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Mr Chauncey’s ( Title Page ) A Blessed Manumission of CHRIST’s ( Page 1 ) ( I ) A Blessed Manumission. EZEKIEL III. 26. And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb--- AFTER, the Prophet Ezekiel had been favour’d with a notable Vision, and was recovered from that lowly Posture, into which the Discovery of God’s Glory and Majesty had cast him, and had heard what the Spirit of God dictated to him, he was obstructed for the present from Preaching to the People, partly by God’s command, ver. 24. Go shut thy self within thy house. Partly by the Insolence of the People : ver. 25. But thou, O Son of man, behold they shall put Bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them : and partly by the immediate hand of God upon him : And I will make thy Tongue cleave to the Roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb. Text: which words ( Page 2 )2 A Blessed Manumission. words Mr.Henry thus Paraphrases upon. "The " Pious Captives in Babylon used this Impre" cation upon themselves, that if they did forget " Jerusalem, their Tongue might cleave to the " Roof of their mouths. Psal. 137. 6. Ezekiel " remembers Jerusalem more than any of them, " and yet his tongue cleaves to the Roof of " his mouth, and he that can speak best is for" bidden to speak at all. The words afford us this DOCTRINE. Doct. God sometimes is pleased to Silence his Ministers, or to cause their Tongues to cleave to the Roof of their mouths. Ministers are not only the Peoples mouth unto God, to present their Requests unto him, but God’s mouth unto his People, to declare his mind and will unto them. God therefore the fountain of natural Gifts, never sends Ministers upon his Errand, but he always gives them a tongue, and opens their mouths, to deliver their Message. The mind of God revealed to his Embassadors, is not designed to be lodg’d as a Secret with them ; and therefore God imparts unto them the faculty of Speech, and Gift of utterance. All the knowledge that a man is master of, is lock’d up in his own Breast, if he have not a faculty to communicate it : Without the Power of Speech, or something equivalent, the work of a Messenger would fall to the ground. And when he pleaseth, he puts a Period to their Ministry, either by substracting he Power of Speech, ( Page 21 )21 A Blessed Manumission. Conversations. I mention this particular last, which might have been more pertinently bro’t in before, because I design to Insist longer apon it. Ministers ought by their Example to credit their profession, and recommend Religion in its Beauty to others. Tit, 2.7. In all things shewing thy self a Pattern of good works. Hereby they Preach over again the Truths they have delivered to the People, and impress them upon their minds, and win them over to the practice of Religion. Now in the Conversation of your spiritual Guide, there was a lively Image of those Vertues and Graces, which he recommended to the practice of his Hearers. 1. He was publick Spirited : a true friend and lover of Sion. We are not born for our selves, but are members of Communities, and ought to be concerned for the publick Welfare. And did he not prefer the Peace of Jerusalem above his chiefest joy ? How careful was he to inform himself of the Transactions and Affairs of Europe, and to understand the State and Circumstances of this Province, that he might calculate his Prayers accordingly ; Religion exaltted his Spirit, and inspired it with generous and beneficent Affections to the Publick, and those in whom the publick Trust was reposed. And how was he grieved, when he understood that things ran in a wrong Channel, and how was his Spirit rejoyced, when publick Affairs were in a flourishing Posture ? 2. He was Valiant and Couragious, a man of Fortitude and Resolution. In the Heat of the War, ( Page 22 )22 A Blessed Manumission. War, when Deerfield was the Frontier Plantation, and very much exposed to the Incursion and Inroads of barbarous Enemies. he stood his Ground, and encouraged his Neighbours to do so too. And when the Enemy had taken his Fort, and entred his lodging Room, he attempted to kill some of them, but Providence prevented him. And when at Canada, he was threatned with sudden Death by a violent hand, if he would not conform to the Romish Worship, he resolutely resisted the Temptation, and came off a Conqueror. The menaces of Death could not unsettle his noble Resolutions, or tempt him to stain and eclipse his Vertue, or to blur his Evidences for Heaven. He chose rather to Risk all that was near and dear to him in this World ; nay to sacrifice his Life to the glory of God, and fall a Victim to the Enemies Fury, than to baulk his Conscience, or to forfeit the Pledges of the Glory that is to be revealed. God by his Grace enabled him to quit himself well in the Trial, so that maugre all their Attempts he kept himself Unspotted from the Infection. 3. He was patient under Affliction. His Captivity was a complicated affliction, and his Conduct under it a considerable passage in the Scene of his Life. He met with so much affliction at the time when Deerfield was taken by the Enemy, and in his Captivity, that it was a stumbling to some, that such a Religious Family should meet with so much Adversity. His Loving Confort was Slain, and two pleasant Branches of ( Page 23 ) 23 A Blessed Manumission of his Family were lop’d off by the Sword of the Wilderness, and several Others together with himself led into Captivity into a strange Land, and his House plunder’d and burnt to the Ground. I might also commemorate his Travelling through the Mazes of the Desart in a cold Season, his being Exil’d from the House of God, and the deep Concern that lay upon his Spirit, least his Children should be tainted with Romish Superstition and Idolatry. Under all these Trials, who ever heard him open his mouth in a way of murmuring and repining ? for he imitated Christ the bright Mirrour, and unexceptionable Pattern of Patience. Under dismal Aspects of Divine Providence, he encouraged himself in his God, and took shelter in the Munition of Rocks. He readily took upon him his Cross, yielded Passive Obedience, and Glorified God, by ascribing righteousness to him, and acknowledging his Sovereignty And Resignation to the Divine Disposal did hush, quiet and compose his thoughts, lenefie the bitterness of his Sorrows, and fortify his mind ; so that he did in patience possess his own Soul. The Archers shot at him, and sorely grieved him, but his Bow abode in strength. 4. He was grateful to his Benefactors. After his Return from Canada, Divine Providence took special care of him and his, and rais’d up Relief and Friends for them. He who is the Sovereign Ocean of all good, and whose benignity is hourly extended to the sensitive creatures, nay to his Enemies, cannot be parsimonious ( Page 24 )24 A Blessed Manumission. monious to his Favourites. Hence by his Influence or Instigation ; there were several at Boston, who were moved with Compassion towards him and his Family, and accordingly were liberal and open-handed in imparting to them things necessary to supply their Wants. Yea, there was a publick Collection at Hartford to Repair their Losses, and to set them up again. And he did not think it below him, to have his Estate repaired in part by Contribution, neither was he ashamed to make an acknowledgment of his Indebtedness to his bountiful Friends, but thankfully received their Courtesie. Yea, he had such a grateful sense of their Kindness, that when he had Liberty of access to the Throne of Grace, and was admitted to touch the Top of the Golden Scepter ; he frequently if not always prefer’d this Petition, Lord reward our Benefactors. 5. He was Hospitable. It becomes Ministers to be ready according to their Ability to entertain Strangers (that is to lodge and refresh them) when there is occasion for it. He having therefore a well furnished Table (for you must note, that his Life was checker’d with Adversity and Prosperity, as Job’s was ) he cared not to eat his Morsel alone. And having the portion of a full and an overflowing Cup, others might be welcome to share in it. How often did he invite persons of other Towns (occasionally there ) to refresh and repose themselves under his Roof. And his winning carriage was an Inducement to them to accept of the Invitation. 6. He |