A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 38
CHAP. XXXVIII. Their ſinning againſt Knowledge, and impenitently, notwithſtanding all means to bring them to Repentance for their Sins.
3ly. Againſt much light.YOur Sins are yet further accented by being committed not only againſt ſuch means of Knowledge, but againſt much Knowledge got thereby. You have had the moſt powerfull Miniſtry under the whole Heavens: And believe it ſirs, if you had not heard him that ſpake from Heaven to you, If Chriſt had not come, Joh. 15.22.you had had no ſin (comparatively.) But now you have no Cloak for your ſin. You have ſinned againſt more light than the reſt of the World. You know that covetouſneſs is a ſin, Iſa. 57.17. Iſa. 45.5. Tit. 3.2.and that for the iniquity thereof God hath been wrath; and yet you ſeek great things for your ſelves ſtill: you know that you are to speak evil of no man; and yet you beſpatter every man, almoſt, to ſet off your ſelves by ſtaining and blotting of others reputations: Iſa. 58.5. Luk. 12.47. Ezek. 21.10.you know God abhors them, that, for a day only, hang down their heads, like bull-ruſhes; and yet this hath been your manner from the beginning of your Profeſſion: you know your Maſters will, you know you ſhould not make mirth when the Lord is angry; and yet you dare, even then be vain and frothy: you know the Lord is much grieved at the backſlidings of his people; and yet you have loſt you antient faith, love, tenderneſs, zeal, publick-ſpiritedneſs, and communion with God: yea you have not only known theſe to be ſins, but you have ſpoken againſt them, as evils; you have told men how hainous a thing it is to ſin againſt the Lord, and yet you your ſelves have added iniquity unto iniquity: What cloak have you for your ſins.And very impenitently.
Fourthly, You have ſinned impenitently, notwithſtanding all means for your repentance and reducement, which God hath moſt wonderfully vouchſafed you. The Lord hath for many years ſtriven with you to put a ſtop to your ſins, and to reclaim you from your miſcarriages: Sometimes God hath gone up to Mount Ebal, and threatned you with Sword, Famine, Fire, and Peſtilence, and yet you have refuſed to hear from thence: he hath leapt up to Mount Gerazim, and allured you by all kind of bleſſings; and yet you have carried your ſelves ſtoutly and impudently towards all the offers and tenders of grace for your recovery. Jer. 3.4, 7.God would have healed you: he hath ſaid, wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, my Father, thou art the guide of my youth, turn thou unto me; yet you returned not. You have had many of the Lords faithful Ambaſſadours, who have laid ſiege at you hearts, to engage them to the Lord, and to take you off from your ſinfull wayes; but alas! all the glad tidings of mercy have not affected you, have not won you: all the Ordinances of Jehovah have found little place in you, have left no impre …ion upon your Souls: Ezek. 16.51. Hoſ. 4.17.You have juſtified Judah and Samaria in all their ſtubborneſs and rebellion againſt the Lord. How righteous is it with the Lord to call upon the Miniſters, Let them alone, threaten them no mo…e, promiſe them no more. Rev. 22.11.Let him that is filthy he filthy ſtill: you have broken through Armies of Ordinances to commit ſin; therefore Goſpel and Goſpel-Miniſters let them alone: judgements overtake them, my plagues, my curſes ſeize upon them, Let them ſuddenly be deſtroyed, Prov. 29.1.and that without remedy, becauſe they have hardned their necks, though often reproved. God hath waited more than three and three years on you, expecting fruit; but he ſees little ſave the Cluſters of Sodom upon you: he hath born with you ſo long, he hath held his tongue; and ſaid nothing (ſo long) that you have (wickedly) thought God to be ſuch an one as you; Pſal. 50.21.So that God muſt needs be a ſwift witneſs againſt you for the vindicating of his great and glorious Name, unleſs you ſpeedily repent, and ſeek the Lord, Zeph. 2.3.if perhaps he may be found. O! how long hath God commanded you every where to repent; not only by his threats, but by his judgements, which have begun at the Houſe of God: What lowd calls have we had? Joel. 2.11. 1 Pet. 5.6.Turn to the Lord with weeping, Let your laughter be turned into weeping: Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God; and yet how ſtupid, how inſenſible, how impenitent have you remained to this very day, though you have felt the Arrows of the Lord ſtying amongſt you; yea though you have been told, Jer. 18.8.If you repent, it ſhall repent the Lord of the evil he had thought, either to continue upon you, or to bring down on you: yet alas! where are the ſtirrings of your affections, the ſoundings of your bowell, the meltings and relentings of your repenting hearts? O what marble breaſts, and hearts of Adamant have you?
How few are there mourning for all the wrongs they have done to the Majeſty of God? Evidenced in their being infenſible of their own ſins.for all the abuſes offered to the grace of God? Perhaps the fear of Hell (and ſo indeed ſelf-love) hath humbled ſome Ahabs, and made them crouch, becauſe they would not be miſerable; But how few are humbled for their abuſe of the love and grace of God by their great offences? Wha… the Lord complains of by the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezek. 3.8.of the houſe of Iſrael, that they would not hearken to the Meſſengers be ſent them; but were impudent and hard hearted may be again renewed againſt England, and all its dominions: the heart of ſtone is not yet taken away, where is the man, almoſt, that can ſay, God hath made m… heart ſoft? Job 2….16.Though you have born arms againſt God; though you have ſinned againſt the Lord with an high hand; though upon ſelf-tryal you may ſind thoſe very ſins am…ngſt you, which brought Fire and Brimſtone on Sodom and Gomorrah, Pſal. 42.3.and deſolation on Iſrael; yet alas! when were tears thy drink? When didſt thou make thy Bed to ſwim? Is thy beauty gone away for trouble? Doſt thou abhor thy ſelf in duſt and aſhes before the Lord? Know (Reader) that the Authors Pen had proceeded thus far, before he heard of the late dreadful Burning of London: the following lines ſhew thee what impreſſions it made on his thoughts, and ſhould on thy Soul.Perhaps in Rama there is a voice heard, Lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning: Rachel weeping for her children, that dye by the Sword, or Peſtilence, or are burnt in their beds: Perhaps in London, and throughout the Land, there are ſome tears ſhed for the Coals of fire that God hath ſcattered (the laſt week) over that famous and antient City; But how few are mourning for their pride, worldlineſs, contempt of the Miniſters, and Apoſtaſies, for which God ſeems to be contending not only by the Sword, and the Peſtilence; but by Fire with us? where are the Dov…s of the Valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity? A …haraoh may ſo far repent, as to ſay, Take away the Plague; but few cry out, Take away iniquity: Few deteſt their ſins, few loath them, few are ſo burthened with them, as that they deſire heartily to have them taken away. Poſſibly Sin in its effects, in its ſad conſequences (as it conſines men to the Peſthouſe, as it endangereth health and life, as it is the founder of graves and hells, as it burns up your houſes and goods) is ſomeway burthenſom, but few are troubled with it, Ezek. 10.2.7.16 Hoſ. 14.2.as it grieves, reſiſteth, and quencheth the Spirit of God, as it is a piece of the higheſt ingratitude, and as it kicks againſt the breaſts of mercy: And therefore no wonder if Few are to be found mourning for other mens ſinnes.
Though Jeſus Chriſt be crucified afreſh, Of other mens ſins,and put to open ſhame: though the bleſſed Spirit of our God be always vexed and reſiſted: though there be ſo much Atheiſm, Epicuriſm, contempt of God, and his Ambaſſadours and Goſpel, Blaſphemy, Violence, Falſhood, Pride, Adultery, Sodomy: though there be ſetting up the poſts of men, with an apparent contempt of Gods holy inſtitutions: though all the ſins, for which God caſt out the Heathen, and caſt off his Iſrael oe found amongſt us, and theſe highly aggravated, and innumerable circumſtances; yet how little are we concerned therein? How ſeldom do we expreſs our inward ſorrows by Tears and Faſts? David beheld the Tranſgreſſours, a… was grieved; becauſe they kept not Gods word: Horrour ſeized on him; becauſe they made void Gods Law: Yea Rivers of water ran down his eyes? becauſe men kept not Gods Law: Pſal. 119.158. v. 53, 136. 1 Pet. 2.7.But where is the ſorrowing after a Godly ſort? Where are the weeping Jeremiah's, Naltons, Midhopes? or whoſe Soul, like Lots, is vexed (pierced) with the unclean converſation of the wicked? If ever God did call us to weeping and to mourning, this is the day; but behold joy and gladneſs, ſlaying Oxen, killing ſheep, eating fleſh, and drinking wine; Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we ſhall die. And it was revealed in mine ears, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts; Surely this iniquity ſhall not be purged from you till you die, Iſa. 22.12, 13, 14.ſaith the Lord God of Hoſts. When Elijah ſaw how iniquity abounded, how the worſhip of God was cruſhed, how things went among the great ones of thoſe wicked times, how Idolaters were countenanced, the faithfull prophets durſt not ſhew their faces, he is ſo burthened at what became of this, that he knows not how to live: 1 Kings 19.4.It is enough, take away my life: He is weary of the world, weary of his own Land, though the beſt under the cope of Heaven: yea he thinks it a good time to remove, that his eyes may ſee no more of theſe deteſtable things, and that his Soul may be no longer prick'd with theſe ſcratching Briars: But the ſearcher of Hearts knows how little we have been affected with all the ſhipwrackt faith and conſcience, that our eyes have ſeen, how ſeldome our heads have been fountains of teart, how ſeldome we have made our houſes Bochims, how inſenſible we have been of all the ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs, which we and our people are guilty of. Wo is us, we have not been wounded through Gods ſides: we have not ſympathiſed with a Chriſt Crucified every day; But like Gallio, we have not laid theſe things to heart: And yet we have ſtill (impudently enough) laid claim to Chriſt and the priviledges of the New Teſtament, purchaſed by his bloud; Though we never followed Chriſt to the Croſs weeping; though we have hardly ſhed one tear for all the contempt and abuſe of him, which is Epidemical, which abounds from Dan to Beerſheba, from one part of the Nation to another. We pretend we have great ſorrows, though they are not expreſſed by tears, in a ſenſitive manner: we think to relieve our ſelves with the dryneſs of our conſtitution; and yet we have tears more than a good many, to expreſs our ſorrows by; if a Relation drops into the Earth, we can follow the Herſe wringing our hands and beating our breaſts: if an Eſtate (which we have got by carking cares, by neglect of duties, heart-duties, and family-duties) be in one day conſumed, and diſſolved by a flame into aſhes, we then can expreſs our ſorrows by weeping and lamentation: witneſs ſome of your howlings, your cries at the late Deſolation by Fire; But commune with your own hearts, whether you were ever made ſo ſenſible, ever ſo affec… …and …unk with the conſideration of the honour, that God hath loſt by you, and by thouſands like your ſelves? Was God ever more affronted by a profeſſing people, than by us? Was ever Chriſt ſo ſet at naught, as of late times? Was he ever more deſpiſed in his Perſon, Offices, and Inſtitutions, by the Rhabſheka's of the Earth, than he hath been lately by them, who have had a form of godlineſs? Zech. 7.12.and yet our hearts are bard as an Adamant. O! what grounds have you to queſtion all your mourning for your own ſins, whilſt you mourn not for the ſins of others? Did you mourn for ſin, as it is againſt God? You would mourn for other mens ſins; for they are againſt the Lord alſo: Ezra. 9.3.You would be like Ezra, he rent his garments, pull'd off the hair of his beard, ſate down aſtoniſhed for the ſinfull marriages of the people: But we are inſenſible; though God be much more diſhonoured by the Adulterers and Adultereſſes; by the Blaſphemers and Atheiſts; by the Worldlings and Apoſtates, who ſwarm in the midſt of us. How can we perſwade our ſelves that the love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts, whilſt he is ſo much reflected on; and yet we no way (ſuitably) affected therewith? If a Child, if a Father, if an Husband, if a Friend, be injured, thou art much affected with the injury; but not ſo with all the affronts that the Sons of Belial put upon the bleſſed God every day. How can we imagine in the leaſt, that we have any true love to the Souls of our Neighbours, wh… we behold them lifting up the heel againſt their Maker, wounding and deſtroying their Souls by their ſins; and yet we not ſign; if not weep in ſecret for the deſperate nazards they are running? Nay, how can you imagine you love your ſelves, your eſtates, liberties, lives, &c. whilſt God is provoked to ruine you and them for their great provocations? Joſh. 7.You know one Achan brought a Plague upon the whole body of Iſrael; and yet his ſin was ſecret; But we have Street-Drunkards, Street-Swearers, Street-Adulterers and Adultereſſes, Street-Scoffers at Piety and the Worſhip of God: And are ye not in danger to partake of the Plagues that theſe ſins are crying for? And what yet are your hearts as inſenſible, as Rocks? The Lord be mercifull to you, and take out the heart of ſtone. How can you be free from being guilty of all the known ſins of the land, whilſt you do not mourn for them before the Lord?
Nay, yea, of the …okens of G…ds diſp…aſure againſt Sin. Iſa. 22.45. Joel 2.2.to ſhew yet the greatneſs of your ſtubbornneſs, you are inſenſible not only of your own, and other mens ſins; but of the tokens of Gods diſpleaſure againſt thoſe ſinnes. God hath emptied us from Veſſel to Veſſel; followed us with the Sword and Peſtilence, and wonderfully ſo lately by dreadfull flames: God hath ſpoyled us of our glory, and humbled us as low as duſt and aſhes: it is a time of treading down; and therefore we ſhould weep bitterly: it is a day of darkneſs and of gloomineſs, a day of clouds, and of thick darkneſs: We have had ſuch a Plague, as never the like: ſuch a Fire hath been kindled, as never the like amongſt us: the Proteſtant Nations are very low, and the Antichriſtian very bold and conſident; yet we can hardly hang out harps upon the Willows; Eph. 4.19.but as if our hearts were paſt feeling, we are inſenſible both of ſin and wrath. O! I hear ſome cry out of hard times; but there is much more reaſon to cry out of hard hearts. We are too much like Gideons dry fleece, and like the Mountains of Gilboa, or rather like Jonah fast aſleep; though the Winds blow, the Seas roar, and make a noyſe, and we are ready to be daſh'd every hour againſt the Rocks. I confeſs Iſrael was an hard hearted people; but yet they mourned, Pſa. 137.1.they cryed with a voyce, they wept when they remembred Zion: So have not we: The Rod of old was the only engine, by which Moſes was to work all his miracles, on the Rock, on the Aegyptians, on the more obdurate Iſrael: But the Rock, Pharaoh, and Iſrael, were ſooner ſenſible of the Rod, than we have been. How do we evacuate and reproach, fruſtrate and defame all Gods Methods? and pronounce to all the world, that God hath miſcarried in his deſign upon us? God hath not yet heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf. Jer. 31.18.It is true God hath chaſtiſed us; but we have not been as ſenſible as the Bullock, nor ſo ſoon tamed: we have not been mended under the Rod, nor edified by the dolefull Lectures, that God hath read us. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God, Woe to the bloody City, Ezek 24.9.10, 11, 12, 13.I will even make the pile for fire great. Heap on wood, kindle the fire, conſume the fleſh, and ſpice it well, and let the bones be burnt: Then ſet it empty upon the coals thereof, that the braſs of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthineſs of it may be molten in it, that the ſcum of it may be conſumed. She hath wearied her ſelf with lyes, and her great ſcum wene not forth out of her: her ſcum ſhall be in the fire. In thy filthineſs is lewdneſs, becauſe I have purged thee, and thou waſt not purged, thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſs any more, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee. Jeruſalem ſhall be burnt, and why? In thy filthineſs is lewdneſs, thou art obſtinate, hardned in wickedneſs: Obstinacy in Sin is worſe than the Sin it ſelf. Jeruſalem had Prophets, Ordinances, Sabbaths, Sacrifices, Mercies, Judgements, by which God would have purged her, but ſhe was not purgged, She did not humble herſelf for her ſins, the ſcum went not off. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God, Woe to the bloody City, Ezek. 24.6.to the pot, whoſe ſcum is therein, and whoſe ſcum is not gone out of it, bring it out piece by piece, let no lot fall on it. Thou haſt ſtricken them, but they have not grieved, Jer 5.3.thou haſt conſumed them; but they have refuſed to receive correction, they have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refuſed to return. This is a Nation, Jer. 7.28.that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction. How many years hath the word of the Lord come to y…, Jer. 4.4.that you ſhould circumciſe your ſelves to the Lord, and take away the fore-skin of your hearts, ye men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jeruſalem, leſt my fury come forth like Fire, and burn, that none can quench it; becauſe of the evil of your doings? And hath not the Lord cut off in his fierce anger the horn of Iſrael, and burned againſt us like a flaming fire, Lam. 2.3, 4.which devoureth round about? He hath poured out his fury like Fire. And yet how few behold the deſolations that he hath made? How many look on this Judgement as chance, But conſider not the hand of the Lord that is gone out againſt us? Do not ſome ſay in the pride and ſtoutneſs of their hearts, Iſa. 9.10. Iſa. 26.9.the Bricks are fall'n down, but we will build with hewn ſtones: the Sycamores ar… cut down, but we will change them into Cedar…? When judgement is executed, and Gods hand is lifted up, men ſhould fear, and learn righteouſneſs; But if you will ſtill go on in wickedneſs, God will reckon with you for deſpiſing him, and his judgements. I doubt not but thouſands and ten thouſands are ſenſenſible of poverty coming in upon them and theirs, as an armed man, irriſiſtably: But I fear we are too inſenſible that it is the Lords controverſie with us. How ſoon was the Peſtilential Judgement forgot? Were not men as vile Drunkards, Senſualiſts, Sabbathbreakers, Oppreſſors, and Unclean ſince the dreadfull Plague, as before? and others as proud and formal ſince the Plague, as before? That Arrow ſhot ſo remarkably from Heaven, was ſoon forgot: And now that the fury of the Lord hath been upon the City (and therein upon the whole Land) in the late ſhower of Fire, I am afraid, that even this Diſpenſation will be forgotten, at leaſt not improved as it ought to be: Many and many a time have I feared, Iſa. 29.10.that the Lord hath powred upon us the ſpirit of a deep ſleep, and that the Judgement on Ariel, is deſcended on us: Like men in a deep ſleep, we are not able to with-ſtand the Judgement, and like ſuch, we have been inſenſible who hath wounded us, or why we are wounded: We have not conſidered the deſerving Cauſe, (Pride, Careleſsneſs, Intemperance, Idleneſs, &c.) and what way to heal our ſelves, and extricate our ſelves out of our miſeries? Like a wild Bull in a net, Iſa. 51.20.that can hamper and entangle it ſelf more and more; but takes no courſe to wind its ſelf out of its miſery. Who ſearcheth for the Achan, that hath troubled our Iſrael? Who ſits down, and juſtifieth God? Who condemneth himſelf for Pride, for contempt of the Goſpel, for Luxury, for Idleneſs, for Covetouſneſs, and prophaning Gods Sabbaths? The Lord humble us; Jer. 6.29.for the Bellows are burnt, the Lead is conſumed, and yet the Founder melteth in vain. The Lord took it ill from the men of Judah, when they were not turned by the ſignes he gave them by Ezekiel, When he was to take a Tile, Ezek. 4.1, 2, 5, 11, 12.and pourtray Jeruſalem upon it, and lay ſiege againſt it, &c. When he was to lye upon his left ſide 390. dayes: When he was to drink Water by meaſure, and to bake his Cakes with the dung of man: When he was to take a Raſor, and ſhave his head and beard, and to burn a third part with ſire, Ezek. 5.1, 2, 3.and to ſmite a third part with a knife, and a third part to ſcatter in the wind; and to bind up a few hairs in his skirts, and to take of them again, and to caſt them into the midſt of the fire: When by theſe and ſuch like ſignes, they were not awakened out of their ſecurity, when they reformed not, when they feared not the wrath and judgement of God; but ſaid, It is not near, Ezek. 11.3, 23.Let us build houſes: Then the glory of the Lord went up from the midſt of the City, and ſtood upon the Mountain, which is on the Eaſt ſide of the City. And when the glory departed, then. Thus ſaith the Lord, of the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, and of the Land of Iſrael, They ſhall eat their Bread with carefulneſs, Ezek. 12.19, 20.and drink their Water with aſtonishment, &c. And the Cities that are inhabited shall be laid waſte. Therefore, thus ſaith the Lord God, As the Vine-tree among the Trees of the Forreſt, which I have given to the fire for fuel, ſo will I give the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem. Ezek. 15.6, 7.And I will ſet my face againſt them, and they shall goe out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them. Such ruines were to attend them, that Ezekiel (though the Meſſenger of them) yet muſt ſigh, Ezek. 21.5, 12.with the breaking of his loynes, and with bitterneſs; yea, he muſt cry and howl, and ſmite upon his thigh. You may eaſily imagine, if God were ſo angry with Judah for their inſenſibleneſs of his wrath, when it hung in the cloud of threatnings and Types: How much more will he be provoked to fury, if we lay not to heart thoſe fearfull ſigns and tokens of his wrath now that the cloud is diſſolved into the Peſtilence, Sword, and Fire? Iſ. 16.11.O that my bowells may ſound like an Harp for England! O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, Jer. 9.1.11.that I might weep day and night! O that for the mountains I could take up a weeping and wailing; becauſe they are burnt up; becauſe Jeruſalem is made heaps; becauſe Gods fury went out like Fire, and burned that none could quench it; becauſe of the evil of their doings! O ye Sons of men, Jer. 21.12. Ezek. 24.2.write you the name of the day, even of the ſame day, the God of Heaven ſet himſelf againſt Jeruſalem this ſame day. How oft did we profane that day by gluttony, ex…eſſive feaſtings, goſſipings within dores, by unneceſſary walks and ſports, without dores? How did we cry, when will the Sabbath be gone, Amos 8.5, 8, 9.that we may attend our callings? Shall not the Land tremble for this? and every one mourn, that dwelleth therein? Your Sun is gone down at Noon-day. God hath turned your Feaſts into mourning, and all your Songs into Lamentation. How dare you now make mirth? What, Now drink Wine in Bowls? The Lord take away the heart of ſtone, and give us hearts of fleſh. The Lord powr out a spirit of mourning upon all the Land, that we may lay to heart the wonderfull effects of Gods ſore diſpleaſure. Wo to them that are at eaſe, and are not grieved for the affliction of Joſeph. Shall not the Iſles ſhake at the ſound of thy fall? Amos 6.1.6.Shall not the Princes of the Sea come down from their Thrones, and lay away their Robes, and put off their broidered garments, and cloth themſelves with trembling, Ezek. 36.15, 16, 17, 18.and ſit upon the ground, and be astoniſhed at thee? and take up a lamentation for thee, and ſay, how art thou deſtroyed? thou that waſt inhabited by Seafairing men, the renowned City which was ſtrong in the Soa, She and her Inhabitants? Now let the Iſles tremble in the day of thy fall. Come behold the works of the Lord, Pſal. 46.8.what deſolations he hath made in the earth. Deſolations by the Sword, Deſolations by the Peſtilence, and deſolations by Fire. Some ſmart that others may Fear. Now all theſe things happen for examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the World are come. 1 Cor. 10.11.God means not only to puniſh, but to teach, and not only the preſent generation, but all generations to the end of the World? O the much precious blood that the Sword hath devoured! How many thouſands hath the Peſtilence ſwept away? And now one of the moſt flouriſhing Cities of the Chriſtian World, famous for the Goſpel, famous for frequence of Traffick, in a few days lyes buried in Aſhes, or Rubbiſh. If we have any bowells of pity, let us weep with them that weep, let us commiſerate the grievous ſufferings of multitudes of Men: Women, and Children. It is certainly now, a time to weep, Eccleſ. 3.4. Jer. 7.28.and not to laugh. And muſt our Jeremiah's complain of England. This is a Nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction? If ſome amongſt us are ſenſible of the heat of the Fire, and other plagues, yet we mourn not, Iſa. 28.21.we do not habitually mourn for thoſe ſins and provocations, which have moved God to do this work, this ſtrange work upon us and againſt us: Poſſibly ſome cry and howl for the Goods and Houſes, that are conſumed by Fire, and for their Friends whom the Sword and Peſtilence have devoured: But how few are mourning in ſecret for their contempt of Chriſt and his Goſpel, for controlling and checking the Spirit of God, for their ſpending away ſo much time and ſtrength to get a little money, and neglecting to give all diligence to make their calling and election ſure? you have mourned for your ſilver ſhrines; but not for the pride, careleſneſs, and covetouſneſs of your hearts: you fear poverty and reproach will be your portion; but why do you not fear what will be the iſſue of the hardneſs of your hearts? Hear ye the Word of the Lord, They are not humbled unto this day, Jer. 44.10, 11. Jer. 23.39, 40.29.17, 18.neither have they feared, nor walked in my Law, therefore thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, the God of Iſrael, Behold I will ſet my face againſt you for evil, and to cut off all Judah. I even I will utterly forget you, and I will forſake you, and the City that I gave you, &c. and will bring an everlaſting reproach upon you, &c. And if you will not, after all this, turn unto the Lord, read your doom, I will make them like vile figs that cannot be eaten, they are ſo evil, &c. I here publiſh my fears to all the World: I am afraid that our view of the deſolations that God hath wrought, are too ſhort and tranſient, and that ſome want humanity in their being inſenſible of the plagues and miſeries of their Brethren, and more want the ſpirit of mourning for their own and other mens ſins. Nay are there none of the Race of Ammon left, Ezek. 25.3, 6, 7. Prov. 17 5. Luk. 13, 2, 3, 4, 5. Ezek. 25.8 9. Pſal. 137.7. Ezek. 12.13, 14.who ſay Aha againſt Gods Sanctuary, when it was profaned, and againſt the Land of Iſrael, when it was deſolate? at leaſt rejoyced in heart? Behold God will ſtretch out his hand upon ſuch a people. He that is glad at cala…ities, ſhall not be unpuniſhed. The Tower of Silo fell to lead others to repentance. If any will ſcoff and blaſpheme as the Moabites, by ſaying, the Houſe of Judah is like unto all the Heathen, who have not ſuffered more, nor ſo much as they: God knows how to open the ſide of Moab, and to let in the Sword and ruine upon their ſtrongeſt Cities: And if the Children of Edom, who were long ago for razing down our Jeruſalem to the foundation thereof, rejoyce, God will remember them, and make them deſolate, and lay his vengeance on Edom: And if any of the bordering Philiſtines ſhall deal by revenge, V. 15, 16, 17.and take vengeance with a deſpightfull heart, God knows how to ſtretch out his hand upon them, and to deſtroy the remnant of the Sea coaſt, and to execute great vengeance upon them: And if any of our Neighbours round about ſhall with Tyrus ſay againſt Jeruſalem, Aha ſhe is broken, Ezek. 26.2, 3, 4.that was the gates of the people, ſhe is turned unto us, we ſhall be repleniſhed, now that ſhe is laid waſt: God can ſoon ſtoop theſe Mountains by cauſing many Nations to come up againſt them: as the Sea cauſeth his Waves to come up, and ſcrape their duſt from them, and make them like the top of a Rock. Amos 3.2.God cannot bear it that the Heathen ſhould be inſulting, whilſt he is correcting his own: and therefore God hath confirmed it by an Oath that he will deal ſeverely with ſuch Mockers. Zeph. 2.8, 9, 10.I have heard of the reproach of Moab, &c. therefore as I live ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, the God of Iſrael, ſurely Moab ſhall be as Sodom, &c. Zech. 1.15.And I am ſore diſpleaſed with the Heathen, that are at eaſe, for I was but a little diſpleaſed, and they helped forward the affliction. Leave we theſe to the Righteouſneſs of God, and let us return to our ſelves: whilſt they are inſulting, Iſa. 64.4. Numb. 16. Job 31.3.may we be on humbling, and repenting Work. God is come down, and hath done terrible things, that we looked not for: we have been viſited; but not with the common viſitation of all people. God hath ſtrange puniſhments for the workers of iniquity. And no wonder, when ſtrange Oaths have been minted of later times that our Forefathers never heard of: there have been ſtrange wayes of Epicuriſme and Gluttony: ſtrange wayes of uncleanneſs: ſtrange unknown faſhions in apparel: and for Fraud, cheating and Tricks of Legerde main they have freſh and new, and frequent every day. Hath not God then a juſt controverſie with his people? If the Lord draw out Judgements that were never heard of before, and make us ſigns and wonders to the world, and an aſtoniſhment to all Nations, may we not juſtifie his proceedings? If we exceed our Forefathers Sins, what wonder is it, if we feel Judgements, that they were never ſenſible of?