said the duke, but what said the bishop then? He saith he will feed his flock, preach the word, visit the sick; and as for this war, he will totius belli molem Deo committere, he will commit the whole weight and bulk of the war unto God himself. Aye, saith the duke, then bellum ei inferat diabolus, non ego; then let the devil wage war against him, for I will not. Thus faith turns away the fury of the sword; and committing our cause unto God, turns away the anger and wrath of God. But a man cannot commit his cause unto God, unless he doth seek unto God; and therefore, when his anger is abroad, and people at uncertainty, then it is their duty, then and then especially for to seek unto him.

By this truth we know now what we ought to do.

Your thoughts may prevent me, and say, But the wrath and anger of God is pacified toward us, and this nation: is not the war at an end; are not our swords fully beaten into plough-shares?

Now I would to God it were so; and long, oh, long may you sit under your vines and fig-trees, praising the name of your God: yet give me leave to tell you three reasons why I conceive that God is angry with us still, the day of his anger not yet done.

1. The plague is begun. The beginnings of a plague are the signs of God's anger. "Run in quickly," saith Moses, "wrath is gone forth, the plague is begun," Num. xvi. 46. 2. I cannot but think God is angry with us still, because we are so angry with one another. When God is reconciled to a people, they are reconciled among themselves: our reconciliation an emanation of his. Then the lion and the lamb lie down together: then the sucking child plays on the hole of the asp. Then envy,* the root of all division, and the wrath of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Judah ceaseth, Isa. xi. Our love is a reflection of God's love. His love is the cause of our love; but our love is the sign of his love: so contrary. You may observe therefore what the Lord saith by Micah, chap, vii. 5, to this purpose, "Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide, keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom." These are treacherous times, and wrathful times. For, saith he, verse 6,

* Tolle invidiam et tuum est quod habeo, tolle invidiam et meum est quod habes.

"the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her motherin-law; a man's enemies are they of his own house." Here is anger indeed, much like that of our times. But what is all this to God's anger? Yes, says he, verse 9, "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him." Where these things are in this posture, there is God's indignation.

You know the parable in Matt. xviii., "A certain servant owed his master a thousand talents, and said, I will go to my Lord, and say, Have patience with me and I will pay thee all, which he did, and his master forgave him. But then he meets with his fellow-servant that owed him an hundred pence and when that servant said the like words unto him, which he spoke unto his master, he took him by the throat, and cast him into prison, which (says the parable) his Lord hearing of, was wrath." Beloved, God hath forgiven us a thousand talents: our fellow-servants owe us some lesser sums, and we cannot forgive them, but take them by the throat; surely our Lord and Master cannot but be angry still.

3. I cannot but think that God is angry with us still; because the former sins that God hath been punishing all this while, do still live among us: live in their principles, live in the spirit of them, live in their practises under other names and notions: old sins walking up and down under new clothes.

Three great sins there are for which God hath been contending with us for divers years. Idolatry and superstition. Opposition of the saints, and the power of godliness. Oppression and injustice. I know that for oaths and drunkenness, and adultery, the land hath mourned: but these three named, are the great capital sins that God doth usually draw out the sword against nations for.

Now I appeal to you: doth not idolatry and superstition live in the principle of it? Give me leave to instance in one particular: the superstitious men of the former times, commanded bowing before altars, at the name of Jesus, and before bread in the Lord's supper. But I pray, What was the principle whereby they forced their superstitions but this? That God commandeth the worship both of soul and

body; and it is in the power of the church to determine all circumstances: time and place are left to the church: and therefore when he come, said they, at the table, then ye shall bow. Not that we command the worship itself, that is commanded by God; we only command the time.

And so, when ye hear the name Jesus mentioned; and so when the bread comes before you in the Lord's supper. Now though our altars and groves be broken down; doth not this principle still live too much in our bosoms, that God commandeth the substance, and the circumstance is left unto men?

As for opposition to the saints, and the power of godliness; I confess it doth not run in the same channel as before. Before, profane men opposed the saints, and opposed professors; but now professors, oh, that I might not speak it, oppose professors. And is this more pleasing to God, that professors should oppose professors, than that profane men should oppose them?

As for oppression and injustice. What mean those cries out of several countries, and parts of this kingdom, of the widows and fatherless, Give me my husband's wages, or give me my husband again? Oh, give me my father again, or give me my father's wages? What mean those complaints of some, of many: We have borne the heat of the day and are no more kindlier used, or respected, than those that have been the most enemies? We ventured our whole estates in the beginning of this war, for this cause, and yet we are taxed as heavily as if our estates were all in our hands? Aquinas' rule is good, Peccatum majus ubi specialis repugnantia inter peccantem et peccatum. The sin is the greater where there is a special repugnancy between the sin and the sinner. Injustice is naught in all, but worst in a judge, or court of justice. Darkness is terrible, but when it falls upon the vessels of light, as in the eclipse, it is more terrible than the darkness of the night. And is there no injustice now in our courts of justice or in our committees in town or country? I wish I might not say the same sins live still, but disguised, and clothed in other habits: before the saints opposed under one name, and now under another; I cannot therefore but say, God is angry with us still, the day of his anger is not done. And is this nothing to you, oh, all

you that hear the word of the Lord this day, that God is angry still? When the lion roars, all the beasts of the field tremble: "The wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion:" what then is the wrath of God the King of kings?" What more cutting word to the heart of an ingenuous child, than to say to him, Your father is angry? Oh, you that are the children of God, I tell you your father is angry, your heavenly father is angry still.

And as for the uncertainty of our condition: who knows or can say, what shall become of us? Some think the sword is dead, others no, but it sleepeth; some think, the three years and a half for slaying the three witnesses are over: others think no, that they are yet to come: some think the war is at an end, others think not. Whenever were the people of God at greater uncertainties than now they are? What shall we do in this case?

The text points us unto three things.

Seek ye the Lord himself: not his goods, but his goodness; not his, but him.* If a poor condemned malefactor cry loud in the ears of the judge, though he useth many sweet appellations, Good my Lord, and the like, yet the judge regards him not; for, saith the judge, these are not out of love to me, but only thus he pleads and cries, and gives good words for to save himself. So saith God also, when we come before him in prayer and fasting; True, this people cry aloud, but it is for themselves, for their little ones, their substance, their corn, their wine, their oil, it is not for my name, and out of love unto me; and so he regards it not, though we cry loud, and fast often. Wherefore, seek ye the Lord himself, oh, all ye meek of the earth, that have wrought judgment, seek the Lord himself.

Again, would you know what to do in the day of God's anger, and uncertain times? Seek righteousness.

The righteousness of Christ: "He is the Lord our righteousness, when the Assyrian treads in the land,” saith the prophet." He shall bring peace, and raise up seven shepherds, and eight principal men:" seven is a note of perfection, that is abundance of help. He is that Shiloh,

*Hoc affectu ut desiderio colendus est Deus ut sui cultus ipse sit merces: nam qui Deum ideo colit ut aliud magis quam ipsum habeat, non Deum colit, sed illud quod assequi concupiscit.-Augustin.

who should give peace when the sceptre should depart from Judah. He is that Prince of peace, the great Mediator between a distanced God and us. When the sea rages he will say to it, "Be still;" though the disciples say, “Lord, carest thou not that we perish?" His wounds are the cities of refuge. "If his anger be kindled, yea, but a little, blessed are all they that trust in him :" so we read it; or, as some better, that betake themselves unto him." Is this therefore a day of God's anger? Come, oh, come unto Jesus Christ that ye may be hidden by him. You will say, Oh, but I have been a great sinner, a drunkard, a swearer, unclean, opposer, scorner, and a very rebellious wretch.

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But doth not the psalmist say, " He hath received gifts for men, even for the rebellious also ?" Psa. lxviii. 18. Not only for sinners, but for rebellious sinners even for the rebellious also. Hath he not made an invitation to all? Doth not the proclamation run general, "Ho, every one that thirsteth come?" Hath not he himself said, "Those that come unto me, I will in no wise cast out?” Yea, hath he not said, "Every sin and blasphemy," except the sin against the Holy Ghost "shall be forgiven unto men?" yea, though it be such a sin as boils up unto blasphemy? And hath he not said, "Look unto me from all the ends of the earth and be saved?" Oh, therefore, whatever your lives have been, whatever course you have run, come unto Jesus Christ: come poor, sinful, vile wretch, come and be saved for ever. Do not come unto Christ that you may live wickedly; nor think to be first holy, that you may come unto Christ; but come unto Christ that you may be holy. Seek the Lord and his righteousness in this respect.

Again, Seek righteousness, in opposition to all injustice and oppression. If private men, seek righteousness in all your dealings. The righteous just God, loveth righteous dealings. If magistrates, seek righteousness in opposition to all oppression and if the cause of the poor and of Christ come before you, say not, Go away, and come again, when it is in the power of your hand to help them.

Surius* tells us of a certain poor woman that came to Ba

* Mulier pauper Basilum adiit, et ab eo literas petiit ad perfectum regionis, tanquam qui apud illum plurimum posset; arrepta charta, scripsit in hæc verba, accessit ad me ista muliercula, inops, dicens litter as meas apud te pondus ha