testimony of their own Consciences This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Consciences 2. A witness in the world Ye are witnesses your eyes have seen what our lâ—fe hath been be but true witnesses and then be you witnesses speak but what you have seen and speak the worst among you that believe the world will be ready to say you are too crafty to let us know what you do in secret when you are amongst your selves I but says he let them that believe speak those that have been with us publickly and privately what our conversation hath been if it be said they are of your own party and will not speak all they know then he appeals to a third witness a Witness in Heaven and God also he that seeth things before whom are all our ways he that seeth all things seeth our integrity and blamelesseness But here that I be not mistaken I must distinguish betwixt their aims or what they are pressing and reaching towards and their attainments or what they have reached to The aims of these cricumspect Christians in their whole course are at perfection Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the mark they would keep their way without the least wandring they would not tread one step awry they would not speak one word amiss they would not think one thought amiss they would not neglect any one duty nor commit any one sin but would be what the Apostle would have them to be Holy and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation These are their Aims and as to their Attainments though they fall short of their desires they cannot do as they would The good that I would I do not yet they do their best they follow the Lord with the best of their understanding serve the Lord with the best of their strength and when they have done their best they mourn and grieve that 't is no better That I may more distinctly open this exact and upright walking in the way of the Lord which their hearts are set upon I shall consider it 1. As it hath respect to the Commandment 2. As it hath respect to Conscience 1. Their exact walking as it hath respect to the Commandment stands 1. In having respect to every Commandment to the whole Word of God Psal 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you The life of a Christian is a busie life the Words of God finds us much work to do we have work for every faculty and member our understandings have their work our wills affections consciences tongues ears eyes hands have all their particulars works assigned them every grace hath its work faith hath its work love hath its work patience hath its work every lust makes us work to restrain deny watch crucifie them these are weights and clogs that will hang on and will hinder us from all other works if we let them alone these are working against us continually and apt to set us on work against our selves a working mischief and ruine to our souls if they be not continually looked to and kept under We havâ— work against us for every condition our prosperity finds us much work to keep our selves humble heavenly watchful in an holy fear and jealousie lest the contentments and pleasures of this life make an invasion and inrode upon our hearts and spoyle us of our graces and comforts Our afflictions find us work to keep our spirits from sinking and fainting from murmuring and envying at those whose way doth prosper We have all the set and solemn duties of Religion to attend upon we have praying work and hearing work and Sacrament work and reading work and heart-searching work and meditating work We have work to be done for others our neighbours and acquaintance our friends and our enemies our families our servants our children we have not only work to do for them as men but work to do for God with them God hath work for us to do among our neighbours God hath work for us to do in our families and for our friends and enemies instructing work reproving work praying work works of mercy and charity c. we have a continual succession of work every day hath its businesse Christians must have no sleeping dayes their very Sabbaths must be working dayes we must be at work for our souls even on those dayes wherein we must do no bodily work There remains a rest for the People of God such a rest wherein they shall work no more nor be weary any more wherein all their work shall be to eat of the fruit of their doings but on this side that rest there is no rest but we must be full of labour You see the Word hath provided much work for Christians now those that are circumspect and upright and in the way will be through pac'd and stick at nothing the Word requires they 〈◊〉 for any service ready for every good work they will not pick and choose they will not halt or baulk with God but as the Apostle Col. 4 10. Endeavour to stand compleat in all the Wills of God Those duties that have most pain in them those duties that have most hazard attending them those duties that have the greatest contrariety to their natural temper and dispositions if they be duties if the word sayes This must be done this is that which the Lord requires an upright heart will yield and stoop to them Brethren if there be any one thing required in the whole Book of God that you cannot consent to but allow your selves in the ordinary neglect of concerning which you say with Naaman The Lord spare me in this one thing whatsoever else you do you can have no comfort that your hearts are upright 2. In having respect to the most spirituall and inward part of the Commandment the Commandment contains fugienda and facienda sins to be avoided and duties to be performed and both these are either outward or spiritual 1. As there are outward sins to be avoided sins of the mouth sins of the eyes ears hands so there are inward sins spiritual wickednesses evil thoughts Jer. 4. 14. unclean lusts Mat. 5. 28. inordinate affections an evil conscience and the like now sincere Christians have an eye to and hold a strict hand upon these spiritual wickednesses 〈◊〉 to have their consciences purged their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience their affections and lusts mortified Gal. 5. 24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections an lusts their care is not only that they be no drunkards or swearers nor lyars nor railers nor oppressors nor of proud froward fretful impatient carriages and behaviours but they would not covet they would not lust they would not be of proud impatient fretful envious unpeaceable hearts they would not that an evil thought not a vain thought should
is all one as to say that God hath put more sweetness into creatures then is in himself that the basest and vilest use of the creatures doth yield more true content then the souls exercising it self on God as if the thorn should yield more sweetness the bramble more fatness then the Fig-tree or Olive where are the understandings of these men I tell you Sinners when you have gone from flower to flower from creature to creature from pleasure to pleasure and sucked out all the fatness and sweetness that these will yield a poor Christian will get more real pleasure out of one Chapter of his Bible out of an honest Sermon out of one hours converse with God in Prayer then yoâ—r whole life will bring you in The Gospel with its brests of consolation at which he sucks yields him sweeter milk those clusters of Canaan on which he lives yield him richer Wine then the whole world will afford any The gleanings of a Christians joy are better then the Vintaâ—e of Sinner and you cannot so much slight the glory of their Sâ—n as they despise the glory of your sparks 3 By these spiritual exercises and delights they become more and more spiritual themselves By their beholding the face of God they are changed from glory to glory into his image and likeness by living so much in Heaven the temper and frame of their hearts becomes heavenly mens ordinary company and exercises have such an influence upon them that 't is not unusual that they change their disposition Frothy company and vain exercises will leave a frothiness and vanity upon mens spirits and serious and savoury company and exercises do leave a good savour behind them He whose work is in the Coal-mines his hiew is thereafter the flies that feed on the dung look like the dung they feed on Carnal men by being continually conversant about their earthly affairs have nothing but earthiness left upon their spirits their Thoughts Affections their Souls are become earth earthly their duties are earthly their prayers their praises their hearings all are earthly When they go to Church when they go to their Clossets they must carry their earth along with them or leave their hearts behind them On the other side Christians by having their dwellings with God their Delights their Recreations their daily business with God the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon them by their Divine Exercises they are made more partakers of the Divine Nature and as Worldlings businesses and delights do leave an earthliness upon their very Religion so a Christians Religion doth Spiritualize his Civil Affairs Carnal mens prayers do savour of their Fields Oxen and sports Carnal mens Sabbaths do smell of their working-Working-days and a Christians works do savour of his prayers a Christians Week-days have a tincture of his Sabbaths he eats and drinks he buys and sells he ploughs and threshes not as a man but as a Saint he doth not onely pray as a Saint and hear as a Saint but he ploughs as a Saint he trades as a Saint his heart is in Heaven while his hand is at the Plough he is serving his God while he is serving his own necessities he seeks he serves he eyes he enjoys his God in all he hath or doth he proves by his sense that God is every where with him he dwells feeds labours lodges with him he lives he dies And thus you see what it is to walk in the Spirit Look how far forth such a Christian lives in the Spirit so far forth doth he live such a life as this 3 This is no fansie and if I fail not here if I prove this I hope Sinners you will then see reason enough to take the Phanatick upon your selves and from henceforth stile these despised Saints in your Stilo novo Israelites indeed Christians you that hear me this day will you help me in this proof this once help me and the cause will go cleary on the Lords side you may if you will come in and be willing instances of this Truth Will you live according to your Principles that Life of God which is within you Will you live according to your Rules that Word of Life which is before you Will you follow your Leader that Holy Spirit which is given to conduct you Will you fall closer to the practice of that Godliness which you profess will you live in the obedience of that Spirit which you have received will you shew your selves a pattern of Faith of Patience of Righteousness and Holiness Will you be dealing less about these earthly vanities and be less earthly in your earthly dealings shall your dealings be wholly about Heaven and Heavenly things and will you make these your dealings your delights Will you labour by being more conversant about spirituall things and in spiritual exercises to become more spiritual more spiritually minded more spiritually tempred Will you get more clear off the love and lusts and fashions and ways and joys of this world Will you suffer the Eternal Spirit to fill you with his love and fashion you into his likeness Will you forbear any more resisting grieving slighting quenching his holy motions will you hearken to his counsels answer his impulses Will you grow on to be more Christians daily more Saints daily Saints in heart Saints in tongue Saints in the general frame oâ— your course Will you make your graces more viâ—â—â—le your comforts more visible your spiritual joys and delights more visible will you let your light so shine before men that they must either put out their own Eyes or else be forced to acknowledge that God is in you of a truth Brethren We may much thank our selves for all our Adversaries slanders we have helped them to reproaches we have furnished them with accusations by our walking so much in the Flesh and so little in the Spirit we have taught them to question whether there be any such thing aâ— walking in the Spirit The Lord pardon us the Lord make us sensible of it we have brought up an evil report upon our God upon his Spirit Gospel and wayes and for ought we know have undone many poor wretches by our hardning them in their misconceits of Godliness and Religion There have been so much Dross in our Gold so much Ashes upon our Fire so much Earth upon our Spirits such sad mixture of Water with our Wine so much Liberty taken for our Carnal joyes and Carnal pleasures our Light hath been so dim our Grace hath been so low our good works have been so spare and so thin that we have made them bold to say We are not what we are but a meer lie and deceit And we have now no such way to vindicate our selves our Religion our Holy profession to justifie our God and his Gospel as by blowing up the Coals shaking off our Ashes stirring up the Graces of God within us and letting them have their perfect work in us Will you Christians
understanding we are not now discoursing of natural Fools but of those that are such upon a moral account a man void of true wisdom Wisdom is of Two sorts 1. Fleshly Wisdom a Carnal Policy which consists in an understanding where the interest of the fleshlies in the ordering managing of our selves and our affairs so that we may advaâ—â— and secure this interest By the interest of the flesh I mean all those things which please and gâ—atifie the flesh and wherewith the fleshly â—inds of men are most delighted and place their content happiness in as outward peace and quiet outward ease security outward pleâ—â—â— prosperity outward credit and reputation he that can order his affairs and steer his course so as will most advance and best secure these his outward concernments that which way soever the world go he may live in peace and quiet credit and plenty and pleasure this is a fleshly wise man Concerning this wisdom the question is not in this it will easily be granted That the chilren of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light can make a better shift to live in the world to keep themselves whole in all changes and casualties the Apostle disclaims this wisdom 1 Cor. 1. 12 we had our conversation in the world not in fleshly wisdom but in the Grace of God and in simplicity and godly sincerity 2. Spiritual wisdome which consists 1. in the understanding where our main interest lies which is not in things temporal meat drink and cloaths money and house lands and pleasures and honours but in things Spiritual in the love favour of God in a good Conscience in Righteousness Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and in things eternal in that Glory Honour and Immortality which shall be given of God 2. In ordering our selves and waies so as to make the best provision for securing of this our great eternal interest that whatever miscarriages there may be in things of lower value and least durance that wherein our eternal happiness stands may be secured to us this is called in Scripture The wisdome which is from above wisdome to Salvation and this is the only true Wisdome God hath made and will make all fleshly wisdom appear to be folly concerning this true Wisdom this Spiritual Wisdom it is that I shall now make good That circumspect precise Christians are no fools but the only wise men and that from these Reasons 1. God accounts them no fools 2. They will not be counted fools at last neither by God nor men 3. The properties of wise men are found in them 4. The Treasures of Wisdom are found with them Reas 1. Cod counts them no fools they are no fools upon a true account whom the world counts fools but they only are such whom God counts fools as the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. Not he that commends himself is approved but he whom the Lord commends so not he that condemneth himself or is condemned of men for folly or simplicity is disapproved but whom God condemneth Beloved whose judgment will you take will you stand to the judgment of God in this case His judgement we have plain Job 28. 28. Vnto man he said the fear of the Lord this is wisdom and to depart from evil this is understanding Ps 211. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdoâ— a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments The beginning of wisdom that notes either 1. The entrance of Wisdom men never begin to be wise till they come to be godly Look how long thou hast lived a stranger from God in a carnal unconverted state so long thou livedst a fool thou never camest near the theshold of true wisdom till thou learnedst the fear of the Lord. When the repenting Prodigal came to his Father he came to himself his understanding returned to him he was besides himself before but then he came to himself 2. The top or height of Wisdom Caput sapientiae the word signifies a godly man for tâ—ue wisdom is the head and not the tail excellent wisdom is found in him In these and multitudâ—s of other Scriptures you have the judgment of God concerning these men God is infinite in wisdom and knows all things and persons what they are and God is true and all things and persons are certainly what he sayes they are Are you wiser than he Will you belieive your own conceits and apprehensions before the word of the All-wise and true God Either you must make sinners fools or God a lyar Reas 2. They will be accounted no soâ—â—ls at last neither by God nor men They only are to be accounted fools now that will be accounted such at last at present mens eyes are blinded they cannot discern betwixt light and darkness betwixt wisdom and folly and so are subject to great mistakes but at last mens eyes shall be opened this blind world shall then see and look upon all the wayes and transactions of men here below and all the various states and conditions of the several sorts of persons to the world with another eye than now they do When the designs and wayes and actions of men shall be brought to their issue when all vizards shall be pulled off and all faces and hearts shall be made bare and naked and open then every one will see who have behaved themselves â—isely and who have plaid the fool 1 Cor. 3. 13. Every mans work shall be made manifest and thereby every man shall be made manifest the day shall declare them If you ask what day I answer â—he last day when every man shall have finished his work the day of Judgment which is both a day of tryal when all shall be proved and examined what they are and a day of recompence when every man shall be rewarded according to his work Let this now determine the question let those persons who will be by both God and Men by good men and evil men accounted fools at that day let them be accounted fools now and let those men be accounted wise now whom God and all the world will acount such in that day of tryal Now the world are divided in their judgments some think Christians fools others think them wise but at last all the world shall be agreed and of one minde and those that shall be judged fools then by the common judgement of all let them pass for such now But you will say what is this to the satisfying our present judgment how can we tell now who shall then be accounted wise or fools I answer besides that the VVord is before you which is the law by which that judgment must proceed from which you may easily learn what Mens judgements shall be besides this let every man appeal to his own conscience Here are two sorts of persons in the world one sort are such as own God in the world and follow God and follow the
it rather than faith You that are ignorant idle profane and unsanctified and yet believe you shall be saved you believe a lye you believe that which God hath never said shall be nay you believe that which God hath said shall never be Jer. 27. 11. They are a people of no understanding therefore â—e that made them will not save them 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such shall never inherit the Kingdom of God Hear sinners hear God must be a lyar or your faith a lye But the faith of God's Elect such as hath been before described this is that precious tryed faith by which whosoever believes shall not be confounded Christians you that have obtained such precious faith a Christ-imbracâ—ng faith an heart-purifying a flesh-mortifying a world-conquering faith you may venture safely upon it if ever this faith deceive you God hath deceived you the Scriptures have deceived you Christ hath deceived you who hath prayed and we may be bold to turn Christ's prayer into a promise that this faith fail not let the Phanatick world laugh and mock and call your consolations delusions your confidence conceit or what they will let them alone you must give losers leave to talk and laugh yet cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of toward 6. The Doctrine concerning Good Works is a certain truth In this I shall shew First What we are to understand by Good Works A good work in general is an holy or gracious action to the making up whereof thâ—se four things are necessary 1. The principle must be good from which it proceeds it must be from an honest and upright heart for a pure conscience from faith unfeigned c. Mat. 12. 35. 1 Tim. 1. 5. 2. The matter must be good something that is commended Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee Isa 29. 13. Their fear towards me waâ— taught by the precepts of men 3. The form or manner of doing must be good it must be well done this takes in the conâ—ideration of all its circumstances of time place c. 4. The end must be good it must be done to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. As to the particular kinds of Good Works they are not easily to be reckon'd up The Papists talk little of any good works but the exercises of bounty and liberality in giving Alms feeding the hungry cloathing the naked visiting and relieving the afflicted building of Almes-houses Colledges and the like upon which they â—ufist so much as if there were scarce any other good works but such as these but we may not confine them within so narrow a compass Good works do signifie the same with a good life or a godly life the doing and observing all things which God hath commanded us Our living holily honestly circumspectly fruitfully imports the same with our doing good works the exercising of all the graces of Christ faith love hope c. The subduing and mortifying of lust and corruption the governing our hearts the governing our tongues the ordering of our carriages towards God and towards men all acts of Religion Righteousness Mercy Charity Praying Fasting Hearing Sanctifying the Sabbath Lending Giving Forgiving Peace-making Instructing Exhorting Reproving Denying our selves taking up our Cross following Christ Fighting the good fight of Faith laying up treasure in heaven and the like these are good works every thing is a good work concerning which God will say at last Well done good and faithful Servant In all these the Lord requires 1. That we act Ad extremum virium to our utmost Eccles 9. 10. What thine hand findeth to do and so what thy head or thy heart findeth to do do it with thy might Tit. 2. 14. Zealous of good works Rom. 12. 14. Not sloathful in business but servent in spirit serving the Lord Col. 1. 10. Fruitful in good works 1 Cor. 15. ult Abounding in the work of the Lord. 2. That we act in these Ad extremum vitae to the end of our dayes Deut. 6. 2. Fear the Lord thy God and keep all his statutes and his Commandments all the dayes of thy life 3. That we be doing Per totum vitae cursum without intermission there must not only be well-doing but a continuance in well-doing Rom. 2. God will not have any Chasms or vacuities in our lives but every day must be filled up with the duties of it Christians must not thin of getting to heaven persaltum they must not leap but walk they must not leap over a duty nor leap over a day nulla dies fine linea The Law of God doth not allow a day to sin not abate us one dayes work To demand a breathing time from the service of God is to desire so much time for the service of sin We are ever serving one Master or the other we are certainly serving sin when we are not in one way or other serving the Lord. Secondly That goâ—d works are necessary Necessary to salvation a so as though we are not like to be saved by our works yet we cannot be saved without them He that works not shall not eat bread in the Kingdom of God The everlasting Rest is not for loyterers but for labourers Mat 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in heaven Faith cannot save us without works The Apostle tells us Jam. 2. 26. Faith without works is dead and a dead faith cannot bring us to life Therefore the Apostle Paul so vehemently charges Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works for these things are good and profitable to men Where observe the Preface to the chaâ—ge This is a faithful saying that is a true saying and a great truth a worthy saying worthy to be delivered worthy to be received And these things I will that thou affirm constantly or teach constantly or strenuously or resolvedly be not beaten off from it Why what is this great truth Why â—his is it That they which have believed in God as ever they would that their faith should stand them in any stead must be careful to maintain good works not only to do good works but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to maintain or to excel and abound in good works these things are good and profitable to men Now let me demand of all the world where lies the Phanaticisme in any of all this Which of these Doctrines is it that is but a conceit Is it this that Christians must not onely be believers but must do good woâ—ks Is it this That they must work with all their might that they must be doing to the end of their dayes that they must continue at their work withoâ—t intermission that is that they must bestow noâ—e
of their time on the Devil but all on God Or is this the conceit That this well-doing is necessary to our well-being Let this be granted that there is no fancy in all this and I have at once dispatched my whole undertaking and if I had no more to say have sufficiently made it good to you that strict godlinesse is no fancy For this doctrine of good works which I have laid before you this is Godlinesse godlinesse in the greatest severity and strictnesse of it grant a necessity of such a life as this and you grant all that is desired And can any of this be denied Must we serve the Lord To be doing good is the same with serving God Must we serve the Lord only and wholly may not sin claim a share and now and then something to be done for the Devil Must we serve the Lord with all our might or may less serve Consider that Scripture Luke 17. 10. When you have done all that you can say we are unprofitable servants we have done no more than is our duty to do When we have given unto God all that we owe him then let the flesh and the Devil take the rest Beloved consider what I have said and observe whether all that diligence faithfulness zeal tenderness and preciseness which the strictest Christians either do or profess be not included in these three things to serve the Lord with all our might to the end of our dayes and in a constant and continued course of godliness Christians now that you see that little weight or reason hitherto there appears in this charge of the world against us let us be encouraged to hold fast and hold on our holy course let our practises be exact according to our principles and let our principles alone to plead for themselves God will plead for them against all the world Let us noâ— give occasion to evil men to charge us with looseness and then we may give them leave to charge us witâ— overmuch strictness But oh how much reason have we to blame ouâ—selves on the one hand whilest they injuriously blame us on the other Too strict too precise too painful in the work of the Lord Oh how sadly deficient rather are we How spare are our duties how little is our care how uneven are our goings We need not fear any excess where we feel so many defects Oh how scanty are our services for our God how barren are our fields how thin do our good fruits spring up Sinners charge us with our barrenness and we will joyn with you in the charge The Lord pardon us it is but little that we have brought forth our good fruits are but like the gleanings of the harvest here and there an ear or a poor handful or like the gleanings of the Olive tree Is 17. 6. Two or three berries in the top of the uppermostboâ—gh four or five in the outmost fruitful branchesâ— Blessed be God for any thing but woe to us that there is no more it is but here a little and there a little here a line and there a blank that we have to shew Oh how many Chasms and Vacuities are there to be found in our course how many empty hours and empty dayes have we lived concerning which if we should have asked Anima quâ—d fecisti â—odie Soul what account canst thou give of this dayes work Instead of giving in our Bill we must give in a Blank and write down nothing but Perdidi Perdidi I have lost a day more Oh Brethren let us take heed of giving in any more such blank accounts lest from our Perdidi we should at last come to write down Perii perii I am lost I am undone I have lost so much time that now I am afraid I have lost my Souâ— Beloved whilst others bespatter our diligence let us bewaile our negligence let us bewail it and amend If to be strict and watchful and fruitful be to be vile and foolish let us resolve with that holy King We will be more vile then this we will be more foolish then this if this be folly whilst men charge us that our Religion is fancy we have no such way to vindicate it and prove it a reality but by being more Religious more strictly so more fruitfully so our fruitfulness in good works will be the proof of our sincerity and will silence our adversaries calumnies Object But is there so much in this Doctrine of good works and all necessary to Salvation who then can be saved May not a good will serve to make 〈◊〉 the defects of good Works We have heard that God accepts the will for the deed and we hope that though we have done little yet that this will be accepted that we have a willing minde Sol. Though this be a truth and may administer comfort of Christians in many cases that a willing minde is accepted with God where there is little done yet because it hath been by divers much mistaken and abused and this miâ—â—ke hath probably proved fatal to many a Soul being made use of to serve for an excuse of a lazy heart and bâ—rren life give me leave before I proceed any farther to turn aside a little and make some stay upon the consideration hereof and to shew you in what sense the will may be accepted where the work is not done There is a question put amongst the School-men whether a will to sin where the Act follows not conracts not as great a guilt in the sight of God as both the will and the Act and Durandus determines it thus The reason why the will to sin brings not forth the Act may be twofold either Propter incompletam impersectam voluntatem because the will is not so fully and peremptorily resolved set upon it or else Propter impedimentum aliquod because though the will be fully resolved upon it yet there is something that hinders the execution as it may be want of power or opportunity to commit it now in the first case says he where the reason of the nor acting the sin is the incompleatness of the Will therâ— the will without the act is not as great a sin as the will and act together but if the will were so fully resolved that it would have brought forth the act if it had not been hindred there the guilt is as great if the sin be not committed as if it had been committed There may be use of this to the determining the present quâ—â—on where there is a will to perform a duty and yet it is not â—â—â—ne if the reason of the failing be not from the â—â—mpleatness of the will but from some unavoid â—â—inderance there the will is accepted as if the wâ—â—k had been done where the will is so strongly set upon a duty as that it would have brought forth the performance had it not been for some invincible hindrance it shall not fail of acceptance the reason is because where
for you I must not damn my soul to please my flesh Touching the practice of this Duty take these two further Directions 1. Every day morning and evening set apart sometime for secret prayer and when you go to pray do not rush inconsiderately upon it but first sit down and take one of those Heads meditate on what the Scriptures speak upon them and then propose the several questions to your hearts and when you find your hearts affected and warmed by these Meditations then fall to prayer 2. Let each mornings Meditation be ordinarily matter for your thoughts to work on and for discourse that day unless providence cast in and calls you to some other profitable subjects The matter of Meditation is purposely divided into seven Heads to the end you may take one of the Heads for each dayes Meditation and so in every week you may go over the whole being the chief things of Religion And thus continuing from day to day from week to week you will be both more thorowly acquainted and more deeply affected with the things of God and will find through his blessing more liveliness and enlargement in Prayer and more comfortable successe Only take heed of formalitie of resting in the work done of going on in a round of Duty without a due regard to the end of Duty Let this be your aim in all to get your hearts more fixed upon and affected with the things of the world to come more enlarged and quickned and more effectually carried on in that course of holy and heavenly walking the end whereof is everlasting life But now least any should complain that this course is too tedious and that which they cannot have time daily for or that by reason of ignorance or want of helps they cannot perform it I shall adde this that such persons who are weaker in their understandings and thence unable to go through with this course and all others at such seasons as they are unavoidably straitned for time nay instead of the larger take this shorter course When ever thou settest upon the Duty of prayer sit down and ask thy heart these Questions Quest 1. What am I am I a Believer or an unbeliever converted or unconverted do I think in my Conscience I belong to God or do I not fear I am yet the child of the Devil Quest 2. What do I what are my wayes are they such as please the Lord and tend to the Salvation of my Soul or are they the wayes of death and damnation Quest 3. Before whose presence do I now stand Is it not before the Lord the Almighty God who is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him and the avenger of those that slight or rebel against him Quest 4. What am I come before the Lord about Is it not to plead with him for my soul to beg my life at his hands to beg my pardon and redemption from everlasting death and to obtain grace for the salvation of my Soul This short and 〈◊〉 course would be some advantage thou 〈…〉 that are able and can redeem so much 〈…〉 would commend the constant use of 〈…〉 â—rections THe third special Duty I shall direct you in is Self-examination It is of great use to the carrying us on in an holy course to know our state For By the knowledge of our state we shall the better know our work when we know what we are we shall the better know what we have to do If the question be What must I do to be saved The answer of that will depend upon another question How far forth am I come already Am I converted or unconverted in a state of sin or in a state of grace Let that question be first answered and the answer of the other will be easie 2 By the knowledge of this that we are in a good estate we shaâ—l have much encouragement to hasten on Assurance will quicken and encourage us on in the way of holyness Those that aâ—firm that the Doctrine of assurance is a licentious Doctrine and serves for nothing but to maintain men in a loose lazy and idle life understand not what they say nor whereof they affirm 'T is all one as if they affirmed That the more assurance any person hath of the love of God the less he will love God or that the more he loves God the less care he will take to serve or please him Those that know no other motive to Duty but fear may preach such Doctrine but those that have found the quickning and constraining power of love must lay down both their reason and sense too before they can believe it The way to know our selves is to search and examine our selves 1 Cor. 13. 4. Examine your selves prove your selves know ye not your own selves Now to help you in this duty of Self-examination I shall give you these two Directions 1. When you set to examine your selves by any marks or signs In the first place examine your Marks that you would try your selves by If you would prove your selves whether you have true grace or no by any mark that 's given examine that Mark by the Scriptures whether it be a certain and infallible sign of grace so that you may be bold to conclude that if you can find this Mark in you you are undoubtedly in the state of grace That 's a proper mark of true grace which whosoever hath it hath grace and whosoever hath it not hath not grace If you take that for a mark of true grace which is common to Saints and Sinners you may take your selves to have grace when you have none And if you take a mark to try your selves by which is proper to Saints but is not common to all Saints you may take your selves to have no grace when you have The former mistake may lose you your peace this may lose you your souls therefore Christians be wary here try your marks before you try your selves by them 2. For the matter of your enquiry let it be 1. Whether you are gotten into the way of life or not or whether you are translated out of a state of sin and death into a state of grace and salvation And if so then 2. Whether you be in a thriving or flourishing state or in a languishing or decayed state To help you in the former tryal I might only send you back to those directions formerly given concerning your closure with Christ whence it will not be difficult to gather some certain marks to try your selves by but I shall add two or three more wherein let it not be offensive to any that I follow that light which I have received from the worthy labours of that faithful Servant of Christ Mr. Baxter whence I confess my self to have through mercy grown into the fuller acquaintance with mine own heart and which I shall therefore the rather make use of for the help and benefit of others 1. Mark 1. Wheresoever there is true
all its advantages preferments pleasures in its greatest Sun-shine of outward prosperity and glory And he is not a godly man he is not of the Psalmist's Spirit that is not able to say Give me this poor despised godly life before the most flourishing life of worldlings 3. Mark 3. Whosoever hath true Grace doth actually live a godly life The tree is best known by its fruits the sincerity of our purposes by our performances If you think you have chosen a godly life and yet do not live a godly life it is a sign you are mistaken and have not sincerely chosen it 1 John 3. 7 10. He that doth righteousness is righteous he that doth not righteousnese is not of God There is a two-fold Righteousness and there is a two-fold doing Righteousness First There is a two-fold Righteousness Righteousness is taken 1. In a strict sense for Justice properly so called which stands in the due observation of that Rule Whatsoever you would that men should do to you do you eâ—en so to them 2. In a larger sense for Holiness or an universal rectitude of all our actions To live according to our Rule the whole Word of God is to live righteously In this Scripture it is taken in this latter and larger sense He who carries himself holily and unblameably both in the things pertaining to God and also in the things pertaining to men he doth righteosness Secondly There is a two-fold doing Righteousness 1. In a Legal sense which stands in an exact obeying and fulfilling the Law And thus there is none righteous no not one because thus there is none that doth righteousness 2. In an Evangelical sense A walking uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel A sincere endeavour to observe all things which the Lord hath commanded us For the further clearing whereof I must make use of a two-fold distinction 1. I must distinguish betwixt a single good action and a series of good actions It is not one or a few single good actions but a continued course of holy actions that denominates us holy As there is no man so holy who doth not sometimes fall into sin so there are few men so wicked who do not sometimes fall in with that which is good and as every sin which a godly man through infirmity falls into doth not presently denominate him ungodly so neither will a few good actions done by another man prove him godly 'T is what the course and tenour of the life that must be diligently observed A godly man makes godliness the business of his Life Religion is a Christians trade and you may well call it his trade upon a double account 1. It is his living and livelihood men live upon their trades a mans trade is his maintenance his bread and his cloaths and his lodging all comes in from his trade Godliness is a Christians whole living he prayes and he lives by praying he believes and he lives by faith he loves and he lives by love all the supports succours comforts of this life come in this way A Christians livelyhood is all laid up in Christ and in the exercises of godliness he gets it down into his Soul Take away from a Christian his Religion take away Faith and Prayer and Hope and Love and the Labours and Exercises of them and you leave him a poor man indeed take away his house and his means and yet he lives take away his bread and yet he lives but take Faith and Hope and Prayer c. from him and he dies 2. Godliness is the business of his life A mans trade is his constant work not the exercise of now and then a day or an hour upon occasion but it is his every dayes work Godliness as it is a Christians daily bread so it is his daily work Judge not thy self by what thou art in some few Holy dayes of thy life when perhaps by falling into affliction or into some good society or being present at some good Duty or Ordinance thou seemest for a fit to be another man than thou art at other times Judge not thy self to be what thou art when thou art not thy self when thou art but in a fit but see what the trade and ordinary way of thy life is he that in his ordinary course does righteousness he is righteous 2. I must distinguish betwixt a Christians actions and his care about his actions the Holy actions of some that are really Godly especially of young beginners may be but few in comparison but their care is more continued what the Apostle saith of unmarried persons is true of all Christians every soul that is married to the Lord careth how to please his Husband though I do nor say that all carelesness doth conclude we have no grace yet this I say it is more than careless Christians can tell whether they have any grace or no though such may have grace yet they can have no assurance He that finds that the great care of his life is how to please the Lord is of God Try your selves by this Mark also do not enquire only about your affections what your desires are or what your joyes are what your comforts are or what your peace is but what your paths are when all comes to all this is the surest mark He that doth Righteousness is Righteous he that doth not Righteousness is not of God Put all these together and whosoever there is of you that is thus willing to part with sin doth thus esteem and hath thus chosen a godly life above all other lives and hath this attested by his actual care in his ordinary course to please God Oh! be thankful and bless God for ever there is that work of Grace begun in thy soul that doth undoubtedly prove thee to be of God and in the State of Salvation Having faithfully tryed your selves by these certain and infallible marks and proved your selves to be in the state of Grace for I would advise you to bring your trial to a clear judgment then proceed in the next place to examine 2. Whether you be in a thriving and flourishing estate or no whether you have made a comfortable progress in holiness or whether you be at a stand or behind hand To help you in this I shall only give you these two or three short directions 1. Compare your selves with your selves your present state with your former state Look back and consider what you were or have been at any time since you first believed and then see what ground you have gotten or lost 2. Compare your state with your time that you have had and your means and opportunities and the several talents that you have received See if your stature in grace be answerable to your standing if you are of seven or ten or twenty yeares standing in the Vineyard of the Lord consider if you also be of so many years growth See if your reckonings you have to bring in be answerable to your receipts
reasoning and praying your heart to it take heed there be not an Act of Indulgence passed for this neglect take heed you do not say the Lord pardon me in this thing and so give off and let it alone 2. Neglect not any opportunity of dutie Whenever the Lord calls to duty let your heart answer whenever the Lord opens a door for any service take the season 1. Be watchful and observe every opportunity Sometimes the Lord puts thine enemy into thine hand gives thee some special advantage against such a lust or corruption Sometimes the Lord puts a price into thy hand an opportunity of getting in or laying up for thy Soul an opportunity of laying out for God or thy Soul observe diligently all such seasons Thou maiest do more or get more in such an hour than in many daies after 2. Keep thy heart in a disposednesse and constant towardlinesse to Dutie be alwaies prepared to everie good work see that however sometimes thou maiest want power to perform yet to will may be alwaies present When a price is put into thine hand seee thou want not a heart to it When thine Enemy is in thine hand let not thy heart spare it let not thine heart be out of the way whenever the season serves let not thy heart recur thus upon thee afterward O what a day have I lost how much seed might I have sown this day for Eternity what a treasure might I have laid up for Everlasting 3. Above all take heed you live not under a neglect of duty The most diligent and vigilant Christians have too many neglects but see that you are not guilty of any neglect in ordinarie that there be not any thing that you know to be your dutie which you commonly and of course passe over so that this day is even as yesterday and to morrow and next day and next week and so on is like to be as this day Whatever it be that you perform such a neglect as this will unavoidably hinder the thriving of your Souls in the Grace of God For 1. The guilt of such a neglect will wither and mar the beauty of what is done and the Lord will have such a standing controversie with you for what is not done that he will not accept or prosper what is done 2. There will be the want of the influence of those duties that are neglected We cannot want a duty but we may afterwards find the want of it in the state of our Souls Grace out of exercise grows to decay and if one of thy spiritual members suffer or wast the whole body suffers with it 3. The Devil will fill up the vacuities of our lives There is not a void Plat in thy Garden but the Devil will be sowing his seed If you do the Devil will not leave an empty day nor an empty hour of your lives If grace do not fill up each day with the duties of it he will fill it up with sin 'T is an hundred to one but a weed grows up in the room where a Flower is wanting Brethren if you would be thriving Christians be Universal Christians for any work your Master hath to do be ingenuous Christians willing to know your whole duty be watchful Christians that you may know your duty seasons and then be faithful allow not your selves in be not patient with your selves under any neglect 3 Take heed of the world If you be Christians Christ hath gotten the better of the world hath gotten the preheminence in you and brought the world under If it be so take heed it get not head again and that you may be both secured from the snares of the world and make your best advantages as Christians of it Take these following Directions 1. Never make an exchange of Christ or any thing of Christ for the world or any thing that is of the world never buy or purchase any thing of the world at so dear a rate as the losse of any thing of Christ Lose not any degree of grace for the gaining this worlds goods lose not a spiritual duty for the attending on a worldly business Enrich not your bodies upon the impoverishment of your Souls What possession or use of this world you may have without your spiritual prejudices enjoy it and be thankful but beware you do not so take up with the businesses and take in the advantages of this earth that your souls suffer losse that you should ever have occasion to say of any thing you have done or gotten This is the price of my peace this is the price of my comfort this is the price of a Sabbath or a Sacrament or a Prayer I have lost a Sabbath I have lost my communion with God in prayer I have abated the life and the vigour and exercise of my grace and this is all I have for it some addition to my outward state I have more of earth but so much the less of Heaven more Gold but the less Grace more of this Manimon but so much the less Manna more of the Cistern but so much the less of the Fountain Beloved it was never the intent of the Gospel to strip you of this worlds goods but to secure you only from the mischief of it be but so watchful and so fearful and so wise and wary in the managing your worldly businesses in the improving or securing your worldly estates that you be not hereby losers upon a spiritual account that you may have what you have as an addition but not so in commutation for Christ and he will never begrutch it you or blame you for it 2. Let not Christ and the world again change places or interests If Christ hath your hearts let him not again be thrown under your feet If the world begotten under foot let it not again get up into the throne let it be your servant if you will but let it never again be your God Let Christ be the chief in you let him have the highest esteem the dearest the strength of your affections the great command of you Let the Word of Christ be of more power with you and carry you farther than all the gains and glory of the World Let not this be your rule To follow Christ and Holiness so far as you may without any prejudice to your worldly interest but let this be it Follow the world so fur only as you may without being false or unfaithful to Christ Venture on in Holiness to the greatest hazard of your estate but venture not after this with the least hazard of your Religion Resolve to be Christians whether you be rich or poor but endeavour not to be rich but upon such terms that you may be never the lesse Christians Especially take heed that the Prosperity of the World steal not away your hearts Psal 62. 10. If riches increase set not your hearts upon them 'T is hard to prosper in the world and not to prostitute our hearts to it Temptation
it not only Truth but Faith and Love and ingenuity to God not only a good meaning but a good will to the work and to the Lord for whose sake we do it To walk sincerely is to walk both as in the sight of God as the witness of our uprightnesse to whom we dare to appeal and in the power of the Grace of God which carries us on to pursue his honour and interest The oppositâ— to this sincerity is fleshly wisdom or carnal policy which models our Religion and the exercises thereof in a consistency with and subservency to our fleshly interests And hypocrisie or dissimulation to which it is most properly opposed And there is a two-fold hypocrisie in our actions Either total that which denominates them hypocritical actions Or tial when though as to the main the heart be upright and the action acceptable to God yet there is some little mixture of deceit in it which though it be matter of humiliation to the doer yet doth not wholy hinder the acceptation of what 's done As there is no person so there is no action so perfectly sincere and upright with God but there is some obliquities to be found in it Brethren be upright in your way be true to the Lord not putting him off with eye-service but serving him in singlenesse of heart be ingenuous towards God with good will doing service whatever good words you speak whatever good duties you perform whatever good fruits you bring forth let good will be at the bottom Let not fleshly wisdom have any thing to do in the managing and ordering your Spiritual waies You must be fools if you will be honest He that will be wise saith the Apostle let him be a foâ—l So he that will be upright let him lay down his fleshly wisdom Let him not consult with Flesh and Blood nor studie to cast himself into such a mode or limit himself to such a measure of godlinesse as will best secure and advance his earthlie concernments but laying aside such considerations let him follow the Lord in all things whether it be right or wrong as to matters outward and carnal Beware of Hipocriâ—ie and dissimulation be not mockers of God Gal. 6. 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked saith the Apostle That is either God cannot be mocked there 's no juggling with God there 's no deceiving of Gods Eie when you have done all you can to varnish an empty or deceitful work God cannot be deceived his eie sees what it is There 's no dissembling with God whatever there may be with men Or else God will not be mocked he will never be put off with nor bear mocking services but as men sow so shall they reap Look what their work is such shall their reward and their wages be There is a twofold-mock 1. A Deriding Mock 2. A Deluding Mock There is a deriding mock or a putting of scorn upon persons The Enemies of Jerusalem mocked at her Sabbaths the Persecutors and Cruciâ—iers of Christ mocked him and said Hail King of the Jews And there is a Deluding Mâ—ck or a putting a Cheat upon them to deceive them He that promises any thing that he doth not intend he that doth any thing or gives any thing which is another thing than it appears to be is a Mocker Thou hast mocked me these three times said Delila to Sampsoâ— when he pretended to have told her all that was in his heart and yet hat but lyed to her Judg. 16. 15. He that refreshes the needie with good words onlie be filled be warmed or Promises I will give I will relieve you this is but Mock-Charity He that paies his debts or buyes his Commodities with brasse money instead of silver this is but mock Justice and he that worships God with tongue-worship instead of heart-worship this is but mock Religion Oh how much such mocking of God are many Professors of Religion guilty of There 's nothing but words in their Professions nothing but words in their Prayers nothing but words in their Confessions and Acknowledgments Their Faith is a mock Faith and their Repentance is mock Repentance their Humility is mock Humility nay their very Alms and Benevolences wherewith those that received them are refreshed and relieved are in respect to God a mock Charity mock Alms. Whatever there is done there is nothing of the heart in it there 's no good will in all their good work and where that 's wanting the Lord looks on all as nothing Oh remember and bewail all your Hypocrisies and Dissimulation you are apt to think at least would make others think when you have been Praying or Fasting or keeping Sabbaths or visiting the Sick or relieving the oppressed that you have been doing some great good services when yet it may be you have been dissembling with the Lord in all and had need to go pray again not only Lord forgive us our sins our pride or our covetousnesse but Lord forgive us our Prayers Lord forgive us our Repentance our Fasting our Sabbaths our Sabbath-mockeries our Prayer-Mockeries Consider brethren what an high provocation this is 'T is no small sin to be mockers of men but will a man mock God Mal. 3. 8. Will a man rob God saith the Lord. Though you dare to steal and purloin one from the other yet dare you be so highly impious and sacrilegious as to rob God Ye have robbed me saith the Lord. You have not only robbed my Prophets and my Servants but ye have robbed me Will a man rob God So Will a man mock God Seemeth it to you a small thing that you weary men that you will weary my God also saith he Prophet Seemeth it a small thing to you to deal falsly with men but will you deal falsly with God also Brethren in all your waies observe the rule Do as you would be done by If you would not that the Lord should mock you be you no longer Mockers of God Do not put off the Lord with mock-duties unlesse you will be content to be put off with mockmercies mock-comforâ—s with a mock-pardon and a mock salvation Beloved Let us bewail our Hypocrisie Let us not only bewail and humbled under any thing we have offered up to God wherein we have been hypocritical in toto have done nothing else but plaid the hypocrites but let us bewail all those lower degrees of hypocrisie that have been mingled with the best of all our duties blessed be God that though we have been too hypocritical yet we are no Hypocrites blessed be God for any sincerity that he hath seen in us but wo to us and shame to us that there hath been so much hypocrisie mingled with it Oh let us fear an hypocritical heart Oh let us watch against an Hypocritical heart let us purge out all the remainders of this Pharisaical leaven Let there be truth in all we do and as much as in us lies nothing but truth Let us draw nigh to God with a
of all sorts As it is said of the Tree of Life that stands in the City of God above Rev. 22. 2. so let it be said of every living Tree that stands in the Vineyard of God here below That they bring forth twelve manner that is all manner of fruits be fruitful in every good work and bring forth fruit for every season There are summer fruits and there are winter fruits that God expects from you By summer fruits I mean those that are most proper for the daies of your prosperity as thankfulness watchfulness fear humility self-denyal mercy compassion c. Your winter fruits rae such as God looks for in the dayes of your affliction fasting repentance mortification humiliation submission patience c. Brethren be not only good summer servants but winter servants also and when ever it is winter with you â—all close to your winter-Winter-work be much in the â—xercise of repentance godly sorrow patience c. â—et the persecuting World see that godliness will â—ot only live but flourish too in the hardest Winâ—er The truth is there is no such flourishing time â—or the Saints as the time of trouble Gods trees do usually bear best in Winter The Winter frosts do ordinarily bring forth and ripen their fruit better than the Summers warmthâ— At least the hard Winter prepares for a fruitful Summer Beloved â—s it Winter with any of you lose not this fructiâ—ying season to your work to your work Let your work serve you in stead of fire to keep you warm â—et not the cold windes and storms chill and freeze your spirits and so kill your fruits let a fire be kindled and kept alive within you the fire of love â—nd holy zeal I mean let those winds not blow â—ut but blow up these fires let them blow out the fire of lust of passion and contention but let them blow up the fire of love and zeal and let your winward warmth supply the want of outward comforts and encouragements for the cherishing and â—â—ripening of your fruit Be either bringing forth fruit or preparing for fruit let nor the Plough stand still let the clods be broken let the seed be cast in If it be the day of your tears sow in tears it is good sowing in such a rainy day and such a seed-time will bring forth a comfortable Harvest IV. Be stedfast and unmovable 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be not moved either from the hope of the Gospel or from the Obedience of the Gospel Be not Apostates from Christ let not the fear of the Crosse make you weary of the yoke of Christ Turn not back from the holy Commandment for any Tribulation that may come upon you Suffer not your selves to be persecuted out of your Religion or conscience Tribulations are temptations and will try what there is of God in you what reality there is lying under all your professions whether the Word of Christ hath taken any root in you And such troubles will make the greatest Tryal of you which fall upon you for righteousness sake There are some troubles that fall promiscuously on all good and bad and put no difference betwixt the one and the other but as an overflowing flood bear down all before them As in general families pestilences and wars in which it happen alike to the just and unjust to him that serveâ—â— God and him that serveth him not There are other troubles that fall only on the heritage of the Lord on the best among a people When the vile of the earth prosper and flourish and those only in whom some good thing is found are the suffering people When the Sun shines on the barren Mountaines and miry Marishes and 〈◊〉 Storms the Thunder and the Hail fall only on 〈◊〉 fruitful Fields when the Corn is smitten and 〈◊〉 the Thorns and Bryars escape Such troubles as fall on the Righteous of the earth and for their righteousness sake when the bread and water of affliction are given to Disciples and in the name of Disciples these are the most trying troubles Such troubles as leave men to their choice either to sin or suffer When godliness becomes the common rode to tribulation and ungodliness is the only door that is left open by which we may escape and shift our selves out of danger Such afflictions as these will make the most narrow search and through tryal whether we are godly indeed or not Brethren see that your hearts be so established with grace that you stand your ground and keep your way in such dayes of temptation And that you may hold out and hold on and abide in the day of greatest tryals take this course I. Try your selves throughly aforehand 1 Cor. 11. 3. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged Though I cannot say if we would try our selves we should not be tryed yet this I can say if we would try our selves we should be the more likely â—o abide the trial of the Lord. Try your selves afore-hand And that 1. What you are in the state of your souls according to the instructions I have already given you in this matter 2. What you are in your duties in your active obedience He that is not faithful in doing the Will of God is not like to be found faithful in suffering the Will of God He that carries himself Christianly in his present state needs not trouble himself with fears and doubts how he shall stand in any future state he may be brought into The tryal that trouble will make upon us is whether we will be faithful in doing the Will of God when we must suffer for it Now he that neglects his duty and cannot hold his heart to an holy conscientious course when he is in no danger and his Religion is like to cost him nothing what is like to become of this mans godliness when it may cost him the loss of all We readâ— Dan. 6. 10. When a decree was signed That whosoever should ask any Petition of God or man save of the King should be cast into the Lyons Dâ—n That Daniel prayed and gave thanks to his God three times a day as he haâ—â— done aforetime If Daniel had not used to pray aforetime when praying would bring him into nâ—â— danger he would not doubtless have adventured oâ—â— it in such a time when he saw evidently that it waâ— like to cost him his life Brethren Consider what your present course and care is Do you pray now and fast now and withdrawing your selves from the lusts and liberties of the world Do you now apply your selves to a soâ— ber serâ—ous self-denying life Are you now active for God and your sâ—uls and have you been conscientious and watchful and fruitful aforetime when there was nothing to molest or discourage you If you have been carnal and vain and remiss in the exercises of Religion when you might have been as holy as you would as strict and as zealous as you would without any fear of suffering for
the Gospel hath done nothing at all that miserable forlorn multitude of the grosly ignorant who as they were born blind have had all their dayes such a mist of thick darkness abiding upon them that they are uncapable without a miracle of being savingly wrought upon Speak unto them of Faith in Christ of Repentance unto life of obeying the Gospel in the plaineâ—t way possible and you will be as a Barbarian to them as one of a strange Language they know not what you say if you should speak Greek or Latine to them they would understand it as well as the plainest truths of the Gospel A poor Minister of Christ may break his heart and rend his bowels in mourning over them may draw forth his Soul in the most melting expressions of his compassions to them may break his brains in studying how to convey a little light unto them and yet cannot help them cannot make them to understand so much as that they understand nothing Their minds are so wholly blinded by the God of this world that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ though it shine round about them cannot find so much as a crany into their hearts but being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them they give up themselves to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness walking in the lusts of their hearts after the course of this World in riot luxury excess of Wine revellings banquettings covetousness lying blasphemies and abominable adulteries and Idolatries and yet remain without any conscience of sin or fear of their danger being as natural bruit Beasts as if they were made for slaughter and destruction Are there none such in this place Doth not the Earth every where groan our Land mourn our Congregations travel in pain Is not this Congregation black'd and burthen'd with such miserable creatures who after all the instructions counsels wooings warnings threatnings and Judgments of God which have been in their ears and before their eyes remain to this day a stupid blockish brutish generation without the least sense of their sin or wish to be delivered from it Oh you blind and dark Souls consider and understand if it be possible these two Scriptures 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to those that are lost In whom the god of this World hath blinded the minds of those that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them This darkness is from Hell the Prince of darkness hath held you under your blindness and this darkness leads to bell to the blackness of darkness for ever You are lost you are lost Souls lost for ever if the Gospel leave you in this state of blindness in which you have so securely continued to this day Isa 27. 11. It is a people of no understanding therefore â—e that made them will not have mercy on them he that formed them will shew them no favour 2. Those upon whom the Gospel hath seemed to have done its work but it is its strange work There are two works which the Gospel doth some it enlightens others it smites with blindness some it softens others it seals up under hardness some it gains over to Christ others it gives up to the unbelief and impenitence of their hearts Isa 6. 10. Make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes c. Go and preach to this people but preach them into hardness and blindness because they refused to see or hear let the light put out their eyes let the joyful sound strike them deaf and stop their ears never leave hammering them till thou hast hammered them into rocks or anvills Some there are that have so trifled with Convictions baffled Conscience and suffer'd their lusts so to resist and bear down their light that have had so many heats and colds so many thawings and freezings that have taken up so many purposes and made so many promises and yet all comes to nothing that the Gospel hath received a Charge from the Lord to make an end of its work Go sayes God and make an end with these men I 'le be mocked by them no more I 'le be trifled and dallied with by them no longer wound them no more fright them no more peâ—swade them no longer make their hearts fat their ears heavy and shut their eyes and give them up to their hearts lusts that they may walk in their own counsels and fill up the measure of their iniquities you that after all the warnings you have received from the Lord and after some workings of them sometimes upon your Consciences are yet going after your lusts prostituting your selves to your belluine and sensual pleasures filling up daily the measure of your iniquities Oh tremble and consider sadly whether this be not likely to be your case that the Gospel hath even done with you and given you over unto an impenitent heart and reprobate mâ—â—d In hope that how near soever you are to this dreadful state you may be yet one step at least short of it I shall this once more adventure a few words upon you together with them that I have already mentioned And first let me reason a â—ittle with you 1. Art thou one of them that obey the Gospel or not Art thou one of them that love God one of the called according to his purpose or not Art thou not an Alien an adversary against God a Rebel against his Word Let thy Conscience speak set thy ways speak let thine Oaths and thy Drunkenness and thine Adulteries thy scoffing at God and his holy ways thy hating his Instructions and kicking at his Reproofs thy hardnings against his Calls thy treacherous dealings in his Covenant and the Vows of God that are upon thee let these speak what thou art Is this that which God hath chosen and called thee to Are these the Things thou hast learned and received and heard of him Did he ever say These things do the God of peace shall be with you Thou needest no other Conviction than that of Israels Jer. 2. 23. How canst thou say I am not polluted See thy way in the valley know what thou hast done How canst thou say that thou art not a Wretch With what Face canst thou deny but thou art an Enemy of God and of all Righteousness See thy way in the Valley trace the Foot-steps of thy Life behold thy practices and thy course Sure thou art very blind if thou behold thy self in this Glass and doest not see thy Face as the Face of a Devil There are some whom it may be harder work to convince who have the Face of a Christian the Tongâ—e of a Saint but within the heart of a Beast Hypocrites are as hard to be convinced as Hypocrisie is hard to be detected But thou who carryest thy wicked Heart in thy Forehead upon thy Tongue upon
things He that hath the son hath not only with him but in himâ— all things Are all things nothing with thee What wouldst thou have more than all Thâ— Heathens acknowledged That vertue is sufficient Iâ— was a Maxime among the ancient Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertue is self-sufficient A vertuous Man hath no need to be beholding either tâ— Friends or Fortune He hath enough in himself The Apostle tells us That Godliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with its self-sufficiency is great gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. Solomon tells us Prov. 14. 14. A good man is satisfied from himself He hath that within him out of which his satisfaction grows A Christian hath the whole Gospel within him He hath Christ the Promise the everlasting God Heaven Glory within him As rich as he is he may truly say Omnia mea mecum porto He carries his All in his heart and can thence get out a living a Sufficiency for all Times Cases and Wants Cast him naked out of his Habitation out of his Countrey yet he carries all with him he leaves not an Hoof behind him Christians leave it to the poor of the Earth to carnal men the Riches of them is poor enough leave it them to be discontent A carnal Man hath so many to be beholding to to parch up his contentment that 't is no wonder he falls short of it the Sun the Clouds his Fields his Folds his Friends his Enemies his Honours his Pleasures his Meat his Drink his House his Mony yea the Devil all his lusts every Creature must come in with their part to contribute to his contentment if but one thing fails him there 's somthing wanting to make it up Nay if none fail but they all do their best to please him yet all will not do in the fulness of his sufficiency he is in straits When he hath all he can have his still hungring Heart cries out of what it hath Vanity of Vaâ—â—ties all is Vanity Leave it to these Christians who â—ave nothing but emptiness to fill their Souls withâ—â— leave it to them to be discontented Will you â—ay the same imputation upon the God of Glory The Discontent of a Christian is a kind of Blasphemy it proclaims concerning God also and all the Glory of the Gospel This also is Vanity Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity Christians study your Riches more count over your Treasures dwell more in your God and his Gospel Read over your Priviledges Promises and Hopes feed more on that Bread of Life drink more freely of those Living Springs which are broken forth to you Prove more what Godliness hath in it Get out the sweetness and the Pleasure of it none in the World live such a voluptuous Life as he that lives mâ—â—t with God get out the pleasure of Godliness lie more at the Breasts suck harder press the Clusters and the Wine and Milk will come make the most of Religion and you will have enough never blame it for empty or unsatisfactory while there is more to be had Gad not into other Pastures run not from Flower to Flower keep you Home Let not your God find you in another Field If you keep with God the less you have of Creature-vanities the more full will your Contentment be Christian Honour thy God and his Gospel let his Breasts satisfie thee and err thou alwayes in his Love Let the World read the Gospel-sufficiency in thy Souls pleasure and satisfaction with it alone 5. Let your Conversations answer the supports of the Gospel and its succours Live a patient life Jam. 5. 7. Be patient brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Patience is a Grace suited to our present Gospel state I will call it a Friend that 's born for the day of adversity If you are Christians you have need of Pâ—tience and if you have Patience you need no more Jam. 1. 4. Let Patience have her perfect work that you may be entire lacking nothing Patience is a submitting sedate and calm frame of spirit whereby a Christian from Gospel grounds it born up under all his Troubles and born through all his Duties Betwixt Patience and Contentedness there is this difference Contentedness is the quiet of the heart and its satisfaction with its smallest portion of good things Patience is the quiet of the heart under the greatest pressure of evil things A patient spirit is a submitting spirit It s heartily content that God should have his Will With whatsoever God is pleased it will not be displeased It 's the Lord lâ—â— him do whatsoever seems good in his Eyes What seems good in God's eyes shall not seem evil in mine It is a Calm and quiet spirit It will not strive noâ— cry nor lift up its voice in the streets it can mourn but it does not murmur it can feel but it will not fret at the hand of God A patient person is ever compos mentis has the command and government of his spirit keeps it sober and in due order doth not rave and rage Impatience is a kind of frenzy such persons are besides themselves In our patience we possess and by our impatience we lose our Souls we lose the rule and government of them the peace and the use of them An impatient man is besides himself both as a Man and as a Christian 1. He is besides himself as a Man Impatience turns Reason out of doors and for the Affections they are all in an uproar and will know no command or government 2. He is besides himself as a Christian turned quite out of course Duties Comforts Experiences Hopes all are laid aside Keep you quiet keep the peace in your heart and you keep your heart In this calmness and quietness it bears up under troubles Patience hath Fortitude in it it neither frets nor faints under all its burthens Christians must bear and patient Christians can bear any thing that comes on them The proper exercise of patience is enduring he endures not that suffers only but that can bear what he suffers It bears through its Duties The passion of a patient person doth not hinder his action He holds his course keeps on his way whatever load he hath on his back He runs with patience the race which is set before him he is not discouraged nor diverted from his holy course by any suffering it costs him And indeed Christian Patience stands not in a bare forced quiet in a biting in or keeping down our fretting aestuations from venting themselves in word or carriage or in a sullen silence or stupidity but in the maintaining such a tranquility of spirit under all we suffer as that we can still both enjoy and serve the Lord. He is a patient Christian that is as much a Christian in a storm as in a clam that can pray believe love bless God follow God and keep his way when he smites as when he smiles Lastly in all this a Christian is upheld and carried on from
me so I can be in pain in disgrace If thou wilt have me But I cannot be unholy I cannot bear it to be such a starveling in the state of my Soul Lord for more holiness Lord for more life and care and zeal and fruit let me have it upon what terms thou pleasest only let me have it Can you say thus to the Lord I hope you can what and yet be displeased it he take you at your word can you pray thus and yet repine and murmur that the Lord hears your prayers Christian when the Lord comes to deal roughly with thee entertain his chastisements whatever they be with this thought Now the Lord is about to give me my hearts desire now is my day of hope This distress this sorrow and anguish the Lord hath brought upon me may be come to perform that work which I have long'd to see What the Word hath been so long a doing and yet is not done What Sacraments Prayers Mercies have been so long a doing and yet is not done Now is the time this may be the means to bring it about This bitter Cup hath health in the bottom this Plough and these deep furrowes it makes look towards an Harvest The work is doing that I have been so long a begging This froward this senseless this sloathful this earthly barren heart which I feel to day I hope now in a little time I shall be rid of for ever If this be the meaning of my troubles as I hope it is I will wait I will wait for the fruit and if this be the fruit oh welcom welcom this blessed Providence 6. Your patient suffering shall be the advance of your glory Remember what I have told you already Your suffering shall go into your reward according to your deep poverty so shall your riches be As 't was said concerning Babylon Rev. 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much sorrow and torment give her So shall it be said concerning you How much they have been abased and afflicted for me so much Joy and Glory give them As sure as the persecuâ—ings of the ungodly shall meet them in hell so certainly shall the Persecutions of the Righteous meet them before the Throne of God This shall be written on their everlasting Crowns Here is the Patience of the Saints By this time you see Christians that a suffering state is not so formidable nor patience under it so impossible nor your impatience so excusable as your hearts are so apt to tell you Sufferings you cannot avoid but you may abide them your carnal hearts will cry out I can't endure and therefore whatever shift I make I must avoid them The Gospel tells you You may endure but if you will be Christians you can't avoid them All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution Well since it 's thus Gird up the loins of your Minds and follow your Lord. Consider him that endured such contradictions of Sinners and be not weary noâ— faint in your minds The Captain of your salvation was made perfect through sufferings and if you will be patient so shall you his followers Turn to your strong hold ye Prisoners of hope prove to the world that your Faith is no fancy nor your Rock a refuge of lies that your profession of holiness is not a meer talk or vapour Fear not to bear yours and thankfully accept your Lords Testimony when the Lord hath fulfilled his sad Predictions let your faith and patience seal to the fulfilling his promises When-ever the hand of the Lord touches to the quick and you feel in earnest that 't is hot service to be a Christian when your flesh begins to fly in your face and cries out against your Soul either as Zippâ—rah against Moses a bloody Husband hast thou been to me or as Job's Wife to him Curse God and dye chide it into silence Thou speakest like one of the foolish Women If it will still kick and â—ling and groan out to thee dost thou still retain thy integrity hearken not to it leave it to groan alone as the flesh hath left thy Soul to groan alone under sin so let thy Soul leave thy flesh to groan alone under affliction While thy Soul is quiet there 's the glory of patience though extremity of torment make thy flesh to roar nay the more the flesh roars and the Soul yet keeps silence the more patience If your fears affright you and prophecy to you before hand Oh I shall never be patient if the fore-sight be so dreadful what will the encounter be Yet be not discouraged You say you could be content to suffer if you were sure you could be patient that is you would venture into the water if you had first learn'd to swim why when you are in then you will learn and not before Tribulation worketh patience where it findeth none when you are in the fight you 'l find your weapons your very sufferings will learn you to bear 'T is the flesh that flings and frets but by that it hath been tamed in the house of affliction it will be quieter Be jealous of your selves while you will let not fore-hand presumption hinder fore-hand preparation But whilst you suspect your selves distrust not your God follow the Cloud of Witnesses and lean on the Rock of Ages and when you are put hardest to it let your soul take Sanctuary here When my flesh and my heart faileth me God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for ever Lastly As that wherein I shall take in most of these former particulars Let your lives answer that Spirit of holiness which the Gospel hath powred forth upon you Let your lives be gracious and holy lives Particularly 1. Let the Grace of the Gospel be visible and perspicuous in your lives shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Let your lives be the image of thot holy Doctrine or the holding forth of that word of Life which you have received Admire that grace of God which hath appeared to you and let his Grace appear and be admired in you let Grace appear in you in its Purity Power 1. In its Purity represent your God and your Christ and your Religion in its holiness to the world Teach the World to love or at least to reverence holiness by letting them see it before their eyes Holiness hath such a Glory in it that it will command respect and reverence when it is clearly seen Let your paths be pure as God hath separated you to separate your selves from the lusts of men to the Law of your God Keep your selves upright in the sight of God keep your selves unspotted of the world If they will be spotting you let it be only with your beauty spots your Wisdom Truth Holiness Mercy Meekness Patience the Excellencies and Vertues of your God appearing upon you Let this that you are too pure
compassionately that I might the better win upon them 3. Concerning Providences Q. 1. Have I diligently observed all the remarkable Providences of God towards me especially such as have come in as the returns of Prayer 2. Have I been thankful for my daily mercies 3. Have I born this dayes crosses 14. Concerning the use of your Liberty Q. Have I kept my self far enough within my bounds In Sum Q. 1. What have I done for God or my Soul this day have I not lost one day more 2. Have I led this day A Diligent Watchful Self-denying Life Directions for the Morning 1. If through necessity or carelesness you have omitted the reading and weighing these Questions in the Evening be sure to do it now 2. Ask thy self What Sins have I committed What duties have I omitted Against which of these Rules have I offended the day fore-going And renew thy repentance and double thy watch 3. Examine whether God were first and last in thy Thoughts Morning and Evening 4. Be careful to set thine ends right for all the day An Advertisement If you want time to make daily enquiry upon every one of the fore-mentioned particulars they being so many set a mark upon or write out such of them as most especially concern your case and let not them be forgotten Think not thy self excused from this course because 't is too long when if need be thou mayst thus make it shorter Better cut short than wholly give out For the help of the weaker I shall gather out these few of the chief Interrogatories which when they are straitned for time they may only use and to which they may add more as they have occasion and opportunity Q. 1. Was I serious and had I any sensible Communion with God this day in my secret and Family Duties 2. Hath it been my care to keep mine heart in an holy Frame from Duty to Duty 3. Have I been much in holy Ejaculations 4. Have I not given liberty to the working of Pride sinful Anger Discontent or Impatience nor so much as to vain thoughts 5. Have I not inordinately minded earthly things 6. Have I kept me from Mine iniquity and not lived in any known sin 7. Have I wronged no man in word nor deed 8. Have I been temperate and self-denying in the use of the Creatures 9. Hath the Law of the Lord been much in my mouth 10. Have I not sent Christ away without an Alms when I had it by me 11. Have I not lost an opportunity of doing or receiving good 12. Have I not neglected nor done any thing against my duty to my Relation 13. What have I done for God or my Soul this day have I not lost one day more 14. Have I been diligent and watchful Christian here is a course prescribed which by the ordinary assistance which the Lord doth not deny you may take up if you will and which if you conscientiously observe will be without doubt through the blessing of God attended with great success And those that do not take up this course or some other equivalent to it let them never think to ease their hearts by idle complaints I can't attain to such a holy even fruitful heavenly life as I desire I would but I cannot God will abhor such lazy complaints and look upon them as they are a meer device to keep you quiet under a slothful heart Set your whole Duty daily before your eyes charge it upon your hearts take an account of your selves how you discharge it set upon it as that which is no other than you have vowed to the Lord commit your selves and your wayes to him for success and if this doth not mightily conduce to advance you in point of holiness and establish you in point of peace then say that both the Precepts and Promises of the Gospel have deceived you And thus I have set before you that holy conversation which becometh the Gospel Take up this holy course let this be your Life you mean to lead and let it be carried on In an holy Union In an United Contention In an Holy Boldness 1. In an holy Union So the Apostle there adds stand fast in one spirit with one mind Never look to thrive in Grace if you do not live in peace The decays of Christianityly much upon the score of the divisions of Christians The Devil hath also taken up that Maxim Divide Impera Rent them and ruine them The reason why our Love is so cold is because our Differences are so hot The reason of so little zeal against sin hath been the great strife among Brethren The combinations of Sinners have not so much prejudiced the power of holiness as the contentions of Saints There are not a few who go under the name of Saints that have maintained disputes about Religion so long till they have disputed themselves out of all Religion their searching for truth hath been the loss of both love and life Christians if ever you would be any thing be one be of one heart of one mind holding the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace It were greatly to be desired that the people of God were both of one heart and of one way But if this may not be if there cannot be Vniformity yet let there be Vnity betwixt all that fear the Lord in truth A few words I shall leave with you for your direâ—â—on herein 1. Divide not from the Head to unite with any pretended Members hold not with them that hold not with the Head Sell not Truth clear fundamental Truth to buy Peace 2. Divide not from real Members lest you hereby prove your division from the Head Christ hath but one body if you be not in union with the body you are divided from the Head 3. See the Head in every Member see Christ in every Saint 4. Prize Christ where-ever you see him Love Christ and love his Image if you will not slight Christ slight not any Saint See'st thou an humble mâ—â—â— patient broken-hearted self-denying mortified Christian in whatsoever unpleasing form as to matters circumstantial he appears despise him not reject him not 5. Prize Peace and Union aâ— the strength and honour of the body 6. Pursue Peace and Union with the utmost strength of thy soul And that you may obtain it 1. Let all parties that are named of Christ be humbled under former Divisions What peace so long as God is angry Oh how have we provoked the Lord by provoking one another Let him only who hath been without sin in this matter be without sorrow and shame Sure they are hard hearts who are not broken under such breaches Let us not mistake our selves nor mis-call that zeal for God which God will call pride and peevishness I speak not against our being offended either with errour or iniquity we may not call evil good or darkness light for peace sake but at our unreasonable passions against whom we suppose erring Brethren If
within me says Amen Brethren will you yet again say your Lord nay shall Christ have his wish shall your Servant for Jesus sake shall I have my wish will you now at last conâ—ent to be â—anctified and to be saved let me have this wish and I dare promise from the Lord you shall have yours even whatever your Soul can desire Brethren this once hear this once be prevailed upon be content that your lusts be rooted out and your Lord planted into your Souls Be content to be pardoned content to be converted content to be saved This once hear lest if ye now refuse ye no more be perswaded with oh that they would but be for ever confounded with oh that they had Lest all our wishes and wooings of you be turned into weepings and mournings over you this once hear Oh that you would I heartily thank you for your good wishes and good will towards me for your willing and chearful entertainment of my person and attendance on my Ministry and particularly for your passionate desire of my longer stay among you Which desire if God had not my Soul could not have denied you Though the Almighty to whose pleasure it 's meet that we all submit hath said nay to that wish of yours yet let your Souls say Amen to this last of mine that the Lord God would dwell among you and in you both now and for ever And having thus finished my Labours among you I shall now close up with this double account 1. Of my discharge of my Ministry in this place 2. Of my deprival And shall so commit you to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to huild you up and to give you an Inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified 1. Of my discharge of my Ministry What my Doctrine and manner of life hath been is known to you and what my aim and intent hath been is known to God The searcher of hearts knows that 't is the salvation of Souls that hath been the mark at which I have levelled My way hath been to use all plainness that I might be made manifest in your Consciences Weaknesses and infirmities both natural and sinful the Lord pardon it I have had many I am sensible that much more might have been done both in publick and in private had it not been for a weakly body and a sloathful heart I repent that I have had no more zeal for God no more compassion to Souls I repent that I have been no more constant and importunate with you about the matters of Eternity Oh Eternity Eternity that thou wert no more in the heart and Lips of the Preacher in the hearts and ears of the hearers But while I thus judge my self for my failings Blessed be God for any sincerity to his name and good will to your Souls that he hath seen in me Blessed be God I have a witness in my Conscience and I hope in yours also that I have not shunned to declare to you the whole Counsel of God Brethren I call Heaven and Earth to witness this day that I have set before you life and death good and evil and have not ceased from day to day to warn you to choose life and that good way that leads to it and to escape for your lives from the way of sin and death Oh remember the many instructions I have given you the many Arguments whereby I have striven with you the many Prayers that have been offered up for the guiding and gaining your Souls into the path of life and the turning your feet out of the way of destruction Oh might I be able to give this Testimony concerning you all at my departure they have trodden in the right path they have chosen the good part that shall not be taken from them Beloved Brethren with whom I have travelled in birth that Christ might be formed in you I must shortly give up my account in a more solemn Assembly will you help me to give it up with joy by shewing your Souls before the Lord as the Seal of my Ministry Every sincere Convert among you will be a Crown of rejoycing to me in that day So let me rejoyce and let my joy be the joy of you all What shall I say more If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love any bowels and mercies if the Glory of the Eternal God the Honour of the everlasting Gospel the safety of your immortal Souls the incorruptible Crown the exceeding eternal weight of glory weigh any thing with you then once more let me beseech you by all this to hearken to that word of the Gospel which God hath spoken to you by me 2. Of my deprival The most glorious morning hath its evening the hour is come wherein the Sun is setting upon not a few of the Prophets the shadows of the evening are stretched forth upon us our day draws our work seems to be at an end Our Pulpits and our places must know us no more This is the Lords doing let all the earth keep silence before him It is not a light thing for me Brethren to be laid aside from the work and cast out of the Vineyard of the Lord and it must be something of weight that must support under such a severe doom I know there are not a few that will add to the affliction of the afflicted by telling the world t is their own fault they might prevent it if they would whether this be so or no God knoweth and let the Lord be Judge Blessed be God whatever be this is not laid to our charge as the reason of our seclusion either insufficiency or scandal You are not ignorant what things there are imposed on us as the condition of our continuing our Ministration which how lawful and expedient soever they seem in the Judgment of many yet have the most specious Arguments that plead for them left me utterly dissatisfied in my Conscience about them I must profess before God Angels and Men that my non-submission is not from any disloyaltie to Authoritie nor from pride humour or any factious disposition or design but because I dare not contradict my light nor do any thing concerning which my heart tels me the Lord says do it not After all my most impartial Enquiries after all my seeking counsel from the Lord after all my considering and consulting with men of all perswasions about these Matters I find my self so far short of satisfaction that I am plainly put to this choice to part with my Ministry or my Conscience I dare not lie before God and the World nor come and tell you I approve I allow I heartily consent to what I neither do nor can but must choose rather that my Ministry be sealed up by my Sufferings than lengthned out by a Lie Through the Grace of God though men do yet my heart shall not reproach me while I live If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things But however though I must now no longer act as a Minister I shall through the Grace of God endeavour peaceably and patiently to suffer as a Christian I should to testifie my Obedience to Authority have become all Things to all Men to the uttermost that I could with any clearness of heart But since Matters stand so that I must lose my place or my peace I chearfully suffer my self to be thrust off the Stage And now welcome the Cross of Christ welcome Reproach welcome Poverty Scorn and contempt or whatever else may befall me on this account This Morning I had a Flock and you had a Pastor but now behold a Pastor without a Flock a Flock without a Shepherd This Morning I had an House but now I have none This Morning I had a living but now I have none The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Beloved I am sensible of my Weaknesses and Disadvantages I am under which may render a suffering state the harder to be born help me by your Prayers and not me only but all my Brethren also with whom my Lot must fall Pray for us for we trust that we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly Pray 1. That God would make our Silence speak and preach the same holy Doctrine that we have preached with our Lips 2. That he would give Supports answerable to our Sufferings that he who comforteth those that are cast down will also comfort his Servants that are cast out 3. That according to our earnest expectation and our hope as always so now also Christ may be magnified in us whether it be by Life or Death And thus Brethren I bid you farewel in the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally Brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of Peace and Love shall be with you And that God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever AMEN FINIS The Terms of our Communion are either from which or to which The Terms from which we must turn are sin Satan the World and our own Righteousness which must be thus renounced The Terms to which we must turn are either ultimate or mediate The ultimate is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who must be thus accepted The mediate terms are ei-Principal or less principal The principal is Christ the Mediator who must thus be embraced The less principles are the Laws of Christ which must be thus observed