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tAITHFULL PASTOR

HIS SAD

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Over, heartwcntin‘g 611311611 6 and aireadfullthunders againfi.
Sharp rerOf 0f , an feaionnable warning to his

APOSTAT-FLOCK,

In a letter writen by a French » Mini-{fer to thofe over whom the Holy

Ghofl had made him an overfeer upon their wofull defeflion,
renouncing the faith, and joyning in Idolattous wqtship.

N ow carefully tranflated. g ,
Together with

A word to Mourners in Zion who by Grace have kept the faith,‘
to fleepers under the {torus , and to. the aimoft Chtiftian.

 

I; is 47earfull thing to fall into the hand: of the Living God. Heb. 10::7 . 3!;
[fatty man dram hackm‘y Saul ehttllhttw noplett/itre in him. Vet. 38.

Let him that thinlqth he fiandeth take heed [ell he fall. I Cor. Io: VT! z.
1041!}: alfo go away PJohn 6: v. 67. To him that overcometh will
13mm tofit with me in my thran. Rev. 3 : V. 21‘.

 

    
   
 

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APOSTATFLOCK . 1

, .1131. W Suppofi: you will be furpr ifed after the reading 01.1111? firQ lines
“1% 19M .. oftins Letter , not to 11nd therein , a preanihie fluff-3: :1 with
13113;? ‘3‘“; thole co11101a11ons you conceive oufiandm need of 111 th 1 d
r» “31’. Y 621
‘ {k . ”g i condition you fee11 your Con1c1ences re 1m: ed mto IconieiTe,
' f1; 11 1 could wish 1 were ab. e to accommo jate , on this occafion , my
\.. 4L": .73, g ,1 iuty to your delires , and :01 1e11uo you a: pref: 1t 01' the thin rs
that concern your peace di‘LCI‘ U11. tame manner that I have {0
' often formerly 1poken. Bur there isaChange happned 1n you: Con iitiOn which
ob? igeth me to {peak to you in other Language. 1 have con fuited 1‘01 your fake
a the holy Oracles of the PrOphets and Apo111es, which (as * Bafil 1peaketh ) are 4 1; .1
E‘ r perfié? Treat/are of remedze: for all the 41/64/31.: of the Soul I): warmer whereof '
41/13}! the gnaw/i pain: , ana'cure the deepefl woundr. But [cannot exprefs with what
forrow of mud I have obferved that there 18 not one of theie remedies fit for you ,
‘ - and 1fthe1e be any that may be ufefull to you , they are fuch as are bitter, firong
11 and Violent , they rip up and con fume before theyb (rive cafe
In what ever condition I confidet the heart of Man, Ifind for 11 Comforts 1n
the Gofpell- I find therein wherewith to rejoice the faithfu11 in thofe caiamities
which fepcrate him from that which heloves mofl tenderly; 1n the hardships of
benishment , 1n the mifenes of poverty and in the horror of Darkfome prifons ,
I find therein Confolations and remedies againfi death 1t {elf , whiCh Difarmesit
of1ts terrours, 1n Whatfoever shape 11 be1ep1efented, even tho, befides its na-
turall Dreadfullnefs , it w ere a1 med wzth all the ini’truments ofc1ue1ty But to go
farther, Itherein find remedies for the wounds of confc1ence, and a faveing Balm
that eafily clofeth up the wounds of a broken heart: But this Balm and the reme-
(:1 11:3 211 efor a certain 101111 of finners, whofe fins are n01 the effeéts of a 161 1e~ddc~
liberation; who are loajed and Weaiyed; who not contented to g1 can under
the burden, ufe fincere endeavours to be drfchmged of 11 who 10 torment and
punish themfelves with {01 row For the1r1’ins, that they 1110111 1111 the fignes ’01" an ‘
ardent defire to amend them 111 a word they flame with a holy llnanCHCC to be
delivred out of the dreadfull f’tate ofenmuy againft C od what eve1 1t c011; them].3
A 2, . . ut

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2‘ W'THE FA-I‘I‘HFULJ'L PASTORS
‘ But notwithf’tanding all the dilig’e‘neé I have ul'ed in {eatehing for Con-{elation
for a people that have broke their covenanththjefus Ghrifl; -, land have preferred:
by fplemn A8cs , fubfcriptions and Oaths the profeflion ofa lye to the Truth, the
fervice 0f the creature , and of idols to the fervrce of the Livmg God; who con-
tinu e in their {in without any iign of repentance; as if they intended by time and
euflome’ to renderit morefamihar and eafy to their confcienee Isfay not withf’tané-
din 7 all my {catch for comfort-t9 (“Ch 3 people in the word OfGOd ’ 1’5qu none.
I istrue , the Scrl tures {peak offins of this nature: but every Where it is With
Sharp challenges, terrible threatnings and thundering declarations of t he wrath, of
God againfi fuch finners. It is not Moles and the Prophets alone that {peak in this
manner , JefusChtil’t and the Apoftles dothe fame: the whole Gofpell is full of"
lively expreflions of the wrath of God ,a'gainf‘t thofe that perfevere nm in the truth. . a
(a) If any man be ashamed of me and deny me before men , him Wlll I deny before
my Father and befOre his holy Angels. He threatens in another place (b) to [We
the Lukewarme out of his mouth : and the Holy GhOI’c ranks the fearfull amon
. the molt Detellable of all men , (‘3) whole Part shall be in the Lake that burneth' /
with fire and brimltone. The Apoltles {peak with great vehemcncy a ainfl- Re-
volters, (d) The hit. condition ofthefe men {fay they) shall. be Worle than the
firll. I tremble when I read that which the Apoftle in the Ep. to the Hebrews 'de'.
nounces againlt thofe (6) who fin withfully , after that they have received the
knowledge of the truth 5 whom heaecufeth of crucifying the Lord afr'es'h , of
renewing of his reproaches ,‘ and of trampling under foot the lbn of God 3 to have
counted the blood ofthe Covenant wherewuh they were {anétxfied ,” an unholy
thing , and to have done defpite unto the Spirit of Grace. '
“ Tho I dar not be {0 levere as to aflirme that this Doétrine doth precifely con?
cern you. Yet whatever I del’ire or hope in this matter , . there is refemblance
enough between you and thofe the Holy Ghol’c {peaks of in the foregoing pafl'ai-
ges , to make me fear your condition , and to endeavour to draw you , if I can,
from 10 dangerous a precipice , fo neerly bordering on death. What shal I do that;
Imay not labourin vain; I have to do with the dictated that have an averlion to,
painfull remedies .~ yet I have no other to give them. I do not find that God hath.
charged me. in his word to flatter the Rebellious , or that he makes me a Difpen-
[er of his confolations to thofe who abandon him. Shall I therefore be filent be.
caufe I have nothing to fay that is fmooth 8t pleafant , ( f) or shall I 'flightly heal
the cruell wound of the daughter of my peopele? Shall 1 forfake asjonas a Com-
million to denounce the judgments of God to a finfull multitude , 0r shall I wait:
with Jeremie , (3) till G od confirain me to {peak (h) shall I cry aloud .9 Shall I lift
up my voyce as a trumpet to declare to Ili‘ael his fin, and to the houfe oljacob his ,
iniquity .9 Or shall I aetthe Counter part? Shall librfake the flock which Chriflé
has given me the Care of, becaule they have forlaken him P When Ifee the Sheep
which he * hath redeemed ) to wander and go af’tray From the Shepherd and
Bishop ofth—etr Souls ,, shall not I run after them , andwhatever the danger be a” -
f i ' brin
(a) Matt; I 0.11452”. 8. Lu k: 9. (b) Apac. 3. (c) Apoc. 2.1-; (d) 2. Pet. 2. [1%. 10%
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~ LAMENTATION8¢ WARNING} ‘ 2-“
bring them back to the fold ? ‘Dare 1 not open my mouth to engage this peeple
to ack nouledg their {in , ' becaufe frighted and Luke— warm as they are , they durfi
not Open theirs to confefl'e the name of their God P -

‘ No , Icannot refil‘r the fecret orders of God, who makes me lbnfible that I
mutt give an account elk/our fouls , if I neglect the means of your converfion;
whole will it is, at lea that I forewarn you of the evils that threaten you, and
his wrath againf’t you , that I may not be guilty of contributin g to your mine by
my filence. Iwill not here follow the maximes of falfe PrOphets, who lay pEace
whenthere is no peace; I {peak to awake your fouls out of a mortall fleep and

to alarme you into fuch a forrow and remorfe as may lead you to repentance; not _

to palliate your {ins or to footh your dangerous Ibcuriry. It is with regr'ate, that ,
after— having carried lo long among you the Paftorall Staff, I should now be for-‘-
ced to ufe the more fevere Rod of Difcipline. It grieves me that the fame mouth.
and pen that has Laboured lb many years to explaine to you the Myl’teries of the
Covenant of God a and to apply to you the‘Confolations of his grace , mutt now
brand you with reproaches. But do it I mul’t, you have occafioned it , your dileafe,
being too great for any milder remedy. ‘ ‘

" ' I will then {peak to you, O fervants of God , formerly faithfull, but now:

revolted Criminalls : Iwil {peak in the bitternefs of my foul a O Stragling sheep;
and almoft loft. Being {traitly bound and inforced-by the bond of Charity , and
by the voice 0fth€ C311 ofiGod : which I feel refou‘nding in the fecret recefs of my .v
heart , as from God . and as in the prelbnce oFGod , I will {peak as a Minifier of
Truth ,. I willnot aggravate your Crime to overwhelm you, Iwish to Godit,
were lefs, that at leaft , preventing my reproaches by repentance, you might.

_ make me asham’d for having pafl‘ed the bounds of my difcourfe by my Hyper-
boles, and by lu-nreafonably upbraidingyou; But I Fear all I. have to: fay will. -

fall much short of what you have done , and that your {in has gone toa degree.
that my words cannot reach.

Do not tell me now before hand that I go to aceufel you in a {are harbour oft-ef’c' y.
and cafe s Wherein‘I cannot judge of the miferies ofthofe who were to undergo.
as you, the fury of a CruellTempelI; The Condition that I am in ,. gives me
a right to {peak with more fredom to you than to any other, The share that I have
born in the afflictions of the Church has been great enough to authorize me to
Upbraid the Cowardize of thofe who yeelded before the fight ,. and who were.
affrayed of the ennemy at the firlt threatmng (if his approach 5 I am yet blacltnedi
with the thunder that {truck me , flouned with the fi'roak' that overthrew me ,\
flill dr0pping with the Shipwrack that firiped» me ,. and languishing with the _
Wound that pierced my heart. It pleated God 7 whodfoth all things wrfely , that.
you should have alwayes before you continued and publick proofs of my grief,
that you may be the lels offended thh the dilgrace I brand youwuh; and that I
may have a tight to addrefle it to you w1th greater force. - ,

Itistrue, [have recelved merc1es from God , which should make me furget '

my pafl'ed afllié’tions. There is no affliétiontfo bitter which ought not to yeeld to
the {weetnels of his Comforts: I lpeak by exmrrence, his hand has been lo.-
- ' A 3, ‘ good-

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’8 7 M ' THE FAITFI'FUL‘L PAST 0R5 “ ’
good to me thatJought to publish at all times the wonders. of his goodnefs. The
irel’t that he has rei’tored to me, is 1’0 far from making me filent, and from hindring
me from making you ashamed of your weaknefs , that it gives me a new ground
to accufe you.‘ My happynefs and my fufferi'ngs do equally condemn you. ‘What
I have luflied for the fake of Chtift and For yours , doth furnish you with an exama
ple of what you ought to do on the fame account. The goodnefs of God to me
may be an example to you of what you ought to have hOped . if you had been
faithful]. He had more than one blefling to give to his children: his bounty was

not e’Xhaufted b what he had done for others : there fiill’ remained in his treafure ,

gi ace and Com ort for you as well as others. Look then on what fide of me you
pleafe, either as perfecuted by men , or as aboundmg in the riches of’ Gods fa~
vows to me , on all {ides you will find wherewith to fiipport the juitice of my re—
proaches. One fide upbraids you for not having the courage to bear a temptation
that an infirme-man,as your {elves , has fui’cained; the other accufes ou of want
offaith in the promifes of God , who is able to give you a hundred old for what
y 6 might loole fOr his Glory. . The one shewed you that it was not impoflible to
refifl in a matter of {alvation the alarme of an afl'righted body , and the aflliéfions
of frail nature , feeing another has overcome them; the other shews your {in in
difirufling the riches of the mercies of God , and the fecret fprings of his provi~
dence , leing one of your brethren has experienced them. -
But after all, Idai‘e fay withOut ingratitude to GOd , that the fad condition
you are in , renders me unfenfible of all the adventagcs it has pleaféd God to con-
fer on me. I cannot talt the {Weetnefs of eafe when I thinke on thoie things that
should pierce your fouls. I do not thinke I have efcaped the perfecution , when
I am noc accompanied with any of thofe to whom I have {'0 long preached the Go—
fpcll ; I do not thinke Iam faved from the dorm , when I fee not one of my flock
with whom lmight [share in the happinefs of a deliverance. I may jui’tly fay that
which a holy Bishop of the firfl: ages {aid to thofe that had revolted as you have
done. >\< [ Mk" no delight in my own health ,4 m} flrength which yet remainemmire,
fizficerh not to alley my gricy‘: for a fhithfhll Mmfler i: more pierced with the wound:
of hirfiook then with his own. The afiefiion I haoeforjoiirfizlvdtzon work: in me the
[dim thzfig that the temptation hm done in yo” , emd when I confide? 1/” ”WWW“
whereinjow havefdllen , camper/Lon haf‘ii'educed me to the JCtme/ime m f [had fallen
myfeh‘. Receive then what I have to fay to you s €1th€r 33 From a Minitier : whofe

faithfullferviccs have acquired to him the freedom of {peaking what he thinks; .

or as from one. whofe tryalls are nOt unknown to you ; or jam}, , as from a friend
Whofe compallion has in {time manner involved him in yourlufl‘erings, Be not
{urpriiedifjou find {ome {martnefs inmy Difcourie , asd’it were not agreable to
the tenderncis I profel‘s; True Charity isnever fawning, thd 1t comply for the
benefit of others as there is occafion. 1t allwayes intends well, but changes its flyjc
according to different conjunttures. It comforts at one time it cenliires, and
‘ threatens at other times.

What account then can you give me of your apof’cafie , 0 people, whom I dare

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not callthe peeple ofGod 9 fince you have been ashamed of his name? What in-
jury has God done you? wherein has he offended you that you have {‘0 eafily re-

' volted from his fervice P What havegyou found in him to deferve the indignity you}.

have done him ?' Have you obferved any imperfection in his being , or any lye in
his Doctrine? In a word s What have you found in his Covenant worthy of your
Difdain .2 Or what have you Found in the new Religion you have embraced, pre-
ferable to the Religion ofjeiiis Chill: and his Apol’tles? If you have we] compre-
hended the infinite difference there is between ldols and the living of God , how
could’you have revolted from him , to throw your {elves into the party of Idol-

worshippers?

But perhaps you have not made fo great an improvement in the Gofpell of”

Chrii’t as to underi‘tand all the depth of its myi’ceries , but tho for the time you have
been infiruéted , you might have attained to perfeé’tion , yet you continueinthe
flate ofInfancy: Never the leis , you have at leaft Learn’d the fifirl’t principles of

Chrifi ; and that is enough to render you inexcufa‘ble , and flop your ’mouth in ,

the prefence of God when he. shall reveal the fecrets of our hearts and bring to
light the hidden things of darknefs : You knew enough then when youfinned ,
as to forfee the greatnefs ofyour fall. a ’

You have Learned that God will be worshipped in Spirit and in truth ; that he
ives not his Glory to another; that the will not hold the guilty innocent; that
dolatry is an Open declaration of w-arr againi’t him; and that in the Scripture-
hrafe ,. its idolatry to hate God : as alfo ,. that to honour images'with veneration,‘

i and to fall down before them , is to hate him. What is it then that hath engaged

you in an interefl: , f0 contrary to his holy Will, as to embrace a profane , fupe1‘~

fiitious, and idolatroUs worship, where the Creature is let up in ye place of '

God , where humantraditions make ~void the Commandments of God ; where
it is not God who dOth reign over the heart, but man that tyrannizeth over
the Confcience.

You have learned that Godis great, holy, powerful] , and glorious; Cloa-
thed with light and Majef’ty, why then have you entred into a communion

V where he is other wayes reprefented to you? Where they adore a God of their own.
~ making , whom they carry , and shut up in; a Box whom they break in pieces.

and eat P Have you {0 learned Chrili in the Gofpell, is this the truth according,“

to Godlinefs, which he has revealed? You have promiied to worship God ,

which you cannot do , till the feed grow up which you have fown in your fields ,
a God which cannot be without the Prieil,and.whom the. Priei’t cannot make untill
the Baker has prepared the matter for him; aGod that owes his D‘iVinity to the

intention and word of aman ,.. who cannot be God untill it pleale the Prielt to ‘

make him {0 ,. as Tertullian faid of the Heathen Gods , whom they confecrated
by Humane authority :: Lallly , a God that can preferve his Divmity no longer.
than the confiscrated matter laiteth.

Speak your Conference; Have you thus Learned Chrill? Has thisMyf’teryg
any thinoin commOn with the millery of Godlinefs ?‘ Has the Do’i‘trme of the i

{D . . ,
Gofpellt-aught you that youtare redeemed by. a SaVIOur which the knelt can make;
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LAMENTATION s: WARNING. ‘; ‘

 

 

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s 9.-T-HE ‘FAI'rHFULL- pas-mag

,_ and tin-make at his pleafure? How oft have you heard with indignation the words

of the lfraelites who cryed out in honor of the golden Calf, Behold thy God who

- brought theeout ofthe Land of Egypt? And therefore how oft have you con-

demned your fin before you committed it? There is no difference between you
and the blinded Ifraehtes , You have promifed to take for your Saviour the Bread
which the Priel’c pretends to tranfubftantiate . And tho you cry not , Behold thy
God , as often as you fee it in the Prreets or in the Churches 9 the worship at lead;
that you have promifcd to give it, is what belongs only to the true Saviour; all the
fiepsyou are obliged to make , all the acts of your publick profeflion , cry louder
then the lfraelites , that you acknowledge this new made God for him who faved
you out of the Spiritual Egypt. . _ a
You have learnt in the Gofpell the nature and excellency of the Sacrifice of
Chrilt , (a) who by one only ablation has perfeéted for ever thofe that are {amen}
fled, the infinite price whereof (b) has parchafed for you an eternal Redemption.»
You have learned that God fufi‘ers not any Rivall of his Glory , nor our ra-
viour any in the work of our falvation; How then could you {wear to make faints
8C Angels Sharers of your Religion? [know not how you underlland it, but I am
{ure . if you invocate the Creatures you mull: necelfarily *acknowledg them either
for Gods of an inferior Order , to whom you have promifed to give a pr0portio—
nable adoration; or for Intercefl'ors , by whom you hOpe to attaine of God the.
fuccels of yourprayers. Choofe which of them you pleafe , the Crime of invoca-
ting them is the fame: For either you have promifed to have more Gods then .
one , which is to rob the true God of that fervice you ow him , which is to adore _
no other but him alone; or you give to Chrift Companions of Mediation , and.
of his prieflly Oflice , whereof Intercesfion is anell'entiall part , which is to rob '
Chrilt of his laveing Oflices that are incommunicable. The frivolous diftinétions.
of the Church of Rome are only good to ignorant and wavering men. But God
is not put off with fuch miferable Shifts , g which may as well jul’tifie the molt abo- .
minable worship of the Paganssas the idolatries oftheReligion you have im braced.
God in whole fight the molt lécret things are naked and open, will not own a Re-
ligion to be true becaufe its Idolatry is mafqued with fome frivolous dill-motions :
and thefe abl'urd excufes are not a shield ltrong enough to bear of his vengeance
and Curfe from thofe who put any part of their truft and confidence in Creatures.
Have not you yet learned in the word of God the averlion he has to Images and
Idols? How then could you promife to ferve thofe that are adored in 1’0pish'
Churches; Could you beleive they are not Idols becaufe the Doétors of that
Church afi‘eét rather to call them Images -, as if the Changing the name of things
were to Change their natares? Or thinke you that the hommage payed them in
that impure Religion , is not to adore them ,becaul'eits Guides who are ashamed
of their own worship , dare not confefs that they give them. true adoration ; But
can they deny that they falute them , ferve them , and fall down before them .?
Is not this precifely the honor God has forbidden to be given to them , ‘EXOd. 2.0. '
[Thou shall not fall down before them to ferve them ?] '
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\IL'AME‘NI’ATION sc-WAR Nine; ‘ I 9
But-that I may not offer. aCafalo ne-of’allthofi‘thin s that are‘contrar-‘y to
Salvation , , and which you have promi ed'to comply with , Will {Say nethingof'
Purgatory invented to thedifparagement of the merits ofChrifi, and to throw
'mensconf'ciences into‘Slavery by its terrors; nor. of Indulgences, by the trade

whereof they haVe {ct-fin to file , and rated the ine‘f’timable Grace of remiflion of
"fins: ,Neither will pre'ak ofConfesfion‘,r~ Which ,' :by the maximes, Boa-rings;
and Canons of the Roman Church, that have poifoned the Lawfull ufe of it, mufl:

pals only forayoke; whofeweight overwhelms poor fouls , and is now made
one of the firongefi fupports of the Antichrif’tian Empire: nor of that immenfe

airthority which the P0pe ufurps over the inheritance of the Lord , who gives him-

{elf the proud title of Chrifis Vicar, and ofG od on earth ; nor of a hundred other
things-contrary to the fundamentall truths ofthe-G'ofpell , and inconfiflent with
the hope of S alvation. I will only ask of you how you could fubmit yourfelves to‘
{0 many fuperflitious, mean , childish and ridiculous ohfervances, whereof the
Roman Piety is compounded . after [0 many years profeslion of a grave, reverend
ferious and holy worship? How could your mouth ( dedicated to God , and {'0‘
often lané’tified by the invocation of his name and by the finging of his praifes )
pronounce thofe words that engaged you to fo man y errors that corrupt your rea-
fonable fervice; Your mouth , :foof‘tenfanétified by the frequent ufe of the Sa—
craments of our Lord , in a {triét conformity to the firf’t inl’citution , how could it
I wear to thofe corrupt and blind myiteries , fupported by monkish fables and
pretended traditions? How could-your brow , marked with the {cal of God, fuf—
fer that Glorious C haraé‘ter to de defaced , to take on it the shamefull mark of
difguifed Pagani {me ? How could you put off the Livrey of Jefus Chrifl, to take
theraggs of Slavery to which polluted Babylon has reduced your Confciences?
And how could your heart comply with the mortall defign of facrificing your
fouls to the Devil , bySacrilegious fubfcriptions? Werenot your eyes covered
with darknefs when they guided your pen in that unhappy deed ? Did not your
hands refufe to obey when they were imployed to lubfhribe the fentence of your
eternall condemnation? Could you endure to be an ornament, to garnish the
Triumph of Idols? tofollow the pompe of their proceffions , that you might
renounce God with more folemnity , and publish your shame with a witnefs.

Among all theie things I confefle you have done one thing rightly , That you i

have promifed and fubl‘cribed that you will no more partake of; the cup of the

'Lord, and that you have contented your {elves with half of his Sacrament. In

this , its true, you have done your felves jul’tice , and have rightly judged that you‘
were not worthy to drink of the Cup of his blood that was (a) shed for you , feing

.you had not the courage to shed yours for him. But why dolfpeak ofsheding

yours for him: you were not {0 much as expofed to the danger. You forfaw at
a great dif’tance this €th€m1th A Shaddow of danger frighted you , and you d-urfl:
not give the lcal’c refufall that might preferve you from the shamefull revolt to
which they comanded you. _
But if the {in of his revolt begreat in it felf, I find it yet greater when I confider
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it inits circumttanecs It isnot-thecrime at? afexu particular. men- “g Moria weak-

fififs might have given fcandall to others“; it is ‘ the Crime. of awhOle multitud‘i‘? ,‘ 3

who have confpired againft their own {alvatiom You have made that appear

which was never (can in any ofthe perfecutions of former ages , a whole ‘Churth

baled away : andnot one man relifted this Lamentable firearm. It is true , per-
fecutione have made: a; fad havo‘ck of the Church at all times ';' for all Chrifiigns

Were not "Martyrs "or ConfelTOI‘s. : The age of the Apoitles that flourished With »
manygreat examples ofConflancy, had its Apofiats : But never was there a per- “
feCution {hen to triumphe over a whole Church. Smyrna faw a rash uintus yeeld— '

ing te the fear oftorments to which he unnecefl'arily exlpofed hi’mfel : but it raw
3110 a great number of Chriftians fufl‘er With great con

rage themfelves.,xcooled the ardor and Zeal of many others 5 but at the fame timc‘
thc Church there wasedified by the martyrdom of a great many others. (by) The
Church of Alexandria in the Reign of DeeiuS. after the publication of his .Ediét
againft the Chrifiians , faw agreat many of her members revolt : but shee {aw

» alTo many others more renowned who prevented their enemies by freely offering

themfelves to death before-they were attached ; Some indeed fell throw the fear
ofloofing their Offices : Some w ere-forced by their parents and friends to offer
Incenle , Others protefted they were never Chrillians; Some refifted to Chains
but 1011 their courage in prifons; and others having furmounted the firfl: torments
were frighted at the fight of the infiruments ofa new panishment. But a multi-
tude of others fufi‘ered with great Courage their violen ces , torments , prifbns and
death it feli‘; Many mo... ,faved themfel'ves by flight , and not daring, to expofe
themfclvesto their perfecutors Were {ecured from Apofiafie by a prudent retreat ;;
At Carthage there was a great number ofChrifiians who abandon’d Chrif’t to.
fave themfelves, but at the fame time there were a great many generous Martyrs
who {caled the truth of the Gofpell with their own blood. There were many re‘
folute Confefl'ors , whom nether promifes nor threats could hinder from a con-
flan: perfeveranee in the Chrifiian profeflion. (0 Some there , with the Minifler,”
made a prudent retreat, whofe refolution to renounce their goods and Country
was to them a Kind of Confefiion ; The fame thing happned in the reigne of
Diocletian: the Confiancy of many was {halten by threats and torments , but
thouiandsare recorded to have fufl‘ered martyrdom under this Cruel Prince , and
the number of them that perfevered muit needs be great, feing for ten years
together their Perfecutors found too many to exercife their cruelties upon : and
after all this was over , the multitude of Chriflians that remained was fogreat ,
that it f’truck their enemies with amazement and fear.

' Run over the Hiftory of your Fathers , you will find the fame thing :, Many ,
Its true : were bafe and cowardly , but there were alfo many conftant and faithfull
wittnefiiiswho loft their eafe, their goods andlife it {elf for the Reformation that

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LA M E N T A TI 0 N 8: iWA R NI N C. . I r
you have abandonned, ,ShQW" £0. jmt: ,‘in {that rage-zany one Town that did nor pro-
:du to route example ofconfiancy.,- or any: » one-Church that preletved none of her
menihers in the p'erfecution 2’ But not to go furthery fearchinto the Hiltory of
your own Town , and families .- and ye will find-there {ome CXamples that you
ought to imitate: for the molt part of you do {till bear the name , and pofl‘efs the
goods of th’ofe that were then ”either vMartyrs-r or ,Conkflors ; ,yoa are doubly
guilty , ‘ to have forfakenthe truth that oflit {elf-isle Worthy: to be preferved , and
to have fo ill kept the pledge which your fathers leftyo‘u , when they had purchasg
{ed it with their valourand blood; V, . _ ' ‘ : g _ ‘ . . . '
' But perhaps it is too great a trouble to you to confult Former ages, (catch in your
own age , and confider other Churches in your own Province, if there bean
example oprofiacy like unto yours. The; grca-tel’c part ,. its true , have fallen

,-away , but there is not any place but forne one or ether has-flood when .the barrel

was (harp , and kept conltant for {ome-time , and lufferedto the utmofl: extremity,
before they Were vanquiih’d : The molt part eel’ded not till they came to {ub-
fcribertheientence of their death 3 They force their enemies to exhaufi their la-
fling‘ torments , and Cruel politiques , before they could bear them down. You
{eeeyery where the ipoiling of their. goods , and prifons , (with other violences,
and above all you fee a great many penitents whohave repared their forced-fall by
a couragions retreat , who "fill forreigne Countries ) - and xdifie their brethren by.
a Voluntary return to the truth, which they had by confiraint fOrfaken.

Is it poflible , that there is none but you that have given an example ofa revolt
without exception? 'Whagt difmall confpiracy of a whole Church againlt the
Lord,and againfi his Chriflz? At all. times and in all places , during the molt cruell
perfecutions, there have been fome faints , ; fome faithfull Chriflzians, who have
carried u on their Unfhaken Root the Heavenly Commands , who having been
fortified by the doctrine of the Gofpell , were not afl'rayed, neither ofBanifhment.

‘ to which they were condemned, nor of the tortures that were prepared {or

them ; neither of the lofl‘e of their goods , nor of the mofl: frightfull punilhments :
Among you only thereis found to little loveto God , - fo-littledeal for his glory -,
that you have not {hown one inflance offidelity. _ , ; _ f . ' ,- -

. How will ye behave your {elves in that day , when it (hall pleafe God to rel’tore
peace to his aflliéted Church? To whom Wlll you addrefs for a’ reconcilement ,
feing you haye all revolted ? Where is the Church among you , that may receive
you into her befome upon your repentance and {'ubmillion ? Seing you have, as
I may fay , extinguifhed it by yourinfidelity ., So far, that there is not o‘ne'living
member remaining : Whereas God has relerved fome thoufands of true thrilli-
ans in the Kingdom where you are; . how comes it to pals that you cannot make

. one of the number ? Is there notone left that has not defiled himielf with an ido-

latrous fworlhip? . ‘ . . . g ‘
. But I mil‘ta (e, there has been fome examples of Chriflian Courage among you,

its true , but they were ,fuch as mightload you with shame and Confufion 5 Five
or fix women and maids were more Zealous thenyou 1 , who chofe caves and~ dc:

ierts, rather‘than to {ubmit to that lentence of death Which you {caled to your
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5,, . THE FAITH-FULL" ‘ PASTORS , , ..

own‘ defiruétio‘n. (a) A" holy :B-ishopfofoldFBoafi’ed that his Church {produced
women couragious enough to partake Wit-h men in the‘Viélory and Crown of
Martyrs ; but with you all-the Glory was on ”their fide ; That Weak fox furmoun-
ted the temptations that men were afl'raid of. Wehave feen women triumph over-
the vanquished men , "who refitted the evil example-of their brothers, fathers and
husbands 5 and railéd themfélves on the ruines of the {’c’ronger fex: who by their
confiancy reproached the: others weaknefs and cowardi'ze,’ ready. to cry out with

a-famous Martyr Of the firfl ages, Farewell my ltfe , farewellmygood: :, (b ) I law

rather to loofi all theft then he guilty of hlafphemj 5 and impiet} ngntnjt God my creator"
h} one jingle word. ? . '

Go on holy and generous women a and if there be any whofé co-nfliancy,time;
and the example of their relations , has not shaken , perfeél: ye that which you,
havebegun; perfevere to the end , and your labour shall not be in vain in the
Lord; The Crown oflife is prepared for you ,_ he is faithfull who has promife’dl ‘
Love, and know no more after the flesh , Know no Fatherbut God , no Husband
but Chrifi 5 Keep for him your fouls which he has redeemed , And Crown with a.
Chrifiian death your noble beginnings. Call to, mind what a holy woman , ready.
to die for Chrilt- , laid, to. thofe of her Sex that ran out to gaze on her as a Spe&acl.e,;
(C) Dot not allendge (field the) to me the frat/t} ' of onr [ex , thereh} to than the tronhle
that acoompnniettheprofeyion of Pier}; We are made of the flame matter men nreof, and
created after theimetge of God a: well as th e]; He did not on!) folk? ofqthe fleth of man to
make-the W'ometn; But he- has made to: hone of hit hone, etnel therefore according to the.
defign of God , we ought to have at mwh pntzenee , courage , and Conflnnc] a: they.
Thus when Chrifi was taken. by the Jews 3 the mofl: part of them abandoned
him in the Garden , others denyed him at the High priells houfe , but the women
were not afli'aid of his Crofs 5 ~ and were ready to accompany him with the . ho-L
mage of their faith and love even to the grave ; Preferve the Glory of your {EX ,5
and releut nor when there remains but one aflhult moreto obtaine a compleat
Vié‘tory.

But as for you Husbands , lefs couragions then your wives; Fathers and Mo‘
thers more fearfull and hike: warme then your Daughters: was it not enough to

commit {0 great a {in 5 ' without making it greater by revolting confiderately and.
advifedly. Should you have {ubmitted your {alvation to the arbitration of men ?-
Did you uie art and cunning that you might with more advantage betray the'caufe
of God P and Mail: you agree on terms to def’troy your feves. Some of you would.
nm {in alone , but chofe rather than to want company ; to draw in Others by your
wicked Counfels. But there was not one found among you , who to reitraine
others - from this shamefull aétion , had the Courage to {peak with "Joshua to
thofe that were going to betray the truth of God. (d) Choofi yon this. day the God.
that)”; wtllfl’r've , hat 4: for me and m} hottfi’, we will fire/e the Lord. So far , alas ,.
were you from {peaking thus ,5' that you encou ed one another to the mutuall
{nine of your iouls ;, and to your bad example a ded your unmercifull exhorta-
tions; When you law any one whom the importance of the Change kept unrefol...

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ved, you determined him by your perverfe Counfels, and adopted the words which:~

F ' under the Law deferved death without mercy. (3) Come let m fire/e other Godr. ,

Thus by an unparalelled confpiracy. , you quickly tutn’d the Vineyard of the Lord , ' :

intoa defart ; and made flaves of Superitition atmultitude of people whom Chrin ' 3

had, fet free. (5)

,i What was then the reafon that induced you to thisdeplorable Apofiafy. P Were

i ’ youignorant that God marked all your Steps , and would one day bring you to

an account? Were you ignorant that he (cut you this [were tryall that he might

prove you , and know the power of thofe bondsthat engaged you-to the profeflion '

' of his fervice P Were you1 norant, of the indignity done to his Majefly in Choc--

F {in-g other Gods before his gee? Or lai‘tly , were youignorant of. the threatnings

4‘ he has pronunced againfi thofe who are ashamed of his Covenant , and "prefer in

l his fight the WorshipsofaLye to- that of the Truth. You might in fome, fort

" be excufed (F) zfyau were Mind , as Chrifi laid to the Jews of his time . but you are
infirué’ced'andenlightned , and therefore (dyyourfln remain: in its ful power and
guilt. F or you. have net {0. foonforgot your Conduétors ,. nor their infituétions

; . fo frequently repeated , after which you went home contented, perfwaded and '

convinced of the truths they taught you , triumphing over the Diforder you oft

bbferved the enemies of your faith were put unto. How comes it now to pals that.

you have abandoned , all onthe fudden and caft off the proieflion offo f’crong and

fo evident truths. ,. Have you obferved that your teachers concealed tot-you-any;

part of the CounlEll- of God P Have you perceived that they wrapt up them,-

fizlyes in Mylteriesto Difguife the truth? Can you. convince them that they have:

faliified the word of God .3 Your Confciences. bear witnefs againi’c you in their

a behalf , and tell you , notwithi’tanding the filence ou impole on them , that;

‘5 you-have done violence to their diétatess; and that to fupprefs. them. ,.. you have

' abufedyour light andjudgement.

But after all, you were willing to, perish ,. and it had been taken for an in-
jury to have faved you. ; but did not the int-ercft of your. Families touch your .
hearts ;- tho you had loft your own 1" Had on no pity on your Infants born , and
to be born,whom you your {elves , to fly 0, {acrificed to impiety ? It is not long,
fince I law you overcharged with grief when you thought of loofing them at the
feventh; year of their age. You were alarmed and trembled when you faw that
inhumane defignexewted on fome of your children andfamilies ; Your groans,8c_
tears , withyour (ad and compaflionate behaviour , did then manifefi the grief~ ;
you, were poflhfled with :; ah whence comes the change I now obferve in you _? Ye 1
then feared they would force your children into the Roman Church .,, butnow ‘

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(hm the unconverted enjoying tbefi’ m4] be find to be [ fit free 5}! C/mfl J from pagan—~ »
iflme , quldz‘rq ,- fuperflirion :. mdnjelam éwglat 2 Pet. 2.. V. 1.. and redeemed é} him ,4 i
who are not redeemed from fin ,. wrdt/a , judgement, whatever the], t/aemfilz/ex imaging.
or other: inc/Myer}. meg-make oft/gem... . '

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_— K. «fig—“EAT:

34 '~ «THE FAITHFULL PAST-0R8 .

you freely carry them. there your felves. Some would have thought ita rem;

n ant of Comfort that Others had done it for them,but you loved rather to 'facrifi-ce
them of your own accord : This is a kind of worship like unto that of Moloch',

where the parents themfelves were obliged to throw their children into the burn.
ing arms of the Idol with their own hands , and not to give the leaft token of com-'-
paflion at their innocent Cryes ; They have required of you fomething like this ,

and you have done it , having willingly del’troyed and murdered your own child-

ren,yo‘u have {acrificed together with your felves thofe already born, 8: have made
them loofe the fanEl-ity the Covenant conferred on them , as being born in the
Church of C hrifl , You have robbed them of it before they came to age; wherein
without you , they might have prelérved it. But to fay more , you have lofl;
before hand thofe that are not yet born ; You have bereaved them of the life of
their foul , before they enjoyed that of the body , and haVe been their Parricides

' before you were their fathers.

What account Wlll you then give of your prdceedingsmhen he shall require of
you thefe infants which he had given you P Dare you Confefs that you have eng.
couraged them by your example and Counfell to difown him before men; and
that you caried them in your armes to lay them down at the feet of idols , when
becaufe of their tender age , they could nor follow you -, or that you devoted them
to Idolatry before they came into the world '2‘ What will you anfwer to the fécret
reproaches of thofe little babes who will accufe you of their miiery ? One day will
they fay , we might have been born children of the Covenant of God , in the
,profeflion of the truth; more ha py than thofe that are born to Kingdoms and
Empires 5 We might have been orninto the hope of the "Kingdom of Heaven ,
if our fathers had nor envyed us the honor of this happy birth 3 We have not wil-
lingly engaged our felves in a finfull communion ; If we had once talted 'o‘f‘the"
Truth 5 we would never have quitted it for a lye 3 if we had known the table
of the Lord and the Heavenly bread , that is there Diftributed, we would never
have partaken of the table of Idols; Our Fathers have betrayed us , and our de-
plorable mifery is the effect of their perfidioufnefis. What will you then anfwer to
them ; what Defence will you make to an accufation [0 well founded :" ~ ‘

I do not believe that five or fix months profeflion of POpery has to hardned ,
you , as not to perceive the truth of thefe complaints; What exc'ufe will you
make .? Perhaps , that tome favour was shown you , and that they did not require
of you an abjuration of thofe truths you alwayes beleived; as alfo that you man-
aged the interefl: of your falvation fo far as yow were able , and that under hand
you were difpcnfed with in thofe things your confciences did molt Prickat. But
can you fay this with any colour of truth .9 Did you [0 little examine the F ormu-
laries of Confeflion they made you read , or the Generall claufes of fubmiflion to
the Church of Rome that you fubfcribed ; as not to underfland that they obliged
you to approve all that the Church approves of , and to condemn all that she»
Condemnes ? and by confequence to embrace her errors 5 and to practice .the wor~
ship authorized by her Councils; as alfo to renot‘mce thof e truths you are convin-
ced of , becaufe her Councils have condemned'them. How could you be catcht

. , . . m .

 

 

 

 

 

. . i’iL‘AMENTATION 8t WARNING. r;

in firehpalpablefirares, when pretending to difpenfe with fome things , . the more

' [*cahlyx to dazle you , ' they engaged you to the whole by a captious generality P

- Moreover, when: Iearn’d you the ufe of thofe enfnaring accommodations ?‘-
Could you , Without doing defpite to God the Father and Protector of Truth ,
yeeld any thing toits prejudice , or compromifc its rights under the good faith of
its ennemies. Trttth {ufi’ers no sharing, it is indivifible, and where you confent
to loofe a part , you loofe the whole. It has fomething in its nature {0 pure , that

it is violated’when aflbciated with the fmallefl errors: The leait mixture corrupts .

it; anda corrupted truth is nolonger Truth. The Jealoufie of God {tigers no
more a miXture of another Worship with his own , than to preferr another to it 3.
For it is the propertie of true Religion to beinconiil‘tent with any other : There.»
.fore by thinking to five a part under the pretence-of the generall . terms of your
engagements» , you have, abandoned the whole , and after having fubmitted
to to many errors, you can no longer glory in the truth that remains: it is too.»
much altered to. bear ever afterward the honour of that name.

But {uppofe it were not thus , Did you hope they would let you enjoy the
{mall remains of your old Religion ,. while you were not thorow Papifls? They

'Pl‘Omide its youwill fay . But could you belcive they would keep their word}

to you ? Had not you experience enough of the perfidioulhefs of your pretended
converters , to be aflured you had norhing to hope for, from their promife? How

often have they {ince the perfecution began, openly violated all the Laws r

Oaths, and agreements that might give you the leafl: occafion of confidence in.‘
them ? Are their new prorniiés more folemn and {acred than the Ediét of Nantes

that youhave feen- revoked? Or thenthe Ediél: of the Revocation it felf, in the v

lait Article whereof, they promifed a forbearance to the red of the Prorei’tants ,...
on whom the very next day after they fent dragoons to quarter; if Once perfidlous,
It fufl‘ices- to be ever after fiifpeéted : You should have been on your guard againfl:

the promifes of your feducers, whom ['0 many fresh experiences had convinced}

you , to be Uncapable ofobferving them.

0

But you Will reply ,. that they have forced you, to nothing fince you fubl'cri-

bed. It may be {0 , yet this calm ought to be fufpeéted , it is atrick of the Devil

to lull you a fleep by an appearance ofrelt t. A too great three had kept you awake,
tho it would have made you comply with what they pleafed ) yet it might

have roored a'deep and lafiing refentment in the bottom of your hearts, and-

have made you deteft in fecret that which, they had wrelted from your. by force:
But however the Devil cannot longpbely himfelf, nor fufl'er long in peace
thofe heintends to defiroy, tho-at prefent a deceitfull peace be more advanta—
gious to his defigns. And what needs he more now , feing he has obtain’d of you
the abjuration of the truth , if it be not to‘fecure you in this condition 2: He can.

not drive you into another that is more mortall. His defign is to accuf’tome you:

to flavery, and to renderthat worship familiar to you ,... who at firft IO much ab-
horred it. He would manage your Confcience (0 that the alarms of it may

daylie diminish, and the fentiment of your grief may by little and little abate. u He

‘ knows well that the. Cu-flome ofthat Communion Will in; time afford you a. rea-

{on

r6... .. a.....‘.n..._..wa_r...

 

 

 

16 THE F Arr HFULL PAS‘TORS l
fon not to come out of it a; He knows Well enough that repentance is made more '
difficult by along contracted habit of doing evil 5 and eXpeéls by this dangerous

calm that many of you will arrive at thetlall period oflife, before you think of re-
rcovering your {elves by repentance.

Will you fay, you were furprized , and the norm reached you before you could ?
‘for’fee it ? Can you fay fo in Confcien ce ? How oft did I advertifé you of the danger
that threatned you, both by word and writting? Did I not publickly and priVate-
ly , together 8: apart , purfue you Wltl‘l Counfells and warnings? . I have wea-
‘ried you with importunities and frequent repeatmgs of the fame things 5" which
I inculcated in feafon and out of feafon-, prefent and abfent , every manner of
way I thought capable of m0vcing you. You received the fame advices from a
hundred other hands , and therefore you cannot fay . Without being convrnced ‘3
of the contrary , that you did not expect it.

But Confider further how God hath dealt with you in refpeé’c of others. You i
'faw all the other Provinces of the Kingdom ranfackt with violence before it ap-
proached you,8c in your own Province,error had conq uered all theTowns before
it attached you. You {aw therefore the {form arife at a diflance. You law it advance ’
towardsyou by remarkable Steps , and break in on your neighbours , before it _ i
made the leall havock among you : Was not this a timely advice for you to be on
your guard , and to prepare you felves for the fight , or for a flight? to take up
the armes of God whereby ou might have refilled the evill day; or ufed thofe
prudent precautions Where y you might . have shunned that A pol'i'afie into
"which you are fallen P Was not this as a vorce from Heaven to you , to fly from a
, “the Storm , and to fesure your {elves from the Inundation wherein you law your “ ‘
{i brethren involved? ‘

j it may be the time Was short , and warning coming too late gave you not .
i ‘t’heleafure to take your meafures. But why fo much ceremony to doyour duty Pr
So many delays and precautions in Head of briske and couragious rel'oiutions .?

ii This was the firfl: flep of perfidioufnefs ; But with all you had weeks , months
and years to prepare your felves , you had all occafions and conveniences defire-a

 

 

 

 

i able to have fecured your fafety; Norhing was'wanting to be faithful], but the
i courage of being fo. ‘

You will perhaps anfwer me 3 that yOu were prepared for it, and had taken
ii , good refolutions, but that you wereforced, and that you were bereft of your

iudgment by the evils you fuffered , and your patience worn out by your Tor-
,f‘ ments; 1 wish to God it were true, and that your Crime had not all the marks

' of a voluntary defection: But what hurt received you .? Did they fett up Gib-
i; x . ‘bets and breaking wheels in every corner of your fireets .9 Or faw you any tyed
fl up that were refolved to perfeverein their duty? Or if this be too much, were
-' ~ you dragged to prifons , or to dark and noifome dungeous , where many of your

 

% , . brethren inoother-parts of the Kingdom were shut up? Were you beate , woun-
> , ded,I tornln perces, or kept av'vake many nights and days together as fo many
is others were? You might have been pitied if you had fainted under thofe or fuch

like‘torments. St. Cyprian (de lapfis) lays; Tho/é may onlycomplam oftormen-tsu
' ‘ . who "

 

.4. ago—“h -._-,..J..-L(4_ -12“: ~a «anon-«4.7.

 

Wm!— 7'“

\ I LA'M'EN‘TATI-ona WARNING. 1;?"

who hat/e lo]? their conrage hjfnfert'ng under them 5, and tho/é me} n]? the excnfé ofpnz’tt
who were vanquished h} it. But this Kind of Apologie doth no way belong to you
who have lufi‘ered nothing ; Did they pillage or demolish your hou'l'e5 , or quiar-v
ter fouldiers on you whofe Barbarous info‘lencies you were not able to endure;

Have they reduced you to poverty by taxes and confifcations P Dif play to us your

miferies , make an open shew of your fufi'erings: I cannot obiérve any foot Rep

of violence done you either in your perfons or families: Your bodyes are found

and healthy; You fuffered no lofs of your goods; You are free men , and your

trade and commerce has fufi‘ered little alteration; What then happened .9 they

threatned you with a few dragoons, and prefently you were {truck dead with fear ,

and all your good refolutions vanilhed into fmoak.

But is iimple fear a lawfull excufe for a crime , which neither tortures them-
felves (if we confider the merit of the caufe) nor the molt cruell punifhments
A can excufe -?Accordin g to the difcipline of the firl’t Chriltians,one's defeé‘tion from
the faith , thd torn in pieces with tallons oflron , and bruifed on the rack a was
ei’teemed an abominable erime : The very fpeétators offo odious a weaknefs trem-
bled , and were aff'raid left the dreadfull lightnings of' the vengeance of God
fliould furprife them. They expeéted no lefs then Claps of thunder from heaven ,
or that the earth fhould Open its large abyfs to punnifh a mifcreant Church where
but one was found to deny Chrift; What would the have {aid or done , if they
had feen a whole Church yeeld to the firfl: attaches o fear,their bodies untouched,
and their lirenght entire. Acknowledge ye therefore the truth , and by a {incere
Confeflion of the evil you have done , give us fome ground to hope of your re-
pentance : Confefs you have fallen by a temptation that ought not to have Ihaken
you s It feems it was of you that a (3) Holy Brfhop of the third age {pake , there is
{0 great a conformity between you and thofe whofe defeétion he Laments 5 You
have betrayed your faith all on a fudden , at the firlt threats of the ennemy; you
were not overthrown againft your wills by the violence of the perfeeution , but
you overthrew your {elves by a voluntary defeétion. Does it not feem on your
account that he addeth what follows; They did not wait, when the; dented the truth,
tat/[they were asked a renfim of their fntth ; or tillthe] were apprehended, and conflrnt'ned
to hnrn z'ncenfi' to Idols, hnt were vnnqnijhed hefore the Comhdt , overthrown hefore the]
were enconnter’d ; they dzd not [5 much at referee the excnfi That violence we: ofered
them 5 The} rm to the Palace (or to the Idol Prie/fs) of their own accord , and hnfled to
deliver themfi’lve: up to death a: zfz't had been a thing they long ole/{red ; and d: tfthe) had
emhrneed an occnfi'on that the] had long waited for.

Had the Gofpell preached by Chrilt and his Apoftles made fo great a progrefé

in the world if it had been received Only by thofe of your temper? Had -

truth triumphed over error a whole Empire Was eflablifhed by a long prefc-ription
of ages , and mantained by all the powers on earth , if it had not found more faith-
fulldifciples then you? Had Chrifl: been received in the remoteft parts ofthe
world by a barbarous and lavage people and adored by the Kings ofthc earth ,
if the firfi guardians of his Truth had fo ill perihrved it as you have don; He is
' ' ‘ C no:

(.) (Jpn de Ldpf.

\

- 7 —-Av-. Mama

 

 

 

l

~ we». at - ' ‘ w

is « THE FAITHFUL‘L PASTORS
not beholding to you that he has any faithfull fervants yet remaining ;‘ There
would be none to Confefle his name , ifthofe who were threatned by the ennemy,
and expofed to his {trat‘agems and power , had not had more courage then you.

. The Authors of the defolation of our Churches were afhamed of their own
Perfidy and cruelties ,and to colour the matter they boafted of the pretend 2d con -
verlions they procured ; which {truck all Europe with amazement for they gave.
out that they forced no body , that the peOple obeyed the firfl: orders of their own
accord , and that they retnrned to the Religion of‘their anceltors at the firlt fum-
mons. This is that they publilh by their hired writters, whofe pen-s are fold to
impudence and lying, to dil‘guife publick and nocorious deeds: Had they not
reafon thus to write , if all your brethren had been as Cowardlie as you were .3
Your example confirmes their excufes and makes an Apology for them. In
vaine have {0 many thoufiands faved them halves, poor and naked , thorow {0 many
diflicultes and fnares; in vaine have they filled all the El’tates of~ Europ with their
complaints , and the account of their miferies ; your condué’c-has belyed {0 many
thoufand witnelTes; And if it tpraifed be Godit cannot) {uflice not to deflroy

their teftimony, yet itrenders their complaints in l’ome manner {ulpecSted of’ '
being too much aggravated: who can beleive all they lay a tho many of them .

carry yet abour them the Scars of their foFQringS) when they {63 a conliderable;
Church thus overcome , and yeeld without fighting? ‘

But you may {till reply , That you were to much conlhrained that it appeared-
i-n your Countenance then when you ligned the Abjuration; You were pale, and,
trembling as if you had been led to the flaughter , and the you, lpoke not again“:
the compliance they required ofyou , your looks , groans and trouble ofmind.
were a lilent protellation againlt the force they uled: But thele excufes con.-
viéh you , andgive the greatett ground to condemne you. When one has recourfe
to the deceit of a Frivolous excule , it is almoit as much as if he had committed the:
crime over again: Can any thing more clearly conviét you, that you have finned.
againll: your own Light, then to conFefs that you felt in your Confciences {o-
flcrong oppofition , or can youtake that for an excufe , that is the clearelt indi—

'cationof your weaknefs? fliould I draw your Portraiture? that which Denis. of

Alexandriamade of fome weak fp‘irited Chi‘iltians of'his time is as proper as. if it
had been drawn for you. Some (/eiz'd he) were [ken approaching the Altarrpale and
Heme/Mg {as zftke} were not come tojacflfice' to Id 0!: eat to offer themélver for w'fhme: ;
endow/21': dceozmt the multitude of fpeéi‘eztor: dgflamed them, a: tho/e who made it-
oped/appear that they came neither to d nor to jaerzfice. Do you nOt know yOur-
{elves by the draught of this. Picture-P You had neither the courage to retaine the
profefli'on'of your faith , nor. the refolution to renounce it: neither hot nor cold
in an occafion that required the oneor other; neither holy enough to prefer the
glory of God above all, nor cold enough to (how your indifierency then when
you repudiated and put away the holy one. judge ye of the (fleets of this Luke-

warmnefs' and of what your pretended converters may think whenthey fee you”

give {0 many publick marks ofthe balEIt weaknels.
" What lhonld we have then done. you will ask mee? What fidc fhouldwc
' ' have

1'

 

‘ ' 'NHME.¢__; .37 :A .

“it V

 

 

 

 

.LAMENTATION & «WARNING.   .9

have taken in the extremity we were in? You had two me'afures to take , either
tohave refilled ,» or to have fled ; if you had no courage to ftand it out. It is n‘oi:
given to all to be proof againft tortures, and to arrive at the higheft degree of
victory. But a Victory may be obtained by a retreat as well as by refitting: Even
thefirfl: ages , tho fevete in this cafe , etlemed a prudent retraite to be in fo me
degree a vi&ory. But what {hall we fay of thofe who as you have done, would nei-
ther refilt nor fly P What can we beleive of them but that they were refolved be-
fore hand to do what they did? He that flayed at home to den} at lit/2‘ Iefm Clara/f,
( [hid St. Qprian (') in the like mfl’) fld]6’d of purpofe to do fl).

Youwill anfwer , God forbid that you {hould have (0 wicked a thought , We
would have fled if we could; All wayes of retraite were {topt , and thofe that
retired with pasports may fpeak at their eafe what they pleafe , but for orhers, the
foldiers and Country were employed againi‘c them , and double guards fet at all
places wherebythey might efcape: the prifons are full of thofe they took either on
the Frontiers or in feaport- towns ; and terrible were thepunifliments inflié’ced on
them : every one is not Galy-proof, nor can fuflfer theinfeétion of a noilome
Dungeon , where thofe wretches dye a thoufand times a day. We mult have done
Wh at we did fooner or later , a few dayes make no great difference. _

l confefie it is a fad cafe ; and if you had been detained in your flight it had ma-
de appear at leafl that you were Willingto do your duty; Then you might have
alledged. fome fpecious excule for your defence a that you were Conflrained ) and
that therewas no choice but of the Change of religion, or a prifon ; And as in the
ancient Church they received with compaflion the excules of thofe who had fuflfe—
red the exrreame-fi; pains for the profeflion of the truth a Who to obtain the peace
' of the Church uled more their wounds then their tears , and the marks of the tor-
tures that tore their bodies , than the voice of mourning , as Cyprian faid , fo
likewyfe we would have pitied your Chains and prifons. But what right have
you to {peak of the Dangers ofretreat, who never tryed it? You who never lofl:
fight of your houfes , your excufe refemblesth’at of the Loiturer , who to have a
pretence of his Lazynels , faid (a) there is a lyon without. You feek for a pre-
' tence Ofyeelding to the enemy , Youfay , the paflages were fiopt, and a retraite
was accompanied with a thoufand dangers, but why flayed you.“ til the path-
ges were (topt P You had time enough to fave your {elves when they were
all 0 en .

Bglieve me , Fear made the danger feem greater then it was; You might per-
haps have feen all the difficulties levelled before you , if you had attempted to fur.
mount them. More then a hundred and fifty thoufand of your brethren who
efcaped the vigilance of the Guards, {hew what you might have hoped for ,' if
you had, had the courage to expofe your bodyes for the fafety of your fouls. The
molt of them that eicaped , retired fince the Revocation of the Ediét , after they
had befet all the frontier places with guards of fouldiers ; Men, women, and chil-
dren , alone and in company , disappointed the induf’cry and diligence of thofe
hunters of fouls. God wantsnot {till his invifible thariots to fave tho‘fe that hope

C 2 in

(a) do Lapflr. (b) Prov. 22..

 

 

 

 

__.rm-_.,..r_,_w ,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

;. 1 THE meat... game as I

in him. He can yet blind , as he has often done , thofe who Oppofi: themfiilves
to the retraite of his Children. ’

Let us then {peak the truth , that we may not difguife the caufé of your-defeai-
on '5 The fear of men and love of the world have made you fall; The dread of
men has made you forget the fear of God; You were affraid of the Dragoons ',
( thefe Miflionaries of the red Dragon) and the fear of falling into their hands
made you forget that it was infinitely more terrible to fall into the hands
of the Living God 5 You remembrednot that all the-injuries of men can only. affliél:
the body , but that God can cafl; foul and bodyinto Hell fire 5 8: therefore hewas
more to be redoubted then men. . ' .

0n the other hand , your Gaodrflazck rayour heart , (a) The Minded love: of the:
good things of thir world In: deceived you , and perhaps you were mm in a condition to
retire , becaule you were chained by the afl‘eétion you retained for your periihing
riches: fo true is it that the heart cannOt {hare the fervice of two Malters , and that
it isimpoflible at the fame time to lerve God and Mammon. How unhappy is
he who prefers the Iervice of Mammon to that of God ! What miferablegain: is it
to gain the whole world and to look your own foul P This love of your goods in-
cludes two things equally criminall ;. Ingratitude and diflrul’t ; Firlt , Ingrati-
tude‘, you received thofe benefits of the bounty of God . and I do not beleive that
in profirating your felves before that Divinity made with mens hands (which
you have promifed to adore ) you dare think that it is to it you are indebted for
them. It is God , the living God , not made with mens hands , but by whom
men are made a Who bounhfully befioWed them , who preferved them by his
Providence , andencreafed them by his blefling : Has be given them , preferved
them , and encreafed them. that you might love them. more than him, and prefer
them , as your occafion ferves ,to his fervice B Is thisto give him the due acknow-

Iedgment of his goodnefs, tochoofe rather. to renounce his Covenantthen thew

goods you received of him ?« Has he been bountiful that y ou: might be perfidious P
Can you do him. agreater indignity then thus to list himat nought for.- the things
that perifli , and tolhew your felvesmore Haves. to them than. religious guardians
of his truth ? Confult all ye Malters-that can'informe you. of the nature of Ingra-
titude . you will find it the blackefl: and molt lhamefull degree thereof to ufe be-
nefits to the difl'ervice of the Benefaétor , and to offend him by his own bounty -:
This is that you have done to God , you have abufed his liberality to his dilho-
nour: If he had given you lefs to loofe , perhaps you would have ferved him
more faithfully 5 But becaufe he _ made you live at cafe, and filled you with his
treafure ,. you could not refolve to quit for his fake that which you held of him.
Secondly , You have difcovered, a fliamefull d1l’trull,, You were affraid you
would ,never receive again . w hat youhad abandoned for his lake ,., and. forgat the
(b) promil‘e he made to thofe who-love him above all MC) 8C toeveryone'that hath
forfaken houfeS-or brethrenor filters ,. or father or mother ,, or wyfe or children
or Lands for his names fake that they fhal receive an hundred fold in this world ,

- and in the world to come, everlai’tinglife, What think. you? Did'you believe

he
(3) (Jr/m 4’6 Lapfi (b) Mama. (‘9 Mark. IO..Lu’(. 18.. ’

.1 “mm ...r‘ . _...._,
LIL i;_i,—___.-.t .m.‘,.._—., -,. ... ,

 

 

”LAM E N'TAT‘I'O n a w»; a mm. at

a-lyar by your misbelieif, or (b).vhave you limited him b an injurious diflzrul’t' 3- Did
you think he was not able enough to remunerat you or that you were to iacn'fiee
for his glory , or that he was not rich enough: to anfwer neceflities? Did you think
that he who had given you {0 much , had drained his treafure by his - beneficence ,3
and if you loft any thing. for his interei’t that he was not able to make you amends ?
‘ The Hif’tories of Abraham , jacob , Joleph, and of] ob (who were richer after
banilhment , after afilié‘tion ,. after lofl'es ) and fo mahy examples ancient and
modern of the care God-takes of thofe who fear him , were they not powerfull
enough to make you underfiand what you were to hope from him if you had cone
feflhd his name and fufiered for his fake? - a ,,
You thought perhaps, that the prefent was more fure then: the time to come;

and by a carnall prudence you loved rather to Keep what youhadthen to renoun -
ce them for uncertainshopes. But why do n0t you ufe that prudenceto albetter
purpole , to-Keep the pledge of the Heavenly truth that was committed to you?
Why dit you not hear lefus Chrift calling to you'f'rom heaven , where he. {its at
the right hand of the Father; (c) Holdfafl that which you have , and let no mm: m..-
IQ: your Cream. You might then have‘been afl'ured that this precious treafure-had
' nor been taken from you. But for thofe goods [of which yOu {aid , ((1) You are
my trail ] who promifed you that they shall not be taken away P Should ytousthinl;
that God will fufi'er you to enjoy them. eaceably , who have donfuch. an injury.
to him by denying his truth ?* I should ament your conditionif I. lawyou. contiw
nue without being .partakers of the Rod whichta good Father {pares n0t to the
Children he loves. (c), The wrath of God is then great,» when after we have
finned , God (5) treats us as if we were not worthy ofhisanger; ‘It is the great--
all proof of his feverity when he will not lead us-to‘repentance even-by Chaf’tife 9
ments. (3) As for himto whom God is truely merciful 1, not only dothhc pardon

 

 

that he may “0! take pleafure in his fin- Hetells you that he rebukesand correé‘ts
thOfC whomhe loves = It would-be a token of his love if he appeared to you with a
rod in his- hand ; And where couldtthe cfi'eéts of his vengeance fall more juflly ,
then on the CQUFC ofyour fin s then on thofe good things you have loved better
then him ? Thus he may make-you know your errour , In departing from him“;
You have 10ll thatGood which God would not and no power on earth could ever .
take from you , and have preferred to it richesthat he can take from you when‘
he pleafis .- For the Lord gives them , and the Lord takes them away _ You have ._
them from him, and by him only you can preferve them.
Perhaps-he forbears the rod ,. to invite you to rcpentance by the riches of his
patience, long filflccring, and bounty : but let not this delay deceive you; (1,} K
Youmu‘ft not thinks you-have efcapedlbecaufe’the punishment is delayed ;,~ There

. 3 r.
t (a) ripple/9. 5'. ‘1’) Pfizl. 77. (c) :Apoc‘. 3. (+1) ((+70!) 31,
(¢) - Hieran. m Ofi’. [16. 4. c. 4.
(f) , Nzljil infc/z'cm: co cm' , ni/az'levenit advcrfl. Same. dc Prom
m (g) Augztflt m .Pfal. 98'.- (h) C jpr» d: Lapflr.

 

hrs-Was not true to his word , or that he wanted pOWCliB ( a) Have you madel-im _

his {ins that he may not fuller for them in the. world to come,but he afllié’ts a {inner 1

- .t 35‘?

, w v

 

 

mw‘.’ Wt \ _ V3: V J"

vi . i' "T HE J " F K! T~=HF UI‘LE "FA ST (IRS
is {a "much the more reafon to fear the efi'eét of this forbearance , that he ibenis
(thereby to referve the {inner to more feverejudgments. You have by you , thofe
whom God wil make ufe oi toChaftize you .; thofe Priei’ts , and Monks , thofc
Officers of the "Religion you have embraced will be the procurers and inflzru-
‘ments of your ruine ; : They have a mind to your Eltates after they have devoured
your fouls t Hitherto they have had no advantage by your prof’efling theirerizors ;
Your pretended converfion is not the leaf} aimoe of their intereiT ed pulitiques: Ac -
cording to the genius and maximes of their religion (which breaths nothin but
riches and grandeur) they will , after they have deprived you of the Heavenly
Treafure , deprive you likerwyfe of your earthly riches. Do not think that
your obfe quious complyance to their Worship Will content them , they never
pardon that which they. call Herefie , and when one has once undergone that
Character ,. there is no converfion will reconcile him to ' their jealous Politiques :
Herefie , they think , is a difeafe that is never well cured , and Chiefly thofe He-
refies which {top up the fprings of their immenfe. riches , or overturn the founda-
tions of their tyrannicall authority : The reconCilement of Henry the IV. to the
Roman Church was not able to fecure him from a thoufand conipiracy’s , nor at
lalt from death; The Jefuits firfi: fuggelted that Wicked Counfell in Charles the
1X. ,tyme , of mailacring thofe who. tUrnd Catholicks through fear of death;
Do you think they have not {till the fame mind , and the fame opinions yet; I
know not ifthey havea defign on your life. (God only knows that) It may be
the prefent Conflitution of the Rate agreeth not with their violent defigns; Men
arrive not to the higheil: degree of mifchief on a fudden; Perhaps they are prepa-
ring greater {troaks as may be collected from the experiments of inhumanity
which have defolated {0 many Provmces; It‘was by degrees they came to the per-
fidious revocation of the Ediél: of Nantes 5 They pafl'ed from a fecret hatred to an
openiwar ; from war they came to manifeft injufiice; and from injuftice they
came again to fecret craft; and in the end having renounced all Modefty , from
Craft they came to a publick breach offaith ; and from thence to force , pillaging,
and dragoons. You may by this Lamentable gradation judge what they are like
to do, who have published their defigns by {0 dreadfull beginnings: You have
reafon to fear they will not-{top here ; on the occafion of fuppofed new crimes the
difiiculty is only to be gin, after the firi’t {tep the progrefs is eafy , and great way
is made in a shorttime in the rode of iniquity. __ .
But tho-it werenot thus, do you thinke thofe men who gape after confif'cati—
ions and look on you that are rich with the fame regrate 8C envy as we look on Ufu-
rers , that they will fuffer you to enjoy your riches? Do not you know the depth
of their Metalls and maximes? Mutt-you try experiments to be convinced of their
inhumane intentions? , .

. Call to mind what-you have read of the expulfion of the Moor’s; The time
that pafl'ed from their Baptifme to Phil. 3:. could not cure thejealous and diflrul’t-
full minds of the Catholique King? They were made believe from time to time
that the Moriskos , were {till Mahometans in their heart , and that they kept in-
telligence with the ennemiesof the State , and on the pretence of {uch crimes,

r ' that

 

no '4 ;- ___._ ..‘
Haw—.0”- _

 

, L’A'M‘E'NTATION' 86"WAgRNING.’ t;
thatvcry often were but Calumm'es’, they took occafion to fpoil ,-_. pillage, and ;
banish them, and to mine them by 'prifons and punishments; The mlfcnable: .
remnant of the jewes who had fetled in Spain , were ufed. after the-fa m e, manner _ ‘
(a) Sikh! ( whom their own Hiflorians fay , had a zeal without knowledge}-
began to force them to embrace the Gofpell , and (b) Sz’finand (who lom-e time .,
after a lucceeded) gave fome moderation to thole uniull Laws; but Swintbilwas
yet worfe than Sz/éém , and confirained thofemiferable peOple tobe baptized.
againll: their Confciences, or to leave the Kingdom: - But this feverity did'th-rCe t
medyr their diltrult , they Were fromtime totime accufedto be hypocrites, and;
counterfeit Chrifiians; and there were new decrees made againf’c them under:
Rem/mm , (c) in the 8. 9, and 10 COuncils of Toledo ,’ and all the ancient Laws
that were made to fupprels‘ them were confirmed. :BUt as pevrkcutingeeal is
always jealous and 'rel’tlefs , the never thought themfelves {eCure-ofthefe- new»;
Converts notwithflanding all the preCautions that they had taken ;, (a) Egtm found;
the belt eXpedient was to fupprefs them "utterly by reducing themto llavery :
They bereaved them of their Ellates . 82: of all the rights borhof humane l‘ociety,
8c of nature it felF, of the education of their Children,-w-iththe liberty both of their
body and confcience. (') a - _ ,_ . , 3:

Com pare your condition with theirsand you will find it, agreable enough in
the Circumltances to make you apprehend'the like treatment; You were made"
Catholicks by the Fame expedients that they were made Chrii’rians; i‘there is then
the lame realon to mifirult your {incerity , and to take the fame precautions for
you that were taken to fecure them: And that you may n0t think that this maxi«
me was peculiar to a certain Age and: people ',.: it is Worth your confidering, that
from the beginingof Chrifiiamty the ‘Perfecutersi dil’trulted thofe whom fear of
punilhment had reduced ‘0 Paganisme, and treatedthem fome times with more
feverity then thofe who werermore conl’tant and taithi'u ll ; There is a remarkable
infiance of this in the reign of Marcus Aurelius andVerus; Among the Chri-
fiians who were prifoners at Lyons , fome betrayed the Bath to fave their life and"
eflate. But they were not better ufed then Others, and their Apoltafy availed. them.
nothing but rendered the Character of their prifons‘ andepu-niflimen't-smore lha-
meful 3 for whereas they imputed to the Martyrs the crime only of beinthri-
flians . they took occafion of the Apoltafy ofthole Others to indite ‘them' "as Vil-
lains and homicides. (5) This is the accountthat thofe ancient Chriftians gave of
them in the Letters which they wrot concerningthis perfecution. . .
.You know likewyle that this is t‘he‘Nature of? the; Inquifition wherever it
reigns 5 1t {ufficeth n0t to/be converted, or to renounce; There: are. iome l-jlere- ~
- .. fies ,

 

 

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(‘0‘ Tom. 6. Canal. ' (d) Conc.To/ez. I7.Tom 6'. Cami]. :
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ro‘m time to am ratified b} lh¢’-Cbt‘ldlin?q treaties , .a-nd‘fmre pramg’er pf, (Dept/£9

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'w w.- W _,._ W‘r" v ,V

'14,: THE FAITHFULL PAS'TORS

fies , which accordin to the principles of this devililh Inltitution never obtain
pardon , and upon wlgich the pretended Criminal muff necelfarily qu’et either
death or the Confifcation of hisEliate, with perpetuall infamy: To fall into this
cruell extremity , it is not neCeffary to be convicted , it is enough to be fufpeé'ted,
or to have fome {trong intereft againlt you. Judge ye how neer this touches you ,
who have {een a more cruell lnquifition then that of Rome 8: Spain ; who have
fee'n the 'Jefuits the Promoters a may after a while fee them the executioners of
theie hellilh Laws : You know that in the Religion that you have forfaken. you
beleived many things that are of the number of thole which they will never
forget. ' ,
What will then become of you if the Providence of God deliver you up; to be
§puniflied at their plealure 3 How empty will you be ; There will be nothing left
you in Heaven , or in earth; beingdeprived of your temporall elitate by your own
Converters , and of God by your felves. Bur this is not all, death followeth',
You approach unto this terrible pafl'age at a great pace, and How many new ter—
'rour~s haveyou added to it by your fin? At all times its name afi'rights you», and
, you wax pale at the leall appearance of its approach; 'What will on do now , you.
{cc it inevitable? How will you mailer this dreadfull Palfage With the burden of
your Inconflzancy? ’With what afl'urance Will you appear before the throne of
God to anfwer-hrs accufations? What wil you oppofe to the eternall flames of his
Vengeance? Do you beleive that the Communion of a maimed Sacrament, or
the adoration of a God that mull be carryed to your bed fide to receive your homa-

ge , can fecure you from this terrible judgement P '
' You tremble perhaps at thefi it of thofe difmall objects that I have prelénted
‘to you , and will tell me you wil not delay your. repentance to this extremity:
God grant you may not 5 I earnel’tly pray that by a return of his great mercies he
would touch your hearts withia juft dread of hisjudgments: Return wandring
flock, return unto-God whom you .have offended, and recover the Profeliion
of the-truth which you bafely rejected , and repaire by a bold Confeflion the abju-
ration you made. Make it appearrby a. Speedy converlion that your fall was rather
the efi‘eéi: offear then of a free and deliberate will and choyce.

You have often made reflection on St. Peters fall , and perhaps compared your

' own to his: But do not deceive your felves -, If there be fome fmall agreement
there is alfo a great difagreement 5 You only relémble his in the molt difgracefull

art of it 5 You promifed- to fuflfer all. aszhe did, but you failed much fooner then he
did, He followed his Mailer to the High priel’ts houfe, refolved to keep. his
ground, bury-on went to the .Priefisandjudges fully refolvinrr to, renounce the
truth; He fell without deliberationand forethought , your all was concerted
and deliberate; But the greatelt difference is , that his defection Ialted not long
he quickly recovered , there was but a moment of time between his fall and ref
pentance, and this wasa marke that it was not a wilful] {in he committed: his
fudden bitter and abounding tears evidenced the fincerity of his heart: Thusa

great fin is in form meafure excufed , when as foon as it is committed it is lamen—
t ted s

 

 

 

V'— I'Jh h 'Wi , - ”W" "' Whi'fli—fi’i"? W v ‘ " " ""

DAMENTATION & WARNING. 2.;
ted , repaired , ‘ and CXpiath ( t0 fay * f0) wlth the ficrifice of a broken heart:
Has any fuch thing happned to you? You have finned with the Apof’tle , you
have fallen through a prodigious weaknefs , but have you by his example reco—
Vered your (elves? Have you amended your fault as {he did ? Did you lee with
him the Sun neither ryfe nor go down upon your Sin .3 Alas I it is five or fix months
that you languifli in this fad condition , without giVing the lealt token of Reg
pentance.

What and do you yet expect to recover yourfelves P How long will ye put
off your converfion that is {o necelTary P Who promifed you that the patience of
God would not be wearied out with your delayes ; but would attend your leafure.
Come out of Babylon my PCOple too much eltranged from God! Come out of
Babylon that you may draw neet unto him; If y0u will not do it for fear of her
fins , do it at lead for fear ofbein 'partakers of her plagues. You have time to
efcape , _ feing vengeance is nor yet%egun , but you cannot avoid it except you
feperate from that impure Church on whom the jul’tice of God , (who is the Pro-
tector of Truth ) is ready to be revealed. ,

. You know there is a kind ofwilfull fin , after having received the knowledge
of the Truth , that is never pardoned; a fin for which there remains no more
ficrifice, a {in that leaves no ifl'ue to finnersbut a fearlull looking for ofjudgment:
and of fire which will confume without mercy : I will nor fay that yours is of this
nature , I think and hOpe better things of you. I would a wake your ConICiences
byjul’t fears, but I would not found a mortall alarme to you; I would grieve you,
but not put you into defpaire. Happy I, if I could work in you a forrow that con-
duceth to your falvation; I would then blefs the feverity of my complaints , I
would rejoice to have made you forrowfull , not becaufe you forrowed , but be1
caufe your forrow wrou ht Repentance in you. , '

Therefore I will not ay, that the {in that you have committed againfi God ,'

_ is that {in for which thereis no remiflion ; I wlll only fay they do not much differ ;

. Nor {hall I aggravate your Crime tho I lay there is but one flep between you and ‘
death; You have finned againlt truth after you had handled the word of life , and
were enlightned with the knowledge of God ; Your fin is accompanyed with fuch
,circuml’tances as give ground to beleive you finned wilfully , and deliberately,
againfl the dictates of your mind , and the motions of your heart: Would you
know if there be any ground to hope for pardon? It is ealily known 5 there is one
Charaéter that diflinguifheth the unpardonable fin from all others 5 It is impoffible
forthofe that commit it to recover by repentance : Repent therefor and you
may be aiiured your {in has not yet proceeded to R) dreadful] a degree; but re-
pent quickly: 1 have already told you that Repentance delayed grows every day
more diflicult; and if the frelhnefs ofyour-fin be not enough to {trike you with;
horror and remorfe , you will come to it more uneafily when fin is rendred fa-

‘ . . D - miliat

5‘ Sin may he [hid to he Wot/hen away and expiated h} the “are: of amm-
tz'an C5 repentance a: [4 Mann], Ifa. I. v. 1 6. and h} the water ofBaptg'fme a: [at/[gm]
and [flail], A62. 2 2.. v. 1 6. But h} may of merit ahdfirtigcaél‘z'on only by the blood and 1m] 3-;

‘ flan of Chrzfl. Rw- I . V. 5- . . ’

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“ 26 THE [FAITHFULEL ~p

 

.F. "fl"“’"‘?"‘”‘”"'f"1‘"* -. w W “w ——~ w “7",M_,-_:W

A S T O R S
miliar to you by a long continued practice: (a) .You muft carefully with draw
your {hip from dangerous places, left it fpht againltthe lhelves and rocks: you
mull: quickly lave your goods from burning before the threatning fire ' reach
them; It is impoflible to be Iécure if you romaine long on the frontiers of danger.
It had been glorious for you to have continued Stedfafl , and not to have given
to your enemies thejoy of vanquilhing your faith; But every one has not the cou-
rage to overcome by heroick aétions ; it is neceEary therefore for thofe that have
flumbled and fallen in the way to the Heavenly Kingdom , to recover and eflae
blifh themlélves by repentance. Tho the Crown be properly for thofe that run the
race without falling, yet there remains praife and honour to thofe who rife by
repentance. (b) The firlt degree of happinefs is , without doubt , not to. En ,
but the lecond is to acknowledge the fault, 8C amend. And the-fecond‘dnth n0t ['0
much differ from the firli when the amendment is not delayed. We do not find in
other perfecurions that all thofe who fell, continued in their-defection : they very
oft recovered before they departed from the prefence of their Iudges; The faith-
full-of Lions gloryed that thofe Whom fear {truck down ,. were raifed with ho-
nour, and returned to the Combat with renewed courage. [BibliadeJ‘ a woman,
who denyed thorow weaknels , and whom the Devil thought he was already
lure of, regained her coura e in the midlt of her T'orments , and Confelled {he
WasaChrillian; Semany ot ers guilty of thefame fin, were rcfitored with her :
Thofe who had already efcaped death and were rel'tored to their lifeand liberty ,
by the Orders of the Emperours ( who then , as it is now in ufe, recompenled
Cowardize, and puniflied Conl’tancy) who were CXpoIEd in publiclt to be ab-
folved of the reproach of being Ghriflians, thofe I fay recoveredtheir firft zeal ,_

and made open C onfeflion of the name of Chrift , loving rather to diein the com; '

munion of the truth , than to enioy life and liberty , as the price of their denying
it. (0) St? Cyprian congratulating Cornelius Biihop of Rome for the Conflancy
ofhis Churc , writes thus, How man} fell who were reflored é] a glaring: Confirfi
flan , and who éemme more (501d and wzlzkmt in the battle , even e; the anger/7; afrepen-
Mme. It was without doubt a great joy to that faithfull BilhOp to fee his Church
imitat his zeal, who was To farfrom feeing it diminilh’d by the defection of its
children , that hefaw it encrea’fed by the publick Converlion of thofe who had
faln in the former perfec‘LItion: WM! 4 31mm fpefiae/e in the eye: of God , when 10}
of the Church in tbeprefi’me of Clarzfl, tofie leer march to the édff/d’ ojfired 6} the enem] ;
not fialdierrfifigly , 6m 4 whole arm) ofgenerow Confeflerr. You have fallen ver
fhort ofthls example;- ‘You among whom not one would lignaliz-e himlelf by a
‘fingle difco-very of Confiancy , But do not add to the fingular roperty of your
fall,.which has been common to all, anorher fault more lhamefiilly fingular, by
continuingm your defeétion. It. is enough that you could all fall , but it would
be a prodigy it in lo generall a fall- none of you lhould rif e again : Repent then, and,
let your Converfion be as generall , if poflible as your fin.
You have hitherto had iome pretence. of not awakmg from this fleep oflin:
The flame afihgh-tment that was the came of your fin has made you. perfevere

I In
(a) qpr.Ep.ad Pampau. (b). gprfipdzymd Come/- (9- 91”? EM?’ 4‘1 CW":

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' “ ‘ "W o :‘ t ' w . . s t “.i“ ‘ 27“ "" ""W

in it; the fame love of your eflates that perverted you , has detained you in your — _ a
error; the fame complyance that made you forget God , has deprived you of the “i
courage of reconciling yourfelves to God , left you fhould offend men; {ince “i
that time you have learnt of none who has laboured to‘bring you back, or thought ‘5
of curing the deep wounds that you pierced your fouls with ; you have not ‘ ‘
been afharned of your fall , becaul’e there was none who reproached you with it : \
But the cafe is now altered , I come to awake you with my cryes , and to call you
to repentance; Take heed that my Labour be not in vaine , and that you be not g
offended with my exhortations .- David had continued almol‘t a year in his {in with-
out perceiving it , when Nathan came to break the C harme that allured‘his Con-
fcience; this PrOphet railed his voice that he might fucceed the more; {he ufed
both reproaches and threatnings, he difplayed before him a longtrain ofjudg-
ments and threatnings , but yet he carryed the peace of God under the feverity of
his words ; and David no fooner had {aid , I have finned , then he declared , Tb}
fin 2': pardoned: Imitate this {inner in his repentance , and I will imitate the Pro-

phet for your Confolation. David was {truck down with a word , one word made

: him fenfible of the horrid guilt of his crime, which a flattering illufion had dif.

guifed to him: On a fudden being conviéted .‘ he confefl'ed his fault , and was

. afhamed to have committed it. Acknowledg yee therefore yours, after {0 many

it words of reproach . after {0 many firoakes, and what I have brought to def

' i fcribe it. ,

.. It is true, Nathan does not {peak to you, but perhaps, he is greater then

L Nathan 3 for the leall: in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than the greatef’t that

“3'" is born of a woman: fuch asI am, I {peak to you as if God {poke to you by me a

it By the authority of the holy function which I a long time difcharged among you,

' whofe honor I have preferved notwithf’tanding all the Rorms that have beaten
Upon me , I may be hold to fay that you hear Jefus Chrif’t when you hear me , and

that you cannor defpife my exhortation without defpyfing his word : But if this be
not enough , hearjefus Chrii’t himfelf, He {till {peaks to you inhis Gofpell , he

{peaks to you from Heaven by thofe motions he excites in your louls: Do not you - '

hear your own hearts {peak to you in his name , (dfl’ekje mjface ? Have I {hed

m blood,fays he,to be trampled’under foot by a people whom I have (b) redeemed ?
Have Ifanétified the crofs by my fufi'erings that you might be aihamed' to carry it
after me? Have I carryed your fins in my body on the crofs for you to lofe the
courage‘of bearing my reprOach nd of confefling my name was I humbled and
emptied, did I bear your burden , your infirmities and miferies a for you to refufe
to fulfill for inyfake tw my fulferings? Return unto me , 0 ye people whom

I have {0 muih loved, at me not loofe the fruit of my forrows and blood ; Come
unto me, you whofe confciences are wearyed and heavy Loaden , I will yet
cafe you , 1 will yet give you rei‘t , and flafety under the ihadoW of my paitorall
flafi‘, and under the refuge of my fold; In the Religion you have embraced there

is nothing to {atiate your hungrey foul , but I have yet bread for its refreiliment‘3

a . an

. ‘ . .
A “4M.'BL~A ,; -

 

 

(a) Pfizl. 2.7. {5) See 1mg. 1.5 771473;.

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

and balm for its cure; The words of others do poifon ndkill , ‘ ut‘inme only will

, you find the Words ofeternall lyfe. ,

* Therefore , ”Obey God who wills not the'death of a firmer. One look ofjefiis
Chrill was enough to raife a fallen Apof’tle . and this “(3) Rock at a look as with a
flroak of thunder, was beat in peices and melted down into a fiream of bitter

”tears; God doth now look down on you from the throne of his glory ,, and his.
looks are mixed with indignation for your fin , and companion on your Weak-
nefs; Does not the power, of them break your hearts? Can you not {hed fuch-
aboundance of tears as to deface the memory of your (in? 0») Send your tears to
Heaven as Ambafladours of your grief; Plead your Cau fe by Groans drawn from
the bottom of your heart; and for the reparation of your Crime , let your flame
and forrow for it thus appear: Let your eyes 3 be a flood of tears , and your heart
by painful] fighs , (c) expiate your Crime eitherof (d) beholding or killing Idols :
Strengthen your weak hands and feeble knees, and make your paths Prraight ;‘.
Harden not your hearts at the voice of God , which this day refounds in your ears ,
after you have been {0‘ long deprived of the Word of Con folation. “

Mull the weak feX every way furmount you 5‘ They refilled better then you
did; ' and of thole of them whorevolted, one has given the firl’c eXample of repen-
tance: Imitate her courage, and be bold to do that which awoman, did : What a
{hame is it, fora dying woman to have had more courage and made then {trong
and Vigorous men P Learn by the inhumanity you faw exercifed on her body
what you are to 6Xp6&; and withdraw in time from thofe among whom fuch
cruelties are accounted pious meritorious aétions. ’ ‘ ‘ .

Be not Scandalized , becaufe you fee the Gofpell of Jefus C hrifl: out of
falhion : Think it not ftrange thatJudgment has begun at the houfe of God , and
that you fee the Difciples of our Lord undergo the firy tryall ; the fervant is not
better then the Mailer; You mull not murmur againf’t God becaufe he Leads his
Children to Glory by tryalls; feing he has confecrated the Prince of our Salva-
tion by aflliétions :, He does you’no wrong to treat you as he treated his only Son;

And to remove every thing in the afiliétions of the Church that may offend youJ
look unto Jefus Chril’t the finilher ofyourfalth ,‘ who fuffered on the crofs, and.
defpyfed fhame; who has been accompanied .with a great cloud of wimeflbs,
Whole conllancy God has prOpofed for you tormitate: Is it not certain after all,
(e) That if wef ufler with him , we shall alfo reigne with him? How infinitely
dOth the recompenfe exceed the Sufferings P (0A1 lngz afiz‘sz‘on, whr‘c/zpaflabaway,
works in m afar more exceeding and, eternal! wag/9t of Glory.

Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of Repentance , that we mayjudge of your
fincerity by your diligence , till then I cannot {peak to you as ye would 5.1101“ ought
you to expecqc of me words of confolation , untill you be fitted to receive them by
. RepentanCe. (g) In vain do you lift up your eyes to behold the Heavenly trea-

' lures
(3) Perm; a Perm 770772577 baém't. (b) C/t‘i". Ram. 44’ Cj'pn Ep. 3 I . "
(C) Vida pag. 2'1 . ”Mtg. (d) VMLEID. 26. Confer/fad Cypr.
' ( y 2 Tim. 2. (5) 2 Car. 4. (2) Bernard 1 0.‘Serm.lz'n (amt,

 

 

 

 

 

  
 
 

 

 

 

    

§ - W 5”.“ .- gravy: .I'!
. ' '

  

rituall confort by therem’ifliort of fins"; Whiéhi dither-H'yourrfpiri-mal‘lipeace seek.
therefore for pardon by} {Orr‘ow for your: {in ,’ (a) and be {0 troubled tor your
patt fins, that it may forewarn you for the future: 130 not think that the Re-
pentance you Fraud in need of,’ confil’ts in a bare forrow for your fins pail ; You?”

. are never true penitents till you: reCover tent of the condition Whieh you: a‘re-irf'i‘r‘i

It is mofttrue,‘ (b) that to‘continue in the’efin Whichiyou-Lament, isto' mock
God , and not to repent. In a word , If you w0uld'repent , either Confeis your
fin,and Lament the mortall allyance you have made‘with errour,‘ or retire from...
thofe places where the temptation is {trenger then you Can refill. ' '

How willingly would I then fet forth the Comforts Which the word of God be-1

fioWes on thofe who have a broken heart; What pleafure WOUlCl I then take to draw; .

re-f'refliment from the fountain of living Waters, to communicate them to yaur?
thiri’ty fouls? What contentment would I take to idil‘play untoyou the promifes?
of grace, and {peak of the pralfes of your courage! How boldly wouldpreakr‘
of the afliftance which he giveStothefe that fight for his caufe 9 How would I
triumph in defcribing the prize ofyourlabour, and the delights ofeternallreit-{i
Where your light aflliélzions. ihould happilyi‘b‘ringyou,"I would be tranffiorted'
with aholy joy in *reprefenting God unto you; Comforting your hearts, curing}
your wounds, wiping away your tears , fatiat'xng you Withhis prefence5 and
crowning you with his glory. Give thenO Peop e, who may yet be, if you will,
the people of God ; give unto thofe, who have watch’d fOr your fouls, the comfort

of beholdin g with joy and glory your Conycrfion ? ingf’tead ofthe [ham e and forrow 5

that we are pierced with by your fin. ‘ _ .
I would willingly thus fimfh all that I have to {ay7’to'yofi, which is much 1110‘ rev

pleafant to me thenreproaches and threatnings, bUt myduty ,- and the fear of {11...
' vouring your {county by flattering words, oblige me to fpeak to you in~other terms -;¥

Think therefor ferioufly on your condition; Your fleep'will be mortall unlefs

‘ you fpeedily awake, thecarethatis taken to invite you to Repentance will ferve

only to render you inexcufable ; They‘are many Wi-tncfl'es*that'~God can bring to-
gether for your convrétion , and Prop your mouth When youffhau Fraud before him
in judgment, His word fo often preached among you will witnefl'e againfl; the
hardnefs of your hearts Wthh it could not overcome; Your Churches twice dc...
molilhed will witnes againlt you tltat'you deferved not to enjoy them , feing you
have kept fo illthe pledge of the truth, that was there ”taught you; [0 many ;Con.
feflbrs , who haveforfaken all for C hrif’ts fake , will accufe you'ofbemg un Worthic
of the name and Livery of Chrifi: , for whom you Could not have the heart mfg?
fake yourgoods; All the means and occafions you have had of favingyourfelves
from a perverfe generation , which you have let flip , will rife in judgment againil:
you : and convince you of preferrin g the baf e interef‘cs of the world to that ofyour
{alvation : I who now labour to bring you back , mul’t one day bg obliged to de-
clare againf’t you, that you would not hear my) voice , and that I had no limit ofmy

3- - care
(a) 1.41.115. medit. c. .4. (5) Id. Iéz'd. ’ - ~

fures that are thedelight" of the {bill , ityomiwe fidtfii‘llrc'ée‘iveti'the light erupt:

 

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are and Counfells ; I [hall then with-regrate, at thefootftool of the ThroneofGod.
difehar e the funétion of an accufer- and witnefs , and from a Herald of his grace ,
I {hall ecome a follicitorof our defierved Condemnation. .
Fear therefore thefe dread ull efl'e&s of your hardnefs of heart, and tremble
at the terrours of God; Think how terrible it isro fall into his hands; think on
the {hame of being difown’d by Jefus Chriit before his F ather, and before his An-
gels; not to be Chrifis,’ not to be known by him, to be deprived for ever of
his glory . Can any thing be more amazing and frightfull? Reprefént to your-
{elves how he will {eperate the {beep from the Goats , and think on the {entence

‘ which he will pronounce againft thofe who are placed on the left hand of his

throne: Your bufinefs will not be then with a Regiment of Dragoons and Cui‘
rafliers . who can only hurt the body for a ihort time , but with immortall execu-
tioners who will torment body and foul eternally : The Aétion will not be then
about fomeperiflgpg goods, but concerning the ineflimable riches of the King— ’
dom of God , the lofs whereof can never be repaired. .

‘Be aftonifhed and tremble at the thought ofthisjudgment; and call earnefily
toJefus Chrifl: who can deliver you from this body offin , and habituall corrup-
tion, and pardon your late grievous tranfgreflions; xou can neither do nor {ufl’er
too much to ef cape the terrible vengeance of God , and the wrath of the Lamb.
In fine, it is infinitely better to be partakers for a few moments of the reproaches
of Chrilt, that you may afterwards partake eternally of the jo Of your Lord,
than to enjoy the pleafures of fin for a feafon , and afterwards to all for ever into-
the horrors of the {econd death. I pray , that God would reach unto you the arm
of his grace to draw you out of the mortall Condition you are in , and would cita-
blilh you in the way of Salvation . that you may yet periévere with Jefus Chrift in
his Temptations , and in the end may be partakers with him in his Kingdom v
and Glory. Amen. ' ’

Nam pm]? quipati timer ejm eflé pulpit/7hr e/l. Tertal. defuga z’nperfimt.
Nan admittir/latmfidez’ allegatianem neceyimm delmqmndz’ , quiém mm ell necef
firm nan delinqaemlz‘. Tertxl. dc Car. milltzlr.
Naflri (at de 'w'rz'r T4664»; ) pucri Ci mulz'ermle tortorer filo: Taciti mm; 59' '
expromere illirgerzritum nee zgm'r pate/l. Lafiant. Div. [Is/lit. lib. 5'“. c. I 3 .
.Ego nan habeo almd Comm Papa regnum raéuflim argumenmm 71mm qwd fine
cmce rggn'at: [ fid tandem cadet Babylon 77243124.] Rev. 18- war: 2. Lurk.
Tom. 1.. Bag. 32 3 .

A WORD

 

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,_ {_ {a
A WORDTO 3/-

MOURNERS IN ZION,

To SLEEPERS UNDER THE‘ STORM, -‘i‘

‘ t..'1_. My}.

. And to the almofi: .5
iCHi-KI'STIAN:  3

With direétions to one and other.

  
  

. 23:23.1 5 it nothing to law all}: thatpafl? é] .3 éeboldiandfoe aft/567': 5’: an} '3
, t 33:: [arrow like unto nay/arrow intbz': d4] oft/2e Lardrfiercc mag er againfl, i
and hem/j bandupm me? may ‘the Church now fay With captive
" mourning Zion , Lam. t. v. I 2.. But whatever thoie do who
~. 2, " -’ . have no Interefl: in Zion , if her fans and daughters have“ no he.
_ g fez-3,134 19, 1.? wells offympathy they mufi be fpurious,and but titular Children;
yea we to him who ever he be a who is not touched and grieved for the affliction
{'ofjofeph; Am. 6. v. 1, [egg , the evil day he puts far away , is coming like an
armed man to fall upon him; and what will he do in that day , to Whom will he
flee for help ? Ifa. 1 o v. 1 3 , Rev. 6. v. I 5 , 8C0. Such ihallmourn , and. mourn
eternally , when the Mourners in Zion {hal be comforted : yet among thofe who-s.
would be accounted Mourners , there is ('0 great a difference that many ( 0 if not
the mof’c part) deferve not that name and honor ;4, Ah how many mourners are:
there in Zion , who mourn not forZz‘on ;. their reputation ,_ place ,_ eflate , cafe .3
liberty being in fuch hazard, (if they not already abridged or robbed of thefe),
' _ theymay with them Hof. 7 v. 14.. mottrn , cry , and howl to: fuch things , yet
not cry unto the Lord with theirhcart , and for‘Zion ; yea . they may add fez/fin;
7* to their mourning and crying, yea fet and monthly fafting, (the Pharifee {aired
i" twice in the week Luk. t 8.. v. I a. ) during, all the time of the affliction , and yet-
(with them Zech. 7. v. 5., 6. ). not faft unto the Lord -, and for Zion , but for them-
felves 51: z'tfucb a fa/Z a: [have céofenflzz’th the Lord ?' a day for a man to @4sz 191': [021,
endow rather to loo/é the 54nd; of wickedmy]? ,. 1/“. 5,8. v. 5', 6.. to rent the heart and
not t/aegarmem: , and mmrn to the Lord? Joel. 2.. v. 12.; 13,, yea theremay be a, turc
, ning,' and yet not a turningwith all the heart 5. a. looling of. bands ,, but not all
i ban d-s ofwickednefs -, the right hand , and the right eye mutt be {pared and kept ,.
3 no Icoleing‘ofits band : many willpart with much ,. yea with all 5 humor, with ,
the, idol itlelf : a partial] repentance,'converfion ,, turning,,cannot elevata man a
hove the Rate of corrupt nature a... and can. be no evidence that a man 2': delitgered.
. tom.

 

 

 

 

, '” ‘w'w '

g, A woao To MOURNERS IN ZION, ,.
fiomtkepawer afdarknéfi; annfgmnfléiied trite th‘é Ktegdome of our Dear Lord fifiu ; ' ' ‘
if thou be a. lbn thou mungm “Gad thy ham; 1%. 2; v. '2 6. the}: mag/3‘ give him
thine atynfialfi f 1, Car. 8. v. p 5' ; [ God mag/Z have all oiéno‘t/az'ng, be will notpartfiaée: with
Satan, nar dwellz'n that hearttlaat hath refe'rwd a room for an Idol 3-] at heart and“ beam
is the divine (a) Charaé‘ter‘orhnunfound heart; tho our ianétification will not be
’perfeét till this tabernacle be difl'olved , yet no [in mud live and reigne in us , no
Zoar (tho thou call it"a lith’Qfie) mull; be lpared,‘ Ijoh. 3 . v. 8,: 9. (32:11.3. 'v.- 10,‘ 85c.
What dorh your faint and partial i’triving availe , and your being brought neer
the Kingdome of heaven if ye enter not in? as good never a white as not the bet-
ter : ye come to the free market Upon {the {Gofpel Proclamation , Ifa. 55'. V. I.
but ye do not oflcer freely; Chrift {eeks none of‘your money , or what may do
you good; but none of your idols, nolui‘c mull: beltept back 5- he feeks notfor
ufe , or what is to be kept , but that which mufl: be call away , or for which thou
mutt be call: into hell 5 and yethow many part with Chrifi ,' and loofe the pearle
of price for a trifle; they bide and Offer , and {land all day , prigging with Chrilt.
andcome {hort of the high prize , and of {alvation for a bale lul‘t; almoPc per-
{waded‘to be Chriftians , and continue in unbelief , almoit efcaped , yet abide in
Satans fnare, almoft wailien and not purged from their filthinefs; they have many
{ores Cured , and the p’l'ague'b f the heart not healed , nor removed , and thus are 7 '

' among thofefi’ekers to enteriinmuht; .Vza4‘.) whiz cam“ not becaufe they tail/not, they
will not go alone and without their idols, and among thofefielqm of Clarijl ( 170/9. 7;
v. 34.. gala”. 8.- v, I 2..) Who/bfllnotfind laz'm ',' cannot come when 17322:, and who li- .
axing in hope/ball die invthez‘r flm, ' _ . 4 _ i. " .' f ’ ' i , ‘ _

We are called‘t‘o mourning it but Ah Where {hall we begin P" ’what ihould moil:
y‘affeé‘t a and molt deeply "wound our hearts? where can we cait our eye, 1 on what.
Church nOt groaning Under fad p‘erfecution felt , ' or feared P the precious people-

" in the valleyes of'Piedmount, the progeny ofthefe famous witnefl'es. of C hrilt , who
in the night ofpapall darknefs fliined as lights , and when all the world wondred after
the émfl , followed C hrifl full y’ a "(and fealed 'theirwteltimony with their blood , are
‘now become a prey' to the popifh fury, and are driven from their habitations and
'poflemons; and fuch asfell_in th‘e‘ handof their adverfaries, put to {offer fuch hard
things as may make their eares tinglewho hear; and the famous Church of F rance 3
renowned for their knowledge ,‘ confla‘ncy , zeal, refolution , fufl'erings , and ‘
jmartyrs lying (0 long in the mouth of the Lion is now as it were devoured ,_
by it 5 {0 that he who got his life fora prey '_,’ and to whom a door was opened to flee: ' I

_ did more rejoyce then they who feifed on their forfaken dwellings and goods : time i:
‘Would faile , if' we did enter "0n the particular methods of cruelty followed by their . '
mercileis perfecutors , that thef e who fell in their hands would havejudged many I ' .g

deaths rather to be choten then the barbarous ufage . and lingring torments they
were put to; {0 that many ready to feale the truth with their blood, did faint , ,1
denyed the truth, fuccunibed under the temptation, anddefiled their confci- ”-35
ence by an abominable renunciatiOn of the truth, and joyning in idolatrous wor— {
.ihip 5 whofe cafe tho matter offad Lamantation , yet ‘fhould nOt be improven go 3?
‘ , t C i

 

 

 

(a) Leé Veleé. Heér. Dzy'vfichor. Graze.

 

m

 

. AND TO ”‘FHE SECURE. g.
"the reproach of that Church, or for upbraiding thofe who have forfhkenalI—for ,
the Gofpel 5 tho the bac-kfliders fland in much need of a word of warning , which ' 4
is {o feafonably . and zealoufly tenderedin the fore-going Epiflzle. . '-

But tho the Rate of the Church be ['0 fad upon the account of grievous fulfe~

rings and temptation , yet we lhould rather mourn for the tranfgreflions provo-
cations and corruption of quercrs , then for their fufiering; that the furnace .
appeareth not to be for purifying and refining , But as it was with that degenerat 4
people Jcr ‘6. V. 29, go. {o it is now , the bellow: are hrnnt , C9}. If we had Once . l
hearkened to the voice of the rod it would {peak no more wrath to us; if it had

don its wOrk it would quickly be gon , and not quarter-for one night: But Ah
tho we will not hear what it faith , yet the Lord heareth what our frame and con- .
.verfation muttereth under it; Ah is nor this its language , why flaw/d we ée/mttaen _ i
any more , we willrewlt more and more? Oh that on; head were water: , and mine
eye: «fountain of team ! that I may Weep day and night rather fbrthe [intend provocat-
i tz'on , then the [lain and oppreflion of thepeople called by th’} name. Ah What would a
deliverance from trouble profit us, if we were not redeemed and purged from 4
our iniquity? fucha prefervation would be but a refervation fora forget ltroak , 1
and more heavy judgment : Ah our {pots look not like the {pots of Childeren ,
the hefl now , (n: the Prophet once fidly (a) complained ) is 4: a hrinr , and the mofl
uprtght/hnrper then a thorn hedge ; the Good man is pertfhed ont of the Earth , and
there 1': none upright among men -, no Nathaniels, no lfi‘aelites indeed in whom there
is noguile, no Calebs who follow the Lord fully , .no Zachariafes and Elifabethes ‘3 ‘
Who walk in all the «commandments and ordinances of the Lord bleamlels : {o a
that I‘may From a fad heart with (5) him fay trnfl not in a friend , pnt no confidence i
in a guide , the righteous man Perilheth and-is taken to heaven and we lay it not to j
‘ heart, our Mofefesand Samuels , our Noahs Daniels and Jobs are departed and j;
‘ ’ -~ '_ gon ; Ah where are thefe gravejudicious , {ober , zealous minil’cers I have [em
f2; in the Church ? where thefe humble ferious fincere Chril’tians? But now on the
' one hand profanity and open impiety , and on the other pride , 'animofity , con-
tention , and laying/lend h} thy felf for I am halter then than hath fuckt out the po-
wer and life of religion, {0 that form: have no more but (and Others not {0 much as)

. a name that they live. i.

: What (may you {21y ) are there the words of one {0 often ‘upbraided fhr his cha-
3 rity ? But I , If I had more of Charity. : yet 2, what pretence to charity can thefe
a: plead who {0 apparently walk in the broad way. and carry their ditty in their fore—~
.7 head? who will call thefe clean who are wallowing in the mire and lying in it 9
$71; but 3. as forothers Ijudge not any as to their {fate , there is one who knoweth
and will judge. 4.. in the worlt of times God hath his hidden and chofen ones , his
thoufands who have not bowed the knee to any idol whether bodily or {pirituall ;
and the mofi {incere ufually leaft feen , and make litle noife with their feet while
they are walking to heaven : but of many who have taken on a bigge profeliion ,
we may boldly with a zealous Ancient thy , vel hoe non eff Evengelz‘am , eel z/Zi non

fimt E unngeltci , either this is not the Gofpel that we preach , or thefe have . not
embrav

 

 

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(a) Mic/7+ 7- v. 2,4. 0) read. Ver. 5.

 

”NAM... . .4 «Ana—“2.3 . , , , 7

 

Q". :31 _,. A W93. D TO M 0 fi fi’N‘ERS“ IN. 210 N ,
l _ embraced-zit ," and? are not Chriflzians. If Adam were now rifen again he would
'( {aid Luther) [land as aflonifhed at the madnefs of all ranks of perfons wal-
king as if they did not mind eternity. 1. Ye earthly minded ones who have Re~
’ligiOn in your mouth , and the world in your heart; ye Mammon-worfhippers
"Cannor ~Worlhip God in fpirit and in truth : Mat. 6. v. 24. Eph. s. v. 5. 1 Tim.
'65v19- ‘ z‘. Yeproud arrogant {aucie fupercrlious ones, who have nor learnt of
'Chrifttobe meek and lowly in heart: Mat. 1 I. v. 29. Jam. 4. v. 26. Pfa.138.v.6.
the faétious , turbulent , implacable , cenforious; uncharitable, the evil {pea-
ker who cannot bridle his tongue , not {paring the 'mo& innocent if not of his
lure , who is never {0 in his element as when fowing difcord among bretheren s
and reviling the faithfull have abandoned the divine Charaéter of thofe who will
abide in Gods Tabernacle, and who are precious in his fight. Jam. 3. v. 14. 15',
‘16, 17. Gal. 5'. v. 22. I Cor. I g. Pfa.15.v.33. Pro.6.v. 19:30 Ye Herodians
who hear gladly , and “doe many things , but your right hand and right ey mul’c
be {pared , laying Naaman—like in this Lordpardan tbyfértmnt , and thou (halt be
my matter; ye who haveindented with Chrift on terms ofyour own choice 2 and
with a referve , and the permiflion and confent of your darling and mailer lull: ,
may {oppofe ye have two matters : but Chriflian be none of them, ye cannot {erve
God and an idol-lull , Mat. 6. v. 24; Chril’c mull have the whole heart or he can
have none of it ; if Satan get a part he hath all; one lake and chink if not ftopt will
as certainly {ink thé velTel as a thoufand , Jam. 2. v. i o. If I might here infill how
many particulars fall under this head? But in a word , how can thefe think to find
life in the {criptures who will not acknowledge them to be the divine infallible
unerring rule of life? who dare prefume'to judge the rule by which they mull: be
judged , who reject and embrace {'0 much of it as feemeth good in their eyes:
,thou art inexcufable 0 man , and {elf condemned who profefl'eit thou art a Chri-
l’tian , and wilt hearken to Chrif’ts voice acknowledging all his commands and
Wayes to be equall and qut , and yet dari‘r calt fo many ofthem behind thy back ,
'and‘fet upa new and Anti {cripturall way to heaven , in which thou and thy lull 8
may walk together: Ah doll thou profefs thy {elf to be one of thofe' who tremble
at Gama/0rd, and yet‘art not afraid thus to adde or take from it; and dofl: not
tremble when thou r‘eadeit the dreadfull curfe Rev. 2 z . v. 1 8. 1'9. ? thefi: few Bri-
tifh wretches who having dif owned the late King his authority , dealt more inge-
nououfly ,- tho molt balsPhemously, in razing out of their Bibles ( asI heard fome
feétaries befor them did)the'Word King, where ever they found it ’; but before they
arrivedto that hight ofimpiety they had fallen into many vile and abominable
errors , St at length burnt the whole fcriptures 5 now tho ye abhor the thoughts
of doing‘fuch a wicked thing , yet have ye not too far homologated with them ?
have ye not rejeéted and cal’t Godsword behind your back , 10 many clear and
weighty commands, fo pithily~ prefiéd ? and. {0 often inculcated .9 ye durit not raze
“ them out of your Bibles, yet would not fufl‘er them to be written in yOur hearts 5
may not ye who have thus taken away from the word of life , fear leit God mée
. 4m:
5‘5 Si mmc Adam refiflgerd €92 w'deret btznc inflanmm omnium ordinal”, profééi‘acred);
gaadpmfr’tzpore magma” lapirflaret. Lurk. m Gen. :41). 3, '

  

. . ' .. 1144 Ann-‘— ... - l «4*».
. , , u d. ) . ~ A , M m... N "-

 

      

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away/our part amoftbe éaokofly’e ?- and tho ye have fome room( andinay be a. use:
me) in the church here , yet {hall find no place in the aflembly of thefirfl: born in
heaven , ye will be ready With the firf’c fadly to. regrate and complainof papall and
Cefarian indulgences and difpenfationes with lawes divine and humane .- and yej; ,
the pOpe and Cefar within your own bowells are cherifhed in their dzffimfing with
{0 many exprefl'e commands of God , and in indugging you to live in thole fins he
hath {o feverely forbidden. . . ‘ . a , My
What hopes can there be of futh almoft Chrifiians .? whathopes of ignorant,
and formall profefl'ours? and what hopes of hypocriticall zelots,~fe1£(fceking wont)
fliippers , Or fcandalous ranters, that they will Fraud and ride out the {term , if;
the winds become more boifierous P But fuppofing they may , ( fOr a naturally,
confcience, aname, credit. and reputation may engage to do and fuffer much) -,-
yet what credit gain or advantage “to the Gofpell couldtheir fufl‘erings bring _?
but Oh what a fad reproach and diftredit to the honourable caufe for whichtheyn
fufffir muff their unholy walk, and converfation be? and what a wofull {can-i
- dall and bumbling block to thofe that are without ? while as the fuflerings ofthc~
upright and fincere , from time to time have proven fuch a noble .attraétive to.
draw'fuch into. Chrift, and a prevailing inducement to embrace the Gofpell'
hence the faying not more common then certain , fingni: martymmfemm Bede/{46.2
~ the blond ofthe Martyrs the feed of the Church :. plum eficimur queries warmer;
the more 33 Termllim {aid , they'were thus cut down, they enereafed and
mUItipliCd the 1110r C ; But Ah will ye thus put Chrifi and his glorious Gofpell to
an open fliame : while ye pretend to fuffer for him and his caufe? will 6 ,lofe the
honour and reward of your fufl'erings by your ungofpel-like lie and dc:
portment ? . - ¥ ' ; ,. ; ' .
But 0 ye in whom are any grains offincerity and uprightnefs. in whom is
found the root of the matter: your fufferings and blood are precious in thefight
of the Lord .- and how are ye engaged to glorifie God as by year fufferings, f0
by your humility, felf deniall,‘zeal 9 and holy converfation : and think it net
enough to {0361’ for him, unlefs ye profit by your fufi'erings, reap. the fweet
fruit that groweth . on a fanétifiedcrofs ) and improve the rod-as yourtalent for to
be laid out for your Matters honour, unlefs ye hear its‘voice , andconfider what
it faith; and unlefs the furnace become refining and,.purging to you: now ye
are called afrefh to try and fearch your wayes . to labour after agreater meafure of
finCerity mortification, humility ) felf-deniall , charity, tendernefs, zeal, cir-
cumfpeélion : new. ye are called to be more frequent and fervent in prayer , to be
much in the exercife ofmeditarion , failing, reading the fcrlpturesf, and {catching
after direé’tions and confolations futable to your triall; there be many graces ye
are now inafperiall manner called to exercife, and many duties ye are obliged -
to perform: and 0 do not flight that mercy, that while {0 many having made
fliipwrack of the faith and of a good Confcience are called to Lament and mourn ,
' and are held on the rack by their feares and horrour , you having by . Grace been
enabled to Pcand out under fuch a terribleand-lafiing triall are called to abound
in thankfullnefis, and to rejoyce: the times are fad , your Lofles may be greata
E z ‘ ' an

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and-youhaye nothingin hand 2 no provifio'n for tomorrow and none of your
friends or relations-at hand ,‘ et how much are ye Concerned to rejoyce , to. 17¢.
joyce and be exceeding gla' ‘, for great is your priviledge, and great flrallyour
. Reward'in heaven be; Phil. 1. v. 29. Mat. 5. v. at. your fympathizing Brethe-g
ren who look on you with fad hearts yet rejoyce in. your fiedfal’cnels; ye are your
faithfull paftors joy and Crown, as they Phil. I. v. I. Thell’. 2. v. 19. were Pauls;
the blefl'ed name of our Lord Jefus Chrilt hath been glorified in you as in them ,
zThefl'. r. v. 12. and ma Inot {by of you what is faid of thefe 2.- Cor. 8. v. 23.
0- readit , I :fcarce dare geak it and lay , ye are the Glory of Chm/Z ,. but he by his
Apoftle hath {hid it , and as he hath honoured you to be his. faithfull witnefl‘es to. g
afl'ert his truth , and to be precious Infiruments to hold forth. his Glory befor a- 1
perfecuting and backfliding generation , {0 he will glorifie youbefor Angels and '
men ;— . and ye Who have owned him now {hall be owned. by him when, he will {21y
unrothefearfull and unbeliever depart from me I knowyou not.
'0 think you fee Chril’t putting the crown of glory. on your heads: when ye fee-
men pletting a crown of thorns for you: fay with the martyrs when {tript nan
"lied, and {hut out in thewinter night to the Open air, to. be tormented with the
nipping frofi‘ ,. the atrirfinrp , the coldgreiwm, hut there 2': a fiveet repofe and re]?
in-Ahrahmrho/om; this night will {hortly over and pafs, your 1" ten dayes tribu-
lation , and. Satans licence (Rev. ,2... v. to.) to imprifon and torment you , will
quickly expire , and then a-blefl’ed , long lafiing, everlaliing Eternity of liber-
' ty , - joy , and foul fatisfying , unconceiveable felicity , glory, perfeétion. Sup--
pofe ye fee Chrift' now ltanding with a napkin in his hand. to wip all-teams From. _
your eyes, ’Rev. 7. v. I 7. andWith- a pengin his hand writingdown , aim holding: a i
a bottle to receive all your teams; all are booked and botled. Pfil. 59. v. 5,, ’3
fuppofe’ ye feethe Angels rej-‘oyeing in, your val'our. and .ftedfaftnefs '; ( as they did
Luk. I 5-". v.10. Yea and more then at thy firf’c converfion ) and that ye hear the
Lord, Prepping the mouthof the aCcufer of the bretheren with your faithfullnef 51,;
and conftancy as weellasonce with hlS,"JOb 7..v. 3. fuppofe ye fee Chril’t W61?»
Coming, you to heaven, and laying to his F ather‘what once the Angel {aid to John
of your?‘1 Brethren ,- Rev. 7. V. I4, 15', I 6,- I 7.. the/2’ are they which came ottt afgreat
trihaldtz'm... had/Maze wafhed their: whet ,. and made them white in my hload ,. let them
hemteih’afore thy thramflc. atrdwill he not '0 wne, and make good hisprecious‘ pro-g
mill: Mat. 19.. v. 2.9. Mark. to. V. go. and fay thefe arethey who have forlakefi.
houfe Lands , countrey and all that was dear tethem. for my. name, and G011
pels’l‘fake, let them haVe the greatand glorious recompence I: have urchafed,
forthemi, and promifed to them. 0 then ' watch ye while a fecure wor dis fall a
fleep; {tandfizfl tnthafm'th, :7flilej'0fl like men , heflrang ,. I Cor...l o» v. I 3. inner/J.
hug terrtfied hyjottr rtdeerfitrz‘er,, whtch i! to them an evident token. of perdttz'otz -,. hat, to
you. of filtration . andtbtttof God..1’hi[. 1.11. 26. and confider'thc-morc {harp the
trial] is... themore glory ye bring to Chrifh, his Gofpel ,. and truth; and let. it;
the onrecord to: the fucceeding generations ,. and to your praife , that ye did.
cleave to .Chrilt , and abodewithhimin an hour of fuchterrible temptation,whi1¢

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the perfecution was (in fome refpeé‘t) more hot then the ZVeronitm ,. Deeian; or
Diocletian , and the methods more barbarous, cruel, and febrile then any inven- “
ted for tormenting the primitive-Chril’t‘ians by mercilefs pagan Emperours. Finally
my Bretheren he/lrong in the Lord, and in the power of hi: might ;_ take unto you the:
whole armour of God , that e met] he ahle to with/time! in the evil demand having done
and fufléred- all to fiend. Eph. 6. v. to, 13,8cci the eye of your Captain ,, ( who is
the captain offalvation ) his encouraging eye is on you; and his fupporting arme-
under you, and let your eye be towards him , and your hands imployed in fighting:
valiantly under his banner , in his name , and for his caufe ;: Odo ye n0t fee him.-
With the crown ofglory in his hand . and hear'him- faying ', fo-fight and; firive that
ye may obtain , x or. 9. V. 24,, 25. to him that overcometh‘ will fight/e to eat ofthe-
tree of life , and ofth'e hidden Manna; I will give him a white jfone ,» and a new'
Mme which no man knoweth hit-t he that re: eiveth it; I Willgit/e him the morning flair,
. death him with white miment ,. and. he [hell walhwith me in white ;. I will make him-
apilleir in the temple of m Goal , and will eonfefe his "name heflre my Father “not"
his fingelt; jeit (‘ 0 root ' and admire )' I will grant to him to [it with mean my throne 5.
And [totem]? he hath kept the word ofmypatienee ,5 I will til/(3 keep him from the hour
of temptation which fhelll come upon all the world, to try the»). Rev. 2- V- 7" I7. 2-8..
Rev. 3. v. 4, 5*, 10,12, 2t. dare ye then complain? will: ye fear or faint ;, who. is.
he (Devil orman )- that can harm you while ye thus follow that whichisgoodfi
1 Pet. 3. v. t 3. ye muff prevaile and carry the day , be conquerours, and more
then conquerours, yea in all thefe things in which your enemies feem to triumph.
over you; your lofs {hall be your great gain,your trouble, pain, blood, finroWr
anguilh, work out your unfpeakablc joy and confolation , your fecu‘rity, fafety,
andeternall falvation; and your reproach for Chrifl: {hall be your crown ,.. and
name of praifeg Rom. 8. v. 3-7. Rev. 17.. v. I t. wheifor lift up the hand: whioh being
down ,. and thefeehl‘e knees and let your feet; [filly walla in [height puthrt‘ Heb; 1-23.“.
v. .1 2,: 3. wherefore is thy countenance fad', art nor thou a Kings {on B.- Let not;
your enemies think ye ferveahard mailer, and have an unkind Father; and that
ye live by Rule , while ye are contending for the faith; but let them know ye have
meat they know not of, ye have provifions, oonfolations, and fupportitygin-
fluences and {applies they-are {hangers to, and intermedle not with; and ay 0
fuel) of them as have any relicks ofnaturall tendernefs, weep not’for us butfor ~
your * (elves, and your Children-.- and do not exclude the moi-l mercilefs perfecu-r
tors from your compaflion , but pray for them‘whil'e they- are digging pits for you;
yet let your compafli'on in a fpeciall manner be extendedto your Aopofia‘tfirew
theren; let your-bowells yern upon them; O‘Wrefile, pray, and cry mightily
unto God that he may pity andrecover thefe back-fliders; Oh how. deplorable. is
their cafe ?- and how can their-heartsendure in the'day. the-Lord (hall: deale~with
. them P or if now they would but confid-er thefe dreadfull and awaking Scriptures ,
Mat. IO.V- 33., Mark. 8. v. 38; Heb.6. v. 4., 5,6; Heb. IO..V-. 26,17; 31, 38—.
Iftheir conf’ciences be not feared as with an hor- iron. their life mul’t be ( and we
hear to many itis )= more bitter to them then many deaths :.: thustheirtdreadfull

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é“ Ihould be fo far from occafioning, you”; umbling a and inviting you to follow
their Reps , that it ihould mightily provoke you to coni’tancy , and out of®ra~
titudeto him by whofe Grace ye have been upheld make you ( when by their err-
ample tempted to renounce the faith) faywhat thefe renowned Martyrs faid to their
pagan-perfecutors tempting them to facrifice to an Idol , becaufe their fellows and
Companions had done fo , and telling them they were not wribr nor better then
they , net} (fetid theje worthie: of the Lord and 0 Let the fame mind he inJoii ) hut we
will the ratherfland to make it}: the awful! breach thefl’ home made ; and we are read to
fiorifiee oiir Lit/er hjyoiir hand: to the honour of our God whom they h] their Idolatrom
fitorifioe have [a much iii/honoured. ' 0 ye excellent ones and Dearly beloved go
on and continue to be with thcfe precrous fouls the repairers of the Lamentable
breaches made in our Zion by thefe fallen flats in this day of vifitation : and
then 2 , let this provoke you to thankfullnefs and to admire his unfpeakable Love
to you, by whofe fupporting influences ye have been enabled to fiand under thefe
boifierous fiorms and tempei’ts; that poor nothing worm ye have been lirengthned
to fiand under fuch violent and {irong temptations : 0 how are ye Concerned to
praife your holy and omnipotent keeper , couniéller‘ and guide; and under all
your pinching {traits and hard meafures from ad verfaries to rejoyce that , ye are not
ofthe»: who how: drawn hack unto perdition: as forlthefe poor fouls Who have put
theire {alvation to fuch a venture , I need not f peak to their cafe , ( tho it here fall
in) that being fo fully and faithfully confidered in the foregoing Epiflle , to which
I commend you , as for warning to take (a) heed that ye fall not , fo to excite
you to abound more and more in praifing him who hitherto hath @ptjoiifrom fal-
ling , and it (b) able to preflmt you faultlefi hefor theprefinee of hi: ley with exeeeg
din‘ j-o . ’ , . .
ffigpt here , reiolving to add no more , but while the preis was going I began
more feriously to confider. that the time did call, and that as the need fo the delire
of many mi ht invite to Ray a while in offering fome feafonable direétions how to
carry in f neg a day, by putting one and other in mind of the moit concerning
duties now to be performed; and in warning of the fnares, precipices, fins and
offences to be carefully avoided and guarded againi’c , for flirting up one and other
to walk as becometh Chriflians indeed, and fuch as are fenfible of the wrath gone
out againi’t us: let me then in all humility and tendernefs offer , and as a Minif’ter
of Chrift in his name and authority require you as you will anfwer to him in the day
of account: to hearken to the following direétions from his Word. .

I. Then I would intreat and obteflt you to make Religionyour Bit/inefi , and not
to ferye God in the by : 0 be more zealous for Gods Glory , and more carefull
about matters of foul concernment then for periihing trifles ; as knowing there is
but one thing necefl’ary. Mat. 6. v. 3 3 ., job. 6. v. 27. Colofli 3. v. 2.: Luk 10. v.24.
often putting up to your fouls the quef’cion our Bhflbd Lord hath offered to your
moft ierious confideration Mar. 166. v. 26. What i! 4 man profited if he jhtzll gain
the whole world and Ink his own [but ? if thou. {th out of the way , thou mayeit fall
gmong theeves who will rob thee of that jewel} 3 0 Remember the way is a nar-

row
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, AND ' To .T“H-E" SECURE." * «a,
row way , with difficulty diligence and circumfpeé’tion kept and walked in , Marry.
v. 31. Phil. 2. v.12. 2.. Pet. LV. 5. feqq. hence.

2.. Walk circumfpeétly , Eph. 5. v. 1'5. taking heed to all your {leps watchin
over your thoughts words and whole'deportment, that it may be 'fuch as becometg
the Gofpell of Chril’c: 0 h0w are ye concerned (efpccially now. ) to make the 1gb:
of your holy Convetfiztz‘mfo to [him that othersfiingjour Good work: (andyau £7 tbefi)
m4] Glorifiyourfather which z'n'n hem/m , Mat. 5'. v. "I 6. that the * faying may hold
in you , the School ejafiz'é‘fon i: the School of fight and inflmflz’nn. () then take heed
ye make not the Gofpell which ye profefs , and for which , yefufler , and are ready
' (as ye pretend) to fufi‘er the loffe of al things, fieflhr [were , and be ‘1' reproached by

.. your ungofpel like carriage : your iteps are narrowly marked; by the fin ora-

i' David , occaflon wasgwen to the Enemies of the Lord to Mafpbeme; 2 Sam. 12.."v. 14...
by ablot in thy carriage (tho it were but in reference to thy relative duties) the
2mm: of God and his daftrin may lie blew/phemed. I Tim. 6. V. I ; Ah wilt thou.- dilho-
hour, and wrong the honourable caufe for which thoufufferelt, by thy 11C"
gligent walk and unfutable converfation? 0 laak'to Joy” [elves tbarye Zofinot tbafe
thingrje have wrought, We receive thegreat reward. 2.. [oh 8. there may be much.
done and much querred for a good caufe , and-all amount to norhing. I Cor I 3 .
v.1; 3. 0 watch over your hearts and wayes! ye are now placed fentinels, the
enemy is ready to break in , and makeaprey of all if he find us fleeping; Satan
will be now ready to tempt , knowing what a provocation it is , to fin in the face-—
of judgements and in a time of wrath and indignation; Remember Lee: wzf.

3. Walk prudently, as wife not as fools: Eph. 5-.v. I ;. hearken to Chrilts:
Counfell, andjoyn prudence with your innocency ; Mat. 10. v. 16. now fatan.
. will be ready to fowihis tares, to put on his furplice , and transform him felf into-
; anAngel of light -, 8c if he Cannor make thee fplit on the rock of profanity 8C loofe—
nefs , he will firive to link thee in the gulf oferrour and irregularities. 0 be In-
treated therfore not to Believe every/pm} (mt tr} whither it be of God or not lfob-.4..\*. I .
rah? heed when}: bear and hem/ye hear. I Them]: 5'. v. z I . AP}. 1 7‘.'V. 11.. . 0 What a
e noble ornament is prudence to religion , and how ready are imprudent Zelots to ‘
l] : call a llumblin block in the way of the profane, and to furnifhzthe triumph of
‘ ’ Papif’rs by theiréeady, ralh, irregular aétings, and wild fancies? 0 better you.

had never been born , then thus to raife an evil report on Religion , to call a.

{tumbling block in the way of them who are ready to break their necks without

your help and to. harden thofe in their evil way who are but too refolute to go on. '

therein. *

4.. Redeem time from the world, its work , bufinefs , fellowlhip 5.? and lay it

- . out for God and for eternity; and ye fhal be (ye can be) no loolErs; for then ye.
. will trade with Chrift, and for his gold that will make you Rich indeed , you
will no: run as uncertain, and beat the air , you will net purfue ihadowes, ' and
erilh-

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* .10 A wean To MO'URNERS“ IN: ZION. .
perifh in the purfuit; butwill run and obtain . fight and pre’vaile. and carry the
prize and Crown of Glory. Eph. 5.1v. r 6., Rev. 3'. v. t 8. 1 Cor. 9. v. 26.

5. In a time offuch perplexity , and uncertamly Labour to fecure t. the trea-
fure and pearle ofprize; a. Pet. 1. v. 10. in be in {aftie‘what need we value the
lofs of periihing trifles? z.Provide a retiring and reihng place and when you
efpyno city of refuge , run to the firong rock , and prOVId you Chambers there";-
and however tempeftuous the Ptorm may become . ye need notfear. Ifa. 26 v.10.
Pro. 18. v. to. Pfil.6t.v. 1;. 34‘! while there [S {o 11th love and kindnefs to be
peéted from men, and folitle truth and fidelyty among them, {0 that we may
take upthe word. Mic. 7. v. 5. 6.4.. rejolyce that ye have a friend in heaven 9 to
whom ye may run , and whom ye may afely trui’t ; and when ye find litle come .
fort in oonverfing with men let your Converfationbe in heaven ; he frequent and
fervent in your adrefl'es to God,and carefull to mantatn a fellowfhip with the father
8: his I on Jef' us Chrifl: ; be much in prayer ,Meditation, reading . 8: take heedhow
ye perform thefe duties Phil. 2.. v. 20. job. am 5. Luk. 8. v. 18. Heb. 4. v. 7..

am. 1 . v. z,z 2,25 . but you will fly. what could difcourage us ifthefe were fecured?
Buthow may that be don} Ant? as to the firfi an heavenly Convcrfation is the
beflway to fecuresthe heavenly treafure. Colofl‘. 3-v. 2., 4. As to the fecond run
in to thatrock, and thefe'Chiambers offecurity by faith; if thou thus call: thy {elf
and. all thy burdens on the Lord he {hall fuftain and care for thee : Pfal. 5;. v. z 2..
1 Pet. 53v. 7 ; If with him Phi-61.37. 4. thou trufl in the Cover: of his wings,
thou mayeii: with him. Pfa. 6 3. v.7. Rejoyce under their fhgdow : 0 then , when
212} heart 2': overwhelmed, fly with that eminent Believe-r Pfiz- 61. V. 1:. Hear my
my 0 God, and leda'me to the Reckthat :2: higher then I. AS to the 3“, our 1316ch
Lord aflures you that ye are hisfriends, and [had abide in his love if ye keep his
; Commandments . and do what {oever he bids you. Joh. t 5. v. to, 14. .
6. Set the Lord allways befor you, and walk as under his all feeing eye,
‘ and as hearing the found of the lafk trumpet in your cares, . and {unamoning you to
judgement , to give an accompt of all ye have don and {aid Pfa. 16. v.9. 2. Cor. 5'.
v. , to. -
5:7. Be tender and *tremble at the word of God, at the whole word, not daring to
call: any part ofi-t behind thy back; 0 {aid noble Luther let the word of God come,
and tho wehad an hundred necks let them all PtooP to it: and O fiaid Cypr : [07mm-
magifl'er 60m , liéemer te audio , C5 cam driver/Errata mz'bz' 55 mm z'm/cerz'r. 0 do no:
wound Confciencein the [math as knowing that ye Cannot pleafe God in any
thing ;' unlefs ye carefully endeavour to pleafe him in all things Colofs. t. v. :0.
Jam. 2.. v. to, 1 I. Act. 24. v. t 6. and think it not enough to leave of? the praé’cife
offomefins , unlel's yeforfake all; and unlefs ye forfake and loath. and find in
your {Elves that indignation and Revenge againflf, and carefullnefs to avoid it
3'Cor.7.v. 11.; - '

8. Beware of doing any thing out of a doubting Confcience , not being
perfuaded of its lawfullnels. Rom. 1 4. v. 14. 2 3. and O beware of going againqlt

. . t Y

9". Audaciam exiflimo de hone a’ivifliprecepti dzfiumre, 71:: quiz; [imam tn? (2'. e. ”obi:

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thy light; if thou a8: againl’t confcience thou art not fubjcfl: to ads éhthOritY’:
"but: dcfpifef’t him {peaking (as thou fuppofeft) by his deputy. lam. I v. 5. 3n: (faith

Mr. Burroughs) take heed the Devi be not in the Confcience , (as the place
where he thinketh he may lodge , with leall: fufpicion) that mull: be no *fanetuary
to him , but he muf’t be pulled from the horns of that Altar : and ( faith be) if a

man be proud and turbulent in his Carriage , 2.. if he will not make ufe of means

' to inform his Confcience , 3. if he Can give no r’ationall account for his aétings ,

417 if he go againl’t his own principles, 8m. we fear the Devill is in that mans
‘Co'nfcien ce.

' 8. Let felfdeniall be thy dayly {tudy , that being the firft Lefl'on of Chrifti.‘
anity;8c if we beChrii’tians indeed it mull be our day! y task, it being fo neceflary 8C
fohardly Learned: that Idol , mil’taken, miscalled ,Satan ferving , God dilhon-
ourinchlf'dcfiroying SELF,keeping {till fuchCourt in the heart tho in part rene-
wed, and having fuch power and credit with us while in this ltate , may readily be
Intertained and infinuat it felt where it is lead; fufpefied , in our profeflions, reli-
gious perfirmances, humiliations , fufferings for, and labours in the Gofpcl ,
yea and with our Zeale ,- unlefs we be very humble watchfull circumlpeét; and
that dead flie in the apotchecaries oyntment will make it (link; what we do
for felf will not be reckoned as fervice done to Chrift. Matt. 1 6. v. 2.4.. Gal, 6.v,7, 8.1

‘ hence.

9. Be much at home and.at the work of, Elf examination 5 be not firangers
where ye ought to converfe molt, and with what ye {hould be belt acquainted : 0

Be diligent fludents in the book of your own hearts and Confciences; fearch after ' "

and diligently examine What have been , and are your works and way ; and
whatever Bufinefs you may flight or neglet‘t forget not {Erioufly to try and
examine whether ye be in the faith or not 5 8:: to Commune much with your own
hearts :- bringing your hopes and eXpeétations , your profeflion and perfuafion .
your Works walk and way to the touchf’ton of the fanéturay , the word of God.
Pia-4. v. 4. Pfal. 77. v. =6. 2 Cor. 13. v. 5'. . i

a 0. Be N athaniels C hril’tians Indeed , abhorring Hypocrifie as the bane of the
Crif’tian profeflion: feel: not a name , but to get the (new name) Rev. 2.. v. I 7.
and to have the name of God engraven on thy holy C onverfation. Rev. 3. v. t 2..
do not perform religious duties with found of trumpet Mat. 6. v. 5', t 7, SCC. Say
not , pnlehmm eff dzgz'to mon/Zmri , ac dicier kw eff. Put not on more fail then ye
have ballalt , and fet not up a fign at the door for what is not within : let not t e
wind of applaufe fill the fails if your Courle be heaven ward; the lefs dinne and
noife ye make your profeflion Will bejudged the more fincere ; and fince {0 many
are ready to mock at Religion becaufe of the Hypocrify offome empty profeflbrs,
with what care fl10U1d we abfiain from all appearance therof, that none have
occalion to laugh at us, for a piping voice , afl‘eéted tone , a fullen and aufiere

countenance Artificiall fighs and groans. Oh that in fuch a day , fo many fl‘Oul d .

defire rather to appear , then é: , and rather to [nine , then have light. 0 let your
fin‘cerity appeare as in you r zeal for Gods worihip and truth , fo 1:} your upright
and righteous dealm g with men , and in your cml courteous Kind carriage to

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(, KdSthfi'fi‘IW’d ‘ C , . ~
firflqaflemnd I ,gwgldfgfj’ atPrquM‘arh} the flutter of the/ice»; . table. 0 flqdy
10.; anfwer your relation, and. conferenttoufly to dilcharge your Relative
duties, thefe hair: the touchfiori-ofourfincerlty: who Willaccount him an-ho-
. aief’t Chril’cian , w is notya. goodyhusband, parent, Child , ferv ant , neighu
bout, who isnetruprightinh’isdealing,. faithfull 1n his promlfes, and fincere in his '
5“ ProfeflionS? 0:16:nGnehaVé‘OCCafiQI-lto fay he met Witha- cheat, while he had
trade; with one who had ‘a name in the Church—1 J oh. I. v. 47. Rom. 2. v. 2 1,2. 8,
29. 1 Cor. 8. v. 5'. hence.
‘ ‘ j I 1,. Beware of‘a haughty heart and'fupercilious carriage , and doe not exercife
thy‘klf ingreat matters, and in things too high for thee , above thy teach, and
without thy Sphere. Pfa. 131,. v. I, 2.. firetch notvyour {elf beyond your line , and
leap not over the hedge left'a fetpen't bite you; zeale IS precious , it is a heavenly
(park, but fire not kept within the chimney may confume thelhouiez when we
medle with things without our. reach , and play the BiIhOps (as the word 1 Pet. 4,;
v.,15.importeth) in another mans Diocefi, as we aé’t without Gods warrant,
Io without his blefling, and may fear, his hand : Ah from. whence doth all mill
cchiefand confufitm Come, but from mens pride driving them beyond their.
line y. and to aa: without their Sphere? and 0 what a quiet world jhauld We have
(‘I‘fliith Mr. Gama!) tfe'aey thing and perfon knew, and kept it: own place! and
0 if they ( and how many fuc’h are there ) who are guilty herein would ponder
what he further writeth concerning {uch turbulent medlers what thou deefl with-
teutu call, 'eannet r(;, fajeth he) he clan in faith ; 2. when thou thu: aflefl than putty} th}
fllfout‘under Gedrprotefiiou; 3, thou can/t have meant-fort in fufiéring for what thou
flee/t wit/gent th] Met/ten: 6‘4!!- and warrant; 4..fi4ch atdareg‘o without their Sphere ‘
know not-humane they are led , it mufl he an erratique fliirit that eurrieth us out of
ourplaee ; 5. men Would eonflder from what principle their irregular and eecentriea/l
imotien't wufl flow, viz. 1 Pride, 2. difcontent with their condition , 3. unhelzef,
(fiuppofing that God did/fund in need ef their flnfull and’ unruly motion: to carry. on his
vat/ark); 4,." é/inii and mistry‘ormedaeule. ,Ah if the eccentricall motions of the time
were rightly analized , Ifearit might be found that much of that which is fathe-
red upon faith and tr-ufiing in God, and zeal for his glory, would be rcfolVed in
unbelief, v impatience; Carnal] policy , and {elf ends.
{2, Prize and efleemperfons and thingsaccording to. their relation to Chrif’t ;-
3-1 Car. 2.. v.,-z.: 60191123.“ It. I. as to perfens. love for Chrilt, and with 80051?
3' all in whom ye feeany thing of Chrill , tho they be not of your perfuafion as to
~matters controvertedamong thefaithfull,‘ 1 Con. 13v 7.. and make tonfcience .
of theft: duties towards the Bretheren , to which this love; doth engage thee;
v.4, 5. art thou perfecuted take heed thou doe nor perfecute , and wound b
thyktongue thcfcwho are perfecumd for Chrilt; We to them who add affliétion
to them whoare-aflliéted for his name by their Cenforious and uiicharitable fpee-'
ches, and by a tongue fet on fireof hell, the under a pretence of zeal for heaven.
gt. as to things prizezhis word, and prize and own his truth while {0 many'now are

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folly; chufe ful’f’eting rather‘then fin,‘ and toendurghard tihfngsir 33333613333363. tti
part, with this precious pearle it" but tho ye fliogl‘dpmgevery trflth, andmak’e
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3‘ 5, and tho we mutt not abandon any duty ," tyet’We’ muflnot withflyphcnucan Phat
' rifees prefer duties of lef‘s concerntnént :“Ma‘tnfgi, 3:15; BC 3353-13156 the Hypéf

crites who will run many miles “and upon many'dangers in following pretend-ed
duties whereby they may ‘get a name, ‘and be noticed 3 and 3763333333133: 31333133 ‘COn-‘f-

l » fcience of-ferving-God in hisow'n wayv‘mn itthey bciitnbitifiét‘féed afiidLi-Ci‘fihmt‘bi

3 it get a name. 'iOnce 'mo‘re. prize Gofpel-f'ordinances-‘jbetfa'ufetheyibééfrhig‘fgglc;

keep up their Aurhdtity 8'8.- 1.531% 3231333331133“ éflalvafigfi iff‘tfiije 3:33:21 8fheavcn1y ’ ,
{.1.‘ influences , and fhinmg ' lights 'Whereb'y' {blind mortals j‘ihuf’c’ be direétedhOme-s 3 i
, ward to their r’eft. R01n.Io."v. I7. 3Rom. IL"v.3'_t3'6. 1 Cor. 3.33.1.“ and hence the 3
3‘ 3 many direé’ciOns for keeping up the credit of ordinances in mafidcfigfitflt and dark
3 , cafes 5 Song. I .v.8.3 Eph. 4. v. 1323 13:3 Helm o_.v3i5‘.' Aét1v4z 3 Act; 21o v3 '7;
i ‘ . Iude v. 10 : do not Stare atyour m’eht’b‘e‘caufe. ye lifiveja‘qg‘g‘trel await} the. Cook
3; j- who dre‘flethit; and flight'not Chrifta ordinan‘CCS ‘bééauféofi‘fginé failings ‘ in
. the adminil’trators ; do not think ye can“ honour God by defp’ifin hi‘s: Worflgip : 1
Ah {hall it become a mark of zeal , that hitherto 'hath beenjudg‘fe an evidence of 3
profanity .? the Lord knoWeth how Sabbaths are {pent 3 by :hof e" 3th fiéy afibpnjc ‘3‘
‘ While they are called to Worfhip God in "hi's3 pilblic'k foit‘dinaiiéeéf‘:fidhfifier Whata ‘ 3
guiltinelé audiprovomt‘ion " it is to withdraw Froni théft’p‘atjt of 3'133'woifl3jip Whéif’egn 3
. by: he is molt-honoured in the WOrld l, and What‘aihaiat‘dit'isf3 n‘dhdw‘much t’l’ioLI
3 . mayf’t loofe by being abfent Where God hath told ”(is he would Com‘e‘léndblifs U33.
3 '3. Exod. 20. V. 24.. 'l/V/aem: (faith " MARm/a‘éifzfld) ye; complain qfd Elm?! Mn'z'flér}
i injour éozmd: ; hanger of Chm/f: making mot} 11937136311437 Sgewgztfnwhquind my; the
feeding of. his flock; ‘j‘theflO'céi: Délggéd téj’é‘éé Elszipthé/heegbe’rd: isn‘t} OBMTCd 3 t
foul that can look above a‘pul'p’it} and dyetfiima‘n t1 ‘3":6 Clitili’ :j @037??? zonandlfi
2'.- m tied to a mamZz‘ps'éaw livélyfiirm'ébz'hg , the b'Iemgi‘g’bf‘ijfifdijfiane‘é'é fnfiftbc 106k;

 

 

,1 ed for from their A'urhot upon Whom We muff wa‘ifif w; knoi‘p '(fézjés Rea/fiend 3‘
«3 Beta Wltb I7 Aflmflem‘af Geneva in their Anfwer to: non—‘conformiflj3in Ehg{and
Ann. I 54.7. ) that it it better to have hdgf‘d lodf, than" 729 67644 ifthou Wort hungry .4
indeed thou-wouldf’t fay , bEttet‘eou‘rfiz'Fare‘;then tofiaryei. j: i' ,A ~ ,, j .i ’
L3 . 3. Let your Moderation be knoWi‘i‘to 3313133330333333631333333335533333333303;33333- =3
darnel‘s, conde’fcenfion Philip. 4. v.53. it Cor.39.'iv‘. 1‘ 53;: z. ' Rom. 1;. "v.1; {t
Now we are Come to a point Whei'ein the {afety , wellfare "and beauty ofthi‘:
Church is [0 neerly concerned, viz. the mix} of the faithful! amang themfi'lm'f.
Let us therfor flay a While in prefling'of it . and difcovering the evil bf Schifimafid 33
3 , 3_ Divifion , how pernicious it is tothe Church a$ di‘fpleafihgto God st‘faridTO'ifincn ;
3 perfecut, God finite, and we cut and rend? tow l‘amientablemui’t‘ the ca’felbea
- i 2. . - an

‘3? 333326.133”. p. .432 i.

 

 

 

 

 

 
   

  

       

 

.andhow foolifh e if we thug eXpofe our {elves to reproach, to be a- gazing flock
to Devils and men, provoke the Lord agamft us , and encourage perfecutors to
proficute their cruell defigns? therfor let ushere {tay a while , and for our more
clear and diflinfl: procedur {peak to this head in {everall directions, whcmf this
{hall be the fin} , 0' let your meek and Moderat converfation make you and your
‘ prOfeflionamiablein the eyes of others: Be not furious andjehudike drive with-
\ out Con-fideration , but ponder dangers and precipices that are in the way; we
cannot exceed in our love to God , and zeal for his Glory ,~ but it is any and or-
dinary to exceed in the ontgoings of our paflion , which we are ready tofather'on
our zeal; the famous Anton] being askt by the fathers'of that time , what was the
vertue wherby a man was prelerved in the Offices ofpiet , that he may continue
in the praftili: therof to the end ? wifely * anfwered , that Mdemn'on. and dz cre-
rion did herein excel]; that tho the exereije ofmnn] Grocer was neoe’j]217y,1et the fall of
rn/b’z‘elotr nght convince us that herein Moderate on nan/Z have the preeminence.

I 4. Be not. felfivilled,‘ turbulent , implacable , and tenacious in your own
quarrel]. and as to what your perfonall Intereit may be Concerned in : take ewe}

1‘ ( flyer Bernard ) wen; willand therewz'll he no fire in hell; and take away ( may WC '

fay) pafiionat wilfull will and the fire of contention will die out, Prov. 1;. v. [06.
0 But to be of a tractable humble, condefcending temper is a noble commendat
tionv,‘ ‘Fgl-wz'llfflyc: A/sz'ner to Arzflzppm) always acknowledge yon the better and
fio-rfiflorib) man, beam/e [began the/inf: ,, andjon tbepmce. hence.

I 5. Let the Athenian *‘ diam-la be eltablilhed, and a line of forgetful-
ncfs drawn over all our differences , that-they may be buried in oblivion : and:

let none lay of thee , that when, the Faithfullare for peace thou art for war: 0 if ‘

thou have any z‘eal forthe GlOry of Chrift , and the good of his Church walk by
that Divine rule Phil. 3.. v. 1.6. [ Whetto we have already attained let us ( faiththc-
Apofile) walk by the lame rule , minding the fime things; and as for fome par-
ticulars wherein We may differ . let us not prels our own fentiments on others
, . i _ But

1‘ Cum beegnleflio’eflétpropo/z‘m inter Petra qua mm: virtnr. C/Jrzflz'dnnm Imminent.-
inioficiz'rpietntz'r rook confervdret? 3 4122' aliter refponderent .. 4/11" M! commode je/n-
m’i: age/ragga, ale? contempt” rem»; externarnm, nlz'iloer e/mrimzir oficm po/fi’flerz eenflea
ban: 5 'rofizondit tandem Benin: Antonin; inqnien: , omnioz one dixz/Zz‘mtz/zn flrnt Gloria.
fliemz'rg fid bzrprinapalzr Gratin trz'énenda non eff, idqne plnrimornm frntm/n enjm,
confirmant on oerfinte: in bu obfirontz’oniém deco/on fimt , eo quad m bono greed cape—
.mnt [modem C§ dzfcretionem] non tennemnt: in amnion: ergo one agimm dzfiretio pin-n
reponendn eff : conflatfine dzy’eretionzrgrntz'a C5 modo noel/am perficz', velflare We'rmtem

Poflé. —---- Porro nddz'dit Dir/m7 Antonin; exemplar” Heronz: Senir ,, 7m o/lendere p4,. ,,

i iribm Valuer non fife fine grow periculo carport} C9, enema pretermztti modnm no dtfcree

xione’m] Vit. Antoniz'per Noaerennm ex Atbannflo pagmibi I 09» Tbfififl’fl [Wdira’jydr] ‘

negnid nimix] i: we/l'knowen 1/90 lit/e oéferred.
'1‘ Ccfletproprin winntnr 55 non erit znférntem, Bern. Serm. 3 de ref.
$ Ansel Plnmrc/o ale cakiéenda era.
4 5“ Confer/r the film/1.: oft/9e praw'nez'n/Z Synod at London [Infl div. minefir]
port. 13. c. 1 3 . and. Preface mztlo M. Barroug/o: bi: irem’onrn. peg. 2 8,6.-

 

 

 

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M “HWD‘VW‘

WW 1, a . v , .s» w. ”‘72. ,,*
but patiently Wait till God revile his mind to us as to there. } [If(litith *M Gnrnnl)

the firvant's by their ftrugling about the houfe drefling thruf’t the child in the fire ,
and burnit, what thanks Will they get from the parent the Mailer at his return-.-
the Child (laith he) is religion , which is like to perifh by our debates and (letting
lions] hence. ' .

Al 6. Let us mourn for our finfull , foohfh . Church deltroying , and {elf dc;
{troyin g divifions which have been both themerito'rious and Infirumental caufe of
{0 much ‘ruin ; by thefe we have provoked God to wrath againl’t us , reproacht
the truth we profefs, and made our {elves a reproach , have played the Adverfaries
Game, have encouraged and {trengthned their hands in their attempts againfl: us ,.
weakened our own hands, and have nor pondered what our Lord Warned us of
(tho {0 clear in it (elf) Mark. 3. v. 24.. z y . nor the faying (not more common then
manifefl) Divide ff tmpem. 0 then , Marktbcm that can/é Diwflon: , and n; ood
Word: and fairfpeecber deceive the heart: of the flmple; Rom. 1 6. V. I 7, l8 . and , if t ere
be any confolation in Chril’c , if any comfort of love , if any fellow {hip of the fpia
rit . if any bowells and Mercies let nothing he don through “rife or vain Glory,
having the lame Love and being of one accord : Philip. 2.. v. I- , 2, 3'. 0 how are we
engaged to love thefe Mmif’cers , and ef’teem them highly who are for peace unity
moderation charity and love among the faithfull ; such Minil’ters beinga blefling

to the Church while they live, and their Memory precious to pol’terity; the. are

nament of a meekhnméle and quiet/pint hang in theflght of God and man of a lug/o price,
.and may be called the truly zealous fincere Chril‘tian his Crown , the charaéter of
aGolpel like Frame, the comfort of the Bretheren, and a noble attractive to
allure and draw in thofe who are without. 1 Pet. 3. v. 4. Colofl'. 3. v. 1 a, 13: I4,
15. 0 then. have no hand in renting and dividing the Church; is it not Chrif’ts
body ;\ Ah. while the enemy is feekinigto dellroyit wilt thou. cut it in pieces?
How much fo ever of zeal may be pretended for fuch, awork , yet we are perfua—
ded from the'word of truth, that only by pride cometlo- contention. Prov. 13-.v. to.
the zealous M. Firmin {peaking of the wofull divifions and. many feéts then
aboundin-g in England, and the abominable blafphemies vented by thefe who
once feemed to have been mofl: zealous and eminent profefl'ors, thinkit not flmn-
g: (find be) to fie z'tfo , for I knew the moflfttmom , and wbofiemed' the mofl emit)»:
among them, nndflzw the tom of prideflmmfnlly [lick ant in them (all. Litle good
can be expeéted from a prond zelot: 0 then while ye are afl‘ertmg, flandingin
defence of, and {offering for the faith, flndyto keepthe nnz‘ty-of the jjn'rz't, the unit} of
tbefnz‘tlo , the * nnz‘t} of the comma tée bond of pence. If any Would but refleét on
Chril’ts legacy andlalt words to his. difciples , his farewell Sermon , and folemn
prayer Job. 14.. v. 27. joh. 1;,v.12, I7. 1012. I7.V. I 1, 21,13. Or ifany would
ferrously ponder the Apoltles mofl pathetick exhortations, and the Arguments

' 'whereby he prefiieth thefe 1 Core I. v. to. Eph. 4. v. 3 3, 8%. Philip. 2.. v. 1, 8:0

Phil. ;.v. 15,16. Rom. I a. v, 9‘, to. 1 Thefl'. 4.v. 9. with many more to that
purpofes and if any will call to mind the {harp rebukes and checksgwen to, and
e the
* Gum. Chrt‘é‘. arm. part. 2.. c. 2. fire 41/3 M Bnrzonglo: firm. c. to...
'i‘ pr. 4.,v. 3. ‘“ .

 

 

the difmall Characters offeparatil’ts and Church Tdtvtdctss Wfllfitht: fad mgr-ate .__and
. Lamantations over them' rCOru . v. t t, See-:1— Cor. 3 v 3 1‘. 1 Cor: 1 I. v. 18.
1“ ‘Gal. 5. v; - 2.0; Jud;v. I 9. who ;(I fay) confidcrlng‘thefe thlngs could imagine that
> the tares ofdi'vifion and difcord among Bretherencould .be {own by any but the;
envious one, and his fa&0rs? .Yet for the further conv16tion ofSchismaticks, let
[us add- fo‘mewh‘at more , beginm'g Wlth that Gofpel like prophecy of Chril’ts King-
dom, that under it thofe who are by nature wild like wolves Lions and boares

{hall ly down together, 8: fweetly feed : 115.. I I. v. 6, 8Cc. 8C~did not Zacharias Pro- -

phefy ofChrifi , that he/battldgmde om: feet in the ma} ofpmce P .Luc.,t. v. 79. 2. is .
it not af pecial promife in the Covenant of grace that the Lord will give ,us one
heart, and one way Her. 37.. v.39. link: i. v. I 9. and O whata {tumbling block
is it to the Jewes that they fee nor 'thefe prOphefies and promifes fullfilled in thofe
who are called Chrifiians? g is not Chrii’t the prince of peace ? Ila. 9. v. 6. is not
his Gofpel the .GOfpel of peace? Rom. to.v. 1;. is not peace included in our

 

 

Chriltian calling? I Cor. 7. v. I 5. did not Chriit die with peace inhis lips? “1011.14". _ ' i
V. 7.7. Job. I 7. v. z r. and after he arofe from the dead , did he not {alute his difci-
ples with the blefling of peace P Ioh. 20. v. I 9. and did not the Angles at hIS birth {a
proclaim peace (as to, (0) among the (aims on earth? Luk. 2. v. :4. 4. has he
notmadelove and concord the éadgc whereby his Genuine followers may be- g
known a andappointed it to be Worn ashis’ Levery; J oh. 1 g . v. 3;. and hathhe nOt
made it agdggé‘ for {roping the mouth of adverfaries , who are ready blafphe‘ .. 3;
moufly to fay be was not/2m of’God? Joh. 17. v. z I , z 3. 5 is not the Communion 1
of faints an article of our creed and engraven upon , and fealed by the Lords fiipa =

A per? which therforbeareth the name of COMMUNIOZV, as with Chrill ourhead.
I Cor. 10. V. 16.‘ {0 among ourfelves ; v. 17. 6 h'OWpithily doth the Apofile
as at one breath hold forth‘fo many and {uch ltrongibonds of peace , and for kee‘A é:
Ping the {aims in unity , that it might be fuppofed the Divell , the world, the "
pride of mans heart could not be able to burl’t thefe afunder? Eph. 4.. v. 4, 5', 6.
Oprecious and noble unity andLove? which makes us Look, like Chril’ts
difciples and Chriflians indeed 5 which is fo beautiful] and amiable in it
felf, and {o {weet and. comfortable to thofe who follow it , which is fuch
‘a noble attractive and ’loadlton' to draw in thofe who are Without, ‘, the
firength and ornamentof the Church and a t-errour to enemies; fuch'a noble
guflfd againit heretics and errour, and as for preventing much mifchieffrom men,
fo many {adjudgments and {troaks from God: and what {hall I lay more? It is _
the 56nd of perfec‘i‘nefi, atéove elitistngr to hit/mt on. Cololfi 3. V. [4, I Cor. I .3” V. I 3 7‘
0 the“ WOUIdR thduifec (30d, 8C wouldfl' thou have God to blifs thee, fallow peace ~
.tzhdJm/jnefi. Héb. 1-2. v. 14.: Rom. 12.. v. I 8. Pfa.,§133. V. I, 3... 1,121.34. v.12, x4,
andas the Lord from time to time hath vifibly. bleiTed his peOple when they wal-

’55‘1 “£61,137“ in wit} and 10W: {0 when divifions and contention once entred the
Church, it proved a forerunner of j udgem‘ents 8C"Gods wrath to break out againfi
his people, 8: ofiad perfecution from adverfaries .: 8crhe judgements on, Set'ragical
ends ofSchifmaticks have been very {ignall and remarkable, as appeareth , if we
begin at the firflrnotedSchifmaticksKorah'and his company , and follow the Hi...

fiery

 

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W qu

fioryfrbm the Brit Chriflian Churches to this day; ' elpecially fince the reform;

tion happily begun by Zwinglius and Lutheriwe may nor Pray on a Hillori call at:-

. count fi‘oln Sleidens commentaries or Ofiander his Ecclefiai’tical Hiflory , but for

a brief View of Gods judgments on {uch . we now only referre to D. Hoornbeck
his firm : contraverf. P. 7 g 9_. fégq. M. Baily his difuafive from the errours of the ti;-
me , P. 1 ;.feqq 5' and his Vindication of that difuafive P. sfeqq ;. And how zealous
the truly zealous have been againlt Schifm and divifion , as being fog pernicious to
the Church, and difhonourable to Chrii’t, might at large be made appear From their
writtings; Bur we may not Pay on citations ) elfe whom could we pafle over who»
have written on that head? Yea thee brethren of the congregationall way (tho they
went too great a length towards {eparation yet) pretend tojoyn with us in our telli-
mony againi’t feparation 8c [Firmin Burronghs Norton] have written large treati-
fes againf’t it, St the five dilfentig Bretheren 1n theirApologeticall narration f peak to
the fame purpofle : nay {o odious 18 that imputation , that they who are 11109: guilty
are aihamed to be branded therewith , and will be ready to cry out againft it 5 {0
that Schismaticks bear that black mark of obi’tinat Hereticks Tit. g. v. I 1. they

. arefif-condcmned. But what judicious fober Chriftian will nor joyn with that cloud

of witnefies , the Reverend * Minifters of the provinciall Affembly at London:
in their commendation of zealous [Bucer] While he protefieth, that he tvoit/dgladt)
purchrzfi’ with the [0/63 of his life the removing of the great [canola]! h} the diet/ion of Chria
fltam , and with Luther ( while in a good moode) profcfling thrt he was it: defirom.
to emémce peace and eortcord , a: he writ deflrom to have the Lord 7efitrpropitiom to him,

i and with them while they joyn with the Bretheren of the conregationall way in:

new England , protel’tin g they can truly/it} that it it far from them [0‘ to atte/t the dtfct—
pt’in of C hrzfl it; to detefl ihe difcipler of C'hri/tZ 3 [0' to contend for the fiwmlefi coat afC’hri/f,
ti: ta crucifie the Living Member: of Chrtfi; [a to divide oitrfi‘lve: axiom Church commit-
man , a: throzgh heather-to open a wide gape for a deludge of Anthichri/iitm and Pro~

_ A few indignity , to fir/allow up éoth Church and civil/Zaire. Ah What tongue is able to

exprefs the mifchiefe that hath come to the Church by fiery contention and Divi-t

~ iion ? And who can produce ['0 muchas one Inf’tance ofanyfigood that any where

or any time carnethereby. «So that we may well conclud , that [in a true 'i‘ re-
formed Church there is no evil {0 great, and {o Pernicious, as the evil of S chifm, ]
which alienats the hearts ofBretheren , begetteth rancour- and malice , and often,
new errours, and lirange Opinions more dangerous then what at firit was coma
plained of , (for fchismaticks being fenfible how odious their fchifm is; tnuft pred-
tend fome great matter, and finding nothing that can be aqut plea for their courfe,
they mult {tart now quel’tions not formerly moved , pick new quarrells! and if.
nothing can be found manifelt truths muit be called intolerable Errors 5' 8C Apo—
fiacy and defeétion mull: be objeéted tho the matterin controverf y neither. Cone
cern faith nor holinefs.) And thus obf’truéteth remedies-and hopes both of union
and reformation : thence M. Norton thus pithily' laments that evrl ,, Ale: , (714;)
, rm
9‘ Iii]: Div. Mimfl. Epifl‘. to the reader; . _ '_
’1‘ In were E5 reformat”; Ecclcfitt mil/um mas/rim e/t' mnmm , C?) cede/tie Mm permmg
film he malum Schifmati: gift! Ageing lac: cztrum’g “

. -- v- i- a“... A.‘...........-' ., - . ,- . ,
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1; .A WORD ’I‘O MOUKNERS IN ZION,
(fimbhe) is‘there no medium [tettween a BONIF4CE and ‘MORELLIUS ,' ti;
tween papacy and Anarchy ; if there he a myltery ofmzqnitie in the one, it there not an
univerlity of iniquity in the other? Ah how fad IS It to hear the magiltrat as a faithfull
nurfing father upbraid the Min-liters ofChrllt for betraying their trufl; in deltroy-
ing the Church with their indifcreet debates , y and {chifinatick praétifes? That
while he laboured to increafe and preferve it they fought to break it in pieces, and
ruin it ; thus the 1' firfi famous Chriltian Emperour Great Confiantine challen ed

‘ feverallBilhops in his time, while he writeth to thefe convecned m‘ a Counci? at

9 ' ,Tyre w, how it it (a) ( {dith he ) that ye doe not inquire what irpleafing to God, hat/fad)

to opprefi one another? And whati: the fruit of your dehatet? The Barharian: h} we

, have heen hronght to Ivor/hip Chrzfifiand je mak hi: War/hip to he neg/oiled hy your Contenf

i " rion: , which tend to the de/frafiion of man hind ; 8C in another Epii’tle (5) he tells them

1.. ' [how great his griefewasbecaufe oftliefe, and obtelteth them to pity him , and

" . , to allow him {ome tranquillity of mind by feing them live as Brethren in unity;

; Upbraiding them with the Carriage of Philofophers (as we may now our Brethee
ren with Papil’ts ) among Whom tho there be great diverlity of opinions , yet they
confpired together for the profeflion , and their own fafety in the unity of one bo-

o dy : But (faith he) by your difcord the holy M yfteries are contemned, the Church
defpifed . and the people rent afunder in faétions and parties] and with what in-

?! dignation at the I . generall Nicen council did he call: their defamatory libells into

the fire? As forprimitive Chrifiians, they fo abhorred fchifm that without {cri-
pture warrant ( as Jerome {uppofeth) they {et Up a Bifhop ( tho not a Lord prelat)
above his Bretheren, to prevent and remedy it; t which afterwards was judged to
be an improper remedy , as often feeding , rather then Curing that malady) how*

ever thus their zeal againf’t Schifm was hereby mani felted : But let us add fome .

few other tefiimones , [he who departeth (faid) (c) Eunodius from the unity of

I; _ l the Church «ofl‘ereth a fat lhcrifice to the Devil] And faith (‘1) Cyprian, [he Cannot

7 have God to be his father , who will n0t cleave to the Church as to his Mother,
andfiiith (e) [renew , [Whatever good he pretended to Come by SCH/SM, it can-
not counterballance the evil of SCHISM,] which (faith (QJerome) cannor long

/ con-

1; ' ‘i‘ The two Philip: Father and Son, having no time to do mnehfi’rw'ee to the Church,

heingfo gate/<9! eat ofh} [Decim] hi: eonfioirae], yet hath are find not on)! to have enthra-

it ced the faith , hat to have heen martyr: for it: {nterqne amen: Deeii opera interfefi‘at»

H effoh/ttfceptnm halt-tifmum, aproflr/ionem Chrifliani nominia} Carion Chron. lih. 3.

i -(a) Nefeio quid tot conventihm emolemini , nifi at verita: fahraatnr : non advertitz':

y quid domino plaeeat,fedquomoaoproximo: opprimatir; Barhariper one Chriflmn colant

y C? no: illim enltn neglefio eontentionihm 69 oaii: defernitir, gate 4d hnmanigenerittenmi

’ ‘ dere videntur interitnm Met/fen: Chron. lih. topag. I 3 8. '

(b) Veflra difeorolia emergente Sacra Mfleria eontemmmtnr €56. ihidempag. I 3 5' .

‘ (c) Eanod. apad Forhefi inflrut't‘. Hifl. lib. x 4. e. I .

g ’ (d) Apnd Gratian. eanfl 14. gate/l. 1. c. alienate

(‘ ) Iren. adveof Haref 1th. 4.. e. 62.

E} (f) dyad Gratian. oanfi 24. gate/f. 3. c- Inter,

 

 

 

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, . . A .D _. O HE SEC _. ‘ * ,4,
continue Without Hereryd an (9r) 012mm: Mammy; is not afl'raid to lay that,
Scbzfm at, the c/Jzef of evil: :. and judicious (5):»D- Ames durfl call in. Fromm»:

, Gram/fimum; a mofi grievous fin: but Opmrm goes on telling us , [that it isa

greater fin then Homicid or Idolatry :] and (9) Auftin comes nOt {hort of him;,

" While he faith} (having his eye as I luppoie on. what our Lord faith to Scribes and
. . Pharilees. Mat. 2;. v. 15..) [- if any be converted by Schismaticks from Idolatry,

andinfidelity ,. they are not gained, but defperatly hurt by the wound of
Schifm ] and Denis ofAlexandria. in his Epifile to the famous Church divider
NOV AT ’05 (d) fpeaketh to the fame purpofe , [thou fhouldll {faith he) rather
have fufi‘ered any thing , then [offered the Church to be divided: it is a [glorious
nay I count it a more glorious Martyrdom thatthe Church may not bedivia
ded, then to be kept from'facrificing to an Idol] not as ifthefejudiciousfathers
would compare Schifm with Idolatry and infidelity as to the. immediat object, or
ultimat end 5. as if the glory of God were asdz‘refll andjmmea’iatlj concerned in
Schilm , as in Idolatry t but they confidered theconfequents, and good of the
Church; fichecaufe .( as Dem‘: tells us ), a multitude is concerned inthe michief
from Schifm , they lookt upon it as {0 pernicious an evil :. and thus (1:) Aquinas
doubted not to affirm. [that no {in againi’r the fecond table was fo great as Schifm;
and that in feme refpeél: it was greater then the fin ofinfidells: ], and if We would
( s) coniult that Author we will findits.geneologie and parentage . as alfo-its
daughters and offpring to be very difhonourable. ,

Astor the properties ofSchismaticksand feparatil’ts , the Apoftle tells us that
1. they are carnal] and walk as men- not as faints; I Cor. 3. v. 3. 2. that they are

'dec-eitfull , creeping in. to hoUTes, and by good words and fairfpeeches feek to

deceive the hearts of the fimple; 2. Tim. 3. V. 6. 3 that they have. aform of. godli-
nels , but deny.the:~power Ol‘ltgv and are fuch as {honldbe avoided a. and marked;
(bid. v. 5. and Rom. 7.6 v. 17, l 8. 4. that whatever they pretend ,. yet they are fen.-

:fuall nor having the fpirit; and cannot in that mifchicvous work ferve the Lord

Jefus; t/ao (/2:th (.3) D. Pareur) dwiflammqjlbez'n the Church , Jet they are the Dive/s
work. ' ‘ .

We may not flay todiftover thofe divifive principles ye mul’t difclaim ;. thefc
divilive paiiions and affections ye mull: abandon; and thofe divifive praéhfes_,_ye
ought to guard againf’r, and beware of :. but for. a difcovcry-ofthefe; with their
proper remedies, let me remit you to M.‘Burroughs his golden .IREAZIC’UM:
but 0 if Schifmaticks would bUt confider, that the Lord accounteth the Injury don
to his Church as offered to himfelf , that they who touch it touchathe apple of. his
ey :. now if the touchbe {o {martingas thus to cut rend and“ divide , how. mufbhe
be concerned? [we have not (.{aiththe Apol’rle, Heb. 4.v. t 5..) an high priefl:
that camwt be touched with the feeling of our- forest and infirmitresfl' how neerly

_ then mull: he be touched with fucha wound as thus teareth and divide-th his body} '

G is
( 3) Opratwde Saki]: DonatiflJié. 1., - ‘(,b') Amefl dc Confijmtmafl lib. 5'. c. 1-2....
(F) Aggy/fade Balatzf comm damn“. It}. I . a. 8..
(5‘?) Apart Eufié. loifl. Ecol. lz'é. 3.. mpmlt. (e) 2. z..Q\uefl, 39. Art. 2..
( f“) Mitigate/f. 37:. art. 2$3 qua/f. 31.4”};- (g), PM. 17-” Ram. 16. v. 17.

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. is make Church his bedy? Eph. 1. v. z 3 .» and are net we. Member's theroi‘, and
6f hisfle‘flt and bones? Eph. 5.“? o . will he not then reckon Schifmaticks amongfl:
thepiereers of his body , and efieem the violence thus ofl‘eted to. the Church as if to
himfelf? and Ah mutt he not have the heart ofa tiger. Whom a dayof fuch diflrefs
dare thus wound the aflliéted-P and can hencall himfelf a friend 3 who while ene- "
mies are {ceking to deltro‘y it, dare divide rent and cut it in pieces? [S chifmbeing
( as * D. Pare»: {peaketh) as great a dei‘tru'étion to the Church , as the cutting of
the hands or feet , or the dividing of the head in mm is to the body. ] Now let us
flint tip this direétion wit-lithe words of great Auitin, [ to whom 1' (faith he ) will
God reveale his truth , but to thofe who walk in the way of peace 2 0 remember
we are men , and to mifiake and erre is a tentation common to men 3 but to love
our. own judgment . {o as to break the unity of the Church in prefiing it , is devi-
lifh prefumptio‘n: to erre in nethmg IS the Angels perfeétion; and wanting the
perfeé‘tion of Angels , let Us not run upon the prefum‘ption of Devrls. ] hence.
' .17. Let us net be eafily provoked , nor think evil of our Bretheren bec-aufe they
differ from us in fome points far removed fi‘om the foundation , 8:: having noglireét
influence on holynefs; and perhaps not {0 clearly revealed, which may be , ( 86 are
among the more fober and judicious ) amicably debated according to the ana-
logy offaith: for While we kmw but z'fiprtrt , ahdfee 9m throtégh aglaj} Dar/e17 , it is
hetfiippofable but there will be different apprehenfions an judgments concern-
ing fuch matters and quei’cions ; in order to which the exhortation hath place (and
When Will we be To wife and felfdenied as to heathen to it 3 hafl thou faith have to
gayfi/féefar Gad. Rom. t4.v. 22. and is not the rule clear, Philip. 3. v. 15', I6.
- ‘ been We be! we already attained let m Wake} thefitme rule a and 2)" in other thz'ngr‘ther:
t": divetyi'tj offimz'me‘m: , let mfo‘iéev’tr one another til! God rat/eerie lei: mind to m C'otza ‘
venting thef e. Ah there being a fweet harmony and unity in the faith , will we not
come , or continue under the bond of peace , and with all lowlinefs and meeknels
forbear One another in love? Eph. '4. v, 2., 3. 0h who refleé‘tin on the {even
divine cords and bonds of loVe and unity held forth in the 4, 5, 6. allowing verg
‘fes could, imagine that a faint indeed could caft thefe’ of? hence.
' I 8. Let me obtefi you not to m‘iftake, nor put a wrong glofs on the Commands
to fepera‘t , Come out from among, to have no fellowfltip with , yea not to eat or
drink with fuch and fuck finfull pcrfons. 2. Cor. 6. ' v. 1 5', I7. 1 Thefl? 3, v. 14.
'1 Cor. 5. v. 11, &c. elf: you may caft'your {elves into a Labyrinth of intolera~
hie mifcarriag'es , errours and inocnvenienCes; and be tempted to cafl: ofthefi:
bondsrhe light of nature, morality , and reafon have laid on; and may with Hy-'
pocriticall pharifees Matt. 15 . v. 5, 6. Pretend religion and Confcience for caflzing
‘of the duties the law ofGod obligeth thee to perform to thy relations ; Wives may
abandon their husbands 9 Children their parents , fervants their-Matters , fubjeéts
their lawfull magiltrates , "and the flock their faithfull paftors , contrary to the
light of nature , to the fandamentall laws of Government Society and order, and
the divme commands Colofl'. 3. v. I ”t, 't 9, 1'20, z t, 22.. Cor. 7. v. t o, I g, 14.,
1 Pet. 2. v. I7. 1 8, 19- ch- I 3- v. 7, I 7 . 8Cc. But for underflanding thofeplaccs
‘ Wherin
* Par. in I e'o'rg -_I t . v. t ‘8.~j fr Augml‘e Baptifipomra dotmt. lie. 2.. e. 5. »

   

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I \wlierin we are prohibited to have Wham With when“ , m fig #0;

tine . Ste. Ye would remember that many fueh prohibitions were eeeafienall '-.
temporary. particular and not to beextended to. all perfons. . times a and occafions:
_ {ugh were many prohibitions to the Iewilh Church a efpeeially. in reference to the

Even nations devoted to defiruétion; and in the new Teflament , in referen ce-to
fcandall , becaufe of the weaknefs offome new Converts ; or a. becaulb of ten«
dernefs towards the convertedjews , notwithftanding' their adhering too tenaeiq
oufly to fome ceremoniall cufioms (which being once of Divine 'inftitution were
to be buried honorably) of which number that of feparation and keeping. at a dis
fiance from fuch and fuch peribns, was not the leak; 3. becaufe of the great hazard
to the infant Chrifiian Church from promifcuous mixtures ; efpecially where
' Churches were net well conflitute , and had no Elderlhi p and eonfiiiory erected:
but 2 the prohibitions in the places cited do ( as Calvin obferveth) relate to Ido-
laters , and do conde man all joyning with fuch in their idolatrous worlhip; and
2,. with thefe who were within the Church , after that by the fentence of excel-‘11s
munication they were cai‘t out , and contumaciously perlé vered in their wicked

nefs 3’ But if privat perfbns were left to be judges in this matter, who feeth not what ‘

confulion uncharitablenefs , and wrong judging might follow therupon ?' But 3, -~
as to others , who are tolerat in the Church , and on whom no mark is fet by the;
Elderfhip , yet continuing in their wickednefs, and their carriage being . fcandal~
lous we are forbidden to have any Intimat, voluntary , delightfull fellowlh‘ip with
fuch; we itandingunderno fuch relation to them as .o‘bligeth us to a familiar fel gt
lowfln’p : and 4.. when duty obliget‘h us to. converfe with fuch, we muft take heed
that we do not participat with them in their wickednefs , or Incourage them in
their finfi‘lll 'courfe : Ca trend/em efl ne qwfordium camera-m no: inqm'nemm, faith .* Gal-
vin ', to whofe accurate andjudicious commentaries on the plaCes on which men
of feé‘tarian principles fatten their wild glofles, 'l‘. we remit fuch as would . not. be.
deluded bySepariits : let us then fearch the fcriptures and compare thef e diligently.
and we will find I . that there is nothing in thef e prohibitions to fcarre the molt
tender and circumfpeéi: Chriflian from fellowfhip, and familiar converfing with-
fincere feekers of God,.who keep the unity of the faith, notwithf‘tanding f ome dif‘.

ferences concerning matters of lefs importance, 8: not fo clearly revealed: 2’ Inch;
will find that there is-notlnngin thefe to hinder them from joyningm the ordinan- ~

ces of Chrift With thefie from whom they thus differ ;if the ordinances be pure. 8C
no fienfull conditions of communion be impofed on them :. hence a. fuch will find»
in thefe no warrant to withdraw from ordinance-s becaufe of fome failings in the
adnimifirators ,i or the perfonall lins of them who are to joyn and pertake of theife
ordinances 5 for their fins cannot defile thee , nor point the ordinances of Chriih
hence.

G 2. Walk

*' Car/1'17. in LCor. 6. t7. ‘

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. y'rule, and make no f ngular example. or. priviledge
thy obedience be regular , and-confOrm to (landing rules rightly underflord , and
applied, ifo that that thou mayefl; be able‘toanfwer the quelhon 1a. I .v. I 2.. who
required whatthou doel’t , and whorequtred it at your hand? Obedience if not
regular deferveth not the name , and a performance Without a warrant is no-duty;
to fupererogat is but to pref u me , prevaricat .provolte .- there be in the word fomc
fpeciall, occafionall , and temporary commands given to fome, at fome part1.
cular time, and ona peculiar account, as thefe Matt. to. v. 9, to, 14., 19. Luk. to.
v. 14. 2 King. 4. V. 2.9, Ste. And there are fome fingular examples, as that of
Phineas , Baud“, [4el,~8cc. Andif thou fet up thefe for a rule thou maycPc turn
Quaker, Enthufiall, More-llian, Libertin.

9.0. Give no offence, betender in the matter of fcandall either on the right
or left hand, either by awicked practife, or fond fancy and imagination, or b
thy apofl-afy and forfaking the way of truth and duty: however many pretending
tendernefs are net afraid to fcandalize the faithfull. yet wo to that man by whom
oflenccCometh. Mat. 8. v.7. I Cor. to.v. 32., 33. 2. Cor. .6. v.'3. Phil. r.v, to.
But tho {ome+( whoever they be) may give, yet do nor thou take offence:
Ah lhouldfl: thou brake thy neck becaufe others have cafl: a {tumbling block in

the way .? t . . p
’ 2. t . Love not to walk muntroaden paths , or to go alone; beware of fingu.

larity- as favoring of pride and vaocrify : tho thou mul’t not be .confo: med to the
world , and walk in the broad way for company--~fake. Rom. a 2. v. 2.. fo that tho
thou wert (as Elias once fuppofed he was) left alone , thou muff not {tep aEde
to meet with... others , and follow them in any finfull way , yet no plea from hence

for anhumorous faétious conceited fingularity: iffayes Mr. Burroughs thy fin. ,

gularity appear, 1. in things thatare taken norice of by others, and by which
thou expeétefi toraife thy name; and 1f dtfappomted in that , and others take
litle notice of thefe things, or of thee for appearing for them , thou becomefl; in-

. different; 2. if thou careélitletorfuch things when they come to be common,- 3.
‘T' if there be no evennefs 1n thy'way, and no proportion kept in thy courle , but thou

art fingular in fome odde notion or wild conceit and in things material] darfl: com-
plie with ,g and conform ( I doe not fay to the law, or with the films but) to the
world , thy fingularity is humorous and conceited. ,

2 2. Watch over thy tongue and bridle it; and abominat backbitting , defa-
ming , and wounding of ons name and reputation and fpeaking evil of the abfent ,
as bein the fruit and evidence of a tongue fer onfire oflve/l; Tit. 3. V- 2-, Jam. I . V»
26. mi. v.6. Pfal. 15. v. 3. Levit. 19. v. 16. Prov. It. V. .13. 2 Cor. I 2. v.
20,8tc. Tho We may {Peak of the faults of Others I. by way 0f regrate ’ 7" for
caution , 3. for ufefull information, and 4. to offer a material] for prayer either
for them . or for preventing the evil feared by them; Yet how abominable and
unchriftian like is it , to fpeak of the faultsof others I. with delight, z. frequent-
]Y ordinarly and at CVery turn , 5. - Upon flender litle or no ground , 4- ifof the
faithfull , mifconi’truing their laudable actions, or venting grofS calumnies , and
'fpreading lying reports of them ,- which fin is yet mOre ag gravat if of thofe who

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a’re fufi’erin‘g for righteousn/efs fake , and if thus aflliétion'be added to the afllié‘ted,
and tongue perfecution Of the fadly perfecuted for Chrif’c : {hall we count finch,-
zealousand religious? nay Faith the Apoftle pretend what they—«- Will .t/aez'x Religion:

2': min. lam. I . v. 7.6. And‘as this {in is fo odious to God, :and ’5 injurious to our
Bretheren whom we fhoul love as our {elves , {o it is abominated by very pagans
fo t‘hat one-of their 1‘ poets accounted it-unbefeeming a Roman to company and
conver‘fe with fuch: Ah how far now a dayes are many who would be accounted
good, from BERNARD his good mans temper? «Who when he heard ~of-the.
fall of any wept , and (as refleéting on Galat. 6. v. I.) m- compaflion to him , and
out offenfe of his own frailty {aid z‘lle bodie ego em", if he to day hath , I to morrow
may fall: 0 if that diliichon which the eminent A’UST 1N caufed writ over his
table, were engraven on our doores,~ (and in it for his Menfism were put our
edema.) i. ._. _ .,‘

Qirquir, mmt diflz': abféntem rodere arm'wm;
Hana menfitm wtitam ”mm cfl} fléi.

z 3. 0 let not a lyin tongue be found in you, a thing To odious in it (elf, fo unbeé
feeminga man , muc more a C’hrif’tian: Ah art thou a fufi‘erer for the truth ,
and/79414 beefa'und in tb fight-hand? Wilt thou not hearken to the exhortation
Eph. 4. v. 25? But if t on wilt not , then look on that {ad word Rev. 12. v. 27.
and z z . v. 13'». And fee thy name written among the dogs that mutt abide W ithout a
and cannot enter into the new Jerufalem. ,

22f? Let God have your firf’t and laft thoughts every day; I. in the morning
asking yOur fouls what ye may do for your ‘Maf’ter his honour and Interefl: that
day , confidering what opportunities offhrvice may be offered in it, and fet out
with a Refolutionto walk with him , and to flat him befor you in all ye go about ,
guarding againfi the fnares and temptations ye may be trilled with in your trade
bufinefs company :, Owatch and pray that ye enter n‘Ot into temptation, Mat.26.;
'v. 4: . Mat. 6. v. 13. and 2. at night allow no fleep to your eyes till ye call your
{elves to an accomt how that day hath been imployed , what ye have don in it for

God , (what fervant dare fpend a whole day n0t minding his Maf’ters work) and ,

whither ye have {aid or don any thing againfl: his holy commands , and to provoke
him to wrath 5 and think it a loft day in which thou halt made no advance heaven-
ward , and a f ad day werein thou haf’c gon out of the way , and item afide; if the
dark night of Death furprize thee While thou art out of the way 5 where wilt thou
lodge to all Eternity? O judge your {elves dayly , that ye be not judged of God;
I Cor. 1 I- v- 31 . have your accompts made , your fummons may be to a fhort
day : 0 let n0t thy night thoughts and frame provide fewel for 'carnall lafcivious
or Satanicall dreams , tempt not Satan to ride on thy fancy while thou art a afleep
and knoweft not how it is fet a work , and Where away it runneth ; efpecially fince

G 3 thou

* Vetere: legiflatore: non ignomwramt male diflir 'qtmm malefazflir gut/rim aéfinter. '

[cea’i , dz’fiez'lz’ufque aplerifque contume/Mm pwferri gnaw damnum Gamer bar. Sana; .
’l‘ Aéfemem 7m rodit amicam , qm' nan dqfendit alio culpante - 3-5- 51? mger 6/} a III/me
m Romane tho, Homt. lié. I 567772. 4 Sat. -

 

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r thouxfinfiwoflmotbuhthat thwsmyefiawakein Eternity: 0h Whatqthcr ’ r5,” ~

are we‘while fleepin'g , -. then when awake? is. not fleep a *' {hadgw ofdeat ‘ N, and
the fan‘eythen let loofeof thee-sentinel: ofreafonand Religion?" How much then are.
we Concerned. to commit its condufl: to him who neither flumbrethnor ficeptth 3,

i 2;. Take heed and Watch thyheart With all diligence . that it cleave not to the
World (or my idol init ,. any fenfuall andperiflnng objeét or lull-feeding occafion)
Wither Manama embraoement, .for if thou thus far up an. Idol ’ it will fieale
aWayrthiy heartfrom God, provoke him to-wrath againf’t thee , and may bring on;
lhieiruall andftemp‘orall judgments: Let not thy father complain ofthy unkind-

nefs , fleck his face dayly , continuing inilant in prayer , let not Satan rob-A

thee of that time fist apart for priVat prayer , or with thy family ; 8:: if thou wouldfl:
not unfit thyfelffqr afellowfhip with him, keep thy heart loofc of the Creature, 8c
in the intervalls offer or occafionall prayer , let fome thought of God , or fome

delire darted up to him be imployed' for guarding againfl: that earthly mindednefs, ~

and indifpofitio‘n that unfitteth thee for a commumon with God: who knows

( but he who obferveth his heart, and. what is its frame, and he who hath experi- ’

encc‘d) what are the foul-enriehing advantages offuch fliort ejaculation: and Apo-
fln'ophes to God? bysthefc fwrfi: meHEngers We may keep a confiant correfpon~

dence with heaven I, and carry on afpiritualltrade there , and no trade calling‘or'

b‘ufinefs needs obi’truét this fpjrituall traflique and commerce. fuch fhort peren-
tbtfi: will make no Confidera le Interruption in our wordly bu finefs and employ-
ment; butif thou fufl‘er thy heart to {lay too long here below, it is ready fo to
fallen on the Creature , and take luch deep root in the earth; that it will mt be
eafy for thee to pull it o-fl‘é} ‘or to lift it up when thou doelt look to God ; but by
fuch fpiritualldiverfions it maybe kept in lime fpiritual frame, that when the
Lord either by his providence ,' or by the inward breathings of his‘Spir-it faith to
us, (as tohim Pfal. 27,- v. 8.) feel; ye my lace ,7 our hearts with him may reply;
thyface Lord will we [Ede

26 Prepare for fufi'ering , and dayly. take up thy crois ; take a lift of it befor v
‘ it be laid on that thou aha-yell be the fitter to bear it when it comes, and thou canfl:

not flee from it but bythe back door offin, that locket—h hell wards: do not thou
that has not yet refilled unto blood , lay the warp: is pail , and thusfeed thy fancy
with hopes of better dayes ; but the thy mountain flood as firong asJobs once
{tented to do,ifwith him thou would carry futably under it , with him Johg. v.2. 5,...
forecall ; and with a fear. ofvigilancy ( but not of dii’trufl and dejeé’cion) provide
againl’t it , A warned mom (we fig) 1': half armed: ask thy foul then what thou
wouldl’t fufl-‘tlr forChrili: , and ifthou darfi f fay/lye!!! triéttlatz'on, or dtfirefi, orperflt-
- cation , e'rfiamine, or nakednefi, or peril, orfworelfepemte me from the Love of Cori/5 ,

or make me deity him, and hi: tmt‘h B Godforeid. [there are (laid a worthy Divine)

_ none

* Stelte 7.14121 eff {elitnttrgelz'dte m]; Marti: z'mttgo , faith the Poet , otttyet the diferetzee
2': greatbfo’r when Death loot/9 one: opened our eye: either in heaven ( m be Pfal. .r 7. Va I 5'.
we: confident lair wottldée ) or'z‘n boil! (tit/at: Lark 16. V. 2 3:) We /]9fl[[ flee}: no more to

of! eternity , or having no more :1 mortal! tied] wiring for eta/e eyJ/Zeep, ezfidj/ét‘t‘l'fignl‘bf cattfis

(t IUJFIiLItban bring it on, 3? Katie, 8. v. 3 5'.

 

 

 

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mm in heaven but‘Martyrr, and doth not our Bleffed Lord fay the fame? "Mar. 1.3, p, 245253
Mat. 10. V- 33: 37: 39. Mark: 8._v..38, &c. If thou be nor-ready to part with life and all at
Chrifls call, thou cannor be his difcrple : But thou mayl’t thus offer up thy rel f to Chrifi ’ as.
Abraham did his macs tho he hold the hand‘of perfecutors a as he did the hand of Abraham,and
fufl‘e’r thee toefcape 3 and if there be a ready mind, ye need nor be difcouraged through the ap-

" prehenfion of thegreatnefs of the tryall . the'cruelty of perfecutets, &c. Or oithy own weak-

nefs 3 heWill proportionat the burden to thy back , and if he lay more on; he Will give more
mengrh; and hath he nor told thee what to do when thou findefi‘it heavy? And hidden thee
ca‘fi both it-and thy care upon himfelf. promtfing that he shal ful’tain thee". Pfal. 55. v. 22.
1 Pet. my, 7.:md that he will not {ulfer thatto be tempted above that thou art able , but will
with, &c. 1 Cor. to. v. 13. 0 {aid one.I cannor burn for Chrifi, but shortly after he was burnt
in his shop by an accidentall fire; whatcanilthon not burn for ‘Chrifi ) but mail for a lufi‘.’
canfl thou nor for a shortwhile endure burning on earth, but wilt rather dwell with everla.
fling burnings . and be a prey to ‘thefe {Or ever. _ ' _

27. Put a good confiruction 0n providenceas knowin and firmly‘believing that allthepathr
hftbe Lord are mercy and truth to [at]: a: keep lair Covenant , la‘l. 2m. to. that he is a father when

. he fmite’s , as wel‘as when he (miles, and that tho provokediby the mifcarrriages of his Children»

yet fmirethinldve, and thus dealeth with them as font; and never taketh the rod in his hand
but if need be , and alwayes for their good Heb. 12.. v. 7, 8. I Pet. 1. v. 6. hence.
28. Let us hope a and patiently wait for'the falvation of God ,- do n.0t fay the dayes are evil,

and we will neever fee it better ; let uleok over cur delervings , and up to the ‘bowells of our

kind father who the be caufe grief yet will have compa/Iion , according to the multitude of hi: M arcier.
Lam. 3.12. 31. 32. hence it irgood that a man should hope, (91:. v. 26. the falfe Prophets of old pro-
phefied ofpeace and rofpetity : and thou mayefi prove a falle Prophet in iortelling evil and
advetifity 5 the Lord ath a way of foveraignity , unfearchahle ‘to us , and in which he often!

walked towards his people in their deliverances from the faded adverli'ty‘; look on Ifrael in ‘

Egypt, in Babylon, &c. And confider, what their frame was, whither it called for {uch a Mercy
and deliverance, as they were trifled with, many fleep in the furnace, (and 0 what an evidence
of fiupidity muft that be) untill the Lord open their eyes byan a'fionifh‘ing deliverance. Ezekao
v. 61, 62.: 43. 0 then do nor limit the Lord either as to a work of mercy or judgment 5 hence
‘I be nor fecure but provide for a fiorm,a more boii’terous l’torm and hater furnace; yet meal} not
away your confidence, but live by faith waiting upon him who hideth his face untill he appear
for the comfort of his people , {landing upon thy watch tower to fee what he will fay ) as know:
ing the Vifion is for an appointed time , and that at the end it will [peak and nor l‘y ; and therfor
tho it tarry we should wait for it ) becaule it will furelycome a yea tho to our apprehen‘fion it
may, yet beyond thefit and belt time it will nor tarry: Habb.'z.v. 13. Heb. tort-.37. Plato:
v. 13 t it ill betometh his Children to be jealous of fuch a father, it cannot but be acceptable
to him as to look up to him , fo to wait for , and eXpea good from him I. if we make nor had ,
2. if with fubmilfion , 3. if in humility : and 4. if in a way of obedience and 'hear‘kniug to his
voice : and what evil (I pray) can there betin it. if We look to fee him appear for our comfort?
a Job Could fay tho he flay I will trufl ,- J ob : 1'3. v. 15'. can the cafe be moreia‘d , th‘eprovoca-
tion greater, and the difirel's more remedilefs thenit lock: to be then while the: Lord by his
Prophets called his people to hope and wait for his falvatio‘n .? Lam. 3. v. 24, '25; .26. Mic-,7.
v. 78. Hab. z.v. 1'58“. , * .
29. Let me Intreat that under t‘hel'e humbling difpeni'atiOns ye’ would carry humbly: and
0 let your deportment fute your Condition as to your garments ; Is not the Lord to day faying
to us what once he {aidto that people, Exod. 33.: v'. 5. put of tbyprtmment: (9c. Ah“ what a pro-
vocation mui’t it be ina day of the Lords wrath , and of Zion‘s-fad difireffe to indulge and fatis-
fie a vain airy humour intdnforming your {elves to the ftorhy empty prodi galls of the times
whofe work isto adorn the body fcarce-mindingthey have afoul 3 :Whaeatfadfight thenmul’t

it be to behold the exiles for Chril’t walking in Sat-4n: Liverymnd to lee‘their‘prodigalitydevity. ,

vanity engraven on their aPParell ? And phoW Great is the/guiltinefs of thepreache-rscoféhp
_ . . . . ~ , «. o e

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grape; if‘t'hthaye. not learned ofthejr Mafier‘lMat. I I. 12.19) to he. meek and. 19me in hunt .5

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and fifthey be not patterns Of. humility and Gravity, 'as in their appare'll', lo in their whole de-

, pOrthMs abhori’ng'a highlook, laiicy carriage, and every thing that might look likeanin-

dication of ride, and of high and overvaluing thoughts of them felves ,as they would. have
their Mini ery fuccesfull; ferrously confideting thatfi‘PRI DE covetousnefs profanity in the
preacherdo mofl‘efieé’tuallypreach up Atheil'me and Infidelity in the hearers ,- efpecially let

lynovic'gjs a’ndydungpfrea'chers take heed they henot-Ilifted up with’pride 9 and fall into the condemna.

tion of the Devil .1. Tim... 3. o. 6._ Oh what a fad pi-ognoiiick ofaxitii'this it ,1“ that this genera-
tion lyea lately and [o quickly) in vanity and prodigality (elpeCially as. to apparel! attendants
table and adorning. olhonfes) have arrivedat inch 2 hight beyond their Anceliorss’ Tho folly
be at the Bottom. of every fin , yet not fo written in the face of orher fins as in this ,- for in head
of that rel’peétand Credit men feek to reap by their pride , they meet with? envy: reproach ,
diSdalne . ‘ - '

x ‘ Time would'fail meif‘I did liere'in‘fiii , therfor in a word lummarilh 0- ~33 intre'at 6 din the
Lords name to exercifer your [elves to have alwaye: a Conference void of offence toward God and to.

mard'nfian , 118- 24v :6, rendering top-all their due: , doing wron to none ) and owing no Man any
thing but to love one another 3, andwhatfoeverye would that men than ddo to you , do even ft) to theme
this the law of God and the lawof nature require th ofyou , this the proph m taught , and all faithful! '
Miniflert cxho‘tt unto i whitherrye‘will‘hear orforbear: Mat. 7.v. 12. 0 do not then Fay, what
mufil do'.’ ‘Andwhat doth the‘Lord require of me ‘3 Debut-reflect on this Comprehenfive
“clear and plaindi-‘teétory 1, and thou mayefl there read and difcern thy duty to wards, Man : and
Eve ’0‘ to. out neighbours(Whichobglidg'eth us to the Performance of all relative duties towards
Others) on which thatdir‘efimy is founded, isthe fulfilling‘of the law Rom.I 3mm. 0 then do
no: lay the blame on thy Ignorance ,(‘tho it may be Grois, and thy guiltinefs upon that account
very great) hath not the Lord thawed thee 0 man What iegooel‘? and'wbat doth the Lord require-of thee,
in: to do jufily a] and to love Mercy , and to walk" hnmhly miththy God. Mic; 6. v. 8. thou fiaiideff
under many relations i but receivedtmany talents , and hali many opportunities for fervice‘
and thedayofaccomptSi'S Coming apace , and attract be far off; 0 then’for the Lurds lake;
foethy fouls fake, for difireli'ed‘zibns fake walkcircum‘fpeélly ) andtakc heed to your Reps a; .
walk futably to thy profesfion and principles , lutabl-ytothy vows and engagments : futably to.
thy relation place and rank .‘ and l'utably to the times to thine and the Churches tryalls and die
firelTe {and be Intreated to lay to heart , to repent; and month for a 1. thy negleaing and too.
often. omitting of duty , 2., thy remil‘fitefs deadnefs and formality in worship , 3,. Mil‘pent
Sabbfihs,_4Q‘Carciclskandi‘éid0mIQadiBgti‘leCl‘lptul‘eS,‘ 5'. the negleélzof family Worship and
duties ,4; ' 6._ the up‘futablncl‘s' ‘ of our ' Carriage and ‘ converfation to, the I holy Golpel
of Chtii’t," 7. our unfenfiblinefs Of.'th.e dishonour don to God, 8.wour living by fenfe and not.
by faith ’ 9.. our impatience murmuring and retaining at crofs difpenfations ) our want of
{ympathy With rufl‘enringbelievers and not communicating to their neceflities: O mourn fomnd
be more fenfible of thefe grievous provocations if than wouldfl have the Lordto. hide thee in
this day of his wrath Jand himl‘elf to be a lanétuary and hiding place for 'theejifthouwouldfi be“.
a‘mnngthe number of thefe marked ones whom the Lordwill _ [pate when theigqyoring Angel;
goelhfonh to finite. 8: that hOWever the times gOIhOUImWCfihaVé tby {0"1 far a i”??? NEW;

that the Lord would preferve thee from all'evil‘, ' andenable thee to keep the word of his") [Sari-Q

enee‘, that thoumayefi be kept from he hour of temptation that is’Comin’g‘, to try them that
dwell on the Earth: ( Rev. 3. v. 8. Io. ) and that in inch a fad hour then bmayéflfi’é' kept from“
fillingiand after that thou hafl(if need be)fufl'ered a while may beprcfcnted tahltl'efi belo'r the
prefenceof Chrifis Glory 3 is the prayer oh . . . ' ' _ ' _ _ 's ,
' rent Dmpathizing frtenel, companion!» tribulation andpatt'enr ,wat'tingfot‘ the
Igingelome if {and 5 andyeettfcrvant in the Gofpell of ieftte Chm/i.

5!. Deleéiio fole't iiifc’erni‘t inter filiot Dti Ufilio: Diaholi B'aptigentur- omn.et,;.In,trent Eccle-
fi‘ar, are. non dij'eerttuntur'filii Dei a filiit Diaholi nifi Charitate: magnum'jndicium, megna
.difcrttio, gm‘equid vi: hahe, hoefolum non haheas nihil tihi'prodefi ,- hoc baht, (sf‘tmpiefii legem.

INIS;

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