for that worke as having by it deserved worthily of all good learning Therefore seeing in all his labours his good affection towards the Church of God our dread Soveraigne with all his royall Progenie and dominions doth cleerely appeare seeking only the wealth of all and to unite all hearts as unto the Lord of heaven so to our Soveraigne Lord and King and to his royall seed for our happinesse for ever with what thankfull acceptation are all his labours to be received And this above all the former wherein he now only strives to helpe to awaken us out of our deepest securitie in the midst of our extremest perill and necessitie and when the times call us to watch and pray yea to fast and pray if ever heretofore First I say to rise up and watch that we may pray To pray for the distressed state of all the poore Churches and our brethren abroad who mourne and wring their hands by reason of their slaveries butcheries manifold feares and miseries both of their soules and bodies above all for them of Bohemia and the Palatinate the very chiefe of them a principall part of our selves and withall for our brethren of France now in great tribulation for the profession of Christs Gospell taking their case to heart as feeling members little knowing how soone it may be our owne and ever fearing that terrible curse from the Angell of the Lord Curse ye Meroz said the Angell curse the inhabitants thereof because they came not out to helpe the Lord against the mightie Secondly to watch and pray yea to mourne and crie for the fearfull viols of the Lords wrath in all likelihood so neerely readie to be powred downe upon our own heads unlesse we speedily meet the Lord in unfained repentance If in the yeere 88. all sorts so generally feared it when yet at our generall humiliation in fasting and praier by publike commandement and our promising amendment God heard our cries deferred the execution of his wrath upon us and contrarily fought for us from heaven arming the windes and waters for his Church amongst us how much more may we justly feare it now If then I say all joyntly confessed that if God had so dealt with us as he threatned we had most righteously deserved it for all our hainous abominations and for that no other meanes could prevaile with us and if in our severall acknowledgements praiers and thanksgivings upon sundrie occasions since we have againe and againe confessed as much how much more truly may we now at this present Seeing the Lord hath granted us since not one yeere more alone to see if wee would meet him truly with intreatie of peace and unfained submission but ten yea thrice ten yeere and more and also used all meanes to reclaime us both by abundant fatherly corrections and in his long patience and commiseration given us our third most dreadfull admonition at the powder treason never to be forgotten when he even plucked us out of the furnace and now that our sinnes are in stead of repenting ten times more increased through all those meanes in the judgement of all who rightly consider of them how can we expect any longer mercy What can we looke for now in that we see men so generally chiefly most of our Gallants to make but a mocke of sinne yea of all Gods admonitions at home and abroad hating all true pietie and scorning it under most odious names Or how can we thinke truly that our land is purged of any of our abominations but stands presently guiltie of them all having now filled up our measure seeing we commit most of those fearfull abominations so often confessed with an higher hand then ever heretofore Or how can we imagine that our land is out of danger seeing many amongst us begin to doat againe upon the bloudie Romish Idolatrie and that now our enemies are so increased in Malice Pride and Multitude and so many of the infernall Locusts feared to be in the midst amongst us My desire therefore is that as this labour hath beene undertaken for the saving of us all from such a vengeance as upon these grounds we have just cause to feare and for our perpetuall happinesse and must needs for that cause concerne us all that every one would take notice of it and consider seriously of every point as God gives him opportunitie especially they who have leisure and spend many houres yea many dayes and yeeres either wickedly or at least vainly which will bring them nothing but sorrow in the end to helpe hereby to turne away the wrath or at least to save their owne soules The worke is large I grant but too large thou canst not thinke it seeing the Author of it desireth to make all plaine to the capacitie of the simplest and truly to awake every soule and for that I know not of any point in it which doth not directly tend hereunto or can well be made shorter without hurt to the whole chiefly the generall good considered that every sinner that repents not turning from his evill way must die And therefore doubtlesse no man shall haue just cause to repent him of his labour spent in hearing or reading of it but if God give him an heart by the right applying of it to helpe to appease the wrath or at least to turne and to seeke to cause others to turne he shall have cause to blesse the God of heaven for it which that every one may doe and that we may all instantly set our selves to seeke his face and favour I humbly intreat his heavenly Majestie to grant and rest Thine in Christ Iesus Edward Elton B. in D. and Pastor of S. Mary Magdalens Barmondsey neere London AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE CHRISTIAN READER FOr those who would read this book with comfort and reape the blessing desired by it in obtaining mercie and favour from the Lord for themselves and the whole land my humble request is that they would first correct these faults noted after then read and weigh these Contents in the beginning both generall and particular whereby they may see the summe and drift of all and have as it were a plaine view of the whole in their heads afterwards to read the praier in the end which is according to the same that they may better conceive and make a right use thereof and then to read the whole in order if their leisure and opportunitie serve or at least such parts of it as they shall thinke most necessarie and especially the last chapter which most neerely concerneth every soule That considering all as before Christs judgement seat like as I have endevoured to doe and so striving joyntly in faith and love for our selves and all other the poore afflicted Churches of Christ the Lord may fulfill all our holy desires turne away all evills from us and them and make us to continue a flourishing Church and a happie Nation to the comming of the Lord Iesus in the clouds
weake meanes as might seeme but by a woman to wit Huldah the Prophetesse because he knew it to be the word and message of the Lord. And that not onely to so much as shall be pleasing unto us but even to that part of it that shall most directly touch us As indeed it shall be most happy for that man who shall so receive it and shall so humble himselfe before his divine Majestie Therefore we are every one to be so affected the Lords High Priest as was old Ely who disdeyned not to receive a most grievous and dredfull message by the hand of yong Samuel a boy brought up under him but chargetâ— him in the name of the Lord to tell him every word which the Lord had spoke unto him not to hide a word from him And afterwards having heard it in stead of being offended he saith It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good Yea we shall most truely declare our homage and obedience to the word of the Lord by submitting our selves wholly unto him and ech acknowledging our particular sinnes as David did at the admonition of Nathan That thereupon we may ech receive that comfortable answer The Lord hath put away thy sinne And that we may all thus helpe to pacifie him that he may not proceed to his heavy resolution howsoever he shall humble us for the manifold dishonours which we have done to him by all our sins and for causing his enemies to blaspheme his great name Gospell which he hath vouchsafed us the profession and libertie of above most other people of the earth 5. Ech of us are to apply every part as spoken to us by the Lord particularly and as making one bodie for even the sinne of the Atheist Idolater Drunkard and so of every wicked man may be said in some sort to be the sinne of ech of us and we are all lyable to the punishments thereof even those of us that thinke our selves most innocent and free from them As the sinne of Achan is counted the sinne of all Israel for so doth the Lord tell Iosua plainely when he punished them all That Israel had sinned they had taken of the excommunicate thing they had done that which Achan did Even so the sinnes of all the notoriously wicked are the sins of us all chiefly their open abominations All of us are guiltie and endangered by the same if at the hearing and seeing them we have not mourned as we should for the dishonour done to the Lord and his anger kindled thereby Or if we have not cryed for pardon sought to turne away the vengeance yea and done our vtmost endevour ech of us in our places and callings to stop them and the course of sinne reigning amongst us None of us can justifie our selves but God might for this very sin depart from us as he threatneth Ioshuah for Achans sacriledge and might leave vs to be wrapped in the same judgement 6. We are to consider that ech of our particular grievous sinnes doe not onely hinder the power of our prayers whereby we should help to pacifie the Lords wrath but also in steed thereof helpe to draw downe the anger of God not onely vpon our selves but vpon the whole Land more specially and principally the notorious and outragious sinnes of our most horrible transgressors as of blasphemers scorners of God and of his truth oppressors drunkards filthy persons and all impudent sinners who hale on the vengeance of God as it were with cart ropes That it is his infinite mercy that it hath bin kept off hitherto And therefore howsoever such men may imagine and boast of themselves to be friends to their country yet in truth they will be found the principall enemies first to Iesus Christ doing as much as lyeth in them thereby to drive him out and to set vp Sathan in his roome and doe not onely murther their owne soules without repentance but also as much as such sins can to betray the Lords Anointed his Church their native Country with all our happinesse into the hands of the bloudie enemie Because for the sinnes of these principally Gods vengeance comes upon his people as here in this lamentable captivitie may plainely be seene And therefore ech of us are to finde out our owne particular sinnes and in the reading and hearing hereof to say This is my sinne which the Lord reproves threatneth us all for and me especially by name So ech of us are to begin to reforme our selves or else we shall never be able to judge of the sinnes of others much lesse have a right feeling of them so as to be helpers to pacifie the wrath by our prayers and to turne away the like plague from our selves 7. Every one of us are to resolve with our selves that whatsoever the Lord shall say unto us we will doe it as the people made profession to the Prophet Ieremie to doe if they had had hearts to haue performed it accordingly and ech to cast away our deerest sins rather than they shall beat backe our prayers and much more helpe to pull downe vengeance upon us Because of that which God threatneth that every soule who turnes not to all his Covenant so far as he shall manifest it to his conscience to be his Covenant and that seeks not also with all his power to cause others to turne shall perish That same sinne wherein any one continueth shall be his destruction and the endangering of all so far as lyeth in him And this may serue for the generall directions in reading this vision to make right use of it to our selves for pacifying the wrath Now to the Vision CHAP. III. The Lord is not wont to bring any terrible judgement upon his Church but usually ever aforehand to give warning thereof neither at any time to waâ—ne in vaine And what cause we have for our manifold forewarnings to give our selves to watching and praier HEe cried in mine eares with a loud voice saying Cause them that have charge over the City to draw neere or the visitations of the City draw neere c. To come to the words of the vision The Lord so plainely foreshewing this dreadfull captivitie not only heere in this Vision but also so many other wayes and denouncing it by his Prophets so long before it came declaring also the causes of it sheweth in the first place That he hath not beene wont to bring any notable judgements upon a people especially upon his Church or where his Church hath beene but he hath ever used to make the same manifestly knowne before at least to his owne faithfull servants amongst them and after as he foreshewed it so to bring it to passe unlesse his anger hath beene some way pacified This we may see in sundry of the most fearefull destructions that ever he
that proud and blasphemous Senacherib and his huge Armie when the Angâ—ll of the Lord slue an hundred and fouresâ—ore thousand of the enemies in one night upon which considerations and the like in former times the Holy Ghost faith that God is well knowne in Iudah his name is great in Israel All the world talked of his name and feared Because as his Tabernacle was there so there he brake the arrowes the bowe There he shewed his puissance and his power restrayning the rage of the enemies and turning it unto his praise and so there made himselfe terrible to the Kings of the earth To conclude this point likewise This is a principall part of that glory of the Church in the earth which is so foretold by the Prophet Esay to be in the Churches of God in the flourishing estate thereof in the dayes of the Gospell That when the Lord should wash away the filthines of his people by his word and Spirit he would create upon every place of Mount Sion and upon the assemblies thereof a cloud and a smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory should be a defence and a covering should be for a shadow in the day from the heat and a place of refuge and a covert from the storme and from the raine In which words all these parts of the Lords glory upon his Church are comprized evidently foretelling that as he would adorne and glorifie his Church then with abundance of knowledge and holinesse so his protection should shelter it from all danger as the coverings did the Tabernacle And this indeed was the glory of the Primitive Church according as it was spoken of by Esay Yea every wicked man whose conscience is not utterly scared when he commeth into any such a Congregation where these three shine bright is inforced to acknowledge such a place to be a glorious and blessed place and God to be there untill that men have by their disobedience to the word and by their maliciousnesse put out the eye of their soule and conscience altogither To applie all this And first to this people of Iudah If wee marke well wee may cleerely see how God had wonderfully withdrawne from them that outward glory which formerly they had enjoyed and had also shewed them evident tokens of his departure in every one of these respects before he went away utterly And first for holy knowledge when they daily waxed more blind and senselesse by all the paines of their Teachers and all other their forewarnings so that they were worse therein then the oxe and the asse as the Prophet Esay complained many yeeres before Secondly for holinesse of life the abominations following will evidently demonstrate for reverence of the Lords messengers in that they misused them untill there was no remedy So for peace and unitie when Ephraim was against Manasseh Manasses against Ephraim and both against Iudah when all the godly who followed the true Prophets and cleaued only to the word and the covenant of the Lord were generally hated made as signes and wonders like as the Prophets were whose word they obeyed And lastly for protection when as the glory was almost gone in Ezechias dayes when he himselfe and Ierusalem were in that danger by Senecharib and cleane gone by Manasses at what time he was carried away captive into Babylon Afterwards also was Iosiah their shelter cut downe by the enemie which was the next most manifest forerunner of the finall departure and of their glory So they had after this overthrow after overthrow untill this plague was utterly come upon them and their glory also departed without hope of recovery till Gods anger was fully accomplished upon them Thus we have seene this point at large wherein the outward glory of the Church consists how all this was fully verified amongst them according to the vision That God had indeed made all these removals of their glory before his finall departure But now let us in the second place returne home from Iudah unto our selves and lay it neere unto our hearts considering well first whether the Lord have not begun as sensible removals of all this glory even amongst our selves in every one of these kindes sundry wayes and at sundry times proceeding by degrees And whether he doe not thereby threaten manifestly that he is purposed utterly to remove and to take away all his glory and his gratious presence from us and to leave us to the will of our enemies to be made a reproch and a shame when he is departed from us unlesse we prevent and retaine him by our speedie amendment To begin and apply in order as in the presence of the Lord. Where is that delight of ours in most places that we were wont to take in his word our inciting and incouraging one another Come let us goe up to the house of the Lord our talking of it and our rejoycing in it as of our chiefe glory Do we not in steed hereof waxe weary of it very generally hearing it commonly for a fashion or for satisfying of the law or some like respect Are we not growne to this passe for the most part to be ashamed of talking or reasoning of it Yea what is more common than in steed hereof to discourage one another from being forward in following after it and those holy assemblies of his people where he hath promised his presence for ever Are not our people in steed hereof set rather to flocke to all kinds of vanities and places of the worse resort to dishonour and provoke the Lord even to those places where is open profession of all impietie and schooles of all lewdnesse and ungratiousnesse Let the ordinarie frequenting of so many profane and lascivious playes fitter for Sodome than the Church of God be witnesse Where is that holy sound and powerfull knowledge of God amongst the people become which in regard of the long and quiet time of the Gospell that thorow the riches of the Lords mercy we have enjoyed should have growne to ripenesse that which was wont so to abound amongst us in many goodly Congregations whereby the Popish sort were ashamed of themselves for their ignorance specially as was said that love which hath bin so declared in hungring after the word in delighting in it as our felicitie Nay what is become for most part of that singular commendation for readinesse in the Scriptures and soundnesse of judgement in the word of the Lord wherein many of our Gentry and cheifer sort in many places did sometimes excell for which they were much to be commended and indeed it was their dutie far so to excell for they of all other have the most meanes for all good helps and leysure to get the knowledg of the Lord and also are most bound thereunto
dwell in for ever and be as the signet upon my right hand yet seeing it now casteth me off and despiseth to heare my voyce any longer or to be reformed I will not spare it neither shall mine eye have pitie on it save onely of my remnant in it but I will leave it to be destroyed and desolate at least for seventie yeeres Whence the Lord would have all his people to learne That no priviledges promises mercies deliverances no nor any profession of religion can doe a people any good at all to secure them from his vengeance if once they begin to cast him off and his Covenant But when they fall to be stubborne against him and his word sent unto them in his mercy he will cast them off and leave them This also is a matter to be well thought of by us Because as they of Iudah were wont to secure themselves in their prerogatives even so doe we ordinarily First therefore to begin with them Were not these and the like the things whereby they were wont to think themselves safe and to make their boast of so that they could not repent Sometimes because they had the Lords Temple of which they so gloried saying The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord. Sometimes they used to flatter themselves depraving Gods word thus The Law shall not depart from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet And commonly all singing this song which their children learned of them We have Abraham to our father and by these and the like did they grow so extremely impenitent that they could not be moved by any warnings And is it not even so with us That whensoever we are admonished of the Lords anger either by his word or judgements on us or by any other signes or threatnings against us to move us to seeke to pacifie his wrath is not this usuall with us to harden our hearts and still to lull our selves asleepe in our securitie thinking that we are in no such danger and all for some speciall priviledges which we imagine that we have Although it be acknowledged by all that there are most grievous sinnes amongst us yea most horrible contempt of God and his word with dreadfull signes of his departing and that we have had many strange and terrible warnings yet the Lord must needs still continue with us and there is no such danger or cause of feare as some imagine and why so Because we have Gods true religion established by law maintayned by authoritie and sincerely professed by many The Lord hath also shewed us such manifest tokens of his favour and love in our sundry and most admirable deliverances He hath taken such vengeance on our enemies He still discovers and overthrowes their plots And which is above all other his blessings for that he hath given us such a worthy Head and Governour such a hopefull Issue so established the Scepter and concluded such a peace with other Nations on every side as hencforth we cannot have any such cause of feare as formerly we have had Are not these and the like the things whereby we are commonly waxen so strong and safe in our owne conceit And are we not hereupon become so secure from any dreadfull judgement as that no warnings from heaven nor earth words corrections threats nor yet any mercies can do the greatest part any more good but that they desperately proceed from evill to worse as though no hurt could come unto us Let us to this end consider a litle of the priviledges of this Citie and people and then if the Lord open our eyes we shall easily see what causes we have of this our confidence and securitie First for Ierusalem The Lord chose it to dwell in for ever and Sion to be an habitation for himselfe yea he after a peculiar manner tyed his residencie to that place whereas now it is no more tyed to any one place than unto another but one Country now being unthankfull he removes his Church and abode to another There Salomon by the appointment of the Lord himselfe built a house for his glorious Majestie as the place wherein he would be specially worshipped of all the places in the world Such promises also were made by him unto that place as never unto any other That the people praying there because the Temple was a speciall figure of Iesus Christ he would heare those their petitions made in that place Or when they could not come thither if they did but turne their faces towards Ierusalem in prayer that he would heare their supplications made in faith and obedience as he heard Daniel in the Captivitie It was so famous for visions and revelations of the Lord by meanes of the Arke of the Testimonie there the Priests with the Vrim and Thummim the Prophets and messengers of the Lord that it was called the valley of visions yea it was so far preferred before all other places as that all must pray for the peace of Ierusalem So that the Prophet David prayes for the prosperitie of all them who love Ierusalem It is called for the excellencie of it The perfection of beautie The ioy of the whole earth and by our Saviour it is named The holy Citie and at that time when it did grow towards the very worst It was then so deere unto him as that he wept over it to thinke of the sinnes of it with the miseries that were to come upon it for the same And to shut up this point when our Saviour will set out unto the Church the glory of the kingdome of heav'n in the first flourishing estate thereof in earth and fully in heav'n he finds no fitter resemblance to expresse it by than by Ierusalem calling it the new Ierusalem and holy Ierusalem because Ierusalem was the type thereof These are some of the priviledges of the Citie For the prerogatiues of the people they are far more surpassing if we will beleeve the commendations which holy Paul gives of them in the 9. chapter to the Romanes vers 4. where he so highly esteemes of them that he could have wished himselfe accursed yea cast away utterly and seperate from Christ for evermore from eternall joy to perpetuall miserie even for his brethren that were his kinsmen according to the flesh if it had beene possible therby to turne away the Lords anger from them and to reconcile them unto his Majestie againe that so he might have beene glorified in saving of them These particular prerogatives are there moreover ascribed unto them 1. They were Israelites that is A people descended of the most noble stock of all the world Israels posteritie who prevailed with God discending lineally from faithfull Abraham the father of all the faithfull the freind of God and with
Lamentations This their good King had also sundry sonnes and sonnes sonnes as may appeare in the historie alledged before As for Gods tender love and care shewed for us in our continuall preservations and in all our former deliverances the abuse of them cannot but increase the wrath against us considering our grievous unthankfulnesse Besides that they had also then as just cause to boast hereof as we have now or much more both in that continuall preservation of their Land through a feare cast on their enemies that none durst invade them so long as they obeyed the Lord in any good sort of which we spake and by their great deliverances as that in the dayes of Ezechiah and others mentioned Whereas this may be yet further imagined for our vaine securing our selves that we live in the dayes of the Gospell wherein the judgements of God are more spirituall and therefore having received so many strange deliverances it is more like that he intends to punish us more spiritually which is indeed the heaviest judgement of all other We answer That true it is That we may as yet certainely expect an increase of the spirituall judgement of blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart to fill up the measure of our iniquities and to make the condemnation of all the reprobate and our plagues the more just thereby yet these things following thought of and well weighed with the former may cause us to dread some temporall plague and that heavier than all which have gone before As first the outward and temporall judgements which God hath been wont to bring for the contempt of the Gospell like as in the last finall destruction and scattering of this Nation of the Iewes over the face of the earth after the preaching of Christ and his Apostles and sundry other where the Gospell hath come as the judgements accomplished in removing those seven golden Candlesticks of Asia and in many other famous Churches with the afflictions upon them which must needs be very grievous in all reason before the Gospell could be utterly taken away And secondly if we call to minde how many forewarnings we have had of such a sharpe scourge and withall how often it hath bin so neere to our backs Thirdly that we have had as I take it all the fore-runners of the greatest temporall calamitie which is the very sword it selfe That we have felt both dearths and pestilences and also heard the cryes of the poore for mercilesse oppressors ravening and devouring almost in every part of our Land Besides the taking from us so many of the Royall issue and principally Him upon whom all the eyes of our Land were bent for continuance of our shelter yea of our life and all our blessings to cause all the godly to droope in fearing continually some greater judgement and giving all the enemies such cause to lift up their heads afresh as now expecting their day againe Fourthly the implacable malice of our bloudie enemies against us either to destroy us utterly or to bring our Nation by strong hand under that Babylonish yoke againe which cruell rage of theirs doth threaten such a plague every houre but that the Lord in mercie stayeth it This fiftly may terrifie us all so oft as we thinke of it for that as I take it under submission to better judgements we cannot be any more assured that our Land is as yet purged more of the abominable Idolatrie committed in former times and of the bloud of Gods servants the faithfull Martyrs of Iesus Christ in the dayes of Queene Marie with innumerable moe abominations committed both before and since and increased also to this day to anger the Lord than Ierusalem was in the dayes of Iosiah If God remembred against Iudah all the Idolatrie bloodshed and other like abominations of former dayes and in the day of his visitation visited them for all what can we looke for or how can we secure our selves And yet above all these That if the Lord doe love us and purpose to continue his religion and presence with us as we have great cause of hope that he doth then he will deale with us as kinde and wise fathers are wont to doe with their disobedient children he will double and treble his fatherly strokes upon us untill he amends us and makes us stoope to him He hath already corrected us very sharply with all his other rods over and over and continually one or other upon our backs and most thicke of late time whence we must needs expect a more sharpe scourge to awaken and amend us than any of the former or than all of them togither And what can that be we take not upon us to divine But let every one bethinke himselfe and looke into the booke of God and he will easily see by the course of Gods former proceedings what cause we have to feare especially if the same abominations be found amongst us or rather greater than these for which the Lord threatned and brought this wofull judgement for if he spared not the naturall branches then neither will he spare us now being but wilde Olives and having so far greater light than they and other meanes to reclaime us And therefore this is our lesson in this our day and left to admonish us now as it was given first for them For other prerogatives If any can be found wherein we doe excell them they will but rather serve to increase and hasten our judgement As the Gospell for example offring more grace and power of obedience must needs more kindle the Lords wrath Because so many of us making profession of it doe yet denie the power thereof so far as that we make the very enemies to blaspheme and doe moreover proceede not onely to hate but also to scorne all who labour to bring forth the fruit of it by a holy conversation For as it is with the most gracious and munificent Princes that they will shew most severitie to such of their Subjects whom no patience nor benefits can winne but that they rather waxe more rebellious by the mercy and bountie of their Prince so we must know certainely that it is with the Lord that his mercies so abused must needs provoke him to the heaviest indignation which if it be but the removing of our candlesticke how dreadfull it is yea whether it be not far worse than any bodily plague let all the wise-hearted judge Thus much likewise for this point That no favour or priviledges can give any securitie to a sinfull people professing Gods religion if they begin to cast off his yoke and to waxe worse and worse to make his name to be blasphemed but the moe their priviledges are the greater is their sin and the more grievous their punishments shall be And secondly what causes we have hereupon to give our selves more instantly to watching and
him we may adjoyne that faithfull Prophet Ieremie who though he lived in a far better time and place both in the bosome of the Church and in the dayes of that holy King Iosiah yea in that worthy reformation for many yeeres togither for he began to preach unto them in the thirteenth yeere of Iosiah and so continued untill this Captivitie was brought upon them yet he likewise is vexed continually even from the beginning of his prophesying This was a daily corosive to his soule to see the people so backward in embracing the truth so senselesse and impenitent in their sinnes in such evident tokens of Gods vengeance rushing upon them so prone to the former Idolatrie wherein they had lived and to all other abominations to anger the Lord notwithstanding the example of their most worthy Prince and all the meanes used to reclaime them This made his very soule to faint within him and his heart to tremble that no admonitions of his nor of other the holy Prophets could doe them any good although they daily discovered their iniquities and so proclaimed this desolation That beholding this and seeing that now there was no more hope but that their plagues must needs breake in violently upon them he wisheth his head full of water and his eyes a fountaine of teares that he might weepe for them day and night and for all the miseries that were to come upon them And moreover desireth that he had if it were but a poore cottage of a wayfaring man in the desolate wildernesse to live all alone and never to heare of their sinnes nor to see their wicked conversations any more More than this we may also observe how carefully this is recorded in the Booke of God That divers of his most faithfull servants hearing of some haynous sins committed to his dishonour and provocation and considering the judgements due thereunto or foreseeing by evident signes some present calamitie hasting upon them for the same have bin strangely humbled thereupon yea how they have wept prayed fasted lyen downe on the ground and could not be comforted Besides Moses who was ever thus humbled upon the new provocations of the people and with him Samuel David and others see Ezra his behaviour how he rent his clothes pluckt off the haire of his head and of his beard sate astonied got privately into his chamber fasted neither eating bread nor drinking water mourning because of the transgressions of them of the Captivitie and fearing some new wrath to come upon them This caused him to be cast downe in himselfe when he heard of the strange women which Gods people had maried in the Captivitie contrary to his law how they had mingled themselves with the prophane Heathen which were given to all abominations whereby their children began to prove heathenish also and because the Princes and Rulers had bin chiefe in this trespasse And not onely he himselfe but the people likewise sat trembling for those and other sins and for a grievous raine which God had sent upon them at that time as an evident token of his displeasure So holy King Iosiah when he heard the words of the Booke of the Law which was found laying to heart the threatnings in it and considering thereupon the wrath kindled against them for their owne sinnes and for the sinnes of their fathers he mourning thus humbled himselfe rent his clothes his heart did melt his eyes powred out teares He sends straight way to inquire where he could have any answer even of Huldah because he knew that shee was a Prophetesse of the Lord with which fact of his declaring his unfayned humiliation the Lord was so pleased that he sends him this message That his eyes should not see the vengeance which he would bring on that place He should first be taken away in peace before those plagues came Our Saviour also himselfe foreseeing the last desolation of this Citie and yet beholding the people so senselesse in the midst of the imminent danger when his preaching will doe them no more good he stands and weeps over them thus lamenting Oh if thou hadst knowne at least in this thy day those things that belong unto thy peace But now are they hid from thine eyes for the dayes shall come upon thee that thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on every side and shall make thee even with the ground and thy children which are in thee and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone which shall not be cast downe because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation And for continuall mourning for this the holy servant of God Paul calls Christ to witnesse to his soule that he had a continuall heavinesse and sorrow in his heart for his stiffe-necked and unbeleeving Countrymen the Iewes And that he could have wished himselfe separate from Christ so that they might not have beene cast off from being any more a nation or the people of the Lord. Finally the two Prophets in the Revelation representing all the true and faithfull Preachers of the Gospell in the last age even these daies wherein we live are set out unto us cloathed in sackcloth after the manner of mourners bewailing the strange delusions of the people of God by the abominations of Antichrist in so cleare a light of the Gospell of Christ shining againe so gloriously And thus have we seene plainly this propertie of Gods people how they use to sigh and mourne for all the iniquities of the times wherein they live Now to ascend to the next degree of the griefe of the godly for the wickednesse of the times the Prophet saith That they sigh and cry not only that they sigh but sigh and cry for all the abominations Wherein the Holy Ghost would have all to take notice that the godly at such times have beene so farre off from bearing with the wicked or flattering them in their sinnes as that from mourning they have come in a zeale of Gods glory and in an holy indignation against sinne to cry out openly against the grievous corruptions and transgressions and have shewed thereby their detestation so farre as their calling would any way suffer them especially when the provocations have beene hainous to anger the Lord. To omit the boldnesse of the young Prophet sent to Ieroboam and of Eliah to Ahab in the case of open Idolatrie this was the continuall course of these three worthy Prophets Esay Ieremie Ezechiel and so of the rest that lived before the Captivitie Thus God bids Esay to lift up his voice as a trumpet to tell his people of their transgressions And this was Ieremies usuall tenour for which all his hatred and troubles came upon him with earnest contention to cry out against the fearefull sinnes of his time These God hath left as presidents
the sin of all yet it indangered all See the feare of the people of Israel for the suspition of the provocation by the two tribes and the halfe in the erecting of the altar of witnesse which the rest of the Tribes did thinke that they had done for sacrifice contrary to the commandement of the Lord. They al purposed to have gone immediatly to make war against their brethren for the punishment of that sin yet sent messengers to know the truth of the matter before with this message That if they did rebell against the Lord that day the morrow next he would be wrath with all the congregation of Israell The like we may behold in the feare of the people for the villany committed by some of the inhabitants of the City of Gibeah in abusing the Levites Concubine and the vengeance that came not onely upon the City wherein it was committed but also upon all the Tribe of Benjamin because they delivered them not to be punished but would seeme to defend them for as much as they were apart of their Tribe And not upon that Tribe alone which might seeme justly accessary but also upon all those who helped not to take vengeance for that wicked fact as on all the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead becavse they came not to the war to see Gods judgements executed upon those wicked men To come to the sinnes of particular men Did we not heare before of the vengeance on Israell in the dayes of Ioshuah for the sin of Achan How that worthy Captaine with his valiant soldiers were not able to stand before their enemies untill Achans sinne was found out punished Yea the Lord tels them he will not be with them any more unlesse they destroy the excommunicate from amongst them which thereupon they were glad to doe And far be it from us to thinke the Lord to be unjust in this or any other of his judgements or to have diminished any part of his justice or holinesse unto this day Secondly we cannot forget that anger that was kindled against Israell and the famine that came upon them in the dayes of David for three yeeres together for the sinne of Saul in killing the Gibeonites to gratifie the people contrary to his fidelity Though they were but heathens of the cursed Amorites and had dealt deceitfully with the Israelites in making their covenant Yet the wrath could not be appeased or the Land purged untill vengeance was taken upon his bloudy house for that murther committed so long before And therfore sith his anger may breake forth so long after even for such sins much more for such notorious abominations as are committed daily by them who have given themselves over to all manner of profanenesse and impiety and whereof they can have no such colour or occasion This was the cheife reason of the solemne inquisition which was at the publicke fasts in Israell for the finding out both of notorious offenders and offences to have vengeance taken of them openly Hence was the pretence of Iezabell for the saving of Naboth under a shew of execution of this justice against a blasphemer to pacifie the Lords anger This also seemes to have bin one principall cause why the word was read and preached at those their solemne fasts that thereby the sins might be discovered and reformed as God bids Ieremie to indite and Baruch to write from his mouth and to declare to the people their sinnes with the plagues judgements due unto them that they might returne from their evill wayes and so pacifie his wrath by crying unto him and reforming all the abominations Thus we see this point also cleere That the sinnes of a people even of a few of them not punished do anger the Lord and provoke him against the whole land making the land uncleane neither can he be fully pacified any way but by the punishing and taking away of those sinnes Whereby it is most evident to the consciences of all men what just cause the godly have to sigh and to tremble for all the abominations that are committed amongst them and especially which being notoriously knowne do still remaine unpunished Now to apply this unto our selues And first for the generall humiliation of us all afterward for the comfort of those few that are such true mourners indeed First this may strike the hearts of all sorts who imagining that they are the servants of the Lord yet hearing and seeing the fearfull apostacy coldnesse and security of our age even in many of the better sort together with Atheisme Poperie and all outragious and profane licentiousnesse daily increasing in the rest are yet never troubled therwith And much more may it astonish all such who are so far off from the condition of these mourners as that they can solace themselues as freely when they heare of all excesse in iniquity and whatsoever can bee devised by Iewd men to anger the Lord and to grieve his Spirit as ever they were wont at other times Most of all may it affright and awaken those who use all devices to drive each thought of Gods anger or any judgement with every occasion of humiliation and mourning utterly out of their hearts But of all other is their estate most fearfull who can make the beastly sinnes of others their chiefest sport Oh you that are such consider in your hearts Is this the spirit of Lot Moses Samuel Ieremie Ezra of these mourners heere marked Of our Saviour or Pavl Is this the Spirit of the Lord How deceive you your soules in a vaine imagination what will ye doe in the day of the Lords wrath if he let it come upon us as we justly deserue Or what have ye done to turne it from us Know know for certaine that this sinne of yours will one day undoubtedly bring you weeping enough you cannot tell whether even in this life as it did to them in the Captivity nay even whether this same uery day when you shall do nothing but weep day and night in remembrance of this one sinne that your hearts were so hard in the dayes of your prosperity that you could not mourne at all Besides all the other miseries that you are liable unto for all your sinnes chiefly if God should give you up for them when you shall be utterly destitute of comfort of the Lords mercy protection and-favour untill you shall have soundly bewailed all this your sencelesse security But on the contrary as this is given by the Lord for the comfort of all that mourne for the iniquities because they are surely marked before the vengeance come to be safe then so it may serue for the sweete consolation and cheering up even of all those of every estate and degree from the highest to the lowest who find their hearts thus affected in hearing of and beholding the abominations committed dayly to anger the
Lord howsoever it shall please him to visit us Give me leave therefore if it were to digresse a little to turne my speech to speake to your soules and consciences for the confirming and strengthening of all our hearts who are such The Lord heere sets before your faces the care which he hath for you You are surely sealed whatsoever plagues he shall smite the earth withall whether you be rulers from the greatest to the meanest to begin with you If your consciences beare you witnesse that your hearts are set to advance Gods true religion and all prety and by all holy meanes to suppresse iniquity and so to turne away the judgements threatned And much more also if to this end you study to procure what good you can to the Church of Christ. If you mourne with Ezra for the grievous transgressions of the people for defiling themselves with the abominations of other nations and especially with Popery Atheisme and all irreligious licenciousnes Of if that your hearts do melt with holy Iosiah for the former and present provocations and to see how the word of the Lord is despised If you use to lament and sigh in beholding the intollerable frowardnesse of men against the Lord that they cannot be brought to submit themselues to his glorious Gospell and in observing such a strange turning backe of many of our people in their hearts as who will needs returne into Egypt and Sodome againe and so strive to provoke the Lord yet more therby and by all other their sinnes And if moreover in seeing that you cannot doe that good that you would in reforming the evils you are not only daily humbled before the Lord upon your faces privately but doe also shew your griefe openly in your places as occasion is offered as this is an euident demonstration of your unfeigned religion before the world so it is a most strong bulwark to your own soules against all feare of the miseries that can any way come upon us Or secondly If you be those that succeed in the place of the Prophets being set to watch over and to warne the people committed to you thereby to turne away the plagues which are tiying upon them and doe finde in your selves the affections of Ieremie in heavinesse and lamentation when you see your paines to doe so litle good that you people generally grow rather worse and worse that you labour in vaine spend you strength in vaine and for nothing as Esay complaineth that although the bellowes be burnt yet you melt but in vaine the wickednesse is not taken away so that you may seeme to have just cause to deeme them to be but reprobate silver and such as the Lord hath weighed as Ieremie bewayleth them in his time this may comfort you that you are of this number that are marked And if furthermore for this cause you find your life to be a wearines that with Paul you have a continual sorrow in your hearts for your people and that you could be content to indure any miserie for them to save them from the Lords wrath this is a demonstration that the same spirit of Paul resteth upon you And yet further also to comfort you If you be such as are so far off from serving the time or flattering them to whom you are sent in crying peace peace That you have set your selves in all faithfulnesse to discover their iniquities and to cry out against all their sinnes and that no feare can stop your mouth from doing your duties in your places this testimonie of your consciences shall be as a strong brazen wall unto you whatsoever shall come to passe And to speake generally If you be private Christians as Lot and these mourners here marked and in steed of having a confederacie with the wicked in their evill wayes you finde your selves vexed every day for the evils which you heare and see it may minister unto you much assurance and heavenly consolation And more specially if your hearts be troubled for these dreadfull sinnes As first for our monstrous unthankfulnesse for the Gospell with all our blessings accompanying it and for that we are most of us so weary in living in obedience unto it and so many on the other side ready to live rather under that slaverie of Antichrist or service of sinne and Sathan Or secondly If you feele your soules continually grieved in beholding how many of us there are which make a profession of the Gospell in word yet denie utterly all power of it in our lives And withall how ready many amongst us who have heretofore made conscience of our wayes are now to joyne hands and run to all excesse with the Atheist and with every profane and filthy person And if aboue all this your hearts beare you witnesse that you strive to keepe your selves unspotted in this last and sinfull generation and neither by Schisme run forth of the Church and communion of the Saints so condemning the generation of his children on the one hand nor leave your places and callings so long as with a good conscience you can enjoy them to cast your selves upon the rocks of innumerable evils neither yet on the other hand to decline to the coldnesse hypocrisie and loosenesse of the time this shall be your comfort perpetually And yet to proceed a litle further If you thus staying your selves from these extremes doe use to speake every one to his neighbour as the godly did in Malachies dayes to incourage one another to walke more heedfully and cheerefully in the wayes of the Lord ech in his ranke and within the bounds of his calling this shall be your witnesse before the Lord. Or finally If yet now at least at the view of our transgressions which follow the Lords threatnings against us you can feele your hearts so affected as those mourners and set to continue so to walke with your God then this shall be unto you a gratious assurance that you are indeed the Lords owne servants as these mourners were The same Spirit of the Lord resteth upon you you are surely sealed therewith and singled out for his Majestie His care is as well for you as ever it was for Noah Lot Eliah or any of these mourners for he is still the same to all who tread in their steps his compassions faile not This is written now to comfort you Heaven and earth shall passe but not one jot or title of his word untill every thing be accomplished He may sooner breake his covenant concerning the day and the night than he can with you The hills may sooner remove out of their places than his mercy can from you Let none of your hearts therefore faint who have this witnesse that you indevour hereunto But come whatsoever will God will provide such a deliverance for you if he see it good Or if he send you into Captivitie yet he
than the Heathen whom the Lord had plagued the Holy Ghost saith That first the Lord spake unto him and to his people but they would not regard And when that would not serve he saith expresly That the Lord brought upon them the Captaines of the hoast of the King of Asshur who tooke Manasseh and put him in fetters and bound him in chaines and caried him to Babel And that then when he was in tribulatior he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and God was intreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him againe into his kingdome in Ierusalem then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God So that it was God especially that brought the Assyrian upon Manasseh and fettred him and caried him into Babylon and there heard his prayer and brought him backe and set him againe in his kingdome it was God that did it Thirdly for this Captivitie as the Prophet here foresaw it and the Lord said he would doe it and like as he bids the enemies which are represented by these Angels to goe and smite so the Holy Ghost saith plainely using the very same phrase of speech that is used concerning Manasseh That God brought upon them the King of the Caldeans who slew their young men with the sword and spared neither young nor old but made this havocke of them all They came not meerely of themselves but God sent them as his executioners This Ieremie confesseth in his Lamentations That the Lord did it acknowledging thus in the person of all Iudah and Ierusalem Thou hast called as in a solemne day my terrours round about meaning that the Lord had called their terrible enemies on every fide to compasse them in that none might escape his wrath wherein he shewes how the Lord mustered the enemies to revenge these abhominations And thus hath it ever bin when enemies have come against the Church as we may see cleane thorow the booke of God and especially in the booke of the Iudges it was principally because the Lord had stirred them up he had mustered and brought them For if he but lift up his ensigne or but hisse or whistle for them as the Prophet speaketh they come amaine from all the ends of the earth They sleepe not nor faint unlesse the Lord himselfe stay them or plucke them backe putting his hooke into their nostrils and his bit into their jawes as he did to that proud Senecharib when he came so fiercely against Ierusalem Although as we heard the enemies themselves doe not know so much And when is it that the Lord brings them Even then when his people whom he hath put in trust with his most holy religion through long peace ease and prosperitie become utterly unthankfull and grow to loath the heavenly Manna when once they begin to be haughtie against the Lord and rebellious against his word and messengers sent unto them and they will obey it no further than it doth like themselves when they doe waxe so senselesse and indurate as all his fatherly rods of scarsitie famine pestilence and other sicknesse signes and tokens from heaven and earth no nor the continuall warnings of his servants can doe them any more good to move them any longer And finally when in steed of repenting and meeting him with intreatie of peace they proceede to mock his servants to misuse his messengers despising his word sent in mercy to warne them for then he can beare no longer but sets up his ensignes and calls for the sword of the enemie to avenge his quarrell thereby to take away religion and all the comforts of this life in one day for that their intollerable contempt of all his bounty long suffering and compassion This is that which he hath threatned in his law That he will punish such a people yet seven times more the sword and captivity being the last and heaviest outward plague and oft accompanied with all the rest chiefly with famine most cruell and savage beasts to devoure the rebellious people This he did fearefully verifie in the ensamples mentioned both in the captivity of Israell and Iudah chiefly in this latter as the holy Ghost plainely sheweth declaring the causes of it How when after their former lesse captivities and sundry plagues begun they in generall still increased their trespasses wonderfully according to all the abominations of the heathen and withall mocked and misused his messengers which he had sent unto them in compassion to call them to repentance then there was no remedie But he brought upon them the King of the Caldeans to execute all his fierce wrath and vengeance upon them all God gave all into his hands And this as he saith was to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Ieremie untill the Land had her fill of Sabaoths So all the dayes that shee lay desolate shee kept Sabaoth to fulfill seventie yeeres In which words it is most evident that the whole Captivitie both for the manner and continuance was altogither appointed and directed by the Lord. Whence we may most plainely conclude with that of the Prophet Esay where he brings in the Lord thus speaking of himselfe Behold I have created the Smith that bloweth the coales in the sire and him that bringeth forth an instrument for his wâ—rke I have created the destroyer to destroy If any man shall yet doubt of any part hereof let him read with reverence the 26 chapter of Leviticus and there he shall see all this set downe in order especially from the 14 verse to the end To apply this now to our times and to our selves it being now our lesson to awaken us and to make us to looke at the Lord levying his Armies against us if any thing can stir us Did that proud Nebuchadnezzar of Rome sound out his bellowing Bulls to move all the Lords people to rebell against his Annoynted Or hath he so often practised our destruction both openly and secretly altogither without the Lord Or did any of that bloudie League being Antichrists sworne servants so band themselves as of themselves without the Lords command to threaten so far forth the ruinating of Christs kingdome and the rooting out of his Gospell Or those that came against us in the yeere eightie eight in their mightie Armada which the enemie in the pride of his heart had named the Navie invincible purposing nothing else but the utter desolation both of this Church and Kingdome and to massacre the mother with the children to satiate themselves with the bloud of every one of us as their burcherly instruments of crueltie did proclaime to all the world Did these I say come only of themselves in the malice and hautinesse of their hearts and without the Lord so disposing and threatning us by them Could they or durst they ever have
Remember 1. The danger we stand in because of the Lords displeasure for our sin 2. The meanes how we may yet pacifie and prevent the same if we be not wanting to our selues 3. That we are all to be helpers hereunto 4. The comfort and happinesse of the true helpers whatsoeuer come to passe with the misery of the rest are the briefe and scope of all Esa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare Hos. 12. 4. He had power over the Angell and prevailed he wept and praied vnto him In wrastling and weeping is our victorie I. B. Errours to be corrected thus PReface Page 1. l. 5. marg write hying on us p. 5. l. 36. thus p. 9. l. 14. as was said p. 15. l. 19. to our good In the Contents b. 3. l. 2. too indifferently l. 4. The light esteeme of the great c. c. 2. l. 5. put out sometime l. 12. through ignorant In the vision p. 1. l. 1. marg Al In the booke p. 1. l. 32. should endure p. 44. l. 25. worst p. 45. l. 8. marg able p. 65. l. 28. grandfather p 79. l. 4. and is l. 6. Apo. 2. l. 23. shewed p. 111. l. 23. disgrace p. 114. l. 8. humbled p. 123. l. 22. seduced brethren p. 127. l. 18. portraid out p. 244. marg l. 1. Luc. 10. 13. p. 264. l. 10. enow l. 36. of her torment p. 304 l. 7. marg uncutablenesse p. 370. l. 27. witnesse p. 375. put out Italian p. 377. marg l. 16. Mat. 7. p. 389 l. 9. Tetrastylon p. 398 marg l. 1. A question p. 433. l. 25. the holy Prophet p. 468. l. 13. Together with the helpes herein contained and the reading p. 514. l. 26 in many places p. 515. l. 5. many p. 516. l. 17. put out the number of p. 517. l. 17. put out 〈◊〉 p. 535. for their carkases write they p. 543. l. 2. all that feare A TABLE OF THE chiefe things contained in each Chapter thorow out the whole booke in order either handled more at large or briefly pointed at CHAP. I. THe resolution and opening of the vision in the 9. chapter of Ezekiel pag. 1 CHAP. II. Directions to make a right use of this forewarning to our selves with Rules to be observed to this end p. 5 6 The sinnes of the wicked are in some sort the sinnes of us all p. 8 Hainous and impudent sinners helpe to draw downe Gods vengeance p. 8 Every soule that turneth not to God seeking withall to cause others to turne must perish p. 9 CHAP. III. God not wont to bring any not able judgement on his Church but to foreshew it first and then to bring it when no repentance hath followed to prevent p. 10 Reasons of the Lords forewarnings of his Church p. 14 Application hereof to our selves how the Lord hath forewarned us p. 15 16 17 c. CHAP. IIII. The withdrawing the lively tokens of Gods presence a signe of his departure and of vengeance at hand p. 26. 31 God being well pleased with his people is wont to witnesse his presence by some apparant signe p. 27 Signes of the Lords presence in the daies of the Gospell whereby to judge of our estate p. 28 29 c. Signes of his withdrawing himselfe p. 31 CHAP. V. The Lord makes sundrie removes of his glory from his Church before he depart from it to shew his unwillingnesse to depart p. 35 36 The outward glorie of the Lord in his Church wherein it consists p. 37 Abundance of sanctified knowledge a speciall part thereof p. 37 Holinesse and unitie make Gods people glorious in the eies of their enemies p. 38 The Lords glorious protection of his people a principall outward signe of his presence p. 40 41 c. Application of the removall of Gods glory first to Iudah before the Captivitie p. 42 Secondly to our selves p. 43 The true practise of Christianitie more reprochfull to many then to live in any sinne p. 48 How welcome the Lords messengers are unto many p. 49 Our unitie much departed p. 49 Fruits of our dissentions p. 50 Countenance to the true lovers of the Gospell much gone p. 50 Our protection oft indangered to be removed p. 50 51 All our glory ready to mount up at once in the powder furnace a fearefull forewarning unlesse we repent p. 52 53 God may justly leave us into the enemies hand for suffering Popâ—rie so to revive and grow up after he had given us so just occasion to seeke to root it out utterly p. 52 53 CHAP. VI. God will not spare Ierusalem if it rebell against him p. 59 No priviledges can secure a people from Gods judgements if they increase in thâ—ir iniquitie p. 58 59 Priviledges wherein we secure our selves p 59 60 66 〈◊〉 priviledges p. 59 60 61 Iudah in the beginning of her miseries not inferiour to us in prerogatives to secure her p. 67 The Gospell contemned can be no freedome no not from a temporall scourge p. 69 We cannot be more secured that our land is purged of the Idolatrie of former dayes and the bloud of Gods servants then Ierusalem in Iosiahs dayes p. 70 214 God purposing to remaine with us must needs deale as a kinde Father to bring us to obedience p. 71 CHAP. VII The Lord hath ever a speciall care of his in the greatest destructions and marketh them before the judgement come p. 73 Why the Lord oft lets his feele the smart with the rest in generall destructions p. 79 What the marking profiteth Gods servants suffering with the rest p. 80 State of the godly whom God takes away at such times p. 82 State of the wicked in such calamities p. 82 What the marke was wherewith the godly were marked p. 84 CHAP. VIII The godly mourne for the sinnes of the wicked amongst whom they live p. 85 The godly wont not only to mourne but to cry for the abominations of the wicked according to their calling p. 89 Reasons why the godly so mourne and cry for all the abominations p. 90 For one notorious sinner unpunished all the place is in danger of Gods wrath and much more for many p. 91 92 93 Comfort to true mourners though the Lord should execute his judgement for the sinnes of the wicked p. 96 State of all contemners of Gods mercifull forewarnings p. 100 Iust cause of feare for the small number of true mourners p. 102 CHAP. IX The enemies by which the Lord threatneth or afflicteth his Church are his souldiers p. 104 105 Application to our selves to behold the Lords enemies p. 109 All of them are fearefull denuntiations of vengeance untill we repent and why p. 111 112 Ioyning hands with Gods enemies is a calling them in to avenge his quâ—rrell p. 112 113 How righteous with God to bring in the enemie to be avenged and the day of the spend-thrifts p. 113 We cannot be assured to be delivered from them till we abhorre their wayes p. 113 Our
enemies humbled by our unfained repentance p. 114 What we should doe seeing the Lords armies approaching p. 115 CHAP. X. The mourners marked then comes the vengeance p. 117 Our comfort in the remainder of the mourners and the preservation of the Lords Anointed p. 119 120 The account we are to make of the mourners p. 121 It is for the godly that the Gospell with our blessings continue p. 122 CHAP. XI The charge to the destroyers to destroy without pittie and why p. 124 125 Causes in generall provoking the Lord to so fierce a wrath the hainousnesse of the abominations and that no meanes would serve p. 125 The abominations committed by all sorts p. 125 126 The Prophets to be read to behold the sins which brought the vengeance p. 127 In the abominations of Iudah we may see our owne sinnes and estate portraied p. 127 Little hope of any such search to be made by us in these daies of securitie The authors endevour thereupon to help herein for the good of all p. 128 129 God hath ordainâ—d the faithfull discoverie of the iniquitie as a last and principall meanes to turne away a judgement p. 130 147 CHAP. XI Section 2. Cautions in reading these abominations p. 132 133 How their sinnes were increased p. 132 The principall sinnes specially mentioned after Hezekiahs reformation for which this judgement is chiefly denounced p. 134 The same punishment or a beavier must needs belong to us if we be guiltie of the same or the like sinnes p. 136 CHAP. XI Section 3. The vengeance must begin at the Sanctuarie because from thence chiefly all the wickednesse proceeded p. 137 168 169 CHAP. XI Abomination 1. The horrible wickednesse of the Priests and Prophets generally angring the Lord and hastening the Captivitie p. 138 139 What holinesse the Lord required of the Priests and Prophets p. 138 Abomination 2. The blindnesse of the Priests and Prophets hastening the Captivitie p. 141 The Priests and Prophets ought to be Seers and watchmen p. 141 Blinde and senslesse men not giving warning of Gods judgements termed dumbe dogs p. 143 The blindnesse and sleeping of the shepherds calls for the beasts of the forest upon their flockes p. 145 Abomination 3. Flatterie of the Priests and Prophets hardning the people to destruction p. 146 148 c. The faithfulnesse required in Gods watchmen messengers p. 146 Dawbers must looke for a storme to cause their worke to fall on them and all who trust in it p. 151 Abomination 4. Preaching mens devices in stead of Gods word hastening the Captivitie p. 152 153 c. Gods ministers ought to preach his word sincerely and faithfully p. 152 153. and p. 156 All inventions of 〈◊〉 but vaine and foolish in regard of Gods word and to seeke out such things is to seeke out causes of desolation p. 154 Preaching mens devices the high way to cause men to forget Gods word p. 155 The power of Gods word sincerely handled p. 157 Good Arts and learning grations helps though set in place of Gods word they bring a plague p. 158 They that preach their owne devices steale his word from his people and bring no good to them p. 159 State of such teachers when their consciences shall be awaked p. 160 Abomination 5. Want of compassion in the Priests and Prophets hastening the Captivitie p. 160 Gods faithfull ministers full of compassion towards their people 161 Pastors without due regard of their flockes are butchers and wolues to their flockes p. 162 Pastors without commiseration of their flockes the greatest enemies to Gods faithfull messengers and servants p. 163 When the watchman is the snare of a fowler he is then hatred in the house of his God p. 166 Gods terrible and most just denuntiation against all carelesse Pastors and Idoll shepherds for his flocke especially for his faithfull servants p. 167 Application to our selves p. 169 Abomination 6. The sinne of the people in approving the wicked Priests hastening the Captivitie p. 170 172 The meanes which the Lord had provided that his people should not be deceived by false Prophets p. 171 The Lord cannot but be avenged for approving of false prophets p. 172 The severitie of the Lords most righteous judgement fitting a sinfull people with Preachers to their hearts p. 173 174 How God will answer hypocrites comming to inquire of him p. 17â— Deceivers and deceived punished alike p. 176 Antichrists delusions follow the contempt of the Gospell p. 176 Why God sends false teachers and seducers p. 177 How God punished in the Gentiles the abusing of the very light of nature p. 178 How the people comming to the Prophets with a desire to know the truth yet may be notably deceived p. 179 How the Prophets themselves may be justly deceived and so deceive p. 179 181 How fearefull it is after a man hath received his resolute answer from God to goe upon carnall respects to enquire the second time p. 181 The punishment of the false Prophet and of him who asketh of him alike p. 183 Abomination 7. The sinnes of the people against Gods faithfull Prophets sent to them in mercie to bring them to repentance p. 184 The duties and affections of Gods people towards his faithfull messengers p. 184 The people grieving the Prophets by an extreme dulnesse and untowardnesse to learne Gods word hastening the Captivitie p. 186 The word of the Lord is in vaine to a rebellious people p. 188 They that cast away Gods word have no wisdome p. 188 How God punisheth the not profiting by his word with more blockishnesse p. 189 The just judgement of God to cause 〈…〉 servants to learne by his enemies p. 189 Application to our selves p. 190 Abomination 8. Refusing to heare Gods faithfull servants more 〈…〉 hastening the Captivitie p. 191 The Lords complaint for this sinne and how it must be 〈…〉 in a booke for the last day p. 192 The just vengeance for this sinne p. 194 195 For the contempt of Gods servants he makes their tongues cleave to the roofe of their mouthes p. 194 Abomination 9. Mocking and abusing Gods true Prophets and all the godly hastening the Captivitie p. 196 The custome of false Prophets to harden men in the contempt of Gods threatnings p. 197 God will make unbeleevers know the truth of his word by feeling it p. 197 The word in the mouthes of Gods messengers shall be as a fire to consume all wicked gainesaiers p. 198 Abomination 10. Discouraging Gods true Prophets by threatnings hastening the Captivitie p. 198 Vengeance for this sinne p. 199 Abomination 11. Slandering and falsly accusing Gods messengers hastening the Captivitie p. 200 Incensing the Magistrates against Gods faithfull messengers hasteâ—ing the Captivitie p. 200 Ordinarie with Gods true Prophets to be railed upon p. 201 Abomination 12. Secret conspiracies against Gods true Prophets and servants to take away their lives or credit hastening the Captivitie p. 202 The Lord in due time revealeth the most secret plots against his
servants p. 203 The depth of Sathan to smite Gods messengers with the tongue that none may be warned by their preaching to escape Gods vengeance p. 203 Ieremies familiars watch for his halting p. 203 How fearefull it is against conscience to practise mischiefe against Gods servants p. 204 Abomination 13. Striking and imprisoning Gods servants hastening the Captivitie p. 206 Pashur the Priest attempts to smite and imprison Ieremie hastening the Captivitie p. 207 The Princes by meanes of the Priests are against Ieremie and labour the king to put him to death p. 207 Zedekiah against his conscience leaves Ieremie into the hands of the Rulers p. 207 Cause of all Ieremies troubles p. 208 Abomination 14. Shedding the bloud of the Prophets and other of Gods servants hastening the Captivitie p. 209 What that bloud was which brought the Captivitie p. 209 How the cry of the bloud of Gods servants ascends into heaven p. 211 Vengeance for abusing the house and servants of the Lord. p. 211 How good it had beene for Iudah to have beene awaked at the admonition of the true Prophets p. 212 How necessary to stop such evils in the beginning p. 21â— Those who were so vilely accounted of were the dearest servants of God and chiefe meanes to stay his wrath so long p. 213 Of all other sinnes God can least endure the wronging of his messengers and dearest servants p. 213 From the disgracing of Gods servants all impietie flowes p. 214 What wisdome it is to prevent all indigâ—â—â—ies against Gods messengers p. 214 Our nation as fearfully defiled with the bloud of Gods servants in the daies of Queene Mary as Ierusalem in the time of Manasses p. 214 Apparant signes that our Land is not yet purged of that bloud p. 214 God cals upon us to search out this sinne if we will escape his search and the search of the bloudy enemie p. 215 Abomination 15. The unfruitfulnesse of the Lords vineyard laying it waste p. 216 What God had done for Iudah to make her fruitfull and so for us and our Covenant thereupon p. 216 The Lords complaint against his vineyard in Iudah and how it concernes us p. 217 Scarse any true godlinesse viz men truly sincere to be found among them before the Captivitie p. 218 What the Church is to doe in times desperatly evill p. 218 The Lords righteous vengeance for the unfruitfulnesse of his vineyard p. 219 Application to us with the Lords appeale for it to every ones conscience p. 219 The Papists principall argument and loud exclamations against us for our unfruitfulnesse p. 220 Complaints of the dressers of the vineyard for it p. 222 Sighes of the poore witnessing it p. 222 Vnfruitfulnesse of the Ministerie p. 222 How wee may justly lament for our negligence and time mispent p. 223 The Magistrates fruit p. 224 The accusation of the conscience in the carelesse Magistrate p. 224 The private mans fruit p. 225 Mr. Bradfords complaint for his owne unfruitfulnesse to be well noted of all p. 226 Each of us to acknowledge particularly our unfruitfulnesse p. 227 Abomination 16. Corruptions crept into all places and callings that almost all was become as drosse hastening the Captivitie p. 230 Only a few reserved in every calling p. 231 Vengeance proportionall to be melted together in the midst of Ierusalem p. 23â— Application to trie whether we have no need of such a melting 232 How neere we were to the furnace p. 232 England could not have filled the furnace p. 233 The furnace proclaimed to all people that we are corrupt and what God is about to doe unlesse we repent p. 233 Our corruptions instanced in the cry of many sinnes p. 234 The truth hereof as of the rest to be inquired of amongst the most conscionable and painfull Ministers p. 234 This should never passe out of our hearts how neere we have beene unto the melting p. 235 Abomination 17. Hypocrisie angring the Lord hastening the Captivitie p. 235 Their Covenant concerning the sinceritie of Gods worship p. 236 Wherein their hypocrisie chiefly consisted p. 236 The outward service without the inward is a wearinesse unto the Lord so the Ceremonie without the Morall commandement p. 237 To trust in outward observations is to trust in lying words p. 237 Hypocrisie in observing the traditions of men more then Gods commandements p. 238 Hypocrisie in serving God by the commandements of men and not of any conscience to God p. 238 Hypocrisie causeth the Lord to loath all our service and to take away his Religion p. 238 Application for our hypocrisie in performing a bare outward service p. 239 Hypocrisie in retaining still the dregs of Poperie p. 239 Many of our people doe all principally for the commandements of men as ready to receive any other religion p. 240 How few of whom we may justly hope that they are soundly religious p. 240 If so how can we looke to escape Ierusalems vengeance or a heavier p. 240 The sinnes of the chiefe men of all sorts from whom wickednesse descended to all the rest and the meanes how p. 241 The Lord will require all his sheepe of the pastors and why p. 242 Abomination 18. Covenant of the Magistrates and Rulers p. 242 Magistrates ought to be as God in his place p. 242 Magistrates ought to be fathers to all under them p. 243 Magistrates ought to be most temperate and fearing God p. 243 Magistrates as lights and patternes to the rest p. 244 Their great men in stead of being as God were most rebellious against God p. 244 In stead of fathers lions p. 244 The Lord compares cruell Rulers to Butchers and Cookes p. 245 Their great men gave themselves over to all licentiousnesse p. 246 Instead of being lights they became most vile ensamples p. 246 Their vengeance proportionall on them p. 247 Application in all humble reverence how neere the vengeance was to us in each particular p. 248 What the Popish conspirators pretended in blowing up the Parliament house p. 249 Great men are to remember the honour laid upon them and the end why God hath done it p. 250 Nehemiahs ensample to be set before the face of all worthy Rulers p. 252 Abomination 19. Taking up the evill fashions of other countries hastening the Captivitie p. 253 Gods people to observe the manners prescribed by him p. 253 They might not conforme themselves to Gods enemies but were to destroy every thing that might teach them their manners p. 253 They tooke up the odious fashions of other Countries and this was a chiefe cause why the Lord did forsake them p. 254 255 They fell to doat upon the guises of the Babylonians whom God had ordained to be their scourge p. 255 Vengeance for this to be cast off as they had cast off the Lord for these p. 256 All to be caried into Babylon on which they had so doated where they should execute Gods vengeance on them p. 256 The Lord sanctified the Babylonians for his ghuests against
the time of this sacrifice when hee would visit all who delighted in these vanities p. 257 Application to examine our odious fashions of divers sorts as charging with healths whorish plaies and the like p. 257 258 Private reading Scriptures left off by such p. 259 Filthie and scurrilous Pamphlets received in place p. 260 Babylonish policie by corrupting our manners first to overthrow our Religion p. 260 Having prevailed with the greater they make sure account of the rest p. 260 The device of old Balaam as the surest stratageme worthy our best consideration p. 261 There is no sorcerie against Israel abiding in obedience p. 262 Application of the Historie of Balaams stratageme to our selves p. 264 A mystery whereby to bring Italy into England and so to obtaine their purposes p. 264 A just lamentation for that no warning will serve but we must do at after them and be weary of the Lord. p. 264 265 Abomination 20. Oppression of the poore hastening the Captivitie p. 265 Our covenant with the Lord for justice and mercy to the poore p. 265 A patterne for great men in Iob. p. 265 Their transgression that instead thereof they were most cruell extortioners and oppressors p. 266 267 The Lord compares extortioners to Apothecaries Millers 268 They joined house to house till there was no place for the poore p. 269 Vengeance proportionall p. 269 Abomination 21. Oppression by ingrossing and inhancing the prizes of things to swallow up the poore hastening the Captivitie p. 270 What God requires of rich men in time of dearth p. 270 The rich were become as cormorants to the poore p. 270 The Lord will never forget this sinne it makes the land to tremble p. 271 Application to unsatiable corne-mungers p. 272 Gods warning forgotten in the levellers insurrection p. 273 Abomination 22. Oppression to raise their houses hastening the Captivitie p. 274 To build by oppression is to consult shame to their houses p. 275 Abomination 23. Oppression to support their pride hastening the Captivitie p. 275 The attire of gracious women what it ought to be p. 276 Their women helpt to flea the poore to support their pride p. 276 They minded nothing but pride when God threatned them most p. 276 The plagues which all such bring on themselves and theirs p. 277 A glasse for proud women to view themselves in p. 278 What this would worke rightly practised p. 278 Our pride though exceeding theirs so as cannot be expressed yet must one day be set in open view before the faces of all who doe not repent p. 279 Vengeance proportionall for this sinne p. 279 This sinne and the sighes of the poore for it cry continually for vengeance to be taken on such a monster p. 280 Abomination 24. Pride in sumptuous buildings causing oppression hastening the Captivitie p. 280 A glasse for them who build their houses by oppression p. 281 The unmercifulnesse of ambitious builders p. 282 The way for great men to prosper p. 282 The case of all oppressours how they live and what they provide for their children p. 283 Application p. 284 Abomination 25. Oppression to maintaine riot and excesse hastening the Captivitie p. 284 What the Lord requires for all his mercies chiefly of rich men p. 284 How they requited the Lord and used his benefits never thinking of the worke of the Lord. p. 285 286 A glasse for all given over to their pleasures p. 286 Men given over to pleasures forget the affliction of Ioseph p. 287 The seers given up to wine and good fellowship can see nothing amisse till the vengeance of God come p. 287 The fruits of excesse and idlenesse p. 288 They became to be impudent in uncleannesse to shew their filthinesse openly like the Sodomites p. 288 Men giving themselves over to carnall pleasures have no knowledge p. 288 Such prepare captivitie temporall or eternall or both p. 288 Hunger and thirst remaine for all belly-gods p. 289 Neither Gentrie nor greatnesse will save from Gods vengeance hell gapes for such p. 289 The proudest must be brought downe to the depth of hell and goe captives with the first p. 289 God abhorres the excellencie and haughtinesse of all such and the palaceâ— where their sinnes are most practised p. 290 Desperation the portion of all proud belly-gods when Gods vengeance comes p. 290 God must needs visit for such things and his soule be avengedon such a nation p. 290 Application to every conscience p. 291 Abomination 26. Vnsatiable covetousnesse causing oppression hastening the Captivitie p. 291 The studie and covetousnesse of the Lords people p. 291 All before the Captivitie generally given to covetousnesse p. 292 The fruit of covetousnesse in the Prophets to speake only to please p. 292 The manner of healing with faire words as the Prophets did before the Captivitie p. 292 293 Covetous men can see nothing but for their owne advantage p. 293 Vengeance proportionall p. 293 The wretched estate of all covetous Prophets p. 294 The difference of the preaching of the true Prophets and the covetous worldlings p. 295 The power of the true Prophets shewed forth chiefly in the time of abounding of all iniquitie and approching of judgement p. 295 A perpetuall night came upon the false Prophets at the Captivitie p. 296 Covetousnesse dumbnesse blindnesse sleeping goe together in the false Prophets p. 296 Iust vengeance on all for their unsatiable greediness p. 296 Application to all sorts of spoylers of the poore p. 297 Application to those who oppresse to make themselves great p. 297 Application to the haughtie on whose garments is found the bloud of the poore p. 297 Application to sumptuous builders oppressing p. 298 Application to them that oppresse to pamper themselves saucing all their dainties with the bloud of the poore p. 299 Application to the mightie ingrossers whose houses are filled with the spoiles of the poore p. 299 Application to all who have set up the world in their hearts to worship p. 300 How to be beautifull and glorious indeed p. 301 How to set our nests on high and to build them for eternitie p. 301 How to give our selves to all delights and to be prodigall therin p. 302 How to hoord up and ingrosse p. 302 How to covet a holy covetousnesse p. 303 Abomination 27. The generall Apostasie of Iudah hastening the Captivitie that they were ever starting away and departing from the Lord. p. 304 305 Their zeale in the beginning of the daies of Ezekiah Iosiah against Idolatry for reforming religion how soon it was gone 305 306 Abomination 28. Falling from their forwardnesse in Religion to all profanenesse hastening the Captivitie p. 307 The sum of Gods Covenant with them to magnifie and obey his word p. 307 They cast away the word of the Lord in regard of making any conscience of it p. 308 The plague which is upon them that cast away Gods word to set up their own imaginations they shal see they have had no wisdome
309 The Lord will reject all them that reject his word as reprobate silver is rejected p. 310 All they forsake the Covenant who doe not obey it though they seeme in word to embrace it p. 310 Application to all sorts whose hearts tell them they are such p. 311 Abomination 29. Scorning the word of the Lord and all true profession hastening the Captivitie p. 314 How pretious Gods word ought to be to his people p. 314 They loathed Gods word and counted it a burden p. 314 315 They made the word matter enough of the vilest reproch to every one truly professing it p. 315 The fearfull extremities that Gods servants are oft driven to through the hatred which they endure for the word p. 316 317 The very scornes and taunts against Gods word and servants shall be one day a heavie burden to every scorner p. 318 God will visit every scorner and his house and reward them with an everlasting shame p. 318 319 Application of this sin and denunciation to our selves p. 319 320 Scorning Gods word and faithfull messengers cannot scape unpupunished p. 321 Abomination 30. Pollution of the Lords Sabbaths hastening the Captivitie p. 322 Covenant for the Sabbath p. 322 He is a blessâ—d man that endevoureth truly to keepe the Sabbath and to such a one only the Covenant and promises belong p. 322 They despised and polluted Gods Sabbath and how p. 323 They put no difference betweene the holy and prophane p. 323 Their Priests hid their eies from Gods Sabbath p. 324 The Lord complaines that he is profaned by them that willingly suffer his holy things to be polluted p. 324 The Lord chargeth them with carying and recarying upon the Sabbath p. 325 The commandement for the Sabbath belongs as well to us as to them p. 325 The Lords anger and message sent unto them for this sinne chiefly to their King and Rulers p. 325 The cvill ensample of our forefathers is no example for us but rather increaseth the wrath p. 326 344 The Lords gratious promise to the reformation of the Sabbath VIZ. continuance of their Kings dignitie and prosperitie p. 326 All desiring the establishing of the throne of the Lords Anointed and prosperitie of their nation to looke to it p. 326 What good friends they are to Prince State Church and Commonwealth who call into question the time of the Sabbath p. 327 Vengeance for pollution of the Sabbath viz kindling a fire in the gates of Ierusalem and their 70. yeeres Captivitie p. 327 The feeling of such a plague as was towards us but one day would make us most willingly to stoope unto the Lord. p. 328 Nehemiah after the Captivitie acknowledgeth Gods righteous vengeance in it for polluting the Sabbath and laboureth thereon the redresse of that sinne p. 328 Al the sins which rulers might redresse are accounted their sins 328 Former examples of Gods vengeance should warne us p. 329 In Nehemiah is the lively picture of a worthy ruler who had seene the miseries of a Captivitie for sinne p. 329 Three ensamples in Nehemiah never to be forgotten of tender-hearted and worthy governours p. 329 1 Nehemiah lookes forthwith to the particular state and miseries of the people to be more affected therewith p. 330 2. His willing and compassionate hearing of the cries and grievances of the poore p. 330 The happie way to redresse the evils of Gods people p. 330 How good governours may prevaile when they wish nothing to be done but what themselves doe first p. 331 3. Nehemiah himselfe seeth the reformation of the evils especially of the Sabbath p. 332 Application to our selves concerning the Sabbath p. 332 333 To remember here the consuming fire wherwith the Lord threatned us p. 334 Our land made well-neâ—re as a desolate widow p. 334 We are they on whom God now complaines for despising his holy things as he then did upon Iudah p. 335 For putting no difference betweene the holy and prophane p. 336 Our sinne in admitting all indifferently to the table of the Lord. p. 337 This sin enough to bring Gods plagues upon the whole land p. 338 The 〈…〉 that great censure of ExcoÌ„munication p. 338 Hiding our eies from Gods Sabbath from seeing the most weightie duties of the Sabbath to performe them p. 339 To consider whether we be not they who have thought the Sabbath overlong p. 341 Sabbath profaned by carying and recarying p. 342 Our pretended necessities cannot excuse us more then them p. 342 Reserving journies ordinarie for the Sabbath p. 342 Concourse to plaies and the vilenesse of them p. 343 The inevitable danger to frequenters of plaies p. 343 Frâ—quenting Tavernes and Alehouses where nothing is more common then scorning all pietie upon the Sabbath p. 344 God hath only warned us hitherto p. 344 The speech turned to all who have the chiefe charge of the house of the Lord and his Sabbath p. 345 Abomination 31. Sundrie degrees of their profanenesse angring the Lord and hastening the Captivitie p. 346 Opposing themselves against all power of religion and godlinesse when they gloried in his outward ceremoniall worship p. 346 They bent their tongues and workes against the Lord and against all true pietie and conscience of his waies using all devices to put out all feare of his name p. 347 They spake good of evill evill of good glorying in their most shamefull sinnes p. 347 They justified and loved the wicked condemned and hated the good p. 348 They sought to cast all shame on the godly p. 348 Thence they proceeded to spoiling and all violence p. 348 They used to make shewes of religion when they were as Sodome 349 They would make shewes of seeking God in fasting and leane on the Lord even then when they were so vile p. 349 The vengeance for their outragious profanenesse viz. the spoiling them by the Caldean which they should not beleeve till it came who should dâ—ale with them accordingly as they had done with the Lord and his people p. 350 Application to us to search our sinne before 〈…〉 to search us p. 351 Our swaggerers in each place walke usually in the steps of their profanenesse especially against the Lord and his servants p. 351 These the only good fellowes men of renowne as before the floud p. 353 The speech turned to these if but to save some of them p. 353 The terrible anger of God upon all profane despisers of the Gospell not to beleeve any judgement towards us though never so plainly denounced and manifested nor towards themselves p. 354 355 The case of prophane persons in the day of Gods vengeance p. 355 Their case in the day of death and of the last judgement p. 356 Their happinesse who can take the time of mercy p. 357 Abomination 32. The Idolatrie of Iudah hastening the Captivitie p. 357 Their Covenant with God to have worshipped him only according to his word without retaining the least shew or occasion of Idolatrie p. 358 He had enjoyned them
to make open protestation against all Idolatrie even in the very enemies land p. 358 There was in them notwithstanding a very generall inclination to run a whoring after Idols p. 359 Hezekiah and Iosiah raised up to destroy deface Idolatry p. 359 The zeale of the people in destroying Idolatrie in Ezekiahs daies Gods admirable favour to Ezekiah Iudah therupon p. 359 Their relaps to Idolatrie with Manasseh falling to be worse then the heathen p. 359 Manasseh led captive for this his repentance and destroying Idolatrie againe p. 359 Iosiah raised up to worke a thorow reformation and with a most strange detestation of Idolatrie in the hearts of the people p. 360 Iosiah solemnly renues the Covenant with the Lord to worship him only according to his will and compelleth all to stand to it so by all meanes convincing them before the Captivitie p. 360 The Lord sent them moe Prophets and with more power before the Captivitie then ever in former time p. 360 Idolatrie was usually one sinne whereof they did ever warne the people p. 361 Idolatrie practised secretly in all Iosiahs daies p. 361 The remnant of Baall with the Chemarims and those who sware by the Lord and Malcom still remaining in his daies p. 361 Idolaters compared to shamelesse strumpets sending for their lovers viz. Priests to teach them the worship of their Idols p. 362 The Rulers fell to most horrible Idolatrie in secret hard before the Captivitie as the Lord shewes Ezekiel p. 362 The outward forme of Gods religion may seeme to have continued even unto their very last desolation without any publike Idolatrie p. 362 A publike fast proclaimed by Iehoiakim hard before the Captivitie but not performed as it ought p. 363 Vengeance denounced for this sinne of Idolatrie To cause them to run into the holes to hide them and to curse their Gods p. 363 The Lord threatneth to raise their lovers against them who should use them as strumpets for this and cause their fornications to cease p. 364 To plague them from Egypt and Babylon p. 364 The Covenant ours as well as theirs p. 364 The Lord as much detests Idolatrie now as then p. 364 The Lord hath raised up sundrie of his worthie servants to destroy Idolatrie as well with us as with them p. 365 The Lord may complain of us herein as much as upon Iudah p. 365 In this sin we seeme farre to exceed them in the daies of Iosiah p. 366 367 Yet the vengeance came on them presently after the death of Iosiah and principally for this sinne amongst others p. 366 Certaine points to be seriously thought of by all the favourers of Poperie amongst us and by all who stand in suspence p. 367 1. The occasion and manner of casting Poperie out of our land p. 367 2. The bloud of so many learned and most holy Martyrs as Cranmer c. witnessing against it p. 367 Answer concerning their pretended Martyrs p. 369 3. So many worthie Preachers in each part of our land convincing all ever since then p. 369 4. So many learned writers unanswerable confuting it and every peece of it p. 369 5. The discoverie of their Index Expurgatorius for their wicked dealing against the Gospell and for upholding Poperie p. 370 6. So many discoveries of their unnaturall cruelties the fruits of their religion and for the supporting thereof p. 370 The chiefe of them made trumpetters of the abomination of their religion p. 370 Our Saviours argument most strong against that religion to prove it to be a principall religion of Sathan under a shew of holinesse especially the Iesuited Papists religion p. 371 7. Their religion teacheth these things witnesse those evidences which follow in the end of this Abomination viz. p. 371 Abomination 32. This alone sufficient to cause all not utterly given up to flie out of Babylon p. 372 8. Miraculous deliverances and preservations of our Princes religion and us all at the Spanish invasion the death of Queene Elizabeth and so wonderfully bringing in the Lords Anointed amongst us and at the gunpowder treason p. 372 9. The wonderfull bringing the Gospell againe after Queene Mary with the admirable preservation of the Lady Elizabeth p. 372 10. The wonderfull continuance of the Gospell since notwithstanding so innumerable stratagems against it p. 372 These as infallible arguments of Gods favour and love towards us as theirs were towards Iudea and ought as much to knit our hearts to the Lord and his truth and to a detestation of that bloudie Religion p. 373 Our happinesse if wee have hearts to meditate of these things p. 373 374 To thinke what it is to take the marke of the Beast chiefly after these convictions p. 373 11. The relenting of most hearts for the present in sundrie discoveries of their wickednesse p. 373 12. Exhortation to thinke of these things and to compare our way of life with theirs whether is more equall and whether is more agreeable to the word of the Lord. p. 374 To reade the French massacre and the Spanish Inquisition p. 375 What they long for who seeke to bring in Poperie againe p. 375 Answer to the vaine perswasion of our professed Papists concerning their owne safetie if God should leave us into the hand of the enemie p. 375 All the rich should be made Hugonotes as in Paris at the French massacre p. 375 What they may looke for who looke to bee enriched by such a day p. 375 Warning to all who foreseeing these evils doe not their uttermost endevours to turne them away p. 376 God speakes to each as Mordecay to Hester p. 376 Three necessarie questions 1. How so many have and doe daily fall to Poperie notwithstanding all these things 2. How to be resolved of the truth 3. How to be kept from backesliding from the truth p. 376 For answer to the first to consider 1. Who they have beene that have fallen p. 377 2. Reasons why such have and doe so fall in Gods justice p. 378 All are contemners of the truth who never so received the love of it as by all holy meanes to search the knowledge of it and to obey it p. 379 The reasons why some of Gods deare servants have and may fall for a time p. 381 God may thus leave up his owne for a time but he will fetch them againe at least by strong hand if they be his elect indeed p. 382 Answer to the second question viz. How those who stand in doubt may be resolved which is the Religion of the Lord. p. 382 Answer to the third Question viz. How to be kept from declining to Poperie and from falling from the Lord. p. 385 For those with whom no other meanes can prevaile to cause them to be afraid of Poperie First to consider as before Christ of the former reasons p. 385 2. To ponder our Saviours reason against the malicious lewes Iohn 8. 44. to prove they were of the devill and so one reason against Poperie
fetcht directly from it p. 385 386 A Syllogisme demonstrating plainly that Poperie especially the Iesuited Papists Religion is in a speciall manner of the devill teaching lying and murder for the supporting of it p. 386 Proofe of the Proposition p. 386 Proofe of the Assumption That Poperie teacheth lying and murdering for the supporting and advancing of it p. 386 Helpes and preservatives which God hath provided for those who would be kept from Poperie the scourge that followes the contempt of the Gospell As p. 387 1. Notable confutations of Poperie to keepe us p. 388 2. Notable discoveries of the bloudy cruelties and vilenesse of Poperie and contrarily The perpetuall witnesses of the truth which we professe p. 388. 3. Speciall helpes for sanctification whereby to be kept from declining from God and so from this scourge p. 389 4. Helpes for praier because we cannot be kept except we pray nor stand in these evill daies without the speciall sustaining hand of our God p. 390 5. Helpes for fasting to humble us and to make our praiers more powerfull and effectuall that we may be kept p. 390 Abomination 33. Atheisme of Iudah angring the Lord to the uttermost and bringing the Captivitie p. 390 The day of vengeance wished by desperate scoffing Atheists p. 391 What a day that will be when it commeth p. 392 Atheists scoffing at the threatnings of the Prophets p. 392 This sinne cannot be purged till they die p. 392 All were at a covenant with death and hell p. 392 Atheists of all others most timorous when the vengeance comes p. 393 Abomination 34. Divisions of Iudah angring the Lord and bringing the Captivitie p. 394 Their divisions flowing from all their abominations and chiefly from the Apostasie so generally p. 394 All were given to covetousnesse and spreading nets p. 395 No man could trust other p. 395 The greater spoiling the poorer p. 395 All against the true Prophets and against all that feared the Lord and why p. 395 Their owne familiars waiting to have matter against them p. 396 Not one left with Gods faithfull servants to be seene to stand for them p. 396 The Church had none to looke to but to the Lord. p. 397 The number of the godly exceeding small at that time amongst them as the grapes after the vintage p. 397 How the Church comforts her selfe against the insulting of the enemie p. 397 A question answered viz. In so many divisions to whom to joine p 398 399. Application to our owne soules concerning our divisions and the rest of the heads herein p. 399 CHAP. XII The meanes whereby the Lord had striven with them to bring them to repentance that he might spare them and how in stead of repenting their sinne was increased by them all p. 400 Meanes by calling them by his word and how he had thereby striâ—â—n with them in all sorts p. 401 402 How he had called them by the continuall voice of his mercies p. 402 How he had called them by the voice of his rods both bodily and spirituall p. 403 The Lord weary with smiting inforced to give them up to their owne hearts lust and to this induration p. 404 The highest step of their induration that they were given over to scoffe at the Lords warnings whereby he called them to repentance p. 405 This sinne could not be purged p. 405 Some causes of their induration and why they profited not by all the meanes which the Lord used p. 406 Why the Lord would spare them no longer after he had used all these meanes to reclaime them p. 407 Application to our selves p. 408 CHAP. XIII The severitie of the Lords vengeance when no other meanes could serve p. 410 The Lamentations of Ieremie written to set out this miserie p. 411 Their carnall confidence in Iosiah seemeth one cause to have provoked the Lord to take him away after whose death began their miseries immediatly p. 412 The wofull miseries which at that time they endured As p. 412 1. Famine in the most lamentable kindes p. 412 2. Destruction by the sword p. 413 3. The desolations of the Temple p. 414 4. The finall desolation that came upon them p. 414 5. The shame cast upon the Lord and his people p. 414 6. The people that escaped caried captives p. 415 The miseries of their Captivitie p. 415 7. In their Captivitie the Church acknowledgeth all this justly come upon her for rebelling against the word of the Lord. p. 415 Despising Gods word and misusing his messengers caused that 〈◊〉 could be no more remedie p. 416 Application why the Lord should not execute as heavie a judgement upon us as on Iudah p. 416 How neere we have beene unto it and how oft p. 416 The mourning of the Lord for his people before this execution p. 417 The Lords expostulation after a sort mourning over us for our foolish impenitency and unkindnesse p. 417 The changing of our danger into such a joyfull day p. 419 Our unthankefulnesse in forgetting our wonderfull deliverances and mercies p. 420 The Lords expostulation further urged bemoaning our unkindnesse and wilfulnesse p. 421 Whether the Lord may not justly thus speake unto us especially having so many ready to receive our most bloudy enemies into our bosomes p. 421 422 424 Our answer to the Lords expostulation taken away p. 424 Application to all notorious sinners who are the men that hale on the vengeance of the Lord. p. 425 Warning to all obstinate sinners howsoever the Lord deale with us at the cries of his servants p. 427 Their miserable state at death most at Christs appearing p. 427 How each may come to the certaine knowledge of the truth hereof viz. by inquiring of his owne heart awaked p. 428 CHAP. XIIII How Gods faithfull servants are wont to be affected seeing his anger kindled against his people p. 430 How they are wont in such cases to use all meanes to pacifie his Majestie p. 431 The meanes which they have beene wont to use to this end p. 431 1. Gods faithfull servants have beene wont to intreat the Lord in secret to pacifie him thereby towards his people p. 433 2. They have beene wont to forewarne Gods people of their sinnes and his vengeance comming on them for the same p. 434 3. Gods servants have beene wont to direct his people to the meanes whereby he may be pacified p. 436 The principall meanes publike humiliations p. 436. Examples hereof p. 436 c. The example of Iehosophat is to be beholden of all religious rulers who would see the like experience of the Lords presence and mercie towards them and therefore set downe at large p. 438 The way to ouerthrow and daunt the enemies of the Church p. 439 Our owne practise and experience p. 441 Reason hereof All having provoked the Lord all must seeke to pacifie him by humbling themselves p. 442 The office of forewarning and calling to fasting belongs to Gods Ministers p. 443 446 The supreme Magistrates to appoint publike
and were cryed out of as which all the godly feared that they would presently bring the vengeance of God vpon vs all which now through long custome and commonnesse are made no sins as that beastly valour of powring downe wine and strong drinke and our glorying in it pride with all monstrous excesse therein oppression deriding and hating all true godlinesse and the power of religion Though all of them and many like are in a higher degree in the Land and practised with a farre higher hand now than euer heretofore Or if any one abomination be taken away and gone who can say that it hath bin generally repented of or left of any conscience oâ— for feare of the Lord and awe of his word And therefore if he be the same holy God still hating sinne as much as euer he did and who will neuer cleare the guiltie how should it be but though our owne hearts and all the world doe slatter vs telling vs that we shall haue peace yet as our sinnes are 〈◊〉 increased and our abhominations gone vp to heauen so his wrath and â—â—ousie must needs smoke against vs and his curses plagues be multiplied vpon vs vntill he hath put out our name from vnder heauen vnlesse we meet him speedily and appease his wrath by our humble and vnfeigned turning vnto him But these crying sinnes can neuer be taken away vnlesse also euen the other sinnes of the Land be likewise repented of I meane those from which these proceed and for which men are so generally giuen vp vnto these monstrous iniquities For these outragious enormities are the heauiest punishments of other sinnes and ordinarily the immediate fore-runners of the greatest temporall iudgement Neither can we euer haue any assurance to be preserued from that extremest vengeance vntill we returne more generally in our hearts from all our euill wayes vnto the Conenant of our God neither yet euer repent nor turne from them vnlesse we see both generally the most heynous prouocations of the Land angring his Maiestie and ech of vs our owne seuerall sins particularly with his iudgements belonging therevnto Therefore sith that our most pitifull father hath in the riches of his endlesse compassion ordeyned the discouerie of the iniquitie and of the certaine approaching of his iudgement to turne away the vengeance and that by turning his people from their euill way and so he complaines of the Prophets that they had not discouered their iniquitie to turne away their captiuitie and saith plainly of them That if they had stood in his counsell and declared his words to his people they should haue turned them from their euill wayes and from the wickednesse of their inventions I haue therefore as I say taken this as my chiefest seruice that euer I could performe vnto his heauenly Maiestie his Church and people of this our Nation euen to helpe to search out our sinne by his holy word and to set our iniquities before our faces with his most righteous iudgements due vnto vs for the same and ready euer to breake in vpon vs like the raging seas thereby to helpe amongst others to bring vs to repentance And the rather for that howsoeuer euery one of vs will acknowledge that we must first turne away from our sins vnto him before he will turne to vs from his fierce wrath and also that we must search and finde out our iniquities and see the danger which we stand in for them before we can turnâ— from them â— yet long experience hath confirmed this that we being lulled so fast asleepe in our securitie thorough our long prosperitie can neuer search out our sinne of our selues vnlesse they be set plainely before our faces and we awaked and rowzed by his most terrible denuntiations for the same If Dauid himselfe such a worthy Prophet a man of a most tender conscience as is euident by all his Psalmes and his watering his bed with his teares yet being become secure in his sinne must haue Nathan to awake him by setting his sinne plainely before his face before that he can see the vilenesse of it to repent so of it as to finde mercy though his sin was so grosse and palpable and Gods wrath lying vpon him so heauily in a spirituall manner and also his vengeance ready to be executed in most fearefull sort How much more then haue we neede of some Boanarges sonnes of thunder to awaken vs being a sinfull and hard-hearted people and dead in our iniquities And if those to whom he hath not only spoken once twise but also smitten with sicknesse vpon their beds that their soules draw to the graue and their life to the buriers had neede of a messenger an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto them their righteousnesse to set their sinnes before their eyes and whâ—re they may finde the true righteousnes before they can say they haue sinned repent to finde mercy How much more we our selues when most of vs who haue bin chiefe in this provocation are in health and prosperitie and in no misfortune like other folke but rather fed in all pleasure as against the day of slaughter And to conclude this point we see how those three thousand that crucified our Lord Sauiour could not yet see their bloudy sin notwithstanding all which they had formerly heard and seene in our Sauiour and also the dreadfull signes at his passion vntill that Peter particularly laid open their wickednesse applying it vnto them directly that they were the men and then onely are they pricked at their hearts and cry out Men and Brethren what shall we doe Now I say if none of these no not they whose sinne was so intolerable and who had bin so manifestly convinced can search out their sinnes of themselues to be so soundly humbled as to turne and seeke to pacifie the Lords wrath how much lesse hope is there of vs a natioÌ„ so setled vpon our lees so hardned by our abusing the long patience forbearance of our most tender father who hauing bin in so many dangers yet still deliuered froÌ„ them all do thinke that it shall be so with vs euer that now there can be no more danger toward vs. We therefore had more need of many such as Nathan to set our sin most liuely before our faces and after to tell vs directly That we are they with whom God is now angry and that aboue all the people of the earth as he hath knowne vs aboue all other Nations like as we shall see in the sequell We haue neede not of that one messenger that one of a thousand alone but of all the faithfull messengers and men of God by their preaching and all holy meanes to shew vs our vnrighteousnes and of Peter to giue vs to know for a suretie That we are the men who haue crucified the Lord Iesus
for the wealth of vs and our posteritie I haue strictly kept my selfe within the limits of the first part of this Watch which conteyneth the Summe of the Couenant of our God wherein we all agree in outward profession and vnto which whosoeuer returneth vnfeignedly to walke in the sincere obedience of it shall vndoubtedly haue eternall life like as euery impenitent transgressor against it is certainely condemned by the generall verdict of all the true Churches of Christ. In all this worke I haue and doe instantly desire of the Lord that I may be a faithfull and true witnesse both for his heauenly Maiestie and for his people and also that I may shew in euery part a right demonstration of an vnfeigned loue to the Church of Christ and towards my Nation euen to euery soule for the sauing of ech from the wrath to come and withall that I may preserue the honour due to all in autoritie chiefly to the highest to binde all hearts to their superiours ech to others and all of vs to Iesus Christ That he may euer remaine our Captaine Protector King and Sauiour euen he who will one day manifest all the secrets of the hearts of men who haue bin with him and who against him who will come quickly and reward euery one as their workes shall be Amen euen so come Lord Iesus CONTENTS OF THE seuerall Chapters particularly as they arise out of the Vision Ezechiel 9. 1. THe Vision giuen to Ezechiel with the occasion and opening of it 2. Certaine directions to be obserued in our reading hereof to teach vs to make right vse of the Vision to our selues 3. The Lord is not wont to bring any terrible iudgement on his Church but euer before hand to giue some euident warning That he neuer warned without cause or in vaine and what iust matter we haue for all our manifold gratious forewarnings to betake our selues to watching and prayer 4. The withdrawing of the Lords glorious presence from his Church is both an euident signe of his displeasure and a manifest threatning of his departure And what causes we haue therevpon to watch and to pray to pacifie the Lord so to hold him still amongst vs. 5. How the Lord is most vnwilling to depart from his Church so long as there is any other remedie manifested in his oft threatning to depart before he goe and of the outward tokens both of his glorious presence in his Church and of his departure from it And what causes we haue in respect thereof to watch and pray continually 6. No priuiledges can doe a people any good if they grow in their iniquitie but the mo their mercies haue bin the greater is their sinne and the heauier shall their iudgement be when it commeth what cause we haue thence to watch and to pray for the fearefull increase of the transgressions amongst vs. 7. The marking of the mourners That is how Gods owne people are marked in the midst of the greatest confusions before the destruction come And so what cause euery one hath to watch and to pray that he may be so marked 8. The propertie of the godly liuing amongst the wicked in a sinfull age is to mourne and cry for all the abominations and tokens of Gods anger Also what cause all Gods seruants haue to watch and pray for the fewnesse of such and that ech of vs may be found of that litle number 9. The enemies by which the Lord threatneth or afflicteth his Church are his soldiers and therevpon what cause we haue to giue our selues to watching and prayer because of the increase of them in number pride and malice 10. The mourners being once marked made sure then comes the vengeance for the destroyers follow at the heeles of the marking Angell What neede we had therefore to watch and pray bicause we know not whether this worke be not already accomplished or how neere it is 11. The principall abominations for which the godly so mourned and which moued the Lord to so seuere a vengeance first in generall after more particularly And therein what causes we haue to watch and pray both to be kept pureâ— from them and to obteyne pardon and redresse of them or at least that we may escape the plagues due vnto them 12. The meanes which the Lord had vsed to bring them to repentance that he might spare them and how their sinne was increased thereby Also the cause why the meanes could doe them no good And what neede we haue therevpon to watch and pray continually 13. The seueritie of the Lords vengeance and the miseries which all sorts indured in that captiuitie when no other meanes could serue to reclaime them And thence what neede we haue all to watch and pray continually to turne away the like and also to be thankfull for all our former deliuerances from as great calamities so neere vnto vs. 14. How Gods true messengers and all his faithfull seruants are wont to be affected when they perceiue the Lords anger to be kindled and his iudgements ready to rush vpon his people Also the meanes which in this their holy affection they vse to preuent the euils and to pacifie his Maiestie And herein likewise what cause we haue to watch and pray for the want of these affections and for the generall neglect of the state of the people and of pacifying the Lords wrath 15. The sinnes of a people may be so heynous as that the Lord will not be pacified at the prayers of his deerest seruants Also when that time is and what cause we haue therevpon to watch and pray continually 16. The true obedience of Gods faithfull messengers and seruants will bring them boldnesse to appeare before him and this alone when they are able to say in a good conscience Lord I haue done as thou hast commanded me And what great cause all of vs haue to watch and pray continually that we may be alvvayes able to say so to haue boldnes euermore hereby vvhatsoeuer come to passe THE VISION given to EZECHIEL before the great Captivitie of IVDAH set downe in the ninth Chapter of Ezechiel with the occasion and opening thereof 1. HE cryed also in mine eares with a loud voyce saying Cause them that have charge over the Citie to draw neere even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand 2. And behold six men came from the way of the higher gate which lyeth toward the North and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand and one man among them was clothed with linnen with a writers inkehorne by his side and they went in and stood beside the brazen Altar 3. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was to the threshold of the house and he called to the man clothed with linnen which had the writers inkehorne by his side 4. And the Lord said unto
him Go through the middst of the Citie through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof 5. And to the others he said in my hearing Go yee after him through the Citie and smite let not your eye spare neither have yee pittie 6. Slay utterly old and young both maides and litle children and women but come not neere any man upon whom is the marke and begin at my Sanctuarie then they began at the auncient men which were before the house 7. And he said vnto them Defile the house and fill the Courts with the slaine goe yee forth and they went forth and slew in the Citie 8. And it came to passe while they were slaying them and I was left that I fell upon my face and cryed and said Ah Lord God wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in the powring out of thy furie upon Ierusalem 9. Then said he unto me The iniquitie of the house of Israel is exceeding great and the land is full of bloud and the Citie full of perversenesse for they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not 10. And as for me also mine eyes shall not spare neither will I have pittie but I will recompence their way upon their head 11. And behold the man clothed with linnen which had the inkehorne by his side reported the matter saying I have done as thou hast commanded me CHAPTER I. The resolution and opening of the Chapter BEfore the last and most grievous Captivitie of Iudah and the destruction of Ierusalem by the Babylonians the Lord used all ordinarie meanes to bring the people to repentance that he might spare them because he pitied them being his owne chosen people and peculiar inheritance Amongst other he stirred up divers of his faithfull servants the Prophets as Isay Ieremie Micah Zephanie Ezechiel and others some of them long before the same others of them he continued unto the very day still by them fore-warning and calling them to repentance To these Prophets he revealed both the particular iniquities whereby he was so provoked and also the speciall judgements and plagues which he had prepared for them unlesse they repented That they might lift up their voyces as trumpets declaring these things unto them at least hereby to awaken them to move them to turne and seeke unto him before his wrath was wholly powred out upon them This Chapter is part of a vision revealed to Ezechiel concerning the destruction of Ierusalem now hard at hand conteyned in the foure Chapters togither to wit in the 8. 9. 10. 11. And it consisteth of foure parts according to the number of the Chapters First in the 8 Chapter is shewed the wickednesse of those who still remained in Ierusalem Secondly In the ninth Chapter the slaughter and destruction is declared which the Lord would bring upon all in the Citie except those which were marked Thirdly In the 10 Chapter is set downe a vision of the fire of Gods vengeance which was throwne upon the Citie to consume many of them with pestilence and famine before the taking of the Citie and also in burning both the Citie and the Temple when the glory of the Lord was departed from it Fourthly In the 11 Chapter is fore-shewed the most grievous persecution which should follow all those who should escape the sword and that fire of Gods vengeance the pestilence and famine and so the miseries which they shall endure whereunto are annexed the promises of the Gospell for the comfort of Gods servants Now in the 8 Chapter the Lord having shewed unto the Prophet some secret abominations and that in the Temple it selfe whereby his anger was inflamed to the present execution of his vengeance in this he declareth that he will be avenged forthwith and the manner of his proceeding The Chapter divideth it selfe into five parts 1. The Lords denuntiation of this most grievous visitation now at hand 2. The manner of the Lords proceeding in two Commissions The first for the marking and making sure of all the godly before the destruction come The second for the destruction of all the rest 3. How the Prophet was affected with this grievous denuntiation and how he intreateth the Lord for Ierusalem 4. The answer and resolution which the Lord gives unto the Prophet That he will not spare and why 5. The returne of that Angell whom God had sent to marke the faithfull giving up his answer for the execution of his commission In the manner of the denuntiation of this so terrible a destruction is set out First how the Lord himselfe did denounce it crying with a loude voyce in the eares of the Prophet both to assure him of the certaintie of it and also to stir him up to a more due consideration of the dreadfulnes of the same Secondly the Lord shewes unto him the neereness of the execution thereof saying Cause them that have charge over the Citie to draw neere meaning the enemies whom he had appointed to be executioners of his wrath upon it every one armed with a weapon in his hand as being ready to destroy it For the manner of the execution of this slaughter it is also set forth First by declaring how many they were who came to destroy that is six men representing the chiefe Captaines of the Caldeans or the Angels appointed for conducting the Armie And these six are according to the number of the chiefe gates of Ierusalem To signifie that the enemies should come in so great multitude and so mightily that they should besiege the Citie on every side so as none should escape out and should rush upon them so furiously in every street that they should fill all with the slain and cause the chanels to flow with bloud Secondly it is set forth by shewing from whence these six came which was from the way of the upper gate looking toward the North signifying thereby that these enemies should come from Caldea or Babylon which was northward from Ierusalem Thirdly by declaring how they were prepared every one in armes with his weapon in his hand as ready to destroy Fourthly by setting downe whither these six came which was to the great brazen Altar in the Temple To shew thereby that God sent these destroyers chiefly for the pollution of his holy things his sacred worship and religion Fiftly how amongst these destroyers the Lord sends one speciall Angell for the marking and preservation of his faithfull ones in the Citie to wit the Angell of the Covenant the onely Author of the preservation and salvation of his servants And he appeares clothed with linnen attired like to the High Priest prepared to make an atonement with an inkehorne also by his side as ready to marke all his elect
In the third verse is shewed how and where the Lord appeared to give his commissions both to the destroyers and to the saving Angell 1. The glory of the Lord appeares removes from the Cherubins where he had promised to dwell for ever and stands upon the threshold of the dore of the Temple as now departing from them Afterwards is set downe vers 4 5 6. how the Lord gave two strait commissions or charges The first is to the saving Angell for his faithfull ones The second to the destroyers concerning all the rest In the first commission to the saving Angell is plainely expressed 1. what his charge or commission was namely to goe thorow the midst of the Citie even thorow the midst of Ierusalem and to set a marke upon the foreheads of sundry to be knowne from the rest in the destruction 2. who they are that must be marked That is the godly abhorring all abominations of the wicked who are also described by two properties First that they mourne and sigh in themselues Secondly that they cry out for all the abominations of the time wherein they liued 3. Why they are marked that when the destroyers came they might not touch any of them In the second commission to the destroyers is conteyned 1. The summe of their commission To follow hard after the saving Angell and to smite all whom they found unmarked without any respect of old or young maydes or children 2. To take carefull heede that they touched not any upon whom the marke was 3. Where they should begin to destroy And that was at the Sanctuarie at the wicked Priests and Levites which ministred there as being the causes of the sinnes of the rest 4. How they should proceed in the slaughter from the Sanctuarie to defile the whole Temple to fill the Courts with the slaine of them who liuing so wickedly had yet a vaine confidence in the Temple of the Lord thinking that the Temple could shelter them from his vengeance 5. The speedie execution of their commission that as they were commanded so they began at the Ancients which were before the House destroying them first and then the rest untill they had made a finall dispatch thorow the whole Citie And this is continued unto vers 8. Vers. 8. In the third place is set downe how the Prophet was affected with this terrible vision of this slaughter of Gods people though himselfe should escape amongst them who were marked That he fell upon his face crying unto the Lord and making humble intercession for them That the Lord would spare them being but a poore remainder of the people of Israel left after so many destructions Vers. 9 10. To which there followeth in the fourth place the answer and full resolution of the Lord thereby to stay the servent prayer and importunacie of the Prophet and also to manifest his owne iustice in that his most righteous proceeding That he would not be intreated for them any longer partly bicause their land was full of blood by their cruell oppressions of all sorts and partly for that the Citie where justice should have bin had for releeving the oppressed was now become full of corrupt judgement and of all perversenesse falling away more and more without hope of returning But principally for that they were generally become Atheists shamelesly saying in their liues The Lord saw them not it was no matter how they liued and making but a scoffe at all the Lords messengers and warnings therefore his eye should not spare them neither would he have any more pitie of them Vers. 11. In the last verse is set downe the returne of the answer and commission of the marking Angell That he had done according to his commission marked and made safe all the godly that mourned for all the abominations and so had fully prepared and made the way to the present execution of this finall destruction CHAP. II. Certaine directions to be observed in reading hereof to teach us to make our right use of this vision and forewarning to our selves AS this vision was first given by the Spirit of God unto Ierusalem to warne them of the neerenesse and greatnesse of this destruction which came vnto them for our ensample so is it written to admonish us upon whom the ends of the world are come And is therefore our vision to awaken us and to fore-warne us at this day setting before our faces what causes we have to watch and pray continually to prevent the like judgements and by all meanes to seeke to pacifie the Lords wrath before it be thus powred out upon us and also to helpe to stirre us up hereunto For the better understanding whereof and the more fruitfull applying of it to our selves to move us to unfeigned repentance and speedie seeking the Lord we must carefully observe these rules and directions following 1. That we read it and attend to it not as to a bare historie or an ordinarie discourse but as to a divine message and gratious fore-warning sent from the Lord of heaven and earth in the riches of his mercy to every one of us both high and low rich and poore to admonish us to meet him presently with intreatie of peace 2. Not to looke at the messenger by whom the Lord now sends it but wholly at him who sends it and to hearken to his lively voyce speaking unto us herein and to the evidence and demonstration of his Spirit applying it unto us 3. To consider seriously that we have herein to deale onely with the holy and mightie God before whom all the wicked of the world shall one day be speechlesse howsoever they are now most bold and wittie in excusing all their sins and in speaking against every one who shall admonish them And to this end to set our selves as in his presence at whose appearing all the proudest of the earth who dare now out-face his Majestie shall in the guilâ—inesse of their consciences creepe into the holes of the rocks and wish the hills mountaynes to fall upon them to hide them from his face And withall to remember that we must certainely appeare before him and then be sure to answer for all our contempts and not profiting by his fore-warnings 4. Herein also ech of us are yet further to testifie our religion and reverence to the Lord in receiving this so far forth as it is his expresse word or agreable thereunto and belonging to us as that worthy patterne of true godlinesse that holy Iosiah though a King did receive the discoverie of the abominations of Iudah and the threatnings of the Lord whose heart melted so that he powred out teares at the same And also so to humble our selves turning to the Lords Covenant and doing our endevour to cause others to turne as he did at the Lords message sent unto him though by so
and partly at the instant intreatie of the dressers of his Vineyard who have obteyned of him to spare us yet one yeere longer to see if we will bring forth meete fruit in any time and if no time nor warning will serve then to cut us downe Now we in steed of amending by all these fore-warnings with all the admirable deliverances and blessings which this Land doth injoy waxing every day much worse and the cry of our sinnes with the malice and number of our bloodie enemies being daily increased how can we thinke but that his vengeance must needs be at the doores either that any peace can possibly be so much as hoped for from him so long as our heynous sinnes still remayne heaped up euery day more more What heart therefore having any feare of the Lord considering how his anger must needs be kindled and remembring that implacable hatred of the blood-thirstie enemies but wayting their day doth not tremble in a certaine expectation of some imminent and farre more dreadfull vengeance than ever we felt in former times unlesse our hearts be some way stirred up to pacifie his heavenly Majestie by turning unto him to prevent the same And therefore to conclude this point All these things being laid togither and set as it were in one view before our faces principally that above all other signes the Lord hath given us that our third so terrible and infallible an admonition in the hellish powder-furnace sith none of his warnings shall be in vaine who can denie but that he daily cryeth in the eares of every one of us with a loude voyce as he cryed to Ezechiel Thy visitation oh England draweth neere Therefore repent watch and pray lest I come upon thee of a sodaine and make thee as Ierusalem because no warning will serve neither wilt thou know the time of thy visitation nor be awaked out of thy deepe securitie But of this more fully hereafter when we shall come to see the sinnes of our Land written by the Lord himselfe in the abominations of Iuda before her Captivitie and that in such capitall letters that he that runns by may read them And how we doe iustifie rebellious Iudah living in these dayes of the shining light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ under such a shelter as the Lords Annoynted and also under so good lawes commanding obedience thereunto whereby our sinnes must needes be farre more heynous and inexcusable than theirs or than ever they were in former time And this may serve for a first cause which we have to watch and pray because the Lord cryes so loud unto us all That our visitation draweth neere and that he will come on us suddenly unlesse we repent speedily CHAP. IIII. The withdrawing of the Lords glorious presence from his Church is both an euident signe of his displeasure and amanifest threatning of his departure And what cause we have thereupon to watch and to pray to pacifie his Maiestie and to hold him still amongst us Verse 3. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was to the threshold of the house A Second principall point which the Lord would have us all to obserue to this purpose is out of this third verse In which he revealed to the Prophet how the visitation of the City or the executioners of the vengeance determined upon it did draw neere this is given as an evident token thereof That the glorious presence of the Lord named the glory of God the God of Israel was gone from the Cherub that is from that place in the Temple where the Lord had promised to dwell for ever and from whence he was wont to shew his presence most sensibly for from thence he used to give answers and now it stood on the threshold of the Temple as ready to depart and utterly to leave that house and his people for their sinnes In this therefore God would have all men to take notice That it is a most certaine signe of his purpose to leave a people and of his vengeance hard at hand when he begins to withdraw the most lively and sensible tokens of his presence from those places where he was wont to dwell and shew himselfe most familiarly As heere for example Although the Temple remaine with the Arke and mercy feate from whence he was wont to speake immediatly from betweene the Cherubims yet the glory is removed the signes are there still but not the lively presence as had beene in former time which was indeed the true glory For further confirmation of this point This we may observe in the booke of God That when he hath beene well pleased with his people and purposed to remaine with them he then hath beene wont ordinarily to shew his presence and that under the law by some such visible or audible signes as whereby al might behold and heare him or at least perceive him some way As in all the iourny towards Canaan he went uisibly before them in the pillar of fire and the piller of the cloude But when they had angred him by the golden calfe he threatneth that he would not goe with them that is he would not goe before them in that visible manner as he had beene wont to bring them to the land flowing with milke and hony because they were a stiffenecked people He would send his Angell with them but in his owne glorious presence he would not goe before them as in former time whereupon Moses is importunate with him that he would never carry them thence if his presence went not with them And that it could not be knowne otherwise that he and his people had found favour in his sight but when he went visibly with them Thus Moses never leaves him vntill he hath prevailed that he will go with them as he was wont The same we may see in the dayes of Iosua where the Lord having withdrawne his lively preâ—ence and suffered his people to be overthrowne before the men of Ai Iosua falleth upon his face before the Arke fasting and mourning and after a sort expostulating with his Majestie for that he would suffer his great name to be dishonored Whereupon God telleth him plainely that he had indeede withdrawne himselfe from them because they were execrable for Achans sinne neither would he be with them any more unlesse they destroyed the excommunicate from amongst them So likewise when he was angry with Saul that he would cast him off he doth not only take his good spirit of wisdome and government from him and sends an evill spirit upon him to disquiet and to vex him but moreover when he asked councell of him in his extremity he answeres him not neither by dreames nor by Vrim nor yet by the Prophets Saul had the Priests with the Vrim before the Arke from whence the Glory was wont to appeare from the Cherubims
blood-thirstie religion in the cheife professors thereof against his own heavenly Majestie his true religion glory against his Annoynted all his liege people professing his name to destroy all at once though with the inevitable hazarding of themselves both soules and bodies their owne native Countrie their children and houses And also after that he had caused us to beare such evidence against that Romish iniquitie in those so good lawes then enacted against it and as it were to give sentence upon it having delivered it into our hands May he not justly say unto us all even unto our whole Nation for this very sin as he said to the King of Israel for letting Benadad goe when he spake thus unto him Because thou hast let goe out of thine hand a man whom I appointed to dye thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people So may he not speake and threaten us much more especially all of us both Magistrates Ministers and people into whose hands he hath committed the holy meanes to restraine and withdraw men from that murthering religion so many wayes convicted and condemned and to bring them to Christ and principally the spirituall meanes of the word of the Lord Yea above all other may he not speake so to those to whom he hath committed the charge of providing a holy learned and faithfull Ministerie which may tenderly seeke the winning and saving of every soule and also of causing all sorts to submit themselves thereunto as unto the Lords ordinance to that end for these meanes are first and principally to be used in tender compassion when as he hath so manifested the power thereof by so much gracious experience in sundry worthy Congregations where under such painfull and conscionable Ministers the people have bin brought from Poperie and profanenesse to embrace and obey the Gospell so as hardly one Papist or notoriously profane or disordered person have bin to be found there but all cheerefully submitting themselves to the Gospell of Christ. May he not most righteously speake thus unto us therefore Because through they negligence and carelesnesse thou hast suffered to grow up and spread in the midst of thee that execrable bloudie and Antichristian religion whereby my glory is so desperately oppugned whereby I my selfe am so openly sought to be driven out and with so high a hand the soules and bodies of all my people so endangered every houre yea that which I put into thy power and commanded thee to seeke by all holy meanes utterly to destroy out of thy land that against which thou hast so voluntarily made so good lawes for the sure ratifying of the speedie execution of my Commandement thy religion therefore shall goe for it and all thy glory shall be trampled under foote by them untill thou know whom thou hast dishonoured and provoked hereby And to conclude this point Hath not the Lord as good cause to complaine of us and to plead against us for the small account which we make of him for grieving his Spirit and driving him from amongst us by this and all other our fearefull sinnes as ever he had to complaine of the unkindnesse of Iudah and even to take up the same complaint against us which he did against them when he spake thus unto them by the Prophet Micha before their Captivitie Oh my people what have I done unto thee or wherewith have I grieved thee come testifie against me Surely I brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants I sent before thee also Moses Aaron and Miriam O my people remember now what Balak King of Moab had devised and what Balaam the sonne of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal that yee may know the righteousnes of the Lord. This is the Lords plea and complaint against Israel for their unkindnesse calling the hills and mountaines to witnesse the equitie of it before that he would depart from them and bring upon them that strange and terrible judgement which he so long before threatned by his Prophets But we will defer this complaint against us untill we shall have seene of our iniquities to provoke and anger the Lord thereby to be above the abominations of Iudah considering that we live in this glorious light of the Gospell with our extraordinarie mercies and meanes of all sorts Because that then if God shall give us hearts in reading to consider of these things aright we shall justifie the like complaint of the Lord against our selves and shall admire his patient stay and his abiding still amongst us Thus much therefore shall suffice in like manner for this third cause wherein yet let ech of us aske of our owne soules whether in such a decay both of the love of the truth and also of holinesse peace and unitie in the Church yea in such danger of our protection to be utterly taken away to passe over that it is so far departed That he that absteineth from evill makes himself a prey and in steed thereof in such an increase of Poperie of licentiousnesse and of all profanenesse such an enmitie against all true pietie with the insolencie of the enemie the Lord doe not call loude upon us all to watch and to pray for the severall removes of the glory amongst us and the evident tokens of the Lords threatned departure which he sheweth in the same CHAP. VI. No priviledges can doe a people any good if they increase in their iniquitie but the moe their mercies have bin the greater is their sinne and the heavier shall their iudgement be when it commeth of what sort soever And what causes we have hence to watch and to pray Vers. 4. And the Lord said unto him Goe through the midst of the Citie even through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of them that sigh and cry for all the abominations which are done in the midst thereof IN the doubling of the speech Goe thorough the midst of the Citie even through the midst of Ierusalem where the Lord adds Ierusalem to make the speech more significant not content to say Goe thorow the Citie but even thorow Ierusalem He would have all to take notice That though Ierusalem was the deerest unto him of all the Cities of the world yet having broken the Covenant on her part and also cast him off and defiled his Sanctuarie he will spare her no longer he will have no more pitie of any save onely of his faithfull ones in her But contrarily he will forsake her cast her off leave her to be destroyed untill the remnant left of her learne to seeke him and to be reconciled to him againe For the Lords speech is thus much in effect Goe through the midst of the city even through Ierusalem which though it be unto me the deerest of all the places in the world the Citie which I had chosen to
dayes of Iosiah even since their comming out of Egypt and more specially for their provocations wherewith Manasses the grave father of Iosiah had provoked him by all his Idolatrie and by the bloud of his seruants which he shed whereof the land was not yet purged though that bloud had beene shed threescore yeeres before besides his sinne wherewith he made Iudah to sinn and to doe euill in his sight And yet more also for that in Iosiahs dayes the peoples heart did not so melt for those and the like iniquities as Iosiahs heart did but they rather still approved generally of their former evill waies and practised them secretly And lastly because of these abominations following whereby they filled up the measure of their iniquities and against which the Prophets so cried out ever threatning this judgement for the same untill it came upon them But heere it may be said howsoever these prerogatives of theirs were indeed exceeding great and may astonish us all both in regard of our former heinous sinnes and the judgements that have beene upon us both formerly and of late with the unplacable rage of our adversaries yet we have many things which may seeme to assure us of Gods favour and secure us from any such judgement or the like As first which was shortly touched for that we have so many worthy preachers and good people unfeignedly fearing the Lord. Secondly that we have the Lords true religion so soundly maintained Thirdly all open Idolatrie is banished Fourthly such good lawes so religiously established Fiftly for that more then all these we have the Lords annointed so graciously and miraculously set over us in peace with such a happy unity concluded withall neighbour nations and also so blessed an issue Sixtly Above all these The Lord hath so often testified his fatherly love and care for us in such tender and marvellous preservations both of our Princes and of our whole nation and in so bringing his and our enemies to shame as he hath heereby made this Iland the wonder of the world And lastly for that never nation did injoy the Gospell so long in that flourishing prosperity and peace which we have done All these and the like are such evident tokens of the Lords favour love towards us as that we can have no such cause of feare as this forewarning many of our Preachers would beare us in hand To answer all these and whatsoever else can be said to secure us Let us but consider what King reigned in Ierusalem and how many yeeres togither before this Captivitie even when these judgements were so threatned and hastned on and when many of these abominations following were committed and how he continued till within three moneths of these miseries begun as we heard before and it will appeare most like that this people could not be then inferiour to us in any of these signes of Gods favour except this that we live in the dayes of the Gospell to which we shall answer after For first immediately before this vengeance began they had that most holy King Iosiah whose praises and worthy example shall remaine unto the end of the world and him they injoyed reigning in peace over them for one and thirtie yeeres togither And secondly for puritie of religion we know that never King went beyond Iosiah in his reformation and care compelling all strictly to serve the Lord according to his word and in taking away so far as he was able the very monuments of Idolatrie with all things that might either revive it openly or secretly or that might be any way a snare unto the people And also how he reformed all other abominations that could be spied in all the land of Iudah or in Ierusalem So as the Holy Ghost beares this witnesse of him that like unto Iosiah was no King before him that turned unto the Lord with all his heart nor rose up after him That for puritie of religion and a holy reformation we can make no doubt but they were equall to us And for worthy Teachers according to that time I take it that we can make no question but that they had many of the Priests and Levites both learned and godly when the King himself was so forward to incourage and provoke them thereunto Besides those famous Prophets stirred up by the Lord extraordinarily as Ieremie Zâ—phanie Habakuk and others with Esay and Micha but a litle before for many yeeres togither and Ezechiel presently after All these and sundry others they had howsoever they dealt most unkindly with them as Ieremies example doth fully witnesse For good people in like manner it cannot be imagined but that where such a worthy head example was with such excellent Teachers there must needs be also many of the children which God had given to them and those of all sorts even of the chiefe Magistrates as well as others Such were these which mourned in Ierusalem for the abominations who are commanded to be marked who lived when they were at the very worst and sundry Worthies as those which spake for Ieremie and others which were caried away in the Captivitie yea even children of the Kings seede and of the Princes as Daniel and his companions to wit Hananiah Mishael Azariah with others as we shall see hereafter Though these were and had long time bin made as signes and wonders unto the rest and the off-scowring of all other like as those Prophets were whose doctrine they obeyed As for Idolatrie It is most evident that they had none openly in all Iosiahs dayes after the reformation nor so much as the prints suffred to remaine nor any thing that might revive it as we saw but onely that they had not repented of that which had bin before And for peace It seemeth to be manifest That Iosiah had peace with all about him for although he was slaine in warre by Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt it was his owne seeking and a just punishment for attempting it and not consulting with the Lord nor hearkning to the words of Necho which were from the mouth of God For the King of Egypt sent messengers unto him to tell him that he came not against him but against the house of his enemie which was the King of Assyria and therefore he would not in any case have foughten with him If the Assyrian had bin Iosiahs enemie it is not like that Iosiah would have hindered the King of Egypt from fighting against him And finally for their securitie through their Prince and princely progenie if ever Nation could glory therein it was surely they having as was shewed as worthy a King as ever was by the Lords owne record whom they therefore accounted the breath of their nostrils and such a goodly tree as under whose shadow they were safe in the midst of the Heathen as they mourne after in the
others And to omit all other examples At the last and finall desolation of this Citie and Nation by the Romanes Histories doe report that presently before the taking of Ierusalem a voyce was heard among the Christians Goe forth to Pella Goe forth to Pella which so soone as ever the Christians had done and that they were safe there the Citie was sacked and all that desolation fully accomplished as was declared before God thus providing to set them safe before the destroyers came Whereby we may see evidently both by the testimonies and charge of the Lord himselfe and the continuall examples that the faithfull servants of God cleaving firmely unto him in the backsliding of the rest have the onely immunitie and priviledge above all others to be preserved at such times so far as shall be any way good for them and shall be withall for the Lords owne glory and the salvation of his people To confirme us yet further in the assurance hereof and to stir up our hearts so to walke with our God before that time doe come we have the Lords most gratious direction and promise made to the Prophet Esay and to the godly of his time teaching them how they should carie themselves in such outrage of iniquitie and in such signes of the approaching of his vengeance he hath caused it to be written for a most comfortable president to all succeeding ages and for a sure preservative against all feare of every such danger It is therefore carefully to be marked of all his servants The Prophet saith That the Lord spake unto him in taking him by the hand as it were incouraging and strengthening him and thus he taught him That they should not walke in the way of that people nor have a confederacy with them nor feare their feare no nor yet be afraid of them that is He would be a place of refuge and comfort unto them against all terrors as the Sanctuary was And by the Prophet Ezekiel he adds That he would be thus unto them in all the places wheresoever they should come Lastly besides this gratious promise we are to observe how in the most terrible denuntiation of vengeance against this people that God would not spare them for the greatnesse of their iniquitie no though Noah Iob and Daniel were amongst them yet alwaies this exception is added and carefully recorded by the Spirit of God That they to wit Noah Iob and Daniel being amongst them Should yet deliver their owne soules by their right eousnesse And againe They only shal be delivered themselves but the land shall be wast So the point is most cleere from the Lords owne warrant Let us now consider the reasons of it to strengthen us yet further against the time of temptation A principall cause hereof is The Lords most fatherly and tender love towards these That howsoever they are unto the world men most odious and monstrous for that they will not run with the rest to the same excesse as the Apostle Peter speakes and because they by their holy profession and carriage condemne the world as Noah did in his age by his preaching and living and making of the Arke yet are they unto the Lord as deere as the apple of his owne eye That he cannot possibly forget them wheresoever they be dispersed and howsoever No though it were possible for the mother to beâ—so unnaturall as to forget the childe of her wombe yet he cannot forget these They are graven on the palmes of his hands and are ever in his sight His mercy is about them in the greatest distresses as a wall of fire to fence them and to consume all contrary violence so farre as he seeth best And as chariots of fire to carry them safe out of all such dangers yea to save and deliver them in the midst of the fire and in the midst of the water And therefore when the day of the Lords vengeance commeth those who formerly thought on his name and spake to keep others from the wickednes of the times are taught to comfort themselves herein because they are written in the booke of his remembrances as Malachi speaketh They are indeed the Lords true flock then will he declare it openly sparing tendering theÌ„ as a father doth his own son in whoÌ„ he is delighted that men may oftentimes plainly discerne betweene the righteous and betweene the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not as we saw in all the former destructions And finally for their sakes It is why he spares a sinfull nation so long But if they be once forth the rest can looke for nothing but fearefull execution of vengeance for then he bids Smite and spare none as followeth But heere It will be said If this be so How commeth it to passe that many of the godly doe so oft feele the smart of such calamities as well as the rest As it is very cleare That many of the deare servants of God were caried away in this and the former captivity as well as others even many of those who were marked as we heard before That the Prophet himselfe was carried away in the former captivitie as also Daniel and his companions with many other and so were partakers of the common miseries of the captivitie with the rest It is likewise very probable that sundry of them died by the sword of the enemie and some by other calamities And on the other side It is certaine that many of the wicked escaped amongst the godly It may be therefore demanded what this marking did then stand the godly insteed or what they were better for it To this it may be answered First That this is very true that many of the godly doe often feele the smart of such generall judgements And that most justly for sundry causes for which God threatneth his wont to correct his deerest seruants As either for their former securitie or else for seeking their peace carnally by fashioning themselves unto the evill times as the greatest part is wont to doe ever so far as possibly they may not falling utterly from God Or for that they have not mourned for the abominations of the rest Or in that they have not bene so instant with the Lord for pacifying his wrath and turning away the judgment as they ought Or for neglecting their duties of Magistracie ministrie government in their families or at least of admonition exhortation or example for saving the rest and staying the course of sinne Or finally for that they have not beene so faithfull in all things in their places callings as they should or for some other their scandalous sins or sinnes against conscience whereby they have provoked the Lord against them for he useth to correct such and other sinnes like to these in his owne servants by heavy and sharpe temporall scourges and sometimes by death it selfe
Thus he shewred his displeasure against good Iosiah for thrusting himselfe into battell without warrant And against Moses for not sanctifying the Lord at the waters of strife Among the Corinthians also for their unreverent receiving the Lords supper And thus may he suffer his owne deerest servants to endure the common calamities with the rest at such times either for a just correction of their former sinnes as hath beene shewed or only for the tryall of their faith and constancy or for an exercise of their faith and repentance and to make them more fervent in praier or to further their sanctification to conforme them more more to Christ or it may be to increase the vengeance against the enemies through their cruelty against them or some other like cause as we shall see more after Yet neverthelesse The marking teacheth us thus much That though such goe into Captivity yet there the Lord will be with them his holy hand will there be over them as a buckler There he will so protect them that he will turne all the evils that come unto them still to doe them good He will thereby further their salvation and increase their glory in the heavens And when they are killed all the day long and accounted as sheepe for the slaughter yet in all that which they indure they are more then conquerours thorough him who hath loved them He chastiseth them thereby to make them to walke more holily and more humbly in his presence and so teacheth them more sound obedience by the things which they suffer then ever they learned in all their lives before that they shall in time acknowledge that to have beene the best schoole that ever they came into By this fire he fineth them from much of the drosse of their sinnes and corruptions and specially of their unbeleife to make them to come forth more pure then the gold For First he at such times taking from them the meanes and staies that they were wont to leane upon in their prosperitie maketh them to see their carnall and vaine confidence upon what propts they formerly relied and what unbeleife is in their hearts And then raysing up for them such meanes as they never knew as he did for his people Israel in the wildernesse and in other their distresses he teacheth them to looke up higher then to earthly meanes even to his owne heavenly hand to depend upon him for all and to give him all the glory making him their only stay and comfort At such times in the very greatest extremities he hath ever beene wont to reveale himselfe far more familiarly to his in the gratious works of his fatherly providence and extraordinary favours then ever in former time and that even outwardly in things belonging to the necessity comforts of this life But above all for the inward comforts of his Spirit supporting and chearing up the hearts of all his elect they ordinarily finde them more true and heavenly joy with certaine assurance of Gods favour and love in Christ then ever they felt before And heereby doth he most fully manifest to the very enimies their faith in his promises their patiēce hope obedience love to his Majestie and what they are ready to suffer for his name Heereby he is wont also to kindle in his people a greater fervency in prayer smitting them to the end to prepare their hearts thereby that he may incline his eare unto their cries To make them able in all things to give thanks and to rejoyce in their most grievous afflictions and so to be able to sing with a holy melody when the fetters are about their feet He waines them from the earth and makes them long after the heavens to be ever in his presence where all teares being wiped away is fulnesse of joy for ever more He then also useth these his poore servants as a special meanes of the conversion saving of the rest of his elect and in these to reserve a holy seed by which to renew and in large his Church againe And which is well worthy our carefull observation Some who could never attaine to any grace at all under the best meanes in the daies of their prosperity but did run riot as the prodigall sonne being most rebellious against the Lord and his word yet when he hath brought them into the fetters and chaines of afflictions then have they set themselves to seeke him and then the word which before they despised hath begun to worke in them to life A notable president of his mercy herein he hath caused to be registred in his Booke for all posteritie even in Manasseh who though he had so good a father as that worthy Ezechiah and was so vertuously brought up yea and had seene his fathers reformation yet as the Holy Ghost saith he went backe and builded up that iniquitie which his father had destroyed He never had grace to bethinke himselfe nor to hearken to the word of the Lord untill he brought upon him the Captaines of the hoast of the King of Asshur who put him in fetters bound him in chaines and caried him to Babel But when he was in tribulation he began to seeke unto the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and so God was intreated of him heard his prayer and brought him againe into Ierusalem into his Kingdome Then saith the Holy Ghost Manasseh knew that the Lord was God and then he destroyed all the Idolatry and abhominations which he had bin the cause of and restored that religion which he had before defaced And to shut up all By these the Lord doth exceedingly advance his owne glory in the midst of his enemies as here he did by Daniel and his companions and makes himselfe and his truth evidently knowne by their constancie and leaves the wicked enemies the more without excuse As for those whom he takes away by death in such times their death is unto them but as the gate of life It is a finall deliverance from all their sinnes and from all feare of every kinde of enemie and miserie It is unto them a more speedie entrance into the full possession of their fathers joy and of their glorious inheritance than otherwise nature would have afforded them And thus much for the godly which goe into Captivitie or fall by the sword or endure any calamitie with the rest what the marking avayleth them how happy their estate is whatsoever come to passe But on the other side for the wicked who in such generall calamities escape the sword or the like cruell death it is cleane contrary with them For the Lords anger revenging hand ever followeth them whithersoever they goe untill they be destroyed from off the face of the earth All these miseries are but the beginnings of the powring out of the viols of Gods wrath upon them to the increase
of their torment and their fearefull expectation of further vengeance Their calamities which they endure are nothing else but preparatives and fore-runners of the damnation of hell Hereby they also become more senselesse and impenitent they waxe more hardned and enraged to murmure and blaspheme against the Lord. And ordinarily they are alwaies chased in their owne consciences as Cain having a sound of feare in their eares the worme beginning to gnaw and their sinne to sting them to the very hearts and consequently to become runnegates to the grave and to eternall confusion Or let the best be supposed that ever can befall any of them they are but in a lethargie or sleepie sicknesse without sense untill the vengeance of God light wholly upon them to send them to the place of their destruction where they shall never finde any rest after But for their wretched estate we shall see it further in another place And thus we may behold the estate of all both good and bad in such generall calamities Now who is there that beleeves the word of the Lord whom the due consideration of this one point alone must not needs drive to watching and prayer and to cause him to seeke to be prepared aforehand in these dayes of our peace that he may be thus undoubtedly marked and under this protection yea that he may be thus hid in the evill day and finde all the comforts belonging to the godly and that he may be sure to escape those certaine and dreadfull miseries of the wicked what judgements soever it shall please him to exercise us withall for A wise man as Salomon saith foreseeth the plague and hideth himselfe but a foole goeth on still and is punished This therefore may serve as a first cause to enforce us all to betake our selves more instantly to watching and prayer then ever we have done if we would be so marked as to finde the Lord to be a Sanctuarie and a hiding place unto us in the evill day how soone soever he shall bring it upon us for all our sinnes and provocations and in the meane time to get boldnesse thereby and peace of conscience against all assaults whatsoever And more also unlesse we will strip our selves wilfully of his most gratious providence and protection and desperately expose our selves and all ours to all kinde of miserie and unhappinesse both in this life present and that which is to come If any shall demand further what this marke was we must remember That this Vision was given according to the capacitie of man to shew this unto the Prophet that he might make it knowne to all sorts what care the Lord hath for his faithfull ones in the greatest confusions and when they seeme to be utterly neglected and forgotten and to this end he hath caused it to be written for us This moreover seemeth evidently to be an allusion to the custome of men who use to set a marke on such things as they have a speciall care to preserve heedfully Or rather an alluding to the marking of the houses of his owne people in Egypt with the bloud of the Lambe that the destroying Angell might not touch any of them when he destroyed the Egyptians Or else at least to the marking of Rahabs house in the Citie of Iericho before the destruction came for the saving her selfe and hers But if it be demanded whether they had not indeed some speciall marke of difference to be discerned from the rest we may answer truly That there is no question but they were marked indeed both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly by the bloud of Christ sprinkling them and by the Spirit sanctifying them making them to cry Abba oh Father Outwardly by a bold and constant outward profession of the truth of God in word and deed and more specially by mourning and crying out for all the abominations which were practised daily to anger the Lord as followeth after But this is not that marking here spoken of much lesse is it any marking with any outward marke or signe as some doe vainely and very fondly conceit but only to make them sure that they might be preserved from the destroyer The words signifying nothing else but marke them with a marke or signe them with a signe That is marke them surely and carefully doubling the word according to the manner of the Hebrew phrase And thus much also shortly for answering those doubts Now to our next cause which every soule hath to watch and to pray CHAP. VIII The propertie of the godly living amongst the wicked in a sinfull age is To sigh and cry for the abominations and tokens of Gods anger So what cause all Gods servants have to watch and pray for the fewnesse of such and to labour to be of that litle number TO proceed to a sixt cause which yet more neerely concerns ech of us cals on us all to watchfulnes and prayer We are all who desire to finde true assurance and comfort to consider who and what ones these servants of God are which are thus marked They are described in these words which sigh and cry for all the abominations They were those who were so far off from framing themselves to the wickednesse of that evill time as that they contrarily abhorred with a vehement indignation all those sinnes whereby Gods anger was so kindled and their destruction hastned so fast Insomuch as that thereby they did not onely mourne in themselves in secret but being inforced with a zeale of Gods glory and indignation against all the abominations cryed out against them according to their places and callings and sighed in secret for mercy and redresse Here we must observe The Lord setting before our eyes the condition of the true children of God living in evill times and amongst a people voyde of the sense of sinne and of the feare of Gods judgements That their manner is not to approve of the wicked wayes of the ungodly much lesse to sooth and flatter them in their evill courses nor to give over themselves to any jollitie or carnall delights as others doe but they use to have continually much heavinesse in themselves sighing for the grievous sinnes which are committed An example hereof the Lord hath set forth to all posteritie in holy Lot who living amongst the filthy Sodomites was thus grieved with their ungodly conversation for so saith the holy Apostle Peter That he being righteous and dwelling among them in hearing and seeing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unrighteous deeds He was so disquieted with their beastly manners provoking the Lords most holy eyes that his whole life for the time that he dwelt amongst them was but wearinesse and a continuall mourning This holy man the Lord would have set forth as an example to all succeeding ages to shew the condition of all his true and faithfull servants living amongst wicked and ungodly men To
to all his faithfull messengers to the end of the world to declare how they ought to carry themselves in such evill times according to their places and callings So Iohn Baptist cryes out against the hypocrites O generation of vipers who hath forewarned you to flie from the vengeance to come Our Saviour also among the Scribes and Pharisees being hypocrites thunders out nothing but woe woe This in like manner was the principall occasion of all the malice against him for that he testified in every place that their deeds were evill and also for denouncing Gods judgements to come upon them And to omit all other That righteous Lot in Sodome though a private man yet cryes unto them for that shamefull outrage I pray you my brethren deale not so wickedly In a word this hath beene the continuall behaviour of the Martyrs and Confessors of Gods truth as all Histories doe witnesse thus to cry against the sinnes of the times within the limits of their calling whence ordinarily they have suffred such bitter persecutions For crying also unto the Lord at such times it hath beene a most usuall thing with all the faithfull Prophets and other of his servants untill that he have forbidden some of them as he did Ieremie that he should not pray to doe that people any good when as they did grow obdurate and most extremely malicious against him and alwaies the neerer they have seene the wrath the more vehemently have they cried unto the Lord as Moses and Samuel stepping into the breach to stay the Lords hand that he should not destroy his people So that this point is likewise most cleare Yet to cause it to worke more effectually upon our consciences it shall not be unnecessarie a little to ponder some of the reasons why the godly doe so sigh and cry As First for that they who are the Lords indeed doe specially resemble their heavenly Father in hating those things which he hateth with a vehement indignation and what sinnes they cannot reforme nor restraine those they sigh and grieve for Secondly that they can no more endure the dishonors done unto his heavenly Majestie according to that measure of grace given unto them than the Angels which are in heaven doe according unto theirs and therefore they being subject unto these passions of griefe and sorrow must needs in seeing and hearing vex their righteous soules continually Thirdly because they have of the very â—ame spirit of zeale that was in our Saviour which was so fervent towards his fathers house that to see it defiled it did after a sort eat and consume him Fourthly how can it be but that they who are the children of God must needs be troubled to see Sathan set up and worshipped in the throne of their heavenly Father for so he is in all places where iniquitie hath the upper hand Or what childe is there except he be extremely unnaturall that is not cast downe in himselfe when he seeth his father angry Fiftly because not taking to heart such sinnes we become guilty of them for so Paul chargeth the Corinthians for the incestuous person that they were therfore guiltie of his sinne because they had not sorrowed for it and saith that they afterward by their sorrow and indignation testified so many wayes upon his letter sent unto them did shew themselves free from his wickednes Sixtly and lastly which is the principall because for the sinne of one notorious offender unpunished Gods anger may be kindled against all the place where he is and that therefore all of them are in danger of this vengeance with the rest even every one that doth not what he can within the compasse of his calling to reforme it at least by mourning for it and crying unto the Lord for pardon redresse This he shewes plainely in sundry places of his holy word although the contrary practise of the world declares evidently that very few beleeve this point Let us but observe two or three places the more to convince us and rouze our soules out of this our deepe securitie As first that of the case of inquisition for murder when one is found murdered if there be not the utmost endevour both in Ministers Magistrates and people to finde out the murtherer and to punish him by death according to the law against murther the land is defiled as is evident both by the strict manner of the inquisition that was to be made by all the people of Israel and by the protestation of the Rulers in the behalfe of all the people clearing themselves from it and also by the prayer that they were taught to make in this forme O Lord be mercifull unto us thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay no innocent bloud to the charge of thy people Israel and the bloud shall be forgiven them So saith he thou shalt take away the cry of innocent bloud from thee whâ—n thou shalt doe that which is right in the sight of the Lord. Whereby we may plainely see that the bloud of one man thus murthered defileth the bordering land and provoketh the Lords displeasure against the people if it be not carefully sought out and all holy meanes used for the avenging of it and taking away the cry thereof Secondly the Lord declares there evidently that the Land cannot be clensed and the sinne pardoned unto it but by the bloud of him that shed it or at least when no meanes is neglected to finde it out and to punish it Thirdly that innocent bloud cryes for vengeance from the earth continually as Abels did untill all the meanes be used for purging it A last reason of Gods severitie is because it is not with the Church of God as with the prophane Heathen for he dwels in the midst of his Church and therefore if any defile the Land where his Church is he will either punish them severely or utterly depart from them as appeares evidently in his threatning after the making of the Golden Calfe for he will be specially sanctified in them that draw neere unto him in such a holy profession He is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints Now as it is in this case of bloud so every notorious sin defileth the land and cryeth for vengeance against all the inhabitants the Land cannot beare it but will endanger all even to spue out that people in the end if it be not purged as their abominations did cause the Land of Canaan This we may see in sundry examples how somtimes the sin of some of the people hath indangered al the rest sometimes the sinne of one city and sometimes even the sin of one man when it hath not beene sought out and punished As to omit that sinne at the making of the golden calfe which although it was not
our Noahs building the Arke and calling all to enter nor our Lots mourning crying to all Good brethren deale not so wickedly Doe we not daily increase in our senselesnesse and still more harden our selves against all warnings signes and tokens untill the floud-gates of heaven be open and the vengeance of God come powring downe And to goe yet one step higher and to adde this one demand more Are not very many amongst us come to that height of impietie to scorne and to abuse by all meanes all those that mourne for the evils and who will not run with us to all excesse of ungodlinesse And if any doe ever reprove such though in the griefe of their hearts with the greatest love and reverence are they not ready to say as those unto Lot Hence who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge so to thrust them away with all disgrace Or which is yet worse if worse may be Is not this too common in very many places to use them as Ieremie was used to load such with all opprobrious slanders as tho they were the vilest men that could live upon the earth and those that seeke not the good of the Land but the hurt and as if indeed there were none to be hated but they be they never so peaceable and obedient And finally are they not made such in many places as Ieremie saith of himselfe whom every bodie curseth though they have neither given nor taken upon usurie but lived without ofâ—ence or intermedling in the world Nay although they be such persons whom all the world cannot touch except for such infirmities as are incident to all the sonnes of Adam or the matters of their God as Daniâ—l was Doe we not thus adde to the increase of their sorrowes to kindle more the Lords anger for the injuries done unto them and by seeking to drive them out from amongst us or at least to cause them to cease crying to the Lord for us Which unkindnesse he can no way indure sith these I meane who make conscience of all his commandements are the deerest unto him of all the people of the earth and the onely preservers of the rest so long as they remaine amongst us And thus much shall serve for this in like manner what cause we have to watch and pray yea to tremble and cry for the small remainder of our mourners and also to the end that we our selves may be found to be of the number of them so to helpe to appease the wrath or so to escape in the evill day CHAP. IX The enemies by which the Lord threatneth or afflicteth his Church are his souldiers and what cause we have to give our selves to watching and prayer for the increase of them in number pride and malice IT remaineth now that we shall come to shew the abominations for the which the godly so sighed cryed what and how great they were But the handling thereof may be more profitably reserved unto the sixt verse where the Holy Ghost sets downe how fierce his wrath was and how grievous the plagues were which the Lord threatneth to inflict upon them that by the greatnes of the vengeance we may better consider the heynousnesse of the abominations Having therefore thus finished this first Commission which was to the marking Angell for the preservation of all the godly we will come to the second commission given to the destroying Angels how they should deale with all the rest conteyned in these words following Vers. 5. And to the other he said in my hearing Goe yee after him thorow the Citie and smite Let not your eye spare neither have pitie sâ—ay utterly olde and young c. Here the Lord delivering this Commission aloud and bidding these destroying Angels to goe and smite to spare none will have us all to consider this well That the enemies by which his Church is afflicted as the Babylonian here meant to whom he said Goe yee after him thorough the Citie and smite are the Lords soldiers They come not nor fight of themselves alone but at his comand they fight also his battels though they know not so much nor purpose any such matter but doe it in the pride and malice of their hearts No point is more necessarie for us to know becasue in the plots and conspiracies of wicked enemies and in all the rage against the Church of God it is so rare a thing for any man to looke at the Lord and how he sends and orders all but every man almost useth still to looke onely at the hand of the enemie Neither is any truth more cleerely set forth in the booke of God We will content our selves with two or three places which are past all exception in which he hath of purpose taught this point most fully First we may begin with the former great Captivitie of Israel of the Ten Tribes caried captive into Assyria by Salmanazar which was a good space before this captivitie of Iudah The Holy Ghost saith that the Lord in his wrath sent upon them the King of Asshur to destroy them Whom the Prophet â—say in speaking of both the Captivities joyntly and the like instruments and reasons of both calleth the rod of Gods wrath because he had in his wrath prepared the Assyrian as his rod to whip both Israel and Iudah for their rebellion He termes also their staffe meaning the weapons in their hands his indignation because all their weapons were cheifly prepared to execute his most fierce indignation He calls them moreover the Lords axe whereby he cut downe the Nations All were the Lords instruments He sent these Assyrians and gave them the charge to spoile and trample under foote the rebellious Israelites as the mire in the streets But did the proud Assyrian know thus much how God used him as his soldier or did he purpose in it to execute Gods wrath and his terrible judgement No saith the Lord he thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so as to avenge my quarrell but he imagineth to destroy not a few nations that is All that he doth he doth in pride and malice of his owne wicked heart and by his owne strength as he foolishly thinketh Therefore the Lord saith plainely That when he had used him as his rod to correct his people first Samaria and then Ierusalem first Israel and after Iudah that he would surely burne the rod in the fire He would visit the proud heart of the King of Asshur and bring downe his proud lookes and as a fire in his vengeance consume him utterly And secondly for Manasseh the sonne of that worthy Hezechiah when he went backe from the good wayes of his father and set up againe all the abominations that his father had taken away and had also destroyed that pietie and religion which his good father had so laboured to build up and finally when he caused his people to doe worse