Jerusalems Glory, Text

Jerusalems Glory · Text

p. 1JERUSALEMS Glory: OR, The SAINTS Safety in Eying the Churches Security.

PSALM 137.3, 4, 5, 6.

For there they that carried us away Captive, required of us a Song, and they that waſted us, required of us mirth, ſaying. Sing us one of the Songs of Sion. How ſhall we ſing the Lords Song in a ſtrange Land? If I forget thee, O Jeruſalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jeruſalem above my chief joy.

THis Pſalm in general, was a repeatal of the Children of Iſrael in remembrance of their Captivity, as you my read in the firſt and ſecond Verſes, and hath relation to their weeping and being oppreſſed for the decays and waſtings of Sion, and alſo their ſenſibleneſſe of their enemys p. 2Deriſion, both in deriding them for their preſent ſufferings, and for their former mentioning of Zion, and that their deliverance ſhould be by the hand of him, who had been manifeſtly known to them in times paſt, by the name of the God of Zion. This text was Iſraels repeatal, and it is, or may be any one mans or any peoples, that can by experience condole theſe ſad eſſects. I ſhall not ſtand to repeat a further rehearſal or Catalogue of the general diſcourſe of the Repeaters of this Pſalm: but I ſhall in perticular inſiſt upon the words before mentioned in my Text, in which I ſhall only obſerve theſe Five perticular heads.

1. The People demanding.

2. The People demanded of.

3. The thing demanded.

4. Their anſwer to the thing demanded.

5. And I aſtly, the anſwer of God to them in the thing Anſwered.

1. The People demanding were the Babilonians, or men of Babel; for ſo it is plainly underſtood in the firſt clauſe of my text, for there they that carried us away captive, If any one be ſo ſcrupulous as to know where it is detracted from, let him but caſt his eye to the firſt words of this Pſalm, and he may anſwer himſelf, it was by the rivers of Babylon, or the rivers in Babylon, for there was it that theſe priſoners of hope were carried.

p. 32. The people demanded of was the Jewes, as is inſtanced in the 5 verſe, If I forget thee O Jeruſalem.

3. The thing demanded is mirth, or one of the Songs of Zion, as is plainly inſtanced in the laſt clauſe of the 3 ver. ſaying ſing us one of the Songs of Zion.

4. The peoples anſwer to the thing demanded, that is plainly underſtood by theſe words, How ſhall we ſing the Lords ſong in a ſtrange Land? or rather as ſome do read it, How can we ſing the Lords ſong in a ſtrange Land? judging it an impoſſibility ſo to do.

5. The anſwer of God to the Jewes in the thing anſwered; the thing anſwered you have plainly in the 4 verſe, How ſhall we ſing the Lords ſong in a ſtrange Land? but do but mark the anſwer of God to theſe caſt down and dejected Jewes, in the 5 and 6 verſes, If I forget thee, O Jeruſalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jeruſalem above my chief joy.

The Doctrine in general will be this, That Gods deareſt and choiſeſt people may be left in ſuch a ſtreight, that they may not know how to ſing the Lords Song. I ſay, that thoſe people whom God intends chiefly to make uſe of to manifeſt himſelf to in love and kindneſs, and to ſet his p. 4name as a pillar in the midſt of, may be driven to ſuch a ſtreight, that it may ſeem impoſſible in their apprehenſion to ſing the Lords Song.

But before I proceed any further, let us conſider theſe 4 particulars.

1. What this Song of Zion ſignifies, or rather what is here meant by the Lords Song?

2. What it is that diſinables or captivates a People from ſinging this ſong of Zion?

3. In what Land or ſtate this ſong of Zion may be ſaid to be really experimentally and truly ſung in.

4. By what means a people may be ſaid to be made capable, or learned in this School to ſing the Lords ſong?

1. What this ſong of Zion is, or what the Jewes enemies might here mean by the demands of Iſrael? Zion is the City that God doth accept of for the improvement of all thoſe that are of the ſtock of Ahraham, and the Linage of David, in that ſtate wherein it is witneſſed that Abraham was Gods friend, and David a man after Cods own heart, and therefore God giveth this reſtimony of it, as he witneſſeth, that he would and did delight himſelf in them, to wit, Abraham and David, even ſo he witneſſeth that his dwelling is in Zion, & that He hath deſired it for his habitation, Pſalm 132.13. and as he hath it Pſalm 76.2. Zion is the City of the living God, p. 5and Pſalm 84. and 7. They go from ſtrength to ſtrength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. And ſo the ſong of Zion ariſeth from the occaſion of Gods dealing with his people in that diſpenſation, that he ſhewes and manifeſts himſelf to his people in.

But it is generally obſerved, that whereſoever there is any mention made of Iſrael ſinging of Zions ſongs, there is mention made that the occaſion of their ſong hath relation to ſome conqueſt or other that they had gained, either over moral enemies as men, or ſpiritual luſtful wickedneſs in their hearts, wherein they had experienced Gods love in ſome way or other more then uſual, but I ſuppoſe the ſong that theſe Baby lonians did require of them, was only that ſong ſung unto God at the time of their deliverance from the Egyptians, and other ſuch like enemies: therefore I ſhall not ſpeak of the former in this place, but ſhall refer it till I come to open my text further, and ſhall chiefly inſiſt upon this part, becauſe it is moſt ſuitable to this our purpoſe in this particular; for that ſong that was demanded of Iſrael, was ſuch a Hymne wherein was mirth to be uſed, as their enemys did underſtand mirth, not that they thought that the Iſraelites ſhould ever again be delivered forth of that ſervitude that they by conqueſt had ſubjected them under, as is plainly inſtanced in Nehemiah 4. and the beginning of the Chapter, by p. 6Sanbalat and Tobiah the Amonite, who ſtood and mocked them, ſaying, What will theſe feeble Jewes do? will they fortifie themſelves? will they ſacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the ſtones out of the heaps of rubbiſh, that were burnt? Even that which they build, if a Fox go up, he ſhall break down their ſtone wall; which words was ſpoken by the ſame enemies that Iſrael is here in this Pſalm making mention of, as you may read in the 2d Book of Chronicles the 36 chapter the 5, 6, and 7, verſes, and that theſe were the people that were carried away captive in the time of Jeremiah, and is made mention of in the 1. of Ezra, and the 1. that the word of the Lord by the Prophet Jeremiah might be fulfilled. I ſay, theſe are the People of whom is required a ſong.

Now let us ſearch what ſong it is that Iſrael had uſed to ſing to the God of Zion, if we do but turn to the 15 of Exodus, we ſhall find what it is that Iſrael makes their mirth, and what is the occaſion of their mirth or ſinging. The cauſe of their ſong was chieſly occaſioned, by their being delivered from the hand of Pharaoh, and the fury of the Egyptians, the ſong chiefly conſiſts of prayſes to their God, whom they owned to be their ſtrength and their ſalvation, and their deliverer, as is manifeſted quite through the whole ſong: therefore I ſay the ſong of Zion that is p. 7here made mention of, is praiſes to their God, for their deliverance from their open and manifeſt enemies, and in Deuteronomy the 32. there we have Moſes ſinging another ſong, of the ſame nature as this, praiſing God for all his mercies in keeping and delivering his people, ſaying, it was the Lord alone that had delivered them, and that they had not in the leaſt deſerved it at his hands. Again we have Debora and Barak ſinging a ſong of the ſame, in Judges the 5. in remembrance of what the Lord had done for Iſrael, in making uſe of ſo mean an inſtrument as a woman to take a King priſoner, It was God (ſay they) that went forth to fight the battel, yea, the Stars fought in courſe againſt Siſera, yea they fought from Heaven. Thus I ſay, the ſong of Iſrael, or the Hebrew ſong as ſome tranſlate it, or the ſong of Zion, as is here ſpoken of, and demanded of theſe Jewes, is praiſes to our God for their deliverance, and aſcribing of him the honour; and now they being taken & carried captive by their enemies, was deprived of ſinging this ſong, by being deprived of the victory: and ſo the Egyptianiſh or Babylonian deriders might juſtly laugh at them, and deride them by reaſon of their reſtraint, ſaying, Sing us one of the ſongs of Zion or praiſes to your God, for your deliverance from us, when God had given them into their hands as priſoners. I will not ſay but there p. 8may be more gathered forth of theſe words in a higher nature, but I ſuppoſe, I may ſafely avouch this to be the ſong that was demanded, and ſo I ſhall paſſe it over at this time, I having not time to enlarge my ſelf ſo far as I could wiſh I had; or then I ſhould open every particular clauſe, ſo plainly as God hath given me ability, but I ſhall ſcarcely give a touch to each thing that I have intended.

Secondly, or the ſecond things is this, What it is that diſinables or captivates a people ſo that they cannot ſing this ſong? I ſhall be very brief in this place, I ſhall only give you theſe 3 particulars, and ſo ſhall paſſe to the third particular of my text.

The firſt and greateſt debarment that a people can meet withal, that may hinder a people from ſinging this ſong, is chiefly their ſins; this I am ſure will hold with the opening the text, to the full ſcope of theſe words. I ſay that ſin is the firſt ſtumbling block that occaſioneth a peoples unſufficiency to ſing this ſong of being delivered from the hand of their enemies as you have it in the 1 of the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah, and the 8 verſe, Jeruſalem hath grieviouſly ſinned, therefore ſhe is removed, all that honored her deſpiſe her; yea this Prophet was the meſſenger ſent oftentimes, to bid and warne theſe people to teturn from their evil wayes, p. 9as you may read at large in his Propheſie, as in the 36 chapter and the 20 verſe, and ſo to the end of the chapter, is very plainly declared, that his love and zeal for Jeruſalem, is not a little manifeſted; for though the King did burn the Role that he had preſented, in defiance of his words, yet is he as willing to write another at the command of the Lord, as ever he was to write the firſt, that if it had been poſſible to have wrought any good upon them, he would not lack means to intreat them to repent, but all was in vain, the people were altogether bent after their own willfulneſſe, even from the King that ſat upon the Throne to the Prieſt that ſat in the Temple, as the Prophet lamenteth ſorely in the 2. of Lamentations 14. verſe, thy Prophets have ſeen vain and fooliſh things for thee, they have ſeen for thee falſe burdens, and cauſes of baniſhment. It ſeemed a pleaſing and melodious Viſion, that theſe Prophets did ſee for Iſrael, as indeed it is too to frequent with moſt, if not all people, if they once bend their minds to any one vanity, to hear ſuch Propheſies as will ſecure them, as they think, from being in any guilt if they ſhould practiſe and follow that vanity: therefore it was the opinion of an ancient. Heathen, that if any man did ſpeak well of any of his practiſes, that he would ask him what it was that he ask'd him for? for he ſuppoſed, that if any man did ſpeak highly p. 10of him, it was to deceive him, that he might gain honour or a reward by it: and therefore he had a fervent affection for thoſe that did moſt ſeem to envy him, ſaying, He had none that inſtructed him more then his enemies, for be ſure that if they knew that he did offend, they would not hide it, but would reproach him for it, whereby he came to know in part, how far he did offend in the thing, I wiſh many Chriſtians have not a worſe rule then this.

Secondly, Gods ſury is the ſecond cauſe by which a People are made deſtitute of ſinging this ſong; for as ſin is the firſt motive cauſe: ſo Gods fury is the effected cauſe of their unſufficiency, for when God is moved by ſin to afflict a people, and that he hath waited a long time, it may be day after day, and week after week, and year after year, and yet can ſee no hope of their return, then his fury is moved, and it may be he will ſlay ſome of them with the ſword, and give others to the famine, that ſo he may revenge himſelf of them for their high provocations, wherewith they have provoaked him to do it, ſo that they ſhall know if his ſword once be gone forth in fury, it will tot return void of effecting the cauſe of its being moved: ſo that whilſt God is a taking vengeance upon a people, they cannot in any wiſe be ſaid to be ſenſible of ſinging this ſong; for the ſong is praiſes to God for deliverance, p. 11and no people can ſing this ſong, unleſſe the Lord be reconciled to them as a friend in love and peace.

Thirdly, Or the third thing that hinders a people from ſinging this ſong, is the want of the Lords preſence in times of tryal; for though his love may be as great to them in the time of tryal as in peace, yet if it be not manifeſtly known to them to be ſo, they are very much diſinabled to ſing this ſong, as it is recorded of Job, in the 19 chapter of Job and the 6 verſe, and ſo along, the Lord hath overthrown me (ſays Job) and hath caught me in his net, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard, there is no judgement. He hath ſet darkneſs in my paths, I am deſtroyed on every ſide, I am gone and my hope hath he removed like a tree. And as Solomon inſtances elſewhere, Oppreſſion maketh a wiſe man mad: ſo that I ſay, whoſoever doth not ſee the Face of the Lord to ſhine victoriouſly in his ſight, cannot experimentally and knowingly ſing this ſong, but is (as it were) a ſtranger to the real and punctual harmony that the ſingers ſing in, by whom this ſong is and muſt be ſung by, but I ſhall ſpeak more fully to this in my following diſcourſe.

The third particular is, In what Land or State this ſong may be experimentally and really ſung in? for this, firſt we muſt underſtand, it is only to be ſung in the Land of deliverance; and herein p. 12doth it anſwer with a perfect coherence to the text, as it is opened, for it is not the place that hinders them from ſinging this ſong, but it is the want of Gods power to aſſiſt them in any place, that makes the Land ſeem ſtrange for a people to ſing this ſong. Iſrael could not account the wilderneſs a ſtrange Land, by reaſon they could ſing it there, & though it was as ſtrange a Land as Babylon, as in reſpect of their acquaintance with the place, but as in reſpect of their participating of the love & favour of God in the place, the Land of Babel was ſtranger to them then the Wilderneſs, for in the wilderneſſe they were delivered from their enemies, and in Babel they were reſtrained from their liberty by their enemies, ſo that they cannot ſay, but they were reſtrained from ſinging this ſong, ſo long as they were confind to be priſoners; and therefore did they complain of the decays of Zion, becauſe Zion was the City of their deliverance, and that being waſted, they were by that means made Heirs of a ſtrange Land, by being ſtrangers to the ſong of Zion, for this ſong cannot be ſung out of Zion, or the Lords fortified City: and therefore ſaith the Prophet Zachariah, in the 2 of his Propheſie and the 12 verſe, And the Lord ſholl inherit Judah his portion in the holy Land, and ſhall chuſe Jeruſalem again; the Lord is pleaſed to call Judah his portion, and he will inherit him in the holy Land. Now there is p. 13no place that can be ſaid to be unholy, as to what it was made at firſt, but by a peoples pollutions in the Land, as you have it in the 102. Pſalme, and the 19 verſe, The Lord hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary, to heare the groaning of the Priſoners, and to looſe them that are appointed to death, well, for what purpoſe did he looſe theſe Priſoners; it follows in the next words to declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praiſes in Jeruſalem, and as you have it in the 99 Pſalm, and the 2 verſe, the Lord is great in Zion, and he is Hie above all people, that is as much as if the Prophet ſhould have ſaid the Inhabitants of Zion have ſet the praiſe of the Lord High above all people, or the praiſe of all people, yea even the Lord to Reign in their hearts, and ſo you have it in the laſt verſe of that 2 of Zechariah, be ſtill or ſilent O all fleſh before the Lord, for he is raiſed forth of his holy Habitation; for when the Lord is raiſed forth of his holy Habitation, it is to Conquer and ſubdue, and ſilence all fleſh, that he himſelf may be lifted up in Zion, in Judah, or in Jeruſalem, or in the Inhabitants of thoſe places that are Jews indeed, and in action, and not by being Jews, or Sons of Zion by name, or profeſſion only, for thoſe are the true Jews, and Sons of Abraham, that build up the decayes of Judah, and do the works of Abraham, for as p. 14Paul ſaid we deſire to know no man after the fleſh, yea though we have known Chriſt after the fleſh, yet henceforth know we him ſo no more, and as you have it more plainly, Romans the third, the 28, & 29. verſes, he is not a Jew that is one outwardly, neither is that Circumciſion that is outward in the fleſh, but he is a Jew that is one inwardly, and Circumciſion is that of the heart in the ſpirit, not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men, but of God, ſo as I ſaid before, the people that willingly and joyfully do ſeek to repaire the breaches of Judah, are ſuch as muſt inherit the promiſes of God made to Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, and ſhall ſurely be Inhabitants in this Land, where this ſong of Zion may be really, and experimentally, and truly ſung in; but I ſhall leave this perticular at this time, and ſhall deſire every one that is deſirous to be an Inhabitant of this Land, to take notice of what his duty muſt be in Zion or in Judah, to which I ſhall ſpeak more fully when I come to ſhew you the Lawes and the Ordinances that are in this Land.

And ſo I ſhall proceed to the fourth perticular, by what meanes a people may be ſaid to be made capable or learned in this ſchool to ſing this ſong.

I ſhall endeavour through Gods aſſiſtance to make manifeſt unto your view theſe two following Obſervations.

p. 51Firſt, It chiefly concernes us to ſearch who is the Law-giver in Zion, or who it is that inſtructeth Jacob or Iſrael.

Secondly, What theſe Lawes or Statutes are, that are taught or ought to be taught in Iſrael, and how to be obſerved.

Firſt, Let us conſider, that God is made mention of in ſeveral places to be the Inſtucter of Iſrael, as Pſalm 78.5. He eſtabliſhed a teſtimony in Jacob and a Law in Iſrael, and in Iſaiah the 48. and 17. verſe, Thus ſaith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the holy One of Iſrael, I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth the by the way that thou ſhouldeſt go. And in the 51 of Iſaiah and the 4. verſe, Hearken unto me O my people, and give ear unto me O my Nation; for a Law ſhall proceed from me, and I will make judgement to reſt for a light to the people. If any one be not ſatisfied that it is ſpoken to Iſrael, the foregoing words will certifie him better, and as you have it in the 40 of Iſaiah and the 9 verſe, O Zion and Jeruſalem that bringeth good tydings, lift up thy voice and be not afraid, and ſay unto the Citys of Judah, behold your God. I might inſtance hundreds of places more to prove this truth to you, but I ſuppoſe it to be needleſs; for wherever there is any mention made of the Author of Iſraels Lawes, and Statutes, God is made mention of in ſome p. 16one degree or other to be the giver of them, if it be mentioned of Iſrael as Iſrael, or as I have defined Iſrael in my forementioning of them, which is not Iſrael in name or ſhew, but in truth & verity, it may be ſome one or other will be inquiſitive to demand of me What God is? as I have oftentimes had objected againſt me, but I ſhall ſpeak very little to that in this place; but in caſe any one be deſirous to know farther, if I find him willing and deſirous to be ſatisfied, in this or any other particular that I ſhall make mention of, I ſhall endeavour to ſatisfie him (if it be poſſible) at any time or in any place convenient. Firſt, God is ſaid to be the Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt. Secondly, God is ſaid to feed his flock and that he is their Shepheard; and in other places to be God of fury to the wicked, it is one thing to look upon him as he is in himſelf, and another to look upon him as he is in us, or in his manifeſtations; but I ſhall deferr this diſcourſe in this place, ſuppoſing the unfoldng of it would be rather a ſtumbling block then any thing of edification to many: therefore I ſhall adviſe every one whatever, to aſſure himſelf that there is no iniquity in him, and that he is a hater of lyes, and a deſtroyer of all the devices of the wicked. Thus I ſhall proceed to the ſecond particular, What theſe Lawes or Statutes are that are given to Iſrael in Zion, or the Holy p. 17Land, as ſome read it, or Judah, or in Jeruſalem, and how to be obſerved.

Firſt, let us conſider that as the Law-giver is holy, ſo are his Statutes and Lawes holy alſo, as you have it in the 119 Pſal. the 137 verſe, Righteous art thou O Lord, and upright are thy Judgments, thy teſtimonies that thou haſt Commanded are Righteous and very Faithfull, and as you have it in the 7 verſe of this Pſalme, I will prayſe thee with uprightneſs of heart, when I ſhall have learned thy Righteous Judgments, ſo that you ſee plainly that the Statutes, and Lawes, and Commandements of the Law-givers to theſe Inhabitants, is Righteouſneſs and Truth, and Equity, and Love, and Faithfulneſs; and as you have a Righteous Law-giver, and Righteous Lawes, ſo you muſt obſerve to ſerve him in Righteouſneſs, if you intend to be a Subject in this Land, as you have it in the 118 Pſalme, and the 19, & 20. verſes, Open to me the Gates of Righteouſneſs, & I will go into them & praiſe the Lord, this Gate of the Lord, into which the Righteous ſhall enter; Thou muſt not ſtand to frame a ſervice to ſeek the bounty and gifts of men in it, but the Commands of God; happy is that people that is brought to that uniformity, that it may be truly ſaid of them, that the Statutes of the Lord are duely obſerved in their land: But before I proceed any further, let us conſider what danger p. 18may enſue upon thoſe that are Inhabitants in this land, if in caſe they ſhould obey and keep the Statutes and Lawes in this land.

Firſt I ſay, That no man as man, but is very apt to deſerve the being caſt forth from inhabiting in this land, but the Law-giver is a God of Mercy as well as Juſtice; but in caſe thou art as ſtrict an Obſerver as may be, yet thou canſt aſſure thy ſelf of no conſtant content in all things; for whilſt thou art in this thy decayable and frail Building or Houſe of this world, there will be ſtrivings and turmoilings in the ſeveral revolutions and changes; and whilſt we are ſtriving to conquer them by our more high aſpiring, the World, the Fleſh and the Devil will be ſtriving to ſhew us their preſent ſeeming delights, thinking to intermingle out more ſerious and reaſonable undertakings with thoſe things that have nothing but a ſhew onelyonly of godlineſs in them, and nothing of the power: This is the great warfare in which you muſt engage as a Combitant, if you come into this land; for the fleſh will be ſtriving againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, and thoſe two are contrary: So that if you will ſeek after any dutable riches, any treaſure that the moth and ruſt will not deſtroy, but it will abide all trials that are of this life, and will be the purer each time that it is caſt into the fire; I ſay, if you ſeek to deal in p. 19ſuch commodities, you muſt expect the frowns of theſe your enemies, nay, your King will be trying you, how your Zeal is agreeable to your Profeſſion.

But leaſt you ſhould think to eſcape this ſcourge or correcting hand of God, I will endeavour to ſhew you that it is good to bear it, and continue ſtedfaſt to the end, though there be a twofold Affliction incident to the peculiar and chiefly beloved of God, yet they ſhall receive a Diadem at the laſt, that will cauſe them to acknowledge it was good for them they were Afflicted.

Firſt, There is an Affliction that God ſuffers his Children to be exerciſed withal, as in reſpect of their having to do or dealing with things of this life.

Secondly, There is an Affliction as in reſpect of our dejections in things appertaining to our chiefeſt content, as when we are hindred of our commerſe with our God, and ly ſighing & complaining as Job and ſeveral others of his Servants have done, Job ſayes, I look for him on the one ſide, but he is not there, and behind me, but I cannot find him, no he hideth himſelf. He would not appear to anſwer Job in what Job did deſire, neither would he plead with him till his time was come, Job cryed out of oppreſſion, as you have it Job 23.3. and 19.7. This is the burthenſomeſt p. 20Affliction that may befal the Children of God, yea, yea, it ſeemeth ſo burthenſome ſometimes, that they may be brought to queſtion, their condition to be worſe than meer worldlings, that have no joy in any thing elſe but what they grapple after in this life, as David plainly inſtances, I ſaid it fareth better with the wicked than with the Righteous, but when I went into thy Sanctuary, I found it was better to abide one day within thy Courts than in the preſence of wicked men for ever, Pſal. 7.73. How doth God ſee them, ſay the wicked, though we ſcourge them? Nay, David ſayes, therefore are his People brought thither, and water of a full Cup are wrung out to them.

But let not any man miſtake me herein, and think that I ſpeak of Gods withdrawing his affection from his People; but my meaning is only thus, that God withdraws himſelf in love to us, even as the Apoſtle hath it, Heb. 12.6. Every ſon whom I love, do I rebuke and chaſten; to keep our thoughts from vain conſtructions, that all men are very prone unto, to have high thoughts of their own ſtrength, and their own ability, and their own righteouſneſs, and peradventure never dive into our own hearts to acknowledge to whom we are obliged for it, but forget the fountain from whence it flowes and ſprings to us, as the Apoſtle Paul ſayes of the Romans, They had a zeal to God, but not according to knowledge, p. 21Rom. 10. and the beginning of the Chapter, They being ignoraut of Gods Righteouſneſs, went about to eſtabliſh a Righteouſneſs of their own, and did not ſubmit to that Righteouſneſs that was of God: Even ſo we are apt to conclude with our ſelves we have this good qualification, or this good bleſſing, or I am ſo Juſt or more Righteous in ſuch a degree than ſuch and ſuch are, when we do not conſider if we are ſo, that it is Gods mercy to us more than our deſerving, but rejoice in our ſelves far above our Sphere, and look not back to him that gave it us; for this take one Scripture more of the ſame Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 7. verſe, If ye have received it, why glory ye as though ye had not received it? Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord.

Be ſure of this, That whoſoever doth receive any gift of grace, or any benefit to his ſpiritual refreſhment, or any enjoyment to his Souls happineſs, or in general any bleſſing from the Lord, and doth not attribute all the praiſe, all the glory, all the preheminence and honour to God that gave it him, it had been better that that man or woman had never receiv'd it, for he doth nor here in forget God that gave it him, but robbeth him of that praiſe and honour that is due to him alſo, or employeth that to his own praiſe, or the praiſe of ſome other thing that is due to God alone; ſo that that which might through due p. 22obedience and thanks to God have been a bleſſing, nay, herein become a curſe to him that employes it thus, for to whom much is given, much will be required; and if that ſervant ſhall be accounted an evil ſervant, That laid up his talent in a Napkin, and reſtored it ſafe to the owner again, without any loſs, Mat. 25.24. What will he be accounted that robbeth his Maſter and devideth the talent, and takes part of it himſelf for his own uſe, and yet hath the face to ſay, I have improved my talent better than ſuch and ſuch men, and doth not account? But it is well enough with him, & that he hath not been behind with the Lord in giving him what is his due, and if any man make any thing fit for his uſe, hee will look to have the preheminence of it to himſelf, & yet he will not render the ſame to God.

O learn of the Beaſts of the Field, and do not envy their ſervice, unleſs ye will act above pretence, The Oxe knoweth his Owner, and the Aſs his Maſters Crib, but Iſrael hath not known me, my People have not known their God, Iſa. 1. And as you have it in the eighth of the Propheſie of the Prophet Jeremiah, and the 7. verſe, yea, The Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed time, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow obſerve the time of their coming, but my People know not the Judgments of the Lord: And I remember, the Prophet Ezekiel being p. 23ſhewed the tranſgreſſions of the People in his time, that the Lord ſhewed him ſome that did not let to work abominations in the Temple of the Lord, as you have it Ez. 8.16. And he brought me into the inner Court of the Lords Houſe, and behold, at the door of the Temple between the Portch and the Altar were about twenty men with their backs towards the Temple of the Lord, and their faces towards the Eaſt, and they worſhipped the Sun toward the Eaſt; By the Eaſt, as ſome Tranſlate it in this place, is meant theſe peoples looking for the chiefeſt light to conſiſt in the worſhipping of the Sun: This is a ſad Omen of the ſtirring or awaking of Gods fury, when a people ſhall bend their mindes to idolize any imaginary conceit of their own deviſing, and beſtow that honour to it that is due to God; he will have thy whole heart if he hath any thing of thee, and that in the right worſhip too, and not in any way that we think is moſt rare, becauſe it is moſt harmonious in our ſight; but in the exact way of the foregoing Admoniſhers, even Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and the Martyrs that were made to ſeal it with their blood, & not by praying to Saints and Martyrs, but to obſerve and do the things that they did; I mean the works that they did, and to praiſe God in the ſame way as they did, and in the ſame thing; and let us ſeek to preſs forward toward the price of the high Calling p. 24of God, and aſcribe honour to whom honour is due.

I deſire you my beloved Friends, yea, every one to whom this ſmal Treatiſe ſhall come to, ſeriouſly conſider with your own hearts, how far you are behind with the Lord in this Particular, by reaſon of our unthankfulneſs, that we have ſecured our ſelves with, under the banner of forms and cuſtomary ſervices, and have not looked into the inſide of things, to eat the kernel of the Nut as well as gather the Husk and the Shell; as the Nut can in no wiſe grow without the Shell and Husk, ſo no man can experience the taſte of the Kernel by eating and feeding of nothing but the Leaves and the Husk of the Nut; God looketh as well to thy heart as to thy tongue, therefore if thou prayeſt to God, look that thy heart be joined to thy tongue, and that thy tongue ſpeak no more but the real Symptomes of thy heart, and that thy heart be chiefly bent upon the doing of the Will of God, and not upon the beggerly rudiments of the world; for if thorow practice or cuſtom of others you frame any Prayer only, ſo learned as by Book and not by heart, you might juſtly think your ſelves far ſhort of the receiving any benefit by them from God; I do not ſay but learning is very good, take it in its place, for we can be no ſervants of God, but by utterance & manifeſtation: But this is my p. 25end, that no man ſet a higher price of words than they ſhould do, but conſider the word is chieſly to thy ſelf in thy heart, and therefore conſider that thy heart be joined with thy tongue, eſpecially in Prayer and Praiſes to God; for if thy Prayer or Praiſes to God be builded upon no more durable a Rock than formal or cuſtomary uſes, it will be in danger of being blown up by the incroaching guſts of covetouſneſs and hopes of worldly honour and preferments of mens applauſe, and theſe will get uppermoſt in thy agitations, and ſo thou wilt cauſe the more noble and excellent Wheat corn to be choaked by the Tares and Thiſtles in thy more worthy Land or Vineyard; for if thou haſt no deeper root in Religion than this, thou wilt ſoon be brought and eaſily be won to leave this upon any ſmall occaſion; for if one muſt be left, then farewell Proſeſſion, for I muſt leave thee to embrace honour, & riches, & pleaſures, I & the good words of men, thou ſhalt have the name ſo long as my better Friends can have their free entertainment; but if one muſt be left, then farewell Prayer, and farewell Praiſes, for I can Pray as well in another Diſpenſation, but I ſhall get nothing but the ill will of men, and the loſs of honour and eſtate if I continue in this way, it was good and honourable, but now it is baſe, I have have had the company of my Friends wealth, and honour, and applauſe, p. 26but I muſt now follow them further, or elſe they will leave me; O it is a ſad thing when Religion, ſayes God, is one thing to day, and a contrary the next day, onelyonly for money and ſelf-ends: This is one way of worſhipping God, ſo called; but I fear it is no better than a worſhiping of thy ſelf, and that in the worſt ſence too, for thou doſt but herein toyl to gather Coals & Faggots to conſume thy ſelf in the laſt day without the great mercy of God, for this manner of ſerving God or rather thy ſelf; it may be performed in any Diſpenſation, or any ſort of profeſſion; but if thou takeſt up thy reſt in any ſuch like abeſs or Centereſt thy ſelf in any fabrick of this nature, know aſſuredly, God will blaſt it in the end, if it be builded upon no ſurer a foundation than ſelfends and notional expreſſions; it may be God may let thee alone for the time that thou haſt to ſpend in this world, but the end will prove the bitterer; the wickedſt of men may ſeem to have a reſt, yea, a pleaſant one to their minds and deſires it may be, but it is not laſting, it is not abidable, as the Prophet hath it, Eſay 48. the laſt verſe, There is no peace to the wicked, ſayeth my God; That is, no abiding nor continuing peace; therefore value thy future peace beyond any preſent ſeeming content in this life, for thou muſt give an exact account of all thy actions in the end; do but mind what Solomon ſayes of it, p. 27Eccleſ. 11.9. Rejoice O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walk in the wayes of thine own heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes, but know thou that for all theſe things, God will bring thee into Judgement; therefore remove ſorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thee: Therefore I ſay, look well, yea narrowly to thy wayes, leſt whereas you think to build a Tabernacle fit to entertain the Holy Ghoſt in your Profeſſions, you deceive your ſelves, and build an Altar to ſacrifice to the Prince of datkneſs, in deceit to thy Souls ruine, and eternal torment: But toſhew you more plainly the deſcription of the Afflictions that Gods deareſt and choiſeſt Children are incident and lyable to in this life, I ſhall onelyonly give you as brief a definition as I can, onelyonly to give you an introduction into the reſt, it being my intention to ſpeak more fully to the duty of a Chriſtian in this life, as well as in other things, how to bear the afflicting & trying ſcourge of Gods lovely chaſtiſements; but before I proceed any further, give me leave to lay this down as a maxim undeniable, that God never tryeth a Nation or a People generally with ſuch tryals as to deliver them into the hands of their enemies, unleſs it be for their ſins; but theſe tryals that I intend to enter further into, are ſuch which the Children of God are lyable to in particular, p. 28when their Father doth withdraw his preſence from them, as in reſpect of ſhewing them what he hath done for them, although his love may be as great to them at that time as ever, & theſe are many times in many things not only ſtruke at, but overturned in their expectation; not that I ever read, that God did ever hide himſelf to any of them ſo far, but that ere long time was over, they found it was not in vain to ſerve him, but that he did appear one way or other to them, to manifeſt himſelf a loving and a tender God; as Solomon hath it in the Canticles 5. and the 6th verſe, ſpeaking of Gods withdrawing himſelf from the Church, for their high thoughts of their own Righteouſneſs, as you may read in the third verſe, I have put off my Coat, and how ſhall I put it on? I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them? She thought her ſelf ſecure enough, and clean enough, yea, too clean to entertain her Beloved, though he told her, That his Head was filled with dew, I but his Locks was filled with the drops of the night; So that his Calls was too dark for her to underſtand, although his voice ſeemed to be like the voice of her Beloved, yet ſhe could not think by the drops of the night that hung upon his Locks, but ſhe was too clean to entertain him then; but when Chriſt had put in his Hand by the hole of the door, then her Bowels were p. 29moved for him, and preſently her Hands drops with mirh; as ſoon as Chriſt put his Hands into the holes of the door, ſhe deſired to have more Society with him; but when ſhe opened that door, ſhe could not find him, for he had withdrawn himſelf, and was gone from her view, and would not appear to her in that dore or manifeſtation, although ſhe acknowledgeth that her Soul failed her when he ſpoke; which is as much as if ſhe ſhould think that that Diſpenſation was not ſo efficacious to her in which ſhe thought her ſelf ſo clean in, as that in which Chriſt did deſire admittance in, and therefore her Soul failed her, or her confidence, and ſhe ſought him but could not find him, ſhe called for him but he gave her no anſwer; So that ſhe ſeemed to be at a loſs now, whereas before ſhe thought her ſelf to be clean.

The Watchmen found her as they walked about the ſtreets, and they ſmore her and wounded her, and the Keepers of the Wall took away her vail from her: This is the greateſt tryal that can any wayes befal the Church of God, to want the preſence of God to anſwer them in their Afflictions; and indeed, it is no more but the abſence of God, or his not appearing to anſwer them in what they think to find him in, that cauſeth this Affliction to be ſo great; as this Church did not perceive, that ſhe had any p. 30need of ſuch gueſt as Chriſt, ſeeing he did not appear in that cleanneſs that ſhe thought her ſelf bleſſed in; but when ſhe had ſmelt of the pleaſant odour that proceeded from him, then ſhe falls to enquiry after him, and chargeth the Daughters of Jeruſalem to tell her Beloved if they found him, that ſhe was ſick of love; When ſhe had experienced the ſmell that he left behind him, then ſhe could not be ſatisfied without him, and ſhe doth not go to expect him in Babylon, or to bear tidings of him in Egypt or Edom, but of the Daughters of Jeruſalem, and there it was that ſhe found him examining her what her Beloved was more than another beloved, as you have her Demonſtrating or Anatomizing of him from the 10th verſe of that 5th Chapter of Solomons Song to the end; and when ſhe hath ſet him in as magnificent an Applauſe as ſhe could well manifeſt, then ſhe comes to ſum all up in one word, He is altogether lovely; But before Chriſt appeared to manifeſt himſelf to this Church to open their eyes, they were laid down to ſleep ſecurely, ſuppoſing themſelves Righteous enough, and clean enough, and pure enough in that which ſhe had received: Look well to your ſelves all you that profeſs your ſelves to be Actors upon the ſtage of Religion, that you do not entertain this gueſt of ſelf-conceitedneſs, and ſo ſhut Chriſt out of doors; for p. 31this Church had not long before as high a ſight, and as ſenſible an underſtanding as any that ever I read of in the Old Teſtament, as is inſtanced in the ſecond Chapter of Solomons Song, and the ſeventh verſe, I charge you O ye Daughters of Jeruſalem, by the Roes and Hinds of the Field, that ye ſtir not up nor awake my Love, till he pleaſe; And yet now he is awaked, ſhe will not open the door to him, nor give him any entertainment, and all is occaſioned by his Locks, being filled with the drops of the night; but when he had ſhaken them off, then ſhe comes to find the ſame truth again to feed of, as is inſtanced in the eighth Chapter of that Song of Solomon, and the fourth verſe, if you do but mark the third verſe, you ſhall plainly find how ſhe is enabled to let him take his repoſe, His left hand ſhould be under her head, and his right hand ſhall embrace her; Theſe words are myſteriouſly ſpoken, for the left hand of God is ſeldom made uſe of to adminiſter his embraces to the People or Church of God, unleſs it be ſuch embraces as he beſtoweth upon them when his Locks are filled with the drops of the night; for God doth moſt gloriouſly unvail our minds with the ſtrength of his right hand, when he hath laid his left hand under our head, and then he ſhall not be awaked, till he pleaſe: Oh! it is one of the fulleſt ſayings in the whole Scriptures, p. 32it is as much as if they ſhould have ſaid; not my will, but thy Will be done O God, and yet this Church not to know her Beloved: Now this is a ſad and ſudden alteration, as I remember the Prophet Jeremiah hath ſomething of this nature concerning the Daughters of Zion, Jeremiah the fourth and the laſt, I have heard a voice as of a Woman in travel, and the anguiſh as of her that bringeth forth her firſt born, the voice of the Daughter of Zion, that ſpreadeth forth her hands and bewaileth her ſelf, ſaying, Woe is me now, becauſe of Murderers.

Why what is the matter Zion? Why doſt thou cry out? What need is there for thee to complain, thou that art the Spouſe of Chriſt? Can the Husband forget his Beloved Wife? No ſurely, he hath promiſed great things for thee, look what the Lord thy Redeemer hath promiſed to do for thee, Eſayah 33.5, 6. The Lord is exalted, for he dwelleth on high, he hath filled Zion with Judgment, and Righteouſneſs, and Wiſdom & Knowledge ſhall be the ſtability of thy times, and ſtrength of Salvation, the fear of the Lord is his ſtrength; and in the 20th verſe, Not one of her ſtakes ſhall be removed, nor any of her cords thereof be broken; and in the eighth of the next Chapter, For it is the day of the Lords vengeance, and the year of Recompences, for the controverſie of Zion.

p. 33Oh Zion, Zion! what need is there for thee to fear, the Lord is exalted in thee, yea he hath accepted to dwell with thee, and to be lifted up in thee, he hath ſet the two Pillars of his Name in the midſt of thee, yea what greater Pillars is there to manifeſt his Name upon the earth, than Wiſdom & Knowledge, & then to give this Character of him, The Fear of the Lord is his ſtrength: Oh! what ſtronger Fortreſs canſt thou have Zion, than the fear of the Lord, than the love of thy God? For thus it is here meant, for this is not a ſlaviſh fear, nor a dreadful fear, nor a terrifying fear; no this is ſuch a fear that is here made mention of, that may well be compared to that that the Apoſtle calls love, yea perfect love that caſteth out all ſuch ſlaviſh fears; and God promiſeth further to be her ſecurity, No one ſhall ever move any of her ſtakes, neither ſhall any of the cords thereof be broken: And he will not only be her ſafety to keep her ſecure, but he will take vengeance of her enemies alſo, and plead her Controverſie with thoſe that riſe up againſt her; ſurely, any one would think that Zion might ſleep ſecurely, I but Zion is here ſpreading forth her hands, crying, Woe is me now, my Soul is wearied, becauſe of Murderers; as if ſhe ſhould have ſaid, my Comforter hath left me, my Beloved is gone, my joy is turned into bitterneſs, my melody into ſadneſs, my mirth into ſighing p. 34and ſobbing, yea as ſhe plainly expreſſeth, Eſai. 49.14. The Lord hath forſaken me, and my God hath forgotten me: Yea, juſt now was this Prophet a proclaiming her Deliverance, and the opening of her eyes, as you may read in the following Verſes, Though a Woman forget the Child that ſucketh at her Breſts, yet will not I forget thee; No, he then ſhews her, that He had engraven her upon the palms of his hands, and …id her behold it: So that as I ſaid before, the Church of God and the People whom he loveth with an unmeaſurable and ever abiding love, may be at ſuch a loſs, that many times they may think the Lord hath withdrawn his affection clean from them; but I ſeldom find, but God ſtayeth up their hearts ſo, as to truſt in him, that their Deliverance muſt be through him, though many times he tryeth their fidelity and zeal to him and his Name, and at other times doth afflict them for their backſliding and careleſs walking, to bring them to a more clear underſtanding, that ſo they may walk worthy of ſuch a God, who hath laid up ſo good things in ſtore for them: I might ſpeak a great deal more to this manner of Gods dealing with his choiceſt and peculiar people in this life, but I ſhall forbear to ſpeak any more in this particular, but ſhall refer what my intention is to ſpeak further, till we come to ſpeak of them, I mean p. 35the Children of God, yea thoſe that are dear unto him, jointly in their duty.

There is a ſecond Affliction incident to theſe beloved ones, but whereas you have them conquered in the former as it were, you now have them Conquerours and Champions, for now the Captain of their Salvation bids them go on and fear not, ſo that now neither life, nor death, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come is able to ſeparate them from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus: Now here you have the Shepherd leading forth his Sheep into the pleaſant paſtures of content, and now they know his voice ſo well, that they will not give ear to ſtrangers, what though they be tempted with all the ſtrangers ſeeming delights, with his rich rewards according to appearance, with all his promiſes of preferments, and all the inchantments that he ſeemeth to preſent them withal, yet all theſe will not intice them from thoſe fruitful paſtures, nothing can allure them from this contented medow, where they have the preſence of their delightful Shepherd, giving them their meat in due ſeaſon, ſo that ſtolen waters do not ſeem ſweet to them, nor bread eaten in ſecret, pleaſant to them; no, they know that the aſſotiates and reſorters thereunto ſhall have their portion with Unbelievers, in a place or degree far remote from their reſt, from their p. 36content, from their delight, For their delight is in the Law of the Lord their God; and to manifeſt his praiſe and his glory in working wonderfully amongſt the ſons of men, and to declare unto others what God hath done for them, and for the welfare of their Souls, And all ſorrow and ſighing will flee away from them, neither the voice of mourning ſhall any more be heard in the midſt of them, for the Lord that is their Redeemer is alſo their Husband, who bideth them awake and put on their ſtrength their beautiful garment, for the uncircumciſed and unclean ſhall no more come into thee, what though thou haſt drunk the Cup of the Lords fury in times paſt, yet thou ſhalt henceforth drink it no more, but it ſhall be taken forth of thy hand, and given to them that ſpoiled thee, Eſa. 52.1, 2. and the laſt verſe of the 51 Ch. So that now thou maiſt ariſe from the dust and ſit ſtill, for the Lord will redeem you from all your captivities that have been the occaſion of your diſtreſſedneſs, that have cauſed you in times paſt to howl and weep, you ſhall be delivered from all your burthens that ye have unjuſtly born, for the Lord hath taken upon him to plead the Controverſie of his People; So that now they need not fear what befals their bodies, for they have a ſufficient and ſatisfactory content, that it ſhall fare well with their Soul, They fear not him that is able to kill the Body, and can do no more, but him that is able to kill p. 37both Body and Soul, and to caſt them into Hell: What though the world rage againſt them, and their neighbours envy them, and their kindred, and chiefeſt of their Relations here below do make a mocking and ſcoffing at thee, is it any more than the Captain of your Salvation hath engaged you to by his ſufferings? Know you not that if you will be his Diſciples, you muſt wear your Maſters Livery? Yea, though it be dyed in as deep a Crimſon as his was on the Croſs, Is it not ſufficient that the ſervant is made equal with his Maſter? I am ſure, any earthly ſervant would account it a great favour, that he ſhould be admitted to have a garment made of the ſame piece of cloath that his Maſter doth wear himſelf, even ſo will all theſe that have experienced the honour and reward that is laid up at the end of their journey, which no man can prevent or hinder them of receiving.

Therefore I ſay, theſe are not at all amazed at theſe things, no they are no more than the honourable garments that all the gueſts of the Bride-chamber muſt put on, yea and that with much willingneſs too, if it be laid down for you, or tendered unto you; for ſurely, there is no man but will rather chuſe a Diamond than a Cornelian if he hath experience of the worth of both in mens eſteem, even ſo will all thoſe that have experienced the love of Chriſt Jeſus, and the p. 38content that is in his wayes, and the reward that ſhall be received by owning of him in Truth and Righteouſneſs upon the face of the earth, in the preſence of all contemners of it, and all contrariers of it they will ſhew themſelves to be Children of their Father, and ſervants of their Maſter, and Stewards that will manifeſt their Maſter to be one that is not onelyonly able, but willing alſo to give unto all thoſe that will labour in his Vineyard of the abundance of the pleaſant fruit thereof, yea they will tell unto others what a loving and tender God he hath been to them, and what content they have had in obeying him, and what ſafety there is in his paths, as Solomon hath it Proverbs 37.7. All his wayes are pleaſantneſs, and all his paths are peace: Yea ſurely, the way of the Lord is great pleaſure to them that know the plainneſs, and the evenneſs, and exactneſs of it aright, to them it is a great pleaſure to walk in this way; but the ſlothfull cryeth out, There is a Lyon & a Bear in the way, and therefore he will not venter, he will lye down and take his eaſe, and fold his eyes a little more in ſleep, or in his dark and obſcure reſt, I he will rather put things to the hazard, as men had uſe to ſay, then he will encounter with this Lyon that will meet him and bereave him of all his luſtful deſires, and of all his worldly pleaſures, and of heaping together the unrighteous Mammon of p. 39this world, by couzening and defrauding the ſimple, and by uſurping the juſt priviledges of the poor, the innocent and the harmleſs; I but here is ſomething more yet, for here is a Bear alſo which he muſt meet, if he will take his progreſs into this way, that he muſt encounter with, which at the beſt will affright and ſcare him, if not tear him in pieces and devour him.

Whereas thoſe that have been exerciſed to ſuch a manner of walking in this way, as to enjoy the pleaſant Sun-ſhine of Gods moſt glorious and unfathomable love, they know after the dimeſt and darkeſt night, the morning will produce light again, and diſpel the darkneſs; ſo that though they ſee never ſo dark a cloud of Gods fury in the way, yet this ſhall not be a Bear to them, no, they know that the Sun will break thorow it, if it be ſo that they keep conſtant in this way, and do not run aſtray from the punctual rules thereof; it is not a Priſon or a Dungeon that will fear them. nor any earthly power, that is contrary to the truth, that wil daunt them; no, they know that if the powers of men do not ſtand, according to the truth of God, I ſay, their lives will not be dear to them, not ſo dear but that they will rather part with their lives than part with that portion of truth that they have received, ſo as to call light darkneſs, and darkneſs light, to diſhonour him whom p. 40they know is able to keep them ſafe in their evilleſt and worſt of dayes, look well to it I beſeech you every man and woman, and lay not any burthen upon one another, by unjuſt and unrighteous walking, for this is the end a Chriſtian, that God ſhall have no diſhonour by his walking, for if you deny God in this particular, pray that he may not deny you before the Angels in Heaven.

But before we proceed any further, let us conſider what obſervation we ought to take in the performance of theſe holy Laws; for as I have ſhewed you in the forementioned Lawes, you muſt obſerve that as the Law-giver is Holy, Juſt and Good, ſo are his Lawes Righteouſneſſe, and Peace, and Love, and Faith, and Truth, and Patience, and Equity, and Juſtice, and Forgiveneſs, and whoſoever doth not obſerve and fulfil theſe Lawes, will lye lyable of being caſt forth of this land, and from participating of the benevolence and fruition of this Law-giver.

Therefore let us walk wiſely in our ſtation, for this ſhort time that we have to abide in this our frail houſe or fabrick of earth, that when we come to give an account of all our actions, we may approach before his Throne with all boldneſs, by laying faſt hold upon him that is our Righteouſneſs, Peace, and Sanctification and Redemption; knowing nothing of evil by our p. 41ſelves, and yet knowing nothing of Juſtification in our works or by our works, as proceeding from them that is, there's no one that is an Inhabitant in this land of Zion, but muſt obſerve and do the Will, of him that is the Lawgiver, and theſe are the duties of the ſubjects in this land, the which when Iſrael did diſcern, they had broken, and that it was onelyonly the decayes of the Statutes and Lawes of Zion, that had been the occaſion of their Impriſonment; the which now conſidered, cauſeth their grief, yea, and that in ſuch a nature too, that they could not keep it in, but it burſt out.

Therefore that all Captives that are in captivity, in any reſpect as to their inward freedom, may know which way to eaſe and releaſe themſelves, let them obſerve and keep theſe following Invitations, that in caſe they have broken theſe Lawes, they may mourn for the decayes thereof, and amend their wayes by walking more wiſely, that ſo they may be delivered, for that is repentance to amend your wayes, therefore take my adviſe, and preſs forward.

Firſt, let us conſider what theſe Lawes are, that ſo ye may know how to keep them, the firſt and greateſt Commandment is, to honour the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy Soul; and the ſecond is, To love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf, on theſe two depend all the Laws inſtanced p. 42in the Law and the Prophets, Mat. 22.37, 38, 39, 40. Not that they are differing, but hold all in one, or both in one; for thou canſt not honour God more in any one thing than by loving thy poor Neighbour, it is the poor God as I may ſo ſay, or rather the ſons of God, that hath need of thy charity, and not he that is the Creator of all things; for Chriſt ſays plainly, biding them to ſtand on his right hand, for I was hungry and ye gave me meat, and a thirſt and ye gave me drink, and ſick and in priſon, and ye adminiſtred unto my neceſſities; verily verily I ſay unto you, inaſmuch as ye did it unto theſe little ones, ye did it unto me, Mat. 25.34, 35, 36, 40. verſes: So that I ſay, if thou art minded to praiſe God on the earth, or whilſt thou liveſt here, deal juſtly with all men, and as near as poſſible thou canſt make that thy direction, to deal the ſame bread to others that thou wouldſt have God deal to thee, for fear thy heart ſhould ſo far deceive thee in doing to others as thou wouldſt they ſhould do to thee; I ſay, that is a Rule of Rules, if truly obſerved, but beware thy heart do not deceive thee in this, and thou thinkeſt thou doſt it, when thou falleſt far ſhort of it, and ſo deceive thy ſelf.

For I account it the one and onelyonly way to ſet forth Gods praiſe, to deal faithfully with all men in all things, eſpecially to them that are p. 43without or of another mind, for who knoweth but hereby thou maiſt gain him to do the like, whereas if thou ſhould do to the contrary, he would not onelyonly be imboldned to do the like, but would reproach and defame thy way of worſhip, and bring a ſcandal upon all others that walk in the ſame profeſſion as thou walkeſt in, and not onelyonly ſo neither, but diſhonour thy God alſo; I would deſire all profeſſors whatever, to be wary in this reſpect, leſt the Heathen condemn us in that great day of Tryal, and do not enquire concerning the unconſtancy of the times, nor the evil of the dayes, but take the Apoſtles direction, If any man deſire to live long, and to ſee good dayes, let him refrain his tongue from ſpeaking evil, and his lips that they ſpeak no guile.

And as it is beneficial to us, to ſpeak and act the Truth, ſo as I ſaid before, it is the only way to manifeſt Gods praiſe, for as for what is done in private, is done onelyonly upon the account of our Souls, it is onelyonly a conference between God and us, ſo far as concerns our Souls welfare or reward; but what we do before men, is either to ſet forth the praiſe or diſpraiſe of God; and whereas Chriſt ſayes, Give not your Almes before men: He doth not command you to hold up your charity before men, but not to give it only, becauſe men do behold it, we muſt not make it p. 44our chief end, to give it to be praiſed of men; for if we give it thus, we have our reward; but if we give it before thouſands, and could as freely give if there were no man by, and give it onelyonly to nouriſh their bodies, knowing that we are but ſtewards of it, and our Maſter may take it away from us when he pleaſeth, for it is given us but for this intent, to feed the hungry and cloath the naked, and to adminiſter to the neceſſities of ſuch as are in diſtreſs, and in ſuch caſes it ought to be as really theirs as ours, for we are but ſtewards of it, and if the Lord of the Huſbandry do find that we do not diſtribute faithfully according to his Will, he can take it forth of our hands in a moment, and call us to an account for our ſtewardſhip; do but mark what the Apoſtle John ſayes, If any man hath this worlds goods, and ſeeth his Brother in want, and ſhutteth up the bowels of compaſſion from him, How dwelleth the love of God in him? the firſt of John 3. Chap. 17.

Not that I conclude, that the love of God muſt be in every man that doth relieve the needy; but be ſure, theſe are the manifeſtations of God in his people; there are ſome it may be will relieve the poor, becauſe their fathers have done the like before them, and ſo they will not have their name decay, but will ſeek to uphold it amongſt men.

p. 45And others it may be will give to the poor, becauſe they will exceed ſuch and ſuch men that have as great eſtates as they have, that they may have more praiſe than their Neighbours: But alas! all this doth not reach the mark of a Chriſtian, for thou maiſt give all thy goods to the poor, and thy body to the fire to be burned, and yet have no charity, and it profiteth nothing, 1 of the Corinthians and the thirteenth Chapter, and the third verſe, no the poor widows mite, Mark the twelfth, and the forty third and fourth verſes, is more than all this, and that is as little as may be, if it be ſo that you caſt your gift into this Treaſury with any acceptance; therefore do not ſtay your ſelves upon this as any ſure foundation, that it is enough to give, but you muſt give it with all your heart, yea, even as to the Lord, knowing that it is one of the greateſt preſidents of a Chriſtians verification.

2. And as you muſt be willing and cheerful, ſo you muſt be careful too in your Almes, you muſt not do it as if you did not care how you did it, or when you did it, or as though you did not care whether ever you did it, or not as there is too many do now a dayes, it is to be feared they do the work of the Lord negligently, Religion is too too commonly lookt upon with too careleſs an eye, only for outward ſhews and ceremonial traditions, p. 46as I ſhall ſhew you more hereafter.

I ſay, you muſt ſtudy to do good works, yea, how to do them, that you may glorifie God in your doing of them, and advance his Intereſt, and magnifie his Name, and that he may have the preheminence of all; and therefore Chriſt bids them, Math. 6. in the beginning, Take heed when you give your Almes, and that you muſt not let your left hand know what your right hand doth: So that it ſeems there is a left hand that is contrary to the right, that is prying into thy giving of thy Almes, yea, it ſeems ſuch a left hand, that is apt to declare thy bounty to be praiſed of men; and therefore Chriſt bids thee take heed, as in the next verſe he plainly intimates ſo much, That thy Almes may be in ſecret, and thy Father that ſeeth in ſecret, ſhall reward thee openly: This left hand is a member of that body of which you have mention made of the right hand in the former Chapter verſe 30, that if it offend thee, you muſt cut it off, leſt it ſhould be the occaſion of the whole body being caſt into Hell: I wiſh that we have not too too many ſuch hands in our profeſſions in theſe times, that rather adminiſter to our applauſe in Religion here before men, than to the glory of God, or the relieving of others that are in diſtreſs.

Look well into your hearts I beſeech you, and p. 47examine them thorowly, that you may repent if any ſuch thing be while it is day, for God will find you out in the end; therefore I ſay, you muſt be careful in your deeds of charity, if you intend either to glorifie God, or reap any benefit to your ſelves in it; do it with all diligence and fervency of ſpirit, even as Paul chargeth Timothy, ſo ought every one to make it his charge and duty to be careful in this particular, leſt you deceive your ſelves and wait for a reward when you have had it already of men, from whom you ſought it in your intent of parting with your gift: I muſt confeſs, in this thing or particular you may come very near to the mark in your own conceits, for to feed the hungry and cloath the naked, and relirve the oppreſſed, that is, a very good work, if done to a good end; But how canſt thou ſay, thou doſt it to any good end, or aim at Gods glory, when thou ſetteſt thy ſelf in the higheſt and firſt degree in thy Almes, and haſt reſpect unto thy own praiſes, that men ſhould adore and praiſe thee for it?

No no, do not not miſtake thy ſelf, for no man can ſerve two Maſters, for either the one or the other muſt be neglected and not honoured, God will admit of no partners, he will either have all thy ſervice, or elſe he will not accept of any; I ſay, he will have no partners, but as he created and formed all things, ſo he will have the p. 48preheminence of all things, both by thee and all others, either to your eternal happineſs, or elſe by ſhewing his power upon thee, to thy deſtruction; therefore you muſt reſolve to be careful, if you expect the praiſe of God, or have any love to his Name, to do his work willingly and zealouſly, and to be wary that the Devil do not deceive thee in any one thing, and ſo take away the efficacy of it from thee by any of his cunning wiles, for he will watch all opportunities to enſnare thee in thy charity, knowing it to be one of the grand Pillars of a Believers warfare.

3. As you muſt be willing to give your Almes, and careful how you give them, ſo you muſt be ready to give them; for if you ſay, you are or would be willing that any one that is in diſtreſſe, ſhould be relieved, yet many times when your conſcience tells you, that ſuch and ſuch poor people are in diſtreſs, you are not ſo ready as to give them that relief that may in any competent meaſure diminiſh their grievances, as the Apoſtle hath it, Do all things with all readineſs and 2 Cor. 9.2, 3. For I know the forwardneſs of your minds, therefore I boaſted of you to them of Macedonia, that Achia was ready a year ago: The Apoſtle doth make his boaſt of their readineſs, to adminiſter to the neceſſity of ſuch as were in diſtreſs, yea, he urgeth it to others, that they might walk by this Example, as not knowing p. 49any of more uſe in this life, it being one of the needfulleſt effigies of a Chriſtian, as Paul ſaith of it, That your zeal in it had provoked very many to do the like: Therefore I ſay, as you profeſs your ſelves to have received the love of God, ſo let your love abound toward your Brethren, as Chriſt ſayes, Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they ſeeing your good works, may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven, Matth. 5.16. For God is the Father of ſuch love, and he will not be aſhamed to own thoſe that do this work with willingneſs, and carefulneſs, and readineſs, for we do herein as it were repreſent him on earth, for he beſtoweth his bleſſings upon us meerly of his own willingneſs and freeneſs, as it is expreſſed, Of his own will begat he us in Chriſt Jeſus; and he is alſo careful of us, And ſhall not we be careful to ſerve him? As you have it, The true Watchman of Iſrael neither ſlumbers nor ſleeps; and he is alſo ready no beſtow his mercies and bleſſings upon us, for it is expreſſed Matth. 6.8. He knoweth before hand what we have need of; as if he ſtudied to know our wants, and to keep thoſe things ready for us againſt we have need of them, For he that asketh receiveth, and he that ſeeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it is opened unto him, Matth. 7.8. So that if you will but go to the Fountain, you may drink freely, it is not locked from you, unleſs you bring a p. 50poyſoned Pitcher with you, to deſtroy your ſelves & defame the Fountain, & then I hope you will acknowledge his love to be as great in this as in any thing; ſurely, men would be willing and careful, and ready to ſerve ſuch a God who is ſo good to them, if they did or do any waves render their own welfare; I wiſh you could but experience the Apoſtles words in this particular, although he was ſpeaking of another when he uttered the words, which are theſe, The love of God conſtraineth me, yea, I am accurſed if I do not do according to his will.

So ſurely, any one that doth profeſs himſelf to have received more than others, he will and muſt enforcedly man feſt it in the ſight of men, upon every or the moſt part of his occaſions; I do not put this moſt part in, to keep any from ſtriving, to walk in the higheſt and exacteſt manner that may be, but knowing the choiſeſt of Gods People may be overtaken in a fault, but not that any of them can paſs by this fault without great remorſe and grief of heart for it, and they could willingly redeem the time, if it were poſſible, either by a private Repentance, or publick inſtruction to others; but this is a ſtile too high to ſpeak of in theſe dayes I fear, and yet aſſure your ſelves, it is no more than ought to be in every profeſſor, for if you do but ſeriouſly conſider in your own hearts, you will find it is not a p. 51careleſs thing to profeſs Chriſt, and acknowledge your ſelves to be his Servants, for you muſt expect to do his Will, if you will be approved worthy of ſuch a Maſter as I ſhall ſhew you more plainly hereafter.

4. As you muſt be willing to beſtow your charity, and careful how you do it, and ready to beſtow it, ſo you muſt be bountiful and liberal, in your deeds of charity you muſt not lay up in your corrupt treaſuries, to buy ſuch a Lordſhip, no nor ſuch a ſmall Cottage, neither if you ſee that your poor Brethren are in neceſſity, or want: It was an excellent Obſervation of a late deceaſed Scholar, who when the Officers of the Pariſh came to him for moneys, they argued the needfulneſs of mens bounty in ſuch a good work, ſaying, There was none of more concernment than to repair the Temple of the Lord; he anſwered them, It was both needful and juſtifiable before God and man, but he bid them beware they did not reſpect the dead Temple for the living Temples, and ſo fail in their intent in both: So I would entreat all thoſe that profeſs themſelves to be religious in their actions here, of obedience to Gods Will, that they do not miſtake themſelves and adorn the dead Temple with ſuperfluous varieties, when the living Temples wants a ſufficiency to keep themſelves alive, look well to your ſelves: I account it my duty to deal plainly with you, I fear p. 52it is too too common in our dayes, for that love I beat you in Chriſt Jeſus, I could wiſh it were otherwiſe with many of you, for if you neglect the repairing of the living Temples, there is nothing that will hold in any harmonious tune in religious obedience, it is not enough to ſay, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, but you muſt ſhew your ſelves to mind the Temple of the Lord, for it is not a fained profeſſion nor a guilded ceremony that will ſerve your turn, nor mine in the laſt day, but as we profeſs our ſelves to have received more than others, ſo let us walk more righteouſly and more faithfully than they do, that we may not condemn them with our tongues ſeemingly, and condemne our ſelves in our actions in the ſight of God and men, for we may ſeem here before men to be zealous for the Lord, and it may be think really that we are ſo; do but mark what Solomon ſays, There is a way that ſeemeth right, but the end is the end of death, Proverbs 14.12. And in Eſayah 1.11. Unto what purpoſe is the multitude of your Sacrifices to me? I am full of your Burntofferings and your Sacrifices, I deſire not ſo much of this manner of ceremonial ſervices without you will work the effects of them; that is, To ceaſe to do evil, and that they would learn to do well, and ſeek Judgment, and relieve the oppreſſed, and Judge the fatherleſs, and plead for the widow, and then come unto me and I will reaſon p. 53with you, and though your ſins be as red as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow, yea, though they be as red as crimſon, they ſhall be made as wool: If we bring theſe Sacrifices before the Lord, he accepts of them, and will delight himſelf in us, but if we forget to bring theſe with us, we had better to ſtay away than come before God in vain, to expect a Bleſſing when there is none aſſigned for us, it is to as much purpoſe for a man to think he hath a true Faith in Chriſt, when he hath not charity, as it is for a Builder to think to build a Tower, when he hath but one ſtone to build it; do you not mind what the Apoſtle James ſaith to ſuch ſort of men, James 3. and laſt, As the body without the ſpirit is dead, ſo faith without works is dead: It is true, thou maiſt have a faith to believe there is a God, even ſo Pharaoh King of Egypt, Exod. 9.27. He did believe there was a God in Iſrael, yet he would not obey him, nor leave the worſhipping of Idols, till the Lord did overthrow him and his Hoſt into the midſt of the Sea; and as you may read of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 3. He did believe that the God of Daniel was the God of gods, and Lord of Kings, Dan. 2.47. yet he did ſet up an Image contrary to what Daniel did worſhip, and commanded all people to fall down and worſhip it: So as I ſaid before, it is not enough to have a faith, but you muſt have a working p. 54faith, a living faith, a ſtedfaſt faith, and an upright and charitable Faith, for as Paul ſaith, 2 Cor. 9.6. He that ſoweth ſparingly, ſhall reap ſparingly, and he that ſoweth bountifully, ſhall reap bountifully, let every man give as he hath purpoſed in his heart, not grudgingly or of neceſſity for God loveth the cheerful Giver: Not but that God is able to provide a ſufficient ſatisfaction for his Children without your aid or help, but know, he will try thee O man, how far thy charity will extend toward thy weak and helpleſs Brother, God doth not make uſe of us for need, but for his pleaſure that he taketh in ſeeing us improve our talents, and that we ſhould manifeſt to all the world, that we are a People that have a God exceeding all other gods, in love, and tenderneſs, and bounty, and ſtrength, how would all people ſtand reviling of our God, and diſdaining our way of worſhip, if they ſhould ſee us walk undiſcretly and looſly, they would be apt to ſay, lo, behold how prophane and vain a thing it is for ſuch and ſuch men, who profeſs they walk in a higher and more clearer light than they have done or than we do, but they can let their Brethren lack bread and cloaths, and can wear ſuch needleſs tryphles, and build ſuch and ſuch brave Houſes that we can live without, and content our ſelves without; I ſay, theſe things may be done, if that thing that is more needful bee p. 55not left undone, but if one muſt be left undone, I ſay look that you leave the leſs needful & uſeful undone, for know the life and body of thy poor Brother is altogether as precious in the ſight of God as thine, this thy undiſcret and vain carriage doth give thy enemies advantage to revile thee, and to defame thy Brethren, and to blaſpheme the worthy Name of our God, whereas if we walk more ſtrictly, more wiſely and more charitably, the mouths of all ſuch people will be ſtopped, and they will be ready to commend thy way of worſhip, & to praiſe thoſe that you do aſſociate your ſelves withal, and to glorifie the Name of God, by which you are called: So that if you will profeſs your ſelves to be Servants of God, you muſt walk in the wayes of godlineſs; and think not that it is the performance of your duty, to talke of charity and love, but you muſt make it your buſineſs to adminiſter and diſtribute your charity to all ſuch as are in diſtreſs and want, knowing that if you will manifeſt your ſelves to be imployed in his work, you ſhall receive a recompence worthy of your labour, For if God ſpared not his onelyonly Son, but delivered him up to death for us, that we might be freed from the power of death: Surely, thou wilt not think thy ſabout too much, to ſerve him in thy eſtate, or rather in his ovvn; I ſay, thou vvilt not be ſo unjuſt a Steward, to let thy Maſters ſervants dye for vvant p. 56of food, when he hath provided enough for them, no certainly, thou wilt rather walk up and down from one end of the Vineyard to the other, to ſee that all thy fellow ſervants have their meat in due manner and due ſeaſon, if thou doſt reſpect the love of thy Maſter, and the praiſe of it will redound ſo far to thee in the end, if thou performeſt his Will, as that he will make thee one of his Family for ever, and thou ſhalt reign in joy and gladneſs to eternity: Now he which doth this work of charity, muſt obſerve that he have not more reſpect for himſelf than for God in his heart, for look for it, for the Devil will never leave ſearching, to find out one tradition or cuſtomary ſelf ſetting up, to find out ſome one deviſe or other, if thou take this work in hand, to repreſent thee unſtable in thy undertakings in one reſpect or other, knowing it to be one of the greateſt Forts that a Chriſtian can acquire, for his unattemtible and unanimous reſidence, if truly and exactly built, for without this uniformity it is impoſſible to put on the whole Armour of God; nay, I dare be bold, that no man what ever can aſſure himſelf, to put on any part of the Armour of God, and not take up this with it; For how can it be ſaid that you have armed your ſelves with Truth, when you have not obeyed the God of Truth? Or how can any man ſay, That Righteouſneſs is his Brest-plate, when he p. 57hath neglected to do his Maſters buſineſs, and hath left his Maſters Commands unobeyed? Or how can any man ſay, His feet are ſhod with the preparation of the Goſpel, when he walketh in obſcure and dark wayes? If you have your feet ſhod with the Goſpel, you will walk in the path and way of the Goſpel: Now Chriſt is the True and Righteous way, deſcribed in the Goſpel, and he thought it not too much to ſacrifice his life for us, and greater charity thou canſt not have, than to yield up thy life in obedience to the God of love, and no man can come to the Father, but by and in him.

And as for thy taking Faith to be thy ſhield, when thou goeſt to withſtand the Devil, thou wilt be overcome, if thou doſt not take love along with thee, for the Devil will quickly find out a place to dart thee in, if thou leave charity behind thee; for this take what the Apoſtle ſays, Shew me thy Faith by thy works, and then thou maiſt put on the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, for as he that redeemed you is holy, ſo be ye holy in all manner of converſation; 1 Pet. 1.13. and elſewhere, hereby ſhall all men known that ye are my Diſciples, if you love one another, John 13.35. And the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, &c. Gal. 5.22. So that I ſay, it is in vain to think of withſtanding the Devil, but that he will wound thee in one reſpect p. 58or other, if thou doſt not put on all thy Armour, even the whole Armour of God.

2. He that undergoeth this duel, or maketh war againſt this enemy, had needs be very ſtudious to know, yea, knowing what it is that he is to encounter withal, for thy enemy goeth about daily to ſeek to circumvent thee: So that when thou makeſt war againſt lying and deceit, beware he doth not overcome thee, by imputing a ſtrength to thy ſelf in thy ſtriving, and ſo get into thy harbour, and weaken thy ſtrength and fort; likewiſe, when you fortifie your ſelf againſt unrighteouſneſs, he will be preſenting thee with a ſeeming righteouſneſs, that if you are not very watchful, ſhall give you more content ſeemingly than any that you have choſen, if you do not know experimentally the odour that is in your choiſe, for he will endeavour either to delude thee that thou art more righteouſs than ſuch and ſuch men, and ſo ſet thee a judging of others, and a taking Gods Office forth of his hands, that he may bereave thee of the efficacy of thy labour that way, or elſe endeavour to Sow ſome tares amongſt thy wheat & make you delight your ſelf in embracing, for righteouſneſs for ſome one ſelf end or other for his tares are many times ſo like thy wheat, that it is hard to gather them out of it, without it be ſo that thou art very well inſenced of the nature and taſte of them; and as for thy fervency p. 59for the Goſpel of God in oppoſing all his aſſaults, for this likewiſe he will not want endeavours to ſtir up enemies both of thy ſeeming friends and known enemies, that if he cannot entice thee to a falſe underſtanding of them, he will endeavour to ſcreen thy mind to abuſe thy knowledge in matter of action, if it be poſſible, and ſo hid it from thy diſcerning of it; but in caſe he finds thee ſo watchful that he cannot make a conqueſt of the, according to his will or deſire this way, then poſſibly he will try thee further, if God permit him power, ſo as to put thee into Priſon, nay, it may be to take away thy life alſo, for thy ſervent zeal for the Goſpel; but know if thou art brought ſo far, thy God will not leave thee then, though thou maiſt ſeemingly have a Cloud for a ſeaſon, yet the Sun will preſently break thorow, and expel the darkneſs of the time at an inſtant, yea, in a moment of time; happy is he that overcometh all the reſt, to give Teſtimony of his fidelity in this to all Beholders; but I ſhall ſpeak ſomewhat more to that hereafter, ſo I ſhall defer it at this time.

But you muſt preſs forward ſtill, you are not yet come to diſcern the difficulty of this your urgent and needful care, for we are now to diſcuſs the grand part of his enmity, in ſeeking to keep us from believing in the Captain of our Salvation, and in relying upon him for all out p. 60ſtrength, now he is labouring to deceive us of taking up this Wapon of Faith, ſo he will endeavour to fix our minds upon our own ſtrength, and to truſt in what conqueſt we have, it is meerly of our own care, and of our own vvatchfulneſs, yea, he vvill not leave any corner of thy heart unattempted, if he ſee that there is any poſſibility of getting vvithin thy vvalls under a pretended notion of friendſhip, that ſo he may deceive and rob thee of this thy Weapon, it being the chief Weapon of our defence, if truly fixed, by vvhichwhich vve are enabled to quench all the fiery darts of the vvicked, and ſo keep our rare Jevvel from all his demonical deluſions, for if he once get this ſhield of Faith from thee by any deceitful contrivance, he vvill make a conqueſt of thee at his pleaſure, for he knovveth it is not for him to aſſault any that have this ſhield in their hand to defend themſelves vvithal; I ſay, it is not for him to attempt the overthrovving of theſe by any ordinary vvay that is contrary to their vvay of vvorſhip, or to ſtand in oppoſition to maintain a pitcht battel againſt ſuch vvho have their Faith truly grounded and fixed upon the love and ſtrength of Chriſt Jeſus, but he vvill not lack flatteries, ſuch as may ſeemingly ſympathiſe vvith the true and grand emulations of truth in ſhew & profeſſion, though it ſhall differ in the intent or end of their doing it; therefore I ſay, he p. 61that is a Warriour in a Chriſtian warfare, muſt not war onelyonly againſt known waverings, and unconſtancy, and unſtability of mind, but againſt ſeeming ſtedfaſtneſs, and ſeeming confidence, and ſeeming unmoveableneſs alſo, for you muſt ſtand upon your watch and examine every thought that cometh by you, and try it whether it will abide the Touch-ſtone or not in every particular, before you grant it admittance, for you may be deceived if you do not take great heed, for the Devil may appear in the likeneſs of an Angel of light, and do many things unlikely it may be as thou thinkeſt for him to do, for he can be as faithful and as religious as the Scribes and Phariſees, but he will not be willing that you ſhould attribute any thing to God as proceeding from him, or that you ſhould aim at his glory in the performance of it; but as I ſaid before, though your work of Faith be ſeemingly, the ſame in ſhew or ceremony, yet it will not be the ſame in event and effect, yet it hath been ſo like the true Faith, as that the People of old have cryed, Peace, peace, when the Lord hath not ſaid it: Yea, he hath been ſo ſubtil in his end, as that he hath deceived both Prophet and People, and he did appear very ſubtily with theſe Scribes and Phariſees, for they did give the effigies of true Faith in many reſpects ſeemingly, for it was built upon Almes and the fulfilling of p. 62the Law and Prayers for their ſucceſs in it, but they gave their Almes to be ſeen of men, and therefore they had their reward, for as they gave them to be praiſed of men, even ſo they had the praiſe of men for their gifts, and as for their aim to fulfil the ceremonies and rites of the Law they were very exact in many reſpects, as to pay Tithes of Mint and Aniſe, Mat. 23. But to relieve the oppreſſed, and plead the cauſe of the needy, they had ſmall care of that, and they would make a conſcience ſermingly to God, as to pray often to him, that under a pretence of Religion in this they would devour Widows houſes; ſo as they ſeemed to be exactly religious in the fight of men, they were not religious hardly in any one thing before God.

For it is not ſo eaſie and idle a thing as many think it is to be a Chriſtian or a Chriſt-like man, for if you build your Faith upon any other Rock than Chriſts Death and Reſurrection, I ſay if you do not war againſt all other fabricks, you cannot exerciſe your Faith with any good warrant; I ſay, if you do not pull down and root up all other appearances that are not one with this, and hold in concurrance in this as proceeding from the ſame root & center which Chriſts undergoings have meritoriouſly crowned us withal, you can in no meaſure exerciſe a Faith with any good Warrant, but we ſhall yoke our ſelves with burthenſom p. 63impediments in our more higher agitations and Divine aſpirations, for no clear eye can diſcern things of ſo bright and clear an appearance, ſo Divine manifeſtation much leſs believe them, it is not to believe that it is any thing of our own merits that a true Faith muſt be built upon, but all ſuch thoughts and concluſions ſtrike at the original grounds of a true Faith, as and is contradictory an enemy to it as may be; do but mark what the Apoſtle Paul ſayes of the grounds of a true Faith, Rom. 3.24, 25, 26. Being juſtified freely by his grace, through the Redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt, whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood, to declare his Righteouſneſs for the Remiſſion of ſin, through the forbearance of God, to declare, I ſay, at this time his Righteouſneſs, that he might be juſt, and the juſtifier of him that believeth in Jeſus: Chriſt will not look upon you as partners in the grounds of your Faith, for as he hath conquered all ſuch enemies who did lead us captive at their will by his ſuffering for us, to pacifie the Devine fury of his Father, and to be a propitiation for to interceed with his Father for us, that he might reconcile all differences that did hinder us from having a peaceable and compleat union and ownneſs with our God, that ſo he might be our Father as well as his Father, and our God as well as his God, and p. 64that he might rejoice in us as Brethren, being united and annexed with him by what had undergone for us, that ſo we might jointly declare the manifold love of God, and ſing praiſes to his Name; I ſay, this was the intent of Chriſt in his interceeding to the Father for us, onelyonly he would not have us ſlight his undertakings for us, and ſo deceive our ſelves, and diſhonour his mockings, and his ſcoffings, and deridings that he did bear for our offences, when we ſhould have periſhed to all eternity, had not he ſtept in between our ſin & his Fathers wrath, and did that for us that we were not able to do for our ſelves; ſo that he will have us to own him to be the Authour and Finiſher of our Faith, Heb. 12.2. So as I ſaid before, you muſt War againſt every appearance of evil, and every thing that ſeeketh to oppoſe this vvay of grounding your Faith; but I ſhall leave it to your ſtudy, to examine how many ſuch gueſts you have given entertainment to, as thinking them to be your Friends, intending to ſpeak a vvord or tvvo more of it in ſome of my follovving diſcourſe, if God permit time and leave.

And as you have reſiſted and muſt reſiſt all the foregoing invocations of this your invious, yet more ſubtil enemy, ſo you muſt engage againſt all his extrinſical and ſeeming vvayes of enſnaring you in your charity, for he vvill not leave p. 65ſtriving to conquer thee by craft, if it be poſſible, if he ſee that it is in vain to tempt thee otherwayes, he will promiſe thee great gain and great content, yea, he will give thee all the inticements and the allurements that the whole world can afford, and he will perſwade with thee that thou maiſt keep all theſe and be charitable too, he doth not care how fair a pretence thou makeſt of being charitable, but be ſure of this, he will ſtrike at the very root of it, if it be put in practice with any true intent to Gods glory, and that if you are not very exact in your deliberating your ſelves, he will be too hard for you in one reſpect or other, for if you war againſt him in maintaining your deeds of charity, and do not war againſt his ends in your charity, or againſt your own pride and ſelfſeeking, you had as good lay your weapons down, and do not pretend to withſtand him when you go about to fortifie his ſtrength, for he had as live have you profeſs and practice both, ſo as he can but delude you to ſet up an Idol to offer it to, for it is no better if we offer any praiſe to any imagined thing that is due to God, for an Image or an Idol is no more nor leſs than to ſet up any thing in our Devine worſhip, and attribute more honour to it, and have more eſteem of it than is due to it by Gods appointment; this will be a hard ſaying for many profeſſors to paſs by, and yet it is no more than you will find to be true in p. 66the end; the Prophet Jeremiah hath a notable expreſſion to this purpoſe, Jeremiah 44.25. the people would not be beaten down from offering ſpiced cakes to the Queen of Heaven; not that you read any thing that they had any formed ſubſtance, but an imaginary fancy; and as the Apoſtle ſaid in his time, There are Gods many, and Lords many, bue unto them there was but one God and Father of all things; and as he hath it in another place concerning others, They worſhipped the creature more than the Creator, who is God for ever, Amen, as you may read Rom. 1.25. as he plainly expreſſeth in the foregoing verſes, that they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like corruptible man and birds, four footed beaſts, and creeping things; Even as if the Apoſtle ſhould have ſaid, that they worſhipped themſelves, and beſtowed and attributed that glory that was Gods own by due right to themſelves, and gloried in ſo doing, and delighted themſelves in birds, and four footed beaſts, and creeping things more than in the Creator, from whence they had their being; and therefore he ſayes, God gave them up to uncleanneſs, through the luſts of their own hearts, to diſhonour their own bodies between themſelves: Beſure, that when they came to that degree of apoſtaſie, God would not leave them without puniſhment for it, but lets them run into all unſeemly p. 67behaviour, as you may read the 20, 30, 31. verſ. of this Chap. when God gives up a people to their own luſts & deſires of their own hearts, they run on from one degree of unrighteouſneſs to another, till at laſt they are ſo captivated by their own luſts, that though they come to ſee that they act contrary to the rules of natural reaſon, yet they have ſmall or no deſire to leave it, but run on ſtill and perſiſt from one evil device to another, from committing fornication with their own luſts, to covetouſneſs, and malignity, and ſo to murther and debate, and having no underſtanding, they become Covenant-breakers; as the Apoſtle inſtances, They were without natural affection, implacable and unmerciful: Therefore I ſay beware of Idolatry, and do not make it your buſineſs to worſhip theſe and ſuch like Gods, as the Apoſtle hath it plainly, Phil. 3.19. Whoſe gods are their bellies, and whoſe glory is their ſhame; but fix your Faith aright in Gods preſcribed rule, and then you will be able to wage war with the Devil in his cunningeſt deſigns, but it will require your fervent care continually to watch, that you may know and be ſure to be provided for his coming.

For if you ſeek to do the Will of the Father, which is Holineſs and Purity, you muſt obſerve what his Commands are, and do not think to ſecure your ſelves by notional pretences and literal p. 68expreſſions, rudely reaſoning with your ſelves in the worſt of ſences and the extravigants of courſes, accounting it a ſmall ſin to offend God, or to walk contrary to his Commandements of Love and Chartly, Peace and Truth; for if you walk contrary to this, you may profeſs what you pleaſe, but if your actions and intentions do not anſwer what your pretences ſeem to blaze forth into notional extreams, as I may ſo account them; I will not value that opinion, though they pretend to be Saints or Angels, for if they walk ſo looſly as that their own hearts condemn them in their intention, much more may God condemn them, who ſeeth in ſecret and knoweth in ſecret, happy is he that can try all things with Solomon, and yet not be linked in his affection to any thing; I ſpeak as in reſpect of his ſerving or idolizing any thing below God, he can rejoice with a Heroick ſpirit, not onelyonly that Devils are made ſubject to him, but that his name is written in the Book of Life; he can try and ſearch into the ſecondary powers of the world, and yet not like to the Phyloſophers of the Heathen conclude, That the Images of them ſhould be worſhipped, becauſe, as they ſay, they repreſent their Gods to them, and that the reverencing of God is the uncovering of the head, or the ſprinkling with holy water, and exterior expiations, and exteriour ornaments for our Devine prayſes, as muſical harmony, p. 69and burning of wax candles, and light, and ringing of bells, and adorning of temples, altars and images, in which, as they ſay, is required a ſpecial reverence, and comelineſs.

This is not a Garden for ſuch to plant their Vine in, who by the Spirit of Jehovah can like the Bee ſuck Honey out of the Thiſtle, and yet account the Honey-ſuckle the more rarer flower; he that is truly grounded in this, will well know what I mean in all the reſt, it is not the Sun, Moon nor any inferiour light by which they walk or act, but acknowledge a more ſupream and ſplendant brightneſs to be their guide in all things, and that they can try all theſe, and make it experimentally appear that they ſeek the honour of him which governeth and ruleth all things, even as he pleaſeth, and when he pleaſeth to alter them? They are made ſubject to him at all ſeaſons, yea, he giveth them a brighter ſplendor at one time than at another to our appearance, And what is the glory of any thing, but in the manifeſtation of it? Oh! happy is he that like the Bee can go to Thiſtles and ſuck vertue out of them, as well as forth of the ſweeteſt Flowers, though they are more in eſteem in their ſight, it argues the ſpirit of diſcerning as well as the Spirit that tryeth and ſearcheth, he needs not fear the being deceived that knoweth honey when he tryeth it, much leſs he that knoweth it by p. 70ſight, he will not like the Waſpe lye prying after the Bees Neſt, when he can ſuck the pureſt forth of the Flower, and peradventure there may be a more bitter ſting in the Neſt than he bringeth power to expel, as the Snake doth commonly keep both Bee and Waſpe away, though they have both ſtings, yet let this be your obſervation, that the leſſer muſt be ſwallowed up of the greater, or elſe be put to flight, thrice happy is he that is truly conquered by the true Swallower up of all things.

He can plead a true and certain intereſt with any man or all men, for whatever doth branch forth it ſelf, if really engrafted into this Stock, it will be abidable, although the winter froſts may ſeemingly eclipſes the beauty of our profeſſions, yet it cannot reach our root, but we ſhall retain ſo much ſap there, as will cauſe our branches to flouriſh again in their ſeaſon; for as the Phyloſophers conclude, the Sun will not ſpend all his year in a ſign, where he hath his detriment or fall, but will by his progreſſive motion in his exactneſs, in his line or circuit go ſtrait forward, and doth not look backward as though he was afraid of thoſe captivating powers, that have, as I may ſay ſo, dominion over him at ſuch times, as is apparent in our Horizon, that that power that he aſſureth himſelf of in March, he is deprived of in September, and that glorious ſhew of heat, yea even p. 71to ſcorch us as it were in July, is overſwayed by the unequal frequenting of a Januaries approach; yet ſay they, the Sun doth continue going forward ſtill, notwithſtanding all his repulſes by the unfortunate ſolicits of his moſt potent enemies.

Even ſo he that doth really know the worth of grace, and the benefit of his endeavours, that Chriſt hath purchaſed for all them that will believe and lay faſt hold upon him in his Death and Reſurrection; I ſay, ſuch a one that is truly ſenſible of what worth and value Chriſts Death and Life is to all thoſe that enjoy a portion of it, effectually operating, over all the lets and impediments that are in the way to hinder his true diſcerning of it, he cannot but preſs forward, accounting himſelf happy in each ſtep that he addeth to his journey, wherein he diſcerneth that he getteth ground, you need not to urge ſuch a one to be wary, for he cannot but diſcern when he getteth ground, and when he hath loſt, for if all men ſpeak well of him and aſſure him of peace, yet if he in ſearching find any corner of his heart not ſwept, be ſure he will not cry peace to himſelf, but will take the Beſom of righteouſneſs and truth, and will carefully ſweep it out, and make all clean within, for he cannot ſleep in quiet till he hath got his houſe clean.

As no earthly man can take his reſt when he knoweth that there is a thief within his houſe p. 72that will take all advantage to rob him, but will rather riſe and lock up his chiefeſt Jewels, that they may not be taken away from him, if in caſe he cannot get him forth of the houſe; but though they are locked never ſo faſt, and there be not any thief within his houſe, yet if he hath any treaſure that he taketh much delight in, he will be watchful, leſt any one ſhould break into his houſe unexpected, and bereave him of that in which he ſo much delighteth:

Even ſo a diſcerning Chriſtian that knoweth there is a thief within his houſe, he cannot but dread the worſt of things, ſo long as any ſuſpected enemy is within his confines, but if he know that there is none but he hath tryed all of them thorowly, yet he will ſtand upon his watch, and keep his doors locked about him (when he is at home and when he goeth abroad) he is wary with whom he doth confer as aſſociates fit for his reſult, ſo that whether he is with the Lord at his home, or whether in the turba of the mind, yet he will be watchful, that ſtrangers do not intermedle with his joy, in any way to deprive him of that enjoyment by which he can convey his ſoul to its moſt fixed bliſs, no man can beat him off of this his watchfulneſs, when he hath once taſted the love of God, ſo as to witneſs that he is ſatisfied with it, not that I think it is enough to ſeem ſatisfied or to talk of being ſatisfied, but I ſpeak p. 73of them that are really and indeed ſatisfied; you have a notable Text of Scripture in the 4th of John, Chriſt tells the woman of Samaria, that he that drinketh of that water that he ſhall give them, ſhall never thirſt again; and in the 6th of John he tells the Jews, that their Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderneſs and were dead, but whoſoever ſhall eat of that Bread which I ſhall give them, ſhall live for ever: I will not ſay but many may taſte of this Bread in ſome meaſure in many degrees, and yet never hardly ſtand upon their watch, to keep Dogs from eating of it out of their mouths, as I may ſo ſay, and carrying it away out of their ſight, and bring them ſome of their old dyet, even Garlick and Onions; theſe are ſuch as were taken in the Parable for the ſtony ground, in which the ſeed wanted root, yea, the heat of the Sun cauſed it to wither, but that which fell on good ground, brought forth plentifully, even unto the harveſt: Therefore I ſay, he that warreth in this life, muſt be ſure to watch when the enemy doth ſeek to aſſault, and batter down his Walls, and to defame his Weapons, and to poyſon them with his intermingled ſeeming delights, whereby he doth lye in wait to infect us, even as a Fiſher doth lay baite for to catch his intended prey.

So that you ſhall have baited hooks, ſuch as you will think are very rare and agreeable to ſuit p. 74with your diſpoſition as near as may be, and to advance his own ends, he will fit you if it be poſſible, for he hath variety of pleaſant dainties, if you will but be perſwaded to deal with him, he will deal for ſmall profit rather than looſe your acquaintance, if it be but a making ſlight of your word, or a ſelf-conceitedneſs in your worſhip, or to worſhip for cuſtom, or to believe, becauſe others ſay, it is true, when it may be you have no warrant in your own hearts that it is true, but becauſe others ſay, it is ſo, therefore you will believe it, for you are ſure that ſuch men would not ſay it, if it were not ſo, as I have heard many ſay, when they have had no other reaſon to believe it, but becauſe other men have affirmed it.

Alas! my poor Friends, you that have no other ground for your Faith than what another doth give you; I ſay, that you that ſatisfie your ſelves with what others ſay, and do not enquire whether it be according to Gods Holy Word that is left us for an Example, you are far from knowing what you fix your Faith upon, and you will be like to the Children of Iſrael that could follow Moſes, becauſe they ſaw that God did work many Miracles by him, but when Moſes was longer in the Mount than they ſuppoſed he would have ſtayed, they are preſently at a loſs, and charge Aaron to make them a God to go before them, Exod. 32.1. and as we read they were p. 75forty years under his Preaching to them, and yet it is recorded of them, that they knew not the wayes of God; there is many Writers that affirm them to be a peculiar and abſolute People by their deſerts, but I find no ſuch thing recorded in Scriptures, therefore I ſhall ſpeak what is made manifeſt to me, though I know it will ſeem harſh to many, to believe what I have here inſerted, but I would have them to take notice, that it is one thing for a People to be made happy by deſert and obedience, and it is another to be made happy by Gods infinite mercy and forgiveneſs, as you have Iſrael made happy by Gods love and compaſſion to them in the Wilderneſſe, but not by deſert; there is a great difference between Gods loving a People, & a Peoples obeying God, therefore I would deſire every one to ſeriouſly conſider when they read or hear what is the occaſion of the words ſpoken, and the time when it was ſpoken, and the diſpenſation that the People were under when it was ſpoken, and what degree of faith the People were heirs of by knowledge, that it was effectually to be made theirs, for if your enemy can but intrap you, he will ſoon be more potent, if it be poſſible, for he hath an apple for Eve, and ſo to betray Adam, and a diſcontended pride in Cain to bring him to murther Abel, Gen. 12. and a fear in Abraham, to make him deny that Sarah was his Wife, and p. 76a Feaſt for Noah, to make him commit fornication with his two Daughters, and a Covetouſneſs in Jacob, to deny his Brother a Meſs of Pottage, unleſs he would aſſign him his Birth-right, Gen. 25. and afterwards he feared that God was not able to help him to the bleſſing of Iſaac without his deluding of his old Father, and belying the truth, and a pride for David, that he might number the People, and ſo diſpleaſe his God, 2 Sam. 24. and a lovely Delilah for Sampſon, that he might take away his life, Judg. the 16.

I might inſtance ſeveral things more of theſe his forementioned ſtratagemes and cunning devices which he hath made uſe of, as is apparent in the Old Teſtament and New, to which I ſhall refer you; happy is he that keepeth his watch and ſtandeth cloſely armed, ready to anſwer him in any of his attempts, that he may rejoice over all his workes, that hath gained the Victory by keeping cloſe to the rule of his preſerving and defending Saviour, knowing that it is by his ſtrength that he doth ſtand, by giving heed to the narrowſt and difficulſt of his Command, obſerving it meerly for the glory of his Father, knowing that he can no wayes ſhew himſelf to ſeek a Kingdom that is not of this life, unleſs he renounce the pleaſures of this life, For whoſoever calleth God Father and abideth in ſin, is a Lyar, John the p. 77firſt the 1 Chapter and 4. Becauſe he calleth God Father, when he hath not known God in his manifeſtations, neither doth God own his actions.

There is a People whom I have heard much of, that when they are going about any thing that they imagine, will hardly bear the raſte of the Scripture, they will ſay, that they will enquire of God, whether they may do it or no, and ſo will through the ſtrength of the deſire of their own wills, draw the ſence and intent of the Scriptures to what they pleaſe, or what pleaſeth their fancy beſt, and think themſelves ſecure enough too, if they have but framed a Prayer for God to direct them in it, though it may be they will not hearken to what God putteth into their mindes at that time neither, but adhere rather to what is more beneficial, as they think, for their own ends, not that they will blot the Scripture clean out in ſhew, but it ſhall ſeem difficult to them in ſuch caſes, and ſo will under a pretence of Religion, do thoſe things that neither Reaſon, Equity nor Scripture will bear them any Teſtimony of; This is as much as if they ſhould go to enquire of God, whether they might freely murther a man or not, and if their deſire be drawn out to it, and in caſe God do not ſhew them ſome wonder or ſign, or preſently pour down ſome Judgement upon them, they ſhould be free to do it.

p. 78This is as a great a deluſion of the Devil, to draw any mans mind to Prayer, for God to direct them in any thing, when their minds are abſolutely bent to do wickedly; I ſay, it is one of the higheſt provocations to provoke Gods fury that you can invent, as the Pſalmiſt hath it, The Prayers of the wicked are abomination unto the Lord: It is a thing too common in our dayes, for many men to content themſelves with a form of Prayer, when it may be they underſtand not any one petition of what they require, nor that the thing that they require be according to the Will of God or not, which he hath left for our inſtruction, but rather ſeek to bring the Will of God to thoſe things that may ſtand with their advantage and their benefit, and if they can but keep themſelves from the Laws of men, taking hold of them, they think they ſhall be ſafe enough, ſo that they can but have the praiſe and applauſe of the great Rabbies of the times, they look no further; but it was Moſes choice, Rather to ſuffer afflictions with the Children of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, Heb. 11.25.

But thoſe that ſeek a Kingdom in this world, they take little or no care for their future joy, but think it ſhall alwayes go well with them, becauſe they imagine it is rather better with them than with the Righteous at preſent, and they ſee p. 79no alteration, but Gods love is as much to them as to any one ſort of People, and they flouriſh as David ſayes, like a green Bay-tree, and have no frowns from God, neither ſee any change, therefore they go on ſecurely as they think, and they will perſiſt in their own wayes ſtill, as the Pſalmiſt hath it Pſal. 55.19. God ſhall hear and afflict them, even he that abideth of old, becauſe they have no changes, therefore they fear not God: It is not enough to think of being ſecure, becauſe they ſee no change, God may let thee alone it may be for the time that thou art to live or abide in this life, but be ſure of this, you muſt come to give up your account at the laſt day, where all your actions will be tryed by the fire, whether they will abide or not, and whatever we have done in this life, muſt be brought before the Judgment Seat of God, where great mens words will not ſerve our turn, nor all our former ſeeming Friends can bayle us, but Juſtice will be Juſtice, as well as Mercy will be Mercy, God cannot lay neither of them aſide; therefore ſtay not your minds upon great mens ability, neither upon the pretended friendſhip of any man or men, for it is thy own conſcience that muſt appear to excuſe, or elſe accuſe thee; ſo that I ſay, rather looſe the friendſhip of all other ſeeming friends than wrong this thy chief Friend, which if he be forced to be thy enemy, will do thee more wrong p. 80than all thy other friends can do thee good, ſetting Chriſts ſufferings aſide, and they will be of ſmall or no effect to thee, if you give admittance to any unrighteous gueſts; therefore rather looſe all the friendſhip that may any wayes ſeem to prefer thee in this life; yea, thy right hand, than endanger the being ſhut forth of Heaven; it is not any other friend, ſave thy Conſcience, that muſt give an account for thy actions in this life, it will lye upon thy ſelf, either for good or evil, The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Pearl, that when a Marchant hath found, he ſelleth all that he hath to purchaſe it, Math. 13.45, 46.

Even ſo he that hath ever experienced the love of God, will leave his Father and Mother, and all other ſeeming friends whatever, rather than looſe this Pearl, or act contrary to the Truth; yet Chriſt doth not any wayes adviſe Children to be diſobedient to their earthty Parents in reſpect to their obedience, if it be poſſible to content them or obey them, but rather adviſeth them to be juſt obeyers of God, by keeping the Commandments of God, commanded to be kept in the preſence of God and men, and not that any one can imagine himſelf to be an approved fulfiller of the Laws of God, ſo long as he acts unjuſtly between man and man, as I remember it was hiſtorically expreſſed of the judgment of ſome Heathens, concerning p. 81the opinion of the Chriſtians, that they judged the God of the Chriſtians was not a good God, by reaſon of their unfaithfulneſs one toward another, and their unhumane carriage toward them: It is a ſad omen of converſion, when they that ſhould become a pattern to others to walk by, become a reproach and defame to their God, or rather the God of truth in their actions towards men; I never did read that Chriſt or his Apoſtles did leave them any ſuch example, but rather to approve our ſelves to be examples of the Flock, and not Lords over Gods Heritage, and ro offer no offence neither to the Jew nor Gentile, 1 Cor. 10.32. but rather ſhew our ſelves to be ſuch as ſeek to glorifie the Name of God by our uprightneſs and exactneſs to men.

Even as it is recorded of the Prophet Daniel, Dan. 6.4.5. Then the Preſidents and Princes ſought to find an occaſion againſt Daniel concerning the Kingdom, but they could find none occaſion nor fault foraſmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any errour or fault in him; then ſaid theſe men, we ſhall not find any occaſion againſt this Daniel, except we find it againſt him concerning the Law of his God: Faithfulneſs is a happy ornament, though they that wear it may be perſecuted by men, yet they will be upheld by God.

Oh! let us not pretend to be ſpiritual Walkers, when we have not acted the things p. 82that meet Moraliſts account no leſs than their duty to do, leſt we become heirs of that wo pronounced againſt the Seribes and Phariſees, Math. 23. for pretending to be more righteous than any one ſort of people in their time, and under a pretence of long Prayers, devour widows houſes, and pervert the cauſe of the needy: Oh! let me intreat you, to look to your Souls, and do not make your liberty a cloak of maliciouſneſs and deceit, but go to the light, that your deeds of darkneſs may be reproved: And know, you can no wayes tempt God more than to pray to him with any ſelf-endedneſs, you do no better than ſeek to pull a curſe upon your own heads, but whenever you would be directed to pray, take theſe three Directions:

Firſt, Deſire with the help of God, to baniſh all ſelf-ends and ſelf-aims, that ſo you may come to underſtand the Will of God in the Scriptures.

Secondly, Conſider really with your ſelf, that the thing that you do deſire, is not to the prejudice of any one, but that you do as you would have others do to you, in caſe they were in your condition.

Thirdly, Be ſure that you uſe as much mercy in your undertakings, as you would have God uſe to you in the laſt day, and then if you find that all theſe agree in and with your undertakings, p. 83you may expect an Anſwer aſſuredly from the Lord, that is to ſay, a Bleſſing.

For do but mind the ſtrange appearances of men in our times, in their interceſſions to God in Prayer, one prayeth for the reſtoring of one thing, & another prayeth for the throwing of that thing down, and one will perſecute another, becauſe he will not worſhip God as he would have him worſhip him, and another will ſeek to take away the life of others, becauſe they will not be conformable to what they conceive is the right way of worſhip, ſo that Religion may but be your cloak, you value not what rule you have for your actions; Oh England, England! haſt thou forgot a People that the Prophet complains of, That drew near to God with their lips, but their hearts were far away from obſerving his wayes: Oh! that I could but cauſe thee to underſtand the things that belong to thy peace, before they are hid from thy eyes; then ſurely you would own God to be a God of peace and love, and not ſuch an imagined fancy as moſt men imagines him to be, and then you would come to underſtand that obedience is better than ſacrifice, and to hearken is better than the fat of rams, and to cry, Who is Paul? and who is Apollo? and who is Cephas? Paul plants, and Apollo waters, but it is God that muſt give the encreaſe, 1 Cor. 3.

It is far better for us to leave off profeſſing p. 84our ſelves to be religious, than to pretend to a great height of Religion, and walk in the unhumane rudiments of the world, for whoſoever will be a Diſciple of Chirſt, muſt take up his Croſs and follow him, in his wayes as he walked in; he muſt not turn back to fetch any ſelf-end to carry along with him, for if he do, he will endanger the being ſhut forth of the Bride-chamber, neither may he be freed from many encounters with the perverſe enemy of all mankind, but muſt take up his Croſs and march forward thorow perſecutions, and afflictions, and croſſes in this life, and the more he ſeeketh to ſerve his Maſter, the more he will be had in diſdain, not that any can tax him with injuſtice either to God or men, but wherever Chriſt hath a Church, the Devil will be labouring to lay one ſtone or other, you may go on a great way, and build a very fair Tabernacle with moral ſtones, and have the love of men, and not the hatred of the Devil; but if you come to underſtand your task, what it is that you are to build, be ſure he will ſeek to torment you, and make your wages as uncomfortable as he can, he will have a Cain to perſecute Abel, and a Iſhmael for Iſaac, and an Eſau for Jacob, and ten Brethren againſt Joſeph, and whole Cities and Nations againſt the Prophets and Apoſtles, nay, he would not leave Chriſt unattempted.

p. 85So that as I ſaid before, if you will enter into this Company to be one of their Society, you muſt not think it too much to be a falſe prophet in others eſteem, but as all your Fore runners have done, count it your joy that you do not deſerve it at their hands, what though you are counted a Magician with Moſes and Daniel, or a worſhipper of a contrary thing with the moſt part of the Prophets, or a changer of cuſtoms and a prophane perſon, or a wine-bibber, or a mad man, or a breaker of the Sabbath with Chriſt and his Apoſtles, account it your joy to bear the reproach of theſe things, but be ſure to keep your ſelves free from deſerving any of them, but approve your ſelves to be his friends, by doing what he hath commanded you, and then let the world rage, and the Devil ſpit his venemous poyſon how he pleaſe, God will provide you that that will expel it.

And whenever you are brought to that maturity of knowledge, as to experience the love of God as it is in Chriſt Jeſus, you will not ſell your Birth-right for all the ſeeming preferments, and advancements that any unrighteous tempter ſhall ſeek to betray you withal, look to the branch and you will moſt commonly find what it is that nouriſheth the root, if it be nouriſhed by any inward ſpring, or grow by the River ſide, it will flouriſh, although the ſhowres of rain do not p. 86come ſo frequently as they were uſed to do, for he that knowes not how to ſuffer with him, never knew how to rejoice with him, and he that is his, knowes how to do both.

But let not any one miſtake me herein, and think that I conclude that every one that ſuffers, muſt ſuffer for Chriſt.

I muſt confeſs, I hardly did ever read that any Moraliſt could ſuffer for what he did maintain, or ſeek to maintain, if he could any wayes prevent his ſuffering; but in caſe he could not avoid ſuffering, any man will rather chuſe that in which he hath had moſt experience, as a Phyloſopher for his Phyloſophy, and a Marſhalliſt for his Adventures in War; but happy is he that can lay down his life as freely as keep it, upon the account of his Lord and Maſter, in due reſpect to his honour and glory, and not for ſelf-ends, or ſelf-glory.

Many I know will be harping at theſe expreſſions; but let them know, that as I do not conclude the Scriptures to be void of reaſon, ſo alſo I conclude, that it is beyond the moral reaſon of men, to find out the depths of the Scripture.

And as concerning War, I muſt count it is a thing in faſhion in our dayes, and for me to ſeek to alter this faſhion, I ſhall lye liable to the cenſures of men, yet let the Scriptures be true, and have that reſpect to them that you ſhould have, p. 87and then let me be what you pleaſe, I ſhall be brief in this particular at this time, onelyonly refer you to thoſe words of Chriſt that he left with his Diſciples, Mat. the 26. and 52, & 53. verſes, Put up thy Sword again into his place, for all they that take the Sword, ſhall periſh with the Sword, Thinkeſt thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he ſhall give me more than 12 Legions of Angels, but how then ſhall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? and 2 Cor. 10.4. For the Weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds, caſting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God; This is beyond the work of a moral ſword: And Epkeſ. 4.3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace; and James 4.1, 2, 3. From whence comes wars and fighting amongſt you, come they not hence, even of your luſts that war in your members, ye luſt and have not, ye kill and deſire to have and cannot obtain, ye fight and war, yet ye have not, becauſe ye ask not, ye ask and receive not, becauſe you ask amiſs, that ye might conſume it upon your luſts, he that is a Friend of the world, is an enemy to God; and as you read in the firſt Book of the Chronicles 28. and 3. But God ſaid unto me, thou ſhalt not build a houſe for my Name, becauſe thou haſt been a man of p. 88war, and haſt ſhed blood; So that if that Temple of God could not be builded by blood that was but a Type of the true Temple; ſurely, the true Temple cannot be builded with blood or war, but in peace; it is not that Egypt is righteous enough to build the Temple of the Lord, though they may be made a ſcourge to Edom, as Nebuchadnezzar was to Iſrael, I will not accuſe a defenſive ſword, becauſe I have ſeen that the manifeſtations of God are not all of them made known to any one man; but I cannot find that any Diſciple of Chriſt ſhould uſe a morral ſword, as he is a Diſciple of Chriſt, or a Builder of the true Temple, for he that is a Builder of the true Temple, ought not to take revenge againſt his enemies, but commit his cauſe to the Lord, to whom vengeance belongs; and therefore Chriſt bids us to forgive our enemies, leaſt we ſhould ſeek vengeance where God ſeeks none, for we are apt to condemn where God juſtifies, and to ſet our ſelves upon his Seat; Where is any of Gods Meſſagers, but have received this cenſure from the men of their times? Therefore leſt we ſhould be liable to this failing, Chriſt warns us not to judge our Brethren, leſt we be judged, for to his own Maſter he ſtandeth or falleth: Nay, we are forbid to judge, according to what it appears to us, John 7.24. judge not according to appearance, but judge Righteous p. 89judgement: And no man can judge by appearance in many things, but he will doubt whether he judgeth right or not; therefore as we cannot meaſure Gods love, let us forbear judging our ſelves to be better than others, leſt we undervalue Chriſts ſufferings.

But as concerning an offenſive War, I find not any grounds in Scripture for it, and if any man can ſhew me any Scripture for it ſince the death of the Teſtator, at which time the Teſtament was of force, I ſhall not take it ill at his hands, for I have not ſo learned Chriſt as to flatter any one, Job 17.5. He that ſpeaketh flattery to his friend, the eyes of his Children ſhall fail; Prov. 27.5, 6. Open rebuke is better than ſecret love, faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kiſſes of an enemy are deceitful.

But ſome one may Object, Why did not Chriſt bid the Souldiers lay down their Armes, that came to ask him what they ſhould do, he did not diſencourage them in their undertaking, but bids them do violence to no man, and be content with their wages?

I Anſwer, That any man that is a perfect Performer of this part of his duty, may give a juſt account of his actions, but you muſt obſerve that he that adviſes them to that, commanded alſo that they ſhould love their enemies, and bleſs them that curſe them, & pray for them that deſpitefully p. 90uſe them, Mat. 5.44. So ſhall you approve your ſelves Children of your Father which is in Heaven.

But I ſuppoſe that Chriſt did never adviſe any of his Diſciples to go to War with the worſt of their enemies, nor to fight for a Kingdom of this world, but rather ſuffrr by the men of this world, if one muſt be; and as for his adviſe to the Souldiers, I ſuppoſe it was rather that they ſhould not break their engagements in what they were engaged in, as in reſpect to their Governours, or their loyalty to their promiſe, rather than his owning of the War to be according to the Will of God, for thoſe for whom they fought were ſuch as Chriſt doth condemn to be meer worldlings; And therefore how could their cauſe be good? And yet he would not adviſe them to break their engagements, but to act truth, that thoſe whom he had ſpoke againſt for doing of injuſtice, might not have any thing to accuſe him of, neither in adviſe nor action; For what difference is there between the Righteous and the Wicked? But onelyonly in their actions, as in reſpect of their honouring or diſhonouring of God: It is a very vain thing for any one to think they are ſpiritually Righteous, when they are not morally juſt; For how can any man ſpirituallize himſelf, and not uſe morality? For whatever is manifeſted to be acted between man and man, is external, p. 91in reſpect of decayableneſs and noncontinuance; therefore God expects, that as you have received a Talent of Righteouſneſs and Truth, ſo you ſhould act truth and deal juſtly with all men, and not to boaſt of a Talent of Truth and Righteouſneſs, when you act contrary, and do not improve it, but abuſe the true uſe of it, for God is better pleaſed in the juſt demeanour toward men, than with thouſands of ſacrifices by your pretences in Religion, even as that is inſtanced of the Children of Iſrael in the time of Joſhuah, as you may read Joſhuah 9.19. they could not kill the Gibeonites, becauſe they had made a Promiſe, that they would not deſtroy them, although the Lord had commanded to deſtroy all thoſe people and places, ſhewing them the danger of making a league with them, as you may read Deuteronomy the 7th. Oh! how would many in our dayes ſwallow ſuch an Oath, and never think themſelves hardly the worſe for ſo doing! ſhould ſuch a thing extend to their own ends in any one particular, theſe people might have pleaded that they could not diſobey the Commands of the Lord, who had commanded them to deſtroy both young and old, and that they entered into Oath with them upon no other account, but as being a people that lived at a diſtance from the place which God had given them, and that it would be a great danger of their, p. 92ſons marrying with their daughters, and their daughters with the Gibeonites, and ſo intice them to follow other gods: Therefore being forewarned by the Lord, they would prevent the worſt, being it was upon a ſpiritual account, as indeed it would have ſeemed with many of our moſt zealous Profeſſors; but the Princes of Iſrael ſay, They may not do it, for they had entered into Covenant with them, to let them live: Therefore they would not become Covenant-breakers, but would make a Covenant to be a Covenant in deed as well as in words; I will endeavour to ſhew you 3 Reaſons, why the Princes of Iſrael would not break this Covenant, when the people did earneſtly deſire it.

Firſt, In reſpect they had not broken the Command of God willingly or knowingly, and in caſe they ſhould break this League with the Gibeonites, they ſhould offend againſt him in both, for that God that is the God that bid them keep thoſe Covenants and Commands, bids them alſo act truth, and lye not one to another; that they may demonſtrate to all people that they worſhip a God of Order, and a God that will not lye: Therefore ſeeing that they could not keep both, but that they were circumvented in one, they would be as exact as they could in the other; many look at what God ſayes in one reſpect, but not at others, it had been good if Iſrael had not p. 93entered into League with them, to the contrary to have deſtroyed them, but ſeeing they had, though it was upon an account, as they thought of ſtrangers, nay, they asked them if they did not live amongſt them, and they ſaid no, they came from a far Countrey.

I fear very few Profeſſors in our time would be ſo exact in their carriage, for the praiſe of their Maſter.

Secondly, They knew they ſhould very much diſhonour their God in not confiding, that he was able to keep their ſons and their daughters from believing or worſhipping the gods of the Heathen, if they ſhould marry one with the other, it would ſeem a very diſhonourable part for Iſrael, when they had engaged to Gibeon to break their Covenant, for fear the Gibeonites ſhould draw them, or their ſons or daughters from worſhipping that God whom they ſerved, it muſt needs argue that they give evident witneſs, that their God is not ſtrong enough to encounter with the god of the Heathens, and that is the way to worſhip a god that is not; but in caſe thou art engaged, I find no Scripture grounds that you ſhould ever falſifie your word for others, being worſe than you, for that is the way to make thy ſelf worſe than they, whereas if Gibeon live with Iſrael, who knoweth but Iſrael may convert Gibeon; however, Iſrael will be Iſrael ſo long p. 94as they keep in this mind; It was the opinion of an antient Heathen, That no man could be ſpiritually good, if he was not morally juſt; and his reaſon was, That the ſpiritual God was a God of Order.

But ſome one may Object, Suppoſe that thoſe that I have engaged to, ſhould give me any juſt occaſion to break my Covenant, they being as deeply engaged as I was, it is they that became Covenant-breakers, and not I; I hope I may freely break mine, without wronging my Conſcience at all?

I Anſwer, It is one thing to be found an Offender in the ſight or judgement of men, or their cuſtomary Inſtitutions, and another to be found an Offender in the laſt day before the juſt Judge of Heaven & Earth, the Laws of men it may be may clear thee, and ſo thou canſt not be ſaid to be an Offender of them; but if thou approveſt thy ſelf not to be guilty of refuſing the advice of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, thou muſt look further than what the Lawes of men do intimate; in ſome things the Lawes of Nations are differing, many Kingdoms allow that which others condemn, but God is one intire being, and his Law the one edifying Truth, which teacheth us not to render evil for evil, contrariwiſe but good; ſuppoſe you are but engaged conditionally, even as by indenture, where there are Obligations laid upon both ſides, and thy Partner breaks his part p. 95of the Obligation, thou canſt not but account it evil in him; And wilt thou commit the ſame evil by breaking thy part, when thou condemneſt the ſame thing in another? Chriſt adviſeth, us, that if any man compel us to go with him a miſe, to go two; and if any man ſtrike thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other, thou ſhalt not anſwer for this offence, but for thy own. And I muſt confeſs, it is my opinion that no one can with any ſafety break their engagements for the time they ſtood engaged at firſt, though you may receive great in juries by the other parties default; the Apoſtle Peter doth plainly intimate as much in his firſt Epiſtle 2. Chapter 19, 20, 21. verſes, For this is thank worthy, if a man for conſcience toward God endure grief, ſuffering wrongfully, for what glory is it, if when you are buffeted for your faults, ye take it patiently; but if when you do well and ſuffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God: The Apoſtle doth not adviſe the ſervant to break his Covenant to his Maſter, becauſe the Maſter doth break his, but rather ſuffer what puniſhment the Maſter ſhall inflict upon him; yea, herein is a Believers joy, that he is accounted worthy to ſuffer for maintaining the truth in any one particular, for all are not called to ſuffer in one manner or way, though fleſh and blood may not ſeem ſatisfied with it, by reaſon p. 96of the preſent anguiſh of ſpirit, for no affliction ſeems joyous for the preſent, but grievous, yet after ward, it yieldeth the pleaſant fruit of righteouſnes, Heb. 12.11. So that though it may ſeem to terrifie thy outward man, yet thy inward man will be ſtrengthened, the which ought to be rather nouriſhed than neglected, and though it may ſeem to prove diſadvantagious to thee in this life, yet here will be thy joy that thou haſt obeyed the Truth, and canſt look death in the face with great boldneſs, by thy exactneſs in thy word to all men, even as David ſpeaks in Pſalm 15.4. concerning thoſe that ſhall be Inhabitants in Zion, amongſt which one thing that is found needful, is to keep his Word, Though he ſweareth to his hurt, yet he changeth not; revenge belongeth to the Lord, if you receive any wrong, commit your cauſe to him, and do not ſeek any revenge upon any man; but let not any ſeek to circumvent me in this my deſcription, I put a difference between the People of God promiſing, and a people that are in darkneſs, but I ſpeak of them that engage, when they are in the tuition of the Lord, or at leaſt wayes own themſelves ſo to be, and a difference between the promiſes of the Law or under the Law, as they were underſtood, and the promiſes under the Goſpel, for under the Law any man might put away his Wife, onelyonly giving her a Bill of devorcement; but Chriſt tells us, p. 97that it is adultery, to do it in the Goſpel, and cauſeth them to commit adultery alſo, that are put away in that nature; ſo it is not every thing that is cuſtomary with men, that is juſtifiable in the ſight of God.

3. Iſrael had experienced, that God did make it his deſire to keep thoſe engagements that he had made to them, as it is often mentioned in the Scriptures, though they had broken their engagements as to their particular and general failings, yet God was ſo tender, leaſt he ſhould break his part, as that he doth as it were ſtand and meditate, before he will any wayes inſiſt upon any urgent or auſtere puniſhment, and doth often invite them to return and review their wayes, and turn to repentance for their back-ſliding, that he may have mercy on them, and defer his anger; God is juſt and merciful, and it cannot be ſaid of him that he did ever break any engagement to any perſon or people, for as his promiſes have been to his people many times but conditionally.

For as he engageth to be a God and a Defender to them, if they will keep his Laws, and obſerve and do his Commands, ſo likewiſe he often engageth, that if they will not keep his Law, or perform their part, that he will puniſh them, and leave them to their own wills and their own deſires, and let them go on in their own filthineſs, until they have fulfilled the deſires of their own wayes, and then he will take the Rod and ſcourge them; ſo as I ſaid before in this parricular, God is as juſt p. 98in performing this part of his Covenant, as he was in performing the other, by reaſon of the entailment of Truth that did force him to it, but in reſpect to thoſe promiſes that are made abſolute, he is ſo exact in keeping them, where there is no entailment to the contrary, as that he will keep his word, though a people do offend him and vex his Holy Spirit, as is inſtanced by his promiſe to Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, in relation to his cauſing their ſeed to inherit the Land of Canaan; and although his People did oftentimes offend and vex his Holy Spirit, yet nevertheleſs, he being a God of Truth, he would not be moved ſo far as to make his Promiſe null and void of effect.

2. As he had promiſed that he would render up the onelyonly beloved of his delight his Son Chriſt Jeſus, to the mercies of wicked men, even to do after the imaginations of their own hearts with him, ſo far as concerned life to their appearance, ſo he did fulfil it to the full, although they had denied to own him in his interceſſions, for a condiſcention of love and unity; yea, they did not own him to be their God, they would have none of him nor none of his inſtructions, but did beat his Meſſengers, and impriſon and kill his Prophets, and ſhewed him all the unhumane reſpect that poſſibly could be, and did him all the diſhonour that lay in their power, yet nevertheleſs God had promiſed that he would provide an acceptable ſacrifice for the ſeed of Abraham, A Lamb without blemiſh or ſpot: And though the People were never ſo p. 99wicked and unhumane, and Breakers of all the Ordinances, Laws and Commands that he had given them to obſerve and do, yet he could do no leſſe than perform his Promiſe; Otherwayes how could it be ſaid that he was a God of Truth?

So as it is plainly underſtood, that God hath been compelled by Truth many times, to beſtow his gracious favours and mercies upon his People, when they have deſerved a curſe, and oftentimes, though it might with true acknowledgment and obedience become a Bleſſing to them that receive it; ſo it proves to thoſe that are obſtinately bent, even a curſe by their not prizing of it as they ought to do, even as Chriſt was to Judas, and ſeveral other of the Jews.

Beſides, The Iſraelites durſt not break their promiſe with Gibeon, for fear of diſhonouring their God, and provoking him to anger, by making him odious in the fight of the Heathen, who do hold of this judgement, That if they do once promiſe a thing, their gods will afflict them, if they do not effect it, And ſhould Iſrael act below the Heathen? The very Heathen would condemn their God of injuſtice, as indeed it was Jacobs anſwer to his ſons, Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me, to make me ſtink before the Inhabitants of the Land, and I being few in number, the Canaanites and the Perizites will gather themſelves together and ſlay me, and all my houſhold; As you may read at large in the 34th Chapter of Geneſis, and the 30th verſe, Jacob accounted it a greater offence for Simeon p. 100and Levy to break their Covenant, than to let their Siſter remain with Hamor, as indeed ſeeing ſhe had been the occaſion on the one part of working the defame in Iſrael; even ſo they had made Iſrael to ſtink before the Nations on the other ſide, and ſo conſequently the God of Iſrael.

And if you do but mark in the following Chapter, you ſhall find that God doth take notice of it in the firſt verſe, God calls to Jacob to go up to Bethel, and dwell there: If you do but turn to the 28th Chapter of this Book, you ſhall find what Jacob did promiſe in Bethel, whether he is commanded to return, that is, to his promiſe in Bethel, That if God would bring him ſafe to his Fathers houſe, he ſhould be his God: Now God had performed his promiſe, but Jacob had failed in his, in that his ſons had broken their Covenant with Shechem and Hamer.

Object. Well, but what doth God call Jacob to go to Bethel, or to his promiſe in Bethel to do?

Anſw. It was to take notice, that he had broke his promiſe, and therefore he commands Jacob to build an Altar there, for he would not anſwer him on that Altar El Eloſie Iſrael, or in the breaking of the Covenant, but in Bethel, or his owning of him to be his God, and therefore Jacobs firſt work is to cleanſe and purge his houſe of Idols, as you may read in the 35th Chapter, and to bury them in Shechem, before he could go up to Bethel, and tells his Family, that they muſt change their garments and be clean, and then ariſe and go to build an Altar p. 101in Bethel, and ſeek the Lord that anſwered him in his diſtreſs, and by that means a terrour did ſtrike into the hearts of the neighbouring Cities that they journed ſafely.

Secondly, Iſrael had purchaſed Gods diſpleaſure not long before this engagement was made with the Gibeonites, as is inſtanced in the 7th Chapter of Joſhuah, and the 11th verſe, Iſrael hath ſinned ſaith the Lord, in breaking their Covenant which I commanded them, they have alſo ſtolen and have put it amongſt their own ſtuff, and therefore they could not ſtand before their enemies: So you may ſee plainly, that God is very exact to have Iſrael keep his Law and Commandments, and had they not entered into Covenant with the Gibeonites to let them live, they durſt not have preſerved any of their lives, but ſeeing they had engaged to do it, though it was unknown to them of their living in that place, God was pleaſed better with it than if they had broke their Covenant, and Gibeon is not the laſt in proceſs of time that laid their helping hand to build the Temple of the Lord in Judah, as you have in the third Chapter of Nehemiah and the 7th verſe, which ſhews that God was well pleaſed with Iſrael for their keeping their Covenant, in accepting of the Gibeonites into his favour for Iſraels ſake, whereas Achan offending againſt him, when there was no Obligation to urge him to it, he will not be friends with him nor with Iſrael, till they have deſtroyed him, but Iſrael muſt fall before the men of Aie, yea, and thoſe that have not offended with p. 102polluting themſelves in the forbidden inticements; therefore it is not that men do fall before their enemies alwayes for the ſins that they commit themſelves, but for the pollutions of others Iſrael is ſaid to ſin in that one had ſinned, even Achan, and God would ſuffer even 36 of the Iſraelites to dye before the men of Aie, and the reſt to flee for Achans offence; therefore I would entreat every man whatever, that profeſſeth himſelf to be a Chriſtian, to take heed of offending God in this, or any other thing; for be ſure, if God do not take up a controverſie againſt us for our backſliding, yet we may be the occaſion of his fury againſt others that are more innocent than we; for God will not be friends with Iſrael, till the Babyloniſh garment be burned, and Achan ſtoned.

Look to it as well as you pleaſe, you know your pay will be according to your work; I need not tell you, that there are more Babyloniſh garments than one, and I ſear ſome that profeſs high Notions, have clothed themſelves with them from the crown of the head to the ſole of the foot, onelyonly wearing a religious cloak over it, to deceive; O men, look well to your ſelves, and let not your own hearts condemn you before God, and before I will not condemn you, but I ſpeak my mind plainly, becauſe there is too too many that heal your wound too ſlightly, even as the Prophet Jeremiah complains in the 6th Chapter of his Propheſie and the 14th verſe, They have healed the hurt of my Daughter ſlightly, crying, peace, peace, when there p. 103is no peace: So it hath plainly appeared in our time, that we have pretended to a great meaſure of light in Religion, But where is the man that cryed, We are all fell ſhort? But rather accounting that the Judgement that is fallen upon thee O England belonged to Rome and the Beaſt, accounting of Chriſts Reign in perſon, and not minding to ſet up his Power in our hearts, juſt as the Children of Iſrael did account themſelves happier in the Land of Canaan whilſt they were in the Wilderneſſe, than they did in the pleaſure of God, by which they were to enjoy it, and ſo fell to murmering and repining at Gods dealing with them according to his pleaſure; therefore he ſlew that generation of men, and would not ſuffer them to enter into the Land at all; ſo may I ſay of thee O England, that haſt had more diſcourſe of the throwing down of Babylon, than thou haſt had zeal to the God that ſhould throw Babylon down into the bottomleſſe pit; if pretences could have done it, I muſt confeſs thou mighteſt have gone a great way in it, but you ſought to cleanſe onelyonly the outſide, and did not furbiſh the inſide to anſwer it; it would be a very ſmall ſatisfaction to thee to have Chriſt reigne a thouſand years upon the earth, and to begin his reign, before he hath been lifted up in thy heart, therefore firſt ſeek the Kingdom of God and the righteouſneſs thereof, and then …e ſure all other things ſhall be added unto you; and do not think to dwell with the Father, unleſs ye eat the fleſh of the Son, and if ye eat the fleſh of the Son, ye ſhall live p. 104by him, even as he liveth by the Father, John 6.56, 57. Therefore do not think of ſatisfying your ſelves with any thing below him, but be ſure to eat that which the Scriptures doth manifeſt to be in him: Thus wiſhing the one Almighty and infinite being to direct both you and I, that we may not look at things as they appear cuſtomary, but as they are in reality and truth, that we may believe in him that is our peace, By adding vertue to our Faith, and to Vertue Knowledge, and to Knowledg Temperance, and to Temperance Patience, and to Patience Godlineſs, and to Godlineſs Brotherly Kindneſs, and to Brotherly Kindneſs Charity, and if theſe things be in you and abound, you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8. For ſo is the Will of God, that with well-doing you might put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men as free, and not uſing your liberty for a cloak of malitiouſneſs, but as the Servants of God, 1 Pet. 2.15, 16. And if you have ſo learned Chriſt, as …o obſerve and do theſe things that you are invited to, you need not fear what man can do unto you, but you will get into a ſtronger harbour, & take your repoſe, and wait till you hear the voice of the Bridegroom, crying, Come my People, enter thou into thy Chamber and ſhut thy doors about thee, hide thy ſelf as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over-past, Eſay 26.20.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Watson, Jerusalems Glory (1661)