with a Deluge of Blood The Times are ever perillous during the Reigne of sinne But for the further opening of this first Proposition I shall do these two things 1. Shew what those special sins are which are Signs of Perillous Times 2. Consider the cases wherein such sinnes have in a special manner this Symptomatical significancy The first Enquiry What special sins make perillous Times FOr the Discovery of this What sins they are that speak the Times to be Perillous I shall not presume to make a Particular enumeration of all those sinnes which are Symptomes of evil Times or signes of approaching Judgements This would be a task perhaps too difficult and occasion a Discourse too tedious But onely instance in some of those special sinnes which I find in the holy Scriptures have been the procuring causes of those Calamities which have made the Times Perillous to Gods people Several other sins which have plentifully poured out the same malignant influence upon the Places and people under their Regency and dominion we shall have occasion to speak of in the following Symptomes For the present then take we notice of these subsequent sins as sad Symptomes and Presages of Perillous Times viz. The first Sin Atheisme and Irreligion THe Times are evil and perillous When Atheisme and Irreligion abounds When there is no * Hos 4.1 knowledge nor †Rom. 3.18 feare of God to be found in multitudes of People especially where the Preaching of the Word and the Means of Grace are plentifully afforded it s a sad sign of some sore judgement If God will poure out his Fury upon the Heathens that know him not and the Families of those Heathen Kingdoms that call not upon his Name * Jer. 10.25 with Psal 79.6 how much more upon those that are called Christians and yet are grosly ignorant of God and live in the constant neglect of this great Duty of Prayer For the more are the Means that are vouchsaft to any People and the greater the Obligations are that are laid upon them to any Duty the more heinous is their sinne the higher is their Provocation if they neglect it and the greater shall the Judgements be the heavier the punishments wherewith the Lord will at length plague such a sinning People And therefore does the Lord Jesus pronounce such a terrible woe against Corazin and Bethsaida and threaten them with such a dreadful Destruction because they were not amended notwithstanding the Mighty works he had wrought amongst them †Mat. 11.20 21. But sayes he * v. 22 23 24 I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the Day of Judgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven shalt be brought down to Hell For if the Mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this Day But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom in the Day of Judgement then for thee The greatest outward Priviledges will not exempt a sinning People from the sorest Judgements †1 Cor. 10 1-11 Nay the greater the Priviledges are we do enjoy the sorer shall our Punishments be if we improve them not if we abuse them Now how may we tremble with a just Fear of some fearful Judgement when we consider how much Darknesse there is in a Land of Light how Ignorance Atheisme and Ungodlinesse abounds amongst a People which may plentifully enjoy the Meanes of Grace How many thousands are there that know not Jesus Christ nor care to know him Yea how many thousand Families are there in a Land blest for above a thousand years with the Gospel that call not upon God! How many Millions of People may be seen every Lords Day in the streets of Cities in the Fields and Villages that make it their constant Practice to profane the Sabbath by Vanity and idlenesse besides those Children of Darknesse which are already in the Suburbs of Hell who are then at their Pots and Pipes in their Dens of Iniquity Now * Jer. 5.9 shall not the Lord visit for these things and be avenged on such a People as this When such a black cloud of Darknesse hath overspread the Land that men see not the Light of the Sunne at Noon-day how may we justly fear that the Thunder of Gods judgements will suddenly break out against us We read that when the King of Asyria brought in strangers into Samaria that feared not the LORD nor knew the manner of his worship the LORD sent Lions among them that destroy'd them †2 Kin. 17 24 25 26. Atheism and Irreligion in a Holy Nation a Nation call'd and consecrated to Gods Worship and Service is more provoking and sooner plucks down Judgement then in a Heathen Land Wilde Beasts may be secure and live long in a Large Forrest but they are soon taken and slain when once found in a Tilled Field This was part of the Charge which the Lord drew up against his people Israel before he cast them to be melted from their drosse in the Furnace of Babylon * Jer. 9.3 They proceed from evil to evil and they know not me saith the LORD And therefore saith he to his Prophet †Jer. 9.6 7 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit through Deceit they refuse to know me saith the LORD Therefore thus saith the LORD of Hosts Behold I will melt them and try them For how shall I do for the Daughter of my People Ignorance is a damning sin◠a soul-destroying Evil It is a People of no understanding saith the Lord * Isa 27.11 therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them aad he that formed them will shew them no favour And againe †2 Thes 1 7 8 9. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels in flaming fire to take vengeance as well on them that know not God as on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ And these also as well as the other shall be punisht with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power But now when ignorance is joyn'd with obstinacy as in those that refuse to know God or to learn the Mysteries of the Gospel it s a sinne more inexcusable and the punishment of it more intolerable Certainly if the knowledge and worship of God do open a gate for the bringing in of all manner of Blessings into a land Ignorance and Irreligion must needs open a wide doore to Destruction Before the first destruction of Rome by Brennus and his Gaules its observed by the Heathen Writers themselves that the People were grown altogether Carelesse and negligent in the matters of Religion The ancient Britans it 's the Observation of Bede a little before their Destruction by the Saxons were arriv'd at such a pitch of profanenesse as Odium
meeting Your New Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to bear them And when ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood Why did the Lord thus disregard all their Ceremonial Services and sacred Solemnities which in the time of the Old Testament he had commanded them Surely for no other reason but because they rested in them and neglected the great and weighty Things of the Law Judgement Mercy and Faith these ought they to have done and not to leave the other undone †Mat. 23 23 So the Lord elsewhere reproves them for their formal Devotion and hypocritical Fasting because they were extreamly defective in that which was the principal Part of their expected Obedience and the choicest Fruit of all such Religious Performances namely Reformation Justice and Charity For sayes the Lord to the Prophet Isaiah * Isa 58.1 2 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my People their Transgression and the House of Jacob their sins Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my wayes as a Nation that did Righteousness and forsook not the Ordinance of their God they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice they take Delight in approaching to God Who would not judge these to be a very Holy People that should but take notice of this their Diligence in Duties Desires of direction and Delight in drawing nigh unto God But alas how soon may we hear them murmuring against God for not having respect to their services nor regard to their Solemnities as if they had received wrong from God by his not granting what they conceived their Right to them so highly were these proud hypocrites conceited of their poore Performances †v. 3-7 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge But the Lord replies to their demand and reproves them for their Deceit and Hypocrisie and so instructs them in their Duty Behold sayes the Lord in the Day of your Fast you finde Pleasure and exact all your Labours Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the Fist of Wickednesse ye shall not fast as ye do this day to make your Voice to be heard on high Is it such a Fast that I have chosen a Day for a man to afflict his soul Is it to bow down his head as a Bul-rush and to spread sackcloth and Ashes under him Wilt thou call this a Fast and an acceptable Day to the LORD Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of Wickednesse to undoe the heavy Burden and to let the oppressed go free and that ye break every Yoke Is it not to deale thy Bread to the Hungry and that thou bring the Poore that are cast out to thy House When thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Thus without charity the Master-wheele of good Works the most specious Acts of Religion are unacceptable to God Formality in religion is a kind of spiritual Falshood and Dissimulation 'T is but a Mocking of God a presenting him Leaves for Fruits or Lies for Devotion To offer up unto God formal Performances is to become guilty of real Provocations When the heart is wanting in Duties of Divine Worship men do but offer dead sacrifices to the living God and so provoke the pure Eyes of his Glory When the Glory of the Lord leaves the inward Sanctuary it s a signe of his departure from Jerusalem and a sad Presage of its utter Destruction * See Ezek chap. 1. 11. When the Spirit of God is in a great measure gone from the Hearts of men in the duties of his Worship it s a sad Symptome of perillous Times with the Church of God Before the persecution of the Christians in Africa by the brutish Vandals the Church of God in those Countreys was much degenerated from its ancient Purity and declin'd as to the Power of Godlinesse as Salvian Bishop of Massilia complaines †Vict. Epist Utic So a little before the Massachre at Paris it was observ'd there was such a general stupidity seiz'd upon the Protestants that few of them seriously minded the things of God or were zealously affected with the matters of Religion but were wholely taken up with their worldly Businesses and secular Concernments If Religion amongst men be once degenerated into Farm as a fruitful into a barren Vine what can be expected but that the Righteouâ—nesse of God should be arm'd with Power for the punishment of such an unprofitable People We know The * Mat. 21.19 barren Fig-tree being curst by Christ presently withered away When a Nation flourishes in the Leaves of Formality without the Fruits of solid Piety who knows how soon it may be cast into a withering condition Surely Formal Services will at length procure real Sufferings The third Symptome Impiety vail'd with Hypocrisie THe Times are perillous When under glorious pretences of Religion and Gods glory men studiously prosecute secular designes When men seek themselves under plausible Pretences of doing Service to God When men that pretend Piety and a Publick Spirit are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †2 Tim. 3.2 * v. 4. Such as do in deed preferre their private Interests before the Publick Good with whom Silver is of more value then Sanctity and who pursue their own Honour and Advancement wherein they would seem to promote Gods Glory Hi sunt qui boni videri non esse Mali non videri sed esse volunt †Bernh Serm. 66. in Cant. Thâ—se are they who as Bernard speaks would be thought good but care not to be so who care indeed bad but would not be thought so They are such as in their Designes row towards Hell while in their Pretences their Faces are towards Heaven They speak of beautifying Sion when at the same time they are Building Babel But now the Times must needs be perillous when men thus pretend Godlinesse and Gods glory for the more easie accomplishment of their own works of Wickednesse to his Dishonour When men Prostitute Religion to their own base Lusts and so vitiate her Virgin-Honour When they cast a vaile of Hypocrisie over the vilest Acts of Impiety Hypocrisie is sin gilded with pretences of Sanctity This outward Gilding makes them not so glorious in the Eyes of men as their inward Guilt m kes them odious in the sight of God Thus the Cloud which arm'd with the Bowe challenges all the world to a Combate for the Beauty of Colours is not more bright to the Earth then its black to Heaven Simulata Aequitas non est Aequitas sed duplex Iniquitas quia Iniquitas est simulatio * August in Psal 23. Equity pretended or
What dreadful Dayes may we yet live to see if the Lord should deal with us according to our Deservings How soon may the Clouds of heaven which were wont to drop down Blessings on our heads be dissolv'd into showers of Blood Ah my Beloved have you not read in the holy Scriptures what dreadful Judgements the Lord hath executed upon Cities Nations Kingdomes his own People yea the whole World Know you not that God turn'd the whole Earth into a Sea and destroy'd all Flesh save the Family of Noah with a Flood How he pour'd a Flood of Fire and Brimstone upon the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and consum'd them with Flames and turn'd that pleasant plain that was as the Garden of God * Gen. 13.10 into a noisome Lake How that God was wroth with his own people the children of Israel whom he had chosen to himself out of all the kindreds of the earth and slew them in the VVildernesse so that onely Joshua and Caleb of all those that came out of Egypt entred into Canaan And how often after they were possest of the Land of Canaan he sold them into the hands of their enemies that opprest them in the Time of the Judges How in the dayes of Eli he deliver'd them into the hands of the Philistines who slew them with a great slaughter insomuch that in one battel there fell of Israel thirty thousand Foot-men †2 Sam. 4.10 How the Lord sent a Pestilence amongst them in the dayes of David which raged so exceedingly that in three dayes space there dy'd of the people seventy thousand men * 2 Sam. 24 15 How the Lord brought the King of Babylon into Jerusalem who burnt the Temple of the Lord the Palace of the Prince and the Houses of the Nobles with Fire brake down the Wall thereof and utterly destroy'd the City carry'd both Princes and People Captives into Babylon where they endur'd a hard Bondage for threescore and ten years †2 Hing 25. and 2 Chro. 36.14 ult Now know you not that all these things happened unto them for ensamples unto us and that they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come * 1 Cor. 10 6 11. Oh do but consider seriously with your selves what were the Causes of all these fearful Judgements which God who is the Father of Mercies brought upon the men of the world yea upon his own People Were they not the sinnes of the Times whereby men pluckt down upon their own heads these Plagues and Punishments Now pause a little and consider seriously Are not the same sinnes that drew down Judgements upon them to be found amongst us Is not the Pride Luxury Lasciviousness Licenciousness Atheism Impieties of the old World to be found amongst us Are there not †Gen. 6.4 Mighty men Giants in worldly Greatness who employ their might in fighting against God in these our Dayes Are not the sins of Sodom to be found amongst us Is not the City and Land polluted with the vilest Impurities and Pollutions Are not the Murmurings Cruelties Injustice Oppressions Falshoods Covenant-breakings Revoltings neglect of Gods Worship Contempt of his Ordinances Hypocrisies of Israel to be found amongst the people of England Have we not then cause to tremble in the Apprehension of the judgements which hang over our heads especially if we seriously consider that those sinnes which severally in them drew down such dreadful judgements are to be found jointly in us and that notwithstanding the Light of the Gospel and the Meanes of grace plentifully enjoyed by us which are most fearful Aggravations of this dreadful guilt Nay is not the guilt of many horrid Blasphemies and hellish Impieties which have not been heard of in former Ages to be found amongst us Does it not make your hearts to tremble to consider that so many crying sins so many provoking impieties so many bloody Abominations should abound and reigne amongst us when for any one of them so reigning so abounding the whole Land might be involv'd in miseries and Confusion and Blood Are not these then perillous Times Surely it is of the LORDS mercies we are not consumed and because his compassions faile not * Lam. 3.22 But who knows how soon the Lord in his Justice may proceed to the execution of his Judgements upon us and so turne our Chephzibah a Land of Beauty the Lords Delight into an Acheldama a Field of Blood What then is to be done by us Christians for the Prevention of the Lords Judgements on a sinful Land O come and bring every one your two Buckets and pour them out before the Lord for the quenching of the Fire of the Lords wrath which is kindled against a sinful Nation Fasting and Weeping and Mourning hath been a way which hath proved very effectual for the turning away the sorest Judgements the diverting of the nearest Destruction Thus was the destruction of Jerusalem delay'd in the time of Josiah †2 King 22.19 20. the destruction of Nineveh in the Days of the Prophet Jonah * Jon. ch 3 This is that to which God calls at such a time as this in a Day of Danger and Distresse When the Lord had threatned terrible Judgements against Zion this was the duty to which by his Prophet he call'd the Inhabitants of Jerusalem †Joel 2 12-19 Therefore also now saith the LORD Turn ye even to me with all your Heart and with FASTING and with WEEPING and with MOURNING And rent your Hearts and not your Garments and turne unto the LORD your God for he is Gracious and Merciful sloâ— to Anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the Evil. Who knoweth if he will returne and repent and leave a blessing behind him even a meat-Offering and a drink-Offering to the LORD your God Blow the Trumpet in Zion sanctifie a FAST call a solemne Assembly Gather the People sanctifie the Congregation Assemble the Elders Gather the children and those that suck the Breasts Let the Bride-groom go forth of his Chamber and the Bâ—ide out of her closet Let the Priests the Ministers of the LORD weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy People O LORD and give not thine Heritage to reproach that the Heathen should rule over them Wherefore should they say among the People Where is their God Now mark what follows Then will the LORD be jealous for his Land and pity his People Yea the LORD will answer and say unto his People Behold I will send you Corn and Wine and Oyle and ye shall be satisfi'd therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the Heathen Now how great an encouragement should this be to us in perillous Times to seek the Lord solemnly seriously with Fasting and Prayer Do you ever remember that the Judgements of the Lord came upon his people while they were Fasting and Weeping and Mourning No when sinnners are Feasting
and Sporting and making Merry then does the Lord bring his judgements upon them even sudden destruction For sayes the holy Ghost When they shall say Peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a woman with childe and they shall not escape * 1 Thes 5.3 Do you know or have you consider'd what was the carriage of the men of the old world when the Lord brought the Flood upon them and of the children of Israel a little before they were carryed captive into Babylon Why the Scripture tells you that in the Dayes of Noah that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in Marriage until the day that Noah enter'd into the Ark and knew not untill the Flood came and took them all away †Mat. 24.38 39. They knew not that is they considered it not regarded it not For they had been warned of the coming of the Flood by the Preaching of Noah for the space of one hundred and twenty years and by his preparing an Ark for the preservation of himself and his own Family So the careless posture of the people of Israel in a free indulgence of their sensual Delights did but a little precede that cruel Captivity and bitter bondage which they so long sustained in Babylon * See Am. chap. 6. Now are not the people of the Land in these our Dayes generally senslesse of the crying sins and fearlesse of the following Judgements which may justly fall upon us Is it not time then for them that feare the Lord to lay these things to heart and to weep and mourne before the Lord for these Abominations Does it not both well become and neatly concerne the people of God in the Land to call one another to Fasting and Mourning and bitter Lamentation lest the Lord should kindle a fire in his wrath so that none can quench it O Christians can you sit still and be secure in such Times as these What do you not care how soone the Gospel the glory departs from England Do you not care what becomes of Religion what befalls the Church how soon you loose your Opportunities of enjoying the blessed Ordinances of the Gospel Oh are not these Opportunities precious are not the Ordinances of God precious are not the Ministers of the Gospel and the People of God precious in your Esteeme How then will your hearts bear it to see these Ministers of the Gospel murther'd these people of God led as sheep to the slaughtâ—r Alas you know not how near the Dayes may be wherein you may say Time was when we enjoy'd the Ordinances of God and had many opportunities of seeking the Face of God in the Assemblies of his Saints but alas now we aâ—e deprived of these enjoyments And oh will you not yet lay these things to heart so as to mourn before the Lord for those Evils whereby we have provoked the Lord to plague the whole Land with his Judgements and utterly to deprive us of these precious Priviledges Do you see no cause of Feare no signes of Danger Are not Sabbaths profan'd Ordinances contemn'd the Word despis'd the Sacraments slighted Ministers reviled Scriptures rejected the Spirit resisted Christ crucifi'd afresh and the Name of God blasphem'd amongst us Now are not these fearful Provocations of the most high God May not the despised Manna be restrained and God give us Quailes meat for our Lusts in wrath May not God justly punish mens wearinesse of his Worship with a Famine of his Word when men prize the World above the Word of God may not the Lord justly take away his Word and Gospel from such an unworthy people May not he suffer the seales of his Covenant the Pledges of his love to be taken away from us or polluted to us May not our Teachers be removed into a corner May not the Holy Scriptures the Well-springs of our Comforts and Joy be sealed up from us May not God take away his Holy Spirit from us that he may no more †Gen. 6.3 strive with a people devoted to destruction May not God charge upon the Land the guilt of his Sonnes Blood and revenge upon a rebellious people the wrong done to his owne Name Is it not then high time for us to * Am. 4.12 meet the Lord by Repentance and to humble our selves before him for the sins of the Land lest his indignation break forth upon us as a Breach of the Sea and there be no means left to escape Come then Christians and let us weep and mourne before the Lord. It may be he may regard our Tears and hear the voice of our weeping †Psal 6.8 and put on Bowels of Compassions towards us and spare our Land Who knows but the whole Land may fare the better for the sakes of a few Mourners in Zion Oh let 's every one labour to become one of that number So when the Lord shall arise and have mercy upon Zion we shall be called to partake of her Joy Rejoyce for joy with her saith the Lord * Isa 66.10 all ye that have mourned for her However Christians go into your Closets and weep before the Lord in secret for the sinnes whereby God is openly dishonour'd This was the holy resolution of the Prophet Jeremy upon the pride and stubbornnesse of the people of Judah the sad Symptomes of approaching Judgements Heare ye sayes he †and give eare * Jer. 13.15 16 17. be not proud for the LORD hath spoken Give glory to the LORD your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the dark Mountaines and while ye look for light he turne it into the shadow of Death and make it grosse Darknesse But if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride and mine eye shall weep sore and run down with teares because the LORDS Flock is carried away captive Now if you be of the number of those that mourn and sigh for the Abominations of the Times if the Lord shall bring his Judgements in your dayes upon the Land he will prepare his secret Chambers of providence for your preservation Thus the Lord sent his Angel to set a Mark upon the fore-heads of the men that mourn'd for the sinnes of Jerusalem that they might be spared when all the rest of the City by an impartial stroke were to suffer an inevitable destruction * See Ezek. 9 4-7 Thus Lot living in Sodom †2 Pet. 2.7 8. a lustful City vexed his righteous soul from day to day with a holy sorrow for the sins of the filthy Sodomites and so the Lord preserved him in the dreadful overthrow of that sinful City O then Christians mourne and weep for the sinnes of the Times the Abominations of the Age wherein you live and it may be you may by this means save the City save a Kingdome from destruction however you shall be sure to save your own
precedes the Day but it s usually darkest immediately before the Dawne Now for our interpretation of the last dayes in this latitude we have the general concurrence of the best Expositors who all conclude the same thing with one consent For to instance in some thus they speak upon this Text. Sub extremis Diebus comprehendit universum Christianae Ecclesiae statum †Calvin in loc Under the last days sayes the judicious Calvin the Apostle comprehends the whole state of the Christian Church Now the last Days Novissimi autem vel ultimi Dies numerandi sunt ab Adventu Christi ad Finem Mundi Nam Tempus illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur respectu Initii Medii Initium ab Adamo ad Mosen numeratur Medium Temporis à Mose ad Christum Ultimum igitur esta Christo ad ejus Reditum * Aret in locum sayes Aretius are to be reckoned from the coming of Christ to the End of the World For that Time is called the last Time in respect of the Beginning and the Middle-time The Beginning is reckon'd from Adam to Moses The Middle-time from Moses to Christ And so the last Time is from Christ to his second Coming or his return to judgement Dicuntur autem Novissima Tempora Hebraico More non quae circa Mundi finem proximè erunt sed Posteriora quaeque suis Temporibus Novissima nominantur Quanquam tanto pejora futura sunt Tempora quanto fini hujus Mundi extremo Judicio fuerint proximiora †Pelicanus in locum But now sayes Pelican they are called the last Times after the manner of the Hebrews not only which are nearest to the End of the World but all the times succeeding their owne Age are stil'd the last times Although the times shall be so much the worse by how much the nearer they are to the last Judgement and the End of this World * Mat. 24.24 Luk. 21.12 And that the last Dayes must in this Text be necessarily understood in this Latitude may yet more clearly appear if we consider that they were already begun when the Apostle wrote this Prophecy and that they are still continu'd to this Age wherein we live That they were then already begun is manifest in that the Apostle describing the Persons by several Properties who by their ungodly Practises should make the Times so perillous concludes his Description with this Cautionary Premonition to Timothy †Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From such turne away Or turn such away Authoritatively admonish reprove reject them hold no familiar Converse or Correspondency with them And that these times are to be intended to the following Ages and are continu'd to this present Age wherein we live is it not sufficiently manifest in that these very Times are an evident Commentary upon this Text and shew the Accomplishment of this Prophecy Thus we have seen when these Times shall be and how long these last dayes shall last even from the Apostles Time to the End of the World The Premonition NOw come we in the last Place to consider of what concernment this Prediction of perillous Times was to Timothy And the Apostles words upon his first entrance upon this Discourse do plainly declare that it concern'd him to know this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This know also It much concerns Christians especially Ministers of the Gospel to know what perillous Times shall come upon the Church of God and when they shall come All Christians are concern'd herein It 's profitable for them to know before hand what perillous times shall come that so they may not be unawares surprized by them but duly prepared for them For Praemoniti Premuniti Fore-warn'd Fore-arm'd And therefore it hath pleased the Lord for the manifestation of that special Care which he hath of his Church to reveal to his Servants by the Spirit of Prophecy in all Ages what evils his Saints should be exercised withal and what perillous Times they should passe thorough to their Rest and Glory It is he that brings Judgements upon his people for their sinnes and yet reveales his Purpose to his Prophets that they might call his People to Repentance for the Prevention of his Judgements As it is said * Am. 3.6 7. Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the People not be afraid Shall there be Evil in a City and the LORD hath not done it Surely the LORD God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets So we read when God had a purpose to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah those lustful and licentious Cities with †Gen. 19.24 Fire and Brimstome from heaven * Gen. 18.17 the LORD said shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do No he presently reveal'd it to him and sent his holy Angels also to his servant †Gen. 19.12 -16. 2 Pet. 2 6-9 Lot to forewarne him of the near-approaching danger and to deliver him by leading him out of that wicked City destin'd to a dreadful Destruction from it's inevitable overthrow So God foretold the Israelites their * Jer. 25.9 and 34.21 Ezek. 12.11 c. Captivity in Babylon and Christ hath foretold Christians †Mat. 10.22 23. Joh. 15.20 Mark 10.30 2 Tim. 3.12 their Persecution in the World Praevisa minus laedunt Evils fore-seen do less afflict Though Afflictions are the appointed Portion of the Saints on Earth yet by the Fore-knowledge of these afflictions they may be the better prepar'd to bear them with Patience And therfore God hath never left his Church without a Prophetick Representation of her future condition So to the History of his Church in the Old Testament he hath adjoyned sundry Prophecies and to the Doctrine of Christ in the New Testament he hath annext a Revelation And if God have been pleased thus to reveale in his Word the evils that shall come upon his Church and Saints and the perillous Times through which they shall pass in the World they are doubtlesse much concern'd to take notice thereof How else shall they prepare themselves for the Lords Visitations or make a right Improvement of his holy Providences How else shall they provide * Mat. 25.4 Oyle in their Vessels that they may have their †Luke 12 35. Lamps burning when a Night of darknesse shall overcome them How else shall they make such due Provision for perillous Times that they may hold up their Heads in a Day of distresse Doubtlesse as the Saints may loose a Harvest of Mercy for want of improving a Day of Grace so may they fall into a Furnace of Affliction for want of fore-seeing a Day of Wrath. And therefore Christ justly taxes the Pharisees that they could * Mar. 16.3 discerne the Face of the Skie but not the Signes of the Times Yea the Lord brings in the Fowles of the Heaven to give in evidence against his own
in Religionis Professores tanquam in Adversarios serre To hate the Professors of Religion as if they had been their profest Enemies When men are become not onely Strangers but Enemies to Religion its Time for God to depart from such a People and instead of the Gospel the Ensigne of Peace to send some grievous Plague as a Besome of destruction to sweep the Land of its Inhabitants The second Sin Murmuring against God THose are evil and Perillous Times wherein People murmure against God his Providences Judgements Ministers Mercies This was the sinne of Israel for which God slew them in the Wilderness * See Exo. 1-12 with Psal 78.17 -31 and 1 Cor. 10.10 For sayes the Scripture †Psal 106 25 26 27. They murmured in their Tents and hearkened not unto the Voice of the LORD Therefore he lifted up his hand against them to overthrow them in the Wildernesse To overthrow their seed also among the Nations and to scatter them in the Land Yea saies the Psalmist * Psal 78 17-21 they spake against God They said can God furnish a Table in the Wildernesse Behold he smote the Rock that the Waters gushed out and the streames overflow'd can he give bread also Can he provide flesh for his People Therefore the LORD heard this and was wroth so a Fire was kindled against Jacob and Anger also came up against Israel Because they believed not in God and trusted not in his salvation To murmure against present Providences notwithstanding former Experiences is a very provoking sinne Murmuring against the God of our Mercies because he does not answer our desires in the satisfaction of our lusts is grand Ingratitude and speaks a high Degree of Wickednesse Justly may the Lord throw down his heaviest Judgements upon the heads of such a provoking People Yea though men do not directly speak against God yet when they speak against his Messengers murmure against Ministers against their Maintenance they do in effect murmure against God himselfe He that repines at the Reception of Embassadors and the charge of their entertainment is guilty of a Crime of State which will cast such a reflection upon the King that sent them as will receive but an ill Resentment And therefore in this Case we may say with Moses of the Israelites * Exod. 16.7 8. What are we that ye murmure against us Surely the LORD heareth your Murmurings which you murmure against him For what are we your murmurings are not against us but against the LORD And do you thus requite the LORD for his great Mercy in giving you the Gospel O foolish people and unwise †Deut. 32 6. May not he justly punish you for so great a Provocation by depriving you of so rich a Mercy by taking away his Gospel So when men murmure at their great Plenty the sin of thousands in the Land do they not provoke the Lord to plague the Land with Famine when men murmure against God in Times of Peace and liberty how just is it with God to scourge them with bloody Wars and chastise them with a cruel Bondage When men are impatient under their losses and afflictions and murmure at those sufferings wherewith they are corrected for their sins but yet neither take notice of the sins which have caused those sufferings nor the Hand of God which chastises them with such Afflictions as the Dogge which flies at the stone but regards not the Hand that threw it how do they provoke God to load them with heavier Fetters and chastise them with smarter Rods more cutting calamities when murmuring grows up from a bitter root of Atheisme and brings forth the cursed Fruit of Rebellion it 's time for God to take the Axe of his Judgements and cut down such a provoking People Surely murmuring against God is the fore-runner of many miseries amongst men and so a sad presage of Perillous Times The third Sin Injustice Cruelty Oppression RIghteousnesse exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any People †Prov. 14.34 And especially Injustice Cruelty Oppression sins which make the Times evill and Perillous This complicated Iniquity is in the Law of God Interpretative murder And therefore the LORD stops his Ears to the Prayers of his People and casts all their Sacrifices as dung in their Faces saying * Isa 1.11 15. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices and solemnities They are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them And when you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when you make many Prayers I will not hear Why so Your hands are full of Blood But how did they contract this guilt Surely by their Injustice Cruelty Oppression as appears by those Precepts which the Lord gives them in opposition to their present Practise †Isa 1.17 Learne to do well seek Judgement relieve the Oppressed judge the Fatherlesse plead for the Widow Now hence it appears that Persons guilty of these sins are in Gods Account Murderers men that are guilty of Innocent Blood which cries aloud to heaven for vengeance to be executed upon such bloody wretches covetous cruel and oppressing Tyrants And this is yet more clear from the following Complaint and Commination For thus the Prophet proceeds * Isa 1.21 -24. How is the faithful City become a Harlot It was full of judgement Righteousnesse lodged in it but now murderers Thy Silver is become Drosse thy Wine mixt with Water Thy Princes are Rebellious and Companions of Thieves Every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards they judge not the Fatherlesse neither doth the Cause of the widow come unto them Therefore saith the Lord the LORD of Hosts the Mighty one of Israel Ah I will ease me of mine Adversaries and avenge me of mine Enemies For this Sinne the Lord threatned to lay wast his Vineyard †Isa 5.5 6 even to lay the Land of Israel and Judah open to Destruction For the Vine-yard of the LORD of Hosts is the House of Israel and the men of Judah his pleasant Plant and he looked for Judgement and behold Oppression for Righteousness but behold a cry * Isa 5.7 This made their solemne Fasts abominable to God Behold sayes the Lord †Isa 58.4 ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse ye shall not fast as ye do this Day to make your voice to be heard on high These are the sins which obstruct the Lords saving Mercies and draw down his sorest Judgements upon a sinful Nation A large and lively Representation hereof which calls for our sad and serious thoughts in a timely Reflection upon our sins and sufferings in these distracted Times that we may wisely bethink our selves before it be too late of the most effectual means for the Prevention of the Lords sorer Judgements upon our Land we have set before us in the Prophecy of Isaiah * Chap. 51. v. 1-19 in these
their Immodesties by setting as many Spots in their Faces as they have received Blots to their Honour till their Faces are almost cover'd with these Badges of their Infamy O degenerate Gentry O ignoble Nobility How foolish are you become in these fantastical Fashions How weak how wicked are you to pride your selves in such ridiculous Vanities and to account these signes of your baseness â—o be Badges of your Honour Are you so stupid and senslesse as not to observe that â—od hath been tumbling down the greatnesse of the world staining the Pride of â—an and rolling his glory in the Dust And will you by your Pride and Vanity pluck down greater Judgements on the Land and plunge your selves into everlasting miseries Surely these Badges of your Pride are but the Presages of your Punishment Tertullian calls painted women * Ancillas Diaboli the Devâ—ls Chamber-maids or Waiting-women But then surely those who prostitute their painted Beauties to these wanton Blacks are the chiefest Ladies in the Kingdome of Lucifer And his Pride you know cost him a flaming fall 't was the fore-runner of his Destruction What then shall become of those of his Houshold Surely these painted plaister'd spotted Vanities will end their dayes in Vexation How justly may God punish their shamel sse Pride as he hath doâ—e many with shameful Poverty on earth and their wanton Pleasures with woful Paines in Hell Surely these Luxuriancies in lustful Vanities provoke God to plague the Land with dreadful Judgements and so speak these dayes wherein they abound to be perillous Times Thus we have seen what sins do in a special Manner provoke the Lord to wrath and sollicit vengeance against such a sinning People Surely where these seven Abominations are found especially where they are predominant they presage sore Plagues fore-run heavy Judgements on such a place or People For shall not the Lord visit for these things and shall not his soul be aveng'd on such a People as this that provoke him to Anger with so many fearfull Abominations Surely God may justly poure out all the †Rev. 16.1 seven Vials of his flaming wrath upon such a sinful Nation These â—ins therefore must needs be sad Symptomes of Perillous Times Come we now to consider in what Cases these sinnes are thus Symptomaticall The second Enquiry In what Cases the foremention'd Sins are Symptomes of Perillous Times ADAM in Innocency liv'd in * Gen. 2.8 EDEN a Place prepar'd by God himselfe to be the Mother of Plenty the Nurse of Pleasure and Queen Regent of Divine Delight Happy man had he not by the Losse of his Innocence the Palladium of Paradise lost his Happinesse Yea the World was an Universal Paradise whereof Eden was the Eye the Beauty of its Beautieâ— till sin committed a Rape upon its Virgin Purity and cast a defilement upon its Primitive Glory Then did its flowring Beauties fade in its Face and stinging Mâ—series sprang up apace in its Bosome Thus did the world once a Garden of Delights become a Wildernesse of â—hornes before a Palace Royal of pure unmixed Pleasures now a bloody Stage of sufferings and sorrows Thus is sinne the procuring cause of all Miseries and so the too certain Prognostick of Perillâ—us Times Was it not for s nne how should England be as Eden the Garden of God crown'd with the smiles of Heaven and cloath'd with the Virgin-Mantle of Peace and endow'd with the choicest Blessings on Earth and so admir'd by all its Sister Islands its Neighbour Nations for Beauty Riches and Renown But sin it is which spreads a black cloud upon it's Glories which threatens the Thunder of some dreadful Judgements The sinnes of England are many and what can we expect but that the sufferings of England should be great The sins of men are wont to draw downe the Judgements of God and so they are the Symptomes of Perillous Times to the People of God especially in such Cases as these that follow The first Case The Commonness of Sinne. WHen grosse Sinnes are commonly committed the Times must needs be Perillous When Lying Swearing Sabbath-breaking Stealing Cheating Deceiving Cruelty Oppression Drunkennesse Adultery and all manner of Uncleannesse does abound the Dayes are evil and full of Danger These sins are as so many Cords to pluck down Judgements upon the Heads of such a People Thus did sinne abound in the Old World before God destroy'd all Flesh with the Flood For it s said †Gen. 6.11 12 13. The Earth was corrupt before Goâ— and the Earth was filled with Violence And God looked upon the earth and behold it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the Earth And God said unto Noah The end of all flesh is come before me for the Earth is filled with Violence through them and behold I will destroy them with the Earth The Scriptures do abound with comminations of Judgement against that People that Land wherein such Abominations do abound Take notice of some of them and Oh that you would sadly lay them to heart * Jer. 7.8 16. Behold sayes the Lord to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem ye trust in lying words that cannot profit Will ye steale murder and commit Adultery and swear falsely and burn incense unto Baal and walk after other Gods whom ye know not i. e. maintaine diversities of Religion amongst you and come and stand before me in this House which is called by my Name and say we are deliver'd to do all these abominations q. d. This is the Liberty for which we adventur'd our Lives in the High-Places of the Field Is this House which is called by my Name become a Den of Robbers in your Eyes q. d. Is this the fruit of your Victories and the glorious Deliverances whereof you speak to cast contempt upon my House Worship and Ordinances Behold even I have seen it saith the LORD But go ye now unto my Place which was in Shiloh where I set my Name at the first and see what I did to it for the Wickednesse of my People Israel And now because ye have done all these works saith the LORD and I spake unto you rising up early and speaking but ye heard not and I called you but ye answered not Therefore will I do unto this House which is called by my Name wherein ye trust and unto the place which I gave to you and to your Fathers as I have done to Shiloh And I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out all your Brethren even the whole seed of Ephraim Therefore sayes the LORD to the Prophet Pray not thou for this People neither lift up Cry nor Prayer for them neither make Intercession to me for I will not hear thee Thus multiply'd sinnes do at length bring down upon a sinful stubborn and rebellious People manifold miseries and remedilesse extremities Thus does the Lord proclaime Warre against his People Israel by the Prophet Hosea for their
bands they snap them in two like * Judg. 16.9 threads of Flax when they touch the Fire As the Demoniack which was bound with Chaines and Fetters but he brake all the bands wherewith he was bound †Luk. 8.22 You may call such LEGION for many Devils are surely entred into them to try their strength in them The Laws of men are chaines of Iron the commands of God are chaines of Gold Oaths and Covenants added thereunto are chaines of Adamant If Satan once be so strong in men as that they break all these chaines we may well expect perillous Times For what desperate wickednesse will not such men attempt What horrid and unheard of Villanies will not such men commit as bid defiance to God in the breach of the most sacred bands of Duty and solemne Obligations to obeObedience Woe be to the Inhabitants of the Earth when such Furies of Hell shall be let loose upon them This sin of Perjury and Perfidiousnesse of false-hood and lying unto God in the violation of Vowes and Covenants is a sinne which exceedingly incenses Heaven and provokes the Lord of Hosts the King of glory whose sacred name is hereby profan'd to execute his fiercest judgements upon such a People and therefore is a sad Symptome of perillous Times and fearfull Presage of following Judgements Thus when Saul out of his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah as the Scripture tells us sought to destroy the Gibeonites as being strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel God punisht the Violation of that League which Joshuah had * About four hundred years long before made with them †Josh 9.3 16 17. by bringing a Famine upon the Land for three years uncessantly in the dayes of David * 2 Sam. 21 1 2 Though the Gibeonites deceit was the foundation of this Covenant and Sauls Zeal the principle of the prosecution of them contrary to it yet is the violation hereof severely punisht by the plague of Famine Though it be the Fire of Zeal that burns in two these sacred bands yet will the Fire of Gods wrath be kindled against them that shall voluntarily violate them So the LORD threatned Captivity and very sore Judgements against the Princes and People of Israel for their violation of their Covenant of granting a Manumission to their Hebrew servants and the Punishment answer'd the Prognostick Observe the Lords Charge and Commination the sting of that Prophecy wherewith Jeremiah was sent unto them †Jer. 34 13-22 Thus saith the LORD the God of Israel I made a COVENANT with your Fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondmen saying At the end of seven yeares let ye go every man his Brother an Hebrew which hath been sold unto thee and when he hath served thee six years thou shalt let him go free from thee But your fathers hearkened not unto me neither inclined their eare And ye were now turned and had done Right in my sight in proclaiming every man Liberty to his Neighbour and ye had made a COVENANT before me in the House which is called by my Name But ye turned and polluted MY NAME and caused every man his servant and every man his Hand-maid whom he had set at Liberty at their pleasure to returne and brought them into subjection to be unto you for Servants and for Handmaids Therefore thus saith the LORD Ye have not hearkened unto me in proclaiming Liberty every one to his Brother every man to his Neighbour behold I proclaime a Liberty for you saith the LORD to the Sword to the Pestilence and to the Famine and I will make you to be removed into all the Kingdoms of the Earth And I will give the men that have transgressed my COVENANT which have not performed the words of the COVENANT which they had made before me when they cut the Calfe in twaine a Rite signifying so let it be done to him that shall violate his Covenant and passed between the Parts thereof the Princes of Judah and the Princes of Jerusalem the Eunuchs and the Priests and all the People of the Land which passed between the Parts of the Calfe I will even give them into the hand of their Enemies and into the hand of them that seek their Life and their dead Bodies shall be for meat unto the Fowles of the Heaven and to the Beasts of the Earth And Zedekiah King of Judah and his Princes will I give into the hand of their Enemies and into the Hand of them that seek their Life and into the Hand of the King of Babylons Army which are gone up from you Behold I will command saith the LORD and cause them to return to this City and they shall fight against it and take it and burne it with Fire and I will make the Cities of Judah a Desolation without an inhabitant Thus for this sinne of Covenant-breaking may God break in pieces a perfidious People with the Iron Rod of War and lay a flourishing land desolate For this sinne does the Lord by the Prophet Amos draw up a Charge likewise against Tyrus * Am. 1.9 10 Thus saith the LORD For three transgressions of Tyrus and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they delivered up the whole Captivity to Edom and remembred not the BROTHERLY COVENANT which was formerly made between David and Solomon Kings of Judah and Hiram King of Tyre who being Brethren by identity of Office as Kings and mutual Amity as Friends did hereby knit the Bands of Brotherhood with a faster knot †2 Sam. 5.11 1 King 5.1 and 9.13 But I will send a Fire on the Wall of Tyrus which shall devoure the Palaces thereof God himself takes an Oath and solemnly swears by his Life that he will punish the King of Judah with Death and his People with Destruction for his violation of his Oath and Covenant with the King of Babylon See how severely the Lord proceeds against him for this Sin Say now to the Rebellious House sayes the LORD to the Prophet Ezekiel * Chap. 17 12-21 Know ye not what these things mean Tell them Behold the King of Babylon is come to Jerusalem and hath taken the King thereof and the Princes thereof and led them with him to Babylon And hath taken of the Kings seed and made a COVENANT with him and hath taken an OATH of him he hath also taken the Mighty of the Land that the Kingdome might be base that it might not lift it self up but that by keeping of his COVENANT it might stand But he rebelled against him in sending his Ambassadours into Egypt that they might give him Horses and much People Shall he prosper shall he escape that doth such things Or shall he BREAK THE COVENANT and be delivered As I live saith the Lord GOD surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him King whose OATH he
the Devils who was and is GOD blessed for evermore Now sayes our Saviour * Mat. 10.24 25. The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the servant as his Lord if they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold It 's our Honour who are the Ministers of the Gospel that the Lord hath made us not onely his Servants but the †1 Cor. 4.1 Stewards of his House Seeing then the Master of the House hath undergone such reproaches from the vilest of men let not us think it strange if we be reviled and railed upon by men of the like spirit with the most Opprobrious Names of Dog and Devil Now what 's the designe of these Seducers herein but the bringing the Ministry of the Gospel into contempt that having by this meanes fasten'd many Prejudices in the mindes of the People against the Preachers of the Gospel they might the more easily draw them off from their Attendance upon the sound Doctrine by them deliver'd to the embracement of their owne Erroneous Opinions For as Saint Augustine well observes Heretici cum ipsam Divinae Scripturae Veritatem quae ubique disfusa Christi Ecclesia commendatur criminari obscurare non possunt homines per quos praedicatur adducunt in odium de quibus fingere quicquid in mentem venerit possunt * Aug. Ep. 137. ad Hipponen Hereticks when they can neither stain nor cloud the Sunne of SCRIPTURE-TRUTH which spreads its Beames throughout the Church of Christ and is accounted its glory endeavour by disgraces to darken the Stars by Reproaches to cast an Odium upon them by whom this Truth is preached For of them they can freely speak whatsoever their minde or malice can invent And this their Malice against the Ministers of the Gospel they manifest by persecuting them as Cain by Cursing them with Balaam by opposing and contradicting them by exalting themselves into their sacred Office as Corah And therefore sayes the Apostle Jude †Jude v. 11 Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward and perished in the Gain-saying of Core They are * ver 13. raging Waves of the Sea foming out their own shame For what are these vile reproaches which issue from their mouths but the fome of that cruel Rage which boyleth in their hearts They utter many hard speeches against the children of God and especially against the Ministers of the Gospel that oppose their damnable Doctrines and soul-destroying opinions They are Murmurers and Complainers of good Governours who restraine them and Flatterers and Admirers of wicked leaders who countenance and encourage them But their doome hath been declar'd long ago as appears by that most ancient Prophecy which the Apostle Jude mentions and applies to this very sort of Seducers For Enoch sayes he †Jude v. 14 15 16. the seventh from Adam prophecy'd of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoked against him These are Murmurers Complainers walking after their own lusts and their mouth speaketh great swelling words having mens Persons in Admiration because of advantage These snarling Sectaries are still quarrelling at the Doctrines of the Gospel deliver'd by the Ministers of Christ and crying up the wilde Notions of their own Braine in opposition thereunto For as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so sayes the Apostle Paul * 2 Tim. 3.8 do these also resist the TRUTH men of corrupt mindes reprobate or of no judgement †Marg. Gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the Faith Herein they are but the Devils Agents sent forth to oppose Christs Ambassadours For Diabolos Haereticos movet ut sub vocabulo Christiano Doctrinae resisterent Christianae * Aug. de civitate Dei l. 18. c. 51. Hereticks by the Instigation of the Devil do under the Name of Christians oppose the Name of Christ We read in the Book of Job †ch 1. v. 6. that when the Sonnes of God came to present themselves before the LORD Satan came also among them So when the children of God come to present themselves before the Lord in the Assemblies of his Saints to seek his Face in the Beauties of holinesse and to be instructed in his will revealed in his word these Agents of Satan will likewise sometimes come amongst them but 't is onely with this devilish Designe to make some opposition to the Ministers of the word and to subvert the Faith of the Hearers by some contradiction of the Doctrines of the Gospel by them deliver'd 'T was not then without cause that Saint Cyprian makes this complaint of them Ad nos saepe studio magis contradicendi quam vera discendi veniunt clamosis vocibus personantes malunt sua impudenter ingerere quam nostra patienter audiâ—e * Cyp. contra Demet. They often resort to us but 't is rather with a designe to contradict then a desire to learne the Truth which is taught them and then setting up their Note they make a fearful bauling and will needs impudently urâ—e their own Opinions rather then patiently hâ—are our Instructions This Spirit of Contradiction had they but once power in their Hands would soon be turn'd into the Sword of Persecution Yea this very †Heb. 12.3 Contradiction of sinners is one kinde and degree of the Persecution of the Saints And therefore sayes Augustine Eos teneamus Interfectores Prophetarum quos contradictores invenerimus Linguis Prophetarum * Aug. l. 2. contra lit Petil. c. 14. Let us hold them to be the Persecutors that kill the Prophets whom we finde to be the persons that contradict their Prophecies These railing Apostates these slandering Seducers are by the Apostle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †2 Tim. 3.3 DEVILS being indeed like to theâ—â— great Master in that they are FALSâ—-ACCUSERS of the Brethren the children of God Doubtlesse Railing and Reviling is not the Language of the Spirit of God by which they pretend to speak Alas they know not what â—pirit they are of But we know 't is not the property of Sheep to bark and bite but of * Phil. 3.2 Dogs and †Act. 20.29 Wolves And by the names of these hurtful and cruel creatures we finde Seducers to be set forth in the Holy Scriptures When ever therefore in discourses of the Things of Heaven we heare from any man this Language of Hell we may well say * As Mat. 26.73 Surely thou also art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee There are two other Characters by
sheep must needs be scattered †Zec. 13.7 Nahash the Ammonite would make a Covenant of Peace with the men of Jabesh-Gilead upon no other terms then these that he might thrust out all their right eyes and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel * 1 Sam. 11 1 2 If those persons that wicked Generation of men that will never be satisfi'd with any Propositions of Peace unless the Seers may be put out of their Places the Priests as they reproachfully call them may be cast out of their Possessions well may it be laid as a lasting REPROACH upon our English ISRAEL If such persons as these shall have liberty to plead against the Pastors of the Church the Shepherds of the Lords Flock shall we not judge these to be perillous Times What then shall we say to these things †2 Thes 3.1 2 Finally Brethren pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as yet it is with you and that we may be deliver'd from such absurd * Marg. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unreasonable and wicked men The fourth Case Contempt of Gods Ordinances Countenanc't WHen men under the Countenance and Protection of the higher Powers can securely cast contempt upon the Ordinances and worship of the most high God the dayes must needs be evil the Times perillous If when the Ministers of the Gospel are despised Iniquity does abound surely when the Ordinances of God the very means of grace are contemned sinne must needs superabound And superabounding sinne will certainly at length bring the overflowing scourge When the Beasts of the Field shall defile the Waters of the Sanctuary and the filthy swine shall trample down the green Pastures wherein the shepherds of Israel are wont to feed their Flocks When the Courts of the Lord shall be covered with the Filth of Reproach and the Gold of the Sanctuary shall be trampled under feet When men shall cast dirt into the Galleries of the great King and disgrace the Throne of his glory When men shall vilifie the Lords Tabernacles and spit in the face of the Beauties of Holinesse When men shall cast stones at the Windows of the Sanctuary by which the Sun of Righteousnesse sheds forth his beames of light upon the children of Zion When men shall cut in two those golden Pipes by which the Waters of Life are convey'd from the Wells of Salvation for the refreshment of the City of God When men presume to act these Impieties and are therein countenanc't by the higher Powers the Times are sad and perillous Contempt of Gods holy Ordinances is a very provoking sin 'T was a high charge against Judah †Eze. 22.8 Thou hast despised my Holy things and hast profaned my Sabbaths To cast reproach upon Divine institutions is to blaspheme the Name of God So sore an evil must needs make sad Times Of this does the Psalmist complaine and expostulate with God O God sayes he * Ps 74.10 how long shall the adversary reproach shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name for ever He reproaches Caesar that vilifies the coine that beares his Image and Superscription The Ordinances of the Gospel are that Gold of Sion which bears the Royal stamp When men shall reject this Gold and call it Drosse surely †Jer. 6.30 Reprobate silver shall men call them because the LORD hath rejected them The dayes are evil when vile sinners who yet account themselves the onely Saints shall contemptuously trample upon the precious Ordinances of Jesus Christ When those blessed Gospel-Ordinances of INFANT-BAPTISME by which onely the children of Believers are admitted into the Church and Sacramentally washt from their sins in the blood of their Saviour ORDINATION OF MINISTERS by which onely fit persons are authoriz'd to preach the Gospel and dispense the Seales of the Covenant SINGING OF PSALMES wherein the Church on earth becomes a lively Image of Heaven and the Saints of God have a kinde of Pre-possession of Paradise when these blessed Ordinances I say shall be slighted vilifi'd contemn'd by a company of hypocritical Professors who have taken up a shew of Religion onely to delude men and dishonour God the times must needs be perillous especially when such ungodly Ones shall be protected and promoted by the higher Powers by whom they ought rather to be punish't for their Irreligion and Profanesse in their open contempt of God his Authority Worship and Honour in these his holy institutions Yea when they shall be countenanc't not onely in the contempt of these Divine Institutions but also in the Introduction of sundry humane Inventions instead of these and other Ordinances of God to the utter exclusion of Gods true Worship and the setting up of a false worship founded in their own Will in the World As when they shall introduce into their Schismatical Societies falsely called Christian Congregations the REBAPTIZATION OF BELIEVERS which is nothing else but an actual Renunciation of their former Baptisme and so consequently of the Covenant of their God and a †Heb. 10.29 counting of the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctifi'd an unholy thing Horrid Impiety Also the constant PREACHING OF GIFTED BRETHREN who are so farre from being called to the work of the Ministry that they wickedly scoff at the onely Gospel-Call thereunto Ministerial Ordination yea which is yet worse when these proud Intruders presumptuous Usurpers of the Ministerial Office shall be accounted the onely Gospel-Ministers such as will preach the Gospel freely to poore Creatures This is a very sore evil for as much as under this pretence of exercising their GIFTS the vilest Hereticks in the world shall have an opportunity of poysoning the people of God with their damnable Doctrines by publick preaching in the open Assemblies Horrid stratagem of Hell for the subversion of soules Moreover when BREAKING OF BREAD by the pretended Pastors of Churches shall be introduc't in stead of the Supper of the Lord which is indeed no better then a mock-Sacrament being administred by them that are no Ministers of the Gospel and so have no authority at all to administer any of the Ordinances of God For if the changing of the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper from a common and ordinary to a sacred Sacramental Use be an act of Ministerial Authority as doubtlesse it is then this their breaking of Bread is no better then a mocking of God in an Apish imitation of the sacred actions of one of his holy Ordinances So when instead of singing of Psalmes they shall introduce into their Assemblies the singing of silly HYMNES of vulgar Composure which whether for Rime or Reason are not much to be prefer'd before those which the common Ballad-mongers sing in the streets under the Name of Godly Ballads When Gods holy Ordinances shall be contemn'd and these fearful Corruptions in his worship and service shall be introduc't and allow'd needs must the Times be
is fearfully and continually provok'd to arme himself with vengeance and come forth to the Punishment of a rebellious People * See Isa 59 12-19 He hath lightening in his eyes and thunder in his hands if once he be provoked to anger he can in a moment burn up a sinful Nation in an instant break in pieces a rebellious People II. Men are perverted When the minds of men are perverted by the Doctrines of Deceivers all their paths are full of darknesse and danger For the Minde is the eye of the soul And the Light of the soul as of the Body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single sayes our Saviour thy whole body shall be full of Light But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darknesse †Mat. 6.22 23 He whose eyes are blinde walks in darknesse at noon-day And when men walk in Darknesse they are continually exposed to Danger When damnable Doctrines are publickly preach'd and multitudes are baptiz'd into the Belief of them and so the souls of men are perverted and impoyson'd by them these must needs be Dayes of Danger perillous Times When the Power of Truth failes and the Plague of Errour and Heresie reignes When the Glory of true Christianity is eclipst and the Mystery of Iniquity is mightily working in the mindes of men such Times must needs be perillous and pernicious III. The Land is polluted Reigning sinnes prevailing abominations especially when patronized by those by whom they should be punished whereby they become National sinnes do exceedingly pollute a Land Now when the Land is polluted what can be expected but that God should depart from it and bring in a Deluge of Judgement or kindle a dreadful burning to purge it Is not this then a sad presage of perillous Times After the House of the Lord in Jerusalem was polluted by the Abominations of the people of Judah both the City and the Temple was destroy'd * 2 Chron. 36.14 15 c. When the Land of Canaan was polluted by the sinnes of the Canaanites God deliver'd both them and their Land into the hand of the Israelites and when it was polluted by the Israelites he deliver'd them up into the hand of the Canaanites as we read in the Book of the Judges †See also Psal 106 38-42 When the Land is polluted by its sinnes it 's just with God to * Lam. 2.2 pollute it by his Judgements And what then can we expect but perillous Times in a polluted Land The third Question Quest 3 WHat is the peril of these Times Answ The evils to be feared in these Times are such as these Answ 1 I. The judgement of God on the Land God may justly bring the Sword and Famine and Pestilence for the punishment of such a provoking People These three Arrows are ever ready in Gods Quiver to be discharg'd against his Enemies God may sweep that Land with the besome of Desolation wherein men under pretences of Gods glory seek their own interests and establishment He may punish spirituall Abominations with temporal Judgements Persecution with War the plague of Errours with the Pestilence the Contempt of the heavenly Manna of his holy Word with Famine and want of necessary food He may wash that Land with Blood that hath been defiled with Oppression and Murder He may sweep that house with the Pestilence that hath been defiled with Pride and Perjury He may scourge that people with Famine that have sin'd through Fulnesse of Bread He may break that land in pieces by the thunder of his Judgements that hath not taken warning by the lightening of his Threatnings in the preaching of his Word So for spiritual Judgements for the Abominations of his People the Lord may go far from his Sanctuary †Ezek. 8.6 When a Church hath left its first love God may come speedily and remove its Candlestick out of his Place * Rev. 2.4 5 When men shall abuse the servants of the Lord sent forth to gather the Fruits of his Vineyard he may justly destroy them and give the Vineyard unto others †Mark 12.9 When men are grown greedy of the gain of Oppression and weary of the Ordinances of God when Covetousnesse is become cruel in grinding the faces of the Poore * Isa 3.25 and Profanesse bold in slighting of Sabbaths and sacred Solemnities of Divine Worship God may justly cause that Land to tremble for the horrour of his Judgements and plague that peoples contempt of his Worship by a Famine of his Word And so hath the Lord threatned to punish these sinnes in his people Israel by his Prophet Amos saying †Amos 8 4-12 Heare this O ye that swallow up the needy even to make the Poor of the Land to faile saying When will the New Moon be gone that we may sell Corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat making the Ephah wherewith they measured their Grain small and the Shekel wherewith they weighed the money which they received for payment great and falsifying the Balances by deceit That we may buy the poore for silver and the needy for a paire of shooes yea and sell the refuse of the wheat The LORD hath sworne by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their Works Shall not the Land tremble for this and every one mourn that dwelleth therein and it shall rise up wholly as a flood and it shall be cast out and drowned as by the flood of Egypt And it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord GOD that I will cause the Sunne to go down at noon and I will darken the earth in the clear day And I will turn your Feasts into Mourning and all your Songs into Lamentation and I will bring up sackcloth upon all Loynes and baldnesse upon every Head and I will make it as the mourning of an onely sonne and the end thereof as a bitter Day Behold the dayes come saith the Lord GOD that I will send a FAMINE in the Land not a Famine of Bread nor a Thirst for Water but of hearing the Words of the LORD And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East they shall runne to and fro to seek the Word of the LORD and shall not finde it When the Lord shall bring these judgements upon a Land or Nation professing the true Religion the Church may call her Children * 1 Sam. 4.21 ICHABOD for the Glory is departed Thus for the sinnes of Judah did the †Ezek. 9.3 and 10.4 18 19. Glory of the Lord an illustrious pledge of his gracious presence depart from Jerusalem and sad were the Calamities which ensued thereupon Thus the Times are perillous when the sinnes of men are grown to that height that we may justly expect the Judgements of God upon the Land II. Persecution of the Church When Clouds of Darknesse are spread over the City of God
what can be expected to follow but showers of Blood For when the Sun shall be turn'd into Darknesse we well know the Moon shall be turn'd into Blood * Joel 2.31 When a storme is rais'd by the Prince of the power of the Air what can we expect but that the Ship wherein Christ is imbarked with his Disciples should be tost on the Waters and almost overwhelm'd with the Waves †Mar. 8.24 When Images of Gold are set up and ador'd by the men of the World what can the children of God expect but to be cast into a fiery Furnace * Dan. 3.1 21 When Gain is accounted Godlinesse and Oppression of the innocent is stiled Justice then whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution †2 Tim. 3.12 When the Wolves come in flocks to the Fold and Lions are the Lords of the Soile what can be expected but that the Sheep and Lambs should be worried When there is much Cockle amongst the Corne much Chaff amongst the Wheat we may conclude it shall not be long at least if the winde rises or turnes before it be winnow'd When we see every Shepherd in Israel is an abomination to the Egyptians * Gen. 46.34 we may expect the Egyptians should pursue the Israelites even into the heart of the Red Sea When the subtile Foxes are come into the Vineyard we may conclude their cruel Teeth will be soon dy'd red in the Blood of the Grapes If the Scarlet Whore be once brought into the House of God we shall soone see her drunken with the Blood of the Saints †Rev. 17.4 5 6. We still finde the Names of the Saints written in Red Letters in the Romish Calendar If the SWORD depose the SCEPTER and rule in its stead we may be sure it will eat flesh and drink Blood yea the blood of Kings and Princes and Prophets who leaving the Sword stain'd with the Guilt of Murder shall be themselves crown'd with the Glory of MARTYRDOM SIN is a cruel Monster if it once get the Supreme Power it will soon turne a Land of Beauty into a Sea of Blood III. Destruction of mens souls If the great red Dragon with his Taile draw down many of the Stars of Heaven and cast them to the Earth * Rev. 12.4 we may expect a dark night to follow If the Springs be impoyson'd it must needs be Death to men to drink of the waters If the Philistines carry away the Ark from Israel we must expect many thousands to be slaine and perish †1 Sam. 4 10 11. If God take away his abused Gospel call home his despised Ministers and so men loose the true Religion how many thousand souls must necessarily perish everlastingly The soul is exceeding precious it s a Jewel inestimable of more worth then the whole World * Mat. 16.26 its losse is irreparable a World of Gold cannot redeem one soul †See Psal 49.7 8. with 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Now when such a storme is risen that the souls of men are in danger of being ship-wrackt the state of that people is sad the Times are perillous Thus we have seen the Characters of the Persons that make the Times perillous and the several Symptomes of perillous Times with the Causes and Consequences thereof and so fully finisht our first Enquiry The second Enquiry How pious persons must demean themselves in perillous Times IT much concernes the people of God to consider with themselves what the Lord calls them unto and calls for from them in all conditions into which he is pleased to cast them that their Lives and Carriages may expresse a Responsiblenesse to the Divine Providence These are they whom the Lord hath selected from thousands to lift up his Name and Glory in the World They are therefore in a special manner to glorifie God by such Actings and Demeanours as may be suitable to all his Dispensations When God is most dishonour'd by the wicked the godly should most honour him Saints are Souldiers call'd forth to fight the Battels of the Lord of Hosts when the Enemies of the Lord do most abound and are most active the Souldiers of his army should be most valiant for his Cause most vigilant against their force and Politick Encroachments upon the interests of his Glory The Trees of righteousnesse of Gods own Planting should bring forth Fruit in all Seasons Times of Perill to the Church are Times of Tryal of the Piety of the Saints When sin appears in its highest Pride then should Grace shine forth in its greatest Glory As for you therefore my beloved brethren that truly fear the name of the Lord and desire to know what your Duty is in such Cases attend these Directions which I shall give you out of the Word of God When it is your Lot to live in perillous Times take notice of these Duties The first Duty Sorrow for the Sinnes of the Times DO you live in evil Times Then Bewaile before the Lord the Sinnes and Abominations of the Times Prevailing Impieties make the Times perillous The sins of the wicked call for the sorrows of the Saints because hereby the Name of God is dishonour'd and the souls of men are defiled Thus was Davids heart grieved and his eyes shed Tears for the sins of his Times I beheld the Transgressors sayes he and was grieved because they kept not thy Word * Psal 119 158 And again Rivers of waters runne down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law †Psal 119 136 When a Land is defiled by sin these Rivers of Teares are the best means to prevent a Deluge of Blood When the wrath of God is kindled against an ungodly Nation there is nothing more powerful to quench it then the Tears of the truly godly By this means shall you preserve your selves from Defilement by the sinnes of the wicked and happily prevent the Judgements which are ready to be executed on a sinfull Nation Now Christians is not this a duty you are very Defective in And yet is there not much cause for it When did you shed a Tear for all the Sins of the Times When did you ever look upon London as Christ upon Jerusalem a sinful City and weep over it * Luk. 19.41 What shall the streets of it run down with Rivers of Blood before you can shed a few drops of Teares for its preservation When did you meet together to weep over a sinful Nation When did you that can easily weep upon other occasions go apart and poure out Teares into the bosome of God for the Sinnes and Abominations of England and say Ah Lord In thy †Isa 63.9 Pity and in thy Mercy spare a sinful Nation Do you not see upon England many Symptomes of her Destruction except fervent Prayers steep'd in penitent Teares do prevent it O how many and how great are the Abominations of the Land the Provocations of the most high God!
souls The second Duty The Practice of Piety ARe they Dayes of Danger Times of Perill wherein you live yet Dare to be pious though the Times be perillous To be religious when Religion is both in Fashion and in favour is no great praise but it s the glory of a Saint to be Holy and Good when the Times he lives in are sinfull and Evil. It 's a Crown of glory which shall flourish for ever which the Hand of God himself hath set upon the head of Noah * Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generations which were sinful and wicked Job shone as a bright Star in the East when almost all the world was overspread with Darknesse And therefore God himself hath given him an honourable Testimony in his Word both for †Job 1.1 Piety and * Jam. 5.11 Patience and thereby an everlasting blessed Memorial Doubtlesse its a Saints Duty to be religious when for Religions sake he is exposed to Danger Here 's the tryal of sincerity when Truth faileth †Isa 59.15 See the Margin and he that departs from iniquity maketh himself a prey and is accounted mad for his paines Better it is to lose the favour of men then to incur the displeasure of God The losse of the favour of men is nothing compared to the gain of the favour of God It s nothing to flock to the Tabernacle in Times of Peace but its worthy of Israelites indeed to accompany the Ark of God in all the perils of War Be not discourag'd Christians by the Danger of the Times from doing those Duties whereby in your places you may glorifie God Moreover consider to be good in bad Times is the way to make bad Times good And therefore sayes Hierome Ne dicas priora Tempora meliora fuere quam nunc sunt Virtutes faciunt Dies bonos Vitia malos * Hier. in Eccl. c. 41. Say not the Times were better heretofore then now they are Virtues make good Dayes Vices bad It s then the wisdom of a Christian to turn his complaint of evil Times into the Practice of excellent Virtues for this will be singularly conducible to the making of the Times good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Day is good or bad sayes Chrysostome not according to its own Nature for one day does nothing differ from another but according to our diligence or slothfulness in the improvement of it If thou workest righteousnesse the day becomes good unto thee if thou committest sin evil and full of Vexation If thou wisely considerest these things thou mayst so dispose thy self as to have the whole year prosperous and happy This if thou make Prayer and Almes-Deeds to be thy daily exercise Thus Christian Virtues and Exercises of Religion are the most excellent Antidotes against Evil Times To be diligent serious and constant herein is the onely way to see good Dayes Though a man be encompast with the blackest midnight of Darknesse let him light up his Lamps and he presently enjoys the Benefit and protection of the Light which does as it were with a thousand glistering Spears defend him against the Invasion of all the Forces of Darknesse Certainly there is nothing more necessary and conducible more excellent and efficacious for the changing of an IRON AGE into a GOLDEN SEASON then the constant exercise of PIETY and CHARITY amongst Christians And if every Christian would but seriously minde his Particular Duty how much might he contribute to the General good How soon are the foule streets of a great City made clean by every mans sweeping his own Door How soon would the great work of REFORMATION be accomplisht if every one would but reform one So should the most dangerous Dayes soon become what by many they are falsely called glorious Times For its the Goodnesse or Badnesse of men which makes the times good or bad Those are the worst Times wherein men are worst and those the best Times wherein men are best Though bad Times are worst to the best men yet good men should be best in the worst Times Such was Noah in the old World Lot in Sodome Daniel in Babylon Golden Saints in an Iron Age. Thus in the Evening of the Old Testament-Administration when the darkest shades vail'd the Churches Glory some Saints there were which shone as bright rising Stars in the rayes of true Piety which sparkled as orient Jewels in the lustre of godly Zeale and invincible Sincerity For when base Hypocrites began to blaspheme and say * Mal. 3 13-17 It was in vaine to serve God and it was to no profit or purpose to keep his Ordinance or to walk humbly bâ—fore him When they began to call the proud happy because they saw them that wrought wickednesse exalted and those that tempted God delivered Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another And oh precious were these Persons and this their Piety in the account of God! For Then the LORD hearkened and heard it and a Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD and that thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the LORD of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Now who would not but desire this special interest in Gods Love and Favour in Times of Danger and Distresse What an encouragement then Christians should this be unto you to be good in bad Times Certainly Christians sanctity is the best way to security The †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. qui Coelum spectar Athen l. 7. Plin. l. 32. c. 7. Uranoscope is a Fish as the Naturalists tell us which hath but one eye just on the top of the head looking upward towards heaven yet thereby she foresees and prevents Dangers To keep the Eye of the soul ever open Heaven-ward is the safest way for the Prevention of those Dangers to which we are exposed in the troublesome Sea of this World For God hath an Eye continually open upon them for their Preservation who have an Eye continually open upon him in their Convertions Yea by this means you may nor onely save your self but be a happy means to save the whole Nation by standing in the * Ezek. 22.30 Gap as †Psal 106.23 Moses to hinder the breaking in of Gods Judgements upon a provoking People O then be Diligent Christians and Constant in the serious Practice of solid Piety This General Duty hath several Branches which are of special Concernment to Christians that live in perillous Times and therefore take notice of them in these following Particulars The first Branch KEep your selves from the Corruptions of the Times Take heed of being tainted with the sins and Abominations of the Times wherein you live The fuller the World is of Defilements the greater must your care be to *
you can in a little time For when the Dayes are Evil you know not how little time you may have how few Opportunities of well-doing you may enjoy * Eph. 5.15 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fooles but as Wise Redeeming the Time because the Daies are evil The fourth Branch LIve in the exercise of your most excellent graces Let the Lustre of them appear in the eyes of the World that so you may diminish the Darknesse of an evil Generation When the Nights are darkest every one should be careful to hang out their Lights When the Sun the Chariot of Light hath carried the Day to another World the Night comes forth deckt with all her Jewels Search your Cabinets put on your Jewels exercise your Graces your Faith Love Patience Humility Zeale Hope Confidence and so labour to preserve a Day of Light and Holinesse in spight of all the encroachments of the darknesse of Sin and Vice Labour to be every whit as Good as others are Evil. Stir up your selves especially to the exercise of those Graces which stand in opposition to the reigning Vices of the Times Study to shew your selves as Active for God as others are for the World as truly Content with your condition as others are Covetous Oppressive Ambitious as Faithful as others are False as Pious as others are Profane as much to excel in Charity Moderation Humility as others exceed in Cruelty Censoriousnesse and Pride It well becomes Saints to be best when the Times are worst So Fire burnes hottest in the coldest weather and Stars shine brightest in the darkest Nights So shall you lift up the Name and Glory of God in the World and your lives shall be illustrious Testimonies for the cause of God against a wicked world Beg Grace of God therefore that in evil and perillous Times you may live to his Glory * Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blamelesse and Harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as Lights in the World The fifth Branch DAre to appear in your places for the Cause of God against the Evils of the Times Why should not every pious Christian dare to do more for God and the interests of his Glory then any profane Politician dares to do against him Why should you be afraid to appear on the stronger side It is indeed desperate Folly and Madnesse in impotent man to presume upon any action or undertaking which carries in it an apparent or consequential Opposition to an Omnipotent God upon whose Providence he hath a continual dependance insomuch as without some concurrence thereof he cannot move a Hand nor stirre a step Alas This Almighty God can with the least Finger of that glorious Hand by which he governes this All in one moment crush the greatest Armies of the mightiest men upon earth as a †Job 4.19 Moth and crumble them into dust But for the Saints that are guarded with an Omnipotent Arme they may with a holy confidence appear in the Cause of God against the most potent adversaries in the world For greater and stronger is he that is with us then they that are with them For as the good King Hezekiah said to the Captaines of his Army at the approach of the King of Assyria * 2 Chron. 32.7 8. with them is an Arme of Flesh but with us is the LORD our God to help us And †Rom. 8.31 if God be for us who can be against us Fear not then ye sonnes of the mighty ye children of the most high to appear for God and his cause against the impieties and iniquities of evil and perillous times Remember * Rev. 21.8 the fearful are set in the Front of that Troop of Rebels that shall be sent to Hell Know you not that in this case when Gods Cause and Glory suffers He that is not for God is against him Take heed then lest while you fear a lesser danger you fall into a greater 'T is then your greatest wisdome and safety to take the strongest side and that is to appear for God So may you say with David †Ps 118.6 The LORD is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me And again * Ps 56.11 In God have I put my trust I will not be afraid what man can do unto me †Psal 118 8 9. It is better to trust in the LORD then to put confidence in man It is better to trust in the LORD then to put confidence in Princes Dare to appear for God therefore in your places and to plead his Cause against wicked and unreasonable men with more Courage Resolution and Boldnesse then they have to oppose it Stand up therefore in Dayes of Danger and appear for the Truth and Glory of God that made you for the Honour and Interests of the Lord Jesus Christ that redeem'd you with his own precious blood appear for his Word and Worship his Ordinances and Ministers his Sabbaths and Sacraments his Church and Saints and all the just Rights Dues and Priviledges thereof against a wicked Generation of men that dare openly deny the Truth and profane the Name of God that are not afraid to cast Contempt and Reproach upon his Word and Worship to scoff at his Sabbaths and Sacraments and slight his holy Ordinances to abuse revile and vilifie his Ministers his Ambassadours seeking to pluck their meat from their mouths desiring to imbrue their hands in their blood endeavouring their utter extirpation out of the Church of God that dare to lay sacrilegious hands upon the Rights and Revenues of the Church which she holds by a firmer Title then the greatest Lord in the Land does or can do his inheritance and thereby seek to turne her children out of their Possession that they may enrich themselves as too many have done by the Churches Ruines Now Christians will you be afraid or asham'd to appear in so just a cause against such wretched men such wicked Adversaries as these Shall these come under the Name of Religion and rob you of the thing while you sit still and do nothing Shall the Interests of Christ and Glory of God fall to the ground rather then you will rise up and appear for the maintenance of the one and defence of the other How will you answer it to God at the great day of account O therefore be not afraid to appear for the Cause of God against the Evil of the Times in the Places and Stations wherein God hath set you This will be your Crown of Glory and Cause of Rejoycing at the great Day of the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ And oh that those that are Highest in Place and Power would seriously lay these things to heart and quitting all self-interests inconsistent with the Cause and Interests of the Kingdome of Christ sincerely study and endeavour the advancement of Gods Glory in
railing Accusations They can hide both Honey and Gall under their tongue they drop honey with their words when they would deceive and mix their speeches with Gall when they mean to revile Their soft and silken words are snares to take the simple their sharp and cruel speeches are swords to slay the Innocent Yet it is lesse danger to be wounded by their sharpest reproaches then to be won by their sugred speeches For while their Reproaches cast upon the righteous do as Arrows shot against a wall of Adamant recoile upon themselves their Deceivings prove as a Potion of deadly poyson the destruction of others so that their words are in effect swords to slay those whom they are snares to take So that Davids description of his deceitful enemy †Ps 55.21 is fitly applyable to them The words of their mouth are smoother then Butter but war is in their heart their words are softer then Oyle yet are they drawn swords The Apostle Paul giving the Romanes a Caution concerning them subjoyns thereunto a description of them by this very property and Practice Now I beseech you sayes he * Rom. 16 17 18. Brethren Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own Belly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et per dulces Sermones Benedictiones seducunt corda innocentium †Vet. Interp Et per Blandiloquentiam Assentationem corda hominum minime malorum seducunt * Beza And by good words and faire speeches or by plausible and pious Expressions deceive seduce or lead out of the way as the High-way Robber does the unwary Traveller that follows him without suspition of any harme the heart of the simple of poore innocent and harmlesse People Thus the silly Birds deceived with the Fowlers Call are taken in his Net There 's ever a deadly hook under the dainty Baits which these subtile Seducers expert in the Art of Angling for souls cast amongst these poore simple ignorant people They gild over their blackest and bitterest Pills their vilest soul-destroying Errours with glorious pretences or roll them in Sugar of soft and sweet expressions that their poor deluded patients may be tempted to take them to their own Destruction The Apostle warnes the believing Hebrews of them telling them the intent of these their fine speeches and subtile insinuations sayes he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With feigned words with plaister'd phrases will they make Merchandise of you †2 Pet. 2.3 Their language is a kinde of spiritual Enchantment whereby many souls are * Gal. 3.1 bewitcht into a belief of their erroneous opinions insomuch as they give an unquestion'd entertainment to their damnable Doctrines and give themselves up to be guided by them in their pernicious wayes Thus do Seducers draw Disciples after them whom by the Musick of a smooth tongue they make to dance all the changes of their wild opinions But we have yet beheld but one side of the Image of their Words or Discourse which as it looks one way does as we have seene appear beautiful as an Angel but if we consider it on the other side it presents the foulest Fiend These that bespeak their followers with these faire and flattering speeches when they speak of those that upon just and holy grounds oppose their evil and ungodly wayes are wont to use the most railing and reproachful language that their leud imaginations can invent If you cannot afford them your favourable opinion and account them the children of God what shall you presently heare from them but Thou childe of the Devil But alas how justly may this be retorted upon themselves Railing is surely the Language of Hell not the Dialect of Heaven and it does but too sadly discover them that use it whatever they professe or pretend to be the children of the Devil Now this Railing-language is a Scripture-Character of those Seducers of whose coming in the last times the Apostles have warn'd us by the Spirit of Prophecy For thus are they describ'd to us †Compare 2 Pet. 2.10 11 12. with Jude v. 8 9 10. Presumptuous are they and self-will'd they slight Government and despise Dominion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non horrent Dignitates convitiis incessere * Beza They are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities they tremble not to cast slanderous reproaches upon worthy and honourable Persons Whereas Angels which are greater in Power and Might bring not †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a RAILING ACCUSATION against them before the Lord. For Michael the Arch-Angel when contending with the Devil he disputed about the Body of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non ausus est ei impingere notam maledicti * Beza Durst not bring against him a railing Accusation or he was not so bold as to JUDGE and CURSE him but said The Lord rebuke thee But these as Natural †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bruit-Beasts being as well brutish in their Behaviours as sottish in their Opinions unreasonable in their Reasonings and Revilings made to be taken and destroy'd * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak evil of the things that they understand not they wickedly blaspheme those Mysteries of Religion which are above their apprehension and shall utterly perish in their own Corruption Thus the speaking evil of Dignities the Reviling and Railing upon Magistrates and Ministers is made a certaine Character of the vilest sort of Seducers These because they cannot spit their poyson in the Face of God himself spit it in the faces of those who in respect of their office do bear his Image Their spite and malice principally vents it self against the Ministers of the Gospel concerning whom Christ hath said †Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And surely was Christ himself upon earth such men would not stick to raile upon him and revile him We shall the more easily believe it if we call to minde the carriage of the Sect of the Pharisees These were a people that used many Austerities and pretended to more then ordinary Purity and yet there is no man that hath read the Gospel but knows how fearfully they abused the Sonne of God with their scornfull Railings and Reproaches Yea these vile wretches did not feare to screw up their malicious Railings and Revilings of CHRIST into the highest and most hellish Blasphemies They wickedly went about to represent the Sonne of God the SAVIOUR of the world as a SORCERER and one that dealt with the Devil They did not stick to say he wrought those Miracles by the power of the Devill * Mat. 9.34 and 12.24 which were the wonderful works of God Yea they feared not to call him DEVIL and †Mat. 10.25 with 9.34 Beelzebub the Prince of