Believe I must or nothing I Obey Love God I must or nothing I can do That 's worth so much as loosing of my Shooâ— If I do not bear after Christ my Cross If Love to Holiness is at a loss If I my Lusts seek not to mortifie If to my self my Flesh I do not dye What Law should I observ 't can do me good In little Duties Life hath never stood One Reads he Prays he Catechises too But doth he nothing else what doth he do I Read to know my Duty I do pray To God to help me do it day by day If this be not my end in what I do I am a Sot an Hypocrite also I am Baptiz'd what then unless I dye To Sin I cover Folly with a Lye. At the Lords Table I do eat what tho There some have eat their own Damnation too I will suppose I Hear I Sing I Pray And that I am Baptiz'd without delay I will suppose I do much knowledge get And will also suppose that I am fit To be a Preacher yet nought profits me If to the first poor I a stranger be They are more weighty therefore in compare These unto them but Mint and Annis are Not that I would the least of Duty slight Because the least Command of Divine Right Requires that I my self subject thereto Wilful Resisters do them selves undo But let 's keep order let the first be first Repent Believe and Love and then I trust I have that Right which is Divine to all That is enjoyned be they great or small Only I must as cautionary speak In one word more a little to the Weak Thou must not suffer men so to enclose Thee in their Judgments as to discompose Thee in that Faith and Peace thou hast with him This would be like the losing of a Limb Or like to him who thinks he doth not well Unless he lose the Kernel for the Shell Thou art no Captive but a Child and Free Thou wast not made for Laws but Laws for thee And thou must use them as thy light will bear it They that say otherwise do rend and tear it More like to wicked Tyrants who are cruel And add unto a little Fire more Fuel But those who are True Shepherds of the Sheep To quench such burnings would most gladly Weep But I am yet but upon Generals Particulars our Legislator calls For at our Hands and that in order too Consummate what we have begun to do 1. My Brother I must Love in very deed I 'm taught of God to do it let me heed This Divine Duty and perform it well Who loves his Brother God in him doth dwell The argument which on me this imposes â—mells like to Oyntment or the Sweetest Roses â—hall God Love shall he keep his Faith to me And shall not I shall I unfaithful be Shall God love me a Sinner and shall I Not love a Saint Yea shall my JESUS dye To reconcile me to my God and shall â— hate his Child nor hear his wants that call For my little Assisting of him sie On such a spirit on such cruelty Fie on the thought that would me alienate Or tempt me my worst Enemy to hate 2. He that dwells here must also be a sharer In others griefs must be a burden-bearer Among his Brethren or he cannot do That which the blessed Gospel calls him to In order hereunto Humility Must be put on it is our Livery We must be clothed with it if we will The Law Obey our Masters mind fulfil If this be so then what should they do here Who in their Antick pranks of Pride appear Let lofty Men among you bear no sway The Lord beholds the Proud Man far away It is not fit that he inhabits there Where humbleness of mind should have the chair Can Pride be where a Soul for Mercy craves Shall Pride be found among Redeemed Slaves Shall he who Mercy from the Gallows brought Look High or Strut or entertain a thought That tends to tempt him to forget that fate To which for Sin he destin'd was of late And could not then at all deliver'd be But by anothers Death and Misery Pride is the unbecoming'st thing of all Besides 't is the fore runner of a fall He that is Proud soon in the dirt will lye But Honour followeth Humility Let each then count his Brother as his bettter Let each esteem himself anothers Debtor Christ bids us learn of him humble to be Profession's Beauty is Humility 3. Forgive is here another Statute Law To be revenged is not worth a Straw He that forgives shall also be forgiven Who doth not so must lose his part in Heaven â—or must thou weary of this Duty be Cause God's not weary of Forgiving thee Thou livest by Forgiveness should a stop Be put thereto one moment thou wouldst drop â—nto the Mouth of Hell. Then let this move Thee thy dear Brother to forgive in Love. And we are bid in our forgivenesses To do as God doth in forgiving his If any has a quarrel against any As quarrels we have oft against a many Why then as God for Christs sake pardons you For Christs sake pardon thou thy Brother too We say What freely comes doth freely go Then let all our forgivenesses be so â—'m sure God heartily forgiveth thee My loving Brother prethee forgive me But then in thy forgiveness be upright Do 't with thy Heart or thou' rt an Hypocrite 4. As we forgive so we must watch and pray For Enemies we have that night and day Should we not watch would soon our Graceâ— spoileâ— Should we not pray would our poor Souls defileâ— Without a watch resist a Foe who can Who prays not is not like to play the man Complain that he is overcome he may But who would win the Field must Watch and Pray Who watches should know who and who 's together Know we not Friends from Foes how know we whether Of them to Fight or which to entertain Some have instead of Foes Familiars slain Sometimes a Lust will get into the place Or Work or Office of some worthy grace Till it has brought our Souls to great decay Unless we diligently Watch and Pray Our Pride will our Humility precede By th' Nose our Unbelief our Faith will lead self-Self-love will be where Self-Denyal should And Passion heat what Patience sometime coold And thus it will be with us Night and Day Unless we diligently Watch and Pray Besides what these Domesticks do there are Abroad such Foes as wait us to ensnare Yea they against us stand in Battle-'ray And will us spoil unless we Watch and Pray There is the World with all its Vanities There is the Devil with a thousand Lyes There are False Brethren with their fair Colusions Also False Doctrines with their strong delusions These will us take yea carry us away From what is Good unless we Watch and Pray Long Life to many is a fearful
This Officer is also call'd a Guide Nor should the People but keep by his side Or tread his Steps in all the paths they walk By his Example they should Do and Talk. He is to be to them instead of Eyes He must before them go in any wise And he must lead them by the Water-side This is the work of this our Faithful Guide Since Snares and Traps and Grins are for us set Since here 's a Hole and there is spread a Net O let no body at my Muse deride No man can Travel here without a Guide Here 's Tempting Apples here are Baited Hooks With Turning Twisting Cramping Tangling Crooks Close by the way wo then to them betide That dares to venture here without a Guide Here haunt the Fairies with their chanting Voices Fiends like to Angels to bewitch our choices Baits for the Flesh lie here on every side Who dares set here one foot without a Guide Master Delusion dwelleth by our walks Who with Confusion Sings and Prays and talks He says the straight Path's his and ours thâ—â— wide What then can we do here without a Guide Let God then give our Leaders always Eyes Yea let him make them Holy Bold and Wise And help us fast by them for to abide And suffer not the Blind to be our Guide 4. Here are of Rulers yet another sort Such as direct our manners to comport With our Professed Faith that we to view May let Beholders know that we are new These are our Conversations to inspect And us in our employments to direct That we in Faith and Love do every thing That reacheth from the Peasant to the King. That there may be no scandal in our ways Nor yet in our Profession all our days These should after our Busie-Bodies look Tale bearers also they have undertook To keep in order also they must see None that can work among us Idle be Jarrs Disords Frauds with Grievances and wrongs These they 're to regulate to them belongs The Judgment of all matters of this kind And happy is the House thus Disciplin'd 5. Another sort of Officers we have Deacons we call them 'cause their work 's to save And distribute those Crumbs of Charity Unto the Poor for their Subsistency That contributed is for their relief Which of their bus'ness is indeed the chief These must be Grave not of a double Tongue Not given to Wine not apt to do a Wrong Jusâ— Unto the Poor through love to Lucre. In this their Office Faithful to their Trust The Wife must answer here as Face doth Face The Husband fitness to his work and place That ground of Scandal or of Jealousie Obstructs not proof that he most zealously Performs his Office well for then shall he Be bold in Faith and get a good degree Of Credit with the Church yea what is more He shall possess the Blessings of the Poor His Wisdom teach him will to find out whâ— Is poor of Idleness and who comes to A low Estate by Sickness Age or 'cause The want of Limbs or Sight or work it was That brought them to it or such destiny As sometimes maketh low who once were high They must remember too that some there arâ— Who Halt before they 're Lame while others carâ— Not to make known their wants they 'll rather dye Then charge the Churches with their Poverty This done they must bestow as they see cause Making the Word the Rule and Want the Law By which they Act and then they need not pausâ— The Table of the Lord he also must Provide for 't is his Duty and his Trust. The Teacher too should have his Table spread By him thus should his House be clad and fed Thus he serves Tables with the Churches stock And so becomes a blessing to the flock 6. I read of Widows also that should be Imployed here for further decency I dare not say they are in Office tho A Service here they are appointed to They must be very Aged Trusty Meek Such who have done much good that do not seek Themselves they must be Humble Pitiful Or they will make their Service void and null These are to Teach the Younger Women what Is proper to their Sex and State what not To be discreet keepers at Home and Chast To love their Husbands to be Good shame-Fac'd Children to bear to Love them and to flye What to the Gospel would be Infamy I think these to the Sick should look also A Work unfit for younger Ones to do Wherefore he saith The younger Ones refuse Perhaps because their weakness would abuse Them and subject them unto great disgrace When such a one as Amnon is in place And since the good Old Woman this must do 'T is fit she should be Fed and Cloathed too Out of the Deacons Purse let it so be And let this be her Service constantly IX The Order and manner of the Government here AS I have shew'd you who in Office are So I will tell you how and with what care Those here intrusted with the Government Keep to the Statutes made to that intent By Rules Divine this House is Governed Not Sanguinary ones nor taught nor fed By Humane Precepts for the Scripture saith The Word 's our ghostly Food Food for our Faith. Nor are all forced to the same degree In things Divine tho all exhorted be To the most absolute proficiency That Law or Duty can to them discry Alas here 's Children here are great with Young Here are the Sick and Weak as well as Strong Here are the Cedar Shrub and bruised Reed Yea here are such who wounded are and bleed As here are some who in their Grammar be So here are others in their A B C. Some apt to Teach and others hard to Learn Some far off others can scarce discern That which is set before them in the Glass Others forgetful are and so let pass Or slip out of their mind what they did hear But now so great our differences appear Wherefore our Jacobs must have special care They drive their Flocks but as their Flocks can bare For if they be o're driven presently They will be Sick or cast their Young or dye The Laws therefore are more and less of force According as they bring us to the Source Or Head or Fountain or are more remote To what at first we should our selves devote Be we then wise in handling of the Laws Not making a confused noise like Daws In Chambers yea let us seek to excell To each mans profit this is ruling well With Fundamentals then let us begin For they strike at the very root of Sin So the Foundation being strongly laid Let us go on as the wise Builder said For I don't mean we should at all disdain Those that are less we always should maintain That due respect to either which is meet This is the way to fit at Jesus Feet Repent I must or I am cast away
coming of the Lord. 9. To entertain Good Men let 's not forget Some by so doing have had benefit Yea for to Recompence this act of theirs Angels have lodged with them unawares Yea to encourage such a work as this The Lord himselfe makes it a note of his When Hungry or when Thirsty I have been Or when a Stranger you did take me in Strangers should not to Strangers but be kind Specially if conferring Notes they find Themselves tho Strangers here one Brotherhood And Heirs joynt Heirs of Everlasting Good These should as Mothers Sons when they do meet In a strange Countrey one another greet With welcom come in Brother how dost do Whether art wandring Prethee let me know Thy state Do'st want or Meat or Drink or Cloth Art weary Let me wash thy Feet I 'm loth Thou shouldst depart abide with me all Night Pursue thy Journey with the Morning Light. X. The way of reducing what 's amiss into Order here ALtho this House thus honourable is Yet 't is not Sinless many things amiss Do happen here wherefore them to redress We must keep to our Rules of Righteousness Nor must we think it strange if Sin shall be Where Vertue is do'nt not all men plainly see That in the holy Temple there was dust That to our very Gold there cleaveth rust In Abrahams Family was a Derider I' th' Palace of a King will be the Spider Who saith We have no Sin doth also say We have no need at all to watch and pray To live by Faith the Flesh to Mortify Or of more of the Spirit to Sanctify Our Nature All this wholly needless is With him who as to this has nought amiss But we confess 'cause we would not be Liers That we still feel the motions and desires Of Sin within us and should fall away Did not Christ intercede and for us pray We therefore do conclude that Sin is here But that it may not to our shame appear We have our Rules thereby with it to deal And Plaisters too our deadly Wounds to heal And seeing Idleness gives great occasions To 'th Flesh to make it's rude and bold invasisions Upon good Orders 't is ordain'd we see That none dwell here but such as workers be So plain's the Law for this and so compleat It bids who will not work forbear to eat Let then each one be diligent to do What Grace or Nature doth oblige them to Who have no need to work for Meat or Cloath Should work for those that want Not that the Sloath Of Idleness should be encouraged But that those poor indeed be Clad and Fed. Dorcas did thus and 't is to sacred Story Committed for her praise and lasting Glory This House then is no Nurse to Idleness Fig-Trees are here to keep and Vines to dress Here 's work for all yea work that must be done Yet work like that to playing in the Sun The Toyl's a pleasure and the Labour sweet Like that of David's Dancing in the street The work is short the wages is for ever The work like me the wages like the Giver No Drone must hide himself under those Eaves Who sows not will in Harvest Reap no Sheaves The sloathful man himself may plainly see The Honey's gotten by the working Bee. But here 's no work for Life that 's freely given Meat Drink and Cloth and Life we have from Heaven Work 's here enjoyned 'cause it is a pleasure â—ice to suppress and augment Heavenly Treasure Moreover 't is to shew if men profess The Faith and yet abide in Idleness Their Faith is vain no man can ever prove Hee 's right but by the Faith that works by love If this good Counsel is by thee rejected If work and labour is by thee neglected If thou like David lollest on thy Bed Or art like to a Horse pamper'd and fed With what will fire thy Lusts and so lays Snares For thine own Soul when thou should be i' th' Wars Then take what follows Sin must be detected And thou without Repentance quite rejected This is the House of God his Dwelling-place 'T is here that we behold his lovely Face But if it should polluted be with Sin And so abide he quickly will begin To leave it desolate and then wo to it Sin and his Absence quickly will undo it And since Sin is of things the worst of all And watcheth like a Serpent on a Wall Or flyeth like an Eagle in the Air Or runs as desperate Ships void of all care Or as great Solomon hath wisely said Is as the way of Wantons with a Maid Who tick and toy and with a tempting giggle Provoke to lust and by degrees so wriggle Them into their affections that they go The way to death so do themselves undo As it is said This mischief to prevent Let all men watch yea and be diligent Observers of its motions and then flie This is the way to live and not to die ☞ He that would never fall must never slip Who would obey the Call must fear the Whip God would also that every stander by That in the Grass doth see the Adder lie Should cry as he did Death is in the Pot That many by its Poyson perish not But if that beastly thing shall hold its hold And make the man possessed basely bold In pleading for it or shall it deny Or it shall seek to cover with a lie Then take more aid and make a fresh assault At it again diminish not the fault But charge it home If yet he will not fear But still unto his wickedness adhere Then tell the house thereof But if he still Persist in his abomination will Then fly him 'cause he is a leaprous man Count him with Heathens and the Publican But if he falls before thee at the first Then be thou to him faithful loving just Forgive his sin tell it not to a Brother Lest thou thy self be serv'd so by another If he falls not but in the second charge Spread not his wickedness abroad at large But if thou think his sorrow to be sound Forgive his sin and hide it under ground If he shall stand the first and second shot If he before the Church repenteth not Deal with him as the matter shall require Let not the House for him be set on fire If after all he shall repent and turn To God and you you must not let him burn For ever under sence of sin and shame You must his sin forgive in Christ his name Confirm your love to him in Christ you must By all such ways as honest are and just Shy be not of him carry 't not alooff But rather give him of your love such proof â—hat he may gather thence ye do believe â—o mercy Christ again doth him receive Two things monish you as to this I would The first to shew the Church wherein she should â—n all her actions so her self
behave As to convince the faulty she would save His soul and that 't is for this very thing â—he doth him unto open Judgment bring Then would I shew the Person they reject What will without repentance be th' effect Of this tremendous Censure so conclude Leaving my Judgment to the multitude Of those who sober and judicious be Begging of each of them a Prayer for me 1. This House in order to this work must be Affected with the sin and misery Of this poor Creature yea must mourn and weep To think such Tares in your neglect or sleep Should spring up here nor must they once invent To think till he 's cast out you 'r innocent 2. Thus Leven the whole lump has levene Israel was guilty of what Achan did And so must stand until they purged are Till Achan doth for sin his burden bear The reason is Achan a Member was Of that great Body and by Natures Laws The Hand Foot Eye Tongue Ear or oneâ— theâ—â— May taint the whole with Achans foul Diseaâ—â— The Church must too be sensible of this Some leprous stones make all the House amiâ—â— And as the Stones must thence removed be In order to the Houses Sanctity So it must purged be in any wise Before 't is counted clean by Sacrifice 3. Next have a care lest sin which yâ—â— should purgâ—â— Becomes not unto you a further scourge The which it will if such shall Judges be Which from its Spots and Freckles are nâ—â— freâ—â— Pluck thou the beam first out of thine own eyâ—â— Else the Condemned will thee vilifie â—â—d say Let not the Pot the Kettle judge â— otherwise it will beget a grudge â— great one 'twixt the Church and him that sinned â—or by such means can ever such be winned 〈◊〉 a renew'd imbrace of holiness â—â—re like be tempted further to transgress 4. Again let those that loud against it cry â—â—e they don't entertain it inwardly â—â—n like to Pitch will to the fingers cleave â—â—ok to it then let none himself deceive â—â—is catching make resistances afresh â—â—hor the Garment spotted by the Flesh. â—â— Some at the dimness of the Candle puff â—ho yet can daub theer Fingers with the snuff 5. Beware likewise lest rancor should appear â—gainst the person do all in things fear â—wail the man while you abhor his sin â—â—ty his Soul the flesh you still are in â—hy self consider thou maist tempted be â—ast thou no pity who will pity thee 6. See that the ground be good on whiâ—â— you gâ—â— Sin but not Vertue shew dislike unto Take heed of hypocritical intentions And quarrel not at various Apprehensions About some smaller matter lest it breed Needless debates and lest that filthy seed Contention should o're run your holy ground And lest not Love but Nettles there are found 7. You must likewise allow each man hâ—â— grainâ—â— For that none perfect is sin yet remains And humane frailties do attend the best To bear and forbear here will tend to rest Vain janglings jarrs and strifes will there abound Where Moles are Mountains made or fault iâ— found With every little trivial petty thing This Spirit snibb or 't will much mischief brinâ—â— Into this House and 't is for want of love 'T is entertain'd it is not of the Dove ☞ 8. For those that have private opinions too â—â—e must make room or shall the Church undo â—â—ovided they be such as do'nt impair â—â—ith Holiness nor with good Conscience jarr â—â—ovided also those that hold them shall â—â—ch Faith hold to themselves and not let fall â—heir fruitless Notions in their Brothers way 〈◊〉 thus and Faith and Love will not decay 9. We must also in these our dealings shew â—e put a difference 'twixt those sins that do â—ash with the Light of Nature and what we â—erceive against the Faith of Christ to be â—hose against Nature Nature will detect â—hose against Faith Faith from them must direct â—he Judgment Conscience Vnderstanding too â—r there will be no cure what ere you do â—hen men are catcht in immoralities â—ature will start the Conscience will arise â—o Judgment and if impudence doth recoil â—et guilt and self-condemnings will imbroyl â—he wretch concern'd in such unquietness â—r shame as will induce him to confess â—is fault and pardon crave of God and Man â—uch men with ease therefore we Conquer can But 't is not thus with such as swerve in Faith With them who as our wise Apostle saith Entangled are at un-a-wares with those Cunning to trap to snare and to impose By falcifyings their prevarications No these are slyly taken from their stations Unknown to Nature yea in judgment they Think they have well done to forsake the waâ—â— Their Understanding and their Judgment too Doth like or well approve of what they do These are poor souls beyond their Art anâ— Skilâ—â— Ta'en Captive by the Devil at his will. Here therefore you must patience exercise And suffer long ye must not tyranize It over such but must all meekness shew Still droping of good Doctrine as the Dew Against their Error so its churlishness You Conquer will and may their fault redress The reason why we must not exercise That roughness here as where Conviction lieâ— In Nature is because those thus ensnar'd Want Natures light and help to be repair'd A Spirit hath them taken they are gone Delusions supernat'ral they are on The Wing of They are out o' th reach of Man Nothing but God and Gospel reach them can Now since we cannot give these people eyes Nor regulate their Judgment wherein lies Our work with them if not as has been said In exercising patience While displaid The holy word before their faces is By which alone they must see what 's amiss With their poor souls and so convert again To him with whom Salvation doth remain Obj. But they are turbulent they would confound The truth and all in their perdition dround Ans. If turbulent and mischievous they are Imposing their Opinions without care Who they offend or do destroy thereby Then must the Church deal with them presently Lest tainted be the whole with their delusion And brought into disorder and confusion XI The present Condition of those thus dealt with THE man that worthily rejected is And cast out of this House his part in Bliss Is lost for ever turns he not again True Faith and Holiness to entertain Nor is it boot for who are thus cast out Themselves to flatter or to go about To shift the Censure nothing here will do Except a new Conversion thou come to He that is bound on Earth is bound in Heaven Nor is his loosing but the sin forgiven Repentance too forgiveness must precede Or thou must still abide among the dead XII An Expostulation with such to return ☞ O Shame Is 't not a shame for men to be For sin spu'd out from good Society For man Enlightened to be so base To