The shepheards farewell to his beloved flocke of S.B.E.L. where he hath been above twenty yeeres their weake, yet vigilant pastour, / I.G. D.D.

The shepheards farewell to his beloved flocke of S.B.E.L. where he hath been above twenty yeeres their weake, yet vigilant pastour, / I.G. D.D.

Table of contents

Title page

TO THE PARISH OF St. BARTHOLMEWS EXCHANGE LONDON.

THE SHEPHEARDS farewell to his beloved FLOCK of S. B. E. L.

[Page]

THE SHEPHEARDS farewell to his beloved FLOCK of S. B. E. L.

PHIL. 4. ver. 4. to 8.

Rejoyce in the Lord alway; and againe I say Rejoyce.

Let your Moderation be knowne to all men: The Lord is at hand.

Be carefull for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made knowne to God.

And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

IN this present evill world, the dearest of God's Saints are often militant (in a warfaring condition often;) and whiles here they are, alwayes itinerant (in a wayfaring condition alwayes.)

They have Enemies enough, and strangers are they unto all that are not right to [Page] Heaven-wards, that are open sinners, or but pretended Saints.

They are hated by many, and not owned by the most; persecuted by not a few, deserted (in their extreame wants) almost by every one, by all, sure in whose hearts Christ dwelleth not by faith Eph. 3. 17.; So this Apostolicall exhortation is needfull for their consolation, that they take none offence at the Crosse of Christ, but that they closely buckle themselves to be with him crucified, and soundly animated, peremptorily to deny their owne selves, to take up their owne crosse daily, and so chearfully and undantedly to follow Christ Luk. 9. 23., even unto death and in death to be his couragious and most constant Followers.

I called this Text an Exhortation; I may fitly call it a chaine of Exhortations, of sutable and seasonable Exhortations, and all of them closed up in a pithy apprecation.

The first Exhortation is to the perpetuity of Rejoycing; the next to the moderate behaving a mans selfe in all occurrences.

The last, to a dependency upon God amidst the throngs of whatever cares the world presseth us withall, and enforceth continually upon us, to make us forgetfull of our God.

We are thus to the perpetuity of rejoycing, by our holy Apostle exhorted, and the Exhortation (to worke us seriously unto it) is redoubled, Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies, and againe I say Rejoyce.

The againe and againe rejoycing, is the Christian rejoycing, the rejoycing it is in the Lord.

Worldlings rejoycings are in their vanities, ever [Page] with vexations accompanied; mad rejoycings are they, ever ending in horrour: I have said of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth, what doth it Eccles. 2. 2.

Mad laughter and prophane mirth, doth it knoweth not what.

Christs woe is thereon; Woe unto you that now laugh, for yee shall mourne and weep Luk. 6. 25..

Extremum gaudij luctus occupat, all rejoycing out of Christ is wound up in mourning, and that mourning shall have no ending, nor shall any of the teares thereof be put up into the Lords bottels.

The right rejoycing (that shall be an evermore rejoycing) is the rejoycing in the Lord: That our names are written in the book of Life, is the very life of rejoycing Luk. 10. 20.

All other rejoycing is but madnesse, it is groundlesse altogether; it knoweth not what it doth, it doth what it cannot know, that it shall have Gods approbation; nay if it reflect upon Gods revealings, cannot but know, that reprobation will thereof be the dismall conclusion.

But the Christian rejoycing, is an evermore rejoycing; Rejoyce evermore, is our Apostles expression Thes. 5. 16..

In the hope of the glory of God is their rejoycing, that have in their hearts this assurance by faith, that their names are in the records of Heaven indelibly registred.

In the hope of the glory of God is their rejoycing Rom. 5. 2..

And not onely so, the Apostle addes further, in the three annexed verses; but we (the rejoycers in the Lord) glory in tribulations (not onely rejoyce, but even glory in them) as knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and [Page] hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost, which is given unto us.

You here may cleerly see the wide difference now betweene the rejoycings of sinners and of Saints, of prophane worldlings, and of religious Christians.

The one is deceitfull, vanishing, perishing and in perdition enwrapping; the other fixed, eternall, happy making, and so continuing in those in whom it takes place, being in prosperity and adversity still the same.

Plenties swell it not up, neither wants cast it downe, calme times never make it forgetfull of God, nor tumults deterre them from the constant service of God, in whom God works it by the Ministers of his owne appointing.

This rejoycing in the Lord alway, this againe and again rejoycing, is the joy in the holy Ghost; it is that gladsome, that sweet, that comfortable motion of the heart by the Spirit of Adoption, stirred up in the elect Servants and Saints of God, upon the feeling of Gods love to them-wards in Jesus Christ, as the forerunner and assurer of the life eternally happy. Both in earthly and spirituall blessings have we the tokens of Gods love to us-wards in Christ, especially in the spirituall.

The Kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, writes our Apostle Ro. 14. 17..

When Christs joy remains in us, our joy becomes the Full joy Joh. 15. 11..

It is the joy unspeakable, the glorious joy, so by Saint Peter stiled 1 Pet. 1. 8.: and fitly, because of Heavens Kingdome, it is a maine part.

With all joy and peace through beleeving, are the elected and selected ones of God filled Ro. 15. 13..

[Page]A very Heaven is in their consciences, and a constellation is there of all vertues and graces, beamed from the Father of Lights in his Irradiations upon them.

This Saint Paul appreca [...]es to the Romans, and I in his words to you; The God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in beleeving, that yee may abound in Hope through the power of the holy Ghost Ro. 15. 13..

This were a fit bough alwayes to be chirping on; but our Text is a Tree of many boughs and branches, and gladly bird-like, would I be upon them all in this one Houre.

To the next then doe I swiftly betake me, and that is Moderation, Let your Moderation be knowne to all men.

Christian moderation is the bridler in of our affections, and the bounder of our passions, throughout our conversation among men of all ranks and humours.

The self-willed are the perpetuall disturbers of themselves and others, even of all within their reach; they will doe no right, they will endure no wrong; but the soberly moderate and wel-tempered Christian so ballanceth himselfe, that he carrieth every thing even, and in all occurrences, keeps him (so neere as possibly he can) in a stare of Aequality.

To neither hand swerves he, but alwayes steadily behaves himself (never at at any time giddily) in all manner affaires; extremity hurries not him on, but Aequity povseth and guideth him; never is he rigidly strict, to presse on others what is unmeet, but ever watchfull to keep his feet from running into injurious wayes and courses, and his hands from wrongfull doings, upon whatever occasions or urgencies.

Right Christians accommodate themselves unto one [Page] another by way of concord, wheras discord even in things triviall, maketh wounds and keeps them open by rigorous austerity and very niceties, not of conscience onely but even of credit.

That of Abraham, the Father of the faithfull, is quite forgotten in these riged and rugged times.

Saith he to Lot (the elder to the younger, the Unkle to his Nephew) Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene me and thee, nor between my Heard-men and thy Heardmen, for we are Brethren Gen. 13. 8.

When strife is not heeded soone and speedily moderated, a Gangrene makes it uncurable, and nothing but rooting out and cutting off will be the issue; a bloody issue, till the one or the other party even bleed to death (and not seldome both) there is no stay.

Stories are fraught with such relations, and it were wel that we seriously and closely studied them, that we (in the same kind) become not a Tragick-history to the times ensuing ours.

We are Brethren, is a strong argument to breake off discords, and in the closest bonds of concord to be reunited.

Nearnesse in blood presseth the duty upon us, nearnesse in the faith of Religion, and in the religiousnesse of faith, farre much more.

Look we on the Vocation wherewith we are called, that of Christianity, a right worthy Vocation, and be it our care (yea and our conscience) to walk worthy thereof; we have it from Apostolicall Intreaty and Injunction Eph. 4. 1., and it were well we hearted what is by him there subjoyned: Be your walking (that is, your Christian behaviour and converse in the world) in all lowlinesse and meeknesse, with long-suffering, forbearing one [Page] another in love, endeavouring to keep unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: There is one body and one spirit, even as yee are called in one hope of your calling. There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

And the close of the Chapter is sutable hereunto, and home to the poynt we are on in our Text, the expression of our Moderation ver. 31. 32.; Let all bitternesse and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evill speaking be put away from you, with all malice, and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you.

And note here with me, that the Apostle saith not bluntly, be ye moderate, but let your moderation be knowne; so evident, that it may be undeniably apparent, knowne, evident; apparent to men, to all men, to all men that have eyes and wils to see it, and judgements to conceive of it as it is.

When we are moderate, not for Vain-glory, but for Gods glory, not to be pointed at for such, but to be such indeed; not to be admired of others, but to build them up to Heaven-wards by our example, (in right ingenity and Dove-like simplicity) is that which our Apostle laboureth to worke us unto; and that of our Saviour likewise drives it home Mat. 5. 16.: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven.

Which passage of our Saviour by that of his Apostle Saint Peter, is set forth to the very life 1 Pet. 2. 11. 12..

Dearly beloved, I beseech you (as Strangers and Pilgrims) abstaine from fleshly lusts, which warre against the soule, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, [Page] that whereas they speake against you as evill doers, they may (by your good works, which they shall behold) glorifie God in the day of Visitation.

Pliny the younger, (Proconsul under Trajane the Emperour, of Christians the fierce persecutor) observing the Moderation of the Christians, then in all their demeanours and lightsome behaviour in the darksome world, recommended them for such to that Emperour, and it turned his enraged fiercenesse against them, into an order taken for their indemnity and security amidst the maliciously bent against them: When a mans wayes doe please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7.: And this leads us by the hand to that which followes in the Text (as annexed with this Exhortation) The Lord is at hand.

At hand the Lord God is, as being every where, at all times present; at hand the Lord is by the assistance of his grace, to bring his choyce ones in Christ out of▪ all the endangerments they are in, by the sinfulnesse and weaknesse in their nature corrupted.

At hand the Lord is in the course of his judgements, to help them to right that suffer wrong, and (in his last judgement) to render unto every man according to that he hath done in his body unpartially.

Our onely present help, in whatever troubles, is the Lord our God. At hand he is to rescue us out of our intricate dangers; at hand he is, to extract us out of whatever plunges; at hand he is to pull us out of the hels and horrours of our various sinnes and entangling perplexities, by sealing unto our beleeving soules the pardons by Christs blood sealed and ratified by the Spirit of his promise: Let not the Epicures, Perepoteticks, [Page] Stoicks of the times work their poysons into our hearts: the former (Epicures) deny the providence of God, and to the wheelings of Fortune ascribe the events of all the affaires in the world.

The middlemost (Peripatecians, Aristotles close Adherents, Admirers and Adorers) are in their Universalities (God with them, is no minder of particulars:) The last (Stoicks) bind God so unto causes secondary, that by fatall necessity all things come to passe, and that nothing is by divine providence ordered.

Besides these, the world hath a rabble of vainly superstitious, conceiting God after their owne fancies, not as he hath in his Word revealed himselfe to us, namely, a God at hand and not a farre off, to the moderators of themselves according to his prescriptions.

Among all Davids Psalmes be that familiar unto you by frequent meditation (Psal. 107.)

A mappe it is of Gods being at hand to all his punctually, and stirres up all (in all occurrences) to take notice of Gods Handy-work, and to praise him ever for his goodnesse, and for his wonderfull works to the children of men (ver. 8. 15. 21. 31. of that precious Psalme.)

In the temporall blessings of our God, are his spirituall blessings therein chanted forth most harmoniously.

At hand our God is to the wanderers in desart places; at hand God is to the shut up in desmal prisons (feitered and tormented there;) at hand God is to the cast upon their sick beds, and with various diseases tossed there, and grievously turmoyled.

A four-fold exemplification of Gods presence in mens troubles, and of his rescuing them graciously thereout, is in that Psalme distinctly specified.

[Page]The two former examples are of the calamitous in a vagring condition (in a tossing on the Land and on the Sea) represented so as if we even saw them tempestbeaten.

The two latter examples are in a condition not vagring indeed, but fixed; yet so fixed, as tranf-fixed, as put to pains above humane supportment; Externall violence in prison-extremities, internall grievance in varieties of diseases, try the mettals of Gods endeared ones; There is the patience of the Saints put to it; Therein the [...]ryall and the proof of them to be true and sound, cleer [...]y evidenced; Gods temporall deliverances in these kinds are remarkable, but our spirituall deliverances exceed all the temporall by farre.

The Churches deliverances by her Saviour the Lord Jesus, should often be revolved in our thoughts, and all the yeer (yea all our yeers on Earth) should be a Christmasse in this regard, a festivall, continuated and celebrated rejoycingly.

As Christ, before he was exhibited to the World in the flesh, was once promised, and often re-promised, and our Forefathers in the faith thereby sustained in their longings for him and expectations of him; so after his manifestation in our nature, and finishing the work of our Redemption therein: First he gave direction for the Faith Christian, by the Apostles and their close Successors; and afterwards, when Heresies and Scismes had tainted the same, he againe reformed it, and continueth that blessed Reformation.

I have here before me a world of matter, but I must take up and speed me to the next Bough, largely dispread and into many branches distinguished: Be carefull for [Page] nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made knowne to God.

Be carefull for nothing.) A double carefulnesse we read of, a carefulnesse forbidden, and an enjoyned carefulnesse.

This latter is a taking thought, both in what and how we may approve our selves unto, and in our persons and whole deportment on earth please our good and gracious Father which is in Heaven, wherein his Sonne our redeeming Lord he hath prepared the Mansions of eternity for us, after our pilgrimage in this vale of misery.

By doing the will of our Father, as in his Word he hath revealed the same to us, is this care taken, and by us conscionably performed.

This is to us recommended in the Corinthians 2 Cor. 7. 11, The sorrowing after a godly sort, what carefulnesse hath it wrought in you?

This carefulnesse is a studiousnesse to avoyd the track of sinne and sinners, and a closenesse of adherence unto God in a way of holinesse that leadeth to happinesse.

When we take due thought for the welfare of our owne soules, and for the drawing of others with us on to God, this way are we carefull, and God accepteth of us in Christ, and highly approveth us.

Yea, a moderate carefulnesse for the things of this life, without distrustfulnesse in God, is both good and commendable; but when our Apostle chargeth us to take care for nothing, it is Anxiousnesse he points at, and disswades from.

This is interpreted by that of our provident Lord; Care not for to morrow Mat. 6. 34., our faith on Gods Providence must cast diffidence out of us.

[Page]Saint Peter thus expresseth it; cast all your care upon God, for he careth for you 1 Pet. 1. 7..

Where the word All is emphaticall, and very expressive.

It is not sufficient for a right Christian, to cast this care, or that care, or the other on God.

Nothing must excrutiate us who have God for a Provider.

It may fall out that the very lightest cares may so presse us downe, that we may become unfit to undergoe the very lest burden of our calings, as not the greatest can be too heavy for us, when the whole load of our cares are on God, the perpetuall care and provider for us.

And in the word Cast likewise, an intimation is there worthy our closest observation.

It signifies, that we should rouse up what perplexeth us, and roule it all on God.

Be we rid of Anxieties, as for us over-masterfull; but no burden is over-heavy for his Shoulders.

And how shall we cast all our cares on God? by letting our requests be made knowne to God.

God is ready to free us of our cares, and to take the charge both of our persons, and of what concerns us for good; but he will be requested of us, and then shall we be under his wings for shelter and for safety. It is not to informe God that we put up requests to God; no, he knowes our thoughts afarre off, he knoweth them ere they arise in us, knowes them ere we can mold them up into requests, and so put them up unto the Throne of Grace.

It is not simply for the manifesting of them to God, but to obtaine Gods approbation of them, and of us for them.

[Page]Christ will disclaime the knowledge of Hypocrits at▪ the last day (I never knew you▪) and yet who are more in prayer then they? but their prayers are but Ayrebeatings, as sounding brasse, or tinkling Cymbals, all their devotions.

Requests made knowne to God are such, as God by effects makes it knowne, that he hath with approbation admitted them.

When we thrive to Heaven-wards, and are provided▪ for on earth to contentment, it appeares, that we have not been at our prayers in vaine.

To all that call upon him God is neere, but such must they be as in truth call upon him Ps. 145. 18..

Otherwise he knowes them not with approbation, with acceptation heares them not.

When we are true of heart, Gods Ears are full open to our requests, and never have we in them repulses from him.

Aske and it shall be given you, seeke and yee shall find, knock, and unto you shall it be opened; for every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Mat. 7. 78..

When our requests unto God are faithfull, earnest and constant, God takes notice of them, and we from God have seasonable answers.

Requests put up to men are often frivolous.

Either to grant them is not in their power, or not in their will; but neither are in God wanting, and nothing shall be to them wanting who are nor deficient in this requesting duty, but are in it so earnest, that with Jacob the Patriarch, they will not let the Lord goe, till from the Lord they find and feele a blessing, and in that blessing [Page] full sweetly enjoy God: Now our requests unto are God made known by prayer, supplication, thanksgiving; A touch must I needs give you of each of them, and God by his Spirit touch your hearts in the use of them all.

[...], Prayer is our request unto God our Heavenly Father, for the supply of what may sustaine us and fit us for Heaven, that may enable us (both temporally and spiritually) to hold on and to hold out in our callings, till hence we are called to our abode in glory, to our Mansions of eternity.

[...], Supplication is our request to God, by way▪ of deprecation, either to have evils removed from us, or sweetned to us: Sinnes and miseries involve us here, but Gods providence is over us, and all shall work for the best unto us, who by constant supplication referre our selves unto, and both alwayes, and in all things depend on God, and although he even nay us, are fully resolved (with that man of the right mettall, holy and patient Job) to trust in him.

[...], Thanksgiving is a request to God to accept of our thanks (our poore thankes) for his richly multiplied benefits on us conferred in Jesus Christ.

As it becommeth the righteous to be thankfull, so in all things rendring perpetuated thankes unto God, by them God is invited to the continuation of blessings, to their setled assurance of his eternall favours.

In that which usually we do call the Lords Prayer are all these requests uncomparably couched, Prayer, Supplication, Thanksgiving.

Be it in our hearts alwayes, and in our mouthes often upon occasions.

Thus pray we z, and pray we this; when ye pray, say [Page] Our Father a; and never forget we that prayer, lest in our owne (without an eye on that and close with that) we be lost as in so many Wildernesses full of intricacies, full of enormities, full of endangerments.

I close with that of our English Bernard. In the Lords Prayer, whether we regard the brevity, perfection, authority, method, efficacy or necessity of it, it is to be beleeved, that no Saint or Angell is able to march the plat-forme thereof; being large for matter, short for phrase, and sweet for order: Take withall (for the cleering of this branch in our Text, and for your right apprehending and using of the Lords Prayer) the Explication and Application thereof from the same Author (and others) thus; Our Father (by the right of creation, by the merit of compassionate and bowell-mercies, by the gracious provision of things needfull and usefull for us;) which art in Heaven, (the Seat of thy Majesty in the very radiancy of glory, the Inheritance of thy children by adoption and grace, the Kingdome of endlesse and un-disturbed happinesse;) hallowed be thy name (by the thoughts of our hearts, by the words of our mouthes, by the works of our hands) thy Kingdome come (that of grace to inspire us, that of power to defend us, that of glory to crowne us;) thy will be done (in our weale and in our woe, in our fulnesse and in our needfulnesse, in our life temporall, and at our death the change of this for a better life;) in Earth as it is in Heaven, (in us below as it is in the glorious Angels above; done willingly, readily, cheerfully, faithfully; done without the very least murmuring, without any let or any manner hindering, without fraudulent and deceitfull jugling, the cheating way of serving God▪ in the complementalnesse of Religion;) Give us this day [Page] our daily Bread, (for the nourishment of these our decaying bodies, for the spirituall feeding of our Heavenbred soules, for the reliefe of all our necessities, whether bodily or spirituall, whether for our sustentation here for a time, or preparation for hereafter, to the dayes of eternity;) And forgive us our Trespasses, (those wher [...]by thou our Father art in the course of our sinfull live dishonoured, our Neighbours any wayes wronged, our selves heedlesly endangered, and with many miseries perpetually even day by day enthralled;) as we forgive them that Trespasse against us, (that have hurt us in our bodies, that have hindred us in our goods and estates, that have wronged us in our good names and reputations;) And lead us not into tentation, (the tentation of the world, lying and rotting in all manner of wickednesse; the tentation of the flesh, our bosome-inticing Dalilah, over-neare and over-deare unto us; the tentation of Satan, our common adversary, the perpetuall hunter of us to utter perdition and destruction:) But deliver us from evill, (forgive that is past, remove that is present, what is to come graciously so prevent, that nothing may ever make a seperation between thee and us, thee our Father, and us thine adopted ones in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sonne, as of thy nature, so of thine entirest love:) For thine is the Kingdome, (to rule and overrule all:) thine the power, to command and to doe all:) thine the glory, (to be all in all to all thine:) and all these for ever and ever, (in the world that is present, and in the world that is to come,:) unlimited is thy Kingdome, thy power and thy glory, Amen, (thou sayst it and so it is:) Amen, (thou doest promise it and so shall it be;) Amen is our eccho to what thou sayst and promifest; so be it Heavenly Father, is the faithfull Amen to all the requests [Page] our gracious Lord hath taught us, to put up affectionately unto thee.

And now from the Apostles Exhortations to various duties, which (in a plaine way) we have explained; proceed we in the last place, to the Apostles closing up of all with a right sutable apprecation; and the peaco of God which passeth all under standing shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I shall briefly & closely open this, & leave it with you as an hearty farewell of your worn-out Pastour, whose prayer ever shall be for your thriving to Heaven-wards.

The peace of God was the Apostles apprecation to his Phillipians, and is mine to you; once mine, but now left to your owne choice of a Preacher, and God fit you with one that may fit you for God.

By the peace of God (in this passage) conceive that peace which God worketh in beleeving consciences, as an effect of the Gospell to them sincerely preached.

My soule assures me, that I never delivered any thing from this Pulpit that was unsound, untrue; never hucstered the Word of God to the humouring of any, for byends of mine owne, never hood-winked any Parishoner by forged interpretations, raked out either of the Channels of Rome, or Dung-hils of Amsterdum; otherwise (even of a child from my beleeving Parents, soundly Protestant) learned I Christ, and both in truth and cleernesse have so taught him.

And this Testimony of mine owne conscience (on it selfe seriously reflecting) is to me as thousands of Witnesses: God so deale with my soule, as I have been faithfull to you-wards (in the whole course of my Ministery among you) for the solid good of your soules: And now my prayer is for you, that the peace of God may settle [Page] in you; onely that peace is the peace surpassing, a peace that hath no bounds, no termination, no expiration.

The peace it is the onely peace that passeth all understanding.

The World conceives the Godly to have no peace, but the godly know that the wicked World hath none, no not when it is at the quietest; we have it from him that had it immediately from God (Isaiah, that Prophet Evangelicall, or propheticall Evangelist) There is no peace (saith my God) to the wicked; and in that one Prophet we find it twice recorded chap. 48. 22 & 57. 21..

And he addes this comparison to set it forth to the very full; Sea-like the wicked cannot rest; when any winds trouble them, their waters cast up mire and dirt, and with their fulsomnesse and noysomnesse, not a corner is there any where that stinks not of them; yet even in their disturbances, a peace there is in godly consciences, a peace passing the capacity of worldly mens understandings, a setled and a setling peace.

And no mervail, for it keepeth their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Listen unto the legacy of Christs bequeathing.

The Hearts keeper it is, and the minds keeper, and both in the right temper of un-disturbed tranquility▪ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you; let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid Joh. 14. 27.

The peace of the world is like the world, fickle; now on, soone againe quite off, ever giddy never steady: The children of men are deceitfull upon the weights, light as vanity, yea then vanity it selfe lighter Psal. 62. 9..

And wise Salomon (the Sonne of religious David) proves throughout his Ecclesiastes, that book of proofes by him experienced.

[Page]But the Peace of God through Jesus Christ, or that peace we have bequeathed us from Christ is such a peace, which as the world cannot give us, so it cannot take the same from us: Our Peace-maker is the securer of the peace we have from him; our hearts and minds are in safe custody thereby. Out of Satans reach they are, and above the malice of every satanically-minded and handed wretch (yea and tongued too) in both sexes. We may have our good names by slanderousnesse blemished, our estates by the violence of plunder ruined, our temporary lives by the bloodinesse of war or by any manner of disease (pestilentiall or otherwise) taken from us; but the peace made between the God of faithfulnesse and our beleeving souls is altogether unbereavable.

Hel! gates cannot there be prevalent, where Gods pardon and peace are entred; and where in the blood of Christ beleevers are sealed (by the spirit of Christ) to the day of full Redemption. I shall now referre you to the present close perusall (and to the practicall use, whiles you have a day on earth to live) of that 91 Psalm, It begins thus, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty: and it thus concludes, he shall call upon me and I will answer him, with long life will I satisfie him, and shew him my salvation. Here (and in the rest of that Psalm) is the peace of God displayed, a peace passing the understanding of naturall men, as not at all therewith acquainted a peace keeping the hearts and minds of the regenerate in an heavenly temper, and filling them with joy unspeakable & full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. The Kingdom of God is righteousnesse, peace and joy in the holy Ghost Ro. 14. 17.. And our Saviour tels us that this Kingdom is within us Luk. 12 11.. A Kingdom it is that comes not with observation, loe, it is here, or, loe [...] there, is but frivolous discourse: for behold the Kingdom of God is within you, it consisteth (as formerly you heard from St. Paul) [Page] in righteousnesse, peace & joy in the holy Ghost, all within all in the hearts of beleevers. When Jesus Christ dwels in the heart by faith (as Saint Paul averreth he doth Ephes. 3. 17.) & every Beleever knoweth it) there is rejoycing in the Lord, there is the unstinted expression of Moderation, there is the assurance of the Lords assissance, there is a casting on God the care of our welfare in a perpetuated laying downe of our requests before him in prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and there the peace of God which passeth all understanding keeps through Jesus Christ the hearts and minds of Christians. I hope what I have at this time delivered is generally understood, and my prayer is that it may particularly be derived into practise. If wirh this resolution you approach the Lords Table, my hope is (and my prayer seconds it) that you will (hence-forward) prove thriving Christians, that you will grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18.. Not to goe forward in Religion is to goe backward, is to pull downe what formerly we have built up; is to end in the flesh, although we have begun in the spirit. And from any such course the Lord divert us all, and make our wils plyable to his will in all things, to his glory in our salvation. The Lord evermore blesse you and evermore keep you all; the Lord make his face to shine perpetually upon you all & unto you all, & to all your posterity be unstintedly gracious; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you all, & give you al his peace that passeth all understanding, to the keeping of all your hearts and minds in all integrity through Jesus Christ the Righteous, to whom (with thee; O Father, & the holy Ghost, from you both our comforter, three Persons, one very God) b [...] [...]ll glory to all eternity, Amen▪

FINIS.

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

THE SHEPHEARDS FAREWELL TO HIS BELOVED FLOCKE OF S. B. E. L. Where He hath been above twenty yeeres their weake, yet vigilant Pastour, I. G. D. D.

PSAL. 37. 25.

I have been young, am old, yet never saw

The just abandoned, nor those that draw

From him their breath, with beggery opprest,

He lends in mercy and his seed are blest.

En me, peractâ parte vitae maximâ,

Senecta jam cana premit:

Nec me usquàm rectam persequutum tramitem,

Meós ve, sensi deseri;

Quaerelave vidi voce, Divitum ad Ostia,

Miserum rogantes frustulum.

Printed in the yeere 1645.

TO THE PARISH OF St. BARTHOLMEWS EXCHANGE LONDON.

[Page]

[Page]

BEloved in the Lord, you have your desire, and I have mine ease to betake me to a retired life, in my crazy estate and manifold infirmities of age crept on me, which makes it to me a disease and summoning to the Grave.

God enable me, that patience in me may have the perfect worke, and furnish you all with all his graces, that shall have their continuation in glory.

[Page]This is my hearty prayer, to which God vouchsafe a blessed Ratification.

For Preaching once yours, For Praying ever yours, JOHN GRANT, aged 67.

Information about this book

Title statement

The shepheards farewell to his beloved flocke of S.B.E.L. where he hath been above twenty yeeres their weake, yet vigilant pastour, / I.G. D.D.

Grant, John, d. 1653.

Edition statement

1645

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A85530

ID [STC]

Wing G1521

ID [STC]

Thomason E270_18

ID [STC]

ESTC R212344

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99870972

ID [PROQUEST]

99870972

ID [VID]

123370

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A85530)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 123370)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 45:E270[18])

Source

— The shepheards farewell to his beloved flocke of S.B.E.L. where he hath been above twenty yeeres their weake, yet vigilant pastour, / I.G. D.D., Grant, John, d. 1653..

Extent

[4], 20 p.

s.n.],. [London :: Printed in the yeere 1645.. (Dedication signed: John Grant.) (Place of publication from Wing.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: I.G. expanded to I. G"rant. behind the Exchange"; "feb 24th"; the 5 in imprint date crossed out.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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