Kneeling to GOD, At Parting with Friends: OR THE FRATERNAL Intercessory CRY Of Faith & Love:  
Setting forth and Recom●en●●●● the Primitive Mode of taking Leave  
By I Danforth, Pastor of the Church of CHRIST in Dorchester.  1 These 5.25. Brethrens Pray for Us. Col. 1.9. We— do not cease to Pray for You. 1 Sam. 12.23. Moreover, as for Me, GOD forbidden that I should SIN against the LORD, in CEASING to Pray for You, etc. 
Boston, Printed by B. Green, & J. Allen. Sold by S. Phillip's, at the Brick Shop 1697.   

The Dedication.  
TO THE RELIGIOUS, CAN DID, AND FAVOURABLE ACCEPTANCE, AND PATRONAGE OF THE VERY HONORABL● WILLIAM STOUGHTON, ESQUIRE, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF etc.  
AS ALSO, OF THE HONORABL● ●●OMAS DANFORTH, Esq. ●NE OF THE CHIEF JUDGES & ● AND OF THE REST OF HIS MAJESTY'S HONOURABLE JUDGES COUNSELLORS, AND JUSTICE'S, IN THIS PROVINCE: A● ALSO, OF HIS FATHERS, AN● BRETHRENS, IN CHRIST I●SVS, THE REVEREND MINISTER'S OF THE GOSPEL, I THE CHURCHES IN NEW-ENGLAND: AND LIKEWISE, OF ●THER LIVING AND LATELY SIGNALISED INSTANCES, YEA PATTERNS, OF A TRUE, GENEROUS, PUBLIC SPIRIT, THAT HAVE ALSO APPEARED, AND ARE YET TO BE FOUND, AMONG OUR WORTHY MERCHANTS, GENTLEMEN, AND OTHER CHRISTIANS; [WHOSE ZEALOUS OBLATIONS OF PRAYERS, CARES, PAINS, COUNTENANCE, AND INFLUENCE, UNTO THE SPREADING OF THE GOSPEL, AND ENLARGEMENT OF THE KINGDOM O● CHRIST; AND OF ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE, TO SOME GODLY PREACHERS, IN SOME POORER PLACES, IS GO UP FOR A MEMORIAL BEFORE GOD;] THE UNWORTHY AUTHOR [A SENSIBLE AND DUTIFUL OBSERVER OF THE WORTHY DEEDS, THAT THE SOVEREIGN, AND EFFECTUAL GRACE OF GOD, HATH ENABLED YOU TO do, BOTH FOR GOD, AND FOR HIS HOUSE; BEING BY THE CALI OF THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE UPON A SUBJECT, THAT CALI S● FOR SUCH PATRONS, AS STAND NEAREST TO HIS THRONE OF GRACE.; AND BEING BROUGHT UPON THE PUBLIC STAGE, IN A DIFFICULT TIME, BY UNGAINSAYABLE IMPORTUNITY;] HUMBLY, AND PROPERLY, RECOMMENDS AND DEDICATES THE FOLLOWING MEMORIAL FOR PRAYER.   

Licenced by AUTHORITY.   

Published by T. Tilestone, Senior H. Leadbetter, N. Clap Senior, W Pra● D Preston, N. Glover; and Diver Others. Anno Dom. MDCXCVII.   

Kneeling to GOD at Parting with Friends  ACTS 21.4, 5, 6. And finding Disciples, we tarried there seve● days, Who said to Paul, through the Spirit that be should not go up to Jerusalem. An● when We had accomplished those days, w● departed, and went our Way, and They a● brought us on our Way, with Wives and Children, till we were out of the City: And 〈◊〉 KNEELED DOWN ON TH● SHORE AND PRAYED. And wh● We had taken our Leave, one of another W● took Ship, and They returned home again 
Honourable, Reverend & Beloved in our Lord jesus Christ.  
A Great part of Sacred Scripture i● Historical: Not part Unprofitable P●ecepta D cent; Exempla Movent Examples are Powerful Preachers The barrenest Ground in Scripture bears the richest Ours; Nor can a Child of GOD fall into such a Case or Strait, as for a plentiful Relief whereof, this wondered Treasury and Storehouse is unprovided; So Adorable is the Fullness of the Scriptures.  
To make an Experiment hereof, I have produced this Text at this Time, when we are upon taking our Leave of sundry of our dear Brethrens, Ministers and other Christians, now ready to departed from us, unto divers Places, upon the Service of the Kingdom of CHRIST; Nor am I altogether without hope, that it may prove a Word in Season, and useful, at lest, to instruct us in some considerable part of our present Duty; although between our Case, and the Case in the Text, in some particulars, there be no Comparison, or Parallel.  
Our Text is a small Paragraph of the History of Paul's Adventures: He had been a Persecutor, Acts 9 1. but now is a Propagator of the Gospel: and through Sovereign Goodness He is chosen and made a First Rate Vessel to bear Christ's Name before the Gentiles far and near. Yet Rectoral Paternal Holiness will show Him how great things he must suffer, himself, not from Others only, but from Christians also, whom He had made before the Subjects of Sufferings. 'Twas not enough that an Uncomfortable Contention had parte● Him, and his Com●ortable Companion, Barnabas, that Son of Consolation, [Acts 13.1, 2. & 15.39, 40.] But, when, after a large Circuit, (being called by the Spirit from one place to another) He is now bound, in the Spirit, to go to Jerusalem, (Acts 20.16, 22, 23.) Behold! the Disciples at Tyre, said to Paul, by the Spirit, that He should not go up unto Jerusalem. What a perplexing exercise was this to the mind of Paul! And doth the Spirit indeed first Bid, and than Forbidden? Doth he say one thing at Miletum, and another thing at Tyre? I suppose it not: But that when the Holy Spirit certified Them of the Bonds and Afflictions which Paul must endure at Jerusalem, [as He had beforehand, and did afterwards also certify Paul and other Saints of the same, Acts 20.23: & 21.11.] than the Disciples at Tyre did [as did the Disciples at Caesarea, Acts 21.12.] by their own Spirits endeavour to dissuade Him from this Adventure. Thus, as our Blessed LORD Suffered affliction from the irregular fondness of Peter. Mat. 16 22, 23. So Paul suffers no small perplexity from his Christian Friends, who having a clearer sight and discerning of his Danger, than of his Duty, and knowing but in part, did very ill to entangle the Sacred Text of the SPIRIT, with their ignorant and fallible, though well meant Commentaries.  
Our Text shows us the Renowned Apostle of the Gentiles at the famous Seaport City of Tyre: And in this short History, we may Consider,  
[1.] His Arrival at Tyre: Amplified with the Narrative of some Rarities that He met with there: [And finding Disciples The best of men in the worst of places; Lo the good Seed, long since sprinkled upon th● Tyrians by the LORD Jesus, is sprung up unto a comfortable Harvest: Disciples that cannot found out one another, nor consort together have Shipwreckt and lost one most noble faculty and property of Disciples of CHRIST.  
[2] His Continuance there. He stays lon● enough to enjoy one Sabbath with them: Hi● other Work would allow not more; Thei● Desires could be satisfied with no lesle: Whe● the Spirit urgeth to hasten to Jerusalem, Pa● can't be content to linger at Tyre.  
[3] His Departure thence: Illustrated.  
[1] From the Aversion of the Tyrians, o● account of the Suffering which the Holy Spirit had showed them that Paul would be exposed to at Jerusalem. [They said to him, by th● Spirit, that He should not go up to Jerusa●em [that is] except he would hazard his Life. An Elliptical Expression; Bu●, to be interpreted by Clauses, in this History of Paul's Travels, preceding and following it; as other Elliptical Sentences (of which both Testaments have good store) usually are: so 1 Sam. 23.12 They will deliver thee up; it is to be understood, with a Subauditur, [If thou continuest there.] Gen. 30.27. I pray Thee: his meaning is; I pray thee, Tarry with me. Psal. 109.4. I prayer, Our Translation reads it with a supply of the Verb, I give myself unto Prayer. So in many other places.  
[2] From the Resolution of blessed Paul and his Companions, manifested by the Effect of it; (And we Departed.)  
[3] From the Admirable Concession, Submission and Condescension of those Exemplary Christians manifested in their most affectionate and encouraging Attendance and Assistance afforded to the Apostle, all along his way through the City, and until he went Aboard the Ship [They all brought us on our way, with Wives and Children, till we were out of the City.] Thus,  
¶ When our Brethrens see their Call clear, to adventure upon any hazardous Designs for the Gospel; 'Tis but a Christian Duty to further them, and help them, in the best way we can: Yea, suppose some particular Erterprises, upon which they are resolvedly, and by Advice of many, bound forth, and their Removals, on the account thereof, may not be, at the present, perfectly in all points agreeable to the opinion and inclination even of some of their Brethrens that have the Spirit of God; yet All that have the Spirit of God, Men, Women and Children, will, and aught unanimously to strengthen their Hearts and Hands in their God, & to promote the Work of the Lord that is under their Hands.  
[4] It is illustrated and set forth by their Prayers at Parting. [And we kneeled down on the Shore, and Prayed, etc.] Behold! the very place where, and Posture wherein they made their Applications to the Great God of the Sea, and of the Dry Land, taken notice of by the Holy Ghost, and put upon Everlasting Record▪ Verily, now, unto the Believer that Realizeth the Omnipresence of the LORD, all the World is God's House, and every Place as an House of Prayer, a Temple for Spiritual Worship. And in every Place, if his Heart hath but a Sacrifice ready, he hath a Glorious Sanctifying Altar at Hand, and a GOD too, that hath respect to Him and to His Offering His humble Heart is not nice or squeamish at all about the place, and he can Kneel on the Sand, as well as Stand in the Temple, before the Lord his Maker. He knows, God looks for outward Profession, as well as inward Subjection, a●d Devotion; outward signs, as well a● inward sense; the KNEE as well as th● HEART; and by the Mercies of God, H● is engaged to present his Body, together with his Soul and Spirit, an Holy Sacrifice to the Lord Rom. 12.1.  
But from their Affectionate and Devout Prayers at their last Parting, we may gather his DOCTRINE.  

¶ That the very best thing that Disciples of Christ, at taking leave one of another, can do one for another, is to turn their Cases into Prayers.  
I shall endeavour by the Lords Help, to demonstrate this Doctrine from these three Considerations  
1. That 'tis the best we can do, in that it is most highly Lawful, and always possible and practicable.  
2 In that it is as Needful as Lawful.  
3. In that it is the most powerful and successful of any thing that we can do.  
First of all, It is most Lawful and Possible. We have Precept, Promise' and Example to convince us, that we may Lawfully as well as Possibly turn one another's Cases into Prayers. I exhort saith Paul, by the Spirit, 1 Tim 2.1. that Intercessions be made for all men, [He intends not the Damned, nor such as have Sinned against the Holy Ghost:] All men that Christ Offers His Blood and Benefits unto, we aught to offer our Prayers for them; see verse 4, & 8. But especially, we may and must Pray, with and for the Brethrens. Jam. 5. 14, 16. Pray one for another. Although 〈◊〉 are unworthy of liberty to make Petition fo● ourselves, yet the Grace of God allows, y● enjoins us to put in requests for others also Moses, and Samuel, and Daniel, may speak good word for all Israel: & the Debt of Lo● to Jerusalem is to be discharged in the lawful and current Coin of Prayers. Psal. 122 6 Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, They sha● prospero that Love Herald If we are for Examples; Look we to our Father Abraham, Th● first thoughts of Parting with his Son, are fu● of Prayer; Oh! that he may Live in Th● Sight. Gen. 17.18. Isaac and Jacob part wit● Prayers. Gen. 28.3, 4, 5. So Israel and H● Sons. Gen. 43.14. God Almighty give y●● mercy. So Job and his Friends part friendly with Prayers and Sacrifices offered up at thei● Parting. Job 42 8, 9 And this was Pau● Custom. The Shore of Miletum was Sanct●fyed with his Knees and Tears, before th● Shore of Tyre was; The Elders of Ephes● being Witnesses; whom, at parting, as a choice part of his dear Charge, He Surrendered an● Commended, unto the Tuition of Heave● Not expecting to see them or do for than any more, upon the Earth. Acts 20.32, 36 38. But Our Lord Jesus is an Example without Exception: And we have His Farewel Prayer in the 17th Chap. of John as well a● His Farewell Sermon in the foregoing Chapters; Moreover, unto the Warranty of His own Pattern and Precept He hath graciously added ●he further Encouragements of His Promises, That He will even Pardon our Sins to us in answer to our Prayers one for another, 1 John ●. 16. Yea, that if we join together in desiring and requesting of Him, any thing whatsoever, that it shall be done for us by His Father which is in Heaven, Mat. 18.19, 20.  
Thus we have proved, that this Way is ●ighly warrantable; and very Possible and practicable also; for Ab Esse ad Posse, valet ●onsequentia, That that hath actually been one, is possible to be done; Coelius [lib. 20. ●ap. 25] Relates, that when Themistocles, ●pon a severe demand of Monies from the inhabitants of Andrios, told them that he brought. too Gods with him unto them, viz. Persuasion ●nd Force: They replied, that they had two ●reat Gods among themselves, that hindered ●hem, to wit, Poverty, and Impossibility. But ●s to the case in hand, the Saints are delivered ●●om them both. But 'tis the best we can do, ●or (1) 'Tis All that we can do, many ●mes (2) It may Always be done. 'Tis (1) Only, (2.) Constantly Possible. True Christians, Disciples, do belong to Christ; Now ●ad they not the Spirit of Christ, they were ●one of His. Rom. 8.9. They have therefore His Spirit, and He teacheth and helpeth them to Pray, Rom. 8.15, 26. And there is no Choose Vessel but upon his Conversion, it may be said, Behold he prays. Acts 9.11. If Nathanael be an Israelite indeed, Christ hat●, seen him Kneeling under the Figtree. John 1.47, 48. And in Prayer Jacob gets the name of Israel. Gen. 32.28. This therefore they can do for their Brethrens, they can Pray for them, to the LORD; and many times they can do nothing else for them; their Wit, Strength, Purse, can't reach to Help them. The swelling Ocean may swallow up, or Enemies sink them, or Sickness make an end of them long before we can hear of it, or reach them Help with our other Talents: But now, so long as they do but keep within the compass of THIS World, let them go as far as ever they can, they can never get out of the reach of Prayer. Would we have frequent Intelligence of their Welfare, we may in a New and Living way, draw near to Him, that is always near to them, and have it: Hannah's Son Samuel was very Remote, when she had her first satisfactory Intelligence concerning him, after which her face was not more sad 1 Sam. 1 11, 17, 18. Nor was that the only case wherein Prayer hath condescended to become an Informer. Many Holy men of God in late● Times, and some of them in New-England 〈◊〉 have obtained upon their Knees, happy Tidings from Remote Countries, and strange Assurances of things to come. They perceived well the Information, beholding no Informer, but Prayer in Faith. King Edward the Sixth ask news concerning one, that he highly Respected, was told, that there was no hope of his Life; but he instantly replied, that he was well assured he would recover, for he had that morning begged his Life of God: and he recovered accordingly. Daniel indeed had swift Information from an Angel, but it was obtained by Prayer. Dan 9.21, 22. Are some of our dear Brethrens Removing to a great and wide Distance from us, of many hundreds of miles; yet I do not see what should hinder, but that, if the fault be not our own, we and they may daily meet at the same Throne of Grace, and interchange some comfortable Intelligence. Why should we not trust Faith in Prayer, when it hath been making Friends with God's Name and Promise' for Information? [Luk 16.7, 8] What though the Holy SPIRIT do more rarely afford the strong Plead of Faith, & mighty Assurances of particular Audience, as to outward Specialties of People and Cases, (notwithstanding 'tis not Enthysiastical to say, tha● the LORD is not want, powerfully to bear in such persuasions of Audience af●er strong Cries, where he means to deny the Request,) yet could we not double the Cape o● Good Hope, although they were beyond Hercules Pillars? And when the Wings of Faith & Prayer have mounted our Souls to the top o● the Promontory of Sacred and Surest Prospect, I mean the Promise, without doubt, the Eye o● Hope, will have a mighty advantage for the making of its most unashaming and most comfortable Observations. Truly, if the means used, have a kindly operation, 'tis a promising sign, to a sick Patient. And if the Decree hav● joined fervent Prayers and gracious Answers together, as the appointed means to the appointed and desired End, woe be to that Unbelief, that shall put them asunder. I remember, when (Attending on the College) I had been absent long from my nearest Relations, That HONOURABLE PERSON, (with whom I Sojourned divers years, & from whom I myself, [as well as others, alike devoted to, and in Education for the Service of the Sanctuary] received much of the kindness of GOD, which the LORD of His Grace, reward with Everlasting Kindness;) He was pleased to ask me, whether my Friends at Home were in good Health or no? And when I answered, that I could not tell; he seemed to wonder at it, enquiring whether I had not, that morning been fervent in Prayers of Faith on their behalf: signifying further, that although other ways of Intelligence were shut up, yet some comfortable satisfaction concerning them, might be obtained in such a way; Oh! may we All now prove the Experiment by that Excellent man of Prayer, suggested seasonably unto One! We shall neither mistake the Paradox, nor miss of the Consolation: May our Spiritual Experience, be but the Interpreter. This is indeed considerable, but this is not All; For we may Save their Lives, and Assist their Glorious Design, by our Prayers on their behalf: Luther so●ke it by Experience, Est quaedam Praecum Omnipotentia: Nothing is too hard for the Prayer of Faith: Jobs Prayers were able to break the Ice, to clear the Passage for his three Friends: Job 42.1— 8. Who can tell or think how much Good that man may do, for his Absent Friend, that is himself an honest Favourite with an Earthly Prince, and that is unweariedly improving all Opportunitles for his Friend's advantage? Brethrens! we also may help our Brethrens, if we bestir ourselves to take hold on God for them in this way of Prayer. And as often 'tis the only thing, so always, it is the most constant thing that we can do, one for another: If other help may seldom reach them, (yet by the Assistance of the Spirit of God) we may afford them the Help of Prayer every day, and often in a Day. Thus did Paul to the Saints in Rome. Rom. 1.9. God is my witness whom 〈◊〉 Serve in the Gospel of His Son, with my ver● Spirit, that without ceasing I make mention o● you always in my prayers; And thus also t● Philemon, Phil verse 4 I thank my GOD, making mention of thee always in my prayers: An● I verily believe that those Holy People foun● the benefit of Paul's Prayers every Day. Thu● 'tis Best, because most Lawful and Possible.  
Secondly: Because it is as Needful a Lawful, that Parting or Parted Disciple should turn their several Cases into Prayer● Such as stay at Home have Need to Pray 〈◊〉 Them that go abroad: Yea, a necessity l●et on them; and Woe unto Them if they d● it not: They cannot Prove the Sincerity o● their Obedience to God, or Love to the Saints or obtain any comfortable Token and Evidenc● of their own future Prosperi●●, that do not Pray for their Brethrens, who make a part of th● Church; in Praying for whom, they Pray f● the Peace of Jerusa●●m, Psal 122 6. And suppos●, their Brothers should miscarry through the weakness or for the want of their Prayers, what horrib e Gui●t will avoidable b● incurred. And they need O●e an●the● Prayers, in that, The Divine Order ha●h 〈◊〉 Linked Men together, as that the one (●und● Heaven) must be beholden to (because, dependant on) the other, for Preservation: None but a Cain will make it a Question, Am I my Brother's Keeper? How often doth the Lord permit the Devil to execute the Curses of Witches on their Neighbours, although, blessed be GOD, Balaam cannot Curse, nor yet Satan Execute when and where they sometimes could rejoice to do it. Micah 6 5. How often doth the Lord fulfil the Blessings of the Saints? They that are blessed of the Godly man, shall inherit the Earth: Psal. 37.22. 'Tis Promised, that, One day, the Saints shall be enthroned as Coz ss●●s with the Lord J●sus Christ, to Judge the World; And verily He seems loathe to do any great thing without their Suffrage now: They Bless and than He Blesses Jobs Friends must be beholding to Jobs Prayers for their acceptance with the Lord, as hath been s●id. And Abimeleck to Abraham's, Gen. 20.7. [He sha●l Pray for the●, and thou shalt Live] Andrea Peter to the Church's Prayers Acts 12 5, 12. And Paul to Philemon's Prayers, Philem. v. 22. And to the Prayers of Others.  
And the Benedictory Op●ions of such Saints as stand near the Gate of Heaven, have been allowed by the Lord, to have a more peculiar hand in the Distribution of Divine Benefits. As E●ijah's to E ●sha 2 King 2 9 E ●sha's to King Jo●s●; 2 King. 13.17. So Isaac's to Jacob of Old; Gen. 28. 1, 3. Jacobs to His Sons, Gen. 49.1. And Moses' to Israel Deut. 33.1. Yet Our own Single Prayers for ourselves, have not so great and extensive an Efficacy as the Prayers of Many others for us may have, in which more Grace is Exercised, by more Subjects, the Lord being also more Glorified when after the Prayers, He receives the Praises, not of One but of Many Saints, for the Mercys which He hath bestowed.  
But more particularly to accommodate this Article to the Case of our now Parting Brethrens. It will evidently appear that Our joint Prayers are Needful for them, if we duly weigh ●hese following Considerations. As Namely:  
[1.] Our Prayers are Needful to them, in regard of Those by Whom they are sent forth upon the Work of the Lord, and Whom they are departing from: They are of Us: We and They are of One People of God; They and we are likely to stand and fall together. Now, One Achan may trouble all Israel. A man not long since in a Neighbouring Colony had one Leg cut of: and when, in another Room, the Surgeons slashed the Leg that was cut of, to make a more perfect discovery, The poor man felt the Pains of the Gashes, and Roared dreadfully for Anguish, until they left of: Even so, If it should far ill with them, we should Cry out, and if we should Desert them an● Sin in Ceasing to Pray for them, they woul● feel it bitterly. Brethrens! Our Sins, are their Danger, and our Holy Devotion, may concur and conduce, not a little to their Safety and Prosperity. It may far with the Host Abroad, even as the People that sand them do demean themselves at Home: Hence the Lord gives a strict Caution, Deut. 23.9. When thine Host goeth forth— than keep thee from every Wicked thing Some Parents have had so strange a Sympathy with their Children, many Scores yea Hundreds of Miles distant from them; and some Veruous Wives, with their Husbands; as that no considerable danger or distress hath happened to their Husbands or Children, but they have been distressed and in Agonies themselves, with a strange fear on their Spirits, concerning their Relations, that were in distress at the same Moment's of Time. Some such Instances are recorded in faithful History, and more are ready at hand to be produced. Even so our Prayerlessness, as it will Endanger ourselves ●nd State, so we may fear, they, that may ●e Abroad, may Feel it and Rue it.  
They therefore have no small Need, that we duly seek the Lord on their behalf. There were some of whom the Apostle John Writes, 1 Joh. 2.19. They went out from us, but they were not of us: But of these our Beloved Brethrens, it will rather be spoken, They were of us and went, as they were sent forth by us, 2 Cor. 8.23 All Extraordinary Calling unto the Service of the Kingdom of Christ, was not so immediately from God, as ever, to exclude the Ministry of Man; as appears in the History o● the Calling of Elizeus and Mathias. Wickliff, Luther, Zwinglius, and other Reformers an● Restorers of the Church, were neither Prophets, Apostles, nor Evangelists, to speak properly▪ but having received singular Gifts from God, such as the Lord saw His Church stood i● need of, and living in the time when all goo● Order was disturbed and so being Necessitated and Spirited, to act some things beside and beyond the Common Order; their Action and Successes somewhat, though but a littl● resembling what was performed by Prophet and Apostles of old; therefore we found them by some Godly Writers Metonimically calle● Extraordinary and Apostolical Ministers o● the Church of God: Truly they had tom● Uncommon Seals set unto their Ministry, bu● neither were Miracles necessary to attend The● Ministry, nor yet the Ministry of all such o● old as had a Proper Extraordinary Calling, a● the Examples of many Old Testament Prophets and of John the Baptist do show. And although the Church Militant, is now without the Apostles Cares to spread and Propagate the Gospel, all over the World; Yet it is not the will of Christ, that that Work should ●all to the Ground: But as there is an Ordinary Ministry, which hath its whole Direction ●rom the will of God revealed in the Scriptures, and from those Media which God hath appointed in His Church, and deriving Power ●f administering Divine things alone immediately from God, though their Call is by man, from ●he Lord, who also (not without good Education ●y men for the most part) hath qualified ●nd fitted them for their Calling: I say, as ●here is such a Ministry for the building up of ●●e Church Catholic in the several similary Visible particular Parts of it, viz. Particular congregational Churches, so there is an Incumbency of Duty on this Ministry and these church's to expend and bestow both Prayers and Pains for the stretching forth the Curtains of their increated Solomon, and the ●athering of others, even of Strangers, into the ●●eep fold of Jesus Christ, and Settlement of gospel Order and Ordinances among them. It ●as meet that first the Law should go forth of ●ion, and the Word of the Lord from Jeru●●lem, by the Ministry of the Apostles; but ●●●erward the Gentiles must Call one another, and spread it from Nation to Nation; Isai 2● 〈◊〉— 5 and from Neighbourhood to Neighbourhood. As Leaven is first laid in, and than it diffuseth, and spreads itself gradually, Mat. 13.33. And as from one grain of Mustardseed, a whole Field of it is propagated at length: So 'tis as to the Glorious Cit● of God; time was, when it had but one Hous● in it, but Zerubbabel holds the Plummet till it b● fully Built to the very Suburbs: The Wor● is carried on by Him that gives Gifts unt● men, and Pastors and Teachers to build up the Body of Christ, till we all come, etc. Eph 4 10— 13. And the Word is to be committe● to faithful men, who are to transmit it further 2 Tim. 2.2. Thus, the Temple is often bu● even in Troublous Times; Dan. 9 25. and 〈◊〉 the Church begin to neglect to disperse the Go●pel abroad, in comes Persecution, & disperseth the Church, to the wondered Increase of Believers in the World. Acts 8.4, 5, 6. O● Candle may serve to light up many more and One Church may lend materials to the furnishing of Another Cant. 8.8, 9, 10. T●● Candlestick that holds the Candle must n● Monopolise its light and influence: Our L●banon is not for ourselves only, but to encloy others with Doors of Cedar. Our Ours Treasures must stand open to our Solomon 〈◊〉 Build more Palaces of Silver with. T● Church that is already Organ●●ed, 〈◊〉 with Christ, of Common Council, Care and Endeavour, for the Communication of what may tend to the New Up-springing & Maturity of Sister Churches. Yea every Believer hath some degree of a Catholic Spirit in him, wishing that all the World, and striving to the utmost of his Influence, that all that are near him, may become altogether such as he is [except his Bonds,] Acts 26 29.  
And, as for New-England, Let our ancient Charters speak, what our Father's Professed Intention a●d Design was in coming hither, Viz Not only purely and peaceably to Enjoy, but also generously an● charitably to Spread and Propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and ●o direct the blind Pagans' in the way to blessedness for ever. Some that have seen our first Times, can Remember, how much the Indian Work was than in the H●a●ts and ●ra●ers of the Saints, and how it Flourished, and how many of those American Converts have had a Triumphant Passage into Glory; but since that Work is grown out of our Hearts and Prayers, 'tis doleful to observe what dark and deadly Symptoms, in most places, do appear upon the face thereof. When Gods Times to favour a People are come: His ●aints do greatly pity their Stones and Dust, ●sal. 102.13, 14. But when the Lords Rem●●bran●●rs hold their peace, The Lord Himself also holds His Hand, as if He had forgotten His Work; for, His stated Order, He will observe, and stands upon His Honour and Glory, of being sought unto by the House of Israel to do it for them, Ezek. 36.37. The Lord recover and revive that work, and our Prayers for it, for His Holy Name sake. Amen. But to proceed, were not our Fathers a Generation of Witnesses and Confessors of the Lord Jesus Christ? Did not God the Father of Christ put His Son into Possession of these Ends of the Earth, by livery and seizin, when He cast out many of the Heathen, and planted His People here, in their stead? And were not these Churches of Christ Jesus to be Pillars for th● Truth, 1 Tim. 2.15? When Israel Apostatised to Idolatry, many of Asher, forsook their Inheritances, and came and dwelled in Judah for Religion's sake, and when Prophecy was restored to Israel, behold a Prophetess of the Daughter● of Phanuel of that Tribe: Luk. 2.36. And are the Days near for the Illumination of the Dark Parts of the World? May we not humbly Hope, that New-England (though Sinful) shall have an hand therein 〈◊〉 What if the Lord will have His Word go forth along into this America, from His Jerusa●em here? and that too, whilst our Sins and Hi● Judgements are upon us, that so no flesh ma● glory in His sight? And if the Lord have designed these Churches unto such work; Suppose, we should be slack & negligent herein, Quere, whether God may not found out ways to scatter and disperse us abroad, and compel us to Attend it? Acts 8. 4-6  
And I will add this further, Hath the Lord made the Offers of the Gospel by the Ministers of these Churches, Acceptable unto any Considerable Places [sometimes deeply prejudiced against us and our way of Worshipping the Lord, by occasion of Ancient Severities] an opened a Door unto us, to show them the Kindness of God, for their Everlasting Good? And hath the Lord Inclined some other Places more remote, to sand ●ither for Spiritual Help, rather than to other Lands? And hath the Lord Inclined the Hearts of sundry of our Dear Brethrens, both Ministers and other Christians, to accept of Mission unto such Service; and are they now going forth, [One of them having been lately Separated to the Pastoral Office, over a Little Church, with Fasting and Prayer, by the Reverend Elders and Messengers of divers of our Churches] And shall we not Kneel for ●hem before the Lord? What we All own ●o God and to His Kingdom, we have Separated them to discharge it for us, and they ●re New England's Offering to the LORD JESUS CHRIST, for the Service of His Kingdom: and how shall we Sanctify them otherwise, than by Prayer? 1 Tim. 4.5. And are we not more peculiarly obliged to be much in fervent Supplications for them, than the Churches of God in other Countries are, since they are peculiarly Ours, and our Offering to the LORD? Do we not yet know that we stand but in ill Terms with the Lord our God, and that an Offering will not be easily Accepted from declined and provoking New-England? And have we not th● greater need to use what humble Importunity we can? Paul desires the Brethrens to pray for Him, that his Charitable Offerings an● Services might be accepted of the Saints; Rome 15 31. But verily we have need also to pra● hard, that our poor Oblations may be accepted of the Lord: For if our hearts be not much in, and our Prayers with our Gratulatory Sacrifice to the Lord, how can we expect, that he should regard it at all? Qui frigide orat, docet negare. Our dear Brethrens, now going forth from us, have a greater dependence (under Christ) upon our poor Prayers for them, than we can easily apprehended for, if we desert them, considering their relation to us, they may fear, that the Lord wi● also; But His Ways and His Thoughts ar● high above ours, as the Heavens are abov● the Earth, which is, through Christ Jesus, our only hope and stay, when we see the Glory of His Paternal Holiness and Severity, and our own Vileness Well, I will be humbly bold to say, that a Price is this day put into our Hands, may we have Hearts to improve it. 'Tis too sadly evident, to be concealed or dissembled, that we have lost much of our wont frequency and ancient intimacy with the Lord, and that a lamentable estrangedness of Spirit is grown between the Lord and New-England; Now, as wise Courtiers when under a Cloud, seek, and make much of some Ingratiating Errand into the presence of their Prince, especially some matter of mighty Consequence to the Realm and State; So were we wise Christians, we should prise highly any good Errand, into the Presence of the Lord, especially such an Important Errand as this, wherein the Great Affairs of His Kingdom and Glory and of the Souls of men are concerned May we obtain such Grace, that the Lord, may s●e our hearts once purely and throughly concerned, and warmly engaged about such things as are chief in the Lord's Eye and Heart; as hereby, Religion may b●gin to be Revived within us, so a fair way will be paved for us, by His Infinite Grace, for our Returning into His Favour and Acquaintance again. Our Brethrens than, that have so earnestly desired our Prayers this Day, might use the words of the Apostle in another case, and say, We ask Your Prayers, not only, or not so much, that we desire and need the Gift, and the Help thereof, but, that FRUIT may abound unto YOUR accounted, both now, and in the day of Christ. Your Applications to the Throne of Grace for us, shall further Your Own Welcome at that Throne, as well as Ours; and moreover, whatsoever we shall obtain and prevail to do, by the force of your Prayers (next under CHRIST) and by the force of New England's Prayers 'twill be accepted as if New-England and you had done it yourselves.  
[2] As our Prayers are needful for them in Regard of Ourselves that sand them, so also in Regard of Themselves that are sent; The Places they are sent unto, The Work they are sent upon, and the great dependence that will be upon their Success therein.  
As for some of the Plantations which they are sent unto, Is not their Mode of Settlement an high Proucoation to the Lord? Who can justify their laying out of, and separate Settling upon such large, Scattered, distant Plantations, and Farms, as Bid Defiance unto Civil Cohabitation in convenient Vicinity, and so not only to Religion and the Worship of God, not so to be attended and maintained, but even to Civility itself? And who than can much wonder if many of the Rising Generation should grow Atheistical, Ignorant, Erroneous, Profane, Profligate, and Abominable, having no such Public Spiritual Means to restrain them from Vice, and to have promoted their Conversion, as in other Places is Enjoyed? Is not Worldliness a Reigning Sin among them? Now the Friendship of the World is Enmity to God; and he that Loves the World, the Love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. And how many are grown Old in a custom of Sinning? and can they change? Can they learn to do well, who are accustomed to do evil? And how inveterate have some been in their Prejudices against even Godliness itself, because of the Vices of some, that have made a Profession thereof! As if Christ and His Family were to be abhorred because there was one Horrible Judas there. Such Great Sins will not be Pardoned, without Great Suit at the Throne of Grace. One, that was meditating in the Field in one of those Places, was much surprised and affected, when he suddenly met with a great Parcel of milk white Dry Bones, ●n Emblem of the Dead Souls that Ezekiel was Commanded to Prophecy over, that they might live. Verily their Spiritual Resurrection will not be obtained without Prayer. The Lord will be sought to for the Life of such Souls, Ezek. 36.26, 37. Yet at the Faith and Prayer of others for them, God can Pardon mighty Sins, Mat 9 2. And cast out Monstrous Devils and Lusts, that will not otherwise be ejected but by Fasting and Prayer, Mark 9.29. Oh! Can we endure to see the Destruction of so many English People, and not make an Outcry of Prayer to the Lord on their behalf? [Esther 8.6.]  
And now that the Gospel in the pure and powerful Dispensation of it, is advancing to them, and their Eternal State is put upon the Turning Point; What a Precipice of Infandous Ruin stand they upon; and how shall they escape if they neglect so great Salvation? and when the Lord once puts them thus upon the Wheel, (and God knows whether as to many of them, it may not be the last probation time, that ever they shall have) our hearts should tremble for them, lest that they be Marred in the hands of the Potter: and now that they are Brought to the Birth, why should Precious Immortal Soul: perish, in any part, for want of the Sacred Midwifery of Prayer! Do not some Fields among them promise' well, and seem white already for the Harvest; But than also our Duty remains upon us, Luk. 10.2. To Pray to the Lord of the Harvest, etc.  
Dares any man presume to say or think, that he hath one spark of true Grace in his Heart, that can forbear to pray now?  
Again, the weakness of these our Dear Brethrens that are Scent doth bespeak our Prayers on their behalf. Though the Lord hath signally preserved them from Spots, (Blessed be His Holy Name! yet Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Have they not been born and bred in the very depth of the Apostasies of these Churches? However, it is with them personally, yet doth not Public Gild involve them as well as others? As for Satan (whose Kingdom they are sent to destroy, in the Name of Christ) He will stand at theirs (as He did at Joshua's) Right-hand, to resist them: Not only with cursed Temptations; but also with cruel Accusations; May He but see them Cleathed with filthy Raiment before the Angel: Now, If the Lord mark Iniquity, they cannot stand: And o! how much Faith and Holiness do they and we want? The Babe wants of the Stature of Manhood, much more than He hath already atteined. So it is with the New Creature at first: Oh! How much is lacking in Faith, hope, love, zeal, purity, and what is wanting of Perfection of Sanctification, is doubtless made up with Imperfection and Corruption: But they aught to be extraordinarily holy, abstaining, not from Evil only, but even from all appearance of Evil, that adventure upon such Extraordinary Service, and most strictly must they walk, that have such and so many Eyes upon them, that will judge of our whole Religion, wholly by their Conversations? If Satan should trip them (and he will be sure to do the utmost that he shall be permitted towards it) what a scandal would arise to Religion, what an incurable ruin to that Work under their hands! Say than uprightly, D● not they stand in need of Prayers? Again, th● Devil bearing them such a cruel spite: Though there be an open Door, yet they must expe●● many Adversary's: The many monstrous Militant Members of ●atan Mystical will be rallyed up against th●●, if God restrain them not; and do not they need Prayers than, that must do well and bear ill, and must adventure all for Jesus Christ? and so more than Fight with Beasts at Ephesus. Besides, they are young and inexperienced, and in that respect have this principally to comfort them: Judg. 7.2, 4. That It may be they are not too many for God to work by. Prayers of Saints were most needful to the Apostles themselves, much more unto These Our Brethrens: For,  
1. Than, the Spirit was more plentifully poured out, but lesle now.  
2. They had Miracles to confirm their Office and Doctrine, which are not ordinarily to be expected now. And  
3. Souls are as sorely prejudiced, blinded, and hardened now, as ever in the Apostles Days: Do we indeed understand the Perils and Toils and Trials that the Work will avoidable expose them unto, that we do our part ●o engage them in, and can we found in our hearts to leave them in the lurch now, and so ●in against the Lord, in ceasing to pray for ●hem? God forbidden it should be so.  
Thus we have seen that it is most needful. Consider we in the last place, that 'tis the most powerful and successful thing that we can do ●or our Brethrens, to put in daily for them at ●he Throne of Mercy. When did the Lord ●ay unto the Seed of Jacob, that they should ●eek his Face in vain! Are not fervent Suppliants such Favourites, as cannot possibly miscarry in their well grounded Suits for Grace? ● Joh. 5 14, 15 If King David stood so much upon His Honour, that He would not ●ecal His banished (though his Heart was set ●pon it) until one of his most noble Peers, ●id supplicate Him for it: Well may the Lord ●o so too; But God is of one mind: Can Prayer turn Him? Verily His invariable mind ●nd decree is, that His outward Works shall ●urn upon the Wheel of Prayer, Mat. 6.6. and that our hearts and desires within us shall bear the Counter part unto His Will and Designs without us, referring to what desirable good shall come to pass, and be wrought in the World. The Holy Spirit helps our infirmities, and teaches us to Pray, Rom. 8. The Lord therefore can no more be out of Love with Evangelical Prayer, than with His own Will and Work And if the Spirit helps our infirmities, Our infirmity (not more than El as his Passions) shall no● hinder the Success of our Prayers, any more than the acceptance of our People in Christ Jesus. ' Though we have Dross in our most golden Prayers, yet we have a curious and careful Refiner at the Altar of Incense into whose Golden Censer they must pass, before they pass unto the Father. We are Intercessors, but not of Mediation, we are Priests unto God, yet (saith Judicious Ames,) not so much as Subordinate to Christ in His Priestly Office He offers, He presents and pleads His ow● Blood and M●rits in the holiest of all; w● stand without, and desire to receive His benefits; we open our Mouths wide (by Hi● Spirit) and stand in the capacity of Reciever● whereas He stands alone in the high Quality of a Mediatorial Procurer of Blessings. B● how is the Grace and Blessing in the Ne● Covenant most Free, when as it is not to b● attained without much Pains in Prayer? Yet what can be more free and easy than to Ask and Receive? How can we take in much Mercy, if we don't open our Mouths wide? If we open them wide, what doth God gain by it? If He fills them, Is it not of Grace? What is this mite of Duty, and Acknowledgement, to the Million Per Annum, that it is repaid withal? And whence have we this poor mite also? Doth not the same bountiful Hand that bestows the consequent Blessings, Created and Assist the antecedent Prayers for them? Is not Gospel-Prayer a part of Salvation, and a good step into it, making way for further steps and degrees of Salvation. God's Decrees are Absolute, His Gifts free and absolute, without the Scientia Media, & the moral conditionateing Terms on which the first Grace & all Salvation some say is to be had, and without the wondered Merits of Condignity and Supererrogation or of Congruity and the other Paradoxes of the Jesuits. You will say than, wherein consists the Efficacy of Prayer? Since if we do but what is duty to do, what thanks do we deserve; and what Obligations in any wise can we lay the Lord under thereby? Yea in our best Prayers we come short of our Duty? I Answer, In that, the Grace and Exercise also of Prayer in the up grown, is given in Conjunction with other Mercys inseparably, for the Jewel of Salvation is set in the Gold-Ring of Prayer: He that calleth on the Name of the Lord shall be Saved: Hold fast the Ring and you secure the Jewel. In the bails and bundle of Life and Blessings; the Covering that all is bound up in, is Prayer. If you come not at that to lay it open, you can come at no other particulars of the Invoice of Salvation. The Lord Jesus hath sent us the Treasures of His Goodness Locked up in the Glorious Cabinet of the New Covenant and Promise, and in the Lock thereof is put the Key of Prayer; now God hath Ordained such an Order and Method in the Application of the benefits, that we shall first take and use the Key and thereby come at further Mercys: and the Eternal Decree is so Absolute, that we can not more fail of the means set down in that decree, than we can fail of the end; and therefore they speak what is not meet to be spoken of God, that say, They and their Brethrens shall do well enough, if it be so decreed, whether they Pray or not; as if God had certainly decreed the End without the Means. And they Blaspheme the Lord Jesus Christ, who look to Prayer, more than unto Christ Himself; when as Prayer without Christ is worse than nothing. 'Tis CHRIST'S NAME mainly and not our Prayers that hath Power with God and with Christ Joh. 14.23. What eve● ye Ask in MY NAME, I will do it. Christians! If when you stand in need of Atonement, Pardon & other Blessings, you fly to your Prayers, but neglect Christ, His Blood and Inter●●ssion, and free Promise of Grace to Sinners; God may break your Prayers to pieces and make them Nehushtans, and you shall be so shut up, that you shall not be able to Pray, till you mend that Great Fault. But if you ●arry Christ and His Name, in the Vessel of your Prayers, you shall arrive at your desired Port in Safety. The Promises Assure us of the Prevalency of Prayer, and Innumerable Experiences of Saints are so many Seals to the Assurance. What frequency and fervency of Prayer was used by the Fathers of New-England, and O with what Glorious Successes! Time would fail, to mention other Instances, faithfully Recorded by one of our Reverend Seers, in his precious B●●●k, Entitled, The Prevalency of Prayer, to which I refer you.  
So much shall suffice for the Demonstration of the DOCTRINE.   

I Proceed to the APPLICATION.  
And omitting what might be spoken by way of Inference, for Information, Humiliation, Caution, Reproof, Trial and Comsort, lest I should be too Prolix, I shall only add somewhat, by way of Exhortation unto the great Duty of Prayer; and particularly, Let us from what we have now had of the Word of the Lord, be effectually moved to turn our Brother's Cases into Prayers. Two Sorts of Prayer Let me Urge upon you, in the Name of the Lord, the God that Hears Prayer; viz.  
[1] Proper Prayer. And [2.] Practical Prayer, as some Distinguish them.  
Firstly; Proper Prayer, both Mental and Vocal, not Public only, but also Private and Secret. Make daily most Religious Representations of your Wills and Desire's as to these Matters, unto the Lord, and Pour out your Hearts before Him: We have proved that it is not needless: GOD Will have Our Good Will to His Doing of our Neighbours Good. Yea, (as Proud as we are, and prove to despise our sinful Brethrens and their Prayers) the Most High will make us stoop to them, to beg their Prayers, before He will stoop down to us, with such Mercies and Bounties as only can lift us up. I add, He is a Stranger in Israel that hath not heard of the deplorable Estate of Religion (not to mention Morality) in some of the English Plantations in thi● America; and for what an astonishing Number of years, Ignorance, Atheism, Profaneness and Confusion have prevailed, not only to the amazement of their Neighbours, but also unto the Grief and Lamentation of all Good and Wise men, among themselves, who still found their Essays and Motions for general Reformation, without the desired success. And in truth, we are swallowed up, when we venture to wade into the deep Mysteries of the hidden Counsels of the Wisdom, Sovereignty, and Holiness of God; and the Interpreter had need be One of a Thousand [Job 33.23, 24] Who shall only declare so much thereof, as must be Herd and Understood, before the Lord will altar the Course and Tenor of His Dispensations; The Good Lord give every of Them to have such an Interpreter among them, for His Mercies sake, Amen. But if any Thunders have uttered the Voice of God, yet I must confess and bewail my dulness of Hearing, and Apprehension, and Unfitness to declare and expound the same: Only One thing hath been so plainly spoken, and is so agreeable to our present Subject, and to the like Discoveries of God's Mind and Way, that are made and exhibited to us in His Written Oracle's, as that I cannot forbear to give an hint thereof: And what is the Voice of the Lord unto some of the Plantations! Among many other Things, doth not the Lord say, O my poor People, whom I have permitted to spread abroad in the Wilderness, and to labour under Spiritual Difficulties! I know the Prejudices you have long had, against your Neighbours the Churches of New-England, especially for some of their Strictnesses and Severities in their Excess of Zeal for My Name: I am not ignorant, how fast your hearts have been shut against them, and how uncapable of receiving any Spiritual Advantage from them. I also have seen all their Transgressions and Declensions, and have variously Punished them, using both ordinary and extraordinary Means for their Recovery; and many of you, for your part, have (as Jobs three Friends) reputed them, Wicked Hypocrites, and their strict Profession to be nothing but a vile Formality, for which the Divine Vengeance comes down upon Them; yet although the Distance between you is so wide, I that have Mercies in store for you both, am absolutely resolved, that th●y shall not be bestowed, until the difference be made up, yea, I am resolved, that your Offerings to the Lord, shall be put into Their Hands, and that you shall be much in Their Hearts and Prayers, before you be Accepted to highest Favour's, and B essings, to become a Name, a Praise, and a G ory to Me in the Earth; and they shall express their most affectionate Regards, (for My sake) Unto you with Christian Sollicitudes for your everlasting Wefare, before I shall turn Their Captivity. See Job 42.7, 8, 9, 10.  
I proceed to say, that to me, it is no Wonder that choicest Blessings are but sparingly bestowed upon particular People and Families and Churches too, since (while Iniquity aboundeth) Love and Zeal, Wax cold, and there are so few Church Fast and Prayers, & Family Fast and Prayers, & the Private Meetings of the Upright, are by so many laid aside. O sensible Believer! Art thou under the Frowns of the Lord, and is He sparing of His B essings? Thus saith the Lord God unto thee [Isa 50.2. & 59 1] 'Tis not, because My Hand is shortened; 'Tis not, because Mine Ear is grown Heavy; 'Tis not, because My Goodness is Exhausted; I certainly intent to give you the Blessings which you need, in great Abundance; but, First of all, I must have more of your own hearty Good Will and Desires for it, than Yet I have seen: You must come to see that they are Gifts Worthy and Fit for a GOD of Infinite Power, Richeses, and Goodness, to give; and to you most Needful, and such as you will Glorify Me for: So must you Open your Mouths wide, that I may f●ll them. [Psal. 81.10.] And Urge Me, with your restless Importunity, And I will not say you Nay; But this is not all, for Secondly, There are several dear Friends and Children of Mine, whom I must and will Honour, and Gratify, in the same Matter, at the same Time; Go and acquaint them with your Case, Get them together, before Me, that I may take their Suffrage, Consent, Request. If they do not pity you, the Set Time for My Favour in your Case, is not yet fully come. Psal. 102.13, 14. But Know, for your Comfort, that I have Decreed it, that both They shall will, and I Work, for My Glory, and your Comfort. Well, we are now before God, and our Brethrens have begged our Prayers, and under God and Christ, have a great Confidence of them, Let us not say them Nay; Or be willing that God should say us Nay. Stir we up ourselves to take hold of God with the Effectual Fervent Prayers, that avail much. Help them to Work the Engine that turns about the Hearts of men and the Face of God; and hold out to the End: Be ●bove Gild, Fears, Fainting, in the Name of Christ! Let us not be Out done, by Women that have done great things in this way! See that Gentle Woman in Matt. 15 22-28. How Modestly Impudent and Invincible she is; [to use the Words of Nazianzen, concerning that Heavenly Heroesse and Powerful Amazon, his Sister] Not her Sex, not her Nation, not her Sins, not her Misery, nor yet her Delays, from the LORD, can discourage her: Will Christ give No Answer? I'll at it again, (thinks she) Here's no Denial yet: Doth He give a Discouraging, Chiding, Upbraiding Answer? 'Tis well (thinks she) His Majesty Vouchsafes, at all, to Reply; that He condescends to Argue the Case, and Capitulate, as having tak●n it into Consideration: Calls He her, Dog? Here's Encouragement; May she be of the number of Household Animals, she is content, and puts in hard for Crumbs and Scraps: She will not take a Denial; Well, the Lord at length allows her to be Her own Carver; She is Humble in Ask, but have it, she Will: And instantly, and fully, she has even What she william. Was there ever Faith and Courage more Magnanimous and Masculine.  
If God hath made us Kings and Priests, Reu. 5.10. and if ever we Reign with God over Heaven and Earth, while we are on this side Heaven; it is at lest partly Spiritually by Importunate Prayer. The Lord admires that Champion jacob, and Honours Him to all Generations: What is thy Name? Says He: It is (as a Learned Author expresseth it) as if he should have said, I never met with such a Fellow: Now as the Infant's Cries and Tears can do any thing with the Parents, so Jacob, He wept and made Supplication to the Angel, (that is) CHRIST, and Prevailed [Gen. 32.24, 27. Hos. 12.4.] [Like as He Commanded Athens of old, that could do any thing with Her, who could do every thing with Him that Swayed that State●] But on the other hand consider, He that Prays coldly, begs a Denial. Now shall not these things move us? Do not our Brother's urgent Necessities, urge our urgent and fervent Supplications? Inasmuch as, if we turn th●ir Cases into instant Prayers to God, He will, and perhaps instantly too, turn their Cases into Blessings. And if this Branch of the Exhortation Laden with the full ripe Clusters of Eschol, fall chief to our Share, that Stay at Home; Let the other Branch be especially for such as Move Abroad, to carry with them: It Urgeth upon YOU the Wise Merchandise of Practical Prayer. There is in every act of Gospel Obedience, a certain Power to Impetrate Blessings at the Hands of God. [Ames. Medul. p. 266. Amst.] This is figuratively denominated Prayer: ●et is it so necessary, as that no Prayers are, with the Lord acceptable and prevalent without it. Obedience is better than Sacrifice [1 Sam. 15.22.] If we separate Prayer from Obedience, we maim the Sacrifice, and shall offer a blind, lame, corrupt unacceptable, abominable thing. But one point of Obedience, I would take leave to Recommend especially unto you, and leave it with you, before we take our Leave; and ●hat is the Obedience of Endeavour; You must Watch as well as Pray against Temptation; [Mat. 26.41.] You must Work for, as well as Pray for, the Salvation of Souls, and the Enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ jesus. Up and be Doing, and the Lord will be with you. The Use and Application of Means Natural, for this or that End, what is it, but an Application to the God of Nature for that End. God is said to Harken to it, as if it were a Prayer unto Him [Gen. 30.17.] In vain doth Balaam desire the End of the Righteous, that would not Use their Way. The Child of Grace, when he desires the Breast of Blessing, you shall see his Eyes, Lips, Tongue, Hands, Feet, all move together: The Sluggard desireth: and hath nothing, Prou. 13.4. but Hunger and Nakedness, Prou. 23.21. because his hands refuse to labour. Prou. 21.25. Is●ael bound for Canaan must Stand still from Diffidence and Distraction, but not from Endeavour, Exod. 14.13, 15.— And the Lord said unto Moses, wherefore Criest thou unto me: Speak thou unto the Children of Israel, that they Go FORWARD.  
Now that nothing may Discourage your and our Faith in Prayer, and Courage in Endeavour, Let me remove some Objections out of the way and so Conclude.  
The Objections that I suspect, refer chief to these Four Heads.  

[1] The Work.  
[2.] The Call.  
[3] The Times.  
[4] The Events   
1. The Work itself: 'Tis unreasonable that any Doubt should arise, whether it be the Lords or no. Truly, the SIGNS of the Work of the Lord, are to be seen upon it. Is it not for the Glory of G●d, and Good of men? Do not both Piety and Charity constrain unto it? Or was it set about without thoughts, cares, counsels, prayers, fears? Is not the Open Door that is afforded, an Answer of many Public Prayers? Doth it not begin Low? hath it not occasioned some Commotion in some Places? Hath it no Adversaries? Is it n●t contrary to the Interests of the World, the Flesh and the Devil? Hath it not been strangely forwarded by Oppositions? Hath not the Progress of it exceeded our rational Expectations? How many Divine Commands and Promise' refer unto such Work to be done in the Latte● Days, whereof some have been already mentioned. Although I well remember what h● said of old, viz. Careat. succ●ssibus opto, Quisqui● ab Even●●, Facta notanda Putet: Yet I wi●● say, is it not Encouraging to recognize and consider, what smiles of Heaven have been thus Early upon it? (If it must indeed be put to the test of present appearances of Providence) Is there any one Person living, that knew the former wide Distances, Deep Prejudices, Jealousys and Animosities, that admires not, with what a Temper (agreeable to Christianity) Our Godly Ministers, in their several Turns, Waiting upon them, and Christ's Gospel with them have been Received and Entertained; and how many Worthy Gentlemen in the place which is referred unto, have appeared to forward the Work? (One of whom being present at a Town Meeting, wherein many appeared, very desirous to hinder it) stood up, and had Wisdom and Courage enough to say, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this Counsel and ●his Work be of men, it will come to naught; but ●f it be of God, ye cannot overthrew it, lest haply ●ee be found even to fight against God [as it is in Acts 5.38, 39] I will be bold than to suppose, yea conclude, That such and so many Signs, may be sufficient to created some Hope, at lest, That this Work is of the Lord; And ●ou may therefore adventure upon it, with Cheerfulness and Confidence.  
[2] Perhaps, your Call unto the Work, will be Objected against, on account of your ●nability, unworthiness, Want of Ordination, as to some of you; Absence's from the Ordinances of God, Absence from Friends, Straitness as to Temporals, etc. But,  
1. If you complain, how much you fall short of the sufficient Abilities of others for so great a Work. Than I reply; The Apostolical Question remains still to be Answered, Who is sufficient for these things? 2 Cor. 2.16. Yet remember, If there be not Gifts, if there be not Grace, sufficient in you, yet there is Grace sufficient for you; and you know, in and with whom. 2 Cor. 12.9. Paul's presence was thought mean and speech contemptible. 2 Cor. 10.10. Yet he acknowledgeth the Grace of GOD, that he was, what he was 1 Cor 15 10. He was not too Great for G●d to Work by: He could hold the earthen Vessels and Lamps while the Lord fulfilled the Work, to allude to Judg. 7.2, 20 Yet he that undertakes the Work of God, in the Strength and Abilities of a Man, will out Shame the Work and B●eak himself. Jeremies insufficiency would not Avail, as a sufficient excuse, to exempt him from the Work of God. Jere. 1 6, 7, 8 Their said I, Ah Lord GOD! I cannot speak, for I am a Chi●d. But the Lord said unto me, say not I am a Chi●d: For thou SHALT GO to All, to whom I shall sand thee, and whatsoever I command thee, th●u SHALT SPEAK:— For I AM WITH THEE, etc. Harken to the Conference of GOD & Moses: Exod. 4.10, 11, 12. Moses said, I am not Eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy Servant, but I am slow of speech, etc. And the LORD said unto him, WHO hath MADE Man's mouth?— Have not I the LORD? Now therefore GO: And I will BE WITH thy Mouth, and TEACH thee, what thou sha●t say. And the Lord was Angry, Verse 14. when he demurred after this.  
2. If against the Divine Validity of your Call, ●ou Object your own unworthiness; you must give me leave to Answer, That this Objection would not be accepted in Joshua's case, who was before the Ange●, Clothed with filthy Garments, Zech. 3.3. but was most happily removed and so (I trust in God through Christ) shall yours. 'Tis not unusual for the Lord to bring His Servants unto a deep and most Soul humbling Sense of their Vileness just upon their Entrance into His Work, which wonderfully prepares them, for it, and His M●rcy in it. So in Isa. 6.5 The Prophet Cries out, Woe is me! I am undone! A man of Unclean Lips etc. I shall not therefore go about to diminish your apprehensions, and sense of greatest Unworthiness of any part of the Lords Work and much more of so great and extraordinary a part of it; but Instructing you unto highest adm●rations at His Grace to you therein, shall only Remember you of what the Great Apostle of the Gentiles said in his own case: Eph. 3.8 Unto me, who am LESLE THAN THE LEST of all Saints, is this Grace given, tha● I should Preach among the Gentiles the Unsearchable Richeses of CHRIST.  
3 But, you will say, some Object against the Divine and Orderly Call and Mission of One of you, because he carries Brethrens with him. Unto which I might Answer, that we found not only Evangelists, but also Messenger● of Churches, of the Fraternity, attending such as were sent forth upon such Work of old, & that the Fathers of New-England did so much in England, in order to the Work of Christ here, as may allow me to say in this Case, that that man now varies a large point from the wisdom of the Wisest, that Sets his Heart to every word that is spoken. Eccles. 7.21 YOU well know, what Importunity was used with our Ministers, by Letters, and otherwise, that both a Minister should be Scent to those Remote Places, and that He should be here Ordained also: Sundry Godly Christians there, being both prepared for, and longing after the Enjoyment of A●l the Edifying Ordinances of God; there being withal in all that Country neither Ordained Minister, nor any Church, in full Gospel Order, and so neither Imposition of the Hands of the Presbytery, nor Donation of the Right-hand of Fellowship to be expected there, or from any Place, much nearer to them than ourselves. And some of YOU can tell, how often, our Reverend Brother was offered Ordination to this Work of Christ, in foro Ecclesiastico, in a Way, not disagreeable to what we found in Acts 13.2, 3. whereunto many Churches in the Neighbourhood, might also have been Concurring and Assisting. But this being a Rarity, not easily to be justified from preceding Examples in New-England, where there hath been seldom any Occasion to think of the Ordination of a Minister, until by some time of Preaching, and Conversing with Them, His Doctrine, Abilities and Conversation, (besides good Testimony from Ministers and Christians, in the Vicinity) come to be Approved by the Congregation themselves, over whom He is to be the Overseer, and He he by Them, or the most of Them, Elected to be their Pastor or Teacher. A Practice Warranted by Acts 6 3-6. As also by Acts 14.23. The Original word there used, signifying Ordination not without but by and with the Suffrage of many, manifested by lifting up of Hands; Authors, both Sacred and Profane among the grecians, always using that word in such a Sense (as the Learned Cartwright hath Elaborately and Unanswerably Evinced) according to the proper N●tation thereof: This (I say) being a R●●it● here, our Brother modestly Declined it, though the Extraordinariness of the Case seemed to allow, yea, require the same. And his Aversion to it being known unto Sundry Brethrens of our Churches, [Who when they were in those Remote Parts met with such Solicitations from some Godly Inhabitants there (whose Souls longed for more Communion of Saints, and for all Gods Holy Ordinances, but were loath to remove from that Place, if they might obtain the same there) as prevailed upon them to resolve to return to them, and take up their settled Abode among them] They being now Bond thither, desired to Gather into a Church, that so a Minister might be Ordained in the ordinary Way, whom they might carry with them thither: But these being too Few, some Others Influenced (as I cannot but believe) by the Holy Spirit of God, with a deep Concernment of Spirit, lest That which they thought to be the Work of God, should fall to the Ground, for want of two or three Hands more, offered their Conjunction and Assistance, All of them obtaining Letters of Dismission from their respective Churches unto so good a work, full of Complacency and Benedicti n. These therefore having improved what advantages the time would allow, for the proving of one another both Gifts and Graces, and peculiarly their intended Pastors, &c It is come to this, That a Godly Minister hath been by most Public and Solemn Ordination Separated to, and Scent forth upon the Service of the Gospel and Kingdom of the Son of God, advantaged with the Attendance, Submission & Assistance of sundry Godly Brethrens, who acknowledge Him as their Pastor in the Lord What is there, abating Human Weakness, in all this, that the Godly will condemn, or that is Disagreeable to the Holy Word of God? But it is Objected, that the Brethrens aim not at the promoting of Christ's Glory and Kingdom, but only or mainly at Secular Advantages. To this I Reply: If Suspicion may make Guilty, who can be Innocent? not to say how Improbable the Suspicion is as to some of them who are not likely to mend their Estates in divers years by their Removal, they being so comfortably Seated here. Moreover, if men must ever be Discouraged from doing what they are well satisfied is Right and Good, because they have deceitful Hearts, & because irregular aims & thoughts (notwithstanding all their watchfulness) will sometimes (to their sorrow and self-loathing for them) crowd in: Than farewell all well Doing in the World: For with Rust, and Dross sufficient to employ our own Fi es, and GOD'S Furnace too, all our Lives long, is our most Golden Sincerity in this World alloyed; and, Who can understand his own Errors? Besides that, they have solemnly Professed, that Religion is chief in their Eye, which they would not loose for all the World, but would firstly promote in their Removal, and not their own Estates, except subordinately, subserviently, and secondarily thereunto: And as far as they can understand their own deceitful hearts (that though renewed, yet in this World, can be so but in part) contrary and sinister Designs, and Desires, they Know of none, they Allow of none Nor have they yet been Left of God, (so great hath been His Mercy towards Them) to Forfeit their Credit, so as to deserve that they should not be Believed. I beseech you therefore, My Brethrens, to Suspect your own Heart's, and to Charge and Judge yourselves, as much as you can, yet never be Discouraged, if by others you chance to be Overcharged.  
4 But you will say, Others of Us are not Ordained, Is Our Ca●t clear? Answ If God furnish men with Ministerial Gifts and Grace discerned and approved by the Spirits of the Prophets, and with an Holy Propensity of Mind, and an humble self dedication unto the Work of the Ministry in general, and if the best advice that can be had after solemn seeking of God, carry them to such a People in particular, who accept them in the Lord, and desire the Continuance of their Godly Labours among Them, I believe such men are Scent of God and Christ to such a People; and as I never yet saw, so I am apt to think I never shall, any solid Confutation of the Scriptures and Arguments produced by my Predecessor in this Church, viz Your Judicious Teacher now with God, the very Reverend and Aged, Mr. Richard Mather, in his Printed Answer to Mr. Rutherford. Now all this may be said concerning You, and something more, namely that you being present at Private Meetings of Ministers, for Fasting and Prayers (not to mention the frequent Public Prayers that are made on your behalf) have been most solemnly Presented before the Lord for this Service of His Kingdom in many ardent Supplications for His Assistance, & Acceptance therein. Obj But do we not read in the Works of the Learned Clarkson, that Laborious Searcher into Antiquity, that for the first Three Hundred Years after Christ's Ascension, every single Congregation though consisting but of twenty Souls, or under, had an Ordained Bishop, than so called more usually than Pastor, & among the copious Instances given, few or none of Ministers any where in all the World that were not Ordained Bishops, though in the Smallest Places. Answ. If in the Primitive Times, Deacons must first be proved before Their Instalment into, and Instatement in their Office and Work, than much more Ministers, and doubtless the Primitive Church allowed some to Preach as Probationers; though we meet not with multitudes of Instances: I know the extreme strictness and caution of the Churches of the Reformation in France, in this matter, who allow not an Unordained Probationer to Preach, except an Ordained Minister be present to give a word of Exhortation after he hath Done, which is needless as to yourselves; yet notwithstanding what hath been mentioned, I could rejoice, if some further steps were taken, and I hope in Gods good time it shall be so. If you found Converts in the Places you are going unto, I hope you will ha●ten them into Church Estate as fast as you can, that You may (if God incline your hearts to settle with them) or some Others, be Ordained to the Work of Christ among Them.  
Yet again, If you say, are any of us Called of God to live without any of the Ordinances of God, and so to Jeopard our own S●uls: I pray Read, Rome 9 3. Ezek. 11.16. D●n. 12 3 Jam 5 19 Or, if you say, we want our Friends, look upon Mark 10.29, 30.  
III But the Times are Apostatick rather than Apostolic; Pride budding, Faction in Fashion, Strife Rife, with Stoutness, Rashness, Harshness, Slander, Scorning among too many; once Holiness was on Tavern Pots and Trooping Bridles, Zech. 14.20, 21. Now, how much Lewdness! Most are sound in Profession, yet as to Practise of Godliness with not a few; the very Form is going after the Power, etc. For Answer, Read Hag. 2.13, 14. with Hag. 1.13. All's Unclean, yet Work, and I'll be with you: Read also Rom. 11.15.  
Obj. But we should have been Earlier.  
Answ. Beware of Further Gild, by letting slip the Present Time: Take the Night, if the Day be lost: Luk. 11.5- 8 In the Night we have seen the Bow in the Cloud. Object. But Discontented People will Remove if we Go. Answ S● if you Stay also: But Woe to us, ●f we sl●ck for this Peril. Esther 4.11 14. Because some Crumbs go awr●, shall we Loose the whole Meal of Mercy? But the Times are Troublous Yet see Dan 9 25. The Apostles also ●ut forth in a Tempest, having Wind and Tide against them. Lastly, Object not Events; to Paul and You alike Uncertain, Acts 20.22. Run the ' venture. 2 Sam 10 12. Know, There is something worth the Seeking, ●f GOD Lights the Candle Luk. 15 8. Your ●ains is well Paid, with the Gain of One ●oul. Jam. 5.20. If you Convert None ●hat are Fallen, you have your Hire, If you confirm those that Stand Eph 4.12, 13. However, Your Work will Return into Your ●●n Bosom. Psal. 35.13. And Despair not of Supply. GOD, not Man, maintains His Ministers, though by Man Read Luke 22 35. Psal. 34.9, 10. Obj. How shall we do, if Sincere Saints of other Persuasions offer themselves? Ans. If sound in main Points and if they will not disturb you in your way, Receive them, Rom. 14.1. Luk. 9 49, 50. Did not Godly Father Garnsey live and die in the Communion of this Church of Dorchester: although an Episcopal man invariably? And was it not to his and our Edification.  
Obj But the Gospel like the Sea, what it Gains in one place, it loseth in another: Are you in New-England, willing to part with the Gospel?  
Answ. This was the Objection and Scandal of the Jews of old. But we rather hope for life from the Dead by the Emulation, Rom. 11.14, 15  
Obj. We would desire to be Lions, if the Glory of God called us so to be: and nescit remeare. Leo, Prou. 30 30 But it is not in us, we are born as the wild Ass Colt, Job 11.12.  
Answ. Your Humility is to be Commended, yet (in a sense) The Lord may have NEED of you, Luke 19. 30-33. and may Honour you, if you will let him Ride you whither He pleaseth Yea, the weak and foolish shall be as Davi● also Zech. 12.8  
Obj. But had not God raised up of the Son of Israel [and of New-England] to be Prophets [Amos 2.11.] In the Schools of the Prophets at Bethe●, and Jericho, (2 King. 2.3, 5. 1 King 18.4. 1 Sam. 19.20. He had not had Seven Thousand Knees that had not Bowel to Baal there, notwithstanding all the Sons of the Prophets in Judah hardby. And so Uninviting unto Strangers should your poor Maintenance in New-England have been, that One Fifty of your Congregations would have been without a Learned, Able, Godly Ministry, had you depended wholly on Other Countries for Supply, and so would have soon Degenerated, and so we fear Our Children will do. Ans. Be Content to Creep before you Fie: Yet Lay Foundations for Great Matters in your day of Small things. Lesle than Eighty Pounds Per Annum, in M●ney, would have more than bought New England Presidents Salary, allowed him by the Country for many years; yet God gave us an Invaluable Man, and O what a Blessing with Him! You that go to Remote Parts will be most happily Situated to spread Religion in the American Islands & Continent. If Schools of Learning fundamentally n●c ss●ry, to the Propagation of Godliness forward to the Nations and downward to Posterity, will not agreed with the Government and People there; I charge you in the Name of G●d & the Lo●d Jesus Christ, and as you have any regard to the Souls of your Posterity (after that you have laboured with them, what you can for their Good) to Return to us again. However, Despair not, till you have made the Trial. To Conclude than, Trust GOD; Urge Man, and at it again and again; Watch much; Guard well; Pray hard and never give in; Work hard & never be Weary; Lie Low, and look High; be upright though you hear Hypocrites for't; rather Die in God's cause, than hear Cowards; Walk Closely with CHRIST; Sow your seed in Tears: Look hard for Trials; and Hope to the End; Propagate what Good you have seen or gotten with Us, but leave Our Vices, behind you, Provoke not the Spaniard; Debauch not the Indian's with Drink; be Just to all men; and be sure you Divide not one from another, or from your Worthy Easter. Sacrifice the World to Religion evermore; and be of Public Spirits: Eye Christ's Second Coming, as much as Ancient Believers did His First, and long for it: Do all you do, humbly & valiantly in the Name of the Son of God: and often say one to another as J●ab to his Broth●r: 2 Sam. 10.12. Be of Good courage and let us play the men, for our People, and for the Cities of our God; and the LORD do that which seemeth Him Good  
Now the LORD the G●d of our Fathers, & New England's God be with you for Ever. Farewell Dear Brethrens in the Lord, and be sure you Pray for us: and God forbidden that we should SIN against the LORD in Ceasing to Pray for You, 1 Sam 12.23 Man is nothing in GOD'S Work, and of himself can do Nothing, but what is worse than N●thing and will come to Nothing or worse: Set we than the LORD on work, by humble Prayer, that the LORD may be All in All. Now the Good Lord do away with His own most Precious B●ood, the Imperfections and Infirmities in this present Service, attending a poor Sinful Worm, that knows but in part and Prophecies but in part, and in a very small part too; and make His own Word however, the Power of God to Your Salvations; for His own Names Sake. AMEN.    

Errata. P. 14. l. 31. r. too p. 43. l. 23. r. for them   

Memorandum. Unto the Discourse, uttered in Public, upon this Text, some what above a year ago, some Addition in these Printed S●eets, is made out of a Sermon Preached in Private some time since, un●o a Society of Christians, keeping a Day of Prayer on the behalf of some of their Society, that were at that time, upon their Removal from them.  
To fill up the Vacant Pages the following POEMS, formerly Composed, are here suffixed.   

Upon the Triumphant TRANSLATION of a Mother in Our ISRAEL, Viz. Mistress ANNE ELIOT. From This Life to a Better. on March 24th. 1687. Aetatis Suae. 84.  

ALL Hallelujahs, O ye Heavenly Quires,  
You Powers, ye Winged & Immortal Fires!  
Redouble to the Highest ONE:  
Here's Joy, to your Eternal Jubilee  
Advanced, by th'New come welcome Company  
Of a B●ight Soul, but lately slown.  
Congratulate  
Eternally,  
With Sacred Symphony,  
Her happy State   

Hail! Happy Soul! In Luster excellent  
Transcending far the Starry Firmament,  
Which is thy Footstool now become:  
With all the World, America shall Vye,  
For to Produce thy Peer: Now cast thine E●e  
All round about that Spacious Room,  
None shalt thou see  
Of B●est Women,  
Much more Triumphant than  
Thyself to be   

Hail! Thou Sagacious & Adventurous Soul!  
Hail, Amazon! Created to Control  
Weak Nature's Foes, & t'take her part,  
The King of Terrors, Thou, (till the Command  
Irrevocable came to Stay thy Hand,)  
Didst often Repel, by thy Choice Art:  
By High Decree,  
Long didst thou stand  
An Atlas, in Heavens' Hand  
To th' World to be.   

A●l Hallelujahs to His bounteous Care,  
That such a Peerless Consort did Prepare  
For HIM, whom Sacred Things with held  
From Secu●ars; Who was to Gospellize,  
And Preach Redemption to GOD'S Enemy's  
Beyond all Memory, Rebelled:  
For his sake, sure,  
Thy Aged Life  
It did with Death in Strife  
So long endure.   

Heavens' Richest Spices, Choicest Graces were  
[Queen Esther like,] allotted to Thy Share,  
For to Prepare Thee for thy KING:  
Thee, to Pay Table, for Full Recompense,  
With Interest, for all thy Vast Expense,  
Ange●s, on Wings of Grace, straight, bring:  
As Pha●tiel,  
Thy CONSORT Dear  
Mourning, Thee follow'th near,  
To bid FAREWEL.   I D.  

To the Blessed MEMORY of the Venerable Mr. JOHN ELIOT, TEACHER to the Church of CHRIST in Roxbury, and a PROPAGATOR of the Gospel to the Indian's in N-England. Who rested from his Labours, May, 20. Anno Dom. 1690. Aetatis Suae. 86.  
SHall ELIOT slip away? & not his Son's  
Spy & Regret it, with Athletic Groans?  
None Cry Alarm, when Horse & Chariots taken?  
None Feel, when Israel's weal's Foundation's shaken?  
Lately, a stately Stone plucked out; none ' spy it?  
Nor run to stop the woeful Breach made by it?  
Where's sweet Tongueed David, sad Songed Jeremiah,  
Jon'than to ' wail, to Elegiz Josiah?  
Where's matchless Moses' Muse? Had I his Staff,  
I'd found one Grave, and ' Grave one Epitaph.  
English and Indian Work, he did so well,  
Define we cannot, which did which excel  
Pagans', This Paul converts; Peter doth use  
His Talents chief to confirm the Jews.  
Paul to Barbarians, own's Himself a Debtor;  
Our John a brave Divine, T'Himself, not better  
D●●es supererrogate, in the vast Cost  
And Pains, expended to Reduce the lost.  
A brave Divine, said I? I had not missed,  
Sure, had I Styled Him an Evangelist.  
To Trace their Pagan Genealogies  
Was not his Task, yet would his curious Eyes  
Maugre oblivions Dust, ' venture to scan  
At lest by guess, These hideous Wrecks of Man:  
And thought, he tracked, to Palestina's Strand:  
How e'er; He was resolved, to th' Holy Land  
Them to reduce, [might Heaven a Moses make him]  
Norfolk did their barbarous Heathenism shake him.  
The Eternal Mind in Mortal Airs, never blew  
Unformed Blast; His sovereign Shalms yet flew  
On Syriac Wings; His Gentleness equips  
His Sacred Chariot with Chaldean Chips:  
Three Other, His own Mother-Tongue b●side,  
Upon His Pascal Cross, He Sanctified  
His Tharsian-bred Apostle don't refuse  
To sharp his Tools with Philistines, to use  
Greek Poets, cited to the Sacred Bar,  
TO wait on Effatas more Oracular.  
Like Hercules toils ELIOT, jest that He  
Should to Barbarians, a Barbarian be.  
Since Babel's Traitorous Tower was Thundersmit,  
By Heavens' Enraged Ire, & fell, & split  
One Tongue into a Thousand Shivers, ●o●●  
Can tell the Wounds, which this one Woe alone,  
Hath more than scared the World with; next th' Expulsion  
At first from Paradise, & th' next Convulsion  
In Grandsire Japheth's Time, no Storm before,  
The Universal World e'er deluged more:  
But now, through matchless Grace, to Eliot's given  
The Key t'expel what locked men out of Heaven.  
His Tongue sails right, with Indian Tempest tossed;  
Puts in for Peter's Plea, at Pentecost.  
The Ambassador unto Them dares prefer.  
Offers of CHRIST, without Interpreter.  
The Incarnate Furys, straightway from the Pit  
Of Darkness worse than Egypt's, Rise, & Spit  
On all their Daemons, whilst their Breast & Brow  
They to the LORD, & to His Baptist vow.  
One Testament Seventy Interpreters  
Translate to Greek Antiquity avers;  
Both Testaments, yet ELIOT alone  
Converts into the Indian Tongue & Tone;  
Abel, though dead, yet speaks, in one Tongue more;  
says, Apollo's Eloquence, before,  
Never Road in such a Chariot: Luke Physician,  
‛ Thou skilled in Pulse,) would scarce tell the Condi●ion  
Of His own Gospel: Pau●, with his much Learning  
Would here be Posed:—  
●or' though to many Regions He did pass,  
●et no West-Indian Antiquary was.  
S●r Thomas E●iot was Great Britain's Glory:  
●ur Saint shall have a Chronicle in Age's Story:  
Great XAV●ER b●ings the Crucifix & Lib●●,  
To Indian Souls, of Masses; Ours, the Bible.  
●anctius, for this, owns Him a Tutelary:  
Calls on him & hi● joins with GOD & Mary:  
eliot before such cursed Adoration,  
Would choose much rather, an Annihilation.  
●et made His Wo●ks before m●ns Eyes to shine,  
●hat they might Glorify the Name Divine,  
The Indian-Work lay greatly on his Heart;  
Until the Last, when He and That must part.  
They parted not without most solemn Blessing,  
While Clouds thereon were to his Soul Distressing,  
He dies; His Work, when Time Dies shall survive;  
‛ Thou Dead, yet speaks, that th' Indian Work  
And to's Successors doth good Counsel give may Live,  
Address (I pray) our Senate for good Orders,  
To Civilize the Heathen in our Borders.  
‛ Virtue must turn into Necessity;  
‛ Or this brave Work, will in its Urn still lie.  
' Till Agriculture, and Cohabitation,  
‛ Come under full Constraint and Regulation,  
‛ Much you would do, you'll found Impracticable,  
‛ And much you do will prove Unprofitable.  
‛ In common Lands that lie unfenced you know  
‛ The Husbandman, in vain doth plough & sow:  
‛ We hope in vain, the Plant of Grace shall thrive  
‛ In Forests, where Civility can't Live.  
‛ In English Towns, when they their Months do spend,  
‛ Make Them, God's Worship with us, to attend.  
‛ While I used (as you must) sharp Discipline,  
‛ The saving Gains were There's, the Pains were mine.  
‛ Their Tender Sors to Sacred Learning's Throne  
‛ None can advance, but such Divines alone,  
‛ As are most Expert in their Dialect,  
‛ If Teaching in their own Tongue we respect:  
‛ Such Youths, (if GOD vouchsafe to Sanctify  
‛ Their studious minds) the sacred Oars may Ply,  
‛ Each Sabbath too, through S●arry Arches bring,  
‛ Their Common Homage to our Mighty King.  
‛ Look well to the Uprising Nursery:  
‛ You know full well, none more for Schools than I  
To drown their Woes, some drown their Wits, and All  
‛ Their Common Grace: Correct that Fault you shall.  
‛ If you be Instant, only out of Season,  
‛ Your Hope soars out of sight of all my Reason,  
‛ If you expect, (while Lords Days hold their Station)  
To Lecture them, on Weekdays, to Salvation.  
impossible to make a Purse,  
● ' Invite a Lecturer, in Turns, to Nurse  
‛ Your English Flocks, That those may have good Dressing  
‛ That have most need, upon the Day of Blessing?  
‛ Their Indian Teachers are but Weak; I Wiss;  
‛ Thei● Preaching, by their Hearers, slighted is:  
‛ Take th●n this Way, to readvance the Standard  
Of Holiness, b● late backsliding Slandered.  
‛ Let fire-hot Zeal, boil in your thirsty Veins,  
To save poor Caitiffs from Eternal Pains  
Our Ancient Heroes, with their English Prayers  
‛ Did edify Their Souls; yet than, such Airs  
‛ Were unintelligible, more by far,  
‛ Than now adays, (si●ce long Converse) they are  
‛ Call many English Suppliants: Let them Kneel,  
‛ With Them & for Them; for their saving Weal.  
‛ Join hand in hand: Help up the Weak, Heavens' Stairs:  
‛ Salvation, serves in pay of Joined Prayers.  
‛ The Friends of Christ, & Souls, Let none be mute  
‛ In any Tongue, that can GOD'S Throne salute:  
‛ FAST with and for Them also twice a Year,  
' 'Twill show, and bring their Resurrection near.  
‛ May GOD in Heaven, & may poor Heathens see  
‛ That much affected, & concerned All be:  
‛ Christ's Intercessions may they have rebound,  
‛ Echoed from hence, 'Twill to their Weal redound  
‛ (Grand Usurer) I, never gave Heaven a Mite  
‛ But gained, & gathered, Thousand Million by't  
‛ Never Regret (Brave Hearts!) your vast Expense  
‛ Of Time & Pains: Mark well the Difference  
' Betwixt Indian Traders & their Teachers made;  
‛ What Blessings These, what Blast Those Invade  
‛ Those often are annoyed with mischiefs, whiles  
‛ These do enjoy most sweet Celestial smiles.  
His Cou●se●s, we have done with; And return,  
To close the Ashes of his Sacred Urn.  
When Pious Grandsire lately came to visit  
This Saint, than at Heavens' Gate, And said, How is it?  
Such was his sense, he sagely made reply,  
I am Afraid: But not afraid to Die:  
Sir! Thankful Joy, My Motto is, (Quoth He)  
Unto Another; And I Joy to see  
What Lights Christ sets in is Churches, & that still  
GOD hath His Fo●k, that do● His Temples fill.  
How solemnly He B●st 'em, s●me c●n tell;  
Like Paul; Begging, mean while; their Prayers as well:  
And may they Blessed be! May they inherit,  
A Double Portion of Elijahs Spirit.  
On Golden Letters of His Name I mused;  
JOHN, distilled Honey, ELIOT, Toil produced.  
Pains bring in gains; for sweets, he sweats: thus fraued  
With richest Lading, To His Port, He's brought,  
This Vessel yet of Honour, had not been  
So soon seen under Sail, Had not our Sin  
Deserved & Provoked such a sign  
Of Woe descending from the Wrath Divine.  
This blurs the Trophys of our New E●ecti●ns,  
With Interlinements of sad Interjections  
Indians! Your Hearts are M●ble, if Distress  
Seize you not, for Unprofitableness.  
Fear you not Wrath poor Souls! will you not grieve  
The Ambassador of Peace has taken his Leave.  
He Loved your Nation dearly; did He not?  
(Adding your Language to the Polyglot;)  
In ways unparellelled, his strange Compassion  
Drawn Soul & Substance out, for your S●lvation  
Heavens' Fier● Balls, Flames, Sm●ke & Thundering Sh●  
And Bloody Drops, (lare Prodigies) are no●  
Moore signal than this Death, at such a season  
Such was Methuselah's: and we have Reason,  
May we have Grace, t' repent the Provocation,  
With speed, that cries aloud for Desolation.  
Yet Muse! Don't overgroan: thy Father's Gl●●  
In's reimbraced Colleague should with Thee  
Advance new Sonnets to His Jubilee  
Indulcifyed, sweet ELIOT by Thee.  I D 
FINIS.