all Gods people though I may interlace something that will bear respect to Church-Angels and Officers For the opening of this consider we 1. What it is which the Churches and people of God respectively are to hold fast since every thing that every one hath is not worthy to be held fast 2. How they are to hold that fast or what their fast holding is in way of duty First That which Philadelphia and so other approved Churches of Christ had worthy to be held fast was 1. The Word of God and the Name of God thou hast kept my Word and hast not denyed my Name said Christ ver 8. Under this Word and Name of God c. is to be understood that whole truth whereby God in Christ had revealed and manifested himself and his will unto his Church whereby his Church knows what he is and what he hath done and what he hath willed and commanded his people to believe and do Hence it was said to the Church of Sardis ver 3. Remember how thou hast received and heard and hold fast c. Part of which truth Philadelphia is minded of ver 7. in that description of Christ from his 1. Holinesse 2. Truth and 3. Having the key of David which three Branches point at his three Offices Priestly Prophetical Kingly as some judiciously learned think 2. The Ordinances of God for Gospel worship and Church Administrations are insinuated in this context as enjoyed by Philadelphia For mark it Christ remembers her that he had set before her an open door and no man could shut it ver 8. i. e. He had given her fair opportunities and open and large means for the propagating of the Gospel and advancing of Gospel-work many bars of obstruction and hindrance being removed out of the way So that Gospel-Administrations had free course or passage among them as 't is said it had among the Thessalonians 2 Thes 3. 1. Yea we may gather from part of his Title which he purposely takes up in writing to her viz. He that hath the key of David that he had not onely used his key for opening to her but likewise given her the keys both of Doctrine and Discipline Ministerial under himself to open and shut unto others And no doubt this Church was not wanting to that according to her power which was commended in that of Ephesus cap. 2. 2. viz. in not bearing with those that were evil but trying them which said they were Apostles and finding them lyars c. 3. Good works or practice according to the Word and Ordinances of God For 't is the first part of Christ his testimony given to her that He knew i. e. approved her works at the beginning of v. 8. And what might her works be Doubtless of as good account as any of her sisters works of charity and service and faith patience as were her sisters of Thyatira cap. 2. 19. And for patience it is expressed here ver 10. that she keep the word of his patience i. e. she exercised patience according to Christ his word and prescription So that to summe up all and according to the tenour of other Scriptures compared with this if the people of God be considered in the general notion All that which they are to hold fast is 1. soundnesse of Doctrine and 2. Holinesse of life and conversation which are mentioned together in 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding faith and a good conscience c. To hold faith there is to hold the Doctrine of faith or to hold fast the form of sound words as 't is phrased 2 Tim. 1. 13. And ro hold a good conscience is to hold such a practice according to that rule of faith as an enlightned conscience may witnesse to be good or to be rightly consciencious in walking and working according to that rule Again if the people of God be considered collectively as embodied together in a Church frame and order that which they are to hold fast is those Church-Ordinances which Christ hath given them whether about duties of worship to God or government among themselves or about the enjoyment of those liberties or priviledges or powers which he hath granted them In reference to which under-Ordinances the most judicious understand the Apostle speaking thus to Timothy I charge thee in the sight of God c. that thou keep this Commandment i. e. that body or rule of Commandment laid down in the premises without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim 6. 13. 14. This for the object that is to be held fast Sect. Next for the manner of holding fast what is it The Holy Ghost useth sundry words in several places which are all of them sometimes rendred by our Translators into these terms of holding fast yet of somewhat different importment But by collection of them together we may more fully take up the nature of this duty When St. Paul bids Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the form of sound words he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. hold them as having and retaining them by thee in possession But there is more than that barely in this duty For when Christ bids the Church of Sardis supra ver 3. Remember what thou hast received and heard and hold fast c. his word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. hold or keep or observe with all diligence as that which is committed to ones carefull custody But yet there is more imported in this duty For when Christ bids the Church in Thyatira That which ye have already hold fast till I come cap. 2. 25. his word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the same word radically is used here in our Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. hold fast strongly use not onely a carefull eye in keeping but put to they utmost strength in holding fast that which thou hast that keeping it vigorously thou mayst keep it also perseverantly and constantly to the end And a perseverant holding fast is here intended by Christ as well as cap. 2. 25. as may be gathered from the annexed Motives Now unto this strong and vigorous holding fast of Truth and Holinesse Faith and good Conscience there is requisite 1. Firm purpose of heart and stedfast resolution of will to persevere in the profession of sound faith and Doctrine and in the execution of Gods commands according to place and power and in the practice of holinesse c. If there be not first strength in the will and resolution there will be none found in external practice and exercise The vigour of the heart conduceth much to the vigour of the hand or foot Hence it was that good man and full of the holy Ghost exhorted the Christians at Antioch that with purpose of heart If there be weaknesse in the spirits there will be weakness in the joynts if weakness in the heart weaknesse in hands and limbs they would cleave unto the Lord Act. 11. 23. And the Apostle Paul
put on incense and go quickly unto the Congregation and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun And Aaron took as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the Congregation and behold the plague was begun among the people and he put on incense and made an atonement for the people And he stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stayed Psal 30. 5. For his anger endureth but for a moment in his favour is life weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning and 138. 7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me And therefore in the midst of the years of the afflictive sense of Gods anger there may be expectation of a mercifull reviving therefore in the midst of the cords and bonds of servitude there may be expectation of a merciful breaking of them Et ubi funis tenacissimus fuerit rumpitur Where the cord is stiffest and strongest there it is broken suddenly saith Luther when God is pleased to shew mercy Use 1 Use 1. This Point serves first to stir us upto a comfortable exercise of Faith that God would be pleased to revive his work in the midst of these years c. Why what years are they I cannot say they are years of Gods peoples servitude or captivity under the Chaldeans or Egyptians blessed be God for those freedoms and liberties which are yet left unto us But we are in the midst of years of dissentions even among brethren of divisions and distractions of hearts and wayes of wars and bloody hostilities between the professed Members of the Church of Christ of various concussions and shakings of Foundations of confusions of tongues tenents and practices of eruptions and overflowings of errors and blasphemies of contempts cast upon Gods Ministers and Ordinances and dissentions or shatterings in pieces of Church Assemblies in manifold places In a word we are in the midst of these years wherein it seems to me God hath dealt or is dealing with our Nation as he threatned to deale with Jerusalem in 2 Kin. 21. 13. when withall he threatned to make that people a prey and spoile to their enemies I will wipe Jerusalem said he as a man wipeth a dish wiping it and turning it upside down God hath been wiping us and wiping us and in an overly way of cleansing and purging us but is he not so doing it as he is turning us upside down Surely then beloved we are in the midst of those years wherein we need to pray that God would revive his work and make it known and in wrath remember mercy True it is we know not what periods God hath determined to such years as we are in we see not our signs we have not any foretelling Prophets as the Psalmist complained Psal 74. â— Wee see not our signs there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long It is not therefore with us as with the Jews Jer. 25. 12. And it shall come to passe when seventy years are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon and that Nation saith the Lord for their iniquity and the Land of the Chaldeans and will make it perpetuall desolations And 29. 10. For thus saith the Lord That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word toward you in causing you to return to this place Nor have we like grounds of duty as Daniel had Dan. 9. 2 3. In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by Books the number of the years wherof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes Yet this we may and ought to do 1. Hold to the general grounds and principles of faith 1. Believe that God hath revived his people in the midst of far sadder years than we have yet seen according to foregoing instances and others that might be given And 2. Believe and therefore the rather that God can revive his work in the most seeming difficult cases And 3. Believe that God will not forsake his own work to leave it to ruine or under imperfection and a languishing condition continually And 4. Believe that God is of such infinite mercy that in wrath he will remember it c. But I commend that of Bernard to consideration as an approved truth Deus olcum misericordiae ponit in vase fiduciae But then 2. We must not faile to do what we in this Congregation are solemnly in doing this day viz. we must ply God by prayers For we know that whatever God determines to his people though they know he hath determined it yet he requires and expects his people should seek unto him concerning it See Ezek. 36. 37. therefore did Daniel so pray c. Much more ought we in cases wherein we have no circumstantial grounds of assurance c. that we may obtain at length assurance and establishment 2. This may serve more specially to stir up to seek God for a reviving of his work of Reformation in the Church in the midst of these years of disturbance and hinderance of it For my part I take that to have been the work of God which was set afoot some years since in this Nation for a Reformation in our Doctrine Worship Government and Discipline But how hath it now and that for a good while lien still almost and how hath it been cast back How have close counter-workers undermined it and open enemies opposed it how miserably is it defaced How do some Deformations out-face it And how do scoffers mock at it like those Samaritans Nehem. 4. 2. will these few Jews revive the stones out of the the heaps of the rubbish c And we could point at the causes of all this Mainly The not countenancing and furthering of the work of Civil Authority But beloved if it be Gods work begun for his people as many of us here I presume doubt not but it is we may believe it shall be revived and perfected sooner or later against all unlikelihoods And accordingly we may pray that in the midst of the years of unlikelihood it may be revived that instead of having our Land darkned over us in the clear day and our Sun set at noon a curse denounced Amos 8. 9. light may arise unto the Church in the midst of obscurity c. Isa 58. 10. and so strength be raised in the midst of weaknesse and livelinesse spring up in the midst of dying languishings We may use that argument in respect of this work which the people of God And the work hath had but a little reviving as Ezra 9.
HABAKKVKS PRAYER Applyed to the Churches present occasions on Hab. 3. 2. AND CHRISTS COUNSEL To the Church of Philadelphia on Rev. 3. 11. Preached before the Provincial Assembly of London By that late Reverend and faithful Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. SAMUEL BALMFORD Pastor of Albons Woodstreet Jer. 30. 7. Alas for that day is great so that none is like it It is even the time of Jacobs trouble But he shall be saved out of it London Printed by E. M. for Adoniram Byfield at the three Bibles in Corn-hil neer Popeshead-Alley 1659. Judicious READER FOr such the works of this holy man of God Mr. Samuel Balmford now with the Lord require and deserve Here is represented to thee a Forlorn-hope or two Scouts being a small parcel of those many excellent pieces intended for the presse sent before ad vada tentanda not as if these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were of higher stature in worth then others their fellows and therefore fitter for it Among all Superlatives Comparisons are excluded Pharez and Zara strove with equal strength for precedency of birth but this piece to satisfie the importunity of friends hath broken forth first The Author was a person of eminent Orthodoxy of Word and Life by both which as a burning and shining light he was an exact and powerful Teacher the observant eye of impartial conversers with him finding the Transcript of his Sermons in his life his actions being living walking Sermons He was a man of a meek and modest spirit cloathed with humility lowly in heart but high and eminent for gifts and graces in the esteem when living and honoring remembrance now dead of those that are best able to judge of real worth An excellent husbander of time a painfull Student of great diligence and faithfulnesse in all Trusts and Relations of much Candor affability communicativeness and condescention in matters capable of it but immoveable where sence of duty obliged him Not forward to speak and therefore his words were more savoury by lying long in the falt of a deliberate minde and administring more grace to the hearers A man of a publick spirit pitying souls mourning for the sins of others and deeply laying to heart the afflictions of the people of God abroad and their dissentions at home as these ensuing Sermons do abundantly testifie For his labours in the Ministry he was one would not do the work of the Lord negligently nor offer unto God what cost him nothing or a corrupt thing when as indeed he if any had a male in the flock and was a workman that needed not be ashamed He thought the delivery of Embassies from God to man most needed and best deserved careful preparation and therefore chose rather to approve himself to his Master and the alwayes smaller number of judicious hearers by an industrious searching the Scriptures and digging to the bottome of that excellent Mine than to spare himself and please the most by taking up with the nearest uppermost and lesse precious parcels of Ore he hung not forth Alchimy lace that a little wearing by judicious meditation would have changed the colour of but of such true and pure metal as would wear brighter and brighter When some thorow injudiciousnesse and possibly prejudice the Lord give such repentance to life accounted his bodily presence as they Pauls weak and contemptible and felt not the evidence and demonstration of the spirit in his words others more judicious and candid hearers Christians and Ministers have had their souls hanging on his lips and heard him with joy and delight to their great profiting Though he well knew the distempered palate of these diseased times yet would not this fisher of men bait the ground to draw multitudes about him with curious enquiries and speculations unprofitable though pleasing notions quarum inventarum solus fructus est invenisse nor talking impertinencies without book or filling up vacuities by most insipid and nauseous tautologies He did not by strength and strain of lungs comick actions peculiar modes of carriage having more of affectation than affection in them make up defect of matter nor cloud wisdom with words without knowledge wrapping up mysterious non-sense in silken phrases nor dresse up sober truths in the meretricious garb of enticing words of mans wisdom nor yet did he prostitute the Word to the contempt of the worldly-wise or disadvantage it to better-minded more judicious hearers by flatnesse or rudenesse of stile but sought out acceptable words those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making words still servants to matter neither going before vainly nor yet following at too great a distance negligently He did not leap into his matter without trying and showing the ground he went upon but accurately weighed the Original carefully consulted with expositors solidly stated the subject of his discourse and then excellently divided the Word of Truth by exact natural Method and faithful application to the different conditions of soules therein not venting his passions nor concealing Gods truth He was every way such as not to have known him was an unhappinesse to have indeed known him and not honoured him an impossibility Of him the world was not worthy he therefore is taken away from the evil to come These things I freely testify from the full knowledge I had of him having by him been allowed the happinesse of a free converse and intimate acquaintance with him by which I must acknowledge my selfe to have been much and often profited Thomas Parson THe Reverend and Learned Author of these ensuing Sermons very seasonable and useful for these times was a Minister of Christ endued with very good abilities a workman that needed not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth full of piety modesty humility and integrity Sound in the Faith immovable in the Truth painful in his Ministerial imployment and one who hath left a precious name behind him among stall those who throughly knew him And therefore unto the testimony given of him by my Reverend Brother I do freely chearfully and most heartily subscribe Edm. Calamy Errata Page 1. in the Text for receive r. revive for people r. years p. 2. l. 21. for open r. opine p. 5. l. 15. dele and mercy page 6. line 9. for use r. verse page 13. line 10. for Psal r. Isai p. 15. l. 4. for favor r. wrath p. 34. l. 21. for know r. known p. 41. l. 2. dele experienced and appeared p. 53. l. 4. for of r. by p. 66. l. 26. for keep r. kept p. 72. l. 11. for Christ r. Christians p. 78. l. 8. for usual r. useful p. 84. l. 9. for apprehension r. approach Habakkuks Prayer applyed to the Churches present occasions Habakkuk 3. 2. O Lord I have heard thy speech and was afraid O Lord receive thy work in the midst of thy people in the midst of the year make known in wrath remember mercy THe Prophesie of this holy Prophet is termed a Burden especially in regard of the sad and
calls upon us to hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering without declining or tottering any way therefore in a fixed and firmly setled manner Heb. 10. 23. 2. Vigorous putting forth of strength in the way of contestation with others for the maintenance and defence of Truth and Purity of Doctrine and Worship and holy Government and practice so farre as is warrantable in a regular way We are to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. and to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free that we be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage Gal. 5. 1. Quest But what need is there of such strong actings to hold fast Truth and Holinesse Answ There is need of some strength in a double respect 1. To hold up against inward faintings and languishings We know that every thing is ready to fall and drop out of our hands when our natural spirits faile within us and we are faine to take Cordials sometimes to strengthen our stomacks to retain what is taken down which otherwise either through nauseousness or other weaknesse would be quickly cast up again So it is too often in the case of the failing of gracious spirits in Christians through spiritual faintings they are too ready to let fall divers truths of God and to stick in the profession of them and to let fall practical exercise of holiness and 〈◊〉 let dissolve away the regular assemblings of themselves together And all this either through a nauseating wearinesse of such things by the great gathering of ill humours or through some causelesse fearfull pusillanimous apprehensions And therefore said Christ to the Church at Sardis ver 2. strengthen the things that remain which are ready to dye The remaining good things in a Church of Christ are sometimes through the weaknesse of inward Principles ready to languish and dye away and therefore need be strengthened Again there is need of strength 2ly To retain against external violences or forcible attempts of others to wring from Christ what they hold of good or to make them fling it away or shake it off from them Robore hic opus esse judicat quia plurima sunt quae fidelibus haec dona excutere possunt nisi tenere omnibus modis contendant saith Pareus in locum We might be encouraged by many examples of Martyrs yea some Heathen may be alluded to as that of Attilius the Roman who fighting for a Ship at Sea held fast on her with one hand after another till both were cut off Valer. Max. another whose hands were off held fast with his teeth so christians should mordicus tenere But I shall have occasion to speak more of this point by and by under one of the Motives in the Context Quest But it may be asked again What need the people of God be charged with care of duty of this nature since there be such precious promises made unto them that the Lord will keep them and preserve them and his graces in them so that they shall never depart or fall away from him nor ever be plucked out of his hand but be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation See Jer. 32. 40. Joh. 10. 28 29. 1 Pet. 1. 5. They that belong to the Lord shall retaine that which shall bring them or suffice to accompany them to everlasting glory and happiness and why then need they be solicitous about holding fast that which they have Answ We have to answer divers things First For particular persons even such as are elect and called and perswaded too of their interest in such precious promises they notwithstanding these promises are obliged by command from God to look to their own self-spiritual preservation and that in a subserviency to Gods providence for the accomplishment of his promises It was not said ungroundedly by that Ancient so it be rightly understood Qui creavit te sine te non servabit te sine te c. God hath ordered most wisely and justly that the first spark of grace which he giveth to his beloved ones should be employed and improved instrumentally under his own supreme agency for both their preservation and advance of their happy condition Therefore mark it the fear which he puts into their hearts that is that holy circumspect fear not secure presumption is made a preservative for their not departing away from him in that Jer. 32. 40. And though he keep them by his own power yet it it is through the continued acting and exercising of their faith that he keeps them unto salvation In that 1 Pet. 1. 5. Secondly For particular Churches gathered in visible communion and frame of Government there be no promises made unto any of them for ought I have heard and remember nor ever were that they should be perpetually preserved either without decay or without dissolution and therefore there is no cause why Church-members should be remisse and negligent in holding fast those Church-Ordinances Liberties and Priviledges which they enjoy at present if they regard the good of that collective body whereof they are because they have no ground of promise to pretend for security against a suddain change and alteration Yea thirdly suppose a promise made to a particular Church for its preservation for a time yet the Lord will not have that Church slacken her care and endeavour of preserving her self no not during that season My proof by way of instance is near at hand Christ made a promise to this Church at Philadelphia in the verse before my Text that he would keep her from the hour of temptation that should come upon all the world to try them that do dwell upon the earth and yet presently he forewarns her to hold that fast which she had This is very observable She might not expostulate Lord since thou wilt keep me what need I take any care of keeping my self No Churches as Churches must learn to serve under Gods promises and providences for their own good as well as particular Christians And Gods known purposed indulgences should not occasion his servants negligences How much more cause then have those Churches to take this warning which have no such special promises made unto them as none of the particular Churches of Christ for ought I know have at this day These things being in some sort cleared I shall pesent you with what I have further to say in the way of usual improvement of the Doctrine delivered Use 1. First I beseech you to make use of this Point by â—â—y of Caution in reference to the Object We have heard what it is which the servants and Churches of Christ respectively are to hold fast Now because there is a tenacity a disposition to hold fast something or other in every one and yet every thing which one hath is not worth holding fast therefore let us try what it is only that we have be sure to hold fast that which
die out of the snuffe so is it in Spiritual cases unlesse we be somewhat fervent for truth and holinesse for Church-Ordinances and Discipline we shall quickly leave acting for them and be at a losse of them Therefore be fervent in Spirit And to direct our aimes and intentions in it know lastly according to that Scripture that we must look at the Lords service as serving the Lord we must be fervent in Spirit and not sloathful in businesse The Apostle bids ordinary servants do their Masters service not as looking to them onely but to the Lord Ephes 6. 7. Col. 3. 23. How much more then should they approve themselves to the Lord with all fervency of Spirit whose service and businesse is about the matters of God and his house These considerations surely may be helpful to Church-Officers and Members to hold fast what they have 5. If we be resolved for constancy in holding fast what good we have then let us shew our selves lovers and observers of all good Orders Enemies to Order are Enemies to Constancy Both together availe much for great issues and atchievements But pervert or disturb the former and you subvert or breake the latter cryers down of all Forms are monstra informia unshapen Monsters as opposite to God in their endeavours as may be for whereas God brought a bountiful Creation out of a Chao's They would reduce all into a Chao's again might they have their will or wishes for ought appears by their words Plainly therefore would we retaine either soundnesse of Doctrine or holinesse of life we must pray and endeavour to keep good order in all Church-Administrations Marke that of the Apostle in Colos 2. 5. Rejoycing saith he and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ He joynes Order with stedfastnesse and puts Order though the less before stedfastnesse of faith though the greater because Order conduceth much unto stedfastness And wherefore is there so much unstedfastnesse this day among our people even about the most important points of Faith but because they are all out of Order No Rule held over them their Traces cut the Reins cast upon their necks and the communalty of them unskilful to rule themselves I speak in reference to Spirituals They wander from one Church unto another now they are in one Conventicle or Assembly and then in another In one place they meet with some good Principles it may be but in another with bad and gather matter of corruption of minde and practice one piece after another and how then should they hold fast what good they had How much then doth it concern us all in our several places to keep Order and Rules of Government And would to God our Rulers at length would powerfully help us all to keep such as may be sound undoubtedly approveable 6 Exercise patience as this Church did ver 10. keeping the word of Christs patience not only the rule prescribing patience but patience it self prescribed by that rule For patience is necessary unto perseverance in a good profession in a good practice whether publickly or privately The impatient person doth not possess his own soul see Luk. 21. 19. he hath not an hold fast of him self and therefore what else can he hold fast If we would like good plants retain our moisture our sustenance and bring forth fruit to perfection it must be with patience Luke 8. 15. If we would do the will of God according to our places throughly and constantly so as to receive the promises we have need of patience Hebr. 10. 36. Wherefore do so many depart from God and turn from his truth and will and way but because they are impatient and will not wait Gods leisure till he vindicate his own cause or means effectually for the clearing up of Controversies and reforming of things amiss and so falling a mourning that things are carried crosse unto their former Principles and perswasions they fling out and are carried headily any way that may give them most present contentment whatever it may do afterward But not to tire your patience too long 7. Approve we our selves right Philadelphians that is according to the Etymon of the word Brotherly lovers and lovers of the Brethren See 1 Thes 4. 9. But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another Heb. 13. 1. Let brotherly love continue Without this we cannot keep long in any good order nor keep in patience long c. Nor which is the main keep long in the possession and practice of truth and holiness Mark that Context Ephes 12 3. Forbearing one another in love Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace If we break in point of love we quickly break the bond of peace and love being broken we cannot long keep the unity of the Spirit what is that Unity in the disposition of our spirits in judgements and affections But there must be more then that viz. 2. Unity of our spirits in assent and adherence to Gods Spirit his Doctrines his Principles his Ordinances that so our unity may be evidenced to be 3. Unitiy wrought by the Holy Spirit of God knitting us together as Members of one Mystical body after a Spiritual and Mystical manner To the keeping of this I say brotherly love is requisite No marvel therefore if we hold not fast what we had I speak of the common hold fast since there is such want of brotherly love among us since our people are fallen into so many Divisions and breaches A condition with tears of blood to be lamented And O that all Sardenses and Laodiceans about us would transire in castra or rather in tentoria Philadelphensium Then might we see happy times and God can bring them on when he pleaseth Mean while let us Beloved shew our selves right Philadelphians of an humble meek loving gentle yet a couragious and tenacious spirit to hold fast true Doctrine and Discipline holinesse of life and conversation Our love one toward another will strengthen the hearts and hands one of another and the failing of it as much weaken us c. Let Angels and Officers of Churches think of this in the first place who are to be Lights and Guides to others in the wayes of Love and Peace But then all the Members of our Churches in their several places And to close all Let us shew our selves Philadelphians in our sympathetical affections in love towards our Brethren of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas and of neighbouring Nations because we all profess to hold the same good things of God both for Doctrine and Discipline for the main substance of it More specially sympathize with them who are now in an hour of temptation to try them Pray that though they could not hold fast what they had in Houses Lands and other outward possessions nor Ministers nor Churches nor their nearest relations many of them yet they may hold fast true faith and good consciences to the end as many of those that have been massacred already did to the end as divers of their Ancestors also did see many foregoing Generations And contribute also toward them in love for the relief of their necessities as we shall be shortly called upon to do in our respective places Now who so in the use of such meanes shall hold fast that which he hath of Truth and Grace and persevering overcome Christ promiseth him in the verse following that he will make him pillar in the Temple of his God and he shall goe no more out A verse very well worthy our attendance unto a further explanation of it but the time now cuts me off c. FINIS