RIGHT REJOICING 381 chief of those evils, but were ready to take the very names to be but the reproaches of piety itself. But God sawmeet to let out a flood of this sort of calamities, and to suffer heresy to dis- grace itself by its unrighteous fruits, that by those fruits we might the better know it. We never knew before how much we are beholden to him for saving us from this sort of evils, and should never have sufficiently hated them, if we had not smarted by them. 3. It is a mercy to be thankful for, that thus the church is no- tably fortified against ever relapsing into heresy or schism for the time to come. 4., And that the frailties of men professing godliness having so lamentably appeared, they are taught 'to take heed of spiritual pride, and to know and distrust themselves, and not to be high- minded, but to fear. 5. It is a very great mercy, for which I must profess I was thankful from the firstappearance of it,* that so many that I hope are dear to God, have the advantage of his frowns to further their conviction, and repentance, and salvation. As prosperity was the temptation by which ambition got advantage, and Providence mis- understood was pleaded against the holy rule, what a mercy it is that Providence also should undeceive them, and vindicate itself, and teach men hereafter by the example of this age to stay till the end before they take the sense of Providence, or rather to adhere to the holy word because the longest liver shall be too short-lived to see the end, so far as to. furnish him for such an interpretation! And therefore that word that is the glass in which we can foresee the end must be our guide. I had rather have my friend poor and penitent, than wealthy and impenitent ; and rather in a prison than in the chains of pride. And am glad that. God bath taken away the snare that brought so many souls to so sad a pass; and hath undeceived them in part, that had carnal thoughts of the happiness of saints, and looked for temporal reign and dignity ; forgetting that rich men must pass through a needle's eye to heaven, and that lowliness, meekness, humility, patience, forbear- ing, forgiving, self -denial, contempt of this world, and living all upon things unseen, is the life that Christ by his doctrine and ex- ample taught us, and how ill prosperity befriendeth these. I am in far more hope to see many Peters go out and weep bitterly, than Iwas when they prospered in a sinful way. And if yet any be so far unhurnbled as to deny it to havebeen a sinful way, We kept this thanksgiving voluntarily in ,Worcestershire, by agreement among the associated ministers, as we do here this day. See the agreement pub- lished by The Weekly Mercury.
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