ears to hear the word of God God had punished Pharoah and his host and his people in Egypt ten times yet Phareah was not satisfied but followed Israel to the Red-Sea now God will make the Sea to punish Pharoah the very Sea can do it God spake but the word and those great waters a wonderful thing divided hither and thither and contrary unto their natures stood like two crystal walls congealed until the Israelites passed through but when Pharoah and his host assayed to do the like God spoke the word and like two Jaws they close again and devoured Pharoah and his host The Sea was executioner of Gods wrath upon that proud-hearted King Look upon things upon the earth they are all ready to execute vengeance upon Gods enemies the Fly the Locust the Caterpiller yea the very Lice God maketh use of to bring down the proud heart of Pharoah and not only these inferiour creatures but all sorts of creatures yea the very Devils and wicked men stand ready to execute wrath even upon those that are as wicked as themselves The very Devils if God hath a mind to punish a man they will be ready to run to inflict the punishment They will do it nay they are very desirous they would go more about this work of plaguing and punishing men than God is willing they should do and it was meer importunity as I may say whereby the Devil did get God to try Job It is true those afflictions came not in wrath upon Job but for trial but however it was in wrath from the Devil But God giveth the Devil leave to burn Job his Cattel by fire from Heaven to raise a mighty storm to bring the house down upon the heads of his children while feasting to stir up the Sabeans to come into the field and take away his Cattel And what he doth here for Job so he will do it for those that are otherwise his professed friends and followers Ahab was a good servant of the Devil but Ahab had angred God and God was resolved he would spare him no longer but cut him off How will God cut him off He shall be cut off in battel saith God But how shall Ahab be brought to the battel there steps one out a lying spirit I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab his false Prophets and these false Prophets shall perswade Ahab to go to the battel and there thou shalt cut him off This was the Devil the Devil that had put Ahab upon Idolatry the Devil that had put Ahab upon selling himself to do wickedly the Devil is readiest to do execution upon Ahab when his time is come Saith God he hath been false and treacherous to me Go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of his Prophets and they shall prevail upon him to lead him out to the battel and I will provide an arrow that shall take away his life Wicked men are ready to do execution upon any people that God is angry with God threatneth his people Israel I will but hiss for such a people and they will all come What a great people were the Babylonians I will but becken I will but nod I will but speak a word and all that great Empire of Babylon shall be in arms For what to pull thee in pieces Oh Judah and Oh Jerusalem So likewise if there were any instruments that did wilfully help forward the burning of the City I tell you they had all their orders But will God give wicked men order to do thus wickedly no. God only gives them order to inflict the evil as it is a punishment no otherwise what wickedness there is in the principle of him that is the executioner that is to himself God gave commission to the Devil to burn Job's Cattel and to destroy Job's Children the Devil doth it maliciously and with an intent to make Job blaspheme God Ay but God doth only give leave for the trying of Job So when God maketh use of wicked men to inflict a judgment he intendeth nothing but the demonstration of his righteousness against sin but wicked men they may have malicious ends of their own So if God should give leave to men to burn the City I tell you though the instruments be wicked and do it wickedly they are crooked staves but yet therewith God strikes a right stroke a right blow It was sin in Judas to betray his Master yet the Apostle Peter tells you it was according to the determinate counsel of God God had so ordered it in his Providence that Judas should be one of the twelve that should betray Christ so ye see that God is the author of all the evil of punishment but not of the evil of sin He is the author of it by decreeing of it by providing means to affect his Decree But then lastly we shall add the reasons hereof when God doth bring evil upon a City Why doth God bring evil upon a City I answer you the principal reason for which God doth bring evil upon a City it their sin for their sins and their punishments are relatives where there is no sin there is no such thing as punishment The Fire of London so far as it was London's punishment it doth respect the sin of London it was for sin This is very clear in all the Judgments that we read of they are all for sin Why did God drown the old world because their imaginations were evil and that continually it was for sin Why did God burn Sodom it was for sin their sins cried in the ears of God Why did God threaten the Twelve Tribes it was for sin Why was ten of them destroyed by the Assyrians about threescore and ten years after this Amos prophesied it was for sin God telleth us so And why was Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians for their sin And so the rest And if so if sin is the cause of all the Judgments you read of in the Book of God then you must conclude where there was so great a Judgment so great a punishment inflicted upon London it was for sin it was for the sin of London Why what sins are there that God is so angry with they are of two sorts there are sins against nature or the Law written upon the heart and there are sins against the Gospel against the grace of God in Christ Jesus The sins against the law written in the heart they are enumerated in Rom. 1.28 They liked not to retain God in their knowledg God gave them up to a reprobate mind to do the things which are not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness fornication covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity whisperers and so he goeth on these are sins against nature against the law of nature and usually these are the sins for which God doth punish the Gentiles or those that never had the Law nor Gospel But then the sins against the Gospel are the greatest
the Presbytery and Prayer in a great Congregation at St. Mary-Axe Church London like a good Husband-man as he was careful when he had sown his seed with diligence in Preaching of the Word to see how it sprang up so he was to prepare the ground for the receiving of it by Catechizing his people which he was very zealous to carry on successfully as you may see by the Epistle before the short Catechism he recommended in the words he then printed To all the Inhabitants of the Parish of Newington-Butts Grace and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ My dear Parishioners GOD is my witness how the Salvation of your never-dying Souls is desired by me If I could not have compassionated you as men and women drawing near to that Tribunal where you shall within these few days receive your final sentence either to everlasting Happiness or Torment I had never been so earnest and importunate with you in my Pulpit for your hearty entertainment of the Lord Jesus in a sincere obedience to his Laws and unfeigned love of his person and benefits as the only way to eternal life And if the same love and tenderness had not continued in me I would never have ventured upon this toylsome laborious work of sending for you family by family to instruct you in the knowledg of that Jesus Christ through whom only you expect to find salvation If God shall be pleased to make you as willing a people to learn as he hath made me willing to spend and be spent in this service of teaching you I shall have cause to praise him to my dying day The God and Father of our Lord Jesus perswade your heart to receive his teachings of you in your Ministers that you may not shut the knowledg of himself in the Gospel out of your doors which will prove of more sad and dreadful consequence to your Souls than you imagine Amen So prays one that unfeignedly loves you and that is willing to sacrifice health strength ease and all I have in the service of your Souls Thomas Wadsworth AT the end of the Catechism he adjoyn'd an Admonition I have here presented you but with a few things to commend to your memories but if through age or other weaknesses some of you cannot get this little without book let me desire you to perfect your selves in the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments But however if you are Parents or Masters and Mistresses of families let me entreat you to command your Children and Servants to get the rest and to hear them say it once or twice a week you may make it part of your Lords-days work and adjoyn it to your Praying Reading or Repetition of what you heard when you come home Having laboured much in this and other ways with great success to reduce the Inhabitants of that great Parish from their disorderly living to the obedience of the Gospel After a profession of their faith Printed singly after the example of the Ministers in the Worcester-shire Association he engag'd those instructed who were willing to joyn in all Ordinances to signifie in these words I do consent to be a member of the particular Church of Christ at Newington-Butts whereof Thomas Wadsworth is Teacher and Overseer and to submit to his Teaching and Ministerial guidance and oversight according to Gods word and to hold communion with that Church in the publick worshipping of God and to submit to the brotherly admonition of fellow-members that so we may be built up in knowledg and holiness and may the better maintain our obedience to Christ and the welfare of this society and hereby may the more please and glorifie God XLI You see what pains and cost he was at for the good of the Souls under his Charge at Newington where you had before from his Hearers in Mr. Baxters Preface to his Two last Sermons a more particular account of his most exemplary and unwearied industry in his Ministerial-office And then on the Lords day in his own family when his great work was over in the publick Congregation he us'd to have Sermons repeated and he himself prayed and Sung Psalms with them yea and being well instructed of his Lord and Master who knew how to speak a word in season to him that is weary and remembring the Apostles charge for Preaching the Word 2 Tim. 4.2 to be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine He did in a time of an extraordinary long Frost when poor Watermen were sorely put to it for a subsistence set up an Expository-Lecture for four or five mornings in a week at least two months together When it pleased God to manifest his special presence with him in this seasonable work for it prov'd the means of turning several from their evil ways unto God and some who had liv'd loosely before can to this day with humility and thankfulness testifie that a work of grace was then wrought upon them So that they were seals to his Ministry and to that truth of the Wisemans Prov. 25.11 A word fitly spoken or seasonably on the wheels is like Apples of gold in Pictures of silver This was extraordinary but the other was his course whiles he continued at Newington which was till Mr. James Meggs who vouch'd himself to be Legal Rector of it forc'd him to resign that Benefice to him in August 12. Carol. 2di and put an end to all Suits only he yielded that Mr. Wadsworth should Preach there till Septemb. 29. next ensuing Though Mr. Meggs sometime before his death could not but acknowledge that however he had given Mr. Wadsworth trouble he had not before that real and legal title to Newington he had made the world believe he had But our Practical Divine had learn'd to suffer rather than to do any wrong XLII However the great God who had made much use of this choice instrument in his work would not let him as yet lye by useless For after he was remov'd from Newington by no fair dealing as before of him that succeeded besides his Lecture on Saturday mornings at S. Antholins yea and for some time likewise there at five of the Clock in the evening of the Lords days and for a Winter or two on Monday nights at Margrets Fish-street-Hill London where by the concourse of Auditors 't was evident his labours were much valued though he had low thoughts of the apprehension of men He was by the Parishioners in whose power the presentation or nomination then was chosen to be Minister of Laurence Poultney where he continued and being then a Widower and removing from the House of his intimate friend Mr. Sedgwick then marrying liv'd in the family of his worthy friend Mr. Robert de Lunà Merchant till the frowning Bartholomew 1662. when he was ejected thence and out of his Lectures as 2000 of his Brethren were elsewhere because they could not assent and consent
a deformed one but a Virgin without wrinkle without spot when the Church is sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and nothing in your hearts but love fear and holiness then you have this beauty that is without spot or wrinkle sin does sully the soul but grace taketh away spots and wrinkles Likewise 2. The Church is compared to a Woman for her affection their affections ordinarily are more strong 'T is said of Jonathan his love did exceed the love of women The Holy Ghost compareth the Church to a Woman to signifie that all the members of Christ have a very ardent love and affection to Christ No love so strong as the love of a Saint to Christ and therefore 't is said That many waters cannot quench it There are few will be beggered for the sake of another or banished or hanged upon a Gallows for the sake of another burnt at a stake for anothers sake and yet the love of a Saint maketh nothing of all this it rejoiceth to see its goods spoil'd for Christ to think it self worthy to be whipt for Christ to go up a ladder and to be thrown down with a rope about its neck for Christ Water cannot quench a Saints love neither can fire hinder a Saint from Christ neither things present or things to come can sepaparate from Christ You would all be of this Church pray look that you have affections suitable for Christ You may have a time to try your affections if you want affections you are none of this Woman 3. The Church is compared to a Woman for her fruitfulness the Church of Christ is a fruitful Church that is the society of the Lord Jesus do bring forth daily children to God and as like the Father as they can look The Church does meet together to preach the Gospel and to pray and praise God together and God does so bless them with the Ordinances that they do convert sinners unto God they bring souls that were aliens in their mind they bring them to acquaintance with God The Church is always travelling and bringing forth and God does bless her to bring Sons and Daughters to himself and when they are born they are like Christ patient as Christ was patient meek as he was meek humble as he was humble and heavenly as he was heavenly Whoever pretend to be a Son or Daughter of this Woman and do not bear the Image of the Lord Jesus Christ they are bastards Barrenness under the Law 't was counted a very great curse So take this note to find out the Church of Christ upon earth and in England look upon the several societies professing the name of Christ see which look the most like him have they affections to Christ is there a beauty in their lives are they barren do they convert sinners to them Some cry with a loud voice The Temple of the Lord are we but I pray see if they are fruitful Are they travelling and bringing forth and have they Sons and Daughters brought forth daily to them or little conversion among them they are not fruitful they have not Sons and Daughters born to Jesus Christ and by that you may know where to find Christs Church Lastly The Church is compared to a Woman because of her weakness the Woman is the weaker sex she is not made for fighting but in case of danger for flying for this is the nature of the Church it is not of a domineering boisterous spirit but a womanly spirit modest humble and meek Where you see a people pretend to be this Woman pouring out malice and wrath a domineering people are they like this Woman that flyeth in time of danger but not from Christ vers 3. And there appeared another great wonder in Heaven behold a great red Dragon and that 's the Devil and the Dragon stood before the woman to devour her child as soon as it was born But what was the end did she fight no there were Angels stood to contend for her she took up no arms thought not upon fighting but presently the Angel rescued her vers 7. And there was war in Heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon and his Angels fought and prevailed not That is the host of Angels did contend with the Devil and his Angels and would not permit him to destroy her and she fled into the Wilderness vers 6. And she fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days She fled into a Wilderness but in a secure state she was secur'd in her Wilderness and God lookt after her and we are in this thousand two hundred threescore days She is a weak Church but strong in Christ and if so my brethren though you be weak and meek as a sheep and compared to a Woman the weaker sex yet notwithstanding fear not for I cannot stand to speak of all the things in this Chapter Great wings were given her to fly with the whole earth stept out to help her and swallowed up the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth and the Angels helped her Well now let us come to the attire I have shewn you the reasons why she is compared to a Woman and we will begin at her head and so come down to her foot On her head a Crown of twelve Sâ—arâ— and her body was clothed with the Sun and under her foot the Moon What was this Crown of twelve Stars if you do but mark the H. Ghost through this book of the Revelations you will find him take a great deal of pleasure in this number twelve and he does always use it when he speaketh of the true Church the new Jerusalem it had twelve Gates and the Tree of life in the midst of this new Jerusalem this Tree of Life bore twelve sorts of fruits this you have in the last Chapter And in the midst of the streets of it and of either side of the river was there the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the Nations Why twelve Gates for the City and twelve fruits upon the tree and twelve Stars upon the Crown of this Church what is the meaning of this I will tell you what it is You know Jesus Christ when he went about to gather this Church out of the world he did chuse twelve men that were his Apostles and these twelve men he did acquaint with the whole mystery of the Gospel all the things that he would have them teach the world he gave them in commandment and they were to be under him the Fathers to beget this Church And Christ calleth them lights Ye are the lights of the world because they were to deliver forth this Doctrine of the Gospel this light from Heaven these truths that lead men like tapers through this dark Dungeon
setled up he mounts Upon his Royal Steed Who prancing through the streets is prais'd For his victorious deed Just so my glorious blessed Prince With vict'ry on his side Being won with ghastly gaping wounds In triumph he must ride Down with a Chariot made of clouds From th' Palace-yard on high His Father sent to setch his Son In great solemnity Before he steps up to his seat Like Royal Prince he gave Rich-wonder-working gifts to 's friends And then he took his leave Strait at command the foaming winds With prancings up they fly Proud of the burthen that they drew A load of Majesty When he got home Oh! with what shouts Of joy did Heav'n resound When th' Father sat him on his Throne And there himself him crown'd Angels and Saints do all at once The Song of the Lamb sing As worthy of all honour praise Yea worthy to be King Sit there thou great Victorious Prince At thy Fathers right hand Bring down thine en'mies to thy feet Rule all by thy command HYMN V. The Souls Access LOrd hear my knocking 's hark my crys Want drives me to thy door Oh! chide not do not say Away I was here once before Where shall I go thou only hast That life none gives beside I went about the world to beg For life but all deni'd Thou art my God and Saviour To thee I naked creep Besmear'd in blood and tears I lie Lord pity see I weep If I have sin'd Lord thou hast di'd To free me thou wast sent And thou hast said I shall not die If that I will repent Justice Oh hold a while thy stroke Suffer a sinner plead It 's for my life one word and then Strike on and make me bleed If I had sin'd and would not yield But stoutly stand it out Thy wrath might then have broacht my heart And let my life run out If I had heard a Christ was come With open arms to save Had I not run for refuge there Mercy I might not crave Now Justice strike 't is done but see Where I incircled lye Within the folds of Jesus arms Strike in his arms I 'le die Chear up my heart the storm is o're Justice is ris'n and gone All thy accusers creep away Thy Christ is lest alone What blessed voice was that I heard My Son rise off thy knees Thy sins are pardon'd thou art free And I have paid thy fees Lord what a quick dispatch hast thou In grace giv'n to my cause I am arraign'd acquit set free By thy most gracious Laws Had I not guilty dar'd to plead Though fraught with Angels skill How sure my impannel'd conscience would Have sought and found the bill HYMN VI. The descent of the Spirit WHO knows the winds from whence they come Or whither they do go The holy breathings we receive Are from the Spirit ev'n so Sometimes its cooling gales we feel On Conscience all on fire Sometimes its cooling heats we find Our nummed hearts inspire This is that Holy Ghost that Christ Did promise for to send This is that pow'rful Spirit that Our stubborn hearts must bend Jerusalem the City was Design'd for his descent Thither the Christians at th' command Of th' Heavenly Angel went No sooner were they set but straight A mighty tempest rose Shook the foundations of the house Which they for pray'rs had chose Struck with amazement soon there fell Flames shap't both flat and long Which hovering light upon each head Much like a Cloven-tongue Those little fiery bushes were But wonders for to shew That th' wonder-working Spirit was Come down to men below For straight he tun'd each Christians tongue All Languages to speak The Parthians Medes and Elamites To them their minds might break Thousands of Salem flock to see This strange unheard-of thing They flock too fast for they forget Good hearts with faith to bring Some are amaz'd but others scoff Some praise but others say They have too much of tongue they 'r drunk With much new wine to day Oh injur'd God! how can'st thou bear These dreadful Blasphemies These wonders speak thy Gospel true They say it 's nought but lyes Scarce fifty days now past thy Son With nails they Crucifi'd And now to heap up sin on sin Thy Spirit they deride Instead of wrath Gods bowels yern Yet thinks them thoughts of Grace The bleeding Christ while Peter preacht The Spirit gave them chace Three thousand hearts at once he struck Who bleeding came and cri'd What shall we do we do believe On Christ we Crucifi'd O holy conquering Spirit thou Those souls did'st captivate This is a second wonder wrought Which we with Songs relate Oh let me find thy heats within As a refiners fire Purge from my heart all dross and sin This this is my desire HYMN VII First Part. THOU dreadful Judg whose Majesty Angels themselves adore That can't with open face thee see But clap their wings before When thou with whispers dost but chide The arch of Heaven doth quake Big-bellied clouds forth lightning bring And into thunders break When that thy wrath it doth but breathe Great storms of whirlwinds rise Hail snow and rain come tumbling down Whilest th' trembling sinner flies The lofty mountains stoop their heads To hide them in their vales Great men and Princes shrink for fear Their hearts and courage fails Some high and mighty Angels hatcht Treason against his Crown He spar'd them not but from their Throne With vengeance pull'd them down He chains of darkness on them laid As pris'ners doth them keep Against the great and terrible day When hardest hearts shall weep When the old world thy name forgot And laid aside their fears The gentle wrathful Heavens wept Drowns it with showers of tears When Sodom and Gomorrah burnt With fires of wanton lust With flakes of fir'd brimstone thou Those Cities burnd'st to dust Sion it self that darling hill In Salem that did stand Them both for slaying of thy Son Thou mad'st a fire-brand Our bleeding carcasses thy sword leaves reeking on the ground Yet after this we no more fear Than men fall'n in a swound Second Part. When thou O mighty God shalt come Riding upon the wind To judg the world Oh! in what place Will th' wicked refuge find How shall we hear thy shrill voice't trump Cleaving th' air asunder To wake our ashes in their graves With noise like claps of thunder Lord what a glorious train is that That on their wings do ride Look how they post in full career Thronging on either side Oh! they 're the Angels of the Lord Egypt's first-born that slay'd That took poor Lazarus soul that di'd And him in bosom laid The Trump shall sound and Michael then Th' Archangel strait shall cry Arise you dead to judgment come The Lord your lives must try Look how the wicked's bodies crawl Like Toads out of their den What ghastly fearful looks they bear They look like frighted men Why do you sinners now thus quake Call for your