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s of the town, the sights and spectactee of theatres and asaeabliee, the djj^aipations ^^ ^^ (brdgn rcsidcocca. the refined pleaAures of taste/^ and a tbousaDd other v^ariesL, and follies, and levities: mt-'aDwhile, ih*^ spiritual and moral 'husbandry bath gone to waste; the people are dls-' tfSected to their pcrsoos, yield tlicm a sorry re* Terence as they pass, while they eye their better condition with itpite and envy; are changed tnio paupers ckmouriDg for food, are breeding molti^ tudes to live the same dis^praceful life upon tbeir^ abundance; which, hardly able to meet the out- door extravagance and gaiety, now finds il»clf besieged and consumed at home by hungry mul- titudes ; and so they are wa&ted, impoverished, reduced to beggary and contempt, becat»^ *ltey^H would not take the ripht honourable charj^eimpos- " ed by the Lord nnd hts church, but did yivld tliem- ^y ■selves to the willing service of this world, and of^| Satan, the prince of this world, to the lusts of tbe flciib, to the lust of tJie eye, and the pride of life. And the people are lost, and there i> none lo help iliem. Ob, my God. have nvrey upon tbam our inheritance! Ixt not tbe souls of the people perish. Oh, return and visit thy vine and the vineyard, which tHine own right band hath planted! Oh, tet not the goodly frame of this kingdom rust I I IIL] QOD'BCOHTROYBRST WtTH THE I-ASD. 837 and decay, corrupt and perish. Thou scc&t ia wLal jciipanly we sUiimI : oil, enlighten some tbereio, who may ht: able and Tiiighty tocnligfatea olhersi for the Umd is darkened by i^orance: tbe fipirits of darktio«0. changing themselves into an^cbofligbl, have got thecal^ of the men of might. Bdiold m the spiritual even-tide of thes<! timc^, every minister of majntooci and Belial, as tliey flit about with their lights, to mislead and destroy, ate mUtakcn for iho»e who brinfif signals from Ueaven which are able to save tbc distressed land, afid guide to the foir havens of btessednesa. But thou knowcst, O Lord, Ihou knoweat the spirits, aiul thou trieiit them; and bast given power unto thy true and faithful ministers to try them idsu. Be thou therefure pleased, in thy great pky and clemency, to stir up a goodly bo&t in thy church, who shall blow the trumpet of the Lord, ktrI cry aloud, and tcU this people of nil their sins and iniquities, that the land may not utterly periah, but revive from it^^ present steep and doating dream of prosperity, to know its true and exact condition; for it seemetb to be led of mammon like a sheep to the