Estate hath not thereupon been changed fully according to our desires and requests then we are to consider Why God hath not heard them to the full what hath hindred them and made them so far forth uneffectual especially whether iniquities and sins have hindred them and if sins whose sins and which of their sins Es 59. 1 2. Marg. 93. All which things being considered 9. And lastly it concerns us to open our eyes to see and to consider what course it concerns us to take hereafter and when what to do what to amend and how what to cease from c. Marg. 94. Now as to the first of these I have known when our Trading was not altogether so dead and so much hindered when many of the poorer sort had more work and many of the richer sort more money when many were better able to maintain their Children and to bind them Apprentices and to furnish them with moneys for Trading and to make them Scholars when many were more able to pay their Rents and other debts when Houses and Lands were set and sold at higher Rates without wronging the Takers and Buyers when the total of our publick Taxes and payments was not altogether so great as now to some it seems to be c. When so many of this Nation were not taken away by the Pestilence and by and in Sea-actions impoverished maimed wounded killed and deprived of their Husbands Fathers Children and Apprentices and when so many Churches and publick Houses and so many private Houses have not been burnt and so much worldly Riches destroyed in London in so few days as of late in 1666. have been But all these and some other evils are common to us with others Prov. 28. 12 28. 2. Some of us have been deprived and do continue destituted of our places of credit and profit and consequently of our Livelihood and maintenance and are forbidden to teach or table Scholars although peradventure we might in that way be somewhat beneficial to the Church and Common-wealth 3. Some of us are separated from London and all other Cities and many Tows which are not Cities c. 4. No private Meetings c. under the pain of Banishment into Forreign Plantations c. 5. If we Administer either of the Sacraments we must pay more than some of us be very well able to spare c. 6. The fellowship which we have had together in the Gospel must be broken oft and the spiritual benefits which we might have gotten by conversing together lost Beside the losses of Luke the 8. 2 3. 7. This is a time of extraordinary Temptations to us and others Many professors especially Preachers are tempted to sin against their Consciences to get places of worldly profit and to bear sinfully with the sins of Professors lest they should lose the help of their Purses others are tempted to avenge themselves to oppress to use cruelty 8. I think the last twenty years and upwards are part of the perillous times whereof St. Paul prophecyeth in 2 Tim. 3. in the first 7 Verses beginning with This know also as speaking of that which is very fit to be known and to be considered very seriously This know also saith he that in the last dayes perillous times shall come For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof which words I do underst and of many of those who have gotten the name of Professors as well as of others and that because so many do walk and behave themselves as if Godliness were of no great power to better a mans conversation 9. If none of the late Decrees and the Outings and Restraints do in any measure directly nor indirectly tend unto the decay of that which the Book of Common-Prayer calls Gods true Religion and vertue yet before the time of the Interruption there were who under the pretence of reconciling two Religions sought to undermine and destroy the better of the twain and in the time of the Interruption Corrupters and new Lights who did hatch Cockatrice Eggs Ranters Familists Quakers and part of that evil work was done I doubt not in Policy of purpose to undermine and destroy Truths In a word there have been these last thirty years and more and still I believe are some whose working partly in the dark hath been and is such that as the Psalmist saith Psal 119. 126. It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void God's Law So may we well say It is time for the Lords Servants to work for and with God for there are some that would gladly destroy the true Gospel So that if the plot to burn and Massacre be but a Dream or meer imagination as I would have Charity not to be suspicious and to think evil 1 Cor. 13. 5 7. without some just cause yet there is cause enough why Professors yea all Protestants and Anti-papists should pull their eyes out of their pockets and carry them in the fore-part of their heads that they may see where to place their feet how to order their goings yea if they can to be altogether as wise as Serpents Mat. 10. 16. yet not to tread in the steps of D. Parry who against all Reason did conspire Treason foul and base And so much be spoken of the first particular A Digression Before I speak of the second give me leave by the way to shew what good use ye who are Professors may make of some things before mentioned in respect of your spiritual Estate as Lot did or might have done of the vexing of his soul with the unlawful deeds and speeches of his Neighbours the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. for thereby he might discern his soul to be a righteous soul and so may ye discern in some measure the temper and disposition of your spirits and consequently your spiritual estate by the movings or stillness of your hearts in this time of such evils hearken therefore I beseech you to that which I shall say unto you especially all those of you who have not hitherto at any time duly tried your spiritual estate which I fear hath been the folly of many Christians 1. Let your Consciences tell you how ye are affected with those things which have of late befallen so many godly and profitable Ministers of Jesus Christ with the loss of their maintenance and their now very low condition Are ye really grieved at it If ye be not ye are but mean Professors Amos 6. 6. 2. How are ye affected with their loss of so many opportunities of drawing so many godless persons out of the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of grace unto Gods honour and the lost sheeps everlasting salvation Is it nothing to you that their Parishes and the Nation and our Lord Jesus Christ have so far lost their Ministery Jude 5. 23. Why Brethren our Saviour and the same mind ought to be in you which
enemies let it appear by their fore-skins as David did that he had slain two hundred Philistims 1 Sam. 18. 27. Make it known I mean by your words and deeds and gestures that your corruptions be mortifyed And be not ashamed to let those with whom ye converse know by your amendments that ye be convinced of your aberrations and failings 1 Tim. 4. 15. but ashamed to continue one day longer in your sins For this base and abominable shamefastness what should I call it hath helped and doth help the devil to keep from bettering their behaviour doubtless many a man and many a woman and some children whose Parents have wanted true christian love to correct them betimes Prov. 22. 6. 13. 24. of whom I was so kept about three days from amending one of my faults Shall I reason with you a little and ask you a few questions hoping that your consciences will do their Office whilst I am doing 〈◊〉 Do not many of you expect to be greatly exalted in this world And whosoever hath this hope in his heart doth it not call upon him to reform his wayes and the wayes of all that are under his authority or power Which if any of you be so dull of understanding as not to believe yet ye know that God commands and calls on us to reform our wayes and that to this Reformation he hath annexed a promise of mercy Prov. 28. 13. Ezek. 18. 21 22 23 27 28. Joel 2. 12 13 14. Jer. 18. 7 8. Can any of you shew me where the Lord saith He will forgive sinners and do them good although they do not forsake their sins Oâ— do any of you hope that he will extend his mercy and forgiveness unto you although ye be not contenâ— to leave yours If any of you have such a hope of what kind is it but a groundless bastard rash rotten hope No no Friend throw away all thy sins and do all thy duties leave not a hoof behind iâ— Egypt Exod. 10. 26. nor so much as one dainty dish on thy Table or iâ— thy â—uttery for the devil and graceless men to feed on Psal 141. 4. Prâ—v 4. 17. Pray to what end do ye keep any of your sins What mean ye to do with them What good work do ye hope to make of or with them What good fruits or benefits have they yielded to you or will they yield to you Rom. 6. 23. Can ye still perswade your minds to be of your opinion that it is a wise pâ—rt to keep some of them and not to let them all go as if a man should keep some money in his purse to keep it warm Do ye think ye shall gain any thing by them which is really good for you and that the loss of them would be a real loss to you Have ye so much wit and so little wisdom as to think so Indeed Friends the leaving of them will be no real loss to you and the keeping of them no real gain I think it agrees not with God's justice and wisdom to suffer men to gâ—in by keeping such base filthy stinking stuff But suppose he should will the benefit of keeping them be better than that which thou mayest get by forsaking them If not thou makest but a sorry bargain And upon what ground wilt thou expect deliverance c Truly I judge it a superlative act of grace and favour and of exceeding great mercy in God to pardon us when we do duly and throughly humble our selves for our sins and forsake them but to desire and expect to have God pardon us all that is past and as it were to license us to go on still in our sins this I may well account a most horrible and absurd thing even an abomination of Desolation and Destruction 1. Take thou heed then of sending a Message after Christ by thy sins saying I will not have Christ to reign over me Luke 19. 14. For the doom of such is Those mine enemies who would not that I should reign ever them bring hither and stay them before me v. 〈◊〉 2. Yea Take heed lest thy sins should as it were steal to heaven whilst thou art asleep in the cradle of security lest they come up for a memorial of thy naughtiness before God as the prayers and alms of Cornelius did come up before God for a memorial of his goodness Act. 10. 4 31. 3. Take heed lest the good desires and purposes and motions which the good spirit of God hath and shall stir up in thy heart and which thou hast or shalt drown in carnaâ— delights and pleasures Amos 5. 1 4 5 6. or choke with the cares of this life and the deceiâ—â—ulness of riches Mat. 13. 7 22 Luke 21. 34. or quench with the stinking water of thy daily sins or by neglecting them not nourishing and maintaining them by adding fewel to them and by blowing them 1 Thess 5. 19. take heed I say lest such motions as these of whose destruction thou hast mâ—de or shalt make thy self guilty lest they call unto God against thee as the blood of murthered Abel did against his brother Cain Gen. 4. 10. 4. Take heed thou be not like those children of Belial who despised the earthly King whom the Lord had set over them and brought him no presents 1 Sam 10. 27. For if ye bring the King of Saints very fâ—w or no presents or only such wherein he delighteth not I cannot promise you that he will hold his peace as King Saul did Psal 2. 11 12. Isa 1. 11 14 15. 5. Take heed it be not written in a Book that it may be for ever and ever that ye be children of Rebellion lying children children that will not hear the Law of the Lord who say to the Prophets prophecy not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophecy deceits c. Isa 30. 8 9 10 11 c. 6. Take heed of saying This or that is a hard saying who can hear it Joh. 6. 60. that is endure to hear it 7. Take heed of looking too much to the hearts tongues and hands of men and too little to the Lord. For 2 Chron. 12. 2 3. it is not said that Shishak King of Egypt came up against Jerusalem because he was angry with them but because they had transgressed against the LORD Let us therefore imitate the true Church Mic. 7. 7 8 9 10. 8. Take heed of TEKEL which was one of the words that were written on the wall of Belshazzar's Palace and signifies Thou art weighed in the balanâ—es and art found wanting too light Dan. 5. 27. 9. Take heed lest thy incorrigibleness help to make this time such to England or the Professors of England as that 2 Chron. 36. 16. c. the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people till there was no remedy c. O what a word was that Till there was no remedy
A GLASSE AND SALVE FOR PROFESSORS Held to them By William Voile Minister of the Gospel James 1. 23 24. If any be a hearer of the VVord and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was Revel 3. 18. Anoint thine Eyes with Eye-salve that thou mayest see London Printed for the Author 1668. WILLIAM VOILE A Servant of Jesus Christ in the Ministry of his Gospel To all those of His Majesties Subjects that are called Professors because they do profess or practice the Protestant Religion in a way more or less differing from the most common way Greeting BEloved it is now above forty nine years since I was first a Preacher since which time I have had so much and such communion with the Professors of England and Wales that I have attained much knowledge of Professors of most wayes in the Protestant Religion and committed very many of my Observations to writing especially the faults of them I have preached to Professors and heard others preach to them and considered my own preaching and theirs what and how we have preached and the success of our preaching I have hearkened and heard and seen and considered who have preached aright or made such use as ought to be made of that which hath been preached and who hath repented and reformed Jer. 8. 6. The resu't whereof was this I looked on the sins of Professors as the procuring cause of their Troubles and Afflictions and the greatest let of their Prayers 〈◊〉 the liberty and Peace of Professors and judged it a work fit for Preachers to exhort Professors not only to humble themselves for their sins and failings but also to strive and give diligence to cease from them and to reform their wayes according to the word of God universally without any exception or reservation Which Truths I did also publish about two years since in an Eminent City and have now by this honest Treatise endeavoured to make them known to others and to shew you the ends and meaning of our heavenly Father in chastising you and me to the end that ye may hear his Rods with understanding and him who hath appointed them Mic. 6. 9. and so as to submit your selves to him unreservedly Jam. 4 7. to do and to leave undone altogether according to the Message which he hath sent you And I beseech you all by the mercies of God let me obtain these requests of you 1. Let me not be accounted an enemy to any of you because I judge rightly of the greatest and most perillous of your enemies your sins and because I tell you of them for I do this to warn you of your danger that you may judge your selves and abstain from your sins that ye may not be condemned with the World Gal. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 11. 32. 2. Strive in your prayers unto God for me as one of your faithful friends that whilst I live on earth I may be throughly willing and well able to do Jesus Christ and his Church service 3. For the honour of the most high God and the credit of his Gospel and your own good and the good of your Posterity Deut. 5. 29. and of all Christs people use the most effectual means ye can to perswade and induce every one himself and all those to whom I haâ—â— directed this Epistle to peruse this Treatise all over and that seriously and in the fear of God and in much Humility consulting with God and one with another about it and praying fervently unto God to give them a right understanding and a sound judgment and resolving with a strong resolution by Gods assistance to do the will of God unreservedly For this is the way to know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or not John 7. 17. Beloved I shall hope that this work of mine will in some measure help to open the eyes of the blind and to cause the lame to walk and the dumb to speak and that by my means among other good works very worthy men that are dead shall speak unto you words very good to the use of edifying which no man else will help them to speak unto you The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen A GLASSE and SALVE FOR PROFESSORS BEloved Brethren and Sisters rich and poor hearken Although the great God in whose hands the times of all the Creatures are Psal 31. 15. changeth not Mal. 3. 6. but is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. and albeit the darkness and the light be both alike to him Ps 139. 12. yet the Creatures are changeable and actually changed and their times are not all of one and the same sort To the posterity of Adâ—m there is a time to get and a time to lose a time to laugh and a time to mourn times of health and times of sickness a time to live and a time to die Eccl. 3. 1. c. Men and Women have good dayes 1 Pet. 3. 10. and evil dayes Eph. 5. 16. and perillous times 2 Tim. 3. 1. c. and in Solomons language Eccl. 7. 13 14. dayes of Prosperity and dayes of Adversity Where he counselleth us ver 14. To consider the work of God D. We ought to consider the works of God of all sorts and v. 13. In the day of Prosperity to be joyful D. Times of Prosperity do in a special manner call for joy and in the day of adversity to consider D. meaning that As we ought to consider in times of all sorts so especially in times of Adversity And such is this time to this Nation especially to them who are called Phanaticks and among them to us who have been Ministers of the Gospel Quest And what ought we to consider in this time of Adversity Answ These nine things 1. The severals whereof our Adversity consisteth Marg. 3. 2. That no part of it came upon us without God Mat. 10. 29 30 31. but every part of it according to his providence and the counsel of his will Eph. 1. 11. Marg. 11. 3. That our heavenly Father in giving way to men c. hath not dealt unjustly with us nor done us any wrong Marg. 16. 4. That in afflicting us he hath done wisely and therefore afflicted us for fit ends Marg. 18. 5. We must consider Why and for what ends he hath afflicted us Marg. 18. These five things we ought to consider that we may not despise his chastening Prov. 2. 11 12. nor harbour hard thoughts of him and that we may discern what course to take for the bettering of our Estate 6. We ought to consider what means we have used to better it or to prevail with God to better it Marg. 90. 7. We must consider the success and issue of those means how far we have prevailed by using them and how far not Marg. 92. 8. If our
was in him Ph. 2. 5. 1 John 3. 3. he had compassion on those who were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd and thereupon said unto his Discipâ—es The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest to send forth labourers into his Harvest Mat. 9. 36 37. Verily those of you friends who are not sorry for the outing of so many Ministers of that sort in regard of their great Master Jesus Christ their Parishes and the Nation and the Preachers personal losses all such of you are sorry Professors 3. How do your hearts stir within you every one in regard of his own particular estate Are any of you glad that ye are likely to hord up the more money c. do any of you fear the departure of the five miled Ministers will be a considerable dammage to you in your spiritual estate For Job did esteem Gods word above the necessary food of his body chap. 23. 12. and the Lord by Amos chap. 8. 11 12. speaks of a famine of hearing the word as a more mischievous famine and evil than that of bodily food and Isa chap. 30. 20. saith to Gods people And though the Lord gives you the bread of Adversity and water of Affliction yet saith he to sweeten their sufferings thy Teachers shall not be removed into a corner any more but thy eyes shall see thy Teachers Beloved Job dwelt where there were no great store of good Professors to counsel and encourage him and to be a good example to him Buâ— he was taught of God to have due respect to his own spiritual welfare which many have not yet learned to have 4. Are ye grieved in heart that ye have not made better use of the opportunities which ye have had or might have had of conversing and conferring with godly Ministers concerning your spiritual estate 5. What use are ye resolved to make of them hereafter before they be enforced to leave you For a wise man will make use of skilful and conscientious Physicians concerning his body and of such Lawyers concerning his worldly estate whilst they dwell near him especially when he knows or fears they will shortly go to dwell far from him But truly I cannot say I have observed such Ant-like good Husbandry to have been much practised of Professors Prov. 6. 6 7 8. 6. What course do you purpose to take for your spiritual welfare and the good of your souls when such Ministers are departed and gone from you 7. How oft and how heartily have ye hitherto pray'd for them and given thanks to God for them as men who have broken to you the bread of everlasting life What have ye asked of God for them Are ye resolved to pray for them hereafter What and how frequently do ye purpose so to do 8. Have any of you blamed any of them for not dealing more faithfully or more plainly with you concerning your sins Col. 4. 17. 2 Tim. 5. 1. So much by the way for your good 2. In the second place we are all to consider that all the aforesaid evils came upon us not without our Heavenly Father but according to his Government 1. Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble come out of the ground Job 5. 6. 2. God is present every where in all places and sees hears and knows all the words and thoughts of the children of men Psal 139. 7. to the 12. Heb. 4. 13. So that he cannot be ignorant of any thing which is done spoken or devised concerning us or any of us 3. Power belongeth unto God Psal 62. 11. and so belongs unto him that in the holy Scriptures the Kingdom and the power is said to be his Mat. 6. 13. and so that he is called the only Potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. and all the Nations of the earth compared to him said to be as a drop of a Bucket or as the small dust of the ballance yea before him as nothing yea to him counted less than nothing and vanity Es 40. 15 16 17. and his hand is not shortened or weakened that it cannot save Es 59. and when he is pleased to work none can turn it back and hinder it Es 59. 1. 43 13. and if he be for us none can prevail against us Rom. 8. 31. neither can God be compelled to do any thing or to leave ought undone or to yield or give way to the desire or purpose of any creature or creatures to do any thing 4. Neither can any thing befall us without God without his Providence All our times are in his hand Psal 31. 15. All good things and all Afflictions do proceed out of his mouth Lam. 3. 38. that is according to his secret appointment either acting them or voluntarily permitting them and giving way to the desires and purposes of creatures to act them Neither is there any evil that is Affliction in a City or in the Country which the LORD hath not done Amos 3. 6. Even Satan with all his strength and cunning could not afflict Job in any kind in the least measure without a Commission from the Almighty nor when he had a commission from him go one inch beyond it Job 1. and 2. Neither could the Devils enter into the Swine untill Jesus Christ gave them leave Mark 5. 12 13. And the Government of God is extended to the smallest matters as Lots Prov. 16. 33. a Sparrow falls not to the ground without him Mat. 10. 29. and the very hair of our head are all numbred v. 30. and do not fall from us without him The LORD also Es 45. 7. saith I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the LORD do all these things and Lam. 3. 37. We see that whosoever saith this or that shall come to pass it cometh not to pass unless the Lord commandeth it as David said of Shimei The LORD hath bidden him saying curse David 2 Sam. 16. 10 11. and whatsoever the LORD pleased that he did saith the Psalmist in Heaven and in Earth in the Seas and in all deep places Psal 135. 6. He is able to give a new heart and a new spirit to the greatest sinners to blasphemers oppressors perjured persons and persecutors as he did to Adam and Manasses and to Saul afterwards called Paul yea of stones to raise up Children to Abraham Mat. 3 9. and without that blessed change to restrain and repress the lewd desires and affections and purposes of Heathens and Idolaters during what time soever he pleaseth For he promised the Israelites that at the three high Feasts of the year when all their Males were to appear before the LORD no man should desire their land Exod. 34. 23 24. and Solomon saith when a mans wayes please the LORD he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. Job 1 21. 2. 10. 2 Sam. 12. 11 12. 1 Kings 22. 19 24. Psal
meer Formalists and wholly destitute of true godliness which therefore I believe see Marg. 125 126 127 128. 2. I believe God hath and doth afflict many godly persons for all the rest of the ends excepting the 21 and 22. And if any think God hath done it to drive pride out of very many of us I shall readily and chearfully subscribe to that but with this earnest request to every one that is of that opinion to consider as wisely as he possibly can whether he be one of them but whether we shall be exalted or no I know not To speak more plainly True it is speaking in a general manner the sins of the Nation in general may well be looked on as the cause of the common calamities of the Nation But As for the afflictions and grievances which are peculiar to us who are called Professors and Phanaticks the most forcible and prevalent cause of the beginning and continuance of them the strongest impediment of our Petitions for Liberty Peace and Prosperity the causa sine qua non the cause without which things would not be with us as they be and that hath the most considerable hand in with-holding good things from us is I believe the sins of Professors And because men be ap◠to look on the faults of others too much and on their own too little and to impute calamities common to themselves with others in too great a measure to the sins of others and in too small a measure or not in any measure at all to their own sins Therefore I beseech all you who are Professors to use great diligence to find out your sins and to know every one of you in particular what hand his or her sins have had in this evil work Now for the ends whereat our heavenly Father shoots in the Afflictions and Troubles which are peculiar to us I verily believe they be these 1. By them to exercise and try our Faith Zeal for Christ Humility Patience and other graces and our spiritual gifts Lam. 3. 39. c. Heb. 12. 11. Ps 11. 5. Jer. 20. 12. Dan. 12. 10. Zech. 13. 9. Job 1. 2. 1 Pet. 5. 6. that we may know whether our graces be true graces or not c. 2. To make us see the benefits and use of grace and of the assurance of Gods favour more distinctly and clearly than we have seen them in the times of our prosperity 3. To purifie and make us white Dan. 12. 10. Mal. 3. 2 3. 4. To work in us patience and experience of Gods love and gracious assistance and hope a well-grounded and solid hope whereof we shall not be ashamed For tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope c. Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Jam. 1. 3. and to stablish strengthen and settle us 1 Pet. 5. 10. 〈◊〉 we may cleave to our Saviour Jesus Christ with 〈◊〉 purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. and seek for glory and honour and immortality by patient continuance in well-doing Rom. 2. 7. following the Captain of our salvation through thick and thin whithersoever he goeth not being overcome by either fair words or frowns and to make it appear to the world that our Lord Jesus Christ hath such faithful servants which will be unto his praise and honour and glory 1 Pet. 1. 7. and unto the credit of the Gospel 5. By the Rods wherewith God hath been and is pleased to whip and scourge us he calls upon us Mic. 6. 9. To consider our wayes and hearts exactly to accomplish a diligent search to find out our sins and corruptions Lam. 3. 39. 40. Ps 119. 59. and considering what evil and bitter fruits they have brought forth to God and to us to humble our selves under the mighty and correcting hand of God 1 Pet. 1. 6. more particularly and more deeply than formerly and accepting the punishment of our iniquities with the whole heart Lev. 27. 41. 6. To reform our conversings with God and man and our behaviour universally without exceptions or reservations and especially to purge and drive away our pride all this unto the honour of God and the bettering of our spiritual estate and the encreasing of our consolation 7. To learn to use liberty and peace and all kinds of prosperity well Phil. 4. 12. to make better use of them than many of us have heretofore and altogether as we ought to use prosperity 8. To give due diligence which I fear many of us have not yet done to make our effectual Calling and Election unto everlasting life sure 2 Pet. 1. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. and to know assuredly that God is our Father and that those of us who have no true Holiness may exercise themselves more frequently and more seriously in the means to get some 9. It may be God exerciseth some of us by light Afflictions to prepare and fit us for greater and sorer sufferings 2. Tim. 3. 12. Acts 14. 22. Rom. 2. 7. or to press us to cry mightily unto God to prepare the called chosen and faithful spoken of Rev. 17. 14. that so we may have a hand in the ruine of Babylon or peradventure to prepare us or our Children to be members of the Church of Christ when its glory and splendor shall 〈◊〉 that of Heaven Hitherto of 〈◊〉 our Afflictions Now for this that Professors sins be 〈◊〉 greatest hinderance of Professors Petitions for liberty and peace c. I have thought good to shew the Reasons of my belief thus reserving to the last place those which some will look on as having most of reason in them 1. First consider I pray what I have already said Marg. 16. of the Birth iniquity and the unavoidable fruits of it to shew that God hath not dealt unjustly with us in afflicting us but consider further concerning sin in general 2. Every sin is a transgression of the Law of the most high God 1 John 3. 4. which Law because he made it cannot but be holy and just and good Rom. 7. 12. and all his precepts concerning every thing right Psal 119. 128. and for the same reason because he is the Lawgiver therefore whatsoever sin is committed against his Law is committed against him and if I may speak so as they speak of earthly Kings against his Crown and Dignity and the true God being no little God but infinitely great therefore although sins being compared one with another some of them be lesser than other yet the least of them is a great sin and a great evil because committed against a great God Yea beloved as wrongs done to men are judged to merit lesser or greater punishments according to the worthiness Authority and merit of the party wronged whether he be a Constable Justice of the Peace Privy-Counsellor or of some other Rank so whereas all the Nations of the earth compared to God be as a drop of water of a Bucket and as the small dust of the ballance yea as nothing yea as less
the Younger I say we should attribute the prevailing of Satan contrary to our prayers rather thâ—n to these and the rest of our sins whereof we had not duly repented and taken due care to forsake 2 Cor. 12. 20. 21. This sinful and pernicious silence was too common in those dayes as it is in these notwithstanding it is contrary to the true meaning of the special Covenant which hath been entred Beloved Friends it hath been and is one of the too common faults of Professors Ministers and others to receive or let pass as true Christians all that cease from gross sins hear Gods word keâ—p up Gods worship in their Families and use to go to meetings which yet is but a form of godliness and without a more full reformation of our wayes to better than a bribe offered to the judge of all the earth to blind his eyes or stop his mouth or turn back his hands from striking us and the great God who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work even his own children 1 Pet. 1. 17. he will take no Bribes Deut. 16. 19. 2. So that it concerns us to learn how to open our eyes to see our sins both open and secret and particularly the iniquity of our holy things And first for the defects and faults of our Prayers 1. Some of us I believe many of us have no grace at all Marg. 125 116 127 128. and therefore do pray out of Christ and without Christ John 15. 5. without faith without humility Jam. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Without repentance without the love of God without godly fear c. Heb. 12. 28. and therefore also when they pray they do regard iniquity in their hearts Psal 66. 16. and pray without due respect to God and his Church Jam. 4. 3. Hos 10. 1. 2. I believe concerning many regenerate persons that unbelief and pride do prevail much in their prayers that they do oft come short of serving God in their prayers with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12. 28. and oft come near that which David in Psal 66. 18. calls the regarding of iniquity in their hearts which is when a man will keep this or that sin whether God will hear his prayers or not I do also fear that many a godly man prays unto God now and than in words to do this or that for his Church whilst with his heart he aims at his own good only without due respect to Gods honour and the well-being of his Church which I conceive to be the iniquity spoken of Jam. 4. 3. For whatsoever a man asks of God immediately for himself he ought to ask for God also viz. to the end he may be the more willing or the more able or have the more opportunities to promote Christs interest or to some such end For all things are as of God and through God so also for God Rom. 11. 36 So that whethâ—r we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we ought to do all to his glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. And as all things do work together for good to them who love God Rom. 8. 28. so we ought in most of our Petitions for our selves if not in all to aim at the good of those who love God I think so Secondly as to our Fasts they are as many of us use them 1. Too like a sudden Land-floud which is quickly gone into the River and the ground anon after almost as dry as at the beginning of the storm For so the shews which some make at Fasts of sorrow and mourning are soon turned into Feasting carnal jollity Jam. 4. 9 and vain communication 2. So that I fear they be too like the penances and scourges of some Papists which they use to the flesh Gal. 5. 13. But to speak more generally many of us in respect of our forms of godliness are too like the Jews in Es 58. who did seek God after their manner daily and ask of him with their mouths the Ordinances of Justice and afflict their souls with fasting bowing down their heads as Bulrushes and spreading sackcloth and ashes under them and make a shew of delighting to know Gods wayes and in approaching unto God all which did not prevail with God to case them of their grievances and afflictions ver 3. And why even because they did not forsake their sinful practises but went on still in them Psal 68. 21. And hence it is that the Lord 1. Commands the Prophet to cry aloud to lift up his voice like a Trumpet and to shew them their sins and transgressions and that ver 3. he spreads before them a particular of their Trespasses and signifies to them that it is a foolish and fond thing for them to think that it is enough for them to afflict themselves now and then for a day and there 's an end of the business 1 Tim. 4. 8. as if God would approve and accept of Fasts and hear Prayers when they be not joyned with sincere repentance and amendment of life as also he mentions some of the most considerable sins of the Jews at that time as fittest to be insisted on which I believe is the cause why David Ps 24. 4. mentioneth the lifting up of the soul unto vanity and swearing deceitfully and why Mic. ch 6. 8. mentioneth doing justly and loving mercy and humbling our selves to walk with God or walâ—ing humbly with God O that our Preachers at time would be perswaded to imitate them viz. to tell them who hear them preach punctually and plainly of the most considerable of their iniquities and if doing so will not cause them to reform all their wayes speedily then to cry aloud unto them and to deal faithfully and plainly with them concerning their sins and abominations and not to cease from reproving untill they have drawn or driven them out of all their unwarrantable practises Lev. 19. 17. 2 Tim. 4. 2. as Acts 12. 5. For Mic. 6. 6 7. the graceless man is represented as it were acting his part upon a stage and his business is to please God and to obtain pardon of his sins and to that end to bestow somewhat on God Neâ—ther is he altogether empty of good words he calls him whose savour he seeks JEHOVAH twice and the most high God and speaks of bowing himself before him and of being at great cost with him of buâ—nt-offerings thousands of Rams ten thousands of Rivers of Oil yea of giâ—ing his first born for the sin of his soul which is more than much money given to godly Preachers but not one word of leaving his sins and doing his duâ—y And therefore it is that he who answers him shews him wâ—aâ— is good in the sight of the LORD and what he requires of him namely to do justly and to love mercy and to humble himself to walk with his God So that this is as a Touch stone to Gold the abandoning of all our sins and the cleansing of all our wayes
this Luke 13. 1 2. 3. Mortifie all the members of the old man the flesh with all the affections and lusts even all thy ungodly lusts Col. 3. 5. Eph. 5. 24. For this work some of Dr. Prestons Sermons are of very good use 4. Give due diligence to be exercised under the chastening hand of God to the bettering of thy spiritual estate Heb. 12. 10. 11. 5. Draw near to God oft Psal 73. 28. Jam. 4. 9. viz. to hear his word by prayer but be sure when thou drawest nigh to him to sanctifie him I mean to testifie to thy own conscience the high account which thou makest of his Holinest by thy holy and reverend usage of the holy things which I take to be the sanctifying of the LORD Lev. 10. 3. See how they be like to fare that do draw nigh to the LORD and not sanctifie him v. 1 2 3. 6. Seek unto God to work for thee and thy brethren seek his favour and help but seek it according to his will revealed in the holy Scriptures that he may hear thee and thy brethren Hos 5. 15. 6. 1 2 3. 1 Joh. 5. 14 15. 7. Let thy heart be prepared unto this work Psal 10. 17. yea and thy wayes also But if thy heart be thy wayes will And here consider 1. When the peoples hearts were prepared then God hearkened to Hezekiahs prayer for them and healed them in respect of their discomforts fears and discouragements 2 Chron. 30. 18 19. 2. Jotham King of Judah became mighty because he prepared his way before the LORD his God 2 Chron. 27. 6. Remember this 3. If a man doth purge himself from his wood and earth he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 20. 21. All of you remember who said When the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth Luke 18. 8. Stir up faith in thy own heart and in the hearts of thy fellow-professors to look on and expect better times as if they were visible to the eyes of the body or coming within a few leagues of us and wait for them with patience Heb. 11. 1 13. Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21 22. 8. 25. and shew thy self resolute and couragious when there is cause as if thou wert in no danger Let it appear before the sons of men that thou trustest in God Psal 31. 19. I shall now speak of some things which I think may conduce more to the bettering of thy estate than some it may be think they do 1. Train up thy children and servants to the uttermost of thy abilities in the way wherein they should go Prov. 22. 6. 2. See that thou canst render a good reason for all the parts of thy Non-conformity 3. When thou prayest be sure to serve God in thy prayers and to pray for God Prov. 16. 4. I mean with due respect to his honour and glory and aiming at it Jam. 4. 3. 4. Apply thy self to God with earnest prayers and bearty thanksgivings for the Church of God the Nation the Governours of it the Parliament forreign Plantations the People of Christ in all Countreys converted and unconverted and enemies and persecutors if there be any It may be God doth not grant the requests which some make to him for themselves because they do not love and pray as they ought for others even their enemies Mat. 5. 44. Luke 23. 34. Act. 7. 60. And as for our King who knows whether he be come to these Kingdomes to do very much good for the Church of God 5. Receive no manner of person as a Brother because he is against some of the things of the Church of England but rather learn how to behave thy self towards Familists Ranters Triumphers Quakers Swenkfildians 2. Tim. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 10 11 12 13 14 15. 2 Joh. v. 10 11. Jude v. 10 12 13. 6. Think it more necessary to amend thy manner of praying and fasting than to make long prayer or to pray or fast ofener Friends I would gladly have you all amend your conversation and walk more accurately and precisely Give me leave to put you in mind among other things of that which may possibly move you so to do 1. What if ye knew good cause to be confident that ye should have liberty and peace and worldly prosperity and be freed from all grievances and that God would not at all punish or chastize you for your sins Would it then be to your hurt to amend your behaâ—iâ—ur upon the admonition or request of an old man and to fill his heart with gladness at the age of 72 For in the sight of God it is good so to do Mic. 6. 8. And the Proverb saith Every thing is the better for the amending and the wisdom which is from above is tractable easie to be entreated Jam. 3. 17. viz. to do that which is good in God's sight tending unto his honour or the good of any of hâ—s people Yea the Lord doth require of me and of all you to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3. 18. to make streight paths for our feet Heb. 12. 13. to walk circumspectly accurately precisely Eph. 5. 15. to cause our moderation and other graces to be known to all men Phil. 4. 5. and to let our light to shine so before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our Father who is in heaven Mat. 5. 16. What 's become of this Light where and when shines it Verily the light of many Professors is a very dim light and scarce visible in their conversings excepting the daily pract se of their forms of Godliness and a few other good words at times We had some not long since who were called new Lights of that kind of Lights I desire no more but such as John Baptist was burning and shining lights Joh. 5. 55. such as burn inwardly with true zeal and shine outwardly by and in good works Also the great God commands us to wash our selves so as to make our selves clean to put away the evil of our doings from before his eyes to cease to do evil and learn to do well c. Isa 1. 16 17. and our most dear Friend Jesus Christ teacheth us to do singular things more than others Mat. 5. 47. and tells us plainly that except our righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 19. And how must it exceed their righteousness chiefly by believing in Jesus Christ and by purging the heart from all spiritual 〈◊〉 and by judgment and mercy Mat. 23. 23. Why Friends the ungodly man in Mic. 6. 6 7. speaks of himself as content to purchase God's favour and a pardon of his sins at a very great price only he speaks not of leaving his sins and doing his duty beyond whom ye must go in being thoroughly content to part with your
sins and to do your duty or else suffer whâ—t ye are unwilling to suffer But the love of Christ in dying for poor miserable sinners when they were without strength to help themselves and unworthy to be pitied and helped constraineth those who live by and through him not to live to themselves but to him who died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. 2. Brethren ye ought to reform your conversings universally and unreservedly compleatly 1. That your sins may be blotted out c. Act. 3. 19. 2. That ye may attain that great salvation Prov. 28. 13. 2 Cor. 7. 10. 3. That ye may be vesseâ—s unto honour meet for the Masters use 2 Tim. 2. 21 22. 4. That ye may be blameless and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of the Nation among whom ye live Phil. 2. 15. 5. That ye may be able to pray as the Psalmist prayes Psal 119. 28 41 58 76. 107 116 154 169 176. 6. That your prayers may be the more effectual and of the greater force towards the near-approaching destruction of Babylon and the hastening of Christ's reign on earth if he shall reign here otherwise than now he doth either in person or by the Saints and the coming down of the holy City the new Jerusalem from God out of Heaven when the glory and and prosperity of the Church militant on earth shall be next to that of the Church triumphant in Heaven against which time we ought to be prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Eph. 5. 27. Rev. 21. 1 2. Do not these things require an exact and plenary Reformation even the cleansing of our selves from all filthiness both of the flâ—sh and spirit 2 Cor 7. 1. and the keeping of our selves unspotted from the world Jam. 1. 27. I think they do 3. But let me shew you wherefore I think that of the Professors in England many be meer Formalâ—sts and many born again who are one or more degrees too short of that exact and even walking which is called for Eph. 5. 15. Heb. 12. 12 13. First Solomon Prov. 16. 7. saith When a mans wayes please the LORD he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him If this Scripture be of no great force now to make us fear that the waies of many Professors do not please the Lord I pray God we may not be as it were enforced to fear it hereafter by the encrease of our afflictions Secondly it is something to my purpose which we read of the weakness and failings of the twelve Apostles in the Histories of the Gospel and of Paul or Barnabas Act. 15. 16. c. and of Peter and Barnabas Gal. 2. 11. c. and in the Scriptures of the failings of others whereof I have named many Marg. 32 33 34. The Scriptures do witness that God's Covenant-servants yea his holy servants have missed it in a considerable measure before the Law and under the Law and under the Gospel 2. The devils are as malicious as cruel as strong as cunning as industrious and watchful as they have at any time hitherto been and if they have not gotten some skill by experience as some think they have yet if this be part of the time prophecied of Rev. 12. 12. the devil is very wroth against the Church of Christ more wroth than he hath ordinarily used to be And for the flesh in us that is by nature in respect of Temptations the same in all men and there is some quantity of it in the best men Gal. 5. 17. And the world that also is as to the tempting of men with its baits and allurements speaking in a general manner the very same which it hath been from the beginning only it is much fuller of such traps and snares than formerly So that an understanding and impartial stranger may think we have been and be as likely to trespass against our God as his servants of old have been 3. Is not this part of the time concerning which the faithful and true witness foretold Mat. 24. 12. that iniquity should abound and the love of many wax cold I believe it is and part of those perillous times which Paul prophecied of 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. and that the Formalists there spoken of be many of them such as have a spacious and specious form of godliness yea that many of them be men and women of this Nation because it hath so huge a multitude of Professors For the fuller any Countrey is of such the more probable it is that there be among them many meer Formalists But 4. my own experience and observation in near 50 years the unfit words which I have heard with my ears and the actions which I have seen with my eyes and that which I have heard of credible persons and my rational conjectures these do tell me that it may be very truly said of many Professors which Moses spake of the Israelites Deut. 29. 4. that they have not a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day For many Professors do so behave and carry themselves as if the forsaking of some gross sins entring into an excellent way of the Protestant Religion a partial form at home and going to Meetings were the four integral parts of godliness Insomuch that when there was a report that the Act of the Ministers removal five miles was rerejected there came to my mind according to that which I feared would come to pass the word of the LORD Jer. 37. 10. Though yeâ— had smitten the whole Army of the Caldeans that fight against you and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise up and bâ—rn this City with fire 4. But let me speak somewhat more of the Holiness and prosperity of the Church of Christ before and after the fall of Babylon I cannot but expect a greater Reformation than I yet see of the conversings of Pâ—ofessors before the ruine of Babylon that their transgressions may not hinder their prayers for the destruction of it and as for the superlative tranquillity and happiness of the true Church on earth which shall be next to that of Heaven I believe the foregoer of it will be a very through and full Reformation and a more sinless and heaven-like life of the true Christians than that of any generation before it since the dayes of the holy Apostles Which degree of perfection if thou who readest or hearest read any part of this Book shalt not covet and endeavour diligently to attain it thou mayest fare as the nameless Lord 2 King 7. did who saw with the eyes of his body fine flour and barley sold in the gate of Samaria at easie prices but through unbelief did not eat thereof So thou possibly mayest foresee darkly with the eyes of thy mind what excellent things very many of the members of the Church shall be partakers of hereafter and thy self not partake
for great faults yet he reproved her And so did God for one fault reprove Sarah Gen. 18. 15. c. and Jacob Gen. 35. 1. and Moses and Aaron and Jehu the Prophet Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19. 2. and Paul Peter Gal. 2. 11. c. and an Angel John Rev. 19. 10. and 22 9. Beside 1. It may be this or that Professor doth practise more sins than thou knowest of He may favour his secret sins 2. Being reproved for one sin that reproof may occasion him to take notice of other sins which thou knowest not of 3. Howsoever reproof and instruction concerning one sin is a good way to keep him from making a Trade of many sins yea of any one sin If thou thinkest thy self wiser than Jehu the Prophet and Paul yet take heed of making thyself wiser than Christ for thou must stand before his judgment-seat and he is a righteous Judge and will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts and condemn I fear many Professors for idle words and the like small sins which they do seldom or never particularly grieve for or confess and ask pardon of which is an Argument that they do in their hearts make small matters of them and the way if I may so speak to make God look on them as foul matters Which I hold very fit to be thought of and this also that it is a very wretched thing for a man who thinks himself wise to suffer any one of his fellow-Professors to be damned for one sin Another may say I do say nothing to such a Professor because he is a Dog or a Swine Mat. 7. 6. A. What a Professor and a Dog or a Swine Either of these is a very heavy charge with which we must not without a very good ground load any of those who have gotten the name of Professors no nor of them who have not neither Repl. If he be not a Dog or Swine yet if I should reprove him he would be angry with me and not receive the good counsel which I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him A. Art thou sure of that Who told thee so Did he himself at any time tell thee so Where is thy Charity or of what kind is it For Paul speaking of true Christian Charity saith that it hopeth all good things and thinketh no evil 1 Cor. 13. 5 7. to wit of others without a sound and sure ground Take heed of proving thy self nothing ver 1. 2 3. Verily if a man should tell me he would not receive instruction I think I should not absolutely believe him It may be he might be displeased and angry with me for a while and afterward his second thoughts might be better although I have known when I think a Captain and a Lieutenant have fairly endured my stout and blunt reproof in an Inn in London for swearing For I said unto them Gentlemen what are ye who thus transgress the Laws of God and the King by swearing We know not what success we shall have 180000 chosen Warriors of Judah and Benjamin being assembled together to fight against the ten Tribes yet when they understood it was the Lords mind that they should depart every man to his house and not fight against their brethren they hearkened to him and without any more ado returned to depart according to the word of the Lord 1 King 12. 21 22 23 24. Also when the people of Israel and the Priests and the Levites had mingled themselves with the Heathens c. although the hand of the Princes and Rulers were chief in this trespass yet Ezra the Priest prevailed with them to put away their strange Wives and their children born of them chap. 9. and 10. and Nehemiah prevailed with the Nobles and the Rulers and others to leave their Usury and Oppression and to make restitution chap. 5. Neither do we find that Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar were displeased with Daniel when he told them what would come upon them Dan. 4. and 5. Why then should not I and others hope that God will give us good success when we go in the fear of God and with an upright heart about this business Why not that very many will prove like David who if the righteous would smite him with wounds of reproof would receive them as a kindness and as a precious Medicine which would help to heal his soul so we are to understand Psal 141. 5. My charity tells me that Professors do trespasse in some sins and particularly concerning Ornaments of the body and other things indifferent ignorantly not knowing that they be sins or acting rashly without due consideration of which if they were admonished I cannot but hope a great part and it may be some who are thy near neighbours would receive instruction and reform Therefore pity Professors and do the best thou canst to awaken them and to open their eyes and to help the lame to walk Apol. But some of the offending Professors are my Friends and some my Benefactors I live by their Benevolence and good will and for that cause I do forbear their sins A. Do you so What are you Are you a Christian What is that then which you profess Is it carnal self-love and self-seeking If it be so then your silence doth not belie your profession But it may be you think you do love them who love you as the Publicans did Mat. 5. 46. And is this thy kindness to thy Friends Why man thou oughtest to minister spiritual things to them especially who minister carnal and worldly things to thee for that is one of the Obligations which are upon thee Yea Friend if thou seest the Ass of thine enemy lying under his burthen thou oughtest surely to leave thy business to help him and if thou meet the Ox or Ass of thy enemy going astray thou oughtest surely to bring it back again Exod. 23. 4 5. and canst thou see the soul of thy Friend who loveth thee and thou pretendest to love him canst thou see his soul going astray and not cake some care and pains to bring it back again and see the soul of thy Benefactor lying under a burthen of sin and forbear to help it Is this true love and true Christianity not to take so much care and pains to help thy Friends soul as thou oughtest to help thy enemies Ass Surely I know not where this is true Christian love unless it be beyond the Antipodes or where all the people be Heathens For as for Christians they ought to have more respect to the souls one of another than to the bodies But alas Friend all this while I have not remembred that which thou and I ought in all our dealings with Professors principally and above all other things to regard to wit the honour and interest of our most dear Friend Jesus Christ Mat. 6. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Canst thou perswade thy self to neglect him also whom thou oughtest to respect above all the Creation
But very many Professors do little think how many sins of others they be partakers of and how much their iniquity is encreased through their sinful silence Apol. But Sir will some say in their hearts I fear it is so with many although they speak it not with their Tongues Psal 14. 1. if I should reprove N. I should lose the help of his purse A. How long hast thou been a Professor that thou hast so little Charity For he ought to love thee the more for thy Faithfulness Prov. 27. 5 6. and the rather to make thee one of the Mrs. of his purse And why art thou so foolish and so slow to believe what the Scripture hath spoken Doth not the spirit of truth by Solomon say Prov. 28. 23. that He who rebuketh a man shall afterwards find more favour than he who flattereth with the Tougue and Prov. 16. 7. that when a mans ways please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him And will he then suffer thy Friends when thou dost thy duty to do them good to shew themselves unkind and as no Friends to thee Be not faithless but believing trust in God Howsoever the favour and loving kindness of God is better than life Psal 63. 3. Take heed God look not on thee as a man-pleaser and none of the servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. Obj. But is it not enough that I do frequently and earnestly pray for the Reformation of Professors A. That indeed is more than most Professors do I think so and that they do not judge that there is need of any great Reformation Yet that is but part of thy duty This thou oughtest to do and not to omit reproof And it may be God hath not heard thy prayers for them because thou dost not reprove them Apol. But peradventure one or two will say they be not throughly reformed themselves A. Whose fault is that Why dost thou delay to cleanse thy ways according to Gods rule Psal 119. 9. Neither do Christs words Mat. 7. or any other Scripture import that unreformed or poorlyreformed Professors be freed from the duty of exhorting and reproving others So that thy silence at other mens faults doth encrease thine iniquity It is indeed better to sweep before thy own door first but if thou be so foolish as not to sweep there necessity is laid upon thee to consider and reprove other Professors and wo may come to thee if thou dost not Obj. But if I do tell others of their faults then belike they will upbraid me with mine A. I could wish all thy near Neighbours and acquaintance would tell thee of them then it may be thou wouldst amend them which would be far better for thee than to suffer in Hell fire for them Vse 2. Receive then this Admonition reprove those Professors that are fit to be reproved and to move thee thereunto consider It is the will of God and thy duty therefore do it 1 Thes 5. 18. yea it is said Lev. 7. 19. 17. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him which words do import that we must do it as we say by all means and not suffer other affairs and matters to keep us from doing it Thou hast authority to do it Hath not God commanded thee It is a debt which thou owest to such as need it pay that thou owest withhold not good from them to whom it is due Rom. 13. 8. Prov. 3. 27. It tends to Gods honour and glory Do it for his sake And to the healing and good of the blind lame sleepy c. Do it also for their sakes Do it also for thy own sake that thou bear not sin for thy Neighbour So some render the last clause Lev. 19. 17. that is that thou be not punished for not rebuking him Keep thy self pure be not partaker of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5. 22. and partaker for certain thou art with him or her whom thou oughtest to reprove either of those trespasses for which thou oughtest to reprove them or of the trespasses in sins of the same kind which they commit after or of both One thing more some have inferred from the Coherence of the words Lev. 19. 17. viz. that not to reprove is to hate which inference whether it be right or not yet if he who spareth his rod doth in the Language of the Holy Ghost hate his Son as he doth for that 's the expression Prov. 13. 24. then in the Language of the Holy Ghost he who spareth words of reproof when he ought to reprove hateth those whom he ought to reprove his Neighbours Friends Benefactors Professors and of what sort soever they be And I would not that Professors should hate one another but reprove offenders as the LORD himself did Sarah Gen. 18. 12 15. the Son of God Martha Luke 10. 41 42. and the Angels the Churches of Asia Rev. 2. and 3. and the Holy Ghost doth the World John 16. 8 9. Nathan David 2 Sam. 12. and Paul his fellow Apostle Peter Gal. 2. In a word do ye desire to walk purely and wisely Tread then in the steps of Paul and other godly persons as they did in the steps of God and Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. Now that the fore-mentioned causes of our sinful silence may not be of force to destroy or weaken our holy Resolution to admonish reprove c. Consider what it is for a man to love himself aright 2. Stir up in thy heart very much love of God and much filial fear of God and a strong Affiance in God and much brotherly love toward Professors and the Church of God especially in respect of their spiritual welfare For if these five things be really in thee and do abound they will make thee that thou shalt neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 8. and particularly whatsoever more may be said of them they will move thee effectually to do what I would fain have thee to do to labour to reform to reprove c. and that as thy duty and also for the service and honour of God and for the good of Professors and Gods Church and of offendors and for thy own good And Affiance in God will drive away Affiance in man and the love of God and his people will drive away carnal self-love and the fear of God and Affiance in God will drive away carnal and worldly feats of men of the loss of the love of men of the anger and ill will of men of poverty of mens shutting up their bowels of compassion from us contrary to 1 John 3. 17. And what saith David Psal 31. 19. O how great saith he unto God is thy goodness which thou hast laid up in store Sure it is a very great measure of Happiness which he speaks of And for whom hath God laid it up in store Verily for them who fear God and for them who
Sins which many make light account of for which God may see cause to punish us marg 47. to 54 80. Some of us have not yet learned how great a hand they have had in pulling down this wrath marg 47. to 54 56. All to take heed they be not deceived marg 18 19 26. B. Down-right reasons to impute our afflictions to our ownsins marg 81. to 89. marg 101 103 104 110 138 163 164. More of our sins marg 5 28. to 36 56. to 87 90. to 103 108 114 120 to 192 197. to 201 204 210. to 213 220. to 236 240. to 243. P. 6. What we have done to better our estates or to obtain of God to better them marg 90 91. P. 7. What success we have had marg 92. P. 8. Why God hath not heard our prayers to the full which is because he hath not attained all his ends marg 93. See marg 25. to 29. P. 9. What it concerns us to do now that our prayers be no longer hindered marg 94. to 113 124. 1. Large and specious forms of godliness will not serve our turn c. marg 94 95 96. 2. The iniquity and defects of our prayers marg 96 97. Of our Fasts marg 96 98. Of our forms of godliness generally marg 99. to 103. b. The unprofitableness of prayer without Reformation marg 162. 2. When God will hear our prayers and put an end to our sufferings marg 137. to 144. 3. It concerns us to do as is prescribed marg 104. to 124. 129. to 137. a. To take notice of our ignorance of some sins marg 213. and to seek knowledge as silver Prov. 2. 1. to 5. b To find out every one of us his own sins marg 203. How to find them out marg 103. to 108 203. to 206. c. To amend every one of us his own wayes and conversation universally even without any exception or reservation of any sin or duty marg 28 〈◊〉 79 135 136 140. to 143 191 193 194 203. d. Pleading and reasoning for this marg 138 144. to 154. e. Of a great Reformation as a fore-runner of a great exaltaâ—ion marg 54 129 130. f. Arguments against the necessity of a further Reformation answered marg 165. to 176. g Such as shall not reform threatened marg 135 136 137 155. to 163. An Exhortation to such as need it marg 162. h. What they ought to do who know or think or fear they be but Formalists marg 104. to 124 129. to 137. i. Other directions for all Professors marg 109. to 113. k. Of pride and humility c. marg 176. to 187. l. All Professor to pray unto God for the reformation of Professors c. and to do whatsoever they can toward it marg 243 190. to 195. m. Ministers to do so and directions for them marg 100 195. to 217. Faults which they ought to avoid viz. Ignorance affectation of fine words and hunting after them c. marg 197. to 201 213 240. n. They who are not Ministers to do likewise marg 190. to 195. Directions for such marg 202. to 217. o. Of those who are of great power with God marg 188 189 190. 1. Part of the doctrine of Reproving c. with the use of it marg 218. to 248. 2. Reproving and admonishing to be the duty of those who are not Ministers marg 224. 3. Apologies and excuses for not reproving answered marg 224. to 234 247 248. 4. Rules concerning reproving marg 239. to 242. I beseech you all consider very seriously marg 163. Books to be sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Golden Bible on London-Bridge MR. Sedgwick's Bowels of Mercy fol. Tho. Taylor 's Works the first vol. fol. 2. An Exposition of Temptation on Matth. 4. verse 1. to the end of the eleventh 3. A Commentary on Titus 4. Davids Learning A Comment upon Psal 32. 5. The Parable of the Sower and of the Seed upon Luke 8. and 4 Divine Characters in two parts distinguishing the Hypocrite in his best dress by Sam Crook B. D. A Learned Commentary or Exposition on the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthiaâ—s by Richard Sibbs D. D. fol. A Commâ—nâ—ary on the whole Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians by Mr. Paul Bain fol. A practical Exposition on the third Chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly Mans Choice on Psal 4. ver 6 7 8. By Anthony Burgess fol. The dead Saint speaking to Saints and sinners living in several Treatises The first on 2 Sam. 24. 10. The second on Cant. 4. 9. The third on John 1. 50. The fourth on Isa 58. 2. The fiâ—th on Exod. 15. 11. By Samuel Bolton D. D. fol. Colloquia Mensalia or Dr. Martin Luthers Divine Discourses at his Table with Melancthon and several others Translated by Henry Bell fol. The view of the Holy Scriptures By Hugh Broughton fol. Christianographia or a Description of the multitude and sundry sorts of Christians in the world not subject to the Pope By Eph. Pagitt fol These six Treatises following are written by Mr. George Swinnock 1. The Christian Mans Calling or a Treatise of making Religion onâ—s business in Religious Duties Natural Actions his Particular Vocation his Family Directions and his own Recreation to be read in Families for their Instruction and Edification The first Part. 2. Likewise a second Part wherein Christians are directed to perform their Duties as Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants in the conditions of Prosperity and Adversity 3. The third and last part of the Christian Mans Calling Wherein the Christian is directed how to make Religion his business in his dealings with all Men in the Choice of his Companions in his carriage in good Company in bad Company in solitariness or when he is alone on a Week-day from morning to night in visiting the sick on a Dying-bed as also the means how a Christian may do this and some motives to it 4. The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration 5. Heaven and Hell Epitomized and the True Christian Characterized 6. The Fading of the Flesh and the flourishing of Faith Or One cast for Eternity with the only way to throw it well all these by George Swinnock M. A. Large Octavo's A learned Commentary on the fourth Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is added First A Conference between Christ and Mary Second the Spiritual Mans Aim Third Emanuel or Miracle of Miracles by Richard Sibbs D. D. 4to An Exposition of the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon by Will. Greenhil 4to The Gospel-Covenant or the Covenant of Grace opened Preached in New England by Peter Bulkeley 4to Gods Holy Mind touching Matters Moral which himself uttered in ten words or ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer by Edward Elton B. D. 4to A plain and familiar Exposition of the ten Commandments by John Doâ— 4â—o Fiery Jesuite or an Historical Collection of the Rise Increase Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuites Exposed to view for the sake of London 4to Horologiographia Optica Dialing Universal and Particular Speculative and Practical together with the Description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvanus Morgan 4to Praxis Medicinae or the Physicians Practice wherein are contained all inward diseases from the head to the foot by Walter Bruel Regimen Sanitatis Salerni or the School of Salerns Regiment of Health containing Directions and Instructions for the guide and government of Mans Life 4to Christ and the Covenant the work and way of Meditation Delivered in ten Sermons Large Octavo's By Will. Bridge late of great Yarmouth Heart-treasure or a Treatise tending to fill and furnish the head and heart of every Christian with soul-inriching treasure of truths graces experiences and comforts to help him in Meditation Conference Religious Performances Spiritual Actions Enduring Afflictions and to fit him for all conditions that he may live Holily dye Happily and go to Heaven Triumphantly by O. H. with an Epistle prefixed by John Chester Large Octavo A Glimpse of Eternity by A. Caley A Practical Discourse of Prayer wherein is handled the Nature and Duty of Prayer by â—hâ— Cobbet Of Quenching the Spirit the evil of it in respect both of its causes and effects â—iâ—covered by Theophilus Polwheile Wells of Salvation opened or Words whereby we may be saved with advice to Young Men by Tho. Vincent The â—ure way to â—alvation or a Treatise of the Saints Mystical Union with Christ wherein that great Mystery and Priviledge is opened in the nature properties and the necessity of it â—y R. Stedman M. A. The greatest loss upon Matth. 16. 26. By James Livesey small Octavâ—â—'s Moses unvailed by William Guild The Protestants Triumph being an exact answer to all the sophistical Arguments of Papists By Ch. Drelincourt A Defence against the fear of Death By Z. Crofton Gods Soveraignty dâ—splayed By William Geering A sober Discourse concerning the Interest of words in Prayer The Godly Mans Ark or City of refuge in the day of his distress in five Sermons with Mistriss Moores Evidences for Heaven By Ed. Calamy The Almost Christian Discovered or the false Professor tryed and cast By Mr. Mead. Spiritual Wisdom improved against temptation by Mr. Mead. A Divine Cordial A word of comfort for the Church of God A Plea for Alms in a Sermon at the Spittle The Godly Mans Picture drawn with a Scripture-pensil These four last were written by Tho. Watson The Doctrine of Repentance useful for these times with two Sermons against Popery by Thomas Watson The True bounds of Christian freedom or a Discourse shewing the extents and restraints of Christian liberty wherein the truth is setled many errors confuâ—ed out of John 8. ver 36. A Treatise of the Sacrament shewing a Christians Priviledge in approaching to God in Ordinances duty in his Sacramental approaches danger if he do not sanctifie God in them both by Sam. Bolton D. D. The Lords Day enlivened or a Treatise of the Sabbath by Philip Goodwin The sinfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ two Sermons by W. Bridge A serious Exhortation to a Holy Life by Tho. Wadsworth
10. If thou thinkest that thou hast performed the commandment of the LORD in destroying the Amalakites and all that they had 1 Sam. 15. 3 13. Take heed of What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep and lowing of the Oxen which I hear v. 14. For shall not he who planted the ear hear he who formed the eye see he who teacheth man knowledge know Psal 94. 9 10. Thy sins cannot make a beastly noise and God not hear it Yea it may be some of the godly Ministers will according to their duty Jer. 8. 6. hearken and hear the lowing and bleating of thy sins not only of the best and chiefest of them 1 Sam. 15. 9 15 21. the chiefest in thy estimation because by them as Demetrius said to the Craftsmen Act. 19. 25. thou hast much of thy wealth gettest and keepest much of it as by thy covetousness if thou wilt not have me think thou art covetous then let thy conversation be without covetousness Heb. 13. 5. covetous seeking and keeping worldly wealâ—h fraud over-reaching c. whosoever sees his Christian brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him such a man doth not love God Luke 3. 11. 1 Joh. 3. 17. I say not only of thy fat sins which thou keepest for filthy lucres sake Tit. 1. 11. but also of thy lean poor carrion-sins which do yield if any fruit at all very little and such as is not worth talking of as prating and foolish talking vain and idle words unseemly jesting and the like It may be also some of them who shall hear the noise of thy sins will shew themselves servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. to wiâ— faithful Prov. â—0 6. 2 Tim. 2. 2. in reproving thee for them and it may be shame thee if they can quite out of them that thou mayest not perish under the wrath of God Indeed such Ministers are your best Friends and do best deserve to have power over your purses 11. Take heed of being like Hophni and Phineas who hearkened nâ—t to the voice of their Father because the LORD would destroy them 1 Sam. 2. 25. For why will ye die or be destroyed O ye Professors of England Ezek. 18. 31. Can any of you shew any sufficient reason why they should desire to die If any man can yet it would be a wise part for them to make an even reckoning with God before they die and God may possibly take them out of this world within one or two dayes after they have read this or heard it read 12. Take heed of that sharp commandment concerning the Fig-tree which was fruitless three years cut it down why cumbereth it the more and then if it bear not fruit thou shalt cut it down v. 8 9. And it may be God hath heard the prayers of some eminent Christians and spared thee to the end of the sixth or seventh year or more Art thou sure he will spare thee six or seven moneths more or seven dayes more 13. Take heed of being assasinated or massacred after the manner of Paris and I. c. For I assure you the care and pains which some Professors take of and with their Families to educate them according to their duty and the rest of their behaviour do not give me cause to be confident that they will not be killed with some such kind of death and their chilâ—ren trained up in Egypt and Babylon Friends do ye use to pray and to pray for your selves whom ye think ye love What think ye of the prayers and petitions which ye put up for your selves What do ye aim at and seek to obtain in and by them Are ye content to ask for your selves and not to obtain If ye be not David tells you If he had regarded iniquity in his heart the LORD would not have heard him Psal 66. 18. And what is any of you that the Lord should hear him if he doth regard iniquity in his heart rather than David But what is it â—or a man to regard iniquity in his heart It is to regard some of his sins or the fruit of them so as to keep those sins as we use to speak at all adventures whether God will hear his prayers 〈◊〉 not which I fear many of you do Friends will ye now consider what I have said unto you For it is one thing to read or hear another to consider I pray dâ— and be perswaded by one who desires to do you good 1. To look on your sins as the greatest sorest and most dangerous enemies that ye have and on every sin as one of your enemies 2. To go beyond Micah's liberal Briber Mic. 6. and Pauls Formalist 2 Tim. 3. 3. To leave your sins all of them and all of them at once 'T is easier to endure the chopping off of five fingers at once than of five one after another 4. Especially and in any wise to abandon those sins which ye are well able to abandon as unfit language c. 2. Mr. S. Clark in his Epistle to the Reader before his Martyrology 〈◊〉 2. hath these very words One thing is very remarkable in this History that usually before any great persecution befel the Church the holy mâ—n of those times observed that there was some great decay of zeal and of the power of godliness or some mutual contentions and quarrels amongst the people of God or some such sin or other that provoked God against them and then God le ts loose c. and the History in page 56 61 100 160 166 209. mentioneth as fore-runners of several persecutions those sins and enormities following and in those Pagins I think only these The power of godliness much decayed few zealously bent to Religion unprofitable Gospellers Hypocrisie and Dissimulation void of simplicity and faithful dealing not walking in the way of the Lord nor observing his precepts as we ought keeping no Discipline pride delicates emulation dissention contending upon every occasion every man pleasing himself and displeasing others with railing words in a despiteful manner moving hatred and sedition one against another full of lucre renouncing the world in word but not indeed but all both small and great thinking deeply upon worldly matters and building them goodly Castles in the air by little and little men began to be so licentious in their lives and carnal security so increased that c. Also I have been credibly informed that one of the fore-runners of the enslaving of Rochel 1628. was the mispending and profaning of the afternoon of the Lord's day and the slighting or worse of the best Ministers and that one of the fore-runners of the late long War in Germany 1620. c. was very gross profaneness c. The same Mr. Clark p. 3. of the said Epistle saith That when God exposeth us to P. he expects our speedy and thorow Reformation if we desire the affliction to be removed c. 3. I believe were it not for our sins it would