Inquiry for a Suitable Return for Continued Life In and After Time of Plague, Part 2 · Section 8
SECT. VIII.
II. Adverſity makes wicked men worſe.WIcked men are often times worſe under adverſity, judgements and afflictions that do befall them, the more they are puniſhed, the more they are hardened; there is nothing in adverſity and judgements, in ſickneſs and plagues, in poverty and diſtreſs, to make an alteration or a change in the heart of a ſinner from worſe to better, except God ſanctifie it. The Plague upon the body is not a remedy in it ſelf to cure the Plague of the heart, for men love more the plague of their hearts than they loathe the plague of the body. Poſſibly outward Judgements may put a ſtop to ſome mens ſinnings for the preſent, but they will return to them afterwards, except God ſpeak effectually to their hearts and conſciences, as well as lay his heavy ſtroaks upon the body. Judgement to a ſinner may be as a Barre to a Thief, it may ſtop him from the preſent act, but doth not change his heart; or as a ſtorm to a Mariner, may make him caſt Anchour for the preſent, but ſtill he retains his purpoſe of ſayling in his Voyage when the ſtorm is over; they are oftner ſalve for their eyes to ſhew them their ſin, than phyſick for their hearts to purge them out; ſinners in Judgements might declaim againſt their ſin, but without a ſetled purpoſe in their hearts to decline their ſin; where there is Grace, Afflictions work patience and ſubmiſſion; but where there is nothing but corruption, they often work paſſion, and repining, not Repentance; the more God ſent his Judgements and his Plagues upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians, the more they hardened themſelves againſt God and his people; and by Gods Judgements were not the better but the worſe, Exod. 7.19. to 23. Iſa. 1.5. Why ſhould ye be ſmitten any more, ye will revolt more and more. Pſal. 78.30. They were not eſtranged from their Luſts, but while their meat was in their mouths, v. 31. the wrath of God came upon them, and ſlew the fatteſt of them. V. 32. For all this they ſinned ſtill, and believed not for his wondrous works. And as it was with the woman that had an Iſſue of blood twelve years, in reſpect of her bodily diſtemper, after great coſt and charge and uſe of means, ſhe was nothing bettered, but rather grew worſe, Mar. 5. 25, 26. ſo under Gods Judgements it is with moſt wicked men, in reſpect of their ſpiritual ſtate, they are nothing bettered, but rather grow worſe. And this appears,
Firſt, Becauſe in time of Judgment they are not ſeparated from their droſs ▪ Ezek. 24.13. In thy filthineſs is lewdneſs: becauſe I have purged thee (i. e. God uſed purging Judgments) and thou waſt not purged, thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſs any more, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee. God hath been purging our houſes, but many have not been purging their hearts, but retain their heart-filthineſs ſtil, and their life-wickedneſs ſtil: If God in Judgement ſay to ſuch, You ſhall not be purged; their caſe is irrecoverably miſerable.
Secondly, Becauſe they are not more ſerious in Religion than they were before; either they omit it wholly as before, or are as dull and formal as they were before.
Thirdly, Becauſe they are not brought nearer unto God, but are rather removed (were it poſſible) at a further diſtance from God than before. And the Reaſons of this are,
1. Becauſe, When Gods hand is lifted up, they will not ſee, Iſa. 26.11. they look more to ſecond Cauſes than to God.
2. Becauſe they ſearch not after the ſins that provoked God to ſo great indignation.
3. Becauſe, if they do ſee their drunkenneſs and whoredoms, and Sabbath-breaking, yet they will not be humbled for them, nor forſake them.