polishing instruments that so they may be made to shine as the sun in the firmament and put in case to see God when made lâ—ke him But besides that his purpose of having them in his company for ever puâ—s him to be at the pains of making them meet even by the â—hâ—ngs that they suffer as the mean which he graciously wisely useth and ordereth for that end to be partakers of the inheritance of the sâ—iâ—ts in light as is cleare comparing Coloss. 1 11. vvith 12. he minds to be familiar vvith them here alâ—o and admit them sometime vvhile in the vvay in the vvildernesse to eat Manna and to feast theiâ— souls in the begun fuitions of God and therefore to commend endeare this life unto them he makes the vvorld mingle a cup of gall vvorm vvood put it in their hand hold it to their head he beats them off from the vvorld that vvould vvrong them in into his ovvn boâ—ome O blessed repose the place indeed vvhere the vvearie finde both rest and refreshing But here I must be abrupt and leave the matter to be dilated and dwelt upon by you in yoâ—â— Meditation Onely let me say that the serious minding of these things would not onely prove a happie diversion and prevent the fretings of your mind by an unprofitable poreing upon your fiery afâ—liction But it would be the certain way to give you meat out of this eaterâ— Your mind would not onely be keep 't from being grangrened into impatience and galled with the load which lies upon your loins But you would be made glade and comforted over all yoâ—r sorrowes sufferings by beholding the end of the Lord the gracious designe he is driveing about you which is to make you up for ever by bâ—ing â—â—us undone And to order these light afflictions which are but for a moment so as thâ—y shall work for you a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory This is that wheel wiâ—hiâ— all â—â—ese wheels this is his purpose towards you the thoughts of whose heart take place in all Generations These things are upon his heart he cannot misse what he aimes at therefore you cannot be miserable amidst all the miseries you suffer from them who cast iniquitie upon you in wrath haâ—e you Nay therefore you cannot misse to be happy amidst all these he hath blessed you you shall be so But deare friends besides this general Consideration of your sin mine which is necessary for our profiting by every touch of his hand suffer me to suggâ—st the necessity of a particuâ—ar enquiry for when ever the Lord doth pursue a Church or a Land wiâ—h such a Church-desolating Land-destroying stroke as we have been under these so many yeers thouâ—h wickednesse violence in this assault upon you is come to such a Prodigious height as it is a surprise matter of astonishment to all who look on nay I am perswaded if noâ— many yeers ago it had been told these who have given the oâ—ders that they would do what now â—hâ—y boâ—h do defend they would have given Hâ—zaels answer he is then particularly pointing at some high and pâ—blick Provocation which his soul hates wherein that Church Nation is involved and whâ—reby thâ—y have made themselves deeply guiltie There is some accursed thing amongst that People Church when he breaks down what he had built gives up the dearely beloved of his soul into the hand of her enâ—mies which is our present condition And when it is thus It is high time to awake out of sleep to consider â—hat this is to enquire and accomplish a diligent search for finding that out for which his anger is fallen upon them lest God both search out the iniquitie of that people till he finde none search out the iniquity of their refusing to search then sweep them away as a generation of his wrath seperat them for evil as those in whom his soul hath no pleasure Nay that which will certainly make a generation a generation of his wrath cause him heap mischâ—ifs upon them spend his arrowes upoâ— them is when after such a fire is kindlâ—d as threatâ—ns the consumption of all with its flame men are not awakened to enquire what meaneth the heat of this great anger O when they are so unfaithful as either to be silent when they see it or are so oraculous in their â—inting at the guilt in stead of acquiting themâ—elves so faithfully to God so affectionatly to the souls of the unconcerned as to point it forth be so plain as thâ—y may thereby cause them to know their abominations as if they designed not to be understood I grant men may mistake in assigning causes and happy is that land which haâ—h these amongst them in such a day to whom the mouâ—h of the Lord hath spoken that they may dâ—clare it for what the land perisheth And yet if we will search the Scriptures and consult the records of the Church in her several periods we will finde that publick Church-desolating judgements had ever the guilt of that people so evidently engraven on them as he who did run might have read iâ— so that the dispensation seemed to cry every one into the consideration of the clearly procuring provocation and say O Generation see the Word of the Lord When he executs the judgement writen then he cloths his word with such a visible Garment as the man of wisdom must read his name of righteousnesse upon his rod and the gâ—â—lt of that people whom he so punisheth All of us therefore are called to a serious consideration of the causâ—s of Gods displeasure drawne out to such a length and arisen to such a height against us What then doeth such a stroke What doth such a Church-ruine after such a blessed reformation I neither feare nor blush to call it blessed notwithstanding of an act rescissory made to bury it and the belchings forth of enemies against it and all the Blashphemings of that great and good work of God by the Adversaries thereof I say what doth it say to us I cannot give the answer in more proper and plaint ermes than in the Prophet Jeremiah his words Chap. 22. where the question is proposed v. 8. by all that passe by wherefore thath the Lâ—rd done this unto this great City The Answer is given v. 9. Because they hâ—â—e foresaken ehe Covenant of the Lord their God Which is â—his upon the matter they had made themselves monsters for sin and God hath made them marvells for judgement and seâ— up a monument to the commendation of his righteousnesse over the ruine of these Covenantâ—breakers what means this sad change that the Lord who rejoyced over us to do us good and to multiply us is now turned against us as if he were rejoyceing over us to destroy us and to bring us to nought Oh! This his anger with such a
are they who have continued with me in my Tentations I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom judge them who now judge condâ—mne you you are the poor company who were not ashamed to be put to shame for my â—ake therefoâ—e I will not be ashamed of you but I will confesse you before my Father and before his Angels You are they they who have witnessed your love and loyaltie to me your zeal for my crown and Scepter when your Rulers as incensed against me did by their Law Un-king me in persecuting of you crucified me againe come you shall enter into my joy you shâ—ll fit with me upon my throne to the everlasting confusion of these my enemies who would not that I should reigne over them they shall not onely see you crowned but crowned upon the account of what they put you to sufâ—er Yea in the day when they shall be sisted before my tribunal sentenced shut out of my sight for ever â—hey shall have this added to make their shame unspeakeable they shall not onely see you glorified with me when I am set upon the throne of my glory but sitting also as my Assessâ—rs to judge these your proud persecuters saying Amen to the righteousnesse of my sentence All their savage severiâ—ies all your sorrowes sufferings will come in remembrance in that day to be accordingly rewarded Not onely shall you much honoured Gentlemen who in testimony that you dare not concurre in this opposition to Christ give it under your hand to obstruct â—he coming of his Kingdom by subscribing such bonds as Tests of your Loyaltiâ— to men which would bring upon your soul the crime of lesâ—e Majestiâ— and conclude you guilâ—ie of disloyaltie against the Lord's anointed for which noble opposition to that course of iniquâ—tie some of you are shuâ— up in prisonâ— others are denounced not onely shall you have all your losses made up by that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory O the eternal weight and the infinit worth of that glory to which all the sufferings of thiâ— life are not worthy to be compared O how much is the inheritance of the saints in light and that hope laid up for you in heaven above your houses inheritances â—nd lands which you have ventured to lose for him But you Tenants also yea the Poorest Coâ—tar likewise who hath sufferred any thing for him shâ—ll have no lower reward than the Confessors crown that crown of glory that fadeth â—oâ— away He will noâ— onâ—ly take noâ—ice of all the horrid plunderings of all the baâ—barous and inhumane beatings woundings and unheard of insolencis of these savage Saracens who have been made use of against you But of all your sore heaâ—ts of all your smothered sighs for he does not hide his eare at his peoples breathing when the eneâ—y cuts oâ—â— their life in â—he dungeon and casts a stone upon them of all your overwhelming greifs and teares shed not so much becaâ—se that the enemie had entered â—nto your houses and â—aten up your bread as because they had robbâ—d you of the Gospel caused your solemne and sweeeâ— asâ—emblâ—es to cease and did not sufâ—er your bread for your soul to come into the house of the Loâ—d For though the â—oâ—d had given you the bread of adversitie and the water of afâ—liction yet if the â—ospel had been left you if your teachers had not been removed into corners if your eyes had seen these and if you did still heare the joyful found had accesâ—e to be made glade in his house of prayer it would have comforted you over all these things you have suffered But it is for being robbed of the bread of life you weep the desolation of the mountain of Zion makes your eyes dim And will he hold his peace at such teares will he not heare the voice of such weeping nay all your wanderings are marked and all your teares if there were but one that had trickled down from your eye aswell as your blood is regairded Thou tellest my wandering said that persecuted man thou putest my teares the word is my teare to shew that not one drop falls by and that if it were but one it is keeped and well keeped in thy bottle he doth in great tendernesse towards you keep all the teares you weep in his bottle that in due time he may poure them out to you in the wine of strong consolation His eye hath seen who have been made to suffer these things from the enemies of humanitie aswell as Christianitie which I forbeare to mention by their proper names as not knowing if I should how to comfort those who have suffered such things leaving that to him vvho can and vvho vvill He hath taken notice of all the thefts committed amongst you the least brat of old cloths that hath been stollen from you or stript off you hath not escaped his observation this is marked by him and marked on purpose that he may in place thereof cloth you with rich and glorious robs and classe you in that beautiful company Rev. 7. of whom it is said these are they who came out of great tribulation c. You are novv Princes in Pilgâ—ims weeds because under your rags lies hide a tittle to the glorious crown but in that day your rags will be taken away and you vvill appeare illustrious Princes indeed nay the beatings yea outragious boastings and threatenings of the poorest Lad or Lasse shall not be forgotten it had been better for them who gave the orders put them in execution that a milston had been hanged about their neck and they cast into the midst of the Sea than thus to have handled one of his little ones upon such an account nay the weeping of poor little Children for want of food while the mothers milk was dried up or was as poison their pale faces patâ—ly with feare partly with famine shall be remembred as a part of your â—estimonie and that which shall certainly fill up the cup of these Amorites But vvhat should I say Beloved Sufferers right honourable Nobles if any of your names be found in that rol â—d found out of the roll of the Banders for now it is not many noble and the more the shame and pitie but if there be but one oâ— two of that tribe the more noble much honoured and happiâ— Gentlemâ—n who to mâ—kâ— it appeare you have first given your own selves unto the Lord would not prig with him aâ—out your houâ—es your inheritances nor your lands but carried as at a point to parâ— with hâ—s thâ—ng for him which you had received from him as having but little pleasure to be possâ—ssed of any thing after he vvas dispossessed by law of his house heritage o wicked and vain attempt their hands shall not be able to performe their interprise but the counsel
zeal for God witnessed by their faithful forwardnesse while with my self and others there was scarce the smoaking of a flaxe Though yet he may graciously condescend even to make our hair grow againe so make use of oâ—r hâ—nds aboâ—t his work and put us in case to shake ourselves as his Servants have done at other times Yet Thirdly to the end the poor People of the Lord may not be frighted nor fainted into a despondency let me adde this That deliverance to the people of God in his own time way and manner which I leave vvholly to Himself and that a great and glorious one shall come And this is no lesse cerâ—ain than that Iâ—hoâ—ah cannot fail to establish the Throne of his Anointed Nay if all the Kings of â—he Earth should agree amongst themselves to set up one Monarch invest him with the power of our Supremacy yet all the povver they could make managed vvith all the Policy in hell or out of â—ell shâ—uld not be able to setle that Crovvn upon the Head of that Mortal But tâ—e Immorâ—al God should with the omnipotent Power of his right arme shake that Usurper out of his seat and setle the Throne of his Anointed upon the ruine of his Adversaries Hath he said it hath he sworne it and shâ—ll not the Zeal of Iehovah performe it Hath Christ bought his Crown aâ—d Scepter with his Blood and hath he such a tittle and right to it And hath he all power in Heaven and in Earth for securing himself in the possession of his purchase And shall any mortal oâ—ter to mount his Throne Shall any mortal offer to stripe him of this Glory pull the Crown from his Head and cloth himâ—elf with the spoils of the Mediator's honour and be able to keep himself in possession of what he hath taken from the Son of God O vain attempt Let them answer these Questions put unto them Psal. 2 vers 1 2. and read â—heâ—r doom Vâ—râ— 4 5. O! the Mediator's Iron rod put in his hand for securing to him his royal Scepter shall make the potsheads of the Earth by dashing them in pieces know whaâ— it is â—o strive with hâ—m for state And here let me adde these things shortly Fiâ—st Aâ— in the way he shall take to aâ—complâ—sh our delivery his holy and hot Indignation againâ—t breach of Covenant with God shall be witnessed to the conviction even of sucâ— who decâ—eâ—d it for the breach oâ— Covenaâ—t with him shall either breack Brittaâ—'s Heart or Head so Secondly It shall be seen to have a most convincingly closs connexion with the vengeanceâ— wherewith our Supâ—â—mâ—cy shall be pursued The Mediators Zeâ—l against this idol of indâ—â—nation shall be written on the revenges he will take for it And in the day when he raiâ—eth up a paâ—tie to state the quarrel upon this Head how despicable and contemptible so ever they may appeare thâ—n it shall appeare he is about rescinding of our Supremacy for rescinded it shall be and if they will not he will Nay because they will not he shall For his Crown must flowrish on his own Head and all his Enemies must be clothed with shame setting that Crown with pure gold upon his Head from whose Head it is taken by our Law And Thirdly Let me adde this and so I have done that as their rage and violence in this late invasion made upon you in pursueance of the designe of a full and final setlement of themselves in the possession of what they have taken from Jesus Christ by the ruine and overthrow of all whose way speakes the least of resistance even to a non-complianceâ— hath been an high transport of rage whereby they have been carried beyond all the Boundaries of Law and Reason So I have as little doubt but God shall make the connexion betwixt his arising to deliver his People their having risen up thus to delete and destroy them at once so closs and so cleare how long so ever he delay it as it shall be no matter of difâ—icultie for any who wisely considers these things to observe what dependance upon connexion with the deliverance of the People of the Lord hath as to it 's visible rise with this their horrid and inhumane violence He is the Lord whâ— will hasten these things in his time Do not therefore beloved Sufferers for Christ suffer your hearts to sink into a despondency The cause is His and he will plead yea thorowly plead that cause which is his own And this shall be your Crown and Comfort to continue contending for him for so the cause that is so purely his becomes the cause of your Soul and if you should fall in this conflict and die suffering Besides that you fall in the bed of honour fall asleep in the blessed expectation of the conquerours Crown this your cause will out live all it's Enemies and have a glorious Resurrection and your wrestlings and witnessings and sufferings as they will be rewarded in Heaven so they shall be recorded on Earth Therefore lift up the hands that hang dovvn and strengthen the freeble knees The sâ—me yea greater afflictions have been accomplished in your Brethren which have been in the World and as the God of all Grace after they had suffered a vvhile made them perfect and put them in possession of that eternal Glory to vvhich they vvere called by Jesus Christâ— so shall he stablish strengthen settle and keep you â—rom falling and after all your sorrovves and sufferings present you faultlesse before the presence of his Glory vvith exceeding joy Pray for Your poor Welwisher and Companion in Tribulation