A sermon preached at St. Mary-le-Bow before the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen, and citizens of London, on Friday the 26th of June a day appointed by proclamation for a general and publick fast / by Lilly Butler ...

Nehem. 9. part of the 26, and 27 Verses.

They wrought great Provocations: There∣fore thou deliveredst them into the Hand of their Enemies.

THE Children of Israel being assembled together with fasting, upon a day of publick and solemn Hu∣miliation, as this is; The Levites, in the Name of all the People, make an humble Acknowledg∣ment to God, of their ungrateful and rebellious Behavi∣our towards him; how they had all along defeated the gracious Methods of his Providence, to oblige and turn them to him; and how justly at length they were punish∣ed by him.

He spared them long, and delivered them often, and did many great things for them. But they dealt proudly, and hardned their Necks, and refused to obey. And though God was slow to Anger, and for a great while suffered their Manners, and in his manifold Mercies forsook them not; yet at length, when he saw they obstinately persisted to abuse his Patience and Mercy, and had aggravated their Sins to a most intolerable Degree, he became weary of forbearing. He gave his People to the Sword, and was wroth with his In∣heritance. They wrought great Provocations: Therefore he deli∣vered them into the Hand of their Enemies. In which Words we may observe, First, The Character of the Israelites Practice, They wrought great Provocations. Secondly, The Punish∣ment

inflicted by God for it, He therefore delivered them into the Hand of their Enemies.

In this manner he did often punish their great Provoca∣tions. He had told them by Moses, Lev. 26. that if they walkt in his Statutes, and kept his Commandments, he would give Peace in their Land, and none should make them afraid. Verse 6. They should chase their Enemies, and make them fall before them by the Sword. Verse 7. But if they should despise his Statutes, and abhor his Judgments, and break his Covenant, Verse 15. then he would set his Face against them, they should be slain before their Enemies, and they that hated them should reign over them verse, 17. And the Prophet Isaiah, long after, speaks to them to the same purpose, Isa. 1. 19, 20. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land; but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured by the Sword, for the Mouth of the Lord hath spo∣ken it.

This was to be the standing Method of God's proceed∣ing with them, and accordingly we find it observed in abundance of Instances. I shall therefore make it my Bu∣siness at this Time, to apply this Account is given of God's Method in dealing with his People Israel, (as may be most suitable to the Occasion of our present meeting) to our own particular Case and Circumstances, by shewing, First, How justly we may be charged, as the Jews are in the Text, with having wrought great Provocations. Second∣ly, That we have great reason to fear, that our great Provocations may be punished by God as theirs were, that he may therefore give us up into the Hand of our Enemies. Thirdly, What a dreadful Judgment this would be, which our Sins threaten us with. Fourthly, What is the most effectual means to prevent this Punishment of our great Provocations. Fifthly, What Particulars are required of us, in order to the Discharge of that general Duty, which

is so effectual a means to prevent this Punishment. These are all of them very proper Matter for our present Me∣ditation.

First, I am to shew how justly we may be charged, as the Jews were in the Text, with having wrought great Provocations. This will manifestly appear, if we consi∣der these following things.

First, To what a prodigious Height all Kinds of Ini∣quity are raised amongst us. Atheism and Infidelity have strangely improved their Interest in this Age, in respect both of the Number and Impudence of their Pro∣selytes. And what David chargeth with Folly, but to say in our Hearts, Men are bold to profess with their Mouths as an Argument of a more discerning Wit and Reason. How insolently do many set their Mouths against Heaven, disputing the Being, and exposing the Oracles of God, and deriding all the sacred Mysteries of Religion? Are not profane Attempts daily made, to propagate the most unchristian Notions, with that Zeal and Earnestness, with which we are required to contend for the Faith, which was once delivered unto the Saints? With what Loudness and Affectation do Men profane the awful Name of God? As if Blasphemy were a sort of Eloqence, and Oaths and Curses Wit and Rhetorick; as if there were no greater Bravery, than, for Men to defie God and contemn his Judgments, and to curse themselves into Damnation. How is the Land over∣spread with Luxury and Intemperance? And what Numbers are there, that regard nothing else, even now that God so loudly calls for fasting and mourning, but to sit down to eat and drink, and to rise up to play? Chamber∣ing and Wantonness are become a Trade and Calling, and all the Arts of Solomon's Harlot, Prov. 7. have been daily practised in our Streets, with the greatest Cunning

and Impudence. How many Examples, doth almost every Day produce, of such prodigious Frauds as for∣mer Ages were Strangers to? How little of that Sense of Honour is left, in managing Trade, which was wont to give such great Advantage to it? Men are now in so much haste to be rich, that the old, and honest Ways of Traffick, are too slow for the Violence of their cove∣tous Desires, and they greedily run after the new Inven∣tions of a corrupt and fraudulent Age. Notwithstand∣ing the publick Dangers have threatned us, which are wont to unite a People amongst themselves; we have retained our old, and ingaged in new Quarrels, and are still assaulting one another with unchristian Censures and Revilings; and seem to be more heartily concerned for Victory, in our little Differences at home, than in our Wars abroad, for our common Safety, Liberties, and Religion. And are not all these very great Provoca∣tions?

Secondly, These will appear still greater Provocations, if we consider what Ingagements we are under, to ab∣stain from all Transgressions of the Laws of God. This was a great Aggravation of the Sins of Israel, that they were a People in Covenant with God. The Sins of the uncircumcised Nations were nothing so great Pro∣vocations as theirs, who professed themselves the Peo∣ple, and were solemnly dedicated to the Service of God. And therefore this is often charged upon them, as a hea∣vy Aggravation of their Disobedience and Rebellion against God, that thereby they had dealt falsly in, and broken his Covenant. The same Aggravation, only much heavier, are our Transgressions loaded with: We are as solemnly dedicated to God as they were, and ingaged to him by the Rites of a better Covenant, established upon better Promises, and requiring a more easie and reason∣able

Service. We have generally made Promises, and Profession, of renouncing the Devil, and all those his Works, which notwithstanding are so commonly and so impudently practised by us, and are therefore false and perjured Wretches in every wilful Sin we commit. How great then are our Provocations?

Thirdly, Our Sins are very great Provocations, as they have been committed against the most prevailing Attempts of the Spirit of God, to restrain and reclaim us from them. This is particularly mentioned, as one Ag∣gravation of the Sins of Israel, Verse 20. that God had given them his Spirit to instruct them; and Verse 30. that he testified against them by his Spirit in the Prophets. But we that are Christians, have clearer Revelations made, both of our Duty, and the Motives to it, than the Jews had, by the same Spirit. And these things have been taught and urged upon us, with great Plainness and Af∣fection, by those whom the Holy Ghost hath set apart for the Work of the Ministry, who have not spared to tell us of our Sins, to warn us of our Danger, and to call us to Repentance. The Author to the Hebrews mentions this as a peculiar Aggravation of despising the Law of Christ, in comparing it with despising the Law of Moses, to do Despite to the Spirit of Grace. The Sins of Christi∣ans are committed against more prevailing Methods of God's Holy Spirit, and these Methods have been no where used, with greater Strength and Advantage than amongst us; we have had more of his Light, more of his Calls and Invitations, more of his Warnings and Reproofs, more frequent and earnest Applications than most, if not than any other of the Christian Nations. Our Sins therefore, which, notwithstanding all this, we have multiplyed against God, must needs be very great Provocations,

Fourthly, Our Sins are great provocations, as they have been committed against many and great Mercies. The Mercies of God are particularly insisted on, by the Le∣vites in this Chapter, in confessing and aggravating the Sins of Israel. His choosing them for his People, his delivering them out of Egypt, his feeding them in the Wilderness, his long forbearances and his many gracious deliverances of them: And how like to these are the Mercies we have sinned against? How early did God choose us to plant his Gospel amongst us, and take us into Covenant with him? How graciously did he deli∣ver us from the Tyranny of Rome, from a far worse Bondage than that of Egypt? What a rich and plentiful Land hath he planted us in? What an excellent Form of Government hath he Establish'd for us? How constantly hath he been watching over us, interposing for us, and making bare his Arm in our defence? How many signal Mercies and Deliverances have been crouded into a few years past? When our hearts were ready to fail for fear, and for looking for those things that were coming upon us, how seasonably did God send us a Deliverer, and surprise us with the safety of all that was dear to us? And when our danger was greater, because our fear was less, by what wonderful methods of Providence were the dark & bloo∣dy designs of our Enemies discovered and disappointed, and their expected Triumphs turned into everlasting In∣famy and Reproach? If we look abroad, what Nation is there that hath had God so nigh unto them for all that we call upon him for; yea, for what we have neither asked nor thought of? And though we complain still, as we have always done, yet we should hardly be wil∣ling to change Conditions with any of the Nations round about us. How great then are our provocations, the abominable Transgressions which we have committed, against our good and gracious God, who hath striven

by all the methods of Love, by the most valuable expressions of Mercy and Goodness, to ingage us to return to him?

Fifthly, Our Sins are great provocations, as they have been committed against the Discipline of God's Rod, and those many Judgments he hath sent to teach us Righteousness. This also is one of the aggravations of the sins of the Jews, mentioned in this Chapter, and they are often in other places upbraided with it, for being smitten in vain and receiving no correction, but still revolting more and more. And how just is this Charge against us also? How impregnable have our Lusts been against all the Batteries of the Divine Displeasure? How many fiery Trials have we past through without leaving any thing of our Dross be∣hind us? God hath sent the Pestilence among us after the manner of Egypt; He overthrew some of us as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha; our young men he hath slain with the Sword: He hath visited us with intestine and foreign Wars; the Person of our Sovereign, our greatest Security upon Earth, and many Thousands of our Country-men are still exposed, to all the sharp and fiery Instruments of Death; yet have we not returned unto the Lord, but in this our distress we rather sin yet more against him. Our Lusts have increased and multiplied under the Curses of God, the severest Judgments he hath punished them with. Thus also have we wrought great provocations.

Sixthly, Our Sins are yet greater provocations, as they have been committed, even whilst we have been making publick Professions of Repentance. For this is the pretence of appointing and observing our month∣ly and yearly Fasts, that we may confess and bewail our sins, and humble our selves, with purposes of Re∣formation

and Amendment. The Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 58. 3. doth thus aggravate the Sin of the Jews. In the Day of your Fast ye find Pleasure or Desire, i. e. Your sinful Lusts and Pleasures are still indulged by you, notwithstanding all your fasting. And how just∣ly may this too be charged upon us? Have we abated any thing of our Wickedness since we began our Fasts? Are we not the same sinful People that we were before? What Lusts have we mortified, what wicked Customs have we abolished, what sinful Practices have we reformed, notwithstanding all our Confessions of Sin, and pretended Humiliations for it, notwithstand∣ing so many solemn Professions of Sorrow and Re∣pentance? How highly provoking is such Mockery and Hypocrisie? What a mean Opinion doth it argue we have of God? As if we thought him capable, of being imposed upon, by false Pretences, and hypocri∣tical Shews, and meer outward Ceremonies of Re∣spect, or of being bribed by these to dispense with the most abominable Impurities and Lusts. Thus we have turned our Fasting and Prayer into Sin, and made our Iniquities the more provoking, by these our solemn meetings. If we consider all these things together, cer∣tainly we cannot but confess that we of this Nation have wrought very great Provocations, that our Iniquities are increased over our Heads, and our Trespasses grown up unto the Heavens. And will not God visit for these things, will not his Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this? Will not so loud a Cry of Sin awaken the divine Justice to a speedy Execution of the Judgment we have deserved, to withdraw his Protection, and to leave us to the Will of our merciless Enemies? That we may be possest with due Apprehensions of our Dan∣ger, I shall shew, Secondly, That we have great

Reason to fear that our great Provocations may be punished by God as those of the Jews were, that he may therefore give us up into the Hand of our Ene∣mies. For,

First, We have no such particular Promises of Preservation from, and Conquest over our Enemies, as the Jewish Nation had. God had expresly told them, that he would drive out the Nations before them, and give them a quiet and peaceable Possession of the Land of Canaan. But notwithstanding, for their great Provocations, he did often deliver them in∣to their Enemies Hands. How then can we hope still to escape this Punishment, who have no such particu∣lar Promises, when our Provocations are as great as theirs? God did often deliver the Jews for the sake of his Promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, 2 King. 13. 23. And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had Compassion on them, and had respect unto them; he deli∣vered them from the Oppression of the King of Syria, be∣cause of his Covenant with Abraham Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his Pre∣sence as yet. But we have no such Promise made to any of our Fathers, and therefore have much less Reason to hope for that Defence and Protection from God, which the provoking Israelites did sometimes find against their Enemies. The Example of the Text then is a strong Argument against us, if God punished their great Provocations with the Sword of their Enemies, we have great Reason to fear that he will, much rather, punish ours in like manner.

Secondly, The Honour of God was more concern∣ed, in defending and preserving the Jewish Nation, than it is in defending and preserving ours. For they were the only Worshippers of the Lord Jehovah, and

whilst they were so, it was in a manner necessary for the asserting of his Divinity, and the Preservation of the Knowledge and Worship of him, sometimes to appear on their Behalf, and not to suffer their Ene∣mies utterly to prevail against them. And therefore, when the Provocations of Israel were great, he is often said to have wrought for his Name's Sake, that it should not be polluted amongst the Heathen, that they might not triumph and insult over the God of Israel, as Rabsha∣keh did over the Gods of those Nations his Master had conquered, Isa. 36. 18, 19. Where are the Gods of Hamath and Arphad? Where are the Gods of Sephar∣vaim? Who are they among all the Gods of these Nations that have delivered their Land out of my Hand? And God did not give them up to be destroyed utterly by their Enemies, till he had planted a Church among the Gentiles, and had made them his People who were not his People But there can be no such Reason given, for God's defending and preserving us, notwithstand∣ing our great Provocations. The Honour of his Name cannot be so much interested in our Safety, who are only a Part of his Church. The Christian Faith, and the true Worship of God, would still be maintained and preserved, though we should be so given up into the Hands of our Enemies, that we should be no more a People, and the Name of our English Church no more in Remembrance. How justly then may we fear this Pu∣nishment, if we still continue our great Provocati∣ons?

Thirdly, We have still greater Reason to fear this particular Judgment for our great Provocations, be∣cause it seems to be nearest at Hand. It is a Rod which God hath been, for some Years, shaking over us, and threatning to punish us with. The Sword is

already drawn, we are actually ingaged in War, with a subtil and potent Enemy; and if God but with∣draw himself, and resolve to go out no more with our Hosts, there needs nothing more to bring this heavy Judgment upon us. And can we hope that God will always be active on behalf of so provoking a People, that he will not at length be weary of interposing and fighting for us? This is a Judgment then so ready, and so easie to be inflicted on us, that we have great Reason to fear that God may thus punish our great Provocations.

Fourthly, This is a Judgment that many amongst us seem to be fond of; some are wishing and praying for it, and others have ingaged in the most horrid Villa∣nies, that they might let it in upon themselves and us. And will it not be very just with God, and very agreeable to his Method of punishing, to cause them to inherit their own Choice, and to be filled with their own Devices, and to obtain the Miseries they so eagerly pur∣sue, especially when we have all so highly deserved to partake with them by our great Provocations? When so many of us are weary of God's Mercies, and impati∣ent under the Deliverances he hath wrought for us, and complain of the Oppression of his Blessings, may we not reasonably fear, that he will take up a Resolu∣tion of delivering us no more, and saving us no longer against our Wills; that he will make us sensible of the Value of those Blessings we despise, and murmur at, by forbearing to prolong our Enjoyment of them? If this be our Case then, if we have so much Cause to fear, that for our great Provocations God may deliver us up into the Hand of our Enemies, that we may be awakened to use our utmost Endeavours to prevent

this Punishment, it will be very seasonable for us to consider,

Thirdly, What a dreadful Judgment this would be, which our Sins threaten us with. What a wretched Condition should we be in, if God should give us up into the Hand of the Enemy we are contending with? Who can express the Violence and Cruelty, the Rapes and Outrages, the Wasting and Barbarities, the Bur∣nings and Bloodshed, that have attended all his Suc∣cesses? How much do these things transcend the most tragical Descriptions? with what barbarous Cruelty hath he persecuted his own most faithful Subjects, on∣ly for professing the same Religion with us? What Slavery and Tyranny are those very Persons subjected to, that support his Greatness and sight for him? What a dreadful Protector then, of Life and Liber∣ty, of Property and Religion, must he be, especially for us who have so highly provoked him, and been the chief Bar to the Progress of his Success and Victo∣ries? Methinks the Thoughs of this terrible Judg∣ment, our Sins so loudly threaten us with, should make our Hearts tremble, and our Knees smite one against another. But is there no Hope in Israel concern∣ing this thing? Is there no Remedy or escaping? God forbid, that our Case should be thus desperate. We cannot tell but God may yet be prevailed upon, to turn and repent and to leave a Blessing behind him. I shall therefore shew,

Fourthly, What is the most effectual means to pre∣vent that dreadful Punishment, our great Provocations threaten us with. It is in one Word, Repentance; a deep Humiliation and Sorrow for all our great Pro∣vocations, and a sincere Amendment of our Lives, for the time to come. This we have great reason to

hope, might yet turn away the Wrath of God, and prevail for us against our Enemies. For,

First, This is a Means, God hath always prescribed, for the rescuing his People out of their Enemies Hand: When at any time he threatned his People, for their great Provocations, to give them over to the Sword, he still invited them to repent as a certain Means to escape it. The Prophet Joel describes the Enemies of Judah in a very lofty and terrible manner, Chap. 2. A great People and a strong, there hath not been ever the like, nei∣ther shall there be any more after it. A Fire devours before them, and behind them a Fire burneth. Nevertheless he tells them if they would but turn and repent, God would remove this great Army from them, Verse 20. and drive them into a Land barren and desolate: And for our far∣ther Encouragement, let us consider,

Secondly, The Repentance and Reformation of his People, were generally followed, with most remarka∣ble Victories over their Enemies. The Reformation in the Days of Asa, was followed with a Victory over a thousand thousand Ethiopians; and that in the Days of Jehosaphat with so signal a Victory over the Chil∣dren of Moab and Ammon, that we read 2 Chron. 20. 29. That the Fear of God was on all those Countries when they had heard that the Lord fought against the Enemies of Israel, and that in the Days of Hezekiah, with a wonderful Defeat of the victorious and insulting Army of Sennacherib. These things happened unto them for Examples, and are written for our Encouragement. And if we could but be perswaded to make the Ex∣periment, I doubt not but we might yet reap the like happy Fruits of a great Reformation. For,

Thirdly, When those that are God's People by Pro∣fession and Covenant, repent and turn to him, then those Ends and Reasons cease, for which God is wont to give them up into the Hand of their Enemies. Then God may defend and fight for them, without any Prejudice to the Honour of his Holiness and Ju∣stice and Providence. Nay, then the Glory of them is more fully manifested when he sheweth himself strong on the Behalf of them that are upright towards him. When the Righteous wash their Feet in the Blood of their Enemies, then saith David, Psal. 58. 10, 11. Men will say, Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous: Verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth. When the Inhabi∣tants of a Land have learned Righteousness, the great Design of God's Judgments is accomplished. Then there is no need of giving them up into the Hand of their Enemies, that they may return and seek God; or be a Warning and Example to others that afterwards should live ungodly. And,

Fourthly, As it doth very well consist with, and an∣swer the Ends of his Wisdom, so it cannot but be ve∣ry agreeable to his Inclinations, to defend and pro∣tect a holy Nation, a peculiar People, purifyed to himself, and zealous of good Works. He delights in the Prospe∣rity of good Men, and rejoyceth over them to do them good. There is nothing more pleasing, or agreeable to his Nature, than to exercise loving Kindness and Mercy. How forward then must he be to exercise these upon a Church and Nation, reformed in Faith and Practice? If but a single righteous Man cry, the Lord is ready to hear and deliver him; how ready then would he be to hear, succour, and defend, a righte∣ous Society of Men? Such an Opportunity of subdu∣ing the Enemies of a reformed People, he seems to

lament the Loss of, Psal. 81. 13, 14. O that my Peo∣ple had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my Ways! I should soon have subdued their Enemies, and turned my Hand against their Adversaries.

Fifthly, We have great Reason to hope, that God is thus graciously inclined to our Nation in particular, to give us yet most happy Success against our Enemies, if we would but yet repent, from his favourable Deal∣ing with us, notwithstanding the Continuance of our great Provocations. He hath often stretched out his Hand against us, but presently taken it in again, as if he did not know how to give the fatal Blow. He hath suffered us to be encompassed with almost una∣voidable Dangers, but still at length his Arm hath wrought Salvation for us. He hath saved us out of the Hand of our Enemies, when they have been ready to triumph, in their almost accomplish'd Designs against us; as if he were thus affectionately contesting with himself concerning us, as we read he once was con∣cerning Ephraim, Hos. 11. 8. How shall I give thee up England? How shall I deliver thee into the Hand of thine Enemies? My Heart is turned within me, my Re∣pentings within me are kindled. What can be the Rea∣son of all this Goodness and Forbearance and Long∣suffering towards us, but his great Desire, that we should not perish, but rather come to Repentance? If now we seriously consider, on the one Hand, the imminent Danger, we have brought our selves into, by our great Provocations; and on the other Hand, the com∣fortable Hopes we may yet entertain, of Safety and Deliverance, of Success and Victory, if we did but re∣pent and amend our Doings; methinks we should be all ready to do the utmost we can for the accomplish∣ing of that which, is so necessary and prevailing a

Means, to preserve us from the greatest Calamities, and to make us a flourishing and a happy People. Which leads me to shew,

Fifthly, What Particulars are required of us, in or∣der to the Discharge of that general Duty of Repen∣tance, to prevent our being delivered into the Hand of our Enemies. To this End,

First, Let us humble our selves before God, with Shame and Sorrow for all our great Provocations. Let us search and try our Ways, and set our Iniquities in order before us. Let us know every Man the Plague of his own Heart, and reflect upon all those prevailing Sins and Impieties, which overspread the Nation; let us be af∣flicted, mourn and weep for all our Abominations, and in the Anguish of our Spirits bewail the Folly and In∣gratitude of them. This is the proper Work of this Day. Let us try then what we can do, what Impres∣sion we can make upon our Hearts, by reflecting up∣on God's Mercy and our Ingratitude. Let us imploy our Minds in such Thoughts and Reasonings as these. Oh! How kind, how compassionate, how bountiful a Father have we offended and provoked? What could God have done for us that he hath not done? And yet what could we have done against him that we have forborn? O the Riches of that Forbearance and Long-suffering we have despised! O the Height and Depth of that Love we have abused! We have been obstinately sighting against God, whilst he hath been caring, and watching, and fighting for us. We have been taking part with his Enemies, the Devil and Sin, whilst he hath been defeating the malicious and cruel

Attempts of ours. Thus have we requited the Lord, the Lord that made and bought us, our most liberal Bene∣factour, our most gracious Protector, the God of our Salvation. And can we forbear to add, The Remem∣brance of these things is grievous unto us, the Burden of them is intolerable? We abhor our selves for them, and bitterly bewail the Iniquity of these our Abominations. If we are not thus affected with Shame and Sorrow, for our personal and national Sins, we have been mocking God this Day, by an hypocritical Fast; and have made our Provocations and our Danger still great∣er. But neither is this all that God requires, in the Fast that he hath chosen, or for the procuring his Help against our Enemies, a Day for a Man to afflict his Soul; but to our Sorrow for what is past,

Secondly, We must add sincere and hearty Resolu∣tions to forsake and turn from all our Transgressions, and to walk before God in Holiness and Righteousness all our Days. Let us resolve then every Man of us, by the Grace of God, to reform our Lives in every par∣ticular, wherein we have offended; to sacrifice our dearest Lusts to the common Safety of our Church and Nation; that there shall no longer cleave to us any of those accursed things, which may trouble our Hosts, or strengthen the Hands of our Enemies against us. With what Face can we complain of any Miscarria∣ges, whilst we obstinately persist in those Transgressi∣ons, which so justly provoke God, to infatuate our Counsels, and to prevent the Success of the wisest, and the most sincere Endeavours for the publick Good? Every impenitent Sinner amongst us is a Traytor to his Country, and hath a Hand in all our Mismanage∣ments

and Misfortunes, and opposeth the establishing and perfecting of that Deliverance God hath wrought for us; and warreth against that Safety at home, which our Fleets and Armies are sent abroad to fight for. If then we have any Affection for the Country wherein we were born, and have enjoyed so great a Plenty of the richest Blessings; if we have any Value for those Laws by which our Liberties and Properties are maintained; if we have any Love for that Church wherein we were baptized, and enjoy such excellent Helps for the promoting our eternal Happiness; if we have any Regard to that Purity of Doctrine and Worship, which by so many Wonders of Providence, God hath continued to us; if we have any Concern for our Persons, Estates, and Families; if we dread the Thoughts of having all given up, to the Ravage and Fury of the most barbarous Insolence and Cruel∣ty, that many Ages have produced; let us no longer delay the Time to keep the Commandments of God, let us not lose the present Opportunity of securing all the dearest Interests we have: Let it not be as a Price in the Hand of Fools, that have not a Heart to use it: Let us not refuse those Offers of Aid and Assistance, which the Lord of Hosts doth this Day call upon us, to dispose our selves for, by a true Repentance.

Thirdly, Let us endeavour to make this Reformati∣on as general as we can: For, if it were but in any good Measure so, we might then be confident of the divine Protection, that God would stir up his Strength and come and help us; that he would make our dwel∣ling on high, and our Place of Defence the Munition of Rocks, inaccessible to all the Attempts of our strongest

Enemies. If then by our Example or Authority, our Exhortations or Reproofs, our Friendship or Advice, or by any other proper Means, we can diminish that Heap of Transgressions, which is already grown up unto the Heavens, and loudly calls for the Vengeance of God upon us, let us not be want∣ing to do our utmost. This is the most noble and blessed Design, we can possibly ingage in, to re∣cover Men from those Snares of the Devil they are taken captive by, to check the Insolence of trium∣phant Wickedness, and to restore the Practice of true Christian Piety to its primitive Glory. For this purpose the Son of God came down from Hea∣ven, and humbled himself unto Death, even the Death of the Cross, to purifie to himself a peculiar People, zea∣lous of good Works. And can we be more honou∣rably imployed, than in joyning with the Saviour and Redeemer of Men, in working together with him, for the reclaiming a crooked and perverse Na∣tion? We can do nothing more highly conducing to the Honour of our God and Saviour, to the In∣terest of our Church and Nation, to the subduing the Enemies we are at Strise with, to the Be∣nefit of our Protestant Brethren abroad, to the pro∣curing a safe and honourable, a lasting and happy Peace, to our own present Comfort here, and our ever∣lasting Happiness hereafter. O let us not then be backward and unwilling to that, which we have all the Motives and Arguments in the World to persuade us to prosecute with all our Might. We have been for∣ward enough in making Parties, for those private Causes we have espoused; let us try now, with the same Zeal and Industry, to make a Party, at least, for

God and the publick Good. Let us unite our hearty and vigorous Endeavours, to shame and discountenace Sin, to retrieve the Honour of de∣spised Religion, and to increase the Number of the Friends and Votaries of abandoned. Virtue. Such an Association as this would indeed be the Honour and Interest of us all. This would give us Ground to hope, that God himself would in∣gage with us, stand by us, and avenge us of all our Enemies. Let us every one then consider, as in the Presence of God, what is in our Power to do, towards the Reformation of the Lives of Men; and what particular Methods of promoting this our several Callings and Places oblige us to; and what Account we shall be able to give of our Stewardship, when we shall stand before the Tri∣bunal of God, if we do not improve our Ta∣lents to those Ends, for which he hath put them into our Hands. This is a Work of too great Importance, with respect to God, our Country, and our selves, for any little Considerations to ex∣cuse our Neglect of. And though after all we can do, we should have Cause to complain with the Prophet, Isa. 49. 4, 5. that we have laboured in vain, and spent our Strength for nought; that the People will not be gathered; yet shall we be glorious in the Eyes of the Lord, and our God shall be our Strength. He will support us under all our Disap∣pointments; he will preserve us in publick Calami∣ties, as shall be most expedient for us; he will make all things work together for our good, and at length bring us to that City of God, that Heavenly Jeru∣salem, where there are no Fears or Jealousies,

no Murmurings or Complaints, no Factions or Di∣visions, no Wars or Contentions; but where all the blessed Inhabitants shall be unspeakably and eternally happy, in the Enjoyment of the God of Love, and the Prince of Peace, and in the most hearty and constant Love of one another. For which Blessed Place God Almighty fit us all for Jesus Christ his Sake, Amen.

FINIS.

Notes

• Vers. 1.
• Vers. 16. 17.
• Vers. 19.
• Heb. ••0. 29.