Eli trembling for fear of the ark a sermon preached at St. Mary Aldermanbury,…

Secondly, I have another that I may without prejudice say, and that is the abundance of Popish Priests and Jesuits that are in the midst of us, the growing and increasing of Popery, and that proneness that is in people to run headlong back again to the Garlic and Onions of Egypt: This argument is sufficient to make us all believe the ark of God is in danger. Nay, shall I add, The discontentments and divisions that are in the Nation? and Christ himself hath said, That a Nation divided against it self canno• sta•d. But I leave these things to your consideration. I believe now there is not one that hears me this morning, but will confess the Ark of God is in danger of being lost. But now where are our old Elis? Whe•e •re such as Phinehas wife, such women as she, that would not be comforted? Where are our Moseses, our Uriah's, our Elijah's? where are those that lay to heart the danger of the Ark of God? M• brethren, you complain of taxes, of the decay of trade, you complain of this and that civil burden; But where is the man, where is the man that complains & bemoans the danger that the Ark of God is in? Most of you are of Gallio's temper, of whom it is said, Act. 8 that he cared for none of tho•e things; had it been for civil matters, he would ⟨p. 13⟩have hearkened; but when it came to matters of Religion, Gallio cared not for it, nor regarded it not. My brethren, every man is troubled about mum and tuum, about his civil concernments, and very solicitous what shall become of him; but who lays to heart, who regards what shall become of the Ark of God? there is a strange kind of indifferency and lukewarmness upon peoples spirit•, insomuch that most people so they might have their trading and their civil burdens removed, they care not what becomes of the Ark; there is a T•xt I would have you turn to, though I cannot spend time in opening it, because I shall be prevented; it is in Ho•. 79. Strangers have •eoured his strength, and he knew it not; ea, grey hairs are here and there upon him, and he knows it ot. Shall I say, grey hairs are upon the Gospel? I come not here to prophesy this morning; I do not say the Gospel is a dying, I say not so; but I say it hath grey hairs; for we have had the Gospel above a hundred years now in England (pray mark) and therefore it is in its old age;