Twenty-Nine Sermons, Sermon 16 – Title page 19
GODS IMPARTIALITY IN HIS JUDGEMENTS.
ISAIAH 42. 24.
Who gave Jacob to the ſpoile and Iſrael to the Robbers? Did not I the Lord?
THe Lord in this Chapter by the Prophet Eſay doth foretell heavy things againſt the people; and by the way mark the Lords dealings, he ever gives warning before he ſends any plagues: he lightens before he thunders; that the people might not ſay they did not hear of it, and that the wicked might be the more inexcuſable, and that the godly might make an Arke to ſave themſelves in.
Theſe words, and the following verſe containe in them five severall things;
Firſt, the Author of this deſtruction or judgement.
Secondly, the Cauſes of it.
Thirdly, the Judgement it ſelf.
Fourthly, Who they were on whom this judgement was inflicted.
Fifthly, The effects of it.
Now by Gods permiſſion I will open theſe words in order unto you, And for the firſt, the Author of it.
It is laid down by queſtion and anſwer.
Queſtion, Who gave Jacob to the ſpoyle, and Iſrael to the robbers?
Anſwer, Did not I the Lord? was it not I the mighty God, which am able to order every thing according to my own will?
But indeed we are ready to aſcribe things to chance and fortune and lot; to prevent this ſaies God, Who did theſe and theſe things? did not I the Lord?
Now, by Jacob and Iſrael is meant the people of the Jews, which were called by the name of Jacob. Who though they were his peculiar people, yet when they ſinned, he gave them over. God ſaies, Who gave this people of mine to the enemies? did not I the Lord? therefore God, he is the Author of all puniſhment.
Secondly, the Cauſe why the Lord did this: for, ſome might ſay, why did the Lord overthrow this people, whom he did ſo tenderly reſpect for his, which were as the apple of his eye, and the ſtrength of his right arme? becauſe they ſinned againſt the Lord, and would not walke in his wayes.
He ſets down the Cauſes.
Firſt, in generall, they have ſinned.
Secondly, in particular, they would not walk in his way, nor be obedient to his Lawes.
Thirdly, here is the Judgement it ſelf, ver. 25. therefore hath he powred upon him the fury of his anger, the ſtrength of the Battel, and hath ſet him on fire round about. He calleth it the anger of the Lord: not of a King, or of a great man, but the anger of the Lord, the fury of his anger; ſhewing the extremity of it: he doth not ſay that God doth drop down his anger; but▪ he poures out the fury of his indignation. Moreover he ſaith, the ſtrength of battel; the Lord cometh like an armed man to fight againſt them, and to deſtroy them, as men in wa…res doe when they ſlay both young and old, and make no bones of it, and are glad when they have done it; And, as an armed man to ſlay them; ſo likewiſe, he hath ſet a fire round about them; the Lord hath incloſed them in with indignation, ſo that they could ſee no way to get out of it, or to eſcape it. So then this ſhews the unavoydableneſſe of Gods Judgements.
Fourthly, who were theſe that were deſtroyed? Jacob and Iſrael, a praying and a profeſſing and a faſting people.
Fifthly, the effect of all this, how it did work upon them. Yet, ſaith the Lord, they know it not, neither lay it to heart. Oh Lord, what monſtrous ſtupidity is this! though God did doe it; in his anger too; yet this poor Nation ſaw it not, nether regarded it, till the plague came and when it came, they never laid it to heart, neither were they humbled by it, but did beare the plague, and afterwards went down into hell, and never minded it.
Even ſo beloved; ſtands the caſe with us, The Lord plagues us, and we ſee it not: his anger burns round about us, and the fierreneſſe of his wrath is gone out to battel: and yet we perceive it not.
From the firſt of theſe obſerve: namely.
That God is the author of all plagues and judgements that befall a Nation.Doctrine. It was he that drowned the old world, and delivered the Children of Iſrael to the ſpoylers. Shal there be any evill in the City, and the Lord hath not dont it? ſaith Amos in his third chapter and ſixth verſe. From whence obſerve this, That God ordains all puniſhments before they come. Acts 4. 28. for to do whatſoever thy hand and counſel determined before to be done. And as God ordaineth all thing before they come; ſo he ordereth them, and the time when they ſhal come; and they cannot come one moment of time before the Lord would have them. The Iews could not lay hold on our Saviour, becauſe his hour was not yet come. John 7. 30. The wicked cannot pull down puniſhments upon a Nation when they wil; As its he ordaineth them, and the time when; ſo he doth appoint them how long they ſhall lie upon men. Revel. 1. 10. There the Lord had appointed the Church of Smyrna ten dayes tribulation; and there is meaſured how much God appoints us. The devill could go no further then his commiſſion in afflicting Job. As he doth order all, ſo he doth order all for the good of his people, and for the confuſion of his enemies; all things work for the good of thoſe that feare God, Rom. 8. 28. and for the hardening and overthrowing of the enemies of the Church that are incorrigible.
This may ſtay and comfort the hearts of Gods Children, in anyUſe. 1. heavie croſſe that befals them.
Is God the orderer and diſpoſer of all? then this may comfort thy ſoul O thou poor Child of God; I ſay comfort thy ſoul with this, that the Lord is the temperer of all things, and the Phyſician that ſtands by and ſees how many drammes the Apothecary putteth in. The devill indeed may afflict thee, and wicked men may puniſh thee; but thou ſhalt have no more then the Lord ſees good for thee. Therefore though thine enemies take thee and kill thee, and Rabſhekah raile on thee, and Bonner burne thee, yet the Lord is a ſweet loving Father, and ordereth all things, and cannot find in his heart to hurt thee. Though they be the Inſtruments, yet God he is the Author, and hath appointed how long, and how much, and for what they ſhall afflict thee. Therefore though the Sword find thee, and faggot come: yea though thou beeſt baniſhed or ſawne aſunder, yet the Lord ordereth all things. Therefore he ſaith to the ſword, and to the the plague, as David ſaid to Ioab, have a care of my deare ſonne: onelyonly ſubdue the rebell, but doe not hurt my ſonne. So saith God, uſe my ſervants kindly for my ſake: onelyonly bring under their proud hearts, but do not hurt them. Therefore have an eye to Gods love, and let faith in him over-rule thy heart in ſpite of all that can come againſt thee.
This may terrifie the hearts of all wicked men that are out of Gods favour.Uſe. 2.
Is God the Author of all puniſhments? then this may make their haire to ſtand upright upon their heads. That God whom thou hateſt, is the puniſher of thee even he whoſe Sonne thou deſpiſeſt, and whoſe Sabbaths thou prophaneſt; He is able if his wrath be kindled, to conſume thee in a moment. Oh, if thou haddeſt not an adamant heart, this would daunt it, and diſſolve it into teares of bloud. God will infinitely puniſh thee, who is a conſuming fire: but if thou wilt not be daunted, there is nothing but fearfull looking for of fire and brimſtone for ever in hell. When God puniſheth his children, it is in mercy: but to the wicked his wrath is in their puniſhments, and his Judgements are in anger and great wrath: and therefore when he puniſheth thee, thou maieſt ſay, A juſt Judge brandeth me in the hand.
Is it ſo? Then when Calamities come, let us not ſo much ſtand uponUſe 3. men, or upon the help of them: but let us look to God as David did: it may be the Lord ſent Shimei to raily on me; 2 Sam. 16. 10. and ſo did Job the Lord gives, and the Lord hath taken away. Iob 21. 12. The Caldeans did it: but they were Gods Inſtruments. We ſhould not do as dogs, that gnaw the ſtones that are throwne at them. God takes ſtones as it were, and throweth them upon mens heads: and ſometimes whips them by wicked men. Now, the wicked are but Gods rod, and when he hath ſcourged thee, he will caſt the rod into the fire. Therefore goe unto the Lord, make peace with him and he will remove it. The wicked I confeſſe are in fault, but God is the Author of all: and he will deliver you in his good time.
Secondly, wherefore will God deale thus with Iſrael? becauſe they have ſinned with a rebellious ſpirit, not by infirmity, but in diſobedience.
Whence you may learne this point of Inſtruction, That ſinne and diſobedienceDoctrine. againſt Gods Law is that which brings down puniſhments and judgements upon a Nation or a people or Church. All Sin in generall is the brooder and hatcher of all judgements, and the very ſpawne of all puniſhments. Ah, this ſinne and diſobedience, and willfull rebellion againſt God, it will bring ſword and famine amongſt us, and let in the enemy, and ſend out God from amongſt us, and ſtop the mouthes of his Miniſters, and break off the Parliament.
A more particular cauſe why God ſends puniſhments amongſt us, is this, becauſe Kings will not be ſubject to the Lawes of God, and Queens will doe what they liſt: when Biſhops and all people will have elbow room to doe that which ſeems good in their own eyes: as giving toleration for the prophanation of Gods Sabbaths, that the people may diſhonour the Lord, and runne headlong to hell: this and ſuch like, ſets up wickedneſſe, and brings the wrath of God upon us, and his vengeance upon our Land and Kingdome; when thus ſinne gets the upper hand and day of the word, for which I cannot chuſe but pitty our poor Land, neither could you do leſſe if your hearts were not as hard as an adamant, and your eyes glued together. Ah poore Nation, now thou lieſt a bleeding and drawing to an end, and the bell now tolls for this Nation, and the Lord is a going from this Land: and her puniſhments and judgements are comming on apace, ſo that all Nations may ſay, Wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this Land, what meaneth the heate of his anger? then ſhall men ſay they have forſaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers, and ſerved other Gods. Judges 4. 2. When they forgat the Lord their God, then he ſold them into the hand of Iabin King of Canaan; this was the ground why the Lord drowned the old world. Geneſ. 6. 12. becauſe they had corrupted all their waies; this was the cauſe why the Lord burned Sodome and Gomorrah with wild-fire from heaven: this was the cauſe the Lord deſtroyed Ieruſalem forty years after Chriſt, becauſe they would have none of the offers of Chriſt, and of grace and mercic. And thus much for proof.
Good Lord, what a poor weake Land have we! if ſinne and rebellionUſe 1. be the cauſe of all puniſhments, then in what a poor caſe is England? how weake are we? our hearts may ſhake within us, and our knees may knock together to conſider of it, having ſo many ſinnes of all ſorts, of all degrees, and committed with ſo high a hand, and in moſt fearfull manner.
We are ſick from the Crowne of the head to the ſoale of the feete, there is no ſoundneſſe in us: we are ſicke in head, ſick in heart, ſicke in ſtomack; we have had peace, and that hath ſurfeited us: and now we have gotten the pleuriſie, and nothing but letting of bloud will cure us. God grant, the Lord let us blood in our hearts alſo. God muſt purge and phyſick us, and fetch out the droſſe which we have gathered by our diſobedience. If ſin and rebellion will doe it, we have given God cauſe enough ſo to plague us.
Is it ſo? Then we ſee who are the greateſt traytors in the kingdome,Uſe 2. and what they are that pull down puniſhments upon a Kingdome; they are diſobedient rebells and traytors, full of ſinne.
I proteſt, the greateſt traytors our land hath this day, are the prophaners of Gods Sabbaths, and ſuch as do give liberty to prophane them, and to ſwear and be drunke: theſe are the plague: ſores of this Kingdome, and bring down heavie jugements upon us; yea, of what place or dignity ſoever they be. It is not onelyonly poor drunkards, but ſilver and velvet-Coat drunkards, even the Lordly men of this kingdom, who give liberty to ſin: for the greater are the men the greater are their ſins, & they are the moſt dangerous, even as great Cut-purſes doe more harm then little ones; for as Haman was hanged before the Jews ſaw good daies, and the ſeven ſons of Saul were ſlain before they could have any peace in Iſrael: ſo while theſe rebells be not hanged, what peace can be expected? while Ionah was in the ſhip, there could be no quietneſs: ſo whilſt theſe rebells and vile wretches live and have favour, and are reſpected, and goe on ſtil unpuniſhed, they are in the land, as Ionah was in the ſhippe: and ſo long there can be no quietneſſe in the land.
One Achan did plague a whole land; but here are many Aehans in this land. Oh poor land; thou art wonderfully laden by every ungodly perſon, both in Country and City. O let us beg of God that the wicked may be removed out of the land, or that God would turne their hearts.
Is it ſo, that ſinne is the brooder of all puniſhments? O then let itUſe 3. teach every one of us to ſet heart and hand and all to work, to joyne all our forces of prayers and tears againſt theſe enemies, and labour for the reformation of theſe: When Jonas was in the ſhip, the Marriners came about him and asked him, from whence comeſt thou? So if ever we would ſee good dayes, we muſt joyne our prayers and all our powers againſt our ſins and the ſins of others.
When the Philiſtins ſaw that the Arke was the cauſe of the puniſhments that befell them, then they never reſted till they had ſent it away; ſo let us ſhip and packe away our ſins, if ever we would have our puniſhments removed from us. Say, O mine enemie, have I found thee, thou art the enemies of King, and Countrey, and Parliament, and Goſpel, and thou art he that brake the laſt Parliament, thou art he that loſt the day at the Iſle of Ree, thou art he that ſent ſo many poor Rochellers to the grave with famine, and thou art he that makes diviſion between Kings and commons. The Lord give us power and courage: for if ever we had need, now we have; and let us beſtir our ſelves, and pray that God would be pleaſed to ſtirre up the heart of the King and other Magiſtrates againſt theſe ſinnes. Oh that Magaiſtrates in their places, would ſet their hearts and hands againſt all theſe ſinnes; but light execution is done, and moſt Magiſtrates ſtand for ciphers in their places, and onelyonly take up a room, and do nothing. We cannot draw them with all the arguments we can uſe, to puniſh theſe ſinnes. We have cauſe to mourne: for they ſtand like ſcrare-crowes, with a peice in their hands, but never ſhoote: and the birds may pick the ſtrawes from their heads; ſo that Magiſtrates do nothing.
But to you I ſpeake that are chiefe in Towns, and chief Officers: you ſhould all joyne hand in hand, and heart in heart to pull down theſe ale houſes, hel-houſes, and nurſeries of the devil, and to ſupplant wicked neſſe. We muſt not be one for them, and another againſt them: for in ſo doing▪ we ſhall never ſee good dayes.
And you Gentlemen, when are your hearts and hands againſt them? when did you ever ſpeak or write againſt them? when did you ever ſet foot in ſtriving to have them ſuppreſt? men ſtand with their fingers in their mouthes, and their hands in their pockets, and dare not ſtand for God and good cauſes. The Lord be merciful unto us: we doe not joyne our forces, prayers and powers that we can make for Gods glory. Oh that the Lord would be pleaſed to put his Spirit into our hearts, that we may be all of one mind. So you Gentlemen, in your places, and we Miniſters in our places, and all of us, we are with all the ſtrength and courage and mettle that the Lord hath put into us, to cry, and pray, and preach down ſinne. And all you Maſters and Dames, you are to reforme your Families: for theſe ſinnes bring down puniſhments upon the Land. Therefore labour to find out the wickednſſe of your Families, and admoniſh them, and reprove them plainly, and ſhew them from Gods word the puniſhments that are due to them. If you would doe theſe things, then there might be ſomething done: and if reproof and admoniſhment will not ſerve the turne, then expell them and baniſh them, as Abraham did Hagar and Iſmael. You Chriſtians, mourne for your ſins, and joyne your hearts and prayers againſt the ſins of the place where you live.
If any houſe be on fire, others will come with water to quench it as if it were their own: so here is a flame of fire kindled in this Kingdome of England, and the wrath of God is like wild-fire coming down upon us from heaven: therefore let every one of us bring ſome water or other to quench this fire that is round about us in every place, and almoſt upon all hearts.
Let every man ſweep his own doore, and the ſtreets will be cleane; ſo if every one would purge his own heart, what reformation would there be in every place? then God and Chriſt and goſpel might be here ſtill, and the enemies might be kept out ſtill: which if we doe not, who knows how ſoon the enemie may ruſh in upon us? but alas, we harbour theſe traytors in our boſomes.
I proteſt againſt every man that habours ſin in his own houſe or ſoul, that he is a traytor to the Kingdom, whatſoever he be; if I knew the man, I would faſten mine eyes on him, and tell him, Oh thou vile Achan, doeſt thou harbour theſe ſins, and traytors, and keep theſe ſins, and then cry out of the dangerouſneſſe of the times?
If a man did know certainly, that the dogge that he keepes in his houſe, would one day pull out his throate, would he keep him fatte that he might the better doe it? no ſure, he would rather hang him. Or if a man did know that the fire that burnes upon the hearth, would burne him, would he blow it? or if a man did know that the knife which he hath, would one day cutte his throate, would he ſharpen it? no ſurely.
Beloved, this is the caſe of all us poor wretches that live in ſinne: they will be the cauſe of all the puniſhments that God ſends upon us all. Now therefore, I charge you all, men and women, and every one of you, to make a Covenant and enter into an oath and a curſe, to ſearch out every ſin, and find them out in your families, wife and children and ſervants; and do what you can to quench them. Theſe Townes and Countreys are on fire, O that the Lord would be pleaſed to ſend his word home to every one of your hearts: you I meane that I love as well as mine own ſoule, my deare people. I would ſpend and be ſpent for you, if God would give me ſtrength and though I ſpeak plaine, it is for your everlaſting good.
What are thoſe puniſhments that he threatned to poure upon them in the furie of his wrath? He poureth full battails, and the ſtrength of battails; all this was upon his own deare people Iſrael; even thoſe people the Lord ſo ſeverely threatens.
Hence obſerve this Doctrine, That the Lord oftentimes brings fearful,Doctrine 3. and unavoydable judgements and puniſhments even upon his own profeſſing people: even they that offer ſacrifice, and that pray, and call him Father, and faſt and pray, even upon theſe people he doth often times bring theſe puniſſiments. Amos 3. 2. You onelyonly have I known among all the Nations of the earth: therefore will I puniſh you for all your iniquities.
See the whole currant of Gods word: did not the Lord puniſh the Children of Iſrael in the time of their Judges? they had many ſore enemies, as Eglon and Siſera. The ten Tribes they ſinned, and were carried into captivity: and theſe were Gods profeſſing people. And afterward the other two Tribes, Judah and Benjamine, were carried away captive into Babylon, and there they were ſeventy years.
Forty yeares after Chriſts time, the Romans came againſt them, and burnt all their Cities. And theſe were Gods own profeſſing people.
The Churches of Aſia were famous Churches, but now they are overthrowne with Turkes. Now, our ſins give God juſt cauſe to make him come againſt us, with puniſhments and judgements upon this Land.
If a man lie ſick, and they ſee death in his face, they call it the foretelling ſigne: ſo the Miniſters of God may foreſee the death and deſtruction of a Kingdome. I am ſure we have better grounds, then the Phyſicians can have. And therefore, why may not the Miniſters which are Gods Phyſicians, doe it?
The ſignes of Gods puniſhments that are coming upon us, are theſe,
The firſt is of Gods Miniſters which with one voice doe foretel judgements to come.
Then, this is a ſigne that God haſteneth to battel, Amos 3. 7. Surely the Lord will doe nothing but he revealeth his ſecrets to his ſervants the Prophets: but eſpecially when they agree all in one thing; then the Kingdom is dangerouſly gone. Luke 1. 70. The Lord giveth one mouth, as he ſpake by the mouth of▪ all his holy Prophets.
I will ſay nothing in this, but let me appeale to your conſciences, whether all good Miniſters in the Church of England, have not declared by Gods word, that judgements are coming out againſt this Land and us for many yeares together: And as our Saviour ſaith, Whatſoever ye ſhall bind on earth, ſhall be bound in beaven.
Secondly, when ſinnes of all ſorts doe abound frequently, and with a bold face, and whoriſh forehead. For when the harveſt is ripe, then cometh ſo many ſickles to cut it down: ſo when the ſinnes of a Kingdome are ripe, then it is time to cut that Kinddome down. Geneſ. 6. 12. The earth was filled with violence, all fleſh had corrupted their wayes: therefore, make an Arke: for the end of all fleſh is come, God will waſh away their filthineſſe. Conſider whether it be not thus with England or no. Was ever drunkenneſſe and blaſphemie, and ſcoffing at religion, and prophaning Gods Sabbaths, nay liberty given ſo to do, was it ever come to that height that now it is? were ever great ones, as Biſhops and Miniſters, ſo defiled, as now they are? our Land hath often been overcome: when men were grown deſperately wicked, then they were deſtroyed. Now, what ſinnes, what blaſphemies, what hating of God lyeth raging in our times? I think there is none in this Congregation but ſees and heares, how City and Countrey are venomed and benumned, and defiled with ſinnes of all ſorts.
Thirdly, when the devill and wicked men caſt bones of diſſention, that is a ſigne of ruine. When there was a diſſention between Rehoboam and the people, then God pulled away ten Tribs, and much bloud was ſhed. So when King and Commons, and all are divided, Ephraim againſt Manaſſes and Manaſſes againſt Ephraim, but both againſt Judah, then it is a fearfull ſigne that that Nation ſhall be deſtroyed.
I ſay, to apply this, if ever a Kingdome were divided, then this is, if we could all accord, then we might expect ſomething: but now, our beſt bloud is gone, and our hearts are gone: the Lord in merciemercy raiſe us up from dead aſhes.
O conſider this, I beſeech you, and lay it to heart. Will God deceive his Miniſters, and make them all blindfold? no, no. When God puts his Spirit into his Miniſters, and makes them all with one mouth to call and cry deſolation, and when all manner of ſinnes ſo fearfully abound, and when there is ſuch diviſions in the State, then let us look for deſolation.
Fourthly, the fourth ſigne of Gods anger on a Nation is, when all the hearts of men faile, then it is a ſigne that vengeance is at the door; when there is a kinde of Cowardiſe through the guilt of the conſcience. Joſh. 2. 11. It was a certaine ſigne of deſtruction when the peoples hearts failed them: thus it is with every man almoſt amongſt us: every mans heart is faint and ſick. Iudges 7. 13. When Gideon was to goe againſt the Midianites, being a wonderfull Army, one dreamed that a cake of barley bread tumbled into the hoſt, and overthrew them: Then Gideon ſaid, be of good courage: for I ſee that the Lord hath given them into our hands, becauſe their hearts were feareful; ſo he took three hundred men, and put a trumpet in every mans hand, with empty pitchers and lamps; and they cried, the Sword of the Lord, and of Gideon; and in the twelfth verſe ſee what followed, All the hoſt ran and cried and fled. Even ſo it is with us: we faint upon every occaſion, Gods ſpirit is gone from England.
While Sampſon had the Spirit of God upon him, he was too hard for the Philiſtins: but when the Spirit of God was gone from him, he had no heart, no ſpirit, no courage; then every man was too hard for him, and then he was taken, and had his eyes pulled out. So when the Spirit of God was with this Nation, we had courage and got the day; but now alas, every ſlaviſh Nation is too hard for us, and every bug-beare ſcares us. O poore England, heavy is thy caſe, therefore we may expect nothing but miſerie one way or another.
Now I might ſet down a Comment or Theame with many teares for this cauſe, that every one may reade his own deſtruction from this point. I am not a Prophet, nor the ſonne of a Prophet: but from the word of the Lord I ſpeak this thing unto you, and upon theſe grounds I can ſay ſo; That where theſe ſignes are, deſtruction and calamities follow at the heeles of them. We having all theſe ſignes in our State, certainely deſtruction is at our heeles; therefore let me giuegive you ſome directions what to doe in theſe dangerous times.
Firſt, let every man knock off the love of the world, of houſes, ofUſe. lands, and corne, and flockes; they ſhortly ſhall leave thee, or thou them. O therefore caſt them quite out of thy heart. I would to God I could bring my heart and yours to this pitch, that we could give wife and children and all as loſt. I confeſſe it is hard ſo to doe: but God will fire us out ſhortly from theſe things, if we part not from them, in theſe our deepeſt afflictions. Ier. 45. 5. Baruch was ſo much glued to the world, that he began to feather his neſt: and therefore the Prophet ſaid, ſeekeſt thou great things for thy ſelfe? ſeeke them not; for behold I will bring evill upon all fleſh. So let me ſay to you as the Prophet ſaid to Gehazi, Is it now a time to build? Therefore at night when thou goeſt to bed, take thy leave of thy wife and children, and of thy houſes and all, and ſay, this houſe may be mine enemies before the morning, or may be ſet on fire; this is not my wife: theſe are not my children: As Doctor Taylor ſaid when he was going to his execution, when he ſaw his wife and children, he embraced them and bleſſed them in the name of the Lord, and ſet them down again and made no bones of them: and ſo do you, pluck away your hearts from all theſe things here below, and give them all for loſt.
Secondly, get divine ſubmiſſion to the will of God, let thy heart be contented that God ſhould doe with thee what he will, and ſubmit thy ſelfe to God in the hardeſt blows, and ſay, Good Lord, if thou ſeeſt no remedy to purge this land and Church, but by deſolation, and the removing of the Goſpell, good Lord, doe what thou wilt; if thou wilt have my liberty, take it, if thou wilt have my children ſpoiled by the enemy and pitched upon ſpeares points, doe it: Lord, if there be no remedy to purge a ſinfull land but by taking the Goſpell out of it, even I Lord ſubmit my ſelfe unto it: good Lord ſacrifice us, or burne our Cities; doe what thou wilt with us, onelyonly ſave our ſoules at the laſt.
I have knowne ſome could have no quietneſſe at all, till they came to this pitch, and then they had peace in their minds. When Iſaac ſaw that he was to be bound, then he yeelded to it: and our Lord Chriſt did this in the garden when he did bear the wrath of God, then he ſaid, if it be poſſible, let this cuppe paſſe from me: and this he did three times: yet not my will but thy will be done; if thou wilt have me to drinke of the cuppe, I will ſuck off the dregges and all.
Alſo come and lay thy head upon the block, and let God doe what he will with thee, Ezek. 20. 43. They ſhall loath themſelves for all their abominations; and this is the practiſe of an humble ſoule, and this will bear through all.
Thirdly, pray and cry mightily to God before thou dyeſt, even all the time thou haſt to live, for merciemercy and for the peace of the Church of God, and for the poor people and poſterity. Eſay. 62. 16. I have ſet watchmen upon the walles of Hiruſālem, that never hold their peace day nor night. You that make profeſſion of the Lord, keep not ſilence; let not God reſt till he helpe and ſhew mercy unto our poore land, wives and children.
I am perſwaded if dumbe Zachary were here, he would open his mouth to pray and crie for this miſerable land. But, alas, poor ſoules, many of you are ſo bound in the chaines of your ſinnes, that you cannot finde any leiſure to pray; you ſave your prayers and teares till you come to hell, and then they will doe you no good; Oh, thy Mother lies a dying, and wilt thou not mourne for her? O dead and drie-hearted wretches, me thinkes the poor Church of England is like the ſhippe of Jonas, and he faſt aſleep in it; the Goſpell and all are drawing into a ſea of troubles: and thou poor wretch art aſleepe and canſt not pray. The Church is like a ſick man upon his bed: and the Parliament is like a Colledge full of Physitians, they caſt the ſtate of the Kingdome, and then give it over for loſt. The Lord knows how ſoon the bell may ring out; and yet thou canſt not pray nor weep. Ah, the Lord be mercifull to the hardneſſe of our hearts. Haſt thou but one rear in thine eyes? but one prayer in thy heart? then ſpend them now for the poore Church of God. Make all ſound within, and get ſound faith in the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt, that may ſupport and hold you up as the Ark did Noah in the floud.
O my dear people of this Pariſh, a fearefull floud is come upon this land: therefore make you an Arke of Gopher, and pitch it within and without: get in it, hang not about it; but, get into your Lord Chriſt, and ſhut up your ſelves in him, as Noah did in the Arke, and never come out. This is your ſafegard, if you be in him, you ſhall be ſupported againſt all troubles, and ſo ſhall the caſe go well with you. For as the Prophet ſaid to Ahab, High thee hence, for here is a ſound of much rain: and there came a ſhour indeed. So ſay I, high you away to Chriſt: for it may be you ſhall not hear many Sermons more: there is a ſound of many puniſhments and ſtormes falling downe upon us. O thrice happy are we that have Chriſt upon good termes and good grounds: if a floud come, it doth me good to ſee how ſafe I am: for the higher troubles ariſe, the higher the Arke will ariſe, and the higher your faith and comfort will ariſe, and you ſhall ſit like Noah in the Cabin. Iſai. 26. 20. Come my people and enter into the chamber, and ſhut the doores about thee, and hide your ſelves as it were for a little moment, untill the indignation be overpaſt.
What? would Noah have been hired to come out of the Arke? no by no meanes: nothing would have got him out. I may even pitty you my people, that have no Faith. What will you doe and whither will you flie? all you that have not gotten into the Arke, and have not made ſure worke, if the floud ſhould come to morrow, you muſt certainly be drowned. If you look to God, he is your Enemy, if you look within, there your conſciences dogge you; and if thou lookeſt for comfort to the Miniſter, there is none for thee in all Gods word; if thou hang on a Miniſter, he muſt ſay as Samuel ſaid to Saul, ſince the Lord hath forſaken thee, I can doe thee no good. Oh thinke on this, and get all thy friends into the Arke with thee, as Noah did. Let me begge this at your hands; get a poor husband into the Ark with thee, with thy poor children, and ſhut them all up into the Arke with thee. Would it not grieve thee when thou ſitteſt in the Arke, to ſee a poore huſband or a child drowning in the floud, and going to Hell? For the Lords ſake, O my deere Brethren, ſpare no paines to doe them good.
Fifthly and laſtly, get a more ſtrong faith then ordinary; deep dangers muſt have a ſtronger Faith; a man cannot row upon the maine ocean in a paire of ſcullers; but he muſt have a good ſhip well ballaſted, and a good Pilot; ſo doe you think to row upon the maine ocean of Gods wrath in a paire of ſcullers? therefore labour to ſtrengthen your Faith, and to get a good ſhip, wel pitcht and ballaſted, and ſubſtantia'l Faith; for the wind will trie it whether it be ſo or not; a Summers dublet will not ſerve the turne in a winters ſroſt; ſo a little ſtrength and comfort will not ſerve the turne in the ſtorms that are coming on us; but we muſt get winter garments; the Eaſt wind will try a mans clothes. Though a weak Faith may carry thee to Heaven, yet not with ſo much comfort as a ſtronger; eſpecially if it be but a little before the downfall of the Pope; for then there will be the greateſt combuſtions that ever was or ever ſhall be; and by all likelihoods, the time is now at hand. Then, thy Faith had need to be greater then ever it was. As the Angell ſaid to the Prophet, up and eat, for thou haſt a great journey to goe; ſo ſay I to thee, thou fainting ſoule, make a good meale of Faith, ſtrengthen thy Faith upon the promiſes, for thou haſt a great work to doe, and happily thou mayſt goe ſix monethes, and not ſee the face of a good Miniſter, nor talk with a good Miniſter, when there ſhall be no more Rogers, Hookers, Beadles and Cottons to talk with; and you ſhall wander about in the woods; your faith will ſupport you then, it will doe you ſome good. When all the people had loſt David, Eleazer one of the Worthies, aroſe and ſmote the Philiſtines, 2 Sam. 11. 23. So when all Gods Miniſters ſhall leave thee, and then to fight it out againſt thine own luſts, and the Divell, and his temptations, will be hard, and this Faith thou haſt need of, when thy books and all helps ſhall be taken from thee. What need haſt thou of ſtrong Faith, when thou muſt fight againſt half a ſcore Papiſts and an Army of temptations, and a world of Divils from Hell? then thou haſt need of a ſtronger Faith then ordinarie. When you ſhall take your leave of your children and never ſee them more, then thou haſt need of Faith to inveſt thee into the promiſes. Hebr. 11. 21. By Faith Jacob bleſſed both the ſonnes of Joſeph when he was a dying; ſo when thou art to leave thy wife and children, and never to ſee them more, what Faith haſt thou need of to inveſt them into the Promiſes, and to ſay, I look to ſee you another day in Heaven? the Lord be with you my deare wife and children, I ſhall never ſee you any more here, but I beleeve that one day we ſhall meet together in a world of happineſſe, where we ſhall be together in glory for ever and ever.
AMEN.
THE GREAT DIGNITY OF THE SAINTS. In a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER, Miniſter of the Goſpel, ſometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, and late Lecturer of Rochford in Eſsex.
London, Printed by E. T. for John Stafford.