manifold Provocations †Hos 4.1 2 3. Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the LORD hath a controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no Truth nor Mercy nor Knowledg of God in the Land By Swearing and Lying and Killing and Stealing and committing Adultery they break out and Blood toucheth Blood Therefore shall the Land mourne and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish with the Beasts of the Field and with the Fowles of Heaven yea the Fishes of the Sea also shall be taken away Thus the Commonnesse of sinne is the Ground of Gods entring a Controversie against a Land Thus the Land of Israel was become a sink of sinne before God empty'd out upon it his Vials of Wrath. And so does our English Prophet * De Excid Britan. Gildas shew us how England was overspread with sins Adultery Drunkennesse Oppression c. before it was overwhelm'd with Judgements When men flie far from God in the commission of all sorts of sinnes then does God come near to them in the Execution of his sorest Judgements Such was the carriage of the Rebellious Jews towards God and thus did the Righteous God deale with his People the Jews I will come near to you sayes the LORD to them †Mal. 3.5 to Judgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false Swearers and against those that oppresse the Hireling in his Wages the Widow and the Fatherlesse and that turn aside the stranger from his Right and fear not me saith the LORD of Hosts It s sin thus abounding which changes the Countenance and Constitution of the Times whence of sound and good they become distemper'd and evil Hence is it that the smiling Face of Time is alter'd and beholds us with a languishing Look Hence it is that the most fruitful Seasons are punisht with a barren womb Hence it is that the most joyful Dayes which almost continually appear'd in Festival Garments come forth drooping in a mourning Dress hanging down the Head both for shame and sorrow Much to this purpose does the Father speak as it were with a sigh to his Children his Auditors in his Sermon upon the the Famine and Drought * Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold sayes he how our abounding sinnes our multiply'd Abominations have chang'd the Temper of the Times striping them naked as it were of their proper natures and have drawn strange lineaments upon the Face of the Seasons altering the very Native temperament and fixt constitution thereof 'T is indeed nothing but sin that furrowes the beautiful Face of Time with the frownes and wrinkles of affliction and sorrow 'T is sinne which often alters the Seasons changing Summer into Winter Calms into storms the Summer of Peace Plenty Prosperity into the Winter of Affliction Scarcity and Warre When sinne thus casts its Spawne into the Waters of Time it produces a numerous off-spring of sufferings and sorrows Miseries and Calamities to the Children of men The second Case The Generality of Offendours WHen all sorts of men transgresse both Great and Small Rich and Poore Princes and People Noble and Obscure the Times must needs be perillous Thus before God brought the Flood upon the World †Gen. 6.12 all Flesh had corrupted â—his way upon the Earth Thus not onely were the Common People of Israel * Isa 1.3 4 Ignorant and Profane but their †ver 23. Princes were rebellious and companions of Thieves and then the LORD comes forth to * ver 24. execute Judgement on his Adversaries and to avenge himself on his enemies The Prophet Jeremy knowing that unlesse the righteous stand in the Gap the Judgements of God would soon break out upon a Rebellious People having in the Name of the Lord call'd upon others to run to and fro to seek such out he himself runs from one sort of men to another to find them but when he finds none he denounces the Judgements of God against a people so Generally corrupt and wicked Behold herein the justice and goodnesse of God with the complaint and carriage of the Prophet For sayes the Lord †Jer. 5 1-6 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can finde a man if there be any that executeth Judgement that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it And though they say the LORD liveth surely they swear falsely O LORD are not thine eyes upon the Truth Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive Correction they have made their Faces harder then a Rock hey have refused to returne Therefore I said Surâ—ly these are poore they are foolish for they know not the way of the LORD nor the Judgement of their God I will get me unto the Great men and will spâ—aâ— unto them for they have known the way of the LORD and the Judgement of their God but these have altogether broken the Yoke and burst the Bonds Wherefore a Lion out of the Forrest shall slay them and a Wolfe of the Evenings shall spoile them a Leopard shall watch over their Cities Every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces because their Transgressions are many and their Backslidings are increased So likewise does the Lord by the Prophet Ezekiel complaine of the Corruption of the Priests Princes Prophets and People of Judah and Jerusalem for which he severely punisht them in the fiercenesse of his Wrath and fiery Indignation Sonne of man saith the LORD * Ezek. 22 24-31 say unto her Thou art the Land that is not cleansed nor rained upon in the Day of indignation There is a conspiracy of her Prophets in the midst thereof like a roaring Lion ravening the prey they have devoured souls They have taken the treasure and precious things they have made her many Widows in the midst thereof Her Priests have violated my Law and have profaned my holy Things they have put no difference between the Holy and Profane neither have they shew'd difference between the uncleane and the cleane and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am profaned among them Her Princes in the midst thereof are like Wolves ravening the prey to shed Blood and to destroy soules to get dishonest Gain And her Prophets have daubed them with untemper'd Mortar seeing Vanity and Divining Lies unto them saying Thus saith the Lord GOD when the LORD hath not spoken The People of the Land have used Oppression and exercised Robbery and have vexed the Poore and Needy yea they have oppressed the Stranger wrongfully And I sought for a man among them that should make up the Hedge and stand in the Gap before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none Therefore have I poured out
dissembled sayes Augustine is not Equity but double Iniquity because dissimulation is Iniquitie And the more glorious the Pretence is which covers a base Designe the more vile and wicked is the Person that thus audaciously steals the Robes of vertue to cloath his otherwise naked viliany Caligula the Romane Emperour was never more Profane then when in his Pride he would put on the Vestments of the Gods Nero within and Cato without is an abhor'd Monster in the Church of God When the Devil appears in the habit of Samuel 't is but to prophecy the prevalency of the Philistines and the Overthrow of Israel When Pernicious Projects are vail'd with glorious Pretences the Times are perillous When Piety is made subservient to Policy and Gain is accounted Godlinesse This is not Religion but Robbery Latro est Domum Dei convertit in speluncam Latronum qui Lucra de Religione sectatur cultusque ejus non tam Cultus Dei quam negotiationis occasio est †Hier. sup Mâ—t. l. 4. He is a Robber says Jerome and turns the House of God into a Den of Thieves who takes up Religion meerly for the getting of Gain and whose worship of God serves onely for a fitter Occasion to advance his Trading in the World And we know it was not long after the Temple was made a Den of Thieves that it became a heap of Ruines The Times are perillous when the Royal stamp is put upon counterfeit coine and self-interest is called the Cause of God And the Danger is greater according to the Degree of the Person Self-seeking especially under plausible pretences of the Good of the People is extreamly pernicious in such Persons as have the chiefest Power in their hands which ought not to be used as an Engine for the advancement of mens private Interests but to be ever put to the best improvement for the Publick Good And therefore the pious and learned Father makes this the great difference betwixt a Tyrant who rules after his own Lusts and a King that governes his People by good and wholesom Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this sayes he does a Tyrant differ from a King that the one has still an Eye to his own Interests the other lays out himself for the Good of his Subjects But yet amongst a People professing godlinesse such Tyrants which makes their wickednesse so much the worse are wont to pretend the interests of Religion and the Honour of God for the colouring of their irregular enterprizes and the covering of their wicked intentions till they have accomplish't their cursed Designes and so attain'd their own ends So the bloody Nero in the beginning of his Reigne made great Pretences of Piety but when he was establisht in his Empire he delighted in nothing but wickednesse and cruelty And how perillous those Times were to the Christian Church the Teares and Blood of many thousand persecuted Christians gave sufficient Testimony whose †Rev. 6.9 10 Souls are under the Altar of God still crying with a loud Voice and saying How long O Lord Holy and True dost thou not judge and avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth But now was it not for such faire Pretences these bloody Tyrants could never so smoothly carry on such foule Enormities to a full accomplishment It 's the Glory of God therefore which they pretend to the world to be the End of their audacious Actings but their own Names are firmly wrought into that Shield of Gods Glory which they hold out to the world for the Protection of the basest Designes as it s said the Name of Phidias was by his curious Art wrought into the Shield of Minerva Wo be to the People that are subjected to the Power of such pernicious persons for these aâ—e they which do with a witnesse make the Times perillous The Times then are perillous when glorious Titles are stampt upon base Designs and glorious ends are pretended for the crediting of such Enormous Actions as Religion cannot but blush that they should be called her children Thus Celsus the Philosopher having written a Defence of Paganisme gilds over his rotten wood with this golden Title or Inscription Verbum Veritatis †Orig. contra Cels l. 2. The Word of Truth Thus Absalom pretended a solemne Act of Religion in paying his Vow unto God when having plotted a cursed Treason he went on purpose to raise a bloody Rebellion against his Prince and Father * 2 Sam. 15 7-10 Thâ—â— Jâ—hu pretended the Reformation of Religion when he sought nothing but the establishment of the Kingdome to himself †2 King 9 and 10. and therefore the executions done by him though according to Gods Order and Appointment * 2 King 9.6 7 are charged upon him as so many bloody Murthers soliciting the Divine Vengeance For sayes the Lord †Hos 1.4 yet a little while and I will avenge the Blood of Jezreel i. e. the bloodshed in Jezreel * 2 King 9 15 24 25 26 30. ult the Royal City of the Land of Issachar †Josh 19.17 18. upon the House of Jehu and will cause to cease the Kingdome of the House of Israel Thus one wicked Tyrant may be the Ruine of the whole Kingdome Yet does this bloody Wretch this Self-seeking Jehu while he was yet reeking in Blood and hot in pursuing his selfish Designes boast of his zeal for the Cause of God Come sayes he to Jehonadab * 2 King 10.15 16. Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD Thus do many wear a Cloak of Zeal upon a Habit of Vice Thus Saul out of his Zeale for the Israelites became a bloody Butcher of the Gibeonites and so brought a plague upon the whole Land of Israel †2 Sam. 21 1 2 Thus that wicked Ahab proclaimes a Fast for the putting to death of Naboth that he might take to himself his Vineyard and so by one Act involves himself in the guilt of Murder Perjury and unjust Usurpation of the Right and Possession of the Innocent and Righteous * 1 King 21 12-16 So the Historian tells us of the Devilish Policy of Hanno a rich Prince of the Carthaginians who having laid a desiâ—ne for the Destruction of the whole Seâ—ate herein worse then Heliogabalus whose Pride was satisfi'd in the Expulsion of the Senators †Fulg. l. 9. c. 5. made use of a sacred Sâ—lemnity in the Celebration of his Daughters Marriage Ut Religione Votorum nefanda committeret nefanda Commenta facilius tegerentur * Justin Hist l. 21. For the Execution and Concealment of his Damnable Designe and Hellish Treason Thus did the Monster of men Herod pretend he would †Mat. 2.8 worship Christ whilst he was plotting to murder him in the prosecution of which bloody Designe he cruelly * Mat. 2.16 put to death as it is thought about fourteen thousand Innocents the
then your Border ye that in your carnal security put far away the Evil Day the Day wherein God will call you to account for all your miscarriages and severely punish you for all your provocations though you now that you may the more securely continue in your sinnes put the Thoughts thereof far from you and cause the Seat of Violence to come neare * Amos 6.1 2 3. That is sayes Diodate You Chieftains who put away far from you all thought and fear of Gods Judgements and in the meane while joyne with and draw near to Publick Tyranny as if sinnes and their punishments could go the one without the other But Gods Judgements will for certaine at length surprize secure sinners The Danger must needs be great when men live secure in the guilt of those sinnes and Provocations whereby they have made God himself to become their Enemy When men presume of safety meerly because they prosper in their sinnes and are settled on their Lees because they are not yet empty'd from vessel to vessel in the execution of the Lords Judgements that think with themselves because God hath hitherto let them alone he will neither meddle nor make in any thing that concernes them Dreadful is the day of the Lords Wrath which is at hand when he will narrowly search out these secure sinners and severely punish them for all their Provocations For sayes the Lord †Am. 1.12 18 It shall come to pass at that time which is prefixt for their punishment that I will search Jerusalem with Candles and punish the men that are settled on their Lees that say in their heart The LORD will not do good neither will he do evil Therefore their Goods shall become a Booty and their Houses a Desolation they shall also build Houses but not inhabit them and they shall plant Vineyards but not drink the Wine thereof The GREAT DAY of the LORD is near and hasteth greatly even the Voice of the DAY of the LORD the mighty man shall cry there bitterly That Day is a DAY of WRATH a Day of trouble and distresse a Day of Wastness and Desolation a Day of Darknesse and Gloominesse a Day of Clouds and thick Darkness a Day of the Trumpet and Alarme against the fenced Cities and against the high Towers And I will bring distress upon men that they shall walk like blinde men because they have sinned against the LORD and their Blood shall be poured out as Dust and their Flesh as the Dung Neither their SILVER nor their GOLD shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORDS WRATH but the whole Land shall he devoured by the fire of his Jealousie for he shall make a speedy Riddance of all them that dwell in the Land Thus presumptuous and secure sinners may at length pluck down dreadful Judgements both upon themselves and the whole Land When such sinners are to be found in Zion the Times must needs be perillous Before the persecution in Bohemia the Churches there having had a long continued calme of Peace in the plentiful enjoyment of the Gospel and means of grace men began to grow extreame loose in their Lives and very secure in their sinnes though they were guilty of many and great Provocations insomuch as many pious and prudent men began to presage that some horrible storme would suddenly arise and some fearful tempest would fall upon them And the Event answer'd the Expectation Now how perillous are those Times wherein the Judgements of God are ready every moment to fall upon the Heads of a secure People When every man minds his own private concernments and little regards the Publick when no man duly lays to heart the sinnes of the Times or mournes for those Abominations whereby the Lord is provoked to destroy the Land when no man * See Isa 64.6 7. stirs up himself to take hold on the LORD and call upon his holy Name When Gods own people do not so take notice of the †Psal 28.5 Isa 5.12 Operation of his hands do not so seriously minde his Providential Dispensations and lay to heart the distracted condition of his Church as they ought when there is not that watchfulness that care and zeale for the cause of Christ that frequency and seriousness in seeking of God that there ought to be but an universal slumber and security is fallen upon the children of men it 's a sad Symptome of perillous Times Thus I have given you the Symptomes of perillous Times and have now completed the Number I intended But I shall adde one more by way of Corollary and Conclusion which carries in it a respect to all the rest The last but not least Symptome The Perill of Plain-dealing THe Times are then perillous When it s a perillous thing for a man to lay down the Symptomes of perillous Times They are the sins of men that make the Times perillous and thence must we draw the Symptomes of perillous Times Now the more obdurate men are in their sinnes the more Impatient they are of reproofs the more enraged they are at their Reprover hating him for telling them the Truth and persecuting him for warning them of the wrath to come the more perillous are the times Thus when the wicked and rebellious Jews were faithfully reproved by Stephen for those fearful sins whereof their own consciences told them they were deeply guilty as when he plainly told them to their faces that however they would be thought the onely people of God they were no better then Persecutors and Murderers persecutors of the best of men Murderers of the Sonne of God they were cut to the heart and gnashed upon him with their teeth and stoned him with stones to death * Acts 7.52 54 59. And who knows not that these were perillous Times to the People of God Yea these are perillous Times both to the Reprover and to the Reproved the one is in danger of Persecution from men the other is in Danger of Destruction from God Of such Times does the Lord speak by the Prophet Amos saying †Am. 5.10 they hate him that rebuketh in the Gate the place of Publick Conventions where wisdom cryeth to the simple * Pro. 1.21 and they abhorre him that speaketh uprightly not dealing deceitfully with them in the matters of the greatest concernment But what follows hereupon Forasmuch therefore saith the Lord †v. 11 12 13 as your treading is upon the Poore and ye take from him burdens of Wheat ye have built Houses of hewen stone but ye shall not dwell in them ye have planted pleasant Vineyards but ye shall not drink Wine of them For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sinnes they afflict the just they take a Bribe and they turne aside the poore in the Gate from their Right Therefore the Prudent shall keep * Nam sub Tyranno dicere quod velis periculosum quod nolis miserum est Plin. Ep. 14. l.
What dreadful Dayes may we yet live to see if the Lord should deal with us according to our Deservings How soon may the Clouds of heaven which were wont to drop down Blessings on our heads be dissolv'd into showers of Blood Ah my Beloved have you not read in the holy Scriptures what dreadful Judgements the Lord hath executed upon Cities Nations Kingdomes his own People yea the whole World Know you not that God turn'd the whole Earth into a Sea and destroy'd all Flesh save the Family of Noah with a Flood How he pour'd a Flood of Fire and Brimstone upon the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and consum'd them with Flames and turn'd that pleasant plain that was as the Garden of God * Gen. 13.10 into a noisome Lake How that God was wroth with his own people the children of Israel whom he had chosen to himself out of all the kindreds of the earth and slew them in the VVildernesse so that onely Joshua and Caleb of all those that came out of Egypt entred into Canaan And how often after they were possest of the Land of Canaan he sold them into the hands of their enemies that opprest them in the Time of the Judges How in the dayes of Eli he deliver'd them into the hands of the Philistines who slew them with a great slaughter insomuch that in one battel there fell of Israel thirty thousand Foot-men †2 Sam. 4.10 How the Lord sent a Pestilence amongst them in the dayes of David which raged so exceedingly that in three dayes space there dy'd of the people seventy thousand men * 2 Sam. 24 15 How the Lord brought the King of Babylon into Jerusalem who burnt the Temple of the Lord the Palace of the Prince and the Houses of the Nobles with Fire brake down the Wall thereof and utterly destroy'd the City carry'd both Princes and People Captives into Babylon where they endur'd a hard Bondage for threescore and ten years †2 Hing 25. and 2 Chro. 36.14 ult Now know you not that all these things happened unto them for ensamples unto us and that they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come * 1 Cor. 10 6 11. Oh do but consider seriously with your selves what were the Causes of all these fearful Judgements which God who is the Father of Mercies brought upon the men of the world yea upon his own People Were they not the sinnes of the Times whereby men pluckt down upon their own heads these Plagues and Punishments Now pause a little and consider seriously Are not the same sinnes that drew down Judgements upon them to be found amongst us Is not the Pride Luxury Lasciviousness Licenciousness Atheism Impieties of the old World to be found amongst us Are there not †Gen. 6.4 Mighty men Giants in worldly Greatness who employ their might in fighting against God in these our Dayes Are not the sins of Sodom to be found amongst us Is not the City and Land polluted with the vilest Impurities and Pollutions Are not the Murmurings Cruelties Injustice Oppressions Falshoods Covenant-breakings Revoltings neglect of Gods Worship Contempt of his Ordinances Hypocrisies of Israel to be found amongst the people of England Have we not then cause to tremble in the Apprehension of the judgements which hang over our heads especially if we seriously consider that those sinnes which severally in them drew down such dreadful judgements are to be found jointly in us and that notwithstanding the Light of the Gospel and the Meanes of grace plentifully enjoyed by us which are most fearful Aggravations of this dreadful guilt Nay is not the guilt of many horrid Blasphemies and hellish Impieties which have not been heard of in former Ages to be found amongst us Does it not make your hearts to tremble to consider that so many crying sins so many provoking impieties so many bloody Abominations should abound and reigne amongst us when for any one of them so reigning so abounding the whole Land might be involv'd in miseries and Confusion and Blood Are not these then perillous Times Surely it is of the LORDS mercies we are not consumed and because his compassions faile not * Lam. 3.22 But who knows how soon the Lord in his Justice may proceed to the execution of his Judgements upon us and so turne our Chephzibah a Land of Beauty the Lords Delight into an Acheldama a Field of Blood What then is to be done by us Christians for the Prevention of the Lords Judgements on a sinful Land O come and bring every one your two Buckets and pour them out before the Lord for the quenching of the Fire of the Lords wrath which is kindled against a sinful Nation Fasting and Weeping and Mourning hath been a way which hath proved very effectual for the turning away the sorest Judgements the diverting of the nearest Destruction Thus was the destruction of Jerusalem delay'd in the time of Josiah †2 King 22.19 20. the destruction of Nineveh in the Days of the Prophet Jonah * Jon. ch 3 This is that to which God calls at such a time as this in a Day of Danger and Distresse When the Lord had threatned terrible Judgements against Zion this was the duty to which by his Prophet he call'd the Inhabitants of Jerusalem †Joel 2 12-19 Therefore also now saith the LORD Turn ye even to me with all your Heart and with FASTING and with WEEPING and with MOURNING And rent your Hearts and not your Garments and turne unto the LORD your God for he is Gracious and Merciful sloâ— to Anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the Evil. Who knoweth if he will returne and repent and leave a blessing behind him even a meat-Offering and a drink-Offering to the LORD your God Blow the Trumpet in Zion sanctifie a FAST call a solemne Assembly Gather the People sanctifie the Congregation Assemble the Elders Gather the children and those that suck the Breasts Let the Bride-groom go forth of his Chamber and the Bâ—ide out of her closet Let the Priests the Ministers of the LORD weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy People O LORD and give not thine Heritage to reproach that the Heathen should rule over them Wherefore should they say among the People Where is their God Now mark what follows Then will the LORD be jealous for his Land and pity his People Yea the LORD will answer and say unto his People Behold I will send you Corn and Wine and Oyle and ye shall be satisfi'd therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the Heathen Now how great an encouragement should this be to us in perillous Times to seek the Lord solemnly seriously with Fasting and Prayer Do you ever remember that the Judgements of the Lord came upon his people while they were Fasting and Weeping and Mourning No when sinnners are Feasting
and Sporting and making Merry then does the Lord bring his judgements upon them even sudden destruction For sayes the holy Ghost When they shall say Peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a woman with childe and they shall not escape * 1 Thes 5.3 Do you know or have you consider'd what was the carriage of the men of the old world when the Lord brought the Flood upon them and of the children of Israel a little before they were carryed captive into Babylon Why the Scripture tells you that in the Dayes of Noah that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in Marriage until the day that Noah enter'd into the Ark and knew not untill the Flood came and took them all away †Mat. 24.38 39. They knew not that is they considered it not regarded it not For they had been warned of the coming of the Flood by the Preaching of Noah for the space of one hundred and twenty years and by his preparing an Ark for the preservation of himself and his own Family So the careless posture of the people of Israel in a free indulgence of their sensual Delights did but a little precede that cruel Captivity and bitter bondage which they so long sustained in Babylon * See Am. chap. 6. Now are not the people of the Land in these our Dayes generally senslesse of the crying sins and fearlesse of the following Judgements which may justly fall upon us Is it not time then for them that feare the Lord to lay these things to heart and to weep and mourne before the Lord for these Abominations Does it not both well become and neatly concerne the people of God in the Land to call one another to Fasting and Mourning and bitter Lamentation lest the Lord should kindle a fire in his wrath so that none can quench it O Christians can you sit still and be secure in such Times as these What do you not care how soone the Gospel the glory departs from England Do you not care what becomes of Religion what befalls the Church how soon you loose your Opportunities of enjoying the blessed Ordinances of the Gospel Oh are not these Opportunities precious are not the Ordinances of God precious are not the Ministers of the Gospel and the People of God precious in your Esteeme How then will your hearts bear it to see these Ministers of the Gospel murther'd these people of God led as sheep to the slaughtâ—r Alas you know not how near the Dayes may be wherein you may say Time was when we enjoy'd the Ordinances of God and had many opportunities of seeking the Face of God in the Assemblies of his Saints but alas now we aâ—e deprived of these enjoyments And oh will you not yet lay these things to heart so as to mourn before the Lord for those Evils whereby we have provoked the Lord to plague the whole Land with his Judgements and utterly to deprive us of these precious Priviledges Do you see no cause of Feare no signes of Danger Are not Sabbaths profan'd Ordinances contemn'd the Word despis'd the Sacraments slighted Ministers reviled Scriptures rejected the Spirit resisted Christ crucifi'd afresh and the Name of God blasphem'd amongst us Now are not these fearful Provocations of the most high God May not the despised Manna be restrained and God give us Quailes meat for our Lusts in wrath May not God justly punish mens wearinesse of his Worship with a Famine of his Word when men prize the World above the Word of God may not the Lord justly take away his Word and Gospel from such an unworthy people May not he suffer the seales of his Covenant the Pledges of his love to be taken away from us or polluted to us May not our Teachers be removed into a corner May not the Holy Scriptures the Well-springs of our Comforts and Joy be sealed up from us May not God take away his Holy Spirit from us that he may no more †Gen. 6.3 strive with a people devoted to destruction May not God charge upon the Land the guilt of his Sonnes Blood and revenge upon a rebellious people the wrong done to his owne Name Is it not then high time for us to * Am. 4.12 meet the Lord by Repentance and to humble our selves before him for the sins of the Land lest his indignation break forth upon us as a Breach of the Sea and there be no means left to escape Come then Christians and let us weep and mourne before the Lord. It may be he may regard our Tears and hear the voice of our weeping †Psal 6.8 and put on Bowels of Compassions towards us and spare our Land Who knows but the whole Land may fare the better for the sakes of a few Mourners in Zion Oh let 's every one labour to become one of that number So when the Lord shall arise and have mercy upon Zion we shall be called to partake of her Joy Rejoyce for joy with her saith the Lord * Isa 66.10 all ye that have mourned for her However Christians go into your Closets and weep before the Lord in secret for the sinnes whereby God is openly dishonour'd This was the holy resolution of the Prophet Jeremy upon the pride and stubbornnesse of the people of Judah the sad Symptomes of approaching Judgements Heare ye sayes he †and give eare * Jer. 13.15 16 17. be not proud for the LORD hath spoken Give glory to the LORD your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the dark Mountaines and while ye look for light he turne it into the shadow of Death and make it grosse Darknesse But if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride and mine eye shall weep sore and run down with teares because the LORDS Flock is carried away captive Now if you be of the number of those that mourn and sigh for the Abominations of the Times if the Lord shall bring his Judgements in your dayes upon the Land he will prepare his secret Chambers of providence for your preservation Thus the Lord sent his Angel to set a Mark upon the fore-heads of the men that mourn'd for the sinnes of Jerusalem that they might be spared when all the rest of the City by an impartial stroke were to suffer an inevitable destruction * See Ezek. 9 4-7 Thus Lot living in Sodom †2 Pet. 2.7 8. a lustful City vexed his righteous soul from day to day with a holy sorrow for the sins of the filthy Sodomites and so the Lord preserved him in the dreadful overthrow of that sinful City O then Christians mourne and weep for the sinnes of the Times the Abominations of the Age wherein you live and it may be you may by this means save the City save a Kingdome from destruction however you shall be sure to save your own
you can in a little time For when the Dayes are Evil you know not how little time you may have how few Opportunities of well-doing you may enjoy * Eph. 5.15 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fooles but as Wise Redeeming the Time because the Daies are evil The fourth Branch LIve in the exercise of your most excellent graces Let the Lustre of them appear in the eyes of the World that so you may diminish the Darknesse of an evil Generation When the Nights are darkest every one should be careful to hang out their Lights When the Sun the Chariot of Light hath carried the Day to another World the Night comes forth deckt with all her Jewels Search your Cabinets put on your Jewels exercise your Graces your Faith Love Patience Humility Zeale Hope Confidence and so labour to preserve a Day of Light and Holinesse in spight of all the encroachments of the darknesse of Sin and Vice Labour to be every whit as Good as others are Evil. Stir up your selves especially to the exercise of those Graces which stand in opposition to the reigning Vices of the Times Study to shew your selves as Active for God as others are for the World as truly Content with your condition as others are Covetous Oppressive Ambitious as Faithful as others are False as Pious as others are Profane as much to excel in Charity Moderation Humility as others exceed in Cruelty Censoriousnesse and Pride It well becomes Saints to be best when the Times are worst So Fire burnes hottest in the coldest weather and Stars shine brightest in the darkest Nights So shall you lift up the Name and Glory of God in the World and your lives shall be illustrious Testimonies for the cause of God against a wicked world Beg Grace of God therefore that in evil and perillous Times you may live to his Glory * Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blamelesse and Harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as Lights in the World The fifth Branch DAre to appear in your places for the Cause of God against the Evils of the Times Why should not every pious Christian dare to do more for God and the interests of his Glory then any profane Politician dares to do against him Why should you be afraid to appear on the stronger side It is indeed desperate Folly and Madnesse in impotent man to presume upon any action or undertaking which carries in it an apparent or consequential Opposition to an Omnipotent God upon whose Providence he hath a continual dependance insomuch as without some concurrence thereof he cannot move a Hand nor stirre a step Alas This Almighty God can with the least Finger of that glorious Hand by which he governes this All in one moment crush the greatest Armies of the mightiest men upon earth as a †Job 4.19 Moth and crumble them into dust But for the Saints that are guarded with an Omnipotent Arme they may with a holy confidence appear in the Cause of God against the most potent adversaries in the world For greater and stronger is he that is with us then they that are with them For as the good King Hezekiah said to the Captaines of his Army at the approach of the King of Assyria * 2 Chron. 32.7 8. with them is an Arme of Flesh but with us is the LORD our God to help us And †Rom. 8.31 if God be for us who can be against us Fear not then ye sonnes of the mighty ye children of the most high to appear for God and his cause against the impieties and iniquities of evil and perillous times Remember * Rev. 21.8 the fearful are set in the Front of that Troop of Rebels that shall be sent to Hell Know you not that in this case when Gods Cause and Glory suffers He that is not for God is against him Take heed then lest while you fear a lesser danger you fall into a greater 'T is then your greatest wisdome and safety to take the strongest side and that is to appear for God So may you say with David †Ps 118.6 The LORD is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me And again * Ps 56.11 In God have I put my trust I will not be afraid what man can do unto me †Psal 118 8 9. It is better to trust in the LORD then to put confidence in man It is better to trust in the LORD then to put confidence in Princes Dare to appear for God therefore in your places and to plead his Cause against wicked and unreasonable men with more Courage Resolution and Boldnesse then they have to oppose it Stand up therefore in Dayes of Danger and appear for the Truth and Glory of God that made you for the Honour and Interests of the Lord Jesus Christ that redeem'd you with his own precious blood appear for his Word and Worship his Ordinances and Ministers his Sabbaths and Sacraments his Church and Saints and all the just Rights Dues and Priviledges thereof against a wicked Generation of men that dare openly deny the Truth and profane the Name of God that are not afraid to cast Contempt and Reproach upon his Word and Worship to scoff at his Sabbaths and Sacraments and slight his holy Ordinances to abuse revile and vilifie his Ministers his Ambassadours seeking to pluck their meat from their mouths desiring to imbrue their hands in their blood endeavouring their utter extirpation out of the Church of God that dare to lay sacrilegious hands upon the Rights and Revenues of the Church which she holds by a firmer Title then the greatest Lord in the Land does or can do his inheritance and thereby seek to turne her children out of their Possession that they may enrich themselves as too many have done by the Churches Ruines Now Christians will you be afraid or asham'd to appear in so just a cause against such wretched men such wicked Adversaries as these Shall these come under the Name of Religion and rob you of the thing while you sit still and do nothing Shall the Interests of Christ and Glory of God fall to the ground rather then you will rise up and appear for the maintenance of the one and defence of the other How will you answer it to God at the great day of account O therefore be not afraid to appear for the Cause of God against the Evil of the Times in the Places and Stations wherein God hath set you This will be your Crown of Glory and Cause of Rejoycing at the great Day of the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ And oh that those that are Highest in Place and Power would seriously lay these things to heart and quitting all self-interests inconsistent with the Cause and Interests of the Kingdome of Christ sincerely study and endeavour the advancement of Gods Glory in
Charity to his dear Brethren that they may cover the Infirmities of their poor weak Brother in Love and not seek to hurt him by that whereby he desires to do others Good Oh that thou wouldest be pleased to put it into their Hearts from the discoveries of thy poor servants Weaknesses to take an occasion to adore the Riches of thy free Grace and to exalt thy Name with Praises for that thou hast been pleased to intrust them with more excellent Abilities for thy service So shall thy servant have cause to glory in his Infirmities when thereby some Glory shall redound to thy Name But as for the Proud who make it their Glory to oppresse the Poor keep thy servant ever in that Resolution to which by thy grace thou hast raised his heart rather to perish by their Power then by any unworthy Compliance to seek his own Preservation or Advantage to thy Dishonour Fill his Heart and the Hearts of all thy faithful servants with a holy Contempt and Scorne of their Favour whose Friendship is flat Enmity with God Make thy servant one of them in whose Eyes a vile Person is contemned how Great or Glorious soever he be in the World's eye but let him ever honour them that feare the LORD Let not thy servant think it strange if he suffer Reproach from them that cast Dishonour upon Thee but rather rejoyce in their Reproaches as the Badges of his Faithfulnesse and weare them as his Crown and Glory Let him not study to please men lest he loose the Honour of being the servant of Christ Oh let thy servant behold Smiles in thy pleased Face and tast the sweetnesse of thy precious Promises and so shall he not fear the Frownes nor regard the Threats of Proud Perfidious and Presumptuous sinners Let him never desire to have them for his Friends who by their horrid Enormities have made God their Enemy Let him never seek to be esteemed by them whose Insolencies proclaime to the world that they contemne God Yet Oh that thou wouldest open their Eyes to see their sins before thou tumble them from their Earthly Glory into Hell Oh that in stead of accounting thy servant their Enemy for telling them the Truth they might see and consider that it is the highest act of Friendship to shew them their Danger before it be too late Oh that it would please thee by thy Spirit to convince them of those sins and fearful abominations which thy servant hath endeavour'd herein to represent as in a Glasse before their faces Oh give them to repent of their wicked Deeds and to humble themselves for their insolent Actings However Lord by thy powerful Providence restrain them in their wayes of wickednesse whose Ambitious and aspiring spirits prompt them to the most Audacious and illegal Actings for the securing of their own Interests and the Establishment of their own Glory and Greatnesse upon the Ruines of the Church and Common-wealth restrain them O Lord lost they pluck down Judgements not onely upon their own heads but also on the too guilty Nation And vouchsafe O God to look down from thy high and holy habitation upon this sinful Land but not with an Eye of Fury and Revenge but with an Eye of Mercy and Love Thou seest what fearful Abominations are committed amongst us Thou knowest what perillous Times are come upon us Thou seest how cruel enemies do rend the body of thy dear sonne the CHURCH which he hath redeemed with his own blood Thou hearest with what hellish Oaths and Blasphemies vile Creatures daily teare thy sacred and glorious Name Oh! If thou wast not infinite in Mercy and Patience thou hadst long ago rain'd down Fire and Brimstone upon our heads or involv'd the whole Land in Confusion and Blood It is of the Lords mercies we are not consumed because his compassions fail not But now O Lord hear O Lord have Mercy O Lord forgive the many and great sins and Provocations of this Land and do not forsake us utterly nor irresistibly destroy us as we have deserved We must needs confesse that we and our Princes have greatly sinned against thee and fearfully provoked the pure Eyes of thy Glory Lord humble us from the highest to the lowest give us a true Repentance for all our sins and Grace to turne to thee our God with our whole hearts and so spare us and heale our Land Oh stirre thy people up to those special Duties which are at this Time in a special manner incumbent on them Let this Warning and Call which thou givest them by the hand of thy servant become through thy Blessing effectual for the Awakening of thy servants out of their Security and the Engaging of them to those Duties whereby thy Wrath and Judgements may be prevented and a wide Door may be opened whereby thy Blessings may flow in abundantly upon us O Good God punish not this Land with a Famine of thy VVord Oh take not thy Gospel Ordinances from us Remove not thy golden Candlestick Oh never let it be said The Glory is departed from England It were better for us to see our streets runne downe with the Blood of the slaine and to behold the Bodies of thy Saints burnt in flames then to live in peace and grow cold in our love to thy Truth till we have utterly lost the Gospel Prayers put up in Flames and Blood might recall it againe when a general sloth and security in sinne may forfeit it for ever But O Lord continue thy Gospel preserve thy People and blesse thine Inheritance in the Land But if for our sinnes thou shalt suffer those stormes to arise whereby thy Church shall suffer Shipwrack Oh let this poor Plank cast out by the hand of thy unworthy servant be a Meanes to save some Soules Oh let this small Light direct some soules in the right Path for their eternal Salvation to the Glory of thy free Grace through the Lord Jesus our onely Mediator and Redeemer Amen FINIS Errata Typographica Some small Mistakes have escap't the Press whereof some few are amended with the Pen. Some few Mispellings Mispointings crave their Pardon of course as Things of such ordinary Incidency in Printing that the greatest Diligence can hardly prevent them Some of the most material Mistakes which offer'd themselves to Notice upon a swift Review are these that follow Errata Correcta Pag. Lin. intended extended 13 29 Premuniti Praemuniti 14 24 overcome overtake 16 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 37 19 Vial Viol 48 6 Frevalency Prevalency 54 5 Excess Excess 93 13 he the 93 14 Octavious Octavius 94 16 victus vinctus 97 marg scatter'd shatter'd 150 22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 141 marg Corne Corke 257 5 thus there 263 11 Diabolos Diabolus 275 1 Name Doctrine 275 5 Baits Balls 287 23 Baldwin de Cas Conse Balduin de Cas Consc 289 marg he was proceeded against he was to be proceeded
2.13 and 5.18 The wicked One Seducers are here so called from their subtile Impostures flattering Illusions and †Eph. 4.14 cunning craftinesse to deceive according to the Import of the word here used They have something of the * Gen. 3.1 Rev. 12.9 subtilty of the old Serpent whose seed and spawn they are The word signifies also a Delusion by means of Witchcraft or Incantation Seducers are a kinde of Sorcerers and Seduction is a kinde of spiritual Witchcraft and Inchantment O foolish Galatians sayes the Apostle †Gal. 3 1. who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose Eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucifi'd among you These are they that draw men off from the Waies of Truth into the By-paths of Errour that lead to Destruction * ver 6. These are they which creep into houses and leade captive silly women laden with sinnes led away with diverse Lusts These are they which using a kinde of spiritual sorcery do with Simon Magus †Act. 8.9 10 11. bewitch the People who being taken with their Delusions are ready to cry out These men are the great Power of God Thus they carry as it were in one hand a flaming light and in the other an impoyson'd Cup and so the multitudes that follow them for the one hey cause to drink of the other which causing a spiritual drunkennesse carries them headlong to Eternal Destruction For * 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. Because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved even for this cause doth God send them strong Delusion the Energie of Error †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse These are the Foxes to which Satan hath ty'd his Fire-brands which if not speedily apprehended and suppressed will soon set all in a flame and cause a fearful combustion both in Church and State When these fiery Comets do appear they usually portend great changes in the Common-wealth and great Calamities to the Church of God These therefore we may well look upon as the Messengers of evil Tidings and the Marks of perillous Times Thus we have seen the persons decipher'd by their several Characters which make the Times perillous Now by a serious survey and a deliberate consideration hereof every soberly wise Christian may easily discerne when these Dayes are come which the Scripture hath foretold shall be perillous Times especially if the State of things also be but duly considered when such persons as these do abound From the Characters therefore of men and the Consideration of the state of things we may drawe the Scripture-Symptomes of Perillous Times and such are these that follow The SYMPTOMES of Perillous Times The first Symptome Prevalency of Impiety THey are Perillous Times Dayes of great Danger When those impieties do exceedingly abound which are high Provocations of Gods Anger This is a Conclusion which may be clearly drawn from all the forementioned Characters When those sins are daily multiply'd against God whereby God is provoked to execute his Judgements upon men When Sin and Wickednesse abounds amongst a people professing true Religion and Godlinesse Thus our Saviour speaking of the last Dayes wherein these Perillous Times should be tells us that then Iniquity should abound * Mat. 24.12 They were evil Dayes perillous Times with the People of Israel when their prevailing Impieties brought down prevailing Judgements When the Land is polluted with sin it 's time it should be purged with Judgement When the iniquity of the Amorites was full †Gen. 15.16 God cut them off and planted the Israelites in their land When the sins of Sodom were come to their height * Gen. 18.20 Fire and Brimstone was rained down upon them from heaven †Gen. 19.24 When the Jews had fill'd Jerusalem with their manifold sins and multiply'd Abominations God caused them to be carry'd away Captives to Babylon * See Jer. Chap. 5. to 16 When men draw iniquity with Cords of Vanity and sin as it were with a Cart-rope †Isa 5.18 they do but pluck down Judgements upon their own Heads Crying-sins are wont to bring down cutting Judgements VVhen the Field is overgrowne with Thornes its time to set it on Fire Mens sins are but Fewel to the Fire of Gods Judgements The Seed of sin brings forth the Fruit of Death 'T is so in a Person 't is so in a Nation This Observation is very often verifi'd by sad Experience Even as I have seen saies Eliphaz in Job * Chap. 4. v. 8 9. They that plow iniquity and sowe wickednesse reap the same The thornes of tribulation grow up from the seeds of sin Though sin at the first bear a sweet Flower it at length grows up to a sharp Thorne VVhen a whole land is sow'n with wickednesse what can we expect the Harvest-Time to be but a Day of Destruction VVhen the Harvest of sinne is ripe God sends forth an Angel with a sharp Sickle to reap the Earth †Rev. 14.14 15. When the Lord of the whole earth hath fenc't a Land about for a Vine-yard to himself and gather'd out the stones thereof and planted it with the choicest Vine and built a Tower in the midst of it and also made a Wine-presse therein and yet notwithstanding all this cost and care when God expects it should bring forth Grapes it shall bring forth wilde Grapes * â—sa 5.2 what do you think will he do to this Vine-yard Let God himself tell you who is as True in his Threatnings as Just in his Iudgements Go to now saith the LORD †Isa 5.5 6 I will tell you what I will do to my Vine-yard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the wall thereof and it shall be troden down And I will lay it wast It shall not be pruned nor digged but there shall come up Briars and Thornes I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine upon it Thus will God suspend his mercies from an unthankful People and inflict his Iudgements upon a sinful Nation Yea further God will at length send his Angel with a sharp sickle to gather the Clusters of these wilde Grapes So shall they be cast into the great Wine-presse of the wrath of God So is his dealing with sinners Prophetically represented to us in the Holy Scriptures * Rev. 14 â—8 19. when they have filled the earth with the cursed Fruits of sinne And upon the execution of this sentence what follows And sayes the Scripture †Rev. 14.20 the Wine-presse was troden without the City and Blood came out of the Wine-presse even unto the Horse-bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred Furlongs Thus when a land is polluted with over-flowings of sin it may soon be punished
Amos 5.11 12. as your treading is upon the Poore and ye take from him Burdens of wheat ye have built Houses of hewen stone but ye shall not dwell in them ye have planted pleasant Vine-yards but ye shall not drink Wine of them For I know your manifold Transgressions and your mighty sins they afflict the just they take a Bribe and they turn aside the poore in the Gate from their right And what follows * v. 16 17. Therefore the LORD the God of Hosts the Lord saith thus wailing shall be in all streets and they shall say in all the High-wayes Alas Alas For I will pass through thee saith the LORD Well then may the Apostle call the Rich men of the World who have been the Oppressors of the Poor to weeping and mourning and bitter Lamentation †Jam. 5 1-6 Go to now ye rich men weep and howle for your miseries that shall come upon you Your Riches are corrupted and your Garments moth-eaten Your Gold and Silver is Canker'd and the Rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eat your Flesh as it were Fire ye have heaped Treasure together for the last Dayes Behold the hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by Fraud crieth and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the eares of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * the Lord of Sabaoth Ye have lived in pleasure on the Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the LORD of Hosts and been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter Ye have condemned and killed the just and he doth not resist you Bloody Tyrants Thus do Wolves devoure the harmlesse Sheep But the Mighty God will at length roll down heavy Judgements upon the heads of such wicked worldlings Deceit and Violence are the two maine Pillars in the House of OPPRESSION wherein bloody Tyrants and Insolent Usurpers dwell They lay snares for the Lives of men that they may take them by Deceit and then drag them with Violence to a bloody Death or unjustly deprive them of the Comforts of Life Such is the State of things when Oppression reignes in a Land Thus doth the Prophet describe these bloody and deceitful men who seek to oppresse the Righteous and lie in waite for Innocent Blood and shews how high a Provocation this is of the great God to execute his Judgements upon such a sinful Nation For among my People saith the LORD by the Prophet †Jer. 5.26 are found Wicked men they lay wait as he that setteth snares they set a Trap they catch men * Jer. 9.8 9 Their Tongue is as an Arrow shot out it speaketh deceit one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth but in heart he layeth wait for him Shall I not visit them for these things saith the LORD Shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this †Jerem. 5 27-29 As a Cage is full of Birds so are their Houses full of Deceit therefore are they become great and waxen rich They are waxen fat they shine yea they overpass the Deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause the Cause of the Fatherless yet they prosper and the right of the Needy do they not judge Shall I not visit for these things faith the LORD Shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this some passages of another Prophecy we shall select to the same Purpose * Ezek. 22 3-22 Thus saith the Lord GOD The City sheddeth Blood in the midst of it that her Time may come Thou art become guilty in thy Blood that thou hast shed thou hast caused thy Dayes to draw near and art come even to thy years therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the Heathen and a mocking to all Countreys Those that be neare and those that be far from thee shall mock thee which art infamous and much vexed Behold the Princes of Israel every one were in thee to their Power to shed Blood In thee have they set light by Father and Mother in the midst of thee have they dealt by Oppression with the Stranger in thee have they vexed the Fatherlesse and the Widow Thou hast despised my holy things and hast profaned my Sabbaths In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood In thee have they taken gifts to shed Blood Thou hast taken Vsury and Increase and thou hast greedily gained of thy Neighbours by Extortion and hast forgotten me saith the Lord GOD. Behold therefore I have smitten my hand at thy dishonest Gaine which thou hast made and at thy Blood which hath been in the midst of thee Can thine Heart endure or can thine Hands be strong in the Days that I shall deal with thee I the LORD have spoken it and will do it Now therefore thus saith the Lord GOD Because ye are all Become Drosse behold therefore I will gather you as they gather Silver and Brass and Iron and Lead and Tin into the midst of the Furnace to blow the Fire upon it to melt it so will I gather you in my Anger and in my Fury Yea I will gather you and blow upon you in the Fire of my Wrath and ye shall be melted as Silver is melted in the midst of the Furnace and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my Fury upon you This is the portion of the wicked from the Lord. Thus doe Presumptuous men exalt themselves †Ps 55.23 But thou O God shalt bring them downe into the Pit of Destruction Bloody and Deceitfull men shall not live out half their Dayes The fourth Sin Swearing and Cursing WHen the fearful sins of swearing and Cursing are growne common the Times are Perillous When these Black sins these Ill-boading Fowles that are wont to feed upon the Brinks of the bottomless Pit do abound it s a Signe the Winter of Gods Judgements is at hand When men Thunder out Oathes and Curses on Earth as alas how often are our ears pierc't with these Hellish sounds in the open streets it's time for God to Thunder down his Judgements from heaven Doubtlesse men may curse away all the Lords Blessings and by their abominable Oaths sweare down Vengeance from heaven upon their own Heads yea soon swear their own souls into Hell Yea cruel Curses and bloody Oaths may soon fill the Land with Cruelty and Blood * Jer. 23.10 Hos 4.2 3. Because of Swearing may God justly cause the Land to mourne This sin we finde in the holy Scripture strictly forbidden and severely punished I say unto you sayes our Saviour †Mat 5 34-37 swear not at all neither by Heaven for it is Gods Throne nor by the Earth for it is his Foot-stoole neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King Neither shalt thou swear by thy Head because thou canst not make one haire white or black But let your
suis compeditas agunt Jun. Trem. Calceamenta habebant cum crepitaculis Pagn Therefore the Lord will smite with a Scab the Crown of the Head of the Daughters of Zion and the LORD will discover their secret Parts In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling Ornaments about their Feet and their Cauls or Ornaments of Net-work or Needle-work wrought with Eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Reticula Ar. Mont. Vittas instar retis Pagn Opera Oculata Jun. Trem. and their round Tires like the Moon The Chaines or sweet Balls or Boxes of perfuming Ointments their Golden Boxes of rich Gummes and precious Balsome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Myrothecidia Jun. Vascula aurea in quibus ponebatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stacte aut Balsamum juxta Kimch R. Levi. Buxt Lexic and the Bracelets and the Mufflers or thin Veiles or Head-Ornaments glittering with waving gold or starry Spangles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Velamina Ar. Mont. Bracteolae quae Collaribus Vittis ac Peplis muleribus addi solent sic dictae à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tremere quod semper tremulae appareant Buxt The Bonnets and the Ornaments of the Legges and the Head-bands or Haire-laces or Neck-laces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Vittae A. M. Redimicula Jun. Ornamenta Colli fuerunt Buxt and the Tablets or the Boxes of Aromatical Confections for the perfuming of the Breath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * i. e. Domus Animae seu Halitus q. d. Breath-Boxes Pagninus Pectoralia Junius Bucculas vertit exponitque superba illa Aulicarum Instrumenta quibus os suum contegunt velut pastomidibus est enim os meatus animae sive anhelitus cujus obex propterea Hebraeis Domus Animae appellatur and the Ear-rings or Amulets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Amuleta Jun. Golden or Silver Plates engraven with certain Characters against Enchantment Aben Ezra The Rings and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Jewels which hung down from the Fore-head to the Nose Nose-jewels or Jewels for the Face The changable Suits of Apparel and the Mantles and the Wimples Aprons or embroyder'd Vestures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Ventralia Jun. Buxt Linteamina Pagn Pepla Ar. Mont. Sic Kimchi and the Crisping-Pins or Cushnets Purses Pin-pillows Needle-Cases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Loculi Aciaria Pagn Ar. Mont. Crumenas vertunt Junius vero Aciaria sive ut Graeci vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quibus Acus aciculae infigi aut includi solent The Glasses and the fine Linnen and the Hoods and the Vailes And it shall come to passe that instead of sweet smell there shall be Stink and instead of a Girdle a Rent and instead of well-set Haire Baldnesse and instead of a Stomacher a Girding of Sackcloth and Burning instead of Beauty Thy men shall fall by the Sword and thy Mighty in the War And her Gates shall lament and mourn and being desolate shall sit upon the Ground Thus we see Vanity Fantasticalness and Pride of Apparrel brings down the Judgements of God upon a Land For this may God cloath the Land with Confusion and fill the City with Fears and stain the Beauty of these proud Gallants with Blood For this may God scourge the City with the Plague and chastise the Country with Wars and lay the whole Land desolate How dolefull is the Representation of Gods dreadfull Judgements upon the Land of Judah whereby he threatned to punish the Pride of Jerusalem How may it make the stoutest heart to tremble to see the LORD of Hosts leading up an Army of enraged and implacable Enemies against his own People To see Destruction in the Van and Desolation in the Rear of a terrible and because arm'd with Divine Justice invincible Army of Aliens Behold how the Prophet was affected with the Visionary Representation of it My Bowels says he * Jer. 4.19 ult My Bowels I am pained at my very heart my heart maketh a noise in me I cannot hold my peace because thou hast heard O my soul the sound of the Trumphet the Alarm of War Destruction upon Destruction is cry'd for the whole Land is spoiled suddenly are my Tents spoiled and my Curtains in a Moment How long shall I see the Standard and hear the sound of the Trumphet For my people is foolish they have not known me they are sottish Children and they have none understanding they are wise to do Evil but to do good they have no knowledge I beheld the Earth and lo it was without form and void and the Heavens and they had no Light I beheld the Mountains and loe they trembled and all the Hills moved lightly I beheld and loe there was no man and all the Birds of the Heavens were fled I beheld and loe the fruitfull place was a Wilderness and all the Cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD and by his fierce Anger For thus hath the LORD said The whole Land shall be desolate yet will I not make a full End For this shall the Earth mourn and the Heaven above be black because I have spoken it I have purposed it I will not repent neither will turn back from it The whole City shall flee for the Noise of the Horse-men and Bow-men they shall go into Thickets and climb up upon the Rocks Every City shall be forsaken and not a man dwell therein And when thou art spoiled what wilt thou do Though thou clothest thy self with Crimson thou deckest thee with Ornaments of Gold though thou rentest thy face with Painting in vain shalt thou make thy self fair thy Lovers will despise thee they will seek thy life For I have heard a voice as of a woman in Travell and the Anguish as of hâ—r that bringeth forth her first Child the Voice of the Daughter of Zion that bewailâ—th her self that spreadeth her hands saying woe is me now for my soul is wearied because of Murderers O ye proud Gallants ye fantastick Ladies how long will ye provoke the Lord by your Pride and Wantonness to stain your Glory to strip you of your Ornaments and to plague the whole Land for your sakes with his sorest Judgements Hath not the Lord threatned to punish your Pride and to break those Pillars of Power that sustain your Glory Hath not the Lord said †Jer. 13.9 After this manner even as Jeremiah's linnen Girdle was rotted in the earth * Ver. 7. Will I marre the Pride of Judah and the great Pride of Jerusalem You set off your Beauty by these fantastick Ornamens to the eyes of men but know you not that your Pride in the mean time makes you odious in the sight of God Know you not that Pride is ever attended with shame and shall at length be over-taken with Destruction For When Pride cometh then cometh Shame †Pro. 11.2 and Destruction stayes
a great shame and gives occasion to our Adversaries to cast Reproach upon Religion when so much Pride Vanity and Fantasticalnesse shall be seen in a Land professing true Christianity in a City honour'd above all the Cities under the Cope of Heaven with the pure and powerful preaching of the Gospel When the Maid shall vye with her Mistresse and the Children shall be drest like Puppets and the Church shall become a Shop of Vanities is it not time for God to remove his Golden Candlestick may he not justly for the punishment of our Pride deprive us of his Gospel Is it not a shame and should it not be a grief of heart to all those that truely fear God to behold such Idols of Vanitie set up in the Congregations of Christians Rich Apparel and conceit of her own Beauty is the Proud womans Devotion Hence she comes into the Church as upon a Stage not to seek God but to shew her self There she feeds her Eyes but not her Eares and while she sacrifices to her pride draws others to sacrifice to their Lusts who * Mat. 5.28 commit Adultery with her in the open Congregation Thus she is her own Idol and the wanton 's Stews set up in Gods Temple She brings her self thither as a Feast for wanton Eyes not considering that she shall be shortly brought thither as a Feast for Wormes Is it not a fearful sin and shame that in a Christian Common-wealth Christ should go naked in his poore Members when many shall yearly sacrifice hundreds and thousands to their Pride in Apparel shall Gallants flaunt it in the streets in their silkâ— and Sattin in Silver and Gold while poore Families of Christians are ready to perish for want of necessary relief May not the Lord Jesus justly draw back his golden Scepter and unsheath his glittering sword and cut off the Proud that will not pity his Poor nor abate one Inch of their foolish vanities to raise Relief for such distressed Christians Is it not time for the Christian Magistrate By the force of some good Law to give a check to this luxuriant Vanity lest it should at length strengthen it self to an unbridled Excess not only to prevent the Ruine of many Families but also the Judgement of God upon the whole Land If this redresse be too long neglected may not the Disâ—a e become incurable Behold a sad and strange Example hereof At the end of the second Carthaginian Warre and upon the victory obtain'd against Philip King of Macedon Luxury began to lift up its head in Rome and to outbrave opposition by its daring Insolence For as Valerius reports the Women assembled themselves in an audacious Ryot beset the house of the Bruti because they understood they were resolv'd to stand up for the Oppian Law which the women desired to be abrogated For by this Law they were not sufferd to wear any cloaths of Divers Colours not to exceed half an Ounce in any Adornments of Gold nor to use any Coach or Chariot within a Mile of the City unlesse to carry them to the Sacrifices upon the Solemn Dayes of Divine Service And so farre did they prevaile by this insolent carriage that the Law which without Interruption had continued in Force full twenty years was hereupon presently abolish't Non enim providerunt Seculi illius Viri ad quem Cultum tenderer insoliti Coetus pertinax Studium aut quo se usque effusura esset Lâ—gum victrix Audacia quod si animi muliebris Apparatus intueri potuissent quibus aliquid quotidie Novitatis sumptuosius adjectum est in ipso introâ—tu ruâ—nti Luxuriae obstâ—tissent †Val. Max. l. 9. c. For sayes he adding the reason of this Concession the men of that Age could not foresee to what Vanitie of Fashions that liberty granted to the obstinate Dâ—sires of so unwâ—nted a concourse would by them be abus'd or to what more desperate Designes such an unbridled Insolence overmastring the strength of Laws might carry them But could they but have seen the vanity and Fantasticalness of Womens Mindes whose Fancies are continually at work for the Invention of new Fashions every day exceeding another in costlinesse and curiosity they would certainly have oppos'd such a luxuriant Vanity at its first entrance and never have suffer'd it with such an impetuous Violence to have rusht into the City But now is it not a farre greater sin and shame for those that are called by the Gospel to the Profession of true Religion and godlinesse who ought thence forth * Eph. 4.17 not to walk as the other Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their Minde to exceed Heathens in this foolish vanity and affectation of novelty and change of Fashions in Apparel and Ornaments And yet how difficult a thing is it Ladies more Honourable if you were but more humble to reclaime you by the sharpest Reproofs the most serious Admonitions from these coâ—â—ly vanities Will you hear a Pagan Philosopher teaching a Lesson of modesty to women with greater successe I speak it to your shame then the Preachers of the Gospel dothe same Doctrine amongst Christians Inter haec de Pythagora refert Justinus velut Genetricem Virtutum Frugalitatem omnibus ingerebat consecutusque assiduitate disputationum erat ut Matronae auratas Vestes coeteraque Dignitatis suae ornamenta velut instrumenta Luxuriae deponerent preferens vera Ornamenta Matronarum Pudicitiam non Vestes esse †Justin Hist lib. 20 Pythagoras instructing the Crotonians to the exercise of Vertue in the Dayes of Dionysius the Sicilian Tyrant did principally presse upon them all Frugality holding forth that the true Oâ—naments of Honourable Women were not those of cloathing but that of chastity and so far prevail'd he by his daily discourses that the honourable women laid aside their Gold-embroyder'd Garments and other Ornaments of their Dignity as the Instruments of Luxury But alas it is to be feared the Sword must be drawn for the letting out of Englands proud Blood before ever the Land will be hâ—aled of this distemper For never were Times harder never was Trading the Key of Englands Treasure deader and yet never did people of all sorts more brave it in Gallantry and Costlinesse of apparel and Ornaments It s not easily imaginable how many thousands yea Millions of money are yearly wasted by the proud Daâ—es the fantastick Fashionists of this Nation And yet is the shameful and whorish Nakednesse of many proud and wanton women as provoking a sin as is their costly cloathing and infinity of Fashions Yea as if the letting open the Doors and Windows of the shops were not enough to proclaim their Immodeâ—â—ies and call in Customers to drink of their stollen waters how do they shamefully hang forth their signes as it were on painted Posts their Love-spots or rather Lust-spots on their painted whorish Faces How are many arriv'd at such an intolerable height of impudency that they are not asham'd to proclaime
extreamly evil and perillous Yea when a wicked Generation of men shall be suffer'd with Impunity to cast Contempt upon all the Ordinances of Gods Worship to vilifie and reproach the Assemblies of the Saints calling them the Synagogues of Satan with many more vile reproaches which I think not meet to mention what shall we think are not the Dayes evil the Times perillous When those shall be countenanc't honour'd advanc't in the State being set in Places of Power and Trust who do what they can to cast an Odium upon the Ordinances of the Gospel are not the dayes evil the Times perillous These sacred Ordinances are the paths of Christ wherein he walks amongst his People and hereby do men * Ps 79.51 reproach the footsteps of Gods anointed Hereby do vile persons cast dirt at the Chariots of the King of glory Hereby is the Lord continually provoked to depart from such a people and therefore the dayes which are defil'd with these Abominations must needs be perillous Times The fift Case Sinners Sedulity and Sloth in Saints VVHen the spirit of Errour and Profanesse prevailes more and more in the World and the Spirit of Prayer and Zeale for truth and holinesse decayes more and more in the Church the Dayes are evil the Times perillous When false Fires appear and the Fire of the Altar goes out sure God is departing from his Temple When the Locusts and Caterpillars swarme in the Fields and the Frogs croak in every corner of the House the Judgement of God is already upon the Land When †2 Tim. 3.6 7 silly women are led captive in Troops by subtile Deceivers and soul-deluding Seducers * 2 Pet. 2.2 draw many Disciples after them the last Dayes which we are told shall be perillous Times are come upon us Activity of bad men in carrying on their wicked Designes and Lukewarmnesse in good men in promoting the Cause and Interest of Christ is a sad Symptome of some sore evil at hand When few are zealous for Truth and Righteousness multitudes are zealous for Errour and Impunity in the contempt of Gods holy worship we may justly feare God will shortly bring some fearful judgement on the Land When †Mat. 24.12 Iniquity abounds and the love of many waxes cold the Winter is come and stormes must be expected When the Spirit of Prayer departs the Spirit of Judgement comes in the roome of it When the Winde ceases presently the Rain falls When the hands of Moses fall down in Prayer and Amalek prevailes in battel we must needs expect it should go ill with Israel When Christians are fallen from their * Rev. 2.4 first Love and Professors are grow'n †Rev. 3.16 Lukewarm in Religion yea and many are become Key-cold in the Cause of Christ whilest others are very forward and zealous to promote the Honour and Adoration of the Deified IMAGES of their own Fancies they must needs be perillous Times ZEALE is the Pulse of the Church as JUSTICE is of the Common-wealth Now a wise Physician by feeling the Pulse may judge of the state of the Patient If it be violent and irregular the body is inflam'd and in a great distemper if it be very weak slow remiss and much interrupted it is a sad Symptome of approaching Death Apostacy in Religion is a fore-runner of Ruine and Destruction to such a particular Church and People * Jer. 8.5 15 Lukewarmnesse in Religion is a loathed temper I know thy Works sayes the Lord of the Church of Laodicea †Rev. 3.15 16. too true a Patterne of the Church of England that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot So then because thou art Lukewarme and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth In these cases all good Christians have cause to bewaile the sad condition of the Church of Christ The ninth Symptome Divisions in the Church and Union of her Adversaries THe children of the Church have experience of perillous Times When the Professors of the true Religion are divided and the profest enemies thereof are united When the Canaanites are combin'd against the Israelites and the Israelites are divided amongst themselves needs must they be distressed by their Enemies When Idolatrous Nations joyne in Confederacy against the People that professe the true Religion their State must needs be dangerous Of this does the Psalmist complain as speaking the sad state of the People of God and therefore he makes his earnest suit to God for redresse saying * Psal 83 1-8 Keep not thou silence O God hold not thy Peace and be not still O God For loe thine Enemies make a tumult and they that hate thee have lift up the head They have taken crafty COUNSEL against thy People and consulted against thy hidden ones They have said Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance For they have consulted together with one CONSENT they are CONFEDERATE against thee The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre Ashur also is joyned with them they have holpen the children of Lot Needs must those be perillous Times with the People of Israel when as a small Flock of sheep they were surrounded with so many troops of Wolves Lions and Bears thirsting after their blood and ready to teare them in pieces and devoure them When in the Dayes of Jehoshaphat †2 Chr. 20 Moab and Ammon and mount Seir conspired against Israel and came up against Jehoshaphat to battel both he and all the people of the Land were struck with feare in the apprehensions of their great danger And well might they fear when three Nations had arm'd themselves against that People that had provoked the Lord by their sinnes to give them up into their Enemies hands But behold a strange turne of Providence which affords a further illustration to the matter in hand These three great Armies by a wonderful stratagem of the Divine Providence were divided one against another and so now their great strength became the cause of their weaknesse and destruction for even without any stroke struck by Israel they themselves destroy'd one another insomuch that when Israel came against them they had none to encounter with but the * v. 24. dead Bodies of the slaine which were fallen to the earth and none escaped Thus as their Conjunction was their strength their Division became their overthrow Sad Divisions and bitter Contentions amongst Christians do not onely make them a scorn and Derision to their enemies but also expose them to the danger of an utter Destruction Such Christians as like Cranes fight amongst themselves do easily become a prey to others Their enemies like Eagles and Vultures will hasten to their Overthrow Thus did the Romane EAGLES prey upon the miserable Jews conflicting together in
is fearfully and continually provok'd to arme himself with vengeance and come forth to the Punishment of a rebellious People * See Isa 59 12-19 He hath lightening in his eyes and thunder in his hands if once he be provoked to anger he can in a moment burn up a sinful Nation in an instant break in pieces a rebellious People II. Men are perverted When the minds of men are perverted by the Doctrines of Deceivers all their paths are full of darknesse and danger For the Minde is the eye of the soul And the Light of the soul as of the Body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single sayes our Saviour thy whole body shall be full of Light But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darknesse †Mat. 6.22 23 He whose eyes are blinde walks in darknesse at noon-day And when men walk in Darknesse they are continually exposed to Danger When damnable Doctrines are publickly preach'd and multitudes are baptiz'd into the Belief of them and so the souls of men are perverted and impoyson'd by them these must needs be Dayes of Danger perillous Times When the Power of Truth failes and the Plague of Errour and Heresie reignes When the Glory of true Christianity is eclipst and the Mystery of Iniquity is mightily working in the mindes of men such Times must needs be perillous and pernicious III. The Land is polluted Reigning sinnes prevailing abominations especially when patronized by those by whom they should be punished whereby they become National sinnes do exceedingly pollute a Land Now when the Land is polluted what can be expected but that God should depart from it and bring in a Deluge of Judgement or kindle a dreadful burning to purge it Is not this then a sad presage of perillous Times After the House of the Lord in Jerusalem was polluted by the Abominations of the people of Judah both the City and the Temple was destroy'd * 2 Chron. 36.14 15 c. When the Land of Canaan was polluted by the sinnes of the Canaanites God deliver'd both them and their Land into the hand of the Israelites and when it was polluted by the Israelites he deliver'd them up into the hand of the Canaanites as we read in the Book of the Judges †See also Psal 106 38-42 When the Land is polluted by its sinnes it 's just with God to * Lam. 2.2 pollute it by his Judgements And what then can we expect but perillous Times in a polluted Land The third Question Quest 3 WHat is the peril of these Times Answ The evils to be feared in these Times are such as these Answ 1 I. The judgement of God on the Land God may justly bring the Sword and Famine and Pestilence for the punishment of such a provoking People These three Arrows are ever ready in Gods Quiver to be discharg'd against his Enemies God may sweep that Land with the besome of Desolation wherein men under pretences of Gods glory seek their own interests and establishment He may punish spirituall Abominations with temporal Judgements Persecution with War the plague of Errours with the Pestilence the Contempt of the heavenly Manna of his holy Word with Famine and want of necessary food He may wash that Land with Blood that hath been defiled with Oppression and Murder He may sweep that house with the Pestilence that hath been defiled with Pride and Perjury He may scourge that people with Famine that have sin'd through Fulnesse of Bread He may break that land in pieces by the thunder of his Judgements that hath not taken warning by the lightening of his Threatnings in the preaching of his Word So for spiritual Judgements for the Abominations of his People the Lord may go far from his Sanctuary †Ezek. 8.6 When a Church hath left its first love God may come speedily and remove its Candlestick out of his Place * Rev. 2.4 5 When men shall abuse the servants of the Lord sent forth to gather the Fruits of his Vineyard he may justly destroy them and give the Vineyard unto others †Mark 12.9 When men are grown greedy of the gain of Oppression and weary of the Ordinances of God when Covetousnesse is become cruel in grinding the faces of the Poore * Isa 3.25 and Profanesse bold in slighting of Sabbaths and sacred Solemnities of Divine Worship God may justly cause that Land to tremble for the horrour of his Judgements and plague that peoples contempt of his Worship by a Famine of his Word And so hath the Lord threatned to punish these sinnes in his people Israel by his Prophet Amos saying †Amos 8 4-12 Heare this O ye that swallow up the needy even to make the Poor of the Land to faile saying When will the New Moon be gone that we may sell Corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat making the Ephah wherewith they measured their Grain small and the Shekel wherewith they weighed the money which they received for payment great and falsifying the Balances by deceit That we may buy the poore for silver and the needy for a paire of shooes yea and sell the refuse of the wheat The LORD hath sworne by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their Works Shall not the Land tremble for this and every one mourn that dwelleth therein and it shall rise up wholly as a flood and it shall be cast out and drowned as by the flood of Egypt And it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord GOD that I will cause the Sunne to go down at noon and I will darken the earth in the clear day And I will turn your Feasts into Mourning and all your Songs into Lamentation and I will bring up sackcloth upon all Loynes and baldnesse upon every Head and I will make it as the mourning of an onely sonne and the end thereof as a bitter Day Behold the dayes come saith the Lord GOD that I will send a FAMINE in the Land not a Famine of Bread nor a Thirst for Water but of hearing the Words of the LORD And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East they shall runne to and fro to seek the Word of the LORD and shall not finde it When the Lord shall bring these judgements upon a Land or Nation professing the true Religion the Church may call her Children * 1 Sam. 4.21 ICHABOD for the Glory is departed Thus for the sinnes of Judah did the †Ezek. 9.3 and 10.4 18 19. Glory of the Lord an illustrious pledge of his gracious presence depart from Jerusalem and sad were the Calamities which ensued thereupon Thus the Times are perillous when the sinnes of men are grown to that height that we may justly expect the Judgements of God upon the Land II. Persecution of the Church When Clouds of Darknesse are spread over the City of God
what can be expected to follow but showers of Blood For when the Sun shall be turn'd into Darknesse we well know the Moon shall be turn'd into Blood * Joel 2.31 When a storme is rais'd by the Prince of the power of the Air what can we expect but that the Ship wherein Christ is imbarked with his Disciples should be tost on the Waters and almost overwhelm'd with the Waves †Mar. 8.24 When Images of Gold are set up and ador'd by the men of the World what can the children of God expect but to be cast into a fiery Furnace * Dan. 3.1 21 When Gain is accounted Godlinesse and Oppression of the innocent is stiled Justice then whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution †2 Tim. 3.12 When the Wolves come in flocks to the Fold and Lions are the Lords of the Soile what can be expected but that the Sheep and Lambs should be worried When there is much Cockle amongst the Corne much Chaff amongst the Wheat we may conclude it shall not be long at least if the winde rises or turnes before it be winnow'd When we see every Shepherd in Israel is an abomination to the Egyptians * Gen. 46.34 we may expect the Egyptians should pursue the Israelites even into the heart of the Red Sea When the subtile Foxes are come into the Vineyard we may conclude their cruel Teeth will be soon dy'd red in the Blood of the Grapes If the Scarlet Whore be once brought into the House of God we shall soone see her drunken with the Blood of the Saints †Rev. 17.4 5 6. We still finde the Names of the Saints written in Red Letters in the Romish Calendar If the SWORD depose the SCEPTER and rule in its stead we may be sure it will eat flesh and drink Blood yea the blood of Kings and Princes and Prophets who leaving the Sword stain'd with the Guilt of Murder shall be themselves crown'd with the Glory of MARTYRDOM SIN is a cruel Monster if it once get the Supreme Power it will soon turne a Land of Beauty into a Sea of Blood III. Destruction of mens souls If the great red Dragon with his Taile draw down many of the Stars of Heaven and cast them to the Earth * Rev. 12.4 we may expect a dark night to follow If the Springs be impoyson'd it must needs be Death to men to drink of the waters If the Philistines carry away the Ark from Israel we must expect many thousands to be slaine and perish †1 Sam. 4 10 11. If God take away his abused Gospel call home his despised Ministers and so men loose the true Religion how many thousand souls must necessarily perish everlastingly The soul is exceeding precious it s a Jewel inestimable of more worth then the whole World * Mat. 16.26 its losse is irreparable a World of Gold cannot redeem one soul †See Psal 49.7 8. with 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Now when such a storme is risen that the souls of men are in danger of being ship-wrackt the state of that people is sad the Times are perillous Thus we have seen the Characters of the Persons that make the Times perillous and the several Symptomes of perillous Times with the Causes and Consequences thereof and so fully finisht our first Enquiry The second Enquiry How pious persons must demean themselves in perillous Times IT much concernes the people of God to consider with themselves what the Lord calls them unto and calls for from them in all conditions into which he is pleased to cast them that their Lives and Carriages may expresse a Responsiblenesse to the Divine Providence These are they whom the Lord hath selected from thousands to lift up his Name and Glory in the World They are therefore in a special manner to glorifie God by such Actings and Demeanours as may be suitable to all his Dispensations When God is most dishonour'd by the wicked the godly should most honour him Saints are Souldiers call'd forth to fight the Battels of the Lord of Hosts when the Enemies of the Lord do most abound and are most active the Souldiers of his army should be most valiant for his Cause most vigilant against their force and Politick Encroachments upon the interests of his Glory The Trees of righteousnesse of Gods own Planting should bring forth Fruit in all Seasons Times of Perill to the Church are Times of Tryal of the Piety of the Saints When sin appears in its highest Pride then should Grace shine forth in its greatest Glory As for you therefore my beloved brethren that truly fear the name of the Lord and desire to know what your Duty is in such Cases attend these Directions which I shall give you out of the Word of God When it is your Lot to live in perillous Times take notice of these Duties The first Duty Sorrow for the Sinnes of the Times DO you live in evil Times Then Bewaile before the Lord the Sinnes and Abominations of the Times Prevailing Impieties make the Times perillous The sins of the wicked call for the sorrows of the Saints because hereby the Name of God is dishonour'd and the souls of men are defiled Thus was Davids heart grieved and his eyes shed Tears for the sins of his Times I beheld the Transgressors sayes he and was grieved because they kept not thy Word * Psal 119 158 And again Rivers of waters runne down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law †Psal 119 136 When a Land is defiled by sin these Rivers of Teares are the best means to prevent a Deluge of Blood When the wrath of God is kindled against an ungodly Nation there is nothing more powerful to quench it then the Tears of the truly godly By this means shall you preserve your selves from Defilement by the sinnes of the wicked and happily prevent the Judgements which are ready to be executed on a sinfull Nation Now Christians is not this a duty you are very Defective in And yet is there not much cause for it When did you shed a Tear for all the Sins of the Times When did you ever look upon London as Christ upon Jerusalem a sinful City and weep over it * Luk. 19.41 What shall the streets of it run down with Rivers of Blood before you can shed a few drops of Teares for its preservation When did you meet together to weep over a sinful Nation When did you that can easily weep upon other occasions go apart and poure out Teares into the bosome of God for the Sinnes and Abominations of England and say Ah Lord In thy †Isa 63.9 Pity and in thy Mercy spare a sinful Nation Do you not see upon England many Symptomes of her Destruction except fervent Prayers steep'd in penitent Teares do prevent it O how many and how great are the Abominations of the Land the Provocations of the most high God!