To the Inhabitants of Horsley in Glocestershire, and other places of the Country, who did ordi­narily attend upon the Mi­nistry of Mr. Henry Stubbs, late Deceased.

ALthough you, whose Habitation is so remote, are unknown by face unto us, as we whose work and Ministry is in London, are unto you; yet because of the great Love which Mr. Henry Stubbs your most worthy and laborious Pastor, and our most dear Friend and Reverend Brother) [...]id bear towards you, whilst he had the over­sight of you; we are willing to give some Testimony of our great respects to the party deceased, whose memory will always be pre­ [...]ious to us, by shewing our respects to you in sending you some lines to further your im­ [...]rovement of this sad Providence which hath [...]aken away your Minister; looking upon our [...]elves as under a particular Obligation to pay [...]ur mite, by endeavouring to promote the [Page 4] spiritual benefit of Mr. Stubbs's hearers in the Countrey, after he hath taken such indefati­gable pains for the advantage and Soul-welfare of our Hearers in the City.

We want words to express this so great and publick loss, of this so great and excellent Minister; who as he was generally known by the best of people in the City, and adjacent parts; and as his Ministry was highly prised, although but sometimes tasted when he came occasionally to London: so his death both by Ministers and People here hath been greatly Lamented.

But what Tongue can utter your loss, who were more especially under his Pastoral charge and inspection, his care and instruction! We suppose it was grievous to you to part with him for a while when he came last to the City although it were with hopes of receiving him again: But when you heard from London that your [...]astor was fallen sick, taken sick in Preaching, so sick that he could not Preach (and then he was sick indeed), when you heard of his Feaver, the violence of it and his danger; O what thoughts of heart had you? What fears di [...] there then arise in your hearts? Wha [...] wr [...]stlings at the Throne of grace? Lord spare him! Lord restore him to us again! Lord try us again a [...]tle longer with this mercy! What care was there among you, and solicitude abou [...] [Page 5] his health and recovery! Not without some hopes, that the Lord might be entreated, and [...]end a gracious ear to the many prayers both [...]n City and Country put up in his behalf, so as to raise him and rescue him from the Jaws of death, in order to his further serviceable­ness in the land of the living.

But when the doleful tidings came to you that Mr. Stubbs was departed, that your Pastor was dead, that he had finished his course, and resigned up his spirit; what were your looks, your thoughts, your speeches then? What [...]ighs, what sorrows, what tears, what bitter mournings and lamentations were there gene­rally then to be found amongst his acquaintance and hearers in the Country? And is he gone [...]ndeed? Shall we no more see his face? No more hear his voice? Will he pray amongst us, and pray for us, no more? Will he appear in the Pulpit and Preach to us no more? Did we think that the last Sermon which he Preached before his last [...]ourney, would be the last Sermon which we should have and hear from him? He lately Preached to us of praying without ceasing, and did we think he would so soon cease to pray himself? He called upon us with great importunity that we would pray fervently, and he lived in the practice of his own Sermons; we have heard of his con­stant secret Devotions, his dayly prayers with his Wife, and in his Family; and he did bear us [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [Page 6] upon his heart in his private addresses unto God; But O how did this good man waste and spend his spirits in his fervent prayers with us and upon our account, when he prayed amongst us on or­dinary and extraordinary occasions? We have often known him to continue five or six hours to­gether in Preaching, chiefly in prayer on fasting­days (being in the Country destitute of the help of any other Minister) and that without imper­tinencies, tautologies, tedious repetitions, or any crude, raw, rude, and nauseating expressions, but with a great and delightful variety of holy pleas and arguments; and if our base hearts have been tyred sometimes with the length of his ad­ministrations, yet he himself hath seemed to be little tyred, at least his spirit hath been unwearied with all his pains and labour. We remember how affectionately be used to make acknowledgment of sin, of our sins, which he was more grieved for than our selves; we remember his sighs and groans which from an oppressed heart brake forth at his mouth, signifying an inward sense beyond the utterance of words: we remember how the tears did often steal from his eyes, and run dow [...] his old cheeks, how he hath often wept for us when our eyes have been dry, our hearts stupi [...] and hard like a stone within us. We remember his humble Petitions, his fervent supplications a [...] the throne of grace for us, how he would wrestl [...] with God like Jacob; and when we thought he ha [...] [Page 7] been quite spent, how he hath recovered his strength, and renewed his hold, as one resolved to take no denyal, and not to let the Lord go, with­out his blessing for us as well as for himself. And did we think that these extraordinary motions and affections in one so ancient did pre­sage his near approaching death? that he was come now very nigh to the end of his race? That being so ripe for Heaven, he would not be long out of Heaven, in the Suburbs of which he seem'd to be, when he was in his Devotions? Did we think that the Lord would so soon gather him and receive him to himself, and say to him, pray no more for this people? We remember his intro­ductions to his work when he first entred his Pulpit, beyond the ordinary custome of other Ministers (and indeed there were many things extraordinary in him) how before his Sermon and Prayer too, he used to be speak our attention, and endeavoured to incite and stir up our af­fection with various arguments; sometimes mind­ing us of Gods Omnipre [...]ence and his all-seeing eye; sometimes of the Divine Authority of the word which he was to Preach, that it was indeed the word of God by which we should be judged at the last day; sometimes minding us of the worth of time, especially of such seasons of grace; sometimes of the worth of our Souls, which the gain of all the world could not compensate the loss of; sometimes of the worth of grace beyond [Page 8] all the treasures of the Earth, which we were capable of gaining by our diligent hearing; sometimes minding us of our death and the eter­nity which we should enter upon immediately after the separation of our Soul from our Body; but did we think his own death was so near, and that he would enter into eternity so soon himself? We remember with what gravity, seriousness and sincerity he used to Preach unto us, with what plainness he did accommodate the word to our capacity, with what zeal and fervency he did make application to us of the great truths of Religion; how he pressed sins upon our consciences by a clear, close and powerful conviction, adding the most moving considerations to awaken us vnto a sense of them, a hearty grief and repentance for them. We remember how feelingly he made known to us the glad tidings of Salvation by faith in Iesus Christ; how earnestly he urged upon us our duty towards God, and one towards another, backing his exhortations with the most cogent arguments; and how notably he did insinuate what he spake hereby into our affections: we re­member how he taught us not only by his Doctrine, but also by his example, going before us in the way of duty and the way to Heaven; but did we think however in Heaven he would be above us, that he would be also in Heaven before us?

He came to my house not long before he went to London (it may be one may say, and another [Page 9] may say, and possibly many of you may say) [...]lthough I were unworthy to receive such a one under my roof; and methought his face did look [...]ike the face of an Angel. I remember his [...]umble grave look, his image is still upon my [...]ind, as if his person were still before mine eye; [...] remember his kind pleasing countenance, his [...]weet and obliging speeches; he came not to eat of my bread, but to feed me with the bread of life, [...]nd how did he entertain me with holy and [...]eavenly discourse; he spake to my self, and he [...]pake to my Wife about our Souls, I hope I shall [...]ever forget his last words so long as I have breath and a memory to retain any thing; he spake to my Children and my Servants, he would needs [...]ave them all called, that he might give them some words of instruction, that he might speak something to awaken and quicken them to mind [...]heir Souls and Salvation; He told us all of [...]eath and judgment, how near we were to Eter­ [...]ity, but did I think his own glass was so near [...]un out, and that he would so quickly be himself [...]n that Eternity which he spake of so frequently [...]nd affectionately to others? When he went forth [...]f my doors, did I think he would never set foot [...]ithin them again? And that when he went [...]way, he was going and was so near unto his long [...]ome?

The last Lords day of his Preaching to us, [...]e gave us notice of his journey that he intended [Page 10] on the Monday, and desired to see us the nex [...] morning, not at his house, but in the Church that there he might take leave of us; and ther [...] several of us came together to see him, and ther [...] we heard his last Sermon to us: his Text was Prov 3.6. In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy paths; We well remembe [...] the words that dropped then from his mouth, bu [...] did we think they wou [...]d be his last words to us▪ Did we think when God was directing his path t [...] London, that he was thereby directing his way so soon to Heaven? Did we think that when he took his Farewell of us, that it was his last Fare­wel, and that we should meet him no more until the Heavens shall be no more? O that we ha [...] perswaded him (for he was a man easy to be entreated) that he would have stayed in the Countrey with us some weeks longer, and have forborn such frequent Preaching, until the hea [...] of the season were over, which his old body and wasted spirits could not so well brook, although he thought himself able to bear it well enough and that he should go thorow it as he had done in former times. Had we foreseen the issue and ven [...] of this journey to London, rather than fail we would have raised the whole Countrey of his acquaintance, and come about him with earnest desires and requests to stay him here; we would have hung about his arms and neck, we would have ta [...]en hold of his hands and his feet, and [Page 11] forcibly (if we could not otherwise) have detained him among us, that he might have escaped that arrow and stroke of death which was prepared for him in London: If he had been resolved to go, that he might hasten home to his Fathers house, we would have used our endeavour to alter his resolutions, we would have wept, and cry'd, and prayed with importunity, Good Sir don't leave us yet, good Sir stay with us a little longer; pity such and such ignorant Families, which when you are gone are like to perish for want of instruction; pity such and such uncon­verted persons, who are hastning and rushing forward in ways of sin to their own damna­tion; and although they have not hearkened to former calls, it may be some further calls from your mouth may (through Gods blessing) prevail with them, and be effectual to convert and save them. Pity your Wise who is like to be left a Widow, and what a sorrowful Widow is she like to be? Pity your Children which will be Fatherless, and if some of them be provided for, yet you know who of them are low and shiftless, and quickly will feel your loss, and all of them will greatly miss your company and your help of them in Heavens way. Pity your Spiritual Children, some of whom are but new born Babes in Christ, who are not like to thrive should they be so soon wean'd from the breast, who have need that [Page 12] you should give them more of the sincere Milk of the word (which they have tasted and so well relish) in order to their Spiritual growth and nourishment; pity your poor flock which you are leaving, think what grievous Wolves, when you are gone, may enter amongst them to rend and tear them: some of them are sorrowful, and they have need of you to com­fort them, and how will their sadness and sor­row be encreased when they hear of your decease? Some of them are weak, and they have need of you to strengthen them; some of them are staggering, they have need of you to establish them; yea, some have lost their way already, and are wandring, and they have need of you to reduce them: some of them are bruised, and they have need of you to bind them up; and the most of them are exceedingly diseased, all have their Spiritual maladies, and they have need of you to ad­minister Soul-Physick to them in order to their cure and healing; and will you leave your flock in such a condition, when there is so much need of such a Pastor, and they are not like in hast to get another to succeed you, who will watch over and feed them as you have done? In­deed after so much toil and labour, you may well long to be at rest; after so much work, you may well look and long for your reward; but will not your rest be the sweeter if you [Page 13] [...]abour a little more? Will not your reward [...]e the greater, if you add further work to what you have done already? If you long to be in Heaven, O stay a little for us till we be more fitted for that place; good Sir abide a little longer with us, that you may gain more Souls for Christ, who will add to your glory and joy at the day of Christs glorious ap­pearance.

Thus we might have argued and pleaded with him to stay, had we known that he was going from us, not to London only, but also unto Heaven. But it was the will of God, he should take this journey to London and that he should finish his course there; his glass was run, his work was done, the bounds of his years and days were de­termined, over which he could not pass, had both he and we never so much desired it. He is gone, he is gone; never to return to us again in this World. We have lost a most dear, tender hearted, faithful, laborious and painful Minister; but our loss is his gain; he is happy, we do not envy his happiness, but he hath left us behind forlorn and sorrowful in a World of sin and misery.

Such language as this we may suppose to have been amongst you in the Country; and as you are most deeply concerned in the loss of Mr. Stubbs, so that you have been greatly affected therewith beyond what we can set forth.

[Page 14]Two Funeral Sermons on Mr. Stubbs death have been Preached in the City, one on the Lords day by Mr. Thomas Watson, the other on the week day by Mr. Richard Baxter, both which we suppose will come to your hands. The Character which Mr. Baxter in his hath given (the only Sermon of the two, which we have seen) of Mr. Stubbs his Spirit, Doctrine, manner of Life, conversation; his great dili­gence and unwearied pains in publick Preaching and private instruction, when the Sermon doth come forth, will sufficiently evidence to others as well as your selves, what a loss above others you have sustained. Should we employ our Pens in drawing further lineaments of this excellent person, they might prove but sha­dows, not to set off, but obscure the picture of his spirit already drawn so lively by a far more skilful hand; and therefore we forbear any further commendations of him, who is above our commendation. Our design and business is to mind you of your duty in re­ference to this sad providence which hath be­reaved you of such a Pastor as Mr. Stubbs was unto you.

One great duty is to lament and lay to heart your Pastors death; to affect you herewith, what we have already written hath a tendency; we know all of you have reason to grieve, but are there not too many of you unsensible of [Page 15] this great loss? And is not this loss the greatest to such? When good old Iacob dyed, his death was lamented sorely, not only by his own Children, but also by the Egyptians, Gen. 50. 10, 11. When Moses and Aaron dyed, the Israelites mourned for each of them thirty days, Numb. 20.29. Deut. 34.8. When the good King Iosiah was slain, there was a great mourning for him amongst the Iews, called the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. When Elisha the Prophet lay on his death-bed Ioash although a wicked King did weep over him. 2 Kings 13.14. Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he dyed: and Joash the King came down to him, and wept over his face and said, O my Father, my Father, the Chariot of Israel and Horsemen thereof. And we read, Act. 8.2. when Stephen the Proto­martyr was stoned by the Iews, Devout men carryed Stephen to his burial, and made great Lamentation over him. Eccles. 12.5. Man goeth to his long home, and the Mourners go about the streets. But when such men go, men of God, Embassadours, Ministers, such eminent Mini­sters as yours was, O what mourning should there be for him: you have lost a Soul friend, yea a Soul-Father, an old Disciple, a Soul­counsellor, a true shepherd, a Soul feeder, a sin­cere Nathanael, a Barnabas, a Soul comforter; you have lost an Angel, a steward, a labourer, [Page 16] a watchman, a builder, one that studied for your Souls, Preached, prayed for your Souls watched for your Souls: wept for your Souls spent himself for your Souls good, and shall not such a loss be bewailed? As Paul said to the Ephesians concerning himself, we may say to you concerning Mr. Stubbs, Act. 20.25. Behold all ye amongst whom he hath gone for some year [...] Preaching the Kingdom of God, ye shall see hi [...] face no more: and it is said, Verse 37.38. And they all wept sore, and fell on Pauls neck, and kissed him; Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. Mr. Stubbs hath several times come to the City and returned to you again, but now he will return to you no more; he hath done Preaching to you, he hath done praying for you, he will weep and wrestle for you no more, he will never more instruct and counsel you, never more warn and admonish you, never more exhort and perswade you, never more comfort and encourage you; the doors are now shut, the doors of your ears have been too often shut against his message, and now the doors of his lips are shut up, and never will they be open to you any more. It would have been a just cause of great trouble if your Mi­nister had been removed into a corner, or had been thrust into a Prison, although there you might have visited him sometimes and received [Page 17] a Spiritual benefit by his private converse, and not have been without hopes of his deliverance and enjoying the fruit of his labours again; but now he is gone from whence he will not return; his Soul is fled beyond your reach, and his body is gone down to the place of silence, the Lord hath put him to silence; men could not do it, he would preach so long as he had a Tongue to speak: but God hath silenced him in the grave, so that now you must not look that he should pray more, and put up further supplications for you, or preach more, and give further instructions unto you: this is a Lamen­tation and should be for a Lamentation. Espe­cially you should lament your sins which have procured this loss, this sad stroke: have you not sinned away your Minister by your unteach­ableness under the word which hath been taught by his mouth; your unfruitfulness under Gods showing upon you, Gods dressing and manuring of you by his hands? We have had our loss too here in the City not only of him, but also of many other eminent and faith­ful Ministers; our glory is in a great measure departed, our strength is decayed, our Moses's, our Iacobs, our praying our wrestling Ministers are many of them gone lately to God, and have we not reason to fear that God is about to remove his Gospel, when he calls home his [Page 18] Embassadours so fast? that a great storm is near when he houseth so many of his servants? Is not our hedg in danger of falling, when so many stakes are pluckt up? and our houses of tumbling, when so many pillars are thrown down? When the righteous perish, not only righteous men but Preachers of righteousness, doth it not presage some great evil at hand, which they are taken from to a place of rest and safety? The times did look with a bad face before, but do not they look worse and worse, when so many Ministers are removed, who by their prayers and ministerial labours, might have been helpful to prevent those judg­ments which we are in such danger of? The clouds do now gather blackness faster and faster, and dreadful thunder storms do seem to be in their bowels, and the Lord knows how soon all faces may gather paleness: the most serious Christians and the most understanding and considering persons, do look with trem­bling expectations, when this Island will crack and break with a ter [...]ible voice over us, and beat down with a fierce Tempest, it may be in showers of blood upon us. The loss of our dear brethren in the Ministry doth weaken our hands that are Ministers, who have lost the advantage of their company and help; but the loss is most near, most sore to them who were [Page 19] under their charge; and the loss of this our lately deceased Brother and Fellow-labourer should be bewailed especially, and laid to heart by you who were under his care and Ministry.

There are two sorts of persons amongst you, whom Mr. Stubbs hath left behind, Uncon­verted, and Converted persons; we will speak to both.

First, Are there not many unconverted per­sons, whom your Minister after all his Soul­travel and pains in Preaching hath left uncon­verted? Are there not many grosly ignorant persons with you, notwithstanding all his Catechizing and instructions? Are there not many openly vicious persons, notwithstanding all his reproofs and admonitions? Are there no profane persons among you, no swearers? Are there no unclean persons, no adulterers? Are there no intemperate persons, no drunk­ards? Are there no unrighteous persons, none that are fraudulent in their dealings? And amongst those who are civilized and outward­ly reformed, are there none among you, who are secretly wicked? none who are covetous, under the reigning power of that sin which is inconsistent with the power of godliness? Are [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [Page 20] there no hypocrites among you, painted Se­pulchres, rotten at heart, whatever your out­ward show and profession of Religion is? Are there not too many among you who mind your Bodies, but neglect your Souls? who make provision for your flesh, but neglect your Salvation? Alas! Alas! What is like to be­come of you who are still unconverted, and have not been wrought upon effectually by such Preaching, such a Ministry, now this Mi­nister is removed? If you were not converted whilst you had such powerful means, are you now like to be converted, when the means are gone, and you are never like to have such powerful means of grace again? Did not your Minister whilst alive call upon you frequently, and that with earnestness and importunity that you would repent, and turn from your evil ways presently, and that you would not delay, lest God should leave off calling you, and take away the means of your conversion from you? And hath not God left off calling you now by his mouth? And if you should not be effectu­ally called at all, if you should not be con­verted whilst you live (which now seems very unlikely to be) better had it been for you that you had never been born; better you had been Dogs, or Swine, or Worms, or Toads, rather than Men and Women with immortal [Page 21] Souls, because of the dreadful miseries coming upon you, which inferiour Creatures will es­cape. Without Conversion, there is no Sal­vation; without Repentance and Faith in Jesus Christ, and love to God and a holy life, there is no escaping the Damnation of Hell. Our design is not to drive you to despair, only to awaken you, who have been so long and so fast asleep under such an awakening Ministry; if you sleep still and are not startled by the loss of your Minister, we much fear the next thing will be the loss of your Souls. Awake! Awake! Ye drowsy, secure, sleepy sinners, God calls upon you once more, by us he calls you to awake, to repent and turn from sin before it be too late, and the door of mercy be shut, and death hath unexpectedly surprised you in your sins.

God by us doth command the vilest of you to repent, Act. 17.30. And he threatneth death if you disobey him: should an earthly King command you to come out of a dirty way into a clean path, and that upon pain of temporal death, would not you obey? And when God who is the King of Kings, doth command you to repent, to come out of the dirty ways of sin into the clean ways of holi­ness, and that upon pain of eternal death, [Page 22] of everlasting torment and punishment in Hell will you not obey, will you not repent? Will you chuse to dishonour God, and damn your own Souls rather than to repent of your sins? Shall the threatnings of a weak man have more force with you, than the threatnings of the great and glorious Iehovah who made Heaven and Earth? Shall the threatnings of lesser evils which are but for a moment, have more place with you, than the threatnings of the most dreadful evils and eternal plagues shall have?

Moreover God doth invite you to repent and useth arguments to prevail with you Ezek. 33.11. Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? God doth encourage you to repent by his promises; all the promises which you will find in the Scrip­ture of Remission, of Adoption, of Salvation, of Spiritual priviledges here, and eternal hap­piness hereafter, are made to those that repent and believe; both which are always in con­junction, See Prov. 28.13. Isa. 55.17. Chap. 1.16, 17, 18. And will not Gods invitations, Gods promises, and none of the rich Gospel [Page 23] priveledges move you to repent? Will you slight pardoning mercy, and chuse rather to abide under guilt? Is it good to keep wounds in your consciences when you may have them healed? Is it good to have God your enemy, when you may be reconciled? Is it desirable to continue Children of the Devil, when you may be made the Children of God? Will you prefer raggs before robes to cover you? And chuse poverty when you may have Jewels to enrich you? And eternal mi­sery, when by repentance you may attain ever­lasting happiness? There are three sorts of un­converted and impenitent persons among you; some of you are young, some in your middle age, and some of you are arived unto old age, we would apply this Call to every one.

First, You that are young men and young women, repent of your sins, and turn from your evil ways whilst you are young; as you ought to remember your Creator so as to turn to him in the days of your youth, so you ought to remember your sins so as to turn from them, in the days of your youth. Had any of you been born without sin, and lived without sin, there would have been no occasion for your repentance; But who among you can say he is innocent? Have you not original sin and [Page 24] actual sin to repent of? Will not your con­sciences witness the corruption of your natures, how averse naturally you are to good, how prone to evil. Is there not a Register in your bosomes of sins committed in your childhood, together with your more late and more ag­giavated youthful transgressions? And do you not then need to repent? Are you too young to repent, when you are not too young to sin? You have heard of Iosiah, who had a tender heart in his tender years; and of Timothy who when a Child did know the holy Scrip­tures, which taught him the lesson of Repen­tance; and if others have attained repentance in their Childhood and youth, why may not you attain it? The Devil will perswade you it is too soon, and the flesh will perswade you it is too soon to repent; and your companions in sin will perswade you to hold on with them still in your sinfull practices: many carnal arguments you may find out to move and plead for indulgence of your selves still in your sen­sual and sinful delights; and you may be prone to think graver years will be most sutable for the serious and severe work of Repentance; and you may presumingly hope, when you are grown up to years of more maturity, then you will mourn for your iniquity, then you will turn over a new leaf, return unto God and [Page 25] lead a new life. But doth God allow you to procrastinate your Repentance? Doth God give you a dispensation to sin, so long as you are so young? If it be a duty to repent here­after, is it not now as much your duty? If it be good to repent at all, is it not good to re­pent whilst you are young? Are you sure to live till you are grown men, and grown wo­men? Did you never see or hear that others have died as young as your selves, and as likely to live, and that notwithstanding their hopes and presumptions of long life? Indeed you may live to be old, but think also that you may die whilst you are young; you may die suddenly before you have time to call upon God for mercy, and if you die in your impeni­tency you will most certainly be thrown for your sins into Hell, that place of most hor­rible and unspeakable misery; and will you venture your everlasting damnation on pre­sumption of long life, and future Repentance? Besides, are you sure to repent, should your life be continued? Is Repentance in your own power? If you have not hearkned unto for­mer calls of your deceased Minister, and if you will not hearken to the call of divers Mi­nisters now together, are you sure God will call you any more, that he will send any other Minister to you? Or if he should, may not he [Page 26] withhold his blessing, and swear in his wrath that his Spirit which hath been striving with you so long, shall strive with you no more? Moreover, can there be a more fit, a more rea­sonable time for your Repentance, than whilst you are young? Will not your Repentance now be with the less difficulty? If it be dif­ficult to repent when your sins are fewer, will not the difficulty encrease when your sins are encreased and grown more numerous? If it be difficult to repent when your sins are lesser, will not the difficulty greaten when your sins are greatned and grown more heinous? Is not a twig more easily bended, than a grown Tree? Will not long custom in sin added to your na­tural propensity, add to the difficulty of your repentance? Is it not easier to repent when you have less sin and more time, than when you shall have less time and more sin? Will not sin be more easily mortified whilst it is more weak, than when by long continuance it hath gather­ed more strength? Will it not be very hard to remove long contracted hardness? Do you think the Devil will be easily cast out, when he hath had long possession. Or can your last Repentance, if it were easily attainable, be so pleasing and acceptable unto God, as Repentance in your youth? Doth not God call for your first fruits? Shall the Devil, and [Page 27] the flesh, and the World ravish your Virgin­affections, and then will you repent? Hath not God work enough for you to do although you begin never so young? And will you chuse rather to serve the Devil and your own lusts in the spring, the prime, and vigour of your years, than to serve the glorious Iehovah, when the service of the former is such slavery, such drudgery, and the ways will be eternal death, and the service of the latter is so ho­nourable, so beneficial, and its reward eternal life. May this Call, these arguments prevail with all of you that are young, without any further delay to repent of your sins, and to day, whilst it is called to day to hearken unto Gods voice, and no longer to harden your hearts through the deceitfullness of sin.

Secondly, You that have continued in your sinful ways and practices to your middle age; it is high time that you should repent. If your Spring be over, and your Summer be come, and hitherto you have neglected your Souls, and al­lowed your selves in your sins; O delay no lon­ger time, repent of your sins, and repent that you have repented no sooner. God stretcheth sorth his hand all the day long to a stubborn and gainsaying people; if you have been stub­born hitherto; If you have deafned your ear [Page 28] to former calls, don't deafen your ear to this call, which may be your last call. God hath been very patient with you, he might have cut you off in your sins long ago, and think where your Souls would have been now. Have not some of you been visited with sickness, and brought down to the sides of the pit, and been raised again beyond your own and others expectations? Have not others of you escaped great perils and dangers, and been wonder­fully preserved when your lives were in great jeopardy? And shall your restoration or your preservation, be but a reservation unto more dreadful destruction? Or rather shall not Gods patience and goodness lead you to Re­pentance? Will you return evil for good? Be­cause God doth not speedily execute his venge­ance upon you, shall your hearts be fully set in you to do evil? If your youth hath been given away from God don't give the strength of your years too. Let the time past be sufficient where­in you have served divers lusts, and let the re­maining part of your days be devoted unto God It is likely that many of you are now got into intanglements, and will be hindred by incum­bring business in the work, which is like to be more difficult than if you had begun betimes: but think, although the difficulty of Repen­tance be never so great, yet the necessity of Re­pentance [Page 29] is far greater; Repentance is both universally and absolutely, altogether indis­pensably necessary; you must repent, all of you must repent, otherwise you are lost irre­coverably, and will perish everlastingly; It may be hard to you now, and grievous to un­ravel all your sinful works, to undo what hi­ther to you have been doing, to begin another life now after you have spent, or rather mis­pent so much of your time; It may be very grievous to you to cut off your right hands, to pluck out your right eyes, but better do so than that the whole body be cast into the fire; we mean, it is better to part with your most beloved lusts, called in the Scripture, and by our Saviour, the right hands, and the right eyes, than that the Soul should perish in sin, and be tormented in Hell; surely Hells tor­ments is far more grievous than repenting work and converting work can be. O be not befool­ed by the deluding Devil, and your own de­ceitful hearts, to defer so great and necessary work any longer; you have thought to repent at this time, and thought to repent at that time, and yet this time hath come, and that time hath come, and both have slipt and are gone, and still you are where you were; as far from Repentance, yea further from it, more indisposed, more averse to it than at the be­ginning. [Page 30] Sinners, what do you resolve upon? will you hold fast sin still? Will you pursue your lusts to the burning lake? Or will you defer again this work of Repentance until a fitter season? What season can be more fit than the present season, when God calleth you, commandeth you, and stretcheth forth his hand to encourage you unto this duty.

Thirdly, And lastly. We shall add one word to call old sinners to Repentance: your Spring is past, your Summer is ended, your Winter is come, and yet you have not repented, yet have not amended. And what do you think now to do? Are you resolved to finish your course as you have begun it? Are you re­solved to fill up the measure of your sin, with your days; and will you deafen your ears against all Gods calls unto the last? You have one foot in the grave, and don't you sometimes think of Death? Can you think to live here always? Don't you feel your strength to decay? Have you no Harbingers and forerunners of death with you? Do not your Silver hairs mind you of the loosing of the silver cord? and your daily breakings through the infirmities of old age, of the breaking of the golden bowl and pitcher at the fountain, and wheel at the cistern, whom dust shall return to the earth as it was, [Page 31] and the Spirit to God that gave it, that by him you may be judged? Eccl. 12.6, 7. Young ones may die in youth, but you must die in old age: you cannot last much longer; in a mo­ment you may go down into your dust, and what do you think will become of your Souls when they are separated from your bodies? Will not God call you to an account for all your sins? Shall you not receive according to what you have done in the body? Can you be content that God should banish you from his presence for ever, and punish you amongst Devils in Hell? Can you dwell with devouring fire? Can you inhabit everlasting burnings? Can you endure to be tormented and that to eternity, and that with extremity of tor­ments? But you will say, is there no hope? I answer, the Devil may tell you there is no hope; when you were young the Devel per­swaded you it was too soon to repent; and in the strength of your years, that it was too soon, time enough hereafter; and now it may be he would perswade you it is too late; yet however grey-headed Converts are very rare, some such there are and have been found: We read, Math. 20.6. of some called to work in the vineyard at the eleventh hour. Indeed your Repentance now will be with the greatest dif­ficulty; but consider what hath been said of [Page 32] its necessity, and you may take same encourage­ment from its possibility. It is possible for you to obtain Repentance, and Remission, and Salvation, if without further delay you seek it, if you diligently seek it. You have need to ransack your hearts, to read over the Register of your Consciences, to draw up bills of in­ditement against your selves: you have need to retire within, to go down into your Spirits with the candle of the Lord in one hand, and the word of the Lord in the other hand, that you may find out, and bring out, and slay those lusts there, which war against you, and which if they be not slain, will be your ruin: you have need to humble your selves greatly before the Lord, to lie very low, to cry very loud, to mourn and weep, to grieve and lament over so many sins, and those so highly aggra­vated as yours have been; And then know there is mercy enough in store for such as you, free-grace can save the oldest and greatest sin­ner; the merits of Christ are sufficient for your pardon; the promises of the Covenant are large and may reach the worst of you. O then break off your sins by Repentance, and lay hold on the Lord Jesus by faith, and devote what remaineth of your life unto God, and it is possible that such as you may get into the Kingdom of Heaven, and eternally admire the [Page 33] infinite Riches of Gods free grace in your Salvation.

Our Letter would swell too much should we add particular directions in order to this work; we therefore exhort you to call to Remem­brance what your own Pastor hath Preached to you for your guidance and help, and it is possible that the seed which he sowed whilst alive, may spring up after his death; and the Sermons which he hath Preached amongst you and the Counsels which he hath given to you, may (through Gods blessing and your Remem­brance, and Application) have their effect even now he is gone, in your Conversion and Salvation.

Besides unconverted persons, we hope there are many true Converts, truly gracious per­sons among you, and not a few who have been the Seal of Mr. Stubbs's Ministry. Some of you are new born, others well grown Chri­stians; some of you are in a declining state, others are thriving Christians; we might be as large in our writing to you, as we have been in our call of the Unconverted; we might give particular counsel and advice, in order to the healing of wounded Consciences, the reviving decay'd graces and affections, the resolving [Page 34] and removing groundless doubts, and perplex­ing fears concerning your spiritual condition; the arming you against Satans temptations; the guiding of you in the dark night of de­sertion, and when under the Eclipse of th [...] light of Gods countenance; and for your quickning and encouragement under affliction [...] and all oppositions and difficulties which you do or may meet withall in Heavens way. But should we write particularly and fully to you of these things, our Letter would grow into a treatise, which is beyond our design; there­fore we must refer you for Counsel, in these things, unto the Word of God, and those Books in our English tongue, which are written on these Subjects; and particularly to call to re­membrance what your dear Pastor hath taught you and advised you, who was the best ac­quainted with the state of your Souls.

All that we shall further add, is to mind you of some duties, and to suggest some consider­ations for your comfort and encouragement under this so great a loss.

The duties which God calleth you more es­pecially unto, after his taking away your Pastor from you, are, 1 Watchfulness. 2 Fruitfulness. 3 Prayer. 4 Family-instruction.

[Page 35]First, Watchfulness: All Ministers are, or [...]ught to be the Lords Watchmen; the Watch­ [...]n; whom the Lord set over you, was emi­ [...]ently faithful, but he is now gone and will [...]itch over you no longer, and therefore you [...]ve the more need, and are now called to [...]atch over your selves the more diligently, [...]nd to watch over one another.

1. Watch over your selves; guard your [...]nses which are the inlets of sin, and keep [...]our hearts with all diligence, from whence [...]re the issues of sin; it is not long since you [...]ad the eye of your Minister over you, [...]ho was a faithful reprover; now he is re­moved, take heed you give not your selves the more liberty either to neglect duties, or to comply with temptations, whereby you may be enticed unto any sin; were Mr. Stubbs alive, and by you, it may be you would not yield to such and such Temptations, lest you should offend him, and be reproved by him; but think with your selves, that God is by you always; and being infinitely holy, is more high­ly offended with sin, than the most holy man on earth can be; and you have also an observer within you, a reprover, we mean your own Consciences, and take heed of offending them in offending of God, for if God and Con­science [Page 36] should be against you, it is a thousand times worse than to have all the men on Earth and all the Devils in Hell against you. Watch not only against grosser, and more scandalou [...] sins, but also against lesser sins, and such as a [...] of more ordinary practice in the World, an [...] that not only amongst the profane, but all amongst professors of Religion themselve [...] amongst whom too many hypocrites will b [...] found at the last day. Watch also again [...] errours, especially such as are damnable, su [...] as are in the foundations of Religion, whi [...] should you entertain, would be mor [...] effectual to ruin your Souls, than if you we [...] guilty of the grossest immoralities. Havin [...] received the truth, hold it fast, prize it abo [...] Silver and Gold, as being far more preciou [...] yea above life it self, and let all go rather tha [...] let any truth go; let truths be rooted in you [...] hearts, imbrace them with love and delight otherwise you may be imposed upon with e [...] ­rours by some cunning impostors, and be tosse [...] to and fro with divers winds of Doctrine [...] by the flight of men and cunning craftiness [...] such as lie in wait to deceive; always suspec [...] them as dangerously erroneous, who endeavou [...] to bring the Ministry of Christ's appointme [...] into contempt, and perswade you to a neglec [...] thereof, which you have reason above othe [...] [Page 37] [...]ighly to esteem and keep close unto, having [...]d so eminent and faithful a Minister amongst [...]ou.

Secondly, As you ought to watch over [...]our selves, so also to watch over one another, [...]hat so instead of one, there may be many [...]atchmen amongst you. Watch over one [...]nother in reference to sin, and in reference to [...]uty. In reference to sin, both to prevent sin [...] one another, and to restore such as are fallen [...] it. Watch to prevent sin, so far as you have [...]ower; say not with Cain, Am I my brothers [...]eeper? As you ought not to murder the [...]odies of any, nor to suffer any (if you can [...]inder it) to murder themselves; so you ought [...]ot to murder the Souls of any, nor to permit [...]hem (if you can hinder it) to murder their [...]wn Souls: should you see any of your neigh­ [...]ours, or acquaintance, take Swords, or Dag­ [...]ers, and therewith to gash and wound them­ [...]lves, lift up their hands to thrust them into [...]heir hearts, would not you run to them, and [...]atch away those weapons and instruments of [...]eath from them? Would not you argue and [...]ead with them, to forbear the laying such [...]olent hands upon themselves? By sin your [...]ighbours wound themselves; if they wound [...] their flesh, they wound their Spirit; if [Page 38] they wound not their bodies, they wound their Souls; and as those wounds are most inward, so they are the most deep and dangerous; the wounds of sin are mortal wounds, and not only temporal death but eternal will be the effect of them, without a seasonable application of the blood of Christ. O do what you can to prevent sin in your friends, do what you can to arm them against Temptations, and to en­courage them to resist the Devil; to expose themselves to any kind of sufferings and pains and to deny themselves any kind of delights and gains, rather than to offend God, and wound their Consciences by their sins.

But if any of your Brethren have been tempted and have yielded, if they are falle [...] and wounded, watch to restore such; and there in follow the direction of the Apostle, Gal. 6.1 [...] Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, [...] which are Spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thy self lest tho [...] also be tempted. If you hear of a fault in any of your neighbours, be not forward to be­lieve it, unless the thing be evident by clear proof, or the parties own confession, and then think what the Law of love doth require, Lev. 19.17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy [Page 39] neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. When your neighbours lie under guilt, let love to their Souls prompt you to use your endeavour for the removal thereof; don't speak of their faults behind their backs to their defamation, and the wounding of their names; but speak of their faults to themselves in your plain and faithful reproofs, in order to their amendment and the healing of the wounds in their Con­sciences: and that your reproofs may be suc­cessful, they must be managed with much pru­dence, with a due consideration of the fault, the person, the place, the time, and the manner; as to the manner the, Apostle directs you to do it in the spirit of meekness, don't use op­probrious terms, railing angry accusations, re­membring that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, and anger in your reproof is apt to beget anger in the parties re­proved, the effect of which is like to be excuse and extenuation of their faults, a hardning of them in their sins, recriminations and retorts on your selves: whereas if you reprove them mildly in a spirit of meekness, and they per­ceive your love therein, and design of their good, you may the more probably reach their Consciences, and through Gods blessing im­print a conviction upon them, and be instru­mental for their restoring; a soft Tongue break­eth [Page 40] a bone, and a mild reproof may mollify a heart that is like a bone, or like a stone in hardness.

And as you ought to watch over one ano­ther in reference to sin, so also in reference to duty; as you occasionally or purposely meet to­gether, watch to advise and counsel one ano­ther, to quicken and encourage one another in your duties both to God and man, read Mal. 3.16. Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkned and heard it, and a Book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. Here you have, 1. Your duty, to speak often one to another; and what it is you should speak: The wicked speak often one to another, but they speak vanity and sin, as if their Tongues were their own, and they had no Lord over them; their discourse is froth and filth, they have a Trea­sure of evil things in their hearts, and thence they bring forth that which is evil; but you who fear the Lord, have a Treasure of good things in your hearts, and thence you should bring forth that which is good: your words should be like choice Silver to enrich one ano­ther; your lips like a Tree of righteousness to feed one another, your discourse should be al­way [Page 41] with grace unto your mutual edification, that you may excite one another in the ways and service of the Lord.

2. Here's a motive to quicken unto the duty, the Lord hearkneth, taketh especial notice hereof, records this on his Book, in order to the reward he intends and hath prepared for such in the other World. Look into another Scripture. Heb. 10.24, 25. Let us consider one another to provoke (not to anger, but) unto love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of our selves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. We have not room in this Letter to enlarge in exposition of this Scripture, but must leave it with your selves to do it in your Meditations, must also contract in the other particulars.

Secondly, The second duty which God cal­leth you unto, on the loss of your Minister, is fruitfulness. Your Minister was a spiritual sower, and we hardly know any who hath sown so much seed of the word, as he used to do in all places where he came; none more fre­quent in Preaching on the Sabbath days, on the week days, on ordinary, on extraordinary occasions, publickly, and from house to house, [Page 42] he ceased not, whilst he had a Tongue and Breath, to Preach the word. We need not tell you how much seed he hath sown amongst you; and what it is that God doth look for, after such a seed-time as you have had. But that the harvest of your fruitfulness should be in some measure answerable hereunto; that as you have had more seed scattered among you than o­thers, so you should bring sorth more fruit than others: Take heed now your Minister is dead, that his Sermons don't die with him, and be forgotten by you, as if they had never been Preached, never been heard. Take heed you be not found barren after such sowings; that you be not found dry after such droppings; that you be not like Pharaohs kine, lean after such plenty of spiritual food, and such abun­dant means of Spiritual nourishment as you have enjoyed. The fruits which God doth look for, are the fruits of Repentance, humi­lity, meekness, self-denyal, patience, content­ment, diligence, righteousness, filial fear of God, faith in Christ, love to God, and one to another, zeal for Gods honour, lively hope of Heaven, thankfulness for mercies. God looks that you should be fruitful in good words, and in good works; let the seed your Minister hath sown, spring up after his death in such fruits as these; such things he hath often taught you, [Page 43] and exhorted you unto, in his Sermons, and he hath gone before you in the practice of them in his life; ye are witnesses and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblamably he behaved himself among you, and how he ex­horted, and charged you as a Father doth his Children: and be ye followers of him who through faith and patience doth now inherit the promises.

Thirdly, The third duty which God doth now call you especially unto, is Prayer. Your Minister whilst alive did pray much with you, and he pray'd more for you; he was one of the most Prayerful Ministers in England; he gave himself as to the Ministry of the word, so also unto Prayer: but now his praying work on Earth, is changed into praising work in Heaven; you have lost a praying friend, you have therefore now so much the more need to pray for your selves, pray secretly, pray frequently, pray fervently. Pray against sin, and pray for larger effusions of the Spirit upon you. Pray against sin; do as, Hos. 14.2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord; say unto him, take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. God hath taken away your Mi­nister, O beg of him that he would take away your iniquity, the cause of this so great a loss. [Page 44] Say, Lord thou hast taken away him who was our glory, O take away our sins which are our ignominy and shame; thou hast taken away him who endeavoured to save us, O take away our sins, which if not taken away will destroy us. Shall our Ministers go, and our sins stay? Shall our glory depart, and our shame abide? Our blessings go, and our curse continue? Our builders go, and our destroyers remain? God forbid. Pray earnestly that God would take away the guilt of sin, and deliver you from the power of sin; not only the reign, but also from the rage of it; not only from its dominion, but also from its Tyranny. And pray also for larger effusions of the Spirit upon you, for the teachings of the Spirit, the witness of the Spirit, more of the graces, more of the comforts of the Spirit, forget not Zion in your Prayers, and the land of your nativity; bear also your particular friends on your hearts when you are before God on your knees.

Fourthly, The fourth duty we would mind you of, is Family Instruction, the Cate­chizing of Children, and Servants, and bring­ing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: And here we must not enlarge in motives and directions, only we desire you to [Page 45] remember what the Counsels, perswasions and practice of your deceased Pastor was in this particular, and accordingly let your practice be.

And now it is high time to draw to a close; we shall add only one word or two, for your support and comfort under this sad providence; your loss is great, and we doubt not but this loss is very grievous to many of you, that you do and will feel it more and more, that you feel it on the Lords days, and feel it on the week days, when you miss him in the pulpit, and miss him in your Families. But none of you ought to be over-whelmed with sorrow upon this account, considering, first, that your loss is his gain: if he had continued still in the flesh, and further exercised his Ministry amongst you, it might have been more profitable for you; but his dissolution and departure was best for himself. His body is decently interred here, and is fallen asleep, asleep in the bed of his grave, his wearied body doth sleep now quietly without any disease or pain, and will abide in rest until it be raised up in glory in the morning of the Resurrection. His Soul immediately after its separation had the at­tendance of Angels upon it to be its convoy into the heavenly Paradice, and think what [Page 46] joy there was in heaven at his arrival there; if there were joy in heaven at his conversion, surely there was great joy at his Coronation, after he had done his work and been instru­mental in the conversion of so many, some there before him, and others whom he hath left behind; but O how full of joy was he himself! How ravished and transported with joy, when he appeared in the presence of the glorious Iehovah, and was welcomed into Heaven by his dear Redeemer; when he first viewed the glorious place he was brought into, and saw the glorious face of God, and per­ceived such glory to be put upon himself, which we want thoughts to conceive and think how full his enlarged Soul is now of joy; you are weeping, but he is rejoycing, and he might say (could he make known his mind) as our Sa­viour to the Daughters of Ierusalem, Weep not for me but for your selves. What, do you grieve that your Minister is so highly promo­ted? Will you mourn for him, as if he were lost or annihilated? Could you wish that he were alive again? Surely he would not for a world change his place; nothing could per­swade him to come out of the bosom of Christ, and assume again a body of sin and death; and could you wish that he would lay aside his glorious robes, and clothe himself again with [Page 47] black garments? you should rather joy in the [...]houghts of his joy, than grieve inordinately for the loss; especially when you think he is [...]ut gone before, and you may and will arrive at the same place of felicity, if you follow his example, and walk in the same way as he walked. Consider also, that although your Minister be gone from you, yet the word of God doth remain with you, to guide and counsel you; to quicken and comfort you, and you have or may have ordinances with you, if you look after them; indeed they will be no more dis­pensed by him, but you ought to bless God and rejoyce that they have been dispensed by him so long, that ever you had such a Minister amongst you; you ought to rejoyce in the good you have received by his Ministry, and you may receive further good by the Ministry of others, if you seek after it, and give your diligent attendance. Chiefly, Consider al­though your Minister is gone, yet God is not gone; if you are truly gracious, God will never remove his gracious presence from you. If you walk in Gods ways according to the teachings and example of your deceased Mini­ster, you will have both the gracious and com­ [...]orting presence of God with you in those ways. Therefore what things you have [Page 48] learned, and received, and heard, and seen him do; and then though so eminent an Em [...]bassadour of peace be gone from you, th [...] God of peace shall yet be with you, which the hearty Prayer of