Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 3 · Sermon 44
SERMON XLIV.
Habbakuk I. 13.
Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookeſt thou on them that deal treacherouſly and holdeſt thy Tongue, when the wicked man devoureth the man that is more righteous than he; And makeſt men as the Fiſh of the Sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
I Begin (as you ſee) where I left in my laſt exerciſe. I left with a quotation out of the prophecy of Habbakuk which is now my Text, nor could any thing be more proper; for you ſee it containeth in terms the Queſtion I am this day ſpeaking to. In the beginning of this Chapter and Prophecy, the Prophet had been complaining unto God of the exceeding wickedneſs, and incorrigibleneſs of the Jews. God replying to him had told him, what poſſibly he did not expect (deſiring not the ruin but reformation of his people) that he was about to put an end to their wickedneſs, v. 6. Raiſing up the Caldeans a bitter and haſty nation, which ſhould march through the breadth of the land, to poſſeſs the dwellings which were not theirs; terrible, and dreadful, &c. An enemy every way qualified to execute Gods utmoſt vengeance upon this people. This quite ſurpriſeth and aſtoniſheth the good prophet, and ſends him in haſt unto God again, v. 13. ſaith he, Art not thou from everlaſting, O Lord my God, mine holy one? we ſhall not dye, O Lord, thou haſt ordained them for Judgment, and O mighty God thou haſt eſtabliſhed them for correction; then follow the words of my Text, Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity: wherefore lookeſt thou on them that deal treacherouſly, and holdeſt thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man, that is more righteous then he? Habbakuk lookt upon this as a very ſad diſpenſation, and what ſtumbled him as to the righteouſneſs of God, therefore he puts it in that phraſe, the man that is more righteous than he, and addeth, and makeſt men as the fiſhes of the Sea, as creeping things of the Earth which have no ruler over them. Thoſe brute ſenſitive creatures are not ruled by any rules of juſtice or righteouſneſs; thoſe of them that have moſt natural ſtrength and power, devour thoſe who have leſs: but now men are reaſonable creatures, and ſhould be acted by principles of reaſon and juſtice amongſt them, might ſhould not overcome right. But, O Lord, in this diſpenſation of thy Providence thou ſeemeſt to govern the reaſonable part of the world like the brutiſh, and ſenſitive part of it. The Jews though they be a ſinful people, yet they are more righteous than the Caldeans, they are a brutiſh people and have no right againſt the Jews; ſhall thy Providence ſo order the affaires of the world, that thoſe who have moſt power in their hand, though they have no right, ſhall trample down thy people, and eat them up like bread? Lord! this were to make men like the fiſh of the Sea, like the creeping things of the Earth, which have none over them, to govern them by any rules of juſtice or righteouſneſs. Lord, why doth thy Providence thus govern humane affaires? This I conceive the ſenſe of the words. The queſtion which remains to be ſpoken to is this.
Queſt. How it can conſiſt with the Juſtice of God in the motions of his Actual Providence to ſuffer wicked men to devour thoſe who are more righteous than themſelves.
I am the more willing to ſpeak to this becauſe it is a diſpenſation under which many, of thoſe that fear the Lord in this nation have ſuffered: we have ſeen good men rifled, their goods taken from them, we cannot ſay but they have deſerved this, and far more than this from the hand of Divine Juſtice; but though they have deſerved this, yet we are ready to think it is hard that they ſhould ſuffer this from ſuch miſcreants as take the Spoil, and God will certainly one day fetch the blood of his people and their abominations out of their mouths. We are prone to think that God ſhould not ſuffer his people to be devoured, by thoſe who are more unrighteous then they are. The Text gives you an account.
1. Of a great diſorder in the world, at leaſt a diſpenſation of Providence which Habakkuk thought ſo. Men dealt treacherouſly; the wicked devoured the men who were more righteous than themſelves.
2. It gives you an account of Gods carriage under this diſorder. God looked upon men, that is, he ſeemed to look upon the men that dealt treacherouſly, and to hold his peace while Sinners devoured the more righteous perſons. God by the motions of his Providence ſeemed rather to favour, than frown upon theſe diſorders. Hence might be obſerved theſe two propoſitions.
1. Prop. That it is no unuſual diſpenſation of Providence for God to ſuffer the wicked to devour thoſe that are more righteous than themſelves.
2. Prop. That this diſpenſation hath been matter of ſtumbling, and a very ſore temptation even to the ſervants of God.
For the firſt as to matter of fact there is nothing more demonſtrable, look over the whole Hiſtory of Scripture, the Hiſtory of all times, you will find it true; the world began with Cains killing Abel, it went on with the Egyptians, the Amalekites, the Philiſtines, the Babilonians devouring of the only people which God had in the world. Now I ſay this hath been heretofore, and doubtleſs is at this time a great temptation to Gods people. Habakkuk complains of it in the Text. Job complained, Job 30.1. That thoſe who were younger than he had him in deriſion, even thoſe whoſe Fathers he would have diſdained to have ſet with the dogs of his table. Shemei a dead dog, as he called him, curſed David and Doeg the Informer prevails againſt all the Lords Prieſts, Judas another Informer devoureth him who is the Lord of life. It is a diſpenſation that hath often put the ſervants of God into unſeemly paſſions, James and John would have had fire come down from Heaven as in Elijahs time, to have deſtroyed the Samaritans. Peter was out of patience to ſee the Informer come with a company, with Swords and Staves to take his Maſter, and in his paſſion draweth a Sword, and with it cuts off the ear of the ſervant of the high prieſt. David himſelf when God offered him the choice of three Judgments, deſired rather to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men. I ſay it is and hath often been a very ſore temptation, advantaged partly from Nature, partly from ſome Religious reflections.
That which in humane nature advantageth this temptation, is, 1. The diſdain every man naturally hath to ſuffer an injury from one beneath himſelf: when Gideon would have had his Son Jether, have fallen upon thoſe two Eaſtern Princes Zeba and Zalmuna, they ſaid riſe thou up, and fall upon us; men have a natural diſdain and ſcorn to ſuffer from their inferiours, we ſee it in every days experience. Now although every child of God is low in his own eyes, and in honour preferreth every Saint before himſelf; yet, as St. Paul ſometimes magnified his office againſt the falſe Apoſtles, and counterfeits of his age, though he judged himſelf the leaſt of the Apoſtles, and unworthy of that great Name: ſo they cannot but magnifie themſelves, in compariſon of open profane miſcreants, that are the ſcum, and off ſcouring of the place in which they live; ſuch as are common drunkards, lyars, ſwearers, Sabbath-breakers, and guilty of other debaucheries, the very ſcabs of the body politick, and ſpots of the Aſſemblies to which they are united.
2. Every man naturally hath a regret at the receiving of injuries from thoſe from whom he hath deſerved no ſuch thing. Now the People of God are perſons of innocence, who have done no wrong to their worſt Enemies; they have loved their Enemies, prayed for them, been ready to do any offices of love to them, and know not how to bear an injury from thoſe to whom they have done no wrong. This was that which troubled Davids Spirit, Pſal. 35.12, 13. They rewarded me evil for good to the ſpoiling of my Soul, but as for me when they were ſick, my cloathing was ſackcloath, I humbled my Soul with faſting, and my prayer returned into my own boſom; I behaved myſelf as though he had been my friend, or brother, I bowed down heavily, as one that mourned for my mother. But in mine adverſity they rejoyced, and gathered themſelves together, yea the abjects gathered themſelves together againſt me, and I knew it not; yea they did tear me, and ceaſed not, with hypocritical mockers at feaſts they gnaſhed upon me with their teeth. Lord how long wilt thou look on? Reſcue my Soul from their deſtructions.
2. This temptation is likewiſe advantaged from ſome Religious reflections.
1. From a reflection upon the purity, and holineſs of God. O Lord (ſaith our Prophet in my Text,) thou art of purer Eyes then to behold iniquity. How a juſt and pure and holy God ſhould look on, and hold his peace to ſee a company of vile wretches tearing and devouring his own people, this is a knowledg (at firſt view) too wonderful for them.
2. From a reflexion upon the promiſes and threatnings of God; they look into the holy word of God, and find that full of promiſes of good to Gods People, of threatnings of wrath and vengeance to wicked men; inſtead of this, they ſee vile men building up Palaces to themſelves upon their ruins, and adorning themſelves with their Ornaments; the houſes of the profane furniſhed, and adorned with that which is not theirs; inſtead of the wicked mans preparing garments, and the juſt mans putting them on (as Job ſpeaketh) they ſee good and righteous men preparing garments, and leud and ungodly men put them on; they ſee the ſpoil of ſuch as fear the Lord in the tents of leud and ungodly men.
3. From a reflexion upon the Decrees of God: O Lord, (ſaith our Prophet) thou haſt ordained them for deſtruction; O mighty God, thou haſt eſtabliſhed them for correction: they conſider leud and wicked men, as men whom God by a fixed act of his Will hath ordained to judgment, as perſons who by the eſtabliſhed counſel of God are to be deſtroyed, and they cannot expound the Providence of God into a conſiſtency with his eternal purpoſe, when they ſee them not only live, proſper, and grow old, but alſo live by the death of ſuch as fear God, and build their neſts on high with feathers which they have plucked from their wings. From theſe, and other cauſes, ariſeth this trouble and coil in the ſpirits of Gods people. Fluctus eſt, Tentatio eſt (as Auguſtine ſaith) it is a great wave, a great temptation and trouble; and even Gods own people here, are ready to think they ſee a knot in the thred of providence, a ſtone of ſtumbling, and a rock of offence in the even ways of the Lords dealing. Let me indeavour in a few words to unty this knot, to remove this ſtone. Four or five things I ſhall ſpeak, one or other of which, or all together, will make this way of the Lord plain to every ſober and underſtanding Chriſtian.
1. How is God to his people more hard, or unrighteous in ſuch a diſpenſation, than he was to the ſon of his deareſt love? Our bleſſed Lord hath taught us, That the Diſciple is not above his Maſter, nor the ſervant above his Lord; it is enough for the Diſciple that he be as his Maſter, and the Servant as his Lord, Matt. 10.24, 25. 'Tis true, the chief Informer againſt our Lord, was one of his hoſhold, Judas; but he was a ſon of perdition, the only ill member of all the 12. Who were his witneſſes, but a company of perjured wretches, who could not agree in their teſtimony? Who mockt him and ſcourged him? Herod, a monſter for all manner of wickedneſs. Who were they that ſpit upon him; that cried out crucifie him, crucifie him; that gave him Gall and Vinegar to drink? were they not the abjects of the people? Thou art not able to conceive of Gods righteouſneſs, in giving thee over, and thy eſtate over to a Renegado, an apoſtate from his former profeſſion, to wretches who make no conſcience what they ſay, what they ſwear, what they do: How was he righteous in giving over the Son of his love to ſuch wretches? We are never ſo like to our Lord and Maſter, as when we are betrayed by a Judas, informed againſt, and teſtified againſt by falſe and perjured wretches, mockt and abuſed by the abjects and off ſcouring of the people: If God might be a juſt and righteous God in ſuffering theſe things to be done to the green tree, ſurely he may ſuffer them to be done unto us who are dry trees. Thou art troubled that God ſhould ſuffer profane ſcoffers to call thee hypocrite, and haſt a temptation to think God is not juſt to thee in ſuffering it; knoweſt, or remembreſt thou not what contradiction of ſinners Chriſt endured, how they ſaid of him, that he did caſt out Devils, by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils? When thy ſpirit riſeth againſt thy adverſaries, oh think of Chriſt who was the Captain of all our Salvation. But further yet,
2. Before thou in thy thoughts paſſeſt ſentence againſt God and his righteouſneſs, conſider with thy ſelf by whom wouldeſt thou have God to chaſtiſe his people? It is written That all who will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, muſt ſuffer perſecution. Now ſuppoſing perſecution one of thoſe ſpecies or kinds of affliction which, God hath a liberty to Scourge, and chaſten his people by; Who ſhould be the perſecutors? couldeſt thou expect that the ſeed of the woman ſhould break the womans head? That ſuch who have taſted of the love of God, ſhould bite and devour one another? Indeed ſometimes (through the prevalence of luſts and paſſions) it proves ſo through miſtakes, and ſuch miſapprehenſions as the beſt are ſubject to and this but in particular rare caſes.
1. But it ſuteth not the ingenuous nature of Gods people to do injury to others: Indeed it ſuteth not any perſons (though of little acquaintance with God) if they be perſons of any goodneſs, and ingenuity of nature; you ſee amongſt us, none but one ſaved from the Gallows for that purpoſe, will be a common hangman: we ſee how ordinary perſons they muſt be that will be perſwaded to be Bayliffs; but now to fall upon the Lords Prieſts is a work only fit for an accurſed Edomite. The Child of God is yet under a further Law than that of a good nature, he is here taught of God to do good to all, to love his enemies, to do good to them that hate him; to love and pray for thoſe who hate him and deſpightfully uſe him; he is ſo far from requiting evil for evil, that he taketh himſelf obliged to return good for evil: Now it is not reaſonable to think that God ſhould make uſe of his own people, who are by himſelf taught the clean contrary; and are obliged by a contrary law, which they have ſo far imbibed, that it is written on their hearts, and ingraven in their ſouls, to puniſh and chaſten his own children. Who ever ſet a Sheep to worry a Sheep? The work of informing againſt, accuſing, chaſtening, ſcourging the people of God, is a work fit for none but profane wretches, drunkards, ſwearers, the debauchees of the world, who have in them ſuch a radicated hatred of God, and ſuch an antipathy to that holineſs which is fountain'd in him; that like as the Baſilisk, they ſay, will fly upon the picture of a man, out of its antipathy to humane nature, they will fly upon every perſon that hath the image and ſuperſcription of God upon his ſoul, and is called by the holy name of God: it is a work that only fitteth thoſe whoſe hearts are poſſeſſed with the poyſon of unrighteouſneſs, and all ſuperfluity of wickedneſs. To do injury to others, ſuteth not an ingenious nature in any perſon; but it much leſs ſuteth the Sanctified nature of a Child of God: few creatures will prey upon their own kind. If a Child of God be to be rent and torn in pieces, to be chaſtened and ſcourged by men, that he may not be condemned in the world; there are none ſo fit to do it, as the Dogs and Swine in the world. I would ask of thee (ſaith an excellent Author) who art under ſuch a temptation as this, Wouldſt thou have the Saints of God perſecute, impriſon, plunder, deſtroy one another? Surely they would then loſe their Majeſty of vertue, their title of Saints. Suppoſing then the work muſt be done; it is as reaſonable to conclude, that it muſt be done by thoſe who are leſs righteous then they are; and not that God ſhould firſt poſſeſs his people with principles and habits of grace diametrically oppoſite to ſuch courſes, and then ſet them on work to practice ſuch things.
2. Give the Lord, I beſeech you, leave to make ſome uſe of the very worſt of men. It is the ſaying of an acute Author, Cur non ex perditis hominibus hoc lucraretur Deus, &c. Why ſhould not God make this profit of the vileſt men? It is true, it is not all the ſervice which God makes wicked men do; but give me leave to tell you, it is one of the greateſt pieces of ſervice God hath from them; they are left in the Land, as the Canaanites were left in Canaan, Judg. 2.3, to be Thorns in the ſides of Gods Iſraelites, to keep the Lords Gaols and Bridewell, his houſes of correction for his people. Take a profane vile wretch, he hath his being from God, and his well-being he hath from God, he eateth Gods bread, and is clothed with Gods wool and flax; What hath God for all this? He ſwears profanely, he blaſphemeth God prodigiouſly, he breaks the Lords Sabbaths, God is diſhonoured by him every day. This ſervice he hath from them, when he hath a Child to be whipped, he turns him over to him; God makes the ſame uſe of wicked men he doth of the Devils, they are his peoples tempters and tormentors. Wicked men are to God, as the Dog to the Shepherd, as the Hawk or Bird of prey to the Faulkener; God uſeth them, to let them fly at his own people ſometimes, and to pick out the eyes of them who are as dear to him as the Apples of his eye. The Aſſyrian in the world ſignifieth little to the ſervice of God, but as as he ſerveth well enough to make a Rod for his anger, and a ſtaff for his indignation, to be ſent againſt an hypocritical Nation, which God can no longer bear with, but is at laſt reſolved to make the people of his wrath.
3. The worſt of men muſt be ſuffered to fill up the meaſures of their iniquities; you know God told Abraham, that the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full; God will have ſinners fill up their meaſures. Now, there is no ſuch way for wicked men to fill up the meaſures of their ſins, and make themſelves ripe, full ripe for Divine vengeance, as for them to fall upon this work of devouring the Servants of God, who are more righteous than themſelves are. I have a good authority for it, Matt. 23.34, Wherefore, behold, I ſend unto you Prophets, and wiſe men, and ſcribes, and ſome of them you ſhall kill and crucifie, and ſome you ſhall ſcourge in your ſynagogues, and perſecute them from city to city, that upon you may come all the righteous blood that hath been ſhed upon the Earth, from the blood of Abel, to the blood of Zechariah, &c. Mark what went before, verſ. 32. Fill you up then the meaſure of your Fathers; you Serpents, you generation of Vipers, how can you eſcape the damnation of Hell. As the Child of God muſt finiſh his work which God hath given him to do; ſo the reprobate muſt fill up his meaſures too. It may be a poor wretch hath been a ſwearer, a Sabbath-breaker, a drunkard, an unclean perſon, many years; God hath born with him, let him alone, there want yet ſome drops to fill up the meaſures of his ſin, he falls upon the people of God, turns a perſecutor, ſmiteth his fellow-ſervants with the fiſt of violence and wickedneſs; then cometh the maſter of that ſervant in an hour when he looketh not for him, and preſently giveth him his portion with Hypocrites, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth: offences muſt come, they will come, but wo be to thoſe by whom they come. Methinks there is a great Emphaſis in thoſe words, That upon you may come all the righteous blood that hath been ſhed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel, &c. There was a great deal of righteous blood ſhed from the time of Abel to the time of Zechariah: what had God let it all ſleep? had God in thoſe hundreds of years reckoned with ſinners for none of it? Yes, certainly God had revenged himſelf of many a blood-thirſty man. But yet Abels blood was not expiated in Chriſts time; there was yet an arrear of reckoning for Abels blood. Well, who ſhall pay for it? even every one that was Cains ſucceſſor in that kind of ſin. You read no ſuch expreſſion in Holy-writ with reference to any other ſin. This ſin, this devouring of perſons more righteous than our ſelves, hath many grains of guilt in it more than any other ſins have; men by it fill up the meaſure of the ſins of a Nation, and they fill up the meaſure of their own perſonal ſins. It is a ſaying (as I remember) of Auguſtines, Nemo habet injuſtum lucrum ſine juſto damno, lucrum habet in arca damnum in conſcientia. No man getteth any unjuſt gain without a juſt loſs; his gain is laid up in his cheſt, but his loſs is in his Conſcience; he gets a penny or two into his purſe, but a ſeal of damnation in his ſoul. I am ſure all the gains any get by devouring the perſons who are more righteous than themſelves, is an unjuſt gain. Yea, though God gives it them, it is unjuſt gain; God is but permiſſive in the caſe, and Gods permiſſion doth not ſalve them, but that they are poſſeſſores malae fidei. God gave the Aſſyrians, the Caldeans, and other enemies of the Iſraelites, the prey they took from the Jews; yet he often calls it by his Prophets, that which is not theirs: the loſs is in their Conſciences, they are hardned to deſtruction, ſealed up to the condemnation of Hell: they fill up the meaſures of their iniquities by their violence.
4. But laſtly, Why ſhould not God be righteous, in ſuffering wicked men to do his people good? This is a point I have ſomething largely before ſpoken to, and therefore may be ſhorter in this Diſcourſe: proſunt & gelu, & nix quia incommodant (ſaith one); they do them good, by doing them hurt, as ſnow and froſt do good to the Corn. The Apoſtle tells the people of God, that all things are theirs, 1 Cor. 3.21. that is, for their good, profit, and advantage; and again, All things work together for the good of them that love God. The dignity of the people of God is ſuch, that not only bruit beaſts, but bruitiſh men (St. Pauls Epheſian beaſts) ſhall be harneſſed for their ſervice in order to their eternal ſalvation; and if the Angels be miniſtring ſpirits for the good of Gods elect, it is no wonder if the children of the Devil be beaſts miniſtring for their ſervice too. They ſay Veſpaſian had a wretched ſaying, that the ſmell of mony was ſweet from whenceſoever it came. I am ſure the odor of grace is ſweet, whatſoever be inſtrumental for the ſending it forth. The truth is, what the wiſer Philoſophers ſaid of a morally good and wiſe man, is much more true of one ſpiritually wiſe and good; He is out of the jurisdiction of evil. Seneca ſaith, that a wiſe man cannot be contemned of any, quia magnitudinem ſuam novit, becauſe he knoweth his own riches. A gracious man can be impriſoned by none, becauſe he knows his own liberty, and will enjoy it when the world hath done what it can: he can be plundred by none, becauſe he knoweth his own riches. It were a vaſt work to open to you how many wayes the perſecutions of the ſaints advantage and profit the people of God; but I have in ſome meaſure done it before, and ſhall not again further enlarge upon it. The Apoſtle telleth you much in ſhort, when he telleth you, that Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. I ſhall add no more to the Doctrinal part of this Diſcourſe.
Ʋſe 1. Now hear, O Iſrael, hear all you ſons and daughters of men, are not the Lords ways equal? Is not your judgment of them unequal? This is the great argument againſt Divine Providence, becauſe in the world there appeareth ſuch a confuſion of things, The wicked walk on every ſide, while vileſt men are exalted: prophane leud perſons, live, grow old, are rich, and great in power. The Sun (which ſeemeth to go down upon the Tabernacles of ſome that fear the Lord) ſhineth bright upon the Tabernacles of the ungodly; the people of God are afflicted, plundred, nay and (which ſeemeth hardeſt of all) the holieſt and beſt of men are devoured by the vileſt and moſt prophane wretches; this is that which is a ſore temptation to men, and makes them think that certainly there is no God who judgeth the world, or that God regardeth not the affairs of the world; there is no ſtrength in this argument, no reaſon for ſuch a concluſion: the love or hatred of God is not to be concluded from any thing which is before us in this life, as with reference to actions, we call good evil, and evil good; ſo through the deceitfulneſs of our ſenſes, we miſcall things; we call thoſe things evil which ſeparate them from the affection of our ſenſe, have no evil in them; and things good which have no real goodneſs. Now the judgement of ſenſe is a very fallible judgement: do you ſee the wicked proſper, the godly man viſited every morning, and chaſtned every moment? come but up into the ſanctuary, and you will be able to unriddle this Providence: Job ſaw the wicked flouriſhing and taking root, but ſuddenly he curſed his habitation. You ſee the innocent children of God impriſoned, plundred, &c. Dives clad in purple and faring delicouſly every day, while poor Lazarus lies at his door full of ſores, begging what falleth from his Table, and cannot get any relief. Come up into the Sanctuary, and you ſhall there ſee Lazarus, this poor begging Lazarus, in Abrahams boſom, and Dives that fared ſo deliciouſly, and was ſo richly clad, begging a cup of cold water to cool his tongue. Had you been with St. John in his viſion, Rev. 7. you would have ſeen a great number of all nations, kindred and people, ſtonding before the Lamb, and cloathed with white robes, and with Palms in their hands; and theſe were ſuch as come out of great tribu…tion, and had waſhed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, and were in triumph ſerving God day and night.
Ʋſe 2. What you have heard upon this argument, looketh very wiſtly upon every proſperous ſinner which this day heareth me, and boaſteth in his large poſſeſſions of the good things of this life. The ſum of what you have heard is, that the things which you glory in are not truly good; that they are but temporary rewards or gifts of God; that they are means to bring you to the acknowledgement of God; that oft-times through mens corruptions they prove the means of their greater ruine.
1. In the firſt place, How ſhould this take down a ſinners plumes. Let not the great man glory in his greatneſs, nor the rich man in his riches. Let not any ſay in his heart, if God had not a favour to me, he would never give me ſuch an eſtate, ſuch a ſucceſs in my trade, ſuch an healthy body, &c. The method of Providence is quite contrary. I have ſomewhere met with a ſtory, that anciently according to the laws of Perſia, a malefactor had liberty for an hour before he died to ask what he would, and it was not denied to him. One they ſay condemned to dye, and being according to their cuſtom askt what he would deſire, anſwers, Neither this nor that, but only That I may ſee the Kings face; which being granted, he ſo plied the King in that hour, as that he obtained his pardon; whereupon they ſay that the Perſians altered their cuſtom, and covered the Malefactors face as ſoon as he was condemned, that he might ſee the King no more. God to thouſands of ſinners gives what their hearts could wiſh, riches, honours, pleaſures, they are poor condemned wretches by the law of God for all this, veſſels of wrath fitted for deſtruction; when the hour-glaſs of their life in this world is run out, they are to be turned into Hell, to depart from God as accurſed creatures into thoſe everlaſting burnings that are prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Only God, that all his creatures might taſt ſomething of his bounty, for that hour giveth them all good things of this life; had it not now been a ſilly and unreaſonable thing, ſuppoſe the Malefactor had asked for, and had a Houſe full of Gold or Silver, or all the great titles the world could have dignified him with, to have gloried and boaſted of them as tokens of the Kings love, when in the mean time he knew he was a poor condemned wretch, and by and by to be cut off from the enjoyment of them all. Is not this the very caſe? thou knoweſt thy ſelf to be a drunkard, a ſwearer, a liar, an unclean perſon; thou knoweſt that for theſe courſes the righteous law of a righteous God hath condemned thee; it ſaith ſuch perſons ſhall never ſee God, ſhall never enter into the Kingdom of God, but be thrown into the lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone: God out of his bounty gives thee for the few hours thou haſt to live out of Hell, health, riches, honours, pleaſures, all thy heart can wiſh in the world: haſt thou any reaſon to boaſt thy ſelf in theſe things, or to be proud of them? thy condition is infinitely worſe than the Philoſopher's, that could eat no dainties at the Kings Table, becauſe he ſaw a naked ſword hang over his head by a twine-thread. Certainly (poor wretch!) it were thy wiſdom for this little time of thy life, to do as it is ſaid that Malefactor in Perſia did, deſpiſe all things, and only deſire thou mighteſt apply thy ſelf for the little time of thy life with tears, faſting and prayer to God, that thou mighteſt ſee his face, and obtain the pardon of thy ſins through the blood of Chriſt. Poor wretches! what (in the mean time) have you to glory in? what have you to be proud of? What ſhould make you walk with a ſtretched-out neck, or a lofty eye? thou art not maſter of one good thing; thou calleſt them good, becauſe they are grateful to thy ſenſe, and pleaſe thy ſenſitive appetite; and they are ſo far good as they ſerve thy outward neceſſities, but of no ſignificancy at all, either to thy ſpiritual or eternal happineſs. Yet theſe are the things which make the wicked man proud, ſwelling in an high opinion of himſelf, deſpiſing others. Oh! that God would make you underſtand, that you have not only periſhing fleſhly bodies, to be covered with ſoft and gay cloathing, but immortal ſouls; that you are creatures under an ordination to an eternal exiſtence, and that nothing can be worth naming as good, but what will profit you as to your immortal capacity, What ſhall it profit a man if he ſhould gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul? Or what can a man give in exchange or ranſome for it. You have heard of a Prince that in his extremity of thirſt, cried out, a Kingdom for a draught of water. The time will come when every impenitent ſinner ſhall wiſh that he had not had a foot of land in the world, nor a rag to cover his nakedneſs, ſo be it that he had had the pardon of his ſins, and the robes of Chriſts righteouſneſs to cover the nakedneſs of his ſoul. Let him therefore that glorieth, glory in this, that God is his Lord, and Jeſus Chriſt is his Saviour.
2. This ſpeaketh to the proſperous ſinner, as not to be high-minded, becauſe he hath nothing to be proud of; ſo to fear, and to keep, and enjoy what he hath with fear and trembling. James would have the Rich man rejoice when he is brought low; Jam. 1.10. Becauſe as the flower of the graſs he paſſeth away: and when he hath loſt his riches, his honour, his outward felicity, he hath loſt all: but here are greater reaſons yet, becauſe by a proſperous condition, oftentimes, poenalis nutritur impunitas, a penal impunity is nouriſhed. Proſperity ſlayeth the fools, and ſinners are ordinarily by it fatted and prepared for the day of ſlaughter. David ſaw that God ſet the proſperous ſinner in ſlippery places: upon Pinacles and Towers; but ſlippery places: you obſerve that the bloughtineſs (as you call it of the body) is but an ill ſign of unhealthineſs; the ſinners growing fat in outward enjoyments, I am ſure, is no good ſign, Pſal. 73.17, 18, 19. Surely thou didſt ſet them in ſlippery places, thou caſteſt them down to deſtruction; how are they brought to deſtruction in a moment? they are utterly conſumed. If a child of God hath reaſon to rejoice when he is brought low, ſurely a ſinner hath reaſon to tremble when he is up on high. Godly men have uſed to be afraid of proſperity; it is an hard thing for the moſt watchful Chriſtian to keep his feet, when he is ſet upon the ſlippery mountain of riches, honour, ſucceſſes, &c. David himſelf never had a ſlip like that he had when he came into the higheſt ſtate. Even the beſt of Gods people have great reaſon to rejoice with trembling in the midſt of full cups; but ſinners have far more reaſon; when they are not plagued as other men, when there are no bands in their death, when their eyes ſtand out with fatneſs, and they have more than heart could wiſh; that is the time when their mouths are ſet againſt Heaven, then their day of deſtruction is not far of; and indeed thoſe are the two dreadful conſiderations, and therefore they have reaſon to fear and tremble. 1. Leſt their proſperity ſhould ſlay their ſouls. There is a latent poyſon in ſinners hearts at all times, but poverty and adverſity keeps it in. The poor man uſeth intreaties (ſaith Solomon), but the rich man ſpeaketh proudly; honour and power are great temptations to oppreſſion: Riches and abundance to all ſorts of Luxury. So as if a man be a fool, and hath no ſpiritual wiſdom to rule and to govern himſelf in a proſperous ſtate; his proſperity ſlayeth him, giving advantages to thoſe luſts that are in his heart to diſcover themſelves. It is the proſperous ſinner that oppreſſeth his neighbour, that does acts of injuſtice, and thinks by his power to defend himſelf. 2. Again, Proſperity bodes ill; The ſinner is never ſo near a fall as when he is upon a pinacle of honour and power. When the worldling ſaith, Soul take thine eaſe, thou haſt goods laid up for many years; then comes the voice, Thou fool! this night ſhall thy ſoul be taken from thee; and one reaſon of this is becauſe that is the time when his ſin ripeneth, when he lifteth up his heart higheſt, and openeth his mouth wideſt, and lifteth up his hands moſt fiercely againſt the God of Heaven. O then let the proſperous ſinner fear and tremble.
3. Laſtly, You have heard that it is but a righteous thing with God, to give unto the worſt of men, the good things of this life, becauſe they have ſomething in them of the nature of means to convince ſinners, both of their ſins againſt God, and alſo of their duty to God: Indeed, they ordinarily prove the quite contrary, but this is not of themſelves, or from their own nature; but from the luſt and corruption of ſinners hearts. O then let the goodneſs of God lead you to repentance, Rom. 2.4. The Apoſtle lets us know, that the patience, long-ſufferance, and goodneſs of God leads us to repentance. The long-ſuffering and patience of God, if there were no more, ought to do it: And certainly were there any ingenuity in the heart of a ſinner, it would do it. For him to ſit down and think, I have been a drunkard, a lyar, a ſwearer, a Sabbath-breaker theſe Twenty, Thirty, Forty years; God hath ſeen, and known me all this time, there hath not been a thought of my heart but hath been naked before him; I have not told a lye, nor ſworn an oath, but as ſoon as the word hath been out of my mouth, the news of it hath been in Heaven, and it hath been written in Gods Book of remembrance: God hath all this while been an Almighty God, and hath had it in his power every moment of this time to throw me to Hell. He could have ſtruck me dead with my lye in my mouth, as he did Ananias and Saphira, Acts 5, or with my oath, my curſe, my blaſphemy in my mouth; but God hath been long-ſuffering and patient with me, willing that I ſhould at laſt be ſaved: Shall I yet go on in my ſinful courſes? Shall all this patience of God be loſt upon my deſperate ſoul? Surely I am bound humbly to acknowledg thus many years of patience, and to ſin no more, leſt I turn Divine patience into fury. But then the riches of Gods goodneſs, though it be but in the things of this life, adds great weight to the argument; for a poor creature to ſit down, and think that he hath not been plagued as other men, he hath not had ſuch a ſickly body, nor ſuch a ſcant eſtate; but God hath made his cup to overflow, he hath had ſucceſs in his trading, whiles others have been blaſted. O ſhall not this goodneſs of God lead thee to an acknowledgment of God? Shall it not lead thee to a repentance for thy ſin? wilt thou treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the Revelation of the moſt righteous Judgment of God? Conſider that the good things thou haſt enjoyed, have a natural tendency to change thee, if thou hadſt not baniſhed that common ingenuity which teacheth all to love thoſe that love them; and moſt certainly it will make thee worſe, if not better: if it doth not ſoften thy heart, it will harden thy heart; if theſe things tend not to make thee more holy, they will certainly make thee more leud and profane. And think with thy ſelf what an aggravation of thy eternal miſery it will be, to fall into it, out of as high a ſtate of content and external felicity as thou wert capable of. I would have every proſperous ſinner ſay with himſelf, What hath God done to me that I ſhould be thus vile, and ſo preſumptuouſly ſin againſt him? There are very many, that if they would liſten a little to their own conſciences, might hear God by them, ſpeaking to them, and ſaying, What could God have done more for you than he hath done? Would you have ſtrong and healthy bodies? God hath given you them. Would you have large poſſeſſions? great and plentiful eſtates? God hath given you ſuch. Would you have deſired a loving Wife, hopeful Children? You have had them. God aggravateth the ſin of David from the outward bleſſings he had bleſſed him with; he had raiſed him to be King over Iſrael from following the ſheep; he had given him his Maſters Houſes, and his Maſters Wives into his boſom, 1 Sam. 11. Will not God, think you, from hence aggravate your ſins another day? Will not this make Hell twice more Hell to you? will it not add more heat to the fire that never ſhall go out? and pain to the gnawings of that worm that ſhall never dye? Oh harden not your hearts; to day, while it is called to day hearken to God ſpeaking to you, not only by the voice of his Word, but by the voice of his Mercies. O let not that riches of Divine goodneſs make you worſe, which in reaſon ought to make you better. Let not your honours, your riches damn you. Take heed that there be not cauſe to ſay of you, that if God had not been ſo good to you, you had not been ſo leud and profane, ſo wicked and abominable in his ſight. Thus far I have applied this diſcourſe, as to wicked men; it remaineth yet, that I ſhould apply it as to the people of God, ſhewing them their duty under ſuch diſpenſations of providence; but it is a point fit in our times to be further enlarged upon, than my time will now allow me to do.