travelled in the cold; frost and snow are friends to the seed, though they are enemies to the flower. Adversity indeed is contrary to glory, but it befriendeth grace. Plutarch tells us, that when Cæsar passed by a smoky, nasty village, at the foot of the Alps, some of his commanders merrily asked him, whether there was such a stir for commands, and dignities, and honours among those cottages, as there was at Rome? The answer is easy. Do you think that an Antony, a Mark, a Jerome, or such other of the ancient retired Christians, were not wiser and happier men than a Nero or a Caligula, yea, or a Julius or Augustus Cæsar? Is it a desirable thing to be a lord or ruler, before we turn to common earth; and as Marius that was one day made emperor, and reigned the next, and was slain by a soldier the next; so to be worshipped to-day, and laid in the dust if not in hell, to-morrow? It was the saying of the emperor Severus, 'Omnia fui, sed nihil expedit;' and of king David, “I have seen an end of all perfection." O value these things but as they deserve! Speak impartially; are not those that are striving to get up the ladder, foolish and ridiculous, when those that are at the top, have attained but danger, trouble and envy; and those that fall down are accounted miserable?

There are more draughts of poison given in golden than in earthen vessels, saith the poet. The Scythian, therefore, was no fool, who, when the emperor Mich. Paleologus sent him precious ornaments and jewels, asked what they were good for; whether they would preserve him from calamity, sickness or death; and sent them home when he heard they were of no more use. You desire not the biggest shoes or clothes, but the meetest; so do by your dignity and estate. As you must ask your daily bread, so must you desire no more; neither poverty, nor riches, but convenient food; yet so as to learn to abound and to want, and in every state to be content: bearing riches and dignity if cast upon you, without seeking; but not desiring or gaping after them, nor glorying in them; undergoing them as a burden with patience and self-denial, and carefully using all for God; but neither desiring nor using them for carnal self. "They that

will be rich (or great) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition: for the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows;" 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.

Remember where you begun, and where you must end. Naked you came into the world, and naked you must return to dust. You brought no riches hither, and none shall you take hence, unless you learn the blessed art of making friends of the unrighteous mammon, and laying up a good foundation against the time to come, and laying up a treasure in heaven, by the right improvement of your present mercies. Though our life be not circular, but progressive, the end, as to our naturals, is more like to the beginning than to the middle. If we die not children, yet more like to children then we live. It is sad that the height and perfection of our age should be the height of our folly; and that childhood and retired age should be least entangled with these vanities. And it is a lamentable stupidity that alloweth self so confidently to play its game, so near eternity, where one would think the noise of damned souls, and the triumphant joys of blessed saints, that passed to rest by the way of selfdenial, should mar the sport, and turn their pride into shame and trembling; and the great things of mortality that are even at hand, should drown the noise of pomp and pleasure, and make the greatness of this world appear an inconsiderable thing. The Lord grant that you be no less humble, and heavenly, and true to Christ, and above this world, than when you and I had our first familiar converse, (and sure by this time you should be much better). It is said of Agathocles, king of Sicily, that having been a potter's son, he would always have together, earthen and golden vessels at his table, to remember him of his original. You tread on earth, and bear about you such evidences of your frailty, as serve to tell you whence your flesh is, and whither it is going, and how it should be used now. Remember also your spiritual new birth, by what seed you were begotten, and by what milk you were nourished, and see that you degenerate not, and do nothing unworthy that noble birth, and the heavenly nature then received.

II. And remember that self-denial is never right, unless

it be caused by the love of God; and as you deny yourself so you entirely and unreservedly devote yourself to him To this end I crave your observation of these few unquestionable precepts.

1. Take heed of unbelief, and dread all temptations tending to it, and live by that faith which maketh absent things to be to you as present, and things unseen, as if they were seen. When heaven once loseth its interest in the soul, the world may play 'rex,' and delude and destroy us at its plea

sure.

2. Take heed of all intrusions of selfishness: especially overvalue not your own understanding in the things of God. Draw not a great picture of a little man. Be not easily drawn to contemn the judgments of those that have searched the holy Scriptures, with equal diligence and humility, and with much more advantages of retiredness, and time, and helps, than you.

3. Take heed of engaging your hand, or tongue, or secret thoughts, against the faithful ministers of Christ; but further the work of Christ in their hands with all your power. I am no prophet, but yet presume to say, that if the reproaches of a faithful ministry in England be purged away without some dreadful judgment of God on the apostate reproachers, or else a desertion of the nation, by a removal of our glory, I shall wonder at the patience and forbearance of the Lord. It is a dreadful observation, to see so much of the spirit of malignity possessing those that once said they fought against malignants. And that the ministers and servants of the Lord, are railed at by many of them, as formerly they were by the worst of those that their hands destroyed; and with this dreadful aggravation, that then it was but some that were reviled, and now with many it is all: then it was under the name of Puritans and Roundheads, and now it is openly as ministers, under the name of priests, and blackcoats, and presbyters, and pulpiteers. What have these souls done, that they are so far forsaken by the Lord? The Judge of all the world is at the door, that will plead his servants' cause in righteousness. It is hard kicking against the pricks. He that despiseth, despiseth not men, but God. Persecution under pretence of liberty, is heightened with hypocrisy, and is one of the greatest sins in the world. But men are not catched in spiders' webs, though flies are: our

Lord will make us a way to escape, Persecution never conquered Christ; and because he lives, we shall live also. Here is the faith and patience of the saints.

I know that malice wants not words to cloak their iniquity: he that hath will and power to do hurt, hath so much wit as to pretend some reason for it: though I think that malice did never walk more nakedly, since the primitive persecutions, than it doth in England at this day. Their principles and profound contrivances they can hide, but their malignity goes stark naked, and is almost grown past shame. They talk against mercenary ministers as if they had never read 1 Cor.ix., Mal. iii., and such fother Scriptures; or as if they envied food and raiment to them that watch and labour for their souls, to whom they are commanded to give. double honour (1 Tim. v. 17.), when they envy not provender to their horses, nor fodder to their labouring ox, nor the crumbs to their very dogs'. But the matter is, that their wit is too scant and narrow for their malice; and therefore the Popish and malignant enemies have no fairer pretence to cast out the ministry, than by this engaging the covetousness of the ignorant and ungodly sort against them. They talk of our want of a just call; but what is it in point of calling that is wanting? Abilities say some, succession say others, miracles say others; and indeed it is what the interest of selfish men doth dictate to the accusers. O that they would tell us what is the due call; and where is the ministry on earth that hath it, if we have it not? If they would have all laid by that work not miracles, we may see what they would have done to the church. If we are not what they would have us be, and do not what they would have us do, why do they not come in charity and meekness, and shew us the course that we should take? If we are fools, or beside ourselves, it is for them. The God whom we serve, that will shortly judge us, is our witness, that we have chosen the calling that we are in, for their salvation and for his glory; and that we labour in it in season and out of season to please Christ, and to profit them, rather than to please or accommodate our flesh. You brought me into the ministry; I am confident you know to what ends, and with what intentions I desired it: I was then very ignorant, young and raw :

The Quakers and other self-esteemers are never the more reconciled to us, now we have been eleven years turned out of all.

though my weakness be yet such as I must lament, I must say, to the praise of the great Shepherd of the flock, that he hath since then afforded me precious opportunities, much assistance, and as much encouragement as to any man that I know alive. You know my education and initial weakness was such, as forbiddeth me to glory in the flesh: but I will not rob God of his glory, to avoid the appearance of ostentation, lest I be proud of seeming not to be proud. I doubt not but many thousand souls will thank you, when they have read that you were the man that led me into the ministry. And shall I entertain a suspicion that you will ever hearken to those men that would rob you of the reward of many such works, and engage you against the King of saints? Is it gain, or ease, or worldly advantages that continueth me in the work? Let me speak as a fool, seeing it is for the Lord, in imitation of Paul, that was no fool. Was I not capable of secular and military advancement as well as others that are grown great? Did I ever solicit you so much as for my arrears (which is many hundred pounds)? You could scarce do the thing that would gratify my flesh more, than to silence and depose me from the ministry. Might I consult with the flesh, I should be more against my own employment than many of my enemies are. Did I but turn physician I could get more worldly wealth, and my patients would not be so froward, and quarrelsome, and unthankful as most ministers find their carnal auditors to be. When men come to me for physic for their bodies how submissive are they and how they entreat, and what thanks after will they return! But when we would help their souls, what cavils, and quarrels, and unthankful obstinacy do we meet with! We must be much beholden to them to accept our help, and all will not serve turn. My patients that have bodily diseases will pay me if I would take it; but if by giving them twice as much as I receive, I could satisfy and further the case of diseased souls, how joyful should I be ! And must we deny ourselves and all things in the world for our peoples' sake, and after all be reproached, as if we were a mercenary generation and sought ourselves? O how will God confound this ingratitude when he comes to judge!

Something they might say if the ministers of England had the provision of the French and other Popish clergy. (I will not presume to compare now our calling, fidelity and