mind to satisfy himselfe may read Mr Prin's Histrio-Mastix where there are many Pages to this purpose There is one instance so neere a kin to that of Witny that it may not be omitted Vpon the 13 of January Anno 1583. being the Lords day an infinite number of people men women and children resorted unto Paris garden to see Beare-baiting playes other pas-times and being all together mounted aloft upon their scaffolds and galleries and in the midst of all their jollity and pastime all the whole building not so much as one stick standing fell down miraculously to the ground with much terror and confusion in the fall of it five men and two women were slaine out right and above one hundred and fifty persons more sore wounded and bruised whereof many dyed shortly after some of them having their braines dashed out some their heads all to quasht some their leggs broken some their armes some their backs some one hurt some another there being nothing heard there but woefull screekes cries wch did even pieree the skies children there bewailng the death and hurts of their parents Parents of their children wives of their Husbands and Husbands of their Wives so that every way from foure of the Clock in the afternoone till nine at night especially over London bridge many were carried in and led betwixt their friends and so brought home to their houses with sorrowfull heavy hearts like lame cripples 4. Much more might be said to proove the abominablenesse of these playes from the rise and originall of them they being the inventions of the Heathens devised and framed on purpose to honour their l Graeci omnium suâ—rum â—udorum â—â—lennitaâ—um atque adeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods withall especially Bacchus their Drunken God from whence stage players were called Bacchus his handy-crafts-men FroÌ„ the maine ends lookt at in them m aiâ— Athâ—nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed cum veri Dei notitiam aâ—â—â—serunt idâ— Bacchum festivitatis authorem dixerunt haue scenicos ludos consecrarunt huic dramaticam poeâ—m universam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicarunt quaÌ„ antiquiâ—mi hoâ—â—nâ— cam ob caâ—sam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellarunt sâ—enicâ— hiâ—â—ienes ideo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seâ— per dicti IIs aa Casaub de Satvr Grae. Poâ—s Rom. Satyâ—a m Equidem Comaediae smis non fere alius crat Gracis quam latitia hilaritus Cael Rhod. lib 6. at quae sequuntur ne referam vetat pudor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinfull mirth and jollity From the ordinary concomitants effects and fruits of them But these have been so largely handed by Dr. Reynolds Mr. Prinne and others that it would be needlesse to repeat them There hath been said enough already to prove stage playes to be sinfull And if so that we may returne to that where we left Is it not a judgment if a man be taken in the midst of his sinnes When Nadab Abihu were smitten by the Lord in the midst of their sinnes was it not a judgment a sore judgment The story you have Levit. 10.1.2 Oh cease to speake against the God of heaven any more in this sort Certainly it was a judgment and a manifest judgment it was wrath from heaven yea it was wrath from heaven against you in this place Suffer me to give you this observation All that were killed were the people of Witny they were your children your sonnes and your daughters that were slaine Why should five of Witny be slaine outright and not any one of other places This CoÌ„edy was acted in other places but it was in Witny only that it proved a Tragedy O Witny Witny the Lord is angry with thee and there are severall sins among you that the Lord points out by this judgment 1. There is the sin of Prophanenesse amongst you how many are there in this place that are given only to drinking sporting merriments and pas-times I have too sadly observed it in passing the streets people will sit drinking in an Ale-house making themselves merry with a Fiddle whereas they will not step over their threshold to heare a Sermon Oh this is the very depth of prophanenesse when men care not for God they care not for his word they care not for his ordinances they care not for the great things of salvation but are still calling for their sports and merriments they will be jovall and merry that they will Heb. 12.16 Lest there be any prophane person as Esau that is an unhallowed and unsanctifyed person one that still lyes in his naturall filth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why what is the Character of such a one it is added who for one morsell of meat sold his birthright You of this place have had the Gospell amongst you Christ and salvation is offered heaven and happinesse stand waiting on men few men care for this few men bid Christ and salvation welcome are not many apt to say what need of all this preaching was it not better with us when we had lesse Many think it much to afford one houre in a week to heare a Sermon but they say come let us eat and drink and make our selves merry let us dance it and card it and be joviall whilst we may and I would to God there may be none such found among you that will sit up whole nights at Cards and Dice that can sit day after day many houres together in an Asehouse that grudge a few minnutes to be spent in the service of God Oh! desperate prophanenesse abominable wickednesse the God of heaven hath revenged this prophanenesse this day Do but thinke with your selves what the place was where the hand of the Lord was seen was it not in such a Kind of place where such meetings use to bee I speake not of that Particular house but that it should be in an Inne Taverne or Ale-house such a Kind of place to which the people of this place are so much adicted which they haunt so much spend so much time in Is there nothing to be learn't from this Doth the Lord point out nothing of the sin of this place herein The sinne of drunkennes is to rife common amongst you the drunkards are reeling in your streets they are open and obvious to the view of all I my selfe have been too sad an eye-witnesse 2. Another sin that may be feared to be amongst you is the sin of uncleannesse Is there no fornication no adultery in secret corners no such things as chambering and wantonesse to be found amongst you Examine well what all your songs carolls are which are so often sung at your dores in your houses are there none of them base filthy obscene It argues too too light and wanton a spirit that so many scores yea some hundreds should be at a lascivious play Oh this is a fearful sin the sin of uncleannesse fornication adultery and those things that border on it These sins
old wayes I was trained up in by my parents and especially that which God had taught me by faithfull Ministers and soone was I poysoned with that Doctrine which my corrupt nature did soone close with to the great dishonour of the pretious Gospell to the grieving of the good spirit of God and the wounding of mine owne conscience which was not soon healed I began to try conclusions with God and and walked as a loose libertine and cast of the duty of prayer to God in private and so quickly I lost my communion with God and he withdraw himselfe from me and left me for a time and no sooner had God left me but Satan came in with his delusions and formed himself into an Angel of light and carryed me up into a fooles Paradise and lulled me asleep in security and carryed me on in that condition for the space of an yeare and halfe before the Lord awakenened me And no sooner had I left seeking of God in private but the Lord left me to publique shame for my heart and strength was let out in an eager persuit of the world and love of the creatures and a fearfull sleighting of the Sabbath which began to be a burthen to me and I had an odious sleighting esteeme of the Ministers of God and questioned their judgments in holding forth the word to the people and I was exceedingly perplexed with vaine thoughts and by degrees led into such thoughts as I aw ashamed to name and by this the Lord awakened me for I was exceedingly startled at it and began to consider with my self that I was out of Gods way and therefore out of Gods protection Then I began to remember from whence I was fallen but it was long ere I could do my first workes but I was resolved to turne to my first husband for then it was better with me then now But I found it a hard pluck before I found my God a reconciled father pardoning my sin of Apostacy though I sought it with bitter teares for the space of halfe an yeare And I thought to have kept it to my selfe and none should have knowen my trouble but the anguish of my spirit was so exceeding great that I could not hide it from God or man for I was afraid the Lord would have made me a publick example to all that knew me and that I should have been quite distracted and ran about the streets like one of those that children run after But when I saw there was no remedy I made my case knowen and got all the helpes I could to seek God for me When I made my approach to God I was beaten back by mine adversary and by mine owne accusing conscience which was more to me then a thousand witnesses And often those words were sounding in mine eares Him that draweth back my soule abhorreth and he that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back is not fit for the kingdom of heaven and woe to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites and that in the 6. of the Hebrews them that have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away it is impossible to renew them by repentance with many more places and when I would have prayed in private it was told me that God would not heare me then I replyed that I hoped God would heare him that sate at his right hand but it was replyed to me againe the Lord had said to him as he had to Jeremiah pray not for this people I was so lamentably tortured I could not sleep nor eat nor take any contentment in any relation I had and had not the Lord witheld me from that which the devill tempted me unto I had surely ended my life So low was this poore soule brought and so deep was the distresse in which the Lord left it before it was recovered indeed I cānot declare all least this relation should seeme too tedious But it pleased the Lordat last mercifuly to recover this poor distressed soule though it were long first that I may use some of its own expressions before the Lord did seale unto it its pardon many a bitter day and night it did undergoe to this very day it makes sad heavy complaints undergoes many a sharp conflict but the Lord is pleased to sanctify these and former dispensations in fuch a way as that there are few Christians in which there is so much humility mortifyednesse such sweet breathings after God such high prizings of his presence and humble attendance on the ordinances frequent use of holy duetyes to be found So famous an instance as this is might serve to poyse and ballance the loose and ficle spirits of such who begin to hang off from to be indifferent unto the good waies of God Beware of Apostacy Apostacy is a fearfull sin it is the high way to the sin against the Holy Ghost that sin which shall never be pardoned in this world or in the world to come Take heed how you medle with edge-tooles as the proverbe is Whoever falls on this stone it will grind him to powder Who ever shall clash with the great Fundamentall Doctrines the Doctrines about sin whether there be any such thing yea or no touching the resurrection Heaven hell the last Judgment he that shall play and dally with these things and take liberty to speak for them or against them such wantonnesse as this is will proove his ruine in the end Did you not once believe these things were they not once Articles of your faith how is it that you come to cast them off Oh it is the most dangerous thing in the world for a man to be medling and tampering with and at last come to a flat downright denying of the great fundamentall truths of religion the things which sometimes he beleeved and professed the beleife off this man is in a faire way to the unpardonable sin I do not say this is that sin but he that is come to this had need look to himself he is in the way thereunto without abundance of mercy to recover him Much have those to answer for and fearfull is their Judgment like to be who peremptorily and obstinately maintaine such desperate opinions that all men shall be saved alike that sin is nothing but only that men make it something by their own Melancholly fancies and timerous apprehentions b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repete ex superioribis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocl This is the very Bane and cut-throat of all religion this is that which cuts the very sinewes of Godlinesse this is that which undermines the worship of God in the world and plucks it up by the very rootes Take away the name and notion of sin make it nothing who then will regard to worship feare obey the great God who will care for any of his commands Do you not think the Lord is Jealous for these things
Tragi-Comaedia BEING A BRIEF RELATION OF THE STRANGE AND Wonderfull hand of God discovered at WITNY in the Comedy Acted there February the third where there were some Slaine many Hurt with severall other Remarkable PASSAGES Together with what was Preached in three Sermons on that occasion from Rom. 1.18 Both which May serve as some Check to the Growing Atheisme of the Present Age. By JOHN ROWE of G. C. C. in Oxford Lecturer in the Towne of WITNY It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made voyd thy Law Psal 119.126 Verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth Psal 58.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onatus apud Stobaeum OXFORD Printed by L. LICEFIELD For HENRY CRIPPS Anno Dom. 1653. TO MY HONOVRED and much beloved Friends the Inhabitants of the Towne Parish of WITNY Dearely beloved in the LORD THE publishing of these few Papers both the precedent Narrative and the ensuing Sermons of right belong to You and you may challenge them as your owne Among you it was that these wonders of the Lord were seen and upon you it was that the Lord hath shewen himselfe marvelous Doe not quarrell with the Almighty for setting you up as the publik Theatre whereon he would manifest his holynesse justice other Attributes to the world We are his Creatures and it were enough if we could say no more but It is his pleasure to have it so Yet there is other reason why we should quiet and compose our selves and shake off all thoughts and reasonings that are apt to arise saying as the Church doth We will beare the indignation of the Lord because we have sinned against him Though you are the people that doe only suffer yet you are not they that are only aymed at The Lord hath spoken from heaven to the whole Nation by what he hath done amongst you and testified by a clear and eminent stroake against the monstrous unparraleld Atheisme irreligion profanesse which is walking up and downe in all places Though the Lord hath began with you yet he may not end with you If his dealing with you make not others wise their plagues may be farre greater then yours have been and if so it will be a mercy that you were corrected so soone and not suffered to goe on in your sinnes which would have brought heavier sorrowes in the end Amongst you it was that these meane Sermons had their rise which were not in the least intended for the Presse when first they were Preached But the desires of some amongst you to have written Coppies of them the longings and importunity of others to have them published the good of the Towne in generall which might seeme to require a stāding lasting remēbrance of these things seemed to be some call to me for the publishing of them To which I may adde the consideration of some little good the Lord I hope was pleased to doe by these plain and meane Sermons the hearts of some being a little awakened and the affection of others stirred and raised and some provoked to attend on the word thereby Which sparks being of the Lords owne kindling I thought it my duty to keep them alive as much as lay in me I hope you will beare with my rudenesse of speech and plain speaking the Lord being my witnesse that it is not a pleasure to me to make bare your nakednesse or discover your shame my ayme only being that you may lay to heart your sinnes seek pardon for them and reformation of them My care hath been as much as may be to abstain from all personall reflections and not to make use of any ones Name that I might not grieve the spirits of any by making them publike to the world although if I had insisted on some particulars the story might have been set forth with more advātage in the eyes of some Some enlargments there have been in the Sermons some larger explications of a few Scriptures it being not possible within such a scantling of time as is allotted to speake fully to all things Yet this you will find you have scarce any materiall passage omitted of what was Preached and the Additions which are I hope not altogether unprofitable or unnecessary Some Notes are put into the Margin which need not trouble the lesse skilfull Reader all obscurity being avoyded in the body of the Sermons themselves My humble desire and request to you is that you will not lay aside this little Book as soon as it comes into your hands though the things are mean and contemptible if you consider the person parts and years of him that brings them unto you and the manner of his delivering them yet are they great and of moment if you consider him that sends them to you so farre forth as the mind of God is revealed in them and his particular will made known concerning you Some few houres will serve to Reade over the whole Book and if at leasure times you put your Children or Servants to reade but a little it may be better then to let it lye moulding in your Windows Possibly you may meet with such a remembrace if the Lord work with it by his Spirit as you may blesse him for all your dayes I can only say as the Apostle doth with a little change Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for the people of Witny is that they may be saved I trust the Lord hath some of his election yet scattered amongst you sure I am there are some of his called and faithfull ones already to be found in the middest of you How long I may be left to speak to you I know not This I can asure you I pray and sigh at the throne of Grace for you as well as I can And I could wish I had better prayers and more sighs and groanes then my poore barren heart can afford There could not be a greater joy to me then to see the Kingdome of our Lord Jesus taking place in greaer power in your soules to see that high valuation and eager thirsts in the hearts of many of you after a poore despised neglected forsaken Christ whom the world but it may break our hearts to speak it begins to grow weary of though the world be not worthy of such a one Now the God and Father of our Lord Jesus blesse you with the knowledge of himselfe and this his deare Sonne and grant that the savour of his knowledge may be spread amongst you more abundantly These are the constant prayers of Your unworthy Friend and Servant in the Gospell John Rowe A BRIEFE NARRATIVE OF The Play Acted at Witny the third of February 1652. Together with its sad and Tragicall End IT may not seem so proper nor be so pleasing to every Reader to set down all the Circumstances about this Play forasmuch that somewhat might be said touching the rise and originall of it the nature of the Play it self and the book from whence it
was taken the motives grounds and ends of the Actors concerning all which I might speak more then here shall be inserted having taken some paines to satisfie my selfe in those particulars But I thought it meet to insist on those things which did most discover the hand of God in so eminent and remarkable a Providence and lightly touch on other things so far as they may give light to that which is the name This Play was and old Play and had been Acted by some of Santon-Har-court men many years since The Title of it is A most pleasant Comedy of Mucedorus the Kings Sonne of Valentia and Amadine the Kings Daughter of Aragon with the merry conceits of Mouse c. The Actors of the Play were Countreymen most of them and for any thing I can heare all of Stanton-Harcourt Parish The punctuall time of their first Learning the Play cannot be certainly set downe but this we have been told they had been learning it ever since Michaelmas and had been Acting privatly every week This we are informed upon more certain grounds that they began to Act it in a more publike manner about Christmas and Acted it three or foure times in their own Parish they Acted it likewise in severall neighbowring Parishes as Moore Stanlake South-Leigh Cumner The last place that they came at was Witny where it pleased the Lord to discover his displeasure against such wicked and ungodly Playes by an eminent hand Some few dayes before the Play was to be Acted one of Stanton came to the Baylife of Witny telling him that there were some Countrey men that had learn'd to make a Play and desired his Leave to shew it his aime being as the Baylife conceiv'd that they might have the Liberty of the Towne-Hall Leave also was desired of the other Baylife but they being denied by both the Baylifs they pitched on the White Hart a chiefe Inne of the Towne to Act their Play there The day when it was Acted was the third of February the same day when many Godly People Townesmen and Schollars of Oxford kept a Solemne Day of Fast at Carfax About seaven a Clock at Night they caused a Drum to beat and a Trumpet to be sounded to gather the People together The people flocked in great multitudes Men Women and Children to the number as is guess'd of three Hundred some say foure hundred and the Chamber where the Play was Acted being full others in the Yard pressed sorely to get in The people which were in the Roome were exceeding Joviall and merry before the Play began Young men and Maides dancing together and so merry and frolick were many of the Spectators that the Players could hardly get Liberty that they themselves might Act but at last a little Liberty being obtained the Play it self began In the beginning of it Enters a Person that took the name of Comedie and speaks as follows Why so thus doe I hope to please Musick revives and Mirth is tolerable Comedie play thy part and please Make merry them that come to joy with thee With two or three verses more Vpon this enters Envy another person speaks as followes Nay stay Minion stay there lyes a block What all on mirth I 'le interrupt your tale And mix your Musick with a Tragickend Vpon which Comedie replyes Envy makesanswer againe in severall verses and among the rest these Harken thou shalt heare noyse Shall fill the ayre with shrilling sound And thunder Musick to the Gods above Three verses after it followes In this brave Musick Envy takes delight Where I may see them wallow in their bloud To spurne at Armes Leggs quite shivered off And heare the cryes of many thousand slaine After this Comedie speaks Envy replies Trebble death shall crosse thee with dispight And make thee mourn where most thou joyest Turning thy mirth into a deadly dole Whirling thy pleasurs with a peale of death And drench thy methods in a Sea of bloud Which passages if the Reader carry along with him he will see how farre they were made good by the Divine hand both on the Actors and Spectators The matter of the Play is scurrilous impious blasphemous in severall passages One passage of it hath such a bitter Taunt against all Godly persons under the name of Puritans and at Religion it selfe under the phrase of observing Fasting days that it may not be omitted it was almost in the beginning of the Play and they were some of the Clownes words when he first began to Act Well I le see my Father hang'd before I le serve his Horse any more well I le carry home my bottle of Hay and for once make my Fathers Horse turne Puritan and observe Fasting dayes for he gets not a bitt How remarkable was this that some of them that were called Puritans in the dayes of old had spent that very day in Oxford in Fasting and Prayer and that the Lord by so eminent an hand should testifie against such who were not only scoffers at Godly persons but at Religion it selfe Another passage was of so horrid an aspect as that the Actor who was to speak it durst not vent it without a change The verses as they are Printed are these Ah Bremo Bremo what a foyle hadst thou that yet at no time was afraid To dare the greatest Gods to fight with thee At the end of which verses it followeth He strikes and probable enough it is that he used some action at that time but the words were so gastly and had such a face of impiety in them that he durst not say Gods but as one that excused him would have us believe he sai'd Gobs And indeed so insolent were these and other expressions in the Play that some of the Spectators thought they were not fit to be used and when they heard them wished themselves out of the roome We might instance in some other passages but there hath been enough already The modest and ingenuous reader would blush to read some passages Thus had they continued their sport for an hour and halfe as some of the Spectators say but as is more probable about two houres for they were ordinarily three houres in acting it as the Players say and there were aboue two parts in three of the play that were passed over in this Action At which time it pleased God to put a stop to their mirth and by an immediate hand of his owne in causing the chamber to sink and fall under them to put an end to this ungodly Play before it was thought or intended by them The Actors who were now in action were Bremo a wild man courting and solliciting his Lady and among other things begging a Kisse in this verse Come kisse me Sweet for all my favours past And Amadine the Kings daughter as named in the Play but in truth a young man attired in a womans Habit. The words which were then speaking were these the words of Bremo to his Lady Thou shalt be
Lord intends you this day as to say when you come home we have heard a sermō of Judgment and that is all we expected some such thing Do not so ill requite the Lord and his word but harken to the counsels of his word and be obedient to the same The scope of the Apostle in this Epistle The Coherence is to set downe the true way of mens Justification and salvation which he affirmes to be by the pure grace of God and not by the works of men This way or modell of God in saving men the materiall principle from whence both their Justification and Salvation must arise viz imputed righteousnesse he calls the righteousnesse of God in the verse before the text which is so called because the righteousnesse by which men are saved is a righteousnesse of Gods finding out and of his own bestowing and not any such thing as men have either framed and devised themselves or were able to work out by any thing that they could doe This righteousnesse he saies is revealed in the Gospell it is the Gospell that chalkes out this modell and plat-forme of righteousnesse and life and by this way must men be justified and saved and not by their owne workes this is the maine proposition which he layes down in the 17 verse In the text we have the first proof or argument to make that assertion good the argument stands thus The workes of all men in the world whether Jewes or Gentiles ever since the fall of Adam they are wicked ungodly unrighteous workes therefore they cannot be saved by them the argument is very cleare and strong here All men deserve wrath the utmost wrath displeasure and vengeance of God by thei◠owne workes therefore they cannot deserve his love favour or good will they are so far from deserving his love that they deserve the quite contrary This is the coherence For explication of the words The wrath of God By wrath we are to understand wrath in the Root and in the Fruit in the cause The opening of the Text. and in the effect God is highly displeased with men by reason of sin he loathes their wayes and abhorres their practises he beares a bitter and a deadly hatred against all the wickednesse which men commit and he hath an inward quarrell if we may so speak a secret grudge in his heart against men themselves for the same this is wrath in the root or cause And then againe he inflicts plagues and punishments the most dreadfull curses and fearfull judgments on men by reason of sin all which are visible and signall tokens of his displeasure and manifest proofs that he cannot endure them nor any of their wayes this is wrath in the fruit or effect Is revealed from heaven There may be a twofold sense of this a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simpliciter significat Pau lus manifestius esse quam ut quisquam inficiari possit Dominum è caelo in omnes ac singulos homines indignari Beza 1. The sense may be it is revealed clearly and manifestly as much as if it were by a voice from heaven The Lord God Almighty the blessed and most holy God he proclaimes it from heaven and cries aloud in the eares of all the world that he is deeply offended with all the ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse which men cōmit that he will certainly call them to an account and punish them for it In Psalm 14 2. it is said The Lord looked from HEAVEN upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God now here it is said his wrath is revealed from heaven God is no idle spectator he doth not carelessly behold the actions of men as if so be they might doe what they listed and he not discerne or not be moved at it no he looks down from heaven upon the children of men Jehovah from the heavens looked down upon the sons of Adam so one reads it He looks with a watchfull observant eye his eye is intent and fixt upon all the sons of Adam upon the whole raceof mankind and for what is all this curious search made it is to see if there were any that did understand and seek God But was he well pleased when he found it otherwise no surely finding all to be corrupt that they were all gone aside that they were all together becōe filthy that there was none that did good no not one that they were workers of iniquity v. 1.3.4 he gives out the sentence he pronoūceth it from heaven he proclaimes it in the eares of all the world that he is highly offended and his wrath is gone out against men by reason of these things Psalm 4.2 O ye sons of men how long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing how long will ye run mad on sin and be so desperately adventerous in the waies in which you walk But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe verse 3 Take it for granted that JEHOVAH that is the Highest Lord the Majesty of heaven and earth he is provoked and incensed by all these waies and it is the godly man that he lookes after know ye Jehovah hath marvelously seperated a gratious saint to him so Ainsworth It is the pious devout holy soul that Jehovah regards and he hath marvelously seperated him or selected in wondrous sort b segregavit Graecum Latinum mirificavit quod verbum non est alienum a proposito ubi bi de opilione ad regiam dignitatem evecto agitur neque a Grammatica cùm verba quae mirabile facere separare Hebraice significant fimilia sint atque idcirco suas fignificatiōes facile confundere possint ex regula Grammaticorum usn Hebraicae linguae Muis in loc he hath put him in another rank set a mark of excellency upon him he hath set him in opposition to the wicked ungodly men and such as love vanity whome he hath set on another file whose names are written in his black book and hath marked them out as the objects of his wrath this is illustrated Psal 11.4 5 ver The Lord is in his holy temple The Lords throne is in heaven his eyes behold his eye-lids tries the children of men The Lord trieth the righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth Another sense may be the wrath of God is revealed from heaven that is it is manifested by evident cleare remarkable plagues and Judgments from heaven God hath discovered to all the world that he is an utter enemy to all the sin wickednesse and ungodlinesse of men because he hath punished in all generations wicked and ungodly men with most fearfull plagues and judgments he hath shewen signes and tokens from heaven so that all men have seene his hand Pareus A learned expositor understands this phrase from Heaven as that which is opposed to the opinion of prophane men who ascribe the
so be they venture on it 2. The second way whereby the wrath of God is manifested is the light of the word Now this is twofold 1. The light of the Law 2. The light of the Gospell 1. It is manifested by the light of the Law the Law threatning nothing but death curses plagues and vengeance to all sin and ungodlinesse whatsoever Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 wouldst thou know whether the wrath of God hangs over men by reason of sin doe but read the 28. Chap. of Deuteron There you shall find curse upon curse In the 15. verse it is said all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the city and cursed in the field cursed shall be thy basket and cursed in thy store v. 20. The Lord shall send upon thee cursing vexation rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to doe untill thou be destroyed and untill thou perish quickly because of the wickednesse of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken me The Law threatneth nothing but wrath it worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 It causes a sense of wrath by threatning wrath to all the transgressors of it 2. Is it otherwise in the gospell no the gospel that reveals wrath too The wrath of God is revealed from heaven As much as if the Apostle should say we the Apostles and Embassadours of God do bring this message from heaven and publish it in our gospell to the world that the wrath of God is due to men by reason of sin all men by nature are under wrath already they are children of wrath Eph. 2. and there is a day which is comming when this wrath shall come upon them to the utmost if they doe not believe and repent Obj. Yea but the gospell reveales Christ salvation pardon of sin An. True this is the first intention of the gospell Heb 2.3 and the first offer which it makes but if men neglect so great salvation if they will not stoop to gospell tearms and submit to what it commands if they will not repent and believe then there is so much the more wrath Mark 1.14.15 and the heavyer vengeance Heb. 10.28.29 He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the sonne of God Besides the gospell teacheth that God will judge the secrets of mens hearts Rom. 2.16 In the day when God shall judge the hearts of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospell Thy secret pride covetousnesse ambition thy secret thefts adulteries thy secret scorning of the word and ordinances these must be all judged the Gospell that hath said so much in effect It is according to the Doctrine of the gospell that there must a generall judgment passe on all a mans sinnes and therefore on the secrets of their hearts his inward and most secret sins It is according to my gospell saith the Apostle that men must be judged why where had Paul said so In that samous sermon of his Acts 17.30.31 And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him frō the Dead Or else he saies according to his gospell because this was the tenor of the gospell a part and portion of the gospell one of the most ordinary and usuall Doctrines therein revealed he and the rest of the Apostles going up and down and preaching the day of judgment unto men bringing that as a maine argument why they should repent and believe because that there was a day a comming when they must be called to a reckoning for all their sinnes So likewise it is the gospell that saies 2. Thes 1.7.8.9 The Lord Jesus shal be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire takeing vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 4. 4. Part. The fourth thing for the prosecution of the Doctrine was to make proof that this wrath of God towards sin and sinners hath been confirmed and made good by sundry judgments inflicted upon sinners from time to time Now here we need not stand long the whole Book of God is full of cleare and pregnant examples to this purpose You all know the story of the old world it is said expressly God brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly 2. Peter 2.5 You have all read or heard the judgment that befell Sodom and Gomorrah It is recorded with a speciall note Gen. 19 24. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven The name of the Lord is used twice here to shew that it was a speciall hand from heaven that brought this e Hebraismus est pluit Dominus a Domino de coelo pro Dominus pluit a se de coelo Vatab. The Lord did this by himselfe as it were it was not a chance or accident as some call the most fearfull judgments that ever have been executed it was not the ill Crasis and disposition of second causes no it was an immediate hand from heaven it was Jehovah that did it We might instance in the examples of f Exod. 14. Pharaoh and his Host which were drowned in the red sea in the examples of g Numb 16. Korah Dathan Abiram of h Isai 37. Senacherib and diverse others From the old Testament we might passe to the New and speak of the ends of Judas Ananias and Saphira Herod These things you all know much also might be fetched from Histories sacred prophane to consirme this Ecclesiasticall Histories are full of examples in this kind M. Fox in his Book of Martyrs hath a speciall tract to shew the fearfull ends of severall of the most Eminent persecutors of the Church and people of God 5. 5 Partic. The Last thing for the clearing of the Doctrine is to shew the grounds and reasons of this why God takes this course many times in this world to inflict upon notorious sinners some remarkable judgments might it not be thought sufficient that there are eternall punishments reserved for them The reasons therefore why God doth this are these 1. Reason 1. He doth it to put a stop to the Atheisme that is in the world The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Psal 14.1 The Atheist sayes we may doe as we list the Lord sees
also who continuest in thine abominations Tophet is ordained of old yea Isai 30.33 for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it There is elbow roome enough in hell for all the drunkards swearers Atheists in the world He hath made it deepe and large it will hold them all there is no feare of it this is the place prepared for thee Be thou a great sinner or little sinner it matters not if so be thou be an unrepenting sinner it may be thy sin is soe secret way of ū just gain it may be it is wilfull ignorance constant neglect of holy duties be it what it will be if thou be an unrepentant sinner if thou keep thy sin in thy bosome if thou hide it as a sweet morsell under thy tongue the wrath of the Lord is gone out against thee Oh how great how dreadfull is that wrath Jerem. 10. v. 10. The Lord is the true God he is the liveing God and an everlasting King at his wrath the earth shall tremble and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation Revel 6.14 15 16 17. And the heaven departed as a scrole when it is rolled together every mountain Island were moved out of their places And the Kings of the earth and the great men the rich mē the chiefe captaines the mighty men and every bond-man and every free-man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountaines And said to the mountaines and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Thou mayest mock at the word now and despise the messengers of the Lord and make a light matter of sin hell wrath and judgment and every such thing Yea but then shalt thou cry to the rocks mountaines to fall on thee to shelter thee from the wrath of the Lord and the siercenesse of his anger The wrath of the King is as the roaring of a Lyon but what is the wrath of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords when the Almighty shall strech forth his owne hand against a poore rebellious creature one that had wallowed in his filthinesse and took his swinge in his base and swinish lusts and he shall set his owne almightynesse on worke to make him miferable Oh how great must that misery bee Revelation 1.7 Behold He commeth and every eye shall see him all kindreds of the earth shal wail because of him There is a mighty emphasis lies on it it is he that commeth who is that look back at the 5. verse and you will see it is Jesus Christ the faithfull witnesse the first begotten of the dead the prince of the Kings of the earth unto whom glory and dominion is due for ever and ever Behold he commeth it is ushered in with a note of astonishment and amazement it is not a poore despised Christ it is not a carpenters sonne that now appeares he commeth not in that meane low abject way as once he did no it is the glorious Lord Jesus it is the the faithfull witnesse one that hath received publique testimony in heaven of his truth and faithfullnesse in his fathers worke it is he that was raised up by the glory of the Father whom he hath set at his owne right hand Far above all principality and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come 'T is he commeth he comes not in a poore meane and abject manner no he commeth with clouds he shall come in the glory of his father and all the holy Angells with him Behold he commeth Or else we may refer this to the following verse v. 8. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning the ending saith the Lord which is which was which is to come the Almighty It is that Eternall that Almighty one Behold he comeeth So in the Epistle of Jude v. 14. Behold the Lord commeth Here we have a behold too The Lord commeth with ten-thousands of his Saints To see ten thousand Saints and thousand thousandes of Angells comming to Judgment Oh what a dreadfull sight would this bee but it is the Lord that commeth in the front and head of these they are but his followers attendants The Lord he whom thou hast hated scorned opposed all this while it is the Lord that cōmeth whose cōmands thou hast made bold withall and regarded no more then the dust under thy feet The Lord commeth to execute vengeance v. 15. who said expressely thou shouldst not be drunken riotous unjust abuse his mercies and the like this glorious mighty Lord he himselfe commeth he whom thou hast dishonoured provoked blasphemed so many yeares together and yet he let thee alone but now thou shalt pay for all he comes to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them he will spare none high nor low rich nor poore all shall stand before the judgement seat But is that all it followes he will convince them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed Thou canst be tipsy in a corner and commit filthinesse in secret and reserve some hidden close haunts of sin which are remote from the eyes of men but thou shalt not carry it so the Lord will convince all that are ungodly among them as subtill and as cunning an hypocrite as thou art thou shalt be unmasked the Lord will lay thee open before men and Angells thy basenesse and underhand dealing thy dodging and dawbing in matters of religion shall be brought to light at that day Thou sayest as those mockers did wher is the promise of his comming What is this day of Judgment hell and wrath that ministers tell us so much off Tush these are but Bug-beares to fright little children with and Preachers are grown so proud now a daies as they will have all men come to their bowes and have an awe and reverence of them but let us not be so weak to hearken to such tales But what followeth He will convince them of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Alas for thee poore man It is not the minister thou speakest against those thy wicked thy accursed thy hard speeches they are against him The Lord will not be mocked neither will he suffer his creatures to laugh him to scorne He will convince thee one day that sin hell and wrath are not dreames fancies and idle tales when thou hast lyen some millions of yeares in those insufferable torments and hast eternity for ever lying before thee to think what thou hast still to endure then thou wilt see whether sin be sin
revealed from heaven it is revealed from heaven against thee O Witny If there be any mockers or scoffers in the congregatioÌ„ that are come to deride the word I say if there be any such though I hope better things of the most of you yet if there be any secret scoffer in a corner I shall say to him as Job did to his friends when they had made light of his calamity and said it was just Job 11.3 Suffer me that I may speake and after that I have spoken mock on You that make so light of the hand of God laugh at all his judgements heare the message which the Lord sent if after that ye have a mind to mock then mock ye on take your fill of laughter and it may be you may have your belly full of mocking another day Brethren mistake me not my aime is not to make you sad though it is fit indeed you should be humbled for your sins Alas what pleasure can it be to the proor servants and messengers of the Lord to make any one sad No no it is your good and happinesse it is the welfare and happinesse of this place I aime at and I hope by that time you have heard all I have to say you will be convinced that it is so indeed Let me speak to you as the Apostle doth to his Corinthians 2. Cor. 11.1 Would to God you could bare with me a little in my folly and indeed beare with me And then at the 20 verse for ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage if a man devoure you if a man take of you if a man exalt himselfe if a man smite you on the face Many I feare are apt to plead for their lusts and corruptions for their games and sports which have devoured them and consumed them and brought them low and is there not as much reason they should beare with the word which comes in all plainnesse and faithfulnesse to doe them good Certainly my brethren the hand of the Lord is lifted up the great and dreadfull God the King of the whole earth hath shewen himselfe in the midst of you I could have hoped there would not be found a man in this place that was come to that height of Atheisme as to say this not was the hand of God this was not a judgement it was only a chance a mis-fortune such a thinge might fall out the house was weak the beam was not strong enough to support such a multitude I could here cease speaking to such a man and desire a corner to turne aside weep in even power out rivers of teares in his behalf It was that which made the Prophet cry out in the like case Isai 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see How was the Lords hand lifted up Do but read the former verses and you will find in the 9. verse we heare of his judgements being abroad and in the 10. verse we heare of favour shewen to the wicked Let favour be shewen to the wicked yet will he not learne righteousnesse The Lords hand was lifted up in a way of judgment and in a way of mercy it was his righteous judgment that some were cut off and it was his mercy that others were spared and yet when his hand was lifted up so Emenently they would not see The Lord hath shewen both his severity and his goodnesse amongst you severity to them that sufferred and goodnesse to you that were preserved Is it not the Lords goodnesse or to returne to the Prophets expression is it not a favour shewen to thee that thou hast thy life giventhee when others were crushed to death is it not a favour that thou art safe and sound when others had their limbes broken their bodies grievously bruised Oh this was that which so moved the Prophet or the church her selfe that is brought in speaking in that chapt that she knew not well how to beare it Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see It is a patheticall speech and it savours of somewhat a grieved and troubled spirit Oh the hard-heartednesse the pride and stoutnesse that is in men not to see when the Lords hand is so lifted up What is thy heart flint and thy Bowels made of brasse will not wrath from heaven great wrath affect thee Read what followes in the same verse They will not see but they shall see Thou winkest with thine eyes now but the Lord will open them at last thou wilt not believe this is the wrath of God thou wilt believe it to purpose another day and it may be that day is not far off That I may shew you the wretchednesse of this disposition not to see and acknowledge the Lord in such great things but to lay them upon chance misfortune second causes and the like Consider 1 This is a meer heathenish temper the Heathens could not do worse then so the Philistines they said if the matter fell not out so and so as they had cast it it was not the hand of the Lord that smote them but it was a chance that happened 1. Sam. 6.9 shall we make our selves Philistines shall we compare our selves with the worst of the heathens Nay some of the heathens have acknowledged the r Vide Lipsium Physiolog Stoic l. 1. Dissert undecimá et seq Arrian lib. 1. cap. 6. 12 mo Jamblich de vitâ Pythag. cap. 28. Stobaeum Eclog. Physic lib. 1. cap. 3. Providence of God in such Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieroâ—l in aur carm paulo post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 matters t Nec Homerus hoc nescivit qui de Graecis adflictis causam reddit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lips diss 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. apud Sâ—obaeum in Phys they lookt upon evills befalling them as the just punishments of their sinnes they have feared and trembled at the things that have come to passe as acknowledging a Divine Power that was the cause of them u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieroc in Aur. Car. The x Circa religiâ—nâ—â— talem accepimâ—â— Tomtrua sulgura paulo â—nâ—â—rmius eâ—pavescchat Suct in Augustâ— Roman Emperours yea those among them who have been most y Ausus interdum non solum vultum attollere sed etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Refert Casaub de Caligula ex Dione prophane wicked and at sometimes have contemned God religion it selfe and have lookt the judgments of God in the face with pride scorne at other times they have been surprized with a Panick feare If they heard but z Nam qui De os tantopere contemneret ad minima tonitrna fulgura connivere caput obvolvere advero majora proripere se estrato sub lectuque condere solebat Sue Calig thundering lightning they would croutch under their bedds and hide their heads fearing that some plague from heaven was comming upon them The Historian reports of
bring astonishing judgments Some sins of this nature were they that destroyed Sodom and caused fire to come down from heaven upon it viz the sin of uncleannesse and unnaturall lusts These things are too fowle to be named these things are enough to make the sun in the firmament to blush and be ashamed and the light of the day to hide and couer it selfe in which there is mention made of such things 3. A third sin which is too visible and apparent is Neglect of the word and ordinances Some of them that did attend upon the ordinances have turned their back upon them and the generality amongst you doe apparently sleight them Formerly what flockinge hath there been to sermons how hath this place been filled every Alley corner crowded No people so famous for readinesse diligence in hearing the word as the people of Witny Ministers that have occasionally preached among you have observed it your Name hath been famous amongst others How thin are your Congregations grown upō the lords day how small an handfull there are upon Lecture dayes I am to sad a witnesse Brethren suffer me to speak my feares I feare one of the great sins that bath pluct down this judgment was the neglect of the Gospell It was not long since the last time that ever I preacht amongst you on the Lords day in a full assembly I beseeched you I intreated you by all the arguments of love gentlenesse sweetnesse that possibly I could to attend upon the word I beseecht you by the love of God by the mercies of the Lord by the bowells of his goodnesse that you would not sleight the word The Text was from that of St. John 1 Iohn 4.8 9. God is love and the poynt from it was that the Love of God monifested to the world in the dispensation of himselfe by Jesus Christ it was the most peerelesse matchlesse incomperable love that ever was Hence were you called upon in such exhortations as these in the Applciation Oh do not grieve such a Love doe not sleight it doe not abuse it Oh unkind sinner Oh hard-hearted sinner worse then the blackest divell in hell that canst be drunk that canst sweare that canst laugh at holinesse in the face of that very Love which is come to save thee to pardon thee that hath sent the only begotten sonne that thou might'st have life through him Do not sin against this love do not grieve it suffer this love to attaine its ends to accomplish its desires The designe of love is to bring thee unto life and it hath cost it deare to bring about that designe the sonne of God must come downe from heaven to bring this to passe and is that so small a matter why should any of us be willing to stop this love in its workings to hinder it in its aimes and intentions all the designe of this love is to bring us unto life and is there any harme in that Ah my Brethren is Death spirituall Eternall death such a sweet such a pleasant thing that we should be in love with it Is wrath the wrath of the Almighty everlasting wrath a thing to be desired that we should refuse to accept of the offers of eternall love when it comes to offer life and salvation With many more Reasonings in this kind After this you were exhorted to make use of the meanes of life and of salvation in some such words as these If you are willing to come to the Lord Jesus for life you cannot be unwilling to attend upon those meanes and that word that holds forth Christ and salvation Will any one say that that man prizes a pardon that will not vouchsafe so much as to look upon it nor to read it when it is sent unto him Oh my Brethren the Gospell is the word of life the word of peace of pardon and of salvation can he be said to prize salvation and Christ that will not come to that word which brings Christ salvation and all Is that man willing in good earnest to be saved however all men say they are willing God forbid els but is he so in good earnest that will not step over his threshold to heare a Sermon where this gospell is brought the meās of salvation tēdred I beseech you suffer me to speake to you in the name of the Lord I beseech you in the name of Jesus Christ I beseech you in the bowells of Jesus Christ if you think this loue of God the greatest love that revealeth pardō life happinesse salvation do not think it much to wait upon the word that reveales it and makes it manifest Faith commeth by hearing and hearing is the ordinary meanes to beget Faith and so to bring to Christ and to salvation I beseech you do not sleight this Exhortation if you do I must tell you though I am loath so to do yet I am constrained this Sermon will rise up in judgment against you at the last day and I must come in as a witnesse against you These were some of the arguments wher-withall you were pressed yet not-with-standing all these beseechings and entreaties to my griefe I observed it scarce were there any that did the more frequent the word preached hath not the Lord shewen his hand severely whereas there are scarce many Scores that wil cōe to hear the word there are some Hūdreds will go to see a wicked an ungodly play Certainly the Lord hath bin avēged for this Do but read that 10. of Lu. frō the be ginning so on at the 5. verse it is said Into whatsoever house you enter first say Peace be to this house but what followes in the 10 verse it is said But into whatsoever citty ye enter and they recieve you not goe your waies out into the streets of the same and say even the very dust of your citty which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you And then there is a sad close in v. 12. But I say unto you that it shall be more tollerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment then for you 4. Another provoking sin is the sin of Atheisme and irreligion Do but read what the Lord Jesus speakes to the Church of Pergamos Rev. 2.14 I have a few things against thee why what is the matter Thou hast there them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam and then againe at the 15. ve So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans The doctrine of Balaam is expressed He taught Balaack to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto Idolls and to commit fornication The Doctrine of the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphanius de Nicolao Nicolaitans was much of the same nature and I blush to tell you what it was they did not onely hold a liberty of uncleannesse but a necessity of it Now what was the quarrell which Christ had with this church thou hast
there them that hold such and such things In thee O Pergamos are found such monstrous and abominable Doctrines in thee are found such as maintaine thē will stand for them with thee it is that they have their seat and residence Are there not to be found in thee O Witny corrupt licentious abominable Doctrines hast thou not also them that hold them that contend for them with might maine Are there none amongst you that make a mock of sin that make sin nothing that hold there is no such thing as sin Are there none amongst you that deny the great fundamentall Doctrines which are the very hinges pillars and foundations of all religion denying the resurrection the immortality of the soule election and reprobation Heaven and hell that deny the damnation of any and maintaine the salvation of all that can take away the scriptures the whole Bible and religion it selfe all at once are there none such as these are These are sad provocations black and dismall provocations I would feigne believe some poore soules are led aside through weaknesse and simplicity and are beguiled through the subtility of that old serpent whose wiles they are ignorant of The good Lord deliver them that they perish not It s a dangerous thing to stumble at the fundamentalls of religion and godlinesse although it be through weaknesse But if there be any such who obstinately and pertinatiously maintaine such Doctrines against cleare and convincing light formerly shining on them against the truth which sometimes they owned and professed they are in a sad and fearfull case Read the Epistles of St. Peter and Jude and there you will see the ends of those men 2. Pet. 2.1 They bring upon themselves swift destruction v. 3. Their Judgment now of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not Ep. Iude v. 4. who were before of old ordained to this condemnation If a man out of despight make a mock of Preaching sabbaths ordinances if there be any worse place in hell it is reserved for that man You see what the sinnes are which are found amongst you I have now shewen you your wounds my next work is to endeavour the healing of them and indeed that was my maine intention it was not a pleasure to me to search and lance your your soares yet that was necessary to a cure The maine exhortation pressed on you hath been an exhortation to repentance to serious to speedy repentance And that which remaines is to give more particular direction what your carriage and deportment ought to be under the present hand of God There are these foure things you ought to set before you and to have in your eye 1. The work of Humiliation 2. The work of Reconciliation 3. The work of Reformation 4. The work of Remembrance for so it may be called laying it as a solemne charge upon your selves to keep in remembrance this strange and wonderfull providence 1. The first Duty to be set upon is the work of Humiliation I do not meane you should set upon it in your own strength but take the strength of Christ with you and the strength of the spirit with you and then you may go on You have sinned greatly oh humble your selves greatly before the Lord Manasseth did so after his great sinnes 2. Chron. 33.12 And when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers Every particular soule should humble himselfe for his particular sinnes and say Good Lord what have my sinnes been that such wrath should come upon Witny in my dayes Every family should mourne and lament over the sinnes of that family Husbands should mourne apart and the Wives a part children a part and servants a part every one mourning for his owne personall sinnes and the family sinnes In the 12. Zachar. 11. we read of a great mourning a great mourning indeed as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon When was that When that good King Iosiah was slaine 2. Chron. 35.23.24.25 Oh that was a dreadfull a terrible Judgment to have such a Prince taken from them and this occasioned a great mourning the text saies all Iudah and Ierusalem mourned for Iosiah All were turned mourners then and there was no one but bare a part in these lamentations Ieremiah the Prophet he lamented for Iosiah and the singing men and the singing women spake of Iosiah in their lamentations unto this day Their singing was turned into mourning and their rejoycing into lamentation You have had a great many singing men and singing women in this place such as would goe frō doore to doore singing their songs and carolls to make themselves and others mirth Oh! it were well if your singers were turned into mourners if your harpers were turned into lamenters if insteed of al your songs carols dācings you would now come and weep together and say as Ieremiah doth Lament 3.1 How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger How hath the Lord covered poore Witney with a cloud in his anger and as it is in the 4. verse He hath bent his bow like an enemy he stood with his right hand as an adversary he powred our his fury like fire Complaine as the Church also doth in Lam. 3. with a little change in the expression We are the people that have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath v. 3. Surely against us is he turned he turneth his hand all the day v. 4. our flesh our skin hath he made old he hath broken our bones Thus I say cōe weep together every soule should weep every family should weep the whole Town should weep and indeed it were well if God would put it into your hearts to keep a day of weeping to set apart some solemne day to fast and pray and weep and humble your selves before the Lord. Say unto the Lord as it is Lam. 1 18. The Lord is righteous for we have rebelled against his commandements and as the Church bemoanes her selfe Lam 3.39 40 41 c. Wherefore doth a living man complaine a man for the punishment of his sins let us search and try our wayes and turne again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens We have transgressed and rebelled thou hast not pardoned Thou hast covered with anger and persecuted us thou hast slaine thou hast not pittied 2. Aime at Reconciliation The Lord is displeased he hath been highly provoked oh labour to get his anger removed and his wrath pacifyed Run apace to the Lord Jesus entreat him to stand betweene you and his fathers wrath go to him speedily go to him immediately before farther wrath breake forth It is not all our teares though we could poure out whole rivers of thē that can wash away one sin no no in that day 't is spoken immediately after the mention of that
great mourning there shall be a fountaine opened for sin Zach. 13.1 and for uncleannesle Mourne you must mourne greatly mourne bitterly yea but it is the fountaine that must wash away sin it must be the fountaine of the Lord Christs blood that must wash away the fowle and horrible sins of Witney Come then wash in this fountaine wash and you shall be cleane In the 16 of Numbers we read of great wrath no sooner had God executed that fearfull judgment upon Korah and his rebellious compāy but the people fell to murmering immediately v. 41. But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmered against Moses and against Aaron saying ye have killed the people of the Lord. Oh desperate and adventrous sinners that when they saw the judgment of God executed the very day before yet they fell into the same sins which they were guilty of which had been so plagued How angry is the Lord for this v 44 45. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying get you up from among this congregation that I may consume them as in a moment But what doth Moses do in this case v 46. And Moses said unto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein from off the Alter and put on incense and go quickly unto the congregation and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun This represented the mediation of Jesus Christ Isa 53.12 who is said to make intercession for the transgressors He is that Angell in the Revelation that stands at the Alter having a golden censer and much incense given to him that he should offer it with the prayers of thee Saints chapt 8.3 Now Moses saies to Aaron go quickly or as it may be read make to go with speed that is as the Chaldee and Greeke translateth it carry quickly or in haste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Make haste to the Lord Jesus away to him every soule of you all you that have not known what the worth of the Lord Jesus is till this houre know now how to prize him it is he that must pacify the wrath of God that is gone out against thee for thy prophanenesse and thine uncleannesse and thy neglect of the word and thine Atheisme Oh fall in love with the incomperably pretious Lord Jesus this day as soon as ever thou commest home fall upon thy knees beg thou mayest have a Christ given to thee the wrath of the Almighty is gone out against thee and will otherwise certainly consume thee There is no dealing with a sin-revenging Majesty but only in by a Mediator As for you that have interest in this pretions Name O make use of it present the righteousnesse and satisfaction of the Lord Jesus Christ unto the father It is he that must stand betweene the dead and the living some are cut off already and the wrath of the Lord is not yet appeased If you interpose not the Lord Jesus you may expect more wrath and more plagues This I commend to you as the chiefe and maine direction of all the rest it is not all thy carelesnesse and security it is not all thy sleighting and despising the judgments of God that will be able to keep off the wrath of the Lord in the end No this will bring on thee so much the more wrath and heavyer vengeance Get into the Lord Jesus hide your selves in the clefts of that rock till this indignation be over past If ever Christ be worth having now is the time You that cared not for Christ when you were at ease and when you lived in pleasure my thinkes you should long after Christ and be restlesse till you have gotten him now judgment is come upon you Oh Brethren if the Judgments of God in this world be so terrible that they are enough to abash and appale the stoutest sinners how terrible and how dreadfull will that last and great day of judgment bee If thou canst not stand before an angry God now without a Saviour without an advocate to plead thy cause when he doth but manifest a little of his displeasure and gives but a gentle touch of his finger how wilt thou stand before him without a Saviour and an advocate when he shall come with millions of Saints and Angells when the Bookes must be opened and every mans life ripped open and it shall be said There wast thou drunk in such a corner there hadst thou thy wanton dalliances upon such a bed at such a time didst thou revile at the Ministers of God and mock at his waies and the professors of them so many yeares thou livedst in the world and yet never didst study how thou mightest come to the knowledge of God or the way to life and happinesse when all this and much more shall be said and then the Lord shall not come to let in a veine of his wrath only but he will pluck up all the sluces open all the floud-gates of his wrath and vengeance when that dismall place of torment shall be set before thee where those unquencheable flames are where thou shalt heare the devills roaring the damned yelling and see all this prepared for thee how wilt thou be able to hold up thy head at such a day Make sure of Christ betimes They were the last and dying words of one who in his life time was the Jewell and Paragon of Religion and piety in the country where he lived Make sure of Christ He is better then all the gold and treasures in the world better then the Rubies or the Onyx stone Thou art eternally happy if thou get him and Eternally miserable if thou come short of him 3. The next thing that is to be studied and endeavoured after is Reformation It is Reformation that the Lord looketh after Do you think that the Lord delighteth in the death of your children that he taketh pleasure in the breaking bruising of your bones is it matter of joy to him to see the hurts and heare the dolefull complaints of your wives servants and neere relations No no God is love as you have many times heard had not your sinnes put him upon it there had not been so sad a spectacle found amongst you Put away therefore that evill thing which is in the middest of you When the children of Israel had fallen before their enemies Achan who had taken the accursed thing and been the occasion of the misery and distresse that fell upon them must be found out and stoned You have seene already some of the Achans that have troubled your peace stone them now and put them to death You have heard it was the prophanenesse the ūcleannesse the contempt of the Gospell the Atheisme and irreligion that is among you that hath caused all your trouble put away these accursed things And here let me speake more fully to you under these foure heads 1. To the looser and prophaner sort 2. To them
be in the whole towne Away now with all your sinfull sports and merriments away with all your cards and dice singing dancing and such like vanityes Insteed of these things set up Catechizing praying in the family morning and evening and let one neighbour come to another and say come let us go to heaven together and seek the Lord together Jerem. 50 4.5 In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Judah together going weeping they shall ge seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten Oh what a blessed change would this bee if young and old rich and poor husbands and wives parents and children masters and servants would all joyne together if they would come weeping together and seek the Lord if all the people in this place would set their faces towards Heaven and toward Religion and say Come let us joyne our selves in a perpetuall Covenant we will strike in with the Lord this day and we will never alter our choice more it shall be a Covenant that shall never be forgotten If you would all resolve this day Come we will goe to Zion with our faces thitherward We will go where the word is preached and where the ordinances are set up and where the worship of God is celebrated oh we will neglect the word no more we will neglect the ordinances no longer This is one of the last requests I have to leave with you oh do not neglect the opertunityes of hearing the word and comming to the Ordinances as you have done For the Lords sake you that are masters of families come your selves and bring your children and servants along with you you that have friends bring your friends with you Go weeping as they did and say oh we have neglected the word and neglected Christ and neglected salvation but we will neglect them no more Let that prophecy be fulfilled of you which was spoken Isai 2.3 And many people shall goe and say Come ye and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Load to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem Redeeme an houre in the week day to heare the word your callings will not prosper ever the worse 4 The last thing I have to propound to you by way of direction is the Duty of Remembrance Forget not the Wonderous workes which the Lord hath wrought When mercyes or Judgements are new and fresh we are apt to speak of them and to be affected with them but a little time weares them out of our minds and blots them quite out of our Remembrance Oh take heed of this Bind this sad Providence for a signe upon your hands and let it be as Frontlets between your eyes Set it down in your Almanacks and keep a Register of the Day oh this was the black and dismall day of Gods visitation on poor Witny It were good if you kept some solemne day every yeare as a remembrance of this sad and heavy stroke For as great mercyes require great and and solemne praises so do great judgments require great aed solemne humiliation They speake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day and made them an Ordinance in Israel and behold they are written in the Lamentations 2. Chron. 35.25 It seemes they had a constant remembrance of that judgment the losse of good Josiah they speak of him to this day It was a constant practise amongst them to remember that sad stroke and they had a solemne Book of Lamentations appointed to mourne for this judgment Luke 17.32 Remember Lots wife We have not many such Remembers in all the Book of God upon so speciall an occasion they may easily be all reckoned up and therefore here is some speciall thing hinted to us Here was a speciall monument of Gods judgment on a woman that was hankering after her old pleasures she had been used to the delights and contentments of Sodom and she was loath to part with these she lookt back to the Sodom of her former pleasures and contentments and whilst she is looking back she became a Pillar of salt Oh remember this saith our Saviour Remember Lots Wife There is an accent put on this You of this place have been hankering after sports and merriments you have been mightily set on these things and the Lord hath shewen his displeasure by an Eminent hand and a streched out arme Oh remember this remember the Tragicall story at the White Hart. You have heard now at large what your duty is in generall it is to fall upon the work of Repentance You have likewise been directed particularly how to carry your selves in that work and what the particular Duetyes are which are to be done by you and what the Lord expects from each of you in your severall rankes and places That which remaines is only in the close of all to adde a motive or two to that which hath been already said to presse that which is your duety on you 1. If you do not repent some worse thing will come upon you It may be the Lord may send a Fire next to consume all your houses it may be he may send the pestilence among you to devoure you or if not that a famine the Lord hath wayes enough to punish unrepentant sinners Read over that 26. of Leviticus there you will see what the Lord threatens in such a case v. 23.24 If ye will not be reformed by these things but will walk contrary unto me then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seaven times for your sinnes v. 27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me but walk contrary unto me then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury and I even I will chastise you seaven times for your sinnes If you think to wax stout and stubborne against the Lord he will be as stout against you if you walk contrary to him he will doe so to you and if one judgment will not do it he will follow you with a second a third and if you still harden your hearts against him he will cōe against you in Fury he will summon up all his wrath and vengeance and if he be able to break and ruine you to be sure he will do it Oh it is a dreadfull word v. 17. I will set my face against you and that in the 28. verse I even I will chastise you As much as if he should say I the great God I that made heaven and earth and can turne the foundation of it upsidedown whē I please I will set my selfe against you I will engage all my
wisedōe and all my power I will put forth all my glory and excellency to destroy you If temporall judgments will not prevaile God hath eternall punishents in a readinesse for obstinate and incorrigible sinners Tophet is prepared c. Hell is in readinesse eternall flames everlasting burnings are prepared and those that would not be tamed and brought into order by the judgments of God in this world will be still and calme enough when they are thrown there Then thy pride and stoutnesse of heart against the Lord thy stubbornnesse and incorrigiblenesse will do thee little good This hath God prepared Ps 7.11 12 13. God is angry with the wicked every day if he turne not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath also prepared for him the instruments of death Are not the judgments of God in this world terrible enough do they not strike deep enough do men beare up themselves against the Almighty and wax proud against him notwithstanding these Oh! he hath yet a deadly instrument left behind he can strike them into hell and then they are struck to purpose Art thou not afraid of the first death the worst as thou supposest of temporall evills because that is but a short passage But there is the second death when thou shalt be ever dying and yet never dye thou shalt be alwayes in the pangs and agonyes of death and yet never past death it selfe The judgments of God in this world they are but as the Alphabet as the A.B.C. to that great O quantum erit istud Consistorium quod Majestate divina apparente to millibus Angelorum celebrabitur quanto majoris Majestatis tanto majoris terroris horror is erit impi is Luth. and last judgment It was Luthers expression Oh how great sayes he againe shall that consistory be When the Divine majesty shall appeare and so many thousand Angels and by how much the greater the Majesty of that court shall be so much greater will the dread and horror be that will fall upon wicked men 2. If you be a reformed people the Lord will delight in this place as much as ever he hath loathed it The Lord doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men No Judgment is his strange work had you not put him to it he had never done that which he hath Returne now unto the Lord make a covenant with him this day to serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind Choose the Lord for your God and give up your selves in Christ Jesus to him to walk with him unto all well pleasing then will he rejoyce over you to do you good he will set himselfe to blesse you with his whole heart and with his whole soule Blessed shall you be in the towne blessed in the field blessed in your basket and blessed in your store Blessed when you rise up and blessed when you lye down All the people that passe by you shall say Behold Witny the Place which the Lord hath blessed The Lord shal take away your reproach and it shall no more be said this is Witny whom the the Lord hath plagued but this is Witny whom the Lord hath loved whom the Lord delighteth in Yea the Lord himselfe shall Blesse you out of Lion You shall have all the Gospell mercyes knowledge shall increase and the feare of the Lord abound amongst you others shall bee provoked by your zeale they shall come and see the religion that is in Witny and say Behold the place that was eminent for sin and judgment is now become eminent for Holinesse and mercy And now I may say as Moses did after he had thundered out all the curses and sweetly laid forth all the blessings of the Lord upon their obedience or disobedience to the Law I have set life and death before you this day Oh chuse the way of life and you are blessed blessed shall you here and blessed for evermore FINIS