unfaithful (in too great a 'measure) that speak no more importunately for the saving of men's souls, when we know not whether we shall ever speak to them any more. Is this all that we can say or do in so terrible a case, and in a matter of such weight as men's salvation? The Lord forgive our great insensibility, and awaken us, that we may be fit to waken others. But yet for all this, with grief, we most complain, that our people feel not when we feel, and that they are senseless or asleep when we speak to them as seriously as we can; and that tears and moans do not prevail; but they go home and live as stupid, in an unconverted state, as if all were well with them, and they were not the men we speak to.

Oh! that you knew what a fearful judgment it is to be forsaken of God, because you would have none of him, and to be given up to your hearts' lust, to walk in your own counsels, because you would not hearken to his voice; (Psalm lxxxi. 11-13;) and to have God say, 'Let those wretches be ignorant, and careless, and fleshly and worldly, and filthy still. (Rev. xxii. 11.) Oh! that you knew (but not by experience) what a heavy plague it is to be so forsaken, as to have eyes that see not, or seeing, do not perceive; and to have ears that hear not, or to hear, and not understand; and so to be unconverted and unhealed; (Mark iv. 12;) and to be hardened and condemned by the word, and patience, and mercies, that do soften and save others, and should have saved you. Take heed lest Christ say, 'I have sent them my messenger long enough in vain; from henceforth never fruit grow on them; because they would not be converted, they shall not.' Take heed, lest he take you away from means, and quickly put an end to your opportunities. You see how fast men pass away, but little do you know how many are lamenting that they made no better use of time, and helps, and mercies, while they had them. Oh! hear while you may hear, for it will not be long; read while you may read, and pray while you may pray, and turn while you may turn; and go to your Christian friends and teachers, and inquire of them, what you must do to be saved, before inquiring be too late. Spend the Lord's-day, and what other time you can redeem, in holy preparations for your endless rest, while you have such a happy day to spend, Oh! sleep no longer in your sins, while God stands over you, lest, before you are aware, you awake in hell. Patience and mercy have their ap-' pointed time, and will not always wait and be despised. Oh!

let not your teachers be forced to say, 'We would have taught them publicly and privately, but they would not. We would have catechised the ignorant, and exhorted the negligent, but some of them would not come near us, and others of them gave us but the hearing, and went away such as they came.' If once, by forfeiting the gospel, the teachers whom you slight be taken from you, you may then sin on and take your course, till time, and help, and hope, are past.

The Providence that called me to this work was some warning to you. Though it was a removing of his helper, a pattern of meekness, and godliness, and charity, and he is left the more disconsolate in the prosecution of his work. God hath made him faithful to your souls, and careful for your happiness: he walks before you in humility, and self-denial, and patience, and peaceableness, and inoffensive life; he is willing to teach you publicly and privately in season; he manageth the work of God with prudence and moderation, and yet with zeal; carefully avoiding ungodliness and schism, or the countenancing of either of them. Were he not of eminent wisdom and integrity, his name would not be unspotted in a place where dividers and disputers, papists and quakers, and so many bitter enemies of godliness, do watch for matter of accusation and reproach against the faithful ministers of Christ. As you love the safety and happiness of your city, and of your souls, undervalue not such mercies, nor think it enough to put them off with your commendations and good word; it is not that which they live, and preach, and labour for; but for the conversion, edification, and salvation of your souls. Let them have this or they have nothing, if you should give them all you have. The enemies of the Gospel have no wiser cavil against the painful labourers of the Lord, than to call them hirelings, and blame them for looking after tithes, and great matters in the world. But as among all the faithful ministers of this country, through the great mercy of God, these adversaries are now almost ashamed to open their mouths with an accusation of covetousness, so this your reverend, faithful teacher hath stopped the mouth of all such calumny, as to him. When I invited him from a place of less work, and a competent maintenance, to accept of less than half that maintenance, with a far greater burden of work among you, he never stuck at it, as thinking he might be more serviceable to God, and win that which is better than the riches of this world. And if now you will frustrate his

expectations, and disappoint his labours and hopes of your salvation, it will be easier for Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. Alas! how sad it is to see a faithful minister longing and labouring for men's salvation, and many of them neglect him, and others picking groundless quarrels ; and the proud, unruly, selfish part rebelling, and turning their backs upon their teachers whenever they will not humour them in their own ways, or when they deal but faithfully with their souls! Some, even of those that speak against disobedience, conventicles, and schism, turn away in disdain, if their children may not be needlessly baptised in private houses, and if that solemn ordinance may not be celebrated in a parlour conventicle. How many refuse to come to the minister in private to be instructed or catechised, or to confer with him about their necessary preparation for death and judgment! Is not this the case of many among you? Must not your teachers say he sent to you, and was willing to have done his part, and you refused? Little will ye now believe how heavy this will lie upon you one day, and how dear you shall pay for the causeless grieving and disappointment of your guides. It is not your surliness and passions that will then serve turn to answer God. Nor shall it save you to say, that ministers were of so many minds and ways that you knew not which of them to regard; for it was but one way that God in the holy Scripture did prescribe you; and all faithful ministers were agreed in the things which you reject, and in which you practically differ from them all. What! are we not all agreed that God is to be preferred before the world? and that you must first seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness? and that no man can be saved except he be converted and born again? and that he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his; (Matt. vi. 33; John iii. 3, 5; Matt. xviii. 3; Rom. viii. 9;) and that you and your households should serve the Lord? (Josh. xxiv. 15.) Are we not all agreed that the law of the Lord must be your delight, and that you must meditate in it day and night? (Psalm i. 2, 3 ;) and that you must be constant and fervent in prayer? (1 Thess. v. 17; Luke xviii. 1, &c.;) and that all that name the name of Christ must depart from iniquity; and that if ye live after the flesh ye shall die? (2 Tim. ii. 19; Rom. viii. 13.) You shall find one day that it was you only, and such as you, that practically differed from us in these points; but we differed not in these, or such as these, among ourselves. I never read that a man shall not see God because

he is episcopal, presbyterian, independent, no, nor anabaptist; or because he readeth not his prayers, or such like; but I read that no man shall see God without holiness. (Heb. xii. 14.)

It will not serve your turn, in judgment to say that you were for this side, or that side, and, therefore, you hearkened not to the other side, as long as all those sides agree in the necessity of holiness, which you neglect. Why did you not learn of your own side, at least to forsake your tippling, and swearing, and worldly-mindedness, and to make it the daily trade of your lives to provide for life everlasting, and make sure work in the matter of your salvation? If you had learnt but this much of any side, you would cast away your siding more, and have loved and honoured them that feared the Lord, of what side soever, (Psalm xv. 4,) and have contemned the ungodly as vile persons, though they had been of your side. The Catholic church is one, and containeth all that heartily and practically believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, and live a holy, heavenly life. Leave off your siding, and keep this blessed, simple unity, and you will then be wiser than in a passion to cast yourselves into hell, because some fall out in the way to heaven.

Nor will it serve your turn at the bar of God to talk of the miscarriages or scandals of some that took on them to be godly, no more than to run out of the ark for the sake of Ham, or out of Christ's family for the sake of Judas. Whatever men are, God is just, and will do you no wrong; and you are called to believe in God, and to serve him, and not to believe in men. Nothing but wickedness could so far blind men as to make them think they may cast off their love and service to the Lord, because some others have dishonoured him; or that they may cast away their souls by carelessness, because some others have wounded their souls by particular sins. Do you dislike the sins of professors of godliness? So much the better. We desire you not to agree with them in sinning. Join with them in a holy life, and imitate them so far as they obey the Lord; and go as far beyond them in avoiding the sins that you are offended at as you can; and this it is that we desire. Suppose they were covetous, or liars, or schismatical, imitate them in holy duties, and fly as far from covetousness, lying, and schism, as you will. You have had learned and godly bishops of this city; search

the writings of those of them that have left any of their labours to posterity, and see whether they speak for the same substantials of faith and godliness, which are now preached to you by those that you set so light by. Bishops Latimer, Parrey, Babington, &c., while they were bishops; and Robert Abbot, Hall, &c., before they were bishops, all excellent, learned, godly men, have here been preachers to your ancestors. Read their books, and you will find that they call men to that strictness and holiness of life which you cannot abide. Read your Bishop Babington on the Commandments, and see there how zealously he condemneth the profaners of the Lord's-day, and those that make it a day of idleness or sports. And what if one man think that one bishop should have hundreds of churches under his sole jurisdiction, and another man think that every full parish-church should have a bishop of their own, and that one parish will find him work enough, be he what he will (which is the difference now amongst us,) is this so heinous a disagreement as should frighten you from a holy life, which all agree for?

To conclude, remember, this is the day of your salvation. Ministers are your helpers; Christ and holiness are your way; Scripture is your rule; the godly must be your company; and the communion of saints your desire. If now any scandals, divisions, displeasures, or any seducements of secret or open adversaries of the truth, or temptations of Satan, the world, or flesh whatsoever, shall prevail with you to lose your day, to refuse your mercies, and to neglect Christ and your immortal souls, you are conquered and undone, and your enemy hath his will; and the more confidently and fearlessly you brave it out, the more is your misery, for the harder are your hearts, and the harder is your cure, and the surer and sorer will be your damnation. I have purposely avoided the enticing words of worldly wisdom, and a style that tends to claw your ears, and gain applause with airy wits, and have chosen these familiar words, and deal thus plainly and freely with you, because the greatness of the cause persuaded me I could not be too serious. Whether many of you will read it, and what success it shall have upon them, or how those that read it will take it, I cannot tell; but I know that I intended it for your good; and that whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear, the ministers of Christ must not forbear to do their