VOX CHARITATIS CONTAINING A LOUDER CRY For Bowels of Compassion to the Lord 's Poor Afflicted People With a Word of COUNSEL and COMFORT to Them and a Concluding Word to their OPPRESSORS By a true lover of His truly Sacred Majesty and all his Faithful Subjects Open thy Mouth for the Dumb in the Cause of all such as are appointed to Destruction Open thy Mouth Judge Righteously and plead the Cause of the Poor and Needy Prov. 31.8 9. Turn ye unto him from whom the Children of Israel have deeply revolted Isa 31.6 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy towards thy People yea the Fire of thine Enemy shall devour them Isa 26.11 Printed in the Year 1663. VOX CHARITATIS Containing a louder Cry for Bowels of Compassion to the Lords Poor Afflicted People WE are informed by the Lord Gal. 6.7 that it will not be as we shew but as we sow so shall we reap and in the second and third verse are esteemed nothing if we bear not one anothers Burdens that is to say If we feel them not as if they were on our selves to help to make them light and easie to him on whom they are by putting under our helping hand to enable him to bear them not knowing how soon our selves also who are in the Body Heb. 13.3 may have our own burthen Gal. 6.5 and need the helping hand of others and as a Conclusion vers 10. we are required to do good to all especially the Houshold of Faith And indeed Job esteemed his Friends nothing that saw his casting down and were afraid Job 6.21 or were not ashamed to make themselves strange to him Job 19.3 Now regard to the Poor especially the poor of God's People is required with more plenty of Promises and upon more perils in the neglect thereof than any act of a Christian besides and the Lord's distressed Ones are called His Poor Psalm 72.2 74.19 He stiles himself in especial manner The Father of the Poor the Widdow and Fatherless in his Holy Habitation Psal 98.5 and hath espoused their cry especially in cases of wrong or neglect of them Exod. 22.22 23. Ezek. 16.49 And indeed the People of the Lord especially are in this day exposed to greatest poverty by wayes scarce heard of in a Land where Righteousness was pretended but as when there was no King in Israel Judg. 17.6 And as in all times for many Reasons they ought to have the preference in Christian Alms before any so in this day more than ever for other poor as they have latitudes in their Nature so have opportunities now to attend at the door of the belly-gods who now abound as Sodom in their sensual Festivals and such poor are now many of them transformed into Scullions Players Singing-boyes Priests Sub-Priests Parators Informers Jaylers Trapanners and such like retinue Others of them also having generally their liberty of getting their lively-hoods as their more civil Genius may incline which latter sort whose honest Callings may not yet with the utmost labour obtain a lively-hood as they are also the Subjects of Christian Charity so they either have or can claim and have the advantage of those constant Parish Impositions Publick Collections and Allowances for the Poor throughout the Land which the Lords Poor are most of them beyond their Ability compel'd to pay to and few of them how poor soever are sharers of besides the other poor in extraordinary Case can have their Briefs Admissions of their Widows and Fatherless into Schools and Hospitals and other special Donations But who sees not the Lords Poor broken in pieces and driven from their former Callings and comfortable Societies wherein they were cared for and supported without the helps aforesaid now under the evil eye of almost any evil Beast in all the Land And who is so much a stranger in Israel as not to see that any of the other poor crew aforesaid or others how prophane or inconsiderable soever may malice his poor Neighbour who feareth the Lord by almost any impertinent information into the Goal where then his Calling is interrupted and what ever his poor Family suffers at home the mind of his hungry Goaler must be fed with more in a week by Fees and Usury for his poor Diet and Lodging than perhaps he knew how to get for his Wife and Children in a Moneth before and it may be six moneths there before he may be heard and so doubtly robbed both of his Calling and the little Meal he had in the Barrel Yea perhaps when heard he appears before such cruel Judges as shall strengthen his Chain though he be cleared in the Matter whereof he was first accused if he answer not their humour to some Absurd Illegal Extemporary Question in the Breast either of the unjust Judge or by means of any malitious Justice or stander by though the first false Informer against him viz. Have you taken the Oath of Obedience What Church are you of Are you a fifth Monarchy-man Will you leave Preaching or going to Meetings or the like Or if he be released perhaps he hath no sooner setled himself again to his honest Calling but is in like cruel manner interrupted to the loss of his custom and discouragement of him to settle if he should be delivered neither can he conscientiously become a Servant or any Master so comfortably imploy or depend upon him because perhaps at the next Meeting to Worship his God which is deservedly dearer to him than his Life he is again snatched from the Affairs depending upon him which are then all at a stand And for proof of these intollerable Sufferings of the Lords poor People London it self may be a looking-glass into the Land and by it you may guess How the dark places of the Earth are full of the Habitations of Cruelty Psalm 74.20 When in the chief City even under the eye of the Chief the imperious insolencies of some are such and so boundlesse that many thousand Families its thought have been brought to beggery hereby And many have deserted their Vocations as thinking themselves most unhappy to have served seven years to be free of little in the chief City of the Land but slavery to Subjects Left now so free in absurd and boundless insolency by which still poverty increaseth and the cry of the poor oppressed ones as it goeth up daily before God so it should enter into our Souls for God hath so commanded us and we know not how evil the day may be and therefore saith Solomon Eccles 11.2 Give a Portion to seven and also to eight And vers 1. Cast thy Bread upon the Waters for thou shalt find it after many Dayes The Blessings of him that was ready to perish come upon me saith Job Job 29.13 It was well for Dorcas that the poor Widows could shew to Peter the Coats she had made for them Acts 9.39 Blessed is he that
that as there may be maintained an irreconcilable enmity to and true mourning over yea constant seasonable reprehension of every of the aforesaid evils so also we might be more in the Spirit of the Holy Reprover of Old and in their humility for our share of the evil and shortness to prevent or cure it which besides their own inward corruptions shamed them alwayes before the Lord and though kept through grace from the publick gross appearances of defilements in their day yet involved themselves in their confessions usually with the worst of the Transgressors Ezra 9.7 Ne. 9.33 34. Da. 9.5 to 10 13 14. Isa 24.16 and 6.5 Oh! how humbly do the Holy Angels appear in the perfect Will of God Isa 6.2 The snuffers of the Sanctuary were to be of pure gold Exod. 37.23 What need have brazen reprovers to blush then before the Lord and desire rather the power of Christ then pride of their own Integrity might rest upon them The great means then that I advise towards thee through healing of the breach this day upon the Lords poor Ones is true poverty of Spirit each bearing his shame unto through abasement and repentance never to be repented of no man sparing his own nor comming into the secret of any who would have his name whole and his sin spared but that they may be united indeed thus to joyn together to make one head as Hos 1.11 to look on their sin-wildred-state and sean no more to their own understanding but upon their Beloved as to trust in his Words so to wait for and walk in his way And then I assure you He that sittern upon the Throne would soon make all things new Rev. 21.5 A new sharp threshing Instrument having teeth shall quickly be intrusted unto them who would imploy it with strength chiefly First Against their own abhominations then shal the iniquity of Israel be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found For I will pardon them whom I reserve saith the Lord Jer. 50.20 In one day the inquity of that Land should be removed Zech. 3.9 and the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his People for they shall be as the stones of a Crown lifted up as an ensign upon his Land O turn you to the strong hold ye Prisoners of hope even to day do I declare I will render double to thee Zech. 9.12 16. For in this Mountain shall the Hand of the Lord rest that is his contending hand with his inheritance and Moab shall be troden down under him even as straw is trodden down for the Dunghil Isa 25.10 In that day shall this Song be sung in the Land of Judah We have a strong City Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks Isa 26.1 There will I make the horn of David to bud His Foundation is in the Holy Mountains for thus hath the Lord spoken unto me like as the Lyon and the young Lyon roaring on his prey when a multitude of Shepherds are called forth against him he will not be afraid of their voice nor abase himself for the noise of them so shall the Lord of Hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion and for the hill thereof As Birds flying so will the Lord of Hosts defend Jerusalem defending also he will deliver it and passing over he will preserve it Psal 132.17 87.1 Turn ye unto him from whom the Children of Israel have deeply revolted Isa 31.4 5 6. Therefore will he give them up until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth Then the remnant of his Brethren shall return unto the Children of Israel and he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God and they shall abide for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth Mich. 5.3 4. Be in pain therefore and labour to bring forth O Daughter of Zion like a woman in travel for now thou shalt go forth out of the City and thou shalt dwell in the field and thou shalt go even to Babylon there shalt thou be delivered There the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies Mich. 4.10 The foot shall tread it down even the feet of the poor and steps of the needy Isa 26.6 For he will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their Prayer Psal 102.17 This shall be written for the Generations to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Name of the Lord for he looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth to hear the groaning of the Prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death to declare the Name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem when the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. For the Lord shall Judge his people and repent himself for his Servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Deut. 32.36 Amen Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen and Amen But a Word to their Oppressors TO deliver mine own Soul yet cautiously for some of them are now grown such sons of Belial that a man cannot speak to them 1 Sam. 25.17 and therefore I will confine my self to some Scripture truths not yet out of date which it wil concern them to consider as the Oracles of him who if they will not hear shall make himself be heard by another voice of his that yet they have not heard And the Lord shall cause his glorious Voice to be heard shal shew the lightning down of his Arm with the indignation of his Anger and with the flame of a devouring Fire with scattering and tempest and hail-stones for through the Voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down which smote with a Rod Isa 30.30 31. And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the Heathen such as they have not heard Mich. 5.15 The great day of the Lord is near it is near and hasteth greatly even the Voice of the Day of the Lord the mighty man shall cry there bitterly Zeph. 1.8 to 18. For thus saith the Lord God My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause Now therefore what have I here saith the Lord that my people is taken away They that rule over them make them to howl saith the Lord and my Name continually every day is blasphemed therefore my people shall know my Name c. Isa 52.4 5 6. So that a man shall say Verily there is a reward for the Righteous verily there is a God that judgeth in the Earth Psal 58.11 Wo to the bloody City it is full of lies the prey departeth not Art thou better than populous No c. All thy strong holds shall be like fig-trees with the first
that devoured thee offend Jer. 2.3 Dost thou noâ— yet say It was then better with me then now Hos 2.7 Dost not yet hear the Lord lamenting over thee as Psal 81.11 to 15. Oh that my people had hearkened to me c. Dost not yet know it 's befallen thee as Ephraim Hos 13.1 9. Canst thou not remember where thou didst lose thy Crown that the way in which Ephraim got gray hairs Hos 7.8 to the end stole insensibly upon thee when men gathered thee John 15.6 when the present world was imbraced 2 Tim. 4.10 Was there not a time wherein thou followedst God as in a Land which was not sown Jer. 2.2 and thoughtst thou hadst gain enough in God and Godliness 1 Tim. 6.6 and thoughtst thou hadst enough of the world and couldst never get enough of God and hath not a time stolen upon thee wherein thou couldest never get enough of this world but hadst enough of God When thou turnedst thy back upon the succesful victorious way of Faith and tryedst the Carnal way of sence like the Nations Jer. 2.31 in Pride and Oppression staying thereon Isa 30.12 13 14. when the Word of the Lord grew a burthen to thee Jer. 6.10 11. when thou grewest zealous for thy utmost portion of earthly things and cold and indifferent in heavenly things Then thou mayest partly see thy work and the transgression thou hast exceeded Hast thou not in thy fulness also fallen into Sodoms snare Ezek. 16.49 Pride fulness of bread c. and been proud also of the Mountain or Temple of the Lord Jer. 7.4 under even the Nations transgressions Was zeal for Righteousness and sence of others cry in simplicity of Soul turned into insensibleness of others sufferings and satisfaction taken in self sensuality then mayst thou cry for a season at least and not be heard Prov. 21.13 Was successes abused to advance thy 〈…〉 in provoking the Lord to jealously Deut. 32.6 by lightness in Worship 1 Cor. 10.22 by breaking faith with the Enemy 2 Sam. 21.1 2 3. and oppressing thy Brethren too at the same time thinking to build Zion with blood Mich. 3.10 11. wherefore it is now plowed as a field c. and to settle on the lees Zeph. 1.12 13. when thou hadst gotten greatness and lands Deut. 6.11 12. blessing those that so steered backward Ps 10.3 or at least not mourning over these and such like departings and evils Ezek. 9.4 then is our work now best to be as Eze. 7.16 21.12 Ezr. 10.6 to come to the Valley of Achor stoning in our selves and others these troubling transgressions and to be humbled deeply if the Lord seem to give us a divorce as Jer. 11.15 Hos 2.15 And if any of you have got riches not by right and now leave them in the midst of your dayes or if you with-held and it tendeth to penury lay your hand on your mouth Jer. 17.11 Prov. 11.24 if by any hint thou seest thy sickness and thy wound do not do now as Hos 5.13 Isa 31.1 57.9 but try the good old way following wherein never any yet fail'd of finding effect who attained to it in truth Deut. 4.29 Hos 6.1 14.2 3. Isa 10.20 Jer. 4.1 2 3 4. 31.18 19 20. Ezra 10.2 Ezek. 7.16 For thus saith the Lord God the Holy One of Israel In returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength and ye would not but ye said no for we will flee upon Horses c. Isa 30.15 But you will say to me Who is he that liveth and sinneth not have not all their faults yea yet let me say to thee the spots of the Lords people are of several sorts and though all of them have sinned it is not safe like the Hypocrite or time-server to quit scores therefore with their reprovers to spare the troubling sin All Israel had sin in them but Achans especially troubled Israel therefore your Generation-sin against Gods Holy and Righteous Cause in your hands dishonouring it and his Holy Name either by Oppression grasping after the worlds greatness wisdom or riches which was so weak before you unbelief drawing back bringing an evil report upon the Promises not delighting in but despising the good Word and Wayes of the Lord trusting in an Arm of flesh lightly breaking Vows and Faith with God and men walking haughtily and loftily whilst oppression and violence continued and increased Yea lastly making Covenants with Hell and Death Isa 28.18 that is Carnal interests for fear of danger saying The time is not yet and the Lord will neither do good nor evil Zeph. 1.12 and the like are in the first place to be made close inquiry after as troublers of Israel and causers of confusion Yet also have those that have erred in vision and staggered in judgement Isa 28.7 limitting the Holy One to times instruments and wayes of working either for his People or against his Adversaries which he removeth as he sees good Ezek. 16.50 though they should be wholly free through mercy from that dethroning sin of making league with cursed interests through unbelief as Isa 28. yet have they much cause of mourning as having sinned both towards God greatly and occasioned stumbling to many and to their own Souls Yea lastly If God hath given so much integrity to any as to preserve them from the raging power of all the first black classes of publick corruptions which is much to be feared yet if thou hast been proud of thine integrity as Job 32.9 slighty in thy reproofs as Eli 1 Sam. 2.14 exalting thy self as Moses saying Must we fetch water Num. 20.10 instead of sanctifying God Yea in the ostentation of Hezekiah Is 39.2 may not God bring thee through Jobs furnace to bring thee into his abasement Job 42.6 or make thy ears tingle as Eli with rebukes 1 Sam. 3.13 or bury thee in silence as Moses Num. 34.5 6. or make all that is in thy house be carried into captivity as Hezekiah Isa 39.6 but especially if Cain-like thou hast been glad in uncovering the nakedness of others or Herod or Jehu-like hast affected praise 2 Kin. 10.16 Acts 12.23 or to have thy name exalted may not God pour contempt upon thee Oh! that we might be united in abasement through the pouring down of the Spirit of Grace and supplication as Zach. 12.10 11 13. Observe these that the house of Levi Nathan and David which were most eminent for faithfulness to the Lord shall yet see cause enough for their shortness made known to them in the light of the Spirit to mourn as deeply it may be as Shâ—mei who at first cursed the work of God 2 Sam. 16.5 Yea truly the Publican-like defiled One or who may be too justly stiled the Apostate that said I will not and after repented and went Lu. 21.19 shall be before many that have learned to say Apostate at every word and walk not humbly with their God On therefore