made our flourishing City to fall on heaps as if it would become a kind of common Tomb to its dead Inâ—abitants to serve as a Monument to Posterity who should find written upon it Here lie the fruits of sin Shall we dote upon a painted poysoned Harlot and that after the Varnish is fallen off and the poyson revealed Shall we still stroke and play with the Serpent after we have heard his hissings and felt some effects of his envenomed sting God forbid that we should be so wilful and foolish to imbrace the dart that hath murdered our friends to court the flames that have burnt our houses and will do worse than all this As then our calamities tell us to the quick that God hath observed and altogether dislik't our wayes so we see there is Mercy manifested in these Judgements whilst they tend to rouze us out of our security to convince us of the mischievous nature of sin before we feel the worst of it and afford us ground of hope that upon our conâ—iction and reformation there is yet mercy to be obtained for us If then we have any regard to our Makers pleasure or our own interest if we have any ingenuity or love to our selves let us he arken to these earnest calls of a compassionate God and speedily accept of motions for peace upon reasonable terms least our continued stubbornness should provoke him to resolve concerning us that since we accepted not nor improv'd the space he allotted us to repent in henceforward all signs and professions of Repentance shall come too late to prevent our ruine And that seems to be another Lesson which these Judgements teach us That is we contemn them and disregard God speaking to nâ—by them there is great hazard that this our incorrigibleness and strange 〈◊〉 pidity will procure our final overthrow If we reject the Scepter of Grace which hath been held forth to us 〈◊〉 can we expect but that it should be withdrawn and frightful Sword set up in its place If we are as resolve to hold fast our sins as Pharaoh was to keep the Israâ—liâ—â— our resolutions may cost us as dear as his did himâ— Though our God be long-suffering yet will he alwayâ— bear Will he never do more than gently lash us 〈◊〉 then wait to see what good his stroaks do upon us 〈◊〉 we shall still make void his expectations of our amendment will he not at length take another course with 〈◊〉 Hath not God been as it were laying siege to the heaâ—â— of this people and summoned us again and again 〈◊〉 make a surrender of our selves to him using those seâ—ral Engines that might serve to batter our hardness and prevail with us And if we still hold out against hiâ— rejecting the gracious messages he sends us slighting the Warning-pieces he hath shot off what have we to look for next but that his Murdering Canons should be planted against us That as by his last act of hoâ—â—thty he burnt one of our chief Forts so he should proceed to level all to the ground If God hath smote some of us with the Sword others with the Pestilence and â—â—verthrown some of us as he overthrew Sodom and Goâ—â—rah and yet we will not return to him may we not fear that our desolation is as near as theirs was who weâ—â— thus guilty and of whom God thus complains Amos 〈◊〉 The continuance and growth of sin under a smarting Rod adds an high degree of hainousness thereto which is usually followed with a vengeance proportionably heavy When a Nation shall solemnly bid defiance 〈◊〉 the most High and engage in a War with the Lord of Hosts fighting against him by renewed Rebellions 〈◊〉 he against them by reinfoc't Judgements we may easily know who 's like to come by the worst He hath Aâ—rows in his Quiver against which the rockiest stupâ—â— heart is but a weak defence which can shatter into pieces those who will not be foftned And he hath frequently exprest his unalterable will to conquer unreâ—enting sinners and that he will even take pleasure in â—ubduing such stout spirits whom nothing before would work upon or bring to take notice of his hand stretchâ—â—ut against them Of those who profanely cried that â—is word was but wind and that they should never see evil he â—hâ—eatens that this Word of his which they scoff'd at shold â—e fire in the mouth of his Prophets and the people should be â—ood Jer. 5.13 14. And Ezek. 5.13 Having before spoâ—en of all the sad things he would bring upon a stubborn people he adds Thus shall mine anger be accomplished and â—â—y fury rest upon them and I will be comforted and they shall â—now that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal when I have â—ccomplished my fury in them Who can in reason expect â—hat God should alwayes maintain his creatures in beâ—ng and continue their comforts whilst they imploy â—â—eir life and all their mercies against him who gave them â—oth Would not a Prince rather impoverish and deâ—roy any part of his Dominions than let it serve only â—â—r an harbour and supply to his mortal enemies Oh â—â—at England may not hear that doleful word pronounc't â—oncerning her which Israel once did Ezek. 7.6 An end 〈◊〉 come the end is come it watcheth for thee behold it is â—â—me Let us not go on to provoke the God of heaven 〈◊〉 poure out upon us all the plagues that are threatned 〈◊〉 those whom no former means will reclaim to deâ—ee a Consumption by Sword or Famine or any the â—â—e destroyers You that have no regard to your souls â—ethinks should be more concerned for your temporal â—elfare your lives your friends your estates than daâ—ngly to hazard all for the service of some base lust which will but repay you with damnation at last besides â—â—l the hurt it does in the mean time to your selves and those about you Oh be perswaded at length to 〈◊〉 pity on the Land of your Nativity yea to take pity 〈◊〉 your selves your children and the Wives of your 〈◊〉 some How could you bear it to have these ravisht froâ— your sides and murdered before your faces or worâ—â— than murdered by ghastly famine when you should see them and feel your selves as it were kill'd by piece-meal yea when your raging hunger should make yoâ— wish for and hasten one anothers death and cause yoâ— to take away life from them to whom you gave it 〈◊〉 your bellies to become the Tombs of those who caâ—â— from your loins Ah Sirs what reflections would 〈◊〉 Have in such a doleful day as this on your former delicâ—cies and riotous excesses Would not the memory 〈◊〉 your past fulness and the abuse of it help to tear yoâ— hearts as much as present want would do your bowels And know that plenty of Gods creatures which we 〈◊〉 enjoy is not so much an argument that this evil shâ—â— never betide us as our sinful lavishing of them in gluâ—tony and drunkenness is
never so great and your hopes never so high your attempts will either be blasted in the beginning or curst in the end Reaâ—â— your doom Psal 28.5 Because they regard not the word of the Lord nor the operation of his hands he shall destrive them and not build them up But would you give all diligence to cleanse your hands and purifie your hearts from 〈◊〉 as well as to clear your streets from the rubbish laying the foundation in true Repentance and a thorow amendment of your waies then might you say with Nehemid The God of heaven he will prosper us therefore we his Servants will arise and build Neh. 2.20 This is the way the surest and only way to make a desolate City Phaenix-like to rise out of it's funeral Ashes with a new life and Glory greater than it had before its fall Wherefore let me use the words of Eliphaz Job 22.21 23. Atquaint now thy self with God and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee If thou return to the Almighty thou shall 〈◊〉 built up And when once you have well done this great work when you have got your peace made with God and have made sure of his especial love and all the mercies contained therein you may chearfully go about your lawful employments depending upon his Prontdence and submitting your selves to his will who never is unmindful of those that do so And now at length to those that are in this happy case my discourse directs it self even to you that an the cordial Lovers and faithful Servants of the great God such of you that have born your share in the cilamities that have lately befaln us especially that have suffered much by the fury of those flames which without making any difference or shewing any pity consul all that came before them so far as their commission went To you my great request is that you would remember your selves raise up but yet calm your spirits not harbouring any impatience inconsistent with the dutifulness of Gods children nor giving way to any dejection unbeseeming the dignity of that Relation 'T is a pleasant work which I would put you upon and which â—e who loves your happiness hath by an express command made your duty even to possess your souls in patience and to be chearful in the midst of all your afflictions Who then that hath cause for it and to such I speak would not rather live at ease and enjoy himself in peace and â—â—â—â—fort than vex and torture his own soul by fretting and grieving Before I prosecute this exhortation let mee desire â—ou not to mistake me as if I was taking you off from all â—erious and sober consideration for which Adversity is so â—roper a season nor from that moderate and profitable â—orrow which shall flow from this consideration No â—ather I would have you improve this time for a thorow â—earch into your own souls wherein it 's like your Consciences will bee more than ordinarily awakened and will deal truly and plainly with you And whatever misâ—â—iages these impartial reflections shall discover which before you discern'd not or made less matter of represent them now as hainous and odious to your selves as you well now how till you finde your hearts wrought to such a neasure of godly sorrow as may stir up in you an unreoncileable hatred of the sin and engage you vigoously to fet against it You may also make advantage of your sufferings to promote this Repentance whil'st they shall help you to clearer and more sensible apprehensions of the contrariety of fin to God and of its perâ—iciousness to man whereby you may bee brought to a â—ricter enquiry into and a greater watchfulness over our waies as you would avoid the grieving of Gods Spirit the wounding of your Consciences and the smâ—â— of your flesh And even now let the remembrance 〈◊〉 any thing you have done to displease a loving Father be matter of greater shame and grief than any affliction which you lie under Though neither do I go about to perswade you to a Stoical Apathie an utter insensâ— bleness of your outward losses and troubles whilst you have bodies 't is not to be expected but you should 〈◊〉 concerned for them and feel some kind of resentment agreeable to what befalls them but yet these motion and passions ought to be under the Command of a higher facultie even sanctified Reason whose office it to moderate and subdue them so far as her power â—â—tends Wherefore that which I am advising you 〈◊〉 this that you would not let the sense of your pressure overwhelm you as to render you unfit for any dutiâ— yâ— owe to God or so as may speak you forgetful of those greater grounds of contentedness and joy which Religion suggests and all sincere Christians beaâ—â— about them And that this advice may take thâ—â— better effect I shall particularlie shew what sâ—â— of those grounds are I mean what reason you brâ—â— quietlie and comfortablie to entertain the sharpest 〈◊〉 pensations and the serious consideration of these 〈◊〉 the like reasons may by Gods blessing prove an effect al means for the attaining this frame of Spirit the being both engagements and helps thereto It may see perhaps a needless labour to spend words upon thâ—â— Theme which is so frequentlie and largelie handled iâ— many excellent Treatises wrote thereupon upon which account indeed I shall be the briefer though having this opportunitie something I was willing to say that might suit particularlie to the present occasion It may 〈◊〉 appear unseasonable and superfluous to administer coâ—â—fort at this distance of time from the suffering but yâ— we know the effects of it are still present perhaps dâ— â—e encreasing and I wish that the sorrows of those who â—eel them do not answerablie continue and encrease which is that I would prevent or however do something â—o confirm and fortifie their minds who are alreadie arâ—ived to any measure of peace and settlement that they may see how reasonable and becoming this their carriage is and may now retain and on all other the like occasions shew forth the same 1. And to this purpose first let me suggest what is most usuallie insisted on by all that speak of this Subject namely that you would consider who is the Author surmissively at least of all the troubles that have com'n upon 〈◊〉 even God himself And let not the commonness of â—â—ttuth make it of ever the less esteem with you but â—â—â—ber the more it is inculcated the deeper let it be imprest upon your minds Why should it be of less efficacie now than in Davids daies who when he was consumed by the blow of Gods hand yet opened not his mouth lecause be did it Or in Eli's daies who when he heard the â—hreatnings de nounc't against his Familie answered It the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Or in Job's no when he had lost all yet could calmlie say The Lord â—â—e and the Lord hath
conquered by them But now in all these respects the case is different The Apostles did not stay for Caesars leave nor depend upon his aid for building the Christian Church the new Jerusalem as the Jews did upon Cyrus for the Old Though I grant the countenance of the Civil Magistrate to bee a great mercy neither ought Christians whether Pastours or People upon any pretence whatever to disobey his commands whilst they do not interfere with Christ Nor is it in Temples made with hands though in such we are to worship him in publick communion that God now dwells but in every holy Soul who at any time in any place may worship him acceptably in spirit and in truth And this Ark of his presence the inhabitation of his Spirit no Philistine force can take out of the heart of man Now by Jesus Christ hath God so far sav'd us from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us that though we are more assaulted by them than ever yet we may serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the daies of our life as Zachariah sings Luke 1.71 74 75. Though Christ told his Disciples hee came to send n Sword upon earth yet hee tells them also that his peace should abide in their hearts Joh. 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world gives give I unto you For the world indeed gives peace by removing outward troubles but my peace shall possess and secure you in the midst of them as a learned Commentator glosses upon the words and therefore he adds that injunction which I have been so long inculcating Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be affraid And to finish my answer let mee in the last place wish you to remember seriously and believingly that what ever pressures the Church of God now militant upon the whole earth or any part of it may lie under it shall besides its present victory at length rise up from under them into the most flourishing and triumphant state And all those that are embark't therein being faithful to her cause and quarrel and sharing in all her afflictions shall also partake of her glory Even now I say all sincere Christians by their faith overcome the world yea when they seem most overcome by it like their Master they conquer when upon the cross For it is not with him as with temporal Monarchs whose interest is ruin'd when their Subjects are destroy'd or impoverisht But his Kingdome is oft promoted by the sufferings and slaughters of his followers Nor therefore should we serve him with such kinde of apprehensions as common subjects are wont to have in their quarrels for their King and Countrey who are beforehand doubtful of the event and being vanquisht bewail themselves and pitty their Prince But hee whose battle we fight does not so need our lives or fortunes that his strength should be weakned by their loss Nor does he let his enemies so far prevail over his Church because through their power and policy they are too hard for him Though there was not a man upon earth that would stand on his side he would know well enough how to deal with the greatest Potentates and Politicians of them all as they will ere long know to their cost But hee bears thus with them beside other ends which will hereafter be better known that the Graces which hee hath given to his Servants may bee exercised and that they may have opportunities of demonstrating that they love him to the death And this is all he cares for or requires and whilst we do thus whatever becomes of us we win the field and are sure of the crown for our Lords Kingdome and therefore ours is not of this world nor would he therefore have any upon pretence of advancing it to disturb the world by Massacres and Powder-plots seditions and tumuls murdering of Princes and burning of people These are fit means indeed to erect some Babel of carnal interest but not for the building up of Christs Church He knows how to defend and exalt it without any such officious wickedness as some men by all means would bring to his assistance And as it is not for want of power or love that Christ suffers his Spouse for a while to be trampled upon by the feet of pride and cruelty so hee will at length discover both in delivering her thence and placing her with himself in glory He that purchast his Church with his own blood will not be fully satisfied till she partakes of the highest benefits of his costly undertaking As in his own person he hath combated and overcome all the Powers of Hell and Death so he will go on conquering and to conquer till he hath finisht the same work for and in his body Now hee is purifying it from all spots and wrinckles and will hereafter present it to himself beautiful and glorious Why then should not all the followers of this victorious Leader march on with courage in their hearts sereneness in their looks and songs of praise in their mouths as travelling to Zion where everlasting joy shall bee upon their heads and all remnants of sorrow and mourning shall flee away Wherefore stir up your selves I beseech you Christians sit not alwaies poring upon miseries and overlooking mercies making things worse than they are and vexing your selves with needless fears Remember still that a Childe of God in the way to his Fathers house hath alwaies more cause of joy and thank fulness than of sadness and complaining Let it appear that you beleive so by your deportment And that you may rise up to this truely excellent spirit let me beseech you in one word To see that you live up to the principles of the Christian Religion Be affected toward the world and all its pomps and vanities as you are engag'd by your Baptism Ever sit loose from it and regard it not as any peice of your happiness 'T is this fills mens mindes with anguish and care even the fears of being depriv'd of their estates and friends their fleshly ease their lives and liberties But consider you that it 's impossible to have a sure hold of these things and therefore the way never to be troubled for them is not to let them have hold of your hearts You have liv'd to see in two years more men taken from their estates and more estates taken from the owners than in so short a time hath almost been ever known Let both teach you what regard to have either to life it self or the appurtenances of it Let your comfort in prosperity be deriv'd from God and Christ the first fruits and promises of heaven then may it be constant and unchangeable as the grounds of it are Ever be inculcating it upon your selves that God is your felicity and labour to make and keep it clear that he is your God Therefore as you love your lives and the comforts of them
took to prevent this danger â—â—y conspiring against the life of our blessed Lord provâ—d a means of bringing upon them those Romans which they fear'd and by them destruction to their City â—nd Nation The Sodomites to whom the precise life and galling reproofs of Lot were as much a vexation as â—heir wickedness was to his righteous Soul who were extremely impatient that an Upstart and Stranger should take so much upon him far'd never the better for having this thorn pluckt out of their side and had at lengâ—â— reason to be convinc't that not his Neighbourhood bâ—â— their contempt of it with their other impieties weâ—â— most prejudicial to them Never yet did Town or Câ—â— fare worse for an holy praying people Swearing and Cuâ—â—sing and Conventicles of Good-fellowship and Prophaneness are like enough to bring mischief upon the places where they are practis'd but humble ferveâ—â— prayer be it in publick or in private in a Synagogue in an Upper Room never did nor will do but rather 〈◊〉 restraining of prayer before God may probably do it Aaron and Hur should have laid stones upon Moses hands to weigh them down instead of supporting them no wonder if the hands of their Warriours had been weakned and Amalek had prevailed Or if when 〈◊〉 stood in the Gap to intercede for the Israelites the should have pluckt him out of it no wonder if 〈◊〉 had soon overwhelm'd them Had they gone about 〈◊〉 prohibit or any way restrain the offering up the Inceâ—â— of prayer to God it had been but just and natural 〈◊〉 he should have made the smoke of his fury and their â—â—ments to ascend Need I mention it to any knowing Englishman was a kind of Mourning Garb our Nation hath lately woâ—â— and in what a disconsolate posture she hath sate Nation so gladded by the Restauration of her Right Magistrate our dread Soveraign and equally sadned the removal of a faithful Ministry than which scâ—â— any thing could have been devis'd more to the grieâ—â— and even breaking the hearts of such to whom their terests of their souls are dearer than all worldly thing And such though they may not be the richest nor 〈◊〉 greatest yet without question they are the best part â—ny Kingdome where they dwell But yet I must confess have met with very few comparatively of what spirit inclination soever that have seem'd pleas'd with these â—ansactions but acknowledge that gentleness and broâ—â—erly forbearance had been more suitable to the nature 〈◊〉 that Christian Profession which we all own and more advantageous to its interest which we all pretend to deâ—â—gn Undoubtedly then the blessed God who hath a â—uicker and more tender sense of his own glory and the concerns of his servants than the most holy and compassionate man on earth can have is not well pleas'd to â—â—hold the violence and harshness with which they are â—llow'd though it may be under pretence of doing him â—rvice Though they that hate their Brethren and cast â—em forth may say Let the Lord be glorified yet they â—hall be nevertheless ashamed of this hatred this expresson of it and the pretences wherewith they varnish it â—hen the Lord himself shall appear for the vindication and joy of those who for his Names sake were contemnâ—d and abused And although that great day of discovering truth and doing Justice be yet to come when all Viâ—ors shall be pluckt off from persons and things such that â—ow render Vices Honourable and Virtues Criminous is the prosperous please to vote them and when all being manifested to be what they are shall be treated as they deserve yet even before that day there are now many times such strokes in that Providence which orders humane affairs as to a careful beholder may somewhat discover what those rules are by which God is pleased ordinarily to proceed in his Administrations And such Essayes and expressions of Justice there are mingled with Mercy as may serve to bring the ignorant and secure to consider their wayes and to reclaim the considerate And have not Gods Dispensations towards us been such as speak him to have a Controversie with us Have we not found that it is an easier thing to silence his Missters than his Judgements Every mans own sense is best able to inform him what our flourishing and prosperity hath been since that time Scarce a sensible Christian but to his grief observes how lamentably the intereâ—â— of Religion hath declined and scarce any carnal man â—sensless but complains that our worldly prosperity had done so Certainly that all-seeing God who is a love of Holiness will not be mockt with appearances and glorious pretences 'T is not the flourishes of Order Decency and Uniformity that will be accepted instead 〈◊〉 down-right Godliness and true Charity and Unity Tâ— reform a Church and raise it out of its ruines impliâ—â— something more than either to repair and beautifie stately Edifices though Consecrated ones or to give a little splendor to external service and seduce some petty circumstances of worship which had been disus'd 'T is 〈◊〉 much sense to say that he recover'd a man to life whâ—â—â— instead of a plain Coat put him on a gaudy one which perhaps may not be so serviceable neither Nor is the welfare and glory of a Church to be measured by the wealth pomp and power of its Governours for 〈◊〉 we know who would carry it from all Competitors 〈◊〉 by its attainment of those ends for which it was instiâ—â—ted We use not to count that the best Flock which 〈◊〉 diseas'd and scabbed though the Shepherds may be 〈◊〉 and at ease nor is that Hospital in the best order which Governours and Physitians have the greatest Revenue and liberty to do what they list whilst the sick 〈◊〉 wounded are neglected and perish but that whereâ— these are most carefully lookt to and best healed Aâ—â— that 's the best School where the Masters are most 〈◊〉 and painful and the Scholars make the best progress 〈◊〉 earning and good manners not that where the Masteâ— re best paid and do least though such as these are 〈◊〉 likeliest to get their silly Scholars love Plainly then the blessed Redeemer of Mankind the Founder and Law-giver of the Christian Church hath appointed it to be as a School wherein Believers by the teachings of his Spirit Word and Ministers are to be trained up into 〈◊〉 fitness for the high and heavenly glory as an Hospital wherein lapst souls are to be heal'd of the diseases contracted by the fall that they may be made meet for the present service and future enjoyment of God wherefore we must needs conclude that 's the happiest and most glorious Church where these designs are most faithfully regarded and successfully carried on even where sin and wickedness is most vigorously set against discouraged and supprest and all real goodness is most promoted and farthest spread where the several members are diligently instructed and carefully lookt after so that they grow in
himself was that Christ might be preacht It was not his Reputation in the World 〈◊〉 any advancement that he sought for but that the Kingdome of his Master might be enlarged and so this went forward nothing could displease or hurt him Oh how 〈◊〉 then may we imagine that he was from forbidding 〈◊〉 that nam'd themselves Followers of Cephas or Apoll◠〈◊〉 opposition to him to preach this Gospel Happy 〈◊〉 shall we be if this true Christian spirit of meekneâ— self-denial and untainted zeal for Gods honour 〈◊〉 and prevail amongst us But if Religion be made an instrument of State or a means for the attaining of some carnal ends and the Church be governed by such Quirks 〈◊〉 Policy as Statesmen use in Civil Administrations theâ— indeed its likely that what according to the plain Râ—â— of the Gospel would be very serviceable shall yet 〈◊〉 rejected because it agrees not with Politicks 〈◊〉 sometimes even ignorance and ungodliness shall rather be suffered to grow and encrease than those means premitted for their extirpation which have not a tendence to such private ends or suit not with the Methods which men too profoundly wise have propos'd to themselves 〈◊〉 pray God preserve all amongst us from being guilty of so much selfishness so little true policy And to draw to 〈◊〉 end must profess I cannot see how they can absolve themselves of this guilt who being entrusted with the management of Church affairs shall not improve their power to redress this grievance whereof I have been complaining and to obtain that just liberty for the Ministers of Christ for which I have been petitioning which its probable might be attain'd with ease were they but barely willing that it should be granted But if they prove deaf to all the most humble and importunate entreaties and continue the restraint of whose who are conscious to themselves of no other designs in the main but such as Christ and his Apostles had when they were upon earth even to instruct and concert careless sinners and build up believers still proâ—uring sufferings to such who by their good will would â—isplease no man if it be possible to please God and them too and some such there are I shall then look upon these strange proceedings as boding yet more and â—reater mischief to this torn and bleeding Nation Will God have mercy upon that people who will shew â—o more mercy to one another From the day of our â—eace-making and hearty Reconciliation if ever such 〈◊〉 desired day shall come I shall reckon the beginning of Englands Restauration to her happiness and glory â—ut before then I shall have little hopes of either I am not so vain as to make pretence to any Prophetick Spirit but when I consider the reason of the thing the Nature of God manifested in his Word and the course â—f his Providence I can hardly think that Nation will â—e very prosperous which shall do so much to dis-ingage themselves from his favour by discouraging so many whom he hath fitted for and sent out into his service giving such a stop to the course of his Gospel whereby the Inhabitants should be brought to that obedience 〈◊〉 his Commands which hath the blessings of this 〈◊〉 and that to come entail'd upon it Moreover 〈◊〉 evident to any considerative beholder that Popeâ—◠〈◊〉 phaneness and Infidelity are combin'd against us 〈◊〉 chiefs near akin and being united under one Common Head go about seeking whom they may devoure and 〈◊〉 instead of joyning strength against them we continue those divisions which weaken it reason and experience will tell us we shall hereby lie much more open 〈◊〉 their fury And to little purpose will it be for men 〈◊〉 declaim earnestly against these growing evils 〈◊〉 they nourish the certain causes of them and to 〈◊〉 tend themselves desirous to have contentions cease 〈◊〉 wickedness reform'd from amongst us whilst they â—â—dustriously keep off the most effectual means for 〈◊〉 Concord and Reformation And if they persist in the resolutions how little reason have we to expect 〈◊〉 our fasting and praying should prevail for mercy 〈◊〉 in order thereto God shall be so far entreated by 〈◊〉 as to abate that obstinacy and remove that Veil of partiality and self-love which prevent it where-ever 〈◊〉 are to be found upon us He himself assures us Isa 〈◊〉 that it is not the formality of Sackcloth and Ashes 〈◊〉 hanging down the head like a Bull-rush that will be accepted of those who continue to find their pleasures 〈◊〉 exact their labours or as the Margent hath it 〈◊〉 things wherewith they grieve others But the Fast 〈◊〉 he hath chosen is to loose the Bands of wickedness to undâ—â—â— heavy burdens to let the oppressed go free and to break â—â—ry yoke ver 6. To the same purpose he speaks Zech 〈◊〉 when they enquired concerning their Fasts whether 〈◊〉 should still keep them or not his answer was That 〈◊〉 had not fasted to him that while but rather they should 〈◊〉 â—earkned to the former Prophets which cryed to them 〈◊〉 â—â—â—rusalem was inhabited and in prosperity and should have â—â—â—â—â—ted true Judgement and shewn mercy and compassion â—â—rry man to his Brother and not have been guilty of oppression nor of imagining evil in their hearts against their brother And when upon Jonah's preaching the Ninevites â—â—pt such a very strict and solemn Fast which being â—â—yned with Reformation was doubtless acceptable to â—â—od yet it s observeable how he seems not to take noâ—â—e of this in comparison of their turning from sin â—â—n 3.10 And God saw their works that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not And when at length we shall be perswaded to celebrate such a Fast as is before described we may the â—etter hope for those blessed fruits of the same which are promised in the 8 9 10 11 and 12. verses of that 58. 〈◊〉 Isaiah the last whereof is so exceeding seasonable both in the literal and spiritual sense to our present sad condition viz. That they should build the old waste places and raise up the foundations of many generations and should 〈◊〉 call'd the Repairer of the Breach the Restorer of paths to â—â—ell in And I pray God grant that the pious and successful endeavours of those who are in a capacity amongst us may procure them these truly Honourable Titles After all that I have said I know 't is easie for those who conceive themselves accused to wipe off all by asserting That 't is not any severity of theirs which gives just ground of complaint but rather the complainers may thank their own stubbornness and self-will for whatever smart they feel and that they themselves are guilty of whatever mischiefs have com'n by their Deprivation who would rather forsake their imployments than their humors But to this I conceive I have said enough for the satisfaction of those who
are but principled with a prevailing deep-rooted love of heavenlie things And one would think it no hard thing to attain such holie affections if first you will but well and dulie consider the worthlesuess of all things else till you are cur'd of your excessive and undeserved admiration of them and then will be as much in meditation of the excellencie the suitableness the sufficiencie of those things that are invisible and eternal and how great reason you have and what engagements you lie under to fix and settle your hearts upon them Consider well what you owe to the giver and preserver of your life and all the comforts of it and how you ought to stand affected toward him who thought not his own unvaluable Bloud too good to be shed for such finners as we Think if you have such a thing within you as an immortal Soul whether the bealth and safety and felicity thereof bee not of far greater moment and worth than the prosperity of the body and whether an unexpressible fulness of all blessedness and joy for ever deserve not more esteem than any of the short uncertain advantages and delights which his world affords you Continue such kinde of considerations as these till you feel they have an influence upon your souls to change the bent and stream of your affections and inclinations And be diligent in be use of all other means appointed by God for the befirming and carrying on a work of grace in the heart of â—an and above all bee very importunate suitors at be Throne of Grace that God would bestow upon â—ou his holy spirit which he hath promised to those that 〈◊〉 him that by the power hereof Your mindes may â—e enlightned to a right apprehension of things and our affections strongly carried out to that which best deewes them that you may be brought with the Apostle â—or so much to look at or bee concern'd for those things which are seen which are temporal as for those which are not â—in which are eternal And for the future let this bee our chiefest project how to gain heaven and to this after all your labours and cares Though it bee not the only yet if it bee the principal trade you drive on to â—rive and grow in Grace till at length it shall bee imrov'd into such a stock of Glory as will never be spent manage all your Talents to the best advantage as â—ay redound most to your Masters honour and bring on in the richest inerease daily reaching forth unto those â—ings which are before pressing toward the mark for the price the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Thus set your hearts and faces Zion-ward looking upon your passage through â—is lower World only as a journey to and preparation â—s the higher And having so rightly fixt your end and your work taking your selves here but for Pilgrims 〈◊〉 Strangers then set about your worldly affairs and take care for the accommodations of life regarding and â—â—siring them under this notion as they are convenience for a Traveller And let this true notion of them moderate and guide all your designs and undertakings 〈◊〉 the utmost of your ambition be to maintain your selves and those that depend upon you so as you may be â—â—test to do the service God hath set you and walk oâ— comfortably in the way he hath appointed you What ever you aim at more let it be purely and sincerely 〈◊〉 the good of others and the honour of God So 〈◊〉 you fulfil the commands 1 Tim. 5.8 Eph. 4.28 〈◊〉 by this means you will most easily escape the temptations which ruine thousands who wrong their Conscience to encrease their Estates for will he sin against Godget riches who desires them only that he may there with serve and glorifie God Nor can I think that here by you will have ever the less of the World but I 〈◊〉 sure you will have a great deal more contentment in and more security of what you shall have and when length you come to leave it you shall neither desire 〈◊〉 need it but shall bee supply'd with that which is inâ—â—nitely better when as those who were bewitcht into 〈◊〉 unreasonable fondness of their present enjoyments sâ—â— at last irrecoverably lose both them and their souls topâ—ther Again Methinks your very worldy wisdome aâ— self-love may teach you that if you have been and aâ— still like to be so great losers by Gods displeasure yâ—â— only way is speedily to use means for the obtrining his favour that so you may either secure your tempore possessions or something of more worth in their roeâ—â— when-ever they may bee taken from you Believe 〈◊〉 Sirs there 's nothing of all that which you grasp with 〈◊〉 greatest closeness that you can keep with you whether â—od will or no If hee command it away it will soon â—ey his call You may think of reducing your estates 〈◊〉 be of that nature that they shall be exposed to no casualties but all your art will fail you whil'st God is your enemy What foolish merchants then are those who take him so by their dishonest waies of gaining Who will 〈◊〉 found at length to have put the most not orious cheat â—â—on themselves purchasing the curse of God with their â—â—just gains laying themselves open to that wrath from which neither their wit nor their wealth can secure them 〈◊〉 where ever you are and whatever you have you are â—â—waies alike naked to his stroak Though you should â—â—g deep as Hell to hide your selves and your treasure â— can easily fetch you thence and pluck you asunder then you have been so foolish as by any way of wickedness what ever to engage God against you does it not now concern you to seek after and make suit of his friend-ship Without his leave none of your designs â—all take effect without his blessing nothing can truly â—â—osper that you take in hand Except the Lord build the â—â—ty they labour in vain that build it Psal 127.1 What â—â—cess they are like to have whose undertakings God â—ill not favour the Builders of Balel can inform you at how much his blessing speeds a work you may learn â—om Nehemiah and his fellow-builders Neh. 6. To the â—en of Ephraim and Samariah that said in the pride and â—utness of their heart that the bricks were fallen down but â—â—ey would build with hewen stones and have Cedars instead Sycamores God threatens to raise up adversaries that â—ould joyn together against them the Syrians before and the â—â—ilistines behinde that should devour Israel with open mouth â— 9.9 10 c. As perhaps when you consider the â—uines of the City you look no higher than second causes it 's like you look no higher for its restauration very little minding what hand God had in the one and 〈◊〉 have in the other before it be accomplisht And what you are thus forgetful of God and take not his blessâ—â— along with you let your preparations be
of their cup and their inheritance well say that their cup runneth over and that they have a goodly heritage though they should not have one foot of Land nor scarce a bit of Bread to put in their mouths Certainly God is all and more than all and they that enjoy his favour can want no good thing but may alwaies glory in that sufficiencie and redundancie of felicitie laid up for them in him Even here on earth in the absence of all other comforts God hath waies of conveying more suitable substantial comfort than the whole world can afford to believing Souls that have their whole recourse to and affectionately hang upon him You that have tasted that the Lord is Gracious cannot but acknowledge this Wherefore call to minde your own experiences of his goodness and what many of his dear servants have left upon record that they have found from him in the day of their distress and hereby set your souls a longing after him Press hard after the most close and intimate communion with him and rest not till you feel your selves reriv'd and chear'd with those communications of himself which he is wont to bestow upon such necessitous hungrie souls as being not onlie emptied of the creature but of love to it breathe after nothing so much as more of God And when you are thus rejoicing in him more than in all riches what is it that can sadden you when you are satisfied in him as with marrow and fatness what want can you feel But moreover how may it yet even farther advance you above the troublesome sense of all your pressures to remember that your present sweetest and most delicious tastes of Divine favour are but the overflowings of that cup which will afford you full draughts to all eternitie some rivulets streaming from that immense ocean of goodness and joy which will never bee exhausted But of this as I promised I now come to speak by it self and shall mention nothing more 6. Wherefore Lastly for your support and chearing under all the troubles that are com'n upon you Remember There is a rest remains for all you that are the people of God an everlasting happiness to bee enjoied with him when the world and all its works shall bee vanisht and gone Do you not know there is a time coming and apace it comes when you shall know God in some measure as you are known by him clearlie when you shall please him and be pleas'd in him perfectlie when you shall love him and be lov'd by him feelinglie whâ—â— you shall enjoy this blisful ravishing communion with him eternallie Is there such an inexpressible glorie as this purchas 't for you and revealed to you by the Lord Jesus and can you come into that condition wherein you may not rejoice in hope of it Why did he tell you of this but that his joy might remain in you and your joy might be full That your belief of this future advancement might keep you from sinking and fainting in the lowest estate Is it comelie for a Prince the Heir of the Crown to lament the loss of a farthing And are your losses any greater though the summe of them should amount to thousands and millions if compar'd to your inheritance who are heirs of God coheirs with Christ What though a temporal estate be lost since it is no less than an eternal Kingdome which you have in reversion Imagine you heard Christ saying to you Though your Houses be burnt yet let not your hearts bee troubled in my Fathers house are many mansions though now you are tost up and down yet shortly I 'le take you to the place I have prepar'd whence you shall never remove more And does hee not speak to this purpose in his Gospel John 14.1 2 3. Though this you liv'd in bee no continuing City yet there is one to come which you are now seeking after When you stand gazing upon the heaps that once were houses and are ready to mingle your tears with their dust lift up your eies and your mindes and think of those streets of the new Jerusalem which have another kinde of beautie than London in all its glorie and this join'd with a stabilitie that will never suffer them to bee turned into Rubbish What a priviledge is it now accounted to have an estate in Land for a reserve when that in Houses oâ— Wares is gone But what is it to have that better conntrey which the Patriarchs sought even the Caelestial Canaan for an heritage which is subject to none of those casualties that all kinde of earthlie possessions are what though you have it not in hand yet if you bee the Children of God 't is as sure as if you had and when you are com'n to age grown up into a fitness for it you shall certainly possesse it Though your Bills and Bonds may be burn't yet so are not the Promises which convey this inheritance though your Bibles themselves should be burnt yet the Covenant of Grace remains firm Heaven and Earth shall sooner pass away than one tittle of Gods Word fail And you have already the first-fruits of this your future portion viz. the indwellings of the Holy Spirit which may assure you the fulness of glory remains for you in the heavens And both these it was that made the Christians I before mentioned to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods as knowing they had in themselves for so plainly the words lie in the Original a better substance the Graces of the Spirit and induring in the Heavens Glory it self Heb. 10.34 Wherefore instead of making such a matter of your pettie losses pray for your selves as Paul for his Ephesians That God would give you the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightned that you may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Ephes 1.17 18. For did you clearlier know this you would judge it more reasonable for the wealthiest Citizen to bee dejected for his losses than you whose verie earnest is of more value than all his wealth 'T is you Sirs and you only who know no end of your riches neither as to their greatness or duration whereas all others may be fathom'd and exhausted If God be infinite and everlasting so is your portion when you are reflecting upon your losses consider your selves as upon the borders of the other world and see how they dwindle into a matter of nothing A man that 's now going to be for ever perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God hath lost a little money by the way Oh heavie chance If you were to die within this moneth or year how little would this affect you For you know how these things are needed and valued on the other side the grave how Angels and Saints care for heaps of gold How short a while then would you have been better