they have been found amongst them But at another time so great and general were the Sins of the Jews That God tells this Prophet Though Noah Samuel and Daniel were there they should only deliver their own souls Ezek. 14. 14. Ordinarily 't is an Humiliation in some competent measure proportion'd to the sin which must appease the wrath of God broke out upon a people When all Nineveh had sinned and was threatned it must be a general Repentance that could prevent the Execution of those Threatnings 2. Though particular Persons may not by their Reformation procure mercy to a whole Land nor yet free themselves from the outward stroak which lights upon the Body of the Nation yet shall not their labour be lost but God will have a special eye to them in the common Ruin and what is in wrath to others shall be in love to them They shall have either such preservation from or deliverance out of the temporal Calamity or such support in and advantage by it that they shall have abundant reason to acknowledge that their Repentance and Supplications were not in vain Fear not poor Christian if thou be but a mourner in Zion one whose heart bleeds for thine own and others transgressions though thy Dwelling be in the midst of profane rebellious Sinners yet thou shalt not be lost in a croud It is not the Oaths and Blasphemies and Crying Sins of those about thee that shall drown thy Prayers but God will hear and one way or other graciously answer them If thy Soul thy everlasting Life be given thee for a prey as a temporal Life was promised to Ebedmelech Jer. 39. 19. and to Baruch Jer. 45. 5 thou hast sure no reason to complain What though the same Disease and Death seize thee as doth them It comes not for the same Reason nor shall it have the same effect What though thou wast carried in the same Ship with Traitors into another Countrey where they are to be executed and thou advanc'd to the highest Dignity was this any hurt to thee If Death take thee from the pressures of all sorts under which thou maist now groan and from the Evil to come and translate thee into the glorious Presence and full Fruition of the Ever-blessed God this is sure a different thing from being snatch't away from thy happiness into the society and torments of the Devil and his Angels Wherefore thou hast good reason to acknowledge Gods distinguishing mercy in those his dealings with thee which to sense may be the same with what others meet with I might add also the spiritual advantages which accrue to the Godly by Afflictions sanctified but the other contains this in it and much more 3. Thy Afflictions may perhaps be more for Trial than Punishment and so may be continued notwistanding thy endeavour to find out and forsake sin but when they have wrought that particular End for which God sent them they shall be removed Or they may befall thee for the Cause of God and a Testimony of a good Conscience and then thou hast more cause to rejoyce in them than impatiently to seek their removal Whatever they be see thou make this use of them to be more deeply humbled for and set against sin which is remotely at least the cause of all Suffering and to demean thy self patiently and submissively under the mighty hand of God and in his due time he will exalt thee It being then evident That the knowledge of Sin is so necessary to the removing the heavy hand of an offended God from off an afflicted Nation Surely the great Work we are all call'd to in this day of our sore Visitation is to give all diligence to know why it is that God contendeth with us and wherein we have incenst him thus to pour out his wrath upon us that so we turning from our particular sins he may turn away his anger and comfort us And in order to this it is the duty of every one who is an Inhabitant of the Land in the first place to call himself to a strict account and impartially to look into his heart and review his life and see what he hath done towards the hastening these Judgments upon us and accordingly apply himself to God to do his utmost for their removal Every man hath brought a faggot to the kindling of the Common flame wherefore every man should bring his bucket to quench it And here let me warn every soul to beware of a most dangerous temptation wherewith its like they 'l be assaulted to wit to think but very meanly and sleightly of their own particular sins as if they had little or no influence to the bringing on us such grievous Calamities and that partly out of self-love which makes us very tender how we accuse our selves and ready to extenuate all our own faults partly because we may yet be free from the smart and therefore take but a cold superficial view of our selves and partly because when we look upon the evils in grosse under which the Nation lies we can discern no proportion betwixt them and our personal offences and this comes much from our ignorance of the hainous nature of the least sin Now reflect on thy self Reader and tell me Hast thou not been very ready in the general to cry out That 't is for the sins of the Nation we are now afflicted and to flie out very bitterly against this party or that this abuse and the other corruption in Church or State but in the mean time hast been very backward to charge and accuse thy self as thou oughtest as if thou wast not a member of this sinful and suffering Nation Let thy Conscience answer whether this hath not been thy way and judge whether this be a just performance of thy duty If every person thus shift it from himself where will Repentance be found and what 's like to become of us If there were an Army to go forth against the Enemy and one person should draw back and say what can he do He cannot be mist in such a Multitude nor can he do much against such a numerous force and therefore desires he may stay at home and another come and use the same excuse and so a third and at length all that have the same reason which indeed every man may pretend to what 's like to become of the War And yet alas how doth this senselesse Objection generally prevail in the World in a case somewhat different from this viz hindring that couragious Zeal and Industry for the promoting of Religion and for the destruction of the Devils Kingdom which beseems every Member of Christ hat is listed into his service by the Baptismal Covenant wherein he was engaged to fight under the Banner of Christ and that without putting in this Condition that he should have good store of Company to joyn with and back him for without this he may come off a Conquerour But yet now cries one What can I do
SOLOMON'S PRESCRIPTION For the Removal of the PESTILENCE OR The Discovery of the PLAGUE of our Hearts in order to the Healing of that in our Flesh By M. M. LAMENT 3. 39 40 41. Wherefore doth a living man complain A man for the punishment of his sins Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the Heavens PSAL. 106. 29 30. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions and the Plague brake in upon them Then stood up Phinehas and executed Judgment and so the Plague was stayed LONDON Printed in the Year M. DC LXV The Preface to the Reader Reader I Had more Objections in my own thoughts to the sending forth this Paper and can fore-think more faults like to be found with it when sent forth then I shall now stand to tell thee of or make any answer for But because amongst all those Objections I met not with this That it was impossible it should do anie good I thought the rest answerable and because amongst all its faults thou canst not trulie find this That it was not intended for anie good I perswade my self all the rest are pardonable What the design of it is if thou art in haste the Title will tell thee if thou art at leasure and think'st it worth thy while thou may'st find it in the Book it self so either way I might be excused from saying ought of it here But somewhat for thy satisfaction know when I considered the sore Judgment wherewith we have been visited which so evidentlie declares Wrath to be gone forth from the Lord against us I thought it might be an Essay verie acceptablè to God and profitable to our selves to do the best I could to make the voyce of the Rod Articulate that in the print of its lashes not onlie Gods Wrath but the sin he scourgeth us for and the duty he would drive us to might be found in legible Characters that even he that runs may read them When I lookt on Affliction as a Medicine for a distempered Nation I thought it was exceeding necessarie in order to its kindlie working with us to tell the nature import and use of it and to give directions how it ought to be received And though I acknowledge my self the meanest of Ten thousand for so great a Work yet when I saw or heard of nothing so particular and distinct as I thought the matter required humblie depending upon and imploring Divine assistance I made this attempt wherein whil'st I have guided my self by the Physitians own Rules and an impartial consideration of the nature of the Patient I hope I have made no material I am sure no wilful mistakes This then was my great desire and hope to be by this undertaking a worker together with Gods Providence for some good to the Nation And surely no man hath cause to be angry with this intention or with any thing that flows sincerelie from it Had anie man though the meanest among the People in the time when Nineveh was threatned with destruction given in a Catalogue of those sins they were guiltie of the removal of which could onlie prevent their Ruine I am perswaded his endeavours would have been grateful to the Prince his Nobles and the People though he had spoke to them all with more plainness and boldness than I have done And I dare confidentlie expect the same if our Fasting and Prayers be not onlie for fashion-sake but in as good earnest as theirs Two great miscarriages moreover I was prone to fear the most would be guiltie of which I have especiallie consulted against The first of being swallowed up so much with a sense of their Suffering as to be indispose for all profitable Reflections and therefore fain would I turn mens eyes and thoughts from off this to the sin that brought it and have them onlie to consider the former so much as to inform themselves more clearlie of the evil of the latter Oh what Out-cryes we may hear up and down what doleful times these are So manie Thousands dead this Week so manie another The Plague got to this Town and then to that All Trading as well as Persons dead and gone But were People formerly thus affected whilst we were bringing this upon our selves Did they cry out then Oh how manie Thousand Oaths are sworn in a Week And how manie Lyes told How manie Thousands Drunk and how manie commit Lewdness Had we had Weeklie Bills of such Sins brought in they would far have exceeded the largest Sums that ever yet the Mortalitie made But alas these with the most were light matters Not half so manie groans and tears for these nor anie such complaints of them nor did the consideration of them make anie sensible alteration amongst us Now this I would fain obtain to have those dayes thought as much worse than these and those actions as much worse than these sufferings as the Disease is worse than Physick and a Childs disobedience to his Parents worse than his being Whip't And he that should weep out of pitie to the Child when he sees it lash't and yet could be content to hear him revile and abuse his father I should think to be a person of more Fondness than Discretion and for him to be more concerned for the Childs Smart than the Parents Honor argues him to have no true love for either And here by the way let me give a Caution viz. That no man bewray so much follie as to argue That because in mercie God may abate and remove his heavy Judgments before manie or perhaps any of these sins I have mentioned are put away from amongst us and because we may have our former health and plentie restor'd whilst there is no such Reformation of disorders as I have exhorted to that therefore our Sufferings were not intended to chastise us for those sins nor to bring us to this Reformation If thou be an Atheist or Infidel that makest this Argument who believest not there is a God or that he concerns not himself with our Affairs but that all things come by Nature or Chance or I know not what I shall then leave thee to receive satisfaction if nothing sooner will give it there where all such as thou by the feeling of Divine Vengeance are at once convinc't what the sin is which hath deserved it and that there is a God who inflicts it but if thou be a Christian then I would wish thee well to examine the nature of the thing that I mean which thou thinkest God hath not punish't us for because it is yet continued and upon the issue of that examination pass thy judgment It 's much to be feared thou wilt see Drunkards and hear Swearers after the Plague may be ceas't and wilt thou think therefore that these and the like Wickednesses did not provoke God to afflict us But rather stay if thou art in doubt till the
great reckoning day till thou hast heard all mens Accounts cast up and those Actions which are then approved confidentlie pronounce no sins but not all those that survive the heaviest Judgments here on earth which may be sent to punish and reform those that were guiltie of them since hardned sinners may frustrate some ends of an Affliction and all are not followed here as Pharaoh was No I say do not justifie all such Actions though thou shouldst hear them openlie defended and applauded and those men punish't that dare to oppose and contradict them and that opposition made the onlie sin This lower World is full of such mad mistakes and confusions but all will shortlie be set strait The other miscarriages that I feared men would be apt to run into and which I have laboured to provide against was That though they might be convinc't that sin in the general was the cause of all our miseries yet hardly that it was their sin or their friends but some bodies else that they don't love and so shift it off to this or that Party whom they would have punish't had they been in Gods stead Such a strong self-love there is in everie man that his fancie shapes God verie much in a likeness to himself Even the vilest sinners Psal 50. 21. thought God such an one as themselves And consequentlie they account themselves and all their Concernments dear to God and so would interpret all his Providences in favour of them to right their quarrel and to avenge them of their enemies for thus would they prescribe God might they be call d to his counsel All would fain carrie it that God is of their Partie and against those whom they are against everie man will be more inclined to accuse others than himself Nay and hence it oft falls out that they who have espoused anie sin will be so far alone from thinking ill of it that they 'l rather accuse the contrarie vertue and so godliness it self may sometimes bear the blame or however the most godlie and unblameable men The Pillars of a Land sometimes are accounted the Pests of it on which whilst some men blind with rage lay their hands to pluck them down they are about to do themselves and the people with whom they are the same courtesie that Sampson did to the Philistine Lords They who were the Salt to savour a corrupt World were accounted the filth and off-scouring of all things Ahab will sooner count Elijah than himself a troubler of Israel And when anie mischief befalls the Empire then the poor Christians must be thrown to the Lyons Thus I fear amongst us manie bitter and undeserved censures will be past by one against another which great sin I have done my best to consult against whil'st I have chieflie laboured to bring everie man to a reflection upon himself whil'st I have studied faithfullie to deal both to this man and that his share in procuring our miseries and whil'st I have made the Divisions and Parties that are amongst us which occasion this Censoriousness one great cause of our Sufferings However one or otber may interpret what I have done I am prettie indifferent only I hope I have said nothing which need make anie man presentlie fall a confuting me which I le promise you it 's an hard thing in these dayes to escape say what you will 't is against Sin onlie I have a quarrel If any guiltie person as the Pharisees when Christ preach't shall think I mean him let him once again know That it is not against Small or Great but the Sins of All that I am entered into the Lists and I hope they 'l rather see to forsake than vindicate them But if otherwise if leave may be granted I dare undertake to evidence That Sin is that which brings Suffering and that those things I have mentioned as the sins of our Nation are indeed such Yea and if it be not thought Immodestie to forestall the Readers judgment I dare add That I have spoken verie great Truth and Reason in the matters most liable to Exception notwithstanding all the weaknesses and disadvantages in the representing which I readilie acknowledge to be manie and great But I have alreadie exceeded the due bounds of a Preface wherefore to conclude Let all censure as they shall find meet only let me make a solemn Profession which is the more credible from one who hath no great reason to expect to out-live the General Desolation that so far as I know my own heart I have spoke nothing with a design to exasperate any or to humor and gratifie one Faction by disgracing or inveighing against another but it hath been my care to speak the very truth according to the infallible Word of God and the clearest apprehensions of my own Soul with an unfeigned desire to discover what indeed those sins are which we especiallie smart for that the inconsiderate and ignorant may be informed the guiltie humbled wickedness rooted out God appeased and all our mercies both spiritual and temporal restored and continued and these designs shall be followed with my prayers and I hope with thine too that read'st me but how far the success may answer either I must leave to the Readers improvement of and Gods blessing upon my well-intended though weak endeavours Thine in the Service of the Gospel M. M. I KINGS 8. 37 38 39. If there be in the Land a Famine If there be Pestilence Blasting Mildew Locust or if there be Caterpillar if their Enemy besiege them in the Land of their Cities whatsoever Plague whatsoever sicknesse there be What Prayer and Supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy People Israel which shall know every man the Plague of his own heart and spread forth his hands towards this House Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men THE good and gracious God the Ruler and Governour of the world and the disposer of all events doth nothing rashly or in vain and therefore hath made it the duty of the sons of men wisely to weigh and consider of his Providences and to learn Instructions thence as well as from the Revelations of his mind in his written Word Micah 6. 9. We are bid to hear the Rod. And though in the bounteous dispensations of his favours we can assign no higher cause than his own meer grace and good Will which is accomplish't in the doing good to his Creatures Yet in the inflicting of Judgment which is his strange work we may be sure to find something out of himself moving him to it It cannot be well conceived how man should ever be the subject of pain or sorrow did not sin render him passible and open a way for the Sword to enter his bowels and give it that edge and force which causeth it to
That this dreadful death of all others should befall them That they should be left thus desolate and forlorn forsaken of all abandoned of their nearest relations in this time of their greatest extremity when they most need succour and comfort Thousands such hearty groanings and bitter wailings may you hear but had you come in amongst these people a few days since oh what quite other kind of men were they How jolly and secure following their pleasures or businesse and would it's like have laught at him that should have told them of a death so near or of the Judgment that follows after How few alas how very few should you have then found amongst them who did at any time cry out oh blind mind that is so ignorant of God! Oh earnal heart that is so averse from his Laws Oh how unevenly do I walk Base treacherous wretch that I am thus to depart from God! Vile and unthankful creature that ever I should offend a God of such mercy and love Oh that I was delivered from the power of my lusts the temptations of Satan and all the diseases of my soul Alas instead of such becoming language as this you might from the most have heard swearing and cursing idle songs filthy and ribbald speeches or at the best frothy foolish or worldly unprofitable discourse Poor stupid sinner then thou wast stabbing and destroying thy self then thou wast seiz'd with the most deadly Infection Then had it been no uncharitablenesse nor absurdity to have set a Lord have Mercy upon me in Capital Letters on thy forehead yea wise and holy men saw it there in that wickedness that broke out in thy life and lookt on thee as fitter for a Pesthouse than converse as one not to be accompanied with except in order to thy Recovery Now must we not all in general say that it is tender compassion in the great Benefactour to mankind that he will so farre concern himself with us in our miserable estate as by any means to awaken us to a sense of it whilst there is any possibility of a Cure Sottish wretches that measure all events by their correspondency to flesh and blood will not believe there can be love in such sore Afflictions They to whom Sin was sweet will hardly be brought to like well of those potions which are administred on purpose to make it bitter How will they loath the Physick who love their very Sicknesse But all whose eyes God shall open by his Providences will see abundant cause to blesse and praise him for his Love in working them to a timely apprehension of that which otherwise had been their ruine Tell me man Is it not a wonderful mercy to be awakened on this side Hell let the means be what they will If thy present smart makes thee judge otherwise couldst thou but come to the speech of those undone souls whose hopes are perisht for ever they would soon satisfie thee that every thing is tendernesse and very great mercy that comes to discover Sin and prevent everlasting misery Oh lay this to heart in time man and stay not too long till feeling give thee a too clear and undeniable demonstration of this Truth If now thou criest out thou art undone because thy Trading's gone thy Friends dead or thy Self in danger of Death and lookst not about thee to find out and be affected with greater Evils than all these and so to escape much greater Sufferings than yet thou hast felt 't is but a little while before thou shalt find Arguments reaching to thy very soul which will make thee acknowledge what I now say Oh then when thou findest thy self under the vials of divine vengeance and hast taken up thy residence amongst the Devils and damned Ghosts in the midst of the burning Lake what slight inconsiderable things not worth the mentioning will all the miseries thou underwentst in thy life-time appear to thee What desirable things will the most pinching Poverty the most grievous Pain then seem compar'd to what thou wilt endure What very trifles meer flea-bitings wilt thou then judge Famines Plagues and heaviest Judgments that can light upon men whilst in the body Oh what wouldst thou then give to be where thou wast when thou thoughtest thy self at the worst And wouldst thou entertain such a state with joy and thankfulness which before thou thoughtest the most miserable that a man could possibly be cast into Then thou wilt confess that to be Shut up from the Society of Men hath nothing of dolefulness in it compar'd to thy being Shut up under the burning wrath of an unreconciled God Then at length whether thou wilt or no thou shalt see sin and cry out of sin and acknowledge 't is thy sin that hath ruin'd thee Now thou canst in thy cold faint manner by rote say thou art a great Sinner and perhaps maist cursorily cry God mercy but then from the very inwards of thy soul shalt thou repent of sin with such a kind of hellish repentance as is proper to those damned Spirits in the midst of their Tortures Such an one as thy Predecessour Judas felt the beginnings of when he ran to the halter for comfort Then thou shalt not only with those Rev. 16. 11. pour out thy blasphemies against God the breath of whose fury like a stream of brimstone kindles and keeps alive those unquenchable flames but thou shalt also load thy self with heavier accusations than ever any of Gods Ministers did whilst thou wast upearth Then thou shalt feelingly confess thy self stark mad and besotted and wonder at thy own stupendious folly that ever thou shouldst so wilfully and resolutely plunge thy self into that place of woe And this will be none of the least aggravations of thy torment to reflect upon those many ways which God us'd with thee to have convinc't thee of thy sin and danger before it had been too late of all which thou mad'st light and wouldst not be taught by them when the hand of God here was lifted up thou wouldst not see but then thou shalt see thou shalt know Then thou wilt easily grant that the sharpest suffering that had so shewn thee sin as to have sav'd thee from this wrath had been the happiest providence that ever befell thee Would any man that hath not lost his wits as well as his gratitude take it ill from his neighbour that should waken him out of his sweet sleep when the house is on fire over his ears yea though he pinch and beat him black and blue that he may speedily rouze him Now from all I have said then I would gather That the heavy hand of God upon a Nation as it is laid on for sin so for the most part not meerly for punishment and destruction but to discover to us the evil of our doings that they may be repented of and put away And so there is much mercy in the midst of these Judgments if they be improv'd to those eads to which their
man is fit to have the plaister taken off his sore on whom it hath had a kindly influence answerable to the end whereunto God sent it namely to shew his Sin humble him for and turn him from it Two things on the By only I shall hint from these words 1. That we may very well turn this Prayer of Solomon's into a Promise and conclude that what he beg'd of God and that with a particular Reference to the Children of Israel shall be granted to every man in any place performing the Conditions here described 2. Note that under the work Know is compriz'd the whole performance of all that is required in other places of Scripture in order to the obtaining of the pardon of Sin and the removal of those Judgments which it had procured There is nothing more common in holy Writ than the making words of Knowledge inclusive of the affections and practice also To know God frequently comprehends our whole duty to him for our knowledge of him being the beginning and ground-work of all other Duties and producing them where it is in clearnesse and power may very well be put for all According to this is our English Phrase I 'le make you know your Superiours that is perform your duty to them So here to know the Plague of our own heart by which is meant Sin the disease of the Soul is as much as to be convinc't of it to see its Odiousnesse to be lively humbled for and sincerely resolved to forsake it That it must be a working practical Knowledge not resting in meer conviction is evident from the foregoing words which mention the Prayer proceeding from those who know the Plague of their own Hearts the same also follows and spread forth their hands to this House that is make their addresses to God with some kind of particular Reference to the Temple where he did in a more special manner reside and manifest himself and thus Daniel in captivity opened his window toward Jerusalem Dan. 6. 10. Now he that should thus come to God what is it for Not only for deliverance but also to confesse sin the cause of his misery and if so then must he be truly grieved for his provocations of the most holy God and this could not be without promises and purposes of a Reformation Now I need not stand to prove what I before mentioned that whoever is thus affected shall if not be freed from the temporal Affliction he lies under yet be secured from the hurt of it and have greater blessings bestowed this I say I need not stand to prove the Scripture being everywhere so full of Examples and Promises that demonstrate it And indeed it is fully evidenc't in the very tenour of the Covenant of Grace which assures Pardon and Salvation and all things truly good for us upon the Condition of our coming to and receiving Christ which none can do but they who are sensible of their need of him who have seen the evil of sin both as to its nature and effects and are desirous to be delivered from the guilt and pollution and this sense of sin and aversion from it in heart and life is true Repentance and upon condition of this it was that Soloman pray'd for and God frequehtly Promiseth Mercy and particularly see his answer to this very Prayer and the Promise he made to grant it 2 Chron. 7. 13 14. Wherever then the Judgments of God are more Eminently Inflicted on a People it is a sign there are some hainous transgressions which have deserved them If the Plague or any such Calamity seize a Nation it speaks this much that there is a Plague in the hearts of that People some such wickednesse which provok'd God to pour out his Wrath upon them Sin is as the body suffering usually as the shadow that attends it the one is as fire the other as smoak that proceeds from it Wherefore by the putting away of sin only can we escape the threatned wrath or rescue our selves out of that we feel This is very plain if the knowledge and removal of the Plague of our hearts conduce to our Recovery then our being seiz'd with it was our misery and therefore the Cause being removed the Effect will follow If the entertainment of Sheba into Abel bring Joab and an Army against it then to deliver him to them is the only way to procure their departure 2 Sam. 20. These several Truths then are plain and the words we have taken notice of naturally afford them 1. That God is the Supream efficient cause of all the Sufferings we lie under Is there Evil in a City of Affliction that is and hath not he done it 2. It is for the Sin of a People that God lays these sufferings upon them 3. It is a most proper seasonable Duty in times of such Calamity to make enquiry into our wayes that we may discover what is most likely to be the Cause What is that Achan that trouble us This is the great thing whereof we are call'd in the day of adversity to consider and accordingly the most of my business in my following Discourse shall be the practice of this Direction for I shall not particularly handle any of these Observations 4. If we finding out oursin bewail and abhor it put it far from us and betake our selves to God for mercy and pardon then will he hear in heaven and forgive remove from us our Miseries and restore his Loving-kindness I shall only answer one Objection by the way and so pass on to what I chiefly design Some may say they have been sensible of and in some measure humbled for sin and yet notwithstanding have been held under as sharp and as long sufferings as others Here we must distinguish 1 betwixt National and Personal Judgments 2 betwixt the Ends and Reasons why they are inflicted 3 betwixt the Cross and the Curse of it And so I answer 1. If the Judgment be National as Sword Famine Captivity some great Mortality and this sent for a National common Sin it cannot here be expected that the Humiliation of some few particular Persons should always serve for the averting such Calamities Nay the Righteous themselves may be involved in them as we find there were many good Men carried captive with the rest into Babylon amongst which were Daniel and the three Children Indeed sometimes we read of one or more standing in the gap and preventing a deluge of wrath as Moses oft did but there was then also some kind of general Humiliation for of the people it s said When God slew then they sought him Psal 78. 34. And though Moses prevailed thus far that they might not utterly be destroyed yet very sore Judgments were frequently laid upon them Noah deliver'd himself and Family only not the old World Lot himself and Children but not Sodom and Gomorrah though then God graciously condescended to have spared them all for the sake of Ten righteous Persons could
Heaven to bring men thither was Crucified but if you will believe his Adversaries an enemy to Caesar and a mover of Sedition not Paul a Servant and Worshipper of the most High God but a certain pestilent Fellow a Ringleader of a Sect was accused The World hath still some Policy and Modesty in the drawing up its Indictments and dare not directly make Holiness a Crime Well Sirs it will be happy for you if you shall be found to have had so much wit in your anger as that you shall at last be able to distinguish your selves out of Gods displeasure but if there should be any thing found in Christianity engaging to that you call Non-conformity or if you have made This but a pretence for your Malignity against That I would not for a Thousand Worlds be in your case for all your distinctions when God shall arise thorowly to plead his Peoples cause And even now sure he is beginning to do it And if under the Rod you continue the sin for which you are lash't bethink you how to answer that startling Question Who ever hardned himself against God and prosper'd And justly hath God suited his Judgments to this sin of the people A Famine of the Word they feared not and therefore may God have sent upon Thousands what they account more dreadful a Famine of bread 'T is just that they who loath'd the Manna and were weary of the bread of Life should want bread to put into their mouths And they who could not endure these terrible Preachers let them now speak whether the Threatning or the Execution be the more terrible Now Sirs what say you to sin Is it such a harmless thing as you thought it or not Doth not God now speak against it in something a louder and harsher Language than your Bawling Preachers were wont Under them you could sleep but now sleep away this Sermon if you can even this awakening Sermon which the Plague of God makes to you And if you go on in your hardness you shall find to your cost that the Hell and Damnation which their Pulpits did so thunder against wickedness was but a painted fire to that you shall eternally feel But from others who have been the unjust causes of your Sufferings to your selves I shall address my self Honoured Fathers and Dear Brethren with whom my boldness will not I am confident be misconstrued Since you will readily acknowledge that all that hath befal'n you is just as from God you cannot then but lay it on your sins and these I hope it is your daily business to reflect on and beg pardon for Though I am well assu'd the holiness diligence and painfulness of many of you hath been such that to Men you may well acquit your selves and may be worthy patterns to others and shame and silence your Accnsers yet to God you cannot so readily justifie your selves I know you dare not Oh might not you have done more to promote the Interest of your Lord and Master than you did Some of you I mean for I profess without all partialitie or flatterie I think some did strive to the verie utmost of their power to improve all opportunities for the good of Souls and now in their Consciences they have the fruits of it but of these there were few too few Oh be humbled then for all your Negligence Covetousness and Self-seeking your Pride and Contentions that you were more averse from the offers of Peace and Union than you ought that you kept so much ado about your own wayes and opinions and stood wrangling about this Trifle or that whil'st greater Works were left undone And dailie make Solemn Engagements to God that if once more he will entrust you with forfeited priviledges you will be more faithful and vigorous than ever yet you have been in the work of the Gospel that you will no more take your ease nor seek your selves nor waste precious time in needless Controversies nor confine godliness to any without book Niceties of your own nor lay the Peace of the Church upon your particular Opinions but will readilie join with all that are willing in the owning and pressing onlie the things that are necessarie to Salvation and will use all means both publick and private for the conversion of Souls And if God grant your prayers as in his due time he may See that you remember these promises But 't is the second Branch I would have you chieflie to consider and that is your not endeavouring what you might to prevent some of those sad consequences of your Exclusion which I before mentioned in that you have not embrac't all the opportunies that were yet afforded you for the doing good to the people to bring them from sin to God and so your negligence may have hastned and help't forward Gods indignation Let me not be thought too sawcie Sirs I beseech you for in the same plain dealing I have used hitherto I am resolved to conclude I must needs say then if they are not to be excused who have deprived you of your publick Libertie no more are you if you have not improved that private Libertie they left you for doing your Masters work I must profess it hath troubled me to hear men pray so earnestlie and talk so much for the Restauration of their Liberties and to see them make so little use of those the Law allow'd them And it might too much tempt men to fear that their Secular interests went nearest to their hearts and that they chieflie mean a Libertie to receive their maintenance again to live they and their Families at their former Rates or to be able to insult over and give Laws to those in the Church who now trample upon and despise them I know Daily Bread may be pray'd for but the Coming of God's Kingdom must have the prioritie both in our prayers and endeavours The Case is weightie Sirs and deserves your serious consideration To go and preach the Gospel you entered into an Engagement and received a Commission the validitie whereof though to some of you given by the laying on of the hands of the Presbyterie onlie I suppose you question not nor I think scarce anie one else till verie latelie Well it being thus I would know how you can shift off the necessitie that lies upon you to preach this Gospel and the Woe in case of your negligence You may replie You have not leave given you nor yet any maintenance allowed But pray you Who give the Apostles and Primitive Christians leave for Three hundred Years after Christ and who maintain'd them Where was such a Clause inserted in your Commission Alwayes provided that the Rulers of the World give you leave to perform your Duties This would agree with the Politicks of that Gentleman who being I fear design'd to take God out of the World in courtesie to us somewhat to prevent our confusion would set up Monarchs little less limited than He. But if our Ancestors