Twenty-Nine Sermons, Text 2 – Title page 14
THE SIGNES OF GODS forſaking a People.
JER. 14. 9.
And we are called by thy Name; leave us not.
TWo things (Brethren and beloved in Chriſt Jeſus) are intended and expreſſed by the holy Prophet, from the firſt verſe to the 13. verſe.
There is firſt a denomination of a judgement, and that is dearth or famine from the firſt verſe, to the ſeventh.
Secondly, the ſword is threatned, to the thirteenth verſe; he will ſend the famine, then the ſword, and he will not be intreated.
Then in the eighth and ninth verſes, we have the importunate prayer of the Church to turne away theſe judgements: And the praier is marvellous ſweet, in confeſſion, where they confeſſe their ſinnes, and ſeek to God for ſuccour.
Firſt, they deſire God that he would not take his providence from them, why ſtayeſt thou but for a night? verſe the 8. as if they ſhould have ſaid, it is marveilous ſtrange, that thou behaveſt thy ſelf ſo like a ſtranger; thou ſeeſt our ſorrowes, and doſt not help us; thou perceiveſt our troubles, and thou regardeſt us not; It is ſtrange, it is ſtrange; that the God of Iſrael ſtands as a man aſtoniſhed; that thou that haſt heretofore received us, ſhould'ſt now ſtand as a man amazed, and aſtoniſhed, as if thou wert weary of this thy work, and couldſt do no more, as if thou ſhould'ſt ſay, Jeruſalem cannot be ſaved, and Judah cannot be ſuccoured.
Secondly, they deſire that God would not take away his preſence from them; leave us not to our ſelves, ſay they; let us ſee thy face; though we die, yet let it be in thy preſence; yea though thou help us not, yet it doth us good to look upon our Saviour, and thou canſt help us; and thus you ſee the arguments where with they preſſe the Lord, how ſweet they are, viz.
Firſt, thou art the hope of Iſrael; Alas if thou forſake us we are all loſt; our hope is not in the meanes only; but our hope is in thee, leave us not, for thou art the hope of Iſrael, it is the taſk that thou haſt taken upon thee, leave us not therefore.
Secondly, thou haſt made thy ſelf a Saviour, and now is the time of trouble, therefore now performe what thou haſt undertaken.
Thirdly, thou art in the midſt of us, that is, thou art a great Commander amongſt us; always ready to ſuccour us, and wilt thou now ſee us periſh? thou art more neer to us, than the Ark in the midſt of the Campe, 1 Sam. 4. 6. As if they ſhould ſay, he lives in the midſt of us, and will he not ſave us?
Fourthly, we are called by thy name, and therefore we have intereſt in thee, to whom ſhould wives go, but to their huſbands? to whom ſhould children go, but to their fathers? to whom ſhould ſervants go, but to their Maſters? to whom then ſhould we go, but to thee our God and Saviour? leave us not therefore, and we will meddle with none but thee.
Secondly, though God might leave them, yet they beg that he would not; that is the Amen to their praiers; though thou ſtand and wilt not help us; yet let us die in thy preſence; and this is the great requeſt of the Saints, they deſire not to be left of God, although God might leave them; whence learn that God might caſt off a people.
Iſrael did fear it, and it is that which they prayed againſt, God might leave them: I doe not ſay that God will caſt off his elect ones eternally, but thoſe in outward covenant, ſee Iſaiah 1. verſe 2. &c. Heare O Heavens, Hearken O Earth, I have nouriſhed and brought up children, but they have rebelled againſt mee; The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Aſſe his Maſters Crib, but Iſrael hath not known my People have not understood, &c. and verſe the ſeventh; ſee the judgement; your cities are burnt with fire, ſtrangers devour your land in your preſence, and it is deſolate like the overthrow of ſtrangers.
There is an out ward Calling, as well as an effectuall Calling; God may reject; for many are called, but few choſen, ſaith our Saviour. My brethren caſt your thoughts afar off, and ſee what is become of thoſe famous Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira and the reſt mentioned, Rev. 1. verſe 11. And who would have thought that Jeruſalem ſhould have been made an heap of ſtones, and a vagabond people? and yet we ſee God hath forſaken them, ſhewing us thereby that although God wil never forſake his own electones; yet he may forſake ſuch as are in outward covenant with him.
The Lord is ſaid to diſ-church or diſcharge a people, Hoſea 1. 9, there God ſaith, call his name Loammi, for ye are not my people, and therefore I will not be your God. And as I may ſo ſay, he ſues out a bill of divorcement; as it was in the old Law, they that had any thing againſt their wives, they ſued out a bill of divorcement againſt them, and ſo doth God, ſee Hoſea 2. 2. Plead with thy Mother, tel her ſhe is not my Spouſe, nor my beloved; but let her caſt away her fornications out of her ſight, and her adulteries from between her beaſts, leſt I make her as at the firſt, that is, as ſhe was in Egypt, poore and miſerable. As if God ſhould now ſay to England, plead, plead with England, all ye that are my Miniſters in the way of my truth and ſay unto her, let her caſt away her rebellions, leaſt I leave her as I found her in the day of Captivity and bondage under the blindneſſe of popery and ſuperſtition.
Ob. But how doth God caſt off a people?
Sol. I anſwer, firſt when he takes away his love and reſpect from a people; and as his love, ſo the token of his love, which in his word and Sacraments, the means of ſalvation.
Secondly when he takes away his providence, I mean when he takes down his walls; that is, his Magiſtracy, and Miniſtery.
Thirdly, when in ſtead of Councelling, there comes in Bribing; and in ſtead of true teaching, there comes in daubing with untempered mortar; when God takes away the hedge thereof, Iſaiah 5. 5. or the ſtakes grow rotten, and are not renewed, then is God going away.
Fourthly, when God takes away the benefit of both theſe helps, they are ſignes of Gods departure.
Uſe. May God un▪chu ch or diſcharge a People, and caſt a Nation off? Oh then let this teach us to caſt off all ſecurity; for miſeries are night at hand in all probability; when we obſerve what God hath done for us, all things are ripe to deſtruction, and yet we feare it not, but we promiſe to our ſelves ſafety, and conſider not that England is ready to be harrowed, and yet we cannot entertaine a thought of Englands deſolation; when there are ſo many propheſies in it of its deſtruction, yet we cannot be perſwaded of it, but in our Judgements it muſt not be, it muſt not be as yet; as if it were unpoſſible that God ſhould leave England; as if God were a cockering Father over lewd children; God may leave a Nation, and his elect may ſuffer, and why may not England? Englands ſins are very great, and the greater, becauſe the meanes are great, and our warnings are and have been great; but yet our mercies are farre greater; England hath been a mirrour of mercies; yet now God may leave … make it the mirrour of his juſtice. Look how God ſpake to the people that did brag of their temple, Jer. 7. 4. ſaith God, Truſt not in … words, ſaying, the Temple of the Lord, this is the Temple of the Lord but … ſaith the Lord by the Prophet in the twelfth and fourteenth verſe▪ … now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I ſet my name at the beginn… and behold what I did unto it for the wickedneſſe of my people Iſrael, … Even ſo England, thou haſt the Temple and the Prieſts; and yet … not God that deſtroyed Shiloh, deſtroy thee? Goe to Bohemia, … from thence to the Palatinate, and from thence to other parts of Ger… Doe but imagine that you were there, or do but mark what trave… ſay. Gods Churches are made heaps of ſtones, and thoſe Bethels w… in Gods name was called upon, are now defiled Temples, for … and ſuperſtition to raigne in, you cannot goe three ſteps but you … ſee the head of a dead man; And go a little further, and you ſhal … the heart pickt out by the fowls of the ayre, or ſome other ſad ſpecta… and then ſurely you will ſay, Tydy hath been here or there; now are … Churches become deſolate, and may not England? Doe but goe … their Cities and Towns, and there you may ſee many comp… about with chains of Captivity, and every man bemoaning him… Doe but look under a tree, and there you may ſee a poor fathe… … child ſending out his breath and crying unto his helpleſſe Mother; … but a little further, and you ſhall ſee the helpleſſe Wife, the ſad … bemoaning her huſband, and this is her miſery, ſhe cannot dye … enough, but ſhe ſhall ſee greater miſery; for either ſhe ſhall (… thinks) ſee her little ones daſht againſt the ſtones, or toſſed upon … Pikes, or if they live, that then they ſhall be brought up in Popery, … then ſhe weep again, and thinks that if her Huſband be dead it is … But it may be he is upon the rack, or put to ſome other torment, … then ſhe dies an hundred times before ſhe can die; Thus if yo… … ſet your ſoules in their ſoules ſtead, and imagine you were in thei… … dition, and ſay, may not this be the condition of England, and … knowes but it may? O my beloved, be not high-minded, but … as we have Gods bounty on the one ſide, ſo (for ought I know … may have his ſeverity on the other ſide, Pranck not then your … with fooliſh imaginations, ſaying, who dare come to hurt … the Spaniard hath his hands full, and the French are too weak▪ … beloved be not deluded; who would have thought that Jerusale… … Lady City of all Nations, whither the tribes went up to … ſhould become a heap of ſtones and a vagabond people? but ye… … ſee it was, and is to this day; And I pray, why may it not be … caſe? Learne therefore, hear, and fear God, for aſſuredly God … God without Englands proſperity; Doe not ſay here are many … Chriſtians; doe you think that God is beholding to you for yo… … o… ▪ ſurely not: For rather then he will preſerve ſuch as … name, and yet hate to be reformed; he will raiſe up of theſe … Abraham, he will rather go into Turky and ſay unto … are my people▪ and I wil be your God.
But will … God goe▪ England▪ are you ſo … Chriſt … no▪ … as they did upon Paul; every one of you lay hold, on him and ſay thou thou ſhalt not go from us, for we are called by thy name, therefore leave us not; And for my part I will pray that he doth not take his leave of us. Do you think that Rome will forſake or part with her Gods? no, they will rather loſe their lives; and wilt thou let thy God goe, O England? plead with thy God and let him not depart, but part rather with thy rebellions.
We are called by thy Name, leave us not.
You ſee the Church is very importunate to keep God with them, they lay hold on God with Coards of arguments; O thou hope of Iſrael, do not leave us; they beſet God with their prayers, and as it were they watch him at the townes end, that he ſhould not go away; and they ſay, Thou ſhalt ſtill abide with us, they are importunate that he do not leave them: whence obſerve, Doct. That it is the importunate deſire of the Saints of God, ſtill to keepe God preſent with them. They cared not ſo much for ſword or famine, as they did for the loſſe of Gods preſence; O Lord, leave us not ſay they; this was their prayer; and blame them not; for conſider what a greif it is that God ſhould ſtand by and not help them. Good Lord (ſay they) leave us not, wee cannot abide to thinke that God ſhould leave us, much leſſe can we endure to feele it or taſte it; thus they did, and thus the Saints of God ſhould do, Exod. 33. 14, 15. Moſes ſaith if thy preſence goe not with us, carry us not hence; alas, Moſes might have gone upon fair termes; ye ſhall (ſaith God) poſſeſſe the land in peace with proſperity; But what ſaith Moſes? though wee might have Ganaan and all the delights there, yet carry us no… hence unleſſe thy preſence goe with us; this is the ſtay and the ſtrength that he ſtickes too. So Pſal. 80. 18, 19. Turne us again O Lord of hoſts, make thy face to ſhine upon us; here is a man, a David, a heart worth gold, hee makes not many ſuits, but hee comes home, he ſues to the purpoſe, make thy face (ſaith he) to ſhine upon us; as if he ſhould have ſaid, that is proſperity enough, for it endureth for ever.
But what is the preſence of God? In a word, it is the particular favour of God which he expreſſeth in his ordinances, it is all the good and ſweetneſſe that flowes from the purity of Gods worſhip, whereby God reveals himſelf unto us. It is not gold, wealth, nor proſperity, that makes God to be our God; for there is more gold in the Weſt Indies than in all Chriſtendome, but it is Gods ordinances purely adminiſtred that brings Gods preſence to a people. God forſooke Shiloh becauſe his ordinances were not purely kept there; when the people left the Arke (viz▪) his pure worſhip, then God left the people; when the Arke of Gods preſence was among them, the word in the purity of it, then his face was there, and there God was principally preſent; hence it was that …ai… is ſaid to be caſt out of Gods preſence; becauſe he was caſt out from the Church, he was caſt out from Gods ordinances; if a people do outwardly reforme, and ſincerely worſhip God, they may remain. If Sodom and Gomorrah had qut legally repented, they had remained, they had not been deſtroyed; And hence it is that the Saints are ſo, urgent for Gods Ordinances in the purity of them: But the wicked ſay, once a Sabbath is enough and once a week is too much; by this we may ſee that England is ripe; and is ſhe not weary of God? nay, ſhe is fat fed to the ſlaughter. But it was not ſo with the Saints and people of God in former times; it was Davids grand requeſt, that he might dwel in the houſe of the Lord, Pſal. 27. 4. And Pſalme the 42. and the firſt verſe, he ſaid, his ſoul did pant for Gods ordinances. Thus you ſee that the Saints of God are marvellous importunate to keepe God in his ordinances.
Queſt. But may not a man be ſaved without preaching?
Anſw. I anſwer, the argument is clear, the Saints maintain God in his ordinances, the want of which is under the penalty of death and damnation▪ becauſe we have more need of God in his ordinances than of all the gold in the world; for all the gold in the world will not ſatisfy a hungry man; It is bread that he muſt have, becauſe he hath need of it; ſo the Saints have moſt need of God, and of Chriſt, for though they have but ragged coats, and their bodies pincht with hunger, yet God is he that they ſtand moſt in need of. In Pſalme the 73. and the 25. verſe, David fretted at the proſperity of the wicked; but at the laſt he breaks off kindly, ſaying, whom have I Heaven but thee? As if he ſhould have ſaid, let them have what they will, I will have nothing but th…e And why ſo? why? thou art my ſtrength and my portion for ever, mark, he ſaith that God is his ſtrength, yea the ſtrength of his heart, hereby ſhewing that all the helps in the word cannot help the heart of man, if God and Chriſt bee wanting; you were as good offer a journey to refreſh a weary man, or the ayre to feed a hungry man, as to offer riches, honours and eaſe to help a diſtreſſed ſoul. Theſe will never help a man; he may well dote upon them, but his ſoule and conſcience will be galled and troubled ſtill; it muſt be the God of peace that muſt ſpeak peace to troubled ſoules. It muſt be the God of peace that muſt ſpeak peace to a diſtreſſed ſoul, to a ſoule that is damned in it ſelfe; it is he that muſt ſay, I will be the ſtrength of their hearts, and their portion for ever; no marvel then if a poor ſoul cryes to God, when happily the heart is full, when the ſoul gnaws and cries within it ſelfe, I am damned, I am damned, happily the palate is pleaſed with delicates, when the poor ſoul for ought it knows muſt goe down to hell; oh then beloved, if you will have ſafety, goe where God is; for every good gift comes in with him; if once a man hath got God into his company, he hath all good things with him. God bleſſed Obed Edoms houſe for the Arks ſake; now the Arke was a type of Chriſt, and where it came, many bleſſings came with it; even ſo when God comes unto a people, they are married unto him in righteouſneſſe, in judgement, in loving kindneſſe and in mercies for ever, Hoſea, 2. 9. When a man is married to a wife, all is his; ſo get Chriſt and all is thine, and then what wouldſt thou have more?
God ſpeaks to the raine, and it heares; God ſpeaks to the corne, and it heares; but if thou be in Chriſt, hell and death are thy ſervants; but they that have outward things only, as profits, pleaſures or the like, they have their ruine, unleſſe they have Chriſt with them; get Chriſt therefore, for if he be wanting, all outward and inward dangers befall that man, or that Nation; woe be unto him or them that are without God. For though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there ſhall not be a man left; yea, woe alſo to them, when I do depart from them; Ephraim, as Tyrus, is planted in a pleaſant place: but Ephraim ſhall bring forth his children to the murderer, Hoſea 9. 12. 13. True indeed, woe be unto that heart, County or Kingdome, that God is departed from; when God who is the God of mercies and all conſolation, is departed away, who can but pitty that ſoule, County or Kingdome who will not ſubmit to Gods peace, conſolation, and ſalvation? When God parts, all miſeries follow; for that man that makes no conſcience in outfacing God in the congregation, mark what the text ſaith, Deut. 28. 15. I will forſake them, and many miſeries ſhall overtake them, and when the floud-gates are once up, then come in all evils; And then they ſhal ſay, are not theſe things come upon us, becauſe God is not with us? If therefore we would avoid woe and ſorrow, ſlaying and killing one another; if the wife would not ſee her huſband killed before her tender eyes, and the man ſee his wife ſnatcht out of the world by the hands of wicked men, then leave not God, but hold him faſt, and then evil dayes will depart from us; It is our holding of God that keeps miſeries from us; oh then what ſhall we think of them that are weary of God, and that ſay to the Almighty, Depart from us? Job. 22. 17.
Ob. But are there any amongſt us that are weary of God? I hope there are none ſuch amongſt us.
I anſwer, Thou art a ſervant, and rejecteſt the Command of thy Maſter, in it thou doeſt reject God, and all ſuch as have a mean conceit of the worſhip of God, and the word of God, and think that prayer or preaching is continued too long; I ſay, theſe men know not what they think or ſay, but certainly it is becauſe they would be freed from the Ordinances of God: well, God will free thee from them one day, I will warrant thee, and then thou wilt be in a miſerable condition; oh that thou wouldeſt pitty thy poor condition; but thou art weary of Gods ordinances, and of his mercies, his preſence and patience, know thou that thou ſhalt be deprived of Gods goodneſſe, and thy portion ſhall be with thoſe that hate God in this life here, and after this life (if thou repent not) thy portion ſhall be with them in Tophet, where the worm dyeth not, and where the fire goeth not out, and then crying will not availe, God will be God over thee in deſtruction, yea when he hath ſpurned thouſands and ten thouſands into hell, ſuch as thou art, then ſhalt thou be the everlaſting object of his never dying wrath, then notwithſtanding all thy ſhrill cries, though thou couldeſt be heard out of that dungeon, yet were thy help never the near; for God is God ſtill. I adviſe thee therefore what to do, whilſt thou art here in this life, make thy peace with God in Chriſt, and lay thy ſelf low before him, and beare patiently his hand in his wrath which thou haſt deſerved. And mark what I ſay, thou haſt deſerved to be in hell an hundred times, that is the leaſt; and therefore be contented with thy condition; for thou haſt choſen death rather than life: and God ſhould wrong himſelf and thee alſo, if he ſhould not let thee have thy chooſing.
Will not theſe things move you, my brethren? Me thinks I ſee your colours riſe, I am glad of it, I hope it is to a good end; you may be wiſe, and happily ſo wiſe as to chooſe life rather than death: Now the Lord grant it, for he delights not in your deſtruction.
I w…dde one word more, to leave the more impreſſion in your hearts; my deſire is the health of your ſouls; though my meat ſeem ſoure, yet my mind is the will of God. Thou man or woman, that canſt not abide ſo much preaching, but ſtandeſt upon thorns whilſt it is preaching: Too much of one thing (you ſay) is good for nothing; You do as much as ſay you will not have God with you; you will have a little of God, but you will have more of your pleaſures: Is this your deſire, your delights? Know then, whoſoever thou art, that haſt an ill will to God and his Ordinances, and wilt not have the goſpel in the purity of it; thou ſhalt have thy deſires: Thou ſayeſt, depart Preaching, and ſo it ſhall, thou ſhalt have thy deſires. When thou ſhalt hear the trumpets ſound, and when thine eares ſhall tingle with the ſound of war; then depart for ever, you that are weary of God, get you down to hell for ever: Fulfill your baſe luſts, (then will God ſay) for I have fed you on earth this twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, nay ſixty years and upwards, and my mild Word could not rule you, nor prevaile with you, and therefore now get you to hell, and there remain for ever. Think thus with your ſelves; will God ſerve me thus? yea that he will, for he hath prepared a place for the proudeſt Kings, Princes, Monarchs, Captains, &c▪ that are, or ever were in the world, if they will not be ruled nor guided by God, and his word. See Iſa. 30. 33. the Text doth as good as ſay, he delighteth to make bonfires about their ears: And muſt this be the way to glorifie God?
But ſome may ſay, Surely Kings and Monarchs are exempted, they need not fear that ſuch torments ſhall come upon them.
To this I anſwer, that God will ſay unto them, Raign there if thou wilt▪ and then they ſhall know that there is a King that laughs at their deſtruction. Take notice of this I beſeech you, and reaſon thus with your own ſoules: I he a good ſon that cannot abide the preſence of his own father? is ſhe a good wife that cannot abide the company of her husband? and is he a good Chriſtian that cannot endure the company of Chriſt in his ordinances?
This may ſerve to rebuke Gods people for their neglect. You ſee the goſpelUſe. is going, Chriſt is departing, he is going to ſeek better entertainment. (But I marvaile you give no better attendance; I pray hearken what I ſay, and have to ſay, ſtand up and hear, and the Lord give you grace to beleeve.) I will deal plainly with you; as ſure as God is God, God is going from England. Shall I tell you what God told me? nay I muſt tell you on pain of my life; Will you give eare and believe me? I am a poor Ambaſſador ſent from God to do his meſſage unto you; and although I be ow, yet my meſſage is from above, and He that ſent me is great, and from above; and oh that He would grant that this my meſſage might be believed! What if I ſhould tell you, what God told me (yeſternight) page missing
THE SACRIFICE OF THE FAITHFUL, OR, A TREATISE ſhewing the nature, property, and efficacy of Zealous Prayer: Together with ſome Motives to Prayer, and Helps againſt diſcouragements in Prayer. By WILLIAM FENNER, Miniſter of the Goſpel, Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, and late Lecturer of Rochford in Eſsex.
London, Printed by E. T. for John Stafford.