1. THis Epistle was wrote to the Angel of the Church of Ephe­sus, to him eminently, not ex­clusively, to Him chiefly, not only; to Him, yet so to Him, as a Letter of Publique concernment, directed to the Prolocutor, with intent that He (accor­ding to his office) should acquaint all the Chri­stian Members of the Ephesian Church with [Page 2] the contents thereof. Yea, the very word An­gel imports no lesse, signifying a messenger, imployed by appointment, and intrusted for the benefit of others.

2. Ministers ought not to monopolize the spirituall intelligence which they have received from God, but to communicate it to others. And the more precious the knowledge is which they have, the greater is their obligation to im­part it. David saith, Psal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee; and yet the same David had Psal. 40. 10. said, I have not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart, I have declared thy faithfulnesse and thy salvation. Ministers must, and must not hide Gods word in them­selves; must, as faithfull Stewards, must not, as crafty Hucksters; must, out of carefulnesse to observe it; must not, out of covetousnesse to in­grosse it.

3. The Epistle consists of three principall parts.

• 1. A commendation of the Ephesians former Piety and Patience.
• 2. A Reproofe of their present backsli­ding, that they had forsaken their first love.
• 3. A Threatning of them with future misery, in case they did not quickly amend.

Preachers must vary their voices interchan­gably [Page 3] using frownes, smiles, swords, salves, cor­dials, corrasives as occasion is offered. If all the Body of our Sermons be Praising, where is reproving? if all be Reproving, where is Com­forting? Physitians advise Nurses, not alwayes to give the same receit to their Infants sick of the wormes, but rather to make use of severall Medicines, lest otherwise, the Wormes accu­stomed to the constant taking of the same thing, by degrees turne that Physick into their food, and so are encreased, by what was intended for their destruction. It is wisdome in Ministers to try all wayes, to work on the hearts of their Hearers, full of ill Humours, and whose Cor­rupt Nature, if ever used to one Receit, will im­prove their badnesse upon it, and bee the more confirmed by what was prescribed to confute them.

4. See here, no Church in this world can be free from all Faults. Even Ephesus, the best of the Seven, had somewhat amisse in it. As long as there be spots in the Moone, it is vaine to expect any thing Spotlesse under it. The earnest of Perfection (which is Sincerity) may be re­ceived in this life, but the full Payment thereof must be expected in another. Such as Fancy a Possibility of a Perfect Church here, must not onely mold a New forme, but make a new mat­ter, cause frailty to be firme, folly to bee wise, flesh to be Spirit, Men to be Angels, Saints be­ing [Page 4] too little in this Life, as full of their Infirmi­ties. Witnesse the Church of Ephesus: For though He that was, praiseth them for what they had bin, yet He that is reproveth them for what they were, and He that is to come, threat­neth them with what they shall be. And will re­move thy Candlestick out of his Place, except thou repent.

5. I will sing (saith Psal. 101. 1. David) of Mercy, and Iudgement. Of these two, Iudgement the most solemne, Mercy the most pleasing Musick. Be­hold them both in the Text. Judgment pro­nounced in the Commination; And I will re­move thy Candlestick out of his place. Mercy pro­mised in the Condition, except thou repent. Yea, the Text consists wholly of Mercy, and Mercy, there being Mercy in the very Commination; God, not surprising this Church with sudden Destruction, but in some manner arming it a­gainst himselfe, by forewarning it. Satan never barks before he bites, never tels before hee tempts, because he desires and endeavours the ruine of mankinde. But God who intends their Amendment, not confusion, alwayes warnes before He wounds, that so by tendering them the Opportunity of a seasonable Submission, they may prevent the misery of their finall de­struction. And I will remove the Candlestick out of his Place, &c. By Candlestick is meant not the dull and dead Candlestick, but it quickned and [Page 5] enlivened with a Candle, namely the Word of God. Which amoun [...]eth to this effect, that God would Un-church Ephesus, and deprive it of the Benefit of the Gospel, which enlighteneth mens Soules in their wayes to heaven. In the Commination three Doctrines are observable, whereof this the first.

6. I. Doct. God alone is the manager of the motions of the Candle of the Gospel. Hee that causeth it to Amos 4. 7. raine upon one City, and causeth it not to raine upon another City, one piece was rai­ned upon, and the Piece whereupon it rained not withered: He it is that vouchsafed the Gospell unto unrepenting Corazin and Bethsaida Mat. 11. 21, 22., and denyed it to Tyre and Sidon, bestowed it on unthankfull Capernaum, and withheld it from Sodom, which would have made better use thereof; God alone it was that forbad Paul to preach the word in Acts 16. 6. Asia, yea, when he assailed to goe into Bithinia, the Acts 16. 7. Spirit suffered him not, but he was diverted with a Vision, Come over in­to Macedonia, and help Vs.

7. Nor can any other Reason bee rendred hereof, save onely the Councell of his Ephes. 1. 5. Will. This appeareth plainely in the People of the Jews. The Lord did not set his love upon Deut. 7 7. you, nor chose you▪ because ye were more in number then any Peo­ple (for yee were the least of all People) but, Because the Lord loved you &c. Fewest of all People, being soone summed up in Abraham and Sarah, [Page 6] no more then two Cyphers in point of Procrea­tion, without a Miracle. And as their number was inconsiderable, so their Nature was intol­lerable, for when they wandred 40. yeares in the wildernesse, their intricate windings in their Progresse seemed strait in comparison of their crooked Conditions, and their wayes towards God, were more indirect, then their walking on Earth. Yea, in every outward respect; some of their neighbouring Nations did surpasse them. The Aegyptians excelled them in Wit, the Phae­niceans exceeded them in wealth, the Edomites in Antiquity, the Persians in Industry, the Ara­bians in Activity, the Syrians in Cunning, the Assyrians in command, the Philistims in strength, and the Anakims in stature, notwith­standing all which, the Lord loved the Jews be­fore and above them all, even so Father because it pleaseth thee.

8. And blessed be God that it is in his power alone, to order the Motions and Stations of the Gospel. Good successe have He with his Honour: He that hath the most might and right holdeth the Candle. It cannot be put into a better Hand. Had some Envious or Covetous men (such as our Age affordeth too many) bin imployed in so great a trust, absolutely to dispose of the Gospel, when, where, and to whom they plea­sed, O what strange worke would they have made? Our Saviour said, Mark 10. 23. How hardly shall [Page 7] they that have Riches enter into the Kingdome of God? But in this Case, how Hardly should they which want wealth be saved? their Pover­ty being unable to Purchase Gods Word for themselves, and such Misers charity unlikely freely to bestow it upon them. Such Simonia­call Patrons as Sell so deare their Presentations to Church-livings, what unconscionable rates would they set on the Gospel it selfe, if it were in their Power to make merchandise thereof? But this marres their Mart, that the giving of the Gospel to any Place or Persons, sooner or la­ter, the continuing it longer or shorter, the re­moving it, slowly, or suddenly, are all, and eve­ry one, only and absolutely placed in his power and pleasure, who speakes in my Text, And I will remove the Candlestick out of his place, except you repent.

9. Come wee now to the second Doctrine contained in the Commination, which may thus bee propounded. God will not finally ex­tinguish, but onely remove the Candlestick of his word. The Dove will not wholly flye a­way, but onely build her a new Nest; the Set­ting of the Gospel in one Place, will be the ri­sing thereof in another, what is lost in a King­dome, will be found in the World; Particular Churches may, the Church cannot fall away. And it is worth our observing, that when the word hath beene sleighted and neglected by [Page 8] some, immediately it hath bin embraced and honoured by others.

10. Thus the Gaderens Luke 8. 37., the whole multitude of their countrey besought Christ to depart from them. Strange that this wind should blow from all parts of the Compasse, that Wanderers should entreat the Right Way to leave them. Sure the Patient is more sick in Minde then Body, that is importunate to send away his Physitian. Well, their Sute is granted, ask and ye shall have, the Gospel is a Guest which will not stay, where it perceiveth it Selfe not to be welcome. Away goeth our Saviour to the other Side, (opposite to the Gadarens in Position, and Disposition) where behold his entertainement, And it came to passe that when Iesus was returned, the People gladly received Him, for they were all waiting for him. Thus Gods word is a Commodity of quick Vent, it will not lye long on the Mer­chants hand for want of Chapmen, but if one will not, another will have it. Another Instance is presented us in the Jews, who dispised the Preaching of S. Paul at Acts 13. 42. Antioch, And when the Iews were gone out of the Synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabboth. The Leavings, yea the Loathings of the Jews, were the longings of the Gentiles; the ones fragments, the others feast. They requested not the Apostles to make new Provision for them, (conscience desires not [Page 9] what is novell, but what is needfull) but would be pleased with the Repetition of what He had formerly delivered; and indeed, a Sermon be­ing newly broached, tasteth the best at the se­cond draught. The Result of all is this, Those feet of Gods Ministers, who finding themselves unworthily used, do shake the dust off from them, (according to Christs Mat. 10. 14. command) in witnesse against an ungratefull Place. I say, those very selfe-same Individuall feet, shall elsewhere bee welcomed, as the Rom. 10. 15. Beautiful bringers of the Gospel of Peace, and glad tidings of good things.

II. And here it will bee neither improper nor unprofitable, to observe some Passages con­cerning the Motions and Postures of the Can­dlestick in my Text. And first, we may take no­tice, that the Persecution gave the Occasion to the speedy propagatiō of the Gospel. Had Satan bin contented to suffer the Saints to dwel peace­ably in Jerusalem, probably Christianity had not made its Progresse so fast, and so far into the world. But it was Death to Him to see Good Men live in quiet, and therefore his malice mu­stered all his might to disperse Acts 8. 1. them, after the martyrdome of Stephen, whereby hee scattered the fire of the Gospel instead of quenching it. Infant Christianity, like infant Luke 2. 52. Christ, encrea­sed in stature, and in favour with God and Man. Yea, it is uncertaine, whether Martyrs which did dye, or Confessors who did flye, contribu­ted [Page 10] more to the advance of Religion, the former by their patient suffering confirming more, and laying the Truth the thicker, the latter by their Painfull preaching converting more, and sprea­ding the Truth the broader. Thus the Devill did the Church an ill office, and God made it a good turne. Wee will pay our thanks where they are due, not to his malice who intended it to our mischiefe, but to his strength, wisdome, and goodnesse who disposed it for our hap­pinesse.

12. Secondly, wee hitherto cannot finde a Countrey, from which the Gospel did totally depart, to which it ever afterwards returned. The white Revel. 6. 2. horse in the Revelation, (which ge­nerally is interpreted the word of God) went forth conquering, and to conquer. Went forth, still in a Progressive not Retrograde motion, like the Sun in the Firmament, which Psal. 19. 5. commeth forth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber, and rejoyceth as a Giant to run his course, his retreating ten De­grees on the Diall of King. 20. 11. Ahaz, being extraordi­nary and miraculous. Wherefore seeing it seems not to stand with the State of the Gospel, to goe away animo revertendi, it will bee our wisest course, carefully to retaine, what wee have no President to recover.

13. Thirdly, Christendome is a Zoar, a little one, in comparison of the Pagan part of the world. Call for a Map, as our Saviour did for [Page 11] a Penny, and see how small a circuit thereof hath the Image and superscription of Christ upon it. Thus it is meet, that all the Earth be­ing Gods Demeanes, his Private Garden should bee lesse then his common grounds about it. There was a place in the city of Jerusalem, cal­led the Daughter of Zion, so named, saith an Adricomius Theatro. Ter. Sanct. p 152. numb. 26. Au­thor, because it was a parcell of buildings, which branched or issued out of old Zion, as a Colo­ny thereof, and surely pretty it was to behold this Babe in the arme of her Mother. But, oh that I might but live to see a Daughter of Christen­dome borne! I meane a Plantation of Piety a­mongst the Pagans, a Copy like our Originall, (save onely that it be not written with such red Inke) in matter of doctrines, and knowledge of Religion.

14. Fourthly, Christianity hath beene these last hundreds of yeares, little effectuall in con­verting of Heathen. For, be it reported to Seri­ous Consideration, whether those Indians, ra­ther watered then baptised, driven into the Church, as the money changers out John 2▪ 15. of the Tem­ple, deserve to be accounted solid Christians. Abate these, and then we shall finde small im­pression and Improvement of the Gospel in these latter Ages on Paganisme. I have not heard of many fish (understand me in a mysticall meaning) caught in New England, and yet I have not beene deafe to lissen, nor they I beleeve [Page 12] dumb to tell of their Achievements in that kind. I speake not this, (God knoweth my heart) to the disgrace of any Labourers there, being bet­ter taught, then to condemne mens endeavours by the successe; and am so sensible, how poore­ly our Ministery prevaileth here at home, on professed Christians, that I have little cause, and lesse comfort, to censure their Preaching, for not taking effect upon Pagans. Onely I speake this, to the intent that we all should enter into a strict Scrutiny in our owne soules; what may be the Reason, of this unusuall barrennesse of our Christian Religion. Surely it is no infirmi­ty in the Doctrine it selfe, disabled with Age, like Naomi that could have Ruth 1. 11. no more Sons in her wombe: the fault is not in the Religion, but in the Professors of it, that of late wee have beene more unhappy in killing of Christians, then hap­py in converting of Pagans.

15. Lastly, from Jerusalem (whence the Gospel first started) this Candlestick is obser­ved to have a favourable inclination to verge more and more Westward. This putteth us in some hopes of America, in Gods due time; God knows what good effects to them our sad war may produce, some may be frighted there­with over into those Parts (being more willing to endure American, then English Savages) or out of curiosity to see, necessity to live, frugali­ty to gaine, may carry Religion over with them, [Page 13] into this Barbarous countrey. Onely God for­bid we should make so bad a bargaine, as whol­ly to exchange our Gospel for their Gold, our Saviour for their Silver, fetch thence lignum Vi­tae, and deprive our selves of the Tree of life in liew thereof. May not their planting be our subplanting, their founding in Christ our con­fusion; let them have of our light, not all our light; let their candle bee kindled at ours, ours not removed to them, as God threatned the Ephesians in my Text, I will remove thy Candle­stick out of his place, except thou repent.

16. The third and last Doctrine couched in the Commination is this, God never removes the Gospel from a Nation, untill they or their Ancestors first remove themselves from his ser­vice. Where the Gospel is given, it is Gods Mercy, not mans Merit, where it is denyed, it is Gods Pleasure, no Injury to man; where it is removed, it is Gods Justice, and mans punish­ment, who hath beene unthankfull for it, and unprofitable under it. Thus the Jews our elder brethren were disinherited for their Infidelity, at this day wandring in all lands, yet having no Land, sine Rege, Lege, Solo, Salo, (I had almost said Coelo too) stumbling at Him that should stay them, unhappy if they knew their conditi­on, and more unhappy, because they are igno­rant of it.

17. Object. But this is hard dealing, so [Page 14] just, that it is unjust, that children for the default of their Parents shall be debarred from the meanes of their Salvation. Will God banish the sound of a Proverb Ezek. 18. 3. out of Israel, and pra­ctise the Sense thereof in his owne proceedings, setting the childrens teeth on edge, (even to their Mat. 8. 12. gnashing in Hell fire) for the Sowre grapes which their fathers have eaten.

18. Ans. The Day of Judgement wil be the day of the manifestation of the righteousnesse of God, whose actions which now are just, shall then appeare so, to the clearing of his wayes, and convincing of others wickednesse. The Damned shall want a drop of the water of a co­lourable excuse, to coole their tongues with, dis­contented with their condition, but satisfied with the cause thereof, so that they may blas­pheme, but not complaine. Untill then let us be content, to tarry the Lords leasure, suspending our Censures, and admiring what we cannot under­stand. David saith to God, Thy way Psal. 79. 19. is in the Sea, and the sense is the same though inverted, There is a Sea in thy way, and that a bottomlesse one, (not like the Adriatick, Acts 27. 28 where­in the Marriners sounded, and found it 20. fa­thoms, and when they had gone a little farther, they sounded againe, and found it 15. fathoms,) but in this Ocean the farther we saile the deeper we sinke; and therefore let us make what speed to the Shoare, except the Pilot here had more skill, [Page 15] or his tackling more strength.

19. Meane time, how carefull ought Pa­rents to be, lest by their wickednesse they wil­fully deprive their Posterity of the Gospel. Here, O let me plead for them who cannot speak for themselves; yea, I know not how to call my Clients, being as yet unnam'd, unborne, unbe­got, I meane such little little Levi's, which as yet lye hid in the Loynes of their Grandfathers: Oh let not their Soules be slain before their bo­dies be borne, by wilfull debarring them, by the prophanenesse of this present Age, from the fu­ture benefit of Gods word. Let that sturdy fa­ther, carelesse of himselfe, be conjured into Pie­ty, by that potent charme, per spem crescentis Iuli. Who can reade the horrid History of so many thousand Childrens corpses, drowned (as they say) in one fishpond in Italy, by those Vo­taries, their mothers, and is not instantly ready, if the fact be proved, to arraigne, condemne, and execute the Memory of such Monstrous Mur­derers. What then shall we say to such Parents as plunge the Soules of Millions in the Pit of Perdition, sacrificing the Spirituall lives of their Sons and Daughters to Devils? so that as they walke on in their wicked wayes, the floore whereon they tread, may bee said to be paved with slaughtered Infants, and that they trample on a Charnel-House of childrens Soules of their owne killing, because the candlestick of the [Page 16] Word, was removed from them for their fathers offences.

20. See a sad spectacle hereof, in the Church of Ephesus, to which God at this Day hath done, what hee threatned in the Text. Indeed, some hundreds of years after the writing of this Epistle, Ephesus still continued the Staple of Religion and learning, where some Generall Counsels were celebrated. Till at last, growing notoriously erronious in doctrine, and vicious in Manners, it is at the present reduced to a mi­serable condition, shrunke almost invisible in our Moderne Maps, save that some charitable Geographers, in reverence of what shee hath beene, allow her a bare remembrance in their larger Descriptions. The few Christians there­in, and thereabout, grow contented vassailes to the Turke, and the soundest of them are infected in the Point of the Progression of the holy Spi­rit, with many other grievous errours. Gene­rally in those Parts, God hath permitted his Arke to fall downe before Dagon, the Alchoran hath banished the Bible, the Candle of the word is put out, and in the roome thereof the Moone of Mahomet is risen, whose Light is worse then darkenesse it Selfe. All which had beene seasonably prevented, if the Ephesians had beene but as carefull to take, as God was kinde to tender the Caution in my Text. And will remove the Candlestick out of his Place, except you repent.

[Page 17] 21. Now for application, to leave Ephe­sus and come to England: Know then in the first place, our Land hath equalled Ephesus in favours received. No Iland in the world so farre distant from Jerusalem, saw the Light of the Gospel so soone; yea, it was morning here, when it was midnight in Germany, the last, was first, our Countrey placed in the Rere of the world, marched one of the formost in receiving the Christian Religion. And since the Word was here once planted, hitherto it was never totally lost, but still grew amongst the barren Mountaines in Wales; as Piety hath ever an ambition to keepe company with Pover­ty. Yea, here Religion hath enjoyed her selfe as purely and plentifully, as in any other place, and though often sick of severall Superstitions, yet these were not the Peculiar Diseases of Eng­land, but the Epidemicall Infections of those Ages.

22. Secondly, England (what by her sinnes, which have caused this war, and which this war hath caused,) hath equalled Ephesus in faults committed. In one particular hath ex­ceeded Her. For, the holy Spirit commendeth Ephesus in the next verse, for hating the Nico­laitans, whom he also hated. These Nicolai­tans were so called, from Acts 6. 5. Nicolas one of the [Page 18] seven Deacons, who (as Ecclesiasticall History reporteth) having a Beautifull wife, and being taxed for being causelesly Jealous of Her, to confute his Accusers, prostituted his wife to the unchaste embraces of any, thereby to wipe off the Aspersion of Jealousie. So then, those who evidence their opposition to any Er­ror in Judgement, or demonstrate their di­stance from any vice in practise, with such vio­lence and furious indiscretion, that they fall into the opposite error, or reele into the con­trary Vice, are most truly and properly, though not Literall, spirituall Nicolaitans. And in this Sense, how many wee have of this Sect in our Kingdome, not hated, but favoured, and fo­stered, I am grieved to thinke, and unable to number.

23. But now the third Parallel I dare not speake, and I dare not conceale. Yet, why should I not speake it? In Spaine, great re­wards are given to such, as first are the messen­gers of Bad newes, provided they doe not disperse it to the Disadvantage of the publick, but impart it onely to the State, which may mend ill accidents before they become worse. Sure then, though I desire no favour, I deserve no frowne, if from the simplicity of my heart, without sinister intents, I shew the danger [Page 19] likely to cease on us, if not providently diver­ted by speedy repentance. Plainely tis this, I feare we shall be like Ephesus in future punish­ment, and that the candlestick will be removed out of his place.

24. Objection. There is no danger of the departure of the Light which now daily en­creaseth. Preaching now a dayes is like Silver in the reigne of 1 King. 10. 21. Solomon, so plentifull that it was nothing accounted of. The Gospel former­ly going afoote, now rides on horsebacke. Wherefore concerning the removing of the Word, you fancy causlesse feares, then fear your causlesse fancies, it now shineth brighter then ever before.

25. Answ. As all is not Gold that glisters, so all is not light that shines, for Glowormes and rotten wood shine in the darke. Firebrands also doe more harme with their Smoake, then good with their Light; and such are many In­cendiaries, which without either authority of calling, or ability of learning invade the Mini­steriall function. Whose Sermons consist one­ly of two good Sentences, the first, as contai­ning the Text, and the last, which must bee al­lowed good in this respect, because it puts an end to a tedious and impertinent discourse. [Page 20] Notwithstanding all pretended new lights, and plenty of preaching. I persist in my former Su­spicion. Yet am I not so much affrighted with all the Prodigies reported to have appeared in the Ayre, as with the portentous Sins which I dayly behold committed on the Earth. And this I say. God commonly moves the candle before he removes it. The light seemes sicke and faint before it dyes. In Mines, before a dampe commeth, candles begin to burne blew, as by instinct mourning their owne funerall be­fore hand. Some such sad symptomes discover themselves in our Candle, in the preaching of the word, if seriously considered.

26. First, it is an ill signe that so many wantonly play with the Word. When chil­dren begin to try Conclusions with a Candle, sporting themselves at in and out with it, their Parents use to take it from them, leaving them to doe pennance in the Darke, for their wan­tonnesse. I am afraid God will serve us in like manner: so many have dallied with the Scri­pture, producing it for the maintenance of their upstart monstrous Opinions. Secondly, so many Theeves in the Candle, such variety of Sects and Schismes, which wast and mispend the light, is another ill boding Symptome. Yet whilst others wonder that they are so many, I [Page 21] wonder they be no more; for untill a good Peace be setled, which God Speed, and whilst the great Bond of Discipline is broken, every stick in the Fagot will be absolute and set up for it selfe. Lastly, if the wax be taken away from the candle, (as in many places it is, and Tithes denied for the Ministers maintenance) the light must decay; the five foolish Mat. 25. 8. Vir­gins having so much wisdome, as to know that their Lamps could not burne when they wan­ted oyle, except any doe thinke Ministers may be like the miraculous Exod. 3. 2. Bush, which did burne and not consume, that so they may alwayes worke, and yet never wast. Put these together, (and others I could instance in) and though Mi­nisters, Gods Doves, delight not to be Ravens to croake Funerals, though they Gods fixed Stars, would not be Comets presaging sad E­vents, though these 2 Cor. 5. 20. Ambassadours, praying you to be reconciled to God, are loath to bee He­raulds to proclaime war: Yet be these things seriously considered, and may they not amount to make us Iealous over England with a godly jealousie, what for the future will become of us? And this I will boldly adde, that an awfull feare of losing the Candlestick is the best Hope we have to keepe it.

27. But I foresee a Posterne Doore ready to [Page 22] be opened, that escaping thorow it my Audi­tors may decline whatsoever this Day I have delivered. Some will say, what Josiah was [...] Cron. 34. 28. promised, we presume on, the Evill will not come in our Dayes. The Gospel will last my life in the Land, and if we are not to care for to morrow, much lesse will wee carke for the Day after our Death. Besides, if a generall Judgement should come in my Time, I shall beare but my share, and shift as well as ano­ther.

28. Well, Beloved tis true, this inconveni­ence attends all generall discourses, (such as this Dayes Sermon is) that as filius populi hath no father, so publique reproofes are seldome particularly applyed by any to themselves. But, that I may catch some fish, I must weave my net closer, and draw the threds thereof neerer together. Bee it granted what we hope, and thou believest, that the light of the Gospel will last thy life, yet how long or little time thy life will last, there is the Question. Nor will it be any violence to my Text, in a secondary Sense, to expound this Candle, of the Life of every man, which how long since it hath beene kindled we know, but how soone it may bee quenched God knows. Some wares in England, are usually set to sale by the candle; that chap­man [Page 23] carrieth them, who giveth the most before the candle is burnt out. Such is all our conditi­on at this time; Heaven now is to be had, Hap­pinesse to be purchased, Prov. 23. 23. Buy the truth, and sell it not, lose not a good bargaine, bid boun­tifully, be not body wise, and soule-foolish; the candle weares, the candle wasts, casualty may, sicknesse will, Age must extinguish it. If once the light be out it is too late, there is no worke, Eccles. 9. 10. nor devise, nor knowledge, nor wisdome in the grave, whither thou goest.

29. I should now come to the Condition, except thou repent. But it is high time for me at this present to leave preaching, and more then high time for us all to begin practising of this point of repentance. Let us rend our hearts, and not our garments, and turne to the Lord our God. The melting of marble, so that it become fufill or runnable, is recounted one of those Mysteries, which are lost in our Age, though formerly knowne to, and performed by the Ancients. But, O let us labour that the Art of melting sto­ny Hearts, (such as ours are by Nature and custome of sinning) be never lost or forgotten, but kept in ure, and put in daylie practise. That so the Candlestick may remaine amongst us, not onely 50. dayes, the time prescribed for Jonah 3. 4. Niniveh's Repentance, or 15. yeares, the lease [Page 24] of 2 King. 20. 6. Hezekiahs health restored, or terme of our life outright, a gift granted to good 2 Ch [...]. 34. 28. Jo­siah, or for an hundred and twenty yeares, so long was allotted for the Gen. 6. 3. amendement of the old world, or for foure generations succes­sively, which Lease of Lives on the Throne of Israel, was bestowed on 2 King. 10. 30. Jehu, but so long as the Gnolam the Eternity of this world shall last, as long as the Psal. 72. 7. Moone endureth in heaven.

30. Men naturally decline Death, and the Quick at the day of Judgement desire, not to bee Cor. 5. 4. uncloathed, but cloathed upon that mortality may bee swallowed up of Life. The same is our re­quest, that there may bee no interruption or intermission of our Light, that it may bee not put out, but tooke up, not destroyed, but de­voured in the transcendent Splendor of Glo­ry. Then it will be no thrift to burne Day, and there shall bee no night there, and they need no Revel. 22. 5. candle, no use of preaching, Sermons shall cease, and God alone shall bee the Text, the Hallelujahs of Angels and Saints the Comment upon it.

31. And now I am to take my finall farewell of this famous City of Exeter. I have suffered from some, for saying seve­rall [Page 25] times, that I thought this or this would bee my last Sermon, when afterwards I have preached againe. Yet I hope the Guests are not hurt, if I bring them in a course more then I promised, or they expect. Such would have forborne their censures, had they consulted with the Epistle to the Romans. In the 15. Chapter, verse 33. the Apostle seemes to close and conclude his Discourse, Now the God of Peace bee with you all, Amen. And yet presently he beginneth afresh, and continueth his Epistle a whole Chapter longer. Yea, in the sixteenth Chapter, verse 20. S. Paul takes a second solemne vale, The grace of our Lord Ie­sus Christ be with you all, Amen: and notwith­standing still he spins out his matter three ver­ses farther, till that full and finall Period, verse 27. To God onely wise bee glory, thorow Iesus Christ for ever, Amen. Thus, loath to Depart, is the tune of all loving friends; The same I may pleade for my Selfe, so often ta­king my farewell, wherein if any were decei­ved, none I am sure were injured.

Now this is all, The Rabbins have a conceit, that Manna relished so to the pallats of the Jews, just as the eater thereof did fancy or desire. Consult with your selves, and wish your owne spirituall and temporall conveni­encies, [Page 26] wish what you will, for Body, Soule, both, You, Yours, your Private, the Publique; confine not your happinesse with too narrow measure of your owne making. And my con­stant Prayer to God shall be, that he would be pleased to be to you all in Generall, each one in particular, that very thing, which You for your owne Good doe most desire.

Amen.