The Doctrine of Fasting and Prayer, Sermon 1

The Doctrine of Fasting and Prayer · Sermon 1

p. 1SERMON I.

AVGVST III. MDCXXV.

PSAL. 35. 13.

But as for me, when they were sicke, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my selfe with fasting: and my prayer returned into mine owne bosome.

NOt to take up time in speaking of the former part of this Psalme: these words have this coherence, and dependance on that which went before.

David (as a type of CHRIST) having many mortall enemies, doth in this Psalme (by a Propheticall spirit) pray against them, or rather foretell p. 2what should befall them. In this Verse and the former (to shew what cause he had to do so) he aggravateth their sin by their unthankfulnesse, in dealing so badly with him, that had deserved so well of them.

Observe first Davids practise;Nota 1. he was wont when these men were sicke to be affected with their misery: which teacheth us, that,

GODS people ought to take to heart the miseries andDoct. 1. calamities of others, the judgements of GOD that do befall others.

Se… for proofe of this, both the examples of his servants, and then GODS commandement also.

p. 3When Eliphaz, Proof. 1.Bildad, and Zophar heard of Iobs misery, they came to mourne with him, Iob 2. 11. But he was a rare man for piety and authority also, (you will say:) see therefore another example of this duty performed towards them that were not so: Did not I weepe for him that was in trouble? (saith Iob, Chap. 30. 25.) was not my soule grieved for the poore? Yea, see an example of this towards most wicked men, Iudg. 21. 2. The people of Israel came to the house of GOD (as we do now) to professe their sorrow for the extreme misery that the wicked Benjamites were most justly fallen into.

Yea we are straityly charged by the LORD to do so,2. to remember and thinke of them, as if their case were our owne, Remember them that are in bonds, (saith the Apostle, Heb. 13. 3.) as bound with them: and them that are in adversity, as being your selves also in the body. Yea to do it with hearty commiseration, Rom. 12. 15. Weepe with them that weepe. Yea (if the judgement be famous and exemplary) we are commanded also to make publique and solemne profession (as we do at this day) that we are affected with their misery, Levit. 10. 6. Let your brethren the whole house of Israel bewaile the burning which the LORD hath kindled.

Three speciall reasons and grounds there be for this Doctrine: for we should take to heart the miseries and calamities of others.

First, In respect had to them that are afflicted.Reason 1. For, admit they were not our fellow-members in CHRIST, nor our kindred or acquaintance, nor our country-men; admit they were meere strangers to us, admit they were all most wicked men, yet nature p. 4binds us to be affected with their miseries, because they are our owne flesh: Esa. 58. 7. Hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh. And he that hath not humanity and naturall affection in him, certainly hath no grace, but is given up to areprobate mind, as the Apostle teacheth us, Rom. 1. 31. Yea it is an argument of a cruell heart to be void of naturall commiseration, and carelesse of other men, whether they sinke or swim. In this Cain first bewrayed his murderous heart when he said of his brother, Gen. 4. 9. Am I my brothers keeper? And so did the chiefe Priests and Elders, when (hearing Iudas cry out of himselfe for his sinne, and beholding him in the pangs of desperation) they said unto him, What is that to us? see thou to that.

Secondly,Reason 2. In respect had unto the LORD, who by these judgements executed upon others, doth manifest from heaven, that His wrath is kindled, that He is in a fury. So that not to be affected with His judgements executed upon others, is a double contempt done to the LORD Himselfe.

1. In that we are not moved, nor tremble to see Him angry, Amos 3. 8. The Lion hath roared, who will not feare? It is hard to find a man so stout and couragious, (shall I say?) nay so senslesse or prophane, that trembleth not sometimes at the fearefull thunderclaps and lightnings, because GOD therein manifesteth His glorious power; and because that though He strike not many with them usually, yet some He doth; but there is much more cause to tremble, and be affected with His generall and extraordinary judgements upon others; for, thereby He doth not onelyonly manifest His glorious power, but His revenging p. 5justice also, and anger against sin; which is much more terrible than the other. See a proofe of this, Ezek. 32. 10. The Kings of the nations shalbe horribly affraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them, and they shall tremble at every moment; every man for his owne life, in the day of thy fall. The Heathen (that had no goodnesse in them at all) when they should behold how terrible GOD was in His judgements upon His owne people, should be in continuall feare that He would destroy them also. As the scholler that is himselfe faulty, and obnoxious to the rod, when he seeth his master in a fury against any of his fellowes, cannot chuse but tremble, unlesse he be desperate. This made the Prophet (when GOD had in a vision manifested to him His glory, Esa. 6. 45. when he saw the posts of the temple doore moved at the voice of the Angel that cryed, and the house filled with smoke) to cry out (from the very consciousnesse of his owne sinfulnesse and deserts) Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of uncleane lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of uncleane lips, for mine eyes have seene the King, the LORD of Hosts.

2. There is in this another contempt also done unto GOD; because GOD never smites some, but to warne all, what is due to them, and what they must looke for, unlesse they repent. Even those executions which the Magistrate doth by GODS appointment upon foule offenders, are done chiefly to warne others, Deut. 13. 11. All Israel shall heare, and feare, and shall do no more any such wickednesse as this is, amongst you. But much more those judgements, which the LORD Himselfe hath executed upon any, (either immediately, or by His destroying Angels) p. 4duplicate page p. 5duplicate page p. 6are intended chiefly, for the instruction, and warning of others. The righteous shall see and feare, saith David, Psal. 52. 6. The LORD consumed the Sodomites in that fearefull manner to make them an example to those that after should live ungodlily, 2 Pet. 2. 6. And the earth swallowed up Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, not onelyonly out of that respect GOD had to the glory of His owne justice, in taking vengeance on them for all their sinnes, but that they might become a signe unto others, as the HOLY GHOST saith expresly, Num. 26. 10. Every judgement of GOD hath a voice, and is a reall Sermon of repentance: and the more generall and extraordinary the judgement is, by so much the lowder, and more audible voice it hath: and it is therefore a contempt done to GOD, when we regard it not, nor hearken unto it, Mica 6. 9. Heare the rod, and who hath appointed it.

The third and last reason and ground of the Doctrine, is,Reason 3. in respect had to our selves. For there is no judgement executed upon others, (specially if it be any whit publike and generall, and more than ordinary) but we all are to take our selves interessed in it: yea to have had a hand in provoking the LORD unto it. For, as sinne is the cause of all GODS judgements that come upon a land, so we must not judge them the greatest sinners alwayes upon whom they light. Those eighteene upon whom the tower of Silo fell, thinke ye (saith our Saviour, Luke 13. 4, 5.) that they were sinners above all that dwelt in Hierusalem? I tell you nay. Neither must we thinke, that the sinnes of those whom GOD smites with His judgements, are the only cause of the judgements, or that He is angry with them only; but know, that He is aswel angry oft p. 7times with those that He spares, as with those whom he smites: and the sins of those whom he spares, have oft a stronger hand in plucking down the judgement, than the sinnes of those whom He smites have had. Two notable examples we have for this in the time of David. It was a fearefull judgement that GOD executed upon Vzza, 1 Chron. 13. 10. The anger of the LORD was kindled against Vzza, and He smote him, because he put his hand to the arke… and it is said, Verse 12. that the judgement upon Vzza much affected David, and made his heart quake. And why so? Surely, because he knew, that GOD was not angry with Vzza onelyonly, but with the whole congregation. The LORD our GOD (saith David, 1 Chron. 15. 13.) made a breach upon us, for that we sought Him not after the due order. He knew that the sinnes of the Priests, and others that were spared, provoked GOD to that judgement, more than Vzza's did; as appeares in the beginning of that Verse. For, because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our GOD, &c. The second example is, 2 Sam. 24. It was a fearefull judgement that is mentioned in the fifteenth Verse, When by a pestilence that the LORD sent upon Israel, in three dayes there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men: and they that were slaine, had (doubtlesse) sinne enough in themselves to deserve it: but was their sinne the onelyonly or the chiefe cause of that judgement? no certainly; the sinne of those that were spared was the chiefe cause of it, as David confesseth Vers. 17. Loe l have sinned, and have done wickedly, but these sheepe what have they done? He knew well that (not the sinnes of those that perished in that grievous plague, but) his owne p. 8sinnes had a chiefe hand, in provoking GOD unto that judgement. So that we see that there is no one man amongst us all, that hath not just reason to be affected with GODS judgements upon the Land, though himselfe be spared, seeing that he is a cause of it, as well as they that are smitten, and (it may be) as great a cause as they, nay, (it may be) a greater cause than any of them were.

And this was that that made good Nehemiah cry thus in his prayer unto GOD, Neh. 1. 6. Both I and my fathers house have sinned. As if he had said, that Ierusalem prospers no better, I and my fathers house are as great a cause as any other.

We have heard the Doctrine which this example of David teacheth us, delivered and confirmed in a generall manner; let us now come to make use of it, and to apply it to our owne case, and to the occasion of our meeting at this time.

This Doctrine therefore serveth to exhort us unto two duties. 1. That we would labour to take to heart, and to be rightly affected with this judgement of GOD that is now upon London, and sundry other parts of the Kingdome. 2. That when we are rightly affected with it, we would make right use of it to our selves.

For the first.Vse 1. You will say it is a needlesse exhortation: for,Object. who is not affected with this plague? who is not affraid of it? and wherefore come we hither els, if we be not affected with it?

I answer.Answ. That none of us (I feare) are sufficiently affected with it; and that this is the fountaine and foundation of all good uses we can make of it, either for their benefit that are visited with it, or for our p. 9selves, that we would labour to be affected with this judgement of GOD, as we ought to be. I will therefore shew you what just causes we have to be deeply affected with this judgement. And they are principally three.

First, In respect of the grievousnesse of the judgement it selfe. For, wee shall finde this called one of GODS sore judgements, Ezek. 14. 21. And when the LORD threatens that Hee Himselfe would fight against Ierusalem with an outstretched hand, and a strong arme, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath, Ier. 21. 5. He tels them in the next Verse, how He would do this, He would smite the city with a great pestilence. Certainly the LORD therefore now fights against our Land, yea He fighteth against it in fury, and in great wrath. Observe foure things in this judgement.

1. What a waster it is, Psal. 91. 6. it is called the destruction that wasteth at noone-day. In a short time, even in three dayes it consumed seventy thousand in Israel, 2 Sam. 24. 15. A grievous judgement it must needs be, when GOD Himselfe matcheth a pestilence of three dayes continuance (as a thing of equall force to afflict, and destroy) with a famine of seven yeares, and with flying by the space of three moneths before their enemies that pursued them: as we know He doth, 2 Sam. 24. 13. And hath not the pestilence that GOD hath now sent into our Land, proved a terrible waster, when in one weeke in one City it hath swept away three thousand, five hundred, eighty two?

2. Consider how suddenly it takes them away that have beene smitten with it: many that were p. 10well in the morning have beene dead of it before night: it is therefore called the LORDS arrow, Psal. 91. 5. It strikes and pierceth men suddenly with a deadly wound: and Vers. 6. it is said to walke in darknesse. And certainly, sudden death (though it be not absolutely to be prayed against, yet it) is to be esteemed a temporall judgement, and a signe of GODS anger. Let destruction come upon him at unawares, saith the Prophet here, Vers. 8. It must needs add much to the bitternesse of death, when it comes so suddenly, that a man can neither commend himselfe to GOD, nor set things in order for the world before he die.

3. Consider, it is such a judgement as oft makes men destroyers of them whom they most love, and desire to keepe alive: the father setting at unawares the infection upon the child, the husband on the wife, a man on his dearest friend. A great cause of humbling it is, for a man to have killed any other man at unawares, as you may see by that law, Numb. 35. 28. and what is it then to have killed them that are dearest to them?

4. It is such a sicknesse as doth (usually) debarre men of many comforts, that other sicke persons do enjoy. First, many that are visited with this sicknesse, do want convenient attendance and lodging, dying in the streets and high-wayes▪ of whom that may be said, Esa. 51. 20. Thy sonnes have fainted, they lie at the head of all streets, the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy GOD. Secondly, their friends dare not visit them; which, as it is a worke of mercy, so it is a great meanes of comfort to the afflicted, and such as CHRIST hath enjoyned p. 11us, Mat. 25. 36. 3. Whereas none have so much need of spirituall comfort as they, because the very disease makes them more subject to terrors and feares than others, (and is therefore called the terrour by night, Psal. 91. 5.) they (poore wretches) can have none to comfort them, but may in anguish of soule cry out, Lam. 1. 16. The comforter that should relieve my soule is farre from me. So that in respect of this first consideration, the grievousnesse of the judgement it selfe, they may cry to us all, and to all GODS people throughout the Land, as Lam. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by? Behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of His anger. And will you not be affected with it?

Secondly, if this will not serve, come to a second cause we have, to be deeply affected with it: because none of us can tell how farre it may go; how neare it may come to our owne dwellings. In which respect, though we may say as Namb. 16. 46. we are sure wrath is gone out from the LORD, the plague is begun, yet as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 74. 9. There is not amongst us any that knoweth how long it will last, or how farre it will spread.

Let no man say, I am farre enough from London; I dwell in a good ayre, and we have taken good order to prevent all danger of this infectio…s disease; no carriers shall come from thence to us, no Londoners shall lodge amongst us. These are good meanes, I will not deny, (if they be used with that compassion that becomes Christians to shew unto them in misery) and must not be neglected. But all these cannot secure us from the plague; if we do p. 12not first make our peace with GOD, all these are in vaine. If we beare in our bosome the cause of the plague, if we nourish and increase it daily, (I meane our sinnes) we cannot be sure to keepe it from our townes and houses, do what we can. Know thou for a surety it is GOD that sends the pestilence, as He saith, 2 Chron. 7. 13. In this judgement (above others) we are said to fall into the LORDS hands, as David speaketh, 2 Sam. 24. 14. And as He sends it, so He onelyonly guides it whither it shall go, and whither it shall not go; whom it shall smite, and whom it shall spare. And though He do usually send it by outward and ordinary meanes, yet alwayes He doth not so. Some that live in the thickest of them that are infected, and in a most corrupt aire, do escape; some that flie from the places infected into the purest aire, are infected, they know not how. How many Physitians, and Chyrurgions, and nurses, and keepers that have beene wont to visit the infected, to sweat them, to dresse their sores, to wash their linnen; yea, how many that have daily conversed with them, and lyen in bed with them also, have beene knowne to have escaped the infection altogether? Whereas many that have beene most carefull to keepe themselves from all that have been infected, and to use all good preservatives against the contagion, have beene taken by it. No man may argue from hence (as some foolishly have done) that this disease is not in it owne nature more infectious than other diseases are. No more than (from this that the three noble Iewes that were cast into Nebuchadnezzars furnace, received no hurt at all by it, Dan. 3. 27. and that oft times one house in a street, or p. 13roome in a house escape burning, in the greatest fires that have beene heard of) a man may conclude that fire is not in it selfe of a burning and consuming nature. But in this, as in the other; the finger and power of GOD is to be acknowledged in restraining, and setting bonds to this heavy judgement, as pleaseth Him. And this the LORD (doubtlesse) doth, to hearten and encourage them that are whole, to performe all necessary duties of mercy and love to them that are sicke. And as the LORD can thus limit the plague of pestilence; so can He (if He please) command it to go through our whole Land before it cease, as He did through the land of Israel, 2 Sam. 24. 15. from Dan to Beersheba. Though we flie from it, He can follow and pursue us with it (as He hath done many, and threatneth) I will persecute (and follow them) with the pestilence, saith He, Ier. 29. 18. Though we shut our doores against it, He can make it come in at our windowes, as they complaine, Ier. 9. 21. Death is come up to our windowes, and is entred into our palaces. Let no man thinke he can be sure to avoid this judgement by flying from it, if he be not carefull to remove the cause of it, and to make his peace with GOD. Do therefore (before it come nearer to thee) as the LORD Himselfe counselleth thee, Amos 4. 12. Prepare to meet thy GOD. And because thou canst have no assurance in thy selfe that thou shalt be able to avoid the danger of the indignation of this King that comes against thee (for ought thou knowest) with so great a power, learne that wisdome that our Saviour directeth thee unto, Luke 14. 32. While He is yet a great way off, send an ambassage, and desire conditions of peacewith Him. If thou p. 14wouldst be free from the feare of the plague, feare GOD aright. Be not afraid (saith the Prophet, Esa. 8. 12, 13.) sanctifie the LORD of hosts Himselfe, and let Him be your feare, and let Him be your dread. If we could feare the LORD as we ought, we should not need to feare any thing els in the world. Be sure to make thy peace with Him; which, how thou mayest doe, I will tell thee by and by.

Thirdly and lastly, (to cause us to take to heart, and to be affected with this fearefull plague) consider, that if this judgement be neglected, (as great as it is) it wilbe but a fore-runner of some more fearefull judgement than this is. And as our Saviour speaketh in another case, Matth. 24. 8. this wilbe but the beginning of our sorrowes. There is a judgement (that this nation hath hitherto beene preserved from, to the astonishment and admiration of all the world) that is greater than this; for, it useth to bring this, and the famine also with it, I meane warre. The sword of our bloudy and mercilesse enemies is worse than the plague. This is plaine by Davids choice, 2 Sam. 24. 14. Let us fall now into the hand of the LORD, (for His mercies are great) and let me not fall into the handof man. And surely we have cause to feare, that if this will do us no good, GOD cannot endure to have His judgements despised. Heare what He saith, Levit. 26. 18. If you will not for all this hearken unto Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sinnes▪ And certainly, I may say to all you that heare me this day, if you regard not, nor profit by this fearfull plague you heare of in London, and in other parts of the Land, GOD will either bring it home to you, or a worse plague than it, Luke 13. 3. p. 15Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

The second duty that this Doctrine serveth to exhort us to, is, that we would make right use of this judgement of GOD that is upon the Land, unto our selves. And that standeth in foure points.

First, seeing 1. GOD gives us in this judgement such cause of sorrow, seeing He is angry: and 2 not with the Londoners onelyonly, but with us, with the whole Land: and 3. it may be more with us, than with them: and 4. seeing we know not how soon this fire that burnes our neighbours house, may light upon ours: We must therfore examine every one of us our own wayes. This direction is given us, Lam. 3. 39. 40. Wherefore doth a living man complaine; a man for the punishment of his sinnes? As if the Church there should say, why do men mourne, and fret, and take on so for this judgement of GOD that is justly fallen upon them? Why do they not betake themselves to the right course for the pacifying of GODS wrath? Which is this, and this onelyonly, Let us search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the LORD. Every one of us should say thus within himselfe, surely the LORD is very angry with the whole Land, with every one of us; and what have I done to anger the LORD thus, to provoke Him to this wrath? Ier. 8. 6, 7. The LORD chargeth the Iewes that they did not know His judgement, because no man said, what have I done? And so surely will He judge of us. We know not the meaning of the plague, nor make right use of it, unlesse every one of us enter into his owne heart, a…d say, what have I done? To this end it wilbe profitable for us to search the Scriptures, and find out what were the p. 16speciall sinnes which either have brought the pestilence upon GODS people in former times, or which the LORD hath threatned to punish in this manner, and with this judgement. For the first, I find five great plagues of pestilence recorded in the holy Scriptures, and the speciall sinnes that were the causes of them, are also plainly set downe. The first great plague we read of, was that which is spoken of, Numb. 11. 33. The wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. And what was the cause of that plague? Surely their murmuring and discontentment at their present condition, their unthankfulnesse to the LORD, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, Vers. 20. their loathing of Manna, Verse 6. (which the Prophet for the excellency thereof calleth Angles food, Psal. 78. 25. and the corne and bread of heaven, Psal. 78. 24. 105. 40.) their lusting after the flesh-pots of Egypt, and longing to be there againe, Numb. 11. 45. Exod. 16. 3. Secondly, Another we find mentioned, Numb. 14. where, although the LORD was stayed by the prayer of Moses from smiting the whole congregation with the pestilence, and from dis-inheriting them, as He threatned to do, Vers. 6. yet often of those men that were sent to search out the Land, it is said Vers. 37. that they died of the plague before the LORD. And the cause of this is said to be, Verse 36, 37. that they did bring up a slander and evil report upon the promised Land, and thereby made all the congregation to murmure against Moses, who had spoken so much good of it. Thirdly, Another great plague, Moses hath set downe the story of, Numb. 16. p. 1749. wherein there died foureteene thousand and seven hundred; and yet then so soone as wrath was gone out from the LORD: so soone as the plague was begun, as we read, Vers. 46,—48. Aaron (the true …ype of our onelyonly High Priest, and effectuall Intercessour for us unto GOD) went with his incense, and stood betweene the dead and the living, and made an attonement for the people, and so the plague was stayed. How fearefull a pestilence would that have beene, if it had continued any time, if it had not been presently stayed? And the sin that provoked GOD to send this pestilence among His people, we find to have been their murmuring and rebelling against Moses and Aaron the Ministers and servants of the LORD; as it is plain by the 41 and 42 Verses of that Chapter. Fourthly, The fourth memorable pestilence that we read of, is that which is recorded, Num. 25. of which there fell in one day (as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 10. 8.) three and twenty thousand. Moses in setting down that story saith Numb. 25. 9. those that died in the plague were twenty and foure thousand; putting all together in that summe, that perished at that time, and for that sinne; as well those whom himselfe and the judges had put to death according to the commandment of GOD, Vers. 4, 5. (which may seeme to have beene in number about a thousand) as those that perished by that plague which the LORD (in His fierce anger, as it is said Vers. 4.) did send amongst them, which were the three and twenty thousand that the Apostle speaketh of. For that most of them that then perished, died of an extraordinary pestilence, (and not all by the sword of the Magistrate, as some learned men judge) may appeare by that which the HOLY p. 18GHOST speaketh of it in other places, as Numb. 31. 16. There was a plague among the Congregation of the LORD; and Iosh. 22. 17. where the very same words are used by Phinehas, who had a chiefe hand in the staying of it; and Psal. 106. 29, 30. The plague brake in upon them, then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgement, and so the plague was stayed. And what was the cause of this strange and fearefull pestilence that consumed in one day three and twenty thousand? Surely it was whoredome, as both Moses Numb. 25. 1, 6. and the Apostle, 1 Cor. 10. 8. do expresly teach us. Fiftly, the fift and last plague we read of in holy Scripture was in Davids time, the story whereof is set downe, 2 Sam. 24. 15. this went thorough all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba in three dayes, and consumed in so short a time no lesse than seventy thousand men. And the cause of this plague was the pride of Davids heart, and the confidence he reposed in his owne strength, and in the outward meanes he had to defend himselfe by, and to provide for his owne safety. And besides these five great plagues, I find also mention made of another dangerous and strange sicknesse wherewithall the LORD in his just judgement did smite and afflict his people in the Church of Corinth; which, though I cannot certainly say it was the pestilence, (because the text doth not expresly say so) yet I may boldly say, it was an epidemicall disease, and grievous mortality, most likely to be it. Many are weake and sicke among you, (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. 30.) and many sleepe, that is, die of it. And the cause of this sicknesse and mortality the Apostle tels us, was this, that they came carelesly, unreverently, and without p. 19due preparation unto the holy Sacrament.

Thus you see what sinnes have brought the plague upon men in former times, yea upon such as have beene GODS people by profession, aswell as we. And, This happened unto them for ensample (as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 10. 11.) and all the seen▪ samples are written and recorded in Scripture of purpose for our admonition.

And although we read of no plagues that are recorded in the holy Scriptures, but those that I have mentioned, and for those sinnes; yet find we diverse other sinnes also which GOD hath threatned to punish this way. GODS people were afraid that He would fall upon them, and consume them with the pestilence, (as we read, Exod. 5. 3.) even for their negligence of His solemne worship and service; though they were then in Egypt where they could not performe it without extreme danger. And because Pharaoh had despised and hardened his heart against former and smaller judgements, the LORD threatneth (Exod. 9. 15.) to smite him and his people with the pestilence. To conclude, the LORD did by His Prophet Ieremiah 21. 5, 6. threaten in anger, and fury, and in great wrath to smite the inhabitants of Ierusalem both man and beast, and that they should die of a very great pestilence; because they stood out in rebellion against the King of Babylon, and refused to yeeld unto him as GOD had commanded them: whereby it appeareth, that an obstinate refusing to obey the Word and commandment of GOD in any thing, though it be such, as may be coloured with the best pretences, will provoke Him to punish men this way.

p. 20So then (to apply all this unto our selves) seeing it isApplic. evident that we and our nation are guilty of all these sinnes, for every one of which, we find in the Word, that GOD hath brought and threatned to bring this judgement upon His people in former times; seeing we have beene 1. most unthankfull unto GOD for our deliverance out of that spirituall Egypt, and house of bondage wherein our fore-fathers lived: and have shewed too much desire to returne thither againe; and have loathed so long the heavenly food of the Gospell of CHRIST more than ever they did that Manna; and 2. have brought up and entertained a most slanderous and evill report of the promised Land, and of that strait way that leads unto it; speaking evill of and scorning the life and power of godlinesse, and discouraging others from it; murmuring against, and hating (to the death) such of GODS servants, as either by doctrine, or example, do presse and provoke us unto it; and 3 are so ready (upon every occasion) to murmure and rebell against the servants and Ministers of the LORD; content (indeed) to give them the hearing, but apt to tell them (if they shall deale particularly and roundly with us, and require of us obedience to the truth, and practise of that that we heare and professe) that they take too much upon them; seeing 4. whoredome doth every where so increase and abound in our Land; and 5. we are every whit as proud of our owne strength, and as apt to put trust in the arme of flesh, as David was; and 6. the holy Sacrament is (in all places) so commonly prophaned, and those holy things given to and received (without difference) by such dogs and swine as have p. 21no care at all d…ly to prepare themselves thereunto; seeing 7. the publique and solemne worship of GOD is every where so much neglected; and 8 we have so hardened our hearts against, and profited so little by many other judgements, whereby the LORD hath witnessed His wrath from heaven against us, and sought to bring us unto repentance; and 9. we do continually (with so great obstinacy) refuse to yeeld obedience to many of the expresse commandements of GOD.

Seeing (I say) we are guilty of all these sinnes that are the proper causes of this judgement, let us therefore impute this fearefull plague whereby GOD …ath smitten the chiefe City, and many other parts of our Land, unto these our sinnes; and justifie the LORD in this judgement, the causes whereof are so evidently to be found amongst us: yea let us all feare, that He will execute His fierce wrath upon us in the same manner, except we repent us of, and forsake these sinnes. And this is the first way whereby we must make right use unto our selves of this heavy judgement of GOD that is upon the Land.

The second is this, that seeing the LORD doth thus declare and proclaime that His anger and fury is kindled and inflamed against us all, it behooves us (without delay) by all meanes to make our peace with GOD, and to seeke reconciliation with Him. Acquaint thy selfe now with Him (saith Eliphaz to Iob. Chap. 22. 21.) and make peace with Him, thereby good shall come unto thee. This, and this onelyonly is the way unto true safety and comfort. And marke that he adviseth him to do it now. Now is the time to do it, if ever we will do it, now that His hand is so stretched p. 22out against us. And we are strangely hardned in our sins, if (howsoever we have wretchedly neglected it hitherto) we will do it now. If any shall aske me what must I doe, and what course must I take to make my peace with GOD?

I answer briefly and plainly, that there be three things thou must do, if thou wouldest obtaine peace with GOD: and if thou canst do these three things, thou needest not doubt to obtaine it.

1. Thou must freely, and fully, and particularly confesse thy sinnes unto GOD, even those sinnes which I have shewed to be the chiefe causes of this judgement. I said (saith David, Psal. 32. 5.) I will confesse my transgressions unto the LORD, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne.

2. Thou must unfainedly and fully resolve with thy selfe to cast off and forsake these and all other thy sinnes, Prov. 28. 13. Who so confesseth and forsaketh his sinne, shall find mercy. Though thou canst not quite leave them (as who can do that in this life?) yet if thou canst unfainedly and without dissimulation desire, and purpose, and resolve with thy selfe to leave them all, begging strength of GOD, that thou mayst be made able to do it, then hast thou forsaken them in GODS account; and they shall not hinder thy peace and reconciliation with GOD. In this David tooke comfort. I am purposed, (saith he, Psal. 17. 3.) that my mouth shall not transgresse: and Psal. 39. 1. I said (I fully resolved and determined with my selfe) I will take heed to my wayes.

3. And lastly, Thou must strive (by a lively faith) to lay hold on GODS mercy in CHRIST, and to get His bloud sprinkled upon thy heart. p. 23CHRIST is our peace, as the Apostle cals Him, Eph. 2. 14. Neither can we (with all that we are able to do) make our peace with GOD, but onelyonly through faith in Him. When the destroying Angell saw the bloud of the lambe sprinkled upon the lintell and side-posts of any doore, he passed by that house, and smote none in it, Exod. 12. 23.

The third way whereby we must make right use to our selves of this judgement that we see upon others, is this; it must increase our care to reforme (not our selves onelyonly, but) our families. It is a vaine thing for any man to blesse himselfe or take comfort in his repentance without this care; say not, if I use all good meanes to make peace with GOD for my selfe, I hope the faults of my family shall never be imputed unto me. Search the Scriptures, and you shall find there was never any man that was himselfe reconciled and at peace with GOD, but his care was, that his family might feare GOD, and be in favour with Him, as well as himselfe. Cornelius (though he were a Centurion, and kept a great family, and had souldiers to serve him, yet) feared God with all his house, Acts 10. 2. So soone as Zacheus himselfe was become a sonne of Abraham (a true believer) salvation came unto his house too, Luke 19. 9. Christ promised he should have a faithfull and a religious family. So speaketh Eliphaz also to Iob, Iob 22. 23. If thou returne to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. No man that is himselfe truly returned unto the Almighty, need to be discouraged in this; if he do his endeavour, God hath promised, that he shall be able (through His gracious assistance and blessing) to reforme his p. 24family; though not to convert the heart of every one in it, yet to keepe them from open and scandalous offences. Certainly we do not make the right use we ought, of this heavy scourge of God, unlesse we be made thereby more carefull to reforme our families. For this cause the Lord said He would not conceale from Abraham His purpose against the Sodomites, because He knew that he would make this use of it. For I know him (saith the Lord, Gen. 18. 19.) that he will command his children, and his houshold after him; and they shall keepe the way of the Lord to doe justice and judgement; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him. 1. Abraham (upon the knowledge and observation of Gods wrath even upon the Sodomites) would become more carefull to looke to his whole family, and to reforme it. 2. God would assist and blesse him in this his endeavour, and he should see the fruit of it in his family. 3. This care that Abraham had of his family should be a principall meanes to make good unto him all Gods promises, to bring upon him, and make sure unto him all the blessings and good things that God had promised unto him, and without this he could have had no assurance of them.

O that we could once believe and take to heartApplic. these things. Certainly one maine cause of this, and all other judgements that are upon our Land, is the want of care that is in them that professe themselves to be the people of God, in reforming their families; whether they of their family be drunkards, or sober persons; blasphemers, or such as feare an oath; uncleane, or chast; prophane, or religious; is all one to them.

p. 25The fourth and last way whereby we must make right use to our selves of this judgement, is this: it must make us more mercifull to them that are in distresse, and more ready to relieve them. Nothing will give us more assurance to be freed from the plague our selves, or to find comfort and strength in it, if God shall please to visit us by it, than this. When Gods heavy hand did hang over Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel speakes thus unto him, Dan. 4. 27. Wherefore O King, let my counsell be acceptable unto the, and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy vntounto the poore; if it may be a lengthning to thy tranquillity. As if he should have said, if any thing will lengthen thy tranquillity, and keepe off the judgement threatned, this is likely to do it. Remember what ourblessed Saviour hath said of this, Mat. 5. 7. Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy. Nothing will give a man more assurance to find mercy with God in the time of his distresse, than this will. Remember also what His holy Apostle saith of this, Iam. 2. 13. He shal have judgement without mercy, that sheweth no mercy. If either the plague, or any other judgement seize upon that man that hath beene void of mercy, it shalbe upon him without all mixture of mercy, he shall have no comfort of Gods mercy in it; and mercy rejoyceth (or boasteth) against judgement. The mercifull man shall not feare this or any other judgement before it come, as other men do: and if it do light upon him, he shall rejoyce, and find a comfortable sense of Gods mercy in it. And remember this at this time especially, now you have kept a day of humbling your selves before God; know that there is nothing p. 26that will more grace our solemne services before God, (specially services of this kind) nothing will make them more acceptable unto Him, than when we shall therein manifest and declare our selves to be mercifull and bountifull unto the poore, Is not this the fast that I have chosen? (saith the Lord, Esa. 58. 6, 7.) to loose the bands of wickednesse, to undoe the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye breake every yoke? Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poore that are cast out to thine house? When thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thy selfe from thine own flesh?