Gods Call to England, Proposition 2
PROPOSITION 2.
Such is the wickedness of our corrupted hearts, that we are prone to proceed in sin, notwithstanding the Lord is using these means with us to reclaim us. We are apt to make use of our deliverances to further our sins, rather than improve them to the forsaking of them. For as the red Sea drinks in the River Iordan yet is never the sweeter; and the vas… Ocean all other Rivers, yet is not th… fresher: so we receive the most excellent mercies, and yet are but little the better. So entire is our cursed affection to ou… espoused Lusts, that whoever be dis-engaged, and whoever be displeased, we ar… too much resolv'd to continue in them. Hence the mercies God gives for encouragements to serve him, we turn to be instruments of sinning against him. When God doth most for us in ways of mercy, we are prone to do most against him in ways of sin. 'Tis reported of the Leopard, that 'tis most savage to those that do most for it. Too true it is of us; we are wretchedly most unkind, to those that shew most kindness to us. Felicitate corrumpimur, outward felicitie makes us abound in iniquity. After the receipt of special favours, we often loosen the reins to Impiety, and run more extravagantly after our own inventions. How many become more nimble in the feats of iniquity, by being anointed with the oyl of mercy? Men nurse the hateful brats of their devilish lusts, at the breast of Divine bounty. Our envenom'd natures extract food for the nourishment of abominable sins, from the singular favours of a gracious God.
As when the season grows warm, by fructifying rays of the Sun, the weeds spring up; so by the increase of mercies, there is often the abounding of iniquity, Hos 10.1. Israel is an empty vine: or, foreign, vitis luxurians; a wild vine: according to the multitudes of his fruits, he hath increased the altars, i. e. Quo res habuit pr… speriores, eo magis indulsit Idololatriae, Gro… The more prosperity, the more Idolatry. 'Tis observed of the Spleen, the greater it grows, the less the body is: the more Temporal mercies, the less heavenly spirits and holy obedience. Hos. 4.7. As they increased, they sinned against me. Heb. foreign Sicut multiplicari eis, as I multiplyed to them; or, as I increased deliverances, honour, riches; so they sinned against me. As judgments will not bridle us, so mercies will not break us off our sinning. Isa. 26.10. Let favour be shown to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness. In the former verses the Prophet shews, that the people of God would serve him even under afflictions; but as for the wicked, neither mercies nor afflictions work upon them. Mercies are messengers to instruct us our duty; but although for many years we have been called upon by them, yet how little have we learnt to love, serve, and obey our God by them? Noah miraculously delivered, is abominably drawn into sin. He that had the highest proofs of the mercy and justice of God, mercy to himself, justice to the world, lyes drunk in his Tent; preserved from waters, overcome by wine: behold, you may see him guilty of the sin for which he saw the world condemned; you may see him to be rebuked for the sin he so often had reproved: and he that was so holy before, now becomes a pattern of uncleanness, and example for future wickedness: thus prone are the best to sin after deliverance. Thus holy Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.24, 25. God delivered him from death, but he rendred not to the Lord according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up, not with thankfulness, but haughtiness; not in praises, but with pride. Deut. 32.15. Ieshurun waxed fat and kicked, then be forsook the God that made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. Deliverance had made way for his promotion; and he being promoted, God was rejected. Righteous Lot by distinguishing favour escaping the flames of Sodom, fell into the fire of sin. The ashes of Sodom, the pillar of salt, made him not wise enough to shun the drunken bed of Incest. Who could have thought Lot should fall into such Impieties, upon the receipt of such mercies? but thus prone are we to abuse goodness, and ready to slight the greatest kindness: how often do we turn our Physick to poison?
How often do we make our Mercies Commeatus peccandi, Inlets to sin? 'Tis said concerning Eve, that God design'd her an helper to Adam, and made her of his rib; but the devil foreign, took his rib, and made it a fatal dart. So God gives Mercies with good intentions, but Satan siding with our corrupt inclinations, makes use of them to our great disadvantage.
I shall now consider how it comes to pass, that Deliverances have no more Influence upon us, and how we become so prone to sin after them.
(1.) It arises from the mighty Power that accustomed sins have upon the heart. When highest Reasons are obliging to leave sin, the force of Custom prevents their operation. When men are soaked in Sensuality, flesht in Villany, thoroughpaced in Rebellious courses, what is able to change them? Hereby the heart is so direfully hardned, the Devil's Kingdom so invincibly fortified, and sin itself so much endeared, that there is unspeakable difficulty in conquering of it. Ezek. 16.4. When delivered from Egypt 'tis said, Their Navil was not cut. The Navil is that whereby the Child is supplyed with nourishment in the Mothers Womb. So this expression means, Israel was still drawing in Egyptian Manners and Superstitions; being accustomed to them, they still hankered after them, notwithstanding their great deliverance.
And although for a while a deliverance may seem to make some impression, yet as the water heated, redit ad ingenium, grows cold again: so affections to God wear off, and men are hankering after their former Lusts. So Ezek. 23.8. Neither …eft she her whoredoms brought from Egypt. Difficile est ab usitatis desinere: Accustomed …ins are hardly deserted: sins often renew…d, are hardly reformed; sudden mercies, …hough never so great, will hardly wear …ut continued sins.
2. The reason why our Deliverances work no greater Reformation, is, because …e fix our Eyes too much upon second …auses, and inferiour Instruments, with…ut a due acknowledgment of the hand …f God. Hence we are prone to con…eive our selves more obliged to Men than … God himself. How wickedly do ma… ascribe more to Humane Policy, and Heathenish Fortune, than to infinite power and Heavenly favour? Hos. 11.3. They knew not that I healed them. Nescire dicitur qui gratiam non refert: He is ignorant who neither observes nor answers the merciful hand of God.
Attributing Deliverances to man, hinders the performance of duty to God. The reason why mercies are not seconded with obedience to God, is, because we look too much to second causes; so those Hab. 1.16. Their portion was fat, and they sacrificed to their nets, and burnt incense to their drags. Thus the Assyrian proudly ascribed all to himself, Isa. 10.14. By the strength of my hand have I done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent. How can the mercy of God be answered, if it be not owned? How can we requite God for delivering, if we deny the receipts of deliverance from him? If we look not upon our mercies as given by God, we shall give God nothing fo… his mercies.
3. Deliverances are no more influentia to reclaim from sin, because of our unreasonable oblivion of them. Our greatest mercies are but nine days wonders present impressions made by deliverance are soon worn off by neglect of future consideration. The sense of our Engagements to Obedience wearing off, our inclinations to sin make head. When mercies are new, how frequent is our remembrance of them? Whilst employed in our daily labours, our minds are admiring delivering love: When waking in the night, these are the objects of Meditation; when conversing with friends, these are the Theams we discourse of. Now somewhat must be done to requite this kindness; but too sudden a forgetfulness anticipates and prevents the performance of our acknowledged obedience. Deut. 32.17, 18. they are charged with abominable sins; and it stands as a reason, because they forgot the God that formed them, and the rock that begat them. Did we not forget our mercies, our Consciences would force us to forsake our sins. Were our hearts more but Repositories for Gods favours, so much Iniquity would not be lodged in them. Forgetting Gods mercies, is not onelyonly a base unworthy sin, but a breeding sin: many desperate sins arise from despising the kindness of our God. And oh, how unspeakably strange is it, that we can forget him, who doth so much to be remembred? That we can suffer his mercies to pass out of our mind, whose mercies are new every moment? How impossible would it be to live in unlamented sin, did we live in the sense of undeserved mercies! Hence it is we are so prone to sin after deliverances, because we are so apt to suffer them to slip out of our labile memories.
4. This continuance in sin after deliverances, arises from persons bolstring up themselves with sinful presumptions that the dangers of destruction are past. When men begin to apprehend all things are well, they are apt to take occasion to do ill. When men are conceiving the bitterness of death is past, they little mind to reform the baseness of their lives. They care not how little they live to God, when they presume they shall live long. Eccles. 8.11. Because sentence is not speedily executed, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in themselves to do evil, foreign Syr. roboratur: their hearts are strengthened, emboldned in them to go on in evil. foreign, &c. Because of this delaying judgments, they go on with a full confidence, they sin with courage. This is as wind to their sayls, that drives them on briskly in sinful courses. With this did the wicked Jews under Divine comminations hearten themselves in their ways, Ezek. 11.3. saying, It is not near. Gods abstinence from judgments, was made an encouragement for continuance in sin. So Ezek. 12.21, 22. The days are prolonged. Carnal persons are willing to go on in sin as long as they can: and when dangers are a little gone off, they more boldly go on in desperate sinning.
5. This proneness to sin after such mercy, arises from flattering expectations, that in renewed returns of Distress, they shall ever meet with the same deliverance. How do men argue from their present safety, to their future security? How fondly do men conceive that God will be ever merciful, because of his present mercies? Did men wisely consider after deliverance, how soon they may stand in need of the same helping arm, how soon they may want the same mercy, they could not be so audacious as to slight and contemn it, left the next time they be deprived of it. Gods present deliverances are evidences of his power to deliver us again, but not assurances of his Will to do it. 'Tis a groundless Supposition men go upon, who think Mercies are entail'd upon them, and inseparably annexed to them. We shall experience, if we do not leave off sinning, God can leave off delivering. If we can still forsake God, he can at last forsake us.
6. We are thus inclined to sin against God after deliverance, as we being delivered, our hearts are brought off from their dependance on God, and we are magnifying our selves instead of God. When God hath given us our precious lives from the hands of devouring Enemies, we imagine we can live of our selves, and thence are regardless of living to God. Hos. 13.6. They were filled, and their heart was exalted, therefore have they forgotten me. Their outward fruitfulness caused their sinful forgetfulness. Our hearts are apt to be set upon enjoyments, and not on the God that gives them. Hos. 4.11. Whoredome and wine take away the heart. The Hebr. word foreign signifies auferre, to take away by force; so did those things take away their heart from God by force; or occupare, to occupy. They occupy and take up that room in the heart God should have. Thus we having worldly enjoyments continued by deliverances, our hearts are detained by them, that we mind not God, care not how we go on in sin against him; mind not how little obedience we yield to him, as if we could live well enough without him.
7. This proceeding in sin is partly caused by persons apprehending themselves to be innocent, and their courses to be harmless, from the deliverances God gives to them. Carnal persons are apt to reckon their ways to be lawful, because they are spared and unpunished in them. Hos. 12.8. Ephraim said, I am become rich, I have found me out riches; in all my labours they shall find no iniquity in me, that were sin. As much as to say, Were my courses unrighteous, they would not be prosperous; whatever the Prophets charge me with, it appears by the dealings of God with me, that my doings are good; if I were so sinful, I should not be succesful. Thus corrupted persons will vainly argue from Gods delivering; were I so wicked, were my actions so displeasing, God would not have spared me, but delivered me to destruction. But oh how vain are these reasonings! God bears with long-suffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction; out of his mercy he gives a space to repent of thy sins. And who so wicked to conclude, that because God exercises patience, therefore they are no offenders? This is a sign of Gods goodness, but not of thine.