Divine Drops Distilled from the Fountain of Holy Scripture, Part 1
ISAIAH 9. 12, 13, &c.
For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill, &c.
MY intention is not to expound this Scripture, but onelyonly at this time to take occaſion from the main drift of it, to inſtruct you a little in that we are about. The main drift of it, is this, That here the Lord by the Prophet threatens many, and grievous judgments that ſhould come upon this people; you ſhall ſee who they are in the Chapter. I ſay they were many, and they were ſore and grievous: And the Lord doth begin (as his uſual maner is) with ſome firſt, and with the leaſt; and when the people would not turn to him that ſmote them, then the Lord would ſend another plague on them: For that is the meaning of that phraſe, His hand is ſtretched out ſtill. They went on in wickedneſs, and then the Lord ſends another plague, His hand is ſtretched out ſtill. The ſtretching out of Gods hand is the executing of judgment upon wicked people uſually: So that he goes on with very fore judgments, as here in this Chapter it is ſaid, A man ſhall eat the fleſh of his own arm, and yet the hand of the Lord is ſtretched out ſtill. A man would think that were the ſoreſt that could be; a man would think that were enough, yet notwithſtanding the hand of the Lord is ſtretched out ſtill.
It is the maner of God throughout the Scripture, The maner of Gods proceeding to, and in judgments.to defer judgments a long while before they come, and when they come, he ſends them by degrees; but when they come, uſually they are many, and ſore; and it is uncertain when they will end, as we ſee in Levit. 26. Amos 4. Iſai. 5. And here, and in ſome of the Chapters following, His hand is ſtretched out ſtill.
Juſt ſo (beloved) it is with us at this time, as I ſhall Application to our times.ſhew you briefly, (for I told you I would not expound, but take a word to quicken your hearts, and mine, that we may ſpeak unto the Lord more adviſedly.) You know, a little while agone, we thought that the Lord was coming to end the wars. The Lord gave us victory upon victory, after many corrections, and judgments before; and we thought they were now over, but we were deceived, as we were many times before. You know God hath been many times about to end our miſeries, but he hath ſent back for his mercies, and ſo he hath done now; he hath very ſtrangely called back his mercies, and loving kindneſs, and hath ſtretched out his hand many ways againſt us. God begins to raiſe up enemies again, and to ſtrengthen them; he ſuffers the enemy to break in among us, beſides all expectation: And how long, or how far God will ſtretch out his hand that way, who knoweth?
Let me deal plainly with you: For this day we The cauſe of Gods judgment to be ſought in our ſelves.ſhould deal plainly with God, and our own ſouls; and however through the week we look for Reaſons and Cauſes of things in a natural way, who followed, and who were the Commanders, and what were the Forces, and the like: yet it ſhould be the buſineſs of this day to judg of things ſpiritually, to ſee ſpiritual Reaſons.
And here we ſee in this Chapter, and many ſuch, That God ſtretcheth out his hand, while there is ſome continuation of ſins, or ſome new provocation againſt the Lord; therefore, (it may be God hath many more ends in it, as doubtleſs he hath, but) certainly there is ſome ſtrange provocation of God among us, that the Lord deals ſo with us again. And all this, that we may now ſee, that the miſeries that are beginning to riſe, they are but the ſtretching out of Gods hand: It is Gods Thoſe are wilful, provoking ſins.hand; and as of private perſons, ſo of publike Nations; it is not common frailties that grieve the Spirit, but ſome wilful wickedneſs. When a man hath ſin at the ſlaves end, and yet lets it come in to his boſome, and when he ſees ſin through the Key-hole, and yet opens the door, and lets it come in: So in a Nation it is not frailties and weakneſs; there will be whoredom, and drunkenneſs (though theſe provoke God.) It is not ſo much this, as ſome wicked provocations of God that are among us. Therefore in a word give me leave a little to tell you what I conceive, what I fear rather, what is the reaſon why God afreſh and anew ſtretcheth out his arme, when we thought his ſword was half put up, yet now it comes out again, and God knows how far it will go, or how long it will continue.
Beloved, we ſhould be born with in ſearching our ſelves, and beholding and confeſsing our ſins, and the ſins of thoſe that are among us, eſpecially in ſuch days as theſe, unleſſe we will deale hypocritically with God, and proclaim a faſt day, and come to humble your ſouls, and no man look after his own ſins, and men not be allowed to bewaile the common ſins. I was conſidering, that the Saints before, confeſſed their own ſins, and the ſins of others, of their Princes, and Magiſtrates, and great ones; and the true prophets were bold to tell them alſo of their ſins. Therefore though I delight not (God he knoweth) of any thing to ſpeak of mens ſins; and if I do, the Lord he knoweth, I am more willing thorow his What they are among us.grace to ſee my own then any mans ſins, and to ſpeak of them and bewaile them. Therefore I ſay, I hope you will bear with me if I tell you my heart (if I now were on my death-bed) what I think (according to this bleſſed book) provokes the Lord that now ſo terribly he threatneth us again when we thought his anger was over. Therefore I pray hear me, I ſhall be brief.
The firſt thing that I fear highly provokes God among 1. A formal practice of penltential duties.us (and as long as we ſtretch out this line of ſin, he will ſtretch out the line of wrath) That is, our formall humiliation, and repentance, and faſting and ſuch like things. I do not ſpeak (neither can any man that hath charity think I ſpeak) againſt humiliation, or repentance, or faſting, I deſire to practiſe it: but our humiliation, and faſting, and praying, and repentance, and theſe things, they grow every day more formall then other, that truly there is almoſt nothing but formality in the eye of ſpirituall Chriſtians, and they begin to loath it, how much more the Lord who is a pure Spirit, whoſe eyes are brighter then the Sun? In Iſay 1. you ſhall read that the Lord puniſhed, and chaſtiſed the people, that there was no whole part in them from the crown of the head to the ſole of the foot. Juſt as you do with an untoward childe, one while you ſtrike him on the head, another while you whip him, another while you cudgell him on the ſhoulders, till at laſt the childe be all bruiſed and wounded: ſo the Lord ſent for the Aſſyrians, he ſent ſickneſſe and famine, that the Lord had not left an inch whole, and the people were very devout for all that; they faſted, and prayed, and the Lord ſixteen times in that Chapter ſaith, I will none of them, away with them, they are an abomination to me, they are iniquity. They were ſo far from being reconciled to God by this kinde of faſting and humiliation, and the like, that doubtleſſe they provoke God as much, if not more then any other way. Therefore bleſſed is that man or woman that mournes for this, not onelyonly on this day, but ſecretly before the Lord, this formality. I fear the Lord may ſay to us as to thoſe people in Iſay 65. this people take upon them to be holy, I am holier then thou, yet they are like ſmoke in my noſtrills all the day long. I fear our faſt dayes are the moſt ſmoky dayes in Gods noſtrills of all the dayes of the yeer. Therefore the Lord open our eyes, and the Lord finde a way to deliver us from formality in theſe things: If not, I fear the hand of God will be ſtretched out more and more. That is one thing that in my ſerious thoughts I think God is offended with.
Secondly, as our formall humiliation, ſo our feigned reformation. It is the ſcriptures word as Calvin ſhews, 2 A feigned reformation.of reformation, It is that you have in Ierem. 3. 10. ſaith the Lord, I corrected Iſrael, yet for all this her treacherous ſiſte Iudah did not turn to me with her whole heart, but feignedly. Here is a great deal of ſtirre about reformation, here is a great deal of cry, but a little reality. Look to our congregations, to our ordinances, to every thing among us, you may put all in a little piece of paper; There is a great deal of ſtirre about the Sacrament, and the mixed multitude, and the Service▪book, and I know not what. We muſt ſpeak plainly before the Lord this day, there is a great deal of ſtirre, and abundance of people ſlain in the world, and ruined, and plundered, and Towns burnt, and all for reformation, and people think there is a glorious reformation, but God knows where it is, only there is a great ſtirre about it: therefore I ſay let every honeſt heart mourne before the Lord, we have ſhed reall blood, we have paid reall money we have taken reall paines, and brought upon people a world of miſerie, they have need to have ſome reall reformation, that they may have ſome reality. I ſpeak but a word, I deſire you even before the Lord that ye would think more of this then I ſpeak.
The third thing among us that I fear draws out 3. Vices of miniſters.Gods hand ſtill, it is the flattery, and pride, and covetouſneſs, and apoſtaſy of divers miniſters, Their flattery, that is, divers now are grown ſo wiſe and ſo diſcreet now in ſuch a time as this, when the Lord would teach us to ſee our ſins with a maul as we ſay, yet we will not ſpeak, we will not deal plainly, we will not tell men of their ſins: We have opportunity to tell Magiſtrates, and great ones, they would be told, and be thankfull: but we are apt to ſooth them, and to flatter them, and if they humour us as we would have them, they are brave men, zealous men, Oh, it is a ſad thing! Then the pride and height of miniſters every day growing more and more, eſpecially after a little victory, there is a deal of preaching, and ſtatelineſs. I have no pleaſure to ſpeak of theſe things, but I deſire that we ſhould be wiſer.
And ſuch covetouſneſs, ſuch ſhifting wayes to multipliy livings, and to get eſtates in the world; theſe are too palpable.
Then the apoſtaſy of miniſters, There are diverſe miniſters that were comforts to Gods people before in the Biſhops times, that would preach the will of God, and comfort poor people: now there is nothing left but railing againſt Gods people, calling them Hereticks, and ſchiſmaticks, that it is a wonder to think. God ſees this grow more and more, and if he ſhould end our war and give us peace, we were undone. God will keep it up to help to pull down the pride, and covetouſneſs, and ambition of Miniſters, to bring them down low to love their brethren, and to love honeſt hearts as before. The Lord do it, or elſe this war will never end, or the end will be as bad as if it had never ended.
Another thing I fear, that there is a generall (put 4. Hardneſs of heart.me in if you will: for I may put in my ſelf) hardneſs of heart, that grows on us againſt reproof; people even Chriſtians are grown ſo peeviſh that no body muſt reprove, or admoniſh one another for matter of judgement or life; none muſt tell another his fault, if he do, they will quarrell preſently, he that Pro. 29. 1.hardeneth his neek, being oft reprooved, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy. When men will not be told, magiſtrates, and miniſters, and people when they harden themſelves daily that it is enough to impriſon a man with ſome kinde of people in the moſt loving, and ſincere way in the world to tell them of their faults. This is the time when a man is made an offender for a word, This is a miſerie: the Lord give us hearts like the bleeding heart of Ieremiah, Jer. 9. that we may weep and mourne in ſecret for it.
Then fiftly, that that provokes God highly (I fear) 5. The vices of Officers.is the covetouſneſs, and ſelf-ſeeking, and perfidiouſneſs, among Commanders, and Officers, That provokes God; as in reaſon it drew on the war, as in Germanie, the Mercinary ſouldiers; ſo alſo in a ſpirituall ſenſe. And it is to be feared that men grow to make a trade of war, and he that can get a good place, the longer the war holds the better it is, and ſo they have deviſes to make good his eſtate while he is in; and people learn every day to make a miſerable vertue of neceſſity, to make a ſweet, and fine life of our miſeries, and when they come to the work, then ſuch a one betrayed ſuch a Town, and ſuch a one betrayed ſuch a Caſtle, and ſuch a one ran away from the Field, that coſt ten thouſand pounds before he came there. As it troubles us in ſenſe, and reaſon, ſo it provokes God; and Gods end to keep on the war may be to diſcover theſe wretches more and more, and to bring them to ruine. Therefore if there be any Officer, or Committee man, or Souldier here, whatſoever thou art, thou art a curſed man if thy heart delight in riches, and wealth that thou getteſt when they poor brethren and ſiſters are ready to periſh in this time of need. Take heed, it provokes God, and draws out the hand of God anew, and God knowes how far it will be drawn out.
Then alſo there is another thing that I fear (for I 6. Breaches and diviſions among the Saints.ſpeak of great things, not of ordinary frailties) that is the tuchineſs, and diviſions among the Saints, that daily multiply and increaſe, and are no way cloſed, and ſome talk, but there are few that take a ſerious courſe to cloſe them in any meaſure. Now theſe diviſions, and wranglings among the Saints, (whereas the Saints ſhould be at peace, and by being ſo honour Chriſt by their union) by theſe open diviſions, many turn ſeekers, and many down right atheiſts. The Lord will not bear this, he will whip them together, Wo to thee that art a profeſſor, that delighteſt in having any thing to diſſent from thy brethren: ſome people are never well, but when they have crotchets wherein they diſſent from their brethren with delight: wo to thee, thou haſt a foul curſed heart; and though it be a truth and thou muſt needs diſſent from them, yet it would be a ſorrow to diſſent if thou hadſt a godly heart.
Seventhly, ſuch a deal of blaſphemy, ſuch hereſies, for 7. Hereſy & blaſphemy.I may call them ſo (if any thing) ſuch errours, and groſſe ones increaſe daily, and hugely increaſe among thoſe that ſeemed to be godly once and profeſſors, as denying the ſcriptures, denying Chriſt Ieſus, denying the reſurrection, calling God every thing, and every thing God, confounding God and the creature together, and abundance of ſuch hideous blaſphemous things, and they grow on wofully, eſpecially in our City: theſe things highly provoke God, the Lord give us hearts, to mourne for them.
Then there is another thing all along, I fear, that provo…s God, that is, the oppreſsion of the poor Saints 8 Oppreſſion.both in ſoul and body: that throughout this Kingdom as far as ever I could ſee or hear, in all theſe wars in any Town or City, if there be half a dozen poor Saints, they pay as much as the Malignants to our men, and the other ſide come, and ruine them; I never heard that they paid leſs, but more, beſide loanes, and contributions. Theſe things go high, and though we take no notice of it, there is one that takes notice of the cry of the oppreſſed, and the widdow.
And then our ſelf-love, and hardneſſe of heart againſt the poor Saints in their diſtreſs, that every one thinks 9. Self-love and hard▪ heartedneſſe.they have help too little for themſelves, and their families. Indeed we did help one another a little in the beginning of theſe troubles; but now the miſeries are ſo many, and ſo many are in diſtreſs, that we do not look after them, but let them do as they can. And this is too rife in this city, that we have not a conſtant care of thoſe poor people among us that are either ſtrangers or inhabitants that are ready to periſh with want in theſe times. And it is the generall diſpoſition of people in this City, that if they can get the enemy three or fourſcore miles off, if they can keep the enemy at Newark, or in Wales, or in the Weſt in Cornwall, they care not, they lay it not to heart: but if he come to Hertford-ſhire, or Cambridge▪ſhire, then they will do any thing, they will lend or give. There is a great deal of ſelf-love, and of hardneſſe to poore people. Why ſhould we not pity the poor Saints in the North, as thoſe in Hertfordſhire? There are many, and many poor children. We have not bowels of compaſſion, and in my apprehenſion that little there is, is ſhutting up more and more.
There is another thing, and ſo let me draw to an 10. Prevarication in calling evill good and è contrario.end, and that is a thing that grows among us wofully, it amazeth me, and in my conſcience it would amaze me if I were a carnall man, if I were as once I was in the ſtate of nature. What is that? you have learned a way to pervert, to call evill good, and good evil, both for things and perſons, againſt light and conſcience. This is grown ordinary, as it is ſaid in Iſaiah, ſaith he, therefore Gods hand is ſtretched out, why ſo? They call evill good, and good evil. We are as he ſaid Rome was, let a man ſtay in Rome that knowes how to turn black to white and white to black: ſo, many times people raile at things that in their conſcience are the wayes, and the will, and the things of God. And ſuch a perſon; becauſe he is not favored in the world, when they come in company, and ſee every body raile at him, they will do ſo too. There are few people that in all places, and companies, ſpeak as they think. The truth and right is, this grows wofully, therefore the hand of the Lord muſt be ſtretchedout ſtill.
There is one thing more that I will not nor 11. Apoſtaſy.cannot ſay poſitively it is ſo, but if it ſhould be ſo, I am ſure it provokes God highly, that is, a kind of a generall apoſtaſy (I fear) in the City of London, examine your ſelves. The City of London a few yeers ago was famous over the world for their zeale, and readineſs. What a deal a do there was to get Arms, and to lend Plate, and if there were a Malignant, you had him to juſtice: then the zeal of the City of London quickened up the Parliament: but now the zeal of the Parliament may rather quicken the City of London, that is my thoughts and my fear. Therefore I wiſh that you would not make a mocking work of this, when you talk of humiliation, and faſting, and keep people from their trading; let us deal really with our ſelves, and if it be thus, let us deſire the Lord to help us to our firſt works, and our firſt love, and zeale for God and his people.