Two Treatises 3, Text (2 of 3)

Two Treatises 3 · Text (2 of 3)

p. 49R: R.And it must needes be so as Calvin giveth the reason of it,)Grace abused a high contempt. inasmuch as here is an addition of one sin which is greater then any of the rest, viz. Sacrilega caelestis gratiae profanatiò, a Sacrilegious profaning and abusing of the grace of God. Of all Sins none more heinous, none so heinous as this. This is the Attribute, which God is most tender of, his Grace; To have that sleighted, disregarded, trampsed under foote by a contemptuous disrespect, this is a heinous addition to all former sins and offences. As suppose a Malefactour standing guiltie of some capital crime, and adjudged to dye, should so far sleight the grace and favour of his Prince, as to reject his pardon being tendred to him, casting it away, and trampling it under his feete, so not accepting the benefit of it, who but would looke upon this as a high aggravation of his former offenses, and adjudging him most worthy to die and perish in that his wilfull contempt, and refusall of mercy. Thus standeth the case. All the sonnes of men standing guilty before God by reason of Adams sin, and their own, and so obnoxious unto eternall death, it hath pleased God out of his abundant grace and mercy to grant a pardon to all those who p. 50repenting of their sinns shall beleive on the name of his Son. This pardon he holdeth forth in the preaching of the Gospel. Now for any to sleight this Gospel, and the offer of grace and merciemercy in it, how can this be looked upon but as the highest contempt, and greatest ingratitude, against the Majestie of God, and as a dreadful addition to all other offences, so calling for a proportionable weight of Iudgment? That it is so it cannot, (I presume) it will not be denyed. Bring we it home to our selves by way of Application.Applic.

Let that be directed onelyonly two waies, by way of Conviction, by way of Exhortation.

1.Vse. 1. By way of Conviction, Reflect we upon our selves,Application to the nation in generall. Jerusalem and England pararelled. we of this Nation, we of this place, in Ierusal…ms glass beholding our own face; beholding our ingratitude, our sin, what mercies, what favours, whether temporal, or spiritual, was Ierusalem blessed with which England hath not been? Was Ierusalem lift up to heaven in respect of Spiritual priviledges, hath not England beenIn respect of spirituall priviledges. so? were the Oracles of God committed unto them, and have they not been so to us? was Christ clearly held forth unto them, & hath he not beene so unto us in the preaching of the Gospel, even evidently set forth, and crucified, before our eyes (as Paul tels his Galathians he was to them, Gal. 3). was Ierusalems light greater and clearer then that which shone upon other Cities, and hath not Englands light (I may speake it without flatterie) out shined p. 51the light of any other Nation in the world? was God pleased to send a continued succession of Prophets and Apostles unto them, and hath he not done the like to us in this Nation, sent a succession of able and faithfull ministers to declare and make known his mind, and will to us? Thus hath England been exalted above other Nations in regard of special priviledges.

To which also adde temporall favours, Temporall favours.which how many, how great? what nation under heaven might compare with England upon that account? what peace, what plenty of all things? what tranquillity and prosperity did England for many yeares together enjoy, to the wonder if not envie of most other nations. Thus was England for a long time the favourite and darling of heaven, as Ierusalem.

But now what returne hath she made of these mercies,Unanswerable returnes. these favours? Is not that too like Ierusalems? Have we not generally beene an ungratful and rebellious people, as they were? A people that have not known the things which belong to our peace▪ Temporal, and Eternall? A people which have not given that intertainment to Christ and his Gospell, that he expected▪ and other nations probably would have done? A people that have rather cast off the yoake of Christ, not induring his goverment, any Goverment that lookes like his; And for our temporal mercies, our peace, our plenty, have we not been even surfeited with p. 52them? have we not waxed wanton by their Abusing our peace to the making of us secure, setled upon our …ees; abusing our plenty (as evill stomacks turne good meats into ill humours,) turning it into pride, Luxurie, riot, and Excess. Thus hath this nation under these long continued mercies been like unto a peice of ground, which being overmanured & grown too lustie, runs wilde, bringing forth a crop of weedes. Thus hath this abundance of mercies amongst us through the abuse of them brought forth abundance of sinnes. Neyther are we to this day hettered by all those sharpe rods, those severe corrections wherewith of late yeares God hath corrected us, but, Israel like, we even revolt more and more; as it were hating to be reformed. Such is the requitals such is the returne which England (I speake as to the greatest part therein) hath made unto her God.

And what an Aggravation of her sin is this? That any nation should thus deal with their God,A great Aggravation of Englands sin. to walk stubbornly and rebelliously against him, it is inexcusable; but that a people so favoured, so honoured of God, as England hath been, should do this, this is a thing which God cannot but take more heynously at our hands, then at others. So the Lord maketh his complaint concerning Israel Isaiah 1. 2, 3. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The oxe knoweth his owner &c. But Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. And may not he take up the like complaint p. 53against England? God hath nourished and tendred us as children, yet we have rebelled against him; England hath not known, England hath not considered. Now this he cannot but take worse at our hands, then at the hands of any other nation. foreign! And thou O England, that thou shouldest do this that thou shouldest make such a return to thy God, for all his mercies and favours! This is an heinous aggravation of Englands sin.

And aggravating the sinne, Threatning a proportionable judgment.what can we expect but that it should also aggravate thy Iudgment? So it did Ierusalems here. Her sin being uppon this account greater then the sin of any other place, so was her Judgment (as the verses following set it forth.) No one place that the hand of God fell so heavy upon, as it did upon Ierusalem. And have not we of this nation just cause to fear the like; that in as much as our sins have exceeded the sins of other nations, our judgments should exceed also.

And what is said of the Nation in general,Application to the Town of Yarmouth in special. let it be applied to this place in special. Upon which it cannot be denied, but God hath bestowed many singular mercies, both Spiritual and Temporal. Among other, preserving us in the midst of this late fiery furnace, which hath burnt so hot in most parts of the nation; to this day continuing our peace and liberty, not suffering the sword (though shakē over us) to break in upō us in an hostile way, as it hath don upon māy other Cities & Townes. Now shal we stil persist and go on in p. 54our sinful provocations, in sleighting of Ordinances, profaning Sabbaths, abusing creatures, &c. what can we expect but that as our sinnes upon this account shall be greater then the sins of other places, who have not enjoyed the like mercies, so should our judgments be.

Vse. 2.For the preventing of which suffer a word of Exhortation. Exhortation. To indeavour an answerable return to mercies.All of us be we excited to indeavour an answerable return to the mercies and favours bestowed upon us. Publick mercies, Private mercies; Spiritual, Temporal, Take notice of all, and study to answer all: Looking upon these differencing and distinguishing mercies, as so many obligations, and Engagements upon us, binding us to duty above others, let it be our care to walk answerably. In as much as God hath been pleased to exalt and prefer us above and before others, let it be our endeavour to go before others in all grateful a…d exemplarie obedience. That so these blessings which through the mercy and goodnesse of our God we have, and do yet in so great a measure injoy, may not be (what otherwise they will) as so many testimonies against us, affording matter of a just Exprobration. Which is a sad thing, when God cometh to upbraid a people with his favours.

Mark it. That is Ierusalems case, the Text, to whom our Saviour here speaketh (as both Calvin and Beza (taking it from Budaeus) conceive of it) not onelyonly by way of Commiseration, A sad thing for God to upbraid a people with his favours.but also of Exprobration. As pitying, so upbraiding them. Pitying them in regard of the Calamitie p. 55which he saw coming upon them, but withall upbraiding them with the mercies and favours which God had bestowed upon them above others, to which they had made a most unworthy return. Even thou!] Thou whom I have done thus and thus for; thou for whom I have done more then for any other place upon earth, O, it is a sad thing when God shall come thus to upbraid a people with his favours.

A thing which he is not ready and forward to do.A thing which he is not ready to do. So much we may learn from St. Iames▪ Jam. 1. 5. If any man lack wisedome, let him ask it of God, who giveth liberally, and upbraideth not; viz. those who receiving his blessings thankfully, indeavour to make a right use of them. But as for those who, being ungrateful for them, shall not walk in measure worthy of them, them he will upbraid, So he often doth ungrateful Israel; as elsevvhere, so Isaiah 5. 1, 2. vvhere comparing Israel to a vineyard, Yet being provoked by ingratitude he will do it.he reckons up what offices he had done to it, in fencing, and planting, and mannuring of it, &c. accommodating it with all necessaries and conveniencies. And this he doth by way of exprobration, upbraiding them with those favours for which they had made so ill a requital. And the like again Ier. 2. 5. Thus saith the Lord, what iniquity have your fathers found in me? &c. Neither said they where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt; that led us through the wilderness. And so he goeth on, reckoning up p. 56the many favours he had done for that Nation, which he doth in an upbraiding way; inasmuch as they had shewed themselves so ingrateful and forgetful as they had done. And the like doth our Saviour to those Cities in the Text forenamed, Mat. 11. 20. foreign, He began to upbraid them. Be thankful for, and walk worthy of publick mercies.O take we heed that we do not give God just cause to do the like by us. And therefore what special mercies and favours God is pleased to bestow upon us, take notice of them, be thankful for them, endeavour to walk worthy of them. This do we for publick.

And this do we for private mercies. Is it so that God is pleased to bless any of us above other of our brethren in any kinde.Private mercies. Be it in our Bodies with health and strength; In our Estates, with larger portions of this worlds goods, advancing us above the common ranke; In our mindes, inriching us with inward gifts and indowments of wit, wisdome, knowledg, &c. O take we heed that these be not a matter of exprobration to us; that by our abusing of them, not improving them, not walking worthy of them, we do not give God just cause to upbraid us with them. Considering that in this case every of these mercies will be as so many several aggravations of our ingratitude. This is that which the Lord by his Prophet Nathan tels King David, 2 Sam. 12. 7, 8. Where reckoning up the many favours he had done, and was ready to do for him; how he had delivered him out of the hand of Saul, how be had set p. 57him upon the Throne of Israel, giving him his Masters House and Wives, and the House of Israel and of Iudah. And (saith he) if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things; then he cometh to expostulate the matter with him, why he should so deal by his God as had done. Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandement of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thus God taketh the sins of his favourites more unkindly then the sins of any other. And therefore, is it so that God hath indeared any of us to himself by any special favours, wherein he hath preferred us before others, let us be so much the more watchful & careful over our walkings, that so he may never take up the like complaint against us, as our Saviour here doth against Ierusalem; O that thou, even thou shouldest do thus and thus! This it was that David took most heinously, that his favourites and familiars should prove treacherous to him, Psal. 41. 9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lift up his heel against me.] Some of his Courtiers & friends. Which our Saviour applieth unto Iudas's dealing with himself. Ioh. 13. 18. He that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel against me.] This did exceedingly aggravate Iudas's sin. Had some of the Scribes o… Pharisees done what he did, it had been no strange thing. But that Iudas should do it; one whom Christ had so far honoured as to admit him to so near an attendance upon his person, to p. 58make him one of his Privy Counsel (as it were) this highly aggravated his offence. O take heed lest the like aggravation lie against any of us. And therefore, the more gracious God hath been or shall be to any of us, let us be the more grateful, the more watchful, the more careful to walk worthy of his mercies. I have done with the former of these Circumstances, these Aggravations.

Come we now to the latter,Second Aggravation, from the time. which is taken from the Time, and the Season, [In this thy day.]

Q. And what is here meant by Ierusalems day?

A. Day in Scripture it hath divers senses and significations.The word (Day) explained. Literally and properly we meet with a Natural day, and an Artificial day. The one consisting of twenty four hours, the Suns Revolution; the other of the time of light, from morning to evening. Both which we finde in that one verse, Gen. 1. 5. And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. By the first understanding the Artificial day, by the latter the Natural. But to let these pass as nothing to our purpose.

Tropically and improperly the word is diversly used.

1. Sometimes for the time of mans life, that space which he liveth upon earth. Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day (saith our Saviour to the Jews) Iohn 8. 56. the time of my manifestation in the flesh, and abode upon earth. I must work the work of him that sent me whilest p. 59is day, John 9. 4. that is, whilest I live here upon earth.

2. Sometimes it denotes the time of grace under the Gospel. So the Apostle is conceived to use the world Rom. 13. 12. where he saith, The night is far spent, the day is at hand.] The night, the time of the Law, which was a time of darkness and Ignorance, wherein spiritual and heavenly mysteries were all clouded and vailed under shadows and figures. In opposition thereunto the time of the Gospel is called, the Day, in regard of the clear manifestation of the grace of God, and of the mysterie of salvation to all sorts, not onelyonly to Iews but Gentiles, And so that other Text of the same Apostle is looked upon, 1 Thes. 5. 5. Ye are the children of the day; living in Gospel times. As also that other prophetical Text, Heb. 4. 7. To day if ye will hear his voice, (saith David speaking of the time of the Gospel, as it is there expounded.)

3. Sometimes it denotes any special opportunity, apt and proper season for any transaction. So that forenamed Text may be understood, Iohn 9. 4. I must work whilest it is day; that is, whilest I have opportunity. And so that other. To day if ye will hear his voice; whilest the time and season of grace lasteth, whilest salvation is offered.

4. And lastly, by Day sometimes we are to understand a set time determined and appointed by God for some special purpose. In this sense we find the word frequently used by the Prophets.

p. 60And in these two last senses understand we the word here in the Text.Ierusalems Day, what, the time of special grace. Ierusalems Day was the time destinated and foreappointed by God, and foretold by the Prophets, wherein the light of the Gospel should shine forth unto her, and that more clearly then ever heretofore, and the offer of grace and mercy should be held forth unto her after a special manner. Of this day, this time, the Prophets make frequent mention. As the Prophet Isai. Chap. 60. 1. Arise, shine (or be enlightned) for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. So Zachary 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Sion, for thy King cometh unto thee. Both which had their accomplishment in the coming of Christ in the flesh; and particularly in his coming to Ierusalem at this time, in this manner, presenting himself to it as a King. So he himself applies the latter of these Texts, Matth. 21. 4, 5. And hereupon is this here called Ierusalems day; the day that had been so often foretold; the time wherein God did offer grace and mercy to her after a more special manner then ever he had done heretofore. Before he had often made offers of that kind unto her (as to the whole Nation of the Jews) by sending his Prophets to her. But now he doeth it by his Son. So our Saviour sets it forth in that known parable of the Vineyard, Matth. 21. 33, &c. A certain man planted a vineyard.] This vineyard was the Church of the Iews (Isaiah 5. 1.) whom God took to be a peculiar people to himself, performing p. 61like offices thereunto that the Husbandman would do to his vineyard. Being thus planted he let it forth to husbandmen, and went himself into a far Countrey;] God seemed to leave that Church wholly to the care of the Priests. In process of time he sends his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits thereof, verse 34.] God sends his Prophets to this Church, whom (by the Parable goeth on) they beat and slew, vers. 35. So they did the former Prophets many of them. Againe he sent other servants, moe then the first, and they did unto them likewise, verse 36. Before the Captivity he sent more Prophets to them then formerly, who found no better entertainment then the former. But last of all he sent unto them his son, verse 37. God the Father sends his Son Christ into the world, with a special messuage unto the Jews, to require from them the fruits of all that grace and favour which had been shewen to them. And this was Ierusalems day. The time of special grace and mercy offered unto them after a special manner▪ and that by Christ himself, wherein she had a special opportunity tendered unto her, if she had but had the wisdome to accept it, to lay hold of it, and make use of it accordingly. Even the time of her visitation, as the 44^th verse after the Text explains it.

But, hinc illae lachrymae, this was a matter of just lamentation. The day was come, and even now spent, but Hierusalem had not an eye p. 62to see it, a heart to make use of it. And this it is which our Saviour here bewailes in them, and exprobrates to them; pities them for, and upbraids them with. O if thou, even thou hadst known, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace.]

At least] There is yet a further Emphasis in that Interjection. At least] what it here importeth.foreign. Et quidèm in hâc die tuâ (saith the vulgar) even in this thy day. Hoc saltem tuo die (saith Beza, whom our Translations follow) At least in this thy day] That is; though thou hast along time stood it out, refusing and rejecting many offers of grace, yet O that at the length thou wer't wise…! Or [If at least] If after that thou hast slain so many Prophets, so many servants of mine, which have been sent unto thee with conditions of peace, yet thou wouldest receive me their Master, hearkning to the message which I bring. Or, [at least] If after all the unkinde and ungrateful repulses which my self hath hitherto met with, by thy obstinate rejecting of my Person and Doctrine▪ yet if now at the length in this my last Expedition, the last journey that ever I shall make unto thee, the last time of asking, now at the day of grace and salvation as to thee is expiring. If now at last thou mightest yet know &c. Thus our Saviour here maketh use of this circumstance as a further aggravation both of his sorrow, and their sin, their stupidity and obstinacy; that in this day of grace, wherein God was pleased to make such p. 63a gracious offer of mercy to them, they should yet stand it out to the last, so neglecting and letting slip the present opportunity, (as they had done many other) by the imbracing whereof they might yet have been happy.

So sad a thing it is for a people not to take notice of the seasons of grace and mercy vouchsafed unto them,Obs. for their spiritual and temporal felicity and welfare,Not to take notice of the seasons of grace, a sad thing. so as to make a wise use and improvement of them. This our Saviour here so sadly lamenteth in Ierusalem. And this we shall finde the Lord elsewhere sadly complaining of in this people, the people of the Jews. As Ieremy 8. 7. Yea the storke in the heavens knoweth her appointed times, and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow observes the time of their coming, but my people know not the judgments of the Lord.] Those poor creatures, (with many other) meerly by a natural instinct, they observe the times and seasons of the year, and so order their going and coming accordingly; but that people knew not the judgment of the Lord, they tooke no notice of the seasons of mercy and judgment; they saw not the judgements of God hovering over their heads, that so they might use timely means for the diverting of them. And this the Lord there chargeth upon them as gross stupidity. And the like regardlesness of seasons and opportunities, and the workings and dispensations of Providence, he elsewhere complains of against them, for by the same Prophet, Ier. 5. 4. Surely these are poor, they are foolish, for they p. 64know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of of their God. And by the Prophet Isaiah the like, Isai. 5. 11, 12. Where he denounceth a woe upon that people for not regarding the work of the Lord; not considering the operation of his hands; they had no regard of providential dispensations; no regard of times and seasons, whether of mercy or judgment. This is a gross and deplorable stupidity; a just ground both of Lamentation and Exprobration. This is the thing which our Saviour upbraideth the Pharisees and Sadduces with. They were curious observers of times and seasons in natural things, but in spiritual and heavenly they were altogether stupid. So he telleth them, Matth. 16. 2, 3. When it is evening ye say it will be fair weather, because the skie is red, &c.] They were very observant of the usual prognosticks of fair or foul weather, they could discern the face of the skie. But (saith he) can ye not discern the signs of the times.] They were not so wise as to take notice of the choisest times and seasons, such as that then was, being the time of the Messias his comming unto them. So Saint Luke hath it (as the Syriack also rendreth that of Saint Matthew) Luke 12. 56. How is it that ye do not discern this time?] This time of grace, wherein the promised Messia cometh unto you, whom you profest to have so long looked and waited for; and which the Prophets have so clearly pointed out to you, and is now evidenced unto you by so many manifest signs and tokens, as p. 65were you not wilfully blinde, you could not but see this to be that time. This he chargeth them with, as grosse stupiditie. And so indeed it is, when men shall not take notice of the accepted time, the day of salvation; not see what belongeth to their peace in their day, in the times and seasons of Grace which God vouchsafeth unto them.

Especially when God is pleased to manifest and make known his minde and will to them after a more clear and evident manner.Especially when more clea…ly held forth. That was Ierusalems case …ere in the Text. God had made known to them the things belonging to their peace formerly; he had sent his Prophets to them from time to time for that purpose; but now he did it more clearly, by send…ng his Son to speak to them, to tender himself to them in person. Now this rendred their neglect and contempt a great deal more heinous and inexcusable; that even in this their day they should not know, &c. For them to have been ignorant hereof at any time heretofore under the Law, had been inexcusable, but much more under the Gospel. Even as for men to stumble in the twilight, it argueth heedlesnesse; but much more to stumble at noon-day (as the Prophet speaketh of Israel in another sense, Isa. 59. 10). Thus where God is pleased to afford men but a little light, (such as that was under the Law, which Saint Peter compareth to a Candle, a Light shining in a dark place (as that place is by some expounded) p. 662 Pet. 1. 19.) for men not to give heed unto that light, and take notice of the minde of God which is held forth by it, is a great neglect; but when the day-star ariseth, a clear light breaketh forth, such as Gospel-light is; now for men to shut their eies against the light, or not to make use of it by walking answerably to it, this is an high contempt, of which Calvin here saith rightly, Contemptum manet severior vindicta; it hath a greater vengeance waiting upon it, then if it were a simple neglect. That it is so, I presume, it will not be questioned. Bring we it home by way of Application, which I shall direct (as formerly) onelyonly by way of Conviction and Exhortation.Applic.

First by way of Conviction, how many are there who lie open to this just Exprobration? Use 1.They have not known,A just Exprobation to many. they do not know, even in this their day, the things that belong to their peace. Not to speak of others; bring we it home to our selves, and see whether the charge do not lie too justly against many of us. None of us but have had our Day, a day of grace and salvation, a time which God hath allotted unto us to look out for our spiritual and eternal welfare; which to some of us hath been a Summers-day, a long day. And not onelyonly a long, but a clear day wherein God hath vouchsafed to us the means of grace and salvation in a comfortable manner, causing the light of his truth to shine forth most clearly unto us. And yet how many of us are there p. 67of whom it may bee too truly said, That yet even in this our day we have not known the things which belong unto our peace, to our eternal peace and happinesse. But still we remain in our natural blindnesse, and ignorance, and unbelief having made little or no improvement of these precious times and means.

Nay, notwithstanding God hath come unto some of us after a more special manner, come near unto us in a more clear manifestation of his Will to us by some special providences, visiting us with special mercies, or special chastisements, thereby calling us unto Repentance, yet have we not known the time of our visitation.

Now what stupiditie, what blindnesse, what regardlesnesse, what wretchlesnesse is this? A heavie aggravation of our sin for present, and (if not timously prevented) of our judgment for future. So doth many a soul in hell at this day finde and feel it; over whom (if it would any waies profit or advantage them) we might justly weep and lament, as our Saviour doth here in the Text; O! if they had known in their day the things which belonged unto their peace, how happie, how blessed might they have been? But now how wretched, how miserable? these things being now for ever hid from their eies. Time was when they had their Day, they had their time of grace, wherein they injoied the means of salvation, so as had they but had the wisedom to have made p. 68use of them; happie, happie had they been to all eternitie. But letting slip that time, neglecting those means, trifling away, that Day, now the night is come upon them, even a night of blacknesse and darknesse, an everlasting night, so as the Sun shall never rise unto them again; they are put into a hopeless, helpless and remediless condition. Not making use of the light whilest they injoied it, they are now (as Saint Peter saith of the Apostate Angels, 2 Pet. 2 4. Cast down to Hell, and delivered into chains of darknesse, to be reserved unto judgment. Such is their condition now.

Which that it may never be ours,Use 2. give way to a word of Exhortation. All exhorted to know what belongeth to their happiness, in their day.Every of us suffer our selves to be awakened and stirred up to take notice of our day, and so to take notice of it, that therein we may see and know the things which belong unto our peace, to our welfare and happinesse, and that both temporal and eternal.

11. For our Temporal happinesse. O! that we and all others in this Nation were but yet so wise,Temporall happiness of the Nation. as in this our day to know the things belonging thereunto; so to know them as that we might complie with them.

Q. But here (it may be) some of you will be ready to ask me,What belongeth thereunto. What are these things?

A. A Question not unuseful. In the resolution whereof I shall give you no other directions then what the Text it self giveth me the hint of.

p. 691. Seek Peace it self; I mean external peace. 1It is not for nothing (as I told you) that Peace is here,Seek peace it self. and so often elswhere in phrase of Scripture, put for prosperity and happinesse. Peace, as in it self it is one of the chief blessings upon earth, one chief part of this external happinesse, so it is a thing which doth much conduce to the compleating of it. As War maketh a people miserable; so Peace happie, making them flourish in all kinde of outward blessings. And upon this account seek we after this Peace, making this our Motto, Pacem te poscimus omnes; all of us seriously desiring and indeavoring after peace.

1. Civil Peace; the Peace of the State. Civil peaceIt 1is the Prophet Ieremies Counsel to the Captives in Babylon, that they should seek the peace thereof, Ier. 29. 7. Seek the peace of the Citie, whither I have caused you to be carried away Captives, and pray unto the Lord for it; for in the peace thereof shall yee have peace. And the like do we for England. Pray for the Peace of it. Upon that depends her welfare and happinesse. Divisions hastened Ierusalem ruine. O! pray that Englands divisions may not do the like to her. Seek the peace of the State, Civil peace.

2. And as Civil, so Ecclesiastical, Eclesiastical peace.the peace 2of the Church, Pray for the peace of Ierusalem. Psal. 122. 6. Peace be within the walls, and prosperitie within thy palaces, ver. 7. Upon Ierusalems peace depended the peace of the whole p. 70Nation of the Jewes. And surely upon the Churches peace in a great measure depends the peace of this Nation. And therefore seek after this peace; seek it from God; being earnest with him that he would heal our breaches, giving one heart and way to his people. And promote it by all holy waies and means. But I shall not dwell upon this which I do but meet with by the by, taking the hint from the word in the Text. For the procuring the welfare of this Nation, seek Peace it self.

22. And (Secondly) be we sons of Peace. It is the direction which our Saviour giveth to his Disciples when he sent them forth to preach the Gospel (in that fore-cited Text) Luk. 10. 5, 6.Embrace the Gospel of Peace. Into whatsoever house yee enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the Son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it.] The Son of peace, foreign, that is, (as before I have explained it) such persons as were disposed to receive and imbrace the Doctrine of Peace, the Doctrine of the Gospel; where they met with such persons, there their Peace should rest; all the happinesse which they had wished to them, should come upon them. Now would we in like manner that that peace which is to be wished unto this Nation might thus rest upon it; be we in this sense foreign, Sons of Peace, readily imbracing this Doctrine of peace, the Gospel. This it was (as I have shewen you) which above all other things belonged to Ieusalems peace, her receiving of Christ and p. 71his Gospel. Had she but done this, happie had she been. That England may be so, have we a regard unto this. In this our day make much of God's Religion, make much of the Gospel, which as yet through the goodnesse of God is continued unto us. Let that at the length find such entertainment amongst us as it deserveth. Let the Messengers thereof be received. Let their feet be accounted (as they are said to be, Isa. 52. 7.) Beautiful, which bring good tidings, which publish peace. This do the Ministers of Jesus Christ, who are Messengers of peace, bringing those glad tidings of peace and reconciliation with God through Christ, publishing salvation O! let their feet be beautiful. Let their persons be welcom, much more their message. While you receive them into your houses, receive that into your hearts; shewing forth the power of it in your lives and conversations, by so walking as becometh the Gospel. In this way seek we the External peace, welfare and happinesse of this Nation.

However,Use 3. in this our day, seeke wee our owne peace,Spiritual and Eternal Peace to bee sought above all, and that whilest the Day of Grace lasteth. Eternall peace; being all of us wise for our selves, so wise as in this our day, to know what belongeth to our peace; the peace and happiness of our own soules, our eternall salvation. As yet through the merciemercy and goodnesse of God our day is continued to us. The day of our lives. Whereas the Sun is set upon many others before our eyes: every day it goeth down upon some or other of our brethren, our Relation, p. 72our friends, our associates, and Companions. It is night with them. It is yet day with us. And as the day of our lives, so the day of grace and salvation is yet continued to us; Yet doth the Sun of right eousnesse stand over our heads; yet doth the light of the Gospel shine forth unto us; yet is the Golden scepter of grace and salvation held forth unto us; our day is yet continued. Oh that in this our day, whil'st the meanes of grace are continued unto us, and we to the meanes, we might all of us see and know the things which belong nuto our peace. Which word of Exhortation I desire it may come home to everie soule that heareth it. It may bee (and I feare it is so,) some and many of us have a long time shut our eyes against the light; we have not seen; we do not to this day see these things which do so n…arly concern us: How many offers of grace and merciemercy have we sleighted and rejected? God hath offered conditions of peace to us, it treating, beseching us by his Ministers to be reconciled unto him; striving with us by mercies, by chastisements, by word, by the secret motions of his own Spirit. And yet for all this we still stand out against him, harden our hearts against him, so as we wil not receive Iesus Christ upon Gospel tearms, as our Saviour and Lord. Now unto all such be it spoken in the language of the text. Oh that you even you, at least in this your day, did but know the things which belong unto your peace! How ever you p. 73have most rebelliously and ingratefully withstood many offers of grace, yet that now at the length, whil'st this day of grace last's, before the Sun set upon you, and your eyes be closed up with everlasting darkness, you would come in & accept of these offers of grace, not standing out any longer.

To that end consider,Motives: first, that the time of your life, and of Gods grace, is but a day. [This 1your day]. The time of mans life and Ggds grace but a day.A Day is of no long continuance, specially a winters day. A few houres the Sun is above the Horizon, but then it setteth, and leaveth a sable darknesse upon the face of the earth. Such is the life of man, a day; and that (to make the best of it) a winters day; stormy and short, Brethren the time is short (saith the Apostle, speaking of the time of mans life upon earth) 1 Cor 7. 29. How short who knoweth? oftimes doth the Sunn go down upon man before it be well up. Oh therefore now up and be doing? The day is a time for Action, the night for rest. Man goeth forth unto his work, and to his labour untill the evening, Psal. 104: 23. And so is the day of this life. This is the time for the working out of our salvation. And therefore now set upon this work. I must work the works of him that sent me whil'st it is day (saith our Saviour in that Iohn 9. 4.), the night cometh when no man can work. The night of death. There is no worke, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisedome in the grave, whither thou goest (saith the Preacher) Eccles. 9. 10. And therefore p. 74(as he there maketh the use of it.) whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Thus do we the work of the particular calling, much more of the generall; the working out of our salvation, the making of our Calling, and Election sure. This do we? and that in this our day. To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, whil'st the day of life, and the day of grace lasteth; Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation, (saith the Apostle to his Corinthians) 2 Cor. 6. 2. And therefore (as he there presseth it upon them ver. 1. Let not us receive the grace of God in vain. This do they who injoy the outward meanes of salvation, but are not bettered by them; like the earth which receiveth the seed which is cast into it by the hand of the Husbandman, and drinketh in the former and latter rain, and yet remains barren; Let not us so receive the grace of God tendred and held forth unto us in the preaching of the Gospel. But let it into our hearts, that taking root there it may bring forth Gospel-fruits in our lives. And this do we now; Now whil'st it is called to day. Remembering that the time of grace, and of our life, is but a day.

22. And (secondly) remember that this is our day. [In this thy day.] Our Day.This was Ierusalems day, the Iews day wherein grace and merciemercy was offered unto them. The next was the Gentiles day; or the next was Gods day, wherein he would visit them after another manner, in p. 75judgment, not in mercy. And therefore saith our Saviour here. Oh if at least in this thy day! And hear we him speaking the like to every of us this day. Oh that you in this your day! The time of this life is our day; A day that hath no morrow. And the time of grace is our day. Shall we let slip this day, then expect we God's day, even that diem ultionem, the day of vengeance. Such days our Saviour foretelleth were coming upon the Iewes, Luke 21. 22. These be the dayes of vengeance; speaking of the time of Ierusalems destruction, wherein the Lord would severely revenge all those indignities offered to his Son. And such dayes of vengeance God hath for all obstinate sinners. It may be in this life: If not, yet at that last day, which wil be a day of blacknesse and darknesse, a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Now knowing the terrour of that day, Oh! that all of us would be perswaded now in this our day to look out, to take notice of what belongs to our peace and comfort at that day.

This is our day, a time allotted us by God 3for this purpose,But one day. to husband for the good of our souls. And 3^ly this is but one day. As for the Labouring-man he hath many dayes allowed him to do his work in. And so, if he have lost one, he may yet recover it, get it up again at another time. But as for us, we have but one day. If that day be past, there is no recovery. Soles occidere & redire possunt; The Sunn setteth and riseth again upon the earth. But if the Sunn of p. 76our life, and the Sun of God's graee be once set upon us, never look that it should rise upon us again. O! therefore, in the fear of God, be wee all of us awakened, and stirred up, that we may not sleep nor trifle away this our day, either in doing of nothing, or that which is worse, Remember that upon this our day depends our Eternitie. And therefore now whil'st it is called to day, all of us look out to what belongs to our eternall peace. Behold, at this day the Lord Iesus is riding in triumph in the midst of his Ordinances, as here he did to Ierusalem, in the midst of his Apostles and Disciples; O that there were such a heart in every of us! that wee might now Lift up, set open those everlasting doors, the doors of our souls that this King of Glorie might enter in; that the Lord Iesus might come and take a full possession of all our hartes, so as to rule thereby his Word & Spirit. Then quàm faelices & beati, how blessed and happie shall wee be? Such use make wee of this Generall day, this day of Grace.

Wherein there are also particular days, Particular days in the general day.particular times and seasons, in which Christ cometh unto men (as here he did to Ierusalem), offering himselfe to them after a more speciall manner. This is that which he tells the Laodicean Angel. Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knock. So he doth at the doors of mens Consciences, where he knocketh both by Outward means, by his Word, by mercies & Chastisements, every of which is a knock at p. 77this door; and by inward motions of his Spirit. Now is it so that Jesus Christ thus knocketh at any of our hearts, at this, or at any other time; let us forthwith open unto him. That is the meaning of every such knock. It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh (saith the Spouse) saying open unto me, Cant. 5. 2. And this doe we, receiving him into our hearts by Faith, that he may dwel theare as a Saviour & a Lord. And this do wee forthwith. Not knowing but this may be the last knock (as this was the last time that ever our Saviour knocked at Ierusalem's gates): which if it be and shall be sleighted, then what remaines but a just retaliation, even that which we meet with Luke: 13, 25. That the doore being shut, wee should stand without and knock, receiving no other Answer but that which is there returned, I know yee not, whence ye are. Or that which wee finde in the close of the Text, that ihe things which belong to our peace should be from thenceforth hid from our eyes. So it followeth.

But now they are hid from thine eyes].Jerusalem… doom. In which words wee have Ierusalem's Doom, or Iudgment, (the spirituall part of it, for that onelyonly I intend to deal with). A Iudgment answearing to their sinn. Their Sinn was, that they had not seene, they would not, when they might; Their judgment is, that as they did not, so should not see what they might have done, But now they are hid from thyne eyes]

Q. But what was thus hid?

p. 78A. foreign. It is hidden. Vide Gerhardi Harmon. ad loc.A verbe of the Singular number; admitting (say some) of a two-fold reference. Either to what went before, or what followeth after.

1. To what followeth after. So it is looked upon by some,Judgment hidden from Jerusalemseies. as relating to what our Saviour in the subsequent verses foretelleth concerning the finall destruction and desolation of Ierusalem. The daies shall come upon thee, &c.] This was hid from their eyes. A truth. It was so, and that through their incredulitie. Often had they heard the judgments of God denounced against them, as by the Prophets, so by Christ himselfe, but they gave no credit to what they heard. Their eyes being blinded with their present temporall prosperitie, and with the spiritual privileges which they then injoying, looked upon as intailed upon them and their posteritie, they were readie rather to make a mock of all threatnings of that nature. Flattering themselves, even as Babylon is said to do, Isa. 47. 8. which said in her heart, I am, and none else besides me (she was a Nonsuch), I shall not sit as a Widow, neither shall I know the loss of Children. Thus did Ierusalem; what ever was told her, by whomsoever, yet shee did not, shee would not beleeve that ever such a change should happen unto her. This was hid from her eyes. And even this was a sad thing, deserving to be lamented over, in as much as hereby their condition was rendred the more desperate. But I shal not insist upon this.

p. 792. More properly these words are conceived to look backwards,Things belonging to Jerusalems happinesse hid from her eies. relating to what went before. And so much those particles doe intimate unto us; [But now], as looking back to the words precedent. If thou hadst knowen, even thou, at least in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace? But now they are hid from thine eyes; viz. the things themselves, or the knowledge of those things.

Q. But how is this here said to be hid from their eyes?

A. Why,And that both for the present and future. it was so for the Present, and it was so for the future. For the present, they did not see it; for the future, they should not see it.

Q. But how came it thus to be hid?

A. Hereof a double ground or Reason may be assigned.

1. Their owne willfullnesse 2. God's righteous judgment. The groūd thereof double.Through the former it was, that they did not see, and through the latter it was they should not see what belonged to their peace. Upon these two I shall insist severally.

1. This was hid from their eies, through 1their own wilfulnesse. Their own wilfulness.They would not see what belonged to their peace, their temporal and eternal happinesse. Notwithstanding that it had been clearly revealed and held forth unto them, yet they shut their eies against the Light. This is that which our Saviour chargeth upon this people, the people of the Jews p. 80in that known place, Ioh. 3. 19. Light is come into the world, but men loved darknesse rather then light. So was it with the generalitie of that Nation. Christ, who was the light of the world, he was come into the world, and in particular come unto them, declaring and making known to them what belonged to their peace. But they loved darknesse, the darknesse of sin and ignorance, preferring it before the heavenly light of Divine Truth, which shone forth unto them. Such was their obstinacie, that they even closed their eies, and would not see. So our Saviour himself sets it forth, Mat. 13. 14. where citing the prophecie of the Prophet Isaiah, he sheweth how it was verified in that people of the Iews in his time. In them (saith he) is fulfilled the prophesie of the prophet Isaias, which saith, Behold, hearing yee shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing yee shall see, and shall not perceive. (though they daily heard the Word, & saw the Works of Christ with their bodily ears & eies, yet they did not believe him, or in him). How so? The reason followeth in the next verse. For this peoples heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eies they have closed; left they should at any time see with their eies, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, &c. Such was the wilful obstinacie of that people, that they even stopped their ears against the Word of Christ, and closed their eies against his Works, they would p. 81not see what belonged to their peace; and in this way it came to be hid from their eies. And this our Saviour here taketh up as a iust matter of Lamentation to him, and Exprobration to them; bewailing them for it, and upbraiding them with it.

And so it is,Obs. Wilful ignorance is a matter of just Lamentation,Wilful ignorance asad and sinfull thing. and Exprobration to a people. So our Saviour here taketh notice of it in Ierusalem. But now these things are hid from thine eye. Hoc non dicitur ad levandam Hierosolymae culpam (saith Calvin upon it.) our Saviour doth not speake this any wayes to excuse, or extenuate Ierusalem's fault, but to aggravate and highten it. Such is wilfull and affected ignorance. True indeed, as for simple ignorance, where men are ignorant through the want of the meanes of knowledge, that excuseth a tantô, in part. The servant which not knowing his Masters will, did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes (saith our Saviour in the Parable) Luke 12. 48. In as much as he should have known it, and might have known it, had he enquired after it, (which he ought to have done,) therefore his ignorance doth not wholly excuse him, yet being an extenuation of his fault, it is so also of his punishment. Simple ignorance of the minde and wil of God as concerning what we do or beleive, is no just plea for any, no just excuse, in as much as they are by duty bound p. 82to know it, & might know more of it then they do, were they not wanting in the inquiry after it. But wilful affected ignorance, when me…refuse to know, close their eyes against the light, & stop their eares against instruction, shutting it out of their souls, this is an high aggravation of the sin and punishment of those that are guilty of it.

R. And well may it so be looked upon,R. in as much as it is not a meer neglect, but carrieth a contempt with it.Being a contempt against God. Now we know wi…h what an eye Conten pts are looked upon in the Courts of men upon earth. When men refuse to take notice of their Orders and decrees, this is highly taken as being an affr…nt to the Court, and the offendors are severe…y pro…eeded against. And so is it in the Court of heaven; when men shall refuse to take notice of the minde and will of God clearly intimated unto t…em, this being a contempt, an affront to heaven, God cannot but take it highly at the hands of those that are guilty of it, and make them know that he doth so. So much we have fully expressed in those words of Wisdome, Prov: 1. 24. Because I have called and ye have refused &c. ye have set at nought all my counsell, and would none of my rep…oof; I will laugh at your calamity &c. And again vers. 29, For that they ha…ed knowledge &c. Therefore shall they eat the fruit of their own ways &c.] Of such dangerous and desparate consequence, is it to shut out p. 83any beam of divine light,To close the eyes against Gospel-light ahigh contempt. out of the fou…, to stop the ear against any word of God▪

Specially when men shall close their eyes against Gospel-light, stop their ears against the word of life, the word of grace and salvation. This was Ierusalems case here. She did not, she would not know the things belonging to her eternal peace, notwithstanding he who was the Pr…nce and Lord of peace, the great Peace-maker, the Son of God himself came to preach peace unto them, to shew them what it was that was of so great concernment to them, yet they would not hearken to him. And by reason hereof these things were now hid from their eyes. And upon this account the Lord Iesus, as a tender hearted Saviour, here so passionatly weepeth over them. And surely of all things that can happen unto man up on earth, there is no one thing more deplorable then this, when men are thus wilfully blinde, obstinately ignorant.

And (to make some Application of this Branch) Is not this the case of too many among our selves at this day.Applica. Alass,Too many among our selves guilty hereof. how many such poor ignorant souls are every where to be found? Men and women willingly and wilfully ignorant of what concerneth their eternall peace. They cannot say it is for want of light that the are blind; that they do not see. No, the light of the Gospel hath for a long time shone forth unto them. They have been p. 84born and brought up in Gospel-times and places; where they have injoyed the meanes of grace and salvation in a plentiful manner: So as in this respect they may be called Children of the light, and Children of the day. And yet for all that they walk in darkness; the things which belong unto their eternall peace are hid from their eyes. They do not see, because they will not see. They have no desire to be acquainted with the mysterie of salvation; and so continue strangers to it. A most deplorable state and condition.

So let it be looked upon by others; by those whose eyes God hath opened to see what they do not.A thing to be lamented by others. Whil…st they see these things hid from them which God hath revealed to themselves, let them, (blessing God for this his free grace which hath caused them thus to differ) in imitation of their blessed Saviours pittie and compassionate this their wilful obstinacie and blindnesse. This we may find the Lord somtimes sadly bemoaning in this his people, the people of the Iewes, Jer. 4. 22. my people is foollish, they have not known me; they are sortish children, and they have no understanding. And the like wee may heat the Prophet doing in the Chapter following, Ier. 5. where complaining of the incorrigiblenesse of that people (the generality of them) under the Judgment of God; how notwithstanding God hath strucken them yet they were not sensible, they had made their p. 85face harder then a Rock, (as he speaks ver. 3.) he then bemoaneth and pittieth this their condition in the next verse, Therefore I sayd surely these are poor, they are foolish &c.] of all follie none like this; when men do (as it were) sanis insanire, they are wittingly mad or foolish. They will not see what belongeth to their peace. O pitie we them that are in this condition!

And O that they might be perswaded to pitie themselves!Much more by themselves. to mourn over this their desperate obstinacie. This they shall do, sooner or later; it may be when it is too late. So they may hear some of their Companions doing; as viz. that impure Adulterer, whom the Wiseman speaks of, Prov. 5. Who having given his honour unto others, and his years to the cruel (as the 9 ver. hath i…) having spent both his reputation, and estate, and strength upon Harlots, who seeking nothing but themselvs, care not how they make a prey of others, ofttimes with their honesty putting off also all kind of humanitie; then he cometh to mourn at the last, when his flesh, and bodie are consumed (as it followeth ver. 11.), finding nature decaied and spent, and his bodie (it may be) seized upon by some foul and loathsome disease, (some of which (it may seem) were wont to attend this sin in those times, as well as in these,) feeling his hones full of the sin of his youth (as Zophar speaks, Iob 20. 11.) now he p. 86cometh rugire in novissimis (as the Original hath it).foreign Rugiit. proprie Leonum; Bux torf: At his last, seeing how he hath by his lewd and dissolute courses brought himself to an untimely and infamous end; now he roareth, roareth as a Lion (as the word there properly signifieth). Seeing himself ready to go to hell, now his soul is filled with more horror, then ever his bodie was with pleasure. And mark what followeth, ver. 12. And say, How have I hated Instruction, and my heart despised reproof? And have not obeied the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ears to them that instructed me.] Lo here the true original of all his miserie; which though before he would not, yet now when it is too late he is brought to acknowledge, even his not hearkning to Instruction. O take heed that it may never be so with any of you! that you be not at your latter ends brought to mourn upon any such account.

Which that you may not,Instruction and reproof not to be slighted. do not any longer what he did, hate instruction, despise reproof. Do not stop your ears against the truth of God held forth unto you in the Ministerie of his Word, discovering unto you the sinfulnesse of those waies and courses wherein you have walked, and shewing you how you ought to walk so as you may please God, do not shut the counsel which the word giveth you, out of your hearts. Do not any longer say unto God, Depart from us. This do all obstinate p. 87sinners, who living under the means of grace, do yet go on in their sins. So Iob describeth some of them, Iob. 21. 13, 14. They spend their daies in wealth, (living in jo…litie, and mirth, & pleasure, happily injoying an interrupted course of prosperitie, not being acquainted with those crosses and afflictions which befall others), Therefore they say unto God, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy Law. This do too many even among our selves; though with their tongues they dare not, yet with their hearts, and in their lives they speak as much; plainly manifesting to the world by their words and actions, what the thoughts of their hearts are; viz. That they do not desire to have any acquaintance with God, or his Word; to know his minde and will that they may do it. And thus are the things which belong unto their everlasting peace hid from their eies.

O most sad and deplorable condition! what hope can there be of such an one?The desperate contion of obstinate sinners. Upon this account our Saviour here looketh upon Ierusalems estate as most forlorn and desperate. She neither had, nor would see what belonged to her peace. So as through her wilful ignorance this was hid from her eies. And therefore let her now make account of what followeth; The daies shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, &c. And even such is the condition of all wilful p. 88and obstinate sinners, who shut out the light of Gods truth out of their hearts, will not give way to the admonitions, directions, convictions of the Word and Spirit, so as to be wrought upon by them, to be changed and reformed in their hearts and lives, let them make account that the like daies shall come upon them; daies of blacknesse and darknesse, daies of judgment and vengeance; it may be temporal, (which they have just cause to fear, continually hanging over their heads) however, eternal.

And O that now the terrour of the Lord might fall and take hold upon every one of you,An alarum to such. whose condition this is! that being awakened, you may be also perswaded to open your eies, to set open the doors and windows of your souls, to let in the Sun of righteousnesse, to let in that heavenly light which shineth forth unto you, that so the things which belong unto your peace, your eternal peace and happinesse, they may be no longer hid from your eies; which if they still be through your obstinacie and wilfulnesse (for other cause you can assign none), then take heed lest that God whose patience you have abused, and whose grace you have rejected, do in his most righteous judgment seal up your eies, passing an irrevocable sentence upon you, that seeing you will not see, therefore you shall not see, but that p. 89these things be now from henceforth for ever hid from your eies.

And so I am fallen upon the second Particular, 2the second ground and cause of this blindnesse in Ierusalem.. The second cause of Jerusalems blindness, Gods righteous judgment.The things belonging to her peace were hid from her eies, as through her own wilful obstinacie, so also through Gods righteous judgment. And thus they were hid not onelyonly for the present, but also for the future. foreign, But now they are hid from thine eies;] That is, from henceforth; so as now thou shalt not see them, and that through the righteous judgment of God, hiding them from thee.

Thus it is,Obs. Daies of Grace have their dates. Days of grace have their dates.Mark it. This is the Observation which this passage naturally yieldeth us: Daies of Grace have their dates. Times and seasons, wherein the Grace and MercieMercy of GOD is offered and tendered to the Sons of men for their acceptance; they are limited, they have their terms and boundaries, beyond which they shall not extend. Hence is it that they are called by the name of Daies. If thou hadst known in this thy day]. Now a Day is a determined time. However there are Winter-daies and Summer-daies, some shorter, others longer, yet each is limited and measured by the motion of the Sun. And so are the Seasons of Grace which God vouchsafeth unto the Sons of men upon earth: though some are longer p. 90then others, yet all limited, all determined by God. What the Prophet Habakuk …aith of Prophetical Vision, Hab. 2. 3. The Vision is for an appointed time, the same may be said of these gracious dispensations, the offers and tenders of grace and merciemercy; they are for an appointed time. Daies of Grace have their dates, their limits.

1So have both National and Personal daies 1. National daies, wherein God offers merciemercy to communities of men,Nationall days. these are limited. So it was we know with the old world, concerning which we may hear God declaring his purpose, Gen. 6. 3. My spirit shall not ever strive with man, for that he also is flesh, yet his dates shall be an hundred and twentie years. A long time God had striven with the men of that generation. He had so done, and that both outwardly and inwardly. Outwardly, as by his Works, so by his Word, which was preached to them by Noah, whom Saint Peter calleth, foreign, a Preacher, or publisher of Righteousnesse; of the righteous judgments of God in case they should not repent, to which in the name of God he perswaded them. By him it was that Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison (as the same Apostle hath it) 1 Pet. 3. 19. This he did by the Ministerie of Noah, or some others, who were inspired by him; In and by them he preached to the men of that generation, who were then alive, but p. 91at this time, when Peter wrote that Epistle, dead, and their spirits, their souls (many of them) in the prison of Hell. And besides this Outward striving by his Word, he did also strive with them Inwardly by the inward motions and operations of his Spirit, pressing and urging their consciences to Reformation and Repentance. Thus he had striven with them, and that long, but he will not ever so do. My Spirit shall not ever strive with Man]. And thereupon hee limits them a time for their Repentance: The daies of Man shall be an hundred and twentie years]. Not that the time of man's life should not afterwards exceed that number of years, for we finde diverse after the Flood living much longer; but so long should their day of grace and merciemercy last. So long a time out of his gracious indulgence God would yet allow to that generation to bethink themselvs, to reform their hearts and lives in; which if once past and not improved for the end to which it was allotted them, then they must look for no more merciemercy, but a deluge of vengeance should sweep them off from the face of the earth. To this I might subjoin that of Nineveh, which had her fortie daies, and no more allowed unto her for the same end. Fortie daies and Nineveh shall be destroied, Ion. 3. 4. viz. except within that time they repented, which condition God reserved to himself. Thus there p. 92is a time appointed and determined by God, which though he do not declare to others, yet he hath set down with himself, how long hee will strive with a Nation, a people, how long he will wait for their Repentance; which time being past, then the date of merciemercy is out. So it was with Ierusalem here; she had had her Day, a day of grace, and that a long day; wherein she might have seen what belonged to her peace, but that day being now spent, Now these things are hid from her eies.

22. And as Nationall so Personall dayes. The times and seasons allotted unto particular persons,Personall days. for their accepting the offers of grace and merciemercy held forth unto them, these also are limited. So is not onelyonly the Common and Generall day; The time of this life, beyond which the tenders of merciemercy do not extend. Now is the accepted time,The generall day, the time of this life. now is the day of salvation (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 6. 2. speaking (as he is conceived) of the time of this life). This is the day of grace. If this day be gone, mercy is gone. As for those who have here abused the patience and long sufferance of God, not considering that it should have led them to repentance; so fleighting the offers of MercieMercy, let them look for nothing but Justice hereafter. That rich Glutton who would not out of his abundance spare poor Lazarus a crum of bread, being in hell may call and crie for a drop of water to cool his p. 93tongue with, and yet go without it. The Sacrifices of Grace and MercieMercy are onelyonly so long as this day of grace lasteth, during this life. If this be gone, then as the tree falleth (towards heaven or hell) so it lieth. Death closing up the eies of impenitent sinners, then are the things which belong to their peace, their happinesse, for ever hid from them.

But also Particular daies, Particular days.particular times and seasons, and that during this life. Certainly such times and seasons there are: As there are appointed times for all other occasions. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every pupose under heaven, (saith the Preacher) Eccl. 3. 1. So it is to things Natural; however to us they may be Casual, and in themselvs Contingent, or it may be Voluntarie, left to the will of man; yet they are all determined, as for other circumstances, so for the time, and that by God, who doth by his Providence order and limit them for their begining, duration, ending. And surely so it is in things supernatural; he who hath thus bounded and limited all other things upon earth, hath not left his own gracious dispensations sine die, at an uncertaintie; but hee hath also set down with himself a day, a time for them, beyond which they shall not extend; so as if that be expired, there is no more room for merciemercy. The truth of this we may see in those Rebellious murmurers amongst the Israelites. p. 94A long time God striveth with them. Fortie years long was I grieved with this generation (as the Psalmist hath it) Psal. 95. 10. All that time they tempted God, and proved him, and saw his works (as the Apostle goeth on) Heb. 3. 9. So long experience they had of the gracious presence of God in the midst amongst them, manifesting his power and merciemercy in delivering, protecting of them, and providing for them, yet they tempted and proved him, not believing what he had said unto them, nor yet so considering what he had done for them, as to trust in him, and rest upon his Providence. Thus did they err in their hearts, not knowing the waies of their God (as it there followeth, ver. 10.) Now herewith the Lord was (as well he might be) grieved, offended, provoked, yet bearing with them; but so hee would not ever do. Having born it so…tie years, then he will bear it no longer; [So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest, ver. 11.] They should never come into the earthly Canaan, the land which he had promised unto Abraham as a resting place for his Posteritie. Which sentence was accordingly executed upon those murmurers, whose carkases fell in the wildernesse (as it followeth ver. 17.). None of them who came out of Egypt, from twentie years old and upward, entering into Canaan, save onelyonly Caleb and Ioshua, (as you have it foretold Numb. 14. p. 9529, 30.). So was it with them as to the Earthly Canaan, and so shall it be with all obstinate and obdurate sinners as to the Heavenly Canaan, that eternal rest (whereof the earthly Cannaan was a Type): However God may strive with them for a time, and it may be a long time, yet there is a time when he will st…ive no more, but will passe a peremptorie sentence upon them, that they shall never enter into his rest; so shut…ing the door of merciemercy against them.