only ask thee one question Art thou content to have no part in the happiness of the Church hereafter if thou separatest thy self from the Church Militant I tell thee in the name of my Lord and Master thou shalt be separated from the Church Triumphant hereafter Wouldst thou stand at the right hand of the Head of the Church and be owned as a Member and be glorified for ever with the Church why then here feel the Churches sorrow and cry mightily to God that he will arise and have mercy on Sion But if thou doest not here feel the Churches misery nor cry to God for deliverance thou must be separated from the Church hereafter And thus have I done with this general counsel learn to behave your selves well in the day of Jacobs troubles in four particulars Get the mark of mourners on your foreheads Keep your selves pure from the reigning sins of the times Feel the sorrows of the Church And cry mightily unto God that he would have mercy I now come to the 13 and last general counsel that I have to leave with you and that is Be you all truly wise Once more I say my last general counsel unto you is O be you all truly wise It is not an outward wisdom I would counsel you to but it is a spiritual wisdom a true wisdom Oh learn it it will do you good to all eternity Once more hearken to a few counsels from your departing friend which contains the substance of the greatest wisdom in the world and I am heartily willing to leave them with you as my farewel be truly wise take good counsel in these following particulars First View truth lose not true wisdom let not the god of this world blinde thine eyes any longer thou that hast a dark head here and doest not see the saving truth thou mayest be blinde for ever hereafter Do not lose the blessed Gospel the sight of Divine Beauty this is but a world of shadows stocks and straws and butter-flies Oh get a sight of the world to come think read hear meditate that thou mayest behold the beauty of Truth be much in hearing be much in reading read good Books meditate on them the less opportunity the ear hath the more opportunity the eye should have darkness is the Devils kingdom he is the prince of darkness and deeds of darkness are done in the Devils kingdom get out of it into the glorious Gospel of Light view Truth and study it Secondly Follow the light of it first see it then follow it people are apt to think they are in a good way when they are in a bad when you view Truth and have seen Divine Beauty then follow light or else turn so miserable that Infiniteness it self cannot get thee out of it If thou disobeyest Conscience thou runnest upon the point of the sword Conscience is that which is a discerner bread is bread and grain is grain but the goodness of it is better distinguished by being brought to the light Sin is sin but bring it to the light of Conscience it is clearer discerned thou that art a drunkard against thy Conscience a swearer a profaner of the Lords Day a reviler of his people c. and dost it against the light of thy Conscience what canst thou say for thy self at that day of account when this Book shall be laid open among the rest and all thy deeds of darkness discovered Thou that in matters of Religious Worship doest any thing against thy conscience runnest upon inavoidable misery and woe and thou shalt finde bitterness in the end Thirdly Live in the practise of self-deniel Oh take heed of the Flesh and the Devil so much as thou art ruled by these thine enemies so far thou settest thy self from the enjoyment of God for if self-pleasing be not counted by thee to be thine enemy and self-denial thy friend thou art out of the convoy of God what then will be thy end Live crucifying of thy flesh or thou shalt be crucified by it Fourthly Live in the sight of and dependance on the Father Son and Holy Spirit live in the sight thereof continually so long as thou art out of the sight of God so long thou art open to all dangers Depend upon the Father for giving upon the Son for purchasing upon the Holy Ghost for conveighing all good unto thee express thy dependance by thy earnest prayers to God for all good tugging and striving for thy life express thy dependance by a hanging and relying faith upon thy Saviour resisting all temptations resolve to live in the sight of and dependance on Father Son and Holy Spirit Fifthly Live in a good air keep good company a soul that is in evil company is in Hell whilst amongst them or else will go to Hell with them There is nothing more healthful to the body then to live in a good aire a bad air destroyes the health so doth bad company destroy the soul resist temptations thou must part with God or with evil company therefore forsake bad company resist temptations at first rising if thou dost not watch the first beginning of temptations to sin all thy vows and promises will vanish as dew before the Sun Sixthly Exchange temporal joyes for eternal be assured of it the world will leave you this garment the covering of it will fade therefore whilst the colour is any thing good get a better and more enduring part with the worlds contents for spiritual joyes this you are to do by daily mortification diligent edification and be sure to restifie thy sincerity towards God make good friends of the unrighteous Mammon that when you fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Luke 16. Make friends with your estate lay it out upon christs poor Members really the world is going away apace Heaven and Earth is changing and waxeth old there are joyes everlasting Oh then exchange temporal joyes for eternal Seventhly Fill thy self with religious pleasures expect and overlook its cares if thou wouldest be truly wise do this the heart must have its joy either temporal or spiritual would you trample over the world then rejoyce in the Lord and again I say rejoyce Oh be truly wise let God Heaven and the Holy Spirit continually fill thy soul with religious joyes sweetness and beauty which will banish thy cares and dangers if thou art religious expect troubles but overlook them and cast thine eyes upon that joy that is in thy soul that thou art out of the reach of Satan and his instruments being under the safe conduct of Omnipotency who will undoubtedly bring thee safe through all to himself Eighthly If thou lovest life let death dwell in thy heart God knows how soon we may all dye now I am going away and am not to speak any more unto you except God finde out a way beyond our expectation I would therefore leave that counsel that may do you most good and make you truly wise Remember to have death alwayes
am bold to advise you how you shall behave your selves when it comes Out of love to your souls I advise you what to do in the day of Jacobs troubles First have the mark of mourners on your foreheads let me beg it of you if you have not that mark on you in the day of Jacobs troubles without doubt the Devils black mark will be found on you at the last day In Ezekiel 9. v. 4.5 all that had not this mark on them were the persons destinated to destruction When the overflowing scourge comes when the destroying Angel goeth upon his circuit he is not to spare man woman nor childe but those that had this mark upon them even those that cried out for the abominations done in the land Read that text Now mark the difference that God and the world puts upon such mourners in Sion God puts a mark of preservation upon such as the world puts a mark of destruction seditious humorsome keeping a whining fasting and mourning behave your selves well in the day of Jacobs troubles get the mark of mourners on your foreheads let not God see that you are a careless people let not God that sees this Congregation this great number of people have cause to say that you are a careless company care not for your own sins nor for the sins of others care not for the wrath of God though gray hairs be here and there upon us you know it not care not for the Churches misery though Jacob be under the hatches and the Church like to be grownd to powder thou canst trudge about the world and endeavour to preserve thy Estate but carest not for the wrath of God nor the miseries of the Church Thou art not one of those persons that behavest thy self well in the day of Jacobs troubles I tell thee if the sins of a Nation be nothing to thee the judgements of a Nation shall be something to thee Remember that a messenger of Jesus Christ a poor dying worm who is just now leaving you told you thus much that if the ungodliness prophaneness sensuality blasphemy and atheisme of a Nation be nothing to thee then the judgements of a Nation shall be something to thee Either mourn for sin or mourn for woe and sorrow Oh! do you mourn for the wickedness that is done in this Land though sinners make sport of it and please themselves in it and look upon it as part of their glory that they can go to Hell quietly let me beg it of you all and leave it as my counsel with you to get the mark of mourners on your foreheads let it appear that the Angel may take notice of thee and mark thee when the overflowing scourge shall pass through the land Really there is hypocrisie in Professors on both hands in times of the Churches prosperity and in times of the Churches adversity the Devil may tell thee that thou art sincere though thou takest no notice of the Churches troubles nor mournest for it be not deceived thy heart is not right in the sight of God if thou carest not what becomes of his Church thou hast had a hand in their sins have a hand in their sufferings Thou hast helpt to bring sorrow to the Church by reason of thy sin Oh bring tears of godly sorrow to help to quench the flame that sinne hath kindled Secondly would you behave your selves well in the time of Jacobs troubles keep your selves pure from the reigning sins of the times wherein you live I speak not of any particular time but when God is angry with his Church let it be now be it when it will it then becomes Christians to keep themselves pure from the sins of those times In Revel 18. v. 4. hearken to that text of Scripture thou carnal complying temporizing and time-serving Professour I heard a voice from heaven saying Come out of her my people and be not partakers of her sin lest you are partakers of her plagues When mens sins are filling apace when the Ephah is near full keep thy self pure from the sins of the times lest thou be made partaker of the plagues of the times Consider what are the sins of such times if there be prophaneness superstition impiety malice against Religion sensuality impenitency and see little else but wickedness of this dye and nature touch you not one of them keep your selves pure I am giving you counsel as for my own life if I were dying on my sick bed as God knows how soon I may according to the measure that God hath given me of his free Grace I could not give you better counsel Oh that I could deliver it with that authority that I ought Purity is a condition of the Covenant 2 Cor. 6.18 He will be to you a Father and you shall be to him Sons and Daughters if you will come out from such uncleannesses A word to the wise is enough and according as God furnisheth you with his Spirit learn to behave your selves well in the day of Jacobs troubles keep your selves pure from the sins of the times Thirdly Feel the sorrow of the Church if the Church be nothing to thee Christ is nothing to thee and if Christ be nothing to thee thou art an enemy to Christ and thou mayest profess thou beleevest in Christ and hopes to be saved by Christ but if the Church be nothing to thee thou art but a dead Member a wooden Leg a glass Eye an artificial Tooth You must be either friends or foes to Christ if friends then friends to his Church if thou doest not gather with him thou scatterest and if thou takes not a common interest with the Church of God thou art but a false friend to Christ if thou dost not feel the Churches pain thou hast none of the Churches Spirit if a finger or a toe suffer the whole body is sensible Thou hast none of the Spirit of Christ if thou doest not feel the sorrows of the Church Woe be to those that dwell at ease in Sion very few great men are like good Nehemiah who was of the Kings Court and in great favour with him and ailed nothing yet his heart was full of sorrow for the Church of God insomuch that the King saw by his countenance that he was troubled and Nehemiah made use of the opportunity and rested not till he had accomplished his design for the House of God Men that have a great estate and in great places many times are the greatest enemies to the Church of God and they are ready to forsake Christ like the rich young man in the Gospel which you may read at your leasure In Amos 6. ver 6. read your doom there if the Devil do possess some of you with prejudice I profess seriously Brethren it is in love to your souls I speak read that 6. verse of the 6. of Amos poor Joseph lay by the heels the Irons entered into his soul But those that took their pleasure and was not
you and bring you to his right hand where are joyes unspeakable and pleasures for evermore May you fare well in your Shops and in your Fields at Sea and ashore in your going out and in your coming in shall be the hearty prayers of your dying friend May you be blessed in your basket and in your store and in all things you put your hands unto and the God of love and peace be with you May you be blessed in your Yoak-fellows in your Children and Servants in your Ministers and all your relations and the God of love and peace be with you May you be blessed in the exercises of your graces and duties and Ordinances and the God of love and peace be with you and make them easie fruitful and delightful May you fare well in the hour of death the God of love and peace then speak peace unto you and shew his reconciled face unto you in Jesus Christ May you fare well at the great day of Judgement and the God of love and peace then set you at his right hand smile upon you acquit and dissolve you May you fare well in the day of eternity and the God of love and peace then lead you to the fountain of living waters to the enjoyment of himself that sorrow and sighing may then flie away that you may live in praising and singing Hallelujah in the Quire of Angels to all eternity May none of you here present know what Hell means so as to feel the Torments thereof but that you may enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven where the God of love and peace shall be with you May mine enemies do well though I know but of few except those who were once my friends those that are the God of love and peace be with them and bless them for ever Those that have spoken ill of me the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush be with them and pardon all their sins enrich them with Grace and bring them to his heavenly Kingdom I do from my soul forgive them and earnestly desire of God that I may know what it is to live in their company to all eternity whose favour here I could not gain This I can say there is none I have more heartily loved then my enemies to do good for evil to pass by provocations hath been my endeavour let them enjoy the love of God whose company here I could not enjoy May my friends be rewarded let them be reaping in the day of eternity for every good thought word and work towards me however so unworthy seeing it was done in the name of a Prophet let them receive a Prophets reward the upper and the nether springs be their portion all the graces and priviledges of the Gospel be bestowed on them and the God of Grace and Glory be with them I cannot say more the Sun is even down my civil life is near an end my strength is almost spent but the remainder shall be spent for your good Let all the treasures of Divine Love be the reward of all those who have shewed love unto me May every particular Family in this place be blessed Let every House wherein I have been and every person therein be blessed especially those Families wherein I have been particularly engaged Let every one of them be the heir of Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Glory the Lord binde up their souls in the bundle of Life Now as to my Administrations Farewel Sermons and farewel Sabbaths farewel Fasting and farewel Exhortations farewel this House and farewel this Seat for ever farewel my Preaching farewel your Hearing and farewel your Faces in this place and farewel this world when we shall arrive at eternity both old and young My Brethren and Sisters all farewel and God give us himself which is all in all And now to conclude with the farewel in my Text and so to commend you all to God by Prayer which is my last work Finally my Brethren farewel Be perfect be ye of one minde be of good comfort live in peace and the God of love and peace be with you all Amen Mr. Edward Hancock's Prayer before his Farewel Sermon at St. PHILIPS in Bristol August 24. 1662. Holy Lord God Thou who art the Spring of Being the Root of the World the Foundation of all the Centre of Immortal Souls unto thee shall all Flesh come Souls must have vent they have not a competent happiness at home to live upon they must look out and seek abroad and it is vanity to give vent to the Soul any way except upwards Prayer is the greatest vent and hearts ease in all the world unto immortal Souls Lord at this time lift up our Hearts by Prayer unto thee in and through the Lord Jesus Christ O Lord we are unworthy to come into thy presence at this time truly we do confess it being considered in our state of Nature Oh how were we by the transgression of our first Parents born Children of Wrath and Heirs of eternal Damnation and our whole Life ever since hath been a life of Sin and actual Rebellion against thy Majesty Alas we are unworthy to pour out our desires before thee we are Dogs yet truth Lord the Dogs may eat of the crumbs that fall from thy Table O Lord are there so many now about thy House and shall none of them be filled with good things that they be not sent empty away O Lord thou art a bountiful House-keeper that deals out a large deal of spiritual gifts for every poor soul that is poor and hungry and empty in his own apprehension Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Thou hast bid us open our mouths wide and thou wilt fill them Oh open our mouths abroad our hearts do thou open at this time that they may be filled O Lord time would fail us strength would fail us and memory would fail us to make a particular recapitulation of all our Sins and Transgressions committed against thee We carry bad hearts about us hearts that are never weary of offending a good God that waits that he may be gracious O Lord we would fain lay open the desires of our souls before thee it is pardoning mercy and healing mercy we would beg of thee for Jesus Christ his sake pardon all our Sins original and actual and wash our souls in that fountain opened for the house of Judah and Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Change our natures chain up our corruptions Oh subdue our iniquities and give us thy Holy Spirit For by nature we are prone to all wickedness we have not a rag to cover our nakedness Lord cover us with the Robes of Christs Righteousnesse O Lord we pray thee bring us into the bond of the Covenant sanctifie our hearts and lives for ever to the honour of thy great Name Take this opportunity of working upon us deal with us mightily by thy Spirit who knows what a day may bring