the Duty of a faithful Watchman and not fearing to give them Disturbance in their sleepy secure State he lets them understand what eminent Dangers their great Abominations had brought them into for as much as now God did manifestly declare himself to be against them In the preceding Verse I find the Prophet in the Name of God charges them with their Wickedness thus because ye multiplyed more than the Nations that are round about you some by this understand the 〈…〉 manifold Blessings and signal Favours which God gave them and should have been improved to thankfulness and Obedience to God but were not but I humbly conceive it rather relates to their Sins because ye multiplied more than the Nations that are round about you in Sin thy Transgressions have been more and of a deeper Dye than theirs thou hast more grievously offended than the very Heathens that know not God and the following Words explain it And have not walked in my Statutes neither have kept my Judgments neither have done according to the Judgments of the Nations that are round about you i. e. The Heathens have been more saithful to their false Gods than you have been to Me the only True God they have by the Light of Nature been more stedfast to their cruel Injunctions than you have been to my Holy and Divine Institutions they have been stedfast to their Gods but you have been given to change and not only to comply with them but you have exceeded them in Sin and Guilt Therefore thus saith the Lord God I even I c. In the Words you have these things considerable 1. An Argumentative awful Preface Therefore thus saith the Lord God Wherefore Because ye multipti'd more than the Nations that are round about you You excell'd them in Sin and Wickedness 2. You have a necessary Duty call'd for and required from them Behold the Word imports the Clearness Certainty and Awfulness of the things he is about to Denounce and Declare as being somewhat extraordinary which duely weighed by them might make their Ears Tingle to hear it and cause their Hearts to tremble to Meditate upon it for it 's the worst and severest of Judgements Thus saith the Lord God I even I am against thee c. 3. You have the Subject matter it self which I can scarce without Horror and Trepidation mention I even I am against thee mark the Congemmination I even I not once I but twice I even I that it might make the greater Impression upon them I that formerly set my Heart upon you am now wean'd from you I that chose you before other Nations not because you were more than others but only because I had a Favour for you I even I that took you into special Covenant with my self do now declare against you I that have Graciously superintended you do now take my Heart off from you I that have wrought wonders for you in the sight of the Nations I that have preserved you alive in Famine I that deliver'd you out of the Hands of the Cruel Tyrant Pharaoh I that divided the Red-Sea that fed you in the Wilderness I that have carried you as upon Eagles Wings all your days I that have been a Father and a Friend to you I even I am against you my Heart can't be toward you nor can I bear with you any longer 4. You have the plain Evidence and full Confirmation of this his being turn'd to be their Enemy And will execute Judgments in the midst of thee I will not only shake the Rod over you but I will lay it heavy upon you and you shall smart and groan under it sensibly What I will do in my fury shall not be done in a Corner or upon a part of you but in the midst of you I will strike at the very Heart you shall feel it for I will execute Judgments one upon another in the midst of you you shall be sick of my Smiting and groan under my heavy Judgments in the midst of you my Heart shall not Pity my Hand shall not help you but I will with my immediate Hand afflict you with Judgments one on the Neck of another in the midst of you 5. You have the fore Aggravation of it and that in the sight of the Nations round about as your Sins have been so shall your Sufferings be you dishonour'd me with your Abominations before the Heathens and I will execute my Judgments before the Nations You have not ceas'd to prophane my Name before them and in their sight will I vindicate my great Name and shew that I am of Purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity they that beheld your Sins shall be Spectators of my Judgments in the midst of you Therefore thus c. From the Words I shall Collect and Depose several Doctrines but shall speak more fully to the last of them Doct. 1. That Ministers of the Gospel like faithful Watchmen must give their People warning of apprehended present and approaching Judgments So did the Prophet and so must all others if they will be faithful to Christ and the precious Souls they are to watch over We must declare what of the Night and like Paul keep back nothing that we might have their Record that we are clear from the Blood of all men Acts 20.27 Isa 58.1 There faith God to the Prophet Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my People their Transgressions and the House of Jacob their Sins Doct. 2. That whatsoever Personal Family or National Judgments befall a People it is certain that Sin is the meritorious procuring cause of them It 's Sin that is the Teeming Mother of all Mischief the procuring cause of all Calamities whatsoever Its that which lets in all Misery and causeth Destruction to come in upon a People like an armed Man or an overflowing Flood Therefore thus saith the Lord God c because ye multipli'd more than c. It was Jerusalems Abominations which inevitably brought their Desolations and it 's Englands Sins that cause God to execute Judgments in the midst of us at this day If Sin abounds without controul Judgments will follow Ezek. 14.23 for he doth nothing without a cause and it 's not difficult to relate what is the Cause of great Anger being gone out from the Lord against this Land not the late Deliverance which God graciously wrought for us as some little better than Papists dream but our not improving so unspeakable a Mercy to an obliged Reformation Doct. 3. In all the Judgments which are executed upon a People God himself hath a Hand in it and sometimes more visibly than at other times Amos 3.6 Isai â—2 24 25. Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the Robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned For they would not walk in his ways neither were they obedient unto his Law Therefore he hath poured upon him the Fury of his Anger and the strength of
Englands Warning By Late Frowning PROVIDENCES ESPECIALLY THE Immediate Hand of GOD UPON THE STRAITS-FLEET Improved in a SERMON Preacht April 1st 1694. Wherein is plainly shew'd the Causes and Tokens of Gods present Controversie with us especially for our Non-improvement of National Deliverances to an Obliged Reformation From EZEKIEL V. viii Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations Luke 13.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Micah 6.9 The Lords Voice crieth unto the City and the Man of Wisdom shall see thy Name hear ye the Rod and who hath appointed it Ezekiel 13.13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will even rent it with a stormy Wind in my Fury nnd there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger and great Hail-stones in my Fury to consume it By Jonathan Owen Pastor of a Congregation in Southwark London Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by John Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey 1694. TO Capt. Anthony Clifford At Peckham near London SIR THe Subject I write upon I must confess looks with a dismal Aspect upon this sinful Nation and were not I well assured of your full Satisfaction in and your Zealous Affection to the present mercifully Establisht Government even to the hazarding of your Person as formerly if not superannuated I should not venture to shelter this poor Essay for the Publick Welfare under the Patronage of your Noble Name Nor do I doubt but you lodge the like Charitable Thoughts in your Breast concerning your unworthy Relate who in Compliance with the Auditors of this plain Sermon is at last prevailed with to expose this his mean Endeavour to Publick View and Censure as being constrained thereunto by them that judge better of it than my self and to whom as I now stand related I can deny no reasonable Request for the Publick's and their good Therefore I hope Sir you will put an amicable construction upon the whole and condescend to admit this Attempt into your favourable acceptance and also follow it with your fervent Prayers that the End propounded viz. The Convincing and Awakening this sinful secure Nation that because the Sins specified therein abound in the midst of us and our late National Deliverances have not been improved to a general Reformation therefore God by his Judgments especially his immediate Hand upon the Straits-Floet doth evidently declare he hath a Controversie with us That this Necessary End might through influencing Grace be obtain'd is and shall be in conjunction with yours the hearty Prayers of Your Unworthy Nephew Jonathan Owen TO THE READER Candid Reader THou hast now in thy Hands a plain Discourse not Polisht with that Art and Eloquence which many are studious of but with an earnest desire to promote the Happiness of this sinful threatned Nation which the immediate Hand of God upon the Straits-Fleet gave birth unto I did once little think and in part determine with my self never to expose my weak Endeavours to Publick View and Censure but since by a more than ordinary Hand of Divine Providence attended with common difficulties from the unstable I am with the Favour of the present Government fixed in a Pastoral Relation over a Church of Christ whose Souls to my utmost I would gladly serve and for Christ and their sakes spend and be spent and in the prosecution of this high and noble End I would prudently take hold of every opportunity whether smiling or frowning which presents it self and because some that sat under my Ministry are engaged in this unhappy Fleet both in a Military and Civil respect and amongst the great number of precious Souls that with the greatest horror and most amazing out-cry shot the Gulf of Eternity there is but one as we yet hear lost and that not confirmd the General concern of the Nation with this no small Mercy made such an impression upon me as to put by my intended Subject and determin'd me upon this awful one Ezek. 5.8 as that which I judged to be the loud Voice of Providence to us concluding from hence that doubtless God hath a controversie with us but not because of the Happy Revolution of Publick Affairs as unthinking Dreamers do falsly imagine but because our unspeakable Mercy in our late Deliverance is not improved to an obliged Reformation for it may too truly be said of us as Psal 106.7 We remembred not the Multitude of his Mercies but provoked him at the Sea even at the Red Sea as for those to speak mildly if not Sons of Belial without yoak yet Persons of low designs if any for Gods Glory and the Publick Interest that are longing to go back into Egypt that evidently make their own Interest not the Publicks the Idol of their Care and Endeavours as for these I hope every Prudent Man will take heed and beware of them as Vipers in their Native Land and in Praying for them leave them to the Justice of the Nation in the mean time let us improve our present Mercies and bless God for what we enjoy of Peace and Liberty at home and chearfully contribute to this necessary defensive War abroad since our Deliverer himself is exposed to the greatest Dangers whom God Preserve and Prosper Reader if with the present Hand of God stretcht out against us this Sermon might obtain its desegned and desired end then may we be a happy People and I shall greatly rejoyce who in compliance with some of them that affectionately heard it for Substance as Memory serves have thrown in my small Mite for the general good of my Native Countrey and shall follow it with my Prayers who am thine in the bonds of the Gospel Jonathan Owen EZEKIEL V. viii Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations THE Spirit of God sets forth the Duty of Gospel Ministers by the Name of Watchmen Ezek. 3.17 Son of Man I have made thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel therefore hear the Word at my Mouth and give them warning from me Who in faithfulness to whom they relate must give seasonable warning of all approaching Calamities and Dangers that so there may be either a happy Prevention or a becoming Submission to what is otherwise inevitably befalling them Now that I might approve my self to Christ my Country and those I Watch over in the Lord I shall endeavour to assist you in making a right Improvement of the late awakening Dispensations of God to us in these Kingdoms especially the immediate Hand of God upon the Straits-Fleet In Order to do this I have exercis'd my Thoughts upon this awful Subject Thus saith the Lord God I even I am against thee and will execute Judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations In this and the foregoing Verse the Prophet doth discharge
thee whence shall I help thee intimating that it was out of his Power and God only could supply her so when the great God declares by his Judgments I even I am against thee then it is the Language of all created Beings If God do not help we cannot it is natural and common for Persons in extream danger to seek out for help some way or other but when God sets himself against a People their Fingers are rapt off from Creatural helps see what God speaks by the Prophet Zeph. 1.17 18. I will bring distress upon men that they shall walk like Blind men because they have sinned against the Lord and their Blood shall be poured out as Dust and their Flesh as Dung. V. 18. Neither their Silver nor their Gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath c. You see hence that vain is the help of any Creature when God is against a People Power Policy Wealth will avail nothing for Safety when God declares by his Judgment I even I am against thee Therefore it is the worst of Judgments Thus you have the Reasons which evince the Truth of this awful Doctrine I now come to make some brief Application of the whole The Application of the Doctrine is this If this be so as you hear it is Of all Judgments for the great God to manifest or declare himself against a People or a Nation is the worst and forest then 1. From hence we may plainly see the evil and Mischievous Nature and Consequence of Sin wheresoever and by whomsoever it is committed and continued in without Repentance and Reformation it sets the great God and his Creatures at variance one with another Therefore saith the Lord God I even I am against thee as in the Text And wherefore Because ye have multiplied more than the Nations that are round about you and ye have committed greater Abominations in my sight than the very Heathens you have been in your Morals more defective than they neither have done according to the Judgments of the Nations that are round about you You have been more false to Me the true God than they have been to their false gods you have excell'd them in Wickedness Therefore behold I even I am against you c. So as you may plainly see what was the cause of the great Controversie God had with them even their great Abominations and so if we ask Wherefore is Wrath gone out from the Lord against these Kingdoms why doth the Lord contend with us by the wasting Sword and impoverishing Judgments it is because of the Iniquities that are in our Skirts as Israels ways and doings procured to them destroying Judgments so have ours in England pull'd down desolating Calamities upon us may it not too truly be said of us in England as the Prophet speaks in Jerusalems Caralogue of Sins Ezek. 22.7 8 9 10 11 12. In thee have they set light by Father and Mother in the midst of thee have they dealt by Oppression with the Stranger in thee have they vexed the Fatherless and the Widow thou hast despised mine holy things and hast prophaned my Sabbaths And scarce one mentioned but the like horrid Abominations are to be found in the midst of us and when the Lord did for these things manifest himself against them yet that which was worst of all is this Ver. 30. I sought for a Man among them that should make up the Hedge and stand in the gap before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none How was not Jeremiah with them and Ezekiel it 's concluded was in Babylon and Jeremiah they would not hearken unto but it was among them that the Lord lookt for one to stand up and reform and amongst them there was none therefore was Indignation poured out upon them would to God this were not too much our present Case Well if of all Judgments for the great God to manifest himself against a People or a Nation be the worst and forest then see what our Sins have done now in the midst of us the Lord help us to confider before it be too late 2. If this be so then we have just Cause to condole the general Supineness Stupidity and Carelesness that Reigns amongst all forts at this day altho it 's most evident that God hath a controversie with us Ah alas where is the Person who hath a becoming Sense of the Judgments of God in the midst of us how few now God is gone from the Cherub to the Threshold do sigh and cry for all the Abominations done in the midst of us Ezek. 9.4 There 's little hope of the Patients recovery when he is insensible of his Disease and Danger so there is little hope of better times while there is such a general Lethargy hath seized the Spirits of most in this Land That 's our present Case which the Prophet complains of Isa 26.11 Lord when thy hand is listed up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed c. Well if it be as you hear we have great Reason to lament the general Stupidity that abounds in the midst of us at this day when God is executing his Judgments in the midst of us 3. If it be so that of all Judgments this is the forest for God to declare himself against a People or a Nation then what cause have we to stand and admire yea and adore the Infinite Patience of God towards us That notwithstanding he is executing Judgments in the midst of us yet he hath not made a full End of us nor overthrown us quite for our Abominations as he did Sodom and Gomorrah At this day is fulfilled and made good that Word by the Prophet Isa 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. When Advantage is given we are for taking it one of another this is the way of Men too often one with another but God doth not deal thus with us after the manner of Men for in the midst of Judgments he remembers Mercy Although God by terrible things in Righteousness answers us yet we must own here is great Mercy commixt with Judgment for he that hath with his immediate hand upon the Fleet swept away so many precious Souls and overturnd so much of our Wealth might with the same stroak have spared none to give us a report of what God hath done against us in the sight of the Nations Well as it 's less than deserved so it 's enough to make us fear and tremble before Him and since he hath manifestly a controversie with us we should admire Divine Goodness in giving warning and adore Infinite Patience that all was not consumed in Wrath and that we are yet a People and not destroyed I come to a Word of Exhortation for I shall hasten to conclude not delighting to insist upon such Tragical Subjects but the hand of God hath ingaged