if it had beene already gotten A victory or defeate of the enemy without the active endeavours of men fully parallell to this we have in the 2. of Kings c. 19. v. 15. to wit the great discomfiture of Senacheribs army which had for a long time besieged Hierusalem Such was the successe of Hezekiahs prayers which were conceived in that forme which Solomon here prescribes and uttered in this house which he now consecrates And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said O Lord God of Israel which dwellest betweene the Cherubins thou art the God even thou alone of all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth Lord bow downe thine eare and heare Open Lord thine eyes and see and heare the words of Senacherib which hath sent him to reproach the living God v. 15. 16 To this petition he receives this answere v. 32. Thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria he shall not come into this city nor shoot an Arrow there nor come before it with shield nor cast a banke against it By the way that he came the same shall he returne and shall not come into this city saith the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it for mine owne sake and for my servant Davids sake The like joyfull deliverance was obtained by the prayers of Elisha in that streight siege of Samaria and the famine wherewith the city was so grievously pinched was suddainly turned into such plenty that whereas an Asses head had beene fold one day for 40 peeces of silver the morrow after two measures of Barley and a measure of wheate flowre was sold for a shekell 2. Kings 6. 25. 7. 18. Heaven we reade was shut up for three yeares in Elisas's time the earth was chapped and the land of Israel wounded with famine for want of raine Heaven is opened againe by Elias his prayer and the land refreshed 1. Kings 17. 1. 18. 45. So that there is not one branch of Solomons petition which the Lord did not really accomplish when this people prayed unto him as Solomon prescribes them Through want of such prayers as Solomon here makes or at least for want of that faith by which the prayers of Iehosaphat Hezekias and the Prophets were conceived Iehoiakim Zedekiah c. found no such successe or deliverance in their distresse as these two godly Princes had done But some men the better they believe these sacred stories concerning the infallible successe of the Kings of Iudah's godly prayers The more prone they will be to question in what cases how farre or whether at all the undoubted grant of Solomons petition may any way concerne us or the times wherein we live The question may seeme more pertinent or rather the second generall point proposed by us may seeme more questionable or more then questionable altogether impertinent because most of these victories or deliverances which Iudah or Israel obtained by prayers were miraculous such as farre exceed the force of naturall causes or meanes ordinary and which are without the reach or contrivance of policy And what assurance then can wee have that our prayers shall bee answered with like successe unlesse we may believe or hope that even our prayers or supplications may procure true miracles but miracles have altogether or for the most part ceased for these later times in which for this reason that song of the Psalmist might be more fitly taken up than the practise of Solomon or the Kings of Iudah We have heard with our eares our fathers have declared unto us the noble workes which thou didst in their daies in the old time before thē Thus to complaine of the times wherein wee live in respect of former all of us are by nature too prone and this pronenesse is one speciall meanes by which the fervency of better spirits devotion is so much dampned yet Solomon hath told us that we are but foolish inquisitors And if but foolish inquisitors then certainly no competent judges in this case To say that these times are not more corrupt then former were to flatter them enough to convince us of being time-servers yet to complaine of them or to lament them as men doe which have no hope or assurance in Gods promises were to accuse God a spice of infidelity Certainly there is no fault in the times or in the places wherein we live but such as we our selves respectively infuse into them some by wickednesse of life others by impious or ungodly opinions Let us then so use our freedome in speaking the truth of the times wherein we live that we doe not slander the eternall dispenser of times and seasons that we cast no aspersions upon his fatherly care and providence God hath not forgotten to be as good and gracious unto our times as he hath beene unto former ages but we have forgotten to bee thankfull unto him we either are distrustfull of our selves or for the most part teach others to distrust the extent of his goodnesse whose certaine beliefe must bee the roote of prayers as well for blessings spirituall as temporall There is no speedier way or shorter cut unto Gods curse or vengeance then by distrusting his goodnesse towards our selves or by denying the fruites of it unto others But to the Quaere proposed How farre the grant of Solomons petition may concerne our selves or the times wherein we live the answere is ready Our present interest in that grant our assurance in Gods promises for blessings temporall to that people may be as great our deliverance from dangers imminent and unavoidable to the apprehension of man may be as certaine and infallible as theirs was albeit God doth not in particular promise succour or worke our safety by the same and like meanes as he did theirs Admit then it were an Article of our Creed as it is not that miracles in these later times haue ceased may not upon any exigence be expected that to seeke after such signes and wonders as were given then were a tempting of God as intruth it is no better yet all this ought not to weaken our assurance that the issue of our prayers so they be as faithfull as theirs were shal be as ioyfull to our selves as beneficiall to the state and kingdome as Iehosaphats and Hezekiahs prayers were Gods goodnesse towards us his providence over us is still the same and our beleife of this his goodnesse if in us it be true and sound 't is the same it was in them so will the issue be the same either in kinde or by equivalency Whether the like issue or successe be wrought by meanes ordinary or extraordinary is meerly accidentall to the certaine of it Not to embrace the workes of his wisdome with as thankfull hearts as Israel did the workes of his power would be childish and pettish Hopes of successe whether by meanes ordinary or miraculous must in all ages be grounded upon the same article of faith but not at all times upon
joynt or member of the body wherein the Gangrene or other deadly spreading sore hath got possession or roote From this internall imbred corruption he proceeds unto more publique and grievous wounds or diseases usually made by causes externall as when Israel shal be overthrowne before their enemies v. 25. When the heavens shall be shut up and the earth be without raine v. 26. When there shal be Famine Pestilence mildew Grashoppers or Caterpillers When the enemy shall besiege thee in the Cities When they shal be afflicted by any Plague or sicknesse v. 28. The soveraigne remedy for all and every one of these and the like is the very same and it is this v. 20. 21. Then heare thou from heaven from thy dwelling place their prayer and their supplications and maintaine their cause and forgive thy people which haue sinned against thee v. 29. But what if this people should be led captive into a foraigne land not permitted to repaire unto this house where the Lord had placed his name This Solomon foresaw as a matter not impossible how ample soever his promises unto his father David and his seed might in ordinary construction seeme to be is there any possible salve for this possible fore or can this house which he had consecrated to be an house of prayer afford them in this case any remedy when they could not come to pray in it yes the remedy is prescrib'd v. 38. 39. If they returne to thee with all their heart and with all their soule in the land of their captivity whither they haue caryed them captives and pray toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers and towards the city which thou hast chosen and towards the house which I have built for thy name Then heare thou from heaven c. Soe then both Prince and people were to pray in this house whilst they possest this land and city wherein it stood to pray towards it when they soiourned in forraigne Coasts or were detained in the land of their captivity to pray towards the place wherein it had stood in case it should be demolished So did Daniel after this house which Solomon built was burnt to the ground 3 The prerogatives which he petitions might be bestowed upon this house of prayer were you see exceeding great Was it then any part of his intention in the suite or of Gods purpose in the grant to have this house endowed with such ample priviledges for the use or benefit of Israel only or of Abrahams seede according to the flesh surely Solomon did conceive his prayers out of a perfect and speciall faith yet the specialty of his faith in Gods promises made unto Israell or to Abrahams seede did no way extinguish his charity or abate his good affectiō towards others for he expressely consecrates his house to be an house of prayer for the use benefit of all the nations under heaven though in the first place for Israel Moreover as touching the stranger which is not of thy people Israel but is come from a farre country for thy great names sake and thy mighty hand and thy streched out arme if they come and pray in this house then heare thou from heaven even from thy dwelling place and doe according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for that all people of the earth may know thy name and feare thee as doth thy people Israell and may know that this house which I haue built is called by thy name 32. 33. He knew the gracious goodnesse of his God to be in it selfe so great so truly infinite that it could not be a whit lessoned towards Israell how farre soever it were extended towards others as it is extended to all men without exception insensu divise though not in sensu composito it is thus far extended unto all to the end that they might come to the knowledge of the truth but not extended not communicated to such as love darknesse better then light and falshood then truth It was then well with Israell when their charity towards others was like their heavenly fathers love without factious partiality or respect of persons It was their seeking to ingrosse Gods promised blessings unto mankind which twice brought that greivous curse upon them under which at this day they sigh and groane Now if all the nations on earth had this interest in Solomons Temple shall we deny any one of what Nation soever the like interest in Abrahams seed concerning whom the Lord had sworne that in him should all the nations of the earth be blessed Thus much of the generall scope or view of this Chap to retire my selfe unto my text which is as the center or fittest Angle for taking the exact survey of this long and fruitfull field 4 To give you then a briefe comprehension of the principallest and most fundamentall truths either directly incident into or naturall emergent out of it First it is taken as granted by Solomon and it is to us a point of faith that as well the Calamities as the Prosperities of states and kingdomes are from the Lord It is he that giveth life as well to bodyes politique as to naturall It is he that woundeth and it is he that maketh whole Secondly no Calamity or wounds of state are in their nature incurable if this remedy be sought in time they grow incurable only by neglect of the medicines in Gods word prescribed Thirdly the only Soveraigne remedy for restoring states and kingdomes diseased and wounded by the hand of God unto their perfect health is prayer and Supplications to the King of Kings The last must be the conditions of the prayers or qualification of the Supplicants by whom such prayers as may prevaile with God must be made Vpon this point Solomon often toucheth in severall passages of this Chapter Such of the heathens as were alwayes ready to sacrifice unto their owne right armes for victory inbattle and unto their owne wit in policy for the sweet fruits of peace did often observe certaine surplusses of successe good or bad which they could not account to be the naturall issue either of their industry or contrivance and whatsoever fell without the mould of their hopes or feares was attributed to fates if it were disastrous to fortune or chance if it were good now whatsoever the heathens did ascribe to fortune to chance or fate or to any other supposed guide of nature or intermedling power in humane affaires all these the wise king ascribes wholy unto his God he is the God of peace and yet the God that maketh warre the Lord of hostes the God of plenty and yet the God that sendeth scarcity The God of our health and life and yet it is he which punisheth with plague and sicknesses Nor are we bound only to derive all extraordinary successe which the heathen gave to fortune and fate but ever even the usuall successe of ordinary endeavours be it good or bad from his providence That the
DIVERSE SERMONS WITH A SHORT TREATISE BEFITTING THESE PRESENT TIMES Now first published BY THOMAS IACKSON Dr in Divinity Chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie and President of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford For the contents with the severall places of Scriptures expounded or illustrated in them see page following the Epistle OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD An. Dom. 1637. TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS PRINCE CHARLES PRINCE OF WALES DVKE OF CORNWALL c. All the blessings of this life and of the life to come WOuld your Excellence vouchsafe if not at your best conveniences to read yet for the present to accept these Treatises following with the like favourable patience as your royall Father and my most gracious Soveraigne Lord and master did heare the most of them I should thinke my paines in publishing and offering this mite as well bestowed and as well recompenced as any other part of my labours in the ministry That you may long exhibite to this present and future ages a live expression of your most royall Fathers Princely vertues especially of his devotion in Gods service and his zeale to his house the Church that by continuance in thus doing you may continue in like favour with the King of kings and Lord of lords as Iehosephat Ezekiah and other best Princes of Iudah were is and shall be the daily prayer of Your highnesse most humbly devoted Servant THOMAS IACKSON TWO Sermons vpon 2. Chron. Cap. 6. vers 39. 40. Containing a Paraphrase on Solomons petition vnto God at the Consecration of the first Temple with the grant and successe of it ERRATA Pag. 9. line 21. her read his p. 10. l. 2. him r. them and l. 3. of r. or p. 16. l. vlt. that r. then that p. 40. l. 1. certaine r. certainty THREE Sermons vpon IER 26. vers 29. MICAH 3. v. 10. 11. 12. Errata Pag. 26. l. 11. dele their p. 30. l. 24. time r. our times p. 31. l. 30 labour r. labourer p. 30. l. 11. af r. after p. 32. l. 8. dele that p. 41. l. 8. or r and p. 70. l. 13. his r. its A Treatise concerning the signes of the times containing a Paraphrase or exposition vpon LVKE 13. vers 1. to the 11. and from vers 23. to 27. Errata Pag. 18. l. 1. tradii r. tradidi p. 37. l. 3. now r. nor p. 53. l. 8. for then r. or that A Sermon vpon the second Sunday in Advent containing a Paraphrase or Comment vpon LVKE 21. vers 1. to the 28. MATT. 24. vers 1. to 32. MARKE 13. vers 1. to 27. 2. CHRON. 6. 39. 40. 39. Then heare thou from Heavens even from thy dwelling place their prayer and their supplications and maintaine their cause and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee 40. Now my God let I beseech thee thine eyes be open and let thine eares be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place 1 IT was the saying of a Roman Senator who thought himselfe well seene in matters of State Parvi sunt arma foris nisi sit consilium domi Armes are of little availe abroad without a wise Councell at home to give them instructions but the wise King part of whose words these of my text are saw a great way farther and layes his foundation much deeper parvi sunt arma foris parvi consilium domi nisi sint preces in Templo Councell of State or Councell of warre armes at home or armies sent abroad by their directions with their best instructions adde little to the security and safety of State and Kingdome without prayers in the Church or house of God And for this reason although he had now erected a goodly Temple with as Princely and cheerfull a heart as his Father David had built an Altar unto the name and honour of the God of Israel yet he thought it no Sacrilege no robbery at all to intend a publique and perpetuall benifite to the State and Kingdome from this glorious worke So compatible are Royall intentions of Gods honour with desires of Gods blessings temporall upon the people committed to their charge that this wise King even whilst he dedicates this great house unto his God for a peculiar habitation wherein he would be pleased to place his name yet consecrated withall as a Sanctuary for every afflicted soule to be more then an Arsenall for warre as a Magazine of medicines and remedies for all manner of wounds or diseases incident to the body publique 2 God had given this young King a large talent of Princely wisdome and the spirit of government in an extraordinarie manner and of this extraordinarie wisdome and spirit one speciall part it was to know that it was not in the power of man not within the compasse of any wisdome though participated from aboue to direct his owne wayes much lesse the wayes of others aright least of all to give successe to their best directions As the skill of Pylots is best knowne in a storme or dangerous passage so is the wisdome of Rulers best tried in perplexity or distresse The best proofe or triall which Solomon could give of his wisdome in this case was the knowledge to frame his petitions aright to the God of wisdome and Lord of Hosts This whole Chapter is no other then an Anatomy Lecture of the diseases and wounds of Kingdomes and Common-weales publiquely read by Solomon for the instruction of Princes and Rulers that should come after him It is the glory of a King as this King elsewhere obserues to finde out a secret and to punish iniquity when it is found out though committed in secret and to render to every man according to the equity of his cause being made knowne is the duty of a Iudge but in as much as many controversies of right and wrong must be determined by oath if men will be so destitute of the feare of God as to sweare falsly or to contrive their owne gaine and others harmes by perjury what Iudge can help what Prince can remedy men by this meanes distressed Yet Solomon begins at this inward sore or secret corruption the remedy he seekes from the searcher of mens thoughts and hearts So he prayes 2. Chron. 6. 22. 23. If a man Sinne against his Neighbour and an oath be layed upon him to make him sweare and the oath come before thine Altar in this house Then heare thou from Heaven and doe and Iudge thy servants by requiting the wicked by recompensing his way upon his owne head and by iustifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousnes To recompense the wayes of this wicked man upon his owne head is one of the mercies which in conclusion he beseeches the Lord to shew unto his people for crudele est hîc misericordem esse Though mercy be alwaies good yet the better it is the worse it is placed upon such pestilent members As great a cruelty to shew pitty upon the perjur'd as to pamper or cherish any
it as was the worke of mans hands did stand for forty yeares after yet it stood but as a Carkasse the soule and spirit of it was translated unto the Temple of his body For as he said Veios habitante Camillo Illic Romafuit Rome was at Veii whilst Camillus in whom the life and spirit of the Ancient Romans did then wholly reside had his residence in that towne Or as we say the Kings royall presence makes the Court So was it alwayes the immediate or peculiar presence of God by way of inhabitation which made that goodly edifice which Solomon now erected to be the Temple or Sanctuary the house of prayer Now from the time of our Saviours death God withdrew his extraordinary presence from the Temple made with hands all the priviledges wherewith it was endowed and the secret influence of his grace are now wholy treasured up in the sunne of righteousnesse or in the body of Christ in whom as the Apostle speakes the God-head dwelleth bodily God is not so present in any other body or place as he was in the Temple of Ierusalem not present any where by way of inhabitation save only in the body of Christ and in the members of it that is his Church But in as much as God is by such speciall manner present in Christs manhood our accesse unto him in all our troubles and distresse is more immediate than Solomon or his people had any They were to pray in the materiall Temple or towards it their prayers had no other accesse to heaven than as it were by way of Echo from the earthly Temple and though by this way they found a true accesse unto heaven yet had they not altogether the same acceptance there as ours now have or might have Solomon indeed beseeched God here in my text that his eyes might be open and his eares attent unto the prayers which were made in this place to wit in the house which hee had built But this hee spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men For God had not then the eyes of men to looke upon men nor the eares of man as now he hath to entertaine the prayers of men This is one speciall comfort that the Sonne of God that very Lord unto whom Solomon directs his prayer is become our high Priest not such an high Priest as cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sinne He hath his Temple or Sanctuary at the right hand of his Father Act. 3. 26. where he sits to pray for us as Solomon did for his people in his name Yea but he is placed there as the Apostle speaks to blesse us with all spirituall blessings and what are these to blessings of states and kingdomes for which Solomon here prayes Much every way or rather all in all For if blessings spirituall include godlinesse in them they have blessings temporall annexed unto them as appurtenances Godlinesse saith the Apostle is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1. Tim. 4. 8. THREE SERMONS PREACHED BEFORE THE KING Vpon Ier. 26. 19. By THOMAS IACKSON Dr in Divinity and Chaplaine in ordinary to his MAIESTY OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD An. Dom. 1637. IEREMIAH 26. V. 19. Did he not feare the Lord and besought the Lord and the Lord repented him of the evill which hee had pronounced against them THe Text is part of an Apology for the Prophet Ieremiah against whom the Priests and Prophets and all the people had pronounced this peremptory sentence v. 28. Thou shalt surely dye why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord saying this house shall be like Shilo and this city shall bee desolate without an Inhabitant But this sentence you shall finde reversed or contradicted by the Princes and all the people v. 16. Then said the Princes and all the people unto the Priests and Prophets this man is not worthy to dye for he hath spoken unto us in the name of the Lord our God The scales of Iustice being thus farre turned the right way the Elders and Sages of the land sought to keepe them at the point whereto they were drawne more through vehemency of present motion then by permanent waight of reason by alleaging a former rule beyond exception All that the Priests and Prophets could pretend why Ierusalem having made her selfe equall to Shiloh in sinne might not bee made equall to her in punishment was this That albeit Shiloh had beene the place of Gods rest the Towne or City where the Arke of his Covenant did reside yet it never had the title or priviledge of the place which God had chosen to place his name in This was Ierusalem's prerogative amongst all the Cities of Israel But what prerogative soever Ierusalem did from this title enioy these had beene the same in the dayes of Hezekiah which now they were And if in the Iudgement of Hezekiah the state of Iudah it were lawfull for Micah to threaten that Sion should be plowed as a field that Ierusalem should become heapes the mountaine of the house like the high places of the forrest It could be no capital crime in Ieremiah to say that the Lord would make the Temple like Shiloh and Ierusalem a curse to all the Nations of the earth Now Hezekiah and the state of Iudah as these Elders alledge were so farre from putting Micah to death that Hezekiah for his part did feare the Lord and besought the Lord. And when it is said he feared the Lord it is included that he did not only patiently heare the Prophet but truely believe him For the feare of the Lord in this place is neither to be extended further nor contracted narrower than thus He feared least the Lord should put the Iudgments denounced by Micah in speedy execution and as is probable by Sennacherib King of Assyria By what meanes soever the likelyhood was that this Iudgement should be put in execution the only meanes which Hezekiah resolveth upon for avoiding or preventing it was hearty and unfained praiets Did he not feare the Lord and besought the Lord c. In this his resolution and successe these foure particulars present themselves to your considerations First his wisdome in making choice of prayer before and above all other meanes which the opportunity of those times might suggest Secondly what advantagious successe did accrue from feare unto the efficacy of his praiers or how feare of God's Iudgements doth prepare mens hearts to pray Thirdly of the iust occasion of his and his peoples feare or of others feare in like case Fourthly in what sense God is said to repent If I should say that Hezekiah in thus doing did shew himselfe a godly and religious King none would deny it but to say he was in this a wise and politick King this will not be granted For what policy was therein fearing
grand-child to this Manasses as good a King as could be wished for a man that needed no reformation a fit patterne for reforming others But this heavenly starre was placed in an earthly sphere hee had to deale with such a lewd court and naughty people as choaked the influence of his goodnesse And albeit his personall performances in his attempted reformation were no way inferior to Hezekiah's practice in this place yet neither his performances nor prayers found the like successe He could not plant the feare of the Lord either in his people or in his owne childrens hearts And if we sequester Iosiah his attempt of reformation from Hezekiah his time unto the destruction of the City and Temple there was sometimes on the Princes part sometimes on the peoples part usually on all parts Prince and people if not a continuall increase of sinne yet a continuance in usuall and wonted sinnes And where Gods Iudgements have once seized upon a land or people there is no removall of them without publique repentance no true repentance without prayer no prayers effectuall without feare of the Lord. Did hee not feare the Lord and befought the Lord c. His prayers were earnest and effectuall because his feare was hearty and unfained not affected But how feare should performe the office either of mother or mid-wife for the bringing forth of succesfull prayers is a Quaere not to be omitted and was the second generall proposed Pray we may but our prayers cannot bee successefull unlesse they be conceived in faith And faith as our Apostle tels us Heb. 11. 1. is the ground or substance of things hoped for And what affinity is there what agreement can there be between feare hope or confidence which is if not the nature yet the native issue of faith From these words of the Apostle faith is the ground of things hoped for haply it was that some late writers have put fiducia or confidence in the very definition of faith But wee are to consider that the former words of our Apostle containe rather a character then a iust description or definition of faith Otherwise his words following had beene superfluous faith is the evidence of things not seene And under this more generall character things feared may be as directly conteined as things hoped for But have we any Scripture to warrant us that faith in some cases may be as truely the ground of things feared as of things hoped for Yes By faith saith the Apotle Heb. 11. 7. Noah being warned of God of things not seene as yet mooved with feare prepared an Arke for the saving of his house Or if we consider faith not in it's universality as it equally respects the whole word of God but as it hath a peculiar reference unto his covenant with this people that wee know was not a covenant of life only but a covenant of life and death And all the writings of the Prophets which were to them and are to us the truest leaders and guides unto faith are as full of threatnings as of promises their sweetest hymnes are composed as well of iudgement as of mercy So that faith if it be not lame or defective hath two hands aswell a left hand to apprehend the truth of Gods iudgements threatned whilst we swarve from the waies of life as a right hand to lay hold on the truth of his promises whilst we are not conscious of such deviation Feare then which is no other then an expectation or apprehension of evill is the left hand of faith and hope which is the expectation or apprehension of good is the right And they who place the nature of faith in fiducia or cōfine it unto confidence do utterly maime it on the left side being maimed or dead on the left side it cannot be sound or lively on the right That which they terme fiducia or confidence in Gods promises if it be not supported with an implanted feare of his iudgements threatned is in true language but presumption It cannot bring forth the prayers of faith For prayers made in faith presuppose and include a sincere renouncing or relinquishing of those desires or practises which by nature or course of Gods Iustice are either incompatible with the blessings which we pray or hope for or are the causes of the evils threatned or inflicted He that will offer the sacrifice of prayer unto God for his health must abandon all excesse and riot otherwise he doth but mocke God And he that supplicates for the forgivenes of his sinnes must be prepared in heart to forgive such as have sinned or trespassed against him 'T is our Saviours owne comment upon the prayer which hee hath taught us And hence the heathen Cynick did justly deride such supplicants and sacrificers as continued in riot whilst they tendered their prayers and sacrifices to intreat Gods favour towards themselves for health Whilst we retaine malitious or revengefull purposes towards our neighbours it is to put in a caveat against our owne suits or petitions in the court of heaven Now unto this qualification or preparative unto prayer which consists in the abandoning of those practises or resolutions which stand as a barre or caveat against our petitions and supplications there is no meanes so effectuall no method so compendious as hearty and unfeined feare of Gods iudgements It is the very arme or hand of faith for remooving all such obstacles For feare as wee said before is the expectation of evill approaching And the apprehension of any remedilesse mischiefe of any greater inconvenience or inestimable evill will oversway the hope or expectation of any inferiour good be it matter of pleasure or commodity by which two matters onely we are withdrawne from goodnesse it selfe And if any man bee altogether wedded unto temporary delights or contentments it is for want of feare In the beginning of a storme the Merchant or passenger will be unwilling to cast any part especially of his most pretious commodities over board but in case stormes increase to his sight or observation if then the Pilot or Mariner can perswade him that the ship wherein he sailes unlesse it be speedily disburthened will shortly sinke the certaine feare of loosing all will moove him to part with one halfe or instant dread of loosing his owne life will make him willing if need so require to part with all The griping Vsurer will be ready to release the unconscionable interest covenanted for if the Lawyer in whom he trusts can perswade him that by rigorous exaction of the use he may come to loose the principall or to incurre a censure from which both use and principall will not free him The case of Iudah in this extremity was the very same if we compare the iudgements threatned by Micah with the nature and quality of the sinnes that had provoked them as you may finde in the Prophet Micah 3. 9. They build up Sion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity The heads thereof judge for
was a iust God to inflict upon them what they deserved but they believed withall that he was a God of mercy and forgivenesse and out of this feare thus tempered with hope they addresse themselves to become as capable of his mercy as they had beene of his iustice For so it followes that the people of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloath from the greatest of them even unto the least of them and thus they did both by the Kings royall command and example an admirable resolution in a heathen King a practise more Orthodoxall then was the doctrine of the Priests or Prophets which questioned Ieremiah for saying the Lord would make his Temple like Shilo unlesse they did speedily repent But what was the issue of the Ninevites repentance God saith the text saw their workes that they turned from their evill way and God repented of the evill that he had said that he would doe unto them and he did it not v. 10. Did he then but say that he would doe this evill unto them without any thought or purpose to doe it if hee had but only said it and not meant it hee could not be truely said to repent him of it his saying supposeth his intent or thought for he said it solemnely and publiquely not tentatively or by way of triall only But if God had a serious will or purpose to destroy Nineveh at this time and destroyed it not how is it true which the Psalmist saith that hee doth whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth So that if it be true what we have before delivered wee shall be thought by some to admit either some defect in his power or some alteration in his will Thus litle children by turning long round imagine that the Globe of heauen and earth runnes round with them untill their braines be setled And men of riper yeares unlesse their vnderstandings correct their fancy conceipt that towers and steeples with the shoares whereon these or other edifices stand doe move from vs whil'st we swiftly passe by them or from them But to thinke there should be any change in Gods will because many things which he seriously willeth are not effected is an errour a great deale more grosse then either of the former For all the change is in the object of his will that is in the things willed or nilled by him The answere to this obiection or discovery of this fallacies originall was most acutely made and punctually delivered by the schoole-men long agoe aliud est mutare voluntatem aliud est velle mutationem It is not all one for God to change his will and to will a change in things created by him God never changeth his will it alwaies is as his nature is absolutely immutable or as our Apostle speakes without shadow of change yet by one and the same unchangeable will hee may and doth will variety of changes diversity of alterations in the things willed by him or in the sentences denounced by his Prophets in his name He worketh all things by the councell of his will and as Saint Gregory saith nunquam mutat consilium his counsell doth never change or alter saepius tamen mutat sententiam his unchangeable unalterable counsell may worke a change in all things besides it selfe It was his iust will seriously at this time to destroy the Ninevites and this his will or purpose we will conceive to be more unchangeable more immoveable then a rocke of Adamant and Nineveh whilst she continued her wonted course in sinne was like a ship before a full winde which had outsailed her watch whilst the Marriners slept by this error ready to dash against the immoveable rock of Divine iustice had not her Pilots governors awaked out of their sleep upon the Prophet Ionas summons tackt about and directed their course another way If whilst we acknowledge Gods will to be most unchangeable we consider it withall to bee a most compleat and most constant rule of equity and goodnesse qua talis it will most necessarily follow that even in this respect it is a rule most compleat and most unchangeable it must have one award for Nineveh raging with cruelty and oppression another for Nineveh turning from the violence that was in their hands one doome for Nineveh wallowing in drunkennesse riotousnesse and uncleanenesse another for Nineveh watching washing her selfe with teares fasting and sitting in ashes covered with sack-cloath One sentence for Nineveh polluting her selfe with pride of heart with periury and blasphemy another for Nineveh humbling her selfe under the mighty hand of God with fasting devoutly calling upon his name with teares and supplications For albeit God knoweth all things as well things to come as present and doth nothing otherwise than from eternity it was determined to be done yet even this wee know was determined from eternity that every man in every nation should be rewarded not according to the identity of their persons or place but according to the diversity of their wayes to the variety of their workes Though Rockes in the sea be immoveable yet we easily conceive how the distance or aspect betwixt them and ships which saile to and fro doth vary every moment whilst the ships are in motion Conceive then Christ Iesus to bee as hee truly is the immovable Rocke of our salvation but withall a living Rocke and an allseing rule and it will be easier to conceive how the doome or sentence from eternity awarded to every mans actions doth hourely change either for quality or degree as men doe change their course of life whether from good to evill or from evill to good from good to better or from evill to worse So then Repentance in these Ninevites did import not only a will of change but a true change in their wils and affections They turned their delight in sinne into sorrow for sinnes past and good resolutions not to transgresse so againe Repentance in God importeth only a will of change nor is it the will of every change but a change of the doome or sentence denounced which the Scripture calls repentance in God And here I should have set a period to the first point proposed did not some men question whether that beliefe wherewith the Ninevites are said to have beleeved God were a true beliefe or an act of saving faith however such it was as did save them from present destruction but so it might be in some mens judgements and yet be but a temporary historicall faith For how could they pray in faith according to the Apostles rule seeing they doubted whether God would shew mercy upon them or noe For so much seemes to be included in the resolution v. 9. Who can tell if God will returne and repent and turne away from his fierce anger and we perish not Now thus to doubt may seeme to argue that their prayers were not of true faith But these two sacred maximes whatsoever is not of faith is sinne
call portenta or prodigia that is in sacred language peculiar signes of the time or forewarnings of greater calamities to follow we gather from the first words of the Chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there were some present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in illo ipso articulo temporis in that very season or nick of time who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilat had mingled with their sacrifices What season was that That point of time wherein he said vnto the people 12. Chap. 4. v. When yee see a cloud rise out of the West streightway yee say there commeth a showre and so it is And when yee see the South wind blow yee say there will be heat and it commeth to passe Yee Hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie and of the earth but how is it that yee doe not discerne this time Yea and why euen of your selues iudge yee not what is right And when the Pharises with the Sadduces came tempting and desiring him that he would shew them a signe from heauen as it is Math. 16. v. 1. 2. c. He answered and said vnto them when it is euening yee say it will be faire weather for the skie is red And in the morning it will be foule-weather to day for the skie is red and lowring O yee Hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie but can yee not discerne the signes of the times And albeit his recited speeches Luk. 12. v. 54. were directed vnto the people or promiscuous multitude then present yet in that multitude there were no question some Scribes which had the prerogatiue and portion of the first borne in the title of Hypocrites Now our Sauiour's discourse immediately before my text being of the signes of the time and a taxe of his Auditors dulnesse in not discerning them This unexpected intersertion of those Galileans whose bloud Pilat had mingled with their sacrifices whatsoever the newes-mongers intended was indeed no interruption but rather an illustration of his doctrine It comes in ' its right cue and the relators of this sad accident serve his turne as fitly as the Chirurgion doth the Physitian by making a visible dissection of that part on which the other makes an Anatomy lecture The implication or importance of the newes thus suted by divine providence unto the point then handled by our Saviour is in effect as much as if hee himselfe had said unto his Auditors If you want other signes of the time to meditate upon take these two for your theame the unusuall masacre of these Galileans and the disaster of those eighteene inhabitants of Ierusalem upon whom the tower in Siloe fell and slew them These are the first drops of Gods displeasure against the Nation but these drops without repentance will grow into a current and the current into a river and the river swell into a flood and the flood into an ocean of publique woe and tragique miseries The Prophet Ieremie long before had taxed their forefathers as more dull and stupid then the reasonlesse Creatures as the birds of the ayre for not discerning or not observing those signes of the time which did foreshew Gods judgments vpon them with the causes which did provoke them Ier. 8. 6. 7. I hearkned and heard but they speake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what haue I done every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel yea the Storke in the heauen knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people know not the Iudgment of the Lord. This stupidity or senslesnesse in man whether Iew or Gentile whether Christian or Heathen in thus slighting or neglecting the signes of the time that is such portendments or prognostiques of Gods judgments or calamities as the very booke of nature or of the visible creatures affords argues the nature at least the disposition of men in whom this stupiditie is found to be farther out of frame then the nature of the birds of the ayre or beasts of the feild For they commonly fore-see vnseaonable weather or storme comming and seeke in time for some refuge or shelter but so doe not men for the most part returne to God who is their only refuge vnder the shadow of whose wings there is only hope of safety albeit he daily giues them more pregnant prognosticks of wrath ensuing then the disposition of the ayre doth vnto birds or foules From these circumstances of the season wherein these newes were brought unto our Sauiour the ensuing discourse must take its rise by these degrees first of the peculiar signes of times portending unusuall calamities and of their generall use Secondly of the manner how this prophesy was fulfilled upon the whole Iewish Nation according to the scale or model of these two signes upon these few Galileans and inhabitants of Ierusalem Thirdly of the morall use or application of both these signes and predictions That the preserver of mankind doth alwayes in one kind or other gently yet seriously forwarn every city or nation of such extraordinary calamities as hang over their heads and without repentance inevitably fall upon them there can bee no better proofe than by induction that is by the generall agreement of Historians whether sacred Christian or heathen in all ages Of Historians whose workes are entirely extant or unsuspected to be the Authors whose names they beare Herodotus is the most ancient and he hath made up the induction to out hands untill his owne times Quoties ingentes sunt eventurae calamitates vel civitati vel nationi solent signis praenunciari Extraordinary calamities whether such as befall cities or peculiar Segniories are alwaies foreshewne by some signe or other This author lived before Alexander the great but after Cyrus had taken the city of Babilon and is quoted by Aristotle who was Alexanders instructor I referre his instances or ensamples confirming his former induction of generall observation to a fitter opportunity diverse of them being more paralleld to the signes of the times in my text then any I haue read in any heathen Author In the age next ensuing the Author of the second booke of Maccabees A man of authentique credit for matter of fact though not of Canonicall authority for his doctrine or judgement vpon matter of fact related by him hath recorded the like forewarnings though in another kind foresignifying the warres that befell the Iewish nation by Antiochus Chap. 5. 2. 3. To parallel these with the like in every age since that time would be lesse painefull to an ordinary Preacher then troublesome to his auditors Matchiavel a man as free from superstition or vaine credulity as any other writer that hath bin borne and bred amongst Christians out of his owne reading and experience hath made the same induction which Herodotus did but somewhat more full Vt causam facilè confitebor me ignorare it a rem