VOL. purpofe neither. But, pofitively, we have a great II. deal to do; and a great deal we might do if we be awake, if we be not found afleep, when any wafting, defolating judgement comes. We may be drawing near to GOD. Is it not better that judgements take us near to GOD, than afar off? We may be entering into our chambers; we may be making our calling, and election fure; clearing up our title to the eternal inheritance; labouring to get fuch graces in actual exercise, as are fuitable unto such a time and fuch a state of things: to be prompt and ready to know how to use our faith, and patience; and not to be as thofe who know not how to use their hands, when the time for action cometh.

FINALLY, we may be contemplating the heavenly state; recounting with our felves, that it is happy for us, we are fure of happiness above: endeavouring to frame our hearts to an indifferency, as to all fublunary things and enjoyments, ready to lofe all and be undone. These are things we know not how to digest, without preparation. And to have these things fnatched away, before our hearts are loosened from them, will be the way to pluck our hearts away too. But we should be crucified to the world, and have the world crucified to us. we are unconcerned with one another. men lie quietly one by another, give one another no more wounds. And certainly it is better to be taken in fuch a pofture as this, when judgement comes, than to be found in all these respects altogether unprepared.

Then

Dead

AND

AND whereas it may be faid: " But why SERM fhould we fo concern our felves? why fhould XVII. "not we rest in peace and quietness? We have "apprehended danger a great many times before "to be very near us, but God "He is able to keep us ftill." And this I am most troubled at of all, that this should be used as a kind of religious pretence for fecurity, "GOD "is able to keep off any threatening danger."

has kept it off.

THE doctrine is true, but grofsly mifapplied. Did never any ftorm befall the Church of GoD yet? and what! was not GoD as able to have kept it off then? We should confider with our felves. Is it, according to the afpects of providence, and GoD's ordinary methods before, likely that it fhould be kept off? How can we but think there is a day coming of GOD's reckoning with a people of fuch provocations as we are? What! are we more innocent than our neighbours, weltring in blood, and in great defolation, round about us? Nor do I think our danger is fo much from incenfed enemies abroad (for we hear of wars, and rumours of wars among our neighbours) as from the fecurity of our own hearts. We have not fo much reafon to fear their arms, as we have a flumbering spirit in our own bofoms.

BUT if thefe threatened evils be yet kept off, what are we the worfe for being prepared? We lofe no labour. It is worth our labour to be prepared to live or die, for good days and bad. We have been only doing, what is our duty at all times.

VOL. times. We should be always watching; for we II. know not when our Lord will come, and call us.

Therefore we have no reasonable pretence why

we should indulge our felves to floth, and fay; "Yet a little more fleep, and yet a little more." No, no; there has been a great deal too much already.

SERM.

SERMON XVIII*.

Preached at Haberdafher's Hall,

September 2, 1678.

DANIEL 1x. 25. latter part

-The ftreet fhall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

T

HAT we may the better difcern the reference of these words, we shall give

you a very general and brief account of the contents of the chapter, which confifts more especially of two parts; a prayer, and an anfwer thereunto.

We have first the prayer, made by Daniel on the behalf of ruined Jerufalem, and captive Judah. The occafion of which we have an account of, premifed in the firft and fecond verfest of the chapter; to wit, that at fuch a time as is there mentioned Daniel did understand by the books (that is, no doubt, by confulting the

writings

*It plainly appears, that this Sermon was preached on occafion of the fire of the city of London, (which began September 2, 1665) and its restoration again to its former fplendor, in a few years time. In order to illuftrate some parts of this difcourfe, fome account will be given of this affair, towards the conclufion of it, in a marginal note.

VOL. writings of Jeremiah) how long the defolations II. of Jerufalem were to continue, and that GoD meant to accomplish feventy years in those defolations. Hereupon he knew that the time was near expiring. There was a way opened very far, for the reftitution and deliverance of this people. The reign of Nebuchadnezzar was finished; and thofe of Evil-merodach, and Belfhazzar paft; Cyrus had fucceeded; and having taken Babylon, transferred the monarchy (which had continued for many years among the Affyrians *) unto the Medes and Perfians. This Cyrus is called the fervant, or the anointed of the Lord a, by whom he meant to make way for the deliverance and reftitution of his people and by that Darius alfo, who is mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, and who,, as fome conceive, was at this time a Viceroy under, Cyrust. Hereupon he applies himself to serious. feeking of GOD's face; and makes that prayer,

which

*I fuppofe the Author means the Babylonians. For the Affyrian Monarchy was diffolved, on the death of Sardanapalus, after it had ftood above 1300 Years, by Arbaces and Belefis. The latter of whom, who is also called Nabonaffar, founded the Babylonish Empire, which continued only 210 Years; that is, to the time of Cyrus's taking the Capital, who laid' the foundation of the Perfian Monarchy.

a Ifai. XLV. I.

†The opinion of thofe, whom the Author alludes to; feems to be wrong. Darius, the Mede, was Uncle to Cyrus, and without doubt is the fame with Cyaxares in Xenophon; who both ingaged, according to that Author, in the war against the Babylonians. But Cyrus, who was general of the Perfian army, commanded at the fiege of Babylon; and took that city by a remarkable ftratagem, of which Dean Prideaux gives an account, both from Herodotus, and the