People for their clearer conviction of their Folly and Stupidity in not discerning the Time of his Judgements For sayes the Lord in Jeremy †Chap. 8. ver 7. Yea the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed Times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the Time of their Coming but my People know not the Judgement of the LORD Hence it comes to passe that as some of the more foolish Birds they are oft taken unawares in the snares of Gods judgements as the Wise man observes * Eccl. 9.12 For man also knoweth not his Time as the Fishes that are taken in an evil Net and as Birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil Time when it falleth suddenly upon them How pathetically did the Lord Jesus Christ lament and bewaile the deplorable state and condition of Jerusalem upon this very account that they knew not they consider'd not their great danger but were senslesse and secure notwithstanding all Warnings and Premonitions at the very brink of their threatned destruction For thus is it recorded of him in the Gospel that * Luke 19.41 -44. When he was come neere he beheld the City and wept over it Saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy Day the Things which belong unto thy Peace But now they are hid from thine eyes For the Dayes shall come upon thee that thine Enemies shall cast a Trench about thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side and shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another because thou knewest not the Time of thy Visitation And the Event we know fully answer'd the Prediction Thus for want of a due Fore-sight of future Dangers and a right Improvement of the Prophetical Discoveries of Perillous Times a sinful and secure people may be suddenly swallow'd up into an inevitable Destruction Thus it nearly concerns all Gods people to take special notice of these Predictions of perillous Times that they may make a good improvement thereof for their spiritual advantage But now the Ministers of the Gospel are in a special manner concern'd herein They are to search know and consider what perillous Times shall befal the Church according to the Prophecies of the holy Scriptures This that they may give Warning to the People that they may meet the Lord by Repentance and that those that feare the Lord may keep themselves pure from the Pollutions of the World that so they may be preserv'd by his special Providence when he shall come forth for the Execution of his Judgements Thus the Lord warned the Old World by Noah †2 Pet. 2.5 a Preacher of Righteousness and the Israelites by sundry Prophets before the Destruction of the one and Captivity of the other Thus did the People of * Jona 3.4 5 10. Nineveh prevent the Destruction threatned by turning to the Lord by †Mat. 12.41 Luk. 11.32 Repentance upon the Preaching of Jonah I may say of Preachers what the Noble Verulam * Bacons Essayes spake of Princes Shepherds of People had need know the Kalendar of Tempests in State which are commonly greatest when things grow to Equality as natural Tempests are greatest about the Equinoctials This that they may house the Lords Flock as the Servants of Pharaoh did their Cattel †Exo. 9.20 till the storme be over-past The Ministers of the Gospel are the Watchmen of the City of God They that stand upon the Watch-Towers of the Holy City should blow the * Isa 58.1 Trumpet of Gods holy Word and discover the danger which they see threatned and the Designes which they see managed against the Church and People of God It s their Duty to warne the People of their sins lest they perish in them in the day of Gods Judgements How strict is the Charge which the Lord hath given to every Minister of his Word in the Person of the Prophet Ezekiel and how sore is the Penalty how dreadful is the danger of failing through unfaithfulnesse in the discharge thereof It surely concerns us especially in these perillous Times very seriously to consider it us I say whom the Lord hath called forth to dispense his sacred Oracles and hath committed to our charge the souls of his People Sonne of man saith the LORD to Ezekiel †Ezek. 33.1 -9. Speak to the Children of thy People and and say unto them When I bring the sword upon a Land if the People of the Land take a man of their Coas s and set him for their Watchman If when h seeth the Sword come upon the Land he blow the Trumpet and warne the People Then whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not Warning if the Sword come and take him away his Blood shall be upon his own Head He heard the sound of the Trumpet and took not warning his Blood shall be upon him but he that taketh warning shall deliver his Soul But if the Watchman see the sword come and blow not the Trumpet and the People be not warned if the sword come and take any person from among them he is taken away in his iniquity but his blood will I require at the Watchmans hand So thou O sonne of man I have set thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel and therefore thou shalt heare the Word at my Mouth and warn them from me When I say unto the wicked O Wicked man thou shalt surely die if thou doest not speak to warne the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his Blood will I require at thine Hand Nevertheless if thou warne the wicked of his way to turne from it if he do not turne from his Way he shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul * Ezek. 3.20 21. Again when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity and I lay a stumbling-block before him he shall die because thou hast not given him warning he shall die in his sin and his Righteousnesse which he hath done shall not be remembred but his Blood will I require at thine hand Nevertheless if thou warn the Righteous man that the righteous sin not and he doth not sin he shall surely live because he is warned also thou hast deliver'd thy soul Thus will the Lord call the Ministers of his Word to account for the losse of those Souls which through their unseasonable silence have perisht in their sins O how much guilt then shall we draw down upon our own heads if we do not warn our People of those sins whereof they are in danger in perillous Times and do what lies in us to keep off guilt from their souls O how much doth it concern us to be Faithful to God in the discharge of this Duty It s a fearful thing to be charged with
with a Deluge of Blood The Times are ever perillous during the Reigne of sinne But for the further opening of this first Proposition I shall do these two things 1. Shew what those special sins are which are Signs of Perillous Times 2. Consider the cases wherein such sinnes have in a special manner this Symptomatical significancy The first Enquiry What special sins make perillous Times FOr the Discovery of this What sins they are that speak the Times to be Perillous I shall not presume to make a Particular enumeration of all those sinnes which are Symptomes of evil Times or signes of approaching Judgements This would be a task perhaps too difficult and occasion a Discourse too tedious But onely instance in some of those special sinnes which I find in the holy Scriptures have been the procuring causes of those Calamities which have made the Times Perillous to Gods people Several other sins which have plentifully poured out the same malignant influence upon the Places and people under their Regency and dominion we shall have occasion to speak of in the following Symptomes For the present then take we notice of these subsequent sins as sad Symptomes and Presages of Perillous Times viz. The first Sin Atheisme and Irreligion THe Times are evil and perillous When Atheisme and Irreligion abounds When there is no * Hos 4.1 knowledge nor †Rom. 3.18 feare of God to be found in multitudes of People especially where the Preaching of the Word and the Means of Grace are plentifully afforded it s a sad sign of some sore judgement If God will poure out his Fury upon the Heathens that know him not and the Families of those Heathen Kingdoms that call not upon his Name * Jer. 10.25 with Psal 79.6 how much more upon those that are called Christians and yet are grosly ignorant of God and live in the constant neglect of this great Duty of Prayer For the more are the Means that are vouchsaft to any People and the greater the Obligations are that are laid upon them to any Duty the more heinous is their sinne the higher is their Provocation if they neglect it and the greater shall the Judgements be the heavier the punishments wherewith the Lord will at length plague such a sinning People And therefore does the Lord Jesus pronounce such a terrible woe against Corazin and Bethsaida and threaten them with such a dreadful Destruction because they were not amended notwithstanding the Mighty works he had wrought amongst them †Mat. 11.20 21. But sayes he * v. 22 23 24 I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the Day of Judgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven shalt be brought down to Hell For if the Mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this Day But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom in the Day of Judgement then for thee The greatest outward Priviledges will not exempt a sinning People from the sorest Judgements †1 Cor. 10 1-11 Nay the greater the Priviledges are we do enjoy the sorer shall our Punishments be if we improve them not if we abuse them Now how may we tremble with a just Fear of some fearful Judgement when we consider how much Darknesse there is in a Land of Light how Ignorance Atheisme and Ungodlinesse abounds amongst a People which may plentifully enjoy the Meanes of Grace How many thousands are there that know not Jesus Christ nor care to know him Yea how many thousand Families are there in a Land blest for above a thousand years with the Gospel that call not upon God! How many Millions of People may be seen every Lords Day in the streets of Cities in the Fields and Villages that make it their constant Practice to profane the Sabbath by Vanity and idlenesse besides those Children of Darknesse which are already in the Suburbs of Hell who are then at their Pots and Pipes in their Dens of Iniquity Now * Jer. 5.9 shall not the Lord visit for these things and be avenged on such a People as this When such a black cloud of Darknesse hath overspread the Land that men see not the Light of the Sunne at Noon-day how may we justly fear that the Thunder of Gods judgements will suddenly break out against us We read that when the King of Asyria brought in strangers into Samaria that feared not the LORD nor knew the manner of his worship the LORD sent Lions among them that destroy'd them †2 Kin. 17 24 25 26. Atheism and Irreligion in a Holy Nation a Nation call'd and consecrated to Gods Worship and Service is more provoking and sooner plucks down Judgement then in a Heathen Land Wilde Beasts may be secure and live long in a Large Forrest but they are soon taken and slain when once found in a Tilled Field This was part of the Charge which the Lord drew up against his people Israel before he cast them to be melted from their drosse in the Furnace of Babylon * Jer. 9.3 They proceed from evil to evil and they know not me saith the LORD And therefore saith he to his Prophet †Jer. 9.6 7 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit through Deceit they refuse to know me saith the LORD Therefore thus saith the LORD of Hosts Behold I will melt them and try them For how shall I do for the Daughter of my People Ignorance is a damning sin◠a soul-destroying Evil It is a People of no understanding saith the Lord * Isa 27.11 therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them aad he that formed them will shew them no favour And againe †2 Thes 1 7 8 9. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels in flaming fire to take vengeance as well on them that know not God as on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ And these also as well as the other shall be punisht with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power But now when ignorance is joyn'd with obstinacy as in those that refuse to know God or to learn the Mysteries of the Gospel it s a sinne more inexcusable and the punishment of it more intolerable Certainly if the knowledge and worship of God do open a gate for the bringing in of all manner of Blessings into a land Ignorance and Irreligion must needs open a wide doore to Destruction Before the first destruction of Rome by Brennus and his Gaules its observed by the Heathen Writers themselves that the People were grown altogether Carelesse and negligent in the matters of Religion The ancient Britans it 's the Observation of Bede a little before their Destruction by the Saxons were arriv'd at such a pitch of profanenesse as Odium
Ardour and Forwardness to promote this or that way of Government or Worship in opposition to all the rest which yet may be found in a man that hath never experimented the Power of Religion or Work of Sanctification upon his own soul Thus some are Zealous for the Episcopal others for the Presbyterial and others for the Congregational and not a few for the Anabaptistical way and herein lies the Main of their Religion Whereas the Life of Religion the soul of true Godliness lies in the Spiritual Worship of God †Joh. 4.24 It 's good indeed to be zealously affected alwayes in a good matter * Gal. 4.18 but it s neither good nor safe to rest in a superficial Form a meer empty out-side of Religion though never so splendid and glorious But alas what do these men do that so earnestly contend for that way of Worship which is most agreeable to their own Fancies and censure all others as no Christians no Saints that are not moulded after the same Model what do they but promote the Distractions encrease the Divisions and widen the Differences of the Church of God which every good Christian should studiously endeavour to compose and heal Surely the setting up of and the Adhering to this and the other Party is not the way to promote the Interests of the Kingdom of Christ He is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †MELCHIZEDECK King of SALEM Rex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justitiae He is King of Righteousness and King of Peace †Heb. 7.1 2 And his Kingdom stands not in meat and drink but Righteousnesse and Peace and which results from them both Joy in the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rex Pacis When such Religious Factions prevail they sadly portend the Ruine of the Church Rom. 14.17 And â—hen are not such perillous times In the Primitive Tiâ—es which were Times of Pâ—rsecution how zealous were Christians in the things of God and how fervently did they love one another Those Times were surely less perillous then these wherein the Hâ—aâ— of Persecution is not more abated then Zeal for God and Love to one another amongst Christians But when P ofessors are generally Formall in the performance of the Duties of Religion very Perfunctory and Superficial in the service of God it s a sad Symptom of perillous Times When a man having tipt his Tongue with the Silver of the Sanctuary and so is able to speak well of the things of God to discourse well of the Matters of Religion shall for this only Reason be esteemed very Religious Whereas as the Apostle speaks †1 Cor. 4.20 The Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power When there is indeed much Preaching much Hearing frequent Receiving of Sacraments but alas little Life in Preaching less in Hearing little or no Affectionateness in Receiving and least of all of Conformity to these Gospel-Ordinances in the Life and Conversation Time was when Ministers preached with Plainness Life and Power so that their earnest * Rom. 10.1 desire of saving souls was apparent in their Preaching and Christians that feared God †Acts 17.11 Received the Word with all readiness of Mind entertained the * 2 Thes 2.10 Truth in the Love of it and had their Hearts much stirred and moved by every Sermon They not only heard the Preacher with their Ears but felt him in their Hearts and Consciences and were very much affected with all the Discoveries of the Will of God to them They took pains to work the Word upon their own Hearts They met together to whet it upon one another to exhort encourage and comfort one another in the wayes of God Oh! The Word of the Lord was precious in those days †1 Sam. 3.1 How beautifull in those dayes were the Feet of them that preached the Gospel of Peace and brought glad Tidings of good Things * Rom. 10.15 The Ministers of the Gospel now so generally slighted and despised were then received by all good Christians as Angels of God yea even as Christ â—esus †Gal. 4.14 And then did Religion flourish in the Church and Christians manifested their experimental acquaintance with the Power of Godlinesse But when Preaching is become for the most part Notional and accommodated rather to the pleasing of the Fancy then informing the judgement convincing the conscience and affecting the Heart when Sermons are stuft with affected phrases and exquisitely embroyder'd with Artificial Ornaments and so deliver'd by the Preacher without one spark of Life or Zeale with such a singular care to observe the Emphasis and Elegancy of his study'd Expressions such a wary fear of rumpling his fine smooth forms of speech as if he was come thither to play the part of an idle Orator rather then to do the duty of a Gospel-Preacher who is to treate with men in the Name of Christ about the great affaires of their precious soules for their eternal Salvation this is a sad change seriously to be laid to heart and sadly to be lamented When People forsake and regard not sound solid Preachers of the Gospel but follow and flock after those that suit with their Humours and with such like quaint and curious notions please and delight their Fancies it argues a great Decay in Religion and speaks men to be great strangers to the Power of Godlinesse Nay when those that are indeed good Christians and sound in the Maine shall become very Formal Overly Superficial in the discharge of Religious Duties in their attendance upon Gospel-Ordinances When they shall take no paines to prepare themselves for Sabbaths and Sacraments when they shall be little or nothing at all affected with the Preaching of the Gospel when they seldome or never stirre up themselves to the Exercise of the Graces of the Spirit in the duties of Religion when they take no Paines to work upon their Hearts by Meditation and Prayer the truths which are delivered unto them nor study to expresse in their lives a restâ—onsiblenesse to the Doctrines of the Gospel when they thus rest in the Forme and presse not after the Power of Godlinesse it s a Symptome of an Evill Age a Presage of Periâ—lous Times We finde God nothing regarded the outward Performances of the People of Israel when they were utterly deficient in those Duties wherein consisted the Life of Religion * Isa 1 11-15 To what Purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me saith the LORD I am full of the Burnt-offerings of Rams and the Fat of fed Beasts and I delight not in the Blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of He-goats And when ye come to appear before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my Courts Bring no more vain oblations Incense is an abomination unto me the New Moons and Sabbaths the Calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn
meeting Your New Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to bear them And when ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood Why did the Lord thus disregard all their Ceremonial Services and sacred Solemnities which in the time of the Old Testament he had commanded them Surely for no other reason but because they rested in them and neglected the great and weighty Things of the Law Judgement Mercy and Faith these ought they to have done and not to leave the other undone †Mat. 23 23 So the Lord elsewhere reproves them for their formal Devotion and hypocritical Fasting because they were extreamly defective in that which was the principal Part of their expected Obedience and the choicest Fruit of all such Religious Performances namely Reformation Justice and Charity For sayes the Lord to the Prophet Isaiah * Isa 58.1 2 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my People their Transgression and the House of Jacob their sins Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my wayes as a Nation that did Righteousness and forsook not the Ordinance of their God they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice they take Delight in approaching to God Who would not judge these to be a very Holy People that should but take notice of this their Diligence in Duties Desires of direction and Delight in drawing nigh unto God But alas how soon may we hear them murmuring against God for not having respect to their services nor regard to their Solemnities as if they had received wrong from God by his not granting what they conceived their Right to them so highly were these proud hypocrites conceited of their poore Performances †v. 3-7 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge But the Lord replies to their demand and reproves them for their Deceit and Hypocrisie and so instructs them in their Duty Behold sayes the Lord in the Day of your Fast you finde Pleasure and exact all your Labours Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the Fist of Wickednesse ye shall not fast as ye do this day to make your Voice to be heard on high Is it such a Fast that I have chosen a Day for a man to afflict his soul Is it to bow down his head as a Bul-rush and to spread sackcloth and Ashes under him Wilt thou call this a Fast and an acceptable Day to the LORD Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of Wickednesse to undoe the heavy Burden and to let the oppressed go free and that ye break every Yoke Is it not to deale thy Bread to the Hungry and that thou bring the Poore that are cast out to thy House When thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Thus without charity the Master-wheele of good Works the most specious Acts of Religion are unacceptable to God Formality in religion is a kind of spiritual Falshood and Dissimulation 'T is but a Mocking of God a presenting him Leaves for Fruits or Lies for Devotion To offer up unto God formal Performances is to become guilty of real Provocations When the heart is wanting in Duties of Divine Worship men do but offer dead sacrifices to the living God and so provoke the pure Eyes of his Glory When the Glory of the Lord leaves the inward Sanctuary it s a signe of his departure from Jerusalem and a sad Presage of its utter Destruction * See Ezek chap. 1. 11. When the Spirit of God is in a great measure gone from the Hearts of men in the duties of his Worship it s a sad Symptome of perillous Times with the Church of God Before the persecution of the Christians in Africa by the brutish Vandals the Church of God in those Countreys was much degenerated from its ancient Purity and declin'd as to the Power of Godlinesse as Salvian Bishop of Massilia complaines †Vict. Epist Utic So a little before the Massachre at Paris it was observ'd there was such a general stupidity seiz'd upon the Protestants that few of them seriously minded the things of God or were zealously affected with the matters of Religion but were wholely taken up with their worldly Businesses and secular Concernments If Religion amongst men be once degenerated into Farm as a fruitful into a barren Vine what can be expected but that the Righteouâ—nesse of God should be arm'd with Power for the punishment of such an unprofitable People We know The * Mat. 21.19 barren Fig-tree being curst by Christ presently withered away When a Nation flourishes in the Leaves of Formality without the Fruits of solid Piety who knows how soon it may be cast into a withering condition Surely Formal Services will at length procure real Sufferings The third Symptome Impiety vail'd with Hypocrisie THe Times are perillous When under glorious pretences of Religion and Gods glory men studiously prosecute secular designes When men seek themselves under plausible Pretences of doing Service to God When men that pretend Piety and a Publick Spirit are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †2 Tim. 3.2 * v. 4. Such as do in deed preferre their private Interests before the Publick Good with whom Silver is of more value then Sanctity and who pursue their own Honour and Advancement wherein they would seem to promote Gods Glory Hi sunt qui boni videri non esse Mali non videri sed esse volunt †Bernh Serm. 66. in Cant. Thâ—se are they who as Bernard speaks would be thought good but care not to be so who care indeed bad but would not be thought so They are such as in their Designes row towards Hell while in their Pretences their Faces are towards Heaven They speak of beautifying Sion when at the same time they are Building Babel But now the Times must needs be perillous when men thus pretend Godlinesse and Gods glory for the more easie accomplishment of their own works of Wickednesse to his Dishonour When men Prostitute Religion to their own base Lusts and so vitiate her Virgin-Honour When they cast a vaile of Hypocrisie over the vilest Acts of Impiety Hypocrisie is sin gilded with pretences of Sanctity This outward Gilding makes them not so glorious in the Eyes of men as their inward Guilt m kes them odious in the sight of God Thus the Cloud which arm'd with the Bowe challenges all the world to a Combate for the Beauty of Colours is not more bright to the Earth then its black to Heaven Simulata Aequitas non est Aequitas sed duplex Iniquitas quia Iniquitas est simulatio * August in Psal 23. Equity pretended or
what can be expected to follow but showers of Blood For when the Sun shall be turn'd into Darknesse we well know the Moon shall be turn'd into Blood * Joel 2.31 When a storme is rais'd by the Prince of the power of the Air what can we expect but that the Ship wherein Christ is imbarked with his Disciples should be tost on the Waters and almost overwhelm'd with the Waves †Mar. 8.24 When Images of Gold are set up and ador'd by the men of the World what can the children of God expect but to be cast into a fiery Furnace * Dan. 3.1 21 When Gain is accounted Godlinesse and Oppression of the innocent is stiled Justice then whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution †2 Tim. 3.12 When the Wolves come in flocks to the Fold and Lions are the Lords of the Soile what can be expected but that the Sheep and Lambs should be worried When there is much Cockle amongst the Corne much Chaff amongst the Wheat we may conclude it shall not be long at least if the winde rises or turnes before it be winnow'd When we see every Shepherd in Israel is an abomination to the Egyptians * Gen. 46.34 we may expect the Egyptians should pursue the Israelites even into the heart of the Red Sea When the subtile Foxes are come into the Vineyard we may conclude their cruel Teeth will be soon dy'd red in the Blood of the Grapes If the Scarlet Whore be once brought into the House of God we shall soone see her drunken with the Blood of the Saints †Rev. 17.4 5 6. We still finde the Names of the Saints written in Red Letters in the Romish Calendar If the SWORD depose the SCEPTER and rule in its stead we may be sure it will eat flesh and drink Blood yea the blood of Kings and Princes and Prophets who leaving the Sword stain'd with the Guilt of Murder shall be themselves crown'd with the Glory of MARTYRDOM SIN is a cruel Monster if it once get the Supreme Power it will soon turne a Land of Beauty into a Sea of Blood III. Destruction of mens souls If the great red Dragon with his Taile draw down many of the Stars of Heaven and cast them to the Earth * Rev. 12.4 we may expect a dark night to follow If the Springs be impoyson'd it must needs be Death to men to drink of the waters If the Philistines carry away the Ark from Israel we must expect many thousands to be slaine and perish †1 Sam. 4 10 11. If God take away his abused Gospel call home his despised Ministers and so men loose the true Religion how many thousand souls must necessarily perish everlastingly The soul is exceeding precious it s a Jewel inestimable of more worth then the whole World * Mat. 16.26 its losse is irreparable a World of Gold cannot redeem one soul †See Psal 49.7 8. with 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Now when such a storme is risen that the souls of men are in danger of being ship-wrackt the state of that people is sad the Times are perillous Thus we have seen the Characters of the Persons that make the Times perillous and the several Symptomes of perillous Times with the Causes and Consequences thereof and so fully finisht our first Enquiry The second Enquiry How pious persons must demean themselves in perillous Times IT much concernes the people of God to consider with themselves what the Lord calls them unto and calls for from them in all conditions into which he is pleased to cast them that their Lives and Carriages may expresse a Responsiblenesse to the Divine Providence These are they whom the Lord hath selected from thousands to lift up his Name and Glory in the World They are therefore in a special manner to glorifie God by such Actings and Demeanours as may be suitable to all his Dispensations When God is most dishonour'd by the wicked the godly should most honour him Saints are Souldiers call'd forth to fight the Battels of the Lord of Hosts when the Enemies of the Lord do most abound and are most active the Souldiers of his army should be most valiant for his Cause most vigilant against their force and Politick Encroachments upon the interests of his Glory The Trees of righteousnesse of Gods own Planting should bring forth Fruit in all Seasons Times of Perill to the Church are Times of Tryal of the Piety of the Saints When sin appears in its highest Pride then should Grace shine forth in its greatest Glory As for you therefore my beloved brethren that truly fear the name of the Lord and desire to know what your Duty is in such Cases attend these Directions which I shall give you out of the Word of God When it is your Lot to live in perillous Times take notice of these Duties The first Duty Sorrow for the Sinnes of the Times DO you live in evil Times Then Bewaile before the Lord the Sinnes and Abominations of the Times Prevailing Impieties make the Times perillous The sins of the wicked call for the sorrows of the Saints because hereby the Name of God is dishonour'd and the souls of men are defiled Thus was Davids heart grieved and his eyes shed Tears for the sins of his Times I beheld the Transgressors sayes he and was grieved because they kept not thy Word * Psal 119 158 And again Rivers of waters runne down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law †Psal 119 136 When a Land is defiled by sin these Rivers of Teares are the best means to prevent a Deluge of Blood When the wrath of God is kindled against an ungodly Nation there is nothing more powerful to quench it then the Tears of the truly godly By this means shall you preserve your selves from Defilement by the sinnes of the wicked and happily prevent the Judgements which are ready to be executed on a sinfull Nation Now Christians is not this a duty you are very Defective in And yet is there not much cause for it When did you shed a Tear for all the Sins of the Times When did you ever look upon London as Christ upon Jerusalem a sinful City and weep over it * Luk. 19.41 What shall the streets of it run down with Rivers of Blood before you can shed a few drops of Teares for its preservation When did you meet together to weep over a sinful Nation When did you that can easily weep upon other occasions go apart and poure out Teares into the bosome of God for the Sinnes and Abominations of England and say Ah Lord In thy †Isa 63.9 Pity and in thy Mercy spare a sinful Nation Do you not see upon England many Symptomes of her Destruction except fervent Prayers steep'd in penitent Teares do prevent it O how many and how great are the Abominations of the Land the Provocations of the most high God!
Jam. 1.27 keep your selves unspotted from the world Thus Noah kept himself cleare from the Corruptions of the old world Lot preserv'd himself pure from the Pollutions of Sodome Daniel was not defiled with the Idolatries of Babylon Thus the Fish retains its Freshnesse in the salt Sea the Rose its sweetnesse amongst the noysome weeds and the Diamond its Brightnesse though it lie in the Dust Gold though melted in the Furnace will not mix with the Drosse Keep your selves pure from sin as you desire God would preserve you as Noah in the Ark safe from Danger in perillous Times If you cannot make the Times better yet see that the times do not make you worse In Times of a common Contagion there 's much danger to e-every particular Person Take heed of Decayes of grace by the encrease of sin in the World When †Mat. 24.12 Iniquity abounds take heed lest your Love to God and goodnesse wax Cold. Though Errours abound be careful you decay not in your love to the Truth You have been forewarn'd of these Evils in the Word of God that you might not be insnared with them when the perillous Times therein foretold are come upon you Let me bespeak your eare and watchfulnesse in this respect in the words of the Apostle * 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the Error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse But grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Amen The second Branch STrengthen not by an active Compliance the hands of Evil Doers These are they which make the Times perillous A quiet submission to the Providence of God wisely ordering all the Changes in the world does well become the Saints It is good for a Saint to take notice of Gods hand in all things and to submit to his Will as well in permitting of Evil as in Depriving of good with silence So David though at the first †Ps 39.1 2 troubled to see the wicked in Power while the righteous was opprest at length exprest his submission by silence * Psal 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it But every Godly man must have a singular care lest by any active compliance he should strengthen the hand of Evil Doers in their irrâ—gular actings This was the sinne wherewith the Lord sharply charg'd Jehoshaphat a good King by the hand of Jehu the Prophet and threatned wrath for it †2 Chr. 19 2 Shouldest thou sayes Jehu to Jehoshaphat help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. And therefore though the Lord of all may permit great changes to be irregularly made both for the manifestation and punishment of the Pride of man yet must not his people yeeld any consent or concurrence to them that irregularly make them This is the wise Counsel of the wisest of men which was dictated to him by the wisdome of God * Prov. 24 21 22. My son fear thou the LORD and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Take heed therefore Christians of contributing to the Rise of Evil Doers lest you fall in their Ruine †Rev. 18.4 Partake not in their sins lest you partake of their Plagues and feele the smart of their Punishments for having tasted the sweetnesse of their Favours * Esay 8.11 12. For to speak to you in the words of the Prophet the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people saying say ye not A Confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say A Confederacy neither fear ye their Fear nor be afraid Take heed therefore lest by your concurrence with them whose pernicious practices do make these perillous Times you contract to your selves the guilt of their sinnes and contribute to the Evil of the Times Let not the Desire of Gain or Glory nor the Fear of Disgrace or Danger induce you hereunto A man can never be undone by the greatest losse he can sustaine for the keeping a good conscience and preserving an interest in Gods Love and Favour He is Rich and Happy that hath God for his Portion and Heaven for his Inheritance how great soever his sufferings and losses be when he that wants this notwithstanding his greatest worldly Gaine or Glory is Poore and Miserable Account not that Gaine which may hazard the losse of your immortal soul * Mar. 8.36 For what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and loose his own soul Abhor the basenesse of serving your self of the evil of the Times by seeking a private gaine by that which will turn to the publick losse Abhor the basenesse of fearing to adventure a private losse by that which may turn to the Publick gaine Never expect that God should blesse those Riches to you or yours which are rais'd out of the Ruines of the Church or Common-wealth He is no good member of either that hath not learn'd to deny his Private Interests for the Publick Good The third Branch COnsider one another to provoke unto Love and good Works †Heb. 10.24 When a Fire is kindled in a House in a City every one that can should contribute his help to quench it O labour to quench the Flames that are kindled in the Church which is the * 1 Tim. 3.15 House and †Heb. 12.22 City of the living God O stir up one another to the exercise of Brotherly Love and Charity and so help to cement the Breaches that are amongst Brethren in the Family of God 'T is the Policy of your enemies to Divide you to your Ruine 'T is your wisdom joyntly to endeavour after that Union which is your beauty strength and glory Stir up one another also to good works as meanes singularly conducible to the amendment of evil Times There is no season so sharp but the Trees of Righteousnesse should be laden with fruit Good Works are a singular Ornament to the Saints in evil Times Good Works are a Christians Shield and Crown his safety in Danger as they interesse him in the * Psal 41.2 Promise of Preservation and in Disgraces his Crown of glory Now it well becomes Christians to encourage one another to those duties whereby they may most honour God in times of danger and discouragement When the Proud were invested with Power and profane Politicians had exalted themselves they were perillous Times for the People of God yet †Mal. 3.16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another by way of Counsel Comfort and Encouragement in the wayes of God O labour to do as much good as
What dreadful Dayes may we yet live to see if the Lord should deal with us according to our Deservings How soon may the Clouds of heaven which were wont to drop down Blessings on our heads be dissolv'd into showers of Blood Ah my Beloved have you not read in the holy Scriptures what dreadful Judgements the Lord hath executed upon Cities Nations Kingdomes his own People yea the whole World Know you not that God turn'd the whole Earth into a Sea and destroy'd all Flesh save the Family of Noah with a Flood How he pour'd a Flood of Fire and Brimstone upon the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and consum'd them with Flames and turn'd that pleasant plain that was as the Garden of God * Gen. 13.10 into a noisome Lake How that God was wroth with his own people the children of Israel whom he had chosen to himself out of all the kindreds of the earth and slew them in the VVildernesse so that onely Joshua and Caleb of all those that came out of Egypt entred into Canaan And how often after they were possest of the Land of Canaan he sold them into the hands of their enemies that opprest them in the Time of the Judges How in the dayes of Eli he deliver'd them into the hands of the Philistines who slew them with a great slaughter insomuch that in one battel there fell of Israel thirty thousand Foot-men †2 Sam. 4.10 How the Lord sent a Pestilence amongst them in the dayes of David which raged so exceedingly that in three dayes space there dy'd of the people seventy thousand men * 2 Sam. 24 15 How the Lord brought the King of Babylon into Jerusalem who burnt the Temple of the Lord the Palace of the Prince and the Houses of the Nobles with Fire brake down the Wall thereof and utterly destroy'd the City carry'd both Princes and People Captives into Babylon where they endur'd a hard Bondage for threescore and ten years †2 Hing 25. and 2 Chro. 36.14 ult Now know you not that all these things happened unto them for ensamples unto us and that they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come * 1 Cor. 10 6 11. Oh do but consider seriously with your selves what were the Causes of all these fearful Judgements which God who is the Father of Mercies brought upon the men of the world yea upon his own People Were they not the sinnes of the Times whereby men pluckt down upon their own heads these Plagues and Punishments Now pause a little and consider seriously Are not the same sinnes that drew down Judgements upon them to be found amongst us Is not the Pride Luxury Lasciviousness Licenciousness Atheism Impieties of the old World to be found amongst us Are there not †Gen. 6.4 Mighty men Giants in worldly Greatness who employ their might in fighting against God in these our Dayes Are not the sins of Sodom to be found amongst us Is not the City and Land polluted with the vilest Impurities and Pollutions Are not the Murmurings Cruelties Injustice Oppressions Falshoods Covenant-breakings Revoltings neglect of Gods Worship Contempt of his Ordinances Hypocrisies of Israel to be found amongst the people of England Have we not then cause to tremble in the Apprehension of the judgements which hang over our heads especially if we seriously consider that those sinnes which severally in them drew down such dreadful judgements are to be found jointly in us and that notwithstanding the Light of the Gospel and the Meanes of grace plentifully enjoyed by us which are most fearful Aggravations of this dreadful guilt Nay is not the guilt of many horrid Blasphemies and hellish Impieties which have not been heard of in former Ages to be found amongst us Does it not make your hearts to tremble to consider that so many crying sins so many provoking impieties so many bloody Abominations should abound and reigne amongst us when for any one of them so reigning so abounding the whole Land might be involv'd in miseries and Confusion and Blood Are not these then perillous Times Surely it is of the LORDS mercies we are not consumed and because his compassions faile not * Lam. 3.22 But who knows how soon the Lord in his Justice may proceed to the execution of his Judgements upon us and so turne our Chephzibah a Land of Beauty the Lords Delight into an Acheldama a Field of Blood What then is to be done by us Christians for the Prevention of the Lords Judgements on a sinful Land O come and bring every one your two Buckets and pour them out before the Lord for the quenching of the Fire of the Lords wrath which is kindled against a sinful Nation Fasting and Weeping and Mourning hath been a way which hath proved very effectual for the turning away the sorest Judgements the diverting of the nearest Destruction Thus was the destruction of Jerusalem delay'd in the time of Josiah †2 King 22.19 20. the destruction of Nineveh in the Days of the Prophet Jonah * Jon. ch 3 This is that to which God calls at such a time as this in a Day of Danger and Distresse When the Lord had threatned terrible Judgements against Zion this was the duty to which by his Prophet he call'd the Inhabitants of Jerusalem †Joel 2 12-19 Therefore also now saith the LORD Turn ye even to me with all your Heart and with FASTING and with WEEPING and with MOURNING And rent your Hearts and not your Garments and turne unto the LORD your God for he is Gracious and Merciful sloâ— to Anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the Evil. Who knoweth if he will returne and repent and leave a blessing behind him even a meat-Offering and a drink-Offering to the LORD your God Blow the Trumpet in Zion sanctifie a FAST call a solemne Assembly Gather the People sanctifie the Congregation Assemble the Elders Gather the children and those that suck the Breasts Let the Bride-groom go forth of his Chamber and the Bâ—ide out of her closet Let the Priests the Ministers of the LORD weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy People O LORD and give not thine Heritage to reproach that the Heathen should rule over them Wherefore should they say among the People Where is their God Now mark what follows Then will the LORD be jealous for his Land and pity his People Yea the LORD will answer and say unto his People Behold I will send you Corn and Wine and Oyle and ye shall be satisfi'd therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the Heathen Now how great an encouragement should this be to us in perillous Times to seek the Lord solemnly seriously with Fasting and Prayer Do you ever remember that the Judgements of the Lord came upon his people while they were Fasting and Weeping and Mourning No when sinnners are Feasting
souls The second Duty The Practice of Piety ARe they Dayes of Danger Times of Perill wherein you live yet Dare to be pious though the Times be perillous To be religious when Religion is both in Fashion and in favour is no great praise but it s the glory of a Saint to be Holy and Good when the Times he lives in are sinfull and Evil. It 's a Crown of glory which shall flourish for ever which the Hand of God himself hath set upon the head of Noah * Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generations which were sinful and wicked Job shone as a bright Star in the East when almost all the world was overspread with Darknesse And therefore God himself hath given him an honourable Testimony in his Word both for †Job 1.1 Piety and * Jam. 5.11 Patience and thereby an everlasting blessed Memorial Doubtlesse its a Saints Duty to be religious when for Religions sake he is exposed to Danger Here 's the tryal of sincerity when Truth faileth †Isa 59.15 See the Margin and he that departs from iniquity maketh himself a prey and is accounted mad for his paines Better it is to lose the favour of men then to incur the displeasure of God The losse of the favour of men is nothing compared to the gain of the favour of God It s nothing to flock to the Tabernacle in Times of Peace but its worthy of Israelites indeed to accompany the Ark of God in all the perils of War Be not discourag'd Christians by the Danger of the Times from doing those Duties whereby in your places you may glorifie God Moreover consider to be good in bad Times is the way to make bad Times good And therefore sayes Hierome Ne dicas priora Tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt Virtutes faciunt Dies bonos Vitia malos * Hier. in Eccl. c. 41. Say not the Times were better heretofore then now they are Virtues make good Dayes Vices bad It s then the wisdom of a Christian to turn his complaint of evil Times into the Practice of excellent Virtues for this will be singularly conducible to the making of the Times good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Day is good or bad sayes Chrysostome not according to its own Nature for one day does nothing differ from another but according to our diligence or slothfulness in the improvement of it If thou workest righteousnesse the day becomes good unto thee if thou committest sin evil and full of Vexation If thou wisely considerest these things thou mayst so dispose thy self as to have the whole year prosperous and happy This if thou make Prayer and Almes-Deeds to be thy daily exercise Thus Christian Virtues and Exercises of Religion are the most excellent Antidotes against Evil Times To be diligent serious and constant herein is the onely way to see good Dayes Though a man be encompast with the blackest midnight of Darknesse let him light up his Lamps and he presently enjoys the Benefit and protection of the Light which does as it were with a thousand glistering Spears defend him against the Invasion of all the Forces of Darknesse Certainly there is nothing more necessary and conducible more excellent and efficacious for the changing of an IRON AGE into a GOLDEN SEASON then the constant exercise of PIETY and CHARITY amongst Christians And if every Christian would but seriously minde his Particular Duty how much might he contribute to the General good How soon are the foule streets of a great City made clean by every mans sweeping his own Door How soon would the great work of REFORMATION be accomplisht if every one would but reform one So should the most dangerous Dayes soon become what by many they are falsely called glorious Times For its the Goodnesse or Badnesse of men which makes the times good or bad Those are the worst Times wherein men are worst and those the best Times wherein men are best Though bad Times are worst to the best men yet good men should be best in the worst Times Such was Noah in the old World Lot in Sodome Daniel in Babylon Golden Saints in an Iron Age. Thus in the Evening of the Old Testament-Administration when the darkest shades vail'd the Churches Glory some Saints there were which shone as bright rising Stars in the rayes of true Piety which sparkled as orient Jewels in the lustre of godly Zeale and invincible Sincerity For when base Hypocrites began to blaspheme and say * Mal. 3 13-17 It was in vaine to serve God and it was to no profit or purpose to keep his Ordinance or to walk humbly bâ—fore him When they began to call the proud happy because they saw them that wrought wickednesse exalted and those that tempted God delivered Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another And oh precious were these Persons and this their Piety in the account of God! For Then the LORD hearkened and heard it and a Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD and that thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the LORD of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Now who would not but desire this special interest in Gods Love and Favour in Times of Danger and Distresse What an encouragement then Christians should this be unto you to be good in bad Times Certainly Christians sanctity is the best way to security The †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. qui Coelum spectar Athen l. 7. Plin. l. 32. c. 7. Uranoscope is a Fish as the Naturalists tell us which hath but one eye just on the top of the head looking upward towards heaven yet thereby she foresees and prevents Dangers To keep the Eye of the soul ever open Heaven-ward is the safest way for the Prevention of those Dangers to which we are exposed in the troublesome Sea of this World For God hath an Eye continually open upon them for their Preservation who have an Eye continually open upon him in their Convertions Yea by this means you may nor onely save your self but be a happy means to save the whole Nation by standing in the * Ezek. 22.30 Gap as †Psal 106.23 Moses to hinder the breaking in of Gods Judgements upon a provoking People O then be Diligent Christians and Constant in the serious Practice of solid Piety This General Duty hath several Branches which are of special Concernment to Christians that live in perillous Times and therefore take notice of them in these following Particulars The first Branch KEep your selves from the Corruptions of the Times Take heed of being tainted with the sins and Abominations of the Times wherein you live The fuller the World is of Defilements the greater must your care be to *
that thus fears his Name believes his Word trusts in his Power and waits for his Mercy according to his Promise shall be priviledg'd with a comfortable Security on Earth or which is much better admitted into the inviolable Sanctuary of Heaven For to such do the Promises of Divine Protection pertain They may be for a time afflicted and distressed through the Pride and prevalency of the wicked †Psal 37.39 40. But the salvation of the Righteous is of the LORD He is their strength in the Time of Trouble And the LORD shall help them and deliver them He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him And therefore he is said to be a * Pro. 30.5 Shield and †Ps 18.30 Buckler to them that trust in Him He is their * Psal 71.3 strong Habitation whereunto they may continually resort He is their Rock and Fortress for their Defence against all the Assaults of their Enemies And therefore †Ps 125.1 They that trust in the LORD shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever For * Nah. 1.7 The LORD is good a strong hold in the day of Trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him The third Work BE much in Communion with God The Lord is the Preserver of his Saints in Perillous Times And who are they that are interested in this special protection but those that are raised into this spiritual Communion Communion with God is a Saints sweetest and safest Sanctuary in Times of Danger And therefore did David so much desire of God that he might * Psal 27.4 Dwell in the house of the LORD all the dayes of his Life to behold the beauty of the LORD and to enquire in his Temple that is that he might live in Communion with the true Church in the Use of holy Ordinances to enjoy a constant Communion with God all the Time of his continuance in the world For saith he †v. 5. giving you the Reason of this his Request In the Time of Trouble he shall hide me in his Pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me up upon a Rock As if he should say He shall keep me in Secresie preserve me in Security advance me to Dignity and Glory As he saies elswhere * Psal 3.3 Thou O LORD art a Shield for me my Glory and the Lifter up of my head A Saint never rests so securely as when he dwels in the same Pavilion with God when God himself hides him under the Ark in the most secret Place of his holy Sanctuary The further from God the nearer to danger as a sheep that is gone astray from the Fold But the nearer to God the further from Danger As a Child under the Arm of the Father Gods special preserving Providence is as a Pavilion to that Saint that lives in Communion with God There 's no such place of safety for a Subject in times of Peace as in the Presence-Chamber of the King nor in Times of War as in the Royal Tent. Noah was safe in the Ark though tost with the Waves and Billows of an universal deluge when all the World besides was drown'd with water A Saint in communion with God is kept safe in the Ark of his holy Covenant Upon this account it s more safe for a Saint to dwell in Gods House in Times of Danger then to flie to the strongest Fortresse for safety I had rather sayes David †Ps 84.10 be a Door-keeper in the House of my God then to dwell in the Tents of Wickednesse Why so He gives you the Reason * v. 11. For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield He is a Help at hand a strong Defence to his Saints in time of Danger †Psal 91.1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty He that dwells in the secret of communion with God shall be safe under the shadow of the Protection of his power In communion with God a Saint * Isa 40.31 mounts up as with the wings of an Eagle and so sores above the Difficulties and Dangers of the lower world Communion with God is a garden enclosed As no stranger can enter into it so a Saint hath most safety while he dwells in it Communion with God is a Saints peculiar Priviledge heighten'd with this that it interests him in a special Protection O then Christians be much in communion with God Be much in those Duties of Religion wherein gracious souls do maintaine this holy Communion Be much in †Mat. 6.6 Closet-Prayer much in * Gen. 24..63 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dâ—vout-Meditation much in †Psal 4.4 Communing with your own Heart as an excellent help to communion with God Stir up your graces and set all the Powers of your soule on work in these spiritual Duties for otherwise you may spend much Time daily in Reading Praying Meditating and yet enjoy no communion with God Leave not a Duty till you can get your heart warm'd by it till you can feel it melting burning within your breast melting with * Psal 119 136 sorrow for sin and Joy in God burning with a holy Anger and an ardent †Psal 119 139 Zeal for Gods Glory suffering by the sinnes of the Times Cease not till you can finde your very soul going out to God and God by the powerful Influences and Operations of his holy Spirit coming in to your heart in holy Duties This is to maintain communion with God and this is to live in Heaven on Earth This will be to you a Spring of living Comforts in a dry and barren Wildernesse You shall have no cause to be disconsolate in your Desert-condition while the Manna of spiritual Mercies drops down from Heaven upon your soule in Communion with God Hereby you shall be able to fetch Waters of Comfort out of the Flinâ—y Rocks of Affliction and Persecution And which may be sufficient to revive your drooping Spirit in the greatest dangers from this Holy Mount of Communion with God you may take a faire Prospect of the Heavenly Canaan Yea he that lives in communion with God on earth does already dwell in the Suburbs of Heaven The fift Duty Longing to leave the Earth and live in Heaven IS it your lot to live in the last Dayes and to experiment the evil of perillous Times Then take off your hearts from things on earth and long to live in heaven O Christians here are Perils below but there 's Peace above you finde troubles on earth but you have Treasures in heaven It 's time for you to be dead to the world if you are indeed risen with Christ †Col. 3.1 2 3 4. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your
and Sporting and making Merry then does the Lord bring his judgements upon them even sudden destruction For sayes the holy Ghost When they shall say Peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a woman with childe and they shall not escape * 1 Thes 5.3 Do you know or have you consider'd what was the carriage of the men of the old world when the Lord brought the Flood upon them and of the children of Israel a little before they were carryed captive into Babylon Why the Scripture tells you that in the Dayes of Noah that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in Marriage until the day that Noah enter'd into the Ark and knew not untill the Flood came and took them all away †Mat. 24.38 39. They knew not that is they considered it not regarded it not For they had been warned of the coming of the Flood by the Preaching of Noah for the space of one hundred and twenty years and by his preparing an Ark for the preservation of himself and his own Family So the careless posture of the people of Israel in a free indulgence of their sensual Delights did but a little precede that cruel Captivity and bitter bondage which they so long sustained in Babylon * See Am. chap. 6. Now are not the people of the Land in these our Dayes generally senslesse of the crying sins and fearlesse of the following Judgements which may justly fall upon us Is it not time then for them that feare the Lord to lay these things to heart and to weep and mourne before the Lord for these Abominations Does it not both well become and neatly concerne the people of God in the Land to call one another to Fasting and Mourning and bitter Lamentation lest the Lord should kindle a fire in his wrath so that none can quench it O Christians can you sit still and be secure in such Times as these What do you not care how soone the Gospel the glory departs from England Do you not care what becomes of Religion what befalls the Church how soon you loose your Opportunities of enjoying the blessed Ordinances of the Gospel Oh are not these Opportunities precious are not the Ordinances of God precious are not the Ministers of the Gospel and the People of God precious in your Esteeme How then will your hearts bear it to see these Ministers of the Gospel murther'd these people of God led as sheep to the slaughtâ—r Alas you know not how near the Dayes may be wherein you may say Time was when we enjoy'd the Ordinances of God and had many opportunities of seeking the Face of God in the Assemblies of his Saints but alas now we aâ—e deprived of these enjoyments And oh will you not yet lay these things to heart so as to mourn before the Lord for those Evils whereby we have provoked the Lord to plague the whole Land with his Judgements and utterly to deprive us of these precious Priviledges Do you see no cause of Feare no signes of Danger Are not Sabbaths profan'd Ordinances contemn'd the Word despis'd the Sacraments slighted Ministers reviled Scriptures rejected the Spirit resisted Christ crucifi'd afresh and the Name of God blasphem'd amongst us Now are not these fearful Provocations of the most high God May not the despised Manna be restrained and God give us Quailes meat for our Lusts in wrath May not God justly punish mens wearinesse of his Worship with a Famine of his Word when men prize the World above the Word of God may not the Lord justly take away his Word and Gospel from such an unworthy people May not he suffer the seales of his Covenant the Pledges of his love to be taken away from us or polluted to us May not our Teachers be removed into a corner May not the Holy Scriptures the Well-springs of our Comforts and Joy be sealed up from us May not God take away his Holy Spirit from us that he may no more †Gen. 6.3 strive with a people devoted to destruction May not God charge upon the Land the guilt of his Sonnes Blood and revenge upon a rebellious people the wrong done to his owne Name Is it not then high time for us to * Am. 4.12 meet the Lord by Repentance and to humble our selves before him for the sins of the Land lest his indignation break forth upon us as a Breach of the Sea and there be no means left to escape Come then Christians and let us weep and mourne before the Lord. It may be he may regard our Tears and hear the voice of our weeping †Psal 6.8 and put on Bowels of Compassions towards us and spare our Land Who knows but the whole Land may fare the better for the sakes of a few Mourners in Zion Oh let 's every one labour to become one of that number So when the Lord shall arise and have mercy upon Zion we shall be called to partake of her Joy Rejoyce for joy with her saith the Lord * Isa 66.10 all ye that have mourned for her However Christians go into your Closets and weep before the Lord in secret for the sinnes whereby God is openly dishonour'd This was the holy resolution of the Prophet Jeremy upon the pride and stubbornnesse of the people of Judah the sad Symptomes of approaching Judgements Heare ye sayes he †and give eare * Jer. 13.15 16 17. be not proud for the LORD hath spoken Give glory to the LORD your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the dark Mountaines and while ye look for light he turne it into the shadow of Death and make it grosse Darknesse But if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride and mine eye shall weep sore and run down with teares because the LORDS Flock is carried away captive Now if you be of the number of those that mourn and sigh for the Abominations of the Times if the Lord shall bring his Judgements in your dayes upon the Land he will prepare his secret Chambers of providence for your preservation Thus the Lord sent his Angel to set a Mark upon the fore-heads of the men that mourn'd for the sinnes of Jerusalem that they might be spared when all the rest of the City by an impartial stroke were to suffer an inevitable destruction * See Ezek. 9 4-7 Thus Lot living in Sodom †2 Pet. 2.7 8. a lustful City vexed his righteous soul from day to day with a holy sorrow for the sins of the filthy Sodomites and so the Lord preserved him in the dreadful overthrow of that sinful City O then Christians mourne and weep for the sinnes of the Times the Abominations of the Age wherein you live and it may be you may by this means save the City save a Kingdome from destruction however you shall be sure to save your own
you can in a little time For when the Dayes are Evil you know not how little time you may have how few Opportunities of well-doing you may enjoy * Eph. 5.15 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fooles but as Wise Redeeming the Time because the Daies are evil The fourth Branch LIve in the exercise of your most excellent graces Let the Lustre of them appear in the eyes of the World that so you may diminish the Darknesse of an evil Generation When the Nights are darkest every one should be careful to hang out their Lights When the Sun the Chariot of Light hath carried the Day to another World the Night comes forth deckt with all her Jewels Search your Cabinets put on your Jewels exercise your Graces your Faith Love Patience Humility Zeale Hope Confidence and so labour to preserve a Day of Light and Holinesse in spight of all the encroachments of the darknesse of Sin and Vice Labour to be every whit as Good as others are Evil. Stir up your selves especially to the exercise of those Graces which stand in opposition to the reigning Vices of the Times Study to shew your selves as Active for God as others are for the World as truly Content with your condition as others are Covetous Oppressive Ambitious as Faithful as others are False as Pious as others are Profane as much to excel in Charity Moderation Humility as others exceed in Cruelty Censoriousnesse and Pride It well becomes Saints to be best when the Times are worst So Fire burnes hottest in the coldest weather and Stars shine brightest in the darkest Nights So shall you lift up the Name and Glory of God in the World and your lives shall be illustrious Testimonies for the cause of God against a wicked world Beg Grace of God therefore that in evil and perillous Times you may live to his Glory * Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blamelesse and Harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as Lights in the World The fifth Branch DAre to appear in your places for the Cause of God against the Evils of the Times Why should not every pious Christian dare to do more for God and the interests of his Glory then any profane Politician dares to do against him Why should you be afraid to appear on the stronger side It is indeed desperate Folly and Madnesse in impotent man to presume upon any action or undertaking which carries in it an apparent or consequential Opposition to an Omnipotent God upon whose Providence he hath a continual dependance insomuch as without some concurrence thereof he cannot move a Hand nor stirre a step Alas This Almighty God can with the least Finger of that glorious Hand by which he governes this All in one moment crush the greatest Armies of the mightiest men upon earth as a †Job 4.19 Moth and crumble them into dust But for the Saints that are guarded with an Omnipotent Arme they may with a holy confidence appear in the Cause of God against the most potent adversaries in the world For greater and stronger is he that is with us then they that are with them For as the good King Hezekiah said to the Captaines of his Army at the approach of the King of Assyria * 2 Chron. 32.7 8. with them is an Arme of Flesh but with us is the LORD our God to help us And †Rom. 8.31 if God be for us who can be against us Fear not then ye sonnes of the mighty ye children of the most high to appear for God and his cause against the impieties and iniquities of evil and perillous times Remember * Rev. 21.8 the fearful are set in the Front of that Troop of Rebels that shall be sent to Hell Know you not that in this case when Gods Cause and Glory suffers He that is not for God is against him Take heed then lest while you fear a lesser danger you fall into a greater 'T is then your greatest wisdome and safety to take the strongest side and that is to appear for God So may you say with David †Ps 118.6 The LORD is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me And again * Ps 56.11 In God have I put my trust I will not be afraid what man can do unto me †Psal 118 8 9. It is better to trust in the LORD then to put confidence in man It is better to trust in the LORD then to put confidence in Princes Dare to appear for God therefore in your places and to plead his Cause against wicked and unreasonable men with more Courage Resolution and Boldnesse then they have to oppose it Stand up therefore in Dayes of Danger and appear for the Truth and Glory of God that made you for the Honour and Interests of the Lord Jesus Christ that redeem'd you with his own precious blood appear for his Word and Worship his Ordinances and Ministers his Sabbaths and Sacraments his Church and Saints and all the just Rights Dues and Priviledges thereof against a wicked Generation of men that dare openly deny the Truth and profane the Name of God that are not afraid to cast Contempt and Reproach upon his Word and Worship to scoff at his Sabbaths and Sacraments and slight his holy Ordinances to abuse revile and vilifie his Ministers his Ambassadours seeking to pluck their meat from their mouths desiring to imbrue their hands in their blood endeavouring their utter extirpation out of the Church of God that dare to lay sacrilegious hands upon the Rights and Revenues of the Church which she holds by a firmer Title then the greatest Lord in the Land does or can do his inheritance and thereby seek to turne her children out of their Possession that they may enrich themselves as too many have done by the Churches Ruines Now Christians will you be afraid or asham'd to appear in so just a cause against such wretched men such wicked Adversaries as these Shall these come under the Name of Religion and rob you of the thing while you sit still and do nothing Shall the Interests of Christ and Glory of God fall to the ground rather then you will rise up and appear for the maintenance of the one and defence of the other How will you answer it to God at the great day of account O therefore be not afraid to appear for the Cause of God against the Evil of the Times in the Places and Stations wherein God hath set you This will be your Crown of Glory and Cause of Rejoycing at the great Day of the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ And oh that those that are Highest in Place and Power would seriously lay these things to heart and quitting all self-interests inconsistent with the Cause and Interests of the Kingdome of Christ sincerely study and endeavour the advancement of Gods Glory in