Yea we haue neede of Ionah to proclaime vnto vs Yet fortie dayes and England shall be destroyed for her sin And finally when preaching will not serue to awake vs we haue neede of Ieremie or Baruck to write the sinnes of vs all with the plagues which God hath praepared and denounced against vs for the same That euery one euen running by may read them as written in capitall letters vpon tables to try if yet at length by this meanes we may see the greatnes of the anger that is kindled against vs and so repent and retùrne euery one from his euill way that he may forgiue our iniquitie and sin and deliuer vs from the imminent and all like future plagues To this very end that we may behold the Lord himselfe discouering vnto vs our iniquities and so may haue â—o more pretence nor cloakes for our sinnes nor yet surmize the least partialitie here we may all see and that in the very sins of Iudah for which God brought vpon them that terrible captiuitie the Lord himselfe and not men setting before our faces both our sinnes in generall and the transgressions of ech of vs as in particular and how we haue thereby deserued such a iudgement These I haue laboured to set out more fully and to apply them more particularly vnto vs because of the degrees acknowledged by all to be necessarie vnto sound repentance in euery one who lookes to get full assurance of Gods mercy As first a true search sight and sense of his sinne and Gods anger for it 2. Humble confession of it 3. Griefe of heart with detestation of the same 4. Crying for pardon 5. A lowly offering our selues to his Maeiestie to wâ—lke with him all our dayes 6. A faithfull performance of our vowes For this cause haue I bent my chiefe studie to helpe somewhat herevnto that all these parts of true repentance may be wrought in vs and the same made vnfeigned And to this end I haue prepared first as 〈◊〉 and sent before the Couenant of our God with vs in the fiâ—st part of this watch that it might be throughly tryed like as it hath bin approued for many yeares by sundry learned professors of the Gospell euen by all to whom it hath come so far forth as I know to be that truth of God wherein we all agree and the summe of that which the Lord requires of vs generally without which we cannot be established and of euery one particularly if we will be saued In this part I haue likewise set the seuerall branches of the same Couenant before sundry of our heynous sinnes that by comparing them togither we may more liuely behold our transgressions and provocations Yea I haue striuen thorow the whole to helpe that euery one of vs might returne to that his blessed Couenant for the happinesse of vs all and of euery particular soule and to saue vs both from the temporall and eternall vengeance And first in regard of the whole Nation because we all stand continually in danger of that anger of God to be powred out vpon vs which had formerly almost ouerwhelmed vs all and for ought we can imagine must needs ouertake vs in the end vnlesse we more generally repent and turne vnto his Maiestie No policie of man nor humane meanes can euer secure vs from the furie of Babylon and that he should not suffer them to execute their malice vpon vs and leaue them to be executioners of his plagues so often and so neerely accomplished but this our more generall turning All that euer they haue done or doe intend are nothing but the Lordsthreatnings denouncing by them to pluck vs vp to root vs out and destroy vs as we shall see at large in this vision of Ezechiel They are onely Gods axe his souldiers his executioners though themselues know not so much It is true indeed he may deferre his plagues or lessen them at the prayers of his faithfull seruants as he hath done many a day and saued vs in the imminent perils but there is nothing so far as we can perceiue out of the word of the Lord to giue vs any securitie that can cause him to repent of that great plague and destruction which he seemeth to haue denounced so plainly and directly from Heauen against our Realme and Nation so to turne it away but onely our turning from our wickednesse We may all behold our prâ—sent estate in the 18 of Ieremie written as in great letters for euery one to read and that so plainely as none can pretend ignorance but it must of necessitie convince euery conscience in all the Land for to vs it is directed both to vs all in generall and to euery soule particularly At the 5th verse of that Chapter first he sends Ieremie to the Potters house that there he might see the Potter breake the pots in his hand at his pleasure Then the word came vnto the Prophet at that very instant saying O house of Israel cannot I doe with you as this Potter saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the Pottershand so are yee in my hand oh house of Israel And after he adds these words vers 7. I will speake sodeinly against a Nation to plucke it vp and to roote it out and destroy it vers 8. But if this Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague which I thought to bring vpon them vers 9. And I will speake sodeinly concerning a Nation concerning a Kingdome to build it vp to plant it vers 10. But if it do euill in my sight heare not my voyce I will repent of the good which I thought to doe for them vers 11. Speake now therefore vnto the men of Iudah and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem saying Thus saith the Lord Behold I prepare a plague for you and purpose a thing against you Returne now therefore euery one from his euill way and make your wayes and your workes good To apply this to our selues Did not the Lord shew this vnto vs much more visibly than he did vnto Ieremie That we were all as the clay in his hand that he had not onely power to dash vs in peeces but had in effect done it already saue that he did as it were create and forme vs againe of such a sudden that we did all wonder at it and all Nations shall haue cause to wonder to the end of the world How many wayes yea how sensibly and suddenly God hath spoken vnto vs all both proclayming by most infallible tokens that his anger is kindled against vs to the vttermost and that he is ready to powre out vpon vs the full viols of his vengeance and also on the other side declaring in all his long forbearance and admirable dâ—liuerances how vnwilling he is to proceede to the execution if any
specially at death most at the dreadfull judgement p. 532 533 Reasons of their horrour p. 533 State of them then who have neglected their callings and that which hath beene commanded them p. 534 How fearefull the condition of all those men is who have not gained with their talents nor increased them and more of those who have used them against the Lord and for Sathan p. 534 Their case of all other most fearefull to whom most hath beene committed p. 535 How their horrour shall be increased p. 535 No impenitent sinner can possibly looke to stand before the Lord. p. 535 Application to all who have neglected to doe as the Lord hath commanded them p. 536 Application to the chiefe to put them in remembrance as their answer must be the greatest for their place and charge p. 536 The Magistrates Commission and what the Lord will call for at his hards p. 537 The Iudges commission p. 538 The Ministers commission p. 538 The account of each Governour of a family for every soule within his gates p. 539 The account of every one to whom he hath committed any talent p. 539 How the Lord will reply to all sorts beginning to excuse themselves untill their mouthes be stopped p. 540 How he will reply to all for imploying their talents by trying their advantage p. 542 Objection of the weake Christian viz. who can be able to appeare before the Lord p. 543 Every one who hath unfainedly striven hereunto shall be able to stand before the Lord and reasons of it p. 544 Object 2. The cry of all sorts of sinners whose consciences shall be awaked when they shall bethinke themselves of this appearing p. 545 The Lords answer to all such p. 545 What the Lord commands the poore sinner in the first place p. 546 The endevour of Sathan to drive all such poore sinners to endlesse despaire p. 547 How to comfort the poore humbled sinner against Sathans assaults and temptations p. 547 The second terrour of Sathan that the time of mercie is past p. 549 The time is never too late whilst the Lord calls us to repent if we can obey p. 549 Generall comfort never repentant sinner but found mercie p. 550 The Lord still stretcheth out his hands to all to come to him p. 550 The terrible voice of the Lord to all despisers of mercy now offered p. 551 The Lord will one day bring all that belong unto him to say Lord I will doe as thou commandest at least he will bring them by strong hand p. 552 God purposeth their destruction whom he suffereth to goe on perpetually in their impenitencie p. 553 Application to us all in generall what securitie we have to escape the vengeance so long threatned from Babylon untill we doe as God commands p. 553 The Lords reply to us if we answer that we have repented and therefore shall have peace p. 554 555 God threatneth us as sensibly from Rome as he did them from Babylon p. 556 Conclusion of all how to trie the certaintie hereof and when we may have securitie and boldnesse p. 557 Comfort to all the meeke who can say that they have truly endevored to doe as the Lord hath commanded them These only have the promises p. 557 The Lord hath given most comfortable answers against each feare of his servants in such cases p. 558 Against the feare of being left into the enemies hand p. 558 The second feare for the wrongs and provocations of the enemies answered p. 559 Our third feare for that we are but poore wormes and nothing in regard of our enemies which are the mightie men of the earth p. 560 The fourth feare of Gods people for the miseries we may come into in the meane time amongst our enemies answered p. 561 A fift answer of the Lord against the feare of want of necessary comforts p. 562 A sixt comfort against feare of fainting in the long continuance of the troubles of the Church p. 563 The seventh the Lords answer to the faithfull soule mourning for feare of the dangers of the Church p. 565 What every faithfull servant of God should doe for the Church and this nation that would never see 〈◊〉 feele their miseries p. 565 All to hearken what the Lord calleth and crieth for at our hands moaning our estate p. 566 What he will doe for us and against our enemies if we will yet hearken unto him p. 567 A holy praier according to the Contents of the booke p. 569 TO ALL ESTATES AND DEGREES WHO truly tender their owne Soules the Church of God and their natiue COVNTREY IT is now many yeares Christian Reader since by reading those holy Prophets which liued next before the Captiuitie of Iudah who denounced the same to be ready to come vpon Gods people for their sinnes and by considering and comparing the same with the times wherein we liue I haue euer feared the life plague or a heauier to be hanging ouer this our sinfull Nation Neither haue I feared without iust cause for how neere indeed such a iudgement hath bin vnto vs and how the same threatnings haue bin ready to be verified vpon vs the world is witnesse euen all they who haue but onely heard the report of our dangers and of our wonderfull and euen miraculous deliuerances And euer the later perils and preseruations haue bin the more wonderfull as that one of the Powder furnace was aboue all that euer former age heard of In the due meditation and regard whereof I haue taken it to be my dutie and of all the faithfull Ministers of Christ to follow the example of Noah and of all those faithfull Prophets in giuing warning aforehand keeping within the limits and compasse of our calling to helpe to open the eyes of all to foresee and to cause all to tremble for the anger of the Lord also to contend with all our power to turne euery soule from his euill way that so his wrath may be appeased and we deliuered from the dreadfull execution of his heauiest vengeance Herevpon in my former feare amongst other causes I was chiefly emboldned and that not long before the time of that bloudie Powder-treason as the Lord had so directed it to endeuour to set downe truly and after to publish to all the first part of this watch viz The rule of life contayning the couenant which we haue all entred into with our God To the end to helpe to keepe all his people from the generall declining from that his blessed couenant to profanesse and iniquitie and from the outragious wickednes of the rest that we also might all learne to watch to be preserued in the euill day And since then likewise the second part of the same watch viz The rule of prayer to awaken vs the better and to stirre vp all the Lords faithfull seruants the more speedily and instantly to betake our selues wholly to watching and prayer not onely to be
dayes of Iosiah even since their comming out of Egypt and more specially for their provocations wherewith Manasses the grave father of Iosiah had provoked him by all his Idolatrie and by the bloud of his seruants which he shed whereof the land was not yet purged though that bloud had beene shed threescore yeeres before besides his sinne wherewith he made Iudah to sinn and to doe euill in his sight And yet more also for that in Iosiahs dayes the peoples heart did not so melt for those and the like iniquities as Iosiahs heart did but they rather still approved generally of their former evill waies and practised them secretly And lastly because of these abominations following whereby they filled up the measure of their iniquities and against which the Prophets so cried out ever threatning this judgement for the same untill it came upon them But heere it may be said howsoever these prerogatives of theirs were indeed exceeding great and may astonish us all both in regard of our former heinous sinnes and the judgements that have beene upon us both formerly and of late with the unplacable rage of our adversaries yet we have many things which may seeme to assure us of Gods favour and secure us from any such judgement or the like As first which was shortly touched for that we have so many worthy preachers and good people unfeignedly fearing the Lord. Secondly that we have the Lords true religion so soundly maintained Thirdly all open Idolatrie is banished Fourthly such good lawes so religiously established Fiftly for that more then all these we have the Lords annointed so graciously and miraculously set over us in peace with such a happy unity concluded withall neighbour nations and also so blessed an issue Sixtly Above all these The Lord hath so often testified his fatherly love and care for us in such tender and marvellous preservations both of our Princes and of our whole nation and in so bringing his and our enemies to shame as he hath heereby made this Iland the wonder of the world And lastly for that never nation did injoy the Gospell so long in that flourishing prosperity and peace which we have done All these and the like are such evident tokens of the Lords favour love towards us as that we can have no such cause of feare as this forewarning many of our Preachers would beare us in hand To answer all these and whatsoever else can be said to secure us Let us but consider what King reigned in Ierusalem and how many yeeres togither before this Captivitie even when these judgements were so threatned and hastned on and when many of these abominations following were committed and how he continued till within three moneths of these miseries begun as we heard before and it will appeare most like that this people could not be then inferiour to us in any of these signes of Gods favour except this that we live in the dayes of the Gospell to which we shall answer after For first immediately before this vengeance began they had that most holy King Iosiah whose praises and worthy example shall remaine unto the end of the world and him they injoyed reigning in peace over them for one and thirtie yeeres togither And secondly for puritie of religion we know that never King went beyond Iosiah in his reformation and care compelling all strictly to serve the Lord according to his word and in taking away so far as he was able the very monuments of Idolatrie with all things that might either revive it openly or secretly or that might be any way a snare unto the people And also how he reformed all other abominations that could be spied in all the land of Iudah or in Ierusalem So as the Holy Ghost beares this witnesse of him that like unto Iosiah was no King before him that turned unto the Lord with all his heart nor rose up after him That for puritie of religion and a holy reformation we can make no doubt but they were equall to us And for worthy Teachers according to that time I take it that we can make no question but that they had many of the Priests and Levites both learned and godly when the King himself was so forward to incourage and provoke them thereunto Besides those famous Prophets stirred up by the Lord extraordinarily as Ieremie Zâ—phanie Habakuk and others with Esay and Micha but a litle before for many yeeres togither and Ezechiel presently after All these and sundry others they had howsoever they dealt most unkindly with them as Ieremies example doth fully witnesse For good people in like manner it cannot be imagined but that where such a worthy head example was with such excellent Teachers there must needs be also many of the children which God had given to them and those of all sorts even of the chiefe Magistrates as well as others Such were these which mourned in Ierusalem for the abominations who are commanded to be marked who lived when they were at the very worst and sundry Worthies as those which spake for Ieremie and others which were caried away in the Captivitie yea even children of the Kings seede and of the Princes as Daniel and his companions to wit Hananiah Mishael Azariah with others as we shall see hereafter Though these were and had long time bin made as signes and wonders unto the rest and the off-scowring of all other like as those Prophets were whose doctrine they obeyed As for Idolatrie It is most evident that they had none openly in all Iosiahs dayes after the reformation nor so much as the prints suffred to remaine nor any thing that might revive it as we saw but onely that they had not repented of that which had bin before And for peace It seemeth to be manifest That Iosiah had peace with all about him for although he was slaine in warre by Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt it was his owne seeking and a just punishment for attempting it and not consulting with the Lord nor hearkning to the words of Necho which were from the mouth of God For the King of Egypt sent messengers unto him to tell him that he came not against him but against the house of his enemie which was the King of Assyria and therefore he would not in any case have foughten with him If the Assyrian had bin Iosiahs enemie it is not like that Iosiah would have hindered the King of Egypt from fighting against him And finally for their securitie through their Prince and princely progenie if ever Nation could glory therein it was surely they having as was shewed as worthy a King as ever was by the Lords owne record whom they therefore accounted the breath of their nostrils and such a goodly tree as under whose shadow they were safe in the midst of the Heathen as they mourne after in the
others And to omit all other examples At the last and finall desolation of this Citie and Nation by the Romanes Histories doe report that presently before the taking of Ierusalem a voyce was heard among the Christians Goe forth to Pella Goe forth to Pella which so soone as ever the Christians had done and that they were safe there the Citie was sacked and all that desolation fully accomplished as was declared before God thus providing to set them safe before the destroyers came Whereby we may see evidently both by the testimonies and charge of the Lord himselfe and the continuall examples that the faithfull servants of God cleaving firmely unto him in the backsliding of the rest have the onely immunitie and priviledge above all others to be preserved at such times so far as shall be any way good for them and shall be withall for the Lords owne glory and the salvation of his people To confirme us yet further in the assurance hereof and to stir up our hearts so to walke with our God before that time doe come we have the Lords most gratious direction and promise made to the Prophet Esay and to the godly of his time teaching them how they should carie themselves in such outrage of iniquitie and in such signes of the approaching of his vengeance he hath caused it to be written for a most comfortable president to all succeeding ages and for a sure preservative against all feare of every such danger It is therefore carefully to be marked of all his servants The Prophet saith That the Lord spake unto him in taking him by the hand as it were incouraging and strengthening him and thus he taught him That they should not walke in the way of that people nor have a confederacy with them nor feare their feare no nor yet be afraid of them that is He would be a place of refuge and comfort unto them against all terrors as the Sanctuary was And by the Prophet Ezekiel he adds That he would be thus unto them in all the places wheresoever they should come Lastly besides this gratious promise we are to observe how in the most terrible denuntiation of vengeance against this people that God would not spare them for the greatnesse of their iniquitie no though Noah Iob and Daniel were amongst them yet alwaies this exception is added and carefully recorded by the Spirit of God That they to wit Noah Iob and Daniel being amongst them Should yet deliver their owne soules by their right eousnesse And againe They only shal be delivered themselves but the land shall be wast So the point is most cleere from the Lords owne warrant Let us now consider the reasons of it to strengthen us yet further against the time of temptation A principall cause hereof is The Lords most fatherly and tender love towards these That howsoever they are unto the world men most odious and monstrous for that they will not run with the rest to the same excesse as the Apostle Peter speakes and because they by their holy profession and carriage condemne the world as Noah did in his age by his preaching and living and making of the Arke yet are they unto the Lord as deere as the apple of his owne eye That he cannot possibly forget them wheresoever they be dispersed and howsoever No though it were possible for the mother to beâ—so unnaturall as to forget the childe of her wombe yet he cannot forget these They are graven on the palmes of his hands and are ever in his sight His mercy is about them in the greatest distresses as a wall of fire to fence them and to consume all contrary violence so farre as he seeth best And as chariots of fire to carry them safe out of all such dangers yea to save and deliver them in the midst of the fire and in the midst of the water And therefore when the day of the Lords vengeance commeth those who formerly thought on his name and spake to keep others from the wickednes of the times are taught to comfort themselves herein because they are written in the booke of his remembrances as Malachi speaketh They are indeed the Lords true flock then will he declare it openly sparing tendering theÌ„ as a father doth his own son in whoÌ„ he is delighted that men may oftentimes plainly discerne betweene the righteous and betweene the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not as we saw in all the former destructions And finally for their sakes It is why he spares a sinfull nation so long But if they be once forth the rest can looke for nothing but fearefull execution of vengeance for then he bids Smite and spare none as followeth But heere It will be said If this be so How commeth it to passe that many of the godly doe so oft feele the smart of such calamities as well as the rest As it is very cleare That many of the deare servants of God were caried away in this and the former captivity as well as others even many of those who were marked as we heard before That the Prophet himselfe was carried away in the former captivitie as also Daniel and his companions with many other and so were partakers of the common miseries of the captivitie with the rest It is likewise very probable that sundry of them died by the sword of the enemie and some by other calamities And on the other side It is certaine that many of the wicked escaped amongst the godly It may be therefore demanded what this marking did then stand the godly insteed or what they were better for it To this it may be answered First That this is very true that many of the godly doe often feele the smart of such generall judgements And that most justly for sundry causes for which God threatneth his wont to correct his deerest seruants As either for their former securitie or else for seeking their peace carnally by fashioning themselves unto the evill times as the greatest part is wont to doe ever so far as possibly they may not falling utterly from God Or for that they have not mourned for the abominations of the rest Or in that they have not bene so instant with the Lord for pacifying his wrath and turning away the judgment as they ought Or for neglecting their duties of Magistracie ministrie government in their families or at least of admonition exhortation or example for saving the rest and staying the course of sinne Or finally for that they have not beene so faithfull in all things in their places callings as they should or for some other their scandalous sins or sinnes against conscience whereby they have provoked the Lord against them for he useth to correct such and other sinnes like to these in his owne servants by heavy and sharpe temporall scourges and sometimes by death it selfe