DOCTRINE. Yhat Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd of the sheep.

He is frequently so stiled: Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd. Psalm 80. 1. Give ear O Shepherd of Israel, Ezek. 34. 23. I will set over them one Shep­herd, i. e. one great Shepherd, John 10. 14, 16. 1 Pet. 2. 25. the Shepherd and the Bishop of our Souls. 1 Pet. 5. 4. Yhe chief Shepherd: and in the Text the great Shepherd: Which holds forth to us, that Christ hath a Fold, that he is to those as the Shepherd to his sheep : that Christ hath more interest in his flock and people, then any, then all Gospel Ministers have. It is true they are Shepherds, but he is the great Shepherd. The Prophets, Apostles, Ministers, Pastors are Shepherds; but they are all under Christ. So that what ever is the work, or may be the care of a Shepherd over his flock, or a [Page 6] Minister for his people, the same more eminently is the work and care of Christ over, and for his people; which prin­cipally consists,

1. In gathering together, and keep­ing his Sheep, Jer. 31. 10. I will gather him and keep him, as a Shepherd doth his flock. Amos 3. 12. As the Shepherd takes out of the mouth of the Lion the two leggs and a peice of the ear: so will this Shepherd pull his sheep out of the Lions Jaws; they shall not be devoured, Ezek. 34. 22.

2. In nourishing and feeding his sheep, Ezek. 34. 10, 11, 12. He will make them lye down in fat pastures. And though men would famish his sheep, and cut them short, and separate the Shepherds from them, which feed them with knowledge, and open to them the pure Gospel of Christ : yet he will keep them alive in famine, and save their souls from dearth. It is all one with this great Shepheard to feed with means, or without means; with or with­out, Gods people shall be fed and nou­rished.

[Page 7] 3. In giving life to the sheep, John 10. 28. 10. I am come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. Inferiour Shepherds can give you but meat and food, but the great Shepherd gives life also.

DOCTRINE 2. That the great Shepherd was dead for a time.

This is the second Doctrine. To prove the death of Christ by many Scriptures and Arguments is needless, it being an Article of our faith : yet consult with these few texts, Zac 13. 7. Awake my sword against my Shepherd. Matth. 26. 31. Rev. 1. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead. That Christ was dead but for a time, is an Article of our faith also: The third day he rose again from the dead: it was no long time that the grave did hold him.

You may ask me, What became of the sheep when the Shepherd was dead? You may see in John 17. 11. I am no more in the world, but these are in the world; holy Father, keep them through thy own name, those whom thou hast given me: He delivers them up to his Father, and God undertakes the keeping of them, [Page 10] and the sheep were safe continually, till the Lord brought back from the dead the great Shepherd; Christ left them in safe hands: he had more re­gard to his sheep then to himself; he suffered himself to fall into the hands of bloody and malitious men, but he preserved his sheep: he promised them that he would not leave them comfortless; but he would come to them.

DOCTRINE 3. That the God of peace by his mighty power did bring back from the dead, the Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep.

The Scripture is full of Testimonies of Christs Resurrection; the women that wailed at the grave early to see what became of him, had this Answer from the Angel: He is not here, for he is risen; Come see the place where the Lord [Page 15] lay, Matth. 28. 6. Peter assures us of it, with the rest of the Apostles, Acts 5 29, 30. Acts 2. 23, 24. It was not possible that he should be held of the grave.

And also the Scripture is full of Te­stimonies that Christ was raised up by the mighty power of God, Acts 3. 15. Acts 4. 10. Rev. 11. Gal. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 21. These texts hold forth that Christ was raised up by the mighty power of God.

2. Why did God raise again from the dead the Lord Jesus?

1. To make way for his further use­fulness for his people. As he by his death, had purchased, so by his Resur­rection he was made capable of inter­ceding for his flock, and of sending the Holy Ghost, and comforting them with his presence in heaven : for Christs glorious presence is not the least of the glory of heaven: The Lamb is said to be the light thereof.

2. To fulfill all the Types and Pro­phecies that went before of him. David prophecied of him, that God would not [Page 16] leave his soul in hell, nor suffer his holy one to corrupt in the grave. Jonah lay three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly, to Typifie the death and resurrection of Christ.

3. To make way for Christs further Glorification. Had he lain under the power of death, he could not have pos­sessed the fulness of his deserved glory: the soul might have been perfectly hap­py, but whole Christ could not be hap­py, had he lain in the grave. And it was meet that as the body was in hun­ger, thirst, cold, and did suffer much disgrace in the work of mans redemp­tion, so it should be glorified with a most transcendent glory.

We shall not meddle with that que­stion now, whether God intended more the glory of the person of the Media­tour, or the salvation of the elect, in his raising him up. We are sure that Christs person shall excell in glo­ry, and be as the brightest starr in the firmament of heaven, John 17. and John 12.

[Page 17] 4. To confirm and strengthen our saith. For if Christ had not risen, our faith had been vain, 1 Cor. 15. The Heathens were wont to reproach the Christians for believing in a dead Christ; but they have a living Christ to trust in: for he that was dead is alive again, and lives for evermore, yea lives to make intercession for them, Heb. 7. 25.

5. That he might be the first fruits of them that sleep, 1 Cor. 15. whose re­surrection is an evidence unto his peo­ple, that they that now sleep, or shall fall asleep in him, shall one day be brought back again from death to life, and feel the power of his Resurrection raising them above death and the grave, to rest with him in life and glory, 1 Thes. 4. 14, 15.

Let us inferr, That if it please God, and it be agreeable to his will, he that brought back the great Shepherd of sheep, can bring back the dead Shep­herds of England from their Civil death.

[Page 18] You know beloved, the Spiritual Fa­thers of many Congregations are dead this day : and the houses are full of mourning: Some weeping in one cor­ner, some in another; one child in one chamber, another in another; and I see your eyes are full also: Oh let this dry up the tears that fall; God can if he will, bring back from death your Shepherds again! When Martha and Mary were weeping over their dead brother Lazarus, the Lord raised him up again : He hath the same hands, power, and skill: He kills and he makes alive again.

Object You may say it is unlikely that ever they should live again.

Answ. So thought Martha and Mary when Lazarus had been dead four dayes and laid in his grave, John 11. It was unlikely also that ever Jesus Christ should rise again: the Soldiers seal his sepulchre, roul upon him a mighty stone, watch him, make him as sure as they could, Mattth. 27. 66. read the place: yet notwithstanding all, he [Page 19] rose again. The two Witnesses were barbarously used, read Revelations ch▪ 11. yet when the spirit of life from God en­tered into them, they stood upon their feet, ver. 11.

These things God hath done, and this thing he can do: but what God will do, I am not certain. Yet I conjecture that the Shepherds of England shall be dead but for a time : God will bring them back again from death; for Christ hath told us, That no man lighteth a Candle to set it under a bushel, but to give light to the whole house. And do you think that God who hath lighted so many Candles, that have and may be usefull to enlighten his house, will he set them under bushels? Shall so much pretious light be lost for ever? so ma­ny pretious gifts bestowed in vain? such gold rust, and so many fruitfull trees lye under that curse, Never more fruit grow on these trees? it cannot be: Shall God bring to the birth, and not bring forth? It is true indeed God did punish an Aegypt that would not let his [Page 20] people go, with some dayes of darkness, and so he may and doth punish his peo­ple with the loss of light, that will not let their iniquities go; he sends a famine, not of bread, but of the word of God; and makes his people travel from sea to sea; but these judgements are not ordinary, nor long lasting, but revocable upon humiliation and repen­tance (unless God intends to re­move his Gospel utterly from them) shall he that hath commanded to send Labourers in his vineyard, take so ma­ny out at once, and suffer them to be kept out? especially when they have a desire to work and hate to be idle, and the vineyard desires them so much, and needs them much more : But Christ is the great Shepherd of the sheep; he putteth down one, and setteth up ano­ther, whom he will; and when he will.

However it please the Lord to deal with us for the future, it hath pleased the Rulers of this Land by an Act of Parliament to disable all Ministers of [Page 21] the Gospel, that after this day shall not conform to certain things; most of which we have had time sufficient to consider of. And I for my own part have not been wanting in prayer to my God for his direction in reading the Books written on both sides, in conversing with the intelligent to find out what my duty is. I have con­cluded upon nothing rashly, but with much deliberation: I did not set the examples of men before me, nor drew any resolution from their pra­ctice: And if more had conformed then do, I should have stood in the same judgement. And I seriously pro­fess, that one of those that stand off in these parts, weighs more with me, then ten of the Conformists. The gain or loss of the world hath been nothing in my eye: I have had no thoughts of what I shall eat, what I shall drink, or what I shall put on; but I have impar­tially studied the truth, and the rules by which our wayes and actions must be guided. And upon all this I do [Page 22] most cleerly see, that it is not my du­ty, but it would be sin for me to close with the things that are proposed and enjoyned. To give you my reasons, is not safe for me, nor profitable for you : The new Liturgy I have not seen, and therefore will neither approve it, or disallow it; lest I be one of those that speak evil of that which I under­stand not. And though perhaps it is so composed, that I may or can assent to the greatest part of it : yet if I and my brethren assent not, and consent not unfeignedly to it all, we must speak an untruth, and against our consciences and knowledge in the face of a Con­gregation, where God is present, and his Saints, and where we must speak as Gods Oracles, and no more then we are confident our Lord and Master Christ would speak; or else we must refuse it altogether. And indeed let it be how or what it will, whether it be through my weakness and Ignorance, I could not pass my unfeigned assent and consent to any book (as I remem­ber) [Page 23] that ever I read of that bulk, excepr the Bible: and how I should to this, I cannot imagine, sith the old one hath so much said against it, and this (as its said) is not much different from it.

And although I know it is determi­ned by our Rulers that I shall preach the Gospel no more, and that I must leave the most honourable, sweet and most desirable work in the world, the solemn publick service of God in be­ing his mouth unto his people; And although I must leave a people whom I dearly love, and am perswaded of their abundant love to me, whose ser­vice in the Lord I love above all people, and have refused much of the world to dwell with them; Yet I say with Paul, That God needeth not my lye for his glory: He hath not put me upon a necessity of sinning to do him service. But the Apostle hath told us, that that mans damnation slumbereth not that saith he must do evil that good may come thereby.

[Page 24] It is true, many people say that they are but small things that are imposed, & indifferent things, and trifles, and won­der at us, that so many Ministers will leave their places, and cease preaching of the Gospel for such things as these, that any man may do and not scruple; and many good men do yield unto and keep their places.

To all this I say, God hath not taught me to call or account any sin small; it is in its nature damnable, an offence unto an infinite Majesty, a pro­vocation of his wrath to break the least of Gods Laws, or slight the smallest of his commands.

2. I say they are not small to me, and I am confident they will not be small things to our conforming Brethren in the day of Christ, however they seem now. They are not small neither to such as are in bitterness and trouble for what they have done. Oh that you could perswade the afflicted, tormented souls of wounded men, that they are very small things!

[Page 25] If we that refuse thought them small, would we lose our livelyhood in the world for them? Have we not love to our selves, our Wives and Children? Do we not desire to live as comfortable as other men? Some say it is through an humour that we refuse: A strange hu­mour that will make men lose 50. l. or 100. or 200. l. per annum. How ma­ny Ministers are there that have many children, and little provision made for them (but what is in the promise) that cannot yield, but lose all ! let not the world for shame call these men co­vetous any more. Nay do you think that we would cease preaching the Go­spel, that delightfull work of God, if they were such small things as some would make them? Hath not God given us ability, assistance and success? Are not ye (many of you) our glory and Crown (if you stand fast)? Why should we lose and leave the best em­ployment upon earth? There is no­thing but the fear of sin that could ever cause us thus voluntarily to de­part [Page 26] out of the Lords Vineyard.

3. What others do, is no rule to me; I judge not their parts or piety: I have seen some of their Reasons, and have weighed them in the ballance, and find them too light to bring me up to them. We know what Ministers did in King Edward the sixths dayes, and what the same men did in Queen Maries dayes, and what the same men did again in Queen Elizabeths dayes. Because Peter denyed his Master under a temptation, and afterwards Judaized through dissi­mulation, the wayes of Apostacy and deceit are not the better, because so great an Apostle was found in them. But I will not dispute the case; God will be judge himself shortly. Judge nothing before the time.

As for you my de [...]rly beloved in the Lord, by the cost and care of my Pa­rents I was brought up for the Mini­stry; and by the providence of God I was designed for you. In this Town I had part of my Education, and there­fore here I was the more willing to [Page 27] imploy my Talent. It was not wages that I sought for, or that drew me hi­ther, but work and labour; not yours, but you. Many thought my time would not have been so long with you, but I thought if God had spared life, it should not have been so short. Had I hearkened to Calls for greater preferment, and accepted them, I had not been here to take my leave now: but I had amongst you that which pleased me most; and as the hopes of it invited me to sit down with you, so it provoked me to stay with you, even the success of my Ministry in the converting and conso­lating of your souls. But now my Sun is gone down at noon, and I am divided from you in the best of my dayes, before the grey hairs have come upon me. As you were contented to sit under my Ministry in my tender years, had it pleased the Lord, you should have had the benefit of my riper studies: But our Times are in Gods hand, and he metes us out the work and places where we must be. [Page 28] By this sad parting, it too plainly ap­pears, that I have been an unprofitable Preacher to you, and you unprofitable Hearers: and Oh that we might joyn in one solemn day, to humble our selves both for the sins of my Preaching, and you for the sins of your hearing; but it is now too late. I will crave leave to speak a word in my behalf: I know not what aspersions may be cast upon me, as there have been; as to my design amongst you in my work, God is my record, that I aim­ed at nothing but the Conversion, San­ctification and Salvation of your souls: I was glad when I heard of any of you that were willing to leave your sins, and to set upon duty; and I could no further delight in you, then I saw you delight in God and his wayes. My Ministry was not with the affected words of mans wisdom: I never de­l [...]ghted to speak a word which I thought the meanest in the Assembly could not understand. I studied not for a name or a praise, one hour in my Ministry, but how the truth might be made more fit [Page 29] for you. And blessed be the God of our mercies, our labour hath not been alto­gether in vain in the Lord. When I came hither, I found many in Christ, some of which have continued with me on earth a support, encouragement and comfort to me to this very day: some of them are in glory with Christ. Others there were that were strangers to Christ at my coming, but since have subscribed with their hand, and set to their seal to be the Lords. Yet of these some have continued upright, others have turned aside to sin and folly, broke their reso­lutions made again and again, and have not performed their vows; but they that sate at the table with me have lift up their hand against me, and sit in the seat of drunkards and scorners; and it is to be feared will be found persecutors of those that are good, and grow worse and worse, and not only leave, but lose their first love: and if they persevere, they will be ranked amongst Christs enemies at the last. Oh that this might be an awakening word to them this day, [Page 30] and that God would turn their hearts once again, once again to his holy wayes, and keep them therein to the end, that they may be a comfort to me, and not a terrour to themselves at the dreadfull day!

There are another sort that I found wicked, and I fear so must leave them, on whom the powerfull word hath had no power, but to this day are sinfull, disobedient, following divers lusts, and hardning their hearts in the wayes of death, refuse the terms, the means, and the Lord of life.

And now my beloved, having given you an account of my life with you, and my death approaching, my glass have­ing a few more sands in it, I must proceed to my dying words, and they shall be in twenty Directions for your practice of godliness, and twenty re­quests I shall make to you in the be­half of God and your everlasting souls. And I beseech you if you will do any thing for my sake, or will regard the voyce, the words, the last words (for [Page 31] all I know) of your tender and hear­ty friend, hear and obey my words as follow.

1. Some of you are Magistrates, and act in a larger sphere then others: Be­have your selves beseeming the place you are put in; you sit in the Seat of God, and you must judge for him. O sit not in the seat of Drunkards and Scorners of God, his wayes, and peo­ple; as your trust is greater then others, so will your account be. If you sin now, you doubly sin, and be sure your sin will find you out. Some of you are lately put in the places of men of pru­dence, piety, and zeal for God, that were not the off-spring of Sequestra­tions, or the issues of divided parties, but chosen into the company for their real worth, and personal abilities to serve the Town. And such they are which have given you demonstrations of Justice running down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. They left you a Town well ordered, where prophaness seeks corners, and [Page 32] impiety dare not shew its head; it hath been a shame and reproach for a drun­kard to reel, or a Sabbath-breaker to appear in the light. The mouths of swearers have been stopped, and the horn of the ungodly durst not lift up it self. It is not for their impiety that they are laid aside, or unmeetness to rule, but through their own dissatisfa­ction; and you that inherit their trust (through favour) inherit their graces, diligence, and upright lives, that we may hereafter say of you, as we can of them, You left the place better then you found it. Love not sin in your selves, for then you will not punish it in others : put not such in your bosoms, against whom you must draw the Sword: Let not the enemies of holi­ness be your friends and favourites, least you spare Agag when God sayes kill.

2. Endeavour to settle with you a Preacher after Gods own heart, that will endeavour to please God and not man. Prayers without Preaching will [Page 33] not save the ignorant and carnal that are yet amongst you; those that God hath joyned let them not be separated: we read more of the Apostles preach­ing, exhorting, warning the people then we do of their praying with them. Paul did desire that utterance might be given him, not to read a few prayers again and again, but that he might open his mouth boldly to make known the my­stery of the Gospel, Ephes. 6. 19. Col. 4. 3, 4. he tells us, that he was not sent to baptize, but to preach; that is especially, principally to preach the Gospel as his main and only work; and by the foolish­ness of preaching God saveth such as be­lieve; and he chargeth Timothy in a most solemn and dreadful manner be­fore God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and dead at his coming, to preach the word, to be instant in season and out of season, to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering & doctrine. When I read all the texts that enjoyn preaching, and frequent preaching of the Gospel, and see the practice of Paul, [Page 34] how at all times he was ready to preach, Rom. 1. 15. whereever he came, and how he strove to preach the Gospel where he could get in and had liberty to do it. Rom. 15. 20 and how he travel­led up and down to preach, 2 Cor. 2. 12. & 2 Cor. 10. 14. yea though he had weak­ness upon him, and infirmities in his flesh, Gal 4. 13. All these things make me conclude that it is an excellent work, and the work of a Minister, and not to be neglected where we can have freedom on honest terms. And I won­der that men can content themselves with a Reader only; or that any that are called to this work can satisfie consci­ence with reading a form only to the people, and slight or preach against preaching. God hath vouchsafed a preaching Ministry to your Fathers and you at least sixty years. Oh continue it still and take care of your choice! A dead ministry is as good as none, and an unpreaching Preacher is little better : I mean such as preach well but live ill, that look towards heaven and row to­wards [Page 35] hell. Most people desire a Preach­er like themselves; but do you seek for one better then your selves; you must (some of you) mend a great deal before you make the most holy and best men, and a great deal more before you can be the best Magistrates, and therefore for your selves you need a good, yea the best Minister. How much better was Joas for Jehoiadah? it is but a little time and God will ask you how you came by your places, and how you used your power; I wish you may give a good ac­count of both.

3. As you are professors of Christi­anity, both Magistrates and people, have I pray you a special care of the honour of God in the Town : God hath been honoured many years in this place: god­liness was eminently befriended, so that the Town was eminently hated and greatly beloved for its sake; the godly far and near loved it; the wicked hated it and often threatned its ruine. Oh let the honour of God be dear to you all. Let not sensuality, fleshly walking, re­vellings, [Page 36] chamberings and wantonness, and all those luxuriances of the carnal part be found amongst you which are so contrary to the glory of God. Remem­ber God saith, I will honour them that honour me, 1 Sam. 2. 30. and those that set light by God shall be despised, Mat. 22. Whether ye eat or drink, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10. make this your end and aim in all undertak­ings. Answer the temptation of Satan to pride, lust, envy, gluttony, drunken­ness, and flesh pleasing, with this question, Is this to the glory of God? what will be the issue, the end of this action? will it redound to the glory of Christ? how near would earth come to heaven, and what a glorious resembrance would there be of the heavenly host of Saints and Angels by the sons of mortals on the earth, if all they did were done to Gods honour! its these base ends of pleasure, profit, credit, ease, earthly ap­plause, and honour that men prosecute on earth, which makes this world so like the suburbs of hell, and turns so many [Page 37] thousands into hell, Psalm 9. For the wicked shall be turned into hell and all the people that forget God; that is, to glorifie, honour, exalt God. Oh that you would observe this, and all agree in aiming at, and intending his honour, and all of you would resolve never wickedly to sin more in Sabbath breaking, swearing, lest we dishonour God and cast con­tempt upon the dreadful Name of the Lord our God.

4. My next direction is, Endeavour to do the will of God and not your own; live over your prayer, thy will be done; selfishness is a great sin, and self is no­where stronger then in the will; when a man will have his own will, God and his Laws are set in defiance; wilfulness is the broadest, plainest way to self-de­struction. If we should ask, Why is the world so wicked? it is because they are wilfull, and they will have their own wills. And why are so many thousands damned? Because they followed their own wills, and would have their own wayes, and they could never be reduced [Page 38] to the will of God, nor conquer the powers of their souls, nor their earthly members to submit unto, and close with the will of God, but they made Idols of their own wills, and then their own wills made them a worship and service of the jealous God which he abomi­nated; and their wills chose them out wayes which were cross to Gods ways: And hence their perdition arose, as you read of the Jews, their wills choosed their own wayes, then was war in the gates; and God tells them, Oh Israel, thy perdition is of thy self, thou hast destroyed thy self; take heed of this wilfull refusing of the will of God, and following of your own.

5. Take heed of embracing damna­ble errors, the things that God hath witnessed against, especially take heed of Popery; Antichrist must down, and Babylon must fall, though all the Kings of the earth labour to uphold them; and that the Pope is the Antichrist, and Rome Babylon, there is more said for it then can be said against it. Save thy self [Page 39] oh Zion from those that dwell in Babylon; partake not of their sins, lest you partake of their plagues: the Beast and the false Pro­phet must be tormented with endless fire; they have shed so much of the blood of the Saints that they must have blood to drink, of which they are worthy. You may safe­ly lay down your lives for refusing Po­pery; one of the late Prelates of this land hath left it on record, that there is no peace with Rome; Bishop Hall.

6. Beware of a league with sinners; let your companions be such as fear the Lord; will you live in the bosome of those that must be in hell for ever, such as will be enticing and drawing you from that which is good and into sin? wicked companions have been the bane of many thousand souls; you have choice enough; there are many pretious belie­vers amongst you of all sorts, old and young, rich and poor; get into their ac­quaintance and fellowship; as a man is, so will his society be; if sinners entice, consent not. Joseph himself was cor­rupted in dwelling in the house of Pha­roah: [Page 40] it is good breathing in a whole­some aire.

7. Let not any sin raign or quietly dwell in you; you may with less dan­ger to your everlasting estate lie in a fire, or dwell in an ocean of water, then lie and abide in sin; and yet no man will stay in a flame one hour, or lie in a river or pond. Oh but how long will men lie in the bed of sin, and suffer sin to lie in them! even till death dissolves the frame, and separates the soul from the flesh, and both body and soul from God. Believe it Sirs, sin is as bad and as full of evil as ever you heard it to be from the mouth of God or man; do not lie in it till you feel it; let not feeling make you believers, but fetch faith from the un­doubted Word of God : You wonder why Ministers make such an out cry against sin, why it is dayly their work to cry it down; you wonder why men are so precise to stand at such a distance from the appearance of evil, the shadow of sin. Oh what nice men are those with you that cannot swear with you, [Page 41] and subscribe to the Ceremonies, and drink your healths. Oh Sirs, did you know the evil of sin, the poyson that is in the smallest cup, the venom that is in the least drop, you would keep at the same or a greater distance from it then others do. You that would not let a blemish be in your faces, a small disease in your hearts : Oh why will you let a sin lye in your souls, a sin that will damn you, and shame you be­fore God and the world, and be a tor­ment to think of it to all eternity! Oh that I might be so happy with Sampson to kill more of these Philistines at the day of my death, then in all my life.

8. Let not the world and the things of the world be too precious in your eyes. Believe that there is not that worth in it, that its pleasures and pro­fits tempt you to think there is. It is a portion that the Reprobate hath, and sometime that the Elect do want. You have many more precious things to look after, love and delight in; a pre­cious God, a precious Christ, and a ho­ly [Page 42] Spirit, precious Truth, and a preci­ous Soul, and Heaven. The world weighs nothing when it is laid in the ballance with any, with either of these Oh lose not either of these for the gaining of this base world: having food and rayment, be content wit [...] things convenient; if God give you more, use them for his glory, and your neighbours wealth.

9. Obey your King, not for wrath, but for Conscience sake: If he impose Taxes, murmur not at them. Tribute saith Paul, must be paid to whom Tribute is due, Fear to whom Fear, Honour to whom Honour. Protection is a greater mer­cy then we can value : How much would many people give for such a de­fence as we have [...]et upon all our glo­ry, and such quiet habitations! our lives and goods are not prostituted to the envious, but confirmed by Acts of Par­liament. Fear God and the King, and foll [...]w not them that are given to change.

And so obey all in their places that are under him; in their places I say, [Page 43] and in the things wherein they have power: The meanest Officer must not be contemned, nor resisted doing his Office: He that resists, resists an Ordinance of God, Rom. 13. But still know that none have power against God; to set up an Altar against Gods Altar. The Church hath power to de­clare Christs Laws already made, and see them executed, and that the things of Christ be managed decently and in order, i. e orderly without confusion: in Modes and things Circumstantial they may determine as to time, place, &c. and we must obey. But say the Leyden Divines. Syn. Pur. Theol. Disp. 35. Ab omni traditionum humanarum jugo liberas habemus Conscientias, cum solius Dei sit res ad Religionem perti­nentes praescribere. If any thing be en­joyned that you cannot yield to, sub­mit your selves to suffer patiently what shall be laid upon you. When you see it is your duty (non obedire) not to act and practise, there you must not nolle obedire, or superbe repugnare; there's [Page 44] a great deal of difference between a mans not being able to obey actively, and his being unwilling to obey, or proudly to resist, or disobey. Let the world know that you are willing to yield as far as you can. All this I add as to obedience in matters Ec­clesiastical and Spiritual.

10. Conform to things established in the Church as far as you can : this follows on the last. There are many things good that you may safely own, and practise, and joyn in without sin. Do not think, that because I and others do refuse to subscribe and Conform, that therefore we could not yield to some, or that we judge all bad: no, we should have gone far, rather then leave our Ministry, as far as any shoe of the pre­paration of the Gospel would bear us. Your Case and ours are not the same; you are not put to declare your un­feigned Assent and Consent to all and every point in the Liturgy as we are; nor to subscribe to other things. I can (saith M ^r. Z. C.) keep communion [Page 45] under that form of Worship wherein I cannot administer, and heartily say Amen to the Petitions which are put up in an order so confused, preposterous and indigested, that it seemeth to me so much below the gravity of the Church, whose mouth I must be, the seriousness of the Office whereby I must minister, the sanctity of the duty I am to perform, and the Jealous and Sacred nature of the object to whom they are presented, that I dare not stand between God and his people in the same. In things that are unlaw­full absolutely the actor and the looker on; he that prayes, and he that holds up his hands, sinneth: But in things that are inconvenient, or in an imper­fect mode of Worship; where thete is a liberty of closing or refusing: the Joyners are not guilty of the sin, espe­cially if there is a secret protest ente­red against every desiling thing. In our extempore prayers there were fail­ings, imperfections; we were men; words might fall that were not so [Page 46] apposite as was desired by us for such a duty: Our soul abhorred them as they were sinfull, so did yours. Will God impute these to you? surely no. There is a local presence, and a moral absence in one and the same duty: the body is before the Minister, or Offici­ating Priests, ready to hear what God saith, or to offer up to God what he saith, but if he utter falshood, the soul is absent. A Minister preacheth a ma­nifest error, the hearer abhors it, keeps it far enough from the belief of his heart; shall this man be guilty of it? Surely it is his sin that is the Actor, it lyeth at his own door: thou hast delivered thy Soul. The Application is easie.

11. Do not be drawn by the exam­ples of men only; nor feared by their threats: be not Conformists I mean because such and such are: and be not Non-conformists because others are so. I desire that my bare practice may not lead you: possibly I may be deceived and mistaken. We all know but in [Page 47] part: as I ever said, Follow me no further then I follow Christ. And though Christ refused to wash his hands, though it was a tradition of their fore­fathers, and a command of Superiors, yet into their Synagogues Christ went. Search the Scriptures, see with your own eyes, and let the command and will of God weigh more with you then the example of men : And be not feared from following God through the fear of man; He hath assured you that no man shall harm you whilest you follow the thing that is good. The fear of man hath been a great snare to the godly. How uprightly had Peter stood, had it not been for this? Daniel was fearless, and so would not omitt a small thing of opening his window, but prayes in the sight of all, though the King had forbidden it. Christian Courage doth excellently become a Souldier of Christ: get much of the fear of God in your hearts. Timor timore, ut clavus clavo pellitur; fear drives out and expells fear.

[Page 48] 12. Have a great care of Schim : I speak of sinfull schism: There is a schism that is lawfull and commanded; and there is a schism unlawfull and con­demned. Separate from sin and things in themselves unlawfull, and the Scrip­ture will bear you out, 2 Cor. 6. ult. but to separate from the Worship and Ordinances of God, because they are not so lively administred, nor perhaps so purely as might be desired, this is not warrantable. God must be ser­ved with one mouth, with the best we can have and bring before him: A pair of Turtle doves or a little Goats hair is acceptable where no better can be had. Let nothing make you leave Gods house, but what himself departs for; the branch will not fall off, if it hath but a little nourishment from the root.

13. Take heed of disaffection to the people you differ from: Many of Christs members may be of another mind in, and about these trifles and ineptias to­lerabiles as Calvin calls them. Judge [Page 49] of men according to their diligence and seriousness in Worship, Knowledge and holy walking. Love them most that love the Lord and Laws of Christ. Let them Conform or not, hate or disaf­fect none on this account, but such as hate the Lord.

14. Learn so to walk as you may avoid scandal and contempt. You must be carefull; else you will offend the weak Brethren, which Paul would not, and believers must not give of­fence to the Jew or to the Gentile, or the Church of God. Offences will come, but wo to them by whom they come. You may offend the weak, by extending of your liberty, and walking to the outside of it; and you may contemn Authority by contracting it, and standing too close to your Christian Liberty to the sleighting of their Law­full Commands. Christian Liberty is an excellent thing, but few know how to use it: but some upon its account wrong their Neighbours, some the Magistrate, but chiefly their own souls.

[Page 50] 15. Fret not at the ungodly when they prosper in the world: It was Da­vids fault or failing; let it not be yours. Though they oppress you, im­prison you, trample on you, and say all manner of evil against you for the Lords sake; though they make your lives uncomfortable, vex your souls, walk in profaness, have their wills, despise the oath of God, Ezek. 17. 18. bear indignation against the holy Cove­nant, Dan. 11. 30. forsake it and do wickedly against it. ver. 32. come not in trouble for it, but glory in their shame; be not troubled at them: Is not eternity long enough for them to suffer in? and is not time short for them to sin in? Read Job 20. 4, 5, 6. Is not the triumphing of the w [...]cked short, and the joy of the Hypocrite for a moment? But they shall perish for ever, though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds. How soon will their glory depart, and sorrow and shame cover them as a Cloak ! Oh Chri­stians, prize the favour of your Lord, [Page 51] and account no man happy but he whose God is the Lord.

16. Take heed of the wiles of Satan; he lies in wait at all times to deceive. It is his work to lay snares in times of liberty to draw you into licentiousness, and to swim down the streams of plea­sure; in times of error to seduce you from the faith: in times of strictness to out-do your duties, and overdo what God hath commanded. You cannot be too watchfull against such an enemy who strikes at the life of your souls. Do not think he doth not seek your ruine, because he doth not visibly appear to you, because you do not see him; he works in the dark, and doth most against you, when he is least suspected. Oh be not ignorant of his devices.

17. Do not easily part with your Comforts. You to whom the Lord hath spoken peace, and assured you of his love in and by the Gospel, let not ma­ny cross providences though he lifts you up, and casts you down, though [Page 52] he takes; and withholds good things from you, let not these make you lay by your comforts. You that live in the Church Militant, must expect op­position, combats and falls; miseries as well as mercies will attend you; frowns as well as smiles, comings and goings of comforts, enjoyments, assistance. You must see nights as well as dayes; Summers and Winters, heats and colds, dews and driness. When any of your flowers wither, and your Suns go down sadly, do not let your radical comforts depart from you: still say with David, Why are thou cast down my soul? why art thou disquieted within me? Still trust in God, for I shall yet praise him. Give not way to a dejected spirit, you can­not serve God acceptably; do all you do in joy fulness and praise, Psa. 100. 1, 2. Never think you do well to be grie­ved and so far cast down as to be un­serviceable to your God, or unmeet to praise him in holy joy, delight and love.

18. Nourish faith, hope and love: It [Page 53] is by faith that we must be justified and saved; by faith we must serve and please the living God; by faith we must conquer sin, death & the world; you need faith to go through with you in all conditions; hope is necessary to anchor the soul, and keep it close to God in storms, delayes and dangers: love will raise you and carry you after God and his waies, and make you bear affliction with delight. If you live in love, the God of love will be with you: it will sweeten much of the troubles of the earth, and give you a taste what heaven is. You'l need these graces more then all the world, when the Bride-groom cometh; when others are toyling for the world, do you la­bour for faith, hope, and charity: It was a foolish thing in the worlds eye to be­hold Noah build an Ark and make such ado about so needless a thing as they thought; but who was the fool when the flood came? the world or Noah? You know how our meetings for the increase of faith, hope, and charity have been derided and decryed by too many [Page 54] amongst you as needless things: but who will be the fool when the Bride-groom comes! he that hath these graces, or he that hath them not ! consider but a little and judge.

19. Take heed of the leaven of hypocrisie; those that have read the Book called The Vain Religion, may know who the hypocrite is; is it not the man that professeth to know, worship and own God for his Father, and yet in heart and works denies him? and is there any sin more common then hypocrisie? nay are not you that so often have the hypocrite in your mouths to reproach your neighbours with, the hypocrites your selves?

Oh the mischief that hypocrisie hath done in the Church! how many golden professors but the other day, are be­come eminently prophane, and have not forsaken, but hated and openly re­nounced the things and waies of God and glory and rejoyce in it ! Oh these mens Religion was but guilded hypocri­sie, and now the guilt is off, and men [Page 55] are in their own colours, and have on their own coats; now the hypocritical garment that they put on to deceive, is off. Oh be sincere Christians or none ! let not the portion of the hypocrites be yours at the last day.

Lastly, Above all make God your chiefest good; let Christ be your way to enjoy him through the help of the Spirit, Word, and Ordinances; let God be thy Father and thy all, and he will be ever thine, and with thee for thy good, who cannot dye. When one told a Chri­stian that his Father was dead, Desine blasphemias loqui, cease to speak blas­phemy, my Father is still alive. When thou hast done all thou canst in work­ing out thy salvation, yet let the stress of all lie upon Jesus Christ: Christ is all and in all: value the world and all things but as dust, dross, and dung in com­parison of this invisible glory, Lord, God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! live to him, and dye in him, and you shall raign with him world without end.

I have now twenty more requests, or [Page 56] petitions to you, which will be my dy­ing words, my last requests, if God bring me not from death again.

1. I beseech you all my Brethren and Fathers, examine your selves throughly to know the state of your souls, and how you stand in the sight of God; think how near the day of Assise is to us all; you are in an estate good or bad, of life or death▪ know so far as is attain­able, the case you are in; you are apt to say, when I have put this question to you, We trust it is well with us. Oh my Brethren it is not good to trust (in this case) before you try; have you not heard and read that many a mans faith and hope is vain! Jam. 1. and 2. chap. Job in many places? try your own case, know your own selves.

2. See in your tryal especially that the work of conversion is soundly wrought; see to that; Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth nothing, but a new creature. All your shews are but as a tympany; all your duties huskes, shels, are unavailable without the new crea­ture. [Page 57] Beloved my spirit stirreth in me through fear lest you have not past yet through the new birth: the Scripture hath concluded you under wrath and wo, if you are not born again: Oh see to it.

3. My next request is, that you would not sit down short of Jesus Christ; you may go far and do much, and yet fall short of Jesus Christ; there is a running in vain, because men sit down before they come to Christ; they sit down with the Name of Christ, and with a few notions of Christ in their heads, and with some underling affecti­ons to him, and on a few formal per­formances to him, when they have not the life of Christ in them, nor the Laws of Christ, nor his Spirit ruling in their souls, nor his Word dwelling in them richly to teach them his fear. Oh be­loved, this is not your rest; if you sit down without the nature, life, laws, Spirit, and power of Christ in you, to qu [...]cken you, enliven, enlighten, impow­er, and enable you to live, love, obey, [Page 58] and glorifie Christ, you will sit down short of Jesus Christ, and then it had been better you had never set a foot to­wards Christ in his holy wayes : never rest till you are in his arms, and your abode is in his bosome, you in him, and he in you the hope of glory.

4. My next request is, That you would mind above all things your eternal condition; you are this day sitting on these seats now, by fires in your families with your relations anon : but to morrow you may be in eternity, and know no more what wives and children, sun and moon, earth and sky, clocks and time, how they pass by you and bring you reports from friends and various experiences as now they do; do all for eternity. Remember when you are praying you pray for eternity and eternal mercies and things : think when you feel your breath de­parting that eternity is coming upon you.

5. Set up, and if you have begun, keep up serious and servent prayer in [Page 59] your families, and other family duties of admonition, instruction, and reproof. Let your houses be little Churches, and that which is denied you in other fa­milies, let it be had at home. I know the society of believers of one heart is quickening in close and private cham­bers, and our hearts are much enlarged then before God. Yet so long as you pray to the same God, for the same Church and people, especially when your own flesh and blood, your dear wives and children are at your elbows, Oh how should this quicken you to be earnest for the life of their souls! Let not the Lord when he looks down from heaven to see if there be any that seek after him, let not then your families be found prayerless families, as if you owed no obedience to God, or stood in no need of him, and lest he clap a curse on your dores, Cursed be this family that calls not upon the name of the Lord.

6. Have a special care of bringing up your children in the fear of God; in­struct, correct, and give them a good [Page 60] example: you have little of the world to leave them perhaps; if you leave them in the possession of God and in the hopes of heaven, you have been good Parents to them; but to leave them nothing of the world and without God and hope, it is so sad a thing that you will not give a good account of it be­fore God.

And you that are children, do not break your Parents heart by your sinful disobedient waies: you have tender Parents who love you, and would not bring you up for the devil, nor see you everlastingly confounded and burned in the lake of hell. Oh return to God and his holy waies, remember your Crea­tour; God longs for you and desires the first ripe fruit; the sooner you come in to him, the more you shall have of his love, and the more will your godly Pa­rents delight in you.

7. Never be ashamed of a serious, holy, godly life, though you are re­proached, vilified, and suffer much in the world for it; be not dismayed, but re­joyce [Page 61] and be exceeding glad that you are sufferers for holiness, and not perse­cutors of it: but be ashamed of a filthy conversation, of the Image of Satan, of the sins that make you odious and loathsome in the sight of God. I admire to pass by the Ale-house-dores to hear so many singing, drinking, roaring, and they are not ashamed at it; but there are many that are ashamed to worship God in their own houses, or reprove sin: if this be not to be ashamed of Christ, what is?

8. My next request is, That you would never think that you are holy enough, or have grace enough, but be still pressing after more. No worldly man thinks he hath riches enough but will be thirsting after more; and shall not the Christian be as covetous after God? is not one dram of grace more then all the world, one smile of Gods countenance more then a hundred rivers of oil? why do you think you have enough of this labour, to grow in grace and to abound in it?

[Page 62] 9. If you do not grow so fast in grace as you should, be sure you do not decline and decay in grace. Whither hath Apostacy carried a backsliding soul ! Apostates stop not frequently till they are in hell; there they rest because they can fall no lower; be sensible of thy declinings, Christian, lest they end in this, and thy latter end be worse then thy beginning.

10. My next request is, That you would look to your worship; a little thing in worship is more offensive to God then you think of. Consider Nadab and Abihu; small faults in wor­ship provoke highly: there we deal im­mediately with God, and his glory is immediately concerned; he is therefore nowhere so jealous as in the things of his worship: take heed of a lasie, frothy, formal, superstitious worship, lest God cast it as dung in your faces, and say, Who requires these things at your hands?

11. Have a special regard to the Lords day: let it not be prophaned by unlawful recreations, and games, nor by [Page 63] those that may be lawful at other times: lose not an hour of it in vain delights or pleasures of the flesh: let the soul be at­tending on God even when your hands are about the works of necessity and mercy: do not think all your work is done when the publick worship is done: say not then, Flesh, take thy pleasure, I have served God enough; this day it is a day for meditation, rejoycing, thank­fulness and prayer, and to visit the sick, instruct your families, and not to be spent in the service of the world or flesh.

12. Though this be a day of scatter­ing, yet let brotherly love continue: those that have walked in fellowship in publick and private Ordinances, let not your love be cold, but continue love and affection, and exhort one another, and pray one for another, and serve one another in love, and be kind, courteous, faithful, and zealous for the good of every poor sheep that belongs to this fold.

13. That you would be more then [Page 64] ordinary diligent in working out your salvation. What means God will afford you, we cannot tell: if any, make use of it to work by: if small or none, labour so much the more your selves. How comfortably might you live and die, if you knew that your calling and your election were made sure! however dili­gence will bring comfort, sloathfulness shame : it is no small comfort now at my suspension, that I worked while I had time,

14. I request you, that whatever you do, you do all in the strength of Christ, & not in your own; do nothing for your own glory but for his: keep down self, and let it not be exalted against the Lord in any thing: take heed of self-sufficiency, self-aims, self-ends; learn not only to trust in Christ, but to use Christ: here is the wisdom of the Saints to do all in Christ and for Christ.

15. I beseech you pitty and look to your poor; they grow great and nu­merous, and many are poor inwardly and outwardly both: let some course be [Page] [...]