New-England Pleaded With, Title page – To the reader
NEW-ENGLAND Pleaded with, And pressed to consider the things which concern her PEACE at least in this her Day: OR, A Seasonable and Serious Word of faithful Advice to the Churches and People of God (primarily those) in the Massachusets Colony ▪ musingly to Ponder, and bethink themselves, what is the Tendency, and will certainly be the sad Issue, of sundry unchristian and crooked wayes, which too too many have been turning aside unto, if persisted and gone on in.
Delivered in a Sermon Preached at Boston in New-England ▪ May. 7. 1673. being the Day of Election there.
By Vrian Oakes Pastor of the Church of Christ in Cambridge.
Mic. 6.3, 4.
O my People what have I done unto thee, and wherein … I wearied thee? testifie against me. For I brought thee up out of the … of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants, and I sent before th… Moses, Aaron and Miriam.
Deut. 28.58 59.
If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearfull Name the Lord thy God. Then the Lord will make thy Plagues wonderful, and the Plagues of thy seed; even great Plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, &c.
Ezek. 18.30.
Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so iniquit… shall not be your ruine.
Cambridge, Printed by Samuel Green. 1673.
Christian Reader,
OF all Humane Societies on Earth, That which in Scripture is called Heaven, Rev. 4.1, 2. Cap. 12▪1, 3, 7. viz. the Church of God, and above all, that par… of it which is most such, upon the account of highest Reformation; hath greatest cause to serve the Lord with Fear, and rejoyce with Trembling: to Fear the Lord and his goodne…s, to Dread his jealousie and Justice, and to walk humbly with her God. Height of dignity, Nearness of relation, and Choiceness of precious Priviledges, if not improved as effectual Obligations and Incitements to duty, will prove sorest aggravations of sin, and provocations of wrath: Solomons Apostacie to Idolatry, 1 King. 11.9. was more then a single sin, because against that God who had twice appeared to him. Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. No provokings are comparable with those of Sons and Daughters, Deut. 32.19. nor is there any fall like that of Jerusalem: in the day of the Lords fierce anger, shee came down wonderfully, because she had sinned grievously, Lam. 1.8, 9. The Immutable God, (with whom there is not found so much as a shadow of change) is the same: he ever was infinitely Holy to hate, Just and Powerfull, to punish all proud and impenitent Apostates: Who ever hardned himself against him and prospered? Iob 9.4.
Are not the many severe threatnings recorded in Scripture (firstly breathed out against this and the other Church) and the dreadfull accomplishment of them, unto the ruine and perdition of so many (sometimes) famous Societies; intended to hold forth instruction to succeeding generations to the worlds end? the truth of the affirmative see unquestionably proved from Rev. 2.7, 17. Cap. 3.22. 1 Cor. 10.6—12. Rom. 11.20, 21. WEE, upon whom the ends of the world are come, have more places then Shiloh (Jer. 7.12.) to go to: where is Jerusalem, what's become of Ephesus,, and other the (sometimes) so renowned golden Candlesticks? I… not Bethel become Bethaven, and the valley of Vision, turned into a valley of the shadow of Death? Shall we think our selves altogether unconcerned in what befell them: and conclude there are no treasures of wise pre caution, and prudent prevention, to be raked up out of the ashes of their ruines? ought not all people to hear and fear when malefactors are hung up in chains, Deut. 17.12, 13. see Pro. 24.30—33. How cheap is understanding offered to those, who are advantaged to purchase and procure it wholly at the cost of others? Let not the man… pillars of Salt, which stand so thick in the way of the defections of a back sliding people, be heedlesly passed by, without once observing and considering, what they have from God to acquaint us with: When the dead are not dumb, let not the living be deafe, but hear and lay it to their hearts: O that we were wise that we understood this, that we would consider our latter end. To direct herein, and press hereto, was the Pious design of the Reverend Author of this Treatise, in the day whereon he was called to preach it, as a message from God, to a great and honourable Assembly of his people. The only impression then in his heart to desire and pray for, was That, upon the spirits of all humble hearers of, and tremblers at the word of God present: but by the concurrent and importunate intreaties of very many his Brethren in the Ministry, pressing… it as a hopefull Mean of glorifying God, and furthering the best good of his …lear people in this Country; he hath been at last prevailed with▪ to permit it to pass through the press, into the hands of such as desire to peruse and make a pious improvement of it.
Amongst the many things, which (as to the decaying and almost dying state of this poor Country) are of a very solemn signification, and awfull import; there are some that in a valley of Consternation, seem to hold open a Door of hope; we shall take the liberty to mention two of them.
First. The number, and that (we hope) considerable, of mourning, faithfull, believing, praying Souls, these how ever over-looked, and looked down upon with scorn enough, (and possibly accounted the troublers of our …) by the foreign (as they are called 2 Tim. 3.2.) men in their own conceits, of a higher Elevation and streine of profession then others; are yet upon a true account the I…hin and Boaz, Pillars and Strength of our Temple-buildings, the Salt of our Land, and the Chariots and Horsemen of our Israel. Unto the seven thousand who (in the dayes of Elijah) had not bowed to Baal, and lay (like the foundation of some structure) hidden and unseen, did that Apostate people owe their not being utterly destroyed; they were the Braces, which held together the shaking parts, of that (almost) rotten building, when beside their own sins, they had against them the prayers of so great a Prophet, who upon his knees had wrought wonders.
O pray that the number and graces of such supporting Pillars may be more and more increased, unto a lengthning out of our Tranquility.
The Second is, That a Spirit of Zeal for, and Faithfullness to the glory of the blessed God, and the best good of his dear people, hath not hitherto (through grace) failed from those whom our glorious Lord and Saviour hath been pleased to send forth and make use of as his mouth and messengers to his poor saints and servants wildering in these American desarts; Have they not been heard crying aloud, and lifting up their voice like a trumpet, shewing Gods people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sins? have they not (in the feare of the Lord) conscientiously declined and abhorred, to palliate, dawbe and flatter, and upon the account of a carnall interest, to couple in and comply with men of corrupt principles and designes? May they not with some measure of holy boldness and good conscience say, as that great Apostle, Acts 20.26, 27. that (brow beatings, censures, reproaches, calumnies and contempts notwithstanding) they have not shunned to declare all the counsel of God? if denyed, the Pulpits and seats of our houses of publick worship will attest it; and New-England (what ever the issue be of the contest between her and Christs Embassadours to her) shall know that there have been Prophets among them.
The Eminent faithfulness of the judicious Author, (which is his praise in our gates) in his thorow and home-plain dealing in this Sermon or Treatise; as we believe it acceptable to God, so we are perswaded, it will procure it a friendly reception and entertainment in all humble hearts: For such as are otherwise affected, let them have thy pitty and prayers.
Now the good Lord …ouchsafe so to Assist and Bless his poor Builders and Watchmen, that they may not build and watch in vain; and so spare and save his people, that they may be kept from falling, and be presented faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy: Which is the hearts desire and prayer of us, Who are,
Thine in him who is both Lord and Christ. Iohn Sherman. Thomas Shepard.