<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2010-11-04</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Alexis Jakobson</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>*Proofed title page(s).
*Reviewed structure.
*Checked division-marking material at heads and feet of divisions (HEADS, CLOSER, OPENER, ARGUMENT, EPIGRAPH, SIGNED, BYLINE, etc.).
*Added TYPEs to DIVs in order to validate.
*Checked for N=""s.
*Checked ^s.
*Checked placement and completeness of PBs.
*Checked for foreign, damage and missing-page GAPs, #, --.
*Checked for LBs, startqs / endqs, q;s, &abque;s, ABBRs and Qs.
*Checked for FIGUREs and decorated initials.
*Checked proofsheets and made corrections found there.
*Corrected <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">s and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word">s etc.
*Converted <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">s to GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="[vendor name]".
*Revalidated.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="A96022">
<STC T="W">V712A</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">43077741</BIBNO>
<VID>151855</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<P><HI>VOX CHARITATIS:</HI> CONTAINING A LOUDER CRY For Bowels of Compa&s;&s;ion, to the Lord's Poor Afflicted People.</P>
<P>With a Word of COUNSEL and COMFORT to Them; and a Concluding Word to their OPPRESSORS.</P>
<P><HI>By a true lover of His truly Sacred Maje&s;ty, and all his Faithful Subjects.</HI></P>
<Q>Open thy Mouth for the Dumb, in the Cau&s;e of all &s;uch as are ap|pointed to De&s;truction. Open thy Mouth, Judge Righteou&s;ly, and plead the Cau&s;e of the Poor and Needy,
<BIBL><HI>Prov. 31.8, 9.</HI></BIBL></Q>
<Q>Turn ye unto him from whom the Children of I&s;rael have deeply re|volted,
<BIBL><HI>I&s;a 31.6.</HI></BIBL></Q>
<Q>Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not &s;ee; but they &s;hall &s;ee, and be a&s;hamed for their envy towards thy People: yea, the Fire of thine Enemy &s;hall devour them,
<BIBL><HI>I&s;a 26.11.</HI></BIBL></Q>
<P>Printed in the Year, 1663.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<HEAD>VOX CHARITATIS: <HI>Containing a louder Cry, for Bowels of Compa&s;&s;ion to the Lords Poor Afflicted People.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_WE are informed by the Lord, <HI>Gal.</HI> 6.7. that it will not be as we &s;hew; <HI>but as we &s;ow, &s;o &s;hall we reap:</HI> and in the &s;econd and third ver&s;e, are e&s;teemed nothing, if we bear not one anothers Burdens; that is to &s;ay, If we feel them not, as if they were on our &s;elves, to help to make them light and ea&s;ie to him on whom they are; by putting under our helping hand, to enable him to bear them; not knowing how &s;oon our &s;elves al&s;o (who are in the Body) <HI>Heb.</HI> 13.3. may have our own burthen, <HI>Gal.</HI> 6.5. and need the helping hand of others; and as a Conclu&s;ion, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 10. we are required <HI>to do good to all, e&s;pecially the Hou&s;hold of Faith.</HI> And indeed, <HI>Job</HI> e&s;teemed his Friends <HI>nothing, that &s;aw his ca&s;ting down, and were afraid,</HI> Job 6.21. <HI>or were not a&s;hamed to make them&s;elves &s;trange to him,</HI> Job 19.3. Now regard to the Poor (e&s;pecially the poor of God's People) is required, with more plenty of Promi&s;es, and upon more perils in the neglect thereof, than any act of a Chri&s;tian be&s;ides; and the Lord's di&s;tre&s;&s;ed Ones, are called <HI>His Poor, P&s;alm.</HI> 72.2. <HI>&amp;</HI> 74.19. He &s;tiles him&s;elf (in e&s;pecial manner) <HI>The Father of the Poor, the Widdow, and Fatherle&s;s, in his Holy Habita|tion, P&s;al.</HI> 98.5. and hath e&s;pou&s;ed their cry, e&s;pecially in ca&s;es of wrong, or neglect of them, <HI>Exod.</HI> 22.22, 23. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 16.49.&mdash;And indeed, the People of the Lord e&s;pecially, are in this day expo&s;ed to greate&s;t poverty, by wayes &s;carce heard of; in a Land where Righte|ou&s;ne&s;s was pretended, but as when there was <HI>no King in I&s;rael, Judg.</HI> 17.6. And as in all times (for many Rea&s;ons) they ought to have the preference in Chri&s;tian Alms before any, &s;o in this day more than ever; for other poor as they have latitudes in their Nature, &s;o have opportu|nities now to attend at the door of the belly-gods, who now abound
<PB N="4" REF="3">(as <HI>Sodom</HI>) in their &s;en&s;ual Fe&s;tivals; and &s;uch poor are now (many of them) transformed into Scullions, Players, Singing-boyes, Prie&s;ts, Sub-Prie&s;ts, Parators, Informers, Jaylers, Trapanners, and &s;uch like retinue: Others of them al&s;o, having generally their liberty of getting their lively-hoods, as their more civil Genius may incline; which latter &s;ort (who&s;e hone&s;t Callings may not yet with the utmo&s;t labour obtain a lively-hood) as they are al&s;o the Subjects of Chri&s;tian Charity; &s;o they either have or can claim, and have the advantage of tho&s;e con&s;tant Pari&s;h Impo&s;itions, Publick Collections and Allowances for the Poor, throughout the Land, which the Lords Poor, are mo&s;t of them (beyond their Ability) compel'd to pay to, and few of them (how poor &s;oever) are &s;harers of; be&s;ides, the other poor (in extraor|dinary Ca&s;e) can have their Briefs, Admi&s;&s;ions of their Widows and Fatherle&s;s into Schools and Ho&s;pitals, and other &s;pecial Donations: But, who &s;ees not the Lords Poor broken in pieces, and driven from their former Callings, and comfortable Societies (wherein they were cared for and &s;upported) without the helps afore&s;aid; now under the evil eye of almo&s;t any evil Bea&s;t in all the Land: And who is &s;o much a &s;tranger in <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> as not to &s;ee that any of the other poor crew afore|&s;aid, or others (how prophane or incon&s;iderable &s;oever) may malice his poor Neighbour (who feareth the Lord, by almo&s;t any impertinent information) into the Goal? where then his Calling is interrupted; and what ever his poor Family &s;uffers at home, the mind of his hungry Goaler mu&s;t be fed, with more in a week by Fees and U&s;ury, for his poor Diet and Lodging, than perhaps he knew how to get for his Wife and Children in a Moneth before; and it may be &s;ix moneths there, be|fore he may be heard, and &s;o doubtly robbed, both of his Calling, and the little Meal he had in the Barrel; Yea, perhaps when heard, he appears before &s;uch cruel Judges, as &s;hall &s;trengthen his Chain (though he be cleared in the Matter whereof he was fir&s;t accu&s;ed) if he an&s;wer not their humour, to &s;ome Ab&s;urd, Illegal, Extemporary Que&s;tion, in the Brea&s;t, either of the unju&s;t Judge, or by means of any malitious Ju&s;tice, or &s;tander by, though the fir&s;t fal&s;e Informer again&s;t him, <HI>(viz.)</HI> Have you taken the Oath of Obedience? What Church are you of? Are you a fifth Monarchy-man? Will you leave Preaching, or going to Meetings, or the like? Or if he be relea&s;ed, perhaps he hath no &s;oon|er &s;etled him&s;elf again to his hone&s;t Calling, but is in like cruel man|ner interrupted, to the lo&s;s of his cu&s;tom, and di&s;couragement of him to &s;ettle, if he &s;hould be delivered; neither can he con&s;cientiou&s;ly be|come a Servant, or any Ma&s;ter &s;o comfortably imploy or depend upon him; becau&s;e perhaps at the next Meeting to Wor&s;hip his God (which
<PB N="5" REF="3">is de&s;ervedly dearer to him than his Life) he is again &s;natched from the Affairs depending upon him, which are then all at a &s;tand. And for proof of the&s;e intollerable Sufferings of the Lords poor People, <HI>London</HI> it &s;elf may be a looking-gla&s;s into the Land; and by it, you may gue&s;s <HI>How the dark places of the Earth, are full of the Habitations of Cruelty, P&s;alm.</HI> 74.20. When in the chief City, even under the eye of the Chief, the imperious in&s;olencies of &s;ome are &s;uch, and &s;o boundle&s;&s;e, that many thou&s;and Families, its thought, have been brought to beg|gery hereby. And many have de&s;erted their Vocations, as thinking them&s;elves mo&s;t unhappy, to have &s;erved &s;even years, to be free of little in the chief City of the Land, but &s;lavery to Subjects: Left now &s;o free, in ab&s;urd and boundle&s;s in&s;olency, by which, &s;till poverty in|crea&s;eth, and the cry of the poor oppre&s;&s;ed ones, as it <HI>goeth up daily before God,</HI> &s;o it &s;hould enter into our Souls; for God hath &s;o com|manded us, and we know not how evil the day may be, and therefore &s;aith <HI>Solomon,</HI> Eccle&s;. 11.2. <HI>Give a Portion to &s;even, and al&s;o to eight.</HI> And ver&s;. 1. <HI>Ca&s;t thy Bread upon the Waters, for thou &s;halt find it after many Dayes. The Ble&s;&s;ings of him that was ready to peri&s;h, come upon me,</HI> &s;aith <HI>Job, Job</HI> 29.13. It was well for <HI>Dorcas,</HI> that the poor Widows could &s;hew to <HI>Peter</HI> the Coats &s;he had made for them, <HI>Acts</HI> 9.39. <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed is he that con&s;idereth the Poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble, &amp;c.</HI> P&s;al. 41.2, 3. <HI>He that hath pitty to the Poor, lendeth to the Lord,</HI> Prov. 19.17. <HI>And that which he hath given, will he pay him again;</HI> he &s;hall be repaid with intere&s;t indeed: for it is a Sacrifice &s;o acceptable, and well-plea&s;ing, that in return to the <HI>Philippians,</HI> who had &s;ent twice to <HI>Paul, even to</HI> The&s;&s;alonica, <HI>to &s;upply his nece&s;&s;ity,</HI> Phil. 4.16. He &s;aith, ver&s;. 19. <HI>My God &s;hall &s;upply all your need,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>The Lord &s;hew mercy to the Hou&s;e of</HI> Oni&s;iphorus, <HI>for he often refre&s;hed me, and was not a&s;hamed of my Chain,</HI> 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 1.16, 17. <HI>And who&s;oever</HI> (&s;aith Chri&s;t) <HI>&s;hall give to drink unto one of the&s;e little ones, a cup of cold Water onely, in the Name of a Di&s;ciple, verily I &s;ay unto you, he &s;hall in no wi&s;e lo&s;e his reward,</HI> Mat. 10.42. For at the great day of Reckoning, the Lord will e&s;teem your Meat, Drink, Lodging, Clothing, and vi&s;its of his Hungry, Thir&s;ty, Pilgrim, Naked, Sick, and impri&s;oned Ones, as done to him, <HI>Mat.</HI> 25.35. <HI>&amp;c.</HI> and the contrary will be cur&s;ed, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 41. <HI>For I was an Hungry, and ye gave me no Meat, &amp;c.</HI> But &s;uch as con&s;ider the Poor, are pronounced happy, <HI>Prov.</HI> 14.21. <HI>He that gi|veth to the poor &s;hall not lack, Prov.</HI> 28.27. and the <HI>Righteous doth con|&s;ider them,</HI> Prov. 29.7. who yet perhaps, may need an exhortation to be more enquiring after tho&s;e that are at a di&s;tance from them in this evil day; and like the <HI>Hebrews,</HI> &s;hew more labour of love herein. <HI>Heb.</HI> 6&punc;10&punc;
<PB N="6" REF="4">making it more your bu&s;ine&s;s, as the Churches of <HI>Macedonia,</HI> 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8.2, 3, 4. <HI>Who to their power, yea, and beyond their power</HI> (were com|mended herein) <HI>as willing;</HI> and according as the merciful Man, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 112.5. &s;o to order your affairs with di&s;cretion, as that you may be ever <HI>merciful and lending.</HI> Oh! how many a profu&s;e di&s;h of Meat, and other extravagancies, which (in &s;uch times e&s;pecially) may be <HI>&s;in</HI> to <HI>provide, &amp;c. I&s;a.</HI> 22.13. <HI>Exod.</HI> 33.4. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 21.10. <HI>Prov.</HI> 23.20. might be profitably laid a&s;ide for the poor? Oh! that we might not be by fits in this work, &s;eeing the <HI>Poor</HI> are with us; and le&s;t, as <HI>Deut.</HI> 15.11. yea, increa&s;ed daily, perhaps for tryal of our love unfeigned to the Lord a little &s;ea&s;on, who will &s;hortly rid them out of their di&s;tre&s;s; but that in giving, there might be a <HI>true re&s;pect</HI> unto their <HI>need, Deut.</HI> 15.8. <HI>He that hath a bountiful eye, &s;hall be ble&s;&s;ed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor, Prov.</HI> 22.9. As the good <HI>Samaritan, Luk.</HI> 10.33, 34, 35. who interrupted his Journey, imployed his Pains, Skill, Pur&s;e, and Credit too, wholly to free the poor &s;tranger out of his mi&s;ery, when the <HI>Prie&s;t</HI> and <HI>Levite</HI> (that profe&s;&s;ed more) neglected him: which <HI>pattern</HI> of <HI>pitty</HI> to our Neighbour, the Lord commendeth to us, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 37. as our &s;tand|ing example, when great Profe&s;&s;ors fail: and him&s;elf our Pattern; who, <HI>though he was Rich, for our &s;akes became Poor,</HI> 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8.9. Where|fore I be&s;eech you, put on <HI>bowels as the Elect of God;</HI> give not according to the broken fragments of money you have about you, but learn rather obedience to that Word of the Lord, <HI>Luk.</HI> 12.33. <HI>Sell that you have, and give Alms.</HI> Oh! how far are rich Profe&s;&s;ors from following the Lord herein, who among them hath voluntarily le&s;&s;ened the yearly value of his Lands (in Obedience to the Lord of all) in this? Oh! that <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 34. may not conclude mo&s;t rich Profe&s;&s;ors Trea&s;ure, to be onely earth|ly: <HI>For where your Trea&s;ure is, there will your hearts be al&s;o.</HI> But, alas! <HI>How dwelleth the Love of God in him who hath this Worlds goods, and &s;eeth his Brother need, and &s;hutteth up his Bowels of Compa&s;&s;ion?</HI> Oh! tremble Rich Profe&s;&s;ors, <HI>If</HI> (in your expence upon your &s;elves) <HI>you are not &s;o grieved for the afflictions of</HI> Jo&s;eph, <HI>Amos</HI> 6.6. how can you face the a|fore&s;aid Word, in 1 <HI>John</HI> 3.17. with Peace, and &s;hut up your Bowels to your poor Peri&s;hing Brethren? Who &s;hall tru&s;t &s;uch Stewards, with the true Riches, <HI>Luke</HI> 16.11. who deny the Lord, the faithful im|ploying the unrighteous <HI>Mammon?</HI> Profe&s;s what you will, you are no|thing, if you be &s;o unnatural as not to bear the burthens of your di&s;tre&s;&s;ed Brethren, <HI>Gal.</HI> 6.2, 3. Do you pa&s;s on the other &s;ide, and hide your eyes like the <HI>Prie&s;t</HI> and <HI>Levite,</HI> from the poor Object in ne|ce&s;&s;ity? The compa&s;&s;ionate <HI>Samaritan</HI> &s;hall &s;hame you in the Day of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 span"> you at &s;uch a time (<HI>Dives</HI>-like) fare <HI>deliciou&s;ly,</HI> and
<PB N="7" REF="4">cloath your &s;elf gorgiou&s;ly, <HI>and &s;top your ears at the cry of the poor? you al&s;o &s;hall cry your &s;elves, and &s;hall not be heard, Prov.</HI> 21.13. Yea, is it not come to pa&s;s in part upon you already, as <HI>Zech.</HI> 7.13. (compared to <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 9.) for this very thing? And will not yet your danger be, as <HI>Ezek.</HI> 8.18? <HI>And though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them. Is not this the fa&s;t that I have cho&s;en, to loo&s;e the Bands of Wickedne&s;s; to undoe the heavy burthens, and to let the Oppre&s;&s;ed go free? and that you break every Yoak? Is it not to deal thy Bread to the Hungry, and that thou bring the Poor that are ca&s;t out to thy hou&s;e? When thou &s;ee&s;t the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thy &s;elf from thine own fle&s;h; then &s;hall thy light break forth, &amp;c.</HI> I&s;a 58.6, 7, 8. <HI>Then &s;halt thou call, and the Lord will an&s;wer; thou &s;halt cry, and he will &s;ay, Here I am,</HI> ver&s;. 9. <HI>And if thou draw out thy Soul to the hungry, and &s;atisfie the Afflicted Soul, then &s;hall thy light ri&s;e in ob&s;ecurity, and thy dark|ne&s;&s;e be as at noon-day: And the Lord &s;hall guide thee continually, and &s;a|tisfie thy Soul in drought, &amp;c. ver&s;.</HI> 10, 11. But Oh rich Profe&s;&s;or! Can&s;t thou not draw out thy Soul? Can&s;t thou not &s;ell a part of thy Land, nor &s;pare of thy Goods? Are thy Bowels &s;o &s;hut to thy poor Brother? Art thou rather a&s;hamed of him in his Bonds? Can&s;t thou not &s;end to the Lord? Know then, <HI>Thou reproache&s;t thy Maker, Prov.</HI> 14.31. He hath little credit with thee, while in this world; and thou &s;halt be reproached by him for ever, when he &s;hall &s;hut out thy cry. Oh! will thy fading Riches, whereof thou art an unju&s;t Ste|ward, (<HI>Luke</HI> 16.9, 10, 11.) &s;tand thee in &s;tead with thy <HI>powerle&s;s Profe&s;|&s;ion,</HI> when he &s;hall require of thee an <HI>account</HI> of thy <HI>Talent?</HI> and thou &s;halt appear before him on the left hand, to hear him indict thee on this wi&s;e, <HI>When I was an hungry,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>Mat.</HI> 25.42, 43. But to &s;uch as through Grace can <HI>tru&s;t</HI> the Lord, and <HI>honour him with their Sub&s;tance, Prov.</HI> 3.9. I hope I need now &s;ay no more then exhort you, <HI>to do it in &s;implicity,</HI> Rom. 12.8. <HI>according to your ability,</HI> 1 Pet. 4.11. <HI>chearful|ly,</HI> 2 Cor. 9.7. <HI>and as you have opportunity,</HI> Gal. 6.10. which will not be long. And whil&s;t the Lord, who giveth <HI>Seed to the Sower,</HI> and <HI>ble&s;&s;eth the Seed &s;own,</HI> give you to <HI>reap bountifully,</HI> 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 9.6. and <HI>ble&s;s</HI> your <HI>Seed &s;own,</HI> to the bringing the Ble&s;&s;ings of <HI>many that are ready to peri&s;h upon you,</HI> and <HI>rai&s;ing up</HI> in the heart of the relieved <HI>abundant thanks|giving</HI> to God in your behalf, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 9.12, 13. To that end, as you are intreated for the Lords &s;ake, to order your <HI>Affairs</HI> with <HI>Di&s;cretion,</HI> avoid|ing all <HI>lavi&s;h expen&s;es;</HI> every other way, to lay a&s;ide to your <HI>utmo&s;t weekly,</HI> 1 Cor. 16.1, 2. and labour to engage <HI>(to this u&s;e)</HI> by your ear|ne&s;t in treaty <HI>(like the Macedonians)</HI> &s;ome, as neat as you can, like <HI>Paul,</HI> 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8.4. and <HI>Titus,</HI> ver&s;. 16. and &s;uch <HI>who&s;e prai&s;e is in the Go&s;pel,</HI>
<PB N="8" REF="5">ver&s;. 18. and &s;uch who have often times <HI>proved diligent in many things,</HI> but now are <HI>much more diligent,</HI> ver&s;. 22. who&s;e <HI>work</HI> it may be more <HI>naturally to mind,</HI> and as <HI>equally</HI> as may be, admini&s;ter your liberality, to the nece&s;&s;ity of the innumerable di&s;tre&s;&s;ed; in wi&s;dom, that one do not abound, whil&s;t others peri&s;h. Oh! that God would put it into the hearts of his Remnants every where, to imploy all their might herein; with <HI>corre&s;pondency,</HI> like to the <HI>Body whereof Chri&s;t is the Head,</HI> 1 Cor. 12.26. 2 Cor. 11.29. That our <HI>Fa&s;ts</HI> may not be <HI>flung as dung in our Faces;</HI> but with our acceptable Alms, come before him; and that the <HI>Primitive Example</HI> afore&s;aid, and the <HI>&s;olemn choo&s;ing &s;even men full of the Holy Spirit,</HI> in one <HI>Congregation, Acts</HI> 6.3, 7. might &s;o far add to the weightine&s;s of this affair, that there might be at lea&s;t &s;ome &s;uch &s;et a part, on the behalf of the thou&s;ands of Precious Ones, ready to peri&s;h in the Land; that the fierce anger of the Lord may not yet further kin|dle upon us, to the cur&s;ing our Ble&s;&s;ings, and we be extinct as Mon&s;ters, forgetting our own fle&s;h; that under &s;o famous Profe&s;&s;ion, and frequent and fervent Prayer, &s;uffered our fellow Members to fami&s;h, whil&s;t we had fulne&s;s; Which the Lord in Mercy prevent. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>And now a Word to the Afflicted.</HEAD>
<P><HI>IN the time of adver&s;ity con&s;ider,</HI> is the Coun&s;el given of the Lord, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 7.14. And indeed, till adver&s;ity, we are like the <HI>Prodigal, Luke</HI> 15. who came not to him&s;elf, <HI>until he could not fill his belly with the Husks,</HI> ver&s;. 16. This Voice of the Lord calls now to the City, and the <HI>Man</HI> of <HI>Wi&s;dom</HI> will know <HI>his Name; hear the Rod, and who hath appointed it,</HI> Mich. 6.9. The <HI>Vi&s;itations</HI> of the Lord pre&s;erved <HI>Jobs</HI> Spi|rit, <HI>Job</HI> 10.12. and if that be not the <HI>Fruit,</HI> to <HI>take away the &s;in,</HI> I&s;a. 27.9. there is too much cau&s;e to fear, whether &s;uch a Profe&s;&s;ors Ca&s;e be compri&s;ed in the <HI>New Covenant, P&s;alm.</HI> 89.32. and then his <HI>Poverty,</HI> and his <HI>Riches,</HI> his <HI>Pri&s;on,</HI> and his <HI>Liberty,</HI> will be much a like, <HI>under a Cur&s;e;</HI> and he will fall into the two extream evils which <HI>Agar</HI> prayed (and <HI>Solomon</HI> by the Spirit gave Coun&s;el) again&s;t, <HI>Prov.</HI> 30.8. <HI>&amp;</HI> 3.11. But if the Lord plea&s;e, I would (<HI>Elihu</HI>-like) &s;peak in the <HI>uprightne&s;s</HI> of my <HI>heart, and utter knowledge clearly herein,</HI> Job 33.3.</P>
<P>I am very much per&s;waded, <HI>That the good Figs for their good, are come fir&s;t into captivity,</HI> Jer. 2.4, 5. By captivity I mean the variety of clo&s;e affliction, which the Lord immediately, or by cruel men, or any other way, hath brought them into, or bound them with, and by which
<PB N="9" REF="5">he hath brought them down <HI>wonderfully;</HI> for &s;o <HI>Job</HI>'s <HI>various di&s;tre&s;&s;e</HI> is called a <HI>Captivity, Job</HI> 42.10. And now, whether Poor, in Pri&s;on, or both Robbed, Spoiled, or on the Bed of Sickne&s;s; Bani&s;hed or cha&s;ed from thy dwelling, with the addition too (it may be) of inward with|drawing, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> I de&s;ire that fir&s;t of all, I may be accepted in imploring thy very &s;erious and diligent &s;earch, and &s;elf-examination, with a&s;&s;urance, that, that word, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 14.23. is as true in thy ca&s;e as ever, <HI>That God hath not done without cau&s;e, all that he hath done unto thee;</HI> and that (&s;till finding out the cau&s;e) there will be no di&s;po&s;ition to returning, but to &s;elf-ju&s;tifying &s;till, as <HI>Mal.</HI> 3.8, 13.</P>
<P><HI>Secondly,</HI> Till then the Commi&s;&s;ion for outward Judgements may continue, <HI>Lev.</HI> 26.40. 1 <HI>John</HI> 1.9. <HI>Prov.</HI> 28.13.</P>
<P><HI>Thirdly,</HI> In&s;en&s;iblene&s;s of the Cau&s;e, expo&s;eth to filthy-fretting, <HI>Numb.</HI> 14.23, 24. <HI>Prov.</HI> 19.3. but <HI>Aaron,</HI> when the <HI>Cau&s;e</HI> was &s;hewed him, held his <HI>peace, Lev.</HI> 10.3. and &s;o <HI>Mich.</HI> 7.9.</P>
<P><HI>Fourthly,</HI> Till then, we cannot &s;o fitly enjoy deliverance, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 16.63. &amp; 36.31, 32.</P>
<P><HI>Fifthly,</HI> This is a mean to deliver, when nothing el&s;e will do, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 7.16. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 57.9, 10, 15. <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 5.15. <HI>&amp;</HI> 6.1. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 18.30.</P>
<P><HI>Sixthly,</HI> Hereby God will be honoured again, and his Name glori|ou&s;ly vindicated, when thou &s;halt &s;eriou&s;ly thus acknowledge thy offen|ces, <HI>Jer.</HI> 3.13. <HI>Jo&s;h.</HI> 7.19. And for Helps herein, I be&s;eech you,</P>
<P><HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> Hearken to the voice of the pre&s;ent Rod, expounded by the Word, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 18.25. <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 8.3 <HI>&amp;</HI> 10.4. <HI>Levit.</HI> 26.25. <HI>Mich.</HI> 6.9.</P>
<P><HI>Secondly,</HI> Let no &s;pecial excellency cau&s;e thee to over-look the Cau&s;e, <HI>Rev.</HI> 2.4, 5. <HI>&amp;</HI> 14.20. much le&s;s when it may be with thee, as <HI>Rev.</HI> 3.1. <HI>Eli, Mo&s;es, Jeho&s;haphat, Hezekiah, A&s;a, Jonah, David,</HI> &amp;c. troubled them&s;elves, and &s;ome of them <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> though they were emi|nent.</P>
<P><HI>Thirdly,</HI> Begin at the Root, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 16.2. to. 15. &amp; <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 27.</P>
<P><HI>Fourthly,</HI> Do not clear thy &s;elf, becau&s;e men may in many things fal&s;ly accu&s;e thee, <HI>Job</HI> 40.2. <HI>to</HI> 6. <HI>&amp;</HI> 42.1, 2. nor becau&s;e men may in every thing commend thee, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10.18. <HI>Gal.</HI> 6.4. But,</P>
<P><HI>La&s;tly,</HI> Above all, &s;eek at the Throne earne&s;tly, with a true di&s;po|&s;ition to return, <HI>Lam.</HI> 3.40, 41. <HI>Jer.</HI> 29.12, 13, 14.</P>
<P>Know now a&s;&s;uredly, that the Pri&s;on or Captivity in which thou art, is God's <HI>School</HI> or <HI>Univer&s;ity,</HI> wherein he would &s;hew thee thy <HI>work,</HI> and the <HI>tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion</HI> wherein thou ha&s;t exceeded, <HI>Job</HI> 36.8, 9. &mdash; For thy work then, &s;ure if thou art cho&s;en to bear his Name, it is &s;et down briefly in this &s;ingle Scripture, <HI>Mich.</HI> 6.8. and <HI>what doth the Lord <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word">
<PB N="10" REF="6">quire of thee? but to do ju&s;tly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.</HI> Whereon I will not inlarge impertinently, to &s;well my &s;peech be|yond the patience of the afflicted, which perhaps his tribulation yet hath nor effected; but <HI>expound,</HI> walking humbly with thy God, by that <HI>explanation</HI> in <HI>James</HI> 4.7. where it is called, <HI>a &s;ubmitting unto God,</HI> that is, <HI>to his Coun&s;el,</HI> to his <HI>Will,</HI> with a <HI>reverend re&s;pect</HI> to all his <HI>advice</HI> and <HI>plea&s;ure</HI> therein; contented with our condition, <HI>turning</HI> to his Will, hum|bly and timely under his reproof. Now poor Soul, was there not a day wherein Profe&s;&s;ors experienced happine&s;s, whil&s;t they walked &s;o humbly with their God? contented with Food &amp; Rayment in the Work and Way of God? living in the comfort of the Righteou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;t? in rich communion with him? innocently abiding with him, as in the <HI>Ca&s;e of A|dulam,</HI> for his will and work? cleaving to &s;uch as <HI>favoured his Righteous Cau&s;e in truth?</HI> and &s;teering thy cour&s;e by the &s;treight Rule of his Coun|&s;el; not loving thy life in compari&s;on of his Precious Service, Cau&s;e and Go&s;pel? and <HI>whether it was not then better with thee?</HI> Did not all them that devoured thee offend? <HI>Jer.</HI> 2.3. <HI>Do&s;t thou no<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> yet &s;ay, It was then bet|ter with me then now? Ho&s;.</HI> 2.7. Do&s;t not yet hear the Lord lamenting over thee? as <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 81.11. to 15. <HI>Oh that my people had hearkened to me, &amp;c.</HI> Do&s;t not yet know it's befallen thee, as <HI>Ephraim? Ho&s;.</HI> 13.1, 9. Can&s;t thou not <HI>remember</HI> where thou did&s;t <HI>lo&s;e</HI> thy <HI>Crown?</HI> that the way in which <HI>Ephraim got gray hairs,</HI> Ho&s;. 7.8. <HI>to the end,</HI> &s;tole in&s;en&s;ibly upon thee? &amp; when men <HI>gathered thee? John</HI> 15.6. when the <HI>pre&s;ent world was imbraced?</HI> 2 Tim. 4.10. Was there not a time wherein thou <HI>followed&s;t God, as in a Land which was not &s;own?</HI> Jer. 2.2. and thought&s;t thou had&s;t <HI>gain</HI> enough <HI>in God and God|line&s;s?</HI> 1 Tim. 6.6. and thought&s;t thou had&s;t enough of the world, and could&s;t never get enough of God? and hath not a time &s;tolen upon thee, wherein thou coulde&s;t never get enough of this world, but had&s;t enough of God? When thou turned&s;t thy back upon the <HI>&s;uccesful victorious way of Faith,</HI> and tryed&s;t the Carnal way of &s;ence (<HI>like the Nations,</HI> Jer. 2.31.) in Pride and Oppre&s;&s;ion <HI>&s;taying thereon?</HI> I&s;a. 30.12, 13, 14. when the Word of the Lord <HI>grew a burthen to thee?</HI> Jer. 6.10, 11. when thou grewe&s;t zea|lous for thy utmo&s;t portion of earthly things, and cold and indifferent in heavenly things? Then thou maye&s;t partly &s;ee thy work, and the <HI>tran&s;|gre&s;&s;ion</HI> thou ha&s;t exceeded. Ha&s;t thou not in thy fulne&s;s al&s;o fallen into <HI>Sodoms</HI> &s;nare? <HI>Ezek.</HI> 16.49. Pride, fulne&s;s of bread, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> and been proud al&s;o of the <HI>Mountain</HI> or <HI>Temple of the Lord,</HI> Jer. 7.4. under even the Na|tions tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions? Was zeal for Righteou&s;ne&s;s, and &s;ence of others cry in &s;implicity of Soul, turned into in&s;en&s;iblene&s;s of others &s;ufferings, and &s;atisfaction taken in &s;elf, &s;en&s;uality? then may&s;t thou cry <HI>(for a &s;ea&s;on at lea&s;t)</HI> and not be heard, <HI>Prov.</HI> 21.13. Was &s;ucce&s;&s;es abu&s;ed, to <HI>advance thy</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 span"> in provoking
<PB N="11" REF="6">the Lord to <HI>jealou&s;ly?</HI> Deut. 32.6. by lightne&s;s in Wor&s;hip, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10.22. by breaking faith with the Enemy, 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 21.1, 2, 3. and oppre&s;&s;ing thy Brethren too at the &s;ame time, thinking to <HI>build Zion with blood,</HI> Mich. 3.10, 11. (wherefore it is now <HI>plowed as a field,</HI> &amp;c.) and to <HI>&s;ettle on the lees,</HI> Zeph. 1.12, 13. when thou had&s;t gotten greatne&s;s and lands, <HI>Deut.</HI> 6.11, 12. ble&s;&s;ing tho&s;e that &s;o &s;teered backward, <HI>P&s;.</HI> 10.3. or at lea&s;t not mour|ning over the&s;e, and &s;uch like departings and evils, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 9.4. then is our work now be&s;t to be, as <HI>Eze.</HI> 7.16. <HI>&amp;</HI> 21.12. <HI>Ezr.</HI> 10.6. &amp; to come to the Valley of <HI>Achor,</HI> &s;toning in our &s;elves and others the&s;e troubling <HI>tran&s;|gre&s;&s;ions;</HI> and to be humbled deeply, if the Lord &s;eem to give us a divorce, as <HI>Jer.</HI> 11.15. <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 2.15. And if any of you have got riches, &amp; not by right, and now leave them in the mid&s;t of your dayes; or if you with-held, and it tendeth to <HI>penury, lay your hand on your mouth,</HI> Jer. 17.11. <HI>Prov.</HI> 11.24. if by any hint thou &s;ee&s;t thy &s;ickne&s;s, and thy wound, do not do now as <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 5.13. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 31.1. <HI>&amp;</HI> 57.9. but try the <HI>good old way</HI> following, wherein never any yet fail'd of finding effect, who attained to it in truth, <HI>Deut.</HI> 4.29. <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 6.1. &amp; 14.2, 3. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 10.20. <HI>Jer.</HI> 4.1, 2, 3, 4. &amp; 31.18, 19, 20. <HI>Ezra</HI> 10.2. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 7.16. <HI>For thus &s;aith the Lord God, the Holy One of I&s;rael, In returning and re&s;t &s;hall ye be &s;aved; in quietne&s;s and in confidence &s;hall be your &s;trength, and ye would not; but ye &s;aid, no; for we will flee upon Hor&s;es,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 30.15. But you will &s;ay to me, Who is he that liveth and &s;inneth not? have not all their faults? yea, yet let me &s;ay to thee, the <HI>&s;pots</HI> of the Lords <HI>people</HI> are of &s;everal <HI>&s;orts;</HI> and though all of them have &s;inned, it is not &s;afe (like the Hypocrite or time-&s;erver) to quit &s;cores; therefore with their reprovers to &s;pare the troubling &s;in. All <HI>I&s;rael</HI> had &s;in in them, but <HI>Achans</HI> e&s;pecially troubled <HI>I&s;rael;</HI> therefore your Generation-&s;in again&s;t Gods Holy and Righteous Cau&s;e in your hands, di&s;honouring it, and his Holy Name, either by Oppre&s;&s;ion, gra&s;ping after the worlds greatne&s;s, wi&s;dom or riches: which was &s;o weak before you, unbelief drawing back, bringing an evil report upon the Promi&s;es; not delighting in, but de&s;pi|&s;ing the good Word and Wayes of the Lord; tru&s;ting in an Arm of fle&s;h; lightly breaking Vows, and Faith, with God and men; walking haughti|ly and loftily, whil&s;t oppre&s;&s;ion and violence continued and increa&s;ed. Yea la&s;tly, making Covenants with Hell and Death, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 28.18. that is, Carnal intere&s;ts, for fear of danger; &s;aying, The time is not yet, <HI>and the Lord will neither do good nor evil, Zeph.</HI> 1.12. and the like, are in the fir&s;t place to be made clo&s;e inquiry after, as troublers of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> and cau&s;ers of confu&s;ion. Yet al&s;o have tho&s;e that have erred in vi&s;ion, and &s;taggered in judgement, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 28.7. limitting the Holy One to times, in&s;truments and wayes of working, either for his People, or again&s;t his Adver&s;aries, which he removeth as he &s;ees good, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 16.50. though they &s;hould be wholly free (through mercy) from that dethroning &s;in of making league
<PB N="12" REF="7">with cur&s;ed intere&s;ts, through unbelief, as <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 28. yet have they much cau&s;e of mourning, as having &s;inned both towards God greatly, and oc|ca&s;ioned &s;tumbling to many, and to their own Souls. Yea, la&s;tly, If God hath given &s;o much integrity to any, as to pre&s;erve them from the raging power of all the fir&s;t black cla&s;&s;es of publick corruptions (which is much to be feared) yet if thou ha&s;t been proud of thine integrity, as <HI>Job</HI> 32.9. <HI>&s;lighty</HI> in thy reproofs, as <HI>Eli,</HI> 1&punc; <HI>Sam.</HI> 2.14. exalting thy &s;elf as <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> &s;aying, <HI>Mu&s;t we fetch water,</HI> Num. 20.10. in&s;tead of &s;anctifying God; Yea, in the o&s;tentation of <HI>Hezekiah, I&s;.</HI> 39.2. may not God bring thee through <HI>Jobs</HI> furnace, to bring thee into his aba&s;ement, <HI>Job</HI> 42.6. or make thy ears tingle as <HI>Eli</HI> with rebukes, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 3.13. or bury thee in &s;ilence as <HI>Mo&s;es, Num.</HI> 34.5, 6. or make all that is in thy hou&s;e be carried into captivity, as <HI>Hezekiah, I&s;a.</HI> 39.6. but e&s;pecially, if <HI>Cain</HI>-like, thou ha&s;t been glad in uncovering the nakedne&s;s of others; or <HI>Herod,</HI> or <HI>Jehu</HI>-like ha&s;t affected prai&s;e, 2 <HI>Kin.</HI> 10.16. <HI>Acts</HI> 12.23. or to have thy name exalted; may not God pour contempt upon thee? Oh! that we might be united in aba&s;e|ment, through the pouring down of the Spirit of Grace and &s;upplication, as <HI>Zach.</HI> 12.10, 11, 13. Ob&s;erve the&s;e, that the hou&s;e of <HI>Levi, Nathan</HI> and <HI>David</HI> (which were mo&s;t eminent for faithfulne&s;s to the Lord) &s;hall yet &s;ee cau&s;e enough (for their &s;hortne&s;s made known to them in the light of the Spirit) to mourn as deeply (it may be) as <HI>Sh<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">mei,</HI> who at fir&s;t cur&s;ed the work of God, 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 16.5. Yea truly, the <HI>Publican</HI>-like defiled One, or who may be too ju&s;tly &s;tiled the Apo&s;tate (that &s;aid, <HI>I will not,</HI> and after repented and went, <HI>Lu.</HI> 21.19.) &s;hall be before many that have learned to &s;ay, <HI>Apo&s;tate</HI> at every word, and walk not humbly with their God. On therefore! that as there may be maintained an irreconcilable enmity to, and true mourning over, yea con&s;tant, &s;ea&s;onable reprehen&s;ion of every of the afore&s;aid evils; &s;o al&s;o we might be more in the Spirit of the Holy Reprover of Old, and in their humility for our &s;hare of the evil, and &s;hortne&s;s to prevent or cure it; which be&s;ides their own inward corrup|tions, &s;hamed them alwayes before the Lord; and though kept (through grace) from the publick gro&s;s appearances of defilements in their day, yet involved them&s;elves in their confe&s;&s;ions u&s;ually with the wor&s;t of the Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors, <HI>Ezra</HI> 9.7. <HI>Ne.</HI> 9.33, 34. <HI>Da.</HI> 9.5. to 10, 13, 14. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 24.16. <HI>and</HI> 6.5. Oh! how humbly do the Holy Angels appear in the perfect Will of God? <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 6.2. The &s;nuffers of the Sanctuary, were to be of pure gold, <HI>Exod.</HI> 37.23. What need have brazen reprovers to blu&s;h then before the Lord? and de&s;ire rather the power of Chri&s;t, then pride of their own Inte|grity might re&s;t upon them. The great means then that I advi&s;e towards thee, through healing of the breach (this day upon the Lords poor Ones) is, true poverty of Spirit; each bearing his &s;hame, unto through aba&s;ement and repentance never to be repented of; no man &s;paring his own, nor
<PB N="13" REF="7">comming into the &s;ecret of any who would have his name whole, and his &s;in &s;pared; but that they may be united indeed, thus to joyn together, to make one head, as <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 1.11. to look on their &s;in-wildred-&s;tate, and &s;ean no more to their own <HI>under&s;tanding,</HI> but upon their Beloved; (as to tru&s;t in his Words, &s;o to wait for and walk in his way) And then I a&s;&s;ure you, He that &s;ittern upon the Throne, would &s;oon <HI>make all things new,</HI> Rev. 21.5. <HI>A new &s;harp thre&s;hing In&s;trument, having teeth,</HI> &s;hall quickly be intru&s;ted unto them who would imploy it with &s;trength, chiefly. Fir&s;t, Again&s;t their own abhominations; then &s;hal <HI>the iniquity of</HI> I&s;rael <HI>be &s;ought for, and there &s;hall be none, and the &s;ins of</HI> Judah, <HI>and they &s;hall not be found; For I will pardon them whom I re&s;erve,</HI> &s;aith the Lord, <HI>Jer.</HI> 50.20. <HI>In one day the inquity of that Land &s;hould be removed,</HI> Zech. 3.9. and the Lord their God &s;hall &s;ave them in that day, as the <HI>flock of his People; for, they &s;hall be as the &s;tones of a Crown lifted up, as an en&s;ign upon his Land. O turn you to the &s;trong hold ye Pri&s;oners of hope, even to day do I declare, I will render dou|ble to thee,</HI> Zech. 9.12, 16. <HI>For in this Mountain &s;hall the Hand of the Lord re&s;t,</HI> (that is his contending hand, with his inheritance) <HI>and</HI> Moab <HI>&s;hall be troden down under him, even as &s;traw is trodden down for the Dunghil,</HI> I&s;a. 25.10. <HI>In that day &s;hall this Song be &s;ung in the Land of</HI> Judah, <HI>We have a &s;trong City, Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks,</HI> I&s;a. 26.1. <HI>There will I make the horn of</HI> David <HI>to bud. His Foundation is in the Holy Mountains; for thus hath the Lord &s;poken unto me, like as the Lyon, and the young Lyon roaring on his prey; when a multitude of Shepherds are called forth again&s;t him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor aba&s;e him&s;elf for the noi&s;e of them; &s;o &s;hall the Lord of Ho&s;ts come down to fight for Mount</HI> Zion, <HI>and for the hill thereof. As Birds flying, &s;o will the Lord of Ho&s;ts de|fend</HI> Jeru&s;alem; <HI>defending al&s;o, he will deliver it, and pa&s;&s;ing over, he will pre&s;erve it,</HI> P&s;al. 132.17. &amp; 87.1. <HI>Turn ye unto him from whom the Children of</HI> I&s;rael <HI>have deeply revolted,</HI> I&s;a. 31.4, 5, 6. <HI>Therefore will he give them up, until the time that &s;he which travaileth hath brought forth; Then the remnant of his Brethren &s;hall return unto the Children of</HI> I&s;rael, <HI>and he &s;hall &s;tand and feed in the &s;trength of the Lord, in the Maje&s;ty of the Name of the Lord his God, and they &s;hall abide; for now &s;hall he be great unto the ends of the earth,</HI> Mich. 5.3, 4. <HI>Be in pain</HI> therefore, <HI>and labour to bring forth, O Daughter of</HI> Zion, <HI>like a woman in travel; for now thou &s;halt go forth out of the City, and thou &s;halt dwell in the field, and thou &s;halt go even to</HI> Babylon, <HI>there &s;halt thou be delivered; There the Lord &s;hall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies,</HI> Mich. 4.10. <HI>The foot &s;hall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and &s;teps of the needy,</HI> I&s;a. 26.6. For <HI>he will regard the prayer of the de&s;titute, and not de&s;pi&s;e their Prayer,</HI> P&s;al. 102.17. <HI>This &s;hall be written for the Generations to come, and the people which &s;hall be created, &s;hall prai&s;e the Name of the Lord; for he looked down from the height of his Sanctuary
<PB N="14" REF="8">from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth, to hear the groaning of the Pri|&s;oner, to loo&s;e tho&s;e that are appointed to death, to declare the Name of the Lord in</HI> Zion, <HI>and his prai&s;e in</HI> Jeru&s;alem; <HI>when the people are gathered to|gether, and the Kingdoms to &s;erve the Lord. For the Lord &s;hall Judge his people, and repent him&s;elf for his Servants; when he &s;eeth that their power is gone, and there is none &s;hut up or left,</HI> Deut. 32.36. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>Even &s;o come Lord Je&s;us, come quickly. <HI>Amen</HI> and <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>But a Word to their Oppre&s;&s;ors.</HEAD>
<P>TO deliver mine own Soul, yet cautiou&s;ly, for &s;ome of them are now grown &s;uch &s;ons of <HI>Belial, that a man cannot &s;peak to them,</HI> 1 Sam. 25.17. and therefore I will confine my &s;elf to &s;ome Scripture truths (not yet out of date) which it wil concern them to con&s;ider, as the <HI>Oracles</HI> of him who (if they will not hear) &s;hall make him&s;elf be heard, by another voice of his, that yet they have not heard. <HI>And the Lord &s;hall cau&s;e his glorious Voice to be heard, &amp; &s;hal &s;hew the lightning down of his Arm, with the indignation of his Anger, and with the flame of a devouring Fire: with &s;cattering, and tempe&s;t, and hail-&s;tones; for through the Voice of the Lord, &s;hall the</HI> A&s;&s;yrian <HI>be beaten down, which &s;mote with a Rod,</HI> I&s;a. 30.30, 31. <HI>And I will execute vengeance in anger, and fury upon the</HI> Heathen, <HI>&s;uch as they have not heard,</HI> Mich. 5.15. <HI>The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and ha&s;teth greatly, even the Voice of the Day of the Lord; the migh|ty man &s;hall cry there bitterly,</HI> Zeph. 1.8. to 18. <HI>For thus &s;aith the Lord God, My people went down aforetime into</HI> Egypt <HI>to &s;ojourn there, and the</HI> A&s;&s;y|rian <HI>oppre&s;&s;ed them without cau&s;e; Now therefore, what have I here, &s;aith the Lord, that my people is taken away? They that rule over them, make them to howl, &s;aith the Lord, and my Name continually every day is bla&s;|phemed; therefore my people &s;hall know my Name, &amp;c.</HI> I&s;a. 52.4, 5, 6. <HI>So that a man &s;hall &s;ay; Verily there is a reward for the Righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the Earth,</HI> P&s;al. 58.11.</P>
<P><HI>Wo to the bloody City, it is full of lies, the prey departeth not; Art thou better than populous No,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>All thy &s;trong holds &s;hall be like fig-trees, with the fir&s;t ripe figs; if they be &s;haken, they &s;hall even fall into the mouth of the eater. Thy crowned men are as the Locu&s;ts, and thy Captains as the great gra&s;s-hoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the Sun ari&s;eth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are. There is no healing of thy brui&s;e, thy wound is grievous, all that hear the bruit of thee, &s;hall clap their hands over thee; for upon whom hath not thy wickedne&s;s pa&s;&s;ed continually?</HI> Nahum 3.1. <HI>She is empty, and void, and wa&s;te; and the heart melteth, and the knees &s;mite together,</HI> Nahum 1.10. <HI>Becau&s;e ye
<PB N="15" REF="8">were glad, becau&s;e ye rejoyced, O ye de&s;troyers of my heritage.</HI>&mdash;Jer. 50.11. <HI>For thus &s;aith the Lord God, Becau&s;e thou ha&s;t clapped thy hands, and &s;tam|ped with thy feet, and rejoyced in heart with all thy de&s;pite again&s;t the Land of</HI> I&s;rael, Ezek. 25.6. <HI>And have taken vengeance with a de&s;piteful heart to de&s;troy it, for the old hatred,</HI> ver&s;. 15. <HI>Behold I will make</HI> Jeru&s;alem <HI>a cup of trembling unto all people round about, when they &s;hall be in the &s;iege both again&s;t</HI> Judah <HI>and again&s;t</HI> Jeru&s;alem. <HI>And in that day, I will make</HI> Jeru&s;a|lem <HI>a burthen&s;ome &s;tone for all people; all that burthen them&s;elves with it, &s;hall be cut in pieces. Though all the people of the earth be gathered together again&s;t it; In that day, &s;aith the Lord, I will &s;mite every hor&s;e with a&s;to|ni&s;hment, and his rider with madne&s;s, and I will open mine eyes upon the hou&s;e of</HI> Judah, &amp;c. <HI>Zech.</HI> 12.2, 3, 4. <HI>The adver&s;aries of the Lord &s;hall be bro|ken to pieces, out of Heaven &s;hall he thunder upon them; the Lord will judge the ends of the Earth, and he &s;hall give &s;trength unto his King, and exalt the horn of his Anointed,</HI> 1 Sam. 2.10. <HI>Moreover, the multitude of thy &s;tran|ger<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">, &s;hall be like the &s;mall du&s;t, and the multitude of the terrible ones &s;hall be as chaff that pa&s;&s;eth away; Yea, it &s;hall be at an in&s;tant &s;uddenly. Thou &s;halt be vi&s;ited of the Lord of Ho&s;ts, with thunder and with earth-quake, and great noi&s;e; with &s;torm and tempe&s;t, and the flame of devouring fire. And the mul|titude of all the Nations, that fight again&s;t</HI> Ariel, <HI>even all that fight again&s;t her, and her munition, and that di&s;tre&s;s her, &s;hall be as a dream of a night vi&s;ion,</HI> I&s;a. 29.5, 6, 7. <HI>I was wroth with my People, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand; thou did&s;t &s;hew them no mercy: upon the Ancients ha&s;t thou very heavily laid the Yoak,</HI> I&s;a. 47.6, 11. <HI>And thou &s;aid&s;t,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>Therefore &s;hall evil come upon thee, thou &s;halt not know from whence it ri&s;eth; and mi&s;chief &s;hall fall upon thee, thou &s;halt not be able to put it off; and de&s;olation &s;hall come upon thee &s;uddenly, which thou &s;halt not know.</HI> And ver&s;. 3. <HI>I will take vengeance, I will not meet thee as a man; for he bringeth down them that dwell on high, the lofty City he layeth it low, he layeth it low, even to the ground, he bringeth it even to the du&s;t: The foot &s;hall tread it down, even the foot of the poor, and the &s;teps of the needy,</HI> I&s;a. 26.5, 6. <HI>Let favour be &s;hewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn Righte|ou&s;ne&s;s: In the land of uprightne&s;s will he deal unju&s;tly; and will not behold the Maje&s;ty of the Lord. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not &s;ee; but they &s;hall &s;ee, and be a&s;hamed for their envie at thy people; yea, the fire of thine enemy &s;hall devour them. And they &s;hall pa&s;s through it hardly be&s;ted and hungry; and it &s;hall come to pa&s;s, that when they &s;hall be hungry, they &s;hall fret them&s;elves, and cur&s;e their King and their God, and look up|ward: and they &s;hall look to the earth, and behold trouble and darkne&s;s, dimne&s;s of angui&s;h, and they &s;hall be driven to darkne&s;s,</HI> I&s;a. 8.21, 22. <HI>Behold the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continual whirlwind, it &s;hall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked; the fierce anger of the Lord
<PB N="16" REF="9">&s;hall not return, until he hath done it, and until he hath performed the intents of his heart; in the latter dayes you &s;hall con&s;ider it,</HI> Jer. 30.23, 24. <HI>For the Lord &s;hall ri&s;e up as in Mount</HI> Perazim; <HI>he &s;hall be wroth as in the valley of</HI> Gibeon, <HI>that he may do his work, his &s;trange work; and bring to pa&s;s his Act, his &s;trange Act: Now therefore be ye not mockers, le&s;t your bonds be made &s;trong,</HI> I&s;a. 28.21, 22. <HI>Beware therefore, le&s;t that come upon you, which is &s;poken of in the Prophets; Behold ye de&s;pi&s;ers, and wonder, and peri&s;h; for I work a work in your dayes, a work which ye &s;hall in no wi&s;e believe, though a man declare it unto you,</HI> Acts 13.40, 41. <HI>And that prophane wicked Prince of</HI> I&s;rael, <HI>who&s;e day is come, when Iniquity &s;hall have an end; Thus &s;aith the Lord God, Remove the Diadem, and take off the CRown, this &s;hall not be the &s;ame; exalt him that is low, and aba&s;e him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it &s;hall be no more, until He come who&s;e right it is, and I will give it Him,</HI> Ezek. 31.25, 26, 27. <HI>His enemies will I cloath with &s;hame, but on him&s;elf &s;hall his Crown flouri&s;h,</HI> P&s;al. 132.18. <HI>And he &s;hall come upon Princes, as upon Morter, and as the Potter treadeth clay,</HI> I&s;a. 41.25. <HI>For the oppre&s;&s;ion of the poor, and &s;ighing of the needy; now will I ari&s;e (&s;aith the Lord) I will &s;et him in &s;afety from him that puffeth at him,</HI> P&s;al. 12.5. <HI>The meek al&s;o &s;hall increa&s;e their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men &s;hall rejoyce in the Holy One of</HI> I&s;rael: <HI>for the terrible one is brought to nought, and the &s;corner is con&s;umed; and all that watch for iniquity are cut off; that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a &s;nare for him that reproveth in the gate; and turn a &s;ide the ju&s;t for a thing of nought,</HI> I&s;a. 29.19, 20, 21. Ezek. 35.5. Jer. 46.17. I&s;a. 10.1, 4. Ezek. 29.7. <HI>Be wi&s;e now therefore O ye Kings; be in&s;tructed ye Judges of the Earth; &s;erve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling. Ki&s;s the Son le&s;t he be angry, and ye peri&s;h from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Ble&s;&s;ed are all they that put their tru&s;t in Him,</HI> P&s;al. 2.10, 11, 12.</P>
<P><HI>Have all the workers of Iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord. There were they in great fear: for God is in the Generation of the Righteous,</HI> P&s;alm. 14.4, 5.</P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
