The second Question.
VVHy are these Times so peril∣lous? [Quest. 2]
Answ. Because, I. God is provoked. [Answ. 1] The loving Favour of a gracious reconciled God makes the Saints happy, and the Times blessed Page 340 and glorious. But when the sinnes of men have provok'd the wrath of God, what can we expect but perillous Times? God is no lesse dreadful in his Judgements, then he is gracious to his Saints in the distribu∣tion of his Favours. Doubtlesse it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the liv∣ing God†. And the Abominations of such Times are so many Provocations of the most high God. If his Jealousie burn like fire*, and his fierce wrath should once be kindled† against us, how should the Inhabitants of the Land be as withered stubble before him! What dreadful Judge∣ments hath a provoked God thrown down from heaven upon a provoking people! He drown'd the world with water, and burnt up Sodom and Gomorrah with Fire, and hath slaine many thousands of his Enemies with the edge of the Sword, for those fearful Impieties wherewith they provoked the pure eyes of his glory. Needs must those be perillous Times, wherein the Lord of hosts is fearfully and continually provok'd to arme himself with vengeance, and come forth to the Punishment of a rebellious People*. He hath lightening in his eyes, and thunder in his hands: if once he be provoked to anger, he can in a moment burn up a sinful Nation, in an instant break in pieces a rebellious People.
[ 2] II. Men are perverted. When the minds of men are perverted by the Doctrines of Page 341 Deceivers, all their paths are full of dark∣nesse and danger. For the Minde is the eye of the soul. And the Light of the soul, as of the Body is the eye: if there∣fore thine eye be single (sayes our Saviour) thy whole body shall be full of Light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darknesse†. He whose eyes are blinde walks in darknesse at noon-day. And when men walk in Darknesse, they are continually exposed to Danger. When damnable Doctrines are publickly preach'd, and multitudes are baptiz'd into the Belief of them, and so the souls of men are per∣verted and impoyson'd by them, these must needs be Dayes of Danger, perillous Times. When the Power of Truth failes, and the Plague of Errour and Heresie reignes; When the Glory of true Christi∣anity is eclipst, and the Mystery of Ini∣quity is mightily working in the mindes of men, such Times must needs be perillous and pernicious.
III. The Land is polluted. Reigning [ 3] sinnes, prevailing abominations, especially when patronized by those by whom they should be punished, whereby they become National sinnes, do exceedingly pollute a Land. Now when the Land is polluted, what can be expected but that God should depart from it, and bring in a Deluge of Judgement, or kindle a dreadful burning to purge it? Is not this then a sad pre∣sage Page 342 of perillous Times? After the House of the Lord in Jerusalem was polluted by the Abominations of the people of Judah, both the City and the Temple was de∣stroy'd*. When the Land of Canaan was polluted by the sinnes of the Canaanites, God deliver'd both them and their Land into the hand of the Israelites, and when it was polluted by the Israelites, he deliver'd them up into the hand of the Canaanites, as we read in the Book of the Judges†. When the Land is polluted by its sinnes, it's just with God to* pollute it by his Judge∣ments. And what then can we expect but perillous Times in a polluted Land?
