Babylons downfall a sermon lately preached at Westminster before sundry of the honourable House…

2. Many things seem to be dangerous at a distance, that are not so at hand. When Moses rod was at a distance from him, it was turned to a serpent, and he fled from it; but when he took it by the tail at Gods command, it was his rod in his hand again. Prisons, banishments, miseries, at a distance are serpents to us; when we come to them, are exceeding comfortable, and our rods in our hands.

2. Many things seeme to bee dangerous at a distance, that are not so at hand. When Moses rod was at a distance from him, it was turned to a serpent, and hee fled from it; but when hee tooke it by the taile at Gods command, it was his rod in his hand againe. Prisons, banishments, miseries, at a distance are serpents to us; when we come to them, are exceeding comfortable, and our rods in our hands.

3. Suppose there were danger in a reformation, ⟨p. 19⟩and extirpation of all that's Babylons, yet there's more danger in want of reformation. Vomiting Physic is very troublesome, but disease more. He that ventures against Babylon, at the worst can but lose his life, which may be taken away by the fall of some tile, on the turning of some humour in our body; but he that partakes with Babylon in her sin, shall partake with her in her plagues and punishments to all eternity. What a trouble did Achan cause, yet he was but one man, his act one, and the Babylonish garment but one. O what trouble then will it be to suffer many Achans, and that continually? Augustine says, that when the Jews would not acknowledge Christ, lest the Romans should come, and take their place, in preventing loss, they lost most. They would not lose their earth, and they lost their heaven, they would not lose their place, and they lost their God.

3. Suppose there were danger in a reformation, ⟨p. 19⟩and extirpation of all that's Babylons, yet there's more danger in want of reformation. Vomiting Physick is very troublesome, but disease more. He that ventures against Babylon, at the worst can but lose his life, which may bee taken away by the fall of some tyle, on the turning of some humour in our body; but hee that partakes with Babylon in her sinne, shall partake with her in her plagues and punishments to all eternity. What a trouble did Achan cause, yet hee was but one man, his act one, and the Babylonish garment but one. O what trouble then will it be to suffer many Achans, and that continually? Augustine sayes, that when the Jewes would not acknowledge Christ, lest the Romans should come, and take their place, in preventing losse, they lost most. They would not lose their earth, and they lost their heaven, they would not lose their place, and they lost their God.