Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

our walking with God, inGofpel obedience, and in lovewithout diflimularion onetowards another, yet ) inflantly more weight is layd upon it, more paines laidout about it, and zeale difpended for it's fupportment , and propagation,then about all other molt neceffary points of Chriftian Religion. Have wenot a deplorable cloud of Examples , ofmen contending about force Cirtumftance or other, in the Adminiftration ofanordinance,biting and devou- ring all that Rand in their way, roving up anddown to gaine Profelytes , unto their perfwa- fion , and in the meane time , utterly ignorant or negligent ofthe great doélrines andcom- mands ofthe Gofpel oficfus Chrift,whicharc as in him,the head & Life ofSoules?Howmany a man feemes tohaveno mannerofReligion at all, but Tomeone errour. That is his God , his Chríft,his worfhip ; that hepreaches, that he difcourfeth of, that he laboursto propagate; un- til by the righteous judgment of God it comes to pafs that fuchmen in all other things wi- ther, & dye away; all the tap and vigour of their fpirits,feeding that one monftrous excrefcen_ cy , which they grow up dayly into. Delire of emerging and being notable in the world,e- fteem and refpeel in the hearts and smoothes of them , whom peculiarly they draw after them,with the likeunworthy aimes offelfe advancement, may withoutevill furmizing(when fuchattempts are,(as in too many,)accompanied with irregularity in Converfation)be fuppo_ fed tobe Advantages given into the hands of the enviares man to make ufeofthem for the [ow- ingofhis tares, in the field of the poor feduced world. . That this procedure is alto furthered by theburdenfomenefseffound dottrineonto the generalityofmen, who having itching cares , as farce as they carefor thefe things , do fpend their time in Religion in nothingelfe, but either to teller to heavefame new thing, cannot be denyed. Betides to defend, improve,give andadde new light,untoold truths( a worke which bath fo abundantly and excellently been labour'd in, by tomany worthies of Chrift,efpeci ally fince the Reformation ) in anyeminent manner,fo as ro bringpraife and repute unto the un- dertakers (which whether men will confefs or no,it is evident that too many are enflavedun- to ) is no eafy taske: and for the molt part ofwhat is done that way, you may fay, ,h leget hac2The world ( fayesevery one) is burden'd with difcourles of this nature. How many have we in ourdayes, who might havegone to the grave in filence among the relidue of their bre- thren , and their names have remained fora feafon in the voifrnage, where they might have done God the fervice require$ of them in their generation,would they have kept themfelves in theforme ofwholfomewords andfound doftrine; that havenow delivered theirnames into the mouthes ofall men, by engageing into force ungularopinions,though perhaps raked out of the altarsofPopery,Socinianifine, or force fuchfruitful heapoferrour , and falle notions of the things ofGod? I defire notto judge before the time;the day will manifeft all things :and the hidden ferrets ofthe hearts of men thall by itbe layed open : when all the waies,cautes, and occafions of theirdeceiving, and being deceived, ¡hall be brought to light, andevery man according to his work fhall have praife ofGod. Only I fay as to the relent flare of things , this is evident ( not to fpeake of thofe locufts from the borrow/eft pit , that profefledly oppofe their ftrengih, toall that is ofGod, his name, word,worfhip or truch,will,and commands,rafing the foundationof all hopes ofeternity;nor ofHim,andHis Affociates,whoexalterhhimfelfe above allthat is called God , being full ofnames ofblafphemy, fealed up to deflrullion)vety many amongft our felves,of whom we hoped better things, do, fomein greater, force in leffer mat- ters give up themfelves to thatunhappy labour we before mentioned of oppofing the truths ofGod, and exalting their own darknefs,in the roome of his glorious light, Vtjugulent hominesfurg-ut de noble latrones; 7l t teiplum ferves nonexpergifi eris ReverendBrethren t if other men can rifeearly, go tobed late , andBate the breadofcare- felne¡s, fpend their lives and ftrength to do their own work and propagate their own conceptions', under a pretence of doing the work ofGod : if the envious man Watcheth all night and waites all advantages to few his tares how will yoube able to lift up your hands with joy, and behold your Mailers face with boldnefs at his coming, ifhaving received fucheminent Abilities endowments and furnifhments from him forhis fer- vice , and the fervice of his Cheepand lambs , as youhave done , you ird not up the ¡cines ofyour minds,and laynot out your ftrength to the urtermoft,for the weeding out of the field and vineyard ofthe Lord everyplant which our heavenlyFather bathnot planted , andfor feed- ing the flock ofChrift with ftneere milk, and prong meat according as theyare able to bearer what you have received , more then others , is of free grace , which is God's wayofdealing with them onwhom he layes themolt unconquerable, and indefpenfable obligation unto fereiee Flefh and bleedbath not revealed unto you the truth of God , which you do profile but

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