others And to omit all other examples At the last and finall desolation of this Citie and Nation by the Romanes Histories doe report that presently before the taking of Ierusalem a voyce was heard among the Christians Goe forth to Pella Goe forth to Pella which so soone as ever the Christians had done and that they were safe there the Citie was sacked and all that desolation fully accomplished as was declared before God thus providing to set them safe before the destroyers came Whereby we may see evidently both by the testimonies and charge of the Lord himselfe and the continuall examples that the faithfull servants of God cleaving firmely unto him in the backsliding of the rest have the onely immunitie and priviledge above all others to be preserved at such times so far as shall be any way good for them and shall be withall for the Lords owne glory and the salvation of his people To confirme us yet further in the assurance hereof and to stir up our hearts so to walke with our God before that time doe come we have the Lords most gratious direction and promise made to the Prophet Esay and to the godly of his time teaching them how they should carie themselves in such outrage of iniquitie and in such signes of the approaching of his vengeance he hath caused it to be written for a most comfortable president to all succeeding ages and for a sure preservative against all feare of every such danger It is therefore carefully to be marked of all his servants The Prophet saith That the Lord spake unto him in taking him by the hand as it were incouraging and strengthening him and thus he taught him That they should not walke in the way of that people nor have a confederacy with them nor feare their feare no nor yet be afraid of them that is He would be a place of refuge and comfort unto them against all terrors as the Sanctuary was And by the Prophet Ezekiel he adds That he would be thus unto them in all the places wheresoever they should come Lastly besides this gratious promise we are to observe how in the most terrible denuntiation of vengeance against this people that God would not spare them for the greatnesse of their iniquitie no though Noah Iob and Daniel were amongst them yet alwaies this exception is added and carefully recorded by the Spirit of God That they to wit Noah Iob and Daniel being amongst them Should yet deliver their owne soules by their right eousnesse And againe They only shal be delivered themselves but the land shall be wast So the point is most cleere from the Lords owne warrant Let us now consider the reasons of it to strengthen us yet further against the time of temptation A principall cause hereof is The Lords most fatherly and tender love towards these That howsoever they are unto the world men most odious and monstrous for that they will not run with the rest to the same excesse as the Apostle Peter speakes and because they by their holy profession and carriage condemne the world as Noah did in his age by his preaching and living and making of the Arke yet are they unto the Lord as deere as the apple of his owne eye That he cannot possibly forget them wheresoever they be dispersed and howsoever No though it were possible for the mother to beâ—so unnaturall as to forget the childe of her wombe yet he cannot forget these They are graven on the palmes of his hands and are ever in his sight His mercy is about them in the greatest distresses as a wall of fire to fence them and to consume all contrary violence so farre as he seeth best And as chariots of fire to carry them safe out of all such dangers yea to save and deliver them in the midst of the fire and in the midst of the water And therefore when the day of the Lords vengeance commeth those who formerly thought on his name and spake to keep others from the wickednes of the times are taught to comfort themselves herein because they are written in the booke of his remembrances as Malachi speaketh They are indeed the Lords true flock then will he declare it openly sparing tendering theÌ„ as a father doth his own son in whoÌ„ he is delighted that men may oftentimes plainly discerne betweene the righteous and betweene the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not as we saw in all the former destructions And finally for their sakes It is why he spares a sinfull nation so long But if they be once forth the rest can looke for nothing but fearefull execution of vengeance for then he bids Smite and spare none as followeth But heere It will be said If this be so How commeth it to passe that many of the godly doe so oft feele the smart of such calamities as well as the rest As it is very cleare That many of the deare servants of God were caried away in this and the former captivity as well as others even many of those who were marked as we heard before That the Prophet himselfe was carried away in the former captivitie as also Daniel and his companions with many other and so were partakers of the common miseries of the captivitie with the rest It is likewise very probable that sundry of them died by the sword of the enemie and some by other calamities And on the other side It is certaine that many of the wicked escaped amongst the godly It may be therefore demanded what this marking did then stand the godly insteed or what they were better for it To this it may be answered First That this is very true that many of the godly doe often feele the smart of such generall judgements And that most justly for sundry causes for which God threatneth his wont to correct his deerest seruants As either for their former securitie or else for seeking their peace carnally by fashioning themselves unto the evill times as the greatest part is wont to doe ever so far as possibly they may not falling utterly from God Or for that they have not mourned for the abominations of the rest Or in that they have not bene so instant with the Lord for pacifying his wrath and turning away the judgment as they ought Or for neglecting their duties of Magistracie ministrie government in their families or at least of admonition exhortation or example for saving the rest and staying the course of sinne Or finally for that they have not beene so faithfull in all things in their places callings as they should or for some other their scandalous sins or sinnes against conscience whereby they have provoked the Lord against them for he useth to correct such and other sinnes like to these in his owne servants by heavy and sharpe temporall scourges and sometimes by death it selfe
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
enemies humbled by our unfained repentance p. 114 What we should doe seeing the Lords armies approaching p. 115 CHAP. X. The mourners marked then comes the vengeance p. 117 Our comfort in the remainder of the mourners and the preservation of the Lords Anointed p. 119 120 The account we are to make of the mourners p. 121 It is for the godly that the Gospell with our blessings continue p. 122 CHAP. XI The charge to the destroyers to destroy without pittie and why p. 124 125 Causes in generall provoking the Lord to so fierce a wrath the hainousnesse of the abominations and that no meanes would serve p. 125 The abominations committed by all sorts p. 125 126 The Prophets to be read to behold the sins which brought the vengeance p. 127 In the abominations of Iudah we may see our owne sinnes and estate portraied p. 127 Little hope of any such search to be made by us in these daies of securitie The authors endevour thereupon to help herein for the good of all p. 128 129 God hath ordainâ—d the faithfull discoverie of the iniquitie as a last and principall meanes to turne away a judgement p. 130 147 CHAP. XI Section 2. Cautions in reading these abominations p. 132 133 How their sinnes were increased p. 132 The principall sinnes specially mentioned after Hezekiahs reformation for which this judgement is chiefly denounced p. 134 The same punishment or a beavier must needs belong to us if we be guiltie of the same or the like sinnes p. 136 CHAP. XI Section 3. The vengeance must begin at the Sanctuarie because from thence chiefly all the wickednesse proceeded p. 137 168 169 CHAP. XI Abomination 1. The horrible wickednesse of the Priests and Prophets generally angring the Lord and hastening the Captivitie p. 138 139 What holinesse the Lord required of the Priests and Prophets p. 138 Abomination 2. The blindnesse of the Priests and Prophets hastening the Captivitie p. 141 The Priests and Prophets ought to be Seers and watchmen p. 141 Blinde and senslesse men not giving warning of Gods judgements termed dumbe dogs p. 143 The blindnesse and sleeping of the shepherds calls for the beasts of the forest upon their flockes p. 145 Abomination 3. Flatterie of the Priests and Prophets hardning the people to destruction p. 146 148 c. The faithfulnesse required in Gods watchmen messengers p. 146 Dawbers must looke for a storme to cause their worke to fall on them and all who trust in it p. 151 Abomination 4. Preaching mens devices in stead of Gods word hastening the Captivitie p. 152 153 c. Gods ministers ought to preach his word sincerely and faithfully p. 152 153. and p. 156 All inventions of 〈◊〉 but vaine and foolish in regard of Gods word and to seeke out such things is to seeke out causes of desolation p. 154 Preaching mens devices the high way to cause men to forget Gods word p. 155 The power of Gods word sincerely handled p. 157 Good Arts and learning grations helps though set in place of Gods word they bring a plague p. 158 They that preach their owne devices steale his word from his people and bring no good to them p. 159 State of such teachers when their consciences shall be awaked p. 160 Abomination 5. Want of compassion in the Priests and Prophets hastening the Captivitie p. 160 Gods faithfull ministers full of compassion towards their people 161 Pastors without due regard of their flockes are butchers and wolues to their flockes p. 162 Pastors without commiseration of their flockes the greatest enemies to Gods faithfull messengers and servants p. 163 When the watchman is the snare of a fowler he is then hatred in the house of his God p. 166 Gods terrible and most just denuntiation against all carelesse Pastors and Idoll shepherds for his flocke especially for his faithfull servants p. 167 Application to our selves p. 169 Abomination 6. The sinne of the people in approving the wicked Priests hastening the Captivitie p. 170 172 The meanes which the Lord had provided that his people should not be deceived by false Prophets p. 171 The Lord cannot but be avenged for approving of false prophets p. 172 The severitie of the Lords most righteous judgement fitting a sinfull people with Preachers to their hearts p. 173 174 How God will answer hypocrites comming to inquire of him p. 17â— Deceivers and deceived punished alike p. 176 Antichrists delusions follow the contempt of the Gospell p. 176 Why God sends false teachers and seducers p. 177 How God punished in the Gentiles the abusing of the very light of nature p. 178 How the people comming to the Prophets with a desire to know the truth yet may be notably deceived p. 179 How the Prophets themselves may be justly deceived and so deceive p. 179 181 How fearefull it is after a man hath received his resolute answer from God to goe upon carnall respects to enquire the second time p. 181 The punishment of the false Prophet and of him who asketh of him alike p. 183 Abomination 7. The sinnes of the people against Gods faithfull Prophets sent to them in mercie to bring them to repentance p. 184 The duties and affections of Gods people towards his faithfull messengers p. 184 The people grieving the Prophets by an extreme dulnesse and untowardnesse to learne Gods word hastening the Captivitie p. 186 The word of the Lord is in vaine to a rebellious people p. 188 They that cast away Gods word have no wisdome p. 188 How God punisheth the not profiting by his word with more blockishnesse p. 189 The just judgement of God to cause 〈…〉 servants to learne by his enemies p. 189 Application to our selves p. 190 Abomination 8. Refusing to heare Gods faithfull servants more 〈…〉 hastening the Captivitie p. 191 The Lords complaint for this sinne and how it must be 〈…〉 in a booke for the last day p. 192 The just vengeance for this sinne p. 194 195 For the contempt of Gods servants he makes their tongues cleave to the roofe of their mouthes p. 194 Abomination 9. Mocking and abusing Gods true Prophets and all the godly hastening the Captivitie p. 196 The custome of false Prophets to harden men in the contempt of Gods threatnings p. 197 God will make unbeleevers know the truth of his word by feeling it p. 197 The word in the mouthes of Gods messengers shall be as a fire to consume all wicked gainesaiers p. 198 Abomination 10. Discouraging Gods true Prophets by threatnings hastening the Captivitie p. 198 Vengeance for this sinne p. 199 Abomination 11. Slandering and falsly accusing Gods messengers hastening the Captivitie p. 200 Incensing the Magistrates against Gods faithfull messengers hasteâ—ing the Captivitie p. 200 Ordinarie with Gods true Prophets to be railed upon p. 201 Abomination 12. Secret conspiracies against Gods true Prophets and servants to take away their lives or credit hastening the Captivitie p. 202 The Lord in due time revealeth the most secret plots against his
specially at death most at the dreadfull judgement p. 532 533 Reasons of their horrour p. 533 State of them then who have neglected their callings and that which hath beene commanded them p. 534 How fearefull the condition of all those men is who have not gained with their talents nor increased them and more of those who have used them against the Lord and for Sathan p. 534 Their case of all other most fearefull to whom most hath beene committed p. 535 How their horrour shall be increased p. 535 No impenitent sinner can possibly looke to stand before the Lord. p. 535 Application to all who have neglected to doe as the Lord hath commanded them p. 536 Application to the chiefe to put them in remembrance as their answer must be the greatest for their place and charge p. 536 The Magistrates Commission and what the Lord will call for at his hards p. 537 The Iudges commission p. 538 The Ministers commission p. 538 The account of each Governour of a family for every soule within his gates p. 539 The account of every one to whom he hath committed any talent p. 539 How the Lord will reply to all sorts beginning to excuse themselves untill their mouthes be stopped p. 540 How he will reply to all for imploying their talents by trying their advantage p. 542 Objection of the weake Christian viz. who can be able to appeare before the Lord p. 543 Every one who hath unfainedly striven hereunto shall be able to stand before the Lord and reasons of it p. 544 Object 2. The cry of all sorts of sinners whose consciences shall be awaked when they shall bethinke themselves of this appearing p. 545 The Lords answer to all such p. 545 What the Lord commands the poore sinner in the first place p. 546 The endevour of Sathan to drive all such poore sinners to endlesse despaire p. 547 How to comfort the poore humbled sinner against Sathans assaults and temptations p. 547 The second terrour of Sathan that the time of mercie is past p. 549 The time is never too late whilst the Lord calls us to repent if we can obey p. 549 Generall comfort never repentant sinner but found mercie p. 550 The Lord still stretcheth out his hands to all to come to him p. 550 The terrible voice of the Lord to all despisers of mercy now offered p. 551 The Lord will one day bring all that belong unto him to say Lord I will doe as thou commandest at least he will bring them by strong hand p. 552 God purposeth their destruction whom he suffereth to goe on perpetually in their impenitencie p. 553 Application to us all in generall what securitie we have to escape the vengeance so long threatned from Babylon untill we doe as God commands p. 553 The Lords reply to us if we answer that we have repented and therefore shall have peace p. 554 555 God threatneth us as sensibly from Rome as he did them from Babylon p. 556 Conclusion of all how to trie the certaintie hereof and when we may have securitie and boldnesse p. 557 Comfort to all the meeke who can say that they have truly endevored to doe as the Lord hath commanded them These only have the promises p. 557 The Lord hath given most comfortable answers against each feare of his servants in such cases p. 558 Against the feare of being left into the enemies hand p. 558 The second feare for the wrongs and provocations of the enemies answered p. 559 Our third feare for that we are but poore wormes and nothing in regard of our enemies which are the mightie men of the earth p. 560 The fourth feare of Gods people for the miseries we may come into in the meane time amongst our enemies answered p. 561 A fift answer of the Lord against the feare of want of necessary comforts p. 562 A sixt comfort against feare of fainting in the long continuance of the troubles of the Church p. 563 The seventh the Lords answer to the faithfull soule mourning for feare of the dangers of the Church p. 565 What every faithfull servant of God should doe for the Church and this nation that would never see 〈◊〉 feele their miseries p. 565 All to hearken what the Lord calleth and crieth for at our hands moaning our estate p. 566 What he will doe for us and against our enemies if we will yet hearken unto him p. 567 A holy praier according to the Contents of the booke p. 569 TO ALL ESTATES AND DEGREES WHO truly tender their owne Soules the Church of God and their natiue COVNTREY IT is now many yeares Christian Reader since by reading those holy Prophets which liued next before the Captiuitie of Iudah who denounced the same to be ready to come vpon Gods people for their sinnes and by considering and comparing the same with the times wherein we liue I haue euer feared the life plague or a heauier to be hanging ouer this our sinfull Nation Neither haue I feared without iust cause for how neere indeed such a iudgement hath bin vnto vs and how the same threatnings haue bin ready to be verified vpon vs the world is witnesse euen all they who haue but onely heard the report of our dangers and of our wonderfull and euen miraculous deliuerances And euer the later perils and preseruations haue bin the more wonderfull as that one of the Powder furnace was aboue all that euer former age heard of In the due meditation and regard whereof I haue taken it to be my dutie and of all the faithfull Ministers of Christ to follow the example of Noah and of all those faithfull Prophets in giuing warning aforehand keeping within the limits and compasse of our calling to helpe to open the eyes of all to foresee and to cause all to tremble for the anger of the Lord also to contend with all our power to turne euery soule from his euill way that so his wrath may be appeased and we deliuered from the dreadfull execution of his heauiest vengeance Herevpon in my former feare amongst other causes I was chiefly emboldned and that not long before the time of that bloudie Powder-treason as the Lord had so directed it to endeuour to set downe truly and after to publish to all the first part of this watch viz The rule of life contayning the couenant which we haue all entred into with our God To the end to helpe to keepe all his people from the generall declining from that his blessed couenant to profanesse and iniquitie and from the outragious wickednes of the rest that we also might all learne to watch to be preserued in the euill day And since then likewise the second part of the same watch viz The rule of prayer to awaken vs the better and to stirre vp all the Lords faithfull seruants the more speedily and instantly to betake our selues wholly to watching and prayer not onely to be
accounted worthy to escape the euills approching but also that ech of vs may still helpe to preserue the Island like as our most compassionate Father hath in the riches of his mercy vouchsafed to accept vs vntill this day And this likewise he in his wisdome directed to come forth at the very instant yea in the midst of the last apparant danger which we in our parts were in for the insurrection about inclosures which howsoeuer it might seeme nothing or small to them who dwelt far from it yet to vs who expected the approching of the rebells euery houre and heard how the hearts of the people were generally bent it was no lesse terrible than any of the former but so much more fearefull the neerer it was Now therefore in the third place forasmuch as all men may behold all kinde of wickednesse and impietie still increasing fearefully without hope of redresse so that vnlesse we will put out our owne eyes we must see the iudgement of God hasting faster vpon vs and being at the very dore I haue taken it my bounden dutie and my best seruice that I could doe and possibly performe to his heauenly Maiestie his Church and my Country to adde this third part to the end to set before the faces of euery one of vs the heynousnesse of our sinnes in euery degree and so the equitie of the Lords proceeding against vs that we may all be inforced to iustifie his Maiestie though he come to execute whatsoeuer he hath so often threatned when no kinde of forewarning can doe vs any good And also to try if yet at length he will vouchsafe to recall vs againe to his couenant and put new life into vs to meet him falling vpon our faces in fasting and prayer to pacifie his wrath and that ech of vs may begin to put that in practise which was intended and sought in the two former parts that is to watch and pray continually not in words any longer but in deed and truth for the preseruation and lasting welfare of vs and our posteritie That the heauiest iudgement must needs be feared to be so much the neerer as the anger of the most High is more kindled against vs no man can doubt and that his wrath is incensed to the vttermost is most apparent to all whose eyes he hath opened or who doe but beleeue his heauenly word for that in stead of hauing any of our greeuous abhominations which we may behold set before our faces in the Treatise following euen by the Prophets themselues and forwhich he hath so often threatned us yet vnfeignedly repented of we haue indeed increased them many times more The couenant of our God which the whole land professeth and ech of vs in our Baptisme haue solemnely entred into we haue most grieuously transgressed And this many of vs haue done with so high a hand as that we haue caused that his heauenly Gospell to be blasphemed inforcing him to threaten to take his couenant with all his blessings from vs yea to leaue vs to be made a prey and a spoyle vnto our enemies which thirst after our bloud continually This all confessed when they so despightfully and proudly came against vs as being ready to swallow vs vp quicke and ech of vs then acknowledged that his wrath was most iustly kindled against vs for the same so as if he should then haue cast vs off vtterly for euer being his people or a nation any more that yet we had most righteously deserued it This we haue in like manner many a time since acknowledged in all our dangers and plagues which we haue had vpon vs plague after plague as those ten plagues of Aegypt More especially in the grieuous dearths and chiefly in that most poysoned plague of pestilence as the sundry confessions of sinnes then made and still extant doe and shall euer beare witnesse But aboue all other times when we were all ready to be consumed in the hot fierie furnace at once yea this we ordinarily and daily euery one confessed whilst we liued in imminent danger euery houre before the Lord so miraculâ—â—sly and graciously set vp his Anointed ouer vs. Euery one then could say Our sinnes are so â—heynous as that we must needes haue some terrible vengeance without speedie repentance This wrath therâ—fore we must needs acknowledge to be farre greater now than euer heretofore not onely for that in stead of repenting our sinnes are so growne vp in euery kinde but also because we are now so generally and so much further off from repentance or any purpose of amendment yea of so much as of any sense of our sinnes or feare of any iudgement to be toward vs for the same than euer we were in former time notwithstanding all the meanes which he hath so long vsed to awaken vs and to bring vs to repentance How then can this fire of the Lords anger be euer quenched we deliuered from the violence thereof that we should not be consumed of it but onely by seeking out the principall causes of it to wit our maine transgressions against the couenant of our God by which he hath bin so prouoked and also by confessing and acknowledging them and turning backe ioyntly to the humble obedience of that his most holy Couenant againe Israel cannot stand before their enemies vntill Achans sacriledge be found out and punished neither can the dearth be stayed in the dayes of Dauid vntill the causes of it be found out and the Lord pacified by taking away the iniquitie Nor yet can the storme vpon the Seas be quieted so long as Ionah lyeth asleepe in his sinne How much losse now when so many Achanâ— be in euery corner and Ionah asleepe euery where in the eyes of all As it is with a particular man so is it with a whole Nation That like as there must be first a searching out of his sinne with confession of it and turning againe vnto the Lord before his anger can be appeased so must it be for a whole Nation so far as we can iustly conceiue before any sound assurance can be giuen that his wrath is turned away This seemes euery where most euident thorow all the booke of God How Poperie is growne vp againe the late proclamation for preuenting it and the furie of that bloudie Religion and for the preseruation of his Royall Maiestie and his Seede set forth vpon the occasion of the cruell murther of the French King doth sufficiently witnesse And likewise the generall vrging the Oath of Allegeance inforced therevpon besides so many lamentable experiments and our ouer-iust feares for their trecheries expected ech howre How Atheisme also with all kinde of outragious iniquitie and scorning at all true pietie doe ouerflow in euery place aboue all former times no man can denie Indeed some sinnes haue bin odious heretofore and especially when they began first to spring vp
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
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
our Noahs building the Arke and calling all to enter nor our Lots mourning crying to all Good brethren deale not so wickedly Doe we not daily increase in our senselesnesse and still more harden our selves against all warnings signes and tokens untill the floud-gates of heaven be open and the vengeance of God come powring downe And to goe yet one step higher and to adde this one demand more Are not very many amongst us come to that height of impietie to scorne and to abuse by all meanes all those that mourne for the evils and who will not run with us to all excesse of ungodlinesse And if any doe ever reprove such though in the griefe of their hearts with the greatest love and reverence are they not ready to say as those unto Lot Hence who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge so to thrust them away with all disgrace Or which is yet worse if worse may be Is not this too common in very many places to use them as Ieremie was used to load such with all opprobrious slanders as tho they were the vilest men that could live upon the earth and those that seeke not the good of the Land but the hurt and as if indeed there were none to be hated but they be they never so peaceable and obedient And finally are they not made such in many places as Ieremie saith of himselfe whom every bodie curseth though they have neither given nor taken upon usurie but lived without ofâ—ence or intermedling in the world Nay although they be such persons whom all the world cannot touch except for such infirmities as are incident to all the sonnes of Adam or the matters of their God as Daniâ—l was Doe we not thus adde to the increase of their sorrowes to kindle more the Lords anger for the injuries done unto them and by seeking to drive them out from amongst us or at least to cause them to cease crying to the Lord for us Which unkindnesse he can no way indure sith these I meane who make conscience of all his commandements are the deerest unto him of all the people of the earth and the onely preservers of the rest so long as they remaine amongst us And thus much shall serve for this in like manner what cause we have to watch and pray yea to tremble and cry for the small remainder of our mourners and also to the end that we our selves may be found to be of the number of them so to helpe to appease the wrath or so to escape in the evill day CHAP. IX The enemies by which the Lord threatneth or afflicteth his Church are his souldiers and what cause we have to give our selves to watching and prayer for the increase of them in number pride and malice IT remaineth now that we shall come to shew the abominations for the which the godly so sighed cryed what and how great they were But the handling thereof may be more profitably reserved unto the sixt verse where the Holy Ghost sets downe how fierce his wrath was and how grievous the plagues were which the Lord threatneth to inflict upon them that by the greatnes of the vengeance we may better consider the heynousnesse of the abominations Having therefore thus finished this first Commission which was to the marking Angell for the preservation of all the godly we will come to the second commission given to the destroying Angels how they should deale with all the rest conteyned in these words following Vers. 5. And to the other he said in my hearing Goe yee after him thorow the Citie and smite Let not your eye spare neither have pitie sâ—ay utterly olde and young c. Here the Lord delivering this Commission aloud and bidding these destroying Angels to goe and smite to spare none will have us all to consider this well That the enemies by which his Church is afflicted as the Babylonian here meant to whom he said Goe yee after him thorough the Citie and smite are the Lords soldiers They come not nor fight of themselves alone but at his comand they fight also his battels though they know not so much nor purpose any such matter but doe it in the pride and malice of their hearts No point is more necessarie for us to know becasue in the plots and conspiracies of wicked enemies and in all the rage against the Church of God it is so rare a thing for any man to looke at the Lord and how he sends and orders all but every man almost useth still to looke onely at the hand of the enemie Neither is any truth more cleerely set forth in the booke of God We will content our selves with two or three places which are past all exception in which he hath of purpose taught this point most fully First we may begin with the former great Captivitie of Israel of the Ten Tribes caried captive into Assyria by Salmanazar which was a good space before this captivitie of Iudah The Holy Ghost saith that the Lord in his wrath sent upon them the King of Asshur to destroy them Whom the Prophet â—say in speaking of both the Captivities joyntly and the like instruments and reasons of both calleth the rod of Gods wrath because he had in his wrath prepared the Assyrian as his rod to whip both Israel and Iudah for their rebellion He termes also their staffe meaning the weapons in their hands his indignation because all their weapons were cheifly prepared to execute his most fierce indignation He calls them moreover the Lords axe whereby he cut downe the Nations All were the Lords instruments He sent these Assyrians and gave them the charge to spoile and trample under foote the rebellious Israelites as the mire in the streets But did the proud Assyrian know thus much how God used him as his soldier or did he purpose in it to execute Gods wrath and his terrible judgement No saith the Lord he thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so as to avenge my quarrell but he imagineth to destroy not a few nations that is All that he doth he doth in pride and malice of his owne wicked heart and by his owne strength as he foolishly thinketh Therefore the Lord saith plainely That when he had used him as his rod to correct his people first Samaria and then Ierusalem first Israel and after Iudah that he would surely burne the rod in the fire He would visit the proud heart of the King of Asshur and bring downe his proud lookes and as a fire in his vengeance consume him utterly And secondly for Manasseh the sonne of that worthy Hezechiah when he went backe from the good wayes of his father and set up againe all the abominations that his father had taken away and had also destroyed that pietie and religion which his good father had so laboured to build up and finally when he caused his people to doe worse
than the Heathen whom the Lord had plagued the Holy Ghost saith That first the Lord spake unto him and to his people but they would not regard And when that would not serve he saith expresly That the Lord brought upon them the Captaines of the hoast of the King of Asshur who tooke Manasseh and put him in fetters and bound him in chaines and caried him to Babel And that then when he was in tribulatior he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and God was intreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him againe into his kingdome in Ierusalem then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God So that it was God especially that brought the Assyrian upon Manasseh and fettred him and caried him into Babylon and there heard his prayer and brought him backe and set him againe in his kingdome it was God that did it Thirdly for this Captivitie as the Prophet here foresaw it and the Lord said he would doe it and like as he bids the enemies which are represented by these Angels to goe and smite so the Holy Ghost saith plainely using the very same phrase of speech that is used concerning Manasseh That God brought upon them the King of the Caldeans who slew their young men with the sword and spared neither young nor old but made this havocke of them all They came not meerely of themselves but God sent them as his executioners This Ieremie confesseth in his Lamentations That the Lord did it acknowledging thus in the person of all Iudah and Ierusalem Thou hast called as in a solemne day my terrours round about meaning that the Lord had called their terrible enemies on every fide to compasse them in that none might escape his wrath wherein he shewes how the Lord mustered the enemies to revenge these abhominations And thus hath it ever bin when enemies have come against the Church as we may see cleane thorow the booke of God and especially in the booke of the Iudges it was principally because the Lord had stirred them up he had mustered and brought them For if he but lift up his ensigne or but hisse or whistle for them as the Prophet speaketh they come amaine from all the ends of the earth They sleepe not nor faint unlesse the Lord himselfe stay them or plucke them backe putting his hooke into their nostrils and his bit into their jawes as he did to that proud Senecharib when he came so fiercely against Ierusalem Although as we heard the enemies themselves doe not know so much And when is it that the Lord brings them Even then when his people whom he hath put in trust with his most holy religion through long peace ease and prosperitie become utterly unthankfull and grow to loath the heavenly Manna when once they begin to be haughtie against the Lord and rebellious against his word and messengers sent unto them and they will obey it no further than it doth like themselves when they doe waxe so senselesse and indurate as all his fatherly rods of scarsitie famine pestilence and other sicknesse signes and tokens from heaven and earth no nor the continuall warnings of his servants can doe them any more good to move them any longer And finally when in steed of repenting and meeting him with intreatie of peace they proceede to mock his servants to misuse his messengers despising his word sent in mercy to warne them for then he can beare no longer but sets up his ensignes and calls for the sword of the enemie to avenge his quarrell thereby to take away religion and all the comforts of this life in one day for that their intollerable contempt of all his bounty long suffering and compassion This is that which he hath threatned in his law That he will punish such a people yet seven times more the sword and captivity being the last and heaviest outward plague and oft accompanied with all the rest chiefly with famine most cruell and savage beasts to devoure the rebellious people This he did fearefully verifie in the ensamples mentioned both in the captivity of Israell and Iudah chiefly in this latter as the holy Ghost plainely sheweth declaring the causes of it How when after their former lesse captivities and sundry plagues begun they in generall still increased their trespasses wonderfully according to all the abominations of the heathen and withall mocked and misused his messengers which he had sent unto them in compassion to call them to repentance then there was no remedie But he brought upon them the King of the Caldeans to execute all his fierce wrath and vengeance upon them all God gave all into his hands And this as he saith was to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Ieremie untill the Land had her fill of Sabaoths So all the dayes that shee lay desolate shee kept Sabaoth to fulfill seventie yeeres In which words it is most evident that the whole Captivitie both for the manner and continuance was altogither appointed and directed by the Lord. Whence we may most plainely conclude with that of the Prophet Esay where he brings in the Lord thus speaking of himselfe Behold I have created the Smith that bloweth the coales in the sire and him that bringeth forth an instrument for his wâ—rke I have created the destroyer to destroy If any man shall yet doubt of any part hereof let him read with reverence the 26 chapter of Leviticus and there he shall see all this set downe in order especially from the 14 verse to the end To apply this now to our times and to our selves it being now our lesson to awaken us and to make us to looke at the Lord levying his Armies against us if any thing can stir us Did that proud Nebuchadnezzar of Rome sound out his bellowing Bulls to move all the Lords people to rebell against his Annoynted Or hath he so often practised our destruction both openly and secretly altogither without the Lord Or did any of that bloudie League being Antichrists sworne servants so band themselves as of themselves without the Lords command to threaten so far forth the ruinating of Christs kingdome and the rooting out of his Gospell Or those that came against us in the yeere eightie eight in their mightie Armada which the enemie in the pride of his heart had named the Navie invincible purposing nothing else but the utter desolation both of this Church and Kingdome and to massacre the mother with the children to satiate themselves with the bloud of every one of us as their burcherly instruments of crueltie did proclaime to all the world Did these I say come only of themselves in the malice and hautinesse of their hearts and without the Lord so disposing and threatning us by them Could they or durst they ever have