Newcastles Call to Her Neighbor and Sister Towns, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
This Feſtilence is ſenſible wrath, wrath gone out and manifeſted, to the end that taking notice of Gods diſpleaſure, wee might with good hope by ſubmiſsion ſeeke to pacifie the ſame.
WEe are now in the next place to conſider that this Peſtilence in it owne nature is an outward and ſenſible evill, God, in this Peſtilence would be knowne to be angry; that wee might ſeek to appeaſe him.and therfore ſuch as by which God calls us to repentance with hope of mercy, letting us know that he is angry, that ſo wee might ſearch into our ſelves, and take notice of ſuch ſinns as have proved provocations of his wrath, might humble our ſelves before him for the ſame, and ſeeke his face and favour in the pardon of them, and ſo bee brought to know whom we have offended, to feare and to doe no more any ſuch wickednes. It is ſuch … evill, as whereof the Lord would have us take ſpeciall notice, for the prevention of greater evils & calamities: whereas if the Lord had a purpoſe preſently or yet finally to deſtroy us all and every one, hee would leave us in our ſinns without any further warning, give us over to our owne luſtes without controle,Hee might give us over to hardneſſe of heart, and to inſenſible judgements. and ſo deliver us up to the hardneſſe of our own harts; which is a greater judgement then to be deliuered up to ſatan, which ſome have bin, & yet ha… come to repentance, as th… inceſtuous Corinthian: 1 Cor. 5.5. with 2 Cor. 2.6, 7.b… ſuch as God delivers up… hardnes of hart, are left… finall impenitencie,Prov. 5. in th… inſenſible chains & coa… of their own ſins, reſeru… (like the evil angels whi… fell) in everlaſting chain… under darkneſſe, (not as t… former,1 Cor. 5.5. who are deliver… to Satan for the deſtructio… of the fleſh, that the ſpir… may bee ſaved in the day … the Lord Ieſus, but to be brought forth)Iude, ver. 6. unto t… judgement of the great d…
When our ſinnes … growne ſo full and ſo ri… that God intends no me… cie for them,As he doth ſuch as hee hates, and wil no longer ſhew merciemercy unto. then hee …aſeth to puniſh ſenſibly, and leaves men to pleaſe themſelves in their owne waies, without any ſhew of diſpleaſure, and to dally with their owne death and deſtruction.
This Silence in God (whileſt he forbeares outward and ſenſible puniſhment) is to the impenitent a Signe of the greateſt anger that may be;foreign. Ariſt. Rhet. 2. even as it is amongſt men, where ſuch as are ſoone angrie, and by anger doe ſhew their diſpleaſure, are ſoo…eſt pleaſed and appeaſed; wheras ſuch as whoſe anger is turned into hatred, and who intend revenge, are (like the ſulle… curre which gives no warning by barking) ſilent threaten little, conceale their hatred, but ſecretly and ſilently purpoſe and contrive miſchiefe, and the utter ruine of the partie with whom they are diſpleaſed:Difference betweene Anger and Hatred. neither doe they care for being known to be the authors of ſuch revenge: becauſe they ſeek not the partie his good, or bettering, but his utter ruine and deſtruction whereas ſuch as are onelyonly angry, and doe not truely hate, will ſhew their anger; as when a Father or …aſter, chides, threatens …corrects his Son or Ser…nt, hee would have his child or ſervant know that hee is diſpleaſed, and for what, that ſo hee might be feared, ſought unto, and more reſpected afterward, being ever ready, upō ſubmiſſion or amendment, to ſhew favour and friendlineſſe. This difference the philoſopher puts betweene Anger and Hatred. Ariſt. ut ſupràAnd God himſelfe ſeemes to doe ſomewhat like, (yet without all Sin in himſelf, or wrong done any:) Whom hee loves, and intends good to, hee chaſtens, namely, by ſome outward duplicate page duplicate page & ſenſible evils and corrections, as a loving father, ready to ſhew mercy upon ſubmiſſion & repentance; he will not let them go on ſecurely in ſin without correction: (though he alſo ſenſibly puniſh the wicked who receive no correction, neither will he ſuffer them to goe to hell without warning and correction) But for ſuch as long contemne warnings, and will not bee reformed by the word, or by ſenſible ſtrokes, & leſſer judgements, the Lord in greater wrath both gives them over, to do their owne wicked wils, and when ſo they do, he will no longer ſhew his anger, by uſing the rod ſenſibly (though he be never more angry indeed then at ſuch times:God never is more angry with Sinners then when hee ſhewes it leaſt.) thus leaving them inſenſiblie under his heavy wrath, and reſerving them to certaine and inevitable deſtruction both temporall & eternall: one text and inſtance for many. In the Propheſie of Hoſea thus we read,Hoſ. 4.12, 13, 14. My people aske counſell at their ſtockes, — for the ſpirit of whordomes have cauſed thē to erre, and they have gone a whoring (by Idolatry) from under their God &c. Therfore your daughters ſhall commit whoredome, & your ſpouſes ſhall commit adultery: I will not puniſh your daughters when they commit whoredome, nor your ſpouſes when they commit adultery. Thus they were left in their ſinnes to finall impenitency, and to finall deſtruction both in this life, and for ever after.
This ſenſible evill is a merciemercy to us.How juſtly might God even thus have dealt with us of this place and nation, having eſpecially ſo often before fairly and ſenſibly warned us; and that, as by other corrections, ſo by this of plague and peſtilence, but in vain, in regard of any amendment or reformation: oh what a mercy is it then for him yet once more to put us in mind of his diſpleaſure and anger conceived againſt us,And ſhould lead us to repentance. and not wholly to leave us in our ſinns, to periſh in them through our ſecurity, but, if it be poſſible, to awaken us to uſe the means by which we may prevent greater wrath, & without ſpeedy amendment, inevitable deſtruction. And certainly, if this prevaile not with us to the amendment of our lives, we muſt take it as a neere forerunner of much heavier wrath: God wil not alwaies dally with us, or yet bee dallied withall: which we are further to conſider in the next Motive.