waite a time of Trouble and Tribulation such as never was since there vvas a Nation even unto that same time saving that trouble of the Jews long since acted vvhereof this of yours is but a second part of the same once more repeated over again according to the Nature of your Crime in Comparison of theirs these hastening to be as those vvith them once vvere Luke 21.22 Dayes of Vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled And novv as there have been are and are further Expected Signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the Earth distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and Waves Roaring Mens Hearts failing them for Fear and for looking after those things which are comming on the Earth for the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken These vvords are foreboding marks of those Days of Tribulation I have mentioned before and a discription of the State of that Tribulation and the ground Plot of both 1. The Marks foreboding are called Signs and are Described by their Scituation either in the Sun or Moon or Stars or on the Earth Signs in the Sun and Moon are all extraordinary and unusual Eclipses as when Total and the Stars appear by Day or is accompanyed with strange Meteors or Constellations Unusual and Stange Colour such as black or bloudy or pale and dark for any long time Unusual shapes such as extraordinary big or small or when Crosses or other Signs appear in the Bodys of either Signs in the Stars are when new Stars Comets or unusual Meteors do appear and that of horrible Colours shapes quantity and bigness and do last long or do mischeif Great Conjunctions and Constellations and Crouds of Planets in mutual Opposition or Conjunction or shews in the Heavens of Armies or Monsters c. Signs upon Earth are Monstrous Births Apparitions of Ghosts strange Thunders Hail-Storms Frosts Earthquakes moving of Mountains Trees Houses or Towns prodigious Winds c. Strange Voices heard and not known whence they come Raining of Bloud Wool Wheat Stones or such like Breaking forth of new Wells Rivers and such like Now these things are wont to be aboundantly more plenteous in Pagan Countrys then in Christian because where God teacheth by his word there is the less need of the warning by strange Prodigies And 2ly because where we know to despise Signs and Wonders they pass over the less noted or headed but where Men do most admire Sathan makes shew oftentimes of greater wonders then really they are and counterfeit strange Signs Before the destruction of Jerusalem was seen a Flaming Comet in form of a Sword which hung over Jerusalem a whole Year Armies were seen Fighting in the Air A Voice was heard in the Temple saying Let us go hence The great Gate that Twelve Men were usually aiding to open and shut in the Night time opened of its own accord And what was most of all one Jesus Son of Ananel for four Years together went about the City continually pronouncing Woes against the City Country and Temple and no Whipping or Punishment would make him cease Now never were more greivous Calamities then befel that place at that time And yet we Read of greater and more grievous Signes before the Falling down of the Northern Inundations about the Year of 400 vvhen the Goths Vandals Hunns and such like barbarous People over ran the Roman Empire And far vvorse before the Massacre of Romans in Britain in Neroes Time And the Massacre of Romans by Mithridates and the taking of Rome by the Gaules And yet before the Fearful Massacre at Paris in 72 vve Read of very mean Prodigies boding thereof The truth is there Lurks much of Learning in the Case Prodigies and strange Signs are Significant but they require an Interpretor there is a curiosity in the Signification more then every body knovvs only thus far vve knovv that such things are Direful vvhere-ever the danger Lights and in common Threatnings all Men are to bevvare Now to take a view of the prodigies of our own Age at present depending with their Woes looking in our Faces are first a prodigious Hailstorm in London and Ten Miles round on the 18th of May 1680. The like whereof has not been known of many Ages in Novemb. and December of the same Year followed the prodigious Comet in form of a Spit of great length which coming out of the South appeared for Twelve Months and made abode with us in our Northern Latitude for some Months February 11th 1681. Was a total Eclipse of the Moon Fatal and Bloody in 4º of Virgo August 1682. Was another Comet in the Northern Hemisphere which shone sometime and moved Southwards In October came up the great Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter which yet Reigns in the Second Decanate of Leo and on December the 5th a fearful Torch appeared double which coming from North-East and South-West met in Mid-Heaven and dashing at each other vanished with a great blaze of Light And lastly on Jan. 17. vvas a visible Eclipse of the Sun in the 8th of Aquarius almost Total in the Western Horison And besides these are talkt of several Visions seen in the Ayr and noyse of Drums beating heard no Man knovvs from vvhence and strange Prophesies of Destruction and much Mischief attending us and great Rumours of Wars every vvhere But the Pulpit is no place to tell strange stories in I shall omit therefore the crovvd of Heresays of Mock Suns and Moons and several Vapours besides relations of nevv Springs and Rivers broken out vvhich never vvere vvont to shevv themselves but against times of extremity And novv vvhat these things signifie belong not unto this place to decide but do rather lead me to give vvarning that in such cases every body do fear the vvorst and the best vvill mend it self That is God sends these vvarnings that vve may repent of our sins and in expectation of danger to stick the closer unto our God in all holiness of Conversation And this the rather because in the next place vve are forevvarned that after these Signs shall follovv Distress of Nations with Perplexity the Sea and the Waves roaring Mens Hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth Here in this Prophesie have vve first described the thing forevvarned Distress of Nations Intimating that after the Signs aforesaid not all the vvhole World but yet Nations several Nations vvhomsoever it may concern shall be greatly distressed that is they shall suffer great Assaults and shall be much Tottered and Shaken or Overturned and shall have no Supporters or Assisters to preserve from a fall or to raise up being down Or in short They shall have so great troubles that they will not know which way to turn them in order to deliverance 2. Is described the height of this distress that is with Perplexity Intimating that their Calamities shall be like unto a Line intangled and knit into
of the Instruments It shall be by means of infinite Bloud and Slaughter that is at Hand When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with Armies saith Christ then let them which are in Judea flee to the Mountains and let them which are in the midst of it depart out and let not them which are in the Countries enter thereinto And he who is on the House-top let him not come down to take any thing out of his House and be a Man in the Field Mal. 2.16 17 18. let him not go home for his Cloaths Intimating that there shall follow such Universal Massacres that it shall be in vain for a Man to use Defence against them or to use Means to escape but as good to Die on the House-top as to come down to Perish below And be a Man in a way of escape with his Life in the Field let him take no care for his Goods the danger being so quick and so very sharp and great that without something of a Wonder a Man shall hardly save his Life And novv the Time is coming that the same sort of Tribulation Threatens the Gentile Nations vvith perplexity of Distress as our Saviour then bespake upon Jerusalem vvhether it be Constantinople or London or Paris or Rome or vvhat other guilty City let them look to it and let us be avvare of vvhat shall follovv Shall vve ever live to see London Compassed about vvith Armies or to hear of the Factious Schismatical or Seditious there raising Tumults or Rebellion under any pretence whatsoever though never so specious and shall they so far prevail c. Then let all Loyal Subjects who have any true Fear of God before their Eyes and either were not of the late Rebellion or have repented of their guilt thereof stay with the King and pertake with him in his Fortunes where is the only and greatest assurance of Safety or if not so however let them in time betake themselves unto the Mountains and get them out of the places where the greatest of dangers Lodges There is a Prophecy in force at this time of a great City that is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt and has the Character of the City where our Lord was Crucified Rev. 11 8 13. where is to be expected a great Earth-quake by means whereof the Tenth part of the City shall fall and there shall be Slain of Men of Note 7 Thousand and the Remnant affrighted shall give Glory to the God of Heaven It does not at all concern me at this time to discover what City it is that is here meant That it is not Jerusalem is sure enough for that that City lay in Ashes at the time of this Prophecy express't and is not yet free of the same And whether it be meant of any City where Christ was Crucified a Fresh by reason of his great Substitute or Vicegerent put to Death much after the rate as he was And whether this be intended of Rome or London or Constantinople I need not Determine It is enough that warning of such a thing is come forth let all great Cities inquire saying is it I And London especially Mat. 26.21 because of the Sacred Majesty which was here put to Death as Christ was by an High Court of justice By the Earth quake is meant an utter overturn of that City as to its State of Felicity as Houses or Trees use to be overturned by an Earth-quake whence shall follow a greivous Massacre of the Tenth part of the Inhabitants and among them 7000 Persons of Principal Note The most Reverend Arch-Bishop Usher who has been a Person well known of good Conversation and Eminent Piety and with all very much Prophetical hath lately spoken much to the same purpose of a greivous Massacre or a Bloudy time that attends some sort of Protestants which shall exceed the Massacrees of Ireland and those of 72 at Paris in France and shall be the sharpest Bloudy time that ever was known There be also that talk of Prophecies as if the Streets of London shall Flow with Bloud like the Kennels with Water after a shower I give no test to the Truth of this however I say it is useful to dread the worst This Massacre most Reverend Usher says shall happen by the Hands of the Papists And Arch-Bishop Land at his Death on the Scaffold took notice of the Pharisaical pretence of the Jews Joh. 11.48 for the Murther of Christ which was lest the Romans should come and take away the Place and Nation and withal how remarkably it pleased God to punish them and their Hypocrisie by the very way that their pretence was grounded when the Romans came indeed and took away their Nation and destroyed the Place not by any means of Christ or his Disciples but sent of God purposely to punish their vile Hypocrisies and Rebellions And hence he spoke it as his fear lest it might be so again here in England because of the like pretences unjustly raised against the King and Himself as if favourers of the Roman Papists and therefore contrived his Death as the Jews had done the Death of Christ lest the Papists the Romans should come and destroy this place and Nation And now as the pretences here were false and hypocritical and lying in wait for Sacred Bloud as those of the Jews so that Holy Arch-Bishop bespake his fears lest the Justice of Heaven should punish this City and these Pretenders as he did Jerusalem and the Pharisees Priests and Elders there by the Roman Catholicks permitting them as he did the Romans by Jerusalem to destroy this City and the Schismatical and Seditious People therein The words of dying Men are often very truly Prophetical much more are they so of dying Martyrs and mostly of such Priestly Martyrs as was this Arch-Bishop How dreadful therefore at this time does danger look upon this City and upon all Men of this Land that stand stained with the Guilt of the late Rebellions and especially upon all such who instead of Repentance for the same do shew forth Images of their old sins as if just about to be acted over again And as aboding of such Dangers a general Consternation seems to possess all Mens Minds with Dread and Fears which usually precede greivous Judgments There is a Plague past and a Dreadful Fire Mal. 24.7 8. but these seem but as those things of which Christ speak saying they are but the beginning of Sorrow the Case of Jerusalem is to us an example of forewarning and a pattern of what we have to fear Let wise Men therefore read the story and foreseeing thence a Cloud of Tribulation hanging over our heads let them study the Holy Art of true Repentance and Amendment that so their own Lives may be given them for a Prey God be praised who in all his Judgments remembers Mercy who would not permit one spark of Fire to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah Gen. 19. 2 Pet. 2.6 7. Rev.
much more the more Noble and Eminent Ones I Pray God keep your Grace and all the Noble Patrons of our Church and Kingdom from such danger But chiefly I pray God so keep you with his Grace that you may be always ready for our Blessed Saviour and that with such an heart as dreading no danger you may be most apt and able to put forth your self so as to go unto him with submission according to his own way what ever it be It hath pleased God to do for your Grace very great things and to lengthen the Line of your Family from a very Ancient Remembrance to be the Seven and Twentieth Noble Person descended in a direct Male Line from Dukes and Earls beyond the Conquest And to Preserve your whole Genealogy down unto your most Noble Self untainted in your true Allegiance And to make your Grace the Head of the greatest Tribe of one Bloud that any Noble Person in either of these three Kingdoms can shew again of which Famous Tree your unworthy Remembrancer hath the Honour to be an humble Sprig with Branches And now with Gods Blessing it 's to be hoped this tall Tree out of your Loyns is putting forth a fresh as if it will not cease it's growth but be spreading on still more and more even until Doomsday You are God be praised at this day in good health and strength and that unto admiration your great Age considered I Pray God of his Mercy continue it unto you unto your utmost time and to strengthen your Inner Man with all heavenly Graces equalling and exceeding those of your Outer Man So Prays My Lord Your Graces most humble Servant J. Butler A SERMON Preached on the 30th of January 1683. LUKE 21. Verse 25 26. And there shall be Signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars And upon the Earth Distress of Nations with Perplexitie the Sea and the Waves Roaring Mens Hearts failing them for Fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth For the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken THere is Prophetick mention of two Fatal Times as they are fore shewn by the Prophet Daniel and by our Saviour Jesus Christ Dan. 12.1 There shall be saith Daniel a time of Trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time thy People shall be deliverd And this seems to be the very time my Saviour Fore-Bodes by the Signs in my Text mentioned For if we observe He adds saying then as much as to say when you see those Signs shall they see the Son of Man coming in a Cloud Luke 21.27 28 29 30 31. with Power and great Glory And when these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your Hands for your Redemption draweth nigh And as sure as the Sprouting Fig-tree is a Prodromer that Summer is at Hand even so when ye see these things that is the Signs in my Text c. Then know ye that the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand By the Son of Man spoken off by Christ seems to be understood the same Person who by Daniel is Stiled Michael the cheif Prince Of whom as 't is said here that He shall come so it is spoken there saying he shall stand up And both these seem to speak of the coming of Christ to Reign but that not Personally as some imagine but by his Vicegerent as saith the Prophet Isaiah Isa 49.22 23. Dan. 10.21 Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers when I set up my Standard to the People and they shall bring thy Sons in their Arms c. And thus Michael the Son of Man or the Cheif Prince shall stand up and come to deliver the Ancient Jews and Israelites his People out of Captivity by the Hands of Christian Kings his Earthly Angels and Ministers or Vicegerents The Total Sum of all which things Amounts thus far That the Jews and Israelites shall be converted to the Christian Faith and then shall be delivered out of Captivity by the mighty Power of God and be restored unto their own Ancient Country and Land called Palestina but immediately before those Days shall be great Tribulation Mat. 24.21 such as was not since the beginning of the World to this time no nor ever shall be But now withal we are to understand that this time of Trouble or Tribulation is to be twice repeated whereof once as has been afore shewed and another time before that when the Abomination of Desolation shall be set up in the holy Place Dan. 9.26 27. Luke 21.32 And when Michael is also called Messiah all come in Person and shall be cut off but not for himself in the midst of the Week there shall be and follow the first Tribulation which was to be fulfilled before that Generation wherein our Saviour lived was quite passed over And this has already been fulfilled once or acted repeated over the first time And is to be expected to be acted over a second time and that second time is justly supputed to be near at hand Now to Calculate these things Regularly and Exactly according to what is expressed by that Holy Prophet and confirmed by our Saviour The ground Plot of all those things is the coming and standing up of Michaelâ— who is the Messiah our Chirst our Saviour who came first personally in order to Suffer that we may be Redeemed At this time He came unto his own Joh. 11.11 Acts 2.23 Mat. 27.25 and his own received him not but took and Crucified slew him and called down the Vengeance of his Bloud upon their own Heads and upon the Heads of their Children And hence followed the first Direful Tribulation the like whereof was never known before It was in the Thirty Third Year of our Saviours Incarnation upon Friday the Third of April at a little after Three a Clock in the Afternoon Joh. 19 30. at what time hanging upon the the Cross He bowed down his Head and Died. And on the Thirty Seventh Year after on the Fourteenth of April Titus with the Romans at a Pascal time Joseph of the Wars shut in the Jews into the City of Jerusalem by a close Siege at what time it was infinitely throng'd with People who from all parts had come thither to the Passover On the Third of May he took one Wall by Assault and on the Eighth of May another Wall On the Fourteenth of July the dayly Sacrifice ceased for want of Victims On the Twenty-Fourth of July the Castle called Antonia was taken by the Romans and the same day the Northern Porch of the Semple was burnt and on the Twenty-Seventh Day the Western Porch was burnt by the Jews themselves On the Eighth Day of August the Romans entred the Temple and on the Tenth Day it began to burn with Violent Flame Then did the Romans kill the Preists and prophaned the Alter and the Bloud ran
down the Steps like VVater in a time of â—ain Dio. On the Eighth of September being Saturdy or the Jewish Sabbath the Romans entred the higher City and took it At this Siege were slain what by Sword Plague and Famine 1100000 Mortals besides what were slain at other times and places and sold for Slaves Here ceased the dayly Sacrifice and the Abomination of Desolation was set up and continued standing so until the times of Trasanus Euseb Dio. and Hadrianus Emperors of Rome In time of Trajanus the Jews Rebelled in Egypt and Kyrene and Kypâ—us and Mesopotamia and endured vast Slaughters In time of Hadrianus they Rebelled in Judaea and were soon tamed Euseb Dio. But in the Year 128 Hadrianus converted Jerusalem into a Roman Colony and called it Aelia-Capitolina and erected the Temple of Jupiter by the side of the Jewish Temple whence occasioned the last and Fatal Rebellion of the Jews under Barchochebas their Leader who slew many Romans and Christians but in the Year 135 Euseb Dio. or one Hundred and Three Years after Christs Death with much difficulty they were utterly Broken and Ruined and by Wars at this time Perished 580000 Souls besides Infinite Numbers more who died of Fire Plague and Famine Then was a Swines Head Engraven over the Gates of the City with other Pagan Images and the Jews were utterly forbidden ever to come there more unless once by the Year to bewail the Abominations and away again and here now the Abomination of Desolation was at the highest Pitch at what time also a Temple to Jupiter was erected at Golgotha Paulin. Hieron and another to Venus at Bethlehem And hence forward the Jews utterly left off their several Ceremonies as well Christians as other Jews After these things 179 Years or in the Year of Christ 314 was Maximinus the last Pagon Tyrant routed and overcome by Licinius the Confederate of Constantine the Great and soon after Died Tormented of God at Thausus in Kilikia and Himself called in the Edict of Persecuting Christians before he Died. But he no sooner Dead but Idolatry was every where cast down and the Abomination of Desolation at Jerusalem was set aside and the Ancient Name of Jerusalem again recovered Euseb Eccl. Hist Churches were Built up and Idol-Temples pull'd down and thence forward ceased the Abomination And this was that first time of Tribulation the like whereof was never before known and it continued 244 Years during which space the Jews were utterly Destroyed or driven into Exile and the Christians were continually Persecuted with Fire and Faggot From this time forward saith our Saviour The Jews shall be led Captive into all Nations and Jerusalem for the most part is to continue trodden under foot of the Gentiles Luke 21.24 until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled That is as it shall seem The Gentiles shall enjoy the Holy City and the Holy Places and the Jews shall be utterly cast out from thence until such time as the Gentiles becoming abominably wicked in some measure like unto what the Jews once were by reason whereof that woful Tribulation did befal them and then shall be Signs in the Heavens foretokening a Second Repetition of the like woful Tribulation which is to befal the Gentiles whether Pagans Schismaticks or loose Christians Vers 27 28.29 c. who are to Perish by Sword Plague Fire and Famine in some measure as the Jews also did And in those Days the Jews and Israelites Are to lift up their Heads and to look up for that They are to be Redeemed and Delivered and these are perpetually to be cast out Thus are we forewarned by our Blessed Saviour But Daniel measures out the time thereof into parcels and points at the Years when things shall come to pass in order To this purpose having his Eye fixed upon the Redemption and Deliverance of the Jews and Israelites called his People with great care and Anxiety of Mind desiring to know when it should come to pass Loe the Holy Angels favouring his Desires enquire for him saying To the Man Cloathed in Linnen with a Girdle of Gold about his Loins whose Body was as Beryl Dan. 10.5 6. Ch. 12.5 6 7. and his Face like Lightening and his Eyes as it were Lamps of Fire How long shall it be to the end of these wonders unto which was answered by a solemn Oath from the Man in Linnen who seems to be the Christ That it shall be for a time Vers 7. and times and an half and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the Power of the Holy People all these things shall be finished Intimating that there shall be a Scattering of the Holy People as it was when Christ was taken saying I will smite the Shepherd Mat. 26.31 Zach. 13.7 8 9. and the Flock shall be scattered abroad This saying was first written by the Prophet Zachariah saying Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man who is my Fellow saith the Lord of Hosts Smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered and I will turn mine Hand upon the little Ones And it shall come to pass that in all the Land saith the Lord Two parts therein shall be Cut off and Die but the Third shall be left therein And I will bring the Third part through the Fire and will Refine them as Silver is Refined and will Try them as Gold is Tried they shall call on my Name and I will hear them I will say It is my People and they shall say The Lord is my God Christ was smitten but not with the Sword the Awakement of the Sword therefore looks beyond Christ there is another scattering of the Holy People to be made besides that of the Apostles when Jesus was Murdered and yet is to be such as shall correspond therewith and be thereunto answerable And that He who is to do this is to be some Great Man among the Gentiles either Pagan or Schismatick and seems 2 Thes 2.3 4 5 6 7 8 9 c. as described by St. Paul to be that Man of Sin the Son of Perdition who is to be Revealed in his time who will Exalt himself above all that is called God or that is Worshiped so that He as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing Himself that He is God That Wicked One even He whose coming is after the working of Satan with all Power and Signs and Lying Wonders This is He who shall do by the Holy People as the Jews did by Christ when they Murdered Him under a pretext of Justice And this is to be done before the Conversion of the Jews but after this is done then matters will hasten apace unto their Deliverance even in those Days before that Generation shall pass away Luke 21.32 wherein these things shall be done all of it shall be fulfilled And this scattering is to be made at under the Time of a Time
miscarriages may befall our Bodies yet our Souls shall be Safe and Chearful and quit of all Dangers Patience is a Divine Vertue whereby a Man is enabled to bear his Cross with as much ease as if it were not the Essence and Strength of this Vertue consisteth in a Stock of Courage and the Power of Habit Facilitating endurance Job 39.20 21 22 23 24 25 c. Pro. 28.1 The Horse is a Beast of great Courage and crys A Ha at the sound of a Trumpet and rejoyceth at the Battel and the shouting of the Captains And when the Righteous are made by the Grace and Power of Gods Spirit bold as Lyons can not they Scorn at Fear think we as well as an Horse and endure the Wracking and tearing of Flesh as well as a Mastiff-Dog and if so then with how much the more ease shall they bear with the loss of Goods and Fond Pleasures And Habit consisteth in the Practice of use which makes endurance easie The Labouror by his use and habit of Labour can abide to dig all Day with as much ease as a Gentleman stands by and looks on The Philosophers and Pagan Men of old were enabled by meer acquired Habits to despise Wealth and Worldly Honours and to scorn Bribery and Flattery and could choose to be Poor rather then Dishonest how much more then shall Christians become Valiant in contempt of the World when Secret Influences of Grace shall inspire our Minds and Spirits with inward Courage and Resolutions Our Duty is therefore to consider the Vertue and Glory as well as the Necessity of the Work in setting our Affections on things above and so put our selves upon the means with all possible Diligence in the Practice and we shall soon find Experience enough of Divine helps giving Encouragement so as no Difficulty shall be able to dishearten 3. But then 3dly We must remember to have a care lest at any time our hearts be over charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness Cares of this Life Lu. 21.34 35. and so the day of Danger come upon us unawares For as a Snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth Drunkenness and Whordom and Covetuousness destroys more Countrys Citys Armies and Men then Plague and Famine and the most Cruel and Bloudy Wars For in all such cases Men have their Eyes in their Heads and as they see their Danger imminent so they exercise their Reason and Wits to prevent it and whether they Live or Die they make the best of their condition But in these cases wise Men do become and that by their own Act Sots and Fools and expose and lay open themselves to be baffled betrayed abased and killed and to become odious to God and Man a Prey to the Enemy and God shall not pity them nor revenge their wrongs Now the Righteous do also become a Prey unto the Enemy many times by Gods Permission for Tryal of Faith and Patience and other Reasons but then here is their comfort 1st That it is not through their own default nor for want of Eyes or looking about them but meerly for that they were abused and they Suffer for Conscience and Truth and Righteousness 2dly 1 Pet. 4.18 That God will before or after Death be sure to avenge their Cause But now if the Righteous scarcely be saved but have also their Hell even in this Life where shall the ungodly and the wicked appear Good Men have their Tryals of Affliction for a time and their Hell upon Earth for a while and Evil Men have their time to Glory in their Prosperity As our Saviour says the true Church Men shall Lament and Weep Joh. 16.20 and the World shall rejoyce in their Surfeiting and Wantonness they have Loved the Creature above the Creator and the Pleasures on Earth beyond the hopes of Heaven and yet these brute Breasts are allowed to be Merry and to have the World at Will and truly careful and good Men must Suffer Tribulation But there is a time when Tribulation shall come upon a Land with an Universal Scourge like as a Theif comes in the Night 1 Thes 5.2 3. And then when they cry Peace and Safety Lo then sudden Destruction will come on like a Woman in Travel But in that Day says Christ to all who are his their Sorrow shall be turned into joy For says he I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce Joh. 16.22 Rom. 14.17 so as no Man shall be able to take away Joy from you That is holy Men shall be comforted with secret cheerfulness from within in a quite different manner from all pleasures of the Flesh But Worldly Men whose God is their Belly and whose Glory is in their Shame shall be surprized like the five Foolish Virgins Mat. 25.1 c. who for want of Oyl in their Lamps were shut out when the day came of the Marriage Feast and shall be taken as it were in a Net like the Men of Sodom or of the old World at which times Lot and Noah were preserved alone Fleshly Lusts War against the Soul by besotting and bewitching it into a Fond security 1 Pet. 2.11 which tendeth to its Ruine To prevent therefore the emminent Danger of Publick Calamities we must shun Surfeiting Wantonness for they expose us into the very gulf of Miseries and prevent us of all means of escape But Lu. 21.36 4ly We must Watch and Pray always that we may be counted worthy to escape No Man can escape but by help of God Man cannot help in such a case 't is God only can do it And God helps none unless he have a worth in him and that worth must come by Christ there is nothing in our selves no not in the best of us Here lies the thing therefore we must be found in Christ that is as Men who have put off the ways of the World in Rioting and Drunkenness and Covetuosness and are experienced in the ways of Christ knowing the value of spiritual Joys hid Treasures whose worth the World knows nothing of And in order to compass these we must 1st Watch that is Exercise all possible Care and Diligence in taking heed to abstain from Sin and to increase in Vertue and Godliness take heed of Thoughts that are vain or Evil how they get ground of us of Evil Company lest it seduce us and above all of Evil Works lest they Gain an Habit upon us and to these purposes are we to Watch. And 2dly We must pray always that is use all possibly Godly means of Hearing Meditation Reading Godly Conference above all especially Prayer always in a continual course of Prayer and in frequent Act of Prayer and all to this end that we may be found in Christ and so when the Tribulations come and the Signs come and the Perplexity of all Nations shall come yet that we may be Safe Amen FINIS