Ezekiel so I say â—to you all here present Therefore O thou â—n of man speake unto the house of Israel thus 〈◊〉 spake saying if our transgressions and our â—s be upon us and we pine away in them how â—all we then live Ezâ—kâ—el 33. 10. here good â—eople you may see that these people was afraid â—at they should pine away in their sins I but â—e what comfort the Lord sends by Ezâ—kiel in â—e 11 vers of this Chapter in these words Say â—to them As I live saith the Loâ—d GOD I â—ve no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and livâ— turn ye turn ye from your evill wayes for wâ— will ye die O house of Israel Indeed you may see here the Lord hath no dâ—sire that we should die in our wickednesse 〈◊〉 he had rather that we would turn from oâ— wicked wayes and live which the Lord of hâ— heavenly mercy give us all grace so to do thâ— it may be the Lord will speak as comfortably this Land as he did to the Land of Israel these words Therâ—fore thus saith the Loâ— GOD I have lifted up mine hand surely tâ— heathen that are about you they shall bear the shame For behold I am for you and I will turâ— unto you and ye shall be tilled and sown you may find it written in the 36 of Ezekiâ— the 7 and 9 verses And indeed I would desire you all that 〈◊〉 here present to take notice what you hear at thâ— present and the Lord of his mercy give us aâ— grace to make good use of it Indéed my brethreâ— I would desire to move one question to you aâ— that is this in case the day of doome was to daâ— which the Lord knowes how soon it may comâ— it may be this very hour for any thing that wâ— know what answer could we make to so loviâ— and mercifull a God as we have Indeed I aâ— perswaded that we should be very unready nâ— I do beleeve that we should not be able to look him in the face no nor able to make an answer for the least sin of ten thousand Therefore I desire you all to cry and call to the Lord for mercy before it be too late for indeed we do not know how soon the Lord will call us For certainly there is but a few things to come to passe which our Saviour Christ told his Disciples in Matâ—hew 24 what should come to passe for said he Nation shall rise against Nation and by wofuâ—l experience we have seen that ful filled â—n theâ—e times that we live in and he told them that there should be false Teachers and false Prophets and false Christs and all this we â—ay boldly say we see come to passe in our days for just such as Christ said should be such be now for in many places there is a sort of people that will not stick to say that they be Christ which â—s most abominable that they should be sufferâ—d the Mâ—nisters are counted by them balâ— Priests and babling Fellowes But I would desire every good Christian to have a care of â—hem behold I have told you beâ—ore Maâ—â—hew 24 25. and indeed good people there is a great many more warning peices in the Scripture which indeed I cannot understand but either all â—r the most of them are come to passe already â—ut onely the calling of the Iewes and indeed â—e do not know how soon that may be it may be now for any thing that we know for it is nâ— very long since they made great preparations 〈◊〉 come into this land where I hope the light 〈◊〉 the Gospell doth shine and I hope the Lord oâ— of his mercy will continue it among us whileâ— the Sun and Moon endures But I trust 〈◊〉 God that he will put it to the hearts of our Râ—lers that they shall never have the power to iâ—vade us for they that would betray our blesseâ— Lord and Saviour Such as those can hardlâ— be true to man no we have had fair exampleâ— enough before hand I would desire you but 〈◊〉 looke into the Booke of Martyrs and you mâ— hear how most barbarously they used the Chrâ—stians that confessed the Gospel of Christ anâ— certainly I do beléeve that they would have 〈◊〉 more mercy on us then they had of them â—f thâ— had the same power which I trust the Lord wiâ— never give it them Indéed my brethren I caâ— not perceive but we have Iewes enough already for as our Saviour said that the Fatheâ— should be against the Son and the Son againâ— the Father so it is now for the Father woulâ— sell the life of the Son and the Son the Fatheâ— now a dayes and indeed I cannot perceive bâ— such as these be Iewes bad enough but as David said in the 59 Psalme and the 1 and 2 verâ— so I would desire every good Christian to prâ— as he did and that with a true heart and theâ— â—e the words Deliver me from mine enemies O my God defend me from them that rise up against me 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from bloody men Prov. 4. 1 2 13. Hear ye children the instruction of a father and attend to know understanding 2. For I give you good doctrine forsake you not my law and in the thirteenth verse Take fast hold of instruction let her not go keep her for she is thy life Which I pray God give every good Christian grace to take good counsell for indéed we stand in great need of it for truly my brethren the times is just as the Prophet Isaiah said should be in the 3 of Isaiah and the 5 verse And the people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his neighbour the child shall behave himselfe proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable And indeed just so it is now for never was there more oppressing both of poor and rich and as for the behaviour of children I do beleeve that it is as plainly fulfilled as can be just now for let a child of twelve years of age méet a man of fourscore and you shall see him passe by as proudly as if he were not worthy to dry his shooes which is a shame to see it and indeed I must needs tell such Parents with fire which iâ— a most heavy judgment and doe wée not thinâ— that we deserve it too yes certainly we doe deserve as much as they indeed the Lord hath given us many faire warning peices by fire in many places in this Land yet there is buâ— small crying out to God for mercy no longer then we either see it or hear of it just as a child feares the rod no longer then he is a beating buâ— in the name of God every good Christian pray unto the Lord night and day that he may be mercifull unto our poore soules at the latter day and hour of death â—heâ— may we come
to hear thaâ— blessed voyce of our Lord and Saviour sounding in our eare Matthew 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of â—he world And indeed a blessed sounding it is and thâ— Lord give us grace to prepare our hearts sâ— here upon earth that we may have both ouâ— hearts and eares that we may be ready at thâ— coming of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ therfore I would desire all to Take heed watcâ— and pray for â—e know not when the time iâ— Mark. 13. vers 33. And once more I do exhort you to take heâ— that you be not deceived in these dangerous â—nes for the Lord gives us a faire warning to â—ke heed Matthew 24. 4 5. And Jesus answered and â—d unto them Take heed that no man deceive â—â— 5 For many shall come in my Name saying â—m Christ and shall deceive many Indeed this is come to passe now a dares for â—u may see such abroad in many places I but would desire every one of you to have a care of â—em for as Paul said in the second of Timothy chap 3 vers For the time will come when â—y will not endure found doctrine but after â—eir own lusts shall they heap to themselves â—chers having iâ—châ—ng eaâ—s And indeed there is a great many of those aâ—ad but have a care of them for certainly if â—ey should entangle you in their snare of deluâ—n you will not so easily get out for they be 2 Timothy 3. 4. Traitours heady highâ—nded lovers of pleasures more then lovers 〈◊〉 God Indeed my brethren I would desire you to â—â—e a care of them for fear they should deceive â—â— so I would desire you not to dispise them 〈◊〉 certainly they be that people our Saviour â—d should come and therefore we ought not to â—pise but exhort them and pray for them and love their person but abhor their conditions fâ— though they be a seducing people which Chriâ— said should come yet they be our brethren iâ— the same form and shape of man and whâ— knowes how soone it may please the Lord tâ— call them back againe as he did Saul by thâ— high-way therefore in the name of God let uâ— pray for their conversion for Timothy chargeâ— the people that they should pray for all men aâ— you may find it written in the first of Timothâ— and the second chapter and the first verse 〈◊〉 these words I exhort therefore that first 〈◊〉 all supplications prayers intercessions anâ— giving of thanks be made for all men Indeed by this place of scripture I cannoâ— perceive but we must pray for them as wâ— would do for our selves which the Lord of hiâ— mercy put it into the hearts of every good Christian so to do and as David said in the 37 Psaâ— and the first and second verses so I say to yoâ— all that be here present Fret not thy selfe because of evil doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity For they shaâ— soon be cut downe like the grasse and withâ— as the green herb So here you may see David gives us a faiâ— exhortation here in this Psalme that we shouâ— not fret at the wicked and in the 35 and 36 vâ— of this Psalme there sayes David I have seâ— â—he wicked in great power and spreading â—imselfe like a green bay-tree Yet he pasâ—d away and Io he was not yea I sought â—im but he could not be found Here my â—ethren you may perceive that if we will â—ut wait with patience they will all vanish â—way in time therefore as it is written in â—e 34 vers â—f this Psalme Wait on the â—ord and keâ—p his way and he shall exalt â—hee to inherit the land when the wicked â—e cut off thou shalt see it Indéed it is â—est for us all to look into our owne sins and â—y and call night day for mercy for them â—nd let us call to mind the lamentation of â—erusalem All her people sigh they seeke read they have given their pleasant things â—or meat to relieve the soul see O Lord â—nd consider for I am become vile Lamenâ—tions the first and the 11 vers and in the 2 ver there you may here parents that it is â—ng of them Train up a child in the way â—e should go and when he is old he will â—ot depart from it Proverbs 22. 6. And â—hildren obey your parents in the Lord â—r this is right Ephesians the 6 and the 1 â—â—d the 2 verses Honour thy Father and â—other which is the first Commandement â—ith promise and in the 20 Chapter of Exodus and the 12 vers there you shall find thaâ— is one of the Commandements that the Lorâ— commanded the people to keep that is to sayâ— Honour thy Father and thy Mother thaâ— thy dayes may be long in the Land whicâ— the Lord thy God giveth thee for as yoâ— may find it in Proverbs the 19 and the 2â— vers He that wasteth his father and casteth away his mother is a son that causetâ— shame and bringeth reproach And indéeâ— there be too many such disobedient childreâ— now a dayes which the Lord of his mercâ— give them all grace to amend for certainlâ— they cannot say with a true heart that theâ— feare God if they do not honor father anâ— mother and I pray God give us all grace tâ— amend our wicked lives and pray to thâ— Lord for feare he should come upon us as hâ— did upon Jerusalem in the 20 of Ezekiel anâ— the 45. 46 47. verses Moreover the worâ— of the Lord came unto me saying Son 〈◊〉 man set thy face toward the south aâ—â— drop thy word toward the south and prophesie against the forrest of the south fielâ— And say to the forrest of the south Hear thâ— word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord Goâ— Behold I will kindle a fire in thee and shall devour every green tree in thee and very dry tree the flaming flame shall not â—e quenched and all faces from the south â—o the north shall be burnt therein Indeed my brethren here you see that the Lord threatned the people with fire here her â—amentation for the misery that the Lord had â—rought her to by reason of her sin which â—akes her lament in these words Is it â—othing to you all ye that passe by behold â—nd see if there be any sorrow like unto my â—orrow which is done unto me wherewith â—he Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his â—erce anger and in the 4 chap. of Lamenta â—nd the 6 vers For the punishment of the â—niquiâ—y of the daughter of my people is â—reater then the punishment of the sin of â—â—dom that was overthrown as in a moâ—ent and no hand stayed on her Therefore my brethren to draw to a conâ—usion I exhort you all in the name of God 〈◊〉 take notice of what you have heard at this â—resent and strive by all meanes to make â—me good use of it which must be done by â—rayer and take heed of despising one another â—nd beg night and day of the Lord to send â—own his spirituall grace into the hearts of â—very one of us that we may deserve his â—ercy at the hour of death and that for Iesus Christ his sake to whome be giveâ— as is most due all honour power and praise both now and for ever more Amen I am yours in Christ Jesus till death T. R. A Prayer to conclude fit for every Christian to make use of Psal 102. 1. Hear our Prayers O Lord and let our crying come unto thee O thou eternall and everlasting Lord God Maker and Creator of Heaven and Earth in whome we live move and have our being thou whome the windes and Seaes doth obey in whose powerfull hands are all the corners of the Earth we thy poor distressed servants and children do in all humility of spirit send up our petitions and prayers unto the throne of thy divine Majesty desiring upon the bended knees of our penitent hearts that thou wilt be pleased to hear and graciously to answer these our supplications which we make unto thee wee do acknowledge O Lord that before wée could do any thing we could sin and when we could do any thing we could do nothing but sin neither are we able of our selves to think a good thought much lesse to do a good deed therefore O Lord we cast our selves our souls and our bodies only upon thy mercies therefore we beseech thée to guide us in all our actions and to blesse our up-rising and lying down our goings forth and our coming in guide our hands that they do nâ— harme guide our tongues that they speakâ— no evill guide our eares that they hearkeâ— not to every vaine talk which tends to nâ— good purpose guide our eyes that they wander not after the vain delights and pleasureâ— of this sinfull world guide our hearts with the grace of thy holy spirit so that every one of us may be contented with that portion that thou hast allotted for us and not to covet and desire other mens goods more theâ— becoms us to do guide our feet that they may tread in true paths of righteousnesse which may bring us into the way to life everlasting Moreover we pray thee to forgive us all our sins which we have formerly committed and that we may make better use of the time to come then heretofore we have done and that we may love thee O Lord above all things and our neighbours as our selves laying apart all hypocrisie fraud deceit and dissimulation all vaine and idle talks all cursing swearing and blaspheaming all envy pride covetousnesse hatred and malice and all other uncharitable dealings so that whilst it is thy good pleasure that we shall remaine in this transitory world we may live in thy fear and at the last dye in thy favour so that after this life â—nded we may enjoy eternall happinesse in â—he kingdom of heaven and that for the sake â—f thy only Son our only Saviour Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost thrée persons and one ever living God be all honour and glory power praise might majesty and thanksgiving both now and for ever Amen FINIS
Englands PRAYers TO HEAVEN FOR MERCY With very good instructions to all people in these dangerous times to call to the Lord for mercy in time exhorting every Christian to take heed they be not deceived in these dangerous times Psal 9. verse 13. Have mercy upon me O Lord consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me thou that liftest me up from the gates of death Written by Thomas Robins B. of D. LONDON Printed by E. B. for John Stafford and are to be sold at his house at the George at Fleetbridge 1657. Psal 49. 1. 2. Hear this all ye people give ear alâ—â—â—e inhabitants of the world 2 Both low and high rich and poor â—ogether Mercy LORD 1 Timothy chap 2. vers 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men MY beloved brethren here you may understand the humble obedience that belongs to every one that doth desire to be a faithfull servant to the Lord as you may understand by this place of Scripture for Paul here you may see gave Timothy a charge over the people to let prayer be made for all men and indéed good people I cannot perceive but Paul did sée they was a wicked and a sinfull people so he thought that by prayer they might be converted but alas how many is there now a dayes that would have a sinner converted by prayer no my brethren we now a dayes fly too much off the Apostles rules and the reason is we think our wits far better than theirs for rather then we will pray for a sinner nay we had rather curse them but good people I would desire every one of you to take the same exhortation that Paul gave to Timothy that is to pray for all men for if you see a drunkard take heed of him but pray for him if you sée a swearer delighâ— not in his company but pray for him if you sâ—â— a whoremonger take héed of his wickednessâ— but pray for him for you may perceive where bâ— this place of Scripture that we ought to pray fâ—â— all men aâ—de by Gods Grace we may prevailâ— for in the 5 chapâ—er oâ— Jamâ—s and â—he â—6 versâ— there you have a rule for it why you should praâ— for all men and this is the rule that you may bâ— healed nay my brethren there is great comfoâ—â— too for every one that will pray faithâ—ully fâ—â— in this verse of this chapter you may find thâ— the prayers of the faithfull shall prevaile as yâ— may find it written in Jameâ— 5 16. therefore 〈◊〉 the name of God I would desire every goâ—â— Christian to give their mind to praâ—er and wiâ—â— as good confidence as the Prophet David 〈◊〉 Psalme 62. 1. In these words Tâ—uly my soâ— waiteth upon God from him cometh my saâ—vation Indéed I would desire every good Chrâ—stian to have as good confidence in the Lord 〈◊〉 the Prophets had for certainly we must haâ— a good confidence in the Lord if we mean to 〈◊〉 saved and have as much power in spirit as Dâ—vid had then may we boldly say as he said 〈◊〉 Psalme 73. 24. In these words Thou shaâ—â— guide me with thy counsel and afterward râ—ceive me to thy glory and in the 25 vers theâ— you may sée the confidence that he had in Goâ— more than in man for said he Whome have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Indeed good people we ought to have no confidence in any man but in God which the Lord of his mercy give every man woman and child grace to serve him and obey him till the hour of death which indeed we do not know how soon it may please God to call us Indeed we do not know how soon it may be to night before to morrow no man can tell when Therefore as the Apostle said in Mark 13. 33. Take yee heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is Indeed my brethren you may perceive heere that we have no time set when the time of the coming of our Lord and Saviour shall be therefore it is good for us all to have a care in time for fear the Lord give us a just cause to cry out as Zion did as you may find it written in the Lamentations 4. 4 in these words The tongue of the sucking child cleavetâ— to the roof of his mouth for thirst the young children ask bread and no man breaketh it unto them And in the 5 verse of this Chapter there you may see what misery came upon these people for sin they that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets they that were brought up in scarlets embrace dunghils I would desire every good Christian to take heed in time for fear the Lord execute the very â—ame judgment upon these Lands and Nations that we live in for by wofull experience too many in these times have found it too true that the very same judgments partly upon a great many for in many places you may see many a brave House and Family ruinated and gone to decay which certainly was not altogether for their owne sins no my brethren I am affraid that we all stand guilty of sin and although the Lord spare us for a time to see if we will repent yet certainly without true repentance the Lord will not spare us no more then he spared Egypt when he threatned their destruction as you may find it written in the 32 chap. of Ezekiel begining at the 9 verse and so to the 12. I will also vex the hearts of many people when I shall bring thy destruction among the Nations into the Countreys which thou hast not known 10 Yea I will make many people amazed at thee and their Kings shall be horribly afraid of thee when I shall brandish my sword before them and they shall tremble at every moment every man for his own life in the day of thy fall 11 For thus saith the Lord GOD The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee 12 By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall the terrible of the Natiâ—ns all of them and they shall spoyl the pomp 〈◊〉 Egypt and all the multitude thereof shall be â—â—stroyed Indéed my brethren you may see here by this â—ace of Scripture that the Lord threatned the â—gyptians with most heavy judgments for their â—â—s and doe not we think that our sins be as â—eat as theirs yes certainly and greater too â—erefore in the name of God let us all pray unâ—â— the Lord for mercy and surely he will hear 〈◊〉 for he hath no delight in the death of the â—icked but he had rather that we should turne â—om our wicked wayes and repent and be â—nverted And indeed I would deâ—ire every â—e of you young or old rich or poore to doe â—ur best endeavours to forsake your wicked â—ayes for as the Lord said to