THE

CONTENT S.

W

LETTER I.

HEN the Inhabitants of any City, or Country have Reafon to apprehend the Danger of publick Calamities, is fhewn. p. 3, 4. Some Tokens of the divine Anger noted, viz.

1. The Mortality, which through feveral Years deftroyed the Cattle. p. 4, 5.

2. The Earthquakes, which lately happened in our Iland. p. 5, 6.

Thefe Calamities are the Productions of the almighty Power of God, and happens only when, and where he pleafes. p. 6. No Aftronomer, no Philofopher can tell when, or where the righteous God will shake terribly the Earth, and raise thofe mighty Convulfions in it, which overthrow Cities, and often fwallow in Multitudes of People. p. 6.

The divine Power is always Acting, and fome Things, which appear to be the immediate Effect of its Agency, are specified. p. 7.

Famines, and Peftilences are Manifeftations of the divine Anger. p. 7.

The Day of the Lord's Vifitation for Sin, is a difmal Time. p. 8.

Yet there is no Ground for Defpair, but Room to hope for Mercy, and Pardon. p. 9.

Some Sorts of Perfons are particularly threatned with Punishments in the Day of God's Vifitation for Sin, viz.

I. Thofe

I. Thofe Minifters of the Word of God of
every Denomination, who either fet bad Examples, or
live in the Neglect of the Duties they owe to the Peo-
ple under their Care. p. 11. Why these are men-
tioned in the firft Place, the Reafons as figned, ibid.
p. 12. &c. by the Expreffions Watchmen, and
Shepherds, who are meant, ibid.

II. Prophane Perfons, are another Sort of Sin-

ners. p. 14. &c. Who are fuch. ibid. The Hein-

oufness of their Guilt. ibid. are Objects of God's

Curfe, and Scorn. p. 15.

III. Idolators, also are Objects of God's threatned

Judgments. p. 15. There are two Sorts of Idola-
try, viz. One a Tranfgreffion of the first Command-
ment, viz. When Perfons own, and acknowledge any
Creature as God, or pay religious Refpect, or Re-
vèrence by any inward Allion of their Mind, or out-
ward Gesture of their Bodies to a Creature as God,
and as the Object of their Worship. ibid.

The other Sort of Idolatry, is making any Image

to be the Means of worshiping the true God, and

performing any Acts of religious Worship to it. p. 16.

and this is a Tranfgreffion of the fecond Command-

ment. ibid.

The Heinoufness of this Idolatry difplayed. p. 17.

IV. Proud Perfons, are particularly threatned

with Punishment, in the Time of God's Vifitation of

a People for their Sins. p. 18. The common Incen-

tives to Pride mentioned, ibid. What Pride is. p. 19.

Threatnings against the Proud. ibid, &c.

V. Those who are Lovers of Pleafures, more

than of God, are Objects of divine Threatnings."
p. 2o. &c.

Who are fuch defcribed. ibid. If a Man takes

all Opportunities of being in the Company of one Ac-

quaintance, and industriously funs the Company and

Converfation of another, it is a Demonftration that

be loves the one, and diflikes the other; and thus as

to the Lovers of Pleafure, &c. ibid. Threatnings

against them mentioned. p. 21.

VI. Profaners of the holy Name of God, are

threatned with Punishments in this Life. p. 22. &c.

Who are fuch, ibid..

VII. Profaners of God's Sabbaths, are likewife.

under the divine Threatnings. p. 24. &c.

Who are Profaners of the Lord's Days. ibid.

The Declarations of the holy God, against the

Tranfgrefors of the first Four of his Ten Commandments,

recited in the foregoing Pages, are full of doleful

Tidings. p. 27. Nevertheless there is Hope for the

very Chief of Sinners. p. 28. As appears from the

gracious Invitations, and Promises of God to them if

they repent, and turn to him. ibid, and p. 29.

There is a fure Way to Reconciliation, and Peace

with God, a fure Way to obtain his Love, and the

Pardon of all our Sins, a fure Way to Safety, Com-

fort, and Happiness. p. 30. This Way is fhewed by

the facred Scriptures. p. 30. &c.

An Addrefs to thofe Perfons, who have hitherto

gone on in a Course of wilful Disobedience to God.

P. 34. How they should reafon, and think with

themselves. ibid. and pray to their offended God.

P. 35.

Suitable Reflections for thofe who repent of their

Sins, and accept of Chrift to fave them. p. 36.

LETTER II.

THE happy Condition of those, who are fo in-

fluenced by what the holy God bath faid in bis Word,

and threatned to inflict on the ftubborn Tranfgreffors

of his Laws, as to repent of their Sins, and by

Faith in Chrift to feek Pardon, and Salvation. p. 1.

&c.

How penitent Believers, pious Perfons may think, and

reafon within themselves to their own Comfort. p. 2.

Of

Of the Reafanings proper for those, who bave

bitberto neglected God and their Duty. p. 3.

There are feveral Sorts of Perfons, who live in

wilful Difobedience to one, or other of the Six last of

the ten Commandments. Particularly,

VIII. REBELLIOUS Perfons. p. 4. &c.

Rebellion is a wilful Oppofition to the Authority,

and lawful Commands of those whom God has fet over

us. p. 4, &c.

And it is a Tranfgreffion of the fifth Command-

ment, ibid.

Of Difobedience to natural Parents. p. 4, 5.

Of Difregard to thofe Minifters of God's Word,

under whofe Care the divine Providence has placed

us. p. 6.

We may from the Behaviour, which God requires

of us towards them, infer the Sinfulness of a con-

trary Conduct: So far as the Minifters of Chrift de-

liver to us the Word of God, it is our Duty to believe

it, and to be obedient to it.

But we are to examine by the Holy Scriptures,

every Doctrine they teach, and every Inftruction in

Matters of Practice they inculcate, and we are not to

receive them meerly becaufe delivered by our Teachers.

P. 7.

obedience to Kings, and fubordinate Magif-

trates. p. 8. &c.

IX. OPPRESSORS, are another Sort of Perfons,

who have Reafan to fear the Effects of God's Wrath

in the Day of his Vifitation for Sin. p. 10.

As Rebellion includes the various Sorts of Mißbe-

haviour, and Oppofition of Inferiors to their Supe-

riors in Authority; fo Oppreffion comprehends the

feveral Abuses, which Superiors in Authority, or

Power, are guilty of to their Inferiors. ibid.

When Perfons are guilty of Oppreffion is fhewed. p.

10, 1, 12.

The

The oppreffive Abuses of Authority or Power, are
very provoking to the merciful God, and what he has
threatned terribly to punish. ibid.

X. MURDERERS, are Tranfgreffors of the fixth

Commandment, and are appointed of God to fuffer

bis Vengeance both in this World, and the next.

P. 12.

He is a Murderer, who defignedly, and maliciously

takes away the Life of another. ibid.

Of FIGHTING DUELS. p. 13.

די

The Occafion of a Duel is fome Injury, or Provo-

cation by the Challenged, either imaginary or real:

Often it is imaginary, fome Words or Behaviour of

the Perfon challenged, mifreprefented, or mifunder-

food; and often a cool Inquiry into the Cafe would

prevent a Quarrel, and confirm a Friendship.

A

But fuppofe Challengers to be really injured, the

Laws of the Land have provided a Remedy, which

be may use without Shame or Dishonour, and without

becoming a bloody Criminal before God and Man.

Remedy which he may use with Reputation, by having

bis Caufe heard before proper Judges, and their Sen-

tence given upon the Evidence of the Witnesses of each

Party.

But he must not murder the Man that has offend-

ed him, (ibid) and thereby rebel against, and fub-
vert the Laws of God, and his Country.

And as to the Challenged, the Reafon for his

wicked Acceptance of the Challenge is very vain :

He doth it to avoid the Character of being a Coward,

but better to be thought fo by unreasonable Men, than

in Contradiction to the Law of the great God, vio-

lently and maliciously to take away the Life of another.

P. 14.

The Cafe of a DUEL, ftated both as to the Chal-

lenger, and the Challenged. p. 14.

The dreadful Confequences of Fighting a Duel, both

as to the Perfon killing, and the Perfon killed. p.

14. 15.