The Lord hath beene wont to inflict some lesser judgement when the humiliation hath not beene unfained though he have saved his people from the greater and why p. 492 When the time is that the Lord will not spare his people any longer no not at the private praiers of his dearest servants p. 493 Three principall signes hereof 1. When a land is full of bloud 2. When it is full of declining and perversnesse 3. When it is overgone with Atheisme p. 494 For the first what that bloud was whereby their land was so dâ—filed that God would not spare them p. 494 c. The second maine sinne for which God would not spare them their generall all perversnesse and defection increased without hope of returning p. 499 Neither word judgements nor mercies would doe them any more good p. 500 There was also amongst them a marvellous corruption of judgement both in misjudging of the good waies of God and also in wresting of judgement p. 500 Perversnesse in judgement cause of their perversnesse in manners p. 501 Their last and principall sinne a senslesse Atheisme growing upon all that they did not acknowledge God in his judgements as they had beene wont p. 501 Reasons why the Lord cannot spare when these sinnes come to this height as theirs were p. 502 Application to our selves whether we be come to this height of sin and have these tokens thereof p. 504 God hath manifested his love as much to our nation as to any other and that he is most unwilling thiu to enter into judgement with us p. 504 505 He spreadâ—th out to us both his white and his blacke tent together p. 50â— To trie what we can answer the Lord if he charge these things on us as first that our land is full of bloud p. 505 The crie of violence and oppression goeth up to heaven for the crueltie of Landlords Vsurers and men void of commiseration p. 506 The like crie amongst us as was in the daies of Nehemiah p. 506 The crie of the poore in dearths p. 507 The holy law of God for the care to be had for all the poore of the land p. 509 We must sometime lend looking for nothing againe p. 509 How the Lord will blesse such a care for the poore and contrarilie p. 510 Vumercifulnesse crieth loud for vengeance and will bring judgement without mercy p. 510 The generall crie of the poore that they and theirs must be brought to perpetuall beggery p. 511 The husbandman cannot pay his rent but by selling his corne at high prizes and according to the same must usually all other commodities bee that the poore must live in miserie p. 512 What we are growing to hereby p. 512 The cause of all our unmercifulnesse and spoiling commonly viz. to maintaine those sinnes of Sodome Ezek. 16. 49. p. 513 Our land defiled with the bloud of Gods servants in Queene Maries daies p. 513 Deadly malice against all who make conscience to walke in the waies of God by all those who have chosen to live in their owne evill waies p. 514 The advice that a mans wisest friends will give to any noted for profâ—ssion rather to put up all wrongs then in most places to seeke redresse p. 515 Our land full of the bloud of soules p. 515 What our state must needs be herein through the multitude of ignorant and unconscionable Ministers p. 516 Multitudes destroyed by evill ensamples and through the generall neglect of superiours for the soules committed to them p. 517 Application of the second cause why the Lord could not spare them viz. That they fell away more and more p. 517 The word in many places become unfruitfull and without power p. 518. Gods mercies have made us so insolent as to say we will not heare p. 518 Gods judgements have made us to fall away more and more especially since our deliverance from our so long feared day p. 518 Pestilence famine and wilde beasts next forerunners of the sword p. 519 All Gods strokes so multiplied to make us to seeke him have made us more senslesse and to walke more stubbornly against him p. 520 This of all other a most infallible for erunner of vengeance when men wax uncurably worse by smiting p. 520 The manner of the Lords proceeding in judgement against Israel before her Captivitie is recorded for a president to us p. 520 Application to our selves of Gods manner of proceeding with us in judgements p. 521 We almost overthrowne as Sodome being as a firebr and pluckt out of the burning p. 521 God threatneth us with whatsoever he hath denounced seeing we amend not p. 522 God threatneth to smite us seven times more to bring one plague in the end seven times greater then any of the former unlesse we repent p. 522 God having shewed such tokens of his love and compassion towards us will be magnified accordingly p. 522 The third signe of Gods anger and for which he threatneth he cannot spare to wit Atheisme and how it declareth it selfe openly amongst us p. 523 If we had beene rightly perswaded that all our judgements had been sent by the Lord for our sinne we had repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes p. 523 Our timorousnesse to manifest our love to the Lord and our hatred of sinne p. 524 Our generall leaving off to mourne for all our sinnes and tokens of Gods wrath or to tremble before him p. 524 Whence come these menâ—â—â—ned but from some spice of close Atheisme that we thinke at least that God is not so angry against sinne or so regardeth it p. 524 Cause of our drowsie professing in many for that iniquitie hath â—â—gotten the upper hand that it seemes unpossible that ever pietie should looke up againe therefore best to frame our selves to the time p. 525 CHAP. XVI What brings true boldnesse to appeare before the Lord. p. 526 The assurance and safetie of the mourners before the destruction come being sure marked by our Saviour repeated againe for our further comfort p. 526 To be put in minde ever to beare his marke in our foreheads that so we may alwaies have boldnesse before him p. 527 The boldnesse of the marking Angell appearing againe before the Lord and giving up his Commission p. 527 This only can bring boldnesse to appeare before the Lord when we can say Lord I have done as thou hast commanded me p. 528 Our obedience is chiefly in our willingnesse and unfained endevour mourning for our wants and this doth our God accept p. 528 Two notable ensamples of boldnesse hereupon to appeare before the Lord. p. 529 530 Reasons why they only who have done as the Lord hath commanded can be bold to appeare before him p. 531 When all nations shall tremble and shrike they alone shall lift up their heads for joy because of that their happiest day p. 532 The contrary horrour of all who have not done as the Lord hath commanded them whensoever their consciences shall be truly awaked more
for the abundance of Gods blessings which they injoy principally to that end to buy wisdome as Solomon saith Whereas heretofore many of them were able to put to silence the proudest Papists amongst us in displaying the abominations of Poperie and in maintayning the Gospell of Christ committed unto us in trust to that end is it not to be feared our swaggering courses considered and our generall neglect of religion that we are in the greatest part by far become unable to maintaine the one or to confute the other or so much as to speake with any lively feeling of the truth of the Lord or yet as having any sound love of the one or dislike of the other And how should it be otherwise when we for most part give over our selves wholly to our pleasures with all licentiousnesse or to follow after the honours and riches of the world and which is yet far worse and more to be feared as an evident forerunner of vengeance when we are so generally ashamed to be noted for being forward or zealous in the profession of the Gospell of Christ On the other side are not many of the Popish sort growne to be exceeding cunning in the mysterie of Antichrists iniquitie and the depths of Sathan whereby they deceive themselves and others for that is all the glory that can justly be given them seeing in the first principles of the knowledge of our blessed God out of his heavenly word they are commonly knowne to be far more ignorant than our litle children which are but catechized in the faith of Christ Are not even ordinarily the simpler sort of them waxen generally so perfect in the cheife points of their religion by their paines which they take though alas to their perdition for setting up the throne of the Beast againe as that they are able therein to goe about the greatest part of the cheife among us and put us to silence We can many of us be the best companions for them that may be and can talke with them of any matter of vaine pleasure and commoditie and happily in scorning at all them who shew any more love to the word and more dislike of their abominations than we do and who is so good a fellow as one of them though a deadly enemie to the Gospell and all that sincerely professe the same but hardly a word either for Christ and his truth or against Antichrist and his iniquitie Though we have as good cause to be armed against him with all possible meanes especially with the armour of the word of the Lord as ever Nation had before having had so many faire warnings from him Oh that this may be well thought of for sundry parts of our Land But here it may be some will say That there was never more knowledge in the Land To whom I answer Far be it off from me from obscuring any gift or blessing of the Lord amongst us Nay I magnifie him for them but that which I have spoken hath bin of a sanctified and powerfull knowledge wherein the kingdome of God and our glory consists and that amongst our people And secondly of such I would demand as before the Lord whether in many a Congregation there be not a sensible decay as in all places where the meanes have failed and for the rest what is our knowledge generally in regard of our meanes and the long continuance of them Have we not very many places where within sundry miles there are not two to be found in a Towne which have any sound substantiall and saving knowledge even of matters of salvation and the wayes of God And of those who seeme to have knowledge doe not many of them as it were grope for the wall like the blinde stumbling at noone day as in the twilight making no conscience at all of their wayes no not of monstrous sins wherein they live not fearing any judgement towards the Land or themselves Is not the very day darke over them as we may so speake for seeing their owne sinnes or the fearfull sins of the Land And may not the Lord therefore as he threatneth cause the Sunne to goe downe at noone and darken the earth in the cleare day And where is that holinesse become whereby the Lord should be sanctified of us and honoured of all about us with that obedience and submission to his most sacred word Are we not in very great numbers come to this passe to make such a fearefull revolt from all holy conscience of our wayes which many began to make to open impietie profanenes as that certaine who were of us have departed from us although not without their owne fearefull sinne in that behalfe The old Serpent hath undoubtedly used this as one first and principall provocation hereunto Even the very dishonors done to the Lords Sacred Majestie amongst us by our heynous sinnes and lest they should be polluted by our intolerable impieties whereof they can see no hope of redresse and also for feare of the vengeance of the Lord hanging over us for the same whereby they have made a most grievous rent in the Church of God to the indangering of their owne soules and the advantaging of the bloudie enemie against us all though they observe not so much Doe not the Popish sort blaspheme the religion of the Lord established among us for the extreme irreligiousnesse of the lives of too many of us Do they not hereupon thinke that no crueltie can be devised sufficient for us no not the butchering or blowing us up all at once Though indeed it be not our wickednesse which they so deadly malice for therein many of them far surpasse us Let Italie and Spaine be witnesses hereof for from them chiefly hath our iniquitie come as will appeare heereafter but it is Christ and his Gospell which they so maligne to the death doe not sundry make fresh revoults unto them for some shewes of holinesse that are amongst the devouter sort accounting it much safer to live in filthy Babylon the cage of every uncleane and hatefull bird under that abominable slavery and and drudgery of Antichrist then to communicate with us at his table in the true service of Iesus Christ Is not all true devotion waxen so odious amongst very many of us as that it hath beene thought ordinarily a disgrace for the cheifer sort men of note to kneele unto the Lord in the congregation at the publike prayers And must not their private devotion be sutable in all reason Though it be not or at least have not beene any disgrace for too many of them to kneele in the most reverend sort as doing a most solemne service though not to Bacchus Ceres and Venus yet to their owne bellies Certainely our Land of late yeeres hath beene grievously polluted herewith whether it be yet left or at least repented of I leave it to our consciences Is not
for the wealth of vs and our posteritie I haue strictly kept my selfe within the limits of the first part of this Watch which conteyneth the Summe of the Couenant of our God wherein we all agree in outward profession and vnto which whosoeuer returneth vnfeignedly to walke in the sincere obedience of it shall vndoubtedly haue eternall life like as euery impenitent transgressor against it is certainely condemned by the generall verdict of all the true Churches of Christ. In all this worke I haue and doe instantly desire of the Lord that I may be a faithfull and true witnesse both for his heauenly Maiestie and for his people and also that I may shew in euery part a right demonstration of an vnfeigned loue to the Church of Christ and towards my Nation euen to euery soule for the sauing of ech from the wrath to come and withall that I may preserue the honour due to all in autoritie chiefly to the highest to binde all hearts to their superiours ech to others and all of vs to Iesus Christ That he may euer remaine our Captaine Protector King and Sauiour euen he who will one day manifest all the secrets of the hearts of men who haue bin with him and who against him who will come quickly and reward euery one as their workes shall be Amen euen so come Lord Iesus CONTENTS OF THE seuerall Chapters particularly as they arise out of the Vision Ezechiel 9. 1. THe Vision giuen to Ezechiel with the occasion and opening of it 2. Certaine directions to be obserued in our reading hereof to teach vs to make right vse of the Vision to our selues 3. The Lord is not wont to bring any terrible iudgement on his Church but euer before hand to giue some euident warning That he neuer warned without cause or in vaine and what iust matter we haue for all our manifold gratious forewarnings to betake our selues to watching and prayer 4. The withdrawing of the Lords glorious presence from his Church is both an euident signe of his displeasure and a manifest threatning of his departure And what causes we haue therevpon to watch and to pray to pacifie the Lord so to hold him still amongst vs. 5. How the Lord is most vnwilling to depart from his Church so long as there is any other remedie manifested in his oft threatning to depart before he goe and of the outward tokens both of his glorious presence in his Church and of his departure from it And what causes we haue in respect thereof to watch and pray continually 6. No priuiledges can doe a people any good if they grow in their iniquitie but the mo their mercies haue bin the greater is their sinne and the heauier shall their iudgement be when it commeth what cause we haue thence to watch and to pray for the fearefull increase of the transgressions amongst vs. 7. The marking of the mourners That is how Gods owne people are marked in the midst of the greatest confusions before the destruction come And so what cause euery one hath to watch and to pray that he may be so marked 8. The propertie of the godly liuing amongst the wicked in a sinfull age is to mourne and cry for all the abominations and tokens of Gods anger Also what cause all Gods seruants haue to watch and pray for the fewnesse of such and that ech of vs may be found of that litle number 9. The enemies by which the Lord threatneth or afflicteth his Church are his soldiers and therevpon what cause we haue to giue our selues to watching and prayer because of the increase of them in number pride and malice 10. The mourners being once marked made sure then comes the vengeance for the destroyers follow at the heeles of the marking Angell What neede we had therefore to watch and pray bicause we know not whether this worke be not already accomplished or how neere it is 11. The principall abominations for which the godly so mourned and which moued the Lord to so seuere a vengeance first in generall after more particularly And therein what causes we haue to watch and pray both to be kept pureâ— from them and to obteyne pardon and redresse of them or at least that we may escape the plagues due vnto them 12. The meanes which the Lord had vsed to bring them to repentance that he might spare them and how their sinne was increased thereby Also the cause why the meanes could doe them no good And what neede we haue therevpon to watch and pray continually 13. The seueritie of the Lords vengeance and the miseries which all sorts indured in that captiuitie when no other meanes could serue to reclaime them And thence what neede we haue all to watch and pray continually to turne away the like and also to be thankfull for all our former deliuerances from as great calamities so neere vnto vs. 14. How Gods true messengers and all his faithfull seruants are wont to be affected when they perceiue the Lords anger to be kindled and his iudgements ready to rush vpon his people Also the meanes which in this their holy affection they vse to preuent the euils and to pacifie his Maiestie And herein likewise what cause we haue to watch and pray for the want of these affections and for the generall neglect of the state of the people and of pacifying the Lords wrath 15. The sinnes of a people may be so heynous as that the Lord will not be pacified at the prayers of his deerest seruants Also when that time is and what cause we haue therevpon to watch and pray continually 16. The true obedience of Gods faithfull messengers and seruants will bring them boldnesse to appeare before him and this alone when they are able to say in a good conscience Lord I haue done as thou hast commanded me And what great cause all of vs haue to watch and pray continually that we may be alvvayes able to say so to haue boldnes euermore hereby vvhatsoeuer come to passe THE VISION given to EZECHIEL before the great Captivitie of IVDAH set downe in the ninth Chapter of Ezechiel with the occasion and opening thereof 1. HE cryed also in mine eares with a loud voyce saying Cause them that have charge over the Citie to draw neere even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand 2. And behold six men came from the way of the higher gate which lyeth toward the North and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand and one man among them was clothed with linnen with a writers inkehorne by his side and they went in and stood beside the brazen Altar 3. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was to the threshold of the house and he called to the man clothed with linnen which had the writers inkehorne by his side 4. And the Lord said unto
and partly at the instant intreatie of the dressers of his Vineyard who have obteyned of him to spare us yet one yeere longer to see if we will bring forth meete fruit in any time and if no time nor warning will serve then to cut us downe Now we in steed of amending by all these fore-warnings with all the admirable deliverances and blessings which this Land doth injoy waxing every day much worse and the cry of our sinnes with the malice and number of our bloodie enemies being daily increased how can we thinke but that his vengeance must needs be at the doores either that any peace can possibly be so much as hoped for from him so long as our heynous sinnes still remayne heaped up euery day more more What heart therefore having any feare of the Lord considering how his anger must needs be kindled and remembring that implacable hatred of the blood-thirstie enemies but wayting their day doth not tremble in a certaine expectation of some imminent and farre more dreadfull vengeance than ever we felt in former times unlesse our hearts be some way stirred up to pacifie his heavenly Majestie by turning unto him to prevent the same And therefore to conclude this point All these things being laid togither and set as it were in one view before our faces principally that above all other signes the Lord hath given us that our third so terrible and infallible an admonition in the hellish powder-furnace sith none of his warnings shall be in vaine who can denie but that he daily cryeth in the eares of every one of us with a loude voyce as he cryed to Ezechiel Thy visitation oh England draweth neere Therefore repent watch and pray lest I come upon thee of a sodaine and make thee as Ierusalem because no warning will serve neither wilt thou know the time of thy visitation nor be awaked out of thy deepe securitie But of this more fully hereafter when we shall come to see the sinnes of our Land written by the Lord himselfe in the abominations of Iuda before her Captivitie and that in such capitall letters that he that runns by may read them And how we doe iustifie rebellious Iudah living in these dayes of the shining light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ under such a shelter as the Lords Annoynted and also under so good lawes commanding obedience thereunto whereby our sinnes must needes be farre more heynous and inexcusable than theirs or than ever they were in former time And this may serve for a first cause which we have to watch and pray because the Lord cryes so loud unto us all That our visitation draweth neere and that he will come on us suddenly unlesse we repent speedily CHAP. IIII. The withdrawing of the Lords glorious presence from his Church is both an euident signe of his displeasure and amanifest threatning of his departure And what cause we have thereupon to watch and to pray to pacifie his Maiestie and to hold him still amongst us Verse 3. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was to the threshold of the house A Second principall point which the Lord would have us all to obserue to this purpose is out of this third verse In which he revealed to the Prophet how the visitation of the City or the executioners of the vengeance determined upon it did draw neere this is given as an evident token thereof That the glorious presence of the Lord named the glory of God the God of Israel was gone from the Cherub that is from that place in the Temple where the Lord had promised to dwell for ever and from whence he was wont to shew his presence most sensibly for from thence he used to give answers and now it stood on the threshold of the Temple as ready to depart and utterly to leave that house and his people for their sinnes In this therefore God would have all men to take notice That it is a most certaine signe of his purpose to leave a people and of his vengeance hard at hand when he begins to withdraw the most lively and sensible tokens of his presence from those places where he was wont to dwell and shew himselfe most familiarly As heere for example Although the Temple remaine with the Arke and mercy feate from whence he was wont to speake immediatly from betweene the Cherubims yet the glory is removed the signes are there still but not the lively presence as had beene in former time which was indeed the true glory For further confirmation of this point This we may observe in the booke of God That when he hath beene well pleased with his people and purposed to remaine with them he then hath beene wont ordinarily to shew his presence and that under the law by some such visible or audible signes as whereby al might behold and heare him or at least perceive him some way As in all the iourny towards Canaan he went uisibly before them in the pillar of fire and the piller of the cloude But when they had angred him by the golden calfe he threatneth that he would not goe with them that is he would not goe before them in that visible manner as he had beene wont to bring them to the land flowing with milke and hony because they were a stiffenecked people He would send his Angell with them but in his owne glorious presence he would not goe before them as in former time whereupon Moses is importunate with him that he would never carry them thence if his presence went not with them And that it could not be knowne otherwise that he and his people had found favour in his sight but when he went visibly with them Thus Moses never leaves him vntill he hath prevailed that he will go with them as he was wont The same we may see in the dayes of Iosua where the Lord having withdrawne his lively preâ—ence and suffered his people to be overthrowne before the men of Ai Iosua falleth upon his face before the Arke fasting and mourning and after a sort expostulating with his Majestie for that he would suffer his great name to be dishonored Whereupon God telleth him plainely that he had indeede withdrawne himselfe from them because they were execrable for Achans sinne neither would he be with them any more unlesse they destroyed the excommunicate from amongst them So likewise when he was angry with Saul that he would cast him off he doth not only take his good spirit of wisdome and government from him and sends an evill spirit upon him to disquiet and to vex him but moreover when he asked councell of him in his extremity he answeres him not neither by dreames nor by Vrim nor yet by the Prophets Saul had the Priests with the Vrim before the Arke from whence the Glory was wont to appeare from the Cherubims
but the glory was remooved the Lord gave him no answere any more from thence The like might be shewed still in the story further as we shall see after in the particulars but this may suffice for the present to manifest this point To returne therefore to our selves we are first to inquire what are the most evident signes of Gods glorious presence in his Church especially in the daies of the Gospell and heereby we are to judge of our estate and whether in regard heereof we have not just cause to feare the Lords departure without speedy repentance and all to give our selves to watch and pray Like as the word sincerely preached and the Sacraments administred according to our Saviours institution are the most infallible marks of the true visible Churches of Christ amongst which he hath promised his presence so long as these are duly observed maintained and reverenced so we may marke also thorow the booke of God fowre most lively evidences of his glorious presence in his Church amongst his people One whereof is more inward felt chiefly in the soules and consciences of men to wit the Spirit of the Lord accompanying the word and the powerfull operation thereof in mens hearts in and by the same word to cause all men to acknowledge the Lord to be there The other three are more outward and apparant to the view of the world although they be nothing but the fruits and effects of the same spirit The first of which three is when the Lord gives to his people abundance of saving and sanctifying knowledge of his heavenly word The second when together with this knowledge he worketh in them true holinesse of life and conversation and obedience to the same word and withall peace and unitie among his people arising from the same The third is in protection when he declares himselfe to be present amongst his people in shielding and protecting them and overthrowing all the plots of the enemies or casting a feare upon the enemie that they dare not rise up against his Church and chosen flocke For the first of these which is more inward viz The Spirit of the Lord speaking and working powerfully in the word It is not the word alone nor the Spirit alone but the word and Spirit going together The Spirit accompanying the word and speaking to the hearts and consciences of men out of the mouthes of his servants This is the Tenor and the very substance of Gods covenant with his Church for the infallible demonstration of his presence in it and with it And I will make this my covenant with them saith the Lord to his Church My spirit which is upon thee my word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seede from henceforth for ever To make this more plaine As in the time of the law not the Arke alone nor the mercie seate covered with the Cherubims but the answeres from the Arke given immediatly from God were were the undoubted evidences of his most glorious presence amongst them so this must needs be acknowledged of all That not the Gospell alone nor the bare ministry thereof but the powerfull working of the spirit thereby speaking to every mans soule and conscience is the most evident demonstration of the same glorious presence in the dayes of the Gospell As for example when the word is lively and mighty in operation powerfull in converting mens soules and drawing the people of God after it This is the true presence and arme of the Lord. As it was when the Holy Ghost was sent downe appearing in forme of cloven tongues like fire to shew the heavenly fire that should accompany the word and inflame the hearts of the elect like as it then wrought wonderfully upon the consciences of the hearers and that very worke was an infallible witnesse of the presence of the Lord so is it now according to the manner of the working and measure thereof When by the same spirit some are pricked at their hearts with remorse for their sinnes and made to cry out Men and brethren what shall we doe as those who were so pricked at the hearts at Peters sermon When other have their hearts burning within them as the two Disciples going toward Emaus at the opening applying of the Scriptures unto them When as others are smitten downe to the earth in the sense of their own vilenesse and the Majestie of Iesus Christ as persecuting Saul who was made thereby a preaching Paul And when others are compelled to confesse That they neuer heard men speake so as those who came of purpose being sent by the Pharises to catch our Saviour Or as the poore simple man who comming in and hearing the word so Preached is made thereby to fall upon his face and enforced to acknowledge That God is in these men of a truth when others also shall receive such a strong assurance of the truth of God taught unto them being indeed his very word as they cannot be drawne away from it by any violence or feare no nor yet by any perswasions though an Angell should come from heaven and teach them otherwise And to conclude this point This must needs be confessed of all to be the most cleere and invincible testimony of his most gratious and glorious presence and of his spirit powred plentifully upon his Church when by the power of the word the blinde eyes are opened the deafe heare the stonie hearts are bruised the dead in sinne are raised to a new and holy life for this is not a a worke of flesh and blood but of the Spirit of the Lord onely This was a principall part of that lively presence whereby he was so wonderfull and after a sort visible in the primitive Church when the same day were added to the Church about three thousand soules by the preaching of Peter and the other Apostles and after when the Church increased so admirably And by this he hath promised to be with his faithfull ones teaching his truth sincerely unto the end of the world This finally is the full accomplishment of that promise To powre downe his Spirit upon his people in the dayes of the Gospell when he would gather his Church in any place as we may see thorow all the Historie of the Acts. And even as it was then so is it now according to the measure of grace whereby he sends downe his holy Spirit upon any Congregation And in some Congregations under faithfull Ministeries all these blessed be God are apparent thus graciously manifesting his presence thereby And therefore the more generally that this operation appeares in Preachers and people the more visibly doth the glory of the Lord shew it selfe and the more
blood-thirstie religion in the cheife professors thereof against his own heavenly Majestie his true religion glory against his Annoynted all his liege people professing his name to destroy all at once though with the inevitable hazarding of themselves both soules and bodies their owne native Countrie their children and houses And also after that he had caused us to beare such evidence against that Romish iniquitie in those so good lawes then enacted against it and as it were to give sentence upon it having delivered it into our hands May he not justly say unto us all even unto our whole Nation for this very sin as he said to the King of Israel for letting Benadad goe when he spake thus unto him Because thou hast let goe out of thine hand a man whom I appointed to dye thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people So may he not speake and threaten us much more especially all of us both Magistrates Ministers and people into whose hands he hath committed the holy meanes to restraine and withdraw men from that murthering religion so many wayes convicted and condemned and to bring them to Christ and principally the spirituall meanes of the word of the Lord Yea above all other may he not speake so to those to whom he hath committed the charge of providing a holy learned and faithfull Ministerie which may tenderly seeke the winning and saving of every soule and also of causing all sorts to submit themselves thereunto as unto the Lords ordinance to that end for these meanes are first and principally to be used in tender compassion when as he hath so manifested the power thereof by so much gracious experience in sundry worthy Congregations where under such painfull and conscionable Ministers the people have bin brought from Poperie and profanenesse to embrace and obey the Gospell so as hardly one Papist or notoriously profane or disordered person have bin to be found there but all cheerefully submitting themselves to the Gospell of Christ. May he not most righteously speake thus unto us therefore Because through they negligence and carelesnesse thou hast suffered to grow up and spread in the midst of thee that execrable bloudie and Antichristian religion whereby my glory is so desperately oppugned whereby I my selfe am so openly sought to be driven out and with so high a hand the soules and bodies of all my people so endangered every houre yea that which I put into thy power and commanded thee to seeke by all holy meanes utterly to destroy out of thy land that against which thou hast so voluntarily made so good lawes for the sure ratifying of the speedie execution of my Commandement thy religion therefore shall goe for it and all thy glory shall be trampled under foote by them untill thou know whom thou hast dishonoured and provoked hereby And to conclude this point Hath not the Lord as good cause to complaine of us and to plead against us for the small account which we make of him for grieving his Spirit and driving him from amongst us by this and all other our fearefull sinnes as ever he had to complaine of the unkindnesse of Iudah and even to take up the same complaint against us which he did against them when he spake thus unto them by the Prophet Micha before their Captivitie Oh my people what have I done unto thee or wherewith have I grieved thee come testifie against me Surely I brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants I sent before thee also Moses Aaron and Miriam O my people remember now what Balak King of Moab had devised and what Balaam the sonne of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal that yee may know the righteousnes of the Lord. This is the Lords plea and complaint against Israel for their unkindnesse calling the hills and mountaines to witnesse the equitie of it before that he would depart from them and bring upon them that strange and terrible judgement which he so long before threatned by his Prophets But we will defer this complaint against us untill we shall have seene of our iniquities to provoke and anger the Lord thereby to be above the abominations of Iudah considering that we live in this glorious light of the Gospell with our extraordinarie mercies and meanes of all sorts Because that then if God shall give us hearts in reading to consider of these things aright we shall justifie the like complaint of the Lord against our selves and shall admire his patient stay and his abiding still amongst us Thus much therefore shall suffice in like manner for this third cause wherein yet let ech of us aske of our owne soules whether in such a decay both of the love of the truth and also of holinesse peace and unitie in the Church yea in such danger of our protection to be utterly taken away to passe over that it is so far departed That he that absteineth from evill makes himself a prey and in steed thereof in such an increase of Poperie of licentiousnesse and of all profanenesse such an enmitie against all true pietie with the insolencie of the enemie the Lord doe not call loude upon us all to watch and to pray for the severall removes of the glory amongst us and the evident tokens of the Lords threatned departure which he sheweth in the same CHAP. VI. No priviledges can doe a people any good if they increase in their iniquitie but the moe their mercies have bin the greater is their sinne and the heavier shall their iudgement be when it commeth of what sort soever And what causes we have hence to watch and to pray Vers. 4. And the Lord said unto him Goe through the midst of the Citie even through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of them that sigh and cry for all the abominations which are done in the midst thereof IN the doubling of the speech Goe thorough the midst of the Citie even through the midst of Ierusalem where the Lord adds Ierusalem to make the speech more significant not content to say Goe thorow the Citie but even thorow Ierusalem He would have all to take notice That though Ierusalem was the deerest unto him of all the Cities of the world yet having broken the Covenant on her part and also cast him off and defiled his Sanctuarie he will spare her no longer he will have no more pitie of any save onely of his faithfull ones in her But contrarily he will forsake her cast her off leave her to be destroyed untill the remnant left of her learne to seeke him and to be reconciled to him againe For the Lords speech is thus much in effect Goe through the midst of the city even through Ierusalem which though it be unto me the deerest of all the places in the world the Citie which I had chosen to
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
for that worke as having by it deserved worthily of all good learning Therefore seeing in all his labours his good affection towards the Church of God our dread Soveraigne with all his royall Progenie and dominions doth cleerely appeare seeking only the wealth of all and to unite all hearts as unto the Lord of heaven so to our Soveraigne Lord and King and to his royall seed for our happinesse for ever with what thankfull acceptation are all his labours to be received And this above all the former wherein he now only strives to helpe to awaken us out of our deepest securitie in the midst of our extremest perill and necessitie and when the times call us to watch and pray yea to fast and pray if ever heretofore First I say to rise up and watch that we may pray To pray for the distressed state of all the poore Churches and our brethren abroad who mourne and wring their hands by reason of their slaveries butcheries manifold feares and miseries both of their soules and bodies above all for them of Bohemia and the Palatinate the very chiefe of them a principall part of our selves and withall for our brethren of France now in great tribulation for the profession of Christs Gospell taking their case to heart as feeling members little knowing how soone it may be our owne and ever fearing that terrible curse from the Angell of the Lord Curse ye Meroz said the Angell curse the inhabitants thereof because they came not out to helpe the Lord against the mightie Secondly to watch and pray yea to mourne and crie for the fearfull viols of the Lords wrath in all likelihood so neerely readie to be powred downe upon our own heads unlesse we speedily meet the Lord in unfained repentance If in the yeere 88. all sorts so generally feared it when yet at our generall humiliation in fasting and praier by publike commandement and our promising amendment God heard our cries deferred the execution of his wrath upon us and contrarily fought for us from heaven arming the windes and waters for his Church amongst us how much more may we justly feare it now If then I say all joyntly confessed that if God had so dealt with us as he threatned we had most righteously deserved it for all our hainous abominations and for that no other meanes could prevaile with us and if in our severall acknowledgements praiers and thanksgivings upon sundrie occasions since we have againe and againe confessed as much how much more truly may we now at this present Seeing the Lord hath granted us since not one yeere more alone to see if wee would meet him truly with intreatie of peace and unfained submission but ten yea thrice ten yeere and more and also used all meanes to reclaime us both by abundant fatherly corrections and in his long patience and commiseration given us our third most dreadfull admonition at the powder treason never to be forgotten when he even plucked us out of the furnace and now that our sinnes are in stead of repenting ten times more increased through all those meanes in the judgement of all who rightly consider of them how can we expect any longer mercy What can we looke for now in that we see men so generally chiefly most of our Gallants to make but a mocke of sinne yea of all Gods admonitions at home and abroad hating all true pietie and scorning it under most odious names Or how can we thinke truly that our land is purged of any of our abominations but stands presently guiltie of them all having now filled up our measure seeing we commit most of those fearfull abominations so often confessed with an higher hand then ever heretofore Or how can we imagine that our land is out of danger seeing many amongst us begin to doat againe upon the bloudie Romish Idolatrie and that now our enemies are so increased in Malice Pride and Multitude and so many of the infernall Locusts feared to be in the midst amongst us My desire therefore is that as this labour hath beene undertaken for the saving of us all from such a vengeance as upon these grounds we have just cause to feare and for our perpetuall happinesse and must needs for that cause concerne us all that every one would take notice of it and consider seriously of every point as God gives him opportunitie especially they who have leisure and spend many houres yea many dayes and yeeres either wickedly or at least vainly which will bring them nothing but sorrow in the end to helpe hereby to turne away the wrath or at least to save their owne soules The worke is large I grant but too large thou canst not thinke it seeing the Author of it desireth to make all plaine to the capacitie of the simplest and truly to awake every soule and for that I know not of any point in it which doth not directly tend hereunto or can well be made shorter without hurt to the whole chiefly the generall good considered that every sinner that repents not turning from his evill way must die And therefore doubtlesse no man shall haue just cause to repent him of his labour spent in hearing or reading of it but if God give him an heart by the right applying of it to helpe to appease the wrath or at least to turne and to seeke to cause others to turne he shall have cause to blesse the God of heaven for it which that every one may doe and that we may all instantly set our selves to seeke his face and favour I humbly intreat his heavenly Majestie to grant and rest Thine in Christ Iesus Edward Elton B. in D. and Pastor of S. Mary Magdalens Barmondsey neere London AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE CHRISTIAN READER FOr those who would read this book with comfort and reape the blessing desired by it in obtaining mercie and favour from the Lord for themselves and the whole land my humble request is that they would first correct these faults noted after then read and weigh these Contents in the beginning both generall and particular whereby they may see the summe and drift of all and have as it were a plaine view of the whole in their heads afterwards to read the praier in the end which is according to the same that they may better conceive and make a right use thereof and then to read the whole in order if their leisure and opportunitie serve or at least such parts of it as they shall thinke most necessarie and especially the last chapter which most neerely concerneth every soule That considering all as before Christs judgement seat like as I have endevoured to doe and so striving joyntly in faith and love for our selves and all other the poore afflicted Churches of Christ the Lord may fulfill all our holy desires turne away all evills from us and them and make us to continue a flourishing Church and a happie Nation to the comming of the Lord Iesus in the clouds
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
dwell in for ever and be as the signet upon my right hand yet seeing it now casteth me off and despiseth to heare my voyce any longer or to be reformed I will not spare it neither shall mine eye have pitie on it save onely of my remnant in it but I will leave it to be destroyed and desolate at least for seventie yeeres Whence the Lord would have all his people to learne That no priviledges promises mercies deliverances no nor any profession of religion can doe a people any good at all to secure them from his vengeance if once they begin to cast him off and his Covenant But when they fall to be stubborne against him and his word sent unto them in his mercy he will cast them off and leave them This also is a matter to be well thought of by us Because as they of Iudah were wont to secure themselves in their prerogatives even so doe we ordinarily First therefore to begin with them Were not these and the like the things whereby they were wont to think themselves safe and to make their boast of so that they could not repent Sometimes because they had the Lords Temple of which they so gloried saying The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord. Sometimes they used to flatter themselves depraving Gods word thus The Law shall not depart from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet And commonly all singing this song which their children learned of them We have Abraham to our father and by these and the like did they grow so extremely impenitent that they could not be moved by any warnings And is it not even so with us That whensoever we are admonished of the Lords anger either by his word or judgements on us or by any other signes or threatnings against us to move us to seeke to pacifie his wrath is not this usuall with us to harden our hearts and still to lull our selves asleepe in our securitie thinking that we are in no such danger and all for some speciall priviledges which we imagine that we have Although it be acknowledged by all that there are most grievous sinnes amongst us yea most horrible contempt of God and his word with dreadfull signes of his departing and that we have had many strange and terrible warnings yet the Lord must needs still continue with us and there is no such danger or cause of feare as some imagine and why so Because we have Gods true religion established by law maintayned by authoritie and sincerely professed by many The Lord hath also shewed us such manifest tokens of his favour and love in our sundry and most admirable deliverances He hath taken such vengeance on our enemies He still discovers and overthrowes their plots And which is above all other his blessings for that he hath given us such a worthy Head and Governour such a hopefull Issue so established the Scepter and concluded such a peace with other Nations on every side as hencforth we cannot have any such cause of feare as formerly we have had Are not these and the like the things whereby we are commonly waxen so strong and safe in our owne conceit And are we not hereupon become so secure from any dreadfull judgement as that no warnings from heaven nor earth words corrections threats nor yet any mercies can do the greatest part any more good but that they desperately proceed from evill to worse as though no hurt could come unto us Let us to this end consider a litle of the priviledges of this Citie and people and then if the Lord open our eyes we shall easily see what causes we have of this our confidence and securitie First for Ierusalem The Lord chose it to dwell in for ever and Sion to be an habitation for himselfe yea he after a peculiar manner tyed his residencie to that place whereas now it is no more tyed to any one place than unto another but one Country now being unthankfull he removes his Church and abode to another There Salomon by the appointment of the Lord himselfe built a house for his glorious Majestie as the place wherein he would be specially worshipped of all the places in the world Such promises also were made by him unto that place as never unto any other That the people praying there because the Temple was a speciall figure of Iesus Christ he would heare those their petitions made in that place Or when they could not come thither if they did but turne their faces towards Ierusalem in prayer that he would heare their supplications made in faith and obedience as he heard Daniel in the Captivitie It was so famous for visions and revelations of the Lord by meanes of the Arke of the Testimonie there the Priests with the Vrim and Thummim the Prophets and messengers of the Lord that it was called the valley of visions yea it was so far preferred before all other places as that all must pray for the peace of Ierusalem So that the Prophet David prayes for the prosperitie of all them who love Ierusalem It is called for the excellencie of it The perfection of beautie The ioy of the whole earth and by our Saviour it is named The holy Citie and at that time when it did grow towards the very worst It was then so deere unto him as that he wept over it to thinke of the sinnes of it with the miseries that were to come upon it for the same And to shut up this point when our Saviour will set out unto the Church the glory of the kingdome of heav'n in the first flourishing estate thereof in earth and fully in heav'n he finds no fitter resemblance to expresse it by than by Ierusalem calling it the new Ierusalem and holy Ierusalem because Ierusalem was the type thereof These are some of the priviledges of the Citie For the prerogatiues of the people they are far more surpassing if we will beleeve the commendations which holy Paul gives of them in the 9. chapter to the Romanes vers 4. where he so highly esteemes of them that he could have wished himselfe accursed yea cast away utterly and seperate from Christ for evermore from eternall joy to perpetuall miserie even for his brethren that were his kinsmen according to the flesh if it had beene possible therby to turne away the Lords anger from them and to reconcile them unto his Majestie againe that so he might have beene glorified in saving of them These particular prerogatives are there moreover ascribed unto them 1. They were Israelites that is A people descended of the most noble stock of all the world Israels posteritie who prevailed with God discending lineally from faithfull Abraham the father of all the faithfull the freind of God and with
of their torment and their fearefull expectation of further vengeance Their calamities which they endure are nothing else but preparatives and fore-runners of the damnation of hell Hereby they also become more senselesse and impenitent they waxe more hardned and enraged to murmure and blaspheme against the Lord. And ordinarily they are alwaies chased in their owne consciences as Cain having a sound of feare in their eares the worme beginning to gnaw and their sinne to sting them to the very hearts and consequently to become runnegates to the grave and to eternall confusion Or let the best be supposed that ever can befall any of them they are but in a lethargie or sleepie sicknesse without sense untill the vengeance of God light wholly upon them to send them to the place of their destruction where they shall never finde any rest after But for their wretched estate we shall see it further in another place And thus we may behold the estate of all both good and bad in such generall calamities Now who is there that beleeves the word of the Lord whom the due consideration of this one point alone must not needs drive to watching and prayer and to cause him to seeke to be prepared aforehand in these dayes of our peace that he may be thus undoubtedly marked and under this protection yea that he may be thus hid in the evill day and finde all the comforts belonging to the godly and that he may be sure to escape those certaine and dreadfull miseries of the wicked what judgements soever it shall please him to exercise us withall for A wise man as Salomon saith foreseeth the plague and hideth himselfe but a foole goeth on still and is punished This therefore may serve as a first cause to enforce us all to betake our selves more instantly to watching and prayer then ever we have done if we would be so marked as to finde the Lord to be a Sanctuarie and a hiding place unto us in the evill day how soone soever he shall bring it upon us for all our sinnes and provocations and in the meane time to get boldnesse thereby and peace of conscience against all assaults whatsoever And more also unlesse we will strip our selves wilfully of his most gratious providence and protection and desperately expose our selves and all ours to all kinde of miserie and unhappinesse both in this life present and that which is to come If any shall demand further what this marke was we must remember That this Vision was given according to the capacitie of man to shew this unto the Prophet that he might make it knowne to all sorts what care the Lord hath for his faithfull ones in the greatest confusions and when they seeme to be utterly neglected and forgotten and to this end he hath caused it to be written for us This moreover seemeth evidently to be an allusion to the custome of men who use to set a marke on such things as they have a speciall care to preserve heedfully Or rather an alluding to the marking of the houses of his owne people in Egypt with the bloud of the Lambe that the destroying Angell might not touch any of them when he destroyed the Egyptians Or else at least to the marking of Rahabs house in the Citie of Iericho before the destruction came for the saving her selfe and hers But if it be demanded whether they had not indeed some speciall marke of difference to be discerned from the rest we may answer truly That there is no question but they were marked indeed both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly by the bloud of Christ sprinkling them and by the Spirit sanctifying them making them to cry Abba oh Father Outwardly by a bold and constant outward profession of the truth of God in word and deed and more specially by mourning and crying out for all the abominations which were practised daily to anger the Lord as followeth after But this is not that marking here spoken of much lesse is it any marking with any outward marke or signe as some doe vainely and very fondly conceit but only to make them sure that they might be preserved from the destroyer The words signifying nothing else but marke them with a marke or signe them with a signe That is marke them surely and carefully doubling the word according to the manner of the Hebrew phrase And thus much also shortly for answering those doubts Now to our next cause which every soule hath to watch and to pray CHAP. VIII The propertie of the godly living amongst the wicked in a sinfull age is To sigh and cry for the abominations and tokens of Gods anger So what cause all Gods servants have to watch and pray for the fewnesse of such and to labour to be of that litle number TO proceed to a sixt cause which yet more neerely concerns ech of us cals on us all to watchfulnes and prayer We are all who desire to finde true assurance and comfort to consider who and what ones these servants of God are which are thus marked They are described in these words which sigh and cry for all the abominations They were those who were so far off from framing themselves to the wickednesse of that evill time as that they contrarily abhorred with a vehement indignation all those sinnes whereby Gods anger was so kindled and their destruction hastned so fast Insomuch as that thereby they did not onely mourne in themselves in secret but being inforced with a zeale of Gods glory and indignation against all the abominations cryed out against them according to their places and callings and sighed in secret for mercy and redresse Here we must observe The Lord setting before our eyes the condition of the true children of God living in evill times and amongst a people voyde of the sense of sinne and of the feare of Gods judgements That their manner is not to approve of the wicked wayes of the ungodly much lesse to sooth and flatter them in their evill courses nor to give over themselves to any jollitie or carnall delights as others doe but they use to have continually much heavinesse in themselves sighing for the grievous sinnes which are committed An example hereof the Lord hath set forth to all posteritie in holy Lot who living amongst the filthy Sodomites was thus grieved with their ungodly conversation for so saith the holy Apostle Peter That he being righteous and dwelling among them in hearing and seeing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unrighteous deeds He was so disquieted with their beastly manners provoking the Lords most holy eyes that his whole life for the time that he dwelt amongst them was but wearinesse and a continuall mourning This holy man the Lord would have set forth as an example to all succeeding ages to shew the condition of all his true and faithfull servants living amongst wicked and ungodly men To
the sin of all yet it indangered all See the feare of the people of Israel for the suspition of the provocation by the two tribes and the halfe in the erecting of the altar of witnesse which the rest of the Tribes did thinke that they had done for sacrifice contrary to the commandement of the Lord. They al purposed to have gone immediatly to make war against their brethren for the punishment of that sin yet sent messengers to know the truth of the matter before with this message That if they did rebell against the Lord that day the morrow next he would be wrath with all the congregation of Israell The like we may behold in the feare of the people for the villany committed by some of the inhabitants of the City of Gibeah in abusing the Levites Concubine and the vengeance that came not onely upon the City wherein it was committed but also upon all the Tribe of Benjamin because they delivered them not to be punished but would seeme to defend them for as much as they were apart of their Tribe And not upon that Tribe alone which might seeme justly accessary but also upon all those who helped not to take vengeance for that wicked fact as on all the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead becavse they came not to the war to see Gods judgements executed upon those wicked men To come to the sinnes of particular men Did we not heare before of the vengeance on Israell in the dayes of Ioshuah for the sin of Achan How that worthy Captaine with his valiant soldiers were not able to stand before their enemies untill Achans sinne was found out punished Yea the Lord tels them he will not be with them any more unlesse they destroy the excommunicate from amongst them which thereupon they were glad to doe And far be it from us to thinke the Lord to be unjust in this or any other of his judgements or to have diminished any part of his justice or holinesse unto this day Secondly we cannot forget that anger that was kindled against Israell and the famine that came upon them in the dayes of David for three yeeres together for the sinne of Saul in killing the Gibeonites to gratifie the people contrary to his fidelity Though they were but heathens of the cursed Amorites and had dealt deceitfully with the Israelites in making their covenant Yet the wrath could not be appeased or the Land purged untill vengeance was taken upon his bloudy house for that murther committed so long before And therfore sith his anger may breake forth so long after even for such sins much more for such notorious abominations as are committed daily by them who have given themselves over to all manner of profanenesse and impiety and whereof they can have no such colour or occasion This was the cheife reason of the solemne inquisition which was at the publicke fasts in Israell for the finding out both of notorious offenders and offences to have vengeance taken of them openly Hence was the pretence of Iezabell for the saving of Naboth under a shew of execution of this justice against a blasphemer to pacifie the Lords anger This also seemes to have bin one principall cause why the word was read and preached at those their solemne fasts that thereby the sins might be discovered and reformed as God bids Ieremie to indite and Baruch to write from his mouth and to declare to the people their sinnes with the plagues judgements due unto them that they might returne from their evill wayes and so pacifie his wrath by crying unto him and reforming all the abominations Thus we see this point also cleere That the sinnes of a people even of a few of them not punished do anger the Lord and provoke him against the whole land making the land uncleane neither can he be fully pacified any way but by the punishing and taking away of those sinnes Whereby it is most evident to the consciences of all men what just cause the godly have to sigh and to tremble for all the abominations that are committed amongst them and especially which being notoriously knowne do still remaine unpunished Now to apply this unto our selues And first for the generall humiliation of us all afterward for the comfort of those few that are such true mourners indeed First this may strike the hearts of all sorts who imagining that they are the servants of the Lord yet hearing and seeing the fearfull apostacy coldnesse and security of our age even in many of the better sort together with Atheisme Poperie and all outragious and profane licentiousnesse daily increasing in the rest are yet never troubled therwith And much more may it astonish all such who are so far off from the condition of these mourners as that they can solace themselues as freely when they heare of all excesse in iniquity and whatsoever can bee devised by Iewd men to anger the Lord and to grieve his Spirit as ever they were wont at other times Most of all may it affright and awaken those who use all devices to drive each thought of Gods anger or any judgement with every occasion of humiliation and mourning utterly out of their hearts But of all other is their estate most fearfull who can make the beastly sinnes of others their chiefest sport Oh you that are such consider in your hearts Is this the spirit of Lot Moses Samuel Ieremie Ezra of these mourners heere marked Of our Saviour or Pavl Is this the Spirit of the Lord How deceive you your soules in a vaine imagination what will ye doe in the day of the Lords wrath if he let it come upon us as we justly deserue Or what have ye done to turne it from us Know know for certaine that this sinne of yours will one day undoubtedly bring you weeping enough you cannot tell whether even in this life as it did to them in the Captivity nay even whether this same uery day when you shall do nothing but weep day and night in remembrance of this one sinne that your hearts were so hard in the dayes of your prosperity that you could not mourne at all Besides all the other miseries that you are liable unto for all your sinnes chiefly if God should give you up for them when you shall be utterly destitute of comfort of the Lords mercy protection and-favour untill you shall have soundly bewailed all this your sencelesse security But on the contrary as this is given by the Lord for the comfort of all that mourne for the iniquities because they are surely marked before the vengeance come to be safe then so it may serue for the sweete consolation and cheering up even of all those of every estate and degree from the highest to the lowest who find their hearts thus affected in hearing of and beholding the abominations committed dayly to anger the
will there lead you his Angels shall conduct you his Spirit shall support you with joy unspeakable even in the midst of all your tryals untill that your testimonie be fulfilled your warfare accomplished and the crowne of glory set upon your heads you are written upon the palmes of his hands that you shall be ever in his sight And if he let you be taken away by death among the rest yet even death shall be unto you the greatest advantage It shall make an end of all your miseries that you shall not so much as see the evils to come Then will the Lord turne all your sorrowes and feares into abundant joyes and securitie giving you the reward of all your labours and whatsoever else you have hoped and longed after Then shall you finde the fulnesse of those joyes which never eye saw nor ever eare heard nor yet entred into mans heart to consider of And this shall you injoy in his glorious presence with all his blessed Angels and Saints with whom yee shall reigne for evermore But as for all the rest of wicked scoffers and profane contemners of the Lord and of all his mercifull fore-warnings if he in his justice should leave us up to such a judgement to be executed on us through the hellish devices of that bloudie Antichrist whose rage and furie still increaseth as our deliverances and prosperitie have done then must you all know from him be you Atheists Papists belly-gods worldlings that you must looke for your portion to be all alike that shift or flie whither soever you will yee shall never be able to flie from his vengeance Though you could dig to hell as the Prophet Amos speaketh yet his hand should fetch you thence although you could climbe up to heau'n yet thence also he would bring you downe yea though you could hide your selves in the most secret caves among the rocks yet even there should his vengeance finde you out and flying to the uttermost parts of the earth he will still there command the sword the pestilence and famine to pursue you with terrour of heart trembling of conscience untill you be destroyed from the face of the earth The Lord will ever set his face against you for evill and not for good and this is that that you must certainely expect And even for you likewise that thinke you shall doe well enough because you have beene knowne to be so devoted to the Catholike religion as you terme it and to suffer for it doe not imagine your cause shall be any thing the better for this If you beare false hearts to the Lords annointed and to your native country how can you looke that vengeance shall suffer you to live Or can you perswade your selves that a forreine enemie prevailing which evill the Lord still deliver us from should ever trust you whom they found so false to your Prince and countrey Be it so yet if you be knowne to be such as have any wealth if the Lord should for all our provocations permit such a day as they have long looked for have we not just cause to conceive that Papist and Protestant should be all alike and that tho all such should proclaime at each market crosse that they are Catholiques yet that there goods would be the goods of Hugonotes as it was at the French massacre in Paris would not then all such be made Puritanes of the Parliament house the desperatest ding-thrifts and sharpest swords slashing downe and carying all away And although the Lord shall still at the intercession of his most faithful and deere servants as sometimes of Abraham Moses Samuel these mourners preserve us from the bloudy hands of our deadly and most cruell enemies and from ever comming under the Babilonish yoake againe which we ever beg and cry for yet the estate of all you that are the provokers of his Majestie and grievers of his people by your horrible sinnes shall be nothing the better At death a heavier captivitie shall fall upon you when you shall be bound in everlasting chaines of darknesse and reserved unto the judgement of the great day to be tormented for evermore And thus if your sleepie hearts come once to be throughly awaked you shall be sure to live in continuall expectation of vengeance being chased of your owne wicked consciences as 〈◊〉 untill the Lords most just decree be accomplished upon you Then you that could not once sigh or cry to God at all for the abominations and dishonors done unto his Majestie or in fearing his anger but thought this foolishnesse shall have cause inough to call and cry continually in feeling and fearing his most just and heavie indignation with all his fierce plagues due unto you everlastingly But of this we shall speake yet more when we come to the severall miseries which they indured in the Captivitie And thus much may serve for the estate both of the godly mourning for all the abominations and for the rest It may suffice likewise for another most just cause to drive us to watching and prayer with continuall mourning seeing onely the mourners are commanded to be marked to be preserved from the vengeance to come and these are they principally that stay the judgement from rushing upon us at least untill they be so marked and made safe But alas have we not here a new cause to take up a dolefull complaint for the want hereof Where are they who lament for the abominations which we have received from all forreine Nations and wherewith we have so polluted our profession as after will appeare Where are those whose hearts melt to thinke how the law of God is troden under foote and his judgements hastned daily by all our provocations What is become of Moses Samuel Ieremie Paul and of that continuall heavinesse which they were in for the obstinacie of the people Where are the two Prophets prophesiâ—ng after the manner of mourners for the prevayling of that Antichrist and the delusions of Gods people That zeale of Lot for all our unlawfull deeds Are we not come very generally to cry Peace peace and all is well desiring to be at ease as they who trusted in the mountaine of Samaria of whom Amos speaketh and those who cryed the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Are we not become I meane exceeding 〈◊〉 of us as they who said The Lord will neither doe good nor evill Doe not our lives proclaime it Or as those that spake against Ieremie to â—ull themselves and all others still asleepe saying we shall neither see sword nor famine In a word Is it not with us for the most part as with them that lived immediately before the floud and before the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrha Doe we not eat and drinke marrie and give in marriage as they every man giving up himselfe to follow his owne way and for his owne advantage never regarding
7. 12. Sauls in murdering the Gibeonites 2 Sam 21. 1 2 3. Iosh 3. 16. 17. 2 Sam 21 1. 2. 6. 14. Gods anger oft breaks out loÌ„g after for sinnes committed loÌ„g before The cause of the inquisition at fasts for horrible offences 1 King 21. 9. 10 11. One cause of reading and preaching the word at solemne fasts Nehe 8 8. Ier 36. 2. 3. Application For humiliation to the secure ApplicatioÌ„ for the comfort of the mourners Comfort to Godly rulers If as Ezra or Iosiah Comfort to the Prophets that mourne Isay. 49. 4. Ier 6. 29. Ier 1. 8. 17. Isa 58. 1. Ezech 3. 17. 33. 6 7 8. Acts 20. 26 27 28. Mica 3. 8. 2 Tim 1. 7. Comfort â—o private Christians sighing for the iniquiâ—ie Psal. â—3 15. Eâ—cles 10. 4. Psal â—3 2 3. Mal 3. 16 17. Isa 54. 10. Isaâ— 49. 15. 1 Cor 2 9. Application to all profane contemners 〈◊〉 9. â— 2 3 4 〈◊〉 28. Application to our pretended Catholicks The state of all the wicked tho the Lord still spare us at the prayers of his servants Iob 22. the end Iust cause of lamentation for the small number of true mourners 〈…〉 Ierem 7. 4. Our generall securitie fearefull Ier 5. 12 13. Scorning at all that mourne for the evils 〈◊〉 The enemies by which God threatneth his Church are his soldiers The knowledg of this point most necessary most plainely set downe in the Scriptures In the captivitie of Israel the Lord sent on them the King of Assâ—ur Isâ—y 10. 5 6. The Assyrian the rod or the Lords wrath The Lord gave them yâ— charge tho the enemie thought not so Atter God hath corrected his Church he wil burne his rods in the fire Esa 12. 17 14. In carying Maâ—assâ—â— into Captiuâ—ie 2 Chr 33. 1 2 3. vers 9. 10. 17. The Lord brought on him the Assyrian God did all in it So in this Captivitie the Lord likewise did all 2 Chro 36. 17. Lament 2. 22. Isai. 5. 26 27. 〈…〉 29. 〈…〉 26. 3 14 to 26. Deut 28. 15. to 50. 2 King 17. 13 14 15 16. 2 Chro 33. 10. 2 Chor 36. 14 15 16 17. This threatned in the Law 〈◊〉 9 4 5 6. 〈◊〉 26. 24. Deut 28 25. to 48. 〈◊〉 5. 17. 〈◊〉 14 2 Chr â—6 6. 13 14. vers 17. to the end of 21. Isai 54. 16. Application to our selves to behold yâ— Lords Armies Popâ—sh Bulls sent to move our people to rebellion The bloudie league The 〈◊〉 Armada 〈…〉 〈…〉 26. 〈◊〉 5 15. Yet turned backe overthrowne at our prayers when wâ—ndes watâ—rs were armed against them to take vengeance for us Many treasons since Chiefly the infernall furnace Branding that religion for ever Iob. 8. 44. Increase of the outrage for Popery and all profanenesse Their deadly malice increased declared in all devises to divide and disgrace us After so many convictions These fearefull denunciations of vengeance And daÌ„gerâ—us prognostications of a most heavy scourge from Babylon For abusing his religion Not enduring the power of 〈◊〉 but seeking to destroy it 〈◊〉 better of th◠〈…〉 Experience of the dâ—slike of al true lovers of Religion A manifest joyning hands and calling for the enemie How righteous with God to bring in the day of the speÌ„d thrists To 〈◊〉 Gods mercy in saving 〈◊〉 In the midst of the fire We cannot be assured to be delivered from them 〈…〉 their waies And renew our vowes beginning to performe them â—zech 16. 4. 6. Eccles 5. 3. 4. 5. Our enemies humble by our turning to the Lord. Psal. 81. 11 12 13 14 15. Never til then What we should doe feeling the Lords Armies approching 1 Chrou 20. 16. Our so many confessions by authoritie are so many principall witnesses of his threatnings by them The mourners marked then comes the vengeance This set downe clearely and why In the old world Gen 7. 11 13 16 17. Noaâ— Lot Gen 19. 22 23 24 25. 2. Pet 2. 6. The last overthrow of Ierusalem Matth 24. This captivitie beginning upon the death of 〈◊〉 2 Chr 34. 27 28. Ierem 8. 7. Gen 17. 10 11 19. 22. 2 Clâ—â— 34. 27 28. Application to our selves Many of our Noahs pluckt into the Arke Isai 57. 1. Our comfort in the remnant of the mourners still amoÌ„g us Isaâ— 58. 1. Isay 1. 9. And the preservation of the Lords Anointed 1 amen 4. 20. what could we looke for these being taken away Though the ungodly long for it why Iude. 23. Apoc 18. 4. These once taken away to looke for the judgement When all shall be alike Thus had it bin if God had not prevented To cry for the preservation of our siâ—elter and all these To make more account of Noah and our mournâ—s