who would not say were he not his neere freind or his father he would never refuse such offers suffer such oppressions as he doth for his sake By the same reason is our nearenes vnto God concluded And this conquering power of his spirit wherby we prevayle against all things in this kinde is not communicable to any but such who have received the same as their earnest penny and seale that they are the Lords And these three among many others which we might speake of are sufficient assurances vnto vs that we have received this spirit which spirit doth assure vs that we are the children of God And thus we see the signes of our interect in the Lord our God whervpon we have the more largely and somewhat the longer insisted because it is much materiall to every man to know well and be stedfastly setled in the assured evidence and true tryall of this point wherin soe many wicked men doe deceive themselues by secure presumption and soe many of Gods owne children are deceived in themselues through their owne ignorance weaknes for want of due information We have now no more to say touching this vse of the point but by these aforesayd signes to set every one a worke even a searching of himself whether he can finde them within him or noe And therin let every one in the feare of God and as he tender's the favour of God deale soundely and vnpartially with his owne soule sift himself as in the sight of God before whome he must appeare one day and be judged acording to this word which hath from him beene spoken herin He that cannot discerne them in himself let him haste to the Lord of whome they may be had cease clayming any right in the Lord till he have obtayned them and begin to greiue in his owne soule for that he hath beene soe seduced all this while thus boldely to abuse the Lord being none of his not thinking themselves a litle judebted to his patience who hath rejourned that justice which even for this sin might long since have seized vpon them and sent them to Satan whose vassalls all such are as by him are set on thus blindely to challeng the Lord to be theirs without any sight or sounde assurance of these signes in themselves And to them that have obtained received them who doe see them in themselues and can shew them to others wherevnto come's all this that we have sayd but vnto their wonderfull consolation the confirmation wherof flowe's naturally from the possession of these peculiar loue-tokens which the Lord giveth to none but to such as to whome he giveth himself that they that have them might also know that they have him And what a happines that is who can imagine for what can a man have more to make him most happy he that rightly knowe's what God is may give some guesse at the absolute and vnspeakable advantages of that man who hath right in the Lord and from the glimpse of them for that is all that can be gotten in this life their infinite fulnes is reserved till we come to glory may learne to give some prayse even with his soule vnto him for the most gracious recovery of this interest vnto vs which once we razed out by our owne rebellion he hath raised vs into it againe out of the riches of his grace Who shall not laude him and loue him for this that when we were soe wicked that we would not be his but gaue or solde our selves to Satan he will yet be soe loving that he will give himself to be ours and redeeme and purchase vs againe though it cost deare to become his Oh that we could magnify him according to this mercy but it being beyond measure we are not able to attaine to such a strayne of thankfullnes yet let vs dearely beloued straine the utmost we can and doe our best to breath out his honour who hath made vs soe jnestimably happy The saints of God haue abounded in times past and both blessed God because he is the God of his people blessed those people who are the people of God Moses thus blessed Israell Deut. 33.29 1. King 8.55.56 c. Psa 33.12 Psa 144.15 soe did Solomon too David exceedes all other in this subject and is soe oft vpon it both for himself and for the people as if he could never say enough to the point Soe we finde Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord and the people that he hath chosen for his inheritance and the same in another psalme yea in many other psalmes is repeated And in the name of all the saints he speake's all thy workes shall praise thee o Lord Psa 118.28 and thy Saints shall blesse thee And for his owne part Thou art my god and J will praise thee thou art my God and I will exalt thee And last of all Psa 100.4 on the behalf of all lands Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankefull unto him and speake good of his name and why even for this that we are his people and the sheepe of his tasture Now goe we and endeavour to doe likewise seing he hath shewed the like loue vnto vs that our whole man soule and body may blesse him all our dayes As also seing it is such a marueillous mercy to be the Lords let vs by all meanes make our vse and benefit therof so often as we goe to him by supplication and soe often as Satan sett's vpon us by temptation let vs help our selves herewith for it is both a singuler jnducement to moue the Lord to shew vs mercy and it is also an excellent sheild against Satans fury The Lord cannot witholde his favours from his owne neither can the Divell fasten his fiery darts vpon them To proue our selves Gods is armour of proffe against him he cannot peirce it or wounde vs soe long as we have it well gyrt about vs. But if we leave it off or let it hang loose we may soone be hurt Let vs looke to it then and be carefull herin that we damage not our selves and give our enemy aduantage against vs. If herin we acquite our selves well and can follow the Lord with this fruit of his loue his hart is open to vs for good if not Satan will follow vs we lye opē to him for evill It is good then to make our best of this our interest and to plead it vncessantly before the God of heaven from whome we have it Whensoever we speak to him let him heare of vs as of those that have right in him Whatsoever we beg let this be remembred I am thine for this hath beene vrged by all the people of God when they have prayed for any thing for illumination I am thine oh give me vnderstanding for preservation I am thine oh saue me for confirmation or compassion I am the son of
taken them neere oh how sweete vnto me are thy words c. And lastly ver 103. not to be too tedious in instancing he doth lay a downeright clayme vnto them as his owne land intayled to him and never to be taken from him Thy testimonies haue I claymed as myne heritage for euer ver 111. for thy are the joy of my hart Thus doth good Dauid bestirre him herin and goe's before all Gods people whose commendation and comfort it would assuredly be to trace him in these steps But we neede not stand on particuler persons for we finde that whole churches have done the same in the dayes of their sorrowes So we reade of the church Haue respect to thy covenant and againe The Lord will not cast of his people Psal 74.20 Psal 94.14 micah 7.20 nor forsake his inheritance and yet againe Thou wilt performe thy truth to Iacob and thy mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworne to our fore-fathers of olde In all these and many the like which we spare to vrge we see the saints carriage and practise whether we coÌ„sider them apart or combined together into one body And now is it a small thing that this threefolde corde should be soe lightly broken wherwith the Lord would binde his people to this practise shall himself his law and his holy ones be all so slighted of vs Have we soe many worthy jnducement to draw vs on and soe many worthies that have gone before us and shall we lye behinde and not once striue or stirre that way nay which is yet worse run a cleane contrary course and fly from our owne comforts to the fearfull aishonour of God and danger of our owne soules through this desperate infidelity Oh deare Christians whervnto will this come what shall we say vnto you â— Cor. 4.21 how shall we intreat you let vs demaund the apostles question shall we come among you with a rod or with the spirit of meeknes when we have to doe with you for this fault well I know we must be wonderfull wary when we have to doe with wounded consciences we will not be too tart with the Lords tender lambes but endeavour since reprooffe must have place here to mixe reprehension and commiseration together inasmuch as we have to doe with afflicted soules and humbled spirits which speake not according to the truth in a setled resolution but according to the distraction and terror of some present temptation wherwith their adversary the divell doth so feircely assault and soe furiously fight against them that they are not able to stand vnder his stroakes but faint and sinke because he is so violent and they soe impotent fayne they would be better perswaded and beleeve professe otherwise if they could but their enemy aboundes with outrage and they are voyd of courage and hence it is he overules them and having captivated the power of Gods spirit in them for the present he make's them speake according to his owne the truth is that the people of God in their perplexity are the divels parhots and by him made to vtter that evill which many times he knowe's not well how to vent otherwise Oh that these poore soules the true most proper subiects of all good mens pitty and prayers did but well know and were throughly convinced that it is not they that doe it but sin yea Satan dwelling in them that the Lord will of his especiall grace discharge them of it and charge it as well he may vpon him who is both his adversary and theirs But the divell is so subtile in dealing with Gods sorrowfull saints that he will be exceeding loth to be seene in this or knowne of it but rather layes it vpon God and provokes many a distracted saint that is not himself to surmize that it is no small jmpiety against God to appropriate the promises And the better to seduce them therin he puts such pretences into their mindes and mouthes as they dreame and jmagine to be of God against whome they thinke they should fearfully offend if they should clayme these heavenly comforts to theÌ„selves Which pretences of his seing they are the maine impediments which hynder the happines of Gods people let vs take such knowledge of them as may make them apparantly knowne to be infernall therefore in no wise to be beleeved but alwayes abborted Among many other two to my obseruation are most vsuall doe prevaile vpoÌ„ the faithfull soe afright them that they dare not meddle but doe in some sort forsake their owne mercy He suggesteth into the dejected soules of these afflicted saints to make their harts the more fearfull 1. that the promises of God are not assigned to them by name how then can they have any interest in them 2. that they are soe vnworthy of them in regard of their wickednes that they dare not owne them or have any thing to doe with them These are the sear-crewes the bug-beares wherwith he make's them to forbeare and put off all But you that thus speake according to temptation now speake according to truth and shame the divell the father of lyes who suborne's these fruitles things against you to rob you of the riches of Gods vnspeakable grace Iob. 28.2 Spake out I say and tell me Is not this to darken the truth of God by words without knowledge which no man ought to doe Is not this to disparage his truth and faithfullnes who is Amen Reu 1.2 Cor. 1.20 the true faithfull witnes that faith that all his promises are yea and Amen vnto us that we might be rooted in the assurance of them Is not this to be beyond all Gods boundes to be besides ones self in our spirituall estate being overcome of a mysticall frenzy to cast of all affiance in the Lord Iob. 9.16 â—7 speaking stroÌ„gly in this distemper as Iob did if I had called vnto him and he had answered me yet would J not beleeve that he had hearkened to my voyce And shall we stand on that which we see will not beare vs but let vs fall nay throw vs downe and make vs fall for soe will these aforesayd pretences doe No be it farre from vs to doe soe And that it may be soe let vs come neerer to a more straight and narrow inquisition touching them which that we may the better doe we will set vpon them seuerally and soe set them out before you that we may shew them and you may see them to be the base subornations of Satan and by him bent to abuse God and beguile you of your blessednes and these two are all his only ends For the first which stiâ—ks so much with many Pretence and wherat they stumble to wit that because they are not named they dare not intermedle they know not that they are mean't or may make bolae with that which is written and wherin others are by name interessed You tell
meant to all his owne And as Christ began so have his Apostles followed in the same course witnes that we sinde by Paul in those two places which among many others are excellent and very remarkeable to this purpose in his epistle to the Hebrewes First in the twelft chapter have yea forgotten the consolation or exhortation that speakch vnto you as vnto sones my son despise not c this exhortation or consolation call it whether you will was given by Solomon or by God to Solomon in his time as is to be sene in his Proverbes Pro. 3.11 yet by the Apostle you may see it is sayd to be spoken to those Hebrewes to whome he wrought at this time which was not a few yeares after Solomons dayes As if the apostle should haue sayd though God might speake to Solomon as to his son or Solomon from God in the singuler number my son yet know he meant this saying to more then Solomon or those that lived in Solomons time God intended to counsell and to comfort all his sons and daughters indefinitely to the end of the wordle in whose dayes or in what time or age soeuer they should liue Secondly in the next chapter to wit the thirteenth he hath another admirable application of a saying very sweete and exceeding comfortable which was long before Solomons dayes spoken to Ioshua to harten and encourage him to goe about that great busines of bringing the people of God into Cannaan the land which was promised to them their for fathers which being a worke very difficult and full of danger the Lord to cheere him vp Iosh 1.5 and set him on tell 's him he withe with him that he will not fatle nor forsake him but goe with him and stand by him This very speach the Apostle would haue these Hebrewes to beleeue as if it had beene spoken to every one of them as particulerly Heb 13.5 as it was to Ioshua and therefore saith Let your conversation be without covetousnes for it is written J will not faile thee nor forsake thee and inferreth herevpon to them with himself So that we may boldly say c you as boldly as I â—ep 6. and I and you as boldely as Ioshua may say that the Lord is our helper and that he will not faile us nor forsake us it is as true to all Christians as ever it was to him we as well as he may build our comfort vpon it be bolde to clayme our comfort from it Nay if we looke vpon the wicked sinfull Sadduces who were a most wicked and insolent sect and did many times oppose Christ himself and his Apostles after him yet they had learned this truth though it may be but to serue their owne turne and to cavill withall for when they came to wrangle with Christ about the resurrection they could alledge and pretend a law of Moses written to the Iewes of olde time before ever the world saw any Sadduces and this law is vrged by them as written to them their words doe shew it master Moses wrote vnto us what Moses wrote to the Iewes in generall Mark 12.19 can these hereticall and degenerated Iewes extende to themselves in perticuler And this was not only done by them but by the Pharises also as appeareth in the many boastes they make when the bragge of their being of Abrahams linage and also of those many great previledges comming vnto them thereby Now seing we have so many to witnes this vnto vs both out of the olde testament out of the new not only the good but the bad also can doe thus and not stand vpon any matter of being named or not named if Gods manner of speaking be thus true as truly comfortable to the successors of those saints to whome he spake as to themselues why should not we giue creddit to God take comfort to our selves in these promises of his seing we see by these testimonies that we are as much interessed into them as any that were ever named Jt is nothing to be named or not named in Gods booke to be intended by God himself is all in all and soe are all saints I am sure for in Christ neither Iew nor Gentile one nor other of the faithfull is differenced but what I say vnto you saith Christ I say vnto all Mar. 13.37 Mat. 8.11 And aganie many shall come from the east and west c and sit downe with Abraham Jsaac Jacob in the kingdome beholde few are nominated many are meant and they that are not nominated are as sure of heaven as Abraham or Isaac or Iacob Gal. 3.14 And yet againe That the blessing of Abraham might come vpon the Gentiles c loe the Gentiles who are intended are sure of as good a blessing as Abraham who is named you could haue beene no happier if God had appeared to you as he did to Abraham and blessed you as he did him for his blessing shal be yours Oh that they which are soe name-sick could consider this when they often sigh say within themselues had I beene in Abrahams state had the Lord spoken to me and blessed me as he did him I had beene happy why you are as happy now but for your conceit God who tell 's you the blessing of Abraham shall come on the Gentiles doth therein assure you of as much happines as ever he had or you could have had if you your self had beene Abraham Now then seing this pretence doth peruert Gods course of convaying comforts to his saints and nullifyes his manner of speaking to this purpose let such as have desire of comfort cease to pleade it any more And this is the first cuill of this pretence Secondly Eviden ∣ ce 2 it overturneth the gracious extent of Gods blessed truth and argueth that the Lord did meane no more then he did name A thing that never came into his hart as being vtterly false and manifestly contrary to our owne reason and to the courses of common equity among men in all civill passages whatsoever as it were easy to instance in multitudes Looke we vpon our owne legall proceedings and conveyances In a bande or obligation some one party is named who owes the debt and some one to whome it must be payd In a mans last will and testament legacies are bequeathed to some one or few by name but we all know that more are meant in both the damage of the one if it be not payd the advantage of the other if it be received doth extende and redounde to the heires excecutors administrators and the successors of these to all generations the childrens children and their childrens children may rue the non-payment of a bande and a mans posterity through many ages may rejoice in the possession of such a portion of land or money as may be bequeathed to them Thousands may feele the good or evill fruit of that which some one or two are
here and in heaven I say if you have his Faith I say not so much faith but such faith as he had a man is sufficiently proved to be the lawfull heire of his father though he come short of the extent and measure of many things his father had Our faith even the least measure given vs in the soundnes and truth therof doth avouch vs not only the children of Abraham but of God too Gael 3.19 as the apostle addeth we are all the sons of God by faith in Iesus Christ Let vs not then thus fondely pretend any thing against our selves but give our harts soundly to contende for that which may bring true benefit vnto vs. To be the successors of the saints in grace and holines is as good as to be named Christ argue's the Iewes because they granted themselves the children of them that slew the Prophets to be guilty of the blood of the Prophets and laye's it vpon them in these tearmes That vpon you may come all the blood which was shed from the blood of righteous Abell to the blood of Zacharias c. whome yee slew c. Now the same evidence that may convince a wicked man may comfort a childe of God to wit that he is a childe a successor in grace to the saints as they were in sin to those bloody persecutors And this is our second evidence against this pretence Thirdly this pretence of being named Eviden ∣ ce 3 overturneth all truth of scripture now and tyeth it wholy and only to the persons then liuing and there named as if it were then true to them but neither now nor then to any body els If this point of being named be soe materiall as these who thus vrge it doe make it then it was good scripture and Gods truth to them but it must needes dye with them become a dead letter to vs that now live And would not this inference be mōstrous vnspeakably blasphemous that we that are Gods childrē should devise argumēts against Gods word the jmmutability whereof is so oftē avouched every where that heauen earth must passe before one jot or title may fall therof yet with one breath we will make it all voyde as a thing of naught by our argumentation conclude that now it standes for a cypher rather them for any scripture what neede the divell more advantage he hath now enough to worke the vtter subversion of all religion seing out of the mouthes of religions persons he can gather conclusiōs to proue the scripture which is the ground of religion not to be as once it was of any power authority force and vertue but rather like some ban◠that is cācelled some lease or deede expired making Gods truth as momentany fading and mortall as the men were to whome it was spoken wheras we are to know that God speakes contrarily that albeit all flest be grasse yet the word of the Lord endureth for ever as being like the Lord himself who spake it eternall and vnchangeable If we shut not this out all atheisme wil be let in this is an open gap to all vngodlynes for if none haue right in the scriptures but they that are named there is now no booke of God no revealed will of his no scripture no rules of any religion extant the life of all is tyed to the length of their dayes to whome it was spoken and soe they being dead his truth is deceased with them and hath no more power to helpe vs then a dead man hath to helpe himself And thus every godles wretch may now lift vp his head tryumph that there is no curbe for his corruption no bridle for his rebellion he hath what he would haue seing these precise fooles which make such a doe about religion haue now when they haue done all vndone all religion and taught them a trick to cast off all that is revealed against their jmpietyes because they are not named they neede neither feare nor care for any thing that is either forbidden or commanded Nay which is yet more and more hellish by this reason of those that in this particuler are thus vnreasonable the Lord must make as many Bibles as there be ages and generations of men and put in all the names of all men both good and bad too if he make account to be beleeved or obeyed We must expect new editions of the scripture daily wherin every one may read his owne part and know it to be his owne by his proper name annexed thervnto Yea long before our dayes even in all the ages of the olde and new testament should many Bibles have beene extant besides that one which concerned but a few Patriarcks Prophets and Apostles whereas the multitude of beleevers was very great besides these we may safely thinke the Lord had many people beside these principall and extraordinary persons who were especially spoken to Now then seing the Lord in his wisdome never saw it meete to pen and publish more then one Bible that noe people of God in any time or state of the church did or could ever challēg more how grosse egregiously sinfull sencelesse are these who vtter that which if in this perticuler of names wherof we now speake it might be justified must condemne all Gods people of folly and God himself of injury God must be vnjust to witholde his will they must be vnwise not to call for that which they might as well know did concerne themselves as Abraham Dauid or any other whose name is soe often mentioned and recorded in this Inasmuch then as God himself remayne's only wise without doing this and his people of all ages were wise in not desiring any such thing cease we from this infernall infatuation which proclaimes our folly and infidelity to be of a deeper strayne then any age hath ever seene Let vs be sorrowfull for what is past and silent for heareafter and know that the truth of the scripture standes not vpon mens names but vpon Gods owne nature who for his owne names sake though our names be not there will fulfill it vnto vs in every tittle of that saving truth which by faith we can apprehend And this is our third evidence against this pretence Fourthly Eviden ∣ ce 4 this conceit of names concludes all the comfort of a Christian to depend vpon his nameing wheras intruth that of it self can evince no comfort at all and therof we may be soone perswaded if we consider these two things 1. that many are named who are never comforted in Gods booke 2. that the only comfort of a childe of God is to haue his name written in another booke to wit that booke of life For the first he knowe's nothing as he ought to know who knoweth not that many are named in the bible for evill not for good nay it had beene good for them in some sort that they had had no names recorded there As Cain Saul Ahitophell
19 weaknes and weaknes 97. 16. not if not doe if 170. 19. if Lord if the Lord. Words to be put out Pag. Lin.   143 32. put out did  171. 1. put out this  174. 11. put out but.  186. 18. put out the.  In many places and pages herin is set for herein JACOBS STAFFE OR A declaration and confirmation of the most comfortable interest which all the faithfull haue in the Lord and all his Promises AS ALSO A detection and confutation of that false and jdle clayme which vngodly persons vainely pretend vnto both Discovered in certaine Sermons on Gen. 32.9 And Iacob sayd O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac thou Lord that sayd'st vnto me Returne vnto thy countrey and to thy kindred and I vvill deale vvell vvith thee That which we finde written by David long after Iacobs time did Iacob finde and feele long before Davids dayes to wit that Psal 58 11. Verily there is reward for the righteous and that vndoubtedly there is a God that judgeth the world never man might speake this more experimeÌ„tally and happily then hee who found the Lord most gracious to reward his vprightnes and most righteous to reveng his jnjuries We read but of few that haue mett with harder measure at the hands of men and scarce of any who haue reaped more favour from the hands of God then this blessed Patriarch did Touching whome many things are spoken he take's vp much roome in this holy history some part wherof is spent in the discovery of such passages as fell out betweene him and Laban since they came first together And in their procedings one the one part we haue recorded what conscionable carriage there was in Iacob whose rare and matchlesse fidelity was made apparant and did shew it self in all the service he did him it being performed during so many yeares with extraordinary honesty and endeavour On the other there is discovered the monstrous vnkindnes grosse jnjustice and many other the vnsavory fruits of a currish nature and covetous hart in Laban whose eye was ever evill vpon all Iacobs good insomuch that he did daily vexe himself with perpetuall repining at his wealth welfare and prosperity The just Lord seeing this in Laban looketh downe from heaven with gracious regard vpon Iacob and resolveth to recompence his righteousnes vnto him seing he had done soe much and endured so much from such a churlish kinsman and vnworthy master as Laban had shewed himself to be He shall reape the fruit of his paines and piety Gods hand shal be liberall though LabaÌ„ be close-sisted Iacob shall wel know that he hath a master in heaven who will make him a full mend's for all his integrity to his master on earth And to the end he may as fully enjoy it as God is mynded freely to bestow it he is warned of God to goe for his contrey and leaue Laban with whome he could never comfortably posesse the sweetnes of any of those many good things the Lord did soe kindely cast vpon him Iacob taking knowledge of his heavenly calling and commission to be gone doth instanly resolue on his departure dispatcheth his busines setteth things in order disposeth himself all his to remoue with all possible expedition according to the commandement of God warranting him forh with soe to doe Being thus soe suddanily gone as Laban tooke noe notice of it till one tolde him of it three dayes after such being the diligence and conscience of a good servant that the hart of his master may haue confidence in him and not neede to care for or looke after him or his busines for divers dayes together assoone as he did know it he hasteth and poasteth after him with all speede to overtake him if he can and at mount Gilead he doth And there his hart being big swollen and ready too burst with choller and discontentment he meane's to haue a saying to him Iacob shall know a peice of his minde ere they part if once hee can come to the speech of him But before Laban may speake with Iacob God must speake with Laban jntending to overule his wrathfull minde and outragious mouth the Lord doth so schoole him that hee cannot giue him an vnkinde word but is become as coole and as calme as a man may be he speake's most familiarly to him make 's a most freindly league with him take's his leaue most lovingly of him and soe they part exceeding peaceably one from the other This being done and Laban being gone Iacob journieth homeward and because the Lord did forsee he should â—â—couÌ„ter many extreamityes e're he came to his waies end he sent his host euen an host of Angells to him that by them hee might bee hartened against all those hart-breakings which he might meete withall as he went forward in his journey And it was but neede he should haue some cordialls considering what calamities â—ee was to wade through as hee went For no sooner hath Gods host left him but he heare's of another host coming of purpose to surprize him and that from his Brother which makes the mischeife so much the more eminent and bitter One woe is past but another cometh and a farre worse then the former hee hath done with Laban and is well quit of him but he is now to begin with Esaw And indeede this second distresse did every way exceede the first for wheras before he had to doe but with a covetous and vnkinde master now he is to deale with a cruell and bloody-minded brother nothing was in question with Laban but matter of commodity the worst that could come was but a litle losse of some goods and cattell that Laban thought too much for him but the least of this is for his life and state too himself and all that he hath are like to miscarry in this combate his brother having vowed his death that he would kill him wheresoever he met him Iacob foreseeing this exigent because of his vnavoydable necessity to passe by his brother Esawes territoryes in his travell whose olde grudge against himself he could not but remember hee doth his best to obtayne a pacification sendeth ambassadours to him to treat of a truce and to parley with him about conditions of peace if vpon any tearmes he will accept it But Esaw will none of that he is bitterly enraged the messegers returne and signify how resolute hee is for revenge hee will heare of no league but hath levied an army of foure huÌ„dreth men against him comming himself in person with them intending to make havock of his brother and all that he had Iacob is not a litle troubled at this tydings but much appaled and perplexed and now hee bestirrs himself deviseth what to doe in this time of his extraordinary terror and danger The meanes he makes vse of are two partly Civill and Politike partly Spiritull and religious He begins first with
conceive the extent of that mans sin Note or the damnation due to him for the same whome the divell can draw to doe worse then he himself dare's doe We may well thinke there is something in it that Satan will not doe as you sinners doe in this kinde What may we thinke of it or what may an jmpious wretch think of himself in it when he shall see himself in some sort more sinfull then the authour of sin It may be the divell do's not claime any right because he knowe's he hath none and that it is but vayne the sin will increase his confusion and no way advantage him Would to God wicked men were herin as wise as the diuell and knew also that it were vaine for them to doe thus and that it would make their state more vile encreasing their sin to make it more haynous and adding to their punishment to make it more heavy seing that in their present estate of vngodlines they are no more capable of this comfort then Satan is Cease then O yee sifnull men to doe that indignity to the Lord which the diuell dare's not offer will yee be more sinfull more shamelesse then he nay then many a divelish wretch who having had occasion to speake of God yet have had more modesty and not soe much jmpiety as you herin Pharaoh might be instanced for one when he soe often called for Moses and Aron to pray to the Lord for his deliverance from divers plagues you never heare him say no not once pray to the Lord my God Exo 8 25. but either to the Lord or to the Lord your God Ieroboam may be brought for another who as at other times soe in that one wherin he intended violence to the man of God and God executed justice vpon him for the same by the drying vp of that cruell hand which was stretched out to smite him whome the Lord sent to warne him of his sin jmmediately vpon the manifestation of that strange vengance vpon him the godles wretch is enforced to intreat the man of God to be a suitor for him that his hand might be restored vnto him and in vttering his minde to him herin what saie's he why even that which may shame and confound the prophane o'nes of our dayes 1. Kin. 13.6 intreat now the Lord thy God for me c. he doe's not he dare's not call him his God yet you know he is branded of God for much jmpiety but not to be blamed for this Beholde these imps of hell with many more that it were most easy to multiply though in many things they were most abbominable yet in this one they would not be soe execrable as the audacious sinners of our daies are And will yee out-goe the diuell himself and such of his as are marked of the Lord for monstrous rebells and for miserable reprobates Surely it shal be easier for these in the day of judgment then for you But if you will in the meane time be exhorted and instructed know that it is now easier to see this sin and to shun both it and the vengeance due vnto it and to seeke the face of the Lord vnfaynedly that you may come out of this sin of calling him yours and by grace be called effectually to become his This may be done while the day of grace yet shyneth endeavour to it before that day of the Lord come which is darknes and not light wherin they only shall finde grace with the Lord who before hand can finde that grace in themselves wherby they are made like vnto him and by the evidence of this consimilitude can claime their interest in him And this is our second vse vnto wicked men The third followeth Vse 3 Information and that concerneth all men for information in a point exceeding needfull and important whereof it is now time that we take some good notice considering what hath beene sayd of the happines of such as have it and their misery that are without it And that is the way and meanes to come to a true tryall of our selves herin whether the Lord be our God or not and how we may assuredly know and discerne the same There are ceartaine infaillible marks whereby this interest is made manifest and he that is without them is vndoubtedly as yet without any interest in the Lord. Let vs endeavour to make enquiry after them that soe if we haue them we may joy if not yet knowing what they are we may seeke them where they are Well then would any mā be throughly resolved how to determine this case of conscience to know without controversy how he may know whether the Lord be his and he the Lords or noe let him then vnderstand that where any such propriety is betweene God and man the same cannot be hyd but will breake out vpon him in whome it is and that by such apparant signes as will shew themselues to be vndenyable evidences therof It is no close or concealed matter it is not nice or abstruse to discover this right where it is it will reveale it self by such operations of God in vs as doe argue the same effectually For of this one thing we may not be ignorant that the interest betweene God his children is not meerely tituler as if to entitle him ours were all no it is a true reall and powerfull interest arising touching the declaration therof out of those things which he hath so wrought in vs as by them we may well know he hath wrought vs into himself It is his worke in vs wherby alone we are warranted to be his But come we to vnderstand the particulers what workes these are that soe by a wise discerning of them we may not be deceiued in our owne estate and right For it doth manifestly appeare that the want of this search hath occasioned much mistaking on either side making both some of Gods saints who haue this right not to thinke soe and others who where never posest of it to presume vpon it To the end therefore that neither may at any time heareafter be misconceiued of their owne condition but both may know themselves as they are we will now begin to make plaine declaration of the particulers which will put this point out of question The ceartaine signes of our interest in God Yet before we enter vpon any one of them we are to know that they are all consisting of such things as he hath given vs. Whosoever is the Lords hath something of his to shew even some such things as are not given to any but his owne noe common kindnesses or generall mercies but such peculiar previledges as are preper to the elect alone and being see doe argue infaillibly that they are elected of the Lord to be his precious and beloved ones And now to come vnto them they are these that follow First whosoever may make any clayme to the Lord Signe 1 must disclaime all sin and
much more easy to ouer-abounde then want any evidence But we will not cloy your memories with a multiplicity Shall we enquire at the Law according to the holy Prophets counsell why it is cleare for this point It is a ruled case with the great law-giver even the Lord who is that one law-giuer which is able to saue and destroy hath given it once and againe and many times in expresse charge to his people Consider seriously what he saith by Moses And these words which I commandeth thee shal be in thy hart And thou shalt teach them to thy children c. Dent. 6.6 ver 7.8 And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thy hand and they shal be as frontlets betweene thine eyes Now what meanes all this what may all these injunctions intend which are set downe here and itterated elswhere Surely there is something in it that we must have them so engrauen that our mindes may posesse them our mouthes may publish them at home and abroade by day and by night at bed and borde to our posterity daily to others occasionally can all this be for formall discourse or supersiciall accquaintance with the word of God no sure there is more meant then this come's to which alone is nothing the Lords minde is that we should have speciall familarity with his word and be in continuall meditation and practise therof signified by the binding of it on our hands and eyes all these particulers that are named here are to perswade vs to that one principall truth that we teach to wit that we must take home all the holy truth of God into our soules From the law we may passe to the Prophets but as we goe we will see what Solomon saith to it which if we doe we shall heare of many heavenly sayings to this purpose both in his Proverbs and his booke called the Preacher In the former we have many consells to this practise with comforts belonging to them As first where he exhorteth men to receiue Gods words and to hide his commandements Pro. 2.1 ver 2. to encline their eare apply their harts to knowledg and vnderstanding And againe that men should not forget the Law of God cap. 3 1. but let their harts keepe his commandements and yet againe that we ought to endeavour that our harts doe retaine God words cap. 4.4 and that we embrace them and in noe wise ver 8. let them goe he is much vpon this matter as vpon a thing of much consequence and mighty importance often advising all men hervnto And in his latter booke Eccles 12.11 he tell 's vs that the words of the wise should be vnto us as goades and as nailes fastned vpon us yea into us sticking close to vs and keeping fast within vs. Thus we see Solomons minde and know well what it is and now let vs aske the Prophets and they wil soone tell vs theirs for Moses and the Prophets and all the men of God are all in one tune for this truth it hath beene evermore their manner to come to men with Gods message and to tell them their owne from him not going behinde the dore or speaking behinde their backs but personally and to their heads delivering the minde of God to the mightiest of them as it were easy to instance in innumerable examples not only of these more generall prophecies that concerne peoples and nations but in those most speciall which were indiuidually directed against Princes Potentates the great one's of the earth as the king of Iudah Israell Babell Egipt Nineveh c. the like every of which with many more were spoken too to their faces in those particulers wherin the Lord did intend they should know his minde Soe we see we have the Law and the Prophets sure to vs in this particuler if now we shall also give eare to the Gospell it will also give abundant evidence hervnto both from Christ himself also from his Apostles in this point Christ sometimes spake plainely and spake noe parable as where he saith Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it sometimes and more then once in divers parables he is againe vpon it as in the parable of the seede which must be layd deepe and covered close in the grounde and not supersicially sowed for every foule to carry away in the parrable of the leauen which must be raked vp into the midst of the meale and be mixed soe with it that it may never be severed from it againe but leaven every part of the lumpe And for the apostles they are of the same minde with Christ their master and speake to the same purpose Peter would haue vs receive the word as new borne babes receiue milke which is not only eaten swallowed 1. Pet. 2.2 but concocted and digested and becometh nutrimentall and is converted into the substance of their bodies col 3.16 Paul would haue it dwell in us richly that our harts might be a habitation Jam. 1.21 or house to receive and harbour the same Iames he would haue it engrassted in us and soe incorporated that it might as it were become one with vs and being soe he assures vs of the saving power therof saying it wil be able to saue our soules And now having all these witnesses what can we have more or what neede we soe much to confirme a truth so cleare here you see is the vniver sall assent and concurrence of all Gods servants yea and of his sonne too every one that spake by his spirits inspratiō spake more or lesse to this truthes confirmation But it would be needelesse to adde more testimony Let vs come to consider of such reasons as may further leade vs into the light and perswsiaon herof that we may see as well why we must thus take home Gods truth as only to know that soe we must doe It is a wise mans part not only to know what he must doe but also to vnderstand why that the reason of his duty may be discerned of him as well as the jnjunction And if we apply our selves to consider wherefore we must apply Gods truth in this manner we shall soone perceive that it is a thing consorting with cleare and apparant reason and that in divers respects some few wherof we will lay downe before you First our application of Gods worde Reason 1 was in regarde of vs the mayne end of his publishing the same vnto vs he reuealed it that we might recetue it it was left written to us that it should be written in vs. Doth not God himself give vs this as a reason in plaine tearmes and that by more then one or two of those whome he sent to deliver his minde VVhat saith Moses to all Israell Deut. 27.29 and in them to all the Israell of God Things reuealed belong to us and to our children what God hath revealed is revealed to vs and for vs and
in this one point of goodnes Shall a Cain quake and carry himself as a man soe deeply affected with the word of God and shall an Ahab and a Saul and such others as are sealed vp to eternall shame and contempt doe the same And shall Saints be behinde these Sinners and refuse to apply their part of the Lords truth when such infernall vassalls have done it shall the divell bring these before the Lord to vpbrayd him to his face that he ha's some reprobates who will doe more in this point of duty then some that goe for his children and are accounted holy and religions and that he can prevaile with some of his lym's to give creddit to Gods divine truth even for their evill when many of his owne holy ones doe refuse to entertaine the truth therof some for their good Oh what shall our God loose and what shall Satan gaine when it shall come herevnto that the divell shall plead this advantage too truly what may we expect who put weapons into his hands to fight against the Lord whose honor herin he will not spare to his vtmost to endamage abuse that he may enforce him in just reveng of this insufferable indignity done thervnto to fight against vs with the sharpest engine 's of his justice Thus in regard of wicked men doth he wound vs and these wounds are deadly if the Lords hand doe not heale our harts of them but this is not all nor indeede the worst of the two respects which we mentioned before And that we may well beleeve because the next micheife is in regard of Satan himself we know him to be worse then all the wicked men in the world Secondly then Note The diwell applieth scrip ture in regard of himself we are to know for our further reproach herin and our more forcible provocation hervnto that the divell himself hath behaved himself better in this point of application of Gods truth then many of Gods owne have done and that whether we consider his application of it either to others or to himself To others To others how readily though abusively did he apply those words of the holy ghost in the Psalme to our our Lord Iesus Christ it is written Mat. 4.6 he shall give his Angells charge over thee and in their bands they shall beare thee vp c which words in their true sence were as true of Christ as of any other in the world 1. Sam. 28 1â— The like herevnto he did also apply vnto Saul when he tolde him that the Lord hath done even as he spake by my hand when he counterfeited the person of Samuell and did his best to transforme himself into a true Prophet perswading Saul that the word was now fulfilled vpon him which God had formerly threatned to him 1. Sam. 15 28. to wit that the Lord had rent the kingdome from him and given it to one better then himself Divers more such instances might be produced to shew how forward Satan is to apply the truth of God to others To himself Neither indeede to doe him right and to give him his due though he be a divell hath he beene backward to take home Gods truth to himself as it were most easy to make apparent in many perticulers That one may be in stead of all which we finde vttered by himself when Christ came to disposesse him of the man who was so extraordinarily vexed by him why art thou come to torment me before the time Beholde how he even the divell who delude's and hinder's you from appropriating the Lords truth to yours soules can and doth apply the same both to others and to himself and that as we see in the worst sence to wit of that torment wherevnto he is reserved at the last day which he beleeveth and knoweth to be most true of himself that he shall feele it for ever and ever Now beloved let vs consider this motive well and throughly and sit downe and seriously surmize with our selves what the Lord will say to our soules and what we shall answer to him on this consideration that the very divell himself and divelish men have done him that honour in his truth which we have denyed vnto him How or with what faces shall we stand before him when he shall vpbrayd vs with both these shall we not see cause to fall grovelong on our faces before him and to lye downe in our confusion covering our selves with shame to see Satan and his slaves layd in ballance against vs and our selves found lighter then they before the Lord in this thing what soule would not blush what conscience would not bleede to beholde this thing yea but to present it before it self in imagination or meditation which thing I advise every Christian culpable herof advisely to doe that the same may never be actually presented by the Lord before them If any thing may take place vpon vs let this aboue all provoke vs. Say with your selves when the temptor come's to carry your harts from receiving the truth of God now thou comest to abuse me infinitely to make me worse then thy self to bring me vnder the guilt of that wherin thou wilt plead that thou art more righteous then I and wilt also produce thy infernall vassalls to have beene more faithfull then thou wouldst haue me to be in this practise Away feinde my God shall neuer haue thus much against me he hath too much already shall I adde this vnto all and dishonour him herin more then thou hast done Such soliloqnies or speeches within our owne harts would well beseeme vs I thinke if we vsed them at every temptation they would set Satan further from vs and soone make him weary of vs and vs of this our fearefull jmpiety against which we have vrged thus many motives and pressed each motive soe largely to the end that if Lord might please we might see an end of this heavy euill in the holy ones of God which is a thing to be prayed for vncessantly of all saints that soe the Lord might once have the glory and we the good of his truth and Satan the shame of all his suggestions to the contrary Thus having done with the saints of God for this matter To the vngodly we are now to see if we can move vngodly men to doe their duty to God in this point of application And soe much the rather doe we endeavour this by how much it may be noted that they seldome or never come to Gods house as clients to a court to heare their owne cause pleaded but ever as attorneyes to heare and speake for other men they come not as guests to this spirituall feast but as caruers not as merchants to this this most rich and beneficiall mart but as broakers they are evermore wholy for other men no body for themselues in this blessed busines They know where to bostow every lesson the preacher delivers they
can finde a fit party for each reproffe he vtters here were for such a one and such a one say they in their vaine thoughts when they heare the minister lay it on vpon such sins as they surmize's them to be guilty off Thus they can soone dispose of all that is delivered and finde roome for it in other mens consciences and conversations as for themselves they conceive nothing to concerne them vnlesse now and then Satan prompt them to put vp something which they imagine may harten them in their prophanes or to lay theevish hands vpon some of Gods sacred promises wherby they may be in the divells and their construction therof abetted in some sinfull course Now to touch these and to teach them better what they have to doe as their duty in this particuler we neede not say much because much of that which hath beene spoken to Gods people in this case doth concerne wicked men also and doth equally presse both to doe that which the Lord requireth Howbeit we must breifely give these vngodly ones something to vnderstand from God for their owne parts in this point that if it may be they may also be brought to better practise First then let them know Motiue 1 that not to apply any thing at all to themselves is a most wofull thing and an evill of strang extent both in regard of injury to God and jmpiety in themselves The Lords injury is not litle when what he speaketh from his owne most sacred mouth and breathed into man by his owne celestiall spirit shal be all in vayne when such holy and powerfull words as his are full of divine vertue and heavenly influence shal be frustrate voyd and of none effect but goe vnregarded as some idle tale all the dayes of a wretched mans life And thine jmpiety is not lesse who as an adder goest and comest dease from the glorious voyce of the God of heaven and by applying nothing makest it to appeare that thy vngodly hart doth thinke that either the Lord hath nothing to say that is worth thy hearing or good for condition or that thou hast no neede of any of all that vnspeakable good which is spoken from him by his messengers Now how these two or either of them wil be answered to the Lord let it be well considered by every sinfull man Secondly Motive 2 it is a most apparant signe of God rejection of a man and of a mans damnation before God when he shutts vp the soule of a man that none of his word can enter and soe close's vp his eyes that he cannot see any of his truth to concerne himself This is most manifest by the expresse words of the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. â— 4 If our gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whome the God of this world hath blinded their mindes c least they light of the glorious gospell should shine vnto them see here they that lay not Gods truth to hart are only such as are lost that is cast away let goe of God into the jawes of Satan as Iudas is sayd to be the lost child of perdition Joh. 17.12 Isa 6. Mat. 13.14.15 And to the same purpose long since spake the Prophet Isaiah Christ after him where he saith that mens harts are hardened and their vnderstandings darkened that hearing they may heare and not perceiue any of Gods truth to be good for themselves and this spirituall obstruction in the judgment is an infaillible argument of Gods purpose to confound the soule and body of a man for ever and ever for soe it is added least they should convert and J should heale them And if we should goe to examples who but reprobates have heard Gods word and not applyed it to the bettering of themselves Nay which is more Note and I desire may be well marked it is impossible that any but reprobates should heare Gods word without all application For why if the Lord give not a man a hart to receiue the word of his grace it is most ceartaine that the Lord hath not a hart to receiue that man into grace Were it not easy to instance Elyes sons whose not taking home to hart their fathers counsell from God is sayd to be the evidence of their destruction note the words of the text well Notwithstanding they obeyed not the voyce of their father 1. Sam. â— 25 because the Lord would destroy them this was the signe of their destruction from God because his word did them no good Vnto these I could adde others more but wee neede not If then this be soe that we see what their state is that apply not Gods truth even a state of perdition that this not application is a most evident signe of this condition I hope it will cause any that shall consider it to cast about and to take better notice of himself in this thing Thirdly let all vngodly men know Motiue 3 that in that which they doe apply now and then to wit such promises as sometimes they snatch at when they heare any thing that doth as they corruptly conceive humor and please them I say let them know that herin they wrong both the Lord his children and themselues The Lord in medling with that which he never meant them for his promises as we have heard are the proper inheritance of his owne people now to be too bolde with that which is the Lords and to vse it amisse is an abuse offered to him His children are injured in that their bread is taken from them by these dogs The blessed promises are their bread and no meate for any that are vngodly and therefore for a wicked men to seize on them is but but the part of an vnmannerly curr who catche's that from his masters hand for himself which he meant his childe should have But the most and worst evill is their owne and that appeareth in this that these promises of God thus vsurped by them are in Gods justice poysoned to them and doe become occasions of their wofull hardening in their wicked courses The Lord doth curse this misapplication of his truth and make's his word thus abused the savour of death unto death And soe they goe on in vngodlines being smothered by the prince of darknes and see not their way to lead vnto death Fourthly Motive 4 and lastly in not applying the threatnings which the Lord hath appointed as their due portion what doe they but in like manner as before injure the Lord who hath assigned them to their soules refusing to receive what he offer 's to them and making vtterly voyd to their vtmost power all that part of the holy booke of God which doth consist of curses terrors and comminations for seing as was sayd before of the promises in reprooffe of the people of God that Gods meane's not his children should have them and vngodly men to whome they are meant by God doe not meane to
be learning better by hart every day that I may expresse it in life more and more to my last day It is a lesson which I may in good sence entitle the summe and abridgment of all the lessons and truthes of God I have taught you from time to time every of which wherto have they tended but to informe you in the point of obediēce to the Lord vpon the blessed hope of his heavenly promises of your best welfare to be accomplished vpon you It is the lesson wherin the Lord himself instructed Adam as being the abridged modell of his whole minde Doe this and liue and thence the Apostle call's our obedience to God Micah 6.8 obedience to life The prophet Micah taught it in his time he hath shewed thee O man what is good what the Lord requireth of thee c And if the Lord have shewed vs what is good let vs shew our selves vnto him in all good carriage conformable thervnto for what he require's is not only good in act before him but better in issue for vs. VVe were created to good works that we should walke in them saith the holy ghoste Nay doe we not daily pray that his will may be done of vs Thy will be done c And if to be ruled by God were the end of our creation and the ayme of our petitions as also considering as we have seene that in thus doing we shall receiue endles felicity and consolation O deare christians let vs even in our soules endeavour our vtmost herevnto let the almighty evermore master and manage our harts and liues to rule and overule both according to the good pleasure of his will that we may approove our selues to be vpright practitioners of the power of this truth Soe shall we be sure to have the Lord to freind to liue in his favour here and afterward be as sure to liue with him and see his face for ever and ever for himself hath assured vs that they that haue done good shall goe into life everlasting And vnto the building of you all vp in the assurance of this most blessed condition both my preaching vnto you and my practise before you my prayers for you have all jointely and severally done their best from time to time as the Lord hath enabled me since I first came among you and you soe lovingly cast your early and vnexpected kindnes vpon me Since which time that I may with your patience pardon tune this my last string to that sweetest straine both touching you and my self and make cleare declaration before God and Angells and men how I haue beene with you and how you haue beene with me and we both with each other and soe while I can begin to sing to my beloved a song of my beloved because when I come to speake of our parting I can be no more musicall but mournefull and not my harpe-but even my hart-strings will faile Suffer me I beseech you to open my selfe vnto you and to rip vp and relate the manner both of my Entrance amonge you and of my Continuance with you and how our God hath dealt with vs both in both these My entrance Vthes 2.1 Touching the former I presume I may make vse of the Apostles words and appeale vnto them and apply them to my particuler on your behalfe Bretheren you your selues know that our entrance in vnto you was not in vayne Reu. 3.7 You well know that he that hath the key of David who shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth you know I say and soe doe I that it was he that vnlock't your loving harts and set open the dore of your christian desires to my first entertainement and employment soone after my arrivall in this place whenas I being a meere stranger among you I might not with reason have any such hope or expectation yet beyond both I found your abundant favour Strange loue among strangers much like that which hath beene spoken off but most like that which God who is loue hath freely shewed to vs without merit when we were strangers and enemies also to him But they that are most like him in mercy shal be most like him in glory Touching the latter My cōtinuāce Act. 20.18 to wit my Continuance with you since this my Entrance I will also take vp the same Apostles words you know from the first day that I came after what manner J haue beene with you at all seasons you have not beene strangers either to my publike ministration or to my private conversation in both and either of which I have desired to lead you towards heaven with light of truth and life according to the truth I taught so farre as frailty might permit I am not willing to speake much of either yet something I must say of both but all I speake shal be vere and verecunde with modesty and truth For my personall carriage and demeanor I have ever aymed at such a course in the whole passage therof as might be safely jmitable to you all that you might follow me with a right foote in that happy way wherin the holy Ghost doth advise vs to make straight pathes vnto our feete Heb. 12.13 that we might run the way of Gods commandements This I say was my ayme and that I dare boldely say and I have gone as neere it as I could but through weaknes or want of due watchfullnes I know I have erred trodden a-wry being sometimes wyde sometimes short of that we should striue vnto I hope you all acknowledge that all flesh and blood may doth miscary and if we be any thing more through the grace given vs of God yet have we soe much more of that worser then of this better part that there can be no possibility of our perpetuall vprightnes before men who are our fellow offendors how much lesse before the Lord whose eyes are soe peircing and soe pure To arrogate Papall jmmunity of being infallible in judgment or vnblameable in life to affirme a possibility of not erring in either is blasphemously to derogate from the Lords owne excellency who alone is able to challenge the whole world to taxe or attaint him in any yea the least appearance of any evill whatsoever For my speech when God hath given vs occasion of private discource as by your most kinde and ordinary invitations of me to your ordinaryes we found many opportunityes when we did eate our bread together with cheerefullnes you are my witnesses that I have tempered my talke to the time to the persons present and matter presented If it were diuine as many a time it was we have had heavenly sawce to our earthly foode you know I had ever laboured your edification and building vp to God in the saving knowledge of his sacred will in all points passages incident to every kinde of divinity and according to the quality and nature of the question
propunded we have accordingly given such satisfaction as we have received from God whether in positiue diuinity to explane and confirme a proposition or in textuall to interpret words or phrases or in polemicall to decide a controversy or in scholasticall to vnsolde a nice distinction or in case-divinity to releive a conscience or lastly in that which is mysticall to vnty knotts and reveale obscurities In each of these something we have had sometimes to doe and as the Lord enabled me I have endeavoured to the best of my weake vnderstanding to informe and satiffy you If our discourse were humane then as for your edification before soe for your delight now you will beare me recorde that I have done my best to speake to your contentment in any kinde of learning wherewith I have beene accquainted whether in any of the arts or in history or in poesy or in mythologie in every of which especially in the last I have taken many occasions to report vnto you such things as I have taken notice off out of the Iewish Rabbines and Thalmud and out of the Popes legend wherin are contayned millions of matters wherof many are blasphemous many ridiculous many monstrous many frivolous almost all so foulely fabulous and incapable of truth or creddit that the bookes might well be entituled a very fardle of fables and falshoodes taking their denomination from the farre greater part inasmuch as they swarme with such incedible narrations as no man can judge them to be other then notorious lyes These I have frequently and abundantly related in your hearing not that you should beleue but abhorre the storyes and thinke with commiseration of those miserable soules both Iewes and Papists who are led and fed with this froth and filthy scumme of infernall inventions and have them read instead of the Gospell to giude them As also that we might hence be the more moved to magnify the great name of our good God who hath not dealt soe with vs that we should beleeue lyes but be nourished with his owne word of truth which is his power to our salvation If any were soe weake as once to conceit these things or any the like reported out of other writers were spoken for truth he or they must ever know that what we relate out of our reading must evermore carry creddit according to the authors not the relators creddit It would much disharten schollers and kill the proffit of much pleasant discourse if we should be so grossly mistaken Nay it become's vs to make vse of all kinde of learning as any occasion is offred to vs to vent what we know in any particulers It was a good rule and well given to all men by one bene loquuta quae sapienter audita those things are well spoken which are wisely taken Discretion in hearing doth minister much delight to vs in speaking Not only what we speake but from whome must be well heeded when we have any opportunity to discover things of this nature And as thus it hath beene in our table talke when we have had much sweete society and conference together soe when the Lord hath givē me any occasion of private and secret passage with any of you by way of counsell or admonitton in any case of conscience I cannot say but my or rather Gods words have found such entertainement and acceptance as I can safely truly report and leave vpon perpetuall recorde to the praise of this place the peace and happines of those persons the commendation of your society the consolation of all that may succeede me in this ministery who may hereby conceive comfortably how hopefully they may sowe how happily they may reape and that their labours shall not be in vaine in the Lord. Concerninge my publike ministration it pleased you first to chuse me as an assistant to your Pastor in your weekely lecture some seruice of the sabbath your favour in this was much but it was much more when not long after vpon his departure you tooke me totally into your service and by a lawfull free election put me into the Pastorall charge and functiō and vnder God committed your soules to my ministrey A greater trust cannot be cast vpon a creature And how I would have watched over you the watchman of Israel doth well know and how farre I have actually endeavoured it this publike place I hope doth witnes in part out of which I have not failed to teach you all that I could in my best vnderstanding judge profitable for you I have shewed the whole counsell of God so farre as it pleased him to send it to my knowledge I have not willingly purloyned or witholden any part of his truth that might concerne either the reprehension of your sins or thee in formation of your judgments or the reformation of your lives or the consolation and saluation of your soules And all this in singlenes of hart in sincerity howbeit in much infirmity without partiality flattery which may be called high treason in a Preacher because it betrayeth both the honour of God and the soules of men into the handes of Satan Besides that private inspection which as I was able I carried with a wakefull eye vpon you in particuler that not one of you might wander or be lost for want of looking to And how you have received and embraced these my ministeriall endeavours my cōscience your carriage doe both most comfortably witnes inasmuch as thus much I may truly avouch before the Lord to his praise your approbation that I have never vndertakē to lay seige to any jmpiety which had overun all or the most part as a common enemy but the Lord was the conquerour and you yeelded your selves to be subdued to him ordered by his holy word will It were easy for me if it were expedient for you to instance some few perticulers which as the first fruits of my labours I saw reformed among you but I spare to nominate any but cānot spare to notify thus much that all men may see what glory to himself what good to your selves me the Lord meant vs in his mercy This beginning of good made my service my happines this place began to be like a litle heaven to me yea to speake the truth from my hart as before the Lord I much doubt whether out of heauen I shall ever be soe happy againe as I did apprehend my self to be when you like the Apostles hearers began thus to crowne my labours with the timely earnest of such an amendement my hope was I shoulde have beene longer happy with you but it fayleth me howbeit my soules vncessant desire is and shal be that the hope of your happines may never faile you in any that shall come after me Thus were we both entred into a blessed race to the end wherof I know the Lord can bring vs though we may not goe both together as my soule desired yet
if we faile not to meete the Lord we cannot by his grace but meete together in the glory of that kingdome which he hath promised to all that persevere in vprightnes before him The God of heaven knoweth that I did so prize your worthy society in these spirituall respects that I could have abundantly joyed to have beene your servant for Iesus sake all my dayes I did preferre it to all other as most deare and precious to me vnder heaven Had I not reason when I see the Lord himself assimulating vs to each other vnder those representations wherin the partyes are in dearest relation to one another as of father and childe mother infant whence we are sometimes sayd to beget men to God and sometimes to trauell in our birth till Christ be formed in our people Who can be insensible of the separation of these betweene whome the conjunction is soe neere surely none but he alone can support me against the sorrow therof who hath promised to gather all his owne in such an inconceivable kinde of conjunction as shall make vs everlastingly one both with one another and with himself and our saviour where he wil be our father and our king we through his Christ shal be his children and kings too to raigne with him to all eternity Thus have I beene with yow in my poore duties but in all that I haue sayd you and all men must ever except my infirmityes which are not few and my manifolde frailtyes which as I am sinfull flesh and blood could not be wholy hid or vn-obserued We are men sayd Paul Barnabas when the sottish people would have worshipped them as Gods subject to the same passions that you are Elias a man of admired graces was a man subject to the same passions that we are sayd the Apostle Iames. Beholde neither Prophets nor Apostles but have weaknesses with their graces and doe expresse their inperfections with their best actions How much lesse may we hope or you expect we should be free free nay how can you wonder at our farre greater faylings when as you know vs to be of farre lesser graces if their extraordinary measure and power of Gods spirit were accompained with ordinary corruption should our extraordinary miscarriages seeme strange whenas ordinary grace is the most and best we can attaine Be not offended then at vs or at religion for our sakes because you see our evill with our good be humbled rather in your selves feare your one greater danger and thinke with your selves if these men who draw soe neere vnto God who spend their liues as it were in heaven whose liues are or ought to be nothing but a continuall conference and familiarity with the Lord cannot yet be free of frailty offence sure I may doubt my estate least that which appeareth in them will vsurpe over my if they feele soe much I may feare least it will overflow and sincke me Thus meditating you shal be kept from being at all offended at vs the more from offending God your selves you wil be the more compassionate over vs the more circumspect over your owne wayes soe the Lord shall have honour in vs both you will learne to doe to vs as he doth to all his accept vs according to that which we haue not according to that we haue not not despising our ministrey because of our infirmity but rather seing the Lord doth entrust vs over you you should yeelde your selves vnto vs as to Gods guides I beseech you againe that you will neither be offended at our faylings nor draw them into example to cause you to offend we never desire further jmitation from Christians then we take from Christ It is the greife and greatest wound of our soules that we can be no more like our Lord master who hath entrusted vs nor more sitt for the performance of his pleasure O let no man be the worse for our weaknes Al the joy we have is herin that notwithstanding our evill the Lord hath judged vs faithfull and put vs into his service and given vs the seale of our ministrey in causing his worke to prosper in our hand It is his will to put this treasure into earthen vessells that the glory might be his not ours Respect and consider of vs as we are take your part of the treasure which is heavenly take pitty on the vessell which is earthly the father of mercyes shall measure mercy to you as you shall doe to vs whose spirits indeede are willing but our flesh is weake if we can be vpright we are accepted with God perfect we cannot be Thus now in al respects I haue beene with you Now how you haue beene with me I wish I had ability to declare according to myne owne desire and your desert The fore-named favors of my first and second election your christian defence of myne jnnocency against those vnjust calminations which were cast vpoÌ„ me the many sweete encouragements I had from you in my ministration that I might cheerefully serue the Lord in the gospell of his son during the time I was to abide among you your gladnes of my continuance thus long and the desires you have shewed of my longer abode had it beene the Lords pleasure or in your power that soe it should have beene and besides all these a multitude more of kindnesses in one kinde or another continually cast vpon me Know I pray you that all these favours are engraven vpon a most gratefull hart and that as the Lord will not be vnrighteous to forget your labour of love to recompence it so neither can I be soe barbarously oblivious as not to remember both you them to the Lord yea and vnto men that they may see your good workes and glorify him who hath given you harts to doe good and to distribute soe abundantly I must say of you in the time past as Iacob sayd in my text for the future and I cannot but acknowledge and avow that you have performed that to me which was promised to him you have dealt well with me every way The worlde I have founde like a churlish Laban both vnkinde vnjust towards me but you have I founde like the Lorde who giveth over-measure of kidnes beyond justice merit And this hath abundantly appeared aboue all in that double yea treble testimony of your respect to me to wit in that honour you vouch safed me to become an vnworthy member of your most worthy body as also in that liberall support you gave me at my departure which was such as I founde no meane prop to my poore estate which was then falling into a consumption and is not â—â—ed to this day and lapay in that honorable attestation you gave me with vntue sâ—ll consent vnder your seale In all these your love did superabounde towards me yet I doe here before the Lord and you truly witnes and testify that I doe not nor dare not nor cannot
may never enjoy lesse from the hands of the living God who giveth abundantly and vpraydeth no man who sincerely seeketh his face for any present or future favour And soe Jamt 5. now deare Christians fâ—â—hers bretheren sisters from the greatest to the meanest my faithfull affectionate hort bidds you all farewell you are all beloved of me and my love desireth you may every one be blessed of God with me That as while I was present with you I did my best to helpe you forward towards Christs kingdome soe absent I may meete you there when once the time is come and the date out that we must depose this earthly tabernacle O let our cheise care be that we may be sure beforehand that we shall change it for a heavenly I say beforehand because the Lord make's few comfortable exchanges with man at the last day or houre of his dissolution or ot last day of the worlds consummation We never read but of one the good theife that sped well at such a time I am sure there is none that ought to suppose or once sarmize that himself shal be the second man that shall reape the like measure of extraordinary favour You see how I am suddenly slip't into discourse againe and forgotten my ending let your loue pardon this excesse of myne Might my speech be as long as my hart is large or could it possibly be soe when should I surcease these my hartiest benedictions these my kindest valedictions which I neither know how to expresse as I would or to end when I should But I am now resolued to master my selfe wholely and to end instantly not to detayne you longer my last salutations shal be in the gracious words of the holy Ghost inspired into Paul when he was to take his leaue of the Ephesians Act. 20.33 Now bretheren I commend you to God the word of his grace which is able to builde you vp to giue you an inheritance among them that are sanstified of the Thessalonians 1. The. 5.23 Now the very Ged peace sanctify you throught and I pray God that your whole spirit soule body may be preserued blamelesse vnto the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ. of the Hebrewes Now the God of peace Heb. 13.20.21 make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whome by vs all be glorie honour for ever ever Finally I end in all the divine and heavenly deprecations and blessings of all Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles yea of Iesus Christ himself vttered in the dayes of his flesh while he dwelt among vs which I wish the Lord may assigne and make ouer to you that you may feele them in the full fruit and consolation of every particular petition contayned in them all and your soules be filled with the sweetnes of them as with marrow and fattnes and in their fullnes you may rejoyce with joy vnspeakeable glorious And now I will constraine my self silence and muzle my overflowing minde and mouth shutting vp all with sincere suplication of all good to you all from our God who is all in all And to glorify and honor this God let vs for ever joyne our endeovours at present joyne our prayers to him because we know he is able to doe vnto vs exceeding abundantly aboue all that we can aske or thinke All yee that loue the Lord doe this all true harts all vpright spirits confoederate combine conjoyne herin that with one mynde and one mouth we may blesse God even our Father Doe the same all yee that desire to be beloued of the Lord and through his loue to liue with him for ever So shall it assuredly come to passe that God who is loue and who is life it self shall turne all our heavines into Hallelujahs our mortality into life our misery into glory Faith full is he which hath promised who will also doe it in his due time To him be praise glory in all his whole family the Church tryumphaÌ„t in heaven the churshes militant on earth and in all saints apart both now for ever and ever Amen Amen and let all that loue the Son of God the Sion of God their owne soules and the soules of all true christians say againe and evermore Amen Amen even so be it saith my sorrowfull soule once more and evermore breathing out her last and best desires that the Lord may seale all these supplications with an answer and issue gracious to vs and glorious to himself according to the most wise counsell of his sacred will Glory be to God on high