nâ—…tion above other nâ—…tions anâ—… herein we have cause to blesse the Lord. There is but little of the profession of Godliness in other nations to what there is in this nâ—…tion 〈◊〉 a great glory to any place or people to have a multitude of converts born to God out of it This was the commendation of those places that this and that man was born there Psâ—…lm 87. 4 5 6. This is cause of singular joy and praise which they were wont to sing to the Lord in those days with instruments of Musick Secondly In the honour of her Sabbaths This is that my Brethren where in the Lord hath vouchsafed singular favor to this nation Oh bless God for honoring this nation with his Sabbaths as he hath done that they should be so saâ—…ctisied as they be Nehemiah reckoneth this as a singular mercy of God to them So Isaiah 58. 13. Thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight and shalt honor it If you honour them they will be an honour and blessing to you Thirdly In the Crown of her Martyrs Ah Brethren this is the Crown of glory upon the head of England that God should raise up so many Martyrs in this kingdome of our flesh and kindred that there should be so many caught up like Elijah in siery Chariots to heaven Who can tell of what effect their prayers and blood hath been for our good so that according to that holy prophesic of Latimer when going to the stake God hath lighted up such a light by this as shall never be put out Fourthly In the glory of her ministers Brethren I confess my self not worthy to speak to you of the worth of this mercy However vain men have accounted them the off-scouring of the world c. yet you whose hearts are touched with the sence of spiritual blessings you must needs know and understand the Ministers of Christ not onely to be the glory of the nation but are so far honored as to be said to be the glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. Oh blesse the Lord this day that he hath blessed this nation with such an unspeaâ—… blâ—…ssing Do not undervalue such a mercy T is a Covâ—…ant-gift of Christ to his Church He gave some Apostles some Pastors and Teachers And 't is part of the grand Legacy that Christ hath bequeathed to believers in the Gospel 〈◊〉 Paul or Apollo all are yours And though God hath now observed this mercy ye we may not forget former mercies Neither hath God lâ—…t them unuseful you know neither to your nor others souls In this respect I may boldly say God hath not dealt so with any 〈◊〉 Those that have had experience intravelling other Countries have sadly bewailed this how little heat and vigor there is in the labor of the Ministers abroad in other nations for the most part Fifthly In her singular and choise deliverances Herein hath God dealt with us signally I would that all those mercies might be remembred by us this day to our fore-fathers for they were our mercies though not in our days Oh what a mercy was it that God did deliver us from the Spanish invasion This mercy was our mercy and therefore we may not forget it And then when they thought to do that by plot what they could not do by force in the powder-plot when they were like to cut oâ—… the 〈◊〉 of our nation at one blow God was pleased you know to prevent it just at the nick of time and bring it upon their own heads Oh what cause have we to bless the Lord who saved us from so cruel a bondage as neither we nor our fathers were able to bear Oh forget not such a mercy wherein God hath broken the yoke and brought in that light that hâ—… hath commanded into the nation Secondly If we com nearer look upon the Place of our desires you shall find that he hath not dealt so with any other place If you consider it in the long 〈◊〉 of your Ministry The powerful success of the Gospel In the peace and unity of its professors In the plenty and variety of its provision In the strange preservation of your liberty In sâ—…ving you by your enemies Counsel In eminâ—…nt and gracious returns of your prayers in keeping you from the Ecclesiastical Courts In your glorious Salvations and deliverances Put these nine things together and tell me whether God 〈◊〉 dealt so with any place as with this place First In the long continuance 〈◊〉 your Ministry Forty years was God striving with Isracl but many more years hath God been striving with Taunton iâ—… the powerful preaching of the Gospel We read of Gods comming the first and sâ—…cond year and 〈◊〉 no fâ—…uit would have cut it down the third had not 〈◊〉 dressor prayed sor it But 't is not three years but threescore years that God hath come waiting on Taunton notwithstanding all their praying and their great unprositableness for the greatest part of them I beseech you think of it Is it a little mercy there are many of you that have been born and bred under the powerful preaching of the Gospel Look upon many other places and how many may you see left to blind guides Oh bless God that you have not been bred up under such Ministers and in such places It was the lot of many and it might have been your lot to have been brought up there How many places may you look upon again where there have been excellent Ministers and they have been flocked to from all about but God hath put out those lights and now if you come there you shall scarce find the very foot steps of Religion And God might have done so to you but God hath sent you one Minister after another one out of one Country another out of another for you Oh blesse the Lord for it Secondly In the powerful success of the Gospel True it is and sadly to be bewailed the Gospel hath not had so desired an efficacy but however we must not forget Gods signal and singular mercy to this place in that he hath brought so many to the profession of his Gospel Oh how many Parishes are there where professors are so thin that they are for signs and wonders to be pointed at Oh bless the Lord that he hath cast your lines in that place where there are so many to strengthen your hands How doth David bemoan himself in the want of this mercy that he dwelt in the tents of Kedar you might have lived out in those places and Parishes where you might have had none to help you Thirdly In the peace and unity of its professors Here in God hath been singular in his mercy This is a mercy not slightly to be valued Do but look abroad into other Cities and Towns and see what work there hath been by the breaches that have been made one upon another Oh do but consider the mischief of strife and contention and you will be raised to praise Jam. 3. 16.
Where envying and strife is there is every evil work Oh blesse the Lord that the hearts of believers have been made one in this place Psal. 133. 1. How good and beautiful is it to see Brethren dwell together in unity blesse the Lord you his people because the Lord hath blessed his people with peace Fourthly In the plenty and variety of its provision Oh remember this this day and forget not how God hath provided for you all along and that at that day when you did account that all was cut off How little did we dream of such a mercy had any told us then of these things we should have replied as that Lord did behold if the Lord would make windows in heaven might this thing be Ah Brethren should it have been told you before-hand that for so many years after that fatal day you should spend so many Sabbaths in the worship of God and so many Sermons in one Sabbath and so many Ministers sent to you and so many Sacraments to feed you as you have had you would have been ready to say if the Lord should open windows in heaven could this thing be and yet all this God hath done for you Oh blesse the Lord for this mercy Fifthly In the strange preservation of your Liberty Herein hath God been singular in his mercy to you hath not Christ fulfilled his word to you he that loseth his life for my sake so he that loseth his liberty for my sake shall 〈◊〉 it you have hazarded your liberties and have â—…ept them Many have declined their duty to preserve their liberty but blessed be God that you have adventured your liberty and God hath kept you in safety Indeed I can give you no time of your liberty but I can assure you that if you lose it sor him you shall 〈◊〉 by your losse Methinks Christ says to us as to his disciples whâ—… I sâ—…nt you sorth without shooes or scrip 〈◊〉 ye any thing and they said nothing so here when you have gone sorth adventuring your liberties for Christ have you lost them you 〈◊〉 say no. Sixthly Iâ—… sâ—…rving you by your 〈◊〉 Counsel â—…ow visibly hath God turned what the enemy intended sor â—…vil to be good to us so we may say as Joseph to his Brâ—…thren as for you you thâ—…ght â—…vil to me but God meant it for good You know how they have despightfully removed the Magistracy of the place but behold how much the Lord hath turned it for your good had they set up a Magistracy it had been the losse of your liberty They had a spightful eye upon you and it was thought that 〈◊〉 long agone would have been too hot for her inhabitants yet behold what freedome and liberty we have lived in behold men curse but God hath blessed us the more Oh how strange a thing is this that you should eat and drink in peace and go forth and come in in peace that you should attend the ordinances in peace Seventhly In eminent and gracious returns to your prayers Brethren this is not to be forgotten this day Returns of prayer do certainly call for great returns of praise It hath been observed by those that have bin longer with you than I that they never remember that God was earnestly sought unto sor any particular mercy in this place but he did sâ—…d a visible return except once when if God had sent you an answer according to your prayer it had been the hazzarding of the people of God in this place So that I may say to you what people is like to you who have God so near unto you in all that you have 〈◊〉 upon him sor Eighthly In keeping you â—…om the â—…astical Courts This is a mercy that we should be mindful os Indeed all along the Churchmalignant have been one os the persecuting enemies of the Church oâ—… God Witness the Scribes and Pharises Witness the 〈◊〉 who were all a long the stirrers up os men against the Church And so in divers 〈◊〉 men of late Nay and at this day through the rigour of these Courts especially in óther Counties many stand excommunicated many are threatned with Writs and some taken and cast into prison for term life unless God raise som unexpected means Now of all places one would have thought that we should have been dragged to prison by them And yet you see how God hath preserved us Ninthly In your glorious Salvations and dâ—…liverances Oh my Brethren remember and forget not the dealings of God with this place Let God hear of it throughout your praises now â—…his day what he hath done for you in saving youwith such wonderful Salvation The Sword and Famine and Plague and Fire have been upon you to consume you and yet you are here to blesse the Lord at this day methinks the Lord cals upon you as in Micah 6. 5. O my people remember now what Balaak King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the Son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that you might know the rightcousness of the Lord. Such is the Language of the Lord to you Remember now what thine enemies consulted against thee howthey had gathered themselves against thee and besieged thee and did resolve to devour thee with thy children and not to leave thee one stone upon another O remember my people when your houses were on fire and the Plague in the street and the widdows crying and the children fatherless crying Ah! pittiful condition O remember now how I have helped thee that thou mightest know that I am the Lord thy Savior Thirdly If we come yet nearer and look upon our selves with reference to our particular persons as we are Christians and so God hath done more for us than he hath don for any others beside therefore praise you the Lord. And here I am in such a field that I know not the way out you are the members of Christ the children of your father which is in heaven what hath God done for you O you that fear the Lord praise the Lord. You may stand amazed to see what the Lord hath wrought â—…or your souls This is the Life of all when you can remember the everlasting loving kindnesse of God to you O friends consider now you that are the Lords peculiar people consider what God hath done for you above all other people Consider he hath made you the people of his choice The pillars of his name The vessels of his glory The Temples of his presence The Trumpets of his praise The men of his Counsel The Jewels of his Crown The Inheritors of his Kingdom Herein God hath done more for you then for others and should not you do more than others look upon these things and see then whether you should not do more for God than others First You are the people of his choice when others are but the refuge You are the pillars of his name when others are but broken and uselesse pot-sheards You are the
man have many Sons yet not many heirs 't is his first-born is his heir though a King hath many Sons yet but one King 't is the first-born that is King after him In this refpect Gods children are the first-born for they are all heirs you are all Kings you that are begotten again you are begotten to an inheritance to a heavenly that fadeth noâ—… away Thirdly The first-born had a special blessing Gen. 27. 19. I am Esau thy first-born And you know when Esau knew that Jacob had got the blessing of the first-born he accounted himself undone and he lifted up his voice and wept Brethren you have the blessing Let others glory in their wealth and riches who ever have these benefits 't is you have the blessing Beloved you are the Jacobs when others are the Esaus you carry the blessing of the first-born Nay and God ratisies the blessing on you as that upon Jacob. I have blessed him and he shall be blessed Balaam was sensible of this He hath blessed and I cannot reverse it You that are Gods first-born God hath made you unchangeably happy you are unalterably blessed God hath blessed you and it cannot be reversed Fourthly The first-born did carry the honor and were accounted the excellency and strength of the fâ—…ily Gen. 49. 3. Reuben thou art first-born my might and the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power And God says of his first born as Jacob of his Thou art the excellency of dignity So God sayes of you I will make of you an eternal excellency You know if a Knight have mâ—…ny Sons there is but one Knight And so of a Lord 't is the first-born is Lord after him he carries the honor of the family So you my Brethren you carry the honor you are the onely honorable persons in Gods account Since thou hast been precious in my sight thou hast been honorable And those that honor me I will honor Brethren put this together and see if there be not reason to lift up the praise of God on high and to say Now I will lâ—…t up thine horn on high Surely God hath listed up your horn on high Thirdly You are the first sruits of the Creation Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will beg at he us with his word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures Now there were several things observable in the first-fruits As. First The firâ—…t fruits they were the choice of the fruits And therefore God that did ever require them to bring the best would require them to bring the firâ—…t-fruites of the Creatures Beleivers are the first fruits of Gods works And God sets more value upon this workmanship then upon any thing else beside Other things they shew some footsteps of God but the new creâ—…ture thâ—…t hath the very Image of God and so is the firâ—…t fruit of all The first fruits are of a more higher price and esteem than any other So are you you are those that he cals his excellent ones Those whom he binds up amongst â—…s Jewels The Saints are the desire of his eyes and the joy of his heart Christians I speak this to you and you must apply it You are the desire of Christ Psal. 4. 5. 11. He asks no other portion but you Psal. 2. 8. And you are his delight as well as his desire Prov. 8. The wisdom of the Father from all eternity had his delight in the habitable part of the earth Isaiah 53. He shall see his seed and he shall see of the Travail of his soul and be satisfied You are his seed you are the Travail of his soul. Christ is content and satisfied to have this portion And as the woman forgets her sorrow when she sees her seed that a man child is born so Christ forgets all his pain and trouble when he sees his seed the travail of his soul. Secondly The first fruits were but few in number in comparison of the full number and harvest So 't is here the Saints are but few Thou art the fewest in number of all people saith Moses to Israel so may I say to you you are as two or three Olives upon the uppermost boughs or four or five upon the outmost branches Gods first fruits are but few Ah Christian stand still and admire free grace that thou shouldst be one of this few Christ doth manifest himself to you and not to the world He prayes for you and not for the world you are a peculiar people to him O what a little flock of kids hath Christ in comparison of the herds and droves and swarms that Satan drives before him to destruction and art thou one of that number that stand with the lamb upon mount Sion O how shouldst thou cause the praises of the Lord to be heard they are but few of the number of mankind that are admitted into this grace wherein you stand Therefore as you have special favor from God engage in the praise of God Thirdly The first fruits were holy to the Lord. These God did reserve for himself as it were for his own eating As you know the first fruits are preserved for to be presented to Kings at their table for their eating So are you Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God Psal. 4 〈◊〉 Know ye that the man that is Godly God hath set apart for himself God sayes as it were set this man by for me God says of his sirst fruits these shall be set aside for me These shall be mine Mal. 3. 17. As God would put a special honor upon the Sabbath day above all other dayes because upon this day he rested from his Labor so you are the honor of all the Creation because you are a people that God hath set apart for himself Ah Brethren here is your dignity and priviledge above all people that you are seperate to the Lord that you have special relation to him This makes you to be above all other people because the Sun of Gods favor shines peculiarly upon you Fourthly The first fruits were to be gathered into the Sanctuary Deut. 26. God had in his Temple the Chambers into which was to be gathered the first fruits as peculiarly dedicated unto God So we read in Neh. 12. 44. Thus you are Gods first fruits And God will gather his first fruits into his Chambers into his glory shortly He shall gather his wheat into his garner Math. 3. 12. Math. 13. 30. The husbandman there who is no other than God himself he speaks to his servants that they should let alone the tares for a season and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers gather you together first the Tares and bind them in bundles and burn them but gather the wheat into my Barn This harvest is the end of the world and the angels are the reapers and heaven is the barn and you are the fruits and God will send
for his vineyard here O remember now O people what the enemy consulted and what the Lord answered they said come let us curse Taunton and let us defie the people of God But who shall curse whom the Lord hath not cursed And 〈◊〉 whom the Lord hath not defied God hath blessed and who shall reverse it happy art thou O people who is like thee O Taunton saved by the Lord the shield of thy power the sword of this excellency The archers have shot at thee yet they have not hurt thee Shall I particularize the mercies of God to Taunton why consider he hath been a Savior to you a shepheard to you a keeper to you 1. He hath been a Savior to you He hath saved your throats from the sword your habitations from the flames your lives from the plague your persons from the prison 1. He hath saved your Throat from the sword have you forgotten that you were a people devoted to destruction by the sons of violence but God disappointed them and gave you your lives for a prey 2. Your habitations from the flames The flames have been set in Ambush against you and yet your habitations are not burnt down to this day 3. Your lives from the plague It hath been devoured by the plague heretofore and yet it hath not devoured you How eminently hath God preserved you in this place in the time of common calamity that hath been among others O think not that it was because those were greater sinners than are in Taunton No but because God hath a peculiar intention of saving you Yet I say to you as Christ â—…o them think not that those upon whom the Tower in Siloam fell were greater sinners than any in Jerusalem I tell you nay but except you repent ye shall all likewise perish We have had the same sins and yet God hath preserved us 4. Your persons from the prison How often hath God preserved you he hath been like the cloud upon Israel and upon all the glory there hath been a defence Once indeed some of you have tasted of a prison but what a mercy was it that it was but once I might tell you what a mercy 't is to you that you have not been troubled with the prelates Courts but Secondly God hath been a shepheard to you Therefore you have not wanted VVho is it that drives you by the still waters though you are as a lamb in a large place 't is because God is your shepheard VVhence is it that you lye down in green pastures 't is because God is your shepheard How hath God provided for you formerly and of late Thirdly God hath been a keeper to you VVhen you were sent to prison God did keep you O do not forget the mercies of a prison I beleive that of all the passages of our lives many of us have no such experience of Gods mercy as in a prison O the provision that God did make for us there O the constant meals the sweet meals that God did make for us there Brethren now let us thankfully commemorate all these mercies Let me call upon you as the Psalmist rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous and again rejoyce O ye people let your voyce be heard on high Let us worship and fall down before the Lord our maker Let it be said praise waiteth for thee a God in Taunton VVell might praise wait for God in Taunton for God hath waited to be gracious to us There was the place that he chose to put his name there There break 〈◊〉 the Arrows and the spear VVho is like our God who rideth on the Heaven for our help and on the sky for our aid Blessed is the people that heareth the joyful sound they shall rejoyce in thee O Lord. The Lord is our deliverance and the holy one of Israel is our King Shout therefore O inhabitants of Taunton for great is the work of the Lord with you And now O Lord Bless them and accept the work of their hands and lift them up and let them lift thee up for ever A Sermon preached in order to the Sacrament on a Sacramental day Luke 2. 10 11. And the angel said unto them â—…ear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. MY Brethren good tidings I know must needs be welcome to you at such a time as this Now God hath sent me to you with the most blessed news that ever came to man that is that to you is born a Saviour You have here the History of our Saviours birth The shepheards they were abroad in the fields watching over their flocks by night v. 8. and while they were thus diligent in attending their slocks then the angel brought this news to them From whence observe by the way how good it is to be following our lawful callings The fruits of these tidings was great fear that fell upon the shepheards when they saw the angel And against this fear the angel bid them be of good comfort Then you have here the news behold I bring you good tidings c. where you have observable First Thâ—…e â—…senger the Angel Secondly The fruits of it great joy to all people Thirdly The matter of this news That to them was born a Savior From the words observe this Doctrine Doct. That it is the blessedest news that ever came to the ears of man news worthy of angels from God to be the Messengers of it that unto us is come a Saviour Brethren I must needs commend the Grace of God to me this day in making me the messenger of such news to you as this is I am unworthy to bring you this news it is for angels to bring this news they were sent with this message as you see yet God hath been pleased to send me as a Messenger with these tidings to you Now I shall shew you that this is the best news that ever came to the ears of man and that First If you consider the deplorable condition that he found man in Secondly If you consider what a great salvation he hath wrought for man First If you consider the deplorable condition that he found us in we were all gone out of the way we had fal'n among theeves and between sin and Satan we were robbed and wounded and this Samaritan found us and he cured us and it cost him no less than his own blood So desperate a disease is sin that nothing will cure us but the death of Christ. He found us shut up in sin and were not able to get out and then he roll'd away the stone for us and knock'd off our fetters and wrought deliverance for us This was the misery of mans condition that he was in a helpless condition Rom. 5. 6. There was no possibility for us ever to recover our selves Neither was there help in any
burning so 't is here 't is Christs coming hath sayed us from burning in this 〈◊〉 surnace How terrible this furnace is you may see Rev. 14. 10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of hâ—… indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb and the smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever And they have no rest day nor night O methinks the very sight of this surnace at a distance should startle our Souls and make us list up our hands and eyes and souls and praise the Lord. O methinks we that are the redeemed of the Lord we should stand together about the pit and look down and list up our hearts and praise the Lord. Fourthly From the King of terrors He hath saved you as from the Devil so from Death You know death is the mortal enemy of man 't is his great and last enemy and now this enemy hath Christ destroyed and delivered us from And that both from the sting and victory of it First From the sting of death He hath not delivered us from the stroke of death but he hath from the sting of death When the sting is out the serpent may hisse but he cannot sting Death will put you into the possession of that which Christ hath provided for you so that death now is become desirable now there is beauty in it There is no friend can do that for you that death can do It will at once deliver you from sin and Satan and give you a possession in heaven The Apostle looking upon death through Christ longs for death having a desire to depart c. Phil. 1. 23. This great robber through Christ is become our greatest gain That which would have marr'd us for ever will now make us for ever O that this King of terrors should become desirable what a mercy is this O my beloved did you know what the terrors of death be to an enlightned sinner you would account it a great priviledge to be sree from the sting of death When all his comforts are taking their everlasting farewell of him you would account it a great salvation then When he shall feel death putting in his cold hands and pulling out his heart when he sâ—…ail see his house of his body falling down about his ears and he cannot stay there any longer and he sees the hell-hounds stand about him and waiting upon him to carry him to Hell O what horror doth this work upon his heart this hath Christ delivered us from Death hath lest its sting in Christ it can hurt us no longer Secondly From the victory of death It is true we must lye in the grave for some time yet Christ will fetch us thence in John 6. He promiseth no lesse than four times I will raise them up at the last day And this is the fruit of his purchase 1 Thes. 4. 14. Christs resurrection is a certain pledge of ours so 1 Cor. 15. Therefore let us not fear death but embrace it with comfort for death cannot touch our souls it cannot deliver us over into the second death He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death Therefore let us not fear death but let our slesh rest in hope When we dye we may commit our bodies to the dust with comfort it cannot hurt our souls and it shall keep our bodies but a little while neither God will receive our souls immediately our bodies after a little while How doth Job comfort himself in this I know that my redeemer liveth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my slesh shall I see God c. Thus may we triumph over death that in this flesh we shall see God And though death for the present do make such work upon us and cast us into the grave yet the earth will be but the mould wherein we shall receive a glorious body so that death shall conduce to our great advantage This is no little victory to be able to triumph with the Apostle O death where is thy victory This is no small priviledge Bless your redeemer for this priviledge VVhat a priviledge well this be when all the Sons and daughters of God shall be brought sorth and made to stand up before him then it shall appear that the grave was not able to hold them Then will they triumph and sing songs of salvation when they shall set their feet upon their last enemy death Secondly It will appear what blessed news this is if you consider how he hath saved you He hath saved you two ways by might and by merit â—…irst By merit Brethren your salvation cost your redeemer dear no less a price than his own invaluable blood O believer look upon thy self art not thou a worthless thing to be redeemed with the price of Christs blood O how should we admire the goodness of Christ here we are not worthy that Christ 〈◊〉 sâ—…end one of his thoughts upon us much less that he should spend his blood for us Seconly By might my brethren it was absolutely requisite for our salvation that our redeemer as he should be of infinite merit so of infinite might If he had not been of infinite merit he could never have been purchaser of heaven for us The soul of one man is more worth than a whole world and then what worth or value must that be of that is able to buy a world of souls and yet this purchaser must be able to buy heaven too and this hath Christ done for us Could heaven and earth have done this no no it would have broken them all if they had done it But now Christ hath done all for us and therefore he must be of insinite merit And not infinite in merit onely but might too for he was to bear all the wrath of God and to bring us off with victory If the wrath of Gods finger be so intolerable that it makes poor creatures to cry out under it what is the wrath of his loins and if the wrath of God against one man is so great what is his wrath against so many men VVhen the price was laid down the devil would not yield up his hold till Christ must come and cast him down and pluck us from him And therefore it was necessary that our redeemer should be of infinite power He hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil Ah brethren we may behold the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross bowing himself as Sampson did and pulling down the house about his enemies and carrying away the posts and all and setting us free This is our Sampson that hath carryed all away and destroyed our enemies for us The price was sufficient to satisfie the justice of God for us but when the price was paid and paid to God then
necessarily diverted from writing to you the week foregoing The Lord teach you to live upon these cordials in these sorrowful dayes Fare you well dear brethren farewell in the Lord. I am yours in the bonds of the Lord Jesus Christ. To the much beloved the flock of Christ in Taunton grace and peace Most Loving and beloved YOur prisoner in the Lord hath sent these lines to salute you and to call upon you or rather to beseech you to walk worthy of the high calling in which you re called in Jesus Christ. Beloved our word with you hath not been yea and nay uncertain and unstedfast The prison sounds sorth to you the same doctrine that the pulpit ever did the Lord give you to hear and recieve from the prisoner that which was not so thorowly embraced from the preacher But what doth the prison preach it preaches repentance to you God hath called to you from the pulpit often and now he sendeth to you from the prison that you should repent Who is so deaf as not to hear the louds cals of the living God to England that they should repent you have long had Moses and the Prophets but now the Lord hath sent you as it were what Dives asked that one should come to you from the dead and testifie to you that you should repent From the dead I say for you know that in the sence of the Law your Ministers are dead But being dead we yet speak yea our death our removal our silence doth speak and all speaks the same thing that you should repent O that I could lift up my voyce to you that your streets your houses your ears your hearts might be fil'd with this cry repent O Taunton repent and turn Repent O profane or else your iniquities will be your ruine Repent O professors or else the Lord will not repent of the evil that he is about to bring upon us The Lord now ringeth that thundring peal in your ears Cleanse your hands ye sinners purifie your hearts ye double-minded Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh unto you Be afflicted and mourn and weep let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heaviness Humble your selves in the sight os the Lord and he shall list you up O hear the voyce of the Lord. He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Repent O back sliding Children or else the Lord will fill you with your own wayes Speedily make up the breach and endeavor to repair your decayes to regain your ground and recover your first love O at last bethink your selves from whence you are fallen and repent and do your first works Repent O sluggard when wilt thou awake out of thy sleep what hath God kindled a fire in his Church ready to devour us all and wilt thou sleep with the house on fire about thine ears What wilt thou not ply thy bucket and settle to thy work to purpose wilt thou lye still and see the Tide coming in upon the whatâ—…ot pluck thy handout of thy Bosom nor rise out of thy bed-sloth when the Almighty thunders from heaven and scaters his lightning and and sends abroad the tokens of his displeasure repent O Laodicean The Lord calleth to thee to be zealous and repent Away with this lukewarm profession Away with this heartlesse listlesse livelesse Religion The Lord hates this halting and halving in Religion As good not at all as not to purpose Never dream that lazie wishes and idle complaints and key cold prayers will carry it Judge in your own selves is this the seeking knocking striving fighting running wrestling that the Scripture every where requires as necessary to all that would be saved but especially necessary at such a day of rebuke as this is O quicken your selves call up all your powers and put you every man his strength to the rope Cry mightily as Nineveh did Humble your selves greatly before the Lord as Manasseh did Let prayer be made without ceasing night and day if ever you mean to pray open the prisons and recover your spiritual priviledges Repent O thou of Sardis that hast a name to live but arâ—… dead The name may serve to deceive thy self and to deceive others but God will not be 〈◊〉 ed he searcheth the heart O prepare for â—…is search and for his scrutiny Wo unto thâ—… is he pronounce of thee and write against thee as against â—…elshazzar thou art weighed in the balance and sound wanting Hear the voyce of the living God hear and live Remember what you have received and heard and hold fast and repent and be watchful and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to dye lest the Lord come upon you as an enemy at unawares Repent O worldly professor that hast Christ in thy mouth and Mammon in thy heart Ah what a Demas wilt thou quickly shew thy self except thou repent howsadly will the fears of loosing thy estate betray thee How surely will the cares of this world choak thee how surely will the prevailing love of earthly things undo thee except thou repent O study the vanity and vexation of the Creatures the emptinesse insufficiency transitorinesse of present enjoyments the superlative excellency of Jesus Christ and his exceeding great reward till thy very heart do breath with the Martyr none but Christ and with Paul doubtless I account all things but losse c. O sinner pray over and study over these things till thy heart be brought to a low esteem of perishing things Walk so osten with death till thou art dead to the world and canst look upon it as a man would that should peep out of his grave Repent O sleeper that livest in carnal security and layest not to heart the asflictions of Joseph Doth the whole world ring of Gods Judgments upon England and dost not thou awake yet and call upon thy God is the Church afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted and yet art not thou rouzed up is the ship even filled with water and the disciples crying Master save us we perish and all in jeopardy and yet art thou unasfected is our Lord ready to be betrayed into the hands of Sinners and wilt thou sleep on now art thou not yet come to thy sences Alass that there should be such a disease as security going now at such a time as this now methinks the dumb should speak and the dead should wake VVas the tongue of King Craesus his son dumb from his birth loosed when he saw his Father about to be murdered and shall the Children of Zion see the knife even at the throat or heart of their mother and yet be silent and unmoved but what do I dwell on particulars the Lord calleth on all men every where to repent Repent O ossicers that you have not been so vigilant in the ossices which you have born and in fulfilling the oaths that you have taken in repressing of abounding sins as you should have been This guilt
Christ would content you you are none of his Can you acquiesse no where but in him do your wils cleave to him is he your setled resolved choice against all competitors if so doubtlesse it is well between you and him Thus it must be Christ must have your assent consent The judgement must prize him and the will must chuse him as the chief good Thirdly Let the bent of your affections be to Jesus Christ. Look upon the height of his stature and the goodlinesse of his countenance and you will say surely he is worthy Surely this is the Lords annointed Frequently and throughly view his excellencies till your eye affect your heart Let me set him among the other objects like Saul among the people and I must say to you as Samuel see you him whom the Lord hath câ—…osen There is none like him O let all your affections be moved at the sight of him and shout with the joyful people let the King live let Christ have all Let Sorrow sit with the melting penitent weeping at her Saviours feet Let your strongest â—…urning love be kindled when you do but think of Christ and fire your hearts and so bring them forth as a flaming sacrifice to welcome him Let fear make her obeysance and with humble reverence and lowliest veneration bow the knee of the soul to Zions King Let Joy be triumphant when you meditate on Christ. And call upon the daughters of Musick to praise and celebrate his excellency Let desire be upon the wing and spread the hands and open the mouth wide and pant for him Let the most lively and pregnant hope sit by the way and look for him and wait for his coming And get up in every Ordinance like Zacheus on the Sycamore-tree that he might see Jesus as he passeth by and big with earnest expectation of enjoying him In a word you must see to it that Christ be chief in your affections That he be your chief desire Your chief joy And this will evidence you to be his and without this all is unsound Fourthly Let the Butt of all your Actions be no other but Christ. Whatsoever you do do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here take your aim Here let all your designs meet Hither let all your motions tend That Christ may be magnified in you Phil. 1. 20. This is a mark undeniable But he that hath more eye to the pleasing of men his own advantage or any worldly good than to the pleasing and honouring of Christ is no better than a Hypocrite I must do as much as I can in a little time 't is time now to close I have given you together in these four heads the highest duties and surest characters of every true believer I must add nothing farther but onely to send my prayers after my papers and to let you know the Lords prison is not without his presence and most refreshing influence And that your prisoner is yours in all Bonds Joseph Alleine To the most endearing and beloved people the servants of Christ in Taunton Salvation Most loving and best beloved YOur late most affectionate lines are now in my hands your hearts cannot but be a most grateful and welcome present to me I return you mine not willingly but thankfully rejoycing to be yours while the Lord will your preacher and while the Lord will your prisoner still yours I acknowledge I am not my own If I have any interest in heaven it is yours to be improved for you If I have any talents of goods they are consessedly yours your claim your stock By the grace of God I am what I am I have nothing but what I have received from above and I have received for your use I love to think how much I am yours Make your claim with freedome nothing can please me mâ—…re My â—…rength is yours my labor my liberty my losses yours Ultimately Christs but nextly yours I accept with all thankfullness your manifold respects May whatever honour you put on me reâ—…lect upon Christ whose I am and whom I serve He is all and therefore I must needs be nothing Let no man set me above my place I am too to selâ—…ish to my shame and grief I acknowledge it may your prayers be the cure of it yet surely I should chuse to be lower so Christ might sit the higher in all your hearts I am onely the friend of the Bridegroom My soul rejoyceth to hear how fast you stand how close you cleave to him my Joy is now fullfilled What greater joy to the friend of the Bridegroom than to hear the Bridegrooms voyce how sweetly he converses with his Bride and she with him and to see the sweet passages of love between them when he hath been a means to bring them together This is my joy it refreshes me I am full of consolation to hear how tender he is of you to see him spreading the skirts of his love the wing of his power and care over you Happy thou Who is like unto thee O people A people saved of the Lord the shield of thy strength the sword of thine excellency My dearly beloved let the name of Jesus be more sweet and precious than ever to you Verily I am but his spokesman Forget me neglect me any thing if you will but love him and adore him and admire him the more I rejoyce as to hear the sweet voice of the Bridegroom to you so to hear of your love and 〈◊〉 to him Surely the Lord hath a singular blessing for you Aâ—… poor and despised dâ—…spised the Butt of humane malice the eye-sorâ—… of thy potent enemies The Archers have shot sorely at thee the Hunters have made thee the deere of the Chase singled from the rest of the 〈◊〉 and design'd for the Game for the prey of the â—…ungry pursuers quick upoâ—… the scent following upon the scent with full cry and yet the beloved of the Lord 〈◊〉 in sasety by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covâ—…reth thee all the day long thou dwellest between his shoulders O people of desires hear the â—…rauld of God glorious office Lord how unworthy am I of this strange grace who am not worthy to stoop down and unloose the latchet of thy shooes yet here me as an 〈◊〉 of God unto you O people it is commanded that you kiss the Son That you sall down and worship not the humane Idol but him whom Jehovah hath set up and sworn that every kâ—…e shall bow and every tongue confess to him or be cast into the burning siery surnace os his tormenting wrath seventimes hotter yea seventy times seven than 〈◊〉 was Unto you it is commanded that you receive his mark in your foreheads by open and bold profession in your hands your right hands by suitable works in a holy diligent active conversation above all in your hearts there he must be set as a seal as well as write upon the palms of â—…our 〈◊〉 by most vehement servent affection Let
not where to be better then he will stick resolvedly to him Ioh. 6. 66 67 68. There are two great Pillars upon which Religion stands The one is a belief that God is and the other that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Well let this dwell upon you then that you cannot better your state nor promote your happiness any way in all the world so much as by Religion No pleasure nor profit to that of Religion Riches and honour are with her all her ways are pleasantness she is a tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is he that retaineth her Prov. 3. 17 18. Here is true delight Psal. 40. 8. Rom. 7. 22. Here is meat and drink Iohn 4. 34. work and wages Psal. 19. 11. Pr. 5. That your time is short and your work great and must be done now or never Our Saviour made Religion his business Luke 2. 49. And Oh how busie was he He went up and down doing good and so much was he taken up with his work that he had not time to take his bread yea his carnal friends seeing how earnest he was said he was besides himself and began to lay hold on him Act. 10. 38. Mark 3. 20 21. And what did put him upon this earnest diligence The sense of the shortness of his time Ioh. 9. 4. Oh Sirs remember with him that now you have a day to work in and you have but a day and the night is hasting upon you when there is no work to be done no more praying no more hearing no more exhorting nor admonishing Now serve your generation now exhort one another dayly doe good with your Estates call upon your friends dayly for it must be now or never let it ever dwell upon you That there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grâ—…ve whither thou art going and that will put you upon doing the work of Religion with all your might Be convinced of the weight of your work and that will make you answer intervening disturbance that would take you off as Nehemiah did Chap. 6. 3. Then remember of what dreadfull consequence t is your salvation is at stake and therefore you must work it out with fear and trembling Prin. 6. That except you make it your business all your Religion is in vain While you halt and halve it in Religion you come but half way to heaven Settle it upon your hearts that except you are throughout Religious you are Religious to no purpose Be sure you shall never come to heaven except you seek it in Gods order Mat. 6. 33. First seek c. It were not suitable to the wisdom of God so to undervalue his Christ and glory as to throw them away on those that account other matters better worth their pains and care Rule 4. You must have the love of God and Religion lying next your hearts Love is a busie Grace 1 Thes. 1. 3. Your labour of Love We may say of Love as Solomon of the vertuous woman she layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff she eateth not the bread of idleness she worketh willingly with her hands Prov. 31. Love will constrain you and put you upon a willing and dilligent keeping Gods commandements 2 Cor. 5. 14. 1 Ioh. 5. 3. Get your hearts in love with the Laws and Waies of God who more busie than David Morning evening and noon he was praying and praising yea talking and thinking of God and his ways all the day and all from his love to them Psal. 55. 17. 119. 147. 118. 71. 24. Oh how I love thy Law Psal. 119. 97. Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house Psal. 26. 8. You must beware of taking too much of the world into your hands When a mans heart and head is full as it can hold of worldly care and businesses and he cannot tell which way to turn himself in a crowd and throng of worldly affairs how can the care of Religion live in such a ones heart Luke 10. 41 42. If Martha will trouble her self about many things the ONE THING needfull shall be neglected You must buy and marry and weep and rejoyce and trade and care for these things as if you did it not not laying too much stress upon these things nor engaging too eagerly in seeking after them or else you will neglect the better things and learn to pray and hear and read as if you did it not 1 Cor. 7. 30. T is true that the work of your callings is part of your business for Heaven but then you must be sure to keep your affairs so at command as that you may have so much room for dayly Prayer and Meditation and self-reflection as may season your worldly business with Religion and sanctisie it to you that it may become a help and not a snare Rule 6. You must alwaies work as under your Masters eye When the Masters eye is known to look on there is as much work done in an hour as many times is done in two when the sence of his oversight doth not quicken the workman Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord alwaies before me Rule 7. You must ever carry your eye upon your mark So did Paul in the text I press towards the Mark for the prize of the high-calling of God in Christ The mark that a Believer ayâ—…s at is Gods Glory and his own that God may be glorisied in him and he with God This glorious prize will animate you to your work and swallow up the sense of labour and difficulty and make you for the joy set before you to endure the Cross and despise the shame Heb. 12. 2. Paul carried the Crown incorruptible in his eye and that made him with patience invincible to run and fight and keep under his body 1 Cor. 9. 25 26 27. All the afflictions and reproaches that attended Gods poor people and wayes in the time of their thralldom could not discourage Moses when he eyed the recompence of reward Heb. 11. 25. 26. Keep heaven in sight and your work will go on with pleasure and all your difficulties will seem light and easie and not worthy once to enter into comparison with the expected bliss 2 Cor. 4. 17 18. Rom. 8. 18. Rule 8. You must at the entrance of every action remember the Rules that you are to act by Else in vain doe you receive and lay up Rules if when occasion is you doe not apply them to the particular Case To what purpose have you rules for prayer if you do not remember and use them when you come to prayer To what purpose have you rules to examine your selves by if you do not observe them in examining your selves accordingly As ever you desire to make any thing of your Religion remember when you come to your tables the rules that you are to eat by when you go to your
callings make visits read or hear the word be sure you think on the rules that you are to read by or discourse by or hear by c. You cannot think of God in every motion but with a little pains watchfullness and prayer you may come to this to mind your rule and your end at the entrance of every solemn action And this I desire you to enjoyn upon your selves and take a daily account of your selves how t is performed This would be indeed to keep up the power of Christianity Oh be at the pains to put to this and you will know what it is to walk with God and to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long and will have learnt that happy â—…sson To walk up and down in the name of the Lord Prov. 23. 17. Zech. 10. 12. Rule 9. Be sure every morning to set out to a right point of the Compass If a Man takes a wrong turning and misseth his way at setting forth he goes miserably out it may be a great part of the day cut out your business in the moning and let your aym be well Set the hand of your watch to a right point and wind it up carefully and that will be a means to keep it right â—…oughout the day Never rise from your beds but with some such thoughts as these I will set sorth this day in the name of God Religion shall be my business this day I will surely spend this day for Eternity David would begin with God Psâ—…l 139. ver 18. 5. 3. Rule 10. Let the present days practice be still the meâ—…ding of the past daies errors If you would go through with the work of Religion you must take this course Every evening strictly to examine your selves about your whole carriage that day with reference to your Duties Sins Hearts Tongues Tables Callings as I have otherwhere directed you and when you find your selves tardy in any thing this day be sure to amend it the next day Was the Appetite too much indulged when you sit at meat the next day remember the error and hold the reins faster then Do you find that you were not heavenly in your discourse be sure that you be not caught in the same fault again the next day Have you let loose your Passions or given your tongues the reins be humbled and be sure that you be not caught again the next day in the same fault else to what purpose are all your self-examinations Psal. 119. 59. In vain doe we think on our waies except we turn our feet to Gods Testimonies Rule 11. You must deny your selves and keep under your carnal lusts and affections Where self bears the sway that will set you on work and you shall have enough to doe to follow its carnal designs If you 〈◊〉 your lusts and earnal assections to command you to be sure they will find you work enough you then will have little room and little leisure but these will be all the day long calling upon you to gratifie One while the appetite will be calling and there must be time to give to that what it craves another while revenge will be calling and employing you to contrive how to vent it and give it satisfaction another while pride will set you on work to satisfie that and then lust will be calling that you must gratifie and then covetousness will be chiding that you have neglected it and be putting you on satisfying that Thus your lusts will find you business night and day and your employment will be to make provision for the flesh Rom. 13. 14. Get these therefore under or else the business of Râ—…ligion will never can never go on Psalm 144. 3. Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou makest account of him THe Psalmist in the foregoing words had eminently set forth the strange goodness and Grace of God towards him upon which he breaks out into admiratâ—…n of him that ever God should look upon him What is man c. Hence observe Doct. That it is a wonder above all wonders that ever the great God should make such account of such a thing as man This I shall open to you in these three generals 1. It will appear if you consider what a great God the Lord is 2. What a poor thing Man is 3. What a great account the great God hath of this poor thing Man First If you consider what a great God the Lord is And here I may be confounded to think that I can speak no more of his greatness When I am studying to speak to you of his greatness that comes to my mind canst thou by searching find out God Alas we may all complain as Jobs friends did Job 8. 9. We are but of yesterday and know nothing yet notwithstanding though we are not able to comprehend much less to express the greatness of God yet some thing we may see and accordingly should conceive of it and should labour to set it out to others It is seen in his Works and Word 1. In his Works Herein God doth discover to us his wonderful greatness Job 36. 24. 25. Remember that thou Magnisie his work which men behold Every man may see it man may behold it afar off Man may see afar off if he dâ—… but cast his eye as he runs what a great God that is that made all the world If we doe but cast our eyes upon the Fabrick of the world that he hath made if we look down-ward and see how every creature serveth its end that it was made for if we see how the earth hangs upon nothing if we are in our wits what should we do but praise whatever we are doing whether plowing or eating c. this Hymn is to be sung to him It was he that gave me strength to work and appetite to eat Psal. 19. 1 2. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work day unto day uttereth speech c. Every day cloth preach to us this Doctrine what a great wise good glorious God he is who doth order every season and their occurrences Rom. 1. 20. Dost thou find thy heart begin to be listed up with pride Doâ—…t thou begin to forget thy maker Do but behold his Works see if thou canst do any such thing say let there be light and see whether there will be light Try whether thou canst bring sorth such a thing as this This doth God demand of Iob Chap. 38. But if man cannot come near any of these works of God then let him adore his power and greatness and subject himself to him 2. In his word What glorious descriptions doe we find made of him in the Scriptures Psal. 104. 1. O Lord thou art very great c. Iob. 25. 4 5 6. Man in comparison of God is but a worm a vile worm as the word signifies such a thing is man A worm that is bred
was that found you Christ came from Heaven to Earth to take thee up poor lost sheep upon his shoulders to carry thee to Heaven O be not forgetful â—…ut Rejoyce and be Thankful A Letter sent by him to an Intimate Friend NOw will I make known to my dearest Friend some of the thoughts of my heart this morning besore I begin to write to thee There was once a poor soul imprisoned in 〈◊〉 and clogged with the Iron fetters of corruption that retired within it self and would needs take a view of the best and worst sight iâ—…aginable at once Well he sets open the Floodgates and in he dives into the fathomless depths of an evil heart but there he could sind no bottom Then up he springs and begins to take the Dimentions and view the Massie weight of the Crown incorruptible His heart grew hot within him and while he was musing the fire burned and on a sudden he pathetically smites on his breast and out he breaks into this Language Ah wretch what a sight is here methinks my heart is like the Chambers of Imagery I can turn me no way but the loathsom sight and silthy stench of my Corruptions comes up into my Eyes and Nostrils my pollutions are so â—…oul that I cannot tell how to look upon them and yet so common so universal that I cannot look besides them which way soever I look into my self I can cast my eye on nothing but the loathsome sight of some filthy Ulcer which makes me filthy in my own eyes and how much more to the pure eyes of my spotless maker when I turn my eye inward and go about from Cell to Cell I pass from one to the other and am fain to write Lord have mercy upon me on every dore Every faculty is as a cage of unclean Birds and O the noysome lusts that lodge and live within them I look'd into my memory and O what a Magazine of wickedness was there weak I find it and slippery when any good is committed to it Alas methinks I am like a narrow mouthed bottle that takes in but drops when the bounty of Heaven pours down by showrs Though the dew of Heaven distill as the rain yet how little do I take in how much is spilt besides but yet this is not all there is a leak in my Vessel that lets all that is good run out only the dregs are left behind 'T is little good that I take in amongst a world of evil and presently my Rudder le ts go the good corn and the chaff is kept behind Capacious it is to receive faithful to retain what should be forgotten well thought I I will shut up this but I heard the voice as to the Prophet of old speaking to me turn thine Eyes and thou shalt see yet greater Abominations then these Look into thine understanding But good Loâ—…d what a sight have I here why it is all overspread with Aegyptian darkness yea much more intolerable it being not my plague only but my sin Alas how do I grope about in blindness and ignorance and wander in the path of error and though the light shine in darkness yet the darkness comprehendeth it not How mean and shallow is my capacity so dull that I cannot conceive nor apprehend the mysteries of Godliness but am ready to ask with unskilful Nicodemus what do these things mean what Riddles are many Gospel truths to my soul I am apt rather to dispute them than to believe them as if I had rather judge of things by the light of reasons candle than God's Sun O fool that I am and slow of heart to believe how is my understanding tyed to my senses that I am apt to believe little but what I see what poor low conceptions have I of God how little a portion do I know of him he goeth by me and I see him not he passeth on and I perceive him not how little is it that my understanding will reach too and how grossely do I apprehend and conceive that little Although Christ hath anointed my eyes yet my imperfect sight of the things of the Gospel is like his we read of who saw men walking as trees But you O Blessed Souls who are now in Glory you see face to face what I see in a glass darkly your Sun is risen you see by the clearest Meridian light what I am fain to grope for in the dark those miâ—…s of darkness and ignorance are dispelled from your understandings and you have the blessedness to see what I have scarce faith to believe Thrice happy Souls your day ends not your Sun sets not you have perfect day no clouds overcast you you have perfect knowledge no scruples molest you you are perfect light and perfect life The mysteries hid from us are made known to you your light is increased your capacities are inlarged your vail removed and you are filled with all the fulness of God mysterious Providences are all unravelled to you you see the glorious contexture of every piece and all the art and contrivances of that curious Tapestry of which I can see but here an arm and there a leg and know not how to put passages together nor what to make of them O when shall that which is in part be done away when shall the day dawn and the day star arise in my heart my soul waits for the Lord more than they that wait for the morning yea more than they that wait for the morning Alas how doth my spirit sink oftentimes when I consider the imperfections of my understanding how I am at every turn baffled and posed in my own thoughts and perplex'd in a labyrinth of difficulties out of which I cannot extricate my self Oh when will the time come that I shall see as I am seen and that I shall have all my objections answered my doubts resolved my difficulties removed Ah this cloud of flesh what glory dost thou keep from shining in upon me how can I see through all this dirt well but in thy light Lord I shall see light In the mean while I should be contented if I could walk up to that dim light I have but alas I have so stubborn so head-strong a will that it will not use the light I have my understanding is backward in assenting to the truths propounded but how much more backward is my will in consenting and practising so that I am even like them in the Prophet Brutish in my knowledge Who would believe did they see my coldness and deadnesâ—… in â—…oly Duties how remiss I am when begging pardon of sin for mortifying and quickning grace that I were begging for my life who would think by my negligence in the wayes of God and that wretched indifferency that is in my heart that I did believe the Kingdom of Heaven was to be taken by violence and that the gate was so strait and the way so narrow that leads to life Oh Hypocrisie I preach up diligence