JundamentumJuUit opus, every thing is as its foundation is. Lastly, They deny the possibility of the assurance of salvation in this life ; and so consequently, their consciences must be always cauterized and dead, or fluctuating and dubious : O what a religion is this !
5. Lastly, It is a damnable religion ; we have no ground from scripture to conclude the salvation of any among them that know the depth of Satan, and live and die in those destructive opinions. Hear what the scriptures say, Rev. xvii. 8. " The beast that thou *' sawest was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless *• pit, and go into perdition ; and they that dwell on the earth '' shall wonder, whose names are not wTitten in the book of life, " from the foundation of the world," w^hen they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is : And 2 Thes. ii. 21. *^ And for " this cause, God shall send them strong delusions that they " should believe a lie, that they all might be damned that believe *' not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." When their sorest plagues shall come upon them, they shall not have a
♦ Contz, in Matth. xxiv.
ENGLAND^'S ALARM. 581
heart given them to repent : but " shall blaspheme the name of " God because of them," Rev. xvi. 9. And therefore to shut up this first counsel, you that love the Lord, hate that by which he is so much dishonoured ; it will make your blood boil in your veins, to sec how he is crucified, dethroned, and trampled on by these his enemies.
Use all proper, preventive means to avert this threatening judgment; of which sort I shall recommend these three in special.
1. Mourn for the abuse of former light and hberty, and say, " O remember not against us former iniquities ; let thy lender " mercy speedily prevent us ; for we are brought very low," Psal Ixxix. 8. O J^ngland ! what a day of mercy hast thou had ! how liast thou been exalted to heaven with Capernaum ! thou mightest once have worshipped God as purely as thou wouldest, thou might- est have been as holy as thou wouldest. The lot of this genera- tion was cast upon such an happy nick of time as is scarce to be found in the history of ages past ; but the most glorious morning hath its evening, and the brightest sun its clouds, and time of setting. We knew not the time of our visitation, but were both wanton and barren under these precious mercies. God is now coming with his axe in his hand to hew down barren trees. Nothing but un- feigned repentance and speedy reformation can reprieve us. Roma^ nee legis posnam pregnanti deferunt. Nothing but those fruits can be a good sign of mercy to England. And will you not yet mouni for the loss of such a day.'' Such peace neglected, and not mourn ! Such liberties abused, and for their abuses removed, and not a tear I So many flourishing churches broken, and the heart not broken ! So many shining lights extinct, and none lay it to heart f Such black clouds of popish darkness and blood gathering over us, and none tremble ! Lord ! what hearts have we ! How wonderful is the stupifying power of sin ! O ye professors of England, that ye had known, at least in that your day, the things of your peace ! but now they are hid from your eyes. You once had those mer- cies, now you have them not ; and the Lord only knows whether ever you shall see them again. I am out of hopes of them, till I see the people of God more humble for the sins that removed them.
2. Make up your breaches speedily ; it is time, I think, when the enemy is entering in at them. Hear me, all ye friends of Christ, by what names soever distinguished among yourselves ; will you come and be friends one with another ^ Have you not yet enough of your divisions ? How do the fruits of your animosities, contentions
682 TIDIXGS FROM ROME ; OR,
and reproaches relish now with you ? Do you see whom God is send- ing to part you ? Cannot you yet pray together, mourn together, strive with God together ? Will you stand quietly at the stake to- gether ? What say you friends ? you profess to be the children of the God of peace, and I am sure Christ is the prince of peace, and the gospel, the gospel of peace ; and will not you be the sons of peace? If you will not yet unite, let the ruin of England lie upon your score. Do you make no more of the commands of Christ, the credit of religion, the safety of the nation ? Ah ! methinks as Tertullian told Scapula, si non vis tibi parcere, parce Carthagini ; If you have no pity for yourselves, have pity for the nation ; do not sacrifice all to your unruly lusts. If you profess love to Christ, and yet have no love for those in whom is his image ; If j^ou pretend to be saints, and yet had rather hazard the honour of Christ, than deny your passions and lusts, pray pull off your vizards, fall into your places, and appear as you are.
Brethren, I beseech you seriously to consider these three particu- lars, and if there be any force in them, or tenderness in your con- sciences, let them at last persuade you to love one another. 1. That scripture makes your love to the brethren a positive mark of your regeneration ; 1 John iii. 14. " We knov/ that we are pas- ^' sed from death to life, because we love the brethren : he that ^' loveth not his brother abideth in death."*' And 1 John v. 1. ^' Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is *' begotten of him.'' And to speak truth, it is (ordinarily) the clearest sign that many poor Christians can find in their own breasts ; upon the hazard, therefore, of your own peace and assu- rance be it, if still j^ou continue to bite and devour one another. 2. I will farther add, that this endeared and mutual love of the saints is the charge, yea, the dying charge of Christ to them ; they were some of the last words of Christ in this world. John xv. 12. ^' This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have ^' loved you." Dying charges ar« commonly received with greatest veneration, and men (whatever they neglect) will be sure to fulfil the will of the dead. So Gen. 1. 16. when Joseph's brethren were afraid lest (his father being now dead) he would remember the old injuries they had done him, urge this pacifying argument upon him, " Thy father did command, before he died, saying, " Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren." And ver. 21. you see how it prevailed with him; he comforted them^ and spake Vindhj to them. O my brethren ! will you not fulfil the will of the dead, your dead friend, even Jesus that left it as his last dying charge upon you.? 3. To conclude, Will you not lay down your private differences and animosities, when God threatens you with a conmion ruin ? When a common danger is upon you all ?
ENGLANd''s ALAR^r. 583