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Show !668. ~ vo:n. r. :rt"leafi he intrea~ ·to rej11me them now-in ~"'a M:J.tter ~f rhis Imp9s:r•mcq, and whereon no lefa Concernmem refts, than your Temporal and ~rnttl Happ(nefr. 011! Retire, Retirt, ;IJb{erve. tbe. Rep~oofs of lnjlntf/l(m _m_Yfnl,. Or~JN .Minds: That wbicb bef,CU SnJnefJ 111 rbe mtdj of A~u·rh~ wh~t"h· C'n~tt-not fo/ace it felf, 110r be -ccntented below 'Jnzmortohty ~ rol!uh calJs:. __ o.(tt:n. t) an ilccount at 1\jg/Jis, lr1onrin,tt;. and ot!Jer , Seafonr; tAhJ~b !cu y~u'fee ~be Vt,iry, the FoUy, rbe Et~.f tlf!'d Al_ifory ofrhefe 1Jungs;. Tbn u the J".fi Prmciple and Hol~ Sphic of rbe • .JIII(~ghry wuhmy~u: Hea~ 81rw; Obq bun, colfverfe wilfJ thflfl wbo nre led lt'y hnn; and1ert rhe. G/ort~ll ofanotbt·t Wo!·/d be e.j'J.,., nnd the Hetrvt·n!J Recomfknce of Re"'~rrtl Ju·pr JR .. S,gbt. Adr~nr not the TbQugb[~ : of former tOUies to re_vive; but b~ fteady and conunu:~~Jt Tit. '-• n. e,Xercife<\ by hiS Grace, tiJ deny .Ui1g~d/m6f! and M or!dly Lu.fl~,. and tdlwe 12. 13• 14· Sobcrfy, Rigbtt·oN/1)' and Godly.m thu prifMr World: For th1s IS th~ Trm;: and Heavenly N.£rur~ of Chriitianity, to he-. fo Aro'dken~d. am( Gutdod by tbe1Spirit andGrttit t~[God, ar.to /ea.ve the Stns and Vamt1ts of the World, 1111d to have the Jiffellions ~tgr.nrr.ated, rhe .Alind reformed, and the whD/e .AJan baptized imp Purity antl.Y~itbfJt/nefs roWr1rds God and ftlno:, tU t.o n£1. with Reverence, ]11jirce and Mercy: To .c~1r~ for very few Thmts; to becontentwilh'IIJbat you bqve; to ufe uHtU ifyouufcdtbe'!lnot; alfdtulk jo Jif·intan!,ledfronttbe Lufls, PlenfNrts, Profits and Honourr of t~e W'011/J., tU to have the Mind raiftd to Tbints above, the Heart and J!.ffcOums foeti/. there-.· That h1 aU Tbinls ytut may glorifie God, and be at ~1gbts /'eto!ld'n Hill, wboftfhining fiXamplts ;Jray he condJJcing to rbe Happu:efs Of Oti:J_Bf:l, Who beboldingJrtchgood Works, may bt: converted, andtJorifie God tht. PJ-. ther ofLighti; in whom you,pfl. woilld be EternnflJ Ble.ffed. . _§. IV. But jf the Impenitence of any is fa great, the~r PHrfm! of F4Uj~ e;nncft, and JlOtwithftanding what has been thus fe~JOufly offered' r() r(!C. ~}aim them,; tb~Y are refolved to take their GuJrft, :rnd no~ ro he_ at Ltffure for. mor~ Divine Things, I have th_is fnrther to .~e~e ":lth r~trn ftam the .A.lmi,gbty., who firft called me to thlS Wo.rk; ' lhar;Tubulatron,· An· ;1\om. 2 • 4-. ' fl guifh and ~~orroW {hall make their Dying Bed.: ; lndj~ation and Wratb \. 6• 9• i fhall wind up their Days; and Trouble and Vexation dlf Mind and Spirit ' fhaH be tht; 1Jniferabte Fruits which they thall re'ap, as the- Heward of:1\l ' their wrerched Folly and Rebellion I Be not decei:ved, God wi\1 001: be ~aJ;;;t: 'mocked: It's foirreverfibly decreed; Whatever irfdwn here, foa!Jherup· ed btreafl(r. 1\nd /. uft is the .A.lmiQhty, to make good his Determin:uionS upon fuch, who in1 e:1d of employing the Time given them, to ctorlr. DIJt their SalvatioJI wjtb }'ear and Tremblilig, have fpent idn the Pleajllr"tPof R the Flr.jh, Which puijhe1h; as if their Heaven were here. Nor can it1eem & e!~. ~7. 20• unreafonable. fince he hath rhus long waited with Runij]ion of Sins1 and & 22. 13, 14, f.'ternal Life in ltis Hand, to diftrilmte to them that Repent; that itfuch 1 S· , Yi\1) not, to ;recompence fo great Obllinacy and Love of this peri !bing W-orld, with l:.'verlajlint. Trib11lation. _ · . §. V. Bu.t 1 am otherWife perf waded of many; tes~ I am affured, the .Mercier of the Everlafiing God, ha\'e been fa extended to many, ~h3t rhi!i will prot~· an effectual Call to bring them out of the Vlays Jnd Cuf. toms of this corrupted and corrupting World; and a MeAns forefiahlilh, ing fuch, who hitherto hl\'e been Unfai.thful ro what they have been al, re~ady convinced of. And you, my Friends, whofe Minds have're·ceil:ed the ALARUM, wbofe · Hear11 have trN/y heard r.be : Voice (If on~ 'crpng in the Wildcrnejs, tch_ere yo11 have bun finryitig frDmtbe j....ord, Re~nti Re· J?e11tl To you in the Name of the Grear and Living God I fJX'llk, cry, ' Come away .. come away; ah I what do you do- drero? 1'\VIry t~.reJ'o.ll ' yet behind> J'h:lt'$ not your Reft: it is polluted with rite Sins anH Van1· 4 ties ofa perifhing World .: Gird up yoUr Loins; Ey« your Light (one \JPhn 1 ' 9· .in all) Cbri.ft Jefi11, the fJme yeftetdav, ro Day, hrid t"Or e\•er ;-who h:.tth entighmed eve(y one: follow . ltirp, };{e.wllllead yOu t6 the City ol God, th:Jt ha-s Foundation!i, i11..tP which the \~licked cannot CJuer. r §.VI. Mind nor the Difficulties of Youth.1:nch .; Gteac.and Gqnd-Things were ne\'er cl'l.terpriz.cd and ~ocomplifbed withQUt Difficulty; ·wlJ,iCh ~~: Vo~. I. NoCROSS, NoCROW}./. - ~668 . ~ Cha.XXii. Gto.J:l.t,2,, but render their Enjoyment more Pleafant :md Glorious in the End. Ler the Holy Men- ami Women of Old be your Exan1ples; remember good old JJ.bf'a/.Mm; t+re ~enc-y of whofe Faith is iet out hy his Obedience to the Voice of God, in /orfaking his Father's Houfe, Kindred, CoJmtry &c. And ft1ofes, .that. might in Probability !ll,;:e been made a King, by Fnitb in God, leaves Egypt s G/orl, and Pharaohs Favour.r, and chufes rather to Sojourn a~d Pilg,rimag~ ~~rh \he D<fpifed, Aff/iffedr, T-.PI(JI;ed, Jjr4<Jiifu itf~ the llo~. 11, ,.; II dih(nefs, t~an to CflJOY·tbe Fleafu,re. or that Citeat Cou.rr fctr a Seifon ; to 2]. effeehling Chria's &proacbu greater Riche~ than Egypt'i Trhfures. Bur IIi above all, how grear was the Reproach, how many the SufFerings, how ll~b~!; 3~ ~ bitter the Mockin~s, which JESUS f91\"~r'd .at the Hands of hi3 Enemies? ' • • Yer wi~h whar Pattence, Med.nefs, Forgivenefs at,d Conjlancy, did he in an his AEhons, deme1n hi111.felf towards l\is Bli>Ody Porfecurors, D~Jpijing tbe Shame, EnJJJn~tbeCrq.fs./ar tbe Jay that wat fa be}ore'bimJ And bath 1Pet.'2,at; [eft rts this Glorrotn Exa"!pl:.- tbat we fhould f oUow his Sups; which hath 22, 23. tn almoft every A~e been lmttared by_fome. The Apoftles Sealed their Tef-trmomes wah theu Blood, and Mulntudes after the Example of their Con· ftancy, efteeming ir the 11reareft ijonour1 as it wa1 •!I"•J& ~tt;ndO!i wirlt the Signalleft DemoQftrarions of rhe Divme Prtfdce. Hoiv rlleinbrable was that of Orig.:n ?- ' I! my Father wcr,e weepinEi. upon his lrnees &fore me ' and my Mother hangin~ about my Neck behmd me, and all my Breihren' ' Sifters ana Kinsfolks lamtnri11g on every Side, to retain me in th.:: Life and ' P.rnElice of the World, I JNould liing my Moth« ro rheGrqund, run over ' my Fat,hc:r, defpife«U my ~indred, and tr'l"d them under mf )i'eer, that 'I might run to CHRIST. Yet it is not un~nown, how ' Duti'rul and Tender he was in thofe Relation~.· Not much unlike ro this, was 'that Noble and Known Inftance of latter Times, in Galeacius Caraccio/Ju, Mar· qJ.Jefs of Vico, who abandoned his Friends, Eftate and Country, rel'olurell faying with Mtifei, That he would rather Juffer .A.fllitlion.r witb tbe l"irjt Refornurs a11d Protejjanu, than enjoy hit fermer Pknty, Favours and Plea ... furu wish }>is Old Religion. Nor is i[ poffible for any now to quit the . World, and Live a Serious Godly Life in Chtiit without the like Suffering 2 'tim. 3·12.} and Perfecutio.n. There are among us alfo fame, who have fulfered the 1 Pet. 4·1~ Difplcafiue of their moft dear and intimate Relations and Friends ; and all CO~· thote Troubles, Difgraces and Reproaches, whj~h are accuftomed to attend fuch, as decline the Honours, Pleafuru, Ambition and Pre/ermmts of tb~ World, and that chllfe ro Live an Humble, Seritmr, tmd Self-Denying Life ~efure rhe Lord: But they are vety unequal to the Joy and Reeompence that follow. For tho' there be no AfRiaion, that is not Grievous for the ptefem,Jet what fays the Man of God? It works a far more exceedinz Weight o Glory in tbe End. This has been borh the Faith and. Experience of thofe thai! in all Ages have rrofted in God, Who have 1zor fainted by the Way; but Enduring, have obtained an Eternal Diadem. Wherefore, Iince we are compaffed about with fo Greai a Claud of Wit~ Heb-u. , ... ne.ffr1, let's lay afide ever'y Weighs and Burden, and the Sin and Vanities that ltom. ,, 1, dofo tafi!y bifet us; and with a Con/l,znr, Holy Patience, run our Rate, bav- to 4• ing our t.'ye fixed upon JESUS, tbe .Autbof anil Finijher of our Faith, not Phil.,. 13; minding what's behind; fo fhall we be delivered from every Snare. No Temptations !hall gain us, no Frowns fhall fcare us from C H R I S T's CROSS, and our Bleffed Self-Denial. And Honour, Glory, Immortality, 1tom.2.7~ :md a Crown of Eternal Life, {hall Recompence an our SufFerings in the End. 0 Lord God! Thou lovtjl Holinift, and Purity u thy Delight i~ th• Earth; wherefore I pray Tbee, make an Btil of Sin, and fotifo Tran.fo grej.Jion, nnd bring in Thy Evcrlafting Righteoofnefs to the Soul.r 4 Men:,. . thar thy Poor Creation nay be delivered from the .Bondage it Groamunder, and.tbt Et~rt~ Enjoy Her Sabbath agai1t: That Thy Great Name maybtfiftetl up-zn all Nauo)ls-, and Thy StJ/wtion Renor.oned to the Ends of the Wwld. For tbine is the Kingdom, tbe Power and the Glory fer &VII'· Amen. A |