merciful to your Horses and Dogs than to your Ministers You have baited and been kind to those creatures but God knows how after all our toyle
that thou art guilty of so much sin but it is no shame to acknowledge it Only in your Confessions take this advice Set your sins in order enumerate the several sins you have been guilty of and though every numerical thought and Act of sin is not possible to be cited yet give diligence to find out as many as thou canst and spread them before the Lord. Bring forth especially that sin or sins All your special sins which are thy special sins whereby thou hast most provoked God David gave a touch at his Sins in the beginning of his Penitential Psalm but his Adultery and Blood-guiltiness lay most upon him and he is never at ease till he hath vomited them up in confession Be sure then that Of all of them upon a review of this or any better Catalogue thou cry unto thy heart as Samuel to Jesse Are here all thy Children Are here all thy sins He that doth not confess a sin hath a mind to commit to that Sin again An hypocrite will confess some nay many sins but there is one sin he is loth to bring forth it is a Jacobs Benjamin Job 20 1â— they would keep it back one sweet bit is covered under the Tongue But certainly it is extreme folly to impose upon God for he knows every thought of thy heart yea he knows thy thoughts before thou know'st them he knew what thoughts Israel would have in the Wilderness David lay somewhile under this piece of Hypocrisie he kept silence a long time which made his bones wax old his moysture was turned into the drought of Summer Psal 32.3 4 5. But at length though it was long first his sin came out I acknowledge my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord. Be not like Judas he confesseth his betraying of Christ but there was a close sin which he would not uncover viz. his covetousness I meet with many who will confess such sins as are most in fashion viz. their dulness under Ordinances their formality their vain thoughts in duty c. But when did you hear Professors confessing their envy at the gifts graces and privileges of their Brethren Paul's sin was persecuting Gods Church and how ready is he to tell God and all the world of it A good Copy to write after Bring forth the aggravating circumstances With all their aggravations and lay them before the Lord. Some confess sin but their confessions are accompanied with strange excuses and extenuations viz. it was done through the instigation of the Devil it was done inconsiderately c. Such are not for shaming themselves before the Lord but like Lawyers plead as well as they can for a bad cause Avoyd all extenuating Confessions Father not thy Brats upon the Devil lest thy account swell even for wronging Satan when indeed thou wast inticed and drawn aside by thy own lust Beware of this folly for know that extenuating sin aggravates it and aggravating extenuates sin before the Lord. Let thy Confession be ingenuous and free Freely Sometimes Conscience like an over-charged Stomach doth so over-press men that they cannot hold but must out with their uncleanness c. Thus it is especially when the Horrours of Death have compassed them round This confession of sin proceeds not from hatred of sin and displicence with it but from fear of punishment they hope if they confess sin any how any way they shall obtain mercy and this makes many throw up what otherwise they would hide for ever But O! that you would be more ingenuous in your acknowledgements than Pharaoh and Judas were who should say something upon the Wrack when Gods Hand and Conscience prest them down I know what you will do upon the perusing this sad Catalogue if God do not sanctifie the book unto you you will confess sin but not your own you will fall a censuring the person or party you do not love crying out O! how guilty are such and such before the Lord O! how is God dishonoured by them how doth Religion suffer by them yea but how much hath Gods Name suffered by thy lightness frothiness pride sensuality back-sliding c. O! run with tears and confess all thine own sins before God God requires it Only acknowledge thine iniquity Jer. 3.13 that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God And God tells you it is a means to obtain remission 1 John 1.9 If ye confess your sins he is just and faithfull to for give Some say confess and be hang'd but I say confess or you 'l be damn'd If you had rather be damned than be shamed thou lovest thy Name better than thy Soul The Lord be mercifull to thee or else thou wilt lose both when Christ shall come to Judge the Earth for then whatsoever is hid shall be published Let your Confession be frequent Frequently yea constant until at least God hath done away thy sin It may be you may fear your heart is so hard that you shall but sin by a formal dull confession or enumeration of your sins But yet do it as well as thou canst and if thy heart be hard go and complain of it to God and beg him to take away the heart of stone let the sight of this hardness drive thee the soonner and the oftner to the Throne of Grace and there lye before the Lord till he cleave the Rock that the waters gush out till thy tears vye with thy sins Do as our English Martyr who ceased not his Confessions till his heart was melted and broken for his sins 3. Contrition Labour to get your hearts broken for all your Rebellions against God for all the impurities of your hearts and lives Son of Man Ezek. 21.9 10. Prophesie and say thus saith the Lord say A Sword a Sword is sharpned and also furbished it is sharpned to make a great slaughter it is furbished that it may glister should we then make mirth Heb. 12.25 Ezek. 22.19 20 21. Even our God hath been a consuming fire and shall not we mourn The house of Israel is become dross even the dross of silver and therefore God hath gathered them into the midst of Jerusalem as they gather silver and brass iron and lead and tin into the midst of the Furnace to blow the fire upon it and hath blown upon them in the Fire of his Wrath and they have been melted in the midst thereof and shall not we lament Yea God hath been exceedingly dishonoured by Hypocrisie falshood breaking of Vows Murmurings cruelties neglects of his Worship c. Should we then make mirth Have not we great cause even more cause than ever any people had to tremble not only at the dreadfull Judgements of God that are already upon us and that hang over our heads but at the hellish impieties that swarm in our hearts View not only this imperfect Catalogue but look
loath your services but he cannot take any delight in your persons yea you cannot be restored into his love and favour without Repentance there is no Remission Repent ye therefore and be converted Act. 3.19 that your sins may be blotted out And what have you no mind to be forgiven your own and your other mens sins Deus noâ— infund it oleum misericordiae nisi in vas contritum Bernard have you no will to be at peace with God and to be restored into his love and favour Are you content that all these and innumerable sins more should be charged upon your Account O then beg of God to break your hearts for and from your sins A broken vessel a broken heart will hold best the oyl of mercy The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God! thou wilt not despise 6. But their Repentance would exceedingly please God and refresh his Ministers Should not your hearts be broken for and from your sins seeing your Repentance will be so pleasing and so reviving to your even broken-hearted Ministers Your Repentance will more please God than all your sins have displeased him Though your sins have very much displeased him yet he was loth to depart from you he hath departed only gradually But if you will repent he will readily return in his departure he hath gone as it were a Snayles pace but if you will return he will return with speed he will turn towards you and fall upon your Necks and kiss you and not upbraid you with any of your former miscarriages And O! what a refreshing will it be to your fainting Ministers to see you returning Prodigals Believe it our Chains would be worn as Bracelets and Jewells and our Exiles would be a Paradise to us did we see you putting your mouths in the dust and crying out because of all your Provocations It is your security your seeking great things for your selves your pride your foolish expectations of our returns whilst you and we are so unfit for such a mercy that is our greatest burden and lies heavier on us than the wrath of any save of God Almighty God knoweth who knoweth the secrets of our Souls that we could be contented to be banished from the face of men so that you were delivered from the power of your lusts If you live and stand fast in the faith we live and though we have nothing yet we possess all things joying and rejoycing to see your Zeal your Repentance your Indignations and Revenges against your sins But we is unto us we fear we have spent our Lungs our Time our Studies our Life in vain upon you whilst we behold your benummedness your insensibleness of all the tokens of Gods displeasure by reason of your transgressions And will you add affliction to the afflicted Is it not enough that we are turned out of the Vineyard where we loved our work better than our lives Is it not enough that we are cast forth from among our People and Friends to seek bread for our selves and little ones from door to door But will you have a greater hand in our misery than any others Will you lay the greatest load of trouble upon us whilst others oppress our outward man will you go on to vex our Spirits Have pitty upon us O Children whom we have begotten in the Gospel you call us your Spiritual Fathers you did receive us as Angels yea as Jesus Christ you would have plucked out your eyes to do us good O! now what do we beg not to have your eyes out but fill'd fill'd with tears Gal. 4.15 and your hearts fill'd with sorrow for hatred and indignation against your sins Weep not for us but weep for your selves And is there not a cause Your tears will be our meat and drink a great part of our joy will arise from seeing your godly sorrow Hagar was not more refeshed with her fountain than we shall be to find your heads as waters and your eyes as fountains of tears and you weeping day and night for your own and others provocations Let it suffice you that you have so long grieved us and Christ by your Security Self-love Worldliness Pride and Passions O that now the Egyptians that we have seen among you may be seen alive no more Let us not be hastned to our graves by your impenitencies and stubborn departures from God We are troubled to find still among you and upon you those very sins which have laid Kingdoms and Churches wast and yet you secure as if the Lord had powred out a Spirit of slumber upon you those very sins which overthrow the Churches of Judea and Asia are found among you and will you not repent and do your first works It grieves us to the heart to see sins run through you as water through a Mill and you regard it not We beseech you out of love to God to your own Souls and to us and our comforts that you would cease to do evil and learn to do well Be moved with fear and prepare an Ark. The old world would not believe Noah But the Lord made them to know he was a Prophet of Righteousness We pitty your Souls we are troubled to see what confidence you put in uncertain Signs and Prognostications which beget carelessness and security in you and how little you fear the threatnings of most dreadfull Judgements against those very sins you have lived in many a sad thought we have about you whilst we see your fickleness inconstancy stupidity and ungrounded because unscriptural hopes O! return return repent repent that we may be able to say ye are our joy our Crown our rejoycing in the day of Christ 7. 〈◊〉 or â—â—ver for ought they know And Lastly Should not your hearts be broken for and from your sins even by what may be seen in this Glass seeing now God gives you not only time to Repent but an opportunity of Repentance and such an one as if you neglect it you may never have the like again When time and the means are married and lodged together saith one they beget opportunity Now time and means meet together to effect your Repentance If this opportunity be lost you may never have another and if you should never have any other your case is desperate Opportunities cannot be pray'd or wept back again Heb. 12.17 Esau's instance puts it out of all doubt In Gods opportunity it is an easie thing to repent but if this opportunity should be lost by you which God forbid it may be impossible for you to repent See Mr. Fenners danger of deferring repentance folio 35 36. God may justly give you up to Judicial impenitency It may be God doth now by this Treatise speak home unto thy Soul now it may be God warms thy heart now it may be God works in thee good thoughts and desires Now is thy day of grace But to use the words of one