Answ. Indeed, this is a sad thing; and O! that we could weep, day and night, and pray too, for this poor, bleeding Nation. If ever Gods People, here in England, had cause to be afflicted, troubled, and humbled, under the hand of the Lord, and to run together in Prayer, surely they have reason now; yet saith the Scripture, Say to the Righteous in evil times, it shall go well with him: Did ever any Calamity come down like a storm upon a Kingdom, but God did provide some hiding for his own Children? Did he not provide an Ark for Noah in the time of the Flood? and a Mountain for Lot, in the time of the fire of Sodom? The worst that man can do, is but to kill his neighbour: Death is the worst that can fall; and what is death, but an in-let to Eternal Life unto the People of God? When the Saints in the Primitive Times, came to bear witness by their deaths, unto the Truth of Christ, then they said, Now we begin to be Christians indeed, now we begin to be like to Christ. There is a Three-fold Death: Spiritual Death in sin: Eternal Death for sin: And Temporal Death, which came in by sin. If God spare me from the two former Deaths, the Spiritual Death, and Eternal Death, and only inflict the Temporal Death; have I any cause to complain? Thus it is with the Saints; though they die Temporally, yet they are free from the Spiritual, and Eternal Death; and what Godly man may not say, I could not live long in Nature, and shall I now bear witness unto the Truth with this little spot of time that remains? Christ died for us, the Just for the Unjust; and shall not I, that am unjust, be willing to die for the just? The worst of all is Death; the worst of Death, is gain: When my Body is broken, may I not say (if Godly) now a poor Pitcher is broken, and shall go no more to the Well: now a poor Prisoner, my soul, is delivered, and I go home unto my Father. But if you look into Rev. 7. you shall •ind, what a glorious issue God doth give unto all his People in the times of public troubles, ver. 9. After this I beheld, and so a great multitude, which no man could number, of all Nations, Kindreds, and People, stood before the Throne, and ⟨p. 281⟩before the Lamb clothed with white Robes, and Palms in their hands. A Robe is a Garment of Majesty, Palms are an Ensign of Victory; and saith he, I saw them with Robes and Palm•. The world looks upon my Servants as poor, and of low spirits;
Answ. Indeed, this is a sad thing; and O! that we could weep, day and night, and pray too, for this poor, bleeding Nation. If ever Gods People, here in England, had cause to be afflicted, troubled, and humbled, under the hand of the Lord, and to run together in Prayer, surely they have reason now; yet saith the Scripture, Say to the Righteous in evil times, it shall go well with him: Did ever any Calamity come down like a storm upon a Kingdom, but God did provide some hiding for his own Children? Did he not provide an Ark for Noah in the time of the Flood? and a Mountain for Lot, in the time of the fire of Sodom? The worst that man can do, is but to kill his neighbor: Death is the worst that can fall; and what is death, but an in-let to Eternal Life unto the People of God? When the Saints in the Primitive Times, came to bear witness by their deaths, unto the Truth of Christ, then they said, Now we begin to be Christians indeed, now we begin to be like to Christ. There is a Three-fold Death: Spiritual Death in sin: Eternal Death for sin: And Temporal Death, which came in by sin. If God spare me from the two former Deaths, the Spiritu•l Death, and Eternal Death, and only inflict the Temporal Death; have I any cause to complain? Thus it is with the Saints; though they die Temporally, yet they are free from the Spiritual, and Eternal Death; and what Godly man may not say, I could not live long in Nature, and shall I now bear witness unto the Truth with this little spot of time that remains? Christ died for us, the Just for the Unjust; and shal not I, that am unjust, be willing to die for the just? The worst of all is Death; the worst of Death, is gain: When my Body is broken, may I not say (if Godly) now a poor Pitcher is broken, and shall go no more to the Well: now a poor Prisoner, my soul, is delivered, and I go home unto my Father. But if you look into Rev. 7. you shal •ind, what a glorious issue God doth give unto al his People in the times of publick troubles, ver. 9. After this I beheld, and so a great multitude, which no man could number, of all Nations, Kindreds, and People, stood before the Throne, and ⟨p. 281⟩before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes, and Palms in their hands. A Robe is a Garment of Majesty, Palms are an Ensign of Victory; and saith he, I saw them with Robes and Palm•. The world looks upon my Servants as poor, and of low spirits;
