Inquiry for a Suitable Return for Continued Life In and After Time of Plague, Part 2
DIRECTION I.
HAth God ſpared you in time of Plague, Then be better and not worſe than you were before. Thoſe that before were bad, have now greater engagement to be good; and thoſe that were good before, are engaged by Gods merciful Providence to them to be better; not only better than thoſe that are bad, but better than themſelves that before were good. In time of Plague you did enquire for the beſt Antidote, and for the beſt Cordial and Preſervative, and ſhould you not now the Plague is thus ceaſed, enquire what is your beſt Return you are to make to God, eſpecially when in time of Plague, Gods Protection was your beſt Preſervative, and the Spirits Comforts your chiefeſt Cordials.
This Direction conſiſteth of two branches, and I will ſpeak of them apart.
Before the Plague begun.
1 Be not worſe than you were
2 Be better than you were
And indeed if you be not better you will be worſe, as afterwards will be made appear. Now becauſe it is to be feared that ſome men will be worſe after this dreadfull, and devouring, man-eating Judgement, than they were before, I ſhall more largely treat of this particular,The firſt p…rt of the firſt Direction contains 7 Queſtions. if peradventure God may by theſe Lines prevent in ſome ſo great an evil after ſo great a Plague. Where I ſhall ſpeak to theſe particular Queſtions.
Q. 1. Whether ungodly men doe oftentimes wax worſe and worſe, and why?
Q 2. What are the ſeveral ſteps that men do take in ſinfull wayes in their waxing worſe and worſe?
Q. 3. Ʋnder what Diſpenſations wicked men wax worſe and worſe?
Q. 4. Why God is pleaſed to remove Judgements, though many men are worſe than they were before?
Q. 5. What are the Aggravations of this great Impiety to be worſe after Gods ſoreſt Judgement than they were before.
Q. 6. What are the ſigns of a man that waxeth worſe and worſe under all the Means that God doth uſe to make him better?
Q. 7. What conſiderations may be uſefull to ſtop the ſtream of ſuch mens wickedneſs, that yet are waxing worſe and worſe?