a high esteem upon this grace to look upon it as the most glorious Stone in the Ring The rest have their luster this is both resplendent and medicinal heals broken souls It is no wonder if St. Jude give it the preheminence since it is both the leading grace and brings the first glad tidings of salvation and also the Mother grace whence all others have their birth and original Without this what are all our works and duties but as we say of the vertues of Heathens Splendida peccata Where faith is not layd as the foundation all our devotions acts of piety charity observance of Sabbaths Ordinances nay that great performance of Prayer are but like that structure built on the sand Mat. 7.26 Without this we can no more appear before the Tribunal of Gods justice then stubble before a consuming fire In the word it is faith that must make us profitable in obedience it is faith that must make us cheerful in prayer it is faith that makes us successfull and in all performances it is faith that makes us acceptable This is that wisedome Job 28.16 17 18 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.8 the price whereof is above Rubies the Topaze of Ethiopia cannot equal it it cannot be valued with pure Gold This will give comfort joy and peace under all distractions make the soul skip like a Lambe leap and dance for joy Other divine qualifications may make you confident but it is faith only that must give you your assurance There cannot be such an abasement where faith will not lift up the head and render you victorious Justice gives every man his own temperance will restrain lusts magnanimity will bear and go through any hardship prudence is an excellent guide to our actions but it is faith that overcometh the world in this Paul insults and triumphs over men and Angels Heaven and Earth Rom. 8.38 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am confident or perswaded That neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. You will have a better heart both to the price and the esteem of it if you seriously advise with these considerations The Author The Offices and the Effects of it First Look upon it as Gods gift from whom every good and perfect gift cometh as a fruit of his Spirit Gal. 5.22 This will make it excellent and lovely Let us a little view it in that great interest of our souls the high act of justification we shall there finde it to justifie Infundendo creat creando infundit not as mans faith but as the work of God in in the soul It is an excellent place Eph. 2.8 By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God faith may be in us but it is not of us that is not from any power of our own but it is a meer gift of God both in the habit and in the act of it Justification is is a free Act of and from eternity without any condition on our parts and that Evangelical righteousness by which we are justified is without us in Christ It is the finger of God that works faith in the soul and having wrought it puts it upon acting thereby to evidence justification to the soul As a father having layd up for his son a great Treasure in some secret place tells him of it and bestows it freely upon him but wanting the possession and enjoyment of it the son is no richer for it till the father lights a Torch guides his son to the hidden Treasure and puts him into the actual possession of it Thus is Faith Gods Instrument by which he discovers to our souls the unvaluable riches of Christ which in the minds and purpose of the Donor was ours from Eternity and evidenceth us to be freely justified lending us that light of faith whereby we apprehend enjoy and apply Christ to our souls It is called the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 Whose evidence Gods evidence given us by which he declareth and manifesteth to our consciences those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the invisible things of our justification and salvation and when given it is our evidence also by which we possess Christ and pleads our actual justification against all the accusations of the Law sin and Satan then we have the witnesse in our selves 1 Joh. 5.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods witness so it is sometimes read witnessing to our spirits that we are the children of God we are justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there answering to the Hebrew Chinnam excluding all both hope of advantage on Gods part and preceding desert in man upon any account whether of faith or works excluding as well merit as rewards hereby intimating that all our works are the works of God in us yea faith it self in that great and high Act of justifying is Gods gift I have here made a little digression to acquaint you with the excellency of this grace that you may set a higher value upon it not only because it is Gods gift but so high and precious a gift of his right hand whereby he gives us an interest to Christ and all his promises and evidenceth eternal life to our souls 2. Consider the Offices of faith which besides union to and communion with Christ formerly named are these two First acceptance wherby we are made willing to receive Christ upon Christs own terms what his terms are he himself tells you Luke 9.23 If any man will come after me he must deny himself and take up his Crosse daily and follow me This is the receiving act of faith and is therfore called the hand of the Soul not for its working quality purifying the heart reviving the dead spirit working by love carrying the Soul through all discouragements these are indeed the works of faith but for its receiving and accepting quality accepting righteousnesse in Christ receiving him as a gift of his fathers love imbracing the promises afar off and laying hold on eternal life The working righteousnesse is Christs the Office or act of faith is accepting applying receiving yeelding consent to that righteousnesse The other Office or Act of Faith is resignation whereby we give our selves wholly up to Christ spirit soul and body to be guided and byassed by him this is that spiritual marriage Eph. 5.17 betwixt Christ and the Soul by which as the soul hath a propriety and right to the body name goods table possessions and purchase of Christ so she doth reciprocally become all his by an unconstrained resignation of her will ways and desires unto his guidance and government we become the servants of Christ to be ruled as well as to be aided and protected by him then doth Christ own us and he stands ingaged to watch over and care for us Then
A Farewel SERMON Preached in VVAKE-FIELD January 1 1655. By Thomas Parker Master of Arts late Minister of that Church Published upon the importunity and for the satisfaction of the good People of Wakefield 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.4 LONDON Printed by J. M. for Richard Lownds at his Shop at the White Lyon in St. Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the ever Honoured and my very good friend Mrs. Frances Hustler at Lupset Madam IT was not any Ambition to be seen in the Press but the daily importunities of my ever dear people which brought this Sermon to see the light when I Preached it I had no other thoughts of Printing it thâ—n in your breasts I shall think my pains well bestow'd if the eye may so second the ear that both may be an advantage to the Soul and leave so deep an impression of the true fear of God in your hearts that you may be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God Madam You will meet here with the words of truth and sobernesse in a plain and homely dresse that which an age never more wanted nor could lesse indure Truth is like Beauty never more fair then when she goes the plainest This discourse will meet with my Adversaries but be welcome to my friends to whose Consciences rather they their Closets I desire to commend it For my own part I desire to refer my self to the wisedom of God who knows how to chuse best for me and through his blessing whatever it cost me to run the Ermin's fate fall into the hands of the Hunter rather then foul her body The great share that New-Years day had in your tears makes me bold to beg some interest in your Prayers and I shall not despair in Gods good time of my restauration to the Vineyard In the mean time I commend you and yours to that bloud of sprinkling which speaketh better things then the blood of Abel Madam I am Your affectionate friend and servant in Christ Jesus Tho. Parker From my study at Northgate-head June 24. 1656. ECCLES 12.13 I Am this day to take my leave not only of you my good people but of the Pulpit also To bid farewell to that High Calling the great Harvest of Heaven wherein I have for these eighteen years painfully and faithfully and I bless my God fruitfully laboured I do not herein strive to justifie my self God knoweth my heart if there be any glory it is the Lords I know the Apostles Rule very well Not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10.18 I know not well upon what account to commend this Sermon this day whether as a Farewel to you or a Funeral to my self for so indeed it is To impede the execution of that Calling wherein we are employed and whereby we should do God that service for which he hath Commissionated us To force the rusting of the Talents which our great Master hath commanded us to put to usury To stop our mouths and put out our eyes when our hands are at the Plough What is it but to bury a man alive or to leave him like that wounded Pilgrim in the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 10.30 How bitter would this Cup be if the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ had not sweetned it What an excellent saying that is The servant is not greater then his Lord nor the Disciple above his Master If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you c. And lest they should forget so necessary and useful a Doctrine he puts a special Memento upon it Joh. 15.20 Remember the words that I have said to you c. What ever shall befall me or any of my fellow Labourers We shall ever pray that God may bless his Church and I doubt not but he will in his good time restore her to her Purity and her Peace Old Mercies thankfully received are strong ingagements for new Your spirit will witnesse with me this day what cause I have to blesse God as much I think as any man that ever laboured in his Vaneyard First for my persecutions It is an excellent saying of St. Paul 2 Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure in persecutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words is a Gospel Expression and signifies a willing pleasing Approbation not without much inward contentment The most precious thing that good Apostle ever desired to receive he expresseth by this word namely to be present with the Lord. 2 Cor. 5.8 And the most precious thing that ever he desired to give he expresseth by the same words namely The Gospel of Christ and his own soul 1. Thes 2.8 and here he makes use of it to shew how well he was pleased and how much he did approve of himself and his Doctrine because of these persecutions as being undoubted evidences of the truth of Christ I should for my own part have suspected my self yea and my Doctrine too if both had not been persecuted I look upon my persecutions as love Tokens from Heaven Pledges of Gods love and Badges of my own Sonship Let me tell you my good people there is no condition in the world so highly desireable as that of suffering for and with Christ Jam. 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was Divinity in St. James his days Was it not the minute of his sufferings wherein Steven saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at his right hand Shall we think our selves worthy to be stiled the Disciples of Christ and run away or deny him when he comes to the Crucifying When she who is the Mother of us all is abused branded and struggles under pangs and agonies with the most hellish and unthankful children that ever Mother bare shall we therefore forget to be Sons or be ashamed or afraid to suffer I mean the Church of England which every knowing and moderate Spirit not biassed with factions or self-interest must needs acknowledg to be the brightest and most glorious resemblance of Primitive purity that ancient and holy faith which for these twelve hundred years any man ever had the honour of contending or suffering for Tell me have not I great cause to look upon it as a blessing or have you any cause to be ashamed of my troubles What my persecutions have been and of what nature in relation not to my person only but my Doctrine also the proper work of Hell with what bitterness violence and injustice they have been carried on your own eyes and ears can sufficiently witness I blesse God this day for the innocency of my own heart and shall have another day more cause to rejoyce in my sufferings 2 Cor. 1.12 then my Persecutors in their victory Our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience The second Mercy I desire we may take notice of is the support and constant supplies of the Spirit of grace in and under all these sufferings a high and
mighty Herds of Cattel which himself possessed in abundance he tells us they are but Snares and Thorns either to entangle or torment us gotten with labour kept with fear and lost with sorrow All external forms of worship where Christ is not in the heart or not met with in the Ordinance is no more then a fools Sacrifice or as the word carrys it the service of hypocritical light and unconstant men These and many other gatherings he makes out from his own experience After these discoveries he prescribes many excellent rules for the settlement of the soul in reference both to its present and future good An humble acknowledgment under and dependance upon the providence of God in all events singleness and sincerity of heart in his worship and service The right use of wisedom in discerning times and judgments contentednesse and sweet reposedness of soul in every condition of life Obedience and Loyalty to Superiors Conscientious walking in our particular Callings Preparedness of spirit against all tryals and afflictions Moderation in the use of comforts in this life and preparation through the fear of God and obedience for death and judgment in the words of my Text Hence he may well be stiled a Gatherer and his Book a Book of gatherings The grand enquiry of the whole Book is that Summum Bonum that puzzled all our blind Philosophers The Preacher here discovers that Stone that turns all things into Gold which they have long tired themselves in seeking for and could never finde to this day Observe I pray you how he begins this Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and how he ends it He begins it with Vanity of vanities All is vanity Idols light vile things of naught as the breath of ones mouth or the bubble in the water vapours soon vanishing Vanity of vanities vain vanity or extream superlative vanity This our first Parents saw and therefore called their second Son Hebel or vanity David confirms it Psal 144 4 Adam is as Abel or man is like to vanity there is an Allusion in the Original to both their names And herein he makes out the insufficiency and disability of the Creature to confer any true happinesse upon the Soul And secondly observe how he ends his book Fear God and keep his Commandments methinks it is not much unlike to that of Christ to Martha thou art troubled about many things Luke 10.41 42. but one thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the good part c. He begins you see with nothing he ends with all things he shews us what our first estate is an observance of lying vanities and forsaking our own mercies he shews us what our best estate is Fear God c. We begin at Idols and vanity and never know what our beginning was till we come to this end never know that we are vain till we arrive at the true fear of God My dear people whom I love and must ever love in the bowels of Christ Jesus and must ever call you so though now unhappily torn from you let not my words this day fall to the ground lay them up in your hearts let it suffice that you have spent your time past in vanities and Idols things of emptiness and torment let us not be like the people of those countries that whatsoever they chance to see first every morning they worship solemnly all the day after if sin have had the morning let the evening be Gods it is time we should come home to that only true happiness the Lord Jesus Christ Content not your selves with any outward blessings til you be sure you injoy him to the Salvation of your souls other excellencies may set you out in the eys of men generosity obligingnesse wisedom learning valour c. every one of these is sufficient to be a sober mans Idol render a man praise worthy but it is Christ only that makes us blessed other blessings you may injoy and perish with them but he that injoys Christ by true faith Ioh. 3.16 shall never perish but hath everlasting life The Text is Solomons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a solicitous inquiry or the treasure of true happinesse discovered it is in it self an exhortation or a duty you may call it whether you please the substance is the same There is not any thing remarkable in the Preface save that in the Original it begins with a Capital Letter as pointing out some high subject and stirring up the more serious attention to the matter in hand which indeed rightly weighed is an Epitome of the whole Gospel Would you know after my long observations what you are to trust to What is the sum and substance of the whole matter Where true and durable felicity may be found It is in this Fear God and keep his Commandments without this man is but as one calls him praestantissimum brutum which puts me in mind of that saying Job 28.28 where the holy man concludes his speech as the Preacher here doth his book Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisedom and to depart from evil is understanding man then becomes wise when he fears God when Christ the wisedom of the fatheres dwels in him We shall not need neither did I ever love to name a Text the conclusion riseth plainly and naturally from it To fear God and keep his Commandments is the whole duty of man or as it is in the Hebrew the whole man and so the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the true fear of God is once planted it carries the whole man with it spirit soul and body guides and directs the whole man rectifies and reforms the whole man it is all in all and through all sets a price and worth upon the whole man in this life and crowns and glorifies the whole man in the life to come There is a natural fear arising from the sense of humane weaknesse which is not in it self sinfull we have examples of it in the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and in Christ himself Mat. 26.38 Heb. 5.7 he was heard in that he feared which though the Rhemists translate for his reverence and charge us with the corrupting of the Text contrary to the version and sense of Antiquity and the ordinary use of the Greek words yet I find it signifying as well a natural as a pious fear Acts 23.10 where a commotion being raised the chief Captain or Tribune is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afraid lest Paul should be torn in pieces which could not be a pious fear in him that was a Pagan but a natural civil fear lest a Roman a Prisoner and under his present charge should have been violently and tumultuously murthered between the Pharisees and the Sadduces 2. There is a carnal fear I may call it a fear of diffidence because arising from unbelief Apoc. 21.8 They are liable to the second death and joined with unbeleevers the Apostles are called 〈◊〉
must the Soul have all Christ and Christ the whole soul no sharing no competition with any lust but Jesus Christ becomes all in all to us and we are made willing to follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth 3. Consider the admirable vertues or effects of faith this also will help to put a high esteem upon it Faith dissolves the Plots of all our spiritual enemies it will give you a conquest over sin the Divel and the World it will quicken your souls Gal. 2.20 Sanctifie and Purifie your hearts Acts 15.9 hereby you shall obtain whatever you stand in need of and God hath promised it will bear you up in all dangers discouragements desertions deaths hereby you shall stand live walk be saved c. this will bring you to God to whom no man comes but by Christ nor to Christ but by faith I could be large in these things if I had not formerly made them out to you The Lord bring them home to the hearts of every one of you This is the first main remembrance To have a high and precious esteem of Faith Secondly I would advise you ever to have a right judgment of Faith Every fancy in these days is pretended for faith and light and the soul easily mistakes presumption or credulity for this great grace therefore it will much concern you to know and ever to remember that is not a bare acknowledgment or assent to divine truths and the promises of Christ as the Socinians would have it but an application or closing with Christ in those truths and promises for not the promises of Christ barely but the person of Christ is the object of faith It is a resting upon Jehovah a rolling a mans self upon God as one tired under his burthen casts both himself and his burthen upon something that sustains it Prov. 3.5 Isai 10.20 As Saul tired with fighting leaned upon his Spear 2 Sam. 1.6 I do not mean in this place that inferiour Act of faith the trusting God with our temporal well being though even this be a beleevers prerogative and makes all those dreams and wishes of the old Philosophers the Scepticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Stoicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Epicures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to become the reality and acquisition of a Christian a holy Epicurism which faith and only faith furnisheth us with but I mean that faith which closes with the blood of Christ for eternal life and salvation There is an excellent place in Rom 10.10 where man is said to beleeve with the heart noting that it is not a bare closing with divine truths in our understandings Jews and Devils will do that but a consent or walking up to the goodness of God in Christ whereby he is loved above all things longed for and trusted to above all things becomes food rayment life all things to us And this you must look upon as Gods work too None can thus close with him but they whose hearts the Lord openeth Acts 16. Before I pass this Branch of divine fear there is one thing I would put you in mind of it will much help your judgment of faith and it is this That true faith is ever waited on with self denial where this is not there is no faith nor fear of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 9.23 Faith carries with it an Abdication not only of natural but spiritual self the soul findes vanity and nothingnesse not in reason only but in duty also without Christ In Josephs vision the Sun Moon Genesis 37 and Stars did obeysance to him and all the sheaves in the field bowed to his sheafe In the soul life way and work of a regenerate man all moral abilities and endowments all natural powers and faculties of the soul nay all supernatural gifts and graces prostrate themselves at the feet of Christ Then will the soul follow Christ in the knowledge of his will in the belief of his promises in the love of his truth in the obedience of his commands then wilt thou lay aside thine own wisdom as an empty Lamp thine own will as an evil commander thine own reason as a false rule thine own affections as corrupt Counsellors thine own ends as base and corrupt marks to be aimed at Not a hoof shall be left in Aegypt Exo. 10.26 thou wilt empty thy self that thou mayst be capable of Christ go out of thy self that thou mayst come to Christ Christ will reign as that Centurion Mat 8.8 9. come or go the poor heart is ready for him take away this your faith is no more then a pretence a self flattery you must go quite out of your selves before you can enjoy a Saviour The LXX have not cast Adam into a sleep as the Hebrew Text but into an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2.21 a being hurried out of himself to make him capable of an helper if you shall not meet with this upon inquiry into your own spirits your faith is naught and all your service and worship of God and affront to your Redeemer or to give it the best language plain Pharisaism and Hypocrisie and God will one day cast all your duties as dung and dirt in your faces and say Who required these things at your hand The Lord give you self-denying hearts The Lord encrease faith in every one of you This is the first Jewel or Stone in the Ring He that fears God beleeves in him To fear God is to wait on him and for him an excellent and useful Lecture frequently inculcated by the Prophet in the Psalms as a fruit of the true fear of God he doubles his expression Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord wait I say on the Lord He joyns waiting upon God and keeping his way Psal 37.34 Observe what high promises the Scripture makes to this waiting Immunity from shame Psal 25.3 The inheritance of the earth Psal 37.9 Renewing of strength mounting up with wings as Eagles c. Is 40.31 New supplies of spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they seem to be quite spent and lost a change to be better conditioned flying over all difficulties they meet with Isa 40.31 deliverance from enemies Prov. 20.22 The fulfiling the desires of our hearts c. But how or wherein you should wait upon God and express your true fear of him is my task now to acquaint you Much of this I shall from my own experience commend to you and I hope you will not forget my words another day They will be of great use to you Wait upon God in his ways and wait upon him in his time I cannot commend any thing more advantagious to you whether you look at the present distempers and distractions of the world or the future comfort and settlement of your spirits upon all accounts First wait upon him in his own ways the ways of his Ordinances and the ways of his Dispensations First in the
ways of his Ordinances in hearing the word attending at the Gates of Wisdome in the honour and use of the Sacrament in prayer and other Divine Institutions This is the way Christ hath prescribed and in all ages wonderfully blessed to his Church I have experimentally found it in my self and to my great comfort have had the acknowledgment of it from many of you by and under my Ministry These are the Channels of grace the Conduit-pipes by which God conveys himself and the waters of life to his people here will your souls meet with God and finde the enjoyment of him and the due observation of them is a strong Test of your obedience I know that after my departure you will meet with Foxes and Wolves some crying down all Ordinances as things carnal and below a spiritual and raised estate they will tell you they are weak and low administrations no more then walking by Moon light they will tell you that Seraphical men are above and beyond all Ordinances and their Enthusiasms of greater concernment then the Ordinances of Christ you will meet on the other hand with those who so far cry up Ordinances that they make Idols of them slighting him who is the substance men of Pharisaical Spirits and Interests who while they should preach Christ and him crucified will preach themselves their own parts passions and interests whereby you may probably be made weary both of them and their preaching My ever dear people let none of these things drive you from the Church of God or deter or discourage you from following Christ in those ways he hath prescribed let it be your care to wait on him I have known some who taking offence at these things wo in the mean time to him by whom the offence cometh have in these times declined either to Popery or Atheism I beseech God blesse you I hope better things of you and should be heartily grieved to see such sad failings in any of you I have two things to commend to you in this Point for your better satisfaction First Rest not in a bare formal attendance upon the Ordinance The Harlot can say I have made my peace offerings to day the Ordinance is but the means the end is Communion with Christ and fruition of him The Jews promised themselves much from the naked presence of the Temple Ier. 7.4 though they had but small honour for the Lord of it Iudges 17.13 Micah promised himself mountains when he had got a Levite to be his Priest though he still retained his Idols The Pharisees boasted they were the seed of Abraham when they did the works of the Devil Ioh. 8.33.44 How many poor souls have thus turned the means of salvation into the means of destruction feeds upon busks instead of the true bread nay turned their food into porson not finding Christ in the Ordinances nor being led home to Christ by them My good people think it not enough that you havâ— Geheza with his masters staff that you have Christs Minister and Christs word but as that Shunamite 2 King 4.30 lay hold on Christ himself where every faithful soul sees casts receives enjoys in these Ordinances Secondly when thou hast done thy best and purest service and met with Christ in the Ordinances rest not in the work done loath yourselves with a sincere acknowledgment of your ownunworthinesse and the unprofitablenesse imperfections and iniquities of your most holy things ever resting upon free-grace Be so careful of duty as if there were no grace to justifie you and so rest upon grace as if no work were to be done by you And then secondly wait upon God in the ways of his providence and dispensations this is that excellent grace a fruit of the sanctifying spirit of God whereby the soul freely submits not to the will only but to the wisdom of God in all the crosse acts of Providence we meet with in this life enabling us to bear our own burthens without inordinate sorrow or fretting discontent As by faith we injoy God and by love we injoy our neighbour so through humble waiting and submission to the wisedom of God we possesse our own souls This is an excellent lesson but hard for flesh and blood to learn to beleeve that God can chuse best for us better then we our selves Are not Abanah and Parphar Rivers of Damascus better then all the Waters of Israel 2 Râ—g 5.12 Kinds of age a few fatherly kisses and imbraces a portion in my hand this nature cries out for and would be well pleas'd with but the soul that fears God hath learned with Paul to be content in every condition of life hath learned that sublime Phylosophy of subscribing to Gods wisedom not to his will only that he will force us to and he is a kind of mad Atheist that should deny it but to his wisedom to acknowledge God the best chuser for us the stripes he sends more suitable to us then all the blessings we pray for his denying our demands the most divine way of granting them resolving whatever he imposes upon us is best for us his thoughts are not like our thoughts Heaven and Earth are not alwaies of one opinion Good is the Word of the Lord says good Hezekiah when destruction was denounced to his whole family It is the Lord Iet him do what seemeth him good says old Eli when besides the losse of both his children in one day God tells him there should not be an old man in his house for ever All things saith Paul work together for good to them that love God This submission to the Wisdom of God and the consequent of it Rejoycing in Tribulation is that waiting upon God which I would now instruct you in that better days may teach you humblenesse which is a part of this fear Prov. 22.4 and worser days may teach you that Christian patience whereby you shall be inabled to undergo the hands of heaven to look after deliverance in the ways and accept it upon the terms of God My dear people you are my glory and crown of rejoycing let me commend the serious remembrance of this to your Spirit It was never of more use then in these times of the Churches persecution You shall see men strangely and severally wrestling and tugging under Gods Dispensations In one man a supine stupidity in another the relieving his melancholy thoughts in a cup of Lethe a sleeping Pill of good fellowship like Sauls sending to the Minstrel when the evil spirit came upon him or his second address to the Witch to charm the judgment that was ready to invade him you shall see a third multiplying his sins as fast as God his judgments like the Elephants in the Maccabees whom the blood of the Mulberies more enraged hardning like Pharaoh under the rod like Ahab and Ahaz growing worse under the judgment you will meet with more plausible effects then these in one a contempt of the world his