himself Before the day pass as the chaff that is very swiftly suddenly like chaff the day is passing away therefore whiles ye have time yet before the day that runs and wears away so fast does bring forth the Decree produce and make appear what God hath decreed against you O Nation undesirable search your selves yea search your selves very narrowly whiles the heat of the Lords wrath doth not yet come upon you whiles the day of the Lords wrath doth not yet take hold of you This is further inculcated and prest by the Lord in the Prophesie of the Prophet Haggai chap. 1.5 7. Is it a time for you O ye to dwell in your ceiled houses that is in your stately and sumptuous houses for pleasure and delight and this house lye waste or desolate meaning the Lords house Now therefore thus saith the Lord of of Hosts Consider your ways Or which is more agreeable to the Original Set your heart upon your ways Observe and consider well how it fares with you by reason of your sins Had they considered or set their hearts aright upon their ways this might have prevented the execution of Gods judgements mentioned the 9 10 and 11 verses thereof For want of this the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah ch 1. takes up a bitter lamentation and complaint Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me The Ox knoweth his ower and the Ass his masters scrib but Israel doth not know my people saith he doth not consider They were more brutish and void of understanding then the beasts or brute creatures For want of this consideration it was that every one turned to his course of sin as the horse rusheth into the battel breaking and running through like a water flood as the word is properly used And why Because no man said What have I done And the Lord complaineth further That the Stork in the Heaven knew her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow did observe the time of their coming but his people knew not the judgement of the Lord Jer. 8.6 7. This is that consideration which we ought to have of our selves But what strangers are most men and women to their own hearts who enters into such a serious thought as to say What have I done Seneca reporteth of Sexius how every night before he slept he asked his own heart What evil this day hast thou amended what vice hast thou resisted in what part art thou bettered Surely such a course as this would prevent the fearless and heedless running into many gross enormities and sins and so prevent the ruine and destruction of many a poor sinful soul This course the Church took in the Lamentations Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord Lam. 3.39 40. Fall then in good earnest upon this work of self-examination and think it better to know thine own infirmites and thy soul-sicknesses and sores then to know the whole world and all the wonders thereof It is one of the best parts of wisdom to know thy self This will beat down thy pride and keep the humble and lead thee to the true knowledge of God It will cast out and keep out sin and preserve thee from many temptations It is the beginning and foundation of grace and repentance Lam. 3.40 And will prevent the severe stroak of Gods judgements as in that of Zephany 2.1 2. And saith the Apostle If we will judge our selves we shall not be judged of the Lord Surely did we but know what the heart of man is while unregenerate and in its natural estate what a sink a sea of sin and filthiness it is how deceitful above all things and desperately wicked as Jeremy hath it Jer. 17.9 what infinite intricate windings and turnings there are in the dark laborinths of mans heart what a multitude of vain thoughts do lodge within it Jer. 4 14. What swarms of lusts and uncleaness issue out from this corrupt and putrified fountain Mat. 12.34 comp with chap. 15.18 19 verses What a deal of self-sophistry and imposture is wrapt up there by which millions of souls are inwraped in the snares and shackels of Satan I say did we rightly know and were not strangers to these things it might put us on with all seriousness and readiness this so weighty and profitable a work But O where is the man almost that knows or sets himself in good earnest for to know and find out the Plague of his own heart O what a many of Plague-sores and running issues are in the hearts of men and women at this day and yet they are insensible of them Every one almost is sensible of the Plague-tokens or sores when they seize upon the body and most people fear and dread this contagious disease because of the loathsomness of it but for the Plague of the Heart the Soul-sickness and sores O where is there any knowledge or discerning of it where is there any sense of the loathsomness and infectiousness of it And yet without this how can we expect a healing and the removal of this severe stroke of the Lord according to Solomons prayer at the dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.37 38 39. If there be in the land famine if there be pestilence c. whatsoever plague whatsoever sickness there be what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man or by all the people Israel and mark what follows which shall know every man the plague of his own heart and spread forth his hands towards this house Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of the children of men Now this prayer of Solomon had its confirmation from the Lord 1 King 9.3 So that this knowledge of the Plague of the heart is a necessary qualification or ingredient to go along with that prayer which shall be prevailing with the Lord for the removal of the Pestilence out of the land or Nation wherein it is But if the men of this generaration are still unacquainted with the plagues or sores of their own heart if they be still as vain as proud as oppressing as Superstitious as Idolatrous as Adulterous as Murderous as Blasphemous as Rebellious and Disobedient against the Lord and his commands as reviling and persecuting the way of truth and holiness as ever can it be expected that the hand of the Lord should be removed or the fire of his his indignation which now burns so very hot among us should be quenched Set thy self then in good earnest upon this heart-searching work whoever thou art that would escape this severe stroke of the Lord. And if thou knowest not how to deal with thy heart it is so
as Snow And he calls to back sliding Israel to return and promises to heal their back-slidings and love them freely Jerem. 3.14 comp with Hosea 14.4 So in pangs of the New-birth spiritual infancy weakness of Faith Prayer Godly sorrow and other graces let such cordial refreshing Promises as these dwell upon thy heart Rev. 21.6 Mat. 5.6 Isa 42.3 and 57.15 and 40.11 which import How God will satisfie the hungry soul tender the weak and feeble soul dwel with the humble soul yea the exercise of faith also in the promises is of singular use in all kinds and varieties of temptations spiritual desertions deep almost despairing apprehensions of thine extreme vileness and nothingness in grace in which dark dismal and disconsolate estate let thy faith be exercised on such precious soul-supporting promises as these 1 Cor. 10.13 Jam. 1.2 Isa 30.18 and Isa 43.25 Which speaks to this effect That God is faithful and will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength That we should count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations That all they are blessed that wait for the Lord. So that if thou eiest in this waiting state thou shalt be certainly saved for the holy spirit pronounceth thee blessed And further for the exceeding great comfort and support of thy soul that it is the Lord and he onely that blotteth out thy transgressions for his own sake and will not remember thy sins So in the Hail-storms of slanderous Arrows and empoysoned Darts of disgrace how should thy Faith be fixt upon such pretious Promises as these 1 Pet. 4.18 Mat. 5.11 Yea in the valley of the shadow of death by an assurance of Gods merciful omnipotent presence Psa 23.4 And in the extremity and depth of such desperate distresses and perplexities wherein in thy present feeling thou canst see and find no possibility of help from Heaven or Earth God or man but art both helpless and hopeless as the Church complains Lam. 3.18 Let thy meditations dwell upon such like precious promises as these Isa 33.9 10. 2 Chron. 20.12 Exod. 14.13 Psal 78.65 66. Gen. 22.14 All which import that in the Mount of the greatest difficulties God will be seen Well in every thing or any thing that shall or can possibly befall thee prosperity or poverty cross or comfort calmness of conscience or tempests of terror life or death thou maist by Faith extract abundance of unconquerable patience and peace of soul from those three heavenly golden conduits of sweetest comfort Rom. 8.18 and 28.32 to wit That the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us 2. That all things shall work together for good to them that love God 3. That he that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Object But may I act faith in the Promises for things temporal as for spiritual Yea for godliness hath the Promise of the life that now is as of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Yet consider withal that temporal things are not promised absolutely but conditionally 1. With limitation to expediency 2. By way of commutation and compensation with spiritual If he gives thee not peace he will give thee patience if not wealth yet contentment which may be far better 3. With exception of the Cross Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Lands with persecution Mark 10.30 So then we may believe we shall have temporal blessings which God hath promised conditionally so far forth as will stand with these conditions his own glory our spiritual good and everlasting salvation This life is but via advitam the way to life and whatsoever God promiseth us in the way is but to help us to the end of our journey There is no temporal thing of this life falls within the compass of Gods promise but so far forth as it shall be a help and furtherance unto us as to our eternal life I shall therefore present unto thy view a few of those Promises which are of a temporal concernment as having reference to long Life Children Lands Riches Honour and external Peace and Plenty See to this purpose Gen. 22.17 and 49.15 Leâ— 25.18 19 21. and 26.4 5 6 c. Deut. 5.16 and 28.4 11 13. Psa 112.3 and 128.2 3 4. and many such like which are propounded upon the diligent and exact observation of Gods Law and the fear of the Lord. So for the duties and works of thy particular calling which if by prayer thou dost conscienciously and diligently discharge thou mayest go on with comfort contentment and freedom from carking cares and racking torturing thoughtfulness and leave the success issue and event of all thy labours and undertakings unto the Lord whatsoever it may be resting sweetly and ever relying upon this gratious promise Heb. 13.5 I will not fail thee nor forsake thee The like in ordering and guiding the affairs of thy Family depend by faith upon Gods blessing the strength and sinew of all sound comfort and true contentation that way Psa 127. So in the loss of outward things for thy love and service unto God by beleiving that Man of God 2 Chron. 25.9 The Lord is able to give thee much more then this yea in the loss of all earthly things in every kind by applying that promise in Hab. 3.17 18. And that of Jobs patient blessing of God upon the surprise of all his substance and the concurrence of an universal misery should not pass without a serious consideration if God should exercise thee with the like condition Job 1.21 But I shall forbear to enlarge further and recommend to thy consideration some of those promises for thy faith to be exercised in which have a special relation as to the present visitation of the Lord as Exod. 23.5 Ye shall serve the Lord your God c. And I will take sickness away from the midst of thee So Deut. 7.12 15. If ye hearken to these judgements and keep and do them the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the Covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy Fathers And he will love thee and bless thee and multiply thee And in the 15. vers The Lord will take away from thee all sickness and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt upon thee but will lay them upon all them that hate thee So in the Prayer that Solomon made at the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.37 38 39. If there be in the Land Famine if there be Pestilence c. Whatsoever Plague whatsoever sickness there be what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man which shall know the plague of his own heart Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways whose heart thou knowest And the Lord graciously promised that he would do according to his prayer
for us to return into Egypt and they said one to another Let us make a Captain let us return into Egypt But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneth which were of them that searched the land rent their cloaths and they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel saying The land which we passed through to search it is an exceeding good land if the Lord delight in us then he will bring us into this land and give it us a land which floweth with milk and honey Only rebell not ye against the Lord neither fear ye the people of the land for they are bread for us Their defence is departed from them the Lord is with us fear them not this so greatly incensed the congregation that they badestone them with stones But see how highly provoking was this unto the Lord And the Lord said unto Moses How long will this people provoke me and how long will it be ere they beleive me for all the signs that I have shewed among them And mark what follows I will smite them with the Pestilence and dis-inherit them verse 12. I the Lord have said I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation that are gathered together against me in this wilderness they shall be consumed and there they shall die And further it is said That the men which Moses sent to search the land who returned and made all the congregation to murmure against him by bringing up a slander upon the land even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land died of the Plague before the Lord vers 35 36 37 of the 14. of Numb And the Lord renders the reason why their carkasses should fall in the Wilderness v. 22. Because all those men which have seen my glory saith he and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkned to my voyce surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it So greatly displeasing it is unto the Lord for a people who have seen the wonderful works of the Lord and his miraculous preservations to cherish a murmuring distrusting and unbeleiving spirit against the Lord not beleiving his promises nor relying on his mighty power and outstretched arm to defend them And therefore saith the Psalmist was the Lord wroth and a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also came up against Israel Because they beleived not in God and trusted not in his salvation Ps 78.21 22. So in Heb. 3.17 18 19. With whom was he grieved forty years was it not with them that had sinned whose carkasses fell in the wilderness And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that beleived not So we see that they could not enter in because of unbeleif For this cause it was that the Lords wrath was kindled against them so that he excluded them out of the good land Because they beleived not in God nor hearkned unto his voyce but murmured against him after they had seen his glory to wit his glorious works and the miracles that he did in Egypt and in the wilderness See Exod. 16.2 3. comp with Nehem. 9. from the 10th to the 18th verse O then that this might be seriously laid to heart by all such who having seen the wonderful outgoings and appearances of God in this latter age of the world and had a deep share in the glorious deliverances which God had wrought have yet through a heart of infidelity and distrust departed from God thereby brought up an evil report upon the good land even the good and honourable ways of the Lord shaking hands again with a carnal corrupt interest and longing after the flesh-pots the Onyons and Garlick of Egypt have turned again to the weak and beggarly elements or rudiments of the world whereunto they are as in Egyptian bandage again captivated and enslaved For I intend not here by this spirit of Infidelity and Unbeleif such carnal unbeleiving and regenerate persons to whom as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.3 4. the Gospel is hid and are lost and whose minds the God of this world hath blinded that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ cannot shine into them but such rather who with open face having beheld as in a glass the glory of the Lord even the glory of his grace in the Gospel and the glory of his great and wonderful works in the world do yet through base fear and distrust of his power and promises suffer their hearts to depart and turn aside from the Lord. And this was the sin of Asa who when the Lord had delivered into his hand a huge host of the Ethiopians and Lubims because they relied on him did afterwards rely on the Kings of Syria and not on the Lord his God For which he received so sharp a rebuke from the Lord 2 Chron. 16.7 8 9. 9. The ninth Pestilential sin is the sin of Discontent accompanied also with a spirit of distrustfulness and unbeleif When a people will not be content with Gods allowance but will loath his blessings and his provisions and fall a lusting after evil things to satisfie their inordinate desires This was Israels provoking sin Numb 11.4 The multitude that was among them fell a lusting and they wept and said Who shall give us flesh to eat We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the Cucumbers and the Melons and the Leeks and the Onyons and the Garlick but now our souls is dried away there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes Though it was the corn of heaven and Angels food that they eat and such as did prefigure Christ himself his word and grace Joh. 6.31 32 33. and 1 Cor. 10.3 yet now they look upon it and count it but as a despicable thing and nothing noâ— would satisfie them but flesh and this to satisfie their lust And therefore it is said in the 78 Psalm and the 18th verse They tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust yea they spake against God and said Can God furnish a table in the Wilderness Behold he smote the rock that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed Can be give bread also Can be provide flesh for his people Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth So a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also came up against Israel c. Well nothing would satisfie their lusts but flesh and flesh they shall have with a witness till it come out at their very nostrils and was loathsom unto them so they did eat and were filled for he gave them their own desire they were not estranged from their lust but while the flesh was yet between their teeth ere it was chewed The wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the
of Egypt And mark what follows Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion Which caused the Lord to take up that bitter complaint Jer. 2.12 13. Be astonished O ye heavens at this and be horribly afraid Why what 's the matter My peo have committed two evils They have forsaken me the Fountain of Living Water and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water All other things to relye upon besides God will prove but as broken Cisterns Therefore said David at another time when his faith and confidence was strong in God I will not trust in my bow neither shall my sword save me Through thee will we push down our enemies through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us Psal 44.5 6. Yea we have the Lord himself declaring that the salvation of his people must proceed from himself and not from any secondary causes Hos 1.7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God and will not save them by bow nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horsemen Take we heed then of any presumptuous relying on our own strength or of strengthening our selves in the strength of any creatures whether Armies or Parliaments or Navies or any sinful confederacies or Associations of men whatsoever Isa 8.9 Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord Jer. 17.5 But let us say with the Church Hos 12.3 Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our Gods As if they had said We will not put our trust any more in men we will confide no more in any humane means nor send abroad for help and confederacies all besides thee being vanity and the relying on it apparent ruine Therefore we will trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength For he bringeth down them that dwell on high the lofty City he layeth it low he layeth it low even to the ground he bringeth it even to the dust The foot shall tread it down even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy Isa 26.4 5 6. So dangerous and destructive a thing it is to have a heart lifted up putting confidence in an arme of flesh and not relying on the Lord our God For it is he that sheweth strength with his arme and that scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts Luk. 1.51 11. The eleventh provoking Pestilential destroying Sin is the sin of Apostacy Back-sliding and Revolting from God Jer 2.18 19. And now what hast thou to do saith the Lord in the way of Egypt to drink the waters of Sihor or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria to drink the waters of the river Thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy back-sliding shall reprove thee Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord of Hosts So in the 36. verse Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt And now behold how the Lord for this did threaten that his judgement even this of the Pestilence should overtake them Jer. 42.13 14 15 16 17. We will not dwell in this land say they nor obey the voice of the Lord your God No but we will go into the land of Egypt where we shall see no war nor hear the sound of the trumpet nor have hunger of bread and there will we dwell And now therefore hear the Word of the Lord ye remnant of Judah thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt and go to sojourn there What then Then it shall come to pass that the Sword which ye feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt and the Famine whereof you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt and there ye shall dye so shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there they shall dye by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them And says further that as his anger and fury had been poured forth upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem so should his fury be poured forth upon them when they should enter into Egypt and they shall be an execration and an astonishment and a curse and a reproach and should see the place meaning the land of Judea no more So in the 19. verse O ye remnant of Judah go ye not into Egypt and now I have this day declared it unto you but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God c. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall dye by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn So in the 44. Chap. of Jer. 13. ver For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt as I have punished Jerusalem by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence To which I shall add that in the 14. of Jer. 10. and 12. vers Thus saith the Lord unto the people Thus have they loved to wander they have not refrained their feet therefore the Lord doth not accept them he will now remember their iniquity and visit their sins Then said the Lord unto me Pray not for this people for their good When they fast I will not hear their cry and when they offer burnt-offering and an oblation I will not accept them but I will consume them by the Sword and by the Famine and by the Pestilence So dreadful and dangerous a thing it is for a people brought out of Egyptian bondage and darkness to long after the Flesh-pots the Leeks and the Onions and the Garlick of Egypt again For if any man draw back saith the Lord my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 And as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity but peace shall be upon Israel Psal 125.5 O that this were well considered by all such who have Apostatized and Revolted from the Lord and his ways in this sinful and back-sliding generation Who as the Prophet Hosea says Are profound to make slaughter though the Lord is a Rebuker of them all Hos 5.2 Who once did appear to be forward Assertors of the Cause of righteousness and truth but now say a Confederacy with all such as say a Confederacy Isa 8.12 Who once did seem to escape the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus
to the Scriptures are lies So he takes away that not onely derogates from the Divine Authority of Gods book but he also that any ways changeth or maliciously perverteth or contradicteth any thing therein written Christ will have the integrity sincerity and sacred Authority of this Prophesie to be faithfully preserved in the Churches and that the contemners falsifiers and corrupters thereof be no way suffered under the pain of Anathema or dreadful curse For if falsifyers of Coin are lyable unto the civil curse of the law much more shall the Anathema of eternal damnation be inflicted upon the corrupters of the Scriptures which are the words of God These with the Beast and the false Prophet shall the Lord cast into the Lake of fire burning with brimstone Rev. 19.20 This is a dreadful sin drawing down the Lords severest plagues and punishments Therefore take we heed that we add not unto the word which God commands us nor diminish ought from it but that we keep the Commandments of the Lord our God which he commandeth us Deut. 4.2 And mark well the reason that Solomon giveth Every word of God saith he is pure he is a shield to them that put their trust in him And consider what follows Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lier Prov. 30.5 6. Having now spoken of the several Sins which so highly provoke the Lord to pour down his sore Judgements even this of the Plague or Pestilence among a people I shall now come to speak of some special spiritual Remedies which may be fitly applied and made use of as Soveraign Antidotes and Preservatives to prevent the further spreading of this pestilential contagious disease among us 1. THe first spiritual Receipt that I shall then prescribe unto thee who ever thou art that gettest in thy hand and readest this little tract Consider seriously and let thy thoughrs dwell long upon those Sins that I have insisted on as such which are the procuring Cause of this so sore a visitation from the Lord and entring into a diligent scrutiny and examination of thine own heart and ways Consider how far thou hast been or art a partaker of those sins which have so highly provoked the Lord to send down this National Judgement of the Plague and Pestilence among us For if we stand guilty of the same Sins how then shall we think to escape the like punishment This was the way and course the Apostle took when speaking of Gods displeasure against the Israelites whereby many of them were overthrown in the Wilderness how does he bring it home by way of special application Now these things saith he were our Examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Neither be ye Idolaters as were some of them c. Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one Day three and twenty thousand Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of Serpents Neither murmure ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the Destroyer Now all things happened unto them for enamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10.5 6 to the 11 and 12. ver So say I as from the Lord. As to the first Pestilentiall sin of Oppression Did the Lord plague Pharaoh and his Land with sore and dreadful plagues even this of the destroying Pestilence for his cruel oppressions which he exercised over the bodies and consciences of Gods people Take heed then that thou art not found an Oppressor of the true worshippers of Jesus the spiritual Israel of God Take heed of exalting thy self against God in seeking still to hold the spiritual Seed under Egyptian captivity and bondage See that thou lets them go to sacrifice to the Lord God as he has commanded them Take heed of ruling over them with rigour and making their lives bitter with hard bondage Take heed ye rich men that ye do not oppress the poor Know that the Lord surely looks upon the afflictions of his people and hears their cry by reason of their Task-masters and will come down to deliver them Exod. 3.7 8. So to those that are the Bishops Elders and Overseers the Spiritual Rulers and Leaders of the flocks of Christ Take heed that ye be not Lords over Gods heritage but examples to the flocks See that ye feed the flocks of God taking the oversight of them not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Take heed that ye do not exercise a dominion over their faith but are helpers of their joy 2 Cor. 1.24 Take heed that ye do not eat the fat and cloath you with the wool and kill them that are fed Take heed that with force and cruelty ye rule not over them So then to all that oppress whether in one kind or another see that ye undo heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free and break every yoke else surely the Lord will visit for these things and his soul will be avenged on such a Nation as this 2. So for the Sin of Persecution and Hatred against God and his people Hath the Lord ordained the Arrows of his Indignation even the Instruments of Death against the Persecutors and will he strike them into the hearts of his Enemies O then take heed that thou art not found a hater of God and a Persecutor of the people of God lest the Arrow of the destroying Pestilence that flyeth at noon day do light upon thee and the Angel of the Lord persecute thee 3. So for the Sin of Murder and Bloodshed Hath the Lord threatned his sore plagues against the Destroyers of his heritage and will he avenge the blood of his Servants at the great whore of Babylons hands and is there a time when the Lord will make inquisition for blood Then beware that thou hast not a hand in killing and destroying the Saints of the most high God And take heed that thou partake not of Babylons sins lest thou receive of her plagues For the Lord will avenge the blood of his Servants and will render vengeance to his Adversaries and will be merciful unto his land and to his people Deut. 32.43 4. So for the fourth Pestilential and highly provoking Sin of Idolatry Was the anger of the Lord so kindled against Israel when Israel had joyned himself to Baal-peor that no less then four and twenty thousand died in the plague And did the Lord plague the people because of the Calf they had made Then beware that ye be not Idolaters as were some of them and provoke the Lord to anger with your inventions For surely the Lord our God is a jealous God his glory he will not give to another neither his praise to Graven Images Isa 42.8 5. So for the Sin of Covetousness and a greedy desire after gain Is
it a sin so abhorring unto the Lord does the wrath of the Lord come upon the Children of disobedience because of it Has the Lord denounced so many woes against it and threatned to smite with his plagues and punishments for it O then beware of Covetousness and being greedy of gain lest thou be a troubler of thine house Prov. 15.27 6. So for the Sin of Cursing and Swearing and False-swearing Is it that because of Swearing the Land mourns and the Lord had a Controversie with the Land because of it And that the Curser shall be cloathed with his Cursing as with a Garment and it shall come into his bowels like water and the Curse shall enter into the house of the False-swearer O then beware that thou art not found in these sins lest these dreadful Judgments of God fall upon thee 7. So for the seventh Pestilential destroying Sin namely the sin of Adultery Fornication and such like corporeal filthiness and uncleanness Did the Lord so severely punish the sin of Zimbri and Cosby who were taken in the act of uncleanness that no less then twenty four thousand died in the plague And did the Lord plague Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abrams wife Then beware thou beastly Adulterer thou filthy Fornicator and unclean Liver lest the like severity of God take hold of thee Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Jud. 7. 8. So for the Sin of Infidelity Distrust and Murmuring against God the eighth provoking Pestilential sin Did those men that brought up an evil report upon the good Land distrusting God for all the Signs that he had shewed among them dye by the plague before the Lord And did the Carcasses of those who murmured against the Lord fall in the Wilderness so that that they could not see the promised Land O then take heed how thou cherish a murmuring distrusting and unbeleiving heart against God Take heed of rasing up an evil report upon the good land thereby weakening the hands and discouraging the hearts of those who would be found walking in the beautiful paths of the Lord and be faithful in their generation 9. So for the Sin of Discontent loathing Gods blessings and his provisions and lusting after evil things to satisfie their inordinate desires the ninth provoking Pestilential sin Did the Lord smite the people with a very great Plague for this very evil Then take we heed that we lust not after evil things as they also lusted 10. So for the Sin of Pride Ambition and Vain-glory trusting in an arm of flesh and not relying on the mighty power and faithfulness of God Did the Lord for this sin of David send a Pestilence among the Children of Israel so that there dyed of the people Seventy thousand men O then take we heed of a proud vain-glorious spirit and that we trust not in an arm of flesh 11. So for the Sin of Apostacy Back-sliding and Revolting from God Did the Lord often threaten that for this sin he would consume them by the Sword the Famine and the Pestilence O then take we heed that we do not Apostasie and Back-slide in our spirits from the Lord. 12. So for the Sin of Rebellion and Obstinate Disobedience against God and his Commandments Did the Lord for this sin threaten that he would send the Pestilence among them and make it cleave unto them until he had consumed them O then beware that thou sin not against God and his Commands with an Obstinate Rebellious and disobedient heart 13. So for the Sin of Insurrection and rising up against the Lords lawful Governours and Government Did the Lord so severely deal with Corah Dathan and Abiram and their Complices and Co-partners for this evil not visiting them after the common visitation of men causing also the Plague to break in among them so that there died thereof Fourteen thousand and seven hundred O then take we heed of this so highly provoking Pestilential sin 14. So for the Sin of Prophanation of Gods holy things and an Over-curious Presumptuous speculation and prying unwarrantably into the secrets of God Was the hand of the Lord so heavy upon the men of Ashdod and also upon the men of Beth-shemish for this sin so that he smote them with a deadly destruction even of the people Fifty thousand and threescore and ten O then see that we are not guilty of this so highly provoking Pestilential sin 15. So for the last Pestilential destroying Sin of Adding or Diminishing from the word of God for which the Lord hath threatned such dreadful plagues and punishments O take thou heed of this so highly provoking sin lest the Lord add unto thee his plagues and take away thy part out of the Book of Life Having now seriously considered what those sins are that so highly provoked the Lord to send down this sore visitation of the Plague or Pestilence among a people see I say that thou enter then into a diligent search and examination of thine own heart and ways to find out the sin or sins which thy Conscience shall tell thee thou standest guilty of before the Lord Whether it be the sin of Oppression Persecution Murder Idolatry Adultery Covetousness Cursing or Swearing Infidelity Discontent Pride Apostacy Disobedience or any other of the forementioned provoking evils And see that thou art very exact and not slight and superficial in this manner of self-examination This is the exhortation of the Lord by his Prophet Zephaniah Chap. 2.1 2. Gather your selves together yea gather together O Nation not desired thus is it rendred in our Translation but other Traslations read it thus Search your selves narrowly yea search your selves narrowly O people not worthy to be desired Before the Decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you I finde the Hebrew word signifies thus much First To gather your wits together that was before dispersed upon vanity Secondly To frame your selves to purge away your spiritual chaff Thirdly To search narrowly as for a lost jewel or hid mine The true sence is Enter into your selves search try and examine all your ways and doings that ye may rightly understand how heavily and greivously God must needs be offended with your great and manifold sins And mark the reason why they should be so diligent and industrious in this work Before the Decree bring forth That is before that doth come to pass which is decreed by God against you Gods Decree is then said to bring forth when it cometh to be executed As the bringing forth of a woman doth not follow presently after the conception but in the appointed due time So also is the Decree of God not brought to light by the execution of it until the time determined and appoined by
treacherous and vile put up Davids prayer unto the Lord. in Psal 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts And see if there be any way of wickedness in me and lead me in the way everlasting If there be any pernicious hurtful or oppressing way in me and lead me upod the way of eternity upon that way which may lead me to eternal life But know that if thou wilt be careless and neglectve still of this so necessary a work and put the Lord upon it he will then make a very strict and diligent search and see what will be the sad event and consequent of it Zeph. 1.12 And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with candles and punish the men that are settled on their lees that say in their heart The Lord will not do good neither will he do evil And what follows Therefore their goods shall become a booty and their houses a desolation they shall also build houses but not inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards but not drink the wine thereof Then the mighty man shall cry bitterly And God wyll bring distress upon men that they shall walk as blind men because they have sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as the dung and at that time neither their their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wroth but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie For he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land And when is this time that the Lord will make this strict and diligent search as with candles ver 7. declares it It is in the day of the Lord when he prepareth a sacrifice and shall bid his guests And in that day of the Lords sacrifice then will be punish the Princes and the Kings children and all such as are cloathed with strange apparel that leap on the threshold and fill their Masters houses with deceit O England then be exhorted to consider thy ways that thou mayst find out thy hideous provoking abominations before the Lord make a speedy riddance This is the first spiritual Receit I would prescribe unto thee The Second Receit Having made this diligent search lnto thine own heart and found out thy soul-pestilent sores then the next spiritual Receit I shall prescribe unto thee Is a good draught of a sound and sincere Repentance Which if sound and sincere will operate these four things in thee First A kindly mourning in secret before the Lord 1. For thine own iniquities 2. For the sins and abominations of the times Secondly It will breed a hatred and abhorrency in thy heart against those evils together with an humble confession and acknowledgement of them Thirdly A willing forsaking and renunciation of them Fourthly A returning unto the Lord with all thy heart Surely as to this Receit we may write a Probatum est it s a tried Receit a sure Remedy a soveraign Plaister for this running sore Repent and turn your selves from all your trangressions saith the Lord so iniquity shall not be your ruine Ezek. 18.30 So in v. 32. Turn your selves and live ye for why will ye die O house of Israel But more particularly to the several branches of Repentance as they are laid down First then see that the true sense of thy sin does work thy heart to a kindly mourning and sorrowing for the same in secret before the Lord. This sorrow and contrition for sin will I say evidence the soundness and sincerity of thy Repentance when thou canst mourn before the Lord not onely in respect of the danger which thou hast incurred by reason of thy sins to wit the curses of this life temporal death and eternal plagues and torments in another world but also that thou hast so unkindly grieved and provoked so good a God so compassionate a Father so gracious a Redeemer so blessed a Sanctifier and incurred the loss of so great a God even the favour of so good and gracious a God that taketh no pleasure in the death of the wicked Ezek. 33.11 This is that godly sorrow that the Apostle Paul speaks of 2 Cor. 7.10 11. that worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of the notable effects whereof are there also demonstrated and declared which will be of such singular efficacy and force to quench the fire of the Lords indignation and wrath now broken out among us In the seventh of Ezekiel the Lord threatning the final desolation of Israel telling her that her end was come and that he would judge her according to her ways and recompence upon her all her abominations That the Sword was without and the Pestilence and Famine within and that he that was in the field should die with the sword and that he that was in the City Famine and Pestilence should devour him In verse 16. he tells us That they that escape of them meaning those that should escape the common calamity of the Sword Pestilence and Famine they shall be on the mountains like Doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity that is for his own iniquity shall every one mourn as Doves of the valleys The word signifieth a making a stir by sighing whining and howling So Hezekiah in the time of his sickness tells us That he did mourn as a Dove Isa 38.14 Such will be the gratious temper and disposition of soul of the Lords escaped ones They shall mourn every one for his own iniquity as Doves in the Valleys in their secret retirements with the Lord the sence and remembrance of their sins in dishonouring and grieving so good and gratius a God will make them to sob and sigh and even to howl before the Lord. So did Ephraim when he repented and turned unto the Lord. I have surely heard Ephraim saith the Lord bemoaning himself Jer. 31.18 In this spirit and temper will the Loeds escaped remnant be found in So in Israels restauration when the Lord shall gather them from the Coasts of the Earth in what spirit shall they then be found They shall come with weeping saith the Lord and with supplications will I lead them as in the 9th vers of the same Chap. with weeping for their sins and with supplications or petitions unto the Lord for mercy and pardon And suitable to this is that in the 3d. of Zephan 18. I will gather them that are sorrowful saith the Lord for the solemn assembly to whom the reproach of it was a burden Those that are sad and sorrowful because they are obstructed and hindered from meeting in the Temple of God in the Assemblies of his Saints for the solemn worship and service of God when they must converse with and among such scoffing Companions which make but a mock and derision of God and his Word In this gratious temper
not allow it self in any known sin though accounted never so little since the very least are committed against so great a God and bring upon us so great a danger It will not excuse extenuate mince or hide sin as Adam nor cast it off himself upon others shoulders as Saul 1 Sam. 15.21 But it would willingly be divorced and separated both in spirit conversation and affection from all and every the pollutions and defilements of sin which if wilfully and willingly lived in he knows will expose his soul to inevitable ruine and destruction Consider then hath the wrath of God Almighty and the everlasting wo denounced to all impenitent sinners made thee fear and tremble Have thy tremblings been seconded with a true and hearty sorrow for thy sins Hath thy sorrow been such as hath brought forth hate and loathing of sin so that sin hath appeared ugly and abominable unto thee Hath there then followed an humble confession and laying open of thy sins before God begging pardon and remission of them with a desire to be rid of them and a real purpose and resolution to abandon them and forsake them This will evidence that thy service of sin hath given up the ghost and that thou hast a firme resolution of leading a new life and returning unto the Lord with all thy heart which is the fourth and last particular to be insisted on in this subject of sound Evangelical repentance For what is Repentance indeed in the true definition of it but a change of the mind or a coming to a mans self again to a right understanding after a man hath erred consisting in a turning of the whole heart from Satan and Sin unto God that is to serve God in newness of Life because he that lives in sin serves the Devil and belongs to his jurisdiction This definition you shall find full and whole in our Saviours words to Saint Paul when he appeared to him going to Damascus Act. 26.18 as Paul himself reporteth them namely That he would send him to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified Which voice Paul theresaith he was obedient unto and thereupon went and shewed first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles That they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance So that according to the definition Repentance hath two parts An Aversion or turning away from Satan and Sin that is the first then a Conversion or turning unto God by Newness of Life that is the second part but I proceed Fourthly The last thing that will evidence the sincerity of that Repentance which will be prevalent with the Lord to avert his wrath and quench the fire of his indignation that is broken out among us is a returning unto the Lord with all the heart Jer. 3.12 Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Onely acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed and repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions saith the Lord so iniquity shall not be your ruine Ezek. 18.30 In the 2. of Joel the Lord threatning the terribleness of his Judgements in referenece to his great Army how that the Earth should quake before them and the Heavens should tremble the Sun and Moon should be dark and the Stars should withdraw their shining In the 12. verse the Lord exhorteth them to a thorough repentance as the only means to stop the currant of this devouring and sweeping Judgment 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 heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gratious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil And this Exhortation is urged by divers Arguments 1. By promise of temporal blessings namely plentiful fruits of the earth even to the reparation of all their former losses by the Famine and removal of the Northren Army from them vers 18. to 28. 2. Of spiritual Evangelical priviledges whereof those temporals were but an imperfect pledge viz. plentiful pourings out of his spirit and his gifts upon all flesh Gentiles as well as Jews ver 28 29. Salvation and deliverance of an elect remnant in his Church after the Lord hath manifested by dreadful signs the terrour of his coming vers 30 31 32. 2ly This Exhortation is urged by threatning of destruction against all the oppressing enemies of the Church These are the blessed fruits among others of that repentance that is a returning unto the Lord with all the heart Suitable to which is that of the Prophet Jeremy If thou wilt return O Israel saith the Lord return unto me and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight then shalt thou not remove Jer. 4.1 Then shalt thou not wander thou shalt not go into exile Which foregoing places do imply that God is not pleased with shews or flying thoughts or loose purposes or half a heart but requires an upright turning away from evil and a thorough conversion to himself and that which is good and not to idols or any other vanities whatsoever There is a special place to this purpose in Deut. 4.29 30. It speaks of the Lords scattering of them among the Nations and how they should be lest few in number among the Heathen whither the Lord should lead them But if from thence saith the Lord by his servant Moses thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come upon thee even in the latter days if thou turn unto the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice For the neglect whereof see what a bitter complaint the Lord took up against Israel Amos 4.6 How he had given them cleanness of teeth and want of bread in all places and had sent among them the Pestilence after the manner of Egypt and had overthrown some of them as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and they were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the burning yet did they not return unto the Lord. But mark what follows Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel And what did he threaten he would do unto them for their obstinacy and incorrigableness if they repented not The 2. verse declares it The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness that lo the days shall come upon you that he will take you away with hooks and your posterity with fish-hooks What 's the meaning of that understand
I may say as David said to Abimelech the Preist concerning the Sword of Goliah There is none like to it 1 Sam. 21.9 A most incomparable weapon if we have skill to use it Let us consider a little then what Prayer is as to the derivation and definition of it I find that Prayer comes of a word in the Hebrew which signifieth Appeal whereby we refer the Cause of our selves or others unto God as unto the Supream Judge calling upon him appealing unto him for right presenting our selves and our cause unto him as to one who hath power to determine Causes and to whom appeals may be made And if you would have a breif description of it it is the pouring out of the humble penitent beleiving soul before the Lord 1 Sam 1.15 Or as one very pithily defines it It is Devotae animae cum Deo colloquium that is It is the talk or conference of the devout soul with God For a man barely to speak in the air and his heart have no approaches unto God in it this is no Prayer in Gods account I cannot therefore let pass that excellent saying of Bernard Cum oramus cum Deo loquimur cum legimus Deus nobiscum loquitur Si vis cum Deo semper esse semper ora semper lege that is When we pray we speak with God when we read God speaketh with us If thou wilt always be with God then always pray and always read More plainly and fully It is a work of the spirit of Christ in the beleiving soul by which we desire of God alone things lawful and needful with confidence to obtain them through the alone mediation and intercession of Christ to the praise and glory of his name So then if thou wilt pray aright and find acceptance with God therein thou must pray to him and to him alone in the name and through the alone mediation and intercession of Christ by the powerful and immediate help and assistance of his own spirit and that beleivingly from the heart with understanding and feeling of our wants in fervency of spirit forgivingly reverently and perseveringly Without which ingredients never think of putting up an acceptable Prayer unto God with any confidence or assurance to be heard at the throne of grace I shall touch a little upon the particulars for the help of such poor souls whose desires are to grow into a more spiritual acquaintance with God First then If thou wilt pray aright thou must pray to God and to him only and that in the name of Christ God alone is to be invocated and prayed unto not Saints nor Angels Christ in his prayer which he taught his Disciples would have us direct our Petitions unto God our Father which is in Heaven Luk. 11.2 Mat. 6.9 And why to God alone 1. Because God onley is Omni present every where present in all places and at all times But this is inconsistent to any creature to be ubiquitary or present in all places But that God is so see Jer. 23.23 24. Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God a far off Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord see Psal 139.7 8. God is not only the God of the hills but of the valleys also 1 King 20.28 2. Because God as he is Omni-present so he is Omniscient he knoweth all things all the hearts of the Sons of men So said Solomon in the prayer he made at the Dedication of the Temple For thou even thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men 1 King 8.39 So Jer. 17.9 I the Lord search the heart and try the reins Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Prov. 5.21 Doth he not see my ways and count all my steps saith Job Chap. 31.4 There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Job 24.21 22. So Psal 94.9 10 11. He that planted the ear shall he not hear he that formed the eye shall he not see he that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know the Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity 3. God is stiled a God hearing prayers Psal 65.2 and this David could speak experimentally Verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my prayer blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer nor his mercy from me Psal 66.19 20. 4. As he is a God hearing prayer so he is most able to help Psal 52.2 I will cry unto God most high unto God that performeth all things for me He shall send from heaven and save me Eph. 3.20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us Vnto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen So Asa when a mighty host came against him in his prayer lays hold on Gods power and ability to help Lord saith he it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power help us O Lord God for we rest on thee and in thy name we go against this multitude 2 Chron. 14.11 So Jehosaphat when a great multitude of the Moabites and Amonites came against him he sets himself to seek the Lord as able and all-sufficient to help him And said O Lord God of our Fathers art not thou God in heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdomes of the Heathen and in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee O our God wilt not thou judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon the 2 Chron. 20.6 12. 5. Prayer is a Divine Worship and a Spiritual Sacrifice God would have us to call upon him in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 And if we should be seeking help from any other he will take it very ill at our hands If we have forgotten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to a strange god saith the Church shall not God search this out for he knoweth the secrets of our hearts Psal 44.20 21. In every place Incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering saith the Lord. Mal. 1.11 So Psal 141.2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and the lifting up of mine hands as an evening sacrifice There was given to the Angel that stood at the Altar having a golden censer much incense That he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was
refuge Dost thou flye unto him in all thy streights and to him only or hast thou recourse to some other rock to some other refuse Take heed of trusting in man and making flesh thine arm There 's a curse denounced against such Jer. 17.5 Dost thou go down into Egypt to strengthen thy self in the strength of Pharaoh know then that thou trustest but upon a broken staff and a bruised reed as Rabshekeh said to Hezekiah 2 King 18.21 even in a shadow And that the strength of Pharaoh shall be thy shame and the trust in the shadow of Egypt thy confusion Isa 30.2 3. Dost thou put thy trust in Princes or in the Sons of Men know that thou trusts but in a shadow likewise Judg. 9.15 and that there is no help in them their breath goeth forth they return to their earth in that very day their thoughts perish Psal 46.3 4. And that its better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in man yea then to put confidence in Princes Psal 118.8 9. Dost thou trust in graven Images and say to the molten Imares ye are our gods know thou shalt be turned back and be greatly ashamed yea confounded Isa 42.17 Psal 97.7 Is thy trust such as is the hope of hypocrites know that the hypocrites hope shall perish and be cut off and his trust shall be as a spiders web Job 8.14 Dost thou make gold thy hope and say to the fine gold thou art my confidence trusting in the abundance of thy wealth and strengthening thy self in thy wickedness know that this is an iniquity to be punished by the Judge for that thou deniest God that is above Job 31.24 28. Yea further know That God shall destroy thee for ever and take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place and root thee out of the land of the living And the righteous shall see and fear and laugh at thee and say Lo this is the Man that made not God his strength Psal 52.5 6 7. Dost thou trust in thine own beauty and play the harlot and pour out thy fornications know that God will judge thee as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged and will give thee blood in fury and jealousie and throw down thine eminent places and break down thy high places and strip thee of thy cloaths and take thy fair jewels and leave thee naked and bare and execute judgments upon thee Ezek 16.15 36 38 41. Dost thou trust in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these and notwithstanding Steal Murder and Commit Adultery and Swear falsly and Burn Incense unto Baal and Walk after other gods and stand before the Lord and say thou art delivered to do all these abominations know that these are lying words that will not profit but consider rather what the Lord did to Shiloh where he set his name at the first for the wickedness of his people Israel Jer. 7.4 8 12. Dost thou trust to thine own righteousness and commit iniquity know that all thy righteousness shall not be remembred but for thine iniquity which thou committest thou shalt dye for it Ezek. 33.13 Dost thou trust in thy way in the multitude of thy mighty men know that therefore a tumult shall arise among the people and all the fortresses shall be spoiled Hos 10.13 14. Dost thou trust in thine own purity and say stand by thy self come not near to me for I am holier then thou know that thou art but a smok in Gods Nose and a fire that burneth all the day Isa 65.5 and that the Lord hath put no trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with folly How much less on them that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the moth Job 4.18 19. But after all this perhaps thou wilt say Thou wilt trust in thine own heart for that will not deceive thee wilt thou do so know then thou art but a fool for thy labour in Gods account Prov. 28.26 Thy heart will deceive thee for it is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17.9 Thus you see that God alone is to be trusted in and to trust in any thing else will be but as an Egyptian Reed to lean unto And as God alone is to be our rock and our refuge so are we to make him our rock and our trust at all times So is the Exhortation Trust in him at all times ye people pour out your hearts before him God is a refuge for us Psal 62.8 So Isa 26.4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength At what time I am afraid saith David I will trust in thee when his enemies were ready to swallow-him up In God I have put my trust I will not fear what flesh can do unto me Psal 56.3 4. And what said Job Though be slay me yet will I trust in him I will maintain mine own ways before him Job 13.15 Is it a time of evil tidings thou wilt not be afraid if thy heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 Dost thou fear the Lord and yet walk in a dark disconsolate estate even then art thou to trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon thy God Isa 50.10 And as thou art to make God alone thy rock and thy refuge and trust in him at all times so with all thy heart Not leaning to thine own understanding but in all thy ways acknowledging him and he shall direct thy paths Prov. 3.5 6. Yea the Lord shall help thee and deliver thee he shall deliver thee from the wicked and save thee because thou trustest in him Psal 37.40 This David acknowledged Psal 22.4 5. Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them They cryed unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded Well then wouldst thou have God to be a help and defence unto thee Trust in him He is a Buckler or a sheild to all those that trust in him Psal 18.30 Prov. 30.5 For who is God save the Lord or who is a rock save our God Psal 18.30 31. 1 Sam. 2.2 He is the rock his work is perfect for all his ways are judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32.4 Wouldst thou be stedfast and unmovable as the rock whereupon the Church is builded against which no storms nor tempests no nor the gates of hell shall ever prevail Trust in God They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Psal 125.1 Wouldst thou possess the land and inherite Gods holy Mountain see that thou trust in him Isa 57.13 Wouldst thou be fat and flourishing and not cease from bearing of fruit and that blessedness shall be thy portion Trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that
Lord to anger and did cast the Lord behind his back See 1 King 14.9 comp with Chap. 15.29 and 30. c. Add to this that in the 44. of Jeremiah the 7. and 8. Vers Thus saith the Lord the God of Hosts the God of Israel Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls to cut off from you man and woman child and suckling out of Judah to leave you none to remain In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands burning incense unto other gods c. that ye might cut your selves off and that ye might be a curse and reproach among all the Nations of the earth So highly provoking is this sin of Idolatry unto God as you many see further Exod. 20.4 5. Deut. 6.14 15. and 32.21 which I say that we may not be mistaken concerning it doth consist not only in the worshiping of Idols and false gods but of the true God in a false manner It may be thou wilt not be so gross to fall down and give divine Adoration to an Image yet if thou dost worship God before and by an Image thou art an Idolater The Image which the Jews made of the true God is condemned of God himself Exod. 32.8 and they that made it were punished as Idolaters 1 Cor. 10.5 7. It 〈…〉 a dotage in Popery to distinguish between Idol and Image and to make the Picture of a false god onely to be an Idol not considering that the making of an Image or the likeness of God or of any Creature in Heaven or Earth for a religions end to give it divine adoration and worship or to worship God by it is Idolatry forbidden by the Scriptures even by the Lord himself Deut. 5.8 9. Thou shalt not make thee any graven Image or any likeness of any thing c. Thou shalt not bow down thy self unto them nor serve them 2ly Idolatry may be said to be all humane inventions and traditions of men thrust into the divine worship and service of God Deut. 12.32 Whatsoever I command you saith the Lord that observe and do thou shalt not add thereto c. So said our blessed Saviour In vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men And you transgress or reject frustrate and make void the commandments of God by your traditions Matth. 15.3 9. Mark 7.9 Therefore all traditions and superstitions contrary to the Word of God are to be avoided and abhorred by all who will be found worshipping of God in spirit and in truth according to his own institution and prescription 3ly The setting the heart inordinately upon any creature by fearing loving and trusting in it more then in God and above God is Idolatry in Gods account Phil. 3.19 The Apostle complains of some whose God was there belly and the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of setting up of Idols in the heart Ezek. 14.2 4. 4ly The Immoderate love unto and the distrustful care for the things of this life falls under this denomination of Idolatry Hence it is that the Apostle saith That no unclean person or covetous man who is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God Eph. 5.5 the one makes his lust the other his mony his God And the Apostle in Col. 3.5 among other the sins and lusts of the flesh calls Covetousness Idolatry For which things sake saith he the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience All these kinds of Idolatries by the Apostle Peter are exprest I conceive under the name and title of abominable Idolatries 1 Pet. 4.3 Hence it is I suppose that John in the conclusion of his Epistle hath this exhortation to the beleivers of his time Little children keep your selves from Idols Now all Idols being vanities and the work of errors which in the time of their visitation shall perish Jer 10.15 Then it must needs follow That they that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy Jon. 2.8 And this is the fourth Pestilential sin so highly provoking the Lord 5. The fifth pestilential destroying sin is the sin of Covetousness consisting in a greedy inordinate desire after gain unto which evill whosoever is subject is the servant and slave of all other sins So insatiable and unsatisfied he is that like the man that hath the Dropsie the more he drinketh the more he thirsteth This sin of Covetousness is called Idolatry Col. 3.5 and Ephes 5.5 Because the covetous person not only prefers his treasure before God but doth place the happiness and felicity of his life in his substance like the fool in the Gospel Luk. 12.15 16. And what sin is there that is more provoking unto the Lord or that pulls down more the wrath of God upon a Nation or Kingdom as I instanced before then the sin of Idolatry For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience Col. 3.6 So abhorring a sin it is unto the Lord Psal 10.3 The wicked blesseth the Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth And therefore I finde it rankt with those other aforementioned so highly provoking sins of Bloodshed Oppression and Persecution Jer. 22.17 But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness and for to shed innocent blood and for oppression and for violence to do it And what before Wo unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness and his chambers by wrong Shalt thou reign because thou closest thy self in cedar Did not thy father eat and drink and do judgement and justice and then it was well with him c. Jer. 22.13 15. The like woe or denunciation of judgement against this vile provoking sin you have in Isa 5.8 9. Woe unto them that joyn house to house that lay field to field till there be no place that is for the poor to dwell that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth And mark what follows In mine ears said the Lord of Hosts of a truth many houses shall be desolate even great and fair without inhabitants O that our great Builders and Inclosers of our times would seriously lay this Scripture to heart How many houses now hath God made desolate in City and Suburbs how many great and fair dwellings now stand empty without an inhabitant You have the like woe denounced in Micha 2.1 2 3. Wo to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds c. and they covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppress a man and his house even a man and his heritage And what follows hereupon Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold against this Family do I devise an evil from which ye shall not remove your necks neither shall ye go haughtily for this time is evil Mark I pray you it s said they covet fields and houses and take them by violence If they do but fancy or get a mind to such and such a piece of Land to such a House or
will be then the damnation of my soul These few things among many others may if seriously pondered upon be an effectual means to work thy heart to this hatred and detestation of sin and a loathing of thy self for the same which as it will evidence the truth of thy repentance so will it be an excellent preservative against the now pestilential destroying Sickness Now when the sight and sence of thy sins hath wrought thy soul to a kindly mourning and sorrowing for the same before the Lord and that for all kinds and sorts of sins to wit 1. The weaknesses frailties and pollutions of thy nature even thy proness and inclination to sin for though these being unconsented unto are no actual sins yet are they matter of true sorrow grief and humiliation to a sincere Christian that he is such a polluted and unclean creature and so apt to fall into all sin if he be not restrained and prevented by Gods grace 2. For the sinful acts and habits of thy unregenerate life with all the aggravations belonging to them 3. The slips and relapses of thy most regenerate life and the infinite frailties and infirmities that still adhere to it And that thy soul is wrought also to a real hatred and destation of all sin so that now thou beginest to loath sin as a thing not onely hurtful but ugly and abominable a soul and beastly thing and that which is most contrary not onely to the pure and unspotted essence and being of God but also contrary to and unbefitting the nature and excellency of a reasonable creature as man is I say when these gracious dispositions of soul of grief and hatred for sin are wrought in thee then wilt thou not be ashamed from a contrite and wounded heart to make an humble confession and acknowledgement thereof before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father begging pardon and forgiveness for them Then wilt thou own thy self a vile sinner who hast worthily deserved his wrath then wilt thou make an ennumeration of the particular sorts of thy sins of which thou knowest thy self guilty Then wilt thou aggravate those sins upon thy self by all the circumstances and heightning accidents of them comprizing all thy unknown and unconfest sins under some such penitentiary speech and expression as that of Davids Who can tell how oft he offendeth cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal 19.12 And as thou art to confess unto God and give glory unto him Josh 7.19 whom thou hast cheifly and principally offended so art thou commanded also to confess unto men James 5.16 Confess your faults one to another And that for these reasons 1. That so we may be capable of one anothers prayers 2. Because it may be our sins are such as have injured others and then confession unto them is the first degree towards reconciliation Matth. 5.24 Or if they be onely against God yet the confession of them to the Lords faithful Ministers and Servants will not be improper but in some kind necessary to such as desire the absolution and forgiveness of them Jam. 5.15 3. Because in sin there is the guilt and the corruption the one to be pardoned the other cured The first being confest to God to obtain his pardon ought also if it have been offensive and scandalous to the Congregation to be acknowledged to them that that expression of repentance may make satisfaction to them for the ill example and avert and deter from sin whom it had invited to it And surely the disclosing of the particular state of thy sinful sick soul and advising with others especially the Physicians of the soul how and by what means a cure may be wrought how a raging sin may be subdued the occasions and temptations to it avoided cannot but be very profitable comfortable and advantageous as to the prosperous constitution and health of thy soul The necessity of which confession and acknowledgement of sin will further appear not onely from the practise of David Psal 51.3 4. Psal 32 5. Ezra Chap. 9.6 7. Nehemiah Chap. 9.32 Job 40.3 Jer. 14.7 Daniel 9.4 5. and other holy men in Scripture but also from such express Texts of Scripture as these If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness 1 Joh. 1.9 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Psal 32.5 So Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his Sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy And this leads me to the Third particular as that which will evidence the soundness and sincerity of our Repentance Thirdly If thy Repentance be sound there will be a willing forsaking and renunciation of all sin an abjuring of all thy former evil ways both of the sins themselves and the occasions which were wont to bring thee to those sins 1 Thess 5.22 For all thy fear and trembling at the wrath of God to come for sin thy sorrow for sin thy hating and loathing of sin will not make thy Contrition full and perfect unless thy will also do his part and resolve to forsake and leave it For true Contrition or dying unto sin is such a compunction of the heart for the same as is joyned with a purpose will and resolution to leave and forsake it The gratious soul will hate every false way Psal 119.104 and not tolerate or allow it self in any known evil or bosome corruption whatsoever Psal 18.23 It will not say as Lot said of Zoar Is it not a little one Gen. 19.20 Or as Naaman the Syrian The Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing when I bow down my self in the House of Rimmon 2 King 5.18 It will not account any sin little which will bring upon us the great wrath of so infinite a Majesty It knows and beleives that the weight even of little sins as it were small sands will sinck the ship of our souls as well as our greater and grosser sins That small leaks in Ships and small breeches in Walls being neglected will endanger the loss both of Ships and Cities And that such Tradesmen as in their accompts regard not small sums will quickly prove Bankrupts Disobedience though in never so small matters as in eating of an Apple and gathering a few sticks on the Sabbath looking into and touching of the Ark are yet in Gods account no small matters For how severly hath he punished all these then which what can we imagine slighter But gratious souls know that it is not the smallness of the thing that lessens either our obedience or disobedience but that it is Gods Commandment that ties to obedience in lesser things as well as in greater which Command of his is despised as well in the breach of the lesser as of the greater I say then the truly repenting soul will
forgive and do c. 1 King 8.37 38 39. And the Lord gave approbation to this prayer of his as you have heard Thus you see in what way the Lord hath usually been found for the diverting of his judgments and in which he hath ingaged himself to hear and to be entreated Shall we consider a little then what is the general spirit of the Nation at this time now that the hand of God lies so heavy upon it Is there any preparation now of meeting God in this way of humble and faithful supplication O England where are thy tears where are thy strong crys unto unto the Lord Will not the King of Nineveh rise up in judgment against thee and condemn thee He commanded that Man and Beast should be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily unto God and turn every one from his evil way and from the violence that was in their hand and God was entreated and turned away from his fierce anger that they perished not What thinkest thou O England of thy sins Have they not been crying sins May not the Lord speak unto thee and say as unto Cain Who slew his Brother what hast thou done The voice of thy Brothers blood cryeth unto me from the ground Gen. 4.10 Or as James in his time to the rich ungodly men of that generation Behold the hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud cryeth and the cries of them which have reaped are entred into the ears of the Lord of Sabboth Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter Ye have condemned and killed the just and be doth not resist you James 5.4 5 6. May it not be said of thy sins as is said of the sins of Babylon That her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Rev. 18.5 Surely thy sins have been crying sins they have entred into the ears of the Lord they have reached unto heaven God hath heard thy hideous Oaths thy new hellish invented Oaths thy horrid execrations and cursings thy revilings and blaspemings But whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high may it not be said of thee as of railing Rabshekah Even against the holy one of Israel And if thy sins have cryed so loud mayst thou not think that thy tears and crys for pardon should found as loud in the ears of God But where are thy repentings and mournings where are thy weepings and supplications Surely I tremble to think what still mine ears do hear and mine eyes see how few of those sins are left which cause the Land to mourn and the Lord to have a controversie with the inhabitants thereof May it not be laid to thy charge even now when thousands are swept away by this destroying judgement that when God calls to weeping and mourning to fasting and praying behold joy and gladness slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine playing and gaming ranting and roaring cursing and swearing pride and voluptuous living And what said the Lord Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye dye Isa 22.12 13 14. Nay is it not most sad and lamentable to consider as it is very credibly reported that some under the hand of Gods visitation do dye swearing and cursing in a most dreadful and desperate manner Well then consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in peices and there be none to deliver before the whole land be devoured by the fire of his jealousie and that he make a speedy riddance of all such as dwell in the land But for you who have received an anointing from the holy one and are acquainted with the divine art of prayer and holy conference and familiarity with God be much in the exercise of this heavenly skill be now improving to the utmost your interest in God lift up your voice with strength stir up your selves and take hold of him And if your consciences tell you you have fallen by your iniquities even in the late Apostacy Take with you words and turn unto the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously Say unto him Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our gods Hosea 14.1 2 3. Say unto him O Lord though our iniquities testifie against us do thou it for thy names sake for our back-slidings are many we have sinned against thee O the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in time of trouble why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night Why shouldst thou be as a man astonished as a mighty man that cannot save yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy name leave us not Jer. 14.7 8 9. Say We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness are as filthy raggs and we all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away But yet O Lord thou art our Father we are the clay and thou our potter and we all are the work of thy hand Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever behold see we beseech thee we are thy people Isa 64.6 8 9. Thine enemies roar in the midst of the Congregation they set up their ensigns for signs They have east fire into thy Sanctuary they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground They said in their hearts let us destroy them together O God how long shall the Adversary reproach shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever Why withdrawest thou thy hand even thy right hand pluck it out of thy bosome Wilt thou refrain thy self for these things O Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict us very sore Psal 74. And let the Preists the Ministers of the Lord weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy people O Lord and give not thy heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people Where is their God Then will the Lord be jealous for his land and pity his people Joel 2.17 18. Yea let the Lords Watchmen whom God hath set upon the Walls of Jerusalem never hold their peace day nor night even those who make mention of the Lord and are the Lords remembrancers let them not keep silence And give him no rest till he establish and make his Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isa 62.6 7. Till the heavens drop down from above and the skies pour down righteousness and the earth open and bring forth salvation and righteousness spring up together Isa 45.8 Till the Lord of Hosts be exalted in judgement and God
unmortified corruptions Ephes 6.18 By it Crosses are prevented removed or sanctified yea all things are sanctified unto us and we are so kept and preserved that we fall not into temptation 1 Tim. 4.5 Mat. 26.41 Yea often times we obtain much more good then we desire or expect Solomon begged onely of the Lord an understanding heart and God gave him both riches and honour which he asked not 1 King 3.13 So able is the Lord to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3.20 So that of Prayer we may say it is a Key to open the door of Gods treasure house a present remedy for an oppressed mind a giver of strengh to the weak and an especial means to make a man fit to live knowingly fruitfully and serviceably to God in every state and condition Col. 1.9 10. What shall I say of it but as one saith well and truly It is Consolatio flentium cura dolentium sanitas aegrotoraem A Comfort for them that mourn the joy of the sorrowful and health for those that 〈…〉 force and efficacy what will 〈…〉 hath it not done It goes through the 〈◊〉 and ceaseth not until it come unto the Lord and if entreaties will not do it will with reverence be it spoken lay commands upon him Isa 45.11 Yea it doth as it were bind up the hands of the Lord and hinder him from executing his judgements overcoming him that overcometh all things Let me alone saith the Lord to Moses or suffer me that my wrath may wax hot against them to wit the Israelites that I may consume them Exod. 32.10 Abrahams prayer had saved Sodom from being destroyed had there been found ten righteous persons therein Gen. 18. Yea it is very observable that the Lord did not leave granting till Abraham left off petitioning By prayer Jacob was delivered from the wrath and fury of his Brother Esau Gen. 32.11 Jonah out of the Fishes belly Jonah 2.10 The three Children from the fiery Furnace Daniel from the Lions Den Dan. 3.6 Jonahs and Pauls Mariners from the danger of the Seas and Joseph and Paul and Silas and Peter and others out of Prison Act. 5.16 By Prayer Eliah stayed the Rain three years and six months and again obtained Rain so that the earth yeilded her fruit James 5.17 By Prayer Elisha had the spirit of Eliah doubled upon him and procured Bears to destroy the mocking Children 2 King 2. raised from death to life the Shunamites Son So Chap. 4. Had the eyes of his Servant opened so that he saw Mountains full of Horses and Chariots of fire round about him and smote the Syrians with blindness which came to take him Chap. 6. By Prayer Joshua commanded the Sun to stand still in the midst of Heaven until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies Josh 10.12 13. By Prayer Isaiah brought back the Sun ten degrees in the Dial of Ahaz 2 King 20 11. By Prayer David frustrated the wicked counsel of Achitophel and often put his enemies to flight 2 Sam. 15.31 and 16.23 and Psa 56.9 by Prayer Hezekiah was delivered from the King of Assyria and his health restored unto him again Isa 37. and 2 King 18. The Ninevites were delivered from the judgements threatned against them Jonah 2. Peter raised Tabitha and Paul Eutichus that had fallen down by sleeping Act. 9.40 and 20.10 The Centâ—rians Servant the Cananites Daughter and Lunatick persons were healed men blind received their sight the stammering and deaf were made to hear and speak Lepers were clensed and certain persons being dead were restored to life again So much availeth Prayer with the Lord if it be servent But to bring it a little more close as to the present visitation of the Lord See of what force and efficacy it hath been with the Lord to appease his wrath and stay the execution of his judgments When the Children of Israel fell a murmuring and had greatly provoked the Lord by their unbelief insomuch that the Lord threatned to smite them with Pestilence and disinherit them Moses falls a pleading and interceeding with the Lord for them Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word Numb 14.12 19 20. So that only those men who brought up the evil report upon the land dyed by the Plague before the Lord vers 37. So in the case of Korah Dathan and Abiram when the Congregation of the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron saying they killed the people of the Lord This so greatly incensed the Lord that he bad them go up from the congregation that he might consume them in a moment Hereupon the Text saies they fell upon their faces and Aaron according to the command of Moses takes his Censer and puts fire therein from off the Alter and put on Incense and made an attonement for the people for there was wrath gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron stood between the dead and the living and the Plague was staid Numb 16 45 46 47. This sheweth how greatly the Prayers and actions of Gods Servants do prevail with him when they are faithful fervent and according to his will Jam. 5.16 1 John 5.14 and foreshewed also the power and efficacy of Christs meditation for poor sinners who is represented by the Angels standing at the Altar having a golden Censer and much Incense given unto him to offer it with the prayers of all Saints Rev. 8.3 For God heareth him always John 11.40 And he it is that makes intercession for the transgressors Isa 53.12 and is the attonement or propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.1 and for his sake God before whom the Pestilence goeth in wrath remembreth mercy Hab. 3.2 5. And as the blood of the Paschal Lamb figuring the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 5.7 stayed the Angel which destroyed the Egyptians from touching the Israelites Exod. 12.23 Heb. 11.28 So the smoke of Aarons incense figuring the meditation of Christ Psa 141.2 Rev. 8.4 Stayed the Plague here from the Israelites which survived That as it is written of the Pestilence in Davids time The Lord repented him of the evil and said to the Angel that destroyed the people It is enough stay now thy hand 2 Sam. 24.16 So in this verse the further efficacy and effect of faithful fervent prayer for the removal of this sore visitation of the Lord is clearly held forth in that Prayer of Solomon at the Temples dedication If there be in the Land Famine if there be Pestilence whatsoever Plague whatsoever Sickness there be what Prayer and Supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his own heart and spread forth his hands towards this house Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place and