The Pouring Out of the Seven Vials, Vial 4
The Fourth VIAL.
Revel. 16.8, 9.
And the fourth Angel poured out his vial upon the Sun, and power was given to him to ſcorch men with fire.
And men were ſcorched with great heat, and blaſphemed the name of God, which had power over theſe plagues; and they repented not to give him glory.
ALl the ſeven Angels that are deſcribed to pour out the ſeven Vials of the laſt fierce wrath, are all of them ſaid to come out of the Temple of the Tabernacle opened in heaven in the 5 Verſe of the 15 Chapter: That is to ſay, all of them to proceed, and to come forth out of reformed Churches, ſuch as had gotten the victory over the Beaſt, and his Image, and his Name, and the number of his Name. In the 6 Verſe of this Chapter, they are all of them further deſcribed, to be cloathed with pure and white linnen, and to have their breaſts girded with golden girdles; that is to ſay, all of them to be cloathed with the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt (which is pure linnen) both juſtifying and ſanctifying of them, the one imputed, the other inherent, and all of them to be ſincere prof…ſſors of the truth of Chriſt, their breaſts girded with the golden girdles of truth. Further, they are all of them ſaid to receive a command from God to pour out the Vials of his wrath, and all of them to pour out the Vials of his wrath upon the earth; in the firſt Verſe of this Chapter: and yet it was but the firſt that poured out his Vial upon the earth; for the ſecond is ſaid to pour it out upon the Sea; and the third upon the rivers and fountains; and the fourth (you read in my Text) upon the Sun; and the fifth upon the Throne of the Beaſt; and the ſixth upon the great river Euphrates; and the laſt upon the air: yet all are commanded (the whole ſeven) to pour out the wrath of God upon the earth, in the firſt verſe. The earth being oppoſed to the Church in heaven, the viſible Church open in heavenly purity; it is ſo taken for ſome earthly, carnall, Antichriſtian ſtate, or Church: but when it is not oppoſed to heaven, but other elements, then it is the loweſt of all the reſt; and ſo it is according to this double oppoſition interpreted in this Chapter. If you look at the earth, as oppoſite to heaven, the heavenly pure Churches, ſo he means the earthly and Antichriſtian Church, the Romiſh Popiſh Church that then was. Now if you ſay, as in the firſt verſe it is ſaid, The firſt onelyonly poured out his vial upon the earth; now you mean the loweſt element of the Antichriſtian ſtate, the common Catholicks, whereupon there fell a grievous ſore upon all that received the mark of the Beaſt, and worſhipped his Image. When thoſe holy ſervants, and faithfull Miniſters of Chriſt did diſcover the corruption of Religion in common Catholicks, the Catholicks were afflicted with much confuſion and indignation; as being convinced, they were bedabled with groſſe ſuperſtition, ignorance, and idolatry, and many other evils which you have formerly heard: So that you ſee, the firſt of them fell upon the Beaſt; and ſo from the firſt to the laſt, the firſt began with the Beaſt; and in the laſt, Babylon is fallen, in the 19 Verſe of this Chapter. So that all theſe Vials poured out the wrath of God upon ſomething or other of the Beaſt; the firſt upon the common worſhippers of the Beaſt; the ſecond upon the Sea; that is, the confluence of all the Ordinances, that is, ſuch Ordinances as the worſhippers of the Beaſt have in their Religion; and they diſcovered that Sea to be but the bloud of a dead man, not to have the life of Chriſt in it: And the third poured out his Vial upon the Fountains and Rivers of water, which are the Prieſts and Jeſuits of that Church, which carry that Religion up and down the earth, as the Rivers and Fountains do the water of the Sea (and of theſe you heard at large the laſt day:) And look as the opening of the Seals (mentioned before in this Book) did open the wrath of God, and his judgements aginſt the Roman-Pagan Empire, and the ſeven Trumpets did ſound out the wrath of God againſt the Roman-Chriſtian Empire and Church; ſo theſe laſt Angels, with the laſt wrath in the ſeven Vials, they pour it all out upon the Antichriſtian Roman ſtate: So that all the judgements in this Book are ſtill upon Rome; either Rome Pagan, or Rome Chriſtian, or Rome Antichriſtian; the one falls under ſeven Seals, the other under ſeven Trumpets, and this laſt under ſeven Vials: So that if the earth, upon which the firſt Angel poured out his Vial, be the common ſort of Catholicks; and the Sea, upon which the ſecond Angel poured out his Vial, be their Religion, and convinced it to be the bloud of a dead man, and no life of the bloud of Chriſt in it, to waſh ſin from the ſouls and conſciences of men, nothing elſe but unwholſome and unſavoury choking corruptions, ready to deſtroy all that were waſhed in it, or drank of it. And the third Vial being poured out upon the Jeſuits and Prieſts, they were thereby adjudged to capitall puniſhment (as you have heard) for they were forced to drink bloud, as they were worthy, having cauſed the Martyrs of CHRIST JESUS to drink bloud.
This fourth Vial therefore comes to be poured out upon ſomething of the Beaſt, as all the reſt of the Vials were: The fourth Angel poured out his Vial upon the Sun, to wit, ſomething of the Beaſt, which reſembles the Sun in his world, even as the Sun is the greateſt light in this materiall world, which GOD created in the beginning. In theſe words then you may ſee deſcribed, the pouring out of the Vial of the fourth Angel, which is ſet forth by the ſubject upon which it is poured, Ʋpon the ſun: Secondly, by the effect which followed upon that, He had power given him to ſcorch men with fire; and ſecondly, Men were tormented with great heat upon it. And a third Argument, by which this Vial poured out, is deſcribed, is the event which followed, and that is double, Men blaſphemed the name of God; and God here deſcribed to have power over theſe plagues, as an aggravation of that blaſphemy, to blaſpheme the name of God, that had power over theſe plagues. And ſecondly, they are deſcribed by another event, their Impenitencie, their not repenting, they repented not to give him glory: So that here the fourth Vial is poured out, Upon what? Upon the Sun. What is the effect of that? Power is is given to that Angel, to ſcorch men with fire; and men were ſcorched with heat: and the event of it was, they that were ſo ſcorched, continued ſtill impenitent, they repented not to give God glory; but on the contrary, blaſphemed the name of the great God, that had power over theſe plagues.
For opening the meaning of the words briefly; By the Sun cannot here be meant, that body of the Sun that gives light to us in theſe viſible heavens: For how ſhall an Angel comming out of the Temple, out of a reformed Church, pour out his Vial upon that Sun? Or if he ſhould be able ſo to do, how ſhould he work any diſtempered heat in it, but it would annoy reformed Churches as well as Antichriſtian? How will it reflect a peculiar plague upon Antichriſt? It muſt therefore be ſome other Sun, and indeed ſuch a Sun as is wrapped up under the generall Notion of Earth; for all the Angels poured out their Vials upon the earth; they had no other Commiſſion given them to pour out their Vials, but upon the earth, in the firſt Verſe. And therefore he that poured out his Vial upon the Sea, it was but an earthly ſea, a worldly ſea; and hee that poured his Vial upon the rivers and fountains, did but pour it out upon earthly rivers and fountains: and therefore he that pours his out upon the Sun, doth but pour it out upon an earthly Sun, not an heavenly Sun; I mean not any ſpirituall Sun of heavenly brightneſſe or glory: Minde therefore, that it cannot be allowed to interpret this Sun to be the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, as ſome good Interpreters have expounded it, (he is indeed the Sun of true viſible reformed Churches, but not of Antichriſtian:) Now will it be in like ſort allowed, to interpret it of the Scriptures, (as ſome of our beſt Interpreters have expounded it) for theſe are but one; for the Scriptures reveal Chriſt, and the woman cloathed with the Sun, that is Chriſt, ſhe is cloathed with him as he is revealed in the Scripture, 12 Revel. 1. But I do not ſee how it ſhould well be allowed, that that ſhould be the Sun here meant: For firſt, the Angels that pour out theſe Vials, are all godly men, at leaſt generally ſo reputed, and accounted, and acknowledged by the Churches; they are cloathed with pure white linnen, which is the righteouſneſſe of the Saints, inherent and imputed: They are alſo girded with gelden girdles, ſincere prof…ſſors of the truth; and how theſe can be imagined to pour out wrath upon the Lord Ieſus, or the Scriptures, it is not to be beleeved or conceived.
And beſides, all theſe had command to pour out the wrath of God on thoſe ſubjects, upon which they poured out their Vials, as in the firſt Verſe. Now God forbid we ſhould conceive, that any wrath of God ſhould be poured out upon Chriſt ever ſince his Reſurrection, or that any wrath of God ſhould be poured out upon the Scriptures: For although they that thus expound this Vial to be poured out upon the Sun, do not ſay that the wrath of God was poured upon the Sun, but upon the Antichriſtian ſtate; yet the Text tels us, they poured out the Vials of the wrath of God upon that ſubject; that they poured them on, they poured them all upon the earth: So that all theſe things are but earthly matters, and ſuch earthly matters as have been open juſtly to the wrath of God. It is therefore but an earthly ſea, and they are but earthly rivers and fountains, and it is but an earthly Sun, and an earthly air, corrupt air, an unwholſome Antichriſtian air, upon which the Vials are poured. So that I cannot go ſo freely along with that Expoſition, that the Sun here, is Chriſt revealed in the Scriptures, or the Scriptures revealing Chriſt.
If any man ſhall ſay, but the Sun ſpoken of in the Trumpets, was Chriſt in the Scriptures, or the Scriptures revealing Chriſt, & thoſe Trumpets hold forth a like degree of judgement upon the Roman-Chriſtian Empire, as here upon Antichriſtian Rome: For upon the ſounding of the firſt Trumpet, judgement fals upon the earth, common Chriſtians: The ſecond Trumpet ſounding, judgement fals upon the Sea, (as in the 8 Revel. 7, to 12.) And the third upon rivers and fountains: And the fourth Trumpet ſounding, did bring an hand of God upon the Sun, a third part of the Sun was ſmitten; that is, the Son Chriſt Ieſus was much darkned in that degenerated Chriſtian-ſtate, and ſo it was with the Scriptures, with the Church ſtate, and with humane Learning, they were all darkened, as it is there deſcribed: But (minde you) the Sun is one thing to a Church that hath truth in it, though degenerated; CHRIST was their light, though they were darkened, in a third part: But now when Religion is wholly corrupt, that all the whole Sea is the bloud of a dead man; now the world is altered, and if you have a new world, you muſt have a new Sun: That was a Chriſtian world, and CHRIST might ſtill be the Sun, and light of that, though in many degrees corrupted; and the Scriptures might be ſtill the light of the world. But now when you come to an Antichriſtian world, ſo wholly degenerated, that there is no power of CHRIST to be ſeen, as they adminiſter any Ordinance; now the caſe is ſo far changed, that you muſt look for another Sun in another world: Here is another earth, and another Sea, that Sea was not like the bloud of a dead man (though corrupt) but this is; and thoſe waters, though their Teachers were corrupt, yet it was but a third part; but here all is become bloud, and they drink of bloud, for they are worthy. And here is another Sun in this new world, and what muſt that be? In a word, there be others that interpret it of the greateſt and moſt illuſtrious light, moſt eminent and glorious light in the Antichriſtian world: And what may that be? If you look through all the Antichriſtian world, what ſhould be the moſt eminent, and moſt glorious, and moſt illuſtrious light that ſhines in the greateſt glory amongſt them all? What doth more readily offer it ſelf then the houſe of Auſtria, the chief governour in the Antichriſtian ſtate, of eminent luſtre, and hath been ſo for 200 yeers, as they call it, the Lumen, and Columen of that ſtate, the light and pillar of that ſtate? And they that ſo expound it, they wrote juſt in this time when the king of Sweden came forth to repreſent the Angel, he with his followers, to pour out a Vial of GODS wrath upon the Imperiall ſtate of Germany, and conſequently upon the reſt of that houſe that were allyed to them, whether Spaniards or others; and that to the provoking of ſo much indignation, you know what ſcornfull deriſions they put upon him, as if he came in like a Tinker with his Copper money, rather then a worthy Generall; and you know what indignation and wrath hath been kindled by that means againſt all Germany; what a world of bloud hath been ſpilt; how fire and ſword hath purſued thoſe attempts to this very day? What might be ſaid againſt this Interpretation, is not much, but yet ſo much, as to make ſome addition to this Interpretation.
The Papiſts will by no means bear and acknowledge it, that any Civil ſtate ſhould be the moſt Illuſtrious light of their Religion; they will tell you that the Emperour is but a borrowed light from the Sun, and doth owe homage to the Pope for his Imperiall Crown, that have tranſlated the Empire from Greece to France, and from France to Germany; They will tell you, the Pope is as much above the Emperour, as the Sun is above the Moon. And they are not aſhamed to ſpeak to the Pope, in the amplification of his glory, Thou art the light of the world, the flower of Paradiſe, the gate of Heaven: And if they make the Pope their greateſt light, their moſt tranſcendent and Illuſtrious light, the Sun in the primeſt and chiefeſt glory, then you muſt look and ſearch ſomewhat further, for ſome further Interpretation then meerly the Imperiall ſtate, or the ſtate of that ſame Family combined and united unto it.
And yet neither would I wholly wave that Interpretation of the Imperiall ſtate, becauſe the matter is not what Papiſts will acknowledge, or what the Church of Rome will own, Whether they will own the Emperour to bee the primeſt and chiefeſf light, or others; for the holy Ghoſt ſpeaks of things as they be, as well as how they are conceived to be.
Now in Scripture Interpretation, the greateſt lights are Magiſtrates, that hold forth the greateſt luſtre and ſplendor, but yet in the Churches; and when you ſpeak of ſpirituall Adminiſtrations, they that are to derive light from CHRIST to the Church, they are the greateſt lights for ſpirituall things: But wee come to ſpeak therefore of the great light they ſet up, they ſet up him as the chiefeſt and greateſt light, which derives light to the very Scriptures; for they conceive that they ſhould not bee Authenticall, unleſſe the B: of Rome count them ſo; and if he do count them authenticall, then they ſhall be ſo, though they be Apocrypha; and no ſence of Scripture allowed for the light of truth, unleſſe it be acknowledged by him; nor no Decrees go for currant, unleſſe he ratifie them: So that that which they take for the light of their world, is chiefly the Biſhop of Rome: If then he be their greateſt light, then this Angel pours his Vial of Gods wrath upon the Pope his tranſcendent light, whereby he gives authority to the Scriptures, to Doctrine, to Worſhip, to Government, to Councels, and whereby he gives power to all his Officers, to adminiſter Diſcipline and Church-power in all Chriſtendom, (as they call it) all Chriſtian Churches over. Then they are the Angels that pour out the Vial upon that Sun, that take from him that tranſcendent Prerogative of the Sun, which is to rule by day, 136 Pſal. 8. Take then from him his rule by day; for you muſt ſpeak of things metaphorically in this place, though in the Pſalm is meant another Sun; but in this Sun, take from the Pope, from this Sun Popiſh rule of Religion, the rule of all Churches, the Soveraign power in all Eccleſiaſticall affairs; and what then? Then you will pour out a Vial of wrath upon him: And ſo did Queen Elizabeth in her time; and the Parliament then by making the Popes Supremacie, and the defence of it, high Treaſon againſt her perſon, and the State of the Kingdom, and againſt the Lord Ieſus: It poured forth ſuch a Vial of Gods wrath upon this great Light, the Antichriſtian State; that it rules no more by day, neither in England, nor Scotland, nor Ireland, nor divers other neighbour Nations, who by her precedent example did abandon the like uſurpation, the ſupreme rule of the Pope in Eccleſiaſticall affairs, which is the very Rule of the Churches of Chriſt. Thus you ſee, take the one, or the other, both will ſtand together: Let the houſe of Auſtria be the Sun, as it is in his kinde and Sphaere, the greateſt light of all their created Civil power, and hath been a great light indeed, and both an ornament and nouriſhment to the See of Rome: Or take the Pope himſelf, who will be the greateſt Church-light, and claims to himſelf Supreme power, not onelyonly in Eccleſiaſticall cauſes, but Civil too. It is no unuſuall thing in Scripture, to make a graduall Interpretation of dark Scriptures; as in the 17 Chapter, The ſeven beads (ſaith the Text) are ſeven mountains, upon which the woman ſitteth; and (in the 10 verſe) they are alſo ſeven Kings; the ſame that repreſent ſeven mountains, doth repreſent ſeven Kings. And ſo both theſe are great lights of that ſtate, the Imperiall and the Spaniſh power combined in that houſe, by bloud and affinitie, and the Pope himſelf in his ſphaere, are both the great lights of that ſtate, and it hath pleaſed …od to pour out his Vial of wrath upon them both, and both the one and the other ſuffer; and they ſhall ſuffer more and more, becauſe they do not repent to give God glory of their due and deſerved puniſhment, but continue ſtill in their blaſpheming againſt the Lord and his people; and when men grow worſe and worſe, both civil ſtate, and Eccleſiaſtical ſtate, both growing worſe and worſe, doubtles their plagues will be multiplied: Sweden began with one, and hath been followed: Queen Elizabeth in England, and others elſewhere have begun with the other, the Lord by ſundry inſtruments in one kinde or other hath gone forth, and will go on ſtil, to let them know that the moſt high hath power over all the earth, and will not be driven out: When once he begins to execute judgement, he will go on deſtroying to deſtroy; and though the miniſters of this wrath may conflict with doubtfull and various events, yet the iſſue will be bleſſed; and Popiſh Princes and States ſhall ſtand a far off, and cry, Alas, alas, that great city Babilon, that mighty city; for in one hour is thy judgement come: That will be the finall iſſue of the great wrath of God upon it; and how far both theſe have proceeded, you cannot chuſe but know: How far queen Elizabeth ſcorched that Antichriſtian ſtate with fiery indignation, it is univerſally known; which provoked Catholick Princes ſo much, that what with pouring out the former Vials upon the Rivers and Fountains, when ſhe decreed it Treaſon for any to carry Popiſh Religion to England, and to reconcile men to that See, the pouring out of that Vial there, and this here, ſo far provoked them, that they brought in their whole power againſt her in 88, and would have ſwallowed her up quick, they were ſo exaſperated with heat and fury; and had not the Lord by his out-…retched arm and wiſdom prevented, there had been no hope of preſervation, but deſolation of her and her Kingdom. Thus have I ſhewed you, as ſhortly and plainly as I could, what ſhould be the meaning of this fourth Vial, and the Angel by whom it was poured out, Let us ſhortly come to gather a note or two from the words, and very briefly. Firſt this;
Doctr. 1 When the wrath of GOD is kindled againſt a State for corruption of Religion, he pours out his judgements againſt them by degrees; firſt upon the common ſort of people, then upon Church Officers, and then upon the principall Rulers and lights of that State. That is the firſt note.
This is evident in the Gradation of the Text, here is the wrath of the Lord kindled againſt the Antichriſtian ſtate, called here, the earth, an earthly Kingdom, an earthly ſtate, brought forth of the earth, and minding earthly things, and all their Ordinances ſavouring of the earth, of humane inventions, and wiſdom and power: The Lord then when his wrath is kindled, and ſends forth Meſſengers of his wrath on that State, how begin they? They begin firſt with the earth, the loweſt Element; they begin not with the Sea, nor with the Sun, nor with the Air, but firſt the Vial fals upon the Earth: Common Catholicks, they firſt feel the ſhame, and confuſion thereof, (as you have heretofore heard:) Then, as he diſcovers their Religion to be generally corrupt, as the bloud of a dead man; ſo hee pours out the next Vials upon the Rivers and Fountains of water, thoſe that carry this Religion up and down the Countries and Nations, the Lord exaſperates Civil States ſo far againſt them, that they force them to drink bloud, their own bloud, as they made Martyrs to drink bloud; ſo the Lord gave them to drink bloud, for they are worthy, (as you heard it opened this day ſeven-night.) He firſt begins with the common Catholicks, then with Prieſts and Jeſuits: Well, doth he here ſtay, when the Lord ſees what little fruit groweth hereby? Verily no, for here is no Reformation of the common ſort, they ſtill continue in their Ignorance, and Superſtition, and Idolatry: And what are the Prieſts and Jeſuits any thing reformed? It is nothing ſo, nor do the lights of that State, either the lights of the Imperiall world, of the Provinces, or their generall and grand holy Father the Pope (as they call him) none ſeek Reformation, what then? Then let the Imperiall ſtate, and Pope, that claims Lord Paramountſhip over all, let him look it, the next Vial fals upon his head, and the Lord doth this by degrees; firſt upon his ſupreme luſtre and glory, as he rules by day: And the next fals upon his Throne, and that is a great blow to him; and ſtill the Lord goes on pouring to pour out, and ſtriking to ſtrike, till at length he cruſheth the man of ſin, and all his abettors. For, their religion is corrupt, and all that drink of it periſh, and the cōmon people, Prieſts & Jeſuits ſhall ſmart; and then the Pope & Emperor, whoever are their great lights, let thē be lights in Church or Common-wealth, (for I will exclude neither) they both partake in the ſin, and ſhall partake in the puniſhment of it: The four Angels, they may be ſeverall perſons, but they have one common work, they pour Vials upon the lights of both States, and truly ſo the Lord did in Chriſtian Rome, this is Antichriſtian, but when Rome was once Pagan, and then became Chriſtian in Conſtantines time, and under the Chriſtian Emperors, Conſtantine and the reſt opened the doors of the Church ſo wide, that all the garden of God was become a wilderneſſe by an inundation of carnall people, Chriſtians in name, but Pagans in heart, that were let in; and then that which was once a garden incloſed, was now made a wilderneſſe, when they took down the Pale, and let in all dogs and ſwine that will come in, the wrath of God breaks out againſt them, then the Trumpet ſounds a ſhrill ſound, and what was that? In the 8 of Revel. 7. The firſt Angel ſounding, there followed hail, and fire mingled with bloud, and they were caſt upon the earth, &c. and that is upon the loweſt ſort of Chriſtians, there was given grievous hail, cold hail-ſtorm, they received not the truth in love, and being cold in Chriſtianity, they were hot in Emulation and Contention. And then the ſecond Trumpet ſounding, there was as it were a great Mountain burning caſt into the Sea, and there was a third part of the Sea became bloud; there was high preferment caſt into the Officers of the Church, and a great part of the Adminiſtrations grew corrupt. Then the third Angel ſounded, and there fals a Star from Heaven, called Wormwood, Wormwood of Hereſie, and corrupts the Prieſts; many were infected with the Hereſie of Arrius, and Neſtorius, and Eutyches: Afterwards all Scriptures came to be darkned with Allegoricall, and Hereticall, and corrupt Interpretations, that Chriſt is ſcarſe diſcerned in all their writings, and the light of Scripture is darkened, and the light of humane Learning, that there is little light left. And then the next Angel, he ſounds, and ſmoke comes out of the bottomleſſe pit, and there comes Locuſts upon the earth, and they have a King ſet over them, which is the Angel of the bottomleſſe pit, which is the Pope over the Friars and Monks. So, thus the Lord begins to deal with men, firſt he fals upon them in one degree, upon the earth firſt, and then upon Religion in them, and then upon Miniſters, the publiſhers of that Religion, and after grows higher and higher, till in the end there comes the Antichriſtian ſtate, the ſeventh head, and he ſurmounts all Chriſtian Emperors, leads them all captive, and hath the Key of the bottomleſſe pit to deſtroy their ſouls, whoſe name is Abaddon in Hebrew, but in the Greeke Apollyon, and then comes the Turk in the ſixth Trumpet, and he deſtroys and ſwallows up all: So the Lords manner is, firſt he breaks forth againſt the common people, then againſt the Miniſters, then at laſt he riſeth to the great Lords of the world, the Rulers of the State, they ſmoke for it at laſt. What ſhould be the Reaſon of the Point? The Reaſon is,
Reaſ. 1 Firſt, becauſe ordinarily the firſt beginning of corruption is with the people, and they being firſt corrupted, then indeed it is meet that they ſhould firſt be plagued; for look as the Church grew to be corrupted in the Chriſtian Emperors time, ſo the Church came to be plagued in Antichriſtians time; the earth was firſt corrupt, in the Chriſtian Emperors time, and the firſt that is plagued, is the earth, then the ſea, then the rivers, & ſo by degrees; The Lord goes the ſame way in plaguing, as they did in degenerating, the ſame way in executing judgement as they in ſinning.
Reaſ. 2 And ſecondly, when the cōmon people are corrupted, for their ſin ſake it pleaſeth God either to ſend them corrupt Rulers like themſelves, or elſe to lead their good leaders into temptation, to corrupt themſelves and their people. You read, Prov. 28.2 For the wickedneſſe of a land, many are the princes thereof; many and wicked Rulers too; They never lived long, nor well, after once the houſe of Iſrael had cryed out, What portion have we in David, or what inheritance in the ſon of Ieſſe? The Lord never gave them good King in Iſrael after, not in Iſrael I ſay, Judah indeed had ſundry times good Kings, but for Iſrael (the 10 Tribes) that rejected the yoke, and the houſe of David, in regard of the hard payments that Solomons ſon put upon them; and therefore in their prophaneneſſe cryed out, What portion have we in David? &c. Then immediatly after that, the Lord never gave them any good King, 1 King. 12.16. So there grows Religion to be corrupted in the people, and then for their wickedneſſe God gives them wicked Princes; I gave them a King in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. O Iſrael thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, Hoſ. 13.9, 10. Iſrael corrupts it ſelf, & provokes God, and he gives them a King in his anger, and takes him away in his wrath: And it is written as a heavie curſe of God, in Lev. 26.17. If you ſtill treſpaſſe againſt me I will ſet Princes over you, that ſhall hate you: Miſchievous Princes, odious Princes that ſhall be odious to God, and malignant to the people. If you ſtill provoke me, and for all this turn not to me, I will ſet ſuch over you, them that ſhall be odious to me, and odious to you, that ſhall make you more and more to corrupt your wayes: And if God at any time give them good Princes, he will leade them into temptation for their ſin. In 2 Sam. 24.1. you read there, the wrat… of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael, and he provoked David againſt them to ſay, Go number Iſrael and Iudah: The wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael, and he provoked David, &c. To what end? That ſo a plague might come upon Iſrael: So that (minde you) how the ſins of the time riſe from the contagion of the hearts and lives of the people; That look as a man catcheth cold on his feet, it fils the head with diſtempers: Catch but cold in the loweſt part, about the ancles or feet; or ſuppoſe the ſtomack be ſomewhat annoyed through ill dyet, or ill digeſtion, what then? It ſtrikes up to the head preſently; you cannot annoy the feet, ancles, or middle parts, but the head will feel both: So, if either Miniſters be corrupt, or common people, the head, the Rulers will ſtraightway bee corrupt, it will not bee otherwiſe; If the Prophets propheſie lyes, and the Prieſts bear rule by their means, and the people love to have it ſo, what will be the end? Do you think there will come any Princes that will reform them? Do you think the Lord will take any courſe to reform ſuch great evils as theſe be? As evill firſt begins with the common people, ſo they are firſt plagued.
For a third Reaſon, As evill firſt begins with the people, and they are firſt plagued, and as for them it is derived to the Prieſts and Princes, and they are by that meanes corrupted, either are not good, or led into ſome temptation.
Reaſ. 3 So thirdly, the Lord is deeply provoked againſt the lights and guides of the Church, whether Civill, or Eccleſiaſticall Churchm…n, or Common-wealths men, the Lord is provoked againſt both, for ſuffering their people to bedable themſelves with ſome corruption in Religion and religious converſation: In the 34. Ezek. 7, to 10. Heare this, O yee Shepheards of Iſrael; and he ſpeakes (as beſt Interpreters expound it) both to Eccleſiaſticall and Civill Shepheards, to the Prieſts in the Church, and the Princes in the Common-wealth, he ſpeakes expreſly to both: Heare O yee Shepheards, becauſe you have ſuffered my people to wander, and my flock to be a prey, therefore I am againſt you, and he profeſſeth he will rend his people from them, and rend the very cauſe of their heart, and execute judgement upon them, and he will judge betweene the Rams and the Hee Goats, and tender Kids, and will deliver them, and ſet them one Shepheard over them, that ſhall be more faithfull to him and his people, even his ſervant David, he meanes Chriſt, and they that are of David's ſpirit, that ſhall in his name rule his people. So that (mind you) the wrath of God is carried an end in this courſe, he begins with the people firſt, becauſe they are firſt corrupt, and then with Rulers, for had not they been ſoon corrupted, it had not been poſſible that the Church ſhould ſo quickly have become a wilderneſſe. So here he begins with the common ſort, and then with Miniſters, and then with the great Lights that rule by day, that rules the affaires of the Church and Common-wealth.
For the uſe of this point briefly;
Vſe 1 It may ſerve then to be a watchword and warning to the common ſort of Chriſtians: Firſt look you to it, men and brethren, and beloved in Chriſt Jeſus, look you to it tenderly and ſeriouſly, that neither doctrine, nor worſhip of God, nor Church Government be corrupt, to your beſt diſcerning, but preſerved by diligent examination of all things, according to the patterne ſhewed in the Word, as it hath been hitherto held forth to you: Looke to it, that the Sea you waſh and bathe your ſoules in be not defiled, let it be ſo clear that the vertue of the bloud of Chriſt may be diſcerned in it; otherwiſe (beleeve it) though you may think, it leaſt concernes you: Let Church-officer look to it, and let Civill Magiſtrates ſee to it, it is their calling to look to Worſhip and Government in their time and place: though that be true, they muſt look to it, and God will require it elſe at their hand, yet if you look not to it, the wrath of God will be powred out upon you: If men unprepared ſhall moſt giddily ruſh into the Church, what will the iſſue be? The Lord will powre a cold haile-ſtorme upon you: never ſuch coldneſſe fell upon men, as there wil be, when they ruſh into Churches before they be warmed with the bloud of Chriſt Jeſus, Revel. 8.7. that was the firſt Trumpet of Gods vengeance there, heavy, grievous haileſtones, great haileſtones; and which is wonderfull, you will think it marvellous, but it is true, as they were cold in Religion, ſo they were zealous for contention and Coveteouſneſſe and Ambition, and perſonal reſpects, that if they got an opinion by the end they contended for it, as (pro aris & focis) for fire on the hearth, as if there were no warmth but in that, though the opinion were never ſo unſavoury: when men thruſt into the Church and take it very ill if they be examined; What will the iſſue be? Nothing but cold, ſhill, dead-heartedneſſe falls upon them, and then a wild fire of rage and crotchetly opinions, and then grow ſo zealous therein, as if religion lay in ſome quinteſſence notions of theirs: therefore firſt look for, and beware of corruption in the common people.
Then ſecondly, let the Lords Miniſters (I ſpeak to my ſelfe, Ʋſe 2 as much as any other) in a ſpeciall manner look to theſe things, that we diligently looke to religion, and the purity of doctrine and worſhip, and of every ordinance of God with circumſpection, and faithfulneſſe, and diligence, and ſedulity, and watchfulneſſe, that nothing of the holy things of God may be corrupted that are committed to us, for we ſhall next feele the ſmart of it: For as religion will be corrupt in the people firſt, and ſo far as that you ſhall have no power nor life of godlineſſe in it, and the bloud of Chriſt will be as the bloud of a dead man: So then the Miniſters of the Goſpell muſt looke to it, for the next thing will bee ſome heavy judgment or other God will bring upon them if they be not vigilant to ſee that all things bee done according to the true platforme left to us in the word: you know the Prophet Malachy complaines of it in Malac. 1.11, 12, 13. that men began to waxe weary of ſacrifices, and ſnuffed at the coſt of it, and brought the blinde and lame, and any thing for Sacrifice, and the Table of the Lord was polluted, and what then And now (ſaith the Lord) O yee Prieſts this Commandement is for you, in the firſt verſe of the ſecond Chapter (it is a very ſad word which the Lord ſpeaks) if you will not heare and lay it to heart; what ſhould they lay to heart? This hailſtone Corruption of the people, this ſnuffing at the Ordinances if you lay not this to heart, I will ſend a curſe upon you, and will curſe your bleſſings, yea, I have curſed them already, becauſe you doe not lay it to heart, and I will corrupt your ſeed, &c. in the 1, 2, 3, verſe, and ſo he goes on very ſadly in threatning the Miniſters of God upon this point: The people corrupted their wayes, and were weary of holy duties, cold hearted, and only quick for contention and diviſion; and what then? becauſe the Miniſters of God doe not beſtirre them, the Lord brings a curſe upon their bleſſings, their beſt gifts in heart, and outward bleſſings, he blaſts both, and therefore it marveilouſly concernes Miniſters to be moſt tender this way, to ſee that all be carried exactly according to the word of God.
Vſe 3 And thirdly, this may be a word of warning to Magiſtrates as the greateſt lights in the Common wealth, for (as I ſaid before) I will exclude neither, for both are the Sun in their ſeveral Sphear, a great light, and he ſpeaks of the greateſt light the Antichriſtian ſtate had, and ſo I ſpeak of the greateſt light this State hath: Thus much let me ſay to you, if religion be corrupted, the people may firſt ſmart for it, (if there be any corruption it ſpringeth there) and we ſhall ſmart for it before you; yet if this be not redreſſed, God will reſerve a vial for you, he will pour out a vial upon the very Sunne, that you would think were out of gun-ſhot, but how high ſoever they be among the Stars of God, exalted above all their brethren, yet the Lord can tel how to caſt ſome vial upon your authority to eclipſe, and darken, and ſtaine it, if the Lord helpe you not to continue watchfull in this kind: It is true there is an order to looke to all corruption in doctrine, and worſhip, and government that are ſtirring in the Countrey: And it is true, matters of religion are firſt and properly conſiderable in the Churches themſelves, by the officers and brethren of the Church: But if Magiſtrates ſhall find Brethren or Officers defective, or neglective, it will be their parts to give free paſſage to all undertakings for redreſſe, and if any thing come to your cognizance before it come to the Church, then it will concerne you to ſtirre up the Church to looke to doctrine, worſhip, and government, and you will find in this caſe you will deliver your ſoules from danger, and Church-officers and people too, otherwiſe you ſee the danger of corruption in religion; if the earth be corrupt, the ſea will be corrupt, and the rivers and fountaines, and the Sunne wil be corrupt, and all alike more or leſſe afflicted and plagued of God, for toleration of ſuch evils as are found amongſt them. So much for the firſt point, let me ſpeak a word of another, and ſo come to an end. The next note is this:
A wicked heart will not repent of ſin, no not under the wrathfull Doct. 2 hand of God, who hath power over his owne judgements, to give him the glory, but will rather break forth to further wickedneſſe, even to blaſpemy againſt the name of God. It was ſaid of Ahaz, that when he was in diſtreſſe on every hand, yet in his diſtreſſe he did treſpaſſe more againſt the Lord, 2 Chron. 28.22. This is that King Ahaz: as who ſhould ſay, brand him for an hypocrite and a reprobate, that in his diſtreſſe treſpaſſeth yet more, why? for he went and ſacrificed to the gods of Damaſcus which ſmote him, becauſe the gods of the kings of Syria help them, &c. In ſtead of humbling himſelf under Gods hand to give him glory, he breaks forth into blaſphemy, and hardens his heart, and repents not to give him glory, but waxes more fierce againſt the Lord, to blaſpheme. And another prophane King of Iſrael, Ioram, 2 King 6.31, 32, 33. He weares ſackcloth indeed upon his loynes, but being in diſtreſſe, by reaſon of the famine, hee breakes forth into fury and rage; God doe ſo to mee and more alſo, if the head of Eliſha ſhall ſtand on him this day; hee meant to cut off Eliſha's head by reaſon of the famine, when an Aſſes head was ſould for foureſcore peeces of ſilver; and in the 33 verſe, Shall I wait for the Lord any longer? There he breaks forth into blaſphemy, hee is full of fiery indignation and blaſphemy againſt the God of Iſrael; ſee you this ſon of a murtherer? While he yet ſpake this, the Meſſengers came down unto him, and he ſaid, Behold this evil is of the Lord, what ſhould I waite for the Lord any longer? So you read in Iſa. 8.21. They in their diſtreſſe ſhall curſe the Lord and their King, and look upward: This is the frame of carnall and wicked hearts. And the Reaſon is,
Reaſ. 1 Firſt, from the Ignorance of ſuch wicked ſpirits; their Ignorance is ſuch, they know not who ſmites them, but think it is ſome chance; as the Philiſtims in 1 Sam. 6.9. If he go up the way of his own coaſt to Bethſhemeſh, then he hath done us this evil, but if not, then we ſhall know it was but ſome chance that happened to us: They neither ſee the hand of God that ſmites them, nor their own deſert that provokes the Lord thus to ſmite them; and ſo, they repent not to give him glory, but blaſpheme him. And a ſecond Reaſon is,
Reaſ. 2 Secondly, from the prophane pride of a carnall heart, ſome kinde of careleſneſſe, and it is incident to all prophane kinde of ſpirits, that they will not ſee the hand of God, nor own their own ſinfulneſſe: when the judgements of God are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteouſneſſe, Iſa. 26.9, 10, 11. But they will not behold the majeſty of the Lord; When thy hand is lifted up, they will not ſee it, but they ſhall ſee it, and be aſhamed, &c. They will not ſee it a good while, that either their own ſin hath brought this judgement, or that it is a juſt hand of God upon them, they will not ſee ſuch things as theſe. So you ſee the Reaſons of the point; not to ſpeak of what high reaſons might be given, of Gods heavie vengeance upon mens unprofitablenes under the hands of God, they grow worſe and worſe, 2 Tim. 3.13. That the Lord leaves them to hardneſſe of heart, and gives them up to themſelves to obſtinate their ſpirits, as Pharaoh, that they will exalt themſelves againſt him; and though you bray a fool in a morter, yet his folly will not depart from him. The Uſe of the Point is thus much;
Vſe 1 Firſt, it may report to you from the Oracle of God, that certainly the Popiſh State is going faſt to perdition, and the great lights of that State, both the lights of that State, great like the Sun in the firmament, be they Civil Magiſtrates in their ſphaere, in higheſt place; or take it as the Popiſh Prelacie do, they will be higheſt in both kindes, be it as it will be, as the common people have been viſited with judgement, their Religion corrupt, and Prieſts and Jeſuits plagued, and the Lord hath begun to plague their lights in this world, and Church lights too: So make account of this, foraſmuch as they repent not to give God glory, but break forth to greater wrath, and outrage againſt the Lord and his Church, and ſervants, and ſecret ones, what will the end of all this be? Never did any man ſtrive againſt God, and proſpered; what, under the mighty hand of God, under the Vials of Gods wrath, and ſtill blaſpheme the name of God, and ſtill hope to proſper? Verily you may write upon it, God wil wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy ſcalp of ſuch as go on ſtill in their wickedneſſe, Pſal. 68.21. Let them look to it, the Lord hath begun to pour out his wrath, and one Vial hath not done when another begins to work, but they are pouring upon the common people, and upon Prieſts and Jeſuits, and will be more and more, and ſo ſhall both the houſe of Auſtria, and the Pope himſelf, in their ſupremacie and lordly authority; and howſoever they may have ſome refreſhing, and ſuccour, and ſupply in their declining ſtate, yet as their apoſtacies and backſlidings are perpetuall, as the Text ſaith they are, ſeeing they repent not to give God glory, the Lord hath ſet it down, (and the Scripture muſt be fulfilled) they will go on in their rage and blaſphemie againſt the God of Iſrael, and what will the iſſue of that be? Truly, if men proſper in hardneſſe of heart and blaſphemy, then let Pharaoh proſper of old, and let all wicked States proſper; but the Lord ſent judgement upon judgement, upon Pharaoh, firſt upon the waters, and then upon the fruits of the field, at length he came to Murrain of the Beaſts, and then a plague upon their firſt-born; and when that ſerved not, then the wrath of God came upon the red Sea, and over-whelmed them all: This is Gods manner of dealing, and let the Imperiall State, and all blaſphemers know it, that they ſhall not proſper in ſtouting it out againſt the Lord, but (believe it) as they have begun to fall before reformed Churches, ſo they ſhall ſurely fall: As it was told Haman in Eſter 6.13. If this Mordecai be of the ſeed of the Iews, before whom thou haſt begun to fall, thou ſhalt not prevail, but ſhalt ſurely fall before him: So fall they will, and in falling they ſhall fall, and yet more and more fall, till the Lord hath cut them off, root & branch: there is more judgments, you ſhall read of a further Vial upon the throne of the Beaſt, and upon the air, and then Babilon is fallen, it is not long till then, there is but three Vials more, and whether ſome of them be not yet begun to be poured out, it is not yet ſo cleer: Let them know it for their terrour, and we for our comfort, the Lord will go on in deſtroying to deſtroy them. It is a ſpeech the Lord often uſeth, in Iſaiah 9.12, 13, 14. Yet for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill: Why? For the people turn not to him that ſmites them, neither do they ſeek the Lord of hoaſts; and when they do not turn to him, then the hand of the Lord is not drawn back, but ſtretched out ſtill: that is the conſtant courſe of Gods providence, as the people turn not to him that ſmites them, ſo the Lord will go on, and cut off head and tail, branch and ruſh in one day, ancient, honorable, he is the head; and the Prophet that teacheth lyes, hee is the tail, &c.
For a ſecond Uſe of this Point,
This may ſerve to teach us, that the Lord is the chief Governour, Ʋſe 2 and hath the chief power of all the plagues and judgements that do fall upon men: And that aggravates the impenitencie of theſe wicked men, that they do not fall under his hand that hath power over theſe plagues, but ſtill go on hardning themſelves againſt him whoſe plague is upon them. Therefore he hath power over them, and he will maintain it, and the judgements ſhall go on deſtroying to deſtroy, till like Vials of quick-ſilver they have rooted them out from the land of the living: Is there any evil in the City, which the Lord hath not done? Amos 3.6. If a man were to ſpeak to Chriſtian Princes in other parts, how might a man call upon them, to beware of timerouſneſſe, and fear, in provoking the diſpleaſure of the houſe of Auſtria, or of the Pope? For the wrath of God is gone out againſt that State, and the Pope, and the Lord hath power over theſe plagues: Why ſhould we fear all the power of the houſe of Auſtria, or Papall thunderbolts, when the Lord hath you under his hand, when he means to go on plaguing to plague? Shall men underprop this rotten building which the Lord intends to deſtroy? This curſed fabrick which the Lord will ruinate? Do you think to ſtrengthen your ſelves by them, when they are not able to help themſelves? No, it is a time of Gods plague; and therefore it is a warning and Trumpet to all Chriſtian nations, and to us, do not think if we ſhall not yield to this and that of Antichriſt, then Churches and Magiſtrates ſhall never ſubſiſt, fear it not; I tell you, all the States that cleave to Popery, ſhall fall with Popery, if they continue in it: Indeed if the Lord reſcue and redeem them with a mighty hand, and bow their power and Crown, to comply with the Lord Jeſus and his people, they may ſave themſelves and their Kingdoms; but otherwiſe it is not poſſible for them to proſper, in maintaining this ruinous Babylon that haſtens to deſtruction. The Lords plagues they are, and it is not all the power of men, or Princes, no nor of Angels in heaven, nor devils in hell, that can take off the plagues that God hath ſet on.
Thirdly, it teacheth us what is the duty of all the ſons of men Vſe 3 under Gods hand, namely to repent of ſin, which hath brought Gods hand, for this is an aggravation of the wickedneſſe of theſe lights, that they repented not to give God glory, when the vials of Gods wrath was upon them, but ſtil grew more wicked, even to blaſpheme: What ſaith the Apoſtle Peter? Humble your ſelves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, 1 Pet. 5.6. Hath the Lord begun to ſmite the common ſtate, and it may be the body of the countrey, in that which is the ſinewes of trading, in the ſcarcities of moneyes? Brethren do you think it is not a judgement of God? Is not the ſilver and gold his? and hath he it not for this ſtate as well as for others, if we had not ſome wayes provoked him? Did he not take it away from them in Hagge, when they neglected Temple work? And did not he ſay, The ſilver and gold is mine, 1 Hag. 6. and 2 Hag. 6.7, 8? Hath not the Lord blaſted us, becauſe we grew cold hearted, and formall in Church-fellowſhip, and confident, and warme, and bold-hearted in matters pertaining to our ſelves and to the world, and in matters that tended onelyonly to tumult? What then? In ſuch a caſe marvell not, if the Lord ſend forth a Vial of his wrath upon us, and curſe our bleſſings, that that which within theſe 4, or 5, years was but a drug, and men would not labour for money, they would have corne, and be glad of it, they would have proviſions. Now proviſions are a drug, Beef and Butter, it is not currant now, men will give no money for it, they will not part with it: Is it not a Vial of his wrath, or at leaſt a twig of his rod? And is it not meet now to repent, and give him glory, that hath power over this plague, that we be not ſenſleſſe, and obdurate? And doth not the Lord ſay he will curſe our bleſſings, he ſaith ſo to Miniſters, and will any be free? Will any proſper when they lay not Gods hand to heart, but make a trifling buſineſſe of it? but make account the Lord calls men to ſerious conſideration of it.
To make an end, Let this be the laſt Uſe.
Ʋſe 4 To teach you what the nature and practiſe of Repentance is: What is the nature and practiſe of it? It is lively ſet forth in the Text (I might be large herein) they repented not to give God glory: So there is the proper act of repentance, when it runnes right, in a right chanell, it gives God glory: What glory doth it give God? Firſt, it gives him the glory of his Soveraignty, the Text is plain, as They gave not glory to God that hath power over theſe plagues; they are Gods plagues, and he hath power to ſend them, and we ſee his hand in them, his plagues they are, and that is the firſt thing in repentance, to ſee it is the hand of God in this kind, and that kind, in any kind that may befall us, Give God the glory of his ſoveraignty, who hath ſent theſe plagues, and this will help us to repentance.
2. Give him the glory of his Juſtice, that hath ſent them moſt juſtly for his part, and on our part moſt deſervedly: Neh. 9.33. The faithfull in Iſrael ſay, Thou art juſt in all that is come up n us, we have dealt wickedly, and thou haſt done righteouſly. Thus repentance gives God the glory of his Juſtice, as well as of his Soveraignty: we have provoked God to plague us in this or that kind, whether I ſpeak to publick States or private perſons, if any evill lyes upon us, it is the hand of God, whether it come for one end or other, and (beleeve it) it is for us to give him the glory of his juſtice, as well as of his ſoveraignty: We have given him juſt cauſe by our worldly mindedneſſe, by our eſtrangement from the Lord, and ſpirituall work, and falling ſhort of our ſpirituall aimes and ends: we cut ſhort our growth in Chriſtianity, and the Lord cuts ſhort our outward eſtate: Doe you think a Chriſtians outward eſtate ſhall proſper, when his inward eſtate growes leaner and leaner? And as you give him the glory of his juſtice and ſoveraignty. So,
3. Give him the glory of his truth, which theſe wicked perſons would not give him the glory of: To acknowledge their religion was a dead ſea, like Mare mortuum, to acknowledge the bloudthirſtineſſe of their Prieſts and Jeſuits, they ſhall drink bloud therefore, they would not acknowledge reformation, but blaſphemed it as hereticall innovation, and therefore the Lord had poured a vial upon their great lights in Church and Common-wealth, and will doe it more and more till they be conſumed; they give not God the glory of his truth: As Ioſhuah ſaid to Achan. Ioſh. 7.19 My ſon give glory to God, and tell me truly what thou haſt done: And he told him truly, there was ſome hope of ſome ſeed of repentance; and it is not poſſible a man ſhould truly repent before God, in confeſſing what hath been wickedly done, if he denyes any thing that his conſcience tels him is truth: Nay, ſome give God the glory, and tell me now what thou haſt done? If a man hide it under his tongue, it is not poſſible hee ſhould repent, why? for he cannot give God glory, he gives him not the glory of his truth, and then there is no repentance. And,
4. What doth repentance give God the glory of? as of his ſoveraignty, and juſtice, and truth, in making humble confeſſion of it where we are called, if we have juſt occaſion; ſo the Lord requires that we ſhould give him the glory of his mercy and grace, that we looke for all our pardon and mercy in the bloud of the Lord Jeſus, and in unfeigned ſeeking after fellowſhip with him, beleeving on his grace, confeſſing what is ſinfull, turning from our evill wayes, laying hold of eternall life, & of every gift of the Spirit, that might quicken us in every ſpirituall duty, that we might depend upon his grace for pardon, and healing of our bottomleſſe depth of unbeleefe for the changing of our hearts, and quickening of our ſpirits; this gives God the glory of his grace, thus repentance doth: In the 130. Pſal. 3, 4. If thou Lord ſhouldeſt marke iniquity, who then ſhould ſtand? There they give him the glory of his juſtice; but there is pardon with thee that thou maiſt be feared, there they give him the glory of his pardoning mercy; thus ought all to doe, that unfaignedly deſire to walk in the ſerious practiſe and uſe of repentance: You never repent kindly whiles a ſpirit of bondage lyes upon you, and makes you ſenſible of the wrath of God and hell, that alone will never bring forth kindly repentance, but when the Lord helps us to give him the glory of his power, that he ſwayes and rules in all, and that wee give him the glory of his juſtice, that hath righteouſly plagued us, and the glory of his truth to confeſſe truly what is done amiſſe, and the glory of his grace to pardon ſin, and heale the ſoule, this is repentance, and without this there is no repentance: It is a wonder to ſee when people provoke God and the Church, how little able they are to give God glory, but take glory to themſelves ſtill, it was thus and thus, and might have been interpreted thus and thus, it is a wonder to ſee how little they give God the glory, our own glory lyes ſo neere us: And therefore it behoves us, as we deſire ſincerity, to repent; ſo to make conſcience of giving him glory, let all run in that ſtreame, that we acknowledge his juſtice, and truth, and mercy, and grace, and look up to him for receiving from him whatever is of his mercy and grace needfull for us, and then we ſhall avoid thoſe plagues and judgements which are threatned or gone forth againſt us, and ſhall recover from under Gods hand, like gold out of the fire.