him through the Citie and smite let your eye spare none c. IN this next place we are to observe how the Lord bids the destroyers to goe after the marking Angell following him as it were hard at the heeles that so soone as ever the servants of God are marked and safe they should stay no longer but presently execute their charge which was Kill kill and spare none for so the words doe plainely import Herein the Lord would have us all to know yet further that so soone as ever he hath gathered forth those that bewaile the sinnes of the times that is his faithfull ones from among the rest or made sure provision for them then he will stay no longer but presently begin the execution of his vengeance on the rest which remaine This truth the Lord hath left unto us as cleare as any of the former that when we see him taking the godly away all may learne to prepare for themselves to escape or else be left more without excuse To shew this in order out of the former destructions as being in my understanding most fit as so set downe to this purpose and also most plainely for the simplest to conceive of 1. Noah is no sooner in the Arke fast lockt in by the Lord himselfe and so out of the danger but presently the sloud-gates of heaven are set open the fountaines of the great depths broken up destruction rusheth upon them that 〈◊〉 they or climbe they whithersoever they will the vengeance of God still followeth them at the heeles untill they be utterly swept away from the face of the earth without any more pitie and compassion 2. Lot is no sooner out of Sodom and gotten safe into Zoar past all the danger but though it was a goodly morning to see to the Sunne rising gloriously upon the earth as it was wont yet the fire and brimstone came powring downe The Holy Ghost saith that The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven and overthrew all He turned all those filthy Cities into ashes making them most loathsome pits and a terrible monument of his most severe vengeance to all such beastly livers to the end of the world All perish togither in an instant as they were partakers togither in the same filthy sinnes Howling and crying then will do no more good no place is now lest to repentance nor to mercy any longer 3. The Christians are no sooner gotten out of Ierusalem to Pella according to the warning but presently Ierusalem is taken as Iosephus reports and then as great cruelties are exercised as ever upon any Citie or people before and as great miseries followed them according as our Saviour had foretold 4. And lastly that same holy Iosiah hath his eyes no sooner closed that he might not see the vengeance and himselfe taken to his rest as the Lord had promised him because his heart so melted at the hearing of the abominations and the judgements denounced for them but straight-way even within three moneths begins this wofull tragedie of Iudah and Ierusalem As the flying away of the Swallow is a signe of winter at hand so the departing and taking away of these mourners forth of any Church must needs be a fearefull threatning of some terrible winter if not a desolation to come upon that people especially when we consider what such are for the preservation of the place where they are And so much first for the evidence of this truth Now that we may againe returne home unto our selves Let us see whether hereby we have not just cause to be awakened ech to betake our sâ—â—ves to watching and prayer to stay the vengeance of God before it be come upon us and it be too late Have not many of our Noahs I meane many of Gods faithfull servants most famous both in Church and Common-wealth for helping to build and prepare the Arke bin taken away from us not many yeeres ago long before their time And amongst others Did not the Lord specially pluck unto himselfe in a short space togither sundry of our most worthily renowmed and victorious champions so approved against that proud Goliah of Rome Hath he not thus caried up these into the Arke not made with hands as accounting us thereby unworthy that they should remaine any longer amongst us upon the earth to helpe to stand betweene the Lords wrath and us What heart was so flintie which dissolved not into teares for sundry of them or which was not astonished at the apprehension of his manifest displeasure therein and in a fearefull consideration of that which he saith That the righteous are taken away from the evils to come This yet is some comfort That we have still some Noaâ—s carefully preparing and finishing the Arke and warning the secure and unthankfull world All our Lots are not yet pluckt from amongst us The Lord of hoasts hath as yet in mercy reserved us a remnant who unfeignedly feare the tokens of his wrath He hath some that stil lift up their voyces like trumpers to tel his people of their sins Some that lift up their hearts with their hands with Moses against Amaleck Some that made continuall intercession with faithful Abraham Some that mourne in secret who wrastle and weepe with Iacob and who will not let the Lord goe untill he shew us mercy and save us from the scourge which we have justly deserved Some I say for what are they compared with the rest or in regard of our time and meanes or that they have beene in sundry parts of the Land otherwise we had bin made long agoe as Sodome and like unto Gomorrha And we may further say by the infinite mercy of God That the Lords annointed is still preserved for our shelter and the breath of our nostrils by whom alone under the highest we hitherto enjoy our safety in the midst of the greatest furies of our implacable and bloud-thirsty enemies If the Lord had ever or yet should never so little take away his hand for all our provocations which evill of all other he ever turne from us like as hitherto he hath done sith the enemies hunt after his life and the lives of us all continually and our sinnes doe cry for it what then could we looke for Or if he should any way suffer the mouthes of all his faithfull messengers to be shut that there might be none to reprove much more if he once take from amongst us those that sigh and cry out for all the abominations and restrayn utterly that spirit of mourning and prayer what may we expect then And is not this the thing which the Atheist and belly-God with all the company of the wicked and ungodly do desire so much and which the I do latrous murthering enemies doe conspire continually And why Because these are they
but the glory was remooved the Lord gave him no answere any more from thence The like might be shewed still in the story further as we shall see after in the particulars but this may suffice for the present to manifest this point To returne therefore to our selves we are first to inquire what are the most evident signes of Gods glorious presence in his Church especially in the daies of the Gospell and heereby we are to judge of our estate and whether in regard heereof we have not just cause to feare the Lords departure without speedy repentance and all to give our selves to watch and pray Like as the word sincerely preached and the Sacraments administred according to our Saviours institution are the most infallible marks of the true visible Churches of Christ amongst which he hath promised his presence so long as these are duly observed maintained and reverenced so we may marke also thorow the booke of God fowre most lively evidences of his glorious presence in his Church amongst his people One whereof is more inward felt chiefly in the soules and consciences of men to wit the Spirit of the Lord accompanying the word and the powerfull operation thereof in mens hearts in and by the same word to cause all men to acknowledge the Lord to be there The other three are more outward and apparant to the view of the world although they be nothing but the fruits and effects of the same spirit The first of which three is when the Lord gives to his people abundance of saving and sanctifying knowledge of his heavenly word The second when together with this knowledge he worketh in them true holinesse of life and conversation and obedience to the same word and withall peace and unitie among his people arising from the same The third is in protection when he declares himselfe to be present amongst his people in shielding and protecting them and overthrowing all the plots of the enemies or casting a feare upon the enemie that they dare not rise up against his Church and chosen flocke For the first of these which is more inward viz The Spirit of the Lord speaking and working powerfully in the word It is not the word alone nor the Spirit alone but the word and Spirit going together The Spirit accompanying the word and speaking to the hearts and consciences of men out of the mouthes of his servants This is the Tenor and the very substance of Gods covenant with his Church for the infallible demonstration of his presence in it and with it And I will make this my covenant with them saith the Lord to his Church My spirit which is upon thee my word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seede from henceforth for ever To make this more plaine As in the time of the law not the Arke alone nor the mercie seate covered with the Cherubims but the answeres from the Arke given immediatly from God were were the undoubted evidences of his most glorious presence amongst them so this must needs be acknowledged of all That not the Gospell alone nor the bare ministry thereof but the powerfull working of the spirit thereby speaking to every mans soule and conscience is the most evident demonstration of the same glorious presence in the dayes of the Gospell As for example when the word is lively and mighty in operation powerfull in converting mens soules and drawing the people of God after it This is the true presence and arme of the Lord. As it was when the Holy Ghost was sent downe appearing in forme of cloven tongues like fire to shew the heavenly fire that should accompany the word and inflame the hearts of the elect like as it then wrought wonderfully upon the consciences of the hearers and that very worke was an infallible witnesse of the presence of the Lord so is it now according to the manner of the working and measure thereof When by the same spirit some are pricked at their hearts with remorse for their sinnes and made to cry out Men and brethren what shall we doe as those who were so pricked at the hearts at Peters sermon When other have their hearts burning within them as the two Disciples going toward Emaus at the opening applying of the Scriptures unto them When as others are smitten downe to the earth in the sense of their own vilenesse and the Majestie of Iesus Christ as persecuting Saul who was made thereby a preaching Paul And when others are compelled to confesse That they neuer heard men speake so as those who came of purpose being sent by the Pharises to catch our Saviour Or as the poore simple man who comming in and hearing the word so Preached is made thereby to fall upon his face and enforced to acknowledge That God is in these men of a truth when others also shall receive such a strong assurance of the truth of God taught unto them being indeed his very word as they cannot be drawne away from it by any violence or feare no nor yet by any perswasions though an Angell should come from heaven and teach them otherwise And to conclude this point This must needs be confessed of all to be the most cleere and invincible testimony of his most gratious and glorious presence and of his spirit powred plentifully upon his Church when by the power of the word the blinde eyes are opened the deafe heare the stonie hearts are bruised the dead in sinne are raised to a new and holy life for this is not a a worke of flesh and blood but of the Spirit of the Lord onely This was a principall part of that lively presence whereby he was so wonderfull and after a sort visible in the primitive Church when the same day were added to the Church about three thousand soules by the preaching of Peter and the other Apostles and after when the Church increased so admirably And by this he hath promised to be with his faithfull ones teaching his truth sincerely unto the end of the world This finally is the full accomplishment of that promise To powre downe his Spirit upon his people in the dayes of the Gospell when he would gather his Church in any place as we may see thorow all the Historie of the Acts. And even as it was then so is it now according to the measure of grace whereby he sends downe his holy Spirit upon any Congregation And in some Congregations under faithfull Ministeries all these blessed be God are apparent thus graciously manifesting his presence thereby And therefore the more generally that this operation appeares in Preachers and people the more visibly doth the glory of the Lord shew it selfe and the more
securitie may such a people have for the certaintie of the Lords presence continued amongst them Every man may discerne and know it hereby But contrarily this is as evident a signe of Gods departure from a people and of some heavy judgement hasting upon them when either the preaching shall become generally cold and fruitlesse except in some small remnant which evermore the Lord doth reserve in his Church or though it be powerfully preached by some few yet men shall become generally more obstinate blinde hard-hearted and without feeling given up to follow their lusts with greedinesse when by it they shall have their hearts as hard as the nether mill-stone or the Smithes stithie that the oftner they are smitten the harder they are And further also this is so palpable that it may be felt when men shall come to this height of prophanenesse that hearing the most excellent Prophets of God they shall heare them onely as those who have pleasant voyces listening to their words but not doing any thing in effect which they teach as the people heard the Prophet Ezechiel Thus it went with them very generally before this Captivitie according as the Lord had bidden the Prophet Isaiah to denounce threescore yeeres and more before it came that by hearing they should heare and not understand and seeing they should see and not perceive but have their hearts made more fat least they should convert and be healed And ever the neerer the vengeance approched the more apparent this judgement was as appeareth in the Prophets untill their Land was laid desolate like as the Lord had threatned them before So was it also before that last utter desolation of that Nation of the Iewes whereupon we may observe this that no one Scripture is oftner alledged by our Saviour and by Paul and cited by all the Evangelists than that of Isaiah is against them to shew how that was fulfilled in their obstinacie which was so long before denounced by the Prophet and that the fulfilling of it was a cleare evidence that the Lord intended their ejection and subversion Thus saith our Saviour plainely Therefore could they not beleeve because Esaias saith againe He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and should be converted and I should heale them But of all other this is the most dreadfull signe of the Lords removing from any place when he shall begin to take those his servants away or to cause their tongues to cleave to the roofes of their mouthes by whom he was wont to speake ordinarily in this powerfull manner and to whom he usually gave this testimonie in the consciences of them that heard them That the Lord spake in them indeed when he shall plucke away those whom formerly he kept as Moses in the breach to stay his vengeance what doth he else but say Let me alone that I may destroy them at once Thus he dealt with the most faithfull Prophets before the Captivitie shutting up Ieremie in prison letting Ezechiel be in bonds afterwards removing him frō them Or when the Prophets in steed of miting at sin with the mightie arme of the spirit of the Lord viz his own word powerfully preached shall begin to smite with the weake arme of flesh namely the inticing words of mans wisdome and with the ostentation of humane learning and eloquence and this as shouldering forth the pure word of the Lord sincerely preached as being too weake and meane The more sensible this judgement groweth in any Church the more is the glory of the Lord removed to the very threshold the more also is his utter departure to be feared and the finall leaving of such a people without unfeyned and speedie seeking to pacifie him Now to returne to our selves and hereby also to discerne of our estate Let us all who ever have had any true feeling of this working of the Spirit of the Lord in us and whose consciences are not utterly feared or who have used to observe the manner of Gods working in his Church enter into a due consideration hereof Let us examine this betweene the Lord and our owne consciences whether the preaching of the Gospell have still that operation amongst us which sometimes it hath had to convert mens soules to draw multitudes after it in the love of it selfe unlesse it be happily to heare some man of fame or for his rare and singular gifts or for some like by-respects And whether this power of it be not fearefully abated except in some very few places and those for most part where formerly it hath not bin as in some rude countryes towards the Northerne parts whither it is daily observed to remove as ready to take the farewel when it hath gathered forth Gods chosen of them and convinced the rest And whether Satan Antichrist and this evill world with the pleasures and pompe of it doe not draw men wonderfully from Iesus Christ to follow after them whether multitudes rush not violently to all licentious profanenesse in steed of the zealous profession of the Gospell of Christ others to Poperie and superstition againe which was so far rooted out of our Land and by the most abhorred and this after the time that God hath more discovered the abomination of that bloodie religion than ever heretofore Let us but call to minde how it hath bin formerly with us in those places where God was wont to speake unto us by his messengers and how it is now for most part whether in many places where the Arke of God still remaines I meane the Word and Sacraments whether I say the glorious and lively voyce of the Spirit that piercing of our hearts that burning in our soules with those unspeakeable comforts which we were wont to finde therein be not decayed exceedingly whether it be not with all who are fallen to fashion themselves to the extreme licentiousnesse and loosenesse of the time even as it was with Saul That the Lord speaks to them no more tho they have happily the same Preachers and the booke of the Law and heare the curses against their sinnes yet they neither feele nor feare them any more whether that lively presence which did shake their hearts be not utterly gone yea whether we do not see this generally that men are every where more voyde of all feeling of sinne and of the feare of any judgement whereby that spirituall judgement doth daily seize upon us most evidently That by hearing the threatnings against us we heare but understand no more and seeing the signes and tokens of his wrath for our sinnes we see them indeed but we are moved no longer with them but as they so we have our hearts more fat our eares more deafe and our eyes still more blinded And if
the sin of all yet it indangered all See the feare of the people of Israel for the suspition of the provocation by the two tribes and the halfe in the erecting of the altar of witnesse which the rest of the Tribes did thinke that they had done for sacrifice contrary to the commandement of the Lord. They al purposed to have gone immediatly to make war against their brethren for the punishment of that sin yet sent messengers to know the truth of the matter before with this message That if they did rebell against the Lord that day the morrow next he would be wrath with all the congregation of Israell The like we may behold in the feare of the people for the villany committed by some of the inhabitants of the City of Gibeah in abusing the Levites Concubine and the vengeance that came not onely upon the City wherein it was committed but also upon all the Tribe of Benjamin because they delivered them not to be punished but would seeme to defend them for as much as they were apart of their Tribe And not upon that Tribe alone which might seeme justly accessary but also upon all those who helped not to take vengeance for that wicked fact as on all the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead becavse they came not to the war to see Gods judgements executed upon those wicked men To come to the sinnes of particular men Did we not heare before of the vengeance on Israell in the dayes of Ioshuah for the sin of Achan How that worthy Captaine with his valiant soldiers were not able to stand before their enemies untill Achans sinne was found out punished Yea the Lord tels them he will not be with them any more unlesse they destroy the excommunicate from amongst them which thereupon they were glad to doe And far be it from us to thinke the Lord to be unjust in this or any other of his judgements or to have diminished any part of his justice or holinesse unto this day Secondly we cannot forget that anger that was kindled against Israell and the famine that came upon them in the dayes of David for three yeeres together for the sinne of Saul in killing the Gibeonites to gratifie the people contrary to his fidelity Though they were but heathens of the cursed Amorites and had dealt deceitfully with the Israelites in making their covenant Yet the wrath could not be appeased or the Land purged untill vengeance was taken upon his bloudy house for that murther committed so long before And therfore sith his anger may breake forth so long after even for such sins much more for such notorious abominations as are committed daily by them who have given themselves over to all manner of profanenesse and impiety and whereof they can have no such colour or occasion This was the cheife reason of the solemne inquisition which was at the publicke fasts in Israell for the finding out both of notorious offenders and offences to have vengeance taken of them openly Hence was the pretence of Iezabell for the saving of Naboth under a shew of execution of this justice against a blasphemer to pacifie the Lords anger This also seemes to have bin one principall cause why the word was read and preached at those their solemne fasts that thereby the sins might be discovered and reformed as God bids Ieremie to indite and Baruch to write from his mouth and to declare to the people their sinnes with the plagues judgements due unto them that they might returne from their evill wayes and so pacifie his wrath by crying unto him and reforming all the abominations Thus we see this point also cleere That the sinnes of a people even of a few of them not punished do anger the Lord and provoke him against the whole land making the land uncleane neither can he be fully pacified any way but by the punishing and taking away of those sinnes Whereby it is most evident to the consciences of all men what just cause the godly have to sigh and to tremble for all the abominations that are committed amongst them and especially which being notoriously knowne do still remaine unpunished Now to apply this unto our selues And first for the generall humiliation of us all afterward for the comfort of those few that are such true mourners indeed First this may strike the hearts of all sorts who imagining that they are the servants of the Lord yet hearing and seeing the fearfull apostacy coldnesse and security of our age even in many of the better sort together with Atheisme Poperie and all outragious and profane licentiousnesse daily increasing in the rest are yet never troubled therwith And much more may it astonish all such who are so far off from the condition of these mourners as that they can solace themselues as freely when they heare of all excesse in iniquity and whatsoever can bee devised by Iewd men to anger the Lord and to grieve his Spirit as ever they were wont at other times Most of all may it affright and awaken those who use all devices to drive each thought of Gods anger or any judgement with every occasion of humiliation and mourning utterly out of their hearts But of all other is their estate most fearfull who can make the beastly sinnes of others their chiefest sport Oh you that are such consider in your hearts Is this the spirit of Lot Moses Samuel Ieremie Ezra of these mourners heere marked Of our Saviour or Pavl Is this the Spirit of the Lord How deceive you your soules in a vaine imagination what will ye doe in the day of the Lords wrath if he let it come upon us as we justly deserue Or what have ye done to turne it from us Know know for certaine that this sinne of yours will one day undoubtedly bring you weeping enough you cannot tell whether even in this life as it did to them in the Captivity nay even whether this same uery day when you shall do nothing but weep day and night in remembrance of this one sinne that your hearts were so hard in the dayes of your prosperity that you could not mourne at all Besides all the other miseries that you are liable unto for all your sinnes chiefly if God should give you up for them when you shall be utterly destitute of comfort of the Lords mercy protection and-favour untill you shall have soundly bewailed all this your sencelesse security But on the contrary as this is given by the Lord for the comfort of all that mourne for the iniquities because they are surely marked before the vengeance come to be safe then so it may serue for the sweete consolation and cheering up even of all those of every estate and degree from the highest to the lowest who find their hearts thus affected in hearing of and beholding the abominations committed dayly to anger the
that proud and blasphemous Senacherib and his huge Armie when the Angâ—ll of the Lord slue an hundred and fouresâ—ore thousand of the enemies in one night upon which considerations and the like in former times the Holy Ghost faith that God is well knowne in Iudah his name is great in Israel All the world talked of his name and feared Because as his Tabernacle was there so there he brake the arrowes the bowe There he shewed his puissance and his power restrayning the rage of the enemies and turning it unto his praise and so there made himselfe terrible to the Kings of the earth To conclude this point likewise This is a principall part of that glory of the Church in the earth which is so foretold by the Prophet Esay to be in the Churches of God in the flourishing estate thereof in the dayes of the Gospell That when the Lord should wash away the filthines of his people by his word and Spirit he would create upon every place of Mount Sion and upon the assemblies thereof a cloud and a smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory should be a defence and a covering should be for a shadow in the day from the heat and a place of refuge and a covert from the storme and from the raine In which words all these parts of the Lords glory upon his Church are comprized evidently foretelling that as he would adorne and glorifie his Church then with abundance of knowledge and holinesse so his protection should shelter it from all danger as the coverings did the Tabernacle And this indeed was the glory of the Primitive Church according as it was spoken of by Esay Yea every wicked man whose conscience is not utterly scared when he commeth into any such a Congregation where these three shine bright is inforced to acknowledge such a place to be a glorious and blessed place and God to be there untill that men have by their disobedience to the word and by their maliciousnesse put out the eye of their soule and conscience altogither To applie all this And first to this people of Iudah If wee marke well wee may cleerely see how God had wonderfully withdrawne from them that outward glory which formerly they had enjoyed and had also shewed them evident tokens of his departure in every one of these respects before he went away utterly And first for holy knowledge when they daily waxed more blind and senselesse by all the paines of their Teachers and all other their forewarnings so that they were worse therein then the oxe and the asse as the Prophet Esay complained many yeeres before Secondly for holinesse of life the abominations following will evidently demonstrate for reverence of the Lords messengers in that they misused them untill there was no remedy So for peace and unitie when Ephraim was against Manasseh Manasses against Ephraim and both against Iudah when all the godly who followed the true Prophets and cleaued only to the word and the covenant of the Lord were generally hated made as signes and wonders like as the Prophets were whose word they obeyed And lastly for protection when as the glory was almost gone in Ezechias dayes when he himselfe and Ierusalem were in that danger by Senecharib and cleane gone by Manasses at what time he was carried away captive into Babylon Afterwards also was Iosiah their shelter cut downe by the enemie which was the next most manifest forerunner of the finall departure and of their glory So they had after this overthrow after overthrow untill this plague was utterly come upon them and their glory also departed without hope of recovery till Gods anger was fully accomplished upon them Thus we have seene this point at large wherein the outward glory of the Church consists how all this was fully verified amongst them according to the vision That God had indeed made all these removals of their glory before his finall departure But now let us in the second place returne home from Iudah unto our selves and lay it neere unto our hearts considering well first whether the Lord have not begun as sensible removals of all this glory even amongst our selves in every one of these kindes sundry wayes and at sundry times proceeding by degrees And whether he doe not thereby threaten manifestly that he is purposed utterly to remove and to take away all his glory and his gratious presence from us and to leave us to the will of our enemies to be made a reproch and a shame when he is departed from us unlesse we prevent and retaine him by our speedie amendment To begin and apply in order as in the presence of the Lord. Where is that delight of ours in most places that we were wont to take in his word our inciting and incouraging one another Come let us goe up to the house of the Lord our talking of it and our rejoycing in it as of our chiefe glory Do we not in steed hereof waxe weary of it very generally hearing it commonly for a fashion or for satisfying of the law or some like respect Are we not growne to this passe for the most part to be ashamed of talking or reasoning of it Yea what is more common than in steed hereof to discourage one another from being forward in following after it and those holy assemblies of his people where he hath promised his presence for ever Are not our people in steed hereof set rather to flocke to all kinds of vanities and places of the worse resort to dishonour and provoke the Lord even to those places where is open profession of all impietie and schooles of all lewdnesse and ungratiousnesse Let the ordinarie frequenting of so many profane and lascivious playes fitter for Sodome than the Church of God be witnesse Where is that holy sound and powerfull knowledge of God amongst the people become which in regard of the long and quiet time of the Gospell that thorow the riches of the Lords mercy we have enjoyed should have growne to ripenesse that which was wont so to abound amongst us in many goodly Congregations whereby the Popish sort were ashamed of themselves for their ignorance specially as was said that love which hath bin so declared in hungring after the word in delighting in it as our felicitie Nay what is become for most part of that singular commendation for readinesse in the Scriptures and soundnesse of judgement in the word of the Lord wherein many of our Gentry and cheifer sort in many places did sometimes excell for which they were much to be commended and indeed it was their dutie far so to excell for they of all other have the most meanes for all good helps and leysure to get the knowledg of the Lord and also are most bound thereunto
forerunners of his departure The first remove Chap. 9. 3. Whether he hath not made as many sensible removes amongst us outwardly The outward glory consists in three things First in abundance of heavenly and sanctified knowledge Esa. 2. 2 3. Ier. 31. 33 34. 2 In holinesse of lâ—fe accompanying it Ezech 36. 23. 24. 25. 26. Chiefly when he gives peace and unitie one heart and one way Ier. 32. 39. 40. Isai. 11. 6. Holy unity the marke whereby all may know Christ Disciâ—ples Ioh 13. 53. Holinesse and unity make Gods people glorious in the eyes of their enemies Deut. 4. 5. 6. 7. c. The Lords people bidden to glory in these Iâ—r 9. 23. 24. Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of heaven in holinesse peace and joy Christ visibly raigneth in such congregations 3. The Third principall outward signe is his glorious protection of his people As 1. of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Gen. 20. 16. 26. 9 10 11 12. 27. 42. 28. 29 31. 24. 32. 2. Church in Egypt 3. Going before them and protecting them in all the way towards Canaan Exod. 33 3 4. vers 15. This the most cleare testimonie of Gods presence 4. In miraculous keeping their land This continued so long as they were carefull to know obey him Exod. 23. 21 22. Psalm 107. 5. In their wonderfull deliverances overthrowes of their enemies As in the sea The wildernes Setting them in Canaan In the dayes of the Iudges Ios 10. 13. Of Samuel of Iehosaphat 2 Chron 20. 21 23. 2 Chr 32. 20 21. Ezekiah in the overthrow of Senacherib By 〈◊〉 Gods name was great in Israel Psal 76. 1 2 3 4. 12. A principall part of the glory foretold to be on yâ— Churches in yâ— dayes of the Gospell Esai 4. 4 5 6. These the glory of the Primitive Church So at this day Application First to Iudah How God had withdrawn the outward glory to foreshew his departure 1. All holy knowledge decayed Isai 6. 10. Isai 1. 2. 2 Holines gone 2 Chro 36. 15 16. So peace and unitie departed Isâ—i 9. 21. Isai 8. 18. 3 Protection oft almost gone Lost utterly in Iosiah Glory departed till Gods anger accomplished Application to our selves Whether God threaten not us by as sensible removals 1. Removing so generally our delight in his word Growing to be ashamed of talking of it Flocking to all vanities 2. Our sound knowledge of the word in many places Amongst the people Amongst most of our Gentry having most meanes most bound thereto Prov 17. 16. All formerly to silence the proudest Papist Now suffering the Popish sort to insult over us Chiefly thorow living in pleasure Popish sort growne cunning in their mysterie Though more ignorant than our children in the first principles of Christ. Many of us good companions for them Objection for abundance of knowledge answered Rom 14 17. 2. Holinesse submission to Christs Gospel much removed Falling daily to most horrible impieties and profanenesse Hence so many separating Popish sort blaspheming Though it be not our wickednesse they hate But the Gospell Sundry make revoults to the Apoc. 18. 3. Our devotion waxen cold Practise of Christianity more reproach full then to live in any sin The very name of a Christian become reproâ—chfull to many A matter fit for Italy Rhemish Testament Acts. 11. Sect. 4. Lewdest commonly in credit How welcome the Lords messengers are to the greatest part 2 Chron 26. 16. 2 Sam 10. 6. Notwithstanding his kindnesse to us Our unity much departed Our reverencing the most paynfull and holy much gone Fruites of our dissentions To cause the Lord and his religion to be reproached The enemie to insult and be hartned to our destruction Countenance to the true lovers of the Gospell gone Popish sort shame us herein Submission to the word much removed 3 Protection the third part of our glory oft threatned to be removed As never nation had Gods glory more apparant in protection Psal 76. 1. So never any from whom it was more nerely gone Accounted to be caried away in their navy invincible The generall feare for it wheÌ„ God should take away Qu Elizabeth Otâ—er nations wondered We like them that dreame Our hearts filled with joy All our glory ready to mouÌ„t up at once in the powder surnâ—ce Rebels exalâ—ing themselues against the Lord as if it had been accomplished No pollicie could have preuented The Lord only prevented By themselues working on the heart of his annointed Not ceasing untill our deliverance was effected againe To binde our hearts to his Majestie and his annointed for ever All did thus acknowledge it None can deny but that it was an evident warning of a finall departure unlesse we repent Our glory as neerely removed as theirs in the dayes of Iosiah Onely this is added to allour mercies that our Iosiah is still preserved from the bloudie enemie What we have done since in token of thankfulnes and humiliation in care to retaine him What zeale indignation we have shewed against yâ— murthering religion Our humiliation and thankfulnesse in sinning impudently To grieve and thrust him out In steed of detestation growing in admiration of Poperie That he may justly reject us and his â—ervants praying for us as he did Iosuah Ios 7. 12. He may â—orsake and leave us into their hands For suffering Poperie so â—o revive grow up amongst us againe after he had given us so just occasion to seeke to root it out utterly 1 Kings 20. 32. Whether hee may not say to us for this as to the King of Israâ—l for Benadad Choifly for neglecting yâ— holy means whereby they might have bin converted saved 〈…〉 How God may righteously speake unto all for neglect hereof Whether the Lord may not as justly plead against us as against Iudah Mich 6. 3. This complaint set downe after Conclusion In the doubling of the speech adding Ierusalem All to take notice that God will not spare Ierusalem if it rebell against him Summe of the Lords speech No priviledges can secure a sinnefull people from Gods wrath Things wherein they secured themselves The Temple Ier. 7. 4. The Law should not depart from the Priest Ier 18. 18. They AbrahaÌ„s children Matth 3. 9. Our custome alike Priviledges wherein we secure our selves Gods true religion Gods favour manifested in our great deliverances Overthrowes of our enemies Prince hopefull issue Ierusalems priviledges 2 King 23. 27. Chosen to be the place of Gods residencie 1. King 8. His Temple there Prayers heard there chiefly 1. King 8. 14. 2 King 8. 48 49. Valley of visions Dan 6. 10. Isaâ— 22. 1. All must pray for it Psal 122. 6. Perfection of beautie â—am 2. 15. Ioy of the earth Matth 4. 5. The holy Citie Luc 19. 41. Heb 12. 22. Revel 21. 10. The prerogatives of the people Rom 9. 4. Israelites Having the right of Adoption Called of God his sonnes his first borne his pretious ones Ier. 31. 20. Ier. 2 3. Thirdly