<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2014-04-15</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Colm MacCrossan</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="OX" ID="B23016">
<STC T="W">F1264A</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">[ocm]19299711</BIBNO>
<VID>205487</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>AN Epi&s;tolary Di&s;cour&s;e On the great A&s;&s;i&s;tances to a CHRISTIANS FAITH And for a more <HI>Intire Re&s;t</HI> and <HI>A&s;&s;urance</HI> in the highe&s;t Trials and Adventures thereof. WITH A Second Part, Upon the Pre&s;ent Times, and the&s;e rare Vici&s;&s;itudes of <HI>Providence</HI> in the Publick State of <HI>Britain</HI> in this AGE. <HI>To which an</HI> APPENDIX <HI>is Added</HI> in the CLOSE. By <HI>R. Fleming,</HI> Mini&s;ter of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> At <HI>ROTTERDAM.</HI></P>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed for <HI>Tho. Parkhur&s;t,</HI> at the <HI>Bible</HI> and <HI>Three Crowns</HI> in <HI>Cheap&s;ide,</HI> near <HI>Mercer's-Chapel,</HI> 1692.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>TO THE QUEEN.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>MADAM;</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_I Should not with confidence have adventur'd on this <HI>Addre&s;s,</HI> and <HI>Dedication</HI> to Your <HI>Maje&s;ty</HI> of the following Di&s;cour&s;e, and in &s;uch an <HI>Epi&s;to|lary Method,</HI> if the weight and greatne&s;s of the Subject did not warrant the &s;ame; which is e|qually
<PB REF="3">divided betwixt the inte|re&s;t and &s;tate of a Chri&s;tian, and the publick &s;tate of the Church with &s;uch eminency of Provi|dence; and wonderful vici&s;&s;itudes hereof, as have in a &s;ucce&s;&s;ive cour&s;e, and &s;eries been brought forth on the Publick Theatre of <HI>Britain</HI> in this Age, and now in that late and great <HI>event</HI> wherein &s;uch an <HI>augu&s;t</HI> and immediate ap|pearance of God hath been wit|ne&s;&s;ed, as might &s;till &s;eize the Spi|rits of Men in this Athei&s;tica<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Age with a tremendous &s;en&s;e and impre&s;&s;ion of the &s;am<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> in both which re&s;pects, I hop<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> what is thus humbly offered up|on &s;o high a concern of truth will not be ungrateful to You<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Maje&s;ty,</HI> who is known to valu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">
<PB REF="3">Your State and Intere&s;t, more as a <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> than as a <HI>Monarch,</HI> which was once the &s;aying of <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> the Great, and does yet tend to render his memory more honourable than that he was an <HI>Emperor.</HI></P>
<P>It is unque&s;tionable that the State and Security of <HI>Britain</HI> hath &s;tood by an extraordi|nary cour&s;e of Providence for the&s;e many years pa&s;t, and that according to the improvement made to an&s;wer the intent and ends of &s;uch unu&s;ual things we may expect in the &s;ame man|ner to have God either for us or again&s;t us; and as it is one of the mo&s;t ob&s;erved te&s;timonies of Divine favour to a Kingdom and
<PB REF="4">People, when &s;uch are rai&s;ed on the Throne of Government, who are of as <HI>Publick a Spirit</HI> as of <HI>Relation,</HI> for the Intere&s;t of Re|ligion and the true Politick good and &s;afety of &s;uch a place, with an impartial re&s;pect; &s;o it is no le&s;s ob&s;ervable, that where there is an eminent de&s;ign of Grace in a Saving Work to a <HI>Nation,</HI> and to prevent a de&s;olating Judg|ment ere it break forth, how &s;ome have been in a more than ordi|nary way excited with &s;pecial Heroick Motions to be in&s;tru|mental herein, who&s;e way and appearance for God did not an|&s;wer to the ordinary &s;tandard of Mens actings on which account there have been &s;ignal di&s;cove|ries given in this late time to
<PB REF="4"><HI>Britain</HI> and <HI>Ireland,</HI> if there were a more &s;uitable regard of the &s;ame; but as the Soveraign God hath, by an a&s;toni&s;hing cour&s;e of extraordinary Provi|dences, thus made way for the Publick Settlement of this <HI>Illand,</HI> and to place on the <HI>Throne</HI> the&s;e, who&s;e capacity to Rule might be no le&s;s con&s;picuous from mo&s;t rare Enduements of mind, than by Regal Authority and Pow+er; he hath al&s;o proportioned to <HI>Both Your Maje&s;ties,</HI> Trials, and Work of an unu&s;ual kind, and determined Your Reign in &s;uch a juncture of extraordinary try|ing times, as needs &s;ome unu&s;u|al and great a&s;&s;i&s;tance of Divine Coun&s;el and Support, no le&s;s
<PB REF="5">to &s;temm an Impetuous Tide of Athei&s;m and Impiety within, and to have an awful regard to the Divine Government kept up in the&s;e times, then to ap|pear again&s;t the greate&s;t of Ad|ver&s;aries without: Yet &s;urely if Grace may interpo&s;e for a re&s;to|ring work again to the&s;e Nati|ons, and for a &s;uitable an&s;wer|ing to &s;o eminent a &s;ea&s;on and opportunity, we might then ex|pect &s;uch an appearance of God, as can bring forth that in a <HI>day</HI> or <HI>year,</HI> which may &s;eem not ea&s;ie to expect in an Age, and cau&s;e &s;uch Mountains, as &s;eem mo&s;t in&s;uperable in the way hereof, to flow down at his pre&s;ence.</P>
<PB REF="5">
<P>It's on this Subject I have &s;poke farther in the&s;e <HI>Papers,</HI> and if &s;ome things be not grate|ful to many in this <HI>Day,</HI> it was not de&s;igned to plea&s;e Men, or under the influence of a private Intere&s;t, but for the Truths &s;ake, as a Mini&s;ter of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and to re&s;t my Soul on his ap|proving Te&s;timony herein.</P>
<P>I know Your <HI>Maje&s;ties</HI> de&s;ire and delight lies more in &s;erving the Publick good of <HI>Britain,</HI> and of all the Churches of Chri&s;t, than to hear thereof, which does &s;erve a ju&s;t re&s;traint to &s;peak in this <HI>ad|dre&s;s</HI> what is due, and more be|coming to witne&s;s at a di&s;tance, if
<PB REF="6">it were not to &s;peak in behalf of God, the&s;e &s;ingular engagements You are under to him, and for his intere&s;t and truth, beyond any <HI>Prince&s;s</HI> on the Earth, or for &s;ome Ages pa&s;t upon it, and that he hath cho&s;en to give Your <HI>Maje|&s;ty</HI> &s;uch a room, in a rare and un|u&s;ual manner, as <HI>on whom he hath delighted to honour,</HI> and tru&s;t the concerns of his Kingdom to; and to whom he hath given that inte|re&s;t in the hearts of a People (who are as the &s;and of the Sea innu|merable) &s;o as to Govern more by the attractions of love and delight, than by the extent of Ci|vil Authority; and I may in a par|ticular way &s;peak, that as it was not po&s;&s;ible ever for a Great Per|&s;on
<PB REF="6">to part from a People more highly de&s;ired and valued, than Your <HI>Maje&s;ty</HI> did from all ranks of that <HI>Illu&s;trious State of Hol|and,</HI> &s;o is the &s;ame &s;en&s;e, and mo&s;t de&s;irable remembrance &s;till continued, as a <HI>Witne&s;s</HI> of <HI>di|vine re&s;pect</HI> that in &s;uch a manner is rarely given to Princes and Rulers.</P>
<P><HI>Madam,</HI> tho the&s;e <HI>Papers</HI> had, in their fir&s;t ri&s;e, &s;ome re&s;pect to a more private u&s;e, yet being now made publick, wherein truths of &s;o high a concern to this pre&s;ent day, and the &s;tate of the Church are offered, it did give the more confidence for a humble claim to the Patronage of &s;o <HI>great a name.</HI>
<PB REF="7">It is now a time of great <HI>thoughts</HI> and expectation, as to the future &s;tate of the Catholick Church; and that the&s;e Promi&s;es are ve|ry near to their full height and accompli&s;hment which have re|&s;pect to the highe&s;t glory, and ex|tent of Chri&s;t's vi&s;ible Kingdom on the Earth, before its final tran|&s;lation to its eternal and trium|phant &s;tate in Heaven; and its much de&s;ired and hoped, that Your <HI>Maje&s;ties Reign</HI> may in a <HI>pre|paratory way,</HI> be made eminently &s;ub&s;ervient thereto; it's &s;ure that great event of Providence will, in <HI>due time,</HI> be the be&s;t expounder of its &s;elf, and the onely <HI>wi&s;e God</HI> &s;ees it fit to <HI>proportion</HI> our light here|in, and further breaking up of the
<PB REF="7">&s;ame to what's nece&s;&s;ary for our work and duty; but I have much wi&s;hed, that the <HI>progre&s;&s;ive cour&s;e</HI> and coming of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI>'s <HI>Mediatory Kingdom</HI> under the <HI>New Te&s;tament,</HI> and the&s;e more remarkable peri|ods of its gradation, were more &s;tudied and enquired into, which &s;hould <HI>make way</HI> for a more clear <HI>Idea</HI> and <HI>Notion</HI> of the &s;ame according to that pattern given hereof in the <HI>Mount</HI> by Divine <HI>Record;</HI> which bears the &s;ame <HI>re|&s;emblance</HI> to the <HI>&s;tate</HI> of a <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> in its progre&s;s and ripening for Heaven by being thus changed from <HI>Glory</HI> to <HI>Glory,</HI> until it come at la&s;t to that <HI>full &s;tature</HI> and pitch which it &s;hall have within time: this &s;hould, I humbly judge, make
<PB REF="8">it more ea&s;ie to decide, and unite the&s;e differences of judgment on this <HI>Subject,</HI> which make &s;o great a noi&s;e, and let us &s;ee, that there can be no di&s;tinct Kingdom of the Lord <HI>Je&s;us</HI> expected here on the Earth which is yet to have a beginning, or any &s;uch thing as a <HI>Fifth Monarchy,</HI> but what onely imports the highe&s;t advance, and perfections of the <HI>Churches &s;tate within time.</HI> And I hope if the&s;e times of the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> and fulne&s;s thereof were in their true &s;en&s;e more deeply con&s;idered (which is in this <HI>Di&s;cour&s;e,</HI> but &s;pecially in the <HI>Appendix</HI> touch'd) it might tend to a clearer di&s;cerning <HI>what watch of the night we are now in,</HI> and direct our <HI>faith,</HI> as to <HI>future
<PB REF="8">things,</HI> the <HI>fulfilling</HI> whereof will be as an <HI>entry of the Church into a new horizon,</HI> but &s;uch where the highe&s;t di&s;coveries of light will be of no farther extent, than the <HI>Scrip|tures of truth</HI> by a more <HI>full under|&s;tanding</HI> of the &s;ame, which is &s;ure|ly the mo&s;t clear and de&s;irable pro&s;pect we can have of future times, and that <HI>brightne&s;s</HI> which will be then before the &s;econd coming of <HI>Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P>It hath been, and is my &s;e|rious de&s;ire, that Your <HI>Maje|&s;ty,</HI> with that truly Wi&s;e and Magnanimous Prince the <HI>King,</HI> may be yet more highly ho|noured in the work of Your Day, in order to &s;o great an
<PB REF="9">end, and for a Re&s;toring of the&s;e Nations again to God, and that Your Names thus may be tran&s;|mitted to &s;ucceeding Times, as the <HI>Re&s;torers of Breaches.</HI> I am</P>
<CLOSER><SALUTE>MADAM,</SALUTE>
<SIGNED>Your Maje&s;ties mo&s;t humble and devoted Servant, R. Fleming.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="preface">
<PB REF="9">
<HEAD>Preface.</HEAD>
<P><HI>THe Publi&s;hing of this</HI> following Di&s;cour&s;e, <HI>had no ri&s;e, or call, from the de&s;ires or impor|tunity of any, or the lea&s;t Mo|tives of &s;uch a nature; but I hope it was with de&s;ire, that it might have &s;ome intere&s;t in the &s;evice of the Truth in &s;uch a time; it's true, what's offered in the</HI> Fir&s;t Part of the&s;e Papers, <HI>had a very Providential Ri&s;e in Writing of the &s;ame, and was directed for the</HI> Per|&s;onal U&s;e <HI>of one, who did not take a light and tran&s;ient view of the great con&s;equence of a Chri&s;tian's hope, and of his Souls venture for all Eternity herein; but did reckon the greate&s;t intere&s;t of his joy and comfort within time, to lie in a &s;olid re&s;t and per&s;wa&s;ion on the certainty of Di|vine Truth: It is indeed a great</HI> weight <HI>that lies thereon, when it's the intere&s;t
<PB REF="10">of an Eternity; but it &s;eems a rare thing for Men to know</HI> what the Chri&s;tian Creed means, or to believe the Arti|cles of their own Faith. <HI>The greate&s;t</HI> conte&s;t <HI>which is now on the Earth, is</HI> betwixt God and Man, <HI>on the</HI> Te&s;timony of his Word, <HI>as to an intire and ab&s;olute reliance thereon; and whether</HI> Humane Security <HI>on vi&s;ible grounds, or the</HI> a&s;&s;u|rance of the God of Truth, <HI>when there is no concurrence of any &s;en&s;ible evidence herewith, be mo&s;t prevalent and de&s;irable to &s;upport the Mind under its greate&s;t fears.</HI></P>
<P><HI>What is the</HI> &s;pecial &s;ubject and intent of the following part of this Di&s;cour&s;e, <HI>is of a very different nature, as relating wholly to the</HI> publick State of the Church, <HI>and that</HI> extraordinary admini&s;tration of Providence, <HI>which hath been in this</HI> la&s;t Age; <HI>wherein &s;ome inquity hath been made, and light offered in the</HI> words of truth and &s;oberne&s;s. <HI>It is now a time both of</HI> great fears, and of expectation and hope, <HI>in a more than ordinary way, and there is &s;urely ju&s;t cau&s;e for both; &s;ome things I mu&s;t &s;peak here, in a</HI> preliminary re|&s;pect,
<PB REF="10"><HI>which may be matter of Sad thoughts and</HI> reflection. 1. <HI>Tho it is one of the mo&s;t a&s;toni&s;hing</HI> depths and my&s;te|ries of Providence about the Church, <HI>un|der the times of the</HI> New Te&s;tament, <HI>that</HI> great Scene <HI>which hath been of late acted on</HI> the Theatre of Britain and Ireland, <HI>with &s;uch a &s;ucce&s;&s;ive cour&s;e of publick changes that have gone over the &s;ame for</HI> the&s;e 50 years pa&s;t? <HI>yet, though we have thus lived in</HI> an Age of wonders, <HI>for the mo&s;t part, we</HI> have not had eyes to &s;ee, <HI>or</HI> hearts to con&s;ider until this day, that one great end and de&s;ign <HI>which God hath been &s;till per&s;uing hereby, but &s;eems to be &s;till as a dark riddle; as al&s;o in how eminent a manner all</HI> oppo&s;itions <HI>that have been yet made thereto, have tend|ed to their</HI> fall <HI>and</HI> breaking, <HI>who have e&s;&s;ayed the &s;ame.</HI> 2. <HI>How notwith&s;tand|ing &s;uch a growing height of Athei&s;m, Impiety, and Controlling the De&s;ign and Methods of Grace and Providence, yet hath not</HI> the hedge of Divine Protection <HI>been taken down about</HI> the&s;e Nations, <HI>without which, no humane Power or Coun&s;el, could
<PB REF="11">have to this day</HI> prevented a National ru|ine; <HI>but when things oft have come to a vi|&s;ible extremity, there hath been mo&s;t ob&s;ervable alleviations herewith in a very &s;urpri&s;ing way.</HI> 3. <HI>But what may lie more near to a deep and &s;erious regard, is</HI> the very &s;ad a&s;pects of Providence, and pre|&s;ent &s;igns of the time, <HI>which have &s;uch an unu&s;ual appearance in this day, if we reckon our intere&s;t now on the earth to lie more with God than with Men; it's true, things of that kind does rarely affect our &s;pi|rits, for it's not the</HI> Voice of <HI>his Word, or Works can now have a hearing; yet it is e|ven under the mo&s;t tremenduous warnings from Heaven, that a door of hope hath been &s;till kept open by new offers of Peace, and to &s;hew,</HI> that Judgments threatned are not always decreed <HI>if there might be a meeting of God, whil&s;t he is in the way, and</HI> &s;ome to &s;tand up in the Gap <HI>before him, when in a more than ordinary manner it is now called for, to appear herein,</HI> that the Land be not de&s;troyed.</P>
<P><HI>It is indeed not ea&s;ie to</HI> di&s;cern the times <HI>we are in, or to con&s;ider wi&s;ely the out goings of Providence towards the</HI>
<PB REF="11">Churches of Britain <HI>this day; &amp; there are</HI> two things <HI>e&s;pecially, that may be matter of great thoughts, for being clearly under|&s;tood; the</HI> one <HI>is that after &s;uch an eminent appearance of a Divine concurrence in &s;uc|ce&s;sful events, and to a clearing of our</HI> Skie, <HI>how quickly a &s;urpri&s;ing darkne&s;s falleth down in &s;uch a manner, as</HI> Judgment and Mercy &s;eem to keep an equal pace, by down-ca&s;ting, and up-ri&s;ing; <HI>but though the onely wi&s;e God &s;ees it oft fit to hide his work when it's neare&s;t, to &s;ome great ap|pearance hereof, yet is it now time to</HI> hear, <HI>ere it be too late, when</HI> judgment <HI>&s;peaks once, and again, for a Peoples taking the &s;ame to heart; and that he does thus hold his hand, even when it's lifted up to &s;trike; yea, when in &s;o different a manner he warns, it may be judged, there is &s;ome great and extraordinary work then on a very near approach.</HI></P>
<P><HI>But there is a</HI> II^d <HI>thing which I doubt not will mo&s;t affect Mens Spirits this day, with &s;erious thoughts,</HI> to know on what &s;ide the &s;cale may fall, in the deci&s;ions of provi|dence, as to the Publick State, <HI>&amp; what</HI> &s;hall
<PB REF="12">be the end of all the&s;e wonders; <HI>tho it were well if</HI> pre&s;ent duty <HI>more than</HI> fu|ture events <HI>were the &s;ubject of our thoughts, when we know</HI> who holds the ballance <HI>in his own hand; and it is &s;ure, if light were more purely, and with a humble &s;pirit &s;ought after, we are not left to a</HI> doubtful judgment <HI>about the fu|ture &s;tate and de&s;tiny of the</HI> Church; <HI>I hope al&s;o in &s;uch a day there are found, who in a more than ordinary way, may be laid near to know the Coun&s;el of God,</HI> by that promi&s;ed Unction of his Spirit: <HI>I mean &s;uch onely, who does prefer a</HI> Sanctifying Work <HI>on their Soul, to the mo&s;t</HI> extraordinary di&s;cove|ries <HI>of this kind, and</HI> knows no other light, but in the way of revealed Truth; <HI>but on a Subject of &s;uch concern (as I have de&s;ired humbly to offer light in the en&s;uing Di&s;cour&s;e) &s;o &s;hall but &s;peak a few words farther, for a &s;afe Judgment, and</HI> directing of our faith herein. 1. <HI>That</HI> the <HI>&s;trange&s;t</HI> events of Providence, <HI>in this time, mu&s;t undoubtedly be</HI> concentrick <HI>with</HI> that one great de&s;ign of God, <HI>which
<PB REF="12">he is now accompli&s;hing, and its our being &s;o much in the dark here, why we under|&s;tand &s;o little how all the&s;e</HI> mutations <HI>tend, and by an irre&s;i&s;table conduct are directed, to</HI> prepare the way of the Lord herein. 2. <HI>How it cannot po&s;sibly be judged, but that</HI> this growing Apo|&s;ta&s;ie of the Gentile Church, <HI>now in the mo&s;t</HI> purely reformed part thereof, <HI>un|der a Pro&s;te&s;tant Profe&s;sion, mu&s;t have &s;ome</HI> extraordinary mark of Divine Judg|ment <HI>&s;et thereto; and as the</HI> fir&s;t times of the Gentiles <HI>were the</HI> pure&s;t and be&s;t times, <HI>&s;o is the</HI> la&s;t period <HI>now &s;o nearly ha&s;tning, like to be the</HI> wor&s;t, <HI>and mo&s;t fatal part thereof; yea, the &s;ad degenera|cy every where of the</HI> Gentiles, <HI>&s;eems to be coming to that height, as the Glory of Divine Ju&s;tice, will be concerned</HI> to cut off once their vi&s;ible priviledges, before their Re&s;tauration again; <HI>and by an emi|nent tender of Grace, upon &s;uch a</HI> forfei|ture <HI>of the &s;ame, to give a</HI> new grant, and holding <HI>of their right, but &s;uch as &s;hall be no more in a di&s;tinct and &s;eparate &s;tate, but a new</HI> entry <HI>and</HI> betrothing
<PB REF="13">of them, <HI>as a part of</HI> Chri&s;t's Univer|&s;al Kingdom, <HI>with the</HI> Converted Jews; <HI>who&s;e love then to him will be in &s;uch a fervor and flame, as to revive that an|tient and fir&s;t love of the</HI> Gentiles; <HI>and its until then, we are, I humbly judge, not to expect any farther</HI> conver&s;ion of the dark Nations; <HI>yea that it is with the fi|nal clo&s;e of the&s;e</HI> Times, <HI>the</HI> Ulti|ma Clades, of the Reformed Churches, <HI>and that</HI> Third Woe, <HI>foretold under</HI> the La&s;t Trumper, <HI>&s;eems to take place, and have their proper room, in the</HI> great frame of Providence, <HI>which may be</HI> as a mid|night hour of darkne&s;s, when it is near|e&s;t to the dawning.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<HEAD>ADVERTISEMENT.</HEAD>
<P>IT was from an exce&s;&s;ive de&s;ire to &s;peak things in as few words as po&s;&s;ible, in &s;uch an <HI>Epi&s;tolary way,</HI> that I fear, may at the fir&s;t view render &s;ome things more dark. There are al&s;o &s;everal con&s;iderable <HI>Mi&s;takes in the Print|ing,</HI> which I mu&s;t refer to the Reader's tender notice and con&s;truction of the &s;ame. I know that a <HI>Table of Errata</HI> is rarely noticed, &s;o that I mu&s;t relie on a favourable &s;en&s;e and reflection hereon, when &s;uch e&s;capes does occur both in Letters and Words only; <HI>p.</HI> 122. <HI>l.</HI> 28. Read <HI>by</HI> for <HI>within;</HI> And <HI>Appendix, p.</HI> 14. <HI>l. ult.</HI> Read <HI>this</HI> for <HI>Jonas.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 N="1" TYPE="letter">
<PB N="1" REF="13">
<OPENER><SALUTE>HONOURED SIR,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_IT was a &s;weet &s;urpri&s;al in &s;uch a time as this to meet with a friend on whom: I found a more then ordi|nary &s;ence and weight of the greatne&s;&s;e of the Chri|&s;tian Faith; and to have a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> other pro&s;pect of &s;uch <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> attainment, to enjoy an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> entire re&s;t and a&s;&s;u|rance of mind herein then mo&s;t &s;eem to have; even of the more &s;erious part of Chri&s;tians; which did render it the more de&s;irable to offer &s;ome thoughts to you on &s;o weightie a concern, not onlie to an&s;wer a &s;pecial promi&s;e and engadgment I was under; but with hope, through the good hand of the Lord, that &s;uch a &s;ervice may not be wholly lo&s;t for the end it is de&s;igned. But on &s;o great a &s;ubject I mu&s;t go a little out of an Epi&s;tola|ry way both in the method and mea&s;ure; and what in the fir&s;t place I would &s;peak to is this, that I dur&s;t offer nothing to divert, or take off any thing of the &s;uitable weight of &s;o choi&s;e ane exer|ci&s;e as is &s;o rare in the&s;e times, under which your &s;pirit is &s;o much pre&s;&s;ed, but were it needful <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ather to add thereto on the&s;e grounds.</P>
<PB N="2" REF="14">
<P N="1">1. That it is &s;urely the greate&s;t de&s;igne can fall under the con&s;ideration of mankind for men to have &s;uch ane a&s;&s;urance of divine truth, as can both an&s;wer the greatne&s;&s;e of that adventure they have thereon, and can fully quiet and comfort the &s;oul when vi&s;ible refuges, and humane a&s;&s;i|&s;tances, &s;eem wholly to &s;uccumbe; and &s;ince we mu&s;t either have ane entire re&s;t, and &s;ettlement herein, or none at all, I know not how to judge otherwi&s;e of that ordinar &s;ence, and implicit credit on &s;o great ane account as this, then as a degree, and evidence of the &s;ad Athei&s;m of thi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> day we are now in. 2. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">fever I knew any thing of the way of God in truth, I mu&s;t reckon thi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> the highe&s;t enjoiment of a Chri&s;tian, where the <HI>&s;ecurity, and quiet of his mind,</HI> upon the <HI>truth,</HI> an&s;wers to &s;o great a <HI>Revelation</HI> hereof, and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> know he is thus on &s;ure terms with God, on th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> whole adventures of his tru&s;t; when it is &s;o ne<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to adventure on the triall thereof in the la&s;t <HI>deci|&s;ion</HI> of there eternal &s;tate; yea when thus the know how to enjoy a promi&s;e for there &s;upport i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> this &s;tate of warefare, under a <HI>long deferred hop<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> tho the whole cour&s;e of providence would <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> to controul the &s;ame, knowing the ground the<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>anchor</HI> on cannot po&s;&s;ibly faill: &s;ince this &s;houl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> be the <HI>ultimate Inquiry</HI> about the <HI>event,</HI> that it &s;ure they have a <HI>div<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ne te&s;timonie</HI> to warrant the confidence, and if the highe&s;t joy and comfort our life be not &s;tated on &s;uch an account it
<PB N="3" REF="14">&s;trange. 3. If it be under&s;tood what it is to be a Chri&s;tian in earne&s;t, and what is called for of &s;uch admid&s;t the numerous tryalls and tempta|tions of this <HI>militant state;</HI> it mu&s;t need &s;ome higher degrees of <HI>a&s;&s;urance,</HI> and inward e&s;tabli&s;h|ment, then &s;eems by mo&s;t to be either appre|hended or &s;ought after; and that, &s;uch have &s;ome <HI>proper &s;tock</HI> of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">is own, of the&s;e <HI>&s;pecial aides and a&s;&s;i&s;tances</HI> as may be at hand in ane hour of <HI>tryall,</HI> for how can the life, and &s;erious work of Godli|ne&s;&s;e, be conceivable under &s;uch common and tran&s;ient impre&s;&s;ions, as mo&s;t have of the truth and certainty hereof. 4. Doe men know what <HI>Chri|&s;tianity</HI> means, and the high con&s;equence of &s;uch a di&s;tinguishing profe&s;&s;ion, from the re&s;idue of mankind, or is there any &s;uitable exerci&s;e of rea|&s;on about the greatne&s;&s;e of that hope of the Gho&s;|pel, which we have &s;et before us, and yet be a &s;ubject both of ordinary thoughts, and a&s;&s;ent hereto, which may &s;till be as though it were a new di&s;covery to us in the pre&s;ent day &s;ince it might be judged, that if there were a <HI>Methu&s;e|lahs age</HI> to pa&s;s within time, this &s;hould be a &s;u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|table, and continued exerci&s;e therein both to <HI>en|quire,</HI> and <HI>admire</HI> on the a&s;&s;ured hope of ane <HI>eter|nity with God,</HI> which they have before them, and that they are to enter into a &s;tate, where they &s;hall be in the &s;ame <HI>Cla&s;&s;e</HI> with the Angels of Heaven, and made equal unto them; I have known &s;uch who for many years have been dazled
<PB N="4" REF="15">with ths glorie, and greatne&s;s of that <HI>Mysterie of Christ</HI> and of life, and immortality in a future &s;tate, as hath made it there continued and highe&s;t exerci&s;e, to have a further, and new &s;trenthning of there faith herein, who yet all that time knew not what it was to be &s;haken, or to have any in|ward fear as to there own per&s;onal intere&s;t herein; but &s;till found the <HI>Revelation of the Gho&s;pel,</HI> &s;o great a thing, and there &s;pirits &s;o deeply &s;ea&s;ed with the <HI>wonders</HI> of our Religion, that whatever did tend to a higher &s;trenthning of their faith herein, was al&s;o the greate&s;t addition to their joy, and in that &s;ence did mo&s;t under&s;tand &s;uch a &s;ay|ing, <HI>nunquam &s;atis magna &s;ecuritas in re tanti mo|menti ubi periclitatur aeternitas.</HI></P>
<P>But in the next place what thoughts I would humbly offer to one of &s;o <HI>knowing and judicious, &s;pirit,</HI> and where &s;o great a&s;&s;i&s;tances you may have acce&s;s to improve other ways, shall be mo&s;t in a <HI>directive way</HI> upon a <HI>&s;evenfold inquiry,</HI> tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> may be of greate&s;t weight for a Chri&s;tians laying the <HI>ground work</HI> of their profe&s;&s;ion on &s;olid an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> clear grounds, which lyes fir&s;t here.</P>
<P N="1">1. To know that rare and peculiar <HI>order</HI> that <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;uitable in a Chri&s;tians <HI>fir&s;t entry</HI> on Religion, un|der a &s;erious weight of the &s;ame on their &s;pirits &s;ince as in any great &s;tudie, there is an <HI>entrance&punc;</HI> and a <HI>progre&s;&s;e,</HI> and that it is &s;ure in the whole <HI>frame of Christianity</HI> there is &s;o entire a corre&s;|pondence as nothing &s;tands alone by it &s;elf, bu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">
<PB N="5" REF="15">in a <HI>line of mutual re&s;pect,</HI> which in that manner runs through the &s;ame, as ane <HI>entry</HI> aright upon one <HI>&s;tep,</HI> mu&s;t make way to render a further pro|gre&s;&s;e clear and unavoidable, &s;o here I mu&s;t judge.</P>
<P N="1">1. That a Chri&s;tian &s;hould once make it &s;uch a <HI>proper and &s;olemn</HI> bu&s;ine&s;s, and work by it &s;elf, to attain a &s;olid founding, and &s;ettlement of their <HI>faith on the truth,</HI> and to &s;i&s;t his &s;oul in &s;uch a manner, as if he were then to enter on the Chri|&s;tian profe&s;&s;ion, without re&s;pect to <HI>example, e|ducation,</HI> or influence of any humane authority, or whatever any external motives could have weight herein, &s;ince in a ca&s;e of that high con|cern men &s;hould in the greate&s;t rece&s;s and com|po&s;ure of &s;pirit, have &s;ome di&s;tinct &s;pecial time, &s;uch as may be matter after of &s;weet reflexion to them, how they did then prove them&s;elves, with re&s;pect to &s;o high and <HI>di&s;criminating a profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> from the re&s;idue of the world, and did thus with full inward con&s;ent join in with the truth <HI>purely on its own evidence,</HI> as though there were none of that profe&s;&s;ion in the bounds and place they lived in.</P>
<P N="2">2. As the <HI>naturall order of things</HI> should require that the <HI>foundation</HI> be &s;ure laid, ere we begin to <HI>build;</HI> &s;o is it &s;ure that the fir&s;t <HI>entry</HI> on &s;erious Religion, mu&s;t be on the <HI>Faith of the divine na|ture, and exi&s;tence,</HI> and that men have a&s;&s;uredly <HI>a God</HI> to tru&s;t to, and to make them happy, as
<PB N="6" REF="16"><HI>Hebr.</HI> 11:6. <HI>he mu&s;t fir&s;t beleeve that he is,</HI> &amp;c. and in the &s;ame order, <HI>John</HI> 17.3. mu&s;t beleeve him to be the <HI>only true God,</HI> ere he come to be|leeve <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t whom he hath &s;ent:</HI> O how un|comfortable a thing &s;hould humane &s;tate be with|out God, and ane ab&s;olute dependance on him, who might &s;ee his life to be rather a <HI>cur&s;e,</HI> and torment, then <HI>bl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;ing,</HI> if there were no <HI>&s;uperna|tural help</HI> above him&s;elf, again&s;t the evil, and mi&s;eries of time, and to &s;ubdue the di&s;tempers of the mind, and the fears that should thus <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ea&s;e upon him both as to his pre&s;ent and future &s;tate; but what po&s;&s;ible comfort could there be in the light of <HI>a Deity,</HI> or enjoiment of <HI>a Godhead,</HI> if we know not with a&s;&s;urance al&s;o, the <HI>Excellencies</HI> of his <HI>ble&s;sed nature,</HI> and what <HI>a God</HI> we have to adventure on.</P>
<P N="3">3. Thus by ane unavoidable con&s;traint there mu&s;t be a further <HI>progre&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>enquirie</HI> upon the certaintie of a <HI>revealed rule of corre&s;pondence, betwixt God and man</HI> here, both in order to du|tie, and what we may ex&s;pect, and hope from him; and if it be &s;ure this day that there be ane expre&s;s, and clear revelation of his will herein to be found in the earth; that comes with full and infallible evidence to men; for here is it not po&s;&s;ible to &s;tand or fix until our faith be once &s;ettled, on the truth of &s;uch a <HI>divine record,</HI> when we &s;ee in what e&s;tate poor mankind were in if &s;uch a &s;ure way of <HI>commerce</HI> were not betwixt the
<PB N="7" REF="16">invi&s;ible God, and this vi&s;ible world we are in, &s;ince then we should have no certain, and fixed <HI>boundaries betwixt good, and evil,</HI> by that un|changeable difference which the holy nature of God hath put herein, nor could we ever know that <HI>rule of &s;ubjection,</HI> and <HI>relation</HI> we &s;tand under to him; then <HI>heaven and earth</HI> were shut up from corre&s;pondence together by any e&s;tablished rule for the &s;ame; then should the mo&s;t excellent and e&s;&s;entiall part of man, his <HI>immortall &s;oul,</HI> have no directive or comforting light as to his future &s;tate, and &s;afe pa&s;&s;age thereto, whil&s;t the vi&s;ible creation hath a <HI>&s;un</HI> to shine thereon; when &s;uch is the way to life as by the greate&s;t improvements of nature it can be neither found nor followed; then should that rare &s;tructure, and workman|ship o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>grace</HI> here, and of <HI>glory</HI> and ble&s;&s;edne&s;s to come, be a <HI>terra incognita</HI> to poor mankind, and as man only in this lower creation is capable of <HI>moral Government</HI> and <HI>humane lawes,</HI> which yet can extend no further, then their vi&s;ible work, and actions, if &s;uch a ble&s;&s;ed record were not, there should be no e&s;tablishment of <HI>laws</HI> to the whole <HI>inward man,</HI> no rule of regulation to the <HI>heart,</HI> and this inward world, would be &s;ub|ject to no Government, and tho the ruined &s;tate of humane nature may be as di&s;cernable as the truth of it's exi&s;tence, yet should we neither know its true <HI>original,</HI> and <HI>ri&s;e,</HI> nor any relief for the &s;ame, we might di&s;cern the truth of <HI>invi|&s;ible
<PB N="8" REF="17">adver&s;aries,</HI> and of &s;ome great de&s;ign they have again&s;t us, as clearly as any object of &s;en&s;e, but we could know no &s;ecurity from them by ane <HI>invi&s;ible guard,</HI> or the way how to re&s;i&s;t &s;uch a party, then should the <HI>work and conduct of pro|vidence</HI> be wholly unintelligible to us, and have our eyes shut on the&s;e wonders hereof which ex|ceed the &s;phere, of created under&s;tanding, if this great <HI>luminary of the Scripture,</HI> did not conti|nually shine thereon which we cannot &s;ee, and not &s;ee al&s;o, that no way be&s;ides this was ever made known to recover poor mankind out of that gulf of bondage and mi&s;ery he is fallen into; and as this glorious <HI>light of divine truth</HI> hath its <HI>proper &s;phers</HI> where it is fixed, and shines forth in the Chri&s;tan Church; &s;o the whole world be&s;ide, is a place where <HI>hor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">, falshood,</HI> and <HI>impiety</HI> does vi&s;ibly raign.</P>
<P N="4">4. But this mu&s;t lead men of a &s;erious &s;pirit to a further <HI>enquiry,</HI> upon that <HI>e&s;&s;ential difference,</HI> which is betwixt the <HI>revealed rule of our Religion,</HI> and <HI>any other way,</HI> that pretends thereto as there is betwixt <HI>light,</HI> and <HI>darkne&s;s,</HI> which is not foun|ded by <HI>po&s;itive in&s;titution</HI> only, but in the <HI>immu|table nature</HI> of the&s;e things them&s;elves; and tho I de&s;ign to &s;peak more fully to this hereafter, yet should this be of highe&s;t u&s;e to &s;trenthen the Chri&s;tian faith, to look in with the &s;erious u&s;e of rea&s;on on the whole frame of <HI>Pagani&s;me,</HI> as it was in ancient times, or of <HI>Mahumeti&s;me</HI> in
<PB N="9" REF="17" MS="y">this day, where even under a &s;en&s;e of the law and dictates of nature &s;uch a &s;ight were enough to expo&s;e the very name, and form of Religion, to be ju&s;t matter of abhorrence, and to be the high|e&s;t reproach of mankind, and thus &s;ee whither &s;o brutish, and horrid a thing could ever claim a reception either on the <HI>purity</HI> of its <HI>rule,</HI> or any <HI>internal evidence of truth,</HI> or po&s;&s;ible <HI>con&s;i&s;tence</HI> with its &s;elf; &s;o that to have no &s;en&s;e or beleef of the glorious being of God, is not wor&s;e, or more dreadful, then to have the highe&s;t contu|mely, and affront, thus put on the <HI>divine na|ture,</HI> and which tends rather to ju&s;tify <HI>Athei&s;m.</HI> This enquiry were it &s;uitably improven could not but render that <HI>dilemma</HI> unan&s;uerable, either a <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> or of no Religion at all; either that which we enjoy according to the <HI>Laws,</HI> and <HI>con|&s;titutions</HI> of the Chri&s;tian faith, or el&s;e an ab&s;o|lute <HI>nullity</HI> as to all Religion, and that no &s;uch &s;acred thing had a being on the earth.</P>
<P>INQUIRY II. But as it is not po&s;&s;ible to hold by the truth of a <HI>Godhead</HI> or to have any trew en|joiment of Religion, without a further and un|avoidable progre&s;&s;e to the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith;</HI> &s;o mu&s;t the fir&s;t entry hereof be on the <HI>old Te&s;tament,</HI> and by a nece&s;&s;ar re&s;ult upon this inquiry, if the God of truth gave &s;uch a <HI>promi&s;e of a redeemer to mankind</HI> after the <HI>fall,</HI> and that on this great a&s;&s;urance, the faith of the ancient Church did entirly re&s;t; that &s;o <HI>glorious a per&s;on as the Me&s;&s;ias
<PB N="10" REF="18" MS="y">should come, and be anointed to that work of re|deemingman,</HI> and bringing him again to God; &s;ince this mu&s;t be fir&s;t cleared, and our faith fixed on the &s;ame ere we can enter on any enjoiment of the <HI>Gho&s;pel,</HI> for the faith of the new Te&s;tament, is not attainable el&s;e, but in &s;uch an <HI>order</HI> and &s;ettlement of our faith in <HI>the old,</HI> and hath ane ab&s;olute dependance on the &s;ame; wherein the weight of this enquiry lyes 1. To &s;ee the truth, and nature of that <HI>promi&s;e,</HI> which was the <HI>first immediate object of the Churches faith</HI> to be <HI>irre|vocable,</HI> and <HI>ab&s;olute,</HI> and given to be declara|tive of the immutable purpo&s;e, and coun&s;el of God herein, and not dependant upon any condi|tion in man. 2. How this one great promi&s;e wa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> given to be the <HI>original right,</HI> and warrant of all other promi&s;es, which doe wholly center in him, in whom they are <HI>yea, and amen.</HI> 3. As a pro|mi&s;e of &s;uch a nature that rea&s;on mu&s;t &s;tand amazed at the greatnes hereof, and cry out can this po&s;&s;ibly be, yea the more deep enquiry here|in mu&s;t highten &s;uch ane a&s;tonishment, and ma|ke the &s;oul of a Chri&s;tian &s;inke under the thought<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of &s;uch a thing that <HI>God wil in very d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d bear</HI> &s;uch regard to man; this being a truth of that concern as it might &s;eem &s;trange how one day should pa&s;s over men, without &s;ome fre&s;h reviving of &s;uch a reflection. 4. To &s;ee how high a value, and account God put upon that one <HI>promi&s;e,</HI> by &s;o long a delay, and procra&s;tination of the &s;ame, as a pro|mi&s;e
<PB N="11" REF="18">worthy of the Churches waiting, and ex|pectation of the &s;ame, <HI>for</HI> 4000. <HI>Years.</HI> 5. This enquiry mu&s;t lye here, to &s;ee the fir&s;t <HI>entry of the Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> on the world in its <HI>preci&s;e time, and date,</HI> and how &s;uch a light did not shine on <HI>Adam,</HI> and <HI>Eve</HI> in the &s;tate of perfection, whil&s;t they &s;tood in a &s;tate of tryal upon a perfect obe|dience to their God, but with the falling doun of that di&s;mal night of there fall, did the glory of this light fir&s;t dawn (that there might be no utter darkne&s;s in the &s;tate of <HI>mankind</HI> as in that of the <HI>fallen angels,</HI>) whereby the final condemnatory &s;entence on the one, and releef for the other were made known, and promulgate together, and the room of the <HI>first Adam,</HI> filled up with a higher glory by the <HI>&s;econd.</HI> 6. How this ble&s;&s;ed light (tho with a <HI>gradual increa&s;e,</HI>) did never cea&s;e to thine on this world &s;ince it began to dawn, not hath there ever cea&s;ed a peculiar people in a <HI>Church relation,</HI> who were di&s;tinct, and &s;eparate from the re&s;idue of men, who&s;e profe&s;&s;ion was founded in the alone faith of a redeemer, &s;o as one day hath not been, &s;ince the fir&s;t <HI>entry</HI> of that promi&s;e, wherein, the <HI>&s;un</HI> did shine on the earth, when the <HI>&s;un <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">f righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> did not shine al&s;o by vital influences of light, and power, and where the <HI>Churches head,</HI> had not &s;ome part of his <HI>body</HI> here to conver&s;e with as the peculiar objects of his complai&s;ance, and love, and did <HI>rejoice in the habitable parts of the earth;</HI> tho that &s;ome <HI>ages</HI>
<PB N="12" REF="19">have had, a higher glory a&s;&s;igned thereto, and a larger extent of the Church; yet would he not re&s;trict the <HI>ingathering of his elect</HI> to any &s;pecial <HI>periods of time;</HI> or let each age want a share of this glory, and of a &s;eed to be as <HI>&s;alt to the earth.</HI> 7. But this <HI>enquiry</HI> goes further, to &s;ee the&s;e mea|&s;ures of <HI>evidence,</HI> and divine condeshendence, which was given to &s;upport the faith of the an|cient Church, on that great promi&s;e even by an <HI>ocular</HI> di&s;covery, to the outward &s;ence, as in the whole <HI>frame</HI> and &s;ucce&s;&s;ive cour&s;e of the <HI>legal &s;acrifices,</HI> and the&s;e numerous <HI>figures,</HI> and <HI>types</HI> in that long preparatory &s;ervice; wherein he did not let his people feed on a&s;shes, naked shadows, and where nothing was inept or u&s;le&s;s, but was expre&s;ly &s;ignificative, of that highe&s;t <HI>my&s;tery of Christ,</HI> and could po&s;&s;ibly bear no other &s;ence, or intent; and &s;ince the whole &s;tre&s;s of the <HI>Chri|&s;tian Faith</HI> lyes upon this <HI>one promi&s;e,</HI> or what can make the &s;tate of man valeuable, in any true enjoiement of his life here, its on this <HI>head</HI> should be &s;ett the fir&s;t &s;ettlement of our faith; for I know nor releef, but in a <HI>promi&s;ed redeemer,</HI> and if it were not for the <HI>old Te&s;tament,</HI> I could not po&s;&s;ibly be a <HI>Chri&s;tian;</HI> if the morning, and growing light, of that glorious my&s;tery, had not gone before its meridian hight, and as a clear conduct to the next &s;tep, I shall enter on</P>
<P>A III. INQUIRY, to know that this <HI>funda|mental promi&s;e of a redemers coming to the world
<PB N="13" REF="19" MS="y">is a&s;&s;uredly made good,</HI> and is no more a <HI>matter of faith,</HI> but of <HI>&s;en&s;e,</HI> that its &s;ure our eyes &s;ee &s;uch a <HI>day,</HI> and long expected <HI>period of time,</HI> and can be no dark or doubtful thing now to be a Chri|&s;tian, but may enter on its profe&s;&s;ion in the open light; but to clear how with the &s;ame evidence of the certainty of the promi&s;e, we may &s;ee its performance al&s;o, and if we be &s;ure of the one that it is not po&s;&s;ible to be in que&s;tion about the other, is thus vi&s;ible. 1. Becau&s;e we mu&s;t then part with the <HI>old Te&s;tament,</HI> and cea&s;e to credit its <HI>divinity,</HI> and no comfort could be from the &s;ame; if it had yet failed in this great event, and what is the main intent thereof for if the <HI>promi&s;ed Me&s;&s;ias were yet to come,</HI> I could then look for none, &s;ince all the&s;e <HI>proper circum&s;tances,</HI> which are &s;o expre&s;ly foretold, whereby to know and di&s;cern him, mu&s;t be wholly made void, and ane utter <HI>nullity</HI> should be in that <HI>faith.</HI> 2. Becau&s;e I could not po&s;&s;ibly look for the accomplishment of that <HI>promi&s;e,</HI> according to the whole tenor of the <HI>old Te&s;tament,</HI> in another way then what we have hereof in the revelation of the Gho&s;pel; yea were it &s;uppo&s;able that the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> were yet to come; it is &s;ure I could only look and expect for his acting the &s;ame part and in the &s;ame appea|rance. 3. Let us but compare the <HI>antient creed</HI> of the Church herein, with that which is ours, now under the di&s;pen&s;ation of the <HI>Gho&s;pel,</HI> and &s;ee whither they be not entirely on in &s;ub&s;tance,
<PB N="14" REF="20">and center in the &s;ame <HI>redeemer,</HI> with this varia|tion only, that the one was on the credit and a&s;&s;urance of what was <HI>promi&s;ed,</HI> and the other or the certainty of its <HI>accomplishment,</HI> &s;o as that may be as applicable, to <HI>Mo&s;es, I&s;aia,</HI> and <HI>Daniel</HI> with other of the Prophets, as to the <HI>Evangeli&s;ts,</HI> what is &s;poke by <HI>John Chap.</HI> 20: <HI>v.</HI> 31. <HI>But the&s;e are written that ye might beleeve that Je&s;us is the Christ, the Son of God, and that beleeving you might have life through his name;</HI> where we may &s;ee there could be no humane contrivance, in this joint concurring for the &s;ame end, and by the &s;ame &s;pirit: but yet more &s;pecialy lyes the weight of this <HI>enquiry,</HI> to &s;ee, 1. how the mo&s;t &s;olemn times of the <HI>old Testament</HI> was &s;till a <HI>waiting,</HI> and <HI>expecting time,</HI> and that their highe&s;t enjoiments, lay in hope of that glory to be revealed in after ages, when the &s;eal should be taken off that great <HI>Prophe&s;y,</HI> then &s;ealed up, and how the whole di&s;pen&s;ation of that time was <HI>preparatory,</HI> and as a <HI>prelude</HI> to that great de&s;ign of grace, which was to be brought forth. 2. How the breaking up of Gho&s;pel, and its fir&s;t entry on the world, had its <HI>preci&s;e time,</HI> and <HI>date,</HI> as that which was &s;o ab&s;olutly nece&s;&s;are, for a more clear &s;ettling of the Chri&s;tian Faith, this being a <HI>matter of fact,</HI> and of the highe&s;t import that ever was, and was ane <HI>external object of Sen&s;e,</HI> in the view of the World, which laid an inevitable con&s;traint, on the whole Chri&s;tian Church, then to have it
<PB N="15" REF="20">keept clear, and under the mo&s;t exact and pun|ctual circum&s;tances. 3, As <HI>I&s;raels</HI> coming out of <HI>Egypt in a typical</HI> re&s;pect, was a <HI>night,</HI> and <HI>time of &s;uch g eat ob&s;ervation,</HI> and that the Lord did put hereon, &s;o &s;pecial a weight, with re&s;pect to the punctual and preci&s;e <HI>time</HI> hereof; &s;o was this in a more eminent way, to be matter of highe&s;t regard, <HI>when and in what time, the great univer&s;al good, and ble&s;&s;ing of mankind, our ble&s;&s;ed redeemer,</HI> was revealed unto the World, which should begin a <HI>new week,</HI> and that <HI>&s;olemn Epocha,</HI> whence wee reckon the Churches entry on the highe&s;t glory of time, and on a <HI>new &s;tate.</HI> 4. Hereon hath that &s;olemn ob&s;ervation of the <HI>first day of the week,</HI> as the <HI>Lords day</HI> both its ri|&s;e, and right; tho it might &s;eem not po&s;&s;ible this could ever come under forgetfulne&s;s when it was thus fixed, upon the highe&s;t certainty, and <HI>preci&s;e time,</HI> both of the <HI>&s;ufferings, and re&s;urre|ction, of the Lord,</HI> in matter of fact; as that <HI>day</HI> and <HI>time</HI> was, which had a <HI>glory</HI> put thereon, that none el&s;e could po&s;&s;ibly claim, and not time ever &s;ince that glas, &s;ett up to their creation, was like unto this, yea which was wholly impo&s;&s;ible to fix the Chri&s;tian Church on the ob&s;ervation here|of otherways, but that this was &s;o publick and fa|mous in the view of the world, and had &s;o great a weight on the primitive Chri&s;tians, then, when the&s;e <HI>morning stars &s;ung together,</HI> and <HI>the Sons of God shouted for joy,</HI> at the fir&s;t entry of
<PB N="16" REF="21">this <HI>new World,</HI> and it may be &s;pecially remar|kable, that our Lord did the le&s;s inforce the &s;ame in an <HI>authoritative way,</HI> both to try and tru&s;t the love of his people herein, that what he had done for them, put &s;o &s;trong ane enforement and impo&s;ition, to a frequent and &s;olemn remem|brance of this ble&s;&s;ed day from internal motives; and tho its divine authority be clear, yet the le&s;s is of <HI>po&s;itive in&s;titution</HI> this way, the more &s;trenth|ning might it be to our <HI>faith,</HI> and more excit|ment al&s;o for our <HI>love</HI> herein, were it &s;eriou&s;ly con&s;idered, 5. And of what weight &s;hould this <HI>enquiry</HI> be &s;till on mens &s;pirits, that our hope leans novv no more on a <HI>promi&s;e,</HI> on which the Saints of old did both live and die, when this makes &s;o e&s;&s;ential a change in the Chri&s;tian Faith, that vvhat ane <HI>Abraham</HI> and <HI>M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;es</HI> was &s;aved by cannot po&s;&s;ibly &s;ave us, to <HI>beleeve in a Re|deemer to come,</HI> which would now be ab&s;olutly <HI>mortall,</HI> nay not in <HI>generall terms</HI> to beleeve that he is come, but to knovv and be &s;ure, that <HI>this is he whom the Father<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;ealed,</HI> and <HI>&s;ent unto the World,</HI> and he alone who in the dayes of <HI>Tiberius,</HI> and <HI>Pontius Pilate &s;uffered at Jeru&s;alem.</HI></P>
<P>A IV. INQUIRY, which &s;uitably followes here, is to look in upon the <HI>glory of that time under the new Te&s;tament,</HI> vvhich vvas peculiarly re&s;erved thereto; and on the&s;e <HI>publick declara|tive &s;igns</HI> to the World, whereby our <HI>Redeemer was declared to be the Son of God, with power,</HI>
<PB N="17" REF="21">and by the <HI>&s;pirit of Holine&s;s,</HI> &s;o as it may be &s;aid the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ord did then <HI>&s;et up Signs and Wonders to this very day,</HI> with a more eminent lu&s;tre then the&s;e at the Churches outgoing from <HI>Egypt;</HI> but &s;ince in the <HI>times</HI> we live in, you may find more to &s;hake and &s;tagger then to &s;trengthen your &s;pi|rit in the way of truth, when it is not in an ordi|nare degree, that a <HI>reall Apo&s;tacy</HI> may be &s;een from the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> this day in the <HI>Reformed Churches,</HI> whil&s;t that choice &s;pirit of the <HI>Bereans</HI> &s;eems rarely to be found in the earth, I &s;hall touch but a little this <HI>great &s;ubject in &s;ome in&s;tances,</HI> wherein our <HI>blest Redeemer after his A&s;cen&s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"></HI> hath &s;till made him&s;elf <HI>vi&s;ible</HI> before the World in the glory of his divine Power, and are of &s;uch kind, as no di&s;tance of time can take off that ir|re&s;i&s;table evidence of the &s;ame from a &s;erious &s;pi|rit, as if they were &s;till pre&s;ent.</P>
<P N="1">1. That tho <HI>in his bodily pre&s;ence,</HI> &s;ince he left the World, he is no <HI>object</HI> any more of hu|mane &s;en&s;e, yet hath he been no le&s;s <HI>vi&s;ible</HI> in his goings forth to <HI>conquer and e&s;tablish a Kingdom to him&s;elf out of all Nations, Tongues and Langua|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es,</HI> even to the utmo&s;t parts of the earth; and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ince I know you can improve &s;ome <HI>Reflections</HI> on his Head, bejond what I can &s;peak thereon, I <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hall the more briefly point at a few. 1. That it is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nowen and &s;ure, how mo&s;t of the habitable World be&s;ides <HI>Judaea,</HI> was in times pa&s;t <HI>Pagan,</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nd a place of <HI>horror</HI> and <HI>darkne&s;s,</HI> and the&s;e parts
<PB N="18" REF="22">we now live in were once the <HI>dark places of the earth, full of the Habitations of Cruelty,</HI> where our <HI>Ancestors</HI> of whom we are come, did Sacri|fice to the <HI>Gods of the Heathens.</HI> 2. It is evident and undeniable in the matter of <HI>Fact,</HI> that within le&s;s then <HI>&s;ixty Years after the A&s;cen&s;ion of the Lord</HI> the vi&s;ible extent of the <HI>Christian Church</HI> among the Nations which had been then <HI>Heathen;</HI> did exceed what it is this day; and &s;ince any <HI>extraor|dinar effect</HI> when it comes in our &s;ight, should cau&s;e a deep Inquiry upon the <HI>cau&s;e</HI> hereof, is no<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> this a matter of the highe&s;t concern, that eve<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> was, even in the pre&s;ent day to be taken up with that made then &s;o &s;tupendious a change on th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> face of mankind, and was as the bringing fort<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of a new World. 3. And here is it po&s;&s;ible to que&s;tion, that this wonderful thing which did &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> vi&s;ibly then change the whole face of the earth, was by the alone <HI>evidence and vertue of Sacre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Truth,</HI> and the <HI>pure Revelation of Christ</HI> in the My&s;tery of his Death and Sufferings, wherein no humane Power could boa&s;t that their <HI>Arm</HI> o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Sword</HI> did bring this about; as I know it will be &s;weet and convincing thus to &s;ee under what in|fluence, the <HI>Christian Church</HI> was both planted and propogate in the earth and mo&s;t &s;avage parts thereof, &s;o that whatever re&s;pect <HI>Princes</HI> and vi|&s;ible Powers have given to the <HI>Kingdom of Christ,</HI> yet is it fully demon&s;trable that it's <HI>true intere<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> and conquest</HI> was never beholden to <HI>humane a&s;&s;i|&s;tance,</HI>
<PB N="19" REF="22">or that any temporal inducements made way thereto, but when the World begun to &s;mile mo&s;t in the <HI>primitive times,</HI> then al&s;o did the Glory and Lu&s;tre of the Chri&s;tian Religion begin to darken, and decline. 4. As it was &s;urely re&s;erved to the <HI>Gho&s;pel State of the Church,</HI> to be <HI>the Theater of the greatest Wonders both of Provi|dence, and Grace,</HI> bejond all that had been known to the World before, and that in the times of the <HI>New Te&s;tament,</HI> the&s;e great things which should be matter of highe&s;t ob&s;ervation, and out of the ordinare road of Gods dealing with his Church then was to be expected, &s;o you can &s;ee with full evidence, that this <HI>great and extraor|dinare appearance of God unto men,</HI> had been never known on the earth before, or any &s;uch outgoing of his Power &s;ince the beginning of time, which was only re&s;erved to follow the day of <HI>Christ,</HI> and his <HI>A&s;cen&s;ion,</HI> as the fir&s;t entry of that <HI>glorious Scene,</HI> which was to be acted under the <HI>Gho&s;pel.</HI> 5. And here al&s;o this <HI>Reflection</HI> is unavoidable, how the <HI>God of this World</HI> was not ea&s;ily put off his <HI>vi&s;ible Throne,</HI> which he had &s;o long kept over the Nations, but the la&s;t &s;trugle of the&s;e <HI>infernal &s;pirits</HI> ere they were ca&s;t down was then very &s;trong, and put forth to the ut|mo&s;t, who yet were made to fall before the <HI>Divi|nity of our Redeemer</HI> in &s;uch a manner, as the whole frame of <HI>Pagani&s;m</HI> was then raz'd and ex|tinct, and their Gods after whom the earth had
<PB N="20" REF="23">for &s;o many ages wondred; for when you peru&s;e the <HI>Records of the first times,</HI> you can &s;ee the en|mity and rage of the World again&s;t Sacred Truth, was never before rai&s;ed to &s;uch a prodigious height, as was then aloft upon the fir&s;t di&s;play of the Gho&s;pel.</P>
<P N="2">2. But it is yet a further <HI>Inquiry</HI> should be made on this <HI>Head,</HI> to &s;ee not only the <HI>outgoings of the Lord Je&s;us in the Glory of his Power &s;ince his A&s;|cen&s;ion,</HI> for &s;etting up his <HI>vi&s;ible Kingdom</HI> in the World, and extent of the Chri&s;tian Profe&s;&s;ion, but in the <HI>reality of that vital influence on the &s;ouls of men,</HI> with &s;o great and wonderful a change thus made on them from the re&s;idue of mankind. This, I doubt not, will be a &s;ubject of great thoughts and <HI>reflection</HI> to you, and should be a matter of higher concern to any of a &s;erious &s;pi|rit, then the temporal intere&s;t and transactions, which are about the greate&s;t Kingdoms on the earth. 1. To &s;ee how no reality in nature, or the mo&s;t vi&s;ible objects of &s;en&s;e, can be more &s;ure, then that under the times of the <HI>New Te|&s;tament,</HI> there hath been <HI>innumerable examples of the truth and power of Holine&s;s,</HI> &s;ucce&s;&s;ively from one age to another, in whom it might be no more di&s;cernable, that they walked in the ver|tue and power of a <HI>humane &s;oull,</HI> then that they did truly walk before men in the <HI>light and power of Chri&s;tianity,</HI> and under that vi&s;ible influence of <HI>inward Grace,</HI> as all might &s;ee to be above the
<PB N="21" REF="23">po&s;&s;ibility of <HI>natural cau&s;es.</HI> 2. If this were more deeply &s;earch'd into, to &s;ee what does e&s;&s;entially belong to the <HI>frame and con&s;titution of one reall Chri&s;tian,</HI> and what a marvelous Power mu&s;t be put forth herein, it could not but be in another manner affecting, and afford <HI>a Seall to the Chri|&s;tian Faith,</HI> as does exceed the greate&s;t <HI>external Miracles;</HI> when it's &s;ure one <HI>example</HI> of &s;uch, who is truly <HI>converted</HI> by <HI>grace,</HI> and made partaker of the <HI>Divine nature,</HI> is &s;o &s;tupendious a work as does far exceed both the power and comprehen|&s;ion of <HI>Angels,</HI> yea that the <HI>Glory of the Godhead</HI> does more eminently &s;hine forth in the <HI>first frame,</HI> in the <HI>conduct,</HI> and <HI>perfiting of one Christian,</HI> then either in the <HI>first frame of man</HI> in his &s;tate of perfection, or of the <HI>illuminate Angels,</HI> &s;ince this is to make <HI>Saints of Sinners,</HI> to turn &s;uch from a &s;tate of enmity, and inbred oppo&s;ition to the Holy God to be Lovers of him, and &s;ubdue their &s;oulls in that manner, as with inward de|light can make them part with what was their predominant and endeared Intere&s;t, and what hath been as their right hand and eye. This is one of the great di&s;coveries of the <HI>Gho&s;pel.</HI> to let us &s;ee how one <HI>converted Christian</HI> is a higher de|mon&s;tration of the <HI>Christian Faith,</HI> then a <HI>thou|&s;and ordinare Profe&s;&s;ors</HI> hereof, and may fully &s;ilence &s;uch a <HI>Question,</HI> why it is, that the <HI>Saints are not more numerous in the World,</HI> comparative|ly with the great bulk of mankind, yea with the&s;e
<PB N="22" REF="24">who go under the Chri&s;tian Profe&s;&s;ion, when it might be rather ju&s;t matter of wonder to &s;ee that &s;uch <HI>numerous Examples</HI> yet are to be found of this kind in the earth, of whom each, is <HI>one of the greatest of the Works of God,</HI> and infinitely becoming the exceeding greatne&s;s of his Power put forth herein; yea are &s;uch <HI>Examples,</HI> where the Truth and Excellency of <HI>Grace</HI> does in any eminency shine forth, as may ju&s;tly &s;upply the Room of <HI>Miracles,</HI> which were given in the <HI>first times</HI> to be confirming to the <HI>Christian Faith;</HI> that the&s;e hath a&s;&s;uredly been, and I hope are this day not a few, who doe with de&s;ire choi&s;e to preferr their <HI>Services for God,</HI> to the greate&s;t com|forts &amp; enjoyments of this earth, and are helped not only to keep ground, but gain, under &s;uch <HI>conflicts and a&s;&s;aults</HI> in their &s;piritual cour&s;e, as go above the <HI>po&s;&s;ibility of nature</HI> to with&s;tand. 3. And what a wonder may one Chri&s;tian be, who does conver&s;e with God here on the earth, both to him&s;elf and others, who hath &s;uch near enjoyments of the <HI>divine pre&s;ence,</HI> hath &s;uch a|&s;tonishing hopes, hath ever the <HI>Elect Angels</HI> to be both their guard and ob&s;ervers; and tho the <HI>Saints above</HI> return no more to conver&s;e with us, yet is it not que&s;tionable, but that they have the &s;ame <HI>pro&s;pect of the outgoings of providence to|wards the Saints yet militant,</HI> &amp; as to their <HI>&s;ervices, trialls, and victories,</HI> which the <HI>Angels</HI> have to whom they are <HI>now made equal,</HI> and in the &s;ame
<PB N="23" REF="24">&s;tate of perfection; and that they know the <HI>return of their prayers</HI> in behalfe of &s;uch who are on the earth, for whom they had wre&s;tled with God whil&s;t they were upon it; yea that the <HI>joy which is in Heaven, and in the pre&s;ence of the Angels,</HI> on the conver&s;ion of &s;inners re&s;pects the whole <HI>Church triumphant;</HI> and I humbly judge even in that &s;ence may the intent of that Scripture be un|der&s;tood <HI>Hebr.</HI> 12: 1. <HI>as to &s;uch a cloud of Wit|ne&s;&s;es &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. Let me referr you to one <HI>great in&s;tance</HI> al&s;o, wherein our <HI>Redeemer</HI> hath in ane eminent way <HI>made him&s;elf vi&s;ible before the World &s;ince his A&s;|cen&s;ion,</HI> which is in the greatne&s;s of that <HI>&s;eall of Martyrdom,</HI> where you may &s;ee with joy and admiration that as he did alott the <HI>highest di&s;co|veries of his love unto lost man to the day of the Gho&s;pel,</HI> &s;o did he re&s;erve unto the&s;e <HI>times, the highest Te&s;timony and triall of the Love of Man|kind to him.</HI> This is a <HI>great Subject,</HI> tho it be ea&s;ily pa&s;t without a &s;uitable weight and impres|&s;ion of the &s;ame, how high an intere&s;t this hath in the Chri&s;tian Faith; wherein 1. the truth of &s;uch a wonderful <HI>&s;eall in the matter of fact</HI> is not po&s;&s;ible to que&s;tion. 2. And that it's &s;ure there was no per&s;onated &s;hew in the&s;e unexpre&s;&s;ible &s;uf|ferings of the&s;e Saints for Chri&s;t, nor did the World in &s;uch a per&s;ecuting work, through mo&s;t of the times of <HI>the New Te&s;tament</HI> conflict with a &s;hadow herein; and if a reall <HI>Miracle</HI> be &s;uch as
<PB N="24" REF="25">exceed the &s;phere and po&s;&s;ibility of nature; it hath thus the mo&s;t full and undeniable evidence; nor vvere it po&s;&s;ible that the <HI>most excellent of the earth</HI> &s;hould upon choi&s;e act &s;uch a part of imbracing death under the greate&s;t torments, when their life and the enjoyments of time was &s;et before them, if they had not been acted by a <HI>Divine Spirit,</HI> and knew the&s;e un|expre&s;&s;ible comforts and joy, which was then given in for their &s;upport, and matter of pre&s;ent &s;en&s;e, and fealing, to be no illu&s;ion of mind here|in. 3 It is on this <HI>Head</HI> you can &s;ee and com|pare what a difference was betwixt the <HI>Legal Sa|crifices under the Old Testament,</HI> which were <HI>fi|gurative and typical,</HI> and the&s;e <HI>freewil offerings</HI> and <HI>oblations of love by Martyrdom</HI> under the Gho&s;pel, which were offered up as a publick <HI>confirmatory Seall to the Divinity of Christ,</HI> and that the <HI>de&s;ire of all Nations</HI> was now come; how the one did in a my&s;tery, and under a vaile con|firm the Churches Faith of a <HI>Redeemer to come,</HI> the other with the highe&s;t evidence of power did atte&s;t his being come, and <HI>&s;eall this Te&s;timony with their Blood,</HI> the one from a temporary and <HI>po&s;itive In&s;titution,</HI> the other not only under a con&s;traint of light, but an <HI>impo&s;ition of love, by the Spirit of Christ, and of Glory resting on them,</HI> was thus offered up, and as to the <HI>quality</HI> of the&s;e Sacrifices: how great a difference was herein? the one only of <HI>Beasts,</HI> wherein the Lord would
<PB N="25" REF="25">admit no humane Sacrifice to be <HI>typical,</HI> but now after the great <HI>propitiation was offered up,</HI> the&s;e <HI>Sacrifices of Love</HI> was not only of <HI>men,</HI> but of the mo&s;t <HI>excellent of humane race,</HI> who in purity and holine&s;s were the greate&s;t ornament of the earth in their day, the <HI>number</HI> whereof &s;ince the A&s;cen&s;ion of Chri&s;t, is of that extent as can be only known by him who <HI>counts the number of the Stars,</HI> &s;o innumerable have they been; yea as to the <HI>expence</HI> and allowance of &s;o high a &s;ervice, men can not exerce rea&s;on, and not &s;ee it did not only an&s;wer but exceed the m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a&s;ure of their &s;uf|ferings, and how the&s;e <HI>Flames of Love</HI> in which they were offered, was more prevalent then the&s;e of the <HI>Fire.</HI> 4. And is it not matter of &s;weet <HI>Re|flection</HI> herein, that as the <HI>incomprehen&s;ible Love of God</HI> unto man is the <HI>admiration of the elect An+gels,</HI> &s;o this illu&s;trious te&s;timony of <HI>humane Love unto God,</HI> is not only made con&s;picous to them, but is both the foile and torment of the <HI>Powers of Darkne&s;s,</HI> to &s;ee &s;uch a triumph of the Power of Grace among&s;t <HI>men</HI> here on the earth made vi|&s;ible; wherein my &s;oull de&s;ires to rejoice that as our <HI>blest Head</HI> hath a&s;&s;igned &s;uch a mea&s;ure of his <HI>&s;ufferings, as a te&s;timony to the truth to be filled up</HI> by his People, under the times of the <HI>New Testament,</HI> and to take a higher tryall of the <HI>love of mankind</HI> herein to him, then he would take even of the love of the <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Angels,</HI> &s;o hath this <HI>Te&s;timony</HI> with the cleare&s;t and undeniable evi|dence been made known.</P>
<PB N="26" REF="26">
<P>But there is a 4. <HI>&s;pecial In&s;tance</HI> of the out goings of our <HI>Redeemer in a vi&s;ible di&s;covery of him&s;elf to the World &s;ince his A&s;cen&s;ion,</HI> which i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> in the <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;ive cour&s;e of the Gho&s;pel amongst the Nations,</HI> and the&s;e remarkable Periods of the ri|&s;ing and &s;etting of this ble&s;&s;ed light on different places of the earth; on which a few things I would &s;peak for your further clearing herein. 1. That it is undeniable, the <HI>Gentiles</HI> have their <HI>appointed times,</HI> which mu&s;t be <HI>fulfilled, Luke</HI> 21. <HI>v.</HI> 24 wherein the <HI>fulne&s;s</HI> thereof mu&s;t be brought in <HI>Rom.</HI> 11:25. which Scriptures bear expre&s;ly the &s;ame intent, but it's now many ages, &s;ince the&s;e <HI>times of the Gentiles</HI> hath been fulfilled both in <HI>A&s;ia</HI> and <HI>Africa,</HI> where the Gho&s;pel in its cour&s;e at the <HI>Sun,</HI> hath had its fir&s;t upbreaking, then in the <HI>Ea&s;t,</HI> and its progre&s;s to the <HI>We&s;t and Northern Parts of the Earth.</HI> 2. That it is clear, the&s;e <HI>times of the Gentiles,</HI> and the <HI>fulne&s;s</HI> thereof, is to be only under&s;tood in <HI>di&s;tinct and &s;eparate State</HI> from the <HI>Jews,</HI> &s;o that as the <HI>Jewish Church</HI> once had their proper <HI>times</HI> allotted them in a &s;e|parate &s;tate from the whole re&s;idue of the World, &s;o have the <HI>Gentiles</HI> had their <HI>times under the New Te&s;tament,</HI> peculiar to them only; and the <HI>Spi|rit of God</HI> hath there expre&s;ly &s;hewed, that this great Revolution in the incalling of the <HI>Jews</HI> to the Chri&s;tian Faith, is not to be expected until the&s;e <HI>times</HI> be once accomplish'd, when there &s;hall be then no more di&s;tinguishing names of
<PB N="27" REF="26"><HI>Jew</HI> and <HI>Gentile,</HI> and no proper intere&s;t owned by them in a divided way as formerly, but that the <HI>Lord shall be one, and his name one,</HI> in that ble&s;&s;ed frame of his <HI>univer&s;al Kingdom;</HI> it's in the faith hereof my &s;oull does re&s;t. 3. How far the&s;e <HI>&s;ett times of the Gentiles,</HI> and of the coming in of the <HI>fulne&s;s</HI> thereof, be accomplisht, will in due time be di&s;clo&s;ed, and with humble &s;o|briety we mu&s;t judge hereof, but it may be &s;o far evident, that then &s;ome &s;ingular withdrawing of the Spirit of God in the Power of the Gho&s;pel will be di&s;cernable from the <HI>Gentile Church,</HI> with the shutting up of the&s;e times, and a very low ebb, &amp; great darkne&s;s on the whole <HI>We&s;tern Churches,</HI> before the ri&s;ing again of the Glory of that Light, and return of the <HI>Sun</HI> to the <HI>Ea&s;t</HI> again; and how it &s;tands now with the publick State of the <HI>Gen|tile Churches</HI> any where, you can more fitly judge and di&s;cern.</P>
<P>There is a V. INQ: yet for a more full &s;ettle|ment in the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> that I would &s;eriou|&s;ly commend, which is on the <HI>whole frame and nature of that pure and excellent Religion we pro|fe&s;&s;e, and the intrin&s;ick perfections thereof;</HI> which be&s;ide the <HI>Authority of divine In&s;titution,</HI> you may &s;ee <HI>founded in the immutable nature and e&s;&s;ence of the &s;ame,</HI> and thus have your &s;oull rais'd to ad|mire and rejoice in that <HI>God,</HI> who&s;e <HI>Excellencies</HI> are with that evidence herein di&s;play'd, as it is not po&s;&s;ible for men to be more ble&s;t in the earth,
<PB N="28" REF="27">then in this way. It is here I may &s;ay hath m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|&s;pirit been oft drawn forth to &s;ee with admiration the <HI>Divinity</HI> and <HI>Perfections of the Moral Part of our Religion,</HI> &s;o that if men would &s;ee in a true mirror what the <HI>Hoiy invi&s;ible God is like in h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> ble&s;&s;ed Re&s;emblance,</HI> lo here is it clearly pre&s;ente<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to them, and &s;ince any di&s;covery of &s;uch a <HI>Light.</HI> I know you prefer much above the <HI>Light of the Sun</HI> on this earth, as that alone which renders the &s;tate of man to be de&s;irable; I would touch this<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> little as may afford &s;ome reflections on &s;o great<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Head,</HI> which may be, in the very notion there|of, rarely the &s;ubject of mens thoughts. 1. Tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> which is of the highe&s;t concern in the <HI>first place,</HI> to fix your &s;pirit on, is to &s;ee in what <HI>manner the great de&s;ign of the Gho&s;pel, for the &s;aving of lo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> man is layd,</HI> in that my&s;tery of the <HI>Humiliation and Sufferings of our Redeemer,</HI> and how this way the <HI>Maje&s;ty of God would take &s;atisfaction to him&s;elf, and his infinite Ju&s;tice, by him&s;elf,</HI> which otherwi&s;e was not attainable; I know that to &s;ook in an ordinare manner hereon, might be ready to &s;hake your &s;pirit with a&s;tonishment, that the <HI>Divine Maje&s;ty</HI> should a&s;cribe to him&s;elf &s;uch an <HI>aba&s;ement,</HI> as to join <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> the <HI>humane na|ture in an union with the Deity,</HI> yea thus to be ex|po&s;ed to the highe&s;t ignominy of <HI>&s;ufferings,</HI> that could po&s;&s;ibly be allotted to the mo&s;t <HI>Criminal</HI> among&s;t men. but it's in &s;uch a choi&s;e enquiry you will find your e&s;tablishment and admiration
<PB N="29" REF="27">grow together, and thus have a share in the &s;ame exerci&s;e of the <HI>Angels</HI> on this <HI>&s;ubject,</HI> who <HI>look <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> hereon with joy and wondring.</HI> 2. You mu&s;t &s;ee herewith al&s;o, how of <HI>&s;uch a nature is this ble&s;&s;ed Religion</HI> you enjoy, as can never be <HI>known or en|joyed by men until it be enlivened from Heaven,</HI> or be po&s;&s;ibly taken up or under&s;tood in a <HI>natural way, as humane &s;ciences are,</HI> but mu&s;t have an|other <HI>teacher</HI> then men, and a faculty and power <HI>&s;upernatural,</HI> to know and di&s;cern the <HI>things of God</HI> herein; yea how in its vvhole <HI>cou&s;titution</HI> it is made up of the&s;e great <HI>Excellencies of Light and Life,</HI> which do in&s;eperably meet here; who&s;e <HI>evidence lyes in &s;eeing,</HI> and not in report or a na|ked te&s;timony to the ear, but is in the &s;ame man|ner as the <HI>Sun</HI> is made known by its own beams and light; and it were indeed &s;ad, if the <HI>Sun of Righteou&s;ne&s;s did not this day shine with as full evi|dence to men in this Lower Orb of the Gho&s;pel, as the Meridian Daylight is to our natural &s;en&s;e,</HI> to let us &s;ee both the greatne&s;s and &s;ecurity of our hope, yea that we are de&s;igned for an <HI>Eternal State,</HI> &amp; mu&s;t therefore &s;eek after a <HI>Ble&s;&s;edne&s;s</HI> as will la&s;t as long as our <HI>immortal &s;ouls</HI> that cannot perish. 3. But this will nece&s;&s;arily carry your thoughts further, to &s;ee how the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> does not only with full evidence <HI>manifest it &s;elf by its own Light,</HI> but does the more brightly ap|pear by the <HI>oppo&s;ition of darkne&s;s,</HI> and of <HI>every fal&s;e way and pretence of Religion,</HI> and how the
<PB N="30" REF="28" MS="y"><HI>e&s;&s;ential Differences betwixt the &s;ame</HI> are as fully e|vident and vi&s;ible, as is betwixt the day and night, betwixt truth and fal&s;hood, which are founded in the immutable nature of the&s;e things them&s;elves; and how <HI>the way of truth</HI> hath &s;urely that <HI>vital air</HI> and <HI>fragrancy</HI> herewith, and &s;uch a <HI>native lu&s;tre,</HI> as is no more po&s;&s;ible for <HI>humane art</HI> and invention to repre&s;ent, then it were to draw a <HI>living man</HI> on a broad, or for one to draw forth the <HI>natural &s;ent of a Violet or Ro&s;e.</HI> 4. It is here al&s;o you will find it &s;pecially &s;trengthning to &s;ee the <HI>nature of the&s;e &s;ervices,</HI> which belong to the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> how here is nothing that is <HI>&s;ervile,</HI> or to affright any to come under &s;uch a ble&s;&s;ed <HI>yoke,</HI> which in its whole <HI>con&s;titution</HI> is &s;o full of a Holy &s;weetne&s;s to allure, and impo&s;eth no <HI>Law of Bondage</HI> on the &s;pirits of men, but what hath inward motives to render it both ea&s;y and comforting, does pre&s;cribe no duty to be a task, and no &s;ervice but from love, and where the <HI>Moral Law is purely Evangelick,</HI> and admi|ni&s;tred to us in the <HI>Hands of Mediator,</HI> yea of &s;uch a <HI>nature</HI> is the whole obedience and &s;ervices of the Chri&s;tian Faith, as you may clearly &s;ee that duty on the <HI>matter,</HI> is not anough, where there is not a &s;uitablene&s;s thereto in the <HI>manner</HI> of fol|lowing the &s;ame, that the <HI>leading motives and principles</HI> be purely for God; nor can the way of his &s;ervice be truly followed until his revealed Law have an internal efficacy on mens &s;oull, and
<PB N="31" REF="28">the <HI>Moral Rule of Gho&s;pel Obedience be turned into living and inward principles;</HI> this is a <HI>Refle|ction</HI> I &s;hould commend much to your thoughts, that hath &s;uch irre&s;i&s;table evidence therewith for your e&s;tablishment in the truth, to &s;ee, how that ble&s;t way, which God hath e&s;tablished to bring man again to him&s;elf, is &s;uch as no length in any <HI>external part,</HI> or the <HI>outworks</HI> hereof can bear weight, if there be not a <HI>vital influence</HI> on the &s;oull, nor does its intere&s;t ever &s;ub&s;i&s;t in the World by <HI>humane Power or Authority,</HI> but by an <HI>internal e&s;tablishment</HI> of the &s;ame from its own evidence on the &s;pirits of men. 5. It is here you may &s;ee likewi&s;e, how the whole <HI>Con&s;titutions of the Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> are &s;uch, as its <HI>highest Glory and Triumph</HI> here on the earth, is &s;till mo&s;t con|&s;picous in the <HI>darkest night of Affliction and Trouble,</HI> and in the mo&s;t remarkable depths thereof; this is &s;urely a great di&s;covery, and a &s;trange riddle to nature, which &s;tands in an ex|pre&s;s oppo&s;ition to the univer&s;al &s;ence of man|kind, how this way the Lord does put the highe&s;t honor on men here on the earth, in the <HI>pa&s;&s;ive valour of Chri&s;tianity,</HI> yea thus puts the mo&s;t di|&s;tingui&s;hing marks of re&s;pect on his <HI>choi&s;est Fa|vourites;</HI></P>
<P>But there is a VI. INQUIRY, I mu&s;t further direct you to without which no <HI>evidences</HI> of the truth, can be truly effectual on your &s;oull; which is on that <HI>wonderful part of Chri&s;tianity,</HI> that
<PB N="32" REF="29">lyes in the truth of <HI>inward experience, and is the very life and &s;oull of our Religion.</HI> The great|ne&s;s of &s;uch a <HI>Subject</HI> makes it more difficult to &s;peak hereon, now in a short <HI>Epi&s;tolary Di&s;cour&s;e,</HI> but it shall be in as few words as is po&s;&s;ible, only to point at &s;uch things as may tend to more clear and &s;olid impre&s;&s;ions of this <HI>My&s;tery,</HI> and make way for your own &s;earch and tryall of the &s;ame; and I hope I may &s;ay they are things, which have not been taken on report, or have found it ea&s;y to be &s;atisfyed herein, as to a full acquie&s;cence in the truth and a&s;&s;urance thereof; but it's to a few &s;pecial <HI>ends</HI> I would refer your &s;erious improve|ment of this <HI>great Inquiry.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. For this <HI>end</HI> that a clear <HI>notion and Idaea of &s;piritual experience of the things of God,</HI> may be more deaply &s;etled on your &s;pirit, and how in the&s;e re&s;pects it is to be under&s;tood: 1. that God hath directed his <HI>Sacred Truth</HI> unto men not only for <HI>trust,</HI> but for <HI>tryall,</HI> which is a <HI>tryall</HI> of that nature, &amp; &s;tated on &s;o great and wonderful things, that the whole <HI>vital part</HI> of Religion should be a &s;trange and dark thing until you be once entred hereon; they <HI>are bl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;ed who beeleve and have not yet &s;een</HI> what relates to the <HI>State of Glory above,</HI> but they can never be ble&s;t who do not <HI>&s;ee,</HI> as <HI>well as beleeve</HI> what belongs to the <HI>life and enjoyments of Grace within time, in the truth of inward ex|perience.</HI> 2. It is here mu&s;t be under&s;tood the fir&s;t <HI>Acquaintance of men with the Spirit of God;</HI>
<PB N="33" REF="29">which is ane <HI>acquaintance</HI> of that concern, as the Lord hath laid over the weight of his peoples &s;pi|ritual joy, refre&s;hment, and &s;upport, whil&s;t they are within time, on the &s;ame; and is the fir&s;t <HI>entry</HI> on <HI>conver&s;e with &s;pirits,</HI> and with <HI>God, the Father of &s;pirits</HI> which &s;hall be <HI>eternal.</HI> 3. It is &s;uch, as hath a di&s;tinct <HI>evidence</HI> from any <HI>moral influence</HI> by the Word or <HI>light</HI> to the judgment; and is the proper object of &s;piritual &s;en&s;e, which no <HI>humane power,</HI> or <HI>Angels</HI> c<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n impart, but <HI>God</HI> hath re&s;erved only to him&s;elf, who can only make his <HI>own love known</HI> to the &s;oul, and no re|port, or te&s;timony of men can doe. 4. It is here|by Chri&s;tians enter on <HI>po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion in &s;ome degree of divine truth,</HI> and the&s;e great things promi&s;ed, as a <HI>earnest in hand, to a&s;sure them that the rest shall not faill</HI> tho it adds no &s;ecurity to the truth of the promi&s;e, but for a more abounding a&s;&s;u|rance to &s;uch who receave the &s;ame. 5. Tho here be a <HI>common, and joint interest</HI> among&s;t Chri|&s;tians, yet mu&s;t each have his <HI>proper,</HI> and <HI>di&s;tinct part</HI> in the truth of <HI>inward experience,</HI> which is his peculiar <HI>interest</HI> and <HI>talent,</HI> and it's &s;ure no|thing does more work on mens &s;ouls; and afford more &s;weet thoughts then what this way is made there own, to know in them&s;elves the <HI>internal de|mon&s;trations</HI> of the truth they profe&s;&s;e, in the <HI>power</HI> and <HI>vertue</HI> thereof; and to know what great things hath pa&s;&s;ed between God and their own &s;oul, and what remarkable times hath gone over
<PB N="34" REF="30">them, and &s;pecial remarkes herein of divine conduct, and his immediate appearance, in the cour&s;e of their life. 6. It is of that <HI>kind</HI> as none po&s;&s;ibly can take on tru&s;t, from the te&s;timony of others, or will &s;atisfy without per&s;onal tryall, tho this be more known to &s;uch who <HI>by rea&s;on of u&s;e have their &s;en&s;es exerci&s;ed to di&s;cern good and evil Hebr.</HI> 5: 14. 7. But whatever &s;ingular u&s;e is hereby to the &s;upport of our Faith, yet are they not the grounds thereof; &s;ince the&s;e are only, what God hath <HI>&s;poke in his word,</HI> and not what he hath <HI>done in his work;</HI> tho they are at a great lo&s;s who have begun late to ob&s;erve the &s;ame: it is true the greate&s;t <HI>talent,</HI> which is by <HI>inward ob|&s;ervation,</HI> and <HI>experiments</HI> which have been mo&s;t deeply affecting in the pre&s;ent time; does not abide in the &s;ame <HI>&s;en&s;e,</HI> and <HI>fealing,</HI> and may ly as a <HI>dead &s;tock</HI> upon a Chri&s;tians hand, without fre&s;h, and immediate &s;upplies; yet are they &s;till the &s;ame in the truth thereof, and does ever evi|dence, how far the enjoiment of grace, and of a &s;piritual e&s;tate does exceed the greate&s;t enjoi|ments of nature. 8. This al&s;o mu&s;t be under|&s;tood not only by the te&s;timony of inward &s;en&s;e, but what comes under the mo&s;t <HI>exact,</HI> and <HI>judi|cious tryall,</HI> as to the principles it leans on, with|out which, there could be no true enjoiment of the &s;ame, if they were not as fully &s;atisfied of holding their <HI>experience by right, as in po&s;se&s;&s;ion,</HI> and that the&s;e great things are no shadowes or ap|pearances,
<PB N="35" REF="30" MS="y">but what is of the highe&s;t <HI>truth, &s;ub|&s;tance,</HI> and <HI>reality.</HI> 9. It is &s;ure that God is not known in the earth, or enjoyed in <HI>truth,</HI> but in the <HI>light of inward evidence</HI> and <HI>experience,</HI> ex|cept in &s;uch a manner <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Balaam, to &s;ee him but not near;</HI> but not in the <HI>knowledge of conver&s;e,</HI> and <HI>fellowship</HI> with that <HI>God,</HI> whom they profe&s;&s;e to know, or what it is to have their &s;oul <HI>inward,</HI> and <HI>familiar</HI> with him, in the experience of &s;uch a thing. 10. It is by inward <HI>experience</HI> upon the &s;ouls of men, that God doeth in a more &s;pecial way <HI>&s;ecure,</HI> and pre&s;erve, that <HI>&s;acred record of his truth</HI> in the World, then by <HI>humane Lawes,</HI> or authori|ty; by ane <HI>internal</HI> conforming of the &s;pirits of his people, to his revealed truth, whereby the inward man becomes as a <HI>repo&s;itory</HI> thereof, for when men once become Chri&s;tians in truth, they are then the <HI>declared Epi&s;tle of Christ</HI> by ane indi&s;&s;oluble union of the truth, and their &s;ouls together. I &s;hall but add, that the <HI>experimental part of Religion</HI> is not perfited here, but within a little, there will be ane entrance on ane eternity of <HI>experience</HI> of what once with admiration, and de&s;ire, was hoped for, and the enjoiment of that &s;tate above will be no <HI>object of Faith,</HI> but of <HI>&s;en&s;e</HI> and purely <HI>experimental.</HI></P>
<P><HI>A Second Intent of this Inquiry,</HI> should be to clear, how the enjoiment of one Chri&s;tian in the way of <HI>experience,</HI> may be no <HI>mea&s;ure,</HI> or <HI>rule to others in the tryall of their &s;tate,</HI> upon the&s;e <HI>grounds.</HI> 1. That the lea&s;t reall evidence of the
<PB N="36" REF="31"><HI>Sanctifying vertue of the truth,</HI> bears witne&s;s to the truth of a <HI>new life,</HI> and of <HI>&s;piritual &s;en&s;e,</HI> and di&s;cerning herewith, as a <HI>few grapes</HI> does diffe|rence between a <HI>vine,</HI> and a <HI>bramble.</HI> 2. Becau&s;e the reall Work of God, may be long without the <HI>witne&s;s</HI> thereof, and the fir&s;t giving of the <HI>new life,</HI> and a <HI>di&s;cerning</HI> of the &s;ame, are di&s;tinct acts of the &s;pirit, which doe rarely go together, &s;o a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to know when the <HI>pul&s;e</HI> of this <HI>life</HI> does begin fir<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> to beat. 3. As there are different <HI>&s;i&s;es,</HI> and grouth among&s;t the Saints within time, &s;o doe the <HI>talent of experience</HI> and <HI>inward ob&s;ervation,</HI> much differ in the &s;tate of &s;ome, in re&s;pect of o|thers; and does an&s;wer to higher <HI>conflicts</HI> and a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|&s;aults in a Chri&s;tians warefare, and higher in provements of grace herein; whence it is tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>patience brings forth experience,</HI> and as it hath <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> great a <HI>room,</HI> and &s;ervice for God; bejond o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> ther graces of the &s;pirit, &s;o hath it a great inco<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> of reward, by the mo&s;t rare, and inriching <HI>exp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|rience</HI> of a Chri&s;tians life; thence is it that the of the <HI>highe&s;t form of Chri&s;tians</HI> and of the cho<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|&s;e&s;t &s;pirit, has been put to a higher exerci&s;e there|of, then others, and made to be a more public<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> ble&s;&s;ing by example herein to their Generation&punc; 4. It is clear, <HI>the experimental part</HI> of Chri&s;tianit<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> may have re&s;pect to &s;ome &s;pecial <HI>times,</HI> and <HI>P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|riods of mens life,</HI> &s;o as one day may be mor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> memorable, then as they have ever known be|fore, yea to &s;uch times, when they are put to
<PB N="37" REF="31">higher &s;ervice in the <HI>tryall of their Faith,</HI> and led unto paths of providence, that might &s;eem un|trodden, which hath been u&s;ually a time of great <HI>ob&s;ervation</HI> as to a higher light, and evidence on the <HI>experimental tryall of Religion.</HI> 5. This dif|ferent mea&s;ure hath re&s;pect al&s;o, to the <HI>first entry</HI> of Chri&s;tians on &s;ome very dark paths of provi|dence, when the <HI>Lord is to lead, and encline them into a wilderne&s;s,</HI> by giving in a&s;&s;urance with a <HI>double mea&s;ure</HI> on their &s;ouls, like <HI>Elijahs call to ari&s;e, and eat,</HI> and <HI>Jo&s;ephs dream twice given,</HI> when his conflicts, and tryalls were to be dou|bled upon him; yea this may be al&s;o on this ground, as it is peculiar to &s;ome Chri&s;tians above others to be kept more clo&s;s on &s;uch a <HI>Scent,</HI> in that rare exerci&s;e to <HI>di&s;cern the workings of God on their &s;oull,</HI> and to try the certainty hereof from the <HI>natural work of their own Spirit;</HI> and who may be more exact then others, to <HI>lay up,</HI> and <HI>record the &s;ame,</HI> and not lo&s;e the lea&s;t fragment of &s;uch <HI>as|&s;i&s;tances to their Faith.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>This Inquiry</HI> should be of &s;pecial u&s;e like|wi&s;e to know <HI>what great things the&s;e are, to which, the experimental part of Christianity does relate,</HI> wherein they of the <HI>lowest &s;i&s;e of Chri|&s;tians have a common, and joint interest</HI> whatever difference be in the <HI>degree;</HI> but it is a very <HI>short touch</HI> I can here give on &s;o great a &s;ubject and on &s;ome few <HI>Heads.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. The <HI>tran&s;lation, and entry of a Christian
<PB N="38" REF="32">unto a new &s;tate, and world, here in the earth;</HI> is one of the greate&s;t things of <HI>experience</HI> (tho it hath not a like clear evidence, nor the preci&s;e time, and <HI>entry</HI> can be in the &s;ame manner known) for men to know &s;o marvelous a <HI>chan<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> in them&s;elves, and that here is no <HI>illu&s;ion</HI> or <HI>dream,</HI> and how it is &s;ure this was never told to mankind but in the <HI>Bible,</HI> which none ever did fore&s;ee, or project to them&s;elf; yea which in the very <HI>notion</HI> thereof, was once a <HI>terra incognita</HI> to them; and could have no po&s;&s;ible ri&s;e from <HI>nature</HI> who&s;e proper work is to <HI>overcome nature.</HI> I know this may &s;eeme a&s;toni&s;hing, and not ea&s;ie for many to bear, that profe&s;&s;ed Chri&s;tians may have the &s;ame need to be converted to Chri&s;tianity that <HI>Pagans</HI> have, or perish, that the letter of the word only, or any length in external duties can &s;ave none, who know nothing of internal evi|dence, or the &s;piritual Powers of Chri&s;tianity.</P>
<P N="2">2. It does relate to this <HI>Head,</HI> to know that <HI>God and his People here in the World, are no &s;tran|gers to other in the truth, and enjoiment of com|munion with him,</HI> for as this is ane <HI>e&s;&s;ential part of our Faith,</HI> and one of the mo&s;t &s;ure, and e&s;ta|blished <HI>con&s;titutions of our Religion,</HI> by ane <HI>unal|terable rule,</HI> &s;o is it matter of undoubted enjoi|ment, without which a Chri&s;tians <HI>cour&s;e,</HI> and <HI>pa&s;&s;age</HI> through time were <HI>unpa&s;&s;ible;</HI> it is true this is &s;o great a thing as may make the mo&s;t ex|perienced Chri&s;tian to <HI>be a wonder to him&s;elf,</HI> and is not a <HI>&s;ubject</HI> of ordinary thoughts.</P>
<PB N="39" REF="32">
<P N="3">3. To this belongs al&s;o the <HI>truth;</HI> and <HI>enjoi|ment of &s;upernatural comforts here on the earth</HI> &s;uch as <HI>peace immediatly from God, and the joys of the Holy Ghost,</HI> which can have no po&s;&s;ible ri&s;e from nature, and was never known to men, but on this <HI>tryall of experience,</HI> that &s;uch a thing is &s;ure, with re&s;pect unto which the <HI>highe&s;t experi|ments of nature</HI> are low, and of mean concern; yea which are comforts of that kind, as can be on|ly known by its contrary, and hath been &s;till more ouweing to the <HI>&s;orest conflicts,</HI> then to the <HI>&s;weete&s;t calm</HI> of a <HI>Chri&s;tians life,</HI> and &s;uch as the elect Angels did never know or partake of.</P>
<P N="4">4. The <HI>prevalency of prayer with God,</HI> and to know with a&s;&s;ured evidence both the <HI>acceptance hereof in Heaven,</HI> and the <HI>returns thereof upon the earth,</HI> is al&s;o one of the&s;e great things of <HI>ex|perience,</HI> and can never be known el&s;e as a &s;ubject of contemplation only, which hath been direct of the Lord as a pre&s;cript for &s;uch ones where no humane wi&s;dome or power could po&s;&s;ibly an&s;wer, and is not bounded by the mo&s;t de&s;perate ca&s;e, which would &s;eem to &s;hut out all hope and encou|radgment&punc; But as to this I mu&s;t &s;ay how little &s;eemes that part of our Religion, tho one of the mo&s;t wonderful parts thereof to be improven in that manner now as in former times, and in the mo&s;t extraordinare exigences which Chri&s;tians have been in, yea how low a trade is it which by mo&s;t this day is carried on, in &s;o marvelous a way
<PB N="40" REF="33">as this, which the Lord hath e&s;tabli&s;hed betwixt <HI>heaven and earth,</HI> and hath &s;uch immediate cor|re&s;pondence with the whole <HI>inward life, and vi|talls of Chri&s;tianity,</HI> to pre&s;erve and &s;trenthen the &s;ame.</P>
<P><HI>A</HI> 5. <HI>Head</HI> on this Subject to be matter of great thoughts and <HI>reflection</HI> is this, that here on the earth there is &s;uch a thing to be enjoyed in the truth and certainty of <HI>experience,</HI> as an <HI>earnest and &s;eall of the Spirit of God</HI> 2 <HI>Corinth</HI> 1:22. <HI>who hath al&s;o &s;ealed us, and given us the earne&s;t of the Spirit in our hearts Ephes.</HI> 1:13. <HI>in whom al&s;o af|ter that ye beleeved, ye were &s;ealed by that Holy Spirit of promi&s;e, which is the earne&s;t of our inhe|ritance &amp;c.</HI> 2 <HI>Corinth.</HI> 5:5. <HI>now he that hath wrought us for the &s;elf &s;ame thing is God, who hath al&s;o given us the earne&s;t of his Spirit.</HI> I know there hath been much inquiry on this <HI>Sub|ject,</HI> as to a clear <HI>&s;ence,</HI> and judgment thereof, both by <HI>Schoolmen,</HI> and <HI>Practical Writers,</HI> tho it is &s;uch a thing as mu&s;t needs be a &s;trange, and dark riddle where the <HI>Spirit of God</HI> is not the <HI>In|terpreter;</HI> and &s;ome near entercour&s;e with this great <HI>teacher,</HI> that in his <HI>light we may &s;ee light;</HI> but that it is &s;urely promi&s;ed of God, and could never have entred on mens thoughts, if it were not purely a divine Revelation, none will offer to que&s;tion; and that the experience of the &s;ame in all times of the Church, hath no le&s;s tendency to confirm and &s;eall the truth of Chri&s;tianity,
<PB N="41" REF="33">then it hath to confirm a Chri&s;tians &s;tate; but though I doubt not your acquaintance herewith is bejond many, yet this beeing a truth of &s;uch high concern, &s;o far as I have attained, I would offer &s;ome light hereon, wherein my &s;oul hath found <HI>re&s;t</HI> and <HI>&s;ettlement,</HI> as to a clear &s;ence and concep|tion of the &s;ame. 1. That how rare &s;oever the <HI>experience</HI> of this may be this day, yet is it not the peculiar priviledge of &s;ome <HI>few, &s;elect,</HI> and <HI>e|minent Chri&s;tians,</HI> or what God does rarely im|part and on &s;ome &s;ingular account to his people, but is the &s;ettled priviledge of all who are <HI>led by the Spirit,</HI> and under his conduct. 2. This is ane <HI>experiment of the Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> which no humane te&s;timony or <HI>vocal evidence</HI> can expre&s;s, that which is <HI>inward,</HI> and a &s;ecret betwixt God and the &s;oul, or what <HI>ta&s;te that hidden Manna hath Rev.</HI> 2:17. <HI>which none knowes but he that enjoys the &s;ame;</HI> for this is not the <HI>promi&s;e,</HI> which is given to be the <HI>object of our Faith,</HI> but is the <HI>&s;eall of the Spirit of promi&s;e,</HI> and the <HI>proper object of &s;piritual &s;en&s;e;</HI> it is an internal work which goes above words, and &s;uch as God alone can impart, who only can reveal his own love to the &s;oul, and <HI>Shed abroad the &s;ence hereof,</HI> and hath re&s;erved this to him&s;elf; it is that al&s;o which gives a di|&s;tinct evidence from any moral influence of the word, tho it can never be disjoined, and divi|ded from the &s;ame, but is &s;uch ane internal appli|cation hereof, as puts their &s;ouls to re&s;t and quiet
<PB N="42" REF="34">thereon. 3. It is here mu&s;t be under&s;tood a more <HI>near</HI> and <HI>&s;olemn approach of God,</HI> and &s;ome <HI>highes enjoiment of Spiritual Sen&s;e,</HI> then is u&s;ually know<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> which will make &s;uch a time remarkable, and &s;weet to a Chri&s;tians after remembrance, the &s;ome in, a more extraordinar way, and higher degree, may have this imparted then others, as the tryall of their Faith hath been more heightned and hath attained to higher actings of grace unde<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the &s;ame, according to that &s;ettled <HI>Conneclin Isay</HI> 57:12. I doubt not, there may be high pre|tences to this <HI>Seall and earne&s;t,</HI> who know little what in the <HI>way</HI> and <HI>order of grace</HI> is required to prepare, and qualifie for the &s;ame, but except the <HI>&s;etled con&s;titutions</HI> of the Gho&s;pel, should be changed for their &s;ake; it is then &s;ure that God did never <HI>&s;eall the comforts of his Spirit,</HI> or his re&s;pects and approving te&s;timony on &s;uch, who are of ane untender, unhumbled, and vindictive &s;pirit, and is no more po&s;&s;ible, then as <HI>Job</HI> 18:4. <HI>That the earth should be for&s;aken for them, and the rock removed out of its place.</HI> 4. It is true this is more clearly under&s;tood by &s;uch, who by <HI>rea&s;on of u&s;e, have their &s;en&s;es exerci&s;ed both to di&s;|cern good, and evill Hebrews</HI> 5:14. and have thus attained a more deep, and judicious refle|ction, for the tryall of the &s;ame, &s;ince this is u|&s;ually one of the mo&s;t &s;earching exerci&s;es of a Chri&s;tian, to di&s;cern the <HI>voice of the Spirit of God,</HI> and know the &s;ame, from that of a <HI>Stranger,</HI> and
<PB N="43" REF="34">to come to the light herein, to &s;ee that &s;uch a <HI>&s;eall,</HI> or any rare enjoiments of that kind, are a&s;&s;uredly from God, and wrought in him <HI>John</HI> 3:21. It is clear al&s;o how, many <HI>sharp conflicts,</HI> and <HI>a hotter ware fare</HI> allotted to &s;ome of the Saints, then o|thers, under griefs, troubles, and oppo&s;itions in their Chri&s;tian cour&s;e, hath made way at &s;o dear a rate for their acquaintance with the &s;ame, &s;o as the gradual difference, in the truth of this expe|riment, may be &s;trange, and marvelous, and cau&s;e fear to impart the &s;ame, nor be ever known within time. 5. Tho it is &s;ure, that all who are entred in a <HI>reconciled &s;tate with God,</HI> mu&s;t be <HI>&s;ea|led by the Spirit,</HI> yet is not this to be under&s;tood as the ordinar <HI>food,</HI> and <HI>dyet of a Chri&s;tian,</HI> but as &s;ome more &s;pecial <HI>re&s;torative,</HI> and <HI>cordial,</HI> &s;o as one enjoiment of this kind, hath been &s;ome|times &s;o remarkable, that through the whole cour&s;e of a Chri&s;tians life after, it hath been a con|tinued &s;trenthning to their Faith; yet is it no rare thing to the&s;e who are keeped in a more near in|timacy of conver&s;e with God, to whom, the truth of this <HI>&s;eall</HI> not once, but in innumerable times, hath been known, who, on the other hand does know al&s;o, how long, and &s;en&s;ible re&s;traint of this great enjoiment may be, when the choi&s;e&s;t promi&s;es of the Word, can afford no comfort, but when the <HI>premi&s;es are clear,</HI> the <HI>conclu&s;ion is oft &s;uspended</HI> through <HI>hid jealou&s;ies,</HI> and <HI>legall fears of the &s;pirit of bondage.</HI> 6. It is &s;ure this
<PB N="44" REF="35"><HI>ble&s;&s;ed &s;eall</HI> lyes here al&s;o, in &s;ome &s;pecial <HI>directive work of the Spirit of God,</HI> to make u&s;e of <HI>light,</HI> in <HI>particular ca&s;es</HI> with <HI>a&s;&s;urance,</HI> and <HI>quiet of mind,</HI> and in <HI>&s;ealing in&s;truction</HI> with that evidence, and power on the &s;oull, as leaves &s;uch a <HI>print</HI> and <HI>im|pre&s;&s;ion</HI> thereon as the <HI>&s;eall</HI> leaves on the <HI>wax,</HI> this can be no &s;trange, or unknown thing to the&s;e who in a clo&s;e adherence, to Scripture light hath been &s;pecially tender to try the &s;ame thereby, and under a ju&s;t horror, and dread of <HI>Enthu&s;iasm:</HI> or the &s;malle&s;t das&s;hing on &s;uch a <HI>rock.</HI> 7. But it is &s;pecially di&s;cernable, where this <HI>&s;eall</HI> and <HI>earnest</HI> hath been more abundantly let forth to &s;ome bejond others; that it was for &s;ome higher &s;upport to their Faith, where a <HI>long interval of delay</HI> was to be between the <HI>promi&s;e,</HI> and <HI>perfor|ment,</HI> and &s;uch a tryall of a <HI>deferred hope</HI> herein, us might be ready to make <HI>their heart &s;ick</HI> into death, if the Lord had not given &s;uch a <HI>pledge</HI> and <HI>part in hand</HI> to a&s;&s;ure them that the re&s;t shall not faill in due time, now this is &s;o manife&s;t in the <HI>conduct,</HI> and <HI>methods</HI> of grace, about the Saints under the <HI>old Te&s;tament,</HI> and in how &s;ingular a <HI>way</HI> he did fir&s;t <HI>&s;eall,</HI> before he entred them upon any <HI>great tryalls,</HI> and which were to be of a <HI>long du|ration,</HI> as there needs no particular <HI>instances</HI> to clear the &s;ame. 8. It is here, the &s;ence of that <HI>hundred fold,</HI> which <HI>Christ</HI> hath &s;o expre&s;ly &s;e|cured to his People on the adventures of their Faith may be under&s;tood, as that which a&s;&s;ured|ly
<PB N="45" REF="35">lyes in the&s;e rare enjoiments of the &s;pirit, and <HI>inward &s;en&s;e of the love of their God,</HI> in the shin|ings of his face on them, which are the <HI>first fruits of the Spirit;</HI> more then in any external provi|dence, or the&s;e things which are of the highe&s;t value with men; &s;ince as this is the mo&s;t &s;ure and greate&s;t evidence that we are Chri&s;tians, &s;o is it the mo&s;t notable <HI>&s;ign</HI> how dear &s;uch are to God, and of his <HI>love</HI> and <HI>favour,</HI> then if he had given them the whole World. I know nothing will &s;eem more &s;trange, and disrelishing to the &s;pirit of mo&s;t this day then &s;uch a thing, but <HI>wisdom is ju&s;tified of her Children,</HI> and with &s;uch let my <HI>&s;oul</HI> be joined in. 9. As it is known and &s;ure that here is no <HI>illu&s;ion</HI> or <HI>imaginary thing,</HI> where any <HI>fallacy</HI> or <HI>deceit</HI> lyes, to the mo&s;t judicious and ob&s;erving Chri&s;tians, who knows herein, what makes them glad, and whence it is, and how no a&s;&s;i&s;tance of their own &s;pirit, or in the power of nature could po&s;&s;ibly impart &s;uch a thing; &s;o may it be a&s;tonishing how &s;uch who live under the Profe&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, and hath any de&s;ign on ane eternal &s;tate in Heaven, can take this on re|port, or be &s;o little inqui&s;itive about &s;o wonder|ful a truth, that there should be &s;uch ane enjoi|ment here on the earth, which without any <HI>natu|ral cau&s;e,</HI> can put the &s;oul of men into ane <HI>entire rest, and &s;ettlement,</HI> and when under greate&s;t <HI>thakings</HI> and <HI>fears</HI> other ways, cau&s;e them know the truth of <HI>pardon,</HI> and <HI>peace with God</HI> with a &s;ure
<PB N="46" REF="36">evidence, yea at &s;o low ane ebb can immediatly revive and rai&s;e with &s;o di&s;cernable a change in their inward ca&s;e; for if this be ane undoubted matter of experience it should be not ea&s;ie for men to live without tryall hereof them&s;elves. 10. Let me <HI>add</HI> further, here is a part of that <HI>communion</HI> which Chri&s;tians have within time, with the mo&s;t <HI>excellent of the earth;</HI> and &s;uch who in all <HI>ages of the Church</HI> have been the greate&s;t lovers of God, and adventurers for him; &s;uch with whom he hath been mo&s;t familiar, and hath admit not only to the <HI>allowance of Subjects,</HI> but the <HI>regard of favourites,</HI> who hath known how great a <HI>Rewards</HI> he is of his own <HI>grace,</HI> yea &s;uch, who have made the mo&s;t exact <HI>inquiry</HI> and <HI>tryall,</HI> upon the truth and &s;ecurity of their comfort here|in, and <HI>hath put to their &s;eall that God is faithfull and true, in that he hath thus promi&s;ed.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. There is this <HI>&s;pecial u&s;e</HI> to be made of &s;uch ane <HI>enquiry on the truth of inward experience, to &s;ee how great, and wonderful a Subject we have for reflection hereon;</HI> and of what &s;ingular advan|tage this &s;hould be for &s;trenthning the &s;oul of a Chri&s;tian, again&s;t the workings of <HI>unbeleef,</HI> and to give a more full &s;ecurity of mind in the adven|tures of hope and relyance upon God, for things to come. It is &s;ure the <HI>reflex faculty of man</HI> is one of the greate&s;t <HI>wonders of nature,</HI> and if the &s;piri|tual <HI>u&s;e,</HI> and improvement hereof were more un|der&s;tood on this <HI>Subject,</HI> and what it is to dive in
<PB N="47" REF="36">to the&s;e &s;till and deep waters, it might make &s;uch be oft as a <HI>wonder</HI> to them&s;elves. I shall but point at a few <HI>reflex acts</HI> of a Chri&s;tian on this great my|&s;tery of &s;piritual experience, to shew what man|ner of <HI>enjoiments,</HI> the&s;e are admit to herein, which the whole re&s;idue of mankind knows no|thing of. 1. To have &s;uch great &s;upernatural truths of the Scripture, which did once exceed their faith, and rea&s;on, to be now matter of un|doubted <HI>experience</HI> in the truth, power, and efficacy hereof on their own &s;ouls; and thus to know what belongs to the enjoiments of &s;piri|tual &s;ence, which formerly &s;eemed &s;o darke and incomprehen&s;ible a thing, yea how great a <HI>diffe|rence</HI> there is betwixt the <HI>cleare&s;t Acts of the Judg|ment,</HI> and <HI>under&s;tanding</HI> about <HI>divine things;</HI> and a reall <HI>fealing</HI> of the &s;ame in the <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>vertue</HI> thereof; betwixt the mo&s;t &s;ublime apprehen&s;ions by <HI>theory;</HI> and the <HI>&s;en&s;ible impre&s;&s;ions,</HI> by the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t,</HI> and what a pre&s;ent, and marvelous change this makes on the &s;oull of a Chri&s;tian. 2. To enjoy the &s;ame no le&s;s under a full <HI>evidence,</HI> and <HI>certainty</HI> of the truth thereof as <HI>the alone,</HI> and <HI>immediate Work of God,</HI> then in their felt power and &s;weetne&s;&s;e; &amp; that here was no <HI>ca&s;ual thing,</HI> or matter of doubtfulne&s;s or uncertainty, but where they can clearly &s;ee the <HI>object</HI> of their <HI>faith</HI> on the <HI>truth of divine Revelation,</HI> now to be the <HI>object</HI> of there <HI>inward Sence,</HI> and <HI>enjoyment;</HI> and are &s;ure that what <HI>God hath &s;poken,</HI> he <HI>hath done
<PB N="48" REF="37">according to the &s;ame;</HI> for if this be not clear <HI>Spiritual comforts</HI> would be of low value if it we<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> not with that evidence, and a&s;&s;urance of bein<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Gods &s;eall,</HI> as they could adventure their etern<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;tate on the truth hereof. 3. And how &s;weet part is it, when they can thus reflect on their <HI>on<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> experience, and enjoy the &s;ame with no le&s;s er<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> dence of the <HI>proper cause,</HI> and <HI>original,</HI> then<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the truth of its <HI>effects,</HI> which is one of the greate<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> helps to give &s;tability, and a&s;&s;urance to our Faith to &s;ee how the <HI>power of Religion</HI> is never barren <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>new experiments</HI> of the truth hereof, how the gre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> te&s;t <HI>objective means</HI> in the way of light cannot do<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> if there were not an <HI>Internal effective cau&s;e,</HI> th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> works powerfully herein, and as in <HI>nature,</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> in the <HI>way of grace,</HI> how the <HI>&s;ame cau&s;e,</HI> which <HI>makes us live, must make us move,</HI> and <HI>act,</HI> ye<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to lee how the &s;ame &s;pirit that confirms a <HI>Chri&s;tias</HI> on the truth of his <HI>&s;tate,</HI> and of the <HI>enjoiments o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> grace</HI> here, does confirm <HI>Chri&s;tianity,</HI> and th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>enjoyments of glory,</HI> which mu&s;t infallibly follow the &s;ame, and ere long be a matter of their expe|rience al&s;o. 4. To know this way, that &s;urely<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>nearer intimacy</HI> is to be enjoyed with <HI>God,</HI> and o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> a <HI>higher kind,</HI> which is by the <HI>communion of the Holy Ghost,</HI> then by the <HI>immediate mini&s;try of the Angels,</HI> yea a <HI>greater evidence</HI> thus given to a Chri&s;tians &s;oul, then by any external <HI>miracles;</HI> &s;ince this is a <HI>&s;eall</HI> of that nature, as is given to none, but &s;uch as are the <HI>objects of the divine com|placence</HI>
<PB N="49" REF="37">and <HI>delight;</HI> and its &s;ure the alone grea|te&s;t evidence of divine love lyes in the <HI>internal part of Chri&s;tianity,</HI> and the&s;e immediate opera|tions of the Spirit of God, more then by any ex|ternal providences. 5. To &s;ee, how the&s;e great things of <HI>experience,</HI> come under a <HI>pre&s;ent tryall,</HI> and given to be experienced here on the <HI>earth,</HI> and are not &s;ome <HI>rare contingency,</HI> or what may be &s;tated on an <HI>extraordinar</HI> account, but does keep clo&s;s with a <HI>tender walk,</HI> and near enter|cours with God through a Chri&s;tians whole cour&s;e; and thus knows what &s;uch an <HI>anointing with fresh oyl</HI> means <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 92:10. by innume|rable reiterated times of &s;uch enjoiment; yea how the &s;en&s;e and &s;weetne&s;s thereof comes not then by the <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>workings of rea&s;on;</HI> but the <HI>immediatne&s;s of the divine pre&s;ence,</HI> tho even then it does not exclude &s;uch a <HI>discur&s;ive work,</HI> in the clearne&s;s of <HI>Spiritual rea&s;on,</HI> and <HI>light,</HI> as can fully quiet the mind, that here is no <HI>illu&s;ion,</HI> or <HI>deceit;</HI> but lets us &s;ee, that the <HI>Spirit of God</HI> can make u&s;e of an <HI>argument</HI> to &s;ettle, and &s;ecure the &s;oul when all e&s;&s;ays, whither from them&s;elves, or others can give no releaf. 6. Thus are they admitt to &s;ee herewith, how deep the foundation of our <HI>comfort,</HI> and <HI>&s;ecurity,</HI> is layd on <HI>the faith|fulne&s;s of God</HI> in <HI>his</HI> revealed truth, &s;o as the whole <HI>frame of Chri&s;tianity</HI> mu&s;t be di&s;&s;olved, and fall ere one &s;pecial act of tru&s;t, and adventure on his hand, and under the a&s;&s;ured warrant of his
<PB N="50" REF="38">truth, &s;hould be fru&s;trate; and that the <HI>&s;afe conduct</HI> al&s;o, and <HI>&s;ecurity of one Chri&s;tian,</HI> in his pa&s;&s;age through time, is of that <HI>con&s;equence,</HI> and &s;o <HI>e&s;&s;ential a part of the great frame of provi|dence,</HI> that this should not be entire, and perfect if it should fail, as to the meane&s;t of the Saints, to make &s;o great a <HI>nullity</HI> herein. 7. And is it not, in &s;uch a <HI>reflex work</HI> on the truth of <HI>experience,</HI> that &s;uch can only know the <HI>&s;weet enjoiments of times past,</HI> and what that peculiar comfort <HI>of re|membrance</HI> means; which I mu&s;t reckon one of the rare&s;t, and mo&s;t unknown enjoiments this day under the Sun; &s;ince it is &s;ure, this can never be from the <HI>greatest delights of the earth,</HI> when once pa&s;&s;ed, which as they return no more, &s;o does ever leav a bitter <HI>&s;ting,</HI> and <HI>remembrance,</HI> by a na|tive re&s;ult of the &s;ame; whil&s;t that which hath been experienced in the way of God, can neither <HI>pe|rish,</HI> nor lo&s;e its <HI>&s;weetne&s;s,</HI> but will render the mo&s;t <HI>afflicting part of their life past,</HI> which was mo&s;t bitter, and fore then, to be the mo&s;t <HI>comfor|ting part</HI> thereof to their remembrance, when they can &s;ee herein both what they have <HI>de&s;igne<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> for God,</HI> and he hath <HI>done for them.</HI> 8. If there be any comfort <HI>of love, in the Communion of the Saints here</HI> within time, they may &s;ee how this is not attainable, but in the <HI>light of inward expe|rience</HI> whence they know, what it is to meet, and have fellowship in the &s;ame <HI>Savour,</HI> and <HI>re|lish of the things of God,</HI> when in a &s;piritual frame,
<PB N="51" REF="38">and to be <HI>mutually disclo&s;ed</HI> as they can di&s;cern &s;omething of the excellency of one <HI>anothers &s;pirit,</HI> and of the power, and lively workings of <HI>inward grace,</HI> by that <HI>native lu&s;tre, and evidence,</HI> which thus followes the &s;ame; &s;o as under the &s;en&s;ible power of &s;uch <HI>attractions</HI> their &s;ouls are more clo|&s;ely unite, and joined together, yea are mutu|ally &s;trenthned by other conflicts, and what ex|periments they have made of divine truth herein as to their releaf. And I mu&s;t &s;ay where this is not under&s;tood, that great <HI>mystery of the Communion of the Saints,</HI> is but a <HI>&s;trange</HI> and <HI>dark notion;</HI> nor without this can that &s;pecial de&s;ign of the Lord in the <HI>&s;ettlement of Churches in a vi&s;ible &s;tate,</HI> be ei|ther known or an&s;wered, which is to have exter|nal ordinances carried on with life, and power among&s;t men, and enjoying communion with our <HI>ble&s;&s;ed head</HI> herein.</P>
<P><HI>The</HI> VII. <HI>and la&s;t</HI> INQUIRY. I would make as to a more full a&s;&s;urance of under&s;tanding on the truth of our profe&s;&s;ion, and for further clearing of this <HI>great Subject</HI> of the <HI>experimental part of Re|ligion,</HI> is to know the <HI>quality of the witne&s;&s;es there|to,</HI> which is an <HI>Inquiry</HI> of a higher concern and import then &s;eems to be apprehended, or of what weight, and nece&s;&s;ity this is, upon the&s;e <HI>grounds.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. Becau&s;e the whole truth of <HI>Spiritual expe|rience</HI> is matter of <HI>fact,</HI> and founded on a <HI>certain|ty of &s;en&s;e,</HI> it is <HI>truth in the event and perfor|mance,</HI>
<PB N="52" REF="39">and not what <HI>God does &s;peak,</HI> but what <HI>according to the &s;ame he hath done;</HI> &s;o that this is not upon any <HI>principle of Faith,</HI> but on mens <HI>per|&s;onal tryall of the &s;ame,</HI> according to that <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 43: <HI>v.</HI> 10. <HI>ye are my witne&s;s &s;ays the Lord, that ye may know, and beleeve me, and under&s;tand that I am he;</HI> for tho it is of divine, and infallible truth, that whatever God hath <HI>a&s;&s;ured by promi&s;e</HI> he will do; yet the experience hereof, &s;ince the <HI>Canon of the Scripture was &s;ealed,</HI> is of humane record, and a <HI>te&s;timony</HI> which could bear no weight from the greate&s;t of men, if the <HI>quality of &s;uch witne&s;&s;es</HI> were not <HI>tried,</HI> and con&s;idered herein. 2. Becau&s;e the highe&s;t pretence to &s;piri|tual enjoiments in the way of the <HI>promi&s;e</HI> is but a fal&s;e te&s;timony, where there is no tender regard herewith to the <HI>precepts of the Gho&s;pel,</HI> when this connection is indi&s;&s;oluble <HI>Act</HI> 9. <HI>they walked in the fear of God, and comforts of the Holy Ghost; doe not my words good to them that walk uprightly Mica</HI> 2:7. It is true, that choi&s;e&s;t Chri&s;tians may be much hid, and in the dark herein to others, and upon &s;uch an account &s;hould have a &s;ad part, if they were tryed, and judged by men; only this is &s;ure, there can be no more in the <HI>conclu&s;ion</HI> then is in the <HI>premi&s;es,</HI> and that a Chri&s;tians <HI>te&s;ti|mony</HI> to the truth lyes more in <HI>what they are,</HI> then <HI>what they expre&s;s to others.</HI> 3. The <HI>quality</HI> of the <HI>witne&s;&s;es</HI> is of &s;uch weight here, and to be &s;pecially regarded, as one of the <HI>highest &s;ervices
<PB N="53" REF="39">for God within time</HI> under their hand, to <HI>put too their &s;eall,</HI> and <HI>te&s;timony that God is true in what he hath promi&s;ed;</HI> who are as it were <HI>judicially &s;i&s;ted</HI> in behalf of his <HI>truth</HI> and <HI>faithfulnes;</HI> &s;ince his <HI>declarative glory before angels,</HI> and <HI>men,</HI> does more peculiarly<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ly here then in the whole <HI>Stru|cture,</HI> and <HI>frame of this Creation.</HI> This is a <HI>trust</HI> and <HI>debt</HI> al&s;o upon each <HI>age</HI> of the Church, that the <HI>truth and faithfulnes of their God may be trans|mitt to the generations to come</HI> with &s;uch a <HI>confir|matory &s;eall.</HI> 4. This <HI>Inquiry</HI> is the more called for, to know what the&s;e are who bear &s;uch a <HI>wit|nes</HI> to the truth, upon the <HI>exceeding greatnes of the&s;e things</HI> which belong to Chri&s;tian <HI>experience,</HI> &s;ince this might awake the mo&s;t &s;ublin<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e, and in|qui&s;itive &s;pirits of the time to &s;earch herein, and be a Subject of <HI>great thoughts</HI> and <HI>reflection,</HI> that &s;uch are on the earth, yea an <HI>innumerable part of men,</HI> who do verily enjoy &s;o <HI>marvelous a light</HI> as is <HI>immediatly out of Heaven,</HI> and shines upon none el&s;e; and knowes &s;uch an enjoiment, as an <HI>immediate communion</HI> with the <HI>Deity,</HI> and his <HI>&s;en&s;ible pre&s;ence with their Spirits,</HI> with <HI>returns from Heaven to their &s;uits</HI> in mo&s;t <HI>reall effects;</HI> &s;ince if this be &s;ure, then mu&s;t men &s;eek for an|other <HI>Idea of Chri&s;tianity,</HI> &amp; have other thoughts about the &s;ame, then what mo&s;t &s;eem to have; then is there a higher glory put upon mens &s;ouls in the way of grace, and their beeing <HI>partakers of the divine nature,</HI> then what all humane gran|deur
<PB N="54" REF="40">can ever amount to, or is upon the Sun, and the Stars of Heaven. 5. The <HI>credit, and quali|ty of the Witne&s;&s;es</HI> on this <HI>great head of Spiritual experience,</HI> and the whole <HI>internal part of Chri|&s;tianity</HI> is of &s;uch weight that the &s;pirit of this age, and mo&s;t predominant part of men within the Church is &s;tated in &s;o vi&s;ible an oppo&s;ition there|to, not only to oppo&s;e the <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>&s;pirituality</HI> of Religion, but to deny its <HI>principles,</HI> and give a lye to this te&s;timony, of the mo&s;t eminent wor|kings of the &s;pirit of God on mens &s;ouls, as if it were &s;ome <HI>illu&s;ion</HI> or <HI>impo&s;ture;</HI> which is in effect to take of the <HI>greate&s;t &s;eall</HI> that God hath given to the <HI>Divinity of the Scripture</HI> in the whole <HI>internal demon&s;trations</HI> of its truth: this is the great pro|digy of this age bejond any times pa&s;t, and may be feared if our Faith &s;tood not &s;ure otherways, that the light &s;hould be quickly extingui&s;hed, and the candle&s;tick taken away from mo&s;t of the refor|med Churches; when mo&s;t, under &s;uch a profe&s;|&s;ion yet never knew, the <HI>power, vertue,</HI> and <HI>effi|cacy of the truth</HI> they profe&s;s on their own &s;oul, and that there is another evidence or teaching, then by <HI>moral &s;wa&s;ion</HI> only, or another key to open the heart, then <HI>external means;</HI> and thus mu&s;t either oppo&s;e them&s;elves to &s;o tormenting a light, or be unavoidably condemned hereby.</P>
<P>But with this <HI>Inquiry</HI> as to the credit and <HI>quali|ry of the witne&s;&s;es,</HI> who in all ages of the Church bears the &s;ame te&s;timony to the truth from their
<PB N="55" REF="40"><HI>experience,</HI> it is undenyable al&s;o, but that there are &s;ome in a <HI>more &s;ingular way &s;i&s;ted, and under more peculiar engagements then others</HI> to appear on &s;uch a <HI>te&s;timony,</HI> and who may be admit to en|joiments of <HI>experience,</HI> that are out of the <HI>ordinary road</HI> of Gods dealing with his people, tho this mu&s;t in no other &s;en&s;e be under&s;tood <HI>exiraordina|ry,</HI> then from &s;o <HI>judicial a time</HI> as this, and the great <HI>decay of the Power of Chri&s;tianity</HI> with this generation why the&s;e are &s;o rare, and not in beeing any way cro&s;s to the <HI>firm</HI> and <HI>&s;ettled con&s;titutions of the Gho&s;pel,</HI> or without that <HI>precinct of the pro|mi&s;e of God to warrand the &s;ame;</HI> and I hope the Church of Chri&s;t is yet to enter on &s;uch enjoi|ments of experience that would not be ea&s;ie to be|leeve in this day we are in, were they told us at a di&s;tance. But what I mean hereby of the&s;e, who may be in a higher capacity then others for &s;uch a <HI>witne&s;s</HI> I shall breefly touch.</P>
<P N="1">1. The&s;e who through grace hath been admit to <HI>&s;ome higher intimacy of conver&s;e with God, and to know his dealing familiarly with men here on the earth,</HI> then may be ever known in &s;uch a degree to other choi&s;e, and reall Chri&s;tians; tho I judge this may be more rarely known, that where it is mo&s;t in truth, there al&s;o is a humble conceal|ment, and beeing hid in the &s;ame, their u&s;ual &s;tudie, who finds more &s;weetne&s;s in &s;uch enjoi|ments the le&s;s air they take; &amp; I have oft thought &s;uch may be lea&s;t known on the earth in this day
<PB N="56" REF="41">who may be the greate&s;t <HI>favourits of Heaven,</HI> and have had mo&s;t rare, and immediate <HI>te&s;timonies</HI> of the love, and re&s;pects of their God; but as this it not the <HI>standard</HI> by which the truth, and reality of grace is to be judged; &s;o should this <HI>witne&s;s</HI> be to me no further &s;trenthning, then it hath &s;ome greater height in <HI>humility,</HI> and <HI>tenderne&s;s of Spirit</HI> in the ways of God going along&s;t herewith, and &s;ome more &s;ingular eminency of grace as does an|&s;wer to that <HI>I&s;ai</HI> 57: 15. <HI>John</HI> 14: 21.</P>
<P N="2">2. I mu&s;t judge the&s;e al&s;o have <HI>a higher room</HI> in this <HI>witne&s;s for God on their experience of his truth,</HI> who have in a <HI>more &s;ingular way then others known the truth of &s;upernatural a&s;&s;istance, and &s;u&s;taining grace under extraordinar tryalls.</HI> I mean &s;uch Chri&s;tians as have been tryed not only in the <HI>truth,</HI> but in the <HI>&s;trenth of divine grace,</HI> at another rate then others, whom I mu&s;t reckon among&s;t the greate&s;t <HI>witne&s;&s;es</HI> for God in this day, when 1. This renders their <HI>te&s;timony</HI> to be of a higher valew and evidence according to the height, and mea&s;ure of their <HI>conflicts,</HI> and <HI>tryalls,</HI> whom thus the Lord hath choi&s;ed, and &s;eparate as <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> was from the <HI>re&s;idue of his brethren,</HI> for &s;uch a &s;ervice of <HI>example,</HI> that the excellency of his grace might here more brightly &s;hine forth. 2. Becau&s;e the <HI>depo&s;ition</HI> herein, is in a matter on which mo&s;t doe &s;tumble at the ways of God, upon that &s;candall of the cro&s;s; and on this ac|count it may be &s;aid, they are &s;ent as <HI>me&s;&s;engers,</HI>
<PB N="57" REF="41">and <HI>&s;pyes,</HI> to witne&s;s what manner of allowance he does then impart, to bear the expence of a more extraordinare time of affliction, and &s;uffe|ring, and what immediate &s;upport is then found above the allowance of ordinary times; that with <HI>Caleb,</HI> and <HI>Joshua,</HI> they might bear a honou|rable report for God unto others. 3. The cre|dit of this <HI>testimony</HI> ri&s;eth the higher, as it hath co&s;t them &s;o dear, who bear the &s;ame, and hath not been ea&s;ily attained, nor is an <HI>offering unto God of that which co&s;ts them nothing,</HI> who have been helped bejond others to glorify him in the <HI>fires.</HI> 4. They are &s;uch above the re&s;idue of Chri&s;tians, who hath u&s;ually a <HI>record of more &s;pe|cial confirmations,</HI> and great remarks of the way of God, in the <HI>Journal,</HI> and <HI>History of their life;</HI> I know mo&s;t would fear to have a room in &s;uch a te&s;timony, but as I doubt not there are many &s;uch <HI>witne&s;&s;es</HI> this day in the earth, &s;o I mu&s;t reckon it, one of the mo&s;t honourable &s;er|vices for God upon it, and will ere long know the full &s;ence of that truth; when <HI>he hath tryed them to bring them forth as gold Job</HI> 23: 10.</P>
<P N="3">3. And are not &s;uch &s;pecially &s;i&s;ted as <HI>witne&s;&s;es</HI> herein, and under more <HI>&s;ingular engagements then others,</HI> who upon greater <HI>Services</HI> for God a&s;&s;igned to them, hath al&s;o had more then ordi|nare allowances, of immediate <HI>divine a&s;&s;istance</HI> for the &s;ame, to witne&s;s that they have not been &s;ent hereon on their own <HI>charge,</HI> and <HI>expence;</HI>
<PB N="58" REF="42">this is one of the great di&s;coveries that the Lord gives unto men of his beeing God, and is a clear and demon&s;trative evidence of that reall, and nea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> communication, which the <HI>Churches head</HI> hat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> with his <HI>body</HI> here on the earth. I know this hath a &s;pecial re&s;pect to &s;uch, as are called of the Lord on that <HI>Service of the Ministry of his Word,</HI> wh<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> hath &s;ome peculiar, and di&s;tinct part allotted ta<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> them as <HI>witne&s;&s;es,</HI> and put on a more public<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>theater</HI> before the World, to witne&s;s that ab&s;o|lute dependance, which the work, and &s;ervice of that <HI>&s;tation</HI> hath on their <HI>great Master,</HI> and the <HI>outlettings of his Spirit</HI> both for <HI>&s;upport,</HI> and <HI>&s;ucce&s;s,</HI> and what thus is found in the way of a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> immediate relyance on him; for I mu&s;t judge that none knowes a near entercour&s;e with God, and to be <HI>purely acted</HI> for him, on this great <HI>&s;ervice,</HI> but hath &s;ome peculiar advantage bejond an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> el&s;e for more <HI>&s;ingular,</HI> and <HI>rare confirmations of the truth on their own &s;oul,</HI> and of a known, and &s;en&s;ible <HI>&s;eall</HI> from God both in <HI>fruit,</HI> and <HI>accep|tance of their work;</HI> and tho &s;uch who look at <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">|di&s;tance, cannot di&s;cern, what may be <HI>betwixt God, and his Servants, in &s;ome publick admini|&s;trations of his &s;ervice,</HI> as may be then evident to their &s;oul, yet is it oft made &s;o far di&s;cernible, as to &s;erve an awful &s;ence and impre&s;&s;ion on mens &s;pirits, of God in the <HI>A&s;&s;emblies of his Church,</HI> and of the truth of <HI>&s;upernatural a&s;&s;i&s;tances,</HI> and &s;ome|thing more then <HI>humane</HI> herein; nor does &s;uch a
<PB N="59" REF="42"><HI>witne&s;s</HI> ever cea&s;e, tho it be now more rare then in times pa&s;t, in this <HI>&s;ad</HI> and <HI>judicial period of time,</HI> we are fallen in, when almo&s;t all <HI>&s;ence, &s;a|vour,</HI> and <HI>di&s;cerning of the Spirit of God,</HI> with <HI>publick admini&s;trations of the Word,</HI> &s;eems lo&s;t, &amp; the <HI>wi&s;dom of Words,</HI> or what may appear more <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">neat</HI> or <HI>polished</HI> that way, is come in the room hereof, as though the alone end, of &s;o high a &s;er|vice were to <HI>act a &s;cene hand&s;omly on a theater</HI> that may carry the applau&s;e of the <HI>Spectators,</HI> but not <HI>mens hearts unto God;</HI> this I have lookt on with no le&s;s horror then on the mo&s;t vi&s;ible <HI>Athei&s;m,</HI> and profanity of the&s;e times, and one of the mo&s;t di&s;|mal <HI>Signs</HI> in the <HI>publick &s;tate of Religion.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. The&s;e al&s;o may have &s;ome higher acce&s;s for &s;uch a <HI>witne&s;s,</HI> who know with evidence, the truth of <HI>immediate, and &s;upernatural excit|ments,</HI> to engadge upon &s;ome <HI>&s;pecial work,</HI> and <HI>&s;ervice for God,</HI> and to be acted forth herein un|der the <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>irre&s;i&s;table discovery of ane in|ward call,</HI> when under greate&s;t oppo&s;itions from their own &s;pirit thereto, and furthe&s;t aver&s;ion of mind. This I have known in the truth hereof in mo&s;t eminent <HI>examples,</HI> but the credit of &s;uch a te&s;timony, tho in it &s;elf, founded on divine Re|velation, does nece&s;&s;arly require &s;uch ane evi|dence of the <HI>quality of the witne&s;&s;es</HI> herein; that they be of a <HI>known tender, humble,</HI> and <HI>judicious Spirit,</HI> who are <HI>skilled</HI> both in the <HI>deep things of God,</HI> and in the <HI>deeps of Satan,</HI> who this way
<PB N="60" REF="43">does oft act in the greate&s;t deep, and my&s;tery of <HI>delu&s;ion.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. There is yet &s;omething more <HI>&s;ingular</HI> in the <HI>experience</HI> of &s;ome Chri&s;tians bejond others, and in &s;uch a <HI>witne&s;s,</HI> as to a <HI>&s;pecial confidence,</HI> and <HI>a&s;&s;urance rai&s;ed on their &s;oul, of events of provi|dence,</HI> and the <HI>i&s;&s;ue of &s;ome remarkable ca&s;e of tryall, when it hath been contrare to all humane appearances, and no rea&s;on from any vi&s;ible airth could be given for the &s;ame;</HI> this I know may &s;eem a &s;trange thing in the eyes of many, nor can it po&s;&s;ibly have that <HI>evidence,</HI> or in that manner work to others, as it is to the&s;e, who know, and have experienced the &s;ame, but we &s;ee, and are &s;ure there hath been great attainments of &s;uch a Faith, both in <HI>Scripture examples,</HI> and uncon|troverted <HI>experiments,</HI> made hereof in after times, which hath met &s;uch in the road of their duty, and in ane expre&s;s harmony, and corre&s;pondence with the Word, &s;ince the <HI>extent of our Faith in any particular ca&s;e,</HI> mu&s;t keep with the &s;ame <HI>ex|tent, and mea&s;ure of divine Revelation</HI> herein, and the Lord will be <HI>trusted for no more then he hath made warrantable by his promi&s;e.</HI> But this is a <HI>Subject,</HI> on which I may not in&s;i&s;t further then to clear the <HI>evidence</HI> and truth of the &s;ameon the&s;e grounds. 1. That Chri&s;tians may be at &s;uch <HI>&s;teps</HI> in their way and pa&s;&s;age through time, and on &s;o dark ground; yea the <HI>tide</HI> of <HI>difficulties,</HI> and <HI>ama&s;ing fears</HI> &s;welled to &s;o great a hight, that
<PB N="61" REF="43">if there were not a &s;upport of this kind, by ane <HI>argument of power,</HI> to their &s;oul, they &s;hould otherways be ready to &s;ink. 2. This <HI>experiment</HI> how rare &s;o ever it may &s;eem to many, is no <HI>dark,</HI> or <HI>di&s;tinct thing</HI> from that <HI>&s;eall of the &s;pirit of pro|mi&s;e,</HI> which we &s;hould look after; or from that <HI>promi&s;ed earnest,</HI> which &s;ometimes the Lord gives, with re&s;pect to a <HI>&s;pecial mercy,</HI> and <HI>deli|verance</HI> within time as well as their <HI>great interest in Heaven,</HI> tho it be not in the &s;ame <HI>degree</HI> im|parted to &s;ome as to others. 3. It is al&s;o of no other kind then that &s;ettled allowance on the <HI>Saints,</HI> of the <HI>peace of God</HI> in &s;uch a mea&s;ure as can rai&s;e, and fully quiet their &s;pirit, above any &s;in|king fears, and above the <HI>pre&s;ent a&s;&s;ault</HI> they may be under, tho with &s;uch evidence then, as is not po&s;&s;ible to attain at other times, nor can be kept clear, and comforting to them&s;elves without much <HI>tenderne&s;&s;e of &s;pirit and fear.</HI> 4. Where this is known, and enjoyed in any higher degree by &s;ome then may be the allowance of others, it is a&s;&s;uredly found on a &s;pecial &amp; near intimacy with God, and to follow &s;ome di&s;cernable acce&s;s, and &s;pecial <HI>gale of the &s;pirit of interce&s;&s;ion in prayer, and wre&s;tlings;</HI> &s;o as it thus meets them in the way of a &s;ettled <HI>ordinance,</HI> and in the &s;ame way where|in we may &s;ee the Saints in Scripture have attai|ned to a confidence of this kind; for otherways there could be no comforting evidence of its beeing the undoubted <HI>work of God.</HI> 5. And here
<PB N="62" REF="44">mu&s;t be tryed, &amp; &s;ought for, whither the more <HI>im|mediate testimony of God,</HI> does then &s;till bring the <HI>testimony</HI> of the <HI>renewed con&s;cience</HI> along&s;t there with &s;o as to clear the condition in them&s;elves, and their claim thereto, of &s;uch a &s;pecial promi&s;e, whereon their confidence hath been rai&s;ed, where|by it is thus rendred to them an <HI>ab&s;olute promi&s;e;</HI> that can not po&s;&s;ibly be fru&s;trate. 6. I shall but add further as this <HI>rare experiment</HI> comes with &s;uch <HI>evidence of &s;piritual &s;en&s;e,</HI> as is di&s;cernable from any <HI>natural workings</HI> of mans own heart, and is that wherein the mo&s;t deep enquiry and ju|dicious tryall of Chri&s;tians is needful to know that its &s;urely from God, and hath both his <HI>warrant,</HI> and <HI>&s;eall</HI> herewith, &s;o is it not &s;trange that where he takes a more <HI>&s;ingular way</HI> to <HI>try</HI> and exerci&s;e &s;ome, and out of the ordinar road of his dealing with others, yea where &s;upport in the way of <HI>ex|ternal providence</HI> may then cea&s;e, that this &s;pe|cial allowance by <HI>inward evidence</HI> be &s;omething more &s;ingular al&s;o, and &s;ome <HI>higher influence of the &s;pirit and power of beleeving</HI> be imparted for &s;uch a <HI>ca&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>This leads me to offer &s;ome thoughts in the <HI>clo&s;e</HI> upon two <HI>Propo&s;als,</HI> which I did not intend, if from another <HI>airth,</HI> whil&s;t I was writing this there had not occurred a <HI>&s;pecial call</HI> herein, and that I judged it might not be un&s;uitable to the <HI>in|tent of this di&s;cour&s;e.</HI></P>
<P N="1">I. Whither there be any &s;uch <HI>&s;eall</HI> to the <HI>truth
<PB N="63" REF="44">of Christianity</HI> in the&s;e times we are now in as the <HI>Faith of Miracles, or that it be warrantable to ex|pect &s;uch a thing from God, which lyes in a particu|lar act of trust in &s;ome &s;pecial ca&s;e, where a Chri|&s;tian may be taken off all ordinare means, and no|thing but a divine immediate, and miraculous Power can an&s;wer thereto;</HI> for <HI>An&s;wer</HI> it is clear the <HI>active Faith</HI> hereof which was once given to <HI>the Primitive Church</HI> in the <HI>workings of miracles</HI> now cea&s;eth, but in this <HI>pa&s;&s;ive Sence,</HI> I know no <HI>time,</HI> nor <HI>age,</HI> to which it does not belong, and comes not under the <HI>Promi&s;e of God,</HI> to warrant the &s;ame in the&s;e ca&s;es.</P>
<P N="1">1. When the Lord mea&s;ures out <HI>&s;uch tryalls</HI> to any of his people in the way of their duty, and under his &s;pecial conduct, where there is no re|leaf, or &s;upport, but in the <HI>Faith of ane extra|ordinar, and immediate appearance of God,</HI> and no neglect in the lea&s;t; of what in the way of <HI>or|dinare,</HI> and <HI>warrantable</HI> means is attainable, it is &s;ure, there it is both warranted and requires &s;uch <HI>a Faith,</HI> yea are put by a more &s;ingular call on the tryall of the &s;ame, and in this re&s;pect; I doubt not there hath been, and may yet be in the <HI>pre|&s;ent age greater attainments of the &s;ame,</HI> then mo&s;t of Chri&s;tians can ea&s;ily comprehend, who&s;e tryalls were never brought to &s;uch a pitch, and in that manner a&s;&s;igned to them; &s;ince the&s;e are of the Lord mea&s;ured out only according to the <HI>mea&s;ure of Faith</HI> given them <HI>Rom.</HI> 12: 3.</P>
<PB N="64" REF="45">
<P N="2">2. As none may <HI>abridge the Spirit of God in the freedome, and Soveraignty of his work</HI> herein, whatever times men be in, &s;o is it known and clear, that where the Lord does allott more <HI>ex|traordinare ca&s;es</HI> whither to <HI>Churches</HI> or <HI>particular Chri&s;tians,</HI> when &s;uch are keeping clo&s;e by him, and the revealed rule of their duty, there al&s;o is a more <HI>extraordinare allowance</HI> for the &s;ame, ye<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;uch a <HI>mea&s;ure and encrea&s;e of their Faith</HI> to be &s;ought from the great author thereof, as may an|&s;wer the pre&s;ent ca&s;e, to have their <HI>&s;trength</HI> accor|ding to their <HI>day.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. It is unque&s;tionable that the Lord de&s;igns in all <HI>ages of his Church,</HI> to bring glory to him&s;elf, by &s;uch a <HI>faith as hath no ground to grip on,</HI> but <HI>ane infinit and immediate power</HI> that can extend it &s;elf to the mo&s;t de&s;perate and ama&s;ing ca&s;e, nor is a <HI>beleeving in hope, when it is to be furthest again&s;t hope,</HI> a &s;trange and dark thing in this day, either as to the warrant hereof, or the&s;e proofs, which have been made of the &s;ame in the i&s;&s;ue. And herein I mu&s;t judge the appearance of God no le&s;s wonderful to &s;ome of his people in that which he <HI>works in them,</HI> and in that deliverance from their <HI>fears</HI> where no <HI>humane Rea&s;on or Secondary cau&s;es</HI> could concurr, then in that which he hath <HI>done for them</HI> in the mo&s;t <HI>&s;tupendious acts of Provi|dence,</HI> nor does any time want &s;ome &s;hare and proper <HI>talent</HI> of this kinde, if &s;uch <HI>great ap|pearances of God</HI> were more ob&s;erved, that
<PB N="65" REF="45">might be &s;ingularly &s;trenthning to the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Is there a reall Chri&s;tian this day, who is not called to &s;uch a <HI>Faith,</HI> that he &s;hall once up|on him&s;elf <HI>experience</HI> a greater <HI>miracle</HI> by a <HI>di|vine omnipotent Power</HI> then was yet ever wrought in the earth, which is of the <HI>Re&s;urrection of his body,</HI> after it hath been for &s;ome ages di&s;&s;olved into du&s;t, wherein it is, by the undoubted <HI>Faith of miracles</HI> to be wrought upon him&s;elf, that his greate&s;t <HI>&s;upport</HI> and <HI>comfort</HI> within time &s;tands; yea if there be &s;uch a Faith in the earth, which is now &s;till warranted, as that we have <HI>P&s;.</HI> 46: 12. it mu&s;t then ly in ane <HI>actual trust,</HI> and <HI>relyance in a ca&s;e where a miracle can only help.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. If <HI>po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ions by the Devil</HI> were in that manner now u&s;ual as in the <HI>primitive times,</HI> it is unde|niable, that the <HI>Prayer of Faith</HI> herein for <HI>dis|po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion</HI> were not only warranted, but expre&s;ly called for, tho the <HI>inward a&s;&s;urance</HI> of &s;uch a <HI>Faith</HI> may not in the &s;ame manner be given to &s;ome as to others; yet here is a &s;pecial &s;uiting from God the <HI>proof of a miracle,</HI> by <HI>his immediate Power,</HI> which they are in faith called too; and as that <HI>Pre&s;cript</HI> given by our <HI>Lord of fa&s;ting and prayer</HI> for this end does &s;till &s;tand in force &s;o hath there been known publick in&s;tances in the&s;e <HI>late times, of reall di&s;po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ions by prayer,</HI> and &s;olemn addre&s;&s;es to Heaven herein.</P>
<P N="6">6. If the <HI>oppre&s;&s;ed innocence of a Chri&s;tian,</HI> and in
<PB N="66" REF="46">&s;uch a ca&s;e where the honor of God were highly concerned, &s;hould be &s;o &s;tated, as to be bejond <HI>humane releaf</HI> for clearing the &s;ame, there might be herein an unque&s;tionable reference to God, for his more <HI>immediate deci&s;ion,</HI> and a warran|table ground to &s;uit for the <HI>&s;pirit of faith in &s;uch <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> mea&s;ure,</HI> as &s;o extraordinare a tryall requires, bejond what in an ordinare ca&s;e is allowable, but &s;o as to wait for <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">he &s;ame, in his &s;ea&s;on and way. This I know was in the <HI>primitive times</HI> in &s;ome more &s;ingular manner made u&s;e off, when no or|dinare means was attainable for the &s;ame, bu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> as that could have no &s;afe warrant, &s;o the <HI>Law of jealou&s;ie,</HI> and tryall by the <HI>waters of jealou&s;ie Numb.</HI> 5. was then temporary and is now cea&s;ed yet is this &s;till <HI>moral</HI> herein and of <HI>perpetual u&s;e,</HI> that, God is the &s;ame who hath re&s;erved to him|&s;elf an immediate appearance of him&s;elf, whe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> no ordinar means can help; yea that <HI>promi&s;e P&s;.</HI> 57:3. is expre&s;ly given for &s;uch ane end <HI>of his &s;ending from Heaven</HI> immediatly to &s;ave, where no a&s;&s;i&s;tance on the earth is attainable, and all na|tural means faill.</P>
<P N="7">7. It is unque&s;tionable that the making u&s;e of <HI>Lots</HI> (which in &s;uch a ca&s;e is only &s;afe where it is rendred ab&s;olutly nece&s;&s;ar for a <HI>fin<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> determination in &s;ome great, and weightie concern</HI> is &s;uch a <HI>&s;olemn appeal to ane extraordinar deci&s;io<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of God,</HI> as the faith of his appearance by a <HI>pre|&s;ent,</HI> and <HI>immediate &s;ign from him&s;elf</HI> is nece&s;&s;arily
<PB N="67" REF="46" MS="y">required, tho it be not by any &s;trange or <HI>miracu|lous evidence</HI> yet is as truely to be taken <HI>from God</HI> in &s;uch a ca&s;e, and in <HI>faith</HI> &s;ubjected to, as if &s;ome <HI>&s;upernatural &s;ign</HI> did accompany the &s;ame, and as no <HI>humane wi&s;dome</HI> or <HI>coun&s;el</HI> can have place here|in as to the <HI>event,</HI> &s;o I mu&s;t judge an entire ac|quie&s;cence of mens &s;pirits on &s;uch a determina|tion, &s;hewes not only a <HI>deep</HI> and <HI>reverent Se<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ce of the Maje&s;ty of God,</HI> but that this is as truely his an &s;wer, as if they had &s;een <HI>fire coming down from Heaven to con&s;ume the Sacrifice,</HI> as was in the <HI>days of Elijah</HI> at mount Carmel.</P>
<P N="8">8. It may be &s;aid that the truth of &s;uch a <HI>faith</HI> hath in a &s;pecial evidence, and power hereof been known when things have come to &s;ome <HI>unu&s;ual extremity in a Chri&s;tians ca&s;e,</HI> as could bear no delay but like that of the <HI>Di&s;ciples of Christ, help Lord ere we perish;</HI> in&s;tances of this kind have been &s;o clear as, I judge, is not po&s;&s;ible to deny the truth of &s;uch a <HI>&s;eall</HI> to the <HI>Faith of Chri&s;tians,</HI> were things of that nature more adverted to and ob&s;erved. <Q REND="inline">It is a few <HI>years past,</HI> that a <HI>famous Mini&s;ter of Christ,</HI> who now is at re&s;t in the Lord, was under &s;uch an extraordinare <HI>pain</HI> and <HI>torment by a confirmed &s;tone in the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">,</HI> as nature &s;unk wholly under the &s;ame, and as he &s;hewed me was brought to that <HI>extremity,</HI> that he turned to God with &s;uch a cry, let not <HI>thy &s;ervant di&s;tract, but help, for I can po&s;&s;i|bly bear no more,</HI> who &s;aid al&s;o that in the very
<PB N="68" REF="47">pre&s;ent moment it was immediatly taken off and this at once, with a perfect ea&s;e and releaf and did recurr no more till the day of his <HI>death,</HI> which was &s;ometime after: this as I had from <HI>him&s;elf,</HI> &s;o was it from one that none in the <HI>age</HI> he lived in, I could have credited more, and could leave no room for doubting that &s;uch a <HI>return in the pre&s;ent act of prayer,</HI> at &s;o great a height, and <HI>extremity of pain,</HI> without any <HI>natural cau&s;e</HI> and mean, was immediatly from God, and <HI>&s;upernatural.</HI></Q> I knew al&s;o with a&s;&s;u|rance &s;uch an <HI>in&s;tance,</HI> <Q REND="inline">in a <HI>Mni&s;ter of the Gho&s;|pel,</HI> who was &s;ea&s;ed in the <HI>Sabath morning,</HI> with an <HI>extraordinar collick,</HI> which grew upon him to that height, as in an ordinare way rendred <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> not po&s;&s;ible to go forth upon the publick work o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the day, which then lay upon him, and to a grea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Auditory</HI> at that time, &s;o that whil&s;t he e&s;&s;aye<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i&s;e,</HI> he was pre&s;&s;ed to take his <HI>bed</HI> again, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> very few minutes before the &s;ett time for going to <HI>Church,</HI> but whil&s;t he pre&s;ented the ca&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> God, upon the intere&s;t of his &s;ervice, it wa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> in a <HI>moment taken off,</HI> not by any <HI>gradual a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> atement of &s;uch a di&s;temper,</HI> but entirely <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">|once,</HI> &s;o as he never had more &s;weet acce&s;s ar<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> freedome to go forth on the work of the Lor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> both at that <HI>dyet,</HI> and in the following part<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the <HI>publick work;</HI> and this al&s;o was, when <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> outward mean was concurring herein;</Q> as it <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> clear, that the <HI>pa&s;&s;ive Faith,</HI> which <HI>Christ</HI> did
<PB N="69" REF="47">&s;pecially require for an <HI>immediate cure</HI> from him&s;elf <HI>Matth</HI> 9. was this, <HI>beleevest thou that I am able to help,</HI> when no ordinare means can do; &s;o I doubt not this was in &s;ome mea&s;ure acted in both the&s;e in&s;tances, leaving roome for omnipotency to act in &s;uch an exigence.</P>
<P N="9">9 Nor hath there been wanting eminent proofs of this kind of &s;pecial <HI>applications of Faith,</HI> made unto God by <HI>prayer</HI> in behalf of others un|der <HI>di&s;ea&s;es;</HI> where ordinare means hath been laid a&s;ide, and the <HI>ca&s;e</HI> pa&s;t all hope, and of &s;uch <HI>returns</HI> by a pre&s;ent re&s;toring, and under &s;uch evidence as enforced the conviction hereof, up|on mens con&s;cience that we may &s;ee how in &s;ome <HI>&s;trange ca&s;es</HI> of this kind the true <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> and the <HI>Lords de&s;ign</HI> herein does not untill then break up, according to that <HI>John</HI> 9: 3. <HI>That the work of God might be thus made manifest in them.</HI></P>
<P N="10">10 I may further add, if there were this day a <HI>new erection,</HI> and <HI>&s;ettlement of &s;ome particular Church from among&s;t Infidells,</HI> and the commi&s;|&s;ion for this end of <HI>Mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t</HI> made evi|dent, and clear to go forth on &s;uch a &s;ervice, where no <HI>natural</HI> and <HI>ordinare means</HI> of convi|ction were attainable, I doubt not but &s;omething in a more extraordinare way, of the <HI>faith of mi|racles,</HI> and <HI>immediate appearances of God</HI> herein might be expected, as in the <HI>primitive times,</HI> when on the &s;ame ground it was lett forth. Nor can it be found there hath been any <HI>particular
<PB N="70" REF="48">Church of Christ</HI> without &s;ome <HI>extraordinare &s;eall</HI> of this kind, e&s;pecially in the fir&s;t <HI>entry</HI> and <HI>ere|ction of the &s;ame;</HI> nor is there any <HI>time</HI> or <HI>age</HI> of the Church, wherein the clear &s;ence of that <HI>Scrip|ture Mark</HI> 9: 23. &mdash; <HI>all things are po&s;&s;ible to them that beleeve,</HI> does not take place: which is that no mea&s;ure of tryall or difficulties, whither as to <HI>Churches</HI> or particular Chri&s;tians in the way of their duty, can be at &s;uch an height, as to re&s;train or &s;ett bounds to the <HI>work of Faith on an infinite divine power,</HI> tho all natural or &s;econd cau&s;es &s;hould cea&s;e, yea that there is no ca&s;e &s;o &s;ingu|lar, wherein the <HI>warrant of a divine Promi&s;e</HI> herein, and a <HI>Chri&s;tians Faith,</HI> should not be of the &s;ame extent.</P>
<P>The II. <HI>Propo&s;al</HI> that I shall breefly touch, as it thus followes upon the former, is <HI>whither in the&s;e last times the Lord does appear by any &s;uch extraordinare &s;igns, that are publick in the &s;ight of the World,</HI> and bring near &s;uch di&s;coveries of his <HI>Godhead in any &s;pecial acts of Providence,</HI> as may bear the &s;ame <HI>evidence of miracles.</HI> For <HI>An&s;wer;</HI> it is &s;ure, the Lord does not <HI>reveal him&s;elf this way,</HI> but on &s;ome <HI>great</HI> and <HI>extraordinare ground,</HI> who hath &s;etled the faith of his <HI>Church</HI> ab&s;olutly on his revealed truth, yet may it be &s;aid, that no age is left without &s;ome witne&s;&s;e of &s;uch a kind; if there were not a &s;ad inadvertence, and shutting of mens eyes, when the Lord is going by them in any great acts of his power, but as to this <HI>Propo|&s;al</HI>
<PB N="71" REF="48">I shall only point at &s;ome <HI>in&s;tances,</HI> that &s;eem to have lea&s;t &s;uitable regard or notice, and to be pa&s;t by with mo&s;t.</P>
<P N="1">1. Can there be a &s;erious judgment and re|flection on that <HI>great and ama&s;ing &s;troake of the Pe&s;tilence,</HI> and not &s;ee an extraordinar <HI>appearance of God</HI> herein, and of its beeing a judgment of that kind, in &s;ome more remarkable times where|in it is lett forth, as goes above all <HI>natural cau&s;es,</HI> and all may &s;ee the <HI>immediate hand of God</HI> herein both in its <HI>ri&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, progre&s;s,</HI> and <HI>&s;wift &s;preading as a lightning,</HI> through <HI>Cities</HI> or <HI>Countries,</HI> in its pa&s;&s;ing by &s;ome more then others where no cau&s;e can ap|pear, &s;o as men mu&s;t &s;ee its beeing &s;ent with commi&s;&s;ion from Heaven, and a <HI>&s;upernaturall cau&s;ality,</HI> as vi&s;ibly as if they had &s;tood with <HI>David, and the Elders of I&s;rael</HI> 2 <HI>Samuel</HI> 29: 17. <HI>to &s;ee the Angel that &s;mote the People between the Heaven, and the Earth;</HI> upon which account <HI>David</HI> did choi&s;e rather to come under this &s;troak then the <HI>Sword</HI> or <HI>Famine,</HI> becau&s;e it was in a more immediate way the hand of the Lord, and where there is a more then ordinare near ap|proach, and di&s;covery of him&s;elf unto men.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is of <HI>publick</HI> and uncontroulable evi|dence, that <HI>miraculous,</HI> and immediate witne&s;s from Heaven in the <HI>bleading of the bodies of men on the touch of the murderer in &s;uch ca&s;es, where no ordinare means can bear evidence.</HI> I will not &s;peak of the warrantable u&s;e of &s;uch an <HI>appeal</HI> where
<PB N="72" REF="49">the <HI>revealed rule of our faith, and practice</HI> is not expre&s;s herein; but as its undoubted, in the truth and reality of the &s;ame, where no humane wit|ne&s;&s;e could an&s;wer to this end, &s;o is it &s;urely ane<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> immediate, <HI>vi&s;ible,</HI> and <HI>extraordinare &s;ign from Heaven</HI> given in the &s;ight of the World, &amp; from him who <HI>maketh inqui&s;ition for blood,</HI> in a mo&s;t &s;ingular way, and a <HI>&s;ign</HI> which in every time is made evident.</P>
<P N="3">3. There is al&s;o the certainty of <HI>extraordinare Revelation,</HI> and of the truth of a <HI>Prophetick Spirit imparted to &s;ome as to &s;pecial events of Providence,</HI> which is &s;o known and of that evidence as no age of the Church hath been without in&s;tances hereof, what I mean hereby as to that more &s;ingular way of the Lords revealing him&s;elf, to &s;ome of his <HI>Servants</HI> by a more extraordinar application of his Word, is &s;uch as in the truth and certainty hereof can leave no room for doubtfulne&s;s; tho on the o|ther hand, as to the way and <HI>di&s;mal trade of divi|nation,</HI> that hath got up in the World, by &s;ee|king a <HI>Divinity</HI> either from the <HI>Stars above</HI> or the <HI>Powers of darkne&s;s below,</HI> it may be clearly &s;een is one of the great de&s;igns of Satan, not only to counter&s;ite the way of the Lord herein, but to bring men unto a more direct homage to him&s;elf; but I mention this in&s;tance only as it is &s;o great, and unque&s;tionable a <HI>demon&s;tration of God,</HI> and of his giving in every age &s;ome extraordinare <HI>&s;eall</HI> of this kind.</P>
<PB N="73" REF="49">
<P>I shall but mention here one remarkable <HI>pa&s;&s;age</HI> of which I am to the furthe&s;t per&s;waded, that may &s;eem &s;trange, with re&s;pect to this late <HI>great Reve|lution in the State of Britain;</HI> <Q REND="inline">how it was expre&s;ly foretold under its proper circum&s;tances many years pa&s;t; and was one of the fir&s;t pa&s;&s;ages of any weight that hath been &s;till fixed in my re|membrance; of a relation I had from ane an|cient, and <HI>eminent Mini&s;ter of Christ</HI> of a <HI>Prediction</HI> imparted to him by one of an ex|traordinar, and Prophetick Spirit in that time; that &s;o great, a Scene of Providence should be acted in <HI>Britain,</HI> and change in the publick face of affaires by the coming over of a <HI>Prince of Orange,</HI> who should be the great In|&s;trument, and Actor therein; and tho &s;ome particulars relating thereto I cannot exactly remember, yet this in the &s;ub&s;tance with &s;uch ane expre&s;s de&s;ignation as I have now men|tioned hath from my young years had a &s;ettled impre&s;&s;ion in my memory, and as I am &s;ure and per&s;waded of the truth hereof, and that the fore&s;aid Relater had &s;uch a Prediction long before there was any allyance betwixt the Hou&s;e of <HI>Britain</HI> and of <HI>Orange;</HI> yea am &s;ure this did exceed the reach of humane apprehen|&s;ion at that time, from any ri&s;e or tendency of natural cau&s;es in the order and &s;eries thereof; &s;o is it not now mentioned after the event only, but what &s;everal years before, I gave ane ac|count
<PB N="74" REF="50">and relation off to &s;ome of great quality, who &s;till know the &s;ame, when there was not the lea&s;t appearance of &s;uch a thing, tho I could lay no further weight thereon, which &s;eemed &s;o &s;trange and improbable, but that the thing in it &s;elf as to the truth of &s;uch a Prediction was reall.</Q></P>
<P N="4">4. That there are <HI>&s;upernatural warnings hath been given to men by &s;ome &s;pecial in&s;tinct and im|pre&s;&s;ion not only of the approach of &s;ome great, and extraordinar tryall</HI> with re&s;pect to them&s;elves, but of the near approach of their <HI>death,</HI> yea to &s;ome, the <HI>preci&s;e time hereof</HI> is a truth &s;o known in the World, and with that undeniable evidence as might fully convince tho&s;e of the mo&s;t <HI>doubtful, and &s;uspicious Spirit</HI> in things of that nature, and were it &s;uitable here, I might give &s;pecial <HI>in&s;tances</HI> which I have &s;urely known of this kinde with re&s;pect to &s;uch, who were both pious and of great compo&s;ure in their judgment, who hath had &s;uch per&s;wa&s;ion fixed on them without the lea&s;t pre&s;age from any <HI>natural cau&s;e,</HI> or what i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> ane ordinary way could give a ri&s;e thereto, as it did after fall out in the event.</P>
<P N="5">5. That there are al&s;o <HI>extraordinare &s;igns,</HI> and <HI>forewarnings given the World of great Revolutions and Judgments,</HI> ere they came on particular <HI>na|tions by prodigies and &s;igns from Heaven,</HI> is of that <HI>publick evidence,</HI> and certainty as would &s;eem not po&s;&s;ible to que&s;tion: if &s;ome methods of op|po&s;ition
<PB N="75" REF="50">to God both in his Word and Works were not peculiar to this age, and the &s;pirit thereof this way bejond any that hath gone before, for what may be &s;uppo&s;ed and misjudged by many on &s;uch ane account through ignorance and unac|quaintance with natural cau&s;es, and the extent thereof, is not to be que&s;tioned, but from this, will men debate or di&s;credit a truth that all ages mu&s;t witne&s;s, and the&s;e of the mo&s;t cautious and di&s;cerning among&s;t men, how &s;uch &s;olemn <HI>fore|warnings from Heaven by extraordinar &s;igns, and prodigies,</HI> hath been &s;till previous to publick changes and revolutions, and to any great cala|mities, and judgements. Its &s;ure the&s;e are no imaginary things, but are direct for &s;ome &s;pe|cial end, and are &s;ometimes in &s;uch a manner vi|&s;ible to the experience of the World, as hath not been in like manner known for &s;ome <HI>ages</HI> pa&s;t, as that <HI>late Comet</HI> 81. yea occurr not according to the <HI>&s;ettled con&s;titutions of nature,</HI> but come both with an &s;urpri&s;ing <HI>a&s;pect,</HI> and are expre&s;ly for|med and directed of the Lord for &s;ome higher end then to be an emptie &s;hew, and wonder to the World; but when the Word of truth, and threatnings thereof cea&s;eth to <HI>warne</HI> or be matter of trembling, and the <HI>Athei&s;tick contempt,</HI> and <HI>deri&s;ion of the Works of God</HI> is in this day at &s;uch a height, its like the door may be now judicially &s;hut on any extraordinar <HI>pre&s;ages</HI> or <HI>warnings</HI> this way untill one <HI>prodigy</HI> of &s;ome unu&s;ual judgement come, that will not be baffled by men.</P>
<PB N="76" REF="51">
<P>Whil&s;t I &s;peak on &s;uch a Subject; I know there is a &s;trange thing that comes under the <HI>notion,</HI> by many, of a <HI>miracle,</HI> tho matter of very ordinate thoughts with others, and of a light and com|mon regard about the &s;ame, which is in that <HI>&s;trange, and a&s;tonishing cure of the Struma,</HI> or as its termed the <HI>Kings evil by a touch of the hand on|ly,</HI> without any <HI>application of ordinary means;</HI> that here is no <HI>impo&s;ture</HI> in the truth of &s;uch a thing, but that many have been undoubtedly healed by this <HI>touch of the Kings of England,</HI> is not que&s;tionable, which is of &s;o <HI>publick,</HI> and <HI>known evidence</HI> in the tryall of <HI>numerous in&s;tances,</HI> yea that here is &s;omething <HI>&s;upernatural,</HI> and unac|countable to humane under&s;tanding on <HI>principles of rea&s;on;</HI> when its one of the mo&s;t conrumacious di&s;ea&s;es of mens body, that in the ordinare u&s;e o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> means is found the mo&s;t difficult to cure; but &s;ince any <HI>extraordinar effect</HI> should lead men to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> deep enquiry, and tryall about the <HI>cau&s;e</HI> hereof, and have the more weight in &s;uch a ca&s;e that a <HI>mi|raculous work,</HI> where it is in truth, is <HI>Gods own &s;eall,</HI> which he doth rarely give but on &s;ome great, and important ground, where his glory and the intere&s;t of his truth is highly concerned; yea that its &s;ure, where he intends &s;uch a miracu|lous di&s;covery of him&s;elf to confirm the faith of his people, he gives it with the cleare&s;t evidence of his work, and a concurrence of &s;uch circum|&s;tances, as may &s;erve conviction on all, who&s;e
<PB N="77" REF="51"><HI>impre&s;s and &s;ignature</HI> it bears, to difference the &s;ame from any impo&s;ture, or its beeing a diabo|lick &s;ign and work, and &s;o this calls for a ju&s;t en|quiry, and tryall in the pre&s;ent <HI>ca&s;e</HI> in the&s;e re|&s;pects. 1. To know its <HI>true ri&s;e</HI> and <HI>original,</HI> which I find in the <HI>English Chronicles</HI> to be <HI>dated from the time of Edward the Confe&s;&s;or,</HI> when <HI>Antichri&s;tian darkne&s;s</HI> was then at his greate&s;t height, it beeing in the 1042 <HI>Year,</HI> when he began to reign, and when that <HI>Prediction of the Apo&s;tle The&s;sal</HI> 2: 2. of a more then ordinary po|wer and <HI>working of Satan, with &s;igns and lying wonders</HI> to promote the <HI>Antichri&s;tian</HI> in|tere&s;t, was then taking place; and was in that &s;ence only admitt to confirm the <HI>Romish Faith</HI> by &s;uch a &s;trange miracle. 2. This <HI>Inquiry</HI> should be nece&s;&s;ar herein, whither this pretended mira|culous power belong to the <HI>Crown</HI> only, or hath re&s;pect to the <HI>Quality, and Holine&s;s of the per|&s;ons</HI> who weare the &s;ame, &s;ince if it be to the <HI>first,</HI> then tho ane <HI>Infidel,</HI> or <HI>Mahumetan</HI> were e&s;ta|bli&s;hed on the Throne, if this <HI>gift</HI> follow the &s;ame it mu&s;t needs be derived to them al&s;o, and have &s;uch a high Priviledge annexed thereto, as the <HI>Throne of I&s;rael</HI> never had, when a <HI>David,</HI> and <HI>Solomon</HI> &s;ate thereon tho endued with ane ex|traordinare Unction; but if it re&s;pect the <HI>Quali|ty</HI> and <HI>Holine&s;s of the per&s;ons,</HI> it &s;urely mu&s;t ren|der this no le&s;s difficult, that not only &s;uch as <HI>King Henry the VIII.</HI> and his <HI>Daughter Queen
<PB N="78" REF="52">Mary,</HI> be&s;ides many others, yea <HI>Richard the III.</HI> should on this account have the <HI>active faith of miracles,</HI> and be empoured herewith from God for working of the &s;ame: be&s;ides this it is known that the <HI>French Kings</HI> claim the &s;ame pri|viledge and power as peculiar to them alone, and may not on this ground <HI>Lewis the XIV</HI> this day be reckoned a fit in&s;trument for &s;uch a <HI>healing mi|racle,</HI> and to bring a ju&s;t repute and credit there|to. 3. But whence is it that &s;uch a <HI>hereditary gift</HI> should not faill, and be cutt off by the <HI>departure of England from the Romish Church,</HI> &s;ince the fir&s;t holding hereof was upon their adherence to the &s;ame, and as a <HI>confirmatory Seall to the Romish Profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> or that it should now controll the end for which it was given; I know what &s;ome <HI>Popish Writers</HI> &s;ay hereon, that this miracle is not now performed by &s;uch who have apo&s;tati&s;ed from that faith, <HI>virtute propria, &s;ed virtute &s;igni|crucis,</HI> but there needs no &s;uch <HI>Salvo,</HI> as to rec|kon its being alienate now from &s;erving for the &s;ame u&s;e, and end it did before, nor to have an|other ri&s;e if it were &s;eriou&s;ly pondered. 4. But what intere&s;t in this cure hath the u&s;e of &s;uch a <HI>ri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e in applying with the touch</HI> a <HI>Medal of Gold</HI> to the Patient therewith, or what vertue can this <HI>Amulet</HI> impart, and &s;o great a care taken, that they should not lo&s;e it; &s;ince it is &s;ure this is not given out of charity to there outward want, ex|cept it be from o&s;tentation to shew they are en|dued
<PB N="79" REF="52">with a <HI>gift</HI> which the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> had not when they <HI>cured the lame man,</HI> and could make u&s;e of no &s;uch a&s;&s;i&s;tance of <HI>Silver</HI> or <HI>Gold</HI> herein <HI>Act.</HI> 3, 5. If the application of ane <HI>extraordinar gift</HI> for healing di&s;ea&s;es without the u&s;e of <HI>natural means</HI> be an ough to warrant the &s;ame, and that &s;uch a cure is wrought without any further enquiry as to the cau&s;e and ground whereon it hath &s;uch an ef|fect, it is then &s;ure, the <HI>Devil,</HI> and the&s;e <HI>Po|wers of darkne&s;s</HI> may have a publick and ea&s;ie market in the Chri&s;tian Church, and exact an uncontrolled homage and &s;ubjection to them this way, the extent of who&s;e power for curing of di|&s;ea&s;es is bejond our reach, but &s;ince &s;uch a <HI>mira|culous gift</HI> of healing if it be of God should be tryed in the truth thereof, how it can an&s;wer to &s;uch peculiar <HI>evidences,</HI> and <HI>criteria</HI> of the &s;ame, as by the infallible <HI>rule,</HI> and <HI>light of the Scripture</HI> may be clear; it were &s;uitable to try herein, if this be indeed given to <HI>confirm and &s;eall a divine te&s;timony</HI> or any <HI>truth of the written Word;</HI> if it come with that <HI>&s;olemne</HI> and <HI>convincing evidence</HI> &s;o as to &s;erve a <HI>deep</HI> and <HI>reverent &s;en&s;e of the Ma|je&s;ty of God</HI> on mens &s;pirit, by &s;uch a di&s;covery of him&s;elf, and to promote <HI>piety,</HI> and more firm adherence to the truth among&s;t men, as the na|tive effect that should follow a true <HI>miracle,</HI> and &s;o extraordinary a &s;eall, if it &s;erve al&s;o to comp|trol the <HI>Kingdom of Satan,</HI> and &s;trenthen the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> in oppo&s;ition to <HI>Antichri&s;tian
<PB N="80" REF="53">darkne&s;s,</HI> and <HI>Idolatry;</HI> yea if the&s;e who are thus empoured for &s;o miraculous a cure have &s;ome|thing &s;uitable on their part of qualifications, to &s;uch whom God hath ever made u&s;e off to work <HI>miracles,</HI> otherwi&s;e it &s;erves only to expo&s;e &s;o great a <HI>&s;eall</HI> to the Chri&s;tian Faith, wherein the <HI>Maje&s;ty of God in &s;o august, and &s;olemne a way is revealed,</HI> unto the highe&s;t contumely and re|proach. 6. Though this hath been a continued practice, and that the <HI>matter of Fact,</HI> and noto|rity of experience herein in the truth of &s;uch a cure is not que&s;tioned, yet if it be e&s;&s;entially re|qui&s;ite, that &s;uch as claim to this power, &s;hould do it in the <HI>Faith of a divine Warrant,</HI> and a&s;&s;u|rance that it is of God, with an immediate re|lyance on a &s;pecial outletting of &s;ome extraordi|nar power from him herein, and of his <HI>call</HI> to re&s;t on the &s;ame, when it is without re&s;pect to any <HI>in&s;ti|tute</HI> &amp; <HI>natural means,</HI> yea that there &s;pirit in &s;uch a ca&s;e &s;hould be &s;uited to &s;o extraordinare a worke, I judge it should then quickly cea&s;e; as on the o|ther hand that the&s;e who are <HI>de&s;ea&s;ed,</HI> and apply them&s;elves to &s;uch a <HI>cure,</HI> should know the war|rant of their faith herein, el&s;e it were as ju&s;ti|fiable to go to <HI>Loretta</HI> on &s;uch an account, or to &s;uch who pretend by <HI>&s;pells,</HI> and <HI>charms,</HI> to work extraordinary cures without any ordinary means for the &s;ame. This is not to detract in the lea&s;t from any ju&s;t right or priviledge of <HI>Soveraing Princes,</HI> and I judge the&s;e who are now on the
<PB N="81" REF="53"><HI>Throne of Britain</HI> might lay as ju&s;t a claim from <HI>per&s;onal qualifications</HI> thereto, as any have gone before, but in giving to <HI>Cae&s;ar what is due unto him,</HI> we mu&s;t not invade that <HI>Royalty,</HI> and <HI>Pre|rogative</HI> which belongs to <HI>God</HI> only, or to pretend to his <HI>&s;eall,</HI> and make u&s;e of it without his ex|pre&s;s warrant. If any <HI>Prote&s;tant Writer</HI> have &s;poke their thoughts on &s;uch a <HI>head,</HI> I have as yet &s;een none; bu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ome time pa&s;t, I was nece&s;&s;arily <HI>called by a per&s;on of great worth, to impart my light herein,</HI> they beeing then much perplexed in &s;pirit with re&s;pect to a <HI>near relation</HI> of theirs, in order to their u&s;ing &s;uch a mean; and how &s;mall a reckoning may be made by many, yet I find it related of that <HI>Famous Chri&s;tian Mrs. Honywood,</HI> that the fir&s;t ri&s;e of the&s;e terrors of con&s;cience which keeped her &s;o long, was from <HI>con&s;ulting &s;ome mean as to the recovery of a childe,</HI> in a way that was out of the roade of ordinar means, and made her fear afterwards le&s;t <HI>Satan</HI> might have <HI>a hand</HI> therein.</P>
<P>But I &s;hall now cea&s;e to &s;peak more on this <HI>&s;ub|ject;</HI> and only &s;hut up with &s;ome <HI>Reflections</HI> fur|ther which have been matter of &s;erious thoughts to me.</P>
<P N="1">I. <HI>Whence it is that &s;uch who are of the most trying and comprehen&s;ive &s;pirit hath u&s;ually been under greatest weight and exerci&s;e of minde, ab|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ut their e&s;tablishment in the Chri&s;tian Faith more <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">en any others:</HI> but herein it may be ea&s;ie to &s;ee,
<PB N="82" REF="54">and di&s;cern the true <HI>cau&s;e</HI> thereof, 1. How it is &s;ure, the more attainment of <HI>light</HI> and <HI>knowledge</HI> is upon the greatne&s;&s;e of their <HI>Faith,</HI> that a higher admiration and a&s;tonishment mu&s;t needs follow thereon; it was this which above all the wonders and depths of nature, did &s;wallow up the &s;pirit of a <HI>Solomon,</HI> and put him into &s;uch an <HI>ex&s;tacy,</HI> when he once begun to fix on this <HI>Sub|ject, but will God indeed dwell, with men on the earth,</HI> yea will the <HI>eternal Son of God</HI> take up his abode, and dwell in &s;uch a tabernacle as the hu|mane nature, and become truly man which is &s;pecially there imported 2 <HI>Chron</HI> 6: 18. 2. It is the&s;e only who have their &s;ouls &s;ea&s;ed with a dee|per &s;en&s;e then others, of the <HI>high, and wonder|ful con&s;equence of &s;uch a Faith, as to them&s;elves,</HI> and what is their per&s;onal intere&s;t herein; on which their &s;ouls venture for eternity lyes; &s;o as it is not &s;trange, that they can not po&s;&s;ibly enjoy the comfort of &s;uch a Faith under any doubtful &s;u&s;pence this way, or have their &s;ouls at re&s;t, with that manner of <HI>a&s;sent</HI> wherewith mo&s;t &s;atisfie them&s;elves in this day. 3. Yea it is the&s;e alone, who have another <HI>Idea of Religion,</HI> and the <HI>won|ders of the Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> &s;ettled on their &s;pirit, then the re&s;idue of men, who thus &s;ee what great things are before them, and shortly to come to pa&s;s, and how &s;uch a Faith is not ea&s;ily attained; but that a continued weight, and exerci&s;e herein on their &s;pirits becomes unavoidable. And
<PB N="83" REF="54">tho <HI>Sir to one of &s;uch a &s;pirit, as I know you are off,</HI> there needs little be &s;aid of this kind, yet when I look on the face of this <HI>Generation,</HI> even of the~ more &s;erious part of men herein, it would appear that mo&s;t were rather in a <HI>&s;leep</HI> and <HI>dream,</HI> then <HI>awake;</HI> el&s;e were it conceivable, how they could find it ea&s;ie to bear, and &s;tand under the weight of <HI>&s;uch di&s;coveries,</HI> without almo&s;t fainting un|der the greatne&s;s hereof, if they be indeed a&s;&s;ured of &s;uch things as the&s;e. 1. That within a little time, their eyes are to be for ever &s;hut on this earth. and in one moment opened on that <HI>entry</HI> which is <HI>into another World,</HI> and on that hid, and marvelous <HI>pa&s;&s;age,</HI> which lyes betwixt the <HI>earth,</HI> and the <HI>higher Paradi&s;e above, which is in the thrid Heavens,</HI> and will then know what it is to &s;ee with clear, and preceptible evidence ther <HI>con|duct,</HI> and <HI>convoyance</HI> by the <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Angels,</HI> and the manner of their <HI>a&s;cent through the&s;e Aetherial Regions,</HI> in every &s;tep of the &s;ame, their begun acquaintance, and &s;ociety with the&s;e <HI>glorious &s;pi|rits,</HI> which &s;hall be without fear, and con&s;ter|nation, as when they were in the <HI>body,</HI> and at la&s;t that unconceivable <HI>reception by the ble&s;&s;ed Tri|nity;</HI> now is it po&s;&s;ible, that men here on the earth can with a&s;&s;urance entertain their &s;ouls with &s;uch great things as before them, and near, and yet in an ordinare way conver&s;e with the &s;ame. 2. Is it a light or &s;mall thing to live in the Faith of &s;uch a <HI>Triumph,</HI> as is re&s;erved to each of the
<PB N="84" REF="55">Saints in the i&s;&s;ue of their warefare, when the <HI>God of Peace shall tread Satan under their feet,</HI> and &s;hall enter them into the <HI>overcomers joy,</HI> with that publick te&s;timonie, <HI>well done good, and faithful &s;ervant &amp;c.</HI> before the whole Church of the redeemed there, and then to be called to a peculiar a&s;&s;ignment of their <HI>room,</HI> and <HI>&s;tation</HI> in that <HI>ble&s;&s;ed &s;tate</HI> an&s;werable to their &s;ervices and at|tainments of grace here, when they &s;hall &s;ee the <HI>end of the Lord</HI> in his whole conduct and methods of providence about them within time, which once &s;eemed incomprehen&s;ible to their thoughts. 3. Yea what is it to be in the &s;erious exerci&s;e of &s;uch a <HI>Faith,</HI> that in a short time there shall be a <HI>final tran&s;lation of the whole Church militant from this earth</HI> to <HI>the&s;e higher Regions of glory,</HI> where no more di&s;tance of place, and but one <HI>Church</HI> and Society for ever, where our <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Redeemer shall then rejoice in his whole pucha&s;e,</HI> whom he had bought <HI>at &s;o dear a price,</HI> and <HI>pre&s;ented with|out &s;pot, or blemish unto the Father;</HI> and where the whole <HI>elect</HI> from <HI>Abell,</HI> the fir&s;t of humane race, that entred Heaven, and the fir&s;t member of the Church triumphant there, to the l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t, who was called by the Gho&s;pel, shall meet once and for ever together. 4. And are there &s;uch now on the earth, who shall ere long &s;ee them&s;elves in the &s;ame <HI>&s;tate</HI> and <HI>cla&s;&s;e</HI> with the <HI>elect Angels,</HI> who could not in this <HI>&s;tate of mortality</HI> bear the &s;ight, or apparition of one of the&s;e <HI>glorious &s;pi|rits;</HI>
<PB N="85" REF="55">yea shall enjoy them in the &s;ame intimacy of fellowship as the&s;e that were redeemed from a|mong&s;t men; and tho with humble &s;obriety, I would offer any thoughts on &s;o high a my&s;tery, yet &s;eems it &s;afely warranted to judge, that as each of the&s;e <HI>ble&s;&s;ed &s;pirits,</HI> is a <HI>di&s;tinct per&s;on</HI> from other, endued with a mo&s;t excellent life, and under&s;tanding, tho in &s;ome different degree of <HI>exaltation,</HI> as to their <HI>office and &s;ervices,</HI> &s;o are they ane undoubted part of the <HI>Church,</HI> over which <HI>Christ is the &s;upreme Head;</HI> wherein at that <HI>last</HI> and <HI>great Jubilee,</HI> even in &s;omething of a glorious corporeal frame, there may be a likne&s;s, and conformity to him, <HI>in whom the fulne&s;se of the Godhead dwells bodily,</HI> and for a more near one|ne&s;&s;e, and Communion with the Saints made perfect, who shall then not only be <HI>like,</HI> but <HI>e|qual to the Angels,</HI> which otherwi&s;e could not be well under&s;tood, &s;ince it is &s;ure their <HI>bodies,</HI> though then &s;piritual and glorious, will be the &s;ame in <HI>&s;ub&s;tance</HI> that they were here, and will not be only <HI>&s;pirits.</HI> 5. And what a wonder of our <HI>Faith</HI> should it be that ere long this al&s;o shall be the object of mens &s;en&s;e, <HI>the conflagration of this whole earth; that earth,</HI> on which mo&s;t of the generations of men had &s;ettled their <HI>Heaven,</HI> to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ee it all <HI>burnt up</HI> before them, and herein the fi|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">al is&s;ue of their hopes, and projects upon the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">me, whil&s;t nothing to &s;uch will then further <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">emain, but to enter them&s;elves into everla&s;ting
<PB N="86" REF="56">flames. 6. Is it a &s;mall thing to enjoy &s;uch a <HI>Faith</HI> here on the earth, as that <HI>reunion,</HI> which they shall then have with &s;o endeared a part of them|&s;elves, their <HI>body,</HI> and what a <HI>meeting</HI> that mu&s;t be after &s;o dark a parting, and &s;eparation; the&s;e very <HI>bodies</HI> which had been partners with them, both in their work and &s;ervices, and in all their &s;ufferings within time; which they can now em|brace never to part with, to partake of the &s;ame eternal enjoiments, and which will be then no lett to their <HI>a&s;cent</HI> to <HI>meet the Lord in the air.</HI> 7. Can it po&s;&s;ibly be a &s;ubject of ordinare thoughts or a&s;&s;ent, that men now on the earth, shall shortly &s;ee <HI>the glory</HI> and <HI>&s;tate of the last Judgment,</HI> and of their <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Head on that Throne of His Maje&s;ty,</HI> yea thus &s;ee at once, the whole ge|nerations of men, and the&s;e who &s;ometime were the greate&s;t <HI>Monarchs</HI> here, pre&s;ented then to be judged; and to &s;ee &s;uch a <HI>&s;olemn particular,</HI> and <HI>di&s;tinct</HI> judgment pa&s;t on each according to their deeds, and work within time; and in that ble&s;&s;ed <HI>order</HI> wherein the whole <HI>Saints,</HI> and each per&s;onally of the&s;e, having a di&s;tinct part here|in, shall be <HI>first acquitt, approven,</HI> and <HI>ac|cepted</HI> in the face of this <HI>great A&s;&s;embly,</HI> with the publick te&s;timony of the <HI>Judge,</HI> according to the <HI>mea&s;ure of their &s;ervice</HI> and <HI>tryalls for his &s;ake,</HI> whil&s;t they were in the World; and <HI>next</HI> in the <HI>condemnatory part of that Judgment</HI> to &s;ee the whole <HI>fallen Angels,</HI> who <HI>first &s;inned</HI> have the
<PB N="87" REF="56">fir&s;t <HI>final &s;entence past on them;</HI> as it was thus inti|mate after the <HI>fall of man,</HI> &amp; the whole &s;ucce&s;&s;ive race of <HI>mankind,</HI> each in their <HI>order,</HI> with that full evidence, of the <HI>Holy Righteou&s;ne&s;s of the Judge herein,</HI> as &s;hall irre&s;i&s;tably con&s;train their con|&s;cience to bear witne&s;&s;e thereto. 8. Yea what a con|cern of the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> lyes here, of that <HI>eternal &s;eparation</HI> and <HI>parting,</HI> which will then follow be|twixt the elect, and reprobate World, with that dreadful <HI>dimi&s;&s;ion to the&s;e infernal Regions,</HI> and with this &s;ight to &s;ee <HI>&s;in,</HI> which made its fir&s;t en|try in <HI>Heaven amongst the Angels,</HI> and hath &s;ince &s;o much <HI>over&s;pread the earth,</HI> now <HI>for ever</HI> shutt up in <HI>hell,</HI> both <HI>&s;in, and &s;inners together,</HI> never more to look out at the <HI>grate of the&s;e pri&s;ons.</HI></P>
<P>But II. There is another thing with re&s;pect to this <HI>Subject,</HI> which hath been to me oft matter of <HI>&s;erious thoughts,</HI> whence is it that in &s;o knowing an <HI>age</HI> as this, we &s;ee how &s;uch as are greate&s;t pretenders to <HI>rea&s;on, and to a higher flight</HI> then others this way are more vi&s;ibly then any el&s;e of an <HI>Athei&s;tick Spirit,</HI> and to be a length herein bejond any el&s;e on that <HI>de&s;ign,</HI> how to <HI>weaken both their own a&s;&s;ent,</HI> and <HI>others to the Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> and to render the &s;ame &s;o far as po&s;&s;ibly they can, to be <HI>problematick</HI> and <HI>doubtful;</HI> but it is &s;ure here is nothing to <HI>&s;tumble,</HI> but what may rather be <HI>&s;trenth|ning</HI> to any of a &s;erious &s;pirit, and needs be no &s;trange thing, when &s;uch are as tender as po&s;|&s;ible, to marr their enjoiments of this pre&s;ent
<PB N="88" REF="57">life, who hath no more; or to let their thoughts come near to what mu&s;t needs <HI>torment</HI> them <HI>before the time:</HI> whil&s;t their <HI>rea&s;on</HI> &s;erves them for &s;uch an <HI>u&s;e,</HI> and con&s;trains their con&s;cience herein, that they mu&s;t either be <HI>Chri&s;tians in earnest,</HI> or <HI>none at all,</HI> yea that under &s;uch bright di&s;cove|ries of the truth of the Gho&s;pel, they mu&s;t &s;ee it is not <HI>compatible with rea&s;on,</HI> how there should be a <HI>mids</HI> betwixt a truly <HI>&s;erious Chri&s;tian,</HI> who <HI>beleeves, what he does profe&s;&s;e;</HI> and a <HI>ro&s;olved Atheist</HI> who&s;e work lyes to have the dread of &s;uch a <HI>Faith</HI> wholly extinguished. <Q REND="inline">I knew a mo&s;t remarkable <HI>Atheist</HI> indued with &s;pecial natural accomplishments, who on the &s;ame account &s;aid to a per&s;on of quality, if I did truly beleeve what you profe&s;s to do, they are matters of &s;o great concern, that I do profe&s;s I could think upon nothing el&s;e or be taken up thus, as the mo&s;t of Chri&s;tians are, with the things of this World; &s;o as I cannot po&s;&s;ibly credit you in the Faith of your own Profe&s;&s;ion.</Q> And herein can any exerce rea&s;on, and not &s;ee the <HI>Faith of Chri&s;tianity,</HI> is another thing, then mo&s;t this day did ever conceive it to be, and a much higher attainment, then a <HI>Chri&s;tians particular interest</HI> herein, for where the <HI>first</HI> is a&s;&s;uredly attained, it may &s;eem not po&s;&s;ible, but the <HI>other</HI> mu&s;t fol|low, that mens greate&s;t bu&s;ine&s;s of the earth, should be to have a &s;ure <HI>evidence for Heaven,</HI> and to be ripening for &s;o great a change. I have
<PB N="89" REF="57">known &s;ome who&s;e tryalls, and conflicts in their warefare hath been extraordinare, and &s;trange, who hath profe&s;&s;ed their highe&s;t releaf &s;till lay herein, from the <HI>Faith of divine truth</HI> more then as to any <HI>particular promi&s;e made applicable to &s;uch a ca&s;e,</HI> and would have &s;ought no more to carry their &s;pirits above the <HI>pre&s;ent temptations</HI> that oc|curred though they were not ordinary, or to be at re&s;t as to all <HI>temporal</HI> events, but a more full &s;trenthning in the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> and that their <HI>Redeemer did live,</HI> &s;ince then they were in <HI>&s;ure terms,</HI> as to their <HI>&s;ecurity</HI> for whatever he hath promi&s;ed.</P>
<P N="3">III. But I mu&s;t add yet one thing further which &s;eems indeed a <HI>prodigy,</HI> proper to &s;uch an <HI>age as</HI> this, that its become &s;o hard a work to bring men living in the <HI>day light of the Gho&s;pel to a &s;erious beleeving the truth, and exi&s;tence of infernal &s;pi|rits,</HI> and of their commerce, and traffick with this vi&s;ible World; or to bring &s;uch who &s;eem greate&s;t pretenders to rea&s;on, <HI>to the Faith of Di|vells, lest they should thus be unavoidably brought to that Faith of the Divells, which is to beleeve, and tremble,</HI> which &s;urely is an unconceavable and extream <HI>horror</HI> that the&s;e <HI>Apo&s;tate Spirits</HI> have herein, whil&s;t their a&s;&s;ent to the <HI>glorious beeing of God,</HI> to his <HI>attributes,</HI> yea to the <HI>truth,</HI> and <HI>Hi&s;tory of the Gho&s;pel,</HI> is by &s;uch ane inevi|table con&s;traint, that as there is no po&s;&s;ible ac|ce&s;s for them to be <HI>Athei&s;ts,</HI> &s;o is their <HI>dread,</HI> and
<PB N="90" REF="58"><HI>torment</HI> heigtned beeing &s;uch <HI>knowing intellectual e&s;&s;ences,</HI> as that power, and &s;ubtilty of <HI>delu&s;ion</HI> whereby they deal with mankind will not work on them&s;elves. This I mu&s;t judge, to be the la&s;t <HI>effort</HI> of the horrid wickedne&s;s of this pre&s;ent age<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to &s;trenthen &s;uch a way, and &s;ince &s;uch a party can have no help or &s;upport from <HI>faith,</HI> and <HI>rea|&s;on</HI> herein, and yet find the a&s;&s;ured truth, and beeing of <HI>Divels,</HI> and of their communion, and warefare with men, does marr any po&s;&s;ible de|fence or de&s;ign for <HI>Athei&s;m,</HI> and a taking off the terror of ane <HI>infernal &s;tate,</HI> off their &s;oul, they mu&s;t therefore move to another airth, which i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to <HI>beleeve nothing but what they &s;ee and feell,</HI> and comes under a &s;en&s;ible demon&s;tration to warrant the &s;ame: for this is to make &s;ure work at once again&s;t the whole <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> and shut the door on any way of conviction thence; thus they keep a di&s;tance with the beeing of their own <HI>&s;ouls,</HI> as if it were &s;ome dark, and ab&s;tract no|tion, becau&s;e it comes not under their <HI>&s;ence;</HI> they can live at quiet, and be &s;ecure from the fear of a <HI>Hell,</HI> and <HI>infernal world,</HI> or exclu&s;ion out of <HI>Heaven</HI> untill they once meet with &s;uch an <HI>argu|ment,</HI> as to make them both <HI>&s;ee,</HI> and <HI>feell</HI> the truth hereof; but oh they &s;eeme not to apprehend how &s;ore the application of this <HI>argument</HI> will be, when they at la&s;t find its in vain to reject the <HI>con|clu&s;ion,</HI> where the <HI>premi&s;es</HI> are &s;ure. There is <HI>one</HI> of late, who is come forth in the day light of
<PB N="91" REF="58">Chri&s;tianity, in <HI>a book lately published, to unde|ceive the World upon &s;o great a delu&s;ion,</HI> as to the&s;e <HI>invi&s;ible powers of darkne&s;se,</HI> and tho he &s;eems to find it difficult how to <HI>annihilate,</HI> and make void wholly their <HI>exi&s;tence,</HI> yet <HI>doth offer with a &s;trange confidence to &s;ecure men from any fear of the moiestations of &s;uch Spirits,</HI> and <HI>that all inward temptations or a&s;&s;aults of Satan,</HI> and <HI>his operating upon the &s;ouls of men,</HI> is but a <HI>deplorable fa&s;cina|tion, and bewitchment, that the Chri&s;tian Church hath been &s;o long under.</HI> It might be judged, there were little need for &s;uch a worke to take this generation we are now in off all watch, and guard again&s;t the&s;e <HI>destroying adver&s;aries,</HI> and to ren|der them more &s;ecure herein, then they &s;eem al|ready to be; and that this confidence, mu&s;t have &s;ome &s;trange ri&s;e, to go forth not only in the mo&s;t direct oppo&s;ition to <HI>Sacred Truth,</HI> but to the <HI>univer&s;al Sence, and rea&s;on of mankind,</HI> except he hopes to find a numerous party, who hath gi|ven up with both, and will ea&s;ily gra&s;p at &s;uch a <HI>bait</HI> tho they should &s;ee the <HI>hook</HI> that will at la&s;t de&s;troy them. But doe the&s;e <HI>mighty hunters,</HI> and <HI>destroyers of mankind the Divels,</HI> come &s;o little &s;peed in their work this day, that they mu&s;t have a <HI>Protestant Minister</HI> of the Church come forth before the Sun to offer his a&s;&s;i&s;tance to help them forward herein, or if he deny &s;uch ane in|tent, what &s;ecurity will he offer to &s;ecure men, from a hazard that's more dreadful then the <HI>kil|ling
<PB N="92" REF="59">of their body,</HI> and is of an eternal concern; is he empoured with authority from the&s;e <HI>infern<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Regions,</HI> I confe&s;s on the&s;e <HI>grounds</HI> he may have advantage to give &s;uch ane <HI>a&s;&s;urance.</HI> 1. That the <HI>&s;trong man whilst he keeps the hou&s;e,</HI> vvill be very tender to trouble their peace over whom he &s;wayes, with an uncontrolled Dominion, and that he will not affright, nor awake men out of &s;uch a plea&s;ant dream, who hath &s;et their heart wholly on the world, &amp; who&s;e <HI>portion is in this life,</HI> untill they be awaked for ever out of the &s;ame. 2. He may give full a&s;&s;urance al&s;o that the <HI>Prince of this World</HI> is at no war, nor needs be with &s;uch as are joined in with his intere&s;t, and at the &s;ame work to promote the <HI>Kingdom of darkne&s;s,</HI> and &s;eeks not to have them <HI>tormented before the time.</HI> 3. But there is this <HI>ground,</HI> I mu&s;t <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">udge he &s;pecially goes on; that he will be ea&s;ily cre|dited on &s;uch a <HI>Subject</HI> as this, and knowes how &s;mall a <HI>patrociny,</HI> will &s;erve to promote a de&s;ign for <HI>Athei&s;m,</HI> and could fall upon nothing, which would be more grateful to a great part novv vvho bear the name of <HI>Protestants;</HI> but whil&s;t he calls them to lay a&s;ide their <HI>armour,</HI> &s;uch as Chri&s;ti|ans are expre&s;ly called to put on <HI>Ephes.</HI> 5:11. will he &s;ecure them when it comes to the <HI>last battle,</HI> and <HI>conflict, from their beeing &s;ea&s;ed by &s;uch infer|nal Spirits in their entry into another World,</HI> whom they did once deride, and that the <HI>truce</HI> which was with them on the earth, will not break
<PB N="93" REF="59">up then: if he had re&s;tricted this <HI>new di&s;covery</HI> to the world, of ane ab&s;olute &s;ecurity from the <HI>Power of Satan,</HI> and his <HI>mole&s;tations,</HI> to belong only to the <HI>Place,</HI> and <HI>City he lives in,</HI> it might have &s;eemed to be on a politick intere&s;t, to ren|der it, as a place of &s;uch eminent trade, to be the only &s;afe, and mo&s;t de&s;irable part of the earth; but he hath extended it to be univer&s;al to all o|ther places, and to be a <HI>Catholick good,</HI> and <HI>pri|viledge.</HI> There needs no que&s;tion, but that &s;uch a <HI>per&s;on him&s;elf</HI> mu&s;t be in a deep quiet, and under no touch of the&s;e <HI>a&s;&s;aults</HI> and <HI>temptations</HI> others are expo&s;ed to; tho one thing he may fear in the managing of &s;o &s;trange a de&s;ign, and in &s;uch a manner, that the&s;e <HI>knowing</HI> and <HI>active &s;pirits,</HI> for whom <HI>he acts,</HI> may not reckon their &s;ervice much advanced, when there is as <HI>little of the &s;ubtilty of the Serpent herein, as of the inno|cence of the dove.</HI> It is true there is an <HI>invi&s;ible guard,</HI> and <HI>hedge</HI> about each one of the Saints over which <HI>Satan</HI> cannot pa&s;s, but by the <HI>mea|&s;ures of divine permi&s;&s;ion;</HI> nor is it expre&s;&s;ible how much <HI>Chri&s;tians of the choi&s;est Spirits</HI> are <HI>bet|tered,</HI> and <HI>improven in their graces</HI> by the <HI>worst of Spirits,</HI> and in their continued warefare with them; and its &s;ure they are re&s;erved in <HI>chains of darkne&s;s to the Judgment of the great day,</HI> but how far their <HI>chain</HI> is oft let forth, and inlarged in judgment to the world, may be too evident every where in the &s;ad effects thereof, and it now
<PB N="94" REF="60">appears, that their chain hath not been more re|markably lengthned out the&s;e many ages pa&s;t, then in this day. I wi&s;h the <HI>Writer of &s;uch a Book</HI> might &s;eriou&s;ly <HI>repent,</HI> and &s;o far <HI>retract what he hath published,</HI> as might thus turn &s;uch a <HI>poi&s;on</HI> unto ane <HI>antidote against it &s;elf,</HI> for I judge he dur&s;t not put &s;uch <HI>Divinity</HI> in his <HI>Te&s;tament, that he hath written in this Book.</HI></P>
<DIV2 TYPE="postscript">
<HEAD>POSTSCRIPT.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>SIR,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>IT may &s;eem &s;trange, not only the lengthning of this <HI>Di&s;cour&s;e</HI> &s;o far, but in in&s;i&s;ting mo&s;t &s;pe|cially upon that <HI>Head of the internal Work, and Demon&s;trations of the Spirit of God on mens &s;oul;</HI> but as I may with humble confidence &s;ay this was under the &s;en&s;e of &s;ome <HI>peculiar engagements to &s;uch a Subject;</HI> &s;o I &s;hall make this further <HI>Apology</HI> for the &s;ame. 1. That <HI>&s;ince ever I accounted the Profe&s;&s;ion of Christ a &s;erious bu&s;ine&s;s,</HI> I have jud|ged it not conceivable how <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> &s;hould have ane <HI>a&s;&s;ent to the truth of the Gho&s;pel</HI> or be at <HI>rest</HI> herein, untill it once be brought up to a <HI>full,</HI> and <HI>quieting a&s;&s;urance</HI> on that <HI>&s;ecurity,</HI> to which they mu&s;t <HI>concredite them&s;elves for ever,</HI> and thus know the <HI>&s;trenth,</HI> and <HI>&s;urene&s;s of the foundation of their Faith</HI> by its <HI>own evidence;</HI> that tho it be not yet <HI>full,</HI> whil&s;t we are here in <HI>the way of en|joyment,</HI>
<PB N="95" REF="60">yet is it undoubtedly <HI>full</HI> in the <HI>truth,</HI> and <HI>certainty of evidence;</HI> I have judged it al&s;o an <HI>addition to the greatest joy</HI> which I could have within time, whatever might be a further <HI>&s;trenth|ning to &s;uch a Faith,</HI> and <HI>hope</HI> we are called to by the <HI>Gho&s;pel of Christ,</HI> &s;o as not to lo&s;e any <HI>frag|ment</HI> of this kind, which might tend to a more full e&s;tabli&s;hment, and does reckon this the <HI>cre|dit,</HI> and <HI>glory of our Religion,</HI> that in no other way it doth require <HI>acceptance</HI> of men, but with a <HI>full a&s;surance of under&s;tanding,</HI> and the furthe&s;t conviction of evidence; as beeing de&s;igned no le&s;s to found a <HI>rational certainty in the judgment,</HI> then to <HI>determine the will or con&s;ent</HI> for embracing the &s;ame; yea on this account it hath been oft matter of a&s;tonishment, how in the <HI>teaching,</HI> and <HI>mini&s;terial work,</HI> which God hath appointed for his Church, the <HI>primary truths of Religion</HI> should not be more held forth to men with that clearne&s;s of <HI>evidence</HI> and <HI>demon&s;tration,</HI> as &s;uch great, and marvelous things require, and the temper of this age calls for; or how the <HI>great things of God,</HI> that are of the <HI>highest con&s;equence, and reality,</HI> can have any po&s;&s;ible reception from men by ane im|plicite or ordinare a&s;&s;ent; or whence it is, that with mo&s;t it &s;eemes their work &s;eems wholly &s;ett on the <HI>noetick,</HI> when &s;o little on the <HI>dianoetick part</HI> of Divinity: but on the <HI>other hand</HI> I mu&s;t al&s;o wit|ne&s;s, that if ever I knew what it was to attain ane <HI>inward a&s;&s;urance</HI> of the truth, and revelation of
<PB N="96" REF="61">Chri&s;t, and to be at re&s;t herein; that the <HI>eternal Son of God was revealed from Heaven in our na|ture to &s;ave lost man,</HI> and that there is a <HI>&s;tate of grace here,</HI> and <HI>of glory hereafter;</HI> I have found that no <HI>light,</HI> or <HI>conviction of judgment,</HI> tho with &s;uch evidence as could leave no room for doubtfulne&s;s in the &s;ame, can effectually work without the <HI>internal evidence,</HI> and <HI>demonstration of the Spirit of God,</HI> and a &s;upernatural power both to beget, and &s;trengthen &s;uch a Faith in the &s;oul; yea that without this, the furthe&s;t of <HI>ob|jective evidence</HI> to cau&s;e irre&s;i&s;tably a clear and ra|tional a&s;&s;urance of divine truth, tho it were fol|lowed with a <HI>di&s;pen&s;ation of miracles,</HI> will not <HI>quiet the Spirit</HI> of &s;uch, who under <HI>&s;ome deep ex|erci&s;e</HI> may be haunted with <HI>hid,</HI> and <HI>dreadful temptations to infidelity,</HI> until they know the truth of a <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>evidence,</HI> as goes above any <HI>moral influence.</HI> It is true this is not expre&s;&s;ible to others, and they mu&s;t <HI>come and &s;ee,</HI> who would know in what manner the <HI>Spirit of God bears evi|dence</HI> to his own truth, and what <HI>&s;trong impres|&s;ion his work hath on the internal Sen&s;es of a Chri|stian,</HI> yea what <HI>piercing intelligences</HI> are betwixt &s;uch, who &s;urely know, and are partakers of a <HI>divine life,</HI> and their <HI>ble&s;sed Head</HI> in this &s;tate of mortality, but if this were not known and &s;ure, we might &s;ay ane e&s;tablished Chri&s;tian who&s;e work is to <HI>follow the Lord fully,</HI> and adventure with a&s;&s;urance upon him, is &s;uch as might be
<PB N="97" REF="61">&s;ought for here in the earth, but would not be found. 2. If I be per&s;waded of the <HI>truth,</HI> and <HI>Excellency of Religion,</HI> I mu&s;t &s;ee this to be of as unden<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">able evidence, that it hath no true or &s;olid intere&s;t in the Earth, but in the way of <HI>tryal</HI> and <HI>experience</HI> in it's power and efficacy on mens &s;oull; and makes no reall ground or conque&s;t, by an external profe&s;&s;ion, or can &s;erve to <HI>eternal ends,</HI> until once that radical principle of <HI>the life of God in the &s;ou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l</HI> be under&s;tood; that choi&s;e com|pany who are now going through time to the <HI>Church triumphant</HI> upon fresh and continued &s;up|plies of divine a&s;&s;i&s;tance, are the&s;e alone in whom the <HI>Chri&s;tian Fai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h</HI> is kept alive this day on the earth, and it is one of the things I have thought mo&s;t a&s;toni&s;hing in the publick State of Religion, that in an <HI>age,</HI> when rea&s;on is &s;o much preten|ded, men can de&s;ign a <HI>tryall</HI> of the enjoyment of a <HI>Heaven</HI> for ever in another World, and yet hath not the &s;ame de&s;ign on a per&s;onal tryall of the enjoyments of grace here, to know conver&s;e with God in the &s;pirit, and the certainty of that trade and commerce, which is betwixt Heaven and Earth whil&s;t we are yet on it, that are things &s;o highly remote from all humane lence. 3. It hath pre&s;t me to in&s;i&s;t more on this <HI>&s;ub|ject,</HI> that this <HI>way</HI> is &s;o vi&s;ibly gathering &s;trength, and &s;eems to have the greate&s;t prevalence now in the <HI>Reformed Churches,</HI> how to divide the <HI>moral part</HI> of our Religion in the duties and &s;ervices
<PB N="98" REF="62">thereof, from its <HI>internal and vital part,</HI> &s;o as this mortal contagion hath got in on the light and principles of this Generation, that if there were not an ab&s;olute a&s;&s;urance by the promi&s;e of God, we might fear truth and piety &s;hould quickly pe|rish from the earth. Oh what a &s;trange &amp; prodi|gious oppo&s;ition is this! again&s;t the whole <HI>internal work &amp; vitals</HI> of that <HI>pure</HI> and <HI>excellent Religion,</HI> wherein both the comfort and glory of humane &s;tate lyes, &amp; how is't conceivable men &s;hould be here capable of conver&s;e with God in the &s;pirit, if there were not a conformity to him in the &s;ame kind by a <HI>participation of the divine nature;</HI> yea if there were not &s;o rare a being on the earth as the <HI>new man, which is born of God,</HI> and his immediate workmanship, which hath its peculiar grouth &amp; <HI>vital acts</HI> proper thereto, and in that &s;ence as it's contradi&s;tinguished from the <HI>old man cannot po&s;&s;i|bly &s;in it &s;elf,</HI> tho it be formed in the heart of a &s;in|ner, and hath it's being therein, no more then the <HI>life of God,</HI> which is a partaking of the divine na|ture, can put forth any act of &s;in, but hath a con|tinued conflict therewith; and thus tends to give the clear &s;ence of that Scripture 1 <HI>John</HI> 5:18. <HI>we know that whatever is born of God &s;inneth not,</HI> &amp; <HI>Rom</HI> 7:20. <HI>It is no more I, but &s;in that duelleth is me, nam unumquodque operatur &s;ecundum &s;ua<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> formam;</HI> for if this &s;tood not &s;ure, the whole frame of experimental Religion, were an unac|countable riddle.</P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="letter">
<PB N="99" REF="62">
<HEAD>A SECOND LETTER <HI>Wherein &s;ome Inquiry upon the times, and the work of Providence about the Church; but more &s;pecially with re&s;pect to the publick State of Bri|tain and Ireland in this la&s;t age, is &s;eriou&s;ly de&s;igned.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>SIR,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_I may truly &s;ay, it did rai&s;e a &s;pecial va|lue and e&s;teem on my &s;pirit, to meet with one in &s;uch a day, who hath &s;o great a weight and impre&s;&s;ion of the <HI>p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">blick State of the Church,</HI> and a &s;en&s;e of the pre&s;ent times, &s;o far above the ordinare thoughts of men; when they &s;eem &s;o rare who look further then pre&s;ent things, either to what is pa&s;t in the&s;e extraordinar times have gone over this Genera|tion, or who hath another Judgment and Prog|no&s;tication of what may be near, &amp; yet before us, then from vi&s;ible and natural cau&s;es. But though I mu&s;t decline an an&s;wer to what you are plea&s;ed more particularly to propo&s;e, under a ju&s;t &s;ence of my unfitne&s;s herein, yet &s;o far as I have at|tained in the matter of light upon a more general account with re&s;pect to the <HI>Work of God in the&s;e
<PB N="100" REF="63">great changes past,</HI> I am free to impart my &s;elf, and to offer humbly &s;ome few thoughts on &s;uch a <HI>Subject,</HI> which hath had mo&s;t &s;pecial evidence and weight on my &s;pirit in the pre&s;ent day.</P>
<P N="1">I. I doubt not you make the &s;ame Judgment, and reckoning of this with more advantage then I can reach, that one of the mo&s;t choi&s;e and weighty exerci&s;es of a Chri&s;tian, whil&s;t he is within time, lyes in a <HI>deep and &s;erious ob&s;erva|tion of the times</HI> he is fall'n in, not only with re|&s;pect to the admini&s;tration of Providence in hu|mane affairs, but what does more eminently re|late to the <HI>Churches of Christ,</HI> and where their lott is ca&s;t; &s;ince this is ane e&s;&s;ential part of Reli|gion, as it's al&s;o one of the mo&s;t choi&s;e of humane excellencies, to di&s;cern and <HI>ob&s;erve wi&s;ely</HI> the ways of the Lord. But I can only shew you &s;ome of the&s;e things in a short touch, which I have found mo&s;t engaging to &s;uch an Inquiry in this day. 1. That as each di&s;tinct <HI>age</HI> hath a proper <HI>Talent</HI> gi|ven thereto, under tru&s;t for ob&s;ervation of &s;uch e|vents of Providence, wherein the name of God is more near unto men in any &s;ingular way, then in the ordinare cour&s;e of his actings, &s;o hath the great <HI>Author of time</HI> choi&s;ed to put a <HI>higher Glory upon one age,</HI> and <HI>period of time, then another,</HI> wherein it might be &s;aid that the mea&s;ure of one is <HI>five Talents,</HI> as to more &s;olemn appearances of the Maje&s;ty of God in his Providential Actings, when the mea&s;ure of other times hath been this
<PB N="101" REF="63">way but as <HI>two Talents.</HI> Such a differencing marke had that <HI>age of the Churches coming out of Egypt,</HI> beyond all which had gone before; yet was this comparatively little with re&s;pect to that glory, which was re&s;erved to the <HI>fulne&s;s of time,</HI> when our ble&s;t Redeemer did appear to the World. And it's clear how in the&s;e later times, that <HI>age</HI> which had it's fir&s;t entry from the <HI>Year</HI> 15 17. had a higher &s;plendor put thereon, then had been known for a <HI>thou&s;and Years</HI> preceeding the &s;ame; but when I have thought on the way and conduct of Providence, and marvelous di&s;|coveries of God herein to this Generation, I could not but &s;ee &s;omething in a mo&s;t &s;ingular way of his appearance before the World to the &s;ame, as &s;eems but yet little under&s;tood, tho this may be &s;een, that we have &s;urely lived in an <HI>age of wonders</HI> 2. I have lookt on &s;uch an exerci&s;e, to <HI>di&s;cern, and under&s;tand a right the times we are in,</HI> as one of the mo&s;t &s;ingular means for &s;trenthning a <HI>Chri|&s;tians Faith</HI> on the certainty of &s;acred truth; when with the&s;e more immediate di&s;coveries of God in the way and admini&s;tration of grace by his &s;pirit on mens &s;onll, which is wholly hid from the World, they can &s;ee in what manner his truth does vi&s;ibly take place, and is atte&s;ted by an <HI>ex|ternal &s;eall</HI> in the glory of his work before men, and I am per&s;waded none thus did ever per&s;ue a more near acquaintance with God, but hath had &s;ome peculiar &s;trengthning remarks of his way,
<PB N="102" REF="64">that have been hid from others, tho of a &s;erious &s;pirit otherwi&s;e. 3. It is &s;uch who have &s;ome greater weight of this choi&s;e &s;tudy, and their &s;pi|rits more fully join'd in therewith then others, who may attain more clear di&s;coveries of light, for directing them to the <HI>duties</HI> and <HI>work of &s;uch a time;</HI> and on this account I fear that there i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> much yet this day in the dark to us, and not un|der&s;tood, what hath been the <HI>Voice of the Lord</HI> for an&s;wering the great ends of his Providence, tho it hath been clear and di&s;tinct, where mens &s;pirits were laid open to entertain the &s;ame. I confe&s;s it is not &s;trange as to the greate&s;t part of men this day, tho they keep at the furthe&s;t di|&s;tance from what might bring near an affecting &s;en&s;e of a Godhead to their &s;oull in the ways of Providence, who are re&s;olute not to &s;ee, or be per&s;waded of what doeth torment them hereby, who&s;e great &s;tudy is to <HI>live without God in the World,</HI> and &s;eem emulous of the&s;e who can be mo&s;t ingenious and expert, to confirm their hearts again&s;t all that is &s;acred. 4. But I am &s;ure, it is &s;omething much higher then any intere&s;t of men or of Nations, or the greate&s;t changes in the po|&s;ture of humane affairs, which should bear the greate&s;t weight in this exerci&s;e to under&s;tand the times we are in, and for a &s;uitable ob&s;ervation thereof, if men could once reckon that their great bu&s;ine&s;s in the earth lyes with God, and in keep|ing &s;ight of him in the outgoings of his Provi|dence,
<PB N="103" REF="64">&s;ince the <HI>hidden wi&s;dom of God in a My|&s;tery</HI> is to be &s;een and &s;ought out in his <HI>Works,</HI> as well as in his <HI>Word;</HI> it's true <HI>publick Revolu|tions,</HI> and the fall and &s;etting up of great men are things highly ob&s;ervable and momentous, but they are neither &s;een or under&s;tood, when they make not way for &s;ome greater &s;ight of the <HI>Ma|je&s;ty of God,</HI> and the &s;ignal <HI>retaliations of Judge|ment</HI> herein, &amp; what peculiar a&s;pects &s;uch &s;trange Revolutions of Providence hath on the <HI>pre&s;ent Generation.</HI></P>
<P N="2">II. Though it might &s;eem un&s;uitable to offer any &s;pecial Remarkes and <HI>Ob&s;ervations</HI> upon this <HI>late time,</HI> to one of &s;o di&s;cerning a &s;pirit, of things of that nature; yet knowing how a mutual communication of light, about the Work of God, and his actings in our day, is &s;o incumbent a du|ty, I shall point at a few things, wherein I have de&s;ired to admire and ob&s;erve the way of Provi|dence in this <HI>remarkable age,</HI> but in the fir&s;t place more generally touch &s;uch a <HI>Head,</HI> ere I &s;peak in &s;ome particular way thereto.</P>
<P N="1">1. When we &s;ee the <HI>&s;eries of the&s;e times,</HI> and different mea&s;ures of tryall and &s;ervice a&s;&s;igned thereto, &s;ince that ble&s;&s;ed ri&s;e, and recovery of the Church from Antichri&s;tian darkne&s;s, there might be &s;een al&s;o a <HI>growing increa&s;e of light,</HI> which in this <HI>age</HI> hath had &s;uch ane advance, as it could not but be expected, that the Lord was to ta|ke&s;ome higher proofs of the improvements thereof
<PB N="104" REF="65">from this Generation then of the&s;e pa&s;t, after &s;uch great things he had done for a full &s;ettlement of the <HI>Reformed Churches;</HI> when he had opened the <HI>graves</HI> of his people, and &s;ent forth his <HI>Pri&s;oners by the blood of the Covenant,</HI> &amp; the truth had made way for its &s;elf over <HI>mountains,</HI> which once &s;eem'd in&s;uperable; yea when this al&s;o is an <HI>age,</HI> where in a great concurrence of the <HI>Prayers of the Saints</HI> in times before, was to meet for the Churches in|tere&s;t; &s;o that, unan&s;werablene&s;s to the expe|ctation of God herein, and to fru&s;trate &s;uch emi|nent methods of grace, might expect &s;ome unu|&s;ual work of Judgment to follow thereon, and the Lords coming at la&s;t to a judicial proces and procedure.</P>
<P N="2">2. We &s;eehow the&s;e extraordinar occurrences of this <HI>time pa&s;t,</HI> hath mo&s;t remarkably had a joint re&s;pect both to <HI>Sacred, and Civil Intere&s;ts, &amp; quoad Fata Eccle&s;iae, &amp; Imperii humani,</HI> &s;o as in that &s;ence it might be &s;aid there hath been a <HI>shaking both of Heaven and Earth,</HI> as to the Churches vi&s;ible State; yea &s;uch hath the&s;e <HI>great changes</HI> from the right hand of the mo&s;t high been within the mea&s;ure of <HI>one age,</HI> as men could not po&s;&s;ibly &s;ee with the eye of rea&s;on, without ama|&s;ement, tho it brings therewith one of the mo&s;t di&s;mal remarks of the pre&s;ent time, if mens &s;pirits be not &s;eiled with a deep and awful &s;en&s;e of the tre|mendous Maje&s;ty of God herein, and know there is no &s;tability of humane &s;tate this day in the earth
<PB N="105" REF="65">but from him alone, who can bring judgement on the greate&s;t <HI>Nations,</HI> or <HI>Per&s;ons,</HI> above the common cour&s;e of nature, and influence of &s;e|cond cau&s;es: but oh what intertainment should a di<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">pen&s;ation of <HI>Miracles</HI> find from the &s;pirits of men now, when the <HI>Revelation of Christ,</HI> and <HI>Redemption by his Blood</HI> from Eternal Wrath, hath no greater effects on this <HI>Generation,</HI> and &s;o few awak<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d with the Glory of &s;uch a light.</P>
<P N="3">3. When I have con&s;idered this <HI>age,</HI> as that which might have been judged a time of great ex|pectation for a further advance of the <HI>Kingdom of Christ</HI> in the World, which does &s;pecially make a time more remarkable, yet how little acce&s;s hath been herein to &s;ee the <HI>Work of God</HI> in any <HI>new planting of Churches,</HI> or <HI>inbrirging of Na|tion<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> to the Profe&s;&s;ion of the Gho&s;pel, as hath been formerly, but in&s;tead of <HI>new Conque&s;t,</HI> rather a lo&s;ing ground, and is a difficult part become to maintain a <HI>defen&s;ive work</HI> in behalf of the truth, and which may be a &s;erious remark that in this <HI>age,</HI> one tribe hath as it were been cut off from the Reformed Churches; I mean as to that di&s;mal State of <HI>Bohem,</HI> where &s;ome time before had been &s;o eminent and flourishing a plantation; it is true there hath been a &s;olemn <HI>tide of the effu&s;ion of the Spirit of God,</HI> allotted to &s;ome of the Churches in this la&s;t age, that &s;hould be &s;till matter of &s;weet remembrance, but it's &s;ure this day we &s;ee the <HI>ebb</HI> as low in the&s;e places, in the life and power of
<PB N="106" REF="66">Religion, and no vi&s;ible reviving almo&s;t any where can be heard of the <HI>Churches of Christ;</HI> which yet hath been to me &s;o far a hopeful <HI>&s;ign</HI> of a near <HI>incalling of the Jews,</HI> &s;ince it will then find the <HI>Gentile Church</HI> in &s;o judicial a Period of time, that it &s;hall be as <HI>life from the dead.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Yet it is &s;ure on the other hand there hath been mo&s;t &s;ignal honor and glory put on this <HI>age,</HI> and with a &s;pecial re&s;pect to <HI>Britain</HI> and <HI>Ireland,</HI> in as great a harve&s;t of &s;erious and &s;olid Chri&s;tians by the Power of the Gho&s;pel, then hath been in any time or place of the Earth, &s;ince the fir&s;t <HI>three Centuries;</HI> tho not under that &s;eall of Martyrdom as was after the Reformation, yet &s;uch who &s;hined in the truth and power of true Sanctity, and have left a fragrant Savour and remembrance to this day, when mo&s;t of that ble&s;&s;ed &s;tock it now gone, and their room rarely filled up any where.</P>
<P N="5">5. Yea this further may be matter of &s;weet <HI>Re|flection,</HI> how many &s;uch hath been in this <HI>age,</HI> in whom that ancient greatne&s;s of &s;pirit with He|ro&iuml;ck motions in appearing for God, and his truth might be &s;een; for tho they attained not to the <HI>mea&s;ure of the first three,</HI> of our fir&s;t and ble&s;&s;'d Reformers, yet may it be &s;aid, within the limits of this <HI>age,</HI> there hath gone off the &s;tage innu|merable in&s;tances of &s;uch eminency of indue|ments, and with that mea&s;ure of power, and of a &s;ound mind, as might be compared with any of
<PB N="107" REF="66">the <HI>Antients</HI> &s;ince the <HI>Apo&s;tolick times;</HI> and this is a remark that never faills of Chri&s;ts imparting him&s;elf in the&s;e mea&s;ures of his &s;pirit to a <HI>Church</HI> in &s;uch a time, according to the great <HI>ends</HI> he is to accomplish there.</P>
<P N="6">6. Though <HI>great changes upon a Nation or Church,</HI> does not want previous and remarkable warnings from the Lord, we have &s;een with what a marvelous <HI>Surpri&s;al</HI> the&s;e have occurred to this Generation, that were mo&s;t remote from all humane thoughts, and once not conceivable up|on the highe&s;t principles of rea&s;on, how ever they should have taken place. It is becoming the Ma|je&s;ty of God, to have his <HI>Arcana Imperii,</HI> in &s;uch peculiar and re&s;erved ca&s;es, as the mo&s;t skilled in the ways and depths of Providence are called to be &s;till with a &s;ilent admiration, when he thus does ari&s;e, as in the&s;e times pa&s;t, to do great things which was not looked for.</P>
<P N="7">7. But how &s;trange and marvelous hath the <HI>&s;ur|pri&s;alls</HI> been of Providence in our day al&s;o in the way of tenderne&s;s, and mercy, as well as of Judg|ment, which &s;hould be a mo&s;t &s;trengthning re|mark, if this had been more &s;uitably improven; what unexpected and &s;ea&s;onable interpo&s;itions have been of a divine immediate power, in <HI>ex|treme exigences,</HI> both of the <HI>Church,</HI> and <HI>parti|cular Chri&s;tians,</HI> in the&s;e great changes pa&s;t; and as <HI>Oppre&s;&s;ors</HI> have grown up to a height of Vio|lence, how ob&s;ervably have <HI>Carpenters</HI> been pre|pared,
<PB N="108" REF="67">whence humane rea&s;on could not have fore &s;een to cut the <HI>horns</HI> of &s;uch.</P>
<P N="8">8. When we can not but &s;ee with what a &s;ignal evidence and commi&s;&s;ion, the &s;potle&s;s Judgment of God hath gone forth in the&s;e late times, to all ranks and &s;tations of men, e&s;pecially in the <HI>I&s;le of Britain,</HI> there might be al&s;o &s;ome peculiar remarke of it's de&s;ign again&s;t the&s;e, who were of the <HI>highest Staie,</HI> &s;o as no time pa&s;t did ever tend more to <HI>&s;eall in&s;truction</HI> on the &s;pirits of great men then of late, to have the fear and dread of God on them, when <HI>Princes might have been &s;een walking on foot, and Servants riding on hor&s;cback;</HI> yea that there is a time of <HI>Gods making inqui&s;ition for blood,</HI> of &s;uch who &s;eemed mo&s;t &s;ecure from humane Power, and how this alone comes from a divine hand, when men are <HI>poi&s;oned in their own cup,</HI> and lays a &s;nare to them&s;elf by which they are caught; it is true a clear <HI>application of Providen|ces pa&s;t,</HI> to the <HI>pre&s;ent times,</HI> is not ea&s;ily attained, but I doubt not of a more full light and di&s;covery for this end, as will &s;ilence all oppo&s;itions, that have been to the intent and Coun&s;ell of the Lord in the&s;e things which have occurred.</P>
<P N="9">9. It hath been re&s;erved to our day, to &s;ee the <HI>I&s;&s;ue,</HI> and <HI>great Deci&s;ions,</HI> which have been in the&s;e &s;trange <HI>Scenes</HI> of Providence, in this age pa&s;t, and to have them now in our &s;ight in the whole &s;ucce&s;&s;ive cour&s;e thereof, and &s;urely this might be a great and affecting &s;ight to &s;uch who
<PB N="109" REF="67">are ready to think that God hath for&s;aken the earth, and walketh only in the circuit of Heaven, when they cannot but &s;ee what ama&s;ing events hath been of late brought forth by an invi&s;ible and unpreventable conduct of Providence; and to &s;ee al&s;o in this late Revolution of the publick State of <HI>Britain,</HI> how by one <HI>great &s;urpri&s;al,</HI> the whole <HI>Popish Mea&s;ures</HI> there which had been of &s;o long and painful a contrivance, was as in a mo|ment broke and made void, when nothing le&s;s expected.</P>
<P N="10">10. It is unque&s;tionable, that the Lord does u&s;ually act by <HI>&s;econd cau&s;es,</HI> but there are &s;teps al&s;o of his way wherein he alone appears, and will have them &s;een to be wholly his work, &amp; this now hath eminently appeared in the great transacti|ons of the&s;e <HI>late times,</HI> how bejond any humane power or might, it was a <HI>Standard by the Spirit of God lifted up,</HI> that did vi&s;ibly make way for the work he was then accomplishing, and did &s;erve &s;uch terror on his Adver&s;aries; yea how the&s;e who were acted forth to be in&s;trumental thus on the &s;ervice of their day, were directed for that great end to the <HI>quieting of his Spirit</HI> in &s;uch a piece of his Work.</P>
<P N="11">11. And herewith what thoughts of heart may it cau&s;e now in the pre&s;ent &s;tate and juncture of things, to &s;ee &s;uch a <HI>Conjunction</HI> in this <HI>We&s;tern Part of Europe,</HI> to &s;erve the great ends of Pro|vidence, that if it had been told our Fathers by
<PB N="110" REF="68">any, they would have been as &s;uch who mock, that in the next age, the <HI>Hou&s;e of Au&s;tria, of Spain, Lorrain</HI> and <HI>Savoy,</HI> &s;hould have a joint intere&s;t with the greate&s;t <HI>Princes of the Reformed Religion,</HI> and take the Sword with one con&s;ent again&s;t &s;uch a Party, who&s;e Sword hath been ba|thed, and yet &s;till is reaking in the blood of the Prote&s;tants, yea how this great in&s;trument of Judgment, and <HI>Patron of the Romish Interest</HI> &s;hould mo&s;t actively make way to defeat his own Projects and Coun&s;el, by an irre&s;i&s;table conduct of Providence.</P>
<P>This is a great and unu&s;ual <HI>Conjunction</HI> in hu|mane affairs, &s;uch as the Policy of the <HI>We&s;tern Part of Chri&s;tendom</HI> is hereby ca&s;t in a new mould, wherein we are called to adore God, and his Do|minion over all <HI>Second Cau&s;es;</HI> tho it be a <HI>Depth of Providence,</HI> which is yet not opened up; on|ly herewith &s;ome <HI>Reflections</HI> on the &s;ame I cannot wholly pa&s;s. 1. What may be too ju&s;tly feared of an inordinate re&s;pect to men, and concurrence of vi&s;ible means, above what it can bear, when no|thing is more effectual to cau&s;e the greate&s;t hu|mane &s;uccor mi&s;carry, and &s;ink under this <HI>weight,</HI> the relyances thereon, as if they could &s;tand by them &s;elf, without keeping in with <HI>God</HI> alone, with that <HI>God,</HI> who is of infinite Power both to hurt &amp; help, who&s;e pre&s;ence is ever the highe&s;t Security of a <HI>Nation,</HI> tho the whole World were again&s;t them. 2. But this al&s;o looks with confidence &amp; hope, that
<PB N="111" REF="68">the Lord is near to give &s;ome extraordinar demon|&s;tration of him&s;elf by <HI>Providences,</HI> as this Genera|tion shall not get their eyes shut at, yea that this &s;trange piece of his work, is a prelude and en|try on a revolution of the publick State of the World, that &s;hall be of a higher extent, then may be apprehended by mo&s;t, and it's &s;ure when he does begin, he will al&s;o make an end. 3. I have lookt on this remarkable <HI>&s;ilence,</HI> and <HI>&s;u|&s;pence</HI> as to any <HI>publick Deci&s;ion of Providence, this Year past,</HI> when things &s;eemed to be in the highe&s;t <GAP LANG="grc" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF"><HI>of a Cri&s;is,</HI> that hereby the Lord would yet give men time to con&s;ider his Work, and take to heart his Voice by &s;uch a fur|ther <HI>warning;</HI> and have &s;till ob&s;erved from the records of times pa&s;t, as to his Procedure, that when he was to bring forth &s;ome great piece of his Work before the World, there hath been as it were an interval of &s;ilence for a time, &amp; like &s;ome <HI>Ce&s;&s;ation</HI> of Providence, which hath preceeded the &s;ame, and made the time of his <HI>Working,</HI> when it was le&s;t mens <HI>Expectation;</HI> yea the &s;orer a &s;troak hath been when it came, the longer hath a tender forbearance gone before, even when the <HI>band of Ju&s;tice</HI> hath been lift up, the <HI>wheels &s;ome|times &s;tand &s;till,</HI> and the publick &s;tate of affairs is in a &s;trange manner becalm'd when the Lord is in &s;ome eminent manner to ari&s;e according to that <HI>I&s;ay</HI> 42:14. <HI>I have long time holden my peace, I have be <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n &s;till, I have refrained my &s;elf, now will
<PB N="112" REF="69">I cry as a travelling Woman &amp;c.</HI> 4. Yea it may be a &s;pecial remark, that when the Lord hath &s;o &s;ig|nally appeared to make this <HI>great revolution in Bri|tain</HI> effectuall, and to clear the sky and coa&s;t there from vi&s;ible oppo&s;ition, with &s;uch <HI>rare prevent|ing Providences</HI> for that end, yet is &s;o little ground gained by the unite &s;trength of this <HI>Confederacy,</HI> but it was in the one that the Lord did act in an <HI>extraordinar way of Providence,</HI> in the other things doe run more in the ordinare channel of vi|&s;ilbe means. It looks as a <HI>&s;ign of great Wrath,</HI> that &s;uch an <HI>In&s;trument of Judgment</HI> hath had his <HI>chain</HI> &s;o far let forth in this day, who might be called not only <HI>Ho&s;tis Eccle&s;iae, &s;ed humani Ge|neris,</HI> by the&s;e cruelties more then in<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">umane exerced in the <HI>Palatinate;</HI> and other Parts of <HI>Germany,</HI> but it's fitt the World should know <HI>of</HI> what &s;pirit and way the great <HI>Per&s;ecutor of the Prote&s;tants in this age</HI> is; yea for the Nations about to &s;ee there is no po&s;&s;ible <HI>Moral Security</HI> for their <HI>Civil Intere&s;ts</HI> from one whom no e&s;tablishmen<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s of <HI>Laws,</HI> nor that <HI>Law of Gratitude</HI> towards &s;uch who&s;e Fathers had brought the <HI>Hou&s;e of Bourbon</HI> to the Throne could bind: but as there is an an|ointing and e&s;tablishing men for judgment, who&s;e hand is made &s;trong untill that work be perfited, &s;o is the Sin of Britain, and other Reformed Churches, the greate&s;t &s;trength of this Adver|&s;ary.</P>
<P N="12">12. Have we not al&s;o been called to &s;ee
<PB N="113" REF="69">&s;uch <HI>vici&s;&s;itudes of Providence;</HI> that the&s;e for <HI>whom God had &s;ometimes most &s;ignally appeared in rai&s;ing them to the highest greatne&s;s and power,</HI> as all might clearly di&s;cern it was his hand alone, that did the &s;ame; how <HI>in a way no le&s;s wonder|ful he hath made knowen his power in breaking and bringing them low,</HI> whil&s;t they did not know, and regard God in the day of their great|ne&s;s, but thought to &s;tand by them&s;elves, and gave &s;uch a requital to him, as to betake them|&s;elves to another &s;trength, then that which rai&s;ed them, and <HI>try a new Scene of oppo&s;ition to his truth, and interest;</HI> yea thus forgot the <HI>tempest</HI> they were once in, and the&s;e engagements, which were then on their &s;oul, when they had once got to the <HI>Haven:</HI> It is &s;ure this hath been writ forth, as in <HI>Capital Letters once and again,</HI> that men who <HI>run might read the &s;ame,</HI> and know how great and <HI>terrible a party God is, when he is not for a Church or People, but against them;</HI> and how ea&s;ie it is for him by ane occurrent of <HI>Providence,</HI> lea&s;t feared or thought off, to give a check to the greate&s;t <HI>deeps of humane Policy and Wit;</HI> and let &s;uch know, when they judge them|&s;elves &s;ecure from any hazard on the earth, there can be no &s;tanding, when their <HI>coun&s;els</HI> and <HI>con|fidence</HI> is derided from <HI>Heaven.</HI></P>
<P N="13">13. It hath been in &s;ome &s;ingulare manner al&s;o, that in this <HI>age</HI> we have been called to &s;ee <HI>&s;in and judgment meet other with</HI> &s;uch a&s;toni&s;hing
<PB N="114" REF="70">circum&s;tances, and &s;o vi&s;ible a <HI>re&s;emblance</HI> and <HI>proportion</HI> betwixt the &s;ame, as the <HI>&s;troke herein pointing as with a finger at the cau&s;e,</HI> was unavoi|dable for a <HI>natural con&s;cience</HI> to di&s;cern, and &s;ee a <HI>just</HI> and <HI>Holy God,</HI> thus made known, and vi&s;ible in &s;uch <HI>publick</HI> and <HI>tremendous in&s;tances of his Judgment,</HI> as bejond the rate of <HI>former times</HI> have been <HI>&s;et up, as beacons</HI> in our &s;ight. I mu&s;t join herewith, this <HI>&s;ad remark,</HI> which hath had a peculiar re&s;pect to the&s;e times, that as it's &s;ure nothing, but <HI>Religion</HI> in the truth thereof can effectually take off men from <HI>&s;in,</HI> &s;o hath no|thing, &s;o much as <HI>Religion</HI> been oft made u&s;e off as the <HI>grand Engine</HI> to &s;ecure them therein; and what was &s;poke by one of the <HI>Ancients,</HI> hath been more applicable to our <HI>day,</HI> then almo&s;t any pa&s;t, that <HI>never was ane age more fertile of Religions under a different profe&s;&s;ion hereof, and never more barren of Religion in the power,</HI> and <HI>efficacy</HI> of the &s;ame on <HI>mens &s;oul.</HI></P>
<P N="14">14. It hath been in this <HI>age</HI> that &s;uch a <HI>cal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> often and <HI>alowd hath &s;ounded</HI> in our ears to <HI>come and &s;ee,</HI> how the <HI>greatest Powers and Na|tions of the earth</HI> are but as a <HI>little dust in the bal|lance for the Soveraigne God to blow off at his plea|&s;ure,</HI> and that he hath re&s;erved to him&s;elf a <HI>dom|nion,</HI> and <HI>preeminence over the Kingdoms of the Children of men, to change the greatest Monar|chies.</HI> Oh what a <HI>&s;trange reflex work</HI> might this be to have our &s;pirits, but <HI>going back on the&s;e
<PB N="115" REF="70">great</HI> and <HI>marvelous shakings, and utter razing</HI> hath been of <HI>publick &s;ettlements</HI> that &s;eemd mo&s;t firmly laid, the <HI>bowing down</HI> and <HI>fall of the grea|te&s;t of men,</HI> and <HI>rai&s;ing up &s;uch, who had been low,</HI> when the <HI>great God</HI> once begun to con|tend with the <HI>Oaks</HI> and <HI>Cedars,</HI> and herewith to &s;ee the extent of his power over mens <HI>&s;pirits</HI> and <HI>inclinations,</HI> as well as their <HI>actings,</HI> &s;o as to determine their concurrence, with their <HI>hand</HI> for his <HI>ends;</HI> contrare to the <HI>native bya&s;s,</HI> and <HI>&s;way of their hearts;</HI> that men might know him who is the <HI>God of the &s;pirits of all flesh</HI> can by one and the &s;ame <HI>Providence</HI> accompli&s;h <HI>various de|&s;igns at once,</HI> and bring forth &s;uch <HI>contrare ef|fects,</HI> as no humane wi&s;dome could ever have &s;uppo&s;ed or for&s;een, yea how the&s;e marvelous <HI>events</HI> might be clearly &s;een, was in <HI>their day</HI> no <HI>rare</HI> and <HI>&s;trange contingencies</HI> to a&s;toni&s;h men, but &s;uch as did bear a mo&s;t evident <HI>&s;ignature</HI> and <HI>impre&s;s of the Maje&s;ty of God,</HI> and of his <HI>name</HI> and <HI>truth</HI> shewed forth thereon.</P>
<P N="15">15. I shall but add this more upon &s;o <HI>boundle&s;s a Subject;</HI> that we have been &s;pecially called in this <HI>age to &s;ee &s;ome unu&s;ual variation in the &s;potle&s;s ways and methods of Providence about his Church,</HI> and in the <HI>courts of humane affairs from what hath been the manner of his working formerly,</HI> &s;o as men could not di&s;cern his way oft by any <HI>foot&s;teps</HI> or <HI>precedent</HI> of <HI>Providence in times past,</HI> but that &s;omething hath been re&s;erved peculiarly to <HI>our
<PB N="116" REF="71">day,</HI> of the <HI>Lord ri&s;ing up as in mount Perad&s;in, and his being wroth as in the valley of Gibeon to do his &s;trange work, and bring to pa&s;s his &s;trange Act I&s;ay</HI> 28:21. And tho we but &s;ee in part hereof, yet may we now know and under&s;tand upon the&s;e <HI>times past,</HI> more then &s;uch who was then <HI>pre&s;ent actors on the &s;tage</HI> could reach in di&s;cerning the <HI>intents of providence</HI> when things were in their <HI>first mould,</HI> as is now clear in their <HI>after tendency</HI> and <HI>re&s;ult;</HI> nor could po&s;&s;ibly have that judg|ment of the <HI>Work of God in &s;ome parcels</HI> as may be now attained, when it's in a more <HI>full</HI> and <HI>entire frame;</HI> when &s;uch a <HI>&s;ight</HI> is <HI>&s;ett</HI> before us, as should call to have our <HI>&s;ouls bowing down with all awful regard and homage</HI> at &s;o <HI>august,</HI> and <HI>im|mediate a di&s;covery of the Maje&s;ty of God</HI> in his <HI>Work</HI> and <HI>actings before this Generation.</HI></P>
<P><HI>A</HI> III. <HI>Head on this Subject,</HI> that I would offer &s;ome thoughts on, is as to the <HI>Lords &s;ingular way of dealing with the publick State of Britain, and Ireland</HI> bejond any other of the <HI>Reformed Chur|ches</HI> in this <HI>la&s;t age;</HI> and is indeed a <HI>Subject</HI> of &s;erious regard, to con&s;ider what <HI>manner of time</HI> hath our lot been ca&s;t in, and the <HI>mea&s;ure of that talent</HI> for <HI>ob&s;ervation,</HI> we &s;tand accountable for upon &s;uch great and extraordinare <HI>events</HI> as hath occurred: but here I have de&s;ired to have my thoughts <HI>tran&s;late,</HI> to what hath been from the <HI>first entry</HI> on &s;o marvelous a <HI>&s;eries of providence,</HI> about the &s;tate of the&s;e <HI>Nations,</HI> for almo&s;t <HI>fifty
<PB N="117" REF="71">Years past,</HI> for a more clear pro&s;pect how each <HI>&s;tep</HI> herein in its <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;ive place,</HI> and <HI>room,</HI> hath tended to give <HI>light</HI> to another; which I &s;hall re|&s;trict wholly to the more <HI>immediate appearances of God,</HI> from what hath been <HI>mens part,</HI> and actings upon &s;uch a <HI>diver&s;ity of intere&s;ts</HI> as might too vi&s;i|bly be &s;een to influence many in their <HI>way;</HI> and <HI>offer</HI> but a <HI>few</HI> &s;erious <HI>reflections</HI> on the &s;ame, to one who can more clearly <HI>ob&s;erve,</HI> and di&s;cern things of that kind.</P>
<P N="1">1. That it's &s;ure <HI>Britain</HI> and <HI>Ireland hath been of late a Theater of &s;uch &s;trange and extraordinare vici&s;&s;itudes in it's publick &s;tate,</HI> from the <HI>Year</HI> 38. <HI>of this age,</HI> as in no times pa&s;t can be re&s;embled; what <HI>wonderful Revolutions</HI> did then &s;ucce&s;&s;ively follow other, and were made the <HI>object of mens &s;en&s;e,</HI> as could not po&s;&s;ibly have had credit or been a matter of <HI>Faith,</HI> if the &s;ame should have been foretold, and may ju&s;tly render &s;uch a <HI>pe|riod of time</HI> unto this <HI>day,</HI> to be matter of a&s;tonish|ment to any of a &s;erious &s;pirit. It is true there is no <HI>time</HI> wherein the Lord hath not given &s;ome more <HI>&s;ingular di&s;coveries of him&s;elf,</HI> and the&s;e <HI>changes of providence</HI> which are in the <HI>per&s;onal ca&s;e of Chri&s;tians,</HI> and lyes more clo&s;e and near to their <HI>Sen&s;e,</HI> then things of a <HI>publick concern,</HI> are oft &s;o extraordinare as would be not ea&s;y for o|thers to credit; but it mu&s;t be &s;aid what we have &s;een here, and may know of the work and appea|rances
<PB N="118" REF="72">of God in that <HI>Land</HI> can never be a <HI>Subject of ordinary thoughts.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. It is known how ane <HI>avenging Sword,</HI> which was <HI>bathed in Heaven,</HI> had it's <HI>commi&s;&s;ion thence,</HI> to go forth again&s;t both <HI>Britain,</HI> and <HI>Ireland,</HI> and did not <HI>cea&s;e</HI> to per&s;ue it's end until the&s;e <HI>flourishing Nations,</HI> was made a vi&s;ible <HI>field of blood,</HI> yea did not <HI>rest,</HI> until in the righteous, and Soveraign di&s;po&s;al of God, a <HI>potent</HI> and <HI>&s;ett|led Monarchy</HI> there, of a <HI>long de&s;cent</HI> having no fear, or oppo&s;ition from any <HI>forren power,</HI> was yet <HI>broke,</HI> and made <HI>void,</HI> and did fall in their <HI>high places;</HI> and what ane account this &s;hould have been to the World, if it could have been po&s;&s;ibly &s;een or judged in the <HI>Year</HI> 40. what the 50 <HI>Year</HI> following was to bring forth, and was then in the bo&s;ome of &s;o &s;hort a time.</P>
<P N="3">3. But when thus the <HI>Lord did once appear,</HI> and go forth in a <HI>judiciary way,</HI> we might &s;ee how each of the&s;e <HI>three Nations had their proper share,</HI> and mea&s;ure allotted in the <HI>&s;trokes,</HI> and <HI>judg|ments</HI> of that time, tho in &s;ome different method and manner; there beeing a more &s;ingular part a&s;&s;igned to <HI>poor Ireland</HI> then, by the Holy and ju&s;t God in that <HI>bloody and terrible Scene,</HI> which was acted there, yet this was in <HI>common</HI> to the <HI>whole of the&s;e Lands</HI> that it was an <HI>inte&s;tine Sword,</HI> and not of a <HI>forreiner</HI> that was then call'd for, which
<PB N="119" REF="72">&s;poke the <HI>Judgment</HI> to be the &s;orer and more of divine wrath in it; where on part of a <HI>Nation,</HI> is made the <HI>rod,</HI> and <HI>executioner of his judgment on another,</HI> and their <HI>de&s;truction</HI> from <HI>amongst them&s;elves.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. If it be con&s;idered, what <HI>manner of time,</HI> that was of &s;o <HI>extraordinare things,</HI> it may be <HI>ob|vious,</HI> how this followed a <HI>long and unu&s;al &s;ett|led calm,</HI> and <HI>tranquillity,</HI> which had gone be|fore in the <HI>publick State of the&s;e Nations,</HI> when &s;o great a <HI>flame</HI> had been round about; it was im|mediatly after a <HI>bloody Sword</HI> had done its work in <HI>Germany,</HI> which from the <HI>Year</HI> 30. had brought with it &s;uch di&s;mal effects there; but what would &s;eem mo&s;t <HI>a&s;tonishing</HI> here, that tho a <HI>time</HI> of the <HI>patience</HI> and <HI>long &s;uffering of God,</HI> had in a &s;ingular manner gone before, &amp; the <HI>treaty of the Gho&s;pel</HI> might be &s;een to have a &s;mall accep|tance, and &s;uch <HI>judicial effects,</HI> with mo&s;t of that <HI>Generation,</HI> when the <HI>Red Hor&s;e,</HI> and its <HI>Rider</HI> went forth to <HI>take peace</HI> from &s;uch a part of the <HI>earth,</HI> yet was not the <HI>hight of Profanity, and Athei&s;m nor mea&s;ure of &s;in then in the&s;e Nations</HI> come near to &s;uch a <HI>degree,</HI> as is now the <HI>mea&s;ure of this time,</HI> or had any &s;uch <HI>prodigious appea|rance;</HI> only we &s;ee not yet what is <HI>coming</HI> to <HI>an|&s;wer this.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. It is not above 40 <HI>Years past,</HI> &s;ince we might &s;ee a <HI>powerful &s;tate,</HI> &amp; <HI>commonwealth</HI> both <HI>rai&s;ed</HI> and <HI>formed</HI> in <HI>the&s;e Nations</HI> on <HI>&s;o great a ruine,</HI> had
<PB N="120" REF="73">gone before, and thus &s;uch a new and <HI>wonderful Scene of Providence</HI> brought forth on the <HI>&s;tage,</HI> which made a <HI>Revolution in the civil &s;tate</HI> of that <HI>nature</HI> as <HI>Britain</HI> had never before known; a <HI>State</HI> who&s;e <HI>&s;trength</HI> whil&s;t it &s;tood firm was made <HI>for|midable</HI> both by <HI>Sea</HI> and <HI>Land</HI> to the <HI>Nations about,</HI> with &s;o &s;trong a <HI>tide</HI> of <HI>&s;ucce&s;s,</HI> as nothing was able to &s;tand again&s;t the &s;ame, but all <HI>e&s;&s;ays,</HI> w ich tended to an <HI>oppo&s;ition</HI> then, mo&s;t <HI>vi&s;ibly fru&s;trate,</HI> and no <HI>plots,</HI> or <HI>mine</HI> laid &s;o deep and clo&s;s, which did not <HI>&s;pring</HI> upon them&s;elves who wrought therein; &s;uch was the <HI>concurrence of fa|vourable things,</HI> and in &s;o &s;trange a manner <HI>until they had &s;tood o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t that tryal</HI> wherein they were then <HI>&s;ett,</HI> how they &s;hould an&s;wer the <HI>call,</HI> and <HI>intent of &s;uch a Providence.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. But when the eyes of mo&s;t every where was aloft, as to the <HI>i&s;&s;ue of this &s;ettlement,</HI> and all hu|mane contrivance, or foreca&s;t put to a &s;tand herein, on what &s;ide the <HI>ballan<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e might cast</HI> a|mid&s;t &s;uch <HI>different Parties,</HI> and <HI>intere&s;ts</HI> as was on foot; it was then as with ane <HI>ama&s;ing earth quake,</HI> that the <HI>whole foundation was razed,</HI> and tho it was unque&s;tionable that many of a &s;erious &s;pirit, and de&s;ign in the things of God was am|ong&s;t &s;uch, yet whil&s;t the <HI>date of their commi&s;&s;ion was once expired,</HI> and keeped not them&s;elves in the way of mercy, they are at la&s;t brought to know what it was to have <HI>God</HI> again&s;t them; <HI>a God im|partially hating &s;in</HI> before whom it is more highly
<PB N="121" REF="73"><HI>aggravate</HI> and <HI>provockting</HI> the higher Profe&s;&s;ion of his way and truth men &s;tands under, yea then was it that it might be no le&s;s clearly &s;een, how in <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">he <HI>&s;ame manner of their rai&s;ing,</HI> by a mo&s;t <HI>vi&s;ible &s;ertes,</HI> and <HI>irre&s;i&s;table cour&s;e of Providence,</HI> &s;o was there <HI>fall,</HI> and <HI>down ca&s;ting made wonder|ful;</HI> there Councils disordered, di&s;pirited in their re&s;olutions wherein the <HI>ebb did run as low,</HI> in impre&s;&s;ions of fear and de&s;pondency on their &s;pirits, as it had once <HI>lowed,</HI> who &s;ome|times before they knew what it was to be <HI>acted</HI> above their own <HI>ordinare reach;</HI> and thus as in a moment might it be &s;een how this <HI>frame</HI> and <HI>mould</HI> was <HI>broke</HI> as with out <HI>hand</HI> This was the <HI>&s;econd overturning in the publick State of Britain,</HI> in a <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ery short time after the former, an&s;werable to that <HI>Ezek.</HI> 21:27. <HI>I will overturn, over|turn,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P N="7">7. It is now that a <HI>great,</HI> and <HI>marvelous change</HI> ve may &s;ee again go over the&s;e <HI>Nations,</HI> &amp; an <HI>other piece of the Work of God</HI> brought forth on the <HI>&s;tage,</HI> and <HI>new Actors</HI> made u&s;e of herein; which cau&s;ed great thoughts of heart to know, what <HI>a&s;pect</HI> &s;uch a <HI>cr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;is</HI> might have on the <HI>publick State of Religion;</HI> then was the <HI>Regal Power,</HI> and <HI>Government in Britain, rai&s;ed again</HI> to its highe&s;t &s;plendor and extent, and this change in &s;uch a manner accomplisht as the mo&s;t judicious, and di&s;cerning &s;pirits &s;tood ama&s;ed to &s;ee over what <HI>oppo&s;itions,</HI> and <HI>difficulties,</HI> which &s;eemed in&s;u|perable,
<PB N="122" REF="74" MS="y">this was carried; and that &s;urely it was the <HI>&s;ame hand who threw them down,</HI> which did then <HI>lift them up,</HI> with whom it is ea&s;ie to make a <HI>way where there is none</HI> for any peece of his <HI>Work,</HI> when he goeth forth herein.</P>
<P N="8">8. But when it might have been hoped and ex|pected &s;uch <HI>extraordinare providences</HI> &s;hould work on <HI>the&s;e who were most intere&s;&s;ed in this great Re&s;tauration,</HI> when it was not there <HI>Sword</HI> or Coun&s;el, but the <HI>finger of God,</HI> which wrought the &s;ame; and that &s;urely this might put a more then ordinare weight how to <HI>re&s;tore the Nations unto God,</HI> who had <HI>re&s;tored them to the &s;upreame Power,</HI> and <HI>Government</HI> over the &s;ame, loe then was it in the <HI>Room hereof</HI> that the&s;e things might be &s;een. 1. How the <HI>Sluces</HI> were immediately <HI>let open,</HI> for an <HI>impetuous flood,</HI> and <HI>deluge of wickedne&s;&s;e</HI> to break in over the whole <HI>I&s;le;</HI> an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>unbridled licence to all immoralities, and impiety,</HI> and no re&s;traint but what might tend to pro|mote the <HI>Kingdom of Je&s;us Christ</HI> among&s;t men &s;o as the&s;e <HI>Years past</HI> &s;ince the 60. hath tended to lay a <HI>lod of guilt on Britain</HI> bejond the <HI>mea&s;ures of any times past,</HI> and is <HI>&s;till lying upon the &s;ame;</HI> which will be found <HI>&s;ore</HI> and <HI>heavy</HI> in the i&s;&s;ue. <HI>Soveraign Grace</HI> do not wonderfully interpo&s;e. 2. As it was then that &s;uch a <HI>cri&s;is</HI> had &s;o di&s;mal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> and mortal an a&s;pect there <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> the&s;e hights of <HI>Profanity</HI> vvhich did go over <HI>all banks,</HI> &amp; be|jond ane <HI>ordinare cure or relief,</HI> &s;o there might be
<PB N="123" REF="74">&s;een a <HI>new way</HI> and <HI>unu&s;ual methods of &s;inning;</HI> and a new progre&s;s, and advance in <HI>Athei&s;m,</HI> bejond what hath been known in any times pa&s;t, yea this with &s;uch confidence in the pub|lick light, and before the <HI>&s;un</HI> as might be an ama&s;ement even to the infernal &s;pirits to think how far they were out gone by &s;uch who were of humane race this way. 3. But it was herewith al&s;o, when it might have been thought, that <HI>God should &s;tay his hand</HI> no longer or <HI>forbear,</HI> that the <HI>&s;eall of their commi&s;&s;ion,</HI> who&s;e <HI>power</HI> had then the <HI>greatest influence</HI> might be di&s;cernable to all; that they were a&s;&s;uredly <HI>established for judg|ment,</HI> and had &s;uch a judicial work under their hand; &s;o as the mo&s;t <HI>de&s;tructive de&s;igns</HI> of that party for a further <HI>Ruine to the Church,</HI> &s;eemed &s;till then to have the greate&s;t &s;ucce&s;s; and no at|tempts or oppo&s;itions what&s;oever could with|&s;tand the &s;ame or &s;top it's cour&s;e, until their <HI>mea|&s;ure,</HI> and the <HI>Epha</HI> was further filled up, but &s;uch who did mo&s;t <HI>ha&s;ten</HI> to <HI>brake pri&s;on</HI> as it were <HI>before the time,</HI> found their <HI>bondage grew &s;tronger</HI> hereby.</P>
<P N="9">9. But whil&s;t &s;uch was thus at work, and acting &s;o di&s;mal a part on the publick <HI>Theater</HI> of <HI>Britain;</HI> le&s;t they should reckon that <HI>&s;urely God had for&s;a|ken the earth,</HI> and that the Cry of &s;uch prodigious wickedne&s;s was not &s;o <HI>loud as to go up to Heaven;</HI> then was it that <HI>he came down in a vi&s;ible way,</HI> to <HI>make him&s;elf known,</HI> and <HI>bring near his judg|ment,</HI>
<PB N="124" REF="75">with a very <HI>tremendous voiee;</HI> then was i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> that he gave a &s;pecial commi&s;&s;ion to one of th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> <HI>three great Judgments</HI> the <HI>devouring Pe&s;tilence</HI> to go to the mo&s;t eminent and con&s;picous part o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Britain,</HI> and the <HI>publick Seat of the Regal Power and Authority,</HI> and make that <HI>great City de&s;olate</HI> for a time, and make their dwellings <HI>void of In|habitants, in the Year</HI> 65. yea in ane <HI>extraordina<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> Conjunction</HI> did <HI>double</HI> &s;uch a <HI>warning</HI> by putting them in a <HI>flame,</HI> that it might &s;peak as a <HI>publick Herauld</HI> to the&s;e Nations, and thus give a <HI>Se|cond Cry,</HI> that <HI>when his Wrath was begun to kindle a little,</HI> men might <HI>meet him in the way of his Judgment</HI> ere it come to the utmo&s;t and a greater wo follow thereon. This &s;urely was the voice of God by a mo&s;t <HI>&s;tupendous di&s;pen&s;ation,</HI> and does &s;peak &s;till to <HI>this day,</HI> tho there may be <HI>few now to hear it.</HI> This was a <HI>Entry of Judgment,</HI> and <HI>&s;troke</HI> of that kind on which the Lord did put a mo&s;t di&s;cernable <HI>impre&s;s of his Greatne&s;s,</HI> and <HI>Terror.</HI></P>
<P N="10">10. Yet even then after this there was a mo&s;t <HI>ob|&s;ervable Pau&s;e,</HI> and <HI>tender forbearance,</HI> in the way of the Lord to bring <HI>Judgment</HI> a fur|ther length; the <HI>God of Patience,</HI> who does not <HI>ea&s;ily de&s;troy the Work of his own Hand,</HI> and bears long ere a <HI>hight of &s;in</HI> does extort the <HI>last Stroke of Vengeance,</HI> did then give &s;uch a <HI>new breathing,</HI> or long <HI>intermi&s;&s;ion,</HI> as to any extra|ordinary <HI>Acts of Judgment;</HI> but did herewith
<PB N="125" REF="75">&s;end <HI>new Offers,</HI> and <HI>Conditions of Peace, be|fore the decree bring forth Zephan</HI> 2:2. &s;o as the next <HI>great warning,</HI> which was given to <HI>the&s;e Na|tions,</HI> was in an <HI>other way</HI> and <HI>method;</HI> to take a new tryall how this yet would work by a mo&s;t rare <HI>preventing Providence,</HI> in the <HI>di&s;covery of the Po|pish Plot,</HI> which under the &s;hadow of <HI>civil Autho|rity</HI> had been &s;o long hatching, and ripening un|til this <HI>mine</HI> was <HI>ready to &s;pring,</HI> to a <HI>vi&s;ible Ruine</HI> of the <HI>whole prote&s;tant Interest in the&s;e Nations.</HI> This was a <HI>&s;ingular &s;tep of Divine Providence,</HI> tho the &s;ence hereof may be gone off the Spirits of mo&s;t, wherein he made us &s;ee that he was yet &s;till watching over the&s;e <HI>Lands</HI> for their good, when they were not a ware and would not only <HI>warn,</HI> by &s;o <HI>awakning a Providence,</HI> but turn that <HI>contri|vance</HI> again&s;t the <HI>contrivers,</HI> if &s;o this might at <HI>last Work,</HI> and an&s;wer the intent hereof.</P>
<P>But now I mu&s;t further <HI>add,</HI> what lyes nearer to our <HI>&s;ight</HI> and <HI>ob&s;ervation,</HI> upon this extraordi|nare <HI>cour&s;e,</HI> and <HI>Conduct of Providence</HI> from the Year 60. to that late <HI>call</HI> we have been &s;i&s;ted un|der, to &s;ee what the Year 88 following did bring forth; and here to fix our thoughts with a <HI>deep advertency,</HI> on this &s;trange <HI>&s;ight</HI> and <HI>turn of pro|vidence;</HI> which the mo&s;t wi&s;e Di&s;cerners could not &s;ome time before, have ever &s;uppo&s;ed on <HI>principles of Rea&s;on,</HI> or by any <HI>natural connection of things;</HI> a <HI>turn,</HI> and <HI>vici&s;&s;itude of Providence</HI> of &s;uch a kind where men may &s;ee the <HI>Name</HI> &amp; <HI>Majesty of God,</HI>
<PB N="126" REF="76">in &s;ome <HI>august,</HI> and <HI>&s;ingular way</HI> &s;hewed forth thereon, and his ari&s;ing to make way for his Power and <HI>immediate Appearance</HI> in &s;uch a man|ner as had not been known in former times. This is indeed a peece of the <HI>Work of God</HI> that might bring near the <HI>Sen&s;e of a Godhead</HI> to the con&s;cience of the mo&s;t ordinare Ob&s;ervers, and what ever &s;ad, and <HI>Judicial &s;igns</HI> be too evident this day of the improvment made by mo&s;t here|of, yet &s;hould it deeply concern us, that the <HI>Glory</HI> and <HI>Honor of God</HI> in &s;o great a <HI>discovery of him&s;elf</HI> be not <HI>darkned</HI> or <HI>ob&s;cured.</HI> This is a <HI>Work</HI> vve &s;ee but <HI>in part,</HI> and the <HI>first Scene,</HI> of vvhat is yet further in bringing forth, and can be little knovvn or taken up by the neare&s;t <HI>events</HI> of Providence untill the <HI>Vi&s;ion Speak,</HI> and the vail be further taken off the &s;ame: but it is &s;ure herein that the&s;e of the mo&s;t prejudged Spirit at &s;uch a <HI>Providence</HI> hath been con&s;trained to &s;ee, that this vvas by an <HI>immediate divine Hand,</HI> contrare to the ordinary <HI>Cour&s;e,</HI> and <HI>Actings of Second Cau&s;es;</HI> and how &s;uch vvho mo&s;t eminently acted as <HI>In|struments herein,</HI> vvhat ever acce&s;s or advan|tage, they had of <HI>Re&s;olution, Spirit,</HI> and <HI>Coun|&s;el</HI> in &s;uch a Work, yet vvere then only called forth to &s;tand &s;till, and &s;ee a <HI>higher Power</HI> moving in the &s;ame, vvho did there <HI>look down as in the morning watch to trouble the Motions of the&s;e, who were</HI> again&s;t them, and in an in&s;tant <HI>took off their Chariot wheels,</HI> and made them knovv it vvas in
<PB N="127" REF="76">vain, either to <HI>&s;tand,</HI> or <HI>flee,</HI> vvhen they had <HI>God against them,</HI> who tho they reckoned to go <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">orth, as at <HI>other times</HI> they knevv not, that their <HI>day,</HI> and fatal <HI>period</HI> vvas novv come.</P>
<P>Tho there was nothing common or ordinare in this <HI>stupendous work,</HI> wherein &s;uch <HI>incredible <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ccurrences of providence,</HI> did then concurr as might con&s;train the <HI>naturall con&s;cience</HI> of men to &s;ee a <HI>&s;upernaturall cau&s;ality</HI> herein yet did &s;ome|things &s;peciallie, meet here to render this <HI>Work of God</HI> more highly a&s;tonishing. 1. That when the fears of mo&s;t were at the furthe&s;t hight of &s;o|me <HI>de&s;olating stroke</HI> to accompanie the &s;ame, where the <HI>contrare parties,</HI> were &s;o &s;tated as the one could not <HI>&s;tand</HI> but on the <HI>ruine</HI> of the other, and their intere&s;t on every &s;ide &s;o <HI>exten&s;ive,</HI> and <HI>great,</HI> yea when in no times pa&s;t the <HI>harvest</HI> of <HI>the earth,</HI> and in the&s;e parts thereof, &s;eemd more <HI>ripe for putting in the Syckel,</HI> yet even then did the <HI>Lord</HI> in his &s;overaign and marvelous di&s;po&s;al <HI>&s;pare,</HI> and went not forth as at other times, <HI>with garments rolled in blood</HI> nor did the <HI>actings</HI> of his <HI>providence appear &s;o terrible</HI> as when <HI>pre&s;ages of judgment</HI> were more di&s;cernable; but as this was the <HI>opening of the first &s;cene</HI> &amp; who &s;ees what God is to do, who knowth his mind, as to the&s;e <HI>great changes</HI> in the <HI>externall &s;tate of this we&s;tern part of the World,</HI> by &s;uch a <HI>remarkable entry</HI> to the &s;ame; but this may be fully clear to any who <HI>does wi&s;ely con&s;ider the Work of the Lord</HI> herein, that
<PB N="128" REF="77">this was a <HI>new</HI> and <HI>higher tryall</HI> which he would yet once more take of <HI>the&s;e nations,</HI> and did there|fore <HI>hold his hand,</HI> when the <HI>&s;troke &s;eemd ready to fall down.</HI> 2. It might &s;eem unaccountable to all rea&s;on, &s;uch a <HI>conjunction,</HI> and concurrence of in&s;truments as was in this work; for tho the appearance of &s;ome herein who did mo&s;t <HI>eminent|ly appear,</HI> and <HI>act,</HI> did witne&s;s <HI>&s;peciall, high,</HI> and <HI>heroick motions</HI> in the &s;ame, yet how <HI>vast &amp; nume|rous a part</HI> was imbarked upon this <HI>interest,</HI> and in behalf of the <HI>Protestant Religion,</HI> who could claime no <HI>roome</HI> or <HI>title</HI> in the very <HI>form,</HI> and <HI>vi|&s;ible profe&s;&s;ion of Christianity;</HI> or to have any place in the outter court; but it might here with ama&s;e|ment be &s;een how upon the <HI>one &s;ide,</HI> were &s;uch &s;tated, who <HI>maintaind Christs bodily pre&s;ence in the earth,</HI> in that <HI>&s;acrifice of the ma&s;s,</HI> as the <HI>Shib|boleth of their profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> and on the <HI>other &s;ide</HI> how great a part was there who did <HI>ridicull all revealed Religion,</HI> and &s;eemd not to beleeve his <HI>reall pre&s;ence in heaven.</HI> But here was it di&s;cernable what a return this was by the voice of providence, to that <HI>grand engine,</HI> and too known a <HI>de&s;ign of the Romish &s;pirit</HI> for many years pa&s;t, to take vvay for <HI>popery,</HI> by <HI>destroying men,</HI> e&s;pecially the <HI>youth in Britain, in the moralls of Chri&s;tianity,</HI> and to to take thus off all &s;erious <HI>Sen&s;e,</HI> and <HI>weight</HI> of <HI>Religion</HI> from their <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> that herein this deep of Hellish Policy did at la&s;t <HI>tu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n against them&s;elves,</HI> and tho they judged them&s;elves
<PB N="129" REF="77">&s;ecure from any <HI>&s;erious</HI> influence of <HI>Religion</HI> on &s;uch a <HI>Party,</HI> yet could they not &s;ecure them from <HI>acting as men</HI> on <HI>principles of rea&s;on,</HI> who could not but &s;ee the intere&s;t of <HI>Popery,</HI> and of their <HI>civil Rights,</HI> and <HI>Properties</HI> were incompa|table; yea that tho they were acted from no <HI>in|ternal motives</HI> on a <HI>Religious Interest,</HI> it could not be ea&s;ie to join in with &s;uch a <HI>Religion,</HI> as was made up wholy of <HI>external Rites,</HI> and <HI>ceremonial Severity,</HI> and <HI>Strictne&s;&s;e,</HI> and had no po&s;&s;ible <HI>con&s;i&s;tency</HI> with it &s;elf. But if we &s;eriou&s;ly ponder this <HI>great vici&s;&s;itude of Providence</HI> in it's <HI>Conjunction,</HI> with what hath gone before, it's here we mu&s;t &s;ee a <HI>thrid, marvelous overturning,</HI> which in one and the &s;ame <HI>age,</HI> hath been <HI>&s;ucces&s;i|vely in the&s;e Kingdoms,</HI> according to that fore|mentioned <HI>Scripture Ezek.</HI> 21: 27. <HI>I will over|turn, overturn, overturn, and it shall be no more until he come, who&s;e right it is, and I will give it:</HI> which is to be under&s;tood there, of &s;uch <HI>great Revolutions,</HI> as &s;hould in their <HI>proper order</HI> follow upon other. For tho this had a re&s;pect, then to the&s;e <HI>great shakings</HI> which was to come upon <HI>Juda,</HI> and the <HI>Hou&s;e of their Kings</HI> in the entry of their <HI>captivity,</HI> yet may none <HI>bound</HI> the <HI>intent of the Holy Ghost</HI> in this <HI>Prophecy,</HI> as if there only it was to take place, and had not a <HI>Re&s;pect</HI> to &s;ome <HI>further accomplishment</HI> of the <HI>&s;ame</HI> in after times, which &s;urely was &s;ince, never more <HI>clear</HI> in the <HI>event</HI> then in <HI>this late
<PB N="130" REF="78">wonderful Series of Providence,</HI> that hath been in the&s;e <HI>overturnings.</HI> But now let me &s;peak here|with, what hath been &s;ometimes <HI>deeply affecting,</HI> how there is &s;omething yet more <HI>&s;olemn</HI> and <HI>extra|ordinare now in this thrid call,</HI> then all that hath gone before, to be <HI>awakening to this generation,</HI> and that which with too clear evidence may be judged the <HI>last cry and call,</HI> &s;uch as hath no <HI>dark</HI> or <HI>uncertain &s;ound</HI> therewith to the <HI>State</HI> and <HI>Churches of Britain,</HI> and unto all <HI>ranks</HI> there, if there be not a re&s;olute &s;hutting of our <HI>ear</HI> at the &s;ame, that this is a&s;&s;uredly the voice of the Lord, <Q REND="inline"><HI>I will yet once more</HI> take <HI>proof</HI> and <HI>tryall of the&s;e Lands, which I did choi&s;e,</HI> and in &s;o &s;ingular a way deall with bejond other Churches and Nations; and will yet re&s;pite the la&s;t &s;troak of Judgment; and if tenderne&s;s and forbearance in a mo&s;t &s;urpri&s;ing and extraordinare di&s;play thereof will once work; if the actings of pro|vidence &s;uch as could not of late have been be|leeved by men will once reclaim, and return Britain and Ireland again unto God, I will then take of both their fetters and fears, and give a new &s;ettlement to their civill rights and intere&s;t, will &s;ea&s;e their adver&s;aries with terror and trembling, and yet &s;pare their blood; will &s;ett &s;uch al&s;o upon the <HI>Throne,</HI> who shall &s;eek the good and welfare of their People, under who&s;e shadow ye may ly down &s;afely with|out dread either of the terrors by night or &s;uch
<PB N="131" REF="78">affrightments by day they were once under; and take off any fears of external force.</Q> But oh if this <HI>voice</HI> can not be <HI>heard,</HI> when it is &s;o <HI>clear</HI> and <HI>audible</HI> which if &s;ome knew ever any thing, or had di&s;cerning of the ways of God and of the <HI>times,</HI> they cannot but <HI>hear,</HI> this to be the <HI>pre&s;ent voice</HI> of the time, it then &s;eems to be come to the <HI>last</HI> and <HI>highest tryalls that the&s;e Na|tions ever &s;tood under;</HI> when &s;uch <HI>extraordinar mea&s;ures of divine patience,</HI> and <HI>long&s;uffering,</HI> and &s;o <HI>long a day given</HI> to repent mu&s;t either be <HI>&s;peedily an&s;wered,</HI> or it be found that the <HI>&s;troke</HI> will be the more <HI>terrible,</HI> when it comes, the <HI>longer it hath been deferred;</HI> that threatned judg|ment shall a&s;&s;uredly at <HI>last come to a year of re|compence,</HI> yea to a preci&s;e <HI>day</HI> of the <HI>&s;potle&s;s Ven|geance of God, when his &s;pirit will no more &s;trive with men,</HI> when he will <HI>clear his Ju&s;tice,</HI> and go forth to &s;ee the <HI>Authority of his Laws</HI> and <HI>Senten|ces of his Word ratified</HI> in the <HI>execution</HI> thereof, when no <HI>Interce&s;&s;or</HI> shall be then heard tho a <HI>Noach, Daniel,</HI> and <HI>Job</HI> were upon the earth; and it shall be then no more po&s;&s;ible to hold off that long <HI>threatned &s;troke,</HI> or turn <HI>Judgment</HI> out of his way then for men to &s;top the <HI>cour&s;e of the Sun</HI> to recall the <HI>day</HI> and <HI>years</HI> that are pa&s;t, or make void the <HI>Ordinances of Heaven,</HI> but then will the <HI>Works of God</HI> gett a hearing, when his <HI>Words</HI> could not.</P>
<PB N="132" REF="79">
<P><HI>A</HI> IV. <HI>Head,</HI> on this <HI>&s;ubject;</HI> which I mu&s;t join in with the former, that is of great <HI>weight,</HI> and <HI>con&s;equence,</HI> is this; to know what <HI>a&s;pect, &s;uch extraordinary providences of the&s;e times past,</HI> now hath on the churches there, and whither &s;o <HI>great a cri&s;is,</HI> as hath been in the <HI>publik State of affairs,</HI> hath more <HI>promi&s;ing,</HI> or <HI>threatning &s;igns,</HI> therewith. It was the highe&s;t part of <HI>Hezekiah ob&s;ervation,</HI> upon that <HI>great deliverance</HI> be met with <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 39. not to &s;ee only <HI>God in his immediate hand</HI> herein, but how his <HI>heart,</HI> was toward him in the &s;ame; as is there expre&s;&s;ed <HI>thou hast loved my &s;oul, out of the pit of corruption,</HI> for &s;o does the <HI>originall</HI> render it. <HI>A loo&s;ing &s;ight of providence,</HI> in what the Lord doth &s;peak to men thereby, maketh way not only for great <HI>shakings,</HI> but to <HI>read the &s;en&s;e thereof, contrair to its intent;</HI> and tho there be a regarding by all, the <HI>vi&s;ible effects of providence,</HI> and what herein lyes neare&s;t to our <HI>&s;en&s;e,</HI> yet few goes a further length in their <HI>ob&s;er|ving.</HI> It is undenyable that an extraordinate conde&s;cendence of <HI>grace,</HI> and of the <HI>long&s;uffering of God,</HI> might be &s;een in the&s;e great things here done of <HI>late,</HI> but the <HI>next enquiry</HI> lyes here, how &s;uch ane <HI>unu&s;ual application of providence</HI> does work. It was upon &s;ome <HI>&s;erious thoughts</HI> hereof, and this <HI>pre&s;ent State</HI> of things, I <HI>&s;ett my &s;elf,</HI> for more clear di&s;cerning of the <HI>way of the Lord</HI> and his <HI>voice to this generation</HI> in the&s;e <HI>a&s;tonishing
<PB N="133" REF="79">changes</HI> hath gone over the &s;ame <HI>of late,</HI> to have <HI>my own &s;pirit fix'd</HI> herein, and &s;ome higher &s;trenthning on the <HI>faithfulnes of his truth;</HI> but in the <HI>fir&s;t place,</HI> there are &s;ome undoubted <HI>principles of truth,</HI> which I would mention here, and mu&s;t <HI>hold by,</HI> as <HI>truths</HI> which are of ane <HI>eter|nall verity,</HI> and may have a clear <HI>applicatory light,</HI> to the <HI>pre&s;ent day</HI> we are in.</P>
<P N="1">1. That it's &s;ure, the <HI>mo&s;t notable mercies</HI> which hath been bequathed of the <HI>Lord,</HI> either to <HI>churches,</HI> or <HI>per&s;ons,</HI> have al&s;o been an <HI>entry to the greatest of judgements,</HI> when <HI>not an&s;wered,</HI> it was with the brighte&s;t &s;unshine of ane <HI>immediate ap|pearance of his hand,</HI> and ane <HI>extraordinary cour&s;e of miracles,</HI> that <HI>I&s;rael, entred into the wilderne&s;s;</HI> whereon &s;o black a night of <HI>di&s;mal providences</HI> did fall; and is it not the &s;ame <HI>voice</HI> which is now &s;peaking to us, that we have <HI>Malach.</HI> 2.2. <HI>if ye will not lay to heart, to give glory to my name, &s;ays the Lord of host, I will cur&s;e your ble&s;&s;ings.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. It &s;tands ever <HI>&s;ure,</HI> and <HI>unchangeable,</HI> that <HI>God will never return to a people,</HI> again&s;t whom he is wroth, until <HI>the cau&s;e of his departure be taken away,</HI> for both the &s;ame <HI>date,</HI> and <HI>mea&s;ure,</HI> which mens <HI>for&s;aking of God,</HI> doth <HI>bear,</HI> the &s;ame al&s;o does <HI>his departing bear</HI> unto them, and tho <HI>repentance</HI> where it is in truth, can never be in vain, yet may it come to <HI>late,</HI> to <HI>prevent tem|poral judgment,</HI> or to regain ever again, a <HI>&s;ea&s;on
<PB N="134" REF="80">of acting for God,</HI> when there is a more eminent <HI>call</HI> thereto, at <HI>one time,</HI> then <HI>another.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. It is ane <HI>unchangeable truth,</HI> which varies not, with the changes of time, <HI>that there is no condition on the earth can be &s;afe</HI> whither as to a a <HI>Nation,</HI> or <HI>Per&s;on,</HI> were it never at &s;uch ad|vantage, in external things; <HI>wherein they can|not &s;ay, God is with us herein,</HI> and <HI>we are de&s;ig|ning for him;</HI> as on the other hand, it mu&s;t be founded wholly on <HI>Athei&s;m,</HI> where the <HI>&s;tate;</HI> and <HI>danger of a Nation is not judged from, the &s;ins</HI> thereof, and the <HI>mea&s;ure</HI> of the &s;ame, more then from any <HI>vi&s;ible hazard;</HI> for tho particular <HI>places,</HI> and <HI>people,</HI> under a Profe&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, comes not to the &s;ame <HI>hight in filling up the mea&s;ure of &s;in;</HI> yet it mu&s;t &s;urely have it's <HI>fatal period,</HI> when <HI>deferred Judgment</HI> will nat &s;tay on <HI>day</HI> longer.</P>
<P N="4">4. What ever uncertainty be in humane things, yet is this <HI>unchangeable,</HI> and <HI>&s;ure,</HI> that <HI>&s;uch who inherit the &s;ame &s;ins of others,</HI> again&s;t whom <HI>God</HI> hath appeared in any <HI>eminency</HI> of <HI>Providence shall inherit the &s;ame Judgements,</HI> which hath not on|ly been mea&s;ured out to &s;uch as hath gone be|fore, but are <HI>pledges to after times</HI> of what may be expected. For as the <HI>way of grace,</HI> changeth not, and the <HI>redeem'd of the Lord, as dear to him now, as ever;</HI> &s;o is he <HI>immutably ju&s;t,</HI> and his ways keeps the &s;ame mea&s;ure with his revealed truth, &s;o as a <HI>Solid Interpretation of Scripture</HI>
<PB N="135" REF="80">needs no extraordinare <HI>Prophetik Spirit,</HI> to <HI>infer Judgment,</HI> from <HI>&s;in,</HI> where there is no &s;erious re|turning unto him, and <HI>when the Lord God hath &s;poken, who can but Prophecy Amos</HI> 3:8.</P>
<P N="5">5. It is of unque&s;tionable evidence al&s;o, that <HI>national &s;ins,</HI> wherein the <HI>body of a Nation,</HI> and <HI>People is unite,</HI> and hath a joint accee&s;&s;ion herein; when it is thus the <HI>publick Sin of a Community,</HI> mu&s;t meet with a <HI>Stroke,</HI> and <HI>Judgment</HI> within time of as <HI>publick extent,</HI> and cannot be laid over in <HI>this re&s;pect to the Judgment of the great day,</HI> when once it's <HI>mea&s;ure is filled up here;</HI> &s;ince el&s;e the <HI>Glory of God in his truth,</HI> and <HI>remunera|tive Ju&s;tice,</HI> should not have on &s;uch an account, a <HI>Vindication</HI> before the World, in the <HI>&s;ight of Angels,</HI> and <HI>Men,</HI> if his <HI>&s;potle&s;s Judgment</HI> should not thus bear &s;ome <HI>proportion,</HI> to the <HI>nature of that guilt;</HI> the <HI>God of truth</HI> hath given his <HI>Word,</HI> and <HI>Dominion,</HI> and <HI>Authority</HI> over <HI>Nations</HI> both to <HI>pluke up,</HI> and to <HI>plant,</HI> as well as over <HI>per&s;ons,</HI> which can never be made void.</P>
<P N="6">6. There can be no doubtfulne&s;s here al&s;o that it is &s;imply impo&s;&s;ible for a <HI>church to &s;ub&s;ist,</HI> or <HI>pre&s;erve it's &s;tation</HI> in a <HI>Church state</HI> by a naked <HI>external form</HI> only; or in the <HI>purity of religion,</HI> without &s;ome <HI>life,</HI> and <HI>power,</HI> of the &s;ame; fince if there were no reall <HI>inbringing,</HI> or <HI>building</HI> up of the <HI>elect</HI> there, then the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> had no more work in the &s;ame, and no <HI>interest</HI> were there for the <HI>Spirit of God</HI> to keep fellowship with, &s;o that
<PB N="136" REF="81">the <HI>intrin&s;ick &s;trength</HI> of any <HI>particular church,</HI> yea of the <HI>politick bodie</HI> therein; lyes not in the <HI>num|ber,</HI> or <HI>bulk,</HI> but in the <HI>weight,</HI> nor is't the <HI>ex|ten&s;ive growth</HI> of a <HI>church</HI> to a vi&s;ible profe&s;&s;ion that makes, a <HI>reall increa&s;e;</HI> but how great an <HI>interest</HI> does a <HI>few</HI> &s;uch, who&s;e way is the <HI>life,</HI> and <HI>power of that doctrine they profe&s;s,</HI> make in the <HI>place</HI> they are in; tho this &s;eems litle apprehen|ded, what <HI>influence</HI> the <HI>hid part in a nation</HI> of <HI>humble, &s;erious chri&s;tians</HI> hath on the <HI>external State</HI> thereof, and on the <HI>admini&s;tration of pro|vidence in the world,</HI> who makes <HI>least appearance</HI> in it, by a near entercour&s;e with <HI>heaven,</HI> and by &s;uch <HI>high value,</HI> and regard which they have there, &s;o as the <HI>Lord</HI> hath even <HI>&s;ubjected</HI> the grea|te&s;t <HI>vici&s;&s;itude</HI> and <HI>changes</HI> of the <HI>time</HI> to the <HI>inter|ce&s;&s;ion, and prayers of &s;uch.</HI></P>
<P>Let me but <HI>add</HI> this herewith, that tho the Lord does ever <HI>di&s;tinguish</HI> betwixt the <HI>Godly,</HI> and the re&s;idue of men in times of <HI>publick calamity,</HI> and <HI>Judgments,</HI> &s;o as not to lay them <HI>common</HI> herein with the <HI>wicked,</HI> yet on the other hand, it is not a <HI>numerous Party,</HI> even of mo&s;t <HI>choi&s;e,</HI> and <HI>Reall Chri&s;tians</HI> in a <HI>Land,</HI> will &s;tand in the way of <HI>wrath,</HI> and of &s;ome di&s;mal &s;troke, when the &s;ett <HI>time of Judgment</HI> is once come; but may be then &s;uch with a <HI>Nation,</HI> when there is no more hearing, or <HI>interce&s;&s;ion,</HI> but for that <HI>in&s;tance</HI> of the Lords &s;i&s;ting his judgment, if there had been but 10 <HI>Per&s;ons</HI> in the <HI>Cittes of the Plain:</HI> it
<PB N="137" REF="81">was an eminent return to <HI>Abraham,</HI> and extra|ordinar act of conde&s;cendence, that makes no <HI>rule.</HI> There was a choi&s;e and numerous <HI>remnant</HI> in <HI>Judea,</HI> who &s;ought the Lord then, when that di&s;mal night of the <HI>Captivity</HI> came on; and it is of late, that &s;uch a <HI>tremendous in&s;tance,</HI> we have before us in the <HI>Ca&s;e of Bohemia,</HI> where &s;o con|&s;picous a part then was of a <HI>People zealous for God,</HI> when &s;uch a <HI>publick overwhelming &s;troke</HI> came on.</P>
<P>But now in the <HI>Second Place</HI> I mu&s;t &s;peak a <HI>few words</HI> to what &s;eems in &s;ome &s;ingular way, to &s;peak to <HI>Britain,</HI> and <HI>Ireland</HI> by very &s;ad, and <HI>monitory &s;igns,</HI> bejond any of the Churches ab|out: it is, I know, ea&s;ie, and u&s;ual to challenge the <HI>darkne&s;s of Providence,</HI> more then to regard, what is clearly revealed to us as the <HI>intent</HI> &amp; <HI>voice</HI> thereof; and the&s;e are indeed &s;ad, and di&s;mal like <HI>dispen&s;ations,</HI> that tho they be not <HI>&s;ilent,</HI> but have a <HI>di&s;tinct,</HI> and <HI>audible voice,</HI> yet <HI>Seals no Instruction</HI> herewith, on the &s;pirits of men. I confe&s;s a <HI>natural Re&s;pect,</HI> and <HI>tye,</HI> to &s;uch a <HI>Part of the earth,</HI> bejond any el&s;e, renders this to &s;ome, to be more <HI>heavie,</HI> and <HI>dreadful</HI> that if <HI>Soveraign grace,</HI> do not wonderfully interpo&s;e, it cannot be found in the <HI>cour&s;e of divine Provi|dence,</HI> &s;ince the beginning of time; that ever the <HI>mea&s;ure of &s;in, contempt of a Deity,</HI> and <HI>oppo&s;itions to the Holy God in the de&s;igns</HI> both of his <HI>Word,</HI> and <HI>Providence</HI> hath come to &s;uch a hight as is vi|&s;ible
<PB N="138" REF="82">in the&s;e <HI>Churches</HI> this day; but that &s;ome ex|traordinare <HI>appearance of Wrath,</HI> and <HI>Judgment</HI> from the <HI>Lord</HI> hath as <HI>vi&s;iby followed thereon,</HI> to be a <HI>publick monument,</HI> for <HI>after times,</HI> wherein the&s;e <HI>Remarks,</HI> are &s;o unavoidable.</P>
<P N="1">1. To what a <HI>&s;trange,</HI> and <HI>fatal i&s;&s;ue,</HI> hath that <HI>purest profe&s;&s;ion of Christ,</HI> in the <HI>Prote&s;tant Religion,</HI> which hath been long enjoyed there, now come, when &s;uch <HI>publik contempt,</HI> and <HI>&s;corn,</HI> is thrown upon the &s;ame, in the <HI>truth,</HI> and <HI>power</HI> thereof, as a matter of their greate&s;t abhorrence; when the mo&s;t numerous part of the <HI>multitude,</HI> every where may be &s;een in a <HI>stated oppo&s;ition</HI> to the <HI>dominion,</HI> and <HI>authority</HI> of God in his <HI>laws,</HI> yea &s;uch <HI>horrid tenets,</HI> as well as <HI>practices,</HI> even in the common &s;en&s;e of mankind, may be di&s;cernable there, as in <HI>pagan nations,</HI> under &s;ome aw, and re&s;traint of a <HI>natural con|&s;cience</HI> would be affrigting; &s;ince <HI>every nation will walk in the name of their God;</HI> but the&s;e are &s;uch as have at once dive&s;ted them&s;elves of all <HI>hope</HI> and ca&s;t off all <HI>fear, or dread,</HI> of a <HI>wrath that is to come.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. And as to one &s;pecial <HI>evidence</HI> hereof, what cau&s;e may it be to <HI>meditate terror,</HI> as to the pre|&s;ent &s;tate of <HI>the&s;e nations,</HI> when a <HI>&s;pirit of bla&s;phe|mie</HI> is let forth there and gott &s;uch a prevalence among&s;t all <HI>ranks,</HI> as it's accounted a matter of <HI>fashion,</HI> and <HI>breading,</HI> to go a length bejond o|ther, in tearing that <HI>ble&s;&s;ed name of God,</HI> in
<PB N="139" REF="82"><HI>who&s;e hand is their breath,</HI> by <HI>profane,</HI> and <HI>bla&s;|phemous oaths.</HI> This is a thing by it &s;elf, that's <HI>purely diabolick,</HI> and hath nothing <HI>humane</HI> in it, can have no affinity with the flesh, nor is as ane <HI>ordi|narie degree,</HI> of a <HI>reall po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion by the Divel,</HI> and much &s;adder, then that which hath been on many by <HI>con&s;traint,</HI> and putting a force upon their <HI>ton|gue</HI> to <HI>bla&s;pheme,</HI> which otherwi&s;e would have been a <HI>horror,</HI> and dread, &s;ince this is by <HI>con&s;ent,</HI> and a <HI>delight,</HI> that could have no po&s;&s;ible ri&s;e, but from pure <HI>enmity to the Holy God,</HI> yet is it now come to &s;uch a prodigious height, as if Bri|tain did de&s;ign a <HI>proper monopoly</HI> this <HI>way,</HI> and <HI>Preheminence,</HI> of the &s;ame, <HI>above all nations of the earth;</HI> tho none more will prete<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> a <HI>natio|nall love,</HI> and re&s;pect, to it's &s;tanding, and <HI>in|terest,</HI> to whom that &s;aying of one of the <HI>ancients,</HI> may be applicable, if &s;uch would once give it a hearing; <HI>&s;i tibi non vis parcere, attamen parce Patriae tuae; do we thus provoke the Lord to jea|lou&s;ie, are we stronger then he;</HI> but when &s;uch a <HI>contagion</HI> &s;eemes to be pa&s;t the re&s;traint of <HI>humane Laws</HI> who <HI>declares their &s;in as &s;odome,</HI> will not the <HI>great lawgiver,</HI> at la&s;t take it under his hand, to <HI>vindicate his authoritie.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. But what a <HI>&s;ymptome,</HI> is this herewith of <HI>approaching judgments</HI> when to &s;uch a hight, and &s;o univer&s;alie, the <HI>corruption</HI> of <HI>the youth,</HI> is in this <HI>day,</HI> and <HI>the&s;e parts,</HI> in &s;o ane u&s;ual a way; and among &s;uch, a <HI>Spirit of Athei&s;m,</HI> and <HI>profa|nity,</HI>
<PB N="140" REF="83">is in that manner got up, as may be &s;adly fore&s;een, what a <HI>di&s;mal night</HI> mu&s;t follow here|on, and cau&s;e the&s;e know, who&s;e re&s;pects &s;ee<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to run &s;o high for a <HI>national interest,</HI> that what does thus <HI>strike,</HI> at the <HI>root, truth</HI> &amp; <HI>Godline&s;s,</HI> among&s;t men, in &s;o &s;trange a <HI>debauchery,</HI> of the <HI>generation that's coming up,</HI> gives the &s;ame <HI>&s;troke,</HI> to the greate&s;t <HI>&s;ecurity of government,</HI> and to what founds the greate&s;t obligations, to <HI>civil,</HI> or <HI>mo|ral duties;</HI> yea hath a native, and unavoidable tendence to ruine the <HI>politick bodie,</HI> to <HI>ema&s;culate the &s;pirits of men,</HI> and <HI>ob&s;truct the vigorous improv|ments, of their natural parts,</HI> and will in a short time depre&s;s, and change the <HI>very genius</HI> of the&s;e once <HI>renouned nations,</HI> if there be no <HI>due applica|tion,</HI> of the <HI>proper,</HI> and <HI>adequate remedie</HI> for the &s;ame.</P>
<P N="4">4. And do we not with too great <HI>evidence</HI> now &s;ee, how much that <HI>old Prote&s;tant &s;pirit,</HI> which was in the <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>life of that profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> is gone, and extingui&s;hed this day; before which the <HI>Romish interest</HI> could not, po&s;&s;ibly &s;tand, when <HI>humane power</HI> and <HI>might</HI> did litle concur therewith; &s;o as it may be a &s;trange but too vi&s;ible a <HI>remark,</HI> how that <HI>di&s;tinction,</HI> hath got &s;uch place in <HI>Britain,</HI> bejond any other <HI>reformed churches</HI> el&s;e, which is betwixt the <HI>Prote&s;tant in|terest,</HI> and <HI>politick concerns</HI> thereof, and the <HI>Prote&s;tant Religion,</HI> which lyes in the <HI>pure doctrine of Christ,</HI> in its <HI>truth,</HI> and <HI>efficacy on mens &s;oul,</HI>
<PB N="141" REF="83">and <HI>practice;</HI> when thus may be &s;een, what a throng and ea&s;ie concurrence is there to <HI>promote the one,</HI> and bear the highe&s;t re&s;pects thereto, &s;o far as they find a <HI>private interest,</HI> and <HI>external motives</HI> renders this nece&s;&s;ary, who does <HI>hate,</HI> and to the utmo&s;t <HI>oppo&s;e them&s;elves to the other;</HI> yea fears nothing more, then to have this get any <HI>authority over their con&s;cience;</HI> and oh thence it is that when <HI>priveledge</HI> and <HI>propertie</HI> upon a temporal intere&s;t, are as the <HI>apple of mens eye,</HI> when the&s;e are once touched, yet are the highe&s;t <HI>indignities,</HI> and <HI>affronts to the honor of God,</HI> and to his <HI>truth</HI> of a &s;mall regard.</P>
<P N="5">5. But if we yet look further, in to the <HI>Publick State of Religion</HI> in the&s;e <HI>Churches,</HI> there may be a more a&s;tonishing <HI>&s;ight,</HI> and of <HI>greater abomina|tions</HI> &s;till, an&s;werable to <HI>that vi&s;ion Ezechiel</HI> 8; when within the precincts of a <HI>Chri&s;tian Church,</HI> once &s;o purely <HI>reformed,</HI> &s;uch a <HI>party</HI> is got up and growing, who&s;e work is not onlie to take men off the &s;erious work, and power of <HI>Chri&s;tia|nity;</HI> but to &s;ubvert wholly the <HI>foundation of</HI> our <HI>faith,</HI> under that late de&s;ignation of <HI>Dei&s;ts,</HI> and that men are now become &s;o wearied of the <HI>Chri|&s;tian Profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> as were their power an&s;werable to their will, they would bring in a new model of <HI>pagani&s;m,</HI> and fix them&s;elf at la&s;t there. And oh is it come to &s;uch a day, after &s;o bright a &s;un shine of the Go&s;pell hath gone before, and after &s;o great ane <HI>effu&s;ion of the Spirit of God,</HI> that &s;uch
<PB N="142" REF="84">a party should be upon the encrea&s;e in &s;o horrid an appearance, were it po&s;&s;ible, to make void the whole <HI>frame of the Go&s;pel,</HI> to ju&s;tle our ever <HI>ble&s;|&s;ed Redeemer,</HI> who once was the <HI>de&s;ire of the na|tions,</HI> off his throne, to thru&s;t the <HI>crown off his head,</HI> the <HI>&s;cepter of who&s;e government</HI> is <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> &amp; <HI>peace;</HI> and give, if they could, a mortall &s;troke to him, who is the <HI>life,</HI> and <HI>light of men,</HI> and by <HI>who&s;e &s;tripes we are healed,</HI> yea as if they could make their party good again&s;t that rod of iron, with which he bears rule over his adver&s;aries. But what can the&s;e de&s;ign to them&s;elves to render <HI>hu|mane being</HI> de&s;irable here on the <HI>earth,</HI> except to have a &s;hare of the &s;ame priveledge, with the <HI>bea&s;ts,</HI> of <HI>the field,</HI> that within a little they should have no more <HI>being,</HI> and oh <HI>what a God</HI> does &s;uch deprive them&s;elves of who only <HI>propitious,</HI> to poor man in <HI>Christ,</HI> and otherwi&s;e not the object of our <HI>trust,</HI> but of terror; yet is this way now come to that length, as it would &s;eem to de&s;pi&s;e all <HI>moral releef.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. I mu&s;t yet <HI>add</HI> here, tho it be a very &s;ad ungrateful <HI>Subject,</HI> how we are faln in a <HI>day,</HI> when the greate&s;t di&s;coveries of <HI>God,</HI> both in the way of <HI>Judgment,</HI> and <HI>mercy</HI> &s;eems to have no affe|cting &s;en&s;e, or regard on this generation, and the great de&s;igns both of <HI>grace,</HI> and <HI>providence</HI> amid&s;t &s;uch marvelous changes hath gone before, in that manner with&s;tood as mo&s;t &s;eemes to unite there &s;trength herein; even when this may be in a
<PB N="143" REF="84">&s;ingular way applicable to <HI>our time,</HI> what the Lord did once &s;peak to <HI>I&s;rael</HI> by <HI>Mo&s;es; your eyes have &s;een the great Acts of the Lord,</HI> and the&s;e <HI>great temptations, the Signs,</HI> and <HI>Wonders,</HI> which he hath done in this <HI>last age;</HI> yet if Soveraign grace do not marvelou&s;ly appear, it may be fear'd, that both the <HI>voice of God</HI> in his <HI>Word</HI> and <HI>Works</HI> hath discharg'd their commi&s;&s;ion, without any due regard to the &s;ame; and that judgment, and mercy after &s;uch extraordinar methods of divine patience have done their part, and is now come to &s;uch a <HI>judicial</HI> withdrawing, and depar|ture of that <HI>great Amba&s;&s;ador,</HI> the <HI>Spirit of God from his Church,</HI> that there &s;eems but &s;mall acce&s;s to &s;erious <HI>Publick Humiliation,</HI> and <HI>fa&s;ting,</HI> or to call for <HI>&s;olemn A&s;semblies</HI> for this end, except to <HI>Per&s;onate,</HI> &amp; <HI>Act &s;uch a part</HI> as that of the <HI>mour|ning Women amongst the Jews at Funerals,</HI> and among&s;t the&s;e of the mo&s;t <HI>&s;erious Spirit</HI> in this day, &s;uch a re&s;traint may be found of that <HI>Serious|ne&s;s</HI> and fervor herein which once did appear, as renders it a more <HI>ominous Pre&s;age</HI> that there may be nothing to follow but that la&s;t &s;entence, <HI>let them alone;</HI> and mu&s;t not all thus rea&s;on and judge, that as the intere&s;t of <HI>Sacred Truth,</HI> and the <HI>Honor,</HI> and <HI>Glory of God</HI> in mens &s;ubjecting thereto is of much higher value then any <HI>temporal Interest;</HI> &s;o is the <HI>Vindication</HI> of the &s;ame before the World of a greater concern then the <HI>&s;tabi|lity</HI> or <HI>&s;tanding of Kingdoms,</HI> yea to fear more
<PB N="144" REF="85">deeply that &s;uch a <HI>time,</HI> how long &s;o ever defer|red, mu&s;t at la&s;t take place, when his &s;potle&s;s procedure of <HI>Judgement,</HI> &s;hall be then cleared fully; <HI>shall I not vi&s;it for the&s;e things, shall not my &s;oul be avenged on &s;uch</HI> a People.</P>
<P>But now in the <HI>thrid Place,</HI> there is <HI>one Inqui|ry</HI> that &s;hould ly near, and hath a more then or|dinary <HI>call</HI> for the &s;ame in &s;uch a day, to <HI>know what is yet left,</HI> and acce&s;&s;ible in the <HI>matter of duty,</HI> that might be as a <HI>door of hope</HI> for the <HI>Lords Returning</HI> once more, and his re&s;piting of <HI>imminent Judgement,</HI> when &s;o <HI>great a Ruine</HI> is like to fall under the <HI>Hand of this Generation.</HI> I know any &s;uch thing will be to mo&s;t as matter of deri&s;ion, who&s;e <HI>fear,</HI> and <HI>hopes</HI> of this kind goes no higher then <HI>pre&s;ent Objects of Sen&s;e,</HI> and it is little I can adventure to &s;peak hereon, but as to any <HI>mea&s;ure of light</HI> I have attained, I can no more que&s;tion, that the &s;ame voice <HI>from the Lord,</HI> is <HI>now going forth</HI> to the <HI>Churches of Britain,</HI> and <HI>Ireland;</HI> then that I read what is <HI>&s;poke</HI> to <HI>Juda Ezechiel</HI> 22:30. <HI>And I &s;ought for a man amongst you that should make up the hedge, and &s;tand in the gate before me for the Land, that I should not de&s;troy it, but I found none; therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them, I have con&s;umed them with the fire of my Wrath, their own wayes have I recompens'd on their Heads, &s;ays the Lord God.</HI> It's &s;ure then <HI>wrath</HI> was near to a breaking forth, when this <HI>last call</HI> came yet with an <HI>offer of Peace,</HI>
<PB N="145" REF="85">nor is it que&s;tionable there was a &s;erious part then who were deeply affected with &s;uch a time, tho it was not ea&s;y to find one of a <HI>truly rai&s;ed &s;pirit,</HI> to do and endure &s;omething more then ordinare for God, when &s;o great a <HI>ruine</HI> was ready to fall under their hand; but to clear the <HI>import of &s;uch a call,</HI> with re&s;pect to the publick State of the <HI>Churches of Britain,</HI> under this <HI>allu&s;ion,</HI> here made u&s;e off, to &s;tand in a <HI>gape and breach,</HI> when the <HI>Church as a defenced City</HI> is laid open to an extream and imminent hazard; I mu&s;t &s;peak a few things to be con&s;idered, what mu&s;t follow if no <HI>Interce&s;&s;or</HI> be found, to an&s;wer the voice of this <HI>call,</HI> by a &s;uitable appearance herein.</P>
<P N="1">1. Tho it may be now reckoned, that the sky is more clear as to the <HI>State of Britain,</HI> then for many Years pa&s;t, when the <HI>breach</HI> &s;eems to be made &s;ure again&s;t either <HI>Forrain or inte&s;tine A&s;&s;aults,</HI> and that in the way of rea&s;on and the or|dinare cour&s;e of humane affairs, things are come to a more &s;ecure and &s;ettled State, yet is there an other <HI>a&s;pect</HI> of things, that &s;hould deeply affect <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ur &s;pirits, when the <HI>publick hazard</HI> of the time <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">greater then from all <HI>humane power,</HI> and the party to be mo&s;t feared, is a&s;&s;uredly <HI>divine Wrath,</HI> after a long interval of forbearance, that is ready <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o break forth in &s;ome extraordinar <HI>Acts of Judg|ment,</HI> for where a day of <HI>attonement</HI> goes not be|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ore, can no true deliverance be expected, to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">i&s;e and &s;ettle the&s;e <HI>Nations;</HI> yet how rare are
<PB N="146" REF="86">they who take this to heart, or tremble within them&s;elf on the thoughts of <HI>Judgment</HI> to be near, if it does not appear from <HI>natural</HI> or <HI>vi&s;ible cau&s;es,</HI> tho nothing be more di&s;cernable from <HI>Moral Signs.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. What ever pre&s;ent calm be from the&s;e ter|rors and fears that have been of late, yet may it be judged whither it be a &s;erious bu&s;ine&s;s, or not to <HI>&s;tand in &s;uch a breach</HI> as is this day, when the greate&s;t intere&s;t of our <HI>Faith,</HI> is laid open to &s;uch numerous a&s;&s;aults; as there &s;eems no le&s;s cau&s;e to &s;tand, and contend for the <HI>Chri&s;tian Cau&s;e and Interest</HI> now in the&s;e <HI>Nations,</HI> again&s;t &s;uch who are under a vi&s;ible Profe&s;&s;ion of the &s;ame, then once was again&s;t the <HI>Heathens;</HI> whil&s;t that <HI>pri|mitive Spirit,</HI> which was then a <HI>Spirit of Power</HI> and of <HI>Glory,</HI> does too rarely appear, or the&s;e mea|&s;ures of grace in &s;uch impre&s;&s;ions as was then that are under a &s;ad and judicial re&s;traint; mo&s;t being taken up &s;o entirely with private re&s;ent|ments of per&s;onal Injuries, and bitter inte&s;tin<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> conflicts, as the &s;ound of &s;uch a hazard canno<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> be heard, until it be felt. It was the Power and Evidence of Chri&s;tianity on mens &s;oull, that di<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> fir&s;t make <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> and made way for th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> planting &amp; &s;ettlement of the <HI>Reformed Churche<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> but it would &s;eem now reckoned that the <HI>Prou|&s;tant Interest</HI> can &s;tand, the the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> were extinct in the power and vitalls thereof, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> might ea&s;ily be given up by the greate&s;t part <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">
<PB N="147" REF="86">this <HI>Generation,</HI> if it's <HI>outworks</HI> could be pro&s;e&s;|ved, where a <HI>temporal Interest</HI> renders that ne|ce&s;&s;ar; whil&s;t that <HI>magnetick power and vertue,</HI> which the <HI>Truth</HI> once had on the World is not to be &s;een, or any deep &s;ence of that Intere&s;t which Religion once had in the <HI>Glory of a pa&s;&s;ive Te&s;ti|mony</HI> for the &s;ame.</P>
<P N="3">3. Is not the <HI>gape</HI> and <HI>breach,</HI> we have to &s;tand in this day, of &s;uch a kind, that where the <HI>an|cient Love of the&s;e renowned Churches,</HI> the <HI>Love of their Youth,</HI> and <HI>Kindne&s;s of their E&s;pou&s;als unto God,</HI> did &s;o brightly &s;hine forth after the <HI>Reformation from Popery,</HI> it is now re&s;olved unto &s;o di&s;mal a change, as with mo&s;t what ever is mo&s;t lovely, excellent, and de&s;irable in the <HI>Re|velation of the Gho&s;pel,</HI> and &s;hould have the mo&s;t attractive influence on mens &s;oull, is vi&s;ibly de|&s;piled and vilified; yea which renders this <HI>breach</HI> and <HI>gape</HI> more dreadful, that after all the <HI>cost</HI> &amp; <HI>expence</HI> which the Lord hath wared in planting, and letting forth a <HI>vine yard to Britain,</HI> &s;ending moe Servants then at the fir&s;t with the indearing per&s;ua&s;ives of the Gho&s;pel, and on the other hand with &s;olemn and expre&s;s warnings of the ha|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ard of &s;uch <HI>Strokes of Judgment,</HI> to come, as hath been afterwards felt; yet hath the return been in a continued and growing enmity again&s;t the truth, and in&s;tead of rendring the fruits of this <HI>Vineyard</HI> in its &s;ea&s;on, hath rather con&s;pired to deride and de&s;pitefully u&s;e &s;uch as have come to
<PB N="148" REF="87">demand the &s;ame, and what can be judged will be the re&s;ult hereof, if men have not concluded that God hath for&s;aken the earth; can it be thought that the <HI>Breaches of the&s;e Nations</HI> &s;hall be bound up, but that they mu&s;t widen further, if there be not in &s;ome &s;ingular manner a &s;tanding up in this <HI>breach,</HI> to turn away his wrath; which is a &s;ervice that comes now under our hand, as may not linger or &s;tay, when warnings of &s;o extraordi|nar a kind are reinforced; for this is a <HI>call,</HI> hath a <HI>limited time and &s;ea&s;on</HI> allotted thereto, that may have a <HI>shorter period</HI> then we apprehend when a door of <HI>Interce&s;&s;ion</HI> hath been in &s;uch unu&s;ual manner kept open, and <HI>Grace</HI> hath &s;o long inter|po&s;ed, before <HI>Judgment</HI> should come to a final execution.</P>
<P N="4">4. I mu&s;t add hereto what &s;ence ought to be of the hazard of &s;uch a <HI>breach,</HI> when a hight of all <HI>Immorality and Ungodline&s;s</HI> is turned &s;o open and vi&s;ible, as if <HI>Sathan</HI> did e&s;&s;ay to have an <HI>open Throne</HI> again &s;et up, as once he had among&s;t the <HI>Nations;</HI> whil&s;t the &s;pirit of few are &s;ea&s;ed with any &s;uitable impre&s;&s;ion of the &s;ame, left this be the voice of the Lord without recalling, <HI>shall I not vi&s;it the&s;e things, shall not my &s;oull be avenged on &s;uch a Nation Jer.</HI> 5:9. and what a time is it, when the <HI>Reverence</HI> and <HI>Authority of Religion</HI> is &s;o far gone off mens &s;pirits, that if &s;uch can bring up a private intere&s;t, and have &s;ome trea&s;ure of that kind laid up, they are under no fear of trea|&s;uring
<PB N="149" REF="87">up Wrath and Judgment; it was a rare ex|ample that of <HI>Daniel,</HI> who upon the fore&s;eeing of a &s;troke which he was not to fear for him&s;elf, yet <HI>was a&s;tonished for ane hour, and his thoughts troubled him,</HI> by rea&s;on of the &s;trangenes of it <HI>Dan</HI> 4:19. That there is a mo&s;t choi&s;e and &s;e|rious part yet in the&s;e <HI>Nations</HI> as is this day in the earth, is unque&s;tionable, but even &s;uch who in the&s;e <HI>difficult</HI> &amp; <HI>perillous times</HI> pa&s;t, have been helpt to &s;tand, and go through a variety of <HI>dark</HI> and <HI>&s;trange Di&s;pen&s;ations,</HI> I &s;uppo&s;e have not found a time in a more &s;ingular way <HI>trying</HI> in the <HI>matters of Con&s;cience,</HI> then is this day; and that there was never more hazard of an in&s;en&s;ible wearing out from under former impre&s;&s;ions of <HI>duty</HI> and the <HI>ways of truth,</HI> which once they had, or a more difficult part to have that <HI>ancient fear,</HI> and <HI>ten|derne&s;s of light</HI> kept in exerci&s;e which as the <HI>apple of the eye,</HI> may be ea&s;ily hurt, but not &s;o ea&s;ily helped.</P>
<P>But tho it is clear that this voice and <HI>call</HI> for <HI>&s;tanding in the gape and breach,</HI> does re&s;pect all of a &s;erious &s;pirit in the things of God, yet are there &s;ome more eminently fitted from the Lord with peculiar Excellencies on their &s;pirit then o|thers, to appear on &s;o high a &s;ervice; which as it is a talent not bequeathed in vain, where this in a more remarkable way is let forth, &s;o is it of greate&s;t weight to know <HI>time</HI> and <HI>opportunity</HI> for this end, and when a <HI>&s;ea&s;on of Providence</HI> may
<PB N="150" REF="88">call to &s;ome higher improvement hereof for God, then ever again may occur; yea it may be &s;een in how &s;trange a manner the choi&s;e&s;t in&s;truments in the &s;ervice of their day, are made to differ not only from others, but from them&s;elves, as they are helped to an&s;wer &s;uch a <HI>call,</HI> and to know the Coun&s;el of God herein. But that I may touch this more particularly, it is requi&s;ite to know who may be at the greate&s;t advantage, and in a nearer capacity then others for &s;uch a &s;ervice, ab|out which I judge the&s;e things will not be que&s;tio|nable. 1. That &s;uch as have a more <HI>near and intimate conver&s;e with God</HI> in this day, hath a great room al&s;o in this &s;ervice, to &s;tand in &s;uch a Gape, yea to &s;ave a <HI>Kingdom or Nation,</HI> when Judgment is ready to break forth; the&s;e have their Soull kept in that manner under the power and attractions of the things of God, bejond the re&s;idue of men, as not to be affrighted or taken off from appearing for him by the force and preva|lence of <HI>example;</HI> it is the&s;e who are at mo&s;t ad|vantage to di&s;cern the <HI>Judicial Removes of the pre&s;ence of God from the Church,</HI> and the Gene|ration they live among&s;t, and the imminent ha|zard of Wrath, and approaching Judgment; ye<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> it's the&s;e who from <HI>internal Motives</HI> can find it ea&s;y to lay their deare&s;t things at the &s;take, in be|half of the Truth and Glory of Chri&s;t in the Land they belong to, and without re&s;pect to private intere&s;t lay them&s;elves in the way of a publick ha|zard
<PB N="151" REF="88">with the Spirit of ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Bernard,</HI> as he &s;peaks, <HI>Mal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> in nos murmur hominum &s;it quam in Deum, bonum est &s;i Deus me digne ur uti pro cly|p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">:</HI> 2. They are in a &s;pecial way fitted to an&s;wer this <HI>call</HI> and <HI>&s;ervice,</HI> who hath the Sen&s;e of any <HI>&s;ingular engagements</HI> they are under to God, much on their heart, and what hereby they owe in a pe|culiar way to do for him, and for a more &s;pecial &s;ervice <HI>to the age</HI> they live in, to &s;eek the intere&s;t and wellfare of their <HI>People,</HI> to whom they have the neare&s;t natural tye; which is that &s;ervice for the <HI>Generation,</HI> and publick tru&s;t &s;hould ly near the&s;e who have had more then ordinare receipts of mercy from the Lord, &amp; of the&s;e &s;pecially it might be expected that they dare &s;tand up for God, and the intere&s;t of his Truth, tho they &s;hould &s;tand alone herein, which &s;urely in the i&s;&s;ue will be found a &s;afer &s;tanding then with the multitude, or &s;uch who&s;e de&s;ign for the publick intere&s;t goes no further, then their private concerns does in|fluence. It is &s;ure the Words of <HI>Mordechai E&s;th.</HI> 4.13. <HI>Are &s;till directed to this day, think not with thy &s;elf thow shalt e&s;cape, for if thow al|together holds thy peace at this time enlargements and deliverance shall ari&s;e from another place, but thow and thy Fathers Hou&s;e shall be de&s;troyed.</HI> 3. But it is undoubted that this <HI>Service</HI> does in &s;ome peculiar way ly to the door of <HI>Princes and Rulers,</HI> according to their Station, who are of more pu|blick relations then others; their Authority came
<PB N="152" REF="89">in with the <HI>&s;econd Covenant,</HI> which by the fall of man was rendred nece&s;&s;ar, and have their Power derived from him, by whom <HI>Kings Rul<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> and Princes Decree Judgment Proverbs</HI> 6.15. &s;o as the advance of the <HI>Gho&s;pel of Christ,</HI> and Pre&s;ervation of <HI>Sacred Truth,</HI> both in its purity and power, is made the object of their highe&s;t tru&s;t, yea what a &s;ingular ble&s;&s;ing this is to a time, when &s;uch does eminently interpo&s;e up|on any imminent hazard to the Church, and thus bears evidence that they have ane <HI>Unction from God on their heart</HI> as well as their <HI>Office,</HI> And <HI>it came to pa&s;s</HI> 2 <HI>Chron.</HI> 34:19. <HI>that when the King heard the Words of the Law, that he rent his Cloathes, and commanded Hilkia the Son of Sha|phan &amp;c. go, and enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in I&s;ra&euml;l and in Juda, con|cerning the Words of the Book that's found, for great is the Wrath of the Lord that's poured upon us, becau&s;e our Fathers kept not the Word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this Book.</HI> This hath looked as a door of hope to <HI>Britain</HI> in the pre&s;ent day, when &s;uch of a &s;erious &amp; <HI>excellent &s;pirit</HI> have come to the <HI>Throne,</HI> if the &s;in of this <HI>Generation,</HI> as may be feared, be not come to that height, of a re&s;olute oppo&s;ition to any re&s;toring means, but if the <HI>Authority of God</HI> &s;ould be thus ta|ken off the con&s;cience of men by &s;o publik abound|ing Athei&s;m and Impiety, it shall be found that the <HI>Honor</HI> and <HI>Authority of Magi&s;trates</HI> will fall
<PB N="153" REF="89">herewith before men. 4. They have a peculiar acce&s;s al&s;o to &s;uch a &s;ervice for God, and the in|tere&s;t of the place they live in, who have more advantage then others by the Repute and Autho|rity of their <HI>Example,</HI> to walk in a <HI>countermo|tion to any publick</HI> and <HI>contagious evill of the time,</HI> as are mo&s;t prevalent, and thus to affright the bold and daring countenance thereof; this &s;hould be a honourable appearance to oppo&s;e the <HI>Kingdom of Sathan,</HI> wherein it's getting mo&s;t remarkable &s;trength and credit by the Cu&s;tomarine&s;s there|of. 5. But in a &s;pecial way the&s;e who would aim at &s;o high and ble&s;&s;ed a <HI>Mark</HI> as this, mu&s;t know &s;ome higher acquaintance with that <HI>My&s;tery of Faith,</HI> then what &s;eems to be under&s;tood by mo&s;t in this day, and of a relyance on God by a <HI>parti|ticular trust,</HI> yea the truth of &s;uch &s;pecial a&s;&s;i&s;tan|ces of the <HI>&s;pirit,</HI> as can rai&s;e the &s;oull to a higher re&s;olutene&s;s in the matter of duty by <HI>oppo&s;ition,</HI> &s;o as it can be born up amid&s;t the &s;tronge&s;t diffi|culties, from no humane intere&s;t, or the greatne&s;s of a party in the earth, but from the greatne&s;s of their <HI>God:</HI> It is true the way of beleeving is an <HI>immutable Ordinance,</HI> which God hath &s;ettled for the &s;upport and &s;ervices of his People within time, and &s;hould be the <HI>leading principle</HI> of a Chri&s;tians Life, to go through all conditions and changes in adventuring on that God, who is of infinite Power both to hurt and help, but it is one of the great experiments al&s;o of Religion, to
<PB N="154" REF="90">what a pitch and degree the Faith of &s;ome of the Saints hath been rai&s;ed upon &s;ome extraordinat Service for the Lord, where no natural cau&s;es could influence the &s;ame, and above what they could in an ordinare way reach. 6. Yet is not the door for &s;uch a <HI>Service</HI> shut on any who have an intere&s;t in the <HI>Truth once delivered to the Saints,</HI> but may &s;till have &s;ome &s;hare and room in &s;o great an <HI>Undertaking for God,</HI> and the Intere&s;t of his Truth; and &s;hould each of a &s;erious &s;pirit, de&s;ign &s;omething <HI>per&s;onally</HI> for an&s;wering this <HI>call,</HI> to &s;u&s;tain a part in &s;o choile a &s;ervice for the truth, &s;uitable to their Station and Talent, it should bring a marvelous change there with on the times, and cau&s;e another face appear in the publick face of the Church; nor is it expre&s;&s;ible what the im|provement of a <HI>little &s;trength,</HI> when it hath been de&s;igned for the <HI>Lord,</HI> &amp; under his call hath oft at|tained, which in no ordinare way, or from any vi|&s;ible appearance could ever have been expected, yea what a marvelous u&s;e the &s;overaing God can make of a few nay of one, where his concurrence goes forth therewith.</P>
<P>But &s;ince the publick State of things this day is &s;uch as &s;eems, to controul any confidence or hope for an&s;wering &s;uch a <HI>call, to &s;tand in the breach of &s;o trying and hazardous a time,</HI> I would &s;peak <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> few things in the <HI>third place,</HI> which may put &s;ome more then ordinare weight of this <HI>call</HI> on our &s;pi|rits. 1. That as it's ea&s;y for the Lord to rai&s;e
<PB N="155" REF="90">and excite the &s;pirits of men to &s;uch <HI>duties,</HI> as in the way of humane rea&s;on would &s;eem wholly in|&s;uperable; &s;o can it not be found in the <HI>Records of times past,</HI> that where grace did interpo&s;e in any &s;ingular way <HI>to prevent Judgment,</HI> and for recovering of a Church in &s;ome extreme ca&s;e, but there hath al&s;o been &s;omething more extraordi|nar then at other times, in the acting forth and excitment of &s;ome <HI>in&s;truments,</HI> to appear for God with a more Heroick motion on their &s;pirits, then what hath been u&s;ual, and when he hath had a <HI>&s;aving work</HI> and <HI>de&s;ign</HI> to accomplish, then <HI>Saviours have come upon Mount Zion Obad. v.</HI> 21.</P>
<P N="2">2. If it be a &s;erious bu&s;ine&s;s to <HI>di&s;cern the times;</HI> we are in with re&s;pect to the <HI>publick State of the&s;e Nations,</HI> the voice of this <HI>call</HI> might then ly near our &s;pirits, &s;ince if we <HI>turn our eyes back,</HI> it is demon&s;trably evident that the Lord hath not dealt &s;o with any <HI>Nation of the Gentiles</HI> under the <HI>New Te&s;tament,</HI> as with the <HI>I&s;le of Britain,</HI> both as to eminent experiments of Providence, and the di|&s;pen&s;ation of Grace and mea&s;ures of light, e&s;pe|cially &s;ince it's recovery from the Power of Anti|chri&s;tian Darkne&s;s; &s;o as it is not &s;trange that he hath gone forth in a more &s;ingular way of Prote|dure therewith then other <HI>Churches,</HI> and tho <HI>no|thing is new under the Sun as Solomon</HI> &s;peaks, yet there may be &s;een &s;ome thing peculiar and a&s;to|nishing as to the way and Actings of Providence there in this age, as will not be ea&s;y for the mo&s;t
<PB N="156" REF="91">judicious <HI>Ob&s;ervers,</HI> to find a precedent for the &s;ame; and if we now con&s;ider the <HI>pre&s;ent time,</HI> as things are &s;tated after &s;uch re&s;olute oppo&s;itions to the voice of the&s;e <HI>times past,</HI> and when no vi|ci&s;&s;itudes of Providence hath yet put any &s;top to a growing hight of <HI>Apo&s;tacy,</HI> as may bee too vi&s;ible there; yea that it's &s;ure, God will not lo&s;e his Work or Intent in the great expence he hath been at for <HI>reclaiming this Generation,</HI> it may be then without a <HI>Prophetick Light</HI> &s;een that &s;omething very <HI>extraordinar is near,</HI> either in the way of <HI>Judgment</HI> or <HI>Mercy;</HI> &s;o as this &s;ervice and appea|rance in the pre&s;ent <HI>Breach</HI> &s;eems to be in another manner call'd for bejond that of an ordinare day, when there is yet room, and the door of inter|ce&s;&s;ion not ab&s;olutely shut; but if this &s;eem light, it will be found that the longe&s;t mea&s;ure of <HI>divine Patience</HI> will come to a <HI>Year and a Day at la&s;t.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. It is &s;ure and unque&s;tionable al&s;o, that the an&s;wering of this call, is the alone way to have <HI>God intere&s;&s;ed in the publick State and Concerns of Britain</HI> in the pre&s;ent day, before whom all <HI>Na|tions are as nothing,</HI> and the greate&s;t <HI>Train of In|feriour Cau&s;es,</HI> when their furthe&s;t &s;trength and activity is put forth, of no weight, when he wi|thdrawes his influence as <HI>Job</HI> 7:8. <HI>thy eyes are up|on me, and I am not.</HI> It may be matter of &s;erious remark, that in this late time &s;omething more then ordinare hath appeared in the <HI>French &s;tand|ing and &s;trength,</HI> and tho on principles of rea&s;on
<PB N="157" REF="91">the Power of &s;uch an Adver&s;ary &s;hould not be &s;uch matter of fear, when an unu&s;ual concur|rence of means is to &s;tem &s;uch a tide, and under the conduct of &s;o <HI>Wi&s;e and Heroick a Leader;</HI> yet on the other hand, <HI>Ashur the rod of my anger I&s;ay</HI> 10:5. <HI>is a formidable Party;</HI> and it's a threat|ning ca&s;e when the &s;ecurity and intere&s;t of a <HI>Na|tion</HI> &s;tands more by a <HI>permi&s;&s;ive Providence,</HI> and &s;ingular long&s;uffering of God, then by <HI>promi&s;e.</HI> The di&s;covery of <HI>hid Plots and Contrivances against the Government</HI> hath been of late in a &s;pe|cial manner remarkable, but oh! there is one <HI>Plot,</HI> which is of ane other nature, to be above all fear'd, that's caried on not in the <HI>dark,</HI> but in the <HI>publick light,</HI> to betray the&s;e <HI>Nations</HI> to the Common Adver&s;ary, it is &s;uch a <HI>Plot, as was betwixt Balak and Bala&auml;m, to divide I&s;ra&euml;l from God,</HI> that their &s;trength might depart from them, when once there is a &s;ad departure from him; and it's &s;ure the&s;e, who ever are intere&s;&s;ed herein, hath the mo&s;t active concurrence to weaken, and bring low the <HI>Politick Body of Bri|tain,</HI> to ha&s;ten on a di&s;mal night, and advance the intere&s;t and &s;trength of vi&s;ible Adver&s;aries: But if there be no &s;uitable appearance in this day, to <HI>counteract &s;o di&s;mal a Plot,</HI> and the growing &s;trength of &s;uch a <HI>Con&s;piracy</HI> herein, there may be then too ju&s;t cau&s;e for the&s;e of the mo&s;t &s;erious &s;pirit, to long to have their <HI>part acted, and be gone off the &s;tage</HI> ere they &s;ee the dreadful <HI>Effects</HI>
<PB N="158" REF="92">hereof: and what ever advantage be of <HI>external means,</HI> it might be too ea&s;y then to judge of future things, where an inordinate re&s;pect to men, and a low regard to keep in with God, is one of the publick &s;igns of the time we are in. I know it's no ea&s;y thing to improve the <HI>Providences of times past,</HI> that are at any di&s;tance from us, or to bring them home by a ju&s;t <HI>application</HI> to the <HI>pre&s;ent day,</HI> and to compare what we now &s;ee of the Way and Workings of God, with what hath already pa&s;t in the&s;e <HI>late Years,</HI> but if this were more impro|ven and under&s;tood, there might be another view and di&s;cerning of the <HI>times we are in,</HI> and <HI>what of the night</HI> now it is: we have &s;een in &s;ome &s;ingular way, the ri&s;ing and falling of humane intere&s;ts &s;o contrare to humane rea&s;on and expe|ctations, as might tend fully to clear from what hand they came, and to what I&s;&s;ue they were di|rected; we have &s;een &s;uch <HI>Revolutions,</HI> which the <HI>Churches of Britain</HI> hath gone thorough, and hath pa&s;t over the &s;ame, as &s;eem yet little un|der&s;tood, and it mu&s;t be a perver&s;e and fal&s;e Judgment, if it be &s;uppo&s;ed that we have no more to do herewith, but anaked remembran|ce of &s;uch things in the matter of Fact, and what was mens way and part therein. But that I may come more near on this <HI>Subject,</HI> there are &s;ome things that need to be further under&s;tood thereon.</P>
<P N="1">1. That it's &s;ure when &s;uch a <HI>Gape</HI> this day is
<PB N="159" REF="92">lying open betwixt us and <HI>divine Wrath,</HI> there can be no &s;landing herein without a &s;erious <HI>inter|ceeding Work with God</HI> by immediate addre&s;&s;es, when its unexpre&s;&s;ible what a mighty efficacy this hath on the World, and the great changes thereof, and how far he hath &s;ubjected the <HI>In|tere&s;t of Nations to the Prayers of the Saints.</HI> It is a hopeful &s;ign when <HI>Rulers and Magi&s;trates do call and excite a Nation to publick fa&s;ting and prayer,</HI> but in the ordinare way it's followed this day, upon &s;o extraordinare an application to the Maje&s;ty of God, it may be ju&s;t matter of fear, if &s;uch e&s;&s;ential requi&s;ites be not concurrent there|with. 1. That the &s;ame <HI>Authority and Power</HI> be interpo&s;ed for a &s;erious and impartial Inquiry as to <HI>National Sins,</HI> which are mo&s;t prevalent in the time, where the current of the multitude runs, and hath the loude&s;t cry to <HI>Heaven;</HI> &s;ince other|wi&s;e a &s;olemn addre&s;s of this kind might bear a &s;ad evidence of <HI>Athei&s;m and Impiety,</HI> to &s;uit <HI>Natio|nal Deliverances and Protection,</HI> and that the Ho|ly God would be <HI>with us,</HI> and propitious to us for the publick <HI>State of the Nation,</HI> whil&s;t we are not <HI>with him,</HI> yea that he would not for&s;ake us, whil&s;t our for&s;aking him is &s;o vi&s;ible, which is in effect to plead that the mo&s;t <HI>&s;ettled &amp; unalterable e&s;tabli<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h|ments of his truth</HI> be made void, and refo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ded for our &s;ake; yea can another return be expected in &s;uch a ca&s;e then what is <HI>Ezech.</HI> 14:4. 2. That &s;omething then upon &s;o extraordi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">are an addre&s;s
<PB N="160" REF="93">to Heaven, might be de&s;igned by <HI>publick Autho|rity in a promi&s;&s;ary way</HI> to be made practicable, as &s;ould tend to a more vi&s;ible re&s;olute with&s;tan|ding the growing &s;trength of &s;uch <HI>National evils,</HI> and may thus bear a publick te&s;timony and appea|rance again&s;t them from &s;uch who &s;tand under &s;o high a tru&s;t unto God for this end.</P>
<P N="2">2. Where this great <HI>&s;ervice</HI> is taken to heart for <HI>&s;tanding in the gape this day</HI> before God, there needs al&s;o &s;ome clear di&s;cerning of the <HI>end and de|&s;ign of Providence, in the&s;e a&s;tonishing &s;ucce&s;&s;ive changes,</HI> which hath of late gone over this <HI>Gene|ration:</HI> it's true there may be many <HI>ends</HI> at once reached in any &s;ignal piece of the Work of God about his Church, yet is there &s;urely &s;till &s;ome <HI>hi|gher</HI> &amp; <HI>great end</HI> which he hath therein, that should be mo&s;t deeply enquired into, and tho I can attain little this way in re&s;pect of others, yet may with humble confidence &s;ay, that under a &s;erious pre&s;&s;ure of &s;pirit I have &s;ought to under&s;tand the &s;ame, and how to trace the <HI>Lines of Pro|vidence</HI> in the &s;trange <HI>Revolutions of this age, to the Center of that great De&s;ign of the Lord therein,</HI> to which al the&s;e <HI>oppo&s;itions,</HI> which hath been made to the &s;ame hath &s;o remar|kably brought on their own fall and break|ing in that way, but this I mu&s;t further in&s;i&s;t on, tho there needs &s;pecially a turning our eyes fir&s;t back to <HI>times past,</HI> for di&s;cerning the Work of God in our day, and to &s;ee in what a
<PB N="161" REF="93"><HI>circuit</HI> divine Judgment did go from on part of the <HI>Reformed Churches</HI> to another, with the very fir&s;t <HI>date</HI> and entry upon this <HI>remarkable age;</HI> and when that <HI>Sword which was bathed in Heaven,</HI> and had it's commi&s;&s;ion to <HI>Germany,</HI> and <HI>Bohem</HI> in that &s;ore, and long <HI>inte&s;tine War</HI> there, had once done it's work; then did it in a &s;ucces|&s;ive cour&s;e enter on the <HI>Churches of Britain,</HI> and <HI>Ireland,</HI> and a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">p of trembling</HI> from the Lord put into there hand; and then did begin that great <HI>Scene of Providence</HI> which hath been &s;ince acted there, wherein, as in all the mo&s;t remar|kable <HI>Steps,</HI> and <HI>Periods</HI> hereof, hath the <HI>voice of the Lord,</HI> been expre&s;ly pointing at this <HI>great end,</HI> and de&s;ign in the &s;ame, for bringing his coun&s;el more clearly to <HI>light,</HI> if we had <HI>eyes to perceive,</HI> and <HI>hearts to under&s;tand</HI> what is his work, and declared intent herein; which is <HI>that the Kingdoms of this World may become the King|doms of our Lord, and of his Christ, who shall reign for ever and ever Revelat.</HI> 11:15: and that <HI>his Interest in the&s;e Nations, as a part of that in|beritance which was in a peculiar way given him of the Father P&s;alm</HI> 2:8. be more fully a&s;&s;erted in the <HI>Glory of his Regal Power,</HI> again&s;t all &s;uch who would with&s;tand the &s;ame: for which end may it be clearly under&s;tood what &s;uch ane appearance did mean, in &s;o &s;trange ane admini&s;tration of <HI>providence</HI> by <HI>the Sword to the&s;e Nations</HI> in this <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ge;</HI> what &s;uch unu&s;ual <HI>shakings</HI> and <HI>overturnings</HI>
<PB N="162" REF="94" MS="y">there, yea by &s;uch re&s;tle&s;s <HI>oppo&s;itions</HI> to any <HI>civil &s;ettlements,</HI> &s;ince the Lord begun to shake <HI>Bri|tain;</HI> to make knowen this &s;olemn <HI>period of time was come,</HI> and the <HI>days of the</HI> 7th <HI>Trumpet,</HI> when our <HI>Lord Je&s;us should take to him&s;elf his great Power, and Reign,</HI> which had been &s;o long dark|ned by the u&s;urpations, and enmity of men there|to; yea that he was &s;urely gone forth, who hath that <HI>name writen on his ve&s;ture,</HI> and <HI>thigh, King of Kings,</HI> and <HI>Lord of Lords,</HI> to make good the &s;ame; and will have this <HI>name engraven,</HI> on all the <HI>ways,</HI> and <HI>actings of Providence, who must reign until he hath putt all his Enemies under his feet</HI> 1 <HI>Corinth.</HI> 15:25. and <HI>the Nation, and King|dome, that will not &s;erve him, shall perish, and the&s;e Nations shall utterly be layed wa&s;te I&s;ay.</HI> 60:11. for thus hath the <HI>Lord &s;poken, and is &s;ettled, &amp; &s;ealed by the decree of him that chaingeth not.</HI> It is true he hath been walking in the dark as to mo&s;t in the&s;e <HI>times past;</HI> and even from his choi&s;e&s;t people there hath been oft a <HI>hiding of his work,</HI> and keeping it out of their &s;ight, amid&s;t the&s;e &s;trange <HI>changes,</HI> as hath put the mo&s;t di&s;cerning to a &s;tand; it might be ea&s;ie to &s;ee mens intent in their actings, and under what influences they <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> moved; yea what bitter ri&s;ings of heart, and quarrellings hath been upon the mi&s;carrying of their <HI>ends;</HI> but this is an other &s;ight, and of a higher concern, to &s;ee and <HI>di&s;cern wi&s;ely the Work of the Lord,</HI> and how amid&s;t all the rea|lings
<PB N="163" REF="94">of the&s;e &s;trange <HI>times,</HI> his way, and cour&s;e of <HI>providence</HI> hath been ever <HI>&s;teady,</HI> and <HI>&s;ixt.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3 It may be thus clearly &s;een, if our &s;pirits were more deeply lett forth on &s;uch a <HI>&s;tudy,</HI> that the <HI>&s;trength of our day,</HI> yea the &s;tanding and &s;ecurity of the <HI>publick &s;tate of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">he&s;e Nations,</HI> does a&s;&s;uredly ly in a re&s;olute concurrence, with this <HI>great de|&s;ign of the Lord;</HI> &s;o as otherwi&s;e there can be no <HI>&s;tanding in the breach before him,</HI> to <HI>turn away his wrath.</HI> But &s;ince this <HI>Subject,</HI> of the <HI>Catholick Right,</HI> and <HI>Kingdom of Je&s;us Christ,</HI> over the <HI>Kingdoms of this Earth,</HI> is &s;o &s;trange a my&s;tery to many in the&s;e times, and &s;uch different thoughts and conceptions are hereof; as I have de&s;ired to know the <HI>way of truth,</HI> on the&s;e &s;ure <HI>principles,</HI> and <HI>grounds;</HI> that I might have full re&s;t and &s;ettle|ment to my own &s;pirit herein; &s;o I may &s;ay, that in the clearne&s;s of this <HI>light,</HI> I have found a &s;pe|cial &s;trengthning in the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> when with the furthe&s;t evidence it may be &s;een:</P>
<P N="1">1. How that which is &s;poken of the <HI>donative, and univer&s;al Kingdom of our Lord Je&s;us,</HI> which was given him of the <HI>Father, as incarnate,</HI> and after his <HI>A&s;cen&s;ion,</HI> is not to be under&s;tood of that which is his <HI>e&s;&s;ential,</HI> and <HI>natural Kingdom,</HI> which did belong to his <HI>per&s;on,</HI> as he is the <HI>brightne&s;s of the Fathers Glory,</HI> and <HI>God equal with him;</HI> but is &s;uch as was <HI>promi&s;ed,</HI> and by &s;pecial <HI>dona|tion</HI> given to him, that <HI>the ends and uttermost Coa&s;ts of the Earth, &s;ould be his inheritance P&s;.</HI> 2:8.
<PB N="164" REF="95"><HI>and his Dominion to be from Sea, to Sea, and from the River, to the ends of the earth P&s;alm</HI> 72:8. yea is the &s;ame which was given to him <HI>Dan.</HI> 7: <HI>v,</HI> 14. when he was inve&s;ted, with <HI>Dominion, Glory, and a Kingdom, that all People, Nations, and Languages should &s;erve him, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. As there can be no &s;u&s;pence, or darknes in this, &s;o is it no le&s;s clear, his entring on the admini&s;tration of his <HI>Mediatory Kingdom,</HI> was re&s;erved only to the times of the <HI>N. Te&s;tament,</HI> to which the <HI>fall</HI> of the 4 <HI>greatest Monarchies,</HI> which ever was in the earth, was direct, and &s;ubordi|nate, to make way for the &s;ame: and loe, here may we &s;ee the <HI>first period</HI> of the <HI>vi&s;ible Glory of Chri&s;ts Reign,</HI> and his entrance on the &s;ame, when after &s;uch &s;trong oppo&s;itions, the <HI>Pagan World,</HI> was at la&s;t, made to <HI>bow down,</HI> and <HI>fall</HI> before his truth, and &s;ubmit to him.</P>
<P N="3">3. But herein it cannot be under&s;tood by this &s;pe|cial bequeathment of the <HI>Kingdoms of the World, to be the Lords;</HI> in that &s;en&s;e only, of inbringing the <HI>Elect</HI> out of the &s;ame, or of his <HI>internal Reign,</HI> on the hearts of men, but that it lyes, in a <HI>vi&s;ible &s;urrender,</HI> and <HI>&s;ubjecting of the collective body of Nations,</HI> to the <HI>Scepter of his Goverment,</HI> when the <HI>Princes</HI> and <HI>Kings</HI> of the earth &s;hould &s;ubject, their Regal Authority to his <HI>Rule</HI> and <HI>Empirt;</HI> as holding their Dominion from him, to whom all <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>judgment is committed,</HI> and can bear that &s;tile only of being the <HI>Catholick King,</HI>
<PB N="165" REF="95">and <HI>Lord of all:</HI> for this is a truth that &s;hines with &s;o clear a light from the whole <HI>Scripture,</HI> as it may be &s;trange how po&s;&s;ibly it should be que&s;tioned, &amp; nothing can be more comforting to <HI>Chri&s;tian Ma|gi&s;trates,</HI> then to have &s;o highly de&s;irable a <HI>hold|ing of their power,</HI> as they may have the <HI>Son of God,</HI> thus intere&s;&s;ed in their <HI>&s;ecurity,</HI> and <HI>inter|est</HI> as a part of that <HI>inheritance,</HI> which belongs to his <HI>Meditatory Kingdom.</HI> Nor does it <HI>evacuate the Magi&s;tracy of Heathens</HI> for the intere&s;t of humane &s;ociety, tho they have none in the <HI>Church;</HI> as it can never make void al&s;o his <HI>Catholick Right,</HI> and <HI>Dominion</HI> over them, by <HI>whom Kings reign, Prov.</HI> 8:15. although it re&s;trains the exerci&s;e thereof.</P>
<P N="4">4. But there is yet a further, &amp; growing <HI>light</HI> on this <HI>great &s;ubject</HI> which now meet us, &amp; to be clear|ly &s;een, how the more <HI>eminent appearance of the Lord Je&s;us Christ,</HI> in the <HI>Glory,</HI> and <HI>State of his Mediatory Kingdom</HI> in the Earth was alone re|&s;erved to the <HI>dayes of the &s;eventh and last Trumpet;</HI> for which as nothing can be more evident, then the <HI>contemporating</HI> of the &s;ame, with that <HI>period of time,</HI> in which was the fir&s;t <HI>ri&s;e,</HI> and <HI>re&s;toring of the Church,</HI> from <HI>Antichri&s;tian darkne&s;s,</HI> when the <HI>Lord</HI> did him&s;elf go forth in the glory of his power, to <HI>plant</HI> and <HI>&s;ettle the Reformed Churches;</HI> and thus to make way for his Kingdom, did with the <HI>first blast of that Trumpet &s;ound a re|treat, to his people out of Babylon:</HI> &s;o I have here|in,
<PB N="166" REF="96">been made to admire with joy, the exactne&s;s of that corre&s;pondence betwixt the <HI>events of this Trumpet,</HI> that hath already taken place, with what is &s;o punctually foretold hereof <HI>Rev.</HI> 11: 15. for as it is &s;urely there promi&s;ed, that then should be <HI>an opening of the Temple of God in Heaven,</HI> and <HI>the Ark of his Te&s;timony be &s;een there,</HI> which had been formerly shut up; loe how expre&s;ly hath the <HI>God of Truth made good his Word</HI> herein, and keept the <HI>time,</HI> which he had &s;et for the &s;ame, in the bright shining forth of his <HI>truth,</HI> and the <HI>way of Salvation,</HI> when for &s;o many <HI>ages</HI> keept hid from the World; to which are the whole <HI>Re|formed Churches</HI> this day a &s;tanding <HI>witne&s;s,</HI> yea have we not &s;een his appearance al&s;o in &s;o unu|&s;ual manner, in the <HI>greatne&s;s of his power,</HI> &amp; <HI>with garments dyed in blood,</HI> to make way for the <HI>vi&s;ible Glory of his Reign,</HI> as we can &s;ee it was there fore|told, how the <HI>Nations were angry,</HI> and by their oppo&s;itions to him, made way for his wrath in &s;uch tremendous effects thereof, as it hath had the&s;e days pa&s;t, to shew the <HI>time was at last come,</HI> to let the World know, that the <HI>Lord Je&s;us Christ</HI> is no <HI>titular King,</HI> he to whom <HI>all power is given in Heaven and Earth,</HI> nor will bear that <HI>Name,</HI> and <HI>Stile in vain,</HI> or admit a complemental Pro|fe&s;&s;ion of the &s;ame, but that it is &s;ure his <HI>Dominion,</HI> &amp; <HI>Kingdom,</HI> hath a &s;etled <HI>interest</HI> and <HI>revenue,</HI> be|longing thereto, which none may alienate from him, and the greate&s;t of humane powers mu&s;t be accountable for his claim thereto.</P>
<PB N="167" REF="96">
<P N="5">5. But now as our day, and lot, does thus meet in &s;o <HI>extraordinar a period of time,</HI> which hath been &s;o long expected and prayed for in <HI>ages past,</HI> it may be a time of great thoughts, and expectation of what is yet to come, as to the <HI>vi|&s;ible Reign of the Lord Je&s;us,</HI> our <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Head</HI> in the Glory and Maje&s;ty of his Kingdom, without his <HI>per&s;onal Reign</HI> or <HI>bodily appearance</HI> unto men; which with full a&s;&s;urance of faith we &s;ould now waitfor, when the <HI>voice of this Trumpet</HI> shall bring with it, &s;uch a <HI>re&s;urrection from the dead</HI> of the&s;e <HI>dry bones, of the Jewish Nation,</HI> with &s;o imme|diate an appearance of God alone herein, as shall dazle with a&s;tonishment all the Nations about; yea when its &s;ound and <HI>voice</HI> al&s;o shall call the whole Church that's on the earth, to that hi|ghe&s;t gratulatory <HI>&s;ong of Mo&s;es, and the Lamb,</HI> as once was at the <HI>Red Sea,</HI> for the final &s;troke &amp; judgment on the Kingdom of <HI>Antichrist;</HI> wherein the <HI>vi&s;ible glory of his Reign,</HI> will then be &s;een with that evidence, and brightne&s;s, as if he were <HI>per|&s;onally</HI> on the earth: and here is that true <HI>Millen|nium</HI> which is now in &s;ome mea&s;ure begun, and we are &s;urely called to expect, in a gradual increa&s;e to &s;uch a hight, that in the <HI>value,</HI> and <HI>&s;plendor of this ble&s;&s;ed Reign,</HI> the <HI>light of one day,</HI> shall be as <HI>&s;even days in one,</HI> and the mea|&s;ure of one <HI>age</HI> then an&s;wer, yea exceed a <HI>thou|&s;and Years</HI> before, and is &s;o before him, with whom <HI>one day</HI> is as a <HI>thou&s;and years,</HI></P>
<PB N="168" REF="97">
<P>This &s;eems to many in &s;uch a time, as a thing re|mote from their &s;en&s;e, who&s;e thoughts are boun|ded with pre&s;ent appearances, whil&s;t our <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Head</HI> is now <HI>gone unto a far Country,</HI> to receive a Kingdom for him&s;elf, and is invi&s;ible to men in the&s;e <HI>preparations,</HI> he is making for this higher glory of his <HI>Reign upon the Earth;</HI> &s;o that he is no <HI>object of humane &s;ight,</HI> nor can we come <HI>bodily</HI> to him, to receave his verbal commands from his mouth, as from an <HI>earthly Monarch,</HI> and for the&s;e <HI>inward,</HI> and <HI>great demon&s;trations of his Reign,</HI> they ly deep, and hid, betwixt him, and the &s;ouls of his People; but if our comfort, and hope &s;tand by the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> this day, and on that a&s;&s;urance dare venture our <HI>&s;oul</HI> upon an <HI>E|ternal State;</HI> we should then with as full certain|ty of mind as of any vi&s;ible things, give <HI>faith</HI> to this, that the <HI>Son of God</HI> will not lo&s;e the <HI>Work</HI> he hath begun, and &s;o eminently appeared in; that the <HI>interest of his Kingdom,</HI> on the earth is the alone highe&s;t <HI>object of the divine care,</HI> and <HI>provi|dence;</HI> and though his <HI>Kingdom is not of the World,</HI> but is purely <HI>&s;piritual,</HI> yet does the <HI>World</HI> &s;tand thereby, &s;o as it may be ju&s;tly &s;aid, <HI>&s;ine praecibus &amp; pietate non &s;taret mundus;</HI> nor is it que&s;tionable, but that his <HI>Work</HI> will be an&s;werable this day, to his <HI>revealed will &amp; intent,</HI> or can it be in the dark to us, what he is now doing in the World, when he hath made &s;uch <HI>publick</HI> intimation hereof by the <HI>voice of the last Trumpet,</HI> as should render
<PB N="169" REF="97">this the mo&s;t de&s;irable part, that men can act, to fall in with this <HI>great,</HI> and <HI>ri&s;ing interest of his Kingdom,</HI> in the <HI>&s;ea&s;on,</HI> and <HI>opportunity</HI> hereof; &amp; it will &s;urely be found in this time, that where the <HI>downfal of the Kingdom of Antichri&s;t,</HI> is made re|markable in a <HI>Nation,</HI> where the terror of its <HI>ri&s;e,</HI> and <HI>grouth,</HI> had &s;o lately gone before; and the <HI>Kingdom of Chri&s;t,</HI> is not &s;et up in its <HI>room,</HI> nor with a higher regard &s;ubjected to; that it mu&s;t then quickly ripen, and make way, for &s;ome great out breaking of <HI>wrath and judgment in &s;uch a place;</HI> for the <HI>time is come,</HI> that <HI>nations,</HI> which have imbra|ced the Profe&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, mu&s;t <HI>&s;tand,</HI> or <HI>fall,</HI> according to their concurrence with that <HI>intere&s;t</HI> on which the <HI>Lord is now gone forth,</HI> who&s;e work <HI>carries not for men,</HI> nor is dependent on humane Coun&s;els, yea it's &s;ure the&s;e great Mini&s;ters of pro|vidence the <HI>Angels</HI> tho not &s;een to us are eminent|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y join'd in on this <HI>&s;ervice,</HI> who are the <HI>&s;tated Ser|vants of Christ as Mediator,</HI> &amp; <HI>Head of the Church,</HI> and have accordingly their delegate charge, and commi&s;&s;ion to particular <HI>Churches,</HI> and <HI>Kingdoms,</HI> as that great de&s;ign of Providence for the advance of his <HI>Kingdom</HI> in the World does require; and if <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">he giving forth of the <HI>Law</HI> was &s;o glorious upon <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hat &s;olemne entry, which the <HI>Churches Head</HI> then made on his <HI>Regal Office</HI> over <HI>I&s;ra&euml;l,</HI> by &s;o extra|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rdinar a mini&s;tration of the <HI>Angels,</HI> what a hi|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">her <HI>Glory</HI> mu&s;t be on his entring on the greate&s;t <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i&s;covery and admini&s;tration of his <HI>vi&s;ible Reign</HI>
<PB N="170" REF="98">within time; ble&s;&s;ed are they among&s;t men who may have ane intere&s;t in this &s;ervice, tho with mo&s;t it comes not under their thoughts, and apprehen&s;ion; but as it was &s;aid of <HI>Dux de Alva,</HI> upon ane <HI>Eclips of the Sun</HI> which was then, when he was in a hot per&s;uit of the Wars, that <HI>he had &s;o much to do upon the earth, as gave him no lea&s;ure to look up to Heaven;</HI> &s;o is the great noi&s;e, and bu&s;ine&s;s of this day, how things may &s;tand &s;ure with us upon the earth. It is become the <HI>proverb</HI> of the&s;e times we are in, <HI>that interest will not lye,</HI> becau&s;e according to this, men will al|ways appear, and di&s;cover them&s;elves; and when ever that word <HI>interest</HI> is made u&s;e of; it's judg'd to bear no other &s;en&s;e, then of &s;ome tem|poral concern only, becau&s;e the <HI>&s;cent,</HI> that mo&s;t of this <HI>Generation</HI> &s;eemes to be wholly on, is how <HI>to &s;eek their own things,</HI> but <HI>not the things of Je&s;us Christ,</HI> which is truly the &s;ame, for men to reckon that their <HI>&s;oul,</HI> is a <HI>forreine</HI> thing to them&s;elves, and that they have no reall intere&s;t in the great things of Religion, or a hope bejond time: but it's well, that there is yet &s;uch a party this day on the earth, who's way can give that <HI>proverb the lie,</HI> and are of another &s;pirit, &s;o as to lay their grea|te&s;t <HI>temporal interest</HI> down, that they may inten|&s;ly per&s;ue the things of God, and the <HI>interest of his truth,</HI> and <HI>Kingdome</HI> among&s;t men, who with re&s;pect to this, would account it a &s;mall thing <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o be the greate&s;t <HI>favourits of Princes,</HI> if the&s;e &s;hould once come in competition.</P>
<PB N="171" REF="98">
<P N="4">4. But I mu&s;t now in the <HI>last place, add</HI> &s;ome|things further on this &s;erious <HI>Subject;</HI> &s;ince if it be clear, and undeniable, &s;o as to have our &s;pirits once acquie&s;cing herein, what hath been the <HI>great de&s;ign of Providence,</HI> with re&s;pect to <HI>Bri|tain,</HI> and <HI>Ireland</HI> in all the&s;e <HI>great,</HI> and <HI>a&s;toni|shing changes,</HI> which have of <HI>late</HI> been there; it may be then fully undr&s;tood, what the <HI>pre&s;ent day</HI> does mo&s;t <HI>call for,</HI> and where the highe&s;t im|provment of &s;uch an extraordinare time does ly, which I hope will not be que&s;tion'd, to have the <HI>Kingdome of the Lord Je&s;us Christ,</HI> and his <HI>pree~|minence herein, more entirely acknowledged,</HI> and <HI>&s;ettled in the&s;e Nations,</HI> when he is yet once again taking a <HI>new tryall</HI> of them for this end. We find under the <HI>Law</HI> &s;uch a thing, which was called the <HI>Lords part, and tribute payed unto him Numb.</HI> 31. as a memorial, and oblation, to witne&s;s their holding of him alone, all which they did enjoy; we &s;ee al&s;o a <HI>national claime</HI> layd to a <HI>pro|priety,</HI> and <HI>part in the Lord,</HI> as their alone grea|te&s;t intere&s;t in the earth, and that they might not be &s;hut out herein <HI>Jo&s;ua</HI> 22: 25. which would be a <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">are &s;ight in this day, to &s;ee <HI>Nations</HI> contend|ing thus for a <HI>part in the Lord,</HI> and to have their joint right &s;ecured this way, as was then betwixt the <HI>two tribes, and the half bejond Jordane,</HI> and the <HI>re&s;idue of I&s;ra&euml;l;</HI> we have al&s;o <HI>things</HI> claim'd by the <HI>Son of God,</HI> as his alone propriety, which are called <HI>the things of God Matt.</HI> 22: 1. &amp; are pu|rely
<PB N="172" REF="99"><HI>&s;acred</HI> to him, which are not <HI>mens,</HI> and none may alienate to any private intere&s;t, or <HI>end;</HI> yea there is a <HI>bringing pre&s;ents to him,</HI> which is expre&s;ly foretold, and promi&s;ed under this ble&s;&s;ed Reign <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 72: 10 when thus <HI>Princes,</HI> and <HI>Kings</HI> &s;hould &s;erve, and do homage to the <HI>Lord Je&s;us Christ,</HI> not as <HI>men only,</HI> but as <HI>Kings,</HI> in giving their Power to the furthe&s;t to uphold the autho|rity of his <HI>Regal Power,</HI> and <HI>Dominion;</HI> and here I mu&s;t &s;ay what ever be threatning in ane unu&s;ual manner from the &s;pirit, and temper of this Ge|neration; when nothing would &s;eem more hope|le&s;s, then ane <HI>unite,</HI> and <HI>publick concurrence,</HI> to an&s;wer this <HI>great de&s;ign of the Lord,</HI> and herein to <HI>&s;tand in the gape, before him,</HI> for <HI>turning away of his wrath;</HI> or to de&s;ign a <HI>National Reconci|liation,</HI> as well as <HI>Per&s;onal;</HI> yet may there be no &s;etting bounds to him therein, who is <HI>able to &s;ub|due all thing to him&s;elf,</HI> and who in the <HI>way of his grace,</HI> does oft exceed, what could be po&s;&s;i|bly hoped for by men, in &s;uch a ca&s;e: &s;ince now if after &s;uch <HI>&s;ignal indications of Providence,</HI> this &s;hould be the &s;ea&s;on and time de&s;ign'd of the Lord, for a <HI>re&s;toring work in the&s;e Nations,</HI> and in other of the <HI>Reformed Churches;</HI> and that he will yet &s;pare a little as to the <HI>cutting down of the tree,</HI> even when the <HI>ax is laid to the root;</HI> it is then &s;ure, that this <HI>de&s;ign</HI> shall make <HI>way</HI> for it's &s;elf, and go over &s;uch difficulties, as at other times would be in&s;uperable, and make the <HI>greatest
<PB N="173" REF="99">Mountains be as a plain;</HI> but if this <HI>one tide,</HI> and <HI>op|portunity</HI> for &s;uch a &s;ervice be now lo&s;t in joining in with &s;o eminent a call of Providence for this end, it looks to be the <HI>shutting of the door,</HI> with &s;uch a judicial <HI>barr,</HI> as <HI>should never be again opened,</HI> and the <HI>last woe</HI> be more <HI>&s;ore,</HI> and dreadful then all which hath gone before. But now I mu&s;t &s;peak a little more particularly, wherein it is the&s;e <HI>things</HI> doe mo&s;t &s;pecially ly, which in that &s;en&s;e are <HI>the things of God,</HI> as <HI>purely &s;acred to him,</HI> &s;ince all things what&s;oever are his, and belongs to him, yea wherein that which is the <HI>Lords tribute,</HI> and <HI>part</HI> is to be under&s;tood now in this <HI>day,</HI> that should be returned, with a re&s;olute, and cheerful con&s;ent unto him.</P>
<P N="1">1. It does in a peculiar re&s;pectly here, to have the <HI>&s;ame publick, and national regard, to the au|thority of the Laws,</HI> and <HI>ordinances of his King|dome,</HI> as a <HI>people</HI> who are &s;tated in as near a relation to <HI>God,</HI> as once <HI>the Kingdome of I&s;ra&euml;l, and Juda</HI> was: this being a truth of the mo&s;t undeniable evi|dence, thonotin things <HI>ceremonial,</HI> or <HI>typical,</HI> or &s;uch <HI>Laws</HI> of Government, as had a temporary re|&s;pect to that di&s;pen&s;ation only, yet in a <HI>moral &s;en&s;e</HI> is it clear, as to what does mo&s;t e&s;&s;entially relate to a <HI>Nation,</HI> or <HI>Kingdomes</HI> being the <HI>Lords.</HI> For it's &s;ure <HI>the&s;e</HI> 3 <HI>Nations</HI> are this day, under a higher di&s;pen&s;ation of grace, have a greater ex|tent of their <HI>Priviledges,</HI> and &s;tated under more &s;ingular engagements, now under the <HI>Me&s;&s;ia's
<PB N="174" REF="100">Reign,</HI> then ever <HI>I&s;ra&euml;l</HI> was: and it is in this &s;en&s;e, that the <HI>Laws of the Kingdom of Chri&s;t</HI> are <HI>Royal Statuts,</HI> and <HI>Laws James</HI> 2: 8. &s;uitable to the &s;tate, and dignity of &s;o great a <HI>King,</HI> and <HI>Lawgiver,</HI> who&s;e authority will not be baffled, and hath a higher power, then that of Angels, or Men, to take account of their ob&s;ervance, where|in is &s;ettled ane <HI>obligation</HI> on the <HI>&s;ouls,</HI> and <HI>con|&s;cience</HI> of men, without exception of per&s;ons herein; in which our <HI>life</HI> as <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> and the <HI>&s;tanding, and &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">fety of Nations</HI> in a <HI>publick &s;tate</HI> does unavoidably ly; but the&s;e are <HI>Laws,</HI> &amp; <HI>Ordi|nances</HI> of &s;uch a kind, as they can not po&s;&s;ible be ob&s;erv'd, and not loved, nor have any true regard among&s;t men, without <HI>internal motives</HI> make way thereto: and what a &s;ad account may this be, that <HI>the&s;e Kingdomes,</HI> who were once &s;o en|tirely &s;ubjected to <HI>Antichrist</HI> under the darkne&s;s of that di&s;mal <HI>Reign,</HI> and did <HI>give their power,</HI> to uphold that intere&s;t, with &s;uch ane unite con|&s;ent, yea did &s;o re&s;olutely give implicit obedience to his <HI>Decrees,</HI> and <HI>Cannons;</HI> now under the <HI>brightne&s;s of the light of the Gho&s;pel,</HI> comes not up to any &s;uch regard to the <HI>Authority of the Lord Je&s;us,</HI> and to the&s;e <HI>Laws,</HI> which he hath e&s;ta|bli&s;h'd, tho with the greate&s;t endearments of <HI>love</HI> commended to his Church: there hath been great <HI>&s;tumblings</HI> at the <HI>Providences of the times past,</HI> and what it &s;hould mean that this <HI>last age,</HI> with &s;uch a differencing mark &s;hould be call'd the
<PB N="175" REF="100"><HI>Iron age;</HI> that thus the Holy God hath in &s;o unu|&s;ual a manner made u&s;e of a <HI>rod of Iron, in the&s;e We&s;tern Parts,</HI> where the <HI>Reformed Religion</HI> is mo&s;t profe&s;&s;ed; but it &s;hould be no dark <HI>riddle,</HI> when the oppo&s;itions there, to the <HI>Kingdom of his dear Son,</HI> hath been at &s;uch a height, that if we could <HI>wi&s;ely di&s;cern the Work of the Lord,</HI> &s;ince the <HI>first ri&s;e of the civil Wars of Britain,</HI> we might clearly &s;ee how this was the <HI>Signal given,</HI> that he was then <HI>gone forth,</HI> and on <HI>the way,</HI> to take ac|count of <HI>Nations,</HI> as well as <HI>Per&s;ons,</HI> that would oppo&s;e his intere&s;t.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is &s;ure this can not be que&s;tioned al&s;o, to be one of <HI>the great things of God,</HI> which is <HI>alone &s;a|cred to him,</HI> what concerns the <HI>publick rights,</HI> and <HI>freedome of the &s;piritual Kingdom of our Lord Je|&s;us Christ,</HI> as a <HI>vi&s;ible politick body,</HI> with the highe&s;t re&s;pect to his <HI>Royal Authority,</HI> who is the <HI>alone Head,</HI> and <HI>Lawgiver</HI> thereto. It is known that he hath given ane expre&s;s <HI>Charter</HI> for the &s;ame to his <HI>Church</HI> under the New Te&s;tament, according to which the due <HI>limits,</HI> and <HI>bounds of that &s;piritual Jurisdiction,</HI> which he hath &s;ettled there, and the full extent hereof &s;ould be both keep'd clear, and clo&s;ely adhered to, as ane <HI>In|terest of the Lord Je&s;us,</HI> which is <HI>as the apple of his eye,</HI> he hath join'd al&s;o the&s;e <HI>two great Inter|e&s;ts of the Civil,</HI> and <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;tick Power,</HI> in &s;o en|tire a harmony, that tho they are to be ever keep'd <HI>di&s;tinct,</HI> yet are not to be <HI>divided</HI> from other, but
<PB N="176" REF="101">to move jointly in &s;uch a ble&s;&s;ed, and de&s;irable Union, as may mo&s;t &s;erve the great ends of the Kingdome of Chri&s;t, and the publick good of humane Society: and now when this great pro|mi&s;e of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> entring in a more con&s;picious manner on the <HI>Glory of his Reign, is come to the birth,</HI> and begun to bring forth, which is that <HI>period,</HI> where to, it may be &s;aid, hath been re|&s;erved the <HI>perfections of the Churches</HI> vi&s;ible &s;tate here on the earth, how highy de&s;irable should it be to be found a&s;&s;i&s;tant thereto in &s;uch a day; but oh is it po&s;&s;ible, that the&s;e who have &s;uch rai&s;ed hopes of an <HI>eternal Crown,</HI> and <HI>Kingdome in Heaven,</HI> can have &s;o low de&s;ires, or de&s;igns, how to be &s;erviceable to the Kingdome of Chri&s;t here in the <HI>earth,</HI> yea when none can want an inter|e&s;t and room in this &s;ervice, where it hath once a weight and value on their heart: but yet it maybe a matter of hope this day, that the&s;e who by &s;o &s;in|gular an appearance of God, hath now the <HI>Sove|raign Power, and Authority in the&s;e Nations, are no le&s;s eminently fitted to appear for him herein, then they are &s;tated under the highest engagements for &s;uch ane end.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. It is &s;urely one of the <HI>things of God,</HI> and an intere&s;t which is <HI>purely &s;acred to him,</HI> wherein the &s;preading of <HI>his Kingdome</HI> in the World, is mo&s;t nearly concerned; which lyes in a <HI>&s;erious and faithful Mini&s;try to the Church,</HI> and is of that concern, as it may be ju&s;tly called, <HI>Indicium
<PB N="177" REF="101">&s;tantis &amp; cadentis Eccle&s;iae;</HI> for this is one of the highe&s;t <HI>Ordinances of Christ</HI> given to the Church, and that <HI>way</HI> which he hath him&s;elf con&s;ecrated for the inbringing and perfeiting of the <HI>Elect;</HI> by which &s;o great effects are wrought in the World, where ever there is a divine mi&s;&s;ion for the &s;ame to any part thereof, &amp; the Church is in a building up there; ane <HI>Ordinance</HI> by which mo&s;t vi&s;ible efficacy &amp; &s;upernatural influences are conveyed in a <HI>moral way</HI> under the ble&s;&s;ing of that <HI>iu&s;titution:</HI> but on the other hand nothing is more threatning to a <HI>Nation,</HI> as to the falling down of &s;ome di&s;mal night of judgement, then the <HI>corruption</HI> and <HI>de|bae&s;ing</HI> of that which in it's own nature is &s;o <HI>ex|cellent,</HI> where things that are more extrin&s;ick and of a humane concern, are &s;o much looked after, but that which is Gods part in the great in|tent of this erection is of &s;o low regard; that if ane Inquiry were made through a <HI>great part of Britain,</HI> they &s;hould find the dark places of the earth there &s;til amid&s;t &s;o bright a <HI>day of the Gho&s;pel</HI> as is now &s;hining, &amp; what a <HI>multitude</HI> is thus peri|&s;hing thorow want of knowledge whil&s;t it &s;eems &s;o litle de&s;ired or de&s;igned, to have &s;uch a <HI>Mini&s;try,</HI> who&s;e highe&s;t &s;tudy should be upon the great <HI>In|tent of Chri&s;tianity,</HI> <Q REND="inline">to bring men to <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> not to <HI>them&s;elves,</HI> and to allure and per&s;wade their coming under his ble&s;t dominion and yoake; to pre&s;s internal renovation of the heart and a ne|ce&s;&s;ity hereof, with that &s;eriou&s;nes as might take
<PB N="178" REF="102">hold on their con&s;cience, and let them &s;ee there can be nothing more highly irrational then to &s;i&s;t in ane exterior profe&s;&s;ion and form of Re|ligion, and not prove once upon their own tryall the truth hereof in its power and effica|cy, and whither it hath not a vital part which lyes in ane inward life of Communion with God;</Q> for as this alone is &s;uch a <HI>Mini&s;try</HI> that should be the ble&s;&s;ing of a <HI>Nation,</HI> and <HI>Kingdom,</HI> &s;o in re&s;pect of this, to be of &s;uch a <HI>di&s;tinguishing Profe&s;&s;ion</HI> tho in its &s;elf mo&s;t agreable to the truth, should be of no regard where this is wan|ting, as a te&s;t for &s;o <HI>&s;acred ane Office.</HI> It is, I hope, unque&s;tionable, that the <HI>trust of the &s;ouls of men</HI> is greater, then any temporal concerns of a <HI>Kingdom, or State,</HI> and how this <HI>Ordinance</HI> is that which hath the mo&s;t peculiar influence to <HI>prepare the way of the Lord,</HI> in this day for that ble&s;&s;ed and near approaching time, of his more <HI>con&s;picous Reign on the earth</HI> in the <HI>Glory thereof,</HI> I ab&s;tract here from any thing <HI>controver&s;al</HI> as things are &s;tated in the pre&s;ent day, only as to what I hope, there may be ane unite agree|ment in by all, who have a deep &s;ence on their &s;pirits, of the <HI>blood</HI> and <HI>perishing of immortal &s;ouls</HI> this way, and a &s;erious re&s;pect to that <HI>Ca|tholick</HI> Intere&s;t of the Kingdom of Chri&s;t am|ong&s;t men. I know it was never a harder part then in this age to <HI>&s;temm &s;uch a tide</HI> as &s;eems ye<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> on the growing hand, of <HI>prejudice</HI> again&s;t the way
<PB N="179" REF="102">of truth, when &s;o many are in the dark, tearing one another, and counting it de&s;irable to have where at they may offend and &s;tumble, whil&s;t that &s;tudy is not more followed to prevent, &s;o far as is po&s;&s;ible, mens taking of <HI>offence,</HI> even where it is not given, according that of the Apo&s;tle who is <HI>offended and I burn not:</HI> the <HI>exce&s;s of di&s;puting in this age</HI> hath been a peece of our judgement, and the managing thereof &s;o little to that end of edifi|cation; but the <HI>defect</HI> may be no le&s;s evident on the other hand for the &s;uitable improvements of <HI>Chri&s;tian prudence,</HI> as a <HI>duty</HI> and &s;ervice to God &s;o ab&s;olutely nece&s;&s;ar for the <HI>regulating of duties,</HI> according to the <HI>circum&s;tances of the Churches ca&s;e,</HI> and what the pre&s;ent day can <HI>bear</HI> without coolne&s;s or indifference in any concern of truth, which is that part of our <HI>Religion,</HI> that hath been too little improven.</P>
<P>We are indeed ble&s;&s;ed with an <HI>unchangeable rule of Sacred Truth,</HI> which hath no dependence on humane Coun&s;els or Power, to change or alter the &s;ame, or on the mutable revolutions of time, and can never vary from its &s;elf, yet is the ten|derne&s;s and wi&s;dom of divine Conde&s;cendence, in the <HI>application</HI> thereof, to be &s;o far regarded, as on of the mo&s;t weighty parts of <HI>Religion,</HI> lyes therein, how <HI>pre&s;ent duties</HI> may be with a <HI>judi|cious di&s;cretion,</HI> directed to that great end of <HI>edi|fication,</HI> &s;ince that which may be nece&s;&s;are in one ca&s;e, as it is cloathed, with other <HI>circum&s;tances,</HI>
<PB N="180" REF="103">may be <HI>hurtful,</HI> and <HI>de&s;tructive.</HI> This is one of the mo&s;t difficult <HI>parts,</HI> that &s;uch, hath allotted to them in the <HI>times</HI> we are fal'n in, who would &s;tand in &s;uch a <HI>gape, &amp; breach,</HI> where oppo&s;itions now thereto are &s;o &s;trong; and it may &s;eem almo&s;t hopele&s;s to crave ju&s;tice <HI>in</HI> behalf of the <HI>truth,</HI> at the <HI>bar of mens con&s;cience,</HI> when a <HI>latitude on principles,</HI> hath come to &s;uch a height, as the <HI>authority of light,</HI> is without fear controlled: yet on the other hand it may be feared, that the an&s;wering of that <HI>Command of the Holy Ghost</HI> is not &s;uitably taken to heart, &amp; the great con&s;equence thereof, which is to <HI>walk in wi&s;dom, towards the&s;e who are without,</HI> tho not being in that <HI>Sence, with|out the Church,</HI> yet as no le&s;s &s;tated in a vi&s;ible en|mity to the truth, which is according to <HI>Godli|ne&s;s,</HI> then &s;uch could be: there hath been much &s;erious &s;tudy, and de&s;igns by the <HI>Servants of Christ in this age to promot his Kingdom in Britain and Ireland,</HI> and there are yet there eminently fitted for &s;o difficult a &s;ervice, how to gain and prevail with the furthe&s;t mea&s;ures of prudence and judgement, upon the mo&s;t ob&s;tinatly pre|judged as any in this day, there hath been al&s;o of late a &s;ingular improvement made and ble&s;t, for a more unite contending for the <HI>Faith once deli|vered to the Saints</HI> in &s;o hazardous a time: but it is &s;ure there is yet &s;ome further length and e&s;&s;ay called for, upon this great &s;ervice, for the Kingdom of Chri&s;t, in taking off letts and &s;tum|bling
<PB N="181" REF="103">bloks out of their way, who may be upon a &s;ad <HI>precipice</HI> of breaking, and further alienation from the truth, and for &s;ome more full clearing of the &s;ame, from the&s;e de&s;igned <HI>reflections</HI> ca&s;t thereon, in &s;uch a way, as <HI>convictions</HI> might thus in&s;en&s;ibly prevail, and gain ground with the greate&s;t <HI>Gain&s;ayers;</HI> whil&s;t we know little what de&s;ign grace may in this day have on &s;uch, and as the furthe&s;t regard &s;hould be kept to light, upon any <HI>controverted truth,</HI> without lo&s;ing ground herein, yet &s;hould I judge it a door of hope to &s;ee the&s;e who are unite in the great con|cerns of <HI>Truth and Godline&s;s,</HI> once meet in a more joint concurrence in behalf of the&s;e great things of God, which are not <HI>controverted,</HI> when the face of this <HI>Generation,</HI> is &s;o threatning as to a further revolt from the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> both in the <HI>purene&s;s,</HI> and <HI>power</HI> thereof. This is to be a <HI>work by its &s;elf,</HI> which as it's of the highe&s;t <HI>pu|blick concern,</HI> &s;o does it require a more then or|dinare mea&s;ure of <HI>Judiciou&s;nes</HI> in following the &s;ame. My Unfitnes to &s;peak on &s;uch a <HI>Subject,</HI> should have re&s;trained me herein, were it not to witne&s;s &s;omething of a <HI>&s;erious de&s;ire,</HI> under which my &s;oul is pre&s;t, for &s;uch ane end, when the ha|zard of the perishing of &s;o many who hath ane <HI>E|ternal State</HI> before them is &s;o vi&s;ible this day, and yet no further tryall made to gain and reco|ver, according to that <HI>rule, and practice of the Apo&s;tle I was all things to all, that I might gain
<PB N="182" REF="104">&s;ome.</HI> Others can more fitly judge, as to the &s;ui|table managing of &s;uch a &s;ervice, and how to fall in on the <HI>right lith of duty</HI> herein, only <HI>&s;omethings,</HI> I should wish were more de&s;igned, for taking off <HI>prejudices,</HI> and to breake thus one of the greate&s;t <HI>Engines of Satan</HI> this day, again&s;t the intere&s;t of the <HI>Gho&s;pel.</HI> 1. In coming a greater length by the&s;e who are of a &s;erious &s;pirit, to <HI>Sacrifice pri|vate re&s;entments, to that publick Interest of the Truth,</HI> upon conceived <HI>Injuries,</HI> when its &s;o e|vident what ane influence <HI>per&s;onal prejudice</HI> this day hath to keep up di&s;tance, to highten diffe|rences, and cau&s;e further e&s;trangement on &s;uch an account, from any fervent appearance for God; and this is &s;urely one of the mo&s;t honou|rable parts of a Chri&s;tians work, how far he might overcome the di&s;tempers of others by humility, tenderne&s;s, and love, and walk in &s;uch a coun|termotion to the &s;pirit and temper of this day. 2. It is a &s;ervice this day much cals for, to have <HI>&s;tum|blings</HI> more prevented again&s;t the&s;e unque&s;tio|nable &s;ettled admini&s;trations of the <HI>Government of Christ in his Church,</HI> &s;o as the way and manner of his <HI>Spiritual Kingdom</HI> might be rightly under|&s;tood; the proper <HI>object</HI> whereof is the <HI>&s;oul and in|ward man,</HI> and it's great de&s;ign to <HI>re&s;tore &amp; edify;</HI> which is in &s;uch a way, that where it's truly an|&s;wered, nothing can be more tender and healing and to attract any of a &s;erious &s;pirit to join in here|with; for it is a &s;ad mea&s;ure that the truth should
<PB N="183" REF="104">&s;ufler, from the <HI>weaknes</HI> or <HI>exorbitancies</HI> of any. It was &s;uitable for the Chri&s;tian Church in the <HI>primitive times</HI> to plead that from <HI>Heathens,</HI> that the <HI>offence,</HI> and <HI>practices</HI> of none should be char|ged upon the <HI>rule of their Profe&s;&s;ion.</HI> 3. It were de&s;irable al&s;o that further conviction might he &s;erved on the&s;e who are prone to &s;tumble, how in the promoting of truth, and Godline&s;s there is no per&s;uing any <HI>divided interest of a party,</HI> and that if &s;uch would once try and &s;ee, they can then judge, where the mo&s;t <HI>comprehen&s;ive in|terest</HI> within time lyes, which all are jointly con|cern'd to promote, who hath any de&s;ign on the Chri&s;tian Profe&s;&s;ion for <HI>eternal things.</HI> 4. I shall but <HI>add</HI> this more, what ane advantage should it be for the <HI>truth,</HI> and to conciliate a greater re|&s;pect thereto, that all might &s;ee how &s;weet a <HI>Contemperature and Harmony</HI> there is betwixt <HI>pure zeal for God,</HI> which is according to <HI>know|ledge,</HI> and the furthe&s;t <HI>prudence</HI> and <HI>tenderne&s;s towards men,</HI> and how the <HI>rule and &s;pirit of the Gho&s;pel</HI> can admit of no <HI>bitterne&s;s, wrath,</HI> or <HI>re|crimination,</HI> which are &s;o abounding this day in the Church, in per&s;uing of <HI>differences</HI> upon any concern of the truth; for herein doth the <HI>glory,</HI> and <HI>honor of our ble&s;&s;ed Head</HI> more eminently ap|pear in &s;ecuring the <HI>concord,</HI> and <HI>unity of his Church,</HI> under a <HI>diver&s;ity of light,</HI> and <HI>judge|ment,</HI> in &s;ome le&s;&s;er differences about the truth by a <HI>&s;pirit of love,</HI> and by its <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>efficacy</HI>
<PB N="184" REF="105">upon mens heart, in &s;ubdueing the di&s;tempers of their <HI>mind,</HI> then by impo&s;ing the mo&s;t <HI>&s;evere and ab&s;olute uniformity</HI> in all things to be the mea&s;ure of <HI>Church Communion;</HI> and it is ever found how this hath been, mo&s;t ea&s;y, and practicable, a|mong &s;uch who hath made the highe&s;t advance in the <HI>life,</HI> and <HI>power of Chri&s;tianity</HI> then any el&s;e, &s;ince the nearer the <HI>lines,</HI> are to the <HI>Center,</HI> the <HI>nearer</HI> al&s;o, are they among <HI>them&s;elves;</HI> and I mu&s;t <HI>add</HI> herewith, that it may be little known what <HI>convictive power,</HI> might follow in a <HI>time</HI> of &s;uch high di&s;tempers as this, on a &s;uitable appli|cation of that <HI>wi&s;dom, which dwells with pru|dence, and comes from above, according to the rule,</HI> given for the &s;ame <HI>James</HI> 3: 17. to make a higher intere&s;t for the Kingdom of Chri&s;t, and to the &s;aving of the &s;ouls of many, then now in an ordinare way, would &s;eeme po&s;&s;ible.</P>
<P N="4">4. As the furthe&s;t <HI>tenderne&s;s,</HI> and <HI>prudence,</HI> is called for, to <HI>prepare the way of the Lord,</HI> for a further advance of his <HI>Kingdom,</HI> in taking out of the &s;ame &s;o far as is po&s;&s;ible the&s;e lets, and &s;tum|bling blocks, where the greate&s;t hazard may be of offence; &s;o should it be much preparatory al&s;o for a <HI>higher &s;ervice,</HI> &amp; a more unite appearing for God herein, and to &s;tand in the mo&s;t hazardous part of the <HI>breach</HI> of this day in behalf of that great in|tere&s;t of our Religion, which is upon <HI>the Authority of God in his truth, and Te&s;timony, as the alone ground, on which the ultimate re&s;olution of our
<PB N="185" REF="105">Faith</HI> mu&s;t found; &s;ince this is the very &s;ame <HI>in|convertible terms,</HI> to give to the <HI>Divine Ma|jesty the Glory of his Godhead,</HI> and that tribute, which is mo&s;t inviolably &s;acred, and e&s;&s;ential to him, it would &s;eem almo&s;t <HI>incredible,</HI> that &s;uch ane <HI>hour of the power of darkne&s;s</HI> should fall in with the growing light of the Gho&s;pel, as the &s;trange prevalence of a <HI>way,</HI> which is to <HI>commen|&s;urat the perfections of God,</HI> and the greate&s;t <HI>my|&s;teries</HI> of his truth, to our under&s;tanding, and to make <HI>humane rea&s;on,</HI> tho <HI>corrupt, finite,</HI> and <HI>limited,</HI> to be the alone Judge, and mea&s;ure of our <HI>Faith</HI> of divine things, when the highe&s;t principle of rea&s;on, which is <HI>prima veritas,</HI> with|out which <HI>rea&s;on</HI> hath no <HI>principle</HI> to re&s;ton, &amp; no <HI>Standard</HI> el&s;e, is this, that where the <HI>God of Truth is the Revealer,</HI> and that it's &s;ure it is his <HI>Testimony,</HI> it mu&s;t then be as <HI>infallibly true,</HI> as it is <HI>&s;ure he is God,</HI> &s;ince it is &s;imply impo&s;&s;ible, to find ever another <HI>foundation of truth,</HI> and <HI>cer|tainty</HI> but this. We are fal'n in times of great expectation as to a near approach of the highe&s;t <HI>Glory of Chri&s;t's Mediatory Kingdom</HI> on the earth, and it would &s;eem a &s;trange <HI>prelude</HI> there|to, that &s;o black a darkne&s;s should fall down, with &s;o a&s;tonishing ane encrea&s;e thereof, as tends not only to <HI>eclips</HI> the &s;ame, but to deny him his <HI>e&s;|&s;ential Kingdom,</HI> who is the <HI>only begotten of the Fa|ther,</HI> and <HI>brightne&s;s of his Glory;</HI> yet I am &s;ure it is a <HI>&s;ign</HI> of that kind, as the <HI>morning darkne&s;s,</HI> which is
<PB N="186" REF="106">the darker the nearer it is to the day. It is indeed here, we may &s;ee ane oppo&s;ition to the Maje&s;ty of God, in &s;uch terms, that we might reckon humane nature could not be capable of, and be ju&s;t matter of horror to a natural con&s;cience, to &s;ee &s;o numerous a party, who claims to be Ado|rers of <HI>rea&s;on</HI> turn'd &s;o vi&s;ibly madd on their <HI>own de&s;truction.</HI> I know the furthe&s;t improvements this way; by <HI>rational Inquiry</HI> and <HI>Tryal,</HI> hath a greater Intere&s;t in Religion, and for &s;trenth|ning of our Faith therein, then may be &s;uitably apprehended; but it is &s;ure the <HI>ultimate Inquiry</HI> herein can po&s;&s;ibly go no further in the u&s;e of rea|&s;on, but that what we beleeve is the undoubted <HI>Revelation of God him&s;elf unto men,</HI> &amp; can we de|&s;ire more when this is &s;ure, for a full quiet, and acquie&s;cence of the &s;oul, tho it &s;eem wonderful in it &s;elf, and exceed our dark, and limited thoughts, when it is impo&s;&s;ible for him, who is <HI>truth it &s;elf,</HI> to lie, who&s;e word is &s;uch, <HI>cui non potest &s;ube&s;&s;e fal&s;um;</HI> as it is no le&s;s &s;ure that he who is in finitly good, can not deceive, or put ane impo&s;ture in &s;tead of truth in their hand, who tru&s;t him; <HI>di|vine truth</HI> is the fir&s;t ground&s;tone of our happi|ne&s;s, but is not conceivable by the <HI>light of nature,</HI> to beleeve his being <HI>truly God,</HI> and not the truth al&s;o of his <HI>promi&s;es,</HI> which ever conform not on|ly to the <HI>things &s;ignified,</HI> but to his <HI>intent</HI> therein, who can never <HI>delude,</HI> or <HI>deceive.</HI> But whil&s;t I have been put to &s;ome thoughts with ama&s;e|ment
<PB N="187" REF="106">on ane appearance of <HI>&s;uch a kind again&s;t God</HI> this day among&s;t <HI>men,</HI> not only within <HI>Christen|dom,</HI> but by &s;uch as once layd claim, to the <HI>Prote&s;tant Profe&s;&s;ion;</HI> &s;ome <HI>Reflections</HI> tended to give more clearne&s;s, and &s;ettlement, to my own &s;pirit herein, which I &s;hall but in a few words mention, 1. that when the darkne&s;s of ane <HI>implicite Faith,</HI> and relyance on men under <HI>Popery</HI> hath been &s;o &s;ore bafled, &amp; turn'd out of credit in &s;uch an inqui&s;itive World as this, loe <HI>Satan</HI> hath taken him&s;elf to the <HI>very contrare airth,</HI> and knew how to fall in with the temper of a <HI>brisk, bold,</HI> and <HI>daring age,</HI> that he might &s;ettle a <HI>new</HI> oppo&s;ition again&s;t God, and the intere&s;t of his <HI>Kingdom,</HI> wherein he hath unite, and fixed his greate&s;t &s;trenth, &s;o that &s;ince he was ca&s;t down from his <HI>Throne</HI> by the Power of the Gho&s;pel, he hath not had a greater <HI>Triumph,</HI> then in this attempt, how to bring man upon it, and &s;ett humane rea|&s;on at once both again&s;t <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>it &s;elf,</HI> in &s;uch a manner, as to be it's own <HI>Executioner,</HI> and in &s;ubjecting the highe&s;t my&s;teries of truth to it's comprehen&s;ion to make it not only equal to God, but give it a preference to him, who is the alone former thereof, which I mu&s;t reckon to be the nea|re&s;t approach that <HI>humane nature</HI> yet ever made to that <HI>&s;in,</HI> by which the <HI>Angels did first fall,</HI> and that it it is the <HI>ma&s;ter peece</HI> of that <HI>Prince of dark|ne&s;s,</HI> and his <HI>ultimus conatus</HI> again&s;t the truth, who knows his <HI>time is short:</HI> 2: It may be with
<PB N="188" REF="107">a&s;tonishment, di&s;cernable under what a &s;troak<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;uch are as not to &s;ee, whither this way hath led them, and how far the Holy God, hath thus confounded their <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> as vi&s;ibly, as once the&s;e were in their <HI>Language,</HI> who would at|tempt to <HI>build a tower up unto Heaven,</HI> when this way, left to ane ab&s;olute uncertainty, ever to fix their <HI>Faith,</HI> the <HI>Standard,</HI> and mea&s;ure whereof, mu&s;t be the <HI>comprehen&s;ion of rea&s;on,</HI> which hath no firm or infallible ground to &s;ettle on be&s;ides it &s;elf, and whil&s;t they cannot make the <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> and <HI>judgement</HI> of others, as con&s;iderate, and kno|wing as them&s;elf, meet with theirs, the re&s;ult thereof is to put a judicial madne&s;s in the room of <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> &s;o as to conceive a <HI>created,</HI> &amp; <HI>dependent God</HI> to give divin ehomage to, and that at once he &s;hould be both a <HI>God,</HI> and a <HI>Creature,</HI> and adore a <HI>comprehen&s;ible Object</HI> with <HI>divine Worship,</HI> yea this way without a contradiction to them&s;elf they can give no faith to the <HI>Creation</HI> as being brought purely out of nothing, or to the <HI>Re&s;urrection</HI> of the dead, as wholly incomprehen&s;ible to <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> they mu&s;t deride <HI>I&s;ra&euml;ls Pa&s;&s;age</HI> thorow the <HI>Red Sea,</HI> or the <HI>Suns &s;tanding &s;till</HI> on <HI>Jo&s;ua's</HI> call to verifie that <Q REND="inline"><HI>Rom.</HI> 1:21, becau&s;e that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but profe&s;|&s;ing them&s;elves to be wi&s;e, they became fools, thence is &s;uch ane ama&s;ing &s;troke thus inflicted on their rea&s;on,</Q> for it may be &s;aid as in the Po&euml;|tick Fiction of <HI>Pha&euml;ton,</HI> that when he &s;ought to
<PB N="189" REF="107">guide the <HI>Chariot of the Sun,</HI> for a time, he was like to burn the earth, until he was &s;truck with a <HI>thunderbolt</HI> from Heaven; &s;o hath this party tryed how to manadge <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> as the &s;upream Directour, and Judge upon all that is &s;acred, as they have gone near to de&s;troy both <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> and <HI>Religion</HI> at once, but tho the &s;tronge&s;t rational Arguments, with &s;uch &s;eem to bear no weight, I doubt not ere long of &s;uch a vi&s;ible demon&s;tra|tion of the Divinity of our ever <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed Redeemer,</HI> which he &s;hall give before the World, that he may be known to be <HI>God,</HI> as will for ever end this <HI>Controver&s;y.</HI> There is a con&s;traint on the <HI>Elect Angels,</HI> to admire what they cannot com|prehend of the <HI>Mystery</HI> of the Gho&s;pel, and that incomprehen&s;ible love of God to fallen man, but oh what a return, and recompence does <HI>engaged mankind,</HI> give to him who <HI>counted it no robbery to be equal to God,</HI> yet to become <HI>man</HI> for our &s;ake, that in the face of the greate&s;t brightne&s;s of light, does bear &s;uch enmity to his <HI>Godhead,</HI> as the <HI>eye of rea&s;on</HI> mu&s;t be put out to &s;erve this end, and when &s;uch a <HI>light</HI> is turned into <HI>darkne&s;s, how great is that darkne&s;s!</HI> I have thought to the furthe&s;t to know, where the &s;trength of &s;uch a <HI>Profe&s;&s;ion</HI> could po&s;&s;ibly ly, this being &s;o great a <HI>Head,</HI> whereon the <HI>truth,</HI> or <HI>nullity of the Chri|&s;tian Faith</HI> is &s;o vi&s;ibly &s;tated; and I dur&s;t appeal their <HI>rea&s;on</HI> and <HI>con&s;cience</HI> if a re&s;olute aver&s;ion, to the <HI>Per&s;on</HI> of our <HI>Redeemer,</HI> in the union of
<PB N="190" REF="108">the divine, and humane nature, and to the <HI>pu|renes,</HI> and <HI>&s;anctifying vertue</HI> of the <HI>Gho&s;pel,</HI> ly not more in the <HI>will,</HI> then their <HI>judgment,</HI> and be not the leading principle of this &s;trange Con|trover&s;y. For the true <HI>Interest of rea&s;on,</HI> in <HI>Re|ligion,</HI> I may &s;ay, it hath been one of the <HI>great &s;tudies of my life,</HI> to improve the &s;ame, for a &s;olid, and judicious e&s;tablishment in the Faith of the Gho&s;pel (which I should &s;till commend with the greate&s;t re&s;pect to any of a &s;erious &s;pirit) but herewith I could po&s;&s;ibly go no further with|out giving up with all u&s;e of <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> or give a higher preheminence thereto, then in a full <HI>evi|dence,</HI> that what we are called to believe is of <HI>di|vine Revelation;</HI> nor can de&s;ire more to warrant a <HI>hope</HI> and <HI>confidence,</HI> tho <HI>against hope,</HI> as to all rational grounds, but that it &s;urely hath a <HI>divine promi&s;e</HI> to lean on. It might be judged, <HI>Sathan</HI> needed no humane a&s;&s;i&s;tance to the&s;e <HI>fiery darts,</HI> which are &s;o u&s;ually thrown at the choi&s;e&s;t Chri|&s;tians, to shake their <HI>faith</HI> on this head, but it i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> not at an ordinare rate, that its great <HI>Author</HI> hath de&s;igned the <HI>tryall</HI> thereof. 3. There is one <HI>Reflection</HI> further hath affected my &s;pirit upon this <HI>Controver&s;y,</HI> as to the <HI>juncture of time,</HI> when it is become now &s;o contagious and prevalent, whil&s;t we are to <HI>pray, wait,</HI> and <HI>hope</HI> with a&s;&s;urance for the renting of the <HI>vail</HI> yet off many dark pla|ces in the earth, to make way for that <HI>higher Glo|ry of Chri&s;ts Reign</HI> thereon, which shall be to the
<PB N="191" REF="108"><HI>gentile Church as life from the dead;</HI> yea when it is drawing &s;o near to that great Revolution of Pro|vidence, when <HI>Shem,</HI> and <HI>Japhet</HI> shall yet again meet in the &s;ame <HI>Tents;</HI> how &s;o &s;trong a con&s;pi|racy is on foot to oppo&s;e the &s;ame, and to shut any door whither for <HI>Jews</HI> or <HI>Pagans,</HI> to enter at upon the Chri&s;tian Faith, but where they find &s;o venerable a thing, as <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> &s;tanding in their way to tell them, that the mo&s;t <HI>e&s;&s;ential part of Chri&s;tianity</HI> is incompatible therewith, &amp; that they mu&s;t &s;ubject them&s;elves to the authority of <HI>humane Iudgment,</HI> and not to <HI>God,</HI> if they de&s;ign to be <HI>Chri&s;tians.</HI> It is a <HI>famous pa&s;&s;age,</HI> I mu&s;t relate here of that great <HI>Jewish Council,</HI> held in <HI>Octob.</HI> 1650. in the plain of <HI>Ageda,</HI> 30 leagues from <HI>Buda</HI> in <HI>Hungary,</HI> <Q REND="inline">to &s;earch the Scripture concerning the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> and the truth of the New Te&s;tament, where after &s;even dayes de|bate about the &s;ame, and not a few Arguments offered from their continued de&s;olation and captivity &s;ince the time of Chri&s;t; &s;ome Popish Deputies at la&s;t were admit, who in &s;tead of promoting the Chri&s;tian Faith, pre&s;&s;ed them to believe the Wor&s;hip of the Saints depar|ted, and of the Virgin <HI>Mary,</HI> upon which that great A&s;&s;embly broke up in a tumult, crying no Chri&s;t, no Images, no Woman God, and ca&s;t du&s;t on their heads, upon &s;o irrational a Bla&s;phemy: It is true, &s;ome of the Rabbies then, did much de&s;ire Prote&s;tant Divines to
<PB N="192" REF="109">have met with them, but that the Pope and Emperor had joined to shut them wholly out, tho thou&s;ands of Strangers were then pre&s;ent at a meeting of &s;o great expectation, of the Jews coming in to the Chri&s;tian Faith;</Q> but I mention it for this end, what a cry would that have made, if they had been told of a crea|ted and dependent God, &amp; to &s;ubject them&s;el|ves here to the greate&s;t contradictions to Rea&s;on.</P>
<P N="5">5. I shall now in the clo&s;e but <HI>add</HI> this further, what should be &s;peciall expected upon the grow|ing &s;tate of <HI>Christs vi&s;ible Kingdom in the World,</HI> that as the&s;e Fogs &amp; Mi&s;ts which have been rai&s;ed upon the <HI>authority of his truth,</HI> will be then quikly di&s;pelled, &s;o is there a <HI>higher Tribute</HI> to be given into him of <HI>the Glory of his Works, and the Out|goings of his Providence about the Church</HI> in the&s;e <HI>last times.</HI> I know, the work and bu&s;ines of this day lyes not here, or in de&s;igns of that nature, but it were well if much of that which makes the greate&s;t noi&s;e this day in the way of <HI>Re|ligion,</HI> had its room filled with &s;o choi&s;e a <HI>&s;tudy</HI> as this is, tho it is indeed one of the peculiar en|dowments of the Spirit of God, given to &s;ome more eminently then others, to be <HI>skilled</HI> in the <HI>Methods and Deeps of Providence,</HI> and to under|&s;tand aright how the <HI>Work of God</HI> lyes towards the <HI>Church;</HI> and his de&s;igns therein, according to the&s;e di&s;coveries given of the &s;ame in his Word, and what <HI>watch of the night</HI> we are now
<PB N="193" REF="109">under; but on this <HI>Head,</HI> I &s;hall &s;peak to a few <HI>grounds,</HI> whereon this <HI>Tribute to the declarative Glory of God, from his great Works of Provi|dence about his Church,</HI> will in another manner be rendred to him then heretofore.</P>
<P N="1">I. Becau&s;e it is &s;urely in this way of his <HI>great and extraordinar Works,</HI> that the Lord does de&s;ign a more eminent di&s;covery of him&s;elf, then in all the&s;e times that are hitherto pa&s;t, and will thus enter his Church on that <HI>brightne&s;s and &s;plen|dor of his &s;econd coming,</HI> which belongs to the <HI>last ages;</HI> when his going forth in the greatne&s;s of his &s;trength will be with that evidence, as shall &s;ea&s;e the World with fear and a&s;tonishment; and when he is in another manner to glorify him|&s;elf in his People, then was formerly in the&s;e <HI>&s;uf|fering times,</HI> which are now <HI>past,</HI> wherein his Glory was to shine forth in the eminency of the <HI>pa&s;&s;ive graces of his &s;pirit;</HI> for now is the <HI>My&s;tery of God,</HI> in what yet remains thereof to be fini|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hed, in another way to take place, as shall call the Generation that's coming up to &s;uch an <HI>ob&s;er|ving and admiring Work</HI> of the great Acts of God, that may need a more then ordinare mea&s;ure of grace to an&s;wer the &s;ame: but we mu&s;t look for <HI>great things of Judgment,</HI> coming on, to be ac|complished, as well as of <HI>mercy,</HI> the <HI>Vyalls of divine Wrath, and last Plagues,</HI> are but in part <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">oured out, wherein the appearance of God will <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e with much terror to the World, and that la&s;t
<PB N="194" REF="110">Triumph of his Ju&s;tice within time, will not be of ane ordinare kind; we are to expect great <HI>sha|kings of the Nations,</HI> and times of <HI>breaking down,</HI> as well as of <HI>building up,</HI> which are yet to come, and drawing near.</P>
<P N="2">II. Becau&s;e we are entred on the&s;e <HI>times,</HI> when the Lord is in a more &s;ingular way then hereto|fore, to put the whole Generation of his People, on that <HI>part of Divinity,</HI> and the &s;tudy thereof, which relates to his <HI>Works,</HI> and that great My|&s;tery of <HI>Providence</HI> about his Church; when the <HI>Key</HI> shall then be put in their hand for opening up, and a more full under&s;tanding the way of the Lord in the&s;e <HI>times past</HI> under the New Te&s;ta|ment. This is indeed a weighty part of <HI>Divinity,</HI> which is re&s;erved to the <HI>latter times</HI> in the per|fections thereof, and the&s;e higher improvements, to be made on that ble&s;&s;ed <HI>&s;tudy,</HI> then was attai|nable in former ages, when his work now is com|ing to a more <HI>full point.</HI> It hath been remarkably the bu&s;ine&s;s of this age, to make a more accurate &s;earch, and &s;ome greater di&s;covery upon <HI>natural cau&s;es,</HI> and the workings thereof, but I doubt not, that ere long the inqui&s;itive World, shall be in another manner awaked, and their <HI>Inquiries</HI> run in a higher channel above all <HI>&s;econd cau&s;es,</HI> to &s;ee and admire the <HI>great Acts of Providence,</HI> in the <HI>Divinity</HI> thereof, and not what is <HI>humane</HI> therein, but as they are by way of Eminency the <HI>Works of God,</HI> in the brightne&s;s of his immediate
<PB N="195" REF="110">appearance in the &s;ame. It is one of the di&s;mal &s;igns of the pre&s;ent time, how much the &s;pirits of men are at work to darken &s;o far, as po&s;&s;ible the mo&s;t eminent <HI>Di&s;coveries of God in his Works,</HI> and in the mo&s;t extraordinare revolutions of hu|mane affairs, as if they would &s;et bounds and li|mits to him, according to the cour&s;e and order of &s;econd cau&s;es, and &s;ubject, both the truth of his <HI>Word</HI> and his <HI>Works</HI> to the comprehen&s;ion of their <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> tho &s;ome civil re&s;pect, they will give, and the name of his being the <HI>prime cau&s;e,</HI> but shut their eyes on what is more extraordinar and &s;olemne in any piece of his work. I would yet point at &s;ome <HI>&s;pecial Heads,</HI> that belong to this choi&s;e part of <HI>Divinity,</HI> which we are to ex|pect, will in another manner be opened up, and I de&s;ire to rejoice in the hope hereof. 1. As to the&s;e more <HI>&s;ingular ca&s;es of Providence,</HI> which hath been in the Churches cour&s;e, &s;ince her <HI>first tran&s;lation</HI> from the <HI>Jews</HI> to the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> with the is &s;ue and con&s;equences thereof, contrare to the rules or principles of natural rea&s;on, which is ane Inquiry to be more fully improven, then what|ever hath been attained this way; when men shall &s;ee the <HI>end of the Lord</HI> herein, with &s;uch e|vidence as shall tend to <HI>clear all bygones</HI> in his work. 2. The&s;e remarkable <HI>Periods</HI> of time, wherein the <HI>Prophetical Part of the New Te&s;ta|ment,</HI> hath been &s;ucce&s;&s;ively brought forth in their proper <HI>Sea&s;on,</HI> as was foretold, is yet to
<PB N="196" REF="111">have the <HI>&s;eall</HI> more fully taken off, and that <HI>vaill,</HI> which was over them, &s;o as it shall be clear and ea&s;y to &s;ee how the Lord hath not only kept his Word and Truth to his Church, but hath kept the&s;e times al&s;o exactly, to which &s;uch great <HI>events of Providence</HI> did relate. 3. There is a greater di&s;covery yet to be made, then hath been hitherto, how the <HI>Church hath been led in a right way,</HI> and by a &s;traight <HI>line</HI> in her whole cour&s;e, through that <HI>long,</HI> and <HI>terrible Wilderne&s;s,</HI> which she was to pa&s;s, under the di&s;pen&s;ation of the Gho|&s;pel; and what eminent <HI>&s;ervices</HI> the Saints have been put on in the&s;e &s;trange mea&s;ures of their <HI>warefare,</HI> which was then allotted to them, and in their <HI>overcoming work</HI> thereby; yea what a higher Triumph our <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Redeemer</HI> hath had in the <HI>Faith,</HI> and <HI>patience</HI> of his People in &s;o di&s;|mal a time, then in any external flourishing &s;tate of his Church, &s;o as it might be &s;aid it was then <HI>day,</HI> as to the <HI>pre&s;ence of his &s;pirit,</HI> and <HI>irre&s;i&s;table efficacy of his truth</HI> on his followers, when it &s;eemed otherwi&s;e as the darknes of <HI>midnight.</HI> 4<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> There belongs to this part of <HI>Divinity,</HI> &s;ome higher breaking up of light, yet to be made on that My&s;tery of the <HI>Communion of the Saints here</HI> with other, in the <HI>way of providence,</HI> and what a joint intere&s;t they have herein, as to what hath been more &s;ingular in the Lords way, and di&s;po&s;al about others of his People: we have little under|&s;tood what are inriching <HI>trade,</HI> we might drive
<PB N="197" REF="111">upon that <HI>&s;tock</HI> of the&s;e <HI>ancient experiments</HI> of Chri&s;tians in following the Lord, and the&s;e emi|nent tryalls they have made of the truth, who hath in ages pa&s;t gone before, and what a <HI>Pawn</HI> is thus put in our hand, for a further &s;trengthning in the Faith; yea what publick intere&s;t thus the whole <HI>Church of Christ</HI> hath, in &s;ome eminent acts of Pro|vidence about particular Chri&s;tians, which in the import and greatne&s;s thereof was not given for them&s;elf only, but as a publick concern to the whole <HI>Generation,</HI> that &s;eek after God in their day, and for the times to come, according to that <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 10:3. <HI>Many shall &s;ee it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.</HI> 5. I mu&s;t <HI>add,</HI> one great improvement of this &s;pecial <HI>Head of Divinity,</HI> which will yet be above the mea&s;ures of times pa&s;t, in the extent of that <HI>Reference,</HI> and <HI>Appeal,</HI> be|fore <HI>Angels</HI> and <HI>Men,</HI> in behalf of the <HI>Truth,</HI> and <HI>Faithfulne&s;s of God,</HI> for what he hath &s;poken and promi&s;ed to his Church; and is that <HI>Tribute of prai&s;e,</HI> which in a higher degree is to be payed in to him, now when it's &s;o near to the clo&s;e of time, then by that great te&s;timony of <HI>Joshua</HI> 25:14 how <HI>not one thing had fail'd of all the good things the Lord had then &s;poken in behalf of his Church, but had fully taken place,</HI> and was the &s;ame <HI>Appeal,</HI> which <HI>Solomon</HI> made <HI>I. Kings</HI> 8.56. for this with a higher glory and evidence is to be the <HI>Te&s;timony</HI> of the latter days, when it's drawing near to that magnificent clo&s;e and period of <HI>Prophetick
<PB N="198" REF="112">Chronology,</HI> and finishing of the My&s;tery of God therein; how his <HI>&s;potle&s;s truth</HI> hath as the <HI>Sun in his &s;trength</HI> kept it's way and cour&s;e amid&s;t all the&s;e dark clouds, which hath &s;pread to darken the &s;ame; and no <HI>promi&s;e</HI> or <HI>prediction</HI> of that &s;a|cred record of the <HI>Scripture,</HI> hath ever fail'd or fallen to the ground, now when it's drawing &s;o near to the <HI>perfect Day.</HI> It is true each <HI>age,</HI> hath had their proper <HI>mea&s;ures of light,</HI> in order to the &s;ervice of that time, and &s;omething peculiar al|lotted in the di&s;pen&s;ations of <HI>Providence,</HI> yea &s;ome greater eminency did belong to the&s;e <HI>times past,</HI> when the &s;ufferings of Chri&s;tians did mo&s;t abound, in the <HI>adventures of Faith,</HI> and in the <HI>tryal of love,</HI> then in after times, but as to higher di&s;coveries of the <HI>works of God &amp; the depths of pro|vidence</HI> about his Church, the&s;e was re&s;erved to that <HI>period,</HI> when the <HI>My&s;tery of God</HI> hereon &s;hould be more fully perfited, and in this re&s;pect it's to be &s;aid, <HI>ble&s;&s;ed is he that waiteth, and co|meth,</HI> to &s;uch a &s;olemn time, and to have his <HI>lot</HI> fall therein, as is &s;poken <HI>Dan.</HI> 12:12.</P>
<P N="3">III. But for a further clearing of this <HI>Subject,</HI> &s;ince the <HI>Glory of the Kingdom of Christ</HI> is &s;o near|ly concern'd in the di&s;covery and entertainment of his <HI>Works,</HI> in the day thereof, and now when a more eminent appearance thereof is near, that Kingdoms and Nations in their <HI>Complex Body,</HI> &s;hall in a more &s;olemn way be the <HI>Lords;</HI> It &s;hould be expected that the <HI>return</HI> and <HI>oblation of prai&s;e</HI>
<PB N="199" REF="112">upon the <HI>great Acts of his Providence</HI> &s;hall be more remarkable, as a <HI>publick deed of Nations, and Churches</HI> then hath yet hitherto been; yea that when the Lord does in any &s;ingular way appear, for their &s;ecurity, and &s;tanding, by Providences of a <HI>publick</HI> and <HI>national extent,</HI> that a gratulato|ry <HI>retribution,</HI> on their part mu&s;t be of the &s;ame extent, under a <HI>publick care and regard.</HI> It is true, there is a &s;ettled <HI>frame of &s;ubordinat means,</HI> by which the Providence of God does work in the great de&s;igns thereof, that we are called to regard, wherein I doubt not, but the <HI>Mini&s;try of the An|gels</HI> hath the greate&s;t intere&s;t, as one of the great <HI>Ordinances</HI> he hath &s;etled in behalf of his <HI>Church,</HI> tho as to their &s;pecial <HI>offices,</HI> and <HI>delegate &s;ervice</HI> to <HI>particular Churche, and Chri&s;tians,</HI> is &s;ome|thing that's more dark; but it may be hoped wil ere long be with a clearer evidence known in the&s;e great transactions of Providence, which are yet to take place, when a <HI>nearer Communion</HI> may be then attained betwixt the&s;e <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Spirits,</HI> and the <HI>Saints</HI> here on the earth, then is yet known, but tho there is no time wherein the Lord will not put honor on <HI>in&s;tituted means,</HI> and on that e&s;tablished <HI>order</HI> of his working, yet whil&s;t mo&s;t have &s;uch ordinare thoughts of <HI>God</HI> herein, and are &s;o ready to fix their eyes wholly on <HI>men,</HI> his honor is concern'd to let the World know he is God by more extraordinar demon&s;trations, yea &s;uch are mo&s;t of the <HI>great events of his Word,</HI>
<PB N="200" REF="113">which are yet to be brought forth as cannot po&s;&s;i|bly in an other way be expected. But on this <HI>Subject</HI> I would humbly offer &s;ome few reflections, which &s;hould be matter of a &s;erious regard.</P>
<P N="1">1. That as its highly becoming, on &s;ome <HI>eminent piece of the Work of God,</HI> or publick de|liverances, for a Nation or State to have <HI>&s;olemn and publick returns of thankfulnes</HI> to him thereon; yet is it &s;trange how &s;o little regard should thus be to have the greatnes of any &s;uch mercy <HI>&s;ought out,</HI> and the &s;ame <HI>publick care extended,</HI> for keeping up a <HI>venerable remembrance</HI> thereof, &s;o that &s;uch a &s;ervice of <HI>Gratitude</HI> be not bounded with the tran&s;ient work of a day, &s;ince otherways it is a mo&s;t <HI>e&s;&s;ential want,</HI> and with holding a proper and important part of that <HI>Tribute,</HI> which is due into God herein, for there can be no &s;ui|table regard to &s;erve the end of &s;uch <HI>Providences,</HI> and what was &s;o &s;traitly injoined of the Lord un|der the <HI>Old Te&s;tament,</HI> which was the <HI>Churches</HI> continued practice there; yea of the &s;ame <HI>moral</HI> and <HI>perpetual u&s;e</HI> in all after times, if it should not be &s;till a <HI>publick trust</HI> under the furthe&s;t <HI>humane care</HI> to promote the &s;ame, tho <HI>divine Record and Hi&s;tory</HI> for this intent does now cea&s;e.</P>
<P N="2">2. But as this hath ane unque&s;tionable <HI>tye on Churches,</HI> and a <HI>Chri&s;tian State</HI> to de&s;ign the mo&s;t honourable re&s;pect, and entertainment of the <HI>great Acts of God</HI> in their day, and is made their <HI>propertalent</HI> to an&s;wer to; &s;o does a ju&s;t exonera|tion
<PB N="201" REF="113">herein, call for the mo&s;t <HI>exact &s;crutiny</HI> and <HI>&s;earch</HI> on the <HI>truth</HI> and <HI>evidence</HI> thereof, on which the weight, and credit of this <HI>&s;ervice</HI> does &s;o far depend, to cau&s;e a more <HI>full a&s;&s;ent,</HI> by the&s;e who come after to &s;uch a te&s;timony, that the&s;e rare Providences, wherein the Lord did thus make him&s;elf known, were not only in the pre|&s;ent time <HI>&s;ought out,</HI> and enquired unto, under their <HI>proper circum&s;tances,</HI> but by &s;uch of greate&s;t weight, and advantage, for a work of this na|ture; who&s;e &s;incerity and judiciousne&s;s might be convincing, and the integrity of &s;uch ane <HI>Intent,</HI> cleared from any partial re&s;pect or end, but al|lennerly for <HI>exalting the Maje&s;ty of God,</HI> and &s;trengthning men in the <HI>Faith,</HI> by &s;o great a <HI>&s;eal to his Truth,</HI> and for the intere&s;t of the <HI>Po&s;terity;</HI> yea wherein the&s;e who in &s;ome le&s;&s;er differences did not fully meet in the &s;ame <HI>Judgment,</HI> yet might intirely unite, in &s;uch a <HI>&s;ervice</HI> and <HI>te&s;ti|mony</HI> as this.</P>
<P N="3">3. Where the Lord makes him&s;elf known in more <HI>illu&s;trious acts of his power,</HI> as may be called <HI>Magnalia Dei,</HI> to &s;ome <HI>particular Nation,</HI> and <HI>Church</HI> be&s;ide others, who herein are in a more then ordinare way intere&s;&s;ed; it might &s;eem e|qual, and an&s;wer to the highe&s;t rea&s;on, they &s;ould be of that value, as to be entred on a <HI>National Record,</HI> and have that concurrence of <HI>humane authority,</HI> to make the evidence hereof as <HI>au|thentick,</HI> as the <HI>publick deeds,</HI> or <HI>rights,</HI> which
<PB N="202" REF="114">belong to &s;uch a &s;tate. It is true, there is no want of <HI>Hi&s;tories,</HI> and the Church hath been ble&s;&s;ed with that &s;ingular mercy of <HI>Martyrologies</HI> by faithful and impartial hands, to atte&s;t the power of divine grace, and &s;upports of the &s;pirit given to &s;ufferers for the truth, and of late it was of great u&s;e the concurrence of <HI>Civil Authority</HI> to that <HI>Work of the Hi&s;tory of the Church of England,</HI> that's now extant, by an <HI>excellent Writer;</HI> but for this intent, it is &s;omething di&s;tinct by its &s;elf, with re&s;pect only to the&s;e <HI>Monuments of Provi|dence,</HI> relating to a <HI>particular Church,</HI> that are of <HI>publique, clear,</HI> and <HI>uncontrolled evidence,</HI> to have the <HI>remembrance</HI> thereof with the <HI>highest ho|nor,</HI> kept up, and &s;ecured from the prejudices and cavills of men thereat; yea to &s;uch <HI>Pa&s;|&s;adges</HI> in that day, whereon the <HI>Signature,</HI> and <HI>Impre&s;s</HI> of the more immediate appearance of <HI>God</HI> hath had mo&s;t full and bright evidence; the&s;e great <HI>changes</HI> of a publique intere&s;t, which hath then occurred, wherein &s;ome extraordinar <HI>Conjunction</HI> in the cour&s;e of Providence, might be &s;een, above <HI>natural cau&s;es,</HI> and the ordinare way of <HI>Gods Working,</HI> &s;uch interpo&s;itions of his wonder|ful <HI>power,</HI> by which he hath de&s;igned to put &s;ome eminent <HI>honor, on acts of trust,</HI> and relyances on his truth, as might be <HI>exemplary to after times,</HI> and &s;erve for that end, that they who come after, might <HI>&s;ett their hope on God, and not forget his Works P&s;al.</HI> 78: 7. yea extraordinar <HI>Acts</HI> al&s;o of
<PB N="203" REF="114"><HI>divine Judgment,</HI> whereby he hath appeared in &s;ome unu&s;ual manner, to vindicate the honor of his <HI>Laws,</HI> again&s;t publick and notorious viola|tions of the &s;ame, which may be clearly &s;een were <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ot de&s;igned for <HI>that age</HI> only, but as a <HI>publick uncern</HI> for after times.</P>
<P N="4">4. Can it be que&s;tioned, that &s;ince that <HI>Sacred Canon of the Scripture is &s;ealed,</HI> and <HI>con&s;igned to the Church,</HI> to have no more addition thereto, but that it's now a part of the highe&s;t <HI>trust</HI> upon the <HI>Gentile Churches,</HI> to have a mo&s;t venerable re&s;pect for conveyance of the <HI>great Works of God,</HI> from <HI>me Generation to another,</HI> &amp; to bear &s;uch <HI>evidence</HI> thereof, as the nature of the&s;e things is capable of, for a <HI>moral certainty;</HI> yea that this might be on &s;uch <HI>tryall,</HI> as should &s;ilence and convince the mo&s;t inqui&s;itive, and &s;u&s;picious &s;pirits of men herein, this is of a &s;erious and weighty import, if it were con&s;idered: 1. How &s;o high a <HI>concern of the Glory of God</HI> is thus intru&s;ted to <HI>tradition by hu|mane te&s;timony and record,</HI> and to the credit thereof, as that way only which the Lord hath now fix'd for the convoyance of his marvelous works <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o after times, on which he once put that value as to give them a &s;pecial room in <HI>Sacred Writ,</HI> and tho there is no &s;uch way now to atte&s;t the &s;ame, yet is not the weight of that &s;ervice taken off the Church, which is mentioned <HI>I&s;ay</HI> 62:6. to be the <HI>Lords Remembrancers and Recorders of his great Acts,</HI> as the <HI>Original</HI> there bears. 2. It
<PB N="204" REF="115">is unque&s;tionable that he hath re&s;erved the greate&s;t of his Works, wherein he will mo&s;t eminently appear, to the <HI>last times,</HI> and what a lo&s;s hath it been to the Chri&s;tian World unto this day, that unfaithful part which we mu&s;t charge upon <HI>for|mer ages,</HI> in no &s;uitable regard to have &s;uch ane<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> intere&s;t and trea&s;ure, with a <HI>publick care,</HI> &s;ecured for the po&s;terity, through which the credit and honor of <HI>tradition</HI> hath been &s;o much broke as hath rendred the u&s;e thereof of &s;mall effect. 3. And it's known how difficult a part it is to gain credit in this day, to the truth of what's more ex|traordinar in <HI>pa&s;&s;ages of providence,</HI> even where the relaters thereof hath as to their own con|&s;cience and conviction the mo&s;t full a&s;&s;urance, and hath de&s;igned what Inquiry was &s;uitable in &s;uch a ca&s;e; whil&s;t the want of a more unite and publique concurrence takes off &s;o much of that weight, which it might have in after times; but I have confidence, that a higher &s;ervice of this kind in the improvement of &s;o great a <HI>Talent</HI> for the honor of God, does yet wait on the <HI>Church,</HI> &amp; &s;ucceeding race, as &s;hall tend to bring up what hath been detain'd of &s;uch a rent and tribute of prai&s;e, yea that the&s;e who&s;e <HI>Lot</HI> &s;hall be in the dayes that are now coming, and fall in with the growing &s;tate and glory of the Kingdom of Chri&s;t to &s;ee the&s;e things, which will exceed the thoughts and faith of this day herein, &s;hall &s;ee and enjoy &s;uch <HI>Records</HI> of the&s;e times, where the
<PB N="205" REF="115">great intent &s;hall be of that kind <HI>Revel.</HI> 15:3. <HI>Great and Marvelous are thy Works, Lord God Almighty, Ju&s;t and True are thy Ways thou King of Saints,</HI> and where the credit of &s;uch a te&s;ti|mony shall not be <HI>per&s;onal</HI> only, but <HI>national</HI> in a more &s;olemn, unite concurrence herewith then hath been hitherto known.</P>
<P N="4">4. It is on this <HI>Subject,</HI> I mu&s;t <HI>add</HI> further, that a <HI>traditional conveyance</HI> of more &s;pecial and momentous things of Providence, might be of much u&s;e, were it &s;uitably improven, to have a remembrance thereof continued in a <HI>Family Line</HI> and <HI>Relation,</HI> which is one peculiar way, where|by the <HI>pre&s;ent Generation</HI> might declare the truth and faithfulne&s;s of God to the <HI>next.</HI> It is true, there is no &s;erious Chri&s;tian, but is thus &s;ifted, and accountable on &s;uch a &s;ervice to put to his <HI>&s;eall,</HI> by &s;ome explicit per&s;onal te&s;timony, that God is true, upon his tryall hereof, and mo&s;t &s;pecially to improve that &s;ea&s;on, when it is near to the <HI>clo&s;e and shutting up of time,</HI> that with his la&s;t and dying breath he might bear the &s;ame wit|ne&s;s to the truth of Chri&s;t, and to the advantage and excellency of his way and &s;ervice, which he did in the whole cour&s;e of his life pa&s;t, and of that joy, complacence &amp; a&s;&s;urance of mind, which the&s;e have found, and now hath in the way of truth; but there is &s;omething more peculiar in this <HI>Te&s;timony,</HI> to be under&s;tood, with re&s;pect to the&s;e to whom things in a more &s;ingular manner
<PB N="206" REF="116">hath been allotted then to other Chri&s;tians, in the way of Providence, and hath in the <HI>Record</HI> and <HI>Journal</HI> of their life had more extraordina<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Remarks</HI> and <HI>Confirmations</HI> from the Lord, as gives higher acce&s;s to this &s;ervice, and adds to the value of &s;uch a Te&s;timony. I would offer but a few thoughts on &s;uch a <HI>Head,</HI> which may po&s;&s;ibly &s;eem a &s;trange and dark thing to &s;ome: 1. It was once for a long time that the <HI>Series of the Church</HI> was kept up in a <HI>Family Line</HI> from <HI>Abra|ham</HI> to the 12 <HI>Patriarchs,</HI> and what a rare cour&s;e and conduct of Providence was thus tran&s;mit to after times, which is &s;o great ane intere&s;t, and trea&s;ure to this day, and tho that <HI>conveyance</HI> was by an infallible &s;pirit, yet is this &s;o far <HI>exemplary</HI> thereby, for &s;uch a confirmatory witne&s;s, by ob|&s;erving Chri&s;tians, to the truth, when it comes to their <HI>last improvement of time,</HI> and of what hath been more &s;ignal and eminent in the Lords deal|ing with them, that it should be one of the choi&s;e&s;t <HI>Legacies</HI> they could be queath to their <HI>Relations,</HI> yea a &s;ingular mean to have Religion thus kept alive in a more venerable re&s;pect thereto in a <HI>Fa|mily State,</HI> and to fix &s;tronger engagements to the way of God, on their <HI>&s;urviving Friends.</HI> 2. I hope there be no &s;erious di&s;cerning Chri&s;tian, but hath &s;ome more <HI>&s;elect Ob&s;ervations of their life,</HI> and what hath been mo&s;t remarkable in the cour&s;e of Providence towards them, layd up, &s;ome|thing of which might be of <HI>&s;ingular u&s;e,</HI> be&s;ides
<PB N="207" REF="116">their own per&s;onal intere&s;t therein, to a further e|&s;tablishment of others in the way of truth; tho any improvement of that kind needs much <HI>Chri|&s;tian prudence and &s;obriety</HI> to qualify the &s;ame; yea, were this &s;uitably de&s;igned in &s;uch di&s;mal times, we are now fall'n in, what accu&s;s might private Chri&s;tians have, the&s;e &s;pecially who have gone through more extraordinar tryalls then o|thers, to be thus a <HI>publique ble&s;&s;ing</HI> to their Gene|ration; and how honourable a &s;ervice were it for God, to advance the credit of Religion, and fix deeper impre&s;&s;ions of the &s;ame on mens &s;pirits, that the&s;e who have been admit to more <HI>&s;pecial adventures of Faith,</HI> amid&s;t the various conflicts of their day, should in the <HI>clo&s;e</HI> thereof have this as their proper work to <HI>deliver the truth</HI> off their hand, which they had receaved, with their <HI>&s;eal</HI> and <HI>te&s;timony</HI> to the &s;ame, as that which they had proven and tryed in a more then ordinare way, and which had brought them &s;afe and honourably through, as was the la&s;t Words and <HI>Witne&s;s of Da|vid</HI> 1 <HI>Kings</HI> 14. <HI>Who hath delivered my &s;oul out of all di&s;tre&s;s:</HI> this I humbly judge falleth in as the la&s;t and peculiar &s;ervice of a Chri&s;tian, when it hath the advantage to be more valuable and con|vincing to others, then in any other time of their life, &amp; were a thing highly de&s;irable, that a <HI>work of this kind</HI> should be &s;uitably prepared, to prevent a &s;urpri&s;al of death, &amp; going &s;ilent off the <HI>&s;tage,</HI> which hath been the lott of the&s;e who have shin'd mo&s;t
<PB N="208" REF="117">brightly thereon; and as it &s;urely hath the mo&s;t opportune &s;ea&s;on in the <HI>last Scene of a Chri&s;tians Work,</HI> &s;o may it be yet more de&s;igned and regar|ded in the <HI>last ages of time,</HI> when there is to be expected &s;uch <HI>Te&s;timonies for God,</HI> and to the <HI>Glory of his Truth,</HI> as will much exceed the <HI>ordi|nar Standard</HI> of the&s;e times pa&s;t, and we are now in. The full &s;en&s;e of that <HI>Scripture John</HI> 3:33. should have a great weight herein, <HI>he that hath received his Te&s;timony, hath &s;ett to his &s;eall that God is true,</HI> where there is a peculiar <HI>debt,</HI> and <HI>trust</HI> on the one hand that is put on &s;uch, who hath the truth and te&s;timony of God con&s;ign'd for tryall of the &s;ame; and a <HI>di&s;charge</HI> thereof, which on the other hand they &s;tand accountable for <HI>put|ting to their &s;eall that God<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">st rue</HI> which is the mo&s;t &s;olemn way of a <HI>Te&s;timony</HI> before men; tho &s;ome may be thus in a &s;pecial manner &s;tated by higher engagements to &s;anctify God before others, and when &s;ome more &s;ingular pa&s;&s;ages of Providence comes under &s;uch a witne&s;s and &s;eall as a <HI>di&s;tinct part of a Chri&s;tians Te&s;tament</HI> in his parting with time, it brings the &s;tronge&s;t evidence that hu|mane te&s;timony can po&s;&s;ibly have for conveyance of the &s;ame.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="appendix">
<PB N="1" REF="117">
<HEAD>AN APPENDIX TO THE <HI>Foregoing Di&s;cour&s;e,</HI> In both the PARTS thereof.</HEAD>
<P>THOUGH the intent of what was at fir&s;t directed to the <HI>private u&s;e</HI> of &s;ome, now made <HI>publick,</HI> was with that de&s;ign of brevity, and to keep off any enlargement, as it may &s;eem rather an <HI>Index of things,</HI> than a <HI>Di&s;cour&s;ing</HI> of the &s;ame; Yet, to prevent mi&s;take, and for more clear under&s;tand|ing of what hath been principally de&s;ign'd here|in, both as to the <HI>Per&s;onal E&s;tabli&s;hment of Chri|&s;tians,</HI> in this State of their Trial and Warfare, and with re&s;pect of the <HI>Publick State of the Church;</HI> it hath oblig'd me to offer &s;ome addi|tional touch, in a <HI>&s;hort review</HI> on the &s;ame, but
<PB N="2" REF="118">more &s;pecially on <HI>&s;ome truths,</HI> which I humbly judge, though of great import in the pre&s;ent time, yet have not been touch'd by others, &s;o far as is known to me; Which I &s;hall &s;peak a little farther to in &s;ome di&s;tinct <HI>Sections.</HI></P>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> I.</HEAD>
<P>IT might &s;eem un&s;uitable, to &s;et down the <HI>Contents,</HI> as is u&s;ual, of what is mo&s;t &s;pecially handled in a directive way, in the <HI>Fir&s;t Part of this Di&s;cour&s;e;</HI> where &s;uch a variety of things is there wrapt up, in &s;o few words, on that Great Subject: but, &s;ince it's ordinary for ma|ny to pa&s;s their Judgment on the whole of any &s;uch Di&s;cour&s;e, with a &s;hort glance at a part on|ly; I &s;hall offer, in the room thereof, &s;ome few <HI>Propo&s;itions</HI> drawn forth out of the &s;ame, as they lie clo&s;ely together in a joint <HI>Series,</HI> and <HI>Cohe|rence</HI> to give light, and a&s;&s;i&s;tance for &s;o high an end, they are directed to; and, on things, which may be remote from the thoughts and judg|ment of mo&s;t who are enter'd on that high di|&s;tingui&s;hing profe&s;&s;ion of the Chri&s;tian Faith.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 1. That the highe&s;t rational enjoyment of a Chri&s;tian within time, does &s;urely lie in &s;uch an a&s;&s;urance, and quiet of Mind on the <HI>Certainty of Divine Truth,</HI> as can An&s;wer &s;o great a Di&s;cove|ry made hereof to Men, and the greatne&s;s of
<PB N="3" REF="118">that adventure they mu&s;t &s;hortly make thereof; nor can the <HI>Ultimate Inquiry</HI> about the <HI>event,</HI> and full enjoyment of our hope, to &s;ecure the heart herein, go farther, than to know there is a Divine Te&s;timony, to warrant the &s;ame, and that we are in &s;ure terms herewith.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 2. There mu&s;t either be an <HI>entire re&s;t, and &s;ettlement of a Chri&s;tian's Spirit</HI> on <HI>Divine Truth, or none at all,</HI> &s;ince there can be no po&s;&s;ible fix|ing betwixt the&s;e; or relief, where the ground of it cannot fully &s;upport the Soul, though all vi&s;ible refuges, or humane a&s;&s;i&s;tances &s;hould fail.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 3. An <HI>implicit,</HI> and <HI>light a&s;&s;ent to the Chri&s;ti|an Faith,</HI> and the great and a&s;toni&s;hing things thereof, <HI>is a degree of Athei&s;m, and indifferen|cy herein;</HI> nor can there be a ju&s;t claim to &s;o high a profe&s;&s;ion as this is from the re&s;idue of Men, until once it be a &s;olemn, and proper bu|&s;ine&s;s by it &s;elf, for Men to &s;i&s;t, and prove their own Soul, in the greate&s;t rece&s;s, and compo&s;ure upon their joyning in with the Faith of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> with inward con&s;ent, and no influence from external motives, of <HI>Example, Education,</HI> or <HI>humane Authority,</HI> herein, but pure|ly on its own evidence.</P>
<P><HI>Prop</HI> 4. That Humane State con&s;idered <HI>without God,</HI> and the Faith of the Excellencies of his Na|ture, &s;hould tend onely to let Men &s;ee their Life to be a <HI>Cur&s;e,</HI> and <HI>Torment,</HI> rather than a
<PB N="4" REF="119">ble&s;&s;ing, if there were no <HI>Supernatural help,</HI> which is above them&s;elves, again&s;t the Evils and Mi&s;eries of time, and of a future State.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 5. Either a <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> or of no <HI>Religion at all,</HI> is an una&s;werable <HI>Dilemma;</HI> either the enjoyment of God, according to the Laws and Con&s;titutions of the Chri&s;tian Faith, or no po&s;&s;ible comfort in the Light, and enjoyment of a <HI>Deity</HI> for Men, if they be Sinners; and &s;o as a <HI>Dei&s;t,</HI> &s;ince Sin enter'd on the World, is a pure con|tradiction to it &s;elf; when no &s;uch Sacred thing as Religion hath ever el&s;e had a being on the Earth, but that which might tend rather to ju|&s;tifie Athei&s;m, and to put the highe&s;t contumely and affront on the <HI>Divine Nature:</HI> Nor had the Jewi&s;h Religion another being but in the Faith of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and where it wants that, it hath none at all.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 6. As there is but one <HI>Sun</HI> that &s;hines on this vi&s;ible World; there hath onely been one <HI>Fountain,</HI> and <HI>Repo&s;itory of Sacred Light</HI> given from God unto Men, both in order to their duty, and hope, without which <HI>Divine Record,</HI> Heaven and Earth &s;hould be &s;hut up from o|ther, by any e&s;tabli&s;ht rule of corre&s;pondence for the &s;ame; and the mo&s;t excellent and e&s;&s;en|tial part of Man, his Soul, have no directive, or comforting Light, both as to his pre&s;ent, and fu|ture State, or the way thereto, whil&s;t this lower Earth hath a <HI>Sun</HI> to &s;hine thereon.</P>
<PB N="5" REF="119">
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 7. The Fir&s;t <HI>Entry of the Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> does E&s;&s;entially lie in the Faith of the <HI>Old Te&s;ta|ment,</HI> and of a <HI>Promi&s;ed Redeemer;</HI> So as Men can|not po&s;sibly be Chri&s;tians, or enjoy the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> this day, if it were not on the certainty of that Ble&s;&s;ed Record; and if this <HI>Great Promi&s;e,</HI> which was the fir&s;t immediate object of the Churches Faith, and of that high value, as was worthy of their waiting, and expectation for 4000 years, had not been revealed, and made as &s;ure as the performance now is.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 8. As the time of the <HI>Old Te&s;tament</HI> was &s;till a waiting, and expecting time, and the whole di&s;|pen&s;ation thereof a <HI>prelude</HI> to that great de&s;ign of Grace which was to be brought forth; &s;o was the <HI>Promi&s;e</HI> on which they waited, in its na|ture, <HI>ab&s;olute,</HI> and <HI>irrevocable,</HI> without depen|dence upon any condition in Man; and was the alone <HI>Original Right</HI> of all the Promi&s;es they did enjoy, which, in him, onely are Yea, and A|men.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 9. Since the <HI>fir&s;t preci&s;e time,</HI> and <HI>entry of the Chri&s;tian Faith</HI> on the World, after the Fall, it hath yet never cea&s;ed to &s;hine, and keep its cour&s;e, or to be embraced by a peculiar People in a <HI>Church Relation,</HI> who were di&s;tinct, and &s;eparated from the re&s;idue of Men until this day; nor hath the <HI>Churches Head,</HI> in any A|ges of time, ever wanted &s;ome part of his <HI>Bo|dy</HI> to conver&s;e with, as the peculiar objects of
<PB N="6" REF="120">his Love, and Delight; and, for imparting him|&s;elf too, by vital influences of Light and Power; So that the uninterrupted <HI>Succe&s;&s;ion of a Spiritu|al Seed</HI> on the Earth until this day, &s;ince <HI>Abel,</HI> who, of Humane Race, fir&s;t enter'd into Hea|ven, is no le&s;s, evident, and &s;ure, than the <HI>Suc|ce&s;&s;ion of Mankind;</HI> and though &s;ome periods of time have had a larger extent of the Church therein, and &s;ome higher intere&s;t in the in-ga|thering of the <HI>Elect;</HI> yet hath no <HI>Age</HI> ever wanted a proper &s;hare of that Glory, which the Lord would not re&s;trict onely to &s;ome &s;pe|cial times.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 10. Were it &s;uppo&s;able, that the <HI>Promi&s;ed Me&s;&s;iah</HI> was yet to come, it were not po&s;sible to look for its accompli&s;hment in another way, or under other circum&s;tances than what is re|corded hereof in the Go&s;pel, or that the <HI>Re|deemer,</HI> according to the tenor of the <HI>Old Ye|&s;tament,</HI> &s;hould <HI>act another part,</HI> than what he did; nor is there nay variation betwixt the <HI>An|tient Creed</HI> of the Church then, and that which is ours now under the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> as to the Sub&s;tance thereof, but that the one was founded on the <HI>Credit of the Promi&s;e,</HI> and the other on its full a&s;&s;urance of its <HI>accompli&s;hment.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 11. There is yet this <HI>E&s;&s;ential change</HI> now in the Chri&s;tian Faith, that what <HI>Abraham,</HI> and <HI>Mo|&s;es,</HI> were &s;aved by, cannot <HI>&s;ave us;</HI> but would be ab&s;olutely <HI>mortal</HI> to re&s;t on the Promi&s;e of a
<PB N="7" REF="120">Redeemer; or to believe, in general Terms, that he is come; but that this is he, whom <HI>the Father &s;ealed,</HI> and &s;ent into the World; and he alone, who, in the days of <HI>Tibertus,</HI> and under <HI>Pontius Pilate</HI> &s;uffered at <HI>Jeru&s;alem.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 12. The <HI>preci&s;e time of the Sufferings and Re&s;urrection of our ble&s;&s;ed Redeemer,</HI> was that great and &s;olemn <HI>Epocha,</HI> to begin a new Week, whereon the Churches entry on the <HI>highe&s;t glory of time,</HI> and on a <HI>new State,</HI> is to be dated; where the &s;olemn ob&s;ervation of the <HI>fir&s;t day of the Week,</HI> the <HI>Lord's day,</HI> had both its <HI>ri&s;e</HI> and <HI>right;</HI> the <HI>exact time whereof</HI> was &s;o publick and famous, and of that high concern to the Primitive Church on this fir&s;t entry unto a New World, as render'd it impo&s;sible to be in the lea&s;t doubtfulne&s;s herein, or to have po&s;sibly fix|ed on another day, be&s;ides the clear Sanction of <HI>Divine Authority</HI> for the &s;ame; but the le&s;s &s;eems to be of a peremptory, and <HI>po&s;itive In&s;ti|tution</HI> made u&s;e of for this end, &s;hould be the greater excitement to our ob&s;ervation there|of, &s;ince the Lord would have it inforced mo&s;t from <HI>internal Motives,</HI> and herein both <HI>try,</HI> and <HI>tru&s;t the Love of his People.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 13. It was re&s;erved to the <HI>Go&s;pel State of the Church</HI> to be the <HI>Theatre of the great|e&s;t wonders both of Providence and Grace,</HI> above all that ever had been known to the World be|fore, and was then in a &s;ingular way allot|ted
<PB N="8" REF="121">to the fir&s;t entry of that glotious Scene after the <HI>A&s;cen&s;ion of Chri&s;t,</HI> which was to be acted under the New Te&s;tament, to have the <HI>God of this World</HI> put off his Vi&s;ible Throne, and the whole <HI>frame of Pagani&s;m ra&s;ed and extinct;</HI> to have &s;o wonderful a change made on the whole face of the Earth, in the Planting, and Propagating of the Chri&s;tian Faith; and in the mo&s;t Savage parts thereof, by the <HI>alone Evidence and Vertue of &s;acred Truth,</HI> where no Humane Power could boa&s;t that their Arm, or Sword did bring this about; yea that the <HI>vi&s;ible extent</HI> of the Chri&s;tian Church within &s;ixty years after the A&s;cen&s;ion of the Lord, could exceed what it is this day.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 14. The <HI>Churches Increa&s;e,</HI> and extent of the Chri&s;tian Profe&s;&s;ion, in the&s;e fir&s;t times did mo&s;t eminently appear in the <HI>reality of vital Influences on Mens Souls,</HI> and innumerable Examples of the Truth, and Power of Holi|ne&s;s, wherein the outgoings of the Lord Je|&s;us, and Vertue of his Death, did with that wonderful evidence appear, as it's &s;ure <HI>one real converted Chri&s;tian</HI> is a greater Seal to the Chri&s;tian Faith, than <HI>any external Mira|cle,</HI> or <HI>vi&s;ible Profe&s;&s;ion hereof by many</HI> in a naked form; &s;uch being the frame, and Con|&s;titution of a real Chri&s;tian, as the <HI>Glory of the Godhead</HI> is more eminently &s;een in the
<PB N="9" REF="121"><HI>fir&s;t frame, conduct,</HI> and <HI>perfecting of &s;uch,</HI> than in the <HI>fir&s;t frame of Man</HI> before the fall, or of the <HI>Angels:</HI> Since this is to <HI>make Saints, of the greate&s;t Sinners.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 15. As it was to the <HI>times of the Go|&s;pel,</HI> that our <HI>Redeemer did re&s;erve</HI> the <HI>highe&s;t di&s;covery of his Love unto Man,</HI> &s;o <HI>was it un|to the&s;e times, that he did re&s;erve the highe&s;t Te|&s;timony, and trial of the Love of Mankind unto him,</HI> both in <HI>Services,</HI> and <HI>Sufferings;</HI> and in the greatne&s;s of that <HI>Confirmatory Seal of Mar|tyrdom,</HI> by the mo&s;t excellent in the Earth, who were offered up as an <HI>oblation of Love</HI> to &s;eal the Te&s;timony of Chri&s;t with their Blood, wherein, no con&s;traint of Light only, and Obedience from an alone Po&s;itive In&s;titu|tion, as in the <HI>typical Sacrifices under the Law,</HI> but from a con&s;traint of Love, &s;tronger than the flames they were offered up in; the <HI>num|ber</HI> whereof, &s;ince that great Propitiation was offered up, is of that extent, as can only be known by him, <HI>who counts the number of the Stars.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 16. Such is the my&s;tery of the Go&s;pel, and that great de&s;ign, <HI>wherein the Maje&s;ty of God would take &s;atisfaction to him&s;elf by him&s;elf;</HI> for the &s;aving of lo&s;t Man, as can never be ta|ken up or under&s;tood, in a <HI>natural way,</HI> as hu|mane Sciences are, yet is with as <HI>Bright,</HI> and <HI>full evidence</HI> made known by its <HI>own Light,</HI> and
<PB N="10" REF="122">Beams to the Soul of a Chri&s;tian, as the day|light of the <HI>Sun</HI> is to our natural Sen&s;e.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> II.</HEAD>
<P>BUt &s;ince no Light, or Conviction of the Judgment can efficaciou&s;ly work to an <HI>intire &s;ettlement of the Soul</HI> on <HI>the certainty of Divine Truth,</HI> without <HI>internal evidence, and the Sealing work of the Spirit,</HI> it is on that wonderful part of Chri&s;tianity, which lies in the Truth of <HI>inward experience,</HI> which is the <HI>Soul, and Life of our Religion,</HI> I &s;hall touch, what's more principally pointed at up|on this Subject, in a <HI>few Propo&s;itions</HI> drawn forth from what is more fully held forth thereon.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 1. That &s;uch is this <HI>My&s;tery of in|ward Experience on the Soul,</HI> as hath a di|&s;tinct evidence from any <HI>moral influence by the Word</HI> to the Judgment, tho' it cannot be divi|ded from the &s;ame; and is the proper object of &s;piritual Sen&s;e, which no humane Power, or Angels can impart, but <HI>God</HI> hath re&s;erved on|ly to him&s;elf, as an earne&s;t given to confirm, &s;uch as know what pa&s;&s;eth betwixt him and their Soul herein, of a more full out-ma|king of his Truth, and promi&s;e beyond any external Providence.</P>
<PB N="11" REF="122">
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 2. The enjoyments of Grace, and of a &s;piritual State this way, which are of the highe&s;t Sub&s;tance, and reality, do not alone &s;upport, and &s;trengthen a Chri&s;tians Faith, by <HI>inward Sen&s;e,</HI> and <HI>feeling</HI> thereof, but by the mo&s;t <HI>exact, and judicious trial</HI> of the &s;ame, as it is the <HI>a&s;&s;ured Seal of the Spirit of Pro|mi&s;e.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 3. It is &s;ure, <HI>that God is not known in the Earth,</HI> or <HI>injoyed in Truth, in the Know|ledge of Conver&s;e</HI> with him, but in <HI>the Light of inward Evidence, and Experience;</HI> and that Religion hath no true Intere&s;t among men or any real conque&s;t to eternal Ends; but in this alone way of its Power, and efficacy on their Soul; &s;o as that <HI>choice Company, who are now going through time on fre&s;h and con|tinued &s;upplies of the Spirit of Grace, are the&s;e alone in whom the Chri&s;tian Faith is kept a|live this day in the Earth.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 4. Tho' all who are entred in a re|conciled State with God, mu&s;t be <HI>&s;ealed by the Spirit,</HI> which is the &s;ettled Priviledge of all who are under his conduct, yet are there <HI>more near, and higher enjoyments of this kind,</HI> and in a more <HI>&s;ingular way</HI> imparted to &s;ome than others for &s;upport to their Faith, where more &s;ingular trials, and a long interval of delay between the Promi&s;e, and Performance hath been in their Ca&s;e.</P>
<PB N="12" REF="123">
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 5. This rare <HI>enjoyment of inward Experience of Divine things</HI> none can on <HI>tru&s;t or report from others</HI> know in the Truth there|of, which no humane Te&s;timony or vocal Evi|dence can expre&s;s, what is a &s;ecret betwixt God and the Soul alone; which no A&s;&s;i&s;tance of their own Spirit or of any natural Cau&s;e could ever po&s;&s;ibly impart, or make &s;o di&s;|cernable, and marvellous a change in their in|ward Ca&s;e.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 6. Such is the <HI>Chri&s;tian way and pa&s;|&s;age to Heaven,</HI> as were &s;imply <HI>impo&s;&s;ible,</HI> with|out the <HI>immediate Communion of the Holy Gho&s;t,</HI> and real enjoyment of <HI>&s;upernatural A&s;&s;i&s;tances, and Comforts,</HI> which can have no po&s;&s;ible ri&s;e from nature.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 7. It is not <HI>the Letter of the Word of Truth can &s;ave men, or objective Evidence here|of to the Judgment;</HI> where nothing is known of its internal Work. So as <HI>profe&s;s'd Chri&s;tians for the mo&s;t part, have the &s;ame need to be Converted to Chri&s;tianity that Pagans have.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 8. The enjoyment of &s;ome of the Saints in this way of Experience, may be no <HI>rule,</HI> nor <HI>mea&s;ure</HI> to others in the Trial of their State; &s;ince there are ever mo&s;t different <HI>Sizes, and Growth</HI> among&s;t &s;uch within time as make &s;o great a difference herein, nor have &s;erious Chri&s;tians the &s;ame advantage in a like mea|&s;ure to di&s;cern the workings of God on their
<PB N="13" REF="123">Soul, and try the &s;ame from the natural work of their own Spirit, as the&s;e who <HI>by Rea&s;on of u&s;e have their Sen&s;es exerci&s;ed to di&s;cern Good, and Evil.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 9. Tho' the Sen&s;e, and Sweetne&s;s of Spiritual Enjoyments, comes not by the <HI>Pow|er, and Workings of Rea&s;on,</HI> but <HI>by the immedi|atene&s;s of the Divine Pre&s;ence;</HI> yet does it not exclude <HI>&s;uch a di&s;ou&s;&s;ive work in</HI> the clearne&s;s of &s;piritual Rea&s;on, and Light, as can fully quiet the mind that here is no delu&s;ion, nor deceit, but is the alone work of the Spirit of Truth, who leads unto all Truth.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 10. That &s;pecial de&s;ign of the Lord in the <HI>&s;ettlement of Churches in a vi&s;ible State,</HI> can neither be known or made effectual, but in this way to have external Ordinances carried on <HI>with Life, and Power on Mens Souls,</HI> and for enjoying or Communion by the Spirit with their <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed Head;</HI> nor is it po&s;&s;ible for a particular Church to &s;ub&s;i&s;t in a naked form of Religion, and external Services, if the Admini&s;tration of the Spirit, and Power, therewith &s;hould be wholly withdrawn, but the quenching of the Light mu&s;t then unque|&s;tionably follow.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="section">
<PB N="14" REF="124">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> III.</HEAD>
<P>IT's in a <HI>review on this Subject,</HI> that the greatne&s;s of that <HI>Per&s;enal Tryal,</HI> which is made by the certainty of <HI>Inward Experience,</HI> and the <HI>quality of &s;uch Witne&s;&s;es</HI> as bear Te|&s;timony herein, and <HI>puts to their Seal, that God is True,</HI> in what he hath promi&s;ed, may be under&s;tood in &s;ome further <HI>Propo&s;itions</HI> drawn forth of the preceding di&s;cour&s;e there|on.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 1. <HI>Spiritual Experience,</HI> of what im|mediately pa&s;&s;eth betwixt God, and the Soul's of Men, according to the &s;ettled Con&s;tituti|ons of his Word, and makes &s;o <HI>pre&s;ent, and marvellous</HI> a change in their Inward Ca&s;e, it's a <HI>trial</HI> upon the <HI>whole vital part of Religion;</HI> upon the internal Efficacy, and Power of Di|vine Truth, whereby the <HI>moral Rule of Go|&s;pel Obedience, is turned into living and inward Principles,</HI> and the Chri&s;tian Soul thus made to be <HI>the declared Epi&s;tle of Chri&s;t,</HI> by an in|ternal conforming of the &s;ame thereto, in an indi&s;&s;oluble Union of the Truth, and their Spirits together, being <HI>chang'd into the &s;ame Image.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 2. It's not on &s;ome <HI>rare,</HI> and <HI>extra|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rdinary account,</HI> that <HI>Jonas Tryal</HI> is &s;tated,
<PB N="15" REF="124">but is known by innumerable re-iterated times of &s;uch enjoyments, to keep clo&s;e with a near and tender walk in a Chri&s;tians whole cour&s;e, as <HI>an anointing with fre&s;h oyl;</HI> &s;o that the <HI>Power of Religion,</HI> can never be barren of <HI>new Experiments of Divine Truth,</HI> and inward en|joyments thereof, where with no le&s;s Evidence, they can &s;ee the <HI>proper Cau&s;e, and Original,</HI> than the <HI>Truth of &s;uch marvellous effects,</HI> and the <HI>Object of their Faith,</HI> in what God hath &s;poken in his Word to be now made the <HI>Object of their Inward Sen&s;e,</HI> and <HI>Experience,</HI> as <HI>his Seal</HI> put thereto.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 3. This is a <HI>Tryal,</HI> e&s;pecially made on &s;o <HI>great a difference, as is betwixt the clear|e&s;t act of the Judgment upon Divine things,</HI> and the <HI>real feeling of the &s;ame</HI> in the Pow|er, and vertue thereof; betwixt the mo&s;t &s;ub|lime apprehen&s;ion by <HI>Theory,</HI> and the&s;e <HI>&s;en&s;i|ble Impre&s;&s;ions by the Holy Gho&s;t</HI> on their Soul; yea how the greate&s;t <HI>objective means</HI> in the way of Light cannot do, if there were not an <HI>internal effective cau&s;e</HI> that works Pow|erfully herein, where the <HI>&s;ame Cau&s;e</HI> which makes a Chri&s;tian <HI>fir&s;t Live,</HI> does impower him to <HI>Move,</HI> and <HI>act for God</HI> in the Services of their day.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 4. Nothing does more Work on Mens Souls, and afford un&s;peakable Joy to them, than what's made their <HI>own,</HI> and is their <HI>proper and
<PB N="16" REF="125">di&s;tinct intere&s;t in this my&s;tery of inward experi|ence,</HI> to <HI>know in them&s;elves the internal demon|&s;trations of the Truth</HI> they profe&s;s, in the power, and evidence thereof; and what <HI>great things have been tran&s;acted betwixt God and their Soul,</HI> the&s;e more remarkable times, have gone over them of his conduct, and immediate appearan|ces in the cour&s;e of their life; yea, to &s;ee how the <HI>&s;ame Spirit, that confirms the Truth of their State</HI> and hope for Heaven, does herewith <HI>con|firm Chri&s;tianity,</HI> and the <HI>great original charter of Divine Truth,</HI> by &s;uch an <HI>extract</HI> given to them hereof.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 5. They mu&s;t fir&s;t <HI>come and &s;ee,</HI> be|yond, <HI>hearing by the ear,</HI> who would dive into the&s;e <HI>deep,</HI> and <HI>&s;till waters of Chri&s;tian experi|ence,</HI> to know in <HI>what manner the Spirit of God, hears evidence to his own truth,</HI> and what <HI>&s;trong impre&s;&s;ions his work hath on the internal Sen&s;e of a Chri&s;tian;</HI> yea, what a near commerce, and <HI>piercing intelligence</HI> is betwixt <HI>&s;uch,</HI> and their <HI>invi&s;ible head,</HI> in the way of his revealed truth, when it is with that <HI>evidence,</HI> and <HI>a&s;&s;urance of being God's Seal,</HI> and the <HI>fir&s;t-fruits</HI> of <HI>the Spi|rit,</HI> as they could adventure their eternal State on the truth thereof.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 6. Such is the enjoyment of <HI>Spiritual Experience,</HI> as may not onely render a Chri&s;ti|an to be a wonder to him&s;elf, in his <HI>reflecti|on</HI> thereon; but might awake the mo&s;t &s;ublime,
<PB N="17" REF="125">and <HI>Inqui&s;itive Spirits</HI> of Men, to &s;ome greater thoughts and &s;earch herein, as things of the highe&s;t con&s;equence that's within time, to know that &s;uch a part of Humane race is on the Earth as are admitted to an <HI>immediate Communion with the Deity by inward &s;en&s;e,</HI> and to the enjoyment of &s;uch a <HI>light,</HI> as is immediately out of Hea|ven by the Spirit of God, and &s;hines on none el&s;e of Mankind.</P>
<P><HI>Prop.</HI> 7. Though the truth of <HI>inward expe|rience</HI> of the great things of God be the <HI>proper intere&s;t of a Chri&s;tian</HI> upon his own <HI>tryal,</HI> yet is it a part of that <HI>communion</HI> which &s;uch have within time with the mo&s;t excellent in the Earth, and the&s;e innumerable, both in the pre|&s;ent, and former ages of all ranks, who have been the greate&s;t <HI>lovers of God,</HI> and <HI>adventu|rers for him,</HI> with whom he hath &s;o familiar|ly dealt, and witne&s;t hereby how great a <HI>re|warder he is of his own grace,</HI> in ejoyments both of <HI>light</HI> and <HI>comfort.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> IV.</HEAD>
<P>I Have &s;o far offered a &s;hort review, of the <HI>preceding di&s;cour&s;e</HI> in a <HI>&s;eries of &s;ome propo&s;i|tions</HI> drawn out of the &s;ame, to clear what is more &s;pecially <HI>intended</HI> therein, and the joint nece&s;&s;ity that Chri&s;tians have in this militant
<PB N="18" REF="126">&s;tate, of the highe&s;t a&s;&s;i&s;tance to their Faith, both from <HI>rational evidence,</HI> and from the <HI>internal work, and demon&s;trations of the Spirit of God,</HI> which is a thing &s;o incomprehen&s;ible to <HI>natural rea&s;on,</HI> and remote from humane &s;en&s;e, as the Spirit of mo&s;t in this day &s;eems to be on the rack how to oppo&s;e the &s;ame, and to divide betwixt the <HI>moral part of our religion and the vital part thereof;</HI> to take off thus the great|e&s;t <HI>&s;eal</HI> that God hath given to the <HI>divinity of his truth</HI> upon Mens Souls; yea, to &s;uch a height is this &s;trange <HI>enmity</HI> to the life and glo|ry of our religion now come, under &s;o bright a day of the Go&s;pel, as nothing may be more clearly expre&s;&s;ive of that <HI>&s;in again&s;t the Holy Gho&s;t,</HI> and of a <HI>doing de&s;pite to the Spirit of Grace.</HI> We live in a time, when <HI>Night</HI> &s;eems in a &s;trange manner to be fallen down on the <HI>whole VVe&s;tern Churches,</HI> with &s;uch a horror of great darkne&s;s, that if our Faith &s;tood not by an <HI>ab&s;olute a&s;&s;urance from God,</HI> we might judge Truth &s;hould quickly peri&s;h from the Earth, and that which remains of &s;erious Religion a|mong&s;t Men, at la&s;t die out; when &s;o &s;ad and Judicial are the <HI>Signs</HI> every where of this time, as might cau&s;e fear lea&s;t the growing <HI>Apo&s;tacy of the Gentile Churches</HI> at la&s;t tend to a <HI>final un|churching of the &s;ame,</HI> as was of the <HI>Jewi&s;h after the A&s;cen&s;ion of Chri&s;t.</HI> For what hath been particularly touched in the <HI>&s;hutting up of this
<PB N="19" REF="126">Di&s;cour&s;e,</HI> of exporiments in any more <HI>ex|traordinary</HI> way attained, in the <HI>actings of a Chri&s;tians Faith</HI> in &s;ome &s;ingular ca&s;es, and higher intimacy of <HI>communion with the Spirit of God</HI> by &s;uch, then may be known to others; as it is not the <HI>&s;tandard,</HI> by which the truth and reality of Grace is to be judged, &s;o I hope it will be found with that <HI>caution,</HI> and <HI>&s;obriety</HI> touch|ed, as is &s;uitable to the <HI>Spirit,</HI> and <HI>rule of the Go&s;pel,</HI> and to the &s;etled con&s;titutions thereof.</P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>THE SECOND PART OF THIS <HI>Epi&s;tolary Di&s;cour&s;e, Farther con&s;ider'd upon a few &s;pecial HEADS.</HI></HEAD>
<P>HAving found that <HI>&s;ome things</HI> which are pointed at there, and of a near concern to us in this day, for being rightly under&s;tood,
<PB N="20" REF="127">have been with &s;uch <HI>brevity</HI> expre&s;&s;ed, as ren|ders the &s;ame more difficult and ob&s;cure, I have been con&s;trained to offer &s;ome thoughts farther thereon, with a <HI>humble reference</HI> to the judgment and <HI>trial of</HI> &s;uch who truly inquire, and &s;eek af|ter the T<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uth, and takes the <HI>pre&s;ent times</HI> to heart we are now in, with a more deep &s;en&s;e, and impre&s;&s;ion of what <HI>God does</HI> threaten, than what is from <HI>Men,</HI> or any vi&s;ible things.</P>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> I.</HEAD>
<P>THe <HI>Fir&s;t Head</HI> which hath been formerly touched and on the <HI>fir&s;t part of the preceding di&s;cour&s;e,</HI> is to what <HI>period of time</HI> the pre&s;ent &s;tate of the <HI>Gentile Church</HI> does now relate; and in what &s;en&s;e the&s;e <HI>times of the Gentiles</HI> which are yet to be <HI>fulfilled,</HI> Luc. 21.24. and that <HI>fullne&s;s thereof,</HI> which mu&s;t be brought in be|fore the <HI>in calling, and Re&s;toration of the Jews,</HI> Rom. 11.25. mu&s;t be under&s;tood; this is a <HI>great point of truth,</HI> wherein I mu&s;t, (&s;o far as I can attain light) have a different judgment from other <HI>expo&s;itors</HI> I have &s;een thereon, to whom otherwi&s;e I bear a ju&s;t honour, but cannot judge with them that to bedark, or difficult, which the <HI>Spirit of God</HI> makes &s;o clear, that both the&s;e <HI>Scriptures</HI> bear one and the &s;ame <HI>intent;</HI> that <HI>the&s;e times of the Gentiles,</HI> and the <HI>fulne&s;s</HI> there|of
<PB N="21" REF="127">which is to be perfected fir&s;t before that <HI>judi|cial vail of Blindne&s;s</HI> be taken off the <HI>Jews,</HI> does mo&s;t clearly re&s;pect <HI>the &s;ucce&s;&s;ive cour&s;e of the Go&s;pel,</HI> and mini&s;tration of Grace to the whole <HI>Gentile Church,</HI> in a <HI>di&s;tinct and &s;eparate &s;tate</HI> from the <HI>Jews;</HI> which <HI>times</HI> are in a great mea&s;ure perfected, and drawing to the la&s;t pe|riod of the &s;ame, the <HI>fulfilling whereof</HI> will contemporate with the <HI>Churches fir&s;t entry on the highe&s;t &s;plendor, and glory of the Kingdom of Chri&s;t</HI> here on this Earth, when its <HI>con&s;titution</HI> &s;hall be no more of <HI>Jews</HI> and <HI>Gentiles</HI> under &s;uch di&s;tingui&s;hing Names, and no <HI>walls of par|tition</HI> any more but where the <HI>Lord &s;hall be one,</HI> and <HI>his Name one</HI> in this ble&s;&s;ed frame of one <HI>Catholick Church,</HI> and the&s;e differences be then intirely &s;wallowed up by the power and preva|lence of Divine Love, and the &s;en&s;e of that <HI>high Calling</HI> to be Chri&s;tians, and of their be|ing made <HI>partakers of the Divine Nature.</HI> But &s;ince this is a <HI>Subject</HI> of &s;uch high con&s;equence, I mu&s;t yet &s;peak a &s;ew things farther on the &s;ame to be &s;eriou&s;ly <HI>con&s;idered.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. That as it hath been one of the greate&s;t <HI>deeps</HI> of the wi&s;dom and coun&s;el of God about his <HI>Church,</HI> that <HI>I&s;rael</HI> and the <HI>natural off-&s;pring of Abraham</HI> &s;hould have been onely <HI>priviledged,</HI> for &s;o many Ages, from the whole race of Man|kind, with a <HI>Church-State, and Relation,</HI> and have their <HI>&s;et</HI> and <HI>proper times</HI> thus allotted to
<PB N="22" REF="128">them under the <HI>Old Te&s;t ament,</HI> with a <HI>wall of partition</HI> herein &s;et up from the <HI>Gentile VVorld;</HI> &s;o is it no le&s;s matter of <HI>humble admiration,</HI> that upon their <HI>rejection,</HI> and <HI>tran&s;lation of the Church to the Gentiles,</HI> the&s;e &s;hould in the &s;ame manner have their <HI>times</HI> a&s;&s;igned under the <HI>New Te&s;ta|ment,</HI> for the treaty and mini&s;tration of Grace in a <HI>di&s;tinct and &s;eparate &s;tate from the Jewi&s;h race;</HI> &s;o that the <HI>con&s;titution of the Catholick Church</HI> hath for the&s;e 1600 <HI>years pa&s;t</HI> been made up entirely of the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> and re&s;tricted thereto, whatever income hath been of <HI>Jewi&s;h Converts,</HI> which yet can be but rarely reckon|ed, whil&s;t &s;o great a <HI>harve&s;t among&s;t the Nati|ons</HI> hath been <HI>reaped,</HI> and brought in by the Mini&s;tery of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and power of his Divine Truth.</P>
<P N="2">2. That the&s;e <HI>&s;et, and limited times of the Gentiles,</HI> Luc. 21.24. which mu&s;t yet be <HI>ful|filled,</HI> and that <HI>fulne&s;s</HI> thereof, <HI>Rom.</HI> 11.25. to be brought in, as they are expre&s;ly directed for one and the &s;ame <HI>intent,</HI> &s;o is it thus clearly held forth by the <HI>Spirit of God,</HI> as it might &s;eem not &s;uppo&s;able how another &s;en&s;e &s;hould be impo&s;ed thereon, than that which is there meant by the&s;e <HI>times of the &s;ucce&s;&s;ive cour&s;e of of the Go&s;pel among&s;t the Nations,</HI> and of that <HI>harve&s;t to be reaped</HI> according to the <HI>&s;et mea|&s;ure</HI> hereof in &s;uch a <HI>&s;eparate and di&s;tinct &s;tate.</HI>
<PB N="23" REF="128">Yea, which mu&s;t al&s;o take in the <HI>times of divine patience,</HI> in waiting &s;o long on the whole <HI>Gentile Church,</HI> with that mea&s;ure of their <HI>tri|als and &s;ufferings,</HI> which was to be filled up by them under &s;uch a di&s;pen&s;ation of Grace; and it's a &s;ad <HI>comment</HI> that &s;erves to make a Scrip|ture truth dark, where the Great Teacher hath made it to the farthe&s;t obvious and plain.</P>
<P N="3">3. Though the <HI>clo&s;e and Expiration of the&s;e times</HI> may be judged, to be in &s;ome unu&s;ual manner, a &s;ad and <HI>judicial period,</HI> as to the <HI>dege|nerate &s;tate of the Gentile Church,</HI> with an ex|traordinary withdrawing then of the Spirit of God, yet it is unque&s;tionably clear, how it is in a <HI>promi&s;&s;ory way, that the intent of the Scripture herein mu&s;t be taken,</HI> and that &s;ueh a <HI>&s;etting of the Sun on the Gentile VVorld</HI> this will be, as &s;hall immediately precede the <HI>&s;plendor and glo|ry of the brighte&s;t day</HI> which hath yet &s;hined on the Church under the <HI>New Te&s;tament;</HI> accor|ding to that Te&s;timony, <HI>Rom.</HI> 11.15. that if the <HI>rejection,</HI> and <HI>unchurching of the Jews,</HI> was the <HI>reconciling of the VVorld,</HI> and made way to the fir&s;t ri&s;e of the <HI>Gentiles Church,</HI> &s;o will at la&s;t the <HI>reception</HI> and <HI>re&s;tauration</HI> of that people be <HI>a new entry again of the Gentile,</HI> as to a <HI>new Re&s;urrection and Recovery,</HI> which &s;hall be <HI>as life from the dead;</HI> this in faith, and with a&s;&s;urance I believe, where the <HI>Scripture</HI> hath, with &s;uch full evidence, made it an Article of our Faith. It's in a <HI>Promi&s;&s;ory &s;en&s;e</HI> al&s;o this mu&s;t be judg|ed,
<PB N="24" REF="129">that the full &s;troke on the <HI>Seat of Antichri&s;t by the fifth Vial,</HI> is &s;o evidently re&s;erved to the <HI>final expiration of the&s;e &s;et times of the Gentiles,</HI> and to that eminent di&s;playing of the <HI>glory of Chri&s;t's Reign,</HI> which will then take place in that great and magnificent <HI>work of Judgment;</HI> for I mu&s;t fix it in &s;uch a <HI>period, where the Spirit of God does expre&s;ly fix the &s;ame,</HI> 2 The&s;. 2. to be by the <HI>brightne&s;s of Chri&s;t's &s;econd coming,</HI> which &s;o clearly falleth in with that <HI>ble&s;&s;ed, and bright Sun-&s;hine of the State of the Go&s;pel</HI> Church before the end, and is that great event of Provi|dence, which immediately pr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">des <HI>I&s;raels re|turn unto Chri&s;t under the</HI> 6th <HI>Vial;</HI> So that I mu&s;t humbly &s;ay, under a con&s;traint of light and evidence herein, my Soul does long for the <HI>final clo&s;e of the&s;e &s;et and limited times of the Gentiles,</HI> until which that <HI>la&s;t period of the Churches State</HI> cannot fall in with the frame of Providence, nor that great de&s;ign of Grace in that rare <HI>Structure,</HI> which is yet to be &s;et up of the <HI>Chri&s;tian Church,</HI> can take place of <HI>Jews and Gentiles incorporate in one Body,</HI> with &s;o intire an union, as to know no more in any <HI>di&s;tinct way their natural birth-right and de&s;cent,</HI> after the Fle&s;h, from the <HI>Seed of Japhet and Shem,</HI> but as joint members of Chri&s;t's univer&s;al Kingdom, and made one in him.</P>
<P N="4">4. Tho the event will clear how far the mea|&s;ute of <HI>the&s;e times,</HI> and of the <HI>fulne&s;s of the Gen|tile Church is now accompli&s;hed,</HI> yet &s;o far as <HI>Scri|pture
<PB N="25" REF="129">Signs</HI> does give light and evidence herein, it may, with a &s;uitable &s;obriety, be judged, that the <HI>clo&s;e hereof</HI> is drawing very near, when we &s;ee what length the <HI>cour&s;e of the Go&s;pel</HI> hath come, according to what is &s;o expre&s;ly <HI>foretold by Chri&s;t, through the whole World;</HI> when the&s;e <HI>times</HI> which <HI>A&s;ia</HI> and <HI>Africa</HI> once had are furn&s;h|ed, when the <HI>Sun al&s;o in its gradual cour&s;e,</HI> as to this ble&s;&s;ed light, hath &s;taid &s;o long in the <HI>we&s;t,</HI> and &s;o vi&s;ibly now <HI>declining</HI> there, as to the whole <HI>We&s;tern Churches,</HI> I hope towards a near, and bright ri&s;ing once again in the <HI>Ea&s;t;</HI> yea, when the intent of Providence, in the&s;e late di&s;|coveries, and Plantations in <HI>America,</HI> is &s;o evi|dently directed for this end, that the&s;e times of the Gentiles, now in a &s;eparate &s;tate, may have a more full perfecting: when we &s;ee al&s;o &s;uch a <HI>&s;ignal declining of the Ottoman Empire,</HI> it may be as a <HI>Promi&s;&s;ory &s;ign</HI> for this end, and have a pre|paratory re&s;pect to that <HI>la&s;t exit,</HI> and expiring thereof, which is to be a matter of our Faith under the 6th <HI>Vial;</HI> and if the expre&s;ing thereof &s;uitable to the <HI>Apocalyptick Stile,</HI> &s;eem<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> dark; it's al&s;o for that end that there &s;hould be a humble becoming &s;earch herein, to know the in|tent of the Spirit of God. But there is <HI>one Sign</HI> of another nature, which may have a very &s;ad a&s;pect on the pre&s;ent time, when we &s;ee to what a height the <HI>Apo&s;ta&s;ie of the Gentile Church</HI> in the mo&s;t reformed &s;tate thereof this day is now come, with &s;o vi&s;ible a growing <HI>Eclip&s;e,</HI> which
<PB N="26" REF="130">I judge may be too ju&s;tly feared go not off, until once the&s;e <HI>times be fulfilled,</HI> and the dawning of that long expected, and a&s;&s;uredly promi&s;ed day of the <HI>Churches la&s;t re&s;tauration,</HI> break up, as the fir&s;t &s;olemn entry on the Glory of that ble&s;|&s;ed <HI>Millennium,</HI> in that &s;ence the Scripture does warrant our hope hereof.</P>
<P N="5">5. As this great <HI>revolution</HI> will be the mo&s;t &s;ignal, and eminent <HI>period of time,</HI> which is yet to take place in <HI>Prophetick Chronology;</HI> So mu&s;t I humbly judge, that &s;uch a <HI>reiterated te&s;timo|mony of the Holy Gho&s;t,</HI> to the perfecting of the <HI>times,</HI> and <HI>fulne&s;s of the Gentiles,</HI> as an entry on a new &s;tate of things is mo&s;t expre&s;ly <HI>&s;et up as a publick mark and &s;tandart,</HI> for giving light to the <HI>Churches cour&s;e</HI> in the future times there|of, whereby a &s;afe and clear judgement may be attained both in the <HI>application of Prophe&s;ies,</HI> and as to the <HI>great de&s;igns of Providence</HI> now in the <HI>la&s;t days;</HI> &amp; is it not made clear by expre&s;s te&s;timo|ny of the Scripture herein, that we are not to ex|pect that <HI>day of Re&s;tauration to the Jewi&s;h race,</HI> or the taking off the <HI>vail of judicial blindne&s;s</HI> of their minds, until once this great <HI>event</HI> take place, but accordingly we are to have our faith directed; nor are to expect &s;uch a mani|fe&s;tation of the <HI>glory of Chri&s;t,</HI> until then, upon that <HI>highe&s;t period of his reign</HI> here on the earth, in &s;uch a manner, as we are warranted to believe the &s;ame. But, it may be too ju&s;tly feared, that before the&s;e <HI>times be fulfilled, the harve&s;t of the
<PB N="27" REF="130">earth,</HI> which &s;eems in &s;ome unu&s;ual manner now <HI>ripe</HI> for the <HI>Sickle,</HI> is yet farther to be <HI>reaped,</HI> and &s;ome extraordinary work of judgment to have an accompli&s;hment, which may be more &s;trange and a&s;toni&s;hing than what hath been known for &s;ome Ages pa&s;t.</P>
<P N="6">6. Whatever <HI>di&s;tinct intere&s;t the Jewi&s;h race</HI> hath hitherto had in the World, yet is it evi|dent that the <HI>Covenant of peculiarity,</HI> which once was with that People, is now <HI>void,</HI> and <HI>di&s;an|nulled,</HI> as to any more divided &s;tate, or &s;tanding by them&s;elves, but what will then be re&s;olved into a <HI>ble&s;&s;ed coalition</HI> with the Gentiles, into one <HI>united &s;tate,</HI> wherein <HI>the Lord &s;hall be one,</HI> and <HI>his Name one</HI> in the whole Earth.</P>
<P N="7">7. I know it is doubtful to &s;ome, that &s;o great an <HI>event of Providence</HI> is yet to take place, of the <HI>Jews return again to the Lord</HI> in &s;o con|&s;picuous a manner: But can &s;uch from any <HI>Church Records</HI> find, that &s;ince their <HI>rejection,</HI> and amid&s;t the&s;e &s;olemn times which have gone over the <HI>Gentile Church,</HI> of the &s;ucce&s;s of the Go&s;pel, any &s;uch noted and <HI>remarkable time of their Conver&s;ion</HI> hath occurred, as might, in the lea&s;t, an&s;wer the&s;e unque&s;tionable a&s;&s;urances gi|ven in the Scripture hereof? but that the con|tinued <HI>induration of this People, and vail over their mind,</HI> hath been one of the mo&s;t &s;ignal &s;trokes of Divine Judgment, which was ever in|flicted on Men; Or hath any times yet taken place of that <HI>promi&s;ed effu&s;ion of the Spirit of E|vangelick
<PB N="28" REF="131">Repentance</HI> upon them, with a look upon him whom they had pierced, and &s;o great a mourning as mu&s;t once be with &s;ome &s;uitable proportion to their <HI>Apo&s;ta&s;ie;</HI> which is a&s;&s;ured|ly to take place under the times of the <HI>New Te&s;tament,</HI> el&s;e not at all; and be &s;uch a high &s;pring-tide, as &s;hall be the mo&s;t near, and im|mediate <HI>preparatory work,</HI> to their <HI>re&s;toration to a Church-State;</HI> and being taken in again to the embracements of his love and re&s;pect, whom they &s;o de&s;pitefully oppo&s;ed; yea it's with the flowing of that tide I doubt not, the <HI>Gentiles</HI> &s;hall then have a <HI>new reviving,</HI> when this ble&s;|&s;ed time is once come, and a proper intere&s;t here|in as &s;hall be a joint entry on a <HI>new world</HI> to both.</P>
<P N="8">8. It is true, if we look upon the pre&s;ent times, it may <HI>faint</HI> and <HI>&s;tagger our Faith,</HI> as to &s;o great and wonderful a thing, when <HI>&s;o little in a preparatory way</HI> from all appearances is pro|mi&s;ing hereof; when on the one hand, the &s;en&s;e of this on Mens Spirits &s;eems &s;o rare, <HI>that the World is now governed by God,</HI> and could not <HI>&s;ub&s;i&s;t</HI> one moment by Humane Coun&s;el, or Power, <HI>if he were not a God to it;</HI> and on the other hand, &s;o extraordinary a time <HI>of oppo&s;itions to the growing Intere&s;t of Chri&s;t's Kingdom,</HI> which he hath received of <HI>the Father</HI> by the <HI>Covenant of Mediation,</HI> and is now near to the <HI>highe&s;t period of its vi&s;ible glory;</HI> but it hath been clear, and oft &s;trength|ening
<PB N="29" REF="131">to my Faith, to <HI>reflect on the&s;e remarka|ble gradations which the vi&s;ible Kingdom of our Lord Je&s;us hath had &s;ince his A&s;cen&s;ion</HI> here on the Earth, both in its <HI>triumph over the Pagan World,</HI> and in the&s;e late times over the <HI>Anti|chri&s;tian VVorld;</HI> and to &s;ee thus, how <HI>dark and di&s;mal a &s;tate of things &s;till did immediately precede the mo&s;t bright di&s;play of his regal power, and the glory thereof,</HI> and how <HI>Satan's being let loo&s;e, by a penal permi&s;&s;ion,</HI> did appear mo&s;t then, when <HI>his time was &s;hort;</HI> it's &s;ure it would have &s;eemed as incredible to hope, before the <HI>year</HI> 1517; for &s;o great and wonderful a <HI>revolution,</HI> as after followed in the Churches ca&s;e, as to cre|dit what yet is to be brought forth in the World, and what a <HI>day</HI> is to &s;hine when this darkne&s;s is over.</P>
<P N="9">9. It &s;hould indeed, be matter of fear to &s;tretch a confidence on the <HI>future &s;tate of the Church,</HI> where it's warrant is not clear, and will be no comforting <HI>light which Men kindle to them|&s;elves,</HI> though they &s;hould <HI>walk in the &s;parks thereof</HI> for a time; but it's on this <HI>great head of truth</HI> the Spirit of God does &s;peak &s;o expre&s;ly in this <HI>&s;en&s;e,</HI> as it cannot po&s;&s;ibly bear another; how the <HI>times of the Gentiles are to be fulfilled,</HI> and in what re&s;pects. 1. That here will be no <HI>Unchurching,</HI> or rejecting of them, no more than it will prejudge the <HI>National Intere&s;t of Kingdoms and Nations, by becoming the King|doms of our Lord Je&s;us,</HI> which &s;hall redound
<PB N="30" REF="132">then to their highe&s;t glory, and temporal advan|tage; but that when the&s;e limited <HI>times</HI> are once fini&s;hed, there &s;hall be no more a <HI>Gentile Church by it &s;elf</HI> on the Earth, but the <HI>Con&s;titution of Chri&s;t's univer&s;al Kingdom</HI> &s;hall be then &s;uch, as there will be neither <HI>Jew,</HI> nor <HI>Greek, Barbarian,</HI> nor <HI>Scythian,</HI> and neither <HI>Circumci|&s;ion,</HI> or <HI>Uncircumci&s;ion</HI> any more known; and no National emulation, or envy, to interfear with that great de&s;ign of Grace. 2. It is a &s;hutting up of the&s;e <HI>times</HI> as will be then the <HI>Churches entry</HI> on a <HI>new date, and computation of time,</HI> as to the cour&s;e of Providence therewith, which is to begin with that <HI>la&s;t,</HI> and <HI>great Epocha,</HI> in the re-entrance on <HI>a new &s;tate;</HI> thus did <HI>I&s;rael's coming out of Egypt,</HI> give a <HI>new date of time</HI> unto them. 3. It is then al&s;o will be the <HI>clo&s;e</HI> and <HI>&s;hutting up of that ble&s;&s;ed admini&s;tration of Providence,</HI> and de&s;igns thereof, with re&s;pect to the <HI>&s;eparate &s;tate of the Gentiles,</HI> though no <HI>final divorce,</HI> but to make way for their return, and <HI>recovery of their fir&s;t love, the love of their e&s;pou|&s;als,</HI> by a new betroathment of them to him&s;elf; and &s;uch a <HI>ca&s;ting down</HI> only as will then rai&s;e <HI>them up farther</HI> with a <HI>new</HI> and <HI>joint intere&s;t</HI> in that rare frame of his <HI>Univer&s;al Kingdom.</HI> 4. But it's &s;urely to the <HI>VVe&s;tern reformed Chur|ches,</HI> that the&s;e <HI>la&s;t times of the Gentiles, and their fulfilling, hath a peculiar re&s;pect;</HI> who have not only had &s;o long a day now given them, but their <HI>times renowed by a &s;econd re&s;tauration,</HI> which hath
<PB N="31" REF="132">not been the priviledge of the <HI>Ea&s;tern Churches;</HI> and now <HI>as this &s;ea&s;on is ha&s;tning away,</HI> &s;o is <HI>pro|vidence in a quick and &s;wift motion</HI> this day, the more near it is to the <HI>clo&s;e,</HI> wherein both goodne&s;s and &s;everity from the Lord will eminently ap|pear; that as in the one re&s;pect he will no lon|ger bear with the <HI>Gentile Church,</HI> when the mea&s;ure of their <HI>&s;in</HI> (which is now at &s;uch a height) is once <HI>filled up,</HI> nor re&s;trict the glory of the Go&s;pel light thereto, which for this 1500 <HI>years</HI> hath been the <HI>proper &s;phere</HI> where it hath &s;hined, yet will even then give them <HI>new and higher priviledges,</HI> when there &s;hall be no dividing di&s;tances, more or &s;eparations in the whole <HI>Church of Chri&s;t.</HI> But O what a &s;ubject of admiration and joy may the&s;e times be, that have gone over the <HI>Gentile Church!</HI> What <HI>triumphs</HI> hath our <HI>ble&s;&s;ed head</HI> had there, in the power of his own Grace, &s;ince their fir&s;t e&s;pou&s;als, in the i&s;&s;ue of the&s;e extraordinary <HI>trials</HI> and <HI>&s;ufferings</HI> allotted thereto? What innumerable te&s;timonies hath he had from the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> of his being infinitely dear|er to them than their <HI>Lives,</HI> and what <HI>endear|ments of love</HI> have pa&s;&s;ed betwixt their God and them; of whom al&s;o is the greate&s;t intere&s;t of the <HI>Church Triumphant</HI> now made up, and I hope <HI>the clo&s;e of their times</HI> is yet to make an emi|nent <HI>acce&s;&s;ion</HI> there to, and will be filled up yet more with &s;pecial fruits and &s;ervices of <HI>Love</HI> to him.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="section">
<PB N="32" REF="133">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> II.</HEAD>
<P>I Have de&s;ired to ab&s;tract in the foregoing Di&s;cour&s;e from entering on that &s;o much controverted head of the <HI>Millennium,</HI> farther than to prevent mi&s;take, as to what it relates to there, and is held forth, as to the great de&s;ign of Providence which is now on foot about the <HI>Kingdom of Chri&s;t,</HI> and that <HI>higher Glory</HI> and <HI>Splendor</HI> it will yet have on the Earth; it hath been with a&s;toni&s;hment, that I have oft thought on the&s;e &s;trange and different &s;en&s;es, which are on this <HI>Prophetick Truth,</HI> when there is &s;o much from the Scripture to be expo&s;itory, and give light herein, but wherein I differ from &s;uch as are of eminent note and learning in this matter, is with a true honour and re&s;pect other|wi&s;e; onely I &s;hall offer &s;ome few thoughts thereon to the judgment and <HI>trial</HI> of &s;uch for the Truths &s;ake.</P>
<P N="1">1. If the <HI>per&s;onal return and reign of Chri&s;t</HI> in his Humane Nature upon this Earth, can po&s;&s;ibly be now expected, whom the <HI>Hea|vens mu&s;t contain, until the times of the re|&s;titution of all things,</HI> and that the <HI>whole admini&s;tration of Providence</HI> about the Church Militant be accompli&s;hed, and the my&s;tery of God herein fini&s;hed, when there will be no more
<PB N="33" REF="133">u&s;e of <HI>time;</HI> but, it's &s;ure, this <HI>promi&s;ed Millenni|um</HI> mu&s;t have its proper room in the cour&s;e of Providence, onely within <HI>time,</HI> whil&s;t the Church is yet Militant, on the Earth, and the la&s;t <HI>battle</HI> thereof to follow the &s;ame.</P>
<P N="2">2. Or, is it &s;uppo&s;able, that our <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Lord</HI> &s;hould be the continued <HI>object of Humane Sen&s;e,</HI> for a time, on this Earth, in the <HI>Glory, and Splen|dour</HI> of a <HI>vi&s;ible appearance,</HI> which this State of Mortality we are in could not po&s;&s;ibly admit; except Men would infer his coming under a vail, and to act &s;ome part of his <HI>humiliation</HI> herein; or otherwi&s;e, that the <HI>Earth</HI> be turned unto <HI>Hea|ven.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. If the Appearance of <HI>our Redeemer in Hea|ven,</HI> after his <HI>A&s;cen&s;ion</HI> in <HI>the Union of the two Natures,</HI> brought &s;uch an additional Glory here|with to the <HI>Church Triumphant,</HI> Can it be po&s;|&s;ibly judged, that the <HI>Glorious Tabernacle of his Humane Nature, in which the Godhead dwells Bodily,</HI> and admits of no <HI>ubiquity,</HI> &s;hould be withdrawn thence to this lower Earth for &s;o long a time, who is <HI>&s;et down at the right hand of his Father, to reign,</HI> and exerce his Office, as <HI>Me|diator</HI> there, until the <HI>Elect</HI> be wholly gathered in, and all <HI>his Enemies &s;ubdued?</HI> yea, could &s;uch a di&s;covery of his <HI>vi&s;ible appearance</HI> to the World, which exceeds all the <HI>Miracles</HI> whatever were, &s;ince the beginning of time, be compatible with an <HI>immediate oppo&s;ition to his Reign,</HI> and Go|vernment,
<PB N="34" REF="134">by the Nations, upon <HI>Satan's being let loo&s;e,</HI> after the expiring of this <HI>Millennium;</HI> and to &s;uppo&s;e a <HI>Second A&s;cen&s;ion of Chri&s;t unto Heaven,</HI> from his Church here, which mu&s;t be unavoidably inferred from his <HI>vi&s;ible Per&s;onal Reign</HI> for &s;uch a limited time.</P>
<P N="4">4. But on the other hand, as to the <HI>appear|ance of our Lord Je&s;us in the Glory and Splendor of his Kingdom,</HI> without any vi&s;ibility <HI>in his Humane Nature,</HI> which is yet to take place; I do, with full a&s;&s;urance, believe, it &s;hall unexpre&s;&s;ibly exceed all, which hath ever been known, &s;ince his <HI>A&s;cen&s;ion;</HI> to which <HI>period</HI> he hath re&s;erved the highe&s;t degrees of <HI>effu&s;ion of his Spirit</HI> to his Church, and of the <HI>intimacy of Communion with him&s;elf</HI> unto Men; as al&s;o more full mea&s;ures and <HI>di&s;coveries of light</HI> on his revealed truth, than what hath been attained formerly; but of no <HI>new light,</HI> which doth not accord with the &s;ame; yea, that one of the greate&s;t <HI>Harve&s;ts of the return of Prayer, after a Seed-time of many ages pa&s;t</HI> will be then <HI>reaped,</HI> with a more near Intercour&s;e and Trade with Heaven; nor is it to be que&s;tioned, that &s;ome extraordinary <HI>di&s;pen&s;ation of Miracles,</HI> and immediate appearance of <HI>our ble&s;&s;ed head,</HI> in the glory of his power, this way, will wait on &s;uch a revolution of time, with that tremen|dous &s;ence, and awe of his <HI>Divine Maje&s;ty</HI> on the Con&s;cience of his greate&s;t adver&s;aries, as to cau&s;e them <HI>feign &s;ubjection,</HI> and bow down before
<PB N="35" REF="134">him; but, Oh that &s;uch a time were more &s;ui|tably prepared for, and the Subject of Prayer for its coming, than of Contendings, and Di&s;putes about the &s;ame.</P>
<P N="5">5. Though the fixing of this <HI>great period,</HI> be convincingly manife&s;t, <HI>under the &s;ound of the la&s;t Trumpet,</HI> yet is it not to be judged, that it will be all along&s;t at the &s;ame <HI>height,</HI> but to have <HI>&s;ome gradual advance,</HI> from the <HI>fir&s;t entry</HI> there|on, nor that &s;uch a <HI>definite time of a thou&s;and years</HI> is to be otherwi&s;e judged, than of &s;ome re|markable <HI>duration of time,</HI> as to this ble&s;&s;ed Reign, when in the <HI>value, and &s;plendour thereof,</HI> the light, and brightne&s;s of <HI>one day then, &s;hall be as &s;even days in one;</HI> and the glory of <HI>one year</HI> &s;uch, as &s;hall ballance with that of <HI>a thou&s;and years before,</HI> and is to be reckoned in this &s;en&s;e, according to his computation, <HI>with whom one day is as a thou&s;and years.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> III.</HEAD>
<P>SInce among&s;t the&s;e <HI>Kingdoms,</HI> and <HI>Nations,</HI> which, under the <HI>La&s;t Trumpet,</HI> are to be by a &s;pecial &s;urrender, made <HI>the Lords,</HI> for ma|king way to this higher Splendor, and extent of his <HI>Kingdom</HI> in the World; <HI>Britain and Ireland</HI> may be judged to have a peculiar room, and in|tere&s;t, to which the &s;en&s;e of that <HI>donation by the
<PB N="36" REF="135">Father to the Son,</HI> of the <HI>I&s;les, and uttermo&s;t parts of the earth to be his inheritance,</HI> does mo&s;t par|ticularly relate; it does lead me to &s;ome <HI>refe|rence</HI> farther on that <HI>head,</HI> which I have former|ly touched, to be con&s;idered; if <HI>the Lord hath dealt &s;o with any Nations of the Gentiles, under the New Te&s;tament,</HI> e&s;pecially &s;ince the <HI>blowing of the</HI> 7th <HI>Trumpet,</HI> and entry on that <HI>ble&s;&s;ed re|formation from Popery, as he hath dealt with the&s;e three Nations,</HI> both as to <HI>great experiments of Providence,</HI> and the <HI>di&s;pen&s;ation of Grace;</HI> yea, if the <HI>Kingdom of I&s;rael and Judah</HI> was &s;tated in a more <HI>near relation to God,</HI> in a <HI>Moral</HI> re&s;pect, as to what's mo&s;t e&s;&s;ential for a <HI>Nations being the Lords,</HI> than this day the&s;e <HI>Nations</HI> are, though not in things <HI>Typical,</HI> or <HI>Ceremonial,</HI> yet under higher Priviledges of Grace, now in the day of the Go&s;pel; which may be farther evi|dent, 1. From &s;o great an <HI>expence, and co&s;t,</HI> which the Lord hath wared, in <HI>planting, and letting forth a Vineyard there,</HI> and bequeathing &s;uch a <HI>Mini&s;tery,</HI> to go forth on the <HI>Emba&s;&s;ie of the Go&s;pel,</HI> as in innumerable in&s;tances, did both <HI>burn, and &s;hine</HI> before the World, in the Service of their day. 2. In &s;uch <HI>mea&s;ures, and increa&s;e of light,</HI> as it could not be &s;trange, that the Lord &s;hould take &s;ome higher proofs, and trials of the &s;ame, from his Church therein, than of <HI>other Churches</HI> an&s;werable to &s;uch a Talent. 3. The&s;e <HI>out-lettings, and effu&s;ions of the Spirit of God,</HI>
<PB N="37" REF="135">which have been there &s;o di&s;cernable, though we &s;ee the <HI>Ebb</HI> now, to be as <HI>low,</HI> in the life, and power of Religion, as once this <HI>Tide</HI> was con&s;pi|cuous. 4. Yea, it may be &s;aid &s;ince the <HI>Primi|tive times,</HI> there hath in no place of the Earth been a <HI>greater harve&s;t of &s;olid Chri&s;tians,</HI> who did &s;hine in the Truth, and power of true Sanctity, than hath, &s;ince the <HI>Reformation,</HI> been in the&s;e <HI>I&s;lands;</HI> nor have more <HI>&s;ingular in&s;truments</HI> been rai&s;ed up, with eminency of induments, and a <HI>heroick greatne&s;s of &s;pirit</HI> in appearing for God, and his Truth. 5. And &s;hould we ever lo&s;e &s;ight of &s;uch <HI>&s;olemn, and &s;ingular ingagements the&s;e Nations have been brought under,</HI> by a &s;ur|render to the Lord, and to be his in <HI>Covenant with him,</HI> though the highe&s;t <HI>contempt,</HI> and <HI>vio|lations</HI> hereof be of &s;mall regard this day, which yet threatens more the going forth of a <HI>Sword to avenge the &s;ame,</HI> than what &s;eems mo&s;t vi&s;ible from any <HI>Humane Power.</HI> 6. I mu&s;t add on this <HI>head,</HI> the&s;e <HI>&s;urpri&s;ing, and &s;ea&s;onable interpo|&s;itions of marvellous acts of Providence</HI> by a <HI>di|vine immediate hand,</HI> in the mo&s;t extream exi|gence of the&s;e <HI>Churches;</HI> when no Humane Rea|&s;on could have fore&s;een the &s;ame; &s;o that the mea&s;ure of our <HI>Talent for ob&s;ervation</HI> hereof, hath been as <HI>Five,</HI> when other places hath had but <HI>Two</HI> for this end imparted to them.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="section">
<PB N="38" REF="136">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> IV.</HEAD>
<P>IT is al&s;o unque&s;tionable, that now in this <HI>la&s;t Age,</HI> the Lord's dealing with the <HI>Publick State of Britain, and Ireland,</HI> hath been yet in a more &s;ingular way, than in any times pa&s;t, or with other of the <HI>Reformed Churches;</HI> as may cau&s;e great thoughts of heart, to con&s;ider, what <HI>manner of time</HI> our Lot hath been ca&s;t in; but &s;ince a naked remembrance of &s;uch an <HI>extraor|dinary &s;eries of changes,</HI> as have of late gone o|ver this Generation, or what was Mens part here|in, does little tend <HI>to &s;ee, and admire God,</HI> with mo&s;t, who con&s;ider the &s;ame, or <HI>to di&s;cern wi&s;ely his work</HI> in &s;uch &s;ingular Providences; though this be of a higher concern than the <HI>ri&s;e, or fall of Monarchies,</HI> or the &s;hakings of <HI>Publick Settle|ments</HI> in the <HI>civil intere&s;t of a Nation, if Mens great bu&s;ine&s;s in the Earth lies with God, more than with Men:</HI> I &s;hall therefore &s;peak to &s;ome things to which a <HI>&s;erious reflex work on the&s;e late times,</HI> does mo&s;t &s;pecially relate, and are more largely touched in the <HI>preceding Di&s;cour&s;e.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. It &s;hould be of great advantage to di&s;cern, and under&s;tand in &s;uch a manner the&s;e <HI>times pa&s;t,</HI> as to &s;ee an <HI>immediate Divine,</HI> and <HI>&s;upernatural cau&s;ality</HI> in &s;uch amazing <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;ive changes,</HI> that, might inforce Mens Souls to <HI>bow down, with a
<PB N="39" REF="136">reverent, and tremenduous &s;ence of the Maje&s;ty of God herein,</HI> yea, keep this from ever being a <HI>&s;ubject of ordinary thoughts</HI> in reflecting on the &s;ame.</P>
<P N="2">2. To &s;ee what an <HI>unu&s;ual variation,</HI> hath been in the ways, and methods of Providence a|bout the <HI>publick State of Britain,</HI> in this <HI>Age,</HI> from the way and procedure of the Lord in times pa&s;t, and <HI>former Precedents;</HI> and though much be in the dark, this day, as to <HI>his voice, and intent,</HI> for an&s;wering the ends hereof; yet &s;uch as are of a di&s;cerning Spirit, may have another pro|&s;pect of the <HI>Work, and Coun&s;el of God,</HI> when it's brought in a more <HI>full, and entire Frame</HI> before us, than any pre&s;ent actors then on <HI>the Stage,</HI> whil&s;t things were in their fir&s;t <HI>mould:</HI> tho it is no ea&s;ie thing in &s;uch a <HI>reflex work,</HI> to improve tho&s;e extraordinary Providences pa&s;t, by a ju&s;t, and &s;uitable <HI>application thereof</HI> to the <HI>pre&s;ent day,</HI> &s;o as to &s;ee how <HI>each &s;tep</HI> herein in its <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;ive place and room,</HI> hath &s;till tended, <HI>to give light to another,</HI> and for a more full <HI>di&s;cerning of the work of God in the&s;e times,</HI> and <HI>what of the night it is now,</HI> as to the <HI>State of the Church.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. It is to &s;ee, and <HI>reflect on the&s;e great deci&s;i|ons,</HI> which have been by an unpreventible conduct of Providence <HI>in the ri&s;ing and falling of Humane Intere&s;t,</HI> &s;o contrary to all Humane Rea&s;on, and expectation, if ordinary and <HI>natu|ral cau&s;es</HI> &s;hould have brought forth their <HI>u&s;ual
<PB N="40" REF="137">effects;</HI> and in what manner the greate&s;t depths of Humane Policy, and confidence, when they &s;eem'd mo&s;t &s;ecure from any hazard upon <HI>earth;</HI> have been derided from <HI>Heaven,</HI> and <HI>men poi|&s;on'd in their own cup;</HI> and what a rare <HI>reflex work</HI> &s;hould this be, to &s;ee, in what an extraor|dinary way the Providences of the&s;e times pa&s;t have been directed to <HI>Seal In&s;truction on the Spi|rits of Princes, and Great Men,</HI> and let them know in how &s;mall a time, the great God can pour contempt on &s;uch, and cau&s;e <HI>Princes to walk on Foot, when Servants did ride on hor&s;eback;</HI> but, it is no le&s;s matter of &s;ad <HI>reflection,</HI> and may be to this day, what <HI>returns</HI> the&s;e <HI>Methods,</HI> which God has taken in a <HI>monitory way,</HI> have had from mo&s;t, by forgetting the <HI>Storm</HI> they were once in, when they have got to the <HI>Haven,</HI> and be|taking them &s;elves to another <HI>Stength, than that, which rai&s;ed them.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="5" TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> V.</HEAD>
<P>IT may be indeed ea&s;ier to <HI>tran&s;late</HI> our thoughts to things pa&s;t, and judge thereof, with re|&s;pect to <HI>Humane Intere&s;ts and De&s;igns,</HI> than it is to con&s;ider <HI>the way and conduct of Providence,</HI> and what a clear light, the <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;ion of &s;uch amazing wonders,</HI> as have been in the <HI>Age pa&s;t,</HI> brings herewith to this <HI>period of time</HI> we are now in.
<PB N="41" REF="137">I judge that among the mo&s;t <HI>&s;ingular induce|ments,</HI> which God doth bequeath to &s;ome of his Servants more than to others, the&s;e Two have a peculiar room; the one is <HI>to di&s;cern, and try the Spirits, whether they be of God or not,</HI> which is in|deed one of the greate&s;t attainments of Spiritual wi&s;dom; The other is, <HI>to di&s;cern, and under|&s;tand the pre&s;ent times,</HI> wherein our Lot is fallen, which was that proper eminency of the <HI>men of I&s;&s;achar,</HI> by &s;ome more extraordinary <HI>Gift</HI> from the Lord herein to them, than, to other of the <HI>Tribes.</HI> But, though mo&s;t, who are &s;o inqui&s;itive about <HI>Publick News,</HI> and Occurrents in this day, keep at the farthe&s;t di&s;tance from what may Impre&s;s their Spirits, with the &s;en&s;e of a <HI>God|head,</HI> in the <HI>eminent appearances hereof;</HI> and are re&s;olute to &s;ee nothing farther than the influ|ence of <HI>Natural Cau&s;es</HI> in Humane affairs; yet I hope, there be many &s;uch, who may be little in the view of the World, of a <HI>humble, tender,</HI> and <HI>&s;ubdued &s;pirit,</HI> with whom the Coun&s;el of God is, and have &s;ome near familiar Intercour&s;e with him herein, as to <HI>his work about the Church,</HI> in the day and place they are in; though the&s;e are &s;uch as dur&s;t not &s;eek <HI>to be wi&s;e above what is written,</HI> who&s;e <HI>Voice will not be heard in the Street</HI> herein, but where the <HI>River is deepe&s;t,</HI> there al&s;o does it <HI>run mo&s;t &s;till;</HI> yea, who would tremble to be &s;o bold with God, as to &s;et <HI>a day or year</HI> to his ap|pearance,
<PB N="42" REF="138">and, in &s;uch a preci&s;e peremptory way, to determine, how long it may be <HI>to the end of the&s;e wonders;</HI> humble <HI>Sobriety</HI> and <HI>Fear</HI> is ever the native re&s;ult of the mo&s;t <HI>near intimacy,</HI> and <HI>Com|munion with the Spirit of God.</HI> I have according to my &s;mall mea&s;ure of light, offered &s;ome thoughts upon &s;uch a <HI>Subject,</HI> in the&s;e <HI>foregoing Papers,</HI> and with re&s;pect thereto I &s;hall humbly offer but a few <HI>references</HI> to tho&s;e who are at more advantage to <HI>under&s;tand the times, and di&s;cern wi&s;ely the Work of God therein.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. What <HI>A&s;pect</HI> &s;o <HI>great,</HI> and <HI>notable a Cri&s;is,</HI> as hath been of late, and yet is in the <HI>Publick State of Britain,</HI> hath this day, whether by more <HI>Promi&s;|&s;ory Signs,</HI> and <HI>Indications,</HI> or what rather hath a <HI>Mortal A&s;pect,</HI> &s;ince we are not left to a conjec|tural judgment in &s;uch a ca&s;e; nor is an <HI>extraordi|nary Prophetick Light</HI> required for the &s;ame, when it's &s;ure God is immutably ju&s;t, a God impar|tially hating &s;in; in who&s;e way, both towards <HI>Na|tions and Per&s;ons</HI> he keeps the &s;ame mea&s;ure, with his <HI>Revealed Truth;</HI> we &s;ee, though <HI>our eyes do little affect our heart,</HI> that no extraordinary acts of Providence, and Vici&s;&s;itudes of the Times do as yet Work on Men's hearts to any &s;uitable change thereof, or have put a &s;top to &s;o vi&s;i|ble, and growing an <HI>Apo&s;tacy</HI> from the Chri&s;tian Faith, as is this day, in the&s;e Nations, both in the purity, and power thereof; we &s;ee what a <HI>load of guilt</HI> the&s;e 30 <HI>years pa&s;t</HI> have, in an
<PB N="43" REF="138">unu&s;ual manner, brought on <HI>the&s;e Nations</HI> beyond the mea&s;ure of former times, which are ready to <HI>&s;ink under &s;uch a weight,</HI> though it be lit|tle felt; But, oh! doth the <HI>Cry</HI> hereof to Heaven now cea&s;e, for God's coming down to judge accordingly, when the <HI>Sen&s;e</HI> of it is gone off Mens Spirits, or brings the long deferring of judgment in &s;uch an unu&s;ual manner, <HI>a reprival,</HI> but what may rather &s;peak its being &s;ore, and of &s;ome extraordinary kind, when it at la&s;t comes, the more extraordinary the mea&s;ures of <HI>Divine Patience</HI> have been to reclaim?</P>
<P N="2">2. It's a <HI>reference</HI> of a &s;erious concern I mu&s;t make farther about the pre&s;ent time, If <HI>any particular Church, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r Nation,</HI> &s;tands by the &s;ecuri|ty of an <HI>ab&s;olute Promi&s;e,</HI> which is the undoubt|ed priviledge of the <HI>Church Univer&s;al,</HI> but mu&s;t clear fir&s;t their confidence, and claim unto God, on the warrant of &s;ome <HI>conditional Promi&s;es</HI> of his word, for his intere&s;&s;ing him&s;elf in their ca&s;e, and deliverance, according as they dare humbly plead the <HI>condition,</HI> to which the&s;e <HI>Promi&s;es relate,</HI> &s;ince the honour of his truth, and faithfulne&s;s, is rela|tive to the one, as well as to the other; it's &s;ure, <HI>if God be for us,</HI> and for a Kingdom, and Nati|tion, <HI>who then can be again&s;t us?</HI> But, can there be any po&s;&s;ible clai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> in Faith for the &s;ame, but, in <HI>the way of a Promi&s;e</HI> from him&s;elf, if the <HI>extent of our Faith</HI> may go no farther, than the <HI>extent of his revealed truth?</HI> Or can Men &s;tretch their Pleadings with God, beyond
<PB N="44" REF="139">that immutable con&s;titution of his own Word <HI>will bear, the Lord is with you, whil&s;t you are with him; but if you for&s;ake him, he will for|&s;ake you?</HI> 2 Chron. 15.3. It hath been on &s;ome &s;ad thoughts hereon, that I mu&s;t leave this to the enquiry of others, who under&s;tand more of the times, how the <HI>State and Security of the&s;e Nations now &s;tands in this re&s;pect,</HI> whether alone by an extraordinary forbearance of God, or in a <HI>Promi&s;&s;ory way;</HI> and if <HI>the Scripture</HI> be given no le&s;s ab&s;olutely <HI>to &s;ecure the Prote&s;tant Reformed Church by Promi&s;e,</HI> than to be the <HI>alone Rule of their Faith,</HI> without which no Humane Power, or Confederacy can avail; for if that <HI>declara|tive te&s;timony, and a&s;&s;urance which the God of Truth hath given,</HI> Jerem. 18.7. be irrevocable, and the unchangeable rule of his Procedure with Men, we then are not left to grope in the dark, as to our confidence, or fear this day.</P>
<P N="3">3. I mu&s;t make a <HI>reference</HI> al&s;o, upon what is more fully &s;poke to on that <HI>Subject;</HI> which is not to any <HI>divided party,</HI> but to all &s;uch who in this day take <HI>the Times to heart,</HI> and have &s;ome <HI>rai&s;ed thoughts, and de&s;ires to the glo|ry of Chri&s;t, and of his Reign</HI> here in the World: <HI>If &s;uch a Nation can be &s;aved,</HI> or have any true confidence towards God for <HI>Succe&s;s,</HI> where the <HI>Dominion and Power of Antichri&s;t is fallen, and broke,</HI> by an <HI>eminent appearance of God</HI> herein, and yet the <HI>Kingdom of Chri&s;t is not &s;et up in the
<PB N="45" REF="139">room hereof,</HI> by a new <HI>Surrender</HI> and <HI>Subjecting of them&s;elves to his Ordinances, and Laws;</HI> but that &s;ome &s;ignal <HI>&s;troak of Divine Wrath, and Judgment,</HI> will inevitably follow thereon; Since, 1. There can be no higher affront-offered to our <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Head,</HI> than a turning thus the pure&s;t Profe&s;&s;ion of his truth in the <HI>Reformed Religion,</HI> to &s;erve a <HI>Secular intere&s;t, and de&s;ign,</HI> which is given for eternal ends, and to divide the &s;ame from its great <HI>intent,</HI> which is, that <HI>&s;uch a Na|tion, and People &s;hould be the Lord's,</HI> and come un|der his <HI>Dominion and Reign: A Negative Pro|te&s;tant</HI> is a &s;trange and dreadful <HI>Paradox,</HI> which <HI>is no Antichri&s;t,</HI> as to the <HI>Papal Power;</HI> and yet <HI>no Chri&s;t,</HI> as to his ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Preheminence,</HI> and Au|thority over them; who, at once, can <HI>bear Zeal</HI> for the <HI>Prote&s;tant Intere&s;t,</HI> and the highe&s;t <HI>Enmi|ty to the Prote&s;tant Religion;</HI> yet is this day now &s;uch, as it may be more ea&s;ie to find a 1000 <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> than one &s;uch <HI>Lover of Chri&s;t,</HI> who&s;e Soul, under the Power, and Attractions of his Love, is entirely joined to him. 2. This makes it the more formidable, that the time and &s;ea&s;on, which was 1500 <HI>years pa&s;t foretold, is now come, for Chri&s;t's taking to him&s;elf his great power to Reign;</HI> So that we cannot be in the dark here, except Men &s;hut their eyes on his going <HI>forth by &s;uch an extraordinary Admini&s;tration of Pro|vidence, by the Sword, and Shakings of the&s;e Na|tions,</HI> now in the&s;e 50 <HI>years</HI> pa&s;t, to a&s;&s;ert the Au|thority
<PB N="46" REF="140">of his Regal Power over the &s;ame, where|in his declared te&s;timony, by his Word, and the taking place hereof, in the event of what was foretold, <HI>Revel.</HI> 11.15. does meet with &s;uch clear evidence, as without a Judicial Stroak on Mens Judgments, cannot po&s;&s;ibly be hid. 3. <HI>Tho the Nations be &s;till angry,</HI> and their enmity, and oppo&s;ition to the intere&s;t of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI>'s <HI>Kingdom</HI> is the more vi&s;ibly rai&s;ed, the <HI>nearer approaches</HI> that his Work and de&s;ign herein make, yet will it not avail or &s;erve for another end, but a&s;&s;uredly to make way for his <HI>wrath and to rule them by a rod of Iron,</HI> until his end be accom|pli&s;hed, and that <HI>Princes and Great Men give their Power,</HI> with a full con&s;ent, <HI>to advance the Kingdom of the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t;</HI> yea, if it be a dark Riddle to Many, what the&s;e remarkable <HI>oppo&s;itions,</HI> which have been in <HI>Britain in this Age,</HI> to any <HI>Civil Settlements</HI> there, &s;hould mean, there will, I doubt not, be a more full di&s;covery by <HI>Providence</HI> made hereof, to clear, that no Humane <HI>Coun&s;el</HI> or <HI>Force,</HI> &s;hall ever <HI>Settle the&s;e Nations,</HI> with any true fixedne&s;s, until this great de&s;ign be joined in with; and that now is the time come, that <HI>Nations mu&s;t &s;urely &s;tand or fall</HI> in their Temporal Intere&s;t, as they an|&s;wer the <HI>Intent,</HI> and Coun&s;el of the Lord here|in.</P>
<P N="4">4. This may be matter of farther <HI>enquiry</HI> likewi&s;e, what acce&s;s is now in &s;o <HI>judicial a period of time,
<PB N="47" REF="140">to &s;tand before the Lord in the gap, and breach, for turning away his wrath;</HI> if thus Grace may yet interpo&s;e, when judgement is ready to break forth, as to the&s;e <HI>Nations,</HI> and the <HI>Axe laid to the root of the Tree;</HI> yea, in what re&s;pect <HI>&s;uch a call</HI> for the &s;ame, as is, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 22.30. may be applicable to this day. This is a <HI>Subject</HI> I have at &s;ome length before &s;poken to, onely as to its clear, and expre&s;s application to the pre&s;ent time, and &s;tate of the&s;e Churches; I would <HI>re|fer a few things</HI> farther to be con&s;idered by &s;uch, who are at more advantage to be <HI>&s;eers, and di&s;|cerners</HI> of &s;o <HI>extraordinary a time.</HI> 1. If &s;uch a <HI>Call</HI> as was then given to <HI>Judah,</HI> and <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> was not a <HI>publick precedent of the way, and con|de&s;cendence of Grace,</HI> even when wrath was go|ing forth to the uttermo&s;t, and as the <HI>la&s;t call,</HI> ere the treaty was &s;hut up, for <HI>after times of the Church,</HI> did thus come to the lowe&s;t terms, and in &s;uch a manner &s;peak from the Lord; <Q REND="inline">Is there not now one, to appear, and &s;tand in &s;o e|minent a hazard, with &s;uch a true <HI>National Love,</HI> as to lay their mo&s;t endeared private intere&s;t at the &s;take to &s;ave the &s;ame, and &s;tand for God herein, though they &s;hould &s;tand alone, which &s;hould be as rare, and de&s;irable a <HI>Society,</HI> to have a room in, as is upon the Earth; and to find &s;uch an <HI>erection</HI> thereon, by an excitement from Heaven, of <HI>Adventurers for God,</HI> and the publick Intere&s;t of his Church, to <HI>appear
<PB N="48" REF="141">in the breach;</HI> when 'tis as a defenced City, laid open to &s;o extream, and imminent ha|zard.</Q> 2. Though <HI>extraordinary excitements</HI> to a &s;ervice of this kind, as we find on Scrip|ture Record, are rarely found in the Earth, yet it's &s;ure, <HI>the duty of Moral excitation, and up-&s;tirring</HI> in &s;uch a ca&s;e, cea&s;eth not, which might make way for a more <HI>immediate gale of Divine influence and power and to open &s;uch a door for &s;ome re&s;toring work in the&s;e Nations,</HI> as &s;hould make way for it &s;elf over all <HI>Mountains,</HI> and what at other times might &s;eem in&s;uperable. 3. If the a&s;toni&s;hing <HI>&s;igns of Wrath and Judg|ment,</HI> which are &s;o di&s;cernable now, be truly un|der&s;tood, it may be too evident, that &s;omething <HI>very extraordinary</HI> beyond what we have &s;een, is a&s;&s;uredly <HI>near, either as to Judgment, or Mer|cy;</HI> and how things are ha&s;tening, in an unu&s;ual manner, to a <HI>fatal period,</HI> if <HI>Grace</HI> do not yet farther interpo&s;e, to <HI>rai&s;e the Spirits of &s;ome</HI> with &s;uch a <HI>divine heroick Motion,</HI> as the Service of &s;o ex|traordinary a time may need, and to a <HI>higher Re|&s;olutene&s;s in duty</HI> by vi&s;ible <HI>Oppo&s;itions:</HI> But, Oh how hard is it to move, or act, in &s;uch a Ser|vice, when it's at the <HI>lowe&s;t ebb of the Tide,</HI> and the fir&s;t cure to the <HI>inte&s;tine conflicts,</HI> and <HI>di&s;tem|pers</HI> of this day, which are boiled up to &s;uch a height, is like to be &s;ome unu&s;ual <HI>&s;troak of Di|vine Judgment,</HI> which may work at la&s;t, when all ordinary means for this end &s;eem ineffect|ual?</P>
<PB N="49" REF="141">
<P N="5">5. And &s;hould not the <HI>voice of &s;uch a Call,</HI> for appearing in &s;o great and hazardous a <HI>breach</HI> on the Churches Intere&s;t, be matter of &s;erious thoughts, when it hath a <HI>limited time and &s;ea|&s;on</HI> for the &s;ame, which may be quickly lo&s;t, but never regained again; and comes &s;o di&s;cernably on &s;uch an intent. 1. To &s;peak to this Gene|ration after &s;uch extraordinary <HI>warnings pa&s;t,</HI> and a <HI>new day</HI> yet more given, that it is to <HI>prove them</HI> yet once again, <HI>before the decree go forth,</HI> and that <HI>he who waits to be gracious,</HI> and holds the ballance in his own hand, does wait for &s;uch an <HI>application</HI> unto him, as might yet tend to <HI>a re&s;piting of wrath and Judgment,</HI> when it's ready to break forth; in which re&s;pect, <HI>Prophe|tick Warnings</HI> of &s;ome great &s;troak on a People, may be true, and warranted, though they take no place in the <HI>event,</HI> when, according to that, <HI>Jerem.</HI> 18.7. the interpo&s;ing of a Peo|ples <HI>Repentance</HI> may &s;i&s;t its execution for a time&punc; 2. To let Men know, that every <HI>day, and hour of &s;uch a limited &s;ea&s;on,</HI> when it's come to the <HI>la&s;t period of divine patience,</HI> is more high|ly valuable and momentous for improvement of the &s;ame, than many years may be other|wi&s;e; and a making light hereof, more highly provoking to the Maje&s;ty of God, and adds more to the Roll of &s;uch a Peoples Indictment, than what hath been formerly. 3. But how near the <HI>Final expiration of &s;uch a Call,</HI> yet with an of|fer
<PB N="50" REF="142">of Grace is re&s;erved onely to him, to whom the <HI>I&s;&s;ues of Death belong;</HI> and though there be an infallible conduct, by Scripture-light, and the <HI>general rule of God's ordinary di&s;pen&s;ations</HI> with Men, to di&s;cern the <HI>approaches of Judg|ment</HI> on a People, and the &s;ad <HI>effects</HI> thereof in <HI>their proper cau&s;es;</HI> yea, how <HI>night is coming on,</HI> when <HI>the long &s;hadows of the Evening are &s;tretch|ed out,</HI> yet are the <HI>&s;et mea&s;ures of his forbear|ance</HI> and <HI>patience,</HI> one of the depths of his way, which Men cannot &s;ound, or comprehend; but, it may be feared, that the mo&s;t <HI>near immediate &s;igns, and premonitions of impendent Judgment,</HI> as to the <HI>Churches of Britain and Ireland,</HI> are in a great mea&s;ure <HI>pa&s;t,</HI> and have di&s;charged their <HI>Commi&s;&s;ion,</HI> without any &s;uitable regard thereof; yea, that there may <HI>be little, either of Faith, or Fear, when it comes;</HI> and I mu&s;t judge, if a <HI>clear view</HI> were this day of all the&s;e <HI>extraordinary Monitory &s;igns and warnings, which in</HI> 30 <HI>years pa&s;t</HI> have been given to awake the&s;e <HI>Nations of England and Scotland,</HI> with the mo&s;t convincing evidence, were now, at once, &s;et in our &s;ight, it might have a &s;trange a&s;toni&s;hing a&s;pect, as no thing but a <HI>mortal Lethargy</HI> could take off the &s;en&s;e, and impre&s;&s;ion thereof off Mens Spi|rits.</P>
<P N="6">6. There is yet one <HI>Reference</HI> farther on &s;uch a <HI>Subject,</HI> I may be needful to make; <HI>What re|&s;pect can the intent of &s;uch an extraordinary call
<PB N="51" REF="142">have, for as to make up the hedge, and &s;tand in the gap before the Lord, for a Nation,</HI> as that, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 22.30, when nothing, in a Moral way, &s;eems to work this day; and Divine warnings tend only to be a publick Theme of deri&s;ion yea, a di&s;pen&s;ation of <HI>Miracles,</HI> were it gi|ven forth now, would be, to appearance, little operative, or convincing with mo&s;t: yet does this no way take off the evidence, and urgency of &s;uch a <HI>Call</HI> to our ca&s;e, wherewith, as Men may &s;ee a <HI>lovely condecency to the gracious na|ture, and excellencies of our God, in a Judiciary procedure with a Nation,</HI> that has been &s;o dear, and beloved of him; it is directed to witne&s;s, what regard he hath to <HI>one</HI> &s;uch, who is of a more <HI>rai&s;ed &s;pirit,</HI> than others, for the <HI>vindica|tion of his glory,</HI> and the publick Intere&s;t and Safe|ty of the <HI>Land,</HI> wherein they are, when it's like to peri&s;h, and what room <HI>one example</HI> of &s;uch <HI>may have in a re&s;toring and &s;aving work</HI> for the <HI>Church</HI> in &s;uch a place; yea thus how valuable with him <HI>the&s;e</HI> are by who&s;e <HI>example,</HI> the <HI>fear,</HI> and <HI>veneration of God</HI> is kept up with lu&s;tre and evi|dence, amid&s;t a perver&s;e Generation; it's to &s;hew, al&s;o, where <HI>Judgment</HI> is not ab&s;olutely determined, in what a mea&s;ure the <HI>Spirit of Faith,</HI> and <HI>Interce&s;&s;ion</HI> may be let forth to &s;ome of his Saints in an extraordinary time, to make way for his acceptance of a Few, in behalf of a <HI>Na|tion;</HI> and to witne&s;s to the World the preva|lence
<PB N="52" REF="143">and regard even of one <HI>Favourite with God,</HI> who is admitted to more &s;pecial intimacy with him&s;elf, when thus impowered for a more <HI>extraor|dinary Service</HI> of this kind, above their ordi|nary reach and allowance; and what a <HI>hid in|fluence</HI> the&s;e oft have on the <HI>admini&s;tration of Providence about Kingdoms and Nations,</HI> who&s;e true intere&s;t, and <HI>intrin&s;ick Strength,</HI> may lie more in a few &s;uch, than in <HI>Humane Strength,</HI> or the <HI>greate&s;t Armies,</HI> which yet, in the order of means, is &s;o ab&s;olutely requi&s;ite.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="6" TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>SECT.</HI> VI.</HEAD>
<P>VVHen there is &s;uch cau&s;e to fear the outgoings of <HI>Divine Wrath,</HI> and <HI>Judgment,</HI> in &s;ome unu&s;ual manner, it &s;hould be a hopeful and promi&s;ing <HI>Sign,</HI> if a <HI>higher &s;tudy were, to meet God in the way of mercy,</HI> and for paying in &s;ome more &s;uitable <HI>tribute of the Glory of his Works,</HI> in the Service of Gratitude: that the <HI>ta|lent of the&s;e nations,</HI> hath, in this re&s;pect, been &s;omething extraordinary, with a mo&s;t &s;ingular call to an <HI>admiring and ob&s;erving work, upon the great acts of Divine Providence,</HI> and &s;o unu&s;ual a <HI>conjunction</HI> herein, above all natural cau&s;es, is unque&s;tionable; but for what account can be
<PB N="53" REF="143">given on the improvement hereof, &s;eems not onely to be a <HI>hiding of the &s;ame under the ground,</HI> for the mo&s;t part, but that the Spirit of this <HI>Age,</HI> is, in a &s;trange manner, at work, how to darken, &s;o far as po&s;&s;ible, the mo&s;t eminent, and immediate Di&s;coveries of God, unto Men, in the way of Providence, and to &s;ubject his <HI>works,</HI> as well as his <HI>word,</HI> to their rea&s;on, and the a|lone influence of <HI>&s;econd cau&s;es.</HI> But if it be truly &s;ought this day to have <HI>God propitious</HI> to <HI>the&s;e nations,</HI> and to &s;erve the end of &s;uch great Providences, as have been, of late, towards the &s;ame; this <HI>Study</HI> will have another weight upon Men's Spirit, about which I would offer <HI>a few things,</HI> with a <HI>humble reference to &s;uch as are under the highe&s;t tru&s;t,</HI> and of the greate&s;t capacity to promote &s;uch a <HI>Service,</HI> wherein the <HI>Glory of God,</HI> and <HI>the &s;trength, and &s;tanding of the State of Britain,</HI> is &s;o nearly in|tere&s;ted. 1. if a <HI>publick return, and oblation of prai&s;e,</HI> upon any eminent acts of Providence and deliverance to a <HI>nation,</HI> which are of a <HI>natio|nal extent,</HI> can be &s;eriou&s;ly de&s;igned for &s;uch an end, where there is not here, with the &s;ame <HI>pub|lick care</HI> extended, to have &s;uch &s;ingular pa&s;&s;ages of Providence &s;ought out, and con&s;idered under the&s;e <HI>circum&s;tances,</HI> as may be mo&s;t convincing, and <HI>demon&s;trative of God herein;</HI> and to have &s;uch a <HI>venerable remembrance</HI> keeped up of the &s;ame, with the highe&s;t honour, as may not be
<PB N="54" REF="144">bounded with the tran&s;ient work of a <HI>Thank&s;gi|ving day,</HI> which had &s;o great a weight &s;till with the <HI>Church under the Old Te&s;tament,</HI> in any &s;in|gular ca&s;es of Providence, and is of the &s;ame <HI>mo|ral</HI> and perpetual u&s;e, in <HI>the&s;e times</HI> we are now in. 2. Should it nor be ju&s;tly expected, on a &s;uitable return, and <HI>retribution of Prai&s;es, by the complex Body of a nation,</HI> and the <HI>Rulers</HI> there|of, upon any great, and marvellous works of God, for their Security and Deliverance, that they be reckoned of &s;uch value, as <HI>a national Intere&s;t,</HI> and as illu&s;trious, and <HI>publick monu|ments</HI> of Divine Providence; yea, that a <HI>Book and regi&s;ter of remembrance of this kind,</HI> be of that weight, as to come under the <HI>Publick care of Civil Authority, as a national Record,</HI> which I doubt not, in the&s;e latter times, and up|on the <HI>growing glory of Chri&s;t</HI>'s <HI>vi&s;ible Kingdom</HI> in the World, will be reckoned among&s;t the highe&s;t <HI>publick concerns of nations,</HI> and of the <HI>Churches of Chri&s;t</HI> to bring up, what hath been wanting, and detain'd of &s;uch a <HI>rent,</HI> and <HI>Tribute of prai&s;e unto God,</HI> upon the great|ne&s;s of his Works. 3. Since the credit, and weight of &s;uch a <HI>Service,</HI> for keeping up the highe&s;t re&s;pect to &s;uch great acts, and pa&s;&s;ages of Providence, as relate to a particular Church and State, depends on the mo&s;t <HI>exact inquiry, and &s;earch</HI> upon the <HI>evidence</HI> hereof, and of the more immediate appearance, and <HI>&s;ignature of a
<PB N="55" REF="144">Divine power</HI> thereon; it &s;hould be mo&s;t convincing for &s;uch an end, and &s;tands to the highe&s;t rea&s;on, if a <HI>tru&s;t</HI> of that weight, be by a <HI>publick care, and commitment,</HI> ju&s;t under their hand, who&s;e <HI>inte|grity and judiciou&s;ne&s;s</HI> might be mo&s;t con|vincing for &s;uch an intent, and of having no <HI>partial re&s;pect, or end</HI> herein, but only for the <HI>honour, and exalting of God, and &s;trengthning men in the Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> by &s;o great a <HI>Seal</HI> thereto, and for the intere&s;t of the <HI>Po&s;terity;</HI> wherein, I doubt not, but the&s;e who may be at the greate&s;t advantage herein, though, in &s;ome le&s;&s;er differences of Judgment they &s;hould not &s;o fully meet, yet under &s;uch <HI>excitements,</HI> of a Ser|vice &s;o <HI>highly honourable for God, and publick in|tere&s;t of their Generation,</HI> would intirely unite for promoting the &s;ame. 4. And it may be judged, if the <HI>honor of God,</HI> and of <HI>his works,</HI> with the true intere&s;t of the <HI>Succeeding Race,</HI> have a weight on this <HI>Age,</HI> that it's one of the highe&s;t <HI>national concerns</HI> this day, to have the <HI>credit of Tradition, and conveyance of the&s;e more illu&s;trious acts of Providence,</HI> which have been in this time taken, under a publick care; the &s;ad want, and defect of which, for having &s;o great an <HI>intere&s;t</HI> and <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> thus &s;ecured, and keeped clear to &s;ucceeding times, hath been one of the great prejudices to the Truth, and advance of the <HI>Kingdom of Chri&s;t</HI> in the World; and now in a time of &s;uch <HI>fears,</HI> as to what may be
<PB N="56" REF="145">yet coming on the Earth, and <HI>on &s;uch a part of the &s;ame;</HI> I &s;hould with a&s;&s;urance hope, that &s;uch a <HI>&s;tudy,</HI> may have &s;ome <HI>peculiar Seal, and te&s;timony of Divine re&s;pect</HI> following there|on; and, a <HI>Record of that nature,</HI> de&s;ign'd, and promoted by <HI>Civil Authority,</HI> &s;hould have yet <HI>more eminent,</HI> and <HI>&s;ignal providences of mercy given for filling up of the &s;ame,</HI> to make that <HI>Promi&s;e</HI> good, how &s;uch as are faithful to <HI>ob|&s;erve,</HI> and <HI>record</HI> le&s;&s;er things, &s;hall have yet more on a <HI>national intere&s;t</HI> added, yea, from thence <HI>date</HI> convincing evidences of his re&s;pects, when it is purely de&s;igned for <HI>God,</HI> and to keep up the honour of his Name in &s;uch an <HI>Athei&s;tick Age.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS</TRAILER>
<PB REF="145">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
