Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	apostle_n	law_n	transgression_n	5,619	5	10.4785	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93348	Great Britains misery; with the causes and cure. Described first, as it is from the justice of God the authour, who is now in controversie with the inhabitants of the land for sin: especially for eight capitall crimes, all which are aggravated by sundry circumstances. Secondly, the injustice and malice of the instruments of this misery, Satan and his agents: their main aime, and particular ends, moving them therunto. Vindicating, plainly and fully, (by way of answer to severall objections) the lawfulnesse and necessity of raising arms by the Parliament, and kingdom; for the defence of the King, kingdom, religion, laws, and known rights of the subject: against that viperous generation of papists, atheists, delinquents, and licentious men, who have at once invaded all. ... / By G.S. Gent. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford.	Smith, George, 1602 or 3-1658.	1643 (1643)	Wing S4037; Thomason E250_4; ESTC R212534	90,980	68

be no Peace when God calleth for War nor shall there be any War when God calls for Peace When he gives quietnesse who can make trouble and when he hideth Job 43. 29. his face who can behold him whether it be done against a nation or against a man onely War and Peace are at Gods beck so is all other calamities If he call for Pestilence or Famine in a Kingdom City or Family it shall come and cannot be hindred He hath now called for War upon the inhabitants of Isa 25 19. Great Britain and hath begun to bring evil upon the Kingdoms and Cities tha● are called by his Name and who but he can call the Sword back from us If God wound who can make whole when he troubles a nation who can give quietnesse if he have purposed to destroy us the whole world cannot deliver us out of his hand Every War is in its own nature destructive but a sedicious unnaturall War such as God hath now called for upon us is most miserable and most destructive one of the forest of all Gods Judgements and yet may prove more miserable in respect of the effects if God should as we have just cause to fear call for Famine and for Pestilence both which are the usuall companions of such a War So it was in Jerusalem as their seditious War increased Famine and Pestilence the companions of Civill-War Ios J●ws wars 1● c 11. Ios Jews wars l. 7 c 8. Euseb Ecclesiast hist l. 7 c. 21. so the Famine raged as a double fire it waxed hot that as Josephus reports the rich by stealth exchanged all their wealth for a measure of wheat the poor all they had for a measure of barley The Seditious Robbed Racked and killed those that had any food and hid it from them the mothers snatched the meat from the Infants mou●hes yea did slay and eat their own children And Eusebius relates the misery of Civill-Wars in Alexandria accompanied by the Plague of Pestilence so miserable that all houses were annoyed by the dead bodies no house free raging and infecting one another And thus it was in Germany by their late and still continued War Yet this doth not alwayes fall out because sometimes God forbids these two latter Plagues to enter when his hand is seen and acknowledged in the first and that he finde the hearts of men to se●k out the true remedy of cure for God brings not the first but when he is provoked nor will call for the latter if his anger be appeased by removing the causes For God openeth the ear to Discipline and commandeth to return from iniquity and the● who can say it shall be when the Lord commandeth it not Job 36. 10. Lam 3. 37. Job 12. 23. He increaseth the nations and destroyeth them he enlargeth the nations and straitneth them again The mightiest Monarchs Kingdoms and Cities have their Ebbs and Flows and their ●e●iods too God hath appointed their times of change and of ruine Ninevie once at the Preaching of Jonah was spared but Ninevie whose walls were in compasse 60 miles in height 100 foot the breadth able to receive three carts one meeting the other having 150 Towers of great height and strength yet was destroyed by the Caldees And that famous Citie of Jerusalem whose walls was trebble and bulwarks invincible was made an heap of stones And the Kingdoms of Judea destroyed by the Romanes Proud Nebuchadnezzar when he had felt the all disposing hand of God confessed That God doth all things what soever he will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants Dan 4 35 of the earth n●ne can st●y his hand or say to him What doest thou Thus much of the efficien● Cause In the next place we are to consider of the meritorious cause of all misery The meritorious cause is sin Rom. 6. 23. and of the misery of Great Britain at this day The meritorious cause is sin The wages of sin is death There was no misery no affliction no sorrow till there was sin Where sin entred it made way to misery by Adams sin all men became sinfull and by sin all men became obnoxious to all misery Sin is no creature God made it not nor is God the authour of sin nor of any evil except the evil of punishment which is the reward of sin nor is God delighted to punish or make his creatures miserable In the midst of Judgements Psal 73. 38. Lam. 3. 23. God remembers Mercy He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men but is afflicted in all their afflictions But God who is essentially Isa 63. 9. and eternally just rendreth punishment as the wages and due reward for sin All sorrow sicknesse pains pestilence famine war c. are the effects and rewards of sin Sin makes a separation between God and a sinner Isa 59. 2. Psal 66 13. it causeth God to turn away his face from him that he will not hear his prayers though he make many prayers yea the prayers of such a man as Isa 1. 15. Pro. 28. 9. allows himself to live in sin is abomination to God Sin is that onely thing that God hates and why he is angry with his creatures Sin cast the Angels down from heaven to hell and Adam out of Paradise For sin the old world was destroyed by water Sodome and Gomorrah by fire The earth opened and swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram for sin And for sin Herod was Num. 16 32. eaten with Worms In a word By sin we war against God and for sin God maketh war against us Sin sets open a wide flood-gate for all judgements to enter and break in upon kingdoms and people Particular sins let in particular judgements Nationall sins nationall judgements Now if any ask What is sin The Apostle gives the answer Sin is the 1 Joh. 3. 4. The description of sin what it is transgression of the Law of God Whosoever leaves undone any thing that the Law of God commandeth or doth any thing that the Law forbiddeth he sinneth the sum of this Law is contained in the Decalogue or Ten Commandments Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Gal 3 10. Book of the Law to do them This curse comprehendeth all misery in this life and in the life to come though but once committed The Angels sinned but once and that but in thought and were delivered to chains of darknesse to be 2 Pet. 2 4. Gen. 3 13. Levit. 10. 1 2. reserved unto further judgement Adam for our sin was punished in his own person and in all his posterity Nadab and Abiram consumed for once offering strange fire and the sword never departed from Davids house for one 2 Sam. 12 10. act of Adultery and Murder Now if any one sin but once committed deserve the whole wrath of God how much more when often itterated But there are some

cruell beasts Bulls Bears Wolves Dogs Kine of Bashan c. And the Prophet Amos tells them That the Lordhath sworn by his Ames 2. 4. holinesse that he will take them away with hooks and their posterity with 〈◊〉 as such devouring beasts and fishes are taken that bite and devour one another The stronger devour the weaker and greater eat up the lesser So the Prophet J●remiah complained That among the people there were wicked appressing Jer. 5 26. men who set traps to catch men Deceit was in their houses by it they became great and were waxen rich Therefore the Lord will be avenged on such Vers 28. 29. a nation as this Fifthly Murther This is another crying sin And this is committed either The fifth sin Murder by shedding innocent blood or by withholding judgement from the shedders of blood The blood that is shed cryeth loud against both these and ascends into the ears of God It is a sin against nature forbidden long before the Law was given by Moses and it was punished in the first age of the world The Gen. 9. 5. 6. voice of Abels blood cryed upto God from the earth It is expresly commanded Gen 4 11. That the blood shedder shal be delivered to the hands of the avenger of blood the reason is given in Verse 10. That the guilt of innocnet blood lie not upon Deut. 19. 12. the Land If blood lie upon a nation it leaves a stain that cannot be put out except Judgement be executed The guilt of blood may die long upon a nation till men seem to forget it but the Lord will not let it escape punishment If the Magistrates of the Nation do not punish it God will punish the Magistrate and the Nation too Saul slew divers of the Gibeonites causlesly contrary to Josh 9. 15. the Covenant and Oath which Joshua and the Princes of Israel made with them And long after in the dayes of David God sent a famine in the Land 〈◊〉 Sam. 21. 1. three yeers for that sin Till David executed Justice upon the sons of Saul the Gibeonites were but slaves to Saul and all Israel Yet see Gods Justice Sauls sons though of the Royall blood they must die for it God is no respecter of persons Where Judgement is not duely executed by man God will do it with his own hand some other way on whomsoever are guilty Now if Great Britain be guilty of such blood as surely it is then no marvell that God hath whet his glittering sword against us and made his arrows drunk with Deut. 32 41. blood to avenge the bloods of the innocnet and to destroy the withholders of Justice for he will avenge the blood of his servants and render vengeance Verse 43. 2 Kings 24. 4. to his adversaries The Lord sent the Caldecs Syrians Moabites and the children of Ammon against Jehoiakim to avenge the blood that Manasseh had shed in his dayes Though God be patient yet he is just God in Scripture is Psal 9 12. said to make inquisition after blood we see he did for the blood of Naboth which Ahab by Jezebel had shed and made the Dogs to lick the blood of Ahab ● Kings 21. 19. 2 Kings 9. 7. in the same place where they had licked the blood of Naboth and of Jezebelt by the wall of Jezreel and cut off the bloody house of Ahab by the bloody sword of Justice Sixthly Drunkennesse This sin is of a double provocation First it provokes The sixth sin is Drunkennesse Isa 5. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 10. God to wrath as it is a transgression of his law and is by the Apostle excluded from the kingdom of heaven Secondly it provokes men to the breach of every Commandment of God either to the act or guilt of all grosse sins as Murther Whoredom Stealing Lying and Swearing a sin under which the Land mourneth it takes a way the heart from God and inclines it to all wickednesse Wo is the portion of them that follow after strong drink Hos 4. 11. Prov. 23. 29. Isa 5. 11. Verse 22. Joel 15. Deu 29. 19. 20 and to them that are strong to drink strong drink The Prophet Joel awakes the drousie Drunkards and bids them weep and howl But the Drunkard is of all men most fearlesle till the Judgement be upon his head The Drunkard blesseth himself in his sin and sayes he shall have peace though he adde Drunkennesse to thirst Therefore the Lord will not spare us but his Wrath and Jealousie doth sinoak against us at this day God commanded that the father Deut 2● 20. of a Drunkard should bring his son to the Elders and stone him to death The whole nation of the Jews for this sin was carried into captivity and the Prophet Isa 5. 13 14. Neh. 1. 10. speaking of the destruction of Nineve saith While they were drinking as Drunkards they shall be d●●oured as stubble fully dry Belsbazzars kingdom Dan. 5. ● Kings 20. 16 was given from him while he was Drinking and Carousing before a thousand of his Lords Benhadad and thirty two other kings his consederates were all put to flight while they were drinking drunk in their Pavilions Seventhly Whoredom This is a very grievous and an unnaturall sin for The seventh sin is Whoredom 1 Cor. 6. 18. Heb. 13. 4. by it a man sinneth against his own body In all other sins of the second Table a man sins against another but by this a man sins against himself and others too This is a double sin not actually committed but by two as Zimri and Cozby The whoremonger destroyeth two bodies and two souls at once Whoredom Prov. 6. 32. is of two sorts Adultery and Fornication Both are hatefull to God and God hath excluded both from him in heaven and excludeth himself from them upon the earth by separating his servants from them as the Prophet witnesseth O faith he that I had a lodging place in the wildernesse that I might leave Jer. 9 2. my people and go from them for they be all adulterers c. God is far from them as a protectour he will come neer to them in judgement as he threatneth by Mat. 3. 5. the Prophet Josephus saith There is no greater filthinesse then the unlawfull mixture of our bodies The adulterer and the adulteresse were both to be put to Deut 22 22. death by Gods command but this sin reigns by custome and is practised by authority in England as was described by Seneca What woman saith he so Sentc benif l. 3. c. 16. miserable or loathsome that will content herself with one pair of adulterers they are carried to one friend and they dine with another for every day they have one and count the keeping of one Lemman good Wedlock We read that the least punishment that the Egyptians inflicted upon adulterers was to cut off the nose of the woman and the privy parts

of the man Anthony Duke of Venice caused his own son to die in prison because he ravished a maid and God by the Plague of Pestilence sinote with death of the Israelites for this sin three and twenty thousand and probably many thousands more had died if 1 Cor. 10. 28. Num. 25. 8 9. Judgement had not been executed upon Zimri and Cozki which appeased Gods wrath therefore no marvail that so many plagues have followed this kingdom And now the mercy-lesse plague of the Sword of wicked men if but for this sin Eighthly Lukewarmnesse in Religion This is also a sin that God hates The eighth sin is Lukewarmnesse in Religion When men are religious in profession and irreligious in practise When they allow it in the form but deny it in power When they hate to be zealous and shame to be prophane This is a subtile deceiving sin it stops the mouth of conscience by doing something and yet procures Gods wrath because they do not all They flatter themselves as the Church of Laodicea that they are rich and want nothing when indeed they are wretched miserable poor blinde and naked c. This was the destroying sin of that Church Thou art neither Rev 3. 15 16. cold nor hot saith the Spirit of God but because thou are neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth The Spirit useth a comparison borrowed from a troubled stomack that throweth out that which is loathsome to it Lukewarmnesse is displeasing to God in divers respects A Lukewarm man Lukewarm men are unconstant men is an unconstant man and that God hates A Lukewarm Professor will change his Religion with the times and State be of what Religion the King and State is be it what it will these are as James saith like the waves of the sea driven Jam. 16 8. Gal 4 18. Tim 2 14. Rev. 3. 19. with the winds to and fro But God requires that we be zealously affected and for that end Christ Jesus gave himself for us therefore the Church of Laodicea is commanded to be zealous and to repent of her Lukewarmnesse Again Lukewarm men are further from heaven then such as are openly prophane Lukewarm men are in worse condition then men openly prophane the prophane grosse sinner is more liable to pricks and checks of conscience when the other rests with confidence upon the outside forms of Religion and thinks he hath done well and all if he abstain from grosse sins of commission but regards not the sins of omission These men cry as the Jews The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and like those notorious hypocrites Jer. 7 4. Ma●●h 23. 23. against whom Christ denounceth wo They pay Tythe Mint Annise and Cumnun but omit Justice Righteousnesse Mercy and Faith Hence it is that they deride purity and cast reproaches upon men zealous for purity giving them names of Puritans Precisians and the new-come Name of Round-head a name invented by the devil and used onely by his children Those that called Christ Be●lzebub were not of the scum of the Jews but great Doctors Bishops fellows Matth. 12 34 Luke 3 22. yet those Christ saith were of their father the devil If those called the Master by such names no marvell then if these in these last times when we know such must be do call them of his houshold as bad but he that despiseth Matth 10. 25. Luke 10. 16. them that are Christs despise Christ himself And which is most fearfull Lukewarmnesse brings upon men stupidity in Lukewarmnesse brings stupidity in judgement Rom 1. 21. judgement When they knew God they glorified him not as God therefore they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned They plead for Popery and seek to reconcile Protestants Religion with Popery as the Israelites did the worship of God with Baal which is Idolatry and Heathenish 1 Kings 18. 21. 1 Cor 6. 14. what fellowship faith the Apostle hath righteousnesse with unright ousnesse what concord hath Christ with Belial What reconciliation can be between true Protestant Religion and Pop●ry which is Idolatry The true worshippers of God worship him in Spirit and Truth God seeketh such to worship him and such John 4 23. Ephes 1. 17. Jude 3. will stand fast in one spirit with one minde strive together for the Gospel of Christ and earnestly contend for the Faith that was once given to the Saints This is not the least of Englands sins that hasteneth Judgements and for which we are now soarly afflicted And probable it was the sin for which our neighbour Churches and kingdom of Germany is laid desolate who were a people generally formall without the power of holinesse But every sin is aggravated and provokes more either by the persons that sin Persons and circumstances aggravate sin or the circumstances in sinning First it is aggravated by the persons The sins of the godly that professe themselves to be Gods servants and wear his livery c. do provoke God more then the sins of the multitude of wicked men First because such men are entred into speciall Covenant with God and bound to deny ungodlinesse and Acts 3. 25. worldly lusts to live sober righteous and godly lives for to this end hath the grace of God which bringeth salvation appeared unto all men unto you first saith the Apostle God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning Tit. 1. 11 12. Acts 3. 26. every one of you from his wickednesse Likewise the sins of Magistrates Those whose place and authority is to punish sin who bear a stamp of the image of God and are intituled by his Rom. 13 4. Psal 82 6. 1 Pet. 1. 15. Name I have said ye are Gods their actions should be holy as their name is honourable Be ye holy in all manner of conversation they ought to be patterns and examples of holinesse and justice Their lives and actions are exemplary If a Ruler saith Solomon be given to lies all his servants are wicked M. Antonius Pro. 29 11. as Pliny reports by excesse in drinking drew all Asia to imitate him in Plutazeb in the lite of Antonius Senec. in Ep 7. Josans l 8. 6. 3. drunkennesse Seneca saith One evill example in such men causeth much mischief And Josephus saith That inferiours seeing the evill actions of their superiours will quickly follow their vices as if they were professed vertues It is the same in Ministers whose office and place is to reprove sin admonish sinners and cast them out that are obstinate from the Congregation of the 2 Tim. 3 16. 1 Cor. 5. 5. 2 Tim. 4 12. 1 Pet. 5 3. Matth 5. 14. godly They should be lights to the people to leade and guide them in holy conversation ye are the light of the world But the loos● lives of Ministers encourage men in sin more then their Doctrine prevail

to good life To teach by Precept saith Seneca is long and tedious but examples are short and effectuall to teach evill Therefore the sins of such men are more displeasing to God and provoke him more to wrath then then the whole world who lie in wickednesse First Because all such men sin against greater means greater mercies more 1 Joh 5. 19. Sins of the godly provoke more wrath then others Luk. 12. 48. Verse 47. Ez●k 9 6. 1 Pet. 4 17. light more knowledge c. Where much is given much is required To whom a man committeth much of him he will ask more He that knows his masters will and prepares not to do it shall be beat●n with many stripes Their sins hasten Judgements as their prayers prevent Judgements Therefore when Judgements come upon a Nation it beginneth with them Begin saith the Lord at my Sanctuary Judgement must begin at the House of God Secondly The sins of the godly do most dishonour God cause the Name of God to be blasphemed and the way of godlinesse to be evill spoken of The Name Esay 42. 5. Ezek. 36. 20. Rom. 2. 24. of God saith the Apostle is blasbhem'd among the Gentil●s through you Hence it was that Gods anger was great at Davids sin thou hast given great occasion 1 Sam 12 14. to the enemies of God to blaspheme Thirdly by their sins the Spirit of God is g●ieved the hearts of the godly Ephes 4. 30. Psal 119 158. Jer. 23. 14. are made sorrowfull and the hands of the wicked are strengthned I have seen in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they strengthen the hands of evill doers that none return from his wickednesse Fourthly The godly are of Gods own family he hath continuall eye upon them and therefore chastiseth them first of all other you have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities he Amos. 4 2. doth chastise them here but usually deferreth the judgements of the wicked reserving them to the great day of wrath Yet alwayts when by the sins of 1 Pet. 4. 18. Esal 51 17. Jer. 15. 28 29. the godly he is provoked to bring a generall calamity upon a Kingdom and makes the wicked his instruments as usually even then in the end the wicked shall bear the greatnesse of his wrath God wil deliver his own in his own Psal 34 17. Rom. 8 18. Psal 11 6. Psal 75 8. Circumstances aggravate sin provoke more wrath time out of all their misery and will reward their short affliction with everlasting felicity leaving the wicked to utter destruction thus much of the persons As by persons so by circumstances sin is aggravated as when sin is committed openly with contempt of God and Law and not punished this was El●●s sons sin their open contempt made the people a●ho● the Offerings of the Lord therefore the Text saith Their sin was very great before the Lord. So to sin with deliberation in cold blood as we use to say against checks of 1 Sam. 2. 17. consequence not by sudden passion of violent temptations In this the sin of 1 Sam. 11. 12. 13. David was aggravated in the case of Vriah So to yeeld to sin upon every small temptation to sin for a trifle Shall a man transgresse for a piece of bread Or to sin presumptuously in abuse of mercy to●● liberty to sin because God Prov 26. 21. Rom. 6. 1. is mercifull Or to make Religion a close to cover sin to seem religious to deceive and co●●● it makes the sin greater then to prosesse to be such a man Psal 10 16. and to own the sin So to betray men or Towns under pretence of friendship as Joab slew Abner and shed blood in a time of peace and under pretence 2 Sam. 3. 27. 1 Kings 2. 5. of love In a word when men will offer injury to a good man for goodnesse sake as Cain and Judas in despight of holinesse And truely these circumstances aggravate the sins of this very time and will be a means to hasten destruction upon such wicked men and to bring deliverance to them that fear God those that strongly oppose the Parliament and hate Reformation notwithstanding Prov. 29. 1. they have had many exhortations and sharp reproofs And so the time when sin is committed is an aggravation of wrath As to be drunk on the Lords Day a Fast day c. is more sinfull then upon another day and to sin at such a time when Gods Judgements are upon us while God is whipping us for sin then to sin makes the same out of measure sinfull and 1 Thes 2 16. Deut 28. 20. 2 Cor. 36. 16. provokes to wrath till there be no remedy Now seeing all afflictions are from God for sin and that some sins provoke more then other and those sins are aggravated by the persons and circumstances and that those sins most provoking are the common raging sins of Great Britain aggravated by persons and circumstances Let us consider in the next place whether God have not justly suited his Judgements answerable to Rom. 2 6. Rev 2. 23. Wisd 11 16. Judg. 1. 7. our sins wherewith a man sinneth therewith he shall be punished Adonibez●k when his thumbs and great toes were cut off confessed God has justly requited him as he had done to others God usually fits his Judgements answerable to sin whether private men or Kingdoms Elyes sons sinned by riot and profaned the Priesthood they were sons of Belial and for the abusing the Priests Office they were for ever cast off from the Priesthood for their riot and excesse punished by want shall crouch to one of the Priests for a piece of silver 2 Sam. 2. 36. and a morsell of bread Davids sin of adultery and murder was punished in the same kinde The Levites Concub●ne lived in adultery and died by adultery 2 Sam. 12. 10 21. Judg. 13 25. Psal 109. 17. The Prophet David prophetically saith of Judas and so of all other as he loved cursing so let it come unto him and as he delighted not in blessing so let it be far from him And thus do our present miseries justly answer to our sins First To Our present miseries are answerable to our sins instance in Idolatry our great sin consider while it was but a little winked at and Idolatrous Papists suffered amongst us God made them to be thorns in our eyes and goads in our sides ever plotting treasons against us yet we have harboured them and hankered after their Idolatry therefore just that God should make them the instruments and actors of our misery and were but just to deliver us up into their hands that as we have by them dishonoured God we might serve them and be dishonoured by Jer. 8. 19. Jer. 5. 19. them God gave them into our hands in the yeer 1605. as a people appointed to

their beads whip themselves or cutand lance their flesh as the Priests of Baal God will shew verse 26. 28. himselfe from heaven and will destroy all our enemies and deliver us to the glory of his praise remember what Iehoshaphat did when the children of Moab and the children of Ammon and a great many other came against Iuda he set himselfe to seeke the Lord and proclaimed a fast and all Iudea gathered 2 Chro. 20. 3. 4. themselves togethered to aske helps of the Lord and God fought for them Therefore gather your selves together all you that expect to have part in the inheritance of glory before the ficrcenesse of Gods wrath breake forth and Zeph. 2. 2. 2 Chro. 36. 16. there be no remedie your sinnes provoke more than the sinnes of other and your prayers will prevaile more than the prayers of other and your neglect in this duty and at this time in performance of the duties of humiliation will open a floodgate at which destruction will breake in upon the Nation without resistance God hath long cryed to you by his Ambassadors of peace Now God calls upon you by an Army of destroyers you must now bow or you must be broken therefore heare the rod and who hath appointed it let Mica 6. 9. Lam. 3. 40. Psal 4. 4. in search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord let us commune every one with his owne heart let us every one consider of his owne particular sinne your sinnes of omission as well as your finnes of commission for your omnision of holy duties and duties of charity are as provoking as the great abominations of the Kingdome and till you repent and reforme your selves your prayers and fastings and all that you can doe in outward performances will prevaile nothing at all if you retaine but any one sinne it will be like one leake in a ship which will sinke it as well as if there were many except it be stopped examine your selves Iudge and condemne your selves and you shall 1 Cor. 11. 31. Amos 4. 2. not be condemned Gods eye is most upon you and you must save or you will destroy the Nation be humbled for your neglect of Gods worship your formalitie in holy duties your omission of mercy selfe love ambitious thoughts pride covetousnesse Sabboth-breaking your failing in family duties in your severall relations as Masters to Servants husbands to wife father to your children wherein you have beene wanting in duty either in instructing as a Prophet or Priest which you are to be in your own house and family to instruct and teach the sinnes of your family are your sinnes consider how God dealt with good Ely for this omission The command of sanctifying the Lords Day is to you and you must answere for your Sonne your servant and your stranger their sinne is your sinne Be humbled and repent for your profusnesse in expences and voluptuous pleasures your costly and many dishes at your table your rich and strange attire feed the hungry cloath the poore let the soules of the poore the fatherlesse and the widdow Iob 29. 11. Iob 31. 20. blesse God for you doe as Iob did take heed of lying for gaine and reproach not your brother by scandalls or slanders let his name be precious to thee as thine owne and doe as thou wouldst be done unto first humble thy selfe for thy owne sinnes and then be humbled for the sinnes of others for we must Mat. 22. 39. repent for other mens sinnes for the Idolatry Sabbath breaking swearing lying oppression murders whoredomes and all the abominations of the Kingdome and for the lukewarmenesse of newtrall professors David beheld the transgressors and was grieved So stirre up others to seeke God by Psal 119 158. your example call upon them and exhort them as the shipmen did when the storme was one the Sea and the ship likely to perish that every one may call upon God Jonah was the most righteous man in the ship yet it was Ionahs sinne that caused the storme God hath raised a mighty storme in great Ionah 1. 4. Britaine and except we doe thus we must perish Consider the practise of Gods people in former time and see the issue of it when the Church in Hesters time was sold to be destroyed by wicked Ester 4 16. councell as we now are Hester and Mordica and all the Jewes they fasted and prayed and humbled themselves before the Lord and had a glorius deliverance Nehemiah was sad in heart and prayed unto God and gained favour Neh. 2. 4. 6. Ezra 8. 21. to build the Temple and to establish the worship of God in despight of all opposition Ezra when he was in danger of the enemie sought God by fasting and prayer and was preserved notable is the example of Daniel when the Church was in captivitie he made prayers and supplications for the sinnes of the people and while he was yet praying God gave him answere Dan. 9. 23. and told him that at the beginning of his supplications the command came forth and the thing was granted onely the time was deferred to finish the transgression you know what a temporall blessing Nineveh obtained by their temporary repentance though afterward they were destroyed but true Iona. 3. 5. 10. repentance never failes of certaine deliverance and continued repentance hath a continued protection Now as every one must examine himselfe of his sinnes so it is as necessary that every one examine his repentance whether it be good or not for men are apt to be mistaken in the worke of repentance and thinke that to be repentance which is not and so while we expect deliverance we shall be overwhelmed with destruction some thinke if they turne from some raigning sinne they have repented as when a profused prodigals becomes a covetous worldling some think that to abstaine from the Acts of grosse sin is repentance as the civill honest man or him whose abilities either in Luke 11. 26. Ier. 3. 10. nature or estate cannot act with the will some thinke if they confesse their sinnes with plausible expressions or affectionate teares that they have repented but this was the repentance of Saul in case of persecuting of David and so in the case of Agag others thinke dejectednesse of spirit and greefe of 1 Sam. 26. 21. 1 Sam. 15. 24. Gen 4 13. Mat. 27. 4. heart is repentance but such was Cains and Iudas repentance other thinke that to come before God in the Congregation to spend a whole day in fasting and joyning in prayer that they have done all the worke of repenaance especially if they forbe are for a little time to follow after their usuall every daies Esay 58. 5. sinne but this is that which is rejected as to hang downe the head for a day like a bul-rush yea there is a compunction or sorrow of heart for sinne as it brings judgement yet not as it

owne cause and his servants working his worke and in his owne time will make their worke prosperous in their hands as he did to Nehemiah Nehe. 6. 15. 16. Thirdly God hath afflicted Britaine for these sinnes and a multitude of other transgressions and doth still continue to afflict us for our impenitencie but it is observable that he whips us because he would convert us and yet he preserves us from destruction because he would not totally destroy us therefore hath wonderfully discovered the Plots of the enemie and blasted their bloody designes when they had prepared them as they thought ready to destroy us former mercies are engagements of future deliverance hence I conclude from the confidence of Manoahs wife when an Angell had told her she should beare a 1 Sam. 17. 37. sonne that should begin to deliver Israel her husband seeing the Angell assend Iudg. 13. 22 23 up in the flame sayd we shall surely dye because we have scene God if saith she the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have shewed us these things Fourthly I finde by all Stories Divine and Humane that ever I read that before God destroyed a people or Kingdome he hath taken away his Prophets Iudges and righteous men or they have beene rarely found or else he hath taken Esay 57. 1. Exod. 32. 10. Ier. 7. 16. Ier. 14 11. off their affections and spirits from prayer for that people or Kingdome I confesse this hath in part beene made good to England some have beene over awed their mouthes stopped some banished others destroyed and many forced to flie to other Countries for shelter Yea the two Fountaines of Religion and holinesse as well as the Courts of justice were exceedingly corrupted all which presaged a storme comming and now it is come But consider Gods Isay 1. 26. Ministers are restored increased and many returned from their Exile righteous Iudges are set up and good men put in Authority The affections of the godly and that of many thousands are moved with zeale to God exceedingly and their hearts stirred up to earnest constant prayer and unwearied labours have seene some gracious returnes of their prayers and fruit of their labours and waite Mica 7. 9. by faith with patience till the Lord plead their cause and execute Iudgement for them Besides notwithstanding the corruption of the fountain God hath from thence produced pure streames planted fruitefull vines in his Orchard When were more young able godly Ministers in England then now When were men stirred up with zeale for God to lift up their voyces like Trumpets to tell Israel Esay 58. 1. Act. 4. 36. 1 Thes 5 14. Psal 147. 1. Esay 8. 11. c. Esay 10. 14. vers 15. 16. her transgressions and Iudah of her sinnes When were more sonnes of consolation to comfort the feeble minded But if God graft new siens and plant young Vines in his Vineyard he is not about to destroy it but rather to gather his own together that he may destroy the wicked by themselves Fifthly no story of any age or people can give a president that ever God destroyed an humbled praying people notwithstanding the irreligiousnesse of a multitude of godlesse men amongst which they live whom God can cut off Mat. 13. 30. some other way or reserve to greater wrath but if a considerable number of repenting reformers have beene found God hath for their sakes spared such a people or Nation therefore this Church and Nation Onely we must consider Tim 2. 19. God lookes for a greater number in Great Britaine than in any other Nation or Kingdome God would have spared Sodom for ten righteous sake yet seven Luk. 12. 48. Gen. 18. 32. 1 King 19. 18. thousand in Israel was too few although God tooke notice of them all and surely twice seven thousand cannot save England but if those in England who have given their Names to Christ be found to be truely repenting praying and reforming their evill wayes with resolution to perseveere undoubtedly England 2 Chro. 7. 14. Iohn 17. 19. shall be saved for their sakes The example of Judea and Jerusalem in the time of Josiah nor the present condition of Germany are no objections of validity against this truth except we resolve to cherish our base lusts seeke our private ends love our selves so as to neglect God and the meanes he hath in mercy freely 1 Chron. 28. 9. ult given us to save us this is to forsake God and then God will forsake us and cast us off for ever and it shall be said of England as once of Babel we would have Jer. 51. 9. healed Babel and she would not be healed c. 6ly Although for these sins now raigning in this Kingdome namely Idolatry prophanation of the Sabboth oppression c. God hath destroyed whole Kingdomes layd them mast and given up his owne people with the wicked into his Ier. 24. 5. enemies hands Yet you must consider it was when generally or wholly the people were willing to yeeld to such sinnes as it was before and instantly after Iosiahs time Besides when those men so given into captivitie have beene sold Dan 6. 6. verse 23. 24. Esth 8. 7. Neh. 4. 8. c. Nehe. 6. 15. 16 1 King 18. 24. to destruction and appointed to slaughter by their enemies maliciously to destroy the Church of God God hath for his owne Names sake given them a glorious deliverance much more will he deliver at this time being now invocated on both sides and called to be Iudge of the truth as in the time of Eliah Yet I say not but England is punished for these sinnes and may be brought very low and into great straights because of unbeleefe lukewarmenesse and impenitencie before she see a full deliverance which if it be so the fault is our owne Hos 13. 9. Seventhly it hath beene usuall with God when admonitions have beene rejected and easier chastisements slighted to lay great and heavie Iudgements upon Deut. 28. 29. his owne people and of long continuance and in these Iudgements to take away many of his children till his people returne and earnestly seeke God and till Hos 5. 15. Ezek. 5. 13. the time of his indignation be accomplished great sinnes and long continued in bring great and long Iudgements except there be proportionable humiliation to prevent it but glorious deliverance to Gods people will come and wonderfull Deut 7. 23. destruction to their enemies will be seene to all the world and assuredly deliverance will come to Britaine if we waite by faith and patience with diligent use of the meanes without murmuring at the miscarriages and accidents in things failing of men or Armies confided in or be discouraged at the seeming unprosperous successe of our Armies or the successefull enterprises Psal 73. 18. Psal 76. 10. of the enemie in all which God hath a secret way of providence and will make to the manifestation of his glory Nor let any man thinke that he shall be delivered by another mans faith and repentance or escape by other mens cost and industry for although enlargement come and the Kingdome be delivered yet Esth 4. 14. the unbeleeving and mammonist may be cut off before or after Consider what became of that great Lord on whose hand King Iehoram leaned because he beleeved not the Word of God Besides at the great day of account Christ may say to such ● King 7. 17. I know you not depart c. You that were not with me were against me Therefore let every one conscionably doe his owne part and duty and then depend Mat. 25. 40. 41 Mat 12. 30. upon God for a glorious and comfortable deliverance which God grant for his Names sake But there are foure evills that exceedingly hinder the worke of Britaines deliverance which must be removed Two concerne private men two concerne the Publicke Magistrate the evills in private men are first neglect of selfe-examination every ones not judging and condemning his owne sinne Secondly our forwardnesse and rashnesse to censure and condemne the faults miscarriages or neglects of others Parliament Armies Commanders c. whom we are bound to pray for as they are the Instruments of God for our good The evills in the publicke Magistrate are first not clensing Gods Armies of knowne Achans who seeke the wedge of Gold and the Babilonish Garment these Iosh 7. 11. 12. hinder God from going out with our Armies cause the mouthes of ill affected men to be opened against our just cause and discourage many well affected people and is an occasion Why our Armies turne the backe upon the enemie secondly the nourishing of flattering Zibas and traiterous Iudasis who take pay of our money are maintained in excesse and riot at our costs while the common Souldiers want necessaries yet like Iudas betray our cause and sell us for gaine Let us pray and our Parliament and Generalls endeavour to have these evills removed And God will be seene to goe out with our Armies and will undoubtedly worke our worke for us save our King and destroy his and our enemies Let all Glory be given to God FINIS