A Call to Humiliation for the Grievous Sin of Persecution, Title page – Dedication
A Call to Humiliation For the Grievous SIN OF Perſecution, In Two Sermons, Preached at the Publick Faſts in Lemſter, in the County of Hereford, Wedneſday May 21. and June 18. 1690. By William Woodward Miniſter of the Goſpel.
Gal. 4. 16.
Am I therefore become your Enemy, becauſe I tell you the Truth?
LONDON, Printed by T. S. for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns, at the lower end of Cheapſide, near Mercers Chapel. 1690.
TO Edward Littleton Esq;
SIR,
WHEN we were called upon by Authority to National Faſting and Humiliation, I thought it my Duty to look into the Prayers of the Church, expecting to find a Full and Humble Confeſſion of all the Piacula, and Great Provocations of the Land, and in that Black Catalogue the Grievous Sin of Perſecution, the rather becauſe one of our Prelates, who is thought to have Aſſiſted in Compoſing thoſe Forms, had told us in a Preface Publiſhed ſome years ſince, That it may be reaſonably apprehended, that it may have contributed not a little to fill up the Meaſures of the Sins of a Church, and to bring down ſevere ſtrokes—again, they who had let themſelves looſe to all the Rages of a Mad Proſecution of ſome Poor Ʋndiſcreet and Deluded People—ought ſeriouſly to Profeſs their Repentance of this Fury in Inſtances, that may be as Viſible and Edifying, as their Rage has been Publick and Deſtructive.
But that Bloody Sin, I perceived upon ſearch, had eſcaped the Notice of our Eccleſiaſtical Guides, ſo that all our Fines, Flights, Impriſonments, and Cruel Ʋſage from our Fathers and Brethren for almoſt Thirty Years, was to go for nothing; whereupon I Reſolved to call over ſome of our Laws, which had been Drawn up againſt the Nonconformiſts and Proteſtant Diſſenters, that I might be able to give better ſatisfaction to my ſelf, and to thoſe alſo that ſit under my Miniſtry, that though the Lord be Juſt and Righteous in all the ſorrow we have known, yet Man was not ſo, whilſt we were Scourged with Scorpions.
That ſome, who it may be are ſtill too much in Love with Perſecution, have been Offended with what I have done, and miſrepreſented it, makes this publication the more Neceſſary, for if we are called to Mourn for National Sins, 'tis fit we ſhould know them, that we may with all poſſible Fervor, entreat the Lord of his Rich Grace and Mercy, to Deliver us from thoſe Judgments, which are wont to purſue theſe Guilts.
SIR,
We have known days of great Tribulation upon the Account of Religion, in the Heat of them the Moor, the Place which your Lady Mother Adorns as well as Inhabits, was Patmos to me; there the Saints Aſſembled, there we ſaw the Primitive Times, there we had our Antelucanos Coventus, the Doors being ſhut for fear of the Jews, there we remembred our Friend in the Indies, and in your Return we have ſeen the Return of our Prayers.
It calls for Songs and Davids Harp to ſee you come home Crown'd with that which is infinitely better than the Treaſure of the Eaſt, though with that too; when many others in exchange of Religion left behind, bring thence nothing but Apes and Peacocks.
Now the Lord who can do good againſt evil, hath brought back our Captivity, and enlarged the Curtains of his Tabernacle among us, we can meet at Ornan's Houſe, and ſit with ſafety as well as delight, under the ſhadow of the Tree of Life; you have not been afraid, nor aſhamed to appear in the place of our Solemnities, and a grateful remembrance we retain of your endeared kindneſs.
At your feet, Sir, I ſet down theſe Papers, which if they be agreeable, as I think they are, I am ſure you have both Integrity and Courage to own them; I know you to be one of thoſe that wiſh for the Godly Diſcipline of the Primitive Church, and would have it reſtored, that the Lord Jeſus may reign with more glory among us, to whoſe Grace both you, and all yours are recommended by
June 26th. 1690. SIR, Your Humble Servant, William Woodward.