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The Saint's Duty In Evil Times.
The Lord is coming out of his place, to fit in judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth, and to give out ſentence upon them, ac- cording to their doings, and to puniſh them for their iniquities, he calls in his own people to himſelf, where they are to to be hid and preſerved. O ſtand ſtill amazed, and wonder at his tender love and fatherly care of his childrsn, who will not come with his cloak of zeal and cloathes of vengeance, to give out, and to execute his ſentence of juſtice upon his enemies, until that he give his people fair warning thereof; and alſo invites them into their ſhelter and ſafety, which he hath prepared for them. Ye know Ezek. 9. The Lord ſends forth, firſt, a man clothed in linen, with a writer’s inknorn by his ſide, to let a mark upon the foreheads of them that ſigh and cry, for all the abominations that be done in the earth, and commands his men, with the ſlaughtering weapon in their hands, to go after, aud ſmite, and not to ſpare nor pity, but to ſlay utterly, old and young, both maids and little children and women; but not to come near theſe upon whom the mark is ſet.
Now the Lord hath men prepared with ſlaughtering weapon; in their hands to kill a ſacrifice at Bozrah in Scotland, of prelates and malignants, and backſlidden miniſters and profeſſors; he is com- ing to be avenged on that curſed throne, and the ſupporters there of for their cruelty done againſt him, and of miniſters and pro- feſſors for their heinous treachery towards him; and this is his commiſſion, and our charge unto you, to invite and to call you and all that will give ear unto this Rock of ages, for ſhelter, into the chamber of his preſence and protection, where ye ſhall be ſaved with delight. O come my people ; in which words ye have, Firſt, An invitation, come. Secondly, The perſons invited, for the determination thereof, my people. Thirdly, That which, they were invited unto, the chambers of the Lord’s protection and preſence, whereunto he invites them to enter. Fourthly, Their
marriage, and that which they are to do there, ſhut thy doors about thee, and hide thyſelf, as it were, for a little moment. Fifhly The ſafety of theſe chambers, being an hiding-place, until the indignation he over-paſt; or rather, the determination of the continuation of their hiding, until the indignation be over-paſt.
As to the firſt, The invitation, Come, O come, a homely word indeed; this is no leſs than, behold me! behold me; Here is enough to give, and here is willingneſs to give, only come, only receive,
only take, and ye ſhall not not want.
But to enlarge a little, we lay down a two-fold doctrine. Doct.rit, There is both ability and willingneſs in the Lord, to give you whatſoever your neceſſity requires.
Ability. What would you have ? Salvation and deliverance; then he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all that come unto him, deb. 7. 25. Lift up your eyes and behold a wonder, which ye
cannot
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