sinned and done wickedly but these sheep what have they done 2 Sam. 24. 10-18 4. If it be enquired how Gods mercy to his people doth appear when these judgments have fallen so heavy upon many of them I Answer 1. Those of his own people who have fallen by the Plague are received to greater grace and mercy in Heaven than here they were capable of and they are moreover delivered from evil to come which hath since and may further come upon us 2. Those whose houses have fallen by the fire the Lord could and confident I am the Lord hath made them greater gainers another way they have lost it may be much in temporal things but they are or may be if they be not wanting to themselves gainers in spiritual things which are of a higher and more excellent nature I have known and heard of many of Gods people whose houses are burnt and goods spoyled who have taken the loss with so much chearfulness humility meekness patience contentment and thankfulness that any thing was saved if it were only their lives that it hath been my wonder and joy to gain such a spirit hath more of good than the loss of all externall enjoyments hath of evil 3. Further if these judgments have fallen upon Gods people we must know that they have their sins which have deserved them possibly some have begun now to comply with the wicked in their wicked wayes it may be they were grown more loose in their walking and formal in the service of God their hearts more set on the World of which sins more largely when I come to speak of the sins of the City and the sins of Gods people have more hainous aggravations than the sins of the wicked being committed against clearer light dearer love sweeter mercies stronger obligations and therefore provoke God the more to wrath therefore he threatneth his own people especially to punish them when they transgress Am. 3. 2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth and therefore I will punish you for your iniquities 5. Besides they may have need of awakening judgments to rouze them and humble them for sin to loosen and wean them from the World and it is in love and faithfulness that God doth inflict such judgments upon them 6. Lastly we must remember that it is Gods usual course to begin with his own house 1 Pet. 4. 17. Iudgement begins at the House of God 5. To conclude Do any of the ungodly question Gods righteousness because in these common calamities they have hitherto survived and escaped 1. It is but an ill requital and ill use which they make of Gods patience and goodness which he hath exercised towards them that hereby he might lead them unto repentance Rom. 2. 4 5. 2. Let them stay a while and God will answer them himself and give them an experimental conviction of his righteous judgments 1 Pet. 4. 17 18. If judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear we read Psal. 75. 8. Of a Cup of red Wine in the hand of the Lord he may give his people to drink the top of it but the most bitter and dreggish part which is at the bottome the wicked shall wring forth and drink if God whip his children with rods he will scourge his enemies with scorpions I am perswaded that the notoriously ungodly of this generation will not go out of this World without some remarkable temporal judgment and that the Lord will make them feel something even here what an evil thing and a bitter it is so audaciously to fly in the face of the great God by their hideous oaths and blasphemies by their horrid wickedness and abominations whereby they do as it were challenge God to do his worst against them and when God doth draw forth his glittering Sword and make ready his sharp arrow upon the string when God doth cloathe himself with fury as with a garment and his hand doth take hold on vengeance when their iniquities are grown fully ripe and the day of their visitation and recompence is come how then will these sinners of England be afraid and what amazing terrour will there then surprize this vile generation Can their hearts endure or their hands be strong in the day that the Lord shall deal with them Ezek. 22. 14. Then the Lord will roar from his holy habitation with such a terrible voice as shall make their ears to tingle their hearts to quake and tremble he will roar like a Lion and tear them in pieces when there shall be none to deliver If the shaking of his rod hath moved them and the beginning of his judgments which he hath executed upon others hath affrighted them what will their behaviour be when the scourge is laid upon their own backs and judgment shall fall upon their own heads Surely the judgments intended purposely for the most ungodly are not yet come yet as they are like to be exceeding great because more of pure and unmixt wrath will accompany them so they are like to be very neer because they are filling up the measure of their wickedness so fast and they seem to be arrived even to the uttermost of sin surely their judgment doth neither linger nor slumber but is upon the wing hastning towards them surely the arme of the Lord is awakened and lifted up on high and though infinite patience doth hold it up a little while to try whether the judgments already executed upon others before their eyes will work any good effect upon them so as to awaken them and stop them and turn them from their evil wayes yet if they proceed in their sinfull course his arm I am perswaded will come down with such force and fury upon them that their destruction shall be remarkable to all that are round about them and I have much of that perswasion that the Lord will as it were hang up many of the villains of our times who have been guilty of such treachery and rebellion against the great King of heaven as it were in chains and make their punishment here as notorious as their sins have been that the whole World may hear and fear and take heed of such vile practises I suppose they may not now expect it nor fear it no more than the old World did their drowning or Sodom and Gomorrah did their burning because deceitful sin hath hardned their hearts long custome in sin with impunity hath seared their consciences as with a hot Iron but then they are in the greatest danger when they sleep with the greatest security when Men grow desperately hardned against often and all reproofs by word and rod too what followes but sudden destruction and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. and when men cry peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a
dreadful fire Awake sinners when will you awake how often how long how loud shall God call upon you before you will arise Eph. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Iesus Christ shall give thee life A little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to rest What! can you sleep any longer now Was not this your tone long ago when you were under the calls of the Word and is it the same under the Rod too What will awaken you or when do you think you shall be awakened if still you lye down in the Bed of security and love to slumber upon the lap of pleasure and after a little startle sleep faster than before Ministers have preached and you have slept under their Sermons but when God hath preached methinks you should awake When Paul preached to Felix a Sermon of Judgement Felix trembled God hath preached One nay Two Sermons of Judgement and that more feelingly than Paul could methinks you should awake and not drop asleep so soon because God gives you a little respite to learn his Sermon before he preach the third Sermon which may be your last and ruining Sermon If you do not awake by the sound of his Judgements before you you shall awake by the sense of his Judgements upon you If the Plague and Fire of London do not awaken you you shall be awakened by the plagues and fire of Hell which you shall see and feel but not be able to flee from as here you might do if presently awakened God calls upon sleepy Sinners to awake and God calls upon drowsie Saints to awake and was there not great need were not the Ionahs gone down into the sides of the Ship and lying on Pillows Were not the wise Virgins turning foolish sleeping with the rest untrimm'd and undress'd Had there not of late a strange torpour and benummedness seized upon the spirits of Gods own people Was not the ancient vigour and activity which once they had in the ways and Worship of God much abated and decayed before these Judgements came upon London Awake then ye drowsie Saints awake put on your Garments which you have laid aside to the discovery of your Nakedness shake your selves from the dust which hath covered and sullied your faces and loosen the bands of sleep God hath been thundring your Father hath been angry and displeased with you as well as with others Your God hath spoken in his Jealousie and he hath spoken in his fury he hath spoken with a loud voice in righteousness and in Judgement Awake ye Children your Father is stirring and knocking and calling yea he hath entred your Chamber and smitten you on this side and that and yet will you not arise He hath been crying in your Ears now he is looking and harkening whether you will cry in His and what you will say and do for the prevention of the ruine of England which he seems to be threatning It is high time to awake out of sleep for now is the utter destruction of the City and Nation neerer it may be than you believe or imagine Awake then put off your Cloaths of night and darkness in which you have been sleeping and put on your Garments of light Cloath your selves with humility and begirt you with all your graces and get you to Gods knee hang about his arm put your selves in the breach It may be the Lord may think upon us that we perish not 2. The Lord doth now after his speaking by terrible things expect that London should stand in awe of him Gods Judgements made this Impression upon David Psal. 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of Thee and I am afraid of thy judgements And see how the Prophet Habakkuk behaved himself when God spake with a terrible Voice chap. 3. 2 c. O Lord I have heard thy speech and was afraid when God came down from Teman the Holy One from Mount Paran Selah when the Pestilence went before him and burning Coals went forth at his feet when the Nations were drove asunder the everlasting Mountains were scattered and the perpetual hills did bow when the Tents of Cushan were in affliction and the Curtains of the land of Midian did tremble when God did ride upon Horses and his Bow was made quite naked when the Sun and Moon did stand still in their habitations at the light of his arrows that went forth at the shining of his glittering Spear when God did march through the land in his indignation and walk through the Sea with his horses and did wound the head out of the house of the wicked and did strike through habitations with his staves at this the Prophet is afraid his Belly trembled his lips quivered at the voice rottenness entred into his bones c. And when God hath come down from Heaven the Holy One from Mount Sion Selah When the Pestilence hath gone before him and burning Coals at his feet when the Lord drove London asunder scattered the Inhabitants and made the stately buildings to bow and fall whose rearing up none can remember when the Tents of London have been in affliction and the Curtains of the City have trembled when Death hath been riding upon Horses and his Bow hath been made quite naked when the Heavens have been astonished at Gods Judgements and the Sun and Moon have hid their heads in their Habitations at the shining of his glittering Spear When the Lord hath marched through the City in his indignation hath wounded the heads of so many wicked with his arrows and struck through so many Habitations with his staves Oh how should London tremble and quiver and stand in awe of this glorious Majesty at the voice of these terrible Judgements Read and apply what the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Isaias Chap. 33. 13 14. Hear ye that are far off what I have done and ye that are neer acknowledge my might The sinners of Sion are afraid fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrites who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall inhabit everlasting burnings v. 18. Thine heart shall meditate terrour where is the Scribe where is the receiver where is he that counted the Towers Methinks the sinners now in London should be afraid and fearfulness should surprize the Hypocrites when God hath sent so many of their number into the Everlasting burnings of Hell by the Plague and by such a devouring Fire hath consumed so many Habitations Tremble ye Sinners at this and be ye horribly afraid all ye workers of iniquity God hath come down with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet He hath taken his weapons in his hand and hath appeared in London as a furious Enemy should not this make the sinners in the City to quake and strike a dread upon the spirits of the rebellious When the Lord hath spoken thus and done thus because of our sins should not London yea all England hear and fear
nearest Relations and dearest Friends so that when the Disease hath first seized upon them and they have had the greatest need of succour they have left their friends in distress and flown away from them as if they had been their Enemies 2. A Deluge by Water is a Terrible Iudgement There have been several Floods which we read of in Histories that have suddenly broken in upon some places and overwhelmed Habitations and Inhabitants together But God never did and never will speak so Terribly by a Deluge of Water as by the great Deluge in the daies of Noah when the whole world was drowned thereby excepting Noah and those which were with him in the Ark. And because the Judgement was so dreadful and the History so affecting I shall set it before your eye out of Gen. 7. from the 11th ver to the end of the Chapter In the six hundredth year of Noahs life in the second moneth and the seventeenth day of the moneth in the same day were all the Fountains of the Great Deep broken up God withdrew the bounds which he had set to the great Sea so that the waters covered the earth as they did at the beginning and the Windowes of heaven were opened out of which God looked forth in anger upon the earth and powered forth a Viol of his wrath causing it to rain forty daies and forty nights in dreadful showres accompanied as is probable with stormy winds and hideous tempest which put the world into a fright and amazement when the Element of Air seemed to be changed into water and such a Torrent flowed in upon them on every side we may guess what fear they were over-whelmed withal but Noah and his Family were got into the Ark and the Lord shut them in then the waters encreased and bare up the Ark and it was lift up above the earth and the waters encreased and prevailed greatly upon the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Ark went upon the face of the waters so that all the high Hills and Mountains were covered fifteen Cubits Then all flesh died fowl and cattel and beast and every thing that creeped or moved on the earth and every man and Noah only remained alive and they that were with him in the Ark. God spake then terribly indeed unto the wicked world by the Flood which devoured them all together in the midst of their security and sin but God hath promised he will never speak thus by water any more 3. Fire is another terrible thing whereby God sometimes calls to contend by with a sinful People Fire is very dreadful when it hath a Commission from God and meets with much combustible matter and prevails without resistance God spake terribly by Fire unto Sodom and Gomorrah when he rained Fire and Brimstone on those Cities and consumed them See Gen. 19. from the 24th ver to the 29th The Lord rained fire and brimstone out of heaven and overthrew those Cities and the Inhabitants together and when Abraham looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah and the Land of the Plain he saw the smoke of the Country go up like the smoke of a Furnace God spake terribly though not so terribly to Ierusalem when he suffered their City to be set on fire by the Babylonians and their Temple to be burnt to the ground See Ier. 52. 12 13. But the most fearful Instances of Gods Terrible Voice by Fire are yet to come Thus God will speak by Fire unto Spiritual Babylon which may easily be proved to be Rome from Rev. 17. 18. She being the then great City which reigned over the Kings of the earth Babylons burning with fire you may read Rev. 18. 8 9 10 c. Therefore shall her Plagues come in one day Death and Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her And the Kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewail her and lament for her when they shall see the smoak of her burning standing afar off for fear of her torment saying Alas alas that great City Babylon that mighty City for in one hour is thy judgement come c. God spake terribly by fire when London was in flames of which in the application but he will speak far more terribly when Babylon shall be in flames and not only in part but wholly and utterly and irreparably burnt and turned into ashes when not only the City shall be consumed but also the Whore her self shall be hated and made desolate and devoured with fire by the Kings of the earth Rev. 17. 10. The last instance of Gods speaking terribly by fire will be the last day when the Lord Jesus Christ the Judge of Quick and Dead shall come down from heaven in flaming fire to take vengeance on all those that know not God and obey not the Gospel 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. And the Apostle Peter tells us that the heavens and the earth are reserved in store for fire against this day when the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat and the Earth and all the works therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3. 7 10. Then God will speak terribly by fire and above all most terribly to the ungodly world when he will sentence them unto and cast them into the Fire of Hell where they must dwell with devouring fire and inhabit everlasting burnings 4. The Sword is a dreadful Iudgement whereby God speaks sometimes very terribly especially when he draws it forth against his own and his peoples Enemies Hear how terribly God speaks as in Deut. 32. 39 40 41 42. See now that I even I am he and there is no God with me I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand For I lift up my hand to heaven and say I live for ever If I whet my glittering Sword and my hand take hold on Iudgement I will render vengeance to mine Enemies and reward them that hate me I will make mine Arrows drunk with blood and my Sword shall devoure flesh and that with the blood of the slain and of the Captives from the beginning of revenges upon the Enemies When God furbusheth his Sword and whets it when God girdeth his Sword upon his thigh and marcheth against his Enemies when he draweth his Sword and maketh slaughter with it when his Sword devoureth much flesh and is made drunk with the blood of the slain when God gives Commission to the Sword saying Sword go thorow such a Land as Ezek. 14. 17. And powers out his fury on the Land in blood as ver 19. So that the Sword is bathed in blood and garments are rowled in blood and the Land is soaked in blood when blood is powred forth like water and dead bodies are cast forth into the open field without burial and God makes an invitation to all
it away But when in the next Bill the number of the dead by the Plague is mounted from 3 to 14 and in the next to 17 and in the next to 43 and the disease begins so much to increase and disperse Now secure sinners begin to be startled and those who would have slept at quiet still in their nests are unwillingly awakened Now a great consternation seizeth upon most persons and fearful bodings of a desolating judgment Now guilty sinners begin to look about them and think with themselves into what corner of the Land they might fly to hide them Now the profane and sensual if they have not remorse for their sins yet dread and terrors the effects of guilt they could not drive from them and if by company and carousing and soft pleasures they do intoxicate and smoothen their spirits in the day yet we may guess what dread doth return upon them if they give but any room for retirement and what hideous thoughts such persons have in the silent night through fears of death which they are in danger of Now those who did not believe an unseen God are affraid of unseen arrows and those which slighted Gods threatnings of eternal judgments do tremble at the beginning of his execution of one and not the greatest temporal judgment Now those which had as it were challenged the God of Heaven and defied him by their horrid oaths and blasphemies when he begins to appear they retreat yea fly away with terror and amazement The great Orbs begin first to move the Lords and Gentry retire into their Countries their remote houses are prepared goods removed and London is quickly upon their backs few ruffling Gallants walk the streets few spotted Ladies to be seen at windows a great forsaking there was of the adjacent places where the Plague did first rage In Iune the number increaseth from 43 to an 112. the next week to 168. the next to 267. the next to 470. most of which increase was in the remote parts few in this month within or neer the walls of the City and few that had any note for goodness or profession were visited at the first God gave them warning to bethink and prepare themselves yet some few that were choice were visited pretty soon that the best might not promise to themselves a supercedeas or interpret any place of Scripture so literally as if the Lord had promised an absolute general immunity and defence of his own people from this disease of the Plague Now the Citizens of London are put to a stop in the carrier of their trade they begin to fear whom they converse withall and deal withall least they should have come out of infected places Now roses and other sweet flowers wither in the Gardens are dis-regarded in the Markets and People dare not offer them to their noses lest with their sweet savour that which is infectious should be attracted Rue and Wormwood is taken into the hand Myrrhe and Zedoary into the mouth and without some antidote few stir abroad in the morning Now many houses are shut up where the Plague comes and the inhabitants shut in lest coming abroad they should spread infection It was very dismal to behold the red Crosses and read in great letters Lord have mercy upon us on the doors and Watchmen standing before them with Halberts and such a solitude about those places and people passing by them so gingerly and with such fearful looks as if they had been lined with enemies in ambush that waited to destroy them Now rich Tradesmen provide themselves to depart if they have not Country-houses they seek lodgings abroad for themselves and families and the poorer tradesmen that they may imitate the rich in their fear stretch themselves to take a Country journey though they have scarce wherewithall to bring them back again The Ministers also many of them take occasion to go to their Country places for the Summer time or it may be to find out some few of their Parishioners that were gone before them leaving the greatest part of their flock without food or physick in the time of their greatest need I don't speak of all Ministers those which did stay out of choice and duty deserve true honour possibly they might think God was now preaching to the City and what need their preaching or rather did not the thunder of Gods voice affrighten their guilty consciences and make them fly away lest a bolt from Heaven should fall upon them and spoil their preaching for the future and therefore they would reserve themselves till the people had less need of them I do not blame many Citizens retiring when there was so little trading and the presence of all might have helped forward the increase and spreading of the infection but how did guilt drive many away where duty would have engaged them to stay in the place Now the high waies are thronged with passengers and goods London doth emptie it self into the Country great are the stirs and hurries in London by the removal of so many families fear puts many thousands on the wing and those think themselves most safe that can flie furthest off from the City In Iuly the Plague encreaseth and prevaileth exceedingly the number of 470. which died in one week by the disease ariseth to 725 the next week to 1089 the next to 1843 the next to 2010 the next Now the Plague compasseth the walls of the City like a flood and poureth in upon it Now most Parishes are infected both without and within yea there are not so many houses shut up by the Plague as by the owners forsaking of them for fear of it and though the Inhabitants be so exceedingly decreased by the departure of so many thousands yet the number of dying persons doth increase fearfully Now the Countries keep guards left infections persons should from the City bring the disease unto them most of the rich are now gone and the middle sort will not stay behind but the poor are forced through poverty to stay and abide the storm Now most faces gather paleness and what dismal apprehensions do then fill the minds what dreadful fears do there possess the spirits especially of those whose consciences are full of guilt and have not made their peace with God the old drunkards and swearers and unclean persons are brought into great straits they look on the right hand and on the left and death is marching towards them from every part and they know not whither to flie that they may escape it Now the Arrows begin to flie very thick about their ears and they see many fellow-sinners fall before their faces expecting every hour themselves to be smitten and the very sinking fears they have had of the Plague hath brought the Plague and death upon many some by the sight of a Coffin in the streets have fallen into a shivering and immediatly the disease hath assaulted them and Sergeant Death hath arrested them and clapt too the
Slanderers forbear your backbiting slanderous speeches forbear devouring words which swallow up the good name of your neighbours let not your throats be like open Sepulchres to entombe their Reputation Take heed your tongues do not utter slanders and reproaches devised by your selves be carefull also that you do not spread such Calumnies as others have devised Receive not any accusation against your Neighbours without good proof drive away backbiting tongues with an angry countenance and if you must hear of others faults let love conceal them as much as may be from the knowledge of others rather speak to themselves what you hear and reprove them if the things be scandalous with prudence love and a spirit of meekness Remember the command Tit. 3. 2. Speak evil of no man And take heed of the sinfull practice of the Women described 1 Tim. 5. 13. They learn to be idle wandring about from house to house and not only idle but Tatlers also and busie-bodies speaking things which they ought not Where your tongues have been instrumental to wound others and your selves withall by slanderous speeches make use of the same instrument for healing labour to heal your selves by Confession of your sin to God and to heal others by acknowledging to them the wrong you have done them labour to lick whole their fame and by good words to promote their esteem which you have unjustly taken away Labour for so much humility and brotherly love as to be as tender of their good Name and fame as your own and in honour to preferr them above your selves which will make you ready to hide their faults and keep you from evil furmises and evil slanderous speeches 6. Revilers turn from your evil wayes Reviling and slandering often go together as proceeding both from the same root of malice and hatred yet sometimes the malice is kept more close when Warr is in the heart and mischief is inwardly devised and the Name secretly wounded with slanders behinde the back the tongue doth flatter and like a Honey-comb doth drop nothing but sweet words before the face The sin of Reviling is open and spits forth rancour and malice into the face and breaks forth into bitter speeches for the shame and disgrace of such persons against whom they are spoken though Revilers disgrace themselves more by the weakness and ill government of spirit which hereby they discover Revilers refrain your angry bitter speeches Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice Eph. 4. 31. Do not quarrel and contend do not break forth into brawls and clamours and bitter reviling speeches against such as give you no occasion but desire to live at peace with you and if others are angry and quarrel with you labour to pacifie their anger do not stir up the coals by your bitter retorts when you are reviled revile not again like our Saviour 1 Pet. 2. 23. Render not evil for evil nor railing for railing but contrariwise blessing 1 Pet. 3. 9. The second blow breeds the quarrel and the second reviling word breeds the strife give to a hard speech the return of a soft answer Prov. 15. 1. A soft answer turneth away wrath but grievous words stir up anger And Prov. 25. 15. Long forbearance is of great perswasion and a soft tongue breaketh a bone there is a marvelous force in a meek reception of bitter speeches to appease anger and molifie the spirits of those which are most fierce whereas grievous and bitter returns stir up unto greater contention Revenge not your selves with the hand neither revenge your selves with the tongue revile not your enemies but love them and pray for them and do good to them feed and cloath them and heap coals upon their head Matth. 5. 44. Rom. 12. 19 20. Be gentle shewing all meekness to all men Tit. 3. 2. especially revile not your friends take heed of stirring up strife in the house where you live be of a peaceable disposition above all take heed of reviling Christs friends Gods children revile not the Saints remember that no revilers especially such revilers that persevere in that sin shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 10. and when the Lord Jesus cometh at the last day he will execute judgement upon the ungodly for their hard speeches which they have spoken against him in speaking against his people Iude 15. Revilers govern your tongues If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue that mans religion is vain Jam. 1. 26. would you govern your selves well according to Scripture rules bridle and govern your tongues Jam. 3. 3 4. Behold we put bits into the Horses mouths that they may obey us and we turn about their whole body Behold also the Ships which though they be so great and are driven of fierce winds yet they are turned about with a very small helm withersoever the governour listeth Put a bit upon this little member and you may the better have all the rest at command and keep your selves in when otherwise vented passions like wilde horses without rains may carry you into many a precipice when otherwise the fierce storms of your minds may break forth and drive you upon rocks and shelves and shipwrack both soul and body together There is a world of iniquity in the tongue which defileth the whole body the tongue is a fire which setteth on fire the whole course of nature and it self is set on fire of Hell y. 6. get the former fire quenched get the heat of your tongues cooled as you would escape the latter fire I mean the fire of Hell from whence the former fire doth proceed and unto which it will certainly bring you The tongue is full of deadly poison it is an unruly evil which no man can tame when by art the wildest beasts may and have been tamed v. 7 8. others cannot tame your tongues but you may get them tamed your selves put them under the government of Christ and he will tame them get your passions tamed within and you may tame this member which is the instrument that they make use of to vent themselves in your revilings keep guard and sentinel before the door of your lips and watch your words that you offend not with your tongues 7. Persecutors turn from your evil waies Forbear persecuting the people of God who desire your good and are the best safeguard and defence by their prayers and faith of the places where they live from miseries and destruction is it good for you to hew at the bough on which you stand over such a deep into which if you should fall it will be impossible for you to recover your selves again is it good for you to pull at the Pillars of the house which if you pluck down will bring the house upon you and bury you in its ruines is it good to put your selves under the burdensome stone which will grinde you to