A80630:52
The pouring out of the seven vialsThe powring out of the seven vials
The pouring out of the seven vials: or An exposition, of the 16. chapter of the Revelation, with an application of it to our times. Wherein is revealed Gods pouring out the full vials of his fierce wrath. 1. Upon the lowest and basest sort of Catholics. 2. Their worship and religion. 3. Their priests and ministers. 4. The house of Austria, and the Popes supremacy. 5. Episcopal government. 6. Their Euphrates, or the stream of their supportments. 7. Their gross ignorance, and blind superstitions. Very fit and necessary for this present age. Preached in [sic] sundry sermons at Boston in New-England: by the learned and reverend John Cotton BB. of Divinity, and teacher to the church thereThe powring out of the seven vials: or An exposition, of the 16. chapter of the Revelation, with an application of it to our times. Wherein is revealed Gods powring out the full vials of his fierce wrath. 1. Upon the lowest and basest sort of Catholicks. 2. Their worship and religion. 3. Their priests and ministers. 4. The house of Austria, and the Popes supremacy. 5. Episcopall government. 6. Their Euphrates, or the streame of their supportments. 7. Their grosse ignorance, and blind superstitions. Very fit and necessary for this present age. Preached iu [sic] sundry sermons at Boston in New-England: by the learned and reverend Iohn Cotton BB. of Divinity, and teacher to the church there
London: printed for R.S., 1642
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
This may serve in the first place to teach all men in the fear of Use 1 God, to become wise by light Judgements and gentle afflictions, those which you would think may least of all concern you sleight them not: nothing more distant, from the chief men in a State, then the common multitude. A Judgement upon them doth not matter much, if a Famine were upon the common sort of people, Princes and Great men would not be much affected therewith. But the least of his judgements should be warnings unto us, to teach us that the Lord hath taken his Sword into his hand, and will go on in judgement, until he make the souls of men to tremble. What if a judgement begin upon mens cattle? That is far off: It will come next upon your Servants and Children, and it may be, reach to the wife of your bosom; and if all this prevail not, it may be, He will strike you with grievous ⟨p. 14⟩diseases in your body; and if you hearken not for all this, what if he let the Devil loose upon the souls and consciences of men and women? What will the heart of a poor Creature do in such a case? O consider this all ye that forget God! least he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. When the Lord striketh aloof from us, It is but the Vial of the first Angel, but when the Lord beginneth, he will go on further; therefore it must be the wisdom of the sons of men to take heed of his strokes afar off. This also is the Method of Gods dealing with his own Children: He did not fall upon the Conscience of his Servant Job at the first, but upon his Cattle, then upon his Servants, after that upon his Children, and nextly, upon his Body, and at last, writeth bitter things against his soul. Be we warned therefore by the first hints of chastisements, by small and gentle visitations, and happy they that learn to profit by such, to turn unto God, and to make their peace with him, before his wrath break forth like a devouring fire, and there be none to quench it.
This may serve in the first place to teach all men in the feare of Ʋse 1 God, to become wise by light Iudgements and gentle afflictions, those which you would thinke may least of all concerne you sleight them not: nothing more distant, from the chiefe men in a State, then the common multitude. A Iudgement upon them doth not matter much, if a Famine were upon the common sort of people, Princes and Great men would not be much affected therewith. But the least of his judgements should be warnings unto us, to teach us that the Lord hath taken his Sword into his hand, and will go on in judgement, untill he make the soules of men to tremble. What if a judgement begin upon mens cattell? That is farre off: It will come next upon your Servants and Children, and it may be, reach to the wife of your bosome; and if all this prevaile not, it may be, He will strike you with grievous