Golgotha; or, A looking-glass for London, and the suburbs thereof Shewing the causes, nature and efficacy of the present plagues; and the most hopeful way for healing. With an humble witness against the cruel advice and practice of shutting-up unto oppression. Both now and formerly experienced to encrease, rather than prevent the spreading thereof. / By J.V. grieved by the poor, who perish daily hereby.

Now the Scripture-means for effectual healing, whilst it is called to day, are set down as followeth.

First, For the Lord's faithful Remnant, grieved, as Lot, for the filthy conversation of the wicked, and for what hath been committed in the midst of Jerusalem, as Ezek. 9. to sanctifie a solemn Assembly in the earnestness and humility, Joel 2. and seriously therein (and in secret) bring forth these sores before their High-Priest in quick and speedy interces∣sion and application of the Blood of sprinkling, Numb. 16. 16, 46. Exod. 12. 7. 2 Sam. 24. 25.

Secondly, In true sence of, and humiliation for, the Plague of their own hearts, timely to seek the face of God, and turn

from the evil of their doings, 1 King. 8. 37. 2 Chron. 7. 13, 14. Ezek. 7. 16.

Thirdly, More truly to set their hearts on God, and make the Most High their habitation, Psal. 91. 9, 10, 14. and to try the truth hereof as followeth.

1. By Faith in Christ Jesus, John 14. 6. to 11.

2. By their Soveraign Love, 1 John 4. 12, 16.

3. By their unfeigned obedience, 1 John 3. 24. but more particularly,

1. To make him more their place of residence and safety, as men do their habitation, Psal. 31. 2. & 71. 3.

2. Their place of retirement, and rest from disturbance, Psal. 37.7. Prov. 24. 15. Isa. 32. 18. Psal. 116. 7.

3. To have their conversation more in God, as Rev. 13. 6. Phil. 3. 20. that men may know were to find Professors more at home.

4. To be feeding more in him, John 6. 56. and enter∣taining their acquaintance there, Cant. 4. 11. Psal. 145. 1, to 11. & 66. 16.

5. To be working in him, hiding themselves, and placing their safety and treasure in him, more, John 3. 21. Psal. 91. 1, 2. Col. 3. 3. Mat. 6. 19, 20, 21.

O this life of thus inhabiting God, Christ lived; and this manifests Saintship and sincerity in all ages, Psal. 90. 1. & 140. 13. And wandrings from hence, have much exposed God's own People, Jer. 9. 6. & 50. 6, 7.

But this Life in God now, is, both an earnest of our habita∣tion at hand, where neither sin nor sickness shall a••oy, 1 Cor. 5. 1,6. and is such a present refuge and safe shelter, as either this Pestilence shall not come at all, or coming shall not be a Plague, but lose its hurtful nature, to such as do dwell in, or now truly and timely shall make refuge unto, and reside in him, as their habitation, Psal. 91. 1, to 10. Deut. 33. 27. Psa. 23. 4, 5, 6. Job 5. 22, 23. Rom. 8. 38. 1 Cor. 3. 21.

On then that poor souls, who have no refuge but Country-Houses now, when they will meet with sorrow enough, as Amos 9. 1. would in the encouragement of the New-Cove∣nant,

by the New and Living Way, hasten for refuge unto this safe Habitation, Heb. 6. 18. Yea, O that that may be now fulfilled, which is written Psa. 22. 27, 28, 29, 30. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee; for the King∣dom is the Lords, and he is the Governour among the Nations &c. Run ye then out of the World whose works will be burnt up, ye Righteous, into your Strong Tower! Turn ye to the Strong Hold, ye wandering Children, hasten into your Habitation, Prov. 18. 10. And ye Visited ones of God, happy may ye be by this Visitation, O that you may experience, through Grace, as Hezekiah, that herein is the life of your Spirit, Isa. 38. 16. and be able, as Job 10. 12. to say with thankfulness, Thou hast vouchsafed me life and favour, and thy Visitations have preser∣ved my Spirit; and as Psa. 119. 67, 71. experience the good hereof, Behold, happy is the man who to this end is corrected of the Lord: for he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole, Job 5. 18. Lo, all these things worketh God often-times with man, to hide Pride from man, to bring back his soul from the Pit, to be enlightned with the light of the Living, Job 33. 17, 29, 30. Indeed I could dwell on this direction for our Cure, for the sake of my own soul, and for the sakes of my poor Country-men, of every sort, beyond what this Paper may contain, and bring you a most rare Ex∣periment of one that made Jerusalem run with blood, and was almost as profound to slaughter, as poor M. G. B. who yet found safety in refuge hither in his distress; though I confess under less light and warnings by Signs and Wonders, yet al∣so, being under less stumblings by Professors, I retain my hope that God may yet shew Mercy, even to such as him, making speedy refuge hither: And I could give blessed pre∣sidents also to encourage poor wandring Children, who have played the Harlot after many Lovers, to return now quickly to their Habitation, as Jer. 3. 1. But thou hast played the Har∣lot with many Lovers, yet return unto me saith the Lord▪ Only acknowledge thine iniquity, &c. ver. 13. towards which I will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 give you a fourth Scripture-direction for Cure.

Fourthly then, That the Lords People also humbly accept the punishment of their iniquity, considering Ezek. 14. 23. and declare also all their Abominations, even before the Hea∣then, under the hand of the Almighty, Lev. 26. 40, 41. Ezek. 12, 16.

And lastly, To waite in hope on God for special execu∣tion of Judgment in general defilement and defection, Num. 25. 8. compared with Psal. 106. 30. and Jer. 5. 1. Amos 5. 15. And in all, with bowels of compassion to poor Infants that know not their right hand from their left, at midnight to awake in the sence of their calamity, as Lam. 2. 19. Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the Lord; lift up thine hands to∣wards him, for the life of thy young children, that faint for hun∣ger in the top of every Street. For with the Merciful, thou wilt shew thy self merciful, &c. Psa. 18. 25. And to you that fear his Name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings, Mal. 4. 2. EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS, COME QUICKLY, Amen.