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to the fair green grass on the other side, and there they streik and
dry themselves. You will say, What shall we doe? Shall we hear
such a man? Indeed, we cannot well tell. Some may be heard,
and some not. How shall we spend the Sabbath? How shall we
get impositions payed? How shall I state my sufferings upon such
small matters? Can I state on this that I have a scunnering of
heart at such ane thing? It may be it is offensive to the Lord's
people, and it is not for the glory of God, [when I am seeking
such a thing, and whether I may state my sufferings upon
that.1]
Now, I grant these are ticklish things, and neither time nor ability
serves me to goe through them; but it may be after we have been
debaiting among ourselves, in such ane case, tyme and Providence
shall, when it comes nearer, make it appear a far other thing, and
clear enough. Have ye observed the Providence of God? have ye
observed that (blessed and glorious is the Lord) possibly some
would have said not many years since. We will be circumveened
and drawn on to such and such things piece and piece? But if we
be drawn to abjure and quite the Covenant, that is a clear case
not to goe in such a way. Lord be blessed, these who are not
great friends to the work of God, are not alwayes very deep in
their policy. It may be they have deeps and policies in some
respects that we are not aware of; but if they have a deep and a
policie under that, our Lord Jesus hath a deep and a policie under
theirs,2
to discover and overturn that their policie. And for that
question, Whatt shall we
doe?^3
I must give it over, and, therefore,
look unto him, and to the word that you have heard, "Watch
and pray, that you enter not into temptation." And, indeed,
these that labour to reform their heart and life, if there be any
doubt anent some particulars, he will, in his own time, make them
clear. Christians have sundry cases, [that] some goe and doe such
things, and some not; who can help it? It is ane plague that it ia
soe; it hath been the plague of the Church thir many years. However,
this may easily be maintained — A man takes such things to
**************
1
MS. vol. xxvii.
2
Under their deep.
3
Ye shall do.
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be his master's instructions, (he is mistaken,) he thinks his master
bids him obey, and so he doeth, and therupon goes to suffering.
What if he lose his head? I think that man will get his master's
approbation, if he be not a pertinacious, violent, and headstrong
man, that desyres to be singular; but a man that comes and falls
on his face before God, and prayes. Lord, I think this thy will; if
it be not, reveall it to me, and I shall follow it; but if it be, assist
me in maintaining of it: for materially, virtually, and eminently,
he obeyes his master when he obeyes the light of his own conscience,
as far as he can attain to a clearness in
it.1
We have been labouring among you these
fourteen2
years, and have that conviction we have not taken
the3 pains,
in privat or publick, as we ought [to have done;] yet in some sort we hope
we may say it without pride, we have not
sought4
yours, but you. We cared not to be rich and great in this world.
To our knowledge we have not wronged [nor oppressed] any of you. In as
far as we have given offence, less or more, to [any of] this congregation,
or any that have interest in it, [or any round about it,] or
any that are here present, or any of the people of God
elsewhere,5
we here crave God's pardon, and crave also your forgiveness, in
as far as in any way we have grieved you or weakened you. We
cannot tell, if the Lord see it
good,6
he may continue our liberty
with us for a while; [and] if not, there are some here may say
that in the same quarrell now about thirty years agoe, we endured
somewhat, and a very Htle it was, but yet it was the loss of our
**************
1
A man taks such a thing to be his maister's instructiouns to command or
to forbear such a thing. Now [though] the thing be in some respect unlawfull,
yet may he be brought to suffer and losse his head in the defence of it, and may
be accepted of his master for all that, provyding he be not pertinatious and singular,
and glory in a kynd of self-suffering, as sum may have that humour.
But and a man can fall doun upon his knees on his face before God, and say,
Now, O Lord, I desyre in this to know thy will, and thus it is revealed unto
me, and I desyre to follow it. Well, though he sould be mistaken, yet materially,
virtually, &c.— (Vol. xxvii. of Wod. MSS.)
2
Severall.
3
"That."
4
Been seeking.
4
Any of his people that are absent.
4
We cannot tell but the Lord may, if he see it good.
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