Balm from Gilead, Sermon 11
August. 17. 8. Day.
COme wee now to the fourth prescript, and that anatomized, or opened in pieces as before, that wee may distinctly giuegive vntounto eueryevery thing and man his due: it is in a matter of life and death, and those things require proportioned care and respect, in him that is to preach, in those that are to heare.
The people of GOD are of two sorts, onelyonly such in regard of the outward couenant and profession, circumcised in body, vncircumcised in heart, or so in the outward, that they are withall in the inward couenant, professing and acknowledging in workes, circumcised in flesh and heart, to both these he directeth this precept, in regard of either terme. Whence first we gather: That when as the Lord sendeth the pestilence amongst his people, Doct. he thereby calleth vponupon them, merely outwardly, professing to turne from their euill wayes, as a meanes of auoyding the plague.
That there were such, I take as graunted: there were euer such as professe they know God, and yet in workes denie him, Tit. 1. the dutie is in termes laid downe.
1 It is the commaundement of God. Reason 1 Thus Isa. 1. Judah being vnderunder Gods hand in fearefull iudgements: Your Country is desolate, Ver. 7. though rich and aboundant in outward profession, in sacrifices, &c. as you may reade at large, is called vponupon to put away the euill of their doings from before Gods eyes, and to cease from euill, Ven. 16. So Chapter the 58. they are said to seeke the Lord as a people that did righteousnes: Yet vponupon them hee calleth, to loose the bonds of wickednesse, as a meanes to his hearing: I suppose them yet in the gall of bitternesse, and bonds of iniquity, which the Lord will hauehave dissolued. Hence it is, that the Lord calleth vponupon the Iewes, stiffe-necked, and vncircumcised in heart, Acts 7.51. Circumcise yee the fore-skinne of your hearts, & be no more stiffe-necked, Deut. 10.16. And else where, circumcise your selues vntounto the Lord, and take away the fore-skinne of your heart, Ier. 4.4. &c. It is the scope of the law of nature: and of eueryevery commandement, which law is especially in force against the lawlesse and disobedient: And this commaundement of God is a reason of all other reasons.
2 Such ought to turne from sin, Reason 2 because sin is a cause of the plague as wee hauehave heard: for it, hath the Lord cut off many thousands. It is the cause of all plagues written, not written, temporall, spirituall, eternall. The cure of any disease, is by taking away the cause, and so it must bee of this, and for that cause hee prescribeth turning from wicked wayes.
3 As it is a cause of the plague, Reason 3 so that which alone stirreth vp GOD to send the pestilence, the cause, of the cause of the pestilence, hee hath bound himselfe to inflict it for sinne by his iustice: hee hath threatned it, and is bound to inflict it also by his truth; it kindleth his anger, prouoketh him to iealousie: he is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, it is as a burthen vntounto him, it presseth him downe as a Cart is with sheaues, as the Prophet speaketh: therefore he crieth, Ah, I will ease my selfe of mine enemies, I will auenge me of mine aduersaries, Isa. 1. And therefore.
4 Last of all, Reason 4 it is an enemie, that which putteth a barre vntounto all other meanes, their vse, their operation, I their very being. A man cannot liue in sinnes, and humble himselfe vnderunder the mighty hand of God, sin raigning (as it is in eueryevery man, that is not actually gracious) and humility are incompatible, cannot stand together, feigned or outside, heartlesse, gracelesse humility, and a life in sinne may (as in Ahab, one that solde himselfe to commit iniquity) the humility required, and before spoken of cannot: such a man cannot pray: crie, and call (as a Rauen doth vntounto God) he may, pray he cannot, much lesse can it bee accepted: hee cannot pray that doth not beleeue: his prayer is abomination. Such a man cannot seeke, hee is dead in sinnes: hee doth not know the Lord, as it is said of the sonnes of Eli: euerie thing hindring seeking, is present with him, things furthering and disposing, wanting. Hee doth not turne from his euill wayes, that and a life in sinne imply contradiction: he cannot seeke Gods face, thats hid from him, thats against him.
Hee hath no promise of hearing: If I regard iniquity in mine heart, God will not heare my prayer: no promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes: as hee is a God, forgiuing iniquity, transgression and sins; so one that will in no wise hold the wicked guiltlesse, he that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes, is the man that shall hauehave merciemercy. He hath not as much as one word of promise of a blessing vponupon any outward meanes, Physition, Phisicke: these must be sanctified by prayer, which a wicked man cannot doe: hee hath not receiued the spirit of adoption, by which hee must crie, Abba, Father: VntoUnto the vncleane and vnbeleeuing, all things are vncleane, their very consciences are defiled. In a word, so long as a man is wicked, notwithstanding his profession, hee is indeede without God and Christ, and any promise of good, I, without hope. So that a life in sinne, being an enemie to all the meanes of curing the Land of the plague, it is necessary that there bee a turning from sinnes, that the Land may be, or a person, healed of the plague.
1 If this bee Gods meanes, Vse 1 &c. then wicked men may here see their misery, at all times, especially now when the pestilence is amongst vsus. I see not how any obstinately wicked man, liuing in a course and trade of sinne, can as much as hope that hee shall escape, seeing hee doth not answer Gods call, hee doth not vse his meanes.
True it is, man was made in Gods likenesse, in holinesse, in righteousnesse, there was an harmony in his soule, and meruailous consent betweene him and GOD. This power is lost, a contrary seruility is contracted: hee is a vagabond from God: Sinne in a man by nature is a sole Lord, so long as hee is naturall, it doth raigne in him, hee doth with the whole will obay it, in the lusts thereof; as man is at the come, and goe, and doe, of the deuill, and walketh after the course of the world: so after eueryevery vngodly lust, it is an absolute King, in him a Monarch: vntounto whose lawes, minde, will, affections, life, body and soule, are as seruants, as slaues eueryevery way, seruiceable with the Apostle, maketh a note of the raigne of sinne, Rom. 6.
Yea man naturall, doth not onelyonly obay sinne but taketh vp Armes for it, against all opposition: hee doth so in defence of the world and deuill, and eueryevery base lust, his minde, reasoning part, and iudgement, is as a weapon held out, or rather a forge for all sorts of weapons, from whence all defence and arguments for sinne: his will cleaueth vntounto it, as the heart of Ionathan did to Dauid, and so confirmeth the iudgement in error, his affections hauehave all manner of complacencie in it: the mouth venteth it, and pleadeth for it, the hand, &c. acteth it. It is a truth of eueryevery lust, though specially of the predominant. And although it be true, that wicked men are restrained sometimes from some outward acts, by naturall conscience, by a generall restraint of GOD, by the powerfull preaching of the Word, by mans Law, and the feare of man by education; by some present plague or iudgement, by want of occasion and opportunity; yet the minde and will, or power of sin in the soule, is neuer the lesse: so long man is vnderunder the power of Sathan: the power of darknesse, one that selleth himselfe to commit iniquity, a worker of iniquity, a seruant of sinne, in the gall of bitternesse, and bonds of iniquity.
Yea, custome in sinne, is vntounto many, another nature, especially in that which is predominant: repetition of actions hath brought forth an habite; men are farther hardned and blinded, they take pleasure in vngodlinesse, and reioyce in iniquity. And (that we may bring this home) this is the state of many, I feare me, amongst vsus, notwithstanding outward profession: they serue diuers lusts. Many are habituated, and accustomed to euill, accustomed to swearing and cursing, they cannot speake without it: accustomed to oppression & deceit, it is as a trade: accustomed to drunkennesse, vsurie is a trade, it is a truth of lying and slaundering, of scoffing and mocking, and all manner of vncleannesse, the man that runneth not with them, is a signe and a wonder, a song, a pray. Are there not amongst vsus, who tread the steppes of Gods Courts, si… a… a people of God, and heare the words of the curse of Gods booke, and yet blesse themselues, crying peace, I shall hauehave peace, though I walke in the abominations of mine owne heart, and so goe on, adding drunkennesse vntounto thirst? It is as e…ent as euer. What a misery is this at any time, in regard of all Gods curses: at this time in regard of the plague? when as the meanes to auoide all curses, and this iudgement the plague, is to turne from wicked wayes: how can these men escape any curse, auoide the plague? What a ground of pittie and compassion, and so lamentation, may this be vntounto Gods Ministers & people, whose eyes God hath opened to see this truth? What occasion is now offered, with Dauid, to our eyes to g…sh out riuers of waters, to wish our eyes fountaines to weepe for, and bewaile them? The dishonour these doe vntounto God, calleth for it: the destruction and slaughter, these cause of so many of themselues, otherwise neere, and deere vntounto vsus; the imminencie of the iudgement, especially their blindnesse & hardnesse of heart, being without pittie and compassion to themselues, call for it.
What a ground is this, to enforce you that heare this day, in this state to repentance, to turne from these sinnes. It is what the Lord calleth for, by all his holy Prophets, rising early, & what he calleth vpō you for now by me. Yet forty dayes (said Ionah) and Niniueh shall be ouerthrown. It may bee said to this Cittie, now in regard of the plague, I cannot giuegive forty dayes, not a day nor an houre, thou that wilt escape, must now turne. It may be the patience of the Lord is bounded to this day; this call, this Sermon, and his messenger is to visite thee anon. What answere doest thou make vntounto the call of the Lord? Whats thy resolution? If thou tell mee thy sinne is a pleasing sinne, I must oppose the plague, sower sawce; and withall, that the meanes prescribed, to auoyde the plague, is turning from that sinne. Thou wilt say, my sinne is a profitable sinne, all I hauehave came by it: mine houses, my rents, my lands, all my preferments. Thou must turne from it, notwithstanding if thou lookest to auoide the plague: Thou sayest, thou wilt leaue it one of these dayes. I tell thee, thou hast not an houre giuen thee, Gods messenger is at thy dore, that will not giuegive any further day, but presently cast thee into prison. Thou goest on, and sayest, the Lord is mercifull: It is true, but to whom? to him that liueth in his sinnes? abuseth his merciemercy, that turneth grace into wantonnesse: No, no, he that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes, shall hauehave merciemercy. Thou wilt tell mee of Christ, and the blood of Christ shed for sinners. It is a truth, but for what sinners? Such as reiect it: such as disgrace it, and denie it power to cleanse? No no, if we confesse our sinnes, God is faithfull, and iust to forgiue vsus our sinnes, and the blood of Iesus Christ, Gods sonne, shall cleanse vsus from all sinnes: the blood of Christ purgeth the conscience from dead workes, Hee is a sanctifier as well as a Sauiour: yea, in sanctifying, a Sauiour from vncleannesse: Except yee repent, saith Christ, yee shall perish. O but I hauehave liued so long, and yet escaped? Thy measure is the fuller, thy sinnes the riper, now must thou looke for Gods sickle. But many of them that liue in such sinnes escape; theres no time past with the Lord, Except they repent, they shall perish. It had beene better for them to hauehave beene cut off before; they hauehave now encreased their sinnes, and the measure of their plagues.
Thou wilt tell mee, thou canst not leaue thy sinne, it is such a bewitching thing: thou hast purposed it often, thou hast trembled at the apprehension of thine estate, and yet … sinnes preuaile against thee.
Is not this that which I told thee before? See what a straight thou art in: how is it possible for thee to escape the plague? I tell thee besides, it may bee thy death, it may bring thee to iudgement, and possesse thee of euerlasting plagues. Thou canst not: Hast thou a minde and a will to doe it? Diddest thou euer put to thine hand, and endeuour it? thou canst not, because thou wilt not: thou art without excuse, thy perdition is of thy selfe.
To more thee to a farther endeuour: consider that course of life of thine, is clearely sinne. It conformeth to the world, to the deuil himselfe: it maketh thee (a free man, otherwise bound vntounto none; one that gloriest in thy freedome, as thou hast good cause) a slaue, cursed as Canaan, a seruant of seruants.
Consider the goodres of the Lord vntounto thee, thou art a reforable creature, a man, an husband, a wife, a Master, a Father, a Cittizen, a rich man, an olde man, thou hast had meanes, times, and place of knowledge of God of thy selfe, thy sinne: threats of plagues and hell, promises of forgiuenesse, and heauen, hee hath continued good to thee; admirable in his patience and long suffering.
He hath beene, and is so yet, as yet hee still calleth and stretcheth forth his hand: as yet hee appeareth by his names or titles of gracious, mercifull, forgiuing iniquity, transgression, and sinne, how many soeuer, how great soeuer; as yet Christ is offered, a Mediator, a Sauiour, an Aduocate, a suerty: Hoe, eueryevery one that thirsteth, come vntounto the waters, &c. And the crie of Christ is, Come vntounto mee, as yet hee is neere, as yet hee may bee found: let this moue thee to repentance.
If thou doe not, consider thou mayest hauehave this call no more, this offer no more: thou mayest neuer hauehave opportunity of hearing more; hauehave none to shew thee, thy sinnes or Gods salues; thou mayest bee struct now, God may now shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure: now passe sentence, Neuer growe fruit on thee more, giuegive thee vp and ouer, or plucke thee vp as a cumberer of the ground.
Consider his threats, The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse: tribulation and anguish vponupon eueryevery soule that doth euill. He is a righteous and faithfull God, by this thou puttest him to it, though with an Ah, I will ease mee, I will auenge me.
Consider as hee saith, hee doth, are not famine and the sword imminent, is not the Pestilence in our streets?
Consider the Lord hath more plagues, seuen times so many more is minaced, and desolation: besides the hand of the Lord is soddaine, When men crie most, peace and safety, sudden destruction shall come vponupon them, and they shall not escape.
And yet if wee heare not God now, we cannot expect that he will heare vsus, when as wee out of necessitie call vponupon him. Prou. 1.24. Our prayer shall bee abomination. Maruell not brethren at mine earnestnesse, at the multitude of mine arguments, and wedges; I hauehave knotty timber to deale with, hearts harder then any stones, those that are dead, I would plucke all out of the fire, my passion is out of compassion, I would doe what in me lyeth, to saue with feare. In this argument all our tooles are broken, their edge turned. Our cry for yeares hath beene in vaine, our strength is spent for nothing in this argument, and in vaine: My place and commission, louelove of soules, mine owne, yours, and Gods imminent hand giuegive life to these, whilst I may speake and you heare. Whilst it is too day harden not your hearts. Hence let one, let all these arguments prevaile. The Axe is layd to the rootes of the trees, eueryevery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire. The Axe, a destroying instrument: The Pestilence is layd, it is amongst vsus not threatned; to the roots, it hath rooted vp and out many a man, EueryEvery tree that &c. Young and old, Cedar, Shrub, Man, Woman; is heawen downe, thats the sentence of the Lord, it cannot be reuersed. God is not as man that he should repent. Except we repent, we shall perish.