of God, — by virtue whereof, all that ever befalls them shall work for their good. Methinks the hearing of this promise open- ed, should set your souls, and all that is within you a crying out, " O that this were my portion ! Wherever my lot do fall, as to outward things, though in a prison, though in a desert, though on a dunghill, let the lot of my soul lie in this promise, ' The God of peace shall be with you.' " Why brethren, will you take up with god- liness ? You have learned, and received, and heard the word of the Lord, the word of faith, the word of righteousness and holiness ; will you hearken to, will you obey these words? " These things do, and the God of peace shall be with you." O what foolish creatures are we, that ever we should be afraid of religion, — afraid of holiness, — afraid to own, obey, and follow God and his holy ways ! What unreason able fears are these, to those that believe the scriptures? If the scriptures be true, this is the only way, this following God in holiness, to put yourselves out of all dan- ger, to put yourselves into the heart, arms, presence and protection, of the Almighty God of heaven and earth. O that I could persuade you in thither, and there leave you ! If you are once in the Lord's arms, you are safe enough, into whatever hands you fall.
Christians, my business Avhilst I have been with you, hath been to bring you to God, to espouse you to Christ; and you that have already, or will yet, at last, be persuaded to give your consent, and will give me leave to make up the match, I can give you assurance that he will shortly come and make up the marriage ; and must say to you, as Naomi to Ruth, Ruth iii. 12, " Sit still, my daughter, till thou see how the matter will fall ; for the man will not be in rest, till he have finished the thing this day." Sit still. Christians, till you see how matters will fall ; and however they fall, know, your Lord will not be in rest, till he have finished this thing, and brought you home, to be with him where he is. I am now parting from you in this confidence, that, however, after a few days I shall see your faces no more in this world ; yet I shall shortly meet you in the bride-chamber
FAREWELL DISCOURSE ON HIS EJECTION.
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of glory, where we shall ever be with the Lord.
Bi'Ioved in the Lord, I must now leave you, but give me leave ere I go, to deal freely with you, and yet a little further, in the close of my day, this once more to open my heart to you ; and to tell you,
I. What my parting fears.
II. What my parting wishes for you are, which I carry upon my spirit.
I. My parting fears, I go off from you with, are especially these :
1. I am afraid, that there are many of you, upon whom I have bestowed my la- bour in vain ; I am afraid that I have in- Btructed you in vain, exhorted, persuaded, beseeched, and reproved you in vain. It was the apostle's case, and his fear, con- cerning the Galatians, chap. iv. 11. It is my grief, that when I would have no more to speak, but an healing word, a comfort- ing word, I must yet drop down a bitter word on some of you ; that when I would Bpeak only from Mount Gerizzim, I must yet again speak to some from Mount Ebal ; that when I would leave a blessing behind me upon you all, I am like to leave some bound under a curse. It is grievous to me thus to speak, yet for the discharge of my duty, and for your own necessity, bear with me. I am afraid, that whilst I have been preaching to you, of an incorruptible crown, of an everlasting rest, a kingdom of joy and glory, I am afraid there are many of you, that have no part nor lot m this matter, but are still in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity. " If the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost." And are there none among you, from whom this gospel is hid, — hid as to the light of it, — hid .as to the sav- ing power and efficacy of it ? I am afraid there is many a blind eye, many a hard heart, many a spirit still in prison, under the power of their lusts and brutish sensuality : I am afraid there are many such among you ; and are not you afraid so too ? O that you were !
2. I have a greater fear than this ; I am afraid of some of you, that not only all my past labours, but this last will be lost also. Those that stand it out to their last day, do usually stand it out in their last day. Bles-
d be God that there are amongst you,
those over whom my soul Ls comforted, to whom I can speak in the words of the apos- tle, Rom. vi. 17., " God be th.anked, that ye were the servants of sin ; but ye have obeyed from the heart, that form of doctrine that hath been delivered unto you ; and being now made free from sin, you are be- come the servants of righteousness." O that I could thus speak ! O that I could thus rejoice over you all ! But, as the apos- tle said to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. xii. 20., " I fear lest when I come, I shall find you such as I would not." So must I say, with a grieved heart ; I fear, that now I am going,