but the glory was remooved the Lord gave him no answere any more from thence The like might be shewed still in the story further as we shall see after in the particulars but this may suffice for the present to manifest this point To returne therefore to our selves we are first to inquire what are the most evident signes of Gods glorious presence in his Church especially in the daies of the Gospell and heereby we are to judge of our estate and whether in regard heereof we have not just cause to feare the Lords departure without speedy repentance and all to give our selves to watch and pray Like as the word sincerely preached and the Sacraments administred according to our Saviours institution are the most infallible marks of the true visible Churches of Christ amongst which he hath promised his presence so long as these are duly observed maintained and reverenced so we may marke also thorow the booke of God fowre most lively evidences of his glorious presence in his Church amongst his people One whereof is more inward felt chiefly in the soules and consciences of men to wit the Spirit of the Lord accompanying the word and the powerfull operation thereof in mens hearts in and by the same word to cause all men to acknowledge the Lord to be there The other three are more outward and apparant to the view of the world although they be nothing but the fruits and effects of the same spirit The first of which three is when the Lord gives to his people abundance of saving and sanctifying knowledge of his heavenly word The second when together with this knowledge he worketh in them true holinesse of life and conversation and obedience to the same word and withall peace and unitie among his people arising from the same The third is in protection when he declares himselfe to be present amongst his people in shielding and protecting them and overthrowing all the plots of the enemies or casting a feare upon the enemie that they dare not rise up against his Church and chosen flocke For the first of these which is more inward viz The Spirit of the Lord speaking and working powerfully in the word It is not the word alone nor the Spirit alone but the word and Spirit going together The Spirit accompanying the word and speaking to the hearts and consciences of men out of the mouthes of his servants This is the Tenor and the very substance of Gods covenant with his Church for the infallible demonstration of his presence in it and with it And I will make this my covenant with them saith the Lord to his Church My spirit which is upon thee my word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seede from henceforth for ever To make this more plaine As in the time of the law not the Arke alone nor the mercie seate covered with the Cherubims but the answeres from the Arke given immediatly from God were were the undoubted evidences of his most glorious presence amongst them so this must needs be acknowledged of all That not the Gospell alone nor the bare ministry thereof but the powerfull working of the spirit thereby speaking to every mans soule and conscience is the most evident demonstration of the same glorious presence in the dayes of the Gospell As for example when the word is lively and mighty in operation powerfull in converting mens soules and drawing the people of God after it This is the true presence and arme of the Lord. As it was when the Holy Ghost was sent downe appearing in forme of cloven tongues like fire to shew the heavenly fire that should accompany the word and inflame the hearts of the elect like as it then wrought wonderfully upon the consciences of the hearers and that very worke was an infallible witnesse of the presence of the Lord so is it now according to the manner of the working and measure thereof When by the same spirit some are pricked at their hearts with remorse for their sinnes and made to cry out Men and brethren what shall we doe as those who were so pricked at the hearts at Peters sermon When other have their hearts burning within them as the two Disciples going toward Emaus at the opening applying of the Scriptures unto them When as others are smitten downe to the earth in the sense of their own vilenesse and the Majestie of Iesus Christ as persecuting Saul who was made thereby a preaching Paul And when others are compelled to confesse That they neuer heard men speake so as those who came of purpose being sent by the Pharises to catch our Saviour Or as the poore simple man who comming in and hearing the word so Preached is made thereby to fall upon his face and enforced to acknowledge That God is in these men of a truth when others also shall receive such a strong assurance of the truth of God taught unto them being indeed his very word as they cannot be drawne away from it by any violence or feare no nor yet by any perswasions though an Angell should come from heaven and teach them otherwise And to conclude this point This must needs be confessed of all to be the most cleere and invincible testimony of his most gratious and glorious presence and of his spirit powred plentifully upon his Church when by the power of the word the blinde eyes are opened the deafe heare the stonie hearts are bruised the dead in sinne are raised to a new and holy life for this is not a a worke of flesh and blood but of the Spirit of the Lord onely This was a principall part of that lively presence whereby he was so wonderfull and after a sort visible in the primitive Church when the same day were added to the Church about three thousand soules by the preaching of Peter and the other Apostles and after when the Church increased so admirably And by this he hath promised to be with his faithfull ones teaching his truth sincerely unto the end of the world This finally is the full accomplishment of that promise To powre downe his Spirit upon his people in the dayes of the Gospell when he would gather his Church in any place as we may see thorow all the Historie of the Acts. And even as it was then so is it now according to the measure of grace whereby he sends downe his holy Spirit upon any Congregation And in some Congregations under faithfull Ministeries all these blessed be God are apparent thus graciously manifesting his presence thereby And therefore the more generally that this operation appeares in Preachers and people the more visibly doth the glory of the Lord shew it selfe and the more
securitie may such a people have for the certaintie of the Lords presence continued amongst them Every man may discerne and know it hereby But contrarily this is as evident a signe of Gods departure from a people and of some heavy judgement hasting upon them when either the preaching shall become generally cold and fruitlesse except in some small remnant which evermore the Lord doth reserve in his Church or though it be powerfully preached by some few yet men shall become generally more obstinate blinde hard-hearted and without feeling given up to follow their lusts with greedinesse when by it they shall have their hearts as hard as the nether mill-stone or the Smithes stithie that the oftner they are smitten the harder they are And further also this is so palpable that it may be felt when men shall come to this height of prophanenesse that hearing the most excellent Prophets of God they shall heare them onely as those who have pleasant voyces listening to their words but not doing any thing in effect which they teach as the people heard the Prophet Ezechiel Thus it went with them very generally before this Captivitie according as the Lord had bidden the Prophet Isaiah to denounce threescore yeeres and more before it came that by hearing they should heare and not understand and seeing they should see and not perceive but have their hearts made more fat least they should convert and be healed And ever the neerer the vengeance approched the more apparent this judgement was as appeareth in the Prophets untill their Land was laid desolate like as the Lord had threatned them before So was it also before that last utter desolation of that Nation of the Iewes whereupon we may observe this that no one Scripture is oftner alledged by our Saviour and by Paul and cited by all the Evangelists than that of Isaiah is against them to shew how that was fulfilled in their obstinacie which was so long before denounced by the Prophet and that the fulfilling of it was a cleare evidence that the Lord intended their ejection and subversion Thus saith our Saviour plainely Therefore could they not beleeve because Esaias saith againe He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and should be converted and I should heale them But of all other this is the most dreadfull signe of the Lords removing from any place when he shall begin to take those his servants away or to cause their tongues to cleave to the roofes of their mouthes by whom he was wont to speake ordinarily in this powerfull manner and to whom he usually gave this testimonie in the consciences of them that heard them That the Lord spake in them indeed when he shall plucke away those whom formerly he kept as Moses in the breach to stay his vengeance what doth he else but say Let me alone that I may destroy them at once Thus he dealt with the most faithfull Prophets before the Captivitie shutting up Ieremie in prison letting Ezechiel be in bonds afterwards removing him frō them Or when the Prophets in steed of miting at sin with the mightie arme of the spirit of the Lord viz his own word powerfully preached shall begin to smite with the weake arme of flesh namely the inticing words of mans wisdome and with the ostentation of humane learning and eloquence and this as shouldering forth the pure word of the Lord sincerely preached as being too weake and meane The more sensible this judgement groweth in any Church the more is the glory of the Lord removed to the very threshold the more also is his utter departure to be feared and the finall leaving of such a people without unfeyned and speedie seeking to pacifie him Now to returne to our selves and hereby also to discerne of our estate Let us all who ever have had any true feeling of this working of the Spirit of the Lord in us and whose consciences are not utterly feared or who have used to observe the manner of Gods working in his Church enter into a due consideration hereof Let us examine this betweene the Lord and our owne consciences whether the preaching of the Gospell have still that operation amongst us which sometimes it hath had to convert mens soules to draw multitudes after it in the love of it selfe unlesse it be happily to heare some man of fame or for his rare and singular gifts or for some like by-respects And whether this power of it be not fearefully abated except in some very few places and those for most part where formerly it hath not bin as in some rude countryes towards the Northerne parts whither it is daily observed to remove as ready to take the farewel when it hath gathered forth Gods chosen of them and convinced the rest And whether Satan Antichrist and this evill world with the pleasures and pompe of it doe not draw men wonderfully from Iesus Christ to follow after them whether multitudes rush not violently to all licentious profanenesse in steed of the zealous profession of the Gospell of Christ others to Poperie and superstition againe which was so far rooted out of our Land and by the most abhorred and this after the time that God hath more discovered the abomination of that bloodie religion than ever heretofore Let us but call to minde how it hath bin formerly with us in those places where God was wont to speake unto us by his messengers and how it is now for most part whether in many places where the Arke of God still remaines I meane the Word and Sacraments whether I say the glorious and lively voyce of the Spirit that piercing of our hearts that burning in our soules with those unspeakeable comforts which we were wont to finde therein be not decayed exceedingly whether it be not with all who are fallen to fashion themselves to the extreme licentiousnesse and loosenesse of the time even as it was with Saul That the Lord speaks to them no more tho they have happily the same Preachers and the booke of the Law and heare the curses against their sinnes yet they neither feele nor feare them any more whether that lively presence which did shake their hearts be not utterly gone yea whether we do not see this generally that men are every where more voyde of all feeling of sinne and of the feare of any judgement whereby that spirituall judgement doth daily seize upon us most evidently That by hearing the threatnings against us we heare but understand no more and seeing the signes and tokens of his wrath for our sinnes we see them indeed but we are moved no longer with them but as they so we have our hearts more fat our eares more deafe and our eyes still more blinded And if
vengeance Thorow out haue I striuen to shew my loue and earnest desire not onely to the whole but also to saue euery soule from these plague Yet haue I not indeuoured any more herein than the Angell for Lot in labouring to pull vs out of the destruction remayning for the impenitent nor any more than Esay Ieremie Ezechiel with other the Prophets and faithfull men of Iudah did before the Captiuitie in seeking to turne away that calamitie and all other their miseries from them nor going past the bounds of the word of the Lord deliuered by those Prophets Nor yet any more at all than I take to be the dutie of euery faithfull Minister and Man of God so far as the Lord shall offer him opportunitie to seeke to preserue all from Gods wrath and to plucke euery soule out of the fire of his vengeance And this by shewing all sorts their sinnes to bring them to repentance thereby by haling drawing to get euery Lot out of Sodom before the destruction come If any one shall be offended for the discouerie of his sinne amongst the generall without the knowledge and sight whereof he cannot be saued and that onely because he would still liue in it or would not be awaked his displeasure therein is no more to be regarded than if one in an heauy sleep in the midst of an house all on fire about him now ready to fall vpon his head to burne him to ashes whom God shall enable to pull forth any such when he shall awake them and cause them to see their danger wherein they were and their gracious deliuerance then will they magnifie his great name that those did so aduenture themselues for them and esteeme such aboue all other of the earth And as for the displeasure of men better is it ten thousand times to haue all the world offended with vs for our labouring in loue and dutie in our place to saue and pull men from vnder Gods wrath and forth of the very pit of hell so much as he shall vouchsafe vs mercy than to haue the Lord angry with vs for being vnfaithfull in that which hath beene committed vnto vs and for neglecting to saue his people from destruction Oh what extreme foolishnes is it to feare man whose breath is in his nostrils and whose heart is in the Lords hand to turne as the boates in the waters to incline as pleaseth him who cānot moue a finger at vs but by his permission nor do any more than he wil turne to 〈◊〉 good and not to feare him who if he be angry with vs neuer so little all our dayes are gone Who would haue killed Moses for omitting the circumcising of his childe who brought the tempest on the sea and would not suffer it to cease vntill that Ionah was throwne into it because he prouided for his owne peace with neglect or at least through feare of performance of that dutie inioyned him which was to goe to Niniue to preach vnto them That within fortie dayes Niniue should be destroyed Who finally threatneth Ieremie to destroy him before the people if he feare their faces and will certainely whip his dearest seruants vnto his worke if they begin to loyter We therefore who are Gods messengers had neede to looke vnto it to indeuour so far as we may keeping within our limits to pull all sorts of sinners with violence out of the fire and to striue to set their sinnes before their faces in their natiue colours And the rather that so all of vs seeing the heynousnesse of our owne sinnes and of the sinnes of our Land may come to some more due consideration of the infinitenesse we did not vnderstand them I take and hold it to be necessarie still to try further all holy meanes we know not which the Lord will blesse Surely for the greatest part the most plaine is the most profitable But if it shall be obiected that the applications to the particular kindes of sinnes and sinners are ouer plaine and come too neere the quicke I answer againe Blessed man is he who can finde them to come neere to his owne corruption and sinne Is not this the onely way to driue vs to behold the true brasen serpent when we feele our selues stung at our hearts Can euer any wretched sinner cry out Men and Brethren what shall I doe that I may be saued vntill he haue his soule thus pierced Or can any fornicator adulterer blasphemer or any other notorious sinner finde the soueraigne cōfort which is in Christs bloud but only such a one Yet this I say vnto euery soule that if any thing doe seeme to pierce which is not the word of the Lord or is any way misapplied that it is not any more to be feared than darts of stubble But so far as it is his blessed word following necessarily out of the same it will one day certainely wound vs and better here whilest we may haue our wounds cured againe by applying that soueraigne remedie of the bloud of the Son of God than to be smitten thorow with it when all hope of cure is past and so to haue our hearts galling vs and vexing vs eternally I therefore here doe also humbly beg of all the worthy and faithfull seruants of the Lord as I haue in my former labours to helpe me to bring euery peece of this worke to the tryall for the full assurance of euery soule who is desirous to see his euill way and would escape the day of the Lords wrath or who would seeke to helpe to pacifie his wrath kindled against vs. If there be in it any one sentence which is not either the word of the Lord or not arising out of it and agreable thereto that it may be reformed or if it bewray the least partiall affection in leaning to any side but to the Lord and to his manifest truth agreed vpon by vs all who soundly professe Christs Gospell or the least false testimonie Our most holy and blessed God infinite in wisdome power needes not our lye to bring any of his to repentance nor for setting forth of his glory No no his owne word is inough and shall be found aboundantly sufficient to saue all his elect to destroy all his enemies to deliuer his Church to get himselfe the victorie I dare not wittingly affirme one vntruth no not against the bloudie enemie nor against Sathan himselfe no nor yet wrong any creature vnder heauen farre be it from me to giue the Accuser that aduantage How then may I doe it for the cause of the Lord who abhorreth the very least iniquitie and with whom no euill can dwell Moreouer sith all this wholly tendeth to helpe towards the making and establishing our peace with our God by seeking to recall vs all vnto his obedience that we may euery one renew our vow and couenant with him
the sin of all yet it indangered all See the feare of the people of Israel for the suspition of the provocation by the two tribes and the halfe in the erecting of the altar of witnesse which the rest of the Tribes did thinke that they had done for sacrifice contrary to the commandement of the Lord. They al purposed to have gone immediatly to make war against their brethren for the punishment of that sin yet sent messengers to know the truth of the matter before with this message That if they did rebell against the Lord that day the morrow next he would be wrath with all the congregation of Israell The like we may behold in the feare of the people for the villany committed by some of the inhabitants of the City of Gibeah in abusing the Levites Concubine and the vengeance that came not onely upon the City wherein it was committed but also upon all the Tribe of Benjamin because they delivered them not to be punished but would seeme to defend them for as much as they were apart of their Tribe And not upon that Tribe alone which might seeme justly accessary but also upon all those who helped not to take vengeance for that wicked fact as on all the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead becavse they came not to the war to see Gods judgements executed upon those wicked men To come to the sinnes of particular men Did we not heare before of the vengeance on Israell in the dayes of Ioshuah for the sin of Achan How that worthy Captaine with his valiant soldiers were not able to stand before their enemies untill Achans sinne was found out punished Yea the Lord tels them he will not be with them any more unlesse they destroy the excommunicate from amongst them which thereupon they were glad to doe And far be it from us to thinke the Lord to be unjust in this or any other of his judgements or to have diminished any part of his justice or holinesse unto this day Secondly we cannot forget that anger that was kindled against Israell and the famine that came upon them in the dayes of David for three yeeres together for the sinne of Saul in killing the Gibeonites to gratifie the people contrary to his fidelity Though they were but heathens of the cursed Amorites and had dealt deceitfully with the Israelites in making their covenant Yet the wrath could not be appeased or the Land purged untill vengeance was taken upon his bloudy house for that murther committed so long before And therfore sith his anger may breake forth so long after even for such sins much more for such notorious abominations as are committed daily by them who have given themselves over to all manner of profanenesse and impiety and whereof they can have no such colour or occasion This was the cheife reason of the solemne inquisition which was at the publicke fasts in Israell for the finding out both of notorious offenders and offences to have vengeance taken of them openly Hence was the pretence of Iezabell for the saving of Naboth under a shew of execution of this justice against a blasphemer to pacifie the Lords anger This also seemes to have bin one principall cause why the word was read and preached at those their solemne fasts that thereby the sins might be discovered and reformed as God bids Ieremie to indite and Baruch to write from his mouth and to declare to the people their sinnes with the plagues judgements due unto them that they might returne from their evill wayes and so pacifie his wrath by crying unto him and reforming all the abominations Thus we see this point also cleere That the sinnes of a people even of a few of them not punished do anger the Lord and provoke him against the whole land making the land uncleane neither can he be fully pacified any way but by the punishing and taking away of those sinnes Whereby it is most evident to the consciences of all men what just cause the godly have to sigh and to tremble for all the abominations that are committed amongst them and especially which being notoriously knowne do still remaine unpunished Now to apply this unto our selues And first for the generall humiliation of us all afterward for the comfort of those few that are such true mourners indeed First this may strike the hearts of all sorts who imagining that they are the servants of the Lord yet hearing and seeing the fearfull apostacy coldnesse and security of our age even in many of the better sort together with Atheisme Poperie and all outragious and profane licentiousnesse daily increasing in the rest are yet never troubled therwith And much more may it astonish all such who are so far off from the condition of these mourners as that they can solace themselues as freely when they heare of all excesse in iniquity and whatsoever can bee devised by Iewd men to anger the Lord and to grieve his Spirit as ever they were wont at other times Most of all may it affright and awaken those who use all devices to drive each thought of Gods anger or any judgement with every occasion of humiliation and mourning utterly out of their hearts But of all other is their estate most fearfull who can make the beastly sinnes of others their chiefest sport Oh you that are such consider in your hearts Is this the spirit of Lot Moses Samuel Ieremie Ezra of these mourners heere marked Of our Saviour or Pavl Is this the Spirit of the Lord How deceive you your soules in a vaine imagination what will ye doe in the day of the Lords wrath if he let it come upon us as we justly deserue Or what have ye done to turne it from us Know know for certaine that this sinne of yours will one day undoubtedly bring you weeping enough you cannot tell whether even in this life as it did to them in the Captivity nay even whether this same uery day when you shall do nothing but weep day and night in remembrance of this one sinne that your hearts were so hard in the dayes of your prosperity that you could not mourne at all Besides all the other miseries that you are liable unto for all your sinnes chiefly if God should give you up for them when you shall be utterly destitute of comfort of the Lords mercy protection and-favour untill you shall have soundly bewailed all this your sencelesse security But on the contrary as this is given by the Lord for the comfort of all that mourne for the iniquities because they are surely marked before the vengeance come to be safe then so it may serue for the sweete consolation and cheering up even of all those of every estate and degree from the highest to the lowest who find their hearts thus affected in hearing of and beholding the abominations committed dayly to anger the
THE third part of THE TRVE-WATCH or The Call of the Lord to awake all sorts to meete him speedely with intreaty of peace to turne vnto him by true repentance shewing what causes we haue forthwith to betake orselu's to watching prayer Taken out of the vision of Ezekiel Chap 9. BY IO BRINSIEY The secâ—und edition Imprinted at LONDON for Thomas Pauier 1623. THE THIRD PART OF THE TRVE VVATCH Containing the call of the Lord to awake all sorts to meet him with intreatie of peace and to turne unto him by true repentance shewing what causes we have forthwith to betake our selves to Watching and Prayer Taken out of the Vision of EZEKIEL Chap. 9. By IOHN BRINSLEY IER 36. 2. Take thee a roule of a booke and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel and against Iudah and against all the Nations from the day I spake unto thee from the daies of Iosiah even unto this day VERSE 7. It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord and will returne every one from his evill way for great is the anger and the furie that the Lord hath pronounced against this people HAB. 2. 2. Write the vision and make it plaine upon tables that he may run that readeth it EZEK 18. 30. Repent and turne your selves from all your transgressions so iniquitie shall not be your ruine VERSE 32. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God Wherefore turne your selves and live you LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for THOMAS PAVIER and are to be sold at his shop in Ivie lane 1622. The summe of the whole Booke 1. How the Lord did long forewarne his people of Iudah calling them to repentance sundrie waies before he brought upon them the seventie yeeres captivitie in Babylon And withall the pâ—incipall abominations which provoked him to this heavie judgement 2. The wofull miseries which all sorts endured in that Captivitie when no warnings would preuaile to bring them to unfained repentance and more specially the plagues which came upon the wicked and impenitent 3. Particular application hereof unto our selves and of the manifold forewarnings which we have received chiefly from Babylon above all in the powder treason shewing evidently that the Lord is angrie with us for our sinnes and what use we are to make as of all our forewarnings so chiefly of that Powder-treason 4. How to appease the Lord so as to prevent the like judgements and all other plagues â—nd ever to â—emaine a most happie people unto the comming of Iesus Christ. Also how very one of us may attaine to true Christian boldnesse to be alwaies readie to appeare beâ—ore his Majestie See the more particular contents of the severall Chapters and heads after A Commendatorie Epistle THis Author Christian Reader having desired first my censure now sundrie yeeres agoe and since my joint testimonie touching this worke that by the mouth or two or three witnesses God might make it more effectuall for accomplishing all the good his heart desireth I could no way justly denie the same seeing as the ends which it propoundeth and wholly aimeth at are only to helpe to further the way to our unfained repentance for the generall happinesse of us all yea even of every soule and that our glory may be continued to us and to our posteritie so he hath long travelled in the same and used all holy meanes of triall and examination that there might be nothing in it but that which is necessarie to these ends and which might stand before the Lords Tribunall For the Author himselfe though I have knowne him from my childhood being borne neere unto him brought up in the same Grammar Schoole and after in the same Colledge in Cambridge and ever since beene most familiarly acquainted with him and therefore could speake more in this case then I take to be convenient yet I may wholly spare that paines seeing his owne faithfull and happy labours have so long agoe commended him and made him and his holy affection for the good of all so well knowne to the Church of God As first the first part of this True watch the Rule of Life so much approved of all religious Christians to whose hands it hath come that it hath now the ninth time seene the Presse and gone thorow the triall Wherein he hath set out to the view of all the holinesse and integritie of that way of life which we all jointly professe according to Gods sacred word and the good Lawes of our Christian Commonweale to the justifying of our Church against the Separatists to be the true Church of Iesus Christ and that whosoever so walketh shall undoubtedly finde eternall life and in the meane while all heavenly boldnesse peace and joy And not only against them but also against the superstitious and clamorous Papists who herein slander our Religion affirming it to be a religion of carnall libertie theirs of holinesse ours full of divisions and uncertaintie theirs of perfect unitie thereby to draw our people to a dislike of the eternall truth of our blessed God and to a liking of that popish way which is nothing but meere superstition in outward shews of devotion according to mens inventions and such as God never commanded or required nay such as God hath most expresly forbidden as tending to utter perdition both of soules and bodies So secondly the second part of this True watch the Rule of Praier in which he hath manifested his holy desire and unfained love to the Church of God and his native Countrie for a perfect peace and unitie with all happinesse in the same and hath so laboured to trace out the most sure and plaine way following the direction of our blessed Saviour as that whosoever striveth so to watch pray shall undoubtedly be amongst them that are as the Chariots and horsemen of Israel and helpe to save the Iland And in the third place in his Schoole labours for the benefit of our children and posteritie he hath fully witnessed his longing desire of the perpetuall flourishing of this our Church and Nation concerning which travell to omit all other that one testimonie of the learned Doctor Hall that worthie Deane of Worcester in his Commendatorie Preface before his booke called Ludus Literarius or the Grammar Schoole dedicated to Prince Henrie and Duke Charles speaking out of his owne experience and of sundry other learned many yeeres agoe may fully suffice And much more now of late that more then ordinarie witnesse by that learned Mr. Butlour of Oxford in his fourth Edition of his Rhetoricke who in stead of the commendations of many other of principall note which especially in Oxford are wont to be prefixed before any worke of speciall worth as that is taketh only the testimonie of this Author in a place or two in his Grammar-Schoole and sets it before his booke instead of many there commending him
The Lord hath beene wont to inflict some lesser judgement when the humiliation hath not beene unfained though he have saved his people from the greater and why p. 492 When the time is that the Lord will not spare his people any longer no not at the private praiers of his dearest servants p. 493 Three principall signes hereof 1. When a land is full of bloud 2. When it is full of declining and perversnesse 3. When it is overgone with Atheisme p. 494 For the first what that bloud was whereby their land was so dâ—filed that God would not spare them p. 494 c. The second maine sinne for which God would not spare them their generall all perversnesse and defection increased without hope of returning p. 499 Neither word judgements nor mercies would doe them any more good p. 500 There was also amongst them a marvellous corruption of judgement both in misjudging of the good waies of God and also in wresting of judgement p. 500 Perversnesse in judgement cause of their perversnesse in manners p. 501 Their last and principall sinne a senslesse Atheisme growing upon all that they did not acknowledge God in his judgements as they had beene wont p. 501 Reasons why the Lord cannot spare when these sinnes come to this height as theirs were p. 502 Application to our selves whether we be come to this height of sin and have these tokens thereof p. 504 God hath manifested his love as much to our nation as to any other and that he is most unwilling thiu to enter into judgement with us p. 504 505 He spreadâ—th out to us both his white and his blacke tent together p. 50â— To trie what we can answer the Lord if he charge these things on us as first that our land is full of bloud p. 505 The crie of violence and oppression goeth up to heaven for the crueltie of Landlords Vsurers and men void of commiseration p. 506 The like crie amongst us as was in the daies of Nehemiah p. 506 The crie of the poore in dearths p. 507 The holy law of God for the care to be had for all the poore of the land p. 509 We must sometime lend looking for nothing againe p. 509 How the Lord will blesse such a care for the poore and contrarilie p. 510 Vumercifulnesse crieth loud for vengeance and will bring judgement without mercy p. 510 The generall crie of the poore that they and theirs must be brought to perpetuall beggery p. 511 The husbandman cannot pay his rent but by selling his corne at high prizes and according to the same must usually all other commodities bee that the poore must live in miserie p. 512 What we are growing to hereby p. 512 The cause of all our unmercifulnesse and spoiling commonly viz. to maintaine those sinnes of Sodome Ezek. 16. 49. p. 513 Our land defiled with the bloud of Gods servants in Queene Maries daies p. 513 Deadly malice against all who make conscience to walke in the waies of God by all those who have chosen to live in their owne evill waies p. 514 The advice that a mans wisest friends will give to any noted for profâ—ssion rather to put up all wrongs then in most places to seeke redresse p. 515 Our land full of the bloud of soules p. 515 What our state must needs be herein through the multitude of ignorant and unconscionable Ministers p. 516 Multitudes destroyed by evill ensamples and through the generall neglect of superiours for the soules committed to them p. 517 Application of the second cause why the Lord could not spare them viz. That they fell away more and more p. 517 The word in many places become unfruitfull and without power p. 518. Gods mercies have made us so insolent as to say we will not heare p. 518 Gods judgements have made us to fall away more and more especially since our deliverance from our so long feared day p. 518 Pestilence famine and wilde beasts next forerunners of the sword p. 519 All Gods strokes so multiplied to make us to seeke him have made us more senslesse and to walke more stubbornly against him p. 520 This of all other a most infallible for erunner of vengeance when men wax uncurably worse by smiting p. 520 The manner of the Lords proceeding in judgement against Israel before her Captivitie is recorded for a president to us p. 520 Application to our selves of Gods manner of proceeding with us in judgements p. 521 We almost overthrowne as Sodome being as a firebr and pluckt out of the burning p. 521 God threatneth us with whatsoever he hath denounced seeing we amend not p. 522 God threatneth to smite us seven times more to bring one plague in the end seven times greater then any of the former unlesse we repent p. 522 God having shewed such tokens of his love and compassion towards us will be magnified accordingly p. 522 The third signe of Gods anger and for which he threatneth he cannot spare to wit Atheisme and how it declareth it selfe openly amongst us p. 523 If we had beene rightly perswaded that all our judgements had been sent by the Lord for our sinne we had repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes p. 523 Our timorousnesse to manifest our love to the Lord and our hatred of sinne p. 524 Our generall leaving off to mourne for all our sinnes and tokens of Gods wrath or to tremble before him p. 524 Whence come these menâ—â—â—ned but from some spice of close Atheisme that we thinke at least that God is not so angry against sinne or so regardeth it p. 524 Cause of our drowsie professing in many for that iniquitie hath â—â—gotten the upper hand that it seemes unpossible that ever pietie should looke up againe therefore best to frame our selves to the time p. 525 CHAP. XVI What brings true boldnesse to appeare before the Lord. p. 526 The assurance and safetie of the mourners before the destruction come being sure marked by our Saviour repeated againe for our further comfort p. 526 To be put in minde ever to beare his marke in our foreheads that so we may alwaies have boldnesse before him p. 527 The boldnesse of the marking Angell appearing againe before the Lord and giving up his Commission p. 527 This only can bring boldnesse to appeare before the Lord when we can say Lord I have done as thou hast commanded me p. 528 Our obedience is chiefly in our willingnesse and unfained endevour mourning for our wants and this doth our God accept p. 528 Two notable ensamples of boldnesse hereupon to appeare before the Lord. p. 529 530 Reasons why they only who have done as the Lord hath commanded can be bold to appeare before him p. 531 When all nations shall tremble and shrike they alone shall lift up their heads for joy because of that their happiest day p. 532 The contrary horrour of all who have not done as the Lord hath commanded them whensoever their consciences shall be truly awaked more
Yea we haue neede of Ionah to proclaime vnto vs Yet fortie dayes and England shall be destroyed for her sin And finally when preaching will not serue to awake vs we haue neede of Ieremie or Baruck to write the sinnes of vs all with the plagues which God hath praepared and denounced against vs for the same That euery one euen running by may read them as written in capitall letters vpon tables to try if yet at length by this meanes we may see the greatnes of the anger that is kindled against vs and so repent and retùrne euery one from his euill way that he may forgiue our iniquitie and sin and deliuer vs from the imminent and all like future plagues To this very end that we may behold the Lord himselfe discouering vnto vs our iniquities and so may haue â—o more pretence nor cloakes for our sinnes nor yet surmize the least partialitie here we may all see and that in the very sins of Iudah for which God brought vpon them that terrible captiuitie the Lord himselfe and not men setting before our faces both our sinnes in generall and the transgressions of ech of vs as in particular and how we haue thereby deserued such a iudgement These I haue laboured to set out more fully and to apply them more particularly vnto vs because of the degrees acknowledged by all to be necessarie vnto sound repentance in euery one who lookes to get full assurance of Gods mercy As first a true search sight and sense of his sinne and Gods anger for it 2. Humble confession of it 3. Griefe of heart with detestation of the same 4. Crying for pardon 5. A lowly offering our selues to his Maeiestie to wâ—lke with him all our dayes 6. A faithfull performance of our vowes For this cause haue I bent my chiefe studie to helpe somewhat herevnto that all these parts of true repentance may be wrought in vs and the same made vnfeigned And to this end I haue prepared first as 〈◊〉 and sent before the Couenant of our God with vs in the fiâ—st part of this watch that it might be throughly tryed like as it hath bin approued for many yeares by sundry learned professors of the Gospell euen by all to whom it hath come so far forth as I know to be that truth of God wherein we all agree and the summe of that which the Lord requires of vs generally without which we cannot be established and of euery one particularly if we will be saued In this part I haue likewise set the seuerall branches of the same Couenant before sundry of our heynous sinnes that by comparing them togither we may more liuely behold our transgressions and provocations Yea I haue striuen thorow the whole to helpe that euery one of vs might returne to that his blessed Couenant for the happinesse of vs all and of euery particular soule and to saue vs both from the temporall and eternall vengeance And first in regard of the whole Nation because we all stand continually in danger of that anger of God to be powred out vpon vs which had formerly almost ouerwhelmed vs all and for ought we can imagine must needs ouertake vs in the end vnlesse we more generally repent and turne vnto his Maiestie No policie of man nor humane meanes can euer secure vs from the furie of Babylon and that he should not suffer them to execute their malice vpon vs and leaue them to be executioners of his plagues so often and so neerely accomplished but this our more generall turning All that euer they haue done or doe intend are nothing but the Lordsthreatnings denouncing by them to pluck vs vp to root vs out and destroy vs as we shall see at large in this vision of Ezechiel They are onely Gods axe his souldiers his executioners though themselues know not so much It is true indeed he may deferre his plagues or lessen them at the prayers of his faithfull seruants as he hath done many a day and saued vs in the imminent perils but there is nothing so far as we can perceiue out of the word of the Lord to giue vs any securitie that can cause him to repent of that great plague and destruction which he seemeth to haue denounced so plainly and directly from Heauen against our Realme and Nation so to turne it away but onely our turning from our wickednesse We may all behold our prâ—sent estate in the 18 of Ieremie written as in great letters for euery one to read and that so plainely as none can pretend ignorance but it must of necessitie convince euery conscience in all the Land for to vs it is directed both to vs all in generall and to euery soule particularly At the 5th verse of that Chapter first he sends Ieremie to the Potters house that there he might see the Potter breake the pots in his hand at his pleasure Then the word came vnto the Prophet at that very instant saying O house of Israel cannot I doe with you as this Potter saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the Pottershand so are yee in my hand oh house of Israel And after he adds these words vers 7. I will speake sodeinly against a Nation to plucke it vp and to roote it out and destroy it vers 8. But if this Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague which I thought to bring vpon them vers 9. And I will speake sodeinly concerning a Nation concerning a Kingdome to build it vp to plant it vers 10. But if it do euill in my sight heare not my voyce I will repent of the good which I thought to doe for them vers 11. Speake now therefore vnto the men of Iudah and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem saying Thus saith the Lord Behold I prepare a plague for you and purpose a thing against you Returne now therefore euery one from his euill way and make your wayes and your workes good To apply this to our selues Did not the Lord shew this vnto vs much more visibly than he did vnto Ieremie That we were all as the clay in his hand that he had not onely power to dash vs in peeces but had in effect done it already saue that he did as it were create and forme vs againe of such a sudden that we did all wonder at it and all Nations shall haue cause to wonder to the end of the world How many wayes yea how sensibly and suddenly God hath spoken vnto vs all both proclayming by most infallible tokens that his anger is kindled against vs to the vttermost and that he is ready to powre out vpon vs the full viols of his vengeance and also on the other side declaring in all his long forbearance and admirable dâ—liuerances how vnwilling he is to proceede to the execution if any
other meanes might reclaime vs will euidently appeare to euery one who with any conscience or due consideration shall read that which followeth in this vision And for that other maine point That nothing else can truly secure vs from the execution so as to giue vs true comfort but our turning to the Lords Couenant aske of all the booke of God of all the places conteyning promises and theeatnings to whole Nations whether all the promises be not made vnto our turning and obedient walking in his Couenant and all the threatnings after this manner That if we walke more stubbornely against him he will increase his vengeance accordingly and plague vs yet seuen times more So that all holy meanes are to be vsed to helpe to recall vs to the true obedience of that his holy Couenant that ech may renew the oath of our obedience to Iesus Christ for the happinesse of the whole and of euery soule For God will haue vs all to know That whatsoeuer soule will not returne to his Couenant must dye it must die eternally Yea though we liue not in a wilfull reiecting of all the Couenant but in any one abomination wittingly on rary to the same and much more doing it presumptuously that is both wittingly and willingly being warned and convinced thereof as the word is most direct Yea if we doe not turne and seeke to cause others to turne chiefly all those committed to our charge we must dye Onely that man is a iust man who doth iustice and endeuours to walke in all Gods statutes and to deale truly turning and seeking to cause others to turne that man onely shall liue Neuer any soule shall haue any assurance to escape Gods vengeance or haue true boldnesse to appeare before the Lord but only such a man Aske of the holy Scriptures whether this be not the tenour of them all whether any other be a liuing member of Christ or haue any part in his bloud or in that redemption wrought by him But aboue all this is yet more dreadfull that whosoeuer they be that liue in a wilfull breach of any part of the Couenant of God and chiefly those who wallow in any one of those abominations which brought this captiuitie of Iudah doe not onely destroy their owne soules without vnfeyned repentance but also doe helpe so much as one mans sinne can doe to draw downe the vengeance of God vpon the whole Land to the ruinating both of Church and Common-wealth that bred them Euery of our blasphemers drunkards whoremongers Idolaters profane Sabaoth-breakers despisers of the word of the Lord with all other notorious sinners haue their hands therein Therefore the Lord from heauen speaks vnto vs all and cryes loud vnto vs to turne â—nto him that we may escape his vengeance He hath here in this vision set such a glasse before our faces as wherein we may behold our selues most liuely both our present and future estate what he threatneth to doe vnto vs. Oh thoâ— the vineyard of the Lord he shewes vnto thee that for thy vnfruitfulnes he is about to make thee waste You who are the fruitlesse branches behold your condition either you must bring forth fruit speedily or else be cut downe and throwne into the euerlasting fire You who draw neere vnto God with your lips in an outward profession but your hearts are so far from him that by your lines you giue occâ—â— to his enemies to blaspheme his name he shewes you here thâ— iâ—dgement that he hath prepared for you Open your eyes you cruell oppressors you that flea the poore and needie and behold here what the Lord is prouiding for you and what a destruction you are pulling vpon your owne heads You who spend all your time in pride belly cheere and all excesse of ryot with abundance of idlenesse neuer regarding to strengthen the hands of the poore and needie but still to weaken them by plucking from them violently see whether you are rushing forward bethinke your selues before it be too late You who cast away the word of the Lord scorning and hating to be reformed by it here the Lord forewarnes you what he is bringing vpon you You that pollute his Sabaoths after the manner of the Gentiles to you he himselfe speakes that if you will not obserue his rest he will make the land to rest when it lyeth desolate and no man to passe thorow it Or that at the least your selues shall be thrust forth from his eternall rest into the place of horrour and crying where you shall neuer haue rest day nor night All you who are outragious in your courses and make the euill fashions of all Countries about you euen of the enemies of Christs Gospell and murtherers of his Saints to be your glory you may here behold how you call in continually these wicked enemies to auenge the Lords quarrell and to be the executioners of his most righteous iudgements vpon you Oh you that are turning backe or hastning apace to the vile Idolatrie of former dayes which sometimes very children abhorred in seeing the abomination of it and all you who would so faine be in Babel againe you may here take a view of the terrible vengeance of God vpon your selues in such extreme blindnesse and how you are drawing in the bloudy Babylonian vpon your selues and posteritie and euen the whole Land so far as you are able with as ill or a worse captiuitie than euer came vpon Iudah which how neerely you had effected your owne hearts are witnesses Here you may see how that one day alone of Babels crueltie one of their powder furnace dayes shall be inough for you at least when you shall nish to stand a far off for feare of her torment whereof you are sure to haue your parts if you will needs be partakers of her sinnes And you that by your intolerable profanenesse and Atheisme doe seeme after a sort to challenge the Lord to his face to darè him if he be a God to shew himselfe and to hasten his vengeance and so make your selues merry with scoffing at all who feare his name you may in this heare the Lord himselfe telling you as from heauen that you are the men for whose cause he cannot spare for whom he can haue no more pittie and that he will make you especially to feele whether he be a God a iust and terrible God or no. Here finally we may all see the Lord himselfe setting before vs both our generall and particular estate with the meanes which he hath vsed to reclaime and spare vs the terrour of his anger and plagues when no other meanes will serue And lastly the way how yet we may be deliuered and not onely be set free out of the danger but also remaine a glorious Nation vntill his second comming and how euery one may escape his
weake meanes as might seeme but by a woman to wit Huldah the Prophetesse because he knew it to be the word and message of the Lord. And that not onely to so much as shall be pleasing unto us but even to that part of it that shall most directly touch us As indeed it shall be most happy for that man who shall so receive it and shall so humble himselfe before his divine Majestie Therefore we are every one to be so affected the Lords High Priest as was old Ely who disdeyned not to receive a most grievous and dredfull message by the hand of yong Samuel a boy brought up under him but chargetâ— him in the name of the Lord to tell him every word which the Lord had spoke unto him not to hide a word from him And afterwards having heard it in stead of being offended he saith It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good Yea we shall most truely declare our homage and obedience to the word of the Lord by submitting our selves wholly unto him and ech acknowledging our particular sinnes as David did at the admonition of Nathan That thereupon we may ech receive that comfortable answer The Lord hath put away thy sinne And that we may all thus helpe to pacifie him that he may not proceed to his heavy resolution howsoever he shall humble us for the manifold dishonours which we have done to him by all our sins and for causing his enemies to blaspheme his great name Gospell which he hath vouchsafed us the profession and libertie of above most other people of the earth 5. Ech of us are to apply every part as spoken to us by the Lord particularly and as making one bodie for even the sinne of the Atheist Idolater Drunkard and so of every wicked man may be said in some sort to be the sinne of ech of us and we are all lyable to the punishments thereof even those of us that thinke our selves most innocent and free from them As the sinne of Achan is counted the sinne of all Israel for so doth the Lord tell Iosua plainely when he punished them all That Israel had sinned they had taken of the excommunicate thing they had done that which Achan did Even so the sinnes of all the notoriously wicked are the sins of us all chiefly their open abominations All of us are guiltie and endangered by the same if at the hearing and seeing them we have not mourned as we should for the dishonour done to the Lord and his anger kindled thereby Or if we have not cryed for pardon sought to turne away the vengeance yea and done our vtmost endevour ech of us in our places and callings to stop them and the course of sinne reigning amongst us None of us can justifie our selves but God might for this very sin depart from us as he threatneth Ioshuah for Achans sacriledge and might leave vs to be wrapped in the same judgement 6. We are to consider that ech of our particular grievous sinnes doe not onely hinder the power of our prayers whereby we should help to pacifie the Lords wrath but also in steed thereof helpe to draw downe the anger of God not onely vpon our selves but vpon the whole Land more specially and principally the notorious and outragious sinnes of our most horrible transgressors as of blasphemers scorners of God and of his truth oppressors drunkards filthy persons and all impudent sinners who hale on the vengeance of God as it were with cart ropes That it is his infinite mercy that it hath bin kept off hitherto And therefore howsoever such men may imagine and boast of themselves to be friends to their country yet in truth they will be found the principall enemies first to Iesus Christ doing as much as lyeth in them thereby to drive him out and to set vp Sathan in his roome and doe not onely murther their owne soules without repentance but also as much as such sins can to betray the Lords Anointed his Church their native Country with all our happinesse into the hands of the bloudie enemie Because for the sinnes of these principally Gods vengeance comes upon his people as here in this lamentable captivitie may plainely be seene And therefore ech of us are to finde out our owne particular sinnes and in the reading and hearing hereof to say This is my sinne which the Lord reproves threatneth us all for and me especially by name So ech of us are to begin to reforme our selves or else we shall never be able to judge of the sinnes of others much lesse have a right feeling of them so as to be helpers to pacifie the wrath by our prayers and to turne away the like plague from our selves 7. Every one of us are to resolve with our selves that whatsoever the Lord shall say unto us we will doe it as the people made profession to the Prophet Ieremie to doe if they had had hearts to haue performed it accordingly and ech to cast away our deerest sins rather than they shall beat backe our prayers and much more helpe to pull downe vengeance upon us Because of that which God threatneth that every soule who turnes not to all his Covenant so far as he shall manifest it to his conscience to be his Covenant and that seeks not also with all his power to cause others to turne shall perish That same sinne wherein any one continueth shall be his destruction and the endangering of all so far as lyeth in him And this may serue for the generall directions in reading this vision to make right use of it to our selves for pacifying the wrath Now to the Vision CHAP. III. The Lord is not wont to bring any terrible judgement upon his Church but usually ever aforehand to give warning thereof neither at any time to waâ—ne in vaine And what cause we have for our manifold forewarnings to give our selves to watching and praier HEe cried in mine eares with a loud voice saying Cause them that have charge over the City to draw neere or the visitations of the City draw neere c. To come to the words of the vision The Lord so plainely foreshewing this dreadfull captivitie not only heere in this Vision but also so many other wayes and denouncing it by his Prophets so long before it came declaring also the causes of it sheweth in the first place That he hath not beene wont to bring any notable judgements upon a people especially upon his Church or where his Church hath beene but he hath ever used to make the same manifestly knowne before at least to his owne faithfull servants amongst them and after as he foreshewed it so to bring it to passe unlesse his anger hath beene some way pacified This we may see in sundry of the most fearefull destructions that ever he
the true practise of Christianity consisting in a holy endevour to walke conscionably in every commandment of the Lord and in being zealous for his Gospell which is our cheife honour become far more vile and reproachfull except in some small remnant then to live in drunkennesse daily in swaggering and blaspheming in scorning and jesting at all religion and in making but a sport of sinne namely of those sins which are directly against the Lord in the first table which yet will one day be found the most heinous and intollerable of all sinnes yea which may make the whole land to tremble Hath not that glorious name of a Christian become a nick-name a name of reproach with too many This was well beseeming Italie and Rome it selfe the throne of the Beast as that worthie Doctor Fulk shewed long agoe but for any of us to take it up from them or for that it had beene abused by any to use it scornefully and against those chiefly who most unfainedly beleeve and shew forth the power of the Gospel this may make our flesh to quake and our very bones to shiver And yet also to proceed a little further Are not the lewdest commonly in credit and reputation for the only goodfellowes but for a man to make conscience to shun the forenamed and all other sinnes and not to runn with all sorts to all excesse of vanity doth not every one see that this is the only matter of generall obloquie To come unto the Lords owne messengers whom he hath sent to us in kindnesse and compassion as David sent his seruants to the king of Ammon and to the end that he might turne us from our evill way and spare us if they be such as are faithfull as the Lords owne mouth and will tell us of these and all other our sinnes who seeth not although they be never so formall how welcome their feete are to all sorts who have set themselves to run after Popery and all profanenesse or to live in their evill courses though amongst all the sinnes of the land there be no one which the Lord can lesse indure Oh is this now become our thankfullnesse to him that hath beene so kind unto us to be ashamed of him his word messengers and seruants who notwithstanding hath not beene ashamed to countenance and to shelter us and who hath so honoured us before all the world in such admirable deliverances fighting as from heaven for us unto this day But to leave the Lords messengers where is that unity become that hath beene formeâ—ly amongst us when diversity of judgment for ceremonies which may fall upon the deerest servants of the Lord could not hinder our love and holy agreement in Christ Did not all joyne cheerefully as one man of one heart and of one soule for the building up the Temple of the Lord yea were not those most truly reverenced who were the painfullest faithfullest and most powerfull builders and all those most rightly had in honor who walked most conscionably and uprightly in all the good waies of God to the stoppings of the mouthes of all the aduersaries Hath not the glory of the Lord made a sensible remove in this behalfe Let us see what we can answere him herein Have not our dissentions and our violent inuectives and courses one against another made not onely the Lord his glory to be reproached as if there were no unity nor certainty in our religion and that therefore we are none of the Lords but have they not caused moreover the enemie to insult over us as now surely falling and overcome by our selues And are they not heartened hereby to our destruction when we have begun to fall by the hands of one another and every one to make way for the common enemie to invade And yet to proceed a little further where is that countenance and love that was wont to be shewed to the lovers of the Gospell even for the Gospels sake which we professe doe not the Popish sort put us to continuall shame heerein in shewing ordinarily more countenance and kindnesse to the most contemptible of their profession the basest runnagate or most ignorant priest for their very religion which they professe then we commonly to the faithfullest preachers of the Gospell or the deerest seruants of the Lord for the love of him and his most sacred truth In a word where is that submission in the greater sort to yeeld to the word of the Lord brought us by his messengers for his honour whose message it is for the reverence of the word it selfe being the eternall truth of Iesus Christ Must not all needs acknowledge that our glory is much departed in these respects But to come to the third part of our glory The Lords gracious protection Hath he not sundry times threatned most manifestly the utter removing of it so as all of us have oft feared his final departing and leaving of us Most true it is That never nation was eyther recorded or heard of to have the glory of the Lord more brightly shining upon it in admired peace wonderfull deliverances and even miraculous overthrowes of the enemies and discoveries of their secretest plots then England hath had That we may truly say as the Psalmist did of Iudah The Lord hath heerein beene well knowne amongst us his name hath beene great in England yet we cannot forget how many a time the glory hath beene almost gone from us and how certainly it had gone if ever the bloudy Antichrist or any of his marked souldiers had prevailed in any one of their desperate designes Nor that it was ever more neerely gone from any nation with whom it remained after then it hath beene from us Did not they themselues account all dispatched and the glory quite removed in their triumphs which they had for their navy inuincible and that therein they should have carried all utterly away Did not many an English heart tremble for feare therof And what could we looke for in all mans reason considering their long threats mischievous designes when ever the eies of our tender nursing mother should be laid but either a finall taking it away or a fearefull eclipsing or obscuring of it What heart wished not that it might never see that day Did not other nations wonder at the most incredible inthronizing of our dread Soveraigne and liege Lord in such an unexpected peace were we not all become as men that dreame when the Lord so turned away our captivitie in a moment even before it came Could we for many daies thinke that it was so indeed or rather that we were but as in a dreame untill that we perceived the Lord ratifying and confirming it in so strangely continuing our admired peace beyond all hope and not a dogg to move his tongue against us were not our mouthes at that time
filled with laughter and our hearts with ioy for this so wonderfull a remaining of our glory In a word as Ezekielâ—aw â—aw that the Cherubims mounted vpward flew from the Temple from the midst of the Citie to the mount of Olives as departing cleane away so to demand of the conscience of the most notoriovs scorner was not all our glory ready visibly to mount upward from us at once were we not as it were within a minute of the execution nothing wanting in effect but putting fire to the match to have blowne up and utterly carried away all our glory every part of it altogither did not our desperate rebels make their certaine account of it did they not exalt themselves against the Lord of Hosts in it as his vengeance taken upon some of the cheife of them openly did notably declare could all the pollicie in the world have preuented it or ever so much as have suspected such a hellish device if our gracious God had not yet once againe from heaven declared the riches of his glory amongst us and his pitifull compassion over us and that in a more immediate and sensible working than at all former times when he first made themselves the beginners of this discoverie then so mightily wrought upon the heart of our Soveraigne Lord casting such a carefull feare upon him as that he suffered him not to rest untill he had disclosed it yea we may truely say in thankfulnesse to our blessed God that he never gave over untill he had againe the second time wrought the deliverie and preservation of Great Britaine and of his Church by the hand of his Royall Servant and withall had granted the staying of his glory that it should yet remaine amongst us that thereby all our hearts might be more firmely linked to his Annoynted and unto his Seed for ever and that we might all the dayes of our life send forth more hearty thanks and powre out more fervent and instant prayers for his Sacred Majestie and for all his Royall Progenie What soule did not for the present extoll the Lord of glory for it as being his onely worke Who can be so voyde of sense or so brutish as yet to have lost the fresh remembrance of it Or who can now here denie but that this was first as sensible a danger and threatning from the Lord to remove his glory from amongst us as ever was in any Nation or Church since the beginning of the world Yea who must not of necessitie be inforced to acknowledge that this was as miraculous a stay or rather a returne of the glory againe and withall as evident a forewarning of a finall departure as ever was read or heard of before unlesse we doe yet speedily humble our selves and give him better entertainment And to shut up this point likewise what part have we now remayning of all the outward glory which they had not in the dayes of worthy Iosiah the times being considered or which they had not at the beginning of all those miseries following which entred and seized upon them within three moneths after the death of holy Iosiah save onely this one That the Lord to accomplish his worke on them and to make a way to his wrath suffred their Iosiah to be taken in the nets of the enemie whereas he hath so graciously and above all former mercies yet preserved our Iosiah unto us when there was but a haires bredth betweene him yea betweene us all and death though yet of late he hath so fearfully shaken his rod in taking away that worthiest hope that ever our eyes did see before and in whom we did so pride and secure our selves But alas if our holy God shall now come and examine these things among us what we have done since in token of our thankfulnesse for this incredible deliverie and for this so gratious a returne above all other yea above all that almost ever the world heard of how we have demeaned our selves in token of our unfeigned humiliation for this so dreadfull a threatning of his departure what desire we shew to retaine him how we extoll his great name for it by advancing his religion that he might be the better knowne and feared amongst us what zeale we shew to put out that execrable and murthering religion with all the monuments and perillous remembrances of it that which thus teacheth and inciteth men to expell the Lord and his glory from among them and with all to destroy all his people at once from the face of the earth what greater hatred and detestation of it is wrought in us than heretofore what can we answer to any one of these must we not needs be compelled to lay our hand upon our mouthes or rather to confesse will we nill we That this is the humiliation and thankfulnesse of the greatest part among us that we doe many times more rebelliously lift up our faces sinning most impudently against his glorious Majestie and so far grieve and quench his Spirit as that we seeke utterly to extinguish all feare of his name And in steed of growing in detestation of that bloodie religion for the utter rooting it out according to the just indignation then presently had against it as some good lawes thereupon provided will ever witnesse against us to the end of the world doe not very many begin afresh to grow in admiration of it and to dote after it and the professors thereof much more than before casting away the Lord and his truth May not then the Lord most justly make a finall remove May he not righteously forsake and leave us into their hands as he left Iudah unto the Babylonian May he not say unto his servants when they are humbled upon their faces in secret for these and the like tokens of his heavy displeasure and for those who are inchanted as by the sorcerers of Egypt so that they put their hands to the execrable thing as he said to Iosuah in the like case I will not be with you any more unlesse you will give me my glory but I will utterly strip you of all my glory taking away both religion and protection at once I will leave you to be made a prey and a desolation for ever unlesse you will search out the execrable thing even all your abominations whereby you have made your selves odious and execrable unto me and unlesse you will doe your uttermost indevour to purge and clense your Land of them all Not onely so many of us as run a whoring after Poperie or favour it but even all of us for that thorow our generall negligence and securitie it reviveth and groweth up againe so freshly among us after he had given such just occasion to seeke to roote it utterly out of our Land Yea after that he had so above all former times set before our faces the cruell rage of that
prayer for the innumerable mercies and priviledges bestowed upon our Land on the one side and the increase of our sinnes with the tokens of Gods vengeance and our deep securitie on the other side Lest our plagues doe prove greater than the plagues of all other people as much as we seeme to have bin lifted up above most if not all others in blessings in this last and most sinfull age of the world if all our blessings temporall and spirituall be compared togither and considered aright Oh Lord at length open our eyes and then we shall so cleerly see our estate that it will not be any more needfull to cry unto us to awake to watch and to pray CHAP. VII The marking of the godly that is How Gods owne people are marked in the midst of the greatest confusions before the destructions come and what causâ—s every one hath to watch and to pray that he may be so marked Vers. 4. And set it marke on the foreheads of all that mourne IN this Commission to the marking Angell to set a marke on the foreheads of all that mourne The Lord giving such a charge to his holy Angell thus carefully to preserve his chosen from this destruction to goe thorow the Citie and set a marke upon every one of them to overpasse none and also the destroying Angels to follow after the marking Angell so as they hurt none till all the faithfull be marked he would have all to know thus much That he never casts off the care of his people no not then when all things seeme most confused in the earth And secondly when they are so mingled amongst the wicked as that they can hardly be knowne amongst themselves much lesse to the eyes of the world that yet he still tendreth them and watcheth over them continually Thirdly that he will at length make his fatherly care and watchfull providence known unto them and that by some gracious and wonderfull deliverance even in this world if it be so best for them and for his glory And lastly that they evermore must be surely marked before the destruction come The Lord hath bin very carefull to set downe this point also most clearely in every of those great destructions which are recorded in Scriptures for examples and warnings to all posteritie That hereby his owne faithfull servants may receiue comfort against the greatest afflictions that can come upon the world As first in that terrible overflowing in the generall destruction of the old world The waters came not untill Noah had first prepared and finished the Arke and also God himselfe had shut up both him and his in the same so locking and sealing up the dores with his owne hand as that all the waters rage they never so horribly and hoyse him up above the highest mountaines yet cannot hurt him And why dealeth the Lord thus carefully with Noah Thee saith he have I seene righteous before me in this generation that is I have seene they heart sincere and thy purpose and indevour ever to please me not following the course of the times but crying out of the iniquitie thereof beleeving my threatnings and preparing the Arke according to my commandement to save thy selfe and familie from the vengeance to come Secondly in that dreadfull overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha before the fire and brimstone came upon those filthy Cities Lot must not onely be marked but also gotten forth safe from the destruction The Angels have such a charge of him as that they get him by the hand pull and hale him for haste being far more carefull for him than he is for himselfe and they never leave him till they have safe conducted him out and then bid him hie for his life get him into Zoar. They tell him plainely that the Lords care was so great for him that they can doe nothing in this destruction their hands were tyed untill he be there safe out of all the danger The reason of it also is carefully set downe by the Lord himselfe why he accounted him worthy to escape for that he was a just and righteous man grieved with the uncleane conversation of the wicked his righteous soule was vexed from day to day with all their abominable deeds Thirdly before this destruction the Lord foretold to Ieremie particularly That he would give him his life for a prey in all places wheresoever he came because of his faithfulnesse in sticking to his word and commandement and for his warning the people And so indeed it came to passe that the Lord did not onely preserve him with sundry others fearing his name but gave him also speciall favour in the eyes of the enemies who led them captives So as Nebuchadnezzar himselfe gives charge to Nebuzaradan his chiefe steward to look well to Ieremie to doe him no harme but to doe for him as himselfe would whether to goe home with them into Babylon and there to receive kindnesse or to tarry still in the land of Iudah with the people which should be left there behinde And this mercy did the Lord shew not onely unto Ieremie but unto others also that had bin kinde unto his Prophet As to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian who had spoken for Ieremie to the King of Iudah to get him out of the dungeon to whom also the Lord gave his life for a prey because he put his trust in the Lord. And Gedaliah whose father Ahikam had formerly delivered Ieremie out of danger and from the rage that was against him he is made Governour of them that remained in the Land howsoever he was trecherously slaine not long after So to Baruch in like manner who was Ieremies Scribe and had stucke so close to him in all his troubles God promiseth to give him also his life for a prey in all places wheresoever he came We have likewise the ensamples of Daniel and of his three companions called the three children unto whom besides their preservation from the common destruction in the first Captivitie of Babylon the Lord granted that extraordinarie favour both to be brought up by the King of Babylon himselfe and by his speciall appointment in all excellent learning and so far to surpasse all others as to be most meet for their singular knowledge and understanding to stand with high favour in the presence of that mightie Monarch though otherwise a cruell oppressor of the Church of God who had caried them away captive He gave unto them moreover divine testimonies of his fatherly care and protection in the presence of all his enemies in those miraculous deliverances out of the fierie furnace and from the Lions den because they did cleave so fast unto the Lord that they would not suffer themselves to be polluted with the least part or shew of the Idolatrie of the Heathen The like favour for preservation he granted to Ezechiel and sundry
Lord howsoever it shall please him to visit us Give me leave therefore if it were to digresse a little to turne my speech to speake to your soules and consciences for the confirming and strengthening of all our hearts who are such The Lord heere sets before your faces the care which he hath for you You are surely sealed whatsoever plagues he shall smite the earth withall whether you be rulers from the greatest to the meanest to begin with you If your consciences beare you witnesse that your hearts are set to advance Gods true religion and all prety and by all holy meanes to suppresse iniquity and so to turne away the judgements threatned And much more also if to this end you study to procure what good you can to the Church of Christ. If you mourne with Ezra for the grievous transgressions of the people for defiling themselves with the abominations of other nations and especially with Popery Atheisme and all irreligious licenciousnes Of if that your hearts do melt with holy Iosiah for the former and present provocations and to see how the word of the Lord is despised If you use to lament and sigh in beholding the intollerable frowardnesse of men against the Lord that they cannot be brought to submit themselues to his glorious Gospell and in observing such a strange turning backe of many of our people in their hearts as who will needs returne into Egypt and Sodome againe and so strive to provoke the Lord yet more therby and by all other their sinnes And if moreover in seeing that you cannot doe that good that you would in reforming the evils you are not only daily humbled before the Lord upon your faces privately but doe also shew your griefe openly in your places as occasion is offered as this is an euident demonstration of your unfeigned religion before the world so it is a most strong bulwark to your own soules against all feare of the miseries that can any way come upon us Or secondly If you be those that succeed in the place of the Prophets being set to watch over and to warne the people committed to you thereby to turne away the plagues which are tiying upon them and doe finde in your selves the affections of Ieremie in heavinesse and lamentation when you see your paines to doe so litle good that you people generally grow rather worse and worse that you labour in vaine spend you strength in vaine and for nothing as Esay complaineth that although the bellowes be burnt yet you melt but in vaine the wickednesse is not taken away so that you may seeme to have just cause to deeme them to be but reprobate silver and such as the Lord hath weighed as Ieremie bewayleth them in his time this may comfort you that you are of this number that are marked And if furthermore for this cause you find your life to be a wearines that with Paul you have a continual sorrow in your hearts for your people and that you could be content to indure any miserie for them to save them from the Lords wrath this is a demonstration that the same spirit of Paul resteth upon you And yet further also to comfort you If you be such as are so far off from serving the time or flattering them to whom you are sent in crying peace peace That you have set your selves in all faithfulnesse to discover their iniquities and to cry out against all their sinnes and that no feare can stop your mouth from doing your duties in your places this testimonie of your consciences shall be as a strong brazen wall unto you whatsoever shall come to passe And to speake generally If you be private Christians as Lot and these mourners here marked and in steed of having a confederacie with the wicked in their evill wayes you finde your selves vexed every day for the evils which you heare and see it may minister unto you much assurance and heavenly consolation And more specially if your hearts be troubled for these dreadfull sinnes As first for our monstrous unthankfulnesse for the Gospell with all our blessings accompanying it and for that we are most of us so weary in living in obedience unto it and so many on the other side ready to live rather under that slaverie of Antichrist or service of sinne and Sathan Or secondly If you feele your soules continually grieved in beholding how many of us there are which make a profession of the Gospell in word yet denie utterly all power of it in our lives And withall how ready many amongst us who have heretofore made conscience of our wayes are now to joyne hands and run to all excesse with the Atheist and with every profane and filthy person And if aboue all this your hearts beare you witnesse that you strive to keepe your selves unspotted in this last and sinfull generation and neither by Schisme run forth of the Church and communion of the Saints so condemning the generation of his children on the one hand nor leave your places and callings so long as with a good conscience you can enjoy them to cast your selves upon the rocks of innumerable evils neither yet on the other hand to decline to the coldnesse hypocrisie and loosenesse of the time this shall be your comfort perpetually And yet to proceed a litle further If you thus staying your selves from these extremes doe use to speake every one to his neighbour as the godly did in Malachies dayes to incourage one another to walke more heedfully and cheerefully in the wayes of the Lord ech in his ranke and within the bounds of his calling this shall be your witnesse before the Lord. Or finally If yet now at least at the view of our transgressions which follow the Lords threatnings against us you can feele your hearts so affected as those mourners and set to continue so to walke with your God then this shall be unto you a gratious assurance that you are indeed the Lords owne servants as these mourners were The same Spirit of the Lord resteth upon you you are surely sealed therewith and singled out for his Majestie His care is as well for you as ever it was for Noah Lot Eliah or any of these mourners for he is still the same to all who tread in their steps his compassions faile not This is written now to comfort you Heaven and earth shall passe but not one jot or title of his word untill every thing be accomplished He may sooner breake his covenant concerning the day and the night than he can with you The hills may sooner remove out of their places than his mercy can from you Let none of your hearts therefore faint who have this witnesse that you indevour hereunto But come whatsoever will God will provide such a deliverance for you if he see it good Or if he send you into Captivitie yet he
which nothing can cause him to turne but our turning to him Ier. 18. 5. vers 5. Application Our destructioÌ„ shewed and accomplished in effect Our deliuerance as a new creation How many wayes yea how sensibly suddenly God hath spoken vnto vs may appeare in this whole worke Nothing can secure vs so as to giue vs comfort but turning to yâ— Lords Couenant Leuit. 26. 3 23 24. That all holy meanes are to be vsed therto Euery soule who will not returne must die Ezec. 8. 10 11. Yea all who seeke not to câ—use others to tuâ—ne Iam 2. 10. Gal. 2. 10. Num. 15. 30 31. Heb. 12. 14. Ezech. 18. 30. Ezech. 18. 9. Who it is whoÌ„ God accounts a iust man which shal liue All obstinate sinners helpe to draw downe vengeance vpoÌ„ the whole land beside the destroying of their owne soules The Lord froÌ„ heauen cryes to vs all to turne speaking 3. To his vineyard 2 To all drawing neere to God with lips alone 3. To oppressors 4. To all giuen vp to all excess in pride and belly-cheere 5. All casting away the word of the Lord. 6. Polluters oâ— the Sabaoths Leuit. 26. 34. 7. Outragious in their courses euil fashions 8. All turning backe to the Idolatrie of former times 9. All challenging the Lord by their profanesse and Atheisme All of vs may see yâ— Lord setting before vs the meanes with he vsed to reclaime vs and spare vs. And how yet we may escape Here is no more but an endeuor to saue all within the bounds of the word and within the compasse of the calling of euery Man of God as God offereth opportunitie holy meanes Ezek. 18. 30 32. The offending of them who are asleepe in the midst of this perill not to be regardâ—d They plucked forth will magnifie God for vs. Better to haue all men offended with vs than the Lord. Foolishnesse to feare men Not to regard the horrour of Gods anger on Moses Exo. 4. 24. Ionah 1. 13. Threatned against Ieremie 1. 17. Therefore Gods messengers had neede to looke to themselues to help to saue all To cause all to see his mercy in sparing vs. Eccles. 12. 1. The applications so plaine to driue vs vnto Christ. Act 2. 36 37. Numb 21. 9. Iohn 3. 14 15. If any thing seem to pierce which is not Gods word or it misapplied it is no more to be feared than a dart of stubble The Authors humble desire to haue this brought to the tryall and so to more perfection as all other his laboâ—â—s God needs not our lye to bring his to repentance Iob 13. 7 8 9 10. The work tendeth to the renuing of our Couenant for the happinesse of vs and of our posteritie Limited within the bounds of the Watch wherein we all agree For the breach whereof each impenitent person stands condemned by the generall verdit of all the Churches of Christ. The desire of the Author to be a faithfull witnesse Apâ—c 22. 20. Vers. 1. vers 1. vers 3. vers 3. vers 4. 4. 4. v. 2. 5. v. 5. v. 4. 6. v. 4. v. 5 6 7. v. 8. vers 9 10. vers 11. * All the visitations of the Citie draw neere Occasion of the Vision The Lords using all means to spare his people Chiefly by his Prophets To whom he revealed their sins plagues To awake and bring them to repentance This Chapter a part of the vision The summe whereof is a forewarning of the destruction of Ierusalem Parts of the vision 1. Wickednesse of the people cap 8. 2. Their destruction cap. 9. 3. Famine and pestilence fore-running cap. 10 4. The miseries of those who should escape and goe into Captivitie chap. 11. Summe of this ninth Chapter A denunciatioÌ„ that the Lord wil be avenged presently and the manner of the execution v. 1 2. to 8. Division of this Chapter vers 8. 9. 10. An opening of the severall parts of the Chapter v 1. How the Lord himselfe denounceth it Shewing also the neernesse of the execution v 2. The manner of the execution In the number of the Executioners From whence they came How they were prepared Whither they came viz. to the Temple for the pollution of it The Angell of the Covenant sent amongst them for marking the Elect. Exod. 28 42 43. Levit 16. 4. Where the Lord appears How he gave two CoÌ„missions 1. To the saving Angell for the Elect and faithfull ones To set a marke upon them And how they are described The second CoÌ„mission to the destroyers to destroy all vnmarked without pitie Not to touch the marked To begin at the Sanctuarie How to proceed The speedie execution of their Commission 3. How the Prophet was affected hereâ—uth 4. The answer and resolution of the Lord. That he would not be intreated and why The returne of the coÌ„mission of the marking Angell The vision is written to admonish vs. And is our visioÌ„ at this day To stir us up to watch pray Rules to be observed in reading this visioÌ„ To receive it as a message sent us from the Lord. To looke wholly at the Lord in it 2 Cor. 2. 4. To remember with whom we have to deale herein â—sa 2. 19. Rev 6. 15 16. To shew our reverence to the Lord in receiving this message as Iosiah did 2 King 23. 19. To humble our selves and to turne and cause others to turne 2 King 23. 1 2 3 4. Ezek 18. 30. To be affected as old Eli was at the message of young Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 17 18. And David at the voyce of Nathan 2 Sam. 12. 13. That we may receive the like comfortable answer Ech to apply every part as spoken to our selves particularly Sith the sins of the wicked are in some sort the sins of vs all As Achans of Israel Iosu 7. 11 12. See 〈◊〉 upon Iosu. 7. 25. confirmed out of Austin If we haue not mourned for them Cryed for pardon And sought to stop the course of sinne Iosua 7. 12. Ech of our heynous sins hinder our prayers help to draw downe vengeance Chiefly of all impudent sinners Isa. 5. 18. Such are enemies to Christ seeking to drive him out set vp Sathan And do betray all to yâ— enemie As in the Captivitie Therefore ech to find out our particular sins and to reforme our selves Els we can neither judge of yâ— danger nor helpe to pacifie the wrath 7. Each to resolve to doe whatsoever God bids vs. Every soule yâ— seekes not to cause others to turne to the Covenant as well as himself must perish Ezâ—ch 18. 20 26 30 31 32. Deut. 29. 19. to 25. Happy man who hath grace to learne this lesson forthwith to practise it Vers. 1. God hath not beene wont to bring any notable judgemeÌ„t on his Church but to foreshew it first then to bring it wheÌ„ no repentance hath followed to prevent As first before the destruction of the old world Gen. 6. 4. Gen 5. 11 12. Gen 6. 3 13. 1