brought him to the grave For his radical moisture was turned into the drought of the summer Surely sin brings death both a natural spiritual and eternal The wages of sin is death Rom. 7. 23. without true unfeigned repentance and turning from it as David did But how many perplexities of heart had he and how many chastisements were inflicted upon him driven from his kingdom he that came out off his own bowels rose up against him the hearts of the people were alienated from him 2 Sam. 15. from the 13. to the 18. vers 23 30. And so you see his great distress by reason of those sins of Murder and Adultery and in his flight he was so despised that Shimei one of his Subjects cursed him and threw stones at him chapt 16. from the 5 vers to the 9. O the confusion and distress that sin brings upon a people how foolish are the Sons and Daughters of men to delight in that which will utterly destroy them both soul and body and hate those things that would preserve them in peace and prosperity that is they hate Christ and his ways and people Prov. 8. 35 36. For who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. vers 36. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death Very well may wicked men be call'd in the Scriptures mad men and fools because they destroy themselves and esteem of things of no value more than those things that are exceeding pretious to be most highly valued in the superlative degree So God complains of the people of Israel in the 5 of Jer. 8 9. They were as fed horses in the morning every one neighed after his neighbours wife shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this Several other Scriptures I might produce which declare the wrath of God against a sinful people that will not be perswaded to break off their sins by repentance O consider how many rules thou breakest by committing this sin of Adultery and Fornication 1 The 7. Command Thou shalt not commit Adultery 2 the 10 Com. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbour's wife 3. The rule of Equity that Royal rule Do as thou wouldst be don by Would you be contented that another should take your wife and defile her why then will you be so injurious to your neighbour as to covet that which is none of yours contrary to the rule of God's holy word Jer. 5. 9 10 11. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt treacherously against me saith the Lord they have belied the Lord and said it is not he neither shall evil come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famin vers 13. And the Prophets shall become wind and the word is not in them thus shall it be don unto them vers 14. Wherâ—fore thus saith the Lord of hosts because ye speak this word behold I will make my words in thy mouth fire and this people wood and it shall devour them vers 15. Loe I will bring a Nation upon you from far O house of Israel saith the Lord it is a mighty Nation it is an ancient Nation whose language thou knowest not neither understandest what they say vers 21. Hear now this O foolish people and without understanding which have eyes and see not ears and hear not vers 22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the Sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass though the waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail though they roar yet cannot they pass over it and so to the end of the chap. vers 28. They are waxen fat they shine yea they overpass the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause of the fatherless yet they prosper and the right of the needy do they not judge vers 29. Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my soul be avenged of such a Nation as this vers 30. A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land vers 31. The Prophets prophecy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof And thus you see how sin provokes the Lord to destroy Nations Families and Persons Thou that art so injurious to take away thy Neighbours wife God doth many times take away all that such wicked persons have and they are brought to a morsel of bread For a whore is a deep ditch and a strange woman a narrow pit Prov. 23. 27 28 29. She lyeth allso in wait as for a prey and increaseth transgressours among men Who hath wo who hath sorrow who hath contention who hath babling who hath wounds without cause who hath redness of eyes Surely Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge even in this life without true repentance and assuredly in the life to come It is very sad to see the impudence of the femal sex How many of them have harlots behaviour yea Professours and those that would be thought sober women yet go naked-neck'd from shoulder to shoulder and their brests seen which parts should be covered in modesty and that because it is the fashion and their Relations go so this is their foolish excuse that when they come among them they shall be contemned by them no matter for it is but by the wantons and Hectours of this age Drunkards count such as will be drunk with them honest men and Good-fellows but they are never the honester for their esteem Away then with the nakedness and cover your brests and shoulders for shame or else what ever shew of modesty thou makest it will be esteemed by sober persons vain and foolish And seeing thou givest way to uncover thy nakedness and so allurest wicked men thou mayst be overcome at last by lewd men to commit the sin of uncleanness O avoid all appearance of evil for Christians are to be adorned with modesty to use sobriety in all their actions O poor vile sinner thou that excusest thy self by being a great man or woman in this world and therefore thou must not be controuled what art thou but a lump of clay a heap of sinful dust and ashes That is but a greater aggravation of thy condemnation for the more mercies thou hast received from God the greater is thy Punishment if thou abusest these good mercies of God as riches honour that thou receivest from his bountiful hand more than others and because it is more exemplary and prevalent to draw others therefore it is accompanied with more aggravations in regard thou receivest more kindness from God than others and so takest God's weapons to fight against him How canst thou escape great condemnation that sinnest against so much light and so much love Oh foolish and
presence of the Lord and the glory of his Majesty and for ever to be cast into that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone in those easeless endless remediless torments where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth Math. 25. 41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Isa 66. 24. And they shall go forth and look upon the carkases of those that transgress'd against me for their worm shall not die neither shall their sire be quench'd and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh 1. Vain Swearing when men so commonly swear that they cannot ordinarily discourse but they must swear nay it is the fashion to swear and if a man cannot swear he is not fit company for some Gentlemen Oh poor miserable man is it thy common practice delight to blaspheme and take the great and dreadful name of God in vain Oh what wilt thou do when thou shalt appear before him at the last Day as thou certainly must surely thou wilt tremble desire mountains and rocks to fall upon thee to hide thee from him that sitteth upon the throne and from the Lamb Revel 6. 16. See those Scriptures that prohibit vain Swearing James 5. 12. But above all things my brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the Earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation Mat. 5. from the 33 to the 38 verses Surely such words are nothing but the speakings of the Devil in thee 2 Sort of swearing is for-swearing thy self when thou art call'd before a Magistrate this is a great sin that brings judgments upon the Nation for oaths the Land mourns How many poor creatures are hired to for-swear themselves and how many do it to pleasure great men and others wickedly for-swear themselves for to get their Neighbours goods and to defraud their neighbour of his right Levit. 6. 3 4 5. chap. 5. 1. Jere. 23. 10. For the land is full of Adulterers for because of swearing the land mourneth the pleasant places of the wilderness are driedup and their course is evil and their force is not right Hose 4. 1 2. Hear ye the word of the Lord ye children of Israel tel for the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledg of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood Chap. 10. vers 4. They have spoken words swearing falsly in making a covenant Zach. 5. 3 4. Mal. 3. 5. And I will come near to you in judgment and will be a swift witness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against the false Swearers Doubtless this is a very great sin that brings judgment upon the nations families and persons 3. That wicked sin of Cursing parents cursing their children servants some children curse their parents servants curse their Masters Nay I have heard wicked men curse themselves their cattel Oh how common is it for men to bid the pox take them Foolish ignorant persons they cry out with pain and anguish several of them yeild up the ghost and if they do not repent go quick down to hell they that curse themselves and their cattel at last bring a curse upon all they have Math. 15. 4 For God commanded saying honour thy Father and Mother and he that curseth Father or Mother let him die the death Rom. 3. 14 15 16 Whose mouth is full of cursing destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace have they not known vers the 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes Jame 3. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing my brethren these things ought not so to be Several other places of Scripture I might produce but these may suffice Oh what mad blindness is this that rational men and those that have lived under the sound of the Gospel so long shou'd be so ignorant and wicked as to desire the plagues of God to be poured upon them and theirs Oh that my head was water and my eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep night and day for the sins and sorrows of poor distressed sin-sinking England 7. Sin is Adultery and had I time and a heart I might be very large to enumerate the multitude of transgressions of this nature surely this sin is grown so common that it is open before the Sun and men plead for it and very much extrenuate it Nay I question whether some are not so notoriously wicked to urge Scripture for their abominable uncleanness Know O thou prophane Atheist the Scriptures give thee no liberty but will judg thee for thy sins at the last and great day of account when you shall certainly give an account for all your actions done in the body and how will you answer the taking your neighbours wife from him it may be thou wilt instance David's adultery but consider if thou wilt commit David's sin then thou must expect David's punishment which was very severe See Psal the 32 from the 1 to the 6 vers vers the 3 When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long vers the 4 For day night thy hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer vers the 5. I acknowledg my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Psal 51. from 1 to the 13. vers Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out all my transgressions vers the 2. wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin for I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me vers the 4. Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and clear when thou judgest vers 5. Behold I am shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me vers the 7. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoice vers the 9. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities vers 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me vers 11. Cast me not out of thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me vers 12. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit See what misery this sin of Adultery brought upon King David that made him cry out in the bitterness of his soul and allmost
out from being a people now the Cup of trembleing by our neighbour nations who knows but we may drink the dregs and bottoms of the Cup that such a stubborn impudent brazen-fac'd rebellious People as have sined against so much light and love we know that ingratitude is counted one of the worst evils as your Latin Phrase is Si dixeris ingratum est omne malum There is no true Christian desires the evil day but doth pray earnestly to your Lord for the aversion of his judgments from the Nation and however they are lightly esteemed amongst men and called Phanaticks yet they are the pillers of the Earth and the best friends to the King and Kingdom allthough they are slighted and persecuted for cleaving close to Gods word which they dare not nor will not swarve from what ever they suffer and knowing the terror of the Lord we do perswade men to turn from their evil ways to the Lord that so they may not bring ruin upon themselves and others surely it will be a very terrible day upon all those that persecute the people of God and I pray you what do you persecute them for I conceive you do not understand what is written against those that sit at ease and eat the fat and drink the sweet and think they do well if they can procure the Ministers of the gospel and Christians to be put in Prison But all you that are of that spirit to worry the pretious harmless Lambs of Jesus Christ I would not be in your cases for ten thousand worlds mark what our Lord Jesus saith to such Mat. 18. 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which beleive in me it were better a mil-stone were hanged about his neck that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Mar. 9. 42. Luk. 17. 1 2. And thus I conclude with my earnest prayers to the God of all grace and mercy beseeching him rather to glorify his mercy in the reformation of this poor sinful Island then his Justice in the confusion and desolation of it now as I was concluding I was looking for that place of Scripture In Jer. Where the Prophet saith Lord thou knowest I do not desire the evilday These Scriptures were presented unto my view Jer. 18. from the 9. to the 12. vers And at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it vers the 10. If it do evil in my sight and obey not my voice then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I will benefit them vers the 11. Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem saying thus saith the Lord behold I frame evil against you and devise a device against you return ye every one from the evil of his way and make your ways and your doings good Chap. 13. 18 19. Say unto the King and to the Queen humble your selves sit down for your Principalities shall come down even the Crown of your glory vers the 19. to the end of that Chapter The Citys of the South shall be shut up Judah shall be carryed away Captive all of it shall be wholly carryed away Captive Thus you see the denuntiation of Gods threatnings of terrible judgments against a rebellious People that walketh in a way that is not good after their own thoughts Oh therefore I humbly beseech you hear and fear and turn to the Lord with your whole hearts 9. Sin That is a Land destroying Sin is Sabbath breaking which is first a breach of the 4th Commandment Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy This is the law that was given in thundering and lightning Exod. 19. 16. And it came to pass the third day in the Morning that there were thundrings and lightnings so that all the people that were in the Camp trembled One reason may be why the Law was given in that terrible manner that the people might fear to break that righteous Law for that God which shewed himself terrible in the giving of the Law can also shew himself as terrible on them that violate this righteous Law which appoints a time for his worship in pouring down his wrath and indignation upon Nations that break this righteous and just Law so that if there be a God to worship as doubtless there is and certainly there is a time that he hath set apart which ought to be kept holy then wo be to all those that dare adventure to prophain his holy day as in this well govern'd City and in the Suburbs thereof is Coster-Mongers and others selling their fruit on that holy day and other things on that day Friends it is not altogether so much the matter done which maketh the breach of the Sabbath as any thing done which ought not to be done picking of sticks was but a small business and yet see how God was displeased see that he destroyed those that did it nothing but works of necessity and mercy Nehem. 10. 13. And if the people of the Land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day we will not buy it we will not buy of them on the Sabbath or on the holy day Chapt. 13. from the 15. to the 23. Where good Nehemiah testifyed against them that sould victualls vers the 17. Then I contended with the Nobles and said to them what evil thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath day vers the 18. Did not your Fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evil upon us upon this City yet ye bring more wrath by prophaning the Sabbath See the Zeal of a good Governor he contended against evil and encouraged them in that which was good which is the duty of all Magistrates but è contra with us in England there be some Magistrates that discourage vertue and encourage vice what a sad thing is this those Magistrates that do so are not appointed nor set up Exod. 16. 23. Chapt. 31. 15. Six days may work be done but in the 7th is the Sabbath of rest holy to the Lord whosoever doth any work on the Sabbath he shall surely be put to death so in the 14. vers Chapt. 35. 2. Levit. 23. 2. Num. 15. 32 34. vers the 35. And the Lord said unto Moses the man shall be surely put to death and the Congregation shall stone him with stones and vers 36. And they stoned him with stones and he dyed as the Lord commanded Moses Deut. 5. 12 13 14. John 20. 19. Es 56. 2. 6. And thus you see the Scriptures Enjoyning us to keep the Lords day and the denuntiation of threatnings against those that break this holy day although the day be altered from all the Scriptures you may safely conclude that there is a time set a part by God for his worship and service and if the least breach were punished with death what shall be the violation of the whole day
and that is much by traveling on the Lords day which is the Market day of your Soules and do you think a wise man will be diverted from his Markets by trifling gewgaws especially when his livelyhood lyeth upon it another way how Persons break the Sabbath is by spending their time in needless adornments of the Body after Sermon either to stand gazeing at their Doores or talking impertinently contrary to the work of the day of worldly things of vain and lascivious things and how dost thou rest when thou art imployed with thy thoughts and tongue though thou art not with thy hands which is as it were one and the same for when the heart is gone from the service of God all your life is gone and there is little lest but a dead Carkase which is no Keeping of a day to the Lord. Another way how Persons break the Lords day that after several Gentry and others have carelesly heard the word then they must recreate themselves by walking in Grays-Inn walks or in the Fields with vain and unsavory discourses and so Sathan steales the word they have heard and they are never the better but as ready to go to their Lusts all the Week after and so drive a sad trade of Sin which brings great judgments Temporal Spiritual and Eternal I might urge many Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament and several Arguments might bâ— produced but famous Mr. Dod that worthy servant of Jesus Christ and others have done so learnedly that it is but the Widdows mite that I can cast into the treasury by way of confirmation of what hath been formerly spoken I shall end this particular with two things first to shew you briefly how the Sabbath ought to be kept and secondly speak somthing of the alteration of the day 1. How a Sabbath day of rest ought to be kept holy remember to keep holy the Sabbath day it is set a part from all servicable works but works of mercy and necessity may be done thou art to prepare to keep the Lords day Secondly begin in the Morning withprivate Prayers meditation pray for the presence of God in all his ordinances praise God for the great work of redemption and for the resurrection for in that day Jesus Christ rose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of that glorious place on high ever living to make interceâ—sion for all that believe Secondly bless God for his holy word and beg that it may be to thee as it was to David sweeter then hony and the hony-comb and that it may be so blessed that it may do thy Soul good and that the instructions of the word may teach thee and the reprehentions of the Word to weaken Sin in thee and that the exhortations may perswade thee and the consolations comfort thee and when thou hast been hearing the word thou must examine what word it was that met with thy Soul and make much of that and if thou wouldest spend thy time in hearing and praying and praising their would be no spare time for walking up and down unnessarily Now to you that are Masters of Families it is your duty to pray privately to your Families every day but begin with prayer on the Lords day in the Morning and then pray with thy Family and so bring thy Children and Servants to the hearing of the word powerfully preached and after repeat and so to Prayer and thus spend the Lords day in holy exercises then thou wilt undoubtedly be more sit to serve God in thy particular calling in the Week and then thou maist expect a blessing from heaven upon all thou hast for it is the blessing of God maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it But those Scriptures that you have brought are for keeping of the seventh day It is true the seventh day was the Jewish Sabbath but we find a change of the day after the resurrection and the gospel ordinances were administred on that day it was that day in which Jesus Christ rose from the dead we see what Christ saith Math. the 12. from the 1. to the 9. Aâ—â—â— 20. 7. Rev. 1. 10. It is said that some greek Coppies do render it thus John was ravished in the Spirit on the Lords day being the first day of the Week but I am not now to intermeddle with that controversie but am fully satisfyed in my own mind that there is sufficient warrant in the New Testament for keeping the first day of the Week or Lords day in which we are to celebrate the praises of God in the great work of redemption 10. Sin Which is a Land destroying Sin is Covetousness and oppression first covetousness is a greedy desire of that which is none of their own secondly covetousness is against the righteous Law of God In Exod. 20. 17. Hebrews 13. and the 5. Let your conversations be without covetousness and be content with those things that you have 3. Col. 5. 6. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the Earth Fornication Vncleanness Inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry for which things sake the Wrath of God cometh on the Children of disobedience See Es 57. 17. For the Iniquity of his covetousness I was wrath and smote him Several Scriptures that reprehend this evil and Arguments might be urged but in regard many worthy Servants of Jesus Christ have demonstrated this evil of Covetousness at large I shall as it were but briefly touch upon it speak something to that which is obvious to the practice of the men of our age it very much reprehends some trades men and Userers that when men that have got into their debt they feed them with mony and so on a sudden call for their Debt and if the Debtor hath not mony to pay then they must have a Mortgage upon his Land and if it be not redeemed in such a fixt time then they cease upon the Land for half the worth of it and so they ruin them and their Posterity although it is very true that every man ought to pay his Debt but the Creditor must not raise it in a Sinister way Preying upon others necessities and taking advantage upon men when they are in a Low condition but it is honest to give every one the full value of his Land as any other Purchaser would do but they have clandestine wayes to eat up mens Estates before they are aware and so forcibly throw them out this is a horrible shame and a great fruit of covetousness and that which the Creditor gets by such ways will consume as Butter in the Sun for God will blast and not bless what is contrary to his will 2ly I shall briefly shew you how covetousness may be said to be Idolatry fâ—r whatever thou lovest or trustest in more than God that undoubtedly thou makest thy God For consider if a man have lost a beast or any outward thing how exceedingly will he complain and