Four Learned and Godly Treatises, Treatise 2
THE CHVRCHES Deliverances.
IVDGES 10.13.
Wherefore I will deliver you no more.
THeſe words are the ſpeech of the Lord to the people of Iſrael. From the ſixt Verſe of the Chapter, to the end of the ſeventh we have the condition of the people of Iſrael in great diſtreſſe diſcovered, together with the dealing of God towards them, and their behaviour towards him.
In the Chapter three things are eſpecially conſiderable:
Firſt, wee have the children of Iſrael Apoſtatizing, and declining from the Lord, and the ſinceritie of his worſhip. In the firſt part of the Verſe, Yee have forſaken me, and ſerved other Gods: Here was the declining of the people of Iſrael; they forſooke the true God, and ſerved falſe gods; and as their ſinnes were, ſo were their plagues, the Lord purſued them with heavie judgements, and fierce indignation: hainous ſinnes are commonly accompanied with great plagues and puniſhments, and that appeareth in the ninth Ʋerſe: Iſrael was ſore diſtreſſed.
Secondly, we have the people of Iſrael crying and complaining to the Lord, in the time of their trouble; they that forſake the Lord in the time of proſperity, were faine to flie to him in time of adverſitie for ſuccour: And therefore wee ſhall ſee how earneſtly they cry unto the Lord, in the tenth Verſe; heavie afflictions breed hearty prayers and earneſt ſupplications; their puniſhment was not ſo grievous, but their prayers were as hot and vehement, They cried to the Lord, ſaith the Text.
Then laſtly, wee have the Anſwer of God, in the 12, 13, and 14. Verſes, where the Lord doth relate his good dealings with them: and their unkinde dealing towards him: I have delivered you, ſaith the Lord, out of the hand of ſuch and ſuch enemies; he reckons up his former mercies, but now he doth deny to ſhew any more favour toward them, becauſe they had abuſed his former mercies, and that is, in the words of the Text, Wherefore I will deliver you no more (as who ſhould ſay) goe now to the gods of Zidon, let thoſe Idols ſave you now, let thoſe Images deliver you now: but my kindnes was not regarded, my mercy was not reſpected, and for my part I will deliver you no more, expect no ſuccour from me at all.
In the generall, before wee come to the maine, ſee here the deniall of the Lord to the people of Iſrael, though they ſought him, and cried unto him. The Point is this, Thoſe that come unto God in prayer in their ſins, Doct. they ſhalbe ſure to have a deniall of their prayers, Pſal. 66.8. If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not heare my prayer: ſo it was here, though they ſought God marvellous earneſtly; and cried in the vehemencie of their ſpirits, yet the Lord ſtopped his eares, and liſtned not unto them, he gives no anſwer unto their cry; hee profeſſeth plainely, he will not deliver them, he will not ſuccour them.
The Vſe of this Point in generall is this: Firſt, Ʋſe of Inſtruction, wee may here ſee the reaſon why we call, and God anſwers not, why wee ſeeke the Lord, and he is not found of us in mercy and compaſſion, why we pray unto him, and yet he rejects our perſons, and ſtings out our Petitions, and is angry with the prayers of his ſervants. The cauſe is, wee bring our ſ…es with us before God, and therefore we cannot receive mercy from God: The abomination of our hearts ſpoile the petitions we powre forth before the Lord; that he neither accept them nor ſheweth any favour unto … when welcome before the Lord, and bring out ſin herewith as, our pride and our malice, and our covetouſneſſe, it is not praying but lying, and diſſembling, and mocking, and abuſing the great God of heaven; as though wee ſhould come before the Lord to aske him leave to ſinne, and intreate favour of him that wee might commit our ſinnes without any diſquiet, that he would give us a privie ſeale to ſinne: theſe drunken prayers, theſe idle proud prophane prayers, and lying prayers, the God of heaven will not heare them, when they come from a lying, diſſembling filthy drunken heart; thou that bringeſt ſuch prayers, the Lord will not heare, the Lord will not accept, the Lord will not regard ſuch prayers. This is the thing, I would have wicked men take notice of, that thinke to heale all in the time of diſtreſſe, with a few large deſires and idle wiſhes, they will be proud and looſe, and oppoſers of God and his Goſpell, and yet you thinke God cannot but grant you what you deſire, if you have but halfe an houres warning to aske pardon: no, you that live in your ſinnes, and pray to God in your ſinnes, you bring judgement upon your ſelves, and plague upon your ſoules, but mercy you ſhall have none, anſwer you ſhall not receive in this kinde, Prov. 28.9. The prayer of the wicked, &c.
The ſecond Vſe is a ground Ʋſe 2 of Exhortation, Would you ſo come to God, that you may finde acceptance with him? Would you ſo call that the Lord may heare you when you call? then waſh your hands in innocencie and ſo compaſſe his Altar: this is the counſell God gave, Eſay 1.17. Ceaſe to doe evill, learne to doe well: and then whatſoever your abhominations be, they ſhall be pardoned, whatſoever your miſeries be, I will eaſe you, Pſalm. 10.17, 18. The Lord prepares the hearts of his people to call upon him, a heart mourning for ſinne, and a heart looſned from ſinne: when you leave ſinne behinde you, and ſend up a prayer from an humble heart and a broken ſoule, then God will heare you, and you ſhall receive an anſwer from the God of heaven, as he ſeeth you have moſt neede to carrie you on in a Chriſtian courſe. In the Verſe there are three things obſerveable: He ſaith, I will not deliver you, goe to your gods let them comfort you, for my part, I have no comfort, no mercy for ſuch as you are, thoſe gods you ſerved in proſperity goe to them now for ſuccour in the time of trouble: In the Verſe it ſelfe, take notice of three things; firſt, that God doth deliver his Church, for that is preſumed, I will deliver you no more (as who ſhould ſay) I have preſerved you, and protected you and the like: God takes this for granted, and they found this by experience. Secondly, God ſometimes denieth ſuccour to his people, I have done ſo, but now I will deliver you no more; I have no more mercy for you to ſuccour you in the day of trouble. Thirdly we have the cauſe of this: Wherefore, that is, becauſe you have ſerved other gods, and departed away from my worſhip, becauſe you will not reforme your wicked wayes, I will deliver you no more Firſt, for the former, God doth deliver his Church. The Doctrine is this, Doct. The Lord is the deliverer of his Church and people in the time of trouble: the Church is in great miſery it is confeſſed, and the Church hath beene delivered, it cannot be denied; now I muſt adde the third (namely) That God is the Author of the deliverance of his Servants: Doct. The Scriptures are marvellous pregnant in the proofe of this, two or three witneſſes will caſt the cauſe, Pſal. 3 laſt. The Prophet David attributeth this as a matter of proprietie to the Lord, Salvation belongs unto the Lord; it is not to be underſtood of ſpirituall redemption onelyonly, but alſo of temporall deliverance in the time of trouble: It is that obſerveable, Ier. 14.8. It is as I may ſo ſay, one of Gods Names whereby hee is knowne to his Church, and whereby he ſhewes himſelfe, Oh, thou the hope of Iſrael, and the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble. It is not meant in regard of ſpirituall redemption ſtill, but in regard of temporall deliverance from thoſe troubles that doe betide, and thoſe grievances that lie upon, and thoſe heavie burthens that preſſe downe the Church of God, and therefore how ever it is true, there are many meanes uſed, and many helpes appointed by God for his peoples good; yet it is not men, it is not the policie of the wiſe, it is not the power of the mightie, it is not the fence of the Walls, nor the ſtrength of the Caſtles, it is not the number of the Souldiers, nor the skill of the army: but it is the Lord that is the deliverer of his people, as we may ſee Pſal. 44 4 Command th…n deliverance unto Iacob: the Lord hath deliverance at command, the Lord can bring, keepe and ſuccour as he ſeeth fit, nay it is that which God takes and challengeth to himſelfe, as that hee will not have any other to ſhare in, hee will not have any other part ſtakes with him, in the performance of goodneſſe and mercy to his children, Deut. 32.39. It is that the Lord takes unto himſelfe, ſalvation is mine, preſervation is mine, the iſſues of life and death, are onelyonly in the hand of the Lord, the point then is plaine enough, we will open the ground of it, the which the cauſe now requires, being a remembrance of that miraculous deliverance from the Gunpowder Treaſon; The grounds of the point, are foure, The firſt is this, God is infinitely wiſe, and onelyonly knowes how to deliver his people, men are driven to their wits end many times, they ſee no meanes offered, no meanes appointed, they can ſinde no cauſe how to ſuccour themſelves in the time of diſtreſſe, but he is an experienced deliverer, 2 Pet. 2.9. God knowes how to deliver his, when enemies are practiſing beneath, and digging deepe in their devices, the Lord ſits in heaven, and ſeeth all, and laughes at them; all their practiſes he obſerves them, nay the Lord knowes all the purpoſes, policies, and engines, which the wicked purpoſes to contrive, before they contrive them, as when David was in K…ylah, hee asked the Lord, will Saul come, aye ſaith God, and will they deliver mee into his hands, they will deliver thee ſaith God; the Lord knew what the men of Keylah intended, before they ſhewed their malice, therefore hee makes way for the eſcape of David.
Secondly, as God onelyonly knowes, all the engines and policies and practiſes of the wicked, when they are deviſed in the depth of the earth, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh: Let them doe what they will, and endeavour what they can never ſo cunningly and ſecretly, the Lord knowes them. But ſecondly, the Lord is onelyonly able and ſufficient to deliver his in want of meanes, above meanes, nay againſt meanes, 2 Chron. 14.11 When Aſa was in great extremity, when there was five hundred thouſand came againſt him, the greateſt Army we read of in holy Scriptures, and not many more in profane Stories, the Text ſaith, Hee cried unto the Lord, and ſaid, thou canſt deliver by many or by few; God could ſave Aſa and his Nobles, though he had no Army at all; for obſerve it, this All-ſufficiencie and abilitie of God, in delivering his children in time of troubles, will diſcover it ſelfe in three branches, and they are the particulars of this ſecond generall.
Firſt, the Lord provides meanes, before any meanes can be Pſal. 47. the laſt Ʋerſe, all the ſhields of the earth are the Lords; all the ſhields in Spaine, Germany and Denmarke, and England, they are all the Lords, all meane before they are, have their being from the Lord, and Eſay 54.16. the Text ſaith, there was no Smith before God created him, nor no coales before God made them, ſo that there are no meanes but they came from God.
Secondly, God workes with all meanes before they can worke, as there is no meanes unleſſe God provide them; ſo the meanes that ar… can doe nothing unleſſe God worke with them, Pſal 18.34.39. we ſhall obſerve it, God doth not onelyonly give David armes, but hee teacheth his armes to warre he doth not onelyonly give D…vid hands, but he teaches his hands to fight, he doth not onelyonly give him ſtrength, but hee girdeth him with ſtrength to the battell, ſo that all meanes in the world, further than God is pleaſed to goe out with them, they are like the withered hand of Ieroboam when the Prophet cried againſt the Altar: Ieroboam ſtretched out his hand, and he would plague the Prophet, and he would impriſon him, but alas, his hand withered, ſo all the armies, all the plots and policies, are like withered hands, unleſſe the Lord come with them.
Thirdly, it is the Lord that gives ſucceſſe to all the meanes, when they are improved for the deliverance of his Church; ſo that as there is no meanes unleſſe the Lord provide them, as thoſe meanes can doe nothing unleſſe the Lord worke with them: ſo theſe meanes can obtaine no iſſue, they can compaſſe no good, unleſſe the Lord be pleaſed graciouſly to breath upon them, and give ſucceſſe unto them: therefore when the Midianites thought to have carried all before them, and quite to overthrow the people of Iſrael, becauſe they had a mighty army, yet the Lord defeated their purpoſe, and turned their ſwords into their owne bowels. Thus we ſee the ability and ſufficiencie of the Lord in delivering his people, it is he that gives all meanes, it is he that workes with all meanes, it is he that gives ſucceſſe to all meanes. In the third place, the Lord is marvellous gracious and mercifull and tender over his people; as he is every way ſufficient for to doe them good, ſo he is marvellous carefull of their good, Eſay 63.9. in all their afflictions he was afflicted; many a man hath power and wiſedome and all, he knowes how to helpe another, yet he wants a heart, he wants pitty and compaſſion whereby hee may lend ſuccour to thoſe that ſtand in neede thereof: but it is not ſo with God, but in all the afflictions of his people, he is afflicted with them; in all troubles, he is in trouble with them; in all baniſhment he is in baniſhment with them.
Fourthly, as the Lord is mercifull, and loving and free and tender-hearted toward his people, as ready to helpe them as they are ready to call upon him; ſo laſtly, the Lord is marvelous watchfull, to doe that which he is able and willing to doe: we know what the Text ſaith, Pſal 121.4. Hee that keepeth Iſrael, neither ſlumbers nor ſleepes. Nay, he is exceeding zealous for Iſrael: That is the phraſe of the Prophet: Let us ſumme up the Point then, and ſee the iſſue of all, and the caſe will be marvelous cleare: If it be ſo, that God onelyonly knowes how to deliver his people, if he be able to doe what he knowes, if he be mercifull to doe what hee is able, and if he be watchfull to doe what he is willing, then God muſt needs be the deliverer of his Church.
We come now to the uſe of the Point, and ſo we will proceede to the next. It is great pitty that we ſhould ſo behave our ſelves, that this God ſhould not ſuccour us; but ſay, He will deliver us no more, but let us make uſe of the Point in hand. And the Vſe we are to make is this;
Is it ſo, Ʋſe that the Lord is the Author of all the deliverance and ſuccour of his ſervants: 1. Then it muſt teach us a point of wiſedome, namely, to whom we muſt give the praiſe of all our marvelous deliverance and preſervation wee have enjoyed, to whom it is, wee ought to render all the glory of our protection and ſafetie, that hath beene continued for the ſpace of above ſixtie yeares to this Kin…dome; Doe as the Prophet David doth: The Lord is the Author of all, let the Lord have the honour of all, Give unto the Lord the honour due unto his Name. The Prophet David doth diſtraine, as it were, he is violent with the hearts of men, and he labours to wreſt praiſe and honour from men, Give unto the Lord the honour and the glory due unto his name: the truth is, we muſt not ſacrifice to our owne nets, that is, we muſt not praiſe our owne power, and ſay, it is our power that hath accompliſhed it, and our wiſedome that hath effected it: no, it is not our ſhipping, it is not our power or courage, or meanes that have done it. Therefore let us doe as the Prophet David doth, in the 44. Pſalme, It was not my Bow that did ſuccour me, it was the Lord that hath delivered me, and relieved me, and his be the praiſe for ever: and if all people ſhould doe this, and ought to doe this, then I had almoſt ſaid, nay, why may I not ſay ſo, why ſhould wee not doe it more than all the world beſides, for whence comes it, whence is it, that the Lord hath had an eye unto mee above all the reſt, when the fire of Gods fury hath flamed and conſumed all the country round about us; Bohemia, and the Palatinate, and Denmarke, when the fire hath thus burnt up all, yet this little Cottage, this little England, this Spanne of ground, that this ſhould not be ſearched, nay when the ſword hath ruinated, and overcome all the other parts of Chriſtendome, where the name of the Lord Ieſus is profeſſed, we ſit under our Vines and Figtrees, there is no complaining in our ſtreets, our wives are not husbandleſſe, our children are not fatherleſſe: marke the reaſon and ground of all, is nothing elſe but Gods mercy towards us, and above all, here is ſeene the abundant goodneſſe of the Lord, notwithſtanding our unthankefulneſſe and careleſneſſe, we yet continue to be a nation, there is no other reaſon to be given of this, but Gods love will have it ſo, when as in other Countries, here one is baniſhed from his houſe, another from his country, that we are here this day to call upon the Name of the Lord, this is evidence enough that it is the Lord that delivers England: and ſhall the Lord doe this, and ſhall not wee acknowledge it, ſhall not we obſerve it and remember it for ever, ſhall not wee ſcore up the kindneſſe of the Lord, and ſet up pillars of his preſervation and records of his mercy to our ſoules for ever; and above all other deliverances, that in 88. was a great deliverance, but we ſpecially record that upon the fifth of November: this wee record unto all poſteritie; and let us but caſt our thoughts upon the malice of our enemies, and then it cannot but be confeſſed that the Lord hath delivered us: it is the Lords owne worke; and this ſhall appeare, if we compare the practiſe of the wicked, and the deliverance of the Lord together agreeably, three things in the former may be obſerved, three things in the latter may be conſidered, and doth ſhew that God onelyonly delivered, if we looke to the enemies of Gods grace and Goſpell, three things will make it appeare, that none but the devill could deviſe that plot, and if on the other ſide, wee conſider the ſuccour and deliverance the Lord did lend, it will appeare that none but the Lord could deliver us and ſuccour and relieve us. Let us conſider three things in the Gunpowder plot. Firſt, obſerve their policie; ſecondly, their malice; thirdly, their ſtoutneſſe, whereby it will appeare, that they intended the whole ruine, not onelyonly of us, but of the Goſpell, they thought to have carried the matter ſo cunningly, that it ſhould never have beene ſpied, nay, ſo fiercely, that it ſhould never have beene recovered; firſt, for the former, behold in the forefront the depth of their policie the place, that is marvellous fit, the conveiance marvellous eaſie the pretence marvellous unſuſpected, for they have a ſeller, it is in the earth, and hard by the water that they may convey things thither: and what can be alleadged better than barrells of beere for a ſeller, and therefore no man queſtioned or imagined, that there was any matter of treaſon intended againſt the State: Secondly, as their policie was great, ſo the rage of theſe ſinfull perſons was beyond meaſure helliſh; for murther is ſo unnaturall, that the earth groanes under it, and the Sunne bluſhes to behold a murtherer: but to ſtay a Magiſtrate, the Law of Nations and Civilitie loathes it, but to lay hands upon the anointed of the Lord Reaſon and Religion, and the law of all Nations condemnes it to the pit of hell. It was not the bloud of a ſubject they did intend to ſpill, nor of a Magiſtrate, that they did deſire to take, nor yet the bloud of the King they ſought for, but when the beſt of the Cominaltie and Gentrie of the Land were aſſembled, the choiſeſt of the Nobles and the Councell, the King himſelf, the higheſt of all degrees, and the choiſeſt of all eſtates, when King, Queene, and Nobles were there aſſembled for the glory of God, and to enact good lawes for this Common wealth, now theſe in that place in one houre, in one inſtant ſhould all have beene miſerably blowne up and torne in peeces, ſo they ſhould not have beene found, or being found, ſhould not have beene knowne that they might be buried according to their degree: This is that matchleſſe villany, and that unconceiveable trechery, which the Papiſts had contrived, and had not God delivered us (bleſſed be his name, he did ſo) but had he not delivered us, we may eaſily conceive what the ſucceſſe would have beene. Oh the lamentable confuſion that would have beene in every corner of the land, when a mans goods ſhould have beene taken from him, and no law to helpe him, nay, his liberty ſhould have beene deprived of, and his bloud ſhould have beene ſhed, and no man to relieve him; therefore ſince this might have beene; and ſince the Lord hath preſerved us, that it is not ſo, ſcore up this goodneſſe, and thinke of this kindeneſſe of the Lord. This is the fruit of Popery, and the practiſe of the Papiſts. Oh that you would loath ſuch ſavage crueltie worſe than hell it ſelfe. Adde hereunto the third thing we muſt take notice of, if any thing more may be conceived to manifeſt the hainouſneſſe of the fact, the actors of the worke tooke the Sacrament upon it, that they might not goe backe from the performance hereof: what curſed wretches were theſe, not onelyonly to commit ſinne, but to make the Lord the Author of it, nay, to make the Sacrament the ſcale of the deſolation of the Church: Could the devill doe more, I thinke he could ſcarce endevour to doe worſe: this was their policie, and it ſhould have beene our miſery, if the Lord had not delivered us. Thus we ſee the policy, their malice and reſolution that we are defended from this malice of theirs, and ſuccoured from this policie of theirs, there is no other reaſon can be rendered, but the Lord is the defender of his people; it was by his, power that wee were delivered, and that we are a Nation this day, it was the Lords worke, and to him we ought to returne all the praiſe; ſo much for the firſt Vſe of the Point.
The ſecond uſe is this If God Ʋſe 2 be the deliverer of his people: Then it is a great ground of confidence to beare up the hearts of poore ſoules in affliction, if God will deliver, who can deſtroy, if God will keepe, who can hurt: thinke of this in the day of triall, and in the time of extremitie, thinke of this that God never leaves nor forſakes his ſervants, he will ſay to the South, give up, and to the North bring backe my ſervants from farre, and my daughters from the end of the earth: We that are aſſembled here, if it had taken place, many of us had beene ſcattered, and the children that have beene borne ſince had not now beene here: Therefore if the Lord ſhall ſhall ſend deſolation upon the Land, and wee be ſcattered one from another, yet uphold your hearts and ſuſtaine your ſoules, the Lord will ſay to the South give up, and to the North keepe not backe, but bring my ſervants from farre, and my daughters from the end of the earth, he will reſtore thoſe little ones againe, and they ſhall live to praiſe his Name, and magnifie the greatneſſe of his power, he can deliver againſt all meanes, againſt all hopes and expectations; thinke this againſt the time of trouble: the enemy is very ſtrong, and we are weake, if you expect any ſtrange extremity intended againſt us, thinke of this againſt that time, though the policie malice and power of the enemy be great, and we are weake and feeble, yet the Lord is ſtill the deliverer of his ſervants, and behold the ſalvation of the Lord, the Lord hath power enough ſtill, and can over-power the power of the enemy, the Lord hath wiſedome ſtill, and can defeate the policy of thy enemy: thinke of this, and heare for after times.
The laſt Vſe is an Vſe of exhortation: Ʋſe 3 Hath the Lord done all for you, then you will ſave me a labour, what will you then doe for God againe, me thinkes you that are here this day, ſhould all come, and reſolve to conſecrate your ſelves, your ſoules and bodies, to give up all unto the Lord, it is hee that hath delivered you, let him have obedience from you, it is he that hath maintained you, therefore give up liberally all that he hath beſtowed upon you, Luke 1 74, 75. ſee the Collection there made; He hath delivered us from the feare of our enemies, that we ſhould ſerve him in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe all the dayes of our lives. God hath redeemed us from the jawes of hell, and the bond of the devill, (to what purpoſe) that being redeemed from the devill, and from our temporall enemies, we ſhould live in baſeneſſe, and looſeneſſe, and diſhonour him as he hath delivered us? No, but to ſerve him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe; not in Holineſſe onelyonly, in regard of the firſt Table, but in Righteouſneſſe alſo, in regard of the ſecond Table, and before him, that is, in Sinceritie, and all the dayes of our life, that is, in the dayes of grace and proſperitie, as alſo in the dayes of affliction: therefore ſay, the Lord hath delivered us in Eightie eight, and in the Gunpowder treaſon, to what purpoſe, therefore call upon one another and ſay, our lives, our ſubſtance and all we have is the Lords, therefore let us ſerve him, and glorifie him, 1 Sam. 27.28. when Hannah asked a child, and the Lord heard her, when ſhe had the child, ſhee returnes, and marke how ſhe pleads, I prayed for the child, and the Lord heard me, therefore I will give him againe unto the Lord. You Fathers of Iſrael, and Daughters of Sarah, men and brethren, thinke of it: Nay, I goe further, you little ones that are preſerved this day that you live, you may thanke the Lord; if Eightie eight or the Gunpowder treaſon had taken place, where had you and your fathers been; but if children will not, or can not, yet you mothers teach them, and fathers inſtruct them, thinke of it, and joyne all in the ſame reſolution, doe as Hanna did, preſent all you have about you before the Lord, and ſay, theſe children are thine, we begg'd them in Eightie eight, and in the Gunpowder treaſon, they are thine by creation, they are thine by preſervation, it is the Lord that hath delivered us from the jawes of the Lyon, from the power of malicious enemies, therefore now joyne hands and hearts together, and ſay, Lord bleſſe goods and children, all we have is thine, we conſecrate all to thy Majeſtie; had the Papiſts prevailed, had the Powder plot taken ground, we had beene defeated, but thy power reſiſted them, and thy wiſedome defeated them, therefore all is thine, and wee render all unto thee. Thus I charge you, give up all unto the Lord, he gave all at firſt, he hath preſerved all hitherto, therefore give up all to the Lord, as you have received all from him.
The ſecond part of the Exhortation is this, as we muſt conſecrate all to God that hath given all, ſo ſecondly, here is a point of wiſedome, Labour to be in league with this God. Oh that I could perſwade you to tender your owne comfort. If you heard the enemies were landed, you would runne a hurry and ſay, how ſhall we be ſaved and delivered? what courſe ſhall we take, and whether ſhall wee goe? Now learne a point of wiſedome, and labour now to be in league with that God, that is the deliverer in the time of trouble, make God on your ſide, and then all will goe well with you; deliverance is not in men, it is not in power, it is not in policie, it is not in ſhipping, it is onelyonly of the Lord, in whom you may have it and frō whom you may receive it, perſwade your hearts therefore to be in league with this God, and to joyne ſides with the Lord, that in the time of trouble, he may plucke you out of the paw of the Lyon, that he may turne the heart of the enemie towards you; if he ſhould come, God grant he may never come; but in the meane time we ſhall doe well to provide againſt the day of triall and miſery, which is like to approach unto us. I ſay no more, but conclude this Point, with that, Joſhua 9. as the Gibeonites dealt with Ioſhua, ſo deale with God, at the 11. and 12. Verſes: when the Gibeonites heard wha… Ioſhua had done, that he had ſubdued all enemies, and ſlame all Kings that came againſt him, and gotten a great victory; what courſe tooke they? they laboured to make peace with Ioſhua, they ſaw he was comming againſt them, and that the Lord had given him exceeding ſtrange victories: Now the Gibeonites come to Ioſhua in Gigall, and tell him we are men of a farre country, and wee have heard all that the Lord hath done for you in Egypt, and what he hath done to Sihon King of Heſhbon, and Og King of Baſhan, wherefore our Elders ſaid goe and meete them, and ſay we are thy ſervants, make a league with us. They heard how God had deſtroyed Pharaoh, and his hoaſt that came againſt his children, and how hee delivered divers Kings into their hands; therefore now they ſeeke to get favour with Ioſhua. We are thy ſervants, now therefore make a league with us. Let this be your courſe: have you not heard of the greatneſſe of God who ſuccoured you in Eightie eight, and who was it that made good his promiſes unto us in all extremities? It was the God of Iſrael, the Lord did all this; doe as the Gibeonites did, therefore humble your ſoules and ſeeke to him, and ſay, we are thy ſervants, onelyonly make a league with us, make peace with us; a league defenſive, and a league offenſive, that the Lord may deliver us and ſtand by us, that the Lord may be at peace with us, that in the day of trouble we may receive comfort and grace from him: ſo much for that Point. But this is that which cuts our hearts, and damps a mans endeavours, and makes his heart breake almoſt: aye, but what if God will not deliver, and make a league with us, a ſhame it is, and a ſorrow it ſhould be that ever we ſhould ſo behave our ſelves towards this God, that he that hath delivered us, ſhould give us a flat den all, and ſay, goe to your Cups, you that are drunkards, and to your whores, you that are adulterers, thoſe are you gods, let them now deliver you, I will deliver you and ſave you no more. Remember the time was, I have heard you, and delivered you, but you turned my grace into wantonneſſe, Therefore I will deliver you no more. This will be a heavie doome, if God thus anſwer us. I come therefore to the ſecond Point The eſtate of Gods Church may be Doct. 2 ſuch, that he may lend no further ſuccour and deliverance unto it. It is that which God doth here profeſſe peremptorily, I will deliver you no more, you have not acknowledged what I have done heretofore, nor walked worthy of it, therefore I will now ſtay my hand and deliver you no more. The Point is cleare, The eſtate of Gods Church may be ſuch, that he will ſend them no further ſuccour and reliefe, Luke 21.22. It is obſerveable, when the day of Ieruſalem came on, and when deſolation ſhould come upon it, the Lord calls them the dayes of vengeance, as who ſhould ſay, the Lord hath a fit ſeaſon appointed wherein hee will puniſh his Church and people, and when the time is come, thoſe are the ſet and determinate dayes of vengeance, and the ſeaſons of plagues and puniſhments, which the Lord which is the God of all ſeaſons will obſerve: The Wiſeman ſaith there is a ſeaſon for every thing; A time to plant, and a time to lacke up; a ſeaſon to doe good to a Nation, and a ſeaſon to overthrow a Na…ion, R…v. 14 15. There is a harveſt of vengance, when a people is ripe to ruine, put in thy ſickle for the harveſt is ripe: the harveſt is nothing elſe but the deſolation of a people, and the ſickle is nothing elſe, but the ruine of a people, ſo that there is a kinde of ripeneſſe, and fitneſſe for deſolation, wherein the Lord will execute judgement upon his people, hence it is that the Lord ſaith, he is weary with bearing: nay, the patience of God is even put to a ſtand, Ier. 5.7. How ſhall I ſpare thee for this; as who ſhould ſay, God was put to a ſtay, as I may ſpeake with reverence, he was put to plea with himſelfe, he knew not how to preſerve his owne honour, and ſave them, as who ſhould ſay, my long ſuffering will indure it, but my faithfulneſſe will not indure it my anger burnes out againſt you. I have ſpared you often, I will ſpare you no more, Eſay 1.24 there the Miniſters of his patience are at an end. I will eaſe me of my adverſaries, and avenge me of mine enemie; as if I had ſaid, I have borne with you ſo long that I have beene preſſed as a Cart is preſſed under ſheaves, at laſt I will turne you off. I will eaſe me of my adverſaries, and avenge me of my enemies: therefore, Ezeck. 14.14. there are three paſſages to be obſerved when the Lord ſeeth the time of deſtruction comming on and determined, the Text ſaith, If Daniel, Noah, and Iob were among them, they ſhould deliver none but their owne ſoules: you know if any thing will prevaile with the Lord, it is Prayer, the prayer of the faithfull; Noah; Daniel, and Iob, were eminent in prayer, yet the prayers of the beſt deliver not ſometimes, nay, if they ſhould joyne all together, for that is obſerveable, if they were in it, as in a draught, when a Cart is at a plunge, one or two horſes cannot pull it out, but if there come two or three horſes more ſtout and ſtrong, they will plucke it out, or teare all in peeces, but if theſe three ſhould joyne all together their prayers and deſires for a people, the Lord ſaith, As I live I will not ſave them: the Lord takes an oath of it, now whatſoever the Lord ſweares to, it is undoubtedly accompliſhed, that ſhewes immutabilitie of the decree, other threatnings may be diſpenſed withall, but as I live ſaith the Lord, though they all pray and joyne together, yet they ſhall not deliver this Nation from puniſhment; ſo then the caſe is cleare, you ſee there is a day of vengeance, a ripeneſſe of a people unto ruine, the Lord will beare no longer, nay he will eaſe himſelfe, and all the meanes under heaven cannot prevaile with him, they continuing in their eſtate, but now the maine thing comes on, when is this time, what is this eſtate, when the Lord wil not deliver any more, how ſhall we know it? when may we feare it? how ſhall we judge of this condition of a people when it is thus with them? Give me leave firſt to diſcover it in generall, and then deſcend to particulars, the caſe in the generall is marvellous, the time when and what the condition is, when the Lord will not deliver, Gen. 15.16. this is evidently ſet forth. The Text ſaith of Abraham, that the fourth generation that ſhould come of Abraham ſhold come into the land of Canaan: but why ſhould they not come now? becauſe, ſaith the Text, the ſinnes of the Amorites are not yet full and perfectly ripe: this is the reaſon why Abraham and his poſterity ſhall not take poſſeſſion of the land of Canaan for the preſent, intimating that if the ſinne of the Amorites had beene now full, the Lord would have brought his people into Canaan and deſtroyed the Amorites, they ſhould not have continued, but becauſe they were not yet ripe, therefore the Lord doth ſtill beare with them; ſo then when the ſinne of a Nation comes to full ripeneſſe and perfection, then the truth is the Lord will ſave and deliver no more; now the ripeneſſe of an eſtate and condition will appeare in two things, as it is in other things, in fruit, and in the body of a man; wee ſay a child is come to full growth when two things befall him: when he hath attained his full bigneſſe, and when he is come to be full of ſtrength, we ſay then, he is as good a man as ever hee will be; ſo it is in the nature of ſinne: when ſinne is come to the full bigneſſe and ſtrength and power it is the deadly ſymptome of deſolation and confuſion of a Nation where ſuch kinde of ſinnes are, therefore marke it, this is the cauſe generally to be obſerved and concluded.
Now I come to the particulars, and here I muſt ſtay a little, becauſe the point lieth here, and I muſt ſhew two things, firſt, when ſinne is come to the full bigneſſe, and when it is come to the full ſtrength and ripeneſſe, and when theſe two are proved, the Caſe will be cleare; when a deſtruction of a people is determined of God, and will be effected by God: theſe things belong to every ſoule of you, if you have not hearts of Chriſtians about you, but even of humanitie, as you are men, that belong to the ſame Country, and live in the ſame Nation, theſe things belong unto you, therefore attend thereunto. And firſt, I will open the firſt thing, and ſhew you when ſinne is come to the full bigneſſe, and that it may be diſcovered by two things. The firſt is this, when ſinne is growne univerſall, and common, and generall, ſo that corruption is as it were crept into every corner and coaſt of the Nation, nay, it accompanieth every ſort and condition of men, in every place, in every village and towne: I muſt confeſſe, that amongſt a world of people ſome there will be, that will keepe their garments unſpotted, and themſelves undefiled from the courſes of the wicked, but this is not the meaning of the point: but ſinne is ſaid to be generall, when the face of a Church and a Common-wealth is over-ſpread with baſe abominations, though ſome particulars be preſerved, and ſome few keepe themſelves unſpotted there with, what is that to the maine, what is a handfull to the multitude, what is one family to a towne, or one in a family, or one ſtreete in a citie? When ſinne overwhelmes the whole face and courſe of the Church: when for the generall, almoſt all ſorts and conditions of men depart from the Lord, Gen. 6.23. this we ſhall obſerve is the very note that haſtens deſolation and diſcovers the bigneſſe of ſinne: All fleſh had corrupted their wayes, and God ſaw that the earth was full of violence, behold here is univerſall injuſtice, prophaneneſſe and contempt of God and his ordinances, all fleſh had corrupted their wayes, all kindes of men, great ones, poore ones, honourable ones, baſe ones, all in all places and conditions, they all runne in the ſtreame of ungodlineſſe, therefore marke in the 6. Verſe, the Text ſaith, It grieved the Lord at the heart that he had made man; God was inwardly vexed with his people, and then hee begins to make an end, a Deluge of ſinne, and a Deludge of deſtruction, a ſloud of wickedneſſe overflowed the old world, therefore the waters drowned the old world: Looke as it is with a Garden, if all the good fruite and herbes be ſpoiled, onelyonly here and there a roote of an herbe, but all the reſt is like a wilderneſſe, then it is time to digge up the ground; ſo when wickedneſſe in a Land is growne like a wilderneſſe, drunkennes and ſwearing, like a wilderneſſe, here and there is a Saint of God and a poore ſoule, that walkes in ſincerity, but for the common, the generall ſort deny the power of godlineſſe; when it is come to this paſſe, this is the time for deſolation and ruine; goe to and fro through the ſtreetes of Ieruſalem, and ſee if there be any that doth righteouſneſſe; it was a ſtrange deſolation of righteouſneſſe, (as if the Lord had ſaid, goe from towne to towne, and ſee if there be any Magiſtrate abiding, or any Churchwardens abiding, and marke, he goeth to the poore, and they know not the judgements of the Lord, then he goeth to the rich, and they know it, but they breake all bonds. Now marke what the Lord anſwereth, Therefore a Lyon out of the forreſt ſhall ſlay them, and a Wolfe of the evening ſhall devoure them, becauſe rich and poore and all were backeſliders, the Lord beſet them with plagues, with Lyons and Beares, and Wolves, that is, ravenous enemies ſhall rend and teare them in peeces and none ſhall deliver: As it is in a man, if all the bloud & ſpirits be infected, if the ſubſtantial parts, the head, the heart, & the liver be conſuming and rotting, there muſt follow a totall ruine of the whole man, becauſe there is an univerſall kinde of corruption. Looke as it is in the building of an houſe, when the maine pillars begin to rot, & the ſupporters of the houſe moulder away, there is no ſupporting of it, but it muſt be made new, or elſe it will fall down; as it is in the body naturall, ſo alſo in the body politique, as in the houſe, ſo in the eſtate, when there is a kinde of rottenneſſe in the body and eſtates, when the head is ſicke, and the heart heavie; When the children gather ſtickes, and the father kindles a fire, and the mother bakes cakes to the Queene of heaven: this is when young and old, and all conſpire together in wickedneſſe, the Lord ſendeth fire from heaven & none ſhall quench it, Ier. 7.18. they all were buſie to performe idolatrous worſhip, father and mother, children and all, and ſaith the Lord, Doe they provoke me to anger, & not themſelves to the confuſion of their owne faces: ſo it is when the husband and the wife and children, and all ſweare; when the father and mother hates holineſſe, the Lord will ſend fire from heaven, and none ſhall quench it, iniquitie ſwells and groweth bigge in ſuch a caſe.
Secondly, the bigneſſe of ſin is diſcovered, when with the commonneſſe of ſinne, there is openneſſe joyned, when ſinne growes open, and ſhameleſſe, when the practiſers thereof become bold and baſe in their abhominable practiſes: Looke as it is with a graft, when it is little it cannot be perceived, the hedge or pale may hide it, but when it is growne, it overtops the pale and wall, and every man may perceive it; for when ſinne is committed onelyonly by a few, when it is confined into a Cottage, or into an Houſe, then it is not ſo open to the view, but when all ſorts are given to it, the ſinne comes to have a whores forhead, and a braſen face; ſinners are more bold to oppoſe governors that are in place to puniſh it, then they are to execute the law upon them: drunkenneſſe was wont to be a rare thing, as one ſpake, drunkenneſſe was for Beggers, but now it is for Gentlemen and Knights: this ſhewes, that now ſinne is open and ſhameleſſe, and therefore that it is come to its full bigneſſe, and therefore wee may juſtly expect deſolation. But in the next place you will ſay, how ſhall wee know when ſin is come to the full ſtrength, I anſwer, looke as it is grace, ſo it is in ſinne: when a man can undergoe all trials, and beare up himſelfe againſt all temptations and doubtings, when hee can either recover himſelfe being falne, or elſe keepe himſelfe, this is an undoubted ſigne of a perfect and ſtrong Chriſtian: ſo it is in the nature of ſinne, in the body of ſinne; in this old man of corruption, when a ſinner is come to this paſſe, that he is able by the power of his corruptions to withſtand all the meanes of reclaiming and reformation, when hee is not bettered by them, nor cannot be wrought upon by the power of them, then hee is a ſtrong wicked man, hee is one of the elſe ſonnes of Satan: hee is one of the generalls of the field in the campe of the devill; when all the helpes that God hath appointed, and all the meanes that God hath ordained for the ſubduing of baſe corruptions, yet if the ſinnes that are in a family, or towne, or Nation, if the ſtreame and tide of them beare downe all before them, the worke of the Magiſtracie and Miniſtery, and meanes appointed, then it is a ſigne, that ſinne is come to the full ſtrength, and that ruine and deſolation ſhall befall that perſon, or family, or towne, or nation, when ſinne is come to that perfection, as it is in the body of a man, when a Gangrene is ſpread ſo farre that nothing can ſtoppe it, no phyſicke can remove it, it preſageth the certaine ruine of that man, that member muſt be cut off, or elſe the body will periſh: ſo when ſinne is growne ſo remedileſſe, that all the meanes which God hath ordained for the purging out of the ſame will not prevaile, then it is a ſigne that ſinne is come to the full ſtrength, and that ſuch a nation or perſon is fit for ruine. But you will ſay, wherein doth this ſtrength of ſin appeare in the oppoſing the means of reformation: I anſwer, it appeares, in five particulars; The firſt is this, when a Nation or People doth not profit by all the corrections that God layes upon them, when the rodde and blowes wherewith God hath exerciſed them have not proper and powerfull effects in the hearts of thoſe that have beene beaten mightily by the hand of God, when the corrections of the Lord, humble not a People, and reforme not a Nation, purge not the corruptions, and ſubdue not their diſtempers, nor make them come home to him that ſmote them, this argues the ſtrength of corruption, when the fierceſt indignation of the Lord is not able to cruſh a proud drunkard, howſoever the Lord hath ſent many plagues into this country, and into this towne, here one is dying and there another is taken away by the deſtroying Angell of the Lord, yet is not his drunkenneſſe any whit abated, that man will be as drunke and proud, and as ſcorning, and as contemning of God & his ordinances as ever: Thinke of it, the God of heaven will require it one day at your hands, when men will not be bettered by Gods corrections, hee will breake them in peeces; this is the courſe that God takes with them, Levit. 26.24. the Famine hath beene threatned, the plague inflicted and the Sword is comming, when your husbands went to racke then you were howling and crying, if the Sword come to plucke away the child out of the mothers armes, then there will be howling and taking notice of the abomination that harbours among you: if all the former judgements doe it not, hee will ſend the Sword, and there are ſeven plagues in a Sword; hee hath a quarrell againſt all profane perſons that hate godlineſſe: God will be revenged upon the heads and hearts of them in that day, when hee ſendeth to viſite them. Looke as it is with a Goldſmith, if he have a veſſell or any peece in that nature that is all battered or broken together, or if there be a cracke in it, that all the ſcowring and hammering of it will not bring it out, then hee will melt it; ſo when the canker of a baſe heart, this cankar of pride and covetouſneſſe, when theſe eate into the hearts of a company of ſinfull creatures, hee hammers them, hee ſends plagues and ſickneſſes, but if all this will not doe it, then hee will melt them, and deſtroy their curſed generation and raiſe a new building that will walke with more care and conſcience, and be ſubject with more uprightneſſe, to take his yoke upon them, and if the Lord ſhould not proceed after this manner, God could not maintaine his owne glory and Iuſtice: if a company of wretches might ſcoffe at the corrections of the Lord, and count them as matters of nothing they will brave the Almighty, let God doe what he can, wee will be profane, and carnall, and unjuſt, let God plague us, wee will be more vicious than God can be angry with us, and execute plagues upon us: when it is thus with wicked men, the Lord will make them feele his fingers, and they that will not be amended, the Lord will knocke them to peeces and conſume them. And when we ſhall ſee the ſtreets runne with the bloud of drunkards and looſe perſons, then you will ſay, had the hand of the Lord wrought upon us, it would not now have beene thus with us, Iſai. 9.13. the Lord ſmote the people and they returned not, therefore what ſaith the Lord, he will plague and make an utter ruine of them, becauſe they would not humble themſelves before the Lord, nor ſeeke to him, nor make their peace with him, the Lord hath ſeven plagues more, and he will welter you in your bloud, and plucke your curſed abhominations from your boſomes, then you will ſay. God is juſt and terrible, and had wee beene reformed by former puniſhments, wee had not hence under this fierce rodde which we now feele.
The ſecond ſigne of the ſtrength of ſinne is this, when the Lord ſends peace and plentie, and proſperitie, and theſe bleſſings of God doe not perſwade men to love him ſo much the more, and uſe them ſo much the better, but they fall in love with the gift, and for…ake the giver; you make your honour, and eaſe, and pleaſure, you make them gods, and depart from the Lord, which is the giver of all, then it is juſt with the Lord to plucke away that eaſe and honour and preferment that you dote upon, and are addicted to, that in the want of theſe, you may learne to prize the Goſpel, and learne to eſteeme of the Lord Chriſt and his grace above all theſe contents the world can afford: now unleſſe the Lord ſhould be acceſſary to the diſhonour of his owne name, what would you have the Lord to doe, would you have him give you peace and proſperitie, to neglect the peace of a good conſcience; by this meanes God ſhould be as it were, the author of his owne diſhonour: no, no, thinke of it; I feare it will be true, if the Lord ſhould take away our eaſe and liberty, that we have made Idols off, then you ſhall ſay, if you had prized God and Goſpel more than eaſe and liberty, you might have had theſe and God and Goſpel too, Deut. 28.48. this is that which will one day ſticke heavie upon your hearts; for your ſoules ſake thinke of it, and remember it; if the Lord ſhould ſend the enemy upon us, and lay hardneſſe over us, and wee ſhould be made vaſſals unto the tyranny of wicked men, this will ſticke to your hearts: had I ſerved the Lord in plenty, and ſuch a time when I enjoyed the meanes of ſalvation, then it had beene well with me, but I was looſe and profared the Lords day, and therefore it is juſt now, I ſerve the enemie upon the Lords day, I am made a drudge and a vaſſall and a ſlave to the malice of the wicked. It is juſt with God and righteous with the Lord, you would not ſerve God when time was; you would not heare the Word when time was, God will provide a courſe for you, you ſhall have ſervice enough, and God will hold you to it, you ſhall ſerve cruell and bloud-thirſty enemies, to the ſhame of your faces here, and to the ruine of you and yours hereafter for ever, 2 Chron. 36.21. then ſhall the land reſt one Sabbath, ſaith the Text: marke this among the Iewes; the Lord appointed every ſeventh yeare to be a Sabbath, that the Saints ſhould reſt, there ſhould be no plowing nor ſowing and all creatures ſhould reſt; now they were ſo covetous that they would plucke commonly out of the earth, the ſeventh yeare, well ſaith the Lord, you will not let the land reſt, you ſhall be led captive, and then the land ſhall reſt on her Sabboth; it is juſt that God ſhould plucke away theſe benefits, to the confuſion of our face, for ever when we abuſe them. Looke as it is with a wife, if ſhe ſhould have a ſervant in the houſe which ſhee loves more than her husband, what courſe muſt be taken, hee muſt fling him out of the houſe and away with him; ſo when wee ſhould love God and prize his glory and truth, I, yet we will love the world, and profit, and eaſe, and quiet, and peace, and liberty, and we wil do nothing that may hazard theſe: it is righteous with the Lord to caſhere thoſe commodities, and plucke away the adulterous lover of wealth and honour and eaſe, that he may make a way himſelfe in your ſoules, that he may rule in you, and take poſſeſſion of you.
The third meanes is this, when corrections reforme not, and the bleſſings of God perſwade not men, then the Lord vouchſafeth to ſend his Word among his people, and that ſhould ſupply the want of all other meanes, and ſhould be more powerfull than any other in the world beſides, ſo that howſoever the covetous Carle dotes upon his wealth, the Word ſhould looſen his mind from it, and reveale the vanitie of it; however corrections humble not, yet the Word is able to breake the ſoule, and worke the ſoule to an humble ſubjection, the Word is the power of God to ſalvation, which is able to cruſh all corruptions, and ſubdue all ſinnes, but ſinne is come to this height that the Word is unfruitfull and unprofitable, then ſinne is deſperately ſtrong, and wee are then come to the laſt and worſt eſtate that can be, it is more than wee are aware of, and more than commonly wee conſider of, we know not what we doe, when our hearts continue in reſiſting the Word of the Lord, 2 Chron. 36.16. It is a deadly ſigne of deſolation of any people: When the liberty of Ieruſalem was at the laſt gaſpe, giving up the Ghoſt, and there was but an inch between them and deſolation, marke what the Text ſaith, they mocked his Prophets, and deſpiſed his Meſſengers, till the wrath of the Lord aroſe, and there was no remedy, here was the ground, this was the maine thing, that the ſinne eates the eſtate in ſunder, and pulled downe the pillars of the common wealth of Iudea, you would thinke, was it ſo much to deſpiſe the Word of a Miniſter, Ah, ſaith the Text, the wrath of the Lord aroſe and there was no remedy; as if hee had ſaid, the Lord is able to beare much at the hands of ungodly men: and me thinkes the Lord ſaith; I could have endured your drunkenneſſe, and endured your profaneſſe, had you but ſubmitted to my Word, thoſe corruptions might have beene ſubdued, but not onelyonly to practiſe ungodlineſſe, but to refuſe the word, that ſhould ſubdue thoſe corruptions: when the Lord ſaw this, his wrath aroſe, and there was no remedy, God can endure much, though a man have many corruptions in him, though many ſinnes have beene committed by him if the ſoule be yet content to heare and tremble at Gods Ordinances, but when a man is not content to commit ſinne onelyonly, but he will oppoſe Gods Word: then the Lord, like the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah, can hold no longer, then the wrath of the Lord aroſe, and there was no remedy, but he would lay waſte the Land, when wee ſpill the phyſicke that ſhould cure us, and caſt away the ſalve that ſhould heale us, how can we be helped and cured, this is the ground and reaſon of thoſe many phraſes we have in Scripture: Why? the Lord is ſaid to extend his providence over a people, in vouchſafing the Goſpell, Mat. 23. the later end; it is a well knowne place, wee will open it a little and apply it to our purpoſe, becauſe it is pregnant: the Text ſaith, O Ieruſalem, Ieruſalem, how often would I have gathered thee under my wings by the preaching of the Goſpell, and revealing of their ſinnes, he would have gathered their hearts unto him, and would have caſt the wing of his providence over a people, as they are willing to ſubmit to the Goſpell, but Ieruſalem would not, hee ſent his Prophets to reveale his will, they ſtoned them, therefore ſaith the Text, Your habitation is left unto you deſolute, that is the iſſue, they would not have the Word reforme them, therefore they ſhall have the Sword to plague them, Luke 19.44. the caſe is evident, the Lord diſcovers the beſiedging and the ſacking of Ieruſalem, there ſhall not a ſtone be left upon a ſtone, becauſe thou knowest not the time of thy viſitation; as who ſhould ſay, the Lord came to viſite Ieruſalem with mercy to comfort her, with pardon to cheere her, to ſhew her her ſins, & humble her ſoule, but ſhe regarded not this kindnes of the Lord, therefore there is a ſiege about her, and that is very heavie, and take notice of it. The Lord is ſpecially angry with a Nation, for the breach of his Covenant, and neglect of his worſhip, the Lord doth hate it, and is carried with great violence towards thoſe people that worſhip God falſely, 1 King. 13. the two laſt Verſes, the Text ſaith, He made of the loweſt of the people Prieſts: as who ſhould ſay, he made a company of drunkards, and belly-Gods Miniſters, and is that ſuch a great matter? Yes, that one ſin turned to the utter ruine of the houſe of Ieroboam, to roote him out.
Fourthly, if this will not doe the deede, but men will reſiſt the meanes that God puts into their hands: then fourthly, this is an other evidence, that ſinne groweth ſtrong when there wants a competent number of mourners in a land, which might uphold it, and joyne ſides againſt ſinne and Satan, and maintaine the good of a kingdome, in deſpight of the wicked in a kingdome, this is one of the laſt ſuccours of ſupplies a kingdome hath, how ever wicked men will not be perſwaded and humbled, yet if there be a competent number. if there be ſo many as will make an army of faſting and prayer to grapple with God, they may prevaile with God for mercy for a kingdome, there is hope though the moſt be naught, yet the better ſide will prevaile, but when the flouds of iniquitie ſlow in amaine, ſo that the beſt of Gods people are taken aſide with the ſtreame of corruption, and beginne to grow careleſſe, and not to oppoſe the ſinnes of the times, this is a ſore argument that there is almoſt no remedie for ſuch a Nation, no meanes to beate backe the indignation of the Lord, Gen. 19 when Sodom could not ſave it ſelfe, ten righteous perſons would have ſaved it, though they wold have pulled Gods indignation upon them, yet a competent number often men would have ſtayed the indignation, and gone betweene the living and the dead; ſo were there a proportionable number of mourners in a Land, though there be a company of mocke-gods, that would pull downe the indignation of God upon them, yet a company of godly gracious men might ſtrive with the Lord, and uphold their libertie, but when corruptions are growne ſo ſtrong that good men are defiled, and their hearts tainted, and their mouthes ſtopped, woe to that kingdome and people: Looke as it is with the ſea-coaſt, when the bankes are ſuch that they can beare out the waves, be the ſea never ſo boyſterous, there is hope of ſafetie, but if the ſea breake all before it, there is no hope to ſtoppe it, ſo it is in this caſe, the bankes that beare out the indignation of the Lord, are righteous holy men, they ſtay the hand of God, and ſtop the floud of Gods vengeance; that they doe not breake in and overflow all, but if the banke be gone, if a convenient company of godly men be taken away, then there is no hope of mercy, but the ſea of Gods indignation will flow in amaine upon that place.
The fifth and laſt meanes, to uphold liberty and ſafetie of a Nation, is this when men begin to be ſenſible of miſery, when they have eyes to ſee the plague, and hearts affected with the ſinnes committed, and with the judgements deſerved when they obſerve what will befall, they will uſe ſome meanes that it may not befall: but when a people grow ſenſeleſſe, and benummed, and ſecure, in a baſe practiſe and ungodly courſe, that they obſerve not the evills committed, nor take notice of the judgements of God deſerved, but lie in a careleſſe ſecure condition, there is no expectation in reaſon how ſuch a Nation ſhould prevent the wrath of the Almighty, when they ſee not what ſhall befall, have no care to prevent what may befall, 1 Theſſ. 5.3. There is a warning ſhot before the Cannon ſhot, there is a watch word before deſtruction commeth, when they crie peace, then commeth deſtruction: when they quiet themſelves in their owne courſes- when they are not onelyonly wicked, but ſecure in their wickedneſſe, then comes ſuddaine deſtruction, I conclude with that, Matth. 24.39. As it was in the dayes of Noah, there the Lord as it were ſmites men with Plagues anſwerable to their ſinnes, they were careleſſe and ſecure in the dayes of Noah, and then came ſuddaine deſtruction, ſo it will be now, as in the dayes of Noah, when Noah, was knocking the Arke, every naile hee drave, was a Sermon: Repent you carnall and unjuſt oppreſſors, the flood is comming and deſolation approaching, but they knew nothing, that is, they feared no ſuch matter: Let N…ah ſay what he will, what, a flood come and deſtroy all the world? it will not be, it cannot be, they knew nothing before the ſlood came, ſo then the iſſue is this, when ſinne is growne univerſall, when men are ſhameleſſe in the commiſſion thereof, and out-bid all meanes of reformation, the corrections of the Lord humble not, the mercies of the Lord perſwade not, the word reformes not, nay when the righteous are periſhed from the earth, and the bankes are broken downe, when there is not a competent number of mourners, to withſtand the wrath of the Lord, nay when men are ſenceleſſe and ſecure, all men commit ſinne, and feare not the wrath of God for ſin, then ſinne comes to bee of a Giant-like ſtrength and bignes.
Wee will now make uſe of the point, the caſe is cleare, when ſinne outbids all meanes of reformation, then men are ripe for deſolation, wee will firſt raiſe a ground of inſtruction, and then make way for an uſe of examination, and learne this point of inſtruction, that this, of all plagues under heaven, is one of the heavieſt of all judgements, it is the ſoreſt that a wicked man ſhould proſper and thrive in his ungodly courſes, that hee ſhould bee able to breake through the net, and come off clearely; whatſoever comes to the countrary, he hath what hee will, and doth what hee pleaſe, and no word reformes him, no meanes hinder him, thinke of this when the Lord pulls up the ſtake, and gives him the reine, and lets him goe poſt-haſte, and hurry headlong downe to deſtruction, that is the onelyonly way to pull the ſoule of a ſinner into the bottomleſſe pit. It is ſaid, Hoſea 2. that when the Lord doth pleaſe to bring any of his people home, this is Gods ſpeciall care in the ſixt Verſe, the Lord prickes his fingers, and ſtops him, and makes a hedge about a covetous deceitfull wretch, that he cannot breake through but hee hath now a knocke of conſcience, now a judgement of God, now a terrour of the Almighty. This is the onelyonly way to bring a ſoule home to God, then ſhee will ſay, I will returne unto my firſt husband, but this is one of the heavieſt judgements, and ſoreſt plagues that can befall a ſinfull creature, that the Lord ſhould pull downe the hedge, and breake open the wall, and let them runne ryot, take thy courſe, and follow thy vanities, I will hinder thee no more till I have thee in hell, and then thou ſhalt be plagued for all together, Ier. 12.3. it is a fine phraſe, when Jeremie was perplexed with the proſperity of the wicked, he was marvelouſly troubled, becauſe of the excellency of ungodly men, at laſt hee quits himſelfe with this, they were as Sheepe fatted for the ſlaughter. What will become of you that have all meanes of reformation, the Lords mercies and Miniſters, and judgements have ſtriven with you; what will become of you when ſuch a creature comes to hell, the divell will make bonefires of him, but they ſhall make holy day in hell, their plagues ſhall be nothing to theirs that have had all meanes, and reſiſted all meanes of grace and ſalvation, the divells will rejoyce to meete a drunkard in hell, and ſay, what art thou come to hell, after all meanes vouchſafed, and all helpes beſtowed? the divells will make bonefires, and ſtand on tip-toes and crow over ſuch perſons. What, you that enjoyed the meanes of grace and ſalvation, what, you come to hell too; all the whole route of them will outbrave ſuch an oppoſer of God, and his ordinances, hee ſhall bee a head blocke in hell; I will conclude the point and ſay no more; if there be any ſuch here preſent, (as there is too many) that can bragge of their looſe courſes, and glory of their villanie; I drunke him under the table, no counſell ſhall prevaile with him, no meanes ſhall take place in him, doſt boaſt of thy villanie in this kinde, doſt glory becauſe thou thriveſt in thy wickedneſſe; woe, woe to thy ſoule, thou art ready for the ſlaughter, and the Lord ſhall bring thee downe into everlaſting deſtruction; know it, God hath ſayd, when the harveſt is ripe, he will put in the Sickle, and thou that art ripe ſhalt bee ſure of deſolation: Looke as it is with a ſicke man, when meate cannot nouriſh him, when phiſicke workes not, and Phiſitians are at a ſtand, and all leave him, then wee ſay hee is but a dead man; the Phiſitians have left him, thinke of it, the Lord of heaven comes to viſit thee, thy ſicke ſoule is like the ſicke man, many mercies he powreth into thy ſoule to humble thee, many judgements, to eate out thy proud fleſh; he comes to launce thee on one ſide, and binde thee upon the other ſide, but if all theſe will doe thee no good, it is a fearefull ſymptome; nay it is certaine, there was never any man ſo ſure to dye when all meanes left him, as thy ſoule ſhall bee damned when all meanes prevaile not.
The ſecond uſe is a uſe of examination, Is this true then, when ſinne growes ripe, then the Lord will not ſuccour and relieve any more, then wee may have a ſhrowd gueſſe, and gather a ſoare argument of the ruine and deſolation of any perſon, towne or countrey, when a Nation is as it were giving up the ghoſt, and drawing on to everlaſting deſtruction, the former doctrine will be a mervelous helpe, and great ſuccour unto us for direction in this ca…e: The Phiſitians, one part of their skill is this, they call it a foretelling ſigne, whereby they have a ſoare gueſſe when the body is dying, and nature growing on to diſſolution; when they ſee ſuch and ſuch ſignes in a man, they ſay he is dying, why the truth ſaith, the Text ſaith, and the Scriptures profeſſe it, where ever there is a full encreaſe a full ſtrength of ſinne, an univerſall kind of incorrigibleneſſe in a ſinfull courſe, it is a deadly ſigne that that ſtate, kingdome or perſon, is breathing out his laſt, and drawing to deſolation, as neare as may be.