THE CONTENT OF A WAYFARING MAN: AND THE ACCOUNT OF A MINISTER'S REMOVAL.  
TWO SERMONS.  
The one preached at the Morning Lecture in the City of London; the other more enlarged in another Congregation.  
BY J. F. M. A.  
Nihil tibi aequè proficiet ad temperantiam omnium rerum, q. à.n frequens cogitatio brevis aevi & hujur incerti.  Hieron. ad H●liod. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Chrysost. in 1 Tim. Hom. 17. 
LONDON; Printed by Matthew Simmons. 1648.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, JOHN LORD ROBERTS, Baron of TRURO, All increase of lasting Honour and Felicity.  
Right Honourable,  
THis hasty undressed Birth, being forced out of doors by the importunity of divers godly Ministers and Friends, begs a covering from your Honour's Name, whose merits are so well known unto the world in those public employments to which you have been engaged, as, if I should attempt to add any lustre, I should but light a Candle to the Sun, and shadow that beauty which an abler pencil hath lately drawn. 
Master Samuel Bolton in his Epist. Dedic. to his Arraignment of Error.  I had not adventured upon the Acumen of your wisdom and parts, for patronage of this infirm labour, had not your accustomed candour prompted me with afavourable excuse of this honest ambitiion, partly from that wel-known love your Honour bears to learning & piety, partly from the constant experience of your abundant favours, of which I desire in this small monument to perpetuate the acknowledgements, and partly from the subject of the first ensuing discourse, which may be not unsuitable to your affection of a contemplative retiredness and a contentive sweetness in your self-injoyments: your Honour not aspiring great things for yourself in jacob's day of small things, most nobly disdaining to make your Morsels fat out of the public wants, although your losses may be as great as some others.  
Heroic Sir, I trust neither of these Sermons will be unsavoury to your goodness, though both unworthy your learning.  
The first Sermon presents you the felicity of an humble content and peaceable retiredness, a Discourse not unseasonable in times so full of trouble and uncertainty as ours are.  
The second discovers the lawful ends, and unkind provocations of a Ministers removal, yielding both an Apology for the Minister, and an Alarm to the people whatsoever they are. Hope, which is the Mother of Boldness, and Mistress of Endeavour, hath brought them unto your hands, to do some service to the Church of God, and to your Honour, wherein if they shall 〈◊〉 so happy, it will both Comfort and Crown him who is servant to both  
In all Gospel duties entirely obliged, JOHN FATHERS.   

THE CONTENT OF A WAYFARING MAN: OR, Jeremy's Cottage in the Wilderness.  JEREM. 9.2. 
O that I had in the Wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people and go from them.  
Or thus, Oh that I had the Cottage of a Wayfaring man in the Wilderness.  
WE have here Jeremy's Content, and Jeremy's Account: His Content was moderate, He aspired no great things for himself, nor Bishop's Lands, nor Deans Houses. A Cottage was his Content, and his Content was suitable to his Condition.  
His Condition was a Wayfaring-man, 
Non lequitur de diversoriis quae trant in pagis & urbibus, sed de diversoriis deserti quemadmodum videhimus ubi per sylvas longum est & molestum iter, tuguria quaedam componisi fortè deprehensus fuerit viater tenebris noctis ut possit latere sub tecto, scil. nè sub die cubet. Calv. in Loc.  and the Cottage of a Wayfaring-man was his Content, only a hole to hid his head in a storm, and to afford him a night's lodging in his Way: And that in no stately City, where perhaps a small Cottage may be of more value than a large Farm in the Country.  
But the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness. And Wilderness, whether you take it literally, for a place sma●y inhabited; as that wilderness wherein the Priests had 6 Cities; or for a place not at all inhabited, as that to which Jeremies wild Ass was used; or figuratively for a rude and untaught people, as Wilderness doth often signify in holy Scriptures. Either way it suits very well with Jeremy's Content, who desired to enjoy himself in a peaceable retiredness, which he could not in a tumultuous City; and probably as he had better hopes of the safety of his person amongst wild beasts, then wicked men: so of the success of his Ministry amongst a rude and ignorant people in the wilderness, then amongst those whose knowledge did puff them up in Jerusalem. For so we find Jeremy's Account, why he desired the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness, That I might leave my people, and go from them.  
My people: His they were though they were so bad. Jeremy you will yield, was an able, painful, faithful, courageous Minister, who feared not the frowns of Kings nor Princes, Fetters nor Dungeon, for the faithful discharge of his Ministry; and yet so good as he was, he was unhappily matched with a bad people, and so bade they were, as that he did desire to leave them, and yet not leave them without leave from God, or love to them.  
Not without leave from God; for these words we must not conceive to fall at randum from Jeremy, as if he were hurried away from his people by passion, or discontent, but as he says, Chap. 11. v. 20. Unto thee, O Lord, have I revealed my cause. And Chap. 20. 12. Unto thee, O Lord, have I opened my cause. He seeks to God for a place of remove, and would remove as the Israelites in the wilderness at God's command.  
Not without love to them; for though he did leave them, yet he would not leave to pray for them, & to pray in tears, and tears in abundance; and that abundance not sufficient to content his love, but that he wishes for more. O that my head were full of waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the captivity of the daughter of my people, verse 1. of this Chapter. For so you must join that verse to this, and you have then and there a double account of Jeremy's option for a Cottage in the wilderness.  
Seeing his preaching could do no good in Jerusalem, he was desirous to retire himself to prayer, and to pray in tears, as Jeremy did, retiredness is best.  
Foreseeing their Captivity, he was unwilling to see it, and therefore desired to enjoy himself in a peaceable retiredness, rather than to live in Jerusalem with fire over his head. O that I had the Cottage of a Wayfaring man in the wilderness, that I might leave my people and go from them.  
I have now given you the Analysis of the Text, and you see there is much in it, and I have little time, I shall endeavour as well as I can, to contract much into little, and shall confine myself to the two general heads of the Text: Jeremiahs' Content, and Jeremiahs' Account.  
From the first, I observe; How moderate gracious desires should be in these earthly things.  
From the second; How good Ministers may upon warrantable grounds desire to remove from an unkind people.  
And first, I shall apply myself to the first, Jeremy's Content: O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.  
General Doctrine. 1 Gracious desires should be moderate in these earthly things. I do not say, The desires of grace should be moderate. For that is our great corruption, that in those things wherein unsatiableness of desire is only lawful, our affections are too remiss; as in spiritual and heavenly things; and too intense in those things wherein unsatiableness of desire is most unlawful: as in temporary and earthly things. And therefore I say, If our desires are gracious, they are and should be moderate in earthly things.  
Will you please to look upon your example in the Text, Jeremiah was one of noble birth, of great parts, of eminent gifts, of admirable courage, of unparallelled fidelity in his Ministry: and yet neither his birth, nor place, nor parts nor gifts, did make him ambitious: A cottage did content him who might deserve a palace.  
Will you take another instance to this? It is that of Agur, 
Prov. 30.8.  Give me not riches lest I be too full, but feed me with food convenient for me. Give me not riches.  
Quis nisi mentis inops? You will scarce think him a reasonable man that should desire riches not to be given unto him? But stay a while, and hear his reason: Lest I be too full. He would not have his food to become his disease. You well know the danger of surfeits, you know it, but feel it not whilst the sweet morsel is going down; but he that fears it, puts the knife unto his throat, and moderates his appetite. Feed me with food convenient for me. 1. Victum, Food he doth desire: So much of these outward things as may afford him a livelihood. 2. Dimensum, Food convenient, a portion suitable and competent to his place and calling. This is lawful, and this is moderate.  
To these two instances will you please to take one Rule from him that is our Rule. 
●ohn 14.6. Matth. 6.11.  He that blesseth our prayers, taught us to pray for our daily bread. 1. For Bread, Panem indigentiae, so much as may supply our wants in our way: A jacob's scrip to virtual us over Jordan. 2. Our daily Bread, sine solicitudine, without anxious thought for to morrow: for to morrow [saith the same divine Oracle] will care for itself: Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  
Nor did our blessed Lord and Saviour set this Boundary unto others, which he kept not himself: For he who had the fullness of Heaven and earth for his foot stool, was yet content with his daily Administrations. You have now the proof of the Doctrine: 
Matth. 8.15. Mark 15.41.  That gracious desires are and should be moderate. I might give you many Reasons for further confirmation of it; but time confines me to those only which offer themselves in the Text.  
The first is this:  
Reason 1 That our Content should be suitable to our Condition. Wayfaring-men we are by our Mortal Condition, and our Spiritual Content should be the Cottage of a wayfaring-man, only that which may suffice us in our way.  
The life of Man is not unfitly compared to a way wherein persons of divers conditions travel, 
Matth. 5.22. Psalm 49.13. Psal. 24.6.  and this is the brood of Travellers, we all meet in this one condition to be wayfaring-men. There are many conditions of the wayfaring-man which suit with ours, should I travel them all, I should scarce part with the wayfaring-man, before this travel were ended. I will only restrain myself unto two. 1. What we are in respect of our mortal Condition? Wayfaring-men. 2. What we ought to be in respect of our spiritual desires. Content with our cottage in this wilderness of sin.  
This World is a thoroughfare either to Heaven or to Hell, and whether Judas goeth to his place, or Peter to his, we all are as a ship under sail, passing swiftly to our haven, and every moment of time doth hasten us to our last home.  
The travails of men indeed are to divers ends: Some to be great, others to be rich; some for knowledge, others for wealth, [few for grace.] And whilst for the increase of these, we desire increase of years, what do we desire, but that [which unto the carnal man is so undesired] our hastening to our journey's end: the way in which we all meet, the way of all flesh.  
It is not without a mystery, and this of our condition, that the world's first entertainment of our Saviour was in an Inn, 
Luke 2.7.  and his Mother fell in travel with him, whilst she was in travel. How much do they mistake their condition, that take their Inn for their home, and make their way their rest.  
I cannot blame worldlings to build 〈◊〉 tabernacles here, and to wish they might ever dwell in them, being with Pharaohs Baker loath to go out of their earthly prisons, because they fear a worse condition out of them. But you my Beloved, that have good hopes of Heaven, account yourselves strangers and pilgrims here, and let your affections, your conversations be in Heaven, whilst yet your commoration is in your removing tabernacles.  
Should a wayfaring man be so taken up with the delights and profits of a foreign Country, as to dislike the Laws and Government of his own, and so to dislike it, as to take up arms against it: What doth he but make his travail his exile, & may perhaps come short of a pardon, when he desires to return home again. Heaven is the Country, from whence our immortal souls did all set forth. Every sin is a war against it, which if in disdain of our home we do maintain, we are not travellers, but traitors and fugitives, and may be to seek of mercy, when our travail is ended.  
My Brethren, mind your Condition, that's the first.  
Secondly, Let your content be suitable to your condition.  
When the Israelites travailed through the Moabites Country, 
Deut. 2.6.  they would meddle with nothing, but necessaries in their way; and when they were journeying into the Land of Promise, 
Exod. 11.2.  they left their brick and clay to the Egyptians, and borrowed of them only Jewels of gold and Jewels of silver; such things as were portable in their way to the holy Land.  
You that have a birth above the world, ye sons and daughters of the Highest, fowl not your fingers with this world. Let the Egyptians take their brick and clay unto themselves, and borrow you only of this earthly Mammon so much as may be portable in your way to Heaven; or, by an holy exchange into heavenly treasures, 
Matth. 6.20. Luk. 16.9.  may be transported thither before you.  
Our forefathers that lived six and eight hundred years, were content with removing tents, and we whose lives are but of three days to theirs, must provide houses so great, and inheritances so large, as if we did forget that our condition is mortal, or that it is our duty, to suit our content unto our condition. Let worldlings bear with a chiding from the Poet; O curvae in terras animae & coelestium inanes: O ye crooked souls, bowed down unto the earth, and empty of all that is heavenly: why are ye so serious in trifles, and do so trifle in that which is most serious.  
Fond Earthworme, give me leave to reason with thee a little; thou hast provided for thyself a great and stately mansion, with ponds, and orchards, and vineyards, and all things that may delight and content thy flesh, but what hast thou laid up for thy precious soul, in those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
2 Cor. 5.1.  buildings made without hands, eternal in the heavens. It will not be long, ere thy stately mansion will disdain to lodge thee. Thy delicate wife, thy tender children, and thy dearest friends refuse to keep thee, yea be glad to bury thee out of their sight: as Abram his beloved Sarah; and then think what will become of thy poor and naked soul. Are thy comforts no surer than his which said, Quò iturus sum nescio? Whether I am going I know not. Hast thou taken so much care for a life so transitory, for which a cottage might have sufficed, and left an eternal felicity upon a peradvanture? I tell thee, and be not angry with me, if I tell thee the truth; the basest vermin that crawleth upon the earth, is in a far better condition than thou art.  
O that men heaping up earthly riches, according to the utmost measure of their will and power, would yet learn to measure their will and power, according to the frailty of their mortal condition; and whilst thy gaze so much on the golden head of their Babylonian Idol, in which they glory, they could yet look down upon the feet of clay wherewith they travel.  
When I hear my fellow-travailer tell me of the danger of thiefs and plunderers in my way; I begin to think of securing the money I have about me, and if I were to set forth, I would carry no more with me than is needful in my way. I need not Interpret, Breve iter magno viatico non instruitur sed oneratur; Large provisions for a short journey are not an help but a burden unto it, and if we cannot unloade ourselves, it is not from the impossibility of the duty, but from the perverseness of our affections, and wretched creatures that we are, who for a temporary security, can do that which for an eternal felicity we reject as impossible to be done.  
I have now done with the first reason, why gracious desires in these earthly things should be moderate; Because our spiritual content should be suited to our mortal condition.  
Reason 2 The second now that offers itself in the Text is this; Because the peaceable retiredness of a mean and low estate is much more , than the trouble and danger of an high and great; and for this I conceive, was Jeremy's desire to retire into a cottage in the wilderness, that his soul might be free from the strifes and vexations that were in Jerusalem. 
Luk. 3.7. to the 18.  And for this probably John Baptist might retire to exercise his Ministry in the Wilderness rather than in the City, because he saw so much disquiet and ungodliness in it, as appears by the sharp reproofs of his Sermon to those that came out of it. And Moses doubtless saw some rich content in a peaceable retiredness, that he was so unwilling to leave his private enjoyment for a public employment, his following his father in law's sheep in Midian, to be the Leader of the people of Israel, although the Lord answered all his four doubts, and took off all his excuses in the third of Exodus.  
David likewise saw very much in this, who was so willing to have changed his Throne in Israel, for a porters office in the Lord's house; 
Psal. 84.10.  and reckoned one day there spent, to be better unto him, than a thousand in the tents of ungodliness. For his experience had taught him, that the tempter never got so much advantage against him at his father's sheepfold, as in his palace at Jerusalem. Great estates and high Employments, 
2 Sam. 11.2.  are but the bellows of pride and passion; if there be not a great measure of wisdom and grace to keep the heart down.  
Solomon likewise was not unacquainted with the comfort and content of a peaceable retiredness, 
Eccles. 2.8.11.  who had tired himself in searching out the vanity and vexation of high estates: Better (saith he) is a saellat of green herbs where peace is, than a stalled ox and contention therewith. 
Prov. 15.17.   
Surely, great estates carry with them great disquiets, and not less in managing, then in getting. How much better might a man enjoy himself in a mean and low estate? And how much better is it for a man to enjoy himself, then to enjoy an estate?  
He discovered a rich content in himself, that boar for his divise a Torteis in his shell, with this Motto: Mecum habito, I dwell with myself: and he also, that gave avother word to it; Vbicunque sum, meus sum, Wheresoever I am, I am myself.  
Seneca that divine Philosopher, that was very studious in searching out beatitudes, discovered this amongst others: Beatus est, qui id se esse putat: he is happy that can find his happiness within himself, and Bias-like doth carry his treasure and felicity with him. It is a poor and contemptible felicity, which one fit of an ague, stone, or gout, can deprive us of: and this is the top-excellency of all earthly comforts.  
It was an enigma no less elegant than acute of Heraelytus, who compared earthly-minded-men (coveting so much to be rich and great) unto those that digged in silver-mines, who by all their hard toil and care, got Parvum in magno, a little silver-oare in a great deal of dirty dross: how much better is it to enjoy Magnum in parvo, a great and rich content in a mean and low estate. And as Cosmographers, who contract the whole world into a little Map, to enjoy all in a little; which he enjoys, who in a little enjoys God and himself, whose estate doth not possess him, but he his estate: and whilst he is in the world, lives in Christ above it.  
The wise and holy God doth not unequally dispense his providences; Some have high places, and little comfort, great estates, and small content in them: others enjoy a rich and great content in a mean estate. Some with those Israelites far daintily, and whilst the flesh is in their teeth, there is leanness in their souls: Others with Daniel, do eat their pulse with quiet consciences, and do enjoy a richer content in God, and his Christ, than the whole creature can afford the worldling without them.  
It was an hot dispute amongst ancient Philosophers, whether a private enjoyment, or public employment were more ? Howsoever Seneca's writings approved the public, yet his desires lead him unto the private: when being tired with the temptations of Nero's Court, endeavoured if he might to have enjoyed himself in a solitary retiredness; And though he placed not happiness in Contemplation, as other Philosophers did, yet in Tranquillity: which he rarely enjoys who aspires greatness, as he well shown that laid down a Crown for the burden of it.  
Our Ecclesiastical History reports of Albertus Magnus, that he was so affected with a peaceable retiredness, as that he left his Bishopric of Ratisbone, to give himself to his private studies.  
I do not undertake to determine the question, because to a wise man, saith the Philosopher both estates may be comfortable, much more comfortable to him that is gracious, without all dispute, good the more public it is, the more good it is: and virtus in nobili plus placet, quia plus claret, Virtue and grace the more eminent it is, the more beautiful it is, and beneficial not only in its employment, but by its example: But, where grace and wisdom is wanting to keep down lust and pride, which are the usual pedissequas of high employments and great estates, there that lazy and unthrifty adage is made good: Bene vixit qui bene latuit: It had been some kind of good to such a man, that he had enjoyed less opportunities of doing good, wherein he did evil. I presume that many in these times do wish with Jeremy, or the time may shortly come, (how soon they know not) that they might wish, they had lived in some obscure cottage in the Wilderness, rather than to have been acquainted with those great temptations, in which their high places and employments have ensnared them.  
It is reported of the Hedgehog, which in our vulgar reproach is the character of a covetous man, that he goes to a pile of apples and gathers up as many as he can upon his prickles, and when he comes to his hole, he goes in with his prickles, but leaves his apples behind him. How many are there that have wallowed themselves in the apples of their sweet contentments, which they have pursued with many pricks and gripes of conscience, who when they shall descend, as shortly they must, to their holes of darkness, they must then leave all the sweet apples of their false delights behind them, and can carry nothing with them, but the stings and stripes of a wounded conscience. Will you hear what they say that have gone before them, what hath pride profited us? or what hath the pomp of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a post that passeth by— but we are consumed in our wickedness.  
Is there now, that says if I were not Alexander, I could wish myself Diogenes, if I were not called to a public place, I could desire a private retiredness; surely, I could desire it likewise in thy behalf, if the Lord hath not given thee grace, to make thy place serviceable to him and to his Saints.  
I have now done with the Doctrinal part of this portion of the Text, to wit, Jeremy's Content, and I shall give you a very short application of it.  
Use 1 And first, whither shall I look? Shall I look off from myself, or from any of you to carry home the reproof of this doctrine? Surely my brethren, there is scarce a mother's son in this Congregation, that lies not under the just rebuke of this truth: I mean for our immoderate desires of these earthly things.  
Esau's hands we see every where hunting after the prey, & quoquomodo rem, all is good fish with the most, that comes to the net: but where do we hear jacob's voice? 
Gen. 33.11. Phil. 4.11.  The Lord hath had mercy on me, and I have enough. Or that of Paul, a Christian; I have learned in whatsoever estate I am, therewith to be content.  
Paul a Pharisee had never learned this lesson, 
Acts 9.4. compared with Gal. 1.6.  before he came to Christ, whose ambition hurried him to serve the lusts of the Council at Jerusalem, in making havoc of the Saints at Damascus. But when the heavenly vision had once struck down his high thoughts, which lay with his body on the ground before the Lord Jesus; then, and not till then, 
Phil. 3.8.  had he learned all to be loss unto him, and Christ only his gain.  
Christians, we speak much of contentment, and it is usual to say, I thank God I am content with what I have; but certainly, if thou art not brought over from the world unto Christ, and dost not enjoy thyself in him, thou didst never yet know what contentment meaneth.  
The Prophet Habakkuk seethe the worldling loading himself with thick clay, 
Habak. 2.9.  and calls unto him, Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness. There is a covetousness which is good, to covet (as the Spirit directs us) the best gifts, 
1 Cor. 12.31.  and be you herein as covetous as your hearts can hold, and spare not. But there are other gifts which the Heathens call gifts of Fortune, because of their inconstancy: and of these is the evil covetousness, to covet to make the House great, and not the heart good. 
Habak. 2.10.  The same Prophet calls to such and tells them in plain language, that they consult shame to their own house. But how is that, you will say? Without all question, the covetous man takes counsel within himself, with Edom, to build his Nest on high: he consults nothing but glory to his House; but consulting not with God and his Word in his ways, the wise and holy Providence turns his counsels into foolishness, and the glory of his House into shame.  
Little do many think how soon and how sad the Accounts may be to them and to their families, who have raised their houses by the undoing of their brethren. Some that have willingly emptied themselves to make them full, and others that have been drained by them to make their morsels fat, and their cups to overflow. He hath swallowed down riches, 
Job. 20.15.  (saith Z●phar in Job) and he shall vomit them up again; but when Judas would have vomited up his prize of blood, it choked him with an halter.  
This is all I shall say more to this point, He only is a poor man that is ever in wa●●s, and he is ever in wants that covets to be rich: and, which is fare worse, a worse tyrant there cannot be then a man's own lusts, nor a worse slaue than he that serves it. And what doth he that covets to be rich having a sufficiency, but covet to serve his unsatisfied lust; at least as he that wears a thin silk cloak upon a thick fur'd gown, doth show the wantonness of his spirit, not any useful employment he makes of it: even so when superfluity and not necessity doth excrutiate the soul with worldly cares, it argues the mind full of vanity, and the heart full of pride.  
Use 2 But secondly, I would rather exhort you, and O that I had argument strong enough to persuade the worldlings reason, that there is reason enough, he should be persuaded to moderation: If from nothing else, yet from the things themselves which he so much covets.  
For first, Riches and great estates, at their best cannot make the possessors thereof better: nay, he must be exceeding good, that is not made much the worse by them; for he that traveleth in his abundance, walketh upon snares, 
2 Tim. 6.9.  and had need of much grace to keep his soul, that he be not entangled and undone by them.  
Secondly, look upon thy prosperity and glory at the highest, it is but as thy shadow in the Sun, the least cloud over-casts it at high noon; and that which in the morning is before thee, in the evening is behind thee: and all is but mane & vesper, of adays continuance, so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.  
O that these reasons now, would make your reason to yield to Jeremy's Content: a Content suitable to your mortal Condition. O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness.  
That was the first General of our Text, which I have now compassed, Jeremy's Content: I had a desire to have given you his Account why he desired his Cottage in the wilderness, That I might leave my people, and go from them. But I know the limits of your time in these morning Exercises, and I shall not exceed.  
Reader, here were some counsels added upon the second point which follow in the end of the second Sermon.   

The second Sermon.  
THE ACCOUNT OF A MINISTERS REMOVE: OR JEREMY DEPARTING FROM JERUSALEM.  
Caveat magistratus né stipendia a piis majoribus instituta diminuat, vel diminui & interverti patiatur, Deus enim vindex horum omnium, & famem ministrorum sequi solet fames verbi in ingrata illa regione.  Joh: Gerhard loc. come. de Magistrate. polit. sect. 185. Hebr. 13.17. 
Obey them that have the oversight over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.  
LONDON; Printed by Matthew Simmons. 1648.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL, FRANCIS BULLER, ESQUIRE, Member of the House of COMMONS; Abundance of Grace, and assurance of Glory.  
Noble Sir,  
THIS Account of a Ministers Removal, being pressed into public, doth hand unto me this public acknowledgement of what I own unto your Family, for my first induction unto a Pastoral charge; wherein, although it pleased God to make my Cup exceeding bitter by two that bore the marks of God's manifest displeasure, the one killed by the Sword of his Comrade in an Alehouse; the other stigmatised as Cain, a fugitive from God's House, and from all Civil Societies, for eight or nine years together: yet it pleased God to make my comforts superabundantly sweet in some spiritual seed there, the growth whereof I saw, especially in that Ordinance of Catechising, wherein your Family blessed the Congregation with a fruitful example.  
It is our happiness if we may be serviceable to God, and to his Church in our generations, and then is greatness both honourable and comfortable, when it is acted by grace.  
The good God of heaven encourage your power and parts to shine as a light upon an Hill, to all that are in the valley beneath you, and make you happy in the saving comforts of your Family. Which is the earnest prayer of  
Your Worships and your Families most humbly devoted, JOHN FATHERS.   

THE ACCOUNT OF A Ministers Remove: OR, Jeremy departing from Jerusalem: THE SECOND SERMON.  JEREM. 9.2. 
O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring man in the wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.  
WE have lately in another Exercise, and place, lodged Jeremy in his Cottage, and in him and it, have observed, how moderate gracious desires are, how suitable a mean Content is unto a mortal Condition? and how much better a low and peaceable estate, than an high and troublesome? We are now to look back unto Jerusalem, and to see how it stands between Jeremy and his people, that he is so pressed to leave them, to examine the Account or reason of his former desire. From whence (not to lose time in opening particulars) some of you may remember, that I presented to you this general Observation:  
General Doctrine. 2 That good Ministers may, upon warrantable grounds, desire to remove from an unkind people.  
In pursuance of this Doctrine, we shall make out two Questions, which if we do not bring into question, the people will for us.  
Qust. 1. How a good Minister can have a bad people, and the fault not his?  
2. How a good Minister can leave his people, be they never so bad?  
Quest. 1 For the first, how a good Minister can have a bad people, and the fault not his, whose work it is to make bad people good. Surely, say some, the fault must needs be the Ministers that his people are so bad; for da Ambrosios' & habebis Theodosios: Let the Minister be good, and the people will be easily wrought unto good by him: But either his life is amiss, or his labours too remiss; either he is too lose, or too precise in his conversation; or too profound, or too plain in his doctrine; either he wants bountifulness, or peaceableness, humility or familiarity: Or perhaps the people may want themselves in all these.  
I deny not but the fault may be sometimes the Ministers, & good Ministers may have their faults, and his discomfort sure it is, that his people are no better, 
Heb. 13.17.  and his discomfort is the people's disprofit: Obey them that have the oversight of you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable unto you: unprofitable unto you (saith the Apostle) that you should make their lives grievous, who spend their lives to make yours good.  
But say my beloved, show me the fault if you can, in Jeremy's life, or labour, and yet his people so bad, as that he was not only weary of them, 
Jerem. 20.15.  but of his life too, because he could make theirs no better. Perhaps you will say he was passionate; It is true, he was, but it was in compassion of the people's good, and in zeal to God's glory. You will say he was stout and stiff, 
Jerem. 14.17, 19 Jerem. 15.19.  and it was needful he should be so: for the Lords charge unto him was, Let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them.  
The Ministry of the Word must not comply with the froward humours and ways of men, but their untoward ways and humours must yield unto the Ministry of the Word. Yea, but his Ministry was of heavy things: yea, and he would not abate one syllable of his message, 
Jerem. 36.32.  though he saw the King's wrath, the Nobles frowns, and the stinking Dungeon before him.  
But what say you then to Isaiah? He was a man for these times, he was styled the Evangelicall Prophet, 
Sam. 19.2.27  and as David spoke of Abimaaz, He is a good man, and bringeth good tidings. His prophecies were (for the most part) Gospel; he did mysteriously and sweetly hold forth Jesus Christ, and yet if you will believe him, he had as little comfort amongst his people, as other Miinisters might have amongst theirs. I have laboured in vain (saith he) and spent my strength for nothing, Isai. 49.4.  
But what speak I of the servant? the Lord it is, of whom this prophecy speaks, as appears by that which follows, verse 6. 
Acts 13.47.  I will also give thee for a light of the Gentiles, and for salvation unto the ends of the earth. Which words the Apostle Paul in his Sermon at Antioch, 
1 Tim. 3.16. 1 Pet. 2.22. Matth. 22.16. Luke 20.21.  bringeth home unto that admirable piece of that great mystery of Godliness, Christ preached unto the Gentiles. And now for Christ, the Sun saw never any man's life more inoffensive than his. His Doctrine was with authority, he was a Teacher sent from God, and taught the word of God truly, his greatest opposites being his witnesses: and yet it is the succeslesnesse of his own Ministry unto the circumcision, of which himself by the Prophet complaineth, I have laboured in vain, I spent my strength for nothing. Of him also the Divine Evangelist testifieth, that He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 
John 1.11.  It is more than manifest, he gave that blessing to the Ministry of the Apostles, which he withheld from his own: There were more converted at one Sermon of Peter, than we can read of by Christ in all his life time: such was our Lord's condescension to honour his Ordinances in his servants more than in himself.  
Now by two or three witnesses truths may be established; but if for further confirmation you desire reasons, why a good Minister may be ill matched with a bad people, and the fault not his, may you please to consider these:  
Reason 1 1. Miinisters may say as Jacob, Are we in God's stead, who hath withheld from us the fruit of our Ministry, whose prerogative alone it is to make the sterile heart fruitful, 
Gen. 30.2. 1 Cor. 3.7.  and to beget the new creature in the barren conscience: the labour is our work, the blessing is his.  
2. Our spiritual Seed is not always visible, some may lie under the clods. A remnant may return, though the generality be stark naught. 
Isaiah 10.22.   
3. What if the Lord be pleased to send his Ezekiels to a rebellious House, that will not hear them. God's glory is never the less, 
Ezek. 2.3. Isai. 15.11. Ezek. 2.5.  though ours be under foot. His Word doth the work for which he sends it; and if the people know no more, yet this they shall know, that the Lord hath sent a Prophet amongst them. He was not wanting to their good in outward means, if by not improving them, they had not been wanting unto their own.  
Give me leave now to make some short application of this point, and I have two words to say, to People, to Minister.  
Use 1 1. To the People; and let me beseech you good people, do not lay those burdens on your Ministers shoulders, which belong unto your own. It is one of the damnable stratagems of Hell to keep the people from profitableness under the Ministry of the Word, by misrepresenting unto them the causes of their unprofitableness; and it is one of the mighty methods of Satan, to persuade them to charge the causes any where, then where they ought, upon their own hearts.  
Yet one word more, (good people) bear, and I pray bear with your Ministers complain under your unprofitableness: for surely their discomforts are exceeding great, not as you give out, for their went of outward comforts: [For without all question, God will never leave a godly Minister unprovided for. If he straghten him in one place, he will make room for him in another.] But because God's glory and your souls are dearer unto them than their lives. Moses for the glory of God's name, 
Exod. 32.32. Rom. 9.3.  was contented to have his own blotted out of the book of life; and Paul for the salvation of many, was pressed in zeal to have parted with his own.  
Nay, beloved, I will speak a bold word and a true, your souls are much dearer unto your Ministers, than they are unto yourselves. For did you bestow but half those pains and cares about your own souls, which they bestow upon yours, how good, how much better would they be!  
How prodigal are many of the sons of Adam, to barter away the precious purchase of Christ's blood for an Apple, their Birthright for a mess of pottage, their souls upon every slight temptation, when it costs their Minister many a night watches, many a painful sweats, many a careful thoughts, and heavy Ephialts, to recover the spoil out of the strong man's hands again.  
Use 2 To my fellow-labourers in the Gospel, such as do see their seed and travel of their soul, whose lot is fallen unto them in a fair ground, and they have a good Congregation: Faelices nimium bona si sua norint, I would have them to bless God much for this rich mercy, who have cast their lot amongst a people reverently affected unto their Ministry. And I would persuade them with all tenderness of spirit and condescension to blow up every spark of good, which they see amongst their people.  
A word more I have to my fellow-sufferers, who are discomfortably matched with an unkind and untractable people, though their comfort be less than others, yet their reward may not: for our reward is not according to our success, but according to our labours. I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing; saith Christ, saith Esay: But my Judgement is with the Lord, and my work with the most High. Though Israel be not gathered; yet shall I be glorified.  
The clouds do kindly serve divine providence in dropping down their fatness, though the earth be not fruitful, and the Sun in giving out his influences, though the clay be hardened; should we cast our pearls before swine? Which do not only refuse our pearls, but rend our persons. Our pearls are not the less precious, nor our kindness the less acceptable unto Jesus Christ; for whose sake we both labour and suffer.  
I remember a passage between Christ and Peter, 
Luke 5.4, 5.  Christ coming into Peter's ship to preach, after he had done his Sermon, bad Peter to cast out his net into the Sea, for a draught of fish, why Sir, saith Peter, I have fished all night, and have caught nothing; nevertheless, at thy command, I will let down the net. And the holy Story saith, He enclosed a great multitude of fishes. You know what Christ intended in this, to show Peter what he should expect when he should shortly be made a fisher of men. He might fish all night, and all day too, and catch nothing, if Christ be not with him: nevertheless, having a word of command from Christ, he must do his work, and wait upon Christ for the word of his blessing.  
Quest. 2 I have now dispatched the first Question: How a good Minister may have a bad people, and the fault not his. The second comes on, How a good Minister may lawfully leave his people, be they never so bad: And here, I shall make out the Solution in four particulars.  

1. I shall show what the interest and propriety is between the Minister and his people.  
2. How fare that propriety and interest doth bind the Minister to stay with his people?  
3. In what case he may remove: and what Jeremy's case was here.  
4. What may be the warrantable ends and grounds of removal in such a case.   
These sad and troublesome times have occasioned many remooves of Ministers, and their remooves many disputes among the people. A word to these will not be u● seasonable in these times.  
Quest. 1 And first what the Interest and propriety is between Minister and people. O that I bade the cottage of a wayfaring man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people. My people, saith Jeremy. But how so. The Prophets were not assigned unto peculiar charges, as the Priests were at Jerusalem, and the Levites unto their particular Cities; and yet Jeremy's delegation we shall find to be chief to the head-city, as appears by Chapter the first of this Prophecy, and ver. 18. Where his Commission is directed unto the Kings of Judah, and to the Princes and Priests that were in Jerusalem. In order whereunto we shall read Chapter 5 ver. 1. and 5. He went up and down the streets of Jerusalem, to find out one righteous and pious man. Upon this ground it is not improbable that he calls those of Jerusalem my people, to distinguish them from those in the Wilderness of Judea, of Ziph, or of Maon; into some one of which he might desire to remove: O that I had the cottage of a wayfaring man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people. But whether we confine Jeremy's Diocese unto Jerusalem, or enlarge it over all Judea, a propriety of relation he had, and every Minister hath in that people to whom the Lord doth send him.  
Observe. Ministers and people have mutual interests one in the other.  
St Paul claims as genuine and natural right in his Corinthians and Galatians, 
1 Cor. 4.15. Gal. 4.19.  as their father that did beget them, or their mother that did travail in birth for them. Notwithstanding it was not Paul that did beget the Corinthians, but the Lord by him. Nor was it he that did bring forth the new creature in the Galatians, but the Spirit by him. Such is our good Lords condescension unto his worthless Ministers, as that he doth oft times in Scripture transfer over, as it were his right unto his Ministers, by ascribing that unto their power, which belongs unto his own, and allowing them to assume that right in his people, which none can truly challenge but himself; as he saith to Moses, 
Deut. 9.12.  Thy people which thou hast brought out of Egypt; when the people were neither of Moses constitution, nor of his bringing out of Egypt, but the Lords.  
Use 1 A word of use to this. Surely the interest is very great between Minister and people, and the bond very strict, both to enforce the Ministers care, and the people's love, nor can indeed the Minister be careless, or the people unloving, if this propriety of relation be laid home.  
The more I wonder at their unnatural unkindness, who do not only forsake, but disdain, yea and reproach those Ministers, by whom if ever they were begotten in the Lord, they must confess they were begotten through them.  
Quest. 2 But now the second Question is, How fare this propriety and interest between Minister and people, binds the Minister to stay with them?  
I conceive, they urge it by much too fare, that would have it as fixed and absolute, as between man and wife, To have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, till death us departed.  
Be the Minister's condition or people's carriage what it will, the Minister in their opinion can no more lawfully leave his people, than a man his wife. Would these likewise allow the wise, to have no right in what is hers, but what is her husbands? I trow they would not. I hear the Apostle say unto his Corinthians, 
2 Cor. 11.2.  I have espoused you unto one husband, which is Christ, but he doth not say, I have espoused you unto one husband, which is myself.  
But grant the relation to be so fixed, as between man and wife, yet there are some cases in which man and wife may separate: And that is now our Third labour to find out that case.  
Quest. 3 Good people that are unwilling to leave their Pastor we cannot blame to question, whether their Pastor might lawfully leave them. Et utinam, I would to God— But this is not the case between Jeremy and his people.  
Leo hath a decree against those, who do remove from small live unto great: Si quis mediocritate sedis suae dispecta administrationem loci celebrioris ambiret, non salùm a Cathedra pellatur aliena sed car●bit & propria. I need not interpret to those by whom I desire to be understood. Qui ad curas pervenerint tanquam sine cura victuri, honori totùm dati, sanitati nihil. Who as those ecclesiastics in Barnard's time pursue their own preferment, not the peoples well far.  
The Council of Chalcedon hath another Canon, not much unlike the former, against removing from a Country to a Citie-charge; The caution in both is: Si quis ambiret, if authority draws the Minister; But Si majorum authoritate inductus: If authority calls the Minister, and (I will add too) the love of the Congregation, the case is otherwise: But neither of these cases doth hit ours; for Jeremy was contented to have changed his province in Jerusalem, for a cottage in the Wilderness.  
That clause then in the eighteenth Canon of the Council of Antioch better fits us: Si non vitio suo, sed plebis contradictione pastor abierit; If the removal of a Minister, be not occasioned by any miscarriage in the Minister, but provoked by the ill carriage of the people: And so it was here: O that I had the cottage of a wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them. Do you ask why? Jeremy will tell you in the words below my text, that his people were so bad, he could not tell how with any comfort to live longer with them. And how bad they were, I had rather you should there read, than I report unto you.  
Quest. 4 And now I come to the fourth and main point of the Doctrine, to set forth unto you, what those warrantable ends and grounds are, upon which a Minister may leave his people: And here are two things which we shall open unto you.  
1. The lawful ends which must be in a Minister.  
2. The sinful provocations that may be in a people.  
1. We will inquire what were Jeremy's ends, for which he desired his remoovall into the Wilderness; And his ends I conceive, may be three.  
1. The success of his Ministry.  
2. The safety of his person.  
3. The tranquillity of his conscience.  
In reference to which, I shall remind you of that threefold acception of this word Wilderness in Scripture, which I mentioned in the opening of the Text. Suitable to Jeremy's threefold end of removal.  
1. It is taken metaphorically for a rude and untaught people, and Jeremy might hope for better success of his Ministry in such a Wilderness then in Jerusalem.  
2. It is taken literally, for a place not at all inhabited, and perhaps Jeremy might expect more safety of his person amongst wild beasts, then amongst wicked men.  
3. It is taken more strictly for a place inhabited, but not fully peopled, and Jeremy's soul vexed with the sins of Jerusalem, he might desire the peace and comfort of it, in some safe and solitary retiredness: O that I had the cottage of a waysaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.  
I shall now overlook these again; and hand you out some few observations from them, and then apply unto the general Doctrine.  
End. 1 The first lawful end in a Minister's removal, 
utinam liceat mihi agere in solitudine ut non cogar per vocationem meam servire isti impio popule. Pomeran. in Loc.  is the hopeful success of his Ministry, and for this Jeremy might desire a cottage in the Wilderness of Judea, of Ziph, or of Maon, expecting better success of his Ministry, in such a barren place, then in Jerusalem, which was fruitful in wickedness.  
Observe. Sancta rusticitas coelesti regno aptior, quam docta malitia, The poor and simple usually give that entertainment unto the Ministry of the Word, which the great and worldly wise do not neglect only, but despise: for worldly greatness thinks itself too great, 
1 Cor. 1.27.  & fleshly wisdom too wise to be ordered by that which they call, the foolishness of preaching. Therefore hath the Lord chosen the weak and foolish things of the world, to confound the wise and mighty. And Wisdom will tell you, 
Prov. 9.4.26.12.  that her preparations are for the simple, and she hath reason for it: Because there is more hope of a fool, then of him that is wise in his own conceit.  
When John Baptist sent his Disciples to know of Christ, Whether he were the Messiah, or whether they should look for another; Christ told them of the Wonders which were done by him: The deaf hear, the blind receive their sight, the dead are raised to life, and amongst other wonders of his Kingdom, he brings in this with (if not above) the rest; The poor receive the Gospel: Our latter English reads it, 
Matth. 11.15.  To the poor is the Gospel preached. But that is no wonder; for to poor and rich the Gospel is preached. But this is the wonder to the scornful world, and indeed a great secret it is of Christ's Kingdom, that the poor receive the Gospel better than the rich.  
It was no Paradox to him that said; The Devil hath more a do to win the simple, than the subtle, and the Minister less: Because the worldly wise are sooner enraged by the Ministry of the Word, then won by it: For that the Ministry of the Word crosses with the contentments of the world, and the wisdom of the Spirit bids open war against the wisdom of the flesh; Whereas in the poor and ignorant temptations against the Word being less, the entertainment of it is easier.  
Use 1 To apply a little. I would by the poor and ignorant, provoke the rich and worldly-wise to an holy envy. I do not say, but some mountains may be brought low, and some hills ploughed as well as the valleys. Our net as Peter may sometime catch great fishes as well as small, and when great fishes come to our net, and break not through, the labour is not better answered, than the labourer comforted. But where we labour all night and catch nothing, surely neither comfort nor Christ is there.  
Use 2 The labour of our Ministry is greater to lay the foundation, then to make superstructures; But if the labour prove effectual, the comfort is exceeding: for this we need not travail the Deserts of America. There are too many Wildernesses within the borders of our Israel. Congregations which with Zebulon and Nepthali yet sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Should my Brethren enforce themselves with Paul, to preach the Gospel where Christ is not named, they might possibly with Paul find better entertainment amongst the Barbarians at Malta, than proselytes at Jerusalem. I mean amongst those that are humbly ignorant, sooner than those that are conceitedly knowing. And this is now the first end of Jeremy's desire of removal, the hopeful success of his Ministry in the Wilderness; O that I had the cottage of a Wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.  
End. 2 The second end of Jeremy's desired removal, was the safety of his person: and here we take Wilderness for a Defert of wild beasts, and as Jeremy might hope for more comfort of his Ministry amongst a rude and untaught people; so more safety of his person, among wild and savage beasts. You will take it as a very hard saying, but it is more hard and heavy that it should be true, yet too true it is, that  
Observe. The servants of God have found more security amongst wild beasts, then amongst wicked men.  
That decree in Paradise of enmity between the Woman's and the Serpent's seed, 
Gen. 3.15.  is both literally and mystically true. The natural seed is not so envious to man, but the supernatural is much more envious to the Christian man. The Woman in the twelfth of the Revelation fled for her security into the Wilderness, and her blessed man child the Lord Christ was safe in the Wilderness, who suffered in Jerusalem. Daniel found more mercy from the Lions, 
Mat. 4. Dan. 6.22.  then from the Babylonians. And the Ravens which of all birds are most envious to man, 
1 King. 17.6.  were more pitiful to the Prophet than man was. Eusebius reports of certain Christians of Tyre in Phoenicia, whose bodies were exposed unto wild beasts, and whilst the beasts by an instinct of reverence abstained from them, they did not yet escape the cruelties of men, more rabid then the beasts.  
Use 1 My Brethren, Let us all take this home, and wonder what we are by nature. The kingdom of Jesus Christ in the 11. of Isa. is set forth by wild beasts changed from the rabidnesse of their natures, and the kingdoms of men in the 7. of Daniel by wild beasts that do continue and exercise their native fierceness: the kingdoms of men will prove little better than the kingdoms of beasts, where the kingdom of Christ is opposed. Homo homini lupus: there is no beast more savage by nature then man is, unless the Kingdom of Christ doth either regenerate or restrain him.  
There is much in that, & I desire it may be noted, the holy Scriptures do often tutor the reasonable man by unreasonable beasts; because man being in honour little lower than the Angels, by his fall became worse than beasts: Beasts yielding that obedience to God, and service to man, which men deny both to God and man. Basil of Seleucia not improperly observes, that the beasts before the flood were more tractable to the command of God, and to the ministry of Noah, than the men of the old world were: for they entered into the Ark and were saved, the other refused, and perished.  
Use 2 Let us think how dreadful the day will be, when not only the men of Nineveh, a Wilderness of untaught people, but the Lions of Babylon, a Wilderness of savage Beasts, shall rise up in judgement against the men of this generation, and condemn them; who do most cruelly by't and devour one the other, whilst the beasts of the field are at peace with us.  
This is now the second end of Jeremy's desire of removal, the safety of his person, which he would rather venture in the wilderness, then in Jerusalem. O that I had the Cottage of a Wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.  
End 3 The third end of Jeremy's desired removal, 
Melius est habit are in extrema solitudine, quam inter tanta hominum scelera commorari. Hier. in loc. Psalm 120.5.  was the tranquillity of his conscience, being grieved with the abominations that were in Jerusalem, he desired to retire into the wilderness. How much better is an harmless and homely retiredness, than the merry-madnesse of ungodly Societies? An Hermit's life then a Ruffians? To be always without company, than not to keep good? To dwell in the wilderness, then in the tents of wickedness? You know whose complaint it is, Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Meshek, and to inhabit the tents of Kedar, my soul hath too long dwelled with them that are enemies to peace. And yet I hear him say elsewhere, 
Psalm. 16.6.  The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly heritage. Bona terra, mala gens. In regard of the place, so it may be; but in regard of the people, woe is me.  
Use 1 That holy resolution of good old Jacob in Gen. 49. and the sixth, is that which I shall apply for caution against evil Societies, Into their secret let not my soul come, my glory be not thou joined with their Assembly. Or that prayer of David, Psalm 141. vers. 4. Lord let not my soul eat of their delicates. Lot's eye was great upon the fat and pleasant valleys of Sodom, 
Gen. 13.10.19.12.  but his righteous soul was vexed with the detestable wickedness of the people, and because he did not dislodge himself, the Lord did suddenly fire him out. Est aliquid mali, vicinum esse malo, it is bad to live by bad neighbours. If we fear not an house infected, we should dread an house on fire. The house infected is their sin, the house on fire is their judgement; and in as much as we are partakers of their sins, 
Rev. 18.4.  we shall be partakers of their judgements. Jeremy, to avoid both, desired to retire wi●h safety into the wilderness, rather than to live in Jerusalem with fire over his head: O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness, that I might leave my people and go from them.  
I have now done with the ends which might be lawful in the Minister to desire his removal; I come to the provocations which are sinful in the people to enforce his removal. And lawful ends, and sinful provocations joined together, 
Observe.  will certainly warrant a Minister's removal.  
There are sour great provocations wherewith Jeremy doth charge his people.  

1. Their intractableness to the ministry of the Word.  
2. Their unmercifulness, in withholding maintenance.  
3. Their desperate Apostasy.  
4. Their bitter persecution.   
Now I charge none with these, but shall show how lawful the removal is where these may be charged.  
Provocation. 1 The first provocation of the people is; their general inflexibleness unto good, and intractableness under the ministry of the Word. Of this our Prophet complains, Chap. 5. v. 12. That the men of Judah had belied the Lord their God, and accounted the words of his Prophets as wind. And Chap. 8. v. 9 They had rejected the word of the Lord, and there was no understanding left in them.  
Now this is a very sad provocation unto a Minister, which may not unjustly occasion his removal, as appeareth by that clause in the Minister's commission, Luke 10. v. 10, 11. Into whatsoever City you enter, and they receive you not, go your ways into the streets of the same, and say, even the very dust of the City which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you.  
And according to the tenor of this Commission, Paul and Barnabas shaken off the dust of their feet against the unbelieving Jews at Antioch, and told them, It was necessary that the word of God at first should have been spoken unto you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life; Lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Acts 13. v. 51. and 46. And in Acts 22. v. 18. The Lord charged the Doctor of the Gentiles to make haste, and to get him quickly out of Jerusalem, upon this ground, because, saith he, they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And when Paul had a great desire to stay at Jerusalem, as appears by his reasoning with the Lord, v. 19 and 20. No, saith Christ, do not plead for thy stay, but haste thee to be gone, for I have a purpose to remove thee fare hence to the Gentiles, vers. 21. What should God do with such a people with whom his Word can do no good? If they say to God, Depart from us, we will have no knowledge of thy ways, it is time for God to say to his Ministers, Depart from them. Ex ore suo, out of their own mouth will I judge this people, because they would not have the knowledge of my ways, they shall not. And this is now their first provocation, their untractableness to the ministry of the Word.  
Provocation. 2 The second provocation in the people is, 
Jer. 38.9. 1 Cor. 9.13.  Their unmercifulness in withholding maintenance from their Ministers. The Princes of Jerusalem would have starved Jeremy in the Dungeon, if an Aethyopian had not been more pitiful unto him then any Israelite was.  
Maintenance is allowed on all sides, that he who waits at the Altar, 
V 7.9.  should live by the Altar. And the Apostle makes it out by divers arguments drawn from Nature's laws, and if men would but measure the quotum by half that allowance which they give to one lust, they would be more reasonable in judging what were a competency.  
It is a great provocation when people withdraw their affections from their Ministers, and bestow them on those who withdraw their souls from the truth, as those Galatians gave their hearts to such as plucked out their spiritual eyes, who a little before would have plucked out their corporal eyes to have given Paul. 
Gal. 4.15.  But when people also withdraw maintenance. the bond of covenant between Minister and people is broken. For though the Covenant be not always expressed, yet it is always implied, that the people, plus multo, should be as careful, and as certain unto the Minister in temporals, as the Minister unto them in spirituals, 1 Cor. 9 v. 11.  
The Civil law allows the wife (and if it did not, the law of Nature doth) receiving not victum, livelihood from him to whom she is a helper, to seek alimentum, subsistence elsewhere.  
Provocation. 3 The third provocation in the people is apostasy, and this Jeremy charges double on Jerusalem, both in worship and in practice: In reference to the one, in the words below my Text, he calls them Adulterers and Adulteresses: In reference to the other, an assembly of evil doers. What adultery is to the Marriage-contract, that is Apostasy to the Gospel-covenant, and no adultery like to the adulterating of the truth and worship of God.  
Now Apostasy is a grievous provocation unto the Lord himself to departed from a people. 
Nos. 9.12.  Woe unto them when I shall departed from them, (saith the lord) And when is that? When they depart from his truth and worship. And where the Lord ●oes, the servant goes after; If the Son of Peace abide not in the City, 
Luke 10.6, 10.  the Ambassadors of peace must departed, and their peace departs with them.  
In Heb. 10. v. 38. the Apostle brings in the Lord protesting against Apostates, If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Draw back from what? The former words run thus, The just shall live by faith, and if any man draw back, that is, from faith, either from the doctrine of faith, or from the life of faith, from Gospel Principles, or Gospel Conversation, my soul shall have no pleasure in him: Non erit rectus in anima mea: He shall not stand right in my affection, I shall on no terms approve him: yea the words are a meiosis, there is much more implied than is expressed, My soul shall loathe and abominate such a person. I will not endure the sight of him in the Congregation. And if this be the case of the Congregation, the Minister may well say, 
Jerem. 8.5. Hosea. 11.7.  Lord, now lettest thou thy servant departed in peace. But this must be understood of a people turned back by a perpetual rebellion and de industria, with an heart bend to back-sliding, not through infirmity, but by a design.  
Provocation. 4 The fourth provocation is Persecution: And Apostates soon turn persecuters, & solus Apostata persecutor; they usually become the greatest, because they are loath to have that way to be credited, from which they are revolted. Julian that was the most notorious Apostate, became the most bitter Persecutor that ever lived in the Christian Church.  
There are two sorts of persecution, which the red Dragon stirs up against godly Ministers, Oris & plagae, ishmael's and Esau's persecution, Tongue-persecution, and Hand-persecution. When men do not only give out hard speeches, 
Judas 15.  to reproach the Minister and his Doctrine, but do seek out all advantages to entrap his person.  
Now the Lord had discovered unto Jeremy the treachery of his people's hearts, though it were not come to blows, chap. 11. v. 18.19. There is more danger of the wolf in the lambs skin, then in his own, and where danger is eminent, it is not only safe, but necessary to avoid it. If the people receive not our testimony, 
Acts 22.18. Matth. 10.23.  Christ would have us to departed; but if they persecute us, Christ advises us to fly. And in personal persecutions all agree with Augustine that it is lawful to remove, which in general persecutions they question as unlawful.  
Athanasius in his Apology to the Emperor, on this ground justifies his departure from Alexandria in the persecution of Constantius, 
1 Kings 18.4.  and in the persecution of Jezabel, an hundred of the Lords Prophets were hid by Obadiah in a cave.  
You see now the provocations of the people, which may warrantize their Jeremies to departed from them, and to wish for retiring Cottages in the wilderness. O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.  
Uses. Two uses only I shall make of this point: the one of Examination, the other of Exhortation.  
I would desire our English Jerusalem to examine herself, whether she be not parallel to Jeremy's Jerusalem in all these provocations; As,  
1. Whether there be not a general inflexibleness under the Ministry of the Word: yea, how do the Ministers of London prophecy in Sackcloth, under a great contempt and scorn of their Ministry.  
The Gospel tells us of a Devil that was too strong for the Apostles to cast out: Every lust is a Devil, 
Matth. 17.16.  and how many such Devils are there in the hearts of men, which are too strong for Ministers, too strong for O dinances, too strong for the Apostles themselves, if they were alive. We may sooner destroy our own lives then some men's lusts. They will cell you how many Ministers they have outlived, and their sins are as long lived as themselves.  
2. What unmercifulness towards their Ministers? The Devil was somewhat merciful unto Christ, he would not have had him to starve; he would have had him to turn stones into bread. 
Matth. 4.3.  But some less charitable would have their Ministers to live upon stones in stead of bread.  
It is storied of Calvin in Geneva, because he would not give the Sacrament unto the people in such a superstitious manner as they desired, the people would give him no maintenance. For the very same cause would many Congregations in London either storm or starve their Ministers, or bring them unto Luther's pittance, an Herring a day; and for their aged Ministers, they deal with them, as men do with their Horses when they are worn out, they turn them into bare Commons.  
3. How is London turned back as the streams of Jordan by an horrible back-sliding? What a desperate revolt from the solemn Covenant? What an execrable denial of the sacred Scriptures? Of the Faith of the Lord that bought them? How is the beautiful child of Reformation stifled in the birth, and a monster of shameful Deformation brought forth in the room of it? O tempora! O mores!  
Time was when prayer and repentance were held up in the hands of faith, as precious means to maintain Communion with Jesus Christ, and now men pray against their prayers, and repent of their repentings; because some lay too much weight on duties, others have laid them wholly aside.  
Time was when London zeal enkindled against every bracelet & lace of the Scarlet Whore, and now as if the spirit of London were changed into her spirit of fornications, we plead for a toleration of all her sorceries. That which once entry as Iron into our souls, but to hear of, now it is accounted a sin to speak against it.  
Time was when we did look on errors as the smoke of the bottomless pit, now they are admired as new lights dropped down from heaven. And he is accounted no body in their Meetings that hath not something of them.  
Time was when the Lords day was a delight unto us: now it is questioned whether it be the Lords ordinance or man's.  
Time was when we saw a beauty in their feet that brought the glad Tidings of Peace: Now Ministers are a burden in their places.  
Time was when we fled as Doves unto the holes of the Windows, and now the ways of Zion complain for want of passengers.  
Time was, but time will fail me if I should go on to show what shameful Apostasies are amongst us.  
4. How is London's, how is England's first love Apostatised into persecutions!  
May it not be said of our times in England, as Bernard spoke of his times, whose words are quoted by Hugo Cardinalis in his postils on John; Good Jesus (saith he) it seemeth the whole University of Christian people have conspired against thee, and these are chief persecutors; even so the whole University of England seems to conspire against Jesus Christ, and some which heretofore were great professors, are now become bitter persecutors.  
1. As for Ishmaels' persecution, I think never was more against faithful Ministers, than now i●. Men bend their tongues for lies, and the scorners chair is every where set up against Moses chair; for the wholesome words they have from us, we have bitter words from them.  
Luther was charged for preaching against the Popedom, to be tuba rebellionis, a Trumpet of rebellion. And we for preaching against as great a mystery of iniquity, if not the same, to be Incendiaries of all the troubles that have been in England, and of this second war: If any thing go amiss with the people, Aaron must be stoned. 
Numb. 14.20.   
2. As for Esau's persecution, rough hands we find every where. And though they fall not down right to blows, yet there is malice and treachery enough in their hearts to provoke them. New-England they say, is too good a condition for these roundheaded Ministers, and therefore they resolve, if they can get the day to cut their throats in Old-England: Behold, saith God to Jerusalem: 
Jerem. 3.5.  Thou hast spoken and done as evil things as thou couldst. If thou couldst have spoken or done worse, thou wouldst.  
We need not (as Ezekiel in Jerusalem) dig through the wall of this City, to see the bitterness of some men's spirits, the iniquity of their heels doth sufficiently evidence the treachery of their hearts. They declare their sin as Sodom, and publish it as Absolom in the face of all Israel, and in the sight of this Sun.  
Too sadly hath the occasion presented you Jerusalem's parallel in London, and yet spare me one word farther; for, it would be London's happiness if this day we could be brought to give Glory to God in taking shame to ourselves. And oh that London would take up righteous thoughts before God in judging their own condition, the Kingdom you see, is all in blood at this time, if we would fetch blood from our hearts, the Lord might be entreated to stop the issues of blood that are running in the Land. London's provocations are not only parallel to Jerusalem's, but as Jerusalem justified her younger sister Samaria, so hath London her elder sister Jerusalem.  
There are six circumstances, wherein Judah's provocations exceeded Israel's.  

1. Because they were acted in a time of reformation. Israel sinned under bad Kings, 
Jerem. 1.1.  Judah under good.  
2. Judah sinned against all the examples of Judgement which God had given them by Israel. 
Jere. 3.8.   
3. Judah rebelled against those special warnings, which God sent them by his Prophets. 
Hos. 4.15.  Though Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah sin.  
4. Judah made more profession, then backsliding Israel did, and the more we appear for God, 
Jere. 3.4, 5.  the worse we are, if we be not that indeed, which we appear to be.  
5. Judah enjoyed more and better ordinances, than Israel did; and the more means of Grace we sin against, 
2 Chron. 13.10, 11.  the more malice is in our sin.  
6. Judah had made a solemn Covenant unto God, in Josias time, and sins against Covenants, 
2 Chrens. 34.32.  are not only apostasies, but perjuries.   
Now see if all these aggravations be not found in London's provocations.  
1. Have we not such opportunities of reformation, as the Lord never betrusted England with the like, and will not our posterities even curse the loss of them, which our unnatural divisions have snatched from us. Our fathers had a prize put into their hands, and they regarded it not.  
2. Have not others Judgements heightened London's security, I mean not Israel's and Judah's in ages past, but Germanies and Ireland's, Kent's, and Colchesters' present before us. When we see an under-billet on fire, and the second smoking, will not the top be consumed, if the fire be not quenched?  
3. Hath London wanted warnings, or Watchmen? Hath not the Lord Convened his faithful Watchmen out of all the parts of England, to warn London? Hath not the Lords voice cried unto the City; Hear ye the Rod, and who hath appointed it? 
Mich. 6.9.  We do hear the Word, and dot not feel it, therefore we shall feel the rod, and shall not hear it.  
4. Whose means, whose mercies have been like unto London's? Oh London, I am sorry for thy great accounts: may it not be said of thee, as of Capernaum; 
Luk. 10.15.  And thou London which hast been lifted up to Heaven? Certainly no city hath been so high in Gospel-priviledges as thou hast been. The Lord grant that thy Gospel-unkindnesses do not incur capernaum's curse, no misery so great as that which is provoked by the abuse of Gospel-mercy. Coals taken from between the Cherubims, are coals of Juniper, the fiercest discoveries of Gods fiery indignation.  
5. Hath not London been eminent in profession above all the parts of the Kingdom? Yea, are not London's revolts even now vailed under profession? Is not truth almost banished under pretence of truth? And Religion disgraced under show of Religion? 
Compare Ezek. 10.2. with 11.7. Zech. 13.6.  Thus have I been wounded, saith Christ, in the house of my friends.  
Turks and Infidels sinne singly, they profess themselves Christ's enemy, and they are so, but this is, Duplex, multiplex iniquitas, a complicated compound of iniquity. 1. To injure the Lord Jesus, who seeks our eternal welfare. 2. To do it under show of friendship. 3. Against knowledge, and against some sense of love, for both these must be in profession.  
6. Did London, did England, did two Nations ever enter into such solemn Covenants? as have been lately not only published in our Cities, but hung up in our Churches as inviolable records of our engagements, and as standing Witnesses against our revolts? And hath not London, hath not England? have not the two Nations sinned, not only against, but with their Covenants? Serving our lusts, and not our God by them?  
The Greek word, that signifies Oath or Covenant, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 includo unde, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 septum vel ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terminus.  is derived from a word which signifies also an hedge or bound; and we have not only broken our hedge, our bound, but even laid it flat to the ground, whereby God's wrath breaks in every where upon us, and he is enforced to unsheathe his sword again: The avenger of his Covenant.  
And now let London lay all these provocations and aggravations together, and see if there be not cause enough, for their Jeremies to wish for cottages in the wilderness, that they might leave their people and go from them? Yea, will London be entreated to see, how many faithful Jeremy's have been provoked already to leave the City? who are now retired into their cottages to pray for those to whom their preaching could do no good? And as Solon when Athens was taken by Pisistratus hung up his Spear and Target at the Citie-gates, with this Protestation; Oh Athens, I have aided thee both in word and deed; so may those faithful Ministers say that have left you; Oh London, we have done what we could to warn thee of thy sins, and of those judgements which are like to follow them.  
Shall I have leave to tell you of above forty Churches in this City, that are, or were lately empty, and many more from which godly, grave, and Orthodox Ministers have been forced to remove, through want of maintenance, or through other discouragements?  
I would lay before you, but one motive to quicken the bitter sense of this; Even the mischievous consequence of it. And I will give it you in a Scripture instance. You shall read in the 2 of Chronicles the 28. ver. 24. That in Ahaz time in Jerusalem [which is London's parallel] the doors of the Lords house were shut, and Altars set up in every corner of the City; And what followed? Why, gross apostasy in the people, and shortly after utter desolation of the City. Surely there is no Omen so sad of London's hastening misery, as their unkind provocations of the departure of their godly Ministry.  
I need not tell you what followed Noah's entering into the Ark, or Lot's departure out of Sodom, or what the Protestants in Queen Mary's days acknowledged, that those Marian-dayes were the just issues of their disdain of godly Ministers in King Edward's days, but this remember, that the dust of your Minister's departure shall rise up as a testimony against you, and where Christ's Ambassadors of peace are forced to departed, 
Compare Ezek. 9.3. with 1●. 9.  their peace departs with them. The glory of God did not long stay on the City, when once it was departed from the Sanctuary: If the candles are put out, the shops are all shut up; Interpres what that means Isa. 9.19. If the Land be darkened, (and 'tis darkened with a witness when the Sun of righteousness withdraws his Gospel light) the people shall shortly be for fuel to the fire of God's wrath.  
Use 2 I have yet a word of Counsel to leave behind me, before I go unto my cottage.  
And first unto my brother Jeremy, who desires a cottage in the wilderness: I would desire him heedfully to write after his Copy here, to see that he hath lawful ends, and warrantable grounds to leave his people. I need not repeat Jeremy's ends, or his people's provocations again.  
Two things only I have in advice from Jeremy in Jerusalem, to Jereremy in England; which I noted in the analysis of the Text.  
1. That he leave not his people without leave from God.  
Nor 2. Without love to them.  
1. Not without leave from God. Jeremy doth not let fall these words at Randum, or in passion, but in dolour of his spirit, as elsewhere he says, he commends his way unto God; 
Jerem. 20.12.  Unto thee, O Lord, have I opened my cause. If all men's ways are in God's dispose, his Ministers are all ways. Sometime Paul is ordered to stay at Corinth, when he is willing to remove. Sometime to remove from Jerusalem, when he is willing to stay, always he waits upon the Lords call, to direct all his ways.  
Non omnes possumus esse Caesares, we cannot all be Assembly men. Some must be Countrymen, all cannot live in the Cities; some must go abroad into the Villages. All are not appointed to great places, some unto small; some have their palaces, others their cottages; Wheresoever our lot shall fall, we must see that we have a divine call to warrant our way, and then if we have little, we must be contented; because it is our portion: If we have more, we must be more thankful, because it is above our deservings. Whether we have more or less, we must be both contented and thankful: Because it is Gods will. Let our lot fall unto us in a fair ground or a foul, we must both contentedly and thankfully submit our way unto God's dispose; only for more peace and comfort, and for better success of his Ministry, is Jeremy's desire. O that I had the cottage of a wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.  
2. As Jeremy would not leave his people without leave from God, so not without love to them, although he could receive no love from them; for though he did leave them, yet he will not leave to pray for them, and to pray in tears, and tears in abundance, and that abundance not yet enough to express his love; but he wishes for more in the verse before my Text; O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day & night for the slain of the daughter of my people.  
Ministers may preach plausibly, but with Jeremy to mourn in searet is the trial of their sincerity. And for such a people as Jeremy had is a trial indeed. 
2 Cor. 12.15.  Paul spends and is spent (both in praying and in preaching) though the more he loves, the less he is beloved. How often do we find Moses on his face for the people of Israel, when they by murmuring and mutuning did spit in his face. Stephen we see on his knees for his persecutors, pouring out his prayers and life together.  
Can you drink of the Cup that I shall drink of (saith our Saviour?) We can. But can you pray also for those that make you drink of it? This we hardly can, yet this we must, if we will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciples indeed. 
John 8.31.  We must pray for those that persecute us: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.  
Pray (you say) But how? Why  
1. With an intense retiredness, setting yourselves to prayer, making it your business to pray without ceasing, as the Church for Peter, Act. 12. And as Samuel for Israel, God forbidden that I should cease praying.  
2. With an intimate compassionateness, emptying yourselves in prayer, through a quick and active sense of the people's dangers. My leanness, my leanness, we is me.  
These two intimations we have from those two holy advantages which Jeremy aimed at in his cottage in the wilderness.  
The first was an holy retiredness unto prayers and tears, for ver. 1. he wishes his eyes a fountain of tears; and in the Text he wishes for some solitary place to pour them out in. It is not enough to pray, but we should pray in tears, and to pray in tears, we should retire ourselves to it as to our work.  
Can I here reach my brethren in their Cottages, I would bespeak from them this holy improvement of their retiredness, to pray for those whom they have left, those that are at ease in Zion, that drink their wine in bowls, and forget Joseph in the stocks. It is an happy leisure wherein we are set on work for God, and a blessed sequestration from the world, by which we have more commerce with Heaven.  
2. Jeremy foreseeing Jerusalem's misery, wishes himself in the wilderness that he might not see it; as good old Cato, hearing of Rome's overthrow, being blind and uncapable to see it, wished himself dease too, that he might not have heard it.  
The miseries of unkind people as they are better discerned, so they are more pitied by good Ministers, then by themselves. The Physician sees more into the danger of the patiented, than the patiented himself doth, and when the patiented desires such things as would kill him, the Physician studies all means to cure him. The watchmen on the walls, see further than those in the City, and though the people do rest secure in their sins, yet they that watch for their souls will not suffer God to be at rest for them. Moses is contending with God for Israel's safety, when Israel was dancing before their Idol, senseless both of their fin and judgement approaching.  
My Brethren, I will only say of Jeremy, as Paul of Abel, being dead yet speaketh, and bespeaketh from you, your dearest affections, and tenderest bowels for the people of God.  
O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night, for the slain of the daughter of my people.  
And that I might set myself close to this work, and might not see the calamity of my people which I do foresee.  
O that I had the cottage of a waysaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.  
2. My counsels now to London, I shall dispatch; And four counsels I desire to leave with you. And O that the Lord God of Heaven, the omnipotent arm of divine grace would effectually set them home this day upon every one of your hearts, and for Christ his sake I beseech you, for your soul's sake, for the safety of this famous City, of the whole Kingdom, yea of three bleeding dying Kingdoms, I beseech you, let my counsels be acceptable unto you, if yet the Lord may be entreated to continue the glory of his Ordinances among you, and to prevent those judgements which seem to be threatened.  
Counsel. 1 1. Keep close unto your holy Covenant, wherein you have most solemnly engaged yourselves to the most high God, for the encouragement of pious Ministers, for the advancement of the power of godliness, and purity of worship, for the purging out of superstition, heresy, and profaneness, and that ye will all endeavour to go one before the other in the example of a real reformation.  
When our enemies were mighty, our dangers threatening, and our helps small, how big were our promises? our protestations? our declarations for God, and for his Christ? But as Elisha parleyed with his servant concerning that good Shunamite; She hath been careful for us, 
2 Kings 4.13, 14.  but what have we done for her? even so, should we put the same question to our hearts concerning God [as it is very fit we all should] what accounts could our souls give herein? That God hath been careful for us in the day of our distress, will be, must be, confessed. But what have we done for him, of all that we have covenanted unto him?  
It is very sad to see how that solemn sacred thing is of late made like a picture with divers faces to look according to every man's humour and lust that looks upon it. And on both sides it is used, or rather abused as a stalking horse by those who under pretence of love unto it, do practise the manifest violation of it.  
chrysostom was wont to say, that it was not only the duty but the character of him that was, or would be godly, to be the same in the day of his health and prosperity, which he did promise to be in the day of his distress and calamity. Surely our God is the same to us, our sins may change his providences, but our estates cannot change his love. He is to us a Covenant-keeping God, and exspects that we should be to him, not only a Covenant-making, but a Covenant-keeping people.  
My good friends, let us not befool ourselves, (for so we do said one of the wisest among the sons of men) if we think that God will accept promises without payments, 
Eccles. 5.4.  Eccles. 5.4. The Preachers counsel is weighty in the 6. ver. of the same Chapter. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, neither say thou before the Angel it was an error, Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice? and destroy the works of thy hands?  
There is no sin that we read of in holy Writ, against which divine anger hath more terribly threatened, or more severely executed, then against the sin of Covenant-breaking. I could lay before you the three-yeares-wasting famine of Judea for saul's breach of Covenant with the Gibeonites, although but a civil Covenant, and made for many years before. 
2 Sam. 21. Josh. 9.15. Compare Jere. 52.3.13. Ezek. 17.13.19.  As also the ruthful desolations of Jerusalem for Zedekiabs' treachery in breaking Covenant with the King of Babylon. But I shall only desire you to read over and consider well that passage in Jere. 34. from the 15. ver. to the 21. In ver. the 15. the Lord commends the Princes, and the people, that they had entered into the Covenant: You have done that which was right in my sight (saith God) in making a Covenant with me, in the house that is called by my Name. But ver. 16. he charges them with the dishonest breach of it, But ye have turned and polluted my holy Name. See, my Brethren, Covenant-breaking is a polluting of that sacred dreadful Name, which is most solemnly invocated and attested in Covenant-making. But how had they broken Covenant? Why, they proclaimed liberty for God's people, and had done nothing towards it; therefore says God ver. 17. I will also proclaim a liberty for you, even a liberty to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine, and I will make you to be removed into all the Kingdoms of the earth: and ver. 20. I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and their dead bedies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the Heaven, and to the beasts of the earth. And that you may take special notice who they are, that are the marks of this direful wrath, the Spirit of God doth notably point them out unto you, ver. 18. They are the men that have transgressed my Covenant, which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they made before me, when they did cut the Calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof. This was a ceremony used amongst the Jews in maing Covenants, wherein they did tacitly imprecate the holy God, even so to cut them in pieces who did break the Covenant, as they did cut the Calf, and as they did pass between the divided pieces, so the Lord to cause his fiery indignation, to pass between them who divided one from the other in the bond of the holy Covenant.  
And now my Brethren, if the most just God be so extremely severe in breach of Covenants between man and man, how think you will he make his jealousy to smoke against those that break Covenant with himself in those things which do most nearly concern his worship, and the glory of his Name.  
Methinks I could spend in this subject as much more time as I have already spent, and need indeed requires it, but that I must hasten. I will only bring hither those words which our Saviour in another sense useth; 
Mat. 24.18.  Let him which is in the field not turn bacl to take up his ; so say I to him that is in the City, if you were to lose your  from your backs, do not turn bacl from the holy Covenant.  
Counsel. 2 My second Counsel is this; Take heed of apostatising from any known experimental truths of Jesus Christ, this enters as iron into the souls of your godly Ministers to see those whom they have looked upon as their spiritual seed, and travail of their souls, to recede from that form of wholesome words they had received, to see them suck the blood of Dragons, whom they had so carefully nursed up at the breasts of consolation, and to have their affections stolen away from them, and from Jesus Christ too, by those, who never spent a breath towards their spiritual birth.  
And as there cannot be a greater heart-breaking unto Ministers, so neither can Religion receive a deeper wound any way then by the Apostasy of professors, we are an hissing, not only to Gath and Askelon, to the proud scoffing world, but even to Judah and Ephraim, to all the reformed Churches of Christendom, to see how deeply, how suddenly London, England, have corrupted themselves.  
In the beginning of this Parliament we admired to see how England was turned Arminian, and how near it was got of a sudden unto to Rome, we have now more cause to wonder, how Rome is come into England, and how England is turned Libertine, Pelagian, Socinian, Antinomian, Antiscriptarian, Antitrinitarian; yea it hath had so many turn, as that turning unto Christ by repentance and humiliation, is now turned out of doors, and thrown aside as an old dotage of legal servitude, we know not whether the tyranny of Bishops, or treachery of seducers, have done London, England, most hurt: for the one kept from us the power of godliness, the other hath beguiled us even of the form of it.  
Shall I tell you (and with reverence I would) that our apostasy from God, hath caused God even to apostatise from us. I speak in the same sense, as God speaks of himself that he reputes and is sorry for what he hath done. God was in a very fair way to have reform England, he had cast us in, as rich advantages, as ever any Nation or age was betrusted with. He had awaked the zeal of all his faithful ones in three Kingdoms; he had contributed the counsels of divers reformed Churches; he had broken the strength of all opposers, and because we have apostatised from our former zeal, God hath also turned back from his; Divine Justice holds proportion with our sin, because we have said, the time of reformation is not yet come; God hath stepped aside from us, and said, well, if you let go this, you shall never have such a time more.  
Those that observe the Story of the Eastern Churches, do allege this as the great provocation of God's wrath to bring upon them the blasphemous doctrine of Mahomet, because they rejected the wholesome truths of the Gospel. When once we begin to nauseate at old truths, and (as flies about a Candle) to play about new lights, it is a thousand to one but we sing our wings, if we burn not ourselves, before we get off.  
The least backsliding is in attendancy to total and final apostasy, and when we once look back, we have no more power to turn about again, than Lot's wife, who was instantly made a monument of her own revolt.  
I will close this with that of the Apostle, 
Hebr. 10.25.  Heb. 3.12. Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, to departed from the living God: This evil heart reigns in some, dwells in the best, it is the mother of all sin, but apostasy is its primogenite, this gins in contempt of Ordinances; for such is the departing here, a forsaking of the holy Assemblies, as elsewhere the Apostle doth interpret himself, and this he calls a departing from the living God, because God in every Ordinance might be enjoyed where there is faith to bring him home: now this God lives to take vengeance on all those that depart from him, therefore take heed how ye provoke this living God, by despising his Ordinances, and discouraging his Ministers, and so departing from him in the law of his Gospel-worship. This is the second Counsel.  
Counsel. 3 My third Counsel is that of the 32. Canon of the Council of Towers: Let all men study peace, but especially Christians. Christian's if there be any thing of Christ's Spirit in you, lay aside that gall and wormwood, that bitterness of spirit and heat of contentions that is in the midst of you. Whatsoever differences there are between you in things disputable, yet let unity be preserved in things fundamental; nothing makes your Ministers lives more uncomfortable amongst you, or their Ministry more ineffectual, nothing so much disgraces Religion, or obstructs the beautiful birth of reformation, than the unhappy discords of those who are accounted godly in your Congregations.  
I do not plead for Baal, that there should be any agreement with Rome in those superstitious Ceremonies or corrupt doctrines which are happily exploded our Assemblies. No; such compliance would prove England's undoing: as our Ecclesiastical History well observes, That, that Bulla consensus, agreement which the Greek Church made with the Church of Rome in their opinions, was an evil presage of the utter ruin of the Oriental Empire, and of that famous City of Constantinople, which immediately followed thereupon: But as it is reported of Polycarpus and Amicetus, howsoever they differed in their opinions about some things, and could not be reconciled, yet they kept fast the bond of Christian fellowship in the faith of Jesus. Even so (my Brethren) let us as many as love Jerusalem's peace lay aside our differences in smaller matters, and study how to preserve our unity in the main; Fellow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Rom. 14.19. Let us therefore follow saith the Apostle; he had laid the foundation of his exhortation in two arguments foregoing.  
1. That sound Religion consists not in disputable Questions, but in Gospel-fruits.  
2. That the edifying and not the disputing Christian, is he that is acceptable to God, and approved of men, ver. 17, 18.  
It is said of Basil the great, that in those differences between Eusebius and him, he overcame him by courtesy, and humanity. O that we also could strive in love and humility, to go one before the other, and to overcome our differences, not by bitter disputes, but by an humble condescension. Methinks we should not own ourselves to be Christ's Disciples, and to have learned nothing of that prime lesson of his, 
Matth. 11.29.  wherein he gives us both his counsel and example; Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.  
As long as the professors of the true faith in Constantinople (howsoever differing in points of Discipline) held love and fellowship together in substantials of doctrine and worship, so long they became a fence unto their City against the public enemy: But when once they broke asunder in unkindly divisions, and shortly after lost both truth and worship, both parties became a spoil to those that hated them.  
The like unhappy Story we find of Jerusalem, when those two Christian Governors Guido and Raimundo, with their parties contended amongst themselves, they gave occasion to the common adversary to come in, and take from them both, not only the City, but the Gospel to boot. I believe you do not forget what lately I delivered unto you upon another subject, That there is a generation of Canaanites and Perezites amongst us, that do wait for the opportunity of abram's and Lot's divisions, to break in upon us, and to spoil us of all our Gospel's privileges and liberties. Methinks if any thing would prevail with us, nothing should more enforce us to agreement then this mischief which is like to follow our disagreement; we shall both sides become a prey to those that malign us.  
I will here only leave with you those three testamental lessons which Bernard left at his death with those that were about him.  
1. That they should offend no man.  
2. That they should give less credit to their own opinion.  
3. That they should not be vindictive, nor desirous of revenge for wrongs done unto themselves. O that I had the pen of a Diamond to engrave these lessons upon your hearts. The necessity of these times doth loudly bespeak them of us.  
I have yet one Counsel more, and I have done.  
Love, 
4 Counsel.  and cherish, and maintain, your godly Ministers still, though they are Stars in Christ's right hand, yet they are Lamps in yours, and must have oil from you to give light unto you. If you disgrace the Throne of Christ's Glory in a way of looseness, Christ will disgrace it in a way of Justice. If you say in the pride of your hearts, 
Jerem. 14.21.  as those wretched Citizens in the Gospel, 
Luk. 19.14.  We will not have this man to rule over us, take heed lest the Lord Christ take you at your words, as he did those Jews, who cried out, His blood be upon us, and upon our children. 
Mat. 27.25.  And his blood is upon them, and upon their children to this day. If you say in scorn, We will not have that Government you call Christ's, Christ may say in vengeance, Well, you shall not: my Ministers shall no longer trouble you, mine Ordinances shall be no longer a burden unto you, 
Mat. 21.43.  I will take care to remove my Kingdom from you, and to bestow it upon a people that may better prise it, and improve it.  
Cambden could not reach his conceit, who boar in his Shield a Savage of America, with his hand pointing to the Sun, and this Motto; Mihi accessu, tibi recessu, In access to me, in recess to thee. I know not whether I may hit his conceit, but this I am sure, the Sun of righteousness hath appeared unto those Savages of America, with healling in his wings, they are many of them brought unto civility, hopeful to Christianity.  
I pray God that Prophecy in Isa. 32. ver. 15. Be not fulfilled between them and us: The wilderness shall become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be counted as a forest. It hath been once fulfilled between the Jews and us that were Gentiles; may it never be again accomplished between the Gentiles and us that are Christians, That their wilderness should become a fruitful field, and our fruitful field should be counted as a forest.  
I have done; England of all parts of the Christian world, and London of all parts of England, have been famous for their reverence and bounty unto their Ministers; Shall I say, How is the faithful City, 
Isa. 1.21.  the faithful Kingdom, become an Harlot; rather I would say, and I have said all, Let England, let London remember their first love, 
Revel. 2.5.  and do their first works.  
FINIS.