sorrowfull sowrenesse When the Lord by his Prophet Ezekiel declared the Swords comming upon the Jewes for their sins He commanded him to say A Sword a Sword Ezech. 21.9 10. both sharp and furbished It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter and it is furbished that it may glitter How shall we rejoyce So in like manner our present wofull and hearts-convincing condition tacitely tels us that we have little to do with this Davids joy now in these sad times of War and Sorrow Can there be joy in our hearts whilst there is War in our gates Sackcloth and ashes becomes us better Davids case in the next Psalme before this save one suites better with our condition where he complaines Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar Psal 120.4 5 6. My soul hath long dwelt among them that be enemies unto Peace I labour for Peace but when I speake unto them thereof they make ready to battell Loe This perverse practice of preposterous persons must needs greatly afflict a truely charitable and Christian-sympathizing heart who heartily desireth and earnestly endeavoureth both for himselfe and others to have the blessing of Peace The like also our Kingly David in these late times of our wofull War hath often solicited the sons of Mortals for a speedy setled firme and wel-grounded Peace not onely for Himself but also on the behalfe of many thousands more of our English-Natives yea even the whole Kingdome but alas the birth of all those His Solicitations as yet hath proved abortive Eminent and publique Persons placed in Authority above others ought above all others to make the Word of God the Rule and the Glory of God both the Aime and End of all their Actions But woe and alas may we at this day justly cry out that too many such persons of our English Nation have of late years wilfully rejected the holy Commandements of the righteous Lord and greedily followed the sinfull lusts of their owne gracelesse and wicked hearts for their Self Sinister and By-ends whereby utter ruine hath been wrought to the lives of many thousands that are already dead and also great detriment brought to this English Church and Common-wealth wherein still we live to the great grief and prejudice of our Gratious and Dread Soveraigne His Majesty and all His wel-affected obedient dutifull and loyal-hearted Party both in and also of this our divided and distracted Kingdome How many thousands of poor distressed destitute desolate disconsolate Women and almost hunger-starved Children have often submissively Petitioned and that according to the severall Ordinances pretendingly extant on that behalf with grieved hearts and watry eyes for some relief out of their owne Estates wherewith to preserve their languishing lives But alas their Petitioning hath been to no purpose insomuch as that they have not onely been perfunctorily neglected but also scornefully rejected Oh that those poor distressed creatures violent Adversaries might not too truely be termed Viri inexorabiles inflexibiles implacabiles immisericordes qui nullius precibus flectuntur I blush to expresse to the Vulgar in English the condition of such persons and the rather for the preservation of the Gospels purity because they have put upon their shoulders the Cloakes of Religion and yet deale thus cruelly with their Native Nationall and Christian Brethren The Orders Ordinances which have been made for the relief of such distressed persons are repealed at the pleasures of the Authors thereof and thus they practise Penelopes telam retexere viz. Doe and undoe assoone as they apprehend that their so doing will conduce to their owne advantage O Heav'ns be pleased in mercy towards us to helpe us speedily Or else the Kings Loyall-hearted party will perish suddenly The Scripture tels us For the Divisions of Ruben there were great thoughts of heart and for the Divisions that lately have been among our selves there have been great searchings of the heart Searchings indeed when the Sword point hath been imployed as the Instrument like a bloody inquisitive revenging Searcher to rip up the bosome and to make the scrutiny digging there untill the last drop of the heart-blood issued to the great griefe of heart and disturbance of the peace of Jerusalem the Church our Mother that her Children should deale thus unnaturally one with another Oh how justly may the Lord in these troublesome times complaine of England as once he did by his Prophet Jeremiah concerning Jerusalem As the fountaine casteth out her waters Ier. 6.7 so she casteth out her malice cruelty and spoile is continually heard in her before me with sorrow and stroakes So that England for the present in these particulars may undeniably be parallel'd unto Jerusalem And not onely so but also what great and just cause at this day hath our distressed Militant Church of England to complaine of her calamity with the church of Jerusalem expressed in the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah She findeth no rest Lam. 1. all her Persecutors tooke her in the straits The Adversaries saw her and did mock at her Sabbaths Her Princes are become like Harts that find no pasture and they are gone without strength before the Pursuer Her Priests sigh her Virgins are discomfited and she is in heavinesse Yea Mat. 2.18 She mourneth like Rachell for her lost Children and will not be comforted because they are not In so much as that not onely many thousands of the Vulgar sort of our English Nation have been lately slaine but also many Noble Worthy and Valiant Champions who were Loyall hearted Subjects have in the behalf of their King Country and Religion willingly exposed themselves not onely to the bloody pangs of uncertaine hazards receiving dangerous wounds in their Bodies but also to the mercilesse jawes of cruell Death whereby they have been deprived of their pretious Lives in this bloody English and unnaturall Quarrell If but a little while we recollect our thoguhts and imploy them in these Tragicall passages we shall coactedly conclude that we have all just cause joyntly to pray for the peace of this our Jerusalem For listen either East West North or South and you shall hear not only private whisperings of Multitudes who hastily fled from their lawfull habitations to escape the inraged Violence of outragious Souldiers in their fierce fury fearfully affrighting their disconsolate families left behind them and violently Plundering their lawfull goods unlawfully from them but also publique complaints of those that have lost their nearest and dearest friends whose dearest heart-blood hath been spilt like water on every side of Jerusalem Thus Death and Desolation have of late rid tryumphantly through many parts of our Kingdome and also made both visible and tragicall Expressions of their puissant and successefull Valour and magnanimity maugre all malignancy in their desperate attempts against all their Opposers swiftly cutting downe with their fatall swords of War divers of all sorts from
when he came to destroy her Had Zimri Peace who slew his Master 2 King 9.31 And to this purpose also speaketh the Prophet Isaiah where he saith Esay 57. ult There is no Peace saith my God to the wicked Reas 3 Because of the great Benefits both Temporall and Spirituall which the blessing of Peace unto us produceth Temporall In the time of Peace men may follow the ordinary workes of their particular callings without molestation or interruption whereby worldly wealth may be attained which through Gods blessing upon it may be for the comfort of our selves whilst we live and the benefit of our families when we are dead Spirituall In the time of Peace the Temples of Gods may be freely frequented the holy Communions reverently received Opportunity had to hearken to the word preached Leisure also to read pray and meditate upon the sacred Scriptures all tending to the salvation of the Soule in the world to come Whereas if there be dissention and War then the offices of husbandry and all profitable callings are neglected corne and grasse are spoiled houses fired women ravished all holy duties through fear of the Enemies violence omitted whereby prophanenesse and barbarisme commeth to prevaile to the ruine of the body and the destruction of the Soule All which are answerable to that Expression Concordia res parvae crescunt discordia dilabuntur By Concord small things grow great but by discord great things are soone wasted and brought to nothing Loe thus beloved I have apparently proved unto you that Peace is a sweet Blessing a Blessing of Blessings yea and as considerable a gift as any of those that descend from above And thus I passe from the Reasons of the Observation to the Application The Uses of this point are briefely foure viz. 1. Vse of Caution 2. Vse of Instruction 3. Vse of Exhortation 4. Vse of Thankefulnesse Caution Vse 1 IS it so then that Peace is a pretious Blessing of God well deserving the prayers of his faithfull servants Oh then let us all beware and take heed that we violate not that Peace which God is pleased to bestow upon us by sowing the seedes of discord and kindling the coales of dissention in those places where it is Eph. 4.3 But doe our best endeavour to preserve the same and to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace That so we may be in a capacity to live comfortably in this world and also prepare our selves to live joyfully in the world to come And therefore Pray for the Peace c. Instruction Vse 2 TO teach us to lay the foundation of this Blessing of Peace above with God Wouldest thou be at peace with all men and that all men should be at peace with thee then be thou carefull that thy conversation displease not God that he may be at peace with thee who hath all power when he pleaseth to turne the hearts of all men in the world against thee Wouldest thou be at peace with the Creatures Iob 5.23 and have a league made with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field Then be thou at one with their Creator whose hosts they are to destroy thee at his pleasure For the creatures are all armed against him who by sinne taketh up armes against their Creator Doest thou desire to have inward Peace in thy Heart and Conscience whereby to strengthen thy Heart and comfort thy Conscience in thy inward conflicts and Spirituall combats against the filthy lusts of the Flesh that they infect thee not the inticing allurements of the world that they deceive thee not and the subtile suggestions of the Devill that they destroy thee not whereby thy pretious soule maugre all Malignity may be safely preserved from Infection Deception and Destruction Then thou must list thy selfe under the PRINCE of Peace become a dutifull and faithfull servant unto his Commands and a magnanimous and valiant Souldier for to fight couragiously under his Banner Wouldest thou have all opposite power against thee subdued under thee and thine enemies to become thy friends then let thy wayes please the Lord. In a word Wouldest thou enjoy prosperity then acquaint thy selfe with God Iob 22.21 make peace and thou shalt have prosperity And labour speedily to become a Childe of the Church Esa 54.13 for much peace shall be to her Children Also delight thy selfe in the law of God Psal 1.2 3 4. Object But none have more peace in this world then the wicked man he prospereth in the world and all things goe well with him even according to his hearts desire David is hunted like a Partridge upon the mountaines 1 Sam. 26.20 while Saul and divers others joyfully pursue him expecting his ruine Hezekiah liveth in pensivenesse 2 King 18. while Rabshakeh raileth blasphemously against him at his pleasure Lazarus lieth at the rich mans gate in a pittifull condition Luk. 16. while the rich man himselfe is at ease and swimmeth in the confluence of outward good things The Jewes are sorrowfully captivated in Babylon Psal 130.7 while their reprochfull Enemies insultingly and triumphantly over them are glad and rejoyce The Israelites are vassalized Exod. 5. being oppressed with heavy burthens in Aegypt while Pharaoh and the Aegyptians live in jollity and plot greater mischiefe against them And are there not also at this day here in England amongst our selves many living in great want and poverty Godly Religious indigent and poore persons living in great want and poverty whose hunger-starved Skelleton-like bodies are as it were Anatomized dead Corpses while their Soules are still remaining in them lying under the heavy pressures and intollerable burthens imposed upon them the which have been unto many who lately have departed this present life no lesse bitter then Death it selfe whose blood I am perswaded like that of Abels cryes up into heaven for vengeance to descend upon those their unnaturall cruell and mercilesse oppressours the Lord in mercy towards our English Nation speedily put a period to this Evill amongst us Whereas there are also amongst us many godlesse gracelesse and vicious persons Psal 73.7 whose eyes swell with fatnesse and they doe even what they lust fatting themselves without Repentance against the day of slaughter posting in the way that leads to the Land of everlasting darkenesse and yet prosper in the world enjoying for the present abundance of worldly wealth Peace and prosperity Loe the consideration of this seemingly prosperous strange condition exceedingly troubled the Prophet Jeremiah Ier. 12.1 2 O Lord saith he if I dispute with thee thou art righteous yet let me talke with thee of thy just judgements wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse Thou hast planted them and they have taken root they grow and bring forth fruit thou art neere in their mouth and far from their reines And this also greatly grieved the Prophet
our President Who for the joy that was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God Heb. 12.2 Oh what a comfortable and joyfull day will that be to thy immortall and pretious Soule when stepping forth of her earthly Prison and speedily conducted by the blessed Angels to the Tabernacle of Heaven she shall rejoycingly be there received by the honourable Companies of that heavenly Consistory viz. with all those blessed Spirits mentioned in the holy Scriptures viz. Angels Arch-angels Vertues Powers Principalities Dominations Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims also with the holy Patriarches Prophets Martyrs Innocents Confessors and Saints of God together with the blessed Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ all which shall then greatly triumph and exceedingly rejoyce at her Coronation and Glorification Yea and farre more Happinesse she shall enjoy than all this viz. the Knowledge of the invisible Nature of the most blessed Trinity The All glorious and Beatificall VISION the sight of God which maketh us happy of which St. Augustine saith Haec sold est summum bonum nostrum This SIGHT of God is our onely and chiefest Happinesse in which consisteth the Soveraigne Good and Life of the Soule which no mortall Eye hath seene nor Eare hath heard neither hath it entred into the Heart of Man The which SIGHT of God is the full Beatitude and totall Glorification of Man Loe this is the Happinesse which the Soule of a Christian Spirituall Fighting Conquering Souldier shall for ever enjoy Where she shall sing Hallelujah Praise Rev. 5.13 and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for evermore Quest But here peradventure some may demand What shall I doe when I have been a long while under the grievous and weighty pressure of many Troubles great Crosses and heavy Afflictions and still continue under them seeing as yet no probability by sublunary assistance of ease in them no likelyhood of freedome from them or Deliverance out of them Answ If this now be or at any time hereafter shall be thy deplorable Condition Loe then I beseech thee in the Bowels of Jesus Christ as a Sympathzing Brother of thy sorrowes murmur not thereat but acknowledge God to be righteous and that thou sufferest justly for thy sinnes and be not sorrowfull because thou sufferest but for the Cause of thy suffering which are thy sinnes which thou hast committed According to that complaining Querie of the Prophet Jeremiah Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull man suffereth for his sinne Lam. 3.39 And also labour for to live by Faith and not by Sense For the Just shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 Ever being mindfull of and also constantly depending upon the Providentiall name of God amongst the Hebrewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which denoteth unto us the speciall Prodience of God towards his children in all their distresses resolving also constantly in thine owne Soule without wavering that whether longer continuance of Life or speedier seizing upon by Death shall befall thee yet notwithstanding according to that comfortable Expression of the Apostle Antid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 The continuall Consideration hereof should serve as a spirituall Antidote to preserve thy afflicted languishing Soule for ever from Despaire And God Almighty who is the onely Physitian both of Soule and Body and can at his pleasure apply a Remedy to every Malady according to each particular Persons severall wants and necessities give a speedy comfortable helpfull healing Blessing to the divine Operation thereof within thee Of which my selfe can speake both comfortably and experimentally who being fast lock't in Prison for my Kingly Fidelity with diverse others of the ministeriall Function and having not any corporall Sustenance allowed us for above forty dayes together wherewith to preserve our languishing naturall Lives they all ended their dayes in the same Prison and shortly after all their Deaths my Body was from Prison enlarged and Life from Death under God thereby preserved Loe thus farre the speciall Providence of God extended unto me when I was wel-nigh brought to the Period of my Life and almost cast into the cruell jawes of devouring Death Blessed be the God of my Life and Liberty for it for ever Beloved a Valiant and Couragious hearted Souldier will not be discouraged at the roaring of Cannons the clashing of Armes the clattering of Weapons or the hideous noise of furious Enemies comming siercely upon him although that military Service be never so sharp or dangerous unto him because he expects to receive some rich Booty to himselfe when the Battell is ended so in like manner a true crucified Christian who hath the blessed Spirit of God in him which is the only Spirit of all true Valour and Courage will not be daunted or dismayed at the comming on of Troubles Crosses or Afflictions how great or many soever they be because he is not left to himself alone as a Souldier in the field when all his pusilanimous spirited fellow-Souldiers have deserted the Service and forsaken him but hath the All-powerfull Lord of Heaven with him compassing him about with his speciall Providence as a never-failing Shield and defensive Buckler to preserve him from perishing onely bringing him into the Field that so he may fight against his Enemies and thereby have the great Glory and rich Reward of a magnanimous spirited and valiant Conquerour In earnall Judgment and the fleshly Eye of humane sense and reason the rich Gluttons case was desirable Luke 16. and poor Lazarus condition despicable but the poor Man was received to Mercy and the rich Man rejected to Judgement And herein beloved we may behold the great grosse and palpable Errour of the carnall mens Judgement of this World who conceive their chiefest Happinesse consisteth in creature Comforts and esteeme it their greatest Delight to swim in the Confluence of all outward good things and account it their principall Felicity to be in the present possession of outward Pomp and earthly Prosperity Loe thus blind erroneous and ignorant are carnall-minded men in their naturall Condition But the Children of God to whom the heavenly light of Truth hath appeared who have been often exercised in Troubles Crosses and Afflictions being crucified Christians living unto God and not to themselves are of a contrary Judgment knowing assuredly that Afflictions are necessary physicall Potions for their Soules to purge out their sinfull Corruptions to try and exercise their Faith and to refine their Soules whereby they may be the fitter Receptacles for the Spirit of God Although the Heaven of Heavens be exceeding High yet notwithstanding the Gate thereof is very Low and none but humble hearted and lowly spirited Persons being crucified Christians shall enter therein Beloved we may not think to goe to Heaven in beds of Downe we must in this Vale of misery passe through an
peradventure that Consideration might have been as a Bridle to have restrained them viz. the outward just disgraceing and due deserved publique vilifying of their Reputations and Persons after the pestilent Perpetration of such Treacherie though never so eminent in the eyes and esteeme of others before the Discoverie the inward discontentments and vexations of Minde deeply wounding themselves with the unappeaseable Horrour of their guilty Consciences which will continually gripe gnaw and terrifie them unlesse they be cauterized but most of all the everlasting Damnation of both their Bodies and Soules for ever to the darke and unconceiveable tormenting Pit of eternall Perdition the which without true Repentance will at the last Judgement day certainly be their Portion Oh! that such guilty Persons had timely layd to heart even in those their daies the Felicity of Fidelity and the Misery of Treachery so might they faithfully have performed their loyall Promises which might have conduced to their owne both Temporall and Eternall Peace but woe and alas the former of these is to them already past and God grant the latter be not too late I shall not censuring charitably doome such guilty Persons being Selfe-servers for such their treacherous black-Workes to the Land of Eternall Darkenesse for so to doe farre transcends both the Power and Knowledge of any Mortall but I will speake both of them and to them by way of Interrogation for their present Convincement and future Animadversion What could seeming-loyall Subjects deale thus disloyally with their King Did He preferre them to honourable Places above others depending upon their Fidelitie and have they requited His loving Kindnesse with no lesse then damnable Treacherie Were they so farre intrusted by Him and have they dealt thus deceitfully with Him Did they pretend themselves as faithfull Friends to helpe Him and have they proved His perfidious Enemies for to hurt Him Oh treacherous Dealing This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed Simulatio ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Occultatio judicii Malum sub specie boni celatum It is Iniquitie in a Mysterie even masked Vngodlinesse a Thes 2.7 Et dum non cognoscitur non cavetur and being in their blacke Breasts not descried it could not be declined The which treacherous Iniquitie being most detestable abominable and double Impietie cryeth aloud in the Eares of God for Vengeance to fall upon the pernitious Perpetrators thereof I greatly tremble at the serious Consideration hereof and therefore let none that are guilty herein falsly flatter themselves in their corrupt hearts with deceitfull hopes of perpetuall Impunity for assuredly such Hypocriticall Treacherous Malefactors for such their Notorious Perfidious and cursed Malefactorship cannot without great Repentance escape the heavy Wrath and just Judgement of the sin-punishing just-revenging righteous God but it will follow after them overtake them and seize upon them to their Destruction Fidelitie and Treacherie are ever at Enmitie they are like two great Warriours in one and the same Heart stisly striving violently opposing and fiercely fighting against each other for Mastery And as they are Heterogenean in Conditions so in like manner as they prevaile they produce contrary Effects viz. Fidelitie Joy and Comfort But Treacherie Sorrow and Terrour As for Example Fidelitie seeketh no Corners but shineth splendidly as the bright Beames of the glorious Sunne in the firmament of Heaven at Noone-day when he is in his chiefest Brightnesse fullest Splendor and greatest Luster to the great comfort of the Actors thereof and all others concerned therein But Treacherie lyeth in Obscuritie ever fearing the Light and alwaies trembling at the remembrance of the Touch-Stone of Truth the which may not unfitly be compared to that thicke blacke tangible Aegyptian-Darkenesse sent as a Punishment upon Pharaoh for his Disobedience Exod. 10.21.22 The sharpe Smart whereof hath lately beene bitterly felt by too many thousands in this our Kingdome to the great terrour of Conscience to the Committers thereof and sorrowfull utter Ruine of many others thereby Fidelitie desireth heartily though it be to her Hinderance the full performance of that Trust reposed in her but Treacherie laboureth craftily for her owne Advantage to falsifie her Promise to those that intrusted her Fidelitie wisheth lovingly the wel-fare of others as well as her owne but Treacherie endeavoureth secretly but onely for her owne safety not careing for the Ruine of all others Fidelitie being rightly principl'd is syncerely guided by the blessed Spirit of God who is the King of Glory and he sweetly affects her and lovingly leads her in the delightfull and pleasing Paths of Obedience Truth and Righteousnesse and at the End of this World he will certainely remunerate her with the full Fruition of Eternall Happinesse but Treacherie being falsly grounded is corruptly guided by the cursed Spirit of the Devill who is the Prince of Darkenesse and he leads her on blindly in the deceitfull Wayes of Disobedience Errour and Unrighteousnesse and for her sinfull Service he will surely reward her at the End of this mortall Life with the bitter and cursed Wages of Everlasting Death Fidelitie Larke-like rejoyceth at the Light and desireth to be publiquely Exemplary to all others singing praises to God with a comfortable Conscience because her workes are wrought in God but Treacherie Batte-like being an uncleane Bird flyeth not abroad but onely in Darkenesse Lev. 11.19 desiring no Notice to be taken of her for when once the Light approacheth she keepeth her selfe close in a Corner as not daring to appeare in the Light of Truth because her Workes are not wrought in God but onely by the Subtilty Instigation and Power of the Devill Loe thus we evidently see that there is as great an Antipathie Contrarietie Disparitie Difference between FIDELITIE and TREACHERIE as is between Light and Darkenesse Truth and Errour Obedience and Rebellion Peace and Warre Life and Death Heaven and Hell God and Satan So that no marvell although our perplexed Kingdome be at this day so greatly divided having lately had therein the damnable Sinne of Treacherie so frequently practiced Those that have done such treacherous Workes may justly challenge to themselves their due deserved Wages which Workes of Treacherie must have the Wages of Iniquitie the which Saint Paul expresseth in that Theologicall Aphorisme of his to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. ult Death temporall to the Body in this life and without repentance Death eternall to both Body and Soule in the life to come And therefore now as a spirituall Physitian for the speedy and perfect Curing of sicke fore and wounded Englands great Distractions and manifold Distempers my Soule sincerely desireth and Heart also earnestly wisheth as a Christian sensible and sorrowfull Sympathizer of Englands wofull Distresses that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong Omnipotent God would Graciously be pleased in much Mercy and tender Compassion towards this bleeding sinfull English-Nation for to set
the Church here upon earth will be inevitable So that I may say of such a one as the Prophet Ieremy once spake of himselfe in another case when Pashur had put him into Prison for denouncing Gods Judgements against Jerusalem Jer. 20.9 Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speake any more in his name But his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay So in like manner if thou hast grace in thy heart the Church of God being in distresse thou wilt be weary with forbearing to pray for the Peace of the Church O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 3 Because the Church is invironed with many Enemies yea sometimes David-like inclosed with fat Bulles of Bashan on every side even Cruell Tyrants who seeke her Subversion Yea She is like a Lillie amongst the Thornes Cant. 2.2 She is often beset with dangerous and troublesome Thrones viz. hurtfull gracelesse and pestilent Spirited persons who prick and wound the Lillies in their goods names liberties yea and lives also And thus it hath beene even from the beginning for when there were but two men borne into the World the one was a Lillie and the other a Thorne but the Thorne suppressed and perished the Lillie viz. Gen. 4.8 Caine destroyed his Brother Abel Yea the most beautifull Lillie that ever saw the light of the sunne Christ Jesus our blessed Saviour was so fiercely and violently beset with Thornes as that all his love and purity meeknesse and innocency could not keepe them from him but they violently thrust at him pricked him to the heart and wounded him to the death And loe thus will it be with the poore Members of his Church untill the last Judgement day when as both Lillies and Thornes must appeare before Christ in the Cloudes to receive according to their deeds Mat. 25. And then shall the persecuted Lillies be received into Heaven and the pernitious Thornes be cast as Fuell into the fire of Hell So that this persecuted condition of the Church pathetically implores us to pray for her Peace O pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 4 Because the Church is Seated in Bochim being a place of Weeping she now lives in a Vale of misery and Vallie of teares and must be Contented so long as she liveth upon the face of the Earth to sit downe like a desolate widdow Psal 137.2 and hang her harpes upon the Willowes and make her Expressions in mournfull Elegies and Dolefull Ditties untill her Husband returnes unto her Alas woe and alas may we of this English Nation at this day deploringly complaine that the little Barke of Christ is now almost sunke under Water She is tossed up and downe to and fro hither and thither in the troublesome Seas of this turbulent Age Rabshakeh raileth Haman plotteth Balack bribeth Balaam curseth the Enemy rageth and the Devill roareth and all against the innocent Doves in the little Barke of Christ as they are sailing hopefully towards their resting Haven of happinesse in the Kingdome of Heaven So that Peter-like in the eye of humane sense and reason they are in the way of perishing did not the hand of Gods Providence preservingly support them She was prefigured in Noahs Arke floating upon the Waters and doth now resemble a little Ship in the vast Ocean which sometimes is carryed along quietly with a calme prosperous Gale but suddenly the boysterous windes arising and the unresistible Surges Billowes and Waves swelling the Seas become rough and troublesome and she is in Danger and necessarily standeth in neede of our Prayers And therefore let us not cease to Pray for her Peace O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And thus doe I passe from the Reasons of the Observation unto the Application The Uses whereof are briefely Five viz. 1. Vse of Terrour 2. Vse of Instruction 3. Vse of Reprehension 4. Vse of Consolation 5. Vse of Exhortation Terrour Vse 1 TO terrifie the hearts of all those that have persecuted the Church of Christ Listen a while I pray you to those heavy though just Judgements of God that have befallen the bloody Persecutors of his Church Pharaoh Oppressed the poore People of Israell in the Land of Aegypt and when they had leave to depart the Land Exod. 14.28 yet he pursued them with a purpose to destroy them But in the end his intention was frustrate and both himselfe and all his Hoaste perished in the Sea Haman Hest 3.9 upon the promise of Ten thousand talents of Silver procured a Decree from King Ahashuerosh to kill and destroy all the Jewes both old and young men women and children that were in all the Kings Provinces in one day But his Designe was blasted Hest 7.10 and in the end himselfe hanged upon the gallowes he had prepared for Mordecai Senacherib the King of Ashur sent Rabshakey to raile upon the living God and to discourage his Army but the Birth of his Project proved abortive insomuch that the Angell of the Lord in one night slew in the Campe of Ashur Esa 37.36 an hundred fourscore and five thousand and in the morning behold they were all dead corpses Yea and after that Senacherib himselfe was slaine by two of his owne Sonnes Adramelech and Sharezer as he was worshiping his Idoll God Nisroch in the Temple Antiochus the sonne of Demetrius after he had chased Tryphon from the Kingdome of Asia and broken the league which he had made with the Jewes gave himselfe wholly to worke mischiefe against them Then violently he set upon Jerusalem and tooke it by force Commanding his Souldiers to destroy those that were therein insomuch that within the space of three whole dayes there was such a bloody massacre both of old and young men women and children that there were destroyed fourescore thousand of the Jewes 2 Mac. 5. After this was done this bloody Tyrant was put to flight by the Inhabitants of Persepolis a City of Persia going about to rob their Temple of their Treasures Then furiously he threatned the people of the Jewes saying I will make Jerusalem a common burying place of the Jewes when I come thither But the Lord Almighty the God of Israel smote him with an incurable and invisible plague for assoone as he had spoken these words a paine of the bowels that was remedilesse came upon him and sore torments of the inner parts So that the wormes came out of his body in abundance and whiles he was alive his flesh fell off for paine and torment and all his Army was grieved at his smell Loe thus the Murtherer and Blasphemer suffered most grievously and as he had entreated other men so he dyed a most miserable death in a strange Country among the Mountains 2 Mac. 9. Nero that bloody Tyrant being the first Emperour that persecuted the Church of Christ exposed the poore Christians to the fury of rude