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A SEASONABLE

DISCOURSE

IN

DEATH-THREATENING TIMES,

BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF SEVERAL SERMONS

Upon Pfal. xxx. 5,

IN HIS FAVOUR IS LIFE.

BY OLIVER HEYWOOD,

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL.

A NEW EDITION.

Printed and fold at

Brearley Hall,

Near Halifax;

Alfo may be had of Mr. WILLS, Stationer's Court, Ludgate-Street; and
Mr. BUTTON, Paternofter-Row, LONDON; Mr. SMITH, SHEFFIELD,

and other Country Bookfellers.

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M,DCC,XCVI.

The Editor thinks it neceffary to inform the public, that, in order to render this work more generally acceptable, he has taken the liberty of abridging a few paffages; and as fome expeffions are too antiquated for the taste of readers at the present day, he has endeavoured a little to modernise the language, where it could be done without altering the sense of the author.

MUSEUM

AN

INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS

To the

READER.

AMONG all the useful difcourfes which the prefs hath of late expofed to public view, I have not, as I remember, met with any which purposely and directly treated of the subject of this essay, notwithstanding it must be owned to be needful, useful, and at all times seasonable. It is not a point of controverfy, but a maxim to which men generally subscribe, that, In God's favour is life..

All forts of men plead for God's favour, and, in general, pretend to it. This is the case with perfons of all religions, and of all perfuafions. Men cannot bear the thoughts of an exclufion from it, whatever be their state or their conduct. Both the religious and the profane make pretenfions to it. The rich and great cannot fay they are above it, the poor and mean think themfelves entitled to it. The grofsly ignorant dream of God's favour, as their fanctuary, though the Most High hath said of fuch, "It is a people of no understanding, therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and

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he that formed them will fhew them no favour." The learned Rabbies and fages of the world can gravely difpute about the grace and favour of God, with ftrong inclination to appropriate it to themselves. They are often ready to fay of the illiterate, as the chief priests and pharifees of old, "This people who know not the law are accursed;' intimating that they themselves are high in God's account, and diftinguished by his favour above their neighbours. But Jefus fays to thofe who juftify themselves, "That which is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination in the fight of God."

The afpiring Nimrods and the flattering Abfaloms of the world, when they have the favour of princes or people, imagine they have the favour of the Almighty. But Haman and Herod foon received a confutation of this opinion; the one for his deteftable pride, through divine indignation, was hanged like a dog; the other was smitten by an angel of the Lord, and his loathfome carcafe eaten up of worms, be cause he gave not God the glory.

The unworthy, the greedy and griping fons of the good old Eli, who would be ferved firft, and ferved with the beft, or take their part by force, though they boafted of the ark, and trufted in it, fuppofing they had the Almighty in fome fort engaged to them thereby, yet they themfelves were miferably flain, and their pofterity were brought

bafely

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bafely to crouch for a piece of filver, and a morfel of bread.

Though carnal persons may bless the profperous covetous man, we are told that God abhors him. If Jeconiah will fet his eyes and heart only to his covetoufness, and build himfelf a houfe by unrighteousness, and chambers by wrong, using his neighbours' fervice without wages, by divine appointment, he fhall die unlamented, and be buried with the burial of an afs; the best part of his name fhall be taken away, he fhall only be called Coniah; and though he was as the fignet on God's right hand, advanced to high and diftinguished honours, yet the Almighty will pluck him thence and caft him down. Though the ambitious and impious king of Tyre be, in the estimation of fome, as the anointed cherub, and fay he is God, and fet his heart as the heart of God, yet he shall be brought down to the pit.

Myftical Babylon may fay, "I fit as a queen, and fhall fee no forrow; fhe may glorify herself, and boast of the peculiar favour of Him whose spouse she pretends to be; yet it will appear by and by, that he is the habitation of Devils; and her plagues fhall come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; nay, she shall be utterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

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