Page images
PDF
EPUB

· ftinct, they are like to have but a Dead force L upon Souls.

It is with the Children of our Brains, as of our Bodies; if they are not fanctify'd in the Womb, they rarely come fanctify'd into the World. If we cannot fay, Lord, let me have no Children, rather than that they 'fhould not be thine, we have little ground C to affure our felves, that they will be his. Thus it is with the Iflue of our Minds. If they are Conceiv'd in the Spirit, God will C bring them home to the Souls which he has Loved; there they will find the fame Spirit making way for them and closing in with them, as Tally anfwers to Tally, and they fhall effect the defired Good.

с

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

C But if it be faid does not David complain, I was fhapen in Wickedness, and in Sin hath my Mother Conceived me? Whence then can there be fuch a Holiness of ConC ception, if even fo Holy a Perfon as David had it not in his? It is true, the most Pious C Parents have Humane frailties, and nothing

is perfect on Earth. Who can fay, he hath 'made himself clean? Who can fay his In⚫tention is fo clear that the Eye of God can

[ocr errors]

difcern no spot in it? But this is not expect. 'ed by God from us, who knows whereof we are made. In this cafe he accepts the Defire of perfect fincerity, for perfect fincerity it felf. Humane nature is not free from mixture; But if this mixture be not fo great as to darken the whole,and change the Colour or Property of it, that is, that the main in⚫ tent

<

tent fhou'd be for God's Service and Glory, he graciously overlooks it, and accepts it for perfect, more or lefs, according to the Degrees of this mixture. There will be fome little fallies of felf Complacency, fome little By Thoughts creeping in to glean among God's fheaves, but if they be curb'd as foon 'as Discover'd, and the Intention again fet right, the Work goes on orderly, and God accepts and approves it.

[ocr errors]

To conclude upon the whole. Can I 'think that any thing I do, will be able to do good to Souls, unless God give it his Bleffing? And will he Blefs any thing that is not done. wholly in his Fear, with an Eye continually looking up to him for his Guidance and Direction? Alas! How unhandy Creatures are we in God's Work, how apt to warp afide 'to worldly or felf Ends? It is not every for'wardness of our own to go on with his work, 'which we are to Efteem a call from him: 'The more forward we are many times, the more of felf Ends there is fecretly lurking ' in the Bottom of our Hearts: But if I find my felf at any time filled with a fincere • Zeal for God's Glory, and Pious Affections towards him, I may then go on with his Work, he calls me to it: But if I find at any time the Efteem of Men, and the Plea、 fure or good things of this World to have a confiderable Relish or Guft in my Mind, and by confequence my Heart not fo tenderly Affected towards God (as it will neceffarily follow) then let me not offer to put

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

с

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

my Hand to his Work, I fhall pollute it. And fo if my Bodily Temper unfits me, as God gives me other Work to do, according ' to my Duty in my Station, then he calls me of from his Work by his Providence, and I must meekly fubmit to it, till he thinks fit to give me leave to take it up again. He thinks fit to put this Remora to it, this rub in my way, and knows well why; And I (if ' I rest fatisfy'd in it) fhall have the Pleasure and Glory another day, of knowing the reason too.

And even in the midst of all our Confufions and Dangers in this Kingdom in the Year 1689 Mr. Bennell's Defires of being Employ'd in the Immediate Service of God continu'd the fame as the following Prayer on his Birth Day, November the 14th 1689 will fufficiently fhew.

Thou haft granted me, O my Father, to be Born on that Day, in which thofe Words of thy Dear Son are appointed for the Leffon, • Iame down from Heaven not to do my own Will, but the Will of him that fent me. As if Thou didst delign me this in common with him, to be fent into the World in some kind for thy Work, and on thy Errand; O that I may perform it in fome measure with that Delight and Faithfulness which he did. O Guide my way to it and affift me in it: And let the Business I have fo much long'd for, the fervice of Souis, be the Work of my Life and Joy of my Mind,

Amen.

During the late King James's Reign, Mr. His BehaviBonnell difcharg'd his Office himfelf: And tho' our in King he was one, whom the Party that then rul'd, James's Reign. cou'd never hope to bring into their Interefts; yet fo fully were they convinc'd of his Abilities and Faithfulness, that they never thought of removing him from his Employment: For fuch an openness and Sincerity fhin'd in all his Actions, fuch unfhaken Fidelity was his Rule and Guide, fo known an Enemy was he to Faction and Intrigue; that he was not only free from Blame, but even Sufpicion; and the Enemies of his Religion Reverenc'd his Perfon.

He wanted not his fhare of thofe Apprehenfions, which the state of thefe Kingdoms (and of Ireland in particular) rais'd in the Minds of all true Proteftants; He faw the Clouds gathering, and expected and prepar'd for a Storm: But the Effects which thefe threatning Dangers had upon him, were different from what they produc'd in the generality of Men. For, inftead of being difinay'd at the prospect of them, instead of finking under a load of Fears, and defpairing of Deliverance, he confider'd the true end and great benefit of Judgments; and what need moft Churches have, of being awaken'd by Corretions, who are too apt to be corrupted by Profperity, and lull'd a fleep by a long courfe of Peace and Safety. Therefore Writing to his Friend Mr. Strype, in the Year 1686, he expresses himself thus. The Army is alrea dy chang'd, and God knows what an Effect D 4

[ocr errors]

⚫ an

C

.

[ocr errors]

.

I

an Ecclefiaftical Commiffion might produce in the Church. I find our Church-men expect it. Our Civil Officers depend on the 'King's Pleafure; among the reft, my self. hope there is a happy time coming, of weeding the Church of England, and had rather, if it please God, bear my fhare in Suffering, than that any fcandalous Perfons,fhou'd make it part of their Character, to be of a Church fo truly refembling the Primitive, if it might be made happy with a quickening ? Discipline.

[ocr errors]

All that Reign, his Thoughts were very much employ'd, in arming himself against thofe Dangers which he faw approaching, and preparing for the fevereft Tryals. His Private Papers are full of excellent Prayers and Meditations, proper for a Devout Chriftian in times of Difficulty and Diftrefs. And he feems to have then labour'd more, than at any time of his Life before, to difengage his Affections entirely from this World, and bring his Mind to fuch an Indifferency to it, that he might not be at all folicitous about his Fate here, but still be ready and willing to remove upon the first Summons. It was then his daily work to fortify his Soul, with a noble Faith in God, with true Chriftian Courage and Bravery, and the firmest resolutions of Sacrificing All, even Life it felf, to God and his Duty, fhou'd he be call'd to it.

And that he was thus employ'd, the Two following Meditations (among many others of the fame kind, which might be here Infert· ed)

« PreviousContinue »