their Exhibition 1. That all are to the Elect. 2. The Date of promises is oft unknowne 3. Concerning their Intention 1. Every generall promise is applyable to particulars 2. The same promises may belong though diversly both to godly and wicked 2. How wee may collect them as they are propounded 1. Expressely 1. Generally 2. Particularly 2. Implicitely 1. In examples 2. In prayers of the Saints 3. How wee must apply them 1. In regard of their nature 1. The Absolute absolutely 2. Without anticipation 3. VVith the dependance of Faith 2. In regard of their Exhibition 1. As seeing our selues in Christ 2. VVayting for Gods time 3. In regard of their Intention 1. Seeing our selues reduced to their condition to whom the promise was given 2. VVith confidence of earthly provisions 2. It is applyed in an Exhortation 1. To treasure vp the promises 2. To make a constant use of them 1. Of generall promises 2. Of particular 1. Pertaining to this life 1. Concerning the spirituall estate 1. For Iustification 2. For Sanctification 2. Concerning the temporall 1. For supply of good 2. For removing ill 2. Pertaining to the life to come 3. Of the Qualification of him that doth pray found in Davids expression Psal 51.17 VVhere 1. The Psalme Analysed 2. The Text opened 3. The parts severally handled 1. The truth delivered in two observations 1. That a broken or contrite heart or spirit is Gods Sacrifice VVhich is 1. Explicated 1. VVhat is the heart and spirit The soule 2. VVhat it is to be broken the Inward humiliation 3. How it is Gods Sacrifice that which God requires 2. Proved 1. Because God is the Author of such Service 2. Because it is suiteable to God 1. Because sincere 2. Because humble 3. Because it specially honours God 1. That wee giue our hearts 2. That wee giue them broken which expresses sorrow 1. Appretiatiue 2. Intensiue 3. Applyed 1. To discover a mystery of lawfull commendable man-slaughter 2. To condemne such as bring not their hearts or not Broken 1. Such as are insensible of sinne 2. Such as are not open to Confession 3. Such as are not shivered into peices 3. To exhort us to bring this Sacrifice that wee would breake our hearts 1. As the ground is broken for seed 2. As stones are broken for playstry 3. As Beasts were broken at the Altar or the Incense 2. That such a Sacrifice God will not despise VVhich is 1. Proved by testimony and example 2. Applyed 1. To discover the difference of Gods and the worlds Censure and affection 2. To incourage us to draw neare with our Offering 2. The manner of the Delivering 1. In a Meditation 2. In a sudden Ejaculation 2. Wee haue heard largely of Prayer for our selues now of Prayer for the Church Ruled in the patterne of David Psal 51.18 Where the parts are severally followed 1. Who it is that prayes David Which circumstance is made usefull in three Observations 1. That the spirituall state hath its changes This is 1. Instanced 2. Confirmed 1. Because the ground of distemper remaines 2. Because wee meet with changes from without 3. Applyed 1. To instruct us 1. How the regenerate and carnall differ 2. VVho are of the best temper 3. A little to discerne of Heaven 2. To reproue 1. The unwarrantably bold 2. The apt to Censure 3. To incourage the infirme that are sincere 4. To exhort us to liue physically 2. That the assurance of mercy for our selues makes us confident to beg mercy for others VVhich is cleared and applyed 1. To shew the reason of our method in prayer 2. To shew the unprofitablenesse of carnall men 3. To exhort that wee labour for assurance 3. That mercy to our selues makes us compassionate to others This is 1. Proved 1. Because mercy is tasted 2. Because graces are not alone 2. Applyed 1. To shew why godly men often pray 2. To discover the uncompassionate to be unpardoned 3. To presse our Imitation 2. For whom he prayes for the Church whence is an observation That t is fit the members of the Church should pray for the Church This is 1. Confirmed 1. Because so they pray for themselues 2. Because to that end they are members 2. Applyed 1. To reproue the sencelesse 2. To presse the Dutie and that from consideration of the Church under the names in the Text in the moralized History 1. Of the scituation 1. In the middle noting perfection 2. Hilly noting safetie 3. Vnited noting the now common faith 2. Of the priviledges 1. Of Soveraigntie 2. Of Holinesse 3. Of Loue 1. There God dwells 2. There he appeares 3. To that he makes gracious promises 3. What he prayes for 1. The Churches Restauration whence two Observations 1. That sinne is of so publique harme it reaches to others This is instanced and applyed 1. To shew the hainousnesse of sinne 2. To exhort that wee hurt not societie 2. That David who sind prayed applied 1. To condemne that dare sinne but are carelesse to pray 2. To exhort the imitation of Davids justice 2. The continuance of her peace VVhere is observed 1. That the Church stands in need of walls VVhich 1. Condemnes 1. That trust in the bare name 2. That plucke downe her walls 2. Exhorts to shew our selues the Churches friends 2. That the Church is still unfinished and wants some of her beautie which exhorts us to pray 1. That it might bee still encreased 2. That her full glory may be hastned 4 To whom he prayes to God which notes 1 That God is the Churches safetie 2 That to God we must haue recourse 5 How he prayes In thy good pleasure which obserues 1 That Gods motiue is himselfe 2 We must use that motiue when we deale with God And then we pray 1 Wisely 2 Humbly II. Of Repentance which is the other remedie and here 1 Of the Arguments to Repentance afforded by the Baptist Math. 3.7 where the parts are followed 1 To whom he preached to the Pharisees Sadduces and Multitude which giues us to obserue 1 That the Church is a mixt Assembly 2 That there is a secret hypocrisie which will appeare by considering of these 1 What they were 1 The Pharisees separated men 1 Separated from ordinary 1 Commerce 2 Habits 3 Delights 2 Separated unto extraordinary holinesse 1 They washed before meate 2 When from Market 3 Their vessels 4 Eate not with sinners 5 Toucht them not 6 Made broad fringes 7 Were much in mortification 2 The Sadduces were just 1 Precise in their name 2 Precise Scripturists 2 What they did they came to the Baptisme Both which giues us cause equally of feare and tryall 2 The Sermon it selfe Hortatory to repentance where first the Arguments they are two 1 Their sinfull state which giues us to obserue 1 That Hypocrites are a generation of vipers 1 They are full of venome 2 Eate through the wombe 3 Specious in the skinne 4 Their teeth hid with gums 5 They runne to waters 2 The
labour to labour for broken and contrite hearts The people of God haue beene of such a temper to omit other examples see one in the Prophet Ieremiah and in his owne words Mine heart within mee is broken because of the Prophets all my bones shake I am like a drunken man and like a man whom wine hath overcome because of the Lord and because of the words of his holinesse for the Land is full of Adulteries Ier. 23.9 If Ieremiah in the apprehension of the sinnes of others were so tender that he did shake with horror and staggered as not able to retaine his strength how ought wee to be moved with the consideration of our offences against almightie God Let us witnesse to our selues the unfainednesse of our humiliation by the intensnesse of our sorrow by the breaking of our hearts which that wee may the better be guided in I shall set before you the severall Metaphors which without straining wee may conceiue the minde of David may be applyed unto The breaking up of ground the breaking of stones to dust the dividing of their Sacrifices 1. The phrase of a Broken heart may referre to the breaking up of a stiffe ground and the Harrowing of it for the bruising of the Clods Let us plow up our hearts according to that of the Prophet Breake up your fallow ground and sow not among thornes Iere. 4.3 And according to the same of another Prophet Sow to your selues in Righteousnesse reape in mercy breake up your fallow ground Hos 10.12 Let us use good Husbandry upon our selues and bestow Tillage that wee may bring forth fruit to God Wee are naturally stiffe ground and full of stones barren and unfruitfull Beloved there is a necessitie of this Husbandry for yee cannot be profitable hearers of Gods Word unlesse yee be broken-hearted If a man should throw abroad his seed before the plow hath made furrowes to receiue it he should loose all that he doth scatter if the ground be hard the seed enters not but lyes open to be pecked by every bird Men are deafe to Gods Commands till their hearts be opened Pharaoh had a stiffe disposition and though so many judgements came in a throng he was not broken by any of them and therefore hearkens not to the message of the Lord but peremptorily rejects it Who is the Lord that I should obey him But the Broken heart hath an open eare which wee obserue in men in their severall conditions While a man frolicks away his time and life in a pleasant way enjoying health and vigour not being acquainted with sicknesse or other infirmities he puts off the thought of death and an account that must be made and thinkes that such sad meditations and admonitions are not fit for a man of his activitie and resolution but when God casts him upon his bed and makes him begin to apprehend that he is a man a poore weake fraile sickly man and that he now at length sees what it is that followes upon sinfull pleasure but especially when he lookes into the graue where he feares himselfe must shortly be layd and sees under the graue Hell and Torment then he breakes and now he can finde an eare if Ministers if religious friends discourse unto him he hearkens and begins to learne what those new and unthought-of mysteries meane This is liuely in the example of the converted Iaylour Act. 16.29.30 When God had broken his heart Then he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Sylas and brought them out and sayd Sirs what must I doe to be saved It is likely that the Iaylour if he had not been a rough man in his naturall temper yet his very calling might make him rough before that time Paul might speake long enough and he not regard him Paul and Sylas might sing in the prison and he take no notice unlesse to threaten them and command their silence but now that God had shaken him with the Earthquake he is now greedie of instruction His minde did not formerly run upon it how he might come to Heaven but now hastily violently tremblingly he enquires it What shall I doe to be saved Naturall men care not for preaching they wonder that people should goe so much to Sermons should be so much in Conference but when they come to be broken to be wounded in their Consciences Then Oh what instruction What comfort can yee giue us Let this be our care to stirre the earth and let the Harrow follow the plow breake the stiffe clods the proud thoughts that are built against the Kingdome of Christ then yee are fit for seed Wee are Gods seedes-men and when wee preach wee scatter the seed upon a Congregation but wee lose our labour where we meet with stony hard ground plow up your hearts that the Word may the better fructifie 2. The second Metaphor may be from the breaking of Stones and pounding them to dust to make a plaistry worke A man cannot alter the fashion of an hard stone with his hand but when it is made into plaister the Mason can make it into any frame Wee haue seene the shape of a Lyon or an Horse or Beare or any thing else made of stone when it hath beene first broken and made and tempered into a soft Morter Wee are naturally stony men of stony hearts and are not pliant to the Image of grace till broken into small peices and grounded unto small powder But sayth Ieremy My heart is broken within mee and then he was fit to lament for sinne Wee must use Masonry as well as Husbandry wee must be soft for impression A man cannot make the print of his Seale if he set it upon an hard wall but the stamp leaues it selfe upon a peice of Waxe Now wee must be Waxe in the hand of God and Waxe you know is Ductible if I held a round flint I could not by crushing it with my hand make it flat or square or draw it out unto a length but a peice of soft Waxe might be moulded to any fashion made round or flat or square or drawne out to any length If ever wee haue Comfort wee must be of ductible following dispositions to be such as Gods dealing is towards us to be fashioned by his rod unto humilitie and submission by his mercy unto thankfulnesse and prayses To be not what wee are or of our selues would be but willingly what he will haue us be 3. But lastly The phrase in the Text doth principally allude to the Breaking of the Sacrifice and we may find the Metaphor in taking notice of two Offrings 1. The Offring of Incense where the Command was that the Ingredients should be beaten to powder Exod. 30.36 A perfume smells sweetest when 't is bruised or crusht and when wee are stamped before God in the sence before declared wee yeeld a pleasant savour to his Nosthrills 2. The Sacrifice of Burnt-Offring the Beast was cut in peices
not but the Prophets might well conclude that to the peoples comfort But saith the Lord doe the Prophets giue them such assurance The Prophets prophecie lyes in my name I sent them not neither haue I commanded them they prophecie the deceit of their heart by sword and famine shall those Prophets be consumed A heavie doome Who shall haue encouragement hereafter to come unto thee if they that humble themselues before thee be rejected But let us not plead for God is just They fast but they loue to wander they haue not refrained their feete If they had sought rightly they should haue been accepted but now resting in the worke they rather hasten then prevent their feare It is our case we settle our selues too much on the performance when we haue separated a day to more solemne humiliation wee thinke we haue done enough and are carelesse of the after dutie But this is to mocke God and God because mocked will be more terrible So it comes to passe the day and businesse which wee intend for removall brings a more assured signe of approach Oh thinke not that it sufficeth to haue fasted unlesse the feete be refrained from wandring 5. The last ground which I purpose to present unto you from whence you may take notice of approaching evill is the with-drawing of Gods presence from us When God is pleased with a place or people he shewes his presence there He went before Israel in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to direct and safe-conduct them in their journey But when God had said I will not goe up in the midst of thee the people mourned at these evill tydings Wee may best finde when Gods presence is with-drawne by acquaintance with the signes of his presence The most ordinary are the word and Sacraments duly and rightly administred thus wee haue what to rejoyce in but to deale more particularly I shall instance unto you foure other signes 1. Where God affords his presence there is his Spirit in the ordinances a converting power accompanies the preaching of the word But when the word is without power or men are rather made worse by preaching of it then God is with-drawing himselfe and a storme followes Behold their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken Behold the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they haue no delight in it therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord I am weary with holding in I will poure it out Iere. 6.10.11 Oh! t is the joynt complaint of Ministers every where faithfull and painefull that they find not that spirit and life and powerfulnesse in the ordinance but men hearing heare not they despise the word and few or none are converted by it which occasions their feare that God purposes to bee gone 2. Where Gods presence is there is abundance of sanctifying knowledge so the Covenant is Ier. 31.34 They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord. But now wee are either generally ignorant or unsanctified in our knowledge The common number though after so much light so many meanes are yet as brutes before God Surely they are poore they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgement of their God Ier. 5.4 The Gentry that are heightend by education yet are generally skild onely in the language of an horse or dog but are strangers unto saving mysteries And for such as doe know much how little doe they know of Christ while studious to spend their searches upon things rather curious than necessary May wee not feare that the house exalted aboue the hills shall be removed Because the Nations flow not to it nor according to the promise say Come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord and he will teach us of his wayes Esa 2 3. 3. Gods presence is attended by Holinesse with unitie When a Church is in the flourish as a Church doth ever flourish while the Beames or Radij of divine presence are direct Holinesse hath a fresh beautie and unitie doth attend on Holinesse The Wolfe and the Lambe feed together and the Lyon eates straw like the Bullocke The united spirits of the faithfull meet with the same affection at the same worship and as they serue one God they serue him with one heart But we can now better lament than remedy the want of these Despised holinesse is embraced by few and by them fearefully not with a daring fore-head and though men know it safe to be holy they thinke it a reproachfull thing to be counted holy But besides our distraction is as generall as our profanenesse men that dare kneele upon the same threshold to beg mercy are yet voyde of mercy to one another Loue Christian loue spirituall loue is abundantly wanting I would this Citie of yours did not witnesse it that your now customary and almost naturalized sidings did not fill your Preachers mouths with complainings sometimes their eyes with teares But 't is the disease of every place and can wee looke that the holy God should abide with contemners of holinesse That the God of peace should stay with us when we agree not with our selues 4. Lastly that I name no more nor too much weary you God manifests his presence by his protection of a people he spreads his garment over them for their covering Heretofore we haue beene the gaze of other Nations all stood admiring at our peace that we might sing that of the Psalmist Psal 76.1 with but the change of names In England is God knowne His name is great in our Brittish Isles Wee we were long under the wing but of late we haue found that God is much gone from us Wee haue not seene him in our Councells in our Armyes But I loue not to presse with an hard finger upon a sore onely would entreat wee would make use of these observations Step out see what yee can discerne whether yee can yet discerne the storme I le deale as Elijah did for I heare a sound of abundance of raine let mee desire you Goe up now looke toward the Sea Is there nothing Goe againe againe seven times be much in observation frequent in watchfulnesse Can yee at length see the little Cloud out of the Sea like a mans hand That is warning enough The heavens will soone grow blacke with Clouds and winde prepare the Charet hast that the raine stop not If we finde a signe though but a little Cloud let us make use of that advantage by our watchfulnesse labour to escape and be hid with God Why doe yee sit still Assemble your selues and let us enter into the defenced Cities Ier. 8.14 Let us make use of our priviledge If a storme rise God blowes it and there is shelter onely in God Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that
made Christ is ours God is ours and we may pray 2. Vse When wee are in Covenant let us make use of it let us be wise to catch at such an advantage It was the wisedome of the Syrian Ambassadours from the distressed Benhadad 1 King 20.33 They come with humble entreaties to the King of Israel for King Benhadads pardon and did diligently obserue whether any thing to the advantage of their suite would come from him and did hastily catch it When they had presented the Message Let thy servant Benhadad liue Ahab answeres Is he yet aliue He is my Brother They catch the advantage and reply Thy brother Benhadad When wee pray wee may heare as it were God speaking in the Covenant They are my servants my sonnes be wise upon the advantage and answere Thy servants thy sonnes Let us make use of those glorious relations let us make use of those gracious attributes of power wisedome goodnesse in a word let us manifest that wee injoy God by making use of God Acquaint thy selfe with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee sayth that experienced Iob Iob 22.21 And as it followes Then shalt thou haue delight in the Almightie and shalt lift up thy face unto God Beloved It is our great weaknesse that wee cannot enough delight in God it argues that wee know not his treasure and his readie hand let us therefore Acquaint our selues with him that we may not onely know him but by an intimate knowledge may in all conditions make use of our God our Father our friend It shall suffice to haue spoken so much of this for that which I would say of the second argument challengeth my time from the former 2. The second argument is from the promise In that uncomfortable night when the weary Patriarke was forced to rest himselfe upon the ground accompanied onely with his owne solitary musings God appeard and made him a promise of Company and defence This Land whereon thou lyest will I giue to thy seed and behold I am with thee and will keepe thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee againe into this Land for I will not leaue thee till I haue done that which I haue spoken to thee of Gen. 28.13.14.15 This promise he now makes use of and with it strengthens his prayer O God which saidst unto mee I will deale well with thee deliver mee I now am confident to beg safetie and protection for thou hast said it and I know that thou art true Besides this instance of Iacob wee haue it also in the practise of others When the wrath of God waxt hot against the idolatrous people and had threatned to consume them Moses remembers this argument and prayes Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swarest by thine owne selfe and saidst unto them I will multiply your seed Exod. 32.13 David intended to build an house to the glory of the Name of God but is told by Nathan that such a worke should be reserved for his sonne to a time of peace but however God had accepted his intention and promises to build up and establish his house according to that David frames his prayer for the flourishing continuance of his family Let the house of thy servant David be established before thee for thou O Lord of Hosts hast revealed to thy servant saying I will build thee an house and now O Lord God thou art that God and thy words be true and thou hast promised this goodnesse unto thy servant therefore now let it please thee to blesse the house of thy servant 2 Sam. 7.27.28.29 Thus David encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God as it is noted of him in another History in another case 1 Sam. 30.6 I might giue you more instances that this argument hath beene used by the Saints and for good reason for 1. The promises are given for our strength therefore upon them they haue supported themselues while they haue prayed Affliction deadens the spirit and would lagge prayer unlesse there were a Word but sayth the Psalmist Psal 119.50 This is my comfort in my affliction for thy Word hath quickned mee The promise quickens and stayes up a lagging yeelding fainting Christian and like some strong warming liquor put into the mouth of a swounding man it recovers the almost perisht heate and reviues the halfe-dead spirit When the word of the Gospel saith Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes are forgiven Then the soule beginnes to looke up thorough the eyes and breaths and gaspes and shewes now that it liues againe So it beares up in tryalls likewise therefore Saint Paul doubting least the Hebrewes might be wearied and faint in their minds at least he intimates this to be the cause Yee haue forgotten the exhortation which speaketh to you as Children my sonne faint not when thou art rebuked for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth if yee endure chastening God dealeth with you as sonnes Heb. 12.3.5.6 When a man is corrected it is no wonder that he faints for 't is no pleasant thing to be under the rod yet this inables to beare the lash to remember That to be corrected is to be dealt withall as sonnes Therefore the Saints haue exercised their faith upon the promises whereas else they could not so easily haue given obedience to the Commands for when the Command burthens the promise lifts at the burthen makes the way smooth You shall see the difference of the Command and promise in one example of Gideon Iud. 6.14.15.16 God meanes to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites oppression by Gideons hand and therefore sends a Message to him Goe in thy might saue Israel haue not I sent thee The command startleth him though he were a valiant man He shrinkes and expostulates How shall I doe it my family is poore in a small Tribe and I the least in the family how shall I deliver Israel Now the promise follows the Command Surely I will be with thee and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man This puts a life into him and now onely when upon tryall he is sure it is a promise he hath courage enough to be an undertaker of that great Commission For this reason haue the Saints remembred the promise and used it in their prayers as an argument because it is their strength 2. They knew God must be honored if they would expect that God should honour them with hearing Now to use the promise is to honour God It honors his goodnes that he should please to be so respectiue of man it honors his truth that he will surely make good his word it honors his power that he is not lesse able to doe than say it honors his wisedome that he could before-hand fit his people with conveniences I le not stay you longer upon the Hypothesis that Iacob did that the Saints haue done so But in Thesi wee may draw this usefull and comfortable Doctrine That Gods promises
passe because God is true 3. That there is wrath to come appeares from Gods equity for men are not ever punished here or not for the present therefore there must bee a time of account and retribution We see oft that wicked men that monsters live pleasurably and dye unplagued but the equall justice of God will not suffer them to escape scot-free therfore where there is not a present rod there must be future wrath 4. And lastly it is evident from Gods glory for hee is not onely just but will have the glory of his justice and will manifest his equitie Wee wonder at Gods dealing for the present therefore there must bee a time of separating Haply our steps may wel-nigh slip and wee may bee envious at the foolish when wee see the prosperity of the wicked and may bee ready foolishly to question and repine How doth God know Is there knowledge in the most high Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world who encrease in riches But let us goe into the Sanctuary of God and understand their end then we shall find them set in slippery places brought into desolation as in a moment and utterly consumed with terrors for God will at length bee glorified in the equity of his proceedings and in mens notice of that equity This may be usefull to us in a double notion Vse 1. It removes the ground of our unwarrantable admiration and exclaiming of the ordering of time and government Men are ready to dispute as Pompey did in the Gardens of Chrysippus after the losse at Pharsalia Whether there be a Providence When we see men thrive by injustice and prosper in their evill courses and others that feare God and live holily make themselves a prey we wonder that God endures those and forgets these but cease to wonder for there is wrath to come Some busie servants that would be wiser than their Master may forwardly desire and urge it Master there are Tares wilt thou that wee goe and gather them up But what is the answer Nay lest while yee gather up the Tares yee root up also the Wheat with them let both grow together untill the Harvest and in the time of the Harvest I will say to the Reapers gather ye together first the Tares and binde them in bundles to burne them Matth. 13.28 29 30. Fret not but wayte upon Gods time It was the madnesse of the Anabaptists of Munster that they would purge the world in a frantick fit and put to the sword all the wicked upon earth but Gods wisdome and method is otherwise hee will not at all acquit but hee defers the execution to a fitter day and then wrath will come the Tares shall bee bound in bundles for the fire Vse 2. Let us beleeve this truth that there is wrath to come the not beleeving of this is cause of much unevennesse of much profanenesse of much carnall security in our lives But if we did truly beleeve it it would beget a profitable feare which I would also exhort unto a feare of temporall judgements a feare also of eternall 1. Let us feare the wrath of temporall judgements which are threatned and sent of God that men might feare before him When stormes are preparing there is cause to feare and I see not any reason but that they which have son-like affections should yet tremble Especially when wee apprehend how terrible God is in his wrath here we shall see cause of feare Look upon examples of his wrath how the Lord lookt when hee frowned When the Inhabitans of the old world had polluted their waies God was displeased and wrecks his displeasure upon them with a fearefull tempest the depths were broken up and the windowes of heaven opened and all creatures living besides Noah's company were swallowed of the waters The cry of Sodoms sinne reacht up unto heaven pierced the eares of God and moved him to such indignation that hee consumes them with an intermingled shower of fire and brimstone and beats downe the Inhabitants together with their habitations Sodom and the adjoyning Cities We judge of the rage and fury of a tempest that is past by the Ship-wrack that is made when we see the floating carcasses of drowned men the broken ribs of the torn vessell the forsaken goods here there scattered upon the sands so hath God been pleased to let us see the fury of his wrath in the stroaks that have bin laid thick heavie upon former offenders When the people had danced about their calfe the Lord speakes as impatient of the delay of his revenge Let mee alone that my wrath may wexe hot against them and that I may consume them As if he boyled in the heat of his rage would not be quiet till they had felt what it was to offend their God At another time when the people complained the Lord was displeased and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed them or did eat among them as the Hebrew bears it Num. 11.1 God did devoure them in his anger and as wee shall see after a great fire which hath consumed a building some rubbish and here and there some pieces of timber halfe consumed to ashes and made blacke with the flame as remaining monuments of that cruell and mercilesse Element so the wrath of God brought such destruction that a monument of it was left in the name of the place ver 3. it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He burnt to signifie to us an example of severe revenge upon the provocation of almighty God Observe how Moses sets it forth in his case Deut. 3.26 The Lord was wroth with mee for your sakes and would not heare mee but said let it suffice thee speake no more unto mee of this matter It is not a small matter to have God offended Moses had that priviledge to speake to the Almighty face to face wee would have thought if Moses should prefer a suite hee might bee sure to speed but wee see God speakes to Moses as if hee did not know him but will not grant his request for entring Canaan let it suffice speake no more If we reade in Deut. 4.21 22 23. how Moses works upon it how he aggravates the displeasure against himselfe wee cannot but deeply conceive what a thing it is to bee sensible that God is displeased with us The sword or scarcity or pestilence are terrible things in themselves but oh let us apprehend what it were to have one of these or a farre more light and easie judgement sent among us in anger O Lord saith David rebuke mee not in thine anger neither chasten me in in thy hot displeasure Psal 6.1 Hee seems more to feare the wrath than the judgement If I bee rebuked if chastned yet oh let it not bee in displeasure That I may bee able to beare This I cannot Jeremiah prayes in that manner and with
reason O Lord correct me not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing Jerem. 10.24 Let us feare before God for his wrath will crush us it will crush us to nothing it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God 2. Let us feare also the wrath of eternall judgement That is truely properly the wrath to come In other judgements Gods anger is kindled in this his jealousie smokes Other plagues lye heavie upon the backes of Sinners this a far heavier burthen will grind them unto dust When God drinkes to men in punishments hee makes them pledge him in a bitter cup but this is the dregs of the cup of his fury indignation But we may sooner spend a multitude of words than be able to conceive it fully and therefore Saint Jude rather leaves it to conceit than hee will describe it when hee calls it The Blacknesse of Darknesse for ever Saint Hierom hath a conceited glosse upon those words which David useth to the men of Jabesh Gilead for their sincere kindnesse to their dead Master 2 Sam. 2.6 The Lord shew kindnesse and truth unto you Misericordiam in praesenti Veritatem in futuro as if the mercy which is shewed here were but as nothing but a lye in respect of that reall truth of mercy which shall bee shewed hereafter So the wrath that is here manifested in temporall inflictions is but a shadow compared with that truth of misery which wicked men shall feele in hell Some books have described that condition I 'le not fall upon their labour but would only desire to leave your separated and retired thoughts sometimes upon that meditation that you would beleeve there is a wrath to come that so a profitable kindly feare might be maintained II. The second observation That the wrath to come may be fled from That wrath may be avoyded needs no other proofe than that it hath beene and that proofe the history of Scripture frequently yeelds us Ahab was a wicked man yet I cannot thinke but his humiliation was sincere who was so sensible of the threatned wrath that hee rent his clothes put sack-cloth on his flesh fasted lay in sack-cloth went softly however God accepted it and tells the Prophet Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee Beoause he humbleth himselfe I will not bring the evill in his dayes 1 King 21 29. The King of Ninive found escape by the same way God saw their works that they turned from their evill way and God repented of the evill that hee said hee would doe unto them and did it not Jonah 3.10 Whether these were sincere in what they did comes not to our present question it is enough that wrath was fled from but in Josiah we have an instance without that exception in the return of an answer from Huldah the Prophetesse Thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring evill upon this place but because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thy selfe before God behold I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace neither shall thy eyes see all the evill which I will bring upon this place 2 Chro. 34.24 27.28 But besides examples it may appear upon this ground of reason Condemnation may bee avoyded and therefore wrath therefore judgement such as know how to hide themselves under Christ are refuged for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus and therefore being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.9 for Hee is that Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 1 Thes 5.9 But I need not prove further what is not at all doubted and therfore may proceed to make it usefull by application Vse 1. That wrath may be fled from concludes unto us That the escape of wrath is by flight our safety is not by standing out but in running from the storme which I rather note to discover their folly who seeke other means of prevention or escape as namely 1. Such as stand unto their cause and urge their innocency against the righteous sentence of an unpartiall Judge as if they were so guiltlesse that evill could not come nigh them or if it did they might complaine of wrong rather than beg a redresse 2. Such as upon the same opinion in stead of confessing themselves guilty traverse the Indictment to use the phrase of our law and do make contradiction to it 3. Such as think the execution of the sentence may be stayed and a reprivall had by corrupting the seate of Judicature by bribing of the Judge 4. Such as trust to their pleadings that they have claime of priviledge and immunity to their persons 5. Or Lastly that deceive themselves in their expectation from others But all these are deceitfull refuges Wee are every one guilty and cannot overthrow the Bill the righteous Judge will not bee bribed wee have no plea of exemption and all humane strength will faile us There is no avoidance but by flying Vse 2. Let us therefore wisely use the right remedy let us fly But here is still the difficulty how wee may fly from wrath There is a double flight 1. Corporall 2. Spirituall 1. The Corporal flight is that which some hope they may safely trust unto The Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men hid themselves in the dens and the Rocks of the mountaines and said to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6.16 17 18. That shall bee the sudden and miserable shift which poore wretched men shall make at that great day So others think to scape from judgements temporall and present but in vaine for every place is in Gods reach as the Psalmist hath fully and excellently expressed it Psalm 139.7 8 9 10 11 12. God besets us behind and before and layes his hand upon us and therefore whither shall wee fly from his presence Every place is Gods Gaole and every creature is his Gaoler hee hath his Attachments ready and can serve them when hee pleaseth so the Lord threatneth Amos 5.19 As if a man did flee from a Lion and a Beare met him If God meane to punish us though we escape one judgement another shall overtake us they are all Gods Officers and are ready upon their service so that wee shall bee sure to fall into the hands of some of them It was a grave speech of Ely If one man sinne against another the Judge shall judge him there shall bee a legall proceeding and the accused shall finde an Advocate to plead his cause in open Court but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreat for him Hee must needs bee cast for who will be an Advocate to defend a cause against God 1 Sam. 2.25 The Lord cannot bee prevented of his purpose
If it bee our duty it then very justly condemneth 1. The barren who bring forth no fruits at all I may say to many as our Saviour to those in the Market place Cur statis otiosi why stand ye all the day idle men live onely as if they were sent but to live without a farther end I may wonder as our Saviour Why stand yee all your youth idle all your strength idle all your old age idle what a shame is it that men should spend so many yeares 20 30 40 50 an 100 yeares some and doe nothing make no entrance or if an entrance no progresse in grace Hath no man hired you Have yee not been hired by meanes by mercies by offers of grace Why doe wee spend our strength and labour to instruct you wherefore have yee the Gospel why have ye enjoyed preaching the benefit of so many sermons and do nothing but continue barren 2. It condemns such as are indeed fruitfull but bring not forth fruits worthy of repentance Men are but too fruitfull in the works of darknesse The fruits of ignorance the fruits of profanenesse the fruits of Popery the fruits of Atheisme doe every where abound You bring forth fruits worthy of your selves being ranke ground for weeds that are noysom unprofitable Ye bring not fruits meet for this businesse and this day A fasting day is but a bud or flower but the fruit must follow afterward When yee assemble to a worke of this nature there is a good shew made faire blossoms but if there be a day of humiliation and no reformation follow it is but a blossomed tree which at length commeth to nothing Vse 2. If it bee our duty let us be carefull of our duty this application I shall more profitably branch into 1. A direction 2. An exhortation 1. A direction how wee may be wrought unto the duty 1. How to repent 2. How to bring forth worthy fruits 1. A direction how to repent I will method you in the way which you must take and carry your meditations through the severall degrees by which yee must ascend 1. Learne to consider sinne to conceive of it rightly to see it in its owne nature Let us not deceive our selves in our condition to think our selves rich and increased in goods and to have need of nothing when in deed wee are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Rev. 3.7 that ye may the better discern and do this consider 1. The infinite majesty of God which by your sins is offended 2. The infinite bonds and relations that by your sins are violated 3. The heavie wrath which upon such violations from such a Majesty by your sinnes you have justly incurred 4. What good things which otherwise yee might have possessed by your sinnes yee are deprived of and have forfeited 5 What evils as the effects of divine wrath by your sins are brought upon you 6. The infinitenesse and preciousnesse of Christs sufferings which for your sinnes hee freely under-went Yee may spread your thoughts upon these and by them helpe your selves to the serious consideration of the haynous nature of sinne which is the first worke to bee done 2. Consider obedience unto God to bee a duty absolutely necessary that one thing neeedfull Luke 10.42 So necessary that when some related Pilates fact that hee mingled the blood of divers Galileans with their Sacrifices CHRIST told them Except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish Luke 13.3 Consider repentance to bee so necessary that without it there is no salvation but ye are sure to perish 3. Upon the apprehension of sinne and the necessity of repentance goe and cast your selves downe before the presence of God in the humblest maner when you are in private alone by your selves lay your selves open unto him poure forth confessions for if wee confesse our sins hee is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse 1 Joh. 1.9 See what encouragement David gives I acknowledged my sinne unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid J said I will confesse my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne Psal 32.5 And goe and say unto God as David did Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Psal 51.4 4. When ye are at the lowest then cast up an eye to Christ by faith embrace the promise of life by faith in him expect not onely the justification of your persons but the renovation of your natures that the covenant of promise may be performed challenge of Gods truth That he would give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you that he would take away the stony heart of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh that he would make you remember your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good that yee might loath your selves in your sight for your iniquities and for your abomination Ezek. 36.26.31 5. When ye have challenged mercy and grace then resolve in the strength of God to returne There is nothing in your owne power and therefore a bare simple resolution will not availe you Wee often observe such resolutions come to nothing and no wonder because they are not taken in the power of God A grosse sinner in a good sudden mood begins to bethink himselfe and then hee resolves to leave his sinne I have heard a drunkard when hee hath been reproved say I will leave this drinking and company-keeping or a swearer say I will refraine these oathes And so of others Haply some may commend these resolves I cannot dare not I think it no commendable thing but a remedy as dangerous as the sinne because the remedy is a signe You will thinke it strange divinity but observe whether these men doe not as frequently fall into the sinne as resolve against it they resolve not to doe it and then doe it they againe resolve not to doe it and againe they doe it That is their course the circle which they run round in to sinne and resolve to resolve and sinne And observe whether you ever knew one of these bare resolutions to have good successe But this must be your way Lord I see what I must doe but together with it I see what I am not able to doe thou hast made me willing make mee also able my desires are towards grace and so farre as I am able to resolve I doe resolve but it is in the power of thy might Oh add unto thine owne worke perfect thine owne beginnings This is to resolve to repent in Gods power and it succeeds for wee are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 6. Lastly let us strengthen our resolutions with this care to avoid all impediments that might hinder our returning unto God Many things do impedite or intangle the soule sometimes worldlinesse hangs like a clog sometimes
love of company and pleasure is like a snare about the feet but wee must thrust away such as troublesome importunate suiters whose impudence will not have denyall Wee shall never goe freely till we be unclogged This is the method we must take in the course of our repentance 2. The other direction is how yee may bring forth fruits Be not wanting to your selves neglect not tillage and the right husbanding and manuring of your ground or because the metaphor is here of a tree doe what is in your power to make a fair and flourishing growth But because Paul may plant and Apollo water but God must give the encrease therefore because it is God worke entreat him to doe it be often and much in prayer 1. That God would afford a moysture from his ordinances and to you grace and power to sucke up that moysture The tree sends its roots up and downe some this way some that every way to suck from the humid earth and of the deaw and raine that falls from heaven to draw what it can unto it selfe Pray that God would drop downe vertue in the word and labour diligently to attract it 2. That God would put within you the heate of charity that out of love you might keep the commandements It is heate which conveyes the moysture up into the sap of the tree and carries along the nutrimentall humour hence it is that in spring time the trees and plants doe sprout Where there is love in the heart there will be obedience in the life Mary the penitent did much for shee loved much 3. Pray that God would sanctifie to you all severall conditions The winter is profitable to the plants to solid and collect them The summer that they may emit or send without what they have collected Pray that God would sanctifie tryall a more pleasing life both to that end that you might be more fuitfull This is the direction 2. I will end with an exhottation 1. Let us endeavour to be meetly or worthily fruitfull to be some way answerable in the degree of our repentance to the degree of sin When shall we find penitents come blubbered into our Churches Oh that such as have beene eminent in their sin would bee eminent in their repentance There are some have an eminency of evill sometimes in a Towne or Parish wee shall know some who are noted poynted at for common Drunkards some are knowne by their common swearing They are knowne by these sins as others are by their Trades Oh that such men would not only repent but give publike testimony of their repentance that they might be noted for that also such a one such a one is a convert O that Drunkards Adulterers Swearers Oppressors Sabbath-breakers would be eminent in the contrary in sobriety in the use of drinkes in temperance to correct their flesh in a strict watch over their tongues in mercy to the poore in a conscionable observation of the Lords dayes We think any thing enough for God if ye leave your callings or pleasures for one of these dayes heare and pray out the time that the congregation stayes together yee thinke yee doe enough you think a sigh a great matter the drop of a teare to bee almost meritorious Ah why should wee be so ungratefull so unanswerable unto God When you fall into sin yee pursue it violently why should there not bee such zeale in the return As ye sinned with greedinesse with violence repent 2. In our repentance let us bee answerable to our spirituall life let us live as such as wee are In civill relations wee can easily doe it wee can live suitably to our estates wee can very easily live above it If a man basely and meanely borne bee raised by the accession of a great wealth to be a Gentleman hee can soone forget how hee lived when he was poore he can very easily learn stately carriage to looke high and speake big and despise his neighbours There are excesses in our carriage this way whence it is that the commonalty live like Gentry the Gentry like Nobility the Nobility like Princes and Princes scarce know how to live Oh that there could bee these excesses in our spirituall manner of life Christians live as heathens as unbeleevers as wordlings It is a shame for us to live so much under our selves But let us endeavour that are Saints yet so much as wee can to live as Angels live as much as we can in heaven have heavenly thoughts heavenly desires and heavenly motions to live if not above yet at least answerable to our principle of life Let mee conclude with an application of entreaty to your consciences that ye would be moved to return unto God Wil a threat prevaile Know then that the Lord knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 2.9 The Baptist urgeth this argument in his sermon Now the Axe is laid unto the root of the trees therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire in the tenth verse of this Chapter Beloved judgements are come neere us The Pestilence is Gods Axe and a very sharp one it can cut downe men suddenly it can cut downe Countreys it hath felled Preston wood and tall growne trees in other places It is laid neare the root of this County in Lancashire on the one side in Denbighshire on the other in Shropshire on this how easie is it for God to fetch another blow and lay us downe or why should wee expect to stand untoucht when the wood round about us is either feld or cropt Why doe wee despise the riches of Gods goodnesse and after our hardnesse and impenitent hearts treasure up unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2.5 But I will not end with a threat but would rather desire that the goodnesse of God might lead us to repentance The word that the Apostle useth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The goodnesse of God it leads on or invites or provokes Rom. 2.4 Let this be motive enough let his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his forbearance that though he be provoked hee is patient and will not strike and his long-suffering that he waits and expects when wee will returne let these move us Let the promise of mercy move us let the mercy that we already have received move us for we may observe that wee have not lost the fruit of our labours of our fasting of our prayers for Sweden prospers and the rage of our neighbour pestilence ceaseth that wee hope shortly to bee as loud in our praises as wee have beene solemne in our humiliations Deo Opt. Max. sit gloria