What vengeance is that like to prove which hath Gods Armies of Fire and Wind united Is it nothing that the Fire burned at some time contrary to the Wind and as it were in opposition to it and was then as uncheckable as when it had the Winds raising and chasing it Is it nothing that in the drought of the season and the want of water God seem'd to hinder the application of Remora's to both Wind and Fire Was not therein the Judgement executed upon England in its heart which God threatned against the Chaldeans a drought is upon her Waters and they shall be dryed up Jer. 50.38 for it is a Land of graven Images and they are madd upon their Idols Is it nothing that the rational and probable anticipations of the constagrating progresses of the Fire which might have been were hid from the eyes of those whose interest it would have been to have improved them Did not God at that time take courage from the mighty and wisdome from the wise Is it nothing that London the great Bulwark of the Reformed Religion against the assaults and batteries of Popery and Prophaness is in a great measure destroyed But above all Is it nothing that generally there is so little sense of any of these Judgements The Wine of Astomshment is given us to drink and we reel to and fro like Drunkards But alas 2 Chron. 7.14 Who humbleth himself and prayes and seeks Gods face and turns from his wicked wayes that God may heal our Land 2. The sins of any one of us may be the Incendiâ— aries Should not your hearts be broken for and from your sins seeing the sins of any one of you in particular may have been the great Incendiary This is certain God hath for the delinquency of one man yea for one sin brought Plagues upon many If any thing will move thine heart this will but nothing will without Gods concurse The Lord fasten this nayl the Lord fix this upon thy Soul and let it be as Frontlets between â—â—ine eyes day and night When Achan was guilty of one sin and that a secret one when he had stoln a wedge of Gold when he had impropriated it to his own use which God had destined to another he troubled the whole Church of God the Armies of Israel fell before the men of Ai the generation of Gods curse yea Joshua their Prince became dejected and his communion with God was thereby for a while broken And the Lord said unto Joshua get thee up Josh 7.10 11 12 c. 22.20 wherefore lyest thou on thy face Did not Achan the Son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing and wrath fell on all the Congregation of Israel And that man perished not alone in his iniquity The iniquity of Peor though committed long agoe yet raised a cloud of wrath which was ready to empty it self upon the whole Church of God for it many years after Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us Josh 22.17 from which we are not cleansed to this day although there was a Plague in the Congregation of the Lord The Gibeonites who had craftily secured their Lives by an exchange for their Liberties got an Oath from Saul and almost 500. years after when this Covenant was broken in the slaying of many of them and Saul was dead the flourishing Church of God suffered three years Famine for this Perjury Then there was a Famine in the dayes of David 2 Sam. 21.1 three years year after year and David enquired of the Lord And the Lord answered It is for Saul and for his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites Manasseh sinn'd and that cost the Liberties and Lives of many good as well as bad Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great anger 2 Kings 23.26 wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah because of all the Provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withall Pharaoh refused to give liberty to Gods Church to worship their God and this brought unparallel'd Judgements and Plagues upon the whole Land of Egypt Amalecks abuse of Gods people was not forgotten for an hundred years but God took up an everlasting quarrel with them till he had rooten them out of the Earth Thus saith the Lord of Hosts 1 Sam. 15.2 I remember that which Amaleck did to Israel how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt Yea the Sins of one good man have brought down Plagues upon many David whether out of curiosity or vain-glory or confidence in an arm of flesh would needs number the people a little sin in comparison of what we are guilty of yet it cost the lives of 70000. by the Pestilence So the Lord sent a Pestilence upon Israel c. 2 Sam. 24.15 and there dyed of the people from Dan even to Beersheâ—a seventy thousand men Solomon was a good Prince and yet by his sins he brought miserable confusions on the most considerable part of the Church of Israel by that great revolt which it occasioned Wherefore the Lord said to Solomon 1 Kings 11.11 For as much as this is done of thee and thou hast not kept my Covenant and my Sâ—atutes which I have commanded thee I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy Servant Eli a good man and a good Magistrate yet because too indulgent to his Children a Vice common but seldome considered and bewailed what a fearful Plague brought he upon his Posterity as well as himself And the Lord said unto Samuel Behold I will do a thing in Israel 1 Sam 3.11 12 13 14. at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his House When I begin I will also make an end for I have told him that I will judge his House for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not And therefore I have sworn unto the House of Eli that the iniquity of Elies House shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever Luk. 11.50 51. Mat. 23.35 36. The blood of all the Prophets saith Christ which was shed from the Foundation of the World shall be required of this Generation from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the Altar and the Temple Verily I say unto you it shall be required of this Generation And yet who holds up his hand to Gods Barr and cryes Guilty Guilty Who saith as David when the Angel forraged among the People 2 Sam. 24.17 Let thy hand be against me for these sheep What have they done We are quick-sighted enough yea too much to espye and aggravate the sins of others We expect fearful Plagues for others Adulteries Drunkennesses Swearing and Blaspheming But the Lord hearkeneth when we will
have nothing but Sathans leavings O! Doubtless for these delays is Christs wrath ready to be powred out upon this Nation to the uttermost The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven 2 Thes 17.8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ By delaying to hearken to Christs calls and invitations thou tellest Christ to his face that he is not altogether lovely that he is not the fairest of ten thousand that there is somewhat in Sins service and the Devils that is more desirable than what can be had in Christs And canst thou imagine such Blasphomy viz. To tell Christ to his face that thou valuest thy lusts above the enjoyment of him is not provoking O! if ever these come over fully to Christ if Christs patience be extended yet longer and they be at length wone to him How will they befool themselves that they came into Christs service no sooner Nimis sero te amaâ—â— O! I have loved thee too late Oh thâ—â—oy the unspeakable Joy I have lost Oh the peace that I might have had Oh the assurance of Gods love that my Soul might have been filled with Oh the experiences of the grace of God that I might have had if I had come into Christ on Christs first call and intreaty Oh the opportunities of service that I might have had when the marrow was in my bones when I was young and fresh for duty Oh! Lam. 3.27 How good had it been if I had born Christs yoak sooner in my youth O the many sins that I have been guilty of Oh! how long withstood I the Grace of God and grieved the Spirit of God Oh! What a burden was I to Christs Ministers and much more to Christ himself But God alone knows how soon his Spirit shall cease striving with these poor Souls and how long they shall be within a capacity of obeying the Heavenly Call The Jewes have a Rule that if a man vowes any service to God before he dyes he must do it presently because he may dye presently Rev. 6.8 Death and Hell are described coming on Horseback in full speed Ask thy self therefore Jeremiah's question Jer. 12.5 Can I out-run or escape these Horsemen However through the great and wonderful averseness there is in mens hearts from Christ they stay and linger like Lot in Sodom that if God do not work a miracle upon them and for them they will perish in the flames They know what the foolish Virgins lost by their delayes all is one no coming to Christ as long as possibly they can make any shift to live without him and until an Almighty power exert it self on their Souls to make them willing of a Christ One hath a Wife another a Yoak of Oxen all of them some business or other to detain them for the present from Christ They do not utterly deny to come but at present they have such employments as that they have no present freedome to wait upon him The Son of God must dance attendance on them they must be banqueting with the Devil within and Christ must stand without yea wait their leasure till they receive him in There are several sorts of these delaying Professours 1. Delayes to come to Christ Some and they the worst sort from their great love to their lusts and to the comforts and sensualities of this life which they fear From love to worldly Lusts when they are under Christs yoak they shall be bereaved of delay coming to Christ Sin hath so rooted it self in their hearts and affections that they are loth to take a final farewell thereof loth to mortifie their earthly members Sin is so prevalent with them that they had rather part from their right eye hand and foot than part from their sins hence they choak their Convictions what they can admit of any pleasures and diversions to wear out the impressions that are made in their Consciences that they may still lodge sin in their bosomes and not come to Christ hence they labour to quench the Spirit of God and through the prevails of spiritual sloth will not use the means whereby they may be fully converted to Christ They pretend they are desirous of Christ only they doubt whether Christ is willing to receive them but that which lieth at the bottom is this they are loth to leave their darling lusts and loth to pray and watch their hearts and to do what God requires and expects at their hands in order to Conversion You may imagine God is highly provoked hereby for God to send his Son unto you the best Jewel that ever lay in his bosome and for you to neglect and undervalue him and preferr swinish lusts before him 't is a plain argument that you never saw sin aright in its nature and effects and that you do not credit God in his discoveries of the glory of his Son You do not believe you are so miserable without a Christ as indeed you are you slight the greatest Gift that ever God conferr'd upon the children of men you make void the great counsels of God all the thoughts of his wisdome and grace in contriving such a way as by Jesus Christ to save you from wrath to come you also frustrate the expectations of God Mat. 21.37 for Surely saith God they will reverence my Son whereas by your trifling delayes you tell God and men that you believe not any advantage you shell have by the Son of God you think it will be to your loss to receive in the Lord of glory He tells you Psal 36.8 Ye shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his House Cant. 5.1 3. and ye shall drink of the Rivers of his Pleasures He tells you He hath gathered his Myrrh with his Spices He hath wine milk and honey You cry out Prov. 24.33 I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on c. A little more slumber in the Devil's Lap a little more folding of the hands to sleep You are told of Joyes unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Phil. 4.7 John 17.3 of Peace that passeth all understanding of eternal Life by knowing Christ You are told you can never be reconciled unto God but by Christ that he must end all Controversies between Christ and your Souls that He is able to save to the uttermost Hebr. 7.25 Psal 19.10 Acts 24.25 Luke 14.18 Jo. 8.24 Jo. 3.36 Pro. 8.34 35. Rev. 3.20 all that come unto God by him that His Word is more desirable than gold yea than much fine gold But all this prevails not with you When I have a convenient Season c. Yet I cannot I pray have me excused He tells you If you believe not that I am he you shall dye in your sins and that he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him yet delayes still He tells you Blessed
of your hearts I abhorr my self saith Job This implies a dislike an hatred an indignation against an utter alienation from and an opposition against sin God knows how little of this is mixed with the Confessions of most Professours 3. Petition as to the Matter In their Petitions Both Matter and Manner and End Have not we been faulty in the Matter Have they been alwayes for the best things Life Liberty Estate c. are desired but Grace Victory over Pride Passions Worldliness c. lye unsought for We fail also when we pray simply that we may not suffer for there is no foundation in the Promise for such a Prayer and we may not pray save for what God hath promised Have not we fail'd in the Manner Manner Have we alwayes pray'd with Earnestness Humility Faith Sincerity c. Hath the whole man been employed Few can say as David Psa 109.4 But I Prayer He was all Prayer or all of David or in David was herein employed Few can say With my whole heart have I intreated thy favour 119.58 Alas few pray effectually The heart and soul is not at work in the Duty James 5.16 It is the effectual fervent Prayer that avails We pray as if we had a mind God should deny us Qui frigide rogat docet negare Colos 4.2 We are too much like Children scribling over a piece of Paper which when they have done lay it aside or break it or think no more of it We have not continued in Prayer we have not back'd our Prayers with Prayers reinforced them we have soon fainted we have not been the right seed of Jacob I will not let thee goe untill thou bless me we soon faint and our desires expire Have not we fail'd in the End End James 4.3 May I not say as the Apostle James Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that you may consume it upon your Lusts Hath not our level been too low We should have made Gods Glory our End and we have made Self to quiet Conscience to obtain pardon of sin rather than purity of heart and life Hos 7.14 They assemble for Corn and Wine You have been perhaps earnest for the pardon of your own and Englands sins and yet selfish in all You fear and well you may temporal Plagues you are afraid that Sodoms sins may bring down fire and brimstone and therefore for your own sakes rather than Gods you pray and with some vehemency but your End is still too low Never do you pray aright till you pray more for Christs sake than for your own for his glory rather than for your own present future temporal or eternal advantages It is one thing to seek our selves and another thing to seek God in a duty They that pretended so highly begin to expostulate with God Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not and takest no knowledge Mens Lusts Pray rather than their Graces Pride and self-love endite the Petitions You have been suckling your lusts whilst seemingly devout You make Provision for the flesh whilst about spiritual work and whilst your inward man seems to be exercised 4. Thanksgiving In our Thanksgivings who is free from guilt in the gratulatory part of Prayer Some bless God for Justification Sanctification Adoption c. and are strangers to these Privileges yea if catechised know not what these mercies are no more than Parrots know what they prattle Others if like the Leapers they are cleansed yet return not to bless the Lord They are large in Petitions but very sparing in their Praises Unthankful Beggars are an abomination to God and man We should be thankful for the least mercy but though we have had the honour to be admitted into the Presence Chambers as Favourites an honour not vouchsafed to the most of mankind yet we are sullen and slow to return Praises for so great a vouchsafement You have not come to dry breasts you are every day full of mercy 2 Chron. 32. but alas You render not according to what you have received therefore wrath is against you Hast thou had no meetings in Prayer no enlargements no desires to fear the Lord no importunities no wrestlings why yet it is mercy that thou livest upon the patience and bounty of God 'T is much that thou shouldst have a beeing and be preserved to this day 'T is a wonder he should feed thee cloth thee protect thee strive with thee suffer thee who art but dust and ashes to speak with him The last night thou might'st have lain on a bed of fire or by the hedge or have been in the great deeps but alas few so ready to praise as to pray We are too much like the Vagabonds when we have what we come for away we goe and come no more till pinching necessity drives us Yea we too oft aggravate our miseries and over-look the benefits we enjoy that are mix'd with our crosses 3ly How have we After the Duty when our Prayers have been ended fail'd of our duties toward God by running post hast from the Throne of Grace to the World if not to our Lusts Not considering how our hearts were in time of duty whether straitned or enlarged Nor examining how the Duty hath been done whether composed or distracted whether we had the face of God toward us or his face vailed whether we were lively or lifeless dead-hearted or quickned serious or slight what Faith was stirring what Repentance exercised The Church and People of God observed their hardness in duty Isa 63.17 Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear We should look back upon our Prayers that we may be humbled for all our vain thoughts untowardness distractions and unbelief in the duty and we should do it then whilst we are in the highest capacity to know the miscarriages of the Soul what the aggravating circumstances thereof are c. And not only in order to Humiliation but Reformation that for the future we may not dare to touch the Mount of Gods Presence with such beastly frames In case we were in a good frame in the Duty quickly losing what was got in the Duty Did we labour to retain the influences of the Ordinance upon our hearts Did not we let the fire goe out again Have not we like some in a great sweat gone into the open air too soon and took a cold That 's dangerous David was more careful to maintain his fresh and lively frames and therefore he intreateth the Lord to keep the same in his Servants heart for ever How have we been faulty not looking for an answer Psa 5.3.85.8 in not believing that our Prayers shall be answered We direct our Prayer unto God but we do not look up till God look down as David We do not hearken what God the Lord will speak Paul observed how long the Lord was silent to his Prayer 2 Cor.
drunkenness Luke 21.14 How have we forgot Christ's charge against this sin even to his own Disciples Have we not hereby been disabled to perform the service which we owe to God As some have been strong to drink so others to eat Both have been unfitted to wait upon God thereby The end of our eating should have been to fit us not to indispose us for the service of God We should measure our Chear by that which Nature requireth and not by that which a greedy Appetite desireth We divest our selves of Man of Reason that should guide us when we are led by a sensual Appetite And yet alas When we have eaten enough and perhaps more than enough a new Dish at the second course makes us fall on without fear or wit and we put not a knife to our throat Prov. 23.2 Serving divers lusts and pleasures is the high way to damnation This way sin entred into the World and in this way O! how many are posting to Hell If you would adopt your selves Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 then fullfill the desires of the flesh O that we should be so senseless so bruitish as to venture the eternal ruine of our Souls to gratifie our appetites for a quarter of an hour She that fared deliciously Rev. 18.7 hath torment and sorrow given her If that you will choose to be beasts here and to eat as beasts as much as you can Know that Heaven will not as Noahs Ark did admit of any Beasts within it When Tertullian gives an account of the Christians Feasts In our feeding saith he we remember that we are to pray at night Prayer is the first and last dish of the feast and when we depart our behaviour is so religious and modest that one would have thought we had rather been at a Sermon than at a Supper Blush O Reader to consider how far short we fall of these Christians in our banqueting hours Believe it Intemperance and Luxury are National sinnes the sins of England It was spoken unless I am mis-informed of our Nation That we build as if we should live for ever and eat as if we should die presently O! when shall we imitate that great Apostle 1 Cor. 6.12 All things saith he are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any It is a base thing for a man to be under the power of Drinks Apparel Recreations and so of Flesh of Meats to be a Vassal to those things over which the Lord hath given him dominion He that loveth any thing too much Qui nimis rem aliquam amat quodam modo servus istius efficitur Rom. 6.16 Mat. 24.38 saith Aquinas is in a sense Servant thereunto And what saith the Apostle Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin c. How many serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies How many are like the men of the old World Given to eating so the word in the Original properly signifieth 2. The costliness of their Diet How have our meats born no proportion to our gains and incomes The rich man that fared deliciously had some pretence for it for he had riches to countervail the expences of his Table Above their Estates But doth not the lowness of our Estates require a meaner Table God knows we have been worse than Infidels on this account in that we have been so farr from providing for our own that to pamper the flesh with costly diet we have suddenly impoverished our selves and brought our Children to live upon others trenchers whereas we should have abated of our superfluities for their sakes if not for our own Goe voluptuous wretch unto the Ant and to the Bee they provide for Winter but thou hast had no forecast and so Poverty comes in on thee and thine as an armed man irresistably 3. unsuitable to the Times How have our Tables been unsuitable to the Times we live in Whether Zion wear the garments of joy or of heaviness all 's one the belly must be served our dishes must not abate Thou farest deliciously every day All times are alike to thee This is a great sin and I cannot but charge many Professours with it Respect is not had to the tokens of Gods wrath Jude v. 12. We eat without fear Without fear of the wrath of God that is ready to break forth upon us In this day doth the Lord of Hosts call to weeping Isa 22.12 13 14. and to mourning and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth And behold joy and gladness slaying Oxen and killing Sheep actions lawfull enough at another time eating flesh and drinking wine c. And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die saith the Lord God of Hosts We have made little or no distinction of times Perhaps a Fast every month is carelesly kept but every day should be a day of abstinence every day we should abate of what we might enjoy if the judgements of God were not amongst us and others impending over us God hath a controversie with us for feasting when Joseph is in the pit Amos 4.6 and for our eating the Lambs of the Flocks for that we are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph 4. Not respecting the Saints necessities How little respect have we had to the necesities of the Saints O! if there were any true love to God to Religion to the Church of God and to the Saints of the most high we would abate of our worldly comforts in this day Membra putida mortua quae sensum non habent tales sunt Christiani qui de alienis affectionibus non dolent Aug. in Psal 130. we would cut our selves short of what we were wont to lay out not only in fine clothes but in house-keeping in expensive meats and drinks we would not give such liberty to the satisfying of the flesh we would be more sparing in our diet that we might be in the greater capacity to promote pious and charitable designs But alas iniquity abound and the love of many save to their guts waxeth cold 5. Eating without fear of God Doe not we eat without an holy fear of God The Elders of Israel did eat their bread before the Lord. Exod. 18.12 But so have not we so do not we eat as in the presence of God Have not some been so eager upon the pleasing of the flesh and gratifying of their sensual appetites as that they have secretly at least been troubled at a long grace as it is called before meat Have not some fall'n to their meat without invocating God to be with them How unlike are such unto Christ whose usual practise it was to lift up his eyes to Heaven and crave a blessing upon the creatures before he did partake of them
to pity them Drones are to be beaten out of the Hive and starved in Winter It is the Workman that is worthy of meat in Christs account Mat. 10.10 Idleness hath brought much evil upon you and bred many in you it begets many diseases in the body but many more in the Soul Psal 91.11 it exempts a man from the protection of Angels and it exposeth to Gods wrath it brought ruine upon Sodom and the Cities round about Jude v. 7. and they are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire 2. In their general callings How are we guilty of abundance of Idleness in our general callings And above all Idleness Spiritual sloth is most dangerous I find some with unwearied diligence labouring to enlarge their Possessions and to raise their Posterity they rise early and sit up late and eat the bread of carefulness but all is for the Body they do little or nothing for their precious Souls and for Eternity Christ and Heaven stand by and few regard them Few work out their Salvation with fear and trembling Some will not be at so much pains for their Souls as to perform the common outward Duties of Religion They will goe to the Market or to be merry with Friends many a mile but if a Lecture he but a few paces from their thresholds they count it intollerable to wet their â—â—et to expose themselves to the air Well Well God hath eased you of this labour But if men are for some easie parts of Religion yet how few are for the difficult parts thereof They cannot endure to watch their hearts to sanctifie the Lords day so strictly as not to think their own thoughts nor speak their own words nor do their own deeds How many Professours have so long given way to their lazy distempers have lain so long upon the Bed of sloth that when we press them to any painful and laborious Duties they think it excuse enough to say We have put off our Coat and loth we are to put it on We have given way to sloth so long that we hate to take pains for Christ and for Eternity Hence Self-examination Meditation Watchfulness against the first risings of sin Mortification of inward heart-sins c. these works are totally laid by and the longer we neglect them the more ado there is to perswade us to take them up We are like truant-Boyes who hate their Book after a long vacation All we have to uphold our selves with is this that the Spirit is willing when God knows the contrary We are willing to be rich and therefore take pains So we would in Spiritual things too if we were so desirous of them If we were willing to enjoy Christ in our Closets would we be even asleep there upon our knees If we were willing to know the way to Glory would we not take so much pains as to goe to the Shepheards tents and ask for the good old way O! O! It will cut you to the heart when you come to Hell-gate that you mist of Heaven for not enquiring the way thither and that you took more pains to be rich and to damn your Souls than to save them Had that time been spent in Prayer holy Conference and in Self-arraignments which was wasted in the Bed Shop Fields unnecessarily you might have had an eternal rest whereas Hell will be as intollerable to all so especially to them who have stood idle all the day long CHAP. XXIV Their Unmercifulness THE Fourth Sin of Sodom was this Professors unmercifulness Ezek. 16.49 Neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy That is they were unmerciful and inhumane And are not some Professours even in England very hard-hearted and cruel I have oft thought and said That Our late Civil Wars have had too great influence upon us to make us cruel If there be among you a poor man of one of thy Brethren within any of thy Gates Deut. 15.7 8. in thy Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thine hand from thy poor Brother but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need Luke 14.13 in that which he wanteth O! The poor we have alwayes with us But When we make a Feast do we call the poor Who invites the Guests that Christ hath bid for our Tables When I consider how rare Bowells of mercy and kindness are Col. 3.11 it makes me fear and I have Scripture-grounds for my fear that few are the Elect of God O hard-hearted Professours Hear ye the Word of the Lord Jam. 2.13 He shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy He shall have all judgement pure judgement without any mixtures of mercy unmixed wrath shall be his portion Christ is so resolved to punish the Unmerciful that he will over-look any sinner rather than him yea for the greater honour of the Justice of God Mat. 25.41 42 c. Mat. 9.36 The Lord seems to begin and end the great Assizes with the Arraignment and Sentencing of the Unmerciful man How few compassionate Professours are there The proper vital act of Mercy is Compassion How few resent the miseries of others as if they were their own Luke 10.33 How few set themselves to do good to those who are miserable Such what-ever they pretend are indeed unmerciful for Mercy is an active and a communicative thing How few are merciful to others Souls How few pity and set themselves to help sinning Souls but more of this under another Head How few are merciful to the Bodies of others How many are there that will not spare of their superfluities to cloth Christs naked shoulders or to fill his hungry belly Men lay out more to adorn a Cup-board or the walls of their houses than ever they gave to Jesus Christ and his Servants all their dayes Men can feed their Birds their Catts their Doggs their Swine but the Sucklings and Lambs of Jesus Christ perish for want Christ tells you what kindness you shew to his Spouse Matth. 25.40 his Friends his Children he counts as done unto himself and believe it all the scornes and neglects you have cast on either his Ambassadors or poor Saints he will remember another day Go to thy Closet and carry this with thee who so stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himself Prov. 21.13 but shall not be heard If you give to whom is it Is it not only to the poor of your own party But hath not the Lord charged you to give to every man that asketh Luke 6.30 Gal. 6.10 Hath he excepted any but idlers Are not you to doe good to all though especially to the Houshold of faith And among them should not your greatest charity have been set forth on them who are become poor not by vile courses but by Gods
try to live unmarried though the Apostle told them of the advantages of serving Christ thereby 1 Cor. 7.32 He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord. Severally The Husbands sins in not loving as Christ Husbands ye have not loved your Wives as Christ the Church though the command be express Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church Christ is faithful to his Spouse I will abide for thee Thou shalt abide for me many dayes thou shalt not play the Harlot Eph. 5.25 Hos 3.3 and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee But though you have not been Adulterers in any gross act yet how oft have you wish'd the bond of marriage were broken and have not you had eyes full of Adultery hath not your love to others degenerated into secret lust Christ is patient to his Church but hath your love suffered all things upon light matters what frowns I will not say what blows Hath not family-prayer been neglected through your wrath Christ gives no occasion of jealousie but have not some of you The Lord searcheth hearts Christs love is bountifull how short have you kept your Wives contrary to your engagements to endow them with all your worldly goods Christ keeps company with the 〈◊〉 of his bosome but have not some of you been more abroad than at home Christ edifieth his Church Do ye dwell with your Wives as men of knowledge Christ doth communicate secrets to his Spouse Are not ye strangers to the hearts though perhaps not to the bosomes of your nearest Relations Christ doth confer often with his Church about the mysteries of God I wish you did so I fear some of you are silver tongued abroad to get you a name forward to speak of Christ but dumâ— at home even to your Wives as well as Children The Woman learns not 2 Cor. 14.25 though she ask her Husband at home Christ gives the sâ—â—â—pest rebubes to his offending Spouse privâ—â—ely and when he gets her alone But do not you râ—broâ—e before Servants and Children Hereby they learn frowardnesse when brought into this relation and at present slight the Wives of your bosomes Christ doth not blaze his Wifes infirmities but so have ye Christ puts the best construction on what his Spouse doth The spirit is willing though the flesh be weak But do not you put the worst When your lusts are quenched your love is gone Christ doth pitty his Church as the weaker vessel if ye did so the family would be the better governed Christ doth sympathize with his Church In all her afflictions he is afflicted but how fretfull churlish and Nabal-like are you when the hand of God is heavy on your nearest Relations Christ doth vindicate his Spouse and is greatly displeased when she suffers from the world but cannot some of you help to deride your Wives 〈◊〉 and not frown when they are wronged and abused Christ doth not upbraid his Spouse with her low condition before he he put honour on her but alas How oft have ye cast into the dish what the condition of your Wives was before you cast your eyes upon them Christ gave his life for his Church what hast thou done and suffered to save the Soul of thy Wife Christ rules his Church not with a rod of Iron but with a Scepter of Love Is your dominion exercised with discretion and love Are all things done in Charity Is she to thee 〈◊〉 a loving Hind or Roe Prov. 5.19 Christ doth not count his Spouse as a Servant but a Friend he doth not domineer over his Church but hath high thoughts of her but how many husbands use their Wives hardly better than Servants Christ notwithstanding keeps up his authority over his Church but do not many Husbands loose it through too much uxoriousness and make themselves contemptible by yeilding to their Wives as Adam to his whence came at first all sin disorder and misery into the world How did Solomon fall Christ yeilds to many of his Wives petitions and suits to him but many are worse than the Heathen was to his Wife He said unto her What wilt thou Queen Esther Esth 5.3 and what is thy request it shall be even given thee to the half of the Kingdom The poor Wife must use the mediation of others to have her desires accomplished When Christ doth command his Wife his Church he doth it mildly We pray you in Christs stead But many Husbands imperiously enough too much God knoweth Philem. v. 9. when for loves sake they should rather intreat Christ doth love his Spouse though he gains nothing by her but alas How many are severe enough to their Wives when they fail of that Estate c. that they expected from them As Husbands fail so do Wives Wives miscarriages in not loving their Husbands as the Church Christ Eph. 5.24 Psal 73.25 even as the Church is subject unto Christ so should ye have been to your own Husbands in every thing But how have ye affronted your Light The true Church of Christ loves him inwardly as well as outwardly so should ye have loved your Husbands but alas How little have ye shewed the union betwixt the Church and Christ by your affections The Church loves Christ more than Angels Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee But how many Wives are commending others Husbands more than their own If my Husband were thus and thus c. Thy Husband should be to thee the most precious of all persons the most lovely in thine eyes Not parts and gifts but the good pleasure of God should be the ground of this special love The Church honours Christ above all other persons in the world but have not some of you mean low and base thoughts of your Husbands The Church is subject to Christ in all things but will not some of you wear what you please goe where you please eat what you please and employ your selves in what you please Yea though contrary to your Husbands just commands and meek entreaties The Church fears Christ so should Wives I say not either should with a slavish but both should with a reverential fear Remember Michal 1 Chron. 15. ult She despised her Husband in her heart She did not exprefs her slighting of him as many do in words and she had no Child unto the day of her death God took the Husband's part and put a remark of displeasure upon that her saâ—ciness For slighting the Ordinance of God her Head though but in her heart God plagued her in her Womb with barrenness The Church loves Christ more and more but O the decayes of Womens affections to their Husbands Partly through levity and partly through age and partly through cross Providences Prov. 2.17 Whereas thou shouldst have kept the Covenant of thy God The
Physician is sent for both Lawyers and Physicians houses and rooms are full of Clyents and Attendants but men are contented to clear up their own titles to Heaven and glory and to heal themselves of their sin sicknesses a plain argument that they thought the Ministry but useless and that they could make a shift to live without Ministers Thou hast had Prescriptions for thy Souls recovery and health for these many years and yet perhaps hast not given one farthing to thy Soul-Physicians If a Physician write a few lines purses are opened if a Lawyer plead a quarter of an hour yea if he plead not at all but only give his advise you think he deserves a fee but the Ministers work is so low in thy esteems that he might have starved if all were as niggardly as thou hast been Let this be considered and lamented Your Ministers have been under a temptation to withhold the pressing of this duty upon you for that many lay in wait to discredit them as if they preached for nire and sought yours rather than you but let me be your Remembrancer this day We cannot say of you as Paul of the Galathians that you received us as Angels of God yea as Jesus Christ and that you would have pluckt out your eyes for us Alas what did you for us more than the constraints o◠the Law compell'd you to And how many wishes had you that all the Laws for Tithes had been abrogated upon pretence that Ministers should have had a better maintenance by a voluntary contribution But do not we know that the great sticklers for this have been most close-fisted to the Ministers Giving nothing to them for their maintenance Have not some of them refused to give one penny to the Ministers whom they waited on for years together I wonder how you could in your reading the Scriptures if you have indeed read them so long overlook 1 Cor. 9.7 who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock Say I these things as a man v. 8. or saith not the Law the same also v. 9. For it is written in the Law of Moses thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn. Doth God take eare for Oxen Or saith he it altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt v. 10. this is written that he that ploweth should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope v. 11. If we have sowen unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things v. 12. If others be partakers of this power over you are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this power but suffer all things lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ v. 13. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple And they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar v. 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel That you may be the better convinced of the neglect of your duty see the Apostle claimes it as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Power his Right and lawful Authority to receive maintenance from the Corinthians And indeed Christ hath impowered his Ministers and they may demand it without any just imputation of covetousness and self-seeking as the Labourer may his hire The Apostle had power to forbear working i. e. at his Trade He implyes that the Ministry would be the saddest employment because of the laboriousness of it if Ministers should not live of their Ministry Be sides Ministers give people gold for brass Again They who ministred about the holy things lived of the things of the Temple yea and plentifully too for they had the Tenth and yet were scarce the Sixtieth part of the People for the number of the People without the Levites amounted to a thousand thousands and three hundred thousands and the Levites numbred from the Infant to the old man were found but two and tweenty thousands But alas Though the Apostle be so peremptory here and else-where Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things And the Wise-man Prov. 3.9 Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first-fruits of all thy increase Yet I may renew an old complaint Many have dealt by their Ministers as Carriers do by their Horses they lay heavy burdens upon them and then hang Bells about their necks hard work and good words they shall have but easie commons and slight wages as if they were of the Camelion-kind and could live by the air But if you have parted with any thing to the Minister hath it not been as Almes Or else giving only in charity not in justice as an almes not as due not as Dues not as Right Have not you excused your selves from giving what was due from you with The Minister needs it not He hath a fair Estate or at least a competency Yea but what saith the Apostle Have ye not reaped our spiritual things and should not we your carnals Have ye not been instructed Why then did ye not communicate to your Ministers in all good things Hath not the Lord expresly alienated a proportion of Goods for the Ministers labour How dare you live in the Sin of Sacrilege Is it not Sacrilege for you to detain from God what is due to him You are in the snare Prov. 20.25 for you have devoured that which is holy Suppose a man should work for thee all the day long would it be an excuse for thy detaining his dues from him to say The man hath a competency yea he is rich he is richer than I am my Children want it more than he doth he hath little or no charge O! saith the Lord The Labourer is worthy of his hire Wouldst thou not say so in that mans case O! Live up to the Light of Nature or throw up thy Profession It is no less than a wonder to see how little honesty there is among men yea among Professours To defraud a Minister is hardly counted a sin The rise of this is the great contempt of the Ministry A Sin that God is now reckoning with you for The Lord God of your Fathers sent to you by his Messengers 2 Chron. 36.15 16 17. rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place but you mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets May it not be added Untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy For this Sin God brought upon the Israelites the King of the Chaldees who slew their young men with the
you cannot so exhort as Ministers c. But have you not been told that God can work by small means as well as by great and that by things that are not God can confound the wisdome of the flesh and bring to naught the things that are Is not this like the pretence of not being eloquent Do you not know have you not heard that the issue and event depends on the blessng of the Lord rather than on the work it self Is it not all one to the Lord to wound by a short as by a long sword Cannot God bless a few words in thy mouth as he did in Christs and the Apostles Can'st not thou say follow Christ and may not presently a Matthew a Publican leave his sinfull courses and embrace the Christian faith Can'st thou not say Repent and Believe that your sins may be blotted out and may not God concur with thee as he did of old times Is the Lords hand shortned that it cannot help If Israel be not gathered yet thy reward is with the Lord if thine heart were upright and could testifie that night and day thou hast not ceased to warn to rebuke and counsel Certainly your memories are not so bad but you must remember the weight of sin and of the wrath of God you have seen the wonders of the Lord in the deeps you that have escaped to shoar can tell of the Rocks and Shelves and Storms which you have been delivered from and will you set other Shipwrack their Souls rather than hold out your light unto them 〈…〉 may avoyd their ruines What shall I say to humble you There is more 〈◊〉 in Hell than you can afford Blush blush and be ashamed to have less zeal love and pitty to perishing Souls than Dives in Hell had he would have his Brethren saved from the Valley of Hinnom Your silence will make others think that Hell is a tollerable place that sin is not so evil and bitter a thing that to lye under Gods wrath is not so great a misery whilst you are so slow and backward to warn your Friends and Acquaintance that they slee from these and take Sanctuary in the true City of Refuge the Lord Jesus Christ O! If you know the worth of a Soul pitty the multitude with whom the day is not broke whose forlorn Souls are under a continual Massacre from the bloudy Butcher of Hell Besmear your Souls no longer with the guilt of their bloud Let them not starve for want of bread whilst you have to give them I shall bless God for ever and ever if this your negligence of the Souls of those whom you may account without may be cordially bewailed and you for the future double your diligence for their conversion Ministers cannot convert without the Concourse of Omnipotency neither can you Though Satan and thy own lazy heart hath told thee thou art unfit to set upon this work yet better do it meanly than wholy omit it God like Parents on earth loves to see his Children lift at those duties which are too hard for them and then he steps in and is a Co-worker with them What God did by illiterate Fishermen by Priscilla he can do by thee The Lord pardon thy former unmercifulness to the Souls of men But if thou continue careless and cruel if thou wilt not by Prayers for them and counsels to them seek their reducement as sure as thou art reading the voyce of thy Brothers blood is crying against thee from the earth By your example before if not since Profession you have been the cause of the destruction of Souls of how many who can tell And as Jeroboam made Israel to sin many years after he was rotten in his grave so your sin your wicked examples may propagate the trade of sin from generation to generation until Christ shall come to Judgement Tremble tremble at the thoughts of it if thou hast not the heart of a Beast in thee O! how many Souls are crying in Hell against thee cursing the day they knew thee or their Ancestours knew thee for that by thee they learned to sin the more and were strengthned in their wickedness by thy tongue and by thy life And now are not you bound to do your utmost to make restitution to labour to save them that be alive Is it not reasonable that you should labour to win Souls to Gods as you have to the Devils service and to have many blessing God in the Heavens for you that ever they were in the company of such an active zealous Christian who by word and life was instrumental to bring them to the knowledge of themselves and of their God And is it not a glorious work to hold forth such Light to the World that they seeing your good works may glorifie God and you may be Propagators of Zeal and Holiness from Generation to Generation till Christ shall appear to judge the World and to reward you for all the services you have done to his Name O! how welcome shall that man be to Heaven and Christ who hath fed the Souls and clothed the Souls and visited the Souls which he hath purchased with his own precious blood Christ will own thee for his Benefactour CHAP. XXXVII The Dis-ingenuity and Scandalousness of their Miscarriages WHen God had given the Prophet Ezekiel a large Catalogue of Judah's Abominations The wickedness of the former miscarriages Ezek. 8.9 V. 6 13 15. he then shew'd him the Wickedness of their Abominations He said unto me Goe in and Behold the wicked Abominations they do here He commanded him once and again and again to turn him yet again and he should see greater Abominations I cannot indeed promise thee that thou shalt now see greater Abominations than those already mentioned All that I shall now do shall be to represent the former Miscarriages in their crimson dye and scarlet colour And The First Thing I shall mention Commitred against so good and kind a God Eph. 4.30 as making your Sins Professours out of measure sinful is your Dis-ingenuity in so sinning against God O! You have sinned against a gracious God You have grieved the good Spirit of God whereby some amongst you have been sealed to the day of Redemption I am bold to say that one godly man's sinning against light and mercy doth more break the heart of God than the bruitish Sins of a Pagan Kingdom Ezek. 6.9 I am broken saith God with your whorish heart which hath departed from me c. And ye shall loath your selves for your evils which ye have committed in your abominations Amos 2.13 God hath been press'd down with your sins as the Cart with sheaves till he hath even Creak'd under the weight God expected more from the Treet planted in Zion than from the wild ones in the Wilderness Luke 13.9 Grief and Burthen springs much from unexpected Unkindnesses I looked for Fruit and there was none How were David's and Saul's Sins aggravated from
of hard hearts We are too much like Gideons dry fleece and like the Mountains of Gilboa or rather like Jonah fast asleep though the Winds blow the Seas roar and make a noyse and we are ready to be dash'd every hour against the Rocks I confess Israel was an hard hearted people but yet they mourned Psa 137.1 they cryed with a voyce they wept when they remembred Zion So have not we The Rod of old was the only engine by which Moses was to work all his miracles on the Rock on the Aegyptians on the more obdurate Israel But the Rock Pharaoh and Israel were sooner sensible of the Rod than we have been How do we evacuate and reproach frustrate and defame all Gods Methods and pronounce to all the world that God hath miscarried in his design upon us God hath not yet heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31.18 It is true God hath chastised us but we have not been as sensible as the Bullock nor so soon tamed we have not been mended under the Rod nor edified by the dolefull Lectures that God hath read us Therefore thus saith the Lord God Woe to the bloody City Ezek 24.9.10 11 12 13. I will even make the pile for fire great Heap on wood kindle the fire consume the flesh and spice it well and let the bones be burnt Then set it empty upon the coals thereof that the brass of it may be hot and may burn and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it that the scum of it may be consumed She hath wearied her self with lyes and her great scum wene not forth out of her her scum shall be in the fire In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Jerusalem shall be burnt and why In thy filthiness is lewdness thou art obstinate hardned in wickedness Obstinacy in Sin is worse than the Sin it self Jerusalem had Prophets Ordinances Sabbaths Sacrifices Mercies Judgements by which God would have purged her but she was not purgged She did not humble herself for her sins the scum went not off Therefore thus saith the Lord God Woe to the bloody City Ezek. 24.6 to the pot whose scum is therein and whose scum is not gone out of it bring it out piece by piece let no lot fall on it Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved Jer 5.3 thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder than a rock they have refused to return This is a Nation Jer. 7.28 that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God nor receiveth correction How many years hath the word of the Lord come to yâ—â— Jer. 4.4 that you should circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the fore-skin of your hearts ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem lest my fury come forth like Fire and burn that none can quench it because of the evil of your doings And hath not the Lord cut off in his fierce anger the horn of Israel and burned against us like a flaming fire Lam. 2.3 4. which devoureth round about He hath poured out his fury like Fire And yet how few behold the desolations that he hath made How many look on this Judgement as chance But consider not the hand of the Lord that is gone out against us Do not some say in the pride and stoutness of their hearts Isa 9.10 Isa 26.9 the Bricks are fall'n down but we will build with hewn stones the Sycamores arâ— cut down but we will change them into Cedarâ— When judgement is executed and Gods hand is lifted up men should fear and learn righteousness But if you will still go on in wickedness God will reckon with you for despising him and his judgements I doubt not but thousands and ten thousands are sensensible of poverty coming in upon them and theirs as an armed man irrisistably But I fear we are too insensible that it is the Lords controversie with us How soon was the Pestilential Judgement forgot Were not men as vile Drunkards Sensualists Sabbath-breakers Oppressors and Unclean since the dreadfull Plague as before and others as proud and formal since the Plague as before That Arrow shot so remarkably from Heaven was soon forgot And now that the fury of the Lord hath been upon the City and therein upon the whole Land in the late shower of Fire I am afraid that even this Dispensation will be forgotten at least not improved as it ought to be Many and many a time have I feared Isa 29.10 that the Lord hath powred upon us the spirit of a deep sleep and that the Judgement on Ariel is descended on us Like men in a deep sleep we are not able to with-stand the Judgement and like such we have been insensible who hath wounded us or why we are wounded We have not considered the deserving Cause Pride Carelessness Intemperance Idleness c. and what way to heal our selves and extricate our selves out of our miseries Like a wild Bull in a net Isa 51.20 that can hamper and entangle it self more and more but takes no course to wind its self out of its misery Who searcheth for the Achan that hath troubled our Israel Who sits down and justifieth God Who condemneth himself for Pride for contempt of the Gospel for Luxury for Idleness for Covetousness and prophaning Gods Sabbaths The Lord humble us Jer. 6.29 for the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed and yet the Founder melteth in vain The Lord took it ill from the men of Judah when they were not turned by the signes he gave them by Ezekiel When he was to take a Tile Ezek. 4.1 2 5 11 12. and pourtray Jerusalem upon it and lay siege against it c. When he was to lye upon his left side 390. dayes When he was to drink Water by measure and to bake his Cakes with the dung of man When he was to take a Rasor and shave his head and beard and to burn a third part with sire Ezek. 5.1 2 3. and to smite a third part with a knife and a third part to scatter in the wind and to bind up a few hairs in his skirts and to take of them again and to cast them into the midst of the fire When by these and such like signes they were not awakened out of their security when they reformed not when they feared not the wrath and judgement of God but said It is not near Ezek. 11.3 23. Let us build houses Then the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and stood upon the Mountain which is on the East side of the City And when the glory departed then Thus saith the Lord of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the Land of Israel They
razing down our Jerusalem to the foundation thereof rejoyce God will remember them and make them desolate and lay his vengeance on Edom And if any of the bordering Philistines shall deal by revenge V. 15 16 17. and take vengeance with a despightfull heart God knows how to stretch out his hand upon them and to destroy the remnant of the Sea coast and to execute great vengeance upon them And if any of our Neighbours round about shall with Tyrus say against Jerusalem Aha she is broken Ezek. 26.2 3 4. that was the gates of the people she is turned unto us we shall be replenished now that she is laid wast God can soon stoop these Mountains by causing many Nations to come up against them as the Sea causeth his Waves to come up and scrape their dust from them and make them like the top of a Rock Amos 3.2 God cannot bear it that the Heathen should be insulting whilst he is correcting his own and therefore God hath confirmed it by an Oath that he will deal severely with such Mockers Zeph. 2.8 9 10. I have heard of the reproach of Moab c. therefore as I live saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel surely Moab shall be as Sodom c. Zech. 1.15 And I am sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease for I was but a little displeased and they helped forward the affliction Leave we these to the Righteousness of God and let us return to our selves whilst they are insulting Isa 64.4 Numb 16. Job 31.3 may we be on humbling and repenting Work God is come down and hath done terrible things that we looked not for we have been visited but not with the common visitation of all people God hath strange punishments for the workers of iniquity And no wonder when strange Oaths have been minted of later times that our Forefathers never heard of there have been strange wayes of Epicurisme and Gluttony strange wayes of uncleanness strange unknown fashions in apparel and for Fraud cheating and Tricks of Legerde main they have fresh and new and frequent every day Hath not God then a just controversie with his people If the Lord draw out Judgements that were never heard of before and make us signs and wonders to the world and an astonishment to all Nations may we not justifie his proceedings If we exceed our Forefathers Sins what wonder is it if we feel Judgements that they were never sensible of CHAP. XXXIX What use Professours should make of this Gospel-Glass ANd now Professour to all thy former Sins Quarrel not with the Glass do not add this great abomination that having had the Glass of the Word so faithfully revealing many of thy sins to thee thou shouldst go away and strait forget what manner of man thou hast been Let not Satan tempt thee to quarrel with the enterprise for that the Glass is not broad enough to shew to thee all thy stains and deformities know here are enough presented to thy view to lay thee low enough in Hell without Repentance Perhaps also by thy corrupt reason thou canst plead for one or two particulars or bring it under debate whether they are stains or not But know to the confusion of thy face here are spots unquestionable spots discovered and such as are not the spots of Gods Children But wouldst thou improve this or any other such Glass for the good of thy Soul Let Gods Honour and thy precious Souls everlasting welfare perswade thee to receive in meekness and love the following Counsels 1. Reflect on all the particulars Improve it for promoting Consideration and Meditation that thou may'st see what are thine iniquities Do not behold only and so goe away be not contented with slight apprehensions but muse that the Fire may burn Consider how oft in the Bill of Attainder thy Conscience tells thee thou art guilty O! ponder these things in thine heart chew the Cud recoyl upon thy self Let the Lord hear one the more for thee crying out what have I done How have I provoked the Lord By meditation retain the memory of thy sins with all their aggravations as much as thou canst set past sins in present view and possess the sins of thy youth as if they were just now committed now track the abominations of your lives charge this duty upon thy own Soul as that which must be done as thou wilt answer it at thy peril before God and Angels Perhaps hitherto you have forgot your corrupt lives and hearts as you have your natural faces forthwith but let it be so no more for Christs sake Consider not only how many of these sins you have been guilty of but how frequently and for how many dayes or years thou hast lived in some of these abominations having oft been guilty of the same sin though perhaps thou knew'st it to be a sin and hast prayed and resolved against it And because the particulars may seem little sins though in a sense there is no little sin because there is no little God and sins have their accents and aggravations from the person who is affronted yet because it is with sin as it is with stones you may carry this stone and that stone without trouble with much case but when many little stones are heared together they become weighty and heavy to bear therefore I advise that by serious meditation you sum them up joyntly till your backs or rather your hearts be broken and you take up the language of the Prophet My sins are passed over my head Psal 38.4 they are become too heavy for me to bear Reflect not only on thy Pride and carelessness and other particular miscarriages but put all the Items into one main Sum that it may stoop thy heart 2. Confession Away now and present thy self before the great and holy God whom thou hast provoked by these by all these great abominations and upon thy knees give glory to him by confessing to him as many of thy sins as thou canst remember with all their aggravating circumstances Josh 7.19 It is the same advice that Joskuah gave to Aâ—chan tell God what thou hast done and what thouâ—â—ast left undone Hide it not from him Confess to God all thy low unworthy thoughts of him all thy enmity against him his Laws and People c. Go and confess what envy what malice what ranckour hath lain in thine heart against thy Neighbour Confess to the Lord how oft thou hast spoke evil of dignities of the blood-royal of the favourites of Heaven of the Sons and Daughters of the most High who were more righteous than thy self Many times thou hast brag'd with the Pharisee what sins thou hast not been guilty of now confess what thou hast been guilty of I know if thou art an Hypocrite thou art loth to bring it forth thou thinkest it will be a shame to thee But let me tell thee it is a shame
of your provocations humbled in the very dust be sure to keep Conscience tender Let not your convictions dye strike again and again smite on the thigh again and again whilst the Iron is hot This fire may be kept alive by bringing new fuel to it Labour exquisitely to afflict your Souls that you should be so foolish so vile as under Christs Livery to commit so great and so hideous abominations Take words and say O the Light that I have abused O the means of Grace that I have slighted O the little service that I have done to Christ O the many dis-services Let these things cut and grave and afflict and humble thy Soul exceedingly from morning to evening and from evening to morning till God be pacified towards thee beware lest the motions of a lazy heart cause thee to desist sooner A patient that hath had a long disease must continue in the use of the prescriptions till the ill humour be purged away 4. Indignation Let your sorrow be accompanied with detestation See all your sins and loath them and your selves too This is promised they shall loath their ways and doings which are not good O! how much sin have we confessed which yet we have secretly hug'd in our hearts Labour to have your hearts rise against your pride hypocrifie c. Hate sin not only for Hell but as Hell yea hate your selves for your sins yea hate your selves that you can hate your sins no more O that my hatred of my Lusts might be greater than ever my love was unto them I wish from my Soul Professors were more apprehensive of Gods Judgements that are upon them and the Nation for their sins I wish many of us were come up to the frames of the hard-hearted Jews and expressed so much tenderness as they did when Gods hand was heavy upon them their sins also were an heavy burden Hos 7.14 In their affliction they sought God early they mourned and humbled themselves very much though with the removal of their trouble their sorrows wore away However be not satisfied with this sorrow but labour for such sorrow as David had when he was wounded in his heart for sin though Nathan told him his sin was forgiven yet he continued his sorrows for his great transgressions Labour I beseech you for tears of hatred and indignation be greatly displeased with your selves because you have so foolishly and wretchedly dishonoured God and ventured your eternal undoing and if yet thine eyes be not like the Fish-ponds of Heshbon for thy sins take words and sament before God thine hardness of heart that thou shouldst so grievously offend and provoke God so good so gracious a God and that notwithstanding thine heart should remain unbroken 5. Supplication Let there be added hearty cries to God for pardon of all these and all other abominations Who forgives him that scorns to sue for Remission Here is your work in this day the Devil and a false heart will put you upon other work but this is your present work Cant. 1.6 They made me the keeper of the Vineyards but mine own Vineyard I have not kept But O! do not leave the work that God sets you about I know it is your duty to provide for the bodies of your Children but consider the danger of thy Soul what guilt thou art under and give the Lord no rest till he hath blotted out all thy sin and art assured that he will remember it no more Relieve not thy self with the general bounty of God or with the free grace and rich mercy of God whilst thou neglectest to cry to God for grace and mercy He will be sought unto by the house of Israel Prize thy condition that thou art alive to pray thou mightst have been in Hell there to howl for ever and ever Seek the Lord whilst he may be found Seek in time before it be too late And if thou doubtest whether thou hast an interest in Christ and the promises because of thy hideous transgressions yet remember the gracious words that tell once from the mouth of Christ to the Samaritan John 4.10 If thou didst know the gift of God thou wouldst have asked and he would have given thee living water Though thou art unworthy of Childrens bread and hast deserved to be cast forth among the dogs yet thou hast to do with a bountifull and mercifull Lord and therefore be not cast down so as to be discouraged from waiting on the Lord. It was ill said of him why should I wait on the Lord any longer There is no hope I would have thee take better words into thy mouth and say Lord I am unworthy to be the object of thy mercy unworthy to live worthy to be denyed because thou didst call and I did not hear therefore if I call thou mayst justly turn me off in thy fury thou mightest answer me by terrible things in righteousness But deal not with me according to my deservings O! make me the great instance of the power of thy grace let thy mercy in pardoning be great exceeding great O God! Do not delay the suing out thy pardon Without delay away quickly to the Throne of Grace Remember Faelix put off his work till some other time There is danger in delays lest your sense of sin and sorrow for it vanish and decay blow up the first sparks of grace lest they go out and dye again take the first advantages of the grace of God Hast thou an inclination to humble thy self to pray to seek Gods face improve it quickly lest the wrath of God who is nighly provoked already against thee break form upon thee and there be no remedy Do not you know that you have lost the sense of the love of God But have you also lost all sense of Gods wrath Do not you wonder you escape that you are yet alive that you are not free among the dead incorporated with the Hypocrites and damned crew Will you dare you go on in your hardness of heart Will you treasure up wrath against the day of wrath O! God forbid Lay by the world thy false friend thy treacherous Joab that hath smitten to the earth with its kisses and its smiles Here is a business on which thy life the life of thy precious Soul depends Prepare to meet thy God wrath is gone out from the Lord howl weep cry it may be you shall be hid is the day of the Lords wrath it may be your sins shall be forgiven Though the law be a looking-glass to shew you your spots the Baver under the law was made of looking-glosses yet it cannot cleanse you it is the Gospel alone that pardons Away ye wandring Sheep to the great Shepheard of your Souls Hebr. 13.20 great he is in affection and love to his flock he hath laid down his life for you he hath purchased you with his own bloud Nathans parable of the Ewe-Lamb is most true of Christ and
that it would please God to make my words as an Hammer Motives to let our hearts be broken for and from our Sins to break the Rocks O that I may be thus usefull to your Souls O that somewhat at last may be hinted that may through the blessing of Goâ— break your hearts for and from sin that may promote your Repentance for your own and your othermens sins And indeed unless your hearts be broken for sin they will never be broken from sin But the more bitterness of Spirit you are in for sin the more probability there is you will not return unto sin When men have furfetted upon a Dish and are greatly afflicted and pained by it the more unlikely they are to return again unto that Dish That is certain saith Mr. Burroughs either a mans sin will make an end of his mourning or his mouâ—ning will make an end of his sin Yea if your hearts be not broken for other mens sins they are not kindly broken for your own sins You will never put it out of all doubt that your sorrow is right and genuine unless you mourn for others as well as your own sins for it will alwayes be objected that if Sin as Sin were your Burden if Sin as dishonouring God as wounding Christ as grieving the Spirit then other mens sins being reslexions on the Authority and Will of the great God Father Son and Spirit should have some considerable weight upon your Souls The truth is others sins become thine if thou knowest them and mournest not for them O then In what a case are all the hardned jolly Professours who can make a sport of Drunkeness Uncleanness Superstition Perjury c. in others Consider therefore by the Help of this Glass others sins as well as thine own to help on thy brokeness of heart for and from sin Psal 119.158 Behold with David the transgressour and be grieved because they keep not Gods word Let your Souls with Lot be vexed there are greater sins found among Professours in England than were in Sodom Let thy Soul be as his was as in Hell as upon the Rack How can you evidence that you are translated from death to life because you love the Brethren whilst you are not troubled to see them wounding and damning their souls by their sins you are grieved to see any Friends of yours in great hazards and dangers by the Sword by Sickness by Fire but the Souls of your Friends are in the greatest danger yet you lament not the sight of these deplorable spectacles God forbid that any of you should have grounds of hope to gain Liberties and outward Privileges by others provocations whilst all their sins become yours whilst you are not humbled for them But to lay before you some Considerations that may set home by the Spirit draw water out of the Flint 1. God is greatly incensed Should not your hearts be broken for and from sin seeing sin hath so incensed God against the Land of your Nativity Can you retire from the World and seriously consider the Prints of Gods displeasure against poor England and yet remain impenitent Is it nothing to you that God hath for many years been withdrawing from his Sanctuary in England O! Your Ministers have had miscarrying Wombs and dry Breasts Though they rose early and sate up late were much in watchings and in labours for the Conversion and Edification of Souls yet how seldome have any been under the Pangs of the New Birth How seldome were any pricked at the heart How seldome have any cryed out What shall we do to be saved And for others concerning whom we hoped better things How have they shed their Leaf How have they pined and withered away as to Practical Godliness How have they lost that Seriousness that Heavenlyness that Power of Godliness which before they seemed to have had Your Ministers saw this and lamented it they acquainted you with it invited you to remember from whence you are fall'n to repent and do your first works But yet You returned not unto the Lord. Should not this pierce your very hearts Is it nothing to you that not only your selves but so many Professours in England should lose their faithful and painful Ministers Is it nothing to you for God to call home by Death and otherwise so many of his Embassadours whom you have grieved whom you have despised and affronted and who have been more burthened with your Pride Earthliness Divisions Sensuality c. than they are with their present Poverty and Dishonours under which they lye What doth it portend save War and Hostility when Embassadours are called home And may not you fear that the wrath of God is and will be against you till there be no remedy They mocked the Messengers of God 2 Chron. 36.16 and despised his Words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy If God will treat with you no more believe it he will fight with you And O! O! O! Who will set the Bryars and Thornes against him He will goe through them he will consume them in his wrath Is it nothing to you that there is yet such a Spirit of Division in the Land O! What heats and heart-burnings what animosities and jealousies are there so that a Brother cannot trust a Brother Is it nothing to you that God hath been so long contending with the Land by the Sword and by the Pestilence and so lately by Fire Is it nothing to you that God permitted that dreadful Fire in London to break forth about Three of the Clock on a Lords Day morning Did he not thereby cause his Sabbath in a manner to cease in London Did not he make his holy Day of Rest a Day of labour and disquiet Did not he hereby as it were anticipate his Peoples conventions to expiate him and so drew them as it were off from the Remedy that his hands being loosened he might punish 2 Chron. 7.12 Deut. 9.14 Jer. 2.2 and not be prevailed with to pardon May we not say with Jeremiah even upon this account The Lord hath swallowed up all the Habitations of Jacob and hath not pittied he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong Holds of the Daughter of Judah he hath brought them down to the ground Is it nothing that at the same time God should send forth such a boysterous Wind to fann and blow up the Fire East West South and North God therein executing the Judgement threatned against Elam Jer. 49.36 of bringing the four Winds from the four Quarters of Heaven c. If the punishment of one Element saith a late Writer be dreadful as the Water was to the old World and the Air is in Pestilential Infections and the Earth was when it opened its mouth to swallow up Corah and his company how dreadful is Gods punishing a Land or Person with double and treble Judgements in one
is the man that heareth me and who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Behold I stand as the doer and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come to him and will sup with him and he with me Jo. 6.35 I am the Bread of Life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me Ephes 2.19 Jo. 1.12 shall never thirst He tells you Of Strangers and enemies you shall become Children and yet this seems a light matter to be so near related to the King of Kings Is not this Englaeds great Provocation to refuse so great an honour and dignity Rom. 8.1 He assures you There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ And shall he not condemn Wretches that slight the Pardons that are offered to them Hebr. 10.29 These must expect a double wrath Of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy c. 2. From believing Satan before God Others in imitation of the old Adam believe the Devil before God credit his Suggestions beyond all Gods Discoveries O! O! What a black grain'd Sin is this Saith the Devil You have sinned against Light and therefore Christ will not favour you Saith God Let the wicked forsake his way Isa 55.7 and his thoughts and I will abundantly pardon Saith the Devil You have sinned more than others you have provoked God exceedingly and therefore never hope for saving benefit by Christs death Saith God Cease to do evil Isa 1.16 17 18. learn to do well come now and let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Saith the Devil You have sinned not only against the Law but against the Gospel you have neglected Christ Saith God Luke 12.10 Every sin against the Son of man shall be forgiven Saith the Devil You have no right to Christ it is in vain to come Jo. 3.16 Saith God Whosoever believeth shall not perish Saith the Devil Your day of grace is past Saith God To day whilst it is called to day Hebr. 3.7 13. hear his voice Saith the Devil God never intended you good you are a Vessel of Dishonour Saith God As I live Ezek. 33.11 I desire not the death of a sinner but that he turn and live Now I pray consider whether God takes it kindly at your hands John 8.44 Titus 1.2 that you should lay more weight on the Father of Lyes than on the faithful God who hath promised and cannot lye who must cease to be God in that very moment wherein he ceaseth to be true You perhaps deceive your selves with the Pharisees Comforts Luke 18 11. You are not as these Harlots as these Publicans no Drunkards c. but little think that you put the Lye upon God You believe the Enemy more than the Friend O! what a Provocation is this 3. Through Pride Rom. 10.3 Others through the pride of their hearts will not come as yet unto Christ They have no mind to submit to the Righteousness of faith He is judged a proud man without a Jury sitting on him who when Condemned will not submit will not stoop so low as to accept of a Pardon I must indeed correct my self men are willing to be justified but they would have their duties to purchase their peace and the favour of God they scorn to be beholding to Christ Thousands will dye and be damned rather than they will have a pardon upon the sole account of Christs Merits and Obedience O the cursed Pride of the heart When will men cease to be wiser than God To limit God When will men be contented with Gods way and method of saving them by the bloud of the Everlasting Covenant How dare men thus to prescribe to the infinitely wise God Is it not enough for thee that thy destruction is of thy self But must thy Salvation be of thy self too Is it not enough that thou hast wounded thy self But wilt dye for ever rather than be beholding to a plaister of free grace Wilt be damned unless thou mayst be thine own Saviour Jo. 3.16 God is willing So God loved the World that he gave his Son Art thou so proud as that thou wilt not be beholding to God Thou wilt deserve or have nothing What shall I say Rev. 3.17 Poor thou art and yet proud thou hast nothing but wretchedness and misery and yet thou art talking of a Purchase This is a provocation God resisteth the proud especially the spiritually proud He that is proud of his Clothes and Parentage is not so contemptible in Gods eyes as he that is proud of his Abilities and so scorns to submit to Gods methods for his salvation by Christ and his righteousness alone 4. Others Through hopes to prepare themselves and make themselves fit for Christ through their ignorance and weakness stay off from Christ in hopes of working that which cannot be wrought without a Christ Were their hearts so humbled and melted as such and such are could they see all their sins subdued were their hearts more fitted and prepared for to lodge so great a Friend they would then close with the Promises with Christ whereas they should come to Christ as soon as they apprehend they are poor blind and naked Rev. 3.17 18. for them lie calls and invites But alas a sight of their wants is a barr to their coming They would have the Fruit first and then the Tree have their hearts purified and then come to Christ Who is appointed by God to be Sanctification to them God comes by his Spirit to convince them of their sinful nature and weakness on purpose that they seeing their necessity of Christ might flye to him as their City of refuge and they are driven farther off by the sight of their sins and unworthiness Whereas they should come to Christ as to a Magazine and Store-house and wait on him in the use of means for the broken heart the pure heart and all other spiritual mercies which their Souls are yet destitute of but they will not O faithless Generation How long shall I be with you Mar. 9.19 how long shall I suffer you Christ is put to the utmost of his patience to bear with Unbelief 5. Through seeming modesty Others through some kind of seeming modesty and tenderness delay in their coming to Christ They are afraid of abusing the holiness and justice of God if they should hope for any privilege in the blood of Christ and mercies of God What mercy for me me a proud wretch an unclean wretch an enemy to God a slighter of his Spirit I deserve nothing but Hell what Heaven for me I have affronted the Majesty of the great God and what This God bestow a Christ on me Who can believe that the Just God who turned down the glorious Angells to Hell for one transgression will save me