men. Wherefore, beloved in the Lord, give me leave to end with this exhortation, to beseech you in Christ Jesus to get this faith; above all getting, get this faith; you that have not this true, saving faith, get it. Some there be here, it may be, that have faith good enough to swear by, but not faith good enough to live by; true, saving faith, a believer can live by, but he cannot swear by it. A true believer is very sensible of his unbelief: saith he, There was never a more unbelieving heart than mine; I think there is not a man or woman in the world, is troubled with such an unbelieving heart as I. True, saving faith, is sensible of unbelief; and therefore you that have not this true, saving faith, labour to get it; above all, get it. Get this true, saving faith; and you that have this true, saving faith, improve it, use it, do great things for God, and suffer hard things from man. Yea, certainly, if you have this true, saving faith, you will be able to do great things for God, and to suffer very hard things from man: for that is the doctrine at this time, True, saving faith, can and will suffer very hard things.

THE EXCELLENCY OF THE FEAR OF GOD. THE GOODNESS AND

PLEASANTNESS OF BROTHERLY LOVE.

THE WISDOM OF

HEARING THE VOICE OF THE ROD. REPENTANCE

THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT JUDGMENTS.

IN SEVEN SERMONS.

1671.

TO THE READER.

THE labours of this Reverend Author (now with God) both in print and in preaching, have already praised him in the gate, and make his name and memory still remain and continue like a precious ointment, notwithstanding the vain endeavours of some, to make both himself and writings ridiculous; in which kind, though they may be abundantly repayed, since a late Author makes some on all sides guilty of the like; yet there is cause to fear (whatsoever innocent design may be pretended by those witty menj that religion itself may be contemned and slighted by such practices.

It is hoped that these Sermons will give no occasion for such cavils. but that they may be of use to some persons, to direct and confirm them in the good old ways of God, though they may want much of those advantages, which it may be the Author's own hand would have bestowed upon them. And upon that account the reader is desired not to be offended, though some things may not be so exact or plain as might be wished, nor to impute it to the Author in the least, but to look upon it only as the fault of the transcriber or publisher.

Yet hoping that notwithstanding these disadvantages, some may (through the blessing of God) reap profit and benefit by them, they are here published and submitted to the judgment of the candid reader.

J. O.

ON THE

FREENESS OF THE GRACE AND LOVE

OF GOD.

SERMON I.

"Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called but few chosen.”—MATT. xx. 15, 16.

I DO intend, God willing, to shew you the freeness of the grace of God in reference to men's employments and sufferings, and therefore have made choice of this scripture, wherein you have the parable of certain labourers in the vineyard; the parable is propounded and applied; propounded from verse 1 to verse 16: "For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard, and when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard; and he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the market-place; and he said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you, and they went their way; and again he went about the sixth hour, and the ninth hour, and did likewise; and about the eleventh hour he went out and saw others idle, and he said unto them, Why stand you here all the day idle? and they said unto him, Because no man hath hired us he said unto them, Go you also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, that shall you receive. So when even was come, the Lord said unto his steward of the vineyard, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first; and when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received everv man a penny, but when the first came they supposed that they should have received more, and they likewise received every man a penny, and when they had received it, they murmured