The Content of a Wayfaring Man, Sermon 1 – Dedication 2
THE CONTENT OF A WAYFARING MAN: OR, Jeremies Cottage in the Wilderneſſe.
JEREM. 9.2.
O that I had in the Wilderneſſe a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people and goe from them.
Or thus, Oh that I had the Cottage of a Wayfaring man in the Wilderneſſe.
WE have here Jeremies Content, and Jeremies Account: His Content was moderate, He aſpired no great things for himſelfe, nor Biſhops Lands, nor Deanes Houſes. A Cottage was his Content, and his Content was ſutable to his Condition.
His Condition was a Wayfaring-man, Non lequitur de diverſoriis quae trant in pagis & urbibus, ſed de diverſoriis deſerti quemadmodum videhimus ubi per ſylvas longum eſt & moleſtum iter, tuguria quaedam componiſi fortè deprehenſus fuerit viater tenebris noctis ut poſſit latere ſub tecto, ſcil. nè ſub die cubet. Calv. in Loc.and the Cottage of a Wayfaring-man was his Content, onelyonly a hole to hide his head in a ſtorm, and to afford him a nights lodging in his Way: And that in no ſtately Citie, where perhaps a ſmall Cottage may be of more value then a large Farm in the Countrey.
But the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderneſſe. And Wilderneſſe, whether you take it literally, for a place ſma…y inhabited; as that wilderneſſe wherein the Prieſts had 6 Cities; or for a place not at all inhabited, as that to which Jeremies wild Aſſe was uſed; or figuratively for a rude and untaught people, as Wilderneſſe doth often ſignifie in holy Scriptures. Either way it ſuits very well with Jeremies Content, who deſired to enjoy himſelfe in a peaceable retiredneſſe, which he could not in a tumultuous Citie; and probably as he had better hopes of the ſafety of his perſon amongſt wilde beaſts, then wicked men: ſo of the ſucceſſe of his Miniſtery amongſt a rude and ignorant people in the wilderneſſe, then amongſt thoſe whoſe knowledge did puffe them up in Jeruſalem. For ſo we find Jeremies Account, why he deſired the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderneſſe, That I might leave my people, and goe from them.
My people: His they were though they were ſo bad. Jeremy you will yeeld, was an able, painfull, faithfull, couragious Miniſter, who feared not the frownes of Kings nor Princes, Fetters nor Dungeon, for the faithfull diſcharge of his Miniſtery; and yet ſo good as he was, he was unhappily matcht with a bad people, and ſo bad they were, as that he did deſire to leave them, and yet not leave them without leave from God, or love to them.
Not without leave from God; for theſe words we muſt not conceive to fall at randum from Jeremy, as if he were hurried away from his people by paſſion, or diſcontent, but as he ſayes, Chap. 11. v. 20. Ʋnto thee, O Lord, have I revealed my cauſe. And Chap. 20. 12. VntoUnto thee, O Lord, have I opened my cauſe. He ſeeks to God for a place of remove, and would remove as the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe at Gods command.
Not without love to them; for though he did leave them, yet hee would not leave to pray for them, & to pray in teares, and teares in abundance; and that abundance not ſufficient to content his love, but that he wiſhes for more. O that my head were full of waters, and mine eyes a fountain of teares, that I might weep day and night for the captivity of the daughter of my people, verſe 1. of this Chapter. For ſo you muſt joyn that verſe to this, and you have then and there a double account of Jeremies option for a Cottage in the wilderneſſe.
Seeing his preaching could doe no good in Jeruſalem, he was deſirous to retire himſelfe to prayer, and to pray in teares, as Jeremy did, retiredneſſe is beſt.
Foreſeeing their Captivity, he was unwilling to ſee it, and therefore deſired to enjoy himſelf in a peaceable retiredneſſe, rather then to live in Jeruſalem with fire over his head. O that I had the Cottage of a Wayfaring man in the wilderneſſe, that I might leave my people and go from them.
I have now given you the Analyſis of the Text, and you ſee there is much in it, and I have little time, I ſhall endeavour as well as I can, to contract much into little, and ſhall confine my ſelfe to the two generall heads of the Text: Jeremiahs Content, and Jeremiahs Account.
From the firſt, I obſerve; How moderate gracious deſires ſhould be in theſe earthly things.
From the ſecond; How good Miniſters may upon warrantable grounds deſire to remove from an unkind people.
And firſt, I ſhall apply my ſelfe to the firſt, Jeremies Content: O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderneſſe, that I might leave my people, and goe from them.
Generall Doctrine. 1 Gracious deſires ſhould be moderate in theſe earthly things. I doe not ſay, The deſires of grace ſhould be moderate. For that is our great corruption, that in thoſe things wherein unſatiableneſſe of deſire is onelyonly lawfull, our affections are too remiſſe; as in ſpirituall and heavenly things; and too intenſe in thoſe things wherein unſatiableneſſe of deſire is moſt unlawfull: as in temporary and earthly things. And therefore I ſay, If our deſires are gracious, they are and ſhould be moderate in earthly things.
Will you pleaſe to look upon your example in the Text, Jeremiah was one of noble birth, of great parts, of eminent gifts, of admirable courage, of unparalleld fidelity in his Miniſtery: and yet neither his birth, nor place, nor parts nor gifts, did make him ambitious: A cottage did content him who might deſerve a palace.
Will you take another inſtance to this? It is that of Agur, Prov. 30.8.Give me not riches leſt I be too full, but feed me with food convenient for me. Give me not riches.
Quis niſi mentis inops? You will ſcarce think him a reaſonable man that ſhould deſire riches not to be given unto him? But ſtay a while, and heare his reaſon: Leſt I bee too full. He would not have his food to become his diſeaſe. You well know the danger of ſurfeits, you know it, but feele it not whileſt the ſweet morſell is going down; but he that feares it, puts the knife unto his throat, and moderates his appetite. Feed me with food convenient for me. 1. Victum, Food he doth deſire: So much of theſe outward things as may afford him a livelihood. 2. Dimenſum, Food convenient, a portion ſutable and competent to his place and calling. This is lawfull, and this is moderate.
To theſe two inſtances will you pleaſe to take one Rule from him that is our Rule. …ohn 14.6. Matth. 6.11.He that bleſſeth our prayers, taught us to pray for our daily bread. 1. For Bread, Panem indigentiae, ſo much as may ſupply our wants in our way: A Jacobs ſcrip to virtuall us over Jordan. 2. Our daily Bread, ſine ſolicitudine, without anxious thought for to morrow: for to morrow [ſaith the ſame divine Oracle] will care for it ſelfe: Sufficient unto the day is the evill thereof.
Nor did our bleſſed Lord and Saviour ſet this Boundary unto others, which he kept not himſelf: For he who had the fulneſſe of Heaven and earth for his foot ſtool, was yet content with his daily Adminiſtrations. You have now the proofe of the Doctrine:Matth. 8.15. Mark 15.41. That gracious deſires are and ſhould be moderate. I might give you many Reaſons for further confirmation of it; but time confines me to thoſe only which offer themſelves in the Text.
The firſt is this:
Reaſon 1 That our Content ſhould be ſuitable to our Condition. Wayfaring-men wee are by our Mortall Condition, and our Spirituall Content ſhould be the Cottage of a wayfaring-man, onelyonly that which may ſuffice us in our way.
The life of Man is not unfitly compared to a way wherein perſons of divers conditions travell,Matth. 5.22. Pſalm 49.13. Pſal. 24.6. and this is the brood of Travellers, we all meet in this one condition to be wayfaring-men. There are many conditions of the wayfaring-man which ſuit with ours, ſhould I travell them all, I ſhould ſcarce part with the wayfaring-man, before this travell were ended. I will onelyonly reſtrain my ſelfe unto two. 1. What we are in reſpect of our mortall Condition? Wayfaring-men. 2. What we ought to be in reſpect of our ſpirituall deſires. Content with our cottage in this wilderneſſe of ſin.
This World is a through-fare either to Heaven or to Hell, and whether Judas goeth to his place, or Peter to his, we all are as a ſhip under ſaile, paſſing ſwiftly to our haven, and every moment of time doth haſten us to our laſt home.
The travailes of men indeed are to divers ends: Some to be great, others to be rich; ſome for knowledge, others for wealth, [few for grace.] And whileſt for the increaſe of theſe, wee deſire encreaſe of yeares, what doe wee deſire, but that [which unto the carnall man is ſo undeſired] our haſtning to our journeys end: the way in which wee all meet, the way of all fleſh.
It is not without a myſtery, and this of our condition, that the worlds firſt entertainment of our Saviour was in an Inne, Luke 2.7.and his Mother fell in travell with him, whileſt ſhee was in travell. How much doe they miſtake their condition, that take their Inne for their home, and make their way their reſt.
I cannot blame worldlings to build … tabernacles here, and to wiſh they might ever dwell in them, being with Pharaohs Baker loath to go out of their earthly priſons, becauſe they feare a worſe condition out of them. But you my Beloved, that have good hopes of Heaven, account your ſelves ſtrangers and pilgrimes here, and let your affections, your converſations be in Heaven, whileſt yet your commoration is in your removing tabernacles.
Should a wayfaring man be ſo taken up with the delights and profits of a forreigne Countrey, as to diſlike the Lawes and Government of his own, and ſo to diſlike it, as to take up armes againſt it: What doth he but make his travaile his exile, & may perhaps come ſhort of a pardon, when he deſires to returne home againe. Heaven is the Countrey, from whence our immortall ſoules did all ſet forth. Every ſinne is a warre againſt it, which if in diſdaine of our home wee doe maintaine, wee are not travailers, but traytors and fugitives, and may be to ſeek of mercy, when our travaile is ended.
My Brethren, minde your Condition, that's the firſt.
Secondly, Let your content be ſuitable to your condition.
When the Iſraelites travailed through the Moabites Countrey,Deut. 2.6. they would meddle with nothing, but neceſſaries in their way; and when they were journeying into the Land of Promiſe,Exod. 11.2. they left their brick and clay to the Aegyptians, and borrowed of them onelyonly Jewels of gold and Jewels of ſilver; ſuch things as were portable in their way to the holy Land.
You that have a birth above the world, yee ſonnes and daughters of the Higheſt, fowle not your fingers with this world. Let the Aegyptians take their brick and clay unto themſelves, and borrow you onelyonly of this earthly Mammon ſo much as may be portable in your way to Heaven; or, by an holy exchange into heavenly treaſures, Matth. 6.20. Luk. 16.9.may be tranſported thither before you.
Our forefathers that lived ſix and eight hundred yeares, were content with removing tents, and wee whoſe lives are but of three dayes to theirs, muſt provide houſes ſo great, and inheritances ſo large, as if wee did forget that our condition is mortall, or that it is our duty, to ſuite our content unto our condition. Let worldlings beare with a chiding from the Poet; O curvae in terras animae & coeleſtium inanes: O yee crooked ſoules, bowed down unto the earth, and empty of all that is heavenly: why are yee ſo ſerious in trifles, and do ſo trifle in that which is moſt ſerious.
Fond Earthworme, give me leave to reaſon with thee a little; thou haſt provided for thy ſelfe a great and ſtately manſion, with ponds, and orchards, and vineyards, and all things that may delight and content thy fleſh, but what haſt thou laid up for thy precious ſoule, in thoſe foreign,2 Cor. 5.1. buildings made without hands, eternall in the heavens. It will not be long, ere thy ſtately manſion will diſdaine to lodge thee. Thy delicate wife, thy tender children, and thy deareſt friends refuſe to keepe thee, yea be glad to bury thee out of their ſight: as Abram his beloved Sarah; and then think what will become of thy poore and naked ſoule. Are thy comforts no ſurer then his which ſaid, Quò iturus ſum neſcio? Whether I am going I know not. Haſt thou taken ſo much care for a life ſo tranſitory, for which a cottage might have ſufficed, and left an eternall felicity upon a peradvanture? I tell thee, and be not angry with me, if I tell thee the truth; the baſeſt vermin that crawleth upon the earth, is in a far better condition then thou art.
O that men heaping up earthly riches, according to the utmoſt meaſure of their will and power, would yet learne to meaſure their will and power, according to the frailty of their mortall condition; and whileſt thy gaze ſo much on the golden head of their Babylonian Idoll, in which they glory, they could yet looke down upon the ſeet of clay wherewith they travell.
When I heare my fellow-travailer tell me of the danger of theeves and plunderers in my way; I begin to thinke of ſecuring the money I have about me, and if I were to ſet forth, I would carry no more with mee then is needfull in my way. I need not Interpret, Breve iter magno viatico non inſtruitur ſed oneratur; Large proviſions for a ſhort journey are not an help but a burthen unto it, and if wee cannot unloade our ſelves, it is not from the impoſſibility of the duty, but from the perverſneſſe of our affections, and wretched creatures that wee are, who for a temporary ſecurity, can doe that which for an eternall felicitie wee reject as impoſſible to be don.
I have now don with the firſt reaſon, why gracious deſires in theſe earthly things ſhould be moderate; Becauſe our ſpirituall content ſhould be ſuted to our mortall condition.
Reaſon 2 The ſecond now that offers it ſelfe in the Text is this; Becauſe the peaceable retiredneſſe of a mean and low eſtate is much more deſireable, then the trouble and danger of an high and great; and for this I conceive, was Jeremies deſire to retire into a cottage in the wilderneſſe, that his ſoule might be free from the ſtrifes and vexations that were in Jeruſalem. Luk. 3.7. to the 18.And for this probably John Baptiſt might retire to exerciſe his Miniſtry in the Wilderneſſe rather then in the Citie, becauſe he ſaw ſo much diſquiet and ungodlineſſe in it, as appeares by the ſharp reproofes of his Sermon to thoſe that came out of it. And Moſes doubtleſſe ſaw ſome rich content in a peaceable retiredneſſe, that he was ſo unwilling to leave his private enjoyment for a publick imployment, his following his father in lawes ſheep in Midian, to be the Leader of the people of Iſrael, although the Lord anſwered all his foure doubts, and took off all his excuſes in the third of Exodus.
David likewiſe ſaw very much in this, who was ſo willing to have changed his Throne in Iſrael, for a porters office in the Lords houſe; Pſal. 84.10.and reckoned one day there ſpent, to be better unto him, then a thouſand in the tents of ungodlineſſe. For his experience had taught him, that the tempter never gat ſo much advantage againſt him at his fathers ſheepfold, as in his pallace at Jeruſalem. Great eſtates and high Imployments,2 Sam. 11.2. are but the bellows of pride and paſſion; if there be not a great meaſure of wiſdome and grace to keep the heart down.
Solomon likewiſe was not unacquainted with the comfort and content of a peaceable retiredneſſe,Eccleſ. 2.8.11. who had tyred himſelfe in ſearching out the vanity and vexation of high eſtates: Better (ſaith he) is a ſaellat of green hearbs where peace is, then a ſtalled oxe and contention therewith.Prov. 15.17.
Surely, great eſtates carry with them great diſquiets, and not leſſe in mannaging, then in getting. How much better might a man enjoy himſelfe in a mean and low eſtate? And how much better is it for a man to enjoy himſelfe, then to enjoy an eſtate?
He diſcovered a rich content in himſelfe, that boare for his diviſe a Torteis in his ſhell, with this Motto: Mecum habito, I dwell with my ſelfe: and he alſo, that gave auother word to it; Ʋbicun que ſum, meus ſum, Whereſoever I am, I am my ſelfe.
Seneca that divine Philoſopher, that was very ſtudious in ſearching out beatitudes, diſcovered this amongſt others: Beatus est, qui id ſe eſſe putat: he is happie that can finde his happineſſe within himſelfe, and Bias-like doth carry his treaſure and felicity with him. It is a poore and contemptible felicity, which one fit of an ague, ſtone, or gout, can deprive us of: and this is the top-excellency of all earthly comforts.
It was an enigma no leſſe elegant then acute of Heraelytus, who compared earthly-minded-men (coveting ſo much to be rich and great) unto thoſe that digged in ſilver-mines, who by all their hard toyle and care, got Parvum in magno, a little ſilver-oare in a great deale of dirty droſſe: how much better is it to enjoy Magnum in parvo, a great and rich content in a mean and low eſtate. And as Coſmographers, who contract the whole world into a little Mappe, to enjoy all in a little; which he enjoyes, who in a little enjoyes God and himſelfe, whoſe eſtate doth not poſſeſſe him, but he his eſtate: and whileſt he is in the world, lives in Chriſt above it.
The wiſe and holy God doth not unequally diſpence his providences; Some have high places, and little comfort, great eſtates, and ſmall content in them: others enjoy a rich and great content in a meane eſtate. Some with thoſe Iſraelites fare daintily, and whileſt the fleſh is in their teeth, there is leanneſſe in their ſoules: Others with Daniel, doe eat their pulſe with quiet conſciences, and doe enjoy a richer content in God, and his Chriſt, then the whole creature can afford the worldling without them.
It was an hot diſpute amongſt ancient Philoſophers, whether a private enjoyment, or publique imployment were more deſireable? Howſoever Seneca's writings approved the publique, yet his deſires lead him unto the private: when being tyred with the temptations of Nero's Court, endeavoured if he might to have enjoyed himſelfe in a ſolitary retiredneſſe; And though he placed not happineſſe in Contemplation, as other Philoſophers did, yet in Tranquillity: which he rarely enjoys who aſpires greatneſs, as he well ſhewed that laid down a Crown for the burthen of it.
Our Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory reports of Albertus Magnus, that he was ſo affected with a peaceable retiredneſſe, as that he left his Biſhoprick of Ratisbone, to give himſelfe to his private ſtudies.
I doe not undertake to determine the queſtion, becauſe to a wiſe man, ſaith the Philoſopher both eſtates may be comfortable, much more comfortable to him that is gracious, without all diſpute, good the more publique it is, the more good it is: and virtus in nobili plus placet, quia plus claret, Vertue and grace the more eminent it is, the more beautifull it is, and beneficiall not onelyonly in its imployment, but by its example: But, where grace and wiſdome is wanting to keep down luſt and pride, which are the uſuall pediſſequas of high imployments and great eſtates, there that lazie and unthrifty adage is made good: Bene vixit qui bene latuit: It had been ſome kinde of good to ſuch a man, that he had enjoyed leſſe opportunities of doing good, wherein he did evill. I preſume that many in theſe times doe wiſh with Jeremy, or the time may ſhortly come, (how ſoone they know not) that they might wiſh, they had lived in ſome obſcure cottage in the Wilderneſſe, rather then to have been acquainted with thoſe great temptations, in which their high places and imployments have enſnared them.
It is reported of the Hedge-hogge, which in our vulgar reproach is the character of a covetous man, that he goes to a pile of apples and gathers up as many as he can upon his prickles, and when he comes to his hole, he goes in with his prickles, but leaves his apples behinde him. How many are there that have wallowed themſelves in the apples of their ſweet contentments, which they have purſued with many pricks and gripes of conſcience, who when they ſhall deſcend, as ſhortly they muſt, to their holes of darkneſſe, they muſt then leave all the ſweet apples of their falſe delights behinde them, and can carry nothing with them, but the ſtings and ſtripes of a wounded conſcience. Will you heare what they ſay that have gon before them, what hath pride profited us? or what hath the pomp of riches brought us? All thoſe things are paſſed away like a ſhadow, and as a poſte that paſſeth by—but wee are conſumed in our wickedneſſe.
Is there now, that ſayes if I were not Alexander, I could wiſh my ſelfe Diogenes, if I were not called to a publique place, I could deſire a private retiredneſſe; ſurely, I could deſire it likewiſe in thy behalfe, if the Lord hath not given thee grace, to make thy place ſerviceable to him and to his Saints.
I have now done with the Doctrinall part of this portion of the Text, to wit, Jeremies Content, and I ſhall give you a very ſhort application of it.
Ʋſe 1 And firſt, whither ſhall I look? Shall I look off from my ſelfe, or from any of you to carry home the reproof of this doctrine? Surely my brethren, there is ſcarce a mothers ſonne in this Congregation, that lies not under the juſt rebuke of this truth: I mean for our immoderate deſires of theſe earthly things.
Eſaus hands we ſee every where hunting after the prey, & quoquomodo rem, all is good fiſh with the moſt, that comes to the net: but where doe we heare Jacobs voyce? Gen. 33.11. Phil. 4.11.The Lord hath had mercy on me, and I have enough. Or that of Paul, a Chriſtian; I have learned in whatſoever eſtate I am, therewith to be content.
Paul a Phariſee had never learned this leſſon,Acts 9.4. compared with Gal. 1.6. before he came to Chriſt, whoſe ambition hurried him to ſerve the luſts of the Councell at Jeruſalem, in making havock of the Saints at Damaſcus. But when the heavenly viſion had once ſtruck downe his high thoughts, which lay with his body on the ground before the Lord Jeſus; then, and not till then,Phil. 3.8. had he learned all to be loſſe unto him, and Chriſt onelyonly his gain.
Chriſtians, we ſpeak much of contentment, and it is uſuall to ſay, I thank God I am content with what I have; but certainly, if thou art not brought over from the world unto Chriſt, and doeſt not enjoy thy ſelfe in him, thou didſt never yet know what contentment meaneth.
The Prophet Habakkuk ſeeth the worldling loading himſelfe with thick clay, Habak. 2.9.and calls unto him, Woe to him that coveteth an evill covetouſneſſe. There is a covetouſneſſe which is good, to covet (as the Spirit directs us) the beſt gifts, 1 Cor. 12.31.and be you herein as covetous as your hearts can hold, and ſpare not. But there are other gifts which the Heathens call gifts of Fortune, becauſe of their inconſtancy: and of theſe is the evill covetouſneſſe, to covet to make the Houſe great, and not the heart good. Habak. 2.10.The ſame Prophet calls to ſuch and tells them in plain language, that they conſult ſhame to their own houſe. But how is that, you will ſay? Without all queſtion, the covetous man takes counſell within himſelfe, with Edom, to build his Neſt on high: hee conſults nothing but glory to his Houſe; but conſulting not with God and his Word in his wayes, the wiſe and holy Providence turns his counſels into fooliſhneſſe, and the glory of his Houſe into ſhame.
Little do many think how ſoon and how ſad the Accounts may be to them and to their families, who have raiſed their houſes by the undoing of their brethren. Some that have willingly emptied themſelves to make them full, and others that have been drained by them to make their morſels fat, and their cups to over-flow. He hath ſwallowed down riches, Job. 20.15.(ſaith Z…phar in Job) and he ſhall vomit them up again; but when Judas would have vomited up his prize of blood, it choaked him with an halter.
This is all I ſhall ſay more to this point, He onelyonly is a poore man that is ever in wa…s, and he is ever in wants that covets to be rich: and, which is farre worſe, a worſe tyrant there cannot bee then a mans own luſts, nor a worſe flave then he that ſerves it. And what doth he that covets to be rich having a ſufficiency, but covet to ſerve his unſatisfied luſt; at leaſt as he that weares a thin ſilk cloake upon a thick fur'd gown, doth ſhew the wantonneſſe of his ſpirit, not any uſefull imployment he makes of it: even ſo when ſuperfluity and not neceſſity doth excrutiate the ſoule with worldly cares, it argues the mind full of vanity, and the heart full of pride.
Ʋſe 2 But ſecondly, I would rather exhort you, and O that I had argument ſtrong enough to perſwade the worldlings reaſon, that there is reaſon enough, hee ſhould be perſwaded to moderation: If from nothing elſe, yet from the things themſelves which he ſo much covets.
For firſt, Riches and great eſtates, at their beſt cannot make the poſſeſſors thereof better: nay, he muſt be exceeding good, that is not made much the worſe by them; for hee that travelleth in his abundance, walketh upon ſnares, 2 Tim. 6.9.and had need of much grace to keep his ſoule, that he be not entangled and undone by them.
Secondly, look upon thy proſperity and glory at the higheſt, it is but as thy ſhadow in the Sunne, the leaſt cloud over-caſts it at high noon; and that which in the morning is before thee, in the evening is behind thee: and all is but mane & veſper, of adayes continuance, ſo ſoon paſſeth it away, and we are gon.
O that theſe reaſons now, would make your reaſon to yeeld to Jeremies Content: a Content ſuitable to your mortall Condition. O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderneſſe.
That was the firſt Generall of our Text, which I have now compaſſed, Jeremies Content: I had a deſire to have given you his Account why he deſired his Cottage in the wilderneſſe, That I might leave my people, and go from them. But I know the limits of your time in theſe morning Exerciſes, and I ſhall not exceed.
Reader, here were ſome counſels added upon the ſecond point which follow in the end of the ſecond Sermon.
The ſecond Sermon.
THE ACCOMPT OF A MINISTERS REMOVE: OR JEREMY DEPARTING FROM HIERUSALEM.
Caveat magiſtratus né ſtipendia a piis majoribus inſtituta diminuat, vel diminui & interverti patiatur, Deus enim vindex horum omnium, & famem miniſtrorum ſequi ſolet fames verbi in ingrata illa regione.
Joh: Gerhard loc. com. de Magiſtrat. polit. ſect. 185.
Hebr. 13.17.
Obey them that have the over-ſight over you, and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your ſoules, as they that muſt give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with griefe, for that is unprofitable for you.
LONDON; Printed by Matthew Simmons. 1648.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL, FRANCIS BƲLLER, ESQUIRE, Member of the Houſe of COMMONS; Abundance of Grace, and aſſurance of Glory.
Noble Sir,
THIS Account of a Miniſters Removall, being preſſed into publicke, doth hand unto me this publick acknowledgement of what I owe unto your Family, for my firſt induction unto a Paſtoral charge; wherein, although it pleaſed God to make my Cup exceeding bitter by two that bore the marks of Gods manifeſt diſpleaſure, the one killed by the Sword of his Comrade in an Alehouſe; the other ſtigmatized as Cain, a fugitive from Gods Houſe, and from all Civill Societies, for eight or nine yeares together: yet it pleaſed God to make my comforts ſuperabundantly ſweet in ſome ſpirituall ſeed there, the growth whereof I ſaw, eſpecially in that Ordinance of Catechiſing, wherein your Family bleſſed the Congregation with a fruitfull example.
It is our happineſſe if we may be ſerviceable to God, and to his Church in our generations, and then is greatneſſe both honourable and comfortable, when it is acted by grace.
The good God of heaven encourage your power and parts to ſhine as a light upon an Hill, to all that are in the valley beneath you, and make you happy in the ſaving comforts of your Family. Which is the earneſt prayer of
Your Worſhips and your Families moſt humbly devoted, JOHN FATHERS.