Ichabod. Or, A discourse, shewing what cause there is to fear that the glory of the Lord, is departing from New-England. Delivered in two sermons, / by Increase Mather ; [Eight lines of Scripture texts]

ICHABOD OR, A DISCOURSE, Shewing what Cause there is to Fear that the GLORY Of the Lord, is Departing from NEW-ENGLAND.

Delivered in Two SERMONS, By Increase Mather

Psal. 78.60, 61.

So that He forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh; the Tent which He placed among men: And delivered His Strength into Captivity, and His Glory into the Enemies hand.

Ezek. 20.49.

Then said I, Ah Lord God, they say of me, Doth he not speak Parables?

Boston, Printed by Timothy Green, Sold by the Book-sellers. 1702.

RELIGION stands on Tiptoe in our Land, Ready to pass to the American strand. Then shall Religion to America flee, They have their Times of Gospel even as we. Yet as the Church thither Westward fly; So Sin shall trace and dog her instantly: They have their Period also, and set Times, Both for their Vertuous actions, & their Crimes. V. Herbert Sacred Poems

TO THE Reader.

IF there is (as who can say their is not?) a Declension in the Churches of New-England, from what once they were, it is not to be wondred at: For in the Primitive Dayes of Christianity it was so; and this whilest the Apostles were yet Living. In the Churches in Galatia, there was a Superstitious observation of Holy-daye • , & of Meats and Drinks. And in those in Asia were greater Errors, and a Scandalous neglect of Discipline in several of them. But in the very next Age to the Apostles, the Defection from Primitive Purity, was greater and more general, especially in matters relating to Church-Discipline. Then began the Contest about the Day when Easter should be kept. Polycarp (the Bishop of Smyrna who was an Holy man, & Dyed a Martyr) and the Asian Churches with him, pleaded for its Observation on the Fourteenth day of the Month. Anicetus (the Bishop of Rome) and with him the Western Churches, would keep the Fifteenth day: The former pretending the Authority of the Apostle Iohn for their practice, and the latter the Authority of Peter. And how strange is it, that Polycrates the Bishop of Ephesus in his Letter to Victor at Rome, that so he might make Iohn to be of greater Authority then Peter, alledged that he was a Priest, and wore the the High-Priests Golden Crown, when as 'tis known that Iohn was of the Tribe of Iudah; nor would any Christian put on those Sacerdotal Ornaments. It is to be admired, that they who lived so near the dayes of the Apostles, should pretend their Authority for a practice in the Churches which they never taught. Ireneus in Eusebius sayes that in this, Their Fore-fathers had delivered to their Posterity a Custome which crept into the Churches through Ignorance. And Socrates in his Ecclesiastical History, acknowledgeth truly, that neither our Saviour nor His Apostles, did Ordain the keeping of that Holiday. Other usages not warrante • by the Scripture, were observed in many Churches within a few Ages of the Apostles. We find in Iustin Martyr's second Apology, that they mixed Water with the Wine, at the Lords Supper; and that the Deacons carried the Elements to such as were absent: both which practices were not according to Divine Institution: And yet it was thus within Fifty Years after some of the Apostles were living. Likewise additions to the Sacrament of Baptism, such as, Oyle, Milk, Honey, signing with the sign of the Cross, and Superstitious Garments; with other Ceremonies, crept into the Churches in the early Times of Christianity, and made way for Popery. So did the Glory by degrees depart from the Churches. None of these Superstitions do as yet obtain in the Churches of New-England: But what may in process of Time, who can tell?

It has been objected to Non-conformist's, that Modes and Forms of Worship, and Church Discipline, are small Matters, and not Essentials of Religion, and that therefore men should not Cont • nd about them, or expose themselves to Persecution on the account of such Inconsiderable matters.

That Pious and Learned Divine (who was Tutor to the late Arch Bishop Tillotson, when in the University) Mr Clerkson in his Sermons on Rev. 2.10. has Largely, and Judiciously Answered such Objectors; Shewing how the Faithful Servants of Christ have chosen rather to submit to the extremest Sufferings then to Sin, though it were but in a circumstance of Divine Worship: And that things which are but small in their first beginning, may become great in their Progress and tendency: e. g. Imposed Forms of Prayer, made way for the Mass, and for all the Coruptions of it. If stinted Liturgies had not been at first yielded to, the Popish Mass could never have taken place. Again, the first step to the Popes Throne, was the introducing of a Superiority amongst ordinary Officers in the Church. This by degrees rose to the Papal Heighth. The Commemoration of Saints and Martyrs at the place of their Sepulchres, made way for the Idolatry of Prayer to them. If the first commemoration had not bee • admitted, then the other had never followed. If men have power to Institut • one Religious Ceremony, they may as well appoint an hundred. Moreover, the introducing of small matters, may endanger that which is the main Bulwark of the Protestant Religion. This Principle, That nothing but the Scripture is the Rule of Faith and Worship, is that Bulwark. If by giving way to small matters pretended to be Indifferent, we let go that Principle, all our Religion is in danger. He further adds, that the smaller the matter is which we suffer for, presuming it to be an Evil, the more Honourable and the more Comfortable will our Sufferings be. It is a great Honour to Christ, that He has any in the world who will suffer much, rather then swerve from Him in the least. And it will be Comfortable to those that Suffer, because this will argue much Love to Christ, and great Fear of Sin, and so will be a great Evidence of Sincerity. Here is the greatest Try • l, when we are called to suffer for that which is counted a small matter▪ Thus writes the Judicious Author 〈…〉 in a M S. which I have seen, and 〈…〉 wish that the Publick had the 〈…〉 of it.

I hope no one will suppose that 〈…〉 for the Platform of Discipline ( 〈◊〉 has been the Profession, and 〈◊〉 accordingly, the Glory of the Churches in New-England,) Disrespect is cast on Reforming P • e • byterians in other parts of the world. For they in their Ius Divinum, (part 1. p. 191.) have declared their Concur • ence with our Discipline in things of greatest Concernments, and that the matters wherein they di •• er are not of such Consequence a • ▪ to make a Schism between them and us. It is well known, that Ministers of that perswasion, having been men of Holy and Peaceable Spirits, when they have come into this Land, have Conscientiously complied with what has been the General Practice of these Churches.

Things at this Day, look with a Dismal Aspect, on all Protestant Churches throughout the world; so as that some who not long since hoped that the happy Dayes promised to the Church on Earth, were at the door, begin now to fear that the last Slaughter of the Witnesses is yet to come. They that have such apprehensions are concerned to bear a full Testimony to those Truths which are like to be the occasion of their sufferings, lest sudden Changes should make them uncapable of doing what at present they have an opportunity for.

England (in whose Peace we shall have Peace) seems to be ripe for Judgment. The Grievous National sins committed in the late Reigns, have not yet been accounted for. Never was there a Nation in the world (the Iewish excepted) that sinned against the light of the Gospel so as the English Nation has. Our Hearts may (with Eli) tremble for the Ark of God there. I have often wondred at some very surprizing Passages which are in our Renowned Hookers Sermon, on Ier. 14.9. which was the last that he Preached in England. Shall I tell you (sayes he) what God has told me, Nay, I must tell you on pa • n of my Life: I am a poor Ambassador sent from God, to do His Message unto you. And tho' I be Low, yet my Message is from above, and He that sent me is Great; And Oh! that He would grant that this my Message might be believed. What if I should 〈◊〉 you what God told me yester-night, that He w • ll lay England waste. It is my Message by Meditation in Gods Word, that He bid me do to you. I do my Message as God Commanded me. Do you think well of it? Will you have England Destroyed? Will you put the Aged to Trouble, and your Young Men to the Sword? Will you have your Young Women Widows, and your Virgins Defiled? Will you have your dear and tender Little ones tossed on the Pikes, and dashed on the Stones? Or, will you have them brought up in Popery, in Idolatry, under a necessity of perishing their Souls forever, which is the worst of all? Will you have these Temples wherein we seem to worship God, will you have them and your Houses Burnt with Fire? — Do not say, here are many Good Christian. Do you think that God is beholding to you for your Religion? Surely not: For rather then He will preserve such as pro • ess His Name, and hate to be Reformed, He will ra • se up of these stones Children unto Abraham: He will rather go into Turkey, and say to them, Thou art my People, and I will be your God ▪ Thus speaks that Man of God. I find that this Sermon of his is by a mistake, Published amongst Mr. Fenners works▪ as if it had been Preached by him. Probably, the Booksellers might find it in Mr. Fenners Study amongst his Manuscripts, and so sent it abroad into the world under his Name. Reverend Mr. Higginson (the most Aged Minister now living in New-England) was well acquainted with Mr. Hooker, as having been Educated under him, and he assures me, That after Mr. Hooker had been many Years Pastor of Hartford, some of his intimate Friends enquired of him, whether he did not apprehend that the miseries which the English Nation was then bleeding under, by reason of the Civil Wars at that Time, were not those Desolations on England which he had foretold? To whom he Replied, That time is not yet come. God will giv • to England a a respite after these Wars, and try the Nation whether they will submit to the Kingly Office of the Lord IESVS CHRIST, which they will not do: Then will the Lord plead His own cause, in a more dreadful way, so as to break the English Nation as a Potters Vessel. Such Desolations will come, as only a Remnant shall escape: and after that, Christ will raise up Churches wh • ch shall be according to His own Hea • t. Had these things been uttered by an Enthusiastical Brain, they were not much to be regarded. But all men know that Mr. Hooker was a man of deep and solid Judgment. And one with whom above many others, the Secret of the Lord was. Surely the Lord will do nothing but He reveals His Secrets to His Servants the Prophets. On occasion of Mr. Hookers Death, our Famous Mr. Wilson (who was himself marvellously endowed with a Prophetical Spirit) Preached a Sermon on those words, Ezek. 33.33. And when this comes to pass, (lo! it will come) they shall know that there has been a Prophett among them. It becomes us humbly to leave Future Events with God who only knows them. Nevertheleless, it will be our wisdom to prepare for the worst of Times and Things, which may befal us in this present Evil world. We say Proverbially, It is good to prepare for the worst, the best will help it self. And this should we the rather do, because the Holy Oracles have assured us, That in the Last dayes Perilous Times will come.

Boston, N. E. November 14. 1701.

ICHABOD, OR, The GLORY Departing FROM New England

SERMON I. Ezek. IX.3

And the Glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherib whereupon he was, to the Threshold of the House.

THE Prophet Ezekiel had diverse Visions of the Glory of God. First, At the River Ch • bar ▪ s • condly, In the 〈◊〉 . Thirdly, In the Temple. Of which the words before us speaks. The Prophet was himself in Babylon: but being in a Divine Ecstasy, he saw what was in the Temple at Ierusalem. He there saw the Glory Departing.

1. Here is the Term or Place from whence it went; viz. From the Cherub whereupon it was: or, Cherubims, the singular number put for the plural, as is usual in the Scripture. By the Cherubims, the Holy Angels are signified. The Glorious▪ God is above them. They are His winged Messengers, on whom He is said to fit. When tis said, the Glory departed from the Cherub; it intends, that it 〈◊〉 gone from off the Mercy-Seat, where 〈◊〉 alwayes dwelt between the Cheru ••• s.

2. Here is Expressed the Place to which the Glory removed; viz. To the Threshold of the House. There it stood a while, to shew how unwilling the Lord was to leave His House. As a man that i • loth to go out of an House, will go as far as the Threshold and there make a stand, and it may be come back a • ain. Thus did the Glory of the Lord do. In the Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Chapters of this Prophecy, which are all of them one Sermon, or an account of the same Vision, in the several parts of it, we see that the Glory of God did not go away all at once, but by several steps and degrees.

1▪ It removed from the North side of the House, to the Threshold of the Door.

2. After that it went back again, to another side of the House.

3. After that to the East Gate, which was out of the House.

4. Then to the midst of the City.

5. Out of the City to the Mountain.

6. From Mount Olivet it went up to Heaven, and returned no more. 〈◊〉 Sudden, and yet Gradual Departure, 〈◊〉 to intimate, that the Lord would sudde ••• be gone from them, and yet that He was loth to remove from His People, if they would have been prevailed with to remove and reform those things which we • e a provocation to the Eyes of His Glory.

The DORTRINE which the words afford unto us, is,

That when God removes the Glory from a People, He uses to do it Gradually, and not all at once.

There are Two things to be Enquired into.

1. When does the Glory remove from a People?

2. How does it appear that God removes His Glory by degrees and not all at once? Or, what are the several steps which the Lord useth to observe in His dispensations towards His People before He does totally remove His Glory from them?

•• est. 1. When does the Glory remove from a People?

Answ. 1. When God Himself goes from them, then the Glory is gone. The design of this Vision was to intimate this. The Iews thought that God would never go out of the Temple, but that as long as they had the Temple they were sure enough of the Lords being amongst them. To convince them of the contrary, Ezekiel saw the Glory of the Lord going out of the Temple. GOD is infinite Glory. The Hebrews were wont to call God by that Name of Glory. 2 Pet. 1.17. There came a voice from the Excellent Glory: That is from God, who is Excellent Glory. And He is styled the God of Glory, Act. 7.2. The God of Glory appeared to our Father Abraham▪ And the Glorious Lord, Isa. 39.21. The greatest Glory which any people have or can have, is in their relation to Him, Jer. 2.11. My People have changed their Glory. Changing their God was changing their Glory. No People in the world have such a Glory upon them, as they have who have the only true God to be their God. Zec. • .5. For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of Fire round about, and will be the Glory in the midst of her. God is His Peoples Muniment, and their Ornament. He is their Glory Actively, because they ascribe Glory to Him: and Passively in that they receive all their Glory from Him. Therefore when God goes away, the Glory goes. But He is not said to go from any People, or from any Place in respect of His Essential Presence, which 〈◊〉 impossible; only when He ceaseth to manifest His Gracious Presence in the midst of them. Judg. 6.13. If the Lord be with us, why is all this befallen us? When the Lord permits the Enemies of His People to prevail, and does not Exert His Power for their Salvation, He is said not to be with them. The Attributes of God (which are His Being variously discovered unto and appreh • nded by His Creatures) are called His Glory. Joh. 11▪ • . If thou wouldst believe thou shouldst se • the Glory of God; viz. His power manifested. This is called, His Glorious Arm. Isa. 63.12. When the Lord is pleased to make discoveries of His Power and Mercy to His People, He is said to Shine forth, and to shew His Glory, Psal. 80.1. • 90.16▪ When it is otherwise, He seems to be gone, and then the Glory is removed from that People.

2. When a Peeple have less of Christ amongst them then once they had, then the Glory is Departed from them. For He is the Glory of His People Israel, Luk. 2.32. It was Christ, whose Glory the Prophet Ezekiel saw. In the Vision which he had by the River Cheb •• , he saw on the Throne, the likeness of a Man upon it· This was the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of the Lord, and when he saw it he fell on his Fac • ; as in the Last verses of the first Chapter is expressed. Now not God the Father, but Christ the Son of God was wont to appear unto the Prophets of Old, in the form of a Man; thereby signifying His future Incarnation. Isaiah had a Vision like this of Ezekiel. He saw the Lord sitting on a Throne, and heard the Seraphims saying one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole Earth is full of His Glory. Isa. 6.3. Because He did execute Judgement, not only on the Land of Israel, but all the Earth over: The Seraphims, the Holy Angels, beheld the whole Earth full of His Glory. The Apostle assures us, that it was Christ whose Glory Isaiah saw, Ioh. 12.41. As God the Father, so Christ is called by that Name of Glory. Psal. 85.9. That Glory may dwell in our Land. When the Son of God was Incarnate, and dwelt for Thirty Years and more on the Earth, and in the Land of Israel, then did Glory dwell in that Land. Christ is the King of Glory. The Psalmist Prophesying of Christs Ascension to Heaven, speaks as in Psal. 24.7. Lift up your Heads, O ye Gates, and be ye lift up▪ ye Everlasting Doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. And He is styled, The Lord of Glory: 1 Cor. 2.8. Had they known it, they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory. It is affirmed concerning the Second Temple, The Glory of this latter House, shall be greater then of the former. Haggai 2.9. And how was that fulfilled? Not in respect of an outward Glory, consisting in the Magnificence and costliness of the Edifice, for so it was not to be compared with the former. Ver. 3. W • o is left among you that saw this House in her fi • st Glory? How do you see i • now? Is it not in your Eyes in comparason of it as nothing? Some have pretended, that Herod made a costly Addition to the Second Temple, so as to make it more Glorious then Solomons. Which is far from being true. For besides what Solomon himself expended in Building that House, for the Name of God, his Father David left him so many Millions of Gold and Silver to be improved for that Building, as that 'tis Questionable, whether all the Kings now living in the world are possess'd of so vast a Treasure. There was more builders employed in Solomons Temple, then there were men returning with Zerubbabel out of Babylon. So then, it remains that the Second Temple was more Glorious then the First, in respect of the Presence of Christ therein. The First Temple was not honoured with the Personal presence of Christ, the Son of God in it, as the Second Temple was; and that made it Excel in Glory. If we consider Christ as God, an Infinite and Eternal Glory is to be affirmed of Him▪ He is the Brightness of the Fathers Glory, and the express Image of His Person, Heb. 1.3. A clear Text to prove that Christ the Son of God is Eternal, if the Father is so. Had it been possible (which is not possible) for the Sun in the Firmament to have been Eternal, the Brightness of the Sun would have been so too. There is then an Eternal, and therefore an Infinite Glory belonging to Christ. And considered as Man, there was such a Glory seen in Him, as never was seen in ony one but in the Son of God Himself. Joh. 1.14. We beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the only Begotten of the Father. The Glory of God is to be seen shining in the Humane Nature of Christ, more then any where else. The Scripture speaks of he Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God, in the Face of Iesus Christ. 2 Co •• 4.6. The Glory of God was seen on the Face of Moses, so that the Children of Israel were not able to behold it. But what was the Glory of God in the Face of Moses, compared with that Glory in the Face of JESUS CHRIST? There is more of the Glory of God to be seen in the Humane Nature of Christ, then in the whole Creation besides: Especially in those Glorious Perfections, wherewith the Soul of the Man Christ Jesus is adorned: In respect whereof He resembles God more, then any Man or Angel does There is more of the glorious Grace, of the kindness and goodness of God to be seen in the Man Chr • st Iesu • , then in any one else: Joh· 1.14. We beheld His Glory full of G • ace. And more of the Holiness of God. The Angel Gabriel calls Christ, the most Holy; alluding to the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Dan. 9.24. To anoint the most Holy. As God he is not said to be Anointed, but as Man he is Anointed with the Oyle of the Spirit of Grace and Holiness above all others. God, His God has Anointed him above his Fellows. There is a greater & more Glorious shine of the Divine Perfections in the Humane Nature of Christ, then in any Object whatsoever. And altho' we may not say, nor ought we to believe, the Pe •• ections of the Humane Nature of Christ • re Infinite, and that it is every where, (as Luthe • ans imagine) or, that the Incommunicable properties of the Divine Nature belong unto it: Nevertheless, the glorious Perfections thereof, are next to Infinite. There is a Similitudinary Omniscience, and a Similitudinary Omnipotence, to be affirmed of the Man Christ Jesus· That Man has such Wisdom, and such Power as makes him more like God then any Angel in heaven. The Iewish writers have a Ce • berated saying, viz. That the Messiah shall be grea • er then Moses, greater then our Father Abraham, yeae, greater then the Angels. In which they say true: For all the Angels in heaven 〈◊〉 to him: They cover their Faces before • im, in humble acknowledgment of his Superlative Glory, Isa. 6.2. They then who have not so much of Christ amongst them as once they were favoured with, have cause to be sensible of the Glory's removing from them. Thus it was with the Churches in Galatia. The holy Apostle said to them, I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ, unto anot ••• Gospel. Gal. 1.6. Paul had Prea •• 〈◊〉 the pure Gospel among them, laying nothing besides Christ in the Foundation, building all hope of Justification in the sight of God, on His Righteousness only: But others came, and were for those Ceremonies which Christ by his Death has abolished, and they would have Works and Righteousness of their own joyned with Christ in Justification. Thus was the glory of the grace of God in Jesus Christ obscured. Gal. 5.4. Chr • st is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are Iustifyed by the Law, ye are fallen from Grace. If in respect of the Doctrine Preached amongst them, they were fallen from Grace, the glory of God▪ was gone out of their Church-assemblies. So when a Congregation did once hear much of Christ, they had Ministers of the Lord who were alwayes Preaching Christ to them, but now, they seldom hear that glorious Name mentioned; the glory of God is in a sad degree, removed from that Congregation. Or, if Christ is Preached sincerely, but is withdrawn from his own Ordinances, then the Glory is not in them. When People have Sabbaths, but no Christ in them, Sermons but no Christ in them, Sacraments, but no Christ in them, the Glory is gone from their Souls. When they have the Mantle of Elijah, but not the Lord God of Elijah. When they have empty Ordinances, without a Christ gloriously present with them, and breathing on their Souls under the enjoyment of them, the glory is then gone from the Temple.

Therefore;

3. When the Holy Spirit witholds his wonted gracious Influences and Operations, the Glory is removed from that People. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Glory: 1 Pet. 4.14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are you, for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you. They that have a singular presence of the Spirit of God within them, are upon that account, the Subjects of a Divine glory. This was one of the peculiar glories of the Children of Israel, in respect whereof they did Excel all other people; in that that they had such a Presence of the holy Spirit amongst them as no other people had. Neh· 9.20. Thou gavest thy good Spirit to instruct them. And in another place it is said, According to the word that I Covenanted with you, when ye came out of Egypt, so my Spirit remaineth among you. Hag. 2.5. The gifts of the Spirit are glorious things. God poured down of his Spirit in a glorious manner in those Extraordinary gifts, which some among his people, for the benefit of all were endowed with. But these departed for a long time after the Temple was Destroyed; which might be one thing signified by the going away of the glory. Ezek. 11.23. The Glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City, and stood upon the Mountain. So did the holy Spirit go up to the Mountain, i. e. to Heaven, and there he abode for a long Time. They saw not their Signs, nor was there any more a Prophet among them. Under the Second Temple, there were not until the coming of Christ, those glorious Effusions of the Spirit which had been under the First Temple. The Hebrew Doctors observe that there were Five glorious things in the First Temple, which were wanting in the Second·

1. The Ark.

2. Vrim and Thummim.

3. The Holy Fire.

4. The Shechina, or Divine Presence.

5. The Holy Ghost: under which Prophecy and other Extraordinary gifts of the Spirit are comp • ehended. And this helps to understand that Scripture, Act. 19., 2. When the Disciples at Ephesu • ,, being ask'd whether they had received the holy Ghost, replyed, We have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost. It is not to be supposed, that they had never heard any thing of the person or being of the holy Spirit, only they had heard nothing of his coming down from heaven, in respect of those Extraordinary gifts which for a long time had ceased. But the saving graces of the Spirit are more glorious things then those Extraordinary gifts were. 1 Cor. 12.31. Covet earnestly the best Gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more Excellent way. Saving grace is more Excellent then the Best Gifts without that grace. It is a Spiritual and Internal glory. It makes a glorious Soul. Psal. 45.12. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within. There is a gracious and a glorious presence of the Spirit of God among his People when Sinners are Converted into Saints, and when Saints are built up in their most holy Faith. Wherefore, the Spirit of God is withdrawn, & the glory is upon the remove.

1. When Converting work is at a stand. For Conversion is the work of the Spirit. It is a Renovation of Soul wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost, Tit. 3.5. If a man is set at Liberty from the Dominion of sin, it is the Spirit of the • ord that hath done it 2 • or. 3 17. Men are only instruments therein; the holy Spirit is the principal Agent. It is true, that God delights to make use of one mans Ministry more then of anothers, and of one mans way of Preaching more then of anothers: Nevertheless, it is not the man that Preacheth, but the Spirit of God that Converts, and begins a work of Grace in the Soul of a sinner. If he witholds His Efficacious and Irresistible operations, the ablest Preacher in the world will never be able to Convert one Soul. 1 Cor. 3.5, 7. Who is Paul? And who is Apollos? But Ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man. Neither is he that Planteth any thing; neither he that Watereth, but God that giveth the increase. That which Ezekiel speaks concerning the Dead Bones, is true concerning Dead Souls: Ezek. 37.10. I Prophec • ed as He commanded me, and Breath came into them, and they Lived. Prophecying will not make them Live, except Breath come into them. Preaching over Dead Souls will not make them Live, except the Spirit of God come down into them. What a glorious Presence of th • Spirit of God was there in the Primitive Times of Christianity, when Three Thousand were Converted by one S • rmon' Act. 2.41. Something like this there was in the beginning of the Reformation. It is related that in the City of Lions in France, that Famous Preacher and Reformer, V •• e, was an happy instrument of Converting some Thousands. In another Kingdom, about Seventy Years since, there were (as a late Writer informs us) Five Hu • dred pers •• s Conve • ted by one Sermon· But when Conversions become rare; many Serm • ns Preached, and not one Soul Converted, 'tis a sign the Glory is going. Alas! It is true; that me • may sit under a very powerful and awakening Ministry for many years, and yet not be Converted by it, but the contrary, even Judicially Blinded and Hardned. What a Pre • c • er was Isaiah? Did ever man in the Dayes of the Old Testament, Preach Christ as he did? Yet there was more Hardned under his Ministry, then were Converted by it. Isa. 6.10. Because the Spirit of the Lord was withdrawn, and the Glory was upon the wing, ready to be gone from that People.

2. When they that a • e Converted d • not grow in Grace, according to the means of Grace vouchsafed to them, that argues that the holy Spirit is withdrawn, and the Glory Departing. There are Second Conversions of the same Christians, though not as to their State, but in respect of Growth in Grace. Christ therefore said to his own Disciples, Except ye be C • nverted: Mat. 18.3. Further degrees of Mortification and Sanctificatification are to be endeavoured by true Believers. They are still to be cleansing themselves, and perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God. It was said to Peter, When thou art Converted strengthen thy Brethren. Luk. 22.32. Yea, and all the Apostles experienced that which was like a new Conversion; so that they differed from what themselves once were very much· A blessed shower of the Spirit descended on them, which caused the Grace which was in their Souls to grow wonderfully. It is a glorious thing when Christians grow in grace, so as that all who are acquainted with them, shall say they are growing Christians; o • e may see that their Souls Thrive. Such were the Thessalonians, of whom the Apostle sayes, That their Fai • h did grow Exceedingly, and their Charity abounded — 2 Thes. 1.3. But when men have no more Grace in their Souls then they had Twenty Years ago; although they enjoy precious Means Sabbaths, Lectures, Sermons, Sacraments. When it is so generally with any Church, the Spirit of God is withdrawn, and the Glory is removed from that Temple. Much more is it so, when there are visible decayes in Churches, and Godliness in the powor of it is Dying every day. Such Churches as those at Ephesus, and at Sard • s, unto one of which it was said, You have left your First Love, Remember whence thou art fallen; and to the other, Thou hast a Name that thou Livest, and art Dead, Strengthen the things which remain and are ready to Die; the Glory is Departing from them. When they have only a Name of being for Purity and Reformation more then other Churches in the world, b • t Live n • t according to their Holy Profession, you may call them by the Name of Ichab • d, for, where is the Glory?

4. When those Holy Ordinances which be the Symbols of the Divine Presence among a People are removed, the Glory of the Lord is gone w • th them. There was a Symbolical Presence of God in the Temple: On which account, that was to the Children of Israel their Glory. Ezekiel speaking of the Temple of the Lord, sayes, As for the Beauty of his O • nament, he set it in Majesty. Ezek. 1.20. And when this was Destroyed, the Lamenting Church complained, saying, He has cast down from Heaven unto the Earth, the Beauty of Israel, and remembred not his Footstool, in the day of His anger. Lam. 2.1. So likewise the Ark, which was another Divine Ordinance, had the Name of Glory given to it· Rom. 9.4. To the Israelites pertained the Glory, viz. in rerespect of the Ark of God which is so called: Over which were the Cherubims of Glory, shadowing the Mercy-Seat. Heb. 9.5. Yea, the Ark is called, The Glory of God, because the glorious God was pleased therein to reside in a singular manner. When the Philistines had got the Ark into their Possession, it is said, that God delivered his Strength into Captivity, and His Glory into the Enemies hand. Psal. • 8.61. Hence when David was by means of Sauls Persecution, Exiled, that he could not oome into the T • bernacle where the Ark was, he said before the Lord, My Soul thirs • eth for thee, to see thy Power and thy Glory. Psal. 63.2. So in the Land of Israel there was a Symbolical Presence of God. Hence it is called, The Glorious Land. Da • . 11.41. Many Divine Ordinances were not to be enjoyed in any other Land but that. The design of Ezekiel's V • si • n, was to intimate, that the Ark, and the Temple should be Destroyed, and the Holy Land Prophaned; and that God would forsake it. All Relig • ous Ordinance • which God Himself has Instituted are signs of his Gracious Presence amongst the People who are the subjects of them. And they are Glorious Things, b • re • son of that of God which is in t •• m. • ence David speaks, as in Psal. 27.4. One thi • g 〈◊〉 desired of the Lord▪ and that w • ll I seek a • ter, that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my Life, to behold the Beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple. And again, in Psal. 29.9. In His Temple does every one speak of His Glory. It is evident that God is in his own Ordinances from the blessed Effects of his Presence therin. Many a gracious soul has had Doubts resolved and Conscience satisfied by waiting on the Lord in them. Psal. 73.16, 17. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me, until I went into the Sanctuary of God, then understood I. There is as an Enlightning, so a Comforting Presence of God attending His own Holy Institutions Many a Saint has come to a Sermon with an heart full of sorrow, and has gone away again with an heart full of joy. And how has the Lord sometimes filled the Souls of His Children with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory, when Worshipping him in the use of those Sacraments which himself has Commanded? When in Hezekiahs time, the Lords people did Religiously observe the Passover, there was great Ioy in Jerusalem, 2 Chron. 3 • .26 As for the true Believers amongst them, the Lord in that Ordinance Sealed to them the Pardon of their sins for the sake of the Messiah that was to come, and was to be the Lamb of God, who should be Sacrificed to take away the sin of the world. This Faith must needs caus • Joy in them. That great Man whom Philip Baptised, after he had the remission of his sins sealed unto him in the Sacrament, had his Heart filled with an holy Joy. Act. 8.39. He went on his way rejoycing. One of the Ancients sayes, that in the Primitive Times, Christians would go from the Table of the Lord so full of the Spirit of God, as that they were terrible to the Devils themselves. There is a powerful Presence of God in His own Institutions when duely attended. Gospel-Ordinances are Glorious. The Ordinances of the Old Testament were Glorious, but those of the New are more Glorious. 2 Cor. 3. • . How shal not the M • n • stration of the Spirit be rather Glorious? And ver. 11. If that which was done away was Glorious, much more that which remains is Glorious. For Gospel • Ordinances Exhibit Christ more fully and clearly, then can be said of those which were in force under the Mosa • cal Dispensation. That which was said to the Galatians, may be said to all who enjoy the Gospel, and the Ordinances thereof. Gal. 3.1. Before whose Eyes, Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth Crucified among you.

A little further to inlarge here. The Glory goes from a people;

1. When they are wholly deprived of Divine Ordinances. When the Ark was gone, it was said, The Glory is d • pa • ted from Israel. 1 Sam. 4.22. This was the case of the Iews when in Babylon. After the Prophet Ezekiel was Dead, they had not such Sermons, as they were wont to hear at Ierusalem: nor had they such Sacraments as once they enjoyed. Hence was that complaint, Psal. 74.9. We see not • n • igns, there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knows how long? and that complaint, in Lam. 2.9. The Law is no more, 〈◊〉 Prophets also find no Vision from the Lord. Nor had they such Sabbaths as once they were blessed with. Lam. 1.7. Their Adversaries Mocked at their Sabbaths. And how did they Mock at them? Doubtless, when the beginning of the Year came, the Babylonians would mock and say, You'll go to Ierusalem to kee • the Passover, will you? And at the latter end of the Year, they woul • mock again, and say, Will you go to Ie • rusalem to keep the Feast of Taberna • cles? They that carried them away Cap • tive, required a Song. They would say, Sing us one of the Songs of Zion▪ Thus would they J • er at them, whe • they knew they could not in a strang • Land sing the Glorious Songs of 〈◊〉 Lord· This is much more the case 〈◊〉 the miserable Iews at this day▪ and ha • been so for more then Sixteen Hundred Years. They have not any Ordinanc • which is now a part of 〈◊〉 Wor • ship, left among them. They who wer • once the Children of the K • ngdom are now cast out into outer Darkness▪ The Glory of God is t • k • n from the • and 〈◊〉 r • side among the Gentiles 〈◊〉 Christ told them it would be so. Ma • ▪ 2 • .43. The Kingdom of God shall 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 , and given to a Nation bringi •• forth the 〈◊〉 thence. And the like 〈◊〉 th • s has hapned 〈◊〉 many Churches 〈…〉 . The Love 〈◊〉 the • hurch 〈…〉 , that He would remove the Candlestick. Rev. 2 5. Which implyed a removal of the Glory. The Light, the Glory which did once shine in Ephesus, has been Extingui • hed many Ages since.

2. When the Ordinances of God are Cor • upted, then▪ the Glory ceaseth. If Purity be gone the Glory is gone with it. There are especially two things which Corrupt the Ordinances of the Lord, and so cause Him to remove His Glory.

1. When men will be mixing something of their own with Divine Institutions. Whereas they ought not to add so much • s a Ceremony to what the Lord has appointed. Deut. 4.2. Ye shall not add unto the word which I Command you, neither shall you diminish ought from • t. A Pompous and Superstitious worship, full of Humane addition and intention, is a Glorious thing in the Ca • • al Eyes of men, but it is not so in • he Eyes of the Lord. No; such things cause Him to remove his Glory far from • hem. For they are Images forbidden • n the Second Commandment. Yea, • mages of Jealousy, which provoke the Lord to go far from His Sanctuary.

2. Another thing which Corrupts the Worship of God, is, When persons not duely qualified are admitted unto those Ordinances which they have no right unto. We know that under the Old Testament, such as were Ceremonially Unclean, might not partake of Holy things. Lev. 7.20. The Soul that Eateth of the Flesh of the Sacrifice of Peace Offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his Vncleanness upon him, even that Soul shal • be cut off from among his people. This instructs us, that under the Gospel such as are M •• ally Vr ••• ar, must not partake in the Holy Institutions of Christ. If they know themselves to be such, they ought not to 〈◊〉 with Sacred things. The very Heath • n by the Light of Nature, were sensible of this; and therefore it is strange that any man should Teach otherwise. There is a Scripture which has respect to Gospel-Times▪ Consuming the Truth before us, viz. that in Ezek. 44.7. You have brought into my Sanctuary strangers Vncircumcised in Heart, and Vncircumcised in Flesh, to be in my Sanctua • y to Pollute it. Not only Vncircum • ised in Flesh, but the Vncircumcised in Heart, ought not to be brought into the Sanctuary. And if they are known to be such, they that bring them in Pollute the Sanctuary, and cause the Glory to Depart out of it. When both the Worship and the Worshippers are such as God approveth, there is a great Glory on such Assemblies, and a singular Presence of the Lord with them, as long as they continue to be such. Then upon all the Glory shall be a Defence. Isa. 4.5. But as Degeneracy from a more Reformed state, does by degrees come in upon a people, the Glory goes away from them gradually, and it may be insensibly.

5. When such Persons who have had much of God with them and in them, and who can do much towards keeping the Glory amongst a people are removed, the Glory useth to remove with them. Christians who are eminent for Faith and Holiness have much of God with them, and by their fervent Prayers stop the Glory when it is going away. When many of these are removed at once, the Glory does not use to stay long after them. Especially, this is true of Men in Publick place, who are eminently Faithful. A Magistrate who is not of a worldly, selfish, private Spirit, but whose Heart is set for God, has a great Presence of the Lord with him, Judg, 2.18, 19. When the Lord raised them up Iudges then the Lord was with the Iudge, and delivered them out of the hand of their Enemies, all the dayes of the Iudge. As long as that Eminent man Lived, the Glory departed not; but as soon as he was Dead, sad Changes came upon the Land in a little time. Sometimes when one Eminent man is removed, the Glory of a People is Buried with him. It was very much so when Iosiah Died. Then did the Lords People say truly, The Crown is fallen from our Head. Lam. 5.16. Which is in other words, The Glory is departed from us. A Praying Magistrate may do much towards detaining the Glory still. So did Moses, when the Glory was going from the Church in the wilderness, by his Prayers he stayed it. So Ministers who have an Eminency of Gifts & Grace, have a great Presence of the Holy Spirit with them. It is said of Barnabas, that he was full of the Holy Ghost. Such are instruments in the hand of Christ, by whom the Glory is continued. Elijah, and after him Elisha were as the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof. It was by their means that the Glory was kept from being totally removed. In the beginning Times of Christianity, whilest the Apostles Lived, who were richly furnished with Gifts and Graces, there was a Glory on the Churches, which after their Decease went away. Some Errors in Doctrine crept into the Churches before Iohn who outlived the other Apostles was Dead: And in some Churches, the Discipline of Christ 〈◊〉 quite laid aside. And in the very next Age to the Apostles, some Ministers who were good men, and suffered Martyrdom at last; nevertheless, did in matters relating to Church-Government, degenerate from the simplicity of the Gospel, and introduced diverse Superstitions, which were never taught nor practised by the Apostles, their immediate Predecessors: witness the Contest about Easter, and other things that msght be mentioned. There has been many a Church in the world, which might Date the Time of the Glories departing from them, from the day that the Eminent Minister whom God had honoured them with, was laid in his Grave. When Old El • Dyed, the Glory departed from Israel. 1 Sam. 4.21.

6. When Sin comes into the Temple the Glory goes out o • it. The Prophet in a Vision beheld abominable things in the Temple, and then he saw the Glory removing. He was brought to the door of the Gate of the Lords House, and beheld, There sat women weep • ng for Tammuz. Ezez. 8.14. How horrid was that! To make the Temple a Stews. Tammuz was a filthy Egypt • an Adulterer, whom the Heathen Idolized, and had Cursed Rites of worship in Commemoration of him. Well might the Lord remove out of his Temple when such wicked Abominations were tolerated therein. So as to the Myst • cal Temple: If Scandalous Evils are found in a particular Church, and not duely Testified against, by a Faithful and Impartial Exercise of that Holy Discipline, which Christ has Commanded, the Lord and His Glory will not long abide in that Church. He cannot endure to dwell where sin is indulged. It is grievous to an Holy man, to be amongst those that allow themselves in Wickedness. Psal. 120.5. Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech, and dwell in the Tents of Kedar. And will the Holy God dwell in such Tents as these are? It is a sign that the Lord is withdrawn from men, when they are left to Scandalous Sins. And when they give way to such sins, they provoke Him to depart from them more dreadfully, and so to deprive them of their Glory. Hos. 4.7. A • they were increased, they Sinned against me: Therefore I will change their Glory into Shame.

But thus much may suffice in Answer to the First Enquiry proposed. I cannot at this Time proceed unto what remains. I confess I have many things in my Heart to speak, which my very Soul is concerned in the Meditation on them. O NEW-ENGLAND! NEW-ENGLAND! Look to it, that the Globe not removed from thee. For it begins to go. It is come to the Threshold of the House, if not to the East-Gate. And inasmuch as it is on the Departure it may be gone suddenly. It is easy to see that such things may happen, as will cause much of the Glory to be removed in a little Time. If God should suddenly take away but Ten or Twelve Men, (I mean a few) whom the Lord Jesus Christ has made Pillars in His Temple, if others equal to them (of which there is little prospect) shall not come in their room, a swift Apostacy would be likely to come on the Churches in New-England! And if the Fountain should fail: I mean the COLLEDGE, which has been one of the Glories of New-England; if that should fail, or (which is worse) become a Nursery not of Plants of Renown, but of Degener • te Plants, who will forsake those Holy Principles of Truth, which their Fathers came unto this Land with respect thereunto; the Glory is like to be gone from these Churches in less then one Generation: so that little or nothing of New-England will be found in New-England it self. Let us do what we may to prevent it. And let us make Moses his Prayer, Psal. 90.16. Let thy work appear unto thy Servants, and thy Glory unto their Children.

SERMON II.

We come now to the Second Enquiry proposed, Viz.

Enqui. 2. HOW does it appear that God remo • es His Glory by degrees, and not all at once? Or, what are the several steps which the Lord useth to obser • e in His dispensations towards His people before the 〈◊〉 is a Total departure of the Glory from them?

Answ. 1. God does not use to depart, or remove the Glory from a People without giving them warning of it. He does by His Word give solemn warning of His departure. Jer. 23.39. I will forsake you, and cast you out of my presence. The Lord stirreth up the Hearts of His Messengers, to give notice that the Glory is going before the removal of it: And this it may be a long time before hand. So did God deal with the Old world. Noah continued Preaching to them, and Warning them an Hundred and Twenty Years before the Flood came, which put an end to all their Glory. Thus also did the Lord deal with the Iews. He sent many Prophets to them. There are above Twenty Prophets whose Names are mentioned in the Scripture, by whom the Lord warned that People. The Prophet Ieremiah for Three and Twenty Years together (as himself takes notice) told them what was coming. Ier. 25.3. Some write that Forty Five Years expired, before that Prophet finished the course of his Ministry. Several other Men of God continued Prophecying that the Glory would be removed, some of them above Fifty Years. And thus Chri •• dealt with the Churches in Asia. H • did not remove those Candlesticks ou • of their places without first giving them solemn Warnings about it▪ And this is the first step towards the removal of the Glory.

2. God does not use to bring all His Iudgments on a People at once, but He is wont to begin with lesser and so to proceed unto greater Iudgments. If a lesser Judgment will not awaken, then He brings another Seven times greater: and if that won't do, then another Seven times greater then the former. Thus did the Lord threaten His People, Lev. 26.21. If you will walk contrary to me, & will not hearken to me, I will bring Seven times more Plagues upon you, according to your Sins. And again, he sayes, 23. If you will not be reformed by these things, I will punish you yet seven times for your si • s. We find in the Prophets, that the Lords proceeding with His people, were according to those holy Threatnings of His word. Isa. 9.1. At the first He lightly afflicted the Land of Zebulon, and the Land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously afflict her. Thus it was, first one of the Kings of Assyria came against the Ten Tribes, and put them under Contribution, making them to pay a Thousand Talents of Silver, which amounted unto above Three Hundred and Forty Thousand Pounds Sterling. After that, there came another King of Assyria, and depopulated a considerable part of the Countrey, making the Inhabitants his Captives. After that, there came a third King of Assyria, viz. Shalmanasser, and he destroyed the Capital City, and proved a sweeping Judgment to the whole Land. So was the Glory Totally and Eternally removed from all the Ten Tribes. To the like purpose does the Lord speak by the Prophet Hosea, saying, I will be to Ephraim as a Moth. You know a Moth does leasurely and by degrees consume and marr mens Clothes. In like manner, from the Death of Iereboam, God had been weakning Ephraim, viz. the Ten Tribes by various Judgments, especially by Divisions among themselves. And to the House of Judah as Rottenness; or as a Worm, as the Original word imports. A Worm does not Rot the wood all at once, but gradually. Thus was it with the Two Tribes, called The House of Judah: Lesser Judgments were the forerunners of, and but preparatory to Greater, which issued in a Total removal of the Glory. It is therefore further added in the Fourteenth verse, I will be to Ephraim as a Lion, and as a Young Lion to the House of Judah, I even I will Tear and go away. Thus we see, that lesser make way for Tearing Iudgments at last. The Lord comes on His People first as a Moth, but after that as a Lion. Now as Judgments come, the Glory goes away: and are therefore signs and forerunners thereof. The Death of a Professing people is in the Total Departure of the Glory. Now, as Diseases do by degrees bring Death on the Body, so lesser Judgments do by degrees insensibly weaken a People, and make way for that Judgment which at last proves fatal to them.

3. God useth to favour His People with a day of Grace. He giveth time for Repentance. Rev. 2.21. I gave her space to Repent. And He useth means with them to bring them to Repentance, that so a Total removal of the Glory may be prevented. Yea, the Lord often visits His People with great variety of means. What could be done more? He prove • them with Mercies. He tries whether Goodness will lead them to Repentance▪ So did the Lord deal with the Children of Israel. Accord • ng to His manifold Mercies, He gave them saviours who saved them • ut of the hand of their Enemies: And many Times did He deliver them according to His Mercies. Neh. 9.27, 28. And He • ries what Afflictions will do When Publick Calamities come, the voice of those Judgments, is, This People have Sinned, Let them Repent. And the Lord Graciously waits to see what effect those Judgments will have, whether men will thereby be brought to Repentance or no. Isa. 30.18. Therefore will the Lord wait that He may be Gracious to you. In the mean time, He continues calling on them by His Word, and striving with them by His Holy Spirit, and this perhaps for many Years together, before there is a Total removal of the Glory. Neh. 9.30. Many Years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit in thy Prophets. Nor does all the Glory alwayes depart as soon as the Day of Grace is expired.

For;

4. There is a Day of meer Patience. The day of Grace may be past with a particular person, and with a people also, when nevertheless, the day of Patience may still continue. Was it not so with the Old world? Did not the day of Divine Patience continue, for the space of an Hundred and Twenty Years after God had determined that His Spirit should cease striving with them? Gen. 6.3. Was it not so with the Children of Israel in the wilderness? Vnto whom He Sware in his Wrath that they should not enter into His rest. Psal. 95.11. The day of Grace was past when once that Oath was declared. Nevertheless, He did pa •• ently bear with their manners for many Yearrs after that. Was it not thus with the Ten Tribes? Was not the Name of Lo • uhamah given to them? Hos. 1.6. Then was the day of Grace expired: For God had determined not to have Mercy on them. Yet the dayes of Patience were not at an end: For after this they had the Name of Loammi given to them, intimating the Expiration of the Day of Patience as well as of the Day of Grace. And was it not thus with the Iews? When Christ said concerning them, that they did not know the things of their Peace, in that their day: Notwithstanding which, there was almost Forty Years before the Glory was quite removed from them.

5. At last the Dayes of Patience are ended. The Lord bears a long time with the Transgressions of his People, Ezek. 2.3. They and their Fathers have Transgressed against me even to this very day. But He will not bear alwayes. And when once it is come to that, God departs, and the Glory is gone. No Tokens of the Lords Gracious and Glorious Presence are any more to be seen in such a place, or among such a people. God breaks up House then, and sayes, You shall see me no more. Mat. 23.38, 39. Behold your House is left unto you Desolate, for I say unto you, ye shall not see m • henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he tha • cometh in the Name of the Lord. There is the Bir • h-day of Final Ruine, and that takes place from the moment when the day of Patience is Expired. Jer. 44.22▪ The Lord could no longer bear. This E • z • kiel calls, The Time of the End. Ezek▪ 7·2.3. Micah calls it, The Day of the Watchmen; viz. the Day which the Watchmen had given warning of before it came. Mic. 7.4. And Zephaniah expresseth it, by that of, The Decrees bringing forth. Zeph. 2.2. When the Decree is big with Judgment, it does not presently bring forth. Thus have we seen that God removes His Glory from a People gradually. There are several steps which He takes; and several pauses which He makes before He utterly forsakes a People, or takes His Glory from them forever. The Iewish writers have reckoned Ten flittings of the Divine Glory, as also Ten removes of their Sanedrim from one place to another, before utter Destruction came upon them.

USE.

The only USE which I shall insist on from the Doctrine thus Confirmed, shall be of earnest EXHORTATION. Oh, Let us Endeavour that this DOCTRINE be not verified in and on New-England; that there be not after a Gradual, a Total removal of the Divine Glory from us.

Let me mention some things which should be Awakening Considerations to us.

Consider, I. It is possible that the Glory may depart from us, and that Totally. Who can say▪ but that New-England will have that Name of Ichab • d written upon it! That many who look upon us, will sigh over us, and say, Where is the Glory? We are loth to believe this. But let me a little inlarge upon it, in setting before you some things, which may easily Convince • s, that this is possible.

1. It was been thus in other places, who once had the Glory of the Lord among them as long and longer then we have had it. Was it not so with Shiloh? Jer. 7.12. Go ye now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my Name a • first, and see what I did to it, for the wickedness of my People Israel. And what was it that the Lord did to it? He caused the Ark (and so the Glory) to be removed from that place, and never to return thither again; although it had continued there Three Hundred and Forty Nine Years: And the ten Tribes (among which Shiloh was scituated) were delivered into the hands of their Assyrian Enemies. It is then possible that in after Ages, it may be said, Go and see what God has done to New-England, because of the Apostacy, and the Iniquity of the People there. Thus also concerning Ierusalem, which was the City of Solemnities; and there was more of the Glory of God in it, then in all the world besides: Nevertheless, that Glory was removed from them for Seventy Years together. And, although the Lord was so Gracious, as in some measure to restore the Glory, they at last Sinned it quite away. Nor has there been any Glory there for these many Generations. What is Ierusalem at this day, but a Miserable Town, in which are no Inhabitants, besides Infidels and Idolaters; not one man in whom the Divine Glory dwells. And on Mount Sion, yea, in that very place where Solomons Temple stood, there is now a Moseh, for Mahome • an Worship. What has God done • o the Ten Tribes? Has He not writtn on them Lo-Ammi, as well as Loruhamah, saying, They are not m • People, and I will no more have Mercy on them. A • e they not swallowed up in Heathenism among the Nations where they were dispersed? The Land of Israel was once the most Glorious of all Lands, but it is at this day far from being so· The Divine Glory dwelt in the First Temple Four Hundred and Twenty Years, and after that removed: And in the Second Temple above Six Hundred Years; and then departed never to return again. Now what befel the Lords People of Old is written for our Instruction and Admonition. The design of Recording those Providences in the Holy Book of God, is to give us to understand that God will remove His Glory from us, as He hath done from them, if we sin and provoke Him as they have done. Hence when the Psalmist was about to give a plain Narrative of the Dispensations of God towards the Children of Israel, he sayes, I will open my mouth in a Parable; I will utter da • k s •• ings of Old. Psal. 78.2. Why does he call a Plain History a Parable, and Dark sayings, but because there was a Mystery in that History; the Dispensations of Providence towards them were to be figurative and significative of what should happen to a professing People in after Ages to the end of the world. So does the Apostle instruct us, 1 Cor. 10.11. All these things hapned to them for ensamples. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Original word is, as Types; and they are written for our Admon • tion, upon whom the Ends of the world a • e come. Accordingly, in these Dayes of the New Testament, God has removed His Glory from many places where once much of His Presence had been. There was once a Gracious and a Glorious Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Churches of the Lesser Asia. He Walked in the midst of those Golden Candlestick • . Rev. 2·1. But now, the Lord is not to be seen in that part of the world. What Ephesus was threatned with, is fulfilled upon them all, The Candlestick is removed out of its place. Those Churches are all Unchurched. The Gospel an • the Glory of a Pure Church-state is take • from them. Some who have lately travelled into these parts of the world, give us a doleful account of the state of Christianity there. And indeed, throughout all the Ea • tern Parts of the world▪ the Light which once they 〈◊〉 is turned into Darkness. The Prophe • Ezekiel was in a Vision brought to th • gate which looks towards the East, an • beheld the Glory of God coming from th • way of the East. Ezek. 43.1, 2. Which might be to intimate that the Easter • Parts of the world, should be the fir •• Illuminated with the Glorious Light o • the Gospel, as we know it came 〈◊〉 pass. But now Darkness covers tha • part of the Earth, and gross Darkness that People. There is something of the Christian Name in the Greek and i • other Eastern Churches, but they are miserably overwhelmed with Ignorance Superstition, and Herisies. And in som • parts of Asia where the Gospel had been Preached, and Churches Planted in the dayes of the Apostles, they have quite lost the Christian Name Let 〈◊〉 look into Africa,. Time was when there were Thousands of Glorious Churches there: & many Famous Ministers, some of whose writings are still of use to the Church of God; such as Tertullia • , Ciprian, Austin. But now the Glory is wholly removed out of that vast Continent. Look into Europe, and we shall see many places there from whence the Glory is gone. There was once in Rome it self, an holy Church. A People beloved of God, called to be Saints, whose Faith was spoken of throughout the whole world. Rom. 1.7, 8. But what is that Church come to? Her Name is now, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Rev. 17▪ 5. Since the Refo • mation began in these, latter Ages, the Glory is removed out of diverse Kingdoms & Provinces in which once it was seen sh • ning. Spain (and the Spanish Low-Countries) had once the Gospel in it There have been 〈◊〉 there for the Prote • tant Religion: • ut the Bloody Inqu • sition has extinguish • d the Light of the Gospel in that un • appy Kingdom. How is Ruine come 〈◊〉 the Protestant Interest in Bavaria, in Austria, & in Moravia, and in othe • Provinces? In the Kingdom of Poland, and in Transylvania,, there have been Famous Churches: But how has Popery and Socinianism darkned that Glory? Bohemia was the first Kingdom in Europe in which a Reformation was established by Publick Authority: But now, Wher • is the Glory? They were Famous for the Purity of their Churches, and the Strictness of their holy Discipline. Tha • Learned man Comeni • s who was one o • them, and who has written the Histo •• of those Churches, has an awful ob • servation, That since they had a Pur • Discipline amongst them then othe • Churches had, God whose Judgments 〈◊〉 to begin at his Sanctuary, had mad • them severe Examples of his holy In • dignation. And what has the Lor • done in our dayes in Hungaria, and 〈◊〉 both Palatinates, and in the valleys 〈◊〉 Piemont, and in that great Kingdom 〈◊〉 France? Is not the Glory removed 〈◊〉 of it? How many Hundreds of Pro • testant Ministers and Churches were 〈◊〉 long since known to be there. But 〈◊〉 this day not one. Has not a Babyl •• nish King made them • n empty Vessel Swallowed them 〈…〉 a Dragon, and cast them out? Ier. 5▪ 34. Now then, if the Glory has been removed from Ierusalem, and from the • and of Israel: If from the Less • r and the Greater Asia? If from Africa? If from so many places in Europe? Is it not possible that it may be removed from New-England also?

For;

2. There is no Promise that it shall not be thus. The Church of Rome pretends to a promise of Indefectibility (as well as to Infallibility) which is a promise that God never made to any particular Church in the world. It is true that there is a promise concerning the Church in general, that it shall never fail· It is built on a Rock, and 〈◊〉 the Gates of Hell do their worst, it shall stand. Mat. 16.18. Christ ever has had, and ever will have a Church on Earth. But we cannot say, that He will have a Church in Boston, or in New-England, or in America as long as the world shall stand. The Iews tell us, that the Lights in the western Lamps of the Golden Candlestick never went out. And the Scripture giveth us▪ to understand that our Lord will have a Church somewhere or other in Europe until his Second coming. The witnesses must there Prophesy in Sackcloth; there be Slain, there Rise again. The Ten Rings which give their Power to the Beast are in Europe: That part of the world was to be principally the Seat of the Church of Christ during the Reign of Antichrist, who must continue until Christ Himself shall destroy him with the Brightness of His coming. This notwithstanding, we cannot say, that there will alwayes be a Church in France, or in Spain; or in this or that particular Kingdom in Europe, much less in America.

3. God has not seemed to take pleasure in the American world, so as to fix and settle His Glory therein. The Scripture sayes, The Kingdom of God is like • eaven hid in Three measure of Meal until the whole was Leavened. Luk. 23 22. Which some take to be a Prediction, that the Gospel should spread through Asia, Europe and Africae, then the only known parts of the world. What God will do for the future with America, is not for us to determine. Act. 1 7. It is not for you to know the Times, and the Seasons which the Father has put in His own Power. But it is our Duty humbly to observe his Providence. Now the Lord has not hitherto seen meet to shine upon this so as on the other Hemisphere. The greatest part of its Inhabitants are Pagans· Most of those that have any thing of the Christian Name are really Anti-Christian. And the generality of them that pretend unto the Protestant Religion, are a lose sort of men, and a Scandal to any Religion. There▪ was an attempt (about an Hundred and Fifty Years since) to settle the Protestant Religion in the Southern America, and some Eminent Christians and Ministers, from Geneva were ingaged in it; but it soon come to nothing. And the late miscarriage of the Caledonia design is an awful Providence, and looks uncomfortably on America. There is more of the Divine Glory in New-England then in all America besides. We have the greater Cause not to be high-minded, but to fear. Especially if w •

Consider 2. That the Glory is in some measure, & in an awful degree removed from us already. The Glory of the Lord seems to be on the wing. Oh! Tremble for it is going, it is gradually departing. Although there is that of the Divine Glory still remaining among us, which we ought to be very Thankful for; Nevertheless, much of it is gone, which thought should humble and abase us in the dust before the Lord. There comes to mind what the Prophet Haggat said to those that were come out of Babylon. Hag. 2.3. Who is there lest among you, that saw this House in her first Glory? And how do you see it now? Is it not in your Eyes in comparison of it as nothing? You that are Aged persons, and can remember what New-England was Fifty Years ago, that saw these Churches in their first Glory; Is there not a a fad decay▪ and dimunition of the Glory? We may weep to think of it: As many of the Lords People did when the Foundation of the second Temple was laid. Ezra 3.12. Many of the Priests and Levites and chief of the Fathers, who were Ancie • t men, that had seen the first House, We • t with a loud voice. So among us; Ancient men, though they bless God for what they Do see of His Glory remaining in these Churches, they cannot but mourn when they remember what they Have seen, far surpassing what is at present. Let us look where we will, and we may observe a lessening of the Glory. Is not our Silver become Dross, and our Wine mixed with Water? Isa. 1.22. May we not sigh with the Lamenting Church, and say, as in Lam. 4.1. How is the Gold become Dim? How is the most fine Gold Changed? Yea, how are the Golden Candlesticks in New-England Changed! Alas! What a change is there in that which has been our Glory? Time was, when these Churches were Beautiful as Tirzah, Comely as Jerusalem, Terrible as an Army with Banner • . What a glorious Presence of Christ was there in all His Ordinances? Many were Conver • ed, and willingly Declared what God had done for their Souls: and there were added to the Churches daily such as should be Saved. But are not Sound Conversions become rare at this day, and this in many Congregations? Discipline in the Churches was upheld in the power of it, and a special Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ went along with it; so that as one of the Ancients speaks of the Discipline used in the Primitive times, that it was, Futu • i Iudicij Praejudicium, it look'd like the Day of Judgment when any that did Iniquity were Cast out of the Lords holy Kingdom here on Earth. It is a Celebrated saying, and a true one, That Church-Discipline is the Throne in which Christ Reigns. It is reported conc • rning the Learned Bu • e • , that when he was informed how the Discipline of Christ was practised in Bohemia, he fell into Tears, considering how defective the Churches in Germany were in that point. We may fall into Tears, considering how the power of Discipline i • fallen in our Churches. Some Scandalous practices which not only the Waldenses, but the Reformed Churches in France, and in ••• land, have in their Discipline declared to be Censurable Evils, are now indulged in some Churches in New-England. Look into Pulpits, and see if there is such a Glory there, as once there was? New-England has had Teachers very Eminent for Learning, & no less Eminent for Holiness, & all Ministerial accomplishments. When will Boston see a COTTON, & a NORTON, again? When will New-England see a HOORER, a SHEPARD, a MITCH • L, not to mention others? No little part of the Glory was laid in the Dust, when those Eminent Servants of Christ were laid in their Graves. Look into our Civil State: Does Christ reign there as once He did? Is there that Glory in Courts as once there was? Is not our House in diverse parts of this Land, in some danger of falling for want of Pillars to support it? Look into Towns: How few do we find that are a Glory to the places where they live? When Vacancies are made, it is a difficult thing to find persons fit to make up those Breaches. And almost every where 'tis so, whether in our Ecclesiastical, Military, or Civil State. So that wha • our Great Hoo •• r long since predicted, that the People of New-England would be punished 〈◊〉 the want of Eminent Men to manage Publick affairs, bo • h in Church and State, is in part sadly verified already. How many Churches, how many Towns are there in New-England, that we may Sigh over them, and say, The Glory is gone! Look into Families: Are there not those which once were Glorious ones because of the Religion which flourished in them, which now are not so. How many Children or Grand-Children 〈◊〉 there in New-England, of whom it may be said, as in Judg. 2.17. They turned quickly out of the way, which their Fathers walked in, Obeying the Commandments of the Lord, but they did not so. What a sad thing was it, that such a Wretch as Nabal, should be a descendant from such an Here as Caleb was? But it is noted of him as an aggravation of his Degeneracy, that he was of the House of Caleb. 1 Sam. 25 3. It is often so, according to the Proverb, Her • um filij 〈◊〉 . It was said to • she • akim, the very Ungodly Son of a very Godly and most 〈…〉 , Jer. 22.15, 17. Did not thy 〈…〉 Iudgment, and Iustice? But that Eyes, and thine Heart are not but for thy Covetousness. How many are there among us whose Fathers in coming into this wilderness, designed nothing but Religion! But They are for another Inter • st. Their Hearts are not but for the world. And, Alas! What can we think of, that has been the Peculiar Glory of New-England, but the blasting Rebukes of Heaven have been upon it! That work of Gospellizing the Indians, has been one of the peculiar Glories of New-England: I have in another part of the world, heard Great and Noble Personages, and those too of several Nations, speaking Honourably of New-England, in that There the whole Bible has been Translated into the Indian Language: And in that ther • some that a while since were Pagans, are now become Preachers of the Glorious Gospel of Christ. I have received Letters from very Learned men in Forreign Vniversitie • , signifying the high Respect which their Divines had for New-England on this account. But since the Death of that Apostolical man, Old Mr. Elio • , how has that Glorious work been dwindling and dying? What is the First Church that was Gathered am •• g the Natives come to? There was of late a design to divert those supplies another way, whereby the Preaching of the Gospel has been supported among the Indians in this Province, but those unhappy proposals are at present happil • prevented from taking effect: But how soon there may be new and fatal attempts of that Nature who can say? The greatest Number of Indians who have given clear Evidences of a real Conversion to Chri •• , were in Martha's Vineyard, where there was of them a considerable Number of serious Christians, but God has sent Sickness amongst them which has swept away most of those in that place who were of Reputation for Godliness and real Christianity: As for many of those Indians who now make a Profession of Christianity, men who pass under the Name of English Protestants have Debauched them with Drink, and so made them more Brutish, and 〈◊〉 Creatures; yea, more the Children of Hell then they were before the Light of the Gospel came among them. So then, that Glory is dolefully departing. Once more, It has formerly been said, that our Colledge has been one of the Glori •• of New-England. In that we have Excelled all other English Plantatioas. But the long Dissettlement of that Soc • e • y, seemeth to look ominously on Posterity, and on the Churches in New-England. Some who once had their Education there, have been of such Eminen •• y for Learning and Piety, that New-England has been Honoured for their sakes. But of later Times as to many of them, it has been much otherwise. It has grieved me to the Heart when I have received Letters from diverse persons of Quality in England, thus complaining to me, Young men who had their Education in your Colledge, when they come over unto us in • ngland, are Enemies to that which was in a peculiar manner the Religion of their Fathers. I 〈◊〉 the Lord 〈◊〉 a Controversy on the 〈◊〉 of unkindnesses shewn (not to 〈◊〉 but) to some who have formerly Presided there, as well as for Corruptions which have been too much indulged in that Nursery. I can not but with well▪ as I have singular cause to do) to the Poor Colledge. Nor 〈◊〉 I be without fears that one of these Three things will happen to it; Either▪

First. That for want of a Desirable Charter settlement, it will cease to be a Colledge, as Four or Five years ago, I saw cause Publickly and in Print, to declare my being apprehensive that it would be so, and I wish that now I could see a a good reason to be otherwise perswaded. Due means has not been used to obtain such a Settlement, which i • a probability two or three Years ago might easily have been effected, but now, it seems as if Endeavours after it, wer • too late.

Or;

Secondly. That Learning will fail in that Academy, for want of Encourage • ment unto Grammar Schools. Which 〈◊〉 Strangers being Learned men should com • among us and obser •• , it would be great dishonour both to the Colledge and to the Countrey. Nor will pre • tended Scholars defective in Learning be able to defend the Truth again •• Learned Adversaries. If an effectua • course be not taken for the supportin • of Schools, in a little Time there will b • no Colledge worthy the Name of a Colledge.

Or;

Thirdly. (Which is worst of all.) That it will become a Seminary for Degenera •• Plants, who will with their Foolish hands pull down those Houses which their Fathers have been building for the Name of the Lord in this wilderness. A Learned man who has written the History of the Bohemian Brethren, observes that the Ruine of those Churches proceeded out of their Colledge. Let us Pray that it may never be so with New-England.

Consider III. There is sad cause to f • ar that greater Departures of the Glory a • e hastning upon us. Do you ask what reason is there to fear it? I might mention a multitude of things which should make us awfully sensible hereof. I shall take notice of Three or Four.

1. Those sins which have provoked the Lord to remove His Glory from us are not • eformed, nor like to be. Our Iniquites Testify against us to our Faces, and our Backslidings are many. That there is a General defection in New-England from Primitive Purity and Piety in many respects, is so plain as that it cannot be denied. All Good men mourn for it, and have often bewailed it on dayes of Humiliation before the Lord. But wherein is there is a General Reformation in any one Particular? There is not, nor (which is a very sad word to be spoken, and I wish I might forbear expressing it, but I dare not) is there like to be for ought that yet appears. For alas! We seem to be incorrigible. May not the Lord say of us as of His Vineyard of Old. Isa. 5.4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard, that I have not done in it? Has not the Lord brought Lesser Judgments upon us and after that Greater? Has He not witholden the Rain from us, when there was yet Three months to be Harvest, and caused it to Rain upon one Town, and caused it not to Rain upon another? Has he not smitten us with Blasting and with Mildew? And yet we have not returned unto Him! And when these Lesser Judgments would not Reform us, has not the Lord been whetting His glittering Sword, and his Hand has taken hold on Greater Judgments? Has he not brought a Sword on New-England, to avenge the Quarrel of His Covenant? Has he not more then once Diminished our ordinary Food? And did he not once, Deliver us to the will of them that hated us, Ezek. 16.27.? And has not God tried in with signal Mercies, that so His Goodness might lead us to Repentance? What Deliverances has He wrought for us? What a gracious Respite has he favoured with? But have we known the things that concern our Peace, i • This our day? Has not the Lord stirred up the hearts of his Messengers, rising early and sending them, who have been lifting up their Voice like a Trumpet, Crying aloud, and not sparing to shew unto this People their Transgression, and to New-England their Sins, when they have been met together in respect of the Representative Body of them? And was there not One and Twenty Years ago a Synod, Convened to enquire what are the Evils which have provoked the Lord to write his Displeasure against us in Fiery and Bloody Characters, and to propose Expedients for Reformation? All these things notwithstanding, there is no General Reformation, but much of the Contrary. May we not then fear greater ••• artures of the Divine Glory from us!

2. There are Ministers who are not like their Predecessors, not Principled, nor Spirited as they were. So far from being so, as that Sundry of them have in Print Mock't and Scoff •• at the Holy Covenant, and other Holy Practices which have been the Glory of these Churches of th • Lord. Now as one of the greatest Tokens for Good unto New-England, is, That God has ralsed up Young Men in the Ministry (and Blessed be God that there are so many of them) who are True and 〈◊〉 to the Interest of Christ, and 〈…〉 Holy wayes which have 〈…〉 and • ractised in our Congregations. 〈◊〉 is an Evil Omen and 〈…〉 Good to Posterity, when You 〈…〉 shall Despise that Glory, which their Fathers had such a 〈◊〉 for; under a Specious pretence of Peace, they will part with Truth and Holiness, and yet at the same time by new Notions and Practices make Divisions· Do not some of them Cry down those Truths as Little things, Small matters not wor • h Comending for, which in the Judgment of the first Ministers in New-England, were of that weight and worth, as that they were willing to endure Suspensions, Imprisonments, & a Voluntary Exilem • nt out of their Native Land, in bearing their Testimony thereunto. Are not some, yea and some who are not the Youngest men, introducing Innovations which our P • esbyterian Brethren is England, & the Reformed Churches beyond Sea, have Condemned, & which the English Liturgy it self approveth not of. As Innovations not warranted by Scripture gradually creep in upon us, the Glory will gradually depart.

3. The Providence of God is threatning to pull down the Wall which ha • been a Defence to these Churches. When the Glory was removing from Ierusalem, the •• ophet took up that complaint in 〈◊〉 2. • . The Lord has purposed to Destroy the Wall of t • e Daughter of Sion. Things look at this day, as if the Lord had purposed to Destroy our Wall. That Civil Charter Government which God has favoured with, has been a Wall to the Churches. That Wall is at this day in great danger of being destroyed· And yet (which is an astonishing thing) we have done little or nothing to prevent it; as if we were under a Judicial dispensation of Heaven. Now if the Wall is removed, will not the Glory remove with it? What can we then expect, but that many Evils will soon break in upon us like a Flood!

4. That which some have thought was the special design of Providence in bringing a choice People into this part of the world, seem • • s if it were now over. It has been by Good and Wise men conjectured, that the Lords more peculiar design in Planting these Heavens and Laying the Foundation of this Earth, was, that the world might see a Specimen of what shall be over all the Earth in the Glorious Times which are Expected, and will certainly be accomplished in the appointed season of them. In those dayes what manner of persons will there be in Power as to Civil Government, and what kind of Laws shall there be Established? A Prophet has told us, Isa. 60.17. I will make thy Officers Peace, and thy Exactors Righteousness. And in those dayes how will Church-Members be qualified? That we see in the same Prophet, Ver. 21. Thy people shall be all Righteous. It was very much thus in New-England many years ago. But neither our Civil nor Ecclesiastical State is ever like to be what once it was. All these things considered, we have just cause to fear that a greater Departure of the Glory is hastning upon us.

Consider IV. How Lamentable our state will be, if the Glory be once Totally removed. The Angels of Heaven lament over such a people. They mourned over Ierusalem saying, The Blessed Glory of the Lord is going from his place. Ezek. 3.12. So will they mourn over New-England if that Blessed Glory should utterly depart from us. And it may break our Hearts to think that ever such a day should come upon us. For alas! When once the Glory is quite gone, it seldom returns again: But as tis said of the Living Creatures in Ezekiels Vision, Ezek. 1.17. They returned not when they went. So the Glory that went away from the Temple returned not when it went. When the Ark of Old (which did Symbolically represent the Divine Glory,) was in Judgment removed from any place it returned thither no more. It returned to Shiloh no more. It returned to Ierusalem no more, after the Lord had in displeasure caused it to be removed from those places. Thus when the Lord wholly removes His Gospel from a People, He is not wont to favour them with it again. Look over all Asia, and Africa, and you will see dismal Confirmations of this Truth. But if the Glory goeth away and returns no more, what will come in the room of it? What, but woful Judgments? Mos. 9.12. W • to them when I depart from them. Yea, NEW-ENGLAND, Wo to thee in the day that the Lord shall depart from thee: In the bitter and doleful Day, when the Lord shall Totally depart from thee. Such places as have been most Eminent for Religion, and the Light of the Gospel (as New-England has) when once they have sinned away that Light become the Darkest and Miserablest places under Heaven. A Famous Divine in England, relates that he went on purpose to some Towns where once had been an Eminent Ministry, to see how it was with them, and whether there were any footsteps of such a Mercy among them, but (he sayes) they were all overgrown with Thorns, and Nettles had covered the face thereof. It is often thus, Bethels do afterwards become Bethav • ns. Was it not said of Ierusalem, How is the Faithful City become an Harlot? It was full of Iudgment, Righteousness lodged in it, but now Murderrs. Isa. 1.21. If ever the Glory be Totally removed from New-England, (which Mercy forbid) this Land will become one of the dolefullest spots of Ground on the face of the whole Earth.

But, Is there no way to prevent the Removal of the Glory from us? Yes there is. I have not spoken these things that we should Despair, but that we might be Awake • ed to do what we may to prevent further and greater Removals of our Glory. As yet, our Day is not expired: As yet we have a Gracious Time of Visita • ion: As yet, we are under a Probationary dispensation. How long or how short that shall be, is with God. Only i • does not use to last very long in a Land of such Light and means of Grace a • New-England has been. The brightest dayes are commonly short ones.

But, What then is to be done?

Answ. Let us hearken to the Counsel which Christ from Heaven giveth to us, viz. That in Rev. 2.5. Remember f • om whence thou art fallen, Repent, and do thy first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and w • ll remove the Candlestick out of its place. Oh that New-England were now what once it was! And that the Churches there might ever be as at the fi • st, and the Pastors of them as at the beginning. Two things let me mention and leave with you.

1. Let the Life and Power of Godliness be revived. That has been the singular Glory of New-England: The generality of the First Planters were men Eminent for Godliness. We are the Posterity of the Good, Old Puritan Nonconformists in England, who were a Strict and Holy people. Such were our Fathers who followed the Lord into this wilderness, when it was a Land not sown. Oh! That the present and succeeding Generations in New-England might be like the First Generation of Christians, who transplanted and settled themselves in this part of the world. Then might we with Confidence pray and believe that God would accomplish for us, that which Solomon pray'd for in the behalf of his People. 1 King. 8.57. The Lord our God be with us as He was with our Fathers, Let Him not leave us nor forsake us. Yea, Let us be as our Fathers were, as to Holiness in all manner of Conversation, and the Lord our God will be▪ with us as He was with them. We shall have the same Glory remaining with us which they had.

2. Let us abide in those Truths respecting the Order of the Gospel, which our Fathers have left with us as a Legacy. Herein is the difference between New-England and all other Plantations. As for other Plantations, they were settled with respect to Trade, or some other worldly interest: But it was not so with New-England. Our Fathers in coming into this part of the world, did not propose to themselves worldly advantages, but the contrary. It was purely on a Religious account that they ventured themselves and Little ones over the vast Ocean into this which was then a wast and howling Wilderness. Although of later Times we have too much changed that which was our Glory, not Seeking • he Kingdom of God in the First place, not making Religion, but Trade and Land, and Earthly accommodations our Interest: And God has remarkably smitten us in that which has been our Idol. In this we are degenerated from the Piety of our Ancestors. But what in Religion was it that induced them to come into this Land? Not the main Articles of Faith, for in those they differe • not from other Protestant Churches. Bu • it was regard to the Order of the Gospel that brought them hither. That so they might Erect a Spiritual Kingdom for the Lord Jesus Chri • t to Reign over. That they might Build Churches which should be Ordered in all Respects according to the mind of Christ declared in the Gospel. On which account a Defection from those Truths will in New-England be a greater Sin and Provocation to God, then in any o • her part of the world. Considering the Glorious Light which has been shining here, there are practices which in other parts of the world would be a great Reformation, but in New-England a Degeneracy. No one needs to Enquire What is the Order of the Gospel! You have it declared in the Platform of Church Discipline, agreed unto by the Elders and Messengers of these Churches above Fifty Years ago. A Platform which is drawn out of the Scriptures of Truth, by men Eminent for Learning and Holiness, and such as were Confessors and great Sufferers for the Testimony which they had born to the Kingdom of Christ; and in those respects as likely to have the Truth revealed to them as any men in the world. And that Book was the result of many Prayers and Extraordinary seekings to God for the se •• ling forth of his Light and Truth in the matters which were to be debated, and are therein determined. Blessed Mr. Norton went to Heaven Exhorting these Churches to continue in the Profession and Practice of that Discipl • ne; withal declaring that their safety and the presence of Christ with them depended thereon. Some of his words were these; Let our Polity be a Gospel Polity. This is the very work of our Generation, and the very work we ingaged for into this wilderness; this is the scope and end of it: that which is written on the Forehead of NEW-ENGLAND, viz. The compleat walking in the Faith of the Gospel according to the Order of the Gospel, — You have the Platform of Church Discipline given to you in way of Counsel as the Confession of our Faith in this way of Church-Government — If any be departed from it, let them look to it — Our F • delity in this Cause is our Crown: S • e that it be not taken from us. Thus did that Great man express himself, in the last Sermon that ever he Preached, which was but Three dayes before his translation to Glory. And if I, (who am not worthy to be compared with him) knew that this would be the last Sermon that ever I should Preach, (as I know not but it may be so) my Dying Farewel to these Churches should be the very same. For I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus, that if ever these Churches shall Depart from that Holy Platform, the Glory of the Lord will Depart from them. And sorry I am, that the Representatives in the General Assembly the last Year, did not hearken to the Advice of that Reverend Servant of the Lord, who is the most Aged Mini • ter now left among us, Exhorting them to walk in the steps of their Predecessors, in Recommending that Platform to the Churches, and in ordering the Reprinting of it, for the benefit of Posterity.

And now having spoken these things, I bow my Knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in humble Thankfulness for His mercy, in giving me to bear this my Testimony to His Truth before so many Hundreds of witnesses. And my Dearly Beloved, you must needs bear me witness at the Last day, that I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole Counsel of God. Two Considerations have induced me (at this time lest it should be too late) to Preach this Sermon. One, is, Because I sometimes hope that I have not long to be in this world. Full Forty Years are expired since God brought me to dispense His Word in this Congregation. It is then high Time for me to be thinking what my Last words shall be. All the men that were belonging to this Church when I first began my Ministry in Bo •• on, are gone to another world, one excepted. As for you that are (as most of you are) sprung up since I have been here, I Cha • ge you by the Lord, that you abide in the Truth, and let no Temptation or change of Times move you from your stedfastness in those. Holy wayes wherein you have walked. See that you continue in them after I am gone from you. But if I must be so unhappy as to remain longer in this Evil world, I look for Persecution- If wonderful Revolutions in the world prevent it not, such a Time is hastning, as upon the whole Protestant Interest, so upon these Churches in a special manner. In all probability a Storm is coming: And what reason have I to promise my self an Exemption from suffering in it. I do not mean only Persecution by the wicked Pens & Tongues of men, in which you know that I have often had a singular share: But I expect that the dayes are approaching when Snares will be laid for my Life. As in one of the late Reigns it was so, when Treasonable things were by Evil men forged against me. It is Related in the Martyr Books concerning Cranmer, that when malicious Reports occasioned him some trouble, the King told him he was in greater danger then himself was aware of, not only in that his Zeal in the cause of Religion had caused him many Adversaries, but in that it was an easy matter for his Enemies to procure two or three false witnesses against him▪ And, Why not against you (said the King) as well as against your Master CHRIST! Who then am I, that I should think to escape with better usage in and from a malignant world? I thank the Lord Jesus Christ, who has made me willing (if He shall see meet so far to Favour and Honour me) to part with my Life, in bearing witness to those Glorious wayes of the Lord which have been the Profession and Practice of His Churches in New-England. However it shall b • , in delivering the Messages which God has sent me with this day, I have delivered my own Soul, and can now lay down my Head in Peace.

FINIS.

Errata. Page. 17. l. 8. r. Isa. 33.21. p. 26. l. 3. r. with. p. 50. l 12. r. Hos. 5.12. p. 56. l. 12. r 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 p. 61. l· 5. r. Cyprian. p. 65. l. 16. r. loose. p. 64. l. 27 r. Luk. 13.21. p. 66. l. 22. r. d • m • nution. p. 69. l. 10. r. Hooker. p. 74. l. 11. dele a.

THE CONTENTS. THe Epistle to the Reader shewes how apt Churches are to Degenerate. p. 1 That Christians may be called to suffer for their Testimony unto Truths which are not Fundamentals in Religion. p. 6 That there is cause to fear great Calamities are impending the English Nation. Mr. Hookers awful Prediction concerning it. p. 9 The Text. Ezek. IX.3. And the Glory of the God of Israel was gone, &c. p. 13 Doct. That when God removes the Glory from a People, He useth to do it gradually & not all at once. p. 16 Quest. 1. When does the Glory remove? Answ. 1 When God removes as to His Gracious presence. ibid. 2. When a people have less of Christ among them then once they had. p. 18 3. When the Holy Spirit witholds His gracious Influences and Operations. p. 25 Particularly, 1. When Converting work is at a stand. p. 28 2. When they that are Converted do 〈◊〉 grow in Grace, much more when Godliness in the power of it is decaying, the Glory is departing. p. 30. 4. When Holy Ordinances which be the Symbols of the Divine presence are removed. p· 33 The Glory is gone, 1. When a people 〈◊〉 wholly deprived of Divine Institutions. p. 37 2. When they are Corrup • ed. Either, 1. By Humane additions. p. 3 • Or, 2. By prostituting them to unme •• subjects. p, 40 5. When they who have much of God with them and in them a • e taken away, the Glory goes with them. p. 41 6. When Sin comes into the Temple, the Glory goes out of it. p. 44. Q. • . How does it appear that God removes His Glory by degrees? Answ. 1. Before the Lord removes His Glory He gives solemn warning of it. p. 47. 2. He useth to begin w • th Lesser and so to proceed to Greater Iudgments. p. 49· 3. He favours His people with a day of Grace. p 51. 4. Af • er the day of Grace, there is a day of Divine Patience. p. 53 5. Whe • the dayes of Patience are expired, there follows a Total Removal of the Glory. p. 54. USE. Of earnest Exhortation to endeavour that this awful Doctrine be not verified 〈◊〉 & on New-England. p. 55. Consider 1. It is possible that the Glory may depart from us and that Totally. Which appears, 1. In that it was so with the people of God in the dayes of the Old Testament, which is written for our admonition; & has •• en so in the dayes of the New-Testament, throughout the Lesser & the Great •• Asia, and all Africa, & many places in Eu •• pe. p. 56 2. There is no promise nor prophecy in the • cripture declaring that it shall not be so in New-England. p. 63 3· The Lord has not hitherto seemed to take • leasure in the American world. What He will • o for the future no man knows. p. 64 Consider 2. The Glory is in some measure • nd in an awful degree removed from us al • eady, — Look where we will we may see • ause to Lament i • . p. 66 There are awful frowns of Heaven on those things which has been the peculiar Glories of New-England. Particularly, On the work • f the Gospel amongst the Indians. p. 71 And on the Colledge in a long d • ssettlement, & just fears of at least one of three Evils coming upon it. p. 73 Consider 3. There is sad cause to fear that a greater departure of the Glory is hastning upon us· p. 74 For, 1. The sins which have caused the Glory to depart from us, neither are, nor are like to be Reformed. p. 75 2 There are Ministers who are not principled nor spirited like their Predecessors. p. 78 3 The Lord is threatning to break down our Wall. p. 79 4 That which may be thought to be the special design of Providence in bringing a choice people into this Wilderness seems now to be over. p. 80 Consider 4. How lamentable our state will be if the Glory should be totally removed. p. 82 Quest. What shall we do to prevent it? Answ. Let us hearken to the voice of Christ speaking to us, in Rev. 2.5. Particularly, 1. Let the Life and power of Godliness be revived. p. 85 2. Let us abide in these truths respecting the Order of the Gospel, which our Fathers have left with us as a L • gacy. p. 86 Two Considerations inducing the Author now (lest • aply i • should be too late) to Publish these Meditations. p. 90, 91.

THE Glorious Throne: OR, A SERMON Concerning The Glory of the Throne of the Lord Iesus Christ, Which is now in Heaven, and shall quickly be seen on the Earth.

By Increase Mather.

Rev XX 11, 12.

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sate on it, &c. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Boston: Printed by B. G. & J. A. for Nicholas Boone at his Shop. 1702.

The Throne of CHRIST, the most Glorious Throne. Matth. XXV.31.

— The Throne of his Glory.

THIS with the preceeding Chapter contains the substance of a Sermon Preached by our Lord Jesus Christ, unto his Disciples. The conclusion of the Sermon (which begins with this Verse) contains a description of the Day of Iudgment; wherein there is an allusion unto the Jewish Sanhedrim, or great Court of Iudgment: in which besides the Nasi or Chief Iudge, there were Seventy other Iudges; and there were Scribes appointed, some at the Right-hand of the Judge, who did set down the Votes for Absolution ▪ Others at the Left-hand of the Judge, who did set down the Votes for Condemnation. There is an Allusion thereunto, in that Description of the Day of Iudgment, which we have in the latter part of this Chapter. In this Verse there are three things.

1. An Intimation who shall be the Iudge in that Day; The Son of Man shall come in his Glory. That is the Lord Iesus Christ, who is not only a Son of Man, as the Prophet Ezekiel was often called, Son of man; but Iesus Christ is the Son of Man. He is that Son of Man whom Daniel in a Glorious Vision saw coming in the Clouds of Heaven; and that did receive a Kingdom and Dominion over all Nations. He is also said to be the Son of Man in that he is not only truely Man, but the Second Adam.

2. Here is mentioned, who shall be the Officers attending the Judge in that Day; viz. The Holy Angels.

3. We have a description of the Throne, which he shall then sit upon, in the Words before us, He shall sit on the Throne of his Glory.

The words are an Hebraism, The Throne of his Glory, that is to say, a very Glorious Throne.

DOCT. Th •• the Throne of the Lord Iesus Christ is a most Glorious Throne.

The blessed Truth before us may be opened and confi • med in three Propositions.

Prop. I That both a Iudiciary and a Regal Power does belong unto the Lord Iesus Christ.

1 A Iudiciary Power. They that Sit on Seats of Iudicature are said to Sit on Thrones. Rev. 20▪ 1 There were Thrones, and they sat on them, and Iudgment was given to them, that is to say, Power of Iudging was given to them. Thus Christ said to his Apostles, Mat. 19.28. You shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the Tribes of Israel. And thence in that expression in the Scripture, of the Throne of Iudgment. But thus is it most true concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, that he has a Iudiciary Power granted to him, and such a Power of Iudgment as none else in the world has, Joh 5.22. The Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son When it is said the Fath • r judges no man, the meaning of it is, that he does not immediately judge, but by his Son Jesus Christ. The Father judgeth no man without him, but all men by him. Christ 〈◊〉 sometimes represented in the Scripture as Sitting on a Throne in respect of those Temporal Iudgments which he does cause to be Executed on men in this World, Ezek 1.26. The Prophet in a Vision beheld a Throne, and a man sitting on it; The Design of that Vision is to intimate that the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 had p • ssed a Sentence of Destruction on the Jews, and that he had commanded the Babylonians to be the Executioners of his Wrath upon them; but especially Christ is represented as sitting on a Throne, on the account of the S • ntence of Iudgment which he will pass on all men at the Last Day.

2. Regal Authority does belong to Christ. A Throne is, insigne R • gium, that which sometimes is peculiar to Kings; a King is described to be one that Sits on a Throne; there is 〈◊〉 Throne that is a Kingly Throne. 'Tis sai • concerning Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 5.20. That he was deposed from his Kingly Throne, and his Glory was given to another. Thus then the Lord Jesus Christ, has a Kingly Dominion appertaining to him. He is the Greatest of all Kings. Therefore, Rev 19 16 He has a Name written on his Vesture, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. That is to say the greatest of all Kings, and the greatest of all Lords. And he is styled the King of Glory, Psal 24 7. Open the Everlasting Gates, that the King of Glory may come in; that is to say, the most Glorious of all Kings. This then is implied • n Christ sitting upon a Throne, namely, that he is both a Iudge and a King. In the Context before us, vers 34 He is styled the King.

Prop. II. That the man Christ Iesus does 〈◊〉 in Heaven sit upon a most Glorious Throne. Now in Heaven that man does sit upon the very same Throne which the Eternal God Sits upon. Rev 3.21. I (says Christ) am sat down with my Father on his Throne. That man is Co partner with God in the Government of the World: which is the meaning of that expression, of his being sat down at Gods Right Hand. Heb 8 1 He is sat down at the Right Hand of the Throne of the Maj • sty in the Heavens He joyns with God in the Government of all the World And in this respect, • oseph was a singular Figure and Type of the Lord Jesus Christ. The King of Egypt said to Joseph, Gen 41▪ 40 My people shall be ruled at thy word, only in the Throne will I be Greater than thou Thus hath God said to the man Christ Jesus, The whole World shall be ruled according to thy word, only God the Father is greater than Christ considered as Man and Mediator. And in this respect also Solomon was a special Type of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 King. 1.48▪ While David was yet living, Solomon sat on the Throne of David his Father. The Providence of God did order it to be so; for this cause, that so there might be a representation of this Glorious Truth, that the Lord Iesus Christ does sit upon the same Throne that God sits upon. And this is peculiar unto that Son of Man who is also the Eternal Son of God It is peculiar to him. It may not be said or believed so concerning any other man, nor concerning 〈◊〉 Angel in Heaven, but only concerning 〈◊〉 man Christ Jesus. Heb. 1.13. Vnto which of the Angels hath He said at any time, sit thou at my Right hand? 〈◊〉 , he never said so unto any of them; but only to the man Christ Jesus. Now the Glory of this Throne of the Lord Jesus Christ appears in several things.

1. In that he does Exert and Exercise a Dominion over the Souls and Consciences of men. He does set up his Kingdom in the Hearts of men, namely, in res •• ct of that Grace that is wrought there. R • m 14.17. The Kingdom of God is in Righteousness, & peace & joy in the Holy Ghost. Christ has a Kingdom of Grace in the Hearts of his Subjects. He Reigns in the Hearts of all true Believers; and the Souls of men are subj • ct to him. 1 Pet. 2.25. He is said to be the Bishop of Souls He is also the King of Souls. He that has R • deem • d S • uls, may well Exercise a Dominion over them. The Consciences of men are subject to him He has power to make Laws to bind the Conscience: to make Laws in matters of Religion, & to • pp • int how men shall Worship the Lord; and in what way, and by what Ordinances they shall worship G • d. Therefore Christ has abrogated the Ordinances of the Old-Testament, and has Instituted other ways and means of Worship: has appointed new Ordinances for the Worship of God As now, the Christian Sabbath, is an Institution of the Lord Jesus Christ▪ that the fi • st day of the week should be 〈◊〉 as a Day holy to the Lord. Therefore, Rev. 1.10 It is called the Lords Day: because it is the Day which the Lord Christ hath appointed to be observed in Commemoration of his Resurrection and Redemption. So He has appointed Sacraments; Baptism and the Lords Supper, are Sacraments which Christ as King has commanded to be observed among his people; and no man may dare to appoint any other Sacraments besides those which Christ has Instituted Antichrist does encroach upon the Kingly Office of the Lord Jesus Christ, when he does take to himself a power to m • ke Laws in matters of Religion, & then to impose them on the Consciences of men. This is to assume a Glory p • culiar to Christ, it is to dethrone Christ, and to invade that which is his prerogativ • R •• al In matters pertaining to Divine W • rship▪ the Word of Christ is to be our only Rule. We must practise all, and no more than what that requires. Mat 28 20 There is but one Head of the Church, and that is Christ Only the Son of G • d is the King of Israel. Ezek. 21.27 Joh 1 49

2 The Glory of this Throne of the Lord Iesus Christ appears in the absoluteness of his Power. In that his Will, his Command, is Law sufficient. There have been men that would pret • nd to a Despotick and absolute power, that their will should be a Law to all men; & that their will must be obeyed, let 〈◊〉 be never so unrighteous. Such a Tyrant was the King of Babylon; Dan 5 19. Whom he would, he slew; and whom he would, he kept alive. No meer man has that power given to him, that whatsoever he commands, must be obeyed; but this is true concerning that Son of man, who is the Son of God: For he can't possibly command an unjust thing. It was said of him, 〈◊〉 . 7 29 That he spoke as a man that had authority. As one that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . That has power to make what Laws He pleaseth; • nd those Laws must be obeyed. He has • ower to Damn Eternally whosoever disobeys him: and that is more than can be said of any other man. As for those that have the greatest power, they can't hurt the Souls of them that Disobey their Commands; all that they can do is only to Kill the Body, Luk. 12.4. Fear not them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But Christ can do more than that, He has power not only do Kill the Body, but to Destroy the Soul. He has power not only to destroy the Bodyes of • hem that disobey his Laws, but to order their • ouls to be cast into Hell, Rev. 1.18. He is represented as having the Keyes of Hell in his • and. He has power to loose out of the Pri • on of Hell, and he has power to Command into • hat Prison when he pleases. This shews the Glory of his Throne.

3. The Glory of that Throne which the Man Christ Iesus does in Heaven sit upon appears, in the Vniversal Extent of his Dominion Psal. 103.19 The Lord has prepared his Throne in the Heavens, his Kingdom ruleth over all. The Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ it ruleth over 〈◊〉 . He hath a Dominion in all places of the World, Psal 135 6 The Lord hath done what 〈◊〉 pleas • th in H •• ven and on Earth, and in all 〈◊〉 places. No place can be mentioned but 〈◊〉 does what he pleas • s there. He is the Lord 〈◊〉 the Vniverse. He is the Vniversal Monarch over all Nations, Jer. 10 7. Who would not fear thee, O thou King of Nations? The Lord Jesus Christ is indeed in a singular manner the King of his Church, and is therefore styled the King of Israel, and the King of Saints; but he is also the King of Nations. Yea, he has a Dominion over all Creatures whatsoever. He is Lord of all, and therefore has that Title of the Lord of Hosts given to him, Psal 24.10 Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, he is the King of Glory: The huge host of Creatures are under his Dominion. All the host of Creatures in the Vpper & the Lower World; all Creatures, whether Visible or Invisible, they are under the Dominion of this King of Glory. And altho his Dominion does not yet appear to the World, it is not yet acknowledged by all men in this World; nevertheless, he has now a right to this Dominion. The man Christ Jesus has so; and the Day is a coming when all the m • n in the World shall believe and confess it; there is not one man that is, ever shall be, or that ever was, but shall believe it Heb. 2 8, 9 We do not yet see all things under his feet, put in subjection to him; but we see Iesus • rowned with honour and glory And the Apostle in that Context says, that the World to come shall be put in subjection to him In the Resurrection World, which is the World to c • me, all mankind will believe this glorious Truth. Phil. 2.8, 9, 10. God has given him a Name above every name, that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow, whether in Heaven or in Earth, or under the earth, and they shall confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father Such a time will come that every knee shall bow to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, not only they that are in Heaven, but they that are on the Earth, and they that are in Hell too, that are under the Earth; they all even every rational creature shall confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord.

4 The Glory of this Throne appears in the Perpetuity of it. As for Earthly Thrones they don't last always, Prov. 27 24. Does the Crown indure to every Generation? No Earthly Crown does endure to every Generation. Earthly Kings are Mortal as well as their Subjects; but the Lord Jesus Christ is a K • ng that is Immortal, Isa. 9 6 He is said to be the Everlasting Father. He lives for ever, Behold he lives for ever more. O • her Kingdoms as they have their beginnings so they have their Periods Some continue for more, others for fewer Generations. It was said to Iehu, 2 King 10 40. That his Children should sit on the Throne of Israel unto the Fourth Generation; and then that Family was Ex • inct, and the Kingdom fell into the hands of another Family. Earthly Kings have their Suce • ssors; but here is a King that has no Successor, Dan. 7 14 His Dominion is an Ever • asting Dominion, and it shall not pass away. As for all other men in Power their Dominion passes away from them to others; but it is not so with the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore it was said to the Son of God, Heb. 1.8. Thy Throne is for ever. And tis said of him. Rev. 11.15. That he shall Reign for ever & ever. It is in respect of Christ, that the Promise made to David concerning the Perpetuity of his Kingdom is fulfilled. It was promised to David, that there shall never want a man to sit-on his Throne. Now then this promise is fulfilled and made good in that Jesus Christ does sat for ever on the Throne of David; He sits as King for ever, over the Israel of God. This King of Israel will be so for evermore. Hence the Angel Gabriel said, Luk 1 32. God will give to him the Throne of David his Father, and he shall rule over the House of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Thus we see that his Throne is a most Glorious Throne ▪

Prop. III That at the last and great Day, the Lord Jesus Christ will remove his Throne from Heaven to the Earth Now this Throne of Glory is in the Invisible World, but the day is coming and hastering (Lord let it come very quickly) when this Glorious Throne shall be in this L • wer World Therefore Job said, Job. 19 25 That he should for God, and that in the latter dayes his Redeemer should stand on the Earth. The Day 〈◊〉 Iudgment is called the • atter 〈◊〉 ; and often • n Scripture the last Day, for there will be no • ay, after that Day, but all things shall then • e in Eternity. Time will then be swallowed up with Eternity. But during the Dispensation of Iudgment, the Lord Jesus Christ will sit upon a most Glorious Throne. What the matter of that Throne will be, whether some • lorious Cloud in the Form of a Throne (as • ome Divines have Conjectured) or what the matter of it shall be, is not for us to determine, but this we know that in the last and Great Day, the Lord Jesus Christ will Exercise a glorious Dominion in and over this lower vi •• ble World, and in that respect 〈◊〉 on a Throne of Glory: and then every man in the World • hall be an Eye-Witness of His Majesty, Rev▪ 1.7. He shall come in the Clouds of Heaven, and every 〈◊〉 shall see him, and they that have Crucif • ed him. N • w the Royal Majesty of Christ, the Glory of His Throne will then appear.

1. From the 〈◊〉 Attendants that shall • ait upon him in that day. For then the whole Court of Heaven will come down with • is King to 〈◊〉 upon him here in this •• wer World, 〈◊〉 that (as one of the Ancients •• pr • sses i • ,) the Third Heavens will be left 〈◊〉 in that Day. The glory of Kings 〈◊〉 in their Attendants, in that they have •• at Ones to wait upon them. Kings have 〈…〉 of the Land, and the greatest in the Kingdom to wait on them: So this Glorious King when he comes again into the World, when he removes his Throne from Heaven to the Earth, all the Natives and Nobles of Heaven shall come with him; not only all the Saints in Glory, but also all the Angels that are now round about the Throne in that World which is to us Invisible. So tis here affirmed in the Verse in which my Text is, That the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the holy Angels with him. Angels holy Angels not some but all of them, shall then come & wait upon this King of Glory, Zach. 14 5. The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee. When he shall sit on his Throne of Glory, he has Service for the Holy Angels to be imployed in. They shall sound the Trumpet and Summon the World to appear before this Glorious King. They shall gather the Elect of God from every corner of the World, Matth. 24 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather his Elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. In the great day of Judgment there shall be an Eternal Separation made between good men, and evil men▪ all the Righteous shall stand at the Right-hand 〈◊〉 the Judge in that Day, and all Wicked men shall stand at his Left hand. Now the Angels of God shall be the Instruments of 〈◊〉 this Separation, Mat▪ 13 49. At the End of the World the Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from the just. Christ will employ his Angels to do that Service; And they shall see Execution done on Sinners according to what the Judge Sentences them unto. When once the Sentence is pass • d from the Mou • h of the Son of God, the holy Angels will see it put in Execution, and they are fit Instruments for this Service to Christ. Partly in respect of their Multitude: For the Day of Judgment will be the greatest Harvest that ever was, and there needs a great Number of Reapers to be employed in that Harvest. The Holy Angels, they are to be the Reapers. There are enough of them to do that work for Christ. There are Millions of Millions of them, D • n. 7.10 The Prophet saw Ten thousand times ten thousand ministring Spirits, that waited before the Judge; Millions of Angels to attend his Service So in respect of Power they are fit Instruments for the Lord to make use of as his Servants They are Angels that Excel in strength Mighty ones ▪ 2 Thes. 1.7. He shall be revealed fr • m Heaven in Flaming Fire with his mighty Angels. And because of their Holiness, they 〈◊〉 in Z • a • for God, and in indignation against Si • ners. As when Sodom was destroyed, the Holy Angels were Instruments therein, so when all the Reprobate World shall be cast into the Lake which burns with Fire, the holy Angels shall see that Terrible Execution done, Mat. 13 42. The Son of man shall send his Angels and they shall take them, and cast them into a Furnace of Fire.

2 The Glory of this Throne of Christ appears in the multitude of persons that shall then be Iudged by him In that he shall Judge not a few particular men, as Judges in this World are wont to do, but many millions of men: and he shall then R • ign not over one Nation as Kings do, but over many Nations. Rev. 19.12 He is represented as having on his Head many Crowns, for that he shall Iudge and Rule over many Nations; nay over all Nations; so in the next words to the Text, He shall Sit on the Throne of his Glory, and all Nations shall be gathered before him. Yea, every man in every Nation shall then be brought before him. Act. 17.31. God has appointed a day wherein he will Iudge the World by that man whom he hath Ordained. The whole World shall appear before this Throne, this G • o • ious Iudgment-Seat of Christ. Every man that lives at this Day, or that has been in the World, must then appear before this Glorious Throne All the men that Christ shall find alive upon the Earth in the Day when he removes his Throne from Heaven to Earth, and all that dyed before that time must appear to be Judged by him. 2 Tim. 4 1. He shall Iudge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing, and his Kingdom, that is to say, such as sha • l be found alive at his Coming, & such as dyed before that Day, he should Judge them all. Every man that has been in the World from Adam the First man, to the last man that ever shall be born into the World, the whole Race of mankind, every one of them all must appear before this Iudge, this King, this Throne. Therefore 'tis a Glorious Throne.

Lastly, The Glory of this Throne appears in the Righteousness of it In that no Sentence shall pass from this Throne, but what shall be Righteous Psal 98 ult. Behold the Lord cometh to Iudge the World in Righteousness, and the people with equity. Therefore he is called by the Name of M •• chizedeck, which signifies, King of Righteousness; His Scepter is a Scepter of Righteousness. And his Throne is represented by a Saphir Stone. Ez • k. 1.2▪ Which is an Emblem of Innocency And for the same cause is said to be a white Throne. Rev 20.11. He shall Sit on a great white Throne. It was said of David, He and his Throne shall be guiltless for ever So may we say concerning the Lord Jesus Christ much more, He & his Throne will be guiltless for ever. Altho' in that Day, he will condemn thousands of millions of Men and Women to Eternal Death, yet he will be righteous; For he will not condemn so much as one except the Righteous Law of God condemns them; nor will he acq • it any one but those whom God in this Word declares to be righteous. So then his Throne is a most Righ ••• us Throne, therefore a most Glori • u • Throne.

APPLICATION

USE I. The thought of the Glory of the Lord Iesus Christ should be on heart affecting meditation to us. It should aff • ct all our hearts to think of the Glory of him that Sits on the Throne of Glory. There were Glorious Types of him. The High-Priest in his Glorious Holy Garments was a Type of Christ; 'tis said of him Z • ch 6.13. That he is a Priest upon a Throne; Therefore a Glorious Priest The Priestly and Kingly Offices were of old the greatest Glories; both these belong to Christ. Ioseph was a Type of him who said to his Brethren, Gen. 45 13. You shall tell my Father of all my Glory. Ioseph in all his Glory was but a Shadow of Christ in his Glory. Solomon was a Type of Christ. Behold King Solomon with his Crown! Behold a Greater than Solomon is preached among you this day. One that Solomon in his Glory was not to be compared with. Although Solomons Glory was so great, and his Throne such as that the Queen of Sheba was astonished, and e're dyed away with amazement at it, yet that Throne was not to be compared with this Throne. As it's said of the Lillies. Mat. 6 29. Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these: So may we say, Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like the Lord Iesus Christ Therefore the thoughts of it should be affecting to us all. The Angels in Heaven wonder at that Glory. And the day is coming when all the men on E • r • h will wonder at it It should then affect our hearts now Had we Stephens sight, it would be so. He saw the Heavens opened, and the Glory of God, and Iesus Christ standing at the Right hand of God. Did we (as by Faith we may) see Christ at the Right hand of God, did we there see millions of Angels round about him, worshipping before him, and hear them saying thou Holy, holy, holy Son of God, the whole Heaven is full of thy Glory, this would aff • ct our hearts Well then, let us meditate thereon. Ministers can't preach too much of the Glory of Christ, nor people hear too much of that Glory. It would be well, if not a day might pass us, without some serious thoughts of the Glory of Christ. O think much & often of the Glory of Christ▪ And I am sure you will find that all the Glory of this World will be disregarded by you: and you will then long to be in Heaven, where he is, that you may behold his Glory ▪ One of the Ancients meditating on Moses's Prayer, Exod. 33.18. I beseech thee shew me thy Glory, and on Gods answer to him, Thou canst not see my face, for there is no man shall see me and live, m • k • s a pious R • fl • ction thereupon, then (said he) Let me d • , that so I may see thy face. • hat so I may behold thy Glory. And we shall then long for the Day of Judgment, that so we may see that Son of Man, who is the Son of God, Sitting on the Throne of his Glory, That our eyes may see the King in his beauty.

USE. II. Let us endeavour to approve our selves such as that when we must appear before this Glorious Throne, a blessed Sentence may be pronounced upon us, v • z that, Mat 25 34. Then the King shall say, come you blessed He will say 〈◊〉 to • om • ; let us be careful to make sure of it, that we be of those to whom the King of Glory when Sitting on his Throne of Glory, will say, Come you blessed. Therefore,

1. Consider, that we must all appear before this Glorious Iudgment Seat. There is no avoiding it: Indeed at Death there will be an appearance before the Throne of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then as to their immortal Souls, men appear before the Lords Throne of Judgment. Heb 9.27. It is appointed for men once to dye, and after that the Iudgment. Immediately upon Death there is a Judgment. A true believer is no sooner dead, his immortal Soul is no sooner separated from his Body, but he sees Christ. Therefore Stephen when dying, said, Lord Iesus receive my Spirit He sees Christ in Glory to his unspeakable Joy So when a wicked man dies, he also has a discovery of the Glory of Christ, but to his infinite terror. A Sentence is then passed on his Soul, and it is the same that will be passed on him before the whole world at the last day. It must needs be an amazing and a soul-confounding thing to a Sinner, that so soon as ever his Soul is out of his body, 〈◊〉 knows for certain that the King Eternal is his Enemy; and where he shall be, and what his condition throughout Everlasting Ages; but especially at the last day, all men appear before this Judgment-seat. 2 Cor. 5 10. We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, and every one shall receive according to what he has done in the Body; there is no avoiding of this personal appearance. All and every one, be they high or low, rich or poor, great or small, old or young, not a mothers Child shall escape appearing.

Consider 2. That then either a Sentence of, Absolution or a Sentence of Condemnation will come out from the Throne concerning us. Either the Lord Jesus Christ will say, Come ye Blessed or else he will say, Go ye Cursed. There is not one man here this day, nor in the whole world, but shall hear the Son of God himself pronounce an E •• rnal irreversible Sentence concerning him. He will say either, there is a Kingdom prepared for you, or else he will say, there is an Everlasting Fire prepared for you. Oh how are we then concerned to make sure • hat a Sentence of Life, and not of Death be • assed on us in that Day!

Consider 3. The Coming of the Lord draws • igh. E're long we shall see him coming in great Glory and all the holy Angels with him. The first coming of Christ was to be towards the Evening of the World, Gen 49.1. 1 Cor. 10.11. Now considering more than One thousand Seven hundred years are since that Expired, his second coming cannot be far off The things predicted in the Scripture to be accomplished before Christs coming to Judgment, are the most of them already fulfi • led. There were some in the Apostles days, who supposed that the Great Day would begin in that Age: whose E • ror Paul corrects in his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians. Where he shews that at the Second coming of Christ, the man of Sin shall be utterly destroyed, when as he was not in that Age so much as revealed, and therefore the day of Christ could not then be at • and. But some Ages since, Antichrist 〈◊〉 been both revealed and in a great measure consumed by the Spirit of Christ in his Word, which is a sure sign that the brightness of his Coming, that is▪ His Coming in F • aming Fire, is not far off Moreover, we that now live see those very things concerning which the Lord has said, When you see th • se things come to pass, know that the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand, Luke 21.31. Are we not then concerned to watch and Pray always, that we may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man? And what shall we do that so we may be able to stand before the Presence of his Glory with Exceeding Ioy?

1. Let us make sure that our Sins are pardoned now. Then shall we have a Sentence of Absolution pronounced on us, when we shall see the Son of Man sitting on the Throne of his Glory. Now if we would have our sins pardoned, we must repent of them, and turn from them. Act 3.19 Repent and be converted • hat your sins may be blotted out, when the time • f refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. How are sins blotted out when Christ comes, and is personally present? but in re • pect of the Sentence of Absolution which shall • hen be published before the world. When Christ shall say these men notwithstanding • hey have been guilty of many sins, they repented of them, and they are all pardoned and blotted out in my Blood. And if we would hear that blessed Sentence, we 〈◊〉 make sure that we have true Faith, and then we are safe. If we are believers on Christ, our Saviour will be our Judge; therefore we should give our selves to Christ to become his Faith • ul Servants and Subj • cts. If we approve our selves the faithful Subjects of the Glorious King now, when he shall Sit on the Throne of his Glory, he will say, Come you Blessed.

2. Let us abound in good Works. When Christ comes in his Glory, he will give to every man as his works shall be. Oh then • et us abound in works of Piety, in Reading, • n holy Meditation, in Prayer, and especially in Secret Prayer to God. Mat 6 6 Pray to thy Father that seeth in Secret, and he will reward thee openly. When? At the •• st day there will be an open reward for all works of Piety. It will be reward enough when Christ shall say in the hearing of the whole World, this Servant of mine was much in Prayer to God! What a glorious thing will it be when Christ shall say, though the world knew nothing of it, I know it. As he said to Nathaniel, I saw thee under the Fig-tree. So when Christ shall say before Angels and men, this Servant of mine spent many a day in secret Prayer and holy Meditation which the world knew nothing of it, but I saw him and will reward him. So to abound in works of Charity is the way to have a glorious reward in that day. The Apostle prayed for one that o • e • refreshed him: God grant that he may find mercy in that day, 2 Tim. 1.18 • n what Day? in that Day, when J • sus Christ the Son of God shall sit on the Throne of his Glory; then shall Onesiphorus find a merciful reward. All works of Charity proceeding fr • m Lo •• to Christ, will then be acknowledged by him sitting on the Throne of his Glory: As is declared in the Context before us In the 4▪ Verse, when some shall say to Christ, When saw we thee an hungry and fed thee, or when saw we thee thirsty and gave thee drink, the King shall say, Inasmuch as you did it to those my brethren you did it to me. So then, works of Charity, though i • be but to the bodies of them that belong to Christ, will be to our joyful acccount, Much more if we have done good, not to the Bodies of men only, but to their Souls: If we have been instrumental in the Conversion of any of the Elect of God, or in building up any of his Children in their most holy Faith, we shall receive a bless • d reward. They that have been happ • ▪ instruments of promoting the Interest and Kingdom of Christ in the World, the glorious K • ng will take notice of it when He shall Sit on the Throne of his Glory. The more good we do, the greater will our B • essedness be in that day. In the Resurrection World we shall reap the fruit of all. If we sow plentifully, we shall reap plentifully. A great Harvest of 〈◊〉 follows a liberal seed time in doing good; we shall then find that our labour in the Lord has not been in vain.

Lastly, Be willing to Suffer for the Glorious Name of Christ It was said to the▪ Phi • lippians, To you it is given not only to Believe, but to Suffer. If we should be called to Suffer, yea, to Dye for the Name of Christ, it would be a wonderful Mercy and Gift of God to us. I often wonder at those Christians who are not willing to Dy for the dear Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not know what the Lord may call us to undergo in a way of Suffering in his cause. Let us endeavour to be like the holy Apostle, who said, I am ready not only to be bound but to Dy for the Name of Christ, Act. 21 13. If we are ready for it, i • willing for it, and should be glad of it, did the Lord see it meet, Christ will in that Day acknowledge our Love to his Name, and give us the Crown that belongs to Martyrs themselves. If we Suffer with him we shall R • ign with him. Let us then be both willing to Suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ, and continue in doing all the Service we can for him. And then let me speak that which is a wonderful Word, and so conclude. If we thus approve our selves to him when the Son of God shall sit on the Throne of his Glory, We shall sit on Thrones of Glory with Him; for so has our Lord himself from 〈◊〉 Throne in Heaven assured us, Rev. • .21. To him that overcomes will I grant to 〈◊〉 with me on my Throne, even as I also overc • me, and 〈◊〉 sat down with my Father in his Throne.

Preached at Boston, Nov. 16. 1701.

The END.