commands not practicable by men of their blood and Spirits Religion now adays is thought to emasculate men and render them tame and cowardly Basely to submit themselves to their own unruly passions with these is Courage To be Bears and Tygers is accounted Gentle and Manly These are the Lordly creatures that are so tender of their Honors that they will rather violate the Laws of the great God than the least Punctilio of it To humour or win a Fantastical Mistresse 't is well they are not in hearing when I call her so they durst venture upon the wrath of their maker For the wall or the way for a wry word or a straw they durst venture their necks to the Halter and their souls to the Devil Are not these the true Sons of Valour Such that even in cold blood and upon sober deliberation dare damn themselves And why because forsooth they are afraid of being call'd Cowards and abus'd by every body else should they have past by one injury They could tell what this was but what the Hell they leapt into was they knew not till they found themselves there and by that time poor wretches how was their courage cool'd And now at length you valiant Fighters wonder not if God himself be stept into the Field against you What do you think you have met with your match yet Nay but he hath not yet appeared with all his strength He hath only sent one of his Warriours Death sitting upon the Pale-Horse but see what a terrible Second there is Hell follow'd after him Rev. 6. 8. But come try your Manhood upon this first The hour he appoints is when he pleaseth the Weapon he now chiefly fights with is the Plague take you what you will the Place is London What Cowards do you turn your backs now Are you afraid to Dye and yet are not afraid to be Damn'd What will you laugh at Hell and now quake at Death and flie from it But think not your heels can secure you nor any place you can flie to sooner or later be sure hee 'l find you out What did you challenge God to the Combat and now do you run for 't Can you deny it What else meant all your open impudent wickednesse but to bid God do his worst For to fin you were resolved let him right himself how he could God threw down his Gauntlet when he said The Soul that sins shall dye You took it up when y ou rush't upon those sins What you miserable Caitiffs you Children of the Devil who is a Murderer must you stand upon your terms and command observance from your Companny and will draw at the least Affront and shall God be carelesse of his Honour Was it not present death for a man to throw a Glasse of Liquor in your face And have you done lesse against God one day after another by pouring down your superfluous Glasses Did the Lye deserve the stab and shall you go Scot-free who have so often given the Lye to God himself speaking to you by his Word and Ministers his Spirit and your own Consciences Nay what you count the most unsufferable Reproach have you not been ready to interpret Gods Patience for Cowardice Well you are wont to call your selves Gentlemen Know then That for these and a multitude of such Affronts God demands Satisfaction and have it he will one way or other Your speedy Repentance and believing recourse to the blood that speaks better things than that of murdered Abel may appease him otherwise when he makes Inquisition for blood hee 'l take the proudest of you by the Throat and cast you to the Tormentors and verily you shall not come thence till you have paid the utmost Farthing 8. Another very heinous sin amongst us is Prophanation of the Lords Day and neglect of the Worship of God How many are idling away their time at home or which is worse sinning it away in Tipling-houses whilest they should be attending the Publick Service of God Or if they afford their bodily presence there for an hour or two how soon after do they betake themselves to their pleasures as if the rest of the day were their own Or as if when they had prayed to God to keep them that day without sin they might boldly commit it As if when they had beg'd of God to teach them to keep amongst the rest the Fourth Commandment they might then take Liberty to break it And by their after-practice one would judge their prayer had been Lord have mercy upon us and give us leave to break this thy Law Some go to their Drunken Companions some to their Sports others to walk idly in the streets or fields and the most to their common vain and worldly discourse To any thing rather than to private meditation or Family-repetition of what they have heard How far are men from spending this day as beseems those who have Immortal Souls to care for and can spare but little time on week-dayes for such employments Oh how exceeding few are there that are willing rightly to inform themselves of the nature use and end of this day and accordingly to improve it As it is a day set apart to commemorate not only the work of Creation but chiefly of Redemption by Christ our Lord and especially his Resurrection that being to him as a kind of rest from his Labours And moreover as it may be to us a Type and a Resemblance of the Eternal Sabbatism we shall enjoy in the Heavens When we shall rest from all sinful troublesom and bodily works and be wholly employ'd in the admiration and praise of that Divine Love which contrivâ—d and wrought our Redemption and Salvation To have leave thus to spend a day with and for God would be sufficient to engage holy and ingenious Souls with all alacrity and thankfulnesse to embrace the opportunity Such would be asham'd to stand reasoning and enquiring whether they might not halve it with God and rob him and themselves of a good part What a strange tedious thing is it for poor Creatures that know not God nor their own necessities to be obliged to consecrate One day in Seven to spiritual Services for which awakened and experienc't Souls think their whole Life-time little enough How many have we had crying like those Amos 8. 5. When will the New Moon be gone and the Sabbath over That they might again to their pleasures or enjoyments Nay our People have been in more haste than so they could not stay till the Sabbath was over but must to their bargaining their buying and selling How frequent is this with many Shop-keepers in the City when no necessity requires it Well if indeed you are so eagerly bent on your business that you will not keep a Sabbath which God commands you hee 'l force you to another kind of Sabbath than this which you shall have more reason to cry out When will it be over You shall be made to rest from
your works longer than this comes to if you cannot afford God that small space of time he affords you And you that were wont to be so weary of the Prayer and Sermon and shift postures first up and then down peeping at the Glasse or your Watch Is it not equal that you should be held with those pains which shall make you weary for somewhat when you shall turn from side to side but get no ease and count all the tedious hours of the night expecting every moment to sink into that woful state where are no more dayes or nights or hours where you shall never have a moments rest through a whole Eternity And then say whether the Service of God or the Sufferings you feel from God be the more tedious If wicked wretches thus loosely encroach upon the Lords own day may we not well fear lest God should depopulate our Land that so at length it may enjoy its Sabbaths And is it not just they should be seized with a disease which admits not of a Minister to visit them who in the time of life and health did so little care for their Minister How many who have been shut up from all converse with men were wont formerly to excommunicate themselves from the Publick Congregation And if they would not stir over their Threshold to the Church 't is just they should not stir out at all And may we not see many doors praying now whose owners were not before wont to pray either in Publick or with their Families on the Lords Day or any other time Nay perhaps might be deriders of all serious praying and only use to take Gods Name in vain with their Formalities Is it not just then that those who were utterly unacquainted with and it may be jeer'd at praying by the Spirit should be taught by the feeling of their flesh to groan out an hearty Lord have mercy upon us 9. Another very common sin somewhat related to the former is the contempt and abuse of the Ordinances of Christ especially the Lords Supper whilest so many partake of the Table of the Lord and in some sense of the Table of Devils which what is it but to provoke the Lord to jealousie as if we were stronger than he 1 Cor. 10. 21 22. Many there are indeed whose Hypocrisie and Treachery is only known to God and though the Minister cannot yet these he will find out To vow obedience to God whil'st we intend and perform nothing lesse this is such a wickednesse so solemnly to mock him as he will not bear at his creatures hands And how many Thousands are guilty of such falshood and perjury For the breach of these Oaths be sure the Land mourns When each member of the Church thus Covenants to Reform himself and yet still continues in wickednesse How is the receiving this Sacrament made a meer matter of course And if it be remembred for a day it 's well but the engagement then made is presently forgot But believe it God will not forget it so How many have we that are Celebrating the remembrance of Christs death to day who are Crucifying him again to morrow And such as these I chiefly intend who whil'st they customarily renew their obligations to live to the honour of their Lord do what in them lies to put him to an open shame And where is the place where difference is put betwixt the precious and the vile and any scruple made of casting Pearls before Swine Childrens bread to Dogs Whosoever's fault this is that it is a fault and a very heinous one too can hardly be denied by any that use to read what Qualifications Scripture requires of all that are admitted not only to some more solemn Ordinances but into Church-communion If covetous persons Drunkards Swearers Whoremongers and all disorderly Walkers are to be noted withdrawn from and not to be eaten with take the word in what sense you will then let the most impartial charitable person judge what a vast and sad difference there is betwixt the precept and our practice Si hoc sit Evangelium non sumus Evangelici Where are they that walk after this Rule And 't is not likely that this very sin which brought sicknesses and death upon the Corinthians should have lost its provoking nature by the tract of time or any difference of circumstances betwixt us and them It cannot surely be thought that the Commonnesse of this miscarriage nor yet the difficulty and seeming impossibility which some are apt to pretend of having it remedied should render it lesse displeasing to that Holy God who is so jealous about his Sanctuary If Vzzah was smitten for his too bold officiousnesse in staying the tottering Ark and 50070 men of the Bethshemites for their curiosity in prying into it how shall they be able to stand before the Lord in the day of his vengeance who have so profan'd his holy Ordinances Interest sometimes restrains men from punishing a crime that is universal but believe it this takes no place in God No to his mercy we owe it only that our punishment is not as extensive as our guilt But surely this his Besom of destruction with which he sweeps away multitudes clearly speaks it self sent to scourge a general sin and I know none more than this we are now upon And it is not mens Lazinesse or carnal interests their lothnesse to displease either the Vulgar or Great Ones by whom they live that shall here or in the day of their appearance before the great Law-giver and Judge excuse their disobedience to his so expresse and peremptory Injunctions To tell them then that his Commands were inconsistent with their ease or the favour of men which is the voyce of their present negligence will hardly excuse them who have so often told others That no man can be Christs Disciple much less then a Minister without very great measures of Self-denial If any of those whom they now please by their cowardice and compliance will then bear them out they are safe enough but if that is not to be expected they had best bethink themselves in time how to give a comfortable account of their Stewardship Though private members performing their duty may not justly pretend the Pastors negligence to justifie a Separation yet how far others assuming a power to themselves if they execute it not will excuse those who are deputed to dispense these mysteries when they shall deliver them to such whom they have good reason to think unworthy it behoves them who are concerned well to consider The unworthy receiver himself it may be hath some pretence or other to shift the blame from off him as that he was never admonished nor suspended but all these evasions will be too gross to pass for current with a just Judge I hope 't is no scandalous thing to bewail the want of and earnestly desire a Discipline amongst us as guilty as the word is grown By whom or with what
and then farwell all hope for ever Oh spend but one hour or half an hour in a day in the sober thoughts of Eternity and go on in sin if thou canst Good Reader let me entreat thee to this course but if thou cryest Thou hast somewhat else to do Know thou shalt shortly have nothing else to do but to feel that which now thou wilt not be brought to think of that thou mightest avoid it and then say If thou hadst not good counsel given thee once if thou hadst had the wit and the grace to take it One moments experience shall at length convince thee more than all thy hearing or reading would Thou countest Plague Famine and Sword Earthquakes Thunder and Lightning terrible things oh then what 's Hell the very dregs the Ocean of that furie of which these are but small drops There it is that God will make the verie power of his hottest intolerable wrath to appear and in those rivers of brimstone those scorching flames of his anger must thou lie down for ever oh for ever ever man think but awhile how long is that Might but the undone Souls return to describe this place of torments to their old companions what a Language should we hear Might but Dives himself have been sent to his jovial Brethren that little thought where their departed Brother was nor what they themselves were hastning to in what a passionate manner would he have beg'd them off from sin that led to all that endless Woe How would he have disturbed them in the midst of their merriments and feastings and even have made their hearts to quake and their hair stand an end with his terrible expressions But Reader if thou art one who wilt be frightned from Hell by no descriptions but of those that have seen it thy feeling is like to prevent thy fear What say'st thou then after all Art thou yet resolved to prepare for Death and prevent Damnation or not If thou art happie man thou that ever thou wast born but if thou art not I can stay to say no more but even take thy course and when thou seelest the event then say Whether sound Repentance and an holy life had not been a cheap and easie a gainful and happy way to have prevented everlasting misery But the good Lord have mercie upon thee and work these convictions with power upon thy soul whilst they may do thee any good I shall finish all with a word or two to all those that trulie love and fear the Lord Oh Sirs You that have known God and are interessed in his favor and are well acquainted at the Throne of his Grace to which you have oft in time of trouble and need made your recourse and thence have received seasonable comfort and supply All you to whom Prayer is no strange work Now arise and betake your selves to God with all seriousness and speed Cast your selves down before him bewailing your own sins and the sins of the Land and lie in the gap to stop the farther proceedings of his wrath that he may not root us up from being a people nor yet so far give us off that we should continue to be a wicked and rebellious People for then Destruction from the Lord will certainly be our Portion Strive with him to remove his Rod but above all to work those ends whereto it is appointed I have endeavoured to shew you and your selves are sensible of it what sins we are suffering for Oh pray that everie abominable thing may be cast forth from amongst us and those blessed works accomplish't which would make us in the eye of God and man a people glorious and happy Beg earnestly that the Gospel may be advanc't Holiness encouraged Wickedness supprest and punish't our Divisions healed that from the Prince upon the Throne to the Beggar upon the Dunghill there may be an effectual Reformation of all we have done amiss that we may yet find favour in the sight of God and enjoy his residence and gracious presence amongst us that he may delight in us and rejoyce over us to do us good Both alone and in Companies as you have opportunitie besiege Heaven with your humble and affectionate prayers God will not be deaf to your cry he knows your voice which comes from your very Soul he will not reject the Petitions you present with pure hands your prayers are his delight all you that are his humble upright ones 'T is you must now prevail or we are undone Though you may be a people hated derided and undervalued by those amongst whom you live yet must your intercessions be accepted on their behalf through our great intercessor or else they are like to perish 'T is you that must run with your Censers and stand betwixt the Living and the Dead that so the Plague may be stayed It is the incense and perfume of your prayers that through Christ must appease an angrie God and clear an infected Air. It is not the Lip service of the profane sinner or the formal Hypocrite that will do us anie good let his prayers be by heart or by rote within-book or without that makes no great matter but if he be one whose heart is far from God and whose life is a provocation to him who still goes on in his sin let him be never so devout in the Church or on his knees and roar and weep with never so much passion and noise the howling of a Dog is as acceptable to God as such hypocritical devotion Shall the tongue that was just now Cursing and Swearing come presentlie and fall a praying and think to be accepted Doth God delight to hear his Name taken in vain as these sensless sinners do in their solemnest services No no but it is the fervent prayer of you who are indeed Righteous that 's like to be effectual and prevailing You have the spirit of supplication interceding within you assisting you with unutterable sighs and groans whether with a Form or without makes not the difference and you have a powerful Advocate enforcing your Requests wherefore to God betake your selves lie at his feet Plead with him for Rulers and People his Church and Ministers your Friends and Enemies City and Countrey your Towns and Familie and for your own Souls Follow him day and night and give him no rest till he shall hear in Heaven and have mercy and establish his Zion a praise both amongst us and in the whole Earth And be exhorted also now to lay about you all you can 〈…〉 and convincing of the poor creatures that are near you 〈…〉 may not find their Souls unready If you be in places where 〈…〉 on is or is dailie sear'd improve such a time with ignorant and 〈◊〉 ones manie may be willing to hear you now who would have 〈…〉 at serious Discourse a few dayes since When they begin to 〈…〉 Death as a real thing and not far off the fears of it will a little cure 〈◊〉 of