The Right Separation Encouraged, Title page – Dedication
THE RIGHT SEPARATION INCOVRAGED; IN A SERMON PREACHED To the Right Honorable the Houſe of LORDS, in the Abbey-Church at Weſtminſter, on Wedneſday, Novem. 27. 1644. being the day of the Monethly publick Faſt.
By THOMAS HILL, B. D. Paſtor of Tychmerſh in Northamptonſhire, and one of the Members of the Aſſembly of DIVINES.
Hebr. 7. 26.
Such an high Prieſt became us, who is holy, harmleſſe, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners.
Luk. 3. 17.
Whoſe fan is in his hand, and hee will throughly purge his floore, and will gather the Wheat into his Garner, but the chaffe will hee burn with fire unquenchable.
Jude ver. 22, 23.
And of ſome have compaſſion, making a difference. And others ſave with feare, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment ſpotted by the fleſh.
LONDON, Printed by R. Cotes, for John Bellamy, and Philemon Stephens, 1645.
Die Veneris 29 Novemb. 1644.
IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, That this Houſe doth hereby return thanks to Mr. Thomas Hill, for his great paines taken in his Sermon Preached by him on Wedneſday laſt before their Lordſhips in the Abbey Church Weſtminſter, it being the day of the Monethly Faſt: And this Houſe doth hereby deſire him to Print and Publiſh the ſame. And laſtly, it is Ordered that none ſhall Print or re-print his ſaid Sermon without being authorized ſo to doe under the hand of the ſaid Mr. Hill.
Joh. Brown, Cler. Parl.
I doe hereby appoint John Bellamy and Philemon Stephens to Print my Sermon.
THOMAS HILL.
TO THE Right Honorable the Houſe of PEERES Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT; Sitting at Weſtminſter.
My Lords,
GODS Providence hath caſt you into theſe times wherein there are very many of Solomons Puritans, Prov. 30. 12. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not waſhed from their filthineſſe. Wherin Iudes Separatiſts ſwarm, ſuch mockers who walk after their owne ungodly luſts, who ſeparate themſelves, ſenſuall, having not the Spirit, Iude ver. 19, 20. But I hope his Spirit is teaching you to bee Pauls Separatiſts, acquainting you with ſuch a pure Separation from unclean perſons and things, as may well bee the object of your thoughts, the matter of your Counſels, the ſumme of your Prayers, and ſcope of your Indevours. It will bee a very great addition to your greatneſſe, to ingage your ſelves fully herein. There are no men more miſerable then thoſe who are Gratius eſt no men pietatis quam poteſtatis.great and evill, none more happy then they who are great and good. It is nobleneſſe indeed to have an heroicall ſpirit for God: It is true high-mindedneſſe to bee heavenly minded, to have pure mindes.
This poore Church hath had her Autumn, her declining under many pollutions, and her Winter of Humiliation; Bleſſed bee the good hand of God, wee ſee ſome hopes of a Spring, of pure Reformation, which will uſher in a Summer of deliverance.
It is true, wee are ſtill in the Wilderneſſe, where wee meet with many Amalekites, who do oppoſe us, and with divers falſe ſpies, who raiſe an evill report of the promiſed Land, diſparaging by their tongues and pens our hop't for Reformation. The Lord keep us all from Wilderneſſe ſins, from repining and quarrelling at his diſpenſations: farre bee it from any to deſire ſuch Captaines as would bring us back againe to Aegypt. Your Lordſhips have had the honour to bee our Ioſhuahs, to bee our Leaders in ſeveral ſteps of the Reformation: (which will ſtand upon Record to the everlaſting renowne of the Houſe of Peers) and I hope you have taſted ſome ſuch bunches of Grapes from the Holy Land, as will quicken your deſires after a more full ſeparation from all impurity.
There are two taking words abroad, grown very familiar in our diſcourſes, Purity and Liberty. Let Purity and Liberry goe hand in hand.Sweet words, precious things, it is pity they ſhould ever bee ſevered. It is well worthy of your care to incourage ſuch a purity as will adorn and ſweeten Liberty, and withall to countenance ſuch a Liberty as will maintain and cheriſh purity. God forbid, that any ſhould expect countenance from you, for any thing like licentiouſnes, whereby purity ſhould bee in the leaſt meaſure blemiſhed and betrayed.
Sometimes amongſt Phyſicians there is as much in the Method, as in the Medicine; I beleeve Politicians may finde the ſame. I doubt not but in your Treaty for Peace you will begin with Purity; the wiſedome which is from above, is first pure, and then peaceable; and rather abate in any thing which James 3. 17.concernes your ſelves, then in purity, wherein the honour of God is ſo much intereſſed.
Ride on proſperouſly in all your Marches after Scripture purity; If you meet with Mountaines of difficulty in the way, bee not diſmayed. Remember Lots Wife, what it coſt her who looked back only, though ſhe went not back. You wel know, that Faith and Friendſhip are beſt tryed in extremities, and in the heat of oppoſition.
If the diſtractions ſtill continue without, labour to get and keep a calm within, no feaſt like that of a good Conſcience, which is Meat, Mufick, Welcome; No ſuch Friend, who will bee a cheerefull Companion though alone, even in the worſt ſeaſons: Bee yee therefore doing much for your God in the cauſe of purity, alwayes abouding in his work, foraſmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Bee pleaſed to accept 1 Cor. 15. 58.this from a Remembrancer to
Your Honours in the behalf of purity, and for your own Salvation, THOMAS HILL