Prognostics of Impending Calamities, Application
USE.
The only improvement I ſhall offer, is to invite us all to make a ſerious application of theſe truths to our ſelves, & to make through enquiry how far we are concerned in them. There are a great many awful tokens of Divine Diſpleaſure againſt this ſinful Land, appearing in the face of Providence, which call for our deep Meditation, and ſpeedy Reformation; and not to be ſenſibly affected with theſe things, is an argument of ſottiſh ſtupidity, & the moſt ill boding Symptom of haſtning calamity. Among others, and becauſe in conjunction with ſo many others of a black and ſad aſpect, the Death of Righteous men, & peculiarly of ſuch as have born a publick figure and been in that regard, eminently ſerviceable to this people, deſerves an Aſteriſm to be ſet upon it. What breaches God hath lately made upon both Orders of the Magiſtracy, and of the Miniſtry is obvious, and not to regard his operations is ſeverely threatned, Pſal. 28.5 Becauſe they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he ſhall deſtroy them, and not build them up. I ſhall at preſent only reflect upon the death of that Worthy Patriot, whole Funeral we have this week ſolemnizd, whoſe Piety, Prudence, Learning, Integrity, love of Religion, love to his people, ſerviceableneſs to the publick for ſo many years, faithfulneſs to that Service in ſeveral capacities, and that in either England, zeal for the Truth both in Doctrine and Worſhip, and noble Munificence do praiſe him in our Gates; & will command the commendation even of envy it ſelf. Theſe have erected him a more ſtately and laſting monument in the hearts of wiſe and good men, then pillars of braſs or marble; & will embalm his name, and make it precious to after generations. Certainly, when ſuch Cedars fall, the whole Wood muſt Echo the reſentment of it: and I could do no leſs than drop this groan over his Tomb. How far this Providence is accommodable to the fore mentioned ſad Prognoſticks I leave it to every prudent and ponderous mans conſideration. All I ſhall add is, the fall of this great man in our Iſrael, is attended with many awful circumſtances, not eaſily enumerated; every of which beſpeak Gods diſpleaſure, and all of them put together, a great beat of Divine anger We are greatly Apoſtatized from our primitive profeſſion & zeal; great heart diviſions & open contentions are found among us; many immoralities have gotten head in the midſt of us; God hath many ways teſtified againſt us, & waited for our Reformation, but we have rather grown worſe, & remain ſtupid; & his hand is ſtretched out still; & what ſhall we conjecture is like to be the end of theſe things? let me only here inſinuate, the conſideration of the juncture of time, which muſt needs put a great Emphaſis on the Providence it ſelf, How much our affairs at home are involved, is beſt known to ſuch as ſit at our Helm: but this all are privy to, that it is a time threatning to involve all Chriſtendom in War; a time wherein God hath but lately removed from us a Governour, under whoſe mild conduct we enjoyed many deſirable things; and our hopes under God, upon his departure, were on him whoſe loſs we now bewail: & by this there is a wide gap made in our hedge; & who ſhall thruſt into, & make it up? It then deeply concerns us all to lay theſe things to heart, & tremble before this holy & angry God Our only hope is, that when all created help fails us, & there is none ſhut up or left, God knows how to appear for our help & ſuccour; only let it rouz us up to a due ſenſe of his anger, and let that drive us to a ſpeedy & cordial returning, to him: & let it encourage us thus to do, becauſe God is gracious, & if we repent of our ſins, he will repent of the evil which he threatens us withal. And let us not ſlight or deſpiſe theſe ſolemn warnings given us by our God, leſt he be provoked to anger, and cauſe the Funerals of our wiſe and good Leaders, to be but the harbingers to the Funeral of all, that is preoious & pleaſant among us.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Willard, Prognostics of Impending Calamities (1701)