WHen iniquities are ripe, and a ſinful people have filled up their meaſure, the holy and righteous God, though he tarry long yet at laſt viſits with ſevere Judgements, and breaks out in fury againſt them, and ſayes them 〈◊〉 ; thus he did by the old World▪ thus he did by Sodom and Gomorrah; thus he did by Jeruſalem it ſelf, when they deſpiſed his M • ſſengers, and ſlew his Prophets, till wrath brake out upon them, and there was no remedy. Now that you may not be cheated in the Cauſes of this ſo ſad a Calamity, nor be abuſed by a generation of hard hearted ſinners, whoſe God is their belly, whoſe conſtant practiſe is to blind the people, that their noon-ſpots may not be ſeen, and to feed you with fallacies, aſſigning that for a Cauſe, which is not a Cauſe, as in the Primitive times the Heathen Prieſts and their party would conſtantly perſwade the Emperors and Rulers, that all Defeats in Warr, Plagues and Deſolations, came upon them for ſuffering the Chriſtians to live amongſt them. I ſay, that you may not be cheated in ſo weighty a concern, I ſhall preſent to your view the expreſs Cauſes aſſigned in the Scriptures, for which God did ſend forth his deſtroying A • gel to depopulate and they waſt Cities and Nations.

〈…〉 memorable Plagues we read of, was • Phar •• h and his people, Exod. 12. 29, 30. At midnight the 〈…〉 all the firſt-born of Egypt, and Pharoah roſe up in the night, he and all his ſervants, and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt▪ for there was not a houſe where there was not one dead, that this was the Plague, you may ſee v. 13. and Pſal • • . 50, 51. What was the reaſon of this, what was Pharoahs provoking ſin? It w •• oppreſſion of the people of God, be would not give them liberty to serve God, he would not let them go; they deſired neither places of favour nor profit; they petitioned not for the Temples nor Re 〈…〉 onely they would have liberty to serve God as 〈…〉 had appointed, but this would not be granted, ther • fore teh Lord puniſheth the Egyptians with this noyſome diſeaſe.

2. Another ſore Plague we read of Numb. 16. and the great cauſe of this was offering of ſtrange fire, humane inventions in the Worſhip of God, and reſiſting Moſes and Aaron the true Miniſters of God; it's true, the men that did this thing might ſeem to have humane Authority enough for ſo doing, for they were perſons of Honour, Rank and Quality, v. 2. They roſe up before Moſes with certain of the Children of Iſrael, two hundred and fifty Princes of the Aſſembly, famous in the Congregation, men of renown; and being thus aſſembled, they would have fire and Sacrifices as liked them beſt, or rather, as ſuited beſt with their own luſts; for fleſhly Worſhip beſt agrees with fleſhly Worſhippers, but the holy God who is very preciſe and jealous in point of Worſhip, would not take it at their hands, he' 〈…〉 have no ſervices but of his own making, it muſt be fire from the Altar, the Spirit of God that muſt inkindle our Sacrifices, and the Inſtitution of God that muſt warrant them▪ hereupon God cauſeth the Earth to ſwallow up the Ring-leaders quick, and their abettors were ſmitten with the Peſtilence, v. 41. Humane Inventions in the Worſhip of God, have often times brought the plague upon his people; See Pſal. 106. 29. Thus they vexed him with their inventions, and the Plague brake in upon them. They would needs adorn the Worſhip of God with Heatheniſh Cuſtomes, and make it trimmer than God made, but God abhors this, and will not bear it. So Ez • ck. 9. there you have the deſtroying Angel ſent forth to ſmite the City Jeruſalem with the Peſtilence, his Commiſſion very large, to ſpare neither old nor young, Maid nor ſuckling Child, and the cauſe of this ſevere ſtroke you have aſſigned cap. 8. Thoſe who had profeſſed better things, are now guilty of Idolatry, they are engaged in heatheniſh rites and cuſtoms; and beſides this, they were grown bloody perſecutors and ſcoffers at Religion, cap. 8. v. 17. Is it a light thing that they commit the abominations which they commit here, for they have filled the Land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger, and lo, they put the branch to the noſe. They had once left off Idolatry as abominable, but now they are returned to the vomit, now they are violent perſecutors of ſuch that will not wallow in the ſame mire with them; now they are turned jeerers and ſcoffers, ſo cap. 9 v. 9. and upon this God tells the Prophet, v. 10 As for me, mine eye ſhall not ſpare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompence their way upon their head; ſo Ezek. 5. 11, 12. Wherefore as 〈◊〉 ſaith the Lord God, ſurely becauſe thou haſt defiled my Sanctuary with all thy deteſtable things, and with all thy abominations, therefore will I alſo diminiſh thee, neither ſhall mine eye ſpare, neither will I have any pity, a third part ſhall dye with the Peſtilence, and with Famine ſhall they be conſumed in the midſt of thee, &c.

3. We read of another great Plague, Numb. 25. there were two ingredients in the provoking-cauſe of this Peſtilence, the one was Idolatry, v. 2, 3. they joyned themſelves to Baal-Pe • r, and bowed down to Heathen Gods; the other was their abominable uncleanneſs, they were become debauched Whoremongers and Adulterers, impudent open-faced Letchers, as v. 5, 6. Behold, one of the Children of Iſrael brought a Midianitiſh woman in the ſight of Moſes, and in the ſight of all the Congregation of the children of Iſrael. Now the perſon to whom this gaudy Harlot was brought by his ranting Pimp, was none of the common ſort, no ordinary perſon, but a Prince, which made the crime the greater, v. 14 Now the name of the Iſraelite was Zimri the Son of Sal • , a Prince of the chief Houſe among the Simeonites, and the name of the Midianitiſh was Cosbi the daughter of Zur, he was head over 〈◊〉 people; and God was angry with Iſrael for having among them ſuch loud and lothſome ſins, when ſuch as ſhould have been examples of Honor, Honeſty and Sobriety, to the inferior people, were Encouragers of all manner of leudneſs; this provoked God to ſend the Plague among them.

4. Another ſore Plague we read of 2 Sam. 24. and the reaſon was, becauſe David (though a good King, and a man after Gods own heart in moſt things) yet for the ſinfulneſs of his people, was left to be tempted by Satan to a carnal con • idence, and vain boaſting in the arm of fleſh, and therefore would needs have a Muſter-rowl of all the Militia in Iſrael, he 〈◊〉 ſend his Captain-General, and other Commanders, to muſter up in every Province the men that were capable of bearing arms, that he might ſee his ſtrength, and take confidence in them; but God would not take this at his hands; whereas David had been brought to the Crown meerly by the hand of God, had lived an exile for a conſiderable time, was hunted up and down from one Countrey to another, had no ſafe abiding place, and at laſt was lifted into the Throne by a meer hand of providence, though annointed King long before; Now for David to forget that God that ſaved him, reſtored him, and ſo eminently honored him, and to rely & truſt in the multitude of an Hoſt, to reſt upon an arm of fleſh, and ſecure himſelf under the wings of a numerous Militia, this provoked God ſo highly, that he ſent forth the Peſtilence, and ſlew in a ſhort time ſeventy thouſand men.

5. Another ſore Plague we read of Numb. 11. and the ſinne that provoked God to ſmite them at this time, was, their lothing Manna, and luſting after ſome other delicacies; they remembred the fleſh-pots in Egypt, and luſted after them; 〈…〉 was not food for their uſtentation, but food for their 〈…〉 ſtentation, Pſal. 8. 18. They tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their luſt. When men cannot be content with the good things of a fruitful Land, but muſt have ſuch rarities, extracts, culliſes▪ quinteſſences, as will prompt and provoke them to uncleanneſs; this provokes God to anger, this God hath expreſly forbidden, Rom. 13. 14. Make not proviſion for the fleſh, to fulfil the luſts thereof. But if one Warning will not ſerve the turn, but you muſt take this courſe, ſee what will be the iſſue, Numb. 11. 33. And while the fleſh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chawed the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt the people, and the Lord ſmote the people with a very great Plague. And as the perſons that were guilty of this ſame, were the great ones, ſo the Judgement fell principally upon them, Pſal. 78. 30, 31. They were not eſtranged from their luſts▪ but whil • the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, and ſlew the fatteſt of them, and ſmote down the choſen men of Iſrael. The Apoſtle tells us, theſe things were written for our example, leſt we alſo be made an example, 1 Cor. 10, 11.

There is alſo a ſpiritual meaning of this Hiſtory; by Manna is meant Jeſus Chriſt and the Goſpel-nouriſhment, John 6. 31, 32, 33. Our Fathers did eat Manna in the deſart, as its written, he gave them bread from Heaven to eat: Then Jeſus ſaid unto them, Verily, verily I ſay unto you, Moſes gave you not the bread from Heaven but my Father giveth you the true bread from Heaven, for the Bread of God is he that cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life to the World, it did typifie Spiritual Food, 1 Cor. 10. 3. They did all eat the ſame ſpiritual Food; it ſhadows out the ſecret 〈◊〉 -enjoyments of Chriſt in his Ordinances, Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden Manna. And by the fleſh-pots of Egypt is typified carnal Ordinances, fleſhly ſervices, calculated meerly for the honor and intereſt of carnal men, Rev. 11. 8. Their dead bodies alſo ſhall lye in the ſtreets of the great City, which ſpiritually is called Sodom and Egypt: So that Egypt alſo hath a ſpiritual meaning, viz. a fleſhly bondage, and tyrannical impoſition as to the Worſhip of God; therefore when men ſhall be weary of Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall loth ſpiritual food, ſoul ſearching and coverting Ordinances, ſoul-comforting Communion with Chriſt, and hanker after, and contribute their uttermoſt endeavours for ſoul-ſtarving, ſoul-enſlaving, fleſhly Worſhip, that may beſt comport with their luſts, this great ſin provokes God to ſend the Peſtilence amongſt them.

There are many other cauſes for which God ſends this Peſtilence amongſt a provoking people, and for which in an extraordinary manner he ſweeps away with the beſome of deſtruction; and makes them ſick with ſmiting them; As Amos 2. 4, 5. Thus ſaith the Lord, for three tranſgreſſions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the puniſhment thereof, becauſe they have deſpiſed the Law of the Lord, and have not kept his Commandements, and their lies have cauſed them to err after the which their fathers have walked. When a people ſhall forſake the holy ways of God both as to converſation and worſhip, and be led by their own luſts, and fall back to the ſins of the generation that went before them, for which God, in the ſight of all men puniſhed them; this is a provoking ſin.

And ver. 6. there is another ſin mentioned as a cauſe of wrath and mortality 〈…〉 people, and that is ſelling the people of God, and bartering away their lives and liberties for gain, trade and profit. Thus ſaith the Lord, for three tranſgreſſions of Iſrael and for four, I wil • 〈◊〉 turn away the puniſhment thereof, becauſe they haue ſold the righteous for Silver, and the poor for a pair of Shooes.

In a word, the great God is come out to plead with this Nation for all her abominations, he hath the ſame controverſie with this Land as he had with backſliding Iſrael, Hoſ. 4 1. 2. The Lord hath a controverſie with the land, becauſe there is no truth, nor mercy nor knowledg of God in the land, by ſwearing, and lying, and killing and ſtealing, and committing adultery, the land breaketh forth, and blood toucheth blood therefore ſhall the land mourn. Oh how many High-way thefts & open murders do cry for vengeance at this day, in this lothſom, ranting, open-faced violence, villany, blaſphemy and debauchery! To make up the ſum of their provocations & to compleat their deſtruction, their Prieſts who ſhould have ſtood in the gap to have ſtayd the • lague, who ſhould have warned them by their Doctrine, & lead them by their exemplary converſation, were as bed as the worſt, v. 6. My people are deſtroyed for lack of knowledge, and ver. 9. There ſhall be like prieſt like people, and I will puniſh them for their wayes, and reward them for their doings. Add one place more, Zeph. 1 where God threatens to conſume all things from the land • ay, to bring ſuch terrible deſolation, that the great men, and rich men, ſhall fall down under the ſtroke, and ſhall not be able to avoid the calamity, ver. 14. 15, 16, 17, 18. The great day of the Lord is near, and haſteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord the mighty men ſhall cry there bitterly, that day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and diſtreſs; and I will bring diſtreſs on men that they ſhall walk like blind men becauſe they have ſinned againſt the Lord, and their blood ſhall be poured out as duſt, and their fleſh as dung, neither their Silver nor their Gold ſhall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath: but the whole land ſhall be devoured by the fire of his jealouſie, for he ſhall make even a ſpeedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. Now the great ſin of that day are intimated ver. 5. joyning Heathen worſhip with the worſhip of God, and v. 6. Apoſtacy from former profeſſion and practiſe of holineſs, Thoſe that are turned back from the Lord, and have not ſought the Lord, nor enquired after him; And 2dly, Cheating and deceitful dealing in trading, ver. 9. I will puniſh all thoſe that leap upon the threſhold, which fill their maſters houſes with violence and deceit. 4thly, A carnal ſecure ſpirit, ſetling themſelves in their preſert enjoyments, and concluding, that God will not overturn nor diſturb the reſt of ſinners, nor bring to paſs the great things he hath promiſed; ſuch who have quenched all the former convictions, extinguiſhed former lights, and though once high in expectation of Glorious things, even the time of reſtitution of all things, yet now are returned to an earthly, worldly, ſecure frame of heart, ver 12. And it ſhall come to paſs at that time, that I will ſearch Jeruſalem with candles, & puniſh the men that are ſetled on their lees, that ſay in their heart the Lord will not do good nor evil. Therefore their goods ſhall became a booty and their houſes a deſolation.

And now, Oh London, harden not thy heart, ſhut not thine eyes, but behold and ſee, whether all theſe abominations are not in the midſt of thee. Now prepare to meet thy God in Sackcloth and Aſhes, humble thy ſelf, and mourn for thy ſins, and turn unto the Lord, that he may turn from his feirce wrath, and not make thee an utter deſolation and hiſſing, and abhorring and reproach as long as the world endur 〈…〉 .

And that I may faithfully help you in your duty, I ſhall follow the ſame method in the Medicines as I have in the Maladies.

1. The firſt Plague was for oppreſſing and per ſecuting the people of God, and not letting them go to worſhip as he had appointed; O ye Magiſtrates, look to this, your heavy hard upon Gods people, hath brought the heavy hard of God upon this City. Swearing, Whoring, Drunkeneſs, Sabbath-breaking & other crying ſins ye have left unpuniſhed; but if a company of poor Chriſtians had but met peaceably in a corner to pray to their God, and exhort one another in the things that concern their eternal ſalvation, with what eagerneſs have you hunted after them? with what taunts & deriſion, even bitter and ſcurrilous deriſion have you examined them? with what remorſleſs ſeverity have you condemned them? how full of blameleſs Chriſtians have your priſons bin, for no other Crime but matters of their God? you cannot ſay that they were puniſhed for this or that fundamental error, or deſtructive opinion, for their judgments and opinions you never examined; the only crime alledged, was for meeting in private to worſhip God. Surely had you been in the primative, the Apoſtles and Churches of Chriſtians who differed from the Magiſtrate in point of worſhip had by you fallen under the ſame condemnation with us. Your Ale-houſes full of drunkards, streets and 〈…〉 of ſportings on the Lords day, ſome houſes full of Papiſts at Maſs, beaſtly Pray-houses, with open-face teaching the youth Ribaldrie and looſeneſs, tolerated, 〈◊〉 diceaſed, as if no crime were puniſhable 〈◊〉 praying and preaching in private; the Lord help you to repent of this, and do 〈…〉 .

2. The ſecond crime mentioned, was inventions of men in the worſhip of God, Now I beſeech you as you love your own ſouls and would have the Plague ſtayed, be humbled for this great ſin, examine by what Spirit, by what Authority, of whoſe compoſing your worſhip i • , did God ever command thoſe ſervices, Ceremonies, Altars, Veſtures, Geſtures, Saints days, and formalities, in which is the chief of your worſhip? did God ever bleſs them to convert a ſoul from Satan to Jeſus Chriſt? did God own them in healing & comforting of a wounded conſcience? are they the beſt of men, the moſt holy, and mortified, in whoſe ſouls ſtead you would venture your ſouls when you come to dye; that are the Authors Abettors and zealous followers of ſuch worſhip? Remember that God would not bear the ten Tribes for making but one holy-day like the Feaſt himſelf had inſtituted; yet, how many dayes dedicated to Saints, kept holy to them, and perſons puniſhed that obſerve them, not, do you obſerve? a Heathen invention at firſt for the renown of their Devils and Heroes, and afterward in imitation of them taken up by the moſt ignorant Papiſts in the moſt corrupt times of Popery. Examine whether the Names, Titles, Offices, Dignities and Juriſdictions of the Miniſtry are by Divine Appointment, whether they have the characters of a Goſpel-Miniſtry, and the care of Goſpel-Miniſters, and if you find that perſons and things, worſhip and Miniſters have not the ſtamp of Divine Authority upon them, oh repent, repent that ever you have provoked God to jealouſie, that you have ſtirred up his hot diſpleaſure by your making to your ſelves Graven Images.

3. The third Plague mentioned, was for open-faced uncleanneſs. And never did any age abound with ſuch impudent practiſes of this kind, as this age and place; great perſons whoſe examples are the Rule of inferiors, have ſome of them publikely declared their ſin like Sod me, openly ſhewing their nakedneſs; others violently forcing women, openly attempting the chaſtity of ſome, which if not reſcued, had been violated by them; others murdering perſons becauſe they would not ſerve their luſts, and many living in profeſſed adultery, owning of it, and glorying in it, as if the holy God will never viſit for theſe things. But Whoremonger sand Adulterers God will judge. Therefore ye Adulterers and Adultereſſes, mourn for your ſins, go to God by prayer for the pardon of them, it may be you may yet find grace in his ſight: Iſa. 55. 7. Let the wicked for ſake his way, 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; pray for a clean heart, that God would mortifie your hainous and unruly luſts that war againſt your ſouls, and will aſſuredly bring you to hell, if ye repent not. To you Magiſtrates, if you have any pity for your own ſouls, or for this great City, Execute judgement upon incorrigible offenders in this kind; ſee how this duty zealouſly performed, ſtayed the Plague, Numb. 25. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. And when Phineas the ſon of Eleazer the ſon of Aaron the Prieſt, ſaw it, be roſe up from among the Congregation, and took a javelin in his hand, and he went after the man of Iſrael into the tent, and thruſt both of them through, the man of Iſrael and the woman through her belly; ſo the Plague was ſtayed from the Children of Iſrael. And the Lord ſpake unto Moſes ſaying, Phineas the ſon of Eleazer, the ſon of Aaron the Prieſt hath turned away my wrath from the Children of Iſrael, (while he was zealous for my ſake amongſt them, that I conſumed not the Children of Iſrael in my jealouſie.) Wherefore ſay, behold I give unto him my Covenant of peace, and he ſhall have it, and his ſeed after him, &c. Up and be doing ye Magiſtrates of this great City, let your zeal run in the right channel, againſt the enormous ſins of the times. But be it known unto you, if you ſhall be negligent and remiſs in this work, God wil raiſe up Saviours, God wil ſpirit ſome or other that ſhall execute Judgement and Juſtice, and you ſhall fall in your iniquities.

4. The fourth Plague was for carnal confidence in an A • m of fleſh; B • cauſe al • the Arms and Strength of a Nation is for you, therefore you are ſecure, boaſt your ſelves, and are confident you ſhall never be broken; you may remember that as valiant Armies, as ſuccesful Militia's, and as victorious • leets have been in other hands; yet how eaſily did the great God, for cauſes beſt known to himſelf, take away the hearts, and take the people out of the hands of thoſe men, who in their day were the terror of the Nations round about them? be not high-minded, but fear; for if it hath been done thus to the green Tree, what ſhall bed done to the dry Tree? lay to heart that Scripture, Jer. 17. 5, 6 Curſed be the man that maketh fleſh his A 〈…〉 , and whoſe heart departeth from the Lord, for he ſhall be like the Heath in the Deſart, and ſhall not ſee when good cometh, but ſhall in habit the parched places of the Wildeneſs. And as to the diverting the judgments procured by this ſin, I adviſe all perſons who have been hightned by their carnal confidences, to do as David did. 2 Sam. 24 10. And Davids heart ſmote him after that he had numbred the people, and David ſaid unto the Lord, I have ſinned greatly in that I have done take away the iniquity of thy Servant, for I have done fooliſhly. And v. 17. And David ſpake unto the Lord when he ſaw the Angel that ſmote the people, and ſaid, I have ſinned and done wickedly, but theſe ſheep what have they done? let thy hand I pray thee be againſt me and againſt my Fathers houſe. Here was a tender Magiſtrate, that preferred his peoples welfare before his own. Oh that great perſons would behold with compaſſion how many thouſands their ſins have hurried to the grave, and that they would repent and turn to the Lord!

5. The fifth great Plague was for loathing Manna, did luſting after Quarles: if there were no other argument to perſons of honour, But the grandure and noble houſe-keeping of their Anceſtors, their conſtant Tables and Entertainments to the Gentry & Yeomanry of the Country, which now is waſted upon a few invented Kickſhaws to pamper luſt, while their empty Manſions in the Country, and the hungry bellies of poor neighbours, grumble and mourn for their luxury, whilſt their God is their belly, their glory their ſhame, their luſt the end for which they live; and what a ſad reckoning will there be at laſt, when God ſhall call them to account how they have beſtowed all that Treaſure he put into their hands, and they have nothing to anſwer, but, Our curſed Luſts have ſwallowed up our Time, our 〈◊〉 , our Bodies, our Soul. As for you that have ſl • ghted Jeſus Chriſt and the Goſpel, and have returned to Egypt, ſee the juſt judgment of God upon you, threatned to ſuch, Lzek. 20, 24, 25. Becauſe they had not executed my judgements, but had deſpiſed my Statutes, and polluted my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their Fathers Idols, wherefore I gave them alſo Statutes that were not good, and Judgements whereby they ſhould not live.

Let all 〈◊〉 and backſliders remember from whence they are fallen and repent, let that dreadful word awaken you, Heb. 10 38. If any man draw back, my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him

Let all thoſe who after long baniſhment and puniſhment for former ſins, have been reſtored again, and brought every man again to his place, and yet go on in their old provocations, let them read Jer. 12. 14, 15, 16, 17. Thus ſaith the Lord, againſt all mine evil neighbours that touch mine inheritance which I have cauſed my people Iſrael to inherit, behold I will pluck them out of their Land, and pluck out the Houſe of Judah from amongſt them, and it ſhall come to paſs after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compaſſion on them, and will bring them again every man to his Heritage, and every man to his Land; and it ſhall come to paſs, if they will, diligently learn the wayes of my people, to ſwear by my Name, The Lord liveth, (as they have taught my people to ſwear by Baal then ſhall they be built up in the midſt of my people; but if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and deſtroy that people, ſaith the Lord.

A 〈…〉 your Prieſts more proud, bloody, perſecuting, prophane and ſuperſtitious, then ever? Is not that word fulfilled in them, Ezek 22. 25, 26. There is a conſſiracy of the Prophets in the midſt of her; like a roaring Lyon, raving the prey, they have devoured ſouls, they have taken the Treaſure and precious things, they have made hen many Widows in the midſt thereof, her Prieſts have violated my Law, and have prophaned my holy things; they have put no difference between the holy and prophane, neither have they ſhewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my ſabbaths, and I am prophaned among them: Nay, if they have put any difference at all, it hath been by contempt and reviling, perſecuting and worrying the godly, encouraging, and taking into their boſome the ungodly, as Ezek. 13. 22, 23. Becauſe with lyes ye have made the heart of the righteous ſad, whom I • a 〈…〉 made ſad, and ſtrengthened the hands of the wicked, that be ſhould not return from his wicked way, by promiſing him life; therefore ye ſhall ſee no more vanity—for I will deliver my people out of your hand, Amen.

Art not many of your Gentry more debauched, more full of blaſphemous Oaths, more enemies to bolineſs, ſobriety and civility, than they were before? Aſſure your ſelves both one and other, God will fulfil this word upon you, even utterly to root you out except you repent.

And as to the common ſort, who have been encouraged by your example, are they not wretchedly poluted? nothing but ſwearing, curſing, drunkenneſs, and among them Hell is broke looſe, and the very Reins of Modeſty and Humanity, are relaxed, ſo that God may juſtly ſpread your Carkaſes as dung upon the face of the Earth, and make room (by your deſtruction) for a more righteous and ſober generation.

Now therefore to conclude, You that have any tenderneſs left, that have not quite transformed your ſelves to Beaſts and Devils, you that would eſcape Hell, you that can with any remorſe behold the dying-pale-face of this Nation, ſtabb'd at the heart by theſe ſins of yours, Oh tremble at the fierce wrath of God that is gone forth againſt you, and abhor your ſelves for all your abominations, there is yet ſome encouragement left for you to turn and be ſaved, 2 Chr. 7. 13, 14. If I ſend the Peſtilence among my people, if my people that are called by my Name, ſhall humble themſelves, and pray, and ſeek my face, and turn from their wicked 〈◊〉 ; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their ſins, and will heal their Land. Be humbled for, and turn from all your wicked wayes, and be upon your faces in the duſt for mercy and pardon, before the deſtroying Angel arreſt you, and you be brought to the Bar of Divine Juſtice, where every impenitent ſinner will receive this ſentence, Depart from me ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.

To you that fear the Lord, and tremble at his righteous Judgments,

1. Be not over-confident that you ſhall not fall in this common calamity, for though the generality of Gods people ſhall be enſafed, yet we have deſerved by our ſins to periſh in this Wilderneſs, and 〈…〉 of this D • ſeaſe, to humble the reſt, and to harden the ungodly.

2. Be not ſurpriſed with a pannick fear, be not ſlaviſhly timerous, for this rugged, naſty Meſſenger comes on your Fathers Errand, and his buſineſs is to call you home to your Fathers Houſe, and you have your Fathers Promiſe to be with you in the midſt of the Valley of the ſhadow of death.

3. Be much in mourning for your own ſins, and the provoking ſins of others, and hereby you will be entituled to a Protection, Ezek. 9 Set a mark upon them that ſigh and mourn for all the abominations that are committed, and a charge is given to the deſtroying Angel, that he comes not near ſuch.

4. Be flying into ſpecial Providence, Pſal. 91.

5. Be eying Jeſus Chriſt our merciful and tender High-Prieſt, who will ſtand between the living and the dead, our Paſsover, who is ſacrificed for us, and the blood of ſprinkling ſhall ſave us from the Plague of the Plague, the guilt of ſin.

6. Keep up ſecret Communion with God, that if you ſhould be ſhut up, and no body ſuffered to come nigh you, yet God may be with you, as he hath promiſed, and ſtand by you, as he did by Paul. 1 Tim. 4. 16, 17. At my firſt Anſwer, no man ſtood with me—but God stood by me, and comforted me.

Laſtly, The voice of this Diſpenſation to you, is, that you ſet your hearts and your houſes in order, Iſa. 38. i. e. Get all ſcores cleared between God and your Immortal Souls, in the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo ſettle your Eſtates which God hath bleſſed you with in this World, that when you dye, Chriſt himſelf may entertain you with a Come ye bleſſed of my Father, &c. Matt. 25. 34, 35.