MY silent Sabbaths are a sore Tryall to me, a Pulpit is more desirable to me then an Emperours Throne, Oh! how do I long to be among you again, that I may publish the glad tydings of Salvation, prevent the loss and ruine of Souls, which are of greater value then the whole World; Sathan is busy, his Instruments are active, the Flock of Christ needs food; Oh! sad necessity that I must be silent. But you will presently be apt to reply, From whence is this necessity? I can assure you not from any promise I am under not to Preach at all, nor for fear of punishments for Preaching: But hope of serviceableness shortly makes me at present forbear, and my body by Imprisonments hath been so weakened that to put it upon that hard labour it was used to heretofore, would in all likelyhood destroy it, and put an end to my days and Preach­ing together. Jerusalem in the depths of her distress remembred the joy­ful days that once she had when she was Princess among the Provinces, when her mount Zion was the Joy of the whole Earth, and she was exalted above the rest of the Nations in regard of sacred and Civil Pri­viledges: and alass being now deprived of these, her sorrow was the more overwhelming. Oh! my dear Brethren, I remember the blessed and peaceable Sabbaths. I injoyed with you, Thousands of us were admit­ted together to the Throne of Grace, that we might joyn our forces, our Graces together, and prevail with the Father of Mercies who takes delight in the sincere supplications of his People. I had liberty of prophesying to Thousands and spread the Net of the Gospel wide, and Blessed, blessed be God, that so many Souls were taken; I had liberty to cry that I might awaken the secure, to fill my mouth with arguments to perswade Souls to be­lieve and be converted. I call to mind my well bestowed Sweat and Pains, for I never grudg'd to spend my self and to be spent for you. Oh! The in­largements I have had in Prayer, the assistances vouchsafed in Preaching; the [Page] warmth, the meltings, the ravishments, the holy resolutions at the Lords Table. Lament, Lament, and again I say Lament, Oh! my Soul, that now the Case is so sadly altered, there is a black cloud that covers the Stars in Christs right Hand. Solemn assemblies are broken, and straving Souls, when in part ready to take their Food, have it cruelly snatcht away from them. I have been told that when a famous Church in France was of late pull'd down, where Protestants used to meet and worship; That the pul­ling of it down was a most affecting spectacle, the Protestants came and looked on, and Oh! what beating of Breast was there; what floods of Tears were shed, what bitter reflections upon their unprofitableness under those Ordinances which there had been publickly administred. Break, break, Oh! my stupid Heart, to think how I am thrust out of the Pulpit, and deprived, of those precious opportunities of service which once I had. And you, my dear Brethren, Mourn together with me, that you improved Sermons no better, and that tho so much Seed was sown, and that Seed was Watered so plentifully, yet so little Fruit was brought forth.

Many billows have gone over us already, and perhaps more are coming: God preserve the Vessel of his Church from drowning. Sometimes I have feared, and the Lord grant I be not prophetical, since Family duties have been so much neglected, that Family worship will be only allowed to Protestant Dissentors. I have feared because Christians have been so proud, so worldly, so vain, so censorious, so backbiting, when they have come to­gether, that they shall be more scattered then ever, Oh! that Tongue Sins may not cost professors so dear as to make Ministers, nay God himself silent. Oh! let us all smite on our Thighs, and say, what have we done, what have we spoken, what have we thought that hath been amiss? True Repentance which doth include a Thorow and lasting Reformation is the way to fix the Golden Candelstick again in its place and to prevent a Nations ruine; and which is comfortable to consider the Repentance of Tens may do more good, then harm can be done by the Sins of Thousands. Brethren pray very hard for me, that I may be strengthened every way both in body and Spirit, that Head and Heart may be bettered, and both sincerely ingaged in the service of Christ, and you; that the Waters which because of my Im­prisonment I have need to use longer this year then others, may be Healing, and that once again as great a Door as ever, and much more effectual then ever, notwithstanding our many Adversaries may, be opened to