Applicat.

Quest.

Anfw.

I.

2.

away

warre unto God himself. I, (faith the Duke) then, bel-
lum ei inferat Diabolus, non ego;
then let the Devill
wage warre against him, for I will not. Thus faith turns
the fury of the fword; and committing our caufe
unto God, turns away the anger and wrath of God. But
a man cannot commit his caufe unto God, unleffe he doth
feek unto God; and therefore, when his anger is abroad,
and people at uncertainty, then it is their duty, then and
then efpecially for to feek unto him

By this Truth we know what we ought now to doe. Your thoughts may prevent me, and fay, But the wrath and anger of God is pacified toward us, and this Nation: is not the warre at an end? are not our fwords fully beaten into plow-fhares?

Now I would to God it were fo; and long, Oh long may you fit under your vines and fig-trees, praifing the Name of your God: Yet give me leave to tell you Three Reasons why I conceive that God is angry with us ftill, the day of his anger is not yet done.

First, The Plague is begun. The beginnings of a Plague are the signs of Gods anger. Run in quickly (faith Mofes) wrath is gone forth, the plague is begun, Num. 16. 46.

Again, I cannot but think God is angry with us still, because we are so angry with one another. When God is reconciled to a people,they are reconciled among themfelves: our reconciliation, an emanation of his. Then the Lion and the Lamb lie down together: then the fucking Tolle invidi- child playes on the hole of the Afpe Then *Envie (the root of all divifion) and the wrath of Ephraim, Manaffeb, and Judah ceaseth, Ifai, 11. Our love is a reflection Gods love. His love is the caufe of our love; but our love is the fign of his love: So contrary. You may obferve therefore what the Lord faith by Micah, Chap. 7. to this

am & tuum eft

ruod habeo, olle invidiam 3 meum eft

uod babes.

purpose,

J

pole v. 5. Truft ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in
ide, keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy
112. These are treacherous times, and wrathful times.
:(faith he verf.6.) the fon difhonoureth the father, the daugh-
rifeth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her
her in law; a mans enemies are they of his own house. Here
Anger indeed, much like that of our times. But what's
this to Gods anger? Yes, faies he, verf. 9. I will bear
indignation of the Lord, because I have finned against him.
here these things are in this posture, there is Gods in-
nation.

You know the Parable in Mat. 18. A certain fervant ow-
his Master a thousand talents, and faid, I will go to my
d, and fay, Have patience with me and I will pay
thee all,
ich he did, and his Master forgave him. But then he meets
th his fellow-fervant that owed him an hundred pence: and
en that feruant faid the like words unto him, which he had
ke to his Master, he took him by the throat, and cast him into
fon, which faies the Parable his Lord hearing of, was wrath.
loved, God hath forgiven us thousand talents: our fel-
w-fervant owe us fome lefler fums, and we cannot for-
verhem, but take them by the throat; furely our Lord
d Master cannot but be Angry still.

Thirdly, I cannot but think that God is angry with us
ll; because the former fins that God hath been punishing
I this while, do still live among us live in their prin-
ples, live in the fpirit of them, live in their practises
nder other names and notions: old finnes walking up
nd down under new cloathes.

Three great fins there are for which God hath bin conending with us for divers yeares. 1. Idolatry and Suerftition. 2. Oppofition of the Saints, and the power of godlineffe. 3. Oppreffion, and Injustice. I know

that

3.

that for Oathes,and Drunkenneffe,and Adultery the Land hath mourned: But these three named,are the great Capi tall fins that God doth usually drawe out the Sword against Nations for.

Now I appeale to you: Doth not Idolatry and Superftition live in the principle of it? Give me leave to inftance in one particular: The Superftitious men of the former times, commanded bowing before Altars, at the name of Jefus, and before Bread in the Lords Supper. But I pray, What was the Principle whereby they forced their Super ftitons but this? That God commandeth the Worship both of Soul & Body; and it's in the power of the Church to determin all Circumftances: Time and Place are left to the Church: and therefore when he come (faid they)at the Table, then ye shall bow. Not that we command the worship it felf, that is commanded by God; we only command the Time.

And fo, when ye heare the name Je fus mentioned; and! fo when the Bread comes before you in the Lords Supper.: Now though our Altars and Groves be broken downe; doth not this principle still live too much in our bofomes, That God commandeth the Substance, and the Circum stance is left unto men?

As for Oppofition to the Saints, and the power of godlineffe; I confeffe it doth not run in the fame channell as before. Before, prophane men oppofed the Saints, and opposed Profeffors; but now Profeffors (oh ! that I might not speake it) oppofe Profeffors. And is this more pleating to God, That Profeffors fhould oppofe Profeffors, then that Profane men fhould oppofe them?

As for Oppreffion, and Injustice: What means thole cries out of feveral Countries, and parts of this Kingdom, of the Widows and Fatherlefle, Give me my husbands wa

ges,

or give me my husband again?Ch give me my father an,or give me my fathers wages? What mean those comints of fome, of many; We have born the heat of the y and are no more kindlier ufed,or refpec ed,then those t have been the most enemies? We ventured our whole ites in the beginning of this war, for this cause, and yet are taxed as heavily as if our eftates were all in our ids? Aquinas his rule is good, Peccatum majus ubi fpeis repugnantia inter peccantem & peccatum. The fin is greater where there is a speciall repugnancy between : fin and the finner. Injuftice is naught in all, but worst 1 Judge, or Court of Juftice. Darknefle is terrible, but enit fals upon the veffels of light (as in the Eclipfe)it is re terrible then the darkneffe of the night. And is there Injustice now in our Courts of Juftice or in our Comttees in Town or Country? I wish I might not say the me fins live ftill, but difguifed, and clothed in other hats: Before the Saints oppofed under one name, and now der another; I cannot therefore but fay, God is angry ith us ftill, the day of his anger is not done. And is this thing to you, Oall you that hear the word of the Lord is day, that God is angry still? When the Lion roars, all e beafts of the feild tremble: The wrath of a King is as the aring of a Lion: What then is the wrath of God the King f Kings? What more cutting word to the heart of an inenuous child, then to fay to him, your father is angry? Oh! you that are the children of God, I tell you your Faer is angry, your heavenly Father is angry ftill.

And as for the uncertainty of our condition: who knows r can fay, what fhall become of us? Some think the sword dead, others no, but it feepeth; fome think the three eers and a half for flaying the three Witneffes are over: thers think no, that they are yet to come: Some think the

war

Quest.

Answ.

I.

ut defiderio

colendus eft

merces: nam

fum habeat,

war is at an end others think not. Whe ever were the peo ple of God at greater Uncertainties then now they are? What shall we doe in this cafe?

The Text points us unto Three things.

First, Seek ye the Lord himfelfe not his goods, bu

* Hoc affe&u his goodneffe ; not his, but him*. If a poore condemned Malefactor cry loud in the eares of the Judge, though he Deus ut fui ufeth many sweet appellations, Good my Lord, and the cultus ipfe fit like, yet the Judge regards him not; for (faith the Judge qui Deum ideò these are not out of love to me,but only thus he pleads id colit ut aliud cryes, and gives good words for to fave himself. So faith magis quam ip God alfo, when we come before him in prayer and fatting non Deum co- True, this people cry aloud, but it is for themselves, for tit, fed illud their little ones,their fubftance,their corn,their wine,thei quod affequi oyle, it is not for my Name, and out of love unto me; and concupifcit. Auguft. fo hee regards is not, though we cry loud, and faft often Wherefore,Seek ye the Lord himself,O all ye meek ofthe earth,that have wrought judgemet, feek the Lord himself. Again, would you know what to doe in the day of Gods Anger, and Uncertain times? Seek Righteousnefle.

2.

First, the Righteoufneffe of Chrift: Hee is the Lord Righteonfneffe, when the Affyrian treads in the Land, faith the Prophet. He fhall bring peace, and raise up seven fhepherds, a eight principall men: (Seven is a note of perfection) that is, abundance of help. Hee is that Shiloh, who fhould give peace when the Scepter fhould depart from Judah. He is that Prince of peace, the great Mediator between a distanced God and us. When the fea rages, he will fay to it, Be ftill, though the Disciples fay, Lord, carest then not tha we perifh? His wounds are the Cities of refuge. If his ger be kindled, yea but a little, blessed are all they that trust in him So we read it; or, as fome better, that betake themselves arts him. Is this therefore a day of Gods anger? Come, Oh

come