218 Againfi the Rulers of the tongue can utter, what heart can conceive the mifery of this ftate ? Itwas a difmal day which Chriff foretold, Math. 24. When the abominationof de(clarion fhould be leen, (landing in the Holy place ; then (Faith Chrtfl) let him that is in 7ndea flee into the monnta;ns. But what was that to this ? they were but men, though abominable ; thefe devils. They did but !land in the material Temple, & defile and deface that:but thefe difplay their banners in the lodes of men, pollute that throne, which is more glorious then the material heaven itielf, made for God alone to fit in. They exercifed their cruelties at furtheft on thebodies of men, killing and torturing them : here the precious foules of men are delta)} ed. When 'David would curfe to purpofe the e- nemies of God, he prayes , that Satanmay be at their right hand. 'Tis ftrange fin ners thould no more tremble at this, who fhould they fee but their ftvine, or a beaft bewitclet and poffeft of the devil run headlong into the fea, would cry out as half undone : and is not one foul more worth then all thefe ? what a plague is it to have Satan poffeffe thy heart and fpirit, hurrying thee in the fury of thy lulls to perdition e 0 poor man 1 what a fad change haft thou made ? Thou who wouldeff not fit under the meek and peaceful Government of God thy rightful.,Lord, art paid for thy rebellion ggainfl him, in the cruelty of this Tyrant who writes all his Lawes in the blood of his fubjcais, and why will ycu fit any longer,(O finners)under the fhadowof this Bramble, trom whom you can (mat nothingbut eternal fire, to comeat Jail and devoure you ? Behold,Chriff is in the field, fent of God to recover his right, and your liberty. His royal Standard is pitch's in theGoipel, and Proclamationmade, that if any poor fianels, weary of the devils Government, and heavy ladenwith the m iferable chaines of his ,fpiritual bondage, (fo as thefe irons of his fins enter into his very foule to afflift it with the fenfe of them) 111E111 thus come, and repair to Chrift he (hail have pro- tcaion fromGods jutlice, the devils wrath, and fins dominion ; mat. i T . In a word, he fb411 have rcfl, and thargiarims. LICuaily when :8. a people have-been ground with the oppreffion of fomebloody Tyrant, they are apt enough to long for a change, and to liffen to any overture that gives them hopeof liberty, though reached by the hand of a ftranger, who may prove as bad as theother, yet bondage is fo grievous,that people defire to change, (as tick
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=