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Show I· Vji But this is enough to have fpoken for -Explication. 1 {hall not need infift long upon the ConfirmatioA, either proving 'Ihat thir il the WtU of God , or !hewing you the reafonabl•- nefsof it. ' 1. what lcfs than this is fignified to us by rhe Parable of the Vineyard, Efay 5· what mean thofe exprel!ions of pldnting tbe Vineyard in a frNitfal hill.. fencing it, gathering the ftunes o"t ofir, planting it Jl>ith the cboiceft Vinet, building a Tower in the midlt of ir, making a Wine-ptf[s therein ; but rhe removing all impedi· ments of their Duty, and the giving them all due encouragements to perform it. Now what follows? v.r. 4· He look,td t!Ht they fhould bring f orth g.apu: what was rha:, bur what rhe· Text cal· · lerh Arifing and comiwg aJ~>ay l To the fame purpofe is the Parable Luk.t 20. 9· what other thing than this is fignifid by the Parable of the Marriage-feafl, Matth. 2 2, 4·• I have prepared ~y Dinner,my oxen, my fatlingt are kjUtd, and <Z]ltbingt are ready, come yoH to the marriage. The Parable of rhe Talents Matth. 25. fpeaketh the fame thing alfo in elfea. In fhort, he who confid<rcth in Scripture, either ·the Precepts to this purpofe , or the threatnir.gs a· gainli thofe that have not improved tl1eir fpiritual mercies, will find this abundantly juflified. ~. Again fecondly, Which of us doth not txpel1 the./r~e, .. here .,, have dene the likt 1 Wbo planteth a Vineyard faith the Apoll!e) and e•tetb net of the fruit thereofl or, who fredeth a flock,, and eateth not of the milk, of the flock.,, 1 Cor. 9• 7. What end can we ima• gine that God !hould have, in removing our impediments, and in giving us all means of encouragements,but our due and better pe~formance of our duties ? This is a notion of truth that fhinerh m its own light, and approveth irfelf even to natural reafon ; befides the abundant evidence to it of the will of God from Scripture, and indeed my w01k lies more in rhe Application than in the Confirmation of it. To that I therefore come. You fee I ha.ve opened the Text and Doctrine in three things; I will alfo in three things difpatch the Appliqtion. I !hall 1. Speak, a ~ord to aU, 2. A word to the unregenerate. 3· A word to the Rege~erate. To aU I fay,(yet nor I, butthe Lord;) .Arife, come away ro_rh_e publick.,Affimbliu ofGodr p~ople. I told you thela~ day that It ts Rpring·time with us, 'Ihe votce ofthe'Iurtle 11 bear~ tnour L•nd, the jinging of the Birds is come, God hath thought hts people wor~hy of a few days of Liberty mort. We hear again that pltafant voJCe, Efay 7'he DofJrine applied. Efoy 2. 3. Comt JOH, and Itt '" go up to the mountain qf the Lord, to the ho.ufe of t~e God of Jacob, and be .,;U teach "t ofhr wayr, and we wtU walk,m hit pathr. The rime hath been you know when our Churches were fcattered, our Communion broken, our Prayers I hope met together in heaven but fcarce rwo or three could meet together on earth : But tha~ Winter is pall that R~in I~ over and gone, 0 """' .•rife and come away 1 Come, ~s the particular Churches of Chnll ought to come .;, Tl ivTl, into the fame place to worfhip God ; I hear fome f;y But i4 not tl>it Separa!ion 1 JhaU we not then'Jep>rate from tbe true Obj. Church ofChrijllyvhat ts Separation.< Is it feparation for thofe who for ma~y years have bee? united in one body, ro wor!hip God in all Ordmances together m one place,and only forcibly inrerrupt<;d a few. years, that they could not fo meet, this force being removed to umte and meet together again? Is this Separation or union I wonder? whom ~o we feparate from? from any ~ith wh01~ we ever to were umted? Do not we own the fame Doarine that our breth.ten profefs to own? are not we agreed in the fame aCls ofworfhtp? !hall we not be kept united in the fame bJnds of L~ve? Becau!e ~e differ a little in fome ~o~es of Wor!hip ; i:; thts a Separation: Are we not ready to )Otn m every particular, wbere our Confctences tell us we may join with our Brethren and not fin agal~ft the Lord ? Do we call upon you not to com~ in t~~ Affembltes o~ "Our Brethren, who meet not in the fame place wtth usr.o wo~fh~p vod· ~ ~ay,_ do hot we prefs you to maintain C~Olmunton wtth:all Chrt(hanstn the World in what 1fOur Confct~ nces ilia~ Judg you may, and not rebuke yo11 for finning a· gar~ll God. . What do w~ hear then of the empty noife of S rpar~ lloll! wtll the Lord thtn~ you ~vcr lay it to your charge, that you -~td not l¥>1d communton wrth•others in a as where your confctences up?n the beft enquiry told you, that w.irhout fin yon ~ould not do tt! Or do you think you may go a middle way, that IS, not CQmmuntcate in fuch a as, but not communicate with any other Alfcmbly where you ~ay do it with more Satisfaction> May you ~hen all your ltfe-ttme live without the Ordinances wh•c?Chnll hath purcharcd for you at the price<of his bloud>M ' you ltve and .do that never which he hath commanded y.;u :~ do often 1 Can all the Churches of Chrift meet in the fame placet> or do they feparate becaufe they meet in dillin<ll place'? ft,rel¥ none ever fpake fo weakly. Whcre's the Separation till fi ·ll an Sf , V1tion |