Then & Now · 19 of 28

16. The Times Wherein We Live Call for Secret Prayer

Sixteenthly, Conſider, the times wherein we live call aloud for ſecret prayer. Hell ſeems to be broke looſe, and men turned into incarnate Devils; Land-deſtroying, and Soul-damning wickedneſſes, walk up and down the ſtreets, with a Whores fore-head, without the leaſt check or controul, Jer. 3. 3. Thou had’ſt a Whores fore-head, thou refuſeſt to be aſhamed. Jer. 6. 15. Were they aſhamed when they committed abomination? nay, they were not at allaſhamed, neither could they bluſh (They had⁴⁶ ſinned away ſhame, inſtead of being aſhamed of ſin. Cuſtom in ſin had quite baniſhed all ſence of ſin and all ſhame for ſin, ſo that they would not ſuffer nature to draw her vail of bluſhing before their p. 104 great abominations. They were like to Caligula a wicked Emperor, who uſed to ſay of himſelf, That he loved nothing better in himſelf, than that he could not be aſhamed.) The ſame words are repeated in Chap. 8. 12. How applicable theſe Scriptures are to the preſent times, I will leave the prudent reader to judge.

46. Curtius an heathen could ſay, That he was an undone man that knoweth no ſhame. [dropped from the edition]

‸ Consider, the times wherein we live call aloud for secret prayer. Hell seems to be broke loose, and men turned into incarnate devils. Land-destroying‸ and soul-damning wickednesses walk up and down the streets‸ with a whore’s forehead, without the least check or control‸‸. “‸Thou hast a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed‸‸…‸Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush” (Jer 3:3; 6:15). They had sinned away shame, instead of being ashamed of sin. Custom in sin had quite banished all sense of sin and all shame for sin, so that they would not suffer nature to draw her veil of blushing before their great abominations. They were like to Caligula, a wicked emperor, who used to say of himself‸ that he loved nothing better in himself‸ than that he could not be ashamed.‸ The same words are repeated in Jeremiah 8:‸12. ‸ I will leave the prudent reader to judge how applicable these scriptures are to the present time.

But what doth the Prophet do now they were as bold in ſin, and as ſhameleſs as ſo many harlots; that you may ſee in Jer. 13. 17. But if ye will not hear it, my ſoul ſhall weep in ſecret places (or ſecreſies) for your pride; and mine eye ſhall weep ſore (Heb. weeping weep, or ſhedding tears ſhed tears; the doubling of the verb, notes the bitter and grievous lamentation that he ſhould make for them) and run down with tears. Now they were grown up to that heighth of ſin and wickedneſs, that they were above all ſhame and bluſhing; now they were grown ſo proud ſo hardned, ſo obſtinate, ſo rebellious, ſo mad upon miſchief, that no mercies could melt them, or allure p. 105 them; nor no threatnings, nor judgements could any wayes terrifie them or ſtop them; the Prophet goes into a corner, he retires himſelf into the moſt ſecret places, and there he weeps bitterly, there he weeps as if he were reſolved to drown himſelf in his own tears. When the ſprings of ſorrow riſe high, a Chriſtian turns his back upon company, and retires himſelf into places of greateſt privacy, that ſo he may the more freely, and the more fully vent his ſorrow and grief before the Lord.

But what doth the prophet do when they were as bold in sin‸ and as shameless as so many harlots? That you may see in Jeremiah 13:‸17: “‸But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places‸,” or secrecies, “‸for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore‸, and run down with tears.” The Hebrew, “‸weeping weep” or “‸shedding tears shed tears”; the doubling of the verb‸ notes the bitter and grievous lamentation that he should make for them‸‸. Now they were grown up to that height of sin and wickedness‸ that they were above all shame and blushing; now they were grown so proud, so hardened, so obstinate, so rebellious, so mad upon mischief‸ that no mercies could melt them‸ or allure them, nor no threatenings‸ nor judgments could any ways terrify them or stop them. The prophet goes into a corner, he retires himself into the most secret places, and there he weeps bitterly; there he weeps as if he were resolved to drown himself in his own tears. When the springs of sorrow rise high, a Christian turns his back upon company‸ and retires himself into places of greatest privacy, that so he may the more freely‸ and the more fully vent his sorrow and grief before the Lord.

Ah, England, England, what pride, luxury, laſciviouſneſs, licentiouſneſs, wantonneſs, drunkenneſs, cruelties, injuſtice, oppreſſions, fornications, adulteries, falſhoods, hypocriſie, bribery, atheiſme, horrid blaſphemies, and helliſh impieties are now to be found rampant in the midſt of thee! Ah England, England, how are the Lords Sabbaths profaned, pure Ordinances deſpiſed. Scriptures rejected, the Spirit reſiſted and derided, the righteous reviled, wickedneſs p. 106 countenanced, and Chriſt many thouſand times in a day by theſe curſed practiſes a freſh crucified! Ah England, England, were our forefathers alive, how ſadly would they bluſh to ſee ſuch a horrid degenerate poſterity, as is to be found in the midſt of thee! How is our forefathers hoſpitality converted into riot and luxury, their frugallity into pride and prodigallity, their ſimplicity into ſubtilty, their ſincerity into hypocriſie, their charity into cruelty, their chaſtity into chambring and wantonneſs, their ſobriety into drunkenneſs, their plain dealing into diſſembling, their works of compaſſion into works of oppreſſion, and their love to the people of God, into an utter enmity againſt the people of God! &c. And what is the voice of all theſe crying abominations, but, every Chriſtian to his cloſet, every Chriſtian to his cloſet, and there weep (with weeping Jeremiah) bitterly, for all theſe great abominations, whereby God is diſhonoured openly. p. 107 O weep in ſecret for their ſins, who openly glory in their ſins, which ſhould be their greateſt ſhame. O bluſh in ſecret for them that are paſt all bluſhing for their ſins; for who knowes but that the whole land may fare the better for the ſakes of a few that are mourners in ſecret? But however it goes with the Nation, ſuch as mourn in ſecret for the abominations of the times may be confident, that when ſweeping judgements ſhall come upon the land, the Lord will hide them in the ſecret Chambers of his providence; he will ſet a ſecret mark of deliverance upon their fore-heads, that mourn in ſecret for the crying ſins of the preſent day, as he did upon theirs in Ezek. 9. 4, 5, 6.

Ah, England, England! What pride, luxury, lasciviousness, licentiousness, wantonness, drunkenness, cruelties, injustice, oppressions, fornications, adulteries, falsehoods, hypocrisy, bribery, atheism, horrid blasphemies, and hellish impieties are now to be found rampant in the midst of thee! Ah‸‸, England! England! How are the Lord’s Sabbaths profaned, pure ordinances despised, Scriptures rejected, the Spirit resisted and derided, the righteous reviled, wickedness countenanced, and Christ many thousand times in a day by these cursed practices afresh crucified! Ah‸‸, England! England! Were our forefathers alive, how sadly would they blush to see such a horrid degenerate posterity‸ as is to be found in the midst of thee! How is our forefathers’ hospitality converted into riot and luxury, their frugality into pride and prodigality, their simplicity into subtilty, their sincerity into hypocrisy, their charity into cruelty, their chastity into chambering and wantonness, their sobriety into drunkenness, their plain dealing into dissembling, their works of compassion into works of oppression, and their love to the people of God‸ into an utter enmity against the people of God! ‸ And what is the voice of all these crying abominations, but‸ every Christian to his closet, every Christian to his closet, and there weep bitterly with weeping Jeremiah‸ ‸ for all these great abominations‸ whereby God is dishonored openly. Oh, weep in secret for their sins‸ who openly glory in their sins, which should be their greatest shame. Oh, blush in secret for them that are past all blushing for their sins, for who knows but that the whole land may fare the better for the sakes of a few that are mourners in secret? But however it goes with the nation, such as mourn in secret for the abominations of the times may be confident‸ that when sweeping judgments shall come upon the land, the Lord will hide them in the secret chambers of His providence. He will set a secret mark of deliverance upon their foreheads that mourn in secret for the crying sins of the present day, as He did upon theirs in Ezekiel 9:‸4–‸6.