A Memorial of Gods Judgment, Sermons · Sermon 3
SERIOUS CONSIDERATIONS OF DEATH.
Being A SERMON ON Iſaiah 57.1. The righteous Man periſheth, and no Man layeth it to heart, and merciful Men are taken away, none conſidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
Iſaiah 57.1.
The righteous Man periſheth, and no Man layeth it to heart, and merciful Men are taken away, none conſidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
THe general Mortality of Man-kind, and the Holy Uſe that ſhould be made thereof, by all the living, are the two principal things of this verſe. Death takes away the wicked, and doubtleſs the wicked and others too, ſhould lay this to heart; for Death is no partial Viſitor, if it fetch off one wicked Man, and ſend him to his place, it will fetch down another; nothing is more naturally the wages of wickedneſs, than death; and yet no worſe enemy to any wicked Man, than death; therefore one wicked Man ſhould be ſtartled much, at the death of another.
But Death ſometimes taketh away all Men, and then all Men, bad and good, ſhould be much moved, then all ſhould lay to heart this, i.e. ſhould be ſenſible of their ſin, and the diſpleaſure of God, and ſpeedily, make peace with him, by repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that ſo preſent evils, and alſo future preſaged by preſent ſtrokes, may be turned away; which thing, this People could not be ſtirred up unto, which was the reaſon of the complaint of this Prophet: he preached the Funerals of the dead, the beſt dead, to the living good and bad, but no man laid it to heart: that is, not held themſelves deeply concerned, to look about them, to ſearch their Souls, to ſet Houſe and Heart in order to die, but kept on every one in his wonted pace of ſin, and wickedneſs, and formality in Religion, and ſo fell moſt of them in the common calamity.
The Doctrines which may be obſerved in theſe words, are theſe. Firſt, That God ſometimes by common calamity taketh away the good as well as the bad: Moſes and Aaron, as well as the mixed Multitude, which murmured, Did the Lord take off, and would not let them come in to the good Land.— The righteous Man periſheth, as if the Prophet had ſaid, the Lord ſtrikes more mortally than any one is well aware, he plucks up the ſtakes in the Hedg, he pulls down the Pillars of the whole Nation, and yet Men do not fear, that all will fall about their Ears. Hence it is that another Prophet, calls upon the beſt People to look about them, and to labour to be much better, yet gives them but a may be for their ſafety. Seek meekneſs all ye meek of the Earth, ye which have wrought his judgments, ſeek meekneſs, ſeek righteouſneſs, it may be ye ſhall be hid in the day of the Lord's wrath. As if the Prophet had ſaid, I cannot enſure the life of the beſt Man, becauſe God ſometimes deſtroyeth the righteous with the wicked, for ends beſt known to himſelf. This ſhould make us all fear and tremble much in this dying Day, and to give all diligence to make our Calling and Election ſure, and to be getting Oyl into our Lamps, yea and to keep them trim'd, and to ſtand guirt, and ready to go in with the Bride-groom, if call'd at Mid-night, by the deſtroying Angel that is now abroad.
A Second Doctrin that may be obſerved in theſe words, is this, That gracious Men and merciful are the likelieſt to ſcape beſt, in times of common calamity The Prophet ſeems to note it in theſe words of my Text, as very ſevere Juſtice, that gracious and merciful Men ſhould not be diſtinguiſhed from others, in the Day of evil.—The righteous Man periſheth, and merciful Men are taken away. As if the Prophet had ſaid, now the Lord is very angry indeed, that he will not ſpare ſuch as theſe, which are ſo precious in his eye, if any be. Noah a righteous Man, was preſerved from the Flood. And Lot a righteous Man, preſerved and plucked out of Sodom, and had there been Ten righteous more, the Cities might have been ſaved for their ſake, as the Ship full of Paſſengers for Paul's ſake. And Ebedmelech the Black more, a merciful Man, was ſaved from the deſtructions which deſtroyed Jeruſalem, and ſo was Jeremiah. This ſhould incite all People, as they love their lives in this dying day, to labour after grace, and to be merciful Men and Women, yea bountiful in this day of want, for ſuch as are ready to yield themſelves thus to the Scepter of Chriſt, and to follow him fully, with all they have and are, will certainly ſcape beſt; ſuch as yield all to the Lord, will ſave all, if any do. You that become of prophane, righteous and holy Men, you take the likelieſt way, I know, to eſcape well in this mortal time; If you get not your lives, you will get your Souls for a Prey, no Plague ſhall come nigh that, thus are you lodged ſafe in the Promiſe, as ſoon as you become gracious, and break off from your wicked ways, by repentance. And you that are gracious and godly, think on't, as you love your lives in this day of mortality ſhew your Faith by your Works, abound in this gift alſo of mercifulneſs, many that are able and carry the Bag, are abroad and I fear have carr…ed the Bag with them; you that are here, had need be the more merciful, Man's poor will ſtarve elſe. Surely ſuch as are ready to preſerve the lives of others, God will preſerve their lives.
A Third Doctrin, that may be obſerved in theſe words, is this, That times of general ſecurity, under preſent leſſer puniſhments, are of very evil preſage. If when God's Judgments are in the Earth, righteous Men and merciful be taken away, and none lay theſe drops of the ſtorms to heart, it fore-rells ſurely that the Storm will come, and fall hard, and Thunder, and Hall much. Surely ſome great Evils are at Door, when little ones are made light of: though I cannot call the taking away of one righteous Man in this day, nor the taking away of one merciful Man or Woman in this day, a little puniſhment.Dictum cum vulgo. I ſpeak after you, if leſſer Rods make no Body feel, great ones ſurely are a making.—Righteous Men are taken away, and none conſider, that they are taken from great Evil to come.
Sometimes with a fooliſh Virgins ſlumber, the good become bad in this, that they lay not GOD's dealings to heart as they ſhould, but let Death, like a Moth, ſtilly take away one, and then another, and make no noiſe in Heaven about it; good People are much in a hurry with this World, one about his Farm, and another about his Merchandiſe, and whilſt running here and there, hither and thither, the King of Syria is gone, the matters which ſhould have been cloſe kept to the heart, are ſlipt away out of the mind, and made no uſe of. And ſuch a temper among the Lord's People, as well as others, is a ſure fore-runner of ſome roufing Judgment at Door, that may well awaken every Body: the Storm begins to come in among you Citizens now, I hope you will be awake anon, the Plague hath kept in the out-parts a good while, O that we in the in-parts within theſe Walls, had been well awake then, and laid matters to heart then as we ſhould!
The Doctrin which I would ſtand on, is this, That general Mortality ſhould be generally laid to heart. Mortal ſtrokes upon all, good as well as bad, ſhould much affect all good and bad. The Strokes of God in this Prophet's time, when he ſpake the words of my Text, began to be general, God ſpared not righteous nor wicked, and God thus promiſcuouſly ſmiting, the Prophet was troubled, that Men were no more affected, as well he might. From whence I obſerve, That general Mortality, ſhould be generally laid to heart. No Man, high or low, good or bad, but ſhould much lay to heart all the ſtrokes of God, which bring death, that great blow to Man's Beeing. Mortality by Plague, Sword, Famine, or any other way, or by any other Diſeaſe, ſhould be well conſidered, and well made uſe of, eſpecially if it reach the righteous, as well as others. The Lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath ſpoken, who can but Propheſie? Amos 3.8. Nature teacheth this in all Creatures, that when ſuch Creatures of prey are abroad, which they know they are in danger of to be preyed upon, to dread and tremble, and to take all care they can, to ſhun them, and to ſave themſelves. The Prophet Mica, who Propheſied in the ſame time with Iſaiah, which ſo complained in my Text, complaineth juſt like him, and almoſt in the ſame words, Mica 7.2. The good Man is periſhed out of the Earth, and there is none upright among Men they all lie in wait for blood, they hunt every Man his brother with a Net, &c. As if the Prophet had ſaid, Good men periſh out of the Earth, and this is ſo far from being laid to heart, and lookt upon as any judgment, that all violences are uſed to take away the reſt, every one lieth in wait for blood, yea the blood of his Brother, as Cain lay in wait for his Brothers blood, And where will this end? And by this grief of this Prophet, I gather that general Mortality, the periſhing of good Men, and the periſhing of others, by violences, and murders, and ſuch like, ought much to affect the living, and not the lives of all ſorts to be taken away, and made no more of, than of Dogs, or Hogs, by the death of which there is an advantage. By this Prophet Iſaiah, we may ſee this Doctrin again confirmed, that general ſtrokes ſhould generally affect, Iſa. 64 9 10, 11. Be not wrath very ſoon, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever, behold, we beſſech thee, we are all thy People. Thy holy Cities are a Wilderneſs Zion is a Wilderneſs, Jeruſalem a deſolation, the holy and beautiful Houſe our Fathers worſhipped thee is burnt with Fire, and all our pleaſant things laid waſt. The Prophet …n theſe words ſpeaketh prophetically, and beholdeth and repreſenteth that which was to be as done, namely the deſtruction and deſolation of Jeruſalem, and that ſtate, Perſons and things, one and all, and how doth he ſpeak of this general Mortality of Perſons and things, good and bad, high and low? Doth he ſpeak of it ſlightly? O no, but with much complaint, and ſtrong cry, and bemoans to God. Be not wrath very ſore, O Lord, be not angry for ever, Zion is a Deſolation, Jeruſalem a Wilderneſs, &c. In theſe Deſolations, as you know by the Scripture, there was Death by Plague, Sword and Famine; then I conclude, that general Mortality, ſhould be generally laid to heart, for the Prophet did thus complain to God, to affect all Men, that they might ſo complain to God, as he did, how ſadly matters went amongſt them. Take one Scripture more Lam. 1.6. And from the Daughter of Zion, all her beauty is departed, her Princes are become like Harts, that can finde no paſture, and they are gone without ſtrength before the Purſuer. This Prophet layeth to heart particularly the diſtreſſes of Princes, and great Men; and alaſs, what are all theſe, to the diſtreſſes, and death of the righteous, and holy, and merciful Men; which proves that we ſhould lay to heart the common ſtrokes of God, as the Sword and Peſtilence take away one as well as another, bad and good, high and low.
I will prove this Point more particularly and diſtinctly to you. Firſt, We are to lay to heart Mortality by the Peſtilence. I have ſent among you the Peſtilence after the manner of Aegypt, your Horſes have I taken away, and have made the stink of your Camps to come up into your Noſthrils, and ſo killed you with Plagues, and Diſeaſes, attending the Sword, and yet ye have not returned to me, Amos 4.10. that is, you have not laid things to heart throughly, to be aſhamed of your evil ways, and to turn from them. The death of Men, nay the death of Horſes, (as ſuch deaths not long ſince were amongſt them) we are to lay to heart, and ſo to lay to heart, as to prepare to meet God: then the death of good Men by the Peſtilence we are ſurely to lay to heart. From above hath he ſent a Fire into my Bones, and it prevailed againſt them, he hath made me deſolate and faint all the day, Lam. 1.13. The Prophet in theſe words, as in all the reſt, perſonateth the ſtate of the People generally, and much laid to heart GOD's immediate ſtrokes upon the Perſons of Men, by many mortal fierce Diſeaſes, without ſparing any, —From above hath he ſent Fire into my Bones, and it hath prevailed, &c.
Secondly, Mortality by Famine is to be laid to heart. The Prophet Joel ſpeaketh of this ſtroke, which indeed is great. — The Land is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a deſolate Wilderneſs, and nothing ſhall eſcape them, ſpeaking of Vermin ſo devouring all Man's Proviſion, Joel 2.3. at the 12th. verſ. of this Chapter the Prophet telleth us what effect this ſhould have. Therefore now alſo ſaith the Lord, turn ye to me with all your heart, and with faſting, weeping, and with mourning, rent your hearts, and not your Garments, for he is gracious, who knoweth if he will return and repent. By which of theſe ſtrokes either Peſtilence or Famine, the godly were taken away, no Man can ſay; for, by Peſtilence, Famine, and Sword, did the Lord contend with that People; That he contended with them by Famine, the Prophet Joel, and alſo the Prophet Jeremiah teſtifieth, They have ſowen Wheat, and ſhall reap Thorns, they have put themſelves to pain, but ſhall not profit (thus doth the Prophet, poſcere aciem, bid battel) and ye ſhall be aſhamed of your revenue, becauſe of the fierce anger of the Lord, Jer. 12. 13. But moſt plain in Ezek. c. 4. & 5. Where the Prophet is commanded to make Bread with Beans and Fitches, and to eat this by weight, and to mix dung with it. And muſt this be laid to heart? Yes, much: How can any do otherwiſe? Thus ſaith the Lord, ſmite with the Hand, and ſtamp with the Foot, and ſay, alaſs for all the evil abominations of the Houſe of Iſrael, for they ſhall fall by the Sword, by the Famine, and by the Peſtilence, Ezek. 6.11. Then they fell by all theſe, and then it is probable that the righteous fell by all theſe, as others; then we ſhould lay to heart Mortality by all theſe; we ſhould ſmite with the Hand, and ſtamp with the Foot, and ſay alaſs. What great abom nations have cauſed all theſe great Judgments? God's temporal ſtrokes and judgments, which kill and ſlaughter all ſorts, ſhould much be laid to heart by all ſorts.
But you will ſay,Q. What is it to lay to heart, the mortal ſtrokes of GOD in a Nation?
I anſwer, A.It is to be deeply ſenſible of the cauſe, as it may be in our ſelves, or in the Nation wherein we live. Obſerve how the Lord counſelleth Ezekiel to carry it, in the day of their dreadful miſery.— Thus ſaith the Lord, ſmite with thine Hand, and ſtamp with thy Foot, and ſay alaſs for all the evil abominations of the Land of Iſrael: He doth not barely bid him to ſay, alaſs for all the evil puniſhments of the Land, as Sword, Peſtilence, and Famine, but alaſs for all the wickedneſs of the Land, which hath cauſed theſe. He that is far off ſhall fall by the Peſtilence, and he that is neer ſhall fall by the Sword, and he that remains, and is beſieged ſhall die by Famine, Ezek. 6.11.12. So that to lay to heart mortal ſtrokes in a Nation, is to be deeply affected with the cauſe of them, in our ſelves, or in others.
If you ask me further, where we have found out cauſes in our ſelves, and in others quos accidam? as Saluſt ſaith,
To whom ſhall I turn and proſtrate my ſelf? and ſay, I have ſinn'd,Q. and done this evil abomination?
Anſw. To God, in the Name of Chriſt.A. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord, turn you even unto me, with all your heart and with faſting, and with weeping, and with mourning, Joel 2.12. And to do this forth-with, preſently without all delay or elſe to be ſure it is not turning to the Lord with all the heart. To lay to heart God's willing Diſcipline, is to be full of deep ſorrow for ſin in our ſelves, and others as the proper cauſes of all ſorts of deaths, and deaths of all ſorts of Perſons, good and bad, and to turn from theſe to the Lord, and to believe on Chriſt, that the Lord for his ſake will be pacified, and turn away all his diſpleaſure, and not make us a reproach unto the Heathen, as it is in that Chapter, Joel 2.17.
Having thus proved and opened the Doctrin, I will ſhew you in the next Place, Ʋſes. what Uſe may be made of it. Firſt, This Point is profitable to teach. If we are to be deeply ſenſible of temporal ſtrokes, ſuch as refer to the death of our bodies, then much more are we to be ſenſible of ſpiritual ſtrokes, and eternal ſtrokes, which refer to the death of our Souls. I will ſend a Famine, not of Bread, but of hearing the Word of the Lord. And they ſhall wander from Sea to Sea, and from the North to the Eaſt, they ſhall run to and fro to ſeek the Word of the Lord, and ſhall not finde it, Amos 8.11, 12. How diligently we get the Bills of Mortality now, and being come up to Thouſands, O how we lift up our hands, but who brings in Weekly Bills of our Death of Souls, by the Famine of the Word, of hearing the Word of the Lord, in City and Country? A great deal of do ſeems to be, about the death of Bodies, but ah Lord, how many Thouſand, Thouſand Souls, have periſhed in this City, and in theſe Nations, in a few years paſt, for want of hearing the Word of the Lord, that is able to ſave the Soul! Be not wrath very ſoar, ſee, behold, we are thy People, Zion is a Wilderneſs, Jeruſalem a Deſolation, and all our pleaſant things are ſcattered, Will the Lord refrain for theſe things? Herein the Prophet ſeems to be toucht to the quick, that Zion and Jeruſalem was deſolate, and all theſe Soul-pleaſant things were ſpoiled, whereby Souls ſtarved and periſhed, and Soul-Famine, and Peſtilence was made, a Famine of hearing the Word of the Lord, that whither ſoever they went, from one City to another, from one Sea to another, 'twas all alike; This, this the Prophet laid deeply to heart, and ſo ſhould we; I urge it by way of proportion, if we ſhould deeply lay to heart bodily death, then much more Soul-death and deſtruction. A fide exorbitans, puniendus, ſaith the Civilian, ſuch as play the wanton, from the truth, muſt be puniſhed anſwerably. We have been, and yet ſtill are, a fide exorbitantes, ſuch as play the unruly Perſons from the truth, Children of Belial, which cannot bear Chriſt's Yoke, full of Soul-itch for another Goſpel, and being thus lewd in ſpirituals, anſwerably in ſpiritual liberties and enjoyments hath God puniſhed us; it is not a little peril unto us, that we meet now, although the hand of God affright ſuch, as would be looking after us; This, this we ſhould deeply lay to heart, that the Bread for our Souls fails, from the Houſe of our God. The ſtrokes of God, and the ſtrokes of Men together, affright away the Paſtors, and ſo the Paſtures of your Souls, and yet all this but the juſt puniſhment of much ſpiritual wantonneſs and exorbitancy.
Secondly, If temporal ſtrokes which refer to the death of the body, ſhould be laid much to heart, then Eternal ſtrokes, which make the everlaſting deſtruction of the Soul, ſhould be deeply laid to heart much more. Such a ſtroke as that, Iſai. 63.17. O Lord, Why haſt thou made us to erre from thy ways? and hardened our hearts from thy fear? and ſuch as that, Prov. 17.10. A reproof entereth more into a wiſe Man, than an hundred ſtripes into a Fool. Some Mens hearts are by the inward ſtrokes of GOD made Judgment-proof, that Plague, Famine and Sword, all the Ten Plagues that were inflicted on Pharaoh, and Ten more to them, will not ſtir them, nor turn them, no more than they ſtopped or turned him, nor yet ſo much. And what do you ſee in this day, done on the hearts of Men by the hand of God abroad, now, of Sword, Famine, and Peſtilence? Do theſe enter the hearts of Men? This ſpeaks that Eternal ſtrokes, judicial wrath upon the Soul is abroad, fiting Men for Eternal death much, of which I fear the moſt of us, are little aware. O Jureſalem, Jeruſalem, how oft would I have gathered thee, as a Hen her Chicken, and thou wouldſt not, but now they are hid from thine Eyes. This was a Soul-mortal, and an Eternal ſtroke, and how Chriſt laid it to heart! how he ſighed and wept! O Jeruſalem. And if our Goſpel be hid, it is hid unto them that periſh, ſaith the Apoſtle; and how long hath th…s ſtroke been, upon the Souls of moſt Aſſemblies in theſe Nations, and elſe where! the Power of the Goſpel hid, and a ſpurious efficacy gone forth in the place thereof, faithful Labourers fiſhing all night, and can catch nothing, ſcarce covert a Soul, and unfaithful Labourers, ſuch as come not in by the Door, but come in their own name, theſe pervert many, yea, though they come with never ſo damnable Doctrines, if denying the Lord that bought them, yet flockt after. O give me leave to tell you, in this day of God's ſore Viſitation, Hinc illae lachrymae, theſe are Soul-Plagues, which have brought our Bodily-Plagues; theſe are Soul mortal and eternal ſtrokes, becauſe we have not received the truth in the love of it, and no Man of us have laid theſe to heart, as we ſhould. Spiritual Plagues and Judgments, have ſwept away Souls by thouſands all the Nations over, many years together, and who of us have laid this Mortality to heart, as we ſhould? See how the Prophet Iſaiah layeth to heart ſpiritual ſtrokes, Iſa. 24.16, 17. My leanneſs, my leanneſs, the treacherous dealer hath dealt treacherouſly, yea the treacherous dealer hath dealt very treacherouſly, fear, and the ſnare, and the Pit are upon thee. Treachery, ſwearing, for ſwearing, thus in ſpiritual matters, as Judas who betrayed Chriſt, and as much as in him lay, the Bodies and Souls of all Man-kind, ſuch treacherous dealers were the Jews, which the Prophets much bewailed, as great, ſpiritual and eternal ſtrokes, and ſo ſhould we, as we ſee theſe on any Nation, for theſe things are written for our learning, that we ſhould follow the foot-ſteps of the Flock. It were well we that live in theſe laſt and worſt times of the World, could with the Prophet for like things, ſigh and ſay, My leanneſs, that we could ſigh our ſelves lean this day before the Lord, becauſe of hypocriſie, treachery, and all Soul-villany, and ſpiritual wickedneſs; and the hypocriſie and treachery of our own hearts, greateſt of all, and O how ſhould we ſigh and lament our ſelves lean for this, ere the Plague ſweep us away.
The next Uſe of this Point may be for Reproof, and it may reprove two ſorts. 1. Such as are ſenſible of nothing. 2. Such as are ſenſible of nothing to purpoſe. Firſt, This may reprove ſuch as are ſenſible of nothing, or nothing ſenſible. Temporal ſtrokes are thick, God and Man upon us, Peſtilence at home, War abroad, God and Man killing and ſlaughtering us, one at Sea, 'tother at land, Is not this general Mortality? God ſhoots his Arrows every where, and how great is his dread fallen upon us! In what Street of this poor City can one walk, but dead Corps and Ghoſts walk; In what Fields about this City can one walk, where death alſo doth not walk, and as God's Bailiff, ſeize and arreſt, and carry away, to the great Bar above, and to the Judge of all the World, to receive all that they have done here in the Body, good or bad? At what corner of this City, can we that live abroad creep in, and not be met and ſaluted with trains of dead Corps, carrying to the Grave, to new Churchyards, and New-exchanges, old Burying-places being over-fatted and glutted, and Corps inhumanely crowding one another out of their Places, before the time; and among all theſe ſad ſalutations, ſome righteous Men, and merciful Men and Women taken away, and we can tell their names, and where they lived, and ſo ends the ſtory till the next Bill of Mortality come out, with more taken away, and then they put out the talk of the other, and this is our laying of matters to heart, which is rather a laying them to our Heads and Tongues, than to our Hearts: What change do all your New-exchanges make? He that was a Drunkard, is ſo ſtill: He that was an Adulterer, is ſo ſtill: And he that was an Hypocrite, and a Formaliſt, is ſo ſtill. They that were malicious to the righteous Man, and to the merciful Man, are ſo ſtill. Is it not at our peril even now, to meet to Preach and Pray, as we do at this time? And have not righteous and merciful once, been hunted from Praying, even in this Plague-time? And is not this our laying to heart general Mortality? May not God well take thoſe home to himſelf, of whom we are ſo weary? Who gave Jacob for a ſpoil, and Iſrael to the Robbers? Did not the Lord, He, againſt whom we have ſinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient to his Law. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of Battel, and hath ſet him on fire round about, yet he knew not, and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart, Iſa. 42.25. So it may be ſaid of us, the hand of the Lord ſlayeth us round about, heaps upon heaps, and we walk as if we knew nothing, as if it nothing concerned us. Who ſmites upon his thigh, ſaying, What have I done, to ca…ſe all this? What is that wickedneſs in my heart, by which I have ſlain ſo many, and ſo good People, righteous and merciful ones? Lord have mercy upon us, is put up now at next Door, it is now right over againſt me, ſaith another; but, Lord have mercy upon me, what have I yet in my heart amiſs, that hath brought the wrath of God ſo nigh me, to ſtare me in the Face? I will ſcatter them (ſaith the Lord) among the Heathen, whom neither they nor their Fathers have known, and I will ſend a Sword after them, till I have conſumed them, and obſerve what follows, Were they moved with this ſoar threat? Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, conſider ye, and call for the mourning Women, that they may come, and ſend for cunning Women that they may come, and let them make haſt, and take up a wailing, Jer. 9.17, 18. As if the Prophet had ſaid, unleſs you ſend for ſome artificial mourning, here will be no mourning at all, for all that God hath threatned or executed, every ones heart is ſo dead and ſtone-hard; and juſt ſo it is now with the moſt of us, that certainly the Plague of the heart, is much more numerous, than the Plague upon our Bodies. If any ask, as Livy in another caſe. Quin ad hoc accingeris? But why do not People gird themſelves to this thing, no more? Truly I know not; 'tis all the Plague.
Secondly, Such are to be reproved, who lay things to heart a little, but nothing to purpoſe; as when the Plague is come neer them, or when they meet the white Rod, and the black followers upon Neighbours, nay, upon ſtrangers ſhoulders; for fear the dead ſhould infect their living Friends, then they ſtand and ſtare, and lift up their Eyes and Hands, O what a doleful ſight is this! and others concerned for their Relations, weep a while, and wring their hands.—No Mother loſt ſuch a Child. But as for ſin the cauſe of all this, Who cries out of this? Who turns from this? Or, who enquires after Chriſt, to take hold of him, to make his peace with God, that theſe mortal quarrels might ceaſe? How many converts by the Plague, can ye ſhew me? By ſwearing and lying, and killing and ſtealing, and committing adultery, Men break out, and blood toucheth blood, therefore ſhall the Land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein ſhall languiſh with the Beaſt of the Field, and the Fowl of Heaven, and Fiſhes of the Sea; yet let no Man ſtrive nor reprove another, for the People are as they that ſtrive with the Prieſt, therefore ſhalt thou fall in the day, and the Prophet ſhall fall with thee in the Night, Hoſ. 4.3, 4. The Dutch Notes are worth your peruſal, upon theſe words. The fowleſt ſinners were committed by great ones, and if any offered to reprove theſe, and ſeek to bring them to the ſenſe of their evil ways, they were ſure to be ſilenced, and otherwiſe puniſhed, ſo far were that People, from laying any thing to heart. They ſtrove with the Prieſt, i. e. ſcorned his reproofs, ſtopt his mouth, impriſoned, baniſhed, killed all that oppoſed, and this was their laying to heart God's dealings with them; the end was anſwerable, they all ranks high and low, periſhed by the wrath of GOD and common judgment; and, ſo ſhall we, or any People who tread in their ſteps: or elſe, why are ſuch Scriptures written? A little laying to heart of late hath ſeemed to be, by commanding Fire to be made in all Streets, and this, and this I fear, is as I have ſaid, a little ſenſe of God's hand, and to very little purpoſe. It muſt be other Bon-fires to purge the Heavens, to clear the higheſt Heavens. Whoſe heart is a fire as a righteous man, as righteous Lot, vexed with the unclean converſation of the wicked? Who ſighs and cries for his own wickedneſs, and the wickedneſs of the Land, and turneth from the evil of his way, and looketh to him that fires the Prayers and Offerings of his People, by his ſweet Incenſe and Interceſſion? Bad men, and good men die daily, and is this Preaching only turned into prating for an Hour, by all you that paſs by? Such is dead, and 'tother is dying, &c. And is here all? One of the Cardinals having a great Biſhoprick in Germany in Luther's days, confeſſed that the Maſs was not void of its faults, that the Courts of Rome were corrupted, that a general reformation of the Prieſts and Friers was neceſſary, but that the poor raſcal Monk Luther ſhould begin all that, he thought intollerable, and anſwerably ſet againſt him; ſo the Men of this Age will confeſs that there are many things amiſs in all ranks, but that ſuch poor raſcals ſhould reprove them in their Sermons and lives; this, this is now not to be endured, Priſons are too good for ſuch, and the Cure is worſe than the Diſeaſe. And this is all the ſenſe that theſe wiſe men have of matters amiſs, which is little ſenſe, but to no purpoſe.
Ʋſe 3 Let us make uſe of this Doctrine in the next Place, to try our ſelves by it. Are you ſuch as lay to heart the hand of God now, the taking away of righteous and wicked, merciful and un-merciful Men? In moſt Houſes are dead Bodies, if not yet in every Houſe, as in Aegypt; In your Houſes it may be are, or have been, dead Bodies, and now ſome dying; Are ye ſenſible what dead Souls ye have, and how hard to be raiſed from the dead? How much alive to evil quickly; but as Nabal, as dead-hear…ed as a ſtone to all good, to the great good, Chriſt, and to the embracing of him. Some are well, and yet ſtill offering their hand to the Phyſician, ſaith Seneca, their hearts being like a Pond after a ſtorm, a long while trembling. Some are not Soul well, the Plague of a hard heart being on them, and their ſores and ſwellings daily to be ſeen without ſearching for, and yet never offer their Pulſe to any to feel them, but judge themſelves well, and their ſtate good, which confidence is carnal, and an evident token of an impenitent and inſenſible heart.
If ye ſay that ye have no calamity in your Families, nor Death in your Houſes, yet Death is much in the dwellings of many others; How do ye lay this to heart? God doth whip ſome upon others backs, and this is tender mercy, and ſhould be the more melting, and abaſing, and drawing to Chriſt, as Cords of great love; Is it thus with you? How the Prophet Jeremiah was affected with the calamity of others, eſpecially as he ſaw it did no good upon their Souls, which was an evident token, how well it wrought upon his Soul; though others ſmarted, yet he laid to heart, and profited. My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at my very heart, my heart maketh a noiſe in me, I cannot hold my peace, becauſe thou haſt heard, O my Soul, the ſound of the trumpet, and the alarum of War. Deſtruction upon deſtruction is cryed, for the whole Land is ſpoiled, ſuddenly are my Tents ſpoiled, and my Curtains in a moment; How long ſhall I ſee the Standard, and hear the ſound of the Trumpet? for my People is fooliſh, they have not known me, they are ſottiſh Children, they have no underſtanding, they are wiſe to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge, Jer. 4.19, 20. Let us apply theſe words to our ſelves, do not we lie in ſuch an ill frame of Spirit? Are not our hearts (though God's hand be ſo heavy) ſtill ſottiſh and ſenſleſs of all that whereby we have provoked God, to do all this againſt us? Very wiſe and quick to ſee the Moat in others Eyes, and to lay the blame at others doors. You will ſay, ſo did Jeremiah, in this Scripture which you have quoted. I anſwer, That the Prophet did ſee provocations abroad, it is true, but that it was not without looking well to his own heart; ſee Jer. 12.1, 2, 3. Righteous art thou O Lord, when I plead with thee, yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked proſper? Wherefore are all they happy, which deal very treacherouſly? Thou haſt planted them, yea they have taken root, they grow, yea they bring forth fruit, thou art neer in their mouths, and far from their Reins; but, thou O Lord knoweſt me, and ſeen me, and tryed my heart towards thee, pull them out like Sheep for the ſlaughter, and prepare them for the Day of ſlaughter. As if he had ſaid, thou knoweſt right well that I have frailties and infirmities many, yet thou alſo knoweſt that I bewail them, and in all things I endeavour to approve my ſelf to thee by thy help, and would do nothing to provoke thee in this Day. Can we thus approve our ſelves to GOD now?
Ʋſe 4 Let the laſt Uſe of this Doctrine be for Exhortation. Be ſenſible, and lay to heart this mortal time, and this dying day, the many thouſands of all ſorts, good and bad, which now are ſwept away. Let it not be ſaid, that the Graves are wide open, Hell is wide open, but our hearts are ſtill faſt ſhut. Righteous and merciful Men, as well as profane drunken covetous Nabals are taken away, but none lay to heart one or the other. If the Prophets charge in my Text, ſhould be found a true charge againſt us, alaſs for us! we are all dead Men and Women, and no eſcaping. Wherefore ſtir up your ſelves, weep not for the dead, but weep for your ſelves, ſaying alaſs, alaſs, what have I done? How do I live, that ſo many die where I dwell? Do not I infect the Pariſh? my Family? this City? And be cloſe home in theſe Queries, and in theſe Heart-ſmitings; for ſurely, if we did judge our ſelves as we ſhould, every one in truth, we ſhould not thus continually be judged of the Lord. The Bells tole and ring in your ears, every Morning and Evening, but is there nothing elſe ſounds in your Ears? No Achan, no accurſed thing that yet your hearts hide and cleave ſo faſt to? And will not yet, though thus affrighted, part with? A dreadful ſound is in his ears, Job 15.21in proſperity the Deſtroyer ſhall come upon him, ſaid Eliphaz to Job, he ſpeaks to Job, as to a worldly Man, catcht in his worldly ways. You have had worldly ways, and tumblings all over the World you Citizens, and now you are at leiſure, and quiet, Do you not hear ſome dreadful ſound, in your ears of ſin, in this and in that? you have complained for want of leiſure, now you have leiſure, pray liſſen well now to your conſciences, what dreadful reports they are ready to make at the great Bat above againſt you, O lay theſe to heart well, for theſe have ſlain you and us now, in all that is dear, and will ſlay yet all the remnant, unleſs we all repent. The Prophet Elija by killing two Captains and their Fifties, brought the third Captain upon his knees, and to humble himſelf, whether in truth I know not, but he ſaved his life by it, and the lives of his Fifty men. O that Chriſt by killing ſo many Thouſands, ſo many Eight Thouſands, and ſo many Five Thouſands, might bring the reſt upon their knees indeed to him; he got his life, and we ſhould get our lives and our Souls; and ſo would the Plague, as a Plague not come nigh our dwelling.
Secondly, Let me exhort you to lay to heart the import of theſe general ſtrokes, that one and all are ſo cut off, wicked and righteous. Theſe kind of general ſtrokes do import, that we all have ſinn'd, and have much provoked God, one as well as another. Righteous Men, and merciful Men, have not been ſo holy and righteous, and ſo merciful as we ſhould. Behold, the Days come, ſaith the Lord, That I will puniſh the circumciſed with the uncircumciſed. Aegypt and Juda, and ſo puts them together, and then Edom and Ammon, and Moab and Iſrael, with them which are in the uttermoſt parts of the Earth, For all theſe Nations are uncircumciſed in Fleſh, and all the Houſe of Iſrael are uncircumciſed in heart, Jer. 9.25.26. Some Men are outwardly and openly ſtark naught, and the beſt of us it ſeems are not ſo good at heart as we ſhould be; this let us lay to heart all of us. Or elſe the import of this general mortality is, that God means to harden the hearts of ſome much, by ſlaying the good as well as the bad, that they who have no mind to repent and change their courſes, may be confirmed and encouraged in them, in as much as they ſee, that they eſcape as well as others, and live as long as others. The World is drawing on apace to Atheiſme, and the providence of God ſeems to rock the Cradle. The Idolater and the ſincere worſhiper, the ſuperſtitious and the truly tender conſcience; Nabal and the merciful Abigail, all die promiſcuouſly; Why, who can tell now which to prefer to follow? That one may think his Religion as good as the other, the the Papiſt and Proteſtant both die of the Plague; and that the ceremoneiſt may think as well of his way, as the ſtrict Non-conformiſt, they both die of the Plague, and this is a Plague indeed to ſome; this is raining ſnares upon Men, which are willing to ſlumber in their own ways. Some are afraid to be over-righteous, and over-ſtrict, and the judgments of God falling ſo promiſcuouſly, will make ſuch very temperate in their Religion; If this be the import of God's deſtroying righteous and wicked, to harden ſlight and looſe Profeſſors, we had need look well to it, who profeſs the Goſpel, that we be very ſubſtantial and real, and that we be not catcht with this ſnare of judging by outward appearance, but look to the Word, what that requires. This ſnare the Prophet Malachy ſpeaks of, Mal. 2.17. Ye have wearied the Lord with your words, and yet ye ſay, wherein have we wearied him? When ye ſay that every one that doth evil is good in the ſight of the Lord; or, Where is the God of judgment? Surely the Lord likes our good fellowſhip, and all the latitudes we uſe, and carnal contents and pleaſures, as well as their rigid ſtrict ſelf-denying converſation, or elſe he would not ſpare us as much or more than he doth them; lay to heart this import of GOD's promiſcuous dealing above all, how God hardens ſinners in their ſins by ſuch dealings.
Or Thirdly, and Laſtly, This promiſcuous dealing of God imports, that which my Text here tells us, that there are greater evils to come, which God takes the righteous from, and this ſhould be much laid to heart indeed, according to the very letter of my Text. So was Joſia by a leſs judgment, taken from a greater. A praeſenti praeſumitur, circa futura, ſaith the Civilian. From preſent things, we may preſume concerning future. If Lot be warned and pulled out of Sodom, there is ſurely ſome great and fearful ſtorm a coming. If God ſnatch his People, as he did Joſia, in haſt (as it were) to Heaven, we may ſay with this Prophet in my Text, they are taken from the evil to come. Lay to heart therefore the hand of God, that it ſlayes ſo generally one and all; and lay to heart the import of it, that it boads ſome greater evil to come. There be Serpents which have heads in their tails, called Amphiſbaenae. This ſtroke of God taking away righteous and wicked, hath a head in the tail of it, that will make worſe work, than this head which is now fore-moſt, and yet how many doth this fore-moſt head now ſmite and ſlay! and how mortal and tremendous is this fore-head!
Thirdly, Be exhorted to lay to heart this, that you may be the next cut off, who ever you be, ſeeing the ſlaughter men in this day ſpare none, young nor old, rich nor poor, cloſe Lanes, nor open Streets, righteous nor wicked▪ What ſhould we all then ſay to our ſelves, but this, ſurely I may be next the mark which God will hit. What a trade the Coffin-makers, and Grave-makers now have? And Hell anſwerably doubly inlargeth it ſelf, as you do now ſeek out for new Church Yards; and ſhould not we ſmite on our breaſts, and ſay, O the wonderful mercy and power, and patience of the Lord, that none of all theſe have been employed about me yet! That ſo many thouſands ſhould be gone before, and ſo many thouſands more drawing on, and drawing after, and I yet not one of theſe; O magnified be the rich and Soveraign mercy of God! Am I more righteous, more merciful, more uſeful with my Talent than ſuch, and ſuch that are gone? O no: not worthy to be named in the Day with them, and yet that I ſhould be left, and they taken, that they ſhould have their turn, their over-turn before me!
When I ſay, lay to heart, that you may be next, I mean more than one thing, the admiring of GOD's mercy, that you are yet ſpared; I mean this alſo, lay to heart your ſtate, whether you be ready. I was wroth with my People: I have polluted mine Inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didſt ſhew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid the yoke. And thou ſaidſt, I ſhall be a Lady for ever: ſo that thou didſt not lay theſe things to thy heart, neither didſt remember the latter end of it, Iſa. 47.6, 7. Many parts of the Chriſtian World are given into the hands of Men, and they do with them at their pleaſure, and yet are ſecure, and conſider not the end of ſuch ways, that it will be bitterneſs at laſt. I have nothing to do with ſuch but with you. Are not you yet in ſome ways which are not good, and yet promiſe peace to your ſelves in them, yea though GOD's ſlaughter-men and Fellers be come up to London, The Plague was first at Southhampton▪ and at other Countrey-Towns, before it came to London.yea come up to your Doors; and not ſay rather to your ſelves, I had need look about me, I am likely to be next. And what if the Fellers fell me? Whither will the Tree fall when it falleth? Will not the fall of it be very great? If the righteous ſcarcely eſcape now, if the merciful Man ſcarcely eſcape now, Am I likely to eſcape?
Motives to preſs you thus to lay to heart theſe things, are theſe. Firſt, Is this in my Text, How few do lay matters to heart now, either the matters of his works or words, rods or eſcapes, righteous Men & merciful Men, rich Men and poor Men, the Judge and the honourable, &c. are taken away, and yet none lay this to heart; If the Prophet had ſaid few lay things to heart. I would have kept his phraſe, but becauſe he ſaith none, I am but too juſtly lead to ſay ſo too. Mortality and deadneſs of Bodies is not yet ſo general, as mortality and deadneſs of Souls. Zion ſtretcheth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort, the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adverſaries ſhould be round about him, Jeruſalem is as a menſtruous Woman amongſt them. Lam. 1.17. We the Lord's People (as in every duplicate page duplicate page Age) have adverſaries round about, the righteous Man and the merciful Man hath adverſaries enough; But, who of the World, nay, who of our ſelves, lay this to heart?
A Second Motive to preſs you to lay to heart theſe times, is alſo in the Text. Lay to heart preſent Rods, or it will be an ill preſage upon us, that worſe things, Seven times worſe are at Door. If we be yet ſenſeleſs, and walk contrary, ſurely we ſhall be puniſhed Seven times more; 'tis an ill preſage, as to the whole Nation, that God may be laying an Axe to the Root of all. My heritage is to me as a ſpeckled Bird, the Birds round about are againſt her, aſſemble all ye Beaſts of the Field, come to devour, they have made it deſolate, and it being deſolate mourneth to me, the whole Land is made deſolate, becauſe no man layeth it to heart, Jer. 12.9, 10, 11. This Text ſheweth us the evil to come, which my Text ſpeaks but darkly of. General inſenſibility foretelleth general ruine. A poor ſpeckled People, are moſt Proteſtant Churches at this Day, and greater ſpots me-thinks we get ſtill, by gadding to change our way, which I fear are not the ſpots of his People. For theſe things, Plague and Sword, and Famine have deſolated much the Proteſtant Countreys, Cities and Nations, and we ſeem now to be drawing after: For theſe things theſe Nations mourn, that is, the welfare of many mournes, but Perſons are ſtill inſenſible. The City being deſolate, it mourns, and the Land being deſolate, it mourneth; but we are jovial, and drink Wine in Bowls, and ſtretch our ſelves on our Beds of Ivory, and chant to the ſound of the Viol, &c. which preſageth worſe ſtill to come, than yet we feel. You have by your inſenſible ſottiſh carriage under all the dealings of God, made great Graves for a great many good Men, and good things, and you will make a greater for all the reſt that remain, and rowl a ſtone upon the mouth of it, that the whole City may be deſolate, the whole Land be deſolate, and no remedy; If ye do not lay things to heart.
A Third Motive is this, lay to heart preſent mortal ſtrokes, or elſe you will be ſurpriſed with thoſe that are to come, elſe the evils approaching, will juſtly overtake you unawares. You will (as the fool) be ſinging a requiem to your ſouls, Soul take thine eaſe and be quiet; thou haſt got a good Air to dwell in, and all Neighbours about us be well yet, there is not one ſick of the Plague in all the Pariſh; and thou haſt got an excellent receit againſt the Plague, ſuch and ſuch uſed it all the laſt great Plague, and were all well, on ſome ſuch Lees will you ſettle, and ſo be ſurpriſed with God's Viſitation. I will viſit them that are ſetled upon their Lees, ſaith the Lord; and a Viſitation when People are thus ſecure, will be a Plague with a vengeance, to Soul and Body, an Eternal Plague, that by dying you will die. This Plague is ſpoken of, Iſa. 29.9. Stay your ſelves and wonder, cry ye out and cry, they are druncken, but not with Wine, they ſtagger, but not with ſtrong drink, for the Lord hath poured cut upon the Spirit of deep ſleep, and hath cloſed your eyes, your Prophets and Rulers, the Seers hath he covered, and the viſion of all is become unto you as the wonder of a Book that is ſealed. I am afraid that this is the Plague of the Plague that is upon us. A ſpirit of deep ſleep is poured upon all ranks, wherefore cry out, and cry if ye can, ye handful, which are here this day, yet in the Land of the living, that ye with all the reſt be not ſurpriſed, with the Evil that is yet to come.
Fourthly, You are the Men and Women which have ſeen afflictions, as the Prophet Jeremy ſaid, I am the Man that have ſeen affliction by the Rod of his wrath, Lam. 3.1. You have not only read the Bills, but you have been at the Burials, you have been of the Mourners that have gone about the Streets: You have ſeen the black trains of dead Corſes, going by Sixes and Tens to their long home, therefore your eyes ſhould affect and afflict your hearts; Alaſs, if we here in the midſt of ſo many Thouſand deaths, be Soul-dead, and lay nothing to heart, how is it likely that they in the Country, which ſee none of theſe Sermons, ſhould be deeply affected. They have ſcarcely the Word to quicken them in many places, and you have the Word and the Rod, and the Marks of the Rod upon your Bodies, and upon the Bodies of yours, the Marks of the Lord Jeſus wrath, you that have ſuch feeling Sermons, and not feel, how will this be cryed out upon! GOD that is come ſo neer to judge, you that have been ſo neer the Grave, if not Hell, that have dwelt in Golgotha, among nothing but Tombes, Graves, Sculs, and lean walking Ghoſtes for ſo many Moneths this Year, when others have been out of the ſight and hearing of all theſe things, if you weep not to them, 'tis very unlikely that they will weep unto you.
Finally, This duty of laying to heart the promiſcuous mortal ſtrokes of God, is a duty, wherein God will help you, and ſucceed you, therefore up, and be at it. God hath promiſed to take away the heart of ſtone, and to give a heart of Fleſh: and that with weeping, and ſupplication he will lead us: And therefore we ſhould wait upon the Word in theſe his ways, becauſe he will meet us, and aſſiſt us in the work of this day. And God will not only aſſiſt, but accept and proſper this work of humiliation. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf thus, ſince I ſpake againſt him, I do earneſtly remember him ſtill: God doth ſurely hear all bemoaning penitent ſinners, and makes a book of remembrance. They which go forth weeping, ſowing precious ſeed, ſhall doubtleſs return with rejoycing, bringing their ſheaves with them. And then will you be called the repairers of breaches, and the reſtorers of Pathes to dwell in. I conclude all with the ſaying of one— Ʋt valet quiſque accipiat. Let every one weigh well what hath been ſaid, and receive theſe things as he ſeeth good, and live in this dying day as he ſhould, or as he will.
FINIS.