you can in a little time For when the Dayes are Evil you know not how little time you may have how few Opportunities of well-doing you may enjoy * Eph. 5.15 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fooles but as Wise Redeeming the Time because the Daies are evil The fourth Branch LIve in the exercise of your most excellent graces Let the Lustre of them appear in the eyes of the World that so you may diminish the Darknesse of an evil Generation When the Nights are darkest every one should be careful to hang out their Lights When the Sun the Chariot of Light hath carried the Day to another World the Night comes forth deckt with all her Jewels Search your Cabinets put on your Jewels exercise your Graces your Faith Love Patience Humility Zeale Hope Confidence and so labour to preserve a Day of Light and Holinesse in spight of all the encroachments of the darknesse of Sin and Vice Labour to be every whit as Good as others are Evil. Stir up your selves especially to the exercise of those Graces which stand in opposition to the reigning Vices of the Times Study to shew your selves as Active for God as others are for the World as truly Content with your condition as others are Covetous Oppressive Ambitious as Faithful as others are False as Pious as others are Profane as much to excel in Charity Moderation Humility as others exceed in Cruelty Censoriousnesse and Pride It well becomes Saints to be best when the Times are worst So Fire burnes hottest in the coldest weather and Stars shine brightest in the darkest Nights So shall you lift up the Name and Glory of God in the World and your lives shall be illustrious Testimonies for the cause of God against a wicked world Beg Grace of God therefore that in evil and perillous Times you may live to his Glory * Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blamelesse and Harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as Lights in the World The fifth Branch DAre to appear in your places for the Cause of God against the Evils of the Times Why should not every pious Christian dare to do more for God and the interests of his Glory then any profane Politician dares to do against him Why should you be afraid to appear on the stronger side It is indeed desperate Folly and Madnesse in impotent man to presume upon any action or undertaking which carries in it an apparent or consequential Opposition to an Omnipotent God upon whose Providence he hath a continual dependance insomuch as without some concurrence thereof he cannot move a Hand nor stirre a step Alas This Almighty God can with the least Finger of that glorious Hand by which he governes this All in one moment crush the greatest Armies of the mightiest men upon earth as a †Job 4.19 Moth and crumble them into dust But for the Saints that are guarded with an Omnipotent Arme they may with a holy confidence appear in the Cause of God against the most potent adversaries in the world For greater and stronger is he that is with us then they that are with them For as the good King Hezekiah said to the Captaines of his Army at the approach of the King of Assyria * 2 Chron. 32.7 8. with them is an Arme of Flesh but with us is the LORD our God to help us And †Rom. 8.31 if God be for us who can be against us Fear not then ye sonnes of the mighty ye children of the most high to appear for God and his cause against the impieties and iniquities of evil and perillous times Remember * Rev. 21.8 the fearful are set in the Front of that Troop of Rebels that shall be sent to Hell Know you not that in this case when Gods Cause and Glory suffers He that is not for God is against him Take heed then lest while you fear a lesser danger you fall into a greater 'T is then your greatest wisdome and safety to take the strongest side and that is to appear for God So may you say with David †Ps 118.6 The LORD is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me And again * Ps 56.11 In God have I put my trust I will not be afraid what man can do unto me †Psal 118 8 9. It is better to trust in the LORD then to put confidence in man It is better to trust in the LORD then to put confidence in Princes Dare to appear for God therefore in your places and to plead his Cause against wicked and unreasonable men with more Courage Resolution and Boldnesse then they have to oppose it Stand up therefore in Dayes of Danger and appear for the Truth and Glory of God that made you for the Honour and Interests of the Lord Jesus Christ that redeem'd you with his own precious blood appear for his Word and Worship his Ordinances and Ministers his Sabbaths and Sacraments his Church and Saints and all the just Rights Dues and Priviledges thereof against a wicked Generation of men that dare openly deny the Truth and profane the Name of God that are not afraid to cast Contempt and Reproach upon his Word and Worship to scoff at his Sabbaths and Sacraments and slight his holy Ordinances to abuse revile and vilifie his Ministers his Ambassadours seeking to pluck their meat from their mouths desiring to imbrue their hands in their blood endeavouring their utter extirpation out of the Church of God that dare to lay sacrilegious hands upon the Rights and Revenues of the Church which she holds by a firmer Title then the greatest Lord in the Land does or can do his inheritance and thereby seek to turne her children out of their Possession that they may enrich themselves as too many have done by the Churches Ruines Now Christians will you be afraid or asham'd to appear in so just a cause against such wretched men such wicked Adversaries as these Shall these come under the Name of Religion and rob you of the thing while you sit still and do nothing Shall the Interests of Christ and Glory of God fall to the ground rather then you will rise up and appear for the maintenance of the one and defence of the other How will you answer it to God at the great day of account O therefore be not afraid to appear for the Cause of God against the Evil of the Times in the Places and Stations wherein God hath set you This will be your Crown of Glory and Cause of Rejoycing at the great Day of the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ And oh that those that are Highest in Place and Power would seriously lay these things to heart and quitting all self-interests inconsistent with the Cause and Interests of the Kingdome of Christ sincerely study and endeavour the advancement of Gods Glory in the establishment of Truth and
Righteousness and true Religion amongst us And Oh! †Esay 62.6 7 Let the Watchmen that stand upon the Wals of the City of God never hold their peace O ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence And givâ— him no Rest till he establish England and make his Church in this Land a Praise in the Earth Oh let all the Children of God unite their Forces with Faith and Fervour to present unto the Lord that excellent Prayer of the Church with which I shall conclude this Direction and may they have the same gracious Answer of Peace O then lift up your hearts and say * Psal 85.4 ult Turn us O God of our Salvation and cause thine Anger towards us to cease Wilt thou be angry with us for ever Wilt thou draw out thine Anger to all Generations Wilt thou not revive us again that thy People may rejoyce in thee Shew us thy Mercy O LORD and grant us thy salvation I will hear what God the LORD will speak for he will speak peace unto his People and to his Saints but let them not turn again to Folly Surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our Land Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other Truth shall spring out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven Yea the Lord shall give that which is good and our Land shall yield her encrease Righteousness shall go before him and shall set us in the way of his steps The fourth Duty Taking Sanctuary in God ARE you fallen into Perillous Times And do you desire preservation Then Make God your Refuge till these dangers be overpast God is a Hiding place for his Saints their Rock and Refuge in times of Trouble their Fortress and strong Tower in times of Danger and Distress So hash he revealed himself in his Word and so have his Saints found him to be by sweet Experiences in the Times of their sad Extreâ—ities The Lord saith David * Psal 18.2 is my Rock and Fortress and my Deliverer my God my Strength in whom I will trust my Buckler and the Horn of my salvation and my high Tower Thus under various expressions he sets forth Gods Power as engaged for his Saints Preservation So saith he elsewhere †Ps 27.1 The Lord is my Light my Salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Then to fortifie his Confidence he produces his experience * v. 2. When the wicked even mine Enemies and my Foes came upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled fel. And then upon this Experience he builds his Confidence †v. 3. Though an Host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear though War should rise against me in this will I be confident And the ground hereof was this that God was his Refuge and Preserver For saith he * v. 5. In the Time of Trouble he shall hide me in his Pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle the most inviolable Sanctuary shall be hide me he shall set me up upon a Rock And again saith he †Psal 32.7 Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from Trouble thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance Yea It s the Priviledge of every Saint that he hath an Interest in this preserving Power and Mercy of God in times of Distress and Danger So saith the Psalmist * Psal 9.9 The Lord also will be a Refuge for the oppressed a Refuge in Times of Trouble And therefore this is the ground of the Churches confidence in the Times of the greatest Trouble and Confusion †Psal 46.1 2 3. God is our Refuge and Strength a very present help in Trouble Therefore will not we fear though the Earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea Though the waters thereof rore and be troubled though the mountains spake with the swelling thereof God is both a * Ps 84.11 Sun and a Shield to his Saints their Light in Darkness and Defence in Danger They are dear to him and he †Isa 49.2 hides them in the shadow of his hand He wears them as * Mal. 3.17 Jewels in his bosom he †Deut. 32 10 keeps them as the Apple of his eye * Zec. 2.8 He that toucheth you saith the Lord concerning the Children of Zion toucheth the Apple of mime eye He hath secret Chambers of Providence for the Preserving his People in Times of Danger by publick Calamities Come my people saith the Lord †Isa 26.20 21. enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy Doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment untill the Indignation be over past For behold the Lord cometh out of his Place to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth for their Iniquity the Earth also shall disclose her Blood and shall no more cover her slain The glorious Attributes of God are as it were a Tower of Defence to the truly godly in Times of Danger The name of the Lord saith the Wise man * Prov. 18.10 is a strong Tower The Righteous runneth to it and is safe When Peril pursues a Saint he runs to God as his Refuge Yea †Pro. 22.3 A prudent man fore-seeth the Evil and hideth himself but the simple pass on and are punshed This Prudence doth well become the Pious in Times of Peril But that you may with Boldness and Comfort have Recourse to God in Times of Distress and Danger as your Refuge in the storm your hiding Place in Times of Trouble Do these three things The first Work CLear your Interest in God If you think to have Recourse to God for safety in Danger and have no Interest in God your Hope may deceive you and you may â—ail of this special priviledge of Divine Preservation and instead thereof fall and perish by a just Destruction If a man pursu'd by his Enemies in the Times of War shall have Recourse to those for Refuge of whom he hath no assurance that they are his Friends he may but fly from one Danger and fall into the mouth of another Yea though you should have an Interest in God yet if you have no Evidence of this Interest you cannot with that Boldness and Confidence wherewith otherwise you might fly to God for Refuge in Daies of Danger Be it your care therefore not only to get an Interest in God but to clear it up by undeceiving Evidences to your soul and Conscience Then may you triumph with David in the very Face of Danger †Psal 27.1 The LORD is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear The LORD is the strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid So again saith he * Psal 28.7 The LORD is my strength my Shield my heart trusted in him and I
Charity to his dear Brethren that they may cover the Infirmities of their poor weak Brother in Love and not seek to hurt him by that whereby he desires to do others Good Oh that thou wouldest be pleased to put it into their Hearts from the discoveries of thy poor servants Weaknesses to take an occasion to adore the Riches of thy free Grace and to exalt thy Name with Praises for that thou hast been pleased to intrust them with more excellent Abilities for thy service So shall thy servant have cause to glory in his Infirmities when thereby some Glory shall redound to thy Name But as for the Proud who make it their Glory to oppresse the Poor keep thy servant ever in that Resolution to which by thy grace thou hast raised his heart rather to perish by their Power then by any unworthy Compliance to seek his own Preservation or Advantage to thy Dishonour Fill his Heart and the Hearts of all thy faithful servants with a holy Contempt and Scorne of their Favour whose Friendship is flat Enmity with God Make thy servant one of them in whose Eyes a vile Person is contemned how Great or Glorious soever he be in the World's eye but let him ever honour them that feare the LORD Let not thy servant think it strange if he suffer Reproach from them that cast Dishonour upon Thee but rather rejoyce in their Reproaches as the Badges of his Faithfulnesse and weare them as his Crown and Glory Let him not study to please men lest he loose the Honour of being the servant of Christ Oh let thy servant behold Smiles in thy pleased Face and tast the sweetnesse of thy precious Promises and so shall he not fear the Frownes nor regard the Threats of Proud Perfidious and Presumptuous sinners Let him never desire to have them for his Friends who by their horrid Enormities have made God their Enemy Let him never seek to be esteemed by them whose Insolencies proclaime to the world that they contemne God Yet Oh that thou wouldest open their Eyes to see their sins before thou tumble them from their Earthly Glory into Hell Oh that in stead of accounting thy servant their Enemy for telling them the Truth they might see and consider that it is the highest act of Friendship to shew them their Danger before it be too late Oh that it would please thee by thy Spirit to convince them of those sins and fearful abominations which thy servant hath endeavour'd herein to represent as in a Glasse before their faces Oh give them to repent of their wicked Deeds and to humble themselves for their insolent Actings However Lord by thy powerful Providence restrain them in their wayes of wickednesse whose Ambitious and aspiring spirits prompt them to the most Audacious and illegal Actings for the securing of their own Interests and the Establishment of their own Glory and Greatnesse upon the Ruines of the Church and Common-wealth restrain them O Lord lost they pluck down Judgements not onely upon their own heads but also on the too guilty Nation And vouchsafe O God to look down from thy high and holy habitation upon this sinful Land but not with an Eye of Fury and Revenge but with an Eye of Mercy and Love Thou seest what fearful Abominations are committed amongst us Thou knowest what perillous Times are come upon us Thou seest how cruel enemies do rend the body of thy dear sonne the CHURCH which he hath redeemed with his own blood Thou hearest with what hellish Oaths and Blasphemies vile Creatures daily teare thy sacred and glorious Name Oh! If thou wast not infinite in Mercy and Patience thou hadst long ago rain'd down Fire and Brimstone upon our heads or involv'd the whole Land in Confusion and Blood It is of the Lords mercies we are not consumed because his compassions fail not But now O Lord hear O Lord have Mercy O Lord forgive the many and great sins and Provocations of this Land and do not forsake us utterly nor irresistibly destroy us as we have deserved We must needs confesse that we and our Princes have greatly sinned against thee and fearfully provoked the pure Eyes of thy Glory Lord humble us from the highest to the lowest give us a true Repentance for all our sins and Grace to turne to thee our God with our whole hearts and so spare us and heale our Land Oh stirre thy people up to those special Duties which are at this Time in a special manner incumbent on them Let this Warning and Call which thou givest them by the hand of thy servant become through thy Blessing effectual for the Awakening of thy servants out of their Security and the Engaging of them to those Duties whereby thy Wrath and Judgements may be prevented and a wide Door may be opened whereby thy Blessings may flow in abundantly upon us O Good God punish not this Land with a Famine of thy VVord Oh take not thy Gospel Ordinances from us Remove not thy golden Candlestick Oh never let it be said The Glory is departed from England It were better for us to see our streets runne downe with the Blood of the slaine and to behold the Bodies of thy Saints burnt in flames then to live in peace and grow cold in our love to thy Truth till we have utterly lost the Gospel Prayers put up in Flames and Blood might recall it againe when a general sloth and security in sinne may forfeit it for ever But O Lord continue thy Gospel preserve thy People and blesse thine Inheritance in the Land But if for our sinnes thou shalt suffer those stormes to arise whereby thy Church shall suffer Shipwrack Oh let this poor Plank cast out by the hand of thy unworthy servant be a Meanes to save some Soules Oh let this small Light direct some soules in the right Path for their eternal Salvation to the Glory of thy free Grace through the Lord Jesus our onely Mediator and Redeemer Amen FINIS Errata Typographica Some small Mistakes have escap't the Press whereof some few are amended with the Pen. Some few Mispellings Mispointings crave their Pardon of course as Things of such ordinary Incidency in Printing that the greatest Diligence can hardly prevent them Some of the most material Mistakes which offer'd themselves to Notice upon a swift Review are these that follow Errata Correcta Pag. Lin. intended extended 13 29 Premuniti Praemuniti 14 24 overcome overtake 16 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 37 19 Vial Viol 48 6 Frevalency Prevalency 54 5 Excess Excess 93 13 he the 93 14 Octavious Octavius 94 16 victus vinctus 97 marg scatter'd shatter'd 150 22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 141 marg Corne Corke 257 5 thus there 263 11 Diabolos Diabolus 275 1 Name Doctrine 275 5 Baits Balls 287 23 Baldwin de Cas Conse Balduin de Cas Consc 289 marg he was proceeded against he was to be proceeded
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A WORD in SEASON FOR A Warning to England OR A Prophecy of Perillous Times Open'd and Apply'd Wherein the Signes of Bad Times and the Means of making the Times Good are represented as the great Concernment of all good Christians in this present Age. First exhibited in a SERMON preached in the Abby at Westminster July 5. 1659. and since enlarged and Published By THOMAS VVILLES M. A. Minister of the Gospel in the City of London Seal not the Sayings of the Prophecy of this Book For the Time is at hand Rev. 22.10 How do ye say We are Wise and the Law of the LORD is with us Lo They have rejected the Word of the LORD and what Wisdom is in them Jer. 8.8 9. Tempora mutantur nos mutamur in illis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sIC transIt gLorIa MVnDI LONDON Printed by Tho. Ratcliff for Tho. Underhill at the Blew Anchor in Pauls Church-yard 1659. TO THE SENATORS SOULDIERS CITIZENS STRANGERS To whom This SERMON was As to its main SUBSTANCE EXHIBITED FROM THE PULPIT IT 'S NOW WITH MUCH ENLARGEMENT PRESENTED FROM THE PRESSE FOR THEIR SERIOUS PERUSAL By A MESSENGER from CHRIST A MINISTER of the GOSPEL THOMAS WILLES Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Luk. 11.28 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 From the KING of SAINTS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST To his Faithful and Well-beloved Servants and Subjects that shall live in the latter Dayes TAke heed that no man deceive you For many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many And ye shall hear of Warres and Rumours of Wars See that ye be not troubled For all these things must come to passe but the End is not yet For Nation shall rise against Nation and Kingdome against Kingdome and there shall be Famines and Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers Places All these are the Beginning of Sorrows Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all Nations for my Names sake And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another And many false Prophets shall rise and shall deceive many And because Iniquity shall abound the Love of many shall wax cold But he that shall endure to the End the same shall be saved By the Hand of his Trusty Servant and Secretary * Chap. 24. v. 4 -13 MATTHEW Publicano-Christianus To the SACRED MAJESTY OF HEAVEN THE KING of KINGS AND LORD of LORDS The Supream Governour of the whole World The Humble Address and Representation of the Gratitude Requests of many Thousands of the Well-affected People of the Land who desire to approve themselves Faithful to the Cause of Christ and to be found walking in the Good Old way Most Mighty LORD WHereas it hath pleased thy glorious Majesty out of the exceeding riches of thy Free Grace and thy tender compassions in Jesus Christ to call us thy poore unworthy Servants out of the World to the Profession of thy truth and Gosspel and the Participation of thy saving Grace when out of thy infinite Sovereignty and Justice thou hast past by Millions of men and left them to perish everlastingly in their sinnes we humbly desire in a deep sense of our own utter Unworthiness to express our free and hearty Acknowledgement of that infinite Obligation which thou hast hereby laid upon our soules to perpetual Gratitude Love Honour and Obedience to thy Glorious Majesty for so invaluable a Mercy And we cannot but with sorrow of Heart confesse that we have by our unsuitable Walkings shew'd our selves very Unworthy of such rich Discoveries of thy Love unto us But we humbly implore thy Mercy in the forgiveness of our many Miscarriages and beseech thee to give us Leave with all Humility to present thy Majesty with these few Petitions to which we earnestly beg a Gracious Answer That it will please thee to grant preserve and establish a Righteous and Religious Magistracy a Faithful and painful Ministry in the Land with that Blessed GOVERNMENT which is most agreeable to thy holy Word and Will both in Church and State That it will please thee who hast the Hearts of all men in thy Hands to put it into the Hearts of our Counsellors and Governors to study and endeavour the Advancement of thy Glory and thy Churches Good by the suppression of Errour and Profanenesse and the Promotion of Truth and Holinesse in the Land That where thou seest those Persons in Places of Power and Trust who by their pernicious Principles and Practises make the Times Perillous thou wilt Graciously be pleased by thy Hand of Power to remove them and to set in their room men truly fearing Thee and hating Covetousness who may cordially seek and endeavour the Peace and Welfare of thine English Zion That thou wilt pour down on thy Servants a Spirit of Humiliation for the sins of the Land that thou wilt graciously pardon the Transgressions of thy People and purge the Land from its Abominations that thou mayest dwell amongst us That thou wilt break the wicked Designes and dissolve the cursed Conspiracies of those that under Pretences of thy Name Cause and Glory violently prosecute their Pernicious Purposes for the satisfaction of their Ambition and Covetousness and the Introduction of Errours Heresies and all manner of Licentiousness into the Land to the Hazard of many thousand souls and the dishonour of thy Glorious Name That it will please Thee to heal the Breaches of thy own People and to establish these three Nations England Scotland and Ireland in Peace and Love upon the sure Foundations of Religion and Righteousness and crown them all with thy Loving-kindnesse and tender Mercies And to this End that thou wilt awaken the spirits of thy Saints from their security in an unsettled and distracted condition to a serious minding of the great Concernments of thy Church and People their own Souls and this sinful Nation That thou wilt be graciously pleased speedily to change the Perillous Times that are or may come upon thy people according to the Predictions of thy holy Prophets into those Glorious Times which thou hast raised the hearts of many of thy Saints in Expectations of by thy Precious Promises However be pleased to preserve thy People in times of Peril and Persecution and to carry them as on Eagles Wings by thy Spirit of Grace through all Difficulties and Dangers till thou shalt receive them up into thy Kingdome of Glory So shall we thy poore unworthy Subjects and Suppliants as in Duty bound celebrate thy Glorious Name with everlasting Praises The Names of the Petitioners are written in Heaven A PROPHECY OF PERILLOUS TIMES Open'd and Apply'd 2 TIM 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This know also that in the last dayes perillous times shall come The Introduction THe knowledge of the Times and Seasons is very useful for all men Without
words Behold the LORDS hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his Eare heavy that it cannot hear But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his Face from you that he will not hear For your hands are defiled with Blood and your fingers with Iniquity your Lips have spoken Lies your Tongue hath uttered Perverseness None calleth for Justice nor any pleadeth for Truth They trust in Vanity and speak Lies they conceive Mischief and bring forth Iniquity They hatch Cockatrice Egges and weave the Spiders Web he that eateth of their Egges dieth and that which it crushed breaketh out into a Viper Their Webs shall not become garments neither shall they cover themselves with their works their Works are works of Iniquitie and the Act of Violence is in their Hands Their feet run to evil and they make hast to shed innocent blood Their thoughts are thoughts of Iniquity Wasting and Destruction are in their paths The way of Peace they know not and there is no judgment in their goings they have made them crooked Paths whosoever goeth therein shall not know Peace Therefore is Judgement far from us neither doth Justice overtake us We wait for Light but behold obscurity for Brightnesse but we walk in Darknesse We grope for the Wall like the Blinde and we grope as if we had no Eyes We stumble at Noon-day as in the Night we are in desolate Places as dead men We roar all like Bears and mourn sore like Doves We look for Judgement but there is none for salvation but it is far off from us For our Transgressions are multiply'd before Thee and our sinnes testifie against us for our Transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them In transgressing and lying against the LORD and departing away from our God speaking Oppression and Revolt conceiving and uttering from the heart Words of falsehood And Judgement is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for Truth is fallen in the street and Equity cannot enter Yea Truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a Prey and the LORD saw it and it displeased him that there was no Judgement And he saw that there was no man and wondred that there was no * Or Interposer Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so rendred Job 36.32 Intercessor Therefore his Arme brought salvation unto him and his Righteousnesse it sustained Him For he put on Righteousnesse as a Breast-plate and an Helmet of Salvation upon his Head and he put on the Garments of Vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal as a Cloke According to their Deeds accordingly he will repay Fury to his adversaries Recompence to his Enemies to the Islands he will repay Recompence So shall they fear the Name of the LORD from the West and his glory from the Rising of the Sun when the Enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him Thus we see how miserable the State of that Nation is which is full of Unrighteousnesse Oppression and Cruelty and how dreadful the condition of that People who are guilty of these sinnes shall be when the LORD of Hosts arm'd withVengeance shall come forth in Wrath and Fury for the Execution of his Judgements These are usually the sinnes of the great men of the world The Psalmist thus describes them †Psal 73 6-10 Pride compasseth them about as a chaine Violence covereth them as a Garment Their Eyes stand out with Fatnesse they have more then heart could wish They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning Oppression they speak loftily They set their Mouth against the Heavens and their tongue walketh through the Earth Therefore his People return hither and waters of a full Cup are wrung out to them But when their Insolencies are grown intolerable God takes down their Pride with deserved Punishments When they are come to the Zenith of their glory the least touch of the Almighty's hand sends them down into the lowest Centre of wretchednesse and infelicity That may be the very moment of their Destruction wherein they think to put a Period to the Churches Peace by their bloody Tyranny and Oppression For the oppression of the Poore for the sighing of the Needy NOW will I arise saith the LORD I will set him at safety from him that puffeth at him * Psal 12.5 Oppressors are wont to prey upon the Poor as the stronger Beasts upon the weaker the greater Fowles and Fishes upon the lesser They are the Leeches of the Common-wealth which suck the Blood out of its Veines the Suckers which spring from the roots of the Trees and draw away the Sap from the otherwise fruitful Branches The Oppressor is a most cruel Chymist for he distills Silver out of the sweat of poor mens Brows and Gold out of the tears of Widows and Orphans The very Laws are made use of by such as Keys to open their Coffers as Buckets to draw all the water out of their Wells Aperi Bursam ego aperiam Buccam Let me finger my Fee sayes the greedy Lawyer and I will canvase thy Cause Thus Justice runs upon Silver-wheels while Oppression rules with an Iron Rod. The Poor are dasht in pieces by the Proud like Potters Vessels Then is it time for the Judge of the World to come forth and execute Judgement Then shall they feel the strength of his strokes as well as others have felt the Power of their Pride †Isa 30.12 13 14 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel Because ye despise this Word and trust in Oppression and perversenesse and stay thereon Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high Wall whose breaking cometh suddenly at an Instant And he shall break it as the breaking of the Potters Vessel that is broken in pieces he shall not spare so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take Fire from the Hearth or to take water withall out of the Pit Oppression when it is become a reigning sin precedes some sore Visitation of that City presages the utter Desolation of that Land wherein it reignes We shall not doubt of the Truth of this if we do believe the Word of God * Jer. 6.6 7 8. For thus hath the LORD of Hosts said Hew ye down Trees and cast a Mount against Jerusalem This is the City to be visited she is wholly Oppression in the midst of her As a Fountain casteth out her waters so she casteth out her Wickednesse Violence and spoile is heard in her before me continually is Griefe and Wounds Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soul depart from thee lest I make thee desolate a Land not Inhabited The Riches gained by Oppression shall not prosper in the hand of Oppressors nor prefit them in the Day of wrath Forasmuch therefore saith the LORD â€
manifold Provocations †Hos 4.1 2 3. Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the LORD hath a controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no Truth nor Mercy nor Knowledg of God in the Land By Swearing and Lying and Killing and Stealing and committing Adultery they break out and Blood toucheth Blood Therefore shall the Land mourne and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish with the Beasts of the Field and with the Fowles of Heaven yea the Fishes of the Sea also shall be taken away Thus the Commonnesse of sinne is the Ground of Gods entring a Controversie against a Land Thus the Land of Israel was become a sink of sinne before God empty'd out upon it his Vials of Wrath. And so does our English Prophet * De Excid Britan. Gildas shew us how England was overspread with sins Adultery Drunkennesse Oppression c. before it was overwhelm'd with Judgements When men flie far from God in the commission of all sorts of sinnes then does God come near to them in the Execution of his sorest Judgements Such was the carriage of the Rebellious Jews towards God and thus did the Righteous God deale with his People the Jews I will come near to you sayes the LORD to them †Mal. 3.5 to Judgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false Swearers and against those that oppresse the Hireling in his Wages the Widow and the Fatherlesse and that turn aside the stranger from his Right and fear not me saith the LORD of Hosts It s sin thus abounding which changes the Countenance and Constitution of the Times whence of sound and good they become distemper'd and evil Hence is it that the smiling Face of Time is alter'd and beholds us with a languishing Look Hence it is that the most fruitful Seasons are punisht with a barren womb Hence it is that the most joyful Dayes which almost continually appear'd in Festival Garments come forth drooping in a mourning Dress hanging down the Head both for shame and sorrow Much to this purpose does the Father speak as it were with a sigh to his Children his Auditors in his Sermon upon the the Famine and Drought * Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold sayes he how our abounding sinnes our multiply'd Abominations have chang'd the Temper of the Times striping them naked as it were of their proper natures and have drawn strange lineaments upon the Face of the Seasons altering the very Native temperament and fixt constitution thereof 'T is indeed nothing but sin that furrowes the beautiful Face of Time with the frownes and wrinkles of affliction and sorrow 'T is sinne which often alters the Seasons changing Summer into Winter Calms into storms the Summer of Peace Plenty Prosperity into the Winter of Affliction Scarcity and Warre When sinne thus casts its Spawne into the Waters of Time it produces a numerous off-spring of sufferings and sorrows Miseries and Calamities to the Children of men The second Case The Generality of Offendours WHen all sorts of men transgresse both Great and Small Rich and Poore Princes and People Noble and Obscure the Times must needs be perillous Thus before God brought the Flood upon the World †Gen. 6.12 all Flesh had corrupted â—his way upon the Earth Thus not onely were the Common People of Israel * Isa 1.3 4 Ignorant and Profane but their †ver 23. Princes were rebellious and companions of Thieves and then the LORD comes forth to * ver 24. execute Judgement on his Adversaries and to avenge himself on his enemies The Prophet Jeremy knowing that unlesse the righteous stand in the Gap the Judgements of God would soon break out upon a Rebellious People having in the Name of the Lord call'd upon others to run to and fro to seek such out he himself runs from one sort of men to another to find them but when he finds none he denounces the Judgements of God against a people so Generally corrupt and wicked Behold herein the justice and goodnesse of God with the complaint and carriage of the Prophet For sayes the Lord †Jer. 5 1-6 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can finde a man if there be any that executeth Judgement that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it And though they say the LORD liveth surely they swear falsely O LORD are not thine eyes upon the Truth Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive Correction they have made their Faces harder then a Rock hey have refused to returne Therefore I said Surâ—ly these are poore they are foolish for they know not the way of the LORD nor the Judgement of their God I will get me unto the Great men and will spâ—aâ— unto them for they have known the way of the LORD and the Judgement of their God but these have altogether broken the Yoke and burst the Bonds Wherefore a Lion out of the Forrest shall slay them and a Wolfe of the Evenings shall spoile them a Leopard shall watch over their Cities Every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces because their Transgressions are many and their Backslidings are increased So likewise does the Lord by the Prophet Ezekiel complaine of the Corruption of the Priests Princes Prophets and People of Judah and Jerusalem for which he severely punisht them in the fiercenesse of his Wrath and fiery Indignation Sonne of man saith the LORD * Ezek. 22 24-31 say unto her Thou art the Land that is not cleansed nor rained upon in the Day of indignation There is a conspiracy of her Prophets in the midst thereof like a roaring Lion ravening the prey they have devoured souls They have taken the treasure and precious things they have made her many Widows in the midst thereof Her Priests have violated my Law and have profaned my holy Things they have put no difference between the Holy and Profane neither have they shew'd difference between the uncleane and the cleane and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am profaned among them Her Princes in the midst thereof are like Wolves ravening the prey to shed Blood and to destroy soules to get dishonest Gain And her Prophets have daubed them with untemper'd Mortar seeing Vanity and Divining Lies unto them saying Thus saith the Lord GOD when the LORD hath not spoken The People of the Land have used Oppression and exercised Robbery and have vexed the Poore and Needy yea they have oppressed the Stranger wrongfully And I sought for a man among them that should make up the Hedge and stand in the Gap before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none Therefore have I poured out
destruction when such bitter and cursed fruits grow upon the top-most Branches of the tallest Trees in the Land So likewise when those that should punish sinne in others are themselves guilty of those sins which do deserve the sharpest Punishment When those that are intrusted with power for the execution of Justice upon Swearers Drunkards Adulterers Sabbath-breakers and such like are themselves guilty of these fearful sins and God-provoking Abominations This speaks the state of such a People to be desperate the disease of such a Nation to be deadly When there is Poison in the Plaister and the Physician himself hath the Plague upon him what hope of cure can there be for the Patient If those that should be the Healers of the Nation do wound it by their transgressions what can be expected but a sudden and inevitable Destruction Certainly corrupt Magistrates and Ministers of Justice are the Lands sharpest Scourges and the chief procurers of its sorest Judgements The fifth Case Incorrigiblenesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVHen men are not amended by Corrections but grow worse and worse under all the Dispensations of Divine Providence it 's a sure and sad Symptome of perillous Times a clear and undeniable evidence that the last dayes are come upon us and the Evil of them hath overtaken us For the Apostle fore-warning us that in the last Dayes perillous Times shall come tells us that in those Dayes †2 Tim. 3.13 Evil men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived It 's a sad signe that judgement is at hand and Destruction is at the Doore when men grow worse and worse under all the meanes of making them bettâ—r When they are not reclaim'd by Judgements reduc'd by benefits reform'd by all the meanes of grace and Salvation Surely Incorrigiblenesse under judgements and customary continuance in Sin and a continual progresse in impiety from one degree to another notwithstanding all the meanes and mercies vouchsaft for their amendment is a Fore-runner of their inevitable ruine If the Tree be prun'd and digg'd about and dung'd and water'd and yet notwithstanding all this cost and paines after long waiting does not onely bring forth no good Fruit but much evil and every yeare worse and worse it shall certainly be cut down that it no longer cumber the ground * Luk. 13 6-9 If when the Lord might justly expect good Grapes from his Vineyard it bring forth nothing but wilde Grapes and these every Vintage worse and worse its just with him to pluck up the Fence thereof and lay it wast †Isa 5 1-6 God is wont by his Word his Rod and his Sword to proceed against sinners By his Word he calls them to repentance but if they will not be reclaim'd by that with his Rod he chastises them for sin he exercises them with several Afflictions if they will not hereby be amended he is ready with the Sword of his Justice to cut them off in the execution of his Judgements So by the neglect and non-improvement of the two former a sinning People come to experiment the severity of the last and sorest of these dispensations Thus does the Lord complain of Judah * Zeph. 3.2 She obeyed not the Voice she received not Correction and so hereby she provoked the wrath of God to her own Ruine and Destruction When men do commonly cast contempt upon the Word and Ordinances of God and are generally unprofitable under the meanes of grace its just with God to give them up to Blindnesse of Minde and hardnesse of Heart and then according to the ordinary Methods of his Justice to second these Spiritual Judgements with a Temporal Destruction and so for the Vnprofitablenesse of the People to lay the Land desolate Of this Import is that dreadful commission which the Lord gave unto the Prophet Isaiah concerning the People of Israel Go sayes He to him †Isa 6 9-12 and tell this People hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this People fat and make their eares heavy and shut their Eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their Eares and understand with their Heart and convert and be healed Then said I Lord how long And he answered Untill the Cities be wasted without Inhabitant and the Houses without man and the Land be utterly desolate and the LORD have removed men far away and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the Land Of the very same import is the Criminatory Complaint and Prophetick Commination of the Prophet Jeremy against the men of Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem in the Name of the Lord. This thing commanded I them saith the LORD * Jer. 7 23-29 concerning their Fathers whom he had brought out of the Land of Egypt saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my People and walk ye in all the wayes that I have commanded you that it may be well unto you But they hearkened not nor inclined their Eare but walked in the Counsels and in the Imagination or stubbornnesse of their evil Heart and went backward and not forward Thus they became worse by the meanes used to make them better Since the Day that your Fathers came forth out of the Land of Egypt unto this Day I have even sent unto you all my servants the Prophets daily rising up early and sending them Yet they hearkened not unto me nor inclined their eare but hardened their Neck they did worse then their Fathers Therefore thou shalt speake all these words unto them but they will not hearken to thee Thou shalt also call unto them but they will not answer thee But thou shalt say unto them this is a Nation that obeyeth not the Voice of the LORD their God nor receiveth Correction Truth is perished and is cut off from their Mouth Cut off thine Hair O Jerusalem and cast it away and take up a Lamentation on high Places for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the Generation of his Wrath. And what follows †ver 34. Then will I cause to cease from the Cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the Voice of Mirth and the Voice of Gladnesse the Voice of the Bride-groome and the Voice of the Bride for the Land shall be desolate But yet before the Lord proceeds to the utter Destruction of a People he is wont to try them by lesser Judgements lighter Afflictions whether they will return to Him by Repentance or no. These lesser Judgements are his Warning peeces which he shoots off to see whether they will make their Peace with him before he levels against them his Battering Ordnance and discharges upon them his Murdering Cannons his dreadfull destroying Judgements Lighter Afflictions therefore are to be improved for the Prevention of heavier Judgements For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nocumenta Documenta
however otherwise acomplish't with Princely Virtues he made no account of keeping his Oaths but swore and unswore as might stand best with his Interest How justly may we expect that God will root out the Posterity of perjur'd persons from the Land however they may at present flourish in their worldly prosperity Though †Eccl. 11.2 all things at present come alike to all yea though he that sweareth and violateth his Oath be more successeful then he that feareth an Oath yet there is a day of account to come wherein God will bring every work into judgement * Eccl. 12.14 and then dreadful shall the estate be of forsworne Atheists Certainly a sword hangs over the Head of every perjur'd Person and all his worldly greatnesse shall not shield him from the danger as over the head of Damocles in the Palace of Dionysius a sword was hung by a haire which when he perceived he could take no Pleasure in all the sumptuous Preparations which the Tyrant had made to give him a momentany tast of his worldly greatnesse and felicity The Lord hath said that †Mal. 3.5 he will be a swift witnesse against the false swearers and though they say to God Depart from us the LORD hath said I will come near to you to judgement The perjur'd person shall not be able to keep that * Zech. 5.1 flying Roll out of his house which shall bring in with it that curse of God which shall consume his dwelling place For †Zech. 5.4 I will bring it forth saith the LORD of Hosts and it shall enter into the House of the Thief and into the House of him that sweareth falsly by my Name and it shall remaine in the midst of his House and shall consume it with the Timber thereof and the Stones thereof All the precious substance of perjur'd Persons shall be but as Stubble when the wrath of the Lord like Fire shall be kindled against them Personal sins shall have Personal punishments But when a sin is become common and National justly may we feare some National judgement How justly may God spread a thunder-cloud over a whole Land for the punishment of the sinne of falsehood and perjury in the violation of sacred Oaths and Covenants Shall not the LORD have a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land when there is no TRUTH nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land When by swearing and forswearing the Land is polluted may we not justy feare that the Land shall mourn and that every one that dwelleth therein shall languish * Hos 4.1 2 3. Will not the Lord hew that people in pieces by the sword and consume that City with the Plague that shall break the sacred band of a solemn Covenant Thus saith the LORD by Moses to his people Israel concerning this sin †Lev. 26.25 I will bring a SWORD upon you that shall avenge the QUARREL of my COVENANT and when ye are gather'd together within your Cities I will send the PESTILENCE among you and ye shall be deliver'd into the hand of the Enemy Thus Perjury and Covenant-breaking brings in War and Destruction upon a Land and so must needs be a Prognostick of perillous Times And more sad and fearful yet it is when this sin is twisted with the sin of Treason and Rebellion and committed under pretences of Religion The souldiers of Alexander called * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Argyraspides because by Alexanders gift they wore Silver Shields as Plutarch relates of them were grand TRAYTORS to their GENERAL to whom they had bound themselves by many solemne OATHS and PROTESTATIONS insomuch that Antigonus with whom they had treacherously comply'd against their Prince the sonne of Alexander and their General Eumenes whom they had deliver'd up bound into his hands so perfectly hated them for this their perfidiousnesse that he burnt one of their Colonels and slew the other and engaged the rest in such desperate services in forraigne Countreys that not one of them return'd alive home When men under the silver shields of Religious Pretences presume they shall be secure in the guilt of the detestable sinnes of Perjury Treason and Rebellion they shall be sure not to escape punishment by the Iron sword of Justice But now when such hateful vices as these lift up their heads and proudly outbraving all opposition usurp the Throne of the most Heroick Virtues we may safely conclude the dayes are come which the Apostle hath foretold us shall be perillous times For these are those very black brands and marks of Infamy wherewith the Apostle hath stigmatiz'd those sinners which how Saint-like soever they should appear in their Disguise of formal godlinesse should by their diffusive wickednesse make the dayes Evil the Times perillous For in those Daies he hath told us men shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †2 Tim. 3 1-4 Truce-breakers Traytors Rebells such as make no conscience of keeping their Covenants but violate the most solemn Obligations religiously ratifi'd such as betray the Persons or Interests of those that have reposed Trust in them and to whom they are oblig'd by solemne Oaths and Protestations of fidelity such as are disobedient to their Natural or Political Parents who rise up in Rebellion against their lawful Princes and Governours to whom they have sworne Alleagiance or at least made solemn Protestations of subjection and service with hazard of their Lives and Estates Such perfidious Persons make perillous Times A further and fuller Description of such men we have in the Prophet Hosea if we rightly understand the place for which purpose I shall produce the interpretations of some of the most solid pious and judicious Divines who may deservedly be reckoned amongst the best Expositors The words of the Prophet are these * Hos 10.2 3 4. Their Heart is divided now shall they be found faulty he shall break down their Altars he shall spoile their Images For now they shall say We have no KING because we feared not the LORD what then should a King do to us They have spoken words SWEARING FALSELY in making a COVENANT thus Judgement springeth up as Hemlock in the Furrows of the Field The Interpretation of this Scripture is given thus Their heart is divided Or as it is in the Margin he hath divided their heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. Having taken away the Spirit of Peace and concord from them he hath given them over to Divisions Factions and frequent Murthers of Princes which will cause the utter ruine of the Kingdome * Diodati For now they shall say We have no King Within a very short time God shall take away their King c. This taking away of a King is a remarkable Evidence of Gods Wrath †Lam. 4.20 and convincing the same even to a people obdurate in sin that would faine deny Gods hand to be in it * Engl. Annot. Or
the Devils who was and is GOD blessed for evermore Now sayes our Saviour * Mat. 10.24 25. The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the servant as his Lord if they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold It 's our Honour who are the Ministers of the Gospel that the Lord hath made us not onely his Servants but the †1 Cor. 4.1 Stewards of his House Seeing then the Master of the House hath undergone such reproaches from the vilest of men let not us think it strange if we be reviled and railed upon by men of the like spirit with the most Opprobrious Names of Dog and Devil Now what 's the designe of these Seducers herein but the bringing the Ministry of the Gospel into contempt that having by this meanes fasten'd many Prejudices in the mindes of the People against the Preachers of the Gospel they might the more easily draw them off from their Attendance upon the sound Doctrine by them deliver'd to the embracement of their owne Erroneous Opinions For as Saint Augustine well observes Heretici cum ipsam Divinae Scripturae Veritatem quae ubique disfusa Christi Ecclesia commendatur criminari obscurare non possunt homines per quos praedicatur adducunt in odium de quibus fingere quicquid in mentem venerit possunt * Aug. Ep. 137. ad Hipponen Hereticks when they can neither stain nor cloud the Sunne of SCRIPTURE-TRUTH which spreads its Beames throughout the Church of Christ and is accounted its glory endeavour by disgraces to darken the Stars by Reproaches to cast an Odium upon them by whom this Truth is preached For of them they can freely speak whatsoever their minde or malice can invent And this their Malice against the Ministers of the Gospel they manifest by persecuting them as Cain by Cursing them with Balaam by opposing and contradicting them by exalting themselves into their sacred Office as Corah And therefore sayes the Apostle Jude †Jude v. 11 Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward and perished in the Gain-saying of Core They are * ver 13. raging Waves of the Sea foming out their own shame For what are these vile reproaches which issue from their mouths but the fome of that cruel Rage which boyleth in their hearts They utter many hard speeches against the children of God and especially against the Ministers of the Gospel that oppose their damnable Doctrines and soul-destroying opinions They are Murmurers and Complainers of good Governours who restraine them and Flatterers and Admirers of wicked leaders who countenance and encourage them But their doome hath been declar'd long ago as appears by that most ancient Prophecy which the Apostle Jude mentions and applies to this very sort of Seducers For Enoch sayes he †Jude v. 14 15 16. the seventh from Adam prophecy'd of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoked against him These are Murmurers Complainers walking after their own lusts and their mouth speaketh great swelling words having mens Persons in Admiration because of advantage These snarling Sectaries are still quarrelling at the Doctrines of the Gospel deliver'd by the Ministers of Christ and crying up the wilde Notions of their own Braine in opposition thereunto For as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so sayes the Apostle Paul * 2 Tim. 3.8 do these also resist the TRUTH men of corrupt mindes reprobate or of no judgement †Marg. Gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the Faith Herein they are but the Devils Agents sent forth to oppose Christs Ambassadours For Diabolos Haereticos movet ut sub vocabulo Christiano Doctrinae resisterent Christianae * Aug. de civitate Dei l. 18. c. 51. Hereticks by the Instigation of the Devil do under the Name of Christians oppose the Name of Christ We read in the Book of Job †ch 1. v. 6. that when the Sonnes of God came to present themselves before the LORD Satan came also among them So when the children of God come to present themselves before the Lord in the Assemblies of his Saints to seek his Face in the Beauties of holinesse and to be instructed in his will revealed in his word these Agents of Satan will likewise sometimes come amongst them but 't is onely with this devilish Designe to make some opposition to the Ministers of the word and to subvert the Faith of the Hearers by some contradiction of the Doctrines of the Gospel by them deliver'd 'T was not then without cause that Saint Cyprian makes this complaint of them Ad nos saepe studio magis contradicendi quam vera discendi veniunt clamosis vocibus personantes malunt sua impudenter ingerere quam nostra patienter audiâ—e * Cyp. contra Demet. They often resort to us but 't is rather with a designe to contradict then a desire to learne the Truth which is taught them and then setting up their Note they make a fearful bauling and will needs impudently urâ—e their own Opinions rather then patiently hâ—are our Instructions This Spirit of Contradiction had they but once power in their Hands would soon be turn'd into the Sword of Persecution Yea this very †Heb. 12.3 Contradiction of sinners is one kinde and degree of the Persecution of the Saints And therefore sayes Augustine Eos teneamus Interfectores Prophetarum quos contradictores invenerimus Linguis Prophetarum * Aug. l. 2. contra lit Petil. c. 14. Let us hold them to be the Persecutors that kill the Prophets whom we finde to be the persons that contradict their Prophecies These railing Apostates these slandering Seducers are by the Apostle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †2 Tim. 3.3 DEVILS being indeed like to theâ—â— great Master in that they are FALSâ—-ACCUSERS of the Brethren the children of God Doubtlesse Railing and Reviling is not the Language of the Spirit of God by which they pretend to speak Alas they know not what â—pirit they are of But we know 't is not the property of Sheep to bark and bite but of * Phil. 3.2 Dogs and †Act. 20.29 Wolves And by the names of these hurtful and cruel creatures we finde Seducers to be set forth in the Holy Scriptures When ever therefore in discourses of the Things of Heaven we heare from any man this Language of Hell we may well say * As Mat. 26.73 Surely thou also art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee There are two other Characters by
Zedekiah the King said Behold he is in your hand for the King is not he that can do any thing against you Then took they Jeremiah and cast him into the Dungeon of Malchiah the sonne of Hammelech that was in the Court of the Prison and they let down Jeremiah with cords and in the Dungeon there was no water but mire so Jeremiah sunk in the mire Thus wicked Rulers are wont to exercise their Rigours upon the Lords faithful Prophets and then needs must such Times be perillous to the People of God Thus when the Apostle fore-warnes us of perillous Times he plainly tells us that in those Dayes †2 Tim. 3.3 men shall be False-accusers Fierce Despisers of those that are Good Say the CAPTAINES of the Host to Jehu concerning a Prophet of the LORD * 2 King 9.5 11. Wherefore came this MAD fellow to thee Thus when Piety is banisht from the Court and Iniquity abounds in the Camp †Is 59.15 he that departeth from Evil is accounted MAD * So the Marg. and Jun. Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praedae exponit se sed secundum R. Salom. Aberrans vesanus stultus habetur and so hereby maketh himself a PREY When the Scepter is snatcht from the hand of VIRTUE and the Sword is put into the hand of VICE when AUTHORITY is stript of her Robes of State and POWER is cloathed and adorn'd with her Spoiles it 's high time for TRUTH and PIETY to fly to the Sanctuary of God and there to wait for the HONOUR of MARTYRDOME at his holy Altar When the Mines are made the Powder is laid and the Match is lighted for the blowing up of the House as the Danger is great to them that are therein so cannot the Discovery be made without Danger How sad is the state of things when Warning shall be given to men from God of their near approachings evils and Judgements which God is ready to execute upon them for their sinnes and they shall contemptuously reject all such Admonitions with many tart invectives at least and sharp reflections upon them that have thus warn'd and admonisht them in the Name of the Lord saying All this is but out of the Pride of their hearts the bitternesse of their spirit and their Disaffection to the Government Thus did the rebellious Jews reject the reproofs and premonitions of the Prophet Ezekiel immediately before they experimented the strength of Gods hand and the smart of his Rod in the Babylonish Captivity For thus sayes he unto them †Ezek. 33.26 Ye stand upon your sword ye work Abomination q. d. Now ye have the sword in your hand ye trust in your owne strength and are secure in your sinnes as if the Evils and Judgements whereof I have warn'd you in the Name of the Lord should never befal you But sayes he unto them * v. 33. When this comes to passe loe it will come then shall they know that a Prophet hath been among them Demosthenes the famous Athenian Oratour and illustrious Assertour of the Graecian Liberties against the injurious intrusions of the Macedonian Monarch being banisht by his ungrateful Citizens as he departed out of the City a company of the Athenian Youth coming to see him he gave them this counsel that if they were wise they should never meddle in matters of State all Activity in publick concernments being through the Malice of some and Envy of others continually attended with manifold Dangers and Disgraces And further to confirm his Counsel for his own part he assured them that if the Athenians would afford him the Liberty of Choice whether to go as he was wont into the Assemblies to make Orations to the People or to climb a Scaffold to receive the stroke of Death he now knew so much by his own experience of the Feares Envies Suspitions Slanders Accusations and Injuries that still attend him that shall interesse himself in the Affaires of the Common-wealth though out of a desire of the Publick Good he would rather chooâ—e the plaine Way to Death then that rough and dangerous Path to Honour †Plutarch in Vita Demosth What should be the ground of this Choice but that he thought one Death was rather to be chosen then many Thus we see how publick Persons are exposed to Danger in perillous Times especially when the Common-wealth is pester'd with Factious People There are two things which a Factious Ambitious People can never beare the Tongue of the Preacher and the Head of the Prince But beyond all colour of contradiction the peril of Gods Ministers in delivering his Message to a people professing Religion and godlinesse speaks the Times to be perillous But what shall I say more to this wicked Generation but with the Apostle * Gal. 4.16 Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Be it so Neverthelesse sayes the LORD †Eze. 33.9 if thou warne the wicked of his way to turn from it if he do not turne from his way he shall aâ—â— in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul Well then * Isa 49.4 I have not labour'd in vain I have not spent my strength for nought and in vaine For my judgement is with the LORD and both my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †WORK and REWARD is with my God Opus Metonym Operis Merces Buxt Thus we have largely resolved the first Question concerning the knowledge of those Times which the Apostle hath foretold us shall be perillous We shall now give a brief answer to the two remaining Questions and so proceed to the second principal Enquiry which was at first propounded for the prosecution of thâ— subject The second Question VVHy are these Times so perillous Quest 2 Answ Because I. God is provoked Answ 1 The loving Favour of a gracious reconciled God makes the Saints happy and the Times blessed and glorious But when the sinnes of men have provok'd the wrath of God what can we expect but perillous Times God is no lesse dreadful in his Judgements then he is gracious to his Saints in the distribution of his Favours Doubtlesse it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God †Heb. 10.31 And the Abominations of such Times are so many Provocations of the most high God If his Jealousie burn like fire * Ps 79.5 Zeph. 1.18 and 3.8 and his fierce wrath should once be kindled †Psal 2.12 Num. 11.33 Ps 106.40 against us how should the Inhabitants of the Land be as withered stubble before him What dreadful Judgements hath a provoked God thrown down from heaven upon a provoking people He drown'd the world with water and burnt up Sodom and Gomorrah with Fire and hath slaine many thousands of his Enemies with the edge of the Sword for those fearful Impieties wherewith they provoked the pure eyes of his glory Needs must those be perillous Times wherein the Lord of hosts
God! And hast thou given thy dearest Son to suffer such a cursed and cruel dâ—ath for such a vile sinner as I am O sweetest Mercy O infinite goodnesse O glorious Love Then me thought I first felt my Heart that before was like a †Eze. 36.26 stone within me to melt and sensibly dissolve at once into sorrow and joy †Zac. 12.10 * Sorrow that ever I had sinned against such a good God †Luk. 2.10 Joy that ever Mercy and Salvation should be tendered to such a vile sinner And then when I cast up my Eyes to Christ and beheld him sometimes as crucifi'd on Earth sometimes as glorifi'd in heaven my heart sure spake within me much to this purpose O deare Jesus And hast thou endured such grievous sufferings for the salvation of such a miserable sinner as I am What wouldest thou leave thy Fathers * Joh. 1.18 Bosome and glory to live here on Earth and die on the †Phil. 2.8 Crosse to save the Life of a crawling Worme Hast thou poured out thy * Joh. 19 34. Hearts blood to queâ—â—â— thy Fathers dreadful wrath and to â—â—â—chase his glorious Love to a poysonous Toad Is it possible Can it be believed for Truth that the Sonne of God should come to save such a sinful wretch as I am Yea He hath said it and I believe it †1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chiefe Hereupon I found my heart carried out in a restlesse and insatiable longing desire after Christ yea and indeed inseparably cleaving to Christ thus manifesting himself to me in the Gospel For then I not onely saw the sinfulnesse of my sinnes but I lookt upon all my * Isa 64.6 Righteousnesses as filthy rags and so humbling my self for my sinnes and renouncing utterly my own righteousnesse I cast my self wholly upon my Saviour and resolved †Job 13.15 though he should slay me I would trust in him And now though since I have not often found such sweet and powerful workings upon my Heart yet this is the state wherein I stand I have solemnly resigned my self wholly up into the hands of Christ as my Soveraigne and Saviour to be done with and disposed of in every thing as seemes best unto him and on him only do I rest for Righteousness and Life Eternal Happy soul God hath magnified his Mercy to thee and done more for thee then for thousands God hath drawn thee tâ— Christ and united thy soul to him by â—â—â—h a Band indissoluble For thou hast in this Declaration of Gods dealings with thee laid open the very Mysterie of Faith and manifested how the Holy Ghost hath by this Heavenly Band inseparably knit thy soul unto thy Saviour Rejoyce then in thy God For thy soul is safely lockt up in the Everlasting Blessed Embraces of thy Redeemer Yea thou shalt be for ever worn as a Jewel in his bosom Fear not For in the day that God makes up his Jewels * Mal. 3.17 he will remember thy soul And though thy Faith be weak be not discouraged Thou standest not in thy own strength but in the strength of Christ who is †Isa 63.1 Mighty to save The safety of the Child in the Mothers Bosome lies not in the strength of its own weak Arms wherewith it clings about her but in the strength of the Mothers Arm and the Affectionate Tenderness of her heart towards it What though thy Faith be weak thy strength be small and thy Enemies strong thou art kept by the Power of God through Faith unto salvation * 1 Pet. 1.5 Christ is thine and so Heaven and Happiness is thine also The Lord grant I may live to his Praise that hath shewed Mercy on me For the Glory of God is I know the end of these Dispensations of his Grace For thus it is written †Eph. 1.12 13 14. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ In whom saith the Apostle ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance untill the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the praise of his Glory But how may I know that God hath given me this Earnest of my Inheritance that I am sealed with his Holy Spirit or that he hath given his Holy Spirit to me If God hath given you Faith in Jesus Christ he hath certainly sealed you with his Holy Spirit and so given you the Earnest of your heavenly Inheritance For it is the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Grace by which that Faith was wrought in your Heart by which you have been united to Jesus Christ The Graces of Sanctification Repentance Faith Hope Love to God Charity c. are the prints of this Privy Seal wherewith God seals Believers as his own Peculiar which in whatsoever soul they are found to that soul is the Spirit of God given as an Earnest of an eternal Inheritance in Heaven And where there is one Grace of the Spirit as that of Faith which hath already been evidenc't there are all the rest though not equally visible Though sometimes but one Star do appear in the Heavens yet we are sure all the rest are fixed there though they are clouded from our sight Moreover the Spirit of God where ever it is is a Spirit of Holiness Prayer and Comfort Now do you desire to know whether the Spirit of God be given to you and do indeed dwell in you Then search your Heart and tell me what you discover upon these Enquiries Do you find sin to be a Burden to you and are you weary of it Do you indeed hate your sweetest sins and love the strictest wayes of Holiness Do you maintain a constant Conflict against your Corruptions Can you truly say with the Apostle †Rom. 7.19 The good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do For * v. 21. I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me Yet I delight in the Law of God after the inward man Oh do you not extremely long to be freed from this Bondage of Corruption that in the duties of Holiness you might enjoy a more glorious Freedom of Communion with God What is it which chiefly makes the world uncomfortable to you Is it Sin or Suffering Which of these two is it which you most constantly fear and most carefully decline Can you heartily bless God for Affliction when it becomes a Means to promote in your Heart the work of Grace and Holiness Is not your heart grieved for the Sin that cleaves unto you in your best performances Do you not find your heart endeared to the
from your own souls prevent the Dishonour of God and the Destruction of the Land This also would very much conduce to a Happy Change of the Times For never can we expect to see good Dayes till †Am. 5.24 Judgement run down as waters and righteousnesse as a mighty streame for the purging of the Land from its Impurities and Abominations The third Duty Prayer for Amendment IS it your Lot to live in Evil Times Dayes of Danger and Distresse Then Pray to the Father of Eternity for the Change and Amendment of the Times All our †Ps 31.15 Times are in his Hand he changes them from good to bad or bad to good as pleases him 'T is he that causes the Sun to shine or covers it from us with a Cloud as he pleases Our Dayes are clear or cloudy our Times are good or evil according to his Ordering and Government To whom then should we go but to him that orders all changes for the change of evil and perillous into good and prosperous Times He can take away evil men or make them good and so amend the Times When we see men continue in their sinnes and daily grow to a greater height of Wickednesse we have then cause to fear the Times will grow worse rather then better And therefore in this Case the People of God had need be very earnest and importunate with God in their Prayers lest the Provocations of the wicked should be more prevailing for the bringing down of the Judgements of God then the Prayers of his People for the Prevention of those Judgements and the Procurement of his Mercies upon the Land When the sins of the Land cry aloud for Judgment the Saints of God had need to cry aloud for Mercy The Prayer of Faith is the most effectual means by Gods own appointment for the Removal of evils felt the Prevention of evils feared and the Procurement of good things desired There is not therefore a more sad Symptome of the approach of some dreadful Judgement then the Restraint of the Spirit of Prayer in the People of God Thus when Israel had fearfully provoked God by customary commission of grosse sinnes after glorious deliverances as Theft Murder Adultery Perjury Idolatry and had extreamly aggravated these sins by pretences of Religion and godlinesse For they would come and stand before the LORD in his House as if they should say We are deliver'd to do all these Abominations as the Lord hath testifi'd against them by his Prophet * Jer. 7.9 10 and when thereupon God purposed to cast them off for their sins he forbad his Prophet to pray for them For sayes the Lord †Jer. 7.15 16 I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out all your Brethren even the whole seed of Ephraim Therefore pray not thou for this People neither lift up Cry nor Prayer for them neither make Intercession to me for I will not hear thee This Prohibition of the Prophets Prayer for them was more terrible then the Commination of the sorest Judgement against them While a Praying Spirit is kept up in the hearts of Gods people there is hopes of prevailing with God for mercy for a sinful Nation Prayer does as it were binde up the hands of Omnipotency that an offended God cannot inflict a deserved Punishment upon a provoking People And therefore when the Israelites had made them a Molten Calf and worshipped it and the wrath of God was kindled against them to destroy them Moses by his Prayer prevented their Destruction And therefore did the Lord speak thus to Moses * Exod. 32.9 10. with Deut. 9.13 14 I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people Now therefore LET ME ALONE that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and blot out their name from under Heaven And I will make of thee a great Nation even a Nation mightier and greater then they Thus we see God could not execute his fierce wrath upon his people unless Moses would let him alone by ceasing to pray for them But this Command being rather Declarative of Gods wrath against Israel then expressive of his Pleasure that Moses should cease Praying Holy Prayer being Gods Delight Moses still proceeds in his Intercession for Israel and joynes Fasting with his Prayer and so prevailed for Mercy For it is said †Exod. 32 11 12. Moses besought the LORD his God and said Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people c. Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people And how gracious an Answer did he receive unto his prayer For it is said hereupon * ver 14. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people And again when Moses had beheld their abomination in making and worshiping the molten Calf he thus relates his Carriage success †Deut. 9.18 19 And I fel down saith he before the Lord as at the first fourty daies and fourty nights and I did neither eat bread nor drink water bâ—cause of all your sins which ye sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD to provoke him to Anger For I was afraid of the Anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you But the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also And therefore is it recorded of him in the Holy Scripture that the Lord said That he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the Breach to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them * Psal 106 23 And doth not the Lord such is his infinite Patience before he proceeds to the Execution of his Judgements upon a rebellious People for their unsufferable Provocations seek for a man among them that may make up the hedge and stand in the Gap before him for the Land that he may not destroy it †Ezek. 22 30 O then that some Moses might arise and plead with the Lord for his people that he might remove his Judgements and continue his Mercies to them and spare a sinfull Nation a defiled Land So Abraham brought down Gods Mercy by Steps in his * Gen. 18.23 ult Intercession for Sodom so far that if but Ten righteous persons had been sound in that whole sinfull City God would not have destroyed it Now how great an Encouragement should this be unto you Christians in Perillous Times to make your Addresses to God by fervent Prayers Oh! Is there none that will lift up a Prayer for a sinfull Nation before the Lord proceed to execute the fierceness of his wrath upon it O stir up your selves to wrestle with God in his own strength and resolve not to let him go till he bless the Land O Pray Pray Pray without ceasing that the Lord would turn away his Anger from us and after all our Shakings and Divisions settle Peace and Truth