weake meanes as might seeme but by a woman to wit Huldah the Prophetesse because he knew it to be the word and message of the Lord. And that not onely to so much as shall be pleasing unto us but even to that part of it that shall most directly touch us As indeed it shall be most happy for that man who shall so receive it and shall so humble himselfe before his divine Majestie Therefore we are every one to be so affected the Lords High Priest as was old Ely who disdeyned not to receive a most grievous and dredfull message by the hand of yong Samuel a boy brought up under him but chargetâ— him in the name of the Lord to tell him every word which the Lord had spoke unto him not to hide a word from him And afterwards having heard it in stead of being offended he saith It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good Yea we shall most truely declare our homage and obedience to the word of the Lord by submitting our selves wholly unto him and ech acknowledging our particular sinnes as David did at the admonition of Nathan That thereupon we may ech receive that comfortable answer The Lord hath put away thy sinne And that we may all thus helpe to pacifie him that he may not proceed to his heavy resolution howsoever he shall humble us for the manifold dishonours which we have done to him by all our sins and for causing his enemies to blaspheme his great name Gospell which he hath vouchsafed us the profession and libertie of above most other people of the earth 5. Ech of us are to apply every part as spoken to us by the Lord particularly and as making one bodie for even the sinne of the Atheist Idolater Drunkard and so of every wicked man may be said in some sort to be the sinne of ech of us and we are all lyable to the punishments thereof even those of us that thinke our selves most innocent and free from them As the sinne of Achan is counted the sinne of all Israel for so doth the Lord tell Iosua plainely when he punished them all That Israel had sinned they had taken of the excommunicate thing they had done that which Achan did Even so the sinnes of all the notoriously wicked are the sins of us all chiefly their open abominations All of us are guiltie and endangered by the same if at the hearing and seeing them we have not mourned as we should for the dishonour done to the Lord and his anger kindled thereby Or if we have not cryed for pardon sought to turne away the vengeance yea and done our vtmost endevour ech of us in our places and callings to stop them and the course of sinne reigning amongst us None of us can justifie our selves but God might for this very sin depart from us as he threatneth Ioshuah for Achans sacriledge and might leave vs to be wrapped in the same judgement 6. We are to consider that ech of our particular grievous sinnes doe not onely hinder the power of our prayers whereby we should help to pacifie the Lords wrath but also in steed thereof helpe to draw downe the anger of God not onely vpon our selves but vpon the whole Land more specially and principally the notorious and outragious sinnes of our most horrible transgressors as of blasphemers scorners of God and of his truth oppressors drunkards filthy persons and all impudent sinners who hale on the vengeance of God as it were with cart ropes That it is his infinite mercy that it hath bin kept off hitherto And therefore howsoever such men may imagine and boast of themselves to be friends to their country yet in truth they will be found the principall enemies first to Iesus Christ doing as much as lyeth in them thereby to drive him out and to set vp Sathan in his roome and doe not onely murther their owne soules without repentance but also as much as such sins can to betray the Lords Anointed his Church their native Country with all our happinesse into the hands of the bloudie enemie Because for the sinnes of these principally Gods vengeance comes upon his people as here in this lamentable captivitie may plainely be seene And therefore ech of us are to finde out our owne particular sinnes and in the reading and hearing hereof to say This is my sinne which the Lord reproves threatneth us all for and me especially by name So ech of us are to begin to reforme our selves or else we shall never be able to judge of the sinnes of others much lesse have a right feeling of them so as to be helpers to pacifie the wrath by our prayers and to turne away the like plague from our selves 7. Every one of us are to resolve with our selves that whatsoever the Lord shall say unto us we will doe it as the people made profession to the Prophet Ieremie to doe if they had had hearts to haue performed it accordingly and ech to cast away our deerest sins rather than they shall beat backe our prayers and much more helpe to pull downe vengeance upon us Because of that which God threatneth that every soule who turnes not to all his Covenant so far as he shall manifest it to his conscience to be his Covenant and that seeks not also with all his power to cause others to turne shall perish That same sinne wherein any one continueth shall be his destruction and the endangering of all so far as lyeth in him And this may serue for the generall directions in reading this vision to make right use of it to our selves for pacifying the wrath Now to the Vision CHAP. III. The Lord is not wont to bring any terrible judgement upon his Church but usually ever aforehand to give warning thereof neither at any time to waâ—ne in vaine And what cause we have for our manifold forewarnings to give our selves to watching and praier HEe cried in mine eares with a loud voice saying Cause them that have charge over the City to draw neere or the visitations of the City draw neere c. To come to the words of the vision The Lord so plainely foreshewing this dreadfull captivitie not only heere in this Vision but also so many other wayes and denouncing it by his Prophets so long before it came declaring also the causes of it sheweth in the first place That he hath not beene wont to bring any notable judgements upon a people especially upon his Church or where his Church hath beene but he hath ever used to make the same manifestly knowne before at least to his owne faithfull servants amongst them and after as he foreshewed it so to bring it to passe unlesse his anger hath beene some way pacified This we may see in sundry of the most fearefull destructions that ever he
accounted worthy to escape the euills approching but also that ech of vs may still helpe to preserue the Island like as our most compassionate Father hath in the riches of his mercy vouchsafed to accept vs vntill this day And this likewise he in his wisdome directed to come forth at the very instant yea in the midst of the last apparant danger which we in our parts were in for the insurrection about inclosures which howsoeuer it might seeme nothing or small to them who dwelt far from it yet to vs who expected the approching of the rebells euery houre and heard how the hearts of the people were generally bent it was no lesse terrible than any of the former but so much more fearefull the neerer it was Now therefore in the third place forasmuch as all men may behold all kinde of wickednesse and impietie still increasing fearefully without hope of redresse so that vnlesse we will put out our owne eyes we must see the iudgement of God hasting faster vpon vs and being at the very dore I haue taken it my bounden dutie and my best seruice that I could doe and possibly performe to his heauenly Maiestie his Church and my Country to adde this third part to the end to set before the faces of euery one of vs the heynousnesse of our sinnes in euery degree and so the equitie of the Lords proceeding against vs that we may all be inforced to iustifie his Maiestie though he come to execute whatsoeuer he hath so often threatned when no kinde of forewarning can doe vs any good And also to try if yet at length he will vouchsafe to recall vs againe to his couenant and put new life into vs to meet him falling vpon our faces in fasting and prayer to pacifie his wrath and that ech of vs may begin to put that in practise which was intended and sought in the two former parts that is to watch and pray continually not in words any longer but in deed and truth for the preseruation and lasting welfare of vs and our posteritie That the heauiest iudgement must needs be feared to be so much the neerer as the anger of the most High is more kindled against vs no man can doubt and that his wrath is incensed to the vttermost is most apparent to all whose eyes he hath opened or who doe but beleeue his heauenly word for that in stead of hauing any of our greeuous abhominations which we may behold set before our faces in the Treatise following euen by the Prophets themselues and forwhich he hath so often threatned us yet vnfeignedly repented of we haue indeed increased them many times more The couenant of our God which the whole land professeth and ech of vs in our Baptisme haue solemnely entred into we haue most grieuously transgressed And this many of vs haue done with so high a hand as that we haue caused that his heauenly Gospell to be blasphemed inforcing him to threaten to take his couenant with all his blessings from vs yea to leaue vs to be made a prey and a spoyle vnto our enemies which thirst after our bloud continually This all confessed when they so despightfully and proudly came against vs as being ready to swallow vs vp quicke and ech of vs then acknowledged that his wrath was most iustly kindled against vs for the same so as if he should then haue cast vs off vtterly for euer being his people or a nation any more that yet we had most righteously deserued it This we haue in like manner many a time since acknowledged in all our dangers and plagues which we haue had vpon vs plague after plague as those ten plagues of Aegypt More especially in the grieuous dearths and chiefly in that most poysoned plague of pestilence as the sundry confessions of sinnes then made and still extant doe and shall euer beare witnesse But aboue all other times when we were all ready to be consumed in the hot fierie furnace at once yea this we ordinarily and daily euery one confessed whilst we liued in imminent danger euery houre before the Lord so miraculâ—â—sly and graciously set vp his Anointed ouer vs. Euery one then could say Our sinnes are so â—heynous as that we must needes haue some terrible vengeance without speedie repentance This wrath therâ—fore we must needs acknowledge to be farre greater now than euer heretofore not onely for that in stead of repenting our sinnes are so growne vp in euery kinde but also because we are now so generally and so much further off from repentance or any purpose of amendment yea of so much as of any sense of our sinnes or feare of any iudgement to be toward vs for the same than euer we were in former time notwithstanding all the meanes which he hath so long vsed to awaken vs and to bring vs to repentance How then can this fire of the Lords anger be euer quenched we deliuered from the violence thereof that we should not be consumed of it but onely by seeking out the principall causes of it to wit our maine transgressions against the couenant of our God by which he hath bin so prouoked and also by confessing and acknowledging them and turning backe ioyntly to the humble obedience of that his most holy Couenant againe Israel cannot stand before their enemies vntill Achans sacriledge be found out and punished neither can the dearth be stayed in the dayes of Dauid vntill the causes of it be found out and the Lord pacified by taking away the iniquitie Nor yet can the storme vpon the Seas be quieted so long as Ionah lyeth asleepe in his sinne How much losse now when so many Achanâ— be in euery corner and Ionah asleepe euery where in the eyes of all As it is with a particular man so is it with a whole Nation That like as there must be first a searching out of his sinne with confession of it and turning againe vnto the Lord before his anger can be appeased so must it be for a whole Nation so far as we can iustly conceiue before any sound assurance can be giuen that his wrath is turned away This seemes euery where most euident thorow all the booke of God How Poperie is growne vp againe the late proclamation for preuenting it and the furie of that bloudie Religion and for the preseruation of his Royall Maiestie and his Seede set forth vpon the occasion of the cruell murther of the French King doth sufficiently witnesse And likewise the generall vrging the Oath of Allegeance inforced therevpon besides so many lamentable experiments and our ouer-iust feares for their trecheries expected ech howre How Atheisme also with all kinde of outragious iniquitie and scorning at all true pietie doe ouerflow in euery place aboue all former times no man can denie Indeed some sinnes haue bin odious heretofore and especially when they began first to spring vp
and were cryed out of as which all the godly feared that they would presently bring the vengeance of God vpon vs all which now through long custome and commonnesse are made no sins as that beastly valour of powring downe wine and strong drinke and our glorying in it pride with all monstrous excesse therein oppression deriding and hating all true godlinesse and the power of religion Though all of them and many like are in a higher degree in the Land and practised with a farre higher hand now than euer heretofore Or if any one abomination be taken away and gone who can say that it hath bin generally repented of or left of any conscience oâ— for feare of the Lord and awe of his word And therefore if he be the same holy God still hating sinne as much as euer he did and who will neuer cleare the guiltie how should it be but though our owne hearts and all the world doe slatter vs telling vs that we shall haue peace yet as our sinnes are 〈◊〉 increased and our abhominations gone vp to heauen so his wrath and â—â—ousie must needs smoke against vs and his curses plagues be multiplied vpon vs vntill he hath put out our name from vnder heauen vnlesse we meet him speedily and appease his wrath by our humble and vnfeigned turning vnto him But these crying sinnes can neuer be taken away vnlesse also euen the other sinnes of the Land be likewise repented of I meane those from which these proceed and for which men are so generally giuen vp vnto these monstrous iniquities For these outragious enormities are the heauiest punishments of other sinnes and ordinarily the immediate fore-runners of the greatest temporall iudgement Neither can we euer haue any assurance to be preserued from that extremest vengeance vntill we returne more generally in our hearts from all our euill wayes vnto the Conenant of our God neither yet euer repent nor turne from them vnlesse we see both generally the most heynous prouocations of the Land angring his Maiestie and ech of vs our owne seuerall sins particularly with his iudgements belonging therevnto Therefore sith that our most pitifull father hath in the riches of his endlesse compassion ordeyned the discouerie of the iniquitie and of the certaine approaching of his iudgement to turne away the vengeance and that by turning his people from their euill way and so he complaines of the Prophets that they had not discouered their iniquitie to turne away their captiuitie and saith plainly of them That if they had stood in his counsell and declared his words to his people they should haue turned them from their euill wayes and from the wickednesse of their inventions I haue therefore as I say taken this as my chiefest seruice that euer I could performe vnto his heauenly Maiestie his Church and people of this our Nation euen to helpe to search out our sinne by his holy word and to set our iniquities before our faces with his most righteous iudgements due vnto vs for the same and ready euer to breake in vpon vs like the raging seas thereby to helpe amongst others to bring vs to repentance And the rather for that howsoeuer euery one of vs will acknowledge that we must first turne away from our sins vnto him before he will turne to vs from his fierce wrath and also that we must search and finde out our iniquities and see the danger which we stand in for them before we can turnâ— from them â— yet long experience hath confirmed this that we being lulled so fast asleepe in our securitie thorough our long prosperitie can neuer search out our sinne of our selues vnlesse they be set plainely before our faces and we awaked and rowzed by his most terrible denuntiations for the same If Dauid himselfe such a worthy Prophet a man of a most tender conscience as is euident by all his Psalmes and his watering his bed with his teares yet being become secure in his sinne must haue Nathan to awake him by setting his sinne plainely before his face before that he can see the vilenesse of it to repent so of it as to finde mercy though his sin was so grosse and palpable and Gods wrath lying vpon him so heauily in a spirituall manner and also his vengeance ready to be executed in most fearefull sort How much more then haue we neede of some Boanarges sonnes of thunder to awaken vs being a sinfull and hard-hearted people and dead in our iniquities And if those to whom he hath not only spoken once twise but also smitten with sicknesse vpon their beds that their soules draw to the graue and their life to the buriers had neede of a messenger an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto them their righteousnesse to set their sinnes before their eyes and whâ—re they may finde the true righteousnes before they can say they haue sinned repent to finde mercy How much more we our selues when most of vs who haue bin chiefe in this provocation are in health and prosperitie and in no misfortune like other folke but rather fed in all pleasure as against the day of slaughter And to conclude this point we see how those three thousand that crucified our Lord Sauiour could not yet see their bloudy sin notwithstanding all which they had formerly heard and seene in our Sauiour and also the dreadfull signes at his passion vntill that Peter particularly laid open their wickednesse applying it vnto them directly that they were the men and then onely are they pricked at their hearts and cry out Men and Brethren what shall we doe Now I say if none of these no not they whose sinne was so intolerable and who had bin so manifestly convinced can search out their sinnes of themselues to be so soundly humbled as to turne and seeke to pacifie the Lords wrath how much lesse hope is there of vs a natioÌ„ so setled vpon our lees so hardned by our abusing the long patience forbearance of our most tender father who hauing bin in so many dangers yet still deliuered froÌ„ them all do thinke that it shall be so with vs euer that now there can be no more danger toward vs. We therefore had more need of many such as Nathan to set our sin most liuely before our faces and after to tell vs directly That we are they with whom God is now angry and that aboue all the people of the earth as he hath knowne vs aboue all other Nations like as we shall see in the sequell We haue neede not of that one messenger that one of a thousand alone but of all the faithfull messengers and men of God by their preaching and all holy meanes to shew vs our vnrighteousnes and of Peter to giue vs to know for a suretie That we are the men who haue crucified the Lord Iesus
the true practise of Christianity consisting in a holy endevour to walke conscionably in every commandment of the Lord and in being zealous for his Gospell which is our cheife honour become far more vile and reproachfull except in some small remnant then to live in drunkennesse daily in swaggering and blaspheming in scorning and jesting at all religion and in making but a sport of sinne namely of those sins which are directly against the Lord in the first table which yet will one day be found the most heinous and intollerable of all sinnes yea which may make the whole land to tremble Hath not that glorious name of a Christian become a nick-name a name of reproach with too many This was well beseeming Italie and Rome it selfe the throne of the Beast as that worthie Doctor Fulk shewed long agoe but for any of us to take it up from them or for that it had beene abused by any to use it scornefully and against those chiefly who most unfainedly beleeve and shew forth the power of the Gospel this may make our flesh to quake and our very bones to shiver And yet also to proceed a little further Are not the lewdest commonly in credit and reputation for the only goodfellowes but for a man to make conscience to shun the forenamed and all other sinnes and not to runn with all sorts to all excesse of vanity doth not every one see that this is the only matter of generall obloquie To come unto the Lords owne messengers whom he hath sent to us in kindnesse and compassion as David sent his seruants to the king of Ammon and to the end that he might turne us from our evill way and spare us if they be such as are faithfull as the Lords owne mouth and will tell us of these and all other our sinnes who seeth not although they be never so formall how welcome their feete are to all sorts who have set themselves to run after Popery and all profanenesse or to live in their evill courses though amongst all the sinnes of the land there be no one which the Lord can lesse indure Oh is this now become our thankfullnesse to him that hath beene so kind unto us to be ashamed of him his word messengers and seruants who notwithstanding hath not beene ashamed to countenance and to shelter us and who hath so honoured us before all the world in such admirable deliverances fighting as from heaven for us unto this day But to leave the Lords messengers where is that unity become that hath beene formeâ—ly amongst us when diversity of judgment for ceremonies which may fall upon the deerest servants of the Lord could not hinder our love and holy agreement in Christ Did not all joyne cheerefully as one man of one heart and of one soule for the building up the Temple of the Lord yea were not those most truly reverenced who were the painfullest faithfullest and most powerfull builders and all those most rightly had in honor who walked most conscionably and uprightly in all the good waies of God to the stoppings of the mouthes of all the aduersaries Hath not the glory of the Lord made a sensible remove in this behalfe Let us see what we can answere him herein Have not our dissentions and our violent inuectives and courses one against another made not onely the Lord his glory to be reproached as if there were no unity nor certainty in our religion and that therefore we are none of the Lords but have they not caused moreover the enemie to insult over us as now surely falling and overcome by our selues And are they not heartened hereby to our destruction when we have begun to fall by the hands of one another and every one to make way for the common enemie to invade And yet to proceed a little further where is that countenance and love that was wont to be shewed to the lovers of the Gospell even for the Gospels sake which we professe doe not the Popish sort put us to continuall shame heerein in shewing ordinarily more countenance and kindnesse to the most contemptible of their profession the basest runnagate or most ignorant priest for their very religion which they professe then we commonly to the faithfullest preachers of the Gospell or the deerest seruants of the Lord for the love of him and his most sacred truth In a word where is that submission in the greater sort to yeeld to the word of the Lord brought us by his messengers for his honour whose message it is for the reverence of the word it selfe being the eternall truth of Iesus Christ Must not all needs acknowledge that our glory is much departed in these respects But to come to the third part of our glory The Lords gracious protection Hath he not sundry times threatned most manifestly the utter removing of it so as all of us have oft feared his final departing and leaving of us Most true it is That never nation was eyther recorded or heard of to have the glory of the Lord more brightly shining upon it in admired peace wonderfull deliverances and even miraculous overthrowes of the enemies and discoveries of their secretest plots then England hath had That we may truly say as the Psalmist did of Iudah The Lord hath heerein beene well knowne amongst us his name hath beene great in England yet we cannot forget how many a time the glory hath beene almost gone from us and how certainly it had gone if ever the bloudy Antichrist or any of his marked souldiers had prevailed in any one of their desperate designes Nor that it was ever more neerely gone from any nation with whom it remained after then it hath beene from us Did not they themselues account all dispatched and the glory quite removed in their triumphs which they had for their navy inuincible and that therein they should have carried all utterly away Did not many an English heart tremble for feare therof And what could we looke for in all mans reason considering their long threats mischievous designes when ever the eies of our tender nursing mother should be laid but either a finall taking it away or a fearefull eclipsing or obscuring of it What heart wished not that it might never see that day Did not other nations wonder at the most incredible inthronizing of our dread Soveraigne and liege Lord in such an unexpected peace were we not all become as men that dreame when the Lord so turned away our captivitie in a moment even before it came Could we for many daies thinke that it was so indeed or rather that we were but as in a dreame untill that we perceived the Lord ratifying and confirming it in so strangely continuing our admired peace beyond all hope and not a dogg to move his tongue against us were not our mouthes at that time
the sin of all yet it indangered all See the feare of the people of Israel for the suspition of the provocation by the two tribes and the halfe in the erecting of the altar of witnesse which the rest of the Tribes did thinke that they had done for sacrifice contrary to the commandement of the Lord. They al purposed to have gone immediatly to make war against their brethren for the punishment of that sin yet sent messengers to know the truth of the matter before with this message That if they did rebell against the Lord that day the morrow next he would be wrath with all the congregation of Israell The like we may behold in the feare of the people for the villany committed by some of the inhabitants of the City of Gibeah in abusing the Levites Concubine and the vengeance that came not onely upon the City wherein it was committed but also upon all the Tribe of Benjamin because they delivered them not to be punished but would seeme to defend them for as much as they were apart of their Tribe And not upon that Tribe alone which might seeme justly accessary but also upon all those who helped not to take vengeance for that wicked fact as on all the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead becavse they came not to the war to see Gods judgements executed upon those wicked men To come to the sinnes of particular men Did we not heare before of the vengeance on Israell in the dayes of Ioshuah for the sin of Achan How that worthy Captaine with his valiant soldiers were not able to stand before their enemies untill Achans sinne was found out punished Yea the Lord tels them he will not be with them any more unlesse they destroy the excommunicate from amongst them which thereupon they were glad to doe And far be it from us to thinke the Lord to be unjust in this or any other of his judgements or to have diminished any part of his justice or holinesse unto this day Secondly we cannot forget that anger that was kindled against Israell and the famine that came upon them in the dayes of David for three yeeres together for the sinne of Saul in killing the Gibeonites to gratifie the people contrary to his fidelity Though they were but heathens of the cursed Amorites and had dealt deceitfully with the Israelites in making their covenant Yet the wrath could not be appeased or the Land purged untill vengeance was taken upon his bloudy house for that murther committed so long before And therfore sith his anger may breake forth so long after even for such sins much more for such notorious abominations as are committed daily by them who have given themselves over to all manner of profanenesse and impiety and whereof they can have no such colour or occasion This was the cheife reason of the solemne inquisition which was at the publicke fasts in Israell for the finding out both of notorious offenders and offences to have vengeance taken of them openly Hence was the pretence of Iezabell for the saving of Naboth under a shew of execution of this justice against a blasphemer to pacifie the Lords anger This also seemes to have bin one principall cause why the word was read and preached at those their solemne fasts that thereby the sins might be discovered and reformed as God bids Ieremie to indite and Baruch to write from his mouth and to declare to the people their sinnes with the plagues judgements due unto them that they might returne from their evill wayes and so pacifie his wrath by crying unto him and reforming all the abominations Thus we see this point also cleere That the sinnes of a people even of a few of them not punished do anger the Lord and provoke him against the whole land making the land uncleane neither can he be fully pacified any way but by the punishing and taking away of those sinnes Whereby it is most evident to the consciences of all men what just cause the godly have to sigh and to tremble for all the abominations that are committed amongst them and especially which being notoriously knowne do still remaine unpunished Now to apply this unto our selues And first for the generall humiliation of us all afterward for the comfort of those few that are such true mourners indeed First this may strike the hearts of all sorts who imagining that they are the servants of the Lord yet hearing and seeing the fearfull apostacy coldnesse and security of our age even in many of the better sort together with Atheisme Poperie and all outragious and profane licentiousnesse daily increasing in the rest are yet never troubled therwith And much more may it astonish all such who are so far off from the condition of these mourners as that they can solace themselues as freely when they heare of all excesse in iniquity and whatsoever can bee devised by Iewd men to anger the Lord and to grieve his Spirit as ever they were wont at other times Most of all may it affright and awaken those who use all devices to drive each thought of Gods anger or any judgement with every occasion of humiliation and mourning utterly out of their hearts But of all other is their estate most fearfull who can make the beastly sinnes of others their chiefest sport Oh you that are such consider in your hearts Is this the spirit of Lot Moses Samuel Ieremie Ezra of these mourners heere marked Of our Saviour or Pavl Is this the Spirit of the Lord How deceive you your soules in a vaine imagination what will ye doe in the day of the Lords wrath if he let it come upon us as we justly deserue Or what have ye done to turne it from us Know know for certaine that this sinne of yours will one day undoubtedly bring you weeping enough you cannot tell whether even in this life as it did to them in the Captivity nay even whether this same uery day when you shall do nothing but weep day and night in remembrance of this one sinne that your hearts were so hard in the dayes of your prosperity that you could not mourne at all Besides all the other miseries that you are liable unto for all your sinnes chiefly if God should give you up for them when you shall be utterly destitute of comfort of the Lords mercy protection and-favour untill you shall have soundly bewailed all this your sencelesse security But on the contrary as this is given by the Lord for the comfort of all that mourne for the iniquities because they are surely marked before the vengeance come to be safe then so it may serue for the sweete consolation and cheering up even of all those of every estate and degree from the highest to the lowest who find their hearts thus affected in hearing of and beholding the abominations committed dayly to anger the
that chiefly trouble all the wicked these will not suffer them to lye wallowing in their sinne but seeke to pull some of them with violence out of the fire others to save with feare as Iude speaketh These are continually watching upon their walls crying out of iniquity with 〈◊〉 and threatning the judgements of Gods approaching for all the crying sinnes so to turne away the plagues from us by turning us to the Lord. These are still in Christs place calling Gods people out of Babilon discovering the filthinesse of the whore and warning all to get far of froÌ„ her for feare of hir burning to beware of being partakers with her in her sinne lest they be partaker with her in her torment And to be briefe for that these are they who have stood principally in the way of the bloudie enemie that they could neither bewitch nor invade the Church and Sanctuarie of the Lord as otherwise they would have done Well all of us should yet consider in time that if these shall be once pluckt away from us as being unworthy of them and the Swallow having taken her flight howsoever some may conceit that then it would be well with us and we should have merry times yet then undoubtedly we may justly looke for the coldest and wofullest winter that ever the Church amongst us felt and endured for after that these are once marked and made sure what can be expected but the destroyers to follow after their heeles what but this terrible charge Smite spare none Then shall belly-god and worlding Papist and Atheist be all alike because they have joyned alike in angring the Lord and grieving his servants to make them thus to sigh and cry unto him And thus had it bin with them long ere this day if ever forraine enemie had prevayled or any of their treasonable practises and much more if that late infernall devise had taken effect yea if the Lord of hoasts had not in mercy at the cryes of these mourners saved us even miraculously froÌ„ that evill day This may teach us therefore to cry day and night that our shelter may never be taken away from us but that it may spread it selfe more largely and that the candle of Israel may never be put out but shine still more bright untill his glorious appearing This may also warne all of us who beleeve the word of the Lord to make more account of every Noah which is yet admonishing and finishing the Arke and of poore Lot whose righteous soule is vexed for the abounding of * Returne and cause others to returne away from all c. * Or others * See the Preface before it to the Christian Reader a Dr. Hali Commendatorie Preface The Iesuites have wonne much of their reputation and stollen many hearts with their diligence in this kinde we may outstrip them if wee want not to our selves Behold heere not feet but wings offered to us neither are these directions of meere specâ—lation but such as for the most part to the knowledge of my selfe and many abler judges have beene and are daily answered in his experience and practise with more then usuall successe What remaines therefore but that the thankfull acceptation of men and his effectuall labours should mutually reflect upon each other that he may be encouraged by the one and they by the other beneâ—ited c. b The Preface of Mr. Butlours Rhetoricke by I. M. to the Reader Si in Authoris opeâ—isve laudem studiose lector multorum hîc pro more suffragia requiras instar multorum sit hoc vnum literati illius ob exquisitam docendâ— methodum de bonis lâ—tâ—ru optimè meritâ— magistri Iohannis Brinflei cujus in suo Ludâ— literario or the Grammar Schoole cap. 16. hac sunt verba c. Ier. 5. 23. Occasion of this watch feare of Gods iudgements lying vpon vs. This feare hath not bin vvithout iust cause as euâ—nts haue declared Our later dâ—ngers and deliuerances still the greatest The duty of all Gods faithfull Ministers to be euer giuing warning 〈◊〉 3. 17 18. 18. 30. Iam. 2. 14. Ior. 23. 22. Iam 4 17. 5. 19 20. 2 Cor. 5. 9 10 11. A chiefe occasion of the first part of this watch as the title of it declareth So of the second part The Rule of Prayer to stir vs all vp to watching prayer as our sins dangers still increased The time of yâ— comming forth of the second part The dreadfulnesse of those tunes to many howsoeuernow forgotten The cause of this third part our sins increasing The heauiest iudgment iustly feared to be hard at yâ— dores All of vs hauing solemnly entred into couenant with our God haue caused him to threaten to take away his couenant by our transgression This confessed by all Anno 1588. And in all our dangers Anno 1602. 1603. 〈◊〉 euery one then Gods wrath must needs be greater now than euer before This can be no way appeased but by taking away our sins the cause of it and turning againe to his Couenant Examples Iosh. 7. 10. 2 Sâ—m 21. 1. 14. 24. Ionâ— 1. 15. As it is for â— particular man so for a whole Nation The increase of Popeâ—ie and all profanenosse notorious to all Some sins heynous heretofore now thorow custome commonnesse become as no sinnes No sinne truely repented of As our sins are mâ—ltiplied so his wrath 〈◊〉 34 7. Deâ— 18. 19 20. The crâ—ing sins caÌ„not be taken away vnlesse yâ— causes of them be first repented of We cannot repent vntill we know both the maine prouocations ech our owne sins with the iudgâ—ments belonging to them God hath ordeyned the discouerie of our iniquitie to turne away our captiuitie Ierem. 23. 22. And his Prophets standing in his counsell to turne vs froÌ„ our euill way This is yâ— bounden dutie of all his messengers and their chiefe seruice Because we will neuer search out our sinnes of our selues Dauid must haue Nathan to awaken him 2 Sam 12. Iob 33. 23. Men smitten with sicknesse drawing neere to the buriers must haue an interpreter one of a thousand They who had crucified our Sauiour We are they yâ— haue neede of Nathan if euer any Amos 3. â— Of all Gods faithfull messengers Of Peter Acts 2. 36. Of Ionah Ionah 1. 2. Of Ieremie or Baruch to write our sins when all other means faile Ier. 36. 2. 3. We may here seâ— our sins and iudgement set before vs in the sins of Iudah by the Lord himselfe These labored in more â—pecially bicause of the degrees in true repentance The Couenant sent before acknowledged by the learned The branches of the Couenant set here before our sins That we may all see turne to the CouenaÌ„t of the Lord. 1. For yâ— who le Nation No policie can secure vs but our more generall turning Ier. 18. 7. All their malice mischieuous deuises are the Lords denuntiations against vs. Isai. 106 15. FroÌ„
which nothing can cause him to turne but our turning to him Ier. 18. 5. vers 5. Application Our destructioÌ„ shewed and accomplished in effect Our deliuerance as a new creation How many wayes yea how sensibly suddenly God hath spoken vnto vs may appeare in this whole worke Nothing can secure vs so as to giue vs comfort but turning to yâ— Lords Couenant Leuit. 26. 3 23 24. That all holy meanes are to be vsed therto Euery soule who will not returne must die Ezec. 8. 10 11. Yea all who seeke not to câ—use others to tuâ—ne Iam 2. 10. Gal. 2. 10. Num. 15. 30 31. Heb. 12. 14. Ezech. 18. 30. Ezech. 18. 9. Who it is whoÌ„ God accounts a iust man which shal liue All obstinate sinners helpe to draw downe vengeance vpoÌ„ the whole land beside the destroying of their owne soules The Lord froÌ„ heauen cryes to vs all to turne speaking 3. To his vineyard 2 To all drawing neere to God with lips alone 3. To oppressors 4. To all giuen vp to all excess in pride and belly-cheere 5. All casting away the word of the Lord. 6. Polluters oâ— the Sabaoths Leuit. 26. 34. 7. Outragious in their courses euil fashions 8. All turning backe to the Idolatrie of former times 9. All challenging the Lord by their profanesse and Atheisme All of vs may see yâ— Lord setting before vs the meanes with he vsed to reclaime vs and spare vs. And how yet we may escape Here is no more but an endeuor to saue all within the bounds of the word and within the compasse of the calling of euery Man of God as God offereth opportunitie holy meanes Ezek. 18. 30 32. The offending of them who are asleepe in the midst of this perill not to be regardâ—d They plucked forth will magnifie God for vs. Better to haue all men offended with vs than the Lord. Foolishnesse to feare men Not to regard the horrour of Gods anger on Moses Exo. 4. 24. Ionah 1. 13. Threatned against Ieremie 1. 17. Therefore Gods messengers had neede to looke to themselues to help to saue all To cause all to see his mercy in sparing vs. Eccles. 12. 1. The applications so plaine to driue vs vnto Christ. Act 2. 36 37. Numb 21. 9. Iohn 3. 14 15. If any thing seem to pierce which is not Gods word or it misapplied it is no more to be feared than a dart of stubble The Authors humble desire to haue this brought to the tryall and so to more perfection as all other his laboâ—â—s God needs not our lye to bring his to repentance Iob 13. 7 8 9 10. The work tendeth to the renuing of our Couenant for the happinesse of vs and of our posteritie Limited within the bounds of the Watch wherein we all agree For the breach whereof each impenitent person stands condemned by the generall verdit of all the Churches of Christ. The desire of the Author to be a faithfull witnesse Apâ—c 22. 20. Vers. 1. vers 1. vers 3. vers 3. vers 4. 4. 4. v. 2. 5. v. 5. v. 4. 6. v. 4. v. 5 6 7. v. 8. vers 9 10. vers 11. * All the visitations of the Citie draw neere Occasion of the Vision The Lords using all means to spare his people Chiefly by his Prophets To whom he revealed their sins plagues To awake and bring them to repentance This Chapter a part of the vision The summe whereof is a forewarning of the destruction of Ierusalem Parts of the vision 1. Wickednesse of the people cap 8. 2. Their destruction cap. 9. 3. Famine and pestilence fore-running cap. 10 4. The miseries of those who should escape and goe into Captivitie chap. 11. Summe of this ninth Chapter A denunciatioÌ„ that the Lord wil be avenged presently and the manner of the execution v. 1 2. to 8. Division of this Chapter vers 8. 9. 10. An opening of the severall parts of the Chapter v 1. How the Lord himselfe denounceth it Shewing also the neernesse of the execution v 2. The manner of the execution In the number of the Executioners From whence they came How they were prepared Whither they came viz. to the Temple for the pollution of it The Angell of the Covenant sent amongst them for marking the Elect. Exod. 28 42 43. Levit 16. 4. Where the Lord appears How he gave two CoÌ„missions 1. To the saving Angell for the Elect and faithfull ones To set a marke upon them And how they are described The second CoÌ„mission to the destroyers to destroy all vnmarked without pitie Not to touch the marked To begin at the Sanctuarie How to proceed The speedie execution of their Commission 3. How the Prophet was affected hereâ—uth 4. The answer and resolution of the Lord. That he would not be intreated and why The returne of the coÌ„mission of the marking Angell The vision is written to admonish vs. And is our visioÌ„ at this day To stir us up to watch pray Rules to be observed in reading this visioÌ„ To receive it as a message sent us from the Lord. To looke wholly at the Lord in it 2 Cor. 2. 4. To remember with whom we have to deale herein â—sa 2. 19. Rev 6. 15 16. To shew our reverence to the Lord in receiving this message as Iosiah did 2 King 23. 19. To humble our selves and to turne and cause others to turne 2 King 23. 1 2 3 4. Ezek 18. 30. To be affected as old Eli was at the message of young Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 17 18. And David at the voyce of Nathan 2 Sam. 12. 13. That we may receive the like comfortable answer Ech to apply every part as spoken to our selves particularly Sith the sins of the wicked are in some sort the sins of vs all As Achans of Israel Iosu 7. 11 12. See 〈◊〉 upon Iosu. 7. 25. confirmed out of Austin If we haue not mourned for them Cryed for pardon And sought to stop the course of sinne Iosua 7. 12. Ech of our heynous sins hinder our prayers help to draw downe vengeance Chiefly of all impudent sinners Isa. 5. 18. Such are enemies to Christ seeking to drive him out set vp Sathan And do betray all to yâ— enemie As in the Captivitie Therefore ech to find out our particular sins and to reforme our selves Els we can neither judge of yâ— danger nor helpe to pacifie the wrath 7. Each to resolve to doe whatsoever God bids vs. Every soule yâ— seekes not to cause others to turne to the Covenant as well as himself must perish Ezâ—ch 18. 20 26 30 31 32. Deut. 29. 19. to 25. Happy man who hath grace to learne this lesson forthwith to practise it Vers. 1. God hath not beene wont to bring any notable judgemeÌ„t on his Church but to foreshew it first then to bring it wheÌ„ no repentance hath followed to prevent As first before the destruction of the old world Gen. 6. 4. Gen 5. 11 12. Gen 6. 3 13. 1