The pastors farewell, and wish of welfare to his people, or, A valedictory sermonThe pastors farevvell, and vvish of vvelfare to his people, or, A valedictory sermon

Thirdly, In a word I commend you to his universal benediction, to his blessings in all your undertakings and concernments, as to his grace to affect you, in the midst of the Worlds hatred, and to his power to protect you in the middest of all hardships, so to his presence to prosper you in all the works of your hands. The fruitfulness of the earth depends wholly upon the influence of Heaven; If the Sun with-hold its heat, and the clouds their moisture, all things decay and wither. The success of all your actions depend on Gods benediction; If he deny his concurrence, nothing prospers. Except the Lord build the house, they labour but in vain that build it, Psa. 127.1. Its lost labour to undertake the ⟨p. 46⟩keeping up that house which God will have pulled down. Tis to no purpose to Plough that field which God will have lye Fallow. Neither men can help you in civil things, nor the means of grace in spirituals, unless God afford his assistance. Some Philosophers tell us, that God is the soul of the World, as the soul is in every part of the body, so God in every part of the World. Sure I am as the body moveth not, nor any part of it, but as its animated and acted by the soul, so neither can the World, or any thing in it, but as its enlivened and acted by God. He is the primum mobile, which sets all the other Orbs in motion.

Thirdly, In a word I commmend you to his universal benediction, to his blessings in all your undertakings and concernments, as to his grace to affect you, in the midst of the Worlds hatred, and to his power to protect you in the middest of all hardships, so to his presence to prosper you in all the works of your hands. The fruitfulness of the earth depends wholly upon the influence of Heaven; If the Sun with-hold its heat, and the clouds their moysture, all things decay and wither. The success of all your actions depend on Gods benediction; If he deny his concurrence, nothing prospers. Except the Lord build the house, they labour but in vain that build it, Psa. 127.1. Its lost labour to undertake the ⟨p. 46⟩keeping up that house which God will have pulled down. Tis to no purpose to Plow that field which God will have lye Fallow. Neither men can help you in civil things, nor the means of grace in spirituals, unless God afford his assistance. Some Philosophers tell us, that God is the soul of the World, as the soul is in every part of the body, so God in every part of the World. Sure I am as the body moveth not, nor any part of it, but as its animated and acted by the soul, so neither can the World, or any thing in it, but as its enlivened and acted by God. He is the primum mobile, which sets all the other Orbs in motion.