Useful instructions for a professing people in times of great security and degeneracy

3. Consider what advantage we have above others to be affected with it: others indeed may hear of it, relations may be carried from one place to another, and that may affect, yet not so much as when it is seen. Why, we may say as Job, I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye sees thee. Reports may be carried various, and that may wound a great part of the credit of it abroad in the world, as not knowing how or where to fasten their belief; however, when never so truly reported, it cannot carry the life of the thing with it: but we have seen, yea seen such things as one would think might melt, or break an heart of stone; we may carry about with us every day, the very portraiture of those Hellish and Diabolical Cruelties, those strange Gestures, those dreadful Voices: and therefore if we be not awed and affected by it, who should?

3. Consider what advantage we have above others to be affected with it: others indeed may hear of it, relations may be carried from one place to another, and that may affect, yet not so much as when it is seen. Why, we may say as Job, I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye sees thee. Reports may be carried various, and that may wound a great part of the credit of it abroad in the world, as not knowing how or where to fasten their belief; however, when never so truly reported, it cannot carry the life of the thing with it: but we have seen, yea seen such things as one would think might melt, or break an heart of stone; we may carry about with us every day, the very pourtraicture of those Hellish and Diabolicall Cruelties, those strange Gestures, those dreadful Voices: and therefore if we be not awed and affected by it, who should?

4. Consider how sad it will be for us, if we be not awed and affected with this Judgement, if we learn nothing by it: Oh how much will God have against us, above others! the nearer he hath come to us, and the more we are concerned in it, and the louder the Cry hath been to us, will all have their particular weight to increase our condemnation, God will lay every circumstance to our charge, and as he hath singularly revealed his mind to us in it, so he will have a singular provocation by it. Oh! little do we know how much this providence slighted and misimproved will add to the weight of our sins, and increase of our woes. Let it then be a solemn lesson to teach us Righteousness. For Direction: