Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 62
§ 62.
NOw a word of exhortation to the ſober, Exhortation to the ſober, touching this time of viſitation.touching this time of viſitation, that God may bee pacified, and wee delivered.
Firſt, let us be ſure that our delights exclude not his preſence.
2 Becauſe the coles of his wrath will not bee quenched, without the teares of true repentance; let us weepe with them that weepe, others afflictions muſt move our affections, as Q. Elizabeth to the afflicted States, Haud ignaramali, miſeris ſuccurrere diſco. Yea, weepe for them that will not weep.
If any, whoſe crying ſinnes have pierced the Heavens, and brought downe the plague, will not cry for themſelves; God requires that we ſhould cry for them, we muſt mourne for them that will not mourne for themſelves, Ezek. 9. As indeed, In all ages the godly alone have mourned for the abominations of their time.who were they in all ages that mourned for the abominations of the times? Not they that committed the abominations, as we read, Ezek. 9.4. Alaſſe! their cheekes were dimpled with laughter. And in the old world, who, but righteous Noah was grieved for the ſinnes of that age, and the judgment which followed? And in Sodom, who, but faithfull Abraham and juſt Lot was vexed with the uncleanly converſation of the Sodomites, and prayed to God for them? And the like in other ages; as what ſaith holy David, Mine eyes guſh out with rivers of water, becauſe they keepe not thy law, Pſal. 119.136. and againe, verſe 158. I ſaw the tranſgreſſors and was grieved, becauſe they keepe not thy Word. And Ieremy, Lam. 3.48. mine eye, ſaith he, casteth out rivers of water, for the deſtruction of the daughter of my people, when they were not once touched for their owne ſinnes.
Yea, as for the wicked; when God is angry, and their brethren are in diſtreſſe, they are no more troubled then Ioſeph's brethren were, when they had throwne him into the pit, who ſate downe to eate, with no more compunction then Eſau, having ſold his birthright, fell to his pottage; but farre be this from us. It's true, the onelyonly meanes to prevent a judgment, is for the wicked to repent, for the Godly to pray: yet ſince there is great neede of mourning, neede of great mourning, for heauy judgments will not be turned away without deepe ſorrowes; and conſidering we have but a few to ſhare with us in the worke, let us double our knockes at the gate of Heaven: the greater the number of theſe mad men, and the greater their mirth; the greater had neede to be the company of mourners, or the mourning of that company: it is the mourning of the penitent, that maintaines the mirth of the delinquent: it is the ten righteous men, that keepes fire and brimſtone from theſe abominable Sodomites. Yea, let them pray, that could never pray in their lives: as Athis Sonne to King Croeſus, being dumbe from his nativity; ſeeing his Father ready to be ſlaine, by one of King Cyrus his ſouldiers, ſuddenly brake forth into words of entreaty, and by his paſſionate ſpeeches ſaved his Fathers life.
And this done, So many as repent ſhall be ſingled out for mercy.we ſhall at leaſt deliver our ſelves, that is, the plague ſhall not touch us, nor our families; or if it doe, it ſhall be ſo ſanctified, that it ſhall rather pleaſure, then hurt us.
Firſt, it's probable it ſhall not touch us; as when Sodom was deſtroyed, Lot and his family were ſingled out, the Angel could do nothing, till he was ſafe. Gen. 19. And when the Lord ſmote all the firſt borne throughout the land of Egypt; he ſpared all the children of Iſrael, whoſe dorepoſts were ſprinkled with the blood of the Paſſeover, Exod. 12.22. And when all Hieruſalem, both old and yong were utterly deſtoyed; all the mourners were marked on their foreheads, to the end, the deſtroying Angell ſhould paſſe by, and not touch them, Eze. 9.4.5.6. The like wherof we have, Revel. 7. where the Angell uſeth theſe words, hurt ye not the earth, neither the Sea, neither the Trees, till we have ſealed the ſervants of God in their foreheads, ver. 3.
Or if the corne be cut downe with the weeds, it ſhall be to a better purpoſe; for the one ſhall be carried into God's Barne, as Lazarus was; the other caſt into the fire, like Dives; one Hypocrite was ſaved with the godly, for Noah's ſake, not one righteous perſon was ſwept away with the reſt for company. The world may be compared to ſome great Farme, wherein each Nation, is a ſeverall field; the inhabitants, ſo many plants; God, the owner; whoſe manner is if he meete with a very good field, he pulls up the weeds, and lets the corne grow; if with an indifferent, he lets the corne and weeds grow together; if very ill, he gathers the few eares of corne, and burnes the weeds, but never deſtroyes both.
Indeed, that every Mother's ſonne of us have not periſhed by the Peſtilence, as the old world did by the Deluge; it is not becauſe we are leſſe wicked, but becauſe God hath beene more mercifull. And ſo much of the perpetuity of this ſinne: only, let it teach and encourage us to hold out and perſevere in good; for if they be obdurate in vice, it is a ſhame if we be not conſtant in vertue.