hotte firie coale and when shee brought it to her nest filled her birds with that sacrilegious morsel the coale fired her nest and burnt her birds in ashes It is manifest to the worlde that Houses moste ladened with Church Patrimonie haue gone most to ruine If one Achan stealing a part of things coÌ„secrate to God and not as then conuerted to the use of the Tabernacle brought wrath on all Israel What shall wee looke for where so many pull from God these things which beside their devoting may pleade prescription for many ages And if in the beginning of the Gospel God gaue an exempler punishment on Ananias and Saphira for interuerting a part of that which was once their owne and was not sacred by that primarie separation of God but by a secondarie mortification in their owne voluntarie offering what shall bee their punishment who draw that to themselues which was neuer theirs but hath long stood both vnder a sacred separation and a religious use God compleaneth of the Iewes Will a man robbe God Yet yee haue robbed mee But yee say Wherein haue wee robbed thee In Tithes and offerings Yee arâ—â—ursed with a curse For yee haue robbed mee euen this whole Nation Bring yee all the Tithes into the store-house that there may bee meate in mine House and proue mee now heerewith sayeth the LORD of Hostes if I will not open to you the windows of Heauen and powre you out a blessing that there shall not bee roome enough to receiue it Malach. 3. 8. 9. 10. Such is the state of the Gospel concerning the maintenance of it in this Land that had not God in mercie stirred vp the Heart of King IAMES of happie memorie and made now our gratious King CHARLES to succeede Him in that Religious affection as well as in the Thrones of these Kingdomes to proue a Nurse-Father to the Church and maintaine her maintenance Pouertie would banish the Gospel out of this Land And with these sinnes is joyned Impenitencie All men sinneth but no man repenteth or mourneth either for his owne sinnes or the sin of his time God hath giuen vs a time of Repentance but we let it passe without turning And though hee hewed vs by his Prophets by denouncing judgements yet wee feare not Hos. 6. 5. And though hee haue smitten vs with Famine Pest and Mortalitie yet we haue not turned The Lord hath stricken but wee haue not sorrowed thou hast consumed vs but wee haue not receiued Correction wee haue made our face harder than a stone and refused to returne Neither know wee the time of our mercifull visitation and the thinges that concerne our peace neither our just Correction to amend And with all this wicked disposition a worse is joyned that the most parte will neither forsake sinne nor repent nor suffer it to be called sin or themselues to be reproued and censured for it It is not now sinne to commit sinne but to call sinne sinne and in an holy zeale for the wakening of mens CoÌ„science to reproue it that is now called sinne and an intolerable thing And so to fill vp the cuppe of our sinnes many are come to this degree of vncurablenesse as to quarrell the reprouers of their sinne as God noteth it in Israel Let no man reproue another for my people are as they that striue with the Priest Hos. 4. 4. This is a great policie and preuailing of Sathan hee desireth nothing more than to holde men sleeping to death in sinne And hee knoweth no meanes more able to waken them than faithfull Pastours Therefore hee laboureth to discredite them by contempt that their warning may bee fruitlesse And thus hee doeth by secrete and close degrees Hee maketh not men at the first to contemne Pastours and their Callings but to mislike their reproofes and taxing of sinne as vndisâ—reet From that hee leadeth them to hate their Person and then their Calling And so to contemne the Gospel and make it fruitlesse to themselues When he hath thus far preuailed he can lead them further as to mak theÌ„ thinke that hating and abhorring of them is a marke of true zeale And to persecute them is good seruice to GOD As Christ foretelleth Whosoeuer killeth you will thinke hee doeth God seruice Ioh. 16. 2. It is a forerunner of a grieuous judgement Amos was euill handled of Israel immediatelie before their Captiuitie And Ieremie was foullie intreated and Uriah slaine immediatelie before the Captiuitie of Iudah And CHRIST Himselfe and his Apostles persecuted to death before their last destruction It cannot fall otherwayes to them for contemning the meanes of Grace They are left to themselues and so fill vp the measure of their sinne to the hight There is some hope so long as God holdeth Pastours in a land But wheÌ„ the people coÌ„temne that his mercifull ordinance it is iust with him to send them harder Messengers of wrath So long as Gods Ambassadours are welcome there is appearance that GOD is working Peace But when they are contemned and reproached for their fidelitie GOD is no more to negotiate peace but to proceed to destruction If Dauid reuenged so seuerely the indignitie done to his Ambassadours by the Ammonites What shall GOD doe when his Messengers of peace are so spitefullie intreated of men The signes of a desparate and incurable disease in man are foure speciall which are all to bee found in this Land 1. The first is senslesnesse of all paine Sicknesse after a long strife with nature preuaileth so farre against her that as it hath expelled health so it taketh away the feeling of that losse 2. Next conceate of Health vnder that state That notwithstanding of the great disease yet they conceate of strength and integritie the minde affected with the bodie mistaketh the true estate of it 3. A carlesnesse to bee cured Conceated health expelleth all care of helpe against sicknesse 4. A neglect of the wholesome Counsell of the Physitian with a reproaching and iniuring his person All these are spirituallie in this Land 1. An uniuersall senslesnesse of our spirituall State All Doctrine of the sicknesse of the Soule by sin Of the nature of Conscience The sense of God of his mercie and wrath and such like are to the most part but as free discourses without trueth or use There is not so much of the life of God in them as to know or feele that there is such a thing All are closed vp in the fatnes of a hard and senslesse heart This is senslesse Atheisme 2. And notwithstanding of this there is a strong conceate of perfection in some They judge themselues in their owne light ponder them in their own ballance and thinke all that is spoken in Scripture against sinners pertaineth not to them but others and all that is spoken of grace and promises is layed in their lappe alone This is proud Pharisaisme 3. Many smoothing themselues vnder this sweete sleepe ly still in sinne and neuer thinke of a
the reformed Churches and executeth his crueltie against them because of their obedience to Gods voyce in comming out of Babell and that according to the bloodie decrees of the Counsell of Trent For after that Sathan had for a long space vented his first propertie of lying by Antichrist his first borne involuing and holding these Westerne places of Europe vnder the errours of a false Religion And seeing that Manger his malice God in the appointed time brought in the Light of the Gospel and discouered that darkenesse Then hee tooke him to his other propertie and practise of blood to maintaine by force his discouered Heresies And hee set Antichrist and his supposts to worke to put out the Light of the Gospel in destroying the professours of it So the indyting of the Counsell of Trent beares Ad reformandum Ecclesiam exstirpandas Haeresies To reforme the Kirke and roote out Heresies That is to say in the Romane sense To confirme and establish the deformities and corruptions of their Church and roote out the Trueth which God hath brought in againe by the Gospel And from that tyme hee hath sent out his Emissaries Iesuites and other Locusts from the bottomlesse pit to stirre vp the Kings of the Earth to fight against the Lambe This is the quarrell now debated in Europe And albeit hee hath cast in the mixture of ciuill respects in rights to Kingdomes and Dignities and such like to blind the eyes of the simple as to make them belieue that all these warres are onelie for ciuill and not for Sacred things Yet sure it is that all this matter is directed and sweyed by the Pope For his maine end is to roote out the Gospel and re-establish his false Religion His purpose serueth to the end of his associat Kings Princes and their power serueth his end As they plotte and worke joyntlie in the worke so they share in the end for their seuerall aduantage For the Countreyes subdued fall as a prey and a reward to the enlarging of Princes Dominions and therein Idolatrie is established as the Popes recompence Beside what euer be the mixture of the cause yet their maine intention is manifeste from themselues For one of them in his alarme to this warre stirreth vp the Emperour to destroy the Protestants as Moses did the Moabits And if he did not so his life should goe for their life as Achabs for the King of Syria Sciopp Classicum belli Sacri cap. 1. 2. 18. Next their Cardinals consulting how to restore their Church to her auncient integritie aduised the Pope that there was no better way to doe it than by prosecuting this warre to the rooting out of Protestants Aphorisml Cardinal Anno 1623. And for this end a new order is instituted called the sodalitie of the Christian defence that is to say of Antichristian offence of the Protestants Cancell Hispani Consid. 1. This course as others of the like stampe of the mysterie of iniquitie is drawne deepelie for now Antichrist vnder the Name of Christs Vicar persueth Christ vnder the Colours banners of the Crosse of Christ hee destroyeth the doctrine of the Crosse Vnder name of the Church hee oppresseth the true Church Vnder the name of the pretended Verity he rooteth out the Trueth of God to establish his owne heresie And vnder the name of an old Religion hee setteth vp a new vp-start Religion This is Iudas his betraying of Christ with an Haile Master When his pretended Vicar turneth all his usurped power to the destruction of his Kingdome The Titles and Names that of old were the notes of the Apostolicke Church are claimed now of the Antichristian Synagogue and made signes for the persecution of the Church of Christ. God doeth so afflict his Church not for her Religion but for the abuse of it He hath called vs out of Babell and wee haue obeyed his voyce in comming out and haue vndertaken to walke in the Light of God but wee haue contemned that Light and in the midst of it brought out the workes of darknesse Sinne is grieuous in euery person tyme and place but most grieuous in the Church in the time of so cleare a Light And where euer men sin they are in Gods sight but his eye in a more particular manner is ouer his Church A Father is angrie at faults in his seruant but more angrie at them in his Sonne The more liberall and bountifull God is to a people the greater is their sinne and heauier shall bee their judgement Woe to thee Chorazin woe to thee Bethsaida for if the great works which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agoe in sack-cloth and ashes But I say to you it shall bee more easie for Tyrus and Sydon at the last day than for you Matth. 11. 21. 22. And it is a strange forme of reasoning with Israel You onely haue I knowne of all the Families of the Earth sayeth the Lord Therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities Amos. 3. 2. God may justlie compleane of vs as hee did of the Iewes Hee planted a Vineyard in a fruitefull Hill and fencedit and gathered out the stones of it and planted it with the choisest Vines and built a Tower in the midst of it and a Wine-presse in it And hee looked that it should bring foorth Grapes but it brought foorth wylde grapes And now O Inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah iudge I pray you betweene mee and my Vine-yard What could I doe more to my Vineyard than I haue done And now I will tell you what I will doe to my Vine-yard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall bee eaten vp and breake down the wall thereof and it shall bee troden downe and I will lay it waste Esa. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. As hee threatned them so hee performed it Hee brake downe her hedges so that all that passed by plucked her The wilde Boare out of the woode destroyed it and the wilde beastes of the fielde did eate it vp Psal. 80. 12. 13. For after that hee had chastened his people by Edomites Moabites Philistims and other bordering Nations and they became incurable In end hee chased them out of the Land And that not at once but by degrees for hee powred out that wrath first vpon the tenne Tribes reseruing to himselfe the Tribe of Iudah And when Iudah was not made wise by the sinne and punishment of Ephraim but Ierusalem did justifie Samaria by her greater sinnes God sent Iudah also away in captiuitie to Babylon And after hee had brought them againe and settled them in the pleasant Land they returned to their olde sinnes till in end God cast them off altogether Thus God dealt with the Iewes and after the like manner hee is now dealing with the Churches reformed to bring them to amendement in time that they may eschew a finall destruction Their heauie calamities who are now vnder that
bloodie persecution of Antichrist are cleare documents to vs in this Land commanding vs in time to turne to God lest the like or a worse befall vs. Wee can no wayes compare with these worthie Churches neither in Grace nor in the fruites of the Gospel And yet God hath begunne at them If hee haue done so to the greene tree what will hee doe to vs who are a dry and a barren tree God in our sight and hearing these eight years hath smitten seuerelie thogh justlie these Churches and that to teach vs Repentance But wee are as Iudah who mended not at the captiuitie of Israel VVhen I had put away backslyding Israel for all her iniquities and giuen her a bill of diuorcement then trecherous Iudah seared not nor turned not to mee with all her heart but fainedlie Ierem. 3 8. 9. Though euerie report of their calamitie bee Gods calling vs to sack-cloth and mourning yet for all the newes of their trouble wee are not turned to Repentance They were not the greatest sinners in Ierusalem on whome the Tower of Siloh fell neither were they the worst Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices They are not the worst Protestants whose blood is shed by this Romane Tyrannie and persecution but except we repent we shall all likwise perish Luk. 13. Their tryall is our lesson and their chastisement is our document VVee shall learne it and tak it out wiselie if their example turne vs to God But if we doe not so the heauier judgement abideth vs They haue drunken the brimme of the Cup of wrath â—â—t the dregges of the bottome are reserued for 〈◊〉 except in time wee repent Neither let vâ—â—â—inke that their affliction doeth not concerne vs because they are farre distant from vs For the communion of Saincts knoweth no distance of place and the Church of Christ which is his Bodie as it hath him for the Head so his Spirite for the life and that Spirit quickning all the Bodie indueth it with a fellow-feeling of others miseries If wee haue fellowship with them in Christ vve must feele their troubles and mourne with them If wee doe not so wee proue wee haue no fellowshippe with them Let such hard-hearted and sensles Christians reade their Doome and dittay in the Prophet Amos Woe to them that are at ease in Sion they put the euill day farre from them They lye on their beddes of Yvorie and stretch themselues on their beddes and eate the Lambes of the Flocke the Calues out of the midst of the stall They drink wine in bowles but no man is sorie for the affliction of Ioseph Therefore now shall they goe into Captiuitie with the first that goe captiue the sorrow of them that strech out themselues is at hand Amos 6. 1. 3. 4. 6. 7. These are twinne branches of a senslesse and carelesse heart in the day of the Churches affliction First they put the euill day farre from themselues maka couenant with Death as though it neuer should nor would come neere to them Next they put the affliction of their Brethâ—eÌ„ far from their feeling and affection as a thing that concerneth them not The first is a fleshlie dreame of their owne immunitie The other a senslesse mis-regarde of their Brethren and both of them a just cause and certaine presage of a grieuous ruine to come vpon them who are so graceleslie disposed But the godlie are otherwayes affected with the troubles of Syon For they take pleasure in the stones and delight in the dust thereof Psal. 102. Though Nehemiah was in the fauour of his King and great prosperitie yet when he heard that the Iewes were in great affliction and reproach and the wall of Ierusalem broken downe and the gates thereof burnt with fire hee sate downe and weeped and mourned certaine dayes and fasted and prayed before the God of Heauen Neither could all his courtlie happinesse smoother the griefe of his heart But when the King perceiued the sadnes of his countenance and asked the cause of it he said VVhy should not my countenance bee sadde when the Citie and House of the Sepulchre of my Fathers lyeth waste Nehemia 1. If hee was so grieued for the violation of the Sepulchres of the dead Shall not the cruell murther of the liuing Temples of the holie Ghost moue vs more And Ieremiah though hee was at libertie among the people and well looked to by Nebuzaradan yet when hee saw Ierusalems desolations For these thinges I weepe mine eyes casteth out water because the Comforter that should refresh my Soule is farre from mee my Children are desolate because the enemie preuaileth Lame 1. 16. Beside the respect of their persons their cause should also moue vs to this holy griefe The Gospel of Christ true Religion in them is persecuted and oppressed And if wee haue found grace and comfort in that Gospel should we not be grieued wheÌ„ so glorious a meanes of grace is obscured and the cause of our good God borne downe by his enemies God hath lighted that candle to discouer the darknesse of Sathan and destroy his worke And when the prince of darknesse preuaileth so farre as to put out that Candle and to cast downe the Candle-stickes on which it shined if wee bee the Children of Light wee must sorrow for that change Therefore if vve feele not their sorrowes wee declare wee haue no communion with them in the Bodie of Christ and no part in the grace of the Gospel which in their handes is persecute No feeling no Communion and no Communion no vnion with them and Christ If wee haue no griefe for the Light put out vvee haue no part in the Life and Grace that the Light carrieth We ought then a brotherlie compassion to them vnder their trouble because they are Brethren and fellow members of Iesus Christ and the more because their affliction is not for ciuill or common causes but for Religion As wee are commanded to mourne with them that mourne so much more with them that suffer for the Gospel Bee partaker of the suffering of the Gospel according to the power of God 2. Tim. 1. 8. Shall Sathan make errour and heresie so forcible in his Supposts as to joyne their heartes and hands to giue their power to the Beaste to fight against the Lambe And shall not Trueth and Charitie in the Children of God procure at least a brotherlie compassion of the griefes of other The first is a wonder to see the Spirit of diuision make such an union among his adherents But it is a greater wonder not to see that compassion in them who are one Spirit in Christ Iesus But though wee would in the hardnesse of our heart cutte our selues off from all feeling of their miseries that would not secure vs from punishment but rather double our sinne and hasten a double punishment vpon vs Wee stand in that same case with them In a true Religion in the abuse of
plainelie hee vvould cast them off as hee did Shiloh The Iewes had his presence and now they are casten off The Greeke Church in Asia Africke and the Easterne partes of Europpe had the Gospel but abused it and now are giuen ouer to Mahumets carnall and absurde delusions And the Westerne places of Europ and Rome at the first did shine as a glorious Church It vvas then an hammer of Heretickes and an harbour of distressed and persecuted Sainctes and yet falling from that Trueth is novv for manie Ages the nest of Antichrist And this Nation at the first inlightned with the Gospel enjoyed Peace when other Nations were ouer-runne with Warre and had almost lost both learning and Religion Then this Church proued a Mother Church and sent out her Schollers as Apostles to conuert the most parte of England and other Nations beyond Sea But when shee was therafter first compelled and then willingly yeelded to Romane superstition God put out that candle of the Gospel which had shined some seuen or eight Ages And now since many Ignorants relapse to Poperie and the most part fall in Atheisme who are we after so many fearfull examples to thinke that God will still dwell amoÌ„gst vs not withstaÌ„ding of all our rebellions This fleshly conceat is an high degree of fleshly securitie as odious to God as our other sins for it would blemish him whose eyes are purer than that they can behold iniquity as a fauourer of sin As though he were tyed to dwell with obstinate and impenitent sinners whom his Soule abhorreth to keepe his couenant with them who proudlie breake it which is all one as to make GOD and Beliall dwell together The discouerie of the Newe found Land reserued till the laste times offereth a remarkable consideration for this purpose Some doe rest vpon naturall causes as the perfection of sailing the inuention of the Sailers compasse and other naturall reasons But Diuinitie leadeth vs a steppe further in the cause of this diuine prouidence That as Light came out from Sion at the first and spred it selfe through all parts error and heresie came after treacing the steps of trueth to the out most-parts of the earth yet many Nations either remaining in or returning to Paganisme other falling in Mahumetisme other were caried in that horrible Apostasie within the Church to anti-christianisme The Kirk groning vnder these abuses heresies within it selfe did lute for Reformation In this mean time God discouered another world to tel this old one that if they wold not reforme theÌ„selues he had prouided him a soyle dwelling place set vp a people that were not of our knowledge to prouocke vs to Iealousie God hath indeede taken vs by the hand but when nothing can moue vs to our duetie what can hee but giue vs a bill of deuorcement and put vs from him God this day and wee in his Name are speaking as hee did to the Church of Ephesus I haue something against thee that thou hast forgotten thy first Loue. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe the first workes or else I will come against thee shortlie and remoue the Candlesticke out of his place except thou repent Rev. 2. 4. The Iewes promised continuance of all happinesse to themselues because they were Abrahams seede But Christ telleth them that God will not want a people though they were destroyed For hee could raise vp Children vnto Abraham out of the stones of the fielde And hee letteth them see if they would see it to the griefe of their hearte that hee is better serued of the Gentiles than euer hee was of them If we joyne to our other sins this fleshlie conceat also that hee will want a people if hee cast vs off He can make either Barbarians or Iewes or thâ—se who now are the enemies of the Gospel turning them to the Gospel better seruants to him than wee are And will teach vs to our by eternall sorrow that hee can haue a people though wee bee not his people But where shall wee finde a God if in his Iustice hee cast vs off for our sin He will euer prouide himselfe a Church But woe to vs when hee departeth from vs. Hos. 9. 12. The second plague to bee feared is the Sword of Man God hath shaken many roddes on vs and smitten vs with them but we mend not Hee hath broken the staffe of bread and giuen vs cleannesse of teeth in our Cities and multitudes in the streetes dying for famine Hee hath stricken vs with Pestilence and made that flying arrow rage fearfullie And great Mortalitie on men and beastes hath almost latelie taken the tith of this Land and yet wee haue not amended The Sword onlie remaineth as the last and most fearfull plague which God then useth when all other chastisements haue not wrought his end to bring vs to repentance Wee are as Israel whome God did smyte with plague after plague And yet for all this they returned not to me sayeth the Lord. Amos. 4. And therefore why should I smite them any more Isa. 1. 4. And thou hast forsaken mee saith the LORD thou art gone backeward Therefore will I stretch out mine hand against thee and destroy thee I am wearie with repenting Ierem. 15. 6. When hee had taken paines on them and they were not mended hee cast them a way The bellowes are burnt the Leede is consumed in the fire the Founder melteth in vaine for the wicked are not plucked away Retrobate siluer shall men call them because the Lord hath reiected them Ier. 6. â—9 30. It is now dangerous to sleepe in Securitie as though our enemies were farre off and wee coÌ„passed with the walls of a great Sea We haue our enemies within so long as sin increaseth is not repented we waÌ„t not enemies to destroy vs God wanteth neuer instruments wheÌ„ he wil punish a Land He can hisse on the Flee at the Riuer of Egypt and on the Bee in the Land of Ashur Isa. 7. 18. And though there were but men halfe wounded and halfe dead they shall rise vp euery man in his tent and burne Ierusalem with fire when God is angrie with her Ierem. 37. Grashoppers are but weake Creatures yet when God sent them on Israel they could not bee resisted because the Lord uttereth his voyce before his Armie for his camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word Ioel. 2. 10. As for our walls of Water if our sinnes remaine they will bee Shippes and bridges for our Enemies to bring ouer the wrath of God vpon vs Though wee would build our nest into the toppe of Rockes yet the hand of God can pull vs downe where euer a man dwelleth hee is a blacke marke for God to shoote at and the arrowes of his wrath to light on so long as guiltines abideth in him Wee should not indeede neglect or contemne lawfull meanes of our defence
bygone and present offences afflicting our Soules by a true contrition Ioel. 2. As wheate or corne is brayed betweene the nether and vpper milstones so is the penitent Soule bruised betweene the griefe for sinne and feare of wrath with an holie indignation at our selues for offending so good a God and taking an holie reuenge or sythment on our selues for that vylnesse 2. Cor. 7. That when wee remember our wayes and all our doings wherin wee haue beene defiled wee may loath our selues in our owne sight for all the euills that wee haue committed The reasons of this renting are 1. Our heart is the fountaine from which all proceedeth that defileth the man and ought to bee stopped 2. It is the forge-house wherein Sathan forgeth all iniquitie and must bee ruined 3. And the place of the conception of all our miseries therefore by an heart-breaking godlie sorrow it must be so disabled as it losse the power of conceiuing or bringing foorth of sinne as of before 4 It is the bellie of the Viper for conceiuing but it is not rent in the deliuerie of that venemous brood Therefore it ought to bee rent in remorse for it and with that renting wee must bring out the birth of a sincer confession of our sinne Let vs lift vp our heartes and our hands to heauen and say VVee haue sinned and haue rebelled and thou hast not spared Lament 3. 41. 42. 3. Thirdlie for the time to come we must purpose with our selfe and vow to God amendement of our life the studie and practise of new obedience These holie vowes will both bind our corruption that it breake not out at all occasions and stirre vp the grace of God to a life worthie of God True Repentance will so presse our corruption that it may finde for the present a weight to bow it downe and a knyfe to cutte the throate of it And it will strengthen Gods grace by remouing sinne which is the bane of it It is a repeating of our first conuersion and a notable promouing of Sanctification by so solemne a worke adding a sensible degree of killing the old Man the quickning the new This is the fruite of our wrestling with God euen to halt with Iacob Though wee haue preuailed our corruption will bee so disjoynted as it be not so strong therafter So God in mercie to his owne by true Repentance slayeth sin which Sathan augmented by our falling disappointing him of his end turneth his work of sinne in vs to a destruction of our sinne Fourthlie wee must strengthen our hearts with confidence on God that hee will haue mercie on vs We can neuer goe to him with boldnesse without this confidence in Iesus Christ but wee runne from him as a consuming fire For this end we ought first to fixe our mind vpon him as hee hath discryued himselfe 1. A God full of goodnesse for hee is gratious freelie to pittie vs not looking to our deseruing but beside aboue contrare to it to helpe vs bringing all the reasons of his goodnesse to vs from himselfe and respecting none other thing in vs than our miserie to cure it 2. Hee is Mercifull to pardon our sinnes and remoue all euill from vs whom gratiouslie hee accepteth and giueth vs euerie good thing that wee neede 3. And slow to anger because the best men are often falling in sinne and so giue matter of his provocation yet hee is not soone moued at their sinnes but waiteth on their Repentance 4. And of great Kindnesse that euen in the time of his just anger keepeth euer his Fatherlie loue and benignitie to them His anger can stand well with his loue though wee doe not well consider it Hee doeth not afflict vs willinglie Lament 3. 33. But in the midst of his wrath hee remembreth mercie in the change of his work and action from blessing to crossing his heart and affection is not changed vpon vs Hee is not hastie to anger and long in it but slow to it and soone from it Anger is in men according to their seuerall disposition It is in the Melancholian a vertue that hee is slow to anger but a vice that hee abydeth long in it And it is the Cholerians fault that hee is soone angrie but a vertue that hee is as soone from it Our good God speaking of himselfe according to man expresseth his anger by the vertues of them both With the first hee is slow to anger and with the second hee is soone appeased And this is to our great comfort 5. And he repenteth him of euill Although our sinnes force strokes out of his hand yet hee is grieued for vs vnder them and by his sudden relieuing of vs so soone as wee repent doeth testifie that hee hath neither pleasure in the death of sinners nor in the troubles of his owne In all their afflictions hee is afflicted Isa. 63. 9. And these diuine properties and their worke is not as his strange vvorke and strange Act but in those thinges hee delighted because mercie pleaseth him Isa. 28. 21. Ierem. 9. 24. Micah 7. And for our fuller confidence wee haue not simplie to consider this his goodnesse in himselfe but as it is presented and offered to vs in a Couenant which is confirmed by Christ. His goodnesse is in himselfe as a Fountaine superabounding but the Couenant is as a Chariot or Conduit conuoying it to vs. His goodnesse assumed our Nature in Christ to a personall vnioun with the Sonne to assure vs both of the grounds of that communication of his goodnesse and of our right to it and of the way how it is That beeing and belieuing in Christ our Brother wee may haue boldnesse and accesse by that way which his blood hath consecrate toward the Throne of Grace Heb. 10. When in our mourning for sinne our Faith looketh to Christ whome our sinnes haue pierced and intreate God to looke on the Sonne of his loue in whome hee is well pleased wee haue confidence to bee heard in that wee pray for Zachar. 13. No man can tryst and meete with God in Christ the great Peace-maker who is both the Prince and pryce of our peace but hee shall finde reconciliation in him Thirdlie our owne Experience may giue vs confidence When this Yland was invaded by that great Nauie that was called Invineible God made the Seas to burie our Enemies as it did the Aegyptians Anno 1588. Next when Sathan saw that our GOD vvas God of the Seas hee tooke him to fire and put it in the heartes of cruell Papists to attempt the blowing vp by Powder of the King the Parliament the Flower of all Estates of England But God discouered that hellish plot and brake their bow at the lowsing of their Arrow Anno 1605. When Mortalitie passed through all this Land and remoued many God vvas intreated by our Prayers and stayed it Anno. 1623. When hee brak in with a fearefull Pest among vs and
119. 126. So long as sinne remaineth in the Church the commission giuen to our enemies is in force If wee moue the question O thou Sword of the Lord how long will it bee ere thou bee quiet Put vp thy selfe in thy Scabbard and bee still It will be answered How can it bee quyete seeing the Lord hath giuen it a charge And the charge will lest till sin bee repented When sin is pardoned the Lord will speake to his reconcealed people Feare not thou worme Iacob I will helpe thee saith the Lord and thy Redeemer the holie One of Israel Feare not for I am with thee I will vphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousnesse Behold all they which were incensed against thee shall bee ashamed and confounded and they that striue with thee shall perish Isa. 41. 10. 11. For I know the thoughts that I thinke towards thee sayeth the Lord euen thoughts of peace and not of euill to giue you the exspected end Ier. 29. 11. He will build vp the Tabernacles of Dauid that are fallen downe and make vp the breaches thereof and repaire the ruines thereof as of old Amos. 9. 11. And will say I am returned to Ierusalem with mercie mine House shall bee built in it sayeth the Lord of Hostes and a line shall bee stretched out vpon it Zach. 1. 5. As for vs whom as yet in mercie hee hath spared from cruell persecution hee is now crying to vs Come my people enter into thy Chambers and shute thy doores about thee Hide thy selfe as it were for a little moment vntill the indignation be ouerpassed The Lord will ordaine peace for vs when hee hath wrought all our workes euen the workes of true Repentance and Conuersion in vs. Isa. 26. 12. 20. If wee repent truelie the Riuer of his Grace will flow among vs and the Streames of it will make vs glad Hee will dwell in the midst of vs and helpe vs tymouslie Psal. 46. Hee will be a fierie wall round about vs and a glorie in the midst of vs. Zachar. 2. 5. This is the summe of all That wee returne to the LORD our GOD and seeke him vvhen hee may bee found euen in this acceptable time vvhen hee is seeking vs That wee afflict our Soules for sinne and call for remission of them vvithout which wee cannot be saued That euery one of vs forsake our euill wayes and renew our Couenant with him And among the rest let vs mourne for this madnes that wee offended such a GOD who as hee hath power to destroye vs so also hee hath that Grace in his hand vvithout the vvhich vvee cannot repent our sinnes at once both pulling downe destruction and closing the doore of his Grace vpon vs except his vnspeakable mercie open it vnto vs againe The LORD our GOD the Father of Lights from whom euery good Gift and perfect Donation commeth downe And who hath the hearts of all men in his hand worke in vs all in this and all other Humiliations that which may bee acceptable to him That by his Grace wee may bee enabled to offer the sacrifice of a contrite and a broken heart and obtaine at his hand full pardon and remission of all our sinnes And the good LORD pardon all our sinnes and the verie infirmities of that our Repentance for sinne And bee mercifull to euerie one that prepareth his heart to seeke the LORD GOD of his Fathers though hee bee not cleansed according to the purifications of the Sanctuarie 2. Chr. 30. 18. 19. Through IESVS CHRIST our LORD AMEN FINIS The summe of the former TREATISE THe dutie of Watch-men Numb 1 Scotlands Pastours giue warning 2 A Fast appointed 3 1. Cause The Churches affliction 4 It is Antichrists persecution 5 But hee colloureth it with ciuill respects 6 Why God afflicteth his Church 7 Their trouble is our lesson 8 VVee should mourne with them 9 For their Persons 10 And for the Gospel 11 And for our home dangers 12 2. Cause The sinnes of this Land 13 Sinnes against the Law 14 Sinnes against the Gospel 15 1. Infidelitie 16 2. Vniuersall Disobedience 17 3. Apostasie 18 Papists admonished 19 4. Atheisme 20 5. Breach of Brotherlie Loue. 21 6. Contempt of the Word and Preachers 22 7. Sacriledge 8. Impenitencie 23 Foure signes of a deadlie Disease in this Land 24 Gods controuersie with this Land 25 3. Cause Our Kings Ma. Royall affaires 26 Remouall of the Gospel to bee feared 27 An idle conceate refuted 28 Vse of discouerie of the new World 29 The Sword to bee feared 30 God our best defence 31 Right use of lawfull meanes 32 God hath impannelled this Land 33 None escape but by Repentance 34 God commandeth it 35 Prayers and Teares our kindlie weapons 36 Sathan is most affrayd of them 37 How vvee are called to them 38 VVee must fast 39 Not the Hypocrets Fast. 40 Nor the Papists Fast In 41 But the Christians Fast which standeth in 42 1. Inquirie vvhere sinne is 43 And that not laying it on another 44 But taking it to our selues 45 Not to waite on others Repâ—ntance 46 But repent our selues 47 2. Next in renting our hearts 48 The reasons of that renting 49 3. In amendement of life 50 4. In confidence of mercie 51 Fine Grouâ—ds of it from God 52 From his Couenant 53 From Experience 54 How to processe our selues 55 Foure reasons of bodilie Fasting 56 Base Apparrell to bee used 57 Large Almes to the Poore 58 Sixe godlie Exercises ioyned 59 All must repent 60 Pastours duetie in Fasting 61 Peoples duetie in Fasting 62 4. Reasons for publicke Humiliation 63 5. Reasons of priuate Humiliation 64 1. Preparation for Fasting 65 2. Disposition in it 66 3. How vvee close it 67 New obedience a proofe of Repentance 68 True Repentance findeth 1. Remission 69 2. Accepting of our persons 70 3. Punishment of our Enemies 71 4. Releauing of his distressed Church 72 5. Continuance of our Peace 73 A Prayer for Repentance and Remission 74 And for pardon of the faults of our Repentance 75 FINIS 1. 2. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10 10 12 13 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 59 57 58 59 60 61 2 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75