Seasonable Truths in Evil Times, Sermon 9
SERM. IX. Seaſonable Truths for theſe Evil Times.
Luke 17. 32.
Remember Lots Wife.
IN this Chapter our Lord and Saviour Chriſt tells us, how it ſhall be in the latter day, immediately before his ſecond, or his laſt coming: which he declares by two Similitudes or Compariſons.
The firſt compariſon is drawn from the days of Noah: wherein he obſerves their ſecurity, and their puniſhment.
Security: As it was in the days of Noah, ſo ſhall it be alſo in the days of the ſon of man. They did eat, they drank, they marryed Wives, they were given in Marriage, ver. 26. 27.
The Puniſhment: And the ſloud came and deſtroyed them all.
The ſecond Compariſon is drawn from the days and times of Lot, where you have their Security, and their Puniſhment, ver. 18. Likewiſe alſo, as it was in the days of Lot: They did eat, they drank, they bought, they ſold, they planted, they builded.
The puniſhment, ver. 29. But the ſame day that Lot went out of Sodom, it Rained fire and brimſtone from heaven, and deſtroyed them all.
The Rendition at the 30 ver. Even thus ſhall it be in the day when the ſon of man is revealed.
Whereupon he dehorts them from the world, and the care thereof, ver. 31. In that day, he which ſhall be upon the houſe top, and his ſtuff in the houſe, let him not come down to take it away; and he that is in the field, let him likewiſe not return back.
Which he preſſeth by divers Arguments.
The firſt is drawn from the example of Lot's Wife, who for her looking back, was turned into a Pillar of Salt.
The ſecond Argument is drawn from the contrary good, Whoſoever (ſaith he) ſhall loſe his life, ſhall preſerve it, v. 33.
The third is drawn from the ſeparation that Chriſt hath made between the neareſt Intereſt and Relations at that day, ver. 34. In that night there ſhall be two men in one bed, the one ſhall be taken, and the other left; two women ſhall be grinding together, the one ſhall be taken and the other left; two men ſhall be in the field, the one ſhall be taken and the other left.
I am now to deal with this firſt Argument, drawn from the example of Lot's Wife, who for her looking back to a worldly intereſt, was turned into a Pillar of Salt.
Remember Lot's Wife, and remember her at ſuch a time, and remember her upon ſuch an account: Chriſt would have us remember Lot's Wife.
There is a ſpecial time when Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us.
We are not only to read the Story of Lot's Wife, we may forget that; but we are frequently to conſider, and call it unto mind: A time there is and a ſpecial time, when Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us?
For the clearing and proſecuting hereof:
Firſt, We will inquire, what of Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us?
Secondly, Why Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us?
Thirdly, How Lot's Wife is to be remembred us?
Fourthly, What is the ſpecial time wherein Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us? And
Fifthly, How we ſhould ſo remember Lot's Wife, as we may gain thereby?
Sixthly, And what we ſhould do, that we may ſo profitably remember Lot's Wife?
1. As for the firſt, If it be ſaid, what of Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us.
I anſwer, her Sin, and her Puniſhment.
She was turned into a Pillar of Salt, ſhe was ſtricken with a ſore Judgment: A mortal deadly ſtroke: ſhe was not ſtricken as Miriam, with a Leproſie; but with a mortal deadly ſtroke, ſhe was ſtricken with Death.
2. As ſhe was ſtricken with a mortal deadly ſtroke, ſo with a ſuddain ſtroke: She had no time given her to repent. It is a great mercy to die ſtanding, to die exerciſing of grace: but to be ſtricken with death in the very height of ones ſin, in the very act of ones ſin, and to have no time given one to repent: This is a great judgment, and this befell her.
3. As it was a ſuddain ſtroke, ſo it was an immediate ſtroke: From the hand of God immediately. Immediate mercies are the ſweeteſt mercies, and immediate judgments are the ſowereſt judgments. Thus ſhe was ſtricken by the hand of God immediately.
4. As ſhe was ſtricken with an immediate ſtroke, an immediate hand of God: So this ſtroke, it was an exemplary ſtroke: for by it ſhe was hanged up in chains as it were, and Gibbited for all ages to take heed of: To take heed of looking back, declining, and backſliding.
And ſhe was ſtricken into a Pillar of Salt.
And if you ask, why into a Pillar of Salt?
Why Salt? ſaith one, that by her example ſhe might ſeaſon others; that by her example all of us might be warned to take heed of looking back to any worldly intereſt.
But I think alſo by her looking back, ſhe in ſome meaſure complyed, and comported with the men of Sodom, as they were ſmitten with brimſtone, fire, and Salt, Deut. 29. 23. And the whole Land thereof became Brimſtone and Salt: So ſhe complying with them, and returning in her heart and affections to them, partaking with them in their ſin, doth partake with them alſo in their judgment, and ſo was turned into Salt.
And into a Pillar of Salt, that's durable, and of continuance: As the everlaſting Covenant is called a Pillar of Salt, ſo her body (for I ſpeak not of her ſoul, neither doth the Scripture ſpeak any thing concerning that) being turned into a material Pillar of Salt for the longer continuance, that ſhe might be an everlaſting Monument and warning to all Generations to take heed of looking back, declining, and backſliding: And thus ſhe was turned into a Pillar of Salt: That's her Puniſhment.
As for her ſin that did bring her into this condition, it was exceeding great and hainous, for there was much diſobedience in it, being directly contrary unto the expreſs Commandement of God by the Angel. In Gen. 19. The Angels ſaid when they had brought them forth abroad, Eſcape for thy life, look not behind thee, neither ſtay thou in all the Plain; eſcape to the Mountain leſt thou be conſumed. Here was an expreſs Commandment that they ſhould not look back. It ſeemed to be no great matter for Adam to eat an Apple, a forbidden Apple; but being directly contrary to Gods expreſs Commandement, there was much diſobedience in it: And ſo though it ſeem'd no great matter to look back, yet being directly contrary to Gods expreſs Commandement There was much diſobedience in it.
Again, There might be much incredulity and unbelief in this thing, for ſhe might doubt whether God would fulfil his word in deſtroying Sodom (as God had ſaid) and ſo might look back to ſee whether the Word of the Lord were fulfilled, or no.
But beſides, There might be, and there was a great deal of carnal affection in looking back unto a worldly intereſt there, upon which account our Saviour Chriſt brings it in, in this chapter, and cautions men upon that.
Yea there was in effect an Apoſtacy, a Typical Apoſtacy, upon which account our Saviour Chriſt ſpeaks on't, and ſaith he, he that puts his hand to the Plow, and looks back: an Apoſtacy there was in it. Now this Apoſtacy of hers was aggravated by many circumſtances.
Firſt, by the goodneſs of her Relation: The more gracious a mans Relations are, if he do decline, the greater is his ſin, if he do decline: Now ſhe was the Wife of a gracious holy man, and therefore for her to decline from ſuch a Relation, it was exceeding wicked.
2. And beſides, As ſhe did look back under ſuch a Relation, ſo ſhe was not tempted thereunto: The leſs temptation to any ſin, the greater the ſin: Thoſe that are tempted to ſin, excuſe themſelves; The woman thou gaveſt me, ſhe gave me to eat: But now Lot's Wife could not ſay thus; I was tempted by Lot, or by any other; No, ſhe was not over-born by any temptation from without, and therefore her ſin was the greater.
3. She ſinned in good company: 'Tis an evil thing to ſin in any company; but the better the company is that I ſin in, the worſe is my ſin: She had the company of her husband; ſhe had the conduct of Angels: now upon this ground ſhe ſinned.
4. She ſinned in the face of Juſtice: 'Tis an evil thing for a Thief to ſin at any time, but to cut a mans purſe before the Judge, while he is upon the Bench doing Juſtice, this is worſe. God was now doing Juſtice upon Sodom, and for Lot's Wife to ſin in the face of Juſtice doing, it made her ſin exceeding great.
5. And yet farther, To ſay no more in it, But that ſhe ſinned alſo in the face of great deliverance; God had now brought her out, Husband, Children, and ſelf, and delivered them with an high hand: To ſin in the face of a deliverance wrought with an high hand, is to ſin with an high hand: Such was her deliverance, wrought with an high hand, and therefore for her to ſin thus, was exceeding evil, and very ſinful. And thus you ſee what that is of Lot's Wife that is to be remembred by us, namely, her ſin and her puniſhment.
2. But then Secondly, Why is Lot's Wife to be remembred by us.
She is to be remembred by us, becauſe that ſhe is Recorded, and her Example is recorded for that end and purpoſe: She is hung up, and Gibbeted (as it were) for all that go by and read the Scripture to Remember.
Again, If that whatſoever is written in the Old Teſtament, is written for our inſtruction for our admonition, and Judgements there recorded for our Caution and Warning: Then good Reaſon that ſhe and her Example ſhould be remembred, Rom. 15. 4. For whatſoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, and in 1 Cor. 10. 5. ſpeaking of the ſins of the Iſraelites, With many of them God was not well pleaſed, for they were overthrown in the Wilderneſs. Now theſe things were our Examples, to the intent we ſhould not luſt after evil things, as they alſo luſted. Neither be ye Idolaters as were ſome of them, as it is written, the people ſate down to eat and drink, and roſe up to play: Neither let us commit Fornication as ſome of them committed, and fell in one day, three and twenty thouſand: Neither let us tempt Chriſt, as ſome of them alſo tempted, and were deſtroyed of Serpents: Neither murmur ye, as ſome of them alſo murmured, and were deſtroyed of the Deſtroyer. Now at the 11th. verſe, All theſe things hap…ed unto them, for our enſamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Further, We are to remember Lot's Wife, and ſhe is to be remembred by us, that we fall not into the ſame condemnation: Read the Hiſtory, leaſt thou thy ſelf beeſt made the Judgement of God: The only way to be kept from afflictions our ſelves, is to gain by other mens afflictions: How ſhould we gain by ſuch afflictions as theſe, if we ſhould not remember them?
Again, If you look into Scripture, you ſhall find, that of all the Judgments that are Recorded in Scripture, there is none ſo frequently mentioned and repeated, as the Judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the 19 Gen. once in the 20 Jer. again, and 49th. again, the 11 of Hoſ. again, the 4 Amos again, the 17 Luke again, the Epiſtle of Jude again: So then look into Scripture, and you ſhall find there is no Judgment ſo often repeated as this Judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah: And why? That it may be obſerved in all the circumſtances thereof.
And to ſay no more in it but thus: There is a Sodom that is ſtill to be deſtroyed, in the 11 Rev. You find that Rome in the Latitude thereof is called Sodom: Their dead bodies ſhall lie in the ſtreet of the great City, which ſpiritually is called Sodom and Egypt: This Sodom is to be deſtroyed with fire, in the 18 Rev. She ſhall be utterly burnt with fire. ver. 8. And as Lot was commanded to come out of Sodom, ſo the people of God are commanded, Come out of her my people.
And as Lot's Wife by looking back did partake with them in their ſin, and ſo partake in their Plagues: So ſaith the Lord, Come out of her my people, that you be not partaker of her ſin, and that ye receive not of her Plagues: So then, there is a Sodom ſtill which is to be deſtroyed, which we are to come out of; ſpiritual Sodom; and therefore even this of Lot's Wife coming out is diligently to be conſidered, and to be remembred by us, that we may know how to come out well: And thus we ſee the Reaſons why Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us.
But Thirdly, How is Lot's Wife to be remembred by us?
1. She is to be remembred by us in a way of reflection, again and again to mind the ſtory and example of Lot's Wife: You may oftentimes read the ſtory, and may have forgot the ſame, but as the clean beaſt was to chew the Cud, which in the Hebrew is a bringing of the Meat into the mouth again: So you may have oftentimes eaten up this ſtory of Lot's Wife, but you are to chew the Cud, and bring it into your Memory again, to remember it in a way of reflection.
2. In a way of meditation, I remember all thy marvellous works, and meditate thereon ſaith David: Remembrance without meditation will do little good, it muſt be remembrance with meditation: And
3. As it muſt be with Meditation, ſo with an holy Fear, and Reverence, and Adoration. I have read of a Heathen, that when he came by the Gallows, he would alwayes put off his Hat and bow, and ſay, God ſave Juſtice: And ſo now, when we come by this Gibbit, we ſhould not come by, but bow with Fear, and Reverence, and Adoration, adoring the Juſtice and the Soveraignty of God in his proceedings. We are to remember Lot's Wife in a way of Fear, and Reverence, and Adoration.
4. We are to remember Lot's Wife in a way of Caution, ſo as to take heed by her: Remember how ſhe looked back, and take heed that we do not look back: And thus we are to remember Lot's Wife.
But then Fourthly, What and when is the ſpecial time that Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us?
It is good to remember her frequently: But we are in a ſpecial manner to remember Lot's Wife in the time of declining, in declining times remember her that you do not decline. Thus our Saviour Chriſt brings her in for to be remembred by us, that we do not look back, as ſhe looked back.
2. We are to remember her in times of ſecurity, of great ſecurity: As in the days of Noah, ſaith Chriſt, they were in great ſecurity: They ate, and drank, &c. And as in the Dayes of Lot, they ate, and drank, they marryed, they were in great ſecurity: Now ſaith our Saviour, So ſhall it be, but remember Lot's Wife: So that in times of great ſecurity, Lot's Wife is to be remembred by us.
3. She is to be remembred by us alſo, In time when God doth call upon his people by his diſpenſa…ions to go out of Sodom, and make no delay: For ſo our Saviour alſo preſſes it to you, Let not him that is on the houſe top go down, &c. But remember Lot's Wife, God would have no delay then: So when God calls upon a people to come out of Sodom, make no delay, but remember Lot's Wife: Thus we ſee what the time is.
But fifthly and laſtly, What good ſhall we get by remembring Lot's Wife? Is there any good to be gotten by remembring Lot's Wife?
Yes, much every way: Something in a way of Inſtruction, ſomething in a way of Caution.
Firſt, By way of inſtruction: I ſhall lay before you ten or eleven inſtructions that we may gain hereby.
Firſt, If this ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and do live in our Memory, then why ſhould not we ſtand and admire, and ſay, Lord, how unſearchable are thy J…dgments, and thy way's paſt finding out. Here are four, and but four that came out of Sodom, and yet one of the fo…r were deſtroyed: God may deliver our Family in the time of common Calamity, and yet ſome of our houſe may ſuffer. God in the midſt of Judgment doth remember mercy: In the midſt of Mercy he Remembers Judgment. In the midſt of Judgment upon Sodom, he remembred mercy for Lot, and for his Family: In the midſt of mercy upon Lot, and upon his Family, he remembred Judgment upon Lot's Wife. The ſame thing may be done by one in a way of Faith, and he may live, and done by another in a way of unbelief, and he may die. Abraham looked upon Sodom when Sodom was a burning, Abraham got up early in the morning, at the 27 ver. to the place where he ſtood before the Lord, and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the Land of the Plain, and beheld, and lo, the ſmoke of the Country went up, as the ſmoke of a Furnace: Abraham beheld, and looked upon it in a way of believing and lived: Lot's Wife looks back in a way of unbelief, and ſhe dies. The ſame thing may be done by one in a way of Faith, and live, and by another in a way of unbelief and die. But literally here, two ſhall be in one bed, the one ſhall be taken, and the other ſhall be left; two ſhall be in the field, the one ſhall be taken, and the other left: Two in a bed, Lot and his Wife, one taken, and the other left: Two in a field, they were going both out of Sodom, one taken, and the other left; Lord how unſearchable are thy Judgments, and thy wayes paſt finding out.
2. If this ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and do live in our Memory, then here we may learn by way of Inſtruction, and ſee how far a Man or Woman may go in Religion, and yet come ſhort at the laſt: Lot's Wife went far, ſhe was a profeſſor of the firſt and the higheſt form, ſhe had lived a long while in Abraham's Family, ſhe had walked with her Husband Lot, and injoyed his prayers many years; ſhe ſtood out againſt the wickedneſs of Sodom while ſhe was there; ſhe was in ſome me…ſure obedient unto the voice of the Angel in going out of Sodom: and (as ſome obſerve) ſhe was a Profeſſor of ſeventy years growth, and yet ſhe miſcarried: How far may Men and Women go in Religion, and yet miſcarry at the laſt?
3. If this ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and do live in our memory; Then you may learn, and ſee by way of Inſtruction; That the beſt Relations will not ſecure from the hand of God if we continue evil: She was the neareſt Relation to a Holy Righteous man, Lot, yet ſinned; Her Relation would not ſave her, and would not excuſe her: Why ſhould any ſay, I am the Child of ſuch a godly Parent; I am the Servant of ſuch a godly Maſter; I am a member of ſuch a Church: 'Tis not the neareſt and the beſt Relations will ſave us from the hand of God, if we ſin againſt him: Here was the neareſt Relation, and yet not exempted from the ſevereſt puniſhment.
4. If this ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and do indeed live in our memory, Then here you may ſee what an evil thing it is to look back from that which God hath delivered us from. It is an evil thing to ſin againſt that Deliverance that hath a Such written on it: In the 9th. of Ezra, ſee how he argues, After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great treſpaſſes; ſeeing th…t thou our God haſt puniſhed us leſſe than our iniquities deſerve, and haſt given us Such deliverance as this (A deliverance with a Such written on it) ſhould we again break thy Commandements, and joyn in affinity with the people of theſe abominations? Wouldeſt not thou be angry with us, till thou hadſt conſumed us, ſo that there ſhould be no remnant, nor eſcaping? See, 'tis a very evil thing for to ſin after a Deliverance that hath Such written upon it; but to turn back, or to look back unto that which God hath delivered us from, that is yet worſe: For the Lord to have delivered us from Superſtition, from Idolatry, and to look back to that which God hath delivered us from, What's this, but after the manner of Lot's Wife? But you ſee how it far'd with her. Well then you ſee, it's an evil thing to look back to that which God hath delivered us from.
5. If this ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and live in our memory; Here we may learn by way of Inſtruction, That former Deliverance will not ſecure us from future Deſtruction: She was delivered with a great Deliverance, and yet deſtroyed with a great Deſtruction: The like is ſaid of the Iſraelites in the Epiſtle of Jude: I will put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, How that the Lord having ſaved the people out of the Land of Egypt, afterward deſtroyed them that believed not: Delivered, and yet deſtroyed. We are apt to think, O we have been delivered thus, and thus, and therefore we ſhall not be deſtroyed: God delivered them with an high hand, and they were deſtroyed with an high hand: Lot's Wife delivered with an high hand, and deſtroyed with an high hand. Former Deliverance will not ſecure us from future Deſtruction.
6. If this ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and live in our memory, then here we may learn by way of Inſtruction; 'Tis ill ſinning when God is puniſhing: It's good begging while God is giving; but O 'tis ill ſinning while God is puniſhing: If he be angry, yea but a little, bleſſed are all thoſe that truſt in him: Be wiſe now therefore O ye Kings; be inſtructed ye Judges of the Earth, ſerve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling: Kiſs the Son, leſt he be angry, and ye periſh from the way. The way, What way? Why, in the way of his judgments; When God is fetching his ſtroke at a people, ſtand out of the way then of Gods ſtroke: God was ſtriking at Sodom, and Lot's Wife came in the way of his ſtroke, and ſhe dyed for it; It's ill ſinning, when God is puniſhing.
7. If that this ſtory be true, and live in your memory, then here you may learn, That thoſe that are exemplary in ſinning, ſhall be exemplary in puniſhing: She was the firſt that ſinned this kind of ſin, and the firſt that fell under ſuch a Judgement. The Lord mark'd Jeroboam, Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, that made Iſrael to ſin; Why he was the firſt, and God ſet a mark upon him. This is that wicked Ahaz, that in the time of his affliction ſinned yet more: What a mark did God ſet upon Judas, in his life, in his death? Why he was the firſt that made a treacherous retreat from the Goſpel; He was the head of thoſe Halbertiers that came to attatch Chriſt: So an Apoſtate, uſually doth head the perſecuting party, but God ſet a mark upon him. Thoſe that are firſt in ſin, and thoſe that are exemplary in ſinning, God will make exemplary in puniſhment.
8. If this ſtory of Lot's Wiſe be true, and do live in our memory: Then here we may ſee what an evil thing it is to miſ-chuſe in our chuſing time. Lot had two choiſes once, he had a choice before, when there was a difference between Abram's Servants and his, Abraham condeſcends, and gives him his choice: Lot thou art my younger, but I'le yield for peace ſake (as we ſhould all do for peace ſake) but Lot take thy choice; all the Country was before him, and he choſe Sodom, but God fired him out of that choice: Now he was to go out of Sodom, he and his Wife and Children were to go out of Sodom, and L…t (ſaith God) fly to the Mountain: Not ſo my Lord, there is little Zoar, let me go thither, and God let him have his choice, and yielded to him, but it coſt him dear: What an evil thing is it to miſ-chuſe in chuſing times?
9. If this ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and do live in our memory, Then here we may ſee by way of Inſtruction: That though God will lay out an hiding place for his people, in times of publick Calamity: Yet if they ſin in the way, they may periſh or miſcarry in the very face of their hiding place. It appears that L…t had loſt his Wife before he came at Zoar, Gen. 19. 30. And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the Mountain, and his two Daughters with him. We don't read, he loſt her in Zo…r, but in the way to Zo…r; he would not go to the Mountain that God choſe for him, but to Zoar: Now here in the way he ſinned, and in the way to this hiding …lace he loſt his Wife: So that though God in time of publick Calamity, may indulge, or find out a hiding place for us, yet if we ſin, we may periſh even in the very way to our hiding place.
10. If this ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and do live in our memory, Then here we may learn by way of Inſtruction, That 'tis poſſible that a Religious Family may have a black mark of Gods Indignation: Lot's Family was a Religious Family. Never bear upon it that you are a Religious Family, It's poſſible that a Religious Family may have a black mark of Gods Indignation, and poſſibly the death of one Relation may be a ſnare to the other: We know the ſin that Lot committed afterwards with his Daughters. The death of this Relation, a ſnare to the other, and God doth know how to ſtrike at one through the ſides of another: God ſtrikes at Lot through the ſides of his Wife; God knows how to ſtrike at one through the ſides of another.
11. A…d the main of all is this: If the ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and do live in our memory, O what an evil thing is it to look back, and to decline in declining times? How quick was God with Lot's Wife for looking back? She never ſinned this ſin before, 'twas the firſt ſin that ever in this kind ſhe committed; and ſhe might have ſaid: Why Lord, It's the firſt time that ever I committed it, and indeed I was taken before I was aware thus to look back, I did not conſider well of What I did: But God turned her preſently into a Pillar of Salt: God was quick with her: Why? For to ſhew thus much, God will be quick with Apoſtates: God will turn the Turners; She turned to look back, and God turned her into a Pillar of Salt. And ſo for thoſe that turn, God will turn; God will turn Turners: God will be quick with Turners; God will turn Turners into a Pillar of Salt. God is quick with Apoſtates, and ſuch as do decline. And thus I have given you theſe eleven things by way of Inſtruction.
As many I might give you in a way of Caution, but the Inſtance only in one.
If this ſtory of Lot's Wife be true, and do live in our Remembrance; By way of Caution: Why ſhould we not all take heed how we look back to worldly Intereſts, in the day when the Son of man ſhall be Revealed, or in this day of the Goſpel, when the Son of man is Revealed? You ſee what became of Lot's Wife for her looking back: and therefore why ſhould we not all of us take heed, how we look back or decline in this day that the Son of man is Revealed?
You will ſay, what ſhall we do that we may not decline? What ſhall we do that we may ſo remember Lot's Wife, that we may not decline or look back in declining times?
I ſhall not ſpeak at large unto the Argument: OnelyOnly thus.
If you would not look back in declining times, ſhut your eyes and your ears againſt all the allurements and threatnings of the World: For the Devil he tempts much now in theſe daies to falſe Worſhip, as he tempted our Saviour Chriſt, when he ſaid: All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me: That was falſe Worſhip: So now the Devil ſaith, All this living and preferment will I give thee, if thou wilt worſhip me ſo: This Cupboard with Plate will I give thee; this Chamber hung with Tapeſtry will I give thee, if thou wilt worſhip ſo; This great living and preferment will I give thee, if thou wilt worſhip ſo: If thou wilt not worſhip, all this will I take from thee: Would you therefore be kept, that you may never look back? Shut your eyes, and ſhut your ears, go blindfold into Gods Commandements, as Abraham your Father did.
2. If you would not look back in declining times: Take heed of leaving any Neſt-egg in the day of Reformation; if there be an Egg left in the Neſt, ſure enough the Hen will return to the Neſt to lay yet. So in the time of Reformation, If a Neſt-Egg be left, as God knows what Neſt-eggs were left among us: But I ſay, If in a time of publick Reformation Neſt-eggs be left, there will be a return of the Hen to the Neſt-egg there. Will you know what that good man ſaid, Mr. Dearing before Queen Elizabeth: The houſe is ſwept, and the Dirt is behind the Door, there comes a Hen and ſcrapes it all out again: But I put it into this, If a Neſt-egg be left, be it a publick Reformation, or a private Reformation; yet if a Neſt-egg be left, there will be a returning back again.
3. If you would not look back in declining times, Then be ſure that you never part friends with any ſin: Some will part with their ſin, but they will part friends with it. Saith one, By the grace of God I will never commit this ſin again, and I'le go but this time into this company, but after this time I will never go to them again: and ſo they part friends with their ſin: Why, if a man be to part with his friend, he goes part of the way with him, and having parted friends, they look after one another; And ſo when a man parts friends with his ſin, he will certainly look back again: But if a man would never look back to his ſin in declining times, let him part as an enemy to it. He that will part friends with his ſin, will certainly return to his ſin again.
4. If you would not look back in declining times, be ſure of this: That you do not run a ſhare, or a part in the Veſſel that God is about to deſtroy: Where my grief is, there is my finger; where my love is, there is my eye; If I have a ſhare and a part in the Veſſel that God is about to deſtroy, I ſhall look after the Veſſel, what becomes thereof. Why now Babylon that art to be deſtroyed, Babylon is not to repent; Babylon that art to be deſtroyed: Babylon is not to be reformed: Waſh dirt an hundred times, and you cannot make clean the dirt; Babylon is not to be reformed, but to be deſtroyed; Take heed therefore of running a part or a ſhare in the Boat or Veſſel that God hath laid out for deſtruction, for if you have a part and a ſhare there, you will look back. But
5. If you would not look back in declining times, let us conſider in the fear of the Lord, what an evil thing it is to look back: Briefly thus.
1. Thereby you loſe all you have wrought; Thereby you will loſe all your loſſes; There is much gain in loſing for Jeſus Chriſt; There is gain in our loſſes, by looking back you will loſe all your loſſes, and the gain thereby.
2. Thereby you will loſe the Teſtimony of your own Integrity; Yet ſaith God, Job held faſt his Integrity: And if we don't look back in declining times, then our hearts will tell us, we were upright before him, but if we look back in declining times, our conſciences will tell us we were never right before him.
3. Thereby alſo you will loſe the comfort of thoſe glorious times that are to come: Friends and Beloved, glorious times there are a coming, that are at the back ſide of this hedge, that are but a little way off; that are on the back-ſide of this affliction; glorious times that are a coming, and when they come, if ye ſtand and hold out, you will have the comfort of thoſe glorious times: But if now you look back in the interim, you will loſe the comfort of all thoſe glorious times when they come, and come they will, and come they ſhall.
4. Thereby alſo you will, and ſhall be ſatisfied with your own waies, for the back-ſlider in heart ſhall be ſatisfied with his own waies, you will look back, and you ſhall have enough on't (ſaith God.)
5. And thereby alſo you will be made unmeet for the Kingdom of Heaven; For he that puts his hand to the Plow, and looks back, is unfit for the Kingdom of Heaven.
6. And thereby alſo you may be made a Pillar of Salt, and an example unto after Ages; for God is quick with Apoſtates, and with them that do look back: You have heard how quick the Lord was with Lot's Wife, and ſhe was but a Type. Now therefore, as ever you do deſire (Friends and Beloved) as ever you do deſire, that you may not loſe what you have wrought for ſo many years; as you do deſire that you may hold faſt, and not loſe the gain of your former loſſes; as you do deſire that you may hold faſt your Integrity; as you do deſire that you may have the comfort of thoſe glorious times that are a coming; as you do deſire you may not be ſatisfied with your own waies, and as you do deſire you may not be unfit for the Kingdom of Heaven; and as you do deſire that you may not be made examples for after Ages: I beſeech you in the Name of the Lord, and I deſire this Exhortation may take upon my own heart as well as yours; Let us remember Lot's Wife. It was the Lady Times ſpeech to Harding that Apoſtate, Harding, Harding, Remember Judas; Harding, remember Francis Spira: And let us remember Lot's Wife.
And if you will ask, How ſhould we ſo remember Lot's Wife, that we may not decline in declineing times? Work theſe things upon your hearts; This ſtory and example upon your hearts: Take this for a conſtant Rule, that Paſſion is the beſt door-keeper of Memory: The more I am affected with a thing for the preſent, the more I ſhall remember it for the future; and therefore if you would remember Lot's Wife, go and work this ſtory now upon your own hearts; and as the times are declining, the more declining the times are, the more do you rub your Memory with this Example of Lot's Wife, and call upon your ſelves: Come O my ſoul remember Lot's Wife: Brethren, Friends, Beloved, our Saviour Chriſt hath left you this Example, he hath commanded you and me to remember Lot's Wife; 'Tis an Example that he hath ſanctified, that we may take heed hereby, and therefore at all times call upon your ſelves, and your own ſouls; come O my ſoul, haſt thou forgotten Lot's Wife? Thou beginneſt to grow cold, and dead, and dull, haſt thou forgotten Lot's Wife? Come O my Soul, remember Lot's Wife: Thus ſhall you be able to ſtand, and not to look back, and I pray think upon it, that we may not be of the number of thoſe that draw back unto perdition, but of thoſe that do believe to the ſaving of your ſouls: Think therefore of theſe things, and remember Lot's Wife.
FINIS.
THere is lately Printed an Excellent Treatiſe called the World Conquer'd: Or a Believers Victory over the VVorld, laid open in ſeveral Sermons on 1 John 5. 4. By R. A. The Author of Vindiciae Pietatis.
Sold by Nath. Crouch at the Croſs-Keys in Biſhops-gate-ſtreet, near Leaden-Hall.
End of the text · William Bridge, Seasonable Truths in Evil Times (1668)