〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A WORD in SEASON FOR A Warning to England OR A Prophecy of Perillous Times Open'd and Apply'd Wherein the Signes of Bad Times and the Means of making the Times Good are represented as the great Concernment of all good Christians in this present Age. First exhibited in a SERMON preached in the Abby at Westminster July 5. 1659. and since enlarged and Published By THOMAS VVILLES M. A. Minister of the Gospel in the City of London Seal not the Sayings of the Prophecy of this Book For the Time is at hand Rev. 22.10 How do ye say We are Wise and the Law of the LORD is with us Lo They have rejected the Word of the LORD and what Wisdom is in them Jer. 8.8 9. Tempora mutantur nos mutamur in illis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sIC transIt gLorIa MVnDI LONDON Printed by Tho. Ratcliff for Tho. Underhill at the Blew Anchor in Pauls Church-yard 1659. TO THE SENATORS SOULDIERS CITIZENS STRANGERS To whom This SERMON was As to its main SUBSTANCE EXHIBITED FROM THE PULPIT IT 'S NOW WITH MUCH ENLARGEMENT PRESENTED FROM THE PRESSE FOR THEIR SERIOUS PERUSAL By A MESSENGER from CHRIST A MINISTER of the GOSPEL THOMAS WILLES Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Luk. 11.28 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 From the KING of SAINTS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST To his Faithful and Well-beloved Servants and Subjects that shall live in the latter Dayes TAke heed that no man deceive you For many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many And ye shall hear of Warres and Rumours of Wars See that ye be not troubled For all these things must come to passe but the End is not yet For Nation shall rise against Nation and Kingdome against Kingdome and there shall be Famines and Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers Places All these are the Beginning of Sorrows Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all Nations for my Names sake And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another And many false Prophets shall rise and shall deceive many And because Iniquity shall abound the Love of many shall wax cold But he that shall endure to the End the same shall be saved By the Hand of his Trusty Servant and Secretary * Chap. 24. v. 4 -13 MATTHEW Publicano-Christianus To the SACRED MAJESTY OF HEAVEN THE KING of KINGS AND LORD of LORDS The Supream Governour of the whole World The Humble Address and Representation of the Gratitude Requests of many Thousands of the Well-affected People of the Land who desire to approve themselves Faithful to the Cause of Christ and to be found walking in the Good Old way Most Mighty LORD WHereas it hath pleased thy glorious Majesty out of the exceeding riches of thy Free Grace and thy tender compassions in Jesus Christ to call us thy poore unworthy Servants out of the World to the Profession of thy truth and Gosspel and the Participation of thy saving Grace when out of thy infinite Sovereignty and Justice thou hast past by Millions of men and left them to perish everlastingly in their sinnes we humbly desire in a deep sense of our own utter Unworthiness to express our free and hearty Acknowledgement of that infinite Obligation which thou hast hereby laid upon our soules to perpetual Gratitude Love Honour and Obedience to thy Glorious Majesty for so invaluable a Mercy And we cannot but with sorrow of Heart confesse that we have by our unsuitable Walkings shew'd our selves very Unworthy of such rich Discoveries of thy Love unto us But we humbly implore thy Mercy in the forgiveness of our many Miscarriages and beseech thee to give us Leave with all Humility to present thy Majesty with these few Petitions to which we earnestly beg a Gracious Answer That it will please thee to grant preserve and establish a Righteous and Religious Magistracy a Faithful and painful Ministry in the Land with that Blessed GOVERNMENT which is most agreeable to thy holy Word and Will both in Church and State That it will please thee who hast the Hearts of all men in thy Hands to put it into the Hearts of our Counsellors and Governors to study and endeavour the Advancement of thy Glory and thy Churches Good by the suppression of Errour and Profanenesse and the Promotion of Truth and Holinesse in the Land That where thou seest those Persons in Places of Power and Trust who by their pernicious Principles and Practises make the Times Perillous thou wilt Graciously be pleased by thy Hand of Power to remove them and to set in their room men truly fearing Thee and hating Covetousness who may cordially seek and endeavour the Peace and Welfare of thine English Zion That thou wilt pour down on thy Servants a Spirit of Humiliation for the sins of the Land that thou wilt graciously pardon the Transgressions of thy People and purge the Land from its Abominations that thou mayest dwell amongst us That thou wilt break the wicked Designes and dissolve the cursed Conspiracies of those that under Pretences of thy Name Cause and Glory violently prosecute their Pernicious Purposes for the satisfaction of their Ambition and Covetousness and the Introduction of Errours Heresies and all manner of Licentiousness into the Land to the Hazard of many thousand souls and the dishonour of thy Glorious Name That it will please Thee to heal the Breaches of thy own People and to establish these three Nations England Scotland and Ireland in Peace and Love upon the sure Foundations of Religion and Righteousness and crown them all with thy Loving-kindnesse and tender Mercies And to this End that thou wilt awaken the spirits of thy Saints from their security in an unsettled and distracted condition to a serious minding of the great Concernments of thy Church and People their own Souls and this sinful Nation That thou wilt be graciously pleased speedily to change the Perillous Times that are or may come upon thy people according to the Predictions of thy holy Prophets into those Glorious Times which thou hast raised the hearts of many of thy Saints in Expectations of by thy Precious Promises However be pleased to preserve thy People in times of Peril and Persecution and to carry them as on Eagles Wings by thy Spirit of Grace through all Difficulties and Dangers till thou shalt receive them up into thy Kingdome of Glory So shall we thy poore unworthy Subjects and Suppliants as in Duty bound celebrate thy Glorious Name with everlasting Praises The Names of the Petitioners are written in Heaven A PROPHECY OF PERILLOUS TIMES Open'd and Apply'd 2 TIM 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This know also that in the last dayes perillous times shall come The Introduction THe knowledge of the Times and Seasons is very useful for all men Without
meeting Your New Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to bear them And when ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood Why did the Lord thus disregard all their Ceremonial Services and sacred Solemnities which in the time of the Old Testament he had commanded them Surely for no other reason but because they rested in them and neglected the great and weighty Things of the Law Judgement Mercy and Faith these ought they to have done and not to leave the other undone †Mat. 23 23 So the Lord elsewhere reproves them for their formal Devotion and hypocritical Fasting because they were extreamly defective in that which was the principal Part of their expected Obedience and the choicest Fruit of all such Religious Performances namely Reformation Justice and Charity For sayes the Lord to the Prophet Isaiah * Isa 58.1 2 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my People their Transgression and the House of Jacob their sins Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my wayes as a Nation that did Righteousness and forsook not the Ordinance of their God they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice they take Delight in approaching to God Who would not judge these to be a very Holy People that should but take notice of this their Diligence in Duties Desires of direction and Delight in drawing nigh unto God But alas how soon may we hear them murmuring against God for not having respect to their services nor regard to their Solemnities as if they had received wrong from God by his not granting what they conceived their Right to them so highly were these proud hypocrites conceited of their poore Performances †v. 3-7 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge But the Lord replies to their demand and reproves them for their Deceit and Hypocrisie and so instructs them in their Duty Behold sayes the Lord in the Day of your Fast you finde Pleasure and exact all your Labours Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the Fist of Wickednesse ye shall not fast as ye do this day to make your Voice to be heard on high Is it such a Fast that I have chosen a Day for a man to afflict his soul Is it to bow down his head as a Bul-rush and to spread sackcloth and Ashes under him Wilt thou call this a Fast and an acceptable Day to the LORD Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of Wickednesse to undoe the heavy Burden and to let the oppressed go free and that ye break every Yoke Is it not to deale thy Bread to the Hungry and that thou bring the Poore that are cast out to thy House When thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Thus without charity the Master-wheele of good Works the most specious Acts of Religion are unacceptable to God Formality in religion is a kind of spiritual Falshood and Dissimulation 'T is but a Mocking of God a presenting him Leaves for Fruits or Lies for Devotion To offer up unto God formal Performances is to become guilty of real Provocations When the heart is wanting in Duties of Divine Worship men do but offer dead sacrifices to the living God and so provoke the pure Eyes of his Glory When the Glory of the Lord leaves the inward Sanctuary it s a signe of his departure from Jerusalem and a sad Presage of its utter Destruction * See Ezek chap. 1. 11. When the Spirit of God is in a great measure gone from the Hearts of men in the duties of his Worship it s a sad Symptome of perillous Times with the Church of God Before the persecution of the Christians in Africa by the brutish Vandals the Church of God in those Countreys was much degenerated from its ancient Purity and declin'd as to the Power of Godlinesse as Salvian Bishop of Massilia complaines †Vict. Epist Utic So a little before the Massachre at Paris it was observ'd there was such a general stupidity seiz'd upon the Protestants that few of them seriously minded the things of God or were zealously affected with the matters of Religion but were wholely taken up with their worldly Businesses and secular Concernments If Religion amongst men be once degenerated into Farm as a fruitful into a barren Vine what can be expected but that the Righteouâ—nesse of God should be arm'd with Power for the punishment of such an unprofitable People We know The * Mat. 21.19 barren Fig-tree being curst by Christ presently withered away When a Nation flourishes in the Leaves of Formality without the Fruits of solid Piety who knows how soon it may be cast into a withering condition Surely Formal Services will at length procure real Sufferings The third Symptome Impiety vail'd with Hypocrisie THe Times are perillous When under glorious pretences of Religion and Gods glory men studiously prosecute secular designes When men seek themselves under plausible Pretences of doing Service to God When men that pretend Piety and a Publick Spirit are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †2 Tim. 3.2 * v. 4. Such as do in deed preferre their private Interests before the Publick Good with whom Silver is of more value then Sanctity and who pursue their own Honour and Advancement wherein they would seem to promote Gods Glory Hi sunt qui boni videri non esse Mali non videri sed esse volunt †Bernh Serm. 66. in Cant. Thâ—se are they who as Bernard speaks would be thought good but care not to be so who care indeed bad but would not be thought so They are such as in their Designes row towards Hell while in their Pretences their Faces are towards Heaven They speak of beautifying Sion when at the same time they are Building Babel But now the Times must needs be perillous when men thus pretend Godlinesse and Gods glory for the more easie accomplishment of their own works of Wickednesse to his Dishonour When men Prostitute Religion to their own base Lusts and so vitiate her Virgin-Honour When they cast a vaile of Hypocrisie over the vilest Acts of Impiety Hypocrisie is sin gilded with pretences of Sanctity This outward Gilding makes them not so glorious in the Eyes of men as their inward Guilt m kes them odious in the sight of God Thus the Cloud which arm'd with the Bowe challenges all the world to a Combate for the Beauty of Colours is not more bright to the Earth then its black to Heaven Simulata Aequitas non est Aequitas sed duplex Iniquitas quia Iniquitas est simulatio * August in Psal 23. Equity pretended or
the establishment of Truth and true Religion amongst us And is it not most reasonable which I plead for when those I speak to are profest Christians and that I plead for is the Cause of Christ Why may nor the Ministers of the Gospel be as well heard to plead for the Worship and Ordinances of Christ as the profest Enemies of the Gospel-ministry to plead against them by whom these Ordinances of Worship according to the order of the Gospel are to be administred Give me leave then to reason with you and plead the Cause of God Why stick you at the Establishment of the Worship of God in the Land and the punishment of such rebellious Atheists as obstinately refuse to worship him What think you is there a God or not If there be a God and but one God is he to be worshipt or no If he be to be worshipt whether are you still to seek how he is to be worshipt and still in doubt what are the Ordinances of his Worship What are not the holy Scriptures the Word of God Is not his Will therein plainly and clearly reveal'd touching the Ordinances of his Worship Well then are not the Word Sacraments and Prayer undeniably the Ordinances of his worship Have they not been so receiv'd and reverenc't by the Churches of Christ in all Ages Ought not this Worship then by the Civil Sanction of the Christian Magistrate to be establisht in the Land Ought not they that are in Gods stead for Government to see that God be worshipped Ought not then Ministers of the Gospel rightly call'd to that sacred Office according to express Gospel-Rule to be placed maintained and protected in every City Town and Parish where there is a competent number of people to attend the service of God for the administration of the Ordinances of his Worship Ought not all the People of these places to be Authoritatively enjoyn'd to give dilgent constant reverent Attendance upon the Publick Worship of God in these holy Ordinances and that under some Penalty for every Wilful Neglect which might be conveniently imploy'd for the Relief of the Poor in such places And ought not those that obstinately refuse to worship God in these his holy Ordinances and much more those that cast Reproach upon them and them that do attend them to be chastiz'd as the worst sort of * Rom. 13.3 4. Evil doers being open Rebels against the God of Heaven with some severer punishment Shall not they that neglect their Duty in this kinde be guilty of all the dishonours that are done to God by all those that neglect contemne and reproach the Ordinances of his Worship Was the Scripture silent does not the Light of Nature clearly discover an Obligation as to the substance of this duty to lie upon those who are called forth by Divine Providence to Governe for God to whom alone pertaines by original Right the Government of the World I shall leave these things to your Consideration onely minding you that you shall be call'd to account at the Judgement Day for whatsoever Power you are intrusted with how you have obtain'd imploy'd and improv'd it for God and setting before you the excellent Example of an Heathen Prince even Artaxerxes King of Persia who releast the children of Israel from their Captivity in Babylon and gave order for their return to Jerusalem and the setting up and establishment of the right Worship of the true God by the special Direction and Conduct of the Spirit of God A special passage of his Commission or Letter of Trust to Ezra the Scribe as is recorded in the holy Scripture †Ezra 7.25 26 27. we have in these words And thou Ezra after the wisdome of thy God that is in thy hand set Magistrates and Judges which may judge all the People that are beyond the River all such as know the Laws of thy God and teach ye them that know them not And whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the Law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him whether it be unto death or to Banishment or to Confiscation of Goods or to Imprisonment And that this Counsel was of God it appears from the Words of Ezra hereupon Blessed be the LORD God of our Fathers which hath put such a thing as this in the Kings Heart c. Now what 's this but a branch of the Moral Law requiring the right worship of the true God explain'd in the Edict of a Heathen Prince whose hand was herein guided by the Spirit of God and his Example recorded to be approved of God and so consequently of perpetual obligation to all people and at all times as well under the New Testament as the Old But the Robbery of the wicked shall destroy them because they refuse to do judgement * Pro. 21.7 It much concernes also inferiour Magistrates and Officers who are intrusted with Power for the Punishment of Offendours to be faithful in the discharge of their Duty By this means a good stop might be put to many of the spreading Abominations of the Times Drunkennesse and Râ—velling Swearing and Sabbath-breaking and such like vile enormities and God-provoking sins might in a great measure be restrain'd if those persons in every Town and Parish to whom it pertaines by vertue of their Office to take cognizance of these and such like Crimes were but as Vigilant and Active as they might and ought to be to bring those that are found guilty of them to condigne punishment But through the sloth and regardlesnesse of Officers such Offendours grow bold and such Crimes become common such Abominations are exceedingly multiply'd But oh that such would consider that all the sins of those Places and Persons which they have received Power to restraine or punish and exercise it not are justly chargeable upon their heads and they stand guilty of them in the sight of God For 't is a sure Rule Malum qui cum potest non prohibet facit He that may hinder an Evil and doth not is guilty of it And if according to this Rule all the Oathes Curses Drunkennesses and Profanations of the Lords day which might have been prevented or punished by Persons invested with Authority and Power for that purpose be justly chargeable upon them for their neglect of their Duty in this Case we may surely say without any slander Many of our Magistrates and Officers however they may seeme sober and religious persons are the greatest Swearers Cursers Drunkards and Sabbath-breakers in the Land And doubtlesse many shall be indicted and condemned for these sinnes at Gods Tribunal in the Day of Judgement because they have not exercised the power wherewith they were intrusted in their Places for the punishment of them in others Oh therefore stir up your selves with Zeal and Faithfulnesse to the Execution of your Office the discharge of your Duty in this kinde that you may restraine Sin in others and keep off Guilt
this the Husbandman can neither duly till his ground nor sow his Seed nor reap his Harvest * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time which according to the †Ari. Phys 4. c. 11. Philosopher is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the measure of motion is the necessary circumstance of Action and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Season is Opportunitas rei gerendae commoda * Erasm the Fitnesse of the Time for the work of man or the Production of Nature Now its mans singular Prudence to discern the Times that he may make the better improvement of every Season For †Eccl. 3.1 To every thing there is a Season and a Time for every Purpose under the Heaven Thus the Summer is the proper Season wherein the Prudent man with the * Prov. 6.8 Ant will make Provision for the Time of Winter Thus the Wise man will prepare for Perillous Times while he yet enjoyes a Prosperous Season It s a piece of Prudence to †Pro. 22.3 foresee Perillous Times and to make Provision for them while the Season lasts is a Work of Wisdome This Wisdome God teaches his Saints in his Word and the Defect of this Prudence in the Foresight of future Dangers is supplied by the Prophetick Revelation of his Spirit By the * 2 Tim. 3.16 with 2 Pet. 1.20 21. Inspiration of this Spirit of Prophecy was the Apostle Paul enabled to give this Premonition unto Timothy This know also that in the last Dayes Pâ—rillous Times sâ—all come It is true †Acts 1.7 it is not for us to know the times and the seasons which God hath put in his own power having sealed them up from us in his secret Counsel For * Deut. 29.29 secret things belong unto the LORD our God But yet those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the Words of his Law and obey his Will in the world And therefore it does concern us to know the Times and Seasons which he hath revealed to us in his holy Word and commanded us to take knowledge of as in this Divine Prophecy This know also c. The truth of the Prophecies manifested by the exact correspondency of future Events to former Predictions is one good argument for the confirmation of the Truth and Dignity of the Holy Scriptures Who but that God whose †Ps 147.5 understanding is infinite can certainly and infallibly fore-see and fore-tel so long before the things that shall come to passe so long after And do not our eyes in these dayes behold the Accomplishment of many things contained in the Scripture Prophecies which even those of the latest Date recorded in the New Testament were first given forth and committed to writing above fifteen hundred yeares ago How far the Prediction of Perillous Times here in the Text receives an accomplishment in the present age wherein we live will easily apppear to any soberly wise Christian that having first seriously perused the Context shall lift up his eyes and look abroad into the World upon the men of this Generation For the Apostle having in the Words of the Text briefly exhibited his Prediction of Perillous Times doth in the following Verses give a lively Description of the persons that should make the Times so Perillous Verse 1 This know saith he that in the last Days Verse 2 perillous Times shall come For men shall be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Verse 3 Proud Blasphemers Disobedient to Parents Unthankful Unholy without Natural Affection Truce-breakers False-accusers Verse 4 Incontinent Fierce Despisers of those that are Good Traitors Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasures more then Lovers of Verse 5 God Having a Forme of godliness but denying the power thereof But to make way for a clearer Discovery of the Intent of the holy Ghost in this part of the holy Scripture we shall consider it according to the proper nature of a Prophecie which respects the Future and so as a lively Mirror it represents the Image of the After-Age the Complexion of the Times to come And thus in the Text whereunto we shall a while confine our selves and thence descend to the Explication of the Context from which we must fetch Light for the discovery of the times mentioned in the Text there are these three things to be taken into consideration viz. 1. What these times shall be 2. When these times shall be 3. How Timothy was concern'd herein In the first of these we shall open the description which the Apostle gives of these Times by the Adjunct in the second we shall enquire into the import of the Prediction as to the determination of the Time of its Accomplishment and in the last we shall consider the scope and intent of the Premonition given to Timothy concerning these Perillous Times The Description WE are in the first place to consider what these times shall be They shall be as the Apostle here stiles and describes them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgatus Tempora periculosa Beza Molesta interpretatur melius Tremellius è Syro dura Castalio difficilia Verterunt * Scult in loc Perillous times hard difficult and troublesome times as Interpreters a little varying in the Termes of Translation agree in the Intent of the Word They shall be times of Difficulty Distresse and Danger Dicitur ipsum Tempus difficile quod expectationi non respondet in quo homines difficulter se suaque tueri possunt ut in Peste Bello Fame publica Nam ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est homini aut vivere aut sua tueri †Aret. in loc And time it self is then called Difficult when it answers not our Expectation and wherein men finde it difficult to defend themselves and keep their own as in time of Plague Warre or Famine For in these Cases its a difficult thing for a man to preserve his life or estate So likewise upon the same Account in Case of Schisme and Divisions in the Church which is a kinde of Civil War in the City of God or the Persecution of the Saints which is as the Invasion of a Forreign Enemy they may be said to be hard and difficult troublesome and Perillous Times to the people of God Such are the times spoken of in this Prophecy They shall be cloudy and stormy Dayes to the Church and Saints The Apostle raised upon the Mount of Vision saw a small cloud arising which he knew would overspread the whole Church For this Prediction of the Evil of the Times is a Prophetical Representation of the future State of the Church And imports so much that their very * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seasons of Grace shall become Days of Danger their very Opportunities of Doing or Receiving Good shall be fenc't about with †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Difficulties and fill'd with Dangers Moreover we are here to observe that that is figuratively attributed to
7. Vnthankfull Such as never acknowledg any benefits These are such as make no acknowledgement of their greatest Obligations to God or Man Who are the living Sepulchres of Gods Blessings and Mans Benefits Such as disdainfully trample upon those staires by which they rise and ascend to their Greatness Of such David complains * Psal 41.9 Yea mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my Bread hath lift up his heele against me Such are like that Fowle which bites off the Head of the Dam that feeds it Thus the frozen Serpent hisses and stings him that cherishes and fosters it in his Bosome Ingratitude is a devouring Monster which though continually fed is nothing the fatter Such is the †Heb. 6.7 8. Ground which drinks in the Raine but brings forth nothing but Briars and Thorns This is near to Cursing and its End is to be burnt Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris Ingratitude is a comprehensive sin a complicated evil a brief Abridgement and Compendium of all Vices The Eighth Character 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scelesti * Vetus Interpr Impuri i. e. quibus nullum jus est nec fas †Beza in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod tum de moribus tum de dogmatibus Doctrinae potest intelligi * Aret. in loc 8. Unholy Wicked men Impure Persons such whose Lusts are their Laws otherwise making no reckoning of Right or Wrong The word here used notes that which varies from the Divine Standard that holy Law which is the Rule and Measure of that which is Right and Good whether it be in opinion or Practice And indeed when the minde is corrupted by Erroneous Opinions we cannot expect a Conformity in the Life to the Rules of Holiness It denotes such as having quench't every spark of Goodnâ—sse and banish't every motion of Godlinesse have given themselves over to all Licentiousnesse and Lasciviousnesse †Jude v. 4 8. to commit all manner of wickedness and uncleanness with Greedinesse * Ephes 4.19 Such who though they put a tincture of Holinesse upon their Actions have no Truth of Grace in their Hearts Who draw not the Lines of their Lives by the golden Rule of Gods Law nor centre their thoughts in his Glory The ninth Character 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Affectus seu Amor Naturalis qualis est Parentum erga Liberos Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nomen Patris apud Hebraeos fit ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Voluit q. Benevolus dictus a propensâ erga liberos Voluntate †Buxt et alii 9. Without natural Affection The Word denotes the want of such a Natural affection or love as is in the hearts of Natural Parents towards their Children Hence we esteem and call such Parents as love not their children Unnatural Parents Such are like to the Ostrich of which it is said * Job 39.16 She is hardned against her young ones as though they were not hers But can this Hardnesse be found in the Hearts of the Sonnes and Daughters of Adam Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have Compassion on the son of her womb Yea they may forget †Isa 49.15 This want of Natural Affection is the punishment of Vnnatural Lusts * Rom. 1.26 27 31. The Bruit-beasts by natural Instinct are very tender over their young Sinne not onely degrades Man to a Beast as drunkennesse but makes him worse then a Bruit for Unnaturalnesse Such sinners despise Grace strangle Nature and destroy their own souls The tenth Character 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nescii Foederis †Beza sine Pace * Vetus Foedifragi †Castalio Irreconciliabiles * Scultetus Ab α privitivâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libo sacrifico 10. Truce-breakers Covenant-breakers such as are altogether regardlesse of Oaths and Covenants or who being once provok't and become Enemies are Implacable Irreconcilable For the Word is taken from the use of Sacrifices Now Sacrifices were used by the Heathens to pacifie as they thought an angry Deity Hence it signifies as some render it Implacable So a cruel and continual War which admits of no Truce they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Sic. Demosth Aeschin An irreconcilable VVarre And Sacrifices also were used in making of Truces and for the confirmation of Covenants Hence it signifies Truce-breakers and Covenant-breakers The Persons therefore here describ'd are such as are furious and implacable when provok't false and perfidious when engag'd though by the most sacred Oaths and Covenants Such in whom there is no truth or trust who of feigned Friends pretended Lovers will soon become real Foes professed Enemies The eleventh Character 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calumniatores †Beza Graecis Philosophis dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod cum Satan propriè possit faciat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecis rectè dictus est * Aret. in loc 11. False-Accusers Slanderers Calumniators Make-bates Devils as the Greek word imports And with the Greekes it signifies such a one as by raising slanderous reports and false accusations cannot onely set men at a distance from and at variance with one another but also which is the Property of the Devil and from hence amongst them he hath his Name can by this means make very friends to become deadly Enemies These are the nearest kinsmen to the Prince of darknesse who is stil'd †Rev. 12.20 the Accuser of the Brethrâ—n Calumny is one of the Master-Engines of the Devils Kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a trajâ—ciendo nomen habet Slander hath its Name in Greek from thrusting thorough Slanders are those * Ps 120.3 sharp Arrows of the Mighty which are discharg'd against the white of Innocency those deadly Darts with which dipt in the Poyson of malice and revenge Wicked men transfix the Names and sometimes the hearts of the Saints Of such doth holy David complain †Psal 35.11 12. False-witnesses did rise up they laid to my charge things that I knew not They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul By * Mat. 26.59 60 61. such was our Saviours Name crucified before his Body This is a kinde of †Matth. 5.11 Persecution of the tongue under which the Saints have suffer'd in all Ages Such are they who first take away a mans good Name by a false Accusation and then his life by an unjust sentence Just thus they dealt with Christ and then no wonder though Satans Agents practise the same Devilish Policy upon the best of Christians These are indeed as the Word imports Devils incarnate who cannot taste so much sweetness in any thing as in Innocent Blood The Greeks use the Word * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to denote Persons that are extreamly Impâ—ous and even
Practises and punishments are thus recorded by the same Historian Having spoken of the cruelty of sundry factious Spirits sayes he * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With all these did the Idumeans contend as it were for Priority in the expresses of an unbridel'd Fury For these being most desperately wicked murther'd the chief Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That so no part of Piety towards God might be preserv'd but that true Religion both root and branch might be destroy'd in the Land By them was the City despoyl'd of its just Priviledges and Immunities instead whereof they introduc't all manner of Insolencies and Enormities so far forth as there was not so much as the Face or Footsteps of any good Government left Now sayes he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herein was that Generation called the Zealots most vigorously active who justifi'd their Name by their Works verifi'd their Appellation by their Actions For there was never any wickednesse attempted in the memory of man but their Zeal carry'd them to the commission of it although they would needs call themselves by this Name as before was noted for their Zeale which they pretended to that which is Good And such was their savage disposition they either subtilely deceived them whom they injuriously opprest by their deluding pretences or openly triumpht in their Overthrow as accounting the chiefest virtue to consist in the highest Degree of Vitiousnesse But Divine Justice suffer'd not these cruel Cannibals to escape a deserved punishment No they dy'd as Wretched a death as they before had liv'd a wicked Life and their desperate Courses brought them to a dreadful Conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For they came all of them to an end so agreeable to their enterprizes that the triumphs of the Divine Justice became illustrious in their deserved punishment For as great torments as humane nature can possibly undergo did altogether light upon them which burden of miseries they were forc't to bear to the very last stage of their Lives and so with the cruel pangs of manifold tormenting Agonies they were scourg'd into the house of Death But if any man should say that these sufferings were lesse then their deservings let him withall remember that such was the degree of their wickedness that no punishments could be found that might equalize their Deserts Thus we see that some men under pretences of Zeal have presum'd to act most horrible Villanies but that the Justice of God hath at length overtaken them and severely chastiz'd them for all their Insolencies and impieties with the sorest punishments However thus much light does clearly shine from this Observation that while such a cruel Faction of pernitious men prevailes the Times must needs be perillous The fourth Symptome Iniquity cloathed with Authority THey are dayes of Danger evil and perillous Times When violence usurps the Throne of Justice and iniquity is enacted by a Law Such were the times of which the Psalmist complaines and expostulates with God †Psal 94.20 21. Shall the throne of Iniquity have fellowship with Thee which frameth mischief by a Law They gather themselves together against the soul of the Righteous and condemn the innocent blood Now here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * the Throne of Iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Junius renders Solium aerumnarum i. e. Tyrannicum aerumnas aliis afferens immerito * Jun. in loc The Throne of misery and interprets it the Throne of Tyrants who oppresse others with causeless calamities freely bestowing upon them miseries without their merits Yea being ever Liberal in such Largesses they give men Death the Righteous mans best Reward when Rebels come to Reigne without Desert for so sayes the Psalmist in the next words They gather themselves together as to hold a cruel Court of high Injustice against the soul that is the Life of the righteous and condemne the innocent blood that is they passe an unjust sentence of condemnation upon the righteous in the execution whereof they shed innocent blood And this mischief which they thus frame against the righteous they do as Junius translates it Praeter statutum id est contra jura leges Besides the Statute that is as he interprets it against the just Rights and Laws The Will of a Tyrant is his Supreame Rule and even in matters of Life and Death his Lusts are his Laws Neither is there a discrepancy in our Translation which sayes he frameth mischief by a Law for we may well unite them both into a sound sense These Tyrants making Lawes against the Lawes that so the highest Acts of Injustice and Iniquity may be coloured with a pretence of Equity and Justice do frame mischief by a Law contrary to the Law And much to this purpose doth the Judicious Calvin interpret this Place Solii autem consulto meminit quia non accusat vulgarios ficarios vel fures quorum infamia passim nota sit sed contra Tyrannos invehitur qui fallaci juris praetextu opprimebant Ecclesiam Perstringit igitur Propheta improbos Judices qui per omne Oppressionum genus grassando simulabant tamen se tenere rectum Officii cursum Sic enim perfidi Judices ut possessionem honesti speciosi Tituli retineant varios colores accersunt ad tegenda suae Tyrannidis flagitia †Calvin in loc Mention says he is here on purpose made of the Throne because the Psalmist does not here draw up his accusation against common cut-throats or pilfering Thieves there being no need to blazon their Infamy but he is inveighing against Tyrants who under a fallacious pretence of RIGHT do oppress the Church The Prophet therefore herein sharply reproves wicked Judges who though they violently prosecuted men with all manner of Oppressions would yet make show of holding a right course in the execution of their Office For so perfidious Judges are wont to make use of many faire colours to give a beautiful embellishment to the deformed face of their horribly wicked Tyranny that they may the better maintain the possession of a faire and specious Title Thus that Power and Dominion which is gain'd by wicked Policy is maintain'd and preserv'd by oppressive Cruelty and this is oft cover'd under Pretences of Law and Equity These are evil and perillous Times And therefore does Calvin justly complain of these sad Disorders in his Explication of the next words before rehearst which represent the unjust processe of these wicked Judges in conspiring against the Righteous and condemning the Innocent to Death Triste quidem ac etiam â—urpe Exemplum fuit in legitimo conventu ita regnare improbos Collegium Judicum nihil aliud esset quam latronum Turba Nam hoc bis indignum est ubi oppressi fuerint innoxii homines simul cum injuria probrum sustinere Deinde quid minus consentaneum quam
Nullus Rex est nobis id est Non Reges nostri nobis sed nos ipsi Regibus nostris imperamus Leges ferimus exauctoramus c †Jun. Tremel We have no King that is we bow not to the commands of our Kings but we make our Kings bow to our commands We by our own Power make and null Laws at our own pleasure And by the following words it appears they made no more matter of casting off their Laws and cutting off their King then a man would make of breaking a bubble For it s said * ver 7. As for Samaâ—ia her King is cut off as the Fome or a Bubble †Diod. Ital upon the Water Which the Septuagint render thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samaria hath contemptuously cast off her King as a wither'd weed upon the Face of the water Thus did these wicked wretches cast of all Loyalty in cutting off their King and for the further aggravation of their daring crimes they cast off all Religion too in their breaking their OATH of Allegiance to their King and their COVENANT of new Obedience to God as if they resolv'd by some desperate Designe to shew themselves profest Enemies both to God and Man For to this purpose are the following words interpreted They have spoken words swearing falsely in making a Covenant Swearing falsely viz. to God in promising him Conversion and Service or to their King binding themselves to be faithful to him c * Diodat The words impott Omnes perjuri foedifragi sunt ac novae Conspirationes quotidie inter ipsos pullulant †Jun. Trem. They are all of them perjur'd Persons and Covenant-breakers and new conspiracies do daily spring up amongst them Such are the persons here describ'd and such are their Practises Now what can be expected to follow hereupon but Miseries and Calamities to the People of the Land and at length the punishment of such perjur'd Persons For it s said Thus Judgement springeth up as Hemlock in the Furrowes of the Field i. e. instead of wholesome judgement to relieve the oppressed cruel Oppression covers the Land which as poysonous Hemlock overgrows the poore oppressed People who by the barbarous usages and mercilesse cruelties of these insolent Traitors and Tyrants are furrow'd as a Field that is plow'd with continual afflictions * Vide Calvinum in loc Or as others interpret it of their punishments which they shall at length procure to themselves by these wicked practises Gods Judgements shall multiply like Hemlock or other poysonous Herbs which grow abundantly in the Fields †Diodati Engl. Annot. Thus they that sowe Injustice shall at length reap Judgement When such cursed seed as this is cast into a Land it will not faile to yeeld a plentiful Crop of Miseries and Vexations Hence then we may safely conclude that evil Dayes perillous Times are at hand when men make no conscience of Oathes and Covenants in Matters of Loyalty and Religion The sixt Symptome Practical Atheisme PErillous are the Times Dangerous the Dayes When men dare in their words to entitle God to those wicked works wherein they deny God When men presume to prefix the sacred and glorious Name of God to the most injurious Usurpations and flagitious Enormities under the Sunne When men pretending to act for the Cause of God and the good of his precious people having by such barbarous and bloody Enterprises as make the very Earth to blush under the eye of heaven accomplish't their cursed Designes shall dare to charge the actual accomplishment thereof upon the all-glorious God as having effected the same by his good hand of Providence When men having brought to passe their owne wicked devices * Psa 37.7 by such desperate Acts of Injustice and execrable villanies as the very report thereof casts astonishment upon the mindes of all men that have not utterly banisht all humanity and fear of God shall yet say This is the LORDS doing and it is marvellous in our eyes †Psa 118.23 Bold blasphemers For what more horrid blasphemy can possibly be imagin'd then to make that God who is infinitely and essentially holy and Just and good the Author of such intolerable Insolencies unparallel'd Impieties and superlative sinnes of these desperately daring spirits These are certainly the perillous Times whereof the Apostle hath forewarn'd the people of God For in those dayes he hath told us that men however pretending godlinesse shall indeed be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 2 Tim. 3.2 Blasphemers This was the wonted Practise of that man of sinne the sonne of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God †2 Thes 2 3 4. insomuch as it grew to a Proverb In Nomine Domini omne Malum All mischief comes a Gods Name He dethrones Princes makes unjust Warre against Nations and Kingdomes persecutes Christians to death with as much Cruelty as any of the Heathen Emperours gives dispensations to subjects to rebel against their Soveraignes absolving them from their Oaths of Alleagiance and all Obligations to Loyalty and Obedience and all this in the Name of God and by the pretended conduct of the Divine Providence And does not this * 2 Thes 2 7 Mystery of Iniquity still work in the Christian world And must not these high Provocations of God needs make perillous Times When men entitle God to the greatest Irregularities and most detestable Impieties that ever were acted amongst men When men securely act the highest Rebellions and as securely proceed in these audacious actings under the pretended Patronage of the Divine Providence Was not God infinitely Patient he would send down Fire from heaven to consume such Atheists on earth How oft hath the Church of God been put into Blood by those that in their displayed Banners have borne the Name of God! How oft hath that sacred Name IMMANUEL GOD WITH US been abus'd by them that have assembled all their forces to fight against God! How oft have they glory'd in the Appearings of the LORD of Hosts for them who when they have prosper'd in their audacious attempts have dar'd to bid defiance to the Hosts of the LORD How vainly have men boasted that the †Prov. 18.10 Name of the LORD hath been a strong Tower of defence unto them when by divine permission they have prosper'd in those enormous actings which carry in them a flat Contradiction to all Gods glorious attributes Thus is the Name of God fearfully abus'd by the worst of men Thus do the Practitioners of the black Art a fit name for so dreadful a Work of Darknesse make use of the Name of God for the raising up the Devil And do not profane Politicians practise the same Art And is not this the way to turne the Earth into a Hell needs then must the times be perillous when such Artists do abound when such Atheists prevaile and prosper in the world Plato
for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreame or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the Punishment of evil Doers and for the Praise of them that do well Subjection and obedience then is due to every lawful Magistrate by the Word of God yea and every Christian ought out of conscience to yeeld it to him †Rom. 13.4 5. For he is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Wherefore sayes the Apostle ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath i. e. for feare of punishment but also for CONSCIENCE sake Yet is not the conscience herein to be subjected to any Law of man but onely to the Law of God requiring this subjection and obedience to the Civil Magistrate for the preservation of Order and good Government in the world For as it is the highest degree of Spiritual Tâ—ranny for any to lay the * Act. 15.10 Yoke of any humane Laws or Constitutions whether Civil or Ecclesiastical upon the Neck of the Consciences of men so is it no lesse then the sin of Idolatry for any to subject their Consciences to any such Laws or Constitutions seeing it is Gods Prerogative Royal to be the LORD of the CONSCIENCE He onely can give a Law to binde the heart and conscience who can discerne when that Law is broken or kept and accordingly give forth a righteous Punishment or a Reward of grace The Conscience then is not may not be subjected to the Will of Man but onely to the Law of God his Will revealed in his Word But now when the Law of God the onely adequate Rule of the Conscience is declar'd his Will is reveal'd in his Word it 's altogether absurd to imagine that the conscience of man which in this respect †Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu prout Conservatrix Principlorum unde oritur Obligatio is but the * Custos Rotularum Keeper of Gods Court-Rolls should oblige to any thing that is contrary to it or should absolve a man from an Obligation to yeeld obedience thereunto To plead Liberty of Conscience therefore for the divulging of wicked Opinions contrary to the clear and manifest truths of the Word of God and for the Praâ—tâ—se of grosse Impieties as in decrying the Ordinances and worship of God commanded in his Word and the setting up a false worship in the roome of it contrary to the expresse Rules of the Gospel this must needs be a sore Evil and a very great Provocation of the most high God especially when such wretched men shall be favour'd protected encourag'd in so unjust a claime to this sinful Liberty by those that are in Authority or Power who ought to take care that the Law of God be kept that they might set a Crown of Praise upon the head of them that do well and be a †Rom. 13 3 Terror to evil Doers by whom it is violated When this Liberty is thus granted and used the times must needs be perillous To plead Liberty of Conscience for an Exemption from any Obliâ—ation to the embracement of the Truth revealed the attendance upon the Ordinances instituted the discharge of the Duties enjoyned in the Word of God is to break open a wide gap to all manner of Licentiousnesse which is the ready way to pluck the Judgements of God down upon the Land This is to make the Conscience which is a Court wherein the Laws of God are to be pleaded to become a Consistory wherein a man shall be impowered to absolve himself from any of Gods Laws and shall take the freedom to act in all things according to his own Prescriptions What can be imâ—gin'd to be more Irrational and Atheistical then this This must needs be an Inlet to all manner of Abominations Even they that blaspheme God pluck the Lord Jâ—sus as much as in them lies from the Throne of his Deity beâ—y the Holy Ghost in charging the vilest Errours upon the holy Spirit of Truth trample upon the precious Ordinances of the Gospel and pretend to be above them revile reproach and curse the children of God and when they have opportunity persecute them to the death even these will for these wicked Opinions and Practices plead Liberty of Conscience Intolerable Impudence Damnable Impiety Now such weeds as these grow apace under the favourable Influences of the higher Planâ—ts This Liberty once indulg'd will soon become abundantly fruitful in the worst of Evils Let this Jubile the year of General Release be but once proclaim'd and the Church of God shall soone feele the sad and woful effects thereof Leave every man but to walk in his own way and we shall soone see the Vineyard of God troden down while its continually traverst in a thousand crosse and crooked paths Thus when there was no King in Israel every one did that which was right in his own eyes * Jud. 17.6 and 21.25 And what was this but every one might be as wicked and licentious as he list These were perillous Times in Israel But when the Bounds of sinne are removed the Banks of the Sea of Gods Wrath shall be broken up and his Judgements shall break forth as mighty Waters upon such sinners So sayes the Lord by the Prophet Hosea †Hos 5.10 The Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound therefore I will poure my Wrath upon them like Water Thus when that liberty is contended for which tends to Licentiousnesse when Impiety is grown so impudent as to plead for Impunity the Dayes are evil the Times are perillous But if the Opinion favour'd be so perillous the Practice allow'd must needs be extreamly pernicious If the Seed be so bitter what fruit can we expect it should bring forth but Gall and Wormwood This Provocation therefore is capable of a higher Degree which must needs be productive of the greater Peril as in the next case The second Case Protection of Errour and false-Worship VVHen Errour and False-worship hath as much Countenance and Protection from men in Authority as Truth and the true worship of God the Times must needs be perillous When the Harlot hath equal favour with the Queen and the Stews as strong a guard as the Palace When Thieves and Robbers shall be as quietly permitted and as fully protected in stealing and robbing as the faithful Shepheard in watching his Flock and painful Labourer in working in the vine-yard When Mad-men shall be suffer'd to go up and down with naked swords in their hands to kill and slay all that are not able to resist them When Plague-sick men shall have freedome to walk the streets and our Enemies full liberty to impoyson our Springs When a Guard shall be granted to them that come to throw Baits of Wild-fire into the City of God for the kindling of those fires that cannot be quenched When men shall be protected in their undermining the foundations