Advice to Mourners Under the Loss of Dear Relations, Paper 8
PAPER VIII.
WHen thy Iudgments, O Lord, are abroad in the Earth, the Inhabitants should learn Righteousness. What's the Lesson that I and all Persons ought to learn by the late dreadful Earthquake? Hath it not a Voice? Doth it not cry aloud, and tell us, that our Sins have reached Heaven? that God is angry and displeased with us? and that, except we repent, we shall likewise perish? We are as grievous Sinners as any, therefore have just cause to think God hath a Controversy with us in this Kingdom. In a neighbouring Nation God hath seen meet to lay his afflicting Hand in a tremendous manner; he hath visited them with a sore, amazing, and dreadful Judgment, in permitting thousands to be destroyed by a lamentable Earthquake and Inundation of Water. And who, or what are we, that we should expect to be exempted from the same or worse Judgments? We, whose Sins have exceeded theirs, may rationally look to drink the Dregs of their Cup; for we in England have had more Means of Grace than they, but we have not improved them: we have had the Gospel, but we have slighted it: we have had the Offers of Salvation, but we have rejected them: we have had Sabbath upon Sabbath, Sermon upon Sermon, and yet have not made a due Improvement of these precious Opportunities. So that it's but just with God to destroy us, and our Habitations, in which we have too too often dishonoured our good God, and brought a Scandal on that Holy Profession which we have made: We have the Name of Christians, but too many amongst us live like Devils Incarnate. How much Swearing, Lying, Stealing, Killing, and filthy Lewdness is to be found in this Land and Nation, and especially in this City? O the horrid Oaths and Imprecations that are every Minute uttered, is dreadful to consider! What little Conscience is made of keeping the Sabbath, that is as a Day of Recreation to most; and those that spend it best, do too much think their own Thoughts, and speak their own Words, and do their own Actions? So that every one must lay their Hand upon their Mouth, and cry, Guilty, Guilty. Have not we in this Nation cause to expect great and amazing Judgments, when in our Land those Sins are found, that a moral Heathen would blush to commit? Our Sins, as well as the Ninivites, have reached to Heaven. O that our Repentance was as real, universal, and unfeigned as theirs; and then there might be still some Hopes that God in Judgment would remember Mercy, and would not stir up all his Wrath, though we are an undeserving, ill-deserving, and Hell-deserving People. Lord, we are in the dark, and know not what thou art adoing with us: Thou hast lately let us see what thou canst do in a Minute: thou hast shaken the Earth, and it trembled; and it was of thy infinite Mercy that we were not all destroyed, and sent quick to the lowest Hell. Thou art God, and not Man, therefore is it that we are not consumed. It's of the Lord's Mercy that we are yet spared. Help us, O Lord, to make a good Use of this Reprieve, for we are as Brands pluck'd out of the Burning. What Jeopardy were we in when the Earth of late trembled under us, and our Houses seemed to be tumbling about our Ears; our Hearts failing us, no Place left to run to for Shelter: How dejected and astonished did People look one upon another? What Fears possess'd the Breasts of many, all in expectation of sorer Calamities than yet felt: but God hath hitherto spared us; we are yet in the Land of the Living, on this side the Grave and everlasting Burnings? God hath of late shook the Earth, O that we poor Mortals could get a Title to those unshaken Regions above, which are not obnoxious to those Vicissitudes and Changes that here in this lower World we are liable to. We ought to make a good Use of the late Earthquake; it should awaken every one in particular to see in what Posture of Readiness we are in to meet our God. What if he should repeat this amazing Judgment, and not only threaten, but actually destroy us? It were but just with God to deal with us, as lately with Iamaica. How insensible have we been of their Judgments and Calamities? how unreform'd are we, though we see how God deals with others of our Fellow-Creatures? We, in probability, are as great Offenders as they; we spared, they consumed; God gives us Space to repent; O that he would not deny the Grace of true Repentance! We may look upon this late Warning, like Ionah's Message, that within a little while this City and Inhabitants shall be utterly destroyed. Without dispute our Sins have reached Heaven; the Cry of them is very great: and should God deal with us as we have deserved, we might long since have been consumed, our Bodies been sent to the Grave, and our Souls to Hell. But we have a God whose Compassions fail not, therefore is it that we are not utterly forsaken. He is God, and not Man, wherefore it is that we are not Monuments of his Justice: But his Mercies are still extended to us, a sinful rebellious Nation. O that they may lead us to Repentance, and that the Effects of his Goodness may be shewed in our thankful Lives, for this, and all other Mercies which the Bounty of his Providence still vouchsafeth us.