Newcastles Call to Her Neighbor and Sister Towns, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The maine Doctrine propounded. The particulars of the Text laid open. Gods wrath againſt ſinners ſhewed. Mens ſenceleſſeneſſe thereof bewayled.
THeſe words are for our preſent uſe at this time, and chiefly teach us this maine Leſſon:
Doctr. When God manifeſts his diſpleaſure againſt us for our ſinnes, whether it bee by plague and peſtilence or otherwiſe, we are ſpedily to uſe the meanes which hee hath appointed to ſtay and pacifie his wrath.
So it was here: Wrath is gone out,How it is rayſed. therefore run in: or goe quickely to the Congregation, and make an attonement for them; for wrath is gone out, &c. Which duty, though it then properly belonged to Aaron, a type as is ſaid of Chriſt, who onelyonly turnes away wrath,1 Theſ. 1.10. and delivers us from wrath (as preſent ſo) to come; and now in great part to the Miniſters of the new Teſtament, who eſpecially at ſuch times as theſe muſt weepe betweene the porch and the Altar, …oel. 2.16.…7.& ſay, Spare thy people o… Lord, &c.
Yet it belongs to others alſo, as to Chriſtian Magiſtrates, and generally to all and every one who in CHRIST profeſſeth himſelfe to be a Spirituall Prieſt. This point I ſhall preſſe and vrge by arguments fetched eſpecially from the Text; Therefore as Preparatorie thereunto, let us firſt (but very briefly) no…e and lay open ſome particulars of the Text.
The parts of the text.In which wee hauehave both a Maledy and a Remedie, Fire and Water, a Plague, and a Plaiſter; 1. Malady.a Lumpe, boyle, riſing and ſwelling of the Plague, and a lumpe of Figgs as a plaiſter for the ſame.2. Remedy.
The former expreſſed by wrath and plague, is an effect both of their ſin as the cauſe, and of Gods juſtice as the Author and inflicter of the ſame, it being ſaid, wrath is gone out frō the Lord: the latter is implied in the firſt word For: for wrath is gone out, therefore take a cenſer, and uſe the meanes to quench it. So that now wee have here 1. a Doctrine, concerning the juſt wrath of God againſt ſinners: 2. Cauſes, reaſons and grounds of it: and 3. The uſe of all, by way of Inference, which we muſt chiefly inſiſt upon, though the former hauehave their ſpeciall reaſons and uſes alſo.
1 The Malady.The evill is here called with reſpect to God, Wrath or hot anger; with reſpect to man, a Plague.
1 Wrath.Firſt, by wrath here we underſtand ſome judgement and effect of ſuch anger and diſpleaſure as is in God himſelfe,What is meant by wrath. wherby being truely and inwardly diſpleaſed within himſelfe with ſinners, and alienated in his louelove from them for their ſinn, hee manifeſts ſo much by ſome reall tokens of the ſame.
Queſt 1 Queſt. 1. How is wrath in God.How is wrath in God?
Anſw. Anſw. Not properly as an affection: though even ſo it was in Chriſt, God—Man; yet without ſinne or perturbation, and as pure water put into a pure and cleane glaſſe, which being jogged and moved retaines its cleareneſſe ſtill, and not as commonly it is with us, who ſin in our anger, through the muddineſſe which i… in us through natural corruption. It is ſaid to be i… God, in regard of that tru… diſpleaſure and diſlike o… our ſin, whereby he truly hates it, and is contrary to it and to ſinners, ready to extirpate both ſin and ſinners, yet without any perturbation, griefe, or diſquiet within himſelfe▪ howſoever, what God ſpeaks after the maner of men, we muſt underſtand ſo as becomes the high & holy majeſtie of God.
Queſt. 2 Queſt. 2. How goes wrath out from God?
Anſw. Anſ. How goes wrath forth from God.When hee manifeſts this his inward diſlike of ſin, and contrariety againſt ſinners, by ſome outward token of his wrath, wherby he would be knowen to be diſpleaſed; as on the other hand,Luk. 8.46. vertue was ſaid to be gone out of Chriſt, when his power and mercy was manifeſted in healing the woman (which had the bloody iſſue) of her plague, Mar. 5.30 33.wch thing immediately upon her touching of him was made known unto her. So here; therfore as men being angry, ſhew their anger by ſome evill lookes, words or blows, & deed… ſo God is ſaid to bee … gry, and wrath to goe o… from him, when eſpecialy he inflicts ſome puniſhment or calamity, wher… by he ſhews his diſlike our ſinne. So Math. 3. Rom. 3.5. & 4.15. & 5.…
Doctr. God is truly diſpleaſed with ſin and ſinners: why?Now this may teacht… that ſin is truly diſpleaſi… unto God, hee neither approoves of it, nor of us … our ſinne. The Reaſon is 1. ſin is impuritie and uncleanneſs, and therfore … that regard both ſinn and ſinners are moſt contrar… to his moſt holy nature… immaculate eſſence. 2. S… … diſobedience, and ſo op…ſeth and withſtandeth his holy will which is Soveraign: no marvell then if God oppoſe and reſiſt ſuch proud ſinners, and walke contrarie to them that walke contrary to him. … Sin, eſpecially in theſe daies of grace, is unthankfulnes, and therefore juſtly hated of him. 4. In a word, it is diſhonor to him, eſpecially ſuch ſinnes as now are ſinned, when all our ſins are in a manner againſt all his attributes of goodnes, mercy, grace, juſtice, and againſt his works and manifeſtation of his attributes, as alſo again the light of his Goſpel… of our conſciences &c. … regard whereof, no m… vell if hee both threa… ſin in his Law,Gal. 3.10. annexin… curſe to the breach of … and daily, even in this li… plague and puniſh ſin a… ſinners.
Vſe. 1 To ſee what wee get by ſin.Vſe. See then what … doe when we ſinn again God: ſee what wee gai… by doing our owne wi… and following our ow… counſels contrary to God wee being our ſelves u… der his diſpleaſure, we… provoke a gracious Go… yea the great and drea… full Majeſtie of Heaven, and that to the confuſion of our own faces. At this time hee manifeſts much wrath againſt us of this p…ace, as alſo in part, the whole kingdom; for wrath is gon out from him againſt as, the plague is begun, and renued,Ann. 1625. after ſuch havock as it hath formerly, not many yeares ago, made amongſt us, eſpecially in the Mother citie, but never the like with us to that it is like to doe now. But oh the ſtupidity, groſneſs,2. To bewaile mens ſenſeleſnes under wrath. and ſenſeleſneſſe of our hearts! here I may take up Moſes his complaint in like caſe, Who knoweth th… power of thine anger? Pſal. 90.11eve… according to thy feare, ſo… thy wrath. Whoſe heart… ſmitten with feare anſwerable to the terriblenes … thy wrath, & by occaſion of thy feareful judgment as yet they ſhould bee who ſo feares thee fo… this thy wrath,Deut. 13.11 Pſal. 119.120. Ion. 1.16. Prov. 16.6. as by it … depart from evill? for … the feare of the Lord (wher… it is indeed) men depart … evill: oh that this terro… of the Lord, (wherby … are even at this time? ſome regard made to appeare before the judgement of the Lord,3. To learn true wiſedom & the feare of God frō it. wh… now ſets our iniquities before him, Pſalm. 90.7.8. 2. Cor. 5.10.11.our ſecret ſinnes in the light of his countenance, who are now conſumed by his anger, and troubled by his wrath; oh I ſay that this terrour of the Lord) could drive every one of us to our dutie, as the terrour of the laſt judgement did Paul; and could bring us in time to true repentance and humiliation of ſoule! And here let us take up Moſes his Prayer alſo, (oh that wee did it with like heart and true deſire!Pſalm. 90.12.) So teach us to number our dayes, that wee may apply our hearts unto wiſedome: For indeed it is God only who by his Spirit accompaniing his Word and Iudgements, can free us from this ſtupiditie, and bring us to a due conſideration of our wayes, and repentance for the ſame: then and not till then,Verſ. 8. may wee with comfort, hope and good confidence make that his next petition;Verſ. 13. Returne, O Lord his long? and let it repe… thee concerning thy ſervants (and ſo on as the… it followeth.)