166 \ _________ T_h_eP_·_a_ra_b__ Ie~~t_h_e ______ \ . 4· Confider if after admonition a~ain ~nd again, yer you 11ourilh flo1th, there 1s fome he.wy fhoke_ neer r~ee. Belteve tr, he will not :tl.wly bear with thy tiegl leCt. As norhmgJoyes hun more than your company, {o no:htng cuts himmore , thm your neglect : ~ut rhough ~e fave you from eternal nufery, yet fo:netimes ! your greateH comform lofl by thts means , Mat. 26.3 8,4o,44,45. FirH be fiirs 1 tpem up once and again, then leaves them, and comes again, and faith nothina ' b~t .the thir? rime, fleep on, t~e So11 of man is hetraye~. So your COII)forr, a1{d ,ChnH and hts prefence are becrated. Some have had thetr husbands, wive> chil- ,dren eflates gone, but which is worfl of all, the Lord betraied, the co:nfo~t of ·their hearts gone, and hence horrours and fears furprize them. I III. Motives to us efpecially in this Coumr-=y. 1. Godhathputthepriceandwealth of the wcrld, better rban all Gold -and Silver inro our hancjs, who are moltu)1thankful, moftunwonhy; and will you come f?farfor l?eans, and ~ere negleCt them? ":'ill you thus neglect the Lord ? Lthe met; m C01;fumpno~s, they long. for any thmg, and when it co!nes, rheycannot rouch 1t. If 1t were m~r, you m1ght fall ro fleep, but the day approacherh. Shall God plam hts Vmeyard, out you never come to eat the fruit ,ofir? ' \ 2. Your Temptations are greater here ro negleCt the Lord. Orhers are tried I with rhe'fcorchingSun, there is no fleeping t~ere. God cries us with the fhadow, fees us underrr.e Vines ofOrdinances; others are in llorms, we in calms. when ,thou ea11jf and art full,' faith M•fes, Deut.8.IO,II. Oh forger not the Lord! You ' lofe in your eltates, andnow you are hungry afrer the fame again. Saran when Chrilt was hungry, alfaulrs him. 'Tis a rhoufand to one if he makes you nor fair otters, and overcomes. Things chat cofl us mnch, we prize, and keep, and improve, if of any ufe. When we go Twenty mile eo aSacrament, Oh then its precious ! While under the bondage of opprelfors, oh liberty of Confcience, and Ordinances are precious ? But when at ~iberry, we have liberty eo have them, hence rake liberty to negleel: the:p. , 3. Our enemies will be upon us. Who fees not (that obferves the Lords dealing) that fomeforrows are toward, unlelfe rhe Lord awaken; fome fudden blafling blovv. If any wind be fiirring, men on the cops of rhe mountains will feel it. The Lord bath fer his mountain above all others, and its folly to think to flee from the Crolfe, unlelfe we flee from Chrill. 'Tis pare of rhe portion he dorh owe us here , if he loves us. Yer feek tile Lord, ncglett no feafons to gain hitn, a)1dyoulhall he hid, Zq;h.2.2. Nay when worfitimes come, 2 Chrgn.rs. 3>4,?,· whenrhereisnopeace, rheythat feek him lhallfindhim. l i:lo fear there is at this day as deep mifchief plotting againfi New-England as ever the Sun fai'V. Enemies will firfldealfubtilly before cruelly, but fubtilly rhanhey m,1y deJI cruelly. When Pharaoh deals wifely, he means to kill. Yer the Lord !hall be wirh us, a>of late h'lth he not been feen in the mid!l: ofus for a refu~e? . Whatever any think, I bcelieve never did rhe Lord flir up fuch prayers, Faitl'l,&c. amongHus. I. Oh thereforefeek rheLord flillin private. If you find no good, find our rhe fin. Is nor medication negleCted? Communion of Sainrs nor improved? Do not fay, we can do nothing, and why are we preH to it? If ·you cannot, yet 'tis your duty, and )OU mufi be prefl; and ,perilh you lhall ifyoufeek not; or if you'beCJl!ed, there is fomefpirit ofrhe Lord in you thar is mighry. 2. Bein" eo'!le hither for publick helps, ahd means, and all Ordinances ; Oh 1 do nor becr~y your Liberties! bur lofe your Bloud b'efore you lore diem, and the Lord in them. Bear theArke Gill on your lhoulders, that the Lord may dwell /with you. Hence, · ' I I. If you would have the Wails of Magifiracy be broken down ( rhe means to ' preferve the Church and means among you ) If they make Laws, deride them ; ifrbeyexecute Llws, appeal from rhem._ _::_: W.?_ul9
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