The fourth part of the true watch containing prayers and teares for the churches. Or A helpe to hold up the hearts and hands of the poorest servants of God, untill our Lord Iesus Christ shall have rescued his glorie, kingdome, and people in all the world, and fully prepared the way to his most glorious appearing.

The second Meditation, To thinke what it is for a man to forsake his owne happinesse▪ in refusing Christs gracious call, and to joyne with Sathan against him, to his endlesse perdition.

SEcondly, the Lord cals* 1.1 loud to every soule to be∣thinke him seriously in time, what it is for a man, not onely to refuse and contemne the gracious call and service of our Lord Iesus Christ, yea all

his favours, all his sweet pro∣mises and mercies concerning both this and a better life; all the glory and happinesse of the Celestiall Canaan, the heavenly Ierusalem, where is fulnes of joy in the presence of the Lambe and at the right hand of our heavenly Father, pleasures for evermore; but of the contrary, to choose to joyne himselfe with Sathan and with all the damned, to serve under him against our Lord and Saviour.* 1.2

Likewise to thinke afore∣hand what such a men will doe, when hee must appeare before his glorious Majesty, when all the greatest & prou∣dest of the earth, that have so set themselves against him, shall cry to the Hils & Moun∣taines to fall upon them and cover them from the presence of the Lambe: so terrible shall his very presence be un∣to

them then (though a Lambe to all beleevers who* 1.3 have heere followed him in true obedience, & to all who yet shall harken to his voyce) yea, so dreadfull shall it bee, when whatsoever torment* 1.4 and misery is denounced a∣gainst them in the booke of God, to bee inflicted upon them hereafter, shall be most certainly, and fully executed, in that lake burning with fire and brimstone.

For the unfallible truth and* 1.5 undoubted certainty hereof, the Lord cals every soule al∣waies* 1.6 to behold with the eies of their minds, not only those fearfull spectacles mentioned* 1.7 in his word, of that wofull horror of conscience, which hath so surprized and over∣whelmed so many of the wic∣ked, whom God hath left for ensamples to all posterity, e∣ven for their malicious wic∣kednesse,

though but against some one of his Servants, as namely, in Caine, Saule, A∣chitophel, Iudas, and others; when they did but onely con∣sider the wrath of the Lord, and his vengeance due unto them, and which would over∣take them, or felt it begin∣ning to seize upon them for this sinne; but moreover hee* 1.8 cals them to thinke aright of the continuall examples that hee daily seteth before their faces in the miseries of so ma∣ny of his deerest Children.

How they are tormented* 1.9 when their consciences are a∣wakened with a right appre∣hension and feare of the wrath of the Lord for their sinnes, wherein they have served Sa∣than; though not taking part against his Majesty and Chil∣dren; no nor so much▪ as in forsaking him, or them, or a∣ny his causes; but onely for

some particular sl•…•…ps, fai∣lings and infirmities, as either for some spirituall pride, or timerousnesse in fearing men more then God; and thereup∣on omitting some necessary confession, or other good du∣ty; or for doing some small thing against their consci∣ence; or for some unbeleefe, in not being able to rest upon the Lord his love and care in the failing of outward meanes, as it was with Moses at the waters of strif•…•…; or for spirituall security, for decay∣ing in their first love, neglect∣ing the conscionable use of meanes of grace and saluati∣on, or the like.

How even these, I say,* 1.10 when their consciences are throughly awaked, doe in∣dure, as it were, the very slashings of hell fire; and this so dreadfully, as their miseries astonish all that behold them,

and that they themselves doe account all outward tortures nothing in regard thereof: so that many a time with holy Iob, they wish an end were* 1.11 made of them; being oft rea∣dy through Sathans malice, to lay violent hands upon themselves. Also for that they indure this so long, as that Gods hand pursues some of them, throughout their whole life: that they are usually uncapable of any comfort (though the same be sent by a messenger of God e∣ven one of a thousand) except it bee a little before their death, wherein the Lord commonly vouchsafeth unto them much heavenly assu∣rance and consolation.

And if it be so with these* 1.12 here, while yet the day of sal∣vation remaines, and the ac∣cepted time, and also whilst they have the most excellent

meanes to comfort them, yea, though they bee such as have felt formerly the assurance of Gods love & favour in Christ, and many lively▪ evidences thereof; & which is the chie∣fest* 1.13 of all, though they▪ be such as are deere and pretious un∣to the Lord, and who have his holy Spirit for their ear∣nest, (albeit onely for a time they want the sense & feeling of it, as it hath beene in ma∣ny a soule in our memory, and is at this day: whereupon they have bene, & are so usual∣ly prayed for in many of our best Congregations, from whence they looke for some helpe & comfort by the prai∣ers of Gods people:) if I say it bee so with them, what can* 1.14 wee thinke shall become of the ungodly and impenitent sinners; & especially, of those* 1.15 enemies of Christ and his Ser∣vants▪ when their consciences

shall bee throughly awaked, and much more after this life, when their case in regard of any comfort, shall be contra∣ry to the estate of these poore Servants of the Lord. If the* 1.16 righteous shall scarsly bee sa∣ved (as Peter speaketh, and as wee see how hardly it goes with these last mentioned) where shall the wicked and ungodly appeare? If the paine* 1.17 of one tooth (alone) be oft so extreame, that it permits no sleepe nor rest day nor night, when wee have all kind of o∣ther comforts to mitigate and ease it, what can wee thinke the torments of all the parts both of soule and body must needs be, in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone for e∣ver, where the very hope of all other comforts shall be ut∣terly taken away, which not∣withstanding we are certain∣ly assured must come upon

all impenitent and ungodly sinners, because the word of the Lord doth tell us so most plainly, and so oft warnes us of it. The Lord cals from heaven continually upon all who doe not repent them of their sinnes, & come to helpe him, to thinke seriously here∣of, as which alone shall bee* 1.18 sufficiently able to convince and condemme all that ever have heard the holy Scrip∣tures, or but these fearfull ex∣amples alone.

Notes

• * 1.1

  To thinke what it is to refuse Christs call, to ioyne with Sathan and the dam∣ned.
• * 1.2

  Such to be∣thinke them∣selves what they will doe when Christ comes.
• * 1.3

  Apoc. 14, 4.
• * 1.4

  When all threatned a∣gainst them shall be fully executed.
• * 1.5

  For the evi∣dence hereof
• * 1.6

  To behold the fearfull spectacles.
• * 1.7

  Of men tor∣mented with horror of conscience in the Scrip∣tures.
• * 1.8

  In daily ex∣amples.
• * 1.9

  How they are tormen∣ted in consci∣ence for par∣ticular slips or failings.
• * 1.10

  How these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 indure the flashings of hell fire.
• * 1.11

  Iob. 7. 15.
• * 1.12

  If it be so with these heere.
• * 1.13

  Though they be most deer unto the Lord.
• * 1.14

  What shall become of all impeni∣tent sinners.
• * 1.15

  And chiefly of all Christs enemies▪
• * 1.16

  1. Peter. 4. 18. 19. If the righte∣ous be scarsly saved how they.
• * 1.17

  If paine of a tooth be so great, what shall their to∣tall torment be.
• * 1.18

  These suffi∣cient to con∣vince all.