and Sporting and making Merry then does the Lord bring his judgements upon them even sudden destruction For sayes the holy Ghost When they shall say Peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a woman with childe and they shall not escape * 1 Thes 5.3 Do you know or have you consider'd what was the carriage of the men of the old world when the Lord brought the Flood upon them and of the children of Israel a little before they were carryed captive into Babylon Why the Scripture tells you that in the Dayes of Noah that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in Marriage until the day that Noah enter'd into the Ark and knew not untill the Flood came and took them all away †Mat. 24.38 39. They knew not that is they considered it not regarded it not For they had been warned of the coming of the Flood by the Preaching of Noah for the space of one hundred and twenty years and by his preparing an Ark for the preservation of himself and his own Family So the careless posture of the people of Israel in a free indulgence of their sensual Delights did but a little precede that cruel Captivity and bitter bondage which they so long sustained in Babylon * See Am. chap. 6. Now are not the people of the Land in these our Dayes generally senslesse of the crying sins and fearlesse of the following Judgements which may justly fall upon us Is it not time then for them that feare the Lord to lay these things to heart and to weep and mourne before the Lord for these Abominations Does it not both well become and neatly concerne the people of God in the Land to call one another to Fasting and Mourning and bitter Lamentation lest the Lord should kindle a fire in his wrath so that none can quench it O Christians can you sit still and be secure in such Times as these What do you not care how soone the Gospel the glory departs from England Do you not care what becomes of Religion what befalls the Church how soon you loose your Opportunities of enjoying the blessed Ordinances of the Gospel Oh are not these Opportunities precious are not the Ordinances of God precious are not the Ministers of the Gospel and the People of God precious in your Esteeme How then will your hearts bear it to see these Ministers of the Gospel murther'd these people of God led as sheep to the slaughtâ—r Alas you know not how near the Dayes may be wherein you may say Time was when we enjoy'd the Ordinances of God and had many opportunities of seeking the Face of God in the Assemblies of his Saints but alas now we aâ—e deprived of these enjoyments And oh will you not yet lay these things to heart so as to mourn before the Lord for those Evils whereby we have provoked the Lord to plague the whole Land with his Judgements and utterly to deprive us of these precious Priviledges Do you see no cause of Feare no signes of Danger Are not Sabbaths profan'd Ordinances contemn'd the Word despis'd the Sacraments slighted Ministers reviled Scriptures rejected the Spirit resisted Christ crucifi'd afresh and the Name of God blasphem'd amongst us Now are not these fearful Provocations of the most high God May not the despised Manna be restrained and God give us Quailes meat for our Lusts in wrath May not God justly punish mens wearinesse of his Worship with a Famine of his Word when men prize the World above the Word of God may not the Lord justly take away his Word and Gospel from such an unworthy people May not he suffer the seales of his Covenant the Pledges of his love to be taken away from us or polluted to us May not our Teachers be removed into a corner May not the Holy Scriptures the Well-springs of our Comforts and Joy be sealed up from us May not God take away his Holy Spirit from us that he may no more †Gen. 6.3 strive with a people devoted to destruction May not God charge upon the Land the guilt of his Sonnes Blood and revenge upon a rebellious people the wrong done to his owne Name Is it not then high time for us to * Am. 4.12 meet the Lord by Repentance and to humble our selves before him for the sins of the Land lest his indignation break forth upon us as a Breach of the Sea and there be no means left to escape Come then Christians and let us weep and mourne before the Lord. It may be he may regard our Tears and hear the voice of our weeping †Psal 6.8 and put on Bowels of Compassions towards us and spare our Land Who knows but the whole Land may fare the better for the sakes of a few Mourners in Zion Oh let 's every one labour to become one of that number So when the Lord shall arise and have mercy upon Zion we shall be called to partake of her Joy Rejoyce for joy with her saith the Lord * Isa 66.10 all ye that have mourned for her However Christians go into your Closets and weep before the Lord in secret for the sinnes whereby God is openly dishonour'd This was the holy resolution of the Prophet Jeremy upon the pride and stubbornnesse of the people of Judah the sad Symptomes of approaching Judgements Heare ye sayes he †and give eare * Jer. 13.15 16 17. be not proud for the LORD hath spoken Give glory to the LORD your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the dark Mountaines and while ye look for light he turne it into the shadow of Death and make it grosse Darknesse But if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride and mine eye shall weep sore and run down with teares because the LORDS Flock is carried away captive Now if you be of the number of those that mourn and sigh for the Abominations of the Times if the Lord shall bring his Judgements in your dayes upon the Land he will prepare his secret Chambers of providence for your preservation Thus the Lord sent his Angel to set a Mark upon the fore-heads of the men that mourn'd for the sinnes of Jerusalem that they might be spared when all the rest of the City by an impartial stroke were to suffer an inevitable destruction * See Ezek. 9 4-7 Thus Lot living in Sodom †2 Pet. 2.7 8. a lustful City vexed his righteous soul from day to day with a holy sorrow for the sins of the filthy Sodomites and so the Lord preserved him in the dreadful overthrow of that sinful City O then Christians mourne and weep for the sinnes of the Times the Abominations of the Age wherein you live and it may be you may by this means save the City save a Kingdome from destruction however you shall be sure to save your own
extreamly evil and perillous Yea when a wicked Generation of men shall be suffer'd with Impunity to cast Contempt upon all the Ordinances of Gods Worship to vilifie and reproach the Assemblies of the Saints calling them the Synagogues of Satan with many more vile reproaches which I think not meet to mention what shall we think are not the Dayes evil the Times perillous When those shall be countenanc't honour'd advanc't in the State being set in Places of Power and Trust who do what they can to cast an Odium upon the Ordinances of the Gospel are not the dayes evil the Times perillous These sacred Ordinances are the paths of Christ wherein he walks amongst his People and hereby do men * Ps 79.51 reproach the footsteps of Gods anointed Hereby do vile persons cast dirt at the Chariots of the King of glory Hereby is the Lord continually provoked to depart from such a people and therefore the dayes which are defil'd with these Abominations must needs be perillous Times The fift Case Sinners Sedulity and Sloth in Saints VVHen the spirit of Errour and Profanesse prevailes more and more in the World and the Spirit of Prayer and Zeale for truth and holinesse decayes more and more in the Church the Dayes are evil the Times perillous When false Fires appear and the Fire of the Altar goes out sure God is departing from his Temple When the Locusts and Caterpillars swarme in the Fields and the Frogs croak in every corner of the House the Judgement of God is already upon the Land When †2 Tim. 3.6 7 silly women are led captive in Troops by subtile Deceivers and soul-deluding Seducers * 2 Pet. 2.2 draw many Disciples after them the last Dayes which we are told shall be perillous Times are come upon us Activity of bad men in carrying on their wicked Designes and Lukewarmnesse in good men in promoting the Cause and Interest of Christ is a sad Symptome of some sore evil at hand When few are zealous for Truth and Righteousness multitudes are zealous for Errour and Impunity in the contempt of Gods holy worship we may justly feare God will shortly bring some fearful judgement on the Land When †Mat. 24.12 Iniquity abounds and the love of many waxes cold the Winter is come and stormes must be expected When the Spirit of Prayer departs the Spirit of Judgement comes in the roome of it When the Winde ceases presently the Rain falls When the hands of Moses fall down in Prayer and Amalek prevailes in battel we must needs expect it should go ill with Israel When Christians are fallen from their * Rev. 2.4 first Love and Professors are grow'n †Rev. 3.16 Lukewarm in Religion yea and many are become Key-cold in the Cause of Christ whilest others are very forward and zealous to promote the Honour and Adoration of the Deified IMAGES of their own Fancies they must needs be perillous Times ZEALE is the Pulse of the Church as JUSTICE is of the Common-wealth Now a wise Physician by feeling the Pulse may judge of the state of the Patient If it be violent and irregular the body is inflam'd and in a great distemper if it be very weak slow remiss and much interrupted it is a sad Symptome of approaching Death Apostacy in Religion is a fore-runner of Ruine and Destruction to such a particular Church and People * Jer. 8.5 15 Lukewarmnesse in Religion is a loathed temper I know thy Works sayes the Lord of the Church of Laodicea †Rev. 3.15 16. too true a Patterne of the Church of England that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot So then because thou art Lukewarme and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth In these cases all good Christians have cause to bewaile the sad condition of the Church of Christ The ninth Symptome Divisions in the Church and Union of her Adversaries THe children of the Church have experience of perillous Times When the Professors of the true Religion are divided and the profest enemies thereof are united When the Canaanites are combin'd against the Israelites and the Israelites are divided amongst themselves needs must they be distressed by their Enemies When Idolatrous Nations joyne in Confederacy against the People that professe the true Religion their State must needs be dangerous Of this does the Psalmist complain as speaking the sad state of the People of God and therefore he makes his earnest suit to God for redresse saying * Psal 83 1-8 Keep not thou silence O God hold not thy Peace and be not still O God For loe thine Enemies make a tumult and they that hate thee have lift up the head They have taken crafty COUNSEL against thy People and consulted against thy hidden ones They have said Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance For they have consulted together with one CONSENT they are CONFEDERATE against thee The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre Ashur also is joyned with them they have holpen the children of Lot Needs must those be perillous Times with the People of Israel when as a small Flock of sheep they were surrounded with so many troops of Wolves Lions and Bears thirsting after their blood and ready to teare them in pieces and devoure them When in the Dayes of Jehoshaphat †2 Chr. 20 Moab and Ammon and mount Seir conspired against Israel and came up against Jehoshaphat to battel both he and all the people of the Land were struck with feare in the apprehensions of their great danger And well might they fear when three Nations had arm'd themselves against that People that had provoked the Lord by their sinnes to give them up into their Enemies hands But behold a strange turne of Providence which affords a further illustration to the matter in hand These three great Armies by a wonderful stratagem of the Divine Providence were divided one against another and so now their great strength became the cause of their weaknesse and destruction for even without any stroke struck by Israel they themselves destroy'd one another insomuch that when Israel came against them they had none to encounter with but the * v. 24. dead Bodies of the slaine which were fallen to the earth and none escaped Thus as their Conjunction was their strength their Division became their overthrow Sad Divisions and bitter Contentions amongst Christians do not onely make them a scorn and Derision to their enemies but also expose them to the danger of an utter Destruction Such Christians as like Cranes fight amongst themselves do easily become a prey to others Their enemies like Eagles and Vultures will hasten to their Overthrow Thus did the Romane EAGLES prey upon the miserable Jews conflicting together in
affection on things above not on things on the Earth For if true Believers ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God And when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appeare with him in Glory O with what pantings what thirstings what longings should your hearts be draw'n forth in these perillous Times after this appearing of Christ after these Participations of glory When you look downward to a world of Sinne and Misery full of wicked men defil'd with wicked works me thinks you should say with the Psalmist * Ps 120.5 Woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar And when you look up to a Heaven of Blisse and Glory to a God of Grace and Mercy who fills Heaven with Divine Beauties and everlasting Delights being to all his Saints above an inexhaustible Fountaine of unexpressible pleasures Felicities Joyes me thinks you should cry out with holy David †Ps 42.1 2 As the heart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after Thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God When O when shall I come and appear before God When you consider the frequent Changes which you see on earth with those many Dangers Feares Troubles and Calamities which are occasion'd thereby and do commonly ensue thereupon methinks you should grow weary of this World and extreamly long to leave the Earth that so you might for ever live where all the Saints enjoy an unchangeable Happinesse in Heaven But you 'l say It 's true we live in troublesome Times â—herein the Evils we feâ—l are many and those we fear are more and so we have no great Reason to be over in-love with this present World It 's true likewise that Heaven is a glorious Place wherein I do believe the Happinesse of the Saints is so great that they cannot desire it to be greater the Fruition exceeding the Expectation And therefore I know it is ten thousand fold bett r to live in Heaven then to abide still on Earth in the most prosperous and therefore much more in the most perillous Times But who can be willing to leave the Earth before he is first sure of Heaven And therefore I desire to be resolved how I may know that Heaven is mine To this I answer Dare you live on Earth without any evidence for eternal life in Heaven How is it you fear not every moment to drop into Hell What paines have you taken to attaine this evidence Have you ever spent one whole Day one serious Houre for the attainment of it O lazy Believers Is it not pity but you should want the Comfort of it who can so well content your selves without it Would you not readily take more paines for the attainment of a firme title to an earthly Inheritance to an estate of two or three thousand pounds a yeare then ever you have yet taken for the attainment of a well-grounded Evidence for the Kingdome of Heaven O carelesse and secure Christians How unworthy are you of the glorious things which God hath prepared for his Saints in the World to come Surely if God save you you shall feele the Flashings of Hell to fright you out of your security before you enter into the Joyes of Heaven And what are you resolved still to continue secure in this uncertaine condition not knowing what shall become of your souls to Eternity To what purpose should I direct you to the attainment of this most blessed Assurance of salvation and eternal blessednesse in heaven when you will scarce take the paines or think it worth the while to examine your consciences or to try your Evidences for an eternal * 1 Pet. 1.4 Inheritance reserved in Heaven for all the children of God Well then I shall spare my pains and speak no further to you but leave you to sleep on in your security till God by some sharp Dispensation shall awake you But yet to afford some Help to the poore trembling soul that would rather then all the World attain this comfortable Assurance of its salvation and is willing to deal seriously with it self in searching for those Evidences which may clear its title to this glorious Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven I shall give some Direction towards this Discovery Poore soul doest thou desire to know whether Heaven be thine Whether God hath instated so poore a Creature as thou accountest thy selfe to be in so rich an Inheritance Then tell me or rather ask thy own soul these Questions I shall put to thee and observe what Answer shall eccho from thy conscience thereupon Say then Is God thine Is Christ thine Is the Spirit of God and Christ given to thee If God have given thee himselfe his Sonne his sacred Spirit lift up thy heart with joy thy soul with praise Heaven with all the Beauties and Blisses all the Joyes and Glory of it is undoubtedly thine to all Eternity He that hath given the greater certainly will not deny the lesser Now if when God could give thee nothing greater he hath given himself with his Sonne and holy Spirit to thee certainly he will not with-hold the lesser he cannot deny thee Heaven He that hath God for his God must needs have Heaven for his Inheritance For God and Heaven are inseparable Where the King is there is the Court where God is there is heaven As none can possibly enjoy Heaven without God who is the Heaven of Heaven so neither can any possibly enjoy God without Heaven without a present Title to it sufficient to secure the future Possession of it to Eternity For these great †Rom. 11.29 Gifts of God are without Repentance Never did God give himself to any soul and afterwards cast that soul into Hell Well then poore soule see how rich and happy thou art Canst thou say to God my God and my Father Canst thou say to Christ * Joh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Canst thou say to the holy Spirit my Guide and my Comforter Look then up to heaven and say as thou truly mayst This is my Home and my Inheritance this when I leave the Earth must be my habitation for ever But thou wilt say unto me How shall I know this that God is my God and that he hath given his Son and holy Spirit to me This latter difficulty is as great to me as the former Thou sayest How shall I know that God is my God Why doest thou take him for thy God canst thou say the Lord is my God and him will I serve †Psal 144 15 Happy is the soul that is in such a case Doest thou give thy self up unto him as thy God and place thy happinesse in the enjoyment of him as the chiefest good Canst thou say * Ps 73.25 Whom have I in heaven O Lord but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Does thy heart close in with him
Children of God more then to any others in the world Doe you know what it is that thus engages your Affections to them Is it not the Beauties of Holiness If it be thus with you then surely doth the Spirit of Holiness dwell in you Furthermore Do not you find your Heart drawn out in holy Breathings after God Are you not wont to pour it out dayly in †Mat. 6.6 Secret into the Bosome of your Heavenly Father If any thing afflict you or oppress your Spirit are you not wont to goe and make your mone unto God * Ps 142.2 When you want any choice Blessing are you not wont to go and ask it of God Do you not esteem it a singular Priviledge that you may freely go upon all Occasions and open your Heart unto your Heavenly Father And do you not find sometimes when you go unto God under great Discouragements many sweet Enlargements in Prayer Do you not find your heart inflamed with Love to God when you perceive he is pleased to hear your Prayers and answer your Requests But is not your Spirit much †Psal 30.6 troubled when he hides his Face from you Do you not account those sad Daies wherein you find such a Deadness in your Heart such a Dulness upon your Spirit that you cannot find that Refreshment in prayer which you was wont to receive even in your sorest Afflictions But are not those daies festival with your soul wherein God inlarges your Heart in Prayer and in Returns thereof inlarges his Hand with Blessings Is it thus with you Then surely the Spirit of God is given to you and * 2 Tim. 1.14 dwels in you For the †Zec. 12.10 Spirit of Grace is a Spirit of Supplication For when of Sinners God makes us Sons he sends the Spirit of Adoption into our Hearts whereby we cry Abba Father * Rom. 8.14 15. Such then are the Children of God and Heirs of the Kingdom †Rom. 8.17 joint Heirs with Christ of the Kingdom of Glory To conclude Hath your soul ever tasted the sweet Comforts of Communion with God Have you been sensible of the refreshing Influences of his Holy Spirit when sometimes his Face hath shone upon your soul in Duties or Ordinances Do you prize these Comforts above all earthly Delights Have you felt your Heart sometimes melting under the glorious Sun-shine of Gods ravishing Face Have you felt your Heart dissolved as a Lump of Sugar in a Bowl of Wine into Holy Joy under the Pourings forth of the Love of God Then you may indeed * Rom. 5.2 Rejoyce in the Hope of the Glory of God and your †Rom. 5.5 Hope shall not make you ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in your Heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto you Behold then O gracious believing soul what ground thou hast to long for Heaven seeing if it be thus with thee thou hast a clear undoubted Title to it as thine Eternal Inheritance For canst thou not by the foregoing Evidences dear up thy Receipt of the Earnest thereof the Holy Spirit of God What sayst thou Truly I dare not deny what great Things God hath graciously done for me This then I can truly say though I am a poor sinfull Creature I do heartily desire that God would sanctifie me throughout by his Holy Spirit and make me holy Though sin be in my heart yet my heart is not towards my sin but against it I know by sad experience my Infirmities are so many my Corruptions so strong that I daily sin against God but yet if my Heart deceive me not I would rather choose to undergo the greatest suffering then willingly to commit the least sin against my good God I have had experience of many Troubles and Afflictions of one kind or another but this I am sure of that none of them have been such a Hearts-grief unto me as this that I have offended and dishonoured God by my sins And 't is my daily Request unto him that he would vouchsafe to give me such a Measure of his Grace that for the Time to come I might live only to his Glory I find my Heart I do confess many Times much straightened in Prayer but yet still the bent of my soul is towards God And I find that when I have been most enlarged in Prayer my heart is most apt to be lifted up in Spiritual Pride and when most straightened to be most cast down in Self-Abasement And yet I bless God I do not in these Enlargements forget my own Vileness nor in these Abasements forget Gods Goodness And thus I do perceive that it pleases God to do my soul good by his different Dispensations But Oh how sweet how ravishing how glorious are the Incomes of God to my soul sometimes in Prayer O me thinks I am lifted up above all the worlds Vanities above its Riches and Glory in so much that if the whole world was a Globe of Gold I should no more regard it then a Heap of Dung in comparison of the glorious soul-ravishing Joy I feel in Communion with God Oh me thinks my soul is walking with God in Paradise its soaring with the sacred Seraphims about the Throne of God it s bathing it self deliciously in the * Psal 36.9 Fountains of Life and Rivers of Pleasures that are at Gods right hand †Ps 16.11 it 's even drencht in the glorious Joyes of Eternity O then mâ—thinks it grieves me to come out of such a Paradise to come down from such a Heaven to turn mine eyes from beholding so much Beauty and Glory as my soul then sees in the Face of God or that the worlds Vanities interposing should again rob me of such a beatifical Vision But alas 't is but seldome I experiment such pretious Enjoyments My heart alas oft for a long while together is as an Instrument unstring'd and utterly out of Tune upon which I can make no Musick no Melody at all I am in a dead flat dull Temper and can hardly tell how to bring out a Word in Prayer or put up one petition to God with any Fervour But yet even in this Condition I can a little refresh my self with Reviews of the Lords former loving Kindnesses to my soul For I have sometimes felt my heart marvellously refresht with his gracious Comforts and my soul hath been sometimes sprinkled with glorious Joyes If these then be the fruits and flowrings forth of the * 1 Joh. 3.9 Seed of God in me if these be the Productions of the Spirit of Holiness and Evidences of its In-being in the heart then I hope I may comfortably conclude that God hath been pleased to give unto me his Holy Spirit Blessed be thou O Believer for thou hast unlockt unto me Christs Garden of Spices and hast refresht my Spirit by leading me up and down in flowry walks while thou hast laid open before me thy Experiences
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A WORD in SEASON FOR A Warning to England OR A Prophecy of Perillous Times Open'd and Apply'd Wherein the Signes of Bad Times and the Means of making the Times Good are represented as the great Concernment of all good Christians in this present Age. First exhibited in a SERMON preached in the Abby at Westminster July 5. 1659. and since enlarged and Published By THOMAS VVILLES M. A. Minister of the Gospel in the City of London Seal not the Sayings of the Prophecy of this Book For the Time is at hand Rev. 22.10 How do ye say We are Wise and the Law of the LORD is with us Lo They have rejected the Word of the LORD and what Wisdom is in them Jer. 8.8 9. Tempora mutantur nos mutamur in illis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sIC transIt gLorIa MVnDI LONDON Printed by Tho. Ratcliff for Tho. Underhill at the Blew Anchor in Pauls Church-yard 1659. TO THE SENATORS SOULDIERS CITIZENS STRANGERS To whom This SERMON was As to its main SUBSTANCE EXHIBITED FROM THE PULPIT IT 'S NOW WITH MUCH ENLARGEMENT PRESENTED FROM THE PRESSE FOR THEIR SERIOUS PERUSAL By A MESSENGER from CHRIST A MINISTER of the GOSPEL THOMAS WILLES Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Luk. 11.28 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 From the KING of SAINTS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST To his Faithful and Well-beloved Servants and Subjects that shall live in the latter Dayes TAke heed that no man deceive you For many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many And ye shall hear of Warres and Rumours of Wars See that ye be not troubled For all these things must come to passe but the End is not yet For Nation shall rise against Nation and Kingdome against Kingdome and there shall be Famines and Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers Places All these are the Beginning of Sorrows Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all Nations for my Names sake And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another And many false Prophets shall rise and shall deceive many And because Iniquity shall abound the Love of many shall wax cold But he that shall endure to the End the same shall be saved By the Hand of his Trusty Servant and Secretary * Chap. 24. v. 4 -13 MATTHEW Publicano-Christianus To the SACRED MAJESTY OF HEAVEN THE KING of KINGS AND LORD of LORDS The Supream Governour of the whole World The Humble Address and Representation of the Gratitude Requests of many Thousands of the Well-affected People of the Land who desire to approve themselves Faithful to the Cause of Christ and to be found walking in the Good Old way Most Mighty LORD WHereas it hath pleased thy glorious Majesty out of the exceeding riches of thy Free Grace and thy tender compassions in Jesus Christ to call us thy poore unworthy Servants out of the World to the Profession of thy truth and Gosspel and the Participation of thy saving Grace when out of thy infinite Sovereignty and Justice thou hast past by Millions of men and left them to perish everlastingly in their sinnes we humbly desire in a deep sense of our own utter Unworthiness to express our free and hearty Acknowledgement of that infinite Obligation which thou hast hereby laid upon our soules to perpetual Gratitude Love Honour and Obedience to thy Glorious Majesty for so invaluable a Mercy And we cannot but with sorrow of Heart confesse that we have by our unsuitable Walkings shew'd our selves very Unworthy of such rich Discoveries of thy Love unto us But we humbly implore thy Mercy in the forgiveness of our many Miscarriages and beseech thee to give us Leave with all Humility to present thy Majesty with these few Petitions to which we earnestly beg a Gracious Answer That it will please thee to grant preserve and establish a Righteous and Religious Magistracy a Faithful and painful Ministry in the Land with that Blessed GOVERNMENT which is most agreeable to thy holy Word and Will both in Church and State That it will please thee who hast the Hearts of all men in thy Hands to put it into the Hearts of our Counsellors and Governors to study and endeavour the Advancement of thy Glory and thy Churches Good by the suppression of Errour and Profanenesse and the Promotion of Truth and Holinesse in the Land That where thou seest those Persons in Places of Power and Trust who by their pernicious Principles and Practises make the Times Perillous thou wilt Graciously be pleased by thy Hand of Power to remove them and to set in their room men truly fearing Thee and hating Covetousness who may cordially seek and endeavour the Peace and Welfare of thine English Zion That thou wilt pour down on thy Servants a Spirit of Humiliation for the sins of the Land that thou wilt graciously pardon the Transgressions of thy People and purge the Land from its Abominations that thou mayest dwell amongst us That thou wilt break the wicked Designes and dissolve the cursed Conspiracies of those that under Pretences of thy Name Cause and Glory violently prosecute their Pernicious Purposes for the satisfaction of their Ambition and Covetousness and the Introduction of Errours Heresies and all manner of Licentiousness into the Land to the Hazard of many thousand souls and the dishonour of thy Glorious Name That it will please Thee to heal the Breaches of thy own People and to establish these three Nations England Scotland and Ireland in Peace and Love upon the sure Foundations of Religion and Righteousness and crown them all with thy Loving-kindnesse and tender Mercies And to this End that thou wilt awaken the spirits of thy Saints from their security in an unsettled and distracted condition to a serious minding of the great Concernments of thy Church and People their own Souls and this sinful Nation That thou wilt be graciously pleased speedily to change the Perillous Times that are or may come upon thy people according to the Predictions of thy holy Prophets into those Glorious Times which thou hast raised the hearts of many of thy Saints in Expectations of by thy Precious Promises However be pleased to preserve thy People in times of Peril and Persecution and to carry them as on Eagles Wings by thy Spirit of Grace through all Difficulties and Dangers till thou shalt receive them up into thy Kingdome of Glory So shall we thy poore unworthy Subjects and Suppliants as in Duty bound celebrate thy Glorious Name with everlasting Praises The Names of the Petitioners are written in Heaven A PROPHECY OF PERILLOUS TIMES Open'd and Apply'd 2 TIM 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This know also that in the last dayes perillous times shall come The Introduction THe knowledge of the Times and Seasons is very useful for all men Without
Nullus Rex est nobis id est Non Reges nostri nobis sed nos ipsi Regibus nostris imperamus Leges ferimus exauctoramus c †Jun. Tremel We have no King that is we bow not to the commands of our Kings but we make our Kings bow to our commands We by our own Power make and null Laws at our own pleasure And by the following words it appears they made no more matter of casting off their Laws and cutting off their King then a man would make of breaking a bubble For it s said * ver 7. As for Samaâ—ia her King is cut off as the Fome or a Bubble †Diod. Ital upon the Water Which the Septuagint render thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samaria hath contemptuously cast off her King as a wither'd weed upon the Face of the water Thus did these wicked wretches cast of all Loyalty in cutting off their King and for the further aggravation of their daring crimes they cast off all Religion too in their breaking their OATH of Allegiance to their King and their COVENANT of new Obedience to God as if they resolv'd by some desperate Designe to shew themselves profest Enemies both to God and Man For to this purpose are the following words interpreted They have spoken words swearing falsely in making a Covenant Swearing falsely viz. to God in promising him Conversion and Service or to their King binding themselves to be faithful to him c * Diodat The words impott Omnes perjuri foedifragi sunt ac novae Conspirationes quotidie inter ipsos pullulant †Jun. Trem. They are all of them perjur'd Persons and Covenant-breakers and new conspiracies do daily spring up amongst them Such are the persons here describ'd and such are their Practises Now what can be expected to follow hereupon but Miseries and Calamities to the People of the Land and at length the punishment of such perjur'd Persons For it s said Thus Judgement springeth up as Hemlock in the Furrowes of the Field i. e. instead of wholesome judgement to relieve the oppressed cruel Oppression covers the Land which as poysonous Hemlock overgrows the poore oppressed People who by the barbarous usages and mercilesse cruelties of these insolent Traitors and Tyrants are furrow'd as a Field that is plow'd with continual afflictions * Vide Calvinum in loc Or as others interpret it of their punishments which they shall at length procure to themselves by these wicked practises Gods Judgements shall multiply like Hemlock or other poysonous Herbs which grow abundantly in the Fields †Diodati Engl. Annot. Thus they that sowe Injustice shall at length reap Judgement When such cursed seed as this is cast into a Land it will not faile to yeeld a plentiful Crop of Miseries and Vexations Hence then we may safely conclude that evil Dayes perillous Times are at hand when men make no conscience of Oathes and Covenants in Matters of Loyalty and Religion The sixt Symptome Practical Atheisme PErillous are the Times Dangerous the Dayes When men dare in their words to entitle God to those wicked works wherein they deny God When men presume to prefix the sacred and glorious Name of God to the most injurious Usurpations and flagitious Enormities under the Sunne When men pretending to act for the Cause of God and the good of his precious people having by such barbarous and bloody Enterprises as make the very Earth to blush under the eye of heaven accomplish't their cursed Designes shall dare to charge the actual accomplishment thereof upon the all-glorious God as having effected the same by his good hand of Providence When men having brought to passe their owne wicked devices * Psa 37.7 by such desperate Acts of Injustice and execrable villanies as the very report thereof casts astonishment upon the mindes of all men that have not utterly banisht all humanity and fear of God shall yet say This is the LORDS doing and it is marvellous in our eyes †Psa 118.23 Bold blasphemers For what more horrid blasphemy can possibly be imagin'd then to make that God who is infinitely and essentially holy and Just and good the Author of such intolerable Insolencies unparallel'd Impieties and superlative sinnes of these desperately daring spirits These are certainly the perillous Times whereof the Apostle hath forewarn'd the people of God For in those dayes he hath told us that men however pretending godlinesse shall indeed be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 2 Tim. 3.2 Blasphemers This was the wonted Practise of that man of sinne the sonne of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God †2 Thes 2 3 4. insomuch as it grew to a Proverb In Nomine Domini omne Malum All mischief comes a Gods Name He dethrones Princes makes unjust Warre against Nations and Kingdomes persecutes Christians to death with as much Cruelty as any of the Heathen Emperours gives dispensations to subjects to rebel against their Soveraignes absolving them from their Oaths of Alleagiance and all Obligations to Loyalty and Obedience and all this in the Name of God and by the pretended conduct of the Divine Providence And does not this * 2 Thes 2 7 Mystery of Iniquity still work in the Christian world And must not these high Provocations of God needs make perillous Times When men entitle God to the greatest Irregularities and most detestable Impieties that ever were acted amongst men When men securely act the highest Rebellions and as securely proceed in these audacious actings under the pretended Patronage of the Divine Providence Was not God infinitely Patient he would send down Fire from heaven to consume such Atheists on earth How oft hath the Church of God been put into Blood by those that in their displayed Banners have borne the Name of God! How oft hath that sacred Name IMMANUEL GOD WITH US been abus'd by them that have assembled all their forces to fight against God! How oft have they glory'd in the Appearings of the LORD of Hosts for them who when they have prosper'd in their audacious attempts have dar'd to bid defiance to the Hosts of the LORD How vainly have men boasted that the †Prov. 18.10 Name of the LORD hath been a strong Tower of defence unto them when by divine permission they have prosper'd in those enormous actings which carry in them a flat Contradiction to all Gods glorious attributes Thus is the Name of God fearfully abus'd by the worst of men Thus do the Practitioners of the black Art a fit name for so dreadful a Work of Darknesse make use of the Name of God for the raising up the Devil And do not profane Politicians practise the same Art And is not this the way to turne the Earth into a Hell needs then must the times be perillous when such Artists do abound when such Atheists prevaile and prosper in the world Plato
which the Holy Ghost does in a special manner describe these Seducers which I shall but briefly represent partly because I have already toucht upon them and partly because they arise from latent Properties by which we cannot so easily discerne them The fourth and fift Mark. Covetousnesse and Uncleannesse SEducers however pretending Piety and Contempt of the World do indeed pursue worldly Profits and secular Advantages They so manage the matters of Religion as †1 Tim. 6.5 supposing that gain is godlinesse They * 2 Pet. 2.3 through COVETOUSNES with feigned words make Merchandise of poore seduced People They cry out against Covetousnesse in others that themselves may pass more unsuspected in the guilt of this secret sin this spiritual †Col. 3.5 Idolatry Thus while they condemne others for Covetousnesse themselves are condemn'd by their own Conscience And therefore was not the conscience of these men cauteriz'd they would find such Tumults within themselves as would make them take little delight in troubling others But these are they who * 1 Tim. 4.2 speak lies in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with a hot Iron These are indeed the Troublers of Israel and how fairly soever they carry it the golden Wedge may be found in their Tents A heart they have exercised with covetous Practices †2 Pet. 2.14 This is the Testimony of the Searcher of Hearts of Truth it self against which there can be no exception These are they whom we have but now by Scripture-Evidences convicted of cursing the Israel of God who †Jude 11. run greedily after the Errour of Balaam for a REWARD They are indeed as they are stil'd by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 2 Tim. 3.2 LOVERS OF SILVER though Boasters of Saintship and admirers of Gold more then followers of Godlinesse However they falsely grave upon their Church HOLINES TO THE LORD they can truly write upon their Coine GOD WITH US Seducers are such also as while they boast of spiritual Liberty are in Bondage to fleshly lusts Spiritual Pollution is usually accompanied with corporal Defilement These filthy Dreamers do defile the Flesh †Jude 8. They are by the Apostle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 2 Tim. 3.3 INCONTINENT perhaps for their being carried headlong to Acts of Vncleannesse by their unbridel'd †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libidinosum denot at apud Xenoph. Lusts For these are they * 2 Pet. 2.10 who walk after the Flesh in the Lust of UNCLEANNES †Jude 4. turning the grace of God into LASCIVIOUSNES Oft while they have Holinesse in their mouth they have an Adulteresse in their Eye So sayes the Apostle * 2 Pet. 2.14 They have Eyes full of Adultery or †So the Marg. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Adulteresse and that cannot cease from sin Yea many Seducers are no better then * Jude v. 7. Sodomites Corrupt Opinions are usually accompanied with lewd Practices with filthy Lives The Nicholaitans Carpocratians Adamites and several other Hereticks did professedly give themselves over to a loose and libidinous life Community of Wives was an Article of their Creed and promiscuous Adulteries were their constant Practice The Bohemian Adamites when they desired to satisfie their beastly Lusts were wont to say My spirit is waxed hot towards such a woman To whom he that was the head of the Faction would reply Go and replenish the Earth In all Ages the Churches if we may so call them without defiling a Name so sacred which have been founded and father'd by false-Teachers and Seducers have been †Rev. 18.2 Cages of unclean Birds But it 's Time we get out of this filth and mire for fear of defilement Behold then for a close of this Characteristical discourse the fittest Characters filthy conversation and fearful conclusion of these vile Apostates these deluding Dreamers and self-deceiving Seducers as represented to us by the Apostle Peter in his Prophetick Premonition concerning them which he penned by the conduct of the holy Spirit for a perpetual Caution to the Christian Church These sayes he †2 Pet. 2 17-22 are wells without water Clouds that are carried with a Tempest to whom the Mist or Blacknesse * So Jude v. 13. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of darknesse is reserved for ever For when they speak great swelling words of Vanity they allure through the LUSTS of the FLESH through much WANTONNES those that were cleane escaped from them who live in ERROUR While they promise them Liberty they themselves are the servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in Bondage For if after they have escaped the POLLUTIONS of the world through the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the LATTER END is worse with them then the BEGINNING For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousnesse then after â—â—ey have known it to turne from the holy Commandment deliver'd unto them But it 〈◊〉 happened unto them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own vomit again and â—he Soâ— that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Thus we have seen the Characters of Seducers whereby we may know when according to the Scripture Predictions they are come amongst us Come we now to consider in what cases the times are to be accounted evil and pâ—rillous upon the account of the Errours introduc'd and false-worship maintain'd by these over-active Agents of Satan for the distuâ—bing of the Peace of the Kingdome of Christ and the promoting of the interests of the Kingdom of darknesse in the world The Cases wherein Errour and false-Worship make the Times Perillous The first Case Licentiousnesse colour'd with Liberty of Conscience VVHen Liberty of conscience is pleaded for an unlimited or ill-limited Toleration of irregularities in Opinion and Practice the Times are justly to be accounted evil and perillous The CONSCIENCE of man is indeed the COURT of God but it hath no obliging power but from Gods command No man indeed may command or can compell the conscience It s subjected solely to the Law and Soveraignty of God The Will of God as manifested by the light of Nature as the Moral Law or by Divine Revelation as the commands of the Gospel is the onely Law which layes an Obligation upon the conscience of man or whereunto a man is purely out of conscience bound to yeeld obedience As for the Laws of men they lay not an Obligation upon the Conscience neither is any man bound out of conscience to obey them any further then he is thereunto obâ—ig'd by the Law of God by which every humane Ordinance and constitution is ratifi'd which is founded in a lawful Authority And therefore sayes the Scripture †1 Pet. 2.13 14. submit your selves to every * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinance of man
for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreame or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the Punishment of evil Doers and for the Praise of them that do well Subjection and obedience then is due to every lawful Magistrate by the Word of God yea and every Christian ought out of conscience to yeeld it to him †Rom. 13.4 5. For he is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Wherefore sayes the Apostle ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath i. e. for feare of punishment but also for CONSCIENCE sake Yet is not the conscience herein to be subjected to any Law of man but onely to the Law of God requiring this subjection and obedience to the Civil Magistrate for the preservation of Order and good Government in the world For as it is the highest degree of Spiritual Tâ—ranny for any to lay the * Act. 15.10 Yoke of any humane Laws or Constitutions whether Civil or Ecclesiastical upon the Neck of the Consciences of men so is it no lesse then the sin of Idolatry for any to subject their Consciences to any such Laws or Constitutions seeing it is Gods Prerogative Royal to be the LORD of the CONSCIENCE He onely can give a Law to binde the heart and conscience who can discerne when that Law is broken or kept and accordingly give forth a righteous Punishment or a Reward of grace The Conscience then is not may not be subjected to the Will of Man but onely to the Law of God his Will revealed in his Word But now when the Law of God the onely adequate Rule of the Conscience is declar'd his Will is reveal'd in his Word it 's altogether absurd to imagine that the conscience of man which in this respect †Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu prout Conservatrix Principlorum unde oritur Obligatio is but the * Custos Rotularum Keeper of Gods Court-Rolls should oblige to any thing that is contrary to it or should absolve a man from an Obligation to yeeld obedience thereunto To plead Liberty of Conscience therefore for the divulging of wicked Opinions contrary to the clear and manifest truths of the Word of God and for the Praâ—tâ—se of grosse Impieties as in decrying the Ordinances and worship of God commanded in his Word and the setting up a false worship in the roome of it contrary to the expresse Rules of the Gospel this must needs be a sore Evil and a very great Provocation of the most high God especially when such wretched men shall be favour'd protected encourag'd in so unjust a claime to this sinful Liberty by those that are in Authority or Power who ought to take care that the Law of God be kept that they might set a Crown of Praise upon the head of them that do well and be a †Rom. 13 3 Terror to evil Doers by whom it is violated When this Liberty is thus granted and used the times must needs be perillous To plead Liberty of Conscience for an Exemption from any Obliâ—ation to the embracement of the Truth revealed the attendance upon the Ordinances instituted the discharge of the Duties enjoyned in the Word of God is to break open a wide gap to all manner of Licentiousnesse which is the ready way to pluck the Judgements of God down upon the Land This is to make the Conscience which is a Court wherein the Laws of God are to be pleaded to become a Consistory wherein a man shall be impowered to absolve himself from any of Gods Laws and shall take the freedom to act in all things according to his own Prescriptions What can be imâ—gin'd to be more Irrational and Atheistical then this This must needs be an Inlet to all manner of Abominations Even they that blaspheme God pluck the Lord Jâ—sus as much as in them lies from the Throne of his Deity beâ—y the Holy Ghost in charging the vilest Errours upon the holy Spirit of Truth trample upon the precious Ordinances of the Gospel and pretend to be above them revile reproach and curse the children of God and when they have opportunity persecute them to the death even these will for these wicked Opinions and Practices plead Liberty of Conscience Intolerable Impudence Damnable Impiety Now such weeds as these grow apace under the favourable Influences of the higher Planâ—ts This Liberty once indulg'd will soon become abundantly fruitful in the worst of Evils Let this Jubile the year of General Release be but once proclaim'd and the Church of God shall soone feele the sad and woful effects thereof Leave every man but to walk in his own way and we shall soone see the Vineyard of God troden down while its continually traverst in a thousand crosse and crooked paths Thus when there was no King in Israel every one did that which was right in his own eyes * Jud. 17.6 and 21.25 And what was this but every one might be as wicked and licentious as he list These were perillous Times in Israel But when the Bounds of sinne are removed the Banks of the Sea of Gods Wrath shall be broken up and his Judgements shall break forth as mighty Waters upon such sinners So sayes the Lord by the Prophet Hosea †Hos 5.10 The Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound therefore I will poure my Wrath upon them like Water Thus when that liberty is contended for which tends to Licentiousnesse when Impiety is grown so impudent as to plead for Impunity the Dayes are evil the Times are perillous But if the Opinion favour'd be so perillous the Practice allow'd must needs be extreamly pernicious If the Seed be so bitter what fruit can we expect it should bring forth but Gall and Wormwood This Provocation therefore is capable of a higher Degree which must needs be productive of the greater Peril as in the next case The second Case Protection of Errour and false-Worship VVHen Errour and False-worship hath as much Countenance and Protection from men in Authority as Truth and the true worship of God the Times must needs be perillous When the Harlot hath equal favour with the Queen and the Stews as strong a guard as the Palace When Thieves and Robbers shall be as quietly permitted and as fully protected in stealing and robbing as the faithful Shepheard in watching his Flock and painful Labourer in working in the vine-yard When Mad-men shall be suffer'd to go up and down with naked swords in their hands to kill and slay all that are not able to resist them When Plague-sick men shall have freedome to walk the streets and our Enemies full liberty to impoyson our Springs When a Guard shall be granted to them that come to throw Baits of Wild-fire into the City of God for the kindling of those fires that cannot be quenched When men shall be protected in their undermining the foundations
8. silence in that time for it is an evil time This unlesse they had a Call from God as had the Prophets of the Lord to reprove these wicked ones for their sinnes and to give in their Testimony in the behalf of God against their irregular and unjust proceedings The times are unquestionably perillous when the Terrible one is in Power and the Scorner is in Favour and they that watch for iniquity are rewarded That make a man an Offendor for a †Sub Tyranno voces non sunt liberae multo minus in Tyrannum Drepan Paneg. c. 2. Word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the Gate and turne aside the just for a thing of nought These are perillous Times to the People of God neither can the Church according to the Scripture-Calculation expect good Dayes till * Isa 29.20 21. the terrible one is brought to nought and the scorner is consumed and all that watch for Iniquity are cut off That make a man an offendor for a Word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the Gate and turne aside the Just for a thing of nought In that day †v. 18 19 shall the meek encrease their joy in the LORD and the poore among men shall rejoyce in the Holy One of Israel Then * v. 24. they also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learne Doctrine When the Great men of the Times shall become Terrible ones to the People of God and watch for opportunities to ensnare his Prophets and seek an occasion to persecute the Preachers of his Word who reprove them for their fearful Impieties and horrid enormities whereby they pluck down Judgements upon the whole Land the Times must needs be evil and perillous But yet let such know the Judgement of God is ready to fall upon their own heads who have thus laid snares for the life of others For Judgement is toward you saith the LORD †Hos 5.1 2 O House of the King O ye State-Robbers that have turned the Kings House into a Den of Thieves because ye have been a SNARE on Mizpah and a NET spread upon Tabor i. e. You have laid snares to entrap the Innocent in their Lives and Goods as Hunters and Fowlers do upon the Hills of Mizpah and Tabor * Diod. Annot. And the REVOLTERS are profound to make SLAUGHTER q. d. they are profound in making PLOTS to murther men though I have been a REBUKER of them all who have thus villanously conspired against them who have rebuked them for their sins in my Name Thus will the Lord at length finde out and punish proud and presumptuous Persecutors of his Prophets and People yet during the time of their Prevalency and Predominancy in Church and State the Dayes must needs be evill the Times perillous When Micaiah the Prophet of the LORD is rudely interrupted by false Prophets and smitten on the cheek for prophecying the Truth †1 King 22.24 When this Injury is protected by an ungodly Prince yea and seconded by a false Imprisonment it 's surely a perillous Time When a wicked Ruler rashly engaged in a destructive enterprize shall say concerning a Preacher of Gods Word that sought to reclaime him * ver 27. Put this fellow in the Prison and feed him with Bread of affliction and with Water of affliction until I come in Peace When if a Prophet of the Lord do but forewarne the People of following judgements some furious Captaine shall apprehend him and falsely †Accusandi frequens publica Rabies gravius togatam civitatem confecit Senec. l. 3. c. 26. de Benef. accuse him to the Princes of the people and these shall without Colour of Law or Justice smite him and cast him into prison Yea when this will not yet satisfie their malice and cruelty but they shall press hard upon him with their false Accusations saying He weakens the hands of the Souldiers and Citizens by preaching such things as these are at such a season as this is and so under these pretences seek to put him to Death these are manifestly perillous Times for the People of God and surely some great Judgement hangs over the Heads of such a Nation For just thus did the Princes of Judah deale with the Prophet Jeremy and what follow'd thereupon but the utter Ruine and Destruction of the City Jerusalem and the carrying Captive both of the Princes and of the People into Babylon as we read in the sacred Records of the Holy Scripture †See Jer. 37 38 and 39. ch Behold his usage the fore-running presage of these soon-following calamities on the Jewish Nation It came to passe says the sacred Story * Jer. 37 11-15 that when the Army of the Caldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaohs Army then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the Land of Benjamin to separate himself thence in the midst of the People And when he was in the Gate of Benjamin a CAPTAINE of the Ward was there whose name was Irijah the sonne of Shelemiah the son of Hananiah and he took Jeremiah the Prophet saying Thou fallest away to the Caldeans Then said Jeremiah It is false I fall not away to the Caldeans but he hearkened not to him so Irijah took Jeremiah and brought him to the Princes Wherefore the PRINCES were wroth with Jeremiah and smote him and put him in PRISON in the House of Jonathan the Scribe for they had made that the Prison But these wicked Princes are not yet satisfi'd herewith We have a further account of their injurious proceedings against him their false charge and bloody Petition prefer'd in an unjust Court with the Issue thereof suiting to their own Desires or rather though disguis'd in a Petitionary Way as appeares by the story their peremptory Demands so little Reverence did they beare to the Authority of their King For thus is it recorded †Jer. 38 1-6 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan and Gedaliah the son of Pashur and Jucal the sonne of Shelemiah and Pashur the sonne of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the People saying Thus saith the LORD he that remaineth in the City shall die by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence but he that goeth forth to the Caldeans shall live for he shall have his Life for a Prey and shall live Thus saith the LORD This City shall surely be given into the hand of the King of Babylon's Army which shall take it Therefore the Princes said unto the King We beseech thee let this man be put to DEATH for thus he weakneth the Hands of the men of War that remain in the City and the Hands of all the People in speaking such words unto them for this man seeketh not the PEACE * So the Marg. Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Welfare of this People but the HURT Then
that thus fears his Name believes his Word trusts in his Power and waits for his Mercy according to his Promise shall be priviledg'd with a comfortable Security on Earth or which is much better admitted into the inviolable Sanctuary of Heaven For to such do the Promises of Divine Protection pertain They may be for a time afflicted and distressed through the Pride and prevalency of the wicked †Psal 37.39 40. But the salvation of the Righteous is of the LORD He is their strength in the Time of Trouble And the LORD shall help them and deliver them He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him And therefore he is said to be a * Pro. 30.5 Shield and †Ps 18.30 Buckler to them that trust in Him He is their * Psal 71.3 strong Habitation whereunto they may continually resort He is their Rock and Fortress for their Defence against all the Assaults of their Enemies And therefore †Ps 125.1 They that trust in the LORD shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever For * Nah. 1.7 The LORD is good a strong hold in the day of Trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him The third Work BE much in Communion with God The Lord is the Preserver of his Saints in Perillous Times And who are they that are interested in this special protection but those that are raised into this spiritual Communion Communion with God is a Saints sweetest and safest Sanctuary in Times of Danger And therefore did David so much desire of God that he might * Psal 27.4 Dwell in the house of the LORD all the dayes of his Life to behold the beauty of the LORD and to enquire in his Temple that is that he might live in Communion with the true Church in the Use of holy Ordinances to enjoy a constant Communion with God all the Time of his continuance in the world For saith he †v. 5. giving you the Reason of this his Request In the Time of Trouble he shall hide me in his Pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me up upon a Rock As if he should say He shall keep me in Secresie preserve me in Security advance me to Dignity and Glory As he saies elswhere * Psal 3.3 Thou O LORD art a Shield for me my Glory and the Lifter up of my head A Saint never rests so securely as when he dwels in the same Pavilion with God when God himself hides him under the Ark in the most secret Place of his holy Sanctuary The further from God the nearer to danger as a sheep that is gone astray from the Fold But the nearer to God the further from Danger As a Child under the Arm of the Father Gods special preserving Providence is as a Pavilion to that Saint that lives in Communion with God There 's no such place of safety for a Subject in times of Peace as in the Presence-Chamber of the King nor in Times of War as in the Royal Tent. Noah was safe in the Ark though tost with the Waves and Billows of an universal deluge when all the World besides was drown'd with water A Saint in communion with God is kept safe in the Ark of his holy Covenant Upon this account it s more safe for a Saint to dwell in Gods House in Times of Danger then to flie to the strongest Fortresse for safety I had rather sayes David †Ps 84.10 be a Door-keeper in the House of my God then to dwell in the Tents of Wickednesse Why so He gives you the Reason * v. 11. For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield He is a Help at hand a strong Defence to his Saints in time of Danger †Psal 91.1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty He that dwells in the secret of communion with God shall be safe under the shadow of the Protection of his power In communion with God a Saint * Isa 40.31 mounts up as with the wings of an Eagle and so sores above the Difficulties and Dangers of the lower world Communion with God is a garden enclosed As no stranger can enter into it so a Saint hath most safety while he dwells in it Communion with God is a Saints peculiar Priviledge heighten'd with this that it interests him in a special Protection O then Christians be much in communion with God Be much in those Duties of Religion wherein gracious souls do maintaine this holy Communion Be much in †Mat. 6.6 Closet-Prayer much in * Gen. 24..63 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dâ—vout-Meditation much in †Psal 4.4 Communing with your own Heart as an excellent help to communion with God Stir up your graces and set all the Powers of your soule on work in these spiritual Duties for otherwise you may spend much Time daily in Reading Praying Meditating and yet enjoy no communion with God Leave not a Duty till you can get your heart warm'd by it till you can feel it melting burning within your breast melting with * Psal 119 136 sorrow for sin and Joy in God burning with a holy Anger and an ardent †Psal 119 139 Zeal for Gods Glory suffering by the sinnes of the Times Cease not till you can finde your very soul going out to God and God by the powerful Influences and Operations of his holy Spirit coming in to your heart in holy Duties This is to maintain communion with God and this is to live in Heaven on Earth This will be to you a Spring of living Comforts in a dry and barren Wildernesse You shall have no cause to be disconsolate in your Desert-condition while the Manna of spiritual Mercies drops down from Heaven upon your soule in Communion with God Hereby you shall be able to fetch Waters of Comfort out of the Flinâ—y Rocks of Affliction and Persecution And which may be sufficient to revive your drooping Spirit in the greatest dangers from this Holy Mount of Communion with God you may take a faire Prospect of the Heavenly Canaan Yea he that lives in communion with God on earth does already dwell in the Suburbs of Heaven The fift Duty Longing to leave the Earth and live in Heaven IS it your lot to live in the last Dayes and to experiment the evil of perillous Times Then take off your hearts from things on earth and long to live in heaven O Christians here are Perils below but there 's Peace above you finde troubles on earth but you have Treasures in heaven It 's time for you to be dead to the world if you are indeed risen with Christ †Col. 3.1 2 3 4. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your
God! And hast thou given thy dearest Son to suffer such a cursed and cruel dâ—ath for such a vile sinner as I am O sweetest Mercy O infinite goodnesse O glorious Love Then me thought I first felt my Heart that before was like a †Eze. 36.26 stone within me to melt and sensibly dissolve at once into sorrow and joy †Zac. 12.10 * Sorrow that ever I had sinned against such a good God †Luk. 2.10 Joy that ever Mercy and Salvation should be tendered to such a vile sinner And then when I cast up my Eyes to Christ and beheld him sometimes as crucifi'd on Earth sometimes as glorifi'd in heaven my heart sure spake within me much to this purpose O deare Jesus And hast thou endured such grievous sufferings for the salvation of such a miserable sinner as I am What wouldest thou leave thy Fathers * Joh. 1.18 Bosome and glory to live here on Earth and die on the †Phil. 2.8 Crosse to save the Life of a crawling Worme Hast thou poured out thy * Joh. 19 34. Hearts blood to queâ—â—â— thy Fathers dreadful wrath and to â—â—â—chase his glorious Love to a poysonous Toad Is it possible Can it be believed for Truth that the Sonne of God should come to save such a sinful wretch as I am Yea He hath said it and I believe it †1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chiefe Hereupon I found my heart carried out in a restlesse and insatiable longing desire after Christ yea and indeed inseparably cleaving to Christ thus manifesting himself to me in the Gospel For then I not onely saw the sinfulnesse of my sinnes but I lookt upon all my * Isa 64.6 Righteousnesses as filthy rags and so humbling my self for my sinnes and renouncing utterly my own righteousnesse I cast my self wholly upon my Saviour and resolved †Job 13.15 though he should slay me I would trust in him And now though since I have not often found such sweet and powerful workings upon my Heart yet this is the state wherein I stand I have solemnly resigned my self wholly up into the hands of Christ as my Soveraigne and Saviour to be done with and disposed of in every thing as seemes best unto him and on him only do I rest for Righteousness and Life Eternal Happy soul God hath magnified his Mercy to thee and done more for thee then for thousands God hath drawn thee tâ— Christ and united thy soul to him by â—â—â—h a Band indissoluble For thou hast in this Declaration of Gods dealings with thee laid open the very Mysterie of Faith and manifested how the Holy Ghost hath by this Heavenly Band inseparably knit thy soul unto thy Saviour Rejoyce then in thy God For thy soul is safely lockt up in the Everlasting Blessed Embraces of thy Redeemer Yea thou shalt be for ever worn as a Jewel in his bosom Fear not For in the day that God makes up his Jewels * Mal. 3.17 he will remember thy soul And though thy Faith be weak be not discouraged Thou standest not in thy own strength but in the strength of Christ who is †Isa 63.1 Mighty to save The safety of the Child in the Mothers Bosome lies not in the strength of its own weak Arms wherewith it clings about her but in the strength of the Mothers Arm and the Affectionate Tenderness of her heart towards it What though thy Faith be weak thy strength be small and thy Enemies strong thou art kept by the Power of God through Faith unto salvation * 1 Pet. 1.5 Christ is thine and so Heaven and Happiness is thine also The Lord grant I may live to his Praise that hath shewed Mercy on me For the Glory of God is I know the end of these Dispensations of his Grace For thus it is written †Eph. 1.12 13 14. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ In whom saith the Apostle ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance untill the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the praise of his Glory But how may I know that God hath given me this Earnest of my Inheritance that I am sealed with his Holy Spirit or that he hath given his Holy Spirit to me If God hath given you Faith in Jesus Christ he hath certainly sealed you with his Holy Spirit and so given you the Earnest of your heavenly Inheritance For it is the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Grace by which that Faith was wrought in your Heart by which you have been united to Jesus Christ The Graces of Sanctification Repentance Faith Hope Love to God Charity c. are the prints of this Privy Seal wherewith God seals Believers as his own Peculiar which in whatsoever soul they are found to that soul is the Spirit of God given as an Earnest of an eternal Inheritance in Heaven And where there is one Grace of the Spirit as that of Faith which hath already been evidenc't there are all the rest though not equally visible Though sometimes but one Star do appear in the Heavens yet we are sure all the rest are fixed there though they are clouded from our sight Moreover the Spirit of God where ever it is is a Spirit of Holiness Prayer and Comfort Now do you desire to know whether the Spirit of God be given to you and do indeed dwell in you Then search your Heart and tell me what you discover upon these Enquiries Do you find sin to be a Burden to you and are you weary of it Do you indeed hate your sweetest sins and love the strictest wayes of Holiness Do you maintain a constant Conflict against your Corruptions Can you truly say with the Apostle †Rom. 7.19 The good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do For * v. 21. I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me Yet I delight in the Law of God after the inward man Oh do you not extremely long to be freed from this Bondage of Corruption that in the duties of Holiness you might enjoy a more glorious Freedom of Communion with God What is it which chiefly makes the world uncomfortable to you Is it Sin or Suffering Which of these two is it which you most constantly fear and most carefully decline Can you heartily bless God for Affliction when it becomes a Means to promote in your Heart the work of Grace and Holiness Is not your heart grieved for the Sin that cleaves unto you in your best performances Do you not find your heart endeared to the