IT's the Wisemans observation before, Chap. 3.1. That to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Sun: particularly, vers. 4. there is (sayes he) a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. And reason good that it should be so; for seeing that mans present condition is subject to many and fre­quent alterations: our Life, like the Sea, ebbing and flowing, and with the Air, being now cloudy, and anon clear; seeing that Nulla sors longa est, as theSeneca: Thyest. Tragedian sayes very truly,Job 14.2. We continue not long in one state; butCartwright in Eccles. Sicut noctis & diei, hyemis & aestatis vicissitudo est; i. e. As the day hath the vicis­situde [Page 2]of an evening and morning, and the year of a Winter and Summer; so Health and Sickness, Peace and War, Pro­sperity and Adversity interchangeably succeed each other, in this our earthly pilgrimage: what therefore is more rati­onal, fit, and natural, than that as our outward condition is various and mutable, so likewise our inward disposition of minde should be answerable, and our spiritual frame, be sutable to our temporal Estate? This I am sure hath been the practice of the true children and servants of God in all ages, who in dayes of Affliction and publick Calamity, alwayes sought unto God with Prayers and Tears, with Fasting and Hu­miliation; and after Deliverance and Restauration, used to set forth the glory of his Name with Anthems of joy and exultation: they wisely and with due consideration, imployed and exer­cised their hearts and tongues to utter before God, either Hosanna's or Hallelujahs, sometimes Prayers, and sometimes Prayses, as occasion required. And as this was the Saints Practice every where and in all ages; so 'tis the Wisemans Precept here, In the day of prosperity be joyful, but, &c. Which latter clause I shall confine my Discourse unto, as conteining in few words, both very much, and very good seasonable ad­vice for this sad time of Visitation.

In the whole sentence, though it may seem that there is not a direct opposition in words and terms, yet we shall find the expression more emphatical and didactical, than if it had been so. The Wiseman indeed does not say, In the time of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity be sorrowful, but consider: And the reason as I conceive is this, Because outward sorrow may be worldly and carnal, selfish and hypocritical, yeilding neither honour nor glory to Gods holy Name, nor yet any ad­vantage or comfort to the party affected therewith: for men many times are of a sad countenance, and (as our blessed Savi­our speaks, Matth. 6.16.) do disfigure their faces on purpose that they may appear unto men to be sorry, and there is all. But an in­ward and serious, a deep and religious consideration never fails to bring forth the fruits and good effects that God ex­pects. This is that which makes a man enter into his Closet, that so he may commune with his own heart, hear his case tryed [Page 3]in the Court of Conscience, humble himself in dust and ashes, and poure forth his soul in secret to God; Who never fails (as our Saviour there shews, vers. 4, 6, 18.) not only to own and regard, but also to crown and reward all such secret acts of devotion, openly. Whereas the Wiseman therefore here doth not say, Be sad and sorrowful in the time of adversity, but consider; I conceive it is because the expression is much more emphatical, comprehen­sive, and didactical (as I said before) and doth indeed directly point out, and plainly teach us, without any kind of circum­locution, what is the main duty that God expects and requires at our hands in times of Affliction and Tribulation, and that is to Consider. And truly no wonder, for of This it may well be said, That [...]; i. e. virtually it is every good Duty: For as much as we know that Self-examination, Self-accusation, and Condemnation, Prayer and Supplication, Repentance, Faith in Gods Promises, Resolutions of new Obedience, &c. they are all the fruits that spring from this root; they are all conceived (as 'twere) in this Wombe; they are the spiritual brood and offspring; but Consideration is the Alma Mater, the heavenly Parent and Mother of them. Consideration! 'tis Spiritus Sancti quaedam Fa­brica vel Officina, i. e. the spiritual shop and workhouse (as it were) of the Holy Ghost, wherein he secretly forgeth and fashi­oneth upon the Anvil of a truly broken and contrite heart, all the pieces of that excellent armour of proof, that [...], which the Apostle speaks of Ephes. 6. In a word, Consideration! 'tis the Handmaid of spiritual Knowledge, and the Mistress of all true Devotion; without which no acceptable service can be performed by us to God. Whereas, if men would but now and then bestow an hour or two in serious thoughts, and soberly consider how the case stands betwixt Almighty God and their souls; whether they be in a state of Grace, or of Nature; of Peace with God, or under Wrath; and, What they must do that they may be saved: doubtless, they would find themselves bet­ter disposed to the service of God, than now they are: For the truth is, the principal reason that so many persons in the world are no better, is, because they will not Consider, and seriously meditate on their spiritual state and condition. The cares and affairs, the profits and pleasures of this life, do so wholy [Page 4]ingross their hearts and imploy their heads, that the concern­ments of their immortal precious souls, and the things of another life, are not regarded. And hence it is that the la­bours of faithful Ministers are so unsuccessfull; the good and serious advice of Friends and Parents is no more followed; and all the Means of Grace, and methods of God for the re­claiming of sinful Offenders, affect no more, and operate no better; namely, because they will not consider. Hear O Hea­vens, and give ear O Earth, (sayes Almighty God himself by the Prophet, Isa. 1.2, 3.) The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his Masters crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not not Consider. Yea, hence it is, that though life and death, good and evil, (asDeut. 30.15. Moses speaks) are set before us, and put to our choice; yet the generality of people in the world, live as persons not at all concerned whether there be a God or no; an Heaven, or an Hell; eternal Joyes, or everlasting Torments. So that a serious consideration is very good and necessary for us even at all times: but the most proper season for it (as Solomon tells us) is the time of affliction; In the time of Adversity Con­sider.

Whence the point of Doctrin that offers it self to our Con­sideration is this:

Doct. That when Gods Judgements are in the Earth, and the sad tokens of his displeasure appear against a Person, or a Nation, then it's a proper season for them seriously to lay things to heart, and wisely to consider.

The guise and custom of all Atheistical Epicures, and graceless Worldlings, is quite contrary; who when any cros­ses, disasters, or losses are in judgement inflicted upon them, do not retire into their Closets, and there enter into a serious me­ditation of the matter, communing with their own hearts, and considering who it is that smites them, and for what: but either with Cursing, Oaths, and Execrations, they break forth into repining and murmuring against Gods dispensations towards them, which many times end in Despair; or else they run to the Tavern or Alehouse, that so in the jovial company of good fellows, they may drown the sense of all sorrow and care, and thwart and non-plus (if it be possible) the end and design of God [Page 5]in punishing them. His good end certainly was to humble them, and reclaim them from their iniquities, but they listen not to the voyce of his Rod, but in laetitiam & luxum prosi­liunt, resolve to take their full swinge in voluptuousness; saying,Wisd. 1.6, 7, 8, 9. Let us eat and drink, and enjoy the good things of this life; let us Crown our selves with Rose-buds, and leave tokens of our mirth and jollity in every place. This is the common deport­ment and practice of the ungodly in time of adversity. And this they are either betrayed into by their own deceitful, vile, car­nal hearts; or else they are byassed by the great and general custom of the world; or else they are prompted to it by Satan; who knows full well that a due and serious Consideration would take them from him, and make them quickly renounce and abhor all wicked wayes: And therefore it is, that he doth still with all his might and subtilty strive to divert and dis­swade them from it, as a most childish, sad, and dumpish me­lancholy course, which probably may endanger their health, but can otherwise do them no good. Whereby it appears, that the more necessary any Duty is, the more opposite Sa­tan and our false carnal hearts are thereunto: For there is not a more advantagious, usefull, and profitable, nor a more excellent, heavenly and acceptable Duty (as I shall shew more fully hereafter) for a good Christian to be exercised in at all times, and upon all occasions, in all estates and con­ditions, especially in the day of adversity, than this of a serious Consideration. And therefore it is that Almighty God com­mends it unto us so much in Scripture, as a singular means to help and direct us how to steer our courses aright: as Deut. 32.29. Oh that they were wise; that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end. Psal. 4.4. Stand in awe, and sin not, commune with your own hearts, and be still. Prov. 4.26. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established; and Hag. 1.5, 7. Now therefore, thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Con­sider your wayes. In which remarkable place, the Adverb Now, and Conjunction Therefore, plainly point out the Time and Occasion, when and wherefore God required them to practise this duty of Consideration. The Children of Israel being brought home to Jerusalem again, out of their long Captivity [Page 6]in Babylon, were exceeding backward and negligent in their carrying on the work and building of the House of the Lord. Forward enough it seems they were to erect and prepare sumptuous buildings, and neat habitations for themselves; the Prophet calls them cieled Houses, (v. 4.) but the house of the Lord, they let that lye waste, pretending (forsooth, v. 2.) that it was not a fit time yet to doe it. This was their Crime. Now the Judgment which God inflicted upon them for it, was that of Famine, as v. 6, 9, 10, 11. Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it: and why, saith the Lord of Hosts? because of mine House that is waste, and ye run every man to his own house. Therefore the Heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the Earth is stayed from her fruit: And I called for a drought upon the Land, and upon the Mountains, and upon the Corn, and upon the new Wine, and upon the Oyl, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth; and upon Men, and upon Cattel, and upon all the labour of the hands. Surely a deplorable, sad, and most miserable state and condition. And what is now the duty that God, the great Physician of Souls, puts them upon here by the Prophet; and that both in order to a speedy and thorow Reformation of themselves, as well as for the happy procuring of his loving kindness, and gracious reconciliation towards them? Why, it is nothing but this, Consider your wayes. A duty, which the Prophet Haggai seems to look back upon as an Instar omnium: and therefore it is observable, that he presseth no other duty upon them in the whole Prophecy. Neither doth he content himself to deliver his Message au­thoritativè, with a [ [...] &c.] thus saith the Lord of Hosts, as here in this Chapter; but again afterwards to in­force the same, he earnestly prayes and intreats them to fall upon the speedy performance of it; as Chap. 2. v. 15. to 20. Which frequent inculcation of the Precept, serves to teach us two things by the way:

• 1. The strange stupidity of the People; in that they were no more affected with those manifest marks and tokens of Gods indignation; no, though he had snatched their very Meat out of their mouths. And then,
• 2. The great necessity of the Duty in times of distress. So [Page 7]that when Gods Judgments are in the Earth, and the sad tokens of his displeasure appear against a Person or Nation, then its a proper season for them seriously to lay things to heart, and wisely to con­sider.

In the prosecution of this Point, I do intend to proceed in this method:Method.

1. By way of Explication, to acquaint you with the Na­ture of the Duty in general; as also the Subject matter there­of; touching withall a little upon the two great Circumstan­ces of most convenient Time and Place.

2. By way of Confirmation, to subjoyn some Reasons for the proof of the Point.

3. To bring all home to our selves in an effectual Appli­cation.

1. For the first of these, Consideration in general, It is a deliberate serious Act of the practical part of mans Ʋnderstanding, Explication. whereby he reflects and museth upon both his own Actions, and Gods Dispensations; and by comparing the one with the other in the Court of Conscience, and according to the Rule of Gods holy Will revealed in his Word, he draws up Conclusions against himself, and secretly takes up good Resolutions to justifie God, and to repent and reform himself.

2. As for the Subject matter of it, it may be considered either more generally, or more specially.

More generally, the subject matter of our Consideration should be the visible causes and consequences of things; the evident Outgoings of God in the world, and the present Operations of his hands, and that both more privately as to our selves, as well as more publickly as to the Church and State where we live; all things indeed that happen either to our selves or others that we are any way related unto, whether casually and accidentally, so far as we can see, or by an apparent hand of Providence.

More specially, in the day of adversity, the time here speci­fied in my Text, the Subject matter of our Consideration should be these five things following:

• 1. The Affliction it self, the Evil, Disaster, or Visitation, whatever it be that is befalne us.
• [Page 8]2. The Author and the Dispenser of it.
• 3. The Ground, or the procuring and Meritorious Cause of it.
• 4. The End, or the minde and meaning of God therein.
• 5. The good way and means that we are to use, that so it may be removed from us, or at least we may have it sanctified to us. I content my self with the bare naming of these things here in the Explication, because I intend to inlarge my self to the full upon them in the Application.

3. Now the two Circumstances of most convenient Time and Pl [...]ce follow. And

1. For Place; though it be indifferent in respect of God, whether it be in the field with Isaac, or in the house with Daniel, at home or abroad, walking or sitting; yet I conceive that a solitary, and a Place set apart for pious purposes is the most proper and fit for this Exercise: And such in particular are our own private Walks and Closets; to which our Saviour him­self directs us, Matth. 6.6. Or else the publick House of Gods Worship; whichHeb. 10.24, 25. St. Paul would have us frequent for this pur­pose, according to the example of King David, Psal. 27.4. And then,

2. For Time; the Lords Day in particular is the most pro­per time in the Week, and ordinarily calls upon us, as well as those Solemn Days of Fasting and Humiliation do in extraordi­nary manner put us in minde of this duty. But though it must be chiefly intended on those Holy-dayes, yet it must not be neglected on other days, but some time convenient must be set apart for this good work every day. As for the hour, or precise space of time in the day, each mans own Experience must instruct him, and his Occasions direct him; whether to take the golden hour of the Morning, when he is most fresh, free from distraction, and fittest for Meditation; And thusGen. 28.16. Jacob did: Or the still hour of the Evening, when he hath ended his labours; which wasGen. 24.63. Isaacs time: Or the middest of the day; which wasActs 10.9. St. Peters: Or else any other part of the day, if not all three; which, as it appears, were holy Davids, and devout Daniels Psal. 55.19. & Dan. 6.10. hours of devotion.

I mention here these two Circumstances of Time and Place, [Page 9]because I know them to be very usefull and necessary helps and furtherances for all such as desire to perform this duty to purpose; I mean, so as to reap benefit and comfort by it. For, to say nothing of the natural aversness and indisposition of our own hearts to this good work, nor yet of Satans subtil sug­gestions, and secret opposition whereby he strives to keep us back, or at least interrupt and take us off from it; such and so great are most mens hinderances and distractions, so many are the Obstructions and Obstacles that they meet with (part­ly through multiplicity of business, their worldly employ­ments at home and abroad; partly through the mutability of their mindes and dispositions, with the instability of their affections and roving Fancies) that unless some convenient Times and Places be set a part for the exercise of it, it is very likely to be performed but sleightly and superficially, uncon­stantly, and unprofitably, nay perhaps not at all by them. There is (as theEccl. 3.1. Wise man tells us) an appointed Time for every thing else; and shall then so weighty, so concerning a Duty as this have no share in it; which yet might justly challenge our attendance upon it at all times? And as for some cer­tain and set place, 'tis likewise as necessary; because we shall finde the least and fewest Impediments there, where we are most accustomed to draw neer to God either in Reading, Prayer, or Meditation. OurJohn 18.1, 2. with Luk. 22.39, 40. Saviour himself (I am sure) took this course, and also used his Disciples to it, and then well may we follow his and their example, as an excellent means to make us both more carefull, and constant in the perfor­mance of holy duties.

1. I say, carefull, as to the manner; (sanctè magìs quàm scitè, as heSeneca. says well) in regard we have now placed our selves in the presence of God, and are come to converse and make our addresses immediately to Him, who is The searcher of the heart.

2. Constant, as to the Matter; the revolution of time being a certain Remembrancer of the duty: the wilful, the negli­gent, or excusatory omission whereof, when the prefixed time is come, is that which occasions the great unfitness and indi­sposition that many complain of.

And so I have done with the Explication: Confirmation. the Confirmation now follows; and the Reasons of the Point are three.

Reas. 1 1. Because, To lay things seriously to heart, and religiously to con­sider in the day of Adversity is the most proper Answer and Eccho to Gods correcting angry hand, and that spiritual im­provement which He expects that we should make of His chastising us. The Lords voyce cryeth unto the City, (says theMicah 6.9. Prophet) and the man of Wisdom shall see thy Name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. Whence we may gather, that as God speaks to men by his Word, even so He seems to call out, and cry to them by the Voyce of his Rod: And the prin­cipal end in the first place is, to make them listen, stand still, and consider what is his minde and meaning thereby. It is ob­servable in that excellent Prayer of King Solomons at the Dedication of the Temple, that one Petition very pertinently to our purpose runs thus,1 King. 8.37, 38, 39. If there be in the Land a Famine, if there be Pestilence, &c. 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 for­give, &c. Whence it appears, that the duty of seeking to Him by Prayer, which cannot be done without Consideration, is that which God in the first place expects and looks for in the evil day, before men must think to obtain deliverance. The want whereof he sorely complains of, as you heardIsa. 1.2, 3. before: So Amos 4.6, 8, 10, 11. where notwithstanding his hand was against the children of Israel in divers respects, Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord; and Jer. 8.6. I hearkened, and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Again,

Reas. 2 2. Because, a religious, due, and serious consideration is the most expedite and compendious way, I, and indeed the only me­thod prescribed in Scripture for the obtaining of Gods favour and Reconciliation. David first considered his wayes Psal. 119.59. before he turned his feet to Gods Testimonies: And the Prodigal Son came first home Luk. 15.17. to himself, by the consideration of his lewd courses, before he came home back again to his Father. So [Page 11]that Conversion, true Repentance, and Reformation, always begin at Consideration, but it still happily ends with the love and favour of God. For, when once a sinful Person or Nation by a Religious self-reflexion have learned to renounce all their iniquities and evil deeds, thenPsal. 103.13. Like as a Father pitieth his Children, even so the Lord, with that compassionate Father of the Prodigal, is ready to run to embrace and receive them, with the sweetest evidences and demonstrations of his love and favour:Is 4.55.7. & Ezek. 18.21. Joel 2.12, 13, 14. & Zech. 1.3. Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

Reas. 3 3. Because this impartial and faithful dealing betwixt God and our own souls, in a religious, due, and serious Consideration, is an infallible token and evidence of our sincerity; and so must needs prove an excellent Cordial to chear us up in the day of adversity. Hypocrisie may teach men to multiply out­side performances, and make them ready to say to others, as sometime Jehn did to Jehonadab, 2 King, 10.16. Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord; for all that such doe (as our Saviour shews) is that they may be seen of men. But sincerity draws the heart inward, and never let's a man be at rest untill he have made his peace with God. For which end, it puts him upon self-examination, self-accusation, hearty repentance, prayer and supplication, with resolutions of new obedience, and a serious consideration in general how for the future he may do most good, and may best lay forth himself for the honour and glory of God. Now when this great work is done, there is nothing can happen amiss to that man; the inward testimony of his own Conscience is to Him a Continual Feast, and now he finds by hap­py experience, that all things cannot choose but work together for his good: Christ is his Friend, by Faith in whose merits his peace and reconciliation is wrought with Almighty God, and then what cares he who is his Foe? Heaven is his home, and then what cares he what he may suffer by the way? that 2 Cor. 4.17. far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, he knows will outweigh, and abundantly compensate all those light and mo­mentany afflictions that may befall him here upon Earth; nay, [Page 12]he is sure there is noRom. 8.18. comparison betwixt them. And therefore he resolves to fight a good fight, and keep the faith, yea though it be with the loss of his life, as being assured that 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. Rom. 8.35, 37. henceforth there is layd up for him a Crown of righteousness.

These are the reasons of the point; by all which it appears, that if we desire either, 1. To answer Gods expectation, and make a wise and profitable improvement of His chastising hand upon us; Or, 2. To enjoy the sweet tokens and evi­dences of His unspeakable love and favour, Psal. 63.3. which is better than life; Or else, 3. Have any comfortable argument of our sincerity, and so some good ground of joy and comfort in the worst of calamities, then we must seriously lay things to heart, and religiously consider in the day of Adversity.

Ʋse 1 And if it be so, Of Reprehension. Branch 1. this then justly serves to reprove and con­demn those that live in carnal security, and inconsiderately, I, and perhaps incorrigibly too, still run on in their vain evil wayes, as if they were not at all concerned. They know very well, or at least have frequently heard from Gods Word Rom. 6.23. that the wages of sin is death: and they have been taught, howHeb. 10.31. dreadful and fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God, who is indeed Heb. 12, 29. a consuming fire. But yet notwith­standing, as if they had made a Isa. 28.15. Covenant with death, and with hell were at an agreement, and the loss of Gods loving kindness and favour were not considerable, they are apt to put from them the evil day, and think they have still time enough to repent, presuming, that although the overflowing scourge pass through the City, or the whole Land, yet it shall not come nigh unto them; and so they run on in their evil courses, after Rom. 2.5. their hardness and impenitent heart, treasuring up wrath unto them­selves against the most dreadfull day of wrath. Now against this sort of men theIsa. 5.11, 12. Prophet justly denounceth a Woe; for the harp, the viol, the tabret and pipe, and Wine are in their Feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operations of His hands. In that day (sayesIsa. 22.11, 12, 13. he very smartly) the Lord God of hosts called to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: But behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep; eating flesh and drinking wine; Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we die. And what then follows? It [Page 13]was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts; Surely this ini­quity shall not be purged from you till you dye, saith the Lord God of hosts. It is a most wretched frame of spirit for men to grow secure in sin, and not learn righteousness, when as Gods judge­ments are in the earth, and his hand of Vengeance is stretched forth, not with a scourge of Cords but Scorpions, to punish and plague them for their iniquities. This is a sign of desperate wickedness, and the principal cause I verily believe, why the judgments of God in this present fore Visitation areSeptemb. 6. 1665. still so long, and severely executed upon us, and his wrath seems dai­ly still to wax hotter and hotter against us: The Lord God of heaven be graciously pleased to touch our hard hearts, and make us sadly reflect upon it: Remember, I pray you, that terrible Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel concerning Jerusalem; which both in respect of the cause and effects of Gods indig­nation, seems too too applicable at this time to this populous City of London. The cause of Gods anger you will find was that, which we must now needs confess our selves to be guilty of, viz. The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah, which was grown exceeding great, the City being full of perversness, and practical Atheisme: For they stuck not to say, the Lord hath for­saken the Earth; tush, God seeth not. Chap. 9.9. And for the Effects, London and Jerusalem, England and Israel may shake hands, as v. 10. Quapropter etiam ego, &c. Therefore as for me also, saith the Lord, Mine eyes shall not spare, neither will I have pity; but I will recompense their way upon their head. And you will find, He did it much in the same manner, that He doth even now amongst us: For the Six Executioners, v. 2. that He sent forth with slaughtering weapons in their hands, they had a strict charge and Commission given them, v. 5, 6. to goe after the Man Cloathed in Linnen, with the Writers Inkhorn by his side, and kill and destroy all before them; Let not your eye spare, (sayes he) neither have ye pity, but slay utterly old and young, both Maids and little Children, and women; and save none but onely those that your Forerunner hath marked in their Fore­heads: And those were but a small remnant that did seriously lay things to heart, and sigh and mourn for all the abominations that were done among them, v. 4. Think I beseech you upon [Page 14]this sad Vision, and I hope it may be an effectual means to to rouze and awake you all out of your sinfull carnal security, and for the future make you Consider; consider (I mean) how the Case stands betwixt God and your own Souls; consider your latter end, and the things that concern your eternal peace, lest they be hid from your eyes.

And then again,Branch 2. as it serves to reprove and condemn car­nal security on the one hand; So on the other, to rebuke and correct that undue and dangerous affection of overmuch fear­fulness and despondency, which too too many of both Sexes, but women especially, are by nature inclinable to. 'Tis true in­deed, our utmost Wisdom and Discretion, and all possible care is necessary both for the preventing, and for the avoyding of danger: But I know nothing more unseasonable, nor many times of more dangerous consequence than a desponding Prin­ciple of Fear, and apprehensive imagination. The effects whereof (as we all find by frequent experience and observa­tion) strangely sometimes prove destructive and deadly to those, which otherwise were placed ( [...]) out of all probable reach of danger. Now if you inquire what may be the Cause, and what also the Cure of this unhappy Infirmity: I answer briefly; The Cause may be either,

• 1.
  Causes of fear­fulness.
  A Natural inclination to Fearfulness: Or else,
• 2. Want of Faith and Resolution, because people are not animo praesenti, they do not carry their lives in their hands, that so they might be ready and willing to lay down the same, and chearfully resign them up when God shal please: Or else,
• 3. A consciousness to themselves of their unfitness, and unpreparedness at present to dye, and to appear before God in Heaven: Or else,
• 4. A dreadfull apprehension of the great pain and terror of death; and that perhaps as to the Manner and kind of death, as well as the Matter, their corporal dissolution. Or lastly,
• 5. A frightfull foresight, and self-condemning Meditation upon that which ensues after Death, Judgement to come; the
  Act. 24, 25.
  reasoning and discoursing whereof by St. Paul, made Felix trem­ble. Some or all these things before mentioned are, I conceive, the causes of this Passion in People.

Remedies a­gainst it.And now for the perfect and certain Cure and remedy thereof, I know nothing in the whole world comparable to the due exercise of this great Duty of Consideration. As

1 1. That there is nothing comes to pass without the permis­sion and knowledge of God; nothing indeed befals us by chance; but the most casual and accidental contingences, events and consequences (howsoever we may think or judge of them) are over-ruled, and steered, and guided in a deter­minate manner by His Providence; which is the great Weight and Plumbet (as it were) that sets and keeps all the Wheels a going, whether bigger or lesser, in the vast Clock, the whole Fabrick of Nature: Insomuch that nothing is done without it, not so much as a Mat. 10.29, 30. sparrow falls on the ground, no nor an hair from any of our heads without it. Now this one thought and consideration naturally prompts us all to submission, and self-resignation, and also affords us matter of comfort and conso­lation. First, it prompts us all to submission, forasmuch as He is the great Creator and Governour of all things, the ever blessed and only Potentate, our Lord Paramount and absolute Sovereign, whose we are by the right of Creation, Redempti­on, and Preservation too. And therefore, if it be but civil and reasonable (as we say) to give men leave to do what they will with their own; We may well be content to allow the same Priviledge to The Almighty, and rest well satisfied with his good Will and Pleasure in all things, Who knows far bet­ter what is good for us, than we our selves. Thus did David, 2 Sam. 12.18, 20. and likewise old Eli, 1 Sam. 3. Where when he heard what terrible things were decreed against his house and posterity, enough to make both the ears of every one that should hear them, to tingle; (vers. 11.) He neither repined nor murmured against it, but only said like a meek good Man, Jehovah est; &c. [...] is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth him good, vers. 18. And thus lastly did our Saviour, who though as Man, He could not but wish and pray thatMat. 26.39, 42. Luk. 22.42. the bitter cup of his approaching Death and Passion might pass from him, Yet Non mea, sed fiat voluntas tua: (says He) not my will, but thy blessed will be done. And then secondly, it also affords us matter of comfort and consolation, and that in the midst and [Page 16]worst of tryals, or evils, that can befal us, or our Relations; inasmuch as He is thorow Jesus Christ the Father of mercies, and hath graciously promisedPsal. 145 9. that all things shall work toge­ther for our good, and that he will never leave us nor forsake us. Love and Mercy (as the Psalmist intimates) is ever more one Ingre­dient in all his Dispensations towards us: Insomuch that I dare deliver it for a certain Truth, though perhaps a seeming Paradox, that many times it is a mercy that God is pleased to remove and withdraw a mercy from us. For we may be sure, if he take away one, it is that thereby He may make way for ano­ther, a greater and better to be bestowed upon us. Thus He oft withdraws temporal Comforts, to make room in mens hearts for Spiritual Blessings and Graces; thus He oft denies health to our bodies, to make us mind the welfare of our souls; yea, thus He oft deprives his own dear Children and Servants of a natural life, that so He may take them unto Himself, and put them into a full and actual possession of heavenly joys. The Prophet Isaiah averrs what I say; Chap. 57.1, 2. The con­sideration whereof, I suppose, was that which enabled pati­ent Job so contentedly to entertain the most sad news of the so­dain death of all his children;Job 1.21. The Lord gave, &c. This made David so chearfully say,Psal. 31.5. Into thine hands I commit my spirit, &c. And this madePhil. 1.21, 23. St. Paul desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, and to count death his exceeding gain. A­gain,

2. Another thought and consideration that may be of very good use to arm and fortifie Believers against the affection of overmuch Fearfulness and Despondency,Remedy 2. is to consider what Death is. Some indeed look upon it as Summa Malorum, the Worst of all evils; Rex terrorum, the King of fears, and fancy it to be a most terrible fiery Serpent; but the 1 Cor. 15.56, 57. Sting, we know, is taken away; and then why, I pray you, should it be so dreadful? In Scripture, I am sure, it is called a sleep, a Job 3.17. cea­sing from trouble; a resting from labours; and so the Grave, aIsai. 57.2. bed to rest in. Now what more grateful and welcome to Nature, when men are wearied and tired out with labour, than to betake themselves to their rest? What more comfort­able than a soft Bed? What more desirable and pleasant than [Page 17]sleep? Nay, for some reasons, in holy Writ, and by the anci­ent Fathers, it is very plainly preferred before life: For life (says St. Augustine) is nothing at all but transitus ad mortem, a passage to death; but Death is introitus in vitam meliorem, an Entrance into eternal life. This therefore, all things consi­dered, must needs be better, as tending to a more excellent end. No wonder then that you hear St. John Rev. 14.13. pronounce them blessed that dye in the Lord. And good ground it seems had the Wiseman to say,Eccl. 7.1. that the day of death is better than the day of ones birth; and Reason He hadEccl. 4.2. to praise the dead, which are already dead, more than the living, which are yet alive. It is observable that the very Heathens were wont to celebrate the day of their Birth with sadness, seriousness, and sorrow; but of a friends Death with all mirth, joyfulness, and feasting: So fully and verily were they perswaded of the truth of that memorable Saying of the Oracle, Optimam non nasci, proxi­mum mori; i. e. the best and most desirable thing, is not to be born at all; the next, to dy quickly. Let none of us, I beseech you therefore, fall short of them in point of courage and resolu­tion; forasmuch as our hope is not confined only to this life; for then indeed1 Cor. 15.19. we were of all men most m [...]serable: But we are assured of unspeakable bliss, and eternal peace in the life to come; and a joyful Resurrection of our bodies at the last day. The Wiseman tells us,Eccl. 12.7. that the Spirit shall return immediately unto God that gave it; and as for the Body, though it be laid in the dust, and 1 Cor. 15.42, 43. sown in corruption, yet it shall be raised in incorruption; though sown in weakness, yet it shall raised in power; though sown in dishonour, yet it shall be raised in glory. Which Metaphorical phrase of St. Paul gave the holy Fathers occasion to call the Churchyard, Gods field upon earth: Where­in the graves are the furrows; the dead Bodies of his Saints are the Seeds sown; and the Resurrection at the last day, the time of harvest, when God will send forth his Reapers, i.e. the holy Angels (as Christ himself expreslyMat. 13.39. calls them) that they may Mat. 24.31. gather his elect together from the four winds, and from the one end of heaven to the other, even as wheat into his gar­ner. And then,

3. Another consideration is the impartiality of Death,Remedy 3. when [Page 18]our appointed time is come, and the natural necessity of it: In re­gard whereof the HeathenHorat. Ode 4. Poet says well, that aequo pede pulsat, pauperum tabernas, regum (que) turres; i. e. It boldly knocks at the Palace gates of Princes and Nobles, as well as rings and raps at the doors of poor Peasants. It balks nor spares none when it is sent, be they high or low, rich or poor, young or old: ForHeb. 9.27. Statutum est, &c. It is appointed for all men once to dye. Death is the greatest Monarch, and the most ancient King in the world: For death (saysRom. 5.14. St. Paul) hath reigned from Adam to Moses; to which I may add, that it hath reigned from Moses to us, and so shall still reign over all to the end of the world. Every one without exception must stoop and bow to his Scepter. One 1 Cor. 15.41. star indeed may differ from another star in glory, i. e. in brightness, lustre, and magnitude; but yet we know that as sure as they have their Rise in the West, so sure they are to set in the East: Even so, it's true, One man on earth may differ from another man in glory, i. e. in wisedom, and wealth, or beauty and honour, &c. but yet notwithstanding as sure as they had a rising in their Birth, so they shall have a setting in Death: the honour of the greatest, as well as the meanest, when their appointed time is come, must be laid in the Dust. For Eccl. 2.15, 16. one event happens to them all; and how dyes the wise­man? even as the fool? Dye we must? (said the2 Sam. 14.14. wise wo­man of Tekoah) neither doth God respect any person. Now seeing it is thus, that Death is so impartial and unavoidable, what greater folly, pusillanimity, and meanness of spirit can any man be guilty of than to be terrified with the thoughts of it? A far better course I am sure it would be to fit and prepare our selves carefully for it. For then, as 'tis natural and neces­sary for all to dye, so it would be honourable and comforta­ble to them: Whereas, an unprofitable Fear of Death serves for no end that I can tell of, but only to render it dreadful and miserable; and is so far from helping any ever a whit more to avoid and escape it, that it doth but rather hasten it upon them. But,

4. The last and principal consideration is the thoughts of that most blessed and advantagious consequence thereof;Remedy 4. I mean, that Col. 1.2. inheritance of the Saints in light, that2 Tim. 4.8. incor­ruptible [Page 19]Crown of righteousness; that2 Cor. 4 17. far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, which we hope to be made partakers of hereafter in Heaven. For 2 Cor. 5.1. we know (says St. Paul) that when our earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. The consideration whereof, one would think should be enough to quell and suppress all inordinate fears of death, and rather indeed make it desirable, than terrible to us.

Object. But that which keeps me so much in awe (will some perhaps plead) and makes my departure hence so terrible, is my unfitness and uncapableness at present of such a blessed state and condition.

Answ. If you think so, and this be the Cause; Why do you not speedily, and in good earnest strive to remove it? Ipsa morte nihil certius, &c. that dye we must, there is nothing more certain; but as for the circumstance of the Time when; the Place where; and the Manner how; there is nothing in the world more unknown, and by consequence more uncertain: Why should you then trifle away one minute more of your precious time, or neglect any good means that may tend to your Assurance? Consider, I pray, that for this end chiefly it is that God lends you time, and affords you frequent oppor­tunities here in this world. And therefore theEphes. 5.15, 16. Apostles Pre­cept is, See that you walk Circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the dayes are evil. And likewise St. Peters Exhortation;2 Pet. 1.10. Wherefore, the rather [...]rethren, give all diligence to make your calling, and Election sure. And to the same purpose is that most pithy Prayer of the Psalmist,Psal. 90.12. Lord teach us so to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts unto Wis­dom: Now,

Doe but thus, and then to remove that last ground and Cause of Fear that was mentioned, viz. The thoughts of Judg­ment to come, know for your comfort, that He that's appoin­ted then to be Judge, is your Advocate and Mediator, and will appear for you as a friend and Compurgatour. Sometimes indeed He is called aRevel. 5.5. Lion, and represented to us in Scrip­ture as aMal. 3.2. Refiner, nay sometimes asHeb. 12. ult. a consuming fire in re­lation to the ungodly; but to the righteous, and true Be­lievers, [Page 20] he will then be a Lamb, as He is styled (for your comfort) in theRevel 5.8. Apocalypse; and as the Prophet Isaiah de­scribes him, he will manifest himself to them,Isa. 9.6. as a most wise and wonderfull Redeemer, the everlasting Father, the Prince of of Peace. So that they need not be afraid of that dreadful doom,Math. 25.41. t Abite a me execrati, &c. Depart from me ye cursed; but may with confident hopes and assurance expect to hear that sweet Absolution and Invitation,Ibid. v. 34. Adeste benedicti patris mei, Come ye blessed Children of my Father, receive the King­dom prepared for you from the beginning of the World. And so much by way of Reprehension. Again,

Use 2 Is it so,Of Exhortat. that when Gods judgments are in the Earth, and the sad tokens of his displeasure appear against a Person or Nation, then its a proper season for them seriously to lay things to heart, and wisely to consider? I beseech you then be exhorted to the Duty. And that none of you may be at a stand or loss in your selves for want of fit matter to meditate upon, I shall here now resume, and according to my promise, enlarge my self to the full upon those five forenamed Particulars,The subject-matters of our Consideration. which I told you before in the Explication are the most proper sub­ject-matters of our Consideration in the day of adversity.

1. The Affli­ction it self.1. The affliction it self, the evil, disaster, or Visitation what­soever it be, that is befalne us. This must be seriously thought upon, and considered by us; that so by consulting Gods holy Word, and by the help of his Grace and Spirit, we may come at last (as HimselfMicah 6.9. requires) to understand the Voyce of Gods Rod, and the mind and meaning of Him that appointed it. Now the present Affliction, and sore Visitation, which we of this great and populous City, with the Places adjacent, and divers eminent Towns of this Nation do so sadly groan and labour under, is that noysom and deadly Epidemical disease of the Plague and Pestilence. Concerning which, to help you a little in your Considerations upon it, I shall briefly subjoyn some­thing, 1. Touching the Names and Metaphorical Appellations that are assigned unto it in Scripture. And then 2. I should likewise adde something concerning the Nature of the Disease: But for this I referr you to the Philosopher and the Physician, whose Art and Profession doth oblige them to search into, and [Page 21]study the Nature both of this, and of all other bodily Mala­dies and Distempers. And I do it the rather, because we shal finde enough in the Names to acquaint us with the foul Na­ture of it; which I heartily wish (if it be Gods will) that none of you that hear me this day may ever experimentally find, nor further understand than by the Names and Chara­cters of it that you hear from others.

Scripture-names of the Plague.1. The most usual Name is that of Pestis, quasi Perestis (says the Etymologist) from the Verb Peredo, i. e. to eat through, or utterly to consume and destroy. And thus it is called (as I con­ceive) from the contagious and most pernicious quality and property of it; which sometimes hath been so extreamly vio­lent, quick, and diffusive, that we read of above fourteen thou­sand that once were destroyed by it in a moment, as you may see plainly, Numb. 16.45, 46, 49. and of three or four and twenty thousand that dyed of it in the space of a day, Numb. 25.9. with 1 Cor. 10.8. and afterwards of threescore and ten thousand that perished by it in the space of three dayes, 2 Sam. 24.15. Nay, of an hundred fourscore and five thousand, that were swept away by it in the space of one night, as Isa. 37.30.

2. A second Name is that of Plaga (whence our English word Plague) which in Latine, we know, properly signifies a Stroak: to intimate to us, that where 'tis inflicted, it is as an angry Stroak of Gods wrath and vengeance upon a sinful Peo­ple or Nation. And hence it is also sometimes calledNum. 11.33. Per­cussio, a smiting; sometimesNumb. 16.47. Psal. 83.15, 16, 17. Vulneratio & Consternatio; i. e. a Consternation and Wounding. Again,

3. A third Appellation given unto it, is that of Strages, Clades, & Ruina; i. e. Ruine and Desolation, (as S. Pag. and other Hebricians render the Original word in diversExod. 12.13. Zech. 14.12. places) because it so quickly consumes (as the Prophet Zechariah speaks) pulls down and demolisheth these Earthly Tabernacles of our Bodies: And for the same respect and reason it is sometimes termed even Ipsa Mors, Very Death, and Destruction it self, as Psal. 91.6.

To these I might adde those Periphrastical Appellations in the said Psalm, of a terrour by night, and Gods Arrow that flyeth by day, vers. 5. Where note by the way, that both for Pre­vention, [Page 22]and our Preservation too, the Psalmist directs us to the most safe, and only sure Refuge and Sanctuary, the sha­dow of the wings of the Almighty, v. 1, & 4. and prescribes the most sovereign and only infallible Antidote in the whole world against the infection of the Plague, viz. Our sole dependance and trust in His great mercy and gracious protection, v. 9, 10. And therefore I think it a Psalm fit and worthy to be diligently and daily read over, nay gotten by heart, and hourly medi­tated upon by all that hope and desire to escape the contagion. For do but thou make the Lord thy refuge, and thy Fortress, and his Truth thy shield and buckler, and then thou needest not be afraid for the terrour by night, nor for the Arrow that flyeth by day. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come night thee. Because thou hast made the Lord, even the most High, thy habitation, there shal no evil befall thee; neither shal any Plague come nigh thy dwelling: How­ever, if thou escape not the Visitation, yet thou shalt Gods in­dignation; Vers. 11. Who shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways, whilest thou livest in this world; and at last to transport and conveigh thy Soul into Abrahams bosom.

The destructive and deadly nature of it.These are the well-known usual Names and Appellations assigned unto this Disease in Scripture. By which (as I inti­mated before) you may easily judge of the destructive, foul Nature of it. But if what hath been spoken be not sufficient to represent that to the full unto you; give me leave then to minde you of some emphatical Phrases in Scripture, where­by Gods inflicting of this fore Judgement is expressed by the Holy Ghost. Sometimes it is expressed by causing his anger and jealousie to smoak against a Person or Nation, and by separating them unto evil, as Deut. 29.20, 21, 22. and 2 Chron. 34.25. Sometimes by heaping mischiefs, and spending his arrows upon them, and devouring them with bitter destruction, as Deut. 32.23, 24, 25. Sometimes by laying his hand very heavy upon them, and sending a deadly destruction amongst them, as 1 Sam. 5.11. Sometimes by making men-drink the wrath of the Almighty, as Job 21.20. and the Wormwood-wine of trouble and astonishment, as Psal. 60.3. 2 Chron. 29.8. And some­times by persecuting them with his tempests, and making them [Page 23]afraid with his storms, as Psal. 83.15. No wonder then, that Almighty God reckons this as one of his four most Ezek 14.21. sore judge­ments, that he sometimes sends upon a rebellions City or Kingdom. And so much for the first particular subject-matter of our Consideration, the Affliction it self.

2. The Second was the Dispenser and Author of it:2. The Dispen­ser of it. And primarily and principally that still is God, who does it for our good. For Amos 3.6. Ruth 1.21. Isa. 45.7. shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? No; Mihi Vindicta: Vengeance is mine, Deut. 32.35. Rom. 12.19. I will repay, saith the Lord. It was the fault of King Asa, (2 Chron. 16.12.) that in his disease he sought not unto the Lord, but to the Physicians. But we must acknowledge a Digitus Dei, The finger of God in this present sad Visitation above and before all other natural and secondary Causes, and look up especially unto Him; or else we are guilty of the same Crime. Gene­rally, there is no evil (as Job Job 5. [...]. intimates) but it is a spark of Gods wrath. But in this of the Plague, Gods anger seems to be kindled, asNumb. 25.3. Moses speaks; and those sparks of his wrath to be blown up, as it were, into a flame.

3. The third was the ground, 3. The ground and cause of it. or the procuring and meritorious Cause of it. And for this we must, look into our own hearts, examine our selves, and consider our wayes, as being well assured and convinced of this one thing in general beforehand, That it is sin, and nothing but sin that doth withhold Jer. 5.25. & ch. 13.22. & ch. 16.10, 11, 12, 13. good things from us, and which is the Cause of all the Evils, Afflictions, and Miseries that do befall us. More particularly, the Grounds and Causes of this most dreadfull noysom Disease that we labour under, are of two sorts: Either 1. Such as rationally are supposed, and probably assigned by the Philosopher, and bo­dily Physicion, I mean those external natural Causes, which are briefly summ'd up in the seasonable. Exhortation anneked to the Form of Prayer for this day. Or else, 2. Such as unani­mously are agreed on by all, and certainly determined by the Divine, and Gods holy Word: I mean those internal and su­pernatural Causes of our own Sins and Provocations, and Gods just wrath and indignation thereupon: Both which are mention­ed, and layd down by the Psalmist as the sole Causes of that sodain, Plague which befell the Israelites for their Idolatry and [Page 24]Fornication with the Midianites: For thus Psal. 106.29. with Num. 25.3. they provoked the Almighty to anger with their Inventions, and so the Plague brake in upon them. And yet it is not so much for Sin in general, as rather for some hainous and horrid sins in particular, that Gods wrath and anger is thus kindled against any people. In my recounting and discovering of which, I shall (God willing) use all faithfulness and impartiality without fear or favour: for which end, I shall not trust to mine own private judge­ment, nor yet follow the partial Opinions, and censorious Fancies of others; who being byassed by their affections and inclinations, their novel and corrupt Principles and Perswa­sions, their self-love and interest, are ready hypocritically and subtilly to justifie themselves, but politickly and maliciously to cast all the Odium they can upon others: And hence it is, that you hear some mutter and murmure, that it is for the Sins of the Court especially, that this fore Judgement is layd upon us: Others whisper, that the fault is chiefly in the Bishops and Clergy; who have neither the Way nor Faculty themselves to please the generality of the people by their Preaching and Divine Service, nor yet will permit others, whom they could fancy, to exercise their Gifts in their Churches and Pulpits: And a third sort cry out, that it is because they are persecuted (as they pretend) and are not suf­fered as in the late Olivarian dayes, to enjoy their beloved Li­berty of Conscience, as they call it: I shall not tread in the steps of these Persons or Parties, and with them positively and pe­remptorily conclude and determine, that this or that parti­cular thing, these or those Persons are the provoking and merito­rious Causes of our unparallel'd Visitation; but to prevent all mistakes and errours in so nearly concerning an Inquiry and Discovery, I shall steer my course by the Compass only of Gods holy Word, and make that alone my Conduct and Pilot un­till we be past these most dangerous shelves and quick sands.

In Scripture then, where the sacred Pen-men are never found to balk either themselves or others; but, quite cont [...]a­ry to the humour of many in these our dayes, that think so highly and well of themselves, are alwayes wont faithfully to record and reveal, yea even aggravate, rather than conceal [Page 25]and extenuate the grossest Errours and C [...] of those, whe­ther Princes, Prophets, Priests or People that have provoked the Almighty to wrath (studying it seems most of all to give due honour and glory to Gods holy Name, howsoever they took shame to themselves). In Scripture, I say, I find even Kings and Princes themselves arraigned at the Barre of Gods Justice as well as their Subjects; and sometimes the blame layd upon the one, and sometimes upon the other (for Acts 10.34. He is no respecter of Persons) for provoking the Lord by some special sins to inflict this sore Judgement upon his People: And yet neither of them pleading Non-guilty to the Accusation and Charge drawn up against them by the Holy Ghost, but confessing their Crimes, and humbling themselves in dust and ashes, that by Prayer and Fasting they might obtain pardon.

The special Sins mentioned in Scripture,Sins of Princes that have oc­casioned the Plague. whereby Kings and Princes have provoked God to pour out the Vials of his wrath in this manner, they are only two, to my best remem­brance, Pride, and Blasphemy.

First, Pride of heart, which was Davids Offence, as 2 Sam. 24. with 1 Chron. 21.1. where you will finde, that through Vain glory, and Satans instigation, his heart was lifted up to number Israel: but God was displeased with this thing (says the Text, v. 7.) and therefore He smote Israel with a violent Plague, which in three dayes destroyed threescore and ten thousand. It is likewise the judgement of St. Jerom, Cyril, and Theodoret (as A Lapide notes) that to prevent, if not chastise this same dan­gerous Principle of Pride in King Hezekiah, which probably he might be inclinable to, and guilty of, upon the conceit and consideration of that miraculous happy deliverance of Je­rusalem from the force and fury of the King of Assyria; when for his sake, and upon his effectual Prayers and Tears, there were near upon two hundred thousand of the Enemies ArmyIsa. 37.14, to v. 36. destroyed in one night; their judgement is, that (as some­time a2 Cor. 12.7. Thorn in the flesh, the Messenger of Satan was sent to St. Paul, to buffet him, lest he should have been exalted above measure, through the abundance of revelations; even so) the Lord was pleased to visit King Hezekiah personally with this very Sickness; Isai. 38.1, 21. And yet all, it seems, scarely enough: [Page 26]for afterwards [...] [...]nd it got vent, though its true upon ano­ther occasion, an [...] as he pretended out of civility and cour­tesie to strangers, rather than any ostentation in himself, as Chap. 39.1, 2, 4.

Secondly, Blasphemy; and this was the black and provoking Sin of the aforesaid King of Assyria, Senacherib I mean, and his compliant foul-mouthed Servant and eloquent Orator, Gene­ral Rabsh [...]keh: whose breath so forcibly blew up the coals of Gods anger, that it presently made his jealousie burn like fire, and consume so many thousands of their Men in one night. These are the two only special Sins (as I remember) mentioned in Scripture, whereby Kings and Princes have provoked God to pour out the vials of his wrath in this manner. But sure I am, that we of this Nation, have not the least ground or oc­casion to suspect or imagine that our Dread Sovereign should be guilty of either of them; Who hath purchased the Name and Reputation abroad in the world, and also approved Himself here at home, to be both a very wise, and most rarely accomplished Person, as to his natural Parts and En­dowments; and also as to his spiritual Gifts and Inclinations, a truly religious, meek, and most gracious, merciful Prince; in short, a good man as well as a great Monarch: And therefore we may very well acquit and exonerate Him from all guilt, as to these great and capital Sins; and so by consequence, from the foul Censure of being eminently accessory to the sore Visi­tation that we now labour under.

Sins of people that have caused the Plague.The special and particular Sins mentioned in Scripture, whereby common People, I mean, the mixt Multitude, and Body Politick of a Nation, have provoked God to pour out the vials of his wrath in this manner upon them, are diverse: I shall first name them and set them in order before your eyes, by referring you to those plain and express portions of Scri­pture, where I find them recorded; and then afterwards bring home our Discourse in a brief application unto our selves. They are six in number.

[...]. Wilful disobedience, and a general Apostacy from the true God, and his holy Laws and Commandements. This is clear from Deu. 28.15, 20, 21. It shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken [Page 27]unto the voyce of the Lord thy God, to do all his Commandements and his Statutes, &c. that then the Lord shall send upon thee cur­sing, vexation, and rebuke in all that thou settest [...]hine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and perish quickly; the Lord shall make the Pestilence cleave unto thee, untill He have consumed thee; So Levit. 26.21, 22. &c. If ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me, I will bring seven times more Plagues upon you, according to your sins, &c. And if ye will not be reformed by these things, but will still walk contrary unto me, then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins, &c. And when ye are gathered together within your Cities, I will fend the Pestilence among you.

2. Flat obstinacy, and open rebellion against lawful Magistrates, the higher Powers, that God hath set over us: Which the Apostle tells us is no less than to Rom. 13.2. resist the Ordinance of God; and they that do so shall hereafter receive to themselves Damnation: No wonder then, that at present here this dreadful Judgment of the Plague and Pestilence be threatned by God against all such children of Disobedience; as indeed it is, Numb. 14.2, 3, 4. with vers. 11, 12. Where when the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, Would God that we had dyed in the land of Egypt, or in this Wilderness: Wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land to fall by the sword, that our [...]ives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a Captain, and let us return into Egypt. Hereupon the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? I will smite them with the Pesti­lence and will disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater N [...] ­tion, and mightier than they. And as it was threatned in this Chapter for this seditious murmuring and conspiracy; so it was actually inflicted upon some in the sixteenth Chapter, viz. fourteen thousand and seven hundred of those Abetters and Favourers of the Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, as vers. 41. to the end of the Chapter. For the proof of this I might likewise refer you to Jer. 27.8. with Chap. 21.6, 9. which you may please to peruse at leasure.

3. A pertinacious resistance of those regular and faithful Mi­nisters, those spiritual Labourers in Christs Vineyard, which by [Page]Gods Providence are sent amongst them: Peoples slighting, despi­sing, reviling and reproaching of these, and like the deaf Adder stop­ping their ears to the voyce of these Charmers let them charm never so wisely: and on the contrary, running after false Prophers, and because they will not endure sound Doctrine (as the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.3, 4. Prophecies plainly of them) afeer their own lusts heaping to them­selves teachers of their own (not of Gods I am sure) having itch­ing ears. Now for this, the Plague and other sore Judgements are threatned by God; as Jer. 29.15, 17, 18, 19. Because ye have said, the Lord hath raised us up Prophets in Babylon: 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 figs that cannot be eaten they are so evil. 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 Kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach among all the Nations, whither I have driven 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.

4. The slighting of the Ordinances of God, and particularly the neglect, or at least profanation of and abusing the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper: Which St. Paul looks upon as the Cause of the sickness and Visitation that happened to the Believers at1 Cor. 11.30. Corinth. Many it seems were come to that pass (as they are even now in these days) that they cared not whether they came or no unto that Sacrament; or at leastwise they came they cared not how. And therefore (says He) for this Cause many are weak and sickly among you, yea, and many are fallen asleep. ‘And this is no new thing, says the Right reverend Father in God, Bishop Andrews: Moses himself suffer'd for this; His neglect of the Sacrament of Circumcision, to be administred to his Child (out of compliance with his tender-hearted, or if you will, peevish Wife Zipporah) made God to meet him in great anger by the way in the Inne, and it was like to have cost him his life, Exod. 4.24, 25, 26.’ The remembrance whereof made him preferr that petition to Pharaoh, Exod. 5.3. Let us go, we pray thee, three days journey into the Wilderness, and there [Page 29]sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest otherwise, if we neglect our own duty, and slight his due worship and service, He fall upon us with the Pestilence, or with the Sword: which it seems they might very justly fear, ‘in regard that the Sacrament of the Pass [...]over, and the blood of it was the means to save them and their Families from the Plague of the destroying Angel in Egypt,’ as you may see Exod. 12.13.

5. That provoking and unpardonable Sin of Idolatry: as you shall find Ezek. 5.11, 12, & 17. As I live, saith the Lord God, Surely because thou hast defiled my Sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abomin [...] [...]ons; therefore will I also dimi­nish thee, neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I hav [...] pity. A third part of thee shall dye with the Pestilence, and with Famine shall they be consumed, &c. Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon thee, &c. For I will send upon thee Famine, and evil Beasts, and they shall bereave thee, and Pesti­lence and Blood shall pass thorow thee. So again, Chap. 6.5, 6, 7. I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their Idols, and I will scatter your bones round about your Altars, &c

6. The last is that beastly Sin of fornication and u [...]cleanness. For which, as we sometimesGen. 19 24.25. with Deut. 29.23. read that four eminent Cities were destroyed by Fire and Brimstone from heaven, v [...]z. Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, and the whole plain-Country turned into a standing stinking Lake, called The Dead Sea to this day; So afterwards, when the Children of Israel joyning themselves unto Beal Peor were grown to that height of wicked­ness and impudence, as to commit it openly with the Daughters of Moab and Midian, this grievous judgement of the Plague and Pestilence was inflicted upon them for it; as you may see, Psal. 106.28, 29. and more fully Numb. 25.1, 2, to vers. 10. ‘A proper punishment (says my Reverend Author) for so heinous a provocation, seeing the foul sin of fornication commonly ends in sores and ulcers, which are as infections as the Plague it self.’

These six, I think, are all the special and particular Sins mentioned in Scripture, whereby common People, I mean the mixt Multi [...]ude and Body Politick of a Nation have provoked God to pour out the Vials of his wrath and fury in this manner [Page 30]upon them. Now seeing that Rom. 15.4. & 1 Cor. 10.6. whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning; and that these things are our examples, to the end that we should not tempt and pro­voke God, as others have done, by the commission of these gross sins, to infflict this most dreadful Judgment upon us: But yet forasmuch as Gods anger hath been of late, and still is stretched out against us this way in an extraordinary severe manner; We may therefore be sure, that it is for some or o­ther of the aforesaid iniquities which we of this sinful Nation in general, and this populous City in particular, epidemical­ly, my meaning is, for the major part stand guilty of, that this unpa [...]llel'd and sore Visitation is laid upon us. To expiate which, Oh that there were such truly ingenuous, tender, and honest hearts in every one of us, that in our Confessions and Deprecations we might deal as faithfully and impartially betwixt God and our own Souls, as the sacred Penmen of Scri­ture have done in declaring the sins and provocations of Gods people, and His severe punishments and Judgments upon them for the same. For 1 Cor. 10.11. all those things happened unto the [...] for ex­amples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

The Authors opinion, why this sore judge­ment is now laid upon us.If any of you expect and desire that I should here now declare my Opinion, for which of the forementioned sins I conceive it is, that this sore Judgment is laid upon us; (though I know such desires are commonly made out of design, that people may know how to affect and fancy the Preacher, yet) I shall not scruple very briefly, and plainly to give you my judg­ment, viz. That I do not think that it is for ends or that one Sin in particular, but rather for them all. As it's true with St. James, That Jam. 3.2. in many things we offend all; so here it may al­so as truly be said, that in all these things, I mean the forenamed Capital Crimes, we offend too too many. For which of the six can we instance in, of which there are not many amongst us that must needs confess themselves guilty? Give me leave to make some short reflections upon them severally, and then I shall leave you all to judge. Now in this disquisition I shall observe a retrograde Motion, beginning with that which I ended with, when I named them before, that so the first may be last, and the last may be first.

1. In the first place then, for the foul Sin of Fornication and uncleanness; may not Almighty God bring the same charge against many, very many of this City and Nation, that He sometimes brought against the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and many of the Jews?Jer. 5, 7, 8, [...]. When I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots houses: they were as fed Horses in the morning, every one neighed after his Neighbours wife. And what then follows? Now, how shall I pardon thee for this? Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord, and shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this? And then

2. Secondly, for that provoking and unpardonable Sin of Ido­latry. You must know it is twofold: either visible and external in reference to the Body, or else spiritual and internal in refe­rence to the Soul. Now, though I hope and believe that there are few or none amongst us so notoriously wicked as to be guilty of the former; I mean, to contrive and make to them­selves graven Images, and then fall down and worship them as Gods, (unless it be some of the most wretched and grossest sort of Papists) yet I doubt there are too too many amongst us guilty of the latter, spiritual and internal Idolatry. For you must note,

1. That that is every mans God or Idol, which his heart is most of all set upon. Now, if it be not the only true God, but wrong objects, he is ipso facto guilty of Idolatry. Thus the sottish Winebibber, and gluttonous Epicure may be justly called Idola­ters, because they Phil. 3.19. make their belly their God; butIsai. 5.12. they re­gard not the works of the Lord, neither consider the operations of his hands. Thus also the wretched Worldling, and covetous Mammonist, whoJob 31.24. maketh gold his hope, and trusteth in the multitude of his riches, is a plain Idolater (as the ApostleCol. 3.5. calls him) because he makes an Idol of his wealth. And thus lastly, He that trusteth in man more than in God, is a meer Idolater and accursed before God, because he Jer. 17.5. maketh flesh his arm, and his heart departeth from the Lord. And then

2. To think amiss, and otherwise of God than He is re­presented unto us in his holy Word, this again is Idolatry; Quia sculp­tile & constati­le reor dogmata esse perversa, quae ab his qui­bus facta sunt adorantur, Hier. Because a perverse and wicked opinion of God is no less then [Page 32]a graven Image, says St. Jerome. And therefore both he and St. Augustine agree, that Usque hodie in Templo Dei, &c. i. e. even to this very day there are many amongst us that set up Idols in the Church of God, when men in their hearts & minds conceive and feign and new, erroneous, and unworthy opi­nions, especially concerning the Persons of the blessed Trinity. Now, whether many amongst us may not be thought guilty of this kind of Idolatry is easie to imagine: And then let such know, that they cannot clear nor acquit themselves from ha­ving a hand in pulling down this present heavy Judgement upon us.

3. Thirdly, For slighting and contemning the Ordinances of Christ, and particularly the Neglect, or at least profanation of and abusing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: Never was Generation of men professing Christianity, in any Age or part of the world more guilty of this, than those that still are, and of late years have been the greatest Pretenders to extra­ordinary Zeal and Devotion, strictness and Reformation a­mongst us. And hence it is, that when Times and Dayes are solemnly appointed for the celebration of that Sacrament; though serious warnings, and earnest Exhortations are used by us the Ministers of Jesus Christ, to perswade and prepare people for a worthy, a comfortable, and a frequent partici­pation of the sacred Elements there exhibited, viz. the blessed Body and Blood of Christ; yet you shall finde few or none of that Faction and party affording their presence: As if they had never read nor heard of, or at least were resolved not to believe nor regard those words of our Saviour;Joh. 6, 53, 54, 55. Verily, verily I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Which words, and whole Chapter, I wonder how they can read with­out horrour and astonishment, when they consider and call to minde how irregularly they walk, and directly contrary both to the express Precept of Christ, and also the apparent con­stant Practice of the Apostles themselves, and the Saints and Martyrs of the Church in all Ages. And if such as these, [Page 33]who have gotten the name and reputation of Religious and strict walk [...]rs, be thus obstinate, and so exceeding faulty in this point: then what can be looked for from many others vicious, loose, and prophane in their lives, but that, as we find, they should either plead the others example for their absence from, and neglect of this Sacrament; or else, as we fear, presumptuously approach the Lords Table with unprepared and unsanctified hearts and hands; to the great dishonour and profanation of Gods holy Ordinance, and the damnation of their own souls? 1 Cor. 11.29. Again,

4. For that pertinacious Resistance of those regular and faith­ful Ministers, those spiritual Labourers in Christs Vin [...]yard which by Gods Providence are sent forth; for Peoples slighting, reviling, despising and reproaching of these, and on the contrary, running after false Prophets, as I said before; that too too many are guilty of this, may easily be seen every Lords-day, every Fast, and Festival-day, when, if it be known (I am ashamed and even tremble to speak it) that there is like to be nothing at Church but only that which is purely divine, viz. Gods holy Word di­stinctly read, and our most excellent publick Prayers and pithy Ejaculations devoutly poured out at the throne of Gods grace, for our selves, for our Sovereign and his Kingdoms; for Grace, Mercy, and Pardon of sin, with Peace and Prosperity: Or if it be known, that the Minister hath a Set-form of Prayer, and makes use of his Notes in his preaching; then you shall scarcely have more of one Party (whose Prejudice and Fancy is above their Reason, Religion, and Conscience) than Stone-pillars to make their apperance for that time. But let infor­mat [...]on and notice be given that some Stentorean fam'd Non-Conformist, some popular and newly cryed-up Preacher, that seems to pray without premeditat [...]on, and preacheth with­out book, never looking upon Notes nor Bible: One that will neither use himself, nor trouble them with the Prayers of the Church, but entertain them only with a Psalm, a Prayer of his own extemporary Effusion, and a pleasing, plausible dis­course, concerning a strict and close walking with God, the illu­minations and inward operations of the Spirit of Grace, an Interest in Christ and the New Covenant, &c. And withall, in his Appli­cation [Page 34]will declaim with a great deal of zeal, affection and ve­hemency against those sins which our Superiours in Church and State, or others in general, that are not of the same strain and opinion with himself, are usually censured and supposed to be most guilty of, (which is an effectual, fine subtile way, to beget disaffection, and sow the seeds of sedition in peoples hearts towards their Governours, as also to beget inward heart-burnings in them, with censoriousness, divisions, and uncharitableness towards their brethren:) Let it, I say, be but noysed, nay whispered abroad that such a one is to teach in this or that place, either Morning or Afternoon; and then though the Church were as large as St. Pauls, yet it will scarcely find room enough to receive and contain the disor­derly Rabble of his sequacious eager followers. You all I believe, know and observe this to be true; and many per­haps think it no crime, but rather commendable, in regard it is so customary and ordinary; yea the principal Thing that is now in fashion, as to Religion, as being the chief and only means (this slighting of Prayers, and running after Sermons) to gain one the Name and Reputation of a Religious, godly Per­son. But had I time to discover unto you the mischievous and unhappy Effects and Consequences of it, and that as well in re­spect of the Publick, as of mens own Souls and Consciences, in regard it is this that begets heart-burnings and animosities amongst Christian Neighbours (as I hinted before) with divi­sions, censurings, and uncharitableness each unto others; it's this that breeds and feeds, and foments that causeless discon­tent and disaffection in peoples Hearts towards their Supe­riours; it's this that kindles the first sparks of sedition, diso­bedience, and Rebellion against lawfull Magistrates, which are ready to break out into a flame, when opportunity offers it self; it's apparently this that makes people so unsetled in judgement, andJam. 1.8. unstable in all their wayes, 2 Tim. 3.7. ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; in a word, it is this, that makes manyIbid. v. 2, 3, 4, 5. in these last perillous times (according to the Apostles prediction) to be self-lovers, proud, boasters, disobedient to Parents, without natural affection, false accusers, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitours, heady, high-minded, ha­ving [Page 35]indeed a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; had I but time to demonstrate these things, as it were easie both by Scripture, plain Reason, Ecclesiastical History, and our own certain Experience of the like Events from the same Causes, in the late times of Liberty and Confusion, I should clearly make it appear unto you, That this irregu­lar itching humour of Curiosity, and affecting of novelties is, though not so scandalous in the sight of men, yet as hainous in the sight of God, and mischievous to Peoples Souls as any Crime that they can lightly be guilty of. For it's by this (as the Math. 15.6. grand Tradition of the late Scribes and Elders amongst us) that the Pharisaical Men of this Generation have made the Commandments and Precepts of Christ and his Apostles, con­cerning good Order, Discipline, and Decency in the Church, concerning Subjection and Obedience to Civil Magistrates, concerning Affection and due Reverence towards Christs Mi­nisters, concerning brotherly Love and Union amongst Chri­stian Neighbours, of none effect. I speak nothing but what is notoriously known to be Truth, by all uninteressed, judicious, sober and solid Christians. And therefore no wonder, that Gods anger is waxed thus hot, and his jealousie burn like fire against such a refractory, obstinately erroneous, and indeed antichristian a generation as this: Which may very well (in theMath. 11.16, 17. words of our Saviour) be likened unto Children sitting in the Market-place, and calling unto their fellows, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; We have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For, even so in this age, we find one party still opposing, countermining, and walking con­trary to another: So that let Christ send what Labourers soever He please into his harvest, though never so innocent, honest, able, and faithfull; though never so carefull to follow His, and His blessed Apostles example, and that in respect both of Life and Doctrine; though never so conscientious in the performance of all Ministerial Offices and Duties, according to His express direction, the infallible and harmonious tenour and Canon of Scripture, to the great comfort and satisfaction of all humble-minded and honest-hearted persons amongst us; who therefore1 Thess. 5.13. esteem them very highly in love, for their works sake, and count 1 Tim. 5.17. them worthy of double honour: Yet the devout [Page 36] Will-worshippers, and religious2 Pet. 2.10. with Jude v. 8. despisers of Government, in these dayes, who to compass their ends, and carry on their designs, are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities, preferring Novelty be­fore Antiquity, a Formal Shew above Reality, Self-interest and worldly Reputation, before Gods Acceptance and Approba­tion; these will evermore have one fault or other to finde with them, and rather than fail, invent and forge reproaches and scandals, that so they may have some plausible pretence to Psal. 2.3. break their bands asunder, and cast away their Cords from them. Now, what is this, but in effect to tell our Saviour, that they are grown weary of His Government and Oeconomy, and now will have Luk 19.14. Him no longer to reign over them, unless He'l ac­cept of a new way of Worship, according to some mode of their own that is now in fashion: All other Forms, and tra­ditional Platforms, though never so authentick, and apparently Jure Divino, are counted by them to be but Idolatrous and Su­perstitious. And then,

5. For that flat Obstinacy, and open Rebellion against lawfull Magistrates, the Higher Powers that God hath set over us: Though I know none at present actually guilty of it, yet that must be attributed not so much to the happy change of many mens mindes, or any peaceable and truly Christian Principles in them, as rather to the good Providence of God, and the watch­ful wisdom, courage and diligence of those in Authority. Sure I am, there is no want of implacable Male-contents, and most turbulent-spirited Incendiaries amongst us, to will and endea­vour it; and with as much subtilty, malice, and secresie as it is possible. They rise up early and lye down late, and eat the bread of carefulness; they spare no pains, they stick at no difficulties nor dangers, but attempt and assay all ways and means; yea, they are ready to compass even Sea and Land, and all in hopes to compass their end. Nay, rather than fail to carry on their de­sign, some there are that cunningly can transform themselves into Angels of Light, to trapann the well-meaning ignorant vulgar unto their side: For which end, they very forwardly thrust themselves, or steal sliely into our Pulpits, and there vehemently enough (it's true) inveigh against the gross scan­dalous sins of Pride and Profaneness, Gluttony and Drunken­ness, Whoredom, Swearing, and Sabbath-breaking; strongly [Page 37]insinuating, that all but themselves and those of their Party, are certainly guilty of some of them, and so are in danger of Hell and Damnation: But the mischief and wickedness of it is, that whilest they thus openly pretend, that they come only to beat down sin, and save peoples Souls, by perswading them to a close walking with God, and strict Obedience to the Gospel of Christ, they secretly withall intend to talk them out of all their Alle­giance, love and duty towards their Superiours both in Church and State: they name and proclaim themselves indeed, to be the Messengers of God, and Ambassadours of Jesus Christ; but by their fruits we may easily judge whose Emissaries they are, in that the main drift and tendency of their preaching is to dispose and work poor people into a murmuring against, a slighting of, and disobedience to all humane and Ecclesiastical Constitutions, let them be never so reasonable, never so religious, and consen­taneous to Gods holy Word. And all (forsooth) under the specious fair pretense, that primarily all people are the subjects and servants of Jesus Christ, and ought to obey God rather than Man; as if the Commandments and Institutions, the Ecclesi­astical Discipline and holy Ordinances of Christ himself and his Apostles, being approved of, and inforced by the authority of those that God hath set over us, must not, ought not then to be obeyed or observed by them, only because they are re-im­posed and required of them by the commendable and good Statutes of Christian Magistrates. Before this was done, they could not but confess, that they were binding to the Conscien­ces of all sound Believers; but now they would rather have the Godly to think, that they are bound in Conscience to con­temn and oppose them. The full perswasion of which destru­ctive and wicked Tenet, they never leave till they have frighted them into, with the frequent and terrible threats of Hell and Damnation. And if this be not a most provoking and crying sin, I know nothing that is. If any here shall object, that I am very harsh and severe: give me leave to tell them, that I never was their Auditor my self; but, as a fuller conviction, and a much strongerVox Populi, vox Dei. testimony against them, I have always observed by the report and discourse of many of their seduced followers, that this is the very sense and meaning that they all pick out of their Sermons; and besides, I have read some of their plausible [Page 38]printed Papers my self, but know not how to make any other construction of them. If still they plead the integrity and sin­cerity of their own hearts, as perfectly free from, and utterly ignorant and innocent of all such evil intentions, as I alledge and charge upon them; let me tell them in the words of our Saviour, that they Luk. 9.55. know not what manner of spirit they are of; for most of them are as surely guilty, as he that once said to the Prophet Elisha, 2 King. 8.13. But what is thy servant a Dog? And this I could very easily evince, and clearly demonstrate, by referring them to their own, and others Experience about five or six and twenty years ago: when there were many as sincere and zealous in their pretences for a thorow Reformation, for the CAUSE of Jesus Christ, as they termed it, for the advancement of Truth and the Gospel, and for the salvation of Souls, as any possiby can be now; who yet afterwards saw, and confessed, and bewailed themselves, for that they unadvisedly had been too accessory and instrumental to pull up the Flood-gates, and let in a deluge of Rebellion, Confusion, and desolation that ensued thereupon. Which I earnestly wish, that all our hot, young Non-Con­formists, and their affectionate factious followers would se­riously lay well to heart, lest a worse Judgement than this of the Plague be inflicted upon us.

6. Lastly, For that wilful Disobedience, and general Apostasie from the true God, and his holy Laws and Commandments; Never sure were the Children of Israel more guilty of this, than the People of England are in these days. When, betwixt a great deal of blind Ignorance, practical Atheism, and open Profaness on the one hand, and a great deal of Hypocrisie, spiritual Pride, and Obstinacy in errour on the other, the true Fear of God, Love to his Name, and Obedience to his righteous Laws and Statutes seem to be quite extinguished amongst us. O the De­luge of Sin and Wickedness that seems to have quite over­flowed both City and Country! Where is the man that with Nathaniel, may well be called an Israelite indeed, as exercising himself (with St. Paul) to have Act. 24.16. always a Conscience void of offence both towards God, and towards men? It was the complaint of Al­mighty God in ancient time, and his upbraiding expostulation with the Nation of the Jews; Jer. 2.10, 11, 12, 13. Pass ye over the Isles of Chittim, and see: send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there [Page 39]be such a thing as this in the whole world; Hath a Nation changed their gods, which are yet no Gods? But my people have changed their glory, for that which doth not profit. Be astonished O ye Heavens at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and hewn them out Cisterns, broken Cisterns that can hold no water. And it may be as justly said and applyed to this Nation of ours. Wherefore, as he speakJer. 9.12, 13, 14. af­ter, Who is the wise man that may understand this, and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the Land perisheth, and is burnt up like a Wilderness, that none passeth thorow? And to this the Lord maketh answer, and saith, Because men have forsaken my Law, which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voyce, neither walked therein; but have walked after the imagination of their own heart, &c.

Thus have I run through the forenamed six particular capi­tal Crimes mentioned in the Scripture, whereby common peo­ple, or the mixt multitude, and Body politick of a Nation have provoked God to pour out his vials of wrath and fury in this manner upon them: And have likewise brought home my Discourse, and made it appear apparently to you, that there are too too many amongst us guilty of each of them. Not but that I believe we have our tens, our thirties, and our fifties of good and righteous persons among us: For whose sakes, I hope and trust that Almighty God will in his due time look down from heaven in mercy upon us, and heal our Land. Now, for which of the a­foresaid sins this sore judgement is laid upon us, I have given you mine Opinion already, and shall say no more, but (as I said) leave you all to judge: but judge, I would have you, your selves chiefly rather than others. Charity towards them, and fervent Prayers for them would be very good and commendable in you, but faithfulness and impartiality towards your selves is ve­ry necessary, and will be most profitable for you. And wherein any of you find your selves guilty, I beseech you repent, for­sake your sins, and turn unto God by prayers, and tears, and firm resolutions; and then He will turn from the fierceness of his wrath. When every one sweeps before his own door, the streets you know, will quickly be clean; so let every one take but care to get the plague of his own heart cured, and then this sad judge­ment [Page 40]of the Plague and Pestilence, shall be as quickly removed us. And so I have done with the third particular Subject­matter of our consideration in the day of adversity.

4. The end of it.4. The fourth is, the end of it, or the mind and meaning of God therein. And that may be either 1. For the tryal, the fatherly chastisement and correction of some, viz. the righteous, his own true Children and Servants. ForProv. 3.12. & Heb. 12.6, 7, &c. whom the Lord loveth, he cor­recteth; even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth. And there­fore St. Peter's good counsel is,1 Pet. 4.12, 13. Beloved, think it not strange con­cerning the fiery tryal, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoyce, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings. Or else 2. For the just punishment and de­struction of others, viz the wicked and ungodly; according to that of Job, Job 31.3. & Prov. 1.24, &c. & Isa 1.19, 20. Is not destruction to the wicked, and a strange punish­ment to the workers of iniquity? Or 3. lastly, generally and cer­tainly for the amendment and Instruction of all. The Apostle observes, that when the Father of Spirits afflicts and corrects the children of men, It is Heb. 12.10. for their profit, that so they may be par­takers of his holiness: And the Prophet tells us, That Isa. 26.9. when Gods judgements are in the earth, the end thereof is, that the inhabitants of the world may learn righteousness. And hence it is that God in Scripture is sometimes compared to aQuod iguis auro, hoc ani­mabus est affli­ctio. Refiner, Mal. 3.3. and sometimes to a Thresher, Hab. 3.12. Whose fan is in his hand, that he may thorowly purge his floor, but gather his wheat into his garner.

5. The way to have it re­moved.5. The last is, the good way and means that we are to use, that so it may be removed from us, or at least we may have it sanctified to us. And for this I refer you for full satisfaction to the usefull and seasonable Exhortation, set forth by the Church, and approved by Authority. And so here at present it shal suf­fice briefly to tell you, that the ways and means are of two sorts in general. 1. Moral and natural; such as our own discretion and reason prompt us unto; or the experience, and more mature knowledge of others direct us unto. 2. Spiritual and Theologi­cal; and such are patience and contentation, humble submission and self-resignation; earnest prayer and supplications, with a-Amendment of life, and a real Reformation. I shall but barely name these things, because I desire to subjoyn something by way of Motive to inforce the duty of Consideration now in this dismal day of Adversity: As,

1. There is nothing more proper and seasonable for the pre­sent juncture of time;Mot. 1. so much the Spirit of God here assures us. Now it is the Wisemans well known comparison,Prov 25.11. Verbum opportunè dictum, &c. A word fitly spoken is like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver. And if words (which we say are but wind) only because they are pertinent and seasonable, be thus excellent, beautifull, and amiable in the esteems of rational men: surely then, Opus opportune factum, a good work and duty seasonably, seriously and well done and performed by us, is no less valuable in the account of Almighty God. It's very true, as the heathen Orator long since observed, [...]: Isocr. That what's out of season, & out of fashion, seldom meets with peoples good liking and appro­bation: but on the contrary,Eccl. 3.11. Solomon tells us, that God hath made every thing beautifull in it's time. Such therefore is the Duty en­joyned here in this text; & that very strongly commends it to us.

2. There is nothing more excellent and commendable as to the work and duty it self. Consideration! Mot. 2. it is the searcher of the heart, the Manure of the Soul, the fosterer of zeal, the remedy against security, the improvement of Christianity, the ladder of heaven, and the key of Paradise. Consideration! it is as watering to Plants, as blowing to the Fire, as Oyl to stiffe joynts, as Phy­sick to the sick: It urgeth to repentance, quickeneth to Prayer, confirmeth Faith, kindleth Love, encourageth in well-doing, and refresheth with heavenly consolations.

3. There is nothing more well-pleasing and acceptable to God. Enoch for this was rewarded with aGen. 5.24. glorious translation. Mot. 3. And indeed for what end hath God given us the great things of his Law, committed to us his sacred Oracles, caused the Scriptures to be written for our learning, sent his Prophets to declare his good will and pleasure to us; yea, sent forth his Son to reveal his thoughts, which are thoughts of mercy, love & peace to us­ward? Certainly, not that all these things should be slighted by us, but pondered upon in our hearts, and well improved by a due and serious Consideration. And the more we do so, the more without doubt we shall please him; this being the best way to honour him, and to express our thankfulness to him for them.

4. There is nothing more necessary,Mot. 4. nothing more advanta­gious and profitable to our own souls, as was shew'd you before in thePage 3, 4. Introduction. Wherefore to conclude, would'st thou [Page 42]be blessed in all thy Enterprizes and Concernments with the blessings of God? would'st thou have thy understanding enlighte­ned with the knowledge of God? thine affections inflamed with the love of God, thine heart established with the Promises of God, thy solitariness cheared up with the fellowship of God, thy afflictions sweetned and mitigated with the comforts of God, and all thy thoughts, words, and actions regulated by the Commands of God? then let thy daily practice be to Pray and Consider. For, in the day of adversity, there is nothing then more proper and sea­sonable, nothing then more excellent & commendable, nothing then more well-pleasing and acceptable, nothing then (no nor indeed at any time else) more advantagious, necessary and pro­fitable. Consider therefore then especially, and well and wisely weigh with thy self, 1. The evil, disaster, or visitation it self, what­soever it be, that is befalne thee. 2. The Dispenser and Author of it. 3. The ground, or the procuring and meritorious cause of it. 4. The End, or the mind and meaning of God therein: and 5. The good way and means that is to be used, that so it may be removed from thee, or else may be sanctisted to thee.

To which five particulars, give me leave here to adde, in the close of all, one Object more, which you may do well to exer­cise your Consideration upon; Consider the Poor, the afflicted mem­bers of Jesus Christ: Whose wants, and whose number are very much increased since this sad time of Visitation; and whose con­dition you may easily imagine must needs be so exceeding help­less and deplorable, (since all trading and employments are al­most quite dead and gone) that there never was more reason for the Rich to consider the Poor: And for your incouragement know,Prov. 19.17. That he that hath pity upon the Poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again. Neither shall it go without a Blessing in this world, as an Overplus; for,Psal. 41.1, 2. Blessed is the man that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble: Yea, the Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the Earth. I, and for a further encou­ragement still, I pass my word and promise to you beforehand, That what you shal give shal not go out of the Parish, but shal be expended and bestowed upon our own Poor; for so, I am sure, the Receiver General appointed by his Majesty, the can­did and untainted Right Reverend Bishop of this Diocess, will be well-pleased thatOctob. 4. 1665. henceforth it should be disposed of.