Explication.

[O Generation] This word is sometimes taken for some certain sort or company of men whatsoever, Prov. 30.11, 12, 13. sometimes it hath respect to a Nation springing from such and such Ancestors, Judg. 2.10. and so in our Text; it betokens the persons in such an age succeeding their Fathers, who were in Jeremiahs time upon the stage of Action, Eccles. 1.4. One Generation passeth away and another Ge­neration cometh, but the Earth (the great stage of Action, upon which all Generations are to act their part) abideth for ever: and so these in our Text were to endure and continue so long as until they had done the work of their Generations: and it is here also a degene­rating Generation that is taxed (as Calvin notes) q. d. into what times are we fallen! what an age is this we live in! well, be it what it will be, yet O Generation hear! it was a strange generation that he is sent to speak unto, however he hath something to say to them.

See the Word of the Lord, [DO YOU SEE] Emphatical­ly doth the Lord (as it were) point to them so and so circumstanced, as springing from such and such Ancestors do you see? q. d. you your selves being Judges may consider this matter: See ye the Word of the Lord, or this Matter (for so the Nown is sometimes rendred) that which the Lord had to propound to them for their Observation, and the word for [Seeing] imports plain discerning, clearly, curiously, and exactly to see and regard a thing: it is rendred to regard, Psal. 66.18. and to consider, Eccles. 7.14. so verba sensús, &c. and see the Word of the Lord, as he had spoken by his Servants, viz. That if his People would but cleave to him, O how he would bless them! thus see how the Lord hath made that good, fulfilling with his hand what he spoke with his mouth, 1 King. 8. and not one thing hath failed saith Joshua, Chap. 23.14. of all the good the which the Lord your God spake concerning [Page 3] you, see this Word of the Lord in our Text, consider it, and remem­ber what I say, do but open your eyes and you may behold the truth of what I am now putting you in minde of: q. d. look over your expe­riences; mark the many signal, undeniable demonstrations of my being to you not a wilderness, nor &c.

[Have I been a wilderness to Israel?] by Israel is meant the People of God in Covenant with him, his peculiar people: and this Que­stion is to be understood in way of a strong Negation: the Lord had not been so to them, and the Lord so speaks as putting it to them them­selves to be judge in the case: have I been so? do you consult your own experience, and let that make the answer, and the true answer must be, that assuredly I have not been a Wilderness to Israel; yet the expression doth imply or import at least their tacit and practical accu­sation of the Lord that he had been so to them; and if they speak not so in Words, yet the Language of their hearts (which the Lord knew) and of their way (which others might observe) did betoken as much, and therefore the Lord here goes about to vindicate himself from such charge of any ungodly, unthankful murmurers in the Congregation of Israel: the Words are Metaphorical; Have I been a wilderness to Is­rael? i. e. have I been that to my People which a Wilderness is unto men that are made to wilder therein, where they meet with nothing but wants, and terrour, and woe, &c. and it may seem to allude to the state and condition of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness, of which there is speech, Deut. 8.2, 15. where the Lord led them forty years to humble them and to prove them, &c called the great and ter­rible wilderness, where were fiery Serpents, and Scorpions, and Drought, &c. called moreover, a waste howling wilderness. chap. 32.10▪ & Jer. 2.6. described to be, a Land of Desarts, and Pits, a Land of Drought and of the Shadow of Death, a Land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt, and contradistinguished from the Land spoken of, ver. 7. a pleasant and a fruitful Land: There are these five things which we may consider of in a Wilderness,

1. A Wilderness notes a desolate, solitary place, without Inhabi­tant, and where there is nothing but confusion and disorder, Ier. 12 10. they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness: there's no man passing through, no man dwelling there, but it's deserted and forsaken of men, without that society and communion there that might else­where be comfortably enjoyed: thus said the Lord, have I been so to you? [Page 4] [...]ave I left you alone without granting to you the beauties of holiness, and that comely order of thy Tents O Israel, and of thy Tabernacles O Jacob! have you not had my presence with you, and my company that might be instead of all to you?

2. A Wilderness speaks a place uncultivated, a condition destitute of many necessary comforts, as aforesaid, there [...]s suffering hunger and thirst, Psal. 107.4, 5. the Wilderness is not only a solitary way where no City is to dwell in, but they want meat and drink, and their soul faints within them, now have I been so to you, said the Lord! have I suffered you to want? as to outward bodily [...]ood? have not I provi­ded for you? the Lord fed his people in the Wilderness with Manna, bread from Heaven; and so likewise as to spiritual provision, and refre­shing, have you found me streight-handed to you therein? when Iudah is removed away for their incorrigibleness in their sin to Babylon from the Sanctuary of God, because of their Sanctuary sins, we finde that called a Wilderness, Ezek. 19.13 Now she is planted in the Wilder­ness, in a dry and thirsty ground; so was Babylon to the People of Iudah, without spiritual food for their souls, and they otherwise in great straits: Have I then (said the Lord) been as a barren Land to you, as an untill [...]d and a fruitless soyle, that brings fo [...]th nothing to those that come there for satisfaction or for their refreshing? have I been such, and so as that you could not finde a living with me? or as though it were more profitable to have served other Gods?

3. In a Wilderness there is not a beaten path; whence it is that men there are in danger to be lost, and are made to wander about for want of a way before them wherein they might travail: context, v. 6. it is said to be a Land that no man passed through, and so here was no beaten road or plain path before them; have I been thus to you said the Lord? have I not made your way plain before you at all times, and passable, so that you have had direction and conduct from me? have not I led you in the right way? Psal. 107.7. have you been at a loss at any time, and I not near at hand to direct and counsel you? &c. have you not heard a voice, as Ier. 30.21. saying, this is the way, when you have been ready to turn aside to the right hand or to the left?

4. Again, in a wilderness there is not only want of many comforts, but there is danger as to many positive evils which such are exposed unto: Hence in the Scriptures before mentioned, the wilderness is said to be a land of pits & fiery serpents; when Christ is in the wilderness he is [Page 5] among the wild beasts. Mark 1.13. and there [...] of the wilderness, Judges 8.7. they that are in a wilderness [...] may look to suffer much: and thus it becomes a place of temptation▪ Christ is therefore led into the wilderness to be tempted: Math. 4.1. thus (may the Lord say) have I been as a wilderness, to sting and vex you? to en­trap you, to terrifie you and tear you in pieces? Have not I rather freed you from many temptations, and delivered you from the snares that many times have been laid for you by others? have I been as a waste howling wilderness, or as a devouring grave and pit of destruction to you?

5. A wilderness is not hedged in, nor fenced about; what is in the wilderness hath no defence, but lies open to the injury of those that will break in to Bark the Trees thereof, and root up the same; the wilderness is no Inclosure, have I then been so to you? have I left you without defence, without an hedge of protection? have you not been as an inclosed garden to me, and I a wall of fire round about you? have not I given you those walls, such Defenders, Leaders, Instruments of safe­ty, whereby you have been hedged about, walled in, and secured?

In summe, have I been unto you as such a place of terrours, and sorrows, and misery? a place which all men would fly from and depre­cate? no, the Lord had not been so to them: yea, per Meiosin, hereby is meant that the Lord had been their glory by his presence, and a foun­tain of living waters to them▪ and their salvation, however they had forsaken him:

A land of darkness] darkness betokens the privation of light: it is divers times in Scripture taken for trouble, ignorance, sorrow, and (in a word) all wofull evill, Joel 2.2. a day of darkness and gloomi­ness, which latter word is of the same derivation with this in our text: so, Eccles. 11.8. and see Matth. 4.16. the word in our text ac­cording to the notation of it is thought to signifie strictly such darkness as is in an immediate and extraordinary manner sent from God, even most horrid darkness (terra caliginis maximae, compositum cum nomine divino [Jah] augendae significationis causa. Buxtorf. in nomen ipsum [maph [...]ljah,] such darkness as was that plague of darkness to Egypt, Exod. 10.22. when as the children of Israel had light in their dwellings ver. 23. where the noune of the same Original (and the same in a man­ner with this in our text) is used [there was thick darkness in the land of Egypt three daies] strictly [the darkness of darkness] which latter word there used is also of the same original with that in Iosh. 24.7. ren­dred [Page 6] [darkness] and being a rehearsal of that other darkness which God did put between the Israelites, and the Egyptians at the red Sea, on the night of their redemption from thence, the story whereof we have set down in Exod. 14.20. the same pillar of providence is a cloud of darkness to the Egyptians, but a beam of light unto Israel for their direction, guidance, protection and refreshing, or the phrase [a land of darkness] in our text, may allude to places where the light of the Sun, and the sweet influences thereof come not to warm, and cherish, & sweeten, & fructifie the soil, but it remains cold, & damp, & sowr & barren, and unfit for habitation for man: and so is the grave set forth, Iob 10. ult. said to be a land of darkn [...]ss as [Darkness] it self, &c. and where the light is as [darkness:] Thus here might the Lord say, have I been a land of darkness? i. e. as such a land of darkness aforesaid would be to a people coming thereinto, where ther's nothing but terrour, and sorrow and horrour, and woe? no light of comfort, and refreshing? without the shining influences of blessing and favour? But therefore (on the other side) the Lord had been to them as a land of light, as a Go­shen to them; he gave them fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness: granting them also spiritual light, and the means thereof in one respect and in the other; prophets, and the schools of the pro­phets, &c. and as darkness is used metaphorically (as above said) so is light put for joy, and prosperity, Est. 8.16. the Jews had light, and gladness, & joy, & honour. Psa. 97.11. light is sown for the righteous, & gladness for the upright in heart: the Lord had not lockt up his beams the heavenly influences of his bounty and goodwill to them: and it is as if the Lord had said; look back, and observe the way you have been by me led in; it hath not been my delight to see you under any cloud of trouble and fear, &c. while you have hearkned to me it hath been well with you: and your troubles and darkness, &c. have met you when you have gone out of the way, and left the good old paths, &c So is the Lord to his people, and hath been to us in this wilderness, he hath not been a wilderness to us, or a land of darkness, but hath granted to us light and salvation: there hath been the light of the Gospell, the light of the ministry of the word: the light of his countenance hath been shining upon his people, respecting Leaders in the Common-wealth that have been guides, and eyes, and light to us in this good land: & there hath been the light of Schools set up for the instruction of the rising generation, Am. 2.10.11. &c. and therefore in these re­spects we may say the Lord hath not been a land of darkness to us: [Page 7] the Colledge (that School of the prophets) hath been a means unde [...] God to continue the lamps l [...]ghted among us, even the [...] for the Sanctuary, and that not here only but also in other parts of the world.

[Wherefore say my people we are Lords] here in these words the de­fection and revolt of the people of God, from the Lord is described: the word in the Hebrew for [therefore] comes from a verb which sig­nifies [to know] and 'tis as if the Lord should say, I would fain know what the reason is: let me know the cause why my people say thus! [we are Lords] in the Margent 'tis we have Dominion; so is the word also rendred in Gen. 27.40. i. e. after thou hast dominion, thou wilt break his yoak from off thy neck: & truly thus was it with this people, when they gat power, having dominion over these and those, now they break off the Lord, yoake, and revolt from him, and therefore say (as it follows) we will come no more at thee: [RUD] [firmus fuit, innixut est firmiter, vires acquisivit, firmatus est, dominatus est] Avenarius) they thought they had strength, and were so firmly setled with a Rod or Scepter of power and sovereignty, that they needed not the Lord any more: though indeed they had received all from God: he had put upon them their ornaments, Ezek. 16.11, 12, 13. yet as if they had not received any such thing from th [...] hand of God, they now despise the Lord, and in the pride and height of their spirits swell, and grow secure and lof­ty, and cast off the fear of God: We have Kings and Princes, and Civil power and dignity, and therefore have no need of thee to be our Lord any longer, to be under his command, and so as to observe his or­der, and keep the old Rode; but as 1 Sam 8.7. Ier. 6.16. And we have power, and the Kingdome is setled in our hands: and we have things at command, we have peace and liberty, and are full, and in prosperity; and thus through their self-confidence and carnal Interests they are ready to look at themselves as absolute Lords, and so Independent: and we are from under thy authority; and are at our liberty: and we will have our liberty, are Lords of our own actions: and who may call us to an account; and we have dominion, and power as to others also our allies, in league and covenant with others, so that we are strong enough, &c. And this question implies the unreasonableness of their Revolt from the Lord: wherefore &c. q. d. there can be no rea­son rendred for it, why they should thus forsake the Lord, and the good way which he hath led them in, and choose any other way; Context ver. 33. and 36.

[We will come no more unto thee] they had made a defection from [Page 8] God, and now would not return to him: q. d. we have such strength, and [...] Government so well settled in our hand that their's no danger, and we need not any thing that the Lord can do or say in [...] case: as though they might now choose what God they would, a spirit of whoredome in them in revolting from the Lord: they thought they could stand alone, and subsist of themselves; and they are unwilling to return to the Lord, but keep their distance from him: so unreasonably bent were they to fall off from the Lord, as the Question implies, and this after tryal had of the Lord who had not been a wilderness, or &c. but the contrary; this greatly aggravates the sin, and so will increase the judgement of such a people as that was.

Doct. That the undeniable experience which the Covenant-people of God have had of the Lords being to them not a wilderness nor a land of Darkness, but the contrary, should caution them never to incurre the guilt of so unreasonable a sin and dangerous folly, and provocation as to revolt from under the Lord, or to be unwilling to return again in case they have begun to decline from him. Mi. 6.3, 4. Isa. 1, 2,—5. Ier. 2.2,—13. a peo­ple once glad to enjoy God, though in a Wilderness state, yet it's oft seen that their affections towards God alter with the change of their Wilderness into a fruitful Field, Deut. 32.10—15. Jesurun waxing fat with the Wine, and the Milk, and Honey, &c. kicketh against God, for­sakes him, &c. and becomes a very froward Generation, ver. 20. Jer. 8.4, 5, 6, 7 The Lords acquitting himself (therefore) in his Expostula­tions with his Covenant people, and that according to their unque­stionable experience of his being unto them not a Wilderness, &c. should caution them from revolting from under the Lord (from casting off their subjection to the Government of God as their Lord & King) from declining unto the affecting of a self-sufficiency, and a self-sove­raignty,

R. 1. I might Argue by an Induction of Particulars, whereby the eminency of the Lords being such an one as the Doctrine speaks him to be unto his People will appear, whereby our minds may be induced to assent unto that general truth propounded in the Doctrine: but, see Psal. 68.78.81, 105, 106, &c. Deut. 8.2. &c.

R. 2. From the nature of this experience, being a collection and improvement of many Observations whereby the Lord hath been sen­sibly discovering and clearing up his alsufficiency unto his people in or­der to their happiness: he hath not left himself without witness, but [Page 9] given them many Examples, and such instances of his being All in All to his people, as whence they must needs (except they go [...] all sense and reason) cleave to him, and judge it a great wickedness to de­part from him; the Scripture is furnished with many Histories of the observation of Gods People in their time this way, and the changes of providence in our own Generation will supply us with more, so that now if experience, which is wont to be the Mistris even of Fools, will not teach and caution these we are speaking of, it argues wonder­ful sottishness indeed; and for such a People to cast off the Lord, to say [vve are Lords and vvill come no more at thee] after that they have tryed him (and so which this experience speaks, that they have found upon tryal the Lord to be a most blessed God to them: if now) they reject him, they do him double dishonour, and an unspeakable vileness it is, which they should tremble at the thought of incurring the guilt of.

R. 3 From the excellency of Israel's God above all other Gods of the Nations, which gods yet these Nations will not ordinarily re­ject: so that thus to cast off the Lord is that which is condemned by the very common Principles of such Nations in their way, though erring in respect of the right object of their devotion, Context ver. 10, 11. the Nations change not their Religion received from their Fathers, they will not part with their Gods though they be such as cannot save them in the day of their distress, they being Dunghil Gods; but the God of Israel is the true God, and our Fathers God (as the Covenant Relation speaks) and therefore we should never cast him off, Prov. 27.10. our Fathers Friend, &c. Hence Micah 4, 5.

R. 4. From the Covenant Relation and Obligation of such a Peo­ple unto God, to cleave for ever unto him: as the Lord on his part by performing his promise, fulfils his Covenant relation to them, and so gives them experience of his being no Wilderness or Land of Darkness to his People, so the consideration of the Covenant on their part super-added to that experience of the Lords faithfulness and goodness to them, which they have had, should be such a caution to them as the Doctrine intimates: Hence we are to put an Emphasis upon those words in the Text [My People] wherefore say my People, &c. q. d. this will be contrary to those solemn ingagements whereby they have bound themselves to me for ever to fear me and love me, &c. there­fore in context, ver. 2. the Lord puts them in mind of their espousals to him: and hence also vide Calvinum in ver. 20. &c.

R. 5. From the certainty and extremity of the woe of such a People ¹ [Page 10] as shall so east off the Lord: wrath comes on them to the uttermost: there's no hiding their sin from God, Ier 2.22. nor any avoiding the Judg­ment of God, whatever ca [...]nal confidences they have for their immunity therefrom, Ier. 2. ult. the Lord will reject all such confidences: & v. 35, 36 so v. 14, 15. q. d. you were not in such a slavish condition under my Govern­ment, but had liberty, & honour, & prosperity, &c. but now, O, &c and whence is that? see ver. 17 so Deut 28.15., & Levit: 26.13. &c.

R. 6. (And in special referring to the last branch of the Doctrine) Because of the wonderful unparalel grace of God to re-entertain unto favour penitent ones that do return to him, notwithstanding their grea­test backslidings: this is abundantly discovered in the third Chapter of this Prophesie, ver. 1, 4, 12, 14, 19.22. &c.

Vse. 1. Hence the People of God should not suffer their Experiences of the Lords being to them not a Wilderness or a Land of Darkness in this good Land which he hath given them to dye and perish with them, but ought to preserve and improve them for this end, that they might be kept thereby from casting off their subjection and obedience unto the Lord their God; Psal 106.12, 13. they did not so religiously retain the memorial of the Lords doings as they should: and as Mat. 16.9. so are we apt to forget wonders of mercy. Hence the Lord appointed those Stones and Pillars of memorial, Josh. 4.7. &c. consider we then the Lords do­ings, respecting the way, and means, and instruments, and method of Providence, &c. according to which the Lord hath acquitted himself, as in our Text, to have been unto us, even unto us not a Wilderness, nor, &c

And here I may improve those particulars mentioned in the Expli­cation:

• Civil by
  • Charter.
  • Lawes and Constitutions.
• Ecclesiastical as to Churches
  • singly in each con­gregation,
  • joyntly in Council

the Lord hath herein moulded and formed us to such a consistency therein, as both friends and enemies have wondred at. The Lord hath not left things to a Wilderness confusion, but there hath been that beau­ty of order which he hath stamped on this People respecting the Do­ctrine, and way of Worship here professed, and in the due subordina­tion of Superiours, and Inferiours, and fellowship of the servants of God together in the Lord: That order and fellowship in the Gospel, and communion, both with the Lord and one another; O how sweet hath [Page 11] that Communion of Saints been! the Lord hath made his People to be as a [...] that is compact together, as Psal. 122.3, 4. and so have not been left to be as a Wilderness wherein no man dwells, or as the Land of Darkness, Job. 10. ult. where no order is; but here the Lord hath set up his Tabernacle, and that where the Devil hath been sometime open­ly and publickly worshipped &c, he hath spirited his Servants here to associate together according to his order, with a desire to observe all the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus, and to reject the mixtures of hu­mane inventions in the Worship of God, contrary to the second Commandment: the Lord filled his Servants with a zeal for the House of God (in all the forms and ordinances thereof, as Ezek. 43.10, 11, 12.) such a zeal had Christ, Ioh. 2.17. the zeal whereof did even eat him up; and it was Phineas his zeal which did quench the fire of Gods wrath that began to burn against Israel, and so, on the contrary, our cold­ness, our luke-warmness, will kindle the fire of his displeasure. Hence also was it the care which God put into the hearts of the first Genera­tion that planted this Wilderness (that so this land might not be a land of darkness and wilderness, as aforesaid) to p [...]ovide Nurseries for Church and Common-wealth, in their ordering Schools of Learning, and in particular the Colledge; whence it may be said of our New-England Cambridge also, as of old, Hinc lucem, & p [...]cula sacra! where­by light and refreshing (as from a Fountain of Blessing) might be communicated to the whole land, by a constant supply of a godly, learned Magistracy and Ministry (persons fitted for publick service both in Church and Common-wealth) and we have had experience of the blessing of God upon that endeavour: and O let no hand there­fore be suffered to lay the Axe of destruction to the root of that Tree, by any direct or indirect means, or to draw away those influences from above or beneath, which tend to its flourishing and increasing!

2. As to the Provision which the Lord hath made for his People of Food and Comforts for Soul and Body; he hath turned a Wilderness into a fruitful field, which we have admirable experience of also: hath he not liberally provided for us, to encourage us in his service? the Lord hath opened his good hand, and given us bountifully as to out­ward blessings, in so much that we have been able to relieve and sup­port other Plantations of the English in other parts of the World, and have had the blessings of peace, while others have been wasted with War; & liberty to be holy without restraint from man, and as 2 Sam 7.9, 10. so may I turn it as to New-England, God hath given it a name [Page 12] like the name of the great Nations of the Earth; and hath planted his people in a place of their own, and in the place which he hath chosen for them, to set his name in: and though some came hither but with their staff as Iacob, yet are they now become many bands; and God hath sown the land up and down abundantly with the seed of man and beast: he hath blessed the bread and water of his people, and hath unto won­derment divers times cast in supplies of food and cloathing, in the first planting of this wilderness by his people, which things are not to be forgotten; the Lord hath not left himself without witness, but hath given us rain from Heaven, &c. as Acts 14.17.

3. As to Direction; making the way of his people plain before them: they have not been left to such a wilderness state as wherein to find no path beaten out for them, but the Lord himself hath been lead­ing them in a plain path when they have had many observers; being to them for a glorious conduct, even as by a Pillar of fire and cloud hath he shewed them the way: Hence it is that God also hath given to his people those that might be as eyes to them in the wilderness. Numb. 10.31. persons eminently furnished with his spirit, to be in­strumental of the prosperity of this place respecting the civil and Church-state: not only Artificers mechannical (and it is well if their skill dye not with them, for want of those that should have been instructed as apprentices under them) the Lord sowed this land at first with such precious seed-corn, as was pickt out of our whole Nation: and not only so, but also men that have been accomplished to move in an higher sphear, in whom much of the spirit of God hath dwelt, wise-hearted for the erecting of the Tabernacle of God. Exod. 31.3, 4, 5, 6. filled with wisdom and heavenly skill for government, &c. such holy ones as have had an excellent portion of that divine Vrim and Thummim; whereby this land hath been preserved from being turned again to a land of darkness: 'twas part of Hezekiah's complaint in 2 Chron. 29.7. that in the time of Ahaz his Father they had put out the Lamps of the Sanctuary (and what follows but darkness in the Sanctuary when the lamps are put out) but the Lord hath lighted them and set them up here with us: the Lord hath gloriously cleared up his will and counsel to his people, respecting the doctrine and worship of the Gospel, whereof they have given that Testimony in the Platform of Discipline, declar­ing therein their hearty assent and attestation to the Confession of Faith agreed upon by the Reverend Assembly of Divines at Westminster in matters of Doctrine; only in some few points of controversie in Church [Page 13] Discipline referring themselves to that Platform of Discipline afore­said, which for the substance thereof will be found to be a good con­fession: in this respect therefore have we experienced the Lords being to us not a Wilderness, nor a Land of darkness.

4. As to the Lords delivering his people from snares laid for them, pits which they have been in danger to fall into, and might have peri­shed in, and wild beastly men that would have devoured them; the Bear that would have rooted up this Vineyard of the Lord, as Psal 80.13. and from such that as ravening Wolves, but in Sheeps cloathing, would have wurried or scattered the Lords flock, if himself had not wrought for us: some as Foxes which the Lord hath ordered to be taken that they might not eat up the Vine and the tender Grapes, Cant. 2.15. when as his people have been tender and weak, and might have been easily crushed, peeled, laid waste, &c. then did the Lord stir up a spirit of courage, and wisdome, and zeal, and faithfulness in our godly Leaders to take those Foxes so full of subtilty and mischief, that would else have destroyed his Vineyard, and that by plucking off its buds and ten­der Grapes; the Lord hath not suffered that brood of the Serpent to increase here, as otherwise would have been: we should have been filled with poysonful, fiery, stinging Serpents, if the Lord had not sea­sonably prevented the same, by the effectual crushing the same in the very Egg: hath not the Lord blessed the coercive power of the Civil Magistrate for that end? let our experience give in evidence: In the case of the Heresie of the Familists, which brake out of old among us; aad O to what a height they suddenly grew! working at length woful disturbance in the C [...]vil State as well as in the Churches, this is not to be forgotten; as tame as Error for a time pretended to be, yet at length it could gird it self with a Sword, but the Lord would not suffer it to be drawn. So likewise after this, with reference to the Gortonists, &c. which things should be remembred for ever, and the mercy of the Lord acknowledged, in that he preserved us from those Hornets also, and that Ministerially by our Rulers spirited by himself thereunto.

And it is to be hoped, that this coercive power of a godly Magistracy, which we have experienced the benefit of so many wayes, being due­ly managed, shall not be abandoned (distinguishing alwayet notwith­standing between the Magistrates

• Coersive power regularly put forth.
• Abuse of his Power one way or other.

In matters of Religion; any other power among men may as much be denied as that) nor therefore a Repealing of any wholsome Law a­bout [Page 14] Religion for the defence and maintaining the Gospel among us; or that liberty shall be proclaimed to men of any Religion to come and set up Shops or Schools of Seduction among us; or to those of such a perswasion, and way of false worship, as in the general experience of the Churches of Christ since the reformation, hath proved, where ever their Opinions have prevailed, ruinous to the Churches of Christ, and destructive to the Souls of men, to draw them from the acknowledge­ment of the Covenant of God, and so of the truth and order of the Gospel: Hence therefore, as when a man is overtaken with an High­way Robber, and for a time holds some discourse with him, if he finde him to be such an one as hath robbed others, he is very unwise that will throw away his Sword, though at present he hath no occasion to make use of it: there may be a connivance for a time, in case of necessity (which yet I hope, is not our own case) when notwithstanding there's no need of an open, publick, professed Declaration, that Errour shall be tolerated: To tolerate all things, and to tolerate nothing (it's an old and true Maxime) both are intolerable: but 'tis Satan's policy, to plead for an indefinite and boundless toleration, as Chemnitius excel­lently shews from those Words, Mark 1.24 [Let us alone] Har­mon, chap. 37. pag. 388, 389 he calls it Diabolica Machinatio in conciliationibus Religionum, i. e. Christ may have his Kingdome, if he will let Satan alone with his, and so both of them live lovingly and quietly together.

5. As to Protection, that wall of defence that God hath granted to his People; God himself hath been a Wall of fire to us, and hath wrought wonderfully for us in the years of the right hand of the most High that are past, our very Enemies being Judges: the Lord hath in­closed us, set an hedge about his people as about Job, and all that he had, he hath fenced us, Isai. 5.2. and walled us about, as his peculiar gar­den of pleasure, wherein he hath retired himself from the noise, and tu­mults, and disturbance of the World, &c. And though this place (as a Wilderness) hath been a place at times, of some temptation as that Wilderness, Mat. 4.1. to Christ, and that his People have tempted the Lord, saying, Can the Lord provide Bread for us here? there have been the Massahs and Meribahs: (O that they had never been heard of in this Wilderness! and that it might not have been told in Gath, &c! and the Lord hath proved and tryed his People above forty years together, yet (blessed be his Name!) they have had his gracious presence as a Pillar of Protection with them; not only for a guid, but a guard also to them: [Page 15] and as to Tryals by Sea and Land, by Seducers, and Underminers, and bold Demanders, &c. we may say as Paul, 2 Tim. 3.11. But out of them all the Lord delivered us! the Lord hath had pity on his peoples weakness, and notwithstanding frowardness in his Children when they have been sometimes under temptation, yet hath he shewed himself a patient and good God, Act. 13.18. [ [...]] vide Mar­ginem, as a Nurse beareth, or feedeth her Childe, so the Lord hath graci­ously born our manners, &c.

And so as to all that light, and glory, and distinguishing goodness, fa­vour and blessing which the Lord hath vouchsafed unto his People, to­gether with his blessing those means of his appointment, wherewith he hath crowned us, blessing the Ministry of the Word, the Administra­tion of the Keyes and of the Seals of the Kingdome of Heaven for the salvation of his People; blessing the order of Councils, and Sy­nods as there hath been occasion: I say we have found the Lord (experi­mentally) blessing his People in this way: hath it not been so? will not our experience witness for God? and give in abundant evidence of these things? in the Time of the Opinions, so called? O call to remem­brance those times, you [...] the old Generation; how notably did the Lord, in the way of Council of Churches, by that famous Synod then met at Cambridge, free this wilderness from being a land of darkness by seasonably dispelling that hellish damp, and mist of errours and he­resy! Again, when these Churches lay under the reproach of Schisme, or rigid separation from the Churches in England, &c▪ as is to be seen in the preface to the platform of Discipline: and when some great ones there had said, fieri non posse ut Zelotes isti in unam eeclesiastica politias formam (ne si optio quidem daretur) communi inter se consensu unquam conspirare velint. &c: this (as Reverend and worthy Mr. Cotton of blessed memory speaks in his Epistle before Mr. Norton's answer to Apollonius) was presently removed also by means of another Synod, which did from the word of God draw up the platform of Discipline, Characteristicall of the way of these Churches, with admirable consent and Harmony: other experiences I might instance of the singular smiles of God upon that ordinance of Council; Honoured, and belov­ed in the Lord, let none baffle you out of your experiences had of these things: and accordingly O that still we may, as thereis need, experience the like benediction!

And should there not then be a Book of Records touching all these things? you have your Court-Books of Record: should there not [Page 16] be something published as a further Memorial this way? Ahashuerus hath his Book of Records, Esther 6.1. and so, as to Davids acts first and last, they are written in the Book of Samuel the Seer, and of Na­than the Prophet, &c. much of which had reference to the Church of God, for which David's heart was full of care, 1▪ Chron. 29.29, 30. and again, in Exod. 17.14. Write this saith God for a Memoriall in a Book: And so the Decree of Esther, confirming the matters of Purim, are written in a Book, Esther 9. vlt. and what is the Reason there­of? see ver. 28. that the memorial thereof might not perish from their seed: thus Numb. 21.14. Written in the Book of the warrs of the Lord, Josh. 10.13. written in the book of Jasher. Records of Gods dealings with his Church and People this way, should be kept; The First Plan­tation of New England hath begun with their printed Memorial; I wish the Second Colonie thereof, (i. e, this we are in) might be awake­ned further to take their turn also: and O that it might be said concern­ing this and that of the mercies, judgements, and great Acts of the Lord, never to be forgotten by us, [as it is written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Governours of the MASSACHVSETS:]

Vse 2. 'Tis matter of Lamentation and reproof for the too great proneness that is to be found among too many among us, unto a re­volt from under the Lord: that are ready to say to God, we are Lords, and will come no more at thee: such as are meditating a renunciation of the Lord from being their King; and are ready to say as Psal. 12.4. who is Lord [...]ver [...]? to forget the Lords wonderful working for us [...]ud. 2.10. To go back from former acknowledgements of our Fathers God, whom they should exalt, having been their Song as, Exod. 15.2. To re­fuse further, and be weary of that divine Conduct which they have had such notable experience of: To devise some other way than that which is by the direction of the Pillar of fire, and cloud in the Wilder­ness: To reject the government of the Lord by unruliness under their Governours ruling for God and under God, in his stead: To set up a self sovereignty and as 1 Cor. 4 8. to be, and reign as Lords and Kings without the Lord: men miscount themselves for more then they are, they say in our Text [we are Lords] but▪ alass) they are only servants, and should be in subjection to the Lord. This is an horrible absurdity for such so to do. Ier. 2.10. with 18.14. and see what the Lord threatens to those that refused the waters of Shiloah, being weary thereof, &c. Isa 8.6, 7. alass, alass! they that followed the Lord with a love of espou­sals from a pleasant land into a land of scarcity, &c. will (if left to them­selves) forsake him, when the Lord hath turned it into a land of plenty! To prevent this, Consider▪

[Page 17]1. Tis unreasonale wickedness, folly and madness so to do, Isai. 1.2, 3 'tis to cross our own experiences, and so Hos. 2.7, 8.

2. It will be a dangerous provocation of God against such: to re­volt from the Lord is greater injury done the Lord then is by those that were never brought near the Lord; for it brings up an evil report upon the Lord, as that upon experience, such had found him to be a Wilder­ness, and a Land of darkness to them, a land that eateth up the Inhabi­tants thereof, as they spake, Numb. 13.32. but see their punishment, Chap. 14.36, 37. they dyed by the Plague before the Lord: such do as it were, proclaim that they have (upon experience) found the Lord false, and unfaithful, unrighteous, and ungracious, and ungodly: Hence is the Lords Expostulation, Ier. 2.5. q. d. they that hear of your depart­ing from me, will think that there hath been some iniquity that you have found in me, and your way speaks as much: Hence we have for our admonition, those Examples upon Record of the Lords wrath upon those that have forsaken him, whom the Lord hath therefore destroyed in the story of the Kings of Israel, and other Ecclesiastical Histories: when they chuse new Gods there was war in the Gates, Iudg. 5.8. &c. But have we any cause to complain against the Lord? will not our ex­perience witness against us, and for God, and that as to the experi­enced way of his leading of us in this Wilderness? for instance, i e. in way of improvement of what hath been already hinted. Are there those that say, that for the Magistrate to meddle in matters of Religion, or to punish men if they do but plead conscience for their sin, good will never come of it, and this is but persecution, and better let all alone, these things will dye of themselves: &c. But let such consider, hath not this Magistracy from the very first, been directed by the Lord in such a way of witness-bearing for God, and against ungodliness, as that through the blessing of God upon the same) his people here hitherto have lived a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty? were there not wholsome Laws made by the Fathers of this Common wealth (eminent for wis­dome, faithfulness, piety, zeal for God, tender compassion, a spirit of Government, &c. as true nursing Fathers to this people) to punish the disturbers of Christs order among us? The Antichristian state cast out a flood of Heresie after the Woman when first fled into this Wilderness, but hath not the Leaders of this people appearing by Synods, and the power of the civil Sword in conjunction therewith, been found upon experience the way whereby the Lord hath dispelled those clouds of the darkness of Hell, that threatned both the Church and Civil state at once with confusion?

[Page 18]Thereby they prevented the further spreading of that spirituall infecti­on: In this way hath the Lord saved these Churches, and curbed the spirit of errour and profaneness in Doctrine, and viciousness in life: & shall any now begin to insinuate that all this hath been but a delusion, and fancy? or that it hath been but by chance, that we have been in this way secured? or that that way of our godly Leaders aforesaid was but a way of persecution? or shall any such be suffered so to reproach the footsteps of the Lords anointed? will any among us begin to medi­tate a Revolt from God, and his ways which we have found to be ways of Truth, and ways of Faithfulness, and Blessing, and Salvation?

O Generation, See the Word of the Lord! is there any new way more eligible then that good old way (for the substance of it I mean) which the Lords People have already tryed, and have experimentally found to be the way of blessing from God? shall we seek and enquire after any new-found out way? as the Lord speaks of new Gods as they are called, Deut. 32.17. Vpstart Gods, which our Fathers knew not: should some of our Fathers that are now asleep in Jesus, and that have with so many Prayers and Tears, hazards, and labours, and watchings, and studies, night and day to lay a sound and sure, and happy Founda­tion of prosperity for this people, arise out of their Graves, and hear the discourses of some, and observe the endeavours of others, as Edo­mites against their Brother Iacob, Psal. 137.7. crying Rase it, rase it, even to the Foundation! by plucking up if they could, that Hedge that hath been here set to fence our All; would they not even rent their gar­ments, and weep over this Generation? And are there any that think to mend themselves by going back to Leeks and Onions? yea to that very vomit of the Dragon, to lick up that vomit which he hath formerly cast out of his mouth, whereby to cause this poor Woman in this Wilder­ness also (if I may so far allude at least to that expression in Rev. 12.15.) to be carried away therewith even as by a flood? I hope the good People of the Lord in this Wilderness will not do it, for the generality of them: and I trust the Lord will steel the hearts of our godly Leaders with courage & holy zeal against all such abominations. And assuredly a fundamental change of the way of Worship from the good wayes of the Lord, will cause an alteration and change of affe­ction also in this People, that they will not stand so affected as formerly to their civil Rulers, or their very civil state and constitution: 1 King 12.27. if this People go up to do Sacrifice in the House of the Lord at Je­rusalem, then shall the heart of this People turn again unto their Lord, [Page 19] even to Rehoboam; Hence ver. 28. &c. And therefore beware of such changes, Prov. 24.21. My Son, fear thou the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change. Corruption in Gods Worship, and corruption in manners are wont to go together; as there are instances thereof abundant to be given in the story of the Judges, and of the Reign of the superstious Kings of Israel or Iudah casting off the true Worship of God, O what prophaness there was in other re­spects! prophaness in Judgement will be accompanied with propha­ness in life; for surely men will (if they are but able) practice at length their Judgement, if they are but conscientious therein; & hence it is, that a conscientious Papist use to be accounted more dangerous then a State Papist only: and if corruption in the matters of Gods fear (I mean of his Worship) be not reformed, no wonder if unrighteous­ness and iniquity of every kinde abound; for he that hath once cast off the fear of God, will soon cast off the fear of man: and hence the Commandments of the first Table are called the great Commandments Mat. 22.37. and love to God, and fear of him is the true and best foun­dation of all true love and fear, honour and reverence unto man; I say it is the Basis or Foundation of all the other; and therefore the light of nature directed the Heathen (that reverence might be had to their Rulers and Laws) to signifie to the People in some places, that they received their Laws from their gods: and what ground is there of obe­dience to man in any Law of the second Table but which hath its foun­dation laid in the first Table of the Law by God himself? and there­fore it is and should be our great care to secure Religion, and to prefer the interest of God and his worship, before, and above all our own worldly concernments whatsoever; and while we so do, the Lord will not forsake this People, though the whole Earth should be gathered a­gainst us, as is said of Ierusalem, Zech. 12.3. Exhortations to this end have been inculcated upon such dayes as this, in which respect I may say (and as to the concurrence of the generality of the People of God therewith) as Ioshua Chap. 24.27. Behold this stone shall be a witn [...]ss for it hath heard, &c. So let me say unto you all, Behold this House, this Pulpit, these Seats, &c. are a witn [...]ss, for they have heard all the Words which the Lord hath upon such occasions spoken to us by his faithful Ser­vants; Lament then any tendency toward a revolt from God!

Quest. Who are those that so revolt? are there any so foolish or vile that will so do? wherein doth it appear?

Ans. It is threatned and appears, 1. When the Sovereignty of God [Page 20] in the matters of Instituted worship according to the 2d. Commandment is despised and rejected, by setting up some false way of worship; Posts by God's posts: (Text) [we are Lords] arguing a self-sovereignty: and the Lord by this Prophet both in our Context, and else where tax­eth them for their great sin in this, even the Idolatry against (not the first, but) the second Commandment; herein Christs lordship is highly opposed. You need not (said Ieroboam, 1 Kin. 12.28, 31. It is too much for you) to go up to Jerusalem, &c. q. d. there is no such necessary Insti­tution Divine as that of the Ministry, and Ordinances: the Priests do but deceive you; sacrifice may as well be done here as at Ierusalem, 'tis but a Circumstantial difference (the circumstance of place only) and it may be offered up by others as well as by them that are Priests, they take too much upon them, and that is but a circumstance of the person, and so that the thing be done it matters not by whom, and hence the lowest of the people will serve the turn well enough; yea, but that Iero­boam is by the Lord branded for it to all generations with that Cha­racter of being the man that made Israel to sin, &c. and we read how Vzziah smarted for his boldness in vying wirh the Lordship of God herein, though he were a King, yet the Lord would not bear with him, 2 Chron. 26. when as he would rise up against Gods order to burn in­cense, which pertained not to him but to the Priest, he is smitten with the leprousie: and it is observed, ver. 16. (as the cause of his errours therein) that his heart was lifted up, i. e. through pride; proud hearts will some­times adventure desperately this way, but it will finally prove a loosing cast to throw out thus against the Lords appointment, and this was Co­rah's sin, All the Lords People are Holy, and why may not all take their turns publickly to Preach and rule? and why should there be such a di­stinction of persons, &c? O take heed of this, for this is to say, as in our Text they did [We are Lords.]

2. In not subjecting to the Lords Authority, and Government, and Order once established, but where there is an affection of Belialism: O take heed of a Belial like spirit, that would have no restraint! we [...]ead of such in Deut. 13.13. They are for worship, but it is false worship, but the Magistrate we there see, is not to suffer such Belialists, but is to remember that when such arise, pleading perhaps liberty for any Re­ligion, God doth it to try him, even to try Magistrates as well as Peo­ple, to try the Master of restraint as well as others, whether he love the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength, yea or no? ver. 3, 4, 5. O there is a dissolute spirit in many [Page 21] Christians, they cannot tell how to bear any Yoke! dissolute Professors they would walk, and live as they list; and say, as Psal. 12.4. with our tongues we will prevail (get the Government as the word [Gabar] signi­fies: not first try what the Sword, but what the tongue can do) Our Tongues are our own, and who is Lord over us? i. e. (as in our Text) We are Lords, &c. A loose Generation! that would be under no Lord, nor Bonds, &c. the Psalmist describes such, Psal. 2.2. Let us break their Bends, and cast away their Cords from us; be it as to the Lords Rule and Government in the Common-wealth, or in the Churches: They have not rejected thee (saith the Lord to Samuel, 1 Sam. 8.7.) but they have rejected me, that I should not Reign over them: It was God that led his People [thou ledst thy People as a flock, Psal. 77. ult.] by the hand of Moses and Aaron: and hence when they murmured also against Mo­ses and Aaron, Numb. 16. and did so envy, and in the pride of their hearts rise up against them as if they took too much upon them, it is interpreted, to be against the Lord, ver. 11. compared with 26.9. they strive against the Lord in striving against Moses and Aaron; and there­fore to be weary of, and rise up against those who Rule for, and accor­ding to God and are Ministers of God to us for good, Rom. 13.4. &c. this is to rise up against, and to cast off the Lord himself; as he that re­fuseth to obey the Constable in his lawful charge, to assist him, &c. dis­obeyeth highest Authority therein; so 'tis here, they will be no more so snib [...]d, and under the yoke as they have been, &c. surely God hath chains for such as will break and cast away Christs gracious Co [...]ds from them: Men's lusts are sweet to them, and they would not be distur­bed or disquieted in their sin. Hence there be so many, such as cry up Tolleration boundless, and Libertinism, so as (if it were in their power) to order a total and perpetual confinement of the Sword of the Civil Magistrate unto it's Scabbard (a Notion that is evidently de­structive to this People, and to the publick Liberty, Peace and Prospe­rity of any instituted Churches under Heaven,) I cannot but heartily approve, notwithstanding of that advice of an old Counseller, to one of the Kings of France, asking him, what way should be taken for his own and his Peoples happiness in his Governing of them? he thereupon presented him with a little Book, in the beginning, middle and end whereof there was only written this Word [Moderation! Modera­tion! Moderation!] (v. Salem Philalethes p. 1.) We are in danger of extreams; and however some cry up [Toleration, Toleration, Tole­ration] at present, yet experience will evince that that will quickly in [Page 22] conjunction with others, be changed to persecution: But O that the good People of God would study to be quiet, and take heed of sha­king off the Yoke of Christ: if we think it not easie enough for us, tis sure the fault is not in the Yoke, but in our Necks that will not bear it: O there was not at first that Contempt of the Magistrates, or Ministers, or Churches for their zeal for God herein, as begin's to grow up among us in these dayes: But let our Moderation be still known, even in this thing also, unto all, for the Lord is at hand, Phil 4. beginning.

3. In respect of a spirit of ill will against those that would keep a people in subjection unto God, and keep them from revolt: God sends his servants to call them back to the Lord, but they will not re­turn [we will come no more at thee]: and thus they reject Samuel the great Prophet, and judge in his time. 1 Sam. 8.7. Hence arises those prejudices and groundless jealousies against many of the Magistrates and Ministers in the Country: and a disposition in many to crow over them in petty matters; to rate them Will and doom, &c. arising from misunderstanding in some of those that we may believe are the Lords dear people (and it is pitty they should be so deceived) and from design in others, loading them with reproaches: and that by lying and sland­ers would drive them if they could, from any capacity of serviceable­ness to God, or the Country, though they are such as have stood in the gap in the day of fear; and by whose wisdom, faithfulness, grace, pray­ers, care for the publick, courage, zeal for God, and love to Christs Interest in this Wilderness, the preservation of our All hath been in a great measure wrought: Shall they be accounted violaters of the liber­ties of the Churches, or of the Common wealth, who plead for no other than the ancient and primitive Interest of the people of God in the first and best constitution and complexion of this Colony? must no less then an Ostracisme serve for a requital of such? o let it not be▪ Again, if the Ministry stand for the government of Christ in his Church, according to platform of Discipline, Chap. 10. Sect 7. &c. pressing for attendance to that Scriptural distinction there used of

• Governours
• Governed

must they be now Presbyterians, and I know not what? the Lord pity poor ignorant ones that understand not the thing whereof they affirm! doth the obedience of the brethren to their Elders, Leaders, Rulers, as the Scripture calls them, take away the liberty of the Brotherhood? Let Paul be judge, Heb. 13.17 &c. and if their frequent profession to adhere to the way truly Congregational according to the printed [Page 23] doctrine thereof in the Books of our famous Worthies, who have la­boured to clear up the mind of Christ therein, will not be accepted, but their very hearts & inward secret intentions must be judged & condem­ned, & that they are so deeply guilty of Apostacy, & innovation threat­ning the ruine of our foundations, the Achans and troublers of this Israel, yea, this without any proof or evidence produced against any one particular person in the Ministry, but that they must in the gene­ral be calumniated; All I would say is, Father forgive them, they know not what they do; and he of his infinite mercy dislodge such Jealousies! and assuredly for the Ministry in this respect to give up their account to God with grief, will not be profitable to such prejudiced persons, who may hereafter when it is too late, reflect with blame & shame enough upon their own uncharitableness; in the mean time it must be left to the searcher of hearts; and he judge between us, and such of our brethren▪

4. When there is a spirit of sovereign, unsociable, rigid indepen­dency growing upon a people; Text [we are Lords] q. d. we have none above us, are not (respecting Ecclesiastical causes or persons) under any power, & we need not any other: we can stand alone by our own strength, can live of our selves, as to that which respects a people under an Ecclesiastical consideration, we assert the Coordination of Chur­ches, but to affirm that Churches need not the help, watch, & assistance either of the Civil Magistrate above them, or of the neighbour Chur­ches about them, as being out of the reach of both, and so as that there can be no healing (for instance) of any Church-oppression in a parti­cular Congregation, doubtless as this hath not been the doctrine, nor practice of our first Leaders, so nor will the Scripture give countenance thereunto, as may be seen in the writings of our Congregational Di­vines in both Englands: It is known what the Authors of the Apologeti­cal narration, page 21. have written this way: and so blessed Mr. Bur­rough [...] in that excellent treatise of his viz. his Irenicum, Chap. 7. &c. Cottons way of Congregational Churches cleared: page 11. &c. prima [...]edes a nemine judicatur saith the Papist: ibidem.

5. It appears in pride and unthankfulness, and the abuse of mer­cies against the Lord: Text, are they Lords? and have they dominion? and (I pray) who gave them it? alass they knew not saith the Lord. Hos. 2.8. that I gave them co [...]n and wine, and oyl: but thus do many sa­crifice to their own net, and will come no more at the Lord to bless him for what he hath done for them in order to their advancement: and as Nebuchadnezzar, strutting in his palace, said, Is not this great Baby­lon [Page 24] which I have built, &c. O the many rich blessings we are crowned with! but our unthankfulness for them is great, and this arising from pride, and that pride works security, and a Laodicean frame of spirit prevails upon them: and they would have all according to their impe­rious wills; such as these the Lord beholds a farr off, and will abase: and O great is the unthankfulness of too many of this people in the Land! ther's much forgetfulness of God, and undervaluing the precious Gospel of Iesus Christ in the Ministry thereof, which hath notwithstand­ing paid richly for its entertainment: great unmindfulness of the Lord now that he hath filled our houses with good things, contrary to that cau­tion. Deut. 8. and Oh! the sad abuse of the plenty of outward blessings which he hath conferred, as appears in the intemperance and riot of many that may be placed [ [...]] as the Apostle speaks, Tit. 1.6. in the category or predicament of riot, luxury, pro­fuseness, and excess: and in regard of pride in Apparel, when persons lavish out that way beyond their rank, and beyond what their estates will bear, &c. again, in wayes of self-seeking, and preferring the pri­vate before the publick good; as at Constantinople, Monies could not be had to pay the charges of their Watch-men upon the Walls, till that the Enemy found it, and divided it by Hats full among themselves: and should it be so here, might we not justly fear, that the Lord should send Emptiers, as they are called, Nahum. 2.2?

6. When there is a weariness, and loathing, and a renunciation of the Covenant of God, respecting the continuance of the sure mercies thereof from Generation to Generation: Text, O Generation see the Word of the Lord; as to the word of his Covenant, and the care of his faithful Servants or Fathers, in their coming over into these ends of the Earth, was it only for themselves? O no, they had an eye to their poor Children also, that they might remove them far from the temptations and snares of Superstition and Prophaness, that they might leave them under the wings of the Covenant-mercy and grace of God: they took special care for the continuance of the Kingdome of Christ here in af­ter Generations, by asserting their Covenant interest, as appears by the Printed Doctrine, and constant practice of these Churches: And therefore, examine the experience of former times, and Anabaptisme we shall finde hath ever been lookt at by the Godly Leaders of this peo­ple as a Scab, and not part of the Faith to be contended for, but con­tended against; our Fathers, the leaders of this People, never espoused it as any part of the interest of Christ, being so cruel, and hardhearted [Page 25] an Opinion, an Engine Framed to cut the throat of the Infantry of the Church. Men are eager and restless in contending about Earthly In­heritances and Priviledges for their Children, and are impatient in be­ing denied that of the World for them, which they think is their due, and shall the Inheritance of Eternal life (instrumentally as to the ordi­nary way and means of the dispensation thereof conveyed by the ex­ternal Administration of the Covenant) be thought not worth the con­tending for? God forbid: and shall the experience of thousands respe­cting the Lords blessing their Baptisme which they received in Infancy, and the thoughts of their Covenant interest, sealed in Baptisme, pre­venting many a sin that else they would have run into, and recovering them from back-sliding, and quickening them eminently to answer that holy obligation to God; I say, shall all this clear, sure, comforta­ble, blessed, glorious experience of so many thousands of the Servants of Christ be now concluded to be so many mistakes, fancies and delu­sions, and the interest of the Children of the Covenant, to be but a mat­ter of an indifferent nature, and so not to be any ground of contending about? I say again, the Lord forbid: And shall those whom experi­ence hath generally found disturbers to, and their Doctrine, where it hath prevailed, a pest and confusion to the Churches, be suffered to poy­son the rising Generation, or dispossess them of their portion in God? reade Iudg. 11.24. Wilt not thou possess, &c. and shall not our Children possess what the Lord our God hath given us to possess? should there be a transgressing those Laws, changing the Ordinance, breaking the everlasting Covenant spoken of, Isai. 24.5, 6. what may we expect but that the Curse devour this Land; and when under Babels yoke, there may be time to bewail those Calamities, but in vain.

Vse 3. Of Exhortation, i. e. O Generation, see the Word of the Lord (I need not vary from the Words of the Text for it) the Exhor­tation may be attended in these three Branches: viz.

1. See that we revolt not from God: let us not say [We are Lords:] and O that there might never be found an inclination thereunto! And for our improvement of this part of the Exhortation, take these con­siderations following.

1. Know that Gods own visible people have sometime proved, this way, a very strange generation: [O generation!] the Scripture speaks of them sometimes as an untoward generation, Acts 2.40. a stubborn and rebellious generation, Psal. 78.8, an adulterous generation, Marke 8. ult. A generation of vipers, Matth. 3.7. a faithless and perverse generati­on, [Page 26] Matth. 17.17. a generation of Gods wrath, Jer. 7 29. and we have as bad natures as they, so as to become a degenerate generation as these in our Text, or any, if the Lord prevent not.

2. Mind what the Lord hath done for this people in Reference to their order, provision, direction, deliverance, protection and prosperity in Church and Common-wealth, under the UNITING conduct of those two great Ordinances of God the Magistracy and Ministry, whereby it is (in special) that the Lord hath principally (as in the ex­plication aforesaid) quitted himself to be not a wilderness to us or a land of darkness: and for that end pray that the Lord will please to maintain and uphold the same, even a godly and learned Magistracy and Ministry among us, that the Lord will make our Leaders in both orders instrumental to keep this people chast and loyall to Christ Jesus, and his interest in this wilderness: and that whatever others may be left to do, yet as Hos. 11. ult. New-England may rule with God, and be faithfull with the Saints.

Be much in the serious meditation of what the Lord hath done this way, lay up, and look over those experiences we have had of the Lords wonderful working for us from the time of the laying of the Corner­stone of this plantation unto this day: and O let there not be a removing of the Ancient Land-marks of this Interest of Jesus Christ; not but that God reserv's to each generation their work in the advances of Re­formation, as Phil. 3.12.—16. and as hitherto we have ex­perienced the concurrence of both Magistracy and Ministry, as so choice a means under God of our preservation in the enjoyment of our liber­ties civil and sacred, so let it be the studious endeavour of those in whose hearts are the ways of God, that that concurrence may still hold, and that the Governours of this Iudah, i. e Leaders, both civil and Ecclesiastical may say that the people of God are their strength in the Lord their God, Zech. 12.5. and so that three-fold cord of Ma­gistrates, Ministers and people shall not be easily broken: and as Ne. 10 28, 29. with Ezra. 10.4. so that the good people of this Land would say to those that are set over them in the Lord (and to whom their hearts should be cleaving) by way of encourageing of them, arise, this and that belongeth unto you, and we will be with you! O that both Magistracy, Ministry & the people might be perswaded unto that union and concurrence, especially in the matters of God and his wor­ship according to the exhortation which hath in former times been excellently given us from Haggi. 2.4. and truly when we look upon [Page 27] the primitive constitution of this people, me-think's the Lord repre­sents himself as to the Prophet Amos, cha. 7.7. as standing upon a wall made by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand, admirably and happily squaring, disposing, cementing together the spiritual stones of this building: as to the union and conspiration of the parts thereof, severally in their order to strengthen and beautifie the whole, O how excellent was it, as those of the first generation yet remaining know, and many also of the rising generation can Remember. Here let me say, O generation see the Word of the Lord in this matter also: the Lord gave his servants in Church and Common wealth for the main body of them an uniting spirit, and so a spirit of Communion for the carry­ing on with one mind, with one lip, and with one shoulder the King­dom of Christ, and the work of their generation; in which respects he was to them not a wilderness nor a land of darkness. Union of Refor­mers was their beauty and their strength. Then might be seen,

1. Magistrates, and Magistrates upon the seat of justice cemented together for the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in this wilderness; they lookt not upon themselves as unconcerned in matters of Religion; but accordingly also have they thence-forward at all times as there was occasion put forth their power that way; for they are called Gods, and therefore knew they were to have a care of Godli­ness, that being set by God in highest place, they should not set God & his Interest lowest; but as David, prefer Jerusalem above their chief joy, Psal. 137.6. that being Gods they are to love what God love's and hate what God hates, even as is spoken to the commendation of the Church of Ephesus. Rev. 2.6. Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which thing I also hate: Hence see Davids spirit, Psa. 139.21, 22. & 132.1, 2, 3. & this power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion hath been asserted by our first Leaders, by those in the Common-wealth, as ap­pears by their constant practice; and also by those in the Churches, witness the writings of our famous Divines now at rest with God Mr. Cotton bloody tenet washed. Mr. Hooker Survey pt. 2. pag. 79.80. Mr. Norton Epistle Dedicatory before his Discussion, &c.) and inevitable ruine will be the consequent of a breaking down of this Hedge; and as Reverend Mr. Baxter speaks upon such an occasion (Directions for s [...]iritual peace, p. 261.) ‘If once you take your selves to have no­thing to do as Rulers for Christ, you cannot promise your selves that Christ will have any thing to do for you as Rulers in a way of mercy▪ and this (saith he) Mr. Owen (so then stiled) hath lately told you in [Page 28] his Sermon, Octob. 13. viz. The God of Heaven forbid that ever all the Devils in hell, the Jesuits at Rome, or the seduced souls in England should be able to perswade the Rulers of this Land, who are so deeply bound to God by vows, mercies, professions, and high expences of treasure and blood, to reform his Church, and pro­pagate his Gospel: that now after all this it belongeth not to them, but they must, As Rulers be no more for Christ then for Ma­homet: But if ever it should prove the sad case of England to have such Rulers (which I strongly hope will never be) if my prognosticks fail not, this will be their fate, The Lord Jesus will forsake them as they have forsaken him, and the prayers of his Saints will be fully turn'd against them: and his elect shall cry to him night and day till he avenge them speedily, by making these his enemies to lick the dust, and dashing them in pieces like a potters vessel, because they would not that he should reign over them: and then they shall know whether Christ be not King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.’

2. Then might be seen Magistrates and Ministers together in way of advice (I exclude not here the honoured Deputies of the general Court, but) I here intend the agreement that there was between the civil and and Ecclesiastical Leaders in matters of difficulty, or of weight, and that were of general and common concernment to Churches or Com­mon wealth▪ those at the helm of the civil state were wont to make use of the Ministry; and the Ministry again of the Magistrates, as there was like occasion in re communi: nor were they wont to go con­trary to each others advice, but had these candid arguings one with another, if they did seem to differ in any thing at any time, as whereby a right understanding mutually was obtained: and often have they found the blessing of God upon them in this way, both in the first set­ling of this Colony and after its constitution, both in the Legislative and Executive parts of government, and therein in special providing against an Arbitrary government: and I hope it will ever be the wis­dom, faithfulness, and care of this civil Authority not to leave behind them presidents of Arbitrary rule; for if it be left unto meer judge­ment and conscience without prescript Law, then do but change the persons that are to judge, and there will be tyranny and woe, and confusion enough consequential thereunto: and that Land which be­fore by wholsom Laws did, and might have continued to shine most gloriously, will soon be turned into utter darkness, where there will be nothing heard but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. And as [Page 29] formerly so still there should be communication of advice, intentions, and endeavours mutually between those that are in these two orders. Josiah doth not disdain to take advice of Huldah the Prophetess. 2. Chron. 34.20, 21, 22. Nathan the Prophet doubts not to say (1. Kin. 1.27.) unto David [Is this thing done by my Lord the King, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should fit on the throne of my Lord the King after him?] Moses and Aaron kiss one another in the mount of God; Exod. 4.27. Moses (Israels Ruler) fare's the better for taking the advice of Iethro the Priest of Midian, Exod. 18.1, 18, 24. and so did all Israel prosper under it. It went well with Ioash and Israel while they hearkned to Iehoiada: and experience hath, and will discover it to be true that, in all states neither do well asunder, or divided estrang­edly in their counsels. Again, then might be seen;

3. Ministers, and Ministers cleaving together in way of communi­on; nothing that was difficult, or questionable, or Weighty, or New, or that had an influence upon the whole, but they were wont to consult with one another; as I have heard from divers of the ancient Ministers of Christ now with God, and when I was a Child have observed in my Fathers house: if there hapned to be some mis-understanding at any time, it was reasoned out placidly, and still Ministerial communion was maintained; and these things are known unto hundreds yet living that may remember the Ministers meetings, in the several Towns by course, as at Cambridge, Boston, Charlstown, Roxbury, &c. when, and where the people did with great joy, and reverence acknowledge them and their labours that way for the good of the Churches: respectively, and looked upon them as Angels of God, and so received them when they came to Town: Paul's spirit was then eminently breathing amongst them, viz. as to the care of all the Churches. 2. Cor. 11.28. and the Apostles word then remarkably observed, [...]n 1. Cor. 14.32, 33, 37. notwithstanding some differences, yet rules of order being attended those also may be well composed: & see Burroughs Irenicum, p. 84. &c.

4. Then might be seen Ministers and their respective Congregati­ons together; their People trembling at the Word of God delivered by them, reverencing them in the Lord, esteeming them highly for their work sake, subjecting to their power and rule in the Lord: and so now also may we build upon that Word of God, 2 Chron. 20.20. (if it is not antiquated and now out of date) i. e. Hear me O! Judah, and Ye Inhabitants of this Land, Believe in the Lord your God, so shall you be established, believe his Prophets, so shall you prosper; as you love [Page 30] your souls, and your Childrens also, I beseech you for the Lords sake, be not apt to imbibe evil reports and scandals against them, to cause jealousie and prejudice in your hearts, the rule in 1 Tim. 5.19. is known: had it been attended, most of our troubles had been prevented:

Obj. The Prophets are divided?

Ans. 1. So they were of old. 2. This Rule in Timothy, and that word in 2 Chron. 20. aforesaid, hold good still. 3. Blessed are those notwithstanding that are not offended in Christ, and the sheep of Christ do, and shall hear his voyce, in the great matters of Salvation, Joh. 10.

5. Then might be seen Churches, and Churches together in way of Communion, by greater Synods, as hath been before intimated, and also in lesser Synods or Councills, as there hath been occasion when any Church hath wanted light or peace &c. If help were not asked, it was sent them without asking: and it was not then accounted an infring­ment of the Liberty of Churches so to do: I apprehend it might do well and be of great use, if a Memoriall thereof were published for posteri­ty; that there might be an History & Narrative of each of them; and a signification of the blessing of God upon the advice of Elders, and messengers of Churches met in Council, in the many Towns of the Country, Melting hearts, and drawing tears both of joy and repentance from the eyes of brethren in those daies of their reconciliation, &c. and an evil spirit therefore in any is that, who are labouring to keep breaches open by refusing balm to be poured in for healing, when the Physitian also is at hand in Gilead: & oh how terrible is it to see the body of Jesus Christ (for so is the Church called) torn in sunder by divisions! sure that is not the true Mother that would have the Child divided: what are men doing when they thus divide but incurring that guilt and penalty, Gal. 5 13. and are they not eating every one the flesh of his own arm? for so they might be an arm of strength to one another when united: and I hope our godly Leaders will not suffer it to be so, that two or three men shall continue to disturb the peace of a whole Congregation, and hinder the settlement of the Gospel, and Ordinan­ces of Christ from year to year! is there no redress for this? if you saw a company of men set, and resolved to vex and starve one another bodily, should it be suffered? let the liberty of Churches be preserved, but care continued for conversion of those that are out of the Church visible, and therefore such as are able, appointed, and encouraged to preach the Word there constantly, till they can agree, either to choose him, or some other faithful Steward of the mysteries of God among [Page 31] them. But let Sister-Churches in the mean time not be careless and negligent respecting their duty of Communion also. Finally then might be seen,

6. Magistrates, Ministers, and their people together, strengthening the hands of one another in God; even according to that exhortatory speech, Haggai 2.4. And indeed it is Gods work to make his fear fall upon the hearts of men, so as to stand in awe of, and reverence Authori­ty (1 Sam. 11.7.) and so of the wholsome Laws in a state that are made: and if God do not this, if he bow not their hearts thereunto, all will be in vain: a notable spirit of self-denyal, love, courage, zeal for the interest of Christ in the publick, was at first breathing among this people and was crowned from heaven with glorious success by the God of our mercy: and O let not these experienced ways of blessing be for­gotten, or despised, or departed from by this people!

3. Consider, that a revolt from God is usually graduated, having its more imperceptible beginnings: by degree [...] the souls of men slide back from God. Satan hath variety of artifices whereby to cast us down, and overthrow the true Religion and Kingdom of Christ among us, if he could; he make's use of the Divisions, and Scandals of Gods people to promote his hellish designs: he will improve the spirit of fear and cowardice in some; the rashness of others: the jealousies of others: the ambition of others: the covetousness of others: the sim­plicity of others: the passions of others: the sheepishness of others: &c. to advance his own cause in the Apostacy of professours: yea, and mis­chief (perhaps) shall be laid in, in the very primmers for children whereby they may even suck in poison in their tender years: & also in the pictures and images of Christ, of the Virgin Mary, and other canoni­zed popish Saints, &c. sold in some shops, or brought over among us: things that will take with children, but though they may seem minute, yet will surely prove of dangerous consequence at length to those tender years, and may become an Introduction to Popery it self. I wish such things might be crushed in the egge, and abandoned by every one that professeth the Christian name, for the Lord thy God, O New-England is a jealous God! he is a jealous Husband especially in the matters of the second Commandment. But as to this, or any other way of back sliding from God, O! fear all the graduations there­of, and the first steps thereunto: principiis ob [...]t [...]a: watch against it.

1. Forgetting a wilderness condition▪ their's danger thereof, when turned to a fruitful field. Deut. 8.11, 14▪ 18, 19. but therefore read Deut. 26.5.—Isa. 51.1.—&c.

[Page 32]2. Forgetting the works of God for our Fathers. Hence see, 1 Sam. 12.24 only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth, for consider how great things he hath done for you.

3. Forgetting the first and great fundamental design of God and his people in the first planting this Land.

4 Carnal and worldly Interest twisted in with the Interest of Christ, and his Kingdom among us: sincere hearts will leave all worldly good for the Ordinances of Christ in their purity, and the Lords Inter­est. 2. Chron. 11, 14. and will forgoe all their own, rather then his shall miscarry.

5▪ Glutting themselves with the things of the world, and hence loathing, or weariness of Ordinances, and so dispensing with them, I say dispensing with them; Dispensations with Gods commands are many times Anti-Christian, and very dangerous: ‘To dispense with Christs commands practically (saith that great and worthy Divine Dr. Owen in his excellent treatise of worship, pag. 39.) is unlawful, much more doctrinally, most of all authoritatively, as the Pope takes on himself to do.’

6. Decay and want of the spirit of faith and holiness, whence to get, and keep an experimental savour of the sweetness of Iesus Christ, and his precious ways, and hence follow's a falling away from any ex­ternal profession of the true Religion.

7. The backslidings of some few, and they (notwithstanding) countenanced by too many, whereby they become hardned in their evil way, and infection also spreads the more. Familiar fellowship with excommunicate persons was one of those ulcera Ecclesiae which our famous Cotton sadly complains of under that very term, as also Re­miss silence in the sounder members against the offensive expressions of the unsound, was another of them which he bewailed.

8. Mixtures in Religion cherished by a spirit of Libertinism, and spiritual licentiousness: It is dangerous to Religion, and to Israels state (and Rulers need watch against it betimes) when the Samari­tan enemy (notwithstanding the pretence of seeking and sacrificing to the same God with Israel) shall be permitted to build in Temple-work together with Israel, Ezra 4.1, 2, 3. and the Lord keep that Samarita­nism from us, Recorded for our admonition in 2. Kings 17.28—ult.

9. The Lords delivering men up, now, in his righteous Judgement to the casting off his fear, and name, and interest, &c. declaring openly in the hardness of their hearts, the sovereignty of their self interests [Page 33] above the Lords: Text [We are Lords and will not come at thee] and thus are they gone from God, and so a gone People indeed, if the Lord pity not, nor heal their backslidings the sooner.

4. Consider how much cause of fear there is of great wrath from God upon us should there be a plain revolt from God, and from the ac­knowledgement of the good way wherein the Lord hath been leading us, Jer. 2.17. hast thou not procured this unto thy self (viz. slavery instead of liberty, and wasting, and abuses, and woe, and desolation by Lyon-like Adversaries, spoiling, yelling, wasting, burning, &c.) in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way: let not the ancient good Land-marks be removed, Deut. 27.17. Prophaness, viz.

• Doctrinal,
• Practical,

greatly threateneth our welfare; and this begins both wayes strangely, and strongly to lift up it self by reason of the a­verseness that there is in so many against faithful, plain, zealous and thorough condemning the sins of the times we live in: The Mini­stry must not bear witness against sin, nor the Magistrate; even as though men would thus stop the mouthes of the Witnesses of Jesus Christ, and slay them by such a political death: it is a great sin, and a dangerous evil to make a man an offender for a word in the sense of Isai. 29.21. and to lay a snare for him that reproveth in the Gate.

But if this People will be Lords in the sense of the Text, and shake off his Government, and this after all (so many) experiences of light and life, and blessing from him, after so many smiles, and so many pe­culiar tokens of his being New-Englands God, and such a distinguish­ing line of mercy drawn by him between our selves and others; after he hath wrought so wonderfully for us, being as darkness to our ene­mies, and bewildering them in their attempts against us, so that all hi­therto that would have devoured us have been an offence to God, and evil hath come upon them, Ier. 2.3. I say if after all this we will now turn our back, and revolt from God, we may then expect that the Lord turn this fruitful land into a wilderness again, Psal. 107.34. that God should be a wilderness, and a land of darkness to thee O New-Eng­land! and cause the Sun to go down at noon upon thy Prophets: and pick rods out of this very wilderness, yea, briars and thorns of the wilder­ness whereby to scourge, and tear, & teach such as will not otherways know the day of their visitation: he can mingle our enemies, as Isa. 9.11. (French and Indians &c. together) Make thee groap for the wall, like the blind, Isa. 59, 9, 10, 11. take away the spirit of Counsel, & Counsels of [Page 34] peace, and wisdom, and courage from thy Rulers, and make babes to rule over thee, Isa. 3. beg. and bring the darkness of Idolatry, Supersti­tion, heathenisme, cruelty, vileness, prophaneness, heresy, horrour, &c. to overspread the Land, and that through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts the Land be horribly darkned, and people be as the fewel of the fire, as the Prophet speaks, Isa. 9.19, 20, ult. no man sparing his Brother, &c. And if Christians will break one from another, and Churches break one from another, and others, in their communion; have we not cause to fear that God will suffer some wild boar or beast of the Forrest to enter in at the Breaches, and lay waste this vineyard, and turn it into a wilderness again? So that when it shall be asked in time to come, (as 1 King. 9.8, 9. with Deut. 29.24, &c.) Why hath the Lord done thus to this Land! and wherefore is all this great anger of the Lord? why hath the Lord done thus unto such a people? unto his people? then the Answer should be, be­cause they have forsaken the covenant of their God: and they would be Lords, and would no more come back to the Lord their God: they would not be under his government when he would have led them as a flock, by the hand of such as were as Moses and Aaron among them: and bec [...]use of their many God-provoking sins; because they forgat the main end of their coming into this Wilderness; because they forsook their first love to God, and so to his Ordinances, and so to his people, their Brethren, witness their strifes while alive, and witness the many tearless Funerals in many places, (a sign they were not so beloved while alive) and because of their spiritual wantonness under Ordinances: Their Church covenant grew to be with many but a form; brotherly watch came to be neg­lected, the house of God despised, and their own preferred before the same; because of their woful unthankfulness for the Gospel, and for that they grew a worldly people, and so neglect of Communion with God in secret grew upon them; there was a form of Godliness, but the po­wer thereof denied: Hypocrisie, Divisions, carnal Mixtures, despising Gods Sabbaths, Loose-walking, Temporizing, Sensuality, Pride and Idleness, fulness of Bread, and not strengthening the hand of the poor and needy (those Sodom sins, Ezek. 16.49) found in New-England: Oppression of the poor, and oppression of the rich▪ unmercifulness, self-seeking, growing heady, and high-minded, and run [...]g deep upon the score of those sins of the last times, which make those times peri­lous; and because the Sons and Daughters of God became flesh, and ac­cordingly savouring only the things of the flesh, and of the world, and not of Christ: and the Daughters (and Sons too) of Sion Isai 3. grown haugh­ty, [Page 35] &c. though they were planted a noble Vine, yet they turned to the de­generate Plant of a strange Vine unto the Lord, Jer 2.21. and an empty Vine, Hos. 10.1. and they grew weary of the Lord, and would not bear the order of his House: weary of, perhaps secretly loathing, strictness of conversation in the way of holiness; but a laxe, merry, loose Reli­gion pleased them better, and suited most with their vain spirits, and carnal private interests: and so they could be frolick, and vain, and har­monious with the company they came amongst: and they grew spiri­tually proud, and conceited, and censorious, and reviling, (not sparing therein their very Rulers in Church & Common-wealth) and lukewarm in the things of God: and full of the sins of the tongue, in respect of lying (loss of moral truth) dissimulation, equivocations, and such sins as those which loosen all the Bonds of even humane society, that there should be no trust or confidence put in one another: and though there is the good which the Lord is willing to take notice of, yet may he not say as to the Asian Churches, i. e. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee; and therefore as, Rev. 2.5. Remember whence thou hast fallen, re­pent, and do thy first (thy first) works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Not only extinguish the lights, but remove the Candlesticks also: and he will then wash his hands in innocency over us, and profess to all the world that he is free from the blood of all men. And then truly should all the stars of the Firmament of the political Heaven shine upon us, yet alass, if the Lord shine not, it will be Midnight with us: and God can mingle a perverse spirit among a people whereby to make them erre in every work of their hands, and in all their Counsels, Isa. 19.14. when God hath a purpose to destroy a people he is wont to give them a vertigi­nous spirit: But therefore O generation see the Word of the Lord! Let the found Christians of the first good old generation that do yet remain see the Word of the Lord; viz. in order to thankfulness unto God for all experiences that he hath given them of his being not a wilderness or land of darknes; and they should declare that they do so by shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. Psal. 78.4, 5, 6. they should leave behind them Registers of Gods mighty acts, that their children after them might learn to set their hope in God, and not forget his works. And let those of the second generation, that are entred, or upon the point of entring upon the stage of action in the service of their generation, see the Word of the Lord also; both in way of thankfulness for what God [Page 36] hath done for our fathers, and also in way of confidence, and trust in the God of our Fathers, in the sincere discharge of the work of our gene­ration. Former Experiences should make us stedfast and unmoveable in the work of the Lord, and in the midst of all changes that may come. And let those of the rising, but unfledged generation also, be put in mind hereof, and be religiously seasoned with that nurture, and admo­nition of the Lord as whereby they may do worthily, more worthily, most worthily in their generation, when the heads of the present and passing generation shall be laid in the dust, and must sleep with their Fathers: and that thus as Psal. 145.4. One generation may praise thy works O Lord unto another, and declare thy mighty acts! and that thus (as Psal. 45. ult.) his name may be remembred in all generations, and therefore let the people praise him for ever and ever.

2. If there hath been, or should happen any beginning to shake off the Lords government, and to decline from his fear, O! let there be a willingness in this part of the Lords Israel to return unto the Lord their God again, say not, as in our Text [we will come no more at thee:] And herein those two great Ordinances of God, i. e. the

• Magistracy
• Ministry

(by the Lord's blessing whereof the Lord hath hitherto approved him­self unto this people, as in our Text, to be not a wilderness or a land of darkness) are to be improved; for very much depend's upon them, under God, for the return of Israel to the Lord in case of backsliding in any degree. 2. Chron. 19.4. Iehoshaphat, it is said, brought the people back unto the Lord God of their Fathers: and Chap. 23. and 24. see again, Ezra 5.1, 2. and 10.4. and in this way hath God prospered his work here also: and though not the success is always a certain mark of the Church or of the right way, as the Papists who make [faelicitas temporalis] temporal prosperity to be one of theirs (I would be far from thinking that any smile of providence will legitimate those actions which the Word of God condemn's) and in Religion therefore to do nothing for God wherein we shall run any hazard, but leave all to providence, and so judge of the goodness or the sinfulness of our way according as providence favours therein, or frowns upon us, is by some good Divines look't upon as the corrupt reasoning of Gama­liel in Acts 5.38.39. But yet when we have had those who in the fear of God have searched the Scriptures, who have been with God in the Mount, their faces shining with much of his glory at their receiving from the hand of the Lord a second edition of the Tables and pattern [Page 37] of his will: and that we have found the Lord setting to his seal of Di­vine benediction thereunto, O take we heed of Innovations now▪ and let the remembrance of what the Lord hath been to us and done for us recover from every degree of, and all tendencies unto backsliding! and in special here.

1. Remember that a main design of Gods people's adventuring in to this wilderness was for progress in the work of Reformation, and that in the way of brotherly communion with the Reformed Churches of Christ in other parts of the world. O forsake not, deny not, con­demn not that fundamental design! and otherwise indeed what needed they to have removed from England? (this cannot justly be denyed) they were then in the place from whence there came mixtures in the worship of God, and the blessed Sabbath of God struck at, &c. which there were grieved with, and vexed their righteous souls from day to day; but here they hoped they might enjoy freedom from those pollutions, and freedom to follow the Lord fully in all his Ordinances and appoint­ments; I say to follow the Lord (not by halves: not still in way of mix­tures in Religion to have a medly of all sorts of Religion, but) fully; with what purity the Lord would give them light for, and power to enjoy without molestation: And therefore, as not in a way of Separation from the Churches of Christ in Old-England, which the printed Books of our New-England Divines do abundantly shew; (v. Cottons Answer to Mr. Williams. pag. 138.140, &c. Hookers Survey, pt. 1. pag. 48. Mr. Philips in his Answer to Lamb. pag. 144. Mr. Allen of Dedham, with my Honoured Father (P. M.) in their defence of the nine positions both in the Preface, pag. 12, 13. and afterward in that Book, p. 40.43, 68, 70, 71, 150. &c.) And so to hold communion with them in the Ordinances of Christ, and according to the order and com­mand of Christ, yet withal to depart from defiling mixtures aforesaid; Surely then it follows by undenyable consequence, that if it was for Reformation, then not for Toleration of all Religions: and awful are the words that fell from the pen of our famous Cotton in his bloody tenet washed, (pag. 132. and 192) viz. It was Toleration that made the world Anti-Christian: and (‘said he) the Church never took hurt by the punishment of Hereticks. But in the page last mentioned he hath these words, i. e. The Lord keep us from being bewitched with the whores cup, lest while we seem to detest & reject her with open face of pro­fession, we do not bring her in by a back door of Toleration & so come at [Page 38] last to drink deeply in the Cup of the Lord's wrath, and be filled with the Cup of her Plagues.’

And shall any now plead for mixtures of men's superstitious In­ventions in the worship of God? & what else is the Spirit of that Tolera­tion, which many cry up; but that no thorough & effectual Testimony should be born against such Idolatrous mixtures? The hearty love and union of a truely Religious people, consists not in a boundless toleration of sin, but in the way of Reformation, Ezek. 11.18, 19. And should this poor people be intoxicated with that heady wine of the Doctrine of such a toleration, as to open that door [for instance] unto superstitious and anti christian Ceremonies in the worship of God, as it would be contrary to our professed Fundamental end of the setling of this Plantation, so God would be extreamly provoked at such a toleration: and who sees not the event that would be? the like I might say as to any other such mixtures brought in by to­leration destructive to the established way of Worship here, for the substance thereof: and shall this be the commendation of New-England, i. e. [I have somthing for thee, that thou canst bear with them that are evil?] and this for thee [that thou sufferest the wo­man Jezabel &c.] Yea why do not men plead for Toleration of all non-fundamentals in Civil matters? for there are the extra-fundamentalia there also.

Let the Magistrates Coercive Power in matters of Religion [there­fore] be still asserted, seing he is one who is bound to God, more then any other men, to cherish his true Religion; and as the good Kings of Judah, commended for it in Scripture, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Iosiah &c. therefore are they to be principal Instruments in furthering the Reformation aforesaid: and I would leave it with any godly, sober Christian to consider and answer; Whether the Interest of Religion hath not as good a title, and plea for the Ma­gistrates Protection, as [not any irreligion which self conceit and humor hath wedded any unto; but] any worldly Interest whatso­ever? and how wofull would the state of things soon be among us, if men might have liberty without controll, to profess or preach or print, or publish what they list, tending to the Seduction of others! and though the Enemy soweth Tares, which cannot be ma­ny times plucked up without danger to the wheat, and are there­fore let alone, yet I would hope none of the Lords husbandmen [Page 39] will be so foolish as to Sow Tares, or plead for the Sowing of them, I mean in the way of the Toleration aforesaid, when as it may be prevented: the light of Nature and right Reason would cry out against such a thing.

Rulers are not to be a terrour to the good, but to the evill, Rom. 13. Now as was said concerning Timothy 1 Cor. 16.10. see that he may be with you (said the Apostle) without fear: so let the dear Servants of God be cherrished, under the wing of Magistracy without fear; they are afraid of Heresy, let the Magistrate secure them from those Terrours: the prevailing of corrupt and prophane Doctrines & Practises (and what mens Judgments are, if they be conscienti­ous, they will practise the same, whether it be good or bad, best or worst) are a terrour to them, they dread what the consequent will be, if not seasonably Crushed, and removed:

Davids affection to the House of God should not be forgotten, and the affliction of his soul about it, in Psal. 132.1, 2, 3, 4. deserving to be graven not upon the Session-house-door, but upon the heart of every Magistrate that enters in thereat; that so the interest of Religion a­mong us may never be suffered to lacquy after any worldly interest whatsoever: Iehoshaphat is prospered by God, because he walked in the FIRST wayes of David his Father, i. e. the ancient and good wayes of the Lord, 2 Chron. 17.1. Minde the first wayes of our godly Leaders, and follow them therein, according as they followed the Lord, as the Apostle speaks of himself, 1 Cor. 11.1. because Ieroboam abused his po­wer, and made Israel to sin, 1 King. 17.21. shall it (therefore) not be lawful for Iosiah to make all in Israel by the regular use of his power to serve the Lord their God? reade 2 Chron. 34. ult. Nor is it for any to object, that in the primitive times, the Magistrates medled not with matters of Religion: for it is not what was done, but what was their duty to have done, that is to be exemplary to us: we reade then that the Magistrate would not so much as Countenance or Tolerate the true Religion; doth it therefore follow, that the Magistrate should not countenance or tolerate it now? neither will it follow, that if the hea­then Magistrates regarded not how it went with the Christian Religion that therefore the Christian Magistrate should follow the example of the Heathen therein: as a Pagan Master when converted hath not [Page 40] more power (as a Master) then he had before his conversion; but yet surely the grace of God bestowed upon him, teacheth him, that he is bound to improve his power better (for the advancement of the inte­rest of Religion in his family, and curbing irreligion therein) even far beyond what he did before his conversion, so 'tis here with the conver­ted Magistrate.

Austin I finde speaking to this objection, That in the primitive times, the civil Magistrate did not make and execute such Laws, and put forth their coercive power for Religion and the Chri­stians; Answers it thus, viz. ‘They consider not that that was the time wherein (as in Psal. 2.) it is predicted that the Kings and Gentiles would rage, &c. and not then the time for what follows there also foretold, to be afterward accomplished, that Kings should serve the Lord in fear, &c. Nondum autem agebatur quod paulo post in eodem Psalmo dicitur, i. e. & nunc Reg [...]s intelligite, &c. Quomodo ergo, r [...] ­ges, Domino serviunt in timore, nisi ea quae contra jussa. Domini fiunt, religiosa severitate prohibendo, atque plectendo; aliter enim servit quia homo est, aliter quia etiam rex est, quia homo est ei servit vivendo fideliter, quia vero etiam Rex est servit leges justa praecipientes, & contraria pr [...] ­hibentes, convenienti vigore sanciendo, sicut servivit Ezechias lucos & tem­pla idolorum, & illa excelsa, quae contra Dei praecepta fuerunt extructa destruendo: sicut servivit Josias talia & ipse faciendo; sicut servivit Rex Ninivitarum universam civitatem ad placandum Dominum compellen­do: sicut servivit Darius, &c. in hoc ergo serviunt Domino Reges in quan­tum sunt Reges, cum ea faciunt ad serviendum illi, quae non possunt facere nisi reges:’

'Tis not enough, saith he, that Kings do serve the Lord as private men can do, but as Kings, and that is when they do that in his service for him which none but Kings (& so it holds as to other inferiour Magistrates pro­portionably) can do; as respecting the making & executing wholsome Laws, in order to the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ) (Au­gustinus Bonifacio comiti, de correctione Donatistarum propter eos qui nole­bantillos legibus imperialibus corrigi, tomo, 2. pag. 74.) Moreover reade in Re. 17. the promise concerning the ten Kings hating the Whore, &c. & al­so what is Prophesied concerning these New testament times, Isa. 49▪ 23. That Kings shall be nursing Fathers, and Queens nursing Mothers to the Church: the countenance of the Magistrate, and that as a Magistrate, [Page 41] in matters of Religion, is a mercy to be prayed for, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. & there­fore surely is no anti-Christian thing, as some would suggest; yea, saith the Apostle in the same Epistle, Chap. 1.9, 10. Knowing that the Law is not made for a righteous man, (i. e. that he should be condemned and punished for his righteousness) but for the Lawless and Disobedient [ [...] &c.] i. e. that will not be subject to Order, as the word notes; and for th [...] ungodly and unholy & prophane, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine, so that not only as to matters of unrighteousness against the second Table, but ungodliness and un­holiness against the first Table, is the Law to be proportionably shar­pened: so that therefore if those that call themselves pious, will carry it impiously, and lawlesly, treading upon the wholsome Laws of the Country, and so upon Authority it self, and will refuse to subject unto Christs order, and do what is scandalous and criminal, let them smart for it as well as those that make not such a profession of Religion: as on the other hand, such should be the constitution of Civil Govern­ment, as that ungodly men also may have Justice when their Cause is good, as sometimes it is: a bad man may have a good cause which he is engaged in, and on the other side, a godly man may be found in a cause that is exceeding vile, and the uprightness of the Civil Judge will carry him impartially to minde the cause, and not (in that respect) the person:

Let all Prophaness (then) in Doctrine, and Life, that causeth di­sturbance of the Peace of Churches, or of the Common-wealth be curbed, the Rod of the Magistrate is effectually to be improved for that end: And the Lord mo [...] and more strengthen the hand and heart of our Magistracy to crush all Prophaness, the Pride, and Drunkenness, and Whoredome, and Lying, and Stealing, the Heresies, and Schismes, and Factions, and such works of the Flesh, and scandalous Disorders that do so lamentably prevail among us; whether these works of the flesh (as the Apostle calls them, Gal. 5.) he found in Church mem­bers or Non-members.

Finally we may consider, that neutrality in Religion hath a Scripture curse cleaving to it, Iudg. 5.23. They did not help against the Lord, but because they did not help the Lord therefore, &c. yea sometimes when it [Page 42] is out of fear and unbelief, see the danger such are in, Rev. 21.8. Do the followers of Antichrist receive his mark in their Hand, and in their Forehead, and shall the followers of the Lamb be ashamed of his, and his Fathers Name in their Foreheads? reade Rev. 14.1▪ He that is not with me (saith Christ, Mat. 12.30.) is against me: There is no neutra­lity here to be allowed of: Christ cannot endure halting▪ or lukewarm­ness, but will spew such out of his mouth, Rev. 3.16. It is a sign of an evil and perilous time, when those are to be found the swaying part among a professing People, who through fear, or spiritual sloth and cowardize, or scepticisme, or wanting a Principle, and spirit of true holiness and sincerity in them, or through carnal policies, or self-interests, &c. are Enemies to, and haters of the work of Reformation, studying rather such a Syncretisme in Religion as takes in all perswasions (with­out regard had to that spiritual chastity and virgin-spirit, which accor­ding to Rev. 14.4. ought to be in all the true followers of the Lamb: and which the Apostle puts the Corinthians in minde of, 2 Cor. 11.2, 3. &c.) rather then be at the trouble of Reforming-work in an Adul­terous Generation, and of running hazards for Christ therein; Let it not then be stiled Persecution which (rightly understood) is but the just punishment of sinners for their sin by the Civil Magistrate, who bea­reth not the sword in vain, Rom. 13.

'Tis true what Austin speaks (in the Epistle before cited, Bonifacio Comiti. Tom. 2. Pag. 72.) ‘Molestus est medicus furenti phrenetico, & pater indisciplinato filio: ille ligando, iste coedendo; sed ambo dili­gendo: si autem illos negligant, & perire permittant, ista potius ma [...] ­suetudo falsa crudelis est; si enim Equus, & Mulus quibus non est in­tellectus, morsibus, & calcibus resistunt hominibus, á quibus eorum cu­randa vulnera contrectantur, & cum inter dentes eorum, & ungulas saepe homines perielitentur, & aliquando vexentur, non tamen eos dese­runt, donec per dolores, & molestias medicinales, revocent ad salutem, quanto magis homo ab homine, & frater a fratre ne in aeternum pereant, non est deserendus: qui correctus intelligere potest quantum sibi praesta­batur beneficium, quando se persecutionem perpeti querebatur, i. e. The Physitian (said he) is troublesome to the distracted person, and the Father to the unruly Son, the former by his binding him, the latter by his beating him, but to both of them by his love, &c.’

[Page 43]And afterward (in the same Epistle, pag. 73.) saith he, Magis illa (ancilla scil. Agar) persequebatur Saram superbiendo, quam illam Sara coercendo: illa enim Dominae faciebat injuriam, ista imponebat superbiae disciplinam; i. e. Not Sarah but Hagar was the persecuter. Rulers are called gods in Scripture, surely then such are to take care for the things of God. You are this day to choose new gods, and that with­out incurring the danger of War in the gate; blessed be God for it! The Lot I suppose is, by Prexie, already cast for this Election: let it be the care of New-England for ever, that they choose not Idols in stead of Gods, and what they are, we shall see in Psal. 115.5, 6, 7. so, nor such who have mouthes but they speak not for God, eyes but they see not, ears but they hear not, &c. Let us beware of lodging this precious Interest of Jesus Christ in the bosome and hand of any kinde of profane Idol!

2. May it not be judged probable that our recovery from any degree of sliding back from God, & our preventing what is on that hand to be feared, must be by a more thorough, conscientious, religious, effectual care for the nurture of the Rising Generation; the Lord speaks in our Text unto his people under the appellation of a Generation [O Generation, &c.] and O that that might be kept free from the leaven, infection, poison of any thing tending to debauch them, issuing from any of the passing generation, yet upon the stage of Action! Ance­stors are sometimes left to do that in their day, which the succeeding generation payes the sad score of; so Manasseh's sin God would not pardon, but wrath comes for the same upon Israel after his death, 2 Kings 23.26, 27. and Chap. 24.3, 4. and O may it be the portion of the Rising Generation, that they may not inherit any of the Mistakes or the Quarrels, &c. of any such as have gone before them! Their education and disciplinating is to be carefully attended, by all good means; Care, and diligence, and trouble, &c. must necessarily be expected therein: the Lord forgive neglects hitherto, where they may be found! and remove that which hinders so good a Work as is their Institution; and grant that it may have its free passage in all those Societies unto which they do belong!

1. In Families; that there be Family-instruction and discipline at­tended there, both as to the things of God, and other matters; that there might be nothing there to vitiate them, no evil Examples of pestiferous Servants and Apprentices, much less of Parents giving [Page 44] any evil Example to them, whereby they will become eminently hardned in, and edified and emboldned unto sin. It is said of Cato, That he was religiously careful never to speak any unclean or passio­nate word before his Son, (Sage Senator, p. 27, &c.) And Family-teaching and government is here necessary: what is spoiled in the first Concoction, will never be good in the second or third; they must be restrained from the sins of Childhood and Youth: Great is the idleness of many Children, and the indulgence of many Parents is no less, in this Land: and with reference in special to their subje­ction unto their Parents, it is a sad complaint in some parts of the Country, That there are divers Children who when grown up to some years wherein they might be helpful to their Parents, and should labour to requite them, &c. grow to that pride, and unnaturalness, and stubbornness, that they will not serve their Parents except they be hired to it, looking at themselves as free from being under Parental and Family-government, when as neither the Law of God or man, or right Reason allows them therein; and perhaps are ready to say as the Prodigal, Luke 15.12. Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me, &c. Manifold are the Inconveniences to the Family, and to the Common-wealth, and to the Church, that come in at this door, and therefore I wish there might be seasonable redress thereof.

2. In the Schools; that there be Instruction and Discipline also at­tended. O that inferiour Schools were every where so setled and en­couraged, as that the Colledge (which the Lord hath made to be a Spring of Blessing to the Land) might not now languish for want of a sufficient supply of young ones from thence! There is a great de­cay in Inferiour Schools, it were well if that also were examined, and the Cause thereof removed, and Foundations laid for Free-Schools, where poor Scholars might be there educated by some Publick Stock.

3. In Churches; that there also Ecclesiastical Discipline be attend­ed, and respecting all Church-watch (Instruction, Censures, and other Priviledges) which in the Church they have a Covenant-right unto. Remember they are the Lords Children, Ezek. 16.22. And truly here, a sad thing it is, that where the Lord hath not been a Wilderness, &c. unto us, yet that there should be such places to be found where no Ministry is set up, and whence, or where it may be said of them, respecting the Ordinance of Baptism in particular, that [Page 45] they have been as long (perhaps) as the children of Israel were in the Wilderness, and yet without the Initiating Seal of the Covenant? the reproach of Vncircumcision not being rolled from them unto this day: where the fault is, or who are the obstructers of it blame­ably, I say not; may be the Lord will say as in Numb. 14.31. respect­ing many upon the account of the precious Wayes of the House of God, and that Discipline of the Lord Jesus which hath been too much by many neglected and despised, that such and such shall see his Glory therein notwithstanding.

Thirdly, and lastly, Let it be the Prayer, and so the endeavour of All, that this Wilderness may never come to be a land of darkness by our revolt from under our God, and from the Wayes and Means by which the Lord hath manifested himself to be unto his people neither a Wilderness, nor a land of darkness. O that the Lord may still be to us as formerly in that respect! And therefore

1. Let the Schools flourish: This is one means whereby we have been, and may be still preserved from a wilde Wilderness-state, through Gods blessing upon the same, and from becoming a land of darkness, and of the shadow of death. Cherish them therefore, and the Colledge in special: and accordingly that there may be a season­able (while affections are warm) and a faithful improvement of the Contribution for the New Edifice there, and what else is needful for the encouragement and advancement of L [...]ring in that precious Society; the fall and sinking whereof (which the Lord forbid) I should look at as presaging the Ruine o [...] this Land also: Let it ne­ver want a benign Aspect for the flourishing of that dear Nursery; lest otherwise there come to be either no Ministry, or an Illiterate, & (and in that respect▪ in former times accounted) a Scandalous & insufficient Ministry, neither burning, nor shining Lights. Keep the Good Old Way here experienced of a godly Learned Ministry, wherein the people of God have tryed, and found so much of the Presence and Glory of the Lord crowning the same with so choice a Blessing as he hath done: and God hath no need of a NEW Cart, or of Vzzah's hand to save the shaken Ark; nor did a good intention excuse him from death by Gods immediate hand and stroke from Heaven, when the Lords institution is crossed in that matter.

2. Let the Liberties of the Churches also be preserved and maintain­ed; for the Church is as a Light upon an hill: the people of God are [Page 38] to shine as Lights in the world; therefore thereby also the Land is in­strumentally kept from being a land of darkness. Let the Scripturally-unworthy be debarred the holy things in the Sacrament, &c. which they have no right unto by Rule. Pulsent fores (said Cyprian of old) &c. though they bounce at the door, yet let them not have it opened to them, till duely qualified for the same. There is much, and may be more danger of such bold-fac'd Hypocrites: and there­fore, O that no such Intruders may be suffered to disturb, and vex the dear people of the Lord in any of their just Liberties! and that a Malignant Spirit of Profaneness (which this poor people is in great hazard of feeling the woful impression of) may timously be crushed, and so not permitted to blow out Gospel-Light, even the Lights of the Sanctuary here. Nor let there be any Ludibria medicorum Spiri­tualium, or what may be any standing Reproach to the Healing wayes and Instruments of Jesus Christ here, seeing there is sufficient Balm in Gilead provided by Christ for every Spiritual Disease in his Church. Let not the way of the Rigid Separatists, and the like, he acted over again here, till the Churches be buried in Confusion. In case of the Divisions in Churches, hath not the Congregational-Way Balm for this Wound appointed by Christ, but Morellius must be raked out of his grave to be the onely Physician?

3. Let the Ministry (who also should be instrumental, in their Sphere, to keep this Land from becoming a land of darkness) be duely Encouraged. There have been, and are Complaints this way respect­ing their outward Subsistence in many places (I bless the Lord I am not under any temptation therein, being liberally, and abundantly well provided for by the good people I live among; and therefore I may speak the more freely and boldly for others) I fear there is too sad neglect in divers Towns. It was a sign Nehemiah was away, when the Levites were fain to go into the fields, Nehem. 13.6, 10, 11. when they are forced to turn to the Meadow, to the Cart, and to the Plow, &c. or else they cannot live, at least not live out of torment­ing Debt. Is this the fruit of Gods being no Wilderness to us? O generation, see the word of the Lord. Minde the Example of good Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 31.4. he encouraged such; (O take heed that there be not on the other side found among us a discouraged Ministry, respecting such (I mean) as are able, and faithful Ministers of the New Testament, who would gladly spend, and be spent for their [Page 39] people:) He commanded the people (it is there said) and it was not therefore left as an arbitrary thing, or as an Alms: and minde the fruit of it, i. e. ver. 10. Since the people began to bring the offerings in­to the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat; for the Lord hath blessed his people, and that which is left is this great store. If particular Churches or Towns are really not able to supply the necessity of him that labours in the Word among them, should not such a poor people be relieved? might it not do well if some additional Provision were made out of some Publick Bank or Stock for an honourable relief of such? and that thereby we help to bear one anothers burthens? and be we not deceived, God is not mocked in this very matter, Gal. 6.6, 7. 1 Cor. 9.14. Ezra 7.24, &c. Must they be Rated Will and Doom? Ah, when mens hearts die to the Word, no wonder if they soon die to the Dispensers of it: and then, What means this waste? and proud, covetous, disingenuous, unwise, captious, carping, bold, selfish spirits & principles will be stirring; &, Let us take turns to preach (and to govern the Church also as Moderators in it) rather then have this costly Service? and, What a weariness is it? &c. If it must be so, should we won­der if the Lord take them away that are such a Charge, and ease people of such a burden? Oh, muzzle not the mouth of that Ox that treadeth out the Spiritual Corn. And though Antichristian Begging Friars live by Alms, yet let it not be said of a Protestant people, [...] of these Churches, that they are so sordid in their spirits as to truckle under a Mendicant Ministry; and that will be a flatter [...]ng and an unfaithful Ministry at length, that is made to bow under the Temptations of Needing the Alms of the people: and remember, that a person or people may become guilty of Sacriledge by withholding what is due this way, as well as by robbing or taking away that which is already dedicated or given in to God, Mal. 3.8. and that with­holding, is there called Robbery; though I am far from pleading here for the quota pars there spoken of in particular, but onely as to the sin in general, the Apostle ranks it with, yea aggravates that sin of Sacriledge above Idolatry in the New Testament, Rom. 2.22.

4. Let the Magistracy also be Encouraged: this is part also of the Light of Israel, 2 Sam. 21.17. whereby under God we are instru­mentally preserved from being a Wilderness, and a land of darkness: and a despised Government is a fore-runner of Anarchy and Confu­sion; and such Rulers will be now oppressed with the Burthen of that [Page 48] Government, when Revilings and Knocks are their Reward; and their hearts will come at length to be alienated from such a people, each one saying, This Ruine shall not be under my hand, &c. Isa. 3.5, 6, 7. and Anarchy or Confusion in a State, exposeth them either to ruine one another by Divisions, or to be ruined by a Foreign Power, that will make a prey of them. Let All Encouragement therefore be afforded to this Magistracy: There is the bread of the Governour, Neh. 5.18. i. e. which is due to him from the people justly; with Matth. 22.21. & Rom. 13.6, 7. and there are to be those Vestments of State (as Reverend Mr. Nye speaks) to distinguish them from, and dignifie them above other men, which there is need of, and therefore that they be enabled unto. Not my Lord Major, but his Horse rules the City, said a wise man once. People are awed and swayed much with outward Ensigns, or Marks and Characters of Dignity. Hence Ne­hemiah (as Judicious and Reverend Mr. Nye on Neh. 6.11. in his Sermon, pag. 17, 18. well observes) even in a time of outward straits, keeps up his Table so as might suit with the State of the Governour, though he had not the bread of the Governour, Neh. 5.14, 18. He might at such a time have laid down his Table, having such an excuse, but Nehemiah knew such Entertainments kept up the Dignity and Honour of Government; and that these vulgar Encouragements do much sweeten the Severities of Magistracy, and will therefore rather continue them at his own Charge, then be without them: And their Attendants, and En­tertainments, and other Pageantries, are not Ensigns of Vain-glory, but the necessary Vtensils by which the worth and excellency of Magistracy is notified to the common people, it being a Language best understood by the generality. As for that Self-denial there hath been by this Magistracy, (even as Neh. 5.19. so I pray) The Lord think upon them for good, according to all that they have done, and ventured, and suffered for this people. But as God blesseth the Country, so I hope the good people of this Land will be enlarged unto a more honourable, and propor­tionable Allowance unto them, according as the Work, and Dignity of their Place calls for the same.

O Generation (therefore) see the Word of the Lord ▪ and know, that here is encouragement for Gods people in the worst times, for the Lord being our God, he will not be a Wilderness or land of darkness to us if we sincerely relye upon him: Can there be a Wilderness where the Glory of the God of Heaven dwells? Can there be Darkness where [Page 49] there is the Sun? There are Influences of light, and life, and refresh­ing, and fruitfulness, and blessedness from this Sun of Righteousness to them that fear his Name. Christ hath imbarqu'd himself in this our State; and therefore as Caesar encouraged the Boat-man in time of danger by a dark Tempest, i. e. Confide nauta Caesarem vehis; so here, your Betrustment who are Israel's Rulers here, is no less then the Son of God himself with so many of the sons and daughters of God in his arms; and if we forsake not him, he will not forsake us, as Asa encouraged those in his time, 2 Chron. 15.2. and as Deut. 2.7. so, for a longer time now then that, hath the Lord known and blest his people in this great Wilderness, &c. and O let him never leave us, nor forsake us, but be with us as he was with our fathers, 1 Kin. 8 57. and that the shining brightness of the favour of the glorious God of Israel, signified by that Representation as of the Body of Heaven in its clearness, Exod. 24.10. may be still the Vision of the God of New England; not dark and cloudy, but light and glorious. And as I have said, See the word of the Lord to us, so I might say also, O ge­neration, see the Way of Israel unto God, and our own wayes in spe­cial: Have there been no beginnings of Revolt from under the Lord­ship of our God? May not the Lord expostulate with us, as with those at Bochim, Judg 2.1—4. and say, I have removed your shoul­der from the burden, and your hands from the pots, as Psal. 81.6. I have taken off the yoke from thy neck, and the Almighty hath cau­sed light as by Snow in Salmon, I have given you Manna to the full, the Rock hath followed you, and you have had the Pillar of guidance and protection in all your Journeyings; but have you followed me fully with the Spirit of Caleb and Joshua? Yea thou hast called upon me in trouble (in the time of Drought, a year never to be forgotten by us, and our Children after us, Anno 1662. and at other times) and I delivered thee, and answered thee, as Psal. 81.7, &c. and I bid you make no league with Canaanites, &c. (in respect of corrupt mixtures, and base compliances in matters of Religion) but (as Judg. 2.2.) why have you not obeyed my voice? why have you not come up fully to the practice of my Will held forth to you by my Servants? Why are there these and those Images of Jealousie among you? What is this noise that I hear in so many Churches? the noise of the Axes and Hammers of those that would cut and beat down the carved work? Why is there such neglect of your Church-work of the house [Page 42] of God? and (as Ezra 7.23.) hath that been diligently done, which is commanded by the God of Heaven? for why should there be wrath against the Colony of the Massachusets? and see Hag. 1. beg. And why is Family-duties in many houses laid aside? that in multi­tudes of Families there is (it may be) no Prayer from the one end of the week to the other? no Family-catechising, no Repetition of the Word preached, nor calling Children and Servants to an account of what they do or should hear? no reading of the Scripture? may be no Bible, or onely a torn Bible to be found? I mean, but a part of the Bible to be found, so that the whole Scripture is never read throughout in some Families? I wish this be not the condition of many Families, that either there is no Bible, or but a piece of a Bible, and that they can content themselves therewith. O that as to these, and such like things, we might be this day before the Lord as those at Bochim, weeping for the same before the Lord! And O what un­thankfulness is it, that after the Lord hath done so much for us, in being to us not a wilderness nor a land of darkness, we should now say, We are lords, and will come no more at him: But let us testifie our reall thankfulness to God, by cleaving to the Lord in that good old way, wherein he hath been leading his people hitherunto. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be we not entangled with any yoke of bondage, of one kinde or other. Stand (I say) for your Liberties; not liberty to sin, but to be holy; liberty to run the wayes of Gods Commandments. Change not away your glory for that which will not profit: My son, fear thou the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change: (Prov. 24.21, 22.) For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruine of them both? Gods people came hither for Liberty; i. e. Liberty in the way of Holiness: and our Holiness lyes in

• Separation, from Sin and Profaneness, not from the Churches and Saints of Christ.
• Dedication, viz. of our Selves, our Children, and our All to God for God's ends.

Hence the Leaders of this people have, from the first, born express witness against Rigid Separation, Carnal Ceremonies, Profane unholy persons in Doctrine and Life: Search the printed Records of these things in the Works of our New-England Divines, and it will be found so. Therefore stand for your Liberties (Honoured, and Be­loved [Page 43] in the Lord) and let us not be guiled, befooled, deluded, baffled, or beaten out of them. I would hope that the Fundamental Interest of the Liberties and Priviledges of the Churches of Christ here, and of the Civil State, will never be transformed, alienated, and reduced to such an Interest which no sober, godly, wise-hearted Christians will judge worthy their contending for, or worth their standing up in the defence of, or hazarding their Estates and Lives for in the day of triall.

To conclude: The Lord help our Leaders in the Commonwealth, and in the Churches also, not to faint or be discouraged though they meet with opposition, difficulties, and ill requitals from some: Benè facere, & male audire regium est, said Seneca. And a good speech was it of a person famous in his generation, i. e. A man in Publick Place needs two Handkerchiefs about him, viz. the one for his Sweat, the other for the Dirt. They must be laborious, & prepare themselves to pass through evil report, as well as good. And though there be the murmuring and strife of the Congregation in some times of temptation, yet Mo­ses must remember he is a Nursing-father, Numb. 11.12. and Paul as a Nurse must be gentle, [ [...]: respecting sweetness of wisdome, and love, both as to speech and silence] 1 Thess. 2.7. and the Childe must not be thrown away because it is unquiet. Though there be a Storm, yet betray not the Ship; In naufragio (saith Seneca) Rector laudandus quem obruit mare clavum tenentem (cited by Reynolds of Passions, p. 232.) i. e. That Steersman or Master of the Vessel is in­deed to be commended, that will not shrink from duty through fear or Self-interest, &c. though he be wash'd, and raked over and over with the Sea, or whatever the event be. I beseech our Honoured Leaders and Steersmen not to desert us, or the Cause of God im­barqued in the Vessel of this Commonwealth, and of these Chur­ches. You are as David to serve [ [...]] as Rowers under Christ, your own generation by the will of God, Acts 13.36. Let it never be said of you, That you did let go your hold by being false to your Precious Betrustments this way. Yea, should a Wrack come, (which the Lord in mercy prevent) yet also may you so manage your selves, as to be seen to the last Clavum tenentes; serving Jesus Christ faithfully here, according to that Command Psal. 2.11. to all the Rulers of the World, and that without being byassed with a Spirit of Men-pleasing, Temporizing, Humourizing, Faction, Popula­rity, [Page 52] &c. It is by Christ that you Rule, and as you are by him▪ so you are to be for him: and if we All cleave to the Lord, we need not then fear but God will be with us, so that we shall be able with Luther in greatest shakings to sing the Forty sixth Psalm: and though all the Earth should be gathered against this Jerusalem, yet the Lord our God can make it a burdensome stone, and a Cup of trembling, Zech. 12.2, 3. So that when these and those of the Nations shall enquire about the state of such a people, What shall one then answer the Mes­sengers of the Nations? Truly as Isai. 14.32. i. e. That the Lord hath founded this Sion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.