Sermons, Sermon 3
❧ A Sensible Demonstration Of the DEITY.
ISA. 64. 4.
For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the eare, neither hath the eye seene another God, besides thee, which doth so to him that waiteth for him.
THis particle For, which you have for the first word, hath such a reference to those before, that we must take in likewise the third verse.
When thou didst terrible things, which wee looked not for, thou camest downe, the mountaines flowed downe at thy presence: For since the beginning &c.
We know in the new Translat. the words are read somewhat otherwise; but if you looke into the margine of your bookes, you shall finde the same reading we now use, and that I take to be agreeable with the originall, and neerer the scope of the Prophet in that place.
The words, at the first reading, seeme to bee somewhat obscure, but in briefe the plain meaning is this; When the people of Israel were oppressed with enemies, more potent & mightier than themselves, the Prophet, in his owne name, and in the name of the people, makes this prayer unto the Lord; O Lord, we beseech thee, breake the heavens and come down, that the mountaines may flow downe at thy presence.
And whereas it might be said, Our enemies are mightie, and as great as mountaines; Yet, O Lord, the mountaines melt at thy presence: Or even as the water boyleth when the fire burneth under it; so do the nations tremble at thy presence. And this prayer is enforced with this reason; O Lord, heretofore thou hast done terrible things, against those that provoked thee: againe, thou hast done great things for those that wait for thee; therefore, we beseech thee, as thou hast done heretofore, so now breake the heavens and come downe &c.
And if it be objected, It may be there were some other causes of all these evills, that befall us: the Prophet answereth no; that it was not in the power of the creature, but the comming downe of the Lord, at whose presence the mountaines melted, that is, as a heape of waxe, or lead, sinketh and falleth downe when fire is put to it, so the mightiest nations melt away, when thou commest to doe any work for us.
And if it be againe objected, But there is all the question, whether there be such a God or no, by whose providence these things are brought to passe: To this the Prophet answers in the fourth verse, For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard, nor perceived by the care; neither hath the eye seen, another God, besides thee, which doth such things for him that waiteth for him. As if he should say, Indeed there is the testimonie of the Scriptures, there is the witness of the Prophets, and evidence of miracles, that all things are done by the providence of God, but yet (saith hee) I will leave all these things, and appeale to the works of Nature, even to the things that the eye hath seene, and the eare hath heard; for from them it is manifest that there is a God, and that hee it is who hath done these terrible things which we looked not for.
But not to stand long in the explication of the words, you shall finde these three points lying evidently before you.
First, That even from the things that the eye seeth, and the eare heareth, it is manifest that God is, and that it is he that doth these terrible things that we looked not for.
Secondly, That this God is one, and that there is no God besides; the Idols and the dung-hill gods of the Gentiles are no gods.
Lastly, As he doth terrible things to those that provoke him, so likewise great and wonderfull things for those who wait for him.
These are the three points which arise from these words; and of these in order: And first for the first, That
It is manifest from the things that the eye seeeth, and the eare heareth, from day to day, that God is, and that it is by his providence that all things are done in the world.
Now wee must know, that this point, That God is, and that by his providence all things come to passe; I say, this is made plain to us two wayes: First, by Faith, out of the bookes of the Scripture. Secondly, by Reason, out of the books of the creatures.
Out of the bookes of the Scriptures; & that you shall see, Heb. 11. 3. By Faith we beleeve that the worlds were made by God; and in the sixth verse, He who commeth to God, must beleeve that God is, and that he is a rewarder of those that seeke him. Here is mention made of the first way of knowing that God is.
The second way you shall have set downe in Rom. 1. 20. The invisible things of him, that is, his eternall power and Godhead, are clearely seene, being understood by the things that are made: that is, though the eternall power and Godhead be in themselves invisible, yet by the things that are seene and heard, they may be made known and manifested to us: so likewise, Act. 17. 27, 28. If so be we might grope after him, and finde him; for in him we live, and move, and have our beeing: as if he should say, The verie things wee heare, and see, and taste, and handle with our hands, doe all demonstrate that God is; which is the verie same the Prophet saith here, Since the beginning of the world they have not heard, nor understood with their eare, nor seene with their eye, another God besides thee, which doth so for him that waiteth for him. For we must know, that the things revealed unto us, are of two sorts.
Such as have no impression upon the creature, such are the mysteries of the Trinitie, and 1of the Gospell; these are only revealed.
Others there are, which have certaine characters of them set upon the creatures, so that 2you may discerne them; and amongst the rest this is one of the maine, that God is, and that by his providence all things are disposed, in heaven and earth.
And although it may bee though that there are none that doubt of this, yet these proofes are usefull, partly because they serve to answer those secret objections of Atheisme, which we are all subject to; and partly because they strengthen that Principle in us, that God is: which is very necessarie to bee confirmed, seeing it is the maine and principall foundation of all Christian religion, and can never sufficiently enough bee rammed downe, as being that that must beare all the waight of the building; therefore let no man thinke, that those proofes that we shall use for the manifestation of this truth, are a thing altogether needlesse; for certainely wheresoever the Scripture hath a mouth to speake, there it is usefull for us to have an eare to heare.
First, therefore if we doe but in generall behold the universe, and looke upon the building of heaven and earth, wee may easily discerne therein, the eternall power and godhead of the maker of it.
Suppose a man bred and brought up in some hollow cave of the earth, hauing a house there built, and things necessarie provided for him, and let him afterwards, (when hee comes to a full use of understanding, and not before) bee brought and set upon the face of the earth, and there let him see the glorious beauty of the Sun, and feele the heat of it, the force of the windes, and see the swiftnesse of the clouds, the ebbing and flowing of the seas, the apparelling of the earth; let him see the course of the heavens, and the fearefull darkenesse that followeth upon the setting of the Sunne; and after that the Moone and stars lighted up for the use of men and beasts; would hee not wonder at all that, which we by reason of long assiduitie make nothing of? It's a true rule, Sapientis est rerum manifestarum causas quaerere; a wise man enquireth after causes of manifest things, which another man passeth over, and asketh not the ground and reason of.
And in this inquisition, when he findeth that man is best of the creatures, and yet was not able to raise such a roofe as the heavens, nor such a floore as the earth, hee must needes conclude, that some one better and more able than man, was the maker of all these things, which man could not make of himselfe.
And if it bee objected, But this workeman is no where to bee seene, though these things are Obiect.to be seene.
I answer, that as it is, when you see a magnificent Answerpalace, the builder of that many times is not to be seene, yet we will say it could not bee done but by some wise Architect, whose wisedome and abilitie was answerable to the work; or when wee see a faire river runne, though we see not the spring from whence it issues, yet we conclude, that there is a well-head somewhere, that produceth these streames; so when we shall see the succession of creatures passing along by their generations, a wise man will say, Surely there is a principle, a first cause, a wellhead, whence they doe flow, though hee see it not.
But this is but in generall, if we should bring you to the particular observation of the creatures, it wil be more evident, even by the things that the eye seeth, and the eare heareth, that there is a God, by whose providence all things are disposed; and we will instance in these particulars.
First, we may observe by that consent, which 1ariseth from so many differences, and contrarieties amongst the creatures; if you looke into the fabricke of the world, you shall behold one thing contrary to another, one thing fighting against another, fire destroying water, drinesse destroying moisture, and moisture drinesse, &c. yet withall you shall see these brought to a comely agreement, comming together to build up and maintaine the whole Vniverse; how could this be done but by somewise Commander?
If you should see upon an Instrument twenty dissonant strings, and they all brought into one harmony, we would say that some skilfull Musitian had the tuning of it; and when we looke into the world, and see so many contrary things, and all those brought to so sweete a harmony as they are, must wee not needes acknowledge, that there is some wise Agent, that intendeth one & remitteth another, and so maketh an usefull mixture of all? And this is the first thing we are to observe; for how could so many contrarieties meete in one, except they were guid ed by one which is above them all?
The next thing amongst the things which the eye hath seene, and the eare hath heard, by 2which this is manifested, is the fitting and composing of one thing to another.
If we should come into the shop of a Ioiner, or some curious Smith, and see there all things fitted one to another; the sheath to the knife, the scabbard to the sword, wee would say this was not done by accident, but by art: when we come into the shop of Nature, and see there all the workes of Nature, thus squared and fitted one to another, shall we not also acknowledge that there is a high and wise Agent, that hath done all this?
As for example: had God made the eye, and not colour for a fit object of the eye, to what end had the eye beene made? if hee had made the eye and colours, and no light to discover the colours, the two first had beene to no purpose; and if hee had made these three, and not another transparent bodie, as the aire is, through which the colours might be transmitted to the eye, the three former had beene to no purpose; but out of them all thus fitted the one to the other, there resulteth an usefull and perfect worke: the like we may say of the rest. So that the verie things that the eye seeth, and the eare heareth, maketh it manifest, that there is such a God as made all these things. If you looke into the fabricke of the world, and behold all other particulars, you shall see the like.
The plants which thrust their mouthes into the earth, draw sufficient nourishment from the place where they are set; therfore as they neede no motion, so they have no motion given them, onelyonly a naturall power to spread their rootes in the earth, for the farther strengthening of the bodies.
But for the beasts, which have no nourishment in the places where they are bred, as they need motion, so they have motion given them; and as the spaces are different through which they move, so are their motions different, some creepe, some goe, some fly; and as their meate is different, so they have different instruments to receive it, some have teeth and some have beaks, some have gooms only; and not so only, but they have different appetites and different tastes and smels, according to their several constitutions: so that you see all is fitted one to another, The creatures, the motion, the meate, the appetite, the instruments of taking it; wheras were there anie disproportion or disagreement in those, the whole worke should bee in vaine.
If you take a Watch into your hand, and see there the wheeles fitted one unto another, you will acknowledge that this is not done without Art: when you see the same done in the bodie of a man, where there are so many hundred bones fitted one to another, so manie arteries and sinews; shall wee not acknowledge a great providence, which hath done all this? This is the second thing to be observed.
The third observation is taken from those effects that proceed from bruit and unreasonable creatures, the Storke, the Swallow, and the Elephant, whose actions for the most part exceed their knowledge, & are beyond their strength; As for example: they aime at an end they know not, they goe by a rule they understand not, they use the meanes that tend to such an end, and yet are ignorant of it; all which argues that they are guided by one, who both knowes the journies end to which they ayme, and the way that leadeth to it. Even as when a man hath passed through a way full of many turnings, and at length comes to the right end, hee will confesse that some one hath ruled and guided him (through so manie turnings) that knew the way: even so when we shall see these creatures doe things, and that constantly, and yet know not what they doe, it is an argument that they are led and guided by one that workes all their workes in them and for them. Whence the saying of the Schoolemen, Opus Naturae &c. the worke of Nature is not the worke of meere and bare Nature, but of the Author of Nature: and therfore as these actions are above their knowledge, so they are also above their abilitie; which you shall see in the art of the Spider, curiously spinning his web, and the providence of the Ant, providing in the Summer for Winter; in the wisedome of the Conies, that being a people not strong, yet they make their houses in the rocks. Now it is a sure rule, that wheresoever effects are produced above the reach & abilitie of the cause, they alway import some higher Cause, whence they proceed; and therefore when we see such actions of wisedome and providence, done by the creature which have neither wisdome nor providence in them, they must needs proceed from some higher Cause that guideth them: even as you see in a faire writing, that is written by a new beginner, you will say surely it's the writing of him that guided his hand, rather than his owne. If you should see a hundred arrows shot out of a thicket, and all these should hit the marke, though you see him not that shot them, you must needes say that they were shot by some skilfull Archer: even so when you see the creatures that knew not the end they aime at, nor the meanes that conduced to that end; yet using direct and pertinent meanes to come to it, it's a most direct argument that there is an almightie Power that guides them to all the things that they doe: and this is the third observation.
A fourth thing, by which the invisible things, that is, the eternall Power and Godhead is made 4manifest to us by the things that the eye seeth and the eare heareth; it is the provident provision that is made for all the creatures. If you should come into a well ordered Common-wealth, or family, and should see all their things done in order, meate provided for all the family in due order and season, we would not doubt but that there is a gouernour, that casts these things into this order.
And shall wee not acknowledge this same when wee see it done in the great house of the world where so many millions of men & beasts are daily fed, and cloathed, and ordered? Take but a small family, if there be but a little improvidence, how soone doth the whole family feele the want of it? and how doe wee thinke that the great family of the world could bee kept, without a speciall providence to order it? If there were but a towne, or a village to bee planted, how many things were necessarie to maintaine it? I will name but one, Psal. 104. 10. that is, the providence of God in bringing the waters and the springs to many severall townes. If we should see the same done in a great house, water brought by pipes into every roome that needes it, wee would acknowledge it to bee the providence of him that ordered it so; and shall we not acknowledge the same, when wee see God bringing in water into so many particular places in a countrie? And as in feeding, so in cloathing so many creatures; if men should cloath them, how would they beginne to doe it? But as God hath commanded the earth to bring forth grasse, so hee hath commanded the skinnes of beasts to bring forth haires, and feathers, and wooll, to bee fit cloathing for them. And as it's in cloathing, so his providence is also in defending and in fortifying them against the injuries of one another. Some have hoofes, and hornes, and tuskes to defend them; those that have not, these have legs to runne away; those that want that, have holes and dennes to hide themselves in, and (which is to be observed) the weaker creatures goe in heards together, the stronger goe alone; for if they should goe in multitudes, no man nor beast could stand before them: this you shall finde set downe, Iob 37. Psal. 104. Now if the Queene of Sheba when shee came to Salomons Court, and saw the meate of his table, the sitting of his servants, and their apparell, 1. King. 10. was astonished; I say, if she were so then, when she saw the wisedome and provision in the house of Salomon, how much more when we looke into this great house of the world, where there are so many uprising & down-lying, that must have bread and meate from day to day? how much more, I say, should wee admire, and acknowledge this great providence of God, which openeth his hand and giveth them their meate in due season? This is the fourth observation.
The fifth is taken from the combination and connexion which is among the creatures, that dependence they have one upon another; men cannot live without beasts to feede them, the beasts cannot live without grasse to nourish them, that cannot bee maintained without the influence of the heavens to nourish it; which subordination you shall see set down, Hos. 2. 21. I will heare the heavens, and the heavens shall heare the earth, and the earth shall heare the corne. Whence wee may reason thus: Either this was done by accident, or by providence; not by accident, for so you may as well say, that a multitude of letters cast together by chance, can make a History or Poem, as that this order, this connexion, and dependence of the creatures, should come to passe by accident▪ and if it be not by accident, then it is by providence; for this can no more bee done without providence, than in a Historie or Poem, there can be a dependence of one word or sentence upon another, without the art of wit and reason in him that composed it.
The last observation, is from the wisedome of the Creator; which is set and stamped upon all his workes, even as the skill of an Artist is upon all the worke he makes. When we see the statue of a man made, wee acknowledge that it was done by the skill of him that made it; and shall not wee acknowledge it in the maker of man himselfe? When we see a glasse eye, an ivory tooth, and a wooden legge, wee say it is done by a skilfull Artist; and shall wee nor observe a speciall providence and wisedome, in the making of the members themselves? for the things are better that are done by nature, than those that are done by art; for art doth but imitate nature, and that which is imitated, is better than that which doth imitate: and shall wee attribute skill and wisedome to the workes of Art, and not to the works of Nature, which do far excell them? When we see a Diall describing the hours of the day, we acknowledge it to bee done by the skill of man; when wee see the same done in the heavens, ordering the times & seasons, shall we not acknowledge a wisedome in him that makes and guides the heavens? It is reported that Archimedes made a Spheare, wherin the revolution of the heavens, the course of the Sunne, the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, is described and kept in the order that themselves doe move in, which when a man sees he is ready to say, this was not done by accident, but by the skill of some excellent Artist; and if so, then certainely the thing it self which that Spheare doth but imitate, could not bee done but by the wondrous power and wisedome of him that doth it. I will proceed no further in this, but come to make some application.
First therefore, seeing beside the Testimony of the Scripture there are so many proofes even from the things that the eye sees, and that the eare heare, that God is, by whose Providence all things come to passe, it should strengthen our Faith in that first and main Principle, that God is. For though an object may bee seene by a small light, yet when more candles are brought in, and when there is a greater light, wee see the same object more cleare and distinctly: so though we beleeve by Faith that God is; yet the addition of more Arguments should strengthen us in this beleefe, and confirme this conclusion, and adde more to our assent to it: For (my Beloved) though it bee not observed, yet it is certaine, that all that unevennesse, all those exorbitances which are found in the lives of men, doe proceede from the weaknesse of this spring, that these first Principles are not firmely and thoroughly beleeved. Men will not neglect Religion altogether, neither will they make their hearts perfect with God in all things; and whence comes it but from this, that this first Principle is in part beleeved, in part not beleeved? that is, they say in their hearts, it may bee thereis such an Almighty God, that made heaven and earth, and it may be not: and therefore they will have some care in the duties of Religion, but a full care they have not; whereas if they did beleeve it fully, they would serve him with a full and perfect heart.
But is this all the use that is to be made of it? is this all the Prophet driveth to in this place? No, his verie scope is to shew us, that if there be such a God, then it is he that doth the terrible things that are done to us, they come not to passe by accident; therefore wee so propound the point, that by the things that the eye seeth, and the eare heareth, it appeareth that there is such a God that doth terrible things which wee looke not for. If it be not by chance and by accident, nor the wisedome and endevours of men, but the Lord, which doth both terrible and mercifull things, both the good and the evill which befall us, then let us live by faith and not by sense, that is, feare him, and meet him in the way, while its yet time, lest we fall into the errour of the Israelites here, to have terrible things done to us before we looked for them. For though we beleeve there is such a God, yet if we doe otherwise, we forget the Lord, and wee live without God in the world.
Everie man, when the evill is upon him, startles at it: as a beast when he falls and sinkes into a ditch or quagmire, he struggles, and doth his best to get out; so men are taught by nature and sense, to expedite themselves out of an evill when they are in it, but the greatest point of faith and wisdome, is to foresee & forecast evill to come, and to prevent it. Saul when he was in a strait, he could seeke to the Lord; but then he would not answer him, neither by Prophet, nor by Vrim nor Thummim. Ioab when hee was in extremitie, and had no other refuge, he could fly to the hornes of the Altar; as men use to flye to prayer in sickenesse, in danger, and extremitie; but then it was too late. Esau when the blessing was past helpe and recoverie, he could seek it with teares: But why did they doe it no sooner while it was yet time? Certainely it proceeds from a secret Atheisme and Vnbeleefe, to which wee are too subject, which makes us not to be moved with any forewarnings, till we feele the evill it selfe upon us: And therefore it is said here, Terrible things are done to us that we looked not for.
Death is a terrible thing, yet because its apprehended as a thing afar off, who considereth the shortnesse of his life, while its time to make sure his calling and election, that his soule may not depend upon uncertainties? Hell is a terrible thing, to consider that the Soule is immortall, and that there is another place to live in for ever; and yet who considers this in time, and takes it to heart? Outward Calamities that befall a Church, or a State, or a particular Person, are terrible; but who considers them in time to prevent them? This is, and ever hath beene the nature of man in all times; wee thinke we will doe it modò & modò, but still wee are put off: therefore let us not, as those in Amos, Put the evill day farre from us, and draw neere to the seate of iniquity, (for those two commonly goe together) lest it befall us that Salomon speakes of, As the Oxe to the slaughter, and the Bird to the snare, so we be led to destruction, and consider it not, till a dart strike through our liver: but let us doe somewhat in time, and not deferre and put off; for the verie delay brings mischiefe. When the blow comes (as I say) every man feares, but before we care not; but wee do as those, who because the hand of the Dyal proceeds insensibly, consider not how the houre passeth, till the stroke of the Bell giveth notice.
It is a wise and true saying, Extremum stillicidium clepsydram non exhaurit, &, ultimus ictus quercum non caedit; It is not the last sand that doth exhaust the houre-glasse, nor is it the last stroke that doth overthrow the oake; that is, it is not the next immediate cause that brings evill upon us, as men commonly thinke, but it is the precedent acts, neglects and decayes, that were long before that blow came upon us. And who knowes whether we be not now upon the very Tropicks and turnings of Times? and yet as its sayd of old age, there is no man that is so old that thinkes he may not live a yeare longer; so we are never brought to so low an ebbe, but we are apt to thinke we shall hold out yet a yeare, and a yeare longer. So that as the Lapwing fals before the Traveller, and draweth him a little and a little further, till at length hee bee quite drawne away from her nest; so wee are quite drawne off from doing the things which might prevent those evils that are to come: and so terrible things are done to us which wee looked not for.
The ground of all is, partly because wee live by sense, not not by faith, which wee are all subject unto, more or lesse, by which we think our present condition shall continue whatsoever it be; if we be in affliction, wee thinke that shall alwaies continue; and if we be in prosperitie, wee thinke as those in Esay 56. tomorrow shall be as to day, and much more abundant, that is an observable place; saith the Prophet, there is an evill neere unto you, and the reason is, the Watchmen are blinde, they are dumbe dogges, they cannot barke &c. but looke to their own way every one; and yet (saith hee) my people say, Come bring wine, wee will fill our selves with strong drinke, to morrow shal be as to day, and much more abundant: I say, this is naturall to us.
Besides, another ground of it is, because wee see dangers come, and goe, and passe away, and yet the blowes come not upon us; and therfore we are apt to doe as that foole, that because hee saw the river sliding away, standeth upon the shoare, and hopeth at length that all wil be past, that he may go over dry shod, and considereth not that there is a succession of waters, which will continue it: so wee consider not that God hath an army of sorrows, when he hath afflicted us seven times, yet he addeth seven times more, and if yet we continue obstinate, hee can doe it seven times more; till at length his wrath swell and grow over the banks, and carry all away before it. That expression you have in the Prophecy of Nahum.
Partly it is againe, because God is not seene, because God is forgotten in the world: the creatures which should be as a glasse to help us to see him more clearely, they become as thick clouds to hide God from us; we look upon the wall of the creatures, but we look not upon him that stands behinde it, who changeth times, and seasons, as he doth the weather: So that our wisest conjecture of him, is as uncertaine as the prognostication is of the raine, snow and wind; wee are ready to compute future things, as wee compute daies and yeares, and forget that God that is the disposer of these, and so grow bold and carelesse: But David thought not so, Psal. 31 My times are in thy hands, O Lord; As if hee should say, They are not in the hands of Saul, nor in the hands of Doeg, nor in any of mine enemies hands, to do me hurt, nor in the hands of my greatest friend to doe mee good, but my times are in thy hands; for so thou disposest of them as it pleaseth thee.
And therefore let us be exhorted to reckon it our greatest wisedome, to foresee the greatest danger to come, while it is yet afar off. Fire may bee giuen to a traine of Gun-powder a great way from the place, to which the blow is intended: therefore it was a wise observation amongst the Romanes, that when Hannibal was besieging Siguntium, a City confederate of their Allies, which was farre enough from Rome, they thought every blow was given to it, that hee was even then beating upon the wals of the Capitoll; therefore they tooke no lesse care to preuent the danger in such a distance, than if it had already seized vponupon them: So no doubt when the enemy is assaulting the Churches afar off, he is even then striking at the roote of this Church and Common-wealth.
It is a true rule, when the evill day commeth, its time of spending, and not of gathering, it must be done before; it is too late to fetch the oyle when we should use it, to go and buy when the Bridegroome commeth; therefore they are called foolish Virgins, because folly is improvident, it stands in the valley, and sees not the evil afore it bee upon us: wisedome stands upon a hill and descryes the danger, and the evils that are afar off, before they approach. Its certaine, (give me leave to speake, for wee are the watchmen which stand upon the watch-tower, and should see more than those that stand below; and must give warning, that we may deliver our owne soules, left your blood be required at our hands) I say, its certaine that evill is intended against us, and will come upon us, except something be done to prevent it. For there is a covenant betweene God and us, and breach of covenant causeth a quarrell; the quarrell of God shal not go unrevenged: he saith to the Israelites, Levit. 26. 25. I will send a sword upon you, which shall avenge the quarrell of my covenant; As if he should say, There is a covenant, and you have broke that covenant, & therefore I have a quarrell, and I will send a sword to avenge my quarrell. Now the quarrels of God are not rash and passionate as mens are, & therfore he wil not lay them aside without some true & real satisfaction.
If we will not beleeve his word, yet shall we not beleeve his actions? hath he not begunne? are we infatuate, and see nothing? doe wee not see the whole bodie of those that professe the truth are besieged round about through Christendome? at this time are not present enemies, not only stirred up, but united together, and we dis-joyned to resist them? are not our Allies wasted? are not many branches of the Church cut off already, & more in hazzard? In a word, have not our enterprizes beene blasted, and withered under our hands for the most part? have not things been long going down the hill, and are even now hastening to a period? and do not wee say now that such an accident, and such a miscarriage of such a businesse, and such men are the causes? But who is the cause of these causes? is it not he without whose providence a Sparrow fals not to the ground? are not these crackes to give warning before the fall of the house? are not these the gray haires which Hosea speakes of, that are here and there upon us, and we discerne them not? Gray haires you know are a signe of old age and approach unto death.
And are not all these things arguments enow that God hath begunne with us? will he leave his worke in the middle? No certainly, you shall see what himselfe saith, 1. Sam. 3. 12. When I begin, I'le make an end. Samuel had threatned fearfull judgments against the house of Eli, but because they lived long in peace, & were not suddenly executed, they were ready to think the words of the Prophet, were but wind; therfore God tels them, that it was true, he was patiēt, & long before he begun, but notwithstā ding when hee began hee would also make an end. wherfore I beseech you for our own sakes, and for the sake of the Churches, let us well and seriously consider this; doubtlesse there is somewhat for which God is offended; and if there be, certainely till that be taken away, the Lord will not returne unto us, and cause us to prosper in the things we put our hands unto.
When Iosua saw the people fall before their enemies, hee wondred at it, and enquired the cause, and except that had bin removed, though it had beene for many yeares, yet he should never have had successe, nor brought the children of Israel to the Land of Canaan, though God had promised it; for Gods promises are as his threatnings, to bee understood with a condition. But a most remarkable example you shall finde, 2. Sam. 21. 1. When there fell out a famine in the daies of David, he knew the naturall cause was the drought, but hee enquired after the supernaturall cause, as wise men should doe; as Iacob when hee saw the Angels ascended and descended, hee enquired who stood on the top of the ladder and sent them to and fro. Ezakiel enquires who stands on the top of the wheele; but fooles looke onelyonly who stands on the next staire or step: whereas wee should enquire as David, what was the cause of the famine; and it was answered him, it was Saul and his bloudy house, because he had broken his oath with the Gibeonites, which was done many yeares before: I say, so wee should doe in all the calamities, afflictions and extremities that befall either the Church in generall, or any particular person; search what the cause is. I finde the phrase used in 2. Chron. 12. 7. saith the Lord there, I will not at this time poure out my wrath upon Ierusalem by the hands of Shishack: where observe, that though Shishack was the immediate instrument, yet it was not Shishack his wrath, Shishack was but the viall through which his wrath was powred out. Where you may observe this connexion, that when any affliction befalleth a State or Church, or a particular person, it is because God is agrie, and hee is never angrie but for sinne; and till sinne bee removed, his anger is never laid aside, time wears it not out, as it doth the anger and passions of men. And therefore it is good for us to compound with the Lord, and to take up this suite before it come to execution and judgement, and not to doe as ill-husbands and prodigals doe, that suffer a suite to run on, and charges to grow from Terme to Terme, lest we be inforced to pay, not onelyonly the maine debt, but the arrerages also, that is, the time of that patience and long-suffering of God; and not in this world onelyonly, but in that which is to come. It is apparent that God is about a great worke, yea to make a great change in the world, except we do as it were hold his hand by seeking and turning unto him, and by removing the things that provoke him: he doth not lay all these stones, and move all these wheeles for nothing, & yet who knowes what it is he is about, till it bee brought forth? such a metaphor I finde, Prov. 27. 1. Who knowes what a day may bring forth? its a metaphor taken from a wombe; there is no man knowes what is in the wombe of tomorrow, or what evil tomorrow may bring forth. Saul little thought that the next day travelled of such a birth as the overthrow of the armies of Israel, and the death of himselfe and his sonnes. Iob little thought that the next day had in the wombe thereof the fall of the house, and the slaying of his children. If you observe the Scripture, you shall finde that there are certain seasons, wherein as the Angell troubled the poole, so God troubleth the Churches; and commonly when God doth it to one, he doth it to all. 2. Chr. 15. 5, 6 And at that time there was no peace to him, that did goe out or in, but that troubles were to all the inhabitants; for nation was destroyed of nation, and citie of citie; for God troubled them with all adversitie. Where you shall observe, that where God once begins to doe it, all the Churches come in, in the end; and whence was it? not because such an accident fell out, and such offences arose betweene Princes and Princes, and Nation and Nation, but God had troubled them with all kinde of adversitie; but especially Ier. 25. 15. a notable example you shall see, the cup went round, when it was given to one nation to drink, every one tasted of it, though some more, some lesse. So that, I say, there are certaine times and seasons wherein God troubleth the Churches, and that very thing that distinguishes between Nations & Churches, to be saved or to be destroied, is the very ability to discerne of those seasons; Oh that wee were able now, and willing to discerne that season.
I will give you two instances: When destruction was to brought upon Ierusalem, when they were to bee led into captivity, the Lord was above twenty yeares about it, many warnings he gave them by his Prophets, hee brought Nebuchadnezar neer them, and took him away again; & what is the complaint he takes up against his people? saith he, The Stork and the Cranes know their appointed times, but my people know not the iudgements of the Lord. Those creatures feele and foresee the winter, and betake themselves to some warme place. There is a judgement a comming, there are warnings' enough, but my people cannot discerne their season. And so when the last blow was to be given to the Iewes by the hands of the Romanes, you shall see how pathetically our Saviour expresseth it. O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, if then badst knowne in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes. Mark, in this thy day; there is a time & a season, and foreign, time is exceeding swift, and passeth away. There is such a day wherein if Ierusalem had seene it, the destruction had bin prevented, but now the time is past: It is a thing worthy observation, that there is a double time, which we shall see observed in the Scripture: There is a time of preparing, and threatning, and no more but threatning, and a time of executing the decree; so you shall see it expressed, Zephan. 1. 12. At that time it shall come to passe, that I will search Ierusalem with candles, &c. There is a time of whetting his glittering sword, and fitting the arrow to the bow, before the blow bee given there is a time of patience, triall & long-suffering, before he sweares in his wrath, they shall not enter into his rest; but when the time is come, when the word is once gone out of his mouth, when the decree is gon forth, then, as Samuel said to Saul, when he would have the sentence of his rejection to be retracted; No saith he, the strength of Israel is not a man, that he should repent, 2. Sam. 15. 29. Therefore while the evill is yet in the clouds, before the storme come, while things are preparing, while the sword is whetting, before the stroake be given, before the decree be come forth, let us search our selves and meet him, to preventit. The evils which men intend against us may proove abortive; they may either die in the wombe, or else they may travell with mischiefe, and bring forth a lye, that is somewhat contrary to that they intend; sed fat a viam invenient, but when God intends any evill against any, what power shall bee able to stop him? the destructions of God will finde a way which wee never dreamed off, as we see oft by experience; Vel puncto temporis maxima reram momenta vertuntur, even in a point of time the greatest things are turned upside downe. My beloved, we all affect the praise of wisedome; and wherein doth wisedome chiefly consist, we shall see Deut. 32. 29. Oh that my people were wise: what to doe? to remember their latter end; as if wisedome did therein consist: So in Prouerbs 22. 3. A wise man sees the plague afar off, and hides himselfe, but a foole goeth an, and is punished; its a Metaphor taken from beastes, that feele the storme before it comes, and then hide themselves in their dens; but the foole goeth on and is punished; that is, either hee is ignorant & sees it not, or else he is besotted and stupified, & so careless to prevent it. So Pro. 14. 16. The wise man feareth and departeth from evil, but the foole rageth, and is careless, that is, the prudent man he feares the evill of judgment, the evill of punishment; he feares the judgement to come, therfore he departeth from the vil of sin that brings it; as Ioseph foresaw the famine, and hid both himselfe and others from it by providing against it: so Iob when his sons were banquetting, he feared, lest they had sinned, & blasphemed God in their hearts, and therefore he rose early & sacrificed for them: but the fool rageth & is confident; the word in the originall is to passe on whatsoever comes of it; as Balaam when the Angel met him with a drawn sword to shew the danger that he went in, yet he would not be ruled, but he went on, & you know the issue: & so Ahab when hee went to Ramoth-Gilead, though Micaiah foretold him, yet he would go on, therfore came short home for his labour: its accounted a point of courage & generosity not to fear, but you see the wiseman saith here, that a wiseman fears & departs from evil. Indeed there is a double fear, there is a fear that ought not to be, that causeth the thing we fear to come to passe, that is such a feare as sets us aworke to use euill meanes to prevent the evil; such was the feare of Saul, that set him aworke to seek to the Witch, wch was the very thing that brought upon him that he feared; such was the fear of the Israelites, which made them seeke to Egypt & to Ashur for help, which brought upon them the thing which they feared; and such a fear we should lay aside: but there is a good fear which causeth the thing that we fear, not to come to passe, because it sets us a worke to seek to God; such was the feare of Iehoshaphat, 2 Chr. 20. 3. When there was a great multitude came against him, he feared, saith the Text; and what did this fear set him on work to doe? He sought the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah. Now this feare was a profitable fear, which caused the thing he feared, not to come to passe; for by this meanes hee had a wonderfull deliverance: such was the feare of Iacob, when Esau came against him with 400. men, he was sore afraid, and what did this feare? it set him aworke to pray, and to wrastle with the Lord Almighty; this caused the thing he feared not to come to passe: such was the feare of Iosias when he heard the book of the law read, & therby seeing the danger that was like to come, hee feared; and what did that fear bring to passe? His hart melted (saith the text) within him, & he humbled himselfe greatly before the Lord, & therefore the thing he feared did not come to passe in regard of himselfe; for hee had word sent him by the Lord, that he should not see that evill in his daies. So that there is a good, an useful, and profitable feare, that causeth the thing we feare not to come to passe; and this is the feare that the wiseman speaks of, Pro. 28. 14. Blessed is hee that feareth alwaies, but he that hardneth his heart shal fall into evill. I will not adde any more: another maine thing to which the Prophet driveth, is, that as the Lord doth terrible things to those that provoke him, to those that will not take warning; so likewise he doth wondrous things for those that waite for him. I am sorry I hauehave not opportunitie to adde this to the other; but I see the time is past, therefore here shall be an end.