U[ez. '1heP arable ofthe ~ugh they come tire~ thi.ther ; as Pfal.84.7 ,8._ They pajfefrom flrength to ftrength tdl ther •ome to fee God tn S•on. They relt nO[ 111 their complaints bur gee on . and the llar before the£?, the ~eans chat lead rhem to th.tr end, m'ake diem (a; Mar.z.xo._) re;oyce w•th txceedmggrMt ;oy. I confdfe they may for a rime give way to rhett floatb, and fit in their vallies, and turn day imo niohr and l!eep out almofithefeafon of means; yet you fu~ll eve_rfit1drhis, ifordi~ary means awa~e~ them not, rernble Flafhmgs and Ltghrmngs pf wrath do; and in .their af\h&ions and ttlrrours and wounds of Confcience, Hof. 5 .I 5. they fha/1 feek_ the Lord early. Ponderrherefore of this caufe, and in a time ot forrow rhey {hall c.ompl_ain_ f0r fomrhing, vi... fo: their {htrh. Thi; may be rhe ~rearctt fin of fo11e, . they live m no fin, but complamt, rhy co•nplamts may be fnacs of fioach in n.:>t ufing means, and this may be thy gre1t fin. Hence learn 'tis not having of Mems in this place, no; co:nino hie her for Means, that will do you any good or evidence your fafe and go~d e!t~re, but an effdl:ual ufe and improvemem of them; not only rhe ufeof ounvard, but inward mea~s roo. Men that have nevar fo great a fiock may die Jleggars, by not im- . provmg ir, Deut.::.g.3,4· ) I. Many fc:eing and beholding that Sun which is fc:t wirh them, to be rifen here , in rhefe Wetlero Pms, partly our of fear of perfecmion, partly by Friends perf;yation and company, pmly to enjoy Gods Ordinances, have taken their flight htther. · · But z. Being come, wifh Oh that our r;yes h1d never feen ir! patdy throu"h _ plenty ofmems, defpife and loath them, partly through mulrirude of covering ~r vexing cares have no hearts ro, or time t0 ufc: them. . Mtd yet 3. Are comforted in this, chat they have them, though they fee no God in rhein, ta!1: little fweetl'!e{fe, receive liule fOWer from them, and hope' to go to Heaven tt next remove, that have come fo far for rhefe, &c. I would to God it werefo. But oh confider, ' . 1. If you improve rhem nor, rhy coming hither is .but the difcovery of thy hypocritie to men and An~els, for this is the !tage wherc:in rbe mofi fiue-fpun hypocrifie and real fincerity !hall a et its part. · z. Nay thou art fo far from being ble{fed in having them thus, that .Gods fier_ ceitpfagues iliaU here approac_h r?y dwelling. The Arke among the Philiftims, made the Lord plague the Phtlifttms. 3· Nay this !hall lay all defohte one day. They cried the Templeofrhe Lord, Jer.7. Go to Shiloh. So I fay, Go to thePalatin.tte, Go to Germ""J' Frana, go to the place~ whence you came, and (et what the Lord hath done. . , 4· This !hall be as to Saintsgrearel1:yiy, when they !hall look back, and fee all the_JiAiculties they have pa{led over, rhat ~ere and there hearts and help failed, and there I1ingred, but the Lord was merctful, and pull~d ~e out, and they ib.lll wonder at that Faithfulndfe and Grace ; fo here: Thts Will be terrour and anguifh, that I came fo fJr, and had means, and took fome pains, and was almolt perfwaded one time, almofl: confuted another , alrnofi ·conquered· and had yielded up all at anorher , but oh my Lump fell down to the dufi again, and my foul forfooli the purfuino of rhe Lord again ? and this l11all be the portion of J?ypocrire~ Youm1ynegle6t and ~vrap upymu: Talents, butthe~rd_harha l nme to call you eo an account wP.at g<~m you make. . L?bk ther~fo:e to tt, !t may be fome of_yvu have need to improve means, you defp1f~ them m one place, an~ hither you come for rhem , and poor h~arts , eyes dtm, hearts hard, ConfctJ ence' aGeep, ears deaf, brearh gone, life loll, God departed, and nochin~ !e~t but adead Carcafe. It m~y be fome are fincere, and tbe work of Gods Sptm ts l fer back, your La:nps are out, your warchful minds and re!1der hearts and ear·•elt purfui_t afterche Lord is gone. Oh _then ~onli?er whaE hc.de cau~e you h~ve to:\ 1 boafimmeans.! · Menthathavenopart m !hips, look for no glm; bur1~~~~J
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