In the year 1607, when, by the irruption of the Severn sea, the country in Somersetshire was overflown almost twenty miles in length, and four miles in breadth, and many persons drowned : it was then observable (saith Mr. * Fuller) that creatures of contrary natures, as dogs and hares, Jbxes and conies, yea, cats and mice^ getting up to the tops of some hills, dispensed at that time with their antipathies, remaining peaceably together, without sign of fear, or any violence one towards another. My reader's thoughts will, doubt- less, anticipate me in the application of this strange passage ; our want of love hath cut the banks, and let in an inundation of calami- ties upon us, and a more fearful flood of judgments is yet expected ; and will not such public dangers yet cause us to depose our private differences ? Shall we act below dogs, cats, and Jbxes ? Shall we prefer private revenge before common saftey ? If so, I much doubt God will still us, and part the fray in a more terrible manner than most think of. I doubt it may be said of us ere long, as he said who saw the dead carcases of enemies that had been slain in a duel lie quietly together, as if they had embraced each other, Quanta amicitia se invicem amplecantur, qui mutua implacabiU inimicitia perierunt ? How lovingly do they embrace each other being dead, who perished through their mutual and implacable enmity ? How justly may the Lord sweep away this generation of professors, and raise up others in their room who will agree and love one another better ?
What shall I say more ? " If there be any consolation in Christ, <' if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any '' bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy ; that ye be like-minded, '' having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind."^ Phil. ii. 12.
Strive day and night with God by importunate prayers for the prevention of those imminent judgments, but strive no more one with another ; no more of that woirk I pray. O it is a thousand pities to see the sheep of Christ push and gore each other. Non Secus ac. Cum duo conversis inimica in prcelia tauri Frontibus incurrunt.
O rather put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercy and compassion ; let the people of God be but once heartily united, and then Rome, do thy worst ! Associate yourselves, O ye people, and you shall he broken in jneces ; and give ear, all ye of' Jar coun- tries ; gird your selves, and ye shall he hroJicn in pieces ; take coun- sel together, and it shall come to nought ; speak the woixl, and it shall not stand; Jbr God is with us.
f Worthies of Englaod, in his last farewell to Somersetshire.
58i TIDINGS rr^oM ROME ; on,
3. Mea7is. Lie day aud night at the throne of grace, interceding with God for yourselves, and for the nation. What Mr. Perkins said of his times, is no less suitable to these, No7i sunt ista Utigandi, sed cyj-aridi tempoi'a ; these are not times for contention, but pray- er. This wAl be a good omen of mercy and deliverance at hand. We may say of the spirit of prayer, as Christ said of the budding of the fig-tree, Mat. xxiv. " When ye see the fig-tree, and all the " trees of the field put forth tender leaves, ye know that sum- ** mer is nigh.** So the reviving and budding forth of the spirit of prayer, is a sign that salvation is nigh. The Psalmist knew the time to favour Zion %vas come, aijid that God would arise and have mercy upon her, because he found a spirit of compassion and prayer for Zion poured out, Psal. cii. 13, 14. When the decree for judgment is gone forth, and God will not be stopt, he usually sliuts up and straitens the spirits of praying ones, Jer. vii. 16. He never shuts out prayer till the case become desperate and remedi- less, Jer. XV. 1. O friends, great is the efficacy of prayer ; prayer will ruin all your enemies. David put up but one petition against Ahithophel, " Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolish- " ness ;■*' and it ruined both him and his design, 2 Sam. xv. 3. Prayers and teai's will do more than guns and swords, 2 Chron.. xiv. 9, 11.
O be not discouraged, because you presently see not the effects and returns of your prayers; your prayers are heard, though their answers be suspended, and be confident in due time they shall be answered also. Oh how many millions of prayers are upon the file in heaven, as a memorial before God upon this account ! not a good man all the world over, but joins with you in this cry. Lord, raze the foundations of antichrist, pull down Babylon, and build up Zion. Yea, the prayers of thousands, who are now in heaven, are yet to be answered in that matter. For though we say of their persons, as the church speaks of Abraham, they know us not ; yet we may say of their prayers, as the church speaks of Abel, though they be dead, their prayers are not dead, they live, and yet speak. O then stir up yourselves to take hold of God, weep and make supplication.
Two things exceedingly discourage our spirits in prayer, great guilt in us, and long delays of answers from God ; against both these, the Lord hath laid up encouragements and sweet supports in the word. Are we under great guilt ? Have we abused mercy ? so did Israel, Psal. cvi. 7, 8, 16, 17, 18, 19, 28. yet mercy comes triumphing over all their unworthiness with a non abstante, ver. 44. " Nevertheless he regarded their affliction when he heard their " cry."" What though England, like Israel, be a polluted nation : " Yet Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God ;
" though their land was filled witli sin against the Holy One of " Israel," Jer. li. 5. Or doth God exercise your faith and pa- tience by delaying the returns of prayer: so that you are ready to look at your prayers as lost ? See another 7ievcrthcless^ in that case, to raise up your hearts and hopes, Psal. xxxi. 22. ** I said in my " haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes : nevertheless, thou ^' heardest the voice of my supplication when I cried unto thee." Up, therefore, every one in whom is the s})irit of prayer, pour out your hearts before him in this time of common danger, your God will hear you ; but if you are speechless now, it is a sad fore- runner of death, and national ruin.
Prepare yourselves for the worst, that if times should alter, (for there are changes in the right hand of the Most High) yet your hearts may not be turned back, nor your steps decline from those paths of truth and holiness, wherein you have been engaged.
O cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart, and when fiery trials come (whereof most serious and considering Christians are in a trembling expectation) then do not basely desert Christ in o[X?ii field. To do good (saith Metellus) where there is neither pain nor danger, is easy and common ; but to do good in the face of danger, is virtuous, and truly noble. It was the saying of a martyr to his persecutors, ' Though you pluck my heart out of my bow-