will commune with thee from above the Mercy-seat between the two cherubims which are upon the Ark of the Testimony verse 22. Now this Mercy-seat on which God did thus sit between the wings of the Cherubims was a figure of Christ by whom our transgressions of the law are forgiven and covered who is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2.2 And therefore called the Propitiatory Rom. 3.15 To this glorious seat where Gods presence with his Church was manifested the Throne of God is answerable in the Christian Church in the presence of which Throne his people are and serve him day and night in his Temple Rev. 7.15 17.8.3.21.3 5. Now this Ark being thus a type or figure of Christ and of his Church and of his glorious presence with the same it s no wonder if the Lord shall so severely punish the prophanation of it when men shall set it in the Temple of Dagon Surely if the Ark stand there Dagon must fall yea and it shall fall before the Ark of the Lord which is called the Ark of his strength Psal 132.8 And when the Ark set forward then Moses said Rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee God cannot endure to have his holy things prophaned that the abomination of desolation shall stand in his holy place that men shall set their thresholds by Gods thresholds and their posts by Gods posts by defiling his holy name with their abominations Wherefore saith the Lord I have consumed them in mine anger No surely the place of the soles of his feet where he will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever and his holy name he will not suffer to be defiled but he will beautifie the place of his sanctuary and make the place of his feet glorious Isa 60.13 comp with Ezek. 43.7 8. Let men take heed then of offering strange fire before the Lord which he commandeth them not lest there comes out fire from the Lord and devoureth them as in the case of Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron who for this cause died before the Lord. And what said Moses to Aaron thereupon This is that that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified Lev. 10.1 2 3. So likewise when men will be presumptuously and unwarrantably prying into the secrets of God see how severely the Lord hath punished this evil as in the case of the men of Beth-shemesh said whom the Lord sorely smote because they looked into the Ark of the Lord even he smote of the people Fifty thousand and threescore and ten men and the people lamented because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter And the men of Beth-shemeth said Who is able to stand before the holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6.19 20. So dangerous a thing it is to be over-curiously presumptuous in looking into the Areana Dei the secret and hidden things of God which he hath not revealed Therefore it was that the Lord had commanded that Aaron and his sons even they and not others should take down the covering vail and cover the Ark of the Testimony with it And thus do unto them saith the Lord that they may live and not die when they approach unto the most holy things Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they dye Numb 4.19 20. See also Levit. 8.35 So exact was the Lord for the keeping of his charge It is sad to consider how wise some men have seemed to be above that which is written calculating persons and things and times for the meridian of their own brain like those lying Prophets which the Lord sent not nor spake unto wherefore he complained that they prophesied unto the people a false vision and divination even a thing of nought and the deceit of their heart Jer. 14.14 So in Ezek. 13.6 7 8 9. They have seen vanity and lying divination and they made others to hope that they would confirm the word See now the severe punishment of the Lord against such Behold I am against you saith the Lord God and mine hand shall be upon the Prophets that see vanity and that divine lies they shall not be in the Assembly of my people neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel neither shall they enter into the land of Israel But setting aside such gross lying Prophets it is sad to think how many professing the fear and knowledge of God have been over-curiously prying into Gods secret counsels and the hidden purposes of his minde limiting and prescribing the holy one of Israel advancing and extolling the idle phantasies and enthusiasmes of their own brains more then the declarative mind and will of God contained in the Scriptures of truth But whatever may be mens pretensions to high inward unscriptural revelations of God let us not be believing every such spirit but trying the spirits whether they are of God or no and for this reason Because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 Joh. 4.1 And what saith Peter We have also a more sure word of prophesie more sure then the voice which they heard to come from Heaven when they were in the Holy Mount whereunto ye do well saith he that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 Ever remembring that in Deut. 29.29 That secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever 15. The fifteenth and last thing that I shall briefly speak of as a Pestilential destroying sin is that of Adding or Diminishing from the Word of God for which the Lord Jesus hath threatned such dreadful plagues and punishments For I testifie saith he unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Book If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this Prophesie What solloweth then God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this book That man may be said to add that shall mix other things besides what the Lord Jesus hath revealed by his Angel He addeth that adjoyneth a lye For whatsoever is patched to the Scriptures of mens inventions that it might be accounted as divinely revealed or the pure Oracles of God is a lye Such are the Papal unwritten traditions or other writings of men whatsoever which are made with them of like Authority with the written word of God and which added
it a sin so abhorring unto the Lord does the wrath of the Lord come upon the Children of disobedience because of it Has the Lord denounced so many woes against it and threatned to smite with his plagues and punishments for it O then beware of Covetousness and being greedy of gain lest thou be a troubler of thine house Prov. 15.27 6. So for the Sin of Cursing and Swearing and False-swearing Is it that because of Swearing the Land mourns and the Lord had a Controversie with the Land because of it And that the Curser shall be cloathed with his Cursing as with a Garment and it shall come into his bowels like water and the Curse shall enter into the house of the False-swearer O then beware that thou art not found in these sins lest these dreadful Judgments of God fall upon thee 7. So for the seventh Pestilential destroying Sin namely the sin of Adultery Fornication and such like corporeal filthiness and uncleanness Did the Lord so severely punish the sin of Zimbri and Cosby who were taken in the act of uncleanness that no less then twenty four thousand died in the plague And did the Lord plague Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abrams wife Then beware thou beastly Adulterer thou filthy Fornicator and unclean Liver lest the like severity of God take hold of thee Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Jud. 7. 8. So for the Sin of Infidelity Distrust and Murmuring against God the eighth provoking Pestilential sin Did those men that brought up an evil report upon the good Land distrusting God for all the Signs that he had shewed among them dye by the plague before the Lord And did the Carcasses of those who murmured against the Lord fall in the Wilderness so that that they could not see the promised Land O then take heed how thou cherish a murmuring distrusting and unbeleiving heart against God Take heed of rasing up an evil report upon the good land thereby weakening the hands and discouraging the hearts of those who would be found walking in the beautiful paths of the Lord and be faithful in their generation 9. So for the Sin of Discontent loathing Gods blessings and his provisions and lusting after evil things to satisfie their inordinate desires the ninth provoking Pestilential sin Did the Lord smite the people with a very great Plague for this very evil Then take we heed that we lust not after evil things as they also lusted 10. So for the Sin of Pride Ambition and Vain-glory trusting in an arm of flesh and not relying on the mighty power and faithfulness of God Did the Lord for this sin of David send a Pestilence among the Children of Israel so that there dyed of the people Seventy thousand men O then take we heed of a proud vain-glorious spirit and that we trust not in an arm of flesh 11. So for the Sin of Apostacy Back-sliding and Revolting from God Did the Lord often threaten that for this sin he would consume them by the Sword the Famine and the Pestilence O then take we heed that we do not Apostasie and Back-slide in our spirits from the Lord. 12. So for the Sin of Rebellion and Obstinate Disobedience against God and his Commandments Did the Lord for this sin threaten that he would send the Pestilence among them and make it cleave unto them until he had consumed them O then beware that thou sin not against God and his Commands with an Obstinate Rebellious and disobedient heart 13. So for the Sin of Insurrection and rising up against the Lords lawful Governours and Government Did the Lord so severely deal with Corah Dathan and Abiram and their Complices and Co-partners for this evil not visiting them after the common visitation of men causing also the Plague to break in among them so that there died thereof Fourteen thousand and seven hundred O then take we heed of this so highly provoking Pestilential sin 14. So for the Sin of Prophanation of Gods holy things and an Over-curious Presumptuous speculation and prying unwarrantably into the secrets of God Was the hand of the Lord so heavy upon the men of Ashdod and also upon the men of Beth-shemish for this sin so that he smote them with a deadly destruction even of the people Fifty thousand and threescore and ten O then see that we are not guilty of this so highly provoking Pestilential sin 15. So for the last Pestilential destroying Sin of Adding or Diminishing from the word of God for which the Lord hath threatned such dreadful plagues and punishments O take thou heed of this so highly provoking sin lest the Lord add unto thee his plagues and take away thy part out of the Book of Life Having now seriously considered what those sins are that so highly provoked the Lord to send down this sore visitation of the Plague or Pestilence among a people see I say that thou enter then into a diligent search and examination of thine own heart and ways to find out the sin or sins which thy Conscience shall tell thee thou standest guilty of before the Lord Whether it be the sin of Oppression Persecution Murder Idolatry Adultery Covetousness Cursing or Swearing Infidelity Discontent Pride Apostacy Disobedience or any other of the forementioned provoking evils And see that thou art very exact and not slight and superficial in this manner of self-examination This is the exhortation of the Lord by his Prophet Zephaniah Chap. 2.1 2. Gather your selves together yea gather together O Nation not desired thus is it rendred in our Translation but other Traslations read it thus Search your selves narrowly yea search your selves narrowly O people not worthy to be desired Before the Decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you I finde the Hebrew word signifies thus much First To gather your wits together that was before dispersed upon vanity Secondly To frame your selves to purge away your spiritual chaff Thirdly To search narrowly as for a lost jewel or hid mine The true sence is Enter into your selves search try and examine all your ways and doings that ye may rightly understand how heavily and greivously God must needs be offended with your great and manifold sins And mark the reason why they should be so diligent and industrious in this work Before the Decree bring forth That is before that doth come to pass which is decreed by God against you Gods Decree is then said to bring forth when it cometh to be executed As the bringing forth of a woman doth not follow presently after the conception but in the appointed due time So also is the Decree of God not brought to light by the execution of it until the time determined and appoined by
Christ but are now again intangled therein and overcome turning with the Dog to his own vomit again and with the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire Let such know That their latter end will be worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. 12. The twelfth Pestilential and highly provoking Sin is the sin of Rebellion and Obstinate Disobedience against God and his Commandments Levit. 26.23 24 25. And if ye will not be reformed by these things saith the Lord but will walk contrary unto me then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins And I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant and when ye are gathered together within your Cities I will send the Pestilence among you and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy So Deut. 28.15 16 20 21. If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to observe to do all his Commandments and his Statutes c. These curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the City and cursed shalt thou be in the field c. The Lord shall send upon thee cursing vexation and rebuke in all that thou settest thy hand for to do until thou be destroyed and until thou perish quickly And wherefore Because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken me The Lord shall make the Pestilence cleave unto thee until he hath consumed thee and the Lord shall smite thee with a Consumption and with a Feaver and with an Inflammation and with an extream Burning and with the Sword and with Blasting and with Mildew and they shall pursue thee until thou perish So in the 58 and 59. vers If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book that thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful name The Lord thy God Then the Lord will make thy Plagues wonderful and the Plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance So Deut. 29.22 23 24 25. The Generations to come when they shall see the Plagues of the Land and the sicknesses which the Lord hath laid upon it and that the whole Land is Brimstone and Salt and Burning c. like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah c. with the Lord overthrew in his anger and in his wrath Even all Nations shall say Wherefore hath the Lord done this What meaneth the heat of this great anger Then men shall say Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers c. To this agrees that of the Prophet Jerom. 29.17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord of hosts Behold I will send upon them the Sword the Famine and the Pestilence and will make them like vile figgs that cannot be eaten they are so vile And I will persecute them with the Sword with the Famine and with the Pestilence and will deliver them to be removed to all the Kingdomes of the Earth to be a Curse and an Astonishment and a Hissing and a Reproach among all the Nations whither I have driven them And wherefore will the Lord be so severe against them Because they have not hearkened to my words saith the Lord which I sent unto them by my servants the Prophets rising up early and sending them but ye would not hear saith the Lord. So Ezek. 6.11 Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel for they shall fall by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence He that is far off shall die of the Pestilence and he that is near shall fall by the Sword and he that remaineth and is besieged shall dye by the Famine Thus will I accomplish saith the Lord my fury upon them Ezek. 7 11. The Sword is without and the Pestilence and the Famine within he that is in the Field shall dye with the Sword and he that is in the City Famine and Pestilence shall devour him And why Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness v. 11. The rod hath blossomed pride hath budded So Ezek. 14.19 21. If I send a Pestilence into that Land and pour out my fury upon it in bloud to cut from it Man and Beast though Noah Daniel and Job were in it As I live saith the Lord they shall deliver neither Son nor Daughter they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness For thus saith the Lord God How much more when I sent my four sore Judgements upon Jerusalem the Sword and the Famine and the noysome Beast and the Pestilence to cut off from it Man and Beast And when will the Lord execute this great severity and be so inexorable the 13. vers declares it When the land sinneth against me saith the Lord by trespassing grievously I shall conclude with that in the Prophet Amos Chap. 2. ver 4 5. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof Because they have despised the law of the Lord and have not kept his Commandements c. And what follows I will send a fire upon Judah and it shall devour the Palaces of Jerusalem So Amos 4.10 c. I have sent among you the Pestilence after the manner of Egypt your young men have I slain with the Sword and have taken away your horses and I have made the stinck of your Camps to come up into your Nostrils yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord. So incorrigible hard-hearted and un-reformed were they under all the sore Judgements that the Lord had inflicted upon them Yet before he will make an utter destruction he invites them once again to repentance Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel Thus you see what a high provoking sin it is to rebel against God and his Commandments As Samuel said to Saul when he disobeyed the Word of the Lord. Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and Stubornness is as Iniquity and Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.23 And if God was so severe to punish the transgressions of the law with what severity will Christ proceed against the willful contemners and disobeyers of his Gospel according to that of the 2d of the Heb. 2 and 3. vers If every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward that is of punishments inflicted on them How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation that is the Gospel which is called a Ministry of the spirit and of life whereas the law is a killing letter or the ministration of death and condemnation 2 Cor. 3.6 7 9. And the wrath of God cometh upon the children of Gospel disobedience Ephes 5.6 13. The thirteenth pestilential and highly provoking sin is the sin of Insurrection and rising up against
to the Scriptures are lies So he takes away that not onely derogates from the Divine Authority of Gods book but he also that any ways changeth or maliciously perverteth or contradicteth any thing therein written Christ will have the integrity sincerity and sacred Authority of this Prophesie to be faithfully preserved in the Churches and that the contemners falsifiers and corrupters thereof be no way suffered under the pain of Anathema or dreadful curse For if falsifyers of Coin are lyable unto the civil curse of the law much more shall the Anathema of eternal damnation be inflicted upon the corrupters of the Scriptures which are the words of God These with the Beast and the false Prophet shall the Lord cast into the Lake of fire burning with brimstone Rev. 19.20 This is a dreadful sin drawing down the Lords severest plagues and punishments Therefore take we heed that we add not unto the word which God commands us nor diminish ought from it but that we keep the Commandments of the Lord our God which he commandeth us Deut. 4.2 And mark well the reason that Solomon giveth Every word of God saith he is pure he is a shield to them that put their trust in him And consider what follows Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lier Prov. 30.5 6. Having now spoken of the several Sins which so highly provoke the Lord to pour down his sore Judgements even this of the Plague or Pestilence among a people I shall now come to speak of some special spiritual Remedies which may be fitly applied and made use of as Soveraign Antidotes and Preservatives to prevent the further spreading of this pestilential contagious disease among us 1. THe first spiritual Receipt that I shall then prescribe unto thee who ever thou art that gettest in thy hand and readest this little tract Consider seriously and let thy thoughrs dwell long upon those Sins that I have insisted on as such which are the procuring Cause of this so sore a visitation from the Lord and entring into a diligent scrutiny and examination of thine own heart and ways Consider how far thou hast been or art a partaker of those sins which have so highly provoked the Lord to send down this National Judgement of the Plague and Pestilence among us For if we stand guilty of the same Sins how then shall we think to escape the like punishment This was the way and course the Apostle took when speaking of Gods displeasure against the Israelites whereby many of them were overthrown in the Wilderness how does he bring it home by way of special application Now these things saith he were our Examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Neither be ye Idolaters as were some of them c. Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one Day three and twenty thousand Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of Serpents Neither murmure ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the Destroyer Now all things happened unto them for enamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10.5 6 to the 11 and 12. ver So say I as from the Lord. As to the first Pestilentiall sin of Oppression Did the Lord plague Pharaoh and his Land with sore and dreadful plagues even this of the destroying Pestilence for his cruel oppressions which he exercised over the bodies and consciences of Gods people Take heed then that thou art not found an Oppressor of the true worshippers of Jesus the spiritual Israel of God Take heed of exalting thy self against God in seeking still to hold the spiritual Seed under Egyptian captivity and bondage See that thou lets them go to sacrifice to the Lord God as he has commanded them Take heed of ruling over them with rigour and making their lives bitter with hard bondage Take heed ye rich men that ye do not oppress the poor Know that the Lord surely looks upon the afflictions of his people and hears their cry by reason of their Task-masters and will come down to deliver them Exod. 3.7 8. So to those that are the Bishops Elders and Overseers the Spiritual Rulers and Leaders of the flocks of Christ Take heed that ye be not Lords over Gods heritage but examples to the flocks See that ye feed the flocks of God taking the oversight of them not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Take heed that ye do not exercise a dominion over their faith but are helpers of their joy 2 Cor. 1.24 Take heed that ye do not eat the fat and cloath you with the wool and kill them that are fed Take heed that with force and cruelty ye rule not over them So then to all that oppress whether in one kind or another see that ye undo heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free and break every yoke else surely the Lord will visit for these things and his soul will be avenged on such a Nation as this 2. So for the Sin of Persecution and Hatred against God and his people Hath the Lord ordained the Arrows of his Indignation even the Instruments of Death against the Persecutors and will he strike them into the hearts of his Enemies O then take heed that thou art not found a hater of God and a Persecutor of the people of God lest the Arrow of the destroying Pestilence that flyeth at noon day do light upon thee and the Angel of the Lord persecute thee 3. So for the Sin of Murder and Bloodshed Hath the Lord threatned his sore plagues against the Destroyers of his heritage and will he avenge the blood of his Servants at the great whore of Babylons hands and is there a time when the Lord will make inquisition for blood Then beware that thou hast not a hand in killing and destroying the Saints of the most high God And take heed that thou partake not of Babylons sins lest thou receive of her plagues For the Lord will avenge the blood of his Servants and will render vengeance to his Adversaries and will be merciful unto his land and to his people Deut. 32.43 4. So for the fourth Pestilential and highly provoking Sin of Idolatry Was the anger of the Lord so kindled against Israel when Israel had joyned himself to Baal-peor that no less then four and twenty thousand died in the plague And did the Lord plague the people because of the Calf they had made Then beware that ye be not Idolaters as were some of them and provoke the Lord to anger with your inventions For surely the Lord our God is a jealous God his glory he will not give to another neither his praise to Graven Images Isa 42.8 5. So for the Sin of Covetousness and a greedy desire after gain Is
Your mother shall be sore confounded she that bare you shall be ashamed behold the hindermost of the Nations shall be a wilderness a dry land and a desert because of the wrath of the Lord it shall not be inhabited but it shall be wholly desolate every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished and hiss at all her plagues So in Jer. 51.34 35. The Church complains there that Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon had devoured her and crushed her and made her an empty vessel and had swallowed her up like a Dragon and filled his belly with her delicates and cast her out What then is the Churches dreadful imprecation hereupon but that which was mentioned before The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon shall the inhabitants of Sion say and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea shall Jerusalem say Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee c. And Babylon shall become heaps a dwelling place for Dragons an astonishment a hissing without an inhabitant And in the 33. Verse The Daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor it is time to thresh her yet a little while and the time of her harvest shall come So Rev. 18.4 God calls his people there to come out of Babylon and wherefore that ye be not partakers of her sins saith the voice from Heaven and that ye receive not of her Plagues So in the 8th Verse Therefore shall her Plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with Fire for strong is the Lord who judgeth her And what was Babylons great sin They have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy said the Angel of the waters Rev. 16.6 So Rev. 17.6 And I saw said John in a Vision the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus And in her was found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slain upon the earth Rev. 18.24 And what follows Allelujah salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgments for he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand And again they said Allelujah and her smoke rose up for ever For the speedy execution of which righteous judgements of God upon this insatiable and blood-thirsty Whore it is that the souls under the Altar that have been slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held are said to cry with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true dost not thou judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth To which answer is made That they should rest yet for a little season until their Fellow-Servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Rev. 6.9 10 11. That is slain by Antichrist and his Ministers who having Apostatized from the faith should arise in the Church of Christ soon after this and by their spiritual pride and tyranny oppress the Church and persecute and kill the Lords faithful Witnesses in like manner as the Gentiles the Jews and other false Christians had formerly done Rev. 11.7 and 12.15 17. Yet this is very observable as that which may minister matter of strong consolation to the Saints suffering under Antichrists bloody persecutions that there is the determinate time of Gods appointed Judgments and that however for a while the Lord defers his punishments yet he certainly hears the Prayers of his faithful servants and at last will be fully avenged on their Adversaries And though Antichrists rage and tyranny is very great yet it is limited according to the purpose and decree of God who hath determined the number of Martyrs which number being once accomplished not one drop of blood shall be more spilt by that man of sin that Son of perdition who Satan like worketh with all his power compelling men by Fines confiscation of Goods Imprisonments Banishments and the like to submit unto his ways and laws 2 Thes 2.3 9. and that under fair and glorious pretences too for the suppressing of Errors and Heresies for the beating down of sin for the working of men to conformity and uniformity and the bringing of them into obedience unto the Church which to do if the Ecclesiastical power is not sufficient the Magisterial power must be made use of But it is very evident that the Antichristian religion consisting for the most part in Will-worship and in humane traditions and inventions could never have subsisted to this day had it not been supported by an Arm of flesh when as our Lord Jesus with his Apostles and Disciples never sought to the Civil Magistrate or Powers of the World upon that accompt nor is the Kingdom of Christ to be erected and established in this way of humane force and power The weapons of our warfare saith the Apostle are not carnal 2 Cor. 10.4 It is the powers of the world that shall destroy the holy people Dan. 8.24 It is the Little Horn the Romish Antichrist that shall make War with the Saints and prevail against them until the Ancient of days come and that judgment be given to the Saints of the most high and that the time come that the Saints shall possess the Kingdom Dan. 7.21.22 It is he that shall speak great words against the most high and shall wear out the Saints of the most high c. Vntil the Judgment shall sit and then they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end Dan. 7.25 26. And in one day shall Babylons Plagues come death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Rev. 18.8 The severity of the Lord against this sin of bloodshed and cruelty that is exercised on the Saints of God is further set forth in that of the Prophet Amos Chap. 1. Vers 11. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof and why Because he did pursue his Brother with the Sword and did cast off all pity and his anger did tear perpetually and kept his wrath for ever For this also hath the Lord a controversie with the Land because by killing and stealing c. they break out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish Hosea 4.1 2 3. So in the Psal 94.5 6. They break in pieces thy people O Lord and afflict thine heritage they slay the widow and the stranger and murder the fatherless yet they say the Lord shall not see And what then O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self Lift up thy self thou Judge of
unmortified corruptions Ephes 6.18 By it Crosses are prevented removed or sanctified yea all things are sanctified unto us and we are so kept and preserved that we fall not into temptation 1 Tim. 4.5 Mat. 26.41 Yea often times we obtain much more good then we desire or expect Solomon begged onely of the Lord an understanding heart and God gave him both riches and honour which he asked not 1 King 3.13 So able is the Lord to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3.20 So that of Prayer we may say it is a Key to open the door of Gods treasure house a present remedy for an oppressed mind a giver of strengh to the weak and an especial means to make a man fit to live knowingly fruitfully and serviceably to God in every state and condition Col. 1.9 10. What shall I say of it but as one saith well and truly It is Consolatio flentium cura dolentium sanitas aegrotoraem A Comfort for them that mourn the joy of the sorrowful and health for those that 〈…〉 force and efficacy what will 〈…〉 hath it not done It goes through the 〈◊〉 and ceaseth not until it come unto the Lord and if entreaties will not do it will with reverence be it spoken lay commands upon him Isa 45.11 Yea it doth as it were bind up the hands of the Lord and hinder him from executing his judgements overcoming him that overcometh all things Let me alone saith the Lord to Moses or suffer me that my wrath may wax hot against them to wit the Israelites that I may consume them Exod. 32.10 Abrahams prayer had saved Sodom from being destroyed had there been found ten righteous persons therein Gen. 18. Yea it is very observable that the Lord did not leave granting till Abraham left off petitioning By prayer Jacob was delivered from the wrath and fury of his Brother Esau Gen. 32.11 Jonah out of the Fishes belly Jonah 2.10 The three Children from the fiery Furnace Daniel from the Lions Den Dan. 3.6 Jonahs and Pauls Mariners from the danger of the Seas and Joseph and Paul and Silas and Peter and others out of Prison Act. 5.16 By Prayer Eliah stayed the Rain three years and six months and again obtained Rain so that the earth yeilded her fruit James 5.17 By Prayer Elisha had the spirit of Eliah doubled upon him and procured Bears to destroy the mocking Children 2 King 2. raised from death to life the Shunamites Son So Chap. 4. Had the eyes of his Servant opened so that he saw Mountains full of Horses and Chariots of fire round about him and smote the Syrians with blindness which came to take him Chap. 6. By Prayer Joshua commanded the Sun to stand still in the midst of Heaven until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies Josh 10.12 13. By Prayer Isaiah brought back the Sun ten degrees in the Dial of Ahaz 2 King 20 11. By Prayer David frustrated the wicked counsel of Achitophel and often put his enemies to flight 2 Sam. 15.31 and 16.23 and Psa 56.9 by Prayer Hezekiah was delivered from the King of Assyria and his health restored unto him again Isa 37. and 2 King 18. The Ninevites were delivered from the judgements threatned against them Jonah 2. Peter raised Tabitha and Paul Eutichus that had fallen down by sleeping Act. 9.40 and 20.10 The Centâ—rians Servant the Cananites Daughter and Lunatick persons were healed men blind received their sight the stammering and deaf were made to hear and speak Lepers were clensed and certain persons being dead were restored to life again So much availeth Prayer with the Lord if it be servent But to bring it a little more close as to the present visitation of the Lord See of what force and efficacy it hath been with the Lord to appease his wrath and stay the execution of his judgments When the Children of Israel fell a murmuring and had greatly provoked the Lord by their unbelief insomuch that the Lord threatned to smite them with Pestilence and disinherit them Moses falls a pleading and interceeding with the Lord for them Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word Numb 14.12 19 20. So that only those men who brought up the evil report upon the land dyed by the Plague before the Lord vers 37. So in the case of Korah Dathan and Abiram when the Congregation of the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron saying they killed the people of the Lord This so greatly incensed the Lord that he bad them go up from the congregation that he might consume them in a moment Hereupon the Text saies they fell upon their faces and Aaron according to the command of Moses takes his Censer and puts fire therein from off the Alter and put on Incense and made an attonement for the people for there was wrath gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron stood between the dead and the living and the Plague was staid Numb 16 45 46 47. This sheweth how greatly the Prayers and actions of Gods Servants do prevail with him when they are faithful fervent and according to his will Jam. 5.16 1 John 5.14 and foreshewed also the power and efficacy of Christs meditation for poor sinners who is represented by the Angels standing at the Altar having a golden Censer and much Incense given unto him to offer it with the prayers of all Saints Rev. 8.3 For God heareth him always John 11.40 And he it is that makes intercession for the transgressors Isa 53.12 and is the attonement or propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.1 and for his sake God before whom the Pestilence goeth in wrath remembreth mercy Hab. 3.2 5. And as the blood of the Paschal Lamb figuring the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 5.7 stayed the Angel which destroyed the Egyptians from touching the Israelites Exod. 12.23 Heb. 11.28 So the smoke of Aarons incense figuring the meditation of Christ Psa 141.2 Rev. 8.4 Stayed the Plague here from the Israelites which survived That as it is written of the Pestilence in Davids time The Lord repented him of the evil and said to the Angel that destroyed the people It is enough stay now thy hand 2 Sam. 24.16 So in this verse the further efficacy and effect of faithful fervent prayer for the removal of this sore visitation of the Lord is clearly held forth in that Prayer of Solomon at the Temples dedication If there be in the Land Famine if there be Pestilence whatsoever Plague whatsoever Sickness there be what Prayer and Supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his own heart and spread forth his hands towards this house Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place and