The Strife of Brethren and a Treaty for Peace

RIght words are forcible, and a word fitly spoken like apples of gold in pictures of silver. These Sermons present right words in season: they found good acceptance with those that heard them preached; at the entreaty of many of whom they are published by their reverend Author, and allowed to be printed by

THE STRIFE OF BRETHREN, OR, ABRAHAM and LOT parting.

THE FIRST SERMON.

MY Text states the Times, the Condition of them, and the Desire of people in them. The Condition of them is very sad, and full of unnatural strife; and that is the subject of the Text. The Desire of the people is strenuous, if not too furious, for a treaty of peace, and that is the end of the Text; and that is the end of this endeavor likewise: But that our desires be regular, & the Treaty prove a blessing, I shall labor to hold out some light unto you from this Treaty, or rather Intreaty of peace between Abram and Lot, wherein we have something supposed, and something proposed. That which is supposed to be, or like to be, between Abram and Lot, is an unbrotherly strife, Let there be no strife; and the occasion thereof is more then manifest, an indiscreet falling out between their Heardsmen: Let there be no strife between me and thee, nor between my Heardsmen and thy Heardsmen. That which is proposed, is an effectual endeavor for peace, and the Argument impelling it, is as powerful as the endeavor proves effectual: For we are brethren.

There are only two general Observations, which I shall hold forth unto you from the Hypothesis and the Prothesis of the words.

The first is this, That there may be an unbrotherly strife between godly brethren.

The second this, That where such unbrotherly strife is, all possible and speedy means must be used for reconciliation: Let there be no strife between me and thee, nor between my Heardsmen and thy Heardsmen; Fore we are brethren.

First then, That there may be on unbrotherly strife between godly brethren.

Do you expect that I should prove this? I would the point were to prove; but it is past may be. It is too manifest, that there is an unbrotherly strife between godly brethren. London, England, yea all England will give us in a teste to this truth. What County? What City? What Congregation? (yea the Lord be merciful unto us) what Family scarce is there in the whole Kingdom, into which this Spirit of Division hath not breathed some malignant distemper? Here are two brethren in the Text, as near as Nature, Society, and Religion could make them, whom neither native Country, nor tedious travel, nor pinching famine, nor threats of danger or distress could separate; yet as you shall see in the sequel of this story, such an unhappy breach fell out between them, as that two such ancient and deer friends could not longer live together. Shall I show you two others, who were brethren by Country, by Calling, and by Grace, united together in one joint commission of Apostleship; and yet a very small matter occasioned such a sharp contention between them, as that those which had been very fast companions in love and labor, were provoked to part asunder. Between Abram and Lot the State peace was broken. Between Paul and Barnabas the Church peace was broken. But England's testimony to the Doctrine premised, goes beyond both those: For between our unkind brethren, whom yet on both sides we cannot but believe, some to be truly godly, both State peace, and Church peace, is not only broken, but broken all in pieces; and so broken, as that it is even past the skill of man to find out a way to heal our breaches, unless a Divine Arm put in to do it.

Now for the Reasons of these unbrotherly differences, we shall find enough in the Text, and need not look beyond it, nor indeed will time permit. The Message of this morning exercise being like that of the Prophets servant, so exceeding hasty, as that it will not suffer us to salute anything that lies besides the direct way of the Text. In the Text then we find three occasions or grounds. 1. In the persons between whom this unbrotherly strife is. 2. In their Heardsmen, amongst whom the strife began. 3. In the cause which provoked the falling out among the Heardsmen.

1. In the persons between whom this unbrotherly strife is: [Reason 1] Grace there was without question, but there was Nature too, the second Adam had his image in them; but the image of the first was visible also: they and we, and every supernatural birth, have dividing principles in us. We are not all Spirit, as the good Angels, that there should be no division; nor all Flesh, as the unregenerate, that there should be no reconciliation; but we are partly Flesh, and partly Spirit, that look how much the Flesh provokes unto division, so much should the Spirit incline unto reconciliation. Who among all the sons of Zion, do not with Rebecca complain, How is it thus with me? because of these Twins struggling in the wombs of their consciences: But though corruption should put out first, with Esau, and make the breach, yet let grace, as Jacob, take it by the heel, and get the blessing.

But besides these dividing principles that are within, there are many occasions which do irritate without; I do not forget that I have confined myself to those in the Text: and in the opening of them, I shall give you out such observations as they offer to us, with some short applications, and then shall make them subservient to the general Doctrine.

The second cause then which provoked this strife between Abram and Lot, was the falling out amongst their Heardsmen. [Reason 2] And here I shall offer a double consideration of the Heardsmen. 1. In reference to their Relation, being Servants. 2. In reference to their Calling, being Shephards.

1. As they are Servants, observe, Contentious servants may and do often cause unhappy broils between their Governors, as here Abram's and Lots Heardsmen fell out about common of pasture. So in Gen. 26.14. Isaac's and Abimelech's servants strove about Wells of water. And that the quarrels of servants invade their Governors, Reasons may be, either 1. their too much connivance at their exorbitant courses. Private Families are the fountains of Ministry and Magistracy, and if the fountains be corrupt, that there be neither instruction nor correction of youth there, what hope is there that the streams shall ever do good upon them. Or 2 ^lie , too much compliance with their corrupt opinions. We soon spy out such faults in our Families, as are against our own gain, but such errors as are against the Faith and Truth of Jesus Christ, we easily tolerate. Or 3 ^lie , too much indulgence of their talings, and busy medlings. There is a disease of the ear in many Families, which itcheth after tales, and those that are troubled with it, shall hardly ever be free from trouble; its a pregnant sign that they are too invigilant over their own ways and affairs, who are too busy in meddling with others. Or 4 ^lie , which is worst of all, when Governors do too wickedly sport themselves in the proud contentions of their servants,, as Abner and Joab, who would have their young men play be fore them. Bloody quarrels are but a pastime to men of blood: but they bethought themselves, and saw, it would be bitterness in the end.

Behold how great a flame a little fire hath kindled in that famous City and Kingdom of Naples, [Use 1] that destructive Sword that hath so lately eaten so much flesh, and drunk so much blood in that opulent State, was first drawn (as is reported) through the tumult of a few idle servants. But we need not go so far either for time or place. Behold how great a flame a little fire was like to have kindled here in London, but some few months past, by the tumultuous carriages of some Apprentises upon the Lord's day, if divine mercy had not been propitious unto London, by a speedy providence to prevent the invading (and I fear intended) mischief. Your servants have gotten an unhappy principle amongst them, that they must have liberty of conscience to attend on what Ordinance they please on the Lord's day; and some under this pretence, take liberty for their lusts to attend on none. Where hath the Lord of Sabbaths discharged the account of masters of Families, not only for him that serveth, but for him that sojourneth in the House? And; O my friends, how much was the Lord of Sabbaths and his Ordinances honored when our Tribes with their servants did march in good array unto the Temple of the Lord? A great complaint there is everywhere of bad servants, but let Goovernors of families lay their hands on their own hearts, and see if the sault be not mostly their own, who take no more care to make their servants good. I know well that all Governors have not ability alike to provoke their servants unto good; but all have authority alike to keep them from evil: And if they be not as Eagles to carry them upon their wings to heaven, yet they should be as Sparrowes to lead them unto God's House. Solomon did so order his Family, as that the Queen of Sheba did think them happy that lived under his roof: you have the choicest youth of all the families in England entrusted with you in your City, if they should miscarry through your neglect, how public, how great will that mischief be?

But secondly, I would apply, and do heartily wish, [Use 2] that holy care and resolution to be taken up by Governors, which the Kingly Prophet for himself protested, Psal. 101.3, 4. To hate the work of them that turn aside, and to part with those that are of a froward heart; nay, if they be children as Simeon and Levi were, who by their unhappy brawls, do make their parents to stink amongst their neighbors, learn from the good old Patriarch, to disavow their combinations; and conclude with thine own foul as he did; O my soul come not thou into their secret, unto their assembly mine honor be not thou united, Gen. 49.6. At least as the Father of the faithful did here: set thy grace and wisdom on work to the utmost, timely to take up contentions. Let there be no strife between me and thee, neither between my servants, and thy servants; for we are Brethren.

That is now the first Consideration of the Herdsmen in their relation as servants. Their second Consideration is in their calling as Shepherds, and here as Abram and Lot were the representative of the Church, so spare me a little to look upon their Shepherds, as the representative of Church-Shepherds: and here is another cause of this unbrotherly strife. The note I give you is this; that

The personal questions of some Pastors, do become the real quarrels of their favorites. Will not London bare me witness also to this truth, or otherwise let London travail into the City of Corinth, and take a Map of their contentions there; or if Corinth be too far, the Word is near you, if you please to turn to the first Chapter of S. Paul's first Epistle to his Corinthians, the 12. verse. And observe what the cry is there: I am for Paul, saith one, nay but Apollo is for my money, saith another, yea but Cephas is a man for me saith the third; I care for none of your Ministers, saith a fourth; I can live immediately upon the revelations of Jesus Christ, and have no need of Ordinances.

Now what is all this a do, but the people's affections, breaking out into factions; their several sidings with their gifted Ministers, whose parts and opinions they did admire, and adhere unto. Or will you vouchsafe to look into Jerusalem, and take notice there, of that divided multitude, before the High Priests Judgment-seat, where for the hope of Israel S ^t Paul stood bound, Act. 23.6. It was an honest policy the Apostle used to allay the storm of the people by discovering his judgment in the point of the Resurrection; Hereupon there arose a dissention between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and presently saith the Text, the multitude was divided. See, the disputes of their Rabbies quickly engaged the several parties of their Proselytes, and the grounds are visible why it is so, either opinion is so headdy in the people, or affectation so blind, or desire of victory so importunate, as that questions howsoever, or upon what pretence soever taken up, yet they are overhotly, & non sine felle, not without too much gall over-stiffly maintained and pursued, not so much for Christ, for truth, or for Religion, as for self, for conquest, and for vain-glory.

Shall I apply, [Use.] or rather how shall I not apply? For Zion's sake I dare not hold my peace. Amongst my Brethren, I could wish that Prophesy fulfilled in Isaiah 2.4. They shall beat their swords into Ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks. Questions engendering strife turned into matters of culture and edification. What caused the confusion in the World after the Flood, but the division of tongues. The division of tongues is bad, but the division of hearts is worse: For these divisions of Levi are great thoughts of heart. Of Levi did I say? it is read indeed, of Reuben. I would I were as much mistaken in the matter, as in the letter; Let them be the divisions of Reuben, who hath lost his dignity, and the excellency of his power. Let them never be the divisions of Levi, whom the Lord claimeth for his portion. Let Massah and Meribab, these waters of strife run still without the borders of the holy Land; but let the soft and quiet streams of Shiloah refresh the City of God, and the Tabernacles of the ho •• place of the most High. Let Ephraim be against Manasseh, and Manasseh against Ephraim, if so it must be, till they eat the flesh of their own arm: but let Levi and Levi, let Judah and Judah, let Levi and Judah keep close together in the bond of the holy Covenant.

But now what was the cause of the falling out between Abram's and Lots Heardsmen? Not as some Rabbies suggest, that Abram's servants were good, and Lots evil, or that Abram's servants rebuked Lots for pasturing their cattle in other men's grounds, or that Lots servants were insolent against Abram's, and countenanced by their Master; but as the letter imports, verse. 6. that the strife fell out about common of pastures through the enlargement of their flocks, there was not room enough for the one and for the other. And this is it indeed, the third or fourth cause of our Church-contentions, this common of pastures and want of elbow-room amongst Pastors for the enlargement of their flocks. Whatsoever the suggestion may be, it is too certain, and it is fit it should be confessed, that

Pride and ambition hath a main streak in our Church-contentions.

Will you please to look once more on those loud contentions in the Church of Corinth, and take such an account of them, as Paul intimates in the 1 Corinth. 1. the 14. and 15. verse. I thank God, I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gajus, least any should say, that I had baptized in my own name. Why then its more then probable, that some there did baptize in their own name, to wit, those gifted Ministers, who boar amongst them the names of Paul, and Apollo, and Cephas; because they were esteemed to have their gifts; one elegant in speech, as Paul; another mighty in Scriptures, as Apollo; the third powerful in argument, as Peter; and according to their several gifts, they made their several parties in the affections of the people, which occasioned the factions in the City. But what was now their baptizing in their own name, I cannot imagine that literally they did baptize: their several Congregations into those names they had taken up amongst them: as thus; I baptize thee in the name of Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, but rather as name signifies authority and power, so did they gather under their power and authority, and greaten as much as each of them could their several Congregations, under the Signall of Baptism by some peculiar manner of administration. And here is Paul's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I thank God; not that he did not baptize, but that he did not baptize so many, as to occasion any such suspicion that he should aspire his own glory in greatening a Congregation to himself, and not to look after the glory of him that sent him.

The very same iniquity which did obstruct the first Reformation of the Apostles, appears still to hinder all the steps and progresses of it, to wit, the pride and ambition of some pretenders to Reformation, who aspire to make their own names great, not Christ's glorious; and some who think not their Congregations sure enough their own, unless by some peculiar manner of Baptising they are signed, and as it were assigned over unto them.

Shall I lead you now from Corinth into the tumult at Ephesus, or rather I would lead you out of it. The cry is loud there for Religion; Great is Diana of the Ephesians, and I could show you too if time would permit my stay, what England's Diands are: But that which I intend to show you in Ephesus, is, that the project of the Craftsmasters was their Silver Shrines. And for the multitude the most part of them knew not wherefore they were gathered together.

From hence my Beloved, [Use 1] let me borrow time to-lay before you two notes of information.

First, The primitive rise of Episcopacy or Prelacy. The office of Bishop and Elder is not differenced in Scripture; for those whom the Spirit calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Over-seers or Bishops, Act. 20. ver. 28. In ver. 17. of the same Chapter, are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Presbyters or Elders; and so compare Titus 1. ver. 5. and 7 But pride and ambition made the difference, the Bishop and Prelate by an usurpation of jurisdiction, and through the favor of Princes, accumulated titles of honor, and prerogatives unto themselves above their brethren. This mystery of Iniquity began in the Apostles time; Paul hinteth at such as usurped dominion over Brethren's faith; Peter such as Lorded it over God's heritage; James such as aspired Masteries; John, many Antichrists, who Diotrephes -like, loved preeminence, I fear, least some aspiring unto Cathedrals may have too much in them of the Cathedral man's spirit, in this time of reformation I could heartily wish amongst reformers, the spirit of pride and envy to be laid aside. And let us all, my Brethren, in all humility and love bespeak one the other, as Abram did Lot; Let there be no strife between thee and me, for we are brethren.

Secondly, The mischief see, of increasing flocks, and greatening estates, Abram's and Lots Shepherds could well enough agree together so long as their flocks and means were small; but when they grew great, both their flocks and families and themselves must separate. How many of you in this City do well know, how well the Pastor and Lecturer (I name no particulars) could in one Congregation hold common of pasture and peace together, so long as the ambition of Prelates kept theirs down; but since the Indulgence of these times hath given liberty for common of pasture in any Congregation, our peace is not only broken, but our differences, though really very small, yet seemingly so wide, as that they cannot be stated, nor desires known to make way for a reconciliation. Eusebius in his 8. Book 1. Chapter of his Ecclesiastical History, gives us as lively a character of these times by those he lived in, as if he had lived in both. I have not time to repeat his discourse, I shall desire you that are versed in History at your leisure to read it.

But I should here look a little more abroad unto State-contentions, as well as Church-contentions. It is sad to see what unchristian, uncivil, unnatural contentions, this question of meum and tuum, mine and thine, doth beget amongst us. What is reported of the Gospel to produce by accident, that doth the world efficaciously work as an efficient: To set a man at variance against his Father, the daughter against her Mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law, and a man's foes to be those of his own household. Full purses are usually the bellows, which pride and passion make use of to blow up strife amongst nearest friends, nor can we see, nor will we see our way to peace, till our purses be a little emptied.

I have not time to stay longer on this; the general Doctrine calls upon me for a word of application. You have heard, that there may be unbrotherly strife between godly brethren, yea that it is past may be, you have seen ancient & modern witnesses that it is so, with the evident grounds and causes thereof.

Shall I then my Brethren, take up a reproof, or rather a lamentation, [Use.] over those imbittered censures, which godly brethren let fall one against the other? Are we brethren? Are we godly? I am confident, that it may be safely concluded, that some on both sides, are brethren truly godly. Why then, why are we so bitter one against the other? What means the gall and wormwood that is in our discourses and meetings? Ah my Brethren, my Brethren, did our Lord Christ wash his Apostles feet, and amongst them a Judas feet, and shall we throw dirt in one another's faces? Is this Christ-like? doth this become Christians? Did he pour out his precious blood to purchase our peace, and shall we draw out one another's blood in breaking our peace? Did he bequeath his peace unto his people, as his last and best Legacy he had to leave unto them, and shall we like foolish children spend our portion in undoing one the other?

But I will forbear this ungrateful rebuke, being more willing, if time would permit, to travail in the second general, The treaty for Peace; But I may not forget my limits and your affairs; only for close of this, I shall turn you unto two Counsels of the Apostle.

The first is given unto the brethren at Rome, Rom. 16. verse. 17. Now I beseech you Brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. And if you will mark farther, ver. 18. the Apostle doth there manifest such peculiar marks whereby you may know them, and not be deceived. Which I had rather you should there read yourselves, then I repeat unto you, least they should be interpreted rather to be the words of man's spirit, then the words of the Spirit of God.

The second is that which the Apostle with much tenderness of bowels and affection pressed on his Corinthians, in his first Epistle, first Chapter, and tenth verse. Now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same things, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. And now I beseech you brethren, this is also my suit to you, and I cannot conjure you by a greater name, then that by which alone you must be saved.

I have another suit likewise for you in the words of the same Apostle, 2 Thes. 3.16. Now the God of peace himself give you peace always, by all means. Our breaches are so wide, that if the Lord of peace himself doth not give us peace, it is beyond the understanding of man to compass it. And our wastings are so great, as that Peace is by all means most desirable; yea and by all men most desired. Our second labor is to persuade and to direct unto this.

A TREATY FOR PEACE. OR, Abraham's parly with Lot.

THE SECOND SERMON.

THE Text is a treaty of Peace between Abraham and Lot, wherein we have a Supposition and a Proposition; that which is supposed is this, That there may be an unbrotherly strife between godly brethren, there was so you see between Abraham and Lot. That which is proposed is that which should follow upon this, That where such unbrotherly strifeis all speedy and possible means must be used for a reconciliation. The first of these we have dispatched in a morning Lecture elsewhere, and have spoken something to the second, which through the hast of that Exercise, was rather snatched from me, then delivered by me: I there drew the face only of Abraham's desire and example, now I shall give you the whole portraiture in a full Table: that which remains is this,

That where such unbrotherly strife is, all possible and speedy means must be used for reconciliation.

I need not light a candle to this Sun, both Nature and Nation, Civility and Morality, Profession and Religion, Truth and Christ bespeak this duty from us. There are no counsels so obvious in God's word, as those which persuade to brotherly amity, to Christian unity, to peace, a grace to peace, a blessing to peaceableness and peace-making both in civil and in Ecclesiastical differences, to a wise and speedy reconciliation of all offenses.

The Arguments are likewise manifest and manifold, which the Sword of the Spirit, or rather the Spirit of the Sword useth as a keen edge to cut off contentions, and to provoke unto love. How pathetical and full of affection are those Arguments of the Apostle, Philip. 2. v. 1, 2, 3. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory. Me thinks the Apostles soul and words flow out together, as he says elsewhere, 1 Thess. 2.8. We are willing to impart not the Gospel only, but our own souls, because you are dear unto us.

What a heap of unities doth the Apostle pile up in Ephes. 4. v. 4, 5, 6. One Body, one Spirit, one hope of our Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, which is above all, and through all, and in you all. And now what is all this Onenesse but to make us One, to impell Saints into the unity of the Spirit, and bond of peace? If all be one, why should brethren be two?

What mighty convictions doth the Apostle hold forth from Natures light in 1 Cor. 12. showing how the united services of all the members in the body natural, do tutor the uniting of Christians, and of all their offices, parts and gifts for the service of the body mystical. Variety of gifts are not bestowed on us to work contrariety of affection: It is a sublime notation of unity which the Apostle there gives, v. 12. calling the Head and the Body one Christ, plainly intimating that such who willfully rend themselves from the body, do as much as in them lies to rend themselves also from the head.

But what need I step beyond the Text for impulsives to enforce the duty of the Doctrine? Two I here find, one above the Text, the other at the foot of it, Let there be no strife between thee and me, neither between thy Heardsmen and my Heardsmen, saith Abram to Lot, and why? 1. Because the Canaanite and the Perezite dwell in the land. 2. Because we are brethren. Let us now examine these reasons, and

1. Because of the Canaanite and Perezite which dwell in the Land, [Reason 1] as if Abram should have said, Why brother Lot, do you not see that there is a generation of ungodly men dwelling amongst us, who would willingly take the advantage from our divisions to work us both out of this good land? I pray thee therefore brother, let there be no strife between us.

Why but some will say, Whom do you mean by these Canaanites and Perezites? I will show you what Characters the Spirit of God doth hint unto us of them, The Canaanite is derived from that cursed seed, who did mock at his Fathers nakedness, you have the story in Gen. 9.25. The Perezite from an Hebrew root which signifies to divide. Both of these mischievous enough to the power of godliness, and to the peace of the Gospel. The wild Boar and the little Foxes do exceeding great (though not equal) hurt unto the Spiritual Vine: the little Foxes spoil her grapes; but the wild Boar would root it up. The Wolves teeth and the Pa ••• ers breath do both kill, but the Panther with delight, the Wolf with cruelty.

But what do you tell us of the Canaanites and the Perezites, are there any such dwelling in our land?

My brethren, I accuse none here, but I am very certain you will all bear me witness that there is a generation of Canaanites in the land, which scoff at Saints, at Ministers, at Profession, at Ordinances, and would scoff at Jesus Christ himself, if he were alive, who do not only triumph in such nakednesses as they see, but with those in Micah, they pull off the beautiful garment from them that pass by them peaceably; they study all the mischiefs they can, to render Religion, and the professors thereof odious.

There is another generation of Perizzites in the land, who like Samsons Foxes have fire brands at their tails, who make it their design to divide, that they might rule. I mean not such, who through tenderness of conscience, or upon misgiving grounds, do separate, but I mean the politick Perizzite, who is set on work by Rome and Hell to retard the counsels of Reformation through the divisions of brethren. For is not the hand of Joah in all this? Hath not the Devil and the Jesuit made it their Masterpiece by most unhappy divisions to break the strength of that party by whom God hath broken theirs? yea and I am persuaded, that there are many truly godly, who are employed by them as instruments, that are altogether inscious of any design: as Philip, King of Macedon employed those honest Philosophers in those two famous Cities of Greece, to make several parties in them, that he might be invited in to make himself master of both. And as the same Philip decided the controversy of the Kingdom of Thessaly, between those two discording brethren who contended for it, which he fairly took from both.

Oh that we could undermine the gates of Rome and Hell this day, by our most happy uniting. Me thinks there is no argument that can have more force in it then this, when we know that there are such generations of men amongst us, who do wait for this advantage, to break in upon us through the lane of our divisions, and to raise their decayed fortunes on our miserable ruins.

Tully in his Offices presents us with a very pat story to cautionate the unbrotherly discord of these times. The Nolans and the Neopolitans having a controversy about a parcel of ground which lay between their several Countries, Fabius Labeo being invited to determine the difference, gave unto them the exterior limits of the ground adjoining to their respective Countries, and took unto the State of Rome all the land which lay in the midst between the confines. My brethren, let us be well advised, lest whilst we do most unhappily contend about the confines of our privileges and liberties, our good friends of Rome do not come in and give us as much sensual liberty as we desire, but take away from us those saving Gospel truths, and that purity and power of Ordinances which lie between us in medio, on both sides contended for.

The second Argument that lies at the foot of the Text, [Reason 2] is the force of brotherhood: For we are brethren, and we are brethren many ways: 1. We are brethren by Country,

Should the Lord send us into a strange land to hang up our musical Instruments by the waters of our captivity, and to weep over those Songs of Zion which here we might enjoy with peace and spiritual delight, and do not, then this country brotherhood would have Argument enough to cement us. Ah my brethren, do we need such a rod to whip us into the sense of brotherly love? Surely the provocations of sons and daughters are greatest provocations, and our heavenly Father hath provocations enough to turn us all out of doors when we cannot live peaceably together in his house.

But 2 ^lie , brethren by blood, as some of us are, and brethren by grace, as Abram and Lot were, children of the same beauenly Father, partakers of the same Divine Nature, begotten of the same immortal seed, bred up in the same household of Faith, made to drink into one and the same Spirit, partakers of the same heavenly Calling, heirs to the same immortal inheritance, and bound up together in the same bundle of life, and bond of the Covenant of grace. O me thinks flesh and bones should sooner separate in the body natural, then such spiritual nerves and sine wes be broken in the body mystical.

Beloved, we should all love as brethren, as genuinely and naturally as brethren, that's our Rule; but if we cannot hold proportion with the Rule, to love as brethren, yet let us keep correspondency with the object, to love the Brotherhood. There is nothing sets the common adversary higher in the Scorners Chair, then the discords of brethren. The Devil hath prophesied, that the rents in Christ's Kingdom should make room for his. Shall I give you his plain language in some that wish well to his kingdom? The Presbyterians and the Independents will fall out, and then all will be ours again. Now my brethren, let not our divisions make the Devil a true Prophet. Let us honor God, and Religion, and ourselves, and shame the Devil, let our blessed union discover him, as he is, a liar from the beginning.

Shall I need now to make use of this point, [Use.] surely there was never more need then now that use should be made of it, and no point more useful, more needful then this. But I shall desire you to save me that labor, and to take it home with you, each of you, to make use of it upon your own hearts; and one unto the other, say as Abram unto Lot, Good neighbor, Deare friend, Let there be no strife between me and thee, neither between my pastors and thy pastors; for we are brethren.

Friends we are now earnest for a Treaty of Peace, and the Spirit of God doth show us, that if we either love Jerusalem, or desire to prosper in it, we must pray for the peace of it; pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee; but if our practiles should give our prayers the lie, it were an horrid mockery to God and to ourselves: if we should Petition God or man for a Treaty of Peace, and should not endeavor ourselves to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; and, to follow after those things which make for peace, our treat • e would prove a mischief, and our peace a snare.

Now I would encourage your endeavor, by directing it. Some directions you have from the Copy we have in hand; others we shall add, which though they be not in the Story, yet they belong unto the Text.

The first is this; The higher any man is in place or parts above his brethren, the more is his duty to be first in seeking peace. Erat Abraham & major natu & usu rerum prudentior. Abram was the elder and nobler of the two here, both in place and parts, and yet he is the first that sues for reconciliation: we hear not in his mouth the language of these times; Sir, I am your elder, and your better, I look that you should stoop to me; I wonder Sir, that you will suffer your servants to fall out with mine; why? have not I bred you up from a boy? have you not gotten all that you have under me? and what common of pasture can your Shepherds challenge, but what they have at my courtesy? Nay, No such language you hear from Abram, he that saw Christ's day, had received of Christ's Spirit, to be meek and lowly in heart. He lays aside all thoughts of disparity, either in years or place, and the foster Uncle becomes an humble suitor unto his underling for an honorable peace.

We are all bound to serve one another in love, and it is not incongruous unto God's way, that the elder should serve the younger. He that is most eminent in grace or place, to be most forward in seeking peace; this is most God-like, the most excellent Majesty that is offended, descends from his Throne of Glory to beseech proud sinners to be reconciled unto him. O my Brethren, you that are more excellent then your neighbors, that have parts, or gifts, or places above your brethren, see how Religion directs you to improve them in the desires and endeavors for peace.

The second Rule is this; Christians must be content to yield in their own right for a godly peace, whose right was ever clearer or surer to the whole Land of Canaan, then Abram's was? he had it all made over to him and to his posterity from the Lord Paramount of the whole Earth, and yet when this strife fell out between Abram's and Lots Shepherds about common of pasture, he propounded unto Lot his choice of any part of the whole Land that was before him, and would content himself with Lots leavings. See, saith Abram, is not the whole Land before thee, separate thyself, I pray thee, from me, (not that Abram was willing to part with Lot, but that they might preserve that brotherly union at a distance, which they could not keep, by keeping together,) If thou wilt take the left hand (saith Abram to Lot, ) then I will go to the right, or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

Now Lots eye was so great upon the fat and pleasant valleys of Sodom, as that forgetting his good manners to his Uncle, he made his choice, and Abram lost nothing by his condescension unto him; for as soon as Lot was separated from him, the Lord appears unto Abram, and renews his promise of the whole Land to him and to his seed. See, my Brethren, God will not suffer us to be losers in anything, wherein for his sake, we deny ourselves and our own right, in order to a religious peace.

If our Brother Lot hath a mind to the fat and pleasant portion of Sodom, let him take it, surely if his design be profit and not peace, the Lord will find a time to fire him out of it again; it matters not what we suffer in our own particular interests, so as God might have his glory in a godly peace. Were there more of Abram's condescension amongst us, how easily might our unhappy differences be taken up.

The third Rule is; That in order to peace all expostulations and exprobrations of injuries be laid aside. We hear nothing from Abram of any unkindness, but only a loving and humble entreaty; Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between thee and me. The repeating of an old wrong, is but as the rubbing upon an old sore, which doth but anger it, and make the cure the worse.

It is an holy art of forgetfulness to be forgetful of injuries. I would there were graves made, Domicilia silentij, houses of silence, between King and Parliament, between Parliament and City, between Cide and Army, between our diffenting brethren, and all those that upon sober and religious grounds, do descent from them, to bury all passions and suspicions of injuries; and let these graves be Kibroth Hattaavab, graves of lust, I mean, to bury all those corruptions which have provoked these unkindnesses.

My Brethren, you do all profess yourselves to be Abram's children, inheritors of • hose promises, which were made to him, remember that Christ's argument doth as much concern the children by promise, as the children by flesh; if you are Abram's children, you will then do the works of Abraham: Amongst others forget not these which I have shown you.

There are two other Rules now, which though they be not in the Text, yet they do belong unto the Doctrine.

The first is this; There are three beautiful Sisters, [ 1] which are inseparable companions unto this happy heavenly offspring, I mean a religious and well-grounded peace.

The first is Truth, Love the truth and peace, Zach. 8.19. ver. Love peace, but truth with it, truth before it. If you let go truth, peace will not be worthy your love, you love peace, because it is the mother of plenty, but if you provide not for truth, to dwell with it, your peace will prove the daughter of vanity, your peace can be neither true nor lovely, that is separated from the love of the truth.

The second is Righteousness. Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other, Psal. 85.10. In that notable meeting of the divine attributes in Jesus Christ, these two righteousness and peace are matched together, no righteousness can procure our peace with God, but the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and no peace can stand with men, unless the influences of that righteousness be upon them. If unrighteousness be found in our Parliament, in our Committees, in our Courts of Judicature, in your City, and in your shops, the Land be not purged of blood, and Justice be not done upon the Aebans, the troublers of our peace, our peace will be forced to depart again as soon as it is procured.

The third is Holiness: Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, Heb. 12.14. Follow peace and holiness jointly, but not equally. Peace for holiness sake, and holiness above peace; for this is implied in the force of the reason: for without holiness no man shall see the Lord. We may see the Lord without having peace with all men, but not without the having of holiness.

Let there be no strife between thee and me, saith peace to truth, peace to righteousness, peace to holiness; But let there be nothing but strife between me and thee, saith peace to error, peace to injustice, peace to profaneness. And if any Minister should be so bold to separate those whom God hath joined, or to join those whom God hath separated, he should indeed preach sedition, but not against proud man, as is suggested, but against a holy and a jealous God. That true-righteous-holy-Peace, that blessed daughter of Heaven will certainly forbid all Contracts that shall be published between error, injustice, profaneness, and her self, there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God, nor no peace with the wicked. Or if it were possible that Peace should own such Contracts, Christ himself, who is the Prince of peace, would never own her for his daughter; for in this case he saith, I came not to send peace on the earth, but the sword. In a word, let go either of these sister-graces, and your peace, be it what it will, it will undo you. This is now the first Rule in order to a godly peace.

The second I have to lay before you is this, That if we will needs be striving, let Massah and Mcribah, those waters of strife run in their right channels. The way to break a design of war, is many times to divert it; to break the strength of our unhappy contentions, I would fix them upon their true and proper objects. There are two which I shall propound unto you, 1. That which you should contend for. [ 1] 2. That which you should contend against. [ 2]

First, That which you should contend for, [ 1] is that to which Jude exhorts you, Jude 2. that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints. There is faith a grace, and faith the object of that grace. Faith a grace is that whereby we close with all divine revelations, not only by a consent unto the truth of them in our understandings, but by a taste of the sweetness of them in our wills and affections; and those divine revelations are also called the faith of Saints: because they are those things which Saints by faith do live upon: now Saints must contend for both; but that which Jude doth here intend, is the doctrine of faith; and for this we must 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , contend, above all that strength we contend with. The word is a compound, borrowed from those that did strive for masteries in the Olympic games, whose strife was vigorous as for life, yet here we must strive above that, and we have a supernatural strength given unto us to strive with; we must put forth all that which Nature or Grace can minister unto us. Our lives must not be dear unto us, or anything that is dearer then our lives, to preserve those saving truths which are the purchase of so many Martyrs blood, yea of the precious blood of the Son of God, our New Testament is the New Testament of his blood.

There are three energeticall arguments in this persuasive of Jude, inciting the duty he persuades unto.

First, The transcendent excellency of that which we contend for.

[ 1]

Secondly, The mighty opposition which is against it.

[ 2]

Thirdly, The irreparable loss of it being once gone.

[ 3]

First, The transcendent excellency of that which we contend for, [ 1] worth all the expense of all that labor, treasure, and blood, which it hath cost this Kingdom. It is the Imperial gift, the treasury, the inheritance of Saints. Naboth would rather part with his life, then with his inheritance, but an inheritance of a life immortal, how much is it to be preferred before a mortal life, or inheritance. It is storied of Troy, that in the Grecian siege it had an Oracle, that if it could keep its Palladium, the image of their Goddess of Wisdom, their City should not be lost. Beloved, this is our Palladium, loose it, and loose all. The glory of God in Ezekiel's Visions, did soon depart from the City, when it was once departed from the Sanctuary. If the Lord take coals from the Altar, to scatter over the City, the Judgment of it shall speed after with a vengeance. When Hymenaeus and Alexander did make shipwreck of faith, they made shipwreck of a good Conscience with it. It was the great Comfort of Paul's Conscience upon his death-bed, that he had kept the Faith, and his keeping the faith was the main prop of his Confidence, that from thenceforth there was laid up for him a Crown of righteousness. If you let go faith, you loose your comfort, your confidence, your crown: If therefore you will contend, contend as earnestly as you will for this. Contend for the Faith once given to the Saints.

The second Argument to provoke unto this holy contention, [ 2] is the mighty opposition which Saints find against the faith, therefore would the Apostle have us 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , contend earnestly; so we translate It, but that is too low, you must more then contend; us Paul speaks in another sense, not only according to your power, but beyond your power: The doctrine of faith, as it never wanted some witnesses to defend it, so it ever had many adversaries to oppose it: The gates of bell, though they cannot prevail against it, yet they will do against it all the spite they can. Heresy is like that triple headed Serpent, if one head be cut off, three will arise in the place of it. And heretics like those Romans in their wars with Carthage, they will never be quiet, either Conquerors, or conquered; Surely, if ever the gates of Hell were set open in England, they are now set wide open, and the Locusts of the bottomless pit, even cover the face of the Land. It yields yet some comfortable hopes unto us, that the Lord hath a most beautiful work of reformation upon the wheel in England, for that the Devil and the Jesuit are so put to it to bestir themselves. Never did heresy and blasphemy with that whorish impudence, oppose the fundamental truths of Gospel grace, as now they do, but blessed be God, who hath awakened the zeal of so many faithful servants of the Lord Jesus in all parts of the Kingdom to give Testimony to his truth.

My brethren, let us resolve not to spend our breath only, but our blood in a good Confession, if God should call for it. Josephus hath a story worthy our observance: That when Pontius Pilate would have enforced the statue of Nero into the Temple of the Jews, the zeal of the people enkindled against it, it being against the law of their holy Religion, Pilate purposing to enforce that by the Sword, which his Rhetoric could not persuade, drew them into a place, where he had laid an Ambuscado of armed men, who upon his fignall, were to do execution upon those who withstood his command. The Jews being constant to their principle of Religion, espying their danger approaching, did all as one man open their naked breasts to the pointed swords of their executioners, resolving rather upon an honorable death with the safety of their Religion, then an ignominious life with the loss of it.

The third Argument for this holy Contention, [ 3] is the irrecoverable loss of our Faith being once gone. It was once given unto the Saints, and but once: It was once given unto Rome, and once unto Macedonia, and once unto the seven Churches of Asiaminor; and when once they had lost it, it was never as yet given to them again. Sol occidere & redire potest: If the Sun in the firmament doth set, it will rise again; but if this Sun of righteousness once set upon a land, an irrecoverable midnight of spiritual darkness succeeds upon it. If we lose our estates, we may recover them again; if we lose our friends, God may raise us up some other; if we lose our lives we may exchange them for a better; but if we lose the Faith once given to the Saints, being once lost, it is lost forever: and we lose with it our Souls, our Heaven, our Christ, our God, and these irrevocably. Ah dear Christians, if ever ye will contend for anything, contend for the faith once given unto the Saints. And that is now the first object of your holy Contention, that which you should contend for.

The second is that which you should contend against: and here I shall propound two objects, first of persons, secondly of things.

First for Persons, the Royal Prophet writes us a Copy, Psal. 139.21, 22. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and do I not earnessia contend with those that rise up against thee? yea I hate them with perfect hatred, I count them mine utter enemies. Certainly there is a generation in the Kingdom, and in this City (yea where is there not) whose hearts rise up against God, and against the power of godliness, God's right band hath already found out many, and will certainly find out more of those that hate him. Take heed good friends, how you confederate with those against whom the Lord is engaged. Will you be tutor'd a little from that story of Judah in Ahaz time, in the seventh and eighth Chapters of Isaiah, when profane Syria, and Apostate Israel combined together against honest Judah, their hearts did shake as Aspy leaves: the Lord sends a Prophet to assure them, that these two smoking fire-brands, which had more smoke then fire in them, should not hurt them; Judah, though with much a-do believing, prospered, and the combined Armies are scattered. Discontented Israel not humbled under God's hand so visibly against them, resolve yet to recruit greater forces against Judah: The Bricks are fallen, but we will build with bewen stones; the Siccamors are cut down, but we will change them into Cedars. Judah forgetting God's former promise and deliverance, sends to the Assyrian for aid: The Lord sends his Prophet to them again, and tells them, that because they had refused the soft running waters of Siloa, the mighty waters of Assyria should overflow them. Now what were those waters of Siloa? Siloa was a river that brake out at the foot of Mount Zion, and ran through the streets of Jerusalem, to which the Church alludes, Psal. 46.4. There is a River, the streams thereof shall make glad the City of God. This river here is Jesus Christ, the Fountain of God's pleasures, the streams are his promises in which he makes out himself for the comfort of his people in saddest confusions. Now Judah had a special intimation of the Covenant of grace to assertain their former deliverance, as all temporary promises must have their strength and blessing out of that. But forgetting both their mercy and their duty, and seeking strength from an arm of flesh, which God had despised, they were not strengthened but distressed by it, saith the story, 2 Chron. 28.20. Lo this is all the kindness we are like to receive from such confederates; the Lord therefore counsels the upright-hearted in Judab, Say ye not a Confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a Confederacy, neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid, but sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your Fear, and let him be your Dread, and he shall be for a Sanctuary unto you. But what got Apostate Israel by her profane confederates? Why Isaiah 9.11, 12. we shall find that they tasted the same bitter sauce with unbelieving Judah, they were with open mouth devoured by their good friends the Syrians, with whom they had before combined against Judah, Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cou • um. I wish that Judah's and Israel's sufferings may cautionate the godly in London how they confederate with those that are ungodly. Surely they shall not strengthen, but distress themselves by combining with those that are manifest enemies to God and goodness.

In Judges the second and the first, we read of an Angel of the Lord that came up from Gilgal to Bochim, to mind the Israel of God of their Forgetfulness of God's great mercy in delivering them out of Egypt, and of their breach of covenant in making a league with those Conaanites whom the Lord had cursed. And he wrought so effectually upon their hearts, as that they wept abundantly. Certainly London shall know that they have had a Prophet amongst them: and they shall one day weep for their confederacy with wicked men; If the grace of God doth not now provoke their tears, the wrath of God will hereafter.

The second object which we are to strive against, are our own lusts, striving against sin, saith the Apostle, Heb. 12.4. Some who willingly veil their eyes, do make some question whom they shall esteem as enemies in these mischievous broils invading the bowels of the kingdom. I am sure this is without all question, that Sin is our enemy, breaking our peace both with God & Man, and killing us as well with kisses as with blows. God hath no enemy but this, or such whom this doth make to be his enemies. Now spend all your Arrows, is long, as strong, as you can upon this enemy: here strive and spare not. If you spare any one, that one may undo your souls as soon as a thousand. There is more evil in one sin then there is worth in all the good you do, or can do; yea more then the ver • ue of the whole creation is able to expiate. One Acban is enough to disturb the peace of all Israel, and never let England think to have a firm peace, if England's sins remain unreformed. Now strive as much against your Acbans as your Absolom's, your Dalilabs as your Thamars, your Rimmons as your Mammons, your David's as your G • liahs, I mean your covert as your open sins, your loved as your loathed lusts; your heart abominations as your life-scandals, your babe-iniquities as your Giant provocations. May I say to you as that Prophet to the King of Israel, If thou let any escape (any that is liked by thee) thy life shall go for his life; but if as the Syrian Sword did the King of Israel, you would single out some King-lusts, let me bring forth to justice these two only.

1. Strive against that evil heart of unbelief, which is in some degree in the best of us. There is no sin damns but unbelief is in the company of it. When the Israelites were upon the borders of the holy land, their unbelief did send them back to wander forty years in the wilderness, till all their carcases were wasted in it. We lately thought ourselves even entering into our rest, into the possession of those glorious promises which we have long waited for: but now we are in a wilderness, we know not what to do, we know not what to say, we know not what to think, and our great provocation is our unbelief.

If we had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, we should remove mountains, we should cast our Devils. Every lust is a mountain that stands up against the work of Reformation. And all unbelief is that dumb and deaf Devil that casts us so often into fire and water: now some mountains, some Devils, are too hard for Ordinances for Apostles themselves if they were alive, only Faith calls forth the fullness of God in Jesus Christ to overcome them.

In Isaiah 41.14 and 15. verses, the Lord sets a worm on work to thresh the mountains. Alas, what proportion is there between a small worm, and a huge mountain? But fear not, I am with thee, (saith the Lord.) Here is a word for faith to live upon, and to call out an Omnipotent arm to its aid, whereas our unbelief doth not only weaken us, but even Omnipotency it self, as the Lord Christ saith, He could do no great thing in Nazareth, because of their unbelief.

Beloved, you are earnest now for a Treaty of Peace, and your seven-years wasting troubles do more then provoke you, but see that your faith do call in God and his Christ unto the Treaty. See that your peace hath a word of faith to bottom upon, otherwise every storm will shake, if not overturn the sandy foundation of it. All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. — The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever. There is more in one word of God to establish a lasting peace for us, then in all the counsels of perishing creatures, who look beside it.

Had we Caleb's spirit to follow God fully in the guidance and assurance of his Word, what a great measure of self-denial and Christian condescension might we obtain to work towards a religious and a firm peace. Whatsoever therefore you strive against, strive especially against the unbelief of your own hearts.

Secondly, [ 2] Against your pride, this is a proclaimed rebel against Heaven; God will have no peace with it. And little hope of a stable peace with men, if our pride stands up to wage war with God.

In the fourth of Daniel we read of a tree whose height reached unto Heaven, and an Angel sent from Heaven to cut it down, but the slump of it must remain. This tree we find to be the pride of the Babylonian Monarch, who gloried in the vanity of his Spirit. Is not this great Babel? And, who is that God, that can deliver out of my hands? Such overgrown trees there are too many in England. And God hath sent the Angel both of his word and rod, to cut them down, yet some there are who stand up still against both. And those in whom this tree is out down, have the stump yet remaining; There is some strength of this corruption in the best. Though our estates be broken, yet our Spirits are unbroken: Though the Kingdom be rent in pieces, yet our hearts are not; though our condition below, yet our carriage is as high as ever. And as in that great Tree in Nebuchadnezzar's Vision, The beasts of the field did dwell under the shadow of it, and the birds of the air did lodge in the branches of it; even so there are many other lusts and corruptions, which come under the shadow and spreading branches of this lust of Pride: as covetousness and ambition, on the one side, and passion and discontentment on the other.

He that serves these lusts, will not spare anything that may serve them, neither with Haman, the blood of an whole Nation, nor with Absalom, the blood of nearest relations, nor with Herodias, the blood of most eminent Ministers, nor conscience, nor religion, nor Christ, nor God, nor anything that will suire his design.

When Donatus was croft in the Bishopric of Carthage, he turned heretic, and fired the whole Empire with his faction. I fear least ambition and discontent have made many Malignants in these days. Shall I say as he, Fight not against small nor great. No, fight against all your lusts: But above all, against this King lust, this pride of your hearts, and against all those corruptions that strengthen themselves by it. O that I could in this prevail with London this day, fortior est qui se quam qui for tissima vincit maenia, He is stronger that ruleth his spirit, then be that winneth a City. Could you overcome these lusts of yours, you may not only win a City, but preserve and crown your own.

My brethren take heed, how you serve their ends who do serve their own lusts: How should they govern you that cannot govern their own passions? Fleshly corruption will ever lay before us specious pretences, in all those ways into which our pride or passion doth prompt us; but grace will ever have a jealous eye over them. I never suffered my passion to work, but I suffered by it, and so undoubtedly shall all they which give way unto it.

I will only bring hither that passage of our Savior in Luke 17. and the beginning of the chapter, where he shows the danger of those that give offenses, and the duty of those that suffer offenses.

First, for those that give offenses. [ 1] (And mark your danger you that do it) It were better for him (saith Christ) that a Milstone were hanged about his neck, and be cast into the Sea, then that be should offend one of these little ones.

Secondly, for those that suffer offenses, your duty is to forgive, and Christ well knowing how hard this duty is to corrupt nature, how apt we are to make Peters question, How oft shall we forgive? preoccupates this objection, and tells us, that if every day our brother should offend us, and seven times in every day, and should as often declare himself to be sorry for his offense, it is our duty to forgive. Hereupon the Apostles startle, and cry out, O Lord increase our Faith, who hath saith strong enough to close with such a duty as this? Our faith can hardly work us to forgive our brother if he offends us but once; but if every day, and if seven times in every day be doth offend, where's the faith that can master passion so often to forgive?

Now mark what Christ answers, If ye had faith as a grain of Mustard seed, ye might say unto this Sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the roots, and be thou planted in the Sea, and it should obey you. Though Christ might point to a Sycamine tree there present, yes doubtless, that which he did chiefly aim at, was this root of bitterness, that corruption which is naturally in everyone of our hearts, indisposing us to reconciliation; whereby the work is as hard to forgive offenses, as to root up spreading trees. Now if a grain of Mustard seed will stock up this bitter root, & throw it into the Sea of forgetfulness, where it may never grow nor appear more; Oh where is London's faith then! where is this grain of mustard-seed to be found? If ever the public good did provoke us to exercise faith in this duty of forgiveness, now, even now it doth.

If the glory of one man be great in passing by offenses, how eminent and exemplary will the glory of a City be?

In short, dear Friends, keep your eyes, your ends, your aims heavenward, Christ-ward, Godward; and whatsoever is against Heaven, against Christ, or against God, be you against it: And whatsoever is for Heaven, for Christ, for God, be you for it. And if we walk according to this Rule, peace shall be upon us, and upon the Israel of God.

THE CONTENT OF A WAYFARING MAN: OR, Jeremiah's Cottage in the Wilderness.

WE have here Jeremiah's Content, and Jeremiah's Account: His Content was moderate, He aspired no great things for himself, nor Bishops Lands, nor Deans Houses. A Cottage was his Content, and his Content was suitable to his Condition.

His Condition was a Wayfaring-man, and the Cottage of a Wayfaring man was his Content, only a hole to hide his head in a storm, and to afford him a nights lodging in his Way: And that in no stately City, where perhaps a small Cottage may be of more value then a large Farm in the Country.

But the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness. And Wilderness, whether you take it literally, for a place smally inhabited; as that wilderness wherein the Priests had 6 Cities; or for a place not at all inhabited, as that to which Jeremiah's wild Ass was used; or figuratively for a rude and untaught people, as Wilderness doth often signify in holy Scriptures. Either way it suits very well with Jeremiah's Content, who desired to enjoy himself in a peaceable retiredness, which he could not in a tumultuous City; and probably as he had better hopes of the safety of his person amongst wild beasts, then wicked men: so of the success of his Ministry amongst a rude and ignorant people in the wilderness, then amongst those whose knowledge did puff them up in Jerusalem. For so we find Jeremiah's Account, why he desired the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness, That I might leave my people, and go from them.

My people: His they were though they were so bad. Jeremy you will yield, was an able, painful, faithful, courageous Minister, who feared not the frowns of Kings nor Princes, Fetters nor Dungeon, for the faithful discharge of his Ministry; and yet so good as he was, he was unhappily matched with a bad people, and so bad they were, as that he did desire to leave them, and yet not leave them without leave from God, or love to them.

Not without leave from God; [ 1] for these words we must not conceive to fall at randum from Jeremy, as if he were hurried away from his people by passion, or discontent, but as he says, Chap. 11. v. 20. Unto thee, O Lord, have I revealed my cause. And Chap. 20.12. Unto thee, O Lord, have I opened my cause. He seeks to God for a place of remove, and would remove as the Israelites in the wilderness at God's command.

Not without love to them; [ 2] for though he did leave them, yet he would not leave to pray for them, & to pray in tears, and tears in abundance; and that abundance not sufficient to content his love, but that he wishes for more. O that my head were full of waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the captivity of the daughter of my people, verse 1. of this Chapter. For so you must join that verse to this, and you have then and there a double account of Jeremiah's option for a Cottage in the wilderness.

Seeing his preaching could do no good in Jerusalem, [ 1] he was desirous to retire himself to prayer, and to pray in tears, as Jeremy did, retiredness is best.

Foreseeing their Captivity, he was unwilling to see it, [ 2] and therefore desired to enjoy himself in a peaceable retiredness, rather then to live in Jerusalem with fire over his head. O that I had the Cottage of a Wayfaring man in the wilderness, that I might leave my people and go from them.

I have now given you the Analysis of the Text, and you see there is much in it, and I have little time, I shall endeavor as well as I can, to contract much into little, and shall confine myself to the two general heads of the Text: Jeremiah's Content, and Jeremiah's Account.

From the first, I observe; How moderate gracious desires should be in these earthly things.

From the second; How good Ministers may upon warrantable grounds desire to remove from an unkind people.

And first, I shall apply myself to the first, Jeremiah's Content: O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.

Gracious desires should be moderate in these earthly things. I do not say, The desires of grace should be moderate. For that is our great corruption, that in those things wherein unsatiablenesse of desire is only lawful, our affections are too remiss; as in spiritual and heavenly things; and too intense in those things wherein unsatiablenesse of desire is most unlawful: as in temporary and earthly things. And therefore I say, If our desires are gracious, they are and should be moderate in earthly things.

Will you please to look upon your example in the Text, Jeremiah was one of noble birth, of great parts, of eminent gifts, of admirable courage, of unparalleled fidelity in his Ministry: and yet neither his birth, nor place, nor parts nor gifts, did make him ambitious: A cottage did content him who might deserve a palace.

Will you take another instance to this? It is that of Agur, Give me not riches lest I be too full, but feed me with food convenient for me. Give me not riches.

Quis nisi mentis inops? You will scarce think him a reasonable man that should desire riches not to be given unto him? But stay a while, and hear his reason: Lest I be too full. He would not have his food to become his disease. You well know the danger of surfeits, you know it, but feel it not whilst the sweet morsel is going down; but he that fears it, puts the knife unto his throat, and moderates his appetite. Feed me with food convenient for me. 1. Victum, Food he doth desire: [ 1] So much of these outward things as may afford him a livelihood. [ 2] 2. Dimensum, Food convenient, a portion suitable and competent to his place and calling. This is lawful, and this is moderate.

To these two instances will you please to take one Rule from him that is our Rule. He that blesseth our prayers, taught us to pray for our daily bread. [ 1] 1. For Bread, Panem indigentiae, so much as may supply our wants in our way: A Jacob's scrip to victual us over Jordan. [ 2] 2. Our daily Bread, sine solicitudine, without anxious thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow [saith the same divine Oracle] will care for it self: Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Nor did our blessed Lord and Savior set this Boundary unto others, which he kept not himself: For he who had the fullness of Heaven and earth for his footstool, was yet content with his daily Administrations. You have now the proof of the Doctrine: That gracious d • sires are and should be moderate. I might give you many Reasons for further confirmation of it; but time confines me to those only which offer themselves in the Text.

The first is this:

That our Content should be suitable to our Condition. [Reason 1] Wayfaring-men we are by our Mortall Condition, and our Spiritual Content should be the Cottage of a wayfaring-man, only that which may suffice us in our way.

The life of Man is not unfitly compared to a way wherein persons of divers conditions travel, and this is the brood of Travelers, we all meet in this one condition to be wayfaring-men. There are many conditions of the wayfaring-man which suit with ours, should I travel them all, I should scarce part with the wayfaring-man, before this travel were ended. I will only restrain myself unto two. 1. What we are in respect of our mortal Condition? Wayfaring-men. 2. What we ought to be in respect of our spiritual desires. Content with our cottage in this wilderness of sin.

This World is a through-fare either to Heaven or to Hell, and whether Judas goeth to his place, or Peter to his, we all are as a ship under sails, passing swiftly to our haven, and every moment of time doth hasten us to our last home.

The travels of men indeed are to divers ends: Some to be great, others to be rich; some for knowledge, others for wealth, [sew for grace.] And whilst for the increase of these, we desire increase of years, what do we desire, but that [which unto the carnal man is so undesired] our hastening to our journeys end: the way in which we all meet, the way of all flesh.

It is not without a mystery, and this of our condition, that the worlds first entertainment of our Savior was in an Inn, and his Mother fell in travel with him, whilst she was in travel. How much do they mistake their condition, that take their Inn for their home, and make their way their rest.

I cannot blame worldlings to build them tabernacles here, and to wish they might ever dwell in them, being with Pharaohs Baker loath to go out of their earthly prisons, because they fear a worse condition out of them. But you my Beloved, that have good hopes of Heaven, account yourselves strangers and pilgrims here, and let your affections, your conversations be in Heaven, whilst yet your commoration is in your removing tabernacles.

Should a wayfaring man be so taken up with the delights and profits of a foreign Country, as to dislike the Laws and Government of his own, and so to dislike it, as to take up arms against it: What doth he but make his travail his exile, & may perhaps come short of a pardon, when he desires to return home again. Heaven is the Country, from whence our immortal souls did all set forth. Every sin is a war against it, which if in disdain of our home we do maintain, we are not travelers, but traitors and fugitives, and may be to seek of mercy, when our travail is ended.

My Brethren, mind your Condition, that's the first.

[ 1]

Secondly, Let your content be suitable to your condition.

[ 2]

When the Israelites travailed through the Moabites Country, they would meddle with nothing, but necessaries in their way; and when they were journeying into the Land of Promise, they left their brick and clay to the Egyptians, and borrowed of them only Jewels of gold and Jewels of silver; such things as were portable in their way to the holy Land.

You that have a birth above the world, ye sons and daughters of the Highest, fowl not your fingers with this world. Let the Egyptians take their brick and clay unto themselves, and borrow you only of this earthly Mammon so much as may be portable in your way to Heaven; or, by an holy exchange into heavenly treasures, may be transported thither before you.

Our forefathers that lived six and eight hundred years, were content with removing tents, and we whose lives are but of three days to theirs, must provide houses so great, and inheritances so large, as if we did forget that our condition is mortal, or that it is our duty, to suite our content unto our condition. Let worldlings bear with a chiding from the Poet; O curve in terras animae & coelestium inanes: O ye crooked souls, bowed down unto the earth, and empty of all that is heavenly: why are ye so serious in trifles, and do so trifle in that which is most serious.

Fond Earthworme, give me leave to reason with thee a little; thou hast provided for thyself a great and stately mansion, with ponds, and orchards, and vineyards, and all things that may delight and content thy flesh, but what hast thou laid up for thy precious soul, in those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , buildings made without hands, eternal in the heavens. It will not be long, ere thy stately mansion will disdain to lodge thee. Thy delicate wife, thy tender children, and thy dearest friends refuse to keep thee, yea be glad to bury thee out of their sight: as Abram his beloved Sarah; and then think what will become of thy poor and naked soul. Are thy comforts no surer then his which said, Quo iturus sum nescio? Whether I am going I know not. Hast thou taken so much care for a life so transitory, for which a cottage might have sufficed, and left an eternal felicity upon a peradvanture? I tell thee, and be not angry with me, if I tell thee the truth; the basest vermin that crawleth upon the earth, is in a far better condition then thou art.

O that men heaping up earthly riches, according to the utmost measure of their will and power, would yet learn to measure their will and power, according to the frailty of their mortal condition; and whilst thy gaze so much on the golden bead of their Babylonian Idol, in which they glory, they could yet look down upon the feet of clay wherewith they travel.

When I hear my fellow-travailer tell me of the danger of thieves and plunderers in my way; I begin to think of securing the money I have about me, and if I were to set forth, I would carry no more with me then is needful in my way. I need not Interpret, Breve iter magno viatico non instruitur sed eneratur; Large provisions for a short journey are not an help but a burden unto it, and if we cannot unloade ourselves, it is not from the impossibility of the duty, but from the perverseness of our affections, and wretched creatures that we are, who for a temporary security, can do that which for an eternal felicity we reject as impossible to be don.

I have now don with the first reason, why gracious desires in these earthly things should be moderate; Because our spiritual content should be suited to our mortal condition.

The second now that offers it self in the Text is this; [Reason 2] Because the peaceable retiredness of a mean and low estate is much more desirable, then the trouble and danger of an high and great; and for this I conceive, was Jeremiah's desire to retire into a cottage in the wilderness, that his soul might be free from the strifes and vexations that were in Jerusalem. And for this probably John the Baptist might retire to exercise his Ministry in the Wilderness rather then in the City, because he saw so much disquiet and ungodliness in it, as appears by the sharp reproofs of his Sermon to those that came out of it. And Moses doubtless saw some rich content in a peaceable retiredness, that he was so unwilling to leave his private enjoyment for a public employment, his following his father in laws sheep in Midian, to be the Leader of the people of Israel, although the Lord answered all his four doubts, and took off all his excuses in the third of Exodus.

David likewise saw very much in this, who was so willing to have changed his Throne in Israel, for a porters office in the Lord's house; and reckoned one day there spent, to be better unto him, then a thousand in the tents of ungodliness. For his experience had taught him, that the tempter never gat so much advantage against him at his fathers sheepfold, as in his palace at Jerusalem. Great estates and high Employments, are but the bellows of pride and passion; if there be not a great measure of wisdom and grace to keep the heart down.

Solomon likewise was not unacquainted with the comfort and content of a peaceable retiredness, who had tired himself in searching out the vanity and vexation of high estates: Better (saith he) is a sallat of green herbs where peace is, then a stalled ox and contention therewith.

Surely, great estates carry with them great disquiets, and not less in managing, then in getting. How much better might a man enjoy himself in a mean and low estate? And how much better is it for a man to enjoy himself, then to enjoy an estate?

He discovered a rich content in himself, that boar for his divise a Torteis in his shell, with this Motto: Mecum habito, I dwell with myself: and he also, that gave another word to it; Ubicun{que} sum, meus sum, Wheresoever I am, I am myself.

Seneca that divine Philosopher, that was very studious in searching out beatitudes, discovered this amongst others: Beatus est, qui id se esse putat: he is happy that can find his happiness within himself, and Bias-like doth carry his treasure and felicity with him. It is a poor and contemptible felicity, which one fit of an ague, stone, or gout, can deprive us of: and this is the top-excellency of all earthly comforts.

It was an enigma no less elegant then acute of Heraclytus, who compared earthly-minded-men (coveting so much to be rich and great) unto those that digged in silver-mines, who by all their hard toil and care, got Parvum in magno, a little silver-oar in a great deal of dirty dross: how much better is it to enjoy Magnum in parvo, a great and rich content in a mean and low estate. And as Cosmographers, who contract the whole world into a little Map, to enjoy all in a little; which he enjoys, who in a little enjoys God and himself, whose estate doth not possess him, but he his estate: and whilst he is in the world, lives in Christ above it.

The wise and holy God doth not unequally dispence his providences; Some have high places, and little comfort, great estates, and small content in them: others enjoy a rich and great content in a mean estate. Some with those Israelites fare daintily, and whilst the flesh is in their teeth, there is leanness in their souls: Others with Daniel, do eat their pulse with quiet consciences, and do enjoy a richer content in God, and his Christ, then the whole creature can afford the worldling without them.

It was an hot dispute amongst ancient Philosophers, whether a private enjoyment, or public employment were more desirable? Howsoever Seneca's writings approved the public, yet his desires lead him unto the private: when being tired with the temptations of Nero's Court, endeavored if he might to have enjoyed himself in a solitary retiredness; And though he placed not happiness in Contemplation, as other Philosophers did, yet in Tranquillity: which he rarely enjoys who aspires greatness, as he well shown that laid down a Crown for the burden of it.

Our Ecclesiastical History reports of Albertus Magnus, that he was so affected with a peaceable retiredness, as that he left his Bishopric of Ratisbone, to give himself to his private studies.

I do not undertake to determine the question, because to a wise man, saith the Philosopher both estates may be comfortable, much more comfortable to him that is gracious, without all dispute, good the more public it is, the more good it is: and virtus in nobili plus placet, quia plus claret, Virtue and grace the more eminent it is, the more beautiful it is, and beneficial not only in its employment, but by its example: But, where grace and wisdom is wanting to keep down lust and pride, which are the usual pedissequas of high employments and great estates, there that lazy and unthrifty adage is made good: Bene vixit qui been latuit: It had been some kind of good to such a man, that he had enjoyed less opportunities of doing good, wherein he did evil. I presume that many in these times do wish with Jeremy, or the time may shortly come, (how soon they know not) that they might wish, they had lived in some obscure cottage in the Wilderness, rather then to have been acquainted with those great temptations, in which their high places and employments have ensnared them.

It is reported of the Hedge-hog, which in our vulgar reproach is the character of a covetous man, that he goes to a pile of apples and gathers up as many as he can upon his prickles, and when he comes to his hole, he goes in with his prickles, but leaves his apples behind him. How many are there that have wallowed themselves in the apples of their sweet contentments, which they have pursued with many pricks and gripes of conscience, who when they shall descend, as shortly they must, to their holes of darkness, they must then leave all the sweet apples of their false delights behind them, and can carry nothing with them, but the stings and stripes of a wounded conscience. Will you hear what they say that have gone before them, what hath pride profited us? or what hath the pomp of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a post that passeth by—but we are consumed in our wickedness.

Is there now, that says if I were not Alexander, I could wish myself Diogenes, if I were not called to a public place, I could desire a private retiredness; surely, I could desire it likewise in thy behalf, if the Lord hath not given thee grace, to make thy place serviceable to him and to his Saints.

I have now done with the Doctrinal part of this portion of the Text, to wit, Jeremiah's Content, and I shall give you a very short application of it.

And first, whither shall I look? Shall I look off from myself, [Use 1] or from any of you to carry home the reproof of this doctrine? Surely my brethren, there is scarce a mothers son in this Congregation, that lies not under the just rebuke of this truth: I mean for our immoderate desires of these earthly things.

Esau's hands we see everywhere hunting after the prey, & quoquomodo rem, all is good fish with the most, that comes to the net: but where do we hear Jacob's voice? The Lord hath had mercy on me, and I have enough. Or that of Paul, a Christian; I have learned in whatsoever estate I am, therewith to be content.

Paul a Pharisee had never learned this lesson, before he came to Christ, whose ambition hurried him to serve the lusts of the Council at Jerusalem, in making havoc of the Saints at Damascus. But when the heavenly vision had once struck down his high thoughts, which lay with his body on the ground before the Lord Jesus; then, and not till then, had he learned all to be loss unto him, and Christ only his gain.

Christians, we speak much of contentment, and it is usual to say, I thank God I am content with what I have; but certainly, if thou art not brought over from the world unto Christ, and doest not enjoy thyself in him, thou didst never yet know what contentment meaneth.

The Prophet Habakkuk seeth the worldling loading himself with thick clay, and calls unto him, Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness. There is a covetousness which is good, to covet (as the Spirit directs us) the best gifts, and be you herein as covetous as your hearts can hold, and spare not. But there are other gifts which the Heathens call gifts of Fortune, because of their inconstancy: and of these is the evil covetousness, to covet to make the House great, and not the heart good. The same Prophet calls to such and tells them in plain language, that they consult shame to their own house. But how is that, you will say? Without all question, the covetous man takes counsel within himself, with Edom, to build his Nest on high: he consults nothing but glory to his House; but consulting not with God and his Word in his ways, the wise and holy Providence turns his counsels into foolishness, and the glory of his House into shame.

Little do many think how soon and how sad the Accounts may be to them and to their families, who have raised their houses by the undoing of their brethren. Some that have willingly emptied themselves to make them full, and others that have been drained by them to make their morsels fat, and their cups to over-flow. He hath swallowed down riches, (saith Zephar in Job ) and he shall vomit them up again; but when Judas would have vomited up his prize of blood, it

This is all I shall say more to this point, He only is a poor man that is ever in wants, and he is ever in wants that covets to be rich: and, which is far worse, a worse tyrant there cannot be then a man's own lusts, nor a worse flave then he that serves it. And what doth he that covets to be rich having a sufficiency, but covet to serve his unsatisfied lust; at least as he that wears a thin silk cloak upon a thick fur'd gown, doth show the wantonness of his spirit, not any useful employment he makes of it: even so when superfluity and not necessity doth excrutiate the soul with worldly cares, it argues the mind full of vanity, and the heart full of pride.

But secondly, I would rather exhort you, [Use 2] and O that I had argument strong enough to persuade the worldlings reason, that there is reason enough he should be persuaded to moderation: If from nothing else, yet from the things themselves which he so much covets.

For first, Riches and great estates, [ 1] at their best cannot make the possessors thereof better: nay, he must be exceeding good, that is not made much the worse by them; for he that travelleth in his abundance, walketh upon snares, and had need of much grace to keep his soul, that he be not entangled and undone by them.

Secondly, look upon thy prosperity and glory at the highest, [ 2] it is but as thy shadow in the Sun, the least cloud over-casts it at high noon; and that which in the morning is before thee, in the evening is behind thee: and all is but mane & vesper, of adays continuance, so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.

O that these reasons now, would make your reason to yield to Jeremiah's Content: a Content suitable to your mortal Condition. O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness.

That was the first General of our Text, which I have now compassed, Jeremiah's Content: I had a desire to have given you his Account why he desired his Cottage in the wilderness, That I might leave my people, and go from them. But I know the limits of your time in these morning Exercises, and I shall not exceed.

Reader, here were some counsels added upon the second point which follow in the end of the second Sermon.

THE ACCOUNT OF A MINISTER: OR, Jeremy departing from Jerusalem.

THE SECOND SERMON.

WE have lately in another Exercise, and place, lodged Jeremy in his Cottage, and in him and it, have observed, how moderate gracious desires are, how suitable a mean Content is unto a mortal Condition? and how much better a low and peaceable estate, then an high and troublesome? We are now to look back unto Jerusalem, and to see how it stands between Jeremy and his people, that he is so pressed to leave them, to examine the Account or reason of his former desire. From whence (not to lose time in opening particulars) some of you may remember, that I presented to you this general Observation:

In pursuance of this Doctrine, we shall make out two Questions, which if we do not bring into question, the people will for us.

• 1. How a good Minister can have a bad people, and the fault not his?
• 2. How a good Minister can leave his people, [ 2] be they never so bad?

For the first, how a good Minister can have a bad people, and the fault not his, whose work it is to make bad people good. Surely, say some, the fault must need be the Ministers that his people are so bad; for da Ambrosins & habebis Theodasios: Let the Minister be good, and the people will be easily wrought unto good by him: But either his life is amiss, or his labors too remiss; either he is too loose, or too precise in his conversation; or too profound, or too plain in his doctrine; either he wants bountifulness, or peaceableness, humility or familiarity: Or perhaps the people may want themselves in all these.

I deny not but the fault may be sometimes the Ministers, & good Ministers may have their faults, and his discomfort sure it is, that his people are no better, and his discomfort is the people's disprofit: Obey them that have the oversight of you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable unto you: unprofitable unto you (saith the Apostle) that you should make their lives grievous, who spend their lives to make yours good.

But say my beloved, show me the fault if you can, in Jeremiah's life, or labor, and yet his people so bad, as that he was not only weary of them, but of his life too, because he could make theirs no better. Perhaps you will say he was passionate; It is true, he was, but it was in compassion of the people's good, and in zeal to God's glory. You will say he was stout and stiff, and it was needful he should be so: for the Lord's charge unto him was, Let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them.

The Ministry of the Word must not comply with the froward humors and ways of men, but their untoward ways and humors must yield unto the Ministry of the Word. Yea, but his Ministry was of heavy things: yea, and he would not abate one syllable of his message, though he saw the Kings wrath, the Nobles frowns, and the stinking Dungeon before him.

But what say you then to Isaiah? He was a man for these times, he was styled the Evangelical Prophet, and as David spake of Abimaaz, He is a good man, and bringeth good tidings. His prophesies were (for the most part) Gospel; he did mysteriously and sweetly hold forth Jesus Christ, and yet if you will believe him, he had as little comfort amongst his people, as other Ministers might have amongst theirs. I have labored in vain (saith he) and spent my strength for nothing, Isai. 49.4.

But what speak I of the servant? the Lord it is, of whom this prophesy speaks, as appears by that which follows, verse 6. I will also give thee for a light of the Gentiles, and for salvation unto the ends of the earth. Which words the Apostle Paul in his Sermon at Antioch, bringeth home unto that admirable piece of that great mystery of Godliness, Christ preached unto the Gentiles. And now for Christ, the Sun saw never any man's life more inoffensive then his. His Doctrine was with authority, he was a Teacher sent from God, and taught the word of God truly, his greatest opposites being his witnesses: and yet it is the succeslesnesse of his own Ministry unto the circumcision, of which himself by the Prophet complaineth, I have labored in vain, I spent my strength for nothing. Of him also the Divine Evangelist testifieth, that He came unto his own, and his own received him not. It is more then manifest, he gave that blessing to the Ministry of the Apostles, which he withheld from his own: There were more converted at one Sermon of Peter, then we can read of by Christ in all his life time: such was our Lord's condescension to honor his Ordinances in his servants more then in himself.

Now by two or three witnesses truths may be established; but if for further confirmation you desire reasons, why a good Minister may be ill matched with a bad people, and the fault not his, may you please to consider these:

1. Mininisters may say as Jacob, Are we in God's stead, [Reason 1] who hath withheld from us the fruit of our Ministry, whose prerogative alone it is to make the sterill heart fruitful, and to beget the new creature in the barren conscience: the labor is our work • , the blessing is his.

2. Our spiritual Seed is not always visible, [ 2] some may lie under the clods. A remnant may return, though the generality be stark naught.

3. [ 3] What if the Lord be pleased to send his Ezekiel's to a rebellious House, that will not hear them. God's glory is never the less, though ours be underfoot. His Word doth the work for which he sends it; and if the people know no more, yet this they shall know, that the Lord hath sent a Prophet amongst them. He was not wanting to their good in outward means, if by not improving them, they had not been wanting unto their own.

Give me leave now to make some short application of this point, and I have two words to say, to People, to Minister.

1. [Use 1] To the People; and let me beseech you good people, do not lay those burdens on your Ministers shoulders, which belong unto your own. It is one of the 〈◊〉 stratagems of Hell to keep the people from profitableness under the Ministry of the Word, by misrepresenting unto them the causes of their unprofitableness; and it is one of the mighty methods of Satan, to persuade them to charge the causes anywhere, then where they ought, upon their own hearts.

Yet one word more, (good people) bear, and I pray bear with your Ministers complainings under your unprofitableness: for surely their discomforts are exceeding great, not as you give out, for their want of outward comforts: [For without all question, God will never leave a godly Minister unprovided for. If he straghten him in one place, he will make room for him in another.] But because God's glory and your souls are dearer unto them then their lives. Moses for the glory of God's name, was contented to have his own blotted out of the book of life; and Paul for the salvation of many, was pressed in zeal to have parted with his own.

Nay, beloved, I will speak a bold word and a true, your souls are much dearer unto your Ministers, then they are unto yourselves. For did you bestow but half those pains and cares about your own souls, which they bestow upon yours, how good, how much better would they be!

How prodigal are many of the sons of Adam, to barter away the precious purchase of Christ's blood for an Apple, their Birth-right for a mess of pottage, their souls upon every slight temptation, when it costs their Minister many a night watches, many a painful swets, many a careful thoughts, and heavy Ephialts, to recover the spoil out of the strong man's hands again.

To my fellow-laborers in the Gospel, [Use 2] such as do see their seed and travel of their soul, whose lot is fallen unto them in a fair ground, and they have a good Congregation: Faelices nimium bona si sua norint, I would have them to bless God much for this rich mercy, who have cast their lot amongst a people reverently affected unto their Ministry. And I would persuade them with all tenderness of spirit and condescension to blow up every spark of good, which they see amongst their people.

A word more I have to my fellow-sufferers, who are discomfortably matched with an unkind and intractable people, though their comfort be less then others, yet their reward may not: for our reward is not according to our success, but according to our labors. I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing; saith Christ, saith Isaiah: But my Judgment is with the Lord, and my work with the most High. Though Israel be not gathered; yet shall I be glorified.

The clouds do kindly serve divine providence in dropping down their fatness, though the earth be not fruitful, and the Sun in giving out his influences, though the clay be hardened; should we cast our pearls before swine? Which do not only refuse our pearls, but rend our persons. Our pearls are not the less precious, nor our kindness the less acceptable unto Jesus Christ; for whose sake we both labor and suffer.

I remember a passage between Christ and Peter, Christ coming into Peters ship to preach, after he had don his Sermon, bad Peter to cast out his net into the Sea, for a draught of fish, why Sir, saith Peter, I have fisht all night, and have caught nothing; nevertheless, at thy command, I will let down the net. And the holy Story saith, He enclosed a great multitude of fishes. You know what Christ intended in this, to show Peter what he should expect when he should shortly be made a fisher of men. He might fish all night, and all day too, and catch nothing, if Christ be not with him: nevertheless, having a word of command from Christ, he must do his work, and wait upon Christ for the word of his blessing.

I have now dispatched the first Question: How a good Minister may have a bad people, and the fault not his. The second comes on, How a good Minister may lawfully leave his people, be they never so bad: And here, I shall make out the Solution in sour particulars.

• 1. I shall show what the interest and propriety is between the Minister and his people. [ 1]
• 2. How far that propriety and interest doth bind the Minister to stay with his people? [ 2]
• 3. In what case he may remove: and what Jeremiah's case was here. [ 3]
• 4. What may be the warrantable ends and grounds of removal in such a case. [ 4]

These sad and troublesome times have occasioned many remooves of Ministers, and their remooves many disputes among the people. A word to these will not be •• seasonable in these times.

And first what the Interest and propriety is between Minister and people. O that I had the cottage of a wayfaring man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people. My people, saith Jeremy. But how so. The Prophets were not assigned unto peculiar charges, as the Priests were at Jerusalem, and the Levites unto their particular Cities; and yet Jeremy's delegation we shall find to be chiefly to the head City, as appears by Chapter the first of this Prophecy, and ver. 18. Where his Commission is directed unto the Kings of Judah, and to the Princes and Priests that were in Jerusalem. In order whereunto we shall read Chapter 5 ver. 1. and 5. He went up and down the streets of Jerusalem, to find out one righteous and pious man. Upon this ground it is not improbable that he calls those of Jerusalem my people, to distinguish them from those in the Wilderness of Judea, of Ziph, or of Maon; into someone of which he might desire to remove: O that I had the cottage of a wayfaring man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people. But whether we confine Jeremy's Dioces unto Jerusalem, or enlarge it over all Judea, a propriety of relation he had, and every Minister hath in that people to whom the Lord doth send him.

Ministers and people have mutual interests one in the other.

S ^t Paul claims as genuine and natural right in his Corinthians and Galatians, as their father that did beget them, or their mother that did travail in birth for them. Notwithstanding it was not Paul that did beget the Corinthians, but the Lord by him. Nor was it he that did bring forth the new creature in the Galatians, but the Spirit by him. Such is our good Lord's condescension unto his worthless Ministers, as that he doth oft times in Scripture transfer over, as it were his right unto his Ministers, by ascribing that unto their power, which belongs unto his own, and allowing them to assume that right in his people, which none can truly challenge but himself; as he saith to Moses, Thy people which thou hast brought out of Egypt; when the people were neither of Moses constitution, nor of his bringing out of Egypt, but the Lord's.

A word of use to this. [Use 1] Surely the interest is very great between Minister and people, and the bond very strict, both to enforce the Ministers care, and the people's love, nor can indeed the Minister be careless, or the people unloving, if this propriety of relation be laid home.

The more I wonder at their unnatural unkindness, [ 2] who do not only forsake, but disdain, yea and reproach those Ministers, by whom if ever they were begotten in the Lord, they must confess they were begotten through them.

But now the second Question is, How far this propriety and interest between Minister and people, binds the Minister to stay with them?

I conceive, they urge it by much too far, that would have it as fixed and absolute, as between man and wife, To have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, till death us depart.

Be the Ministers condition or people's carriage what it will, the Minister in their opinion can no more lawfully leave his people, then a man his wife. Would these likewise allow the wife, to have no right in what is hers, but what is her husbands? I trow they would not. I hear the Apostle say unto his Corinthians, I have espoused you unto one husband, which is Christ, but he doth not say, I have espoused you unto one husband, which is myself.

But grant the relation to be so fixed, as between man and wife, yet there are some cases in which man and wife may separate: And that is now our Third labor to find out that case.

Good people that are unwilling to leave their Pastor we cannot blame to question, whether their Pastor might lawfully leave them. Et Utinam, I would to God—But this is not the case between Jeremy and his people.

Leo hath a decree against those, who do remove from small livings unto great: Si quis mediocritate sedis suae dispecta administrationem loci celebrioris ambiret, non solùm a Cathedra pellatur aliena sed carebit & propria. I need not interpret to those by whom I desire to be understood. Qui ad curas pervenerint tanquam sine cura victuri, honori totùm dati, sanitati nihil. Who as those Ecclesiastics in Barnards time pursue their own preferment, not the people's well fare.

The Council of Chalcedon hath another Canon, not much unlike the former, against removing from a Country to a City-charge; The caution in both is: Si quis ambiret, if authority draws the Minister; But Si majorum authoritate inductus: If authority calls the Minister, and (I will add too) the love of the Congregation, the case is otherwise: But neither of these cases doth hit ours; for Jeremy was contented to have changed his province in Jerusalem, for a cottage in the Wilderness.

That clause then in the eighteenth Canon of the Council of Antioch better fits us: Si non vitio suo, sed plebis contradictione pastor abierit; If the removal of a Minister, be not occasioned by any miscarriage in the Minister, but provoked by the ill carriage of the people: And so it was here: O that I had the cottage of a wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them. Do you ask why? Jeremy will tell you in the words below my text, that his people were so bad, he could not tell how with any comfort to live longer with them. And how bad they were, I had rather you should there read, then I report unto you.

And now I come to the fourth and main point of the Doctrine, to set forth unto you, what those warrantable ends and grounds are, upon which a Minister may leave his people: And here are two things which we shall open unto you.

• 1. [ 1] The lawful ends which must be in a Minister.
• 2. [ 2] The sinful provocations that may be in a people.

1. [ 1] We will inquire what were Jeremy's ends, for which he desired his remoovall into the Wilderness; And his ends I conceive, may be three.

• 1. [ 1] The success of his Ministry.
• 2. [ 2] The safety of his person.
• 3. [ 3] The tranquility of his conscience.

In reference to which, I shall remind you of that threefold acception of this word Wilderness in Scripture, which I mentioned in the opening of the Text. Suitable to Jeremy's threefold end of removal.

1. [ 1] It is taken metaphorically for a rude and untaught people, and Jeremy might hope for better success of his Ministry in such a Wilderness then in Jerusalem.

2. [ 2] It is taken literally, for a place not at all inhabited, and perhaps Jeremy might expect more safety of his person amongst wild beasts, then amongst wicked men.

3. [ 3] It is taken more strictly for a place inhabited, but not sully peopled, and Jeremy's soul vexed with the sins of Jerusalem, he might desire the peace and comfort of it, in some safe and solitary retiredness: O that I had the cottage of a wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.

I shall now overlook these again; and hand you out some few observations from them, and then apply unto the general Doctrine.

The first lawful end in a Ministers removal, is the hopeful success of his Ministry, and for this Jeremy might desire a cottage in the Wilderness of Judea, of Ziph, or of Maon, expecting better success of his Ministry, in such a barren place, then in Jerusalem, which was fruitful in wickedness.

Sancta rusticitas coelesti regno aptior, quam docta malitia, The poor and simple usually give that entertainment unto the Ministry of the Word, which the great and worldly wise do not neglect only, but despise: for worldly greatness thinks it self too great, & fleshly wisdom too wise to be ordered by that which they call, the foolishness of preaching. Therefore hath the Lord chosen the weak and foolish things of the world, to confound the wise and mighty. And Wisdom will tell you, that her preparations are for the simple, and she hath reason for it: Because there is more hope of a fool, then of him that is wise in his own conceit.

When John the Baptist sent his Disciples to know of Christ, Whether he were the Messiah, or whether they should look for another; Christ told them of the Wonders which were done by him: The deaf hear, the blind receive their sight, the dead are raised to life, and amongst other wonders of his Kingdom, he brings in this with (if not above) the rest; The poor receive the Gospel: Our latter English reads it, To the poor is the Gospel preached. But that is no wonder; for to poor and rich the Gospel is preached. But this is the wonder to the scornful world, and indeed a great secret it is of Christ's Kingdom, that the poor receive the Gospel better then the rich.

It was no Paradox to him that said; The Devil hath more a do to win the simple, then the subtle, and the Minister less: Because the worldly wise are sooner enraged by the Ministry of the Word, then won by it: For that the Ministry of the Word crosses with the contentments of the world, and the wisdom of the Spirit bids open war against the wisdom of the flesh; Whereas in the poor and ignorant temptations against the Word being less, the entertainment of it is easier.

To apply a little. I would by the poor and ignorant, [Use 1] provoke the rich and worldly-wise to an holy envy. I do not say, but some mountains may be brought low, and some hills plowed as well as the valleys. Our net as Peters may sometime catch great fishes as well as small, and when great fishes come to our net, and break not through, the labor is not better answered, then the laborer comforted. But where we labor all night and catch nothing, surely neither comfort nor Christ is there.

The labor of our Ministry is greater to lay the foundation, [Use 2] then to make superstructures; But if the labor prove effectual, the comfort is exceeding: for this we need not travail the Deserts of America. There are too many Wildernesses within the borders of our Israel. Congregations which with Zebulon and Naphtali yet sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Should my Brethren enforce themselves with Paul, to preach the Gospel where Christ is not named, they might possibly with Paul find better entertainment amongst the Barbarians at Malta, then proselytes at Jerusalem. I mean amongst those that are humbly ignorant, sooner then those that are conceitedly knowing. And this is now the first end of Jeremy's desire of removal, the hopeful success of his Ministry in the Wilderness; O that I had the cottage of a Wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.

The second end of Jeremy's desired removal, was the safety of his person: and here we take Wilderness for a Desert of wild beasts, and as Jeremy might hope for more comfort of his Ministry amongst a rude and untaught people; so more safety of his person, among wild and savage beasts. You will take it as a very hard saying, but it is more hard and heavy that it should be true, yet too true it is, that

The servants of God have found more security amongst wild beasts, then amongst wicked men.

That decree in Paradise of enmity between the Woman's and the Serpents seed, is both literally and mystically true. The natural seed is not so envious to man, but the supernatural is much more envious to the Christian man. The Woman in the twelfth of the Revelation fled for her security into the Wilderness, and her blessed man-child the Lord Christ was safe in the Wilderness, who suffered in Jerusalem. Daniel found more mercy from the Lions, then from the Babylonians. And the Ravens which of all birds are most envious to man, were more pitiful to the Prophet then man was. Eusebius reports of certain Christians of Tyre in Phoenicia, whose bodies were exposed unto wild beasts, and whilst the beasts by an instinct of reverence abstained from them, they did not yet escape the cruelties of men, more rabid then the beasts.

My Brethren, [Use 1] Let us all take this home, and wonder what we are by nature. The kingdom of Jesus Christ in the 11. of Isa. is set forth by wild beasts changed from the rabidnesse of their natures, and the kingdoms of men in the 7. of Daniel by wild beasts that do continue and exercise their native fierceness: the kingdoms of men will prove little better then the kingdoms of beasts, where the kingdom of Christ is opposed. Homo homini lupus: there is no beast more savage by nature then man is, unless the Kingdom of Christ doth either regenerate or restrain him.

There is much in that, & I desire it may be noted, the holy Scriptures do often tutor the reasonable man by unreasonable beasts; because man being in honor little lower then the Angels, by his fall became worse than beasts: Beasts yielding that obedience to God, and service to man, which men deny both to God and man. Basil of Seleucia not improperly observes, that the beasts before the flood were more tractable to the command of God, and to the ministry of Noah, then the men of the old world were; for they entered into the Ark and were saved, the other refused, and perished.

Let us think how dreadful the day will be, [Use 2] when not only the men of Nineveh, a Wilderness of untaught people, but the Lions of Babylon, a Wilderness of savage Beasts, shall rise up in judgment against the men of this generation, and condemn them; who do most cruelly bite and devour one the other, whilst the beasts of the field are at peace with us.

This is now the second end of Jeremy's desire of removal, the safety of his person, which he would rather venture in the wilderness, then in Jerusalem. O that I had the Cottage of a Wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.

The third end of Jeremy's desired removal, was the tranquility of his conscience, being grieved with the abominations that were in Jerusalem, he desired to retire into the wilderness. How much better is an harmless and homely retiredness, then the merry-madness of ungodly Societies? An Hermits life then a Ruffians? To be always without company, then not to keep good? To dwell in the wilderness, then in the tents of wickedness? You know whose complaint it is, Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Meshek, and to inhabit the tents of Kedar, my soul hath too long dwelt with them that are enemies to peace. And yet I hear him say elsewhere, The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly heritage. Bona terra, mala gens. In regard of the place, so it may be; but in regard of the people, woe is me.

That holy resolution of good old Jacob in Gen. 49. and the sixth, [Use 1] is that which I shall apply for caution against evil Societies, Into their secret let not my soul come, my glory be not thou joined with their Assembly. Or that prayer of David, Psalm 141. verse. 4. Lord let not my soul eat of their delicates. Lots eye was great upon the fat and pleasant valleys of Sodom, but his righteous soul was vexed with the detestable wickedness of the people, and because he did not dislodge himself, the Lord did suddenly fire him out. Est aliquid mali, vicinum esse malo, it is bad to live by bad neighbors. If we fear not an house infected, we should dread an house on fire. The house infected is their sin, the house on fire is their judgment; and in as much as we are partakers of their sins, we shall be partakers of their judgments. Jeremy, to avoid both, desired to retire with safety into the wilderness, rather then to live in Jerusalem with fire over his head: O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness, that I might leave my people and go from them.

I have now done with the ends which might be lawful in the Minister to desire his removal; I come to the provocations which are sinful in the people to enforce his removal. And lawful ends, and sinful provocations joined together, will certainly warrant a Ministers removal.

There are four great provocations wherewith Jeremy doth charge his people.

• 1. [ 1] Their intractablenesse to the ministry of the Word.
• 2. [ 2] Their unmercifulness, in with-holding maintenance.
• 3. [ 3] Their desperate Apostasy.
• 4. [ 4] Their bitter persecution.

Now I charge none with these, but shall show how lawful the removal is where these may be charged.

The first provocation of the people is; their general inflexiblenesse unto good, and intractablenesse under the ministry of the Word. Of this our Prophet complains, Chap. 5. v. 12. That the men of Judah had belied the Lord their God, and accounted the words of his Prophets as wind. And Chap. 8. v. 9. They had rejected the word of the Lord, and there was no understanding left in them.

Now this is a very sad provocation unto a Minister, which may not unjustly occasion his removal, as appeareth by that clause in the Ministers commission, Luke 10. v. 10, 11. Into whatsoever City you enter, and they receive you not, go your ways into the streets of the same, and say, even the very dust of the City which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you.

And according to the tenor of this Commission, Paul and Barnabas shook off the dust of their feet against the unbelieving Jews at Antioch, and told them, It was necessary that the word of God at first should have been spoken unto you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unwrothy of everlasting life; Lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Acts 13. v. 51. and 46. And in Acts 22. v. 18. The Lord charged the Doctor of the Gentiles to make hast, and to get him quickly out of Jerusalem, upon this ground, because, saith be, they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And when Paul had a great desire to stay at Jerusalem, as appears by his reasoning with the Lord, v. 19. and 20. No, saith Christ, do not plead for thy stay, but haste thee to be gone, for I have a purpose to remove thee far hence to the Gentiles, verse. 21. What should God do with such a people with whom his Word can do no good? If they say to God, Depart from us, we will have no knowledge of thy ways, it is time for God to say to his Ministers, Depart from them. Ex ore suo, out of their own mouth will I judge this people, because they would not have the knowledge of my ways, they shall not. And this is now their first provocation, their untractablenesse to the ministry of the Word.

The second provocation in the people is, Their unmercifulness in with-holding maintenance from their Ministers. The Princes of Jerusalem would have starved Jeremy in the Dungeon, if an Aethyopian had not been more pitiful unto him then any Israelite was.

Maintenance is allowed on all sides, that he who waits at the Altar, should live by the Altar. And the Apostle makes it out by divers arguments drawn from Natures laws, and if men would but measure the quotum by half that allowance which they give to one lust, they would be more reasonable in judging what were a competency.

It is a great provocation when people with-draw their affections from their Ministers, and bestow them on those who with-draw their souls from the truth, as those Galatians gave their hearts to such as plucked out their spiritual eyes, who a little before would have splucked out their corporal eyes to have given Paul. But when people also with-draw maintenance the bond of covenant between Minister and people is broken. For though the Covenant be not always expressed, yet it is always implied, that the people, plus multo, should be as careful, and as certain unto the Minister in temporals, as the Minister unto them in spirituals, 1 Cor. 9. v. 11.

The Civil law allows the wife (and if it did not, the law of Nature doth) receiving not victum, livelihood from him to whom she is a helper, to seek alimentum, subsistence elsewhere.

The third provocation in the people is Apostasy, and this Jeremy charges double on Jerusalem, both in worship and in practice: In reference to the one, in the words below my Text, he calls them Adulterers and Adulteresses: In reference to the other, an assembly of evil doers. What adultery is to the Marriage-contract, that is Apostasy to the Gospel-covenant, and no adultery like to the adulterating of the truth and worship of God.

Now Apostasy is a grievous provocation unto the Lord himself to depart from a people. Woe unto them when I shall depart from them, (saith the Lord.) And when is that? When they depart from his truth and worship. And where the Lord goes, the servant goes after; If the Son of Peace abide not in the City, the Ambassadors of peace must depart, and their peace departs with them.

In Heb. 10. v. 38. the Apostle brings in the Lord protesting against Apostates, If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Draw back from what? The former words run thus, The just shall live by faith, and if any man draw back, that is, from faith, either from the doctrine of faith, or from the life of faith, from Gospel Principles, or Gospel Conversation, my soul shall have no pleasure in him: Non erit rectus in anima mea: He shall not stand right in my affection, I shall on no terms approve him: yea the words are a melosis, there is much more implied then is expressed, My soul shall loath and abominate such a person, I will not endure the sight of him in the Congregation. And if this be the case of the Congregation, the Minister may well say, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace. But this must be understood of a people turned back by a perpetual rebellion and de industria, with an heart bent to backsliding, not through infirmity, but by a design.

The fourth provocation is Persecution: And Apostates soon turn persecutors, & solus Apostate persecutor; they usually become the greatest, because they are loath to have that way to be credited, from which they are revolted. Julian that was the most notorious Apostate, became the most bitter Persecutor that ever lived in the Christian Church.

There are two sorts of persecution, which the red Dragon stirs up against godly Ministers, Oris & plagae, Ishmael's and Esau's persecution, Tongue-persecution, and Hand-persecution. When men do not only give out hard speeches, to reproach the Minister and his Doctrine, but do seek out all advantages to entrap his person.

Now the Lord had discovered unto Jeremy the treachery of his people's hearts, though it were not come to blows, chap. 11. v. 18.19. There is more danger of the wolf in the lambs skin, then in his own, and where danger is eminent, it is not only safe, but necessary to avoid it. If the people receive not our testimony, Christ would have us to depart; but if they persecute us, Christ advises us to fly. And in personal persecutions all agree with Augustine that it is lawful to remove, which in general persecutions they question as unlawful.

Athanasius in his Apology to the Emperor, on this ground justifies his departure from Alexandria in the persecution of Constantius, and in the persecution of Jezebel, an hundred of the Lord's Prophets were hid by Obadiah in a cave.

You see now the provocations of the people, which may warrantize their Jeremiah's to depart from them, and to wish for retiring Cottages in the wilderness. O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.

Two uses only I shall make of this point: [Uses.] the one of Examination, the other of Exhortation.

I would desire our English Jerusalem to examine herself, whether she be not parallel to Jeremy's Jerusalem in all these provocations; As,

1. [ 1] Whether there be not a general inflexiblenesse under the Ministry of the Word: yea, how do the Ministers of London prophesy in Sackcloth, under a great contempt and scorn of their Ministry.

The Gospel tells us of a Devil that was too strong for the Apostles to cast one: Every • ust is a Devil, and how many such Devils are there in the hearts of men, which are too strong for Ministers, too strong for Ordinances, too strong for the Apostles themselves, if they were alive. We may sooner destroy our own lives then some men's lusts. They will tell you how many Ministers they have out-lived, and their sins are as long lived as themselves.

2. What unmercifulness towards their Ministers? [ 2] The Devil was somewhat merciful unto Christ, he would not have had him to starve; he would have had him to turn stones into bread. But some less charitable would have their Ministers to live upon stones instead of bread.

It is storied of Calvin in Geneva, because he would not give the Sacrament unto the people in such a superstitious manner as they desired, the people would give him no maintenance. For the very same cause would many Congregations in London either storm or starve their Ministers, or bring them unto Luther's pittance, an Herring a day; and for their aged Ministers, they deal with them, as men do with their Horses when they are worn out, they turn them into bare Commons.

3. [ 3] How is London turned back as the streams of Jordan by an horrible backsliding? What a desperate revolt from the solemn Covenant? What an execrable denial of the sacred Scriptures? Of the Faith of the Lord that bought them? How is the beautiful child of Reformation stifled in the birth, and a monster of shameful Deformation brought forth in the room of it? O tempora! O mores!

Time was when prayer and repentance were held up in the hands of faith, as precious means to maintain Communion with Jesus Christ, and now men pray against their prayers, and repent of their repentings; because some lay too much weight on duties, others have laid them wholly aside.

Time was when London-zeal enkindled against every bracelet & lace of the Scarlet Whore, and now as if the spirit of London were changed into her spirit of fornications, we plead for a toleration of all her forceries. That which once entered as Iron into our souls, but to hear of, now it is accounted a sin to speak against it.

Time was when we did look on errors as the smoke of the bottomless pit, now they are admired as new lights dropt down from heaven. And he is accounted nobody in their Meetings that hath not something of them.

Time was when the Lord's day was a delight unto us: now it is questioned whether it be the Lord's ordinance or man's.

Time was when we saw a beauty in their feet that brought the glad Tidings of Peace: Now Ministers are a burden in their places.

Time was when we fled as Doves unto the holes of the Windowes, and now the ways of Zion complain for want of passengers.

Time was, but time will fail me if I should go on to show what shameful Apostasies are amongst us.

4. [ 4] How is London's, how is England's first love Apostatized into persecutions!

May it not be said of our times in England, as Bernard spake of his times, whose words are quoted by Hugo Cardinalis in his Postills on John; Good Jesus (saith he) it seemeth the whole University of Christian people have conspired against thee, and these are chief persecutors; even so the whole University of England seems to conspire against Jesus Christ, and some which heretofore were great professors, are now become bitter persecutors.

1. As for Ishmael's persecution, [ 1] I think never was more against faithful Ministers, then now is. Men bend their tongues for lies, and the scorners chair is everywhere set up against Moses chair; for the wholesome words they have from us, we have bitter words from them.

Luther was charged for preaching against the Popedom, to be tuba rebellionis, a Trumpet of rebellion. And we for preaching against as great a mystery of iniquity, if not the same, to be Incendiaries of all the troubles that have been in England, and of this second war: If anything go amiss with the people, Aaron must be stoned.

2. As for Esau's persecution, rough hands we find everywhere. [ 2] And though they fall not down right to blows, yet there is malice and treachery enough in their hearts to provoke them. New-England they say, is too good a condition for these roundheaded Ministers, and therefore they resolve, if they can get the day to cut their throats in Old-England: Behold, saith God to Jerusalem: Thou hast spoken and done as evil things as thou couldest. If thou couldst have spoken or done worse, thou wouldest.

We need not (as Ezekiel in Jerusalem ) dignity through the wall of this City, to see the bitterness of some men's spirits, the iniquity of their heels doth sufficiently evidence the treachery of their hearts. They declare their sin as Sodom, and publish it as Absalom in the face of all Israel, and in the sight of this Sun.

Too sadly hath the occasion presented you Jerusalem's parallel in London, and yet spare me one word farther; for, it would be London's happiness if this day we could be brought to give Glory to God in taking shame to ourselves. And oh that London would take up righteous thoughts before God in judging their own condition, the Kingdom you see, is all in blood at this time, if we would fetch blood from our hearts, the Lord might be entreated to stop the issues of blood that are running in the Land. London's provocations are not only parallel to Jerusalem's, but as Jerusalem justified her younger sister Samaria, so hath London her elder sister Jerusalem.

There are six circumstances, wherein Judah's provocations exceeded Israel's.

• 1. [ 1] Because they were acted in a time of reformation. Israel sinned under bad Kings, Judah under good.
• 2. [ 2] Judah sinned against all the examples of Judgment which God had given them by Israel.
• 3. [ 3] Judah rebelled against those special warnings, which God sent them by his Prophets. Though Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah sin.
• 4. [ 4] Judah made more profession, then backsliding Israel did, and the more we appear for God, the worse we are, if we be not that indeed, which we appear to be.
• 5. [ 5] Judah enjoyed more and better ordinances, then Israel did; and the more means of Grace we sin against, the more malice is in our sin.
• 6. [ 6] Judah had made a solemn Covenant unto God, in Josiah time, and sins against Covenants, are not only apostasies, but perjuries.

Now see if all these aggravations be not found in London's provocations.

1. [ 1] Have we not such opportunities of reformation, as the Lord never betrusted England with the like, and will not our posterities even curse the loss of them, which our unnatural divisions have snatched from us. Our fathers had a prize put into their hands, and they regarded it not.

2. [ 2] Have not others Judgments heightened London's security, I mean not Israel's and Judah's in ages past, but Germanies and Ireland's, Kents, and Colchesters present before us. When we see an under-billet on fire, and the second smoking, will not the top be consumed, if the fire be not quenched?

3. [ 3] Hath London wanted warnings, or Watchmen? Hath not the Lord Convened his faithful Watchmen out of all the parts of England, to warn London? Hath not the Lord's voice cried unto the City; Hear ye the Rod, and who hath appointed it? We do hear the Word, and do not feel it, therefore we shall feel the rod, and shall not hear it.

4. [ 4] Whose means, whose mercies have been like unto London's? Oh London, I am sorry for thy great accounts: may it not be said of thee, as of Capernaum; And thou London which hast been lifted up to Heaven? Certainly no City hath been so high in Gospel-privileges as thou hast been. The Lord grant that thy Gospel-unkindnesses do not incur Capernaums curse, no misery so great as that which is provoked by the abuse of Gospel-mercy. Coals taken from between the Cherubims, are coals of Juniper, the fiercest discoveries of God's fiery indignation.

5. Hath not London been eminent in profession above all the parts of the Kingdom? Yea, are not London's revolts even now veiled under profession? Is not truth almost banished under pretence of truth? [ 5] And Religion disgraced under show of Religion? Thus have I been wounded, saith Christ, in the house of my friends.

Turks and Infidels sin singly, they profess themselves Christ's enemies, and they are so, but this is, Duplex, multiplex iniquitas, a complicated compound of iniquity. 1. To injure the Lord Jesus, [ 1] who seeks our eternal welfare. 2. To do it under show of friendship. [ 2] 3. Against knowledge, and against some sense of love, [ 3] for both these must be in profession.

6. Did London, did England, [ 6] did two Nations ever enter into such solemn Covenants? as have been lately not only published in our Cities, but hung up in our Churches as inviolable records of our engagements, and as standing Witnesses against our revolts? And hath not London, hath not England? have not the two Nations sinned, not only against, but with their Covenants? Serving our lusts, and not our God by them?

The Greek word, that signifies Oath or Covenant, is derived from a word which signifies also an hedge or bound; and we have not only broken our hedge, our bound, but even laid it flat to the ground, whereby God's wrath breaks in everywhere upon us, and he is enforced to unsheath his sword again: The avenger of his Covenant.

And now let London lay all these provocations and aggravations together, and see if there be not cause enough, for their Jeremiah's to wish for cottages in the wilderness, that they might leave their people and go from them? Yea, will London be entreated to see, how many faithful Jeremy's have been provoked already to leave the City? who are now retired into their cottages to pray for those to whom their preaching could do no good? And as Solon when Athens was taken by Pisistratus hung up his Spear and Target at the City-gates, with this Protestation; Oh Athens, I have aided thee both in word and deed; so may those faithful Ministers say that have left you; Oh London, we have done what we could to warn thee of thy sins, and of those judgments which are like to follow them.

Shall I have leave to tell you of above forty Churches in this City, that are, or were lately empty, and many more from which godly, grave, and Orthodox Ministers have been forced to remove, through want of maintenance, or through other discouragements?

I would lay before you, but one motive to quicken the bitter sense of this; Even the mischievous consequence of it. And I will give it you in a Scripture instance. You shall read in the 2 of Chronicles the 28. ver. 24. That in Ahaz time in Jerusalem [which is London's parallel] the doors of the Lord's house were shut, and Altars set up in every corner of the City; And what followed? Why, gross apostafie in the people, and shortly after utter desolation of the City. Surely there is no Omen so sad of London's hastening misery, as their unkind provocations of the departure of their godly Ministry.

I need not tell you what followed Noah's entering into the Ark, or Lots departure out of Sodom, or what the Protestants in Queen Mary's days acknowledged, that those Marian -days were the just issues of their disdain of godly Ministers in King Edwards days, but this remember, that the dust of your Ministers departure shall rise up as a testimony against you, and where Christ's Ambassadors of peace are forced to depart, their peace departs with them. The glory of God did not long stay on the City, when once it was departed from the Sanctuary: If the candles are put out, the shops are all shut up; Interpret what that means Isa. 9.19. If the Land be darkened, (and tis darkened with a witness when the Sun of righteousness withdraws his Gospel light) the people shall shortly be for fuel to the fire of God's wrath.

I have yet a word of Counsel to leave behind me, [Use 2] before I go unto my cottage.

And first unto my brother Jeremy, who desires a cottage in the wilderness: I would desire him heedfully to write after his Copy here, to see that he hath lawful ends, and warrantable grounds to leave his people. I need not repeat Jeremy's ends, or his people's provocations again.

Two things only I have in advice from Jeremy in Jerusalem, to Jereremy in England; which I noted in the analysis of the Text.

1. [ 1] That he leave not his people without leave from God.

Nor 2. [ 2] Without love to them.

1. [ 3] Not without leave from God. Jeremy doth not let fall these words at Randum, or in passion, but in dolour of his spirit, as elsewhere he says, he commends his way unto God; Unto thee, O Lord, have I opened my cause. If all men's ways are in God's dispose, his Ministers are all ways. Sometime Paul is ordered to stay at Corinth, when he is willing to remove. Sometime to remove from Jerusalem, when he is willing to stay, always he waits upon the Lord's call, to direct all his ways.

Non omnes possumus esse Caesar's, we cannot all be Assembly men. Some must be Country-men, all cannot live in the Cities; some must go abroad into the Villages. All are not appointed to great places, some unto small; some have their palaces, others their cottages; Wheresoever our lot shall fall, we must see that we have a divine call to warrant our way, and then if we have little, we must be contented; because it is our portion: If we have more, we must be more thankful, because it is above our deservings. Whether we have more or less, we must be both contented and thankful: Because it is God's will. Let our lot fall unto us in a fair ground or a foul, we must both contentedly and thankfully submit our way unto God's dispose; only for more peace and comfort, and for better success of his Ministry, is Jeremy's desire. O that I had the cottage of a wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.

2. As Jeremy would not leave his people without leave from God, [ 2] so not without love to them, although he could receive no love from them; for though he did leave them, yet he will not leave to pray for them, and to pray in tears, and tears in abundance, and that abundance not yet enough to express his love; but he wishes for more in the verse before my Text; O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day & night for the slain of the daughter of my people.

Ministers may preach plausibly, but with Jeremy to mourn in secret is the trial of their sincerity. And for such a people as Jeremy had is a trial indeed. Paul spends and is spent (both in praying and in preaching) though the more he loves, the less he is beloved. How often do we find Moses on his face for the people of Israel, when they by murmuring and mutuning did spit in his face. Stephen we see on his knees for his persecutors, pouring out his prayers and life together.

Can you drink of the Cup that I shall drink of (saith our Savior?) We can. But can you pray also for those that make you drink of it? This we hardly can, yet this we must, if we will be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Disciples indeed. We must pray for those that persecute us: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Pray (you say) But how? Why

1. [ 1] With an intense retiredness, setting yourselves to prayer, making it your business to pray withovt ceasing, as the Church for Peter, Act. 12. And as Samuel for Israel, God forbid that I should cease praying.

2. [ 2] With an intimate compassionatenesse, emptying yourselves in prayer, through a quick and active sense of the people's dangers. My leanness, my leanness, woe is me.

These two intimations we have from those two holy advantages which Jeremy aimed at in his cottage in the wilderness.

The first was an holy retiredness unto prayers and tears, for ver. 1. he wishes his eyes a fountain of tears; [ 1] and in the Text he wishes for some solitary place to pour them out in. It is not enough to pray, but we should pray in tears, and to pray in tears, we should retire ourselves to it as to our work.

Could I here reach my brethren in their Cottages, I would bespeak from them this holy improvement of their retiredness, to pray for those whom they have left, those that are at ease in Zion, that drink their wine in bowles, and forget Joseph in the stocks. It is an happy leisure wherein we are set on work for God, and a blessed sequestration from the world, by which we have more commerce with Heaven.

2. [ 2] Jeremy foreseeing Jerusalem's misery, wishes himself in the wilderness that he might not see it; as good old Cato, hearing of Rome's overthrow, being blind and uncapable to see it, wished himself deaf too, that he might not have heard it.

The miseries of unkind people as they are better discerned, so they are more pitied by good Ministers, then by themselves. The Physician sees more into the danger of the patient, then the patient himself doth, and when the patient desires such things as would kill him, the Physician studies all means to cure him. The watchmen on the walls, see further then those in the City, and though the people do rest secure in their sins, yet they that watch for their souls will not suffer God to be at rest for them. Moses is contending with God for Israel's safety, when Israel was dancing before their Idol, senlesse both of their sin and judgment approaching.

My Brethren, I will only say of Jeremy, as Paul of Abel, being dead yet speaketh, and bespeaketh from you, your dearest affections, and tenderest bowels for the people of God.

O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night, for the slain of the daughter of my people.

And that I might set myself close to this work, and might not see the calamity of my people which I do foresee.

O that I had the cottage of a wayfaring-man in the Wilderness, that I might leave my people, and go from them.

2. My counsels now to London, I shall dispatch; [ 2] And four counsels I desire to leave with you. And O that the Lord God of Heaven, the omnipotent arm of divine grace would effectually set them home this day upon everyone of your hearts, and for Christ his sake I beseech you, for your souls sake, for the safety of this famous City, of the whole Kingdom, yea of three bleeding dying Kingdoms, I beseech you, let my counsels be acceptable unto you, if yet the Lord may be entreated to continue the glory of his Ordinances among you, and to prevent those judgments which seem to be threatened.

1. Keep close unto your holy Covenant, wherein you have most solemnly engaged yourselves to the most high God, for the encouragement of pious Ministers, for the advancement of the power of godliness, and purity of worship, for the purging out of superstition, heresy, and profaneness, and that ye will all endeavor to go one before the other in the example of a real reformation.

When our enemies were mighty, our dangers threatening, and our helps small, how big were our promises? our protestations? our declarations for God, and for his Christ? But as Elisha parlied with his servant concerning that good Shunamite; She hath been careful for us, but what have we done for her? even so, should we put the same question to our hearts concerning God [as it is very fit we all should] what accounts could our souls give herein? That God hath been careful for us in the day of our distress, will be, must be, confessed. But what have we done for him, of all that we have covenanted unto him?

It is very sad to see how that solemn sacred thing is of late made like a picture with divers faces to look according to every man's humor and lust that looks upon it. And on both sides it is used, or rather abused as a stalking horse by those who under pretence of love unto it, do practice the manifest violation of it.

Chrysostom was wont to say, that it was not only the duty but the character of him that was, or would be godly, to be the same in the day of his health and prosperity, which he did promise to be in the day of his distress and calamity. Surely our God is the same to us, our sins may change his providences, but our estates cannot change his love. He is to us a Covenant-keeping God, and exspects that we should be to him, not only a Covenant-making, but a Covenant-keeping people.

My good friends, let us not befool ourselves, (for so we do said one of the wisest among the sons of men) if we think that God will accept promises without payments, Eccles. 5.4. The Preachers counsel is weighty in the 6. ver. of the same Chapter. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, neither say thou before the Angel it was an error, Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice? and destroy the works of thy bands?

There is no sin that we read of in holy Writ, against which divine anger hath more terribly threatened, or more severely executed, then against the sin of Covenant-breaking. I could lay before you the three-years-wasting famine of Judea for Saul's breach of Covenant with the Gibeonites, although but a civil Covenant, and made for many years before. As also the ruthful desolations of Jerusalem for Zedekiahs treachery in breaking Covenant with the King of Babylon. But I shall only desire you to read over and consider well that passage in Jere. 34. from the 15. ver. to the 21. In ver. the 15. the Lord commends the Princes, and the people, that they had entered into the Covenant: You have done that which was right in my sight (saith God) in making a Covenant with me, in the house that is called by my Name. But ver. 16. he charges them with the dishonest breach of it, But ye have turned and polluted my holy Name. See, my Brethren, Covenant-breaking is a polluting of that sacred dreadful Name, which is most solemnly invocated and attested in Covenant-making. But how had they broken Covenant? Why, they proclaimed liberty for God's people, and had done nothing towards it; therefore says God ver. 17. I will also proclaim a liberty for you, even a liberty to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine, and I will make you to be removed into all the Kingdoms of the earth: and ver. 20. I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and their dead bedies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the Heaven, and to the beasts of the earth. And that you may take special notice who they are, that are the marks of this direful wrath, the Spirit of God doth notably point them out unto you, ver. 18. They are the men that have transgressed my Covenant, which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they made before me, when they did cut the Calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof. This was a ceremony used amongst the Jews in maing Covenants, wherein they did tacitly imprecate the holy God, even so to cut them in pieces who did break the Covenant, as they did cut the Calf, and as they did pass between the divided pieces, so the Lord to cause his fiery indignation, to pass between them who divided one from the other in the bond of the holy Covenant.

And now my Brethren, if the most just God be so extremely severe in breach of Covenants between man and man, how think you will he make his jealousy to smoke against those that break Covenant with himself in those things which do most nearly concern his worship, and the glory of his Name.

Methinks I could spend in this subject as much more time as I have already spent, and need indeed requires it, but that I must hasten. I will only bring hither those words which our Savior in another sense useth; Let him which is in the field not turn back to take up his clothes; so say I to him that is in the City, if you were to loose your clothes from your backs, do not turn back from the holy Covenant.

My second Counsel is this; Take heed of apostatizing from any known experimental truths of Jesus Christ, this enters as iron into the souls of your godly Ministers to see those whom they have looked upon as their spiritual seed, and travail of their souls, to recede from that form of wholesome words they had received, to see them suck the blood of Dragons, whom they had so carefully nursed up at the breasts of consolation, and to have their affections stolen away from them, and from Jesus Christ too, by those, who never spent a breath towards their spiritual birth.

And as there cannot be a greater heart-breaking unto Ministers, so neither can Religion receive a deeper wound any way then by the Apostasy of professors, we are an hissing, not only to Gath and Askelon, to the proud scoffing world, but even to Judah and Ephraim, to all the reformed Churches of Christendom, to see how deeply, how suddenly London, England, have corrupted themselves.

In the beginning of this Parliament we admired to see how England was turned Arminian, and how near it was got of a sudden unto Rome, we have now more cause to wonder, how Rome is come into England, and how England is turned Libertine, Pelagian, Socinian, Antinomian, Antiscriptarian, Antitrinitarian; yea it hath had so many turnings, as that turning unto Christ by repentance and humiliation, is now turned out of doors, and thrown aside as an old dotage of legal servitude, we know not whether the tyranny of Bishops, or treachery of seducers, have done London, England, most hurt: for the one kept from us the power of godliness, the other hath beguiled us even of the form of it.

Shall I tell you (and with reverence I would) that our apostasy from God, hath caused God even to apostatize from us. I speak in the same sense, as God speaks of himself that he repents and is sorry for what he hath done. God was in a very fair way to have reformed England, he had cast us in, as rich advantages, as ever any Nation or age was betrusted with. He had awaked the zeal of all his faithful ones in three Kingdoms; he had contributed the counsels of divers reformed Churches; he had broken the strength of all opposers, and because we have apostatized from our former zeal, God hath also turned back from his; Divine Justice holds proportion with our sin, because we have said, the time of reformation is not yet come; God hath stepped aside from us, and said, well, if you let go this, you shall never have such a time more.

Those that observe the Story of the Eastern Churches, do allege this as the great provocation of God's wrath to bring upon them the blasphemous doctrine of Mahomet, because they rejected the wholesome truths of the Gospel. When once we begin to nauseate at old truths, and (as flies about a Candle) to play about new lights, it is a thousand to one but we singe our wings, if we burn not ourselves, before we get off.

The least backsliding is in attendancy to total and final apostasy, and when we once look back, we have no more power to turn about again, then Lots wife, who was instantly made a monument of her own revolt.

I will close this with that of the Apostle, Heb. 3.12. Take heed brethren, least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God: This evil heart reigns in some, dwells in the best, it is the mother of all sin, but apostafie is its primogenite, this begins in contempt of Ordinances; for such is the departing here, a farsaking of the holy Assemblies, as elsewhere the Apostle doth interpret himself, and this he calls a departing from the living God, because God in every Ordinance might be enjoyed where there is faith to bring him home; now this God lives to take vengeance on all those that depart from him, therefore take heed how ye provoke this living God, by despising his Ordinances, and discouraging his Ministers, and so departing from him in the law of his Gospel-worship. This is the second Counsel.

My third Counsel is that of the 32. Canon of the Council of Towers: Let all men study peace, but especially Christians. Christians if there be anything of Christ's Spirit in you, lay aside that gall and wormwood, that bitterness of spirit and heat of contentions that is in the midst of you. Whatsoever differences there are between you in things disputable, yet let unity be preserved in things fundamental; nothing makes your Ministers lives more uncomfortable amongst you, or their Ministry more ineffectual, nothing so much disgraces Religion, or obstructs the beautiful birth of reformation, then the unhappy discords of those who are accounted godly in your Congregations.

I do not plead for Baal, that there should be any agreement with Rome in those superstitious Ceremonies or corrupt doctrines which are happily exploded our Assemblies. No; such compliance would prove England's undoing: as our Ecclesiastical History well observes, That, that Bulla consensus, agreement which the Greek Church made with the Church of Rome in their opinions, was an evil presage of the utter ruin of the Oriental Empire, and of that famous City of Constantinople, which immediately followed thereupon: But as it is reported of Polycarpus and Amicetus, howsoever they differed in their opinions about some things, and could not be reconciled, yet they kept fast the bond of Christian fellowship in the faith of Jesus. Even so (my Brethren) let us as many as love Jerusalem's peace lay aside our differences in smaller matters, and study how to preserve our unity in the main; Follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Rom. 14.19. Let us therefore follow faith the Apostle; he had laid the foundation of his exhortation in two arguments foregoing.

• 1. That sound Religion consists not in disputable Questions, [ 1] but in Gospel-fruits.
• 2. That the edifying and not the disputing Christian, [ 2] is he that is acceptable to God, and approved of men, ver. 17, 18.

It is said of Basil the great, that in those differences between Eusebius and him, he overcame him by courtefie, and humanity. O that we also could strive in love and humility, to go one before the other, and to overcome our differences, not by bitter disputes, but by an humble condescension. Methinks we should not own ourselves to be Christ's Disciples, and to have learned nothing of that prime lesson of his, wherein he gives us both his counsel and example; Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.

As long as the professors of the true faith in Constantinople (howsoever differing in points of Discipline) held love and fellowship together in substantials of doctrine and worship, so long they became a fence unto their City against the public enemy: But when once they brake asunder in unkindly divisions, and shortly after lost both truth and worship, both parties became a spoil to those that hated them.

The like unhappy Story we find of Jerusalem, when those two Christian Governors Guido and Raimundo, with their parties contended amongst themselves, they gave occasion to the common adversary to come in, and take from them both, not only the City, but the Gospel to boot. I believe you do not forget what lately I delivered unto you upon another subject, That there is a generation of Canaanites and Perezites amongst us, that do wait for the opportunity of Abram's and Lots divisions, to break in upon us, and to spoil us of all our Gospel-privileges and liberties. Methinks if anything would prevail with us, nothing should more enforce us to agreement then this mischief which is like to follow our disagreement; we shall both sides become a prey to those that malign us.

I will here only leave with you those three testamentall lessons which Bernard left at his death with those that were about him.

• 1. [ 1] That they should offend no man.
• 2. [ 2] That they should give less credit to their own opinion.
• 3. [ 3] That they should not be vindictive, nor desirous of revenge for wrongs done unto themselves. O that I had the pen of a Diamond to engrave these lessons upon your hearts. The necessity of these times doth loudly bespeak them of us.

I have yet one Counsel more, and I have done.

Love, and cherish, and maintain, your godly Ministers still, though they are Stars in Christ's right hand, yet they are Lamps in yours, 〈…〉 . If you disgrace the Throne of Christ's Glory in a way of looseness, Christ will disgrace it in a way of Justice. If you say in the pride of your hearts, as those wretched Citizens in the Gospel, We will not have this man to rule over us, take heed least the Lord Christ take you at your words, as he did those Jews, who cried out, His blood be upon us, and upon our children. And his blood is upon them, and upon their children to this day. If you say in scorn, We will not have that Government you call Christ's, Christ may say in vengeance, Well, you shall not: my Ministers shall no longer trouble you, mine Ordinances shall be no longer a burden unto you, I will take care to remove my Kingdom from you, and to bestow it upon a people that may better prize it, and improve it.

Cambden could not reach his conceit, who boar in his Shield a Savage of America, with his hand pointing to the Sun, and this Motto; Mihi accessu, tibi recessu, In access to me, in recesse to thee. I know not whether I may hit his conceit, but this I am sure, the Sun of righteousness hath appeared unto those Savages of America, with healling in his wings, they are many of them brought unto civility, hopeful to Christianity.

I pray God that Prophecy in Isa. 32. ver. 15. Be not fulfilled between them and us: The wilderness shall become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be counted as a forest. It hath been once fulfilled between the Jews and us that were Gentiles; may it never be again accomplished between the Gentiles and us that are Christians, That their wilderness should become a fruitful field, and our fruitful field should be counted as a forest.

I have done; England of all parts of the Christian world, and London of all parts of England, have been famous for their reverence and bounty unto their Ministers; Shall I say, How is the faithful City, the faithful Kingdom, become an Harlot; rather I would say, and I have said all, Let England, let London remember their first love, and do their first works.