to get the help of some able Christian in the work of Teaching the Children of the Congregation Thirdly A further word of Counsel is to all you Saints of the Most High that love Sion and are sensible of the sicknesses of it 1. Labour to get all your Parts Gifts sanctified that they may not puff you up and insnare you Some of you through the goodness of God and his rich grace have greater Attainments in the knowledge of the Mysteries of the Gospel then others be you more exemplary for Humbleness and Meekness then others One great reason why there are so many Sicknesses in the daughter of Sion is because the Gifts of Christians are no more sanctified when Gifts are not sanctified they occasion Pride the Mother of Contention so that those that should lead the people into Peace and Love lead them into Divisions and are Firebrands in the Houses of God 2. Endeavour to mortifie those Lusts that incline you to Contention for Contentions do not come so much from outward provocations as from inward corruptions Jam. 4. 1. All wars come from lusts if Pride Passion and Self-love were mortified there would be more peace and agreement but mens lusts are so dear to them they will rather adventure their own peace and the Churches then part with them 3. Labour for that Wisdome that is from above which is pure gentle peaceable easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits Jam. 3. 17. If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not ver 14. but be ashamed whatever your parts and gifts are Take our Saviours counsel Mark 9. 50. Have salt in your selves and peace one with another the salt of Wisdome tends to Peace and Unity 4. Be sure you love the publick good of Sion if the love of Sion doth reign in your hearts you will seek the welfare of it It was the true Mother that would not suffer the Childe to be divided Thou shouldest so love the peace of the Church that when a storm begins thou shouldest say If I am the man that cause this cast me out let the Church have her peace The Romans had a Temple dedicated Jovi depositorio the Senators went thither and laid down their mutual Contentions before they went to the Senate house and divers of the Heathen would lay aside their private Quarrels for the Common Good which doth shame some Christians in our dayes 5. Let those that agree in Fundamentals and have Union with the same Head walk together in love and peace this we are pressed to Phil. 3. 16. Why should there not be a hearty love between those that are of the same Faith Remember that the Peace-makers are blessed Peace and Vnion are humane Saviours to Countries and Churches Dulce nomen pacis Psal 133. But you must also remember this That your labour for Unity will be in vain if you are enemies to Order Keeping the Order God hath appointed is the way to Peace and Unity The Church is that one Body of Christ yet this Body is made up of distinct Members and every Member hath its own operation when every Member doth its own office the Body is most lovely yet where the foundation is gold silver and precious stones though there be some hay and stubble in the Superstructure there ought to be a Christian for bearance 6. Pray for the Health of Sion for the Peace of Jerusalem Psal 122. 6. If the Spirit of Prayer for Unity were poured out upon the people of God we should not be long without the blessing of Peace in the Churches Pray then that Means may be effectual for the recovery of the daughter of Sion from her Sicknesses that Gileads Balm and Gileads Physicians may do good Pray down Divisions Pray down Errour and Profaneness Pray that the daughter of Sion may not want Nursing-fathers that the Land of Liberty may not become the House of Bondage and this will be the way to have the God of Peace dwell among us As we carry it towards God so will God manifest himself unto us Let as cry as the Prophet Jerem. 17. 14. Heal us O Lord and we shall be hâ—aled A like Prayer we reade in Psal 60. 2. God hath promised that if we pray and humble our selves he will hear from heaven and heal the Land 2. Chron. 7. 14. and sometimes he doth heal a froward people when they are like to perish of their wounds Isa 57. 17 18. I have seen his wayes and I will heal him when we go about to heal by our own skill without God we heal but slightly Jer. 8. 11. I shall onely adde some Motives to press every one in his place and calling to labour to recover the health of the daughter of Sion Motive 1. If there be Sickness in the Church there will be little health in the Common-wealth In the Land of Judah when the building of the Temple was neglected the Worship of God defiled a decay in Religion it never went well with the Common-wealth Let us believe it that things amiss in the houses of God are the chief cause that it goes ill with the Country 2. Sicknesses in Churches endanger the damnation of the Souls of many they hinder Conversion harden many hearts bring the Wayes and Worships of God into contempt and these Evils are the fruit especially of Division among those that profess Godliness If Contentions reign in Churches either the world will never think well of Christ or never believe such Members of Churches are Christs Disciples John 13. 35. What account can be given at last for this that Christ and the true Religion are contemned by the world for the sake of the Professors of it It 's sad that in our dayes many Professors live as though there were no Canaanites nor Perizzites in the Land If ever you would have Christ and his Wayes well thought of labour after Vnity If you would have any more Converted by the Preaching of the Gospel labour after Vnity If you would enjoy your Church-Priviledges and your Civil Peace labour for Vnity If you would have God remove his frowns his afflicting hand from us labour after Vnity If ever you would be serviceable to Christ and one to another labour after Vnity The members of the Body do not give mutual nourishment except they be joyned each to other It is not enough that you keep up the Ordinances of God for his honour for the good of your Souls and for the good of the Souls of others except you remove the stumbling-blocks that that lye in the way of others your Contentions and Covetous Practises c. O you that are the Professors of Religion it seems to be in your hand to save or damn Souls your gracious Conversation might be a means to convert others and the contrary may be a means of damning others 3. Endeavouring to recover the health of the daughter of Sion will be as cross a work to the Devil as any you can do it will be a crossing of Satan in one of the greatest designs he hath on foot in the world he is alwayes either acting the part of a Lion or the part of a Serpent either persecuting by open Enemies or dividing dearest friends Those that have reconciling Spirits that are Peace makers counter-work Satan they oppose him in his great design 4. For your Encouragement know that the Lord doth in a special manner care for Sion He loves the Gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob Psal 87. 2. The Church is more dear to him then the Common-wealth As God he cares for the Common-wealth as a Father he cares for the Church yet Magistracy is Gods Ordinance for the help and preservation of the Churches And God in giving his Laws doth first command things concerning himself and his Worship The Church is supposed to be a poor Orphan and Kings and Queens and to be their Nursing fathers and Nursing-mothers Isa 49. 23. 5. It will be an Honour to you to be Instruments to heal the daughter of Sion God will take it kindly at your hands and honour you that thus honour him 1 Sam. 2. 30. Those that build the old wasle places that raise up the foundations of many generations such shall be called The repairers of the breaches Isa 58. 12. 6. Consider this the time may come that Churches Ordinances Communion with Saints may be more precious then the Gold of Ophir I shall close with this one Word which is to Exhort and Perswade you all to encourage and strengthen the Hearts and Hands of those that God hath in a special manner made Physicians do as the people did Nehem. 10. 29. They clave to their Brethren the Nobles c. Take heed of discouraging them but say to those that are your Rulers This matter of Healing the daughter of Sion belongs to you but we will be with you Ezra 10. 4. then it is well when all work together for God It is said 2 Chron. 30. 26. Hezekiah humbled himself and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem with him and wrath came not in his dayes If the Lord give us hearts to take these Counsels which he hath offered to us this day we shall be the more likely to go to our fathers in peace and leave a blessing behinde us for posterity FINIS THere is now going to the Press sundry excellent and divine Poems entituled Meat out of the Eater or Meditations concerning the Necessity End and Vsefulness of Afflictions unto Gods Children All tending to prepare them for and comfort them under the Cross By Michael Wigglesworth
hath put man in The great reason why many are Vnquiet is because they do not think they are high enough either in the Church or in the Common-wealth The Contentions and Divisions that are amongst us are a sign that lust reigns and that Gods destroying Judgements are not farre off This Fire of Contention will consume all except God prevent 3. Many are possessed with an Evil spirit It 's observed that when Christ came into the world there were more possessed with Evil Spirits then had been in any Age and it is to be wondred at that in this time in which the Gospel is so clearly Preached and Religion so much professed that so many should be possessed with Evil Spirits Some with a Spirit of Oppression Cruelty and Covetousness some with a Spirit of Errour and Delusion some with a Spirit of Envy and Jealonsie others are filled with Pride in heart and manners Was it ever worse among the Jews then it is with us That which is threatned as afore Judgement to the Jews is in a great measure fulfilled among us this day Isa 3. 5. The people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his neighbour the childe shall behave himself proudly against the Ancient and the base against the Honourable Many of the Children of this generation if they consider their carriage to their Parents will have little cause to expect much obedience from their Children and are like in their latter years to reap the fruit of their present disobedience to their Parents Oh how sad is it that there should be such a Spirit of Profaneness Looseness and Wilfulness against Counsel in our dayes Truly if the Means we have do not cure us what is like to cure us God will either make us better or leave us God would heal us and we will not be healed Object If God be willing to heal a people how is it then that they are not healed how can the Creature withstand him Answ God in willing doth not alwayes will according to his Omnipotent Power God is said to be willing to heal a people in that he affords to them all healing Means and though mans will cannot overcome Gods power yet it can resist Gods Means neither is it a Metaphysical Inability in man but a Formal Wilfulness that hinders healing When a people through their Wilfulness grow worse and worse under the Means of Healing they resist the means of their healing and their condition become desperate Having discovered to you some of the Diseases that are amongst us it being so evident that we are a sick people that we may be sensible of the sadness of our condition let us consider what the Evils of Sickness are 1. Sickness takes away the Comfort of Society so that the company of dearest Relations becomes burdensome This is the Evil of some of our Sicknesses those that were wont to take sweet counsel together to go to the House of God together now are weary of each others company those that formerly could walk together with one heart in one way that could Pray together Sing together Humble themselves together now they are estranged one from another either they have no Communion or no comfort in Communion 2. Sickness makes the best and most pleasant food burdensome As the full stomack so the sick stomack loaths the honey-comb The sick man Psal 107. 18. his soul is said to abhor all meats this is another evil Effect of the Diseases that are amongst us by reason of Sickness the Ordinances of God that were formerly sweet and pleasant are now become burdensome Have not many cause to be convinced that they are sick seeing they finde that those Ordinances and Duties that were in times past their meat and drink and of a refreshing nature are now slâ—ghted and disesteemed of no account with them nay some so sad is their case abhor the spiritual food that once they found sweetness in which is a sign of dreadful Apostacy 3. Sickness brings a Consumption of Flesh and Spirit this is another sad Effect of our Sicknesses How many be there this day that have leanness in their souls their graces languish Grace it self seems to be ready to die 4. Sickness takes away Beauty Psal 39. 11. His beauty consumes away like a Moth The Nazarites were blacker then a coal not known in the streets Lam. 4. 8. Spiritual sicknesses have stained the Beauty of the whole Country When Sion was a Praise in the Earth and her Renown was great Holiness and Righteousness Peace and Unity were her Beauty but these are in a great measure lost and her Beauty is gone The Beauty of many of the Professors of Religion is so much marred that they are scarcely known by their Duties Dealings Love Humbleness Meekness as they were in times past By Pride Covetousness Wantonness Frowardness God is dishonoured and their glory is gone O the wonderful Change that Spiritual sickness hath made 5. Sickness is a forerunner of Death when there is a sick Bed there is an expectation of a Grave Heman speaks personally of himself Psal 88. 3. My life draws nigh unto the grave Our Sicknesses give us cause to fear we are not farre off the grave When the best and most proper Physick will not work it 's a sign that Death approacheth Are we not this day making graves for all our Blessings and Comforts Have we not reason to expect that ere long our Mourners will go up and down and say How is New-England fallen That Land that was a Land of Holiness hath lost her Holiness that was a Land of Righteousness hath lost her Righteousness that was a Land of Peace hath lost her Peace that was a Land of Liberty is now in sore bondage Sin brings Death near and sets God afarre off and hence we must be miserable All that come to visit us had need to minde us of our latter end the death of our Mercies If God deal with us as he hath been wont to deal with others he will make us a better people or leave us When a people have the Means of healing and are not healed there is cause to fear that God loaths and rejects them See how the Prophet expostulates the case with God Jerem. 14. 10. Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy soul loathed Sion Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us We looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble There are three things speak sadly to us and tell us we have little cause to be secure 1. That there are so sew born to Jesus Christ Indeed Children are multiplied but there is not much cause of joy therewith but rather of fear that they are born for the Sword and Famine and other Judgements When a Land bears not to Christ it is a sign the Children therein are born to Judgment How much hath God estranged himself from his Ordinances how little Converting-work is
by all that love God Rom. 16. 17. they are Instruments of great evil Let their Corruptions be kept under by good Laws and their Manners healed It 's a bitter Imprecation the Apostle hath Gal. 5. 12. I would they were cut off that trouble you There is a Story that the Swevians had a Law That in a fray where Swords were drawn if a Woman or a Childe did but cry Peace though they were a great way off they must end the quarrel or else he died that strook the next Blow after Peace was named But alas where Contentions are the noise is so great that those that cry Peace are not heard nay those that speak of Peace are accounted Enemies Some are of such unquiet spirits they make the places where they live uncomfortable 4. Let it be your great care That the great Truths of God the Faith once committed to the Saints may be preserved Buy the Truth and sell it not Prov. 23. 23. Truth is the most precious Jewel that God hath trusted his people with Satan hath been labouring to rob us of this our greatest Jewel through the Apostacy of some Errour hath been spread and Truth is clouded in the eyes of too many The preservation of Truth requires much Wisdome Zeal Tenderness and Moderation There is a necessity of Wisdome in the management of this great work for you will finde that persons that are in Errour are of divers sorts 1. Some have weak understandings and yet have sincere hearts tender Consciences and unwillingly differ from the generality of the godly Pity and for bearance is due to such 2. There are others that shew much wilfulness pride and frowardness nothing of Conscience have a Frenzy a Madness These ought to be kept from hurting others 3. There is a difference to be put between lesser and greater Errours for there are Fundamentalia in Fide which are called Magnalia Dei and there are Minutila Zeal must be wisely ordered according to the nature of Truths It would argue Hypocrisie to be substantial in Circumstantial Truths and circumstantial in the Substantials of Faith and Repentance Paul's counsel to Titus was in matters of Consequence to affirm constantly Tit. 3. 8. but to avoid needless questions ver 9. Those Truths that more especially concern Gods glory and mans salvation should be especially prized preserved Labour to keep the great truths of God in credit It would not consist with love to God and Jesus Christ to tolerate that which would blaspheme the Name of God or damn the Souls of men Neither would it consist with our profession of love to Christ or Saints to trouble those that peaceably differ from the generality of Gods people in lesser things Those that are like to live in Heaven with us at last we should endeavour they might live peaceably with us here Those that differ in lesser things and 〈…〉 â—â—â—ringe the just Liberties of others why should they not have 〈◊〉 A well-bounded Toleration were very desireable in all Christian Common-wealths that there may be no just occasion for any to complâ—in of Cruelty or Persecution but it must be such a Toleration that God may not be publickly blasphemed nor Idolatry practised Neither ought any Errour to be tolerated that hath a tendency in its own nature to Profaneness or the disturbing of Peace and Order in Church or State You are to labour to do all things so that you may keep God and Christ with you Though it be the duty of Magistrates to see that the great Truths of God be not vilified nor trampled in the dirt yet this I judge I may confidently affiâ—m That Truth never gâ—t ground by a violent opposition of smaller Errours Yet it is the duty of the people of God to contend for the least of Truths and it should be their endeavour in the Spirit of love and meekness to convince persons of their lesser Errours and those that do differ ought to be of a teachable spirit and to keep a holy fear of departing from the common faith though in the least things for when persons easily let go lesser Truths they quickly fall into great Errours Secondly I have a word to my Reverend Brethren in the Ministry and this I would press upon my self and you 1. Let us all be quickly and deeply sensible of the wounds of Sion of breaches in the Walls of Jerusalem else we cannot pray aright for its healing and repairing let not us be secure while Sion is sâ—ck Let it be our care to kill the Cockatrice in the Egge to make an end of Differences as soon as they begin if breaches be not repaired they gâ—ow great quickly if a house be on fire if the fire be not quenched quickly afterward it will be too late to attempt it Let not the beginnings of Divisions be contemptible a weak Enemy being slighted becomes potent A wound when it is green may be quickly healed but if it be let fester and gangrene at last it is past cure The spirits of persons are not much imbittered at first whereas afterwards they become irreconcileable As you are Watchmen so watch the times and seasons to perserve and recover Peace in the places God hath set you in 2. Labour to see Eye to Eye be of one minde and heart this will help to make up the glory of the best times Isa 52. 8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice with the voice together shall they sing for they shall see eye to eye they shall be of the same judgement and speak the same thing We that are Leaders of the people must take heed we do not cause them to erre Let it be our care to subject our judgements to the Word of God and take heed that we our selves never become Sect-masters and therefore we had need beware lest Pride lead us into Errour and Singularity It should be the great work of Ministers to keep themselves humble to tread in the steps of our dear Lord who is our Pattern 3. Labour to reconcile Differences by strong Arguments with meekness of Spirit put an end to Divisions if Self-denial will do it become all thing to all men Let it be your great aim to unite men to Christ and one unto another And for that end Deny your selves for Christ's sake bear as farre as you can without sin with the weakness and frowardness of those that are sick 4. Let not the Kids of the Flock be forgotten they are Members with us of the same Body let them have your love and care pray much for them labour to teach them the good wayes of the Lord the Trade-way to Heaven and the more hopeless you are of those that are grown to years by reason of their Stubbornness the greater let your care be of those that are but in their tender years Catechizing would be of great use in every Congregation and where there is but one Officer in a Church and no more can be had it will be necessary