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Show ', 716 . Saul Smitten to the Qtound: !VoL }, J67'i· Glorious Recoq1pen.ce, and this ~eeps in the ~iverfal Spint1 ota ofMui· ~ muJings and Grudgmgs, and hereln fball we pro~per, and be _preferved for ever. and let this be the Godly Ufe we make ofth1s Great Obligation which the Lord hath now emineptly laid upon us, to w:l.[ch and perfevere,, that we may hold out to the End, and give no JufiOccafion to any to fpea~ Evil of this Bleffed Way of the Lord, that hath fo fignally been born W1tnefs ro,{even by fnch as have fpnken Evilofir) when they came to die ; ' ;.rs this' llarrarive (though bridly, yet fully) proves. And as ro the Perfec~tion that now threatens, you know this, it comes all from the fame Root and he that drew a T~fiimony from this Oppofer (and Perfecuror, as he c~nfefl'eth he was) will in due _Time give Wnnefs to his Holy Way, and you his People, from the Conf~tenc_es of your Perfe~utors, as you know full well he hath frequently done tn dtvers Places of tlus N:~tion. therefore never heed it, neither be ye moYed at it, but be of Good Che;r, for the Shout of an imJ?Ortal ~ing is. amongft us, who is the _only Sacred .lllajejly, Dre11d Souermgn, Kmg, Pnnce, and Lord of ConJ.c.Jence, and no Mortal Man whatever; for he only can be Lord ot Confctence. who is greater t_han C~nfcien.ce, and _Author of Confcienc~; but that no Man is becaufe Confctence IS the ch1efeft Part that confiuutes that Man, therefo~e no Man can be Lord of Confcience: And be it known to all Powers on Earth it is this Great Lord that hath reacht to your Souls, e\'en ifrntl"s God'; wherefore keep you with him, bearken to his H_oly Voice, and obey it diligently unto all Holinefs, and all fhall go well wah you in the End: Say unto the Rigkteom, it .fha~ go Well with. them; but. Jay unto the TVicleed, it foall go Ill wub them: This God gave h~s Prophet 111 Charge of Old, and it ftands True to our Day, and ihall whtle a good and a b:~d Man live upon the Earth. You know, ~y Bretbrtn, in _whom you have beli~ved, ~nd have good Experience of hts Power and Fauhfulgefs: CaU to mtnd hts Noble Afts, and Valiant Deeds, his Great Salvation in all .Ages; how fure, how ready, how willing, and how able he hath been to deliver our Anceftors, and you know he is the fame now at this Day, ttufi: there for ever ; for he is greater in you, than he th3t is in the World, 3nd I know affur~dly that ~11 there Things fha11 work together for Good, to them that keep Jn the Fatth, The Royal Faith, the ViOoriom Faith, that Faltb that }1tmds all Trials, and furmou11ts all Temptations, and through patient Suffering, triumphs ovlr Ra,ge, Darknefr, and the Grave: "TH thH exaeJing_precious' Faith, that ,moku th~ Good Chriflian, the Good Jl1an, the Good Sub;eO, and keep, Man .r ConJCI• ente void (;f Offence ton.'ards God and aU Men; and as we keep it, of Right may we fay, The Urd 'hour Light, whom jhould we fear; Tbe Lord i5 tbe Strength of our Life, of whom jhould we he afraid? 0! thofe that Bee before Informers, and run at the Sight of Perfecutors (yea, though an Army of them) either never had, or have paned from this' Noble Faith, which is pure Confidence in God, and intire Refignation to his Divine Will; come what will come,. Chrift will not have one Coward in his Spiritual Army : Fear not what Man can do unto you, was a great Part of his lnftruftion to his DHC:iples, the Pilgrim Preachers of his Holy Gofpcl to the World ; bm Confulters with Flefh and Blood, thofe that ufe bare Stratagems to fave themfelvcs, that will not :~.bide the Day, bat !link from the Shock()£ Sufferings, and hide in Stormy TimeS, they betray God•s Prerogative, Confcience's Liberty, fHng up the Caufe, and bring a Spor upon Ccnfcientiovr Separdtion; fuch fhall become ~an Abhorrence, and utter Derefi:Jtion in the Sight of the Pure Jealous God, and all Good People. My Brethren, I hope that few· or none of thefe will be found amongft us, howbeit, thefe Things may be permitced for a Winnowing, that nuny may be proved, that fo their Integrity may be the better m:tnifefted; for a Sirt-cere, Holy, ami Self·deny1og People, GOD will have to delight him~:;;.,; VoL. I. An .Addrejs to Prot,Panis Bleffed ate they, whofe God is rbe Lord and h . . . e~er; for they fhaH ne\'er be moved. In:o his BlJ!'~ J:nft IS tn h1m. far With my kif, do I commit yoU an . and the L d f re and Proretbon, preferve us aU in his Holy Fear Lo~e and Parienor 0 , ce to Hh eaEven and Eanh t e nd. Amen. WILLIAM P!!NN· AN Addrefs to Prote/iantJ of ail pER s w As i 0 N' $: ' More Efpecially the Magifi:racy and Clergy, FOR THE Promotion of V I R T tJ E and C H A R 1 T Y. IN T w o P A It T s. By W. P. a ProtejlantJ ·2 Pe}. 1·.,/' 6, 7K• 8, 9· Giving aU Diligtnce, add to your Faith Virtue. an to Irtu:, now ledge; ttnd to Knowledge, Terr:perance· a;d toTem~· P~t:ltce:K:P~tlefice; and to Patience, Godlinefs; and td G~dlinefs Bro t e_r Y ~~ ne SJ and to Brotherly Kindnefs, Charity. For if ~hefe Tbtng.r he !n yo'!, and ahounl, tbej make you that ye jhaU neither he barren 7,ork utruhrful tn the Knowledge cj our Lord Jefu.r Cbrifl But he that •be "b 1 ife Things, is b~ind, aR.d cannor fee far tiff, and bath forgotten tat ewa.rpNrgedfrombuoldSm.r. * The P R E F A C E. TH E ..&c~epta(ltt this Addrefs hs ~u~d, with all Sorts of People, to wboJe lland1 1t btU come,. wbo value Rtlrtt~n for the Sa!u of Piety, more than tlll of Interejl ~r Formality, bath brought II tt fecond Time to publick View. It wa~ wrrt zn tke Tea~ 1679 . .A.r a Chriftian Expedient for Peace and Safety.: But our A~1mofines were then too great,to confi.ler of tbt beft Means _to oktam them; wh1ch H.ood, and does, 11nd win ever fland, in a thorow Refor· mau?n of Hea.ns and Lives; Elfe God, that cannot lye in the IVay1 of bis ~rov1dence, w1U undoubted!J meet with Tn, JU be hal ofun done, attd yet wi/J rio to 011r ~rear f?onfafion, if we do not Jpeedily ~e Mt and furjnke thoje Co11r .. fes by .w~t&~ht u provoked aga!11.{11n: T/~e De z,gn of the .iJ.uthor, wo that ofGhnft~amty, to m~nd the Sp_mts and Ltve.r o Mt11, byjhowing the Odiouf.. nefsofSm, theVanttyofSelf, and che Beauty of Virtue withthelamenta/ J!e Conjeq11encu that nevlr fail to attend the one, and th~ .Advanrage1 tbat alwayr follow the other; wberifoevtr they are entertnined, both to privrl/e Pe,-. /on.r and Government~, to ~hurch and Sr:tte. In whicb, 41 he rNRI tot he Bottom, '!nd dealt plamly wah every Par?;, fo be did ir without any Animolily to their Perfons; mrd jhow.r be labour d their Reformation affidiontrte/y truly and thorot»ly; both by letting them fee the Snares they ba~e foPenby, 11nJ bow to ger Oilt of them. ""Nou. Thit Prcfa«: was fir~ put to a X'ond Edition of this Book Tbrrt |
